The Eternal Vigilance (The Maw)

[ObliviousKnight]

((MSA, as far as I know, it's perfectly fine to have non-working lightsabers. My old Padawan had a broken one and rebuilt it in his training. As for the crystals... it's an unusual heirloom, but perfectly legal.))

 

"And begin your training I can, sir." Norm Hassan responded to the Wookiee, capable of understanding his people's tongue, but utterly incapable of speaking it. "These are Scorpio and Orsi; they're also Hopefuls, and they arrived just a short time and a lesson before you. The Jedi Knight there," he added, gesturing towards him. "Is Maroon Lotus."

 

"I'm curious, though..." Norm beckoned the Wookiee towards one end of the sparring chambers where they could have a semi-private conversation. "What brings you to the Jedi Order?"

[MSA]

OOC:Chad, i hope you dont mind me calling you that, since my name is also chad, you can call me Chad or "Red" which is my nickname because of my red hair, Thanks for letting me know it was legal, and thanks for posting, me and sleepless was wondering if we were going to get to post again, have you heard from maroon (i guess he's B.K.'s alias) about why he's been absent the last few days? Just wondering.

 

IC: As Norm took the wookie off to the side, Scorpio turned back to wait on Master Lotus and Orsi to finsh their private conversation, after which seeing would take some time. Scorpio went over to a corner by himself and started polishing his blade and cleaning his armor. After finishing his Armor and blade, he put them aside and started meditating once more.

 

As Scorpio sat there meditating, he feel alseep, and dreamed. He dreamed of the night his parents were killed, he dreamed about his revenge on the sith, he even dreamed about his first love, the daughter of the twilek that had found him when his parents were killed. Then Scorpio dreamt something wierd.

 

Scorpio dreamt that he had seen himself tell the sith where his parents would have been that day, he seen himself being carried off by the sith and then landing on a small planet which was unknown to him, ran from the sith and grew up hateful. Scorpio awoke to the dream in a cold sweat, puzzled by the dream. "That couldn't have been me, it isnt me, but who was that guy? Scorpio thought to himself, "Unless...Nahh couldn't have been, he is dead".

 

Scorpio waived the thought from his mind, and went back to meditating, waiting on either Maroon, Orsi or Norm to call upon him.

 

OOC: Dont worry about the dream, just leading up to my new alias that im gonna make in a little over a month, when my 3rd month is reached.

[Matthew]

Chow responded to Norm, "Revenge for my people and power." The wookiee didn't know how many people knew his language.

 

((Why are there so many people that can understand wookiee? I should use a code !))

[SleeplessGhost]

((Most spacer's usualy know at least a smattering of Shriiwook, if only to know if they are going to be beat to death with their own fists. Also, wookie's are commonly used for slave labor which means that far more people understand at least a little of the language.))

 

Orsi heard the Wookie speak, but did not turn from Maroon Lotus. He did not trust anyone with his parent's gift to him, much less someone he had just met.

 

Orsi simply replied to the Wookie, "Revenge will not bring power. When you have your revenge then what? You have no more life, no meaning or purpose. You will be weak, and then you will die. A vendetta kills many but solves nothing."

 

Orsi kept staring intently at Maroon Lotus, wondering when he would be done examining his parent's legacy to him.

[MSA]

OOC: I talked to B.K. (Maroon Lotus) who told me he had writer's block for the RP and wouldn't be posting for awhile, so i don't know what to do about his character.

 

IC:After Scorpio came out of meditation, Scorpio was restless, the duel that took place just hours before had got his blood pumping. He got up and started exercising, after which he just couldn't stand it any longer. He decided to get some fresh air. He went to the droid stationed at the ship's computer, and had him raise the ship above the water.

 

Scorpio stepped out on the ships loading deck and stood at the edge of the ship, and stared out onto the water planet's surface. He could see the sun setting and the planet's fish like creatures jumping in and out the water. He took a deep breath of the fresh air, and a peacefulness came over him. He told the droid to leave the ship above water until he returned.

