Hunter's Redemption: Knight's Ascension

[Rom]

Ignoring the pain that emanated from his chest with every breath, Raynor looked over at the woman and considered for a moment. While the obvious question was how to deal with his aggression and dark feelings whenever he thought of weapons training, fighting, or even just the hunt. Actually putting those things into practice required a herculean effort to try and stay rooted within the calm embrace of the lightside. Another obvious question would be how to push away the storm clouds that gathered around his mind whenever he tried to meditate and find peace.

Those were however not the *right* questions. Coming to a stop, Raynor stared down at the floor in
contemplative silence before asking in a soft voice, "This one wonders if it possible for one who has used the dark side to be redeemed."

 

[Corvis]

“We all brush with the dark side in some way or another, Raynor.” she said matter-of-factly, staring directly into his reptilian eyes. “What separates us from those that fall is that we seek not to.” she paused, thinking a moment before finishing, not wanting him to think she had dodged his question, “As for redemption, I would say yes, anyone can be redeemed. However, it is, in my mind a much more personal thing. There is no magic line to cross or anyone who can tell you that you're redeemed.”

She gave him a concerned smile, knowing his personal guilt would likely mean he wouldn't like the answer, “I guess, truth be told, you can't make up for past wrongs. There's no great galactic ledger that lets you calculate the weight of your actions and decides when you're even. All you can do try to do as much good as possible.” she paused for a moment, easing him through the door into the med bay, “And at the end, it'll just have to be enough.”

 

[Rom]

Walking through the door into the Medical Bay, Raynor tried to hide how badly the Knight's words hurt him. While the barabel couldn't deny the truth behind them, the honesty still drove into his heart like a lightsaber, the burning guilt and shame nearly making him want to collapse where he was. He had always known somewhere in the back of his mind that he would never be able to make up for how he had betrayed his hatch mate.

Alongside the hurt however, was a sense of purpose brought on by the Knights words. He would never be able to make up for what he had done to Relesa... but he could be a better man, he could live a better life. He would become a Jedi, and in his service he would find atonement. Gnashing his fangs together, Raynor looked up at the Knight and went to say something before stopping. He had one more question to ask.

"Every time this one meditatez... every time this one feels the hunt-glee... every time this one even thinkz about sparring or fighting.. This one can feel the Dark Side within himself. This one can feel himself hovering on the edge.... The aggression this one feels az part of himself his entire life is a poison. How can it be controlled when it's within my very nature?"

 

[Corvis]

“Different incarnations of the dark side are inherent within all species.” She stated simply, a thoughtful pout settling on her face as she lead him to one of the medical beds. She felt bad for him, she truly did, as she watched him beat himself over the loss of his hatch mate. The reaction was understandable, but after three years, he needed to move on. Silently settling herself down onto the room's other bed she pointed the Jedi healer at Raynor, ignoring the glare she received in turn. “I'm getting a reputation with the docs. Not a good sign.”

Putting the stray thought aside, she looked back across at Raynor. “Take humans for example. You'd be hard pressed to find a species more prone towards hubris, greed, deception, and unchecked aggression in this galaxy.” She grimaced slightly at her self evaluation of her own species, but the truth was often unpleasant. Leaning back onto the bed and idly kicking her legs through the air.“And yet, as Jedi, we manage to control those flaws, and when necessary turn them to our advantage.”

She let the statement hang in the air for a while, before finally letting loose a long sigh, and leaning forwards to stare Raynor in the eyes. “So let's have you answer your own question. I'm sure you've studied humans quite a bit since you've come to Coruscant. How do we try to control and overcome our nature?”

 

[Rom]

Sissing quietly in laughter at the ridculousness of the human's question, Raynor tried to shoo the med bay staff away from him before looking the Knight in the eyes, still full of mirth, "This one wasn't aware your speciez *could* even attempt to control your nature discounting Jedi." Thumping his tail down on the side of the bed in appreciation of his joke before catching the slightly disappointed look on the woman's face. "Oh.. you were serious..." Starring down at his claws, Raynor shrugged before carefully stating his long withheld opinion on the humans he had witnessed.

"You humanz are always so fearful of risk and danger, so enamored with the possible dangers and threats that you ignore the thrills and opportunities. This one has no companions among the Jedi because they see the tail and the clawz and assume I'm going to eat them. The one saving grace of your species is it's ability to turn their vices into benefits. Greedy humans make creditz. Aggressive humans seek professions requiring a violent mentality. You take what could be a crippling moral sinkhole, and turn it outward unto the world to avoid harming yourselves and your compatriotz and achieve your goalz."

Snarling in pain as one of the nurses prodded his bruised chest, Raynor finally laid back on his side with his claws drumming down deeper into the bed frame and allowed the medical staff to apply kolto gel to his battered body.

