The Hermit's Dojo - Mechis III

[Kenneth Trekina]

Kenneth felt his connection to the Force diminish ever so slightly. Aryian had stopped helping and the effect was noticeable. It was however not catastrophic. Kenneth was no greenhorn when it came to things. His resentments and hatred of the Jedi stemmed from this fact. He had performed just as well as the other padawans in his class but was never chosen as an apprentice. He had no formal training in the Dark Side but its lessons came to him naturally. Hatred and emotion fueled his connection to the Force further, allowing him to tighten his grip on the stones. As memories of rejection flooded his mind the Force flowed through him like lightning. The rocks he continued to hold spun more quickly around each other. He heard the Master's question but for some reason just wasn't aware that it was time to drop the stones.

 

The Jedi Code. The core of the order that had betrayed and abandoned him. Of course he remembered it. How could one forget something that had been repeated day after day for decades. Kenneth's connection to the Dark Side grew stronger as he prepared to recite the code. He spoke out in a matter of fact tone. Those practiced in the Force, the other two in the room, would be able to sense the hatred behind his stoicism.

 

"There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity." The lines were becoming increasingly more difficult for Kenneth to speak. They seemed so hypocritical to him. "There is no chaos, there is harmony." At this point Kenneth was beginning to lose it. Harmony? What a ridiculous idea. There had been no harmony in his life, but chaos he had known with certain. No emotion? He knew emotion. Fear, anger, hate. They were his allies now, the only way he had stayed alive. With great difficulty Kenneth spoke the final lines of the code. "There is no death..." He paused for a brief moment pondering the lie of this line. There was death. He had tasted it, delivered it with joy by his own hands. "There is the Force."

 

As he completed the final line of the mantra he so despised his hatred took over. He lost control of the Dark Side flowing through him. His face took on a visible pain showing the throbbing in his head. Within seconds the rocks still in his grip tremored and exploded into dust, utterly destroyed.

 

As powder fell to the ground Kenneth opened his eyes, trying to piece together what had just happened. He had felt the Dark Side before but never had it moved him to a visible display of power. He breathed heavily, looking towards Ariana and then focusing his eyes on the Grey Master.

[Ary the Grey]

Aryian almost smiled at Kenneth's raw display of power. The young lad certainly had his own issues to deal with, but from a neutral standpoint it was merely a display of what he was capable of. The doors within their minds had begun to open, and sweet knowledge flowed like a typhoon.

 

"Yes, the code of the Jedi. Honestly, spoken as I myself feel about it. It is an ancient code, meant to guide younger adepts away from the lures of the dark side. The Jedi of old, and even some nowadays, feel that by restricting knowledge they can stem those who practice solely upon the dark side, that by shutting out emotion and negativity through monk-like celibacy in the Force they could simply make the problem disappear. On this fact, they were, and are, naive. In fact, history has shown it only piques the curiosity all the more, and when the lies about the dark side are uncovered, it garners hatred towards them. And not entirely undeserved, either. Consider, for a moment, the Jedi, who by all means are normally very upstanding individuals, the paragons of society, as it were. Most are good-mannered, friendly, trustworthy. How would you feel if instead the person you have come to trust and rely on after several years turns out to have lied to you about your core beliefs? That even they don't know the whole story, due to some phantasmal fear about how emotions lead to evil and corruption?

 

"But, there is also the Sith Code: Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me. Several mistruths about it as well. Peace isn't a lie, it is merely transient. Passion grants a lack of focus. Strength doesn't always mean power, and neither does power guarantee victory. And once victorious, though few Sith ever consider themselves such as there are constantly more hurdles to jump...many Sith find that their so-called 'chains' have merely changed to different circumstances, different burdens they must bear. The one thing they are completely right about, however, is that in the end, the Force does set you free, in a manner of speaking. By its nature, the Force is both a blessing and a curse, we talented few can perform feats unimaginable to the rest of the masses, but what we sacrifice is our livelihood. Often our friends and loved ones are used against us, tortured, killed, we are the focal points that shift wars and governments and entire methods of reasoning. We are never truly free, yet at the same time, we are freer by far than those who cannot reach out to it like we can."

 

Aryian was silent for a brief moment, pausing to let everything he'd said sink in. It was a lot of philosophy to contemplate and mull over, and it was upon these building blocks he was giving them that they would formulate their own views of the Force.

 

"Instead, I postulate this code, for your consideration: Peace is gained through selfless power. Knowledge grants me enduring strength. A passion to serve provides me serenity. My victories ensure lasting harmony. The force is my ally, no chain can bind me. Upon first listening to it, you can easily tell it is an amalgamation of the two codes, and some lines nearly sound like fallacies themselves. But, it is meant to be applied to a wide number of situations. One may not like serving a government or an Order of the Force, but if they serve themselves, will it not please them? Victories do not always mean 'lasting harmony' either, but consider this: The Sith work to dominate the galaxy and sow chaos and discord in their path. What is the Sith finally succeeded? Would there not be peace of a kind in the galaxy? It has been done before, though not ideal for the masses, but it was peace. Do the Sith then fight to bring peace and order to the galaxy?

