Training starts here

[Sorel Crieff]

Now that Sorel was through with her official Temple training, she was allowed to structure her days herself. Although she was expected to continue to study and devote herself to battle training and physical discipline, it was also expected that she would allot the time for activities she enjoyed. Except she didn't have any hobbies or interests. She'd only known missions and training since she was - actually she couldn't remember since when. Maybe since she was five? It didn't really matter how many years, it was most of her lifetime.

She was in the Silver Jedi temple and woke early. She decided to go for a walk and headed outside to stroll among the greenery and let the music of the water and wind calm her mind. It felt luxurious to be able to decide how to spend her time - yet at the same time odd and definitely uncomfortable. She knew such days would be over soon, Padawans would need schooling and although she intended to enjoy every second of them, she wasn't sure how to.

As she walked, she spotted a Padawan alone - perhaps with the same idea as her. She contemplated leaving him be, or approaching him. She decided on the latter after a few moments, a braod smile on her face.

"I don't think we've met. I'm Sorel. Sorel Crieff." She gave a formal bow and her smile remained on her lips.

[member="Dagos Terrek"]

 

[Dagos Terrek]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

The grass outside the temple glistened with droplets of water. Dagos had not seen the storm that had passed through but he could smell the rain. He liked that smell. Dagos studied a particular patch of grass and concentrated on lifting the condensation of the blades and just hung them in the air, his own little version of keeping his skills sharp.

It had been far to long since Dagos had done...well anything. That was changing now, he knew he had more than nothing to give his order and the galaxy at large. For too long he squandered his potential but that was going to stop.

As Dagos was playing with the rain water he was approached by another young Jedi, a very pretty young Jedi. as she approached him Dagos could not help noticing her smile, a courtesy to be sure but it was a very nice smile and Dagos returned a smile of her own as she bowed and introduced herself.

"Dagos." He said bowing. "Well met Sorel Crieff. Are you out here enjoying the weather as well?" he asked her.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

“The weather?” She wrinkled her nose. She invariably took the climate for granted and never enjoyed it per se. “I can’t say I’m here for that reason. But it seems pleasant enough. No, I’m here to think, to meditate and to talk to anyone that happens by. You see, I have recently been Knighted and will need to begin training Padawans of my own. It is traditional for young Knights to take some time off before beginning to train others, but to be honest, I have no idea what I would do with myself. So I came here to seek guidance from the Force.”

“Are you here to enjoy the weather?”

[member="Dagos Terrek"]

 

[Dagos Terrek]

"You're a knight?" He asked Sorel sounding much more surprised than was polite. His own smile faded as he studied her face. She didn't look much older than him, but that didn't mean she wasn't.

"You must be very skilled." Dagos told her trying to mask over his previous rudeness.

“Are you here to enjoy the weather?” She asked .

"Not specifically. It is nice though." He told her.

"Maybe..." He started, the smile slowly coming back to his face. "...Maybe, you've found the guidance you were looking for. Maybe the force meant for us to find each other."
Or maybe Dagos, you fool, your just excited to have a pretty young girl come up and talk to you.

"I'm not nearly as far along in my training as I should be. Maybe you could help me?" He finished the smile flush on his face.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel rarely took offence. Life was far too short and real enemies too many to be bothered or worried — especially when she was underestimated. In fact she often used it to her advantage. Yes, she was young — but she’d been trained as a Jedi since she was four and completed more missions than Jedi ten years her senior.

“Yes, a Knight,” she replied, her smile still on her face. “And I’ve had a lot of practice. Skill comes through hard work — no more and no less. There is no shortcut. And I am a Jedi full-time, which helps. Too many seem to have so many side roles, I wonder how they have time to practice?”

Which neatly led into the Padawan’s next line of thought. “Training? Of course.” It was now her turn to blush. “And I may be overstepping the mark, but did you mean a lesson or sparring or did you mean like a Master and Apprentice?”

[member="Dagos Terrek"]

 

[Dagos Terrek]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Dagos hadn't actually thought about it. Would he be comfortable calling someone near his own age master? Would she even ask him too? It was one thing calling Master Ru or even Connor, Master but would it not be uncomfortable or even embarassing to walk in a room and have them both be mistaken for padawaans and turning to call her master? Did it matter?

No. He decided very quickly it did not matter, the only thing that mattered was growing as a Jedi, living up to whatever potential he possessed.

