Mon Calamari/Dac

[Dashel Illioni]

Dashel savored the last morsel of his meal. He was comfortably full and wanted nothing more than to enjoy a relaxing conversation. He was hit by two, wildly different stimuli at the same time, literally stunned immoblile for several seconds while his mind raced to reconcile what was happening to him.

 

His mind was assaulted by the death of the tens of thousands of the crewers onboard the vessels destroyed at Mimban to which Kira had been linked through her Battle Meditation. The result was a cacaphony of minds touching his in their last moments, many desperate enough to reach out to loved ones or cry their need for vengeance in those last desperate seconds. Some minds possessed more clarity and it was from them that Dashel felt himself take two individual steps in gaining more knowledge of the force.

 

An unknown Jedi, her face a brief reddish blur, had been leading one of the fighter squadrons at Mimban. She was caught in the explosion of one of the MC-90's. It was her wish to pass on her knowledge of the Form VII style that enabled Dashel to grasp it in its entirety. He knows instinctively that while he has the knowledge, he is not a master of the form. It will take him a great deal of practice to Master it alone, but with time he could do it.

 

Dashel touch other minds, his subconscious storing them for the future and sparing Dashel the worst of their pain. One last time he reached out and seized upon something that was at the battle but was not a part of either the Sith or Alliance. It was the force, but in a manner that was complete unknown to him. Something observed the low difficulty of that, considering he was a Padawan.

 

The Padawan mentally reached out for this new aspect of the force and immediately that he was completely in over his head. Life energy, pure and wonderful passed through him and left with him the instinct of how it was to be used in the healing of others. Like the Form VII technique, it would require much dillegance on his part, but it would require it over a greater period of time. That time would likely be measured in generations, but it would eventually come. He now knew he had the ability to heal almost anything only limited by his faith in the force.

 

It was then that he realized that something was being shouted out of the loudspeakers in the area: "Attention all Alliance personnel, report to your duty stations immediately."

 

The voice was quick yet calmed. Turning on a viewer nearby, Sahv and Dashel could see what had happened. Apparently an Imperial fleet had appeared and left suddenly.

 

Dashel turned to Sahv, his eyes haunted by what had just happened to him. That quickly turned to the predator's stare that Sahv had witnessed earlier.

 

"Sahv, I know where those ships are going. We are faced with a choice. One is to go to Mimban and try to rescue any Jedi stranded on that planet when the Battlefleet sent there was destroyed." Dashel paused, barely thinking enough to proceed.

 

"As to where those ships went, I will not say here for among is one whose ears go directly to the Empire. Suffice it to say, you would have to trust me to know where they are going. I will say this. those ships are going to attack my master and I intend to go to her whether we take a brief stop at Mimban or not."

[Dashel Illioni]

<>

1. Apology accepted.

2. I apologize for posting too quickly.

<>

 

"I am sorry Master Starspanker, but I cannot accept your offer. My Master is in trouble and my personal freighter is but a short walk from here. I must go to her."

 

Dashel held up a hand to ward off further comments. "She has sent me a com personally requesting my presence at her side. She did not say if you were to come or not, that is between you and her."

 

He paused, turned, and addressed Sahv. "I believe that this is one of those times that Jedi must put aside their personal preferences and do their duty. Your master has ordered you to go with him and you must. May the force go with you and with its blessing, we will see each other again. Good journey my friend."

 

The padawan turned and stalked out of their restraunt. His being radiated purpose. Between that and the claws he had unsheathed, beings of all sorts avoided him as he padded towards his ship bay. Except for a pair of wookies obviously working for the Republic. Even as focussed as he was, Dashel wisely avoided upsetting them as he liked his arms firmly attached to his body.

 

Kala was standing guard outside the Ti when he entered the cargo bay. Even Jedi hunting assassin droids know when it is appropriate to crack a joke, and when it is time to move without being told. Her only comment was, "Right, I'll get the ship ready for departure."

 

Seven minutes later Dashel was in contact with Departure Control attempting to get clearance to leave the planet. Due to the planet wide lockdown following the Imperial appearance, all ship unofficial ship traffic in and out of the system was being restricted to military and official vessels only. His unsheathed claws tapped twice on the com board. By the second tap, the port official was stammering his apologies and ordering a clear path for the small freighter rising from the planet's surface.

 

Dashel turned to Kala and remarked without a trace of humor, "Being the padawan to the Chief of State for the Alliance has its rewards. By the way , where is that fuss budget's tower anyway?"

