A remote and backwater world. What’s not to like?

[Sorel Crieff]

Blaster bolts exploded outside the cockpit of the diplomatic shuttle. Sorel pulled it into a tight barrel roll and readjusted the trajectory to match their escape course. "Get those hyperspace coordinates set," she growled to the astrodroid as she completed the manoeuvre. "This is a diplomatic shuttle," she announced over the comms for what must have been the tenth time, on this occasion through gritted teeth. The faint cries of the astromech droid echoed through the cockpit.

Another volley of blaster fire erupted about the craft as it dropped it into an extreme dive. Her eyes reflected her panic as she stared helplessly at the deflector shield display indicating failure. The momentum from the dive had pushed her down into the pilot's seat, restricting her movement until the lagging drive compensators kicked in.

She knew that an Ambassador-class shuttle was not designed to take this kind of punishment. She glanced at the sensor display quickly. The attacking fighters released another barrage that rocked the shuttle. She tried to pull out of the dive into a hard port double turn. Blue lightning played off the control panels as several direct hits took out the shields and ionized the controls all at once. She lost control and if there was a plus to any of this, the ship began to spin, colliding with one of their pursuers, taking it out of the equation.

“Amabassador, man a life-pod.” She gave the command abruptly, but there was no time for niceties. The rear-end collision had delivered minor damage, but even as she regained control, she could feel the shuttle slowing. A quick scan of the drive display, which was just now coming back online, revealed the problem. One of the coolant lines to the main sublight drive had been severed, causing an automatic drive shutdown.

"Is the hyperdrive down as well?" she called to the droid and his resigned beeps and whistles told her the bad news. A new light in front of her indicated the ambassador was on-board the escape pod and Sorel jettisoned them all. It meant she and her fellow Jedi could not use that form of escape but it meant the fighter had to choose his targets and hopefully the diplomat they were escorting would reach the planet unscathed.

“We’re in this for the long haul,” she said to Joza Perl as, after a short pause, a decisively negative series of warbles, clicks, and whistles – followed by a fweep – came from the droid at the nav computer console over her left shoulder.

Quickly, she checked the sensors. The fighter had banked around and was coming up fast, but most importantly was still fixed on them. .

"Unidentified shuttle," the fighter pilot’s voice blistered with pride as it flowed through the comm. "You are ordered to surrender immediately." There was no mistaking the unspoken intent behind those cold, mechanical words should they try anything else.

She ignored him and pointed the shuttle towards the planet’s surface. What forward power they had would soon be amplified by the gravitational pull. Landing would be a different challenge but it had to be seen if they could get that far. The warbles of protest from the droid at her course of action, followed by a low moan and a series of panicked fweeps, went completely unheeded.

On the plus side they made it to the planet as she was able to move the ship around enough to avoid complete destruction. But there the good news ran out. They were coming in hot, too hot and with no means of slowing their descent. “Strap yourself in, this could get bumpy,” she joked as she gritted her teeth and looked at the jungle below, fast growing bigger through the cockpit.

She managed to get what was left of the engines into full reverse only a few hundred meters above the surface. The ship's descent slowed, but didn't even come close to stopping. A split second before the they slammed into the forest below, Sorel wrapped herself in the Force, creating a protective cocoon she could only hope would be strong enough to survive the unavoidable collision.

The ship hit the treetops at a forty-five-degree angle. The landing gear sheared off on impact, tearing loose with a thunderous crack. Wide gashes appeared in the sides of the ship, the hull hurtling into thick branches and boughs with enough force to tear through the reinforced sheets of metal and peel them away from their frame.

Inside the cockpit Sorel was flung against walls and ceiling. She was spun, tossed, and slammed against the sides of the cockpit as the vessel careened through the trees. Even the Force couldn't fully shield her from the devastating crash as the ship carved a kilometre-long swath of burned and broken foliage before slamming into the soft, muddy ground of a swamp and finally coming to rest.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza had been on plenty of ships before. Never, though, had she experienced a crash landing. And it was every bit as terrifying as she thought it would be.

