Faith is the heroism of the intellect.
“Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid” ”- Ronald Reagan
I’m still here.
Offering a “forearm bump”, much like a “fist bump” or a handshake, the massive Jedi Master that is Caltin Vanagor took a deep breath and a grin he looked around for anyone else that wanted to go as well. Would they join? Would they go off on their own? It was up to his fellow Jedi and was more than okay regardless of their decision, but either way, they had to go and do so now. A collection of Padawans and Knights were gathering, and it was now a question of whether or not all were fully aware of what was about to happen. Was he?
If we don’t act now, this planet will fall. Regardless of what we do, this planet will fall. There is something happening… not sure what… but something is going down and is in direct connection with what just happened to us here. If you do not wish to come with us, there is no shame, I cannot promise anything other than what will happen if we do nothing to intervene.
” I’m still here…”
Interesting words when you think about them. Three simple words and one simple expression that can be used anywhere. The words can be singular in vernacular or even anthropomorphic. The Jedi have been under assault by the Sith for several Millenia, the first purge, the second purge, the Hyperspace Wars, all of it. The Jedi have befallen nothing but strife and misery at the hands of the Sith, even during the times of peace. Yet, no matter what each attempt at the destruction of the Light side had brought on the Jedi would return, the Jedi would fight back.
The Mandalorians fought the Jedi to within an inch of their lives, nearly destroying the Republic in its entirety. The Sith, on multiple occasions, has destroyed nearly everything of any significance to anything, not theirs, even controlling the Republic for a time. Fallen Jedi have returned and used their knowledge to bring the galaxy to its knees, yet the Jedi come back for more. Even in today's times, the Bryn’adul was a force never before seen, wreaking havoc across the galaxy and seemingly invincible with strengths and technology specifically targeting weaknesses of the Force itself, but they too were pushed back and forced into near hiding.
” I’m still here…”
Even the Sith, in their differences, their infighting, their civil wars, and fracturing never truly change. The mindset of the Sith at its core is admirable, they simply want to evolve just like anyone else, to better themselves. The rub is that they believe that evolution is only possible through strife “Only the strong survive”. Somehow through all of this, they continue with assaults, with waves of destruction and despair they would rally and destroy Jedi history. Coruscant, Ossus, Tython, all of these planets in the past, and more have been targeted for destruction in some way shape, or form, yet here they stand, surviving conflict after conflict.
” I’m still here…”
The more that the planet went through, the more it seemed to fight. Caltin himself could feel this, as “The Birthplace of the Jedi” was experiencing the destructive effects, at least around the Temple ruins, he could feel as if the planet itself, in the Mantle and the Crust the big man felt like the planet was “a partner” in his and his compatriots struggle to save it. He could feel like the planet was not failing to hold, but fighting to withhold, almost as if he did not know any better, Caltin was helping Tython save itself. It is said that every planet has its own soul, if that were true, Tython was not out of this just yet.
” I’m still here…”
Then there was something on the Horizon that he could see, maybe not “hear” but could see something flying, low and fast. It was something mechanical to be sure. So he wondered, putting on his comm-link once again, the big man tapped it quickly. The massive Jedi Master glanced up to the skies, he could see the SJDF ships in and among the heavens very much in a fight for their own lives with the Brotherhood of the Maw, and more directly “The Final Dawn”. The thought gave him pause and just how much was at stake here and just how many were trying to destroy the planet and just how many more forces were here to stop them.
[” WHAT?!... Sorry, what do you need from me, ‘General’?”]
Okay, the initial response was off-putting but it was in the heat of battle, the Admiral (
Liram Angellus
) had a lot on his plate, and the last thing that he needed right now was to deal with distractions so Caltin easily let it go. What made his eyebrow raise in annoyance was the (although good hearted) rib that always seemed to find its way underneath his skin, the old “General” reference to Jedi Knights and Masters during the Clone Wars. A moment went by before the massive Jedi Master responded to the call.[Could you spare any transport?]
[” What do you need? “Transport? Yeah, yeah I got you. I’ll get’em your way sit tight”]
[Thank you, Admiral.]
He was honest in that he did not what to bother Angellus, but they needed the help at the moment. There was really no other way to get this done. They needed to get moving and to get moving now. A cheeky grin crawled across his lips as he was looking around at the Jedi who were not either securing the area or moving on to the next battle. There was a war going on and conversations needed to be “short and sweet”.
“Another day in the life”, eh?
It took a few tense minutes to pass before the request was answered, no less than twelve Cherub Gunships were zooming in. Sleek and effective they stayed well below any active scanning so as to not only avoid detection but to avoid anti-aircraft weapons as well.
[Master Jedi, this is “Ares 1” on approach, we see you and are making for a “combat extraction,” sir, sit tight and we’ll be getting you where you need to go in just a few.]
[Acknowledged Gentlemen, safe travels, don't endanger yourselves on our account.]
[Heh heh, don't you worry about us, sir. We're not helpless.]
Just like that, the sleek weaponized troop transports were hovering and circling overhead five of them then found their way to the ground. One of these landers was acting as a sort of “ground protection” as the others were in the air. The other four were taking in Jedi, troops, anyone who wanted to come with them, they would go wherever asked, but it had to be one location. They needed to do this “together” but what, really? What were they going to do? Were they hunting down Sith? They had plenty of them here. Were they joining the fight elsewhere? Where? There was a feeling though, something that Caltin needed to do as others climbed into the transports. He needed to survey what he was able to do and what was so special about it.
