One with Nature

[Riamah]

Newly accepted as an apprentice to [member="Dune Rhur"], he had begun Ra's training not too long ago. He had walked her through some lightsaber exercises and meditation. Explained the Jedi Code and she had accompanied him on a few missions.

In general Ra did not have much knowledge or experience in or around nature. She grew up in the city and that was the life she knew.

They arranged to meet outside the temple of Eol Sha and Ra waited near the doors for her master.

Ra had no idea what Dune planned for her training, but she looked forward to it. She wore her purple cloak over dark brown tunic and lighter brown pants and boots. As usual, she had her knives up her sleeves and in her boots as well as a blaster on her hip. Her white hair was pulled back into a braid with the little spiked ball on the end. So far on Eol Sha she hasn't needed to use any of her weapons, but it's always best to be prepared for anything.

The day was dry, but it was almost always that way. The air dusty and yellow due to the many active volcanoes in the area. It certainly wasn't a place Ra would chose personally, but a location the Dominion held and where the new Jedi were being formed.

 

[Dune Rhur]

The Bith lifted the hood of his robes against the wind before joining his student. It was a gusty day on Eol Sha and fortunately they were down wind. Most of the planet's usual stink was absent. It was something of a relief to his potent olfactory senses.

Eddies of dust would periodically swirl about necessitating his cowl. He found it stifled his hearing a little but it was just a minor irritant. Mentor joined student a moment or two later from a side gate. He smiled in greeting to the young woman.

"Fancy meeting you here," said the one who'd arranged for this "It seems a fine enough day to train. A little windy, though."

As if summoned a breeze ruffled his brown robes. He shrugged. A Jedi would have to learn to deal with all kinds of weathers. It really wasn't that bad anyway. He nodded towards a rocky outcropping a few hundred meters away.

"We won't be going far today. Just over there will be fine."

The only thing she'd notice that differentiated the place was...well...more rocks than normal on a small hill. With that he set out. No need for elaborate introductions. There was training to do.

 

[Riamah]

Knowing there wasn't anybody else around to see it, Ra gave [member="Dune Rhur"] a genuine smile when he came out of one of the smaller side gates to the temple. Since her hair was pulled back, she kept the hood of her cloak down so she could see and hear better. The weather suited her fine as it wasn't too hot and the breeze made it seem cooler than it actually was.

"Why would wind be a bother in training?"

She blinked her eyes as ​the wind gusted up and brought dust into them. That was one deterrent to training, maybe that's what he meant.

Ra followed the inclination of Dune's head and saw the area he was talking about. As he started in its direction, Ra fell into step with him. Slightly behind and to the left of her master. She noticed the area was more rocky than other parts of the landscape, but that could have been caused by earth tremors and the rocks just fell from uphill. They may have also been placed there on purpose by Dune for training purposes.

 

[Dune Rhur]

"Wind?," he said in mild confusion "Oh, no it's no bother to training. It just stirs the dust up and it's an irritant."

The small hill with the rocks scattered about was entirely natural. It just happened to be incredibly convenient for Dune's purposes. Almost like the Force had placed it there. Whatever it was it worked.

He quickly crested the short incline and sat facing away from the Temple. Before them on the horizon were all sorts of stones. Everything from pebbles to boulders bigger than the typical human. Nature provided all they'd need.

Dune sat cross-legged and invited his student to do the same.

 

[Riamah]

"That is so very true as it just blew some dust into my eyes."

Ra spoke as she followed Dune's steps. Though he was taller, she was able to keep up with him.

They shortly arrived the small clearing of stones. The stones varied in size and shape, all were a slightly darker brown than the landscape around them and looked dusty. She could tell they were all there naturally and not moved there at least by the hands of any sentient.

She looked at him questioningly when he sat down and motioned for her to join him. Stepping near to him, Ra took a seat across from Dune and faced him, looking in the direction of the temple.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

Dune sighed contentedly as he took a moment to relax. Eol Sha was hardly picturesque but there was a spartan kind of lifestyle here. It was refreshing to the mind and soul. Especially after spending time out in the turmoil of the galaxy.

As long as he had reading materials, shelter and food he could be happy. That'd been something he'd missed during his wanderings. Access to a proper archive. Now he had that again and that made for a happier Bith.

"You will notice that our training sessions have always ended in meditation," Dune began "This is because it deepens our connection to the Light side. As I've told you, a Jedi is at their strongest when at peace."

