Tython

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

Elnia sat on the floor opposite him as instructed and considered the task that he'd set before her. She wasn't even quite sure where to begin. It was true that she now knew that the Force is what gave her the ability to see the world around her, but she didn't know how it had worked. It was almost like she was to try to "see" more, though to her there wasn't more to be seen. She folded her hands in her lap and tried in earnest, she could see the eddies and currents, and with Aryian's help had managed to learn to manipulate them a little bit.

 

Aryian, she wondered what had happened to him, but somehow she knew that there was something in the training that he'd been able to impart on her that could help her focus to "see" more. Suddenly, as though through a grey fog, she remembered the training course that he'd programmed on Phu - the force-crystal maze.

 

Her senses had been overloaded with the amount of Force-energy in the confined space, rendering her normal method of sight as being almost completely useless. She'd been blinded, but it hadn't been the same as when everything had gone dark when first her master's wife and then her master died. That was something different altogether.

 

Timidly she tried to find one of the currents, but it seemed to be slipping away from her, as though it was quicksilver. Seeing and manipulating what she saw in the currents and eddies of the Force and actually touching it were proving to be two completely different things.

 

For about a half hour she tried, but didn't make much progress. Frustrated she drew a deep breath and resigned to giving up or asking for help from her master. The current seemed to swirl closer to her as though sensing she was no longer pursuing it and it was curious as to why, like it was enjoying a game. Master Starlisk had given his help, she just wasn't following his original instruction, though she thought she had been. It was like a small light had flashed to brilliance in her mind.

 

Taking another breath she instead ignored what she saw around her and drew her mind within herself, and the curious little current seemed to want to follow. Elnia curious stepped back again, further inside herself and was surprised with the current followed her. Nervously, she allowed it to envelop her and fill her being.

 

She could feel Onderin's presence, stronger now than she could before, his curiosity about her past, but the polite resolve not to pry into the matter. She breathed again, and could feel other presences in the Force, some in pain and expectant, some curiously distant as though they were slightly out of time, calming presences, purposeful presences, children. All of these she felt through the rush of the current that had latched on to her, and she began to feel as though she were loosing herself to it. This scared her because she didn't know how to step back, or how to turn it off. Miraluka couldn't just open their eyes and wake from a trance, they couldn't close them and deny it either.

 

Once more she tried to find Onderin's presence, and once she did she latched on out of fear of getting lost. For a moment, she was that same frightened little girl being taken from her parents and sold to the crime lord. The memory of it was strong in the Force, clearly visible and laid bare.

 

Suddenly she felt Master Starlisk's presence more fully, and then found herself back in the room with him, just the two of them, the floodgates having finally been dammed.

 

Exhausted, Elnia curled her knees to her chest and rested her head on them, trying to process everything that had just happened. She wasn't sure if she wanted to do that again soon, but would follow her masters guidance as promised.

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin hadn't trained three apprentices to Knighthood and fought a long war against the Galactic Empire without developing a little bit of patience. Half an hour of feeling around in the Force, giving Elnia little nudges in the right direction, listening to what the current was telling him, following its eddies--all these things passed in what seemed like moments. When finally she found it, when she fully realized what it meant to grasp the Force, she was almost whisked off by that current. It occurred to him that, without regular sight, she didn't have any concrete way to pull herself instantly back.

 

But she did find her way back. Still, the experience had scared her a little and worn her out. "Good," he said. "You've taken your first step into a larger world... and a very big step at that." Perhaps it had even been a bit too large, and for someone as strong in the Force as her, he should have started with a simpler exercise. "You don't have to dive into the deep end of the pool again just yet."

 

He stretched out a hand, and from a rack on the wall an instruction cube floated--it probably contained some Jedi teachings, but those weren't important at this point. Onderin had selected the item because of its small size. Now it drifted to rest comfortably in his palm, and he placed it on the ground between him and his padawan. "Lift this before you, Elnia," he said, careful not to use the word 'try'. "You don't need to fully submerge again, just touch the surface and will the object to move. After what you just did, this should be no problem."

 

Of course, it was a pretty different exercise, but as long as she believed it would be relatively simple, then it would be. "Remember--your focus determines your reality."

[Xae-Lin Ardel]

Xae felt the burning pain her Padawan felt as she sealed her blaster wound from further blood loss. It was a dangerously fool-some thing to do, yet it was resourceful in the current circumstances none-the-less. ”œRemind me sometime to show you how to use that as something other than a surgical instrument,”

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

Her head tilted up at him and she offered him a weary grin. "That's good, because I don't know how to swim, sir." She meant it literally as well in relation to the exercise that he'd just had her complete, though - unless she was unknowingly projecting it - her master had no way of knowing the truth of that statement.

 

She watched him as he brought the instruction cube to him through the Force, it was easy for her to see how he'd done it. It was a simple matter of directing the eddies to what you wanted and then allowing them to carry it to you. She'd done it before, she wasn't sure when, but she knew that it felt familiar. She folded her legs beneath her once again and prepared to duplicate the action.

 

Mimicking her master's actions through the Force, she reached out to the cube, guiding the current to it and directing the flow back towards her. The chip moved slightly, as though it were loathe to join with the current and for Elnia, it felt like she was using a muscle that hadn't been stretched in a very long time. She took a deep breath and drew the current towards her, being extra careful not to get swept away again. The instructional cube moved towards her with a little more sureness of it's path, finally surrendering to the current and landing in her outstretched hand.

 

A shy, triumphant smile spread across her face as she floated the cube back to Onderin. "I think," she began quietly, "I've done that before, a very long time ago, when I was very young. It was like my mind had forgotten, but the rest of me knew what to do."