” I’m still here…”
Kaleth… we need to get to Kaleth…
Maybe it was the Force? Maybe it was his being a very amateur longtime history buff? Maybe it was just dumb luck? The “Why?” and the “How?” were completely irrelevant right now. All that mattered was getting it right. All that mattered was finding and stopping whatever plot was afoot. Yes, there were dozens of different plots, plans, and objectives out there, but there was one that was close and one that took precedence. The rest would need all of their help, but they could do nothing until this current threat to the very land itself had to be stopped. There was always a threat, but this was bad. Though at what cost, the planet would survive
” I’m still here…”
Finally climbing aboard, the big man yelled out to the cockpit.
Kaleth… stay low and scan for abnormal energy readings.
The pilot, Captain Mayrath(Marine Ranks, equal to a Lieutenant in the Navy) knew not to question these sorts of orders, he had seen the Jedi work and knew of Vanagor’s reputation. If he made a call for something, there was a reason for it.
Ever have a period in your time where you just want to see something end just so it could be over? Ever feel that while you know there is a light at the end of the tunnel, you just want it to be right in front of you, right now? That's the way Caltin has been feeling for the past couple of days, you see he has been on a quest to right things in a manner and a way in which he never knew he could. Sure many may know of this at this point, but there's something that no one knows except for him.
He's mad.
"Jedi aren't allowed to be mad", some of you may be thinking right now. That's half true, everyone has emotions, everyone deals with them, even Jedi. Frell, Caltin himself says that it's how you deal with them that makes you who you are. Caltin is no different. No, he’s not mad at the changing galaxy and ever-changing ways of thought, it was what it was. He’s not mad about the Brotherhoo…okay he WAS mad, but “attachments” or not, Tython, Csilla, Coruscant… they all meant something to him, to the galaxy. The thing is he could let that go. No, in reality, he may be mad at them, but not about anything going on right now.
He's mad at himself.
For the “stand-offish” life he led, for the mistakes he made, for everything he had done to this point that he justified but knew in his head was wrong. No, Caltin Vanagor did not do evil deeds, not by a long shot, and he was by no means some kind of “renegade” or even a “way seeker” to some level, but he was someone who did not hold back, and that was something that always held him back. There was also something else. He'd never been a father before at that point. He was not controlled by his emotions, but they were there. He was mad because on some level he blamed himself for something that he had no control over. He was mad at the lives that have ended yet he stood there on that gunship.
As always though, the massive Jedi Master remained true to what he was, a man who needed to be able to look at himself in the morning, to do the right thing. Those lives that joined the Force, they would not do so in vain, he would remember them, remember them all. His attachment to those he knew, would be his inspiration, his drive to be the person that they were meant to be. There are constructive ways to experience the emotions he did not hide having, this was one of them, after all, Vanagor was older (technically) than many of them combined. The bottom line is that yet again, he had to find meaning in kids dying…
” I’m still here…”
“Master Jedi! We’re getting weird readings on a flood plain not that far between here and Kaleth.”
Get us there!
Swiftly the squadron of gunships screamed across the badlands not only dodging weapons fire when and where possible but hitting targets of opportunity. Before long the Jedi, the troops, the Rangers, all of them were landing as the gunships remained to secure their position then the squadron leader pulled everyone back up just as quickly for a single reason.
Bad readings…
Before being asked, "Why?" he ordered turrets to fire on the earth itself until a hole was found... about five hundred feet down. There was a tunnel? Some level of gas was spewing out into the air. That was not natural, nor the coming from it. Looking down at the hole, there was no question what was about to happen next, the big guy was going to do something most would consider “reckless” and even more would consider “stupid”, but it was him, he made it work and stepping off the gunship and dropping into that hole was just what he does.
They found them.
He saw droids, cultists, and hooded figures. All of them were doing the unthinkable in the most despicable of ways, but his hunch, the Force’s strength, all paid off. As more and more Jedi, Rangers, and troops either dropped or rappelled down into the hole, they had begun to draw attention. Not enough though, so the big man went with the thought in his head, and symbolically (he did not have to do this physically, just think about doing it) reached out and “grabbed” a droid lifting it through the Force.
As documented, his connection to the Force was more “electrical” now, it acted by his thoughts, and allowed his physicality to take more root when and where it could. However, every now and then, a display would prove a point and as this battle droid hung in the air, currents of electrical energy flowed from his arm out and around the droid. This was not affecting the metallic warrior much at all, it was not meant to, he was simply holding it up until he began to close his hand into a fist. The mass of durasteel and plasteel crumpled, crinkled, and crushed into a very distinctive ball. With a “clank” the mass finally received the request that the (former)droid’s now destroyed vocabulator had made unsuccessfully. This was not good, their work was interrupted, and they had a planet to wreck. There was a problem though.
I’m still here.
Location: Jedi Temple Ruins
Allies: Coren Starchaser Celeste Rigel Tracyn Ordo Zark San Tekka Cotan Sar'andor Asha Vynea Romi Jade Justice Lesan Asmundr Varobalder | Team Lightside
Enemies: Darth Libertas Scylla AI | Team Darkside
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