Hidden 5 yrs ago 5 yrs ago Post by Heat
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Heat Hey, nice marmot

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Wind swept through the skyscraping mountains of the fortress world of Tython, the original homeworld of the Jedi Order. Fate had now brought the Order back to this planet, tucked safely into the Deep Core arm of the star system. Away from the unpredictable Sith Empire and to a lesser extent, the Galactic Republic who had placed the blame of losing the war squarely on the Jedi’s shoulders. Tython was a fresh start in some ways for the Order, a real chance to recover and prosper. The new Jedi temple stood tall in the Tythos Ridge mountain range, sturdily built with proper defenses installed around it. The Temple was bustling with activity, as it was most days.

The entire world seemed to pulsate with the Force, stronger in some areas than others. At the moment the planet was at peace, ever since the Order had returned the world seemed serene. The immense Force storms and groundquakes which rocked the planet to its roots were silent. The oceans rocked gently and the forests echoed with the natural sound of animals. The Masters’ Retreat sat northwest of the Jedi temple, perched above a lake filled with ancient, sunken ruins of the old Order. A getaway of sorts for the master Jedi to relax and discuss issues pertaining to the order in peace.

Kyla stood perched on the left hangar of the retreat. Her arms rested on the rails as she gazed at the mountains, deciding which one she would try to scale next. Her robes and hair flowed gently in the breeze, a tightly knotted ponytail swept over her shoulder. A rare smile was on her face, albeit only a slight one. Birds chirped and danced in the air above her, as fish darted and dived in the waters below her. She could spend hours out here, in nature simply observing all of its beauty. But she had duties to attend to, Grandmaster Shan had left for Dxun a few days ago, leaving Kyla and the rest of the council running the day to day operations on Tython.

As the battlemaster turned to head inside the retreat she paused in stride, blinking slowly as she felt a strange sensation in the Force. She swirled herself rapidly around, eyes cast to the sky. As her pupils swept across the deep blue skyline, her gaze stuck on what she had sensed. A falling object, rapidly descending as it tore through orbit and rocketed through scattered clouds. It was small and left a fuming trail of smoke as it fell downwards. It clearly not a meteorite, those occasionally landed on the world but tore apart as they went through the atmosphere. This entity stayed in one piece as it drew closer and closer to smashing on the surface of the new Jedi homeworld. It was a starfighter, of which origin she did not know.

Birds screeched and a shiver crept its way through Kyla’s bones as the falling vessel disappeared behind the massive snowcapped mountains in the horizon. Her eyes went wide as the planet itself shook ever so slightly, confirming the disturbance. Not a powerful quake but one that told the Jedi all she needed to know. She suspected whoever crashed in the Rift had done so on purpose. Which brought up plenty of disturbing questions to the now highly concerned battlemaster.

Could it be the Sith?

There was no chance it was. They had no knowledge of Tython’s hyperspace coordinates, even then the planet was a fortress world. Even the Sith weren’t idiotic enough to send one of their own fighters careening through orbit in a scenario where they found Tython. All Kyla knew was that the other Jedi must have seen it, they had placed sensors all across the planet, especially along the Rift. None of the Order was allowed in that jagged tear in the ground without permission from the council. The canyon echoed with mystery and danger, the Force especially vibrated around the area. The one time she decided to explore it herself the Force seemed to go haywire with an increasingly disturbing feeling the further she went down in it.

Kyla climbed onto her speeder bike, slammed her foot down on the ignition then launched herself away from the Master’s retreat. Her expression scrunching in focus as she rocketed towards the Temple, zooming through the plains with intent.
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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Lauder
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Lauder The Tired One

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The Fundamentals of Makashii

It was a data book that provided a very in-depth analysis of the second form of lightsaber combat, having many tips and many instructions on the art of lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat. For many aspiring Jedi Knights, it would have proved to be an interesting read and extraordinarily helpful for furthering the understanding of the extended uses of the Jedi’s sacred weapon. However, it provoked no such interest from the padawan known as San Anin, who sat cross-legged in her chair in front of the computer screen. The Kel Dor merely had no true passion for studying the art of battle, even though Battlemaster Kyla had ordered her to study the form.

Instead, San Anin found herself in a rather pleasant meditation, connecting her mind with the force and for a moment becoming one with it. Yet, as strong of a connection she had, maintaining it was one of ever-growing difficulty as the thoughts of disappointing her master grew into her worried mind. With a sigh, San Anin opened her eyes, looking through her goggles at the computer screen for a moment. Had she not gone into meditation, she would have been done with the databook by then, however, it was just something exceptionally boring to her. Her eyes read the lines, but her mind did not absorb the knowledge that would be needed if the cold war between the Republic and the Empire ended. War was something far from her mind and far from any form of interest that may have been carried with her, only because she refused to focus on it. It was war and hostility that had already taken something from her and she wished to avoid thinking such thoughts.

San Anin leaned forward, attempting to concentrate on the databook as her master had instructed her to. There was a brief moment of where she truly focused on the databook before it was quickly interrupted as to what force techniques she felt like brushing up on and perfecting. It was the force that clouds her mind from concentrating, or rather her interest in the mysterious power that flowed through all life. Her eyes were soon closed again as she entered meditation once more, allowing her mind to focus upon it and grasp it with all of its mental capabilities.

However, a great disturbance thrust her out of the meditation and her eyes snapped open in response to the strange feeling. San Anin cautiously got to her feet and began to walk towards a viewing area, very carefully stepping forwards to look into the air. She saw a fighter, smoking and descending at a rapid pace towards Tython. A moment of worry struck her mind, wondering what, or who may have been in that ship to cause her to feel a disturbance in the force. It was not often that she felt a noticeable change in the force and her mind raced between curiosity and worry at such a change before the strange sensation crawled up her spine to envelop her fully.

In a matter of instinct, San Anin rushed out of the study hall and towards the entrance of the temple to try and get a better view of what was going on. By the time she had reached the entrance, the ship had already disappeared from her view but it had already disappeared behind the mountains. She did not know what to do nor how to react as others caught the notice of what was going on around her, spurring other worry and confusion from the others. How was she supposed to react to all of this? Was it Sith? Was it an assassin to claim another master from her? More worry flooded into her mind as she began to think of the worst, causing her to search herself on what to do in the situation, but then the studying she did of what to do came to her.

San Anin inhaled deeply, exhaling as she cleared her mind and focused on the disturbance and what to do. Soon, her mind settled on an answer.

She would wait.
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Hidden 5 yrs ago 5 yrs ago Post by Almalthia
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Almalthia Friendly neighborhood redhead

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Jaslyn Dayne



Location: Tython

Interaction: Open

Mentions: Battelmaster Kyla @Heat



Jaslyn moved through the wilderness while practicing her forms without her weapon drawn. The dappled sunlight glinted off the metallic shine of the deactivated sabers at her hips. Her long coppery red hair was pulled back from her face and smoothed into a tight ponytail that rested high on the back of her head. Not surprisingly that fiery waterfall of hair fell to her waist. It caught the sunlight and shone like a patch of sunset in the middle of the morning.

Her outfit was simple and lightweight paired with her olive green cloak that would keep her warm and dry if the weather turned on her. The weather was pleasant so Jaslyn had left the cloak with her speeder bike. Barely making a sound as she moved from one form to another fluidly blending the two. Soresu to Ataru and back again as she made her way up a rise.

Jaslyn executed a particularly complex maneuver that she had been working into The Way of the Hawk Bat after seeing Battlemaster Kyla perform the maneuver more than once. Adding in a front flip to the spinning flourish, courtesy of the Battlemaster, Jaslyn moved over a log in her path and narrowly missed slamming into a tree as she continued her moving meditation.

Jaslyn loved to combine meditation and her forms about as much as teaching the younglings. Maybe a little bit more than teaching. Thankfully I’ve never been in battle. Rare as that is I’m no fool and am glad for the lack of lethal combat. I have a feeling that it was not to stay that way for much longer.

Getting to the rise that was clear Jaslyn looked over the valley she was fond of exploring. She pushed the boundaries with the fact that she hadn’t told anyone that she was going out again. Granted she was going to check some of the sensors so not a big deal. Maybe get closer to the Rift.

She wasn’t a youngling. Practically a Knight, or well on the way to be one. She could take care of herself and others. The fact that she was taking her time to do it was not one of those things that you readily admit before going out. Besides she was almost a Knight. Jaslyn was just waiting on her trials.

Goosebumps ran across her whole body. A wracking shudder that crawled up her spine plus a high pitched scream of a vessel in the atmosphere, made for an eerie feeling. Jaslyn’s eyes snapped to the sky and followed the path of a vessel as it came down. “No no no. Please not the Rift. Stay together and out of the Rift.”

Jaslyn tracked the vessel’s crash. Yes crash. That is exactly what it was, a crash. It went down behind the mountain range on the other side of the valley. The Rift was on the other side of that mountain range. The resounding screech of metal hitting earth made Jaslyn jerk out of the stupor that the sight of the careening vessel across the sky had put her in.

Dread of finding someone dead because she had hesitated moved Jaslyn into action. She knew that if she reported on the communicator that they’d tell her to come back to the temple. Someone could die if she did. Torn she looked down at the communicator that she’d instinctively dug out of her robes.

The flicker and pull on the Force in the direction of the crash made up her mind. Jaslyn put the communicator back in her robes and headed toward the crash site. Whoever it was Jaslyn was sure they needed help. Perhaps a Jedi that was late was in trouble and that is why she seemed drawn to the crash site.

Backtracking to the speeder bike that Jaslyn had taken out earlier that morning from the temple she activated the tracking device on it. Pointing the nose of the bike toward where she felt the pull she kicked it into gear. It would probably take her a maybe an hour to locate the crash site but hopefully whoever was in the vessel would be alright.

Topping the rise she had just been at now on the bike she pressed her lips together and leaned the bike forward and started the descent into the valley. Jaslyn had some hard riding and maneuvering to concentrate on. Well here goes hope this is worth it.
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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Lauder
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Lauder The Tired One

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The speeder hummed and screeched as the Jedi battlemaster accelerated over the hills and plains of Tython, causing a roaming pack of Uxibeasts to screech and scatter. Kyla swiveling between the gap in the herd as she rocketed closer to the temple. The disturbance was still evident within the Force, dark storm clouds gathered in the once clear blue skies. As the temple came into view she heard the fierce rumble of thunder, birds screamed in the air as they flew in seemingly random directions. She’d almost forgotten the animals reacted to these fierce fluctuations in the Force just like the Jedi did. It had to be a force sensitive of some sort who crash landed, perhaps not a Sith though that was not yet ruled out.

Around her people darted around in confusion, as lightning into the mountains beyond them. She could sense the oceans churning, the planet as far from peace as she could ever recall it being. Kyle took a deep breath, focusing her mind on controlling and assessing the situation at hand. She slammed on the brakes of her vehicle, another screech echoed as it came to a full stop in the middle of the courtyard in front of the main building. She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the Force flow around her as she sensed for her padawan. The young girl must have been terrified, but Kyla had taught her well to compose her fear. San was here, that was something to be thankful for at least.

The battlemaster then jumped off of her speeder, leaving it behind as she jogged towards the entrance. Temple guards brought organization to the confusing, frightening situation, waving any Jedi inside. Two Jedi knights carried around holopads as they did head counts, accounting for all personal in the temple. There were still others in the wilds of the now chaotic planet and all Kyla could do at this moment was hope the Force was keeping them safe. She had to deal with the crash head on, but not alone. She pushed through the entrance, then let out a relief filled sigh followed by a slight smile as she spotted her padawan.

“San! Are you alright?” Kyla asked, placing a comforting hand on her young apprentice’s left shoulder. Care evident in her facial expression.

“Master!” San exclaimed happily as her master reunited with her. Her mask blocked her expression but the sense of ease that Kyla had brought was clear as day knowing her master was with safe. Her mind did not linger upon this happiness, however, as the Kel Dor looked to the mountains with a troubled feeling over taking her. She let out a rather hesitant noise as she thought to speak but failing to find words in order to properly relay what she was feeling at that time. That was merely how San Anin was as she awkwardly fumbled to find the words.

“D-do you know what is happening, m-master?” San asked softly, her reclusive nature coming to her as her hand sank a bit. When her confidence failed, San Anin’s hands began to interlock as her mind attempted to put itself at ease like it had before her master had come. However, it was merely impossible at the moment, there were too many people for her to try such a thing. It was clear that she was more concerned by the crowd of peers than the situation, at least, that was what it had seemed as her body language went inwards. San Anin kept herself closed off, hunching her back as her face went to look around at the crowd.

“A ship broke through orbit and crashed in the Rift beyond the mountains. I’m not sure of what make the ship is. I don’t believe it's a Sith though,” Kyla replied as her small smile at seeing her padawan faded, she kept her hand on San’s shoulder, then led the Kel Dor down a hallway towards her office. “This planet is extremely rich in the Force, you feel it don’t you? Unlike any other world. When there’s a disturbance in the Force on Tython it just causes the planet to go haywire, the environment reacts, the animals react and the Force itself reacts. I fear its only going to get worse, but that's why we’re going to fix this situation immediately.”

She gave her apprentice a firm nod of confidence, trying to word what she said as if not to apply intense pressure on the young girl, or frighten her. As they stepped inside of her office Kyla moved behind her desk, opening a cabinet from which she quickly changed into her Jedi armor. Marked and scarred from the battles it had been through even before San was born, it still was Kyla’s choice when she was called to action. She lifted one foot up, placing it on the edge of her desk as she tied her boot.

“I’m not sure what we’ll encounter in the Rift, I doubt that we’re the only Jedi heading there. Though the Order is advising all Jedi on the planet to stay in the temple. We’re going against that. You’re going to have to be at your wisest, strongest and readiest. I’m going to need your help if we’re going to solve this.” Kyle stated calmly as she finished tying both her boots, then all of her armor on slipped her long Jedi robe on top and walked out of her office with San in tow. They walked towards the front entrance, seemingly going the opposite way of everyone else.

San Anin seemed apprehensive at the idea of going after something that managed to breach through Tython, though her master seemed far more intent on it. “M-master, are you sure this is best idea? I, ugh- it’s just…,” her voice trailed off as she looked at her more confident master before clearing her voice, “I-I am not exactly the best duelist and I w-would suspect whatever we are going after is going to be, erm, stronger than me.”

The padawan lacked the confidence that her master had, partially from the fact that she had been putting off her studies of the lightsaber. San Anin knew that if they were going after whoever had decided to come to Tython then she may have to demonstrate her poor saber skills. Yet, she could not tell her master out of fear of being punished, or worse, finding that she had disappointed her master in any capacity. The teen looked back the other Jedi who retreated into the confines of the temple before her head swiveled back to her master.

“N-not that I doubt your decisions, m-master. I just d-don’t k-,” her voice trailed off again as she spoke, this time not bothering to continue with the worried statement.

“I know that you feel you are lacking with lightsabers, San. Chances are we are only facing one or at maximum a couple of Force users if any. The ship looked small, like a fighter, and it was the only one which fell. Regardless you are strong in the Force, San. Stronger than you believe you are. A Jedi’s strength does not only come from how well they swing a lightsaber.” Kyla said as she turned to give her padawan a reassuring glance.

“Believe in yourself San, and in my advice. I have had an apprentice die on me before and it was my own fault. I will not allow any harm to come to you. I promise you.” She added, firm in her words as they walked now outside of the temple, passing the guards who gave them a confused parting glance.

San Anin stares at her master in silence for a few moments, her previous apprehensions fading only slightly as Kyla promised to protect her. However, her feelings on the whole operation was still keeping her in a more worried state, despite the ease that her master brought. The padawan let out a sigh as she looked to the ground as she tried to clear her mind the best she could.

To their left was a small dropship, a plain grey with no weaponry. The battlemaster flicked a switch and the back began to open up to them. As she motioned for San to head inside Kyla heard a familiar voice behind her.
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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Heat
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Heat Hey, nice marmot

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“What do we have here, master Vondin? Taking your padawan out at a dangerous time like this?” A male twi’lek asked, his skin a dark green, clad in the signature robes of the Jedi. A smirk on his face, a notable scar running across his right cheek all the way down to his chin. His left hand a cybernetic, eyes lit with curiosity and sarcasm. Kyla shook her head as Jedi knight Elav Chiyoa approached them.

“I’m surprised you’re not already out there Elav, its your kind of business.” She said to the scarred twi’lek as he walked up to her, giving San a brief glance.

“I was just on my way and now it seems a convenient transport appeared in front of me, and I guess you’re my chauffeur.” He joked with a deep laugh. Kyla once more shaking her head as another rare smile escaped onto her lips. Elav was a comedian, but he was a damn good Jedi as well. She’d fought alongside him in some of her later battles during the war.

“You’re San right? Be careful with your master, she climbs mountains for fun.” He added with a nod towards the Kel Dor. Then glanced back at Kyla.
“I-I don’t think she does,” San Anin said in a soft voice, the joke going over her head completely as her social awkwardness forced her to be more reclusive as she stayed close to the battlemaster. Her eyes did not leave Kyla, at least, they kept the master in her field of view as she thought of what else to say in response to Elav. Her hands continued to play with each other as she tried to clear her mind, though it seemed impossible with her nerves getting to her. Her hands stopped playing with each other as she realized what she was doing, embarrassed at being so helpless in the situation. San Anin’s mind raced as to what they might face in the Rift.

