Treasures of Tython

[Kian Karr]

[This thread was writen to fulfill the laminanium restricted material requirement: "With two or more other writers, complete a role-play in reverse, starting with it’s end and ending with it’s beginning –OR-- complete a role-play from an NPC’s perspective who is accompanying your character."]

Tython​

Soli Baris jolted awake at the feeling of the shuttle touching down on the landing pad. Searing pain was the first thing she felt, the thud of her head against the bulkhead turning her companion toward her. Soli had spent a great deal of time around Jedi on Ossus and many of them towered over the Kel Dor Jedi….and yet none of them were quite so imposing as he was to the young girl.

“You alright?” He asked her, and while his deep, muffled voice didn’t portray any hint of it, she was certain he was smiling under the mask.

Did Kel Dors smile?

What would that look like?

Could you smile without lips?

Soli suddenly realized that she hadn’t answered him and when she turned her attention back to the Jedi Master she found him watching her with his head turned sideways, like a confused, scary looking puppy.

“I’m fine sir...I mean Kian.” Soli said blushing. She was having difficulty calling him Kian, but since she began working closely with the Jedi Shadows, Kian had asked her to call him by his first name. For quite some time now, Kian had been like a Master to the young girl, though not officially. Kian already had several apprentices, and couldn’t bend the rule any further to take her on as well….but there was hope. Another of the Shadows had begun to show interest in her abilities and she believed soon they would begin to work more closely together.

“Good,” Kian said to Soli pausing for a moment and then turning and walking down the corridor of the shuttle.

“I still don’t understand why we are here?” Soli said as she followed him.

“I told you….Shadow business.” Kian called over his shoulder and walked down the boarding ramp of the ship. Soli had to practically run to keep up with the Jedi and she grunted in frustration at his uninformative answer. She hated not having answers….hated not knowing. Knowing was her job!

"You know, leaving me out of the loop is dangerous, what if something happened to you? How would I complete the mission if I didn't know what it was?" Soli pressed, trying to weasel the information out of the Kel Dor. To her dismay, Kian chuckled, the sound coming out of his anti-ox mask in static bursts.

"Patience Soli. You'll see soon enough." Kian said leading the way. Soli almost pressed further, but she forgot to when she glanced around at the planet before them. This was her first trip to Tython, having joined the Jedi after they had abandoned the ancestral home in order to situate themselves on Ossus. Ossus was beautiful...but Tython was something else.

"Welcome to the home of the Jedi." Kian said and to Soli's surprise he lead her away from the abandoned temple and toward the jungle. "Welcome to Tython."

 

[Kian Karr]

Soli wasn't feeling particularly talkative as they made their way into the jungle. It was hot, and her Jedi Robes were sticking to her in the humidity of the place. Why couldn't they have just stayed on Ossus? She thought absentmindedly kicked a small rock into a cluster of bushes. A flutter of wings and a number of birds took off in fear. She thought for a moment that Kian would reprimand her, but he seemed lost in thought as he walked silently through the jungle.

Sometimes she wished she was a telepath.....she'd love to know what was going on in that alien head of his. So many others she had trained with talked constantly, flooding her with information and tidbits of knowledge, but Kian wasn't like that. He often was silent for long times when they were working together, seemingly lost in the waves of his thoughts.

"Are we almost there?" Soli asked, being sure to avoid the annoyed tone.

"Almost." Kian said not bothering to look back. "How are things going with Koras Qual?" Kian asked rather unexpectedly. For a moment Soli was too surprised to say anything but she quickly pushed the thought away. Of course Kian had known that Koras was working with Soli and would soon be taking her on as his official apprentice, but he hadn't ever mentioned it before.

"Good." Soli said running a hand through her dark brown hair. "We are working on Shii-Cho at the moment. But he tells me he wants me to learn Ataru to make up for my smaller size and Soresu to provide myself a good, strong defense." Soli said, her hand drifting to the training lightsaber on her belt.

