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Artus Prime


Tarrian Skywalker

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He started in shock as he heard noise behind him, turning to face it.

 

"Who are you?" he asked suspiciously, slowly moving away from the men coming into the room. He was desperately trying to remember who these people were, and all he could get from the recesses of his brain was a vague sense of recognition of the man who spoke. He continued to slowly back away behind the comm, trying to feel for something to pick up and use to defend himself if things turned ugly.

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  • 2 months later...

He stood, still, waiting for a reaction, any sort of reaction, but there was nothing. It was like....he stopped, and scratched his head with a confused look on his face. He didn't know what it was like, but he knew that it was something abnormal, as they stood there, frozen, and lifeless.

 

Walking cautiously to the nearest person, he touched his face with a finger, and it felt cold, and hard. There was no reaction from the one whom he had touched, none whatsoever.

 

Well. This is a bit odd. What the hell do I do now? He seems to know me, or is at least pretending he knows me. Maybe I should take them back to their ship and see if I can figure out how to get out of here.

 

With this decision made, the ragged and worn looking man slowly backed away from the frozen people and out of the room, following the trail, backwards, that they had left when they arrived, back to their ship. Moving through the last doorway, he stopped in awe, his mouth open in amazement, as he beheld what seemed to him an amazing thing. But then, suddenly, he felt a sharp stabbing pain in his head.

 

Dropping to the ground, writhing and crying out in agony, he felt the pain of someone stabbing and slicing his head for what felt like eons, and then just as suddenly as it started, it had stopped, leaving him lying on the dirty floor, panting and with sweat dripping off his brow. But something felt different. He looked up again, and took in the Medical Shuttle.

 

Wait a second....I remember what that is. I've seen it before.I know The Black Sun logo, and I know that's a medical shuttle and I know how to pilot it.

 

"But what is Black Sun?" he muttered to himself.

 

Rationalising that they wouldn't have come if they weren't good people, he turned and made his way back to where the men who had startled him were standing, still frozen somehow. After some false starts, and plenty of breaks to catch his breath, he had managed to drag the three of them inside the medical shuttle and lay them on the bunks.

 

As he moved cautiously through the shuttle, he found himself muttering names of pieces of equipment as his eyes alighted on them, names and uses flying to the forefront of his memory, until he moved into the cockpit, where his eyes fell upon the control panel, and he knew within himself that he could get the ship in the air and back to it's point of origin.

 

I need some food first though he thought as his belly rumbled ponderously.

 

Scavenging through the ship, he found some dry rations, and ate them hastily, reveling in the feeling of having food in his mouth again, laughing at the feeling of water dripping down his chin as he tried to drink more than his mouth could hold.

 

Eventually though, it was time to move on. Making sure that his new-found companions were strapped in securely so they wouldn't slide around the shuttle, he made his way to the cockpit, sat down and allowed muscle memory to fill in the blanks of his newly recovered memories of spaceflight. Igniting the engines, the deep background rumble brought a grin to his face, as he maneuvered the shuttle off the landing platform, into the air and then out into orbit. Bringing up the navicomputer, he punched in his destination without thinking about it, knowing it felt like the right place to go.

 

Thyferra.

 

When the navicomputer beeped its readiness, he slid the lever forward and delighted himself with the flicker of pseudo-motion as the shuttle flickered into hyperspace.

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  • 6 years later...

Raka Nwul

 

Somewhere along the vastness of Artus Prime, within the domed and grounded capital ship of Raka Nwul, a young Ithorian ran. Down the streets past other Ithorians quietly going on to their business, the young Ithorian ran. Some beings would turn and watch the child, chuckling about the errands of the youth, before going back to their workplaces.

Occasionally the youngling bumped into another of his species, who in turn would uttur  something harsh and how the youngling needed to slow down. Still, the child ignored them. Both of his mouths on his long neck opened and closed rapidly, drawing in as much oxygen as possible to keep his lungs working. 

 

In his right hand was a basket, tightly clutched between five soft fingers and his handmade clothes. Woven from the vines grown in the jungle ecologies by his own mother, the youngling knew how important it was to get this to its destination. His mom never hand-made anything unless it had a specific purpose, and this was made last night. He didn’t know what was inside it though. It felt heavy, and there were definitely several objects jumbling around inside. He had a few guesses what they may be but he couldn’t stop to check. 

 

The Ithorian child had to stop and rub his bare feet. His mother was right. He should have worn something to help his toes. These hard surfaces of the City were so different from the dirt floors back in the Overgrown. There the plants grew almost wild, with a careful eye by the residents. He could run wherever he wanted and as long as he wanted. Here it was hard and rough. He wasn’t used to the flat durasteel floor. Why other people preferred this was beyond him. But most of the outsiders who came to Raka Nwul seemed to prefer a cleaner (or as his dad would say, ‘professional’) floor, so that's how it was. 

 

After taking a moment to rub his aching feet, the youngling continued on his way. He was almost there now. He was in what the adults called the ‘outsider quarters’ or the ‘housing district’. In the distance above the houses was the jungle line. Thick, tall trees rose up, dangling their beautiful and lush green leaves. The youngling wondered if those trees grew fruit at all. He knew that inside that jungle line were many little critters that enjoyed the peaceful existence, so they had to feed on something. And further in was Bastion. 

 

The youngling stopped. This was the house. It didn’t look like much. Four discolored walls and a roof, with a window that was shut and a large . Someone had placed a garden pot next to the door, but nothing had blossomed yet out of it, though a small yellow feathered bird had begun making its nest in the pot, arranging various twigs and leaves to be some kind of nest.

 

The youngling shooed the Manollium away, and took a moment to break the nest apart. While the bird cawed angrily at this destroyer, it left the child alone. If the bird continued what it was doing, the plants inside would never grow. With some care, some water and some nutrients, the plants inside would show progress in a day, and bear fruit within a week even. Course, they would only grow if the resident inside took care of the plant.  

The youngling breathed in, composed himself, and knocked on the door. He hoped the newcomer wouldn’t be too angry. 

 

________

 

Bones jumped up, startled at the noise at his door. After pausing a moment to stop his breathing, he realized his right hand had instinctively grabbed the closest thing to a weapon: a simple carving knife. Setting it down on the table before him and next to the datapad he had been reading a few moments ago, and looked around him.

 

The house, if he could call it that, was very bland, almost prisonlike. The bare walls barely showed their painted brown color in the dim blue light of the lamp on the table. The floor was dusty, with only a bright blue rug at the doorway to rub any dirt on. There were some stairs in one corner of the room that led to some basic toiletries, which included only a sink, a urinal, and a mirror.  On the opposing side of the room was a cot, holding a blanket, and a small bag of clothes: Bones’ personal items.  All of his other gear, like his rifle and his vibroknife, had been taken away from him, held somewhere else on the ship. All he had was his clothes, and his scarf around his neck. 

 

Bones sighed as he tugged at the scarf in force of habit, loosening it slightly. This place wasn’t prison, he reminded himself. He had been told multiple times he could leave the house anytime and explore the ship, with the exception of the hangar bays. He just didn’t feel like it was proper of him yet. 

 

Another knocking at the door, this time more frantic. Bones got up from his seat and strided over. As the door whizzed open, the Tognath thought that someone was playing a prank on him. There was no one there. 

 

A noise got his attention. Bones looked down and realized it wasn’t a prank. It was a youngling. Not even a mature one. 

 

“You’re not Moza…” Bones commented.

 

The youngling shook its hammer-like head and rapidly made a bunch of chirps and clacks with its two mouths. 

 

“Whoah whoah, what? Um, don’t you speak common?”

 

Another shake of the head. Bones sighed. He didn’t know how to speak the Ithorians native language, and this youngling appeared to either not understand basic or just hadn’t mastered speaking it. To be fair, they did have two mouths and four throats. Learning a new language had to be an experience for them. 

 

“Well, whatever, makes no difference I guess. That for me?” Bones asked as he pointed to the basket that the child carried. The child nodded and held it out.  Taking it, Bones opened it up and studied it. He felt the youngling’s eyes on him. He knew how he probably looked. With no facial expressions due to his exoskeleton, Bones probably acted like a robot more than anything the child had seen. He couldn’t scowl, or grin, or anything like that. And with the language barrier...

 

He reached in and pulled out what looked like an oblong grey rock and held it out.

 

“What’s this? I don’t think I can eat this…” 

 

The child shook its head and held out its hands for the object. Taking it, he shook it once and knocked on it, showing how to identify something about it. Bones watched curiously and said nothing. Eventually the child then took the object and smashed it on the ground once. Bones nearly yelled, but the sound of the object cracking in half. Out from the object dribbled a colorful mixture of purple and grey juices, as well as a multitude of tiny white seeds. 

 

“Fruit! Thats fruit!” Bones exclaimed, to the child’s nodding. He held out one of the halves to Bones and proceeded to pretend to drink out of the other, though Bones knew these Ithorians ate mostly flies. 

 

Bones did the same, unhooking his rebreather for a moment to take a gulp. He nearly gagged on the juice. It was incredibly sour but thin. It washed around his mouth like water, but tasted like it should’ve been thick. The seeds also gave it a texture that was unpleasant. Bones attempted to swallow the stuff, only for the seeds to get caught at the back of his throat. He coughed a few times, breathing in some of the toxic oxygen, making the entire ordeal worse. Clumsily, he quickly re-equipped his rebreather.

 

“That..” Bones began to cough out between breaths. “...was, ahem, different.  You like this stuff?” 

 

The child shrugged and held out his own half, still containing the juice inside. 

 

“No, no thanks… What is this?” Bones asked. He pointed to the fruit and asked again, hoping to get his point across.  The child gave an answer. 

 

“It’s...Lu...Lumas fruit? More like sour fruit. Blech…” Without a second thought, Bones tipped the rest of the sour juices into the potted plant next to him. Maybe the plants would like the stuff more then he. 

 

The child chipped and buzzed something and began pointing at the Tognath’s neck. 

 

“Huh?” Bones asked. The child pointed again. Bones grabbed his scarf. “This?” The child nodded. 

 

Bones gently untied it and bent down. This child brought him some fruit, he might as well satisfy its curiosity. Without letting the child touch it, Bones held the scarf gently, showing off the lovely blue silk and fine golden embroidery. Golden stars were stitched in all long the scarf’s length, and at the center, the golden outline of a flying, two handed creature. 

 

The child reached out to touch the scarf. At first Bones flinched away, but after a longing look from the child, he sighed and held it out again. The child’s fingers ran across the smooth silk, gently wrinkling it. He began to trace the animal and said something in Ithorese. 

 

“Ya...ya a mynock” Bones said, pretending to understand the child. 

 

At that moment, the small yellow-feathered Manollium swooped between the two, and grabbed the scarf with its claws. Before the two could react, the bird took off, carrying its newfound treasure away. 

 

“Hey!” Bones shouted. He was suddenly up and chasing after the bird, with a startled but excited youngling dashing after him. “Give that back!” 

 

The bird flew on, towards the jungle line. Bones knew that getting the bird was a fool’s choice, but he had to. That scarf was too important to him. He had to get it back. Without a moment of hesitation, he charged into the brush of the jungle line. 

