Cast in Bronze

[Darth Caecus]

Sabetha still wasn't entirely certain what she was doing here. Part of her was ready to bolt at any given moment. Part of her was still warmly bemused by the pleasantly crazy people she seemed to have suddenly fallen in with. Part of her just wanted to know when the free lunch she'd been promised was.

She'd come to Voss from shattered Corellia. Because maybe, just maybe, she could be a Jedi.

What do you think of that Mom? I bet you'd be proud. You'd rub that medallion that you had and cry and hug me. I wonder whatever happened to that? Corsec probably took it. I wish I knew who that Jedi you- I guess, I'm- descended from was. You probably told me, but I was too little to remember. I wish you were here.

The Temple was like nothing she'd ever seen before. The girl stood, looking around in awe at the sweeping architecture. She shuffled her feet over the subtle mosaics in the floor as emerald eyes cast about.

Holy kark the Jedi were rich. At least, they were to Sabetha.

She looked down at her clothes. She did her best to keep them clean. To steal nicer stuff when she could. But it was obvious that she had come from the streets. Sabetha looked around at the Jedi, serene, neat. Clean. One hand went self consciously to her unruly mass of red hair. She probably had dirt on her face.

It was this self conscious place that someone found her in, standing in the middle of the entryway.

[member="Junko Ike"]

 

[Junko Ike]

[member="Sabetha Tag"]

Hmmm Junko looked at the ones there and it was not often she really liked being on Voss. With many fo the things here the temple was dirty and in need of a good cleaning droid service to get away from of the vines and thing they had worked with. Turning things over in her mind while she was walking about with more of her ideas and attention. The mass of her hair was to her ankles with the kimono she wore that was fashioned from vine silk. From Shri-Tal and Atrisia so she could work with many of the things. It gleamed from design patterns painted and drawn on it.

Her saber even on her hip as the curved hilt gleamed with the one sheath designed along it. Allowing the gaping spider queens carapace that pulsed with power. Her obi was wrapped around her waist while she was walking through the temple now and thinking about what there was. Her thoughts went to what she was facing against. Mostly that she ddin't have much to do since the attack on Balmorra to rescue Joza Perl who had chosen to flee with the sith after all fo the jedi had gone there. the sith she had faced ran and didn't do much to get off her mind.

"What or who is that." She was looking at the entryway as there was someone or something looking human standing there. She stood tall with her mall body and frame as the thoughts she could give off while she stood there and some thoughts about the whole roster of silver jedi within the sanctum were there and she didn't know who it was raising an eyebrow while she brought out a parasol for herself opening it and standing there in the sun before her words came out. "Ah are you here to see anyone?" Her eyes narrowed. "Or here for the shelter and food?"

 

[Darth Caecus]

Sabetha turned around quickly at the sound of a voice behind her, looking a little sheepish. She almost said I didn't steal anything because she hadn't. But then she realized that's not what the woman was asking.

She realized a moment later that the woman standing behind her was absolutely gorgeous. Like a holovid star. Or a model. Like nothing real anyway.

If this was what Jedi are like then yeah, I want to be a Jedi, Sabetha thought. Wow.

​For a moment, she just stared, and then she got a hold of her self.

"Um. What? No. I mean. Yes? Kind of both? I mean. Hi."

Wow. Good job Sabetha. Very nice.

"I was told I should come here. Because I could maybe be a Jedi? And-"

She realized, to someone like this, how incredibly stupid it could sound for her to say and they also told me they'd feed me. In honesty, free food had been a real reason for coming. But maybe there was more to it than that.

"And I don't know if I can. But I had a great-great-great grandmother who was? Or something like that, so maybe I can? Do I have to- I dunno, take a test or something like that? How do I tell? If I can. You know. Be a Jedi?"

Being eleven was hard. Being eleven and being in awe of a gorgeous person was even harder.