"That is good. My friend Master Raaf is a Soresu practitioner. In the right hands it can be a highly effective form." Kian said, "Jedi Qual asked me to bring you here." Kian said finally glancing back over his shoulder and Soli stopped in her tracks, concerned as to what he was saying.

"Has he changed his mind?" She asked, emotion bleeding into her voice. Was she going to be turned down again! She didn't think she could take another rejection.....another missed opportunity.

"No," Kian said turning around and placing a hand on her shoulder. Soli went rigid for a second, Kian hadn't ever touched her before. This must be bad.

"Jedi Qual wanted me to bring you here to construct your lightsaber." Kian said and Soli could feel the touch of his mind to hers. She immediately felt a wave of warmth and calm wash over her and she knew what Kian was doing. He was trying to make her feel better.

"My lightsaber.....I don't understand."

"You've already learned so much, he wants you to construct your lightsaber before beginning your training." Kian said. "Normally a master takes his apprentice on the journey to construct their lightsaber, but he felt, given the work we've done together, that I should take you."

"I understand." Soli said and couldn't contain the broad smile that swept across her face.

 

[Kian Karr]

"Good." Kian said and he turned back to walking. Soli fell in behind him, her heart beating so fast that it was all she could hear. It took several moments and some calming, deep breaths to get her nerves to die down. She had been on assignments that had put her life at risk and she was in charge of overseeing the security of one of the most secretive buildings on Ossus.....and yet the prospect of constructing her lightsaber was making her this nervous.

This thought no sooner left her mind, then Kian and her broke through the last patch of thick jungle and opened up to a small field, at the center of which stood an old stone stairway. At the top was a rock slab platform and a small hut like building at the top.

"Is that...." She began to say but her voice broke and she trailed off.

"It is a lightsaber forge." Kian said walking through the knee high grass of the clearing toward the platform. "Most Jedi construct their lightsabers on their now, but in the days of the past Jedi would often construct their lightsabers at places such as this." Kian said but Soli was only partly listening. She was too busy staring anxiously at the steps that they were quickly approaching.

"I didn't bring any of the components I might need." Soli finally said, realizing that had she planned on this she would have brought materials.

"I brought what you need and there are some components already here." Kian said, "And you have the crystal from Ilum correct?" Kian asked. Soli had gone to Ilum several weeks before with a group of padawans. They had all been taken there under the guidance of a Wookie Jedi Knight whose name Soli still couldn't pronounce. Kian had made her go along. He had said that she wasn't making enough friends and it would be good to get to know her fellow Jedi.

He was right, and she had left with a number of friends and a violet lightsaber crystal.

"Yes, I keep it on me always." Soli said smiling and reaching into her utility belt and produced the violet crystal. It had called to her in the depths of Ilum. She had felt the call of the crystal when she had gotten separated from the rest of her group and had only found them by following its call.

The crystal had saved her life.

"Well then, you know what to do." Kian said stepping to the side of the stairs and indicating that she should go up.

"Of course." Soli said and began her ascension up. With each step she took upwards she felt her heart beat increasing. Get a hold of yourself! Soli chided herself when she finally reached the top. Turning back she saw Kian had knelt down in meditation at the base of the steps. He wasn't even looking at her.

"You can do this!" She said to herself taking a deep breath. Squaring her shoulders, Soli walked into the stone hut.

 

[Kian Karr]

Soli hadn't known what to expect from the inside of the hut, but she shouldn't have been surprised to find it as sparse as it was. The last few years she'd been with the Jedi she had seen just how conservative they were in ownership and how much they seemed to spurn luxury. The Jedi of old were clearly just as monkish.

The room before her was small, only about 6 by 8 feet and at the center was a stone slab, clearly cut out to be used for meditation. On the walls around her were carved images of the Jedi, all pertaining to the construction of a lightsaber and at the far end of the room, past the meditation slab, was a small table. Walking forward, Soli was surprised to find that there were a number of materials in storage bins on the table. The Jedi had populated Tython not that long ago and it seemed some were still coming back here for this purpose. She couldn't help but wonder why Kian had brought her here to construct her weapon instead of building it on Ossus or Ruusan. But many things pertaining to the Kel Dor were a mystery to her.