The Zeltron didn’t know if she’d hit her head on something and passed out briefly, or if she’d just blocked the last thirty seconds out. The fighters had taken them by surprise, but thankfully Sorel had been able to keep them from being blown to smithereens. The time between the fighting and the crash was just a blur in her wavering mind. I feel like I just woke up after a night on Zeltros…

All at once, the sounds of blaster fire and crashing through the karking jungle had come to a halt. Joza would have thought the silence to be eerie if she was in the right mind. Ugh…Jedi are supposed to be prepared…wait, where is...? Her vision finally coming into focus, the pink skinned girl looked down to see that she had landed directly on top of the other Padawan during the turmoil.

Groaning, she quickly pushed torso upward, bracing her hands on either side of Sorel as she did so. Once she was up far enough, she rolled over. Resting for a few moments with her back against the cold steel, she felt a sudden yet familiar surge of pain at her face. Reaching a hand up, she pulled it away and scrutinized the red stains on her fingers. Even though there was little light in the crashed ship, she could tell what it was.

Why is it always my nose? The Zeltron groaned again. This marked her third broken nose since she began her Jedi training. Why? Why the face?

“What the hell was that all about?” She propped herself up with her hands, trying in vain to see the damage done to the ship with her limited vision. As an afterthought, she turned toward the pilot. “You okay, Sorel? Hurt anywhere?”

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

For some time, Sorel didn't move. The ship had been reduced to a smoking pile of scrap, but miraculously they had both survived, saved by the Force no doubt. They hadn't escaped unscathed, however. Sorel’s body was covered with painful bruises and contusions, her face and hands cut from fragments of shattered glass that had pierced her protective cocoon; her left thigh was bleeding heavily from a deep gash. It was possible a rib was broken. Her right knee was swelling up, but there didn't seem to be any cartilage or ligament damage. And she tasted blood in her mouth. Fortunately, none of her wounds was life threatening.

She rose to her feet slowly. What was left of the ship had come to rest on its side, turning everything in the cockpit at a disorienting ninety-degree angle. Moving gingerly, she checked the emergency exit hatch. Given the ship's position, the exit hatch was now above them, facing the sky.

She reached for the emergency medpac she knew would be under the pilot's seat. Inside it were healing stims she could use to treat the worst injuries. The outside of the kit was dented and slightly bent, but otherwise it appeared undamaged.

She removed one and injected it directly into her thigh. Within seconds she could feel her body's own natural healing properties beginning to kick into overdrive in response to the healing shot. The blood flowing from her cuts began to clot. More importantly, the shot helped dull the pain from her swollen knee, allowing her to walk and breathe more freely.

“That was something of an emergency landing,” Sorel replied finally. “Not textbook, but we’re down in one piece – which is more than can be said of the ship. And apart from a few cuts and bruises, I’m fine. There are meds here if you need them,” she handed over the box. “I’m saving the Force for when I really need it. Who know how long before we’re rescued?”

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza let out the breath she didn’t know she was holding when the other Padawan began to stir. “I’ve never been in a landing like that.” She commented dryly, still shaken from the experience. Sitting up fully on her bottom to relieve her strained arms the pressure of holding her up, Joza watched Sorel with a half-hearted curiosity as she rooted through the trashed ship. “You got us down and alive, much better than I could have done.” She nodded vaguely, as if to say “job well done”. It was as much as she could offer as it was difficult for her to be positive in such a situation.

Accepting the medical kit with a grunt, Joza was quick to jab one of the syringes into her arm and depress the plunger. Like Sorel, she could feel the stimulant working it’s magic almost instantly as the blood seeping from her nose began to slow, congealing somewhere inside of her nose. With the edge of pain gone, the Zeltron let out a hefty groan as she rolled to her feet, using the smashed control panel as a support while getting steady.