"Today, we will seek to direct the flow of the Force. We need something to practice with and..."

He swept his left hand to indicate the rocks.

"Much better than..."

Dune brought his left hand towards Ra and made a scooping gesture. She would feel herself beginning to float a meter or so above the hill. He grinned as he set her down gently. The Jedi was full of mirth today.

"You will eventually be able to do that too, Ra. For now, I want you to turn and face the rocks like I am. Then draw upon the Force as we do when we meditate."

 

[Riamah]

Ra listened to Dune as he spoke and nodded when he said their previous sessions have ended in meditation. He made a motioning gesture to the rocks around them and then turned to her speaking of what they were going to be doing. She felt herself rise up and squeaked a little before he set her back down gently.

She gave him a slightly dirty look, but had a similar look of mirth in her eyes and rubbed her bum even though it didn't hurt at all, it was just the thought of being picked up and set back down that made her do it.

"Yes, you did promise I would be able to move things around with the Force when we were practicing with the training swords."

The thought of being able to do what he does, makes Ra feel good and the dirty look disappears from her face to be replaced by a smile. Here is where she will surprise him because of the small amount of training she's gotten from a holocron taught her this already.

She adjusted her position to be sitting next to Dune with her back to the temple now. Closing her eyes, she felt the Force flowing around them and the rocks in front of them. Opening her eyes, she narrowed them slightly and made a gesture with only the fingers of one hand. Lifting one of the stones that weighed about ten pounds, she floated it in the air for several second and set it down gently back in its place.

 

[Dune Rhur]

Dune was taken aback to say the least. Most without prior training could not do what Ra had just done. He watched the stone levitate and then it's neat descent back to it's original spot. Watching her for a moment the Jedi said nothing.

"Do you see that stone just there," he said pointing to a rock of about fifty pounds farther off "Levitate it."

He was testing her again. Perhaps it really was a natural affinity for the Force. Some beings were gifted in that way and it was possible that telekinesis was a particular strength. Still Dune had his doubts.

 

[Riamah]

Ra tilted her head slightly as Dune pointed out a larger and heavier rock. It wouldn't be that much different than what the hologram regimen took her through, So she took a deep breath, closed her eyes and opened them again when she felt secure enough to be able to move the bigger rock.

Dune could see it lifted, but was slower than the smaller one and when she released her hold on it, it didn't go down as softly and let up a small pile of dust which got blow up into the breeze with another gust as it passed by.

She left out a sigh after releasing the small boulder and looked at Dune with a slightly smug look and half a smile.

 

[Dune Rhur]

She struggled a little more but that was to be expected. Still she managed it easily enough. He saw that smug look of self-satisfaction and said nothing. Dune only pointed to more tests.

Sometimes she lifted individual rocks. Other times he asked her to lift as many as five or six. Each time she was able to do so. Ra's smug look remained and increased in magnitude and he gave no praise as he had other days.

There was something amiss with her unusual level of skill. It pointed at some previous training to one who himself had been guided. By now the sun had begun to shift indicating it was later in the afternoon. He called the training done for the day.

"You have unusual talent, Ra, for one apparently untrained."

 

[Riamah]

Ra wondered at Dune's lack of praise, she would have thought her already knowing this skill would be a boon and deserving of praise. However he rarely said anything about it and kept testing her by making her move more or heavier stones, most of the times both. Each time she succeeded though, she felt more personal pride and since she felt comfortable around him, allowed it to show on her face.

As the sun started setting, he called a halt to her exercises and mentioned she had an unusual amount of talent for one that wasn't trained. Having seen a few of the square holocrons, she knew the red pyramid she had was different. She kept the fact she had one and was getting training from that to herself.

"There are other means for training, Dune. Tablets, books, holodisks...just to name a few."

She stood up, stretched and looked at [member="Dune Rhur"]. Her face still showed she was happy with her progress today and hopefully that it impressed her master.

 

[Dune Rhur]

He stood slowly without and word and made for the Temple....

The following day.

Dune waited the following morning for Ra outside the Temple this time. He also waited for a newcomer to join them. Someone fresh to Eol Sha and only arrived the night before. Her name was [member="Alema Ziveri"] or Alem'aziveri in Twi'leki and she was quite young.

Younger than any the Bith had trained in quite some time. He'd worked with younglings before but not on a committed basis. Eol Sha was going to have to be different. Besides Alema he had spent much of the previous evening mulling over Ra'a'mah.