 

"And selfless power...that is an interesting and carefully worded one. The one failing of the Sith is that they are intrinsic in nature - for the most part only interested in themselves, amassing their own power. Their blind spot is that they believe deep down that if they become powerful enough, they can do anything on their own, tear down a whole fleet of Star Destroyers or explode a solar system with a thought. No one is that powerful, and if you fall into the trap of always thinking you can do everything yourself, you are wrong. Everyone needs allies, friends, people they can count on when the chips are down and every last card counts, or one day the perfect storm will topple them like a building constructed out of feathers. Gather to yourself power, but be mindful of those around you. Share your knowledge and power, and your power can grow exponentially, especially when it counts most."

 

Aryian sat back, relaxing for a moment.

 

"Tell me your thoughts on all this, both of you. We all can learn from each other if we see from each other's eyes."

 

 

 

After a moment, he realized it wasn't the best worded sentence he'd spoken in the presence of a Miraluka, but gave no hint that he was mildly embarrassed at the oversight.

[Ariana La'vohn]

Ariana could feel the support of Aryian's influence leaving her mind and her grip on the rock weakened. She struggled slightly to hold the rock aloft, but found it easier to control now that she knew what to do. Her forehead was matted with sweat, but she held her objective carefully with her mind. She removed what contentious thought she had in her psyche and centered herself on the floor, allowing more and more energy to funnel through her. She let her natural force senses guide her like a conduit and managed to articulate a more refined posture and presence on the rock itself. She soothed her mind, which did not negate the struggle, but it made the task easier to focus on. Then, when Aryian began to talk, she set the rock quietly on the ground at his side.

 

The room, which had been glowing like blue fire before, resumed its normal bioluminescent state. The young Miraluka looked around for a moment and sighed with contentment. She smiled and wiped some of the sweat off of her forehead with the back of her hand, then settled into a comfortable cross legged position to listen to Aryian and Kenneth speak.

 

The moment that Kenneth spoke up Ariana knew something was wrong. The way he recited the Jedi Code was a bit forced and it seemed fake. It felt as if he had to force himself to say each word and bit off every syllable as if it cut him to the bone. This startled Ariana. It wasn’t the display of power that proceeded after the Code or the fact that her hair was now covered in rubble. No; Ariana was startled that the power Kenneth displayed weakened him. She felt the chaos burning inside him as he spewed words that meant nothing to him and it disturbed her. She felt the same energy and the same intention in every piece of trash spacer that abused her when she was growing up and it was so potent that Ariana scooted herself away from Kenneth to avoid any negative backlash.

 

His color in her sight changed too. Kenneth started to take on a reddish hue and his aura changed. It was chilling and upsetting, but Ariana didn’t say anything. Instead, she chose to listen to Aryian and let him finish his lecture before contemplating his words and what they meant to her.

 

“Peace is gained through selfless power…”

 

Ariana thought to herself for a moment. Selfless power? Isn’t selflessness a sign of the Jedi? Do Jedi care about power? Can you have power and still be Selfless?

 

“Knowledge grants me enduring strength…”

 

Knowledge grants strength? Ariana had heard this line before several times. It was something that older people always said to her, but she never really understood until she had to learn to survive on her own. Knowing how to provide for herself and live in an environment that always spurned her was something that gave her the stability and strength to live on in that environment.

 

“A passion to serve provides me serenity…”

 

A passion to serve who? A passion to serve what? Ariana though he meant the force, but something inside of her wanted to believe something else. It could mean serve the community; it could mean to serve one’s family or one’s friends; or it could mean to serve the universe as a whole. It was an interesting blend between the Jedi servitude and the Sith passion.

 

“My victories ensure lasting harmony…”

 

Victories can be won or lost without landing a single blow. Ariana understood that. It was something she learned while being monitored by bandits and it was something she learned when trying to fend for herself in markets and on street corners. She wasn’t sure if those victories ensured lasting harmony for everyone, but she was sure that they ensured lasting harmony for her.

 

“The force is my ally; no chain can bind me…”

 

This was a truth that Ariana couldn’t possibly ignore. Slavery had bound her for a good deal of her life. Granted it wasn’t nearly as hellish a treatment as other slaves got, but it was enough for her to realize how valuable freedom was. Not to mention that there was no question of whether or not the Force was her ally. If a Miralukan didn’t trust the force as their ally, then they had a big problem.

 

Ariana sat quietly for a moment to let the words sink in and she even chuckled at his ‘eye’ comment. She could see how that might be a sensitive topic, but she didn’t really care. She nodded her head in admission and tried to figure out a good way to start.

 

“I think the force is what you make of it.” Ariana said after a few minutes of silence. “I respect the words you have given me Master Aryian and I will meditate on them. I would even go further to say that a lot of your words strike true to experiences in my life. I think that both the Jedi and the Sith former their opinions of the force and their philosophies based on their own experiences and where they have been. I can’t imagine all Sith or Jedi seeing the same way, but when they made the codes long ago, it stands to reason that some of them desired one thing or another enough to write something about it.

 

Ariana shuffled her position a little bit until she was sitting on her knees with her hands on her lap and remained still, waiting for Kenneth to respond.

[Ary the Grey]

((Okay, from now on, I'll wait one day (24 hours) after one of you posts to allow the other to post before I continue the training. You can backpost to jump back in. I won't hold one back because of the other's inactivity, and both of you have done it to each other before this. Soooo...yeah.))

