Cold White Sand

[Viggy]

Okokeeza had entered the atmosphere of Ando Prime, the first planet he had been to since he left Tatooine to seek the Dark Jedi. Looking down upon the surface of this world, he was amazed. Here the desert sand was pure white, and more of it seemed to be falling from the atmosphere. He imagined sand falling from the sky back on Tatooine and shook his head in amazement. He had much to learn about the world; and much to learn about himself and the power within him, that he had heard called the Force... And he had much reason to learn.

He flew lower over the tundras and mountains, searching for the place his informant had described. He was just beginning to think he might have been lied to, when he saw it - a great temple. Landing his starfighter, he went to the exit and hopped out. Immediately the Jawa gasped in amazement and shivered to his core. He had never been so cold in his entire life. Whatever he was walking in, it wasn't sand at all. It was powdery, heavy and crunched beneath his sandals. He didn't like it, nor did he like the cold wind that seemed to go right through his robe and bite his flesh.

"But I didn't come here for things I like... I came here to become strong. Perhaps the cold will help me do that," he mused silently, as he started stomping through the thick snow up to the door of the temple. Slowly pulling open the great stone door, he stepped inside and looked around. It was dark, but that was no problem for a Jawa. His luminous red eyes soaked in everything about this place that he could see.

"Hello?" he called out.

 

[Phil]

There he was, entering right into their temple like Durtrak predicted. Not many came here other then those who sought the true path of Darkness. Durtrak waited in the dark room as he had pressed himself into one of the ceiling corners, and the sight of the sentient at first confused the Trandoshan. The small hooded... thing was not like the others, but there was a presence in it that Durtrak could not ignore. Now was the time to let him know he was not alone.

Durtrak released himself from the corner as he landed onto the floor in a crouched position, quickly standing to his feet as he ignited his lightsaber. A dark yellow blade made of energy illuminated a small bit of the room as Durtrak pointed it at the small sentient.

"Hello. What isss it you are sseeking, ssmall one? Be quick."

 

[Viggy]

"Utinni!" he exclaimed loudly in surprise, swiftly pulling out his blaster as a Trandoshan dropped from above. But then the reptile ignited what Okokeeza knew must be a lightsaber. He had never seen one before, but he had certainly heard a lot about them. He silently reprimanded himself for not looking up at the ceiling, and allowing what was obviously one of the Dark Jedi to startle him.

Dropping his blaster, he let his arms hang at his sides. He did not shy away from the lightsaber pointed at him, in fact he took a step closer to the Trandoshan and let the tip of the energy blade poke his robe just lightly, charring a small spot in the already black robe. "I seek the Dark Jedi. I have heard of their wisdom and power, and it is my desire to join them and learn from them. You, obviously, are one of them. I am Okokeeza."

 

[Phil]

"Ah... sso another acolyte hasss come onto the path of Darknesss."

Durtrak said, a dark smile on his face formed as his sharp teeth showed. He turned off his lightsaber as the blade retreated to the hilt, no longer charring the small spot on Okokeeza's robe. The little guy was brave for that step he took forward, and it showed Durtrak that he was not afraid of death.

"You will call me Master Durtrak, for you are now under my command. You will do as I command, and in turn I will sshow you the path you sseek. You came here on your own will, sso that sshowsss you are willing. Now follow Durtrak."

Durtrak turned around in the still dark room and headed up a small slope of steps and into a cold stone hall that was now lit with lighting.

 

[Viggy]

The Jawa's lips were pulled up in a small smile, hidden by his veil. He had come to the right place, and gotten exactly what he had hoped for. He was on the right path, and it brought him the first joy he had known in a long time.

"Yes, Master Durtrak," he replied in his dry raspy voice, following his new Master up the stairs into the hall and its light.

 

[Phil]

Durtrak led his small apprentice down the hall until they came to a metal door which he unlocked, stepping into his quarters where his swords and other trinkets of the past rested. It was like the entire room was set up to resemble a Trandoshan hut, it was all Durtrak could do to ignore the sheer cold that surrounded this temple.

"Asss I ssaid, you came here on your own will, sso that meansss you must know ssomething about usss. Sso, Okokeeza, tell Durtrak why you wissh to learn the Dark Sside of the Force, why you wish to become apart of the Order of Bogan?"

 

[Viggy]

Okokeeza took a look around his Master’s room. The reptile’s decorating reminded the Jawa of the Tusken Raider’s culture back on Tatooine - fitting, as the Raiders were some of the most fearsome warriors on that planet. The young Acolyte turned his eyes back to Durtrak, listening to his Master before replying.

“I seek the Dark Side because it is the side of greater power, and only the greatest of power can achieve my life goal. I choose to join the Order of Bogan, because there is no better place then among you to become adept in the ways of the Dark Side, if one is worthy. And I believe I am worthy. I also find that I agree with the Order’s principles - I have read only vague descriptions of them, but the lessons ring true to my mind and my experience.”

