It Starts with Curiosity

[Makari Valeal]

Makari never thought he would find employment with the Jedi, but he wasn’t one to complain where his next meal was coming from. He found work as a caretaker, and made a bit of money by polishing statues and dusting off holobooks. It was boring work but Makari didn’t mind. He thought he was a boring person. He wasn’t after wealth. He didn’t care fame or adventure. He only wanted to keep to himself and keep living as he always lived.

In the shadows.

In the background.

Unfortunately, Jedi Knight Rugo never got that memo.

Whenever he saw Makari, he was always talking about the force, and how Makari had a special calling, but Makari didn’t want to hear it. “I don’t care about the force,” he told the man repeatedly. It wasn’t just words of a man who didn’t want to get involved in the conflicts of the Jedi and Sith, but they were also the words of a man who didn’t want that type of responsibility.

With strength came the duty to protect those around you, and Makari just wasn’t up for it. He didn’t want to be strong. He didn’t want to be that person that everyone depended on. He wanted to be left alone, and for the life of him, he couldn’t’ understand why Rugo seemed so hell-bent on denying him that simple thing.

“Deliver this for me,” Rugo told Makari one day. He gave Makari a light box and told him to set it down in the heavy gravity room. Makari had never been there before but he heard the rumors. Was it Master Abril or Master Cathbodua who was always there? Either way, he would quickly find out.

He made his way through several corridors, and when he arrived in front of the room, he announced himself.

“Makari, here. I have a package for the gravity room. May I come in?”

He waited patiently for a response.

[member="Cathbodua"]

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

The hum of the low lights were there as the computer was fashioned to protect her skin over damaging it. You didn't need a lot of light to see but just enough as the sound of the metal straining and groaning under the weight came. With all of the work in the room under the training of Sarianna and other jedi knights or masters the levels they had worked up to... Were scary to some. Cathbodua was ready for anything as the gravity read fifty times normal. The droids were able to resist it as the doors opened leaving the small ring around where the gravity wasn't designed to increase for safety and the controls. The jedi knight pulling herself up on the metal bar. The muscles showing where they were tight and toned without the bodysuit on, short haved hair and ghostly pale skin that was covered in sweat when she looked down speaking. "Enter and be careful." She knew only one or two masters that could train and last at such levels of gravity and for the most part they were not always around. So staying in the ring was essential unless you wanted your bones to be ground to a fine powder.

 

[Makari Valeal]

Makari nodded at her words as he entered the room. The room was dimly lit, which was a bit surprising, but Makari was more surprised by the woman training. He set the box down and watched her curiously as she pulled herself up and down the metal bar at fifty times gravity. It was a sorcery that had captured his eyes.

What was it that drove her, he wondered. Was it defeating the Sith, or was there a goal she was working towards that required her to be at the top of the food chain?

He wanted to ask her and find out.

“Why are you training so hard?” he asked. He got a bit closer to her, although he kept a safe distance from the area were the gravity was intensified. He crossed his arms and watched her with a weird fascination.

“What’s the point of pushing your body to the limits like this? What are you after?”

While he waited for her to answer his question, he realized that this was Master Cathbodua that was standing before him.

The pale skin, the short hair, the lack of lights in the room. He heard about her from the other padawans, and he had also heard about the peculiar way she taught healing.


[member="Cathbodua"]

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

Stopping for a moment and looking at him as she raised an eyebrow. "Because it is easy to claim to be the best, to tell people and boast I have more skills and talent then others. People like to talk, like to be special I have seen within the order at times... and they can be special. Not to knock some of their skills but they never show the skill instead preferring you just take their word for it. I'd rather they at least know I can do what I say I can do." Standing there while she was focused and ready while looking over some of the things with the force energies bristling off of her skin. "As for my body, it is better to be in shape as opposed to being the same skills as everyone else. I can at least overpower some with a saber strike when they think I am some frail woman."

 

[Makari Valeal]

As she spoke, Makari wasn’t sure he had ever encountered a Jedi like her. The Jedi he normally met, like to play with words and downplay their strengths to be humble, but the woman standing before him was very honest and very prideful of her abilities. Her voice-no even the air around her, everything about her exhibited confidence, and Makari was sure this was a Jedi who the Sith wouldn’t want to mess with.

He was intrigued.

Too intrigued to leave, even though he didn’t have a reason to stay in the room. He scratched the back of his head, and chuckled a little. “I don’t think anyone would take you lightly, Master Cathbodua. I heard rumors about you, you know?” Makari wiggled his fingers in a teasing manner. “You like to dislocate parts of your body, just so your students can practice healing on you, I heard. Is that true?”

Makari stared at his own hands and couldn’t imagine doing such a thing to teach a class. He didn’t like pain. Especially the kind that was self-inflicted. He looked back up at her and his smile became mischievous.

