Private Far from home

[Takui]

The last ten years were a blur.

Taku's earliest memories were of a loving family, elder brothers and a sister who doted on him and toiled to help their father manage his small business. He recalled the days he spent learning to count earnings and keep track of day to day spikes and lulls, vowing that he would be of use to his father just like the others. When he thought about those days, it almost seemed to hurt more.

War came without warning. He watched the Holonet news with his mother, terrified that their home would be next. The expansionist Sith had already stretched dangerously far west. The House Arenais of Commenor was forced to cede their thrown and the planet lost an entire city to the massive war machine. Hope was dwindling like a flame during a downpour.

Then, his father left on business. That was what he told them. His mother waited, patiently, and told them he would return when he had the money to move them safely away. Taku remembered how hard he had held to that belief.

Now it burned like bile, and tasted just as wretched when he thought of the man. The fleeting moments that his mother managed to smile, and her grave final request. That was what spurred him Coreward.

Taku had only heard of the Jedi in stories. He had never seen one, and if not for his mother's coaxing, he would have left it at that. Yet here he was, surrounded by hundreds of people on Alderaan, looking for any leads that might bring him to where he could meet the Jedi.

It was a crowded market, one of the few places he could freely go and speak with other people. Midday brought a soothing sunlight and a cool breeze that made it pleasant enough. It was the daunting nature of not knowing anyone that set him back.

It suddenly struck him, he felt overwhelmed.

"This... is a big... city."

Auteme

 

[Auteme]

Takui ​

Sheer coincidence.

That was all it took, really -- chance. Thermodynamic miracle. The Force, maybe, if the Force had the power that she believed it did. Which it did, of course. It did because she believed it did. Because she believed in it she allowed it to carry her, to wash her away in the current, to be swept up in the flow of that great invisible river. She did not know where it was headed until she had arrived.

Today it was on Alderaan; a planet reconstructed, built from scratch. In truth walking there was almost like being in a dream. This was a place built on technology beyond almost anything else, a true wonder, and yet it was so mundane on the surface. People milled about the market square without a care in the world. In bursts their thoughts presented themselves to her; some loud, some hidden, none wondering for an instant the nature of their world or why that technology had never again been used.

She glided; danced, almost, through the square. The other 'purpose' she'd had on the planet had been wrapped up nicely but the Force asked her to stay a little longer. She obliged; wandering through the market was no trouble at all and it was a beautiful day.

As was expected in such a crowded place she bumped into a few people here and there, but she did her best to avoid that as well as she could. "Sorry. Excuse me. Sor-"

A feeling flashed in her mind; a single word. Jedi.

She stopped, turning to look at the white-haired young man she'd just brushed shoulders with. "You're... looking for something. Jedi."

 

[Takui]

There were many things in the Galaxy that Taku had never seen. He learned about them in studies, read in books, or heard outlandish stories that recounted a time of rebellion. In the microcosm that was his childhood home, the vastness of space and the feuds between mythical forces of good and evil seemed not only irrelevant but also highly unlikely.

It wasn't until his father left that any hint of truth anointed them. With the bittersweet slap of that revelation still red on his cheek, he had resolved to leave all the comforts he had known behind, and the state of the Galaxy beyond his meager, yet more than adequate lifestyle ripped the carpet out from under him.

This universe they were living in was not a peaceful place. Bickering between neighbors escalated into wars between ideologies. Locked in a Neverending conflict between good and evil, Taku found himself drowning. It was not simply a battle between the legendary Jedi and insidious Sith. There were governments seeking to stake their claim from the hearts of the galactic populace.

Promises they meant to break were made in confident voices by smiling faces. Where there were more honest men, there were bleaker conditions on the horizon. Just the other day, he heard news of Myrkr, utterly devastated during a battle. It called back to a story about the very planet he was on, Alderaan.

Long ago, word had it, Alderaan was consumed in the flames of a superlaser and blown to dust. In his studies, in his comfort, Takui would never have believed that. It was hard to believe it even now, standing in the middle of a thriving city on a living, breathing world.

Stranger things had happened.

He was so overwhelmed by the world around him that he almost hadn't noticed the impact. It was her voice that reached him. "Oh, uh, no, its my fault for standing around like an idiot in a daze," he assured her, waving his hands to deflect concern.

There were times in the silence of his own thoughts, even surrounded by thousands of people that Taku found himself completely at peace. The world around him seemed to still, and he became aware of how very small he was. That was the spell he had been under when the young woman brushed shoulders with him.

It wasn't until several heartbeats later that he actually saw her face. His cheeks flushed, and he felt like an idiot. He visibly winced, bracing for the impact of whatever words she had prepared for him.

To his surprise, they were not at all what he expected.

Stranger things indeed.

"Y-yes!" he blurted. He was less surprised that she guessed that and more surprised- pleasantly! That she hadn't ripped into him verbally. "Yes, I came here looking to learn more about Jedi. That must be a pretty common thing if you could just tell by looking at me," he laughed it off.

