Impromptour

[Galahad Vult]

theme​

Following the events that had happened earlier that day, Galahad had been tasked with giving Silas' apprentice, Isola, a tour of the Academy grounds. This was not the first time that these two had met, and the Knight knew that the girl had expressed a desire to become a Jedi one day. While he was unsure of what kind of education Silas had given her or what he had told her about the Order, Galahad figured that showing her where she would live and train if she did indeed become a Jedi would be beneficial.

While the investigation was underway, Loa's and Silas' belongings had been temporarily taken away from them for the duration of their visit. Otherwise, they were treated respectfully as the Order's honoured guests, and Galahad wished to express the goodwill of the Jedi as best he could.

Today had so far been a day full of coincidences, but it seemed the will of the Force to provide one more. The weather was absolutely enchanting — one could not wish for better conditions to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Academy. The sun shone brightly, birds filling the air with their songs and the breeze drifting gently through the lush flowers and trees that filled the gardens. Many Jedi came here to meditate, enjoying the sounds of nature and feeling renewed by the abundance of life and nurturing energy that filled the planet. Here was where Galahad had brought Isola first. He knew she really wanted to see a real life lightsaber duel, but the Knight intended to save the best for last. If he showed her all the excitement right away, then she'd just be terribly bored for the rest of the trip, and there'd be no fun in that.

Sighing contentedly, Galahad noticed two Temple Guards standing by a short distance away. Though the grounds were constantly patrolled by squads of guards, this small detachment was here to keep an eye on them; a slight precaution, but a necessary one. Even still, they kept a safe distance away: not far enough to be out of sight, but not close enough to intrude. Noticing his gaze, one of the guards nodded slightly to Galahad. While the former guard did not know the identities of the others that served alongside him, Vult thought he sensed a familiar aura from this one in particular. ⋮⋮ Perhaps this one was transferred here from Jedha after the attack, ⋮⋮ Galahad thought in passing.

Turning his attention to the youngling, he smiled cheerily. "What do you think, Loa? Better than the chilly slopes of Chalacta?"

@GABA @Zigara​

 

[Isola Rin]

Arriving at the Temple seemed to distract Loa from everything else that was happening currently as she took in as quickly as she could the magnificent structure she had only read in legend and myth. Now she was more than just seeing, she was walking among the halls and feeling the strength of the Light like she never had before. Her eyes traced up the pillars, along the floral vines and overhead until she came back down to rest her eyes on the Knight who guided her. She could feel her heart flutter with excitement and anticipation as other Jedi approached and pass, finding herself glance over her shoulder to watch them until her neck muscles burned.

They exited the building in their short walk into what looked like a garden and Loa grinned widely; there were so many plants and flowers she had not seen before. Her pace slowed as she calmed herself from her excitement taking the time to look at the more brightly colored patches of smaller flowers. She crouched down, running her hand gently over the lush green leaves before stand back up and joining Galahad's side. She grinned to his comment about Chalacta.

"Certainly more green. I like it though, Chalacta, Andara, here," she frowned in thought as memories of Coruscant's dirty streets came to mind, "And quieter, growing up on Coruscant was always...busy..." she said trying to think of the right word to describe it. "I didn't know Jedi tended gardens like this though, have they always? I always thought they were always fighters, traveling to the furthest reaches of the galaxy to cut down the dark side." Loa enacted as she explained raising her imaginary blade to her side and slashing at the invisible enemy before her. She spun, facing Galahad, stepping backwards, the Force fluttering through her to prevent herself from bumping into something or someone while using her senses, "Though I have been finding I have been wrong about many things," she frowned but then raised her eyebrows and lowered her voice, "But don't tell Master Silas I said that, he wouldn't ever let me forget it."

The girl grinned and stopped at small brook, she crouched down, watching the fish in the water.

@Zigara @Shalken

 

[Galahad Vult]

Galahad could only nod his head in agreement. Though the had never actually been to an ecumenopolis like Coruscant or Fondor, if what he remembered from his densely-populated homeworld of Esseles was any indication, then lush natural planets like Tython and Chalacta were vastly more serene in comparison. "As Jedi, our duty is to preserve and nurture life wherever it is found; as such, nearly all of our temples have gardens or places of peace and growth. It helps us connect with the world around us, and thus the Light Side of the Force by extension." Galahad frowned in thought, a cloud passing slightly over his demeanour. "Alas, these dark times have forced us to fight for our very survival, leaving us little chance to focus on renewal and growth like we should." He watched Loa twirl about, swiping at invisible enemies like he himself used to do as a youngling. "The Jedi were not always warriors. Long ago, at the very creation of our Order, we had not even invented the lightsaber. Ours was a group of intellectuals, who thought long on philosophy and the meaning of the Force before the corrupting powers of the Dark Side were first realized. Now, many have forgotten this past, and live solely to wipe out the Sith — a sad fate, indeed, and one that turns many into the monsters they first sought to destroy."