[Onderin Starlisk]

Telekinesis, it seemed, was a much easier challenge for Elnia. That was probably for the best, because Onderin tended to hammer it early as a fundamental skill that could be used as a standard for almost all future studies. And so he would do the same here.

 

"An excellent first step," he told her. "Now, the Force is all around us, and it has no lack of power. As long as you believe you can accomplish something, through it you will be able." He kept his eyes fixed on hers, keeping his attention on her both physically and through the Force. He had to know how fast she would be ready for the test that he commonly employed in the near future.

 

"The size of the object is irrelevant," he continued. "Next, lift me."

 

A bit of a step up. "Remember--you can do it."

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

She looked at him curiously for a moment, what he said didn't make sense. Surely it did take more effort to move something larger than it did something smaller. Though, she reminded herself, that was really dealing with the physical, not the Force. She knew that things that usually could not physically be accomplished for normal beings could be done through the Force. She'd seen Aryian do it.

 

She could sense Onderin's encouragement through the Force, as well as through his words. He believed in her, and was the first person to truly do so in a long time. Any doubts that the young Miraluka had seemed to shy away to the darkness, as she chose to fully embrace her master's lesson. He had confidence in her, so she was beginning to have confidence in herself. Surely two Jedi Masters couldn't both have misplaced their faith in her.

 

She met his confident gaze. "I can," she said, but it was obvious from her tone she was still trying to convince herself of this fact. Nervously she bit her lip and relaxed once more. Carefully she tried to draw the currents to her Master, much as she had with the cube.

 

It's the same. It's the same. It's the same. I can do this... she repeated to herself, still not fully confident, but getting there.

 

Getting the eddies to swirl around the elder Jedi was easy, but coaxing them into lifting him was something her mind told her body that it still needed to work out.

 

She outstretched her hand, as though the physical direction of what she was trying to accomplish would somehow aid her, but thus far all that she was managing to do was cause his robes to rustle as though being pulled by a persistent breeze.

 

I can do this, Master Starlisk knows I can. Don't let him down.

 

She began again, and after several long minutes Onderin began to feel himself being raised slightly from the floor, though he was still in contact with it, his attachment to the ground, was somehow lighter.

 

Elnia could sense that she was close, but this was taking a lot out of her. She would do what was asked of her, even to the point of harm to herself, it was how she'd been raised. She drew from the Force and gave it one last push, finally managing to lift her Master about an inch or two off of the floor.

[Kyrie Eleison]

Stand with me worthy Jedi! Our power is needed at times like this”¦ We must help the, no, our Republic in its time of need. Without us, the Republic, the one beacon of civilization in this galaxy of darkness, will fall like a flower against the onslaught of autumn's heat. We have little choice but to disobey the command of the council. Will you stand with the WatchCircles? Will you stand with Revan? Will you stand with order and justice?

 

Kyrie's emerald eyes sparkled in the diminishing firelight as she watched her master respond to Il-Andon. She placed a black-bound hand over her wound, thankful that the pain had been reduced, thanks to her master's adept use of the force to soothe the screaming nerves. A small trickle of crimson dripped from her mouth, flowing onto the pale canvass of her skin. Her master's voice sent a feeling of joy through her battle-weary mind. It felt like a flame leaping to light in a darkened room.

 

”œKyrie's Master, Xae-Lin Ardel. Would someone mind cluing me in as to what is going on around here? Other than that we're locked in a battle with Sith crawling all over the temple all of a sudden.”

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin nodded when he finally felt himself being lifted off the floor. "You're doing well," he encouraged her. "But you're exerting yourself needlessly. I know how strong you are, and I urge you to do better. Remember, it's the Force doing the lifting, not you, and the Force is everywhere, omnipotent. Only belief and concentration are necessary to accomplish great things. You have to unlearn what you know about the world, for the Force let's a Jedi transcend it."

 

He tried to let the words sink in before he stood. "Let's take a break and a walk," he said. "We'll come back here later." He headed out, Elnia in tow, and made his way toward the hangar. Again he kept his stride in check so that the girl could keep up with him.

 

"How are you feeling so far?" he asked her along the way. "These first few days are going to be a big transition, but you'll come to see the galaxy in an entirely new light."

[Skye Organa]

"By the Force how long will this last?"

 

"Not much longer now, Darla. You'll be alright. They're almost here. It's almost over."

 

Skye smiled knowingly at both of them, "I would have said as long as it takes but your twins do seem to be in a hurry." The Healer stretched out in the Force towards the twins. Skye closed her eyes and through her healing abilities she checked on the babies. One was already moving into position at the birthing canal and wouldn't take all that long before 'arriving'.

 

The Healer looked up as the medical team entered the room, nodding towards them as they brought the equipment in and moved around Darla, the hovercribs standing by.

 

"Darex" Skye said as she looked up, "Hold onto Darla's hand and make sure she breathes through the contractions. I'll dull the pain through the Force but I need you to help distract her from it as well," She winked as she caught his eye, hoping that the gesture would make him relax a little, "... and you remember to breathe too."

 

Skye straightened up, raising her arms as one of the nurses held up a medical gown for her. The Healer slipped her arms into place, letting the nurse tie up before she moved back to Darla. She knelt infront of her as the nurses helped move her friend into a more comfortable position so that she could give birth. Skye sent another tendril of the Force in Darla's direction, this time dulling the nerves with her abilities rather than through an epidural so that her friend would still be aware of what was happening instead of feeling nothing at all from her lower regions. This would also allow her friend to recover quicker afterwards. Darla's sigh of relief let her smile up at the mother-to-be,"Not long now ... you will still be aware of the contractions though they should not cause you pain now."

 

"She's crowning" one of the nurses stated.

 

The auburn hair Healer glanced up at her friend, "You can push now Darla."