“Don’t tell me you’re the type that enjoys punishment?” he asked her. He wasn’t sure if it was a rude question, but the thought was on his mind. The way she taught healing and the crazy gravy settings she was putting her body through…….maybe there was a connection there? It certainly wouldn’t be the first time Makari had encountered such a person. His older sister was like that sort of. A real firecracker whose eyes would always light up whenever she was in a fight. She was a hellraiser, Makari’s parents had always told her. And now she was out there raising hell for the Sith somewhere, as she wore a Republic uniform and commanded a fleet.

Makari snorted at the thought.

He returned his attention back to Cathbodua and waited for her answer. He took notice of her fit body, and wondered just how long she had been at this. This training of hers. Had she been like this as a child, or was it recently, when she decided to pursue the path of strength and might?

He thought he would ask her eventually if he got the chance.

[member="Cathbodua"]

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

Her gaze remained on him when he asked about her methods and she spoke. "Which is the better way to learn. Me telling you how something works or showing you? I can explain for months how the force works and how to heal but it is much more effective to have you learn the skills right there." Crossing her arms over her chest though there was some more. She wouldn't say she enjoyed punishment but her master, her masters master were cultivated from methods to teach the ways of the force and drill into the padawan going back to the Dark Lady. Even then it was noted for being far more brutal and on par with the order of the terrible gazes torture... Just mostly lighter and without the darkside indoctrination. "My masters refined the techniques and while painful it teaches a jedi how to use the force and focus while under stress and dangerous conditions. I have seen more then enough masters and padawan lose their concentration from a little pain."

 

[Makari Valeal]

She had a point, but Makari wasn’t sure if he wanted to admit it. He always preferred the classroom setting over getting thrown right into the fire. There was a joy in taking your time to learn things, he thought. He preferred to study and get it right the first time, rather than go through trial and error, but he understood why Cathbodua might feel the way she did. The Jedi had a great responsibility, and they didn’t have time to babysit their students. The quicker their padawans developed into Jedi knights, the quicker the Sith could be pushed back and vanquished. He understood this, but there was still some hesitation to nod in agreement with her words.

Instead, he asked her another question.

“Just how many of your padawans can keep up with your training?” he asked. His eyes went to the toned muscles of her body, and the sweat that adorned her face, and he thought there couldn’t be many. “I actually wouldn’t mind seeing one of your classes in action either, if you don’t mind,” he added.

It was an odd request maybe-he was just a caretaker of the temple after all, but hey…..he was force sensitive too. What was the harm in seeing what he could potentially do if he decided to take his training seriously?

“Of course, I mean as an observer and not a participant.” Makari clarified. He gestured towards his body with a laugh. “I’m not exactly built for tough training if you know what I mean. Just give me a seat in the corner somewhere and let me take some notes. I promise I won’t cause any problems.”


[member="Cathbodua"]

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

"At fifty times the normal gravity of a planet.... None. I have one padawan Ryn who was able to go to ten times while training but this isn't for everyone. A few knights have managed to keep up around ten or fifteen. One of the masters has stayed at it but my classes are not for everyone. I handle the more difficult students, the ones who usually think they are the chosen one to be a jedi using the darkside for all the right reasons." Or as she had called them idiots but only to their faces. She found the idea of using and falling to the darkside for service to the light a... what would be worse then a slippery slope? She spared a few moents before just settling on them being morons. Or well the other ones who are so lightside no one is capable of evil..... she had heard that before also. The the force controlled everything and it only wanted life and love.... then when asked if people had no freewill and the force was all about life and love with no killing.... why did it kill millions? She was still waiting for that answer while walking over and turning the gravity down as she stood up a little taller but not by much. The ring around the room for safety wasn't needed but her shoulder rolled with the pop pop pop sounds of the bones and joints.

 

[Makari Valeal]

“I see,” Makari nodded. Her words confirmed his thoughts. There weren’t many who could keep up with her, and if she kept increasing the gravity level, he doubted anyone ever could.

“You’re a monster,” Makari chuckled. “Of course, I mean that in a good way. Have you always been like this? This dedicated and devoted to your training? Just curious, because you seem like a serious person. Were you raised that way or did something happen? You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to, I’m sure it’s a sensitive thing to talk about.”

As she walked towards the control panel to turn down the gravity, Makari started to wonder why he was being so talkative today. He rarely spoke more than a few words a day. It wasn’t in his personality to ask questions about others, but maybe Rugo’s words were finally getting to him. Maybe that seed of change was trying to take root in his stomach? What was it really, that he wanted from this conversation? He wasn’t quite sure yet, but he thought he would know with time.

When she started to roll her shoulders, and her body started to make a popping sound, Makari grimaced accidently. He had never liked that sound, and it slightly made his stomach turn.

