Naboo

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin smiled and greeted Keiran with the same enthusiasm with which he was greeted. The Jedi Knight had missed his Master more than he had thought. That brought up the solemn reason that he had come, however, and the smile disappeared off his face.

 

Reluctant to bring up some a subject as this, the Admiral pressed into it anyway. "There is something wrong, Master," he said. "Some time ago we passed by each other in the Last Call and I felt a disturbance from you. And now again the Force called me here for the same reason.

 

"Tell me, what have you been up to? I heard rumors of terrible things attached somehow to your name," Onderin continued hesitantly. He didn't dare mention the Dark Side by name, for now that he was in Keiran's presence he didn't feel anything particular. Then again, he may be biased.

 

He would be careful to listen for Sabian's own opinion, whether it came audibly or through the Force, a much safer way of communicating with someone overhearing. On the other hand, it might be good for both Keiran and Onderin to hear what the boy had to say.

[Sabian]

- The young man knew nothing of the relationship the two shared with one another before this point but, the friendly embrace swayed any suspisions Sabian had from surfacing. There wasn't much he could say, really, given the circumstances. The first thing that came to mind, as the side of his hand braced against Keiran's own, he would recall out in a firm tone of voice.. -

 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. My name is Sabian Devanus, from Coruscant."

 

- ..And that's about all he could muster for typical conversation at that point. He was still very mindful of everything around him, still taking in the strong foreign energies that now hovered around them. The source was almost certainly made by the distinct combination of Onderin's presence matched with the new perspective of his former Master in the picture. -

 

- He felt down almost played by being near them; two dominant forces next to one another while the boy hovered along the sidelines. Even if he was particularly part of the main topic, the other times when he wasn't speaking or listening would be taken in observing the new area. -

 

- Sabian's vision even reached past towards the other young man who strode out of the oddly shaped hut with the presence of a blue hued lightsaber blade shimmering forth from his palm. He couldn't exactly tell if it was in offense, defense, or neither; being almost completly thrown off by it's sudden appearance. -

 

- The boy's delicate fingertips nimbly moved over his own forged weapon's hilt quickly, moving them across it's intricate interface with a new familiar ease. While this gesture was concealed mostly under the folds of Onderin's old large brown cloak the boy now wore, it was merely there while he gauged a reaction from Onderin.. -

 

- ..He didn't seem well focused on the new motion, more interested in drawing the boy closer to the inner circle the two of them naturally made with one another. It was a kind move, one move Sabian wouldn't put past Onderin at all. Clearly, he had wanted to express more of the boy to his former Master, for reasons he wasn't quite sure of. -

 

- None the less, his aim to please was still focused, and the presence of his surrondings narrowing was more calm, relaxed with a strong mindset. He let go of his forward hand from the weapon's hilt, sliding his hand back off to his side. Minor twitches of his joints and knuckles in his hand and wrist moved fluidly in a slow circular motion. The presence around him became soothing, and enveloped around him in the gentle nature of the Force. -

 

- Closing both brillant blue eyes of his, Sabian began to focus on moving the energy, that now became an extension of his body, outwards in a subtle wave motion; only seen through the presence of other Force users. It generously wafted into the air until it distilled upon Keiran's form, the healing nature the energy possessed quickly releaving any stressed or pained portion in the older man's body. -

 

"I hope you don't mind me praticing my exercises in your presence, Master Keiran."

 

- One glance looked up towards Onderin, looking for the man's seal approval to lead farther into the conversation.. -

 

- He never saw Onderin so normal in the entire time they had been together. All the while, he was thought upon by Sabian's standards to be on a higher level plane the everyone else. Better morally, physically, and mentally then any other human being he came across. Now, for this moment, the man felt entirely human; expressing his emotions more evenso then before; even if his rock solid personality tended to anchor him back down in parts. Sabian even cracked a smile at the thought.. -

 

They must have experienced alot together..

 

- The topic of what would happen after Sabian and Onderin draw farther apart almost came up in conjuncture to that very thought process but, was quickly pushed back, unconciously, to the farther reaches of his mind. -

[Keiran]

"Onderin... I've taken a stand against the growing corruption of the jedi leadership. I've been portrayed as a converted sith lord by many of the jedi, so do not hesitate to say what you've heard. However, I assure you that I am no sith. On a negative note however, I am no longer a jedi either."

 

Keiran motioned toward the direction he had come from.

 

"Come, let us head back to the hut I am staying at. It belongs to my new apprentice."

 

The group began walking, as they did so, Keiran began talking again.

 

"My return has angered the jedi council. They send DJK and HJP to attack me. I refused to fight, however they pressed a battle anyway. The astromech droid in the Y-Wing that I arrived in can prove what I accuse the jedi masters of. Also, my apprentice and I found a peaceful solution to the situation we were in. We destroyed the master's ships and fled, stranding the pair of power hungry masters on Hoth."

 

Keiran looked Onderin in the eye.

 

"Something must be done to stop this catastrophe. They didn't confront me when I was at the temple, only when I was in isolation and away from the public eye did they attack me. This is a very interesting anomoly to me. Tell me what you think."

[ObliviousKnight]

((OK, Keiran, I'm not being sent by DJK or HJP. Armiena has no idea you're here. I'm landing hundreds, if not thousands of klicks away from you.))

