Ilum

[Kautra Nadio]

"Bittersweet victory..." Kautra heard form behind him, The dark Jedi, was obviosly real, for it made solid contact with his second punch. Kautra was now laying at the feet of his master in surprise.

 

Kautra got to his feet, and bowed to his master

 

*Master, I could not be happier to see you.* Kautra said quickly...

 

He started to put 2 and 2 together, and concluded that it was his master, parading as the Dark Jedi. Using his cloaking skill.

 

He hoped he was right, for if he was not, there was still a Dark Jedi in the next cavern

[SithAcolyte]

After landing her ship on Ilum's surface Darla put on the thick fur coat she had bought just before leaving Coruscant. Its collar felt snug against her cheeks, A distant memory came to Darla of a time long ago. It wasnt the first time she had come to Ilum in search of its crystals. In her first body as the padawan of Tares Vortex she had come to this world. It had been a long time since had thought about her old master. Last time she had spoken to him he had wanted her to help him to start a new order of shadow. Darla had always felt that she belonged somewhere in the shadows. Now that she was a jedi, she wasnt so sure anymore.

 

Darla pulled her coat tightly around her to keep her bodys' warmth from escaping. She knew exactly where she was going. While her memories from before she died were still mostly hazy, she was drawn by the force to the caves her Master had shown her all that time ago. The caves of Ilum were filled with a rainbow of sparkling gems, the perfect natural focusing crystal for a lightsaber. Some Jedi created them in high pressure cookers, Darla had heard that Luke Skywalker himself had created his first saber in this manner. The Sith crated their jewels out of hatred, forged in a furnace by the pressure of their emense darkside energy. Darla had made such crystals during her time with the Sith.

 

The gems of Ilum were favoured by most Jedi. Masters and their apprentices often made pilgrimages to these caves. Darla had already been knighted and no master guided her this time. She would make her new lightsaber alone. It would be her fourth. It seemed strange that all her other weapons, so personal to her sense of identity had been taken or destroyed. Hopefully this would be her last.

 

Darla was lost in the beauty of the caves splendor. Each gem seemed to be sparkling, not just with the light that crept into the cave through its opening but through the force itself. Before she chose one, Darla spent some time walking slowly, admiring their beauty. With her eyes closed Darla smiled to herself as she reached out with her mind, touching the jewels through the force, feeling their energy.

 

Something seemed to call out to Darla, something on the ground just before her next footfall. Darla opened her eyes just before she stepped on a jagged crytal that had fallen from one of the walls. It was a perfect sky blue, pale and sparking on the icy ground. This would be her new gem. Darla had never had a blue saber before. She jad always favoured the duel gemmed saber, giving it's weilder the ability to extend or shorten the sabers length which also resulted in the saber changing colour if the gems were of different colours.

 

Her first saber, the one that she had trained with and fought with on Dagobah had been violet. Darla decided to cut out one of violet gems from the walls to compliament the blue one. With the gems wrapped carefully in a piece of cloth Darla headed back to her ship happy with her findings.

 

Darla didnt want to spend any longer on Ilum. The planet was abeautiful place, but she was still filled with worry over her vision and didnt want to waste any time in building her saber. She would retuen to Fynn and ask him if he had heard anything fom Skye. Trying not to ponder the vision too much Darla took off and plotted a course back to her homeworld of Coruscant.

[Master Prophet]

*woosh*

 

The same blast that knocked the farmer off his feet, made a mad dash into the darkness of the corner. The noise was like the sound of a sealing door or similar to a humans exhale. The farmers head quickly whips around with the sound of the moving object on the other side of the room. His eyes beat as he does not dare move, perhaps if the person/beast was to believe he was dead, they would not return”¦ a tactic used many times to ward off enemies.

 

The farmers robe draped over his face, but left just enough room for his watchful eyes to see through a small crack between his shoulder and his hood. Nothing could be seen in the darkness on the other side of the room; his hand the entire time being firmly rested on the hilt of his lightsaber.

 

*woosh*

 

The same noise was heard once again moving again, but sounded like it was coming from above. Out of his field of view, the farmer was confident in his skills with his blade as he quickly springs to his feet. His rotating body left his robe to slide off his shoulders, and beneath its warm cover springs a blade the color of the sky.

 

The farmer stands clutching his lightsaber tightly in his already damaged hands. His eyes looked above as he could see nothing, but felt that something must be there. A familiar sound comes to his ears once again, the sound of cracking ice.

 

He had heard this same noise when his foot steps crossed over the frozen plains, but this time, the noise came from”¦..

 

*thud*

 

The farmer quickly jumps out of the way of a falling ice stalactite that comes rushing down and shatters on the ground where he stood. A moment passes and his heart begins to race again, as the sound of cracking ice begins to amplify, louder and louder the noise begins to grow from the darkness above.

 

A series of falling ice stalactites begin to rain from the darkness above. From the shadow falls another icicle beautiful when intact, deadly when loose. The farmer quickly dodges and moves, looking upwards to see more and more begin to come down on him. The sound of crashing ice heard on the snowy ground makes it more and more difficult to concentrate; his focus begins to evade him.