Auteme

 

[Auteme]

Takui
​

"No, I mean- it isn't. I just..." The more she looked at the boy the more she was confused. He certainly didn't dress like an Alderaanian, or even someone from one of the Core Worlds. The Force made its presence known, but it was almost as if the door to it was still closed. It didn't make sense. f he'd actually been looking for the Jedi, wouldn't he have head to Coruscant, or Silver space?

Yet his words and demeanor were earnest. Was it that he didn't know what the Jedi were? If that was true, why was he looking for them? She almost squinted as she searched him for the necessary truths, but it was like reading a foreign script. There were few scripts that were foreign to her.

"I'm a Jedi," she said, watching his reaction. "And I... uh, I got a feeling off you. Didn't mean to, but I guess it's good that I did."

Was this why she'd stuck around a little longer? The Force left her to her own devices, forcing her to speak to the young man. Not that she'd been planning to abandon him; that'd be rude, and the more she looked at him the more curious she became.

"My name is Auteme. Jedi Knight of the New Jedi Order." She stuck out her hand for a shake. "Most of us... have lightsabers, and are, ah, doing important things."

Then again, who was to say this wasn't important? "How about we go sit someplace and talk? I'm sure I can help you in your search."

 

[Takui]

Luck must have been on his side.

At least, that was immediately what he thought when the woman introduced herself as a Jedi. It was a bit strange that she mentioned she had got a feeling," but then, he had gut feelings all the time. Sometimes they even panned out. Maybe Jedi were instinct jockeys or something crazy like that.

It would be rude to ask her something like that, though.

When she went for the handshake, Taku smiled and gave her a firm (but not hard, just respectful) shake, the way he'd been taught. A handshake is a first impression. Firmness, strength, weakness- however you present yourself in an instant can tell someone all about you. If you're a pushover, or if you're trying to intimidate them, or if you sincerely respect them and you're looking to make a deal that will benefit both parties- a good businessman can read all of that just from that single touch.

The way his father read people was far deeper than that, though. He never explained it in depth, not that they had ever been close. Takui just had a good idea that his father saw things and knew things that were far beyond his depth. He had a knack for noticing things himself. Perhaps he'd inherited the gift.

"Takui," he gave her his name as the handshake ended. "Takui Mihzu. I've only really heard about Jedi in books and from my mother. Its a huge break of luck for me that I happened upon you," he said thankfully.

She mentioned lightsabers- he had the basic concept, if only in passing. They were laser swords, weightless weapons that could only be wielded by those with insane reflexes and skill. He had seen his father collect one from a trader and move it for sale to an exceptionally high bidder. He never saw it lit, just that pretty, ornate hilt before it disappeared into a box, never to be seen again.

"I really appreciate your taking the time out," he said with a smile. "I would be in your debt if you'd oblige me with some insight."

Auteme

 

[Auteme]

Takui
​

"A pleasure to meet you, Takui," she said, giving a warm smile. "And it's not trouble at all. Honestly... I can't remember the last time I met someone who was only just joining the Jedi. New padawans. Younglings, even."

She knew that most people his age probably didn't like being called 'younglings'. He was at the beginning of adulthood (she guessed) just as she was. It'd be odd to tell him that he'd be training with five year olds. No, despite his apparent lack of knowledge she thought he'd fit right in among the padawans.

Auteme beckoned him to follow and started through the crowds of the market square. They'd been half-obstructing the flow of the busy corridor anyways; and right there was no real place to talk. Instead she headed towards the center of the square to the sculpted marble fountain. A relic of a bygone era, somewhat -- the marble was far too polished and lacked any cracks as of yet, obviously some kind of reproduction from the original Alderaan. She sat on the edge, reaching over to trace her fingers over the sparkling water. Despite being at the center of the market it seemed almost removed from it. A few children played nearby; one wandered over and stuck his face in the water. Auteme chuckled and watched him run off, before turning back to Takui.

"Well -- as much as I love books, there are many other ways to search for things." She smiled and reached into her bag to produce a small Holodevice. It'd occurred to her that he might come from a remote, low-tech community and not have had access to the resources necessary to find the Jedi. Another reason that HoloNet access should've been a sentient right.

A few taps later and it displayed the first searches about the Jedi; mostly news articles, then more informative things. "The HoloNet is the best place to look for information. I'd be happy to help you get your hands on a device capable of accessing it," she said. "In this case, it's a little more reliable than the Force. Can't always have solutions bump into you... though, sometimes that's a good way."

Smile. Pause. Frown.

"...do you know what the Force is?"

 

[Takui]

He watched as they moved through the bustling marketplace. There was a familiarity to it, back when his father was working as a merchant he frequented these types of forums. The difference was that this market was exceedingly larger than anything he had ever visited. It was insane how they traded, talked, and played. Children wove between the moving bodies and frolicked in the fountain.

Taku accepted the device from her and looked it over carefully. He had seen communication devices and used them before, but the HoloNet was never necessary where he had grown up. In fact, he wasn't sure he had ever really heard it brought up in conversation. He just knew about it from his studies.