Edited by Sreth Bones
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At the edge of the brush, the lean muscled tower of The Sun-Dragon grunted as Bones crashed into him. Grabbing the newcomer about the shoulders, he glowered down at the wayward wanderer; “Surely you have better things to do than galavant about with younglings do you not? We would rather not unteach the truths young minds are not prepared for.” Before Bones could object he cut him off, the tall Corellian shot a caring look at the young Ithorian kindly sending the boy back to his mother before continuing; “I understand that you hold these things dear young one. To become a Jensaarai, one must hold their experiences in their hearts; but trinkets, bobbles, and toys only serve to tie us back to the lives we have forsaken. Let this be a lesson young one.”

 

Standing tall, the fierce Jensaarai warrior stared down at Bones as if daring him to object and silently urging him to return to his studies. 

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As Bones crashed into the man, he almost didn’t stop in a near unconscious attempt to trample him over. Part of this was his desperation to get the scarf back, but part of this was also the fact that he was Tognath. Having a primitive development of nerve tissue made one have a tendency to ignore most problems. Whether this was in a healthy way or not depended on the situation.

 

This was not a healthy situation. 

 

“Surely you have better things to do than galavant about with younglings do you not? We would rather not unteach the truths young minds are not prepared for.” 

 

Bones opened his mouth to complain how this was not his fault, but didn’t get a chance. The Sun-Dragon, the only name Bones knew him as, was a powerful presence and a glare from him was enough to send the child running away. After a moment, the tall, imposing warrior turned back to the ex-criminal.

 

“I understand that you hold these things dear young one...”

 

“You got that right…” Bones muttered under his breath. He didn’t fully hear the rest of what the man was saying. His eyes were darting behind the human. Specifically, up a rather large and twisting tree where the yellow-feathered bird was beginning to make a nest with his scarf. 

 

“Look, you already took my gun and my knife. Isn’t that enough? That scarf is important to me, it belonged…”

 

Bones stopped himself. Belonged to my sister was what he was going to say. But years working as a thug taught him that showing such emotion was a way to get viewed as a wimp. And then he would be fighting all the time to try to establish himself as something besides that.

 

Bones saw that the bird was starting to make a move to head further into the jungle line, towards the center of the ship. If he didn't hurry, he might lose the bird for a long time.

 

“Here, how about I say sorry I distracted a kid from his chores, but I didn’t invite him. Frag, I can’t even speak his language. So let me just get my scarf and I’ll go back to the house and not bother him again.”

 

As he said his, Bones made a step to get around the imposing man. Any fully grown adult would know what he was doing was foolish. But Bones was still young and growing. He saw nothing wrong with what he did. 
 

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The Sun-Dragon easily matched Bones move, stepping to the side so as to continue to stand afront the wayward youngling. With his hands on his hips, he stared down at the Tograth. “And like a child, you must prove you are responsible enough for such weapons.” His response was simple, yet direct; the undertones leaving little room to interpret the challenge in his voice. “No man ought carry the power to take a life, that does not exhibit the will to protect the weakest among them. You do not know what traverses these jungles, yet you would lead a child to them over what? Some bauble? Remember son, you are the one who chose to walk this road. If we were but an escape from your prison walls . . .” he let the thought hang in the air for the other to interpret at his own will. 
 

Following Bones’ eyes, the Jensaarai warrior could make out the devious bird and it’s newfound prize. “Do not let the desire consume you. It will lead to darkness. Know that by coming to the Jensaarai, you will be asked to make sacrifices. Each one different than the other; yet each one, to serve those who need your help. The child, the bird, the people, a wayward mercenary, all deserve our help. Think of that price paid for your freedom. Your life was bought with a price paid for by others. Surely your cloth to shelter and nurture another, to protect and save unborn generations, is a worthy sacrifice?”

 

Each time Bones tried to move, the daunting man would simply step to block his path, prohibiting any further delving into the undergrowth. Firmly and gently placing his hands on the shorter being’s shoulders he pushed to turn the being around. “Come. Let us get some tea. Then you can tell me of the troubles you are facing.”  

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Bones gripped his hands into a fist at the mention of proving he was responsible enough to carry a weapon. Of course he wasn’t responsible enough to carry a gun. Not anymore. One bad accident taught him that. That’s why he wasn’t asking for his weapons back. All he wanted was the scarf. It wasn’t for the birds. It was his. 

 

“It’s an unneeded sacrifice...” Bones grudgingly replied, softly through his rebreather. If he was a human, his face would have been in a glare. The Sun-Dragon probably heard him, but the tone said that he didn’t want a reply. 

 

It was clear he wasn’t going to get the cloth back right now. The bird, happy about its find, took off again, carrying the cloth further into the trees, out of sight. Bones breathed in a small breath of sulfate through his respirator and tried to calm down, but his mind was stuck on the cloth. The last piece of his sister was gone. He couldn’t get past Sun-Dragon, at least not yet. Maybe he could convince someone else. Or go hunting for it at night. For now he had to wait.

 

“I don’t like tea…” Bones grumbled as he walked back towards his home, not knowing what tea even was. He hated how Sun-Dragon pushed him. He was like some scalding parent. One who wasn’t used to working with a Tognath, but a parent nonetheless. Something Bones didn’t like.

 

 The Tognath looked mostly at the ground as he walked. The  durasteel, carved to appear like some kind of street, was cold and lifeless to him, despite being stained from dirt and dust from over the years of use. To be fair, the look was very well done. From what Bones had seen, which wasn’t much, the ship was well crafted. The Jensaarai, or whoever was in charge of how the ship looked, went to great lengths to make things look civil. It reminded him of Coruscant. Or at least that city planet before it’s moon had crashed into it. 

 

The two had walked into the city, back to where Bones home was. On the way, Bones looked up at the sound of beings speaking with each other and the announcing of prices. It was a marketplace, where Ithorians were selling fresh food and hand-made items. Numerous fruits, both sweet and sour, were stacked up in boxes for all to peruse. Large and small vegetables, expertly cared for, sat in separate stalls. It seemed that each seller focused on only one good, instead of growing a variety. Even the gourds were separated by color and the seeds only sold by the Ithorian selling the fully grown goods. Colored cloths, with various shades of green or  yellow, extended from walls of buildings, not necessarily to provide any shade from the sun but only to identify that the stall beneath had goods for sale. The city’s visitors, especially those who worked the mines oneworld, were taking advantage of the fresh produce. 

 

Bones had to stop, seeing one stall selling a bunch of oblong grey rocks. The sour juice of the Lumas fruit still tainted his tongue, and the memory of those seeds disgusted him.  

 

“Where in the frak do they grow those things?” Bones asked, pointing to the stall. “I haven’t seen any gardens since I got here, and no one was rushing into that jungle back there.”  


The stall person, who noticed the two, waved them over. He seemed to recognise the Sun-dragon and offered two of the fruits out, inviting them to take a sample on the house. 

 

“And who in their right mind would eat those things?” Bones commented, not moving to nor from the stall.  

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The Sun-Dragon chose to ignore the young apprentice’s comments for the moment. Slowly walking amongst the stalls, the warrior watched the newly arrived Jensaarai-in-training until they reached a stall selling the coconut-esque lumas fruit.

 

Moving towards the stall, the Sun-Dragon spoke softly, “There are a great many things you have yet to learn; even hust aboard our home. We are Jensaarai. We seek the truth, constantly. These truths you must seek out.”

 

Gracious accepting the offered fruit with a smile and a nod to the elder Ithorian stallkeep, the armored warrior dug his fingers into the hard shell, pressing his palms towards one another until the fruit cracked loudly and purple juices began to leak out. 

 

The Sun-Dragon turned to offer a piece of the fruit to Bones just as the man spoke, “And who in their right mind would eat those things?” Turning, the Sun-Dragon offered a weak smile to the shop keep, setting the cracked fruit down on the stall, “Thank you friend. Please excuse this youngling’s rudeness.” 
 

Whirling, the Sun-Dragon grabbed at the shorter Tognath’s shoulder and forcibly drug him off; his wide strides and imposing presence parting a way through the crowds.

 

Making their way to an open circular pit ringed by small hovels, the Sun-Dragon hurled Bones into the dirt in a plume of dust. Looking down at the man, his eyes slitted in disapproval.  “You accept the help of our people when you are powerless. Now that you feel your hide is safe you disrespect the ways not only of those who you wished to join, but of the people who live in harmony with us in symbiosis! I have had enough of you and your pride. Let go of what you cling to. It died with you in the pit I pulled you from. If you cannot, well...” he gestured with both hands to the open dirt around them, inviting a challenge, “back your words with actions. When you dishonor they that give us refuge, you spit on all that is dear in this life. It makes you no better than a sniveling dark sider.”

 

”Stand, be a man. Challenge me.”

 

”Or accept that you have wronged those who you owe no wrong to and go seek repentance. All here contribute to the good. Perhaps it is time you do as well. Go  put in a day’s work harvesting the fruit of the lumas. We will begin anew tomorrow.”

 

Standing there, the Sun-Dragon stood, his knees bent awaiting an attack should his urging fall upon deaf ears.

 

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“Whoah, hey!” Bones exclaimed as the Sun-Dragon pulled him along. Bones had never seen the Jensaarai Defender get angry before, but he had a feeling he was about to, just for the comment about the fruit.

 

Being thrown down into the dirt, Bones’ shook himself and growled something in his native tongue. He quickly got up and raised his fists to defend himself. He was about to ask what was the matter with Sun-Dragon, when the Defender began to scold him. 

 

 “I haven’t held on to anything except my breath now. You guys have taken everything else already” Bones whined back as he prepared for a blow from the man. He was mad. And he was going to have his say. 

 

“I came here to redeem myself, not to pick sour fruit. You promised me redemption. I figured I’d be fighting bad guys and saving lives, not cooped up in just another prison.”

 

With that, Bones moved forward and threw a wild right punch. He knew he left himself open, but he was fine with that. He had been in fights before, especially when he worked for that crime syndicate on Ord Mantell. He had found that being able to throw a punch with a skeletal fist and having little nerve tissue made him quite the boxer. He took on several opponents twice his size. But those were against random thugs. He had no idea about Sun-Dragon.

 

And he was mad. Any professional could see that. He wasn’t thinking with his brain, he was thinking with his emotions. 

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The display of anger was enough to warn of the incoming assault. The punch connected solidly with the warrior’s armor. And in that moment, the Sun-Dragon reacted. With a push of his hand towards the younger being, he shoved mightily in the force, his hand millimeters from the other’s body hurling him backwards through the air to where he crashed into the solid ground with a smack.

 

Almost instantly, the Sub-Dragon’s sunset orange furnace of a lightsaber hissed to life, the Jensaarai flipping through the air to land a mete moment after his apprentice. He held the tip of the blade to Bones’s neck and the breathing apparatus  that sustained him. The force swirled invisibly about the two; should Bones try to raise a limb, strike back, or get up, he would find him pinned to the dust as if by invisible durasteel tendrils of the force that leeched forth from the ground itself. The Sun-Dragon stood there saber held unflinchingly close and prepared to strike, regarding the man as he tried to struggle. He heard the man’s grumblings and did not respond. Wheb Bones finally gave up the struggle, he spoke “You have not held your breath. With each exhalation comes another dilemma of your own mind. You wish for redemption? So once did I. You wish to save lives; but all you desire is to take the lives of others. Saving is not in killing or fighting. Saving is in serving, learning, and yes sometimes even pruning; as you will be doing for the next daycycles until the Lumas crop is brought to harvest. Silence your breath and perhaps you will see in the simplicity, a glimmer of what is the Jensaarai way.”