Attempting to jimmy open the emergency exit hatch above them, Joza found that the door was just misshapen enough from the turmoil to be stuck. Her brow furrowed after trying the lever release for the third time with no avail. Reeling back an open palm, she thrust forth with enough energy to make the door agreeable again. The hatch flew open from the Force Push, creaking in irritation as it did so. Exhaling heavily—it had taken more effort on her worn body than she had imagined—the Padawan would shimmy through the opening halfway.

Joza was met with the sights and smells of a jungle-like environment. The first thing she had noticed was the humidity, because of course it was going to mess up her hair. She was, at the time, unaware that her hair was already messed beyond belief. Wiping some of the stray blood beneath her nose with the sleeve of her robe before it could dry and cake, she pursed her lips as she strained to look into the distance. Not another soul around, from what she could feel.

Dropping back into the ship with yet another grunt, Joza smoothed back her hair which was already beginning to frizz, much to her dismay. “Any idea where we are? All I see are swamps, mountains and lots of green. Not much in the way of buildings or sentient life. Yet.” She gave Sorel an expectant look, not at all happy to be in such a messy situation but trying to press through it nonetheless.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel smiled but the gritted teeth showed as her lips parted. ”I’m afraid that I was too busy focusing on crashing as gently as possible to make too much sense of where precisely we are.”

She followed her fellow Padawan out of the hatch to stand on what was now the top of the ship – but what was in truth the side. She closed her eyes and did her best to remember anything that might be useful as they plunged through the atmosphere and tore a large strip in the canopy. She shook her head in resignation before she even spoke. . ”No, I can’t remember anything.”

She pointed at a mountain range ahead. . ”I say we head that way. Two reasons. One, height gives us a better vantage point. Maybe we can see something. Secondly? There’s a waterfall. Which means a river. If we follow that river, the chances are we’ll find life. But that’s just guess-work, I’d love to hear a better plan if you have anything?”

The heat was going to be an issue. And the humidity, and the animals and possibly even the flora, let alone disease. . ”We should share this.” She indicated a bracelet on her wrist. . ”My Master gave it to me. It regulates temperature. Right now I don’t feel the heat at all. However hot or cold it gets, it won’t affect me. So we should take turns in wearing it. You go first.”

She removed the bracelet and tossed it to the Zeltron.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza’s lips pursed while her eyes followed Sorel’s gesturing hand toward the mountains, gaze eventually drifting down to the waterfall and attempting to trace out a river beneath it. After a few moments of mental deliberation, she nodded in agreement. “You’re right, that’s probably our best bet of finding life. I just hope that whatever we find is friendly.” So far there had been no distinct signs of civilization, and Joza hoped that they wouldn’t encounter any hostile life…though there was no way to tell unless they began moving.

“A bracelet that regulates body temperature? Now that is a useful piece of jewelry for a Jedi.” She took the armlet without complaint, examining it for a few moments before strapping it to her wrist. “Thank you.” She says as an afterthought. “Let me know once the heat becomes too unbearable, and we’ll switch.”

Gathering the remainder of the healing supplies, the Zeltron stuffed as many as she could into the pockets of her robes for later use, though hopefully it wouldn’t come to that. “Is there anything else on the ship we’d be able to bring with us? Rations perhaps?” She hated to think of trying to eat some of the native vegetation and risk becoming ill. Or dead, that would be bad too.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel smiled wickedly. “Right now, I’d taken any sentient life and worry about how friendly they are later. But I suspect my view will change when we meet them.”

No sooner had she removed the bracelet than Sorel realised how hot and humid the jungle was. In a sense, wearing the bracelet had pampered her and she resolved to practice removing it in hostile situations to prepare herself better for a time when she might not have the bracelet. “It also regulates toxins, so a poisonous gas will be nullified. But it won’t stop you drowning for instance.”

“And I’ll let you know when the heat gets too much.”