 

[Junko Ike]

[member="Sabetha Tag"]

She raised an eyebrow at the way the girl was talking... She looked like she smelled and was lower class but jedi were equal... for the mot part and if she had a family member that had been a jedi that meant she did have somewhere potential as Junko stood there. "There is no great test, no one thing you have to do but being a jedi is not for everyone, it is not something you choose because it sounds cool or because you think it will make your life better. Being a jedi is a choice that means you will serve to uplift and protect the people."

She gave it a small look while she was looking over some of the things, there while she continued to stand and moved the parasol in her hands closing it and tucking it in under her arm while she walked over to one of the alcoves and motioned for the girl to follow. "well don't stand in the middle of the entryway all day." Junko continued to look at her and observe more how she responded it was true she might not be the most tactful of them all but she was also one to be very honest. "Also jedi are required to bath regularly."

There she was nice about it or at least in her mind, she didn't make a face instead choosing to be neutral and watch her more then anything before she stood there. "you will also need to do something with that hair, it looks like something might be living in it. The jedi are monks trained to fight and live simple lives but that does not they mean they good filthy. Now tell me your name initiate and we'll see about getting you a bed in the barracks as well as a change of cloths." She turned over her hand fidgeting to make sure she looked well enough.

 

[Darth Caecus]

Sabetha felt her face turn brick red.

It was one thing to live on the streets. She tried. She did her best. But there was only so much a kid without parents or a home could do in that situation. She knew her face was dirty and her clothes were dirty and her hair was a wreck (her face turned redder).

But to have this utterly perfect women point out all of those flaws with such casual disdain- she felt three inches tall. Sabetha wanted to melt in to the floor and maybe become a bug. She may as well already be one.

Her hands went up to her hair, trying to smooth down the wild mane of red that hadn't seen a comb in months (she'd tried her best with her fingers, but another urchin had stolen her comb, little jerk).

She despaired of ever looking like this Jedi did- of ever living up to that expectation. This was the life of a simple monk?

Then that was what she wanted.

Clean, beautiful, so perfect as to disdain the things around her she found distasteful. How did someone learn that? Sabetha was embarrassed and felt insignificant, but she was also in awe at the same time.

Sabetha followed behind [member="Junko Ike"] quietly, watching the older woman and trying to figure out just how it was possible to be even a little bit like her.

"My name's Sabetha Tag," she said when asked her name. She wondered, for a moment, if she'd get clothes like hers. She was about to be disappointed.

"What's yours?"

 

[Junko Ike]

[member="Sabetha Tag"]

"I am Junko Ike." She said it while holding a hand up and out as she gave a small look seeing the state of the hair. "And before we can take you anywhere." She was looking at her and motioning one of the droids to come. "Have fresh robes set out for this young one unisex for now." She was looking at it but going around while she stopped again at one of the rooms with another atrisian wearing a kimono. "As you are the quartermaster, I require cleaning supplies and anti-fungal, tick, lice anything to prevent infestation."

There was a small look but Junko was returning out with a small pack of things when she handed it over. "Now you take this, and go into the showers. Use it all and there will be new clothing for you with me when you get out. Before we can put you into the tests to see if you have jedi potential we will need to make sure you don't have things living on you that can make the others sick." She stood there while motioning over towards some of the barracks the other padawans were in and started walking as the droid returned to her.

 

[Darth Caecus]

Sabetha didn't get out anything more coherent than red faced stammering.

She wasn't infested! But it wouldn't do any good. Between [member="Junko Ike"] and the droid, she was ushered off in to the showers without further discussion, embarrassed and sputtering. There had been other padawans in ear shot. She was mortified.

They closed the door behind her and she just stood there for a moment before she registered something else Junko had said.

"Test? What?"

Hadn't she said that there *wasn't* a test first?

Sabetha was having serious doubts about all of this.