 

Scorpio sat down on the loading deck's floor and meditated some more, letting the wind and water hit his face. After meditating several hours, Scorpio looked into the dark nightfilled sky. He saw a shooting star, and made a wish, just like he used to do with his father. He wished that soon he would find a Jedi Master to train him in the ways of the force, so that he could fullfill his destiny to succeed where his parents had failed, to become a great Jedi.

 

As Scorpio continued to stare at the sky, he suddenly felt homesick, and he knew he belonged out there in space, out there living the life of a jedi, but he knew he had to be patient, and to complete his training before he could, so he had to wait for a Jedi Master, whoever it may, be would soon come to take him on as an apprentiance.

 

Scorpio returned a few minutes later into the ship, having the droid lower the ship. Scorpio stopped in the mess hall and grabbed something to eat, after which he returned to where Orsi, Norm, Master Lotus, and the wookie were. Scorpio had no one to talk to, for they were all busy, so Scorpio hopped up on a crate, sat back, and watched everyone.

Edited August 5, 2006 by Guest

[ObliviousKnight]

By the time that the Ghost Breath appeared over the watery planet of Manaan, Armiena Draygo appeared to have finally won over her strill and the two were becoming fast friends. The Jedi Master suspected that it had something to do with her clearing out the yacht's refrigeration unit of some choice nerf cuts, but she was relieved to finally be able to let the creature out of its cage without fear of being mauled.

 

The strill--Verd'ika, she decided to name it--proved to be an inquisitive beast, poking its massive nose all over her ship and treating X5-D9 with fascination.

 

Upon arriving at the Eternal Vigilance, Armiena immediately attended to her complaining stomach and headed for the mess, where she stole her way into the kitchens and scrounged some ingredients to make a fairly massive sammich. Not an ordinary sandwich, but a genuine sammich, with heaps of meat and cheese, generous servings of dressing and select vegetables, and good, fresh bread. There was a rather scientific method to making a good sammich, and Armiena knew it perfectly.

 

Chowing down on the massive stack of food, Armiena paused for a moment to make a rough estimation of her meal's caloric value and its fat content. "Ah.... it is glorious," she breathed. Licking her lips, she tore into the bread with an almost rabid ferocity that was wholy unsuitable for a Jedi Master. A pair of chatting Jedi Adepts turned and watched her with shocked eyes as she jerked her head in a beastial fashion, as though trying to tear meat off a recently-deceased animal.

 

"I need to make me one of those." The pair stood up as one and forced their way into the kitchens, much to the displeasure of the cooks.

 

________________________________

 

"They're right, sir. Wanting to exact justice is admirable, but revenge?" Norm Hassan shook his head. "I've heard it said that revenge is not a straight path, but a trek through an uncharted forest. It's easy to get lost while on your path, and forget where you came in from. I'm glad you're with us, though.

 

"There's a Jedi Master that I know of who would probably give a hell of a lecture on this subject, and..." the thud of a familiar set of boots just outside the sparring hall alerted Hassan and caused him to jerk his head up towards Armiena Draygo. "Ah, speak of the Dark Lord."

 

Clad in her white Jedi robes, Armiena looked appalled. "You would use that greeting on me?"

[SleeplessGhost]

Orsi took his blades back from Maroon Lotus. The voices invading his conciousness momentarily until he had them sheathed. Orsi turned to see Norm finish the lecture on revenge to the wookie. Orsi never liked the species too much, he couldn't quite tell why but guessed it was because he had seen a few of his friends torn apart by them. Or maybe it was because most of the wookies he knew never bathed.

 

Orsi turned to see the woman clad in white robes walk in, "You here to train too? Or did you get stuck inside the wrong ship?" What a looker.