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Bones struggled against whatever was holding him down, blinded by action, not realizing the blade held against him. However, as much as he tried to move, something held him back. It wasn’t psychological. With every ounce, Bones was trying to fight whatever was holding him. His own grunts and growls proved that. But he was being restrained by something physical and he didn’t know what. 

 

Then he realized the blade. 

 

Bones finally froze and gazed up at Sun-Dragon. The armor Bones had struck protected him well. Bones only felt the thud of his exoskeleton crashing against the man’s armor and none of the pain, but he suspected that Sun-Dragon felt the same. 

 

As he listened to the Sun-Dragon’s words, Bones looked away, but listened. At last when the human was done, their was a brief pause of silence. 

 

“Fine” Bones said flatly. He would help with the cultivation of the Lumas trees and their sour fruit. 
 

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The blade deactivated with a hiss and the Sun-Dragon’s application of the force against Bones’ body ceased. He offered a hand to help the young Jensaarai backnto his feet.

 

Once they were both standing, the elder Jensaarai spoke again. “Return to the Ithorians and tell them of your quest. Harvest the Lumas, as per their custom and guidance. Become a part of the team. Contribute to the wellbeing of our community. It is one of the first steps to becoming a Jensaarai. In this simple act you will gain understanding and respect if you open your mind and close your mouth. Saving lives is more than cutting down evil-doers. When you are done, come and find me in the jungles about the Bastion. Open your mind to the force, keep your emotions in check and allow the force to guide you. I will be waiting in 5 days time when the harvest should be drawing to an end.”

 

With that, the Jensaarai turned and strode  purposely away leaving Bones alone in the clearing. First thing first, he would tell the Ithorians of the plan. They, in their methodical peaceful way, would help teach the newest Jensaarai apprentice the benefits of a peace filled days hard labor and the joys of contributing to the welfare of the greater good. After that, he had some security measures to attend to. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

As Sun-Dragon left, Bones could clench his hands into fists for a few moments. His anger, while seething, was dying quickly. There was nothing more he could do except do as ordered. Still, he didn’t like this. It was like some kind of prison cell. Just better accommodations. 


    Bones sighed and took a step in one direction, and then promptly realized he had no idea where to go. Where did the Lumas trees get harvested? Where did any of the plants get harvested? Was the ship self-sustainable or did the plants grow somewhere on the planet they resided on? Bones didn’t know which to believe. He never heard of a self-sustaining ship, but Artus Prime wasn’t exactly a nature preserve either. 


    It took some time and a lot of asking strangers, but eventually Bones had an idea. Slowly he made his way to the edges of the ship. Originally he asked where the food was grown, and he was told that the botanical domes did most of that, except for what was grown on their original planet of Ithor. Some more questioning led Bones to believe that Lumas trees were native to Ithor and so instead he had to travel to the jungle ecologies on the edges of the ship. 


    A short speeder trip by a local Ithorian dropped Bones off at an entrance to the Atrium. Even before entering, Bones was shocked at what he saw. Large doorway before him showed signs of wear and tear. The durasteel was stained and tarnished, and was now impossible to close as vines and weeds had grown to the point that the heavy doors could no longer move. And the floor was lightly covered with dirt, which only became more thick the further into the Atrium.


    Bones took a breath of his sulfate before stepping in. Once entered, the other side at first was a narrow hallway. Bright white lights above lit the overgrown path like the sun lighting a forest. Vines with bright green leaves in full bloom stretched across the walls from one doorway to another, as if seeking to find more places to enter. The dirt pathway had small mounds of grass growing in spots where people tended not to walk. 


    Further in surprised Bones more. What was once a conglomerate of hallways meeting together in a large open space with a glass ceiling had become, to put it lightly, a village. Natural light streamed down through the glass onto green and brown vines, lush thick grass, small saplings barely sprouting leaves, and small pots of flowers. Amongst these plants was the dirt pathways, trampled by Ithorians who traveled between here and the rest of the ship. And each of these dirt paths led to houses. 


    Metal walls stained brown stood in these halls. They didn’t connect with the ceiling, but instead had large vines bound together and layered across, with then another dirt layer over it. From this dirt, flowers of every color grew. Bones could only see the vines and how they were bound because they were wrapped around the corners of the houses and pulled downward, like some kind of tent flap. 


    Amongst these paths, patches of grass, and houses, were some Ithroians. A few of the spouses or younglings of those who were working, they were busying themselves with all matter of tasks at hand. Some were tending to the houses, making sure the roofs and the flowers were properly cared for. Others were sitting around small pots with heaters underneath them to cure some kind of medicine or cook up a food. In the distance, Bones could see a small group of Ithorian younglings walking behind an Ithorian adult, reading from a datapad. A teacher and his class no doubt. 


    “Not what you were expecting, no?” 


    Bones jumped at the deep gurgle that came from beside him. He turned and faced a hammerhead slightly smaller then he. His clothes were simple brown robes bound tight against his skin and rounded belly, giving him a wide range of movement while dressed lightly. His smooth and pale green skin had small white lines painted in a criss-crossing style all over his head, with a small patch of black hair growing from where his head met his neck.  On his head he wore a wide brim hat, made to block out any light from above. He was the embodiment of some kind of farmer. 


    The Ithorian laughed at Bones' startlement. “Oooh, sorry, very sorry. Our dragon warned us you were coming, and I figured you may get lost so I wanted to escort you personally.”


    “Um...thanks, I think” Bones held out his hand and shook the Ithorians. It was rough and hardened from years of work. “I’m sorry, but isn’t this the Atrium? I figured it would be more of a...um, atrium I guess. Not...this”


    The Ithorian nodded understandingly at the Tognath’s confusion. “It wasn’t always like this. Come, our Dragon said you are to help us.”


    The Ithorian, who introduced himself as Jho, led Bones through the many halls, showing how there were many many more houses everywhere. He explained how the ship originally was a ship designed for transporting plants across the galaxy. However, due to a major incident in the ship’s history (Bones didn’t catch exactly what it was), the Great Atrium became a dwelling place for the Ithorians on board, instead of the upper levels of the ship. The Ithorians onboard preferred a lifestyle living next to the plants they cared for, and because the Jungle ecologies overgrew their enclosures into the Atrium, it became a natural choice for the Ithorians. Thus it was renamed the Overgrown, and became the housing district for the Ithorians. 


    Bones listened closely to it all, while marveling at how such a place could exist on the ship. He felt like he was actually on a planet. If he had woken up here, he would have never believed he was on a star ship that could travel the galaxy. 


    Jho eventually led Bones to the Jungle Ecologies. Where the Atrium was more like a lush grassland with houses, this was truly a jungle. Trees were packed densely into the area, blocking most of the light above. The shade however was not cool at all. Bones instantly noticed the temperature difference, and knew that most humans would begin sweating immediately in the humid air. 


    Bones also immediately was able to identify which trees were Lumas trees. Their rough brown bark twisted around the trunks, with some of the bark growing over itself in places. The limbs stretched outwards, with smaller and smaller branches spreading out like a kind of spider web. These limbs had green lichen-like vines climbing all over them, working their way into the bark and occasionally wrapping themselves along the trunk. On the tips of some of the branches, the vines curled and wrapped up into a ball, and protruding from these balls…


“Lumas fruit” Bones recognising the sour filled objects. The trees matched the ugliness of the seed.  “So I assume I’ll need to pick those?”


Jho nodded, but added “not yet. That comes tonight.”


“Tonight? Why not now?”


“You will see.”


Bones sighed. 


Eventually the two came into a clearing, where eight Ithorians, both old and young, were working, as well as a pile of mechanical parts, four two legged vehicles, and several large metal containers that made a buzzing sound with the occasional ping of something hitting the inside. Jho introduced them as Bone’s coworkers. Since none of them spoke basic, Jho introduced Bones to the group in his native tongue. Jho then gave Bones his assignment. 


“It will be night in a few hours, and we need these loaders ready by then. You any good with tools? Then help them with the repairs and tuning. I’ll be back later.”


With that, Jho left Bones, now alone in a group of strangers he couldn’t understand. However, Bones was able to make quick work with the loaders. He almost felt like he was back home on Coruscant. His experience with speeder bikes and fixing machines at his repair shop made him a natural at these loaders. While the others, despite not having a common language, had to point out a few things to Bones, he quickly caught on.  Within 2 hours, all the machines were fixed and prepared. It seemed that they were ahead of schedule, since Jho hadn’t come back yet and the rest of the Ithorians had sat down talking to each other. 


Bones paced quietly, anxious to get started. Why were they waiting until tonight to pick the Lumas fruit? It was obvious that the machines would be used to reach the out of reach objects, but why wait until night, when it would be impossible to see the sour-filled objects? These Ithorians were stupid. This entire thing was stupid. Bones fumed slightly as he paced. An Ithorian chuckled at Bones and made a joke, to which the others laughed. Bones noticed and looked down, realizing he had tore up a bunch of grass with his pacing. No doubt the Ithorians were making a joke out of this. 


“That does it” Bones stomped the ground once. “I’m just going to get those fruits now myself!”


With that, Bones went towards the nearest Lumas tree. Using the jagged, rough bark as handholds and footholds, Bones began to climb. The Ithorians stopped talking and watched, curious at what the Tognath was doing. The climb was a solid 28 feet up and the branches, while solid, were narrow. Still, Bones climbed. 


    At the first branch, Bones hoisted and balanced himself. The Ithorians watched intently. With a breath, Bones took a step forward.


    As he fell downwards, the Tognath remembered his time riding speeder bikes in Coruscant. His sister had beaten into his head about the way to fall during an upcoming crash and forced him to practice it over and over again. Loosen body. Relax. Catch something if you can. 


    Bones did just that. He smacked the ground like a stone and remained still for a bit. The Ithorians gathered around, concerned for the stranger, but quickly began to laugh when Bones picked himself back up. Bones was certainly an entertainment. 


    Bones thanked his two skeletal systems and shoved an Ithorian out of the way. He knew what he did wrong. He slipped. He went too quickly. He would do better. 


    Another climb. And again, another fall. The Ithorians laughed and cheered on Bones as he attempted again. This was funny for them. A skeletal man who didn’t know when to quit, and since he wasn’t feeling as much pain as anyone else, and the falls weren’t damaging, he would keep trying. 


    With each attempt, Bones got better. He was learning how the branches were. And he was learning how to balance better and better. All while the Ithorians watched and cheered and laughed.


    “What is going on?!?” Jho shouted, running into the area. The others stopped and pointed up. Realizing what was about to be done, Jho facepalmed and observed with the others. 


    Bones, now at a prime spot, reached out and grabbed as many branches as possible and began to shake. With three might shakes, the vines that held the seeds began to snap and fall. Like the rocks they looked like, Lumas fruit fell down onto the ground. 


    Pride made Bones’ chest swell. He had accomplished what he attempted, and now could show everyone his cleverness. With a fall down and a soft landing and rolling into a fall,  Bones picked himself up expecting cheering and clapping. Instead, the Ithorians were walking away back to the machines. Jho was shaking his head, his large hat swaying left and right. He wasn’t showing anger, or sadness. Just a smidge of annoyance with his movements, and a hint of amusement at his lips.


    “Our dragon did say you were rash. Couldn’t wait, eh?”