 

"Excellent. And that's exactly what you should get out of what I am trying to teach. The Force really and truly doesn't have one single definition, it means many things to many different people. It is a way of life to deal with it, whether you decide to listen to it or not, use it for others' benefit or selfishly hoard your power. Now...try again. Lift a rock. If you can, try and lift two. You have the skills, you just need to exercise your muscles."

[Kenneth Trekina]

Kenneth listended to the words of the wise master. It was information he agreed with to an extent, however the descriptions of the Sith Code seemed more to fit with what he believed. He was sure Aryian could sense this in him, the potential for peace had long ago left this man.

 

Disrupting the serenity of the room Ken's comm beeped loudly. A message came in, one he had been waiting on for a long time. The other two would be able to sense the urgency it stirred in him.

 

"Master Aryian I am very gracious for your hospitality and brief instruction. However something extremely important has come up and I need to leave. I hope you understand."

 

Kenneth bowed and left them. Within an hour he was packed and on his ship, heading off in to space.

[Ariana La'vohn]

Ariana nodded softly and held her head down a little. She breathed deeply, letting the energy around her draw in toward her body. She didn't have the guiding hand of light from before, but now she knew where to go and what to do; more or less. She could feel the world around her and the sweat on her head began to increase in intensity. A small sensation told her that Kenneth had left, but she wasn't focused on him at the moment. She let her mind remain empty, but continued to pull in energy from all around her. She opened herself as much as she could and when she thought she was ready, she let as many phantom hands go as she could and reached out for two separate boulders. Each set of swarming blue hands scurried about in answer to her silent commands and when she pushed them just a slight bit more, they fell to the ground and grasped at the two boulders. The sheer number of hands was overwhelming to maintain, but the focus it took to maintain all of them and pull the boulders drew greatly on Ariana's constitution, but she was determined.

 

She grunted a little under her breath and drew her real arms up a little bit. Then with one huge mental stroke, Ariana picked both of the boulders up and held them off the ground. She was straining to maintain the hold and her long white hair was matted with sweat. Her forehead wrinkled with the force of her focus and it seemed like she was beating the technique with a hammer instead of granting it the grace and subtlety it deserved. However, the exercise was complete and her gratification made her smile. She almost lost hold of one of the boulders with the gesture, but regained control quickly and wouldn't let go until Aryian asked her.

[Dahar Raikanda]

A small ship exited space above the planet of Mechis. Leaving a transport ring where it departed light speed the starfighter was under manual control. Dahar could feel through the Force where he was going. It was the former Jedi Aryian Darkfire, former Sith Ares, that he was seeking. He had played a large role in bringing the Jedi Aryian back from the depths of the Force into the mortal plane. It was Dahar who, along with Scorp, Aryian's ghost had instructed in what to do. Dahar meticulously followed the details leaving the final task to Master Kirlocca.

 

But it was also Darth Ares who had pushed Dahar to his limits, bested him in battle, and shaken his serenity and faith in the Light Side. After that event Dahar had never been the same. He had resisted the call of the Dark path many times, many more than someone of his training should have dealt with. The truth was he had opened himself up to a world outside of what the Jedi might consider safe. He had come dangerously close to submitting to these urges but had clung to the teachings he knew. Still, in the depths of his mind, he longed for revenge on the Sith Master that no longer existed. He knew revenge was a one way trip to the Dark Side, perhaps that was why the Force had brought him here. To find the balance he needed and remain with the light. Or perhaps it was the Dark inside him luring him into a trap of submission.

 

The fact the he didn't know for sure was troubling to Dahar.

 

Still he held true to his faith, that life would always conquer over death. That death did not exist, only the Force.

 

It was not difficult for Dahar to find the dojo, having such a profound connection to this man. Perhaps Aryian had no idea what he had done to Dahar, maybe he didn't even remember his time as the Sith. Time would tell.

 

As the ship touched down and Dahar stepped out he took a deep breath and beckoned the Force to flow through him like a conductor. He brought himself to peace knowing that, in the end, nothing was of true consequence. It was all just a dance. As he exhaled a part of himself became one with the Living Force surrounding and penetrating this planet. Anybody in tune with such things would be aware of the strong imprint a Jedi Master would carry with him in the Force.

[Ary the Grey]

Aryian smiled as Ariana struggled, but ultimately succeeded in her task. Miraluka had a natural knack for the Force, and it definitely showed when she put her mind to what she wanted to do.

 

"Excellent. Now, we're going to try something a little different."

 

It was as he said this that the Grey Master felt the presence of another, a grand presence that he hadn't felt in a long time. Silently he reached out through the Force, welcoming the Jedi and bidding him come down through the Dojo to where the two were currently practicing.

 

"This technique is similar to basic telekinesis, but it's a tad more violent in its base nature. Still, it is a valuable tool for you to learn, and one day you may need it to defend yourself or help others. It's colloquially known as the 'Force blast', due to the effects. In essence, you're going to want to grip tightly with the Force in one spot, squeezing harder and harder as you build up the energy, and then release it all with one big shove."