 

[Corvis]

A half sigh escaped pouted lips as Raynor made light of the point she was trying to make. While she could often appreciate humor, and found it lacking in most Jedi, there was a time and place for everything. Apparently the Barabel caught wind of this, and sombered as if releasing a long repressed opinion. She nodded as he spoke, trying to keep the sting of his words from showing. She couldn't really argue with his point of view, but unpleasant truths were never easy to take. And he hit close the point she was trying to lead him too.

“You're correct, but you're forgetting those you don't utilize their flaws for their own benefit, but for those around them. Aggressive humans often find themselves tasked with protecting those around them, greedy humans can use their knack for gaining wealth for the prosperity for the greater group.” She stood up, walking over to watch over the nurse's shoulder as she finished up the kolto graft. “In the end, it's all about control. If you use your flaws, your abilities for assuage your pride, greed, or bloodlust, that is the touch of the darkside. This is what happened when you lost your hatchmate.”

She paused a moment, hoping she hadn't been too blunt, before continuing, “But this you know. What you don't realize is that the dozens of times before that, when you harnessed your...” she stuttered a moment, searching for the word he had used, “hunt-glee for the benefit of your clan. The only difference is as a Jedi, the clan you're trying to protect is every sentient in the galaxy.”

She stopped talking a moment, giving him a weak smile, “I'm not going to tell you it will be easy, but you need to accept that you need to push your boundaries in order to grow.” Cnile looked over at the nurse as she finished the kolto treatment, giving Raynor a chance to mull things over. “So, what's the prognosis, Doc.”

The nurse turned around with a sigh and shook her head, “Far better than the last Padawan you dragged in here, Cnile.” The nurse glanced over at Raynor, “He could do with some Force healing, but I'll leave that to you.”

 

[Rom]

Bowing his scaled head in contemplation, Raynor slowly tried to grasp onto the concepts that the Knight was trying to impart onto him. Vices can be turned to virtue when used for the greater good rather than personal advancement. Aggression turned to the benefit of the innocent doesn't lead to the dark side. Becoming a Jedi will require him to embrace his faults and turn them into advantages. This strange, insane human had given him the key he needed to understand his aggression. The galaxy was now his clan. He was still their claw. He would be their defense against the darkness. He would provide them with protection and aid in whatever form they needed. He *would* master his aggression and he would become a Jedi Knight.

Looking up at the woman, resolve filling him, Raynor went to express his appreciation for her advice before he choked as the nurse called him the human's padawan. Sissing in laughter, Raynor turned to the woman and said inbetween hisses of laughter, "This one thinkz that the nurse must be inhaling fumez, she thinks that you are this one's master!"

 

[Corvis]

Cnile chuckled lightly, and nodded. “While I won't refute the charge on her inhaling fumes, I am indeed your master. You don't think I sought you out for no reason, do you?” She leaned forward, putting one hand on his shoulder, and the other on his head. “Now, pay attention to this, it's called a healing trance. I'm going to lead you through it, but it's mainly a matter of state of mind.”

Reaching out to touch his mind, he began to calm his mind, urging him to edge towards a sleepstate, but retain awareness. As his mind began to flutter at the edge of consciousness, she let him feel the faint tug and pull of the Force, urging him to heal himself. As his body fell into a near stupor state, he should find that his body would begin to heal an accelerated rate, his normal body functions sped up by the power of the Force.

As she stepped away from now entranced Padawan, she smiled. He indeed did need something to take his mind off his anxieties. When he woke, they would begin lightsaber training.

 

[Rom]

Trying not to gape in shock as the strange human revealed herself to be his Master, Raynor took a deep breath and pushed away the shock before trying to focus on the technique that she was teaching him. Following the gentle prods and tugs at the center of his mind, Raynor could swear that he could feel a breeze flutter over his scales and across his face before he slumped back onto the bed breathing deeply, his body unresponsive but his mind marveling at the sensations that filled his perception.

A fulfilling warmth seemed to flow through his aching bruised muscles and tender bones, the comforting whispers of the Force filling his mind as the light power soothed his body and began to heal him at an extremely accelerated rate. Sighing once in contentment, Raynor send out feelings of thankfulness and acceptance towards his new master before slipping into the soft embrace of the Force, losing all awareness of time.

~~ A Few Weeks Later ~~

Since discovering the identity of his Master, Raynor had been living a bit of a whirlwind of a life. Between making friends with two other padawans named Anthony and Joss, reaching a triumph on his first padawan mission, and practice sparring with his Master to learn the lightsaber forms, the barabel was having trouble keeping his head on straight. Along with all of that though, the padawan had reached some of the greater milestones of his training in the application of the Force and learning how to use his aggression to his advantage.