Sorel nodded at Joza’s words and jumped back into the ship, grabbing a shoulder bag and any supplies she could. “Ration-packs, water, glow-rods and spare rope. Anything that was useful is in here now.”

She jumped down off the ship and looked into the distance. “I bet it’s farther than it looks.” She gazed up at the sky, shielding her eyes. “We have a few hours of daylight at least. Most sizeable predators tend to be nocturnal. Not all, but most, so we should try to make good progress while we can.”

“Now, despite everything, I don’t think we’ve really chatted before. And given we have time on our hands, we should remedy that. So you go first, I’d love to hear all about you. Where you came from, how you became a Jedi, that sort of stuff.”

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

With the supplies all gathered up as much as they could carry without weighing them down, so did the two Padawans begin their trek towards the mountains. Joza glanced at Sorel, taking in the other girl’s posture and watching for any signs of fatigue. When prompted, the Zeltron gave her a curious look as if taken aback, though not offended.

Settling for a few moments, Joza absently cleared her throat. She hadn’t gotten to know many of the other Jedi on Voss aside from her Master, and she did crave interaction. Interaction other than training and sitting in lectures, that is. She was a social creature by nature, and as much as she tried to suppress her racial tendencies, it probably also wasn’t good to hold herself back this much. After all, the Sanctum Jedi weren’t meditating monks who had to forego all earthly desires, right?

In an attempt to appear more at ease, Joza rolled her shoulders back. “Simply put, I grew up on Zeltros. My mother was a call girl, and I worked as a waitress and dancer when I was old enough.” The memories caused a fond smile to twitch at her lips. She didn’t know how others would take it, but being a harlot was not necessarily a bad thing on her home planet. Glancing over at Sorel, she added “I’m not sure how much you know about Zeltros, but it’s known as The Pleasure Planet. Most of the natives spend their time in more…hedonistic approaches. It’s not all nightclubs and spas, though. There are resorts in the countryside. Either way, people flock there for vacation. My own father happened to be a vacationing tourist, according to my mother.” The tone in her voice suggested that her own parentage did not bother her—and it usually didn’t—though she still held on to some deeply buried resentment.

“Anyway,” She waved her hand, moving on to the next implied question. “I was found to be force sensitive around….7? 8? I don’t remember, but my mother wouldn’t let them take me for training.” A frown tilted her lips as the memories became less pleasant. “It caused us to butt heads a lot. I left a few years ago on my own accord and ended up on Sullust. Spent my early days as a Padawan with the Alliance, earned this badge from the Sith.” She swiped a finger over the faint burn scar on her cheek. “And eventually came to Voss after the suggestion to visit by some fellow Sanctum Jedi. I felt more comfortable within the Sanctum and well…the rest is history.” She shrugged, settling on a light smile.

“Alright, your turn.”

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

[member="Joza Perl"]

Sorel tended to talk in a very open way. She said things as she saw them. She was invariably more cautious when speaking to non-Jedi, but amongst her peers she was typically open, honest and possibly a little blunt at times. But even she knew when to press a question and when to hold back.

Being a Jedi from an early age meant she had a sheltered life with regards the comings and goings in the galaxy. The term call girl was not familiar to her and what she was able to trawl from her memory banks was sufficient to not pursue the question that was on her lips.

”I know a little about Zeltros, but not much past the usual tourist information. I’ve certainly never been there.” Hedonistic was a word she was more familiar with, but she did not blush – because she simply didn’t see it as something that applied to her, so she felt no emotions one way or another. But Joza was chatting away so freely, she quickly moved on to follow an interesting and slightly unusual route to being a Jedi. But then Sorel had yet to meet anyone who had what could be described as a usual one. They all seemed to have a story to tell, and they were all unique.