“Yep, now you’re driving, have fun. The Rift isn’t far.” Kyla replied as Elav rolled his eyes, strolling to the cockpit and sliding into the pilot’s seat.
With Elav out of the San Anin’s sight, she relaxed a bit before she found a spot to sit and cross her legs to try to meditate. Gradually, as she closed her eyes, her worries of the day began to fall away as her mind became one with the force once more. She could feel the conflict that the intruder brought to the planet as San Anin honed her mind. Never before had she felt the planet so conflicted, as if it shared the same worries of facing the dark side that the Kel Dor had.

“I’m sorry for being so shy, master,” San Anin said in an unnervingly calm voice, her eyes still closed behind her protective goggles. At least her shy nature faded away when she meditated, a natural stress relief for the reclusive padawan. “I will try to be more confident in the future,” she continued, the calm voice persisting.

“Don’t worry about it San, you have a gentle soul. There’s no shame in that. I’d rather you were calm, composed and quiet than boisterous and unpredictable.” Kyla stated with a nod, sitting across from her padawan as the shuttle door closed and the vessel rose upwards off the ground. As it rocketed up more she heard Elav exclaim something from the cockpit, over the roar of the thrusters.

“You know I’m serious, I’ve seen that battlemaster climb up one of those snow capped mountains single handedly. What do you think she does in her free time?” The twi’lek said as he pushed the controls forwards and piloted them over the very mountain range he was speaking about.

“Ignore him. He’s just ridiculous.” Kyla said to San Anin as the transport continued heading towards the Rift.

Even now the three Jedi could sense the peculiar sensations within the Force caused by the mysterious crash landing. Beneath them the planet rocked gently from a Force storm caused another arthquake, which was strong enough to topple over smaller trees and knock over shelves. She feared if they didn’t put a stop to the disturbances then these quakes would only grow in strength, literally ripping fissures in the ground at its worst point. The veteran Jedi closed her eyes, slowing her breathing as she attempted to meditate on the light side.

In her mind she saw the oceans of Tython, the waters now ravenous with waves. The deep blue seas rocked powerfully, slamming tides into the shores with increasing furiosity. In the desert sandstorms kicked up, spraying dirt, rock and sand across the waterless wasteland. It seemed the entire planet was trembling, only increasing in furiosity. Still, she managed to find some peace in the Force. Just enough to focus her thoughts, calm her nerves and ready herself for whatever challenges they would soon face.

“We’re close!” Elav shouted as the ship rocked gently, signaling they were indeed drawing nearer to the Rift.

Fierce winds swept through the fearsome, mysterious gorge in the ground. Kyla could sense others strong in the Force deep within the canyon, though it was too chaotic to figure out exactly who or what their intentions were. She slowly opened her eyes, and rose to her feet, grasping onto a side-bar as the transport began to lower to the barren ground. With her free hand she carefully grasped one of San’s then looked her teenaged apprentice in the eyes with pure certainty.

“The Force is with us.”

“The Force is always with us,” San Anin said, nodding her head to her master, looking at the shuttle door with a clear mind. Her mind focused on the task at hand, not the consequences or challenges that they may face, only that they needed to know what was happening. With her hand being held by her master, the padawan grabbed her lightsaber with the other as she prepared herself for any hostilities.

Kyla nodded confidently, pleased with how San had put her worries aside in order to focus on the mission at hand. The shuttle came to a stop in its descent as its landing gear deployed and the ship’s back door slowly began to open. From out of the cockpit walked Elav, clenching a lightsaber in each hand as he glanced at Kyla and San.

“I didn’t pick up signs of any other ships in our vicinity, whatever craft crash landed is deep down the Rift. Hope you both like walking.” The twi’lek said with another smirk, then was the first one to step outside of the transport. The battlemaster and her apprentice not far behind.

“We should be able to hop right down, follow the signs of the crash and the activity within the Force.” Kyla said as she walked across the barren rocky ground surrounding the Rift. Jagged rocks shot up from the ground around them, long dead trees littered the landscape near the gorge. A scentless smoke emitted deep from the depths of the fissure in the planet before them.

“Hey, do you see this?” Elav exclaimed, his voice echoing from below. The Jedi knight already having begun his descent into the canyon.

A set of ledges and sturdy rocks allowing the trio to make their way into the depths, carefully of course. One misstep or slip could prove fatal. As Kyla peeked over the edge down towards Elav she noted he was holding up a large piece of metal with both hands. A piece of the ship that had broken off as it fell into the gorge. Apparently having hit one of the jagged rocks which shot from the sides of the canyon. It was dented and scratched, the rest of the vessel couldn’t have been far.

“We’re on the right path then, let's get going.” The battlemaster stated, then leaped down to the same spot as Elav, waving her hand cautiously for her padawan to follow.

The twi’lek Jedi continued ahead having discarded the metal from the ship, descending to another ledge below them. Kyla blinked as the Force echoed as they went deeper into the Rift, finding it to be an intense sensation. Only amplified by the disturbance from the crashed ship. Suddenly the canyon shook, the Force momentarily screaming out to them before settling itself as quickly as the quake arrived.

“I have never felt the Force do something like this. What could we be tracking that caused this?” San Anin asked to nobody in particular as she carefully maneuvered around an outcrop. She looked to her master before she stopped, allowing herself to feel the sensation that the force imposed upon them. It was a conflicting feeling, though very clear in how much it was unnatural to the planet as a whole. The padawan shook herself free from the force’s hold as she followed closely behind her master, lightsaber hilt still in her hand.

“Likely a powerful dark side inclined force user. The sudden arrival of one would shake the balance of the Force on the world,” Elav stated from below, pausing in his descent to turn and glance back at the San Anin. “One steeped in the dark side.”

“So you think it may be a Sith?” Kyla asked as she carefully dropped down from a steep ledge.

“Possibly. Not all who dwell on the dark side align with the Sith though. Could even be a fallen Jedi. That’d explain how they found this world.” He replied, as unsure as anyone else was about the new arrival to Tython. Another tremble shook the canyon, causing the trio of Jedi to pause in firm stances until it subsided.

“We have to put a stop to the quakes before it rips the world apart. We’ve already lost one temple.” Kyla stated, referring to the sacking of the Coruscant temple. A horrifying incident that seemed to only upset her the more she thought of it, though she was not there during the attack.

“Oh we will. I believe they aren’t far, that looks like a ship.” Elav said with another sly smile, extending one hand to point out a badly damaged starship in their sight. Grounded and dented all over, it seems whoever was piloting it managed to skid it across the rocky floor. A short distance from a side tunnel, the likely destination of whoever made it out of the ship alive.

“Lets go. That has to be it,” Kyla said as she darted downwards, until she was on the same level as the crash landed vessel. Elav alongside her as they cautiously walked towards it, their lightsabers in hand. “Augh, the Force is pulsating down that cavern.”

The strength of it caused Kyla to grab her temples momentarily, causing an intense dizziness which faded after a few seconds. Elav experienced similar issues but both the experienced Jedi brought themselves back to focus. The battlemaster trekked back to find San, making completely sure that her padawan was ready for whatever they may soon encounter within the Rift. Meanwhile Elav looked at the remains of the crashed starship, attempting to look for any pieces which bore a ship name. While badly damaged, the ship did not resemble any Imperial designs he could recall.

“San, I want you to stick close to me once we head into that tunnel. We’re both in uncharted waters here and I need you to be strong for me and for yourself. You see or hear anything unusual let me know immediately.” Kyla said, ensuring her words came out clear and precise.

“I-I’ll be with you, master,” San Anin nodded to Kyla, clearly concentrating on remaining focused and not letting the pulsating feeling of the force get to her. Clearly, the padawan was having a harder time grasping the power and conflict the further they descended into the Rift, though it seemed she was willing to push on despite the dizziness and general unease she felt. With her eyes forward, she stepped past her master to look at the Rift and the crashed ship to examine it from a distance before letting out a sigh.

“I’ll follow your lead,” the padawan said, turning to her master.
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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Almalthia
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Almalthia Friendly neighborhood redhead

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Jaslyn Dayne



Location: Tython

Interaction: Master Kyla Vondin; Knight Elav Chiyoa @Heat & Padawan San Anin @Lauder

Mentions:


Jaslyn's progress was slowed by the turmoil that ensued planet side. Repeatedly she dodged small fauna and had to scramble, backtracking to get down the mountain. Finally getting to the base as safely as she could she looked out over the stretch of plains before the Rift. Thunder rolled over head and with her view clear of the canopy she watched the massive storm rolling and boiling in the sky.

I've never seen a storm come up so quickly and violently here. Is it responding to the crash? Who is in that ship? Just as that thought crossed her mind a shuttle passed over head. And the cavalry has arrived. Good I don't think I want to be the only one here. Hopefully they have a healer.

Gunning the speeder Jaslyn flew across the plains. Miraculously, or not so miraculously considering the fact that the Force was with her, Jaslyn arrived at the landing site of the shuttle. Hopping off she looked around. And this is where I wish someone just left bread crumbs.

Suddenly an earthquake rocked the terrain. Bracing her feet apart Jaslyn rode out the quake. As it passed Jaslyn shrugged and investigated the area. She nodded as she saw boot prints in the dirt. Pulling out the communicator Jaslyn looked around at the Rift edge. If it were me down there I’d like to know if someone was coming in behind me.

Jaslyn brought up the communicator and relayed. “This is Jaslyn Dayne can anyone hear me? Over.” Waiting for a response for about thirty seconds Jaslyn is drawn to the site where, unbeknownst to her; Kyla, San and Elva had started their trip down the side of the gorge. “I say again, this is Jaslyn Dayne can anyone hear me? I will be investigating the crash site. Respond… Over.” The silence over the line was poignant and heralded disaster.

Although a foreboding thought was not lost on her Jaslyn pushed it aside and hooked the communicator to the front of her robes under her cloak. Taking out her twin hilts Jaslyn connected them together. “Alright I gave you long enough to respond. Seems like going down into the Rift is going to happen.” Climbing down she easily maneuvered quickly down the ledge to the last one before the canyon floor, that she assumed the others had used. Nearing the ship Jaslyn swayed as the Force nearly overwhelmed her.

Rage. Darkness. Pain. Fear. In overwhelming abundance. Jaslyn had never felt such strong emotion from someone that she couldn’t see. The emotions blocked out everything else. What is going on?! This hasn’t happened for years! Why now?! Fighting the overwhelming emotions for what seemed like an eternity, in reality it was about a minute, Jaslyn was finally able to separate her own emotions from the other entities emotions.

The rage and darkness dialed back. The fear was still present but not as pronounced. Finally the fog cleared and Jaslyn recognized Master Vondin, Knight Chiyoa and San all turned toward the tunnel which was the only one that made sense for someone in the wreck to have gone.

“Wonderful weather we’re having isn’t it?” Hoping that was innocuous enough not to set them off.
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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Ruby
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Ruby No One Cares

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"When the last light warms the ashen surface of Tython, only then will they return. Back to where it all ended, so that it all can be reborn again."

Her dark eyes had read over the text a hundred times, but the hundred and first was different as she wandered through darkness and heat. Far behind and high above lay the remains of the modified shuttle she used to make it to the surface of Tython, swallowed by creatures spawned by the very darkness that acted as a guide as it sliced through the light of the Galaxy beyond. As she crawled from the specially designed reinforced cockpit bubble of the shuttle, the dark creatures stared with eyes alive with cold red light. If there was supposed to be fear, Selene hadn't felt it. Either from herself, or from the creatures.

The largest she knew by name: Terentatek. It stood sentinel over the crash site, the Force whispering truth her heart already knew, "They've been waiting for you." The very heartbeat in which she heard the whisper, she felt the ground shake and looked up to see the sky darken and swirl and crack with lightning. Bright, bright, blue lightning. The spawn simply watched as she slipped past them and headed down. It had to be down, simulations and projections were impossible given the nature of the planet Tython. There was no telling, Selene thought, if the Kwa had made it that way or if their Tho-Yors were the engines behind it all.

Or if Tython was truly an extension of the Force made into planetary form.

She heard howls high above her head the deeper down she went, and felt so easily what surged through the seemingly endless jagged rocky descent into Tython that was the Rift. The Light Side had arrived. Selene's eyes bounced between the gaps between rock outcrops, but down this far, there was no more sky to see...yet she could see. Through the eyes of Dark Side spawn Selene could see the hurricane above the Rift grow in magnitude and size, the entire sky of the planet would soon match the hazy green. The very balance of the planet has been thrown off.

Tython was having a fit, reconciling the sudden re-emergence of the Dark Side on the planet with the already established and entrenced Light Side that arrived with Revan's descendant, whatever the woman's name was. It was the first time in nearly a month Selene had smiled so broadly. She looked down upon her path, and continued on, leaving the Light Side for the Terentateks and much worse to deal with.

"Ramal?

The milkwhite spectre suddenly stood in Selene's path just ten feet ahead, staring with wide expanses of white instead of eyes. It wore robes, a battery pack on a belt pulled tight around their slender waist. It's voice was scared, shaking, even as it sounded like it belonged in that place between sleeping and awake to Selene. "No," was the only response Selene offered, her right hand nearing the lightsaber on her belt.

"Where is he? Where is my lover, our protector? He said he would come back for us when the ship was ready."

Selene narrowed her eyes at the pathetic spirit. The face of the spirit turned upward as a shriek exploded from the milkwhite image of what was once a woman, shaking the Rift on every level, unleashing a chain reaction of Dark Side spawn howls in response, fueling the hunger and rage of the beasts climbing quick to feed on the Light Siders. The sound had left her ears ringing, her eyes clinched tight, and her body rocked by the Force onto the ground. When eyes opened there was no spectral figure, only an open path down. Selene cleared her throat and pushed herself up to her feet, the carefully designed cockpit having shielded her body from broken bones but the crash landing still left her sore. Everywhere. Slowly she got back to her feet with a grunt, and started forward again.

"Too late for good-bye, Ramal?"

"Verressa was a very talented healer, but she was always naive."

The man's cold voice echoed through her own mind, the very reason she had come to Tython. Ramal Vi, the ancient Je'daii Ranger, and secret Dark Side user. The woman was doubtlessly part of his hidden cell of Dark Siders. She had read the journal countless times: the Je'daii had discovered one of their own, it was only a matter of time until their imprisoned fellow told the Je'daii what they were doing, what they had stolen, and where they were hiding. So Ramal had told the remaining members of his group to make for the Rift, hide there where the Dark Side would protect them long enough for him to come back for them and get them off the planet.

They believed him, or desperation had left them no choice but to believe him. It would buy him time to go on his next Ranger mission, the opportunity he needed to leave without a trace. Their sacrifice would allow him to survive and thrive off Tython. He just took what he needed and ran, leaving them to waste away in the poisoned emptiness of the Rift. That sounded like something Selene might have done, a thought that made her chuckle as she carefully descended narrow paths downward, the presence of something very powerful and very dark growing the further down she got.

"You're not far. Watch for the wyrms. Our blood should protect you."

Should, he told her through echoes, as if that was supposed to make her feel better. It wasn't the wyrms that were upon the forefront of her mind as she lowered herself from one rocky narrow platform down to the next with a drop of ten feet, then a drop of twenty feet. Shadows danced every time she landed, the very Dark Side reacting to her presence. She felt clear, and she had never felt so strong. Like the entire Dark Side of the Force had focused itself on her, the only Dark Side user on the planet of Tython.

After the twenty foot drop was a small platform, and then just heat. As she peeked over the edge she found lava flow steaming and hissing as it met water flow. Between the steam could be seen shifts of movement, something, or somethings were alive and stirring down there. Selene felt her lips start to smile again as she embraced the full flow of the Dark Side power she felt focus on her, and simply stepped off the edge of the small rocky outcropping and plunged down into the steam and heat and danger below.

This was not here.

Curious, Selene thought in response to the statement from Ramal's echo. Looking around after landing softly she found only newly formed lava rock barely cool enough to not melt her boots onto her feet. Moving quickly was essential to staying upright, but her academic mind still wondered: was this the result of Tython? Was this the Rift's response to the hidden lair? There wasn't time to fully consider all the options and weigh them accordingly. The entrance of the cave stood before her, whisperings just past her hearings coming from deep within, two pale spirits with faces hidden in bonewhite shadow under spectral hooded robes.

The moment she took a step forward, spectral blades came to life and the game was on. It was her left hand that acted in response, not the right hand near her lightsaber hilt. For this she needed Ramal's amulet, not her lightsaber. Both spirits knelt, hissing and howling and cursing Ramal Vi. They hate you. They know you left them. What are you sending me into?

Entering she began to sweat, the heat of the Rift cave so intense, her breathing became difficult and her vision blurred. But yet she still saw after near fifty steps into the cave, where it windened and opened up to reveal an ancient study and lab. The machinary looked pre-Republic, and she knew it was, based on the Kwa technology that had housed them and transported them to this planet.

