The Holocron Hunts: The Great Librarians

[Alexandra Feanor]

Eira Pechal, Praxeum Temple


Alexandra had arrived at the temple a few days before, and after getting used to the place she had spent most of the time combing through the records for what she had been looking for.

Her search for several key holocrons had left her to arrive at the Praxeum, searching for one in particular at this moment and knowing that the center for Jedi Learning might provide her with more reliable locations to search in than that of the Republic's records. She was under no illusion that the records in the Republic temples were lacking and she wished to rectify that in the only way she knew.

They were not non-existent, thanks to her predecessor Kian Karr, as well as her own meticulous records from her time with the Order of the Grey, she had been able to provide many missing teachings, but the Republic Order was devoid of teachings that were from the sources themselves. That was why the Holocrons she sought were so important, not only to help her grow as a Jedi but to help her better teach the new generation that would follow most of the masters and even help create a sustainable Order in the first place.

Which is why she was leaning on her hand and scrolling through a terminal, yawning and reaching for the flask she had with her. Had it not been a decently well-known fact as to her being here... and the warnings to avoid her by some masters... she would have likely been approached for her rather unsightly behavior.

But that was her appearance and while the Praxeum may find it wrong and unbecoming of a Jedi, it was entirely normal for those who studied in the Republic sect to see her this way and at other times in far worse displays for a Jedi Master.

She was quiet though, and those that did speak with her would become quickly surprised that it was a soft-spoken and kind woman that greeted them, who showed interest even to students who became interested. And those interests would find their way to the Praxeum's chief librarian, someone who Alexandra had yet to meet in the last few days, and yet she had sensed in the halls.

And today she could tell that the creature was close, how close she did not know, though her eyes took a quick scan of the area as she drank from the flask she so loved to carry, looking for the being she had been told of.

 

[Oros]

...and then of course there is the Potentium, whose followers see only a true Unifying Force. Barring these few exceptions, however, the vast majority of sects across the known galaxy believe in the same duality as we Jedi. A lightside, a darkside, and the balance in between. It is this ephemeral notion of 'balance' that have caused such massive religious schisms over hundreds of thousands of years. What does it mean? Is it something to be achieved, or safeguarded? We will answer these questions and more next week, essays on my desk by the end of the day.

Oros tried not to take too personally the waves of palpable psychic relief that washed over his assembled younglings. Esoteric studies were a critical facet of every padawan's budding education, but the Celegian Master was under no illusion that his lectures were as engaging as sparring practice or field instruction. Sending telepathic waves of positive reinforcement to each student as they filed a little too quickly out of the small auditorium, he reached out telepathically to deactivate a nearby holographic display projecting visual aides for today's subject.

Finding a new home on Eira Pechal had been a stroke of unreasonable good fortune, but still Master Oros could not help but endure the occasional wave of melancholia whenever his thoughts drifted back to the sprawling labyrinth of a records hall he had been charged with overseeing on Coruscant. When he had left his home to join the Gossamer expedition to one of their galaxy's companions, Firefist, the New Jedi Order had stretched across dozens of worlds all the way from the Outer Rim to Deep Core. Now it was nothing more than a fading memory, years of scholarship and culture eradicated with the sacking of Galactic City.

Carefully maneuvering his repulsorlift powered life support tank through a narrow door frame, the Praxeum's acting chief librarian tapped into the harmony all around him. Celegians didn't have eyes or other typical humanoid sensory organs, most of his kind perceived the world around them by manipulating static fields to effectively 'scan' their surroundings,. With with his telepathy enhanced by his Force sensitivity, Oros relied just as much on these supernatural abilities to examine the world around him. He was a natural expert on sensing auras, at times even overwhelmed by the vibrancy of the Living Force all around him.

Word of their new arrival had not taken long to reach him. The Praxeum was a small institution, and Eira Pechal was not a world that was particularly convenient to any well trafficked trade routes. All were welcome here so long as they were not open practitioners of the Dark Arts, and so he had been content enough to live and let live. But now several days had past, and their unannounced guest seemed no closer to finding her answers than she had been when she arrived. This would not do.

Is there anything I might be able to assist you with? Oros' thoughts were not unlike melodious chimes in his guest's mind, Master...

It had not taken him long to track down [member="Alexandra Feanor"]. He knew the library already by heart, and this strange Republic Jedi's aura was not like those of other students. The Force moved more passionately through her, leaving vibrant ripples in the empyrean hues which radiated off her.

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Oros"]

Alexandra sighed and blinked as she felt something reach out for her, her head perking up and almost like an animal, it moved too and fro looking for what had touched her mind. Oros' words had not arrived yet but her mind had caught the search for her just as quickly as he had found her. It was only when his voice came to her that her head turned to look at the floating being.

Her eyes crawled over the being and with interest sparking across her face she sat up a bit, the flask and document forgotten as she smiled at the creature. With the smile came that vibrant ripple as her joy at meeting the being seemed to reverberate out from her. The emotion not in the least controlled or held back, but only painting her presence with a striking change to it.

"Hmm, I can't say I have had the honor... but yes, I would certainly appreciate your help. I was hoping to track down suitable locations for an old artifact, one that was created by the ancient Jedi Odan Urr. My records are sadly useless in my search and I had hoped to find some clues within the Praxeum's."

She smiled as she spoke and quickly turned to the screen, dragging out numerous files and records, studies, searches, and digs all connected to that time period or with special interest in the old leader of the Jedi. Alexandra looked from each one with what was almost wonder and a wide smile, even if slight disappointment touched her brow.

"I had thought between my eyes and those of my companion, we would find something that would help but most of my notes from these records have no concrete location to consider short of the location he normally remained in. Such a limited area of inquiry is unwise but I am uncertain where else to search."

The woman turned her eyes back on the creature, curious if he had any ideas on what to look for.

 

[Oros]

Ah yes, the student of Ooroo.

His center mass shifted its bio-luminescent vibrancy, a form of Celegian expression far too complex for any humanoid to ever hope to comprehend. The closest analogous emotive state would be polite amusement tinged with curious interest. With the galaxy seemingly dead set on tearing itself apart these days, it was refreshing to come across another student of history who sought illumination in the wisdom of those who came before. But more importantly, although she did not know it yet the stranger had asked exactly the right person for the job.

You are in luck. The Martyr of Kirrek is a great hero among my people. I have studied records of Ooroo's life in great detail, including available records on his students, chief of whom was the great librarian Odan-Urr. Many choose to focus, and rightly so, on Urr's later achievements. Building the Great Library of Ossus, presiding over the first Deneba Conclave. But in his early life and training under Ooroo he served as a Watchman of Koros or, as it is known today, Empress Teta. On Coruscant I could have offered you whole volumes on Odan-Urr to peruse, but Eira Pechal's selection is....

He trailed off, body suddenly floating motionless in the cyanogen solution that filled his floating life support tank. His past association with the New Jedi Order was still not something he liked to discuss openly. Whether real or imagined, he perceived a stigma lingered as many Jedi blamed his kind for not seeing the Sith Lord in their midst until they had elevated her to the highest levels and it was too late. Even among those more empathic souls, he did not appreciate being pitied for how far his order had fallen, from leaders of the galaxy to Outer Rim scavengers.

Forgive me. I am Oros, an archivist here, was all he offered in way of introductions. In fact he was the chief librarian and overseer of this facility, but his senior status was irrelevant to this foreign Jedi's inquests, and he was a creature almost wholly without ego. [member="Alexandra Feanor"] now knew his name and function, that was sufficient enough for their purposes, And you are?