 

*whooo*

 

His saber moves from side to side above him, slicing the pieces in half as he leaps from side to side. All around the room, the man moves avoiding the falling ice. For a moment, his elegance is one to be awed, respected, and commended, but just before his proper recognition is given, a careless mistake is made.

 

*whooo*

 

His saber slashes the top of an icicle that juts from his arm. He was one step too soon and did not have his saber ready. The blood begins to stain the ice, as its icy cold peak digs deep into his flesh, barely missing his bone.

 

The pain was blinding, but he knew he had to keep moving, another dodge, a step here, a step there; he danced around the room jumping, twirling, spinning and slicing his saber. After a few moments, the noise of cracking ice was silenced. His free arm reaches upwards and pulls the spike that digs in his arm. A loud sigh could be heard as he ripped it from his bloody flesh, throwing it to the ground as it shatters into hundreds of pieces.

 

”œWhat do you want from me!?”

[Zero]

"Kautra, a Jedi always uses his power for defense. Pre-emptive strikes are only neccessary when the Council decides it neccessary. Use your judgement and never attack first unless you are in imminent danger. What you encountered in the caves was a mere manifestation of what you had created in your mind." They began their walk back to his ship. "Your instincts are everything, but remember that the Force will never lie to you. If an enemy takes the battle to your mind, and corrupts your thoughts, wait for the light at the end of the tunnel; it always arrives."

[Kautra Nadio]

Kautra was quite, for he was turning the information around in his head, there was more then enough to decipher in there conversation, it took a little time before he spoke.

 

*Master, I understand that the Force does not lie, but there is nothing that says that a person can use the force to lie to you, or keep the force from giving you the truth.* Kautra was concered, he had always been quick to strike first, it was in his nature to not wait to acted apon before taking action. this was somthing Kautra was going to struggle with, but he felt that if he kept a cool mind, that he would save himself from pre-emptive strikes.

 

Through out his childhood, Kautra had grown up watching the Sith destroy his people, and never seeing them fight back. Kautra was not going to let that happen to him. He was not going to sit back and take anything of that sort. He would not be a victim. He now had to relaxe, he was getting a little tence, and his shoulder began hurting again. It still was not fully healed, and being through to the gorund did not help it much either.

 

Kautra walked with his master, listening as they went

[Zero]

"Someone can lie to you with the Force, but remember: the ultimate master is that of the light, and he can never lose." They got into the ship and left Ilum.

 

((Continued in Space))

[Lord Asshat]

The shuttle containing the two jedi had made the landing. Achzet stood up and walked to his apprentice's room.

 

"We have arrived. You may go when you wish. I will be constructing a new saber as well. Goodbye for now."

 

Achzet walked out of the room and out of the shuttle. He took a deep breath and walked into the caves.

 

Achzet found a small room in the cave and began to work. He wanted to change the color of the blades and a little bit of the hilt design.

 

He opened up his saber and extracted the two crystals inside. He placed them in a pouch for spares and felt the force calling him to a specific location.

 

He followed it and found some very nice green colored crystals that seemed to be full of the force.

 

He found two specific ones that seemed to be calling out his very soul.

 

He used the fusion cutter to carefully cut them out of the rock and pulled them out.

 

He walked back to his small room and placed the two new crystals in.

 

He pressed the activation switch and heard dual snap-hisses. He looked at the magnificent emerald blade.

 

He swung it around a few times, before placing it back onto his hilt. He walked out of the caves and went to his room.

 

He sat on the ground and began to meditate, every now and then checking on his apprentice's work.

 

Then, he fell into a deep trance.

[Durandal!]

Durandal felt very at home building his saber. Tightening miniture bolts, Alining the emitter. It was alot like working on droids. He had left his own small floating droid back at the temple. And he was beginning to miss him. He worked harder and harder on it. Single blade. Elongated emitter. Much like Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi's. He threw in his own clever design choices aswell. An internal activation switch. So when the time came, And he was strong enough with the force, he could activate it without worry of it falling into the wrong hands. The blade length adjustment and strength knobs were in working order, And everthing seemed to work. The power cell had been a bit of a chalenge. But he thought he was ready. The force was with him. He knew it. By the time he had finished, His master had returned. He entered his quarters and presented his nearly completed lightsaber to him.

 

[Lord Asshat]

Achzet could tell that his padawan was finished and walked to his room. He saw a very delighted padawan standing before him.

 

"Yes it is very good. Now, venture into the caves."

[Durandal!]

Durandal left the ship with his courage and his lightsaber. And as he ventured into the caves he felt as if a string were attached to his soul. It was leading him somewhere. 'This is.. irregular.' He thought. The force is stronger than usual here. Before he could take another breath he nearly impaled himself on a wall of shining natural crystals. He felt the string j3rk his head down. There he saw it. A shapely green crystal. Much lighter than the others. He stared at it for some time and realized that this is the one he was destined for. He had no clue what color ther blade would be, He had no clue if it were simeterical enough. But he took out his fusion cutter and neatly removed 2 from the cavern wall. He then sat down and neatly placed them inside his lightsaber.

