The Gathering [Invite Only, PM if Missed]

[Jsc]

"Hello hello."

She smiled in reply. Ah yes. Knight Vael. [member="Gherron Vael"] Indeed, It had been awhile. She hadn't recognized him on the shuttle for the back of his head. He must be escorting his students perhaps? Sam nodded to herself and put her Pad away. Trying to sit more comfortably whilst in armor, she decided it was no use.

"Knight Vael. How nice of you to join me? My my. ...Well now, what can I help you with? Looking for a snack too, hm? Hehe."

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

Gherron chuckled a little, sipping his drink. "Maybe later. For now, just something to wet the throat." Leaning back against the seat, he put his hands behind his head to relax. "So how've you been? You going to Ilum for a new crystal, or just for the thrills?"

[member="Sam Jhovna"]

 

[Jsc]

The blond nodded to [member="Gherron Vael"] ,

"Thrills mostly. After Manaan, well, let's just say I've taken an interest in seeing how the newer Jedi in our Order get their kicks. Hehe."

She looked around the room and nodded again. It was just the two of them. That was good. They could talk.

"How about yourself? Been awhile, yes. What grand adventure brings you out this way? Students, I presume."

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

"Student, yes", Gherron corrected, a small smile on his face. "You may have noticed the kaleesh joining us. Took him as my padawan not too long ago. I'm actually quite impressed how far he's come recently." Taking a drink, he sighed happily and continued. "I spent a while away from the order actually, explored the galaxy a bit. You'd be surprised what's out there. But... I finally decided to come back, have a full-time padawan. I rather enjoy it, honestly."

[member="Sam Jhovna"]

 

[Jsc]

Again, Sam nodded. It sounded like quite a bit had happened for [member="Gherron Vael"] . Good for him. She wasn't quite there yet.

"Good for you. Always nice to hear that a man has found a comfortable spot in this big universe. ...Nice."

She thought about herself and her journeys thus far. Meh. Very few of them had brought her peace of mind or anything nearer to comfort. Though the food was always good. That was nice.

"So. How has it been teaching an alien student? I've always found the near-Humans to be the easiest to work with. Though, I've never met a Kaleesh before. How goes the teaching? Was there a language barrier or, not-so-much?"

 

[Jack Rand]

[member="Aaralyn Rekali"] [member="Sophia Walsh"] [member="Gherron Vael"] [member="Rael sul B'an"] [member="Elizie Adasca"] [member="Veega Anarth"] [member="Sam Jhovna"] [member="Nefertari Sovint"] [member="Ayden Quell"] [member="Maria Natalja"] [member="Sabena Shai"] [member="Kosuke Yamauchi"]

The Endeavour had finally reached it's optimal destination to make it's hyperdrive jump to Ilum, the ship had a perfect path to fly straight to Ilum while avoiding any unnecessary pit stops. Jack began the jump to hyperdrive, so it wouldn't take too long. Jack shuffled his Sabacc deck while he waited, it was a personal habit of his took his mind off of stuff.

"Alright, we are making the jump to hyperdrive now. We will make it to Ilum soon, so everybody finish up your personal business."

The button signifying the ship being able to make the jump now. Jack pressed the button and the trademark images came, Jack always loved those images nice and peaceful.

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

"No barrier at all, actually. Rael had a little trouble grasping some concepts at first, but he can speak basic really well." A wry smile appeared on his face then, as if he was trying to hold back a laugh. "He can be a bit clumsy at times. Not always the best sense of direction, either. But he's a quick learner. Hard pressed to give up. Kinda reminds me of myself." He felt the jump to hyperspace then, and nodded to himself. they were on their way to ilum.

[member="Sam Jhovna"]

 

[Jsc]

Sam laughed. She could relate to gifted students. [member="Gherron Vael"] had it better than she knew.

"Well then. Congrats on finding a gifted Apprentice. It sounds like you two will be quite the team. And the Order is better for it. Very, impressive."

She smiled and let the ship do it's thing. They were on their way.

"You know. If I happened to get any questions about teaching Padawans? I just might come to you for advice one day. Hehe. ...One day."

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

Gherron let out a small laugh then. "Well, whenever you're ready. I'm always willing to give some advice. That is why I'm here, after all." He realized something then, the way the other Jedi carried herself. A little more confidence in her eyes than the last time they'd met. "Congratulations on your promotion, but the way."