After his martial practice he'd meditated on the day before. She'd mentioned other sources of knowledge but he knew of nothing she possessed that would qualify. It was possible she meant the other Jedi she'd met. Maybe.

The day was moderately warm as with the one before but there were no gusts. Nothing to vanquish the egg-y stink. He sighed softly at that and tried not to smell too deeply. At least it's not as bad as further in....

 

[Lief]

Alema had barely slept.

This world was warm, the air hung heavy and suffocating, and there seemed to be a perpetual stench to it. All things she could overlook, of course, factors outside of her control.

But the apprehension which had built within her, ever since leaving Tython several weeks before, had culminated upon reaching Eol Sha. She had journeyed alongside a handful of older Jedi, Knights and Masters the lot of them, while other groups had splintered off further afield. No doubt they did not wish to place all their eggs in one basket, a fact which spoke volumes about their turbulent future.

Young though she may have been, Alema was no fool. She had felt the stirrings, heard the Masters whisper behind closed doors, the Galaxy was once again in turmoil and that left her with an especially rocky path to walk along. She stood upon a time of change, when Galactic Powers shifted: for some it was a new dawn, for others twilight had fallen on their cause.

By contrast, the young Twi'lek viewed herself as a being beyond borders. Factions came and went, eclipsed as quickly as they formed, her studies had shown her as much. Her place was among Ashla, in service of life. Not leaders.

Perhaps this was why she felt so anxious. Perhaps this was why she had sat and watched the sun rise upon this ashen world. The Masters from Tython had left her as soon as they touched down, and now she found herself among strangers. Men and women she did not know whether to trust. Did they have ulterior motives? Hidden agendas?

Breathe, Al... You would not have been brought here if the inhabitants meant you any harm. Trust in the Force as you always have, it would not lead you astray now.

So it was that she rose, dressed herself within the same plain clothes she had worn during her four years in the Order, and left her dormitory in search of her schedule for the day.

Not two feet had she gone outside her door, however, when she was stopped by a kindly Padawan with a message, nay an instruction, which led her out of the shaded halls and into the glow of dawn.

If she thought it had been warm before, she was in for one hell of a surprise now. Even the ground seemed to burn, causing great discomfort to her tender feet. Apparently she would need to invest in thick-soled boots.

She spotted him without issue, the Bith who had sent for her, and without skipping a beat she walked toward where he was waiting and dipped her head into a respectful bow.

"Master" was all that she said, with a voice far more meek than her posture suggested, before lifting her head and settling her gaze to his face. She had seen all manner of beings come and go through the Jedi Temple, but she had never once seen a Bith in person. Intriguing, to say the least.

 

[Riamah]

The next morning Ra rose, clothed herself, putting her hair into a braid, but leaving the little ball behind. She joined Dune at the appointed time and saw another person with him.

Walking up, she saw the other person was a Twi'lek child and her heart softened. She always liked children and would never intentionally harm one, this also meant she wouldn't need to keep her neutral mask on and continue to be herself.

Looking at the child from the feet up, Ra noticed the slim shoes on the child, but otherwise she appeared well prepared for training. She squatted down slightly and looked up at the little girl. Ra held her hand out to formally shake that of [member="Alema Ziveri"] and gave her a small smile as she introduced herself.

"I am Ra'a'mah Numare, but please just call me Ra."

Standing up again, Ra looked at [member="Dune Rhur"] in curiosity to know what he planned for them today.

 

[Dune Rhur]

"[member="Alema Ziveri"]," Dune greeted the youngling with a warm smile. She couldn't hide her child's curiosity. It never ceased to amaze him that some had never seen a Bith. They were known as spacefarers all throughout the known galaxy.

Well, she's hardly the first to react to you in that way. And she IS eight years old.

"Welcome to Eol Sha. I know it's a little different than what you're used to. It's a little different than what I'm used to. We'll make due, though."

He look to the approaching Ra as he heard her soft footfalls. More than that he had grown used to her presence in the Force. Dune nodded in greeting towards the young woman. Her demeanor towards the newest learner pleased him.

"Today we are returning to a certain hill near by," he told them "Or Ra and I will be returning. This will be your first trip."

Dune indicated to a hill that Ra would recognize.

"Come on, then," he told them and began the short trek.

 

[Lief]

The Master seemed nicer than she expected, welcoming to say the least, and she felt little flurries of apprehension leave her like featherlight wings. Butterflies drifting off among the ash-filled air.

