We, Jedi

[Romi Jade]

EIRA PECHAL​

Training Hall, Jedi Praxeum​

WITH: [member="Jace Khel"] & [member="Quvox"] & [member="Aten Ramses"]​

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DAY: First day of real training​

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She'd been asked to rest but...​

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The events that took place on Coruscant had been dawning on them all, and while the outcome was devastating and her body giving out on her following the battle, she still cared to address it with her apprentices and push forward.​

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Her weakened state was brought on by overexertion; to her that meant nothing. She urged for her students to meet her in the training hall for their first real training session together; all three. Given that the Praxeum was still partially in it's development phase, she stepped up to help where she could and that meant taking on multiple apprentices if she needed to.​

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When the group arrived, she'd start it all off with an "First let me say I'm sorry..."​

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She looked to all three, her eyes trailing down the line. There mission was to help secure whatever information they could from the Archives and transport it back to the Praxeum, however she couldn't have predicted the unfortunate events that caused all of that to spiral out of control. ​

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"To each of you...You should've never seen Coruscant in that way. It falls on me to prepare you as best I can for such situations, and I won't pretend to brush past it like it was nothing. I failed you in that regard. However, I must commend you all for your courage. Quvox, you took on an upper level agent of the Empire on your own and survived the encounter due to your creativity and quick wit. Jace, you kept a leveled head and endured a test of spirit. Aten..." she turned to look at him, "I heard of your work over at Ground Zero...completely selfless." She nodded at him.​

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Though he was new to the group, Romi had taken the offer to complete his training in Kols place. "The point is...Coruscant did happen and we can all learn from this" She definitely included herself, "Adversity is a constant, and next time we'll be prepared for whatever."​

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She turned and walked more towards the center of the large room, "Second, I'd like that say that I'm honored to be your instructor. I'd like to think I could learn from you as I hope you do from me." She planted her feet and shifted in her stance while resting her left hand on her hip. "I don't profess to know everything...but I'll teach you what I do, stuff from my own mentors and stuff from my experiences."​

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In reality, she'd never really trained any students of her own. Initially she wasn't interested...then she took on a Padawan by the name of Cassius but the two split after the events on Eadu. She'd always hated those Masters who felt they were superior anyway, Romi knew she could learn just as much from this as they could.​

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"I'd like to start with some Meld training...I think it's a good skill to have in the back pocket and it's fairly simple to learn."​

 

[Quvox]

Quvox​

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Eira Pechal​

With: [member="Jace Khel"], [member="Romi Jade"] and [member="Aten Ramses"]​

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Quvox was still getting his head around the temple, and finding where he needed to go was going to prove a little difficult. If he really put effort into it, he could probably find his way to most places pretty easily, but this wasn't an ultra-urgent situation...or at least, he didn't think it was. He hoped not. He had enough of urgent after Coruscant. Parts of it still...bothered him, a little. After Imperia had crushed part of his breathing apparatus, it stopped filtering. He could smell all of it, the smoke and the blood and the death. He'd smelled death enough times in his life already, but it was different. The stench of it had been overwhelming, and his senses being heightened by the force meld hadn't helped that all too much.

Thankfully, his apparatus and his mask were fixed and back to normal, or at least as normal as they could be. Of course, it meant Imperia now...knew something a bit more about him than others did, if she wasn't killed by the rubble collapsing on top of her, like Quvox had seen. Part of him hoped not - there was a kind aspect to his soul, one that never wanted to see anyone's life cut short, just in case they could be given that chance. It definitely wasn't him who could save her, though. In either way.

Eventually, he found his way and pulled up alongside Jace, who he'd already met and knew enough, and Aten. He wasn't that familiar, but if he'd been doing selfless work for people, then he was more than okay in Quvox's book. There really weren't that many people who would go out of their way for others, so he was a standout for doing something like that. The Ubese kept quiet as Romi explained herself, his arms crossed over as he thought on what she was saying, giving a small nod after she mentioned Meld training.

"Pretty sure I'd be dead if we didn't have it." The voice that came from was still odd and almost like a serene whisper, even though it was clearly loud enough to be heard. The mask filters did meant to make someone's voice sound weird; probably why his people had stuck with sign language for so long.

 

[Warchief Waddles]

Standing alongside the other two apprentices hands tucked neatly at the small of his back, legs shoulder width apart Aten waited his eyes firmly set ahead on Romi. She would be the one taking the place of Kol as his Jedi Master but it was still obvious that he had retained some of the habits his previous instructor had drilled into him. Having forgone the typical Jedi robes Aten instead settled on a compression tank top for the training, the robes were far too loose for his liking and could be detrimental for one that practiced Hand to Hand combat. Golden hair tucked up into a bun that adorned the top of his head Aten waited for their instructions.

