Private The First Trial: Finding One’s Heart

[Braze Kai'el]

TAGS: Kaelos Vryn

Braze had been quietly observing for weeks, auditing classes and keeping a watchful eye on Kaelos and the other Padawans. He studied them—not just their skills, but their personalities, their habits, their struggles. Who excelled at teamwork? Who faltered in communication? Who had strong friendships, and who stood alone? Every detail, every interaction was carefully noted and filed away in the recesses of his mind, keeping a running ledger of strengths and weaknesses.

Choosing a Padawan was not a decision he would make lightly.

It had been a week since the box had been delivered. This morning, before the first rays of light had touched the temple, Braze had left a note pinned to the door of Kaelos's room. A summons. An invitation detailing where he would be, leaving it to the boy to decide whether or not to follow.

Now, he sat outside in the crisp morning air, within the safety of the temple grounds, attempting to clear his mind. Meditation.

He hated it.

Stillness never came easily to him. He was a creature of action, of movement—sitting motionless felt like trying to cage the wind. He much preferred moving meditation, the rhythm of a blade in hand, the steady pattern of footwork, the whisper of his breath aligning with each motion. But for now, he tried.

He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to focus. There was much to consider.

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: New Cov Jedi Enclave
Tags: Braze Kai'el
Equipment: None​

​

He was exausted.

New Cov had proven to be a world which had truly changed his outlook. From his adventures with Vera Noble and Anavi Vandala through the somewhat murderous jungles to the lesson that had been taught by Valery Noble and the sparring he'd conducted with Caelan Valoren . Every interaction he'd had in the New Cov Jedi Enclave had taught him something either about the force or about himself.

The young Jedi Initiate had seen Braze Kai'el hovering around a few times since he'd arrived on New Cov but he hadn't approached him at all. In fact he hadn't spoken to the young Jedi Knight since their interactions in his company office on Courscant and that had been a while ago.

In all fairness, Kaelos wondered if Braze thought he'd forgotten about his offer entirely. He wondered if Braze had just assumed due to the lack of communication that he wasn't interested in joining him. It's most definitely what Kaelos would have assumed.

It was actually the opposite. The Kiffar had taken the advice of his higher ranking Jedi seriously and had spent whatever downtime he had on New Cov deep in meditation. For years, he'd been so focused on the goal of being picked by a Master he'd have honestly chosen anyone and accepted anyone with no issues. It was only after his encounter with Braze in which he realised that there was more to the choice and more to his ambitions than making a simple choice.

The Force hadn't exactly been all guiding like Kaelos had hoped. It hadn't just given him the answer on a silver plate. He hadn't had any fancy visions telling him exactly how and what to do like he'd hoped for. Instead, he'd been more frustrated because it was a difficult decision to make.

The relationship shared by a Master and a Padawan was that of intense closeness. The levels of trust required in each other were unlike any other relationship in the galaxy. Kaelos had almost considered talking with some of the higher ranking Jedi about how they'd made their choice just to seek some idea on what he should or shouldn't do.

Plus, he'd been getting distracted.

Between his classes and his adventure off into New Cov's deep dark jungle he couldn't just spend every waking hour mulling over his choice. He'd actually found that the break and the distractions had served him well though, stopped him from causing himself to spiral into a pit of stress and anxiety.

He'd awoken early on the day in question and opted to dress simply in a tan tunic, brown pants and some simple brown boots. He'd never been one for fashion, instead preferring the more simple and traditional dress of the Jedi. It made choosing an outfit much more simple than having to pick exactly what worked with what.

Whilst he was getting ready, he'd heard some noise outside his door however he paid it little mind. Jedi were known to come and go at all hours, either meditating or training or coming back from a mission. He was used to the noise now, it hardly bothered him.

Stepping from his quarters that he'd been assigned whilst on New Cov, he let out a stretch. He was planning for an early morning run to clear his mind and give him chance to consider his choice again. He had to make a choice soon, of that he was certain.

Instead, it appeared the choice would be made for him. As he turned to close the door, his eyes were drawn to a note that had been pinned to it. He recognised the handwriting instantly, it was the same handwriting that was on his guide card during his adventures with that damn box.

Braze's.