Brought out of his reverie by Loa's comment, Galahad chuckled, stepping forward a little quicker to keep up. "Being wrong is not a bad thing, necessarily. Even teachers are not always right. The key is to know when you have made mistakes, and to learn from them. Even so," he crouched down slowly beside her by the stream, lowering his voice, "your secret is safe with me." The Knight took a few moments to watch the aquatic creature in silence as it drifted gently in the clear water, its scales sparkling in the sunlight before it darted away in a flash. Glancing over to Loa, a twinkle in his eye, Galahad raised his eyebrows as he asked, "Ready to see some more?" Pulling himself back to his feet slowly with his staff, Vult made his way through the gardens back towards the Academy. His limp was beginning to become more pronounced, as the former guard had exerted himself a great deal over the past few assignments he had completed. ⋮⋮ The pain is getting worse...it would seem Venatus' wards are becoming weaker, ⋮⋮ Galahad realized. Perhaps Austin would be able to strengthen them, now that he was more attuned to the Force than before.

As the two made their way back inside the wide halls of the Academy, Galahad began to head in the direction of its library. While on route, a though occurred to him. While he wished to avoid mentioning the situation with Master Talus, he had a few questions about Silas. "I heard that your master moved an orphanage from Coruscant to Andara. What role does he serve there? How does he intend to help the children?" the Knight asked. Aliyah had insisted that Silas was a good man, and while they could not reduce his restrictions on Jedi grounds due to his exile, Galahad wished to know more about Silas' character. The fact he had agreed to cooperate peacefully already set an excellent precedent, but the former guard still remained curious.

@GABA​

 

[Isola Rin]

Though it looked she was not listening to Galahad, Loa heard everything he had to say. She had come to known the Jedi as just warriors at first, but she wasn't aware of the scholars that could still exist. He sounded sad though as he spoke of those who only focused on wiping out the Sith, she felt her thoughts still as he mentioned how many turned to the dark side. Loa guessed she never thought about it, but the Exiles and Sith had to come from some place, they were once Jedi she assumed, just like Master Silas was once a Jedi. However, he seemed like an oddity in the galaxy.

Galahad joined her at the stream, offering his thoughts on mistakes and Loa smiled when he reassured her secret would be safe with him. Loa closed her eyes and revealed in the silence for the moment until Galahad asked if she wished to continue. "YES!" The girl jumped up with excitement, ready to take off, though with no direction and ushered much willpower to keep at Galahad's pace. She tried not to look at his leg with the limp too often on Chalacta, and even now she found herself glancing a little too much with her thoughts swelling with questions about how he got his injury. She wondered if he was one of the Jedi who fought regularly in battles.

Loa forced herself to watch an astromech droid roll down the hall until Galahad took interest in Silas. She raised her eyebrows in surprise, but felt she shouldn't be surprised by such questions. "We had to leave Coruscant." Loa told him, "It was hard, but it was safer on Andara. We were targeted by some bad people, they destroyed our home and we needed a new one." she simply explained, Loa was unaware of the additional details; no matter how many times she tried to listen in on Nan and Silas, it was as though he knew she was listening from behind the door. However, as she knew now, he probably was able to feel her presence on the other side.

"I like Andara though, quieter, not so many bad people like gangs, Silas was able to get credits to build our home and make it bigger. We have our own school now too." she looked down, thinking about the circumstances that surrounded the new school, "We all got teased and bullied a lot by the kids at the school in town, it was bad. So we got a new one." Loa let out a sigh, trying to not think about it, "But Master Silas took over fully when Nan passed away, Nan liked him a lot for not being a kid. Everyone there is like my family and he's like a Dad, he tells me what to do, grounds me, makes me mop the halls, make sure I get extra homework for mouthing off." there was a hint at annoyance in her voice as she listed all the chores and consequences she had for misbehaving.

@Shalken

 

[Bruce Guleya]

The newly minted Jedi Councillor had just disembarked the craft of Vollen Shai at the Tython Academy. He was enroute to support Fennex with a task, when they were called off since the situation had resolved. Bruce had asked Vollen to take him to the Academy so he may address some more mundane tasks, even administrative in nature.