 

The Master pointed at one of the rocks across the room, demonstrating for the girl the exact technique he mentioned. For him, he could have easily done it near instantly with a flick of his mind, but right now Aryian took the demonstration slowly, so she could see and feel exactly how it was done. Slowly he built up energy near the stone, then released it with a small pop as the small Force explosion flicked the stone across the room and sent it clattering into the far wall.

[Dahar Raikanda]

The landing pads directed Dahar to the rear entrance of the facilities. He took the turbolifts down into the dojo and began to wander around. He was no threat at the time. Well, not any more of a threat than anyone who existed in the Force. True, he had trained for decades, but the Force could move even a child to do things beyond Dahar's capabilities if that was its will.

 

The structure was what one would expect from a master who had long ago moved past the need for decadence or flashiness. It seemed to be designed for function not flare. Dahar could sense various sentients, though not many, moving about their daily lives. The map in the turbolift informed him of a few destinations he could reach. A medical center, a research facility, but Dahar just wanted to get in and meet people.

 

On the main floor he followed the Force, or perhaps his nose, to the dining area. He approached a small round woman and struck up a conversation. He politely asked what was good there. She went on to tell him about her life, her grandchildren, and the lack of fine food crafting materials they had. She pointed out with pride that their chef was so skilled he could fashion anything into deliciousness. Dahar smiled and asked her to surprise him.

 

The Jedi Master sat down and began to eat. Visibly it wasn't anything he recognized but the taste was good and it gave him the nourishment he needed. He watched his surroundings as a few people came in and out of the dining room. People would come, eat, and leave. Everybody had something to do and somewhere to be.

 

After he finished the meal the Jedi let his intuitions guide him. He wandered for a while until he was on the other side of the dojo. A meditation room was calling him which he soon found. It was humble, something welcoming and comfortable to a Jedi. He found a pad for himself and sat, entering into a state that was comfortable and familiar to him. He let his thoughts go and allowed the atmosphere of this place to envelope him. There was a certain serenity here he was not accustomed to. The markings of both the Light and Dark sides of the Force were here. This place must have hosted practitioners of both. But instead of the turmoil something like this would leave there was something, or someone, who had done their best to bring things to a delicate balance. Dahar was again given the vision of the sun and moon brilliantly dancing around each other in harmony. He sat in peace.

 

--------------------------------------------------------

 

After becoming acquainted with this place through the Force Dahar sat out in search of Master Aryian. His force signature was unique and one that Dahar was familiar with. Traces of both the Jedi and Sith still lingered about him, both of which Dahar had known. Following this beacon Dahar was soon on the other side of the structure about to enter a large room. He could tell the master was there with a student so he stood outside patiently. Slowly he lifted his hand and pointed it towards the door releasing a huge burst of silent energy. Everyone in the room would feel it. But instead of entering uninvited Dahar used this as a polite knock.

[Ary the Grey]

With a flick of the Force, Aryian opened the door for the Jedi, and was pleasantly surprised to an old familiar face.

 

"Master Dahar. What brings you to my humble dojo? We were just in the middle of training. Ariana, please, continue."

 

Although some of his focus still remained on his student in the event of a mishap, he turned to greet Master Raikanda warmly.

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar locked eyes with the Shadow Master as he entered the room. He gave him a bow of respect. The Jedi wasn't sure what to expect from this encounter. He was worried of the emotions he might feel. True, the man standing before him was more the Aryian Darkfire he had heard of than the Darth Ares he had met. But Dahar couldn't help but sense a small part of that would never truly leave him. However Dahar didn't sense a threat, and if there was one the Force would have alerted him. That he was sure of. Regardless of where he was his primary ally was always surrounding him.

 

"Master Darkfire, it is a pleasure to finally meet you alive." Much of the worry left Dahar and was replaced by a hint of comfortability. He reached out both hands to shake Aryian's, one on top of the other.

[Ary the Grey]

"Likewise."

 

Aryian chuckled as he heartily shook Dahar's hand, feeling the unease in the other. But it was something he didn't have to worry about. Dahar wouldn't attack him unprovoked, and it wasn't like Aryian couldn't defend himself if for some crazy reason he did choose to do so. For another brief moment, he reflected on why he was dwelling so much on Dahar attacking him, but again paid it no mind.

 

"But, that doesn't answer my question. I can tell something brought you here for a reason."

[Ariana La'vohn]

Ariana sat quietly and watched her master through the force. She saw the energy flow around him like sapphire mist in the early morning darkness. Then, like a stream rushing through the wilderness, she could see the energy he built up inside him shift and surge across the room to where the rock sat. However, instead of touching the rock like it had before, her master built up his energy beside the rock.

 

Ariana could see the amount of force built up and although her head felt a little woozy from exertion, the adrenaline pumping in her veins defied her better senses. She looked on with awe and amazement as the energy built up over time. The large crystalline entity gorging on the power that continued to flow into its maw until it popped and exploded. The rock that sat adjacent to the marvelous gem was pushed back across the room with great force and hit against the far wall, but didn't break.