 

Shawn's YT-2400, the Jolian Tru, popped out of hyperspace outside of Naboo's orbit. However, the planet's blue-green expanse didn't fill the cockpit--that responsibility was fulfilled by a grayish mynock that the freighter had nearly collided with in hyperspace. In fact, the two spacefarers did collide. Before Armiena could even take evasive action, the transparisteel canopy smacked into the beast.

 

Armiena muttered somthing under her breath about "worthless, kriffing space rats" as the mynock found purchase on the canopy. Meanwhile, the "space rat" shrieked in its high-pitched voice at the Jedi Knight in response, presumably insulting her piloting skills. As she raised a raven eyebrow in surprise, the beast scrambled off the canopy, towards the sublight engines.

 

Armiena know what was happening: the mynock would cling to the ship's hull, and sap as much energy and metal from the hull as it could. An annoying, and potentially damaging act.

 

At least, that's what would happen if Armiena was naive enough to let it. Reaching out with the Force, she wrenched it off the hull. A horrible screeching sound, similar to that of fingernails on an old chalkboard, filled the corridors of Shawn's ship and the mynock struggled to hang on with its dull claws.

 

She refused to look at her apprentice as she blushed with embarassment. "Sorry. Nothing goes as planned in this galaxy."

 

Mercifully, the rest of the descent proved to be uneventful. Every few minutes, Armiena checked their local coordinates and scanned the view from the cockpit. Finally, her expression brightened as she realized that they were practically on top of their destination. She brought the freighter into a hasty descent, and landed on a rocky cliff side.

 

To say that the view was idyllic was to make an understatement. Roughly twenty meters below the cliff face, a crystal lake perfectly reflected the landscape and sky, as well as the Naboo settlement on the opposite bank. As Armiena extended the boarding ramp, she vaguely heard the rush of water spilling from a nearby waterfall, feeding the lake. Armiena simply admired the view as she undid her restraints.

 

A shy smile appeared on her lips. "Alright, maybe some things do go as planned.

[Shawn Kenobi]

Shawn peared down at the lake, it was as beautiful as he had heard, and was a pleasant sight. After the discussion about Keiran it was good to see a smile on his master's face. He undid his restraints and began to put the ship into idle mode.

 

"Yeah I guess they do sometimes. Well, everyone was right about this place, it should be a great place to train."

 

Shawn stretched slightly, he had been sitting for a while and it felt great to be up and moving again. Wonder what we are going to do today, should be interesting if not fun.

 

"So, what will I be learning today, master?"

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin furrowed his eyebrows as he thought, walking with Keiran towards the hut. He motioned for Sabian to follow, not entirely pleased that his old Master had not so much as greeted him. It wasn't the most important thing at the moment, and the Jedi Knight was trying to stay on task.

 

The news that his old Master gave him worried the Admiral. Because he was not constantly involved with the Order due to the demand of being ready to take fleet action with the Rebellion, he had not been aware of such corruption. He had always tried himself to stand up for the Jedi Order and follow the Code as closely as he could, and it occured to him that this could be made easier by his position.

 

"It is disturbing that the Jedi would try and force a confrontation like that, but from what I know of Master Poleb, he is quick to action and a very powerful Jedi Master," he said. "You would know Master Kenobi better than anyone else, for he was your Master, though I myself do not know him beyond knowing that he holds a seat on the Jedi Council."

 

Onderin continued to walk and ponder, letting some of his thoughts form into words but keeping others back. "I do not believe that the Jedi Council is so corrupt as to try and force you to fight unless they found it absolutely necessary," he decided, not wanting to anger Keiran but certain that it was better to speak the truth of how he felt. "Have you considered simply turning yourself in to see what they want of you? Or do you fear the consequences of such an action? I believe that a Jedi is responsible for his actions, and I think that you should at least give the Jedi a chance to try you for what you did, if the rumors are true.

 

"Even if you no longer consider yourself of the Jedi Order, you are still a follower of the Light Side of the Force, and therefore you should still adhere to the Code," he went on, choosing his words carefully. "I can't force you to do anything, and I respect your opinion, but this is what I think. It pains me to see you turn from the Jedi, and it's never too late to turn back. After all, a single man with such experience as yourself, if he creates the right echoes, shall we say, can change the Order and resolve the corruption therein. I'm willing to help you with that part, if I do indeed find corruption as you do."

 

Satisfied that he had gotten his point across, Onderin continued to walk, drawing back into his thoughts and remaining silent. He would not go back over his speech in his mind, for he knew he would most likely end up finding something he would wish he could take back, but would not be able to.

 

It was a curious thing, giving council to the one that had always before counciled you. But the Admiral had grown much wiser since his training, and he felt more on an equal plane with Keiran than his underling. As far as he knew, Keiran had not yet achieved the rank of Jedi Master, though sheer experience more than made up for that.

