Stasis and Animals, What could go wrong?

[Ravenfire]

Location - Shadowlands

Tom sat in the Shadowlands with two Katarns by his side waiting for the Jedi who had shown an interest in learning animal friendship as well as force stasis. He had been lead down here less than ten minutes before by a wookie guide.

It hadn't taken long after that before the two Katarns that were by his side to try hunt him down however due to what he was planning to train the others in well now they were as harmless as lothal cats to him. He smiled waiting for others to join in.

 

[Tanaski Yumi]

This Taff person seemed like an odd figure, apparently some quickly accented master force user with old family ties to the Mandos while being an Echani. It was just vague knowledge but that alone was certainly quite the story for somone rumoured to be only 25, how could Tana not go and check things out.

The lesson message talked about animal bonding and the native but culturally important Katarns. So far it seemed he was the only one partaking in this little exercise, the old rope lift to the shadow lands being empty if anyone except the Wookiee controller. Making land fall it was not hard to sense and see the equally as pale teacher. "Ohayōgozaimasu you must be Tom Taff if I am not mistaken", Tana stated while walking fowards.

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Drystan wandered close, having picked her way through the dark & dense forest to join other courageous Jedi in some specialized training. This was her first real adventure into the dark & dangerous Shadow Forest, and she'd come prepared... the stories were all-too many, and survivors all-too-few.

She passed into the clearing with only a ripple of power to signal her presence, then approached the small gathering present. The Sentinel offered a friendly smile toward [member="Tom Taff"] and [member="Tanaski Yumi"]. "Hello, friends... Quite a dark and dreary place, isn't it?"

 

[Asaraa Vaashe]

It was funny, Silver's Rest was set on Kashyyyk, by the shores. The Shadowland were the merest breath away, a vast area that was almost another world. A world that even the wookies' didn't embrace. To travel here was a rite of passage for them, a chance to prove their skill and ability. For a Jedi...that was a little different. With the force as a tool there was little down there that could truly challenge or kill them if they were careful. It was a space to be respected, but not feared, but it made an interesting location to set a lesson. A chance to visit the Shadowlands wasn't to be turned down and the newly minted knight wasn't going to pass up this opportunity. She didn't know Tom Taff but was friends with his aunt...and if he was anything like her well, it should be interesting.

 

[Reggie Faayare]

Reggie traveled to the Shadowlands, a place he had only heard about up until now. despite the dangers that resided in the area, the young Padawan wanted to come to the place before but never had the chance to do so. Now however, he would have the chance to visit the Shadowlands and learn something while doing so.

As he arrived, he saw the other Jedi who had come before him. Smiling, the young Padawan smiled and waved to the group.

"Hello everyone."

[member="Tom Taff"] [member="Tanaski Yumi"] [member="Drystan Marakos"] [member="Asaraa Vaashe"]

 

[Kaili Brand]

Kaili stuck close to [member=Asaraa Vaashe], thumb rolling across the safety of his blaster pistol. He had heard no shortage of rumors about the dangers of the Shadowlands, and even felt them on the rare occasion he was near the edge of the silver rest. Neither had particularly instilled confidence in the would be padawan. If his pink haired senior was aware of the risks, it did little to phase her and the small nexus of calm between her and [member=Reggie Faayare] helped dull the noise of the forest in his mind.

If he had a choice, he would have stayed back at base, comfortably wedging himself into a new project or piece of jedi text. But after [member=Drystand Marakos]’ shi-cho lesson he had to accept that he no longer had a say in such things. He was decidedly not in control of his connection with the life around him and it was a problem he could no longer ignore. And while speaking with animals hardly appealed to the young techie, if Master [member=Tom Taff] had insight enough to have control over nature then it stood to reason that he had enough to tell Kaili how to keep it quiet. If nothing else, the man might know enough to point him in the right direction. Either way, today's lesson was...probably worth walking face first into the most dangerous place Kaili could think of on the planet.

Though he had to admit there was an odd element of beauty to the endless forest. Most of the tree’s looked to be as thick as buildings back home. The distant creaking of far off young branches providing a soprano accompaniment to the baritone thrumb in the force that would occasionally bellow from their ancient roots. To call them old seemed a misnomer in Kaili’s mind. They were singularly ancient and new. A thing in which the concept of age or time had, ironically, run out into the sands.

