Wait, Who Are You? [Rasu]

[Carecen]

Location: Dantooine, Jedi Enclave
Mission: ------

Stealthily, Carecen peered around yet another corner. With a sigh, he rolled toward the wall on the opposite side and then into the shadows they lay in the corridor he had just looked down. With a slight shimmy motion, he moved his way slowly, pausing at doors and constantly looking both ways. A door to his left lay slightly ajar and light shot out from the slit.

A slight bump moved the door just enough to see some of the interior of them room. It was a small empty room and it seemed as if had been used for storage in the past months. Slipping in, Carecen glanced around and spotted a bed. With the door shut, he sat down with a sigh. This, he thought, is probably the wrong way to do things. Rummaging around for food, he found none and returned to the bed to lay back on it, lightly closing his eyes.

[member=Rasu Gan]

 

[Rasu Gan]

"Thank you again Master Gan, for gracing us with your presence here. It is a priviledge to have a member of the Silver Jedi Order here on Dantooine, and of the Council no less. You truly humble us." echoed the deep voice of the Ithorian Jedi, the hulking mass of the being casting a giant shadow, completely masking that of the Shi'ido's.

"Please Master Ekan, it is you who humble me. I'm truly grateful to you and your brethren offering me your hospitality, it is indeed rare in this era." she replied as the pair continued on their stroll through the Jedi enclave. Rasu turned to take in the view that awaited outside the temple's walls. Dantooine. A planet that Rasu had longed to visit, but had only found the excuse to journey to until now.

The scarce Jedi that had remained on the planet were affiliated with neither Republic nor Silver, and the Shi'ido Master had hoped to tilt the scales and bring those of the Jedi Enclave into the folds of the Silver, but they seemed as staunch as rumours suggested. However their hospitality was indeed the same as one would expect of a Jedi.

"I hope you don't mind but we weren't exactly prepared for your arrival Master. All of our quarters are at present occupied, however we have various storage facilities that can be converted into guest quarters. I hope this will accommodate to your needs." The Ithorian continued, obviously flustered by the Shi'ido's sudden arrival.

"It will suit me just fine my dear. Now please stop fussing over me." Rasu said, placing a hand on the Jedi's bulky shoulder. "I'll be fine making my way to the nearest facility now, honestly I'll be fine. I don't wish to be a nuisance." she said as the Ithorian gave her one last anxious look before turning and leaving the Shi'ido alone. Continuing at a quickened pace, Rasu found the marked door, indicating the storage room beyond. Activating the panel, Rasu entered, turning to close the panel behind her.

"Oh sorry, I didn't realise someone was using this room." she said, as her eyes fell upon the slender figure of a human, resting upon the lone bed among the various storage crates taking up the bulk of the room.

@Carecen

 

[Carecen]

The break of the door entered Carecen's consciousness. His body shot up and his feet landed on the ground as he backed into a large stack of crates, knocking them over. "Oh, shit," he swore without thinking, and then realizing the presence that had come upon him was a woman he covered his mouth quickly. "I, uh... My apologies." His voice comes out apologetic and quick. Not only have they found me. I cussed in front of one of them!

Quickly, the seemingly young man regained his composure, "I suppose it isn't. This...uh," only to lose it again, "room is not mine per se..." His mind jumped around to the various punishments he could receive. All of them ended in what he saw as a very painful death. But there were always chances that things could go in his favor. His muscles tensed, ready to move.

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

The man sat up abruptly, causing Rasu to tense slightly, a small smile growing on her lips. The Shi'ido could tell that she had caught the human by surprise judging by his current stuttering, however Rasu had no intention of evicting this young man from a room that had been claimed his, or so it seemed until he again opened his mouth, releasing basic that was much more pleasant to the ear than the cursing that erupted upon her arrival. As the man attempted to explain himself, Rasu could not help but chuckle softly to herself, already sensing the alarm and dread that swirled through his aura. This human was clearly mistaken, having assumed the Shi'ido was here to dish out punishment.