“You don’t do that all the time do you?” Makari asked. “It sounds painful.”

[member="Cathbodua"]

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

"My training has been liked this since my master found me on Hapes, rather then being left to die by my family he took me and trained me since I was three." And she had not spent a day without some sort of training regiment to better understand what was needed, healing was important but you needed to have the stamina to heal and give out excessive energy. She doubted healing would tire her as much now as it did some of the others with her arms crossing. "So what did you bring me?" Raising her saberwhip to her belt as she clipped it there with a small feeling of the sensation from the other crystals in it. There was the calming and enhancing crystals plus all of the lightside and healing crystals.

 

[Makari Valeal]

The mention of Hapes brought back fond memories for Makari. His family had vacationed there and spent two weeks backpacking through forests and climbing mountains, although it was only enjoyable for Makari because his childhood friend, Aria, had tagged along.

He didn’t interrupt Cathbodua while she spoke, but he was curious why her family had left her to die. He couldn’t imagine a parent abandoning their child, but then again, the galaxy was filled with horrible stories and unfortunate people. He wanted to pester her for the backstory, but he knew it was better to leave it alone. He didn’t want to reopen any old wounds, although it was probably too late for that with all of the questions he had been asking her.

When she asked him what he brought her, he slapped his forehead, and seemed to snap out of daze.

“Right, I came here to deliver something to you.” He picked up the box and set it on a table. “Master Rugo said there were empty datacards inside. He was hoping the people who frequented the gravity room would start uploading their training data on them. He’s trying to put together a training regimen for the padawans and needs some research.” Makari started to pat himself down and eventually found what else he was supposed to give her. "He also told me to give you this note. He told me not to read it-Jedi eyes only, so I can’t tell you what it says.”

Makari gave her the note and he waited for her response.

OOC: I’ll PM you what the note says.

[member="Cathbodua"]

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

Loking at the message he brought as she turned a little. reading it with most of her attention on some of the details then on the padawan. Setting it away while she was standing there for the time with a nod of her head. "I see, well looks like this will become more interesting then." She moved over towards the wall while grabbing the bodyglove and equipment. Taking a seat while she started to get dressed. The black and purple suit gleamed as the lights were turning up more to illuminate the room showing the other pieces of equipment to look over some of the things. Sealing the face mask while leaving the hood down around her neck and double checking it. "Looks like you are being sent to me, should make sure you have all of your things."

 

[Makari Valeal]

Makari was curious about the note as she read it. He looked to her face, for signs on what it might be about, but her face betrayed nothing. Instead the woman’s words only made him more curious.

Things were becoming more interesting. What exactly did Rugo write to make her say that? Now, Makari really wanted to know. As he was thinking this, Cathbodua started doing something peculiar. From head to toe, she started to dress in some type of bodysuit that made Makari tilt his head and look at her with curiosity.

Was she wearing one of those BDSM outfits, he thought?

Makari wanted to smile and make a light joke, but then he remembered that one of the Jedi had a skin condition, and then his smile quickly went away. Cathbodua was the Jedi who had to wear a bodysuit to keep her skin from contacting sunlight, he remembered. She probably wouldn’t have appreciated if he said anything that belittled that.

He was getting ready to leave, but then she said some words that confused him.

“What do you mean I’m being sent to you?” he asked her. He thought of the note and then he shook his head. “Did Master Rugo say anything? Is he trying to make me a Jedi again?”

[member="Cathbodua"]

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

"Yes and sending you to one who is decent at making sure people stay jedi might be the way to do it." Standing there in the suit without her face visible. She knew how to train some students and see what they could really do while standing there and while being in the dark and dim light was good for her it wasn't the best for padawans mostly. She could stand in the bodysuit and train him from the side of the room while resetting it and letting the training room retract the equipment into it was just rings in the center showing the different gravity plates and where you could stand. "The best way to start is from the beginning and that is in the center of the room."

 

[Makari Valeal]

Makari couldn’t believe that Rugo was doing this again. This was the third time Rugo had tried to find him a master. Why couldn’t the man understand that he didn’t want to be a Jedi? What was so hard to understand about that? He looked at the woman and wasn’t sure what to tell her. As much as he thought she was a fascinating person, he wasn’t looking to learn about the force or be someone’s padawan. He liked to be free. He liked to do what he pleased. But he couldn’t tell her that.

For some reason, it felt odd to turn her down. Like he couldn’t find the right words. He thought on it further, and realized that it was that whispering in his head again. The side of him that he actively tried to suppress. He used to tell himself when he was younger to just stay in his lane, but that wasn’t working right now. Right now, his heart was trying to tell him to be bold.

And his feet got that message.