 

[Phil]

"You know much then, and sspeak many truthsss."

Durtrak then turned around to face Okokeeza, looking down upon him. He was surprised someone such as him would know so much about the Dark Side.

"Tell me then, what isss thisss life time goal of yoursss other then your devotion to The Dark Sside and it's purpossesss?"

 

[Viggy]

“Thank you, Master. I did much research before I came here,” the Jawa replied with a bow of his hooded head. His luminous eyes turned to the floor for a moment before he looked back up into Durtrak’s eyes and listened as the Trandoshan went on.

“My life goal is to overcome the ultimate power of the universe - death. Not for me, but for certain others. You see Master, in my youth my idiocy led to the death of those I had strong feelings for. I must bring them back, and that is why I must advance in the ways of the Dark Side. If I am ever to overcome death and bring light to the fallen, I must learn to fully understand the darkness. I know I must give much death to the galaxy, if I ever hope to take just a bit of it away. And I must take that bit away, I owe it to… To the ones I doomed. My debt is the will that drives me, and I will pay it.”

 

[Phil]

"Death isss natural, it isss what we all face ssooner or later. It is impossible to overcome the inevitable, thosse who you cared for that are dead will remain dead. If you think you can truly bring them back from the dead through your wayss with The Dark Sside, then you may attempt sso. Everyone and everything will have it's ussesss when our time truly comess. I believe that our code will help you undersstand. If you do not know it, it isss on the wall to your left. Recite it to me, and give me your thoughtsss on each ssaying it hasss."

 

[Viggy]

The Jawa’s hands curled into small fists that trembled with rage as he heard Durtrak’s words concerning his goal. It was the response he had expected - doubt. No one else could understand what he knew. He knew his family deserved life, and that he would be able to give it back to them. It nearly drove him off the edge to hear this reptile say it couldn’t be done. But he had to hold his rage in. Even though he knew his Master would sense the rage anyway, he also knew that if he gave in and ended up attacking Durtrak, it would have destroy any chance of becoming strong enough to save his family - because he would be as dead as they were. Even Okokeeza could see that. He took a deep breath before nodding to his Master and moving to the wall on the left to read the Code.

“No peace, only suffering. How true that is, Master. The most ironic thing about it is that those who do not understand this lesson try to create peace. And in doing that, they only create suffering. But those who understand the truth, they are smart enough spread suffering instead… And end up giving people the peace of death.”

“No knowledge, only instinct. Perhaps a slight exaggeration in my opinion, but relying on our instincts when it comes to the use of our knowledge and our power is the right course. Denying our instincts is denying the truth, it is living a lie.”

“No serenity, only passion. To me the meaning here is that serenity is weakness and stupidity, passion makes you strong and gives you the will to do what must be done. Those who try to live in serenity will be destroyed by the passionate, or if they are fortunate, eventually consumed by their own passion. Passion is an integral agent of the Force.”

“No harmony, only chaos. This is a clear statement that described the world as those who have truly seen it know it to be. Harmony is a fleeting thing that fools try to make and maintain, in their fear of the chaos. Chaos is natural, it is eternal and it consumes everything - all the more quickly when an attempt is made to establish order.”

“And finally…” His breath caught in his throat, and he let a dry cough escape him. “No life, only death. Death is the strongest and most undeniable force. All life meets it eventually… Its power is what draws me to it, makes me want to force it to submit by my own power.”

 

[Phil]

Durtrak sensed the anger swelling up inside the little guy, sensing his urge to want to strike him. He only smiled at this when Okokeeza read the codes with his back turned towards Durtrak.

"You sspeak the code, and your thoughtsss on it. Your thoughtsss have been heard, and they pleasse me. You are now ready to learn, to learn the true power of the Dark Sside and the waysss of the Bogan. Now, tell Durtrak everything you know about the Force. You musst know something of it, it is what drivesss you to ressurrect thosse you care for ssince there is no technology or medicine that can accomplissh thisss."

 

[Viggy]

He turned back around, looking up at the reptile and smiling under his hood, behind his veil. His Master had been pleased by the answer, and so Okokeeza was pleased too. As he was aked to give what knowledge he had on the Force, the Jawa thought carefully before answering.

"The Force is energy, and it is everywhere; but its presence is much stronger in certain people, like you and I, then in others. Those gifted with the Force can use it to manipulate the world around them. The Force is a part of everything, making it both kind and ruthless."

 

[Phil]

"Yesss. The Force is indeed cruel, but it isss a useful tool at our whim, and a powerful weapon that we command. The Jeedai are blind to it and worsship it, telling you that it commandsss them. It also allowsss us to weild a weapon more powerful then any gun or ssword made to this day."

With that, Durtrak once more took out his Lightsaber and ignited it's blade, holding it in a defensive stance.