[MSA]

Scorpio sat there on the crate, listening and watching everyone in ther room. Scorpio chuckled a little when he heard the wookie talk of revenge. Scorpio said to himself " yeah, revenge will get you to where i am, no where with the pain still as powerful as before". Then Scorpio listened carefully when Norm told the wookie of a Jedi who knew all about revenge. Scorpio saw Orsi jerk his knives back from Maroon, and as Orsi looked at the wookie, Scorpio could tell by the look of Orsi's face, that he didnt like wookies. "Tis a shame", Scorpio said to himself, "Wookies make very good allies".

 

Then out of the corner of his ear, Scorpio heard Norm say, "Speak of the Dark Lord", which Scorpio drew his hand near his blade, only to remove it after seeing a female Jedi in white robes appear through one of the doors.Then Scorpio heard Orsi's comment about the Female Jedi causing Scorpio to roll off the crate from laughing so hard. Scorpio could tell this was no padawan, as she wore similar robes to his mother's. Scorpio picked himself off the floor and walked over to Orsi. Scorpio told Orsi, "Watch it, that aint no Padawan, she's either a knight or a master, either way, she can kick your butt, and mine as well". Scorpio grabbed Orsi in a headlock rubbing his knuckles across his scalp in a brotherly way, After which Scorpio offered Orsi to follow him to the Mess Hall for something to eat. As Scorpio walked by Norm and the female jedi, Scorpio bowed, and walked by.

 

After the two returned from the mess hall, Norm and the female Jedi were still in conversation, Scorpio walked up to the wookie and replied in Shriiwook," Since you never told me your name wookie, i assume you dont have one, am i correct?", sticking his hand out once more for the wookie to shake.

[Matthew]

"Its Chow, and by the look of it, I don't think I want to be a jedi!" Chow shook his hand.

[MSA]

"Well Chow, nice to meet you", Scorpio shook his hand, "And why do you not want to be a jedi? Revenge will get you no where, Chow, trust me. I've gotten my revenge, and it left a hungar in me, which i can not fill. That's why I am on my journey to find my inner peace". And I believe the Jedi way of life will give it to me.

[ObliviousKnight]

Watching Scorpio Armegedon haul away his fellow Hopeful from the sparring chamber, Armiena sighed and turned towards Norm Hassan. "Thanks for watching over these kids for me. If they're anything like I was, you probably had your hands full."

 

"Was?" A sly grin quirked its way onto Hassan's lips.

 

"Point taken. How have the M-series droids been working out--any problems that I need to work out?"

 

"You don't want to know..." Armiena's steady gaze penetrated his sarcasm, and he finally told the Jedi Master of how one of the droids blew up practically in his face and rendered him unconscious for a couple of days. During that time, the EV was without a dedicated teacher for the Hopefuls. When Hassan finished recounting his thrilling tale of experiencing flight by explosive shockwave, Armiena appeared rather impressed.

 

"...Wow. Wonder what the odds are of that happening?"

 

"That's what I was thinking!"

 

_______________________________-

 

After speaking with the Jedi Adept about a few rather mind-numbing administrative details of the Eternal Vigilance, Armiena turned her attention to the Hopefuls who had just returned. Norm Hassan had just informed her of their names and activities--particularly the Wookiee's lust for vengeance and Orsi's attachment to his daggers, which the Adept suspected had unusual properties.

 

As an engineer and one with a special fascination with the materialistic aspects of the Force, she was sorely tempted to indulge herself in a thorough inspection of the weapons. However, judging from the conversation Armegedon was having with Chow, the Wookiee, it seemed as though there were far more serious issues to deal with than a bit of contraband. A Hopeful who had left the Jedi Order for the Sith had been the downfall of Helix Station, and Armiena would be damned if she ever let that happen again.

 

And Armiena would have been the laughingstock of the Jedi Order if she chastised a Hopeful for smuggling contraband into Jedi premises.

