Finding the Way...

[Vakarian]

Akartin, with the aid of [member="Corvus Raaf] the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order managed to make it off the corrupted world of Nar Shaddaa. He now knelt on the ground his mind opened to everything around him, allowing the Force to tell him what was around him rather than just his regular vision. It was good for many things, but seeing with the confines of a ship was not the ideal use of his 'eyesight'.

It had been somewhat of a relief when she had shown up to rescue him from the Bounty Hunter offense, and gotten him off world. He found his mind, whilst deep in meditation, wondering about Nyx - the mercenary he had run into on his initial arrival on the planet. She had rescued him, and he had abandoned her without seeing her to safety.

That would be a mistake that he had to fix, and relatively soon. He would need to figure out a way to contact her to ensure that she got out safely. It was not good of a Jedi to have feelings towards other beings as he did, but there was no use in trying to suppress them. That would just pave the way to the Dark Side even faster.

Nevertheless, his face remained an even neutral despite his internal struggles with his own feelings as he meditated to the soft hums of the ship's reactor.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

The persistence of the bounty hunters, even after they boarded the ship meant Corvus immediately went to the cockpit to get them out of there as soon as she could. Once she could hand over the the astro-droid she went in search of her guest. He seemed troubled – even a non-Jedi could tell this, so she went to the main room on the ship and sat near him.

“OK, time for more formal introductions.” She approximated a bow from her seated position. “My name is Corvus…Corvus Raaf. And we’re heading to Ossus, to the Academy, unless you have somewhere else in mind.”

She didn’t press on his emotions and thoughts. If he wanted to share, no doubt he would.

[member="Akartin"]

 

[Vakarian]

He had sensed her presence coming towards him before she had entered the room, and as she entered his vision was lit up by brilliant blues and an aura of serene power. In the face of such strength, it felt as though the a newly born sun was shining on him and a part of him wanted to feel the peace that was radiating from within the light. But, he couldn't, at least not until he knew that his friend was alright.

As she bowed to him, he stood and bowed in return to her, "It is an honor Master Raaf. I have searched for the Jedi for three days since my journey off my home on Alpheridies. I hope to enter your order and prove myself a worthy padawan to a master."

As knelt on the ground of the ship once again, he closed his 'eyes' and remained in silence for a few more moments before speaking again. "You asked me on Nar Shaddaa if there was anyone else on the planet that I was with, and I did not answer. Yes there was another force user on the planet with me, but she has chosen a different path from the one that I plan to walk. She was there to help me when I needed it, and I feel as though I should have remained to ensure that she was safely off world. It was made evident that Jedi fetched a high price on the slave market on that world, and she aided in getting me off world. I fear that she may have made some enemies on my behalf."

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus nodded as he spoke. There had been a recent influx of Padawans from that planet and she’d taken a couple on herself. Gone were the days of one Padawan per Master. Sadly the supply was outstripped by the demand and sometimes she longed for the day when she could give one student 100% of her time. But she was always pragmatic and would continue as she had done for the foreseeable future.

“Please call me Corvus by the way. I tend to refer to strangers by title initially and then see how they choose to be called – but I am Corvus. But if that makes you feel uncomfortable then please use whatever terminology you prefer.”

“We are en route to Ossus, where our main Academy is. You’ll have access to a lot of training and not all will be from our own Jedi. We share training with other Orders but recommend your Master at least is from the Republic Jedi.”

“And as for the other person you speak of. It is a fine line we tread in understanding when a friendship is right and when it is wrong. There is nothing specific in the Code about the Sith or even Dark Jedi. It is their actions primarily that determine our approach to them. If there is anything we should do to help her – given her selfless act for you, please let me know.”

[member="Akartin"]

 

[Vakarian]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]​

Akartin listened to her words whilst in meditation, it had always been a safe haven for him in times of distress even on his own world when he was a member of the Luka Sene. A few minutes passed before he spoke to Master Raaf again, "No, I do not believe that she would take well to Republic members showing up and offering her aid. I will train, and I will learn, and with time the Force will guide me to her. I will then repay my debt and see where my path lies."

His words were more to himself, almost a reassurance, but at the same time he was speaking to Corvus as well. It was inspiring to be in the presence of someone so gifted with the Force, and someone who commanded such a powerful aura as hers. "Tell me Master Raaf, have you always been so strong in the Force? You shine as near as bright as a newly born star, and your presence seems to inspire one to greater deeds.", he turned his attention towards her ending his state of meditation as he stood and took a seat beside of her. Perhaps it was here that he could learn a new ability even though she was not his master.

Times had changed since "Executive Order: 66" that subsequently led to the fall of the Order under the ruthless intrigues of Palpatine and his Empire. The Jedi were in fewer number, and training would have to be learned where it could, if even that meant on a star-ship.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus listened and nodded. She never believed there was a prescribed path for the Light-side. They may all have the same destination in mind but each individual travelled their own route. Sometimes they strayed close to the Dark-side but as long as they didn’t cross the line, they were best allowed to find their own way.