 

"Wouldn't it be funny.. If it just exploded when activated." He could see it now. "Durandal Shei- Jedi Padawan, Master mechanic. Killed by a lightsaber malfunction."

 

He allowed himself a slight laugh. "This is it." He said as he gripped the weapon in his hands. He thumbed the activation switch and a bright green blade snapped into existence. it a bit brighter than the other green sabers he had seen. His was more a bright lime color. But it was his. he swung it around a bit. letting the force fill him. The gyroscopic feel of it became part of the rhythm of his body. After a few minutes, He exited the cave. Upon returning to the ship, He walked into his master's quarters.

 

He removed the weapon from his belt and ignited it for Master Atchzet to see.

 

"My master.. I am complete."

[Lord Asshat]

"Very nice. I like the color of the blade. Now, lets further your training some more. We must go to Coruscant. Once there, we will spar for some time."

 

Achzet and his padawan walked into the ship.

 

The ship took off and flew through space.

[Master Prophet]

His arm flexed and turned; inside his pounding chest his heart sinks as the man who taught him in the ways of the force flew at him now. The force had truly turned into his greatest foe now clearer than ever”¦ it had even turned his former Master against him.

 

With one clean swipe of both sabers, the blades move in on each other then off in opposite directions. The saber in the farmer's left hand strikes just below the chin line on his former Master. The blade in his other hand strikes just above the belt line moving at a downward angle. The moves were quick and smooth and without any prior thought. Out of pure momentum of the slices, Stevenson somewhat spins to the side to see the head roll to the side.

 

The flesh melts away and the realistic features begin to fade from his vision; as the head begins to slowly stop spinning the head was that of the life-size statue that stood around the outside walls of the Council chambers.

 

A sigh of relief escapes the farmer's mouth as he is suddenly jolted from behind. Stevenson slides across the floor as another statue of a former Council member slams into him from behind and continue moving past him. Stevenson slides across the snowy and icy floor until stopping near the light that shines in the center of the room. Stevenson sabers fly from his hand and slide against the cold floor to the other side of the room.

 

The dizzy feeling that comes after being run over by a statue was very unpleasant and left the farmer rising to his feet slow. Without his sabers, he stands now in the center of the room, defenseless as the other statues on the wall begin to shake lose.

 

*Woosh*

 

From behind a slight sound of a whipping wind is heard which gives Stevenson just enough time to avoid another hit from the statue that already leveled him once. He side-steps to see another statue straight in front of him that had shaken lose from the wall. One after another, the statues began to pry from the wall and fling towards the man who franticly dances around the room to avoid their icy crystal blows.

 

His wounded arm was now pulsing and dripping with blood as he steps closer and closer to his lightsaber that lay deactivated on the floor. If he could just pick up one saber, he could make quick end to this circus of force tricks that surround him. Just one more step closer, his back slides off the front of an oncoming statue until he finds himself standing directly overtop of his hilt.

 

Stevenson slams his foot down just a few centimeters in front of the hilt and dug his foot underneath. With a firm rotation of his foot in a upward kick, his saber fly from the ground and lands in his hand that was held out in front of him. Lose snow that was knocked free from the kick dusts the area in front as his thumb moves to activate the saber.

 

With his finger firmly placed on the button he gently applies pressure to the trigger when suddenly”¦

 

*Slam*

 

Stevenson's arm that holds his lightsaber his is slammed between two flying statues. The grip of his fingers release the saber again as it falls helplessly to the floor. Just as the saber goes down to the ground, so does the farmer as his arm is crushed between the two statues that fall backwards from each other and hit the ground.

 

Stevenson falls to his knee's gripping his arm in pain as another statue levels him from the side. This one splits the side of his head and opens a very old wound that was healed shut long ago.

 

Bloody and broken, the former master now lay on the floor, head pounding, hoping for the strength to perhaps crawl out of the room. His remaining arm grabs against the snow and begins to pull him towards safety. The slow snails pace crawl was not quick enough to avoid the massive moving statues that move all around him. They hit him and ricocheted off him, causing a massive amount of pain. As one statue bounces off him another at full speed slams into his side, rolling him over from on his stomach to his back, he now lay exposed in the dead center of the room. His eyes flickered thinking this was the end of all things ”¦ now looking upwards at the whole in the ceiling designed by the original council to represent the force always watching you.

 

His body lay in the center of the floor looking upwards seeing nothing but clouds above. The fact was, as he looked at the clouds above, he realized that this was the story of his years spent here. He was being broken down by his past, defeated by the sins of his past, all the while ”¦ never seeing the light ”¦ never seeing, always being shrouded by the clouds around him.

 

Just as he begins to think there is no hope, a chariot from the sky breaks through the clouds, a ray beaming down on him, give him the hope. The day was not over.

 

He struggles to his feet his arm dead at his side. Looking at the statues that seemed to pause on the outside, he knows what he must do. Diving forward, Sly reaches for his lightsaber with his only good arm.