 

With an almost lazy strut, Armiena approached the two conversants. "Armiena Draygo, Jedi Master at your service. Don't call me 'Master,'" she was quick to add before either had a chance to speak. "Mr. Chow, please walk with me." She jerked her head towards the sparring chamber's exit, indicating that she wished to have this conversation away from the earshot of his fellow Hopefuls.

 

((Matthew, you have to make longer posts. I can't do anything with the one-line posts you've been writing.))

[SleeplessGhost]

"Scorpio! Heads up!" Orsi called as he threw a bamboo pole at his fellow hopeful. He had been beaten once by Scorpio and wanted to have another try.

 

Orsi set his feet wide apart, going into a stance that his mother had taught him. This was a defencive stance ment to be used when weilding a staff, which was demonstrated by Orsi's choice of a rather long bamboo pole.

 

"Try not to kill me this time, eh?" Orsi joked to Scorpio. Then to Norm, "Give me any pointers you can."

[MSA]

Orsi threw Scorpio a bamboo pole, showing that he wanted another go at their previous duel. "Quit showing off," Scorpio said with a laugh, but Orsi looked very serious about it. "Ok if we must", Scorpio said with a sigh, "Norm, do you approve of it"? Scorpio took a step back and planted his footing.

 

"Ok, if we do this, you must attack first", Scorpio said with a grin on his face. Scorpio didnt want to, because he remembered how badly he had injured Orsi the last time, but he knew he would not lose his temper this time. So he decided to give Orsi his request. Scorpio sat there waiting on Norm's approval and Orsi's first move.

 

And with that, Scorpio let all emotions go, cleared his mind, closed his eyes, and listened to his surroundings. His heart rate slowed, his hearing sharpened, and he felt a small twinkling of his inner peace come over him. He was ready for this duel.

[Dashel Illioni]

Dashel found himself wandering if he should rely less on the force and more on his instincts when he found himself floating above the watery world of Manaan. Still, after failing to find Master Armenia at Ilum, his mediatations had revealed him speaking to her here.

 

Not sure why, but trusting in the force he put out a tightly encrypted yet widely spread comm...

 

"Master Armenia, if you are available, I have come to complete the training we were to have started on Ilum."

 

With nothing else left to do, he began a series of meditations, fully intending to work on his Force Sight.

[Nom Anor's avenger]

The waters of Mannan seemed to envelope Nom's ship with its crystaline reflections as it cascaded against the durocreet plowing through it. He approached the subermarine holding the once populated Jedi base. Weither anyone was remaining was a mystery to the Jedi Master. He sent the codes and landed within the hanger, letting the soft droplets of water leak off his soaked vessel. It was nice to be back.

 

Nom walked the halls of the ship, his thoughts searching for any other presence. He found that he was not alone. Yet he did not go looking for them. He remained to himself for the time being. He centralized his thoughts and brought himself back to when he was first knighted. He walked this very corridor after his Master had left. Nom had entered a brave new world then and he couldn't but notice the similarities between that and his current situation.

[Joreel Ordo]

It seemed odd that no one had even noticed John during his stay on Manaan, the time filled with him practically lazing around watching Jedi after Jedi pass him without even attempting to glance at him. Could they not notice the Dark Side resided within him and how is heart yearned for redemption? It was paining him to be ignored by those he sought out to change his life and redeem his honor. Yet there was nothing the young Mandalorian could do...he was alone in this world, and it seemed as if things would not pick up soon the young man might as well give up and turn back to his life of bounty hunting.

 

 

I cannot go back! Never go back! That life has ruined me, made me hateful. But I don't want that path anymore! Can't someone hear my plea! I beg you please! Release me from my hate! I want to come to the light!

 

John was tearing himself up from the inside out. That poor man...why did he have to kill him and go even further to eat his head? This is not what John wanted to become. Power drove him but this....this was not the path he wished to take. He wanted to be loved by others and doing honorable things. Things the Sith, and the Bounty Hunter's life, could not provide.

