Life Choices

[Mike V'Trechen]

From space, Ahch-To had all the earmarks of being a universe of only dark blue seas circling twin stars. Specking the seas, in any case, were rough island archipelagos secured with green trees and grass, where feathered creatures, for example, porgs would gather together. The first Jedi Temple was based on one such island, known as Temple Island. When of the contention between the First Order and the Resistance, Temple Island was specked with Jedi ruins.

The planet was the homeworld of a vast assortment of animals, for example, the secretive Lanai and the huge thala-alarm. A gathering of female Lanai alluded to as the Caretakers kept up the remains and cottages specking the islands.

Mike needed some place to go to reflect on his life's choices and actions. Why was he in the TJE? Why did his old master, [member="Darth Animus"] leave Mike? Will this happen again? He was glad that he got [member="Ashara Evanaris"] as his new master, but does Mike deserve her?

Mike landed onto Ahch-To. He got out of the cockpit and looked around. It was all nice and beautiful. He enjoyed the breeze. Just then, Mike felt a presence in the force. He looked to see who it was.

 

[Draconis Caesar]

Draconis Caesar rummaged through the remains of the temple library in search of ancient knowledge long past. He looked through old holocrons, datapads, and terminals in search of anything that might be of use. Cobwebs and dust covered the shelves and empty spaces spoke of books long since overdue. The light fixtures were dim, powered by a small anti matter generator Draconis had brought with him to energize the rooms in which he searched. The yellow light bathed the pages and screens of the libraries books in a soft warming glow. Even though Draconis had to wrack his eyes to see the dimly lit pages, he believed the strain was worth every syllable of knowledge gained.

With index finger he highlighted the tome's scripture and his eyes greedily absorbed every word written. He decided the book was of some use and closed the volume. He placed the ancient passage upon a pile of stone rubble along with a collection of other informative reads he had found, careful not to tip the ever growing tower of knowledge over. He sighed as he eyed the expanse of the library which he had been searching through already for hours now and still he had yet to finish looking through even half of it. He had been using a nearby terminal to search the libraries index, but even so it was hard to find exactly what he was searching for. There was simply too much to read.

Draconis vision was becoming blurred and he decided it was time to give the books a rest. He unplugged the small square generator pad and stuck it within his rucksack along with the assortment of text he had gathered from the mass of shelves. He would spend the rest of the day compiling information from the books and holocrons into a refined thesaurus. He made for the temple grounds where his camp was and prepared to turn in for the day, he crossed through rubble strewn halls and dark corridors until he exited the ancient monolith and entered the gardens, where flowers now unattended grew uncontested everywhere. The sun shone brightly and the foliage glew with it's aura.

As Draconis crossed the small meadow that made up the temple gardens he spied another. A young humanoid wrought with anger and grief. Draconis approached slowly. Such a taint could easily corrupt the peace in the temple and thus needed to be quelled if not saved. Draconis's hand moved towards his thigh where his saber rested beneath his robes, but he made no other move to grab hold of it. He spoke with a look of mild consternation, his eyebrows arched in a doubtful manner and his lips pursed. He sat besides the youth and simply looked at him as if trying to see if any part of him was worth redeeming. Draconis found the young man wanting and as he stood he motioned with head for him to follow.

[member="Mike V'Trechen"]

 

[Mike V'Trechen]

Mike followed [member="Draconis Caesar"] . He figured that he would let Draconis humor him. He had many questions on his mind. He knew that the Jedi's killed his parents.

 

[Elise Ike]

Ahch-To, apparently one of the first places were a Jedi temple had been made that was not on Tython, constructed once the Jed'aii had split apart after the civil war, their descendants fully embracing the light to combat the Dark Sith, or so they said. To be honest it was so many years ago no decisive records would be around, even her own family probably knew next to nothing about the original formation of the Jedi during their civil war. Even so the planet was an interesting place to visit, if not for the obvious force related items just the simplistic nature and stone age like culture of the people on this world were worth interacting with. The fact these people had not progressed even the slightest over the past thousands of years was quite a fascinating aspect to look into, even the different visitors over the many years seemed to have no effect, it was like going back in time, to a more simple day.

Still that did not seemed to save the place from any-sort of wrong doing, plenty of times she had seen people come to this island nation for personal gains, slavers looking to exploit the natives, businesses men in search of some easy profit from the local wildlife, and the occasional dark siders seemingly interested in the old Jedi relics still inside the ruined temple. Today the latter was apparent... discounting herself, but she was here on business and unlike the new dark presence in coming from the temples wall she knew how to cast a false light side aura when interacting with Jedi. Speaking of which she remembered that a Jedi pilgramig was taking home in the temple ruins, studying the many texts, there was a possibly of blows taking place between the two in such a secluded area, more so if the dark side user was rash and silly.

".... may be worth checking it out", with a less then enthusiastic attitude the hidden in plain sight Sith Lord made her way up the temple steps, following the signatures of the other two, having yet to feel any anger of other emotions attached to battle, seemed things would not be so hectic. Finally rounding a corner, her brown gaze falling upon a dark skinned man, the one whom she had seen on arrival, the Jedi Master, from where? No one knew, but it was of no concern to her for now.

[member="Mike V'Trechen"] [member="Draconis Caesar"]

 

[Draconis Caesar]

Draconis did not check to see if the youth followed. The force simply told him he had done as intended. They walked a few paces more before Draconis sensed another lighter presence. He did not slow his pace nor stop to acknowledge the other light side force user. He felt the young man wrought with passion needed his attention more, but never had he been so wrong.