 

The young Miraluka sat for a moment and just 'stared', trying to come up with the technique in her mind. Then, changing her posture to a comfortable cross legged position, she began the first part of the exercise. She selected a rock near her and began to release the thoughts that were captive in her mind. She deafened herself to her own worries, her own desires, her own thoughts and heard only the beat of her heart silently echoing in the world around her. She heard another beat that occurred simultaneously with hers, but chose not to focus on it. Instead, she let the energy in her and around her flow through her body and out to the location she indicated in her mind. Her fingers rested silently on her thighs, relaxed and comfortable. Her hair was matted with sweat, but it didn't bother her. Her brow was still thick with sweat, but she found that pooling energy was a lot easier than using it to pick something up off of the ground.

 

When she was finally content with the amount of energy she collected at her target location, she set about releasing it like her master had. However, in her eagerness, Ariana had too much energy built up near the stone and when she released the energy, the force of the move exploded and sent the rock crashing toward the door. Luckily it missed the door by a few feet, but the exploding rubble from the decently proportioned rock still rained down upon the entry way.

 

Ariana's pale face turned a deep scarlet and she bowed deeply to express her apologies for the mishap.

[Dahar Raikanda]

With a hint of a smile Dahar quickly brushed his hand through the air, diverting a small stone that would have embedded itself in his eye. He lightly shook the dirt out of his hair and brushed the dust off his shoulder.

 

He looked at the master a bit perplexed. Aryian knew why he was here, the same reason anything happened. "I am here because it is the will of the Force. You must know that, master." Dahar brushed a bit more dirt off the front of his cloak. "But to be more specific I am following a vision I had. The details aren't important, but I knew it meant I should seek you. Now that I am here, I am curious as to what you have been doing. I can see from our surroundings that you have been busy teaching.

 

I would extend you an invitation to join us on the council. You would be more than welcome to train the Jedi of tomorrow. But we both already know the answer to that. What I am wondering is why. Why do you do your dealings in seclusion?"

 

Dahar knew the answer to his next question, but it needed to be asked anyway. He hoped for enlightenment more than anything else. "Is there some sort of balance you have found out here? I have known the Dark Side myself, but not like you have."

 

He took a deep breath and exhaled as much of the Light Side as he could. The young woman had certainly come out here for a reason too. If she had wanted to join the Jedi or Sith she could have, but she didn't. He hoped that his influence would calm or comfort her, not do the opposite.

 

With careful precision, although taking only seconds, he crafted thousands of specks of dirt into a spinning object. She would be able to see through the Force a bright glow from each grain that Dahar held. The swirling mass painted a picture of a strand of Miraluka DNA. Perhaps she would be able to recognize this part of herself, and that Dahar could sense it as well.

[Ary the Grey]

Aryian chuckled as he shielded his face from the smaller particles of the now fragmented rock.

 

"A little too much, but good, Ariana, you grasp the concept well. If only some of the other students in the past were as fast a learner as you. Then again, I suppose it helps to actually see what I'm doing. Go ahead and take a break, if you like, or you can come with us. I think I'm going to show Master Dahar here the lecture hall. Master Dahar?"

 

Aryian stood, and gestured, motioning for him to follow. As they walked, Aryian began to answer the questions asked of him.

 

"Seclusion. Hmph. They did a holonet broadcast on me, heh. Not sure why, though, I can't imagine why I'd be important enough to warrant a story. Maybe they ran out of disasters to report on. That Dark Lord Furion has been awful quiet with his plans for the Sith lately, still. I'm far from seclusion, really, this planet just feels...right. The Jedi and the Sith know I am here, and all are welcome to come and study. And balance is a relative term. Yes, I have found balance, but it is not something to be found within the Force, but rather something to be found within yourself. And it's not always the path you're meant to walk."

 

As they turned a corner the view down the hall across the other side of the lecture hall became immediately apparent, a large balcony jutting out from the middle of the cliff face adorned on either side by molten falls. It was beautiful from far away, but up close it was rather breathtaking. Thankfully, the ray shielding staved off most of the heat, though the balcony was still the warmest part of the dojo.

 

"You see, Master Dahar, I am no longer a Jedi. I wasn't for a long time before, well, that 'debacle' with the Sith. I'm not a Sith either, not at heart, what you saw and fought against was a shadow of my soul leashed to a mortal vessel by arcane Sith arts. It was part of me, but it wasn't me, not entirely, more a representation of what I could be capable of had I walked a different path. I still retain some of its memories, and it has given me a different perspective on things, moreso than my journeys to find true enlightenment. But, I digress. I cannot join the Jedi council as I would be unfit to truly represent the Order and what it stands for. I don't believe in the Jedi code. I won't be so bold as to claim that I know everything about the Force, but from what I do know, I don't think I can ever truly and honestly train a Jedi as the Order would properly approve of ever again for those very reasons."

 

As they reached the balcony, Aryian leaned on the railing, looking out into the hazy rust-colored sky as the system's star slowly set on the horizon.

 

"I think there's another reason why you're here, though. You question yourself. Why?"

[Dahar Raikanda]

The view really was splendid. Dahar had always appreciated aesthetics. Although he had learned to live without their need things of beauty still brought him joy.

 

"With all due respect, Master Darkfire, I don't know if I can agree. I don't think you can separate yourself like that. Perhaps that is the only way you can now cope with the things you did as Darth Ares, to deny that it was you that did them." Dahar sighed, "I suppose I don't really know. Only you can tell that about yourself. But I just don't believe that a spirit can be split completely from itself. Even if one were able to occupy multiple bodies at once, each having its own consciousness, I think it would still be a part of the whole. Just as we can never truly divorce ourselves from the Force, I don't think you can divorce yourself from... well, yourself."