[Sabian]

- The young man eargly followed quickly beside Onderin, a mild quizzical look exchangeded on both parts, not quite sure what was to be taken by the lack of response from the boy's introduction. None the less, Sabian was eager to listen in on this conversation. Like a fly on a wall, he remained quiet, taking large silent breathes through his nostrils when necessary, even the light pattern of his boots meshing against the soft mattered ground was guided down gently by his ankle's steady movements. -

 

- A particular topic of interest came into play in Keiran's conversation. Leaving the Jedi order? Corruption in the Council? They were defintly things that came as a shock, appearing to effect Onderin more so then he. Sabian had never seen the Council or any of it's members before but, heard a great deal of it from Onderin during their passing times in the meditation chamber. They headed all Jedi business, even holding archives of all it's members and trainees. It was interesting to think his name might be a piece of paper far away somewhere. -

 

- Besides the point, the boy stayed calm and steadfast, intent on hearing the next claim brought by Onderin. Sabian had even gone as far as to send a brief mental channel to Onderin, using the same strategy of guiding what control of the Force he had to gentle glide into the mental barrier Onderin was professed for; speaking in a light mannered tone.. -

 

Master Starlisk, what does he mean by not being part of the Jedi order anymore? What of the claims about the Jedi Council? ..Are they true?

 

- The young man did not necessary need a response, figuring the messages to be more of a release or outlet for what was truly on his mind while still remaining physically silent about the matter. It didn't seem the right time or place, nor was he in the best position to add in his opinion; when it seemed only Onderin would want it. -

 

- With a flustered sigh, Sabian continued to listen. The words his Master spoke seemed very opinionative but, directly to the point. The boy could even feel through the workings of his surrondings the disposition he was in to recall all of that. He took great pride in hearing Onderin's views clearly expressed in such a meaningful way. -

 

That's the Onderin Starlisk I know..

 

- A small, hidden smile revealed upon the boy's face; his ears open to the response to ensue. Yet, he could feel there was a small confliction inside of him, that gut feeling that quietly echoed the need for caution even in state of confidence. This time, he held onto that feeling like a tiny pebble inside a clutched hand; small enough not to be reaveled but quick enough to open all the fingers when needed. -

Edited July 13, 2005 by Guest

[Keiran]

Keiran winced as he considered what Onderin had said.

 

"Onderin, your advice is very logical and would suit most jedi, however I've established that I am no longer a jedi. I don't care about the code, or abiding to some age old code. I'm simply living for myself right now."

 

Keiran looked back at Onderin.

 

"I know I've failed you as a master by taking my path, and failing you as a friend as well."

 

Keiran looked back at the hut.

 

"However, It is something I must do for the good of the galaxy."

 

Keiran looked at Sabian and took the boy's hand in a firm handshake.

 

"I apologize for ignoring you earlier, my manners were blown out of the water the moment I saw Onderin again."

 

Keiran then looked back at Onderin.

 

"I may have taken an unexpected path, but that does not mean I do not embrace you."

 

Keiran clasped the man's shoulder once more.

 

"You were a son to me during your training, and now that you've grown, you're more like a brother. I thank you for searching for me in my time of wavering faith."

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin smiled slightly outwardly at the shoulder clasp, but inside he was unsatisfied. As much as he didn't like to admit it, he was convinced that what Keiran was doing was wrong. It was not right to forsake the Jedi Code and leave the Order after becoming such an established member. The Jedi needed Keiran.

 

The way Keiran finished suggested dismissal, but the Admiral wasn't quite done yet. He still wanted to have a chance of bringing his old Master back. "I found you, Keiran, because I sensed and the Force told me that something was wrong," he spoke more firmly than he had intended, but he was careful to keep the mild anger and frustration he was feeling out of his voice. "And it's my duty as a Jedi, even if that Order no longer means anything to you, as well as my duty as your former apprentice to follow the will of the Force in this matter."

 

He was rather pained by Keiran's outlook, but he didn't want to let such an emotion lead to other, less desirable ones. "Tell me the truth--what was it that you did to the Jedi that the rumors now speak of?"

 

Onderin was going to slip now, or so he told himself. This was a touchy subject, and he felt that he could make a mistake at any moment. It wasn't like him to admit such weakness, even to himself, but he realized now that matters in the military had not required talk of true diplomacy and charisma. He thought he was doing well so far, but his side of the talk was on the edge of a vibroblade.

 

He knew that no matter what he did Keiran would not grow angry easily, especially given Onderin's own relation to him. But if Keiran began to see something like the corruption he saw from Master Poleb and Master Kenobi, whether just a shadow or not, things could get tense. Onderin did not by any means want to leave his Master on a bad note, but he would do what he felt was necessary according to how the Force would guide him.

[ObliviousKnight]

"Telekinesis: the skill of moving objects with the Force." After checking the clasp on her gunbelt, Armiena rose from the pilot's chair and led Shawn to the edge of the cliff.

 

"Watch your step... some of these rocks are a bit sli--iiiii..." The Jedi Knight ate her own words as her left boot skidded on a mist-slicked boulder. She flailed for balance for a couple of seconds, to absolutely no avail. Finally, she came to her senses and collapsed her right leg to dig her fingers into a conveniently placed crack in the stone.

 

She simply lay on the rock for a couple of seconds, then swung her legs up and took a more cautious perch.

 

"Well, that's just great. The great Jedi Knight, having survived a civil war, a legion of stormtroopers, several walkers, and Force-knows-how-many close calls, falls to her death because she lost her footing on a wet rock?" Armiena actually chuckled, more appreciative of the irony than the prospect of falling to her death.

 

With a smooth movement, Armiena scooped up a small, flat stone from the ground and held it flat in her palm.

 

"Telekinesis, and the powers related to it are incredibly useful. With it..." Armiena's eyes focused on the stone and it rose a few centimeters above her palm. "You can Pull away an enemy's blaster, Jump to great heights..." the stone began to rotate on all axes, its rotation slowly speeding up. "Speed up your own movements, or actually attack an opponent." The rock's rotation accelerated to blurring speed, then suddenly halted.