“I am a Jedi, I try to never think any more complicated than that. I always aim to be the best Jedi I can and I practice daily. I train or teach or I’m on a mission. Hard-work is a Jedi trait more should probably take on board. I aspire to be a candle in the dark, but otherwise,” she shrugged, “As I see it, we’re the same. It’s just someone has already taught me things you’ve yet to learn. Only timing separates us.”

“And talking of training, it’s a long journey to Ossus. You are free to meditate or study but if you’d prefer a more practical use of the time, I’m more than willing to teach you. It wouldn’t be the first time.” She smiled, clearly plenty of lessons had happened in this very room.

[member="Akartin"]

 

[Vakarian]

Akartin nodded and remained silent. As her voice echoed on the interior of the ship they were traveling in, slightly magnifying it to the young padawan's ears. It seemed that with every word she spoke, she held to the ideals of the Old Jedi Order - humble and powerful.

"Some lifeforms are gifted with the force beyond normal means, those that are born to it are inherently more powerful. You are powerful in your own right, Master Raaf and it is an honor to be traveling with you.", he was always formal to those that he was in contact with, or rather at least those that were worthy of his respect. He was this was on Alpheridies and he would likely be this way on the entirety of his time as a Jedi. He did not have the knowledge, nor ability, to see the future so he did not know where his path would take him, but he was sure that he would remain with the Jedi for the time being.

At the masters offer of training, he stood and bowed before speaking, "If you would assist me in learning to shield myself and my allies from harm, I would greatly appreciate and honor your training."
[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus nodded. She hadn't trained Force Barrier in a while and then half a dozen times in as many weeks. She smiled and stood and collected a box of goodies.

She sat again. "One of the benefits of using the Force – the Light-side of the Force I mean – is that it is individual to each of us. The drawback is that...well it is individual.”

“Many times you have to see what works for you – different Jedi seem to access the same Ability from a different direction. Force Barrier is one of those.”

“One variable is the Force User herself of course. The more advanced you are, the greater the power of the defence and the longer you can hold it for. Like most Force Abilities really. But then some have an aptitude for some over others. I was slow to learn this. But, with practice, I became competent. Practice is key for all Abilities. It is what differentiates the good from the great – not natural aptitude – hours spent perfecting is what matters.”

“For an Ability like this, the start is the same – you have to imagine what you wish to do…in this case construct a barrier created entirely of the Force. If you believe it to be possible and tell the Force what you wish, it will do the rest. If you doubt yourself, you will fail. If you try to wrestle with the Force to do your bidding – you will fail.”

“Now, for many, they imagine a solid barrier, others imagine it is flexible, or a liquid. What works for me may not work for you. So…initially imagine your skin is covered by a barrier constructed of the Force. Then make that barrier move outwards until you’ve created a sphere.”

“With most Abilities, it takes time initially but with practice, it can be instantaneous. I would recommend you meditate, simply connect to the Force, to begin with – this will make your first attempt easier.”

[member="Akartin"]

 

[Vakarian]

Akartin nodded and immediately began to follow her guidance, kneeling once again on the floor of the ship and allowing his mind to attune to the ebb and flow of the force. As he opened his mind to the force, he could feel its living current - flowing serenely and without disturbance. He likened it to a river, if remained undisturbed it would remain tranquil, but when disturbed by the drop of a pebble into its depths, it would ripple. It was this that he imagined as he began to pull the force to him.

He imagined drawing from the infinite pool itself, imagined the feeling of water coating his skin in a protective layer as if he had submerged himself under the depths of a river. And, at first a thin barrier formed just above his skin, hovering fluidly over his form in a sort of aura before he turned his attention to [member="Corvus Raaf"].

"I believe that I have done as you have asked. It feels as though I am submerged in a river of tingles.", he spoke with a sense of distraction as he was attempting to maintain his connection with the Force as well as speak with the Master before him.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus saw the barrier emerge from under Akartin's skin and hover a few centimetres above it, like a suit of full-body armour. Corvus nodded, recognising how she'd fared far less well when she'd first tried it.

"Excellent," her voice was low and soothing. "Now enlarge the barrier, as if it's a giant ball that surrounds you."

[member="Akartin"]

 

[Vakarian]

"As you say, Master," he replied with an equally soft tone, his mind concentrating on the task at hand, but also attempting to focus on what the Jedi beside him was saying. He felt a thrill of excitement at the thought of how well he was doing with the barrier at his first try. He could tell that the Master beside him had not expected him to do nearly as well on his first attempt, and that was to be expected. He had learned long ago, while a member of the Luka Sene, that some Force Users comprehended certain abilities more easily than others, simply because the Force was an extension of the users own thoughts and actions; at least that is what his parents believed.