 

Dahar stopped for a moment and realized he was coming off accusatory, which wasn't his intention. "I do believe in redemption, master. I don't know if you can feel remorse or guilt over what has happened, but I believe that you are no longer Darth Ares.

 

As far as myself, yes, I question sometimes. I don't think any Jedi doesn't, and if they don't they are kidding themselves. It is foolish to think anyone can be one hundred percent true to anything, especially our dogma. The Order has its place. I have considered going my own way before, but I feel that I bring a certain something to the council that is needed. I assume you are aware of our dual grandmasters? I know both of them and have a great deal of respect for them both. But if anything were to ever happen to Master Kirlocca, someone I view as a mentor, I think the order would need somebody like myself to balance things out. The rest of the council is far too passive.

 

But maybe that's just me, maybe I walk closer to the edge than the others. I wonder sometimes if I am denying myself knowledge of the entire picture. We are taught from the beginning of our training that the Dark Path can dominate you. But what if we can dominate it right back? I question these things. I question if I am truly doing my best to serve the galaxy by only living in one side of the Force. I have touched the Dark Side before and felt its power. But my conditioning as a Jedi has always made me pull back. Until now.

 

Now I wonder.

 

You have lived on both sides of the fence, and now you seem to live in the middle. I am not arrogant enough to think that mere words, rank and title of Jedi Master, means I am beyond new teachings. What do you think? How do you view these things?"

[Ary the Grey]

Aryian sighed. No one expects the Jedi inquisition.

 

"You are free to believe what you wish, and while I could explain more on my situation, I won't. I don't need to. What has been done has been done. Yes, I lament that it happened, but I do not carry the blame. I only hope you never experience I went through. And with that said, I wonder how you will take what I have to say about finding balance as well. You claim to come here to learn, yet you demonstrate how close-minded to the Force you are. Maybe you are as you say, further from the other Jedi and the dogma...yet I feel anything I might tell you wouldn't be considered fully. The peace I have found in the Force is my own, and while I can help you find yours, I can't find it for you."

 

Aryian turned to him, looking Dahar dead in the eye.

 

"But as you say, I believe in redemption. Show me you have an open mind, and I will share my story. I will impart to you a deeper understanding. One of the scenarios I had to deal with in my tenure with the Jedi was dealing with a Sith terrorist on Coruscant. He'd placed bombs around the planet in highly populated area. I knew where he was, and could have pursued him, but I wouldn't have time to disable the bombs, and if he would have gotten away he would have killed many more people. Would you have protected the innocent, or sacrificed them to prevent the terrorist from killing more?"

[Ariana La'vohn]

Ariana sat with an awkward smile on her face in reception of the praise. Her pale face was still a deep scarlet and she had to work to hide herself from view. She acknowledged the note though, and when her master told her to relax, she collapsed on the mat covered floor with an exasperated sigh. She spread her arms and legs out on the flat surface and moved them like wings against the solid ground. She contemplated saying, ‘I’m an Angel,’ but somehow felt that the statement would be unlike her and would be perplexing because she had no idea what an Angel was. She heard the term somewhere before and didn’t understand colloquially what an Angel would be in her own tongue. All she knew is that they were people-ish type things with wings and could fly.

 

She silently shrugged to herself and watched out of the corner of her vision as the two force users left the room. She had no comment for the Jedi when he entered because she had no comment for the Jedi when she met them the first time on Tython. In her ‘eyes’ they were blinding beams of blue light and shone brilliantly against the vague mists of the surrounding world. Conveniently enough though, learning their dogma seemed to convince her that that is what they were, blinding lights… Blind to all beyond that light and doing what they could to pierce the darkness. She didn’t understand their dogma as completely as her master did, nor did she pretend to have even the vaguest idea how far that dogma went, but their code seemed to dictate a theme that no one could possibly live up to. They could pretend to live up to it, but in the end, wouldn’t that only serve to make you that much dirtier if you were faking it the whole time?

 

Ariana saw the strand of particles that that the Jedi made through the force while she worked, but ignored it. She was in the middle of something and trying to focus, so the relevance of the mysterious strand to her own life seemed unimportant. Reflecting on it now though, she couldn’t understand why he even bothered to show it to her in the first place. What possible interest would she have in looking at a strand of lights when the entire world was comprised of different lights and intensities looming around her like a menagerie of rainbows?

 

Oddly enough, the more he was around her, the more she felt like she was being judged without a word spoken between them. He seemed sterile, clean and somehow pompous. She didn’t know how she got that last one, but something about the way he walked and the way he carried himself, added with lights around him, the sounds that came from him and the smells he gave off just made her feel on edge and uncomfortable. It isn’t like she hadn’t felt this way before, or that the Sith she had been around felt any better; quite the contrary in fact. The Sith were dirtier and felt of something so dark that it defied her nature to even conceive of it. Master Aryian on the other hand was what she might say was a comfortable midpoint between the two. She seemed to recall an old tale of three mammals and a small blonder girl that got eaten by the three mammals for stealing porridge or something like that. She didn’t quite remember the relevance of that tale now, but something in it reminded her of comfortable mediums and how they are important.