 

Kala simply displayed a schematic of the port and the tower that had attempted to keep him confined to planet. He broke from his orbital insertion path long enough to haul his YT-2450 within fifty feet or so of the tower. Maybe the move was a bit maverick, even petty, but it helped him focus on the multiple tasks ahead of him. He redlined the engines all the way to the point where his astromech beeped it had computed his hyperspace course. He pulled pack the appropriate levers and leaped out of the system in a flash of psuedomotion.

 

<>

Guys, will gladly edit post to include you in journey should you decide to come along.

<>

[Dashel Illioni]

Dashel prepared to closely observe his padadawans aas they dueled. Knowing that his physical senses were not enough, Dashel entered the force to comforting sound of the Jedi code. It immediately became clear to him that his Sight had improved. The room still appeared fogged in, but his Padawans were now featureless silver humanoids. It took a moment for him to realize that with immense effort, details in the backround and on the Padawans would resolve themselves. He also knew that the amount of effort could be reduced through practice.

 

"So how do I concentrate on everything at once?" fluttered through his mind." He resolved to ask Cypher about it, then changed his mind when he sensed the fear eminating form both his Padawans.

 

He allowed the fight to progress while he meditated on a course of action. By doing so, he was able to catch additional but brief images of the form and depth of those fears. He probed each one, and sat back to decide how to deal with it before making a decision. The force aided hi by showing him multiple possibilities for the future. He examined each, then chose to go where he saw himself most often.

 

Thumbing a well worn comm switch, he spoke to Kala whom was busy navigating the space above Mon Calamari. "Break patern and haead to Anchorhead, Planet Tatoine."

 

Lifting a hand, he used the force to seperate both his Padawans, pushing them to opposite corners fo the hold. he rose and stepped between them and waited until both had stopped struggling.

 

He lifted a hand to silence their outbursts.

 

Pointing to the weapon i Odan's hands, he calmly said, "That weapon may have served for your initial training, but its time you began thinking about your own signature weapon." He continued, "Go to the ship's database and search through the record's regarding lightsaber construction. You might want to specifically surch for references on Master Odan Urr, the creator of the great jedi library of Ossus."

 

As Odan turned and began walking away, Dashel called out to him,"Pick the components you want to use for it, select a style and color and bring it all to me. I will then assemble it for you while you watch."

 

((ooc)) The next saber we will do together, than the third you will do on your own.

 

Dashel turned his head towards Cypher. "You and I will discuss your heritage on the way towards Tatooine. There you will demonstrate to myour ability to face and accept the darkness I sense within you and that runs within your bloodline."

 

He again held up his hand to forestall any complaints or negative feelings.

"I know you have heard that before, but understand the Jedi view of this. Master Luke Skywalker only served at the former Emperor's side and felt the corruption of the Darkside after being taught by the greatest Jedi master ever."

 

He searched his Padawan's feelings with the force, seeing if there was any trace of resentment over the pronouncement. "If I am satisfied with your progress after Tatooine, I will assist you in building a lightsaber of your own. Now, you have two things to prepare for. I suggest you use your time wisely before Tatooine to do so."

[Dashel Illioni]

((ooc)) my last post here Onderin. Padawans, please go to tatooine thread.

 

((ic)) the comm message from Lady Armenia was short, but none the less welcome news to the Jedi Knight. After seeing the Sith in their war machines he decided he wanted to research if the Jedi could master the same technology. He recognized Knight Armenia's knowledge as a step in a large plan. he picked up a stylus and an electronic pad and wrote a quick communique.

 

"Knight Armenia I will met you on Ilum after transporting my Padawans to Tatooine to deal with the situation involving the archeoligical team recently taken prisoner by some sandpeople there. Until then."

 

He had finished the short communique and was perfomring a systems check when his Padawans called to him fromm the Sunday's tech bay. Odan had layed out the parts and technical specifications of his lightsaber on one bench while Cypher had already arranged his parts the way they would be assembled.

 

Dashel examined the pieces and nodded to his apprentice. "Good," was al he said be he pivoted and walked towards Odan's bench. As he began inspecting Odan's crystal, he said over his houlder, "I will quide you as neccessary thorug the force, but for this saber and its twin, you will do the physical work.

 

One by one, Dashel examined the parts and specifications laid out for him by Onan. "You have made some interesting choices. The most famous modern user of curved lightsaber handles was Count Dooku. Even more interesting is the cyrstal you have chosen. While red means liitle save the crystal is an artificial one, too man it represents the Sith Order.