Until she hit the hot water of the showers. She'd walk through hell itself for a hot shower, she decided. For now, she managed, only barely, to hold back the tears that were threatening. She scrubbed her hair and body with the items she'd been given. Once, twice, three times before she'd used up all of it. Her skin was red and raw but *clean*. They had included a comb, and she did her best with her hair, painstakingly removing all of the tangles- it took longer than she hoped it would.

The droid had left a fresh set of clothes for her by the time she had dried off, and she stood there, looking at them for a long time before putting them on gingerly. They were plain, but clean and sturdy. Not at all what Junko had been wearing. But maybe Padawans didn't get to dress like that? Or maybe she'd have to prove that she could take care of these clothes before they would let her have nicer ones? She didn't know.

She looked around, not really sure what to do with her old clothes. She took a minute, folding them as neatly as she could.

Sabetha didn't know anything about hair. As her very clean, long, curly hair dried naturally, it frizzed. It was clean and unknotted, but in some ways, even more unruly than before. She looked at her reflection in despair. Using a sink, she wet the top layer down again, just to hold it flat. It looked sleeker that way, she thought, slightly mollified.

She came out of the showers when she was done, hoping that, maybe now, things would be better. Carrying her neatly folded clothes with her, she looked around for Junko, offering the woman a shy smile when she saw her. Surely, this must garner some sort of approval.

"Where should I put my old clothes?" She asked.

 

[Junko Ike]

[member="Sabetha Tag"]

Juno had set the droid to alert her when the girl was done and had gotten out, taking the time to go and change so her mass of hair was properly fashioned with the kimono styled robes to give her a better looking outfit more fit for the training or at least seeing if initiates had the potential to be jedi. It wasn't really a big thing but you had to at least be able to do jedi things. If you didn't have that ability then why train as a jedi when she heard the droid alerting her to the padawan being finished and she started heading back with a look on her face.

She arrived there looking at the girl when she heard the question wondering what might be happening. "Your old cloths?" Junko made it a question as she was wondering what the padawan thought she should do with the. "I'd suggest burning them and never thinking about them again." She said it while looking at the girl and she took her in... at least she was clean now which gave a better impression as well as the soap. "Though I suppose you do look better now that you have bathed. Continue do do that."

She aid it almost dismissively but was bringing her towards some of the larger rooms they had in the temple. The mess hall with all of the jedi eating there while she went over to a table and sat down looking at some fo the food that was there. With the new meals ready to eat that had been made and were produced by the jedi for the jedi well they always had a well supply of food as well as snack cakes before she motioned for the girl to sit down. "Now eat and explain more, if you are going to be a jedi you need to show your force potential."

 

[Darth Caecus]

"B-burn them?"

Sabetha had just stared at [member="Junko Ike"] for a moment after she'd said that, clutching the clothes as if they were precious. In a way, they were. They were the only thing she owned, the only thing that was hers. Even though Junko was already walking away, Sabetha stood there for a moment, undecided. The droid moved in to take the clothes from her and she held on to them tightly.

"Don't burn them," she whispered before reluctantly letting go. "Please?"

The droid didn't respond and she didn't know if it would listen to her or not. She watched as it moved away and only then did she run to catch up with Junko.

Of course just in time to be reminded that she should be bathing regularly- as they were entering a crowded room. Shamefaced, Sabetha mumbled an agreement, letting her hair fall in to her face to hide how red it was.

But some of that dissipated when she saw how much food there was here. Just waiting. Sitting out. And none of it spoiled or anything. And she could just.... eat?

The orphan never passed up a chance to eat. They didn't come along often. She got on the line, because she knew what lines were (a bad place to pick a pocket unless there was a good distraction, people were bored and antsy) and received a tray full of the most amazing looking and smelling things. She didn't know what half of them were, but she believed with all of her heart and stomach that they were food.