"Of course, Master." Even as a Youngling she had to be ready to face change. The Force made everyone and everything different in its own way, unique, and she had to learn to appreciate them for what they were. To trust the energy which surrounded each and every one of them. The latter she could do, but the former... That would take time.

With the approach of another, noticed first by the crunch of tiny magmatic pebbles underfoot, Alema turned and was immediately met with the sight of a Padawan. She knew her to be such by the braid in her hair, else she could have been mistaken for a Knight. She had the air of confidence, at least.

Oncemore dipping body into a bow just as respectful as the one she had shown Master Rhur, the young girl murmured a very soft "Padawan", and was surprised to find the older girl knelt before her when she raised back to her full height.

"Padawan Ra" she corrected herself, with a slight nod of her head to commit the name to memory. Her gaze lowered to the offered hand, curiously. She'd never had to shake somebody's hand before, it was a custom she was unfamiliar with. Hopefully the Padawan did not take offence when the little girl merely stared instead of embracing the gesture.

Her gaze returned to the Jedi Master as he began to explain what lay in store this day. She turned to look upon the hill he was gesturing to, filled with rocks and boulders. Many were twice the size of her, if not taller, somewhat intimidating. She suppressed that feeling as best she could. There would be no danger here, not among teacher and student.

Without word she followed the pair uphill, holding back just enough to give the pair a respectful distance. She was the outsider here, after all, the pair were very clearly connected. No doubt Master and Padawan, if she had to hazard a guess. There proved to be so much to look upon, to marvel at, that she did not mind standing a little further away. How differently the place looked in the light of day.

[member="Dune Rhur"] [member='Ra'a'mah']

 

[Riamah]

While slightly surprised the child did not return her shake, Ra stood up after a few a seconds. She smiled down at the girl.

"Really, it's just Ra. There's no need to be formal around me. Nice to meet you, [member="Alema Ziveri"]."

Turning to face [member="Dune Rhur"] and giving him a smile as well, they headed off to the same flat area as the day before.

Ra wondered what was wrong with the day before and still could not figure it out. She fell into step with him silently and turned to make sure the young girl was keeping up with them okay.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

Once again Dune crested the hill first and sat. He motioned for the other to join him in a circle. Today would be a little more complex for Ra but likely [member="Alema Ziveri"] had done something similar. It was a partner exercise that could easily be expanded.

"We will be working with the rocks around us again today," he told them both "Be seated and we can begin."

Once they sat he instructed them to clear their minds and focus on the Force in and around them.

"Feel the flow of it, feel the calming energies. The Force is a tranquil stream."

 

[Lief]

Her fellow student did not take offense. Far from it, she beamed a smile and tried to ease the Youngling's stiff demeanor. It would not be so easy to whittle her down, however, and while she did not stand to correct the Padawan that did not mean she would not continue to use her proper title. It was only fitting, given that she was of a higher rank.

Once they reached the hilltop, the Jedi Master sank to the floor and gestured for them to do the same. Alema knelt on a patch of ground that had less pebbles than most, though it remained rocky all the same, and turned her attention to his words.

Working with the rocks? She wondered what that entailed. Back on Tython the Masters had used similar to try and teach them how to move objects with their mind, usually smaller ones like the stones at their feet. Others would stand atop boulders as large as the one just behind Master Rhur, to better explain the concept of Sokan. While the art meant more than simply taking the high ground, it had proven a good basis to begin at.

For now she did not need to worry over what lay in store, of whether or not she already understood, because his first instruction was to meditate. Or at least, utilize the same techniques to clear their minds and focus on the flow of the Force. Something she had been pressed to do at least thrice daily since she was old enough to sit still.

It took no time at all to push the remaining apprehension from her mind. The sensation and realization of its loss was soothing to the soul. Perhaps Eol Sha would not be as difficult to adjust to after all.

[member='Ra'a'mah'] [member='Dune Rhur']

 

[Riamah]

Ra took a seat next to both [member="Alema Ziveri"] and [member="Dune Rhur"], forming a rough triangle between the three of them.

He directed them to meditate, which was a habit of his during training. She closed her eyes and relaxed, her mind clear from her thoughts of yesterday's training and the problems it had caused. She felt both people near her and the Force around them all.

This meditation thing became easier each time she performed the task. Now she no longer needed to see herself in a lake, as Ra was aware of the Force now almost all the time.

The energy and life the Force brought to her filled her and though wanting to get a start on the exercises Dune had planned, she remained silent, waiting.