Training: Coruscant

[Dmitri Starkos]

Coruscant

At age nineteen, most Padawans would be turning into Knights now, however for Dmitri, he had only been doing his training in the dark side for a few years, having been a Jedi Padawan before hand. Three years ago he fell to the dark side after being betrayed by a Jedi friend of his. Ever since then, he had always thought that the Jedi were the ones in the wrong. As much as he had tried to forget his past, it was a curse he brought with him everywhere he went as there was still evidence of his previous training as a Jedi still in him. A foolish mistake, he called it, allying with the Jedi from such a young age. Though consumed with rage and grief at the time, his judgements were clouded.

Recently, he had gotten a new master who had been willing to train him Djem, a type of lightsaber combat he was never taught as a Jedi. He wanted to excel in combat and fight for the right side for once. Most of the Jedi masters he knew were incompetent and senile. But he found that masters who associated themselves with the dark side tended to be more cunning and intelligent, qualities he desired to possess. Since he had joined the dark side, he had become arrogant and had lost the heir of kindness he once possessed as a child.

Meeting his new master for the first time was somewhat agitating as he knew he would be judged on what he said and how he behaved. He didn't want his master to get the wrong idea of him and he wanted to show her that he could become something more than he is. Someone powerful. Knowing almost all of the Jedi training, he knew their weaknesses and strived to use it against them, something they had never planned for. They never expect their own kind to turn against them.

He waited patiently for his master to meet him, occupying himself by slicing the air with his lightsaber as though he were fighting someone. The purple lightsaber hummed quietly, it was almost a comforting sound for the teen.

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

One thing that had intrigued Keira the most regarding the man that had sought her out for training was the fact that he had once belonged to the Jedi Order just as she had. But unlike her own experiences, his abandonment had more of a personal flavor to it than simply becoming bored with the dogmatic lifestyle and stealing away with no further comment. The tale of a Jedi fallen wasn't anything new, and she paid it little mind other than the piece of irony it offered. There wasn't a previous time she could remember encountering another, so it would be something of an educational experience to hear his views on the sect of peacekeepers.

What had caught her off guard was the fact that, instead of contacting one of the many skilled and otherwise powerful Sith Lords that frequented the planet of their rendezvous, Coruscant. It certainly would have made the entire process easier for him, but she wouldn't question what he felt to be a right and just decision. This would be her first real formal student, instead of just helping along one already apprenticed to another develop their skill in a particular facet of combat. The idea of having such responsibility was still new to her in the sense that never once had she considered herself a teacher of any kind, but there was a first time for it all.

As she neared the specified meeting place, the familiar droning of a lightsaber slicing through the air met her ears, something that brought a smile to her lips. Initiative and ambition were two things she could appreciate, and thus far it seemed he was lacking in neither. The rest of it remained to be seen, but for the moment she settled for quiet observation, amber gaze remaining trained on him as he wielded his saber with practiced finesse, fluid movements that spoke of prior training, unsurprising given his former standing. It was improving on that same combat skill that was his interest at the very least for this initial contact between the two, more specifically in the style of Djem So, one of the two that she utilized herself on numerous occasions.

"You have good form." Stepping from the shadows and circling to face him, those were the only words spoken for a moment. "You'll learn quickly." This was the closest she would ever get to any type of formal attitude, especially when it came to situations like this. At the very least she wanted the two of them to form some sort of bond, though of what sort it would be only time would tell.

"What caused you to leave the Jedi?"

[member="Dmitri Starkos"]

 

[Dmitri Starkos]

Once he had heard a voice, he immediately lowered his weapon and rested his eyes upon Keira. He inclined his head towards her and deactivated his lightsaber. "Thank you." he said, proudly. He found the difference between the Jedi and Sith, or so it appeared, was that if you were a Jedi you were just expected to do or know something but if you were a Sith, you would be praised on personal accomplishments. Mentally, he was always comparing the Sith with the Jedi.