Kneeling on the floor of a training room looking out over the Fountain Room of the Temple, Raynor tried not to let his excitement filter out into the Force. His saber training had been going well, the Barabel becoming comfortable with using Djem So alongside and against his own Master's Soresu and Cnile had finally decided that they were ready to go out on more dangerous missions together, and that could only mean one thing... Raynor would finally get to begin construction of a lightsaber.

Reaching out with the force and cupping the smooth Opila and Sigil crystals he had discovered on Dantooine in the invisible grasp of the Force, Raynor slowly started to pour his force energy into the crystals as he had been doing since he had showed the crystal to his Master. Casting his mind out into the flowing warmth and energy surrounding him and the crystals, Raynor focused his intent inward and slipped into a meditative state, the crystals beginning to revolve around his body in elliptical arks as he waited for Cnile to arrive.

 

[Corvis]

Cnile smiled as she leaned in the door-frame of the medication room, watching the crystal lazily fly throughout the room. Raynor had progressed well since that first day, and it was time for him to take the next step towards becoming a Knight. Clearing her throat to gain his attention, she waited for him make eye contact with her before speaking, “Good Morning, Raynor.” she paused, “I think it's time we put that crystal to use.”

Gesturing for him to follow her, she lead him to a secluded wing of the temple. Dozens of stalls lined the sides of the cooridor. Quickly reaching out with the Force to sense an empty one, she gestured for Raynor to enter the small meditation stall, it's recessed shelves filled with the materials for lightsaber construction. . “This is where you'll construct your lightsaber. Remember, it is not only a weapon, but symbol of what we are. Use what you have learned, and you will succeed.”

 

[Rom]

Placing his crystal down gently on the workbench and glanced around the construction stall quickly, his eyes taking in all the various parts before him before coming to rest on a small box. Nestled inbetween the focusing lenses and a few emitters, laid a wrapped box that practically spoke in his Master's voice, demanding that he pick it up and open it to see the contents that lay within. Carefully removing the ribbon and pulling off the top, Raynor allowed a smile to cross his face, his feelings of joy and appreciation echoing through his bond with Cnile towards the human, the durindfire crystal gleaming up at him from the small bit of cloth protecting it.

Reaching down to pick up the type of crystal that also resided in his master's own saber, Raynor grinned widely before reaching to his belt and retrieved the long silver and black cylinder he had been constructing for the past few weeks, the metal crafted from one of his cortosis-weave vibroswords and combined with a strong alloy usually used in starship hulls. It gave the hilt a weight that set comfortably in the Barabel's strong grip and proved resistant to heat and damage. Laying the hilt aside on the workbench, Raynor knelt down in a meditative position and reached out with the Force, looking for the pieces of equipment that seemed to resonate within his mind while he began the process of pouring force energy into his new crystal, the silver gem joining the other two in the lazy elliptical arks around his upper body as he examined each piece of equipment with the Force.

Opening his eyes after spending more than three hours meditating on all the pieces in the room (and some of the pieces in the stalls next to his, much to the annoyance of the padawan's in them), the reptilian Jedi looked down with pride on the pieces laid out neatly in front of him. An ossus dueling lens laid alongside his three crystals, a diatium power cell, the emitter matrix, the blade emitter, the power insulator and a pommel cap. Pulling himself up to his full height and reaching out with as much energy as he could muster, Raynor closed his eyes and began to manipulate the pieces of equipment, the hilt seperating into two pieces in his minds eye as the pieces all slowly fell into place. Pausing for a moment to alter the alignment of the crystals, Raynor implemented the last part, an internal switch that when triggered by the Force would change the blade length from it's standard 1.3m to nearly double it's length in an instant.

Letting out a deep breath that he didnt realize he was holding, Raynor carefully brought the components together and sealed the casing tightly, the weapon hovering at eye level in front of him. Reaching out a hand, and hoping silently that he didn't blow up, the barabel Jedi took another deep breath and flicked the activation button, his eyes squeezed tightly shut in anticipation of a failed activation. The explosion never came. A loud snap-hiss echoed in the stall as a bright silver light filled the room, the intense blade thrumming with power. The blade of energy itself was mostly silver with just a barely noticeable hint of bronze shining through from the core of the saber. Reaching out with the Force excitedly, Raynor flipped the switch to turn the saber into the dual phase he intended and nearly dropped the weapon in shock as it extended a full extra meter and impaled the wall of the construction stall, the frightened yell of a Padawan echoing around the room before being followed by the sound of running footsteps.

Sissing in laughter, and anxious to not get caught, the padawan deactivated *his* saber and clipped it to his belt before booking it down the hall, his unbooted feet slapping against the marble tiled floors as he cast out his senses, scrambling down the hall towards the Fountain room as he located his Master. Dropping to his feet and panting from the quick run after having spent more than 6 hours nearly completely immobile, Raynor slowly caught his breath and laid the saber down in the grass in front of his Master, beaming with a small amount of pride as he waited for her to inspect the weapon.