 

He turned towards Cypher , "The next time you assemble a lgihtsaber, it will be on your own, with only the force to guide you. This blade is the middle point o fyour time as a Padawan.

 

Dashel turned back towards Odan. "Watch as I assemble this blade. You will do this on your own one day if you hope to ever advance to the trials."

 

As his hands, guided by the force began assembling the pieces of Odan's saber, Dashel began a short lecture to his Padawans'. "Trust is central to the Jedi code. If you ever feel the need to keep a secret from someone of the order, the need had better be great."

 

He paused to concentrate on a connection made difficult by the saber's curved design before continuing. "Both of you have unique connections to the history of the Jedi order. You, Odan, are distantly related to a master Odan Urr, whose greatest achievement was the founding of the Jedi library at Ossus. His journey beyond your peoples predatory instincts has been used in the past to illuminate the path for those Jedi dealing with particularly stubborn issues. It seems you carry some of his same fears withing you. We will deal with these fears prompltly so as not to impede your effort to become a Jedi."

 

A quick glance at the plans Odan had seleted resulted in him undoing a connection that had gone flawlessly so that he could resolder it to the correct post. "You, Cypher Skywalker, according the Jedi databases are distantly related in some way to the same genetic family that produced the Solo and Skywalker Jedi clans. How, the temple will not tell me. They did give me some hints as to how to test you. We will begin on Tatooine. As a matter of fact, the Black Sunday should just now be making its jump to light spped for Tatooine."

 

For a while, the only sounds int he room where the sounds of microwelders and other tools being worked. Eventually, Dashel completed Odans first Saber assembled. He moved from the bench to visually check how Cypher was progressing.

 

As he had seen through the force, Cypher had made good prgoress withis his saber hardly needing Dashel's guidance at all. A few minor suggestions to adjust one or two components was all he felt neccessary. When Cypher came to the mount of the primary focussing crystal, Dashel follwoed his every movement along the way.

 

Once both projects were completed, Dashel assigned his padawans some basic exercises to help the two become accustomed to their swords before their first mission on Tatooine.

[Dashel Illioni]

Dear Ianauria,

 

Thank you for the newest care package you sent. The photos and videos of you and the children are especially heartwarming as I sit here in the lounge of my quarters here in orbit around Dac. Its hard to look down at the planet below and not feel the loss and sacrifice of so many Mon Cal and Quarren families in the aftermath of the Sith attack on their home.

 

I want to be there with you and our children and everyone else on Palowar. Unfortunately, the Force and the Order seem to have other ideas of where I need to be. There are moments when be a Jedi, when it means being separated from loved ones, becomes almost too much to bear.

 

The children seem to be larger in every video. Your right, their growing at an incredible rate. They are going to be a handful when they get older if their current antics are any indication. My regret is not being able to see them in the near term.

 

By now you know much of what happened at the Kashyyk Council.Our new Grand Master wants to share and has a pure vision of the Jedi that seems almost a throwback into another age. I find it invigorating and hope that a similar invigoration can spread to the rest of the order. We sorely need the hope to flow through the order again.

 

I have been, along with Knight Roene, assigned to restoring the planets of Dathomir, Mon Calamari (Dac) and Bothawai. As of yet, I have not had any response from the Bothawai. After consulting with Knight Roene and receiving replies from both Mon Calamari and and Bothawai, we decided to star with those two planets. Rhoene is proceeding to Dathomir while I have arrived at Mon Cal.

 

The attitude of the Mon Cal toward their former homeworld defies explanation. You’d think they want to restore their their planet to a similar or better state condition then previous to the Sith attack. No, instead both species, in their media, culture and popular opinion seem to see their former homeworld as a laboratory of sorts, a frontier world whose alien environment and ruined infrastructure presents a chance to prove themselves to some idea of pioneering spirit.

 

I guess both species adopted to their exile with speed. I am not even sure why this attitude developed. Most cultures would have jumped at the chance to restore their homeworld. This attitude is definitely something unexpected. My intent is to try and trace where the attitude came from. It feels odd to say, but it feels right yet it needs to be closely looked at.

 

When I met with the leaders of the three colonies that resulted from the Sith attack, they informed us of a series of scientific stations already established on the planets surface to monitor how the eco system adapts and a colony of mixed Quarrens and Mon Cal already established and thriving on the planet’s surface. I have an open invitation to visit both and intend to do so in the near future.