"I assure you I'm not here to harm you." she said, taking note of his tense figure as if prepared for a fight or a quick escape. "I had no idea you were here, and it appears you were not expecting me to show up either. Which leads me to believe that perhaps you aren't exactly a registered visitor here, am I correct?" she asked, bringing her hands up to her hips, as she shot the man a quizzical look. She stood blocking the doorway, the human's only escape. If he was going to attempt to flee, he would have to go through the Shi'ido first, of course if he was smart it wouldn't come to that.

@Carecen

 

[Carecen]

Ensuring that his hood kept most of his face hidden, so as to try and mask his identity, which of course, was redundant, but this was one of his favored forms. He would very much like to keep it available. She's blocking the door. That's not an option. Quickly, his eyes looked around the room, glancing into every nook and cranny. Nope. Nope. Nope. "I, uh, yeah. One could use that to describe my presence. I can take my leave if that is required." His voice held a tone of hopefulness rather than the inquisitiveness of a question.

He needed to think of the quickest way out. His other form was much stronger than his current one. But that change could waste time that he did not have if it came to that point. He stepped ever so slightly forward.

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

Noticing the increasing alarm rising within the man, Rasu began taking a few steps closer, hoping to reassure him and prove that she honestly meant him no harm. She wondered why on earth such a being would infiltrate the building, a Jedi enclave of all places. There was nothing of value here, well nothing of value to a common thief, so the thought still remained in the Shi'ido's mind. What is he doing here?

Rasu caught sight of the hesitant step forward, realising that he was looking for a way out, she spoke up. "You do realise that you are in a building full of trained Jedi? There would be no point in escaping, not that I would allow you to leave this room. So please, return to the bunk if you wish to be a bit more comfortable, and explain to me what has brought you to the enclave?" Rasu was curious, and could sense the immense Force potential of the man. If he wasn't a student of the enclave, then maybe he could give an explanation to such a well-refined Force potency.

@Carecen

 

[Carecen]

He finally realized that he had no options nor did he think that this woman would do him harm. He gave up trying to escape but did not take a seat on the bed. "I have been alive for...a while. I have watched powers rise and fall. I have seen great leaders brought to their knees. I have seen armies conquer planets over night. But never in all my time have I had half a mind to explore what happens behind the scenes. I haven't seen who the people are that run these armies. I haven't met any great leaders." He paused and took a breath.

"And so I come here in search of doing some of these things. And maybe accomplishing other feats. But my first idea was to scout out the workings. And thus. Here we are." Finishing, he looked down to his feet almost nervously, but mainly to avoid eye contact. What he said here could make or break everything.

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

Taking in everything, Rasu had to steady herself against the wall, bringing her hand up to stop herself from falling. Was this really true? How could this man before her actually claim to be centuries older than the guise of his physical form? In Rasu's mind the only explanation that would make sense to her was that the being before her was a member of her own species, who possess the ability to shift their form and live for many years, maintaining said form. However the Shi'ido would have been able to immediately identify another of her own, so again Rasu was left clueless.

Steadying herself, she rose from her slumped position, and approached the ancient being, knowing that if she was to discover the truth she would only find answers from the source itself. Knowing that the stranger before her, meant no harm, she sat down on the empty bunk, leaving the door unguarded. She had a feeling however that escape was now out of the question, and Rasu could finally place some trust in this ancient being. Looking up into the eyes of the man before her, she tried to make eye contact.

"What are you?" she asked, closing her mouth as soon as the words had left her lips. Immediately she felt heat rush to her cheeks, knowing that they would definitely be glowing against her emerald green form. She hadn't meant for her question to sound so blunt and ultimately rude, but she was still so overwhelmed by the current situation that her emotions had taken control of her for that split second.

@Carecen

 

[Carecen]

The day had gone from frightening to even more frightening, and then it had become what it is now. He saw the effect his words had had on her, but was actually confused by her reaction. His life had been long and a lot of the time, lonely. He finally allowed his head to turn toward her. His barrier had dropped completely, and his fears were gone completely. "I am Carecen. Most people people call me Carcen to shorten it up. I am what some would call a 'Force Wielder.' A being that is immortal to age and able to change shape. I Have been around for thousands of years, so many that I have lost track of just how many it has been." Feeling awkward, he shuffled his feet and paced to the left slightly, though he completely ignored the door.

