Private Educational Crusade

[Persephone Dashiell]

“I mean, there is definitely something radiating out from a center. Can’t pin that down yet… But there are waves of light side… Its got a warmth to it, unlike the dark, which has a cold feeling…” He continued. “I could get some of the ExplorCorps out here, once we find what you need to lead the team…”

"So what you're telling me.." She began slowly, mulling over the words. "Is that potentially the entire lovers-to-nexus story may be fabricated? I mean...not a shocker. However, what would possess the Jedi - sorry force user - to create a story such as that regarding the nexus? To get them into the cult of the Ashlan Crusade? I can't see that unless their main recruitment base was teenage girls."

Brows furrowed together. It wasn't making much sense to her - which is why Coren Starchaser was along to help her understand. It seemed some of it though they were learning together. According to a bit of her digging into Coren's background, he was more space-faring explorer rather than ground explorer.

"As for leading a team? Me? No way. I'm not qualified and even if I was, no one is going to listen to a teenage girl with hot pink nailpolish."

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Coren had a hard time believing in some of the fairy tales he’d heard. The Force offered many avenues for people to learn and grow, and to change the galaxy to their whim, but what he wasn’t always following was just how descriptive it could get. Perhaps there was an event, something founded in the way two beings, strong in the Force connected at a specific moment, and it could have created a nexus, but he also felt that it was something that could have been built over time. He and Celeste were both strong in the Force, and very much in love, albeit finding each other later in life, and he had to say that it would require hard work from both of them to create a nexus, even on a world like Kattada.

“Many sentient species have creation stories, or create religions with unseen deities, to explain the world around them. Well before the advent of science. Could it all be the Force, or as some would call it, magic? It is possible. A nice story goes far to bring people into any one organization.”

He had to laugh when she mentioned who would be joining the Ashlan Crusade. “Perhaps you’re right, but I don’t think its exclusive. If the Ashlan Crusade was active during my youth, with their promise of a more active light side, and what it could bring? I could see myself falling into line.

“And don’t sell yourself short. Everyone starts off somewhere. From the ground up. People will follow those who have the drive and the knowledge. Its why so many doctoral students from the Core Worlds are leading expeditions with older crews…”

Persephone Dashiell

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

Persephone seemed shocked, looking at Coren Starchaser with confusion. Not for one but for two separate reasons. She hadn't expected the older Jedi to surprise her that he had wanted to join the cult. Or would have if the Crusade had been around in his youth. Apparently she was just scratching the surface then on what they had been all about and motivations of those to join. Many were still alive too, which meant it may be easier than first thought to discover why.

"Joining a cult because they are active? Sounds about right I suppose, like why people join to feel a sense of belonging and purpose. Guess that would be a bigger driver for recruitment than some flowery creation story." She paused slightly, thinking. "As for doctoral student,not sure I'll ever get there...I'm uh...six? years behind on my education.."

Poor kids didn't have the luxury of going to school daily. She had been taught how to read, write, and basic arithmetic from her Mama but then nothing. Stretches of days in the underbelly of Taris with the other street urchins that called the lowest levels home. Her adoptive parents weren't having any excuses though, spending a fortune on a long line of tutors.

The path came to an end, bringing them into a large space that had been carefully carved out by hand.

​

"You think these are for hedonistic purposes or ceremony? Or both? Like uh...baptism? Initiation?"

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Everyone had their own way of going through life, and truth be told, it changed all the time. For Coren Starchaser, he was once a smuggler-hiding-from-his-lineage, then he was an Imperial officer, trying to get as far from the Jedi path as possible. After that? He found himself falling through the ranks of Warden of the Sky while moonlighting with the might of the Force that was in his veins, and now? He was still a Sentinel, more a Watchman of the Levant, and here to teach budding explorers, both that used the Force and were blind to it.

Why couldn’t a teenager with bright colored nail polish lead a team of people on an expedition to dig up the past? For all that it was, the Ashlan Crusade did have a strong part to play in the galaxy. And why wouldn’t someone who once lead a Force crusade that masqueraded as a galactic superpower not want to become Jedi Lord Starchaser?

If left unchecked power was addicting.

“If you give people a purpose, and a direction? They’ll follow. Some are more likely than others to do it, thats true, but it remained true. And if you dress something up? People will eat it up.

“And I’m pretty sure that we have people woefully unqualified based on education in the top parts of galactic government. I was a pilot, trained to do that, and learned how to smuggle and be a Jedi. Then people started following me. But if you have the drive? That gets recognized.”

As they entered the main chamber, Coren let out a low whistle. Stepping forward, he put his saber back to his belt and ran his hands over the columns. “This wasn’t made by the Force.” He still took a centering breath as he looked around, stepping close to the water and dipping his hand in. Cold. Naturally fed?

“What was the ambient temperature before we came in here?” He shook the water from his hand. “Most likely an initiation. I’m not getting the feeling of it being… anything else?”

Persephone Dashiell

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

"Uhmm...hold on."

Persephone opened up her datapad, pulling up the main screen with the weather. Location services had already changed to the planet and displayed the relevant information. She wasn't sure what the temperature outside the cavern had to do with what they were after. Yet she was here to learn and observe, so she would do as she was told.

"Twenty-two celsius, give or take. That is what we just came from and of course we're in the cavern now. Not a weird cave dwelling person like my adoptive father, so I couldn't guess the temperature or give you any scientific spiel like he probably could. Sorry."

Persephone moved forward, further around the pool, looking up and around at the space. Didn't seem unusual to her. Didn't seem unusual to Coren Starchaser either.

"Huh. So we came down here to....see a man made pool some religion used? Its pretty. Its different. Not quite matching what is recorded."

 

[Coren Starchaser]

The Warden Master was more than happy to give this girl the time she needed to learn, and honestly, he was benefiting from it as well. Coren Starchaser always made sure to learn what he could from everyone he met. Even the Sith he fought. It was why his conflict with Taeli Raaf helped him become who he was. She was sneaky, now he was sneaky, and working from the shadows and the public face. But also, the man was mostly retired aside from the odd job he took.

Like this one.

The older man laughed at Persephone. “I mean, he does cave dwell a lot, you’re not wrong on that. And I can tell its a few degrees cooler.” Be it his knee, or the way his cybernetic arm was fitting, he wasn’t so sure. Also just having been a Sentinel, Watchman, and Warden, he knew a few things about the worlds around him.

“And sometimes, just feeling your way through something, not with the Force but your own intuition is the best way, just trust your gut on things. Don’t need any spiel.” He nodded, hoping that made some sense.

“What is recorded again?” Coren was half in and out at the moment, his hand up as he stepped close to the pool, kneeling besides it and dipping his hand in. It was warmer than he expected. Was that in the Force? Could be.

Persephone Dashiell