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She gave the woman’s hand a tight squeeze before she let go. 

 

“I think most of us in the Jedi Order have our own unique tale of woe. Though before I start my own journey I must say that your outlook and direction towards those that hurt you, is admirable and very healthy."

 

It was the approach of a Jedi knight, and even if the woman never set another foot onto the path of the Jedi, Sandy could feel a bud of hope grow in a section of her mind. A hope towards the future of the galaxy that had only ever, much like this woman, seen the ravages of abuse and war. 

 

Some jedi try for decades to release their trauma in such a way, your approach gives me a lot of hope towards the future of the galaxy.” And perhaps the future of those many Sith that had disappeared after the end of the battle in Nar Shaddaa. The Knights claimed that they had not died, as many had claimed, and the rumours regarding the soul of the Empress being lost in the fight told her much more about the future of the Galaxy. But for now,  There could be healing, even in in places where the light has rarely shone. 

 

She held up a thin white hand where the telling micro scars of skin grafting could still be seen. As she began to talk. How much to tell? How much to tell of a failed mission that had turned her life on its head? A failure of Galactic alliance and Jedi High command. A master sending her still untrained apprentice into a den of slavers with nothing but a training saber? An ambush, capture, failed rescue attempt. Rape, torture, leering grins from the shadows of her cell. Days of it turning to weeks. Rescue, and then the long solitude and depression. Failure, hate, despair. 

 

She turned the hand over, a long line of crisscrossed marks stretching from wrist up to disappear in the hem of her tunic. A patchwork of pain and despair, written into flesh with a pen of sharpened steel. Lines crossed over lines, and though they were now faint, no amount of bacta could remove that old self infliction. But when at last, in the depths of despair, abandoned by masters and friends alike, she had held her lightsaber to the side of her head, the trusty weapon had failed. 

 

At that point there was hope, even as slim as it may have been, she had clung to it.Pulling herself up from the depths of despair, each hope leading to the next, until she was able to rebuild herself. It was a tale of woe, but one she was glad to share with a friend. 

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Calix Meus Inebrians

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     There’s truth to what they say: misery loves company; and broken people find others who are broken.

 

     Keenava felt the squeeze; a hand gesture; a pulse of hope and assured security that passed quietly between them. She felt the trust, new though it was, and smiled a little before Sandy began her tale.

 

     The young Jedi Master raised one of her pale hands, and Keenava was surprised by the damage. An illustrated tapestry of woe streamed across her white skin. A myriad of emotions bloomed at the sight. Her words wove with the branches of scar tissue that were still visible. And with every new revelation, Keenava moved a micrometer closer to the edge of her seat. 

 

      Every colorful swirl of pain drew their experiences closer together, which was something she never thought of. Until now, she never understood that a future with the Jedi was possible. With how broken she was, she concluded a future with the Sith was inevitable. But this young woman persisted. Sandy pushed forward regardless of her pain and managed to avoid losing herself to it. Even as close to it as she was, the evidence winding up and down her wrists, she avoided destruction. Sandy was one of the strongest people Keenava had ever met. 

 

     It was one thing to feel pain and hatred; all people do. It’s a natural part of life.    

 

      It was quite another thing to embrace everything else and persist to spite it. The embrace of the dark is tempting, it’s easy. You want to seek revenge, you want to push past your peers, you want to rise above your abusers, you want to seek strength to free you from expectation. You want to feel loved, you want to feel like you matter, you want to find validation. But what do you need? 

 

      You never seek to resolve those lingering feelings, or to process them in a healthy way. They become ancient barnacles that cling to a sinking ship as your everything sinks into an unhealthy miasma until you’re left gasping in the dark with no way out.

 

      Keenava reached out, touching Sandy’s scarred hand gingerly. She ran her callused fingers soft over the branched scars. Every branch an echo of pain; the trails of tears that were shed in futility. A single tear slid across the Twi'lek's obsidian skin as she looked deep into the forest of Sandy’s eyes. She clasped the Jedi's hand between both of hers and felt a wan smile tug at the edge of her cheeks. 

 

      “Thank you for sharing. I know it's hard and I’m glad you opened up.”


 

Edited by Keenava Dira

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sandy smiled in response to the touch that traced the scars on her hand and arm. There was peace there, an understanding that passed between them that could not be easily expressed. A pain that they had both experienced, and a healing that would come in time. And in that moment at least, Sandy could sense a seed of friendship blossoming between the two of them. A pure and genuine one, which brought a wide smile to her pale lips and she clasped the other woman’s hand just as tightly. 

 

“Thank you, Keenava.” 

 

Who knew that in the midst of a horrific loss of life, the near destruction of an Alliance planet, and galactic turmoil, there was still an opportunity to meet a friend? Sandy was grateful for it, even though she knew even in the speaking, that their time for rest was nearly finished. Her datapad chimed annoyingly, persistently informing her that she had been dispatched on another mission for the Jedi Order. She sighed and sat back, releasing the other woman's hand and reaching into the pouch that hung from her belt. A single glance told her that a priority mission was in the works and that her presence was requested at the command headquarters a few kilometers away. 

 

Her green eyes glanced up from the screen and she sat he datapad down on the table beside her. “I have been summoned, and another mission takes me off world in a few hours. I do not want to pressure you to follow with me, but if you wished to, you would be most welcome.”

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Calix Meus Inebrians

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Having finished up with yet another task, this time relieving several exhausted orderlies and completing an inventory of a rather disorganized salvaged store of med supplies, Leena set off walking. Midway through her comm had dinged on her hip, a secure message; she would check it later.

 

Well, it was later now and even as her muscled ached, she shuffled off. A Healer’s work was never done. Checking the message, she slowly nodded, off world work. The Jedi were back at it. Scrolling through a list of tasks, the councilwoman smiled. Time for a small respite.

 

Making her was towards the mess hall, she grabbed a clean mug and filled it to near the brim with steaming caf. Turning, she surveyed the room. Seeing Sandy and the repentant Sith she had helped rescue, she shuffled over to them. Sliding down the bench, she heard Sandy’s final question and piped up, as per her usual fashion, “You got the same message too? I will admit, it might be nice for a change of scenery. Things seemed to have settled down here for the moment at least. So whatcha say friend,” she looked to @Keenava Dira, “feel like jumping back towards the stars and working a little goodness into the galaxy?”

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  • 2 weeks later...

Basi had receive the notification that the Jedi wanted to see him. He took leave from his squadron and got into his X-Wing, taking a deep breath he looked at the broken lightsaber hilt hanging from his belt next to his pistol. sighing the Togruta hoped he wasn't in trouble for taking it from where he found it.

 

Firing up the engines and punching in the coordinates in the Navicomputer he took off and headed for Ylesia. His thoughts flooding his mind with the possibilities of what might happen when he arrives there. After what seemed like forever he entered the planets orbit and slowly landed.

 

Talking with some people to find out where he was headed after disembarking his X-Wing Basi was directed to and led into the Mess hall taking a deep breath he cleared his throat and spoke.

 

"My apologies Masters, but I received a message about needing to be seen. My name is Basi Byleen, and I hope I'm not interrupting anything." The Togruta male says with a hopeful smile.

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Before @Keenava Dira could ponder and respond to Leena’s smiling query, a fourth presence materialized at their table. a Togruta about the same size as the white-robed healer stood close enough to be clear he was addressing their group. Leena smiled. He had made it. She had almost forgotten the comm she had sent out in the hubbub of the post-apocalyptic galaxy they found themselves in. His flight abilities had caught the Master Healer’s attention a while ago and as the force would have it, his skills would be useful for their upcoming operation, trained as a Jedi or not. It was not going to be every time she could rely on her more unscrupulous Squib friends, sometimes their greed and mouths got even her into trouble. When she and this muscled pilot had crossed paths, she had sensed the force about him, raw and untrained. She had watched from a distance, she had even patched up a few of the man’s comrades; although, she was not sure if he knew that or not. After Nar Shaddaa, she had sent for the man. It was time. If the darkness of that battle had not broken his spirit, he had already passed his first test. His arrival was most fortuitous. 

 

Winking at @Sandy Sarna, Leena turned to look up at the Alliance regaled red-skinned pilot, her face turned serious. “That you did airman.” She spoke with a tone of seriousness bordering on concern. “Your rapid response is noted. You have been reassigned to us for the duration.” The duration of what, she did not say. The paperwork would have been a nightmare, had she actually tried to file any.  It had been easier to reach out to @Basi’s commanding officer. If he turned out to be an eligible Jedi candidate, he would be granted indefinite leave; if he didn’t and was deemed a good Alliance soldier, she would send him back to his unit. Leena nodded her head solemnly at the broken hilt hanging at the man’s belt, she asked, “Where did you come by that? Kill a Jedi perhaps? Maybe even a Sith Lord on Nar Shaddaa?” She turned back to look at Keenava and Sandy to ask, “but does he know how to use it? Master Sandy, might he be one of yours? To carry such a formidable tool is quite the burden. Not one undertaken lightly.” She turned back to Basi, “One I hope you understand if you are to accompany the Jedi on our next mission.” She scooted down the bench and patted the seat she had just vacated. “Sit down master Byleen,” Leena’s face broke into a warm smile. “You can fly something more bulky than an X-wing can’t you?” 

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Friend. It was a strange word, and an even stranger feeling.

 

     It hung leaden on the shelf of her mind for so long, unused or taken for granted. But now there were not one but two people who granted her clemency—people who, until recently, would have likely dispatched her without hesitation.

 

     They were looking at her expectantly. But there was no weight to it. The feeling was warm. It was like the tingly sensation you get holding your hand against a budding flame—not the feeling you get when you let your hand sit right above the flame—but the building sensation that rose as you held your open palms beside a blaze. It was careful and considerate. It was warm without burning into a chaotic inferno.

 

A silent tear rubbed the obsidian cheek of the Twi’lek as she nodded quietly to their proposal.

 

     "Of course, Sandy, and of course I’d be happy to accompany you both. Heck, I’m super eager to get moving. I’ve been sitting down for way too long." Keenava replied. She rose to her feet and immediately felt the blood rush straight into her lekku. She noticed the world spinning for a brief moment but remained steady. "Oh!" Keenava exclaimed, "there is something I have to take care of first, but I’ll be right back!"

 

     After allowing the blood to settle in her protesting brain tails, the Twi’lek vaulted gently over the mess hall table into a neat flip and threaded her body gracefully between two soldiers that were walking by. She kicked her body into standing and maneuvered her way out of the mess hall toward the medical tents.

 

     Minutes passed before Keenava returned with a slight smile tugging at her face and a faint bounce in her step. “That little girl from before says ‘Hi,’ Sandy.”

 

     Keenava paused, abruptly noticing the Togruta in their group for the first time, and wondered whether they’d been there the whole time or if they’d arrived after she left. Regardless, Keenava was now bouncing on the balls of her feet, ready and willing to go as soon as everyone else was. Sitting down for a long time had really made her antsy. Now that she was up, her limbs were eager to move.

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Basi looked to Leena a smile on his lips as he was addressed. Had Nar Shadda broken his spirit, no... He still wanted to do what was right and defend the people protect them.

 

"Reassigned? Thank you ma'am but why me?" The question is one that had plagued him since first receiving the comm. The nod to the broken hilt has him looking at it and shaking his head softly as he's asked.

 

"Kill a Jedi...No Ma'am while fighting my way back to my X-Wing I saw a figure prone on the ground gasping bleeding and reaching for this, he taps the hilt. I fired a shot to try and get some extra help as I started rendering field aid. I did everything I could every thing in my power as a medic to save that young Jedi, I placed the hilt in his hand so I could give him the right to die with honor as a warrior. Once he passed I took it and brought it with me in an attempt to find you all and possibly return it to his master if not to the jedi as a whole a way to memorialize the young man." The Togrutan man sighs and removes the hilt from his belt offering it to Leena or Sandy to take as he drops to his knees holding it up.

