Dust to Dust

[The Dark Man]

When the long dark closes around us,
we will be the last light.

Mid Rim
Hutt Space
Y'Toub System
Nar Shaddaa

His dark robes drew around him, as black as night. The wool was tarnished, tattered and soiled in places from the time of his existence as a rat in the gutters of the Coruscant Underworld. For seven months he was on the run, and such an experience had given his possessions a deeper novelty to them, and so he dare not abandon these robes in favour of new ones. If these had suited him well enough to survive him on the run for so long, then they could survive him for any other objective in his life. Large oval spectacles bobbed on his thick nose as he swept into the Jedi hanger located on the Lower Deck of the Enclave on Nar Shaddaa, between the fork that divided the Corellian and Refugee Sectors. A corvette was awaiting his presence, and somewhere onboard would find the Jedi Padawan assigned to be his apprentice.


{ [member="Tugoro Taidarious"] }

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

Well, today was the day. If things went smoothly, hopefully the boy would have himself a master that was around to mentor him. Most of his teachers in the past had been rather temporary, forcing the youth to explore the outside world and gain vast knowledge from it. Even so, Tugoro still had much to learn and refine upon, for he was merely the young age of sixteen. Having left his own starfighter on Ossus, the young Padawan could not help but feel nervous, hoping that no one found it and decided to take it while he was in this corvette. They had arrived on the city planet of Nar Shaddaa, a frequent location of Tugoro's coincidentally. He had done undercover work with one of his previous masters, helping to free slaves and the like. The craft would pass through the enclave's hangar shields, touching down on it's floor before powering down.

Tugoro would lift from his seat, having been examining the craft's command deck, and all of it's crew. They were busy doing many things, some that Tugoro didn't even understand. He was used to flying starfighters, and would never want to pilot a massive ship like this one. Walking forward, the young Jedi would lift an arm, waving his palm at the door in order to have it open to allow him access to the ship's corridors. The boy was big on first impressions, and wanted to make sure he didn't make this Knight wait. Striding down the halls, the youth would quickly happen upon the loading ramp, using his telekinetic prowess to have it open, slowly but surely. Stepping down the ramp, the brown haired lad would begin to survey the area, spotting [member="Ekul Selah"]. Tugoro would hesitate completely, lifting an arm to point directly at the old man as he approached. The boy's expression was what one would call surprised, and perhaps even nervous. Tugoro had definitely encountered the Knight before, during a little escapade to Korriban. How embarrassing. "Y-you!" the youth would exclaim, causing a few crew members to toss him a confused look as they exited the craft as well.

 

[The Dark Man]

"Ahh," Ekul Selah said in a long drawl as Tugoro pointed at him in shock. He had not expected the boy, but then again, there were so few Jedi around these days, and even fewer padawans, it should not have been a surprise. Powerful arms curled themselves over his chest, folding them and allowing them to rest gently. All appearances dictated, by superstition and stereotype alone, people oft thought him a Sith, with the tarnished robes that were an inky blackness. Indeed there had once been a time, long ago when he wore different styles, the neutral colours, but things had changed for Jedi Selah. He had changed. He felt more comfortable shrouded in the darkness than he felt standing in the light. Five years in the slave mines of Kessel, and seven months in the underworld of Coruscant, experiences changed a man. He motioned for Tugoro to follow.

"Correct, neither of us were expecting one another," Jedi Selah began, his footsteps as soft as a falling feather. One would have to strain to hear the padding of his boots on the rusted titanium floor. In initial reports, this place was referred to as a temple of the Jedi, but better served as an enclave or chapter house. An old and poorly refurbished warehouse, that still showed age from time and weather. Water dripped from the roof from an unknown busted pipe. Bulkheads and durasteel columns that acted as the foundations of which kept the building standing were clearly deteriorating, with the clean silver sheen now a crusted reddish orange. Floodlights illuminated the way, and what lights hung from the ceiling above had long since been out of service. It was a perfect representation of Nar Shaddaa. Old, decrepit, but still standing. "The first thing you will learn from me, Tugoro, luxury is an unnecessary reliance many Jedi have grown to require."