 

Extremes can be dangerous. Ariana often though that putting oneself at an extreme would be to commit to that extreme beyond all else and deny yourself the privilege of enjoying anything of what the other side had to offer. Regardless, it seemed pointless to dwell on which side of the mountain she chose to stand on right now. That was a problem for 'later' and 'now', was not 'later'. Ariana declined to follow the two masters and instead decided to remain in the training room to recover from her training. She breathed deeply in and out and started stretching out all of her sore muscles. She pulled the stray hairs out of her face and gathered them in a wrap that she re-fastened into a ponytail at roughly the center of the back of her head. She was blind and her hair was an abstract billow of fibers that she couldn't really make out with no eyesight, but she still felt it on her face and she had developed a habit when she has implants of occasional adjustments. She sat comfortably with a cross legged stance upon the mat and turned toward the door, awaiting her master's return.

 

She did peep on the two of them a little bit down the hall, because she could see through the walls, but she couldn't hear what they were saying, so it was moot.

[Dahar Raikanda]

The Force was all around Dahar. There were so many different feelings in this place. It was foreign yet refreshing. He wondered if he had struck a chord with Master Darkfire. If only the galaxy was in his heart, they would know how close he had become at various points to completely embracing the Dark Side. But they weren't, and never would be. He had done his best to try and cover it up, and it was obviously working. Both parties here saw him as a cookie cutter Jedi, and although this bothered him, he didn't know why. Shouldn't that be something to be proud of? But he knew deep inside there was more.

 

Dahar bowed to Aryian, "I meant know offense Aryian, although I feel I may have caused some. That is on you though, my friend, if there is something to be offended by. And if not then I hope the peace you have found is true."

 

Dahar didn't have to think long before answering, "I would have killed the Sith. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Dahar wondered for a second if he had heard that spoken somewhere before. "I don't know what every Jedi would do, if I had to guess I think they would let him go. But I don't feel that is right. Being the hero is not always doing what may seem popular or right at the time, it is doing what is for the greater good." Dahar knew the things he was saying were straying far from the Jedi beliefs. But he wasn't raised a Jedi, he was raised a warrior. The Jedi had taught him their ways, made him a Master in their ranks, but his loyalty was to the galaxy.

 

"I know of the Dark Side, I know of the power it can bring. I am aware that many start with good intentions but become consumed in this quest for power. I live only to serve the needs of the people, of the galaxy. Over the past few years I wonder if the Jedi are truly capable of this.

 

What do you think? Is it possible to use the Dark side without letting it poison you in the end?"

[Ary the Grey]

((Sorry man. I'll try to be more active with you from now on. Had a lot on my plate this week what with my wife getting here and all.))

 

"Well, I am living proof. It is like a poison, and you will bear the pain of your actions in your own memories. But righteous fury can burn through the most formidable opponents with relative ease...In short, it is a double-sided sword. As to your answer for my question, the real question was whether or not you could make the decision. Many find they can't. If you can, then the potential is within you to walk the fine edge I walk."

 

Aryian shifted his weight, not saying exactly what he thought, but enough nonetheless. If the person who pulled his strings wasn't such a lazy fartwad and actually did his job correctly, it would be highly likely that Aryian's mind would have been a little clearer and his words more precise.

 

"Anything else you wish to know?"

[Dahar Raikanda]

"Well, how do you know whether you are on the line or not? Doesn't the Dark Side cloud you judgement?"

 

Dahar debated on whether or not to speak his mind. He trusted, and moreso hoped, that Aryian would not disclose what he was about to say.

 

"Between you and I, Master Darkfire, I would like to learn some of the Dark Path. I know that I could better serve the galaxy if I were to open myself to new ideas. I feel I have been holding back all these years. But I also feel that the resources of the Jedi are nearly unmatched, I wouldn't mean to leave the order."

 

This simple admission had already pushed Dahar closer to the darkness. Deep inside, unknown to him, he wished for power. Perhaps the power was for the greater good, but he still thirsted for control. The Force, the Order, he could use as tools to accomplish what he thought was just.

[Ary the Grey]

"I see."

 

Two words meant infinitely much between the two standing on the parapet.

 

"The only answer I can offer you is experience. You must have experience to define that line for yourself. But remember: just because I walk that lone does not mean I am better than another Jedi, that I am any more effective in my methods or that I am stronger for it. It did change me; it gave me perspective. That is all. If you still wish to walk the path you've put yourself on, I will help guide you as best I can. It is not an easy one, and forever more you will question yourself on whether or not it was the right thing to do. And for that the only advice I can offer is to blindly trust in yourself, and trust in the Force. If you are still here tomorrow, we will begin at dawn. I am sure you have some thinking to do."

 

With that, Aryian bowed, and left Dahar to his thoughts. He began to walk back to his room, a bit of rest sounding nice right about then, as long as nobody else bothered him on his way back to his bed.

[Dahar Raikanda]

It was morning and Dahar remained on Mechis. He wanted to expand himself and his understanding of the Force. He wanted to save the galaxy from itself.

 

The Jedi Master had a small meal and was soon in a meditation chamber deep in commune with the Force. He had some questions for Aryian whom he was sure would find him when he awoke.