“Alright then. Like you I was discovered to be a Force Sensitive at an early age. I guess I was four or five. So I left my family on Panatha and went to Coruscant, to join the Jedi Order. I lived life as a Youngling and was worried that by the age of twelve, I still hadn’t found a Master. But find one I eventually did. We spent two years together and the Order moved to Ossus, due to the One Sith. Then my Master died.” Her voice did not change but she paused briefly. ”On a mission. I traveled the galaxy for a year or two, visiting Jedi places of note and then I returned to Ossus, only to find the Order had left. The SSC were there and I pondered joining them then. I then heard about the Republic and how it had fallen into the wrong hands and I decided the Force would show me the right way. It led me to Master Ike of the Silver Order and so that’s why I’m here. Despite being a Jedi for so long, my training has been neglected, so I’m making up for lost time right now.”

She wiped her forehead with the back of a sleeve as they reached the top of a small hill en route to the mountains and waterfall. ”Who is your Master, and what are they like?”

 

[Joza Perl]

“Lovely planet, really. I’d recommend that everyone visits it at least once. Pheromones everywhere you go, real good for relaxing.” She waved a hand in the air for effect.

She unconsciously tilted her head more towards the younger Padawan, curious to hear her own origin story. A frown of thought tickled her lips when she’d mentioned the Order. Joza had never known much about the Jedi Order, having grown up without much knowledge of the Jedi. The Jedi Order itself had dissolved before her arrival, she’d only heard of them in the archives or by word of mouth from other Jedi. A sympathetic frown pulled at her lips at the mention of her Master’s death, but she kept quiet.

Inwardly, Joza couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of Sorel. She’d had the majority of her life to learn how to be a Jedi, something she figured was easier to be molded into from a young age. Joza always held a bit of resentment towards her mother for refusing to let her leave Zeltros. When Sorel mentioned her lack of training, she couldn’t help but smile. “It seems we’re on the same page, then. I only began my Jedi studies a few short years ago and have much to learn.”

Pursing her lips, Joza brought to mind her mentor. “Jedi Knight Dune Rhur. He’s pretty much something out of an old Jedi story. Level-headed, knowledgeable and mature. So, essentially, my opposite.” She flashed a grin, feeling much better thanks to the effects of Sorel’s bracelet. “But I suppose that’s good. I should learn to be more like him. Though, he’s deadpan sarcastic. I hope I don’t pick that up.”

Fiddling with the bracelet, Joza sighed. “He’s the knowledge seeking type, into exploring old ruins and finding artifacts. I can’t really complain much though, I’ve seen some interesting places tagging along with him.” She could appreciate his interest in archaeology only so much. “How are you doing?” She asked suddenly, glancing over to see if the heat had taken a toll on Sorel yet. “I’ve never met Master Ike…what is she like?”

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel couldn’t help the face she pulled. She knew of pheromones and quite frankly, didn’t approve. It was tough enough being a Jedi and ignoring her various natural emotions, without supercharging them!

“I don’t do a lot of relaxing. I tend to be too busy. This is as close as I probably get, trekking across a wilderness looking to get rescued. Avoiding being eaten. That sort of thing. Although I like to explore ancient Jedi sites, if that counts?”

“And we all have much to learn it seems, it is a never-ending journey. And whereas I bring a greater depth of Jedi training, you will no doubt have life experiences that I will have to learn, so it evens out in so many ways.”

She smiled when Joza mentioned her Master. Opposites often worked well, pushing each other in new directions although they unfortunately all had some bad habits that were best not copied.

She smiled warmly at the mention of her new Master. “We have many similarities I guess. We are both broadly focused on tradition. Where she’d different is her love of technology. I love droids and ships, but she’s bringing it into the world of the Jedi. Like that bracelet. And improved Jedi robes. And so many other things, that I think I’ve only scratched the surface. So I’ll listen and learn as I progress. And she’s a lot of fun and making me a little less…” She seemed to search for the right word. “Rigid, I guess. Less formal, at least when it’s appropriate.”

“So have you learned any really cool abilities yet?”