"Ok, let's see what we have here." Soli said to herself and began to pull the components out of the bins. First she removed a number of housing cylinders that would act as the outer layer the lightsaber and house all the components necessary for the weapon to function. It took her several minutes to find the two pieces she wanted. She had had a type of hilt in her mind and they were the closest to it. Putting them to the side, she pulled another bin forward. She found a pommel cap that was large enough to store a backup power cell and put that with her housing cylinders. She would want the extra power cell.

Next came the power cells and the focusing lenses. Then the insulator to protect her hands in case there was a malfunction or a power surge and an adjustment cap that allowed her to adjust the power of her weapon. This was a necessity as she was still in training and wanted to be able to wield her own weapon as a training saber. She grabbed an emitter and several other components as well. Looking at the components before her, Soli believed she was ready and made her way to the meditation slab. She laid all the pieces out before her and then settled down.

Breath in.

Breath out.

Breath in.

Breath out.

Soli began to go through the motions of getting herself ready to begin. She needed to slow her heart rate, she needed to calm her mind. She began to focus on the task at hand, focusing on the intricacies of it rather than the emotions that it caused in her. Kian had said something to her once before when looking at one of the ponds on Ossus. There was a waterfall running into the pond causing ripples, but further out away from it the water was calm and smooth.

"Be that calm water." He had said, likening the waterfall to the emotions and pressures that a Jedi faces. One had to be able to steady themselves even when faced with that chaotic water. Finally pulling the lightsaber crytal from her pocket, Soli sat it down with the other components and began to truly calm herself. She began to feel as if she were one with the force.

 

[Kian Karr]

She was running then.....running from the shop owner. He was right behind her, she could feel him....she didn't understand how, but it was as if she could sense where he was and what he was doing. He seemed made....furious. She didn't blame him, but her family had to eat. Her brothers were young and starving. ​

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She wasn't paying attention, that's when she hit him. Ran square into the Kel Dors arms. She remembered thinking that he was a friend of the owner, or perhaps the law....but she didn't get the sense that he was angry. It was something else. Concern maybe? Sympathy? Pity? She hadn't really had the time to think of it, she just struggled against his grasp. ​

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Sometimes we get lost in the struggle and forget when it is time to let go.....when it is time to be at peace. The Kel Dor had said it, but he hadn't said it out loud. It was as if he were in her mind....it had scared her and yet she had felt a warmth wash over her and then she was suddenly calm. ​

​

Soli opened her eyes and saw the pieces of the lightsaber floating before her. She hadn't thought of that day in a long time. It had been the first time she had met Kian. She was just a girl, only 8 at the time and Kian had seemed so big, so imposing. She had been living on the streets for so long that she hadn't trusted him at first, but there was just something about him that made her feel safe. He had taken care of her petty crime and then saw too it that her family was looked after.

Then he had taken her to the Jedi.

The pieces began to fit together, the crystal rising up and locking into place. Soli could barely understand it. She didn't feel like she was doing it, she felt like the lightsaber was simply going together on its own. A smile broke out on her face and she closed her eyes, feel the pieces of the lightsaber in the force. Feeling the resonance of them. This was her lightsaber, or at least it would be as soon as it was done.

Stretching out into the force, Soli felt Kian's presence at the bottom of the steps. How did he always feel so calm? So peaceful? It drove her crazy sometimes but now it only felt comforting. She felt like she was like him at that moment. She suspected if another felt her presence they too would gasp at the calmness, at the serenity of it.

She knew it couldn't last.....but in that moment she was at peace.