Bruce casually walked across the Academy grounds while the craft took off, on to its next destination. Bruce smiled at the younglings and knights training around him. The walk was a simple walk and soon he was ascending the stairs and entering the halls of the Academy. The bardottan took in the sights and sounds of the atrium. Every time he came in here, he reverted to his scholarly nature.


The slender saurian like Jedi Councillor approached a group of Knights and had a light conversation with them, they had exchanged laughs and playful jabs before he continued on. His presence within the Academy wasn't stifled, when someone like a Councillor was checking in - it went noticed, and Bruce full well knew it as well. It was hard to get use to, but perhaps he would some day but for now, he was still new to his role.


The bardottan had just arrived so he wasn't terribly busy but he knew that would change quickly as he considered his schedule. Back in the atrium, Bruce climbed to the second floor and deep within the archives. He found himself talking to the librarian about there current status of the material. The librarian had told Bruce about a few things that concerned them, and the Caretaker of First Knowledge agreed to look into the concerns; Bruce had also a tendency to use his natural gifts for many purposes. Right now he was pulling a data disk free from high above the racks with the Force. It gently floated into his possession, and when he went to stow it away his robes fluttered and his saber hilt was visible.


As he moved about the room, another Jedi approached him and they begun talking. Master Guleya found himself looking over the shoulder of the Jedi and spotting the sight of a familiar Knight, Galahad Vult. Bruce waved at the limping Jedi and continued to speak with the Jedi before him; he was providing the Jedi with datapad.


Bruce was unremarkable, but that wouldn't seem to be the case, for some he met became starstruck, student who hadn't actually met a Councillor themselves, and some most likely exaggerated the Bardottan's experiences. That's what happened when people heard tales. It was all silly to him. People seemed to know more about him than he knew of himself, he had started to get use to that.

@Shalken @GABA

 

[Galahad Vult]

The former Guard Galahad frowned as Isola explained why they needed to relocate to Andara, finding it strange that they would be attacked by common thugs. However, the greed of thieves could not be underestimated. "That is truly terrible. There are always cruel people that prey on the weak and innocent. I am glad you escaped them, though; your times of hardship have paid off, and now it seems you are flourishing even more than before." Crossing the threshold into the Academy's library, Galahad lowered his voice very slightly as Loa continued to describe the orphanage on Andara. From what he could tell, Silas did seem to have their bests interests in mind, and was doing good despite being an Exile. ⋮⋮ I wonder where Master Talus fits into this... ⋮⋮ he thought briefly before offering his reply. "I am sorry for your loss; it must have been difficult for you all. It is good that you have a family now, and for that I am glad. See, to me, the Jedi are like my family. They took me in when my own mother and father disowned me at a young age." The Knight thought on how he was once an heir of House Vultraic, a lesser noble family of Esseles, but since joining the Order had been forced to shorten his surname to Vult.

Inspecting the library's shelves, Galahad observed with his sharp gaze that the archives had, in fact, grown larger since he had last visited. "Excellent, they must have salvaged more resources from Jedha," the Jedi commented, mostly to himself. It was then that Galahad saw Councillor Guleya, and waved in return as he approached the Bardottan. "Loa, it seems our timing is quite fortuitous. May I introduce to you Councillor Bruce Guleya, one of the Jedi that helped cleanse this very planet of the abominations that terrorized it for many years. Councillor, this is Isola, a friend and potential student I met on Chalacta not long ago." He allowed Loa the option of whether to mention her apprenticeship to Silas or not. "Congratulations on your appointment to Caretaker of First Knowledge, Councillor Guleya. The position suits you well," the ex-guard added.

@GABA @Zigara​

 

[Bruce Guleya]

Bruce offered a smile to the former guard. “Come now, Galahad, there's no need to add that little bit. I'm just a Jedi, I don't need notable deeds.” The bardottan chuckled, “Thank you for the your kind words Vult, I do appreciate it.” He turned his attention now to the young lady beside the Knight. “Hello young Isola, my name is Bruce Guleya, Welcome to the Jedi Academy on Tython.” He offered a handshake to the girl, typically they'd bow but he didn't expect that from those outside the Order.