 

Armiena snatched the stone out of the air an tossed it to Shawn. "Remember how on Coruscant, you felt my presence? Everything, all life, even the rocks, trees, and machines have their own position in the Force. Concentrate; she the stone in your mind's eye. See what you want the stone to do, envision your success... then push with your mind."

 

 

((OK, don't be afraid to fail the first time. Even if you succeed, I'm still going to give you a challenge that's all but impossible for a beginning Padawan.))

[Shawn Kenobi]

Shawn watched as Armiena nearly fell from the cliff, at first he was concerned, but he realised she wasn't about to let herself fall. He chuckled at the irony too, but only slightly, he had almost had to pilot his ship back to Coruscant and somehow explain how his master fell off a cliff.

 

"I'll try to remember that master, I know I would have probably fell.. remind me to deposit my DNA into a cloning facility whenever we get back to Coruscant..."

 

Shawn was thrilled to learn of the next task at hand, he had expected this exercise with great anticipation. Since the last exercise he had been attempting to call to the Force again, with mild success. He had managed to concentrate and call on the Force without need of a trance, which was something he had hoped to be able to accomplish.

 

"I remember well master, I think I have the feeling part down, it's like I am in that trance but it's superimposed over my senses. I hope I can pick this one up without much trouble, but I guess we will find out."

 

Ok, time to get to work.. Shawn felt the rock first, and closed his eyes. Then cleared his mind of everything he could. He tried to imagine the stone twirling, and he felt the Force coming to his aid. He opened his eyes to see that it was moving, but slowly. Shawn was a little disappointed, so he tried to make it move faster, but something caught his attention and the stone suddenly flew into his foreheard.

 

"Ow...that didn't go as well as I wanted it to.."

 

Shawn looked down to the stone and picked it up, he stared at it for a few seconds before he tried once more. He didn't bother closing his eyes this time, just tried to imagine it spinning. It started to float and began to spin slightly again, but Shawn wasn't pleased and was starting to get frustrated.

 

"Stupid rock, work!"

 

Shawn thought of tossing the rock off the cliff, but before he could act it flew off on its own. Before he could do anything he realised he had just used the Force to throw a rock without actually moving, but he had done it the wrong way.

 

"I shouldn't have done that.. It seems stupid but I was angry at the rock, like it was it's fault I couldn't do it. I may have succeeded, but the ends don't justify the means. I am sorry for delving in places I shouldn't go, master."

[ObliviousKnight]

Armiena's heart seemed to jump into her throat as she observed the slightly less than subtle shift in Shawn's emotions. For an eternally long second, the Jedi Knight considered the frightening prospect of her own Padawan falling prey to the beckoning of the Dark Side, and her air of cool confidence cracked. Genuine fear shone in her eyes--fear for her Padawan.

 

Armiena immediately pushed her fear aside, and concentrated on her duty: to initiate Shawn into the ways of the Force, and to teach him the skills needed to defend himself and the galaxy from its lowest forms of scum.

 

As she spoke, the sound of the stone cascading down the cliff echoed into the distance. "What you felt, when you used your anger and frustration in channeling the Force was the Dark Side of the Force. It is seductive, there is no denying that, but is evil more powerful than good?" She silently shook her head, both to answer the rhetorical question and to keep herself from preaching philosophy. There were a thousand things Armiena wanted to say, but she could only say one.

 

Armiena took Shawn's hand in her own and spoke softly, her eyes closed.

 

"There is no emotion; there is peace.

There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.

There is no passion; there is serenity.

There is no chaos; there is harmony.

There is no death; there is the Force.

 

"Those are the words of the Jedi Code. I do not interpret them literally; no one could live without emotion. Ignorance will always exist, though we should strive to eliminate it. Passion--" She forced herself to stop speaking before it turned into a sermon.

 

As Armiena withdrew her hand, the weight of another rock, nearly identical to the one that had just been hurled away, pressed into Shawn's.

 

"Again, but with control." She forced herself to not watch Shawn's next attempt--her presence might put undue pressure on him. Armiena simply turned away from him and appreciated the view. Even without watching the attempt, she would know if he succeeded.

[Shawn Kenobi]

Shawn felt horrible inside, their second day of training and he had already took a step in the opposite direction. He was somewhat disturbed inside, what he had done felt wrong but in a sense good. Armiena's words helped him calm though, he decided then to keep this experience in the front of his mind for a while, in order to avoid this Dark Side, he would have to understand what it felt like and make sure he would never fall to it. Before he would try again, he had to speak his mind to his master...she had turned away, but her ears would still hear.

 

"Master Armiena, I am sorry for that, but now that I know and understand what I felt, it won't happen again. I promise you."

 

Shawn then looked at the rock again, the same he had pushed with anger, it reminded him of it, but he pushed it aside and focused. He put in his mind the image of the floating and spinning rock, and called to the Force to help him. He not only saw but felt the rock lift and begin to spin. He then walked with it spinning, having to concentrate all the way and it almost fell more than once. He turned to the face of Armiena, it was still a little suprised, he could imagine why.

 

"If evil is so powerful as the Sith believe, how are we still alive. You knew that answer, and now I understand."