What caused you to leave the Jedi?

No one had asked him that before, he never had to tell someone why he chose to do what he did. It was hard to explain, it made sense in his mind but often when he said it out loud, it sound ludicrous. Though he tried his best to explain from his point of view.

"Their goals are ridiculous for one, I mean how can you achieve peace if you walk around wielding lightsabers? And the Jedi code... 'There is no emotion,' they are telling the Jedi to forget everything that makes them human. You need to feel to be human but the Jedi deny that. The Jedi lie to each other and themselves, they aren't all they appear to be and they betrayed me." he said, stopping before he went too far. "It's not the right path for me." he said more quietly.

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

Only nodding as he spoke, Keira reached out with the Force to study him on that plane as well, finding conviction but also a sense of uncertainty about the path he currently walked. Some fragment of him was still rooted to the light, but it wasn’t a cause for concern. One way or another he’d decided that this path was the correct one for him to walk, at least for the moment, which was what had brought her here. What had led up to this point would be beneficial to know eventually as the two continued to become familiar with each other through the training and eventually missions, solitary or otherwise, that would follow this initial meeting.

While she had left the Order herself a time ago, she didn’t hold the same insidious feelings in her heart as he seemed to. Certainly, they had their flaws, but every sect similar did. To believe that one is perfect where the other is faulty was a belief that wasn’t necessarily beneficial most times. One lesson she’d learned quickly was that no one dogma was completely sound, though some were more than others. To hear his thoughts on the matter was a refreshing thing, regardless of her opinion on his philosophy. “It’s good that you know why you feel how you do. Most don’t, so already you’re above them.” Whether among the Jedi or Sith, those individuals that fought for a cause they weren’t sure of were always present.

“While I won’t defend them outright, I would argue that your knowledge of the Jedi isn’t as abundant as you believe it to be. When their Code is put under observation the meaning runs deeper than just the words you process as you hear them. They don’t fight for peace so much as order and justice. And calling to arms is always the last resort. Knowing your enemy will ultimately bring your victory that much swifter.” It was a lesson she’d learned from experience, as for a while she’d thought the same way he had, disregarding all the Jedi stood for as useless. “The Jedi aren’t the only ones who betray one of their own. If you’re looking to escape that, then you’ve chosen the wrong side to join.” That was a lesson he would inevitably learn in time.

It seemed that of late she’d been discussing philosophy with a number of those encountered, but in the end it was one of the best ways to get to know another. And with this being their first chance to establish how the rest of this relationship would go, it was a beneficial thing. “What are your goals, then, if you view theirs as so ridiculous? Within our time together and beyond, what is it you want to achieve for both yourself and the galaxy at large? Certainly you haven’t come here with no idea of what you’d like to obtain.”

[member="Dmitri Starkos"]

 

[Dmitri Starkos]

He listened to her respectfully as she spoke, he knew some of his reasons didn't completely make sense, but he knew what he wanted to fight for, either way. Though he didn't want to admit it, he felt like his turn to the dark side was more of a subconscious one rather than a moral one. However, he still felt strongly about the morals he had chosen to believe and would stay with the side he had given in to. Almost immediately after joining the Jedi, he felt temptations to peruse the dark side, which led to the betrayal of those he loved and his inevitable fall into the dark side.

Dmitri nodded in agreement. "I never finished my training so what do I know?" he had been a Padawan for just shy of three years and was no where near becoming a Knight when he left. He knew his enemies well enough by now though to know their strengths and weaknesses. He listened to her speak again, without interrupting. "I'm not looking to escape it, I was just angry because I didn't expect it from them."

"Well I believe I can excel more with the force now and in combat. The Jedi limited what I was able to do, telling me there was more things I couldn't do than I could. It wasn't fair and they don't even pay attention enough to know that one of their own is turning against them." he paused for a moment before continuing. "The galaxy needs to be in order and there needs to be justice but it needs to be done the right way or we'll never get anywhere. Though I know that's not something to be achieved alone, it is a goal nonetheless."