 

"I'm deeply sorry about the loss of your Jedi and especially one so young, I wish I could have done more to save him." The second part of the question gets him raising a brow and his Lekku twitched. "Know how to use it? No. Heavy burden? Undertaken, the burden to undertake is protecting and defending the innocent, keeping the peace even at the risk of my own life."  He looks around for a moment and takes the seat Leena offered him. Looking between the Trio he stays quiet for a moment. "Accompany the Jedi you say it'd be my honor. And as for what I can fly, if it has engines and wings and all I can fly it!"

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Sweat beaded across sienna skin behind the clothed hides of a training tent as the hum and clash of a synthetically silver blade emitted from within. For passersby, it was a typical sound for those within the Imperial Encampment to hear, especially with the surgence of Imperial Knights. However, within, it's sight was anything but typical as the small figured Miralukian meditated in her movements and strengthened her connection to the Force. For the Imperial Knight within wasn't just any wayward Knight. She was the prodigy of Lady Cassandra. She was Lady Pandora Legatha Maximus, and her existence was as complicated as the will of the Force.

 

Her story began just a few short years ago at the conclusion of the Battle of Dark Sun Station. Unconscious, her mind broken, Pandora was found adrift within one of the Station's escape pods. When the Imperial Remnant located and rescued her, she was found to have no memories of her previous life and all attempts made to recover them threatened to shatter her very existence. This was the first time Lady Cassandra and Pandora met, and during her recovery at Anaxes over the course of the year that followed, the two became bonded. But Cassandra wasn't the only one Pandora bonded with neither. For in her recovery, a young Imperial Marine named Sampson Maximus came into her life. And in him, Pandora found a kinship.

 

The next time that Cassandra and Pandora met, Pandora had followed Sampson into the Imperial Marines and found the girl broken once again. But this time, it was a matter of the heart and not one of the mind. What began as a helping hand and words of encouragement inevitably turned into tutorship and eventually an Apprenticeship. Under Lady Cassandra's guidance, Pandora quickly grew not only as a person, but as an Imperial Citizen and Squire. And by the time that the Battle of Nar Shadaa came, Pandora was ready to be named a full fledged Imperial Knight.

 

But Nar Shadaa came at a price, one that Pandora quickly found steep and despite her attempts at understanding them, found herself instead struggling with them deeply so. And so, we meet Pandora in her struggles to rise above them, to settle her heart and mind in the ancient art of Alchaka. For most Wardens, Meditation is essential. Most find it a reflection not only of themselves, but as a means of centering themselves. And yet, for Pandora, it was much more. It was a moment of release, a moment of silent contemplation and expression, away from the prying eyes of others where she could let go and simply express herself. It was a moment where she could drop the smile and embrace her sadness and grief. A moment of balancing herself.

 

Deactivating her saber and collapsing it's form, Pandora dropped to her knees in exhaustion. Her hair soaked from sweat draped over her face and songsteel veil, she sat there, and sighed. Deep down, she knew there was nothing that could have been done, no other path taken. But she couldn't help but question neither, a constant mental bombardment of what ifs as well as self guilt. Swiping the hair from her face, she reached for the cup of water upon the weapons crate, taking a solemn drink before placing it back and reaching for her robes. Her moment of solitude was fleeting, and her duties would soon call her back into action. It was time to gather herself.

 

When Pandora emerged from within the tent, her hair was braided and her robes straight, a humble smile upon her face as her gaze met those that passed by and her hands clung to the sash that wrapped her waist, a maiden of the Imperial Knights. For this is who Pandora was. Duty before persona, obligation before self. Moments of weakness were understandable, but could not last. This is who Cassandra taught her to be, and in her memory, this is who she would continue to be.

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Leena pondered, nodding slowly as @Basi explained his actions. She knew, perhaps more than most, the importance to a warrior of dying a noble death. She also knew the fallacy such a notion presented in the real world. War was brutal and death was ugly. There was no dignity in dying with your innards shed from their rightful place or as one was consumed by the fogs of war, wear, and time itself. Yet, the notion was an honorable one, and one that she sought to  preserve to the dying. Such a time was no place for philosophical differences. It was a time to offer peace.
 

Taking the hilt in her hand, Leena twirled it about her fingers once as if to test it’s weight. She did not recognize it, nor it’s bearer; but that was not entirely unexpected given the circles she tended to run in. “We have all lost much.” She mused aloud. “The horrors of war are not lost on anyone. Every being has been touched by them.” She offered warmly as her eyes flowed from the hilt to the pilot. She stared at him, her bulbous fishy eyes unblinking as if she sought to read something beneath the surface. “Even we Jedi.” Leena stopped spinning the hilt to hold the base of it by it’s round end, the emitter pointing upwards. Her eyes stared up at it. “This tool is like war. It should be used rarely, only in times of greatest need. Even then,”  she looked back at Basi and offered a warm reassuring smile. “Sparingly and with the lightest of touches.”

 

”To strike down another is a task that no Jedi should find pleasure in. It stains one’s soul to do so even if we have no other choice. Conversely, the healing arts are ones that seek to undo the damages wrought by this war. By righting the wrongs dealt to one, we light paths to right many more.”

 

Leena spun the saber in her hand and offered the  pommeled end to Basi. “I think it best if you hold onto this. To memorialize that Jedi and honor his legacy. Remember his face, what he died to protect. See to it that you strive to uphold the highest of expectations that will be placed on you. You were there with him when he died. It may just be the will of the for you to carry on in his place.” She placed a reassuring hand on the Togruta’s shoulder and smiled warmly at @Keenava Dira, her anxiousness to move well noted. “Soon my friend. We Jedi are a patient lot. We don’t even know where we are going.”

 

 

 

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Sandy looked from her datapad to Leena, then to her friend's new apprentice. then at last to Keenava. The briefing was a quick one, more of an outline than anything final and set in duracrete. But it was her responsibility to make the mission work, and she would not have chosen a better Jedi team than the few people that stood around her. 

 

“Thank you for joining me on such late notice, as the situation stabilizes on the galactic front, it appears there are still dozens if not hundreds of Sith allied worlds whose governments have not been willing to or have been unable to approach the Alliance for help. One such world is called Falleen. A previously peaceful world whose goverment was overthrown by the Sith. We have not been able to establish contact since, and any reports speak of a blood cult, slavery, and massive brainwashing programs.” 

 

She looked up again. 

 

“We are to infiltrate the planet under disguise, identify leadership, and identify if there is a way to help the people of Falleen overthrow their oppressors, or if it should be left to the Imperial Military.” 

 

She smiled wanly at the thought. “We are not a member of the alliance military due to being Jedi Affiliated, which gives us a lot more leeway in how we proceed. Are you in?”

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Calix Meus Inebrians

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The practice saber cut a long furrow through the wooden target. The white training saber burning and singing the carved edges of the target, enough heat to char, but not ignite. Though she did not doubt the ability of such a saber, labeled training as it was, to cause enough damage to harm or even kill someone if applied to, say, an eyesocket. She finished the long cut exercise and deactivated the saber, clicking it back into place on her belt before she left the training arena. A quick sanisteam, and she selected a deep purple Jumpsuit to replace her white training tunic. She made sure the insignia of the royal house of Naboo was visible on the epaulets, then she placed the thin crown back upon her head. It was not the royal crown itself, that had been long lost alongside the royal palace, but it was enough to denote her importance and rank should someone need her. 

 

No one usually did. Naboo was a dead planet as far as many were concerned. And though it was a beautiful one, expending resources to retake a vacation world was not the top priority of the new Galactic Government. So she continued to wander through the camp.

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Queen Namari of the Naboo

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On 11/21/2022 at 9:49 AM, Leena Kil said:

“I think it best if you hold onto this. To memorialize that Jedi and honor his legacy. Remember his face, what he died to protect. See to it that you strive to uphold the highest of expectations that will be placed on you. You were there with him when he died. It may just be the will of the for you to carry on in his place.” She placed a reassuring hand on the Togruta’s shoulder

 

 

Basi looked to Leena rather confused  by some if what she said.   "Yes Master I agree the Horrors of war are lost on none and that it affects all even if they have yet to realize it. The terror, the devastation and destruction, leaves many feeling tires, hopeless, angry and vengeful possibly even hateful. But as long as there are you Jedi, and those of us who aren't but wish to fight and defend justice, and freedom, a path of light forward through that darkness of war I think the path to healing will be easier to find and tread." The Togruta says with a soft smile. The spinning hilt gets his attention and the remainder of Leena's words hit him and run through his brain his mind replaying so many events rapid fire, his reflexes, his ability to see things before they happen, though untrained and not all the time. Things he chalked up to a little luck and a whole lot of skill now he was re-evaluating and he stopped and stared at Leena for a moment his four Lekku twitching.

 

Reaching out to the offered hilt and pommel taking it from her holding it and staring at it for a moment before clipping it back to his belt next to his blaster and bowing his head. "Are you saying I'm Force Sensitive that I'm to be trained as a Jedi? Is that How I'm to memorialize him and carry on in his place? There is no greater purpose than to honor what is lost and defend what is left, every weapon, is a tool that should be used sparingly and with the lightest touch. I for one would be honored and grateful to be taught and trained in the jedi ways." Basi's eyes flit between Sandy and Keenava giving the latter a smile and a nod before looking to Sandy and bowing his head. "I'm not a Jedi... at least not that ive been told yet but I'm honored and willing to go along on this mission should you all desire."

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Leena smiled as the realization of what she was saying seemed to dawn on the Alliance pilot. “It seems that the will of the force has brought our paths together my friend. It is up to you to accept it or deny it; but be warned,” Leena placed a knowing hand on @Basi’s hand staring into the Togruta’s fierce blue eyes with her soft golden ones, “to seek to circumvent the natural order of the force, to bend it to one’s own will; that is a path that leads to naught but suffering. It is a path most unnatural.” She removed her hand back to her own lap as @Sandy Sarna spoke, nodding her head as an aura of seriousness overcame her. This mission would be risky on all fronts; but still, it spoke to the Healer. She was not accustomed to being on the front lines. In truth, she despised it, preferring the chaos of a post-battlefield hospital to the horrors of combat itself. Yet here she was, called forth once again, not to fight, but to save and was that not her oath? To refuse would be to condemn the cancer of the Sith upon these people. That was unacceptable.

 

”You’re going to make me change out of my dress whites again aren’t you?” The Mon Cal jokingly teased, a hint of irritation at having to give up her usual roll and attire once again playing at the edge lf her voice. “Either way,” she continued as she stood. “I’m in.”

 

Stepping free of her benched seat, Leena turned back to Basi. “Jedi or not, you are welcome to join us. Just two things of note. For this mission, you are a member of the Jedi Order, not the Alliance and you might want to tuck that away out of sight somewhere until you can be taught to use it properly.” She pointed at the lightsaber. If they were going in undercover, glowing blades of green, blue, and purple would be a dead giveaway. “Bring your blaster and go find some gruffy spacer garb. We’ll meet at the landing pad in an hour. If you are serious about training as a Jedi, you will receive your first lesson there.” Leena turned and began to walk away, stopping after several steps and turning to face Basi once more. She extended her right hand in a friendly handshake. “Healer Leena Kil,  she offered by means of introduction with a warm smile before setting off once again.

