A faulty saleswoman, (Maja Vern)

[Darth Zilti]

Slightly more nervous than before, it was only her new-found trust in this woman that allowed her to do as instructed. Despite this, she felt goose-bumps on her arms and she shivered slightly.

Pushing these thoughts aside, she closed her eyes and attempted to clear her mind. Initially the aromas of the garden distracted her - they were so tender and enticing. But realising what was at stake, she duly cleared her mind.

Finally ready, Maja nodded.

[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"]

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Maja Vern"]

She smiled and once and sat forward with her hands under her chin as she herself cleared her mind and then closed her eyes once before reopening them. Around her she saw the world in a different way, sending the memories to the woman as she experience, a form of seeing through Alexandra herself as she did. "This, is what i wanted to show you..." What Maja would see is small strands coming from the center of every living being, stretching into the sky. She would also see Alexandra's own aura, a web of energy that stretched out around them in the air and over the ground.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja waited in silence and darkness, wondering what would happen and when it would happen but all of the while trying not to allow her mind to wander.

Then a vision filled her head or was she actually seeing it? She couldn't tell. Instead she just relaxed and feasted on the sight. It was similar to her previous experience - as she could now sense she wasn't experiencing any of this first hand but rather through Alexandra. It was amazing and mind-blowing but at the same time lacking in practicality for the untrained Maja. How it would help her win at Pazaak was now a distant memory but she was still practical at heart and she wondered what use it was for? But then she considered if it needed to have a use after all. Wasn't it beautiful enough just to be what it was.

[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"]

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Maja Vern"]

She smiled as she retracted the connection and brother her eyes open and spoke. "You can open your eyes now too, I want you to tell me what you think about what i have shown you about seeing through the force?" She leaned forward on her hands again and smiled at the woman, waiting for her response.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Mahja was used to sugar-coating replies when she needed to. The most money was to be made when the story was especially good. But that didn’t feel appropriate here or now.

What Alexandra wanted was the truth and what Alexandra deserved was the truth. Maja didn’t know if this was some sort of mind-trick – but she wasn’t going to fight it either way.

“I saw…I saw…” Now she realised how hard it was to put what she viewed into words. She waved her arms emphatically as if this would help convey her frustration. “I saw everything that I normally see but there were strands coming from inside them. And they were reaching up to the sky.” She wrinkled her nose for a second. “It could have been the other way around of course.” She pointed as if from the sky into her own body. “But it felt the other way.”

“And yours was like energy and…and I saw it and it made sense – although for no real reason – but I didn’t understand what it was for. Is it useful in some way? And do you see like that all of the time?”

Maja’s brow was furrowed. She didn’t like that she could articulate or understand it fully.

[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"]

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Maja Vern"]

Alexandra smiled and nodded to the woman for a few moments. "Well, what you saw the force signatures and auras of all those things around you, in regards to the strands of energy though, that connected our souls to what looked like just the sky, was their connection to the force. As you saw even the grass below us held a connection to the force as everything is connected. The Energy from me that you saw was the form in which my aura takes shape, a web of vines that stretches out around me and gives me a reach beyond my own, even now you would see it touching your mind if you could once more see them. As for seeing it all the time, no, but i can will my eyes to see it in such a way, what you just experienced was force sight."

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja wrinkled her nose. “Force Sight?” She shook her head. Only slightly but perceptibly. “I guess I’ve got a lot to learn. The Force, signatures, auras and who knows what else?”

“I know I have to be patient, and believe me I am being but…what sort of form will my training take. Do you need to teach me everything or is there ‘stuff’ I can learn by myself.”

Maja was clearly overwhelmed but not phased by it. It was as if being out of her comfort-zone was actually stimulating her rather than making her shut-down.

“I mean, are there things you can’t teach me?”

[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"]

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Maja Vern"]

"Yes on bboth questions, i will teach you everything i know, but there are things you must learn on your own. I cannot lead you on the path of light or dark, my own determined through pain and suffering, but i can give you an offer into both. Those who follow the dark are ones that search for power and personal gain, the love the feeling of pain and suffering, but also draw on fear to make themselves stronger than their enemy... the light relies on compassion, love, and doing what you think is right. Its not black and white. Someone of the lightside can still cause pain, can still try to acquire personal gain... but that is their own choices."

 

[Darth Zilti]

"That sounds heavy! Who else here can teach me, I mean - who else would you recommend to teach me?"

"The truth is..." It was clear this conversation was becoming uncomfortable for Maja but credit to her for persevering. "...I, well, trust you and I'm not sure I'd let anyone else into my mind."

[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"]

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Maja Vern"]

She smiled and stood to rest her hand on Maja's shoulder, speaking in a soft voice that was meant to put even a enraged rancor into a calm mind set. "Maja, you can trust anyone here in the order, but i see your point. Having someone in your mind is dangerous and i can teach you blocks to that now if you so wish... As for my recommendations to who can teach you, absolutely anyone. We are a school for anyone, you merely ask someone and they can teach you.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja reflected on Alexandra's words for quite a while. Silence seemed acceptable in this place.

Finally she thought she had her thoughts in order and, as was often the case, the cascaded from her tongue like a waterfall.