 

[Kian Karr]

"I'm scared." Soli had said as she raised the blade up in front of her, the small remote hovering around her. "Everyone feels fear....its what you do despite that fear that is important." Kian had said and another bolt fired from the remote. Soli's blade swung quickly from left to right swatting the bolt from the training remote aside. "But what if he doesn't like me....what if he doesn't want to take me on as his apprentice?" Soli asked, her anxiety building. "You continue to train as you have trained. You continue to do your duty as a Jedi." Kian had said and deactivated the training remote to step forward. "We don't do what we do for the promotions....or for the recognition. We do what we do because it is our duty to help. Tomorrow you will be accepted as an apprentice or you won't. It will change nothing." Kian had said putting his hand on her shoulder. She remembered how it had felt when he told her that. How her fears had melted away. ​

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N2elRqE7WA​

With a resounding click the final pieces twisted together and Soli opened her eyes. Before her, floating just at eye level, was the finished lightsaber. Her lightsaber.

Soli grasped the floating hilt in her hands and took a deep, nervous breath. She shouldn't have been nervous, she had studies the design for the last year and a half as she waited for a master to accept her as a student. She had memorized all the parts....all the mechanisms that would make the weapon of the Jedi function. This was the moment of truth. Soli held her breath as she thumbed the activation switch.

The brilliant violet blade sprang to life, casting a purple hue over everything in the room. Soli could feel her heart racing in her ears....could feel the blood pumping through her veins.

Well done. The words flashed through her mind and she felt the touch of Kian's mind to her own. She could feel the pride and satisfaction he felt and it made her proud. It made her feel validated.

Now get down here....and lets see how it works! Kian said through their connection and a smile stretched even wider on Soli's face.

 

[Kian Karr]

Soli rose and walked to the edge of the stairs and looked down. Kian stood a few feet away from where he had been, but now he held his lightsaber in his hands, the yellow blade ignited and held up. Soli smiled and began to walk down the steps.

"You moved from your position." She said as she neared the bottom and she brought her saber up, igniting the violet blade once more. "Didn't want me to have the high ground?" She asked, remembering that in one of their previous training lessons, Kian had taken a great deal of time going over the use of the environment, Sokan.

"Why give an advantage right away?" Kian asked chuckling and began to circle to his left. As Soli's foot touched down on the ground, she darted forward, coming at Kian fast and leapted into the air striking down as she went over him. She braced her arms as the her new blade struck hard against his, the momentum of her attack adding strength. Kian's blade came up in a punch, slapping back at her blade and pushing her higher into the air. As her feet touched down he was on her. His yellow blade slashed right, then left, then right, then jabbed. Soli was immediately pushed onto her back footing as she brought her blade around to defend from each attack.

That was one of the things that drove Soli crazy about the Kel Dor. He wasn't a big man, he wasn't physically imposing, and he certainly didn't seem like the fast type....but when he fought he moved like a completely different person. His attacks were powerful, fast, and relentless. He pressed her defenses to their limits, and Soli was forced to cartwheel to the side to avoid the jab at her chest. A blast of force energy sent her tumbling backwards and she came up with grass marks on her robes and a grimace on her face.

"What did you do wrong?" Kian asked and Soli was surprised to find he hadn't pressed the advantage like he normally would have.

"I lost the initiative." She said raising her blade in front of her defensively. "I allowed you to force me onto the defensive.....and Ataru isn't meant for defense." Soli said, chastising herself. Kian had tried to talk her out of Ataru as her choice of fighting style, he had wanted her to focus on Soresu or Niman, but, due to her size, she felt Ataru would offer her more mobility and take her opponents by surprise.

"Do better." Kian said motioning for her to start again. Soli smiled and came forward again. She went for the aggressive attacks of Ataru once more, but opened up with a spinning slash, followed by a jumping overhead blow. It pushed Kian back on the defensive and this time Soli didn't let the advantage slip. She continued to come at him, reigning down blow after blow, mixing up the angles of attack.

 

[Kian Karr]

Soli smiled widely as she continued her advance. She was at her fullest now. Using the twirls, spins, and leaping attacks of Ataru to keep Kian moving backwards. She was hoping for a weak point to open up in his defenses, but so far hadn't broken through. The Kel Dor was falling back, that was certain, but he was blocking every blow seemingly effortlessly.

That was until Soli noticed that he was sweating. She hadn't made him sweat in their past duels, he always seemed to be bored with the fight, as if it were nothing more then a mild amusement to him. But now.....now Kian seemed to be working to ward off her attacks. This was no longer a training session....this was a duel.