The skeletons were everywhere. At least a dozen, though Selene didn't count them as she stepped over them she did look for what the story they told. They held each other as they starved to death, some skeletons tossed against a far cutout in the rock, like a pit for the dead. Cannabalism, murder, starvation. The Dark Side pulsated and whispered history into her ear like it never had before. It was distraction, she knew, because the echo of her ancestor told her.

And in the darkness, where there was no light, she found it's glow. Blood red, angry, crackling and floating with six skeletons sprawled out all around it...the crystal. The purpose for arrival. It happened as expected, no less. She felt her hands move, she felt her mind haze over. The fight for control had begun. Through gritted teeth and immense effort, Selene mocked him, "Did you think your own blood would be half as stupid and naive?"

"SERVE OR SHE WILL DIE."

That was his mistake. Ramal had never loved anything but himself, that had become preciously clear to Selene. Selene loved her sister. It was the only thing in the Galaxy outside of knowledge she truly loved. Threaten that? The rage was always her key, as revenge had been his. The rage of the living would trumpet the revenge of the dead. She was left with one option, as pure anger forged her right hand into an unstoppable force. Up came the lightsaber, then ignition, then it moved. The very instant it neared the crystal, everything seemed to explode in light, every sound of every scream, every ounce of pain and love, everything they were, everything they'd ever be...

BOOM.

Nothing but steam and lava would remain within minutes, yet the rumble of the explosion persisted, at least it might seem like that ot the Jedi above as the giant wyrm went screaming up the opening of the Rift, destroying the very path Selene had used to find her way down, as she found her way up on it's back. Near the top it stopped, roared a sound that sounded like no nature creature, a pure Force Scream. A sound that sounded like a fanfare of trumpets to Selene, announcing the arrival of the Dark Sider to the near surface of the planet. A quick hop and Selene's feet hit rock, abandoning the wyrm moments before it snapped forward and ripped into the rock of the Rift, twisting it's massive hundred foot in length body upward as it chewed and pushed through the rock, towards the surface.

The world was hazy green again, the sound of wind howling once more loud, now that Selene had gotten to near surface level. Not far above she could feel the presence of half a dozen Dark Side spawn Terentateks closing on the undeniable presence of the Light Side. Hopefully the Dark Side spawn would allow her an opening to slip past, because now all she needed was escape from a planet that she knew there was next to no escape from. But she had a plan, and the second phase of it was now kicked off as she began to climb up for the surface with whatever hand hold and rocky platform to jump up to she could find.
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Almalthia
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Almalthia Friendly neighborhood redhead

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Colab with Kayla, San & Jaslyn


Kyla gripped her lightsaber tightly as she turned around, finger hovering off the ignition. She did not initially recognize the voice until she saw the familiar face of Jaslyn Dayne in front of her. The battlemaster let out a breath, relieved to see another Jedi. Though she was slightly confused as to why the red haired padawan was in such a dangerous place alone. Any help was help in such an extreme situation.
“Jaslyn, where did you come from?” Kyla asked curiously.
Jaslyn looks up. “Well from up there of course.” Looking back at Battlemaster Kyla and the look seems to say she didn’t know why she was asked such a question. “I was outside the temple checking sensors when everything went sideways. I saw the ship on a crash course and then saw the shuttle going the same way I was.”
San Anin gazed at Jaslyn, confused as to why she here and not at the safety of the temple like most other padawans were. She would have had suspicious, narrowed eyes at Jaslyn had her goggles not blocked the view of her eyes. With a huff, the Kel Dor thought of all the different reasons that the other padawan could have been in the Rift but San already guessed that the other padawan was just as inquisitive on what was happening as they were.
The weird feeling of something slimy or distasteful was present and Jaslyn rolled her shoulders looked around then focused on Kyla and the Knight. What was his name? E...E-something… I haven’t been this distracted since... Jaslyn’s eyes widened. Initiate Trials. Something is wrong!! This is just like the feeling where I had to face my darkside.
“It’s good to have another friendly face here, bu-” Kyla began to say as she heard lightning crack in the sky above them.
The sky turned an eerie shade, as the wind above them whipped ferociously. The Rift itself shook, as a piercing shriek echoed through the canyons. The ground around them quaking even worse than it had been before. The Force screaming out to the Jedi as a massive disturbance occurred. Kyla’s eyes went wide with confusion, as Elav looked ahead with a look more akin to shock, flicking on both of his lightsabers. His hands shaking as he tried to compose himself. The ground continued to shake terribly, rocks kicking up and breaking off to the sides of the Jedi.
“We’re not alone. Look out!” Elav hollered as six lumbering Terentateks appeared in their view. Assembling a short distance from the gathered Jedi, ready to slaughter and feast upon the outnumbered lightsiders.
“Jaslyn, San, get behind us now. Those things aren’t natural. The dark side surrounds them.” Kyla stated, removing her outer robe as she activated her own lightsaber. The pulsating blue blade igniting with ferocity as the armor clad battlemaster crouched in a striking position. Lightning and thunder pounded in the sky, lighting the canyon a fierce blue.
“Can either of you padawans fight? I’d wager those things can. What the hell are they?” The twi’lek asked, a tinge of fear inching through him as the beasts drew closer. Elav had faced his fair share of tough enemies in his time as a Jedi, but these creatures were something else entirely.
Jaslyn saw something out of the corner of her eye. Turning toward it she watched the Terentateks closing in on them, pushing the fear down. Beyond that someone climbing up the side a bit farther up than the four of them. “I suggest moving since it’s about two to one odds at best. Unless San has been brushing up on her forms and miraculously can fend the...things off a fight would be a liability. I say retreating is a great tactical move.”
“I-I will have you know I am c-capable of handling my self,” San Anin grumbled rather awkwardly, igniting her weapon as she stood ready to fight alongside her master.
Jaslyn didn’t wait for the go ahead she just started moving toward the ledge she had come from. Even Battlemaster Kyla would know that fighting them isn’t a good idea. I wonder if I can get to the survivor from here. Jaslyn leaps up onto the ledge and gauges the distance. Too far. But they have to be headed for the surface. They don’t know that we’re not here to hurt them.
Looking back over at Kyla and Elav. “Higher ground is normally better to fight on anyway. I have some training but I’m not liking the odds.” As she reached for her lightstaff to pull it apart Jaslyn kicked herself mentally. No!! The shuttle!!! We can’t all fit on that speeder!! We need to leave. Twisting the staff at the middle she was holding two saber hilts. “You know I’m right...but I stand with you, Battlemaster.”
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Heat
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Heat Hey, nice marmot

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“Let’s move it! We have to head back to Temple and regroup!” Kyla shouted, motioning for San to follow Jaslyn as she herself moved back, leaping onto ledges as they retreated. Her eyes shifted back to Elav, he was the furthest ahead, right in the way of the closest Terentatek.

Elav grunted as the monstrosity came barrelling towards him, claws first, unleashing a horrific screech as it ran. The Jedi was quick, and leapt off the ground at seemingly the last second. He spun in the air, lightsabers humming as he landed to its side, then cleaved both blades directly into the beast’s gut. It let out a fearsome howl then swatted with its massive claw at the Jedi. The twi’lek was fast, and ducked, though was not quite quick enough as it batted him to the side, nearly off the edge of the canyon. He was slow to his feet, a nasty pair of cuts on his left shoulder. The injured beast lumbered towards its prey, nearly cleaved in half but still moving. The others drew closer as well, charging towards Elav.

“Keep moving!” Kyla screamed to the two padawans as she raised her free hand, then called upon the Force, gathering as much strength as she could to pull Elav towards her. She acted quickly, as the monstrosities lunged at her friend she pulled him off the ground, yanking him off his feet and upwards. He flew through the air, just as confused as the Terentateks were at the action. He landed to her side, sliding across the ground but alive.

“I’m not letting those things kill you, you are not sacrificing yourself Elav.” The battlemaster said as she flicked off her lightsaber, then grabbed the Jedi knight with her free hand and helped him to his feet, then onto the next ledge up. Both Jedi climbing desperately to the surface.

The surface was near. The beasts were following them up, thankfully climbing slower than any of the Jedi were but still in hot pursuit of their prey. Tython continued its turbulence around them, hurricane level winds sweeping across the surface as the thunderstorm echoed above them. It seemed the entire planet was flipped on its head. The Force, which had such a delicate balance on the world seemed to be teetering on the brink of breaking. Threatening to plunge itself into utter peril and instability.

Jaslyn put away her sabers one on each hip as Kyla told them to go. Clambering up the side of the Rift was more complicated than leaping down had been. Looking back down she saw Elav fall and almost roll off the edge and Jaslyn reached out and knew that Kyla was moving him with the Force.

Something in Jaslyn clicked and she reached out and sent a push to the one that had attacked Elav. And nothing happened. It looked up at her as if it knew she was the one that sent the Force push at it. Jaslyn swallowed loudly. Nothing?! I know I reached out and pushed it...or was supposed to. Are there even things that the Force doesn’t work on?!? This just got more dangerous. And I think I just pissed it off. Continuing to climb and concentrating on getting to the next ledge higher up. Hand over hand and scrambling to the lip of the Rift. Never again. Well maybe not never, but not for a really, really, really, really long time.

Lightning flashed and the wind howled over the top of the Rift. The storm was so violent that the clouds were so deep a green they were almost black. Thunder in all it’s intensity shook the ground. Lightning so close as to hear the crackle of electricity in the air and the smell of ozone was almost overwhelming the scent of fire. Something was burning.I hope that’s coming from the Rift. Jaslyn thought as she grabbed the grass on the surface looking for a handhold. Finding one she pulled herself up to the surface laying flat on her stomach.

Quickly rolling over Jaslyn was greeted with the sight of the roiling, boiling storm. Pushing up and leaning on her elbows Jaslyn scanned the surface and not seeing the survivor she looked around at the havoc that was being wrought. Quickly she took in the fact that something was truly wrong.
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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Lauder
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Lauder The Tired One

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“We’re almost to the top, keep moving!” Kyla exclaimed as she kept climbing, reaching the top. She grabbed Elav by the arm and pulled him upwards, San Anin and Jaslyn already there. She spoke to Elav as he gingerly rose to his feet alongside her. “Are you alright?”

“No. I don’t feel good at all, my entire body feels like it is on fire,” The twi’lek replied, holding a hand against his temple. Unknowingly feeling the poison from the Terentatek coursing through his veins. “Those things, they aren’t normal. We have to stop them.”

“We need to retreat. Who knows what's going on at the Temple,” She glanced back to the shuttle they had arrived in, noticing someone inside of the cockpit. A stranger, she felt a tinge in the Force as she looked upon them, then started moving towards the vessel, San and Elav following. Jaslyn was way closer to the shuttle than the rest of them were.

As Kyla turned her head back towards the Rift her eyes went wide, the half dozen Terentateks climbed out of the gorge. The fearsome beasts snarling as they slowly stood on even ground with the Jedi. This was a terrible situation. The battlemaster activated her lightsaber, attempting to center herself with the Force. Bathe herself in the calming aura of the light as Elav once more activated both of his own weapons. Pushing through the intense pain.

“What do we do, master?” San Anin asked, turning her head slightly as she held her curved hilt in one hand, her vision jumping from Terentatek to Terentatek. She pointed her saber towards one as she began to step backwards, eventually stopping and steeling her nerves like she had on the ship. In a moment of clarity, she calmed her mind from the fleeing and the hectic chaos that had been brought to the planet. She gazed inward with force, slowing her heart rate and forcing herself to herself. The padawan let out a long exhale as she stepped towards her master, only stopping when she was next to Kyla.

The padawan looked to her master before putting a hand on Kyla’s shoulder to grab her attention before she was hit with the feelings of confusion and uncertainty. It wracked her mind as she felt the repressed feeling of fear, such emotions were not the padawan’s as she had only calmed her mind moments before. Her goggled eyes seemed to stare into her master for a few moments before San Anin decided to speak, knowing that it was not the student that needed to be comforted in the moment, but rather the master. “Master, do not let the uncertainty cloud your mind,” she said simply, retracting her hand to focus on the beasts.

Kyla breathed deep, hearing her padawan’s words. Her eyes dashed around them, searching for any way to escape. They were quicker on foot than those monstrosities, but they were outnumbered by the creatures. A speeder sat to their side, an ideal way to get back to the temple. But only two of them could fit on it at most, and there were three Jedi itching to escape. The shuttle was lifting into the air, with only Daslyn and the stranger onboard. As the creatures charged towards them, Kyla readied herself, centering herself on the light side once more.

Turning back from the Rift as she was getting to the surface Jaslyn pulls herself up to standing. The wind whipped her hair back like a flag as Jaslyn planted her feet and looked over at the shuttle. The lights on the shuttle are on and they weren’t on when Jaslyn had passed it last. Breaking into a run Jaslyn makes for the shuttle to stop the survivor from leaving the rest of them stranded. “NOOOO!!!! STOP!!!!”

Amazingly keeping her feet under her Jaslyn makes it to the shuttle. Diving for the door she manages to get inside just before it closes and the locks are engaged. Pushing up off the floor of the shuttle Jaslyn scrambles to her feet.
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Hidden 5 yrs ago 5 yrs ago Post by Almalthia
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Almalthia Friendly neighborhood redhead

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Colab Jaslyn & Selene




Turning back to climbing up the ledges and getting to the surface Jaslyn pulls herself up to standing. The wind whipped her hair back like a flag as Jaslyn planted her feet and looked over at the shuttle. The lights on the shuttle are on and they weren’t on when Jaslyn had passed it last. Breaking into a run Jaslyn makes for the shuttle to stop the survivor from leaving the rest of them stranded. “NOOOO!!!! STOP!!!!”

Amazingly keeping her feet under her Jaslyn makes it to the shuttle. Diving for the door she manages to get inside just before it closes and the locks are engaged. Pushing up off the floor of the shuttle Jaslyn scrambles to her feet.

The shuttle tilts and Jaslyn braces her feet and manages to stay on them. Getting to the cockpit Jaslyn opens the door. She sees the dark haired person and tries to appeal to their compassion. “Wait!! There are others!! One of them is hurt!! We have to wait for them!!”

Jaslyn’s face is utterly truthful and not malicious in anyway. Her large gray eyes are fanned with thick long eyelashes and are pleading. The dusting of freckles across her face are as numerous as the stars in the heavens. Her mouth slightly open so you can just see her straight white teeth. Her hair is a coppery-red and still mostly in a high ponytail. She looks a little wild and wind-blown but unharmed.

“Look, I know that you want to get out of here, so do we. It’s just three more people. Just three.”

Selene barely spared a side glance to the Jedi. She was preoccupied; with having to get there before the wyrm did. She had to be ready. Even if she wasn't exactly sure how that was going to happen. None of it made sense, but then, she had chased Tython on a dream. A literal dream of Ramal speaking to her, seated side by side next to the fireplace in the King's Bed Chambers, the very chambers that later became the Queen's Bed chambers. The very chambers her sister wouldn't let anyone enter when Selene wasn't home.

Sela. When Sela wasn't home.

The name made her twitch, even echoed as it was within the walls of her own locked room of a mind. A mind that wandered and weaved, even as her body all but flew up the Rift, energized with a power she had never felt before. She leapt over the last fifty feet cliff, like it was a hop, a cascade of blue lightning illuminating the windy darkness just in time for her to spot the shuttle. The shuttle was Republic based, Jedi model; she knew the type. In preparation for Tython Selene had purchased just that type of shuttle and personally modified it to be as close to a Jedi shuttle as it could get. She did the same with the overly numerous Defenders; it was easy to buy one that had been battle damaged and patch it up enough to learn it's systems.

When you were alone in the Galaxy and hunted, you either stayed prepared or got lucky. Selene liked to think it was all the former, but Tython was quickly turning her to the idea of the latter as she stepped into the shuttle the Jedi literally left wide open for her. She was in the pilot seat and cross-bleeding the engines with fuel when she felt and heard the uninvited passenger. Selene visibly winced when the Jedi started blathering about others, someone hurt...whatever.

The Dark Sider hit the auto-pilot, and stood from the pilot seat, turning as she stood to face the Jedi. Her face was still, flat, and seemingly unimpressed. "Where this shuttle is going isn't any safer for them. Tython wasn't meant for one side of the Force to dominate. It has two moons, not one, each aligned to their side of the Force and that isn't an accident if you've read the early Je'daii surveys. All I did was remind the planet of that."

Selene looked for the first time at the creature in front of her. Not the red hair, not the robes, not the distress...but deeper. Down past skin and bone and ligament, past heart and straight to spirit and soul. What she saw made her smile the smallest smile, a mere twist at the corner of her lips. She could use a Jedi. The Light was awash in the woman, but there was a shadow under that Light. Not darkness, but shadow. Grey shadow. What the crystal had given her, whatever it was, had made seeing such a thing simply a matter of looking.

"The Kwa didn't bring the Force Sensitives of the Galaxy here and divide them into Light or Dark. It was only after the weakness of those Force Sensitives, their greed, their fears, their desire to be comforted by the idea of righteousness that your 'Jedi' and their 'Sith' came about. It had nothing to do with Tython, and it had NOTHING to do with the Force," her voice picked up steam, as irritation began to bleed into her tone, "so sit down, strap in, or I'll throw you out of this shuttle myself."