{ [member="Tugoro Taidarious"] }

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

Walking along the hangar floor, Tugoro's brown Jedi robe would billow as he moved, keeping with with the elder Knight [member="Ekul Selah"]. The boy's composure would retain, as he fell into a stride alongside the dark clothed Jedi. Taking a moment to thoroughly examine the man's attire, Tugoro would shrug, figuring that the elder really didn't care about luxury of any kind, including nice clothes. The youth had really never cared about clothes back on Kashyyyk, however he wore them now due to the fact they made him look cool. At least, he figured that the brown leather flight jacket was pretty cool. Even so, he was wearing his simple Padawan tunic, which had his brown robe draped over it. Tugoro would take note of their tarnished state, looking to be old and worn out. This guy was probably experienced. After listening intently, Tugoro would say, "I could learn a bit from you," before surveying his surroundings more thoroughly. It was a rusted, dimly lit old warehouse.

Still walking with the Knight, the Padawan would continue to speak, genuinely curious despite his remarks. "What is the first lesson?"

 

[The Dark Man]

"You could learn a bit from me?" he gave a throaty chuckle in mirth, "Of course you could, that is what we're both here for." He moved into a side room, the central access point. There was a turbolift, a cylindrical tube that was not only lopsided, but the transparisteel had visible large cracks. Beside it were steps that moved upwards in a spiralling fashion, each step was unnecessary large for the previous owner who had clearly been not of human proportions. Ekul Selah began to walk up the stairs, each step caused a deep groan in protest from the metal, as though the step was threatening to give way under his weight. "Watch your step," Jedi Selah warned, throwing his foot further ahead this time where a metallic step had snapped and fallen due to severe rusting. "Your first lesson is now," Ekul announced in response as they moved up the stairs, "Make yourself as light as a feather. Do not alter the energy of the stairs to make it sturdy, but the energy within yourself. It will help you in more ways than just stairs, trust me of that."

Ekul Selah decided to make a point of this, even if he was damaging his own enclave. He took a hard step, his boots ringing through the metal as they vibrated viciously. The metal creaked, and the step gave way under his foot. It fell into the darkness beneath him before crashing onto the steps below them. "If you don't become light as a feather, you may fall through." He continued up the stairwell, higher and higher, around and around, they continued to rise until they would reach the mid-deck of the three decked warehouse. It was also the main point of entrance aside from the hanger. "The medical bay, bathrooms, cafeteria and training hall is here, your room is on the upper deck." Selah turned and rose higher, until they would reach the upper deck, containing a primary and secondary conference room, the primary belonging to the small council that ruled this chapter house. Lastly the living accommodations. A single room full of awkward, squat bunk beds.
​

{ [member="Tugoro Taidarious"] }

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

The boy would continue to walk with the old Knight, listening to his words and chuckling as they approached a room. Tugoro's eyes would first fall upon the turbolift, one that looked of a rather low quality. His neck would crane to the side, watching as [member="Ekul Selah"] began to walk up the steps. He didn't actually think they were safer, did he? Looking over the rusted, weak metal, Tugoro would shake his head in regret, following slowly, before listening to the man's instructions. It was definitely an unorthodox method of training, however the young boy saw it as that, and nothing else. It would surely aid him in the future, learning how to silence his movement through controlling it with the force. The boy's booted foot would reach forth, pressing itself against one of the deteriorating metallic steps, causing it to creak and groan under his pressure. This wouldn't be fun.

Taking a moment to focus, the youth's eyes would close only briefly, allowing the force within and around him to slowly but surely come under his control. His doubt and anxiety would vanish, replaced by confidence in the force that would surely guide him on the right path. Tugoro's mind would reach out, harnessing the energy around him and gathering it into his feet, allowing it to stream up into the rest of his body as well. The Padawan would focus intently, standing on the tips of his feet while he imagined being weightless. He would allow the force to envelop him, silencing his movements, for they were now more precise and calculated. Tugoro had a history of trudging along life, not caring to watch his step. Watching the old man quickly ascend the flight, the youth would stare in disbelief, as he followed suit. His legs would move back and forth gracefully, tapping lightly upon the metallic steps, causing them to only groan slightly. He even swore he felt one snap, though he wouldn't mention that as he continued to focus on his feet.

After a moment, the boy was now walking along the floor towards Ekul, listening while he listed off the nearby areas. Tugoro had done relatively well in scaling the stairs for his first time, though he was indeed out of breath. He figured this would probably be something of a daily task, until he mastered it completely. "Cafeteria, huh," the teen would comment, feeling rather hungry. Even so, Tugoro assumed they would be too busy for such luxuries.

