Public An apple a day keeps the darkside at bay...

[Catronia Byrne]

Location: The Orchard, Veridian Jedi Temple
Objective: Finish Chores
Tags: Ty'Raj Vex

Catronia had once been lost, ever wandering in her search to find inner peace. Her many travels across the stars led her to the far off world of Veridia, a jewel of the outer rim if she was open about it. The natural beauty and splendor of the planet helped calm the young Sarkhai, reminding her much of her own home. After a few days on the planet, she found herself in the midst of a grand temple, one dedicated to the lightside thankfully. She wondered if Anthony would enjoy a place like this, or if it's natural splendor would be inferior to the hustle and bustle of Coruscant...

Regardless of her former teacher, Catronia made herself welcome in the temple, perhaps a bit too much! After consuming a day's worth of food, she offered her services to the mentors of the temple, their recommendation was for her to pick fruit in compensation. What she didn't know was that this manual labor was actually a form of training. They could sense within her an unquiet spirit, one that could be aided by the focus of being one with nature. Already there was work being done to add Catronia to the temple, for fear that the darkside may take hold within her.

She had no idea of any of this. to her this was just a simple exchange of goods and services. A day of work for a day of food eaten. She started bright and early, waking up at dawn to walk down the path to the orchard. She frowned as she noticed a few spots in her robes were frayed. It had be a long time since the padawan had bought new clothes, and these robes had seen many an adventure. But, they would be fine for a hard day picking fruit. It wasn't like there would be grand displays of fashion in an apple orchard!

 

[Ty'Raj Vex]

Catronia Byrne
Ty'Raj had always been something of a recluse within the Jedi Order. After the intense battle over Coruscant, relocating to the Veridian Temple felt like a natural move. He needed time—time to process, to heal. The troubling ventures that had followed the battle on Tython had left him unsettled. Emotionally frayed, he sought solitude and introspection, and the Veridian Temple offered exactly that. It allowed him to find balance once more while keeping a protective watch over the youth—ensuring their safety in a place hidden from the chaos of the galaxy.

Today, Ty'Raj had been tending to his duties as the groundskeeper, his routine bringing him to the temple orchards. He was pleasantly surprised to see a young one already out there, working among the rows of trees, her small hands busily tending to the fruits. He recognized the girl from the registry—he had made a point of reviewing the list of residents, visitors, and guests, as all instructors were encouraged to do.

He stood at a distance, watching her quietly for a time, his one good eye keenly observing her movements. There was something methodical in the way she worked, something that spoke of a burden being carried. Ty'Raj knew from experience that the physical demands of busywork often served as a way to let the mind wander, to let anxieties unravel, if only for a little while. Her posture and body language hinted at an unease that ran deeper.

Ty'Raj wasn't particularly gifted in the more esoteric aspects of the Force, but he was well-experienced in life—and that was its own form of wisdom. He could read people. And by watching her, he could tell that something was weighing on her. It took time, careful observation of her micro-expressions and the tells that flitted across her face as she moved. After establishing her baseline behaviors, he was almost certain—something was amiss.

Deciding to do something he rarely did, Ty'Raj moved forward, crossing the orchard to where the girl was working. He approached slowly, his footsteps almost soundless, a quiet presence rather than an intrusion. He stopped by the crates of freshly gathered fruit, looking them over in silence. Without a word, he picked up one of the fruits, turning it over in his hand, his expression intent as though scrutinizing it. Then, he gently placed it back with the rest.

"Tell me, did you choose the orchard today for the work or for the solitude?"

 

[Catronia Byrne]

Catronia was struck by Ty'Raj's question, almost as much as his seemingly appearing out of nowhere! The poor girl hadn't even heard him walk up, and now he was just speaking to her as if nothing were amiss! This almost caused Catronia to fall from the ladder she was standing on to reach the fruits on the higher branches.

"Oh! Erm... well met to you sir! I am pleased to make your acquaintance." She brushed off her robes and adjusted her hair as best she could given the short notice. When she turned again to greet the older Jedi, she had a smile that was small, but seemed genuine enough. Though all the work in the orchard had caused small imperfections in her facepaint, the intricate pattern now slightly smudged in places.

In truth, she was trying to dodge the question. It was one she wasn't sure of herself, and it cut deep to think about why she was even here. She'd been running to-and-fro for so long that she'd almost forgotten why. Then it hit her again, that feeling of a cold chill in the air. The dark side of the force deep inside her. Raw emotion trying to untether itself.