"Well, Sorel. If you wanted a padawaan, I wouldn't say no."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

The tension in Sorel eased significantly. She was naturally worried she’d overstepped the mark and was therefore relieved to be told that wasn’t the case. She had not even considered the issue of their ages. She’d been a Jedi for most of her life – despite her tender years – and so felt like a veteran, even if her face did not suggest as much. What she lacked in age she made up for in experience and learning. She’d been well schooled and had two excellent Masters that had developed her into the Jedi she was today.

And perhaps her lack of years would prove an advantage in many ways. She was fresh from being a Padawan herself and so could relate to the experiences, concerns and expectations better than a Master two or three times her age.

She beamed. “Then we have an understanding. Now, I’m sure you have lots of questions but if you’ll permit me, I’ll start. Please tell me a little about yourself. Your background and your aspirations especially.”

[member="Dagos Terrek"]

 

[Dagos Terrek]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

"It's nothing special, really." Dagos said referring to his background. "I lived on Haruun Kal my whole life until the day Master Ru found me and brought me here. Dagos did not mention his brother's passing or the circumstances which lead to it.

"As far as my training goes I've started learning a few things, like telekenisis and force sense..." He remembered his first lesson with padawaan Caira as they learned the basics of telekenisis and were thustly set up a practical course chasing Master Ru through the forest, his natural talent at sensing through the force coming to great advantage.

"...and healing." He flashed back to the construction worker whom he helped heal with the guidence of Master Whitelight and Master Sinopi who was now the second Master Heavenshield, and with a smirk he remembered using the force to heal himself after, Master Harrison, or uh Connor broke it clean in half.

"I've done some saber training too, mostly Soresu." He added though it was not mostly but only. He barely survived his first open training session with Saki and the class with Syn was cut short but he did have a long helpful session with Master Harrison.
"And..." he added sheepishly not sure if he shoulld tell her what else he learned from Connor.
"I've also learned how to go in the mind of another and manipulate it. sort of." he finished weakly.

"My aspiration..." He began quickly hoping to move past the awkward admittance of some of his training.
"...is to help people, Any way I can." He meant that. There were many Jedi who sought to focus on one aspect of the force or one aspect of being a Jedi, whether that was combat, healing or diplomacy. Dagos wanted to learn it all, he wanted to be able to help any way he could, any time he could.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel listened intently. She had a knack of listening – not just to what was said but almost more importantly what wasn’t said. It often spoke volumes. So she heard about Dagos’ background and how he ended up with the Silver Jedi. It was a transactional account, bereft of the motivators that might have made him want to come here. Such facts might unfold as time went on – or maybe, like her own story, it would remain unsaid between them. Both were fine with Sorel unless it impinged on Dagos’ development.

And then she heard his training exploits. It was a broad based approach of the key elements of being a Jedi, which impressed Sorel. Too often Padawans were narrow in their learning. And Soresu was as good a Form to learn as a starter, apart from the first, which Younglings learned but soon progressed from. In Sorel’s experience, remaining alive was always a great starting point for a Padawan. Other Forms had strengths but their weaknesses were often life-shortening. Soresu did not suffer a similar drawback.

His words on the Jedi Mind Trick drew her eyebrows together as her forehead furrowed but she quickly rearranged her face – making a note to return to the subject later. But he quickly moved on to talk of a broader desire to help others and her face broke into a smile.

“Good,” she said quickly, pleased to have a positive to work with when it was her turn to speak. “Most commendable. A Jedi is selfless. A Jedi serves. It is what differentiates us. We serve the galaxy. And the Force and the Order. And the Code I’d venture. We do not pick and choose which parts to adhere to. We do what is right and we do it in the right way.”

She smiled again. “Which sounds very simple, I agree. Perhaps too simple. But that’s fine. Why should we make it any more complicated? Now your training is extensive – and cuts across many disciplines. You’ll need to tell me what areas you’d like training in first. Some we may have to use a Holocron for, but I suspect I have the basics under control enough to teach them. So – given it’s your journey – what would you like to learn first? And then you can tell me precisely what you meant by encouraging others to behave in a certain way by using the Force.”

She definitely did not sound cross as he said the last, but her tone suggested she took the subject seriously. He was not about to be reprimanded but there was a sense she was going to suggest a line that should not be crossed.

[member="Dagos Terrek"]