When she sat down again with Junko, she didn't hesitate to start shoveling food in her mouth. Until she saw the look on the other woman's face again. She swallowed, hard, and deliberately slowed down. She tried, desperately, to remember what her mother had taught her when she was little, but most of it was a blurry haze. No elbows on the table? Okay, check. Use a napkin. This was a napkin, right? Check. Um. Something about burping. Do it always or never? She guessed never. Seemed safest. But that was about the extent of it. So mostly she just tried to slow down (which went against every experience on the street she'd ever had- you never knew when someone was going to just come up and take your food from you), and not make a mess.

"How do I show my force potential?" She said, her mouth only half full of food. She swallowed. "I don't know how to do anything- not on purpose."

She struggled, trying to explain. "I'm lucky. Good things just kind of happen around me. And sometimes, when I really needed something to, I could make it move. Or I know when someone wants to hurt me, before they actually do anything. Someone told me that kind of stuff..... might mean I was a Jedi."

Sabetha didn't really understand the distinction between Jedi and Force Sensitive. To her, they were interchangeable.

 

[Junko Ike]

[member="Sabetha Tag"]

So she didn't use the force actively then. Junko remained there while she was watching the girl eat and listened to her. Maintian her air and posture while sitting of the straight back but also producing utensils to eat the food in small bites as opposed to shoveling it. "I see, now do not talk with your mouth full or shoveling your food. The jedi here will not take it from you so there is no need. These are not the streets anymore initiate." She said it and stayed there for a moment while her feet was free of its small geta sandal and roamed.

Not in a bad wat more to show she had some dexterity and to try gripping and pinching her calf if she wasn't alert. One of the easier tests to see if she could detect the small threat and show she had more producible force talent for herself as she finished and waited to see the results. Stopping her would stop the need to test or really go further in proving she at least had earned a chance to be here, if she dind't then they would move onto something else to try and get her to show her force potential.

"To be clear initiate, just because you can use the force or feel it does not mean you are meant to be a jedi. There is much more that goes into it then that." She knew her name and had it but it was not needed yet. Initiates especially the ones who came to the order older and were not raised from birth needed to be taught and brought into the order properly. Giving them the support or fostering their individuality when they needed to learn how to be like the others and then develop a personality was not needed.

 

[Darth Caecus]

Sabetha took the profered tableware, staring at it for a moment. But she nodded, and set to it, determined to please this woman (for it would be impossible to impress her, she realized). She handled the utensils awkwardly, and every now and then would glance around to see what everyone else was doing with these ridiculous little eating tools.

Mostly, she listened, and struggled with the utensils, and tried to slow down. It was a lot to do at one time, and her concentration was pretty much at it's max. And then [member="Junko Ike"] said something that distracted her even more.

She swallowed the food in her mouth before asking-

"So what is someone who can use the Force but *can't* be a Jedi?"

This was a genuine concern to the girl.

Under the table, something was going on. Pinching with toes didn't really register to Sabetha as danger. There were other, far more real dangers in the galaxy, especially for a kid that had been living on her own for almost six years.

That being said, no one wants to be pinched by someone else's toes. And personal space was a big deal to Sabetha. Just before it would have happened, almost too late, she drew her legs under her suddenly, scooting her chair back a little. She hadn't felt the foot itself, just the idea of a foot, but how she wasn't really sure. It wasn't the first time that had happened. Though maybe the first time with toe pinching.

"Hey!"

Looking down, she caught sight of the foot in question. What the heck was she doing? She looked up at Junko, confusion written clearly on her face.

 

[Junko Ike]

[member="Sabetha Tag"]

Junko looked at her as the girl showed she had the talent at least there and they could continue with more lessons and more things. Her eyebrows came up while she took a sip of the small cup that was there. "Force users who are not jedi generally fall into being sith or being the rare undecided. Some believe themselves superior because they can and will use both sides of the force. Bathe in their own corruption and filth but claim it makes them a rose. It is saddening how often such thoughts lure away others."