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

It was evident that he at the very least had some idea of what he was fighting for in the galaxy, though his thoughts on it all were vague enough to require either further processing on his part or more inquiry after them on hers. This was all a step in the right direction, however, and everyone had to start somewhere. If discussing their reasoning behind how they thought was the way for them to kickstart this training session, then so be it. Keira was willing to talk for as long as it would take, because although she preferred action over words most times, learning through both methods would be necessary. This was a proper apprenticeship, after all, even if she didn't consider herself anyone's master.

There was a definite sort of knowledge behind his words, that much was certain. It required tempering so that he would become more sure of himself, but it was still present nonetheless. "You know more than you think. I was three years younger than you when I left the Jedi, and I didn't know anything. You're above that, at the very least." It was true that he was only at Padawan level, but more was attainable then than what most wished to believe. She herself had taken on a number of individuals Knight level and higher at a similar skill set, and he was most probably capable of the same. All it took was a little work.

"If you're going to work and live among the Sith, the first thing you'll want to learn is to expect the unexpected." And if he didn't, he would come across that information the hard way. There was helping someone along, and then there was holding their hand every step of the way. Being a believer in tough love, she would let him learn on his own if it came to that. "They're an Order known for betrayal of their closest allies if it serves them. No one is above denouncing another. Not even the Jedi. I'm not saying you were mistaken for trusting in them so completely, and I'm not saying that you shouldn't give anyone your trust ever again, but be wise with it." Though she wasn't much one to talk, given that she rarely trusted others outside of her circle.

The corners of her mouth tightened slightly in thought. "You'll find the same restrictions among your new comrades, more than likely. They, including myself, won't allow you to learn things that are above your ability right now. It won't do anything but lead to injury and possibly death on your part, and I don't believe in wasting potential." It was only common sense, in her mind. It was good that he was so eager to move ahead and advance in the ranks, but everyone had their limitations, and his were his rank and overall skill. No good would come from overexerting himself too early on.

"What do you believe is the right way go about establishing justice and order in the galaxy, then? If you don't have an answer, try to formulate one for later. I know this is probably starting to sound like those lectures you don't miss hearing, but knowing why you believe what you do and how you're going to go about implementing those goals is always beneficial. But if you'd like, we can move on to the more physical lessons." For a moment she paused, an almost smile flickering across her face. "You came here to learn Djem So, but what other objectives do you have for yourself?"

[member="Dmitri Starkos"]

 

[Dmitri Starkos]

Dmitri nodded in acknowledgement as she spoke. He did know a fair bit, but no more than you'd expect a sixteen year old Jedi to know. But then again, that was still a lot in some cases. "I know what I want at the very least." he said. His ideas and beliefs had been morphed and created from Jedi idealism since he was a child, but since he left, he lived by his own rules and made his own beliefs the truth. "Expect the unexpected. Right." he said, drawing his eyebrows together in a frown.

The Padawan nodded in agreement, he was angry at the Jedi for betraying him but knew that it probably wouldn't be the last time someone would let him down. It was the hard truth but he would take her advice and be wise with his trust, hopefully avoiding another event such as the previous one.

"I understand, of course. But the Jedi restricted unnecessary things and I never understood why. They undermined me," he said, fuelling his own hatred for the Jedi with the words he said. Almost as soon as he had fell to the dark side, all the morals he had been taught his whole life were lost, forgotten.

"Through fear or hope. They're strong emotions, people would have to do what they were told if such emotions were inflicted upon them." he said, though he hadn't really thought about it before and didn't have time to develop his idea. "It's hard to bring justice and order to the galaxy though... people have tried before and failed." his voice trailed off for a moment.

"I want to excel further in the Force and, and..." he hadn't really thought about other objectives, ones that wouldn't benefit only himself. He suddenly realised that all his current objectives were selfish.

[member="Keira Ticon"]