 

His saber activates in his hand as he slides on his back, a statue following closely behind him, he slides on his back away from the statue as it moves closer. The blade leaps forward as Stevenson throws the blade at the center of the statue. Its beam sticks from the stomach of the statue that stops moving due to the sabers momentum.

 

Rising to his feet, Stevenson spins in a round house move with an upwards kick that shatters the head of another ice statue that move on his location. His turning motion places him directly in front of the statue that has the saber sticking from it. Firmly placing his hand on the saber Stevenson rips to the side, cutting the statue in half, not stopping there and following through with a spin attack. The attack cuts a third statue in half that moves towards his location as he follows through to finish off the second statue again. The headless statue slides against the wall and is soon stuck with a saber through its bottom half, as the top quickly slides and shatters on the floor.

 

Only one statue left Stevenson eyes it from across the room as he moves closer to the center of the room.

 

(Slow motion)

 

To Stevenson the statue was his final obstical. It was something he must conquer before moving forward, before facing the world again”¦ he had to do it alone. No fist would shatter this ice, no kick would destroy it now, no ”¦ not even a saber could break this one. There was only one way to destroy this last statue.

 

The statue moves from the shadow with an eerie familiar face moving towards him. The statue of himself, a younger version, as a former Council member, his own statue now moves towards him.

 

It slides against the floor but lifts when it gets closer as Stevenson closes his eyes slowly. The beating of his heart spoke the way to survival; it spoke the truth now more clear than ever before.

 

It was not the force that was his enemy, but only one aspect of the force. The Darkside of the force as many Jedi had discovered before him, destroyed Stevenson's life just as it destroyed every Jedi prior to him. Without even realizing it, the Darkside had taken the life of a Jedi and turned it against him ”¦ though he thought he had a wide knowledge of the force in every aspect ”¦ the hatred and anger that he had learned to tame within himself was now his enemy. This enemy of his own anger and hate was now fueling the Darkside of the force to end his life”¦ The enemy was not the Force all together, but only the one aspect of the Force that knew hate; the Darkside.

 

*Stevenson's hand deactivates his saber and moves his hand in front of him.*

 

”œI am now your greatest enemy!”

[Master Prophet]

OOC: Sorry about the double post but -

 

......... I'm baaaaaaack!

 

Please read the last paragraph of that post if you are on this planet. Thanks.

 

IC: A tremor is briefly felt on the planet of Ilum that rocks any who feels the lightside of the force. A shiver runs up their spine speaking only to them.

[Tares Vortex]

Such tremors with in the Force rarely go unnoticed by those who observe the Force in respect to it's natural positive and negative pulls. Light and darkness held no meaning in a field of energy. Only life and death and everything in between the seemingly narrow gap was present in the universal power. Such tremors, while tuned to the realities of the lightside, were also picked up by a man of Shadow.

 

As the chaos that erupted around the remains of the Jedi Temple finally came to a calm, one other being observed from the vantage point of the Force. The currents that once escaped the man on the peak now flowed freely in connection to Sly. Through these currents the being could observe the reality of Sly, a new found dedication to the light. A new sense of direction and the desire to venture out into the galaxy once again. As a hero or merely as a Jedi remained to be seen.

 

"I am home" Sly spoke in true revelation. As he spoke the words, a cloud of light and energy drew its existence from the air behind Sly. The energetic vapor quickly formed into the shape of an angelic being. This form was short lived however, as the shape finally came to be a man Sly once knew.

 

From behind the Jedi, Tares placed a hand on his shoulder and laughed in the cold air, "Oh my dear old friend, to speak of the obvious in such a manner. This is hardly the Sly Stevenson I knew in my time with the Jedi. Ofcourse you are home, Ilum has never been anything different to you. Neither as a Jedi or a mere farmer, the place you stand has been your life long home." Tares said. The Shadow knew Sly understood the true meaning behind the words. The home of the Jedi had always included Sly, even when the Force didn't speak to him.

 

"Perhaps my old friend simply hit his head in that rather interesting fight a few minutes ago. A wild rock impacting your head might cause you to forget the address to your own house you know! Then you would just be walking around in the cold for hours on end. Some poor soul would find you as a frozen snow cone... one that probably wouldn't taste so good." Tares said with another laugh....

[Ulos Rolan]

A shuttle appeared from the vast reaches of space, and the planet below their feet grew in their eyes as the sphere of frigid ice began to take more and more the form of a planet, one with a mark that was well known throughout the jedi. Many of those from the order, ranging from the poor of old who had past away and fallen to the ranks of the diseased, to the current masters of the prominent order of the jedi had walked among the icy caverns to craft the elegant weapon of choice for a jedi knight.

 

As the shuttle burst into the atmosphere of the planet, a padawan manipulating the controls with hands guided by experience with a shuttle and more so the force, there came something that had never been experienced by Ulos Rolan before in any of his training, nor all of his life. His very essence seemed to vibrate, a place deep down inside of his soul shaking enough to stir a shiver that began with a great intensity in his neck and then flew down his spine with a cold shrieking wave that rivaled the piercing inclemency of the harsh temperatures that the shuttle now floated in.