Allowing his eyes to skim over the note a few times, he let out a smile. He appreciated that Braze had opted to meet with him because it forced him to make a decision. He couldn't put it off any longer when the Jedi Knight was directly in front of him.

Putting the note into his pocket, Kaelos made for the temple grounds. The note had specified that Braze would be waiting there for him and Kaelos wasn't one to make the young boy wait. He wasn't aware of what time the note had been placed on his door and as such he didn't know how long Braze had already been waiting for him to arrive.

His walk took him throughout the Jedi Enclave on New Cov and down different corridors that he'd yet to walk down. The Force seemed to know exactly where the young boy needed to be however and so Kaelos just opened himself up to it as his guide.

On one of the corridors, he passed a room that contained a familar presence. He'd spent a lot of time with Vera Noble and was starting to recognise her signature in the force more and more. She seemed at peace and whilst he considered just for a brief moment waking her, he decided against it. She would have been able to provide some great advice, sure, but Kaelos also wasn't certain if she'd appreciate being disturbed. She was firey enough when awake, so Kaelos didn't want to see what she could be like if someone had just woken her.

So he continued, through the corridors and hallways of the New Cov Enclave and out into the gardens. The shadow cast by the overgrown jungle was apparant, however it didn't stop the gardens still being beautiful in their own rights. There was a sea of different colours and flowers in front of the young boy.

And quite obviously standing out, was Braze.

He wasn't the largest of Jedi, only an inch or so taller than Kaelos himself but he was quite recognisable in amongst the flowers. The young Jedi Knight appeared to be meditating, or at least trying to. Kaelos could feel in the force just how little Braze was actually enjoying the concept.

Kaelos let out a smile and took a seat, awaiting his companion to finish up his meditation so they could talk.

 

[Braze Kai'el]

TAGS: Kaelos Vryn

Braze could feel Kaelos approaching before he heard him, his presence tugging at the edge of his awareness like a ripple in still water. His jade-green eyes popped open as the other joined him, a smile spreading across his lips as he turned to look over.

"Thank you for joining me," Braze chirped, drawing in a deep breath of the cool morning air. The gentle rustling of the canopy overhead was calming, the sway of branches in the breeze creating a soothing rhythm. The sounds of nature wrapped around him—soft, steady, and peaceful. It was nice to just be in a place like this.

"So… have you come with questions?" Braze asked, his voice light with curiosity. "Or do you bring an answer for me?"

​

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: New Cov Jedi Enclave
Tags: Braze Kai'el
Equipment: None​

​

Kaelos let out a smile.

As Braze opened his green eyes, Kaelos stepped forward and began to approach him. He wasn't sure if he'd interupted the young boy's meditation session but he wasn't about to question it. Braze had approached him not the other way around.

"I assumed the note was from you" he acknowleged with a bow. The gentle breeze licked against him, his hair lightly blowing in the cooling wind. "The handwriting was fairly recognisable" he said with a slight chuckle, taking a seat opposite the slightly older boy.

He acknowleged Braze's question with a nod. "I'm surprised your offer is still on the table, considering the day" he said after a few moments. "I took your advice though, thought about it and meditated on it" he commented. "For so long I was so focused on just being chosen by a Master, I didn't actually care who the Master was. I'd have taken anyone honestly. Then I had that conversation with you and my entire perspective changed"

The young Jedi paused for a moment, taking a breath. "I had to think about what I actually wanted. It became more than just saying yes to someone. I had to think about everything, the entire dynamic and what was best for myself and my development" he mentioned.

All of the hours he'd spent thinking on the force had led to this moment.

"If you'd have me, I'd like to learn what you have to teach"

 

[Braze Kai'el]

TAGS: Kaelos Vryn

Braze listened intently to Kaelos, his expression thoughtful. "It's easy to get trapped in a single perception," he mused, his words measured. "To cling so tightly to one viewpoint that we forsake even the possibility of giving another idea deeper thought." A faint smile tugged at his lips as he stood, stretching the stiffness from his limbs before exhaling a quiet sigh.

Then, with a sudden shift in energy, his demeanor lightened. "I like you. We're going to get along," he declared.