 

....

 

Moments later a newborn's cry sounded just before Skye held up her friend's first born child, "Congratulations Darla, Darex" The nurse helped Skye to wrap the baby in a blanket before the Healer moved around to the proud parents, "Here you go. Welcome to your new daughter, she's beautiful." She handed Darex his daughter, let her hand rest upon his then Darla's shoulder before she moved back to deliver the other twin, having felt the signs through the Force that the second of the twins was also in a hurry to be born. She renewed the tendril of Force to ensure that her best friend would not feel the pain, then readied herself to deliver the next twin. "Okay Darla. When you are ready..."

 

....

 

"The twins certainly have a good set of lungs on them" Skye said as she handed a tired looking Darla her son. She stepped back so that Darex and their daughter could get closer to mother and son.

[Kyrie Eleison]

As the Mandalorian threat increased, our own Battleform intensified. Their aggression was brutal, and no matter the evidence put before them”¦ Witness testimonies, holovids, the like, the Council decreed that no Jedi would participate in the war. We had little choice but to turn our backs on the order and join with Onasi, Revan and Malak to destroy that imminent threat to the Republic. Our Republic. The Jedi's Republic. We turned the war around. We became heroes of the Republic.

 

Smoke and flame. Whispers of destruction. The song of war. Within Kyrie's mind, the song began to filter throughout, overtaking the instinct to flee before the face of innumerable odds, and driving cold determination into her very core. Behind her, the padawans marched in formation, their lightsabers of green and blue, like standards, under which the forces of light would rally. Within the song, Kyrie began to feel them all, intimately connected through the strains of war and a likened mind. The Force was granting them a rare gift: A unified battlemind. They would flow as one unit, their wills joined together by a strength not their own.

 

Kyrie ran swiftly across the courtyard, the padawans running behind, their cowls of forest green blending into the courtyard's architecture. In order to prevail, they had to be stealthy. Before them lay the breech in the wall, the ancient stone cracked and shattered under the pressures of Sith power. Two Jedi lay wounded and dying within, struck down by the invaders. Around them was the amassed power of the Sith. Four Sith, crimson blades in hand stood over the bodies, the advance scouts for the army. A daunting task, but they never saw or sensed her coming.

 

With a leap of the force, Kyrie landed in the midst of the Sith Lords, her vibroblade slashing out to open one of them, a wookiee by appearance, from throat to groin, in a splash of thick blood. The padawans followed in suit, their fear dissolved into the will of The Force. As Kyrie rounded on the leader, a Weequay, the padawans ambushed the other two Sith, moving as one unit. Michelle and Grace dropped their opponent with little trouble, the Sith becoming overwhelmed by two separate fighters moving in absolute synchrony, and was cut down and decapitated. Gilling took more time dispatching his Sith, the Sith being less surprised by the sudden onslaught of Jedi. The Sith was good, but no match for a Jedi in Serenity, bound to The Force like a vine to an ancient wall. Gilling parried the man's furious blows easily, the Sith's rage blinding his vision, before placing his glowing emerald blade through the man's chest, burning a hole through his heart.

 

Kyrie smiled at her team's victories, but didn't allow the pride to overcome her concentration. The Sith before her was very strong indeed, and his use of the force was wicked and warped. She bent under his blade as he slashed at her throat, the song flying about her, guiding her moves, strengthening her long-trained instincts. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, giving her the slightest of warnings before a stream of lightning flew from the Sith's ungloved hands. Twisting under the storm of dark side energy, Kyrie brought her vibroblade up, underneath the Sith's outstretched hands. The blade met little resistance as it bore through the Sith's jaw, and bisected his skull. Kyrie flipped her blade out of the Sith as he melted into ash and brought it about on the song's tempo.

 

Her blade wavered for a moment in the air, shimmering, as if it had been caught in a forcefield. Blood began to dribble down the blade, before turning into a river of crimson as a Sith Assassin materialized before her, the vibroblade jutting from his throat. The cloaked figure collapsed in a pile of ash as the Sith's confined power disintegrated flesh and bone, burning it to ashes. Kyrie's emerald eyes flashed in surprise, and the padawans took a cautious step backwards, bringing their blades up before them, the battlemind swirling with shock and disbelief.

 

The song swirling about her, Kyrie brought it to bear upon the breach, leveling the power of The Force upon the mysteries of the Sith. A blast of pure white fire leapt from her hands, blasting through the rubble, burning out the power of darkness. Five more Sith materialized out of the flame, their own surprise matching that of Kyrie and her team. Kyrie was the first to recover, the song guiding her hand to, where she took a stiletto from her darkened belt. It leapt from her black-bound hand, sped and guided by the force, to embed itself in the breathing-regulator of the Gand Sith in the centre of the group. Ammonia-rich gas exploded out in a toxic cloud, burning and scalding the eyes and mouths of the surprised Sith. The padawans reacted instantly through the battlemind, bringing their concentration upon the gas, driving it into the bodies of the Sith. All five dropped like stones caste by a giant, overcome by the force-sped gasses, and within a moment, they were all but ash upon the wind.

 

The group exhaled a collective sigh of relief. Michelle and Grace smiled furiously, holding onto one another, their excitement filling the battlemind as they brushed blood from one another's clothing. Gilling leaned against the rubble, a bit overwhelmed by the battle. Kyrie herself knelt down and whispered to herself, grasping the rosary about her neck, placing her vibrosword before her, it's blade biting into the rubble. The beads felt cold against her pale, nail bitten fingers.

 

”œAd maiorem Dei gloriam ad quod damnum”¦”

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

Elnia looked at him and then at herself, holding her arms wide. ”œThat should be easy, Master. I'd like to forget most of what I know the galaxy to be like. The Force may use me as long as it sees fit, as long as I am free to choose.”