Aten felt like interrupting Romi as she began her apologies but Aten simply stood there bearing his complaints, it hadn’t been the Jedi’s fault what had taken place on the planet, they’d all been deceived. It was the Sith’s fault if anything they needed to witness the depths of depravity that the Sith were willing to sink to in their quest to exterminate the light and sate their own bloodlust. The mere thought caused Aten’s jaw to tighten visibly, nostrils flaring slightly before the Jedi had to take a calming breath. Memories of what he saw at ground zero sprang unbidden to Aten’s mind tormenting the young man. The families shattered, the thousands, possibly millions of lives lost.

However, hearing the accomplishments of his fellow apprentices, Aten had a look of disbelief. He’d never imagined that those he’d paired up with would be so skilled and prodigious. It was humbling and showed Aten just how far he had to go to prove himself worthy of being trained alongside them. Thoughts going to Kol, Aten could practically hear his old Masters voice, expressing disappointment in that he was falling behind compared to the others. Looking down the line at Jace and Quvox, Aten gave a nod of his head mouthing “Nice to meet you.” Though no words came out as he did not wish to interrupt Romi.

Force Meld? Aten thought a hand scratching at the crown of his head, he’d never been truly talented in many aspects of the force nor did he even know a lot of the abilities others could display. Then Quvox chimed in with how it had saved him. “Um… What does this entail?”



[member="Romi Jade"] [member="Quvox"] [member="Jace Khel"]

 

[Cassus Stoma]

The Padawan felt nothing but defeat. Perhaps it was because he was literally defeated by the Sith Acolyte who poisoned his mind and forced actions upon him through a trance of insanity. However, it was because he willingly tapped into his own anger in order to keep himself alive. Some might argue that it was justified in that sense, but maybe it wasn't. Jace didn't really know, and he couldn't begin to comprehend such a thing. For now, he kept his troubles to himself, fearing that me find himself in the ire of the Masters and Knights in charge of keeping the Padawans in check.

​It was among the other Padawans he stood. The stereotypical robes draped over his body, as a blank expression rested on his face. He didn't dare speak, or do anything to ensnare attention. He only laid low, intent on learning what he could, hoping that this feeling was to wash away from him soon enough. With time, all things heal.

[member="Romi Jade"] - [member="Quvox"] - [member="Aten Ramses"]

 

[Romi Jade]

EIRA PECHAL​

Training Hall, Jedi Praxeum​

WITH: [member="Jace Khel"] & [member="Quvox"] & [member="Aten Ramses"]​

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DAY: First day of real training​

"Trust really..." she responded to Aten, the other two had some sense of what it was because they felt it, he didn't. "Through that connection," she motioned with her hand, "We link our minds together and essentially draw strength from one another. There's improvement in coordination and communication, only between those that are linked."

She smirked, "Though you have to be able to trust those you are linking with...to know when to answer the call. I'd agree with Quvox, this was one of the reasons we were able to survive Coruscant." However, she looked to Quvox and jerked with her head for him to come over. "Quvox you're going to establish the link between you and the others. Don't worry..." she nodded.

He seemed the logical choice, she knew Jace just went through people poisoning his mind and whether he wanted to speak on it or not...it bothered him. Aten had never felt it before...so for him to establish something he was unfamiliar with would be counter productive. Then there was Quvox, he had the will and intellect to sustain it.

"You can do this...one by one try to consciously block out all sense and then reach out with your mind to the one you're most familiar with. You already know Jace...you've connected with him already. When he answers your call...draw from him in order to bring in Aten."

She spoke those words to Quvox before stepping over closer to the other boys, "You all must answer his call...you'll know. Listen for the whispers." She placed a hand on Jace's shoulder before pacing around the back of him and moving over to Atens side.

 

[Quvox]

Quvox​

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Eira Pechal​

With: [member="Jace Khel"], [member="Romi Jade"] and [member="Aten Ramses"]​

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"Me?"

He glanced between the other two, seeming a bit surprised even with the mask on. Why was he being picked here? Surely Jace could- Quvox only noticed now how down he seemed to be. He figured that he must've been feeling pretty messed up on the inside; Quvox had no idea what had actually happened to him on Coruscant, but he'd felt some of the whispers trying to break through the meld. He placed a hand on Khel's shoulder for a moment, nodding politely towards Aten. Why couldn't he have been that guy?

Helping people, providing aid; that was way more like a Jedi than getting attacked by a Sith, being saved by the ceiling and running away. He was just lucky everything decided to fall apart at once, really. He nodded again towards Romi, trying to think of how he was going to do this, stepping a bit aside from the other two. He closed his eyes, focusing on what he remembered from Coruscant, that same empty, icy place. There was no train and overwhelming presence trying to run him down this time, so he could try and reach out, just a bit.