At least it would have been if she hadn't gotten overconfident. She realized it just a tad too late. She felt the exhilaration and the adrenaline flowing through her blood, and while part of her braining was screaming at her to slow herself down, to pace herself and come up with a winning plan, she listened to the side of her mind that was telling her the battle was all but won.

Kian dropped his shoulder when she came in for an attack, and Soli saw her opportunity. Had she been thinking clearly she would have seen it for the feint it was.....but her mind was on victory. Soli committed herself fully to the attack and when Kian pulled away and brought his blade around in an arc, she felt the twinge of pain on the back of her calf that signaled the training saber making contact.

"Damn." She said and came around, her blade still held up defensively. But Kian, for once, didn't press the advantage, he just lowered his blade and tilted his head looking at her. For a moment, Soli thought she was about to get reprimanded, but he didn't say anything.

"What?" She asked, finally fed up with the silence.

"You did good." Kian said nodding his head. "But you need to work on your control. A Jedi plans ahead." Kian deactivated his lightsaber as he spoke and Soli did the same. She deactivated her lightsaber. She deactivated her lightsaber. It still felt strange to say those words, even too herself.

"But I didn't win." She said smiling and shrugging resignedly.

"No, but you showed great improvement." Kian said pointed at her and inclining his head back toward their ship in the distance. The sun was starting to drop down. They'd been at it far longer then she had realized. It was time to head home.

 

[Kian Karr]

The walk back toward the ship was a quiet one. She was pleased that she had made Kian proud and she was pleased with the efficiency of her lightsaber. But, at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a little worried about getting back to Ossus. About what would happen when she began her training under Jedi Qual. Kian seemed to trust and like the young Selkath Jedi, and he had already started proving himself an able Shadow. But Soli didn't really know him. They had met on several occasions, but she still considered Kian her mentor....Kian her master.

She didn't hold any ill-will toward the Kel Dor for his not wanting to take her on as his apprentice, she understood it. But she wished things had been different. She dedicated herself to seeing the plus in all this though. Jedi Qual would have unique, different perspectives from Kian and that would help develop her into a better Jedi, a better person. She might even surprise herself by coming to like and respect the man as much, if not more than she did Kian.

Breaking through the last few clusters of trees, Soli saw the ship in the distance and smiled to herself. Perhaps things were progressing along the path they were meant to.

 

[Kian Karr]

The ride back to Ossus was a quiet one. Soli felt exhausted and had excused herself to her quarters to get some rest. As her eyes had gotten heavy and she slipped into sleep, she replayed the spar they had just had. As he eyes closed and darkness crept in at the corners, she smiled at her performance and vowed to win next time.

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Soli followed Kian down the boarding ramp of the Dorin Run and headed toward the Shadow Enclave. They had a meeting to get to. Soli could feel the weight of the lightsaber hilt as it dangled from her utility belt above her left hip. It felt comforting there, as if she were finally whole. The walk from the hangar to the Enclave was a short one and in no time Soli found herself standing before the plan, unassuming building.

"Hello you two." Came a deep, barotone and accented voice and Soli and Kian both turned to see the arrival of Jedi Qual. Soli had initially found it difficult to understand much of what the Jedi had to say due to the thickness of his Manaan accent, but she had grown accustom to it in her time with the Shadows.

"Jedi Qual." Soli said bowing respectfully toward her new master.

"Hello." Kian said turning to greet him. "I think I'll give you some time to talk." Kian said and Soli knew he was smiling beneath the mask as he vanished into the building. Soli smiled awkwardly at Jedi Qual and he turned and indicated she should walk with him.

"Have you considered my offer?" He asked as they began to walk around the path that cut through the woods. It was a beautiful nature trail and Soli often used it to jog.

"I have." Soli said and stopped to glance at the Jedi. "I am wiling to learn from you, if you are willing to train me." She said, her words catching in her throat a bit.

"Very well." Jedi Qual said and Soli smiled to see that he seemed pleased.