Jaslyn off handedly noticed the blue eyes, high cheekbones and realized the “person” hijacking the shuttle was a woman. A lone woman who freely admitted to being a Dark Side user. I am missing something here. Why is she freely admitting to the use of the Darkside? I recall seeing something in the sky that seemed to draw the eye. What is going on here?

Jaslyn didn’t see the deeper observation that the woman gave her as she was to busy wrapping her head around the minuscule amount of knowledge that she was just given and how it just tilted her world. Jaslyn narrowed her eyes at the woman. “Just how do you know this information?” The truth of it rang true in the hearing it. Not to mention the fact that the outside forces were literally bearing down on them.

Jaslyn wondered if they truly left the area if the weather would calm down. Can I risk putting myself in a situation where I might not be able to get away? The lives of the many outweigh the few. I really have no choice. Jaslyn sat down in the copilot chair and started to strap in.

“Good girl.”

The comment was accompanied by a supremely confident, even smug, tone. There was absolute confidence in everything she did...mostly anyway. It wasn’t by accident; she had been tutored and trained in most fields as a child. When she grew into adolescence her interests just rocketed it off in so many varying directions.

She learned to lie and spy because of the intrigues of court.

She learned to fight and to kill because of the results of courtly intrigue.

She learned how to repair and fly speeders and shuttles and starships because it interested her, and because of the self-reliance it allowed. She hated people. She hated dealing with courtiers and the academics and the pushy Republic envoys. She hated people because her own family tried to kill her and her sister. Not once, but nearly twenty times over the course of their childhoods.

She learned to command because she was not just a royal, but THE sovereign. She WAS the state. No one could understand, not even her sister, not even the Republic’s politicians and generals. And certainly not the Imperials with their Sith and their extremes. The Emperor? Possibly.

Probably.

“How? Because I’ve broken into and searched more vaults and crypts than you can imagine. Because I spent my entire life training for the life I live now. Because I spent my entire lifetime up to now studying and ready everything I could find. And when I couldn’t find it or buy it with a very impressive banking account then I just stole it.”

Selene had the largest collection of artifacts and knowledge relating to the very early periods, when Tython was most active and the system around it, populated by non-Force Sensitives in the area so various histories told her, because they were tired of the wars, some said (though the timeline didn’t seem to match in her opinion), or because Tython didn’t like so many on it’s surface.

THAT even Selene could see as wisdom before today. Now? She knew it was true. She absolutely knew it was true. Selene didn’t sit back down, instead she took the Jedi by the chin using the Force with a twist of outstretched fingers and stared her in the eyes. “What’s your name? Do you like the Jedi Order?”

Jaslyn looked out the cockpit window as the woman listed admitted to pretty much being a criminal. She could only hope that Kyla would understand her reasons. Assuming that is if Kyla remembered Merrian was Jaslyn’s Master. Merrian was formidable in the setting of debate and discussion. Being a sought after mediator had it’s benefits, especially to one’s Padawan. Jaslyn had been a fly on the wall for more than one discourse. Jaslyn wasn’t stupid she was rather bright and learned quickly.

Jaslyn jerked her head around at the comment that was on the patronizing side. “Takes one to know one.” First step unbalance your opponent. The statement was thrown out with a mocking humor and stated quickly.

Jaslyn gripped the harness as she felt the Force move her chin towards the woman who asked her name and if she liked the Jedi Order. Jaslyn didn’t appreciate the use of the Force on her person. She didn’t fight it but her grey eyes flashed with annoyance for a moment.

Burying the anger Jaslyn smirked at Selene, but without real humor. She’d been manhandled with the Force before, normally it was to teach a lesson. Block here not there, kind of thing. Selene was getting under her skin. Quickly at that. The woman is smart, I’ll give her that. Smug on top of all that knowledge. Brat, spoiled one too, possibly. Something tells me there is a story there. If her wealth is to be believed. Freely admits to stealing artifacts, or suspected artifacts.

Jaslyn looked at the sky then back at Selene. “So where are we headed?” Jaslyn hadn’t actually moved her head she had used her eyes. One corner of her mouth pulled up in a smug smirk. “And my name is Dayne. Jaslyn Dayne. Do I like the Jedi Order? When it’s all I’ve ever known? All I remember? How can one say that they like or dislike something when they have nothing to compare with? That’s like asking a blind person what their favorite color is. Odd question, and to what end I wonder? And what’s your name and problem with the Jedi?”

Selene was left smiling--and rolling her eyes as she moved to the opposite side of the cockpit and looked down. There her smile only grew, as the ground below rumbled and shook, the very top of the giant wyrm breaking the surface like a whale breaking the surface of the waves before rolling under the surface again and continuing on.

The wyrm was following Selene. “Our friend is finding it’s way nicely. Was a little worried the Jedi would try to stop it, but I suppose that’s hard to do when a thing is that size, moving that fast...how does it make sense the Jedi would never twist or use life?” It was random, but only in how she approached it. The Jedi would damn the wyrm, but it wasn’t the wyrm’s fault some Dark Sider had twisted it eons ago. That was the Dark Sider, true enough, but she wasn’t about to allow the Jedi to present themselves as innocent. “What else do you call stealing babes from their mothers?”

She sighed, speaking to herself, not so much to the Jedi present. Of the Jedi’s answers...she all but ignored. They weren’t useful. The girl was playing at some game, and Selene had more important things on her mind. Her words were genuinely felt, and went far deeper than indoctrination. “You were stolen. Your life, your fate, your dreams...gone. Replaced with whatever the Jedi Order deemed necessary. I would never say the Sith were any better, but even you have to admit: taking a young child from their mother is unnatural and violates the natural flow of life in the Galaxy. This is the planet the first of the wars between Light and Dark were fought. You know who got caught in the middle? Those in the middle. The gray and those not attuned to the Force. History tells us those not attuned to the Force were simply kicked off the planet and sent to the surrounding systems to make do, many and more dying from trying to start new lives on new planets. What about the gray?”

Selene snorted, hard. “History says shit all about them, because they were lost in the fanaticism of Light and Dark, between extremes. Except today, down in that Rift...I learned what happened to them. They hid. They fled. They were left for dead by their own kind and they STARVED or were hunted down by the Light too afraid of a Dark Side shadow. And now their spirits will haunt this planet for as long as there is a Tython. So EXCUSE ME if I dare have issue with the Jedi Order. Come on. We’re leaving, or you can stay and follow this shuttle’s programmed flight path right into the side of a mountain. Doesn’t matter to me.”

She shrugged, lying, and left the cockpit to make her way to the back of the shuttle, so the ramp could be lowered once more. So she could prepare to jump down over what appeared from the view provided by the quickly lowering ramp at the aft of the shuttle to be an endless desert. Noise seemed quiet even high in the air on the shuttle. Below was only silence. The air mixed from desert and shuttle, making sounds loud and quiet at odd intervals with no explanation, making the mind question the ear.

A perfect time and place to introduce herself, her head turning to see the ginger Jedi follow, “My name is Selene. Let me show you the real history,” she said, offering her right black gloved hand out to the Jedi.

Jaslyn looked over and saw the wyrm breaking the surface and paled. By the Light I pray that thing doesn’t turn around! It seemed her prayer was answered as it went back under.

Jaslyn blinked in surprise as much for the wyrm as for the next words that the woman said and in response Jaslyn couldn’t help but speak. “I never thought of it that way. I don’t remember my parents. There were other Younglings at the Academy that did, but I never understood why. I suppose that’s why they had a harder time of it. And why I felt drawn to comfort them. I was always told that it was a blessing for the family if a child was chosen. I took comfort in that, after a while.”

Jaslyn was floored by the accusations that she was stolen and that her ancestors and the ancestors of those who raised her continued to have blood on their hands. Even if it for lack of doing anything. She was an extraordinarily compassionate person and the thought of her being lied to did not sit well with her. Nor did not helping others in need, regardless of what side of the Force they claimed.

All of this introspection distracted Jaslyn from the changes in her surroundings. Unbuckling from the seat she followed the woman who introduced herself and volunteered to show her the real history. Determination to seek the truth made Jaslyn’s choice unhesitatingly easy as she took Selene’s hand.
Hidden 5 yrs ago 5 yrs ago Post by Ruby
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Colab Selene & Jaslyn




Selene felt the Jedi’s hand, and locked her own hand around it with the kind of unbreakable grip that was closer to a physical promise to keep Jaslyn safe than it was to inflict any kind of pain. At speeds that were forcing the shuttles engines to whine from extreme exertion and turning the endless desert below into a blur, Selene brought the Jedi as close to her body as she could, and leapt.

The Jedi had to be close, close enough for Selene’s presence to eclipse her’s, otherwise Selene wasn’t sure how the creature would react. For as Selene’s worldview became blue sky and whipping winds...in seconds the wind stopped. Not the actual kinetic force of the wind snapping at their clothing and pushing their bodies as Tython’s gravity shot them towards the surface, but the very sound of it just died.

There simply ceased to be sound.

The fall from the shuttle to the surface would have been seconds. If you counted it they landed a few seconds early. Because they didn’t land on the surface. Selene landed firm and easy, the sheer amount of Force energy pulsating through her body from the crystal and the planet itself allowing Selene feats she never would have dreamed before. Like jumping from a runaway shuttle going far too fast and landing on a giant wyrm as it leapt up out of the sands, and kept it’s upper half exposed to the air in order to allow for passengers.

The wyrm’s mind was primal. It was going for what it thought and felt was food. In a way, the wyrm wasn’t wrong, Selene thought to herself as she felt the Jedi struggle with footing. In response to the Jedi’s struggle, Selene’s arm snaked around Jaslyn’s waist, her head turning to catch the grey eyes of the red haired Jedi.

No words were said because no sound was heard, only the rumble of the wyrm moving through the sand, and the faint up and down of their bodies as the creature’s breathing moved them ever-so-slightly every few moments. Selene pointed back, at the speeders and starfighters appearing at an impossible distance that she could see. The Jedi were hot behind them.

It wouldn’t matter.

Then her hand tugged at the Jedi’s hip, to get her attention, as Selene pointed ahead. There was a small sandstone mound on the horizon, getting bigger by the second. It was nearly little more than a rounded dome of sandstone, but a thousand years ago...it had been so much more than that. In a matter of heartbeats the sandstone got bigger, and bigger, the sand dunes around it shifting as the wyrm approached and a wild wind from the planet Tython pushed at their backs.

The weather was following Selene, leaving the Jedi to chase her in hurricane like conditions. Off in the distance, to the left of them, began a dust devil of a cyclone that grew up green-black clouds. The sun of the desert began to fade, as the green-black clouds began to close in with supernatural speed.

But that was the Jedi’s concern. Selene had kept a tight hold around Jaslyn’s waist, and used it in that moment to lift her like she were made of paper before leaping her own body in air, simply carrying the Jedi with her. When she landed she did so with Jaslyn in either arm, one of Selene’s arms under her shoulders, the other under her knees. They were a mere twenty yards from the sandstone dome when the wyrm shattered it, crashing right into where sand met sandstone.

Never was there a sound. Just vibration.

The whole it created went almost straight down. Selene ran for the edge, looked over the edge and peered down. A few moments of thought, and Selene felt her lips smile again. She could FEEL it. They were there. They had unlocked access to the Chambers of the Mind. And the one that she was told to find in particular by spirit and memory of those Je’daii that her great ancestor had left behind for dead.

Shadow murmured and Selene closed her eyes, spreading her arms out to either side with palms up. She laughed silently on the edge of the darkness and the fall. She felt the spirits below. She heard them. The Force itself called. She turned just in time to smile at the Jedi...before taking a step back to the edge of the massive hole caused by the wyrm, and let herself fall.

She fell for nearly 12 seconds. It was thousands of feet down, and the landing was made on polished stone. Without looking up she held her arms out, and caught the Jedi falling too fast to easily land with the same surge of Force energy like ran hot through Selene’s body and mind and spirit.

Letting the Jedi onto her feet, Selene quickly reached behind her and under her robes. Here there was sound, allowing for each crack of the chemical light to echo through the ancient vaults they found themselves in. She threw them in every direction, six in all, and suddenly the large stone walls were alive in bright light that shined azure in the shadowy subterranean darkness.

“No living soul has been down here in over a millennia…” She sounded giddy, the excitement as plain on her face as it was in her voice. She’d been right. Every hard studied clue had led to another clue in what seemed a never-ending cycle of clues and no true treasure. Then Ramal had spoken to her, then she had paid a small fortune and ruined the career, and life, a Republic intelligence operative to find her way to Tython. And on Tython she learned Ramal to be anything but a liar, even if he’d hidden his role from her. The crystal’s shatter was enough to shatter Ramal’s lies, and let Selene walk her own path.

She picked the path of knowledge. Instantly she knew where to go and how to get in, the very reason for awakening the ancient wyrm. The wyrm that had exited through a hole in a wall far off in the distance of the black dark room illuminated only in small patches of bright blue light.

“Come on. We’re close.”

And they were. It was simply a matter of exiting the main hall they were in. The doors they found didn’t work, but Selene had enough energy to force them open, the small chant coming to the ears of both Dark Sider and Jedi.

Tho Yor, it sang. Tho Yor, Tho Yor… calling out to both of them, urging them closer and closer. Past a stone door covered in runes that Selene recognized as early Je’daii, before they began to unify their language, when they were still a collection of aliens and outsiders.

“The giant ships were powered by…..we don’t know. The early Force Users didn’t know. These giant pyramids landed on your planet, your moon, your home...THO YOR, THO YOR, THO YOR...calling you, urging you, begging you closer. When you got close enough, the doors opened, and you went inside. You and every Force Sensitive where you were. Who sends automated ships all across the galaxy to collect Force Sensitives from pre-Republic worlds? What takes all those ships to this planet, and opens the doors to let them out so they can all mingle and mix and become what they’d be?...who is to blame for the Jedi and the Sith?”

The unnatural Jedi and Sith, the tone in her voice all but spoke aloud right after her words.

But they were there. The wall in front of them now wasn’t stone, and it wasn’t straight. It angled away from them, disappearing into sandstone. Doors nearly twenty feet in height and thirty wide stirred, ancient mechanisms and energy behind even Selene’s understanding creaking to life, sending a line of light from within the ancient vessel outward as the door began to open slowly.

Selene turned away from the door, and held out her hand again. And for the first time Selene heard her voice clear, sharp...but she hadn’t heard it with her ears and her mouth never moved. Her mind simply spoke to Jaslyn’s. As instinctive and easy as breathing.

Come with me. I want you to, I need you to. I’m so tired of being alone...

Jaslyn felt Selene grip her hand firmly like a lifeline. Jaslyn raised her eyebrows as Selene pulled her close. Trust a precious thing easily broken. Truth is more or less important? Looking over Selene’s shoulder Jaslyn almost smiled. A leap of faith it is. Jaslyn allowed her body to relax just as they leapt out of the shuttle.

The rush of wind was deafening as they freefell. Jaslyn watched the shuttle fall away wind whipping her hair and cloak like a banner of green and copper reaching for the sky. Suddenly and unexpectedly the world went silent. The actual presence of the wind wasn’t gone just the sound.

Jaslyn looked down seeing the wyrm breaking the surface. She had just seen the wym and it was going to get a closer look from what she could tell. Jaslyn closed her eyes and dug deep remembering her Breath Control clearing her mind. She relaxed and felt the pulse of the Force running through Selene.Not Light, but not entirely Dark. Their landing was firm but not overly jarring. Which was unexpected.

Hunger. Overwhelming and unwavering hunger.

Obedience.

These emotions slammed through Jaslyn and she struggled to pull back. She stumbled and Selene’s arm came around her waist. Blue eyes held her grey ones and Jaslyn was able to at least pull back from the great wyrm’s emotions. The contact made it easier to shut out the wyrm but did not close off the empathic power riding Jaslyn entirely. Selene pointed behind them.

Speeders and starfighters an impossible distance bearing down on them. They were like gnats off in the distance. Gnats that were growing larger each passing second. Jaslyn felt the tug at her hip and looked over at Selene who pointed farther ahead.

Just there a small sandstone mound. Deceptively small. As it grew larger it was apparent that it was little more than a rounded dome blending into the dunes around it. As the wyrm’s moment and winds whipping around behind Jaslyn and Selene, following their progress it seemed, shifted the sands from their original placement the dome grew.

Jaslyn did not envy the rest of the Order that was in chase. The sky grew dark and a cyclone quickly grew and tore across the desert to their left. This storm was building faster than it had previously at the rift.

Without warning Selene lifted her without even a thought of effort and leapt off the wyrm. Selene had braced Jaslyn behind the shoulders and under her knees and Jaslyn looped an arm around the other woman’s shoulders. As they landed they had a front row seat for the wyrm’s dive into the sands. It’s obligation fulfilled from the looks of it.

The churning of the sands made no sound just a vibration that could be felt deep within. It seemed unnatural and yet at the same time just as natural and timeless as the silent shifting of the sands. The yawning mass was deep. Selene put Jaslyn down and ran for the edge some twenty feet away. Jaslyn didn’t like how close Selene got to the edge and slowly made her way over to Selene.

Selene who looked back at Jaslyn and smiled after a moment. Jaslyn had just reached Selene as she spread her arms wide and leaned back over the edge falling into nothing. Jaslyn’s eyes went wide as she tried to snatch Selene’s arm, shirt, anything that would stop the fall of the woman.