He tried to ignore his sight, smell, hearing. Even his taste he tried to block out, and soon everything was clear for a moment. He was in that place, able to call out. He was reaching forward, as though he was pressing through a swirling, dark wall and as his hand made contact, it made a hole of light that he could extend his hand through. He felt Jace, and tried to reach further, like he was using the other Padawan's arm in a daisy chain. He was pretty sure he could feel Aten; it was less familiar, so that seemed right. He guessed they were getting more familiar now.

He tried to whisper into the meld, to speak enough that they could hear. "Uh....hello? Is this thing on?"

 

[Warchief Waddles]

Obviously, Quvox was far more talented than Aten had at first believed since Romi chose him to create the meld. Giving the Ubese a thumbs up Aten turned his thoughts inwards. Trust… Aten understood the concept but it seemed all too simple, how could such an ability with obviously huge benefits simply be based on trust? There had to be some downsides that Romi had yet to reveal or hadn’t noticed. Yet he wasn’t the one forming the link, the one thought that came to Aten’s mind though was would it make them all susceptible to a mental attack? Everything Aten had learned from Teräs Käsi was telling him to not let any intrude upon his mental sanctuary but just this once Aten would have to. With an exhalation of breath Aten closed his eyes slowly opening his mind and lowering the mental barriers he’d placed up.

As the walls began to crumble Aten waited and soon felt a cool energy come and envelop his person, slowly it filled him and he felt an unfamiliar weight on his mind. Though it wasn’t unpleasant, in fact, it was somewhat uplifting. Deciding to toy with the others a bit Aten began projecting his thoughts. “Sorry ,Aten is not in at the moment if you’d like to leave a message do so after the tone… BOOP.” It was a childish prank but something that Aten wouldn’t have been able to accomplish on his own. Inwardly chuckling Aten finally started to take the lesson seriously his eyes looking to the other apprentices. “So, can you only hear what I project or is it everything that crosses my mind?”

Remembering what Romi had mentioned on drawing strength from others Aten would try to do the opposite, instead of drawing strength from the others he pushed out with his own presence in the force hoping that it would touch the other two giving them strength. If that could work who truly knew what feats were accomplishable with such a merger.

[member="Romi Jade"] [member="Quvox"] [member="Jace Khel"]

 

[Cassus Stoma]

There was a need for focus that Jace required to tap into this meld. It could be performed without it, but always far greater with more efficiency if delved into a specific trance. His body began to lower down to the ground beneath his feet, resting on his knees as both hands formed over his thighs. His eye lids began to feel heavy, closing off any distractions through a sense of meditation. There was a lingering distraction in the pain he felt, but the youthful figure did his best to destroy it, although that possibly made it worse. It might have channeled it further. Time would tell.

Jace felt as if a cool wave of energy flowed through his body. Appearing as a separate entity within his own mind, wandering the planes of existence, a maze. A key rest in his grip, pressing forwards with it into the lock- revealing both Quvox and Aten on the other side. The meld had been successful, and he felt that connection. As if he was on a higher plane of understanding. It was something near unfathomable, but felt too natural.

Try thinking something without projecting it. Jace chimed in through the meld, curious to see whether or not everything they thought was to be projected.

[member="Romi Jade"] - [member="Quvox"] - [member="Aten Ramses"]

 

[Romi Jade]

EIRA PECHAL​

Training Hall, Jedi Praxeum​

WITH: [member="Jace Khel"] & [member="Quvox"] & [member="Aten Ramses"]​

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DAY: First day of real training​

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Her eyebrow rose, watching the three interact; she figured that it was working. All of them seemed to have that look on their face.

"Alright, good." she mused before smiling, "The more you guys connect with one another, the easier it becomes to reconnect. Yes, Quvox is the link, but with time you two will learn how through familiarity." she gestured to Aten and Jace. Learning to employ the meld was fairly easy, it was advancing the technique that was more tedious.

"You're connected. Now, it's good to be cautious of the drawbacks. Through the link, you've gained an advantage, but have also sacrificed some mental fortitude. It's important that everyone remains on the same page, being scattered leaves you vulnerable. Manipulations of the mind will come just as anything else, and if you all can muster the strength together, you can keep each other solid."

Romi was still working out how to up the defenses, and that would come with time as well. She isn't an expert in this ability, and never professed to be. She could only teach what she knew.

She moved back towards the center of the room, widening her stance and planting herself. "Sooo, you'll be my sparring partners. We're gonna go unarmed. You guys work together against me."

They already had the advantage in numbers, she wanted to see how they would strategize. Each of them had strengths they could play off of.

"Remember this, in most instances combat is about controlling the conflict. If you're acting, you make the decisions..." she mused, "Of course, this doesn't always mean you have to be the aggressor. But, understanding this concept will help you develop your own styles and realize the different flows of conflict."

She nodded at them. "Trust.."