“I just proved you don’t have to wait until nightfall to pick your fruits.” Bones clenched his fits. “And all without your machi-”


“Indeed, without the lifters.” Jho sarcastically nodded. “You did that, while risking your body. Its certainly true we couldn’t have used machines during the day. Oh yes, very...eager of you. ”


    Bones said nothing. He was being talked down to and it was annoying him.


    “Can you do me a favor? You know how these fruit work, correct?”


    “Ya..” Bones shrugged, looking at the rock-like fruit around him. “You break them open and the sour stuff comes out."


    “Do that”


    Bones looked at Jho, wondering if he was serious. When Jho didn’t answer, Bones had no choice. Grabbing the nearest fruit, he bent down and smashed the fruit on the ground. With a loud crack, the fruit split and spilled its purple and white contents onto the ground. Bones held it out as if to prove a point.


    Jho shook his head.  "Again. Another one."


    Bones grunted and rolled his eyes. He grabbed the next fruit. Over his head and downwards, Bones smashed the fruit into the ground.


    It didn’t split. Bones stared at it and swung it down again. A loud thud but no crack. Angrily, Bones brought it down again and again. Slowly the fruit began to crack, and eventually snapped, revealing not a hallowed out center, but a solid, purplish substance. 


    “Whah?” Bones poked the substance, finding it spongy but firm. 


    “See, you went for every fruit you could see, not knowing which ones are ready and which ones aren't. Lumas trees produce fruit all year round. We have a method for figuring out which ones are ripe.”


    “But...but…”


    “Ah to be young like you.” Jho chuckled “Come, I have a perfect spot for you.”


    The large round Ithorian led Bones back to the clearing, where the others were. Jho sat down and invited Tognath to join him. Bones did, and listened to the Ithorian. He talked slowly about random things. He asked Bones questions about his life and where he came from. Despite Bone trying to be closed off, the brief answers given allowed Jho to launch into obscure topics. Facts about where the ship came from. Ideas for robot models to help gather the fruit. The verpine ‘infestation’ of the ship. 


    Soon, night began to fall. The ship had programmed its day/night cycle to match Ithor’s night cycle, but also adjusted it so that way its night cycle overlapped Artus Prime’s night cycle. As the simulated sunset occurred, and the shadows grew everywhere, Bones had his breath taken away.


    The lichen vines that grew from the Lumas trees began to emit shades of soft blue and purple light. As the vines wrapped around the trees, the color changed from a blue to a green. When the darkness grew more and more, the light became stronger and stronger. Even in the pitch blackness of night, each branch and path was well illuminated by the tree's glow. 


    As Bones sat and admiring the sudden beauty, Jho stood up and shouted.  “Release the bugs!”


    Five Ithorians went to the large buzzing containers and unscrewed their tops. Numerous small insects flew out, a swarm of beetle-like beings. Even as they flew out, Bones saw they also glowed. Small dots of yellow swarmed the air and slowly went upwards into the trees.


    “Suckler Beetles” Jho commented to the Bone’s wonderment. “Nocturnal bugs from Ithor. Powerful scent glands in them. They can smell nutritious material a mile away though a foot of solid durasteel. We collect them at the end of the night once they fall asleep. The don't bite much, but I don't think that'll bother you” 


    Bones looked at Jho, unable to tell if he was exaggerating. But he could see what they were doing. The Sucklers flew amongst the trees and began to swarm and crawl over the lichen balls and the seeds they held. Large glowing yellow orbs amongst the blue and purple glowing vines. 


    “Amazing. It’s like...like… well I don’t know but...wow!” Bones exclaimed. 


    Jho chuckled and tapped Bone’s shoulder.

 
    “It is. Most newcomers never stay around long enough to see this. You have to be patient to see this. But our defenders...well, sometimes one or two come here to meditate.”


    “Now…” Jho pointed to one of the lifters and handed Bones a large basket as well as a metal rod. Bones felt the engraving of ‘Jho Jho’ on it. “Get to collecting. Stick is good for knocking the fruit loose. I want that back. I’ll be back soon.” 


    With that, Jho turned and left to do whatever he needed to do. Bones nodded and got to work. This time not out of anger or wanting to prove something. This time, Bones was basking in the beauty of the glowing Lumas trees and their seeds. 

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For the next two days, Bones worked hard. He would arrive early to the clearings, help modify and fix the loaders, prepare the baskets, and move the containers with the Suckler beetles. The Ithorians appreciated his technical prowess as well as his willingness to move heavier objects. Truth be told, it kept him busy. He didn’t like standing or sitting around waiting. He needed to be doing something. When he was in that house the Jensaarai let him live in, he would read whatever he could. 

 

Bones even began to pick up a few words and phrases from the Ithorians and some tidbits of information from Jho when he was around. The ship was called Raka Nwul. The Lumas fruit was highly nutritious and given to sick people. The term for crop was Ililithoga in Ithorese. Bark was Grauaka. And the nickname the Ithorians had begun to call Bones, Gra Gaelu, meant…

 

“Flying Bug?!?” Bones exclaimed at Jho’s translation, who laughed heartily. “What kind of name is flying bug?”

 

“A fitting one, given your first day here” Jho handed Bones another basket and an engraved metal rod. Bones was getting used to it. He felt like he could use it as a pretty useful club when needed.  

 

“Ya but, shouldn’t it be skeleton or bones or something? Like Flying Skeleton? My nickname is Bones!” 

 

“Doesn’t have the right ring to it.” Jho chuckled again at a joke. Bones sighed and heaved another basket  full of heavy fruit down to Jho. At least they didn’t make that nickname based on how insectoid his last name sounded. Kikik? That was an invitation for ridicule. Especially since his race already had so many bug-like features. 

 

“Anyways, don’t worry over it. Once you finish this harvest in four more days, you probably won’t see us for a while.

 

“Wait…” Bones stopped. “What do you mean four days? Sun-Dragon told me that I would have this done within five days, and that was two days ago.”

 

Jho shook his head, his large hat swaying its usual sway.  “Not unless everyone gets a lot faster. Our dragon probably thinks it will be done within your time frame, but he told me you were to stay till the harvest was finished. Would you like me to tell him it will take longer? I could cont-”

 

“No...no..” Bones interjected, looking at his fruit. “That’s...fine. I’m sure he knows and...its fine…”

 

It was not fine. 

 

Later during the day, Bones tossed and turned in his bed. He couldn’t sleep. Four days of work remained? How was he supposed to accomplish what Sun-Dragon told him to do? He couldn’t work during the day to get the fruit down. 

 

Bones got up and paced his dark room. He only took a break to insert a sulfate tablet into his rebreather. A few deep puffs of the stuff calmed him down a bit. He focused on breathing. It calmed him down further. 

 

On the table was a datapad. Not knowing what else to do, he opened it up and began to read. It was full of texts and files that he was told that Jensaarai Defenders held dear. A bunch of it went over Bones’ head. Philosophies on battle tactics, theories on how ‘the Force’ interacted with people, ideas on how civilizations and individuals functioned in life, and even a few select commentaries from Defenders their thoughts about the texts. Still, some tidbits popped out at the Tognath.

 

“He will win who knows when to fight and when to not fight.” Bones began to read aloud, scrolling through the text, written long ago by some unnamed warrior. 

 

“He will win who knows how to handle superior and inferior forces. He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks and is united. He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared. And he will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by others. Know your enemy, and know yourself” 

 

Below the text was a commentary from a Defender. One that Bones recognised. 

 

This applies to more than armies. This applies to yourself as well. Do not rely on whether or not the enemy approaches, but instead whether or not you can receive him. Know yourself. Know your enemy. Learn yourself. Learn your enemy. Then you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.  

-Sun Dragon.

 

Bones studied the words carefully. Not just the text, but the commentary as well. Something about the words resonated with him. It spoke to him and sat with him. 

 

“Know yourself and know your enemy…”

 

Bones turned off the datapad and got up. He knew himself. He knew what he was good at and what he could do. He knew a way to work faster in the night. He had an idea. 

 

Back in the jungle ecology, tired but eager. With a newfound energy, Bones climbed the nearest Lumas tree and began to balance again on the branch. Taking a breath, Bones calmed himself and tried walking across the branch. 

 

Time and time again, Bones fell. And time and time again Bones got back up to try again only to fall again. Even when he made it to an edge of a branch, he would begin to work his way back and fall in the process. He would be in pain after this, even with his underdeveloped nervous system. Still, he did it again and again. 

 

With each attempt, Bones got faster. His steps were more sure, but more delicate as well. He began to take larger strides on the branches. He even began to jump from one to another. Confident with his abilities, Bones this time climbed down instead of falling, and, exhausted, sat against the tree.  A yawn and a closing of eyes and Bones fell asleep. 

 

When the other Ithorians came, they left the Tognath alone. Jho eventually woke the young being up, who quickly got to work without a word. His idea didn’t work at first. With the Suckler Beetles highlighting which fruits were ripe for picking, Bones figured he could jump from branch to branch and knock the fruit down, instead of using the slow-moving and burdensome lifters. However, Bones ran into a problem. He couldn’t reach the fruit.  Multiple times the Tognath fell to the ground. This latest time Bones sat up, but didn't move much. He was losing hope. 

 

Jho rubbed his face and groaned slightly and took the Tognath to the side.

 

“I see what you are doing, and honestly, I think it isn’t the smartest idea. However, you have your heart set on it and since you are so keen to keep the nickname the others gave you, here…”

 

Jho pushed his metal rod into Bones hands. Bones looked at Jho curiously. 

 

“Use this as well as your own rod to balance yourself. Stretch yourself out as wide as you can with your arms.” As Jho talked, he took a few plucked fruits and tied them to Bones’ belt, making him slightly heavier.  “My son dreams of being an acrobatic someday, and he uses a much longer rod to balance himself on a wire. And he carries weights to lower his center of gravity. Do the same up there, and when you are close enough…”

 

Jho made a swinging motion. Bones nodded and took off. Jho watched as the young being climbed another tree. Taking a breath, the Tognath held the two rods out like he was told. Jho scratched his chin. Bones took a step forward. He shook much less then before. Jho could see confidence swell in the Tognath’s chest. Bones took another step. Then another. He was slower then before but his speed would return. 

 

Soon Bones was in a position where several fruits were covered with swarms of beetles. Rebalancing himself again,  Bones prepared himself and swung the two rods in his hands. 

 

Five fruits, with bugs swarming away, fell to the ground like stones. 

 

Bones raised his arms in a cheer and made a whooping noise, before nearly stumbling off the branch again. Jho clapped his hands in praise and watched as the Tognath eagerly began to walk the branch back to find a new position to get more fruit.

 

As the days passed, Bones got faster and faster. He was clearing a tree faster than a few Ithorians could. By the end of the fifth day, the harvest was completed, ahead of schedule. Even as the sun began to rise, Bones knocked down the last fruit, to the cheering of the other Ithorians. 

 

Bones thanked Jho greatly, to which Jho shook his head and instead thanked Bones for the good work. In a surprise. He told Bones to keep the rods. He was to present them to Sun-Dragon, as proof that Bones had done his work, and done it well. 

 

Bones thanked Jho again and took off. Through the Ecology and through Atrium, Bones ran until he found a speeder, which took him to the inner parts of the ship. Through the city Bones ran, only stopping at his home momentarily to grab his data pad. As he left, he poured some Lumas Fruit liquid in the pot next to his door. Inside he could see a small seed of something sprouting up. 