“The Academy is a place of learning and sanctuary for the Jedi, be it a Knight, Master or youngling these walls shall offer you protection and comfort. There are a large selection of books, tomes, datapads, and all around knowledge here. We even have a selection of some leisure reading… I am rather fond of a series of books that outlines the unfortunate events of an Ewoke as he tries to conquer is special ops missions. It's rather humorous.” Bruce waved his hand across the open library as he spoke. “There is also much more to see, but I'm sure Knight Galahad will give you a grand tour and show you some of the finer things here.”


“For those willing, the Jedi Order can be a fantastic place to call home. You will see a lot of the Galaxy as you undertake missions with your master. As a Jedi you'll experience things you only imagined as you learn and discover things once thought impossible. The road is a long road, but the life is a forever a rewarding one. But I must warn you, it's not an easy undertaking. You'll have to be willing to make sacrifices, to be willing to take on challenges, be willing to learn and to commit to the path of a Jedi. Do these, and you'll be fine.”


“But,” Bruce turned his attention to Galahad, “You will never be alone on that journey. You will have people like myself, Knight Vult, other Masters and your peers ready to help.” Returning his attention to Loa he continued, “This will become exceptionally important as you train and undergo tasks. For, I will be blunt… the galaxy isn't the safest of places. But it'll be your duty as a Jedi Knight to make it a safer place by defending against lightsabers and blasters; against those who seek to wrong your fellow man or woman within the galaxy. Be a shield and a sword when the time calls for it.”


The Caretaker of First Knowledge, took a few steps away from the two so he could observe the two of them together. What he was looking for, wasn't exact. “Galahad is a good source of knowledge. I'm sure you've got a million and one questions, but in the meantime, is there anything you'd like to ask me?”

@Shalken @GABA

 

[Isola Rin]

He listened to her story and it felt good he did and it wasn't just polite conversation. However, she nearly lost herself in the awe of the academy's library, her eyes quickly scanning the shelves and walls lined with books and holos; her attention honed in when Galahad spoke of family and she briefly broke her attention of the library to her keeper. She frowned slightly as he spoke of his own father and mother and she thought about her parents and how they could just leave her behind for the Exile Warlords. But like Galahad, both of them found new families and new homes to be cared for and to care for others returning Loa's smile.

He mentioned something about Jedha, but didn't catch much as another individual approached, a blue skinned Jedi who Galahad introduced as a councilor. Loa didn't realize her jaw fell agape, she could feel him in the Force, a stark difference in feeling from people like her Master and Galahad. She didn't even hear what either had said after he was introduced as Councilor and Loa wasn't sure when she stopped breathing.

Loa gasped and placed her palms on her cheeks, taking in a deep breath and finally closing her mouth, but opened again to speak.

"You're really a Jedi Councilor?" she asked, her beliefs growing up always placed several oldies in a room, sitting on cushions, but that didn't seem to be the case as he was standing there in the library with them. She quickly glanced around the library before her eyes fell on Bruce once more, "Don't answer that," she grinned realizing it probably was stupid to ask even though he had be introduced as such. "I dunno how much I would be in here if I became a Jedi, I don't like reading much, I like exploring." she frowned again, feeling uneasy at the thought of the events that had transpired. She didn't like being followed by guards, she didn't like knowing her Master was elsewhere, however, she pushed her thoughts aside.

"I don't have any questions." she simply stated softly. Loa glanced down at her feet, waiting for the tour to continue.

@Shalken @Zigara

 

[Galahad Vult]

Supremely amused by Isola's reaction to meeting a Councillor, Galahad listened patiently as Guleya detailed their current location and what kind of environment the girl would be in if she did join the Jedi. Even though she had mentioned on Chalacta that Silas had discouraged her from doing so, Vult could see that she held the Order in high regard, and would not be discouraged when she put her mind to something. ⋮⋮ Someday soon, little one, ⋮⋮ Galahad thought inwardly. Chuckling at Loa's comment about disliking reading, the Knight replied, "Then explore we shall! Come, there is much I wish to show you. I think you'll find this next place quite fascinating." Indeed, though it might have seemed like Galahad was touring the Academy at random, he had planned out his entire route from the start, making sure to show off all the 'boring' places first. The best was yet to come. Bowing lightly to the Councillor, the ex-guard offered, "Feel free to follow along if you wish, Master Guleya. I am sure your insight would be most enlightening."

From there, the Knight exited the quiet library, leading Loa a short distance down the hallway before taking a left into a wide, circular room. Its outer walls were all windows that looked out onto the beautiful Tython landscape. However, other than a large platform in the center of it, the room was completely empty. How could this possibly be considered 'exciting'? With a slightly mischievous grin, Galahad encouraged, "Close your eyes, Loa — I have a surprise for you." Once she had done so, the Knight pressed a few buttons on a control pad nearby. The door closed gently behind them, the lights dimmed until they shut off, and thick shades rolled down over the windows, engulfing the room in darkness. "Are you ready? Open your eyes now."