"Do you know what thisss isss? You musst make one if we are to continue on with your training."

 

[Viggy]

He nodded eagerly. “Yes, Master. It’s a lightsaber. I have studied them… Give me the materials, and I am confident I can make one.”

Okokeeza could hardly hold in his excitement. Not only was the lightsaber a symbol of becoming a true user of the Force, he also found the mechanics behind the weapons quite fascinating. He hoped to make his own unique tool of death.

 

[Phil]

"The sschematicsss, the partsss, and the crystal can be found by the Quarter masster here. He can be found downsstairsss, but you musst find your own way there to the Quarter masster. When you find him, you musst convince him to give you what you are sseeking, for he will not hand them out nicely. Once you have them, come back here, not before. Now go."

OOC: Just make a descriptive post on heading downstairs, "Convincing" the Quarter master, and heading back here.

 

[Viggy]

Nodding curtly, the Jawa turned on his heel and exited his Master’s quarters. He descended down the stairs, out of the light of the upper hallways and back into the sweet darkness of the temple’s first floor. Seeing his blaster pistol on the floor where he had dropped it when Durtrak greeted him, Okokeeza picked it up and held it at the ready as he began to explore the temple. He stuck to the shadows, intending to sneak up on this quarter master and use his blaster to do the convincing.

It took him almost a full ten minutes, as the temple was large and every room looked the same, leading the Jawa to go in circles at times. But eventually he found his way into a small tucked away room, where a human male was going over schematics. The room had many cupboards that were labelled according to what they held, and recognizing the labels as being some of the parts of a lightsaber, Okokeeza knew he was in the right place. Springing out of the darkness onto the quarter master’s desk, he pressed his blaster pistol to the man’s temple.

“My Master sent me to get plans and parts, for I must build a lightsaber,” the Jawa hissed in the man’s ear. “And don’t think of pulling out your own, if you have one, or I will stop those thoughts and any others by frying your brains."

“…Fine. I’ll get you what you need then, stinky little creature,” the human replied harshly, beginning to go through the cupboards of his office. Soon he was passing schematics, metallic tubing and wiring and other parts for the hilt of the lightsaber. Finally it came time for the crystal. “What colour do you want, you little pest?” the quarter master spat.

Okokeeza thought hard about it, and remembered the way his home planet’s twin suns had burned red when they set, before darkness would settle in. “Crimson. I want crimson. And give me two crystals, not one…”

The quarter master grunted, nodded, and handed two red crystals over. The Jawa nodded back, firing a blaster bolt at the wall behind this human to try and scare him, before making his exit. The quarter master was unfazed by that, and merely returned to what he had been doing before. But it didn't matter, Okokeeza had done as his Master had asked. He made his way back up the stairs and down the hall to Durtrak’s quarters, where he emptied all the lightsaber parts out onto a table in a neat pile, and spread the schematics out beside them.

“I have everything, Master.”

 

[Phil]

"Ah, good. You have brought with you the toolss and the crystalsss you will need, but there isss one more thing you musst need, and it can only be learned by me."

"Durtrak reached out with his hand, and all the pieces on the table slowly lifted up and floated several feet high, rotating slowly so Okokeeza could observe. After this brief demonstration, the parts slowly descended back to the table where they laid motionless.

"It is extremely difficult to build a lightssaber by hand, even for a droid. I built mine through the Force, and that is how you will build yoursss... unlesss you think you can prove me otherwisse..."

 

[Viggy]

Okokeeza watched the parts moving in the air, deeply envying the ease Durtrak had in using the Force. When the parts returned to the table, the Jawa tilted his hooded head up to listen to his Master’s next words. At first he felt a desire to accept the Trandoshan’s challenge, and try to construct his lightsaber without using the Force. He had a great amount of skill in those kinds of projects, after all. But it occurred to him that even if he could build the weapon manually, doing it through the Force would be good practice.

“I will build it through the Force, Master,” he replied with a bow of his head. He was worried it might take a long time to do this, because he had never been able to control his Force powers very well, lacking the focus and understanding for it. But no one had ever said this would be easy. And after all, though he didn’t want to ask because he thought it might appear insolent, there was a chance his Master would help him learn to use the Force and build the lightsaber.

 

[Phil]

"A wisse decission. You musst firsst clear your mind of thoughtsss. You are alone in empty sspace, no one elsse exisstsss except for you. Now, you musst concentrate on an intrussion of your meditation."

As soon as he was done speaking, Durtrak unlatched a small crate in the corner of the room and two small metal balls floated out and towards where Okokeeza was. They lowered themselves down to the Jawa's head level, a small glass eye on each ball was looking at him. Close inspection revealed that they were remote droids, packing with a small blaster charge in each one.

"Reach out, grab them before they can sshoot. Not with your handsss though, through the Force. Grab them through the Force, and they will be unable to sshoot."