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin was content to listen for a time as they walked and Elnia started to open up about herself a little bit. He could already tell that she was becoming more comfortable around him, which would be critical for her development as his student and as a Jedi Knight. The more open she was, the more he would be able to identify where she needed the most work, and as they built trust, she would not only learn more quickly from him, but he would begin to learn from her. He had traveled all around the galaxy and met dozens of different alien races. Even though he'd traveled mostly in the name of the war, he'd learned that it was perspective that made life in the galaxy diverse, and what was impossible for one being to grasp was the simplest concept for another. It was Onderin's privilege to now train a Miraluka, even one that had been separated from her people at a young age and had just stumbled upon freedom, and gain her insight in the universe.

 

He had not heard anything about her being 'unpacked', but he accepted the statement at face value. She'd escaped slavery by hiding in a shipment and had ended up somehow on Helix station. Now, lacking direction, she had submitted to his request to train her without really knowing even what it meant to be free.

 

"As a Jedi, there is no shortage of purpose," he assured her. "When you finish your training, when you are fully equipped, I will highly recommend that you go out into the galaxy and spend some time among its people. With the Force as your companion, you'll always know where you are needed.

 

"We'll do some of that before you become a Knight, too," he added. Field experience was perhaps the best instructor of padawans. But first he had to get the basics in her.

 

They'd been walking for several minutes when they arrived in the hangar. There were a few ships nearby including the shuttle Onderin usually piloted. More importantly, there was a stack of crates in the middle of an open space. "Back to practice. Take some time and work on moving those crates around--do more than one if you can. I've always enjoyed flying, so I'm going to take my ship out for a little while and give you some space to practice on your own."

 

So saying, he went over to the shuttle, got in, and took off. He was just going to do a few exercises for a time, take the shuttle through its paces a little bit and get a better feel for how it handled. He didn't have very good experiences with taking the things into combat, and the life of a Jedi made it possible that he would have to do so again. Maybe a little practice could give him an edge next time.

[Darex Trevelian]

The next minutes seemed to pass in a blur. Skye had numbed the pain, but Darex could still see the effort and strain Darla was going through, and feel it in the deathgrip she had on his hand. He encouraged her as much as he could, trying to do as Skye had asked and distract her from the pain. Together, they breathed in and out, in and out.

 

And then, all of a sudden it seemed, Darex heard the most beautiful sound in the galaxy. His baby's first cry. And there was Skye, wrapping a tiny squealing thing in some cloths, and handing it to him. He looked down and for the first time, saw his daughter's face.

 

He was extremely glad he was already on his knees beside Darla, because he knew had he been standing, he might have collapsed. For the first time in his life, Darex was completely overcome with emotion. He moved his mouth to speak, but no sound came out.

 

The baby was red and wrinkled and tiny, with a slightly pointed head from having been squished through the birth canal, but she was gorgeous. She fit inside his cupped hands, she was so small. He couldn't believe that this child was actually his. He could have stared at her for the rest of the day, but Darla gave another cry, and minutes later, they had a son.

 

He hadn't thought anything else could be as beautiful as his daughter, but then there was his son. And completing the picture was the most beautiful woman in the universe, his soon-to-be wife. It was all almost too much. He leaned over and gave Darla a kiss. Finding his voice at last, he handed their crying little girl to her mother, and all he could think of to say was the obvious. "We have a daughter and a son." His voice was thick with emotion.

 

He tore his gaze away from the three of them for one moment and reached out to grab Skye's arm. "Thank you, Skye. Will you be their godmother?"

[Xae-Lin Ardel]

The auburn-haired Jedi Knight narrowed her gaze slightly at the white haired Jedi, not quite understanding the reason for the amusement between him and his companions. She tried to make sense of it, then realized that it didn't really matter as she watched Deirdre tend to Kyrie.

 

”œWell, Xae-Lin Ardel, you are welcome here. As for what is going on”¦ I'm not quite sure what you're asking. Our temple is under assault by Sith forces. This didn't happen quickly. The battle of the garden tomb, where I met your padawan, happened about seven hours ago, and the Sith renewed their assault early this morning. Where have you been?”

[SithAcolyte]

"Not much longer now, Darla. You'll be alright. They're almost here. It's almost over." 

 

Skye's words reassured Darla. She trusted her friend and knew that she and her children were in very good hands indeed. The pain was unbearable. Having her body beaten and smashed, even loosing a limb hadn't hurt this bad.

 

"I would have said as long as it takes but your twins do seem to be in a hurry." 

 

It seemed that Darla's children were just as impatient as she was. Of that she truly was glad. The sooner this ended the better. Darla had always considered herself brave and strong, but she seriously doubted that she could take much more of the labour. Nothing in her life up until this point had prepared her for this.

 

Skye probed Darla through the Force, checking on her progress with senses beyond her eyes. It seemed that only moments later a medical team had arrived. It made the experience all the more uncomfortable for Darla to have strangers moving around her in the position that she was it. Telling herself that they were only there to help, Darla tried her best not to get frustrated any further.

 

At Skye's direction Darex held Darla's hand and knelt beside her helping her to breath by slowly breathing in and out with her. She squeezed his hand tighter than she ever had. There palms were sweaty and it seems that Darex was just as nervous as Darla was. Looking into his eyes Darla was gald to have him by her side. She wanted to tell him that, tell him how much he meant to her, but all she could do was focus on breathing through the pain.

 

Suddenly Darla's pain seemed to abate. A light filled her. Force energy. She knew that it was Skye. Through he Force her friend was easing her pain. Dulling her nerves. A warmth filled Darla and everything seemed alright. Now she knew that she could get through it. With Darex at her side and delivery of children in the hands of her best friend, everything would be alright.