 

Bones was out of breath when he stopped at the entrance to the jungle line. He rested his hands on his legs as he breathed in and out through his rebreather. He was to meet Sun-Dragon. On his back were the two rods that Jho had given, each one engraved with the Ithorian’s name.

 

Bones looked at the forested entrance before him. It was both so similar and yet so different from the Jungle Ecology he had worked days in. 

“Sun-Dragon? I did it! I finished the harvest!” Bones announced as he looked around for the Defender. 
 

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“Come deeper.”  The voice echoed in Bones’ mind, leaving the air calm, heavy and still at the edge of the jungles. The calling urged him deep into the undergrowth where no trails ran and the plants grew freely and unfettered. Thorns that dripped poison, choking vines that twitched awaiting disturbance to envelop their prey, and dark foreboding trunks and canopy that blocked out the light that streamed from above. 

Deeper. Deeper.” The voice urged him onwards.Seek out your calling. Feel within. Let your soul open to the world around you and find your place.”

 

“Find your place . . .”

 

For anyone searching on the waves of the force, the faintest presence of The Sun-Dragon could be felt. He was in the soil, the plants, the very air; the Sun-Dragon was nowhere to be found, but everywhere at the same time.
 

When the apprentice was good and lost, the voice called out again, this time audibly through the still humid air, “What have you learned?”

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Bones almost flinched at the sound of Sun-Dragon. But it wasn’t a sound. It was a feeling. Not a sudden, instinctive gut feeling, but like a tingling of a sense. With no other choice, Bones obeyed.

 

Pushing through the underbrush, Bones felt the heat even with his underdeveloped nervous system. Small skitterring animals darted away from the Tognath. The cawing of birds, the squeaking of rodents, and the chirping of bugs filled the area with life. Bones would’ve admired how much life was here compared to the jungle ecologies if he wasn’t so focused.

 

The voice called to Bones. He grunted and pushed forward. Where was Sun-Dragon? 

 

Bones stopped at the Sun-Dragon’s words. Words about opening himself. Letting his soul be open. He closed his eyes and tried to think. He tried to remember what the words from his datapad had said. He recalled how Jho told him to be quiet and to observe while waiting for night to fall. He did the same here and took a few deep breaths. 

 

His breathing slowed and became normal. Something told him to climb. So he did. The trees were much slicker and smoother, but still doable for the Tognath. Once on a branch, Bones walked out and jumped to another. Then another. Then Bones jumped to the ground and ran a short distance. He had no idea where he was going, but it felt right. 

 

Bones stopped at Sun-Dragon’s question. He glanced around trying to find the source of the voice, but found none. 

 

“I...I” Bones stammered, struggling  to find a good answer. “I learned the importance of waiting. And the beauty of peace.”  Bones then chuckled to himself. “And the benefit of sour Lumas Fruit”

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“Perhaps you learned something after all then,” the voice spoke echoing seemingly from everywhere before the monster of a man, stepped silently out of the brush behind Bones and spoke himself. “Such as why most creatures are formed with more ways to take in information than to offer up their own. Such is the way of the Jensaarai to be still like the waters at river’s edge and to accept the current as one’s destiny when it comes to call.”
 

The Defender’s presence was palpable within the force, but it did not coalesce where the man visibly stood; instead it was if he was all around. “I understand you had some time to study as well. This is very good. It is a sign of the assuredness that you are a Jensaarai. We thirst for knowledge. That which we do not know, trivial or great, we seek out and find.  Now, might I suggest you go and rest, bathe yourself, study the Mireinio ysbrydol and then in the afternoon meet me back where you first sought to challenge me. There is more to being a Jensaarai than picking melons afterall.” He chuckled softly at his own attempt at humor as he turned to go back through the undergrowth. Turning over his shoulder he added, “Bring Brother Jho’s gift with you. Arosymladd is best practiced without empty hands.”And with that the man vanished into the trees as if he had never been. The initiate was expected to use the force to find his way home. Meanwhile, the Sun-Dragon had some errands to run.

 

________________________
 

Later that afternoon, the Sun-Dragon stood back at the edge of earth-packed circle ringed by huts, a wooden quarterstaff held in his hands. His worn and damaged armor was nowhere to be seen. Instead the man wore a simple rough-spun sleeveless tunic and breeches that left his heavily scarred arms and legs exposed. The man’s face was crisscrossed with scars as well and his left upper arm was covered in jagged twisted tattoos that had once been of elegant Sith design before his skin had been subjected to whatever tortures had left him burned and filleted. At the feet of the warrior lay the gear Bones had come to the Jensaarai in, his weapons, armor, and clothing.

 

As the Tognath came into view, the Jensaarai Defender spoke loudly, “I have heard that you have fancied yourself a hunter and a warrior. It is time to refine those skills into something befitting the Jensaarai Order. You may take what you wish, but remember the way of the Jensaarai. Keep your mind open, remain in the moment, seek knowledge always, control your emotions lest they control you, remember what you have learned and what you have read.” 
 

Slowly spinning the staff in his hands, the Sun-Dragon kicked Bones’ gear to the center of the dirt. “Begin and,” he smiled, “try to not kill an old man who once served the Sith before finding truth in the fiery shadows.”

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Bones looked around him, wondering where Sun-Dragon was hiding. When he emerged from behind and spoke, Bones jumped. He had not heard the Jensaarai at all. His footsteps were so silent, and Bones had been busy searching with his eyes. It was obvious Bones needed practice listening and searching with more then eye-sight.


He listened to Sun-Dragon’s words intently, and couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride at the compliments. It had been so long since he heard one. The last time he heard one was on Coruscant. Ever since then, the closest thing he got to a compliment was a congratulatory at being so brutal as an enforcer. 


Bones wasn’t sure if either he or Sun-Dragon had poor humor, but he didn’t get the joke. Still, he listened and nodded, and when Sun-Dragon disappeared, he knew what to do. 


But how to get back? He was entirely lost in this dense forest line that Sun-Dragon called him into. Bones turned around and tried to get his bearing. He jumped from a branch to a branch. Maybe he could recognise the branches?


“Thats...that impossible. Even a well-trained bounty hunter couldn’t do that…” Bones shook his head. “What am I going to do? I guess I could just walk in one direction and hope for the best. Then again…” 


Bones looked around at the foliage. Why the rush? This place was warm but comfortable. And there were certainly more animals out here. The chirping of Manolliums and flapping of wings, both feathered and leathery, were surprisingly a soothing sound at the moment. Bones took up a tree and sat on a branch, just to enjoy the peace here. It felt right in some way. True he was lost, but still, it was peaceful. 


He reached into his small pack and pulled out his datapad. Sun-Dragon recommended more reading, specifically the Mireinio ysbrydol. Here was a good spot to do so. 


“Concerning knowing yourself and nature...” Bones stated out loud to no one in particular. “one must know reality and the root of everything. The root of everything is the Force. It lives in us and beyond us. It has no shape and is emptiness, yet it contains all things. It cannot be held, but it is doubtlessly there. Unseen, yet around always. Even in the space between stars, it is there. Thus, to see the Force, unless your inner eye is opened, you will never see it. The wise know the principles of the Force, but the common people do not. 


"All things are made up of the Force. Within the Force, there is the Ashra and the Bogun. In and Yo. Consider the elements of the universe: Plant, Fire, Ground, Metal, and Water. Fire and Water oppose each other, as do Plant and Metal and so they fight each other, while ground remains alone. That is because like the Force, they too are In and Yo of each other. Fire and Plant are In, while Water and Metal are yo. Ground is both In and Yo. 

 

"The Force exists and gives life to these elements. While all beings have different amounts of the elements within them, they exist in there. Water found in the body turns back to water as the body becomes dry. Fire or heat turns back to fire again as the body gets cold. Metal turns back to metal so the body loses its strength. It shrinks and does not function. After that, whether cremated or buried or simply rotting down, it goes back to the Ground. The bonds that connect the body will scatter and break apart. As the body returns to the elements, the elements return to the In and the Yo. And in turn, the In and Yo return to the Force. 


"All beings eventually return to the elements, and in turn, to the Force. The Force is everywhere. Since the Force is in the elements, and the elements make up the universe, the Force makes up everything.  As it exists within you, it binds you to everything. And being so bound, it connects you with everything in the universe.” 


Bones took a breath and put the datapad down. There was some more stuff on the pad, but a lot of it was starting to go over his head. This was enough for now. 


The Force. Bones vaguely remember hearing some stuff about it. About how the Jedi and the Sith used it, as well as the Jensaarai he recently discovered.  He recalled in one of the other texts how the Jensaarai meditated to attune themselves to the Force. Perhaps that was what he needed to do here? 


“I’m certainly in a perfect place for it.” Bones chuckled. 


Bones slowly closed his eyes and focused himself. There on the branch, he stayed perfectly still, listening to everything around him. The cawing of the birds. The flapping of wings. The gentle movement of stimulated wind rustling the leaves. Bones focused on how they were connected. The trees were plants, which could burn with heat. The heat of the ship kept the trees comfortable. The trees drank water and stored it within their trunks. And they carried immense strength, or metal, to stay standing. 


So it was with Bones. He had Water in him, floating within his blood. His body generated heat, or Fire. His bones were hard and strong, like Metal. He was organic, like Plant. And eventually, he would die and return to the Ground. 


“Ashra...Bogun” Bones whispered, slowing his breathing. “Plant, Fire, Ground, Metal, and Water. Ashra...Bogun. Plant...Fire...Ground...Water.”


For over an hour, Bones continued this, whispering to himself the In and Yo of the universe, as well as the elements. Something about these words comforted him. He thought about how he was connected to them, and in turn, connected to the things around him. It was a rejuvenating feeling. A wondrous feeling. A feeling of awe. 


Bones stopped and jumped down and began walking in a direction. He didn’t know why, but he felt like this was the way to go. 
Emerging from the trees, Bones made his way back to his home. He would bathe, rest and prepare himself. 

_____

Bones eventually arrived, carrying Jho’s metal rods in his hands. He stopped briefly when he saw Sun-Dragon and stared a bit in wonderment. He had never seen Sun-Dragon without his armor before. While not expecting something beautiful, the scarred and burned man before him almost horrified the Tognath. There was obviously much history to his man. 


“I have heard that you have fancied yourself a hunter and a warrior. It is time to refine those skills into something befitting the Jensaarai Order.” 


Bones nodded. “I mean, I guess. I’m pretty good at boxing and I can aim a gun.”


“You may take what you wish, but remember the way of the Jensaarai.” Sun Dragon continued. “Keep your mind open, remain in the moment, seek knowledge always, control your emotions lest they control you, remember what you have learned and what you have read.”


Bones looked at the gear now at the center of the dirt. He could see his rifle. There was a brief feeling of disgust at it, as the sight of it brought back the memory of killing a child and an innocent man. The crime that Bones regretted instantly. Was Sun-Dragon indicating for Bones to use it again? 


“I don’t think I should...I can use that” Bones shook his head and looked up at Sun-Dragon. “And we both know you can toss me aside like a gnat when I try to punch you. So i’m gonna beat you up with this instead…” 


Bones chuckled as he brought the rods together and twisted them. During his rest, he had looked over the rods and noticed how there were grooves inside of them.  Jho had to be either one expert craftsman, or knew one. It seemed that all of his rods were made to screw together in case of some fruit being so far out of reach of the lifters. Clever Ithorian.


Bones gripped his now formed quarterstaff with both hands and braced himself against Sun-Dragon. He knew there was no way he could beat this man, but he would try. He had already given away his best advantage, but he couldn’t use the rifle. That wasn’t right. 