“SELENE!!!!!!!!!” The scream was silenced by the desert itself. No ear would hear the fear in Jaslyn’s voice. Her balance was thrown off reaching for Selene and Jaslyn tumbled in after her as the sand shifted just enough that Jaslyn lost her footing.

Much to Jaslyn’s surprise Selene caught her. Setting Jaslyn on her feet Selene began to fiddle with something and a crack then another resounded as Selene cracked two chemical lights then a few more, six in all. The lights were dim but in the darkness they lit up the chamber in a bright azure light that reminded Jaslyn of a good number of the lightsabers that the other members of the Order had.

Thinking of the Order Jaslyn looked back up out the hole that had lead them both down here. We need to keep moving or we’ll be in trouble. Jaslyn turned back toward Selene as she started talking. She’s like a Youngling that just got their first lightsaber. I doubt that she’d like that analogy though. Jaslyn couldn’t help but smile.

“Jaslyn…There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.”

Jaslyn turned her head. I’m hearing things. That’s what I can expect after not hearing anything for a moment. Jaslyn was brought back to the moment by Selene telling her they were close. Close to what though.

“Jaslyn…There is no fear; there is power.”

Jaslyn shook off the strange familiar way that voice sounded. Selene should be enjoying this since this is what she does. Finds things that are ancient. Following Selene she heard a chant. Tho Yor, it sang. Tho Yor, Tho Yor… calling out to both of them, urging them closer and closer. Past a stone door covered in runes that seemed vaguely familiar in ways that should not be possible.

“Jaslyn. LISTEN. I am the heart of the Force.”

Jaslyn could barely think past the words. They were all consuming. She kept pushing them away but they came back again and again.

Selene was still talking about something intense and important. Jaslyn focused on her. “The giant ships were powered by…..we don’t know. The early Force Users didn’t know. These giant pyramids landed on your planet, your moon, your home...THO YOR, THO YOR, THO YOR...calling you, urging you, begging you closer.”

“I am the revealing fire of light.”

[color=white]“When you got close enough, the doors opened, and you went inside. You and every Force Sensitive where you were. Who sends automated ships all across the galaxy to collect Force Sensitives from pre-Republic worlds?

“I am the mystery of darkness...”

[color=white]“What takes all those ships to this planet, and opens the doors to let them out so they can all mingle and mix and become what they’d be?...who is to blame for the Jedi and the Sith?”

“In balance with chaos and harmony, Immortal in the Force."

Selene stopped, they were there. The wall in front of them now wasn’t stone, and it wasn’t straight. It angled away from them, disappearing into sandstone. Doors nearly twenty feet in height and thirty wide stirred, ancient mechanisms and energy beyond even Selene’s understanding creaking to life, sending a line of light from within the ancient vessel outward as the door began to open slowly.

Selene turned away from the door, and held out her hand again. And for the first time Jaslyn could hear Selene’s voice clear, sharp...in her mind simply spoke to Jaslyn’s.

Come with me. I want you to, I need you to. I’m so tired of being alone...

Jaslyn reached out and took Selene’s hand again. Sending the thought. So be it. Never alone again. Jaslyn smiled and squeezed Selene’s hand that she had taken.
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Ezekiel and Ruby



A Family Reunion




The Starshine came out of hyperspace and was immediately hailed. They didn't need to be. Deep down Satele Shan knew the message that was about to be relayed, even if she had yet to hear the exact words used to compose the message. And when the message came she still couldn't say she heard every word enough to be able to repeat the message, but there was no ever forgetting the tone of the voice that carried the message across the vacuum of space between the Republic space station over Tython and the Starshine herself.

There was fear. And it made Satele smile.

"They're anxious. Good."

Tython wasn't Coruscant. It wasn't a safe Republic world. If you wanted to thrive on the planet of Tython, you needed to be a Force Sensitive that was as smart as you were a survivalist. Whatever reason the Force called her to Tython in the first place, it felt to Satele Shan as if the soft underbelly of the Jedi Order could use some toughening up. The actual message? "Master Shan, welcome back, the Jedi Council requests your presence at the Jedi Temple. The planet is in Threat Condition 3. The Council believes a Dark Side user has made their way to the planet's surface."

"Dark Side user?"

Brye asked the obvious question. Satele didn't see a Sith fleet outside the Starshine. "Tython does more than call to Jedi, Brye. The Force may have led me to the planet, but I knew eventually someone in the Dark Side would want to step foot on the planet, to see where we all come from. Let us hope this Dark Side user doesn't have a single clue about what's hidden and lost to time on our new home." That, Satele told herself, would be most upsetting.

"We'll get to the Orbital Station and then you can head down to Tython," as much as she felt Tython and it's maelstrom, she believed in her fellow Jedi's capacity to deal with it. To not lean on her. If nothing else she knew Kyla would be at the front and center of it. Kyla didn't need her on the ground getting in the way. How many times had Kyla told her to shut up and sit down like a Grand Master is supposed to? Satele had lost count.

The Orbital Station had her focus for now. Jace was there. She could feel his presence like a current of warm air across a frigid expanse. Inviting, disarming, and comforting. Naturally the sensation made every mental and emotional defense Satele had instantly rise to full alert. That connection and it's anxiety aside, there was another presence that Satele felt. A connection that she never stopped feeling, even if he had turned his back on it in the anger of immaturity from youth. That's what Satele typically blamed it on, at least. Are you even ready for this kind of truth?

"Whew."

Satele's head turned slowly after the sound and sigh, her eyes finding Brye blinking at her. "Nevermind," her brows furrowed, her tone turning stricter and more the Master to the Padawan than usual, "make sure you dock the ship correctly and clean up your bunk area this time. Not sure how long we'll be planetside this time." To the Padawan's credit she simply narrowed her eyes at Satele and moved out of the cockpit. Small mercies. Satele couldn't explain her emotions right now. What they had found in Revan's vault had been one revelation after another. There was enough information for her to chase down leads for years.

To say nothing of all the armor and war droids Grim and Roana had gotten their hands on.

And yet...as the Starshine began it's final approach to the Orbital Station amidst a sea of Jedi starfighters and the Republic fleet stationed around the Station the Jedi Grand Master just stared into space. Even as the Starshine noisly came into docking position and was secured by the Station itself, Satele still wasn't sure if she was ready to step out of the ship and onto that docking ring or not. When she did it was as if she was floating out of the ship. A heavy sigh of relief left her body the moment she stepped off the Starshine and did not see Jace.

Smart. Let me approach.

Not that it took her long to find. The Supreme Commander of Republic Forces was in the Ops Center of the Station, a hive of Republic activity. Most of it freaking out about the high alert called for Tython, and the poor non Force Sensitives trying to come to terms with what was happening. One young human officer with brown hair, freckles, and thin features was trying to explain the weather situation on Tython to Jace. The rapidly deteriorating weather situation, the officer called it. It was a trigger that stepped Satele Shan forward, the Jedi Grand Master announcing her presence with a correction: "It's not just the weather, Lieutenant, it's the presence of a Dark Side force user. Not Sith," the last two words spoken with the kind of tone that made it clear it was knowledge given to her by some of that Jedi mysticism, not hard intelligence a Republic officer could analyze and convey.

She didn't blame him for frowning at it, but Satele was already looking up at the man who had been standing over the young Lieutenant's station in Ops. Bright eyed and apprehensive, Satele nodded, not really knowing what else to do. "Supreme Commander."

Some commanders were the eye of the storm, the calming influence at the heart of things, no matter what chaos was around them, a whirling hurricane of underlings and reports around them, but stoic in their nature. Jace was not. Even like this, at the nerve centre of the station, standing mostly still while receiving reports, Jace was as much a part of the action as anyone. Havoc Squad had not been named such for their cool heads. His mind raced to take in every detail, assign it a proper place, make each incoming report a part of the solution. His eyes took on an ‘almost’ manic quality when like this when the man who had born for action was forced to respond rather than take to the fight himself. He’d never forgive whichever corrupt politician had landed him the role as Supreme Commander.
There was one presence which managed to break through the intensity of his focus and desire for action. He lacked force sensitivity of his own, but there were some beings you could ‘feel’ when they did not wish to hide from you. He’d met, and slain, plenty of Sith like that. Fewer Jedi, but one he had more experience with than any other. It was impossible to not feel her approach and the memories not to return, some painful, many not, all rushing together at once. Even as they had grown older and their bond reforged, they had never spent enough time together to make it ‘normal.’ Some part of him hoped it never would be.

“Grandmaster.” He just about managed her formal title, but when he finally allowed himself to note her approach, not wishing to drop his countless trains of thought until he had preserved them for later, he almost lost it. Once, Jace Malcom could have been considered handsome, in fact, age had done little to harm such a thing, certainly a face that would have graduated into the territory of those men who benefit from a little salt and peppering. The war had changed that, the scars which dominated a full half of his face distorted his appearance. They might never have been fixed fully, but certainly, more could have been done at the time, but it had been war, and Captain Jace Malcom could not justify the expense when more were dying around him. Satele, on the other hand, looked almost the same as when they had first met, true, some of the youthful determination had been replaced with wisdom, and battle hard marked her in odd places, but it was like looking back through time. She could have been the very same girl leaping into battle from the forests of Alderaan.

There were a few other memories from Alderaan as well that surfaced at the sight of her, but he buried those for now, instead turning his attention to the Lieutenant. Recent developments within the Republic and its military had fostered a certain distrust for the Jedi as a whole, and he was not surprised to note the man’s incredulous nature. He had been in that position before.

“Factor that into the report, get to it, Lieutenant,” Jace spoke briskly, before taking a step away from the station, allowing them a few steps of space, which, given the general preoccupied nature of everyone currently around them, was about as much privacy as they had ever hoped for.

“Satele.” It always felt better to say her name. Even his usual matter-of-fact tone crumbled into emotion at that, and the half of his face not partially slowed by its own scarring turned up into a small smile.

He was, as always, too focused on his current objective--or in this case his current focus. Satele cleared her throat quietly, slipped an arm around his nearest arm to her, and proceeding to walk out of the Ops Center with him. They were paying attention, she could tell, and it wasn’t something she could blame them for either: even Jedi would eavesdrop if two Masters just happened to be having a chat a few feet away.

This was even different. This was the Republic Supreme Commander and the Jedi Grand Master having a chat. Satele couldn’t think of anyone, be it Republic, Jedi, Sith, Hutt, anyone, that wouldn’t want to be a fly on THAT wall. And as long as Satele had waited for this moment...she wasn’t about to share it.

“You know, Grand Master is an honorific that is unnecessary. You can just as correctly address me as Master Shan, Jedi Master, Master Jedi…” Her voice trailed as her blue eyes slowly snuck up the height of him to get a peek at his face. When she found his eyes already waiting for the stolen glance, her lips broke out in the tiny smirk.

She’d just been teasing him. Like old times. Then the smirk died almost immediately, as the presence came from the back of her mind to the forefront. She didn’t just step out of the room on Jace’s arm aimlessly. She knew where she was going, she knew where was headed, obvious when she just kept walking out the door and turned to the right, headed somewhere.

“My Padawan and I made it to Dxun. Nasty little jungle moon. I went to ask Grim--you remember Grim, the Mandalorian that fought those Neo-Crusaders who’d gone mad on Rhen Var? I mean, I know you and I remember Rhen Var very differently, but…”

Her lips grinned for only a few beats of her heart. “I went to meet Grim, to get some understanding of the internal politics of the Mandalorians.” She didn’t need to look up to feel the look he was giving her. A look that made her snort in defiance. “I know, I know, but I trusted Grim. Whenever he tried to kill me, he didn’t hide it. And when he tried to help me, he never let me forget it. It worked. It turns out...do you remember when I forwarded that warning the Sith Empire sent to me about a clan of Sith that worshipped Darth Revan as some sort of Force God?”

She felt him tense. Mainly because his arm was so unusually large for a human, his muscles so...big, and when he tensed they just bulged and…Focus, Satele. Another small clearing of her throat, and Satele remembered what she was talking about. “Revanites, they call themselves. They found out about our trip. They got to Grim’s clan and told them if they delivered me to them, that they would give the location of some ancient vault of Revan’s that they were just certain had Mandalorian armor in it.”

Satele pulled on the giant man’s arm to get him to turn left. Of course she had to use the Force to even budge the hulking commando. No wonder he had been able to push Malgus back so far. But after Jace got a little smirk from making her use the Force to budge him, he just went willingly.

He liked teasing her right back. Satele pretended not to notice. “I can’t remember, ten Sith? Plus Mandalorians? We found Grim on the road to his village, some Revanite Sith had been chasing him...he came to warn me. Broke his leg when they tossed him from the speeder. Padawan and I dealt with the Sith on the road, but the ten or so Sith and the Mandalorians waiting for us at his village...I made the Padawan return to the ship and wait for me. I was able to turn the Mandalorians by pointing out any vault of Revan would need me to open it, most likely, if the Revanites wanted me that badly. I promised to give them anything of theirs I found in any vault. So we fought the Sith, I killed so many, Jace. I’ve done it before...but the moment they said his name…”

This time, even Jace would feel a squeeze from Satele’s arm. That NAME. That name always, always caused a reaction in her. And it was never good. “Revan. I stopped trying to preserve life, I was just killing so they didn’t kill me. I’m so tired of the darkness that name invokes…”

She sighed, but the story had to continue, “I got the location of the vault from the leader of the Revanites. My Padawan was taken by a Sith Imperial hunting the Revanites, it seemed, back at my ship. So I broke off with the Revanites and ran. I’ve never moved that fast before.”

She stopped in her tracks and tilted her head up to look him in the eyes. “Not even on Alderaan. I was too late, so I told the Mandalorians to help me get my Padawan back or the deal was off. Not very Jedi, but Grim seemed amused by the ruthless negotiation tactic. It’s never good making Grim happy. We got the Padawan back...Grim said if I didn’t become Revan that the Republic was lost. That without me going to that place, the Republic couldn’t beat the Sith Empire.”

Her eyes fell from his. She sighed again, and shrugged, sadly, before looking back to his pretty eyes. “We went to the Vault, Jace. It was real. What I saw, what I learned….not to mention the amount of Mandalorian armour, and their DROIDS. Grim and Roana, the one who had convinced the rest of the clan to break with his leadership in the first place, they both agreed to take what they could and tell every Mandalorian they knew who did this for them. And who could open the vault to get the rest of it out...there was A LOT. When had he been on Manaan for that long? On the bottom of that ocean? You’re not even legally allowed DOWN THERE, how did he…? Anyway.”

She’d been talking fast. Fast as he’d ever heard her talk. But there was a lot to tell, and she was more nervous than she’d been in she couldn’t remember how long. Afterall their son was on the other side of the door she stopped at, in the conference room it led to, and she was about to have to introduce them.

“I missed you.”

“You need people around you that aren’t Mandalorians talking to you about Revan.” Jace could keep up with her even at the worst of times, not that he ever matched her pace, but as fast as she was putting out information, he was taking it in. Still, when he finally got a word in, that was what he spoke to her. “They’re a broken people that still can’t believe they lost their last great attempt at bringing down the Republic, of course, they worship your ancestor that lead that fight, rather than admit the Republic and the Jedi defeated them.” Despite the fact much of Havoc Squad’s particular skill-set and Sith-hunting equipment had been modelled of the Mandalorians, Jace’s view of them, particularly their almost cult-like beliefs, sat poorly with the man. Just another group of murderers that wished to bring down the Republic.

Jace had always known that the Jedi were complicated, mystical in a way that seemed at odds with the rest of the Republic. He’d, of course, endured a crash course in this when he’d made the hopeless ‘descsion’ to fall for someone tied to the bloodline of Revan. For years he had hoped she might finally take up the mantle in full, that they might take the fight to the Sith Empire and finally win the war, but now that she felt pressed to do so, he couldn’t bring himself to feel any sense of victory in this. “You might be Revan’s ‘heir’ or whatever it is they’re calling you now, but you’re also Satele Shan, don’t let others, even if they’re long dead, decide how you do this.”

As her tone finally slowed, and she turned to him, he resisted perhaps a full moment, before his arms wrapped around her. She had always felt small in his arms, almost delicate. Hard to believe, if he hadn’t seen it himself, the amount of power contained within her frame. He pulled her into the embrace, one arm around her back, the other hand sitting just below her waist, and she was entirely engulfed in him. For just a moment, his lips brushed over her’s, and he murmured

“I missed you t-”

Then the door opened



Theron didn’t like this.

He didn’t like being back near Tython, what was worse, was being stranded above it. He knew the Order feared what would happen if he was brought back to the planet, as they feared whatever happened when those without the force interacted with Tython’s unique connection to the force. Nevermind he had been there before, lived among them.

The truth of it was, Theron had fooled them all. Even his mother, that, or she had simply allowed the lie to persist. It was true, he wasn’t force sensitive in the sense that the Jedi would traditionally evaluate, but nor was he the first of his bloodline to lack any kind of touch with the Force. He could feel and observe it in ways that he had found unlike both those with no ability and the Jedi and Sith he had encountered. Tython didn’t react to him because he was ‘nothing’ in the force, not lacking in sensitivity, but a blank observer, no ability to manipulate it himself but not blind either.