 

Everyone is very interested in restoring the shipyard to full functionality as a symbol of their resilience and dedication to the greater galaxy. The disagreement is how to populate those shipyards when somany went missing during their exodus. Most agree that the shipyards need to manned by a majority that includes both species, but there isn’t enough left to maintain their colonies and man the shipyards.

 

Various proposals have ben raised, voted on, and defeated. Those proposals have ranged from hiring temporary workers, to chosing to harvesting genetic samples and creating a new generation of vat raised, genetically created re-population effort among a combination of genetic techniques and cloning knowledge in the form of personality templates and hastened growth.

 

Something we learned about the hard way during the clone wars to our own sadness yet it seems a very popular choice among the leaders, populace and media. They are currently negotiating on a bill to this very end which hope to have ready for the general populace to vote on within a couple of months.

 

A major sticking point of the proposal is compliance. They trying to find a way to get every colonist to cooperate and aid in the harvesting of the necessary genetic material. Seems there is some trepidation among the male population because a non-risky surgery is necessary. I have yet to examine the details. Maybe you have some insight that will help me without me getting bogged down in research.

 

Another point that was raised if the technique works, why not use it to populate their colony worlds faster and thus enable multiple large populations of the species so that the devastation of their species not be as likely as before. The more moderate voices want to enact the restoration of the shipyards are successful in stages on their new homeworlds in stages, 1st building infrastructure, services and agencies necessary to process and handle the influx of new individuals.

 

Almost no opposition off any sort exists to the theoretical plan, I will admit, the idea terrifies me more than a little built as a healer and a Jedi. I meet later today with the group of scientist leading the examination of the proposal.

 

Last there are a few remaining holdouts of the Mon Cal upper class that want their coporations fully restored along with the wealth, privilidge, and position that brings them. Every species has a few and even in what remains in a time of crisis they reveal themselves.

 

That meeting is scheduled for tomorrow as it seems the colonial legislature voted to seize the assets of the remaining wealthy before I got here. I was unable to persuade them to change this course of action. I am going along tomorrow to ensure a peaceful resolution and that no acts of vengeance, vendettas, and envy for while the behavior of the Mon Cal and Quarren wealthy remain worlds above the equivalent in so many species, there still exists problems.

 

So, how go your efforts in Palowar? Your last letter seemed to indicate some problem, yet our video chat and this latest packet of data crystals did not mention it.

 

My love to you,

 

Dashel

[Dashel Illioni]

Hey Tiana,

 

Sis, you wouldn’t believe the weekend I’ve had. It started out in the normal way, with students returning to classes after a long weekend. They griped and groaned in the usual ways and I got a couple of creative excuses as to why some of them didn’t complete their papers on the differences between the governments of the Imperial Remnant and the Galactic Aliance.

 

Of course, none of their excuses held air. Mom was right all those years ago. Students never change, only the time and place of their education.

 

Speaking of mom and dad, have you heard how they are doing on their new home on Old Dac? I know they were anxious to return, even if they can ever go back to our families old homestead since it was located near where the Sith’s first strike landed. Her last letter said they were going to be cut off from communication for a couple of weeks. Its been a month longer than they said it would be and I am very very worried. Have talked to more than a few people in the government and one extraordinary not in the government and yet, no one whom should know is saying anything.

 

Anyway, my last class on Monday, my Ensign Keth called my principal to see if he could arranage a visit to my classroom on Friday. Principal Meggs agreed, and proposed a coupled of special lessons on what its like to serve In the SDF as a navy pilot and the kind of questions that could be asked and how they should be asked.

 

You can imagine the questions that they wanted to task and how much work it took to get them ready for their visit. Four days, ten classes each day and you know how big my classes are these days, by Thursday, I was more tired than during our internships on the refugee ships.

 

So Thursday arrived. The kids were bouncing in their seats when Meggs stops by to remind my class to behave. After he left, my students were angrily quiet. I took a chance and asked them why. Little Delia, smallest child in the school and special in her own right stood up and said, “We’ve practiced and practiced and practiced, why does he think he needs to tell us to be good when the Jedi is here?”

I couldn’t believe little Delia would make that kind of mistake. She never gets things wrong and when she does, makes sure she doesn’t do it more than once. Before I could correct her, little Risha stood up and defended her classmate, saying that a Jedi was coming to visit and I needed to be ready.

 

You remember me talking about Risha doing our las holo-call? The little girl whom lost her family during the evacuation because her parents decided to stay and let a few more children on the transport thinking there would be another?

 

Ten years old, and she’s suffered so much pain and loss in her life already. For her to stand up and defend someone seemed to be a good sign even if it was for the wrong reason. My soul died a little at having to correct her.