He scowled at himself, best leave the overly flowery explanations to the masters. “Hello again Reggie.” He said, deciding to distract himself and hope the other Paddie had forgotten his slurred discussion with the training remote. “Good to uh...see you again.” He nodded weakly to [member=Tanaski Yumi]. “Dont think we’ve met but nice to met you. Name ’s Kaili...” he grumbled before extending his good hand to shake, noting the unfamiliar language the other paddie used and the equally new manner of dressing. “He’s probably from the core worlds or something...” Kaili thought, deciding that he’d seen both stranger and worse looking folk growing up and not wanting to risk insulting his fellow student with question.

 

[Ravenfire]

[member="Tanaski Yumi"] l [member="Drystan Marakos"] l [member="Asaraa Vaashe"] l [member="Reggie Faayare"] l [member="Kaili Brand"]

Tom looked up as someone said good morning in Atrisian. He saw a rather young looking he wanted to say boy. "If I am Tom Taff then you are not mistaken." Tom replied "And if you are to learn please don't speak atrisian, many don't recognise the language." He stood up seeing several others joining them slowly.

Tom smiled at the next woman. "This maybe dreary and dark but their are darker places even here that you could go that makes this place look like a beach." Tom looked see his auntie's friend the one she had brought to his wedding and he nodded politely to her. He looked at the last two appearing "And Greetings to the both of you. Anyone else who decides to show can catch up later as I will start this little class."

"I assume most of you have any idea who I am and to be honest you may never know. You are all here to learn how to create force stasis, plant growth and animal control. I would like to know which of these you would like to learn first." As the two Katarns rose standing next to him. "I would prefer you to learn one of the first two before learning animal control however as animal control especially here is exceptionally dangerous if you have no idea what you are doing."

He waited to hear what they would like to learn first before he would begin the session allowing others the chance to still appear before he started.

 

[Tanaski Yumi]

He looked at Tom with a cocked head, he was not speaking Atrsian, it was refereed to as Jak'kai dialect, but regardless he had a point, even if it was something he only really did when meeting someone for the first time. "Um, sure thing, may I ask, do you hold rank or master in the order yet or was that a title from your days in the Mandaloiran Empire, just asking for so I know what to call you"?

Tana could sense the new arrivals long before they greeted him with their physical presence, perhaps he had just been a little earlier then everyone else. The first was a blonde woman in her 30s a CEO of some corporation from what he knew and a senior knight, though he was not entirely sure of their name. "Hello there, as for it being dark, I kind of like it, feels welcoming to me, though that's just personal preference".

The next two were or more familiarity[member="Reggie Faayare"], a sort of come a go friend of him and his sister and one of the younger members in the order. The next being of the other members that recently received a promotion along with him, [member="Asaraa Vaashe"], still only really and acquaintances. Besides the odd mission he had never actually hung out with the body swapped General, it kind of felt awkward knowing her face so well but no personal details about her.

The last was a man who trailed behind the pink haired women, covered in a somewhat messy clothing, a somewhat bored expression plasted across their face. He had said something to Reggie before diverting attention to Tana, extending a hand with a simple greeting. "Greetings Kaili, my name is Tanasuki Yumi, Hajimemash'ite" he replied giving a customary bow before accepting the hand shake.

With greetings out of the way Tana turned attention back to Tom as the lesson began his introductions. He was right to a major extent, the mans sudden appearance at the temple did lean much to question but if the grand master and council said okay then who was he to judge. Raising his hand Tana spoke up first, "I myself know the basics of stasis and have been learning it from my mother, so plant growth is something I personally would want to study during this lesson".

[member="Tom Taff"] [member="Kaili Brand"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Drystan gave a little wave to [member="Asaraa Vaashe"]. The two Jedi Knights had worked together somewhat, and Drystan was beginning to trust the pink-haired woman.. [member="Reggie Faayare"] & [member="Kaili Brand"] were also a familiar sight - both Padawans were becoming frequent faces amongst the order, and beginning to grow. She greeted the three of them brightly.