He had been told to wait, but he’d barely followed instructions when he had been inclined to do so by order protocol, let alone now. He had ‘behaved’ thus far out of some lasting respect and care for Master Zho, the closest he’d had to any true parent. Patience was a virtue he didn’t feel like exhibiting right now.

He paced about the room for a few further minutes, regarding his surroundings. As far as prisons went, he’d had worse. Already he had been in training for the Republic SIS and a year’s worth of that alone had him used to circumstance well beyond the realm of comfort. Still, it wasn’t a great feeling. Several times he stepped before the exit, testing to see if the automatic entryway would respond to his motion. Each time it did not.

There were no perceptible signs of his surveillance, but that didn’t mean there weren’t eyes on him. His own feeling, however, was that despite his clear position as someone ‘somebody’ important wished to see, that the Station had more important things going on to keep him under constant attention, so long as he was fast. His hands stroked over the wall until he found the almost imperceptible indent of a panel. It didn’t take long to improvise the tools required from his surroundings and what he had been left with, prying open the wall to look at the circuitry beneath. Now it was just a matter of trial and error.

A few minutes and a fair few shocks later, and he finally had it. Theron paused to take account of what he was doing. He had been placed here by the order, but he was on a Republic station. What amounted to no small amount of vandalism might jeopardise the nineteen-year-old’s current position the SIS program. His thoughts kept coming back to that first point though. The Order had put him here. He was done with taking orders from Jedi.

There was a final charged jolt of electrical current before the doors finally slid open.

On the other side was his mother.

And a man.

The man was Supreme Commander Malcom.

The usually active Theron could only stand there as Jace rather rapidly turned to face the sudden arrival, standing in the sabotaged doorway. The pair looked at each other for what felt like an eternity but was probably little more than a moment.

Theron resembled Satele. There was no getting around it, to the point people who had no idea of his heritage had commented on it as if he were some sort of Celebrity Lookalike. Obviously, age had lessened the effect, but it was still there. There was one exception, his eyes. Theron’s eyes were a brown so bright they were almost closer to yellow. It had been perceived as something of a bad omen from the notoriously superstitious Jedi. After all, yellow eyes were a mark of the Sith, and Satele’s eyes were a crisp light blue. A ‘true’ Jedi colour if there ever was one.

Jace’s features had little in common with Theron. He was shaped and built in a manner that humans had once seen as ‘island’ peoples, strong, with a dark tan and almost boxy. As Theron looked him in the eye though, the same yellow-brown gaze met his own.

Maybe it was purely shock, maybe it was partly due to the literal shocks he had just experienced, but Theron collapsed.



Jace was moving before the young man could hit the ground, arms reaching out before Theron could strike the metal surface, pulling him into an embrace that was, for the moment, purely to prevent any damage.

“It’s alright, I’ve got you son.” It was a phrase Jace had spoken many times before, and as he spoke it, it began without any deeper meaning. It was the tone with which he had addressed many a struggling trooper, be they in training or injured on the field ‘Stand easy there, son.’ A tone of endearment but hardly a rare one. By the time he actually spoke the word, it meant more, the father slightly slower to come to the same conclusion, but still managing within the scope of a few moments.

Satele had told him some time before. It had broken them yet further at the time, another wedge of grief and pain. TIme hadn’t truly healed that wound, but understanding had been reached between them. A son they could have never raised, not fairly, not with the duties they both had. None of that mattered as Jace held him for the first time. His entire galaxy, for just a moment, became that broken doorway and the teenager that hadn’t quite managed to keep his cool.

It lasted for a longer space of time than either of them would have anticipated, even after Theron returned to his wits. Slowly they stood, and by the time they were back on their feet, they broke off the physical proximity. The years of separation came flooding back. Theron’s attention turned to his mother.

“Not bad, Mother, I always thought the nerfherder theory was a little unlikely.”

Satele Shan stared. What she felt inside was going to stay inside, locked away and frozen behind a facade of Jedi stoicism. Deep she was glad they both knew, but she was also endlessly sad about it. About how this branch of life grew and twisted in directions she had never hoped for. Life had a funny way of doing what it wanted, and how it wanted.

Not even the blood of Revan could stop that.

She waited until they both had a moment to process before she ensured the door behind them was locked. “Revan is alive. I heard him, I felt him. I don’t know how or where, but what he gave me was a warning about the Sith Emperor. Right now my theory is that he went to find that dark mysterious force and found the Emperor and the Sith long before they returned to plague the Galaxy again. I will need help find out for sure.”

Theron watched as understanding dawned over Jace, and immediately understood how his bond with his mother made sense. He took in that information, the information that Satele had not gathered them out of the desire to finally have father and son meet, but instead that she had a purpose for them both. He took in that information and was immediately thinking, planning. He watched the strategy drown out the pain which flooded in.

He, the son who had spent his entire life dealing with such feelings and let downs, was not so quick to let it slide. His eyes watched Satele with exasperation, waiting for there to be more, even if he already knew there was not.

“I’m going to guess there’s some sort of biological lock on most of these things, so, you need a fellow ‘blood of Revan’ to investigate just in case they come up against one of those.” Theron spoke with naked contempt. “Jedi and their prophecies, maybe one day you’ll do something without it having been written down for you, or whispered to you in a dream. You know what the rest of us do when that happens? We wake up.” Theron could feel Jace tensing across from him. He didn’t envy the man’s position, but he also wasn’t entirely sympathetic. In one way or another, both of the people in this room had abandoned him to his life. They’d had more important things to deal with than their own son.

“What is it you need, Satele, so I can get off this station and start doing it?” There was no ‘mother’ now, she’d had her moment, and she’d blown it.

“Grow up.”

The tone came like a lightsaber ignition in darkness; sudden, startling, and with vicious intent. When she turned her head to follow her words to her son, they were large. They were angrier than he’d ever seen them.

“Or did you not spend enough time in the Order to understand the threat of attachment? Would you just like to see me fall to the Dark Side so you could see the death of the Galactic Republic? You’ll have to forgive my sudden loss of patience, SON, I had assumed when you enlisted to serve the Republic you were actually ready to serve something more than yourself. We are losing this war.”

She said it as if the war never ended, and it was precisely how she saw it, it was only a matter of time in her heart and mind until the fighting started again and the Republic desperately needed to find a way to turn the tide. And she just kept going, louder.

“We will die, Theron. We will all of us DIE. Do you understand that? Does that that register? DO YOU GET IT?!”
The wave of anger washed over Theron. It was difficult to ‘not’ be intimidated by Satele Shan when she was like this. He corrected the thought, that would imply it was a common sight. That, in turn, implied it was at all common for him to have seen her at all. For all he knew, she snapped like this every other week. Somehow, he doubted that. He felt her anger more than he saw it, but, as much as it took him a moment to recover, he’d dealt with the galaxy for long enough to not let it hold him in silence.

“Do you hear yourself, mother? You truly believe that your fall would mean so much that the Republic would fall? You’ve been spending too much time with cultists.” Theron’s voice was quiet in the face of her anger, but he was no less enraged then her. “Yes, you are correct, I serve the Republic. Not you.”

Jace, on the other hand, was both physically, and metaphorically, stuck between two people he’d really rather not have been at each other’s throats less than a few minutes after their conversation had begun. He’d avoided envisioning how this might have gone down, he’d known it would never have been an entirely happy moment, but it stung all the same. Eventually he decided to try and take a few steps towards the quieter of the two, approaching Theron before he could carry on down this path of conflict, but instead, his son’s eyes merely turned to him.

“Do not, do not try and father me now.” Theron snapped, and something of his mother’s overt rage bled into his cold tone. “You could have tried harder. I know she didn’t tell you, but you could have ‘tried’ … You don’t get to try now. You let her throw me away because of a bad dream.” Theron’s voice quivered as he finished his words, taking a few steps away from Jace. He saw the hurt flash through the giant man’s stony features, but for now, he didn’t care. A moment later and Theron had turned, heading for the door.

“I think I’ll skip the invite on the next family reunion… Send me the information, I’ll be on it as soon as they let me off this damn station.”

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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Heat
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Heat Hey, nice marmot

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The shuttle with the Jaslyn and the stranger aboard flew away at a rapid pace, leaving the remaining trio of Jedi behind. Kyle let out a curse as she lifted her free hand up, ordering San to get behind her and Elav. The two more experienced, combat oriented Jedi leading the defense as the Terentatek barreled charge them, snarling and screeching like the crazed demons of dark side creation they were. The battlemaster dashed to her left side, drawing three in her direction. Elav stood his ground as the other three drew nearer. The twi’lek’s eyes shot sideways as he used their surroundings to aid them in combat.

As Kyle leapt upwards, she watched a large rock rise off the ground and rocket towards the already injured beast. It impacted powerfully, sending the creature onto its side and sliding across the ground, a shriek following its slide. One less charging foe, though the monstrosity was amazingly still not dead. It tried to get back to its feet, slowly and painfully. As the battlemaster soared above, she floated in the wind like a banshee. Time seemed to pause as she gracefully landed on the other side the beasts bringing her blade down with fury.

Her weapon sliced cleanly through the closest Terentatek, the beast letting out a howl as her lightsaber went diagonally through dark side addled flesh. Cleaving it cleanly from shoulder to hip. Both halves slumped to the floor and she swiftly swung her weapon into the beast’s skull, ensuring a definite kill. Then she backstepped, creating ground between the two others which stared at her with a furious hunger. Unaffected by witnessing one of their kind be cut down. They started stepping towards their prey again as Kyla stood her ground, lightsaber raised.

One down.

San Anin was left at the back, watching her master and the other knight commence is their ruthless attacks against the beasts that threatened them. Being not particularly good with her lightsaber, the padawan was not eager to push forward into the thick of combat against such a threat, even if her master inspired such bravery with how effortlessly she seemed to bring one down. However, there was one aspect of San Anin that could aid her master effectively, through the use of the Force and the abilities she has trained so hard to understand.

A tree trunk lifted itself off the ground as the padawan focused on it before it began to splinter apart through a crushing force. A hail of wooden shards flew above the battlemaster, moving quickly and embedding themselves into the hide of a Terentatek and roar of pain only allowed for the remaining splinters to be sent into the mouth of the beast. The attack was not meant to kill as much as it was meant to impede the beast so that the knight and the master could more easily slay it. San Anin kept her mind clear as best she could to focus on the battle, but the storm continued to distract her and keep her mind on edge.

“Master, I do not think we should fight these things in the open!” the padawan called out, unmoving from her spot as she saw one of the beasts begin to circle around the two. San Anin muttered a curse under her breath as she threw her lightsaber in its direction, only knicking its upper arm but gaining its attention. The lightsaber spun around back to the padawan’s hands, gripping the curved blade and readying herself to face down the beast.

“San, stay calm. We don’t seem to have a choice. Believe in the Force. We do not die today.” Kyla exclaimed as she kept moving to keep both the monstrosities in her view. Moving more akin to a dancer, the veteran Jedi as quick on her feet as ever. She then slammed her lightsaber forward, through the left eye of the one which San had injured. Then in the blink of an eye brought the blade out the side, leaving behind a fresh corpse to hit the ground.

One more left.

Across from her she could see Elav engaging them, grimacing in pain with every physically straining movement. His twin lightsabers lightning up the storm darkened battlefield as he twirled them around fiercely. His body moved and contorted in a stunning display of athleticism and skill in tune with the Force. Elav swung both his blades at the nearest Terentatek, removing the creature’s legs and sending it to the ground alive but crawling. He then shoved his blade through its ugly forehead, putting the Sith created mutation out of its misery.

“San, help Elav!” Kyla shouted as she squared down the last beasts hunting her down. Two were after the Twi’lek Jedi knight, while the heavily injured one had gotten back to its feet and limped towards him as well.

The battlemaster slashed with her lightsaber, but the Terentatek shifted its body just in time to dodge her swing. Showing its terrifyingly sharp fangs as it continued to lumber towards her. Sith alchemy was a horrific thing indeed. That it had created such monstrosities. Kyla gritted her teeth then made another slash, resulting in a screech and a lost left forearm for the predator coming after her. Still it continued to lunge and swing at her, unflinching in its attacks.
A lightsaber flew through the air once more, cutting the hand off of a Terentatek as it swung at Elav. The being let out a roar of pain before the circling lightsaber came back around to slash out its gullet, the large beast falling onto the ground in a matter of moments. This was the act of the padawan, following the command of her master as she rushed forwards to aid the struggling knight. It was only through the force that she was able to use her lightsaber so well in that instance. As she positioned herself close to Elav, she began to use the force to throw rocks at another of the Terentateks, breaking its focus on the twi’lek.

San Anin did watch she could to throw rock after rock at the beast, only slowing it down before it was practically on top of her, bearing down with tooth and claw. When the beast attempted to claw at her, she sloppily thrust her lightsaber forward to hit its hand, only making it angrier and attack with less regard of its safety. The padawan fought as defensively as she could before eventually in a moment of pure terror as it prepared to bring the full weight of itself upon her, she dropped her lightsaber and let out a yell filled with anger and fear. San Anin thrust her hands forwards and the Terentatek would have been launched backwards from a powerful force push, which nearly shattered the ground the beast stood upon, but the force did nothing to the lumbering beast.

Kyla suddenly came flying in, soaring through the air in a Force addled leap. Dirt had been kicked up behind her as she had dashed across the rough terrain, leaving the beast targeting her behind as soon as he heard San’s terrible scream. The wind whipped furiously around the battlemaster as she reached out with the Force, grasped San’s discarded lightsaber, then brought both blades down on the beast bearing down on her padawan. She practically cleaved the Terentatek clear in half from head to hips, saving her apprentice.

As Kyla glanced at San Anin, she heard a terrifying screech come from Elav. She watched as he went down in a heap, blood pouring out from a three pronged gash on his chest. Both his lightsabers rolled across the ground as the Jedi knight went down on his back, coughing up blood as his grevious wounds leaked heavily. The battlemaster’s eyes went wide as she watched her friend go down, and lunged at the Terentatek that attacked Elav. The dark sided fueled mutant was moving in to finish the job, drool dripping from its foul jaws. Its feasting was halted before it had even begun, as Kyla drove both the lightsabers through its back, then pull them upwards. Flesh searing and smoking as she viciously killed the beast, leaving another lightsaber mutilated corpse.

The storm swirled above them as Kyla heard another screech. She continued to move, the heavily injured Terentatek closing in on her, gaining ground with every labored step. Claws closing rapidly towards her as she brought her lightsabers upwards with a leaping attack. The battlemaster screamed as they made contact with her gut, sending her blood across the terrain as her weapons hit their mark. They slammed into the monster’s neck, gashed its throat wide open and killed it immediately.

As it crumbled to the ground like the others she had slain Kyla dropped San’s lightsaber, groaning loudly in pain. She grasped the wound where the talons had made contact, her glove etched with blood. The gashes especially stung, not just at the point of injury but like it was spreading slowly. She looked forward to the final Terentatek barreled towards her, stomping across the edge of the Rift. Pain surged through her, as she realized how much blood she was starting to lose. Kyla dropped to her knees, her vision began to blur. The Terentatek closing in still evident in her sight. She clenched her own lightsaber, her fingers shaking awfully, trying with all of her strength to push herself to her feet and mount a defense.

As the Terenatek closed in on Kyla, the lightsaber that she had dropped sprung forward, the sound of blade coming to life as the sacred weapon of the Jedi impaled the beast. As it reeled in pain and confusion, the padawan was soon upon it, the green glow of her lightsaber right behind the creature. The padawan began to recklessly slice at the Terenatek, cleaving and stabbing her lightsaber into a corpse of a beast. Her normally calm mind was a mess of chaos as she yelled and screamed at the corpse that was hacked to pieces.

“San stop! It’s done!” Kyla hollered as she forced herself to her feet, reaching out with a blood stained glove to place a hand on her padawan’s shoulder. Her voice dropped to a more calming tone. “We won. Come back to me, the Force flows through you. Feel the light.”

Blood continued to drip from the battlemaster’s wound, staining the terrain. She fell backwards to her knees once more, losing her strength. Her dazed eyes went towards Elav. He was worse than she was, miraculously, she could still see his chest heaving weakly. Signs of life still filled the noble, badly wounded Jedi knight. Above them the storm continued to swarm, polluting the once blue skies. The rift stunk of death and darkness.

The padawan stood for a moment, breathing heavily as she stared at the damage she had caused to the corpse in her blind rage. If not for the gentle touch of her master, and the calm of her voice that pushed its way into her senses, she probably would have continued her relentless assault. In that moment though, in that moment of calm her master imposed, San Anin looked back at her wounded master and crouched next to her. She stared at the wound for a moment, her worry coming back to her.

“Master, I am sorry! I don’t know what came over me!” She stated, not knowing what else to say in the moment. The padawan buried her head in her hands, “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to do or why any of this happening. I-I just… I d-don’t. I-“ Words were a lost cause at that point as a light sniffling could be heard from behind her breathing mask.

“San, you did good. You saved me. Without your help we’d all be dead. We’ll talk about that incident later. All that matters is we’re alive, and I’m proud of you. Calm down, girl.” Kyla stated calmly, placing her lightsaber on her belt. She pulled in her padawan for a hug, holding the confused girl close. Her other hand patting San on the back gently.