He hesitated only a beat before adding, "Believe it or not, I have a lot to teach you." His voice carried an easy confidence, a playfulness that softened the weight of the statement. But before Kaelos could respond, Braze's gaze flickered with a new curiosity. "Tell me… have you ever flown a ship before?"

As he spoke, he took a slow step forward, then another, circling Kaelos with a deliberate prowl—less aggression, more assessment, like a predator gauging its next move. His eyes traced the youth's posture, his build, the way he held himself. Then, with an absentminded curiosity, he reached out, brushing the air just above Kaelos's head with the Force. Strands of hair lifted and shifted at his silent command, rearranging themselves with ghostly precision.

Braze studied them as if making some final calculation. "What school of study do you wish to pursue?" he asked, his tone quieter now.

Then he halted in front of Kaelos, his gaze steady. He reached out, fingertips hovering just above his shoulder. It was a gesture as old as the Jedi Order itself—the marking of a student, a bond acknowledged in the form of a simple braid. But Braze did not rush. He was waiting. Gauging. Giving Kaelos the space to decide if he would step forward… or step away.

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: New Cov Jedi Enclave
Tags: Braze Kai'el
Equipment: None​

​

Again, he thought of his adventures with the daughter of the Grandmaster.

He hadn't directly flown a ship, but she'd shown him how to keep one stable during planetary re-entry. She'd shown him how gentle to be on the throttle and on the other controls to account for the turbulance of a ship punching it's way through the atmosphere of a planet.

"I've only ever been on a ship a handful of times in my life" he admitted, counting them in his head. Kiffu to Courscant. Courscant to Kiffu. Kiffu to Courscant again and then Courscant to New Cov. Four in total. Most Jedi had done hundreds. "None of them as pilot, however on two of them I earned the nickname of Co-Pilot" he commented with a smile.

The young Jedi smiled towards the ever so very slightly older Jedi Knight. Kaelos truly believed Braze when he commented on having a lot to teach. As part of his considerations into accepting Braze's offer, he'd looked up information on Braze in the archives and had established whom had trained the young boy. If he accepted the offer, he'd be joining a legacy consisting of a former Jedi Council Member in Jasper Kai'el and Braze Kai'el himself.

"You ask what school of study I wish to pursue?" he asked, however it came off more as confirmation of the question that Braze was asking. "The galaxy has been at war for so long" he stated as a matter of fact. Ever since he'd been born, all he'd known was a galaxy at war. The Bryn'adul, the Brotherhood of the Maw, the Imperials, The Dark Empire and the Sith. "If I can help it, I have no interest in seeing the front line. The role of a Jedi shouldn't be to fight in battles, it should be to keep the peace and mediate" he acknowledged. "I'd rather study the Force, explore the galaxy and find information of old that can help us gain a clearer understanding of the Force"

Kaelos cast his eyes towards Braze and stepped forward, reaching out and closing his fingers around what the Jedi Knight was offering. He felt the braid in his hand and he offered a bow in front of Braze with a smile across his face.

"I won't fail you, nor will I betray your trust" he stated.

"Master"

 

[Braze Kai'el]

TAGS: Kaelos Vryn

Braze smiled at that. "You can call me Braze if you like," he offered lightly before reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a small green bead, carved from jade, its surface adorned with swirling smoke-like patterns. Taking his student's hand, he placed the bead in their palm.

"My first gift to you is this… I would like it if you would add it to your braid."

He then retrieved a tawny, golden-dyed rawhide strip, moving to wrap the end of the braid with careful precision.

Braze tapped the jade bead now woven into his student's braid, his tone firm but steady.

"Jade represents balance—calm in chaos, clarity in doubt. It's a guardian, absorbing harm, just like the Force shields and guides you. It stands for wisdom, for growth, for the trials that will shape you into something stronger."

He met their gaze. "Green is the color we use to represent the study of the Living Force. This jade is also symbolizing connection—to the Force, to others, to yourself. It's a reminder that you don't walk this path alone. One day, you'll cut this. But until then, let it remind you—strength, wisdom, peace. That's what you're becoming."

Braze stepped back, his gaze thoughtful as he patted his pockets. Finding what he was looking for, he drew out a simple fob for a starship and tossed it toward Kaelos.