[member="Tanaski Yumi"] was a face Drystan recognized,but had yet to officially introduce herself to - while everyone became organized, the beautiful blonde would find herself a spot beside the effeminate Jedi Knight & nearby her Padawans. Drystan quietly introduced herself in Atrisian; her pronunciation flawless, and gave a respectful bow.

Drystan had heard much of [member="Tom Taff"]... and in another Life, in another place, may have even met the man while wearing a different face... but up until now, the two had yet to become acquainted. Like any good student, Drystan seemed eager to learn - drawn into the Kashyyyk Underworld, romanced by its' solemn quietude. The woman was, without a doubt, a creature of Shadow. She seemed vibrant... even radiant.

"I'd like to learn Plant Growth, first, Tom." Drystan said with an upraised hand at shoulder level; a vote.

 

[Kaili Brand]

Kaili would admit he was somewhat surprised to see Master Marakos attending the class. One would think being a master meant you did more of the teaching than the learning. Speaking of Masters, Tom Taff was certainly...different than the few he’d met before. A welcomed difference to be sure. He was direct and blunt with his orders and did not seem interested in knowing his students in the slightest. A combination that suited Kaili just fine. Jedi were intimidating at the best of times, and this one more so than others he’d met so he was glad to not be important enough to even register on the masters radar.

“I uh...gonna have to go with force stasis if thats ok...” He mumbled, the idea of making MORE plants he’d have to hear in the force being the exact opposite of what he’d wanted. "Though uh....no idea what that....IS....uh...exactly..." He added quickly, regretting not doing his own research before hand. If only slightly.

Tanaski Yumi l Drystan Marakos l Asaraa Vaashe l Reggie Faayare | [member=Tom Taff]

 

[Reggie Faayare]

At the mention of his name, Reggie turned to face who had greeted him. He was glad to see that [member="Kaili Brand"] was here as well. Deciding that it was important to communicate with his fellow Padawan more, Reggie had planned on checking up on some of them to see how they were doing, Kaili being one of them.

"It's nice to see you again as well Kaili! I hope you've been well?"

After saying his hello's and catching up with a few people there, Reggie turned his attention to the instructor. Given the choice of what they would like to learn first was nice but made it difficult for the young Padawan to choose. He wanted to learn all the abilities and didn't really mind which order. Eventually he decided on force Stasis. Reggie wanted to learn how to immobilize people instead cutting them down, and it seemed like it would take awhile until he could start his other project, so stasis would be his best bet for now.

"I would also like to learn stasis first. Being able to capture someone without harming them is something i've been trying to figure out for awhile now."

Reggie added the last bit of information to inform others about the ability. Of course, he might not have all the information on the ability or could be wrong in general.

[member="Kaili Brand"] [member="Drystan Marakos"] [member="Tanaski Yumi"] [member="Tom Taff"] [member="Asaraa Vaashe"]

 

[Ravenfire]

[member="Tanaski Yumi"] l [member="Drystan Marakos"] l [member="Asaraa Vaashe"] l [member="Reggie Faayare"] l [member="Kaili Brand"]

Tom listened as they decided rather quickly which they would like. It was a surprise the higher levels of Jedi wanted plant growth while the padawans wanted stasis. Since Asaraa didn't say anything he would just assume she would want stasis the last time remembering her rank was she was a padawan. He smiled. "Alright ready here we go."

He would first use stasis on Reggie, Kaili and Asaraa as he was finishing it and holding it, he would shoot his hand out towards the ground at Tanaski and Drystan's feet entrapping them as the plants would slowly grow up their bodies. "Welcome to my version of training. Trial by fire style, you figure out how to get out of the power which will tell you how the power works. It's the way my dad taught me and it's made me quite a skilled force user from it. Not the strongest by any means but skilled enough to get around force powers."

As he sat meditating on the ground. "You may being figuring your way out. After you will each test it on me to prove you know the power. If not then I will run you through it in a more elementary way." He would wait to see who would escape first.

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Suddenly, [member="Tom Taff"] had gone from speaking to action - and very quickly, the Master had proved his skill by grappling the entire group, separating them and attacking each with two distinct Force Powers!