 

That was”¦ odd”¦

 

Just as suddenly as it had come to be, it has passed from him and his bearings resumed their previous holds within his body, allowing him to regain his focus on the task at hand: descending to the planet to complete that portion of his training session. It was with this thought that a jovial smirk crossed the face of the man, realizing that he had just navigated to a planet he had not been to before and now was steering a shuttle through it with absolute certainty that he was drawing ever closer to the surface of the planet Illum. It hadn't even crossed his mind that the planet was anything but the name which Darex had given to him back in the swamps of Dagobah.

 

Taking a small glance over to his master, who sat opposite him in the cockpit of the ship, he gave his master a nod that attempted to hide his enthusiasm. Just the mere thought of grabbing the hilt of a newly crafted instrument such as a lightsaber made the word thrilling a grave understatement, and the anticipation was far greater than that of any other point during his training.

 

The shuttle maneuvered to the closest clearing that could be found, close to one of the many caverns of the planet. With the simple flip of a toggle, the landing gear deployed beneath the underbelly of the shuttle along with the wings that slowly folded upward toward the middle fin. The noises could be heard throughout the interior of the shuttle, the mechanisms doing their jobs in the craft and Ulos withholding a grin that he would soon touch down on the planet surface.

 

I'm here”¦

 

The thought was accompanied with the sound of the landing gear striking the ground and halting all movement of the ship. Just as quickly as the had begun their decent, it had been over. Turning back to Darex, Ulos brushed a small, stray lock of hair out of his vision before speaking to his master.

 

”

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex sighed. "I wish the Force crystals could find a nicer planet to grow on," he said, hiding his grin. "It's so cold here. What about a nice place like...oh, say...Naboo?"

 

He let his smile show now, and handed Ulos a heavy coat. "Don't freeze to death now. I'd hate to have to go out looking for you."

 

Putting the joking aside, Darex placed a hand on his padawan's shoulder. "Lightsaber crystals grow naturally in these caves. Go in, and with the Force as your guide, you should find them quickly. Take you time, though. Each crystal is as unique as the one who chooses it. When you are done, return to me here, and you can work on the casing. May the Force be with you."

 

The Jedi Knight smiled, and sent his apprentice on his way with those few words.

[Ulos Rolan]

The frigid cold dispersed from his flesh as the coat warmed his skin to a toasty warm temperature, a shield from the harsh temperatures of the planet. Ulos had cracked a few chuckles during his master's jokes, thankful for the bit of light-heartedness during this serious event to ease his nerves a bit. Inside that icy cavern was a crystal that he would soon call his own, and the very thought had been enough to tense the muscles in his neck. Once he had opened his mouth slightly, he realized how clenched his jaw was and was even more thankful.

 

Now the man stood there to look toward the umbrage of darkness that had settled in the entrance to the icy cave, partly caused by the contrast between the outside ice and the inner shade. Once the footsteps broke the barrier of the cave, everything seemed much brighter to the point where he could actually see where he was going, which was especially helpful.

 

I am here”¦Come”¦

 

There voice was light as it flowed delicately into his ears, almost like a whisper from which there was no origin, no source from which the sound had came. However, it was as clear as any of the crystals that he saw before him, one special crystal sticking out in the force that beckoned him to go to it, to use it for the creation of his weapon and to pick it above the thousands of others that were nearly identical in the sea of fluttering light that reflected off of the marvelous objects.

 

Inside the caves came a small, meager sense of warmth from the coat that Darex had given him, with a hood that now laid over his head with white frill that traced the outline of his face and ran down his chest until it ended on the icy ground, stained wet a bit from touching the floor of the cavern. The inside of the coat proved to have sufficient insulation, embracing the warm, bare flesh of the man's upper body so that he didn't shiver to exhaustion.

 

Closer”¦

 

The voice was beginning to become a bit creepy, as though it were more enticing him to go on into a trap rather than use it. Or perhaps that was just a mistrust that had been built up over many years of the man's life telling him that something so good was not there at all, especially if it was for him. Something positive and Ulos Rolan would never have the pleasure of meeting each other, and if they did, then somewhere in hell they were feeling the icy cold of Illum and whoever was in charge was selling flavored ice to the inhabitants.

 

No”¦this wasn't a trap. It couldn't be. What would a trap be like if it were in these caverns? Surely there had been no feet except for those that belonged to jedi to ever tread through these paths, and that would mean that no one would've dare set up a trap. Who would've? But then again, if that were so, who was calling to him in this empty tomb of ice?

 

His hand nearly suffocated the handle of the mace in one hand, the handle of the sheathed katana in the other as he readied himself for some imaginary foe that he would never meet. Still, the mere security that it brought was enough to put the human at ease, at least for a while.

