The Grid, The Axis, The Origin [Coren Starchaser]

[Zonia Kalranoos]

Hangar bay, Sullust, middle of the night​

​

Atop a durasteel crate holding spare parts sat the resident red-haired Jedi of the Galactic Alliance. The term "Jedi" would be have to be used sparingly given the recent developments. After all, she murdered a dozen officers over Vandelhelm with but a swift move of her hand. Undoubtedly, the Jedi would condone such an act. But she was no longer part of the Order, no longer constrained by their ascetic code.

In a galaxy filled with turmoil, preserving life was impossible. She became aware of the trade-off Starchaser talked so often about; the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Killing hundreds while saving millions was her philosophy now. But at what cost? Would her conscious choices ever affect her connection to the Force? Would they tint the otherwise gleaming presence she had in it? Would she lose the ability to wield The Light of The Core, the Solari crystal inside effectively disobeying the biddings of a falthering Jedi?

Many questions remained unanswered for the time being, the Jedi woman now wallowing in self-doubt. Perhaps these persistent dreams she was having were a reminded she were astray from the path of light. Thanewulf remembered reading of Force visions, where many great Jedi were reminded of both their ancestry and warned of their downfall though reveries experienced at night. If it was really the Dark side creeping latenly into her subconsciousness, only one person could be trusted to have this information. What Coren would do once he knew was a wholly different matter.

Tionne already witnessed his brutality, albeit justified, towards Gabriel. Although the ginger-haired woman had sympathies for both Chevu and her lover, she understood that Starchaser needed to maintain his integrity. For once, she was his student, as was Tionne. Unlike the Mirialan, the semi-Hapan woman was somewhat less...hasty. Unlike Chevu, Thanewulf knew the world could not be saved.

I need to speak with you, Coren. It's important.​

The message she left him disclosed no other information. She needed to describe her dreams in person, merely to see if they had any meaning. Starchaser was a pragmatic man, not a shaman. He'd probably tell her to gobble up a few deathsticks and hump a member of the Red Squadron. And what a merry advice it would be.

Nonetheless, Tionne rarely required guidance, but these were one of these times when she was cornered, unsure of herself or her place in the Alliance. Thus, she awaited Starchaser in the hangar bay, hoping he would find the time to speak with her, among his many duties in the Alliance. Booted feet drummed against the side of the box in expectation, while grey eyes rested on Red Squadron's X-wings who were lined up like a flock of birds. Nobody was in the hangar but her, the rest of the Galactic Alliance fast asleep.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

The Force was one of those concepts that was almost laughable for Coren. People would go their full lives not knowing what was needed to be done, or what the answer they sought was. For him, he didn’t care. The Force was a tool, nothing more. It had shades, sure, but as an entity, as an undefined field, the Force wasn’t inherently good, nor was it evil. It just was. But it also helped to make the war a bit unfair for the average citizen. Some beings had a need for using the Force to claim their power over others, some wanted to help others, and still even more, used it as a reflection of themselves.

Coren was the latter group, he was using the Force as a way to enhance himself. Keep the battle moving in his direction, to change the very fabric of space and hyperspace, to affect it and make it work for him. The truth of it was that he had his own moral compass, if sometimes a bit chaotic, but at the very fabric? There were constants. Coren didn’t like slavers, Coren didn’t like pirates, and he didn’t like anyone who sought to subjugate anyone for their own gain.

As a result, the non-Jedi felt sometimes he fit the warrior-for-peace mold better than most of the Jedi Order. With the Grand Marshal, the New Jedi Order was very similar to his mindset, but still, some Jedi were concerned with what place they would have in the galaxy after the war. And truthfully? Coren didn’t. He knew if he survived, he’d be back to the hyperspace lanes, he’d be along the fringe of the galaxy until he was needed, until he was called upon.

Across the galaxy, he was being woken up from sleep as his astromech approached. Coren was in the Rising on his way to meet with the Tyrene and plot another mission against the local pirates. Simple enough really, but his other student was calling. He used the Force to push the droid out of the room and moved to get up. He could feel the ship stop and readjust its course. Right, messages from students would get priority. No need to have Forcers under his umbrella going out and seeking a partner in the Sith, not if Coren could talk them down.

Or lock them up until they thought better of it. He made it to his feet as the ship had adjusted course back for Sullust.

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

No, no, no. Sleep was not an option. Every time Thanewulf closed her eyes and fell asleep, she would see the same imagery over and over again. A labyrinth, on an abandoned ship, of unknown make and origin. The vessel was half-organic, but nothing like the Vong biotics. She would walk through the maze to the center, where a child's voice called out her name. Every single time, for the past fifteen days, the same scenario would play out in her head. The first night she experienced it Dax Ragnar was sleeping over, when she gave him a good scare while waking from sleep in a high-pitch scream. He literally had to shut her mouth with his hand to prevent her from waking the neighbours. The content of the dream was disturbing, with the Jedi woman even reluctant to share it with Chevu, whom she considered a really good friend.

In all truth, Tionne had no idea where Starchaser was. He could've been hundreds of thousands lightyears away when and if he recieved the message, or he could be just a few parsecs away. She didn't expect him to postpone his plans just to hop back to Sullust for a midnight chat. Although that sounded just like the kind of thing he did for his students. Either way, Thanewulf opted to wait, seeing it as an exercise in patience. He would, after a while, drift back to the vulcanic capital of Galactic Alliance, for supplies if nothing else. Gut feeling told Tionne she wouldn't have to wait long.

Just before the break of dawn, a familiar roar of engines was to be heard above the surface of Sullust, just over the entrance to entrenched hangar bay. The wailing of hyperdrive engines of Tachyon Rising was music to Tionne's ears. The redhead hopped off the crate and stood up, tucking her tank top into her dark grey cargo pants. She was more pale than usual, with dark circles around her eyes, a clear sign of prolongued lack of sleep. Her apperance was nothing short of being ran over by a Chandrillian hover train, multiple times. Notwithstanding, Thanewulf would greet her master with a smile.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

The award for worst master of the fething century would go to Coren Starchaser. He let his students do their own thing, but he would show up when they called. Most people were able to be self sufficient and he wasn’t too worried about what they would do. Sure, they could cause a ruckus and sleep with Dark Lords, but… how often was that going to happen, really? The Tachyon Rising was on her way back to Sullust, and now Coren was awake.

What did Tionne need? Couldn’t be that serious, he didn’t feel like it was, but then again, this was Starchaser we were talking about, hands down, one of the worst Force users in the galaxy, save for a connection to one or two exotic abilities, and sort of the ability to use them. But soon he was back in the suburbs of Sullust and the Traffic Controller welcomed him back. He nodded and double clicked.

He wasn’t one for talking that much, but the ship was recognized and he did end up giving his landing code after he was asked, the second time.

Making his way down to the landing bay, he adjusted his jacket and made his way down the gangway of his YT-2000. He’d been burning the candle at both ends, and it was sometimes obvious. He tossed a two fingered salute to Tionne, before recalling she was the one who called him here. “What’s going on?”

Yeah, she looked like she hadn’t slept, but that was secondary to her needing to talk.