“It was an unpredictable, terrible situation. You are still young, the light will guide you. I am here for you. We will figure these things out. But right now I need you with me, things aren’t right on this world. I know you can help me. I know we can make things right. Have faith in yourself and the Force.” She added whilst embracing her brave apprentice.

Kyla let go of San, giving one last calming smile and nod. Then she brought her hands to her injury and held them just above the cuts. Her fingers and Kyla palms glowed a calming aura, the Force swirling through her body as she focused the revitalization on herself. The battlemaster closed her eyes as she felt her spirit calm, the daze in her mind and eyes drowning in the embrace of the light. The Force flowed through her, pounding through her veins. She gingerly healed the three gashes until they bleed no more. Her armor and gloves were still stained with blood but the wounds themselves were firmly patched up. Slowly Kyla rose to her feet, regaining her full strength.

San Anin’s head continued to hang, despite her master’s words and comfort. Her head towards Elav, getting to her feet and walking over to inspect his wounds. He seemed to be in far worse shape than she could have imagined and she could only blame herself for not being able to help more that she had. The padawan looked over to Kyla, her expression of sadness visible even under her breathing mask and goggles as she attempted to figure out what to do other than pity herself.

“Are you able to heal him?” she asked with a depressed voice.

“I don’t know. But I’m going to damn well try.” Kyla stated as she darted over to Elav, quickly kneeling beside the fallen Jedi knight. There was still a glimmer of life in his eyes, he coughed loudly, spewing up more blood. The battlemaster raised her hands to his chest, committed to trying to save her friend. To her dismay the three pronged gash looked far too deep for her to revitalize him. Every second it simply leaked more blood. Instead Elav’s hand grasped one of hers, the weakness evident in his grip as he spoke softly.

“No, I’m d-done for. Kyla...You have to stop whoever caused this.” Elav said, his words more akin to mumbling through labored breathing. His other hand was placed over his wounds, the man laying in a pool of his own blood. His skin had shifted to a grey, almost blackened tone.

“I can save you, let me try Elav! Please.” The veteran Jedi replied, her own voice beginning to weaken with emotion at the sight of her longtime friend in such a pain filled state.

“It's no use. Those things weren’t normal, I ca-” Another rough, blood spitting cough interrupted his words. Elav’s entire body shivered from the intense blood loss. He was not long for this world. His voice was more akin to a whisper at this point.

“Please. We need you.” Kyla said, her hands beginning to shimmer with the Force once more. Tears welling in her eyes, hands shaking with sadness. Her mind against her own will flashing back to all the friends she’d lost in similar fashion. All of the senseless death.

“Kyla...The Order needs you. San Anin needs you.” Elav stated, his eyes drifting to the teenaged padawan. Kyla had shifted her hands to hold her dying friend in her glowing hands. He was too far gone for her to save him, all she could do was ease his passing.

“You did good, kid. Listen to Kyla, she might be a hardass but she’s the best damn teacher you’ll have. The Force is w-with you tw-wo.” The twi’lek added as he forced a smile onto his face. Kyla’s powers removing the pain in his final moments. His voice faded as the smile remained. A forever trademark of the positive minded Jedi.

“Don’t go, please! Please Elav, no!” Kyla said, desperation evident in her words. Her lips quivered as her hands shook, bringing her dying friend in for a hug. With his free hand Elav reached up to weakly run fingers across Kyla’s face, whipping the tears which had poured from her eyes. Then the hand went limp, the labor filled breathing ceased. He’d become one with the Force.
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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Lauder
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For a few seconds the battlemaster simply stayed there holding her dead allie. Her eyes closed, tears dropping onto the sand as her mind swirled with sadness. It was the most emotional she could recall being in sometime, and certainly the first time her padawan had seen her like this. She’d buried too many friends in her life. Kyla’s eyes came open and she carefully placed Elav’s corpse down. Then she picked up both of his lightsabers, folded his hands together on his chest and placed them in his lifeless palms. She would return when calmness came back to Tython and give her old friend a proper funeral.

“We have to go back to the temple. Our day is not done yet. Stay strong San, the Force guides us.” The master Jedi said, slowly bringing herself to her feet as she gave her deceased friend one last glance before her eyes went to the speeder. Kyla wiped her face, her expression still red from the intense sobbing. She then climbed aboard the vehicle, her feet kicked on the ignition and the engine roared to life. There was no time to waste.

San Anin has not moved from her spot, standing there as she looked upon the dead Jedi Knight that served to remind her of her inability to save fellow members of the Order. Slowly she turned back to her master and shuffled over, the turbulent winds dragging her robes all over the place as each heavy footstep brought her closer to her master. Her shoulders seemed to move up and down as the small sounds of crying made through the winds.

“If I- I could have- my fault,” were the words that gave way to low tear driven muttering as she cried. The sight of the dead knight had brought back terrible memories of her dead master, the one before Kyla had taken her under her sterner wing. “Just l-like him,” she sobbed as she got on the vehicle with her current master.

“It wasn’t your fault, San. You did all you could. I’m proud of you, you saved my life,” Kyla stated softly, turning around on the bike to wrap an arm around her saddened padawan. “Those things weren’t natural. We’re lucky that we survived and now we will put an end to this chaos. Elav will never be forgotten, he will receive a proper burial deserving of a true Jedi like he was.”
The battlemaster took one glance at Elav’s corpse, in the state she had left it. He looked peaceful now. She knew his spirit was with other fallen Jedi amongst the Force. The greatest thing that they could do in his memory was to stop whatever was causing the instability on the Jedi homeworld. Kyle ran her hand underneath San’s eyes, wiping the tears from her eyes. As she did this a look on confidence came onto her face, showing that they had to move forward. Times were desperate on Tython,

“I k-know I could h-have saved him! I-I could have- I-I I know- I…” San Anin grew silent as she looked upon her master, slowing her breathing. The Kel Dor didn’t know what to say or even do for that matter, barely out of her initiate trials and having witnessed the deaths of two Jedi. She did not want to see other Jedi die because of her own weakness and inability to fight, but she knew that she merely did not have the heart to fight. This conflict had grown ever since she watched her first master call to be hands of a Sith, and in that conflict, anger and sadness fought for control of her mind.

“We w-will avenge them both,” the Padawan said in a sorrowful voice.

“Vengeance is not the way of the Jedi, my padawan. Revenge consumes you, twists you, clouds your conscience and becomes an utter obsession,” Kyla stated with certainty as she kicked down on the ignition pedal hard, rocketing them out of the Rift and through the mountain range. Her next words tinged with a remembered sadness. “I was once like that, after my capture by the Sith all those years ago. Vengeance is toxic in every way.”

As they sped through the beautiful snow tinged mountain range Kyla’s eyes scanned their surroundings. Another shake of the ground caused a small avalanche to tumble down a distance from them, shaking the foundation of the towering mountains. As the speeder continued towards its destination, they powered across the grassy plains. Her skin crawled as the Force echoed throughout the sweeping fields of green, shimmering in the trees. Nature itself on the world had been shaken by the arrival of the dark side. Every animal she saw was frightened, the roaming herds of grazing Uxibeasts had fear in their eyes as the two Jedi flew by them. It was even more reason for Kyla to stop this chaos and bring peace back to the beautiful world.

“Master Vondin, do you come in?” A male voice echoed inside of her comm device, it was another one of the Jedi masters. She wondered how long they had been trying to contact her.

“I’m here, heading back to the temple with San Anin. We’re both alive.” She replied, holding her comm to her ear as they continued on their path back to the temple.

“We’ve been trying to reach you for a while now, the council feared the worst. The planet is in disarray, we have Jedi still unaccounted for in the chaos. Were you at the Rift?” The voice said, sadness and uncertainty evident in his words.

“Yes we were, along with Elav Chiyoa. Though he was killed in action. We were attacked by these lumbering monstrosities that emerged deep from the canyon, the dark surrounded them. We are going to put a stop to this, we have to.” Kyla replied, pausing briefly as she mentioned Elav’s death. Her expression turning to a frown at her friend’s sacrifice in battle.

“Elav’s death is a hard one to take, he was a noble Jedi knight. I fear he will not be the only that dies if we don’t stop this. But we need you back at the temple. We are deploying Jedi to the desert, we tracked a massive disturbance moving to there. A colossal creature. There are things buried in that desert that could lead to more chaos on Tython. Where the Force flows more uncertainly.”

“A creature? I’m heading there as soon as I can, with my padawan. We are going to stop this.” The battlemaster said assertively as the temple’s front courtyard came into view. She blinked at the mention of an enormous creature, though was unflinched in her determination.

A few Jedi and temple guards stood outside, relaying orders and keep the situation under control. The skies were still a terrifying shade, but the temple was in one piece. Its foundation sturdy and strong, more importantly the Jedi within safe and secure. She slammed the brakes on the speeder, bringing it to a halt near the front steps. Then she hopped off the sleek vehicle, motioning for San to follow. The gathered personnel glanced at them, the driven Jedi master not stopping for any chit chat.

“What are we doing, master?” San Anin asked, moving after her master as she looked at the other Jedi. The sight of the others made her dip her head, not wanting to look at them or be seen by them.

“We’re going to get my ship.” Kyla stated with a glance to her padawan as they both walked through the temple’s front entrance. Jedi were gathered inside the building, seemingly huddling with each other while head counts were made. Accounting for any who hadn’t made it back to the temple.
“Kyla!” A familiar voice called out to her, causing her to slow down in her stride and look in the direction it came from. A male zabrak in the robes of a Jedi master appeared in front of her, a gruff expression on his face. Diagonal blue lines and dots were tattooed on his face, a tradition of his species.

“Master Uakro, I thought it was your voice I heard on the comm link.” Kyla stated, not stopping in her stride as her fellow Jedi master walked alongside her.

“I’m glad that you and San Anin made it back safely. You’re heading back out there already?” Uakro asked, no surprise evident in his words. Kyla was known as a woman of action after all, he was just unsure if it was the best idea to bring along her padawan.

“We are heading to the desert in my ship. We believe whoever crash landed in the Rift and caused the chaos on this world hijacked a transport we took. We were one of the first ones there, along with Jaslyn Dayne. Though we lost contact with her as she managed to stow away on the transport as it flew away.” The battlemaster said, some of the Jedi she passed giving her strange looks at the dried blood splotches on her armor. The trio kept walking through the main hall into the back of the temple.

“So that’s where Jaslyn is. She was unaccounted for. I do not particularly agree with you heading out there, just you and your padawan. We are gathering together teams to send there. Who knows the dangers that could be now unsurfaced. Are you sure this is the best course of action, with your young padawan? Are you ready for what may be out there, San Anin?” Master Uakro asked San as the three of them walked through the hangar bay doors, Kyla’s personal starfighter sitting near the center. Sigils of the Jedi order marked on each wing.

“I.. I- I don’t k-know. B-but, my M-master need-ds me,” San Anin said, not bothering to look at Master Uakro as her self given shame continued to hang over her mind, unable to cast them away despite Kyla’s words. The padawan’s heart and mind was confused, trying to sort through all the different feelings and emotions that surged through her. It was those emotions that were her weakness, spurred by the death of the Jedi Knight and the memory of her former master. The day proved to be one continuous trial for the young girl, a trial that she was most unprepared for.

San Anin let out a sigh and ran a hand over her breathing mask before she continued, “I-I’ll help Master K-Kyla n-no matter w-what happens.”

Uakro replied with a nod, noticing the nervousness and confusion in the padwan’s words. The uncertainty in her reaction obvious. The Jedi master did not believe this girl was ready for such a dangerous mission, even if she was under the tutelage of the renowned battlemaster Kyla Vondin. The zabrak put his arm around Kyla, then lead her to the side, away from San.

“I don’t think San Anin is right for this type of mission. I can sense the emotions stirring within her. I know your strong Kyla, but this is no simple task. Who knows what might happen out there?” Uakro said calmly, his eyes quickly dashing from Kyla to San then back to the battlemaster.

“With all due respect Master Uakro, that is utter nonsense. San is strong in the Force, she has my back in every sense. She’s devout to the light side, she saw the horrors unleashed by the dark side on its arrival to this world. She helped me defeat them, without her I’d have been brutally killed by those monstrosities. I’m totally confident that she will help me stop the darkness thats come to Tython.” Kyla replied assertively, certainty evident in her words.

Even as she walked away from her fellow master Jedi, no time to debate or doubt her chosen padawan. Part of her was clearly displeased with Uakro’s words, but Kyla did not allow herself to voice this displeasure. She raised a hand towards San as she strolled towards her personal starfighter, motioning for her padawan to follow her. The cockpit rose open, revealing the pilot’s seat and a more compact passenger seat tucked behind it. As the battlemaster climbed inside of the Valiant her astromech droid beeped a greeting.

“We’re heading out immediately, San. I need you to be confident, but not cocky. Clear your mind of any vengeance filled thoughts. Let the light flow through you, let it guide us to victory.” Kyla said to San Anin as the battlemaster strapped herself into the pilot seat. It had been some time since she had flown her striker-class starfighter, she missed the comfort being in the pilot’s seat brought her.

“A-as you wish, Master,” San Anin said, giving Uakro a parting glance before getting into the passenger seat. She was small enough to find the compact space a bit comfortable and with a singular released breath, she began to meditate, following her master’s instruction and attempting to clear her mind of all the sorrow and vengeance that she had felt today.
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Hidden 5 yrs ago 5 yrs ago Post by Bea
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Bryethe Farlance, Orbital Station to Tython






Main batteries, on.
Standby power, on.
Fuel pumps, go.
Hydraulic systems, go.
Fire suppression systems, go.
Hyperdrive systems, go.
Nava computer, go.
Main engine power, go.
Docking clamps released.

Brye held both hands flat against the console, her eyes closed as she took a deep breath.
"Insane tension from Master Shan, that's a go." she mumbled, her hands moving to the controls of the Starshine as the ship was undocked. The Padawan hadn't prodded for information, such as what her Master was doing at the Orbital Station, and why she had to return to Tython's surface. Whatever Satele's reasons were, Brye was not to be involved; the young Padawan was almost glad to not be a part of the emotions she had sensed from Satele just then.

She would return to Tython and check-in with the medbay. Bandages needed to be removed or replaced, and wounds checked. Bryethe knew, given a short time, she would be fine. But unlike her stubborn Master, Brye did not push herself past her limit when it wasn't necessary. She did not dare try to talk her Master into the same idea, for it always ended in a shoulder shrug and eye rolling.
She would also have to conduct research on lightsaber crystals, for Brye's saber wasn't returned with her after being taken from Dxun. Satele had given her Padawan the single-bladed lightsaber she rarely used, but Brye would make good use of it. She would need to find time to train, to become comfortable and familiar with the hilt, for holding Satele's single blade was almost comparable to the first time Brye had held her own saber.

Arriving at the landing pad of the Jedi Temple, Brye took a few moments to clean up her quarters, as instructed from Satele, and to change into clean robes before leaving the ship and intending to check in at the medbay.

Instead Brye walked into a temple full of Jedi running this way and that, barking orders and organizing teams. Jedi coming from and going to; others being carried on stretchers towards the medical bay. In the midst of it all was a familiar robed Zabrak that seemed to be directing most of the Jedi in the temple. The Padawan couldn't help the small smile that came to her face. Master Uakro was a gruff Jedi, blunt and to the point, and brutally honest when he needed to be. Feeling as if she would be needed somewhere other than the medbay, Brye started towards the Jedi Master, and it wasn't long until he spotted her.

"Padawan Farlance, I'm glad to see you in good health... Where's the Grandmaster?" he asked as Brye stopped in front of him.

"Master Shan is at the Orbital Station. She sent me down to see if I could be of any help." Brye explained, her hands held respectfully behind her back as she stood.

"We're sending teams out to the Desert. There's a massive disturbance and we need as many as we can to make sure Tython does not fall further into chaos. Master Vondin and her Padawan just departed. I'll stick you with one of the teams we have left. If you can, find and touch base with her and see if she requires anymore manpower. Teams will be adjusted depending on where our needs lie. Now go."

He pointed Brye towards one of the remaining teams and the shuttle that would carry them out. The young Jedi didn't hesitate to follow his order. She gave a quick nod in thanks before moving to link up with the team.

With Tython in such chaos, she would rest and recuperate later.

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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Ezekiel
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In the absence of Theron, there was only silence. To call it awkward wouldn't be accurate, the pair simply had nothing to say. Nothing to say to each other, or to themselves that might make light or salvage the situation. It had been inevitable, but it hurt all the same for reasons that were both different and alike.

Satele moved first, and Jace allowed her the escape of a few steps of space before following her. Anyone else, well, maybe apart from those Jedi who could sense such things, might not note the change to Satele. It wasn't just from this momentary clash, it was something she'd been carrying this entire time. Theron, if anything, had given her a momentary outlet, a new reason. It was some time before she spoke. Perhaps she was away with her thoughts and hadn't noticed him, or perhaps it had taken her this long to remember his presence wasn't normal anymore.

"Non-Force Sen--"

"Satele, I'm going with you."

"Jace, it's not a matter of-"

"Unless you're going to push me away and bury 'me' under a mountain, I'm going."