"Catch."

He waited just long enough for them to grasp it before adding, "Let me see you take us out of the hangar and up into low orbit. Come."

Without another word, he turned and strode toward the docking bay, fully expecting the lad to follow—and just as naturally, expecting him to fly.

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: New Cov Jedi Enclave
Tags: Braze Kai'el
Equipment: None​

​

Closing his fingers around the gem, he smiled.

The Kiffar watched as Braze spent time weaving the bead into the braid and he listened as the young Jedi Knight explained what the Jade gem represented. Once he'd finished, Kaelos closed his fingers around both gem and braid and slid it into his pocket. It would take time to weave into his hair, especially due to how Kiffar hair grew. It was something the Jedi Padawan would sort later.

Jedi Padawan. It was weird to think that for so long it was a title he'd strived for and now he had it. He was the Padawan of the Jedi Knight Braze Kai'el and would learn everything the Jedi Knight had to offer. It was an interesting pairing, especially since their ages were so similar. Perhaps the Force had guided them together so that they could learn from each other.

Both raised to their feet and Braze threw an object towards the young Jedi. He caught it with his left hand and cast his eyes down to it. He identified it instantly as a keyfob for a space vessel. Braze's next words caught him off guard and he blinked.

He was going to be flying a starship up into low orbit? Alone?

Vera Noble had taught him a few things but not quite that. He was tempted to speak up and say he couldn't do it but he bit his tongue instead. Before admitting failure, he was hopeful that the force would be his guide and give him some idea of what to do and give him some idea how to fly a ship from a hanger up to a low orbit around New Cov.

The duo entered the hanger, and Kaelos waited for Braze to identify their vessel.

 

[Braze Kai'el]

Kaelos Vryn

Braze led Kaelos to an old, scrappy-looking vessel, its hull smothered in layers of grime and wear—an unassuming Payday-class Freighter that looked more like a relic than a reliable starship.

Pausing at the ramp, Braze cast a sidelong glance at Kaelos, his smile carrying an edge of mischief. "You don't need to pack anything, do you?" His tone was casual, almost lazy, yet there was something deliberate in the way he phrased it—an unspoken challenge woven into the moment. It was as if he were offering Kaelos a final out, a chance to hesitate… or commit.

And beneath it all, in the glint of his eye and the way his posture eased just so, there lingered something else. Something knowing. Something that suggested he was already several steps ahead—though of what, exactly, remained unclear.

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: New Cov Jedi Enclave
Tags: Braze Kai'el
Equipment: None​

​

Both young Jedi stood at the mouth of the older vessel.

It had clearly seen better days, with dirt and grime clinging to every inch of it. Luckly, Kaelos trusted Braze Kai'el not to utilise a starship that would drop to scrap the moment they began to operate faster than light and entered lightspeed.

The young Padawan shook his head when the slightly older Knight asked if he needed to pack anything. He was certain that he'd get a chance to return to New Cov to pick up any belongings after their adventure, and even if he didn't he was sure they'd just be left where they were and that he could just pick them up next time he visited the New Cov Enclave.

"I'm ready to go, if you are?" he responded with a laugh, a jokey tone to his voice. With a smile, the young boy walked his way up the ramp and into the depths of the Payday-Class vessel which they would be travelling in. It took just a few seconds for the Padawan to stumble his way through the hold and into the cockpit, where he would be piloting for the first time.

Trust in the force and all that, right.

"So, fun fact. Never done this before" he said with a nervous look as he slid into the pilots chair. He didn't even know how it should be adjusted, so he spent a few moments just changing it's positioning until he was somewhat comfortable, could reach all of the controls and most importantly could see out of the viewscreen in front of him.

"Question. How'd you start this thing?"

 

[Braze Kai'el]

TAGS: Kaelos Vryn

Braze slid into the co-pilot's seat with an air of complete ease, kicking his boots up onto the panel in front of him. The Payday-Class freighter's cockpit was a mismatched array of switches, levers, and buttons—some original, others clearly replaced over time. Faded labels peeled at the edges, and a few controls had the unmistakable shine of parts scavenged from different manufacturers, giving the console a patchwork personality.