[ObliviousKnight]

"Exactly. It's my personal belief that life and the Force are symbiotes, and one cannot exist without the other. That's why I think the Sith, for the most part, are fools--by killing off entire populations, they only diminish their own power." Armiena shrugged slightly. "It's just a theory of mine, and it seals my ship just fine."

 

Armiena slid off the boulder she had been sitting on, and brushed dirt off of her robes.

 

"Good work. For the next exercise, we will use your ship." She clicked on the comlink resting at her belt and spoke into it. "Dine, fire up the repulsorlifts, and hover towards our position. Altitude..." her eyes flicked up and down, gauging the distance. "About four meters above ground level."

 

Her attention shifted back to Shawn. "Force Jump is a technique related to telekinesis. You just have to want it to happen, see the outcome in your mind, concentrate, and..." her voice broke off as she took off at a run towards the Jolian Tru, which was still hovering towards them. At the last second, her knees bent... and she easily jumped the four meters of distance between the ground and the YT-2400's boarding ramp.

 

She placed a hand on the metal surface of the ramp for balance, and turned around to face Shawn.

 

Come on, Shawn. Show me what you can do.

[Shawn Kenobi]

Shawn was happy that they were moving on, but he had learned a valuable lesson and he hoped he had gained some more trust with Armiena. The next task was a little confusing. Ok, I can move objects, but now I am supposed to move myself..this one is going to be a toughy.. Inside he knew he had to have faith in it, if he was even to get an inch off the ground he would be lucky; but he knew if he didn't believe in it the Force wouldn't bother helping him at all.

 

"Here I come, master!"

 

Shawn imagined the outcome, he could see himself doing the jump and conecntrated on the image. He could feel the Force willing to help and he started his run towards his freighter. He got to the jump point and pushed off, and he could barely feel the force pushing. Oh..this is NOT good.. He was learned, but he wasn't powerful, and his little knowledge of how to control the Force meant only one thing; falling flat on his face. He quickly recovered, and dusted himself off; he was bleeding in a few places from cuts on rocks, but he put the pain aside. He looked up towards the hatch and saw Armiena staring down; her face was a blur at the moment, but his eyes were adjusting.

 

"Well, that was fun for a first time, you ought to try it this way. I thought I would atleast get halfway but I guess I don't know that much yet."

 

His head fell back to the ground as he breathed deep to catch his breath, he wondered what his master felt. He was sure she wasn't all too disappointed though, and that made him feel a little better.

[ObliviousKnight]

The moment Armiena saw her apprentice lose his momentum and fall to the rocky ground, she took a step off the Jolian Tru's boarding ramp and landed on the ground close to Shawn. Although she was not among the best of healers in the Order, she knew how to administer first aid and how to stabilize a victim with severe injuries. Minor cuts were well within her abilities.

 

"Nice faceplant." Her tone was light, even as she took note of the bleeding from the cut on his head. Even minor head injuries tended to bleed profusely, and by now the side of his face was dripping with blood.

 

"Stay still, it's just a scratch--just the ugliest kind of scratch you can get." Armiena tore some cloth from the edge of her sleeve, and wiped away the blood oozing from his head cut. After tearing away some more cloth, she covered up his minor wound, and wrapped the cloth around his forehead, much like a bandanna.

 

"Well, that was interesting. You could have broken your neck." Arm, you're his Master and teacher, not his mother, she silently admonished herself.

 

After thinking for a few seconds, she spoke again. "I want you to do two things: tell me where your attempt, though admirable, went wrong; then... do it again. Minus the mistake, the falling and painful parts, that is."

[Shawn Kenobi]

Shawn laughed inside at his masters comments as he slowly got up, he hurt a little bit but it was nothing he couldn't handle. He hadn't figured he hurt himself as badly as it seemed he had, but atleast it wasn't anything serious. He considered Armiena's question.. What did go wrong, I thought I had it right.."

 

"I don't really know what went wrong.. maybe I just didn't believe in my ability to do it. I.. I didn't believe..."

 

He didn't know what else to say, nothing was in his mind. In his mind he played back the jump, he was confident he could do it through the entire thing. Shawn played it back in his mind in what seemed thousands of times. He suddenly realized, he had not concentrated on asking the Force to help, he was too busy thinking he could do it and the Force only helped as much as he had wanted it to.

 

"I know, I know what I did wrong.. I didn't ask enough of the Force, I was too confident and it only helped as much as I thought I would need it... I am ready to try again, master."

 

He walked back to the start position, he focused on the task and saw the jump. Shawn thought in his mind, I can't do this jump alone, I need your help, please give it to me. When he was ready he started to run, he felt the rush but reminded himself to keep the image and the plea to the Force in his head. He got the to jump point and felt the Force beneath him, bent his knees, and pushed off. This time there was no fall, and he saw the ship's hull as he looked up, and suddenly felt the hard jolt from his feet hitting the plating on the entry ramp. He slipped and fell inside the ship but without injury. He got himself up and walked to the edge and looked down, this time an expression was clear on his masters face, a smile.

 

Shawn thought of saying something but nothing could come to his mouth, he was just happy he had made it. He just stood on the ramp laughing and enjoying the wind that was flowing into the ship.

[ObliviousKnight]

Armiena returned Shawn's triumphant grin, and signalled her R5 unit to bring the freighter down to the ground again. When the YT-2400 landed, she approached the boarding ramp and gave Shawn an approving nod. "You see, you can do it. For a Jedi with the Force as his ally... there are no limits."