Suddenly, the wide circular object sparked to life, shooting out blue holographic images everywhere. It was a huge three dimensional map of the Galaxy that filled the room, with planets, solar systems, nebulas, and all kinds of orbital bodies floating all about them. "This is where we often gather to find locations and to brief each other on missions before we embark on them," Galahad explained as he tapped a nearby solar system, causing a small popup to appear with various details about the area. "Now, show me how good your charting skills are. Can you find your home?"

@GABA @Zigara​

 

[Isola Rin]

Galahad picked up on the girl's cue quickly about moving onward and when he agreed to explore, Loa pursed her lips together and raised her eyebrow in her teenage defiance and doubt. Regardless, she followed him as he reassured that he had much more exciting things to show her. Loa went to bob her head from side to side, but remembering she was still in the presence of a Jedi councilor, she kept her attitude in check, imitating Galahand's bow instead and quickly stepped to follow behind the Jedi Knight. Loa wasn't going to lie to herself, but if the Jedi councilor did choose to follow along with them, she was certain she would do a thousand and one things unintentionally that would embarrass herself.

Their next stop wasn't too far away and as they approached a set of doors and into a circular room, Galahad asked Loa to close her eyes. The girl looked at him with suspicion but did as he asked, shutting her eyes and waiting for further instruction. Loa sighed, either sounding unimpressed or bored, but in reality, she was curious what he was going to show her. The room grew dark and she furrowed her brow trying to figure out what was happening until she heard a soft hum as Galahad instructed her to open her eyes.

It took her a moment to absorb what she was seeing, the flickering of holos surrounded her with systems: the entire galaxy inside this single room. The girl was awestruck as she slowly turned, looking at all the stars, systems, nebulas and blackholes that passed through her as she walked to the outer edges of the platform. Loa reached out, letting the image flicker between her fingers, "This is amazing..." she whispered, her light eyes still wide in awe. Galahad explained its purpose and asked if she could find her home. Loa inhaled deeply, focusing her attention on the task; turning on her heel she looked for the core and followed outward, brushing past other systems and stars and easily finding Andara.

"Here, Andara, and..." she quickly pointed to the glowing orb, proud that her studies paid off for this task, she turned again, looking carefully, her senses focusing as she look towards the outer rim, "And there, is Chalacta," she pointed to another orb as she traced its trajectory point in relationship to some other systems, "Coruscant is back there, and Zeltros is not too far from Andara...and those are the only planets I've been to, I don't know where I was born, so I can't include that..." Loa's brow narrowed, "Seems rather pathetic, I've only been to a few worlds...what about you Master Galahad? Where have you been?" she asked perking up to see where he had been in the galaxy.

@Zigara @Shalken

 

[Bruce Guleya]

The bardottan smiled as he saw the reaction, he would make sure not to really do anything to heighten the embarrassment. "If you like to explore, I assure you there's plenty of exploring to be done within our Order, in fact you may even discover something no one else has, young lady." The Councillor looked over to Galahad and while he wanted to say something more - they'd moved so quickly he didn't get a chance to speak up, but really it wasn't that big of a deal. The offer to join them, seemed acceptable and the bardottan shrugged casually as he agreed to come along. He was curious to see what the Knight had in mind.

As they walked through the halls, Bruce offered some simple conversation and pointing out things that Galahad might have missed; but it wasn't much. They would arrive at the map room and Bruce subtly curled his lip which would have likely gone unnoticed, Bruce suspected he knew what was next - and when Galahad told Isola to shut her eyes, a wide smile appeared on the Caretaker's face once he was obstructed from her view. He knew what Galahad was about to do, and he couldn't wait for the reaction; and the young girl didn't disappoint.

Bruce watched as the young woman made her way through the projections to locate her home planet. He seemed to pay the room no mind as he focused his attention on Isola. Her knowledge of the area was quite impressive, her astrological navigation was sharp and the Master was thrilled. When the young lady however turned her attention to Galahad and asked him where he'd been, Bruce may have spoken out of turn - but it was quiet. "So few worlds, but such a large journey. With each planet viewed, a knowledge gained. Though it seems so little, it means so much as it shapes your view. I have been to so many of these worlds, but yet my journey doesn't end; though I often return to the planets, they are always different - even in the smallest of ways." Though he looked around the room, a thought on his mind, he remained by the entrance.