He leaned back, arms folding lazily behind his head, and let a wry smirk tug at his lips.

"Good… firsts are always memorable."

His eyes flicked to Kaelos, gauging his expression before he nodded toward the pilot's side of the console.

"Alright, basics first. That big silver lever to your right? That's the throttle. Push it forward, you move. Pull it back, you slow down—simple. Those switches above it? That's your repulsorlift control. Flip the leftmost one to bring us up, the rightmost one to level out. Try not to mix them up unless you like taking off sideways."

He shifted slightly, knocking his boot against a rectangular red button near Kaelos's knee. "Pre-flight checks are already green, so just tap that to prime the engines. You'll hear them hum when they're ready. And that—" He pointed to a reinforced toggle on the upper panel, just above Kaelos's head. "That's your hyperdrive. Do not touch that until I tell you to, unless you wanna be atoms before lunch."

Braze let the information settle for a second, then gave an easy shrug.

"Other than that? Trust your instincts. And the ship. She might not be pretty, but she flies."

​

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: New Cov Jedi Enclave
Tags: Braze Kai'el
Equipment: None​

​

His new mentor had a lot of faith in him.

It helped that Kaelos was fairly certain that the Jedi Knight would step in if he did anything stupid that would result in them ending up having a massive crash. It did give him some confidence and he was a believer in learning by doing.

He listened as Braze explained what the important leavers and buttons did. He took note of the throttle, the repulsorlift control and the hyperdrive control. The notes about not pressing that too early were quite important. He wasn't in the mood to kill them both.

The biggest takeaway was that all the preflight checks had been completed. All Kaelos had to do was press a red button to start the engines. That was something that he could do, despite the fact he'd always been taught that you never pressed the red button.

His fingers traced over the button for a few moments before he pressed it in. Almost instantly, the cockpit was overtaken by sounds of engine noises. He smiled, having at least achieved step one of turning the ship on. He now just had to get it up and out of the hanger.

Repulsorlift controls would come in very useful.

Closing his eyes, Kaelos took a breath and allowed himself to relax and allowed the force to flow through him and guide him. His fingers danced over the repulsorlift controls and within seconds he'd managed to get the ship off the hanger floor and into the air.

Throttle forward, the ship began to move. He kept it slow, very slow. He'd only moved the throttle about an inch or two but that was enough to get the large vessel moving. The slow speed gave him chance to mess around with the repulsors and keep them level.

Until without even realising it, he'd left the hanger.

He let out a sigh of relief and cast a glance to Braze. It hadn't been quick and it hadn't been pretty, it had taken so much longer than it would have taken an experienced pilot but he'd managed it. He was somewhat impressed with himself.

"Now we go up, right?"

 

[Braze Kai'el]

TAGS: Kaelos Vryn

Braze's smirk deepened as he watched Kaelos maneuver the freighter out of the hangar. It was slow, a little shaky, and probably the longest departure he'd ever sat through—but it was controlled. That mattered more than speed.

Pleased, he sat up straighter, swinging his boots off the console with a solid thump before strapping himself into his seat. The seatbelt clicked into place, a rare show of precaution from him, but one Kaelos might find reassuring.

"Great job Kaelos!" Braze praised, and for once, his enthusiasm wasn't laced with sarcasm or teasing. He actually sounded impressed. "You kept it steady, didn't overcompensate, and—" He rapped his knuckles lightly on the panel in front of him. "Most importantly, we're still in one piece. That's a win in my book."

His gaze flicked to Kaelos, sharp yet approving. The kid had a natural feel for this—maybe rough around the edges, but he trusted his instincts.

"Yeah, that's right. Take your time, ease us higher." His voice took on a steady, guiding tone, meant to keep Kaelos grounded in the moment. He gestured toward the control panel. "Use the repulsorlifts gently—feather it, don't jam it. Throttle up just a notch when you're ready, and let the ship tell you how she wants to move. If you fight her, she'll fight back."

He leaned back slightly, one arm draped over the chair's armrest, watching closely. "No need to rush. Get a feel for it. The sky's not going anywhere."

​

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: New Cov Jedi Enclave
Tags: Braze Kai'el
Equipment: None​

​

Don't fight the ship.