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza arched a brow at Sorel’s expression, trying to discern what it was in relation to. At the mention of her lack of relaxation, a mild smile settled onto her face.

“As strange as it may sound, I had that mentality when I first joined the Galactic Alliance. I was so focused on suppressing myself and becoming a good Jedi that I forgot how to relax and started fraying.” She tilted her head to the side, remembering her early days as an apprentice and the Jedi Knight who’d urged her to relax once in a while. “Of course, our circumstances are entirely different. I was homesick for a world where desires are to be instantly gratified, so I was completely out of my element. It wasn’t until I became more comfortable with the Jedi lifestyle did I try to balance it.” A wry smile broke her features. She hadn’t truly balanced herself yet, but she was on her way.

She nodded slowly at Sorel’s next words, finding them rather sagely for such a young woman. Then again, it wasn’t much of a surprise seeing as how she was raised in the Jedi Order. “Still, I think a visit to Zeltros would do you some good. Not necessarily to relax if you don’t want to, but from an academic standpoint. See how the culture is, you know? There’s more to it than the gaudy entertainment, so you don’t have to spend a weekend clubbing and end up addicted to spice.” She finished with an eager grin, always keen to introduce people to the “wonders” of her homeworld.

The pink skinned Padawan perked up as Sorel spoke of her master, noting how earnestly she spoke of Matsu. She could tell that the two shared a connection, something that still amazed her that could be felt through the Force. “That’s actually what I’ve come to like about the Jedi.” She cleared her throat, voice holding a sincere note. “As…ingrained as my Zeltron nature is, I like the structure that the Jedi way of life provides. Believe it or not, I wasn’t entirely content on Zeltros.”

Moving on, Joza clasped her hands behind her back while tilting her head up in thought for a few moments. “No, not really.” She shook her head finally. “Aside from advancing my saber play, I’m mostly working on strengthening my basic force abilities and telekinesis. Though, I would like to learn more about...alchemy, I think it's called?” She pursed her lips before quickly elaborating. “Not the Sith kind, of course. I’ve heard that there are those able to control things like fire and water.” Shrugging, she turned the question back to [member="Sorel Crieff"]. “How about you?”

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel nodded sagely. “Balance. Such a simple word but in truth so hard to accomplish. Are you too much of a Jedi? Not enough? Perhaps the difficulty in achieving the right equilibrium is what drives us to be better than we were yesterday? Who knows?” She shrugged her shoulders.

“And you might believe I am in my element, whereas I am not. I left on a mission with my Master and returned to find my home gone – or at least owned by someone else. The government I served in disarray and subject to public condemnation galaxy-wide. My Jedi Order choosing to merge with another for no obvious reason. I was lost, and without a Master.”

“But I guess I am resilient – as we all are I suspect. So I endured and who knows, perhaps a visit to Zeltros would do me good. To experience new things and not necessarily ones I would choose myself?”

Each Jedi had their own strengths and weaknesses and sometimes another’s choice of abilities seem odd, but that was what made the Jedi so diverse. Sorel was honest with Joza. “I have no knowledge of the alchemy side. I am aware of it of course, but not from a position of knowledge or particular interest. My own abilities are something of a mixed bag. I have an aptitude with ships and droids and can even open locks and disable security systems. And I can make plants grow faster. And I have a little knowledge of healing. I guess that makes me an all-rounder as opposed to a specialist, but I take learning when I can find it and never turn knowledge down. I did want to be a Consular when I was younger, but know I’m less sure. What about you, have you a career path in mind?”

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

“Ah…” Joza gave Sorel a sheepish smile, feeling a bit foolish for implying that the other Padawan didn’t have her own hardships to face. Though they came from different backgrounds, they had both made it here thanks to what she suspected were numerous influences, and their own willpower.