"I'm just out here because I enjoy being at one with nature Master Jedi!" The young girl lied as badly as she always did, and it was quickly reasoned she wouldn't get anywhere with a charade. "I came to be alone, where I can cause the least amount of damage. At least out here all I can freeze is some apples..."

Without any prompting, the Sarkhai teen stepped down from the ladder, carrying a robe's worth of apples with her. She deposited them in a bucket before giving a short sigh. She would continue with the statement. "I do not want to hurt anyone, even the Imperials don't deserve to freeze... That's why I'm here..."

Ty'Raj Vex

 

[Ty'Raj Vex]

Catronia Byrne
The grizzled old Jedi watched closely as she began to fidget, her hands moving in small grooming gestures—a clear attempt to soothe herself. These were displacement behaviors, signs of discomfort manifesting physically. She hadn't answered him directly, and he could see she was buying time, trying to think of a suitable response. He didn't need the Force to read these signs; years of experience had taught him how to study the language of posture and movement.

He wondered briefly what thoughts were rattling through her mind, what fears or memories had startled her so much at his simple approach. There was more here than mere surprise. It was something deeper—projection and denial, wrapped in vulnerability.

"Don't bury your feelings out of shame, child. There's no need to shelter them behind a wall of polite lies. When asked a question, be open—honest. I can see something troubles you, that's plain enough." He paused, his voice softening, adopting a tone that was still firm, yet compassionate. "Let's start simply. What is it they call you?"

 

[Catronia Byrne]

Catronia was relieved that she didn't have to delve so deeply into her feelings just yet. That was a thorny topic if ever their was one. She had always been raised to be safe, to be guarded. It was her way of following that survivalist nature of her parents, who intentionally isolated themselves from society. This simply wouldn't do for a jedi though, she would eventually have to face the world, whether she wanted to or not.

"I am Catronia, of the Byrne family..." Cat had lost a little bit of the energy she'd had previously, mostly because of how she felt about her connection to the force.

Being at a Jedi Academy was a double-edged sword for the girl. On the one hand it helped her understand her powers, and on the other she felt like she didn't belong for that same reason. Others could command the force without loss of control, and she was far behind for her age, admittedly through no fault of her own.

Ty'Raj's statement on not hiding her feelings resonated with her, she didn't realize it, but that's what she'd been doing. She had been running from her own personal demons for quite some time, and now it was all coming to a head. There was no running from this, not anymore. She was going to stand firm and finally learn how to control the powers of the dark side, how to finally be a true Jedi.

"You're very kind Sir Jedi, I thank you for worrying about my well being. For a long time I have been hiding myself and my abilities because of fear, a fear that I know only makes the darkness stronger..." She interrupted herself to lean down and pick up an apple. She cupped her hands around it and sighed. Within seconds the fruit began to frost over just by her holding it!

"When my family found out they were terrified. It started as a defense, but I can't really control it well... They wanted me to hide, because someone might get hurt. But I don't want to hide anymore! I don't want to live in a camp out in the woods! I want to see the stars and all the people under them! I'm not some freak..."

Ty'Raj Vex

 

[Ty'Raj Vex]

Catronia Byrne

Ty'raj studied Catronia as she spoke, his expression softened by understanding. When she finished, he repeated her name, allowing it to resonate between them. "Catronia... of the Byrne family." His good eye flicked to the frosted apple she held, acknowledging her power without judgment. He offered a nod, as if affirming her strength. "Well met. I am Ty'raj."

He paused briefly, as if considering his words. "Good. I'm glad you said that, Catronia—about not wanting to hide anymore." His voice was kind. "You're right. You're not a freak. You're different, yes, but that's not something to fear. It's something to embrace. What would life be if we were all the same? Dull, empty, without meaning."

He gave her a once-over, his gaze lingering on the frosted apple, then returning to her eyes. He smiled reassuringly. "You must understand, there's nothing wrong with you. All Force users—Jedi or otherwise—must learn to wield what they have. It's about testing limits, understanding the real dangers, and using caution." He gestured as though summoning fire from the air, his hand briefly outlining a flame. "It's like building a fire. You have to respect its power, acknowledge the dangers, but also understand the warmth and the light it brings."

Ty'raj took a step closer, his tone growing more earnest. "The same is true for your connection to the Force. You shouldn't be ashamed of it. You must learn, just as we all do. It's not wrong to be afraid—that fear is a part of you. But you must not let it control you. It's time to learn how to control it instead."

He looked at her, his voice taking on a note of challenge. "You want to see the stars, to be out there among the worlds, among the people beneath them? Then you must first understand that the Force is not a burden, but a gift. A gift that comes with responsibility, yes, but one that can make the galaxy better."