 

It came at such a shock that John himself almost fell over with the emotion of his situation. He didn't want to be a Jedi...He needed to be a Jedi. Looking up John felt a shiver run down his spine.

 

What if they don't take me? What if they cast me down for my decisions in the past? What if they can't redeem me?

 

Then with a sudden thud John realized another had boarded the Eternal Vigilance. Perhaps his questions are about to be answered...perhaps he will finally be...free....

[MSA]

After a few minutes, Scorpio threw down the bamboo pole, and walked away from Orsi and Norm. Scorpio had gotten hungary from all the waiting, so decided to grab a bite to eat. As he walked toward the Mess Hall, Scorpio walked past another young hopeful, holding his head down in shame as Scorpio did when he first arrived here on Manaan.

 

Scorpio smiled at the hopeful and said " The hungar for redemption will ease here, as my mother used to say, the Jedi believe there is no one beyond redemption. Why don't you walked with me to the Mess Hall and let's grab a bite."

 

After arriving in the Mess Hall, they grab some food out of the food storage and starting making a sandwhich. Just then a Jedi walked by peering in. "Want a sandwhich as well Master Jedi? Scorpio asked before turning to the hopeful who sat across from him, " Im Scorpio by the way, Whats your name friend?

[Joreel Ordo]

The Mandalorian looked up to the man who took him aside. He was kind and helpful and somehow lifted John's spirit just by talking to him. He was, in short, what John wished he could be. John looked up to the man as he questioned who he was.

 

"My name...is Lord Johnathan Hartel, but John is suitable..."

 

John grabbed one of the sandwiches which his compatriot had so keenly picked up himself, and the Mandalorian bit into it somehow feeling much better. For the first time John acknowledged the Jedi Master who walked into the room.

 

"Master Jedi, this is amazing, Scorpio here is right, its worth a bite."

 

John turned to his new acquaintance Scorpio sitting down at a table adjacent of him.

 

"How long have you been here upon Manaan?"

[MSA]

"John it is then", Scorpio said as he himself bit into a sandwhich. I have been on Manaan for quite sometime, been waiting on a Master to train me. Scorpio could tell that the hopefuls spirit was lifted by Scorpio speaking to him, so Scorpio decided that he would tell the hopeful of his story.

 

"It all started one night, when i was about 7. I was coming home on Tatooine from a friend's house in a neighboring space port. When i arrived home shortly, i found sith bodies everywhere and inside i found my mother and father dead,they were exiled Jedi who were exiled for becoming pregnant me and my brother, along with 2 small bodies that had been hacked away at with a lightsaber. I believed it was my brother who was my twin, and my sister who was around 5 at the time. I buried them and wondered the deserts of tatooine for 3 days until i was found barely alive by a twelik and a miraluka, and the twelik took me in, and raised me".

 

"Several years later, i came across a group of sith and hating the sith like i did, i murdered them all. And come to find out, they were the same group that killed my parents, because one of them tried killing me with my father's lightsaber, only i lucked up and destroyed it before he could. After which i grew a strange hungar for peace, and redemption in the jedi's eyes, and in my parents, so i came to the Jedi wanting to be trained in the ways of the force, so i could find my redemption, and become the great Jedi that my parents believed i could be".

 

"That's how i came to be here, after a Master by the name of Onderlin Starlisk made the suggestion of coming to Manaan." Scorpio said as he finshed telling his story. "How's the sandwhich, John?" Scorpio asked, "And If you dont mind my asking, how did you come to be here on Manaan"?

 

"Oh yeah, here you go Master Jedi, one fine sandwhich, if you want one, if not, i"m sure John here will take care of it for you," Scorpio said laughing.

[SleeplessGhost]

"I hope that you didn't get stuck inside of a packing crate. I don't think you would fit as well as I do," Orsi said with a smile. He was growing to like it here, the people were friendly and the food was free. What more could he want?