She remained there and treated it while she moved her foot and slid it back itno the wooden sandal as normal. "As for you though you have shown you have talent or at least the raw potential to use the force as a jedi. The choice is yours whether you want to continue here at the temple or now that you have gotten a hot meal, clean cloths and a bath return to wherever it was you came from." Every Junko barely looked at her while she said it just leaving it as a matter of fact.

Of her two padawans, one had been a street begger who had with proper training become a decent padawan despite herself letting her arm be maimed and making Junko need to spend extra credits on new fitted sleeves to her robes. The other had joined the jedi stayed for a few weeks and then left to go and become a darksider saying he would be the one to unite the force and use all aspects. Last she had heard he was in an order and serving the other stronger masters.

"So what is it you would like to do initiate?"

 

[Darth Caecus]

Sabetha kept her chair back a bit, waiting for some kind of explaination (or maybe an apology?) but only the barest trace of the first was forthcoming and no sign of the second. She'd gone so far as to pull her feet up on to the seat with her.

When [member="Junko Ike"] asked her though, what she wanted, for a few, agonizing moments, she wasn't sure.

Go back? How could she after seeing what life here could be? Go back to the cold, the hungry, the feeling of always being half a step behind? To the scrabbling, dirty streets? To being completely alone, even surrounded by people?

And yet- she still felt that loneliness. Even right this moment, she felt it. Maybe that part doesn't go away right away, she said to herself.

And it would get better here, right? Easier? Less confusing? Less.... she watched Junko Ike for a heartbeat, trying to sort out the complicated mess of how she felt about the last hour. She wanted this woman to be proud of her (in truth, she just wanted someone to be proud of her, but she couldn't parse that deep into her psyche yet). And if she said no, she'd just be another urchin, another mouth fed and clothed and pushed out the door. Just another-

"Yes," she said finally. "I mean. I want to be a Jedi."

Right now, so many of the things Junko had said were just words to her. They didn't mean anything really. She simply didn't understand.

But she would. Very soon, she would.

 

[Junko Ike]

[member="Sabetha Tag"]

"Hmm good then." She sat there and finished eating before bringing up a small napkin and using it on the corners of her mouth. Some of the better things they had to work with before rising up from the bench as a cleaning droid came over and took her food. "Now once you finish eating, make sure you clean yourself and your hands. I will be across the hall in the garden area awaiting you." Junko remained there for a moment with a look on her face as she was proud the girl had chosen the smart option.

She just wasn't going to show it easily and make getting a compliment from her like pulling teeth.. actually that would be more enjoyable most likely when she was walking away with the doors opening and well some jedi seemed to have opinions about her attitude but they mentioned her family was a force family. "I heard nearly all of the members can use the force, most are skilled masters in the jedi order and they funded those massive ships that were made to create colonies throughout the galaxy."

A few others were talking and letting it be known slightly more of her backstory, Juno wouldn't tell anyone what she had gone through but they were all looking over some of the things. "She was a princess on Atrisia wasn't she?" "Yeah then the emperor went crazy and tried to attack everything declaring them an empire and started locking up all the force users. She's hasn't been on the planet since her family left joining the rest here. Still a princess though compared to most. Juno was in the garden across the hall sitting down and meditating while she immersed herself in the white current.

 

[Darth Caecus]

Sabetha finished eating by herself, quiet and thoughtful. She'd had a moment of warmth at the proud (it had been proud, hadn't it?) look on [member="Junko Ike"] 's face when she'd said she wanted to be a Jedi. It had been the right choice.

Hadn't it?

Once she finished, wiped her hands and mouth, like she'd watched Junko do and then looked around. After a few moments, she saw where to leave her tray and other utensils. She slipped a small, sealed cup of fruit in to a pocket of her initiates robes. Habits die hard, and this one wasn't even an old habit yet. After bussing her tray, she looked around for a moment. A few people caught her eye as she did, but went back to their own lunches and conversations a moment later.

Slipping through the crowd, she followed to where Junko had left, at this point about ten minutes ago. Garden, garden, where was the-

Ah, there it was.