 

Even managing a little smile Darla didn't even mind the medical team being there anymore.

 

Through the Force she reached out to Skye and let her know how grateful she was. Then she reached out to Darex letting him know how much he was loved. A moment later her daughter made her appearance.

 

Although her nerves had been dulled it was still a difficult experience. With one final push and a scream of exertion her daughter was born. Darla was aware that people were moving around her, talking, but it was all such a blur. She caught a glimpse of Skye passing something small, pink and screaming to Darex. Her daughter. Darla would have savoured the moment but she was acutely aware that she was still in labour.

 

"Ahhhhh!" Darla was dripping with sweat, red in he face.

 

Finally her son made his appearance and for the first time in what seemed like  an eternity she could relax. Tears poured down her face but she mailed through them. Her breath coming back in ragged gasps.

 

They had done it. Together the had made in through. Darla, Darex, Skye and the twins. They were family. Bonded by love and blood.

 

Darla was handed her son by Skye, she held him tightly weeping with joy. Darex was right beside her with their daughter. Darex truly was a sight for saw eyes. The man sheloved had never looked more handsome to her than at that moment as she watched him gently cradle their child in his strong hands. He lent over and kissed her.

 

"We have a daughter and a son." when Darex uttered the words it really hit home. They had a family.

 

"Yes..."Darla smiled, still looking exhausted. "Yes, we do."

 

His voice thick with emotion, Darex asked Skye to be their godmother.

 

"Of course she will be! If she knows what's good for her!" Darla teased raising an eyebrow.

 

Thank you Skye. Thank you so much. You're my best friend and I could never have done this without you.

 

Darla sent the words through the Force infused with love letting her dearest friend know how much she valued her.

[Skye Organa]

He tore his gaze away from the three of them for one moment and reached out to grab Skye's arm. "Thank you, Skye. Will you be their godmother?"

 

Skye didn't know what to say, never having thought beyond having everything go like clockwork for their twins birth. Her eyes widened slightly though when she found her voice to respond, Darla beat her to it.

 

"Of course she will be! If she knows what's good for her!" Darla teased raising an eyebrow.

 

A laugh escaped her, Skye nodding her head, her eyes crinkling up with joy, the smile lighting up her face as she responded, "How could I say no? I'd be honoured to be the twins Godmother."

 

Thank you Skye. Thank you so much. You're my best friend and I could never have done this without you.

 

Yes you could... but thank you... she replied, feeling love through the Force that Darla sent her way. Out loud she added as she brought an object out of her medical bag, "Okay, move closer, it's time for a family holo." She grinned at the new parents, each holding a twin in their arms.

 

After Skye had taken a few holo's one of the nurses approached her, taking the camera and telling her to join the happy family. Smiling she moved behind the chair, lovingly placing a hand on Darla and Darex's shoulder as she glanced down at the healthy newborn twins.

[Darex Trevelian]

The holo was taken, and Darex knew he would treasure it. But he could also tell that Darla was exhausted. He looked up and thanked the medical team for their help. They left soon after that.

 

The twins had stopped crying, content for the moment to glance around at everything. He could also feel them tentatively stretching out with the Force, using it as they would any other of their senses. It astonished him and made him smile.

 

He glanced to Darla, his eyes crinkling around the edges with joy. "I guess we never made a firm decision on what to call them."

 

It was certainly something that needed to be rectified.

[Guest]

The Minira broke through the atmosphere, and began to slow down. This was the plante that Gav had been told about, a place to find the Jedi Order and start a new life with them. He had always known he was a little different then most other kids in his age group, he had always been good with money, and makeing good money decisions, he had made millions investing in things that seemd ludicris to everyone else.

 

"Set it down here E3" Gav called from his lounge

 

A few beeps from the astrodroid was all that he could hear as the ship touched down on a small landing port in the town of ashlan. A few creeks and pops were heard as the ship settled. Gav stood up, and walked over to his wordrobe, he changed quickly into his robes, and stood by the door waiting for it to open.

 

"Take the ship back into orbit, I'll give you a shout when it is time to leave" He called to E3 as the door slid open. A cold rush of wind hit him as he walked down the ramp to the ground. The door sealed shut as he walked off the landing area, and the ramp retracted back into the ship, as it lifted off and headed back into space.

 

Gav looked around a little before starting his journy towards the forest in search of the Jedi Temple. He just hoped that he was heading in the right direction.

[Dashel Illioni]

R3's primary motivator decided to fail spectacularly during a refit cruise of th Grass Tiger. Since the little droid had served Dashel faithfully, the Triani Jedi decided to modify and upgrade the little droid into something more modern.

 

In short, he decided that the little droid's memories and personality would be transferred to both a more robust body and one that would increase the little droid's capacity across a multitude of skill sets.

 

The only problem was what type of chassis to transfer him into. Dashel was sitting at a computer terminal pondering this problem when a nudge from the force changed a great deal of the plans he had been making.

 

Knowing that he would need to meditate to clear the meaning of the nudge, he went for the closest meditation room he could find. There he settled into the force, going deeper than he had in a very long time.

 

It was only when he was at his calmest, when he had banished all thoughts of the outside world and his worries that he managed to catch the barest glimpse of what the force had been trying to tell him.

 

Something nebulous, tenous sped towards Tython, barely aware of the force and unfocussed in it attempt. What it sought, only time would tell, but nothing Dashel sensed in that faint, faint touch seemed to bode ill for the Jedi.

[SithAcolyte]

Darla hadn't been expecting to be having holos taken. She felt awful, but she was sure that she couldn't look half as bad as she felt she did. Anyway even if she didn't look her best this surely was a moment that she would want to cherish and remember forever. Darla didn't really have any holos of her past, any her mother had taken of her as a child had been lost and she had never been one to use a holo-cam herself.