 

The Jedi Knight returned to her perch and scanned the landscape immediately around the cliffside. Carefully observing the ground with a practiced eye, she spooted a dirt path leading down from the face of the cliff, well worn by hikers, tourists... and the occasional couple who desired privacy and a beautiful view. She traced glimpses of the path through vegetation and tree limbs, and found that it eventually lead into the Naboo town.

 

Armiena approximated the distance... roughly five kilometers. A decent hike, and a good jog... but that distance was nothing when one was in contact with the Force.

 

"See that Naboo town down there, on the opposite bank? There's a path leading down this slope that runs into it." Armiena altered Shawn's perception of the view so that the path shone dull red, making it impossible to miss. "Let's go for a stroll."

 

After leading Shawn to more level ground, she began the excursion with a slow jog, one that Shawn could easily keep pace with. Eventually, as the slope lessened, Armiena would quicken her pace, speeding up to the point that he would have no choice but to tap into the Force to quicken his movements if he wanted to keep up.

[Shawn Kenobi]

Shawn was glad at his previous success, and he could see Armiena was probably just as happy. He eyed the path that his master had pointed out, it looked like it would be a nice jog and a nice exercise to get all through that vegitation. He knew that this wouldn't be a simple jog though, she would have something to teach him about the Force. He didn't speculate, he was sure she would tell him what the task would be.

 

As they walked down the path and reached the ground she tugged on his arm and took off down the path. Shawn could keep up easily, which made him puzzled, but then she began to increase her speed and took off far in front of him. Well, I think it's obvious now what she wants me to do. He thought as he ran through the dust his master had kicked up.

 

In his mind he thought of going faster, and called the Force to his aid, this time it was easier than before. He suddenly felt the Force push his body faster than he could ever hope to achieve and he was almost out of control. He slowed a bit and steadily increased his speed from there. In the distance he saw his master, almost to the vegitation. Well here I come master!

[Maelstrom]

Mael deactivated the saber and hooked onto his belt. He sensed his Master returning, and walking into the clearing to meet him. He looked to have come right in the middle of an intense conversation, and quietly took his place by his Master's side with arms crossed, not wanting to be disrespectful by interrupting.

 

Seeing the other padawan, he nodded in greeting.

[Onderin Starlisk]

OOC: Sorry, Keiran and Sabian. Keiran, you delayed a little too long, and now it's my turn to do so likewise. I'm leaving in under an hour and won't be back until Sunday. I hope you'll have posted by then.

 

Sabian, I'm sorry to keep you inactive for so long--I know how you hate it. But sometimes when you're RPing people make you wait. It's best just to get used to it.

[ObliviousKnight]

As Armiena continued down the dirt path at a sprint, the tremors in the Force alerted to the fact that Shawn had succeeded in using the technique known as Force Speed.

 

Uh oh... he's going to... Before she could finish that thought, she pivoted on her left foot over to her side, and a blur passed uncomfortably close to where she had been only a second ago. A collision at that speed would have been... interesting, to say the least. The Jedi Knight shrugged, then tapped into the and and matched Shawn's supernatural pace.

 

The two Jedi left a strange cloud of dust and wind in their wake.

 

A sudden gust passed a flock of ducks resting on the grassy shore of the lake. They took flight, cawing at each other as if to cast blame for the disturbance.

 

A pair of lovers, concealed by a patch of wild shrubs, were far too "engaged" to take notice of the wave of dust that had settled around their private rendevous.

 

Armiena, who was too busy concentrating on keeping pace with her apprentice, saw none of this. She held her pace and kept to a path that would eventually lead them into the settlement, though the end of the exercise would be marked by when--or if--Shawn lost concentration and was forced to slow down. It was a test of endurance.

[Shawn Kenobi]

Shawn was running incredibly fast, and to his mind it was probably the funnest thing they had yet done. That was probably the reason it was comign so easy to him at the moment, he had thrown caution to the wind and the Force took over. He came up on his master quickly and passed her, he felt her dodging him as he passed...barely. Woah! That was a close one, I should have seen it coming..I'll have to work on that one.

 

Shawn's senses with the power of the Force let him feel everything around him, and even if his eyes didn't notice he knew what was going on. It was an amazing feeling and he was growing more and more used to it. He could sense that Armiena was behind him, following at his pace and apparently waiting for him to stop.

 

I wonder when she wants me to stop.. I guess I will try and make it to the settlement... He could feel the stress on his body at this point, he knew if the Force hadn't been applied he would have given out a long time ago. Though the Force had no limits as his master had pointed out, he quickly realized that his body did.

 

The arch of the gateway to the settlment was quickly coming upon them, and Shawn realized now was the time to reduce speed, ot be plastered on some building inside the town. He focused on slowing down, and the Force backed off from his limbs. He slowly but surely came to a halt just inside the town, his legs felt like they could melt. He collapsed onto ground, he wasn't in pain at all; but he was tired and began to breathe deeply.

[ObliviousKnight]

The moment she saw Shawn's pace falter, Armiena slowed her own run and skidding on the stony street to a halt. She knelt beside him, and wiped a sheet of sweat off her brow.

 

"Whew..." she took a deep breath. "Healthy little jog, eh? I haven't had one of those in months, and I imagine that you haven't had the sort of physical training I had back..." her voice caught on a bad memory, but she recovered well. "...Back in the Rebellion..." Her voice trailed off as she noticed that the two Jedi's interesting arrival had managed to attract several human onlookers whose curiosity had overriden their manners.