 

Orsi sat down beside Scorpio, "I figured you would run off as soon as you realized how good I am." He gave Scorpio a playful push.

 

Orsi had practiced on his own for a few minutes before growing bored and coming into the mess hall with Scorpio and his new friend. He remembered his father fighting with a staff, and his father teaching Orsi to fight with one. Orsi closed his eyes and shut out those memories.

[ObliviousKnight]

As it seemed that the Wookiee had absolutely no interest in joining Armiena in a conversation to discuss his disturbing lust for vengeance, the Jedi Master simply left him behind. Other Jedi required her presence at the moment, specifically Dashel Illioni, who had requested a bit of advanced training on Ilum. Knowing well the resources that the valuable little ice ball held for the Jedi, Armiena could easily predict what sort of training he was searching for. Even though she was far from the Jedi's guru on the subject of Ilum's crystals and sorcery--Ara-Lai Kaipi held that honor--Armiena would at least be able to teach him in the basics.

 

The young woman eventually found Dashel meditating in an unoccupied room. She rapped the heel of her boot lightly against the floor. "Knock, knock. You called, Mr. Illioni?"

[Dashel Illioni]

As the door to the room he had been assigned opened, Dashel rose to his feet. When he saw that it was Master Armenia he bowed deeply. Once she had acknowledged the courtesy, he came out bluntly with his request. "Master, you were listed in the academy database as having knowledge of the process of force based alchemy. I was hoping you would be willing to teach me some of the basic lore."

 

Dashel projected his thoughts and feelings on the matter into the force, to where a Jedi could read them. Words were not adequate to portray his determination to arm and equip Jedi with the tools they would need to battle the Sith.

 

Aloud, he said, "That is, if you have time and are willing to instruct me."

[ObliviousKnight]

"For once, time isn't a commodity that I'm short on." As she had just announced the birth of her little charity organization and the Esperanza was still on its way to Coruscant, Armiena actually had relatively little to do. Ordinarily, that time would be spent in intense training, but introducing one of her fellow Jedi to a more esoteric aspect of the Force would more than suffice.

 

"That means we need to go to Ilum--the wonderful little iceball." Her lips quirked in a small smile. "There are some fairly amazing crystal deposits in the cave complex where I found my lightsaber crystals. They have all sorts of interesting properties, with the right preparation--Master Kaipi made a sword with some amazing abilities from them, and..."

 

That small smile widened into a full-blown grin and the Jedi Master glanced at the ground sheepishly. "I'm in danger of babbling. Why don't we save that for when we're on Ilum?"

[Dashel Illioni]

Whisker's twitching, Dashel laughed right along with Armenia. Moments of laughter were so rare among the Jedi that when one came along, it was something to be enjoyed. Jedi just did not play enough.

 

Still laughing, Dashel gathered the few belongings the he had brought with him from the Black Sunday. Once he had stopped, the Triani Jedi slung his small carry case over his left shoulder. Straightening, he offered his right arm to her as he exitted the room.

 

"Master Armenia, several of the crewers here on the Vigilance have mentioned your recent advertisement on the Holonews concerning your new organization. When you head to the former Mon Calamarian homeworld, I will be there with my Padawans to help you." He smiled a predator's grin at her. "I have no doubt that with all the suffering that occured there will be points of concentrated Dark Side energy sufficient to help me test my senior apprentice."

 

A moment of silence passed as he waited for her to absorb and acknowledge this.

 

"Basically, Master Armenia, I am volunteering my services to your organization in whatever manner you need."

 

Dashel waited in silence for another short moment before again continuing. "As for Ilum, I haven't been there since gathering my crystals for my lightsabers or the saber claws I replaced my own natural weapons with." The predator's grin returned.

 

He concentrated, and the three center claws on each hand activated with the distintive thrum of lightsabers. At 18 inches long, they were more akin to long daggers than swords, but still they were now a symbiotic part of him.

