Sweet Child

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The girl had almost died.

Cyril's capacity for healing was not what it had once been. He felt it in his bones -- the quiet disconnection of his mother's legacy. Feena would have been so very disappointed in her only son. Even still, he'd managed to staunch the young woman's bleeding and spirit her away to the Chimaera.

A number of Jedi now resided aboard the Star Destroyer. This girl was allowed one of the spare chambers, and though she did not carry herself as one of the order, the force swirled around her as if she were the only star in the void.

The Jedi Master had an offer to give her. Should she refuse, then he would find a place for her to live her days safely away from the war. He sincerely hoped she did not.

Clad in his crimson robes, though lacking his battle armor now, Cyril knocked on the door of the girl's quarters.

"It's Grayson," he knocked again, "Everything alright?"

[member="Minn Tavers"]

 

[Minn Tavers]

The recent turn of events was quite interesting. She went from bleeding on the ground to sleeping in a spare quarters on a star destroyer. This room was less like a room and more like a small apartment. Minn was listening to an audio book when the man she had come to know as Cyril Grayson came up to her door and knocked. She could identify the man by his extremely strong radiance in her vision, it was almost overwhelming to look at, especially compared to the others on the ship.

"Everything is fine, come in, it is unlocked." She said.

[member="Cyril Grayson"]

 

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The door hissed open and Cyril stepped through the portal. His arms were folded over his chest, his visage expressionless. Sapphire eyes darted from one corner of the room to the next. She hadn't done much to change it -- he took that as a note of courtesy if not one of personality.

"I'm pleased to see you up and at it," he smiled, his arms falling down to his sides as the door closed behind him. He had only dealt with Miralukans a handful of times in his life. He found that a bit amusing considering is grandfather had been one of them. "You look better, but few people look particularly well when they've been shot."

The attempt at humor was dry, but still, it was an attempt.

"I never caught your name girl. I'd like to know who it is taking up a spot on my ship."

[member="Minn Tavers"]

 

[Minn Tavers]

"Magic force healing does wonders doesn't it? " She said.

There was still pain, and there was quite a scar, but Minn was able to sit around, no physical activity yet, it would take quite awhile longer before she could do any physical activity.

"Its Minn, Minn Tavers." She said to him

@@Cyril Grayson

 

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"I wouldn't so much call it magic myself." He intoned, his fist going to the panel that controlled the front door. The portal slid open, allowing the air of the open court to flow into the quarters. Cyril caught the distinct scent of sulfur in the air. Someone was having a bit of target practice.

"Walk with me," he stated simply, turning to stroll out into the promenade. The court was long and tall. The upper durasteel panels had been retracted and the light of a distant nebula poked out through the permaglass above. In the court, two figures danced around a blaster turret. Thin lines of stun fire were coughed out from the turret's twin barrels, and the figure batted them away with the glowing blades in their hands.

"What were you doing down there, exactly?"

[member="Minn Tavers"]

 

[Minn Tavers]

Minn followed Cyril out into the court, she could see two people seemingly in some sort of combat training, they looked to be trying to block what sounded to be stun bolts.

"Well i live in the city, so i was just making my way home from my job, when one of those terrorists jumped me, i work as a security guard, and they give us blasters, so when he jumped me there was an exchange of blasterfire. I hit him in the head, he hit me in the chest, and then i was lying there bleeding to death. You know the rest."

[member="Cyril Grayson"]

 

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"Jumped you, eh?" Cyril asked, a hint of amusement lacing his words. The terrorists had not been the most forgiving sort -- they had killed without mercy all across the city. It was only the intervention of the 501st and its allies that had kept the city from falling into total depravity. Still, she didn't have the build of someone who worked in the security field. Few people did.

"You certainly weren't having a good day," he mused, coming to a stop halfway down the promenade. He watched the two padawans grind away at the turret down the way as he spoke. "Minn, you know of the force. I don't need to explain it to you."

He gestured toward her mask.

"It's strong in you. I couldn't let you go without making you the offer. We need new Jedi. The war has reduced our number greatly," he paused, "Consider it. Maybe you'll find a bit more purpose in it than simple security work."

[member="Minn Tavers"]

 

[Minn Tavers]

Be a Jedi? This was something she had never really thought about, there is not exactly a jedi recruitment center, and her parents were never the kind people who would send her off, the foster parents could care less, they were just in it for the money. Even if she were able to have the opportunity, she didn't know if she would even be accepted in the first place.

She contemplated for a minute, watching the jedi practice. There was some grace in what they did, deflecting the bolts with relative ease. What would life as a jedi be like, where would it take her. The same for refusing, what would happen if she refused.

The two padawans continued to dance with their blades, she could be like them, all she would have to do was say yes.

It was decided then.

"Maybe I will... I accept your offer."

[member="Cyril Grayson"]

 

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"A wise choice, I'd have to say." Cyril intoned, his voice bristling with approval. Another padawan for the fold would serve the order well. Given the way she was to be inducted, the Jedi Master would not be surprised if she had a bit more zeal than the average student. He only hoped that he might guide her to the best of his abilities.

"A Jedi's life is sacrifice. All that we do, we do for the people. There is little room for yourself in that life Minn." He continued as they came to a stop near the edge of the promenade. To his left was a doorway leading down an adjacent hall. Darkness lay beyond. "There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no death, there is the force."

He turned down the hall, fully expecting her to follow. "Keep that close to your heart."