He walked towards the center of the room, and it was his mouth that got possessed next. He gave her a bow as a student would a master and said,

“I think you will be mistaken if you think I have what it takes to be a Jedi. I don’t know much about the force, and it was only recently when I discovered that I was force-sensitive. But-” He gestured towards his body and the place where he was standing. “You said the beginning is standing in the center of this room. Well, I’m standing here. What’s the next step?”

He wasn’t sure why he was doing this, but maybe if he proved to be a poor student, he could prove to himself and prove to Rugo, that the force wasn’t in his calling.

[member="Cathbodua"]

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

She was looking at him. "Compared to some, you could be a lot worse." Yes that was the glowing encouragement... you aren't nearly as bad as the really terrible people the order has already train or trains right now. Great encouragement but motioning for him to go to the center of the room and turning on the gravity just a little. Make it noticeable that you need to focus. "A padawans goal is to learn as much as they can, to study what the jedi do, how they act, how they choose to interpret morality. Yes you are expected to be able to make your own decisions, have your own ideas but you are also expected to follow, to learn. It allows you to gain understanding so that when you are meant to teach, called to lead you can appreciate what the others will go through. Those who don't think they need to follow and only ever are special enough to be leaders are fools and the order no matter where you go can be filled with them." Yes she had seen some, ones whose only goal was being in charge but they couldn't lead a bantha to water.

 

[Makari Valeal]

Makari was surprised when she offered him words of encouragement. It relaxed him a little and made him think she would start off their training with something light. Maybe a pleasant walk through the temple while they discussed the inner-workings of the force?

Well not so much.

She turned up the gravity and the pressure immediately hit him like a speeder. It was everywhere. His back. His shoulders. The pressure tried to force him on his knees, but somehow Makari managed to stand tall. Well barely. He somehow distracted himself by listening to Cathbodua’s words. They resonated with him. He agreed completely.

There was a time to follow and a time to lead, she told him. As a padawan, his job was to follow and listen right now. Observe the Jedi, and learn what type of person he should aspire to be. He nodded his head and told her, “I understand your words completely, Master.”

He tried to hide the discomfort on his face from the increased gravity. “It’s amazing you can train like this though.” He chuckled a little. “Just this little much feels like a big wookie is clinging on to my back.”

Rather than a wookie, he really meant a starship, but he didn’t want to come off as whiny on the first day.

“What’s next, master?” He tried to keep up his enthusiasm, but he had a feeling that things would get tougher before they got easier.


[member="Cathbodua"]

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

"Bean bags get fired at you while you recite the jedi code." The best way to learn how to really, focus and dodge while preforming another task like reviewing information or the jedi code. Or things to do with the tenets of the jedi, reviewing the ancient jedi texts. Everything worked to teach you and the more gravity you worked with, the more you focused and remembered it because she didn't stop until you could work it in your sleep. "The more you train in it the better you will be able to move and as that goes we increase the gravity until you can move at that level and so on and so forth. It will also build your stamina something a force user needs and others assume comes with ranks and titles."

 

[Makari Valeal]

Dodging beanbags, while reciting the Jedi Code at increased gravity, seemed like a tall order. Makari knew he couldn’t do it. It wasn’t a lack of confidence, it was just common sense. His body wasn’t built like that; the gravity would make him a sitting target.

He looked at Cathbodua while she spoke, and he thought she understood his limitations. She just expected him to rise above it, like it was the natural thing to do. Like he should already be looking forward.

He was flattered by her thinking; it showed she had some faith in his abilities, but that flattery didn’t quell the negativity that was in his heart. He didn’t think he could do this. He didn’t think he would be able to do this for several months. It took time to train the body, and he was no Adonis of perfect strength and agility.

He was normal. Very normal. But normal people had their ways of pulling themselves up by the bootstraps, he thought. He may not have had any skills or specialties, but he was proficient in a lot of things. He was a quick learner, and he knew how to rise to the occasion when the situation called for it. He tried to tell himself that now was one of those desperate situations. Now, was the time he needed to get his head in the game.

He gave a nod to Cathbodua and said, “I’m ready when you are, master. You can start firing the beanbags whenever you’re ready.”

He waited for her to start up the machine, and he prepared himself for a world of hurt. He would try his best. Even if his best wasn't much.

[member="Cathbodua"]

 

[Cathbodua]

[member="Makari Valeal"]

She was looking at him and feeling he had some reservations in this situation. All of the hard work they would be doing well she could think of it while going to the wall and machine. "You do know the jedi code correct?" She wasn't certain but if someone was trying to make him a jedi again he should have the basic information. If not she could tell him while her hand tapped the machine to have the settings while the turrets dropped down to fire off the beanbags when he was ready. The sound of the heavy gravity there as it hummed back to life and the light were just a dull glow at twice the normal gravity with a small look on her face under the mask. "Begin." She said it while the machines started firing off at him.