The chamber did that to some, Bruce included. It was peaceful and relaxing to be among the stars - though he couldn't pilot overly effectively he still enjoyed the times away. As he finished his ramble, his thought he spoke up after Galahad answered the question. Being in this room reminded the bardottan of a task at hand. "My most sincere apologizes." Bruce walked into the room to meet the two, "There is something I must address; and if you haven't any questions for me directly, I must bid you farewell." He looked directly at Isola now, "I will leave you in Galahad's most capable hands, for I'm sure he's got a few things planned out. It had been an absolute pleasure to meet you, little lady. I do hope to meet you again." He offered her a smile and a bow before returning his attention to Vult, "As for you Galahad, it has been a pleasure having the opportunity to speak with you again. Please, don't hesitate to reach out - I would enjoy having a chance to talk with you again." He offered a bow to the Knight before he turned away from the duo and made for the exit; he looked over his shoulder as he continued for the door - his long neck allowing a good twist for a view - "I do hope to see you on the grounds in some form, Ms Isola. There's a lot to see, and a lot of adventuring to be had. May the Force be with you both."

The Bardottan looked forward as he reached the door quietly making his exit and closing the door softly behind him.

/#Exit Thread#

@Shalken @GABA

 

[Galahad Vult]

Galahad was immensely pleased to see Loa's reaction to the star chart. While he had heard of Masters and other trainers surprising new younglings, he did not have the pleasure of performing it himself until now. Following the girl as she found the planets she had visited, Galahad smiled, surprised by her ability to navigate the dizzying chart fairly easily. "Impressive! Perhaps you will become an expert navigator of the stars one day," he congratulated. Hearing the Bardottan Master's comment, Galahad nodded in agreement. "Indeed — one could even remain on one planet alone for a lifetime and never learn all it has to offer. The galaxy is a big place, filled with danger and mystery."

Returning his gaze to the holoprojection, the blond Jedi stepped forward towards the galaxy's core. Pointing out a small cluster of planets, his finger rested on the one at its center. "Here is Esseles, the seat of power in the Empire of Esseles, and the planet of my birth." His thoughts drifted back to his short upbringing there, and how he was being groomed for military prowess and even potentially leadership of House Vultraic before he was whisked away to the Jedi...and subsequently disowned. Leaving it behind, the Knight stepped around the wide disc to locate another planet to the galactic south. "This, however, is Jedha, home to the Holy City and the place where I truly grew up and called home. I used to be a Temple Guard here, before I was injured; I spent most of my life here until recently." Gazing at the blue image, Galahad could not help but feel a tinge of sadness as he remembered the Temple there had been completely destroyed. However, the feeling did not last long, as he knew the Order would recover and rebuild as they had in the past.

Instead of walking all the way around the room again, the former guard pointed across to a distant planet up in the far north. "I next visited Dantooine..." and then he pointed to another nearby planet, "and Devaron with Dr. Austin — you met him with me on Chalacta." Stepping a few feet across, he added casually, "There is Tython of course, where we are now." Stopping at one last planet, Galahad finished, "And finally Prakith, where myself, Austin, and Grandmaster Wyck slew numerous Abominations to cleanse the temple there."

Stepping back, Galahad couldn't help but pause, memories of his recent journeys flashing by. He remembered when he'd first read those awful words on that datapad telling him he had been honourably discharged from the Temple Guard. Back then, he thought he would never be able to even walk again, never mind fulfill his duty to the Order. Vult chuckled. ⋮⋮ I could not have been more wrong. ⋮⋮

Emerging from his reverie, he looked to Isola, smiling. "I am confident you will see many, many more places in your lifetime, perhaps even more than most of us ever will. But the true mark of a Jedi is not just how many we can visit, but how many people on each planet we can help — and that is far more satisfying." Turning to face Guleya as he bid his farewell, Galahad bowed respectfully to him. "Farewell, Councillor. Your presence and wisdom is most welcome. I am certain we will meet again soon." As Bruce took his leave, the Knight looked over to Loa once more. "We can leave whenever you are ready." His knowing, mischievous smile appeared once again. "Can you guess where we will visit next? I think you know."

@Zigara @GABA​

 

[Isola Rin]

Loa continued to move through the sea of stars and systems, her steps slow and calculated as the Jedi Councilor explained his own adventures. Her eyes traced paths to the familiar systems, stopping as she came to the edges of the Empire. However, both seemed impressed with