Bones moved forward and kicked a loose rock at the Sun-Dragon, seeing if he would react. Then he moved forward and, with most of his effort, tried to swing the metal staff like a club at the man. 

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With a careful side step, The Sun-Dragon brought his staff up to meet Bones’ blow, in an attempt to allow the weapon to slide down the angular shaft of his own weapon away from him carried by it’s own force. “The Aros is a vital weapon of the Jensaarai. Even when others cannot find a weapon in their vicinity, a Jensaarai can. Learn the way of the Aros. It’s use is vital to the Jensaarai way of life. Even when we are in the fields, we must be prepared to stand side by side protecting our community at a moment’s notice.”

 

The force swirled about the warrior, creating almost a haze around him as he moved. Having diverted the blow, the Sun-Dragon returned to spinning the staff in his hands. “Feel the world around you. Let it speak to you and guide you. Let it guide the stick in your hands. Allow it to become a part of you as you become a part of the world around you. Reach out. Feel it. Let it wash over you. Listen to its whispers and let it guide your movements.” The Jensaarai continued to swirl his staff about in front of him, effortlessly twisting it about his waist before lunging forward in a low sweep parallel to the ground swinging the staff at the apprentice’s legs; his body tensed in a low squat.

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“The Aros is a vital weapon of the Jensaarai. Even when others cannot find a weapon in their vicinity, a Jensaarai can. Learn the way of the Aros. It’s use is vital to the Jensaarai way of life. Even when we are in the fields, we must be prepared to stand side by side protecting our community at a moment’s notice.”

 

Bones listened and nodded after recovering from his easily deflected blow. He listened while observing Sun-Dragon’s staff spin slowly around. The words the Sun-Dragon spoke rang true with him. Bones couldn’t explain it, but it felt like what he was saying resonated within him. 

 

When the Jensaarai called upon the force and made the air around him simmer, Bones felt himself tense up, as if his instincts were telling him something his senses were not picking up. His own blood suddenly went cold, and his exoskeleton seemed to vibrate ever so slightly, making all of his half-developed nervous tissues work perfectly. 

 

“Plant, Fire, Ground, Metal, and Water” Bones murmured in response.  

 

Acting with this newfound instinct, Bones jumped slightly at the low sweeping blow the Sun-Dragon intended. Bones felt like the ground was warning him, and the water in his legs were sensing the incoming blow. Bones had acted with their guidance. Landing on his feet, Bones chuckled as he put himself into a position with both hands separated along the staff. This wasn’t too bad. He had to listen to his instincts and his body. Listen to the elements. Like the Mireinio ysbrydol had said, he and the elements were connected through the Force.  That was easy…

 

“Whoo!” A synthesized voice cheered. Bones glanced over to the side and realized he had an audience. Two local Ithorians had taken seats against a wall of a house, while aVerpine with a metal hand and foot stood next to them. It seemed the insectoid was the one that cheered.

 

“Heh…” Bones chuckled and looked back at Sun-Dragon. The feeling was lost. He was no longer focused, but the Tognath didn’t realize that. Pride was filling his movements. 

 

“Hiya!” Bones shouted as he charged forward and tried to boldly bring his staff down on Sun-Dragon's head. 

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Twirling to his left, The Sun-Dragon whirled backwards away from the driving blow. His own staff spinning around in his hands as he, in one continuous sweep, brought his own wooded weapon towards Bones’ exposed back. In the same sweeping forward motion, he planted his foot atop Bones’ weapon as it struck empty earth.

 

Using his momentum, the Sun-Dragon did not stop moving, whirling to a clear distance behind his apprentice. Staff in hand, he continued to spin it, the momentum of the aros ready to be directed into its next strike. Looking down at his apprentice he spoke. “Focus not on your weapon. Focus on yourself. A Jensaarai is always seeking truth and is always ready to act. Your mind, body, and soul bonded together as one. The weapon should become nothing but an extension of your will and of your person. When you are centered, unhampered by the distractions about you, you will become one with your weapon.”


The Jensaarai master slowly circles keeping his eyes on Bones. The force continued to swirl around him and on it, he reached out. He felt the traces of pride that had distracted his apprentice. The blurred staff hazing before his eyes, he continued, his intense gaze never leaving the young Bones who now held a position within reaching distance of his discarded weapons.
 

“The skills of combat can be learned. To be a Jensaarai you must become master of the most difficult aspects of the galaxy, yourself. A Jensaarai feels emotions. He uses them. He controls them and makes them work for him. Otherwise they are as dangerous a distraction as an undefended plasma shot, a distracting onlooker, or the soft dark side whisper that promises the ease of victory but does not tell you the price.”

 

”Again! Let the force flow through you and bind to you as one.”

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On the ground, a feeling of frustration grew within Bones. Similar to the annoyance he had when kept slipping from the branches trying to collect Lumas fruit, this feeling was a bit stronger, mostly because it was being done by another living thing and not Bones himself. 

 

“Focus not on your weapon. Focus on yourself. A Jensaarai is always seeking truth and is always ready to act. Your mind, body, and soul bonded together as one. The weapon should become nothing but an extension of your will and of your person. When you are centered, unhampered by the distractions about you, you will become one with your weapon.”

 

Bones breathed a deep breath of sulfur dioxide and recited the words again. The elements came to his lips, as well as the words Ashra and Bogun. Bones moved to stand up, and felt his hand touch something. His rifle.

 

Angrily, Bones shoved it away, unwilling to use such a weapon. He had made his bed. Now he was going to sleep in it.  Bones stood up and faced the Defender, staff at the ready. 

 

“The skills of combat can be learned. To be a Jensaarai you must become master of the most difficult aspects of the galaxy, yourself. A Jensaarai feels emotions. He uses them. He controls them and makes them work for him. Otherwise they are as dangerous a distraction as an undefended plasma shot, a distracting onlooker, or the soft dark side whisper that promises the ease of victory but does not tell you the price.”
 
”Again! Let the force flow through you and bind to you as one.”

 

Bones nodded and tried to focus. Again and again, he quoted the elements softly.

 

 “Plant, Fire, Ground, Metal, Water.... Plant, Fire, Ground, Metal...“

 

Bones began to admire and become fascinated by the swirling of the air around Sun Dragon’s staff. Realizing this, Bones shut his eyes momentarily and focused on his other senses. While feeling wasn’t something his species were known for, he could still hear and smell and taste. 

 

Taste. The taste of small amounts of water on his tongue, intermingling with the Sulfer Dioxide he breathed. The Water. The Water was in him, supporting his blood and organs. 

 

Bones gripped his staff tightly. His metal staff. Like the metal in his body. Metal was the element of strength. When a person died, the metal gave away and the body crumbled. Metal made him strong. He had metal in him. Slowly, his hands slid down the staff and met together at the staff’s center. 


Fire. Bones anger was like that of fire. Passionate, and capable of spreading and giving speed. It was in the air around him, in the oxygen and in the sulfer Bones breathed. It gave him energy. Bones breathed again and twisted both his wrists, separated the staff into the two rods they were originally part of. 

 

Plant. Plant was life incarnate. All organics had plant in them, as did nature around them. Including Sun Dragon. In his mind’s eye, Bones briefly saw Sun Dragon. He saw how both Bones and Sun-Dragon were the same, and how they related to each other. Bones dashed forward, bringing one rod to block Sun-Dragon’s staff.

 

Ground. Land. The element that all things came from and all things will go to. Neither Ashra, nor Bogun, but both. Ground was balance.  It centered the soul, and kept it going towards its rightful destination. All it needed was for Bones to listen to it. 

 

Through all these elements the Force flowed. And for the briefest moment, they flowed through Bones. 

 

Bones knew it wasn’t instincts that were driving him, nor was it his own mind. The Force was flowing through him. In that moment, Bones felt all of the elements within him, guiding him and granting strength and speed. 

 

Bones free hand moved rapidly now, trying to strike Sun-Dragon’s open side. Even as he did, his other hand, the first attacking hand, drew back and tried to strike again and again. It was wild, but not frantic or desperate. The Force was briefly flowing through the young Tognath.   

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The Sun-Dragon laughed aloud, a loud belly laugh of pleasure as he felt the force behind the tognath’s blows. Setting one foot behind him at an angle, he swung his own staff to brace against the blows.  “Good! Let the force flow through you. It is a river and you, but a branch in the current. Let the river guide you.”
 

Twirling his own staff to parry the incoming flurry blows, loud cracks filled the makeshift arena as the dance continued, the Sun-Dragon circling back slowly as he deflected the onslaught of strikes and blows directed at him. 
 

“Flow with the river, but remember, you are not a leaf to be pushed without influence. Do not block the river and seek to divert it. Roll yourself in the river, allowing the uniqueness that is you to be buffeted by the force and pushed in ways that are unique to you. Every branch is different, but they spring from the same tree. Do not resist; do not hold fast; but like a rudder, let who you are speak in the force. Together, a path will become apparent.” And with a final block of an incoming blow, the Sun-Dragon pushed back against Bones’ weapons arcing his own staff in the air in an attempt to smash the wooden rod across the tognath’s head.

 

“The force, your past, your future; you, the Jensaarai.”


Should the Defender knock his apprentice into the dust, he would stop to help him up, the lesson concluded. Should young Bones continue the fight, the lesson would continue.

 

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Energy ws building in Bones. He could feel it in himself. The feeling of being connected to everything briefly. Combined with the fight, it was invigorating and thrilling. With each blow he tried to inflict that came from letting the Force flow through him, it was more and more stimulating. His exoskeleton felt like it was trying to sing. His breath felt smooth and hot. Each whiff of Sulfer felt like a fire inside of him. 


“Flow with the river, but remember, you are not a leaf to be pushed without influence. Do not block the river and seek to divert it. Roll yourself in the river, allowing the uniqueness that is you to be buffeted by the force and pushed in ways that are unique to you. Every branch is different, but they spring from the same tree. Do not resist; do not hold fast; but like a rudder, let who you are speak in the force. Together, a path will become apparent.”

 

Momentarily distracted by trying to comprehend what was being said, Bones lost the feeling of being connected almost immediately. He didn't react  well to the incoming blow.  The flow had become disconnected. Bones tried to actively move out of the way of the blow, but he was too slow now. He could only witness it coming towards his face. 


The blow was hard and swift. Had he been a human, it might’ve been concussive.  Bones tumbled backwards and fell onto his back and even exclaimed a curse.


“Son of a nerf that actually hurt!” 


Bones took Sun-Dragon’s help and stood again. The small crowd who had gathered were now  dispersing, their entertainment done. Bones rubbed his exterior skull, checking for cracks. 


“So what you are saying is I have to learn how to think while using the Force? I think I need more practice then. Ow..."

 

Bones rubbed his skull more, an aching feeling beginning to develop.  For a human, it definately would've been much to painful. Bones wondered if Sun-Dragon was using the Tognath's underdeveloped nervous system as an excuse to hold back less then other apprentices. 

 

 "Still, I also need to let the force and me reflect each other, correct?” 


Bones seemed to unstand the lesson. Instincts could only go so far, as his sister used to say. He had become a good boxer and a decent speeder bike racer by practice, not by instict. He had nearly crashed his bike several times at first on Corescant, barely missing a pedestrian or a passing vehicle. And in the criminal world, he had won most of his early matches by luck and deteriminating until one of his ‘coworkers’ taught him how to hold himself and how to strike. 