"I have so much to learn and that's half the trouble. If you asked me what I wanted to start with, I'd draw a blank as I don't know what I dont' know. But what I do know is that I want to be able to use a Lightsaber. That seems to be something iconic. Something that distinguishes you from everyone else.”

“And I want to be able to control others by my will, and control the elements and objects.”

She laughed. “That’s probably everything, isn't it? But perhaps there’s an order to things? I want you to teach me everything you know and perhaps, in time, I’ll trust others enough to show me things.”

She fell silent again and a tear slowly trickled down her face – at odds with the beauty and positive energy of the garden.

Her voice faltering, she added, “I’m not a bad person, honestly. I know everyone says I am but…but I don’t mean to be. I have nothing and others have so much. It just doesn’t seem fair. I’ve had to live for the day, I can’t make plans. I go where the wind goes and make the best of it.”

The words were spoken in Maja’s voice, but sounded incongruous coming from a 16-year old girl.

“Please help me start to enjoy my freedom rather than see it as a burden to be endured.”

[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"]

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Maja Vern"]

"Wanting to rule and havign ambitions do not make you a bad person. I did and still want a planet of my own to rule over, people to bow to me... but that does nothing to harm my morals. It is a simple ambition and something that i can do peacefully or not. A person's actions are not inherintly wrong or right, no it depends what you do with your path that matters. If i gave you a choice between ruling over star systems or living in a alley with your body crippled, never to make a living or a life, which would you choose?"

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja cocked her head to one side. Just when she thought she knew which direction the conversation would go, Alexandra would throw her a question that stopped and made her think. But that, she guessed, was the measure of the woman.


"My knee-jerk reaction was, I guess, obvious because the second option sounded so awful. But that doesn't make the first option good, just the lesser of two evils. And that's the story of my life. Not making the choice between two appealing options or even between one good and one bad, but having to decide which of a number of awful things was the least terrible."

"It would be easy to say I'd choose to rule star systems, as an alternative to the second choice - but would I want to? No. I want power and riches but not fame. I suspect being famous is its own burden. You can't come and go as you please. People will want to depose you. People will want to kill you. It's not like I have any strong beliefs that I'd want others to follow me for."

"So, life as a ruler - but with a heavy heart. I suppose I could always makes lots of money and then abdicate and spend the rest of my years living off the proceeds?" She smiled at this option.

[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"]

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Maja Vern"]

"The correct answer is the one that you have said, while also being the wrong answer. I have lived both paths and i would gladly rule any day of the week over being crippled again, but that does not make me dark. There have been good rulers, even good kings and queens though that seems to be a bit unusual now a days with those like [member="Darth Vornskr"] around... point was that its not your choice of path that chooses what branch of the force that you are attuned to. It is HOW you get to the end of the road. You can cause genocide, kill thousands, persecute your enemies. Or you can fight in the shadows and limit the blood shed. You can rule your people with an iron fist and create laws that prohibit you looking like the cruel person you are, or you can let freedom reign and only create needed laws, meanwhile showing everyone the prosperity that could come... People like Vornskr and [member="Darth Praelior"] are nothing but monsters, effective but cruel, that latter of which i even consider a friend. While there are those like the newest queen of naboo, one [member="Feena Mason"] if i remember the name right, she is one of those that care for her people and would do anything to protect them... remember, it is not the path you choose, but the means you use to get there."

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja shook her head but smiled at the same time. “Why am I not surprised by that reply?”

Then she considered Alexandra’s response more fully. “I’m not changing my mind by the way, but I have a question. A harsh ruler – one that has draconian laws may be considered evil – but he may bring peace and justice and stability. A loving ruler that only wants the best for her people may seem a better option but if she is considered weak and that nation is always at war as others try to take the planet from them…that doesn’t seem better. Does it?”

“Or am I missing the point?”

[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"]

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Maja Vern"]

"No, you have seen the point perfectly, we are going to have a long time to train Maja, but i think for now its time to go and show you your room. Come." She stood slowly and started to lead her down the stairs while she waited for anymore questions that could erupt from the woman who Alexandra had taken on as a true student for once.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja had no concept of the time that had transpired since they'd met. It could have been an hour or it could have been a day. Either way the mention of her room made her feel very tired all of a sudden. So tired, the words didn't register straight away.

"Did you say my room." Despite her excitement, she couldn't stifle a huge yawn.

[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"]

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

"Of course, why did you think i would make you sleep in the yard of the temple?" She smiled and moved forward towards the front doors of the temple, her hands moving and pushing open and smiling as she moved in there. With a slow push the doors opened to reveal the halls and several layers of the temple. "Yours is down one of the halls on the right... come."

[member="Maja Vern"]

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja followed - dragging her feet slightly. Finally she said what was on her mind. "The thing is - I can't pay for any of this. I have no money. I don't know..." Her voice trailed off, unable to find the words, fearful that this fairy-tale would end.

[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"]

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Maja Vern"]

"Maja, i dont think you understand. This is your home now, i require no payment from you what so ever, i merely want you to have a place you can call home and learn as you so wish... sorry if i had made it sound otherwise."