 

[The Dark Man]

Ekul Selah explained, “Every single living creature experiences the Force in different ways. For some it is like a storm in which they were the cynosure, secure in its calm eye while commanding its tempests. For others it is a fog, a mist, the vaporous tendrils of which could be manipulated, or incandescence with which to illuminate or inflame. Though one must heed that these are inadequate approximations, feeble attempts to describe, in terms of the five ordinary senses, that which is indescribable.” He glanced over his shoulder to see his Padawans progress up the flight of stairs, “For myself, the closest thing to which I could liken calling the Force is sinking into a warm lagoon. It soothes me, calms me, even when it lends energy to my tired muscles and sharpens my senses. A geyser from which I can blast energy, or a cascading rapid for which I can flow down safely.” Standing upon the upper deck, he turned and asked, arms still folded across his chest, "And what do you make of the Force?"

"We've got a mission in one hour. I want you fed - do so first, then take a bath if you wish it, it will be your last luxury before we head into the city. You'll need the food for your energy. Lastly, make yourself dressed with your bed organised. I'll meet you out on the balcony of the upper deck." The balcony in question was the only balcony attached to the warehouse, with the other platforms on the mid-deck leading out into the Corellian and Refugee Sectors respectively. Jedi Selah had been strict and precise, and he knew well some padawans hated that in him, but if you could not be strict and precise in oneself, then you could never be a Jedi - at least the standard of Jedi Ekul Selah respected. Controversially, he did not believe Grandmaster Kiskla was one of them. Though everything surrounding Jedi Selah seemed controversial, from the way he lived to the way he viewed the Force and his fellow Jedi. Some of the younger ones theorised he was getting mad with age. He bid Tugoro farewell - for now. He moved towards the door leading out onto the balcony, where he would sit and wait in silence.


{ [member="Tugoro Taidarious"] }

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

The boy would fall silent, looking towards the man as he began to give a lengthy speech on his and other views of the force. Tugoro would listen intently as he caught up to [member="Ekul Selah"], trying to decipher the almost cryptic words that had been presented to him. Thinking about them quickly, the youth would slowly begin to nod, beginning to comprehend was the man meant. It seemed as if he were questioning his views of the force, and perhaps even what sect he fell under? It was a good question, one he had never actually stopped and taken the time to ponder on. Through past experiences, the youth could confidently argue that he believed the emotions of an individual dictated their force alignment, be it light or dark. The boy believed "the force" to be an energy source separate from the light and dark completely, one that could be changed based on the force wielder himself. He liked his views, for it gave him a sense of control over the force energy within and around him.

The boy would sigh quietly, before mustering up the words to say in his response. He hated speaking galactic basic. "The force is like a tool," Tugoro would speak slowly, before continuing, "like a hydrospanner. Can be used to tighten and correct errors, or loosen and further them." The youth would crane his head to the side, looking away as he became flustered. He wondered if he sounded stupid, it was rather annoying to speak so much, but he had been getting used to it for several months now. Suddenly, the duo would part ways, Tugoro turning to head towards his personal quarters. He was excited to hear what this mission was, and hardly minded the instructions. He had time to relax, after all. The force energy within and around him would begin to enhance his body and senses, allowing him to perceive the world in slow motion as he moved at super human speeds. The brown and beige blur of the Padawan's attire would zoom through the hallways, heading towards the cafeteria. Walking calmly along the corridors, Tugoro would take his time in examining the structure's interior thoroughly, realizing how much of a dump this place was. Hopefully his room wasn't too bad. Turning into the cafeteria, the boy would sigh in relief, looking around at the few personal who slowly moved, talking in deep, almost nonsensical voices.

Moving through the line agilely, Tugoro would use his speed and enhanced senses to easily take what he wanted, that being a bottle of blue milk and a wrapped up sandwich of some sort. Fishing a few credits out of his pocket, the youth would toss them onto the counter, allowing his speed to disengage as he exited the room. Heading for his own quarters now, the Padawan would slide his hand over the console, pressing a button in order to have the door open. Inside was a moderate looking bed, along with a bedside drawer and nothing else really important. Flopping down onto the cushion, the youth would begin to rest, placing his food down on the table nearby. He was tired, especially after using force speed like that. He would drift off into a slumber, awakening forty five minutes later. Leaping up to his feet, the boy would begin to scramble for his possessions, making sure his weapons were secure at his belt, while he stuffed his edibles into his pockets. Straightening out his bed in a half assed manner, the lad would quickly skip out the door, darting through the halls and towards the balcony he had been instructed to go to. "Ready," he spoke, basically just on time.