“Sun-Dragon, a question…” Bones spoke up. “In the Mireinio Ysbrydol, I keep seeing the phrase ‘Ashla and Bogun” Bones pulled out his datapad and showed Sun-Dragon on the topic of the elements and the Force in the 'Knowledge of Nature' section.

 

“The other stuff I get...kinda. Some of it I have to reread...a lot”


Bones tone took on one of annoyance briefly, but then returned to questioning. “But it never fully explains what Ashla and Bogun is. Since it seems they are more closely related to the Force then the elements, I assume they are some kind of aspects of the Force?”
 

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 “Think, feel, be, allow the force to touch your innermost being and reflect it out through the prism that is you. This is why every Jensaarai undergoes such rigors. To mold and form them. You have great potential young Bones. You must embrace this new life and learn it until you become one with it.”

 

An armor-clad Defender materialized silently behind Bones at the side of the bare earth. With a nod to the warrior, The Sun-Dragon cut himself short. “Excuse me little brother. It would appear I am being called elsewhere. Return to your quarters, commune with the community, seek out the verpine and do what they request to obtain parts with which to begin constructing your lightsaber. When I return, I will instruct you in how to begin construction.”

 

Brushing past Bones, the scantily-clad Defender walked to meet his fellow. After conversing in low tones for several minutes, Sun-Dragon turned and returned to Bones. “To be a Jensaarai means to seek knowledge. Those who seek acknowledge they do not know all that there is to know or worth knowing. The force can be unfathomable. Ashla and Bogan are but one way that people cast that which they carry within onto something they cannot understand. They label it to understand it. The force cannot be known. Light and dark can be found within. Thus we reflect what is in our own hearts. Purge the darkness from your soul brother. Contemplate on these mysteries and when we meet again, we can speak further. For now, the Saarai-Kaar has requested that you go to the sealed doors of Dome #8. Await instructions there. Go with the knowledge that whatever task you are given, you carry the community on your shoulders” With that, the Sun-Dragon turned and made his way down the road, disappearing around the corner. 

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Bones nodded and left at Sun-Dragon’s command. It seemed simple enough. Seeking out the verpine couldn’t be too difficult, especially since he had seen one earlier watching the training session. All he had to do was find that bug. 


However, it quickly became harder then he expected. Either he was really bad at searching or the verpine was just really quick, but Bones began to doubt his own skills at finding a single bug. Eventually, he had to start asking around. Anyone he came across Bones would ask if anyone had seen the verpine. He would get a few shaking of heads, a few negative responses, but nothing more. What’s more, the Ithorians seemed a little offended at the question even, for reasons that were at the moment unknown.


Tired after an hour of searching, Bones sat down against a wall to rest on the warm durasteel floor. The sky was still quite bright, making the Tognath feel quite at ease at the moment. He had never been to his species homeworld, but he had heard that it was intense and full of fire and brimstone. A hot, deadly place full of trouble, which made an endurance to heat necessary for survival . His parents had left that place to live on Coruscant, where they could raise children in a place that would be more wholesome and opportunistic for the two. 


Bones sighed a deep sigh. His thoughts had been sucked into the past, where memories of his home before reigned. In all the time lately, Bones had very little time to think about his past. The home that he missed so much. The home where he would steal his parent’s speeder bikes with his sister, and go drag racing through the busy night life of the city-planet.. The home where the two trouble-makers would sneak into before their father and mother woke up to leave for their cleaning jobs. The home where the smell of boiling egg-rakata his mom had set to cook overnight would be waiting for them. 


Bones chuckled. The one time his sister knocked over a lightstand, and immediately tried to pretend how she had, in fact, been coming down from the bedroom to catch Bones in his escapades. She was never very good at lying and the tognath’s parents saw through the ruse immediately.

 
“Oh, Muv…” Bones began to sob invisible tears. Their species retained as much water as possible and never wasted it on expressions. “Muv, Muv...Would you be proud? I...I don’t know…


“Don’t know what?”


Bones jerked up, caught off guard by the sudden feminine voice. Before him had walked up a lithe, chitonous body of an insectoid. 


“You! Your the person I’m looking for!”


The verpine looked at the Tognath curiously, but chirped a few noises of embarrassment. With a metal prosthetic hand, she reached up and stroked her antenna, much like how a female human would brush her hair back. 


“Um, I didn’t realize I was so badly wanted. I saw your little, um...was that a duel? “


“What? Oh no no, it was just some training with Sun-Dragon.” Bones quickly stood up and shook the Verpine’s metal hand. “ My name is Bones, and I was told to talk to you.”


“Me? Oh my...thank you, um, Mr Bones,” The female verpine looked almost shocked at hearing this as she clutched Bones exoskeleton hand, “but I fail to see why Sun-Dragon would suggest me to speak to…”


Bones shrugged.  “All he said was speak to the verpine and to do what they…”


“Wait wait wait” the verpine interrupted, waving her hand over Bones’ rebreathing to stop his speaking. “He didn’t mention me by name? He said ‘the verpine’?”


When Bones nodded, her attanna drooped down slowly. 


“Um...but I’m sure he meant you, since you had watched us train…” Bones stammered out, realizing how disappointed he made the verpine. “Um...miss…?”


“Hmmm? Oh ya, I’m sure he did. Hmm...oh sorry, name is Aoi. Hanaha Aoi. I’m the...um...the representative of the Hive.” 


Bones turned his head in puzzlement. The lack of facial muscles and tear ducts meant that the species that to develop other ways to show emotion. 


“You...oh that makes so much sense now! Hehe! Yes, there is a hive. A while ago, the verpine, um, we sort of snuck aboard Raka Nwul.  We made ourselves indispensable to the ship by becoming its engineers, and so the hive now lives in the Pipes. Inside the ship. We are everywhere down there. I think there’s about 680 of us down there...”


Bones was genuinely surprised. In all of his time here, he hadn’t seen anything that would indicate an entire colony of insectoids on board. To be able to live on the ship without being seen was impressive to say the least.


“So you all are engineers onboard?”


Aoi shook her head, then nodded slightly in correction. “No no...well, Most of us are, yes. I do some work as an engineer, but I’m actually the designated representative of the Hive. If anyone has questions or problems, they usually find me.”


“That must be interesting. Being the diplomat between two groups.”


“Eh, not really. It’s mostly dealing with complaints about missing parts and blocked water valves. I unfortunately don’t get to see too many happy Ithorians.” 


Bones suddenly understood. He remembered hearing rumors of thieving individuals taking random items and returning them very altered. To the Ithorians, they liked hand making their tools. So when a technical minded verpine takes a tool and upgrades it without permission, that could be very annoying. 


“Anyways, enough about us. You said you needed to speak to us?” 


“Oh! Ya, sorry…” It was clear that Bones had almost forgotten his task. “I’m supposed to acquire parts for a lightsaber…”


Aoi’s antenna perked up again. “That’s a new one. And it just so happens I know a bit about lightsabers. Not much mind you, our Hive mother doesn’t want me to go too much into investigating Jensaarai technology, but we have studied some of your laser swords. Even presented a few ideas to the Defenders…here, come with me…”


Aoi led Bones down the street a ways, where, once at the center of a cross-section, tapped the floor with her metal foot a few times. To Bones’ surprise, the floor hissed and opened up a circular hole. Aoi fell down a little ways into a narrow, cramped, crawlspace. She indicated for Bones to follow, who did so. 


After a few moments of crawling at a downwards angle, Bones found himself in a chamber of crisscrossing pipes, circuitry, and hallways. Bones gazed in awe at what he was seeing. The entire mechanical parts of the ship were open to access from the area, he was sure of it. If he knew the layout of the ship better, he could find where all the ship’s power cores, water distillations, and much more. Bones instantly understood why the verpine called the interior of Raka Nwul ‘The Pipes’


There were also many more verpine down here. Bones lost count after 20, but could easily see how an entire Hive could exist inside the ship. Each Verpine that Bones witnessed was busy at work, whether it was by cutting and rewelding pipes with plasma torches, labeling areas and wires, or providing food to a coworker. 


Aoi led Bones around, showing him some of the Pipes while explaining what she was trying to find. She explained some of the concepts of the lightsaber, how it was simple in design yet also complex in style. She appeared genuinely surprised when Bones began to fill in some of her trains of thought when she explained certain parts. Bones’ work on Coruscant as a repair shop owner had given him many insights into how some pieces of technology worked. It was easy to tell that a bond of friendship was developing between the two. 


Finally, after acquiring enough parts, which was almost nothing more then two handfuls of metal junk, Aoi explained the concept of the crystal. 


“As far as I can tell, the Jensaarai, use crystals as well as the emitter matrix to force the focused plasma from the lenses into a blade of pure energy. The crystal, as i understand it, is the heart of the lightsaber.”


“And where am I supposed to get those? Not exactly a mine around here. ”


Aoi looked at Bones and buzzed a little in thought. Bones couldn’t help but notice her mandibles clicking in excitement. Eventually she reached into one of her many pockets and held out something clenched.


“I’ll give you this on two conditions. One: you promise to make a delivery for me to the leader of the Jensaarai. The Saarai-Kaar. Two: You give me a radio-frequency for those…” 


Aoi gently tapped at the communication implants on Bones’ head. The Tognath was surprised. People usually didn’t ask for such a thing, at least not in Bones’ experiences. 


“Its so that way I can contact you again. You know, for professional reasons.”


Bones had the distinct feeling that there was more going on, but he agreed. Having that, Aoi dropped two small red crystals into the Tognath’s open hand.  They were just slightly smaller then Bones’ smallest finger.


“These are gifts from the Hive-Mother. Apparently someone here knows how to make synthetic crystals, and the Hive-Mother only gives those to people she respects. So don’t go showing it to other Verpine, k? I don’t want her to think I’m disrespecting her.” 
Bones agreed and thanked Aoi for her generous gift. Along with that, she handed Bones a datapad, containing a map of Raka Nwul’s interior design, or at least its current one. Apparently it changed quite often.

___

Later, Bones nearly collapsed on his bed when there was a knock at the door. Opening it, Bones found Sun-Dragon, who relayed his next task to the Tognath. Go to Dome #8 and await instructions there. 


    Bones bowed and agreed. With grabbing his items, including the lightsaber parts in a carrying case, the crystals in his pocket, and his metal rods on his back, he rushed off to the Botanical Domes.


    After some investigating, Bones found himself in front of two locked doors. The glass doors had been painted over to hide whatever was inside, and a large warning label pasted on the paint told how the Dome was off limits for everyone but trained personnel. 
This instantly made the Tognath curious. As far as he knew, there were not many places off limits. What could be inside here?
Bones pressed his communication implant against the glass, trying to hear what was inside. It was quiet. Bones scratched a bit at the paint and peeled off a small chunk. From inside a slight purple glow was emitting. But beyond that, Bones couldn’t tell anything.
Except something was alive inside. Bones could feel it. Maybe it was the Force, or something else, but Bones could tell there was something inside. 
Still, there wasn’t much to do but wait. So Bones sat down on the ground, cross-legged, and waited. Surely someone would be here. With any luck, Bones could deliver the map to the Saarai-Kaar even.  


After getting bored for a few minutes, Bones opened up his own datapad, and returned to the section on the elements of the Force. After a bit, Bones closed his eyes and repeated the elements over and over. It was something to do. And strangely, it felt right to do so. To just wait and focus on the elements of the Force. 
 