 

Armiena spoke softly, but the stone architecture made for such superb acoustics that she didn't need to use any form of voice-amplification.

 

"Just Jedi business, gentlebeings. It doesn't concern you." A gentle urging in their minds reminded them that they had more important business to attend to, and the small group disbanded. As they left, they all muttered something about having "more important things to do."

 

When Armiena turned back to Shawn, her face was slightly flushed from the unexpected interruption. "Where was--Oh, right. By tapping the Force, it's possible to augment the body in many ways--like moving more quickly. You can also relax tense muscles, convince your mind and body that you don't need to rest when you're fatigued, or to eat when you're famished, or..." a mischievous grin struggled with her composure. "Or that you can wait a few more hours before you really need to use the refresher."

[Shawn Kenobi]

Shawn finally managed to catch his breath and got up from the ground. He dusted himself off slightly and looked to the crowd that he noticed gathering.

 

"Yeah, that was a great jog, I have never had more fun exercising I will tell you that."

 

So, she was in the Rebellion.. that seems so distant nowadays. Shawn wiped some sweat from his forehead, his hair felt like he had dumped a bucket of water on it. As Armiena addressed the crowd he leaned back against a wall, his muscles ached. He listened to the small lecture Armiena addressed to him, and put it to the test and to his satisfaction it slightly worked and that was good enough for him.

 

"I will have to remember that last one, could come in handy in one of those tight situations. Well, now that we have had some fun, what's next?"

[Sabian]

OOC: Is this guy ever going to post? I mean, seriously, it's been almost a week now and no response.

 

What do we even do from here? Ian is gone until Sunday anyways. This is two weeks gone that could have been put to atleast some more use.

 

Not even a post on the absent forum. Anyone know where Keiran went?

 

Seems he fell off the face of the Earth.

[ObliviousKnight]

A brief tremor in the Force passed as Armiena allowed her senses to encompass the Naboo settlement, and was immediately rewarded for the effort. Although the Jedi Knight didn't sense anything unusual for a small countryside town, she got a definite sense of... needing to be somewhere, and if she didn't arrive soon... a minor tragedy would occur. A not-so-subtle nudging from the Force.

 

"Right this way, Shawn." Armiena purposefully set off through the stone streets. As they made their way to wherever the Force was guiding Armiena, quite a few pedestrians gave the two Jedi passing glances, but said nothing. Finally, they reached their destination...

 

...The local tavern. Armiena looked up to the sky, as if asking the Force if this was some sort of strangely-conceived prank that the Force liked to play on unsuspecting Jedi. After pondering whether the Force actually had a sense of humor, she boldly marched forward through the tavern's doors.

 

The first thing that the woman noticed was the lighting; the tavern was remarkably well-lit, though shadows remained along the walls for patrons who desired privacy. Her nostrils were then flooded with a barrage of scents: the sweat of a hard-fought sabaac game, fumes rising from drinks that she wouldn't dare sample, and the pleasant aroma from a lit Naboo cigar. Then she noticed that all activity had frozen most of the customers instinctively turned to view the newcomers... and saw that they were Jedi.

 

It was time to ease the tension in the room. "What am I, chopped Bantha liver?" Armiena quipped. An appreciative chuckle wandered about the tavern as the patrons observed that she was no mere Jedi; she was a Jedi with a sense of humor. The tension broken, the dull roar of conversation again dominated the bar as the locals returned to their drinks.

 

The bartender didn't even seem to care about her allegiances as she sidled up to the bar.

 

"Local lomin-ale, on the rocks. Shawn, what will you have?" As Armiena received her drink, she wondered why it was so important that two Jedi stop in at a local cantina for a drink.

 

((As for the cigar, it's a joke that appears occasionally on a KOTOR fan fiction site that I like. And this post does have a point.))

[Shawn Kenobi]

Shawn was waiting for a respone when he noticed her eyes suddenly jerk slightly. He guessed she must have felt something in the Force, and he tried himself to feel what it was. There was something there but he didn't know how to read it, and decided to just ignore it.

 

He followed his master to the tavern and walked in after her. Shawn was suprised to see how well lit the place was, then again most taverns he had been to were near the outer rim if not in it. The aromas and the sights he saw were no suprise, as well as the sudden silence; he had been mistaken for a Jedi many times, he had never really invested in any normal clothes and had wore these robes through thick and thin.

 

He was glad Armiena's sense of humor was still working, his was supressed by the tiredness of running. The tavern returned to activity and he followed his master to the bar and took a seat. At the question his master prompted, he immediately knew the answer.

 

"Just a glass of water... thanks. I've never really had a taste for anything more and at the moment my body could use a few gallons."

 

He began to drink the water down, his dry throat welcomed the cool water with open arms. He was confused as to why they were here though, it had to do with that murmur he felt in the force which he was now starting to regret ignoring.

[ObliviousKnight]

Armiena continued to scan the expanse of the bar, idly watching the patrons go about their business. For a couple of minutes she observed the sabaac game, and the cries of exultation and costly defeat that punctuated the key moments of the gambling. She swapped a couple of stories with a trader on shore leave, sharing their experiences of the spacelanes and the many nuances of working with alien species.