He did not know it yet, but the woman standing a mere few meters away was a Sith lord in disguise. Still left aloof Draconis believed she would follow as well and thus the band of pilgrims became three. Not a word was spoken by Draconis along the path to his camp. He felt silence to be a virtue akin to that of patience.

Finally reaching the campsite Draconis sat crossed legged behind a smoldering fire pit, his back exposed to the two guest. A pile of logs sat next to the stone circle and Draconis reached for a small bundle and placed them in the pit. He arranged them so that they made a tepee and slowly the embers began to light the logs anew. Now Draconis spoke, his face calm and placid

"I can sense your loss young one,"

He paused as he stared into the fire. It showed him visions of the youth's past. A terrible murder and a loss unjustified. Grief, sorrow and pain. Bubbling in the man and what's more curious it showed him nothing of the woman. As if a terrible darkness clouded her past. Most troubling, but she had not struck out at him yet...

"Death is not the greatest loss in life. It's what it kills inside while you are still alive,"

Draconis told the young man, though he knew no amount of words would mend his tortured spirit. He sensed the youth questioning his role in the galaxy. Draconis hoped to show him the way.

"Dwell not on the departed for the light will shelter them and think not of what could've been, but of how you can prevent such things from happening to others. I am a keeper of the light, guardian of justice, Jedi Master Draconis Caesar. Listen and trust my word. Your future is bright and filled with a telling destiny,"

Draconis motioned with a arm sweeping over the camp whilst still staring into the small blaze. It was a small tent held up by a single stick and kept in place by a few stones. The fire pit sat in the middle and a small dirt clearing had been made for those to sit by the fire. The sun was setting and the wind began to pick up as a light chill.

"Come, sit by the fire... Meditate with me and I will tell you what more I see,"

[member="Elise Ike"] [member="Mike V'Trechen"]

 

[Mike V'Trechen]

Mike sat across from [member="Draconis Caesar"]. He might know who had murdered his parents. He seeked revenge and havoc to the Jedi, but first he wanted to murder his parent's killer in cold blood.

 

[Elise Ike]

Elise was a fare way behind the two individuals as they walked, from where she stood it seemed like the two were talking, well the Jedi was at least, conversing to the younger looking and less powerful dark side user. Was her perhaps a wandering sole looking for guidance? It was not uncommon for young Sith who had not been fully corrupted looking for more answers or questioning their allegiance. One thing she could say, this little walk into the temple was far more entertaining then doing it alone, slowly Elise approaching the duo, listening the dark skinned Jedi talks about the others past, eye becoming locked on the flickering of flames, an almost magical aura coming form the pure energy.

Elise kept her distance a little, circling around silently before sitting down in a seiza style manner, hands neatly resting on her thighs while the Jedi asked the dark sider to meditate with him, typical, but not unwelcome. She would have joined, but as her disguise went she was not supposed to have a good grasp on the force or use it much, thus remained absent from the exercise, just watching, and waiting.

[member="Mike V'Trechen"] [member="Draconis Caesar"]

 

[Draconis Caesar]

Eyes still fixed on the fire, Draconis reached out with the force and felt the young man's mind. He seemed angry, but curious. Like he was searching for a specific answer that might show him what to release his rage on. Draconis sought to alleviate the young man's emotions by providing the answers he sought, but first he needed more. A focus to channel the force through. Something that the youth held precious. An idol of sorts. Draconis gaze shifted from the flames to Mike and finally he spoke.

"I need something you hold precious, a talisman or charm,"

Draconis lifted his arm and inserted his hand through the fire, so that his palm faced upwards in a begging manner. While the blaze danced around his forearm he seemed to suffer no burn at all. Not even the hair singed or caught aflame. He smiled slightly and his hand folded a few times in a beckoning manner.

"Come now, I will keep it safe. The twin sons of my homeworld were hotter then these flames they will not burn your idol,"

The wind blew listlessly through the camp and the crescent moon along with a thousand stars had taken over the night's sky. Draconis watched as first of the moonlight fell to the earth through the force and found it quite telling. It bent around the Mike's aura and seemed to highlight his spirit. Draconis saw a kernel of hope in his soul and sought to water it, so that he might one day abandon his hate and turn to the light.

[member="Elise Ike"] [member="Mike V'Trechen"]

 

[Mike V'Trechen]

Mike given his lightsaber to [member="Draconis Caesar"]. He was sick of the games, but he was ready to get the answers. Mike watched the master intently. He joped that all of this will be worth it.

 

[Elise Ike]

Okay, this was actually quite intriguing to watch, it seemed like some manner of fortune telling Elise's eyes trained on the flames being used by what she could assume to be a Thyrsian, the mention of the twin sun and his dark complexion and facial features giving that much of an impression. Little was said, but a lot was felt, even in her suppressed state she could still sense the troubled thoughts of the dark side user, his want for answers and the Jedi's act on answering them the best he could. At first he seemed inpatient, wanting his information straight away but slowly it seemed as though he calmed down with the small trickle of information brought about by the mystical ritual. At this point hearing about the mans past and this talismans became just as vital for her to learn as it was the owner, she self questioned on wheather to speak up but decided to remain silent unless talked to directly or when this event ended, in the mean time Elise was content with observing and making mental notes.

[member="Mike V'Trechen"] [member="Draconis Caesar"]