He was determined, but not to the point of cornering her, keeping the distance he had maintained throughout their short walk from the meeting chamber. Her eyes narrowed at him for a moment, as if she might really be considering it. He hadn't truly been joking either. She didn't visibly give in, but she turned to carry on walking and he didn't immediately feel a wall of force preventing him from proceeding.

There was a time when the Jedi Order had been fitted with the finest the Republic Civilian and Military industries could provide, but since the growing rift between the Senate and the Order, no doubt fueled by some of his predecessors, those days had passed. The shuttles that ferried individuals down to the surface were, of course, serviceable, but Jace certainly noted that certain military stations had received substantial upgrades in recent years.

Yet more divides to mend

The craft moved easily through the void of space, and Jace used the time to study the view, at least, something that wasn't Satele. He had seen images of Tython, Satele had also described it to him before, even from a vision she once had, before they had even known the place existed. This was not the sight that greeted him. The craft descended towards a world clearly in the throes of trauma. The skies were a swirling mass of storms, some in colours he had rarely seen in weather patterns before. He exhaled steadily, a few moments of apprehension before the adrenaline came rushing in to replace it. He turned to face Satele again and found her eyes on him. Their eyes locked for several long moments, and they saw the same in each other. The thrill. It never went away.

The moment passed and in the next moment, it felt like the entire weight of a world slammed into the small shuttle craft. The pilot, no doubt a skilled Jedi or attache to the order, manoeuvred the craft as best they could, no doubt better than most pilots in the galaxy could, but they could not shield their passengers from the storm. Jace watched the view again, and from what little bearing he could make as they hit the atmosphere and thus the storms, they were thrown about like a ragdoll. Powerful thrusters strained and failed to account for the force of the storm, at one point, they were even moving backwards. The shuttle groaned in such a way that revealed the shielding had failed to entirely account for the storm, it was beginning to physically pull at the craft. Jace knitted his fingers together and looked forwards, studying the far side of the craft. His form tensed and relaxed, tensed and relaxed. A powerful man, in terms of physicality, ability and politics, he did not enjoy such situations where he could not be a part of the solution. Instead, he resorted to his own form of meditation, awaiting the moment he could spring into action in some way or another.

This meditation consisted of assembling his combat armour, loaded into the compartment with him. Each segment was slotted into place over his body, forming the protective shell a piece at a time. The white and orange plate, known the Galaxy over, gradually taking form. It could be done faster, or with aid, but there was a slight ritual to the way he did so, when he had the time, that helped focused the thrill-seeking element of his mind into a useful tool. Once the set was complete, he sat back down, still holding his helmet. Then, he waited.

In the end, the moment didn't come. The craft touched down with a thump that, after the storm, barely registered for those within. The craft's landing doors opened and the interior was immediately assailed with the force of the wind. Jace stood and pressed his helm over his features all in the same motion. He didn't know if the Jedi had some trick against the storm, but he did not, besides, the armour provided some further sense of command. He looked towards Satele, nodding to her.

"Lead on."
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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Almalthia
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Almalthia Friendly neighborhood redhead

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Jaslyn Dayne



Location: Tython; Silent Desert; Chamber of the Mind

Interaction: Selene @Ruby; Tau & Shea Koda

Mentions: Shea Koda and Tau


Jaslyn stepped into the chamber holding Selene’s hand. Something passed between us there. How odd that someone so beautiful could be so lonely? Jaslyn let go to investigate more. There were those oddly familiar symbols. Walking toward one she touched it and heard that voice again.

“There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.”
“There is no fear; there is power.”
“I am the heart of the Force.”
“I am the revealing fire of light.”
“I am the mystery of darkness...”
“In balance with chaos and harmony, Immortal in the Force."


Turning slowly she saw a man with blue eyes, black hair, fair skin with a light purple Xesh marking on his face. The mark started in the center of his forehead and angled down to just under his eyes in parallel lines that were connected across the middle of his nose. It resembled a rounded triangle with no point on top just a line.

He held no weapon but was wearing deep charcoal colored armor. His coal black hair was about the length to just brush his shoulders. Jaslyn squared her shoulders and stood back from the symbol that she was touching. Which took her closer to the man. He wasn’t threatening her so she was leery but calm. “Who are you? What do you keep repeating? It sounds like the code but it’s not quite right.”

Suddenly there was a redheaded female next to him. Jade green eyes smiled at Jaslyn’s shock. She wasn’t there a moment ago. The woman’s mouth curved into a smile.

“She reminds me of you. And not just the hair color or eye shape. She has your same stubbornness.” He turned to the woman and smirked.

She smacked him lightly, playfully on his arm. “She has your eyes, but you haven’t introduced us to her. Diplomacy was never your forte.”

“She’s still struggling with all the new information that she’s already been told Shea.”

The redheaded woman, who looked suspiciously like Jaslyn except for the color of her eyes, stepped toward Jaslyn. “Jaslyn you are one of our descendants. I am Shea Koda.” She indicated the man. “This is Tau. You are the first one to be most like us. Balanced. Or as balanced as this world would allow you to be. The Code you were hearing is the true Je’daii way. Balance. No one believes this anymore so your way will be hard. I do not envy the path you are on.”

Jaslyn looked around for Selene. “This is an illusion. This…”

“Can’t be true? You don’t really believe that deep down do you? Jaslyn you know what is truth and what is a lie deep down. You know the difference between something that is repeated till someone believes it is true, and the truth spoken once and heard.”

“We will be with you if you have need of us.”

The couple faded into nothingness. Jaslyn was suddenly left in the chamber with Selene. Was that real? Is any of this real? Maybe I hit my head and I’m just dreaming. But Tau was right. Let me just clear my mind.

Jaslyn closed her eyes and began to put the puzzle pieces together. This meditation was different than what she normally did, moving through the forms losing herself in the movements. No this was the “normal” meditation that you expected of a Jedi. Closing her eyes she reached deep and held onto the Force. The utter stillness bothered her. She was one of those people constantly on the move.

The words of the Jedi Code were not the comfort that they normally were.

There is no emotion, there is peace. Flashes of countless times that Jaslyn herself had been told this in the face of emotional situations as well as seeing others be told this. Why? We’re not born that way. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. Knowledge to combat the evils in the universe. There is no passion, there is serenity. Jaslyn remembered how hard it was to curb her own nature. She had seen it firsthand in her Initiate Trials. The dark reflection of herself that had gone down a different path. She’d barely made it through destroying that part of herself. No be honest with yourself. You didn’t destroy her you buried her. In some ways you have succeeded since you haven’t thought about it for years. But you know she waits on the other side of a locked door. There is no chaos, there is harmony. Chaos exists in nature. Some of the most beautiful flowers are surrounded by sharp thorns. One can’t exist without the other. Don’t we create chaos when we take children from their families? There is no death, there is the Force. So it sounds like the Order was plucking what most fit their beliefs to justify what they do. Which was so long ago that we could never really know.

Jaslyn shook her head. Her concentration broken by her introspection, which only left her with more questions than answers. She found that the new code, or rather older code, spoken by Shea and Tau resonated with her more. It rang truer and seemed to swell with the Force. Possibly due to where she was. Or maybe because it was the original one. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no fear, there is power. I am the heart of the Force. I am the revealing fire of light.
I am the mystery of darkness. In balance with chaos and harmony, Immortal in the Force.

Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Ruby
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There were shadows on the floor and whispers coming from the walls. The air smelled recycled and stale, colder than it had any right to be. When Selene looked she saw only light of a thousand different brightnesses and hues. She saw galaxies. She saw stars. She saw shadows, whispering, the air, the cold...her head was heavy like a weight. Or an anchor. When she turned it she saw the warmth in her life.

Jaslyn.

Every instinct said to trust her. The longer she looked at the young Jedi, the more she saw. Instead of a universe of light she saw...shapes, heard sounds instead of an infinity of energy turned to sound. Words and the sentiment behind them. Selene's head tilted, as Je'daii welcomed Jaslyn. Welcomed her home. It felt like a family reunion, but it didn't feel that way to Selene. It felt that way to Jaslyn, and Selene felt it through the Force. Through the very invisible tether that now seemed to bind them.

Sela!

Her head snapped the opposite direction at the sound of her sister's voice. There shadow of the ancient vessel was at once the blinding brightness of a bright hot summer's day. The world around her was less vibrant than any she had ever seen, the blue of the water a pale blue gray, the sky even closer to gray than the water below with it's thunderous waves crashing once, again, and again, and on and on. The expanse of coast appeared endless when she looked one way, and endless again when she turned to look back the other way--the direction that had been Jaslyn just moments before.

Booted feet crunched sand underneath as she made an awkward step, and then another. Something moved across the horizon. Something large, something obscured by distant and grey cloud, but Selene knew it was there. Some vast shape that was moving. It got closer faster than anything had any right to, the sound coming secondary to the sight but it came unmistakable all the same. A sound she knew, a sound as deep as instinct to her ears. And more than her ears. Before she realized it she was no longer alone, a tribe of milk white skinned, tall and slender, humanoids gathering around her.

A handful of them stepped even closer as whispered gossip ignited within the rest of the crowd, a group she felt before she even saw: Force users. The part of the crowd that just didn't hear the sound, that didn't know that the massive moving shape was no threat. It was Tho Yor.

The sand of desert became desert sand, and Selene saw the same pattern again. A different group of Force users from a different species. The sand became snow upon a mountain valley, and a different group of Force users from a different species stepped forward. It happened time and time again, on every kind of planet she could imagine. Everyone was scared but the Force users among them. The Force users stepped forward as the Tho Yor touched down with a gentle softness that should have been impossible for such a large vessel. She saw their faces instantly: not the countless Force users stepping forward from countless groups they had led and lived with before to enter the Tho Yor.

The blue scale serenity on the faces of those who had sent the massive shaped Tho Yors. They spoke a language she didn't know, but the Force was so strong and so balanced that it filled her ears with understanding. Kwa. And then she heard pain, and her body froze in a gasp. The language that came next felt like tiny bolts of lightning striking with each point of emphasis and syllable spoken. This language she had heard before, even if she didn't understand it.

Rakatan.

And the blood flowed. Once more, then again, and it never ended. The balance broken by one side or the other. She saw aliens attack aliens, she saw Force users disagree and fight. She saw steel flashed on Tho Yors as Force using pilgrims were strained to balance in order to survive in the enclosed massive shapes. Tython spoke to her in whispers, bringing her to the places where each Tho Yor rested. Neither cold, nor hot, the Force flowed through every sight that blinked in front of her. Moments became flashes of light that expanded and played in full in her mind.

She saw the death of Balance as blades flashed under the Tython sky. It happened again. And again. And again. And again. An Order died, a new one reborn in it's shadow, marching forward in the flashes of light that time flew past her. It appeared crystalline and gossamer, every dim light stretching in every direction, her own body gone, her own eyes facing every direction, the distance of right before her the same as the distance of the farthest point imaginable. Birth and death weren't points, they were part of it, glowing in creation and destruction equally, swirling, but never growing. Stars were visible through it, cold points of light fixated in a distance that she found just as close and distant at once as every experience she now saw.

Tython. Ossus. Dathomir. Rakata Prime. Ruusan. Genosis. Coruscant. Alderaan. Tatooine. Mustafar. Hoth. Bespin. Endor. Ahch-To. Crait. From names she knew, such as Sunrider and Shan, to names she did not, such as Skywalker and Solo. All the light, all the dark, everything that was, everything that was going to be, all their love, all their hate, all the joy, all the sadness...balanced before her in a way she couldn't see but felt, deep and distantly as the stars that shined as fixed points of cold light encircled all around her. Every time she died she was reborn again, into the same cycle, into the same infinity that lay flattened below and beyond her, time and space points in that cycle. It was all different things and the same thing in the same, depending on where and when she looked, both were strung below her in the same crystalline and gossamer infinity alive with it's own dim light.

Balance.

Selene's head spun and her eyes slammed tightly shut, her body falling to knees as the cold floor of the Tho Yor rushed up to meet her. When I am? her mind thought, her voice asking, "Where am I?" Panic started, as the infinite was snatched away from her as if it were no more than a dream she had been woken from. Her heart beat faster and stronger, harder until her mind felt battered and strained. Find the stars...find the starlight... But when her eyes opened she found only darkness, both her body and mind slipping off into the blackness, her frame falling limp on the floor of the Tho Yor.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jaslyn written by Almalthia)

Jaslyn heard Selene’s voice faint and fluttery like a small bird in hand. Then felt a wave of panic that was cut short as the girl passed out. Jaslyn rushed over and checked Selene. “Selene? We’re on Tython. Selene? The Silent Desert do you remember that?”

She grabbed a canteen that was still half full of water and unscrewed the lid. Jaslyn pulled out a piece of soft cloth and poured water on it. Then she wiped Selene’s forehead with the damp cloth.

Selene’s upper body shot upward fast and hard--had Jaslyn been any closer their heads would have smacked together. And there Selene stayed for another moment until it stretched into another, time lingering for her in ways it didn’t even minutes before. Were they minutes? Not months? Not years?

Selene was deeply sad, having been placed back in her mind and body, limited, contained, disconnected...the Force was her only comfort. And the other emotions, the other feelings, and thoughts...the other person attached to her. To Jaslyn.

Finally her eyes snapped to Jaslyn, and suddenly Selene recalled the world awaiting them outside.

“Let’s go. I know how to get us out, now. They’re waiting for us...they’re all waiting for us.”
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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Ruby
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Ruby No One Cares

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Not slamming into the bulkhead of the shuttle was a fun game of push and balance, and cat-quick readjustments of her body. Satele very nearly asked the Jedi pilot if he needed her to take over. She knew better, and so kept her mouth shut, but the temptation was very real. The only thing that made the ride any kind of positive was the fact that she got to see Jace Malcom get tossed around like a ragdoll. Nothing was going to hide the large grin across her face as she watched him retreat and reach out for his combat armor. The moment her eyes found her's across the shuttle, she burst out laughing.

Even the Supreme Commander cracked a smile, shaking his head as he did.

"If we're not in the Jedi Temple, stay close to me Jace--no kidding. Tython's already in turmoil."

With her luck some random lightning strike would kill the Supreme Commander, and then the Jedi and the Republic would have real problems, not just surface level petty bickering between the petty and the Jedi. When the doors opened Jace braced himself, and Satele did the same; though she did so by standing very still and reaching inward. When the wind came it came in a violent burst, and just as quickly died.

Died completely dead.

Satele blinked. She shot a quick glance over at Jace, who was eyeing her a little too deeply for her likeing. "It wasn't me," she snorted, before strolling off the shuttle and spotting the welcoming comittee. Three Jedi, each a Master, the first to step forward a fellow member of the Jedi Council. Her exposed upper arm still had a long, angry red, scar on it from where her rumble through the Dxun jungle. A visible scar that caught the attention of the other Master Jedi, safe and fully robed as they were.

"Grand Master, we believe there is a Sith on the planet."

Satele let her eyes dart between the three of them, her head slowly nodding, "I'm not sure it's a Sith. I felt them on the orbital station, when they were going by. More concerning is how they found Tython at all, and where they got the information to find us. Hopefully our visitor can shed some light on that, but in case they can't, assign a few veteran Shadows to the task of finding the leak. The moment they know anything report it to the Council."

The Master's head nodded, and Satele smiled softly in thanks as the three Masters mummered a quick greeting to the hulking Supreme Commander behind her before one of them added, "Your new Padawan awaits you." Her eyes perked at the information as she turned to Jace, motioning for him to follow again with a short jerk of her head. Long halls crowded with activity and pockets of chatting--gossiping--Jedi were past until a narrow stairway down led the duo in a spiral to a lower level, another corridor and a quick turn to the left--a large room with a tall ceiling. It was closer to the size of a ballroom than an actual standard room, but it wasn't used for dancing.

It was filled with younglings. Half of them looking scared, the other half pretending not to look scared.

"Grand Master!"

They instantly began to crowd the Jedi Grand Master. That the younglings were her very first stop upon returning to Tython wasn't unusual, especially given the circumstances. The young were their most important responsbility as Jedi. Jace would just have to watch as he was left behind, the crowd of younglings entirely encircling Satele Shan. She knew every name, every heart, every soul, every story. As much as Theron was angry, she had watched him and been close as she could every moment she could while he was a youngling in the Order, himself. As much as Theron had needed her, these young children needed her too.

Bright smiling, cheerful tone, and a vibrant energy that ensured every set of youngling eyes were on her so that she could show them it was going to be okay, they needn't be scared. She explained to them the Force storms, and that a Dark Side user had made it to the surface but that the Jedi had been on the person immediately and had already isolated them to a location on Tython far from the Jedi Temple. After listening to a dozen or so younglings tell her ALL about what they'd been dying to tell her about since she'd been gone, Satele smiled to one of the Jedi keeping watch and leading the large group training session before Satele busted in and interrupted.

"Sorry, Yuli."

The Jedi nodded gently, an even gentler chuckle slipping from his tongue, "I wouldn't dream of denying them the honor, Grand Master."

A playful wink to the smartassed Jedi and Satele was ducking out the opposite door, waiting for Jace to catch up, big brown eyes large and bright on him. "Not a word, Supreme Commander. C'mon I need to change and meet my new Padawan. You can hang out with me until the Council meets."
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