He looked at the woman sitting on the bed, and sat on the floor with his knees rising up, level with his head. With a smile audible in his words, he asked, "And what, my friend, are you?" He laughed inwardly at the word "what."

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

Rasu's eyes remained fixed on the Force Wielder before her, keeping as still and solid as possible as the information was poured into her, sweeping through her brain as it instinctively absorbed and digested every bit of knowledge. When [member="Carecen "]had finished his explanation, Rasu paused for a breath moment, seeming frozen in time, before her head collapsed into her hands, all of her training and mental exercises forgotten, Rasu found herself short of breath as she stared blankly into the darkness her palms created.

It all made absolute sense now that she thought about it, but the idea of being in the presence of one so ancient was still an idea hard to swallow. Laughing as the wielder asked his own question, Rasu returned her gaze to that of Carcen, all past tension and hope of escape seemed to have left his eyes, as he now appeared more relaxed and comfortable with the Shi'ido around. Taking a few brief breathes she answered, her voice still giving away the sheer disbelief of the situation.

"Ah yes sorry about that." she said, attempting to apologise for her previous outburst. "I'm Jedi Master Rasu Gan of the slowly growing Order of Silver Jedi. We are a fairly new organisation to Galactic history, so I would understand if you haven't heard of us in your lengthy life." she said, her voice slowly losing its uneasiness as she too became more comfortable around the man. "Might I ask whether you are aware of your Force sensitivity?" she forced herself to say, feeling slightly sheepish having asked the question. She was unsure whether the god-like being truly realised the power he possessed, and if so what he planned to use it for, or had been using it for.

 

[Carecen]

The Jedi Master was completely surprised by what Carecen had said. He didn't normally tell people that he was as old as he was, so he had gotten mix of reactions over the years. But what he got from a Jedi Master was completely unexpected. He looked around the small room and started rummaging through boxes and looking with keen eyes for specific items. Eventually he returned back to his previous position with his legs crossed and several small items lay before him.

Lifting his gaze back to Rasu, he spoke calm and quick, "I am very aware of your order. I am interested in all powers that come to rise in this galaxy. I probably know of some sources of power that not even the Jedi Archivists know of. I guess you could say it is my field of expertise. Oh and well met, Jedi Master," he says, acknowledging the exchanging of names that constituted as a greeting. "Now. My Force sensitivity. I have...Played with the Force only in small amounts over the years. Mainly to help my lazy life style-" he stops abruptly as the small odds and ends he had put down rose up off the floor. They then proceeded to make a spherical shape with many holes in the air by swirling in a pattern. "And this is about all I can do." At this point his eyes were glowing a very faint, light blue.

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

The soft sound of shifting objects filled the eerie silence, as the wielder began rummaging through various crates and boxes that littered the rather spacious supply room. Rasu's attention was now fixated on the man, watching with strange fascination as one would a dangerous animal, considering whether the beast would react to the close presence of the observer. The Shi'ido continued to stare, however diverted her eyes as the being returned with several items which he lay at his feet. Curious, Rasu visually inspected the items, finding no significance to the objects at all until the man began talking once more.

As he spoke, Rasu contained her surprise. The Shi'ido had believed that the Silver Jedi had done quite well in keeping their Order separate from the going-on's of the galaxy, but to hear that Carcen before her had heard of their growing group, the Shi'ido became conflicted by both pride and concern. However it was something to worry about at a later date. Rasu's thoughts now turned back to the man before her, now explaining the reasoning for his Force sensitivity, while unconsciously causing the selected items to float above him, sending them soaring across the room. For something so basic to the Shi'ido, she could not help but smile at the simplistic beauty of the scene.

"Have you not ever thought about learning?" Rasu interrupted, curious as to why such an ancient being like [member="Carecen "]had not sought out further knowledge. "Why not refine the gift that has been bestowed upon you? With immortality on your side you could have been a major asset to any galactic power throughout history, so why have you decided to remain isolated, alone?" she asked, curious as to the reasoning behind the wielder's lengthy wanderings.