 

No”¦by doing this I'm just proving myself that I'm not ready to be a jedi. I know that I am”¦

 

His hands trembled in a small spasm as he lifted them off of the weapons, putting them to shakily sway at his sides with the general movement of his body along with the rest of his functions. He would not let his past insecurities interfere with this”¦ his experience on this planet would be void of a blacked past that had affect on the future unless Ulos had given it that luxury.

 

As he walked, a crystal stood out in his eyes for what seemed to be no apparent reason. It was barely different from any of the others that accompanied it in the ocean of conformity that surrounded it, yet somehow there was subtle abnormality that drew his attention. Ulos took it and pried it from the ice from which it came.

 

You have found me.

[Darex Trevelian]

As Ulos left, Darex could feel that the Force was ripe with his excitement. And well he should be, the Knight mused, since his training was practically over.

 

Standing, the blonde-haired Jedi gathered a bag of components. He placed several variants of each piece inside, as to allow Ulos to completely customize his lightsaber. That finished, he lowered himself into meditation. Ulos would be finding his crystal about now, he knew, and that would draw the native spirits and specters to him like a magnet.

 

He would miss training his padawan, he thought sadly. Then, he immersed himself in the vast crystal waterfall that was the Force.

[Tares Vortex]

OOC: Sorry to leave so soon.

 

IC: Through the Force, a message arrived from Aracoun. Skye's soul was back, with in a few days she would be awake and free.

 

Knowing that there were a few people who were concerned, as well as a path that they walked that would bring information, Tares said a brief goodbye to Sly. The two would meet again very soon, but before then things had to be set in motion.

 

Tares left the planet once again....

[Ulos Rolan]

Ulos had now been freed from the sting of the cold, the icy needle's feeling receding as a wave of numbness poured across his skin like bacta being poured from a tank. The relief was welcome, for it had become a frigid hell of a planet, disallowing for any comfort or thoughts of warmth.

 

The man meandered throughout the cavern, the force guiding his footsteps for he had no sense of where he was heading toward as he was unable to retrace his movements back to where his master lay in waiting. Through the force he felt a surging beacon of light, pulsating throughout the planet as a jedi became washed in a bath of light that emanated through the vast mystic energy of the force. It was the only thing that the man had to go on, that one location that he sensed, and he would head there.

 

I will be there soon”¦

 

After a while of heading toward the place where he had felt the source of his master's meditation, he came across some things that would prove to be very useful to him in the near future: materials that could be used to create a lightsaber. Multiples of each item were placed, hidden in the hazel folds of a burlap bag.

 

Taking each out, he began to work away furiously, his hands sifting through the various pieces in hopes of finding something that he felt would suit him. During this stage in the weapon construction, a few questions began to arise that would have to be answered if he was to proceed: What sort of a hilt am I going to use? Will I add an activation button that is external or will it be activated using the force? Will I add a magnetic belt loop so that I can carry it around in that manner?

 

First he would have to select the outer casing, which would be what gave his lightsaber the needed style points that he would want to have. Looking toward a casing with a sleek silver complimented by a brilliantly exquisite black, it would've been a crime not to select that hilt. As he placed his hand on it, however, he felt something that he didn't expect to feel.

 

It feels”¦ perfect.

 

He removed his hand from the outer casing he had selected and began to think about what other features to include in his saber. The possibilities were nearly endless he thought, and the fact that there were many options that lay right straight before him didn't do anything to help the matter become less complicated.

 

The force could activate his saber, making the tool useless to any who were without a sensitivity to the force if he made the activation switch internal. However, the only one that was supposed to use it was him, and what if he found himself on Myrkr or some place where he didn't have the force as his ally? The decision was somewhat hard to make, but ultimately it would be the force who would decide as reality faded away and the force gave his hands life and vitality as the danced around, manipulating the components until the desired outcome was reached.

 

Soon I will become a jedi”¦

[Darex Trevelian]

As the Force swirled around him, Darex felt sharp pulls on a few of the bonds that he shared with old friends. He reached out, tracing them...

 

The first one was strong and familiar. It was Shy. He could feel a mixture of confused emotions within her, but no longer the multiple Force-signatures. She must have had her twins. He was glad...glad that all three of them were safe, at least for the moment.

 

The second tug was with his old bond with Skye. It was very odd, and Darex took the time to analyze it. At first, he felt a sudden disconnection, almost as if she had died. He held his breath, but then felt life returning to her. But it was different...it was as if everything that had happened to her, everything that she had become, was erased. He barely recognized her Force-signature. It was like it was way back when Darex had first met her, when they had been hopefuls together on Hoth. Before she had began training, and before she had met Chen, or Tzeentch, as he had come to learn his true name was.

 

Darex was extremely perplexed, and slightly worried. A memory wipe, perhaps? Or had she gotten into trouble somewhere along the road? He knew she was safe, but he didn't know what any of this meant. He decided that he should probably check up on her. After they were done on Ilum, he'd head to Yavin 4.

 

Continuing to meditate, he checked up on his other friends, and all the while, monitored Ulos' progress.