“If you ever do get the urge to travel to Zeltros, I’d love to be your tour guide.” She offered, her tone light but sincere. Deep, deep down, Joza was actually a little bit anxious about returning home. Not to just face her mother—she was confident that things would smooth over—but she feared falling down the rabbit hole of addiction. Perhaps, with her Jedi training, she’d be stronger than the drink and spice. But she was doubtful. Pushing those thoughts further into the back of her mind before they could fully surface, she figured it would be best to save them later for quiet meditation.

“You have a much more rounded skillset than I.” She mused, curious about her healing abilities. Inwardly, she was a little jealous when Sorel mentioned her skill with ships and droids—such things did not come easily to the Zeltron. While she could hold herself in a fight decently, that was where her use seeming ended. She could not communicate with animals, repair tech or anything that would be of use to a Jedi. Opening her mouth to speak, she closed it for a few moments when she realized that she didn’t have a solid answer. All this time with the Jedi, and she hadn’t thought about where she wanted to advance to.

“I suppose my skills would only take me down the Guardian path.” She rolled her shoulders in a shrug, not really sure of her answer now that she’d spoken. “But, I’m not sure.” She let her words linger, events from her time with the Alliance and Sanctum threading through her mind. “Have you ever face a Sith?” The question didn’t follow the track of their conversation that well, and her tone was a bit higher than before, unsure.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

It was wonderful to have the conversation - even if the circumstances weren't ideal. A Jedi could be reflective and learn much from communing with the Force, but often another person's perspective was needed. It allowed you to better understand yourself and also see things from their viewpoint. Much like traveling, which she once enjoyed as a solo effort but now much preferred with company.

"I suspect I'll take you up on that offer sooner or later. The more you talk about it, the more interesting Zeltros seems. I fear I too often travel to places I know of or that are familiar. Somewhere different sounds like the best approach if I want to grow as a Jedi."

"And if I'm honest, I have no idea if Guardians or Comsulars still exist the way they once did. I wonder if we are all destined to be hybrid? Not that I suspect it matters." Then she considered Joza's question. "The truthful answer is that I am unsure. I fought someone once, but it may have been a vision. It is impossible for me to tell. It felt real, that much I know. But other than that one occasion, no - no Sith. Just creatures and various wrong-doers. What about you?"

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

“It’s good to step out of your comfort zone every once in a while. Or so I’m told.” Joza offered Sorel a small smile. “Zeltros is far from a hostile world, so you won’t have to worry about anything attacking you. And with a native on your side, I can show you all of the best places the tour guides won’t tell you about.” She gave the other girl a wink and a toothy grin.

The pink skinned girl pursed her lips at the talk of Guardians and Consulars, not having the in-depth knowledge Sorel had about the different types of Jedi. She knew the base differences between them, but lacked a critical understanding of what they truly meant. Those thoughts dissolved at Sorel’s answer to her inquiry, her head pricking upwards to focus on the other Padawan. “A vision?” She questioned aloud, wondering under what circumstances this fight had been under.

Though she expected the question to be turned back at her, Joza hadn’t prepared an answer. “….yeah?” She answered after a few moments, as if unsure of her own response. “A few times, when I was with the Alliance. And then…” She paused again, wondering if Sorel would become suspicious if she casually dropped that Sith Knight had taught her the basics of Makashi. That was, after beating her up. “I fought one on my own, but it wasn’t really much of a fight.” She shrugged, rubbing her nose as she recalled it being broken rather quickly during her spat with the lone Sith.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel smiled knowingly. Insider knowledge was always a good thing – and she wondered what that might mean when it came to a planet like Zeltros. If it meant avoiding the gaudy tourist traps, that had to be a good thing – with Joza as a guide, she would be able to see the real planet, the ones the locals knew – as opposed to the façade designed for visitors.

“Crystal hunting is invariably a challenge. It used to be the last thing a Padawan did before they were ready to be a Knight. The Force has a way of testing you it seems. So I suspect it was a vision I had, but it felt very real, believe me.”