 

Quickly Leena retreated back into the small enclave of the camp that had become inhabited by those Jedi actively working in the area.  Quickly she  changed out of her traditional white healer’s robes, a mark of her position within the Circle of Jedi Healers and donned plain beige and browns topped by the ubiquitous brown oversized robe every Jedi intrinsically seemed to have access to but nobody ever recognized as Jedi attire. Picking the lightsaber hilt up from her small end table, Leena pondered the hilt. She felt the warm glow of the green crystal within. It was not her saber. It was simply one that had been passed to her from the troves of sabers reclaimed  from the unknown fallen in the war. Her saber was lost, fallen on Lehon from the hands of the warrior she had entrusted it to. The pain of the battlefield flooded over her. So much loss that she had been unable to staunch even as she stood in that hole in the battlements, a vessel of the force against an unstoppable Sith onslaught. So many had died so needlessly that day. Leena quickly tucked the saber into the drawer of the table. She would not bring it. She did not need it. It was not her own. Was it even her place to take a life? Wiping a tear from her eye, the Jedi Master inhaled deeply allowing a sense of calm to overshadow the tumultuous emotions of the past, to offer a soothing tidal balm to her ragged soul. Mon Cal, Lehon, Byss, and so many more; such terrible evils suffered on the innocent and for what? A galaxy left in turmoil and an enemy that had seemed to all but fade beyond the Rim.

 

Straightening her robe, Leena grabbed a single jeweled crystal from the drawer beside the hilt. It glowed warm with healing light side energies of the living force. She tucked it in her pocket before shutting the drawer and turning to leave her quarters, locking the door on her way out.

 

Quickly she hurried towards the landing area. She did not know what ship they would be taking, neither did Basi. That was part of the test. Even if they found the others first, Basi would need to find Leena, to rely on his instincts, the guiding nature of the force itself and not his own reasoning. It was a simple task, one Leena had played as a youngling in the temples countless times.

 

As she arrived, she noted a plethora of ships, and even more officers, dockworkers, Jedi, Rebels, Imperials, and more worming tirelessly. Quickly, Leena approached the foreman overseeing the vast array of shipments coming and going. She offered a brief introduction and explanation before pressing the warm healing crystal into his hands with the instructions to give it only to the Torguta who came asking for her with no other explanation. She hoped the draw of the natural light imbued in the gem would help her soon-to-be apprentice calm his mind, connect him to the living force, and afford him a chance to not anxiously overthink, trusting that the force would lead him to her hiding place.

 

And it was a hiding place,

most unnatural and unsuspecting. Hurrying over, Leena found an entire squadron of Ugly-class fighters that were docked to the far side, currently unused. They certainly lived up to their name, amalgamated components of no less than a dozen different types of craft readily identifiable. Locating an unsecured Y-TIE Leena scrambled into the cockpit, pulling the screen closed over top of her. There, she settled in to wait, closing her eyes to meditate on the force. She reached outwards. She could feel all around them, their pains and ailments and stressors of day to day work mingled with the joys of victory and the hope of a better tomorrow; and almost by instinct, Leena tapped into these positive auras and amplified them, drawing them inward and radiating them back out tenfold until everyone in the area seemed to have a pep in their step and a smile or a whistle on their lips as they set about their tasks with redoubled energy and hope.

Edited by Leena Kil

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Her duties usually included what most considered mundane, such as helping around the many mess tents used to feed the Refugees, as well as a few hours tending to and aiding the recovering patients in the medical tents, and on occasion, helping wayward sentients in their displacement. And in her time outside of duty, she could be typically found wandering around the encampments.

 

Seeing through the Force was rarely described and hard to convey. It was more feeling than actually seeing for most, similar to feeling winds swirl around one's self as emotions of intentions of others rolled across one's frame. But for Miralukians, evolution had only intensified it to a stronger degree in a near mimicry of a mixture of Force Sight with a vibration of echolocation. It was as if the Force within them vibrated at a frequency that gifted a more vibrant sight to the point that moments of clarity appeared within their minds. So in her moments of wandering, she tended to walk about the encampments simply to observe.

 

Some mornings brought glimmers of joy and hope as the Alliance began to reforge what the Sith had nearly destroyed. Some refugees found new homes on other worlds, bringing hope of a new life while others chose to stay and begin the colonization of Ylesia. But some days brought sorrow and despair, forged from sicknesses and losses that could not be overcome. One that she could understand on a personal level. And for Pandora, most of all, it was witnessing life that calmed and centered her the most whether it presented its self in sorrow or in joy.

 

But her biggest joy was in catching the small glimpses of the children at play, finding that in any given situation, the youth always seemed to find the better of the worse. And to not only feel their emotions in the Force, but to catch glimpses of it in her mind only strengthened her internal resolve. This was why she had submitted her plans to restore the Imperial Mission to the higher ups. For through the Imperial Mission, moments like Ylesia could be more organized and ready.

 

Having left her duties at Medical Quadrant Delta Six in Sector Alpha near the center of the Encampments, a rolling emotion of hopelessness caught her attention as the vision of @Queen Namaricame across her mind in their passing. Pivoting on her heels, and shifting her blind gaze upon the Queen of Naboo, realizing the person she had encountered and the revelations that weighed upon her young shoulders, Pandora spoke.

 

"What bothers you so, mi'lady?" Pandora's tone was soft and sweet, but carried an undertone of sorrow and understanding. "Nothing is ever hopeless as long as you breath."

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On 11/24/2022 at 4:48 PM, Leena Kil said:

Leena smiled as the realization of what she was saying seemed to dawn on the Alliance pilot. “It seems that the will of the force has brought our paths together my friend. It is up to you to accept it or deny it; but be warned,” Leena placed a knowing hand on @Basi’s hand staring into the Togruta’s fierce blue eyes with her soft golden ones, “to seek to circumvent the natural order of the force, to bend it to one’s own will; that is a path that leads to naught but suffering. It is a path most unnatural.” She removed her hand back to her own lap as @Sandy Sarna spoke, nodding her head as an aura of seriousness overcame her. This mission would be risky on all fronts; but still, it spoke to the Healer. She was not accustomed to being on the front lines. In truth, she despised it, preferring the chaos of a post-battlefield hospital to the horrors of combat itself. Yet here she was, called forth once again, not to fight, but to save and was that not her oath? To refuse would be to condemn the cancer of the Sith upon these people. That was unacceptable.

 

”You’re going to make me change out of my dress whites again aren’t you?” The Mon Cal jokingly teased, a hint of irritation at having to give up her usual roll and attire once again playing at the edge lf her voice. “Either way,” she continued as she stood. “I’m in.”

 

Stepping free of her benched seat, Leena turned back to Basi. “Jedi or not, you are welcome to join us. Just two things of note. For this mission, you are a member of the Jedi Order, not the Alliance and you might want to tuck that away out of sight somewhere until you can be taught to use it properly.” She pointed at the lightsaber. If they were going in undercover, glowing blades of green, blue, and purple would be a dead giveaway. “Bring your blaster and go find some gruffy spacer garb. We’ll meet at the landing pad in an hour. If you are serious about training as a Jedi, you will receive your first lesson there.” Leena turned and began to walk away, stopping after several steps and turning to face Basi once more. She extended her right hand in a friendly handshake. “Healer Leena Kil,  she offered by means of introduction with a warm smile before setting off once again.

 

Quickly Leena retreated back into the small enclave of the camp that had become inhabited by those Jedi actively working in the area.  Quickly she  changed out of her traditional white healer’s robes, a mark of her position within the Circle of Jedi Healers and donned plain beige and browns topped by the ubiquitous brown oversized robe every Jedi intrinsically seemed to have access to but nobody ever recognized as Jedi attire. Picking the lightsaber hilt up from her small end table, Leena pondered the hilt. She felt the warm glow of the green crystal within. It was not her saber. It was simply one that had been passed to her from the troves of sabers reclaimed  from the unknown fallen in the war. Her saber was lost, fallen on Lehon from the hands of the warrior she had entrusted it to. The pain of the battlefield flooded over her. So much loss that she had been unable to staunch even as she stood in that hole in the battlements, a vessel of the force against an unstoppable Sith onslaught. So many had died so needlessly that day. Leena quickly tucked the saber into the drawer of the table. She would not bring it. She did not need it. It was not her own. Was it even her place to take a life? Wiping a tear from her eye, the Jedi Master inhaled deeply allowing a sense of calm to overshadow the tumultuous emotions of the past, to offer a soothing tidal balm to her ragged soul. Mon Cal, Lehon, Byss, and so many more; such terrible evils suffered on the innocent and for what? A galaxy left in turmoil and an enemy that had seemed to all but fade beyond the Rim.

 

Straightening her robe, Leena grabbed a single jeweled crystal from the drawer beside the hilt. It glowed warm with healing light side energies of the living force. She tucked it in her pocket before shutting the drawer and turning to leave her quarters, locking the door on her way out.

 

Quickly she hurried towards the landing area. She did not know what ship they would be taking, neither did Basi. That was part of the test. Even if they found the others first, Basi would need to find Leena, to rely on his instincts, the guiding nature of the force itself and not his own reasoning. It was a simple task, one Leena had played as a youngling in the temples countless times.

 

As she arrived, she noted a plethora of ships, and even more officers, dockworkers, Jedi, Rebels, Imperials, and more worming tirelessly. Quickly, Leena approached the foreman overseeing the vast array of shipments coming and going. She offered a brief introduction and explanation before pressing the warm healing crystal into his hands with the instructions to give it only to the Torguta who came asking for her with no other explanation. She hoped the draw of the natural light imbued in the gem would help her soon-to-be apprentice calm his mind, connect him to the living force, and afford him a chance to not anxiously overthink, trusting that the force would lead him to her hiding place.

 

And it was a hiding place,

most unnatural and unsuspecting. Hurrying over, Leena found an entire squadron of Ugly-class fighters that were docked to the far side, currently unused. They certainly lived up to their name, amalgamated components of no less than a dozen different types of craft readily identifiable. Locating an unsecured Y-TIE Leena scrambled into the cockpit, pulling the screen closed over top of her. There, she settled in to wait, closing her eyes to meditate on the force. She reached outwards. She could feel all around them, their pains and ailments and stressors of day to day work mingled with the joys of victory and the hope of a better tomorrow; and almost by instinct, Leena tapped into these positive auras and amplified them, drawing them inward and radiating them back out tenfold until everyone in the area seemed to have a pep in their step and a smile or a whistle on their lips as they set about their tasks with redoubled energy and hope.

"A pleasure to meet you Master Leena Kil. And I understand, don't attempt to use the force in an unnatural way by trying to control it. You're saying use its strength and power that the living force lends use. To work with it as a partner and friend yes?" Basi says thoughtfully the last part a question to his new master. "The will of the Force you mean to tell me the force has a mind of its own doing things for reasons most will never understand?"

 

The Togruta laughs at the banter back and forth amongst the friends and then listens closer as Leena explains more and what his role and next tasks are smiling he nods and taps the hilt. "It's broken and doesn't or will not work. So no need to worry about me using it before I am trained how to. So scruffy gruff spacer gear I'm in. Got it my rank and position in the Alliance is non existent for this mission, I'm with the Jedi Order and Master Leena I am serious about wanting to train and be a Jedi." With that he gives a bow of his head to Sandy and Keenava. "It was truly a pleasure to meet you both it appears as though I have shopping to do, I'll see you all at the landing pad, I look forward to working with you all." With that Basi took off out of the mess booking it towards his ship. His mind racing, mere hours ago he was just a resistance pilot albeit a damn good one and there were quite a few near misses that neither anyone else nor he himself could explain how he'd pulled off surviving. But he did and he was here. The togruta had always dreamed he was destined for something bigger and better something more. And now here was his chance, his chance to make the Galaxy better. He'd train to be a Jedi and he'd be the best Jedi he could.