That made sense. It was better to be smooth than fast, take one's time not rush to get the outcome. It was the same idea that he'd put into making a decision on if he should join Braze or not. He could do slow and steady, making gentle movements as to not upset the ship.

His fingers lightly danced over the controls, adjusting the repulsorlifts to angle their ship up towards space and away from the jungles of New Cov. Again, it was slow and shakey but it worked. "You never told me what this ship was named" he joked as he pushed the throttle forward.

Except he pushed it a little hard, and the ship took off with speed he wasn't quite expecting. There was a moment of panic before Kaelos pulled himself back together and pulled the throttle back towards himself to slow the ship down back to a speed he could manage.

"Okay, I'm not ready for speed yet" he laughed as he took a breath and continued to slowly guide the ship up through the atmosphere of the jungle planet and out into space. He did it in silence pretty much, focused on keeping them alive more than talking.

 

[Braze Kai'el]

TAGS: Kaelos Vryn

Braze didn't so much as flinch at the jarring maneuver. Instead, he cast a glance at the console, quirking a brow at the mention.

"You're right—I didn't," he said, his voice even. He gestured toward the navigational screen. "See here? The ship's call sign is listed along with essential credentials—ship class, registry ID, transponder code, last maintenance log, and owner history." His finger tapped the display. "At the top, you'll see the call sign: Mud Duck."


His gaze shifted back, more intent now. "As a Jedi, you might find yourself stranded on a planet one day, and when that happens, knowing how to operate different types of transport could be the difference between being stuck and getting out. More than that, you need to know how to fix them.

Little by little, you and I are going to replace parts on this ship—piece by piece, together. I'm going to teach you exactly what it takes to keep a ship running, so if you ever find yourself in a tight spot, scavenging for parts or salvaging what you can, you'll know how to put it all together. Not just for yourself—but for anyone else relying on you."

His hand rested on the control panel briefly before he leaned back. "That said, this little Mud Duck has a long way to go before we start any of that. For now, once we get higher, I want you to punch in the coordinates for Ilum in the minicomputer there."

​

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: New Cov Jedi Enclave
Tags: Braze Kai'el
Equipment: None​

​

The Mud Duck.

He'd heard worse names, for sure. He'd also heard better names. The stories he'd read in the temple gave ships names such as The Vindicator and The Executor. None of those stories had a ship named Mud Duck. It had a charm about it though, the little Mud Duck exploring the galaxy.

Listening as the Jedi Knight explained his plan for the ship, Kaelos nodded. Braze seemed to be prepared for any eventuality and Kaelos appreciated it. Knowing how to keep a ship running using bare bones part was a fairly useful skill, he had to admit.

The young Padawan's eyes drifted across the different screens in front of him. He identified the screen that Braze had referred to, the screen with all of the important operational data for the vessel and he saw it's callsign in the top corner and let out a little smile once again.

Allowing the ship to continue it's climb, the old reliable Mud Duck eventually punched it's way through the atmosphere of New Cov and all around them was nothing but the infinate, never ending darkness of space with only the occasional flicker of a nearby galaxy off in the distance.

His fingers danced over to the console that Braze had directed him to and he began searching up the relevant information for the planet of Ilum. He'd heard of Ilum before, had read about it in stories in the Jedi Archives. There were numerous accounts of what happened on the planet and many werre contradicting. All of them agreed the Jedi once used the ice planet to gather lightsaber crystals up until the Great Jedi Purge of 19 BBY.

The stories divulged from there. Many suggested that Ilum remained undisturbed. Others suggested the Great Galactic Empire destroyed the crystal caves of Ilum. Some suggested the First Order that followed the Great Galactic Empire turned Ilum into a superweapon unlike any other.

Considering Braze was giving him directions to Ilum, Kaelos assumed the first option was the most likely to have occurred. With thousands of years of history and stories and legends, some things were likely to get confused or mixed up in the history books. No-one was perfect.

"Co-ordinates are in for Ilum" he confirmed, wishing he owned a jacket he could have brought. An ice planet in just his robes was not going to be an enjoyable experience. Maybe on his return, he could look at finding a tailor to customise him some clothes as a celebration of being taken on as a Padawan.