 

At a questioning look from Master Armenia, he continued, "I created them shortly after creating my first lightsaber as an apprentice. Their forging relied on instinct and luck, a form of ignorance that to me reeks of something to be avoided."

[ObliviousKnight]

((It's only a minor mistake, but it's one that I'm trying to finally end--the misspelling of Armiena's name. IE. Internet (*shudders*) Explorer.))

 

Armiena beamed at Dashel's offer of his assistance with the Survivor's Foundation. She hadn't imagined that its conception would be greeted with anything other than glowing praise, but the Esperanza had yet to even reach Coruscant, the first and most secure of the Cruiser's destinations on its maiden voyage. She was finally jerked out of dwelling on her concerns for her personnel when the unmistakable snap-hiss of a lightsaber issued from the Triani's claws.

 

"Oh." It was all Armiena could think to say. She was somewhat leery of experimenting on her own body, a respectful taboo born from her appreciation of the training that honed it to its present state, as well as her nearly-disastrous duel with Nahstaa. Her left hand, the prosthetic that replaced the arm she had lost due to a subsequent infection, twitched slightly at the dread memory.

 

"Most of my knowledge of this subject comes from Ara-Lai Kaipi and an ancestor of mine. You'd probably think I was on spice if I told you the story, so it's probably best if I just introduced you to her." At that, Armiena only smiled enigmatically, fully aware of how bizarre her meeting with her great-to-the-nth-degree grandmother would be to an audience who merely heard the tale, rather than having an opportunity to meet the imprint of the ancient Jedi Master.

 

((Uh... I'm under the impression that Master Scorpio Armegedon has been perma-banned due to the whole situation concerning the "JediOrder" forum.))

[SleeplessGhost]

OOC: Poo. That is going to make this post a wee bit more rocky I think.

 

IC: After getting himself a bite to eat, Orsi headed back to the training room where Norm waited patiently for students. The hopeful asked the teacher something important, "Why did Maroon Lotus want to see my weapons? And why do you and the lady who came here stare at them?"

 

Orsi wanted to know if the Jedi would not allow him to keep his parents' legacy to him, but more importantly he wanted to know if the Jedi knew anything of his parent's or those who murdered them. Norm was finding it hard, though, to find Orsi's intentions. After years of hiding and running the young spacer's mind was blank, showing no emotion and feeling none.

 

OOC: Sorry it is so short, I couldnt think of anything else!

[Nom Anor's avenger]

The Jedi Master known as Nom Anorus slipped into a training room unnoticed. After grabbing a bite to eat, the apprentices didn't seem to pay too much attention to him. This was advantageous considering the Jedi Master needed to worry about his own training for the time being. There was something about dueling a droid behind a mask that haunted the Jedi Master with every step he took. Emotion was not among the repertoire of this particular Sith. It even lacked the sadistic joy of taking an innocent life that all Sith seemed to posses. It was as if the act of murder was not even worth contorting his facial features. He had no weaknesses, he was a droid and immune to everything, and possessed strength beyond no conceivable barrier. It was Haphaestus. Haphaestus was a droid who could use the Force. It existed in the galaxy as a mockery of human life. It did not think, it calculated. It did not move, it took careful steps according to an automatic meticulous trajectory. It could not feel; it simply was. And this was Nom's task; to vanquish what could not be vanquished.

 

Nom strapped himself in the weight machine, breathing calmly. He shifted the weight to its highest setting and wrapped his palms tightly around the metal shaft. He heaved upward with every inch of strength he possessed. The temptation of using the Force to aid was as tantalizing as a waterfall in the middle of a desert. The weights did not move, it was as if they were bolted to the machine itself. As a result of his failure, the Jedi Master leaned back, relaxing heavily.

