The Basics of Life (Phylis)

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy nodded, listening closely. She liked hearing about Phylis and discovering more things. "Oh, cool." She said in a fashion only a young girl could.

Then it came back to telekinesis. The little girl frowned and shook her head. "No, not yet." She seemed more than a bit disappointed in that. Curiosity had gotten the better part of her, but her skills didn't quite match up with what she wanted to know.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmm, well, you are a new Padawan I suspect. No matter, I can show you a few things if you will let me. Place your hand over the crystal matrix and clear your mind. It won’t hurt, I promise.”

When Izzy did so she would find a presence in her mind gently explaining the mental methods of doing so. Izzy would not be able to just do it right away, but when her skills had improved she would know how to apply the Force to this end.

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy nodded, "Yes, I am."

She looked a bit skeptical about the holo-Phylis' words. It seemed strange to learn like this. Though, she supposed it wasn't that different from what the actual Phylis had done for her earlier. Closing her eyes she cleared her mind and placed her hand over the crystal device.

It was quite the strange sensation to feel as holo-Phylis reached out into her mind to help her work through the mental aspects of the technique. So strange but Izzy seemed to absorb the information well enough. Eventually when she got to practice such things, no doubt she'd find it a little easier.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmm, well, I can see you now understand. Excellent,” Holo-Phylis said happily.

“Now, can I help you with anything else?”

 

[Izzy Aureth]

The little girl nodded, "Yes, I do. Thank you." Izzy seemed happier, in a better mood now that she'd at least learned something and not completely failed.

She shook her head, "I think I'm good for now, thank you again."

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmm, well, do visit me again, young Izzy!” Holo-Phylis said, vanishing.

A few moments later as they settled to the ground, the real Phylis came to see her.
“Find anything interesting? Hmmph, how was my spiritual self?” she asked affectionately. She probably had conversations with herself at times.

 

[Izzy Aureth]

"I'm sure I will, thank you!" Izzy said cheerfully.

And a moment or two later the real Phylis entered the scene! Izzy glanced up to the brunette woman, smiling. "A thing or two. About Force Barriers and Shields. And she was nice, quirky and nice! Rather like her too."

"So what's next?"

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmm, yes, she is like me,” Phylis said with a slightly embarrassed smile. “Hmmph, but the real thing is better than a holocron,” she added.

“Now? Now we go out and explore! There’s a lot to do. I would bring a hat or a hood or something, hmm, it’s very warm outside.”

A look outside revealed a desert landscape dotted with mesas. They were in the shadow of one tall mesa, but nothing more could be seen for now.

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy nodded, "A little bit, it seems." Though she just didn't know Phylis all that well, yet. Given time she was bound to agree. "I agree, it is. It still helps."

The young girl nodded and went to grab a hat, soon to meet Phylis on the ramp of the ship, to await further instructions. She'd found a small hat, something to help keep the sun off her face, neck and back. It wasn't the most fashionable of things but it served it's purpose. Her training saber was neatly clipped to her belt and she seemed, mostly ready though a small bit nervous at first glance.

Looking around at the desert landscape she wasn't too sure about it. After all, she'd grown up in a metropolis. The open desert seemed, strange, foreign and a slight bit dangerous to the girl comparing the two. "What kind of dangers are out there?" She had to ask, mostly wanting to know about creatures and things that could directly harm them both.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmm, well, the greatest danger is getting lost, Izzy. Out here with no water you won’t last more than a day or two. Also, watch out for the desert creatures. There are some big enough to eat you…and some small enough that you might think you can ignore. Both types can be dangerous.”

It was clear Phylis had an eye for the dramatic. She’d landed them behind an outcropping, but as they passed from behind there something became visible.

The vast pyramid sat over the landscape like a shining beacon, almost painful to look at in its brightness.

“Now, we won’t go inside, but I want you to see it up close.”

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy frowned, "I guess that would be the worst of it." Then Phylis just had to mention the possible creatures that were out here too. "Oh, lovely! I so don't want to get eaten or bitten by big or little creatures." It just seemed unpleasant to her!

Her attention soon came to the shining pyramid in the sands. "Ooh, it's pretty." The young girl seemed excited and at the very least curious! "What is this place? Is it a temple? Or a shrine?" So curious!

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmm, well, it seems to be a structure built by those who came to this world many thousands of years ago. It is a repository and store of the Force. It pulls energy into itself so it can be used, not unlike a siphon.”

“That is why we will not go inside, it is dangerous, but I wanted you to experience this.”

They walked across the arid plain to the forefront of the Temple. The white stone seemed to blaze with light more than could be reasonably reflected from the sun.

“Here,” Phylis said, offering Izzy a pair of sunglasses. They were too big, being a spare of the ones the Jedi put on, but they’d help.