 

[Carecen]

The spinning orb lowered back to the ground, each item back where he had placed them before. He watched the woman, taking in every emotion, every movement. Before answering the question, Carecen looked down and collected his thoughts, choosing each word carefully. "I had always been interested in watching life. Not necessarily wanting to be a part of it. Life, I have observed, is dynamic. It is changing. With change comes death. With death; grief. As you have put it. I have immortality. I once loved. Long ago. She died, and since then, I have remained distant from most life. But not so long ago, which to you would be a very long time, I realized that though grief and suffering may hurt, it is better to be a part of life and to share in it's joys and sadnesses than to not have any of it."

"So it is now; that I wish to learn. And now I stand before you," he says, rising. "I would like to request, being that it does not seem you wish me harm after this intrusion, that I be accepted as one of your own."

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

Again the being's voice filled the small room, his words echoed the ancient power that Rasu knew delved deep within his aura, just waiting to be untapped and chipped away bit by bit. His words brought deep emotions to the surface of the woman, thoughts and memories that Rasu had fought hard to forget and hide. The Jedi Master was in love, an emotion that Carecen too had felt and had suffered for it. So too would the Shi'ido suffer for loving another, one that did not share the lengthened life that her species possessed. She knew that there would come a time when she would have to put these feelings aside, and this retelling of the wielder only summoned these thoughts back to the forefront of her mind. There would come a day when attachments would have to be forgotten, but this was not of a current concern.

Her eyes widened as she tuned back in and processed the request given by the man before her. Rasu was more than willing to bring this man back to Voss with her, but she was unsure how others would react and take the news. [member="Carecen "]was truly a powerful being and strongly gifted in the Force, but ancient history still loomed over here. Would she be dooming her own Order by bringing this being back with her? How did she know that this Force Wielder would not be corrupted once he had fully grasped the power he innately possessed?

"You'll understand that I have a few unpleasant thoughts against taking you home with me. We have only just adjusted to our new way of life and are still uneasy when it comes to welcoming new members. However I am sure those of the Silver Jedi Order would be more than happy to welcome you to our organisation." she said finally, avoiding eye contact with the man. Pausing while she collected her thoughts and composed herself, she filled the silence abruptly, "We'll leave immediately. Meet me at the shuttle when you have gathered your things." Not waiting for a reply, Rasu left the storage room, oblivious to everything but her own thoughts. Her doubts having gotten the better of her, Rasu questioned her decision. Had she unknowingly brought doom upon her beloved Order?

 

[Carecen]

Inwardly, Carecen was gleeful and almost smug. He knew as soon as she started showing empathy towards his story that things would go a lot easier. Outwardly, he was collected and calm, "Thank you, Master Rasu," he said, bowing slightly. "I will meet you there."

After she had left, he sat and wondered where this life was taking him. In all honesty, he did not have anything to collect as he usually chose to not keep anything on his persons that he could not simply summon from the Force, such as his clothes.

Having scouted nearly the entire building earlier, he hurried through the halls to the docking bay where the shuttle, and Rasu waited. The flight was long and slow and not too many words were exchanged, because, for Carecen, he was silently suffering from painful nostalgia within his own head.

When the shuttle finally landed, he looked to Rasu. "Very well. Where do we start?"

[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Rasu Gan]

It had not taken the man too long to return to her back at the shuttle. Rasu had to explain her sudden departure to the enclave's elders, feeling a slight pang of guilt as she sensed their disappointment. She had not expected this either, but she had placed her faith in the Force, much like many Jedi before her had, and in the end the Force presents ample opportunities, and this time Rasu had taken it. They had both boarded, and before long they had entered hyperspace, the empty silence, echoing into the spacious passenger bay, where both beings sat, choosing not to exchange words.

Voss soon appeared outside the shuttle viewport, and she could not help but smile, as she felt the shuttle begin its drop down to the planet surface, the dark blackness of space, changing to a warm gold and orange as Voss' atmosphere surrounded them. The Shi'ido's body shook as the shuttle made contact with the ground, and the slight hissing reached her ears as the boarding ramp extended, allowing the cool air of the planet entrance to the stale counterpart that encompassed the craft.

"Well would you like to see the Temple?" she asked [member="Carecen "], her thoughts and doubts having been left out in space, Rasu was now excited to show off the hard work of the blossoming order, ready to witness similar emotions from the Force wielder.