 

[Braze Kai'el]

TAGS: Kaelos Vryn

Braze nodded in approval as Kaelos confirmed the coordinates. "Good. Ilum's a bit of a tricky approach. Ice world, lots of interference, and the atmosphere isn't exactly forgiving. But we'll worry about landing when we get there."

He leaned forward, flicking a few switches overhead. "Now that we're in open space, let's talk about navigation. That console in front of you—it's your flight computer. Right now, it's displaying our current trajectory, gravity wells, and any obstacles in the immediate area." His finger traced along the screen. "See that dotted line? That's our plotted course. The solid line? That's where we actually are. The goal is to keep those two as close together as possible."

His jade-green eyes flicked toward Kaelos. "Now, before we make the jump to hyperspace, I want you to adjust our heading manually. Look at your heading indicator—it's that circular display with the numbers ticking along the edges. Turn us to match the course. Use the yoke gently. Small corrections."

He leaned back, letting Kaelos take the controls. "Once you've got us lined up, I'll have you engage the hyperdrive. But this part's important, so take your time. A bad jump can put us somewhere very unpleasant."

Braze's tone was light, but the lesson was clear—Kaelos had control, but he had to be careful. It was a way to test his finesse, patience, and ability to make adjustments under pressure. If he overcorrected, Braze would offer pointers, but he wanted to see how Kaelos handled it first.

​

Above the navicomputer atop the dash was a familiar object... a Box. A very familiar box.

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: New Cov Jedi Enclave
Tags: Braze Kai'el
Equipment: None​

​

The best way to learn was to do and mess up.

Gently, Kaelos worked each control as softly as possible. His task seemed simple, lining up two lines shouldn't have been as hard as it was. Unfortunately it wasn't as simple as it seemed. Any movement he made against the yolk of the vessel was a lot more aggressive than he expected and he ended up overshooting the line multiple times.

On the brink of giving up, he took a breath and spent a few moments just sat there thinking. He felt the force flowing through him and he opened himself up to it, allowing it to guide him. The input he made on the yolk was more gentle than anything he could have done without the force and he found the two lines matching perfectly on the flight computer in front of him.

"Perfect... this ship is properly sensitive" he said after the period of silence, letting out a relieved breath. Everything seemed to be as lined up as possible and he rested his hand on the hyperspace leaver, just waiting for the go ahead from Braze.

He hadn't even noticed the box.

 

[Braze Kai'el]

TAGS: Kaelos Vryn

"Good."

Braze reached for the intercom, lifting the speaker to his mouth with practiced ease.

"Prepare for jump to hyperspace... pull up the landing gear there."

His voice carried across the ship, a calm but firm warning for anyone aboard—particularly Loomi , who might have been napping or otherwise unaware of the imminent transition. Whether she chose to strap in or simply brace herself was up to her, but it was best to be ready.

With that done, Braze settled back into his seat, giving the ship—and its passengers—time. Ten minutes passed, the hum of the engines a steady presence beneath them. Then, with a slow exhale, he turned his gaze to Kaelos.

"Now, engage the route with a jump."

His words were simple, but the moment carried weight. This was the final step before they left New Cov behind, the first real leap into the unknown.

 

[Kaelos Vryn]

Location: New Cov Jedi Enclave
Tags: Braze Kai'el | Loomi
Equipment: None​

​

He listened to the instructions.

His hand went towards where Braze guided it, pulling the lever to retract the landing gear. It was likely he should have porbably done that sooner but it didn't appear to cause any significant damage to the ship. The gentle hum of the landing gear retracting informed him he'd acted correctly.

In the next second, he pulled the lever to send the ship barreling into lightspeed. Stars began to streak past the vessel's viewport as it began to make ground between New Cov and Ilum. Autopilot would take over and do a lot of the heavy lifting in lightspeed, he was aware of that.

Unclipping from the pilots chair, he raised to his feet. He'd only seen the smallest amount of the ship after boarding as he'd stumbled his way from the ramp to the cockpit with no real plan. Now he had time to actually explore and he wanted to see just what he'd managed to take off from the jungle world of New Cov.

"I assume things will start beeping if I need to come back?" he said with a laugh before setting off to explore the vessel.