Sorel’s ears pricked up at the mention of the Alliance. “What’s the Alliance like? I mean, were you part of the New Jedi Order? I ask as I was considering joining them before my Master found me and I joined the Silver Order. I wondered if they were any different and which stories were true and which ones fables. And I hope you don’t mind me asking loads of questions?” Which was, of course, yet another question.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

“Oh.” Joza swallowed consciously, never having experienced a vision that she could recall. Other Jedi mentioned them, such as what Sorel was doing right now, but to Joza it might as well be something that existed on another plane. In a sense she was curious to see what having a vision felt like, but was also scared at going through something so seemingly intense.

The Zeltron smiled awkwardly at the barrage of questions about her former affiliation, though did not shy away from speaking. “I’m afraid that my time with them was short, and I was overloaded from everything being so new…so I don’t know if I’d be able to answer all of your questions. But feel free to ask.” She patted the side of her head, trying to smooth any flyaway hairs from the humid air. “It’s more militaristic and rigid than the Sanctum. And yes, I was a part of the New Jedi Order. I had my first taste of battle with them. I believe that blasters saw more use than lightsabers.” She mused, having felt a little out of place and old-school next to the other Padawans there. “Sullust is an unpleasant planet with a noxious atmosphere, but I suppose that it makes the place less desirable to invade, eh?”

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel smiled and wiped the sweat from her brow. She was feeling the heat but wanted to continue to persist in facing what the humid jungle had to offer. The bracelet was entirely useful but she wanted to toughen herself up and learn to avoid relying on it.

“Visions are so-so,” she said. “I was taught that you can never trust them. They are rarely to be taken at face value. They could be of a possible future or just an allegory. So people get hung up on them when they shouldn’t.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I just take them as they come and don’t get too excited by them. I’m confident I’ll learn something from them but I’m patient with them, the Force tends to work that way, at least in my experience.”

She listened to the Zeltron’s perspective of the New Jedi Order and the Alliance. “I just don’t know any more,” she said when she’d listened. “I mean, when I was little, it seemed so clear-cut. The Jedi were peace-keepers. Now they seem to be used more like an army and are way more military and attack-minded. Maybe that’s the way of the galaxy right now and I should learn to fit in better? I just guess I’m not so sure.”

She looked ahead and noticed a ravine that they would soon have to cross and that had been hidden previously by all of the trees. “OK, it looks like our first real test. Any ideas?”

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

“I certainly hope that I never have an unpleasant one,” She tried to joke on a topic she knew very little about. Despite the meditations and breathing exercises, Joza wasn’t the best at handling her emotions in times of extreme fear and stress, as evidenced by her shaky combat stature. Something as “realistic” as a vision probably would cause her to panic, at least until she learned how to cope with them.

Listening to Sorel’s perspective on the Jedi gave Joza new food for thought. While the Sanctum seemed quieter than the Alliance, they still put themselves out there as galactic protectors. “Doesn’t it feel like you have a target on your back? Being a Jedi and all?” The way Joza asked almost made it seem as if she didn’t consider herself a true, or at least conventional Jedi like she envisioned Sorel to be. “I don’t know if people trusted Jedi more in the “old days” or not,” She would raise up her hands to do a pair of air quotes when indicated. “But it seems like we’ve got a stigma. I guess, sort of how the Sith are all lumped in for being bad. Then again, I’ve never met a Sith who didn’t want to…” She pause, letting her words drift. There was a shift in her tone as she thought back to the Knight she’d met on Lothal. “You know.” She finished, waving a hand around in a vague gesture as if Sorel should know what she was talking about. Not that she herself even knew what she meant.

In the form of a distraction appeared an obstacle in their path, and Joza pursed her lips. “I guess…do you think one of these trees would be tall enough to breach the distance?” She patted the bark of the nearest tree, running a hand up and down it. “We could try and cut one down and use it as a dangerous, probably slippery bridge.”

[member="Sorel Crieff"]