 

It was regretful to think back, there were so many moments in her life that she had forgotten. It would have been nice to have some memento's from her past. Now was the time to change. From here on out she would keep things. Her life had always been what she could fit in a backpack. Even them she had lost her meagre belongs so many times over the years.

 

All that would change now.

 

It was a little daunting all the stuff that she would need to take care of the children. Skye had provided her with everything that she needed at the moment and for that she was truly grateful.

 

Darla smiled in the Holos and enjoyed the moment. This was her family, the old and the very new. She knew in years to come she would look back at that picture and know how perfect the moment had been, remember how lucky she was to have such an amazing friend who was more of sister and to having such a loving father for her children.

 

When all the pictures were taken and the medical team were gone Darla felt like she could finally relax. She was truly exhausted after the labour. In a comfortable position on the couch she lay back letting Darex and Skye hold the twins for the time being.

 

"I guess we never made a firm decision on what to call them." Darex was smiling at Darla.

 

Darla already knew what she wanted to call the twins. At least she thought she did.

 

"We talked about Alana for girl, right? And Jax for a boy? Those were the names you liked so unless you've changed your mind since then I think that's what we should call them. Jax and Alana."

 

She was sure that they were the names that Darex had wanted. Darla didn't mind that much what names they went with. All she cared about was that her children were safe and healthy. Also she knew that it would mean a lot to Darex if he got to name them.

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex smiled. "Alana and Jax it is then." It somehow made it feel so real. No longer were these two just bundles of flesh, but they were real people. And they were his children.

 

Darla was clearly exhausted, and he wanted her to make a full recovery, so he rose and kissed her forehead. "I can tell you can barely keep your eyes open," he said with another smile. "I'll let you sleep."

 

The twins had both fallen asleep while they were talking; the Jedi Master reflected that the process of being born had to be quite as tiring as the process of giving birth. He gently carried them one at a time to the cradles that Skye had provided.

 

He glanced over at her. "Thanks again, Skye. For everything." Then he settled in a chair on the other side of the room. He didn't want to disturb his sleeping family, and he knew he could get some work done while they rested. Sleep, he had heard, was going to be a precious commodity over the next several months.

 

He began to quietly work on his datapad, sending out orders and communicating with his fellow Grandmaster. Ironically, he was finding the new position to be something he was fitting well (not that he had had much time to adjust). Still, the birth of Alana and Jax had thrown things into perspective.

[Kyrie Eleison]

The Great Sith War, was the greatest revelation of power this galaxy has ever seen. I saw it all in my youth... The forces of the former Jedi, Exar Kun, and the maniacal hand of Mandalore the Indomitable had united, with one goal. To bring the galaxy to its knees, into their evil grasp. Joined with them, under their perverted holy banners, marched the Sith magicians, known to us as The Krath. All of them united... A host most terrible... Their forces swept across the galaxy, from Onderin and the Empress Teta system, to the very doorstep of civilization: Coruscant. As it is said... The Jedi who fall are the most dangerous of all...

 

Jade fire and cold steel. Strength and honor. Within the veil of The Force, power moved, binding all life together within its palm. Within each Jedi, lay a seed of true power, hidden deep within the reaches of the mind, and to those purified by fire, it would spring to life, taking hold, guiding towards the will of The Force. Through the battlemind, determination rose as the force moved, as if a river swelled by a winter's storm, and began to wash away doubt and fear. Within this river, Kyrie moved to the rhythm of death, the Lay of Serenity, each movement practiced and enhanced through the force.

 

The blades in her hands whirled, sketching a pattern into the smoke-filled air, deflecting and intercepting the crimson shots of the advancing Sith and their armored allies. Michelle and Grace moved in synch behind her, their azure blades streaking through the air, guided by the force, wiping away all traces of the Sith advance. Through the battlemind, barely discernable, Kyrie could feel their bodies move like hers, their straining muscles, the beating of their hearts. Another presence also touched hers, that of Xae, her master. The brief brush of her master's presence inspired her, the dance increasing in pace.

 

The shattered cobblestones shifted beneath her softened, black-leather boots, each step in the dance changing the terrain. The sharpness of the shattered stone bit into her flesh as the Sith's scarlet fire crashed into the ground before her, in a blaze of boiling rock and flame. A small trickle of blood ran down her brow, tracing the scars of Sith torture that made Kyrie the girl she had become. A warrior. A Jedi. She smiled at the metallic taste within her mouth as the blood reached her lips, flesh was easily torn, but a determination fueled by The Force would never die.

 

Through the beat of the song of death, she could feel the advancing enemy, the terrible horde of evil, and through the battlemind, she touched her master, a whisper of reassurance, like a passing wind. Kyrie's eyes grew bright with power as the first assembly of Sit forces broke upon the wall, like a wave upon a distant shore. She and the padawans advanced as one to meet them upon the rubble of the collapsed wall. A loose braid of blackened hair fell into her vision, but it mattered not. Sight was nothing compared to the power of The Force.

 

In opposition, two squads of heavy Sith troopers advanced up the pile of rubble, and at front, two flamethrowing droids, in armor a darkmetal, scuttled towards them like arachnids from a pale dream. Grasping hold of the song's power, with guidance from the rhythm, Kyrie grasped hold of the devastated stoneworks about her, ripping sections of the shattered wall from the ground. With a motion of her body, she sent the fragmented stone flying through the rising wall of flame, where they found their marks. The droids imploded in a cloud a flame that washed over the Sith troopers, sending their ranks into chaos. Flipping backwards, Kyrie and the padawans fell back under the flames, dropping behind the fallen rubble.