 

[The Dark Man]

Ekul Selah closed his eyes, and time ceased to exist. The hour began to pass seemingly instantanously. In meditation, he lost any conception of time or the physical world; there was only The Force. He had been so quickly sucked from the material world and entered this state of non-being. He concentrated on the flow of his internal energy. His emotions, his past and all else. Even the parts he did not want others to know about. Whilst Ekul had lost himself to the Force, the material world was much different to the organic eye. Time for others passed just as slowly as it ordinarily did. When Ekul Selah opened his eyes, it had seemed to be no less than a handful of seconds. His body felt neither hunger nor thirst for its internal processes had slowed to almost a halt to allow him to meditate such a length of time.

He turned, twisting his legs and feet as his knees went taut, standing up straight. Tugoro had just raced out onto the balcony, stating that he was ready. A thick smile grew upon Jedi Selah's lips, he motioned for Tugoro to follow his lead. "There is roughly twenty feet between us and the platform below - the one leading into the Corellian Sector. It's estimated at such a height, humans have a fifty-fifty chance of survival. With the Force, anything is possible. Open your mind. Allow yourself to float gently down. Control the energy within yourself, and around you. I'll go first, wait for me to land before you try." Jedi Selah obviously stated thus, because if Tugoro couldn't do it, someone was going to have to save him from more than just a broken leg. Ekul turned to face the railing, stretching his foot high enough to slam it down on rusted edge, then he propelled himself over, as though in a dive.

He bathed himself in the Force, allowing it to move him, summersaulting, shifting his weight, torque his muscles and spinning him so that when he landed he would land on his feet. He fully relinquished himself into the Force. It washed over him, slowly cascading him downwards, an invisible current that carried him to stand on the platform far below as though he had weighed that of a piece of parchment. He breathed in and out, relaxed, measured and controlled. His body turned, and the nearby speeders that passed overhead caused his cloak to furiously flap in the passing wind. Spectacles gazed upward, expecting, weighing, judging.​

{ [member="Tugoro Taidarious"] }

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

Looking over the balcony's edge, Tugoro would gaze down at the platform below, sucking his teeth at the "dangerous" drop. He had fell from much higher heights before, and obviously lived to tell the tale. The youth's eyes would watch [member="Ekul Selah"] intently after the man stopped talking, his dark shrouded form leaping from the railing and down into the Corellian sector. Out of all of his force powers, telekinesis was definitely the young Padawan's best, his training and combat experiences having given him great opportunities to hone it. Doing as the Knight instructed, Tugoro would begin to exert his force energy, allowing it infuse with that of which flowed around him already. Taking a step forward and pulling himself up onto the railing, the youth would look down, his eyelids squinting in order to narrow his vision.

He managed to spot the old timer below, just as he landed and looked back towards his location. Hopping forward, the youth's clothes and hair would begin to flap wildly, as his figure cut through the air at a high speed. Of course, it would begin to slow, as the force around Tugoro began to manifest into telekinetic energy, exerting itself from beneath the boy's feet like a powerful air current. After a few moments of gliding, the sole of the boy's boots would slam down onto the platform, as he landed a few meters away from his new instructor. He liked this old guy, especially if they were going to train like this on a day to day basis. Breaking into a speed walk, the young Padawan would quickly fall into line, ready to move on from their location.

 

[The Dark Man]

"Better than I expected," Ekul Selah chimed. He drew himself away from the enclave, and further towards the Corellian Sector. On either side of this rusted durasteel bridge was a drop of epic proportions. Darkness swallowed whatever pit of decrepit souls lived down there. As they neared what signified the Corellian Sector, neon lights that tantalised the eyes, and booming music that nigh hurt the eardrums, the crowd grew thicker. It became dense enough that if Jedi Selah stood only two meters ahead of Tugoro, he would be swept away by the crowd and the two separated by the bodily rips. Tugoro would have to stay near him, lest the two lose one another. Jedi Selah did not fret at these thoughts, if he lost him, the Force would guide him back, if he stayed close, it proved that he was reliable. There was always the off-chance the crowds simply were too fierce and separated them, but it was more likely he got distracted by the dancers in the windows, the lights and the music and lost Selah. He spoke, "There's a bounty hunter in the area looking to make a name for himself. I've had a tassel with him before, on Coruscant, he lost his legs, but he clearly didn't find any wits." Jedi Selah tossed a glance over his shoulder to see if the kid could keep up.