Drystan & [member="Tanaski Yumi"] were captured by vinous limbs which rose from the ground, snaking around their feet & climbing their legs. Drystan let out a yelp of surprise at the powerful grasping limbs, and immediately began to struggle... but calmed herself quickly, taking a breath and letting it out in a huff. Tom was in control... and the only way for her to regain it would be to play his game.

"Blast..." She thought, chewing on her lip as she shot the man a glance, then closed her eyes to center & focus herself on the task at hand.

The vines which had captured her were thick; nearly the diameter of her wrist, and creaked as they shifted like serpents from the ground. She reached out with a hand, palm toward the earth, as she began to send waves of calming energy out into the ground - seeking to connect with the living plants, feeling their simplistic unified consciousness through the Force. It was not a matter of enslaving them to one's will (such would have been a Dark Side gift, and not the way of the Light). Instead, she sought to speak to them... to caress them... to tap into the very energy which animated them, and blend that same energy with her own.

"Nothing separates us... We are one..." She said under her breath, as she felt her spirit meld into the web of life which enshrouded all of Kashyyyk.

 

[Reggie Faayare]

Excitement washed over Reggie for a moment, but then his movements just stopped. He didn't feel in control of most of his senses anymore, like they were dulled to a certain extent. He heard what Master Taff said, even though his hearing was dulled as well.

Reggie had to quell the fear that began to well up inside him, which took some effort to do. He couldn't move at all and was completely vulnerable. When he calmed down a bit, the inner strategist in him taking control.

To him, it seemed as though there was a field around the Padawan that was keeping him in place while also crowding his other senses, making it a bit harder to hear and see whats going on around him. It makes it especially difficult when a individual can't move their head to see around them.

Reggie also noticed that it was difficult to use the force while in this state. So not only was his movements restrained, but the ability to use the force was restricted as well. Even though that was the case, it didn't mean it was impossible.

Gathering what he could in the force, Reggie tried to force the stasis field to break. That was a failure however, the young Padawan unable to break through. There just wasn't enough he could do with what he was given.

What could he do? He didn't have much to work with here. After awhile, something came to his mind. The stasis field around him was created by the force; by the force that surrounded everyone and everything. From what he could understand, the force that surrounded him was used to create this stasis field. It was turned against him, restraining the young Padawan. Instead of using force to break through, Reggie just had to work in harmony with the force to change its form.

Reggie stopped fighting against the field around him, slowly allowing his will to meld with the field around him instead. Eventually, the stasis field changed from a restraint to just a force barrier around him. It took some time, but he was able to move around a little, his body moving with the field. Then, Reggie was able to drop the stasis field around him.

Reggie's senses were coming back to him all at once, the young Padawan glad to move, smell, and hear everything around him properly again. Even though this was the case, the process to free himself properly taking a toll on the strategist. Reggie's legs felt like they were asleep, making it difficult for him to stand and eventually making him drop to the ground.

It took quite awhile to release himself from the field, making Reggie believe that the others were done before him. He couldn't check at the moment however, needing a few seconds to regain his strength.


[member="Drystan Marakos"] [member="Tom Taff"] [member="Kaili Brand"] [member="Tanaski Yumi"] [member="Asaraa Vaashe"]

 

[Tanaski Yumi]

The sudden onslaught of the vines and other planet growth was a risky move on Toms part. If this had not been a teaching seesion or the fact such 'trial by fire' rules was how he trained with mother the Echani master risked bringing out one of his more... unsavory personalities.

Thankfully he managed to clam down a get a proper bearing before diverting attention to the odd situation him and [member="Drystan Marakos"] where currently in. Tana's eyes moved over to the blonde hair master, sensing her attempt to bond with the plant life that had ensnared her, such a method seeming to make sense, but he could not help but feel it was not exactly how this froce power worked.

Plant growth... it most likely had more to do with speeding up it's germination then practically connecting with it like an animal. Still it would not hurt to try, the boy slowly relaxing, sending calm waves of his force energy into the flora which was his current prison. At the same time Tana used the art of small the knight moved through the vine and branches cells. If one could manipulate paper though such means and make it fold itself, then a tree branch and vine could not be far off... right?