[member="Sam Jhovna"]

 

[Kosuke Yamauchi]

[member="Rael sul B'an"]

"Yeah, I don't need a crystal." He fetched into his robes some and took out a black sheathe, "Before the Jedi had lightsabers, or even protosabers, they used actual blades. It's tradition in my family to use the archaic form of self-defence with a real blade." He placed it back within his robes, "I may not need to find a crystal, but concentration and meditation is far more exhaustive from what I am told." He glanced down the shuttle, and looked back to the alien, "I may not need to come to Ilum, but I was told everyone does it. I shouldn't have to be exempt from a rite of passage just because I don't do things the same way." A beaming smile flashed across his lips.

 

[Jsc]

Ah yes. She'd completely forgotten. Last time they'd met, she'd been a completely different woman.

"Oh! Why thank you. It's been a rough go but I've turned out pretty well for it. Hehe."

She picked up her helm and tapped it's casing. Thicker skin, you'd call it.

"After Teta I kind of picked up a few character flaws that have stuck with me since. War scars, I guess. ...So I've made a few changes to my crazy lifestyle and tried to focus on my work. It helps the days go by."

Sam rolled her eyes and nodded,

"I've... Earned some ire from my family for working so much. But it's been a long process of coming back to it. Maybe in a few months I'll be back to normal. ...Hopefully, ya know."

It was hard to talk about Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Especially when you're Sam and avoid the thought of it all together. In her book it was just a headache that wouldn't go away. Something you avoid. In reality, it affected everything she did these days. Making her more distant, less trusting, and a good deal more paranoid. War scars, she called it. They just weren't the physical kind.

"Anyway. Good talk. I'll... Um. Let you get back to it. ...Lot's to see, people to train. I'm sure you're very busy Knight Vael. Ahem. Yes. Busy, busy, busy."

She shifted in her chair and literally began waving him away. That was enough thinking, ...erm talking, about herself for now. Or ever, really.

"May the Force be with you. ...And good luck on Ilum too. For all of us."

[member="Gherron Vael"]​

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

Gherron listened intently, nodding a little. Finally, at what seemed to him that she was ending the conversation, he nodded again curtly and stood up, taking his drink with him. "You too, may the force be with you." Walking out of the mess hall, he looked down to his left, then his right, sticking his hands in his pockets. Time to drift off to a new conversation... Or maybe find somewhere quiet? Walking down the corridor, he remembered [member="Jack Rand"] 'a invite for some Sabaac. Making his way to the front of the ship, he soon found the man, taking a seat next to him. "So, think you can shoe in a game?"

 

[Jsc]

Sam sighed as Gherron took his leave. A complicated mess of feelings welling up inside her. Ugh. Couldn't she just be normal again. Talk like a normal person again. What happened to that fun party girl from Coruscant with friends on all arms. She stopped to look at the floor. Oh. That's right. Now she remembered. Mm.

The armored woman sighed heavily and stroked a hand through her perfect hair. Yeah. She'd need to work through this is she was ever going to get better. Maybe she needed what was in those caves. Maybe she needed a little time for the Force to work on her. Yeah. Maybe it was time she let Ilum sort her out too.

___

Time passed and Jhovna returned to her reading. She didn't finish her food.

 

[Jack Rand]

[member="Gherron Vael"]

Jack spun around with a serious face on, but he quickly broke into a smile. "I thought you'd never ask mate, here we'll use my deck." Jack pulled out all of his cards except the Idiot that he hid in his wrist and spread the deck in his hand to show the Jedi. "As you can see all cards are here and accounted for." With a flick of his wrists Jack had swiftly shuffled all of the cards into one deck, making his experience at the game obvious. Corellians ate, drank and bled Sabacc and so did Jack. "Are you familiar with the Corellian Gambit format?" Jack always favored that format, though he tried to make his own way to play which was still going through a process. Jack dealt the cards from his personal deck swiftly and stared at the Jedi with a smile on his face.

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

Gherron smiled to himself as he noticed a card make its way under the man's sleeve, but made no comment about it. The truth was, he didn't know about any special ways to play the game, all he knew was how he used to play with others back on Coruscant when he was younger. He'd learned quick how to play, usually winning and walking away with some nice money. He didn't bet any more though, not since becoming a Jedi. "Nope. Honestly, I haven't played in years. Maybe you could remind me."

[member="Jack Rand"]

 

[Jack Rand]

[member="Gherron Vael"]

Jack wasn't very surprised about the man not knowing much about Sabacc, luckily for him Jack had plenty of experience with the deck that he held. Jack taught it to padawans when he was just a cadet and also taught people how to cheat to fund his addictions, but he didn't want to be reminded of that point in time. That was all behind him now.