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A dull klaxon, worn and aged, beeped a low foghorn-like warning as dim red lights flashed around the doors in lopsided circles. With a slow grating squeak and the hiss of negative pressure into Dome #8, the elder Saarai-kaar stepped out of the prohibited zone. The force swirled in shadowy wraithe-y waves of light and dark, gnawing at any would be hangers on of the poisonous purple growth; ensuring it did not escape the massive metal tomb that contained it aboard Rakaw Nwul.

 

Even in full armor, the man that led the Jensaarai did not look all that intimidating. Unassuming and lethal, the Saarai-Kaar carried himsef in an aura of force-bound mystery.

 

Seeing Bones chanting softly, the Saarai-Kaar let his presence in the force branch out and fill the room searching for the apprentice’s aura. Upon finding it, he urged it upwards and outwards, guiding it deeper into the ethereal tendrils that were the force. Without a word, he hoped to help the young Tognath expand his horizons. As their auras swirled together, a great darkness loomed ever closer. Together, they swirled along the edge of dawn and sunset, darkness to their left and seering brightness to their right. They swirled forward perched on the molecular razor’s edge that sepersted the two. Shadow” the voice echoed softly through the force.

 

In the force, time had no meaning. It stood still and reached for eons into the future and the past. Gently, the two came back to the room outside of Dome #8 and deposited their consciousnesses back from where they had never left.

 

With a gentle hiss, the Saarai-Kaar removed his helmet, revealing an aged and worn face with deep set eyes that seemed to speak of having seen things that no being ought to have witnessed.  His eight braids that sprouted from atop his head tumbled back over his shoulders as he offered a hand to Bones to help him to his feet. “Greetings young apprentice. The Jensaarai have need of your skills and abilities abroad. Are you ready to strike for your community, to protect those who have embraced you?”

 

”Have you completed your lightsaber yet?”

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Bones continued to whisper the elements to himself over and over. Plant, Fire, Ground, Water, and Metal. Each word he tried to taste it as if left his tongue. Each element he tried to focus on how it connected between him and the rest of the universe. 


Then he felt the other presence. 


For a brief moment, a powerful presence was there, like a fog of magic. Bones’ bones tingled slightly at it. It was so powerful, and huge, compared the small thing like he. 


Bones didn’t have time to fully comprehend the presence, as his own senses seemed to leave him. He felt his body leaving him. Or perhaps he was leaving his body? Either one, something was happening. His eyes no longer were in his head. His ears weren’t connected to his communication implants. He was no longer sitting on Raka Nwul. He was floating. That was the closest word Bones could use to describe it. Floating in a sea of mists. Before him, nothing. Behind nothing. But there was something.


Light. And Darkness. Bones had no arms, but he reached forward. He tried to grasp what was there. As he did, the mists around him swirled violently. Places and times flowed past the Tognath. Bones tried to take it all in, but it was like grabbing an ocean. Finally he rested on just one vision:
It was just a flash. A scene of metal and rock and fire. Of forges busy at work. Of molten metal pouring down heating furnaces into molds. Of people made of metal, overseeing the production. It was so formulaic. So strict and rigid. Everything moved with a singular purpose. Molten metal was rapidly cooled by being doused with hyper-chilled sodium-potassium. The metal was taken apart and put together with others. Screws were wound together. Gears were fitted and moved. Photoreceptors were being installed and turned on. Weapons were being forged. Bodies were made. 


“War Droids” Bones muttered. Then he was back on Raka Nwul. 


Bones shook awake at the sound of another being. He looked up and instantly recognised this person as the leader of the Jensaarai. He didn’t know if it was the style of the armor, the way he carried himself, or the presence Bones had felt earlier, but this...this was…


“Master Saarai-Kaar” Bones greeted as he was helped up. He instantly bowed slightly once fully stood. He had little experience with figures of authority, but he knew he owed respect to the person who was practically giving him shelter. 


At the sound of being useful to the community, Bones nodded eagerly. 


“Yes sir. I have been wanting to get some action, though Sun-Dragon told me there was more than that to helping the galaxy. “


Bones then held out the datapad that Aoi had requested Bones to give in her place. 


“No sir, I have not built my um...laser sword” Bones chuckled at the common name he had learned. The Jensaarai were the first people he heard call the weapons lightsabers. “Sun-Dragon said he was going to show me, but first he wanted me to come here.” 
 

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The Saarai-kaar places his hand on Bones’ shoulder, gently and quietly urging him back to a standing position. ‘The Jensaarai kneel in submission to none.’ He urged silently in the force.


Pulling his own duel-bladed lightsaber hilt from his belt, the Saarai-Kaar offered it to Bones. “Take this. Reach out in the force. Study it’s makeup. Then begin to craft your own. You have your pieces? Sit here by the dome. Build your weapon. Then return to me in my quarters.” The instructions were simple enough. The Saarai-Kaar knew that the twisted life of the growth within the done would present a dark edge to hedge the young Tognath’s own ambitions. The test went without speaking; either the apprentice would instinctively recoil from the light or he would pursue the darkness and be destroyed by it, drawing the purple fungus unto himself.

 

“You will need this weapon where you will be going. Your brethren will need your skills. This blade will mark you as one of our own. Unique as all Jensaarai are. Seek the truth within the force. Follow the paths upon which we trod. Seek the truth within the weapon. Look beyond the surface. Seek the truth within yourself. Weed out the deceptions you have planted there. There, will you find the design of your weapon.”


 

With that the Jensaarai leader offered Bones a warm smile. He knew his instructions were cryptic in some ways. Still, he had every faith the Tognath could search within the force and discern truth from falsehood. The time it would take him to build his weapon would allow for the other pieces of the holoboard to move into place. Then they would strike at the heart of darkness.

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As the Tognath held the weapon in his arms, a chill went throughout his body. He could feel the power waiting to be used in his hands. A kind of aura of authority. Or maybe it was just energy. Fire, and Metal perhaps? It was certainly big. Bones felt like he could wrap his hands around it four times. Perhaps it was a little large for his tastes


“Will my weapon feel like this?” Bones wondered aloud.  


Bones nodded at the Saarai-Kaar’s command. Build his weapon. Prepare himself. 
Shouldn’t be too hard. 


Bones sat himself down on the ground after the, what he assumed was a Weequay, gave him a smile. That sort of encouragement was unique to Bones. This entire situation was just unique. 


Slowly, Bones spread the parts in front of him, as well as the two synthetic crystals. Bones breathed a whiff of sulfur and focused. The pieces were in front of him. The tools were ready to be used. All he had to do was to work with them. 


All he had to do was work with them.


Bones reached and gripped his head in frustration. What was he supposed to do?


“Alright, alright, calm down. Think this through. Use the Force, right? Right.”


Bones breathed again. The elements. Plant. Fire. Ground. Water. Metal. The elements of the Force. 


“Gaaah! That’s not helping!” Bones groaned. He stood and walked a few circles around the parts. Think. Think. Focus. Let the Force flow, correct?

 

Bones breathed again as he walked. Let the Force flow. 


Bones stopped and faced the dome. He could feel the life flowing from inside. It was breathing. It was pulsing. It was curious and knowledgeable. Bones took a few steps and felt the doorway. The purple glow from inside was something different. Something unique.


It felt insidious. And hungry. 


"No no no...I'm not messing with that... I got a job to do" Bones stepped away suddenly and turned away.  Bones needed something else. 


Knowledge. 


Bones smiled on the inside and reached up to his comm implants. 


“Hey... Aoi? Aoi can you hear me?”


“Bones!” The tognath flinched a little bit, realizing he needed to adjust his comm system. “I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. What, you tried to find me again and got lost?”


Bones chuckled and explained his situation. He knew he needed to build a lightsaber, but he was unsure how. He needed a little help, though he didn’t state that outright. He figured that Aoi was the best option, sense he wasn’t sure if the Jensaarai would approve of him asking for help. Something about them felt so independent and self-reliant. 


Rather then being frustrated or annoyed, Aoi was excited to help.  She calmly explained her ideas how the lightsaber worked again, and gave descriptions on how to fit the parts together. As she did, Bones sat down on the ground and began to work. He would occasionally ask questions, but otherwise he would only confirm what she was saying. It almost felt like he was back on Coruscant in his repair shop, working on his next credit check.


The talk also helped distract the Tognath as well. The presence he felt in the dome behind him became less noticeable. To Bones, there were the parts in front of him, the task, and his friend.


However, there was one hiccup.


“Aoi...one of the gems is cracked. Is that bad?”


There was a pause of silence. Then…


“How did you crack my gem so fast?" Aoi began to yell, forcing Bones to flinch. "Thats….I’ve had those for two years now!”


Bones held up his hands in surrender, though the verpine couldn’t see it. “Hey, who said I cracked it?”


“Well it certainly wasn’t cracked when I gave them to you. Seriously, how did you manage to do that? I mean, those are special!”


Bones immediately felt bad. While he was confident he did not crack the gems, he did feel like he let down a friend. And in just the first day of meeting her. 


“Look..I’m…” Bones sighed. Sorry was what he wanted to say, but couldn't bring himself to say it. “Do you think the crack affect the blade? I feel like it might shoot off the energy in another direction.”


Aoi sighed and buzzed in thought. “Ya, you are probably right. I suppose you could try to use that to your advantage, but I don’t see how...I would restart with the design, and focus on using just the one good gem. “


Bones looked at the half-complete weapon in his hands. He had gotten so much done it seemed. 


“Listen, Bones, the Hive Mother is wishing to speak with me. You think you have this?”


Bones nodded. “Ya. I do. Thanks so much.”


With that, Bones was alone again with his thoughts and the parts. A project he had to restart on. If there was one thing Bones hated, it was restarting on his own work. 


“Maybe...I don’t have to…” Bones muttered. An idea was forming. He could use the energy to his advantage. If he was right, a slight offshoot of energy could be useful, and unique! 


Bones got to work. He had to re-work some of the parts again, but not the entire blade. The power cell would still shoot energy into the primary focusing crystal, the first and uncracked crystal, and would move into the second. However, if Bones could angle the crystal correctly, some of the energy would come out of the crack at a slight angle as well as the usual straight line outwards. Then, with two separate series of blade channels....
Bones breath a whiff of Sulfur again as he tightened the last screw. It was done. A lightsaber, if it worked. Made up of scrap parts from around Raka Nwul, it looked like a piece of trash at first. However, the extra little jut that poked at about a 45 degree angle from the top did make it look different. 
Bones took a breath. He gripped the weapon in his hands, and turned it on. 


The weapon hissed to life. From its top a jet of flaming energy shot out.  56.5 centimeters exactly, as Bones predicted. A second later, a much shorter blade almost crawled out from the extra jut. A odd style crossguard Bones mused.  Bones could feel the power coming from it. Energy from a old but polished power cell from a scrapped speeder. It was guided by energisers. And it was tamed by crystals. Gifts from the Hive. 


“That is what this is…” Bones said as he held the weapon, fascinated by it’s power. His very own lightsaber. “A Gift from the Hive.” 


Bones deactivated the lightsaber. He had to show Aoi his handiwork. But first, the community was depending on him for some sort of task. An important one, if the Saarai-Kaar believed Bones needed a weapon for it. Possibly something to do with those droids he had a vision of. 
Bones breathed heavier as he ran. Excitement was running through him faster then he could ever run. 

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