[Ulos Rolan]

((Sorry for the wait))

 

Ulos looked to the various parts that were sprawled out on the icy floor before him, their reflections being cast with a pale blue tinge as they lay idle on the surface, waiting to be used in the construction of a saber. Ulos looked at the items before him and began copying a mirrored image of the outer hilt that now rest in his hands, let loosed on the ground to give his hands time to work furiously at the creation of this next item.

 

Soon it was all completed, everything cast to perfection as both of the outer hilts looked and appeared to be the same cylindrical silver handles with pads of black coating them at spots for a fraction of visual appeal for the man. Now Ulos pulled out the crystal he had found, along with one that he had come across on the way that he had found to be particularly interesting and appealing, just like the one that had called out to him in the cavern and had begged him to use it.

 

I have fought with two weapons together before, so it only makes sense that I double my pleasure with the creation of these”¦

 

The crystals became set in the sabers, oddly cut perfectly to be fit into the hilt so that the beam emitter would work with an astonishing accuracy. Each of the two sabers were twins to each other, partners that were created to be mirrored identical images of their counterparts so that the hands that would wrap around them would be able to do so with a familiarity that could be increased by having the same type of saber hilt no matter what.

 

The activation switches were both placed on the outside, allowing anyone to activate the blade and send the weapon into a charge that could take human life within an instant, yet this was not the main purpose of a saber.

 

It was at this time that the thought of using the weapons became less and less appealing, for that would mean that he would have to be fighting someone and that would mean that there was something that needed killing, or at least disarming so that the threat was minimized or disposed of.

 

I pray I won't have to use these, but that is merely wishful thinking.

 

After the force guided his hands to work furiously as they were, he stared at his hands as they held the now completed sabers, one in each. As his fingers grasped around them, he smiled as they just felt right in his hands, as though they were constructed ages ago just so that he would be able to use them in such a time of battle or as a tool of diplomacy, hopefully the latter.

 

Now Ulos activated the blades, a solid white beam slowly emerging accompanied by a golden glow that shot out of his right hand, followed by another one as the yellow and white combination met the air and cast upon his figure a yellow illumination that filled both sides of his face and cast a golden radiance upon the coat that he wore, the one that Darex had given him especially for this so that he'd be able to keep warm in the icy temperatures of Illum.

 

Still, harsh and unrelenting as they were, he had managed to prevail and construct two sabers in this harsh place. He had used parts from a bag that no doubt his master had given him, for fate itself couldn't accomplish such kindness and convenience as having everything needed to create a lightsaber right at the exposal of the man, laying down at a random place on the ground.

 

Now I must show my master”¦

 

The man raced to where he knew Darex was, he knew that he was waiting for he could sense the connections that the jedi knight had made in the force and held there, linking himself to various different beings to the point where Ulos could even faintly feel the energy that each of them held and the experiences that connected them to his master.

 

After his feet had led him to the point where he now looked upon the face of his master, blonde hair still alive and vibrant despite the harsh cold that seemed to possess anything except for life, void of any signs of vitality or liveliness that could typically characterize his master's jovial and upbeat attitude. He had waited for Ulos, and now he would see the fruits of his padawan's labor.

 

The apprentice wished not to disturb his master, so he subtly used the force to tap the man's shoulder. At the same time, the dormant hilts in his hand began to float in the air and made their way toward Darex, gently resting themselves over his palms, waiting for him to examine them.

 

I'm back master”¦

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex felt the tap on his shoulder and the smooth metal cylinders coming to rest on his hands. He doused the sabers in the Force, examining them. Then, he opened his eyes. They were beautiful and intricate, perfect twins of each other. He stood and ignited them, admiring the yellowish-gold glow.

 

Shutting them down, he turned to Ulos. "They are beautiful, Padawan. Very good work. Use them well."

 

He lightly unhoooked his own saber from his belt. "There are seven forms of lightsaber combat. Every Jedi starts off by learning Form I, then progresses to learn whatever form they choose. Form I uses horizontal side-swipes and parries made with the blade of the lightsaber held upright to push the point of an enemy's blade away during a side-to-side attack. If the attack is a downward slash aimed at the head, Form I simply reverses the motion, with a horizontally-held lightsaber being moved up and down to deflect a blow."

 

He igntited his blue blade and demonstrated a few swings. "Form I is also the basis for blocking blaster bolts. When you think you are ready, let me know, and we can work on that. Remember to open yourself to the flow of the Force, relax, and use your insticts."

[Ulos Rolan]

Ulos felt the force flow through him, an extension of himself that altered his very perception as the saber before him errupted into flash of light. The other one hung by the magnetic belt loop to his waist, hanging idly there waiting to be used. The weapon wasn't much like the cumbersome weighted blade that he was used to, nor did it hold the momentum that his mace had always possessed. Yet still, it was a weapon.

 

The swings were basic, yet elegant in the way that only simplicity could truly produce. Sometimes complicated movements held within it inherant errors, and yet this came to the man much more quickly than such would've if he had been different. The motion felt natural, like it was meant to be there and that it was without a doubt fate guiding his fingers and his wrist through the steps.

 

These basics can be easily applicable to many things...