"Don't worry mate, it's easy once you get started." Jack then did an extensive explanation of the entire game and of it's history. It was so good in fact that it made his co-pilot weep tears of joy. Jack smiled as the man who was in front of him now knew how to play the game and they were ready to play it.

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

Gherron listened carefully, nodding, even laughing a little when the co-pilot was moved to tears. It certainly was a very detailed explanation, though he wasn't sure if he really needed the history of a card game. Sitting up in his chair, he smirked a bit. "So that it, then? Doesn't sound too hard. Let's see what you've got." More bluffing. The version Jack had described didn't seem too far from what Gherron had played before, but he knew somewhat the reputation Corellians had with the game. A version named after them would only make it worse on him, he figured. However, Gherron was always hard-presses to resist a challenge. Cracking his knuckles, he got ready.

[member="Jack Rand"]

 

[cowboyrepeater]

For her part, Layna Akhora wasn't sure what to feel. When Master Aralyn had invited her, she had just stepped out of the refresher after her morning physical training and meditation. She had only thought of getting dressed and making the shuttle craft to Illum before it left the Temple. It was a huge relief to have made it in time.

The Gathering's implications had just begun to dawn on her. This was among her first trials, one of the oldest rituals in the Order. She would enter the legendary crystal caves of Illum like countless Jedi before her and find the crystal which sang to her. Then she would craft her saber through meditation, finally charging then igniting the energy blade.

It was said a Jedi would have visions in the cave. Some even fought Sith Lords with their newly constructed lightsaber. Layna didn't know what she would see, but she steeled herself. Failure was not an option.

The Twi'lek youth would face whatever came. The possibility of death even occured to her. There is no death, there is only the Force. The mantra soothed her worries; you never really died, just became One with the Force.

There is no emotion, there is only Peace. She meditated on this thought and found comfort.

 

[Garik Reed]

[member="Kosuke Yamauchi"]

"Well, that is interesting indeed. I've yet to meet a Jedi who did not use a lightsaber. Either way, good luck to you in the caves." He stood up, and nodded to Kosuke. Rael turned around and started walking through the ship. He had no specific location in mind. The kaleesh walked around, trying to memorize the ships layout. He knew it wouldn't help later, but it couldn't hurt to try. Rael was a little nervous about whether or not he would be able to find his way around the caves. He assumed he'd be going through them on his own. The directionless padawan would undoubtedly get lost down there, but he would let the Force guide him, not his mind. Hopefully his Force compass was better than his normal one...

 

[Jack Rand]

[member="Aaralyn Rekali"] [member="Sophia Walsh"] [member="Gherron Vael"] [member="Rael sul B'an"] [member="Elizie Adasca"] [member="Veega Anarth"] [member="Sam Jhovna"] [member="Nefertari Sovint"] [member="Ayden Quell"] [member="Maria Natalja"] [member="Sabena Shai"] [member="Kosuke Yamauchi"]

They had played a few hands, Jack had won the first few due to his experience with the game. What surprised Jack though is that he hadn't won all of them, in fact the Jedi had won more than a couple hands. Jack laughed as he threw down another hand, losing another time to the Jedi. "Ha, I guess I am an amazing teacher."

Jack was collecting all of the cards to deal out a new hand, but then the ship came out of hyperdrive near Ilum. Thr ice planet shined below, it wasn't anything special just a grey mass that looked extremely boring. But hell it wasn't Jack's place to judge what a bunch of space wizards did with their time. Still he would have preferred if the crystals were located on Zeltros.

Jack let out a massive sigh as he looked back to the man whom he was playing with, sliding his deck back into his secret jacket pocket. "Sorry friend, I guess that we'll have to continue this when you return from the caves." Jack smiled at the man and spun around his chair to the P.A system to make the announcement. "This is your Captain speaking, we are above Ilum and will be landing shortly. Finish up your duties and get ready to depart for the caves." Jack then began his descent down to the planet, shivering at the thought of how cold it would be.

The ship hit the ground with a satisfying crunch of the snow and ice beneath itself, Jack was already cold. He went for the PA system against to make another announcement. "Alright, we have landed. I'll see you all outside, I'll be the one covered in seven feet on snowgear." Jack only realized that the PA was still on after he said that, maybe it would pass of as humour. The he looked at his gear and let out a loud sigh...