 

He closed his eyes and drew not on the Force, but on his memories themselves. He was within the ship drifting through orbit around Caridia. The metal monstrosity known as Haphaestus loomed before him, his facial features hidden behind the stoic covering of his archaic mask. Lightsabers between the Jedi and Sith seemed to spring from no where and proceeded to clash, sparks showering into the metal below. Nom continued to heave his blades against that of the droid. His strength was failing however as the crimson blade inched closer and closer to finishing him.

 

The drive to see this particular Sith eliminated seemed to propel over any physical element. With the pain of sheer exhaust consuming him, the Jedi Master launched his arms forward. His jade green lightsaber slammed into crimson yet continued tearing as if through time and space itself.

 

Nom opened his eyes and found the weights hovering within the palm of his hand. His arms outstretched leaving his muscles shaking slightly under the strain. With a violent clatter, the metal weights slammed against the metal floor, creating a clang that could be heard throughout the entire complex. The Jedi Master sat down, taking heavy breaths. He only needed to do this everyday.

 

Feeling rather drained, the Jedi went down to the main hold of the facility. He was finally ready to introduce himself to the rest of the people inside.

[Joreel Ordo]

(Since Scorpio is banned I assume I will just continue on as if I had imagined his existence)

 

After eating a bit of his Sandwich John looked over his shoulder toward Scorpio who was...to his surprise, no longer there. Where had he gone? What was he up to? Is this some sort of game from his homeworld? John began to move around in a stealthy manner attempting to find his lost friend. At first he began to skulk along the floors of the submarine's mess hall which invariably took the better part of an hour. The cold steel made his hands go numb but it did not stop his pursuit. He had to find Scorpio he was the only one who had even greeted him as he entered this place, his heart and soul torn between two worlds.

 

Moving into the dormitories John began to look under every nook and crany to find his friend even going to the point to opening drawers to see if he somehow became a small gelatin that was able to hide from the former Sith Apprentice's mind. Where was HE! He had to be aboard the Eternal Vigilance! It would not make sense for him to be there and suddenly not...unless.

 

John began to move about the ship, his hands outstetched looking as if he was trying to grab all the air out of the room until Scorpio reappeared. Yet he was not find in such a way and John continued his search going toward the entrance to the lower decks of the ship. He was looking around on the ground looking for trap doors and such but he was interrupted by two feet which came from the entryway above.

 

Looking up from his feet John saw a tall man, with a lightsaber attached to his hilt, a look of determination upon his face. John jumped up from the ground faster than he had ever done before and performed a deep bow.

 

"Welcome Master Jedi."

 

The words were all that John could think of at this particular moment. He was so in awe of the man in front of him that his mind seemed to have gone in another place completely forgetting Scorpio. This man made Hartel's former master look like a gnat upon the universe and John was truly blessed to be in his presence.

 

"In the words of my people....Vode An."

 

John kept his bow but now looked up to the Jedi not making a move and awaiting to be beckoned up.

[MSA]

(( I'm back thanks to the good graces and fairness of Darth Jade))

 

Scorpio came around the corner, to find John and the Jedi Master in conversation. As John bowed, Scorpio walked up and put his hand on John's shoulder, while greeting the Jedi Master once again. "How was the sandwhich Master Jedi?" Scorpio asked.

 

As John stood up, he had the strangest puzzled look on his face. "Oh, I stepped up to the Loading deck, had the ship raised, and got a breath of fresh air, hope i wasnt missed", Scorpio said to John.

 

Scorpio turned back to the Jedi Master, I dont believe we've been formally introduced, Im Scorpio" Scorpio said to the Jedi Master as he stuck out his hand.

[Nom Anor's avenger]

"Don't worry about bowing to me. Pointless formalities have never been important to me. You don't need to worry about that." As the aprentice rose, Nom spoke. "My name is Nom Anorus. Tell me, what are two padawans doing alone on a submarine hundreds of miles below the ocean?"

 

The Jedi Master smirked at the thought of the padawans trying to answer that particular question.