 

Against her black-bound hand, the stone felt hot with power, as if a darkness was stirring beneath it. Kyrie's emerald eyes widened as the darkness surged, the stones around them leaping with an electric current. Several Sith Masters had arrived. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as the Sith Masters shattered stone and earth with electric Sith fire. Standing as one, Kyrie, Michelle, and Grace advanced on the Sith Masters, their minds set with cold determination, guided and strengthened by The Force.

 

A Counter-attack was not what the Sith expected, but they recovered quickly. Kyrie's body bent backwards unbidden, commanded by the Force. Half a dozen darts flew past, where she had been seconds before. Michelle, at the bidding of the force, grasped them with the song's power, and sent them back towards their dark masters. With a strangled yell, one of the Sith fell backwards, blood-laced foam bubbling from the human's mouth, his body spasming in the throes of death.

 

Brandishing her twin blades, one of steel, the other of flame, Kyrie advanced upon the two Sith Masters that remained, the padawans falling back, to cover the flank. With a twist of her hand, the duelist intercepted another string of Sith lightning with her lightsaber, the song's tempo increasing in power as she leeched the Sith's energy through his connection with burning flame, the lighting seeming to blink in and out, dwindling as the Light Side grew around her. They were fighting on consecrated ground, where no Sith should ever set foot.

 

Sidestepping a desperate slash from a Sith's blade, she lunged in instinct, driving her vibroblade through the Sith's chest. She ripped it upwards, splitting through the man's ribcage, spilling his bowels upon the shattered cobblestone. The blade faltered at the man's Sith Metal mask, so she ripped it free, taking with in half the man's face. The Sith dropped as a stone cast into a river, his body turning to ash upon the ground as the dark power consumed his soul.

 

Kyrie rounded on the last Sith Master, leaping over his axe, diving past his shoulder to catch another Sith as he advanced upon the rubble. The Sith should have felt her coming, but the battle had clouded his mind with hate and slowed his connection to The Force with adrenaline's frenzy. She cut the legs from beneath him with Gilling's lightsaber, slashing through sinew and bone, like it was simple cloth. As the Sith toppled, she decapitated him with the bloodied vibroblade, his face frozen in a silent scream. Blood flecked her face, blending into the pale skin in a pattern similar to freckles.

 

Commanded by the song, she leapt to the side, the Sith Master's axe shattering the stone where she had stood. The man turned, snarling in anger and advanced. She leapt at him once again, deactivating Gilling's blade, ducking low, sliding beneath him on the cobblestones. As she did, she drove one of her stilettos up into his groin, causing the Sith to scream in rage and stumble. As his grip loosened upon the vibroaxe, she commanded it to her hand with The Force as she flipped to her feet. The axe was heavy, and its handle felt course as it slapped into her palm, but using it was easy for a learned duelist. She drove a kick into the back of the Sith's knee, dropping him to one knee as he shrieked in pain, and brought the axe crashing down upon his helm. The axe bit easily through the Sith's helmet, shattering his skull, its ragged edges driving through his head. She released the axe as it met resistance within his spine and the Sith dropped heavily to the earth, his brains spilt and exposed to the cold night air.

 

Then, through the battlemind, she felt a surge of relief, and a beckoning. She turned and witnessed a shuttle landing, its landing ramp down, and at the top stood Il-Andon, the young man's white hair stirring in the exhaust. Kyrie sprinted towards the shuttle, followed by the padawans and her master. Her eyes narrowed, as she saw them all passing her by, as if she was only walking. Her limbs felt suddenly sluggish, and a pain coursed down her shoulder, white-hot and intense. She stumbled and fell against the landing strut, placing a pale, nail-bitten hand against her shoulder. The hand came away crimson with blood, and the world swam before her eyes. She collapsed into the hold, the metal unyielding against her fall, the world beginning to grow dark as a pool of blood spilled from beneath her on the decking. Kyrie's voice was a whisper as she spoke and tight with pain, before blackness consumed her.

 

”œ...I've been hit...”

[Dashel Illioni]

Whomever was approaching had evidently decided to take their time about coming to Tython and Dashed decided to use the remaining time to fix R3.

After talking to Kala, he had decided to consult R3 and asks the loyal little droid's opinion on the matter. The response that he received through the translation program surprised him.

R3 stated a preference for a more humanoid form, but not in an HRD form as with Kala, nor did that preference include being as unwieldy as some protocol Droid.

Dashel's next inquiry was met with a series of blueprints whose notations indicated R3 had authored them. One glance told him that the services of a professional Droid engineer were needed, and needed badly.

Even as he began searching for someone suitable, he began reflecting on the little Droid having developed personality enough to want to evolve and having created his next stage of evolution. His enquiries into droid engineers stopped when a translation flashed across the screen.

The little droid also knew exactly where to go to develop the new form in all its complexity. The location of the factory deep in Coruscant's underground at a depth long forgotten by many meant Dashel would need to equip himself accordingly.

[Fejj Kesada]

The Volante Cucina exited hyperspace above the planet Fejj believed to be Tython. He had know way of being sure until he landed. It was only through rumors and information gained from spacers that he had found the location, and it was the faintest whispers of the Force that gave him the extra push he needed to get there.

 

Entering the atmosphere his ship scanned for population. It found one city and so he made his way there. For a small fee he was permitted to dock at a local spaceport. He didn't make any effort to communicate with the natives, which was very uncharacteristic of him. Instead he allowed his senses to guide him to an unknown destination.

 

Before long he found himself on the outskirts of a sprawling forest. The further in he journeyed the closer he felt to whatever it was that was calling. After about an hour of walking, and the overwhelming sense of peace and serenity coming to near climax, he emerged on the other side of the woods.