Stepping back out in to the thick air and muted sunlight, Sabetha breathed in the perfume of the gardens. She wasn't really a plant person, didn't know much about them and have thought about them even less. But even she could see how beautiful this place was. She paused, looking around in a sort of bemused awe. She'd never seen anything like it.

Catching sight of Junko (what was she doing? Sleeping? She didn't think so), she threaded her way down the twisting paths. Pausing about two meters from the other woman, she stopped, not sure if she should say something or not. She opted for saying something.

"I'm here," she said, smiling. She didn't know what they were going to do here. Work? She couldn't imagine perfectly dressed and manicured Junko grubbing in a garden. But would she have to? Sabetha had no idea.

 

[Junko Ike]

[member="Sabetha Tag"]

Ah good, junko opened her eyes to look at the girl and she kept the barest dea of how long it had taken her but that wasn't the real problem or question. She was looking over some more of the things until she was done. Rising up and straightening her robes so that she looked presentable. "Now that you are cloths, washed, fed and clean we can begin." Junko motioned with her hand and going over to a new place she could stand and be focused at the ready. "We'll start with the basic lessons to try and get you acclimated to feeling the force."

 

[Darth Caecus]

In some ways, none of this was real. It was all happening so fast, and Sabetha wondered, idly, if she'd wake up soon.

But since no awakening was forthcoming, she nodded instead. She was a little nervous, but ready.

"What do I do?"

[member="Junko Ike"]

 

[Junko Ike]

[member="Sabetha Tag"]

Junko looked at her and well she supposed that was needed she couldn't be like her master Maya and just expect the padawan to know how to do everything. Junko had worked to endeavor to be very different then that experience though she did admit it had only taken her one session to be promoted to the rank of knight and she barely had to do anything. Showing her talent? Maybe but she was more certain that it was because her master was lazy and didn't really want a padawan just did it so she could fulfill training a padawan to knighthood so she could get her precious promotion to master. Junko was thinking about it and her attention went back to her padawan and yes she was going to take her as a padawan. The woman remained there offering a small smirk though as she walked over and crouched down taking up a rock. "Quiet your mind and reach out with the force. When I throw this at you, you are going to try and catch it." She waited several seconds to let the girl prepare before she tossed it softly but guided enough to impact her chest if she failed.

 

[Darth Caecus]

Catch.... a rock?

Of all of the things [member="Junko Ike"] could have told her to do right now, that had not been something she had considered in her list. She watched Junko, nonplussed as the woman picked up the stone.

She didn't really need the Force to catch a rock. It was.... just a rock. She felt a little perplexed but agreed with herself to try at least. She was still a little lost as to what exactly the Force was, let alone how to consciously use it.

But, she would try.

Catching the rock was no big deal. But did she use the Force to do it? Not really. Mostly just her eyes and hands. Maybe, she convinced herself, the Force had helped her by giving her a hint when Junko threw it? Even she couldn't convince herself of that.

Holding the rock, she looked at Junko, annoyed, but not with the other woman. More with herself.

"I don't think I did that right."

 

[Junko Ike]

[member="Sabetha Tag"]

She was looking at her do it and wasn't exactly certain if she had done it correctly one of the big things about knowing the white current was her skills with the basics of the force were also very minor and less improved. The jedi knight got through because she knew how to really make many of the things. Her skills with the force here though she could watch and feel her padawan as she waited there. "You may have, did you use the force to augment your mind and reflexes to catch the rock?" She asked it while looking at some of the things and was thinking about how her master explained it however briefly and.... no that was a confusing idea. Saying the force controlled everything and left no freewill was one thing. Adding that the force only wanted life to flourish and everyone was important in the force and connected but they were unable to explain then why the sith were able to kill. Still she knew a few things. "If not then stand still and empty your mind except for my voice. Feel the force around you, feel it in the air as you inhale it deep into your lungs and allow it to circulate through your body."