{ [member="Tugoro Taidarious"] }

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

Tugoro could only smirk, as he listened to his new master's praise. It was true, that Tugoro's skill was basically far more advanced than most Padawans, given the fact he had spent more time training and fighting than even some Knights. The boy probably would have been a Knight long ago if not for his smug and cocky attitude. Even so, he managed to suppress it most of the time, capable of making some friends here and there when he deemed them fit. Having gotten caught up in his thoughts, the young boy would look up, noticing that [member="The Dark Man"] had disappeared into the crowd completely. Gritting his teeth in embarrassment, the Padawan would quickly dive into the flow of people, his body slipping and spinning past those that threatened to hit him. His mind was opened completely to his sensing power, as Tugoro's energy sought out Ekul's own. It was bright and distinct, even among the thousands of Nar Shaddaa.

The boy's graceful movements would allow him to outmaneuver most, except one guy who had decided to stop completely in the middle of the walking crowd. Tugoro decided to bump him on purpose, though that would hopefully go unseen by his master. Taking a moment to examine his surroundings, the youth would notice the dancers in the windows, wondering why they were in a window display. So strange. After a few seconds, the teen would appear by the Knight's side, smiling sheepishly while listening to his words. "Bounty hunter, huh?" He asked, remembering back to his fight with one Lily Rose. He had managed to flow the female, though that was most likely due to the fact she had suffered from a considerably high fall. "Where is he?"

 

[The Upright Man]

Long strides closed the distance. His hand moved out and shoved aside the bystanders in his way. There was still a bounty on Jedi, and he had not been lazy in observing their new chapter house on Nar Shaddaa. He watched them soar down from the balcony and onto the platform, and now he stalked his prey through the crowd, weary and cautious. He had almost jumped the gun on Taidarious, but the kid ran off to find his master. A shame, it would have been easy, he thought. He closed in now, twin blasters hooked and holstered by his waist, and when Taidarious opened his mouth, "Where is he?" all Julian had to say was, "Here." He moved in an attempt to grab him from behind, and hurl him through the crowd like a rag-doll if successful. Enhanced by cybernetics.


[member="Tugoro Taidarious"] [member="The Dark Man"]

 

[Tugoro Taidarious]

Before Tugoro was able to catch up to his master, it seemed someone had decided to interfere. Upon feeling a firm grip around the back of his jacket's collar, the young boy's neck would crane to the side, catching a brief glimpse of [member="Julian Solo"] before he was pulled off of his feet. "What the ka-" the youth would manage, before being flung through the air, colliding with some people before they all noticed. Heads would turn as the attention of the crowd was drawn to the scuffle that was about to go down, apparently. Slamming into the ground, Tugoro would roll several times, before placing his palms against the duracrete street surface. The youth would quickly stagger to his feet, dazed by the surprising power of his foe that did not seem to be brought about with the force. Cybernetics, perhaps? "Clear out," Tugoro would announce the crowds, as his hand lowered to reach for his waist. The young Padawan would draw his training saber hilt from his belt, tugging it from the restraints and wielding the handle firmly in his grasp.

The boy had used his sharp eyesight to examine the sudden attacker, and was aware of the two blasters he currently possessed. The weapons had not been drawn yet, though could have been at any given moment. Stepping forward confidently, Tugoro would puff his chest out, while gripping his inactivated saber at his side. Smirking smugly, the youth would begin to examine the assailant further, using his mind to sense his signature and overall being. He was unsure if the hunter was equipped with cybernetics, though it was highly likely and would have to be proven before further action was taken. The boy's casual walk would suddenly break into a sprint, as the force energy within and around him allowed his body to release a burst of speed. The teen's agile form would appear in front of the Corellian, leaned back slightly as his leg thrust forward in a powerful kick for his torso.
[member="The Dark Man"]