 

What appeared before him something almost from a dream. Or perhaps he HAD dreamed of this place, it seemed so familiar. He did not know that it was drenched in the very living Force that had been with him his whole life. The young traveler made his way to what seemed to be the main entrance of the structure. He knew this was where he belonged and hoped to find a Jedi that would enlighten his oh so many questions.

[Dashel Illioni]

Fejj passed beneath Dashel. The Jedi Master watched Fejj approach the gates of the temple form his perch inside the canopy of a convenient tree. Dashel had dressed simply, wearing what the galaxy thought of as fairly ubiquitous Jedi garb, a beige tunic over brown shirt, tan pants and brown boots. Nothing indicated his status as other than that of someone belonging to the temple. The traditional lightsabers were tucked discreetly away within his rolled up cloak, which was currently serving as a cushion for his head as he reclined against the trunk of his tree.

 

That the young man had passed beneath him without knowing him did not reflect poorly on the young supplicant. Dashel had damped his force signature to the point where only another Master might locate him, and years of practice had taught him the ability to blend in anywhere by simply by being at peace and one with his environment.

 

Dashel watched Fejj approach the temple and watched the young man gaze upon the gates of the temple. He gently reached out with the Force, with as faint of a touch as he was capable of using, cautiously seeking to read as much as he could of the young man without intruding into his consciousness or without violating the young man's personal mental boundaries.

 

He let a few minutes pass, the slowly, gently sat up. seeking to do so without rustling the leaves of the tree he was sitting in. Once upright, he silently slipped from the tree, landing gently on the path behind the youth with only the slightest protest from the gravel covering the path. Even as he fell, the cloak found its way to his shoulders draping neatly over them. The sabers found their way to his hands and then to the proper places upon the utility belt that most Jedi carried.

 

When it was done, Dashel stood behind the man with his hands folded in front of him, his cloak in place, hood down, and standing as quietly as he had been resting in the tree moments before.

 

He spoke, saying simply, ”œGood afternoon. Looking for someone?”

[Skye Organa]

(OOC: Sorry... life got in the way. )

 

Skye smiled as the new parents discussed names for their children then settled on them. "Alana and Jax... beautiful names for your adorable twins," she murmured softly as she gazed down at the twin she was now rocking gently in her arms.

 

Darla was clearly exhausted, and he wanted her to make a full recovery, so he rose and kissed her forehead. "I can tell you can barely keep your eyes open," he said with another smile. "I'll let you sleep."

 

Nodding her head in agreement with Darex, Skye watched as he placed the first twin in the hovercrib and then took the second from her to do the same.

 

He glanced over at her. "Thanks again, Skye. For everything."

 

"That's alright Darex.. anytime" Skye replied softly, glancing over to see that both twins along with Darla, were asleep. "They should rest for a while now, though if you need me for anything, let me know. I'll be in my quarters." The Healer started for the door, then added as she hesitated at the door, "You have a very beautiful family Darex. Congratulations."

[Fejj Kesada]

Standing in front gates Fejj was alarmed at the voice behind him, jumping slightly away from the tiger-like man he saw as he turned. He quickly calmed, sensing a peace from the man. He was not a threat or an enemy, or at least he hoped. The triana was dressed in what Fejj had come to know as traditional Jedi garb. Giving the respect he assumed was due, he bowed.

 

"No, well, yes. Kind of." It was rare that Fejj stumbled over words, usually that was his strong point. "I am looking for the Jedi. I've spent many years searching for this place. One night I awoke from a dream with the word "Tython" on my mind and I knew it had special meaning. I believe I belong here. I mean, I feel at peace, but I don't know exactly what here is."

 

Fejj looked again started at the building in front of him, and then back towards the forest he had exited.

[Darex Trevelian]

As Skye paused in the doorway, Darex glanced up from his datapad. "Thank you, Skye. I can hardly believe it myself."

 

He rose. "Hey, before you go...there was something I wanted to ask you." He paused, wondering how she would respond. "With the passing of former Grandmaster Fitt, the Jedi Council met and elected myself and Master Kirlocca as co-Grandmasters of the Order. It is our intention to form a new Council. Your name came up right away. We'd like to ask you to become a member of the new Jedi Council. You have a unique perspective on the Order and the galaxy; one that we believe would be lacking in our Council if you were not on it."

 

He smiled. "Please say yes." He knew she had gone back and forth in considering herself a member of the Order, but he also knew that she knew he knew. The fact that he was still asking showed that he didn't care. He really did hope she would agree.

[Dashel Illioni]

"Really," said Dashel after returning Fejj's bow. Dashel appreciated the man's effort to show respect to him and the order. Usually people were slightly more demanding of Jedi and in their need, rightfully forgetful of basic manners. A crisis could do that for people.

 

"You have found the Jedi and so ends your journey here. The question becomes, though, what will you do now that the journey is over."

 

Dashel paused, mostly to give Fejj a moment to mull over the question, but not long enough to begin actually answering the question. Dashel had not meant the question to be rhetorical, but neither did he expect the young man to have an answer.

 

There were solutions Dashel could suggest, all of which would require a great deal of work on the young man's part.

 

"You have three choices at this point," said Dashel, "Go home or enter that temple and spend years of time gently meditating in that peace until you obtain a semblance of peace in your spirit. The last option, that of earning that peace through service to others is what I offer you."

 

(ooc: sorry that's so rough, in a little bit of a hurry)

[Skye Organa]

Skye paused in the doorway as Darex asked her if she wanted to be on the new Jedi Council. She stood there thinking about the request and what it would mean for her.

 

Slowly she nodded her head. "I would be honoured to be on the Jedi Council Darex."

 

(ooc: sorry this is such a short post, RL)