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy nodded, and followed along right next to Phylis, hanging on every word. "Oh, I see. So, it draws in this power, to be used. Any ideas to what they would use it for, or was it something akin to a giant battery for them, for larger tasks within the Force?" She asked quietly, her mind working over the possibilities.

Smiling, she gratefully accepted the sunglasses, happy for the protection, even if they were a little too large for her. Inquisitively she looked at the white stones. "That's not just the sun they are reflecting, is it? It that some form of energy made tangible through the processes inside?" So many questions.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
Phylis looked impressed. “Hmm, well done that Padawan! Yes, you’re exactly correct! No one has been inside for centuries, at least who has returned. We’re not going to do that today, but I wanted to show you this place.”

“I am not sure what it is storing the Force for, but in time I would like to discover. It could be dangerous, or it could be useful. Hmm, don’t touch the stones though, I don’t want any feedback to hit you.”

And yet, there was a little voice in Izzy’s head.
What does she know? Touch it…you want to….

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy was quite proud of herself with Phylis' comments in mind. "Interesting, very interesting. It makes me wonder what's inside of it. The place seems so .. odd. It just makes me more curious as to what they built it for and chose to use it for."

The stones held such powerful energy. That much was clear. One that seemed to draw the girl in. She wasn't sure just what it was about this place, but the longer she stood there, the more she wanted to stay, to feel that power and energy and explore the possibilities it offered. "Do you think we can return soon, and go inside? I'd love to learn more about the place.'

The voice in her head, little Izzy couldn't refuse. Curiosity in combination with it, certainly got her attention. As if a little in a trance, the young girl reached out to lightly brush her fingers against the stone. What would happen? What would it feel like? Questions that briefly crossed her mind before her skin made contact with the warm stones.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmm, well I suspect it is Rakata in origin, based on the design and the runes therein. However, I also suspect…” she paused. “Wait, Izzy, no!” she cried, dashing forward.

Too late.

As soon as Izzy’s hand contacted the stone she would experience a jolt like an electric shock, and a sudden feeling of power and knowledge, gone in an instant, but terribly alluring nonetheless.

When you wish to learn the true nature of the Force…come to me, child.

Phylis knelt down beside Izzy, taking her pulse and placing a hand on her brow.
“Silly, silly girl, what did I tell you?” she muttered as she called on the Force to try and aid her Padawan.

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Curiosity and the cat, eh? Izzy just couldn't help it and that voice didn't help matters either. Feeling the energy surge through her, the girl yelped as she was knocked from her feet and onto her bad.

For a moment she seemed utterly stunned. She wasn't sure what exactly had happened but that flash of power, that knowledge, that feeling she couldn't shake. It just pulled her in, tempting her to try again.

And so still feeling a little out of it Izzy hadn't moved. Her eyes opened slowly, seeming quite dazed as she felt Phylis' touch and the soothing energies sink into her body.

"Not to touch the bright shining pyramid of shockyness." Her voice was soft, a bit weak and tired, her mind seemingly slowly catching up to what happened to her and realizing what she'd done. "It was ... talking to me. Calling me to touch ...."

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
“Hmmph, I do not say things idly because of frivolous reasons! Well, not often,” Phylis said, looking as stern as she could. It was a mask for her concern though.

“It spoke to you? Ah, hmm, that is interesting.” She had heard nothing…but the Jedi was curiously deficient in telepathic skills. Or perhaps the pyramid was simply smart enough to realise it was easier to tempt the young and unprepared mind than her own.

“Well, I’m sorry to cut the excursion short, I have other places to show you here, but I’d rather you not be near this thing in case it wants to have a second conversation.”

 

[Izzy Aureth]

Izzy frowned, and nodded. She understood she'd made an error. One that could have ended up so much worse than it had. "I'm sorry, Master. I wasn't thinking. The voice, was so ... alluring." She said quietly as she sat up and dusted herself off.

"And yes, spoke to me. Tempted me to touch it, urged me to do so." The young girl sighed heavily as she got to her feet, seeming a little shaky. "It was hard to resist the pull I felt." Izzy whispered quietly, not liking to think that anything had gotten such easy control over her, even if only briefly.

The girl sighed once more. This expedition she didn't want to end just yet. There was so much to explore. "Well, what else can we do? I don't want to go back to the ship just yet. There's so many strange things to look at around here and come to understand. I'm just ... curious." She admitted finally.

[member="Phylis Alince"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Izzy Aureth"]
Phylis smiled down at her. “You are forgiven, dear. I was young and rash once too. Come on, I have something to show you nearby.”

Down in a shaded area overhung by a tall mesa was a cave. There were various markers outside the door, and the path to it had been somewhat made more accessible with steps up the rocky face cut into the stone.

Inside the cave was a most exceptional sight in a desert; a pool of deep, crystal water lit only by a single shaft of light coming through a hole in the roof.

“Looks nice, doesn’t it? The local people come here to pray for good weather. The water is said to be sacred and is thought to heal in small amounts.”