"...I've heard of it," he answered in earnest. "Read briefly about different things involving the Jedi during my studies as a kid."

He didn't want to be impolite and refer to it as a hokey religion, at least not directly in front of her.

"I have a vague understanding, or at least, I think I can pick up on everything once I start taking lessons."

Auteme

 

[Auteme]

Takui
​

She paused, assessing his reaction to her words. He might know of it, but he didn't know it. Was this the time that she could teach someone about the Force? She opened her mouth, then closed it as she felt a little deeper. No, perhaps not. Hokey religion as it was, she honestly wouldn't know how to approach such a lesson. He could find a teacher elsewhere. Call it a gut feeling. Instead she smiled to him and nodded.

"Well, there are a great many places for you to get lessons. I'm sure most Jedi Knights or Masters, even those not affiliated with one of the orders, could teach you a few things," she said. "But for real classes -- I think you should head to the Silver Jedi on Kashyyyk. Their temple there... well, it's beautiful, but there are a ton of padawan learners, which you'll be once you join. The masters there will teach you everything you need to know and their Archives are enormous.

"Actually, it's where I became a Jedi. So it can't be that bad of a place to start, can it?" She smiled and laughed. "Of course, I found my way to the New Jedi Order on Coruscant eventually. But if you're looking to learn, to find your legs, you should head there. I can promise you won't regret it."

She drummed her fingers on the fountain's ledge. "And I visit there regularly, if you ever need a friend or study buddy. I still go to the classes pretty often," she admitted.

 

[Takui]

"Kashyyyk," Taku repeated as the gears in his mind started to crank. From his studies, he recalled the massive humanoid Wookies. Their homeworld, covered in behemoth trees and many hundreds of thousands of flora was rife with danger, but also filled to the brim with life. It was a place he would never have thought to go without guidance. At least, he wouldn't have thought to go there seeking Jedi. "Alright, I'll start make my way to Kashyyyk first and see if I fit in there," he said, smiling.

Coruscant was another place he had only heard about in veritable legend. It dwarfed any other place in the Galaxy. Galactic City was a paragon, a basis for civilization across all worlds. His thoughts reeled when he attempted to imagine something like that. He had only ever seen one city that his homeworld considered large.

His studies had confirmed that it didn't even scratch the surface. "It sounds so unreal to me," he admitted. "Life on the worlds that make the Galaxy go round. I'm far too meek for the game of Politics, but I would love to see Coruscant, one day."

Takui was certain that if he ever ended up on Coruscant, it would overwhelm him. "It sounds like there are some fundamental differences in how Jedi operate from one group to another. I guess my biggest question is, at the end of the day, is a Jedi, a Jedi? Regardless of those differences?"

Auteme

 

[Auteme]

Takui
​

"The galaxy is a beautiful place -- whenever you get the chance, you should explore it." She smiled to the boy. Kashyyyk never ceased to amaze and she'd be a fool to miss the many reminders of why Coruscant was the most important planet in the galaxy. She spent much of her time there, after all. Still, her time traveling was far more valuable to her. To see new things and new places, explore wherever she could and experience everything it had to offer; it was ever rewarding. There were moments where she'd considered abandoning the Jedi simply to explore further and stop worrying about the galaxy. They were brief and rare.

"As for the Jedi..."

She took a moment to collect her thoughts, but in truth she couldn't quite say. "The Jedi have been many things over a very long time. Diverse is chief among them. There are extraordinary people from every walk of life who have come together to hold the title and uphold the order," she said. "Every Jedi I've met has strived to do the right thing, and continues to.

"One of the things I like to pride myself for is being accepting, understanding. It's essential to being a Jedi. The Silver Jedi, the New Jedi Order, those among the Confederacy, in the Enclaves, scattered throughout the Outer Rim -- it's important that we're able to talk to one another, work together. Because in the end, we all want the same thing.

"Do good. Push back the darkness. We might not be the same, but we're Jedi, and there's hope in that."

 

[Takui]

He wasn't quite sure what to make of the various orders, or how they operated. By this point, all he knew was their names and where to find them. Time would fill in those gaps, and knowledge gained in that expanse would give him direction. Auteme had been the linchpin for the new focus he had, even if it were fledgling and he was grasping at strands to braid them into a proper rope that might pull himself upward.

There was always a part of him that cautiously desired to wander. He spent much of his life in the safety of his home or the nearby city, and until very recently he never traveled. There was a certain excitement when she encouraged exploration. It was an excitement that hid itself behind anxiety.

"The right thing," he repeated. Those words would stick with him. Somehow, he knew that they would. For now, he didn't ask what the right thing was. Somehow, he didn't think Auteme would be able to answer that for him.

It was the words "push back the darkness" that truly sent a soothing calm over him. Beyond all other things, Taku felt in that moment he was on the proper path. His mothers words resonated with Auteme's own.

"Yeah," he said, "I think that's exactly what I needed to hear. Thanks, Auteme."

Auteme