[member="Reggie Faayare"] [member="Tom Taff"] [member="Kaili Brand"] [member="Asaraa Vaashe"]

 

[Kaili Brand]

Kaili decided t re-evaluate his opinion of Master Taff, landing the jedi master firmly in the ‘you better hope I never find your ship unattended’ camp the moment the stasis field went up without so much as an explanation. To think he found the mans bluntness refreshing a few moments ago. Future plans of dismantling the Jedi’s climate controls and cranking everything up to high (lets see you like YOUR trial by ‘fire’) not withstanding, there were a few things Kaili was beginning to notice.

Firstly, his autonomic functions seemed to still be going, albeit slowly. Which was good because breathing and blinking could now be officially struck from the list of concerns. He could also still feel his clothes against his skin, which meant that this wasn’t affecting his nervous system fully. Though, if that was just the limitation of the technique or Master Taff being ‘nice’ he couldn’t say. And finally, he couldn’t ‘hear’ anything around him in the force very well, which was a rather nice change of pace despite the circumstances.

By this point, Reggie had managed to escape his force prison panting against the forest floor as he recovered. Credit where it was due, Kaili hadn’t expected him to be the first. That honor had gone to Asaraa, though more by virtue of her seniority than any estimation of the other padawan’s competence.

Kaili closed his eyes, attempting to connect with the force and feel the technique out like he had with Master Asyt when she taught him pyro/cryokinesis. The field felt...somewhat like a command for stillness. Or at least that was the tone it carried in what little he could sense around him. He attempted to push the command away, feeling the field stretch and warp slightly but not tearing under his efforts.

He gave up on forcing the field away all at once, it was like trying to smash through a rubber wall. No matter how much of the force he could manage to summon to try and escape, it was too thinly spread to be effective. Instead he focused on one spot, focusing the whole of his mind on his index finger and willing it to move.

The force churned for a moment, the field warbling at increasingly worrying rates as he pushed before he finally felt a snap. It was a small hole, comparatively, his body only free enough to waggle the tip of his right index finger. But it was enough to let him start peeling away strips of the field.

His method was...slow. Where it had taken Reggie only a few seconds to escape his entrapment it took Kaili several minutes of careful peeling and fighting against the occasional re-surging element of the field. But he WAS out, a huffing and tired mess maybe, but a free one.

[member=Drystan Marakos], [member=Tom Taff], [member=Tanaski Yumi], [member=Asaraa Vaashe], [member=Reggie Faayare]

 

[Asaraa Vaashe]

It was sudden, the surge of the force pinning her in place, little difference between the girl and a statue. Asaraa could feel a wave of panic surging up in her core, as she tried, unsuccessfully to shift, her muscles straining against the forces holding her in place. For a moment she wasn't in the forest anymore, the sight and smell of the world around her fading and falling away, instead, she was back in the past, watching her body cartwheeling through the Silver Jedi, red lightsaber lashing out in her hands. She recalled the sheer physicality of it, the surge of power of glee as the red blade punch through one troopers' armour, a gesture of her hand sending a flurry of stones at a Jedi, the thump of the rock into his flesh bringing a smile to the face she barely recognised, and a surge of horror to the girl. A surge of horror that built with the rising wave of panic as her eyes snapped open, her eyes staring forward but not seeing [member="Tom Taff"], seeing a taunting face that haunted her nightmares every night. 'No, Never again!' the mantra repeated herself in her head, a chorus to hold back the panic threatening to overwhelm her. Without thinking the Jedi opened herself up to the force, reflexively sucking in as much of the force as she could hold, the energy seeping out of every pore of her body as she threw it against the field holding her, searching for a weak spot in the binding in an almost blind rage, a panic. Normally she would never have been able to break past a Master like Tom, but with his attention torn between so many individuals the field couldn't be entirely perfect, and as her probes found that one chink in the field as she exerted pressure on it, forcing her will into the field, pushing it away as she expended the force profligately as she fell forward to the ground, hands reaching forward to catch her as she shuddered, the adrenaline and panic slowly retreating.