 

While she spoke, an Ubese bounty hunter, clad in armor that covered him from toe to forehead, entered the bar, carrying a large satchel that appeared to have something roundish in it. The bounty hunter headed straight for a booth, where he exchanged raspy words with an average-looking man who appeared to wish he was somewhere else.

 

Armiena, totally engrossed in her conversation, failed to notice the newcomer, and all memory of why she was here seemed to be erased from her mind. It wasn't until that the bounty hunter's speech rose with betrayed anger that she came back to reality. The man he was speaking to held his hands out earnestly, trying to get the alien to come to his senses. He failed... quite miserably.

 

And even if she hadn't noticed the sudden rise in tension, she certainly would have heard the bartender's shocked cry of "No blasters! No blasters!"

 

The unmistakenable sound of a blaster clearing a holster issued from the booth as the bounty hunter's blaster pistol came up to aim at the man's chest. The man screamed as the Ubese squeezed the trigger...

 

...but the trigger stopped just short. Armiena was on her feet, and had prevented the Ubese from committing murder by forcing the trigger to stop. Another click issued forth as she switched on the weapon's safety, and discharged the energy cell from the pistol. The Ubese stared at his weapon as though it had betrayed him... then saw Armiena, on her feet, hand held out in an obvious gesture of telekinesis.

 

The bounty hunter shouted something that was probably an insult, but Armiena didn't understand a word of his language. However, the Jedi Knight knew that the Ubese held a strong hatred for the Jedi. In fact, it was likely the the bounty hunter would try to attack her... but she had no desire to take his life, especially not on this peaceful world, and especially not in front of her own apprentice.

 

"Now, I'm sure that it was just a horrible misunderstanding... something that can easily be sorted out..." Armiena took a cautious step towards the Ubese, hands held out earnestly. She was horribly aware that all activity in the tavern had stopped, and all eyes were focused on her.

 

The bounty hunter responded by drawing a rakish-looking vibrolade and croaking a warning at her.

 

Blast it... is there anyone who can translate for me? As if guided by the Force, one of the sabaac players, a tanned woman dressed in local garb spoke quickly. "He says that he'd rather skewer you with that vibroblade," she eyed the weapon. "And quite frankly, it looks like he could do it."

 

"An astute observation." The Jedi Knight's eyes darted back to the bounty hunter's helmet. "Now... there's no need for trouble here... but there's also no need for you to be cheated out of a contract." Armiena was only guessing here, but it seemed to her that a business deal had badly gone astray, and the Ubese wanted to take his payment in blood instead.

 

No longer in a bloodthirsty rage, the bounty hunter seemed to consider Armiena's offer of arbitration... then shook his head roughly, as though tearing meat of a large beast. "He says no. He doesn't trust you," Armiena's translator offered, rolling her dark eyes.

 

Figures... it's never that easy... "Ah..." Armiena looked back to the bar, and gave Shawn a significant glance. "What about my apprentice?"

 

Again, the bounty hunter considered the suggestion, then slid his vibroblade back into its scabbard in an obvoius gesture of acceptance. "He says he'll do. But he'd better not cheat him, not if he likes his insides where they belong."

 

"Uh... right." As the Ubese grudgingly took a seat at his booth again, Armiena sent a Force-Message to Shawn. Looks like you're up, Shawn. Find out what the problem seems to be, get both points of view, and try to work out an arrangement that they will agree to. And try not to get that Ubese angry--I think he'll blow if he thinks he's being provoked.

 

The two parties, the frustrated Ubese bounty hunter and his frightened human client, sat at opposite end of the booth, waiting for Shawn to begin.

 

((Ok, negotiation training. This is how this will work: I will RP the Ubese bounty hunter and his client. Armiena will stay on the sidelines, occasionally making a comment or offering a bit of advice. Any neutral third-parties you bring in, you can RP.))

[Shawn Kenobi]

Shawn was suprised to be addressed by Armiena, he had been sipping the cool water at the bar the entire time. He had paid good attention to the situation and knew something had to cool it down. He hoped it was his master but apparently the Ubese had other plans. He got the mental note from his master and he knew he would have to do the best he could, or he might end up a heap on the floor.

 

He sent a quick response to his master as he got up and headed for the booth in question. You sure know how to put an apprentice between a rock and a hard place. I will do my best.

 

He walked up to the local woman who had been translating, he knew he would need her for this.

 

"Hi, I'm Shawn. It seems you can translate, I hope you would be willing to continue your services as translator for these negotiations, I will will compensate you as best I can."

 

The local woman agreed, although the wage she wanted for it might break his bank. Shawn had no choice in the matter, so with his new translator he walked over the the booth. He scanned both parties as much as he could, tried to see their body language.

 

He could tell the Ubese was obviously upset, uncomfortable having to deal with a Jedi, and probably more angry at his opponent for screwing up their arrangement. The man the Ubese was fueding with was scared, very scared; but then who wouldn't be after a near death experience. He would be easy to deal with, he was probably grateful for the help.

 

Shawn concentrated on a loose chair at an adjacent booth, he reached out with the Force and pulled it to where he stood at the end of the table. It took a large amount of concentration but it got the job done, he wanted to show the two that he wasn't a powerless apprentice. He decided now was the time to introduce himself, he extended his hands out for a shake to both the Ubese and the man he was dealing with.

 

"Hello, I will be your third party in these negotiations today. Let's say we start with names, I am Shawn Kenobi."