At the moment, he agreed with their stance on the Force. He had always felt his fierce desire to restore the galaxy to its peak condition, where good once again thrived and took dominance over the bad. He was no fool to believe that the bad could be eradicated completely, because Good could not exist without the Bad. He only hoped to lessen the influence of the bad, and strengthen the influence of the good. His beliefs, perhaps, are what fueled his relatively easy comprehension of the barrier.

As he attempted to expand the barrier further outwards, as instructed, he felt a snap like a rubber band and the aura that had been around him faded into non-existence. His shoulders sagged visibly when the barrier faded and he looked in the general direction of [member="Corvus Raaf"] and stated, "Forgive me, Master. I lost the connection to the Force."

That was only part of the reason that he had failed, but he did not want to mention the fact that his own pride had gotten in the way, and become the forefront topic of his mind. He felt as though it would bring shame to himself to let the older Jedi know that he failed because of his own faults.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Spoiler

No worries, RL always takes precedent. And unless you object, we won’t spend ages learning the Ability, a few posts will suffice

Corvus never pried and only if necessary gave her opinion on why things didn’t go the way they were planned. For the Jedi invariably knew him or herself why they’d not been successful. As long as they trusted in the Force, their performance was invariably good.

So Corvus worked with Akartin over the next hour or so, working on improving the form of the Barrier, on its resilience and how to replenish it when attacked.

“Don’t forget it keeps things in as well as out. And so, as a final challenge, I want you to place a Force Barrier over me. It is no more difficult. Only your imagination would make it so.”

[member="Akartin"]

 

[Vakarian]

Akartin listened quietly as the hours passed him by, focusing on every word of technique and power that left the Jedi's lips. He would not suffer another failure because of his pride, at least not in this instance. He was a Jedi and that meant that pride was balanced with humility, he'd learn to gain control over these emotions over time. But, as it is right now, he needed to focus on the lesson being taught.

"As you say, Master Raaf" he nodded as he spoke to her request to form the barrier around her. In order to do this, he would need to connect with the Force on a slightly deeper level than he did when he put the barrier around himself; he was use to his own presence in the force, but he would have to find hers. So, he entered a deeper state of awareness as he meditated briefly, searching with his mind to find the presence that he had felt on Nar Shaddaa. It wasn't very long before he found it, after all, it was hard to miss a presence that felt like a supernova to his mind.

He flinched internally, before he was able to connect with her aura and then he began to manipulate the Force to create a dome of energy around her. He used his mind to probe at the barrier, searching for weaknesses and strengthening where he found them. It was only a few minutes after that he found the barrier to be in a strengthened condition and he retreated slightly more into himself, but still managed to keep the connection between himself and [member="Corvus Raaf"] intact.

It was surprisingly easy to create the barrier around another person, more so than himself as it seemed to him. He looked to Corvus and awaited her next instruction, if there was to be another.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus nodded. "You have done well, clearly you have an aptitude for such things. When your training is more advanced, you can learn Force Shield - which is less taxing and more focused, but typically requires a greater control of the Force."

"Which is a way of saying that there is no more I can teach you. From this point on it is about practice. And more practice. For that is what will improve your use of the Ability."

"So...is there anything else I can help with before we reach Ossus?"

[member="Akartin"]

 

[Vakarian]

Akartin felt relieved to have met, or even exceeded, the Grandmaster [member="Corvus Raaf"]'s expectations.

"Thank you, Master. I expect that I shall continue to strive and practice what you have taught me, and perhaps one day I shall pass the lessons you have taught me to a younger Jedi. I have no further requests of training on behalf of myself, I do have a favor to ask of you." he paused, allowing the Jedi Grandmaster to process his words, before he continued on again, "May I request that you drop me off at the nearest safe Spaceport before we reach Ossus? I have decided that I am not yet ready to become a member of the Jedi Order in full, and that I must learn and meditate more on my path before I set myself to walk in the Light of the Order. I am grateful to your assistance on Nar Shaddaa, and I will always be your ally, no matter the path that I take. My strength may be meager, but if you should ever need an ally, you need only call on me and I will come with haste and purpose."

He had decided that the Jedi Order would not be his first destination. He needed to explore the various paths of the Force before he would decide on which path to take. All that he did know was that his life would never lead him down the path of the Dark Side, and he trusted in the Force to guide his footing in the coming days.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus did as Akartin requested. There was no single path to the Light-side but many. Therefore there was no prescribed route. If Akartin was strong, he would make it. If he were weak, he would fall to the Dark-side. It wasn't that Corvus didn't care, but she knew what would be, would be.

So she set down and bade the young man farewell. "Trust in the Force," she said, "I can give you no better advice."

[member="Desios Denaan"]