 

Stalling for time to find a way to let her down as easy as possible, I asked them who told them a Jedi was coming instead of my Ensign.

 

It was Risha who spoke again, simply saying she saw a Jedi coming to our classroom. Mom always said there would be moments like these. You could imagine what I went through as I began to correct the two of them about lying to gain attention.

 

Sis, those words never left my mouth. A voice that sounded as cool and as calm as a deep sea current spoke from the door to my classroom. (We were in dry conditions because of a rogue algae bloom in the local waters.)

 

I turned and saw a very unfamiliar species wearing the robes and lightsaber of a Jedi. My voice failed me. The chrildren’s voices failed them. We all stood there for an eternity trying to pull ourselves together.

 

The Jedi, well, he broke the silence by walking over to me and taking me by the hand. He introduced himself as Jedi Master Dashel, Dash for short. I barely got my own name out.

 

Keth laughed from the doorway. Laughed gently at us and then told my classroom that the Jedi had done exactly the same thing to him. My kids laughed and I think I turned a shade of salmon without the kids noticing. The Jedi winked at me.

 

Once we got everyone settled again, Master Illioni re-introduced himself and asked the children their names, ages and where they were form. For the rest of the class time when a child asked a question, he knew their names, first and last.

 

When he came to Risha, Master Illioni paused and a small frown crossed his face. It was quick, hardly noticeable but we deal with children. I think a few of the kids saw it too, but most of all Risha. I saw her eyes light up in a way I’ve never seen from her.

 

Anyway, we went through several rounds of questions. The boys all seemed to either want to know about fighting or wanted to handle his lightsaber. He told them that fighting is scary, dangerous and something you do only when you have to. He segued that into explaining why he couldn’t allow them to handle his saber. He explained about all the training it takes to learn when to turn on a lightsaber (We had no idea!) and how a lightsaber meant so much to a Jedi they call them the “Heart of a Jedi”.

 

My girls asked more personal questions. We found out he was a Triani, a felinoid species. (They’re smaller and lighter than their cousins the Cathar.) He is married to a another Jedi and has two newborn children he misses a great deal.

 

Jedi Illioni was open about how he came to the Jedi order. Turns out he was a soldier before he became a Jedi. He also told us what it was like to travel the galaxy and what the Temple of Coruscant felt like.

 

Then Risha asked what it felt like to feel the Force and if he was visiting to help all the new people that were coming. He told her yes to the second and that there would be more news about that in time.

As for the first part, he had us all hold hands and then had the children sit quietly. Sis, I am not sure what happened next, just that there is far more to the galaxy then our eyes or our sciences will ever tell us. When we were finished and the children were quieter than I’ve ever seen them, he looked at me in a manner I’d say was thoughtful.

 

When Friday was done, he thanked me for letting him talk to the class and left along with my Ensign. A few moments later and Principle Meggs summoned me and Risha to his office. Master Dashel was there and wanted to speak to her. Afterwards, he nodded to Meggs who then announced the school was having a mandatory half day of classes on Saturday. I went back to a very angry class that only calmed down when they learned they were going to be having a pep rally. Then I had tell them what a pep rally was.

 

I know you’ve figured it out by now. Risha is Force Sensitive and Master Dashel asked her to join the Jedi and train with his wife at a Jedi mission near Corellia. And that Saturday assembly was to celebrate her becoming a Jedi.

 

The entire school and a lot of the community showed up to say goodbye and good luck to Risha. She was dressed in Jedi robes a couple of sizes to big and carrying a lightsaber at her side. I can’t describe how happy and sad we all were for her. She sat quietly throughout the whole thing, occasionally looking over my direction and saying something to Master Dashel.

All my ears ever caught was “when will it be all right.” I knew she was worried about asking me something and I kept feeling something massive coming my way.

 

Master Dashel kept looking over to her and saying “Patience, young Padawan. Very soon.” Once everyone finished speaking (who knew so many people could find so little to say in so short a time), Master Dashel stood up and thanked everyone. He then asked us all to write to Risha and other Jedi so we all could be friends. Also, he asked us to help little Risha recite the Jedi code in public for the first time.

She stood up and looked over to Master Dashel, whom nodded to her. She turned away from the audience and approached me.

 

She asked me to come to the Jedi temple to train with her.

 

I told her only Jedi trained at the Temple.

 

She told me she knew.

 

So did Master Dashel.

 

Sis, I am going to be a Jedi.

 

Write to me will you?

 

Jas.