[Ary the Grey]

After his morning routine, Aryian found Dahar waiting for him, something which mildly surprised him. Normally the Grey Master was the first one up, his many years of combat duty conditioning him to wake before the dawn. At the least, it showed him that the Jedi was ready and serious. His mind, however, was turbulent and unfocused, not what he'd expected.

 

"Are you ready?"

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar stood and greeted his fellow expert in the Force. He pushed an annoying piece of hair out of his face to make eye contact.

 

"Morning is different on this planet. I usually enjoy beating the sun to the new day. I don't think the sun here bothers to show up." He laughed a a bit.

 

"I am here. Let me ask, you friend, as I'd rather not speculate. What do you do with your anger? I'm sure you much like myself was indoctrinated as of its dangers. But can anger can be righteous? Can you show me what to do with it?"

 

Jedi were taught to put emotions aside. There is no emotion, there is peace. But clearly there was, Dahar felt them.

[Ary the Grey]

A good and well-thought out question.

 

"I control it. I embrace it, but I do not let it control and consume me. I feel anger like I feel joy and sorrow. They are part of me, but they do not embody me, they do not represent my will and intent. Sometimes it can be good to utilize your anger and frustration. The times may be few, but unlike the teachings of the Jedi, I will not deny that the scenarios do not exist. However, if you intend to be a force for good, I would suggest you self reflect often and ensure you are not falling too far towards the Dark Side. It can be seductive, and it often seems like the easiest option, but it is not always the best. Wisdom helps to balance that, and even the most powerful and venerable Sith were wise in their own right."

 

Aryian moved closer, sitting on a nearby bench.

 

"If you will permit me, I will join minds with you, and create for you a scenario. There is no right or wrong way to handle it, only self discovery."

[Dahar Raikanda]

Dahar nodded in agreement to the shadow master, opening his mind. The Force could weave tapestries that one could easily mistake for real. He knew from personal experience that Aryian was a master of such things. He would keep his wits about him but was curious to see what would happen.

[Ary the Grey]

Dahar nodded, and the Force grew turbulent as Aryian drew heavily upon it, projecting an illusion into Dahar's mind. Instead of removing himself from the room or trying to mask his presence as was usually the goal, he remained. The dojo itself, however, was radically different. The room was easily recognized as the main tactical/briefing room of a MC-90a heavy cruiser, and instead of sitting on the circular seat in the middle of the meditation room, he now sat on the holographic viewing table.

 

A junior lieutenant hurried in, fumbling with what looked to be a hastily fabricated dossier, the flimsiplast sticking out of the folder like a bad hair day. The nameplate on the lieutenant's chest identified him as Lieutenant Junior Grade Hogans, and the patch on his shoulder indicated he belonged to fleet intelligence. In no way did he notice Aryian standing a short distance away.

 

"Sir, I'm sorry for waking you, but this is a priority one op from command itself. The enemy somehow managed to smuggle in a baradium bomb. A big one...planetcracker-class."

 

Dahar would be able to see the blood in the man's face drain as he spoke those words.

 

"Our technicians have been unable to defuse it, and it's even been EMP-shielded. Obviously we cannot mobilize all our ground forces in time for an evacuation, much less the civilian population. We did catch their men in action, two of them. One Human, one Rodian. They're in the holding cell down the hall and not talking. I understand you're here on a mission of diplomacy, Master Jedi, but we were also informed of your skills in getting people to talk. We have..."

 

Lieutenant Hogans checked his timepiece.

 

"...just under one hour."

[Ariana La'vohn]

Ariana was tired. She honestly didn’t remember the last time she slept so well, but she honestly couldn’t remember the last time she wasn’t sleeping in the last week. Her body felt a little tired and the muscles in her legs, arms, feet, and hands were all a little tight. She knew it was because of her injuries, but that didn’t stop her from grimacing when she got out of bed in the early morning.

 

The Miraluka sighed pleasantly at the end of a long stretch, despite her initial soreness, and took a moment to absorb her surroundings: the morning rustle of robes on the walkways, the early smell of cafeteria food lingering down the open corridors and the sounds of people training in several of the large rooms. With her ‘eyes’ looking deep through each chamber, she managed to find Aryian and the newcomer in one of the larger rooms of the facility. They looked peaceful as they sat parallel to one another. She couldn’t tell what was going on with them, but the rumble of her stomach dissuaded further curiosity anyway.

 

She slipped off of the side of her bed, which was still located in the infirmary for the time being, and slipped her morning clothes on. They consisted of nothing more than a few simple white garments that billowed a little when she walked. She liked the looseness of the fabric, because it made her feel like she was walking on air, but the material was simple. She wasn’t clothed in the finest silks imaginable, because she didn’t like silk, and because there was no reason or funding for such ornate clothing.

 

With a casual flick of her wrists, her pajamas were folded comfortably on her bed and she scampered off to the cafeteria to get something to eat.

[Ary the Grey]

A droid approached Ariana as she entered the cafeteria, holding out an ornate crystal-looking sphere that was inlaid and layered with various metals and designs. Very subtly was a presence of the Force attached to it, something she would barely be able to see.

 

"Mistress, Master Aryian wished you to have this. He also said to tell you it would help in the next stage of your training."