[member="Minn Tavers"]

 

[Minn Tavers]

A new life, a life without the burdens of her past, a new beginning you could say. This life would not be without its problems, she knew there would be regrets. But there would be good times to compliment the bad, and in the end she would be making a difference, whether it was through good deed or sacrifice, she would make the difference.

She heard the Jedi Master's words and contemplated on them. There is no emotion, there is peace. Emotion? She had trouble understanding how Jedi could block out all emotion, either this statement was not meant to be followed to the letter, or the Jedi have trained in ways of suppressing emotions, which was correct she did not know at this time. There is no death, there is the force. This obviously is supposed to mean something about how you should be perfectly willing to sacrifice yourself in the name of the greater good.

She did not know the full significance of these words yet, but she guessed she would understand them in time.

She followed Cyril down the dark hallway, what lay beyond was a mystery, as long as he lead, she would follow. She wondered what was beyond the dark hallway, but she figured she would soon find out

[member="Cyril Grayson"]

 

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The hall led into a another open room, though this one was far smaller than the promenade. The floors were obsidian blocks and the walls a military gray. Weapons of various kind sat upon a number of daises and shelves. The center of the room was entirely barren -- a dueling mat if there ever was one.

"This where I will teach you. You may reside here on the Chimaera if you so desire," he flashed Minn a smile. "Show me your capabilities with the force. There are a number of weapons here. Find one you lack and call it to your hands." He gestured all around.

Tools of war ranging from vibro-staves, to vong staffs, to the most basic of lightsabers were all around them, ready for the taking. Cyril folded both arms over his chest and waited.

"Take whichever seems right to you. You'll need it soon enough."

[member="Minn Tavers"]

 

[Minn Tavers]

Call it to her hands? She knew of the force, but she had no training in its use beyond that of which she used for her vision. She knew she was technically a jedi, but that does not mean she knew the ropes. She knew it would not be easy, otherwise every random person with even fleeting force sensitivity would be throwing things around with their mind.

She to be quite blunt about it had no idea what she was doing. Luckily she had a jedi master sitting right next to her.

"Any pointers?" She asked

[member="Cyril Grayson"]

 

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Cyril found a slight smile playing across his lips. She was smart enough to ask, or rather intuitive enough. The matter of it was irrelevant -- he nodded all the same.

"You see things with the force. You perceive them in extravagant detail: taste, touch, texture, these things you understand. You can grasp those qualities," he began as he started to pace around her. "You can use that to your advantage. Any one of these objects can be manipulated. You only need to 'grab' them."

He gestured toward one of the nearby polearms with the tip of his blade. "You have to will it. You ask the force of it, and the force will deliver. That I can promise you."

[member="Minn Tavers"]

 

[Minn Tavers]

"Okay." Minn said

Minn felt through her mind, and attempted to call out into the force. She started to try to impose her will on one weapon. She felt drawn to a certain weapon, while to many it seemed mundane, she felt drawn to it. She called out into the force, almost asking it to bring the weapon to her, except it was not done with words, it was done with her will. It took a large amount of effort and concentration but the weapon finally started shaking. As she continued she could feel her grasp strengthen on the weapon. She could feel her will being imposed on the weapon.


The grasp got stronger, and suddenly, it flew across the room into her hands. She had heard the legends of these kinds of weapons, she pressed a button, and she heard a snap-hiss that indicated its activation. She felt a sort of euphoria in her success. She had just done something that she could have only dreamed of just days ago, she had moved something with her mind.

She deactivated the weapon, and then looked to the jedi master.

"I just did that!" She said.

[member="Cyril Grayson"]

 

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"Indeed you did," Cyril's voice shined with pride. Minn was a natural, though he had expected nothing less from the Miraluka. The force swirled within the girl; it only needed to be coaxed out. If he could serve as the catalyst in that endeavor, then all the better. with a twist of his wrist, he indicated the lightsaber in her hand.

"A training blade," he began, "The lightsaber is the primary tool of a Jedi. We use it to disarm and dissuade. When there is no other option, we must be ready to use it to kill." His words carried a great weight, and he affixed her with a pointed stare. "It is not a toy, nor is it anything like a gun. It requires great finesse and attunement with the force to use."

He drew his blade up close in a high guard. "You will study its styles and decide on one that fits you," his gaze fell to her blade, "For now, it is time you learned how to swing a sword."

[member="Minn Tavers"]

 

[Minn Tavers]

While Minn could not see the blade with light, she could feel the blade, see the energy flowing off of it. Just as she could determine that someone was force sensitive from the force energy flowing around them, she could see the energy blade. She felt incredible. She had heard the legends of these blades, but she had never seen one in person, or felt the weightlessness in her hands.

Minn stood there thinking about what she could do with this weapon. It was nothing like a gun, you did not just point and shoot, no, this weapon required large amounts of finesse and training. She imagined herself in a duel, everything flowed so elegantly, one move into the next, it flowed like water. She longed to be like that.

"Lets get to work then... shall we?" She said.

[member="Cyril Grayson"]

 

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A quiet laugh rumbled in Cyril's throat as she waved the blade about. It fit her well enough -- she wasn't trying to fling it around like a fever struck child anyway. That much was a start.

His blade hummed as he rose it up into a high guard. "So we shall," he cracked a challenging grin, "Come get me. If the blade touches my flesh, I'll bake you an ujj cake."

Rather than wait for her reply, the Jedi Master stepped forward, his body moving to parry whatever she had planned...

[member="Minn Tavers"]