 

As he gathers his gear and changes realizing shopping wasn't necessary he had a civilian outfit that looked ragged and scruffy, a dusty dirty beat up well worn black and brown leather jacket black trousers fingerless gloves and boots. His hip holster on his belt holding his blaster keeping the broken lightsaber there he pats it again and lowers his jacket over it as he thinks back to that battle on Nar Shadda. His memories take him back to that night even then not knowing how he survived massively outmanned and out gunned. Yet some how they'd always miss or wouldn't notice Basi until he pulled the trigger. Blasting as many as he could to get away to escape.

 

Finding the young Jedi, firing a shot or two into the sky, trying to save him as the Togrutan resistance pilot yelled and yelled for help though none would come. His last act of kindness and honor was to lay that saber hilt in his hand let him die the warrior he was. That boys death will haunt him as the one he couldn't save for years to come. But his search for the Jedi to return the saber had led him here now and from that nightmare this, hope a new life. Now he could train as a Jedi and in that boys memory carry on the fight he so valiantly gave his life for.

 

Shaking his head to clear it of these thoughts Basi headed to the Landing area. Looking around finding no one there he heads for the Foreman asking for Master Leena, when the foreman hands him the crystal almost immediately Basi felt the warmth and energy coming from the crystal. "Where could Master Leena be and why this crystal?" The Togruta asks himself. "Ah a test perhaps. Perhaps Im supposed to find her like...the game we played as kids trying to find all the others after having closed our eyes and everyone hid...what's the name of that game... Oh well." With that he stops and thinks and it dawns on him, he's not looking with his eyes...no no this test is about...trust. Concentrating as hard as he can he starts to wander in a direction in the general way of Leena clutching the crystal and doing his best to trust the force to lead him to his master.

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The sun overhead beat down through the Y-Wing canopy of the cobbled together Ugly fighter. It warmed Leena’s salmon mottled skin as it played the shadows of overhead swaying trees across her closed eyes and face. The force pulsated in tidal currents outward and back inward, expounded as jt returned back to the world around her. As the holiness, the light of the world, grew around them all, it warmed the hearts and minds of everyone that the force touched. It washed over their pains and anguish, obscuring them like a salve as it drew the darkness upwards and washed them away. It drew the darkness back towards the Jedi. Even as it tumbled these dark memories into granulated nothingness, the waves of healing force power drew them back into Leena. Within her chest, the pulsating light obliterated the darkness, healing the rifts in the force itself, the darkness; but not before these memories brushed Leena’s consciousness. The last vestibule grasps of the dark side before it was extinguished.

 

The world seemed to glow with a spring-like life. The air filled with the singing of small songbirds and the smell of growing plantlife. The force swirled with life and healing inside and out of the cockpit. Tears welled in the healer’s eyes, slipping from the creased corners and pitter-pattering on the thick cloak below. Fragments of pain and loss, foreign memories of the war, loss of family members and brothers-in-arms, grief, guilt, raw emotion, all of it, swept up in a healing surge of living energy. Not erased, not forgotten, but healed, cleansed by the nature of the world as it should be. That did not mean that the darkness did not cling to such memories like an evil little gremlin clawing at the edge of the precipice, spewing destruction before it met its own. The final claws of the fading darkness raked Leena’s mind burying visions of the front lines of a war she had so desperately sought to shelter herself from within the suites of the Alliance Mobile Surgical Hospitals and naval ships.

 

Tears tumbled from Leena’s eyes. She could feel the fear of battle, the heat of explosions, see the life slip from the eyes of innumerable soldiers as it was stripped from their souls. None of the memories were hers, but they were all just as real. They played at Leena’s mind and then were swept away as the force extinguished the tears the darkness clawed through only to be replaced by others, carried from further away as the radiating healing power of the force reached further and further into the ragged and wartorn peoples that made up the base camp.

 

The crystal within @Basi’s hand grew warmer and warmer the closer he grew to Leena’s position; drawn by the guidance of the force itself. The stone pulsated with healing power, taking in the healing power radiated outward by Leena and sensing it out exponentially again in wave after wave of soothing and calming energy. It was energy that would calm the Young sojourner’s mind until he was at peace with the world around him. Then, and only then, would he be drawn down the line of Ugly class fighters to the cobbled TIE and Y-amalgamation. Only when he was completely immersed, touching the living force with his mind, body and soul would Basi sense Leena’s presence in the cockpit of the ship. Pulling open the screen, he would find a smiling Leena Kil looking up at him. 
 

Taking his hand, Leena pulled herself up. She clamored out of the cockpit to the duracrete landing pad below. “Well done my new apprentice.” Leena smiled broadly. “You have taken your first steps into a greater world. When you are at peace, when you feel like you can almost reach out and touch the intangible goodness in the hearts of the world around you, even in the chaos, that is when the force will speak to you. Sometimes it will be in whispers on the back of the wind, right next to you but a million miles away calling across the cosmos. Sometimes the force calls to you in dreams, when your body is at rest, unhindered by the clamoring plots

of selfishness and evil. Sometimes,” she paused as her mind played through the countless lives she had lost and those she had saved, “it is when life stands tall when death should have claimed it, when it had no right to carry on but something greater willed it to do so; to stand against all

odds, in the face of eternity and defy it.” Leena placed a hand on the Togruta’s shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly, her eyes scanning the throngs of people happily working before looking the man in the eyes. “As soon as Master Sandy and Keenava arrive, we will head towards Falleen. Do you know of the world? I have heard tell that it was a home to a particularly brutal Sith lord, @Karys Narat iv-Adas. What may await us,” Leena shrugged. “Well, it could be anything. The only truth we do know is that we must trust the force completely. It will be the only way we succeed. When the world, the darkness assails you, my apprentice, you must cling to the force,” Leena wrapped her hands around Basi’s which encircled the still warm crystal within. “Nothing else will sustain you.”

 

Leena looked about and still did not see @Sandy Sarna or @Keenava Dira . She waved Basi away from the landing pad to an area of soft grass and earth. She sat cross-legged on the ground, gesturing for the Togruta to do the same. Reaching into her cloak, Leena withdrew a stringed bag and tumbled a single blue crystal into her own hand. She held the stone up at eye level between she and Basi. “Take your stone. Clear your mind of all else. Put the hussle and bustle of the world around you aside. Feel their lives. Feel, but do not touch. Sense the goodness in their hears. Let the force flow around you. Keep your eyes on the stone. Allow the force to flow through you. The goodness, not the darkness,” which had been several tamped down by Leena’s powerful healing aura, “let it flow through you and into the stone. Let the stone glow with the warmth of the force itself. Let its warmth energize you from your head to your toes, ministering to your soul and nourishing your body.” 

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"...Falleen…you in?" 

 

Keenava wordlessly nodded in affirmation to Sandy before quietly excusing herself.

 

          The Twi’lek shuddered a little as the warm tropical clime tickled her exposed face. Hundreds of small needles pushed silent electricity beneath her skin, pulsing in and out with different magnitudes and frequencies. She flexed her toes, feeling her callused feet move against the warm topsoil. She bounced gently on her feet and rowed her neck first to the left, then to the right. She extended each hand to its fullest and then let each finger rest as she shook her hands back and forth at the wrist.

 

Faleen. Jzora.

 

          Keenava had no idea where Jzora was from. But that word was still echoing through her head. It was a word on the holonet: a woman who looked just like Jzora. And though she recalled so little of her former... master? That word brought a flood of vivid memories to the forefront of her mind. Roene told her to accept all that she was. It was key to touching the force again. So, dangerous though it might be, she let the memories play one after the other, refusing to omit any detail.

 

          Kheldar. Bekka. Ronin. Chaos, water, flame-retardant foam, and a seedy but reliable bar in the middle of Coruscant’s most popular district. Fresh from her escape and with her stolen identity in place, Lallu was vulnerable, susceptible, and alone. She was surrounded by people—some of the most notable people in the galaxy that she didn’t know or recognize until much later—but so alone in a world that was seconds away from picking her up and throwing her back into hell. She shrouded herself in a need for validation because that was all she had. Broken was her balm, because her brain knew no better. Then she entered, while scraps of clothing threatened to reveal everything Lallu had on display.

 

          It was time for Jzora to put on her best game face and flirt the pretty little thing out of what remained of her damaged clothes. Jzora was a skilled seductress, heir to a legacy of cold-blooded passion fueled by will-enslaving pheromones. This would be epic; there would be poems and songs...

 

          "You look pretty... pretty."

 

What followed was a drug-induced haze. But, with a clear perspective, Keenava could make out more details than before.

 

          Titans of shadow surrounded her. Shadowlord. Alora. Raynuck. Starri. Exodus. Kakuto. Lucifer. Emily… Furion. Legends of Sith that would defy generations to come gathered to listen and learn from each other.

 

          "From history, we must learn this lesson. The Jedi, for all their vaunted wisdom, fear what lies at the core of every man and woman. They fear not being able to control the darkness that lies within them, and in turn, they completely shut themselves off to it. And this is where you and I differ. As Sith, we are not afraid of our inner darkness. No, indeed, we embrace it; we embrace what makes us unique because that’s what makes us strong. Let me take a moment to reflect on the code many of you have heard countless times."

 

          The irony is that he was right. The fear of oneself has the power to destroy. The fear of what you’re capable of can turn you against yourself. And the fear of how others will see your darkness will make you shut it off from the world, holding it in and letting it consume you. It is through accepting and understanding who you are—all of you—that you can find strength.

 

A calloused hand glided across the soft skin of her cheek.

 

I'll find you later.

 

          A blur of time whirled across her vision, and she was there in a cell. The construction wasn’t important. It was like all the others. But this cell was where she met him. Deep in the bowels of Coruscant, those golden eyes pierced the night. The deepest depth could not smother the gold that she could still see as clear as day.

 

                 "…My path is dangerous and uncertain. You may question my methods and my choices. You will certainly question my intent, but I will tell you this only once: You will know both what I tell you and what you can figure out for yourself. Never expect me to tell you everything. Follow me, and I will lead you to the freedom your heart craves."

 

But to what end? And was it really freedom? Or was it delusion and obsession?

 

          Keenava gasped. Her heart rate spiked slightly, but nothing else changed. The pain she felt was like that of a lost limb. It was a shadow of her passion, but it still bit at her every time she saw his eyes.


 

She

fell…

 

Coruscant ran

past her face in a flash of light.

 

She shot into the depths like a missile with one goal in mind.

 

          A simple, subtle catalyst that served as a breaking point between security and bliss pushed her into a downward spiral, down into the womb of Coruscant’s chaotic energy and turmoil. She was consumed by the spine of the world, by the energy of her own will held back, by his energy, and by the euphoria that came with letting go, but her body couldn’t contain it all. She had to let it…



"HOW DARE YOU?" Lallu exclaimed. "HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME THAT WAY AFTER ALL THIS TIME. I trusted you! I thought I knew you! Then you betrayed me, my mother, and my sister!"

 

          She slammed him into the left wall with a violent shake.

 

"I HAD TO WATCH MY MOTHER DIE! YOU KRIFFING SCHUTTA!"

 

She slammed her father into the right wall and listened as his arms broke against the durasteel.

 

Her tone calmed a little, but the intensity of her eyes never halted, and the blade of her lightsaber glowed with brilliant golden fire. "This isn’t mercy. I want you to die slowly. I want you to feel every agonizing moment like I did. I want you to see, hear, smell, and taste every pain and indecency I was forced to feel. And I want you to hear my cries. Because it's all your fault!"

 

          Lallu slammed her father to the ground in front of her and fed upon the sound of his spine breaking. She projected the last twenty years of pain and suffering into his form. She didn’t let up. He screamed in agony with every torment he went through, and when he finished reliving her past, she could hear pounding coming from the door to the penthouse. She idly ignored it. Her attention was on him.

 

"COME SEE THE MONSTER YOU CREATED, YOU DESPICABLE WASTE OF EXISTENCE!!!" Lallu said, driving the golden blade of her lightsaber into every part of his body. Each stab was slow but deliberate. Each stab signified another act of indecency, and each stab ended with another satisfying cry of pain.