 

The saber wasn't guided by him though, and it felt almost as though Ulos were an astral being that was spectating the entire event. The feel of the metallic cylindrical hilt in his hand was left to numbness and the movements he made felt as though he weren't making them... and at the same time he knew that this was true. It was the power of the force that was controlling the rhythmic horizontal slices.

 

In his mind, illusions sprouted up as he gazed at the imaginary enemies that would help him train. With quick movements he was able to slice them up in various different ways as he became posessed with a determination to suceed in this. Then hes topped and turned to Darex.

 

"I wish to learn how to deflect a blaster bolt. I believe I'm ready."

[Darex Trevelian]

Before the words were completely out of Ulos' mouth, Darex had taken a remote from his bag. Tossing it into the air, it immediately came to life and began whizzing around the apprentice. Darex had set it on intermediate level, giving Ulos a challenge that he wasn't expecting, but definately could handle.

 

"Ah, but wait," he said. Keeping a Force-awareness on the remote, he produced a strip of cloth. "For your eyes. A Jedi does not need to see..."

 

He grinned, handed it to Ulos, then stepped back to watch.

[Ulos Rolan]

((Limited time. Sorry.))

 

The blind fold was laid gently over his eyes, blocking out all vision and drowning his sight in an ocean of darkness. Every icicle, his master Darex, and most notably the remote droid that he would soon be training with now became hidden from him and left him to fend for himself in this odd state.

 

I am confident I can do this through the force

 

The saber struck itself in a random position, more feeling where it was supposed to go than reacting to the noise that the remote generated as it hovered in a seemingling random course plotted around the padawan. With the deflection, he noticed that it fell into a horizontoal movement that deflected it outward and near the remote droid, nearly striking it dead on with expert marksmanship. Who knew that anything could be shot when their opponent carried no blaster, but rather a saber?

 

However, basking temporarily in his pride, Ulos forgot to move his saber back down to block the second small volley and was hit with the little bolt, stinging him and forcing a small little hop around that was most likly qutie funny to Darex and to anyone else who might've been observing, although he was happy that there weren't any more.

 

He continued this, deflecitng bolt after bolt with increasing precision. Every time it became more natrual and fluid him as the saber began to feel perfect and the swings felt effortless to his hand. It was an envigorating experience, to be without sight and still be able to see through the force. Such hadn't been accomplished previously, yet it felt similar to when he was navigating the ship away from Dagobah and could barely see his way out of the dense obscuirities.

 

"I believe I have the hang of this master..."

[Darex Trevelian]

He didn't say anything in response, but rather, threw out two more remote droids that instantly began buzzing furiously around Ulos.

 

As they whizzed and moved, their firing mechanisms clicking and warming up, Darex readied his own self. He began to steadily diminish his Force-presence, decreasing the power flowing through him to the tiniest trickle, so that it was just enough to keep him hidden in the Force. Then, he grabbed his lightsaber, unhooking it slowly from where he had put it back on his belt, but leaving it deactivated.

 

As he did this, he waited and watched to see how Ulos handled the remotes. As a famous Coreillian had once said, "Good against remotes is one thing; good against the living...that's something else." Darex intended to prove that point, but after he saw how his padawan was doing with the added challenge.

[Skye Organa]

-- an encrypted comm comes in for Darex --

 

Hi Darex

 

I know it's been a while but I have a favour to ask. I've sent this message to Fynn and Darla as well as I am hoping one of you will be able to swing by Yavin 4 and pick up Amon for me. I am currently on Aracoun Morion with Shy-Ree who has just given birth to twins. Krishna is with me, I am unsure of where Morgana is. If you run into her, please let her know where I am also.

 

Thankyou

 

Skye.

 

-- end comm --

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex heard the beep of his comlink, and quickly scanned the message from his former Master. The Force worked in strange ways. He quickly sent off a reply. It was good to hear that Shy had had her babies as well. He had hoped that they would be healthy and strong.

 

Turning his mind away from his friends, he focused on his Padawan, waiting to see what he would do.

[Ulos Rolan]

The duo of orbs floated and hovered around him, whizzing by in seemingly random trails to make sure that nothing was easy for him. The tiny bolts began to stun his body, sending an uncomfortable jolt trhough his system every time they managed to scathe is skin. In an attempt to block the many different bombarding blasts whizzing toward him from alternate positions, Ulos actually began to feel the force control not just his hands but his entire body.

 

Through the force, all things are possible.

 

An rhythmic blocking sequence began, small dodging and evading of excess bolts being slowly incoprorated into the endless routine. With a little arch of the back, he found he could have a more relaxed posture and still be more flexible to start making wider and wider blocks than each previous one that held with them an increasing difficulty yet proved more and more useful as they became executed.

 

Now Ulos looked to his master, or wherever he thought his master was for his force presence had diminished to a point where he couldn't feel him. Ultimatly it turned out to be wrong, and he ended up facing directly opposite Darex, but maybe he'd find a bit of comedy in the fact that as Ulos spoke, he was speaking in the wrong direction.

 

"Where'd you go?"