 

“... I need you to be strong.”

 

 

          But why did strength come from misery? Why did strength come from pain?

 

In the end, just like his life, his death meant nothing. And her display of strength was that of a toddler lashing out at her father, twenty years or more past due.

 

          Keenava stirred, emerging from her reverie with a brow coated in sweat. Her teeth were tight, and she released a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. She could see different pieces of her stained glass window standing before her, like liquid mirrors, beyond the veil; beyond reality. 

 

          Kana. Kara. Kava. Lallu. Ulanna. Ootunavi. Zythma. Every color was an error, every jagged edge was a sham, and every scrap of texture was a reflection of the depravity inherent in every alter.

 

          She stood tall among the fragments, a quiet challenge echoing in her expression. But the fragility of her thoughts belied a deeper doubt. 

 

Just a few years ago... This was me. Technically, this is still me. 

 

          A frisson ran the length of her spine. She opened her amethyst eyes and looked out toward the Exalted Mountains.

 

"What will it take for me to go back? Will knowing I am capable of it help me avoid it?" Keenava muttered anxiously to herself.

 

          Keenava’s brow knit in consternation. Will going to Falleen put us in danger?

 

      Sandy, who’d been respectfully monitoring the Twi’lek during her solitude, noticed the conflict and approached carefully. She gently lifted her scarred hand and held on to Keenava’s as it shook at her side.

 

She gave no preamble. She had no expectations. And the reaction was almost immediate.

 

Like an anchor in troubled waters, Keenava’s ship steadied. The shared scars tethered her nerves, reminding her of the world around her.

 

Whatever she did or whoever she was, she needed to do it and be it to get here. Lessons were learned, and every step was a step forward.

 

Keenava affected a half-smile as she turned her amethyst eyes to look at the forest in Sandy's gaze. "I’m ready now. Let’s get going... and... thank you."

Edited by Keenava Dira

 

 

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On 11/27/2022 at 10:56 PM, Leena Kil said:

She waved Basi away from the landing pad to an area of soft grass and earth. She sat cross-legged on the ground, gesturing for the Togruta to do the same. Reaching into her cloak, Leena withdrew a stringed bag and tumbled a single blue crystal into her own hand. She held the stone up at eye level between she and Basi. “Take your stone. Clear your mind of all else. Put the hussle and bustle of the world around you aside. Feel their lives. Feel, but do not touch. Sense the goodness in their hears. Let the force flow around you. Keep your eyes on the stone. Allow the force to flow through you. The goodness, not the darkness,” which had been several tamped down by Leena’s powerful healing aura, “let it flow through you and into the stone. Let the stone glow with the warmth of the force itself. Let its warmth energize you from your head to your toes, ministering to your soul and nourishing your body.” 

Basi listened he didn't say anything at the moment. Truth be told wasn't much he felt he could or should say. So smiling and nodding his head he looked forward, a new life a new world though still the same it felt different to him some how. Perhaps knowing that he could use the force, maybe that had changed his perspective and view on life and the world, or rather galaxy.

 

Following Leena he did indeed sit cross legged opposite her. "I whom have never used the force consciously before today, you think I can do that? Make this crystal glow? Well I'll do mu best Master Leena, I'll try." He says with a gusto and happiness that might be out of place here. Though he takes the crystal in his hands he does think on some of what Leena has said. 

 

"Falleen No Master I havent heard of what's going on there, though I've heard of the world and seen it on star charts and the like. So I should keep my blaster close then?" His mind now back on the turmoil and destructive nature of war, the horrors he'd seen the friends he'd lost on the ground and in the sky. Tears started to fill his eyes how many of those lives could he have saved if he'd known about his abilities and what he was. But no that was the past and it would stay there, he'd remember the faces and make a promise to them, he'd become a jedi and he'd make sure he spent the rest of his days doing everything he could to save those who were sick, injured and dying.

 

Those were the last full thoughts he had before clearing his mind and reaching out with the force. Feeling the good in hearts, feeling the warmth and compassion, the love and comraderie the deep devotion they had to themselves and those around them. All of this filled Basi with joy and warmth, wonder and compassion his eyes wide as he focused on the stone channeling the energy watching it flow through him and the crystal beginning to glow a deep blue.

 

"Master Leena, Master Leena Im doing it do you see? I've done it, at least part way yes??" The Togruta's excitement contagious and infectious as he laughs in his small Victory. Basi looks between Leena and the Crystal and still can't believe what he's done. This was an adventure one he was happy to take.

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Leena sat there in silence reaching out to touch the force. She could feel it. She focused in on @Basi. She felt his raw emotion as he dealt with his history. It was a peril of the less than classical approach to the Jedi Path. Of course, coming to the Jedi like she did, as an infant, presented other challenges and worldly temptations. It was something that she would need to monitor and address, help her new apprentice overcome, lest the tumult of these memories she could feel but not see opened up a path to the darkside. As quickly as they came though, Basi seemed to be able to mentally wrestle them back under his control, a sign of a strong mind, a trained mind. Militaries the galaxy over seemed good at imparting mental and physical strength on those who filled their ranks.  The Togruta was no exception. He presented a strength born from training and battle. The strength would serve him well on the perilous journey to become a Jedi.

 

She felt him reach out, felt his presence sweep over her aura and reach out to those around him. “Gooooood,” she coo’d, a smile cracking her lips. She continued with encouragement as he focused on the stone. “Yes. Focus on the crystal. A Jedi is part of the world around them. He is led by the force and does not bend it to his will. Feel the force around you. Let it flow around you, pass through you into the crystal, a natural conduit of growth and healing energy.” The blue stone began to glow faintly at first, a warm light radiating from the stone and warming Leena’s hand.

 

Leena’s smile broadened from a smirk into a full faced smile as she tried to suppress a joyful giggle. “Excellent!” She congratulated him. “In your victory, do not lose your focus;” she warned, “for victory can be snatched away from the unprepared in a moment. Focus on the crystal,” she coached raising her hand higher in the air until the crystal was held over their heads. “Keep the stone afloat AND alight, if you are able. Let the force flow through you. Let its will become your own.”

 

Slowly Leena began to lower her hand and she closed her eyes, feeling the stone; waiting to see if it would remain aloft, even if for a moment.

 

 

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Keenava was ready to go, but something felt... off

 

She gave Master Sarna’s shoulder a gentle squeeze before wandering through the camp. The sensation she felt in the force was a mystery, yet oddly familiar. Like a trail of breadcrumbs, it led her on an elaborate series of paths that meant stopping at irregular intervals. She couldn’t tell whether it was a good call or a foreboding one. Regardless, it led her all the way to a mysterious, scrawny individual who had a massive crate of what looked like junk sitting beside him. He was discussing things with a small robed figure that Keenava couldn’t see because its back was turned.

 

But the man wasn’t it. It was the crate beside him.

 

Something was here. Something had called her here.

 

There… 

 

Slightly obscured but still visible near the top of the junk pile was the glint of a familiar jewel. Keenava’s insides wrenched at the prospect. But, in the end, despite its torrid past, it was made for her.

 

Keenava waited until the robed figure—who turned out to be a merry little jawa—walked away before approaching the scrawny figure and his junk.

 

     "Hello, sir, I believe you have something of mine," Keenava started with cautious confidence. She pointed to the jewel near the top of the pile.

 

     "That’s entirely possible; I’m a scavenger; I collect all sorts of things." The man replied with nonchalance. But his emerald green eyes screamed of a deeper understanding than he was letting on. His mop of salt and pepper hair was long and braided. His beard was big, but well groomed. He looked to be almost 60 years old, but his attitude and countenance suggested a youthful exuberance.

 

He reached into the pile and revealed a corroded-looking metallic canister. The handle was covered in rags and bandages, and her mother’s jewel stood out at the base. 

"You’re in luck. I wasn’t able to sell it. People were wary of it, saying it gave them the heebie-jeebies or something.”

 

The man handed it over without batting an eye.

 

The familiar metal felt at home in her hands, but the shadow within burned against her palm. She quickly extracted her old force crystals and threw them on the ground like they were violent suns threatening to melt the skin from her bones. Afterward, the metal was quiet and the weapon was inoperable. But the chassis sang a quiet tune of joy at their reunion.

 

The old scavenger picked the crystals off the ground and chucked them into his box. 

 

Keenava raised an eyebrow in response to the cavalier gesture. 

      "You don’t want anything for it?"

 

The man smiled. 

      "Oh, I never give anything out for free. But, in a way, you’ve been an unwitting pawn in a lot of my money moves over the years. I can’t really divulge anything more specific than that, but let’s say I like to keep an eye on people."

 

Keenava wasn’t sure she knew how to process that, but she chose not to look a gift horse in the mouth. She was mildly suspicious of the man’s gaze, though, as one of his eyes started to move independently of the other. 

      "Well, since you’re in a giving mood, do you have anything else you’re willing to give?" The Twi’lek replied, a mischievous glint in her eye.

 

The man chuckled. It was a pleasant tenor sound with a well earned gravel at the bottom of it. 

 

     "I suppose I do. You’re welcome to pick and choose, considering I wasn’t able to sell any of these. I don't really blame people. Everyone here is in varying states of post-traumatic stress and disrepair. In hindsight, trying to sell anything here was a mistake, even if I was giving discounts."
 

The old man proceeded to pull things out of the crate one by one: 

 

TL:DR 
(These are the items she kept) - (for a full list check out the spoiler. Just a warning, its a bit long).

- The Idarah A.I. unit. Without it's higher functions it will likely just be used as an auto pilot/targeting system on her new ship. (Idara/Idejjen/Ida)

- Two weighted (adjustable) training bracers. (Starfire)

- A pair of lavender lightsaber color crystals (Aleria Thorne)

- Kevlar Jumpsuit with Indigo accents, and a black leather duster (Anilara Starbane)

- A pair of sturdy yet stylish brown leather steel-toe boots that go up to the knee with articulated joints. (Scorpion)

- (Decorative) A dancing outfit and Amethyst necklace (Esmernia Langarmie)

- Drawing of Keenava as a Sith Lord (Adwin Antares)

- An MP89 player, with MC2310 Master Headphones (it needs a mod for Female Twi'lek), and a necklace in the shape of a moon. (Liv)

- A hydrospanner named 'Locksley,' and a metal memento with Ca'aran's face on it that she will return to Delta if she ever runs into him. (Kailen Aeli)
 

More detailed explanation/description:

Spoiler

 

 

  • "This here is a form-fitting black kevlar jumpsuit with indigo contour lines, and a well-worn black leather duster once worn by a proud agent of the Black Sun who turned away from a life of crime to take care of her Twins: Serena and Sol." He pulled a dusty leather coat and an oddly not dusty jumpsuit out as he narrated.

 

 

     Keenava’s eyes lit up at the design. "Pretty! I will gladly take those."

 

  • "These are the hilts of a pair of well-crafted vibroblades and dogtags that belonged to someone named ‘Arclight.’ They were found on the outskirts of a battle between the Allied and Axis powers. I forget which side he fought for, and which planet he came from, but he was a fierce warrior and friend. He jumped into the fire so that a few younglings could escape. The swords were gripped tightly in his scorched hands, indicating the importance they held."

 

     "I feel like these could be in a museum or something."

 

     "That’s actually not a bad idea."

 

  •   "Here is an old but functional A.I. unit and an old Golden Link security badge. Supposedly, the A.I. was taken by some notorious think tank organization, but they released the unit after they scrubbed all of their nefarious secrets from it. Now all that’s left is the personality and psyche of a very lonely program. The badge was held by her… brother? hard to say. He seemed like a lovable lug, but he joined the force like all of us do when it's our time.”

 

     "I might have some use for the A.I., but I think the badge deserves to be given back to the owner of the Golden Link."

 

  •    An old DLT-20 blaster rifle sat askew at the back of the box. It looked like it was over 30 years old. It had the letters B.W. engraved on the handle.
         "That was my old blaster back when I was a member of the Black Sun. Nowadays, I just stay on the fringes of history. You never know where life will take you."

 

     "I’ll pass on that. I’m more of a fighting with my fists type of gal. Either that or small arms. A blaster rifle isn’t really my style."

 

     “Suit yourself”

 

  •   "Heh, I forgot this was in here. It’s a ticket stub to a bare-knuckle boxing match featuring the ‘Maeve-n of destruction’ and ‘The Dess-troyer.’ Or Maeve and Dessi for short. I was a big fan of Maeve. She ended up getting severely hurt in one of her bouts and is now living as best she can on some core world. Heh.  They say she and Dessi are having a fun life."

 

     "I think I’ll pass on that too. I don’t fancy becoming a hoarder. But cool for them!"

 

  •   "Ooooh! What are those?" Keenava snagged her arm into the box and pulled out two light purple-colored crystals.

     
     "They’re a pair of lavender lightsaber crystals. I found these on the body of a beautiful young jedi somewhere on Corellia. She died in the battle but looked to be in a much happier place. Her lightsabers were obliterated somehow, but the crystals made it out relatively unscathed. I was going to give them back to the Jedi before I headed  out, so you can absolutely take them."

 

"Thank you; I’ll make sure to take good care of them."

 

"I know you will."

 

  • "This might hit you the wrong way, and I apologize. But this is a ring of key cards. They belonged to a slave compound. It was hit by the Jedi a while back; an Aira Cadan and Dashel Illioni if I remember correctly. The card that got the most use was the one for prisoner #00142’s cell. Supposedly, it was the cell of a little girl. But if that was the case, she either died a long time ago or the Jedi actually managed to get her out. I actually found these by accident when I was rummaging through debris. Maybe the warden’s body was thrown into the pile. Not sure."


    “Hard pass on that.”

    “Thought so.”

     

  • "This," the old man gestured to a brown loosely bound book with pages and leaflets sticking out everywhere, "is an old discarded sketchbook belonging to a young man that was almost a jedi. Instead, he chose to pursue more artistic endeavors. Who knows where his career is now? This may eventually be worth a pretty penny, but I’ve long forgotten the importance of money."


    "You forgot the importance of money, huh? That seems like a cop-out. You’re a scavver. Isn't money supposed to be your big motivator?"

    "I think you’re a little hypocritical to be throwing judgments around. But yes, it does sound confusing."

    "I think I’ll leave the book, though I do like his style... Wait! Is that... me?" Curious, Keenava opened to a page of a Twi’lek dressed in a dark robe with a look of pain and fury warring across her face. She removed the picture that was barely hanging on as it was and handed the book back to the man.

     

  • "This… You alright miss?"


Keenava’s eyes misted a little, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw it.
    "That belonged to the former Dark Lord, Darth Furion. He wore it around his wrist. It was dyed from his blood." The rosary was weathered and beaten, but the claws still hung to it. It still thrummed with a dark aura that was painfully familiar. "I think I’ll pass on that one. Also, you may want to put that back where you found it, or you’ll be a very unhappy person if he chooses to come back."

    "Yeah, that seems like a good idea."
 

  • "These are probably the most expensive items in my collection. Here is a beautiful silver/platinum necklace set with deep Ilum Amethysts once worn by the famous dancer, Esmernia Langarmie. The gems don't have any properties like other gems from Ilum, but they are incredibly well cut. It comes with a pair of soft black dancing shoes, and a really nice shimmering black dress. I managed to pick up this stuff after Club Azura was destroyed by the infamous Smash Daisaku and his band of chaotic miscreants. She tried to rebuild, but Naboo seems to be a magnet for trouble and the building was destroyed again. So, using her fortune—most of which was provided by many adoring fans—she constructed a club housed within a massive luxury yacht. A portion of the yacht is devoted to refugees, and most of her profits go to help them rebuild and find new homes after the recent tragedy. And, if you've ever seen her dance, you'd know she is truly stunning. Unfortunately she had to repurchase all of her outfits, so this one was left behind.”


    Keenava’s eyes went really big as she touched the silky fabric. Whoever this Esmernia lady was, she had amazing taste. "And you’re giving these to me for free?"

    "Like I said before, you matter and have mattered to me more than you know. The fact that these mementos are being passed on to you means more than their worth."

    "That sounds oddly cryptic. How am I supposed to trust you?"

    "Who says you’re supposed to trust me?"
 

    "Touché"
 

  • "Two weighted training bracers with small emeralds in them. They were worn by an exuberant and bright young woman. Though she wasn’t all there most of the time, she settled down with another, whose name I believe is that of a common Aerth bird. They are very happy, living blissfully unaware of the stress of the galaxy.”


    "I’ve never trained with weighted bracers before. could be fun." Keenava picked up the bracers and immediately dropped to the ground. “HOW HEAVY ARE THESE?”

    "They’re adjustable, actually. Here, lemme fix it." The man grabbed one of the bracers and placed his thumb on the emerald. He looked like he was deep in concentration. After a moment or two, he handed it back to Keenava. "It should be good now."
 

     Somehow, despite nothing really changing, the bracer felt lighter. "Weird."
 

  • "Here’s a piece of sandstone from Dordjooba’s palace. Granted, that palace has held many names and titles over the years, but Dordjooba had an immense love for it. He rebuilt it from the ground up and was devastated when the Black Sun destroyed it. But such is the life of a criminal kingpin. Territorial squabbles are commonplace. Some say the slug is still alive on his Yacht, whiling away his golden years. Others say he is lurking in the shadows to make his comeback, and still others say he bit the big one a while back. Either way, it's safe to say he won’t be entering the galaxy at large for a long time."


    "I’ll leave the rock, thanks. I knew Dordjooba–loosely. But I’d rather not hang onto a big chunk of sandstone."
 

  • "The banged-up green helmet of a set of Mandalorian armor. The inner electrics are all messed up, so it’s basically just a fancy bucket. They say this once belonged to a former Mandalore. He was ousted by a Mandalorian purist and then sat in the shadows of the Mandalorian people for quite some time. He tried to come back to the fight, but slowly returned to smithing. Heh. Sorry, I have a flair for the dramatic; it helps lighten things up. Vihk is actually a good friend. He’s over there repairing armor right now. He gave up fighting to be a Mandalorian when the Mandalorians began raiding Coruscant and joined with the Sith. He said he’d grown too tired to fight, but I think it's because he has a big heart.” The old man pointed to a massive, grizzled man with an intense look on his face. His arms were taut with exertion as he pounded dents out of a lovely piece of Ubese.


    "Shouldn’t he have his helmet?"

      "Bad memories."

      "That’s fair. I think I’ll leave that one with you if it's all the same."
 

  • "A hydrospanner engraved with the name ‘Locksley,’ and a small metal trinket that features the face of a clone trooper. If I knew who the poor chap was, I might’ve returned this, but all the guys look the same to me. The woman who lost these was actually found dead after the speeder she was working on exploded. It was a tragic accident, and she was clutching these close to her chest when it happened.”


    "Hey! I know him! He looks a lot different now, though. That’s Delta. He’s still around, I think, though I don’t know if I’d be able to get too close to him. He’s Sith, or was. I wonder what she meant to him. I think I’ll keep them, pocket Locksley, and return the trinket to Delta if I ever run into him."

 

  • "A bag of junk that that lovely Jawa left me just before you got here. He said his name is Cyrii, and he thought I was collecting trash before he dumped it in my lap and went on his way. I think he and his friends have a food cart somewhere and are trying to help with the recovery the best way they can."

     
"Yeah, I’ll pass on that. I might try some of that food though."

 

  • "A beskar medallion in the shape of an Apaloosa horse. This was held by the late Cythera Anora. She died in the Coruscant raid."


    "I think that also belongs in a museum. A lot of these sigils and crests would probably do well in their own exhibit."

 

  • "A pair of brown leather steel-toe boots. The boots go up to the knee and have an articulated knee joint. They are really good boots, but supposedly someone died in them, so they kind of have that taboo feeling over them. The owner of these boots apparently died at the hands of a mysterious dark force on Mon Calamari; it's hard to say whether her sacrifice was noble or foolish, but I suppose that’s for historians to decide."


    "I normally don’t go for boots because I like feeling the ground beneath my feet, but these boots look amazing! I’ll take those too!"
 

  • "Oh!" The old man reached into the box and palmed a lightsaber hilt. "I meant to return this to an old Cerean. He surrendered the blade a few planets ago, and I’ve been meaning to give it back to him."


    "Are you talking about Roene?"

    "Yeah, you know him?"

    "Kinda. He was in the medical tent last I saw him."

    "Yeah. He lost his connection to the force when he purified a massive anomaly on the planet Dathomir. He gets whispers of it from time to time, but he took it pretty hard."

 

  • "A pair of old mechanical prosthetic eyes. They were sold off by bandits after they were ripped out of a young Miraluka’s head. Luckily, that young woman is safe in the hands of the Jedi now, and they are keeping her away from anyone who’d do her harm."


    "These should probably go to the Jedi then. She may not want them back, but I would think it belongs with them."

     

     "Ah, Jedi don’t really do the worldly possessions thing. Well, most of them don’t." The man said, gazing at her pointedly.
 

     "I thought we weren’t judging people."
 

     "No, I meant it was ironic you were judging me given your background."
 

     "Fair."

 

 

  • "This here is a sigil of unknown affiliation. It was owned by a big Cathar woman who ran free on the fields of some border planet and has never looked back."


    "Pass"
 

     “Yeah, I kind of figured at this point.”
 

  • "Wait. What’s this? It looks like it goes around your head."

 

"That is an MP89 player, MC2310 Audio Master Headphones, and a silver necklace in the shape of a moon. They came together. And these simple possessions belonged to a young woman who sought help from the Jedi a while back. They eventually gave up on her, and she was forced to try and make ends meet on her own. She actually sold these to me to try and make some rent. I think she’s still on Nubia, trying to make things work.”

 

     "I don’t think that would work with me. I have ear nubs, not ears. It’s why I can’t wear earrings. Well, that, and my head tails are where my brain is."

      "Ah, funny you should mention, Audio Master actually made their headphones with a detachable audio mod that different aliens can use to find audio tools that fit them better."
 

     "Alright, I wouldn’t mind that then."

     

      "And, lastly, a deck of Sab–"

      "Hey! That’s my deck, Bill! Give that back!" Malin snapped as he appeared with his entourage in tow. He was irritated, but still managed a sidelong smile at Keenava before snatching the deck from the old man’s fingers. "I’ve been looking everywhere for those!"
 

Malin took a moment to shove his cards in his coat pocket then looked between the older man and Keenava. 

      “What’s going on here?”

 

The older man looked at Malin with an amused smile. 

      “I was giving this young lady a run of my scav stash, because I couldn’t sell anything.”

 

      "Well, while we’re in the business of giving things away, I've been meaning to give this to you, Keenava." Malin handed her a set of keys and activation codes. "It’s the keys to my ship. I heard you didn’t have one of your own. And, while I enjoyed the smuggler's life a bit, I’ve got to look after my cousin and this little anarchist." He said, running his hand over the small Togruta's head. "And, since I’m not on the run anymore, I can actually take a look at giving up mercenary work altogether. I owe it to my family to give this life thing a shot. And before you ask, I’m giving this to you because you’re the only other person I know here. Aside from Bill, of course, but he’s the one that gave me the ship. It would be silly to return it now when it has so much life left to give. Just watch out for the droid in the cargo bay!"

With a fond smile and a wave, the smuggler rounded up his young ward, his protocol droid, and his cousin—who Keenava just noticed was wheel-chair bound—and left the Twi’lek with her mouth agape.

After the grizzled gentleman packed up the rest of his crate, he sat there with one leg outstretched and a death stick hanging out of the corner of his mouth.

Keenava hefted a large bag of junk onto her back. She couldn’t really explain why she felt a connection to these items, but something about them was warm. They felt like old relics despite their mundane appearance.
 

She took a long look at the man, and her brow knit with curiosity. 

      "Who are you? And how do you know so much about these people? How do you know so much about me?"
 

The man smiled. It was a warm smile that made Keenava feel like reciprocating.

      “Let’s just say I’ve been around a very long time. I’m a caretaker of sorts. You take care of those. I hope they serve you well on your journey ahead.” 
 

She couldn't explain why she felt at peace with that explanation, because for all intents and purposes it didn't really make sense. A caretaker? But he just gave all of these things away. The man was an enigma. Keenava turned away to head back to Sandy, but paused to wave at the man because it felt like the right thing to do. But when she turned back, he was gone—

 

"—I'm not gone, I'm just a few feet away!" The man exclaimed with his crate over his shoulder. "Also, you asked what my name was before and I forgot to tell you. The name is William Natronus. Though, my friends usually called me Big Will. Now go catch up to Sandy."

 

Keenava had no idea what kind of head trip she was in, but she had nothing else to do, so she scampered off to rejoin Sandy with her new haul of stuff.

 

 

Keenava Two Suns.png

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On 12/4/2022 at 10:37 PM, Leena Kil said:

Leena’s smile broadened from a smirk into a full faced smile as she tried to suppress a joyful giggle. “Excellent!” She congratulated him. “In your victory, do not lose your focus;” she warned, “for victory can be snatched away from the unprepared in a moment. Focus on the crystal,” she coached raising her hand higher in the air until the crystal was held over their heads. “Keep the stone afloat AND alight, if you are able. Let the force flow through you. Let its will become your own.”

Basi took another deep breath and focused on his task. Yes he was able to put the trauma and terror and the darker feelings of the battle field behind him. It took effort but it wasn't anything he wasn't already trained for compartmentalizing burying tucking these emotions deep down where they'd never be dug up again by anyone. So yes he was able to rather quickly wrestle it back down and into its compartment.

 

The praise from his master had him beaming a bright smile, proud to be making her proud of him. Knowing that Leena was seeing his triumphs thus far just fueled him with a deeper desire to succeed further to make Master Leena more proud of him still

 

Following her words and her guidance....direction. He nods his head to her words and speaks softly. "Yes Master Leena, one should not lose focus because of one triumph. That is a rather quick way to lose the victory you fought to earn." Basi states softly and its at that point that he smiles and stretches his hand out.

 

Reaching out with the force yet again,  the Togruta's mind focused on the task. Closing his eyes at first he could feel the warmth and energy flowing through his fingers. He could feel the love and adoration of the people around him flowing into him and through him all of the positive feelings washing over him gives him a renewed vigor a sense of accomplishment a sense of helping those in need always filled him with pride.

 

Once Leena let go of the Crystal Basi stretched out more with the force. The crystal glowing brighter, Basi smiles and redoubled his efforts and the stone floats for a minute or two before falling Though still glowing.

 

"Damn so close....so very very close! I almost had it! Damn it." The Togrutan man grumbles looking at Leena he sighs looking rather disappointed.

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Leena could feel the warm healing energies as they radiated outward from the glowing crystal. The latticework of the stone transformed the raw force energy into a healing aura they enveloped them all. They rejuvenated her body and mind and she smiled. Her hand shot out just before the stone began to tumblr, catching it in her outstretched webbed hand. She opened her eyes as she tucked the stone back in the cloth bag and tucked it away with a smile, “Do not fret Basi, you did well for your first foray into an entirely new realm. When you are at peace, your mind is calmed and emptied of outside distractions, it is then that the force will come to you; when you allow it to guide your very actions, your very will. It is,” she began to explain as she slowly stood up gesturing for Basi to as well, “why the Jedi of yore placed an age restriction on new members of our order. It is a different world now and many of our order come to us with memories of lives they have left behind. Our memories, especially those we cannot revisit, can tend to haunt us; but still,” she mused as she paused for a moment, “they can have their uses too.” Leena began to walk alongside @Basi. “You were a military man were you not Basi?” She asked, well knowing the answer, emphasis on the word were indicating that her apprentice was going to be leaving that world behind to embrace the way of the Jedi. “The military can teach one many great things that are common to the Jedi,” she turned to look the Togruta over, “or the Sith.”

 

”Discipline. Responsibility. Training. Passion. Leave no man behind. Kill or be killed. Righteous fury. The art of war. Combat.” She ticked through a list she had observed in her times amongst the soldiers of the Rebellion. The same blood flowed through each of their veins, a sacred brotherhood. “Some of these will help make you a great Jedi. Some, my apprentice, can give the darkness a path to draw you in. Be aware of it. Watch for it when your emotions surge to the forefront of your mind. Be mindful when you seek to act not on instinct, but on the training you have received in the military. No matter how righteous or right you may feel, base yourself in the truth. Clear your mind. You’re a Jedi now not a soldier. I will expect you to act as such. Ponder these words and when we are on Fallen stick close by Master @Sandy Sarna and myself. See if you can reconcile your past as a military pilot and the Jedi abd where they must be pruned and where they can grow in tandem.” Distancing themselves from wandering ears, Leena continued to walk alongside Basi toward a wooded hillside, the landing pads in sight in the distance. “Tell me of your training, of combat, if you are able. As a fighter pilot did you study the ancient arts of war? Of katas and fighting styles? Martial arts? Of different weapon systems? I do not wish to delve into memories of pain and suffering. If I do, please accept my apologies and know it is not my intent. Those are things we will address as we train. You brought the saber of your guiding angel have you not?”

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40 minutes ago, Leena Kil said:

Leena could feel the warm healing energies as they radiated outward from the glowing crystal. The latticework of the stone transformed the raw force energy into a healing aura they enveloped them all. They rejuvenated her body and mind and she smiled. Her hand shot out just before the stone began to tumblr, catching it in her outstretched webbed hand. She opened her eyes as she tucked the stone back in the cloth bag and tucked it away with a smile, “Do not fret Basi, you did well for your first foray into an entirely new realm. When you are at peace, your mind is calmed and emptied of outside distractions, it is then that the force will come to you; when you allow it to guide your very actions, your very will. It is,” she began to explain as she slowly stood up gesturing for Basi to as well, “why the Jedi of yore placed an age restriction on new members of our order. It is a different world now and many of our order come to us with memories of lives they have left behind. Our memories, especially those we cannot revisit, can tend to haunt us; but still,” she mused as she paused for a moment, “they can have their uses too.” Leena began to walk alongside @Basi. “You were a military man were you not Basi?” She asked, well knowing the answer, emphasis on the word were indicating that her apprentice was going to be leaving that world behind to embrace the way of the Jedi. “The military can teach one many great things that are common to the Jedi,” she turned to look the Togruta over, “or the Sith.”

 

”Discipline. Responsibility. Training. Passion. Leave no man behind. Kill or be killed. Righteous fury. The art of war. Combat.” She ticked through a list she had observed in her times amongst the soldiers of the Rebellion. The same blood flowed through each of their veins, a sacred brotherhood. “Some of these will help make you a great Jedi. Some, my apprentice, can give the darkness a path to draw you in. Be aware of it. Watch for it when your emotions surge to the forefront of your mind. Be mindful when you seek to act not on instinct, but on the training you have received in the military. No matter how righteous or right you may feel, base yourself in the truth. Clear your mind. You’re a Jedi now not a soldier. I will expect you to act as such. Ponder these words and when we are on Fallen stick close by Master @Sandy Sarna and myself. See if you can reconcile your past as a military pilot and the Jedi abd where they must be pruned and where they can grow in tandem.” Distancing themselves from wandering ears, Leena continued to walk alongside Basi toward a wooded hillside, the landing pads in sight in the distance. “Tell me of your training, of combat, if you are able. As a fighter pilot did you study the ancient arts of war? Of katas and fighting styles? Martial arts? Of different weapon systems? I do not wish to delve into memories of pain and suffering. If I do, please accept my apologies and know it is not my intent. Those are things we will address as we train. You brought the saber of your guiding angel have you not?”

Basi nods his head and rises with Leena his mind only on the lesson being taught and the next task to perform. "I am not fretting Master Leena, I figured that I wouldn't be successful at everything the first attempt at it. It was more frustration at myself for letting my excitement distract me from my task and concentration, I should know better by now." The Togruta chuckles to himself while still listening to the wisdom his Master has to offer. "Peace and a clear mind allows one to connect to the force and for the force to flow through and use one as a conduit, but silencing the voices of ones past, healing the mind and the soul from things one wishes they could unsee, and desires nothing more than to take back actions they wish they can undo, is easier said than done. But that's  not to say it's impossible the first step is desire and willingness to learn how to let go and embrace a new life, a new world." Basi says thoughtfully as his hands go behind his back clasping as if in parade rest while theyre walking. His eyes show clearly the pain and trauma he's seen and the horrors he'd witnessed yet there was a light a calmness there as if he'd made peace with those sins already perhaps long ago even.

 

Leena's question gets a raised brow as he nods his lekku twitch slightly in confusion until she finishes the explanation. "Aye I was a Military man, kill or be killed was common, righteous fury more common still. Discipline was a must comeraderie, no one gets left behind everyone comes home alive or dead. The art of war and the science of strategy but of course combat too. See so many others were more taken with the fighting and taking down the enemy. Not me, no no i was into the psychological, and spiritual aspect of things. Healing the mind and soul, bridging the gap between us and the enemy, finding common ground to try and bond over to maybe stop the senseless violence and blood shed. And of course as a medic patching up anyone friend or foe who wound up in my vicinity." The Togrutan apprentice states to his master his words holding sincerity truth and conviction before moving on to the next portion. "Aye but it's not just the military. Any job that one has where power and authority over people can lead to life or death, wealth or poverty, sickness or health, freedom or incarceration all can teach lessons that would be beneficial for both the Jedi and the Sith, for Light and Dark must both exist we can't have one without the other yes?  But a light beacon will guide one through the darkness if one follows it." The apprentice follows his master thinking over his next words before speaking. "You have my word Master Leena, I will stick beside you and Master Sarna while on Falleen. I can promise you i will be mindful of the darkness that may come from my old life, but i promise you this i will not give into emotion. I will not think like a soldier again...as you say I'm a Jedi now no longer military."

 

The question of his martial training has him smiling and he's all to happy to speak on what he can. He does however slow his pace briefly. "As a combat pilot no, i was not taught all of that, though in truth most of that is not needed when fighting in and from an X-Wing yea? However growing up i was tought the martial ways, katas, and weapons common to the Togruta for generations, my father a warrior and hunter my mother a warrior and politician so I did gain a love for the beauty, peace and tranquility that comes with the martial arts." Basi says softly, calmly and truthfully rather serenely the question about the saber has him pull his jacket aside revealing the damaged saber behind his blaster. "Aye I have it on me is that of importance now? Should I not?" The Togruta asks with concern in his voice had he done something wrong? He just didn't want to leave the saber behind where something might happen to it.

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Leena stopped walking. She smiled as her new apprentice regurgitated back her own words with his own interpretation. When he spoke about his military career in brief she nodded. Extending her hand as @Basi revealed the weapon, she waited for him to hand it to her. Taking the broken hilt in hand, Leena turned it over looking at it. It was clearly broken; but it would still do.
 

Stepping back from Basi she spoke as she settled into a solid fighting stance notable from Form I, the blade held ready at her waist. “The Jedi too have an entire culture of combat. The beauty of the blade, the Dulon, regimens, katas, and velocities, all of it. While my study of the way of the blade is limited, I will show you the basics of the first and most ancient forms of lightsaber combat, The Way of the Sarlacc.” Leena began to step her way through the different wild and raw sweeps to the different body zones, explaining them each as she moved, her face serious as she worked her way through the entire basic regiment of Shii-cho. “If your father and mother taught you the ancient ways of combat from your people, I would guess that it has similarities to the basics of many other martial arts, even that of the first Jedi. Sticks evolved into swords and clubs, bladed instruments that continued to evolve within the societies they were a part of until finally the lightsaber was born. Like the ancient sarlacc spawned across ten thousand worlds, the origins of Shii-Cho are shrouded in mystery. What is not are the zones of attack, basic blocks, sweeping blade movements to parry and disarm a multitude of opponents,” Leena slowed as she spun the hilt around to hand it back to Basi. “I’ve patched up enough coffin jockeys in my time to know you each have some weird rituals,” she teased with a glimmer in her eye using the term for TIE pilots. “Every time you’ve gotta climb the ladder left foot first or kiss a picture of your girl before going into combat or surgery. From the simple to complex every one of you has got something. So too is it with the Jedi. I am most at home in the chaos of the infirmary. Others in silent meditation hovering high in the air by none but the will of the force. And still others,” Leena placed a knowing hand on Basi’s shoulder, “practicing the ancient arts of battle, of martial prowess.”

 

”I wonder if that may be true of you too Basi.” Leena smiled as she stepped back, gesturing forward. “You try. Work your way through the velocities, focus first on your form. Try to copy what I have shown you. I may not have a saber with me right now, but I will work through it beside you with my bare hands. Let the force guide your movements. Focus on moving, putting all else from your mind. I will be here with you.”

 

Leena settled into a similar fighting stance, her hands held loose and ready in front of her. She inhaled deeply letting the force wash over him. She let it wash across her heart and soul, inhaling. Exhaling she projected the force in a shimmering aura about she and her apprentice connecting her to him, allowing calming energies to flow between them and the purity of the light to empower them, banishing fatigue and invigorating them with fresh pure energy.

 

And then, they began. Leena would work alongside Basi until he stopped or they were interrupted.

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Basi Listened and indeed handed over the hilt to @Leena Kil. His eyes on her every last move and gesture. Nodding his head as she spoke about Katas and the beauty of martial ways and the way of the blade in particular. Watching in awe as Leena went through the sweeping movements and the like. "Yes the blade is a beautiful and dangerous thing. The movements elegant and potentially lethal. Though when used to channel you're energies a most effective way to calm the mind." Basi says with a smile reminiscing while still observing and paying attention.

 

The Togruta laughs at the mention of weird rituals and keeping them he nods though he makes no mention of if he had one or not and what it may or may not be. Though the mention of taking comfort in practicing the martial skills he  nods his head. "You're right master most ancient martial arts are the same or at the very least have a common background. Ours isnt so different from the Sarlacc." Basi says with a nod of his head as he takes the saber hilt back. "Ours just goes with a more high guard style!" He says excitedly before taking a breath calming and centering himself he let's go and the Togruta let's the force guide his movements the best he can. He starts to mimick the low guard Leena showed him but his right hand brings that hilt up over his head angled sideways as his body turns to face the direction of the /tip/ of the blade. Slowly he does his best to mimic her movements getting most of them accurate or relatively close to it always returning to that high guard. 

 

Basi can feel the connection his master forged with him. And through that she can feel just how calm, focused and clear his mind is. That if nothing else this...this was his place of balance and calm...his Zen as it were.

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There was something inherently off putting about the Miraluka. It was not some irritation or disgust, but the certain reality of not being able to see where their gaze landed, which gave them that special air of superiority that their kind were well known for. Most had been enticed into the arms of the Jedi order, their number remaining very small and their enclaves shrinking all the more as time finished the job the Sith had tried to accomplish four thousand years before. The rigours and expense of jedi life draining away potential that could have been used to save a species all the more in need of refreshment. How one had been enticed into the arms of the Imperial Remnant, Namari would never know. Perhaps it was a sign of that great schism that had taken place at the resurgence of the Sith on the outer rim, where many Jedi had left the order to follow Raven Zinthos in her personal crusade. 

 

The age was right, maybe she had been an apprentice at the time? Namari could not tell, but she could feel a gladness in her own heart at the sign of one of the great Jedi aligned species of the galaxy wearing the colours of the Remnant. It spoke both to the vitality of the new Knightly order, and the bitter stagnation of the old. High towers of ivory had tumbled and fallen, both on Naboo and in the Jedi Enclaves. Where now were the heroes of peace? Her heart yearned for the long series of holoshorts she had consumed in her young childhood. Names she had memorized in the diplomatic training. 

 

Where now lay the grave of Trevelian? Of Starlisk and Raikanda? Buried in the ruins of their fallen temple. Their ashes joining those countless trillions as Hesperidium fell. Where now the great ladies of the Jedi? Xae-Lin, Jaina Jade, and Skye? Lost in the storms of Onderon as the hopes of the Galactic Alliance fell around them. Other names also came over her as her memories filtered through long forgotten memories-

 

The Queen blinked as the Miraluka spoke to her. She could feel a blush rise quickly to her pale cheeks and she grinned shyly. There was nothing to be lost in speaking openly. 

 

“I am afraid there will be a lot of work ahead of us all before my people can consider themselves free. Many lessons to be learned, and a strong hand to guide them. I fear I might not have such a will to see it through.”

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Queen Namari of the Naboo

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If Mon Cal could sweat, Leena would have worked up a glistening dampness as she moved through the moves, her empty hands moving fluidly with all the precision of a surgeon as her webbed palms sliced through the air. The force buzzed around them with a calm electric tingle, all but the moment was put off. Naught mattered but completing the flow of the kata. Leena’s mind was empty save for the flow of her body and the force. Subconsciously she could feel @Basi’s mind and movements beside her as he flowed almost seamlessly through the flow, his mind at ease.

 

As she returned to center and the flow came to an end, Leena exhaled in relaxation. While such things were less meditative for her, she understood how and why it was for so many, the flow of body, blade, and spirit synced and unified as one, in the moment. It was the Jedi way; however . . .

 

Leena turned to Basi, “It seems we may have found a way for you to connect to the force my apprentice. This is most excellent.” Her voice was pleasant, but her face seemed troubled. She sighed, “You are new to the ways of the Jedi Basi. For the time being, you must adhere to the teachings of we who have gone before you. When you have mastered the basics, you may delve into the unknowns, adding your own flair to each. Perhaps someday you will even develop a new form of lightsaber combat or discover a new way by which the force flows through the world around us. To seek too quickly, to lust for the easiest and quickest path to power has led to the destruction of countless beings, Jedi and not alike. Recall the tale of The Silver Jedi. They were some of the purest adherents to the Jedi way and yet in their desire to do good, to purge the evils of the dark side, they sought greatness not for themselves but their cause and unwittingly loosed a scourge on the galaxy greater than all they sought to defeat at the expense of their own mortality.” Leena began to walk as she spoke, placing a hand on Basi’s shoulder. “Follow the katas of Shii-Cho exactly and when you have mastered the forms and philosophies of the saber, you will understand and then you can seek to combine them fluidly with the ways of your past.” She did not need to mention the weightlessness and danger presented by fighting with a saber. Wether activated or not, such a deadly weapon was imbalanced and required fluid knowledge and even greater understanding of one’s body, the galaxy and their place in it within the force. While not adhering to the teachings of the ancient Jedi on how to hold one’s saber may not directly lead one down a path of darkness, it was but the first step down a dark path. To disregard the ancient knowledge with one the practitioner thought easier or more convenient was to elevate one’s self above others. “More practically, you don’t wanna slice off your toes.” She smiled warmly as an end cap to her lesson as she ran her hand over the man’s back in comfort.

 

They arrived back where the hustle and bustle of the loading area was underway. Always something going on. Leena looked about. “I do not sense Master Sarna ( @Sandy Sarna ). I wonder what could be keeping her?” She shrugged. “As a more practical lesson,” she chuckled, “Go find her and let her know we are ready to depart. Clear your mind of any doubts. Reach out, feel the world about you. See without your eyes, perhaps she has gotten lost. When your mind is empty, like in the katas, you will feel what you need in the world about you, like the stone.” Ceasing her mystic musings, Leena chuckled. “Or you can do what I do as a sage Jedi Master. Ask somebody that might know.”

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The datapad laid out the bulk of the mission details and was surprisingly in depth with its functional knowledge of Falleen. Most of the information likely had been plundered from the minds of the Sith Survivors over Nar Shaddaa by enterprising Imperial interrogators who were eagre to find anything and everything that could teach them the fate of their beloved Empress. And though the Falleen cultists had been scarce in knowledge about the Empress, they had spilled a hundred thousand and one tales about what had been occurring on their homeworld. Cultish devotions to the dark side and some manifestation they called the “Fanged god.” Enslavement, rape, ritual sacrefice, and a complete mind control program that had washed over the population of Falleen, snaring everyone they could grasp in the name of the Sith. The world had become a demon’s plaything, and there was naught to do, at least according to the interrogators’ notes, but wipe the slate clean and start again. 

 

The planet had been built in the image of its masters, its priceless native culture plowed over and replaced with vile sorcery and a death cult. Its scenery and foliage hacked down and replaced with thousands of miles of trenches, fortifications, and artillery emplacements. Its pristine skies turned into a shipyards that stripmined moons to crusted bare rock. 

 

Sandy could feel the pique of anger flare up behind her eyes as she read on, letting the stories and reports wash across her consciousness until she was too disgusted to keep reading. She took a deep breath, then another, and let the bitter anger drain away from her. She wiped at a tear with the back of her wrist, then took another steadying breath. It would take such strength to survive the coming days, and in the back of her mind somewhere she wished that Aidan was there to walk beside her into this mission. He had always been her cornerstone, for almost a decade she had kept his sly grin as the secret memory to cherish. A source to draw hope from in the darkest moments of a bitter night. But now that too was gone, and though hope was far more prevalent in the galaxy with the passing of the Sith Empire. The loss still felt as sharp as a knife. She took another breath and drew on the force to steady herself. 

 

It was time to go. 

 

She tucked the datapad away, and took the short walk to the shuttle, a small satchel of clothes, equipment, and medical supplies her only possession for the moment. The plastoid armour segments of her 98th Caridian Infantry regiment uniform also tucked into the bag, giving it most of its bulk. She tossed it into the small gargo bay on the shuttle and gave Leena and her apprentice an unconvincing grin. She gave Keenava the same smile. And gestured to her to put her own satchel in the bay. 

 

“It is going to be a long ride, taking civilian routes all the way in. Lightsabers hidden best you can. It’s not likely going to be an easy time, come what may. But I wouldn't have anyone else beside me.” 

 

The engines fired up with a roar that cut off anything else she may have wished to say. 

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Calix Meus Inebrians

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=- Transmission for Queen Nemari -=

     First of all, your majesty, I would like to offer my deepest sympathies. As someone who has had to rebuild my entire business and home several times now, I can only imagine what you’re feeling right now. 

 

     That being said, I had arranged a contingency for just such an occasion. The Ohma-Rune - a refitted Mon Calamari Star Cruiser - is open to you or any refugees needing shelter. It features many amenities and luxuries including a ballroom where I help generate funds for the relief effort. If you ever find yourself or any more of our people in need of support or a place to call home, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I will send a shuttle.  

 

Stay safe.

 

Esmernia Langarmie

=- Transmission for Queen Nemari -=

Edited by Esmernia Langarmie

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[For information on Vihk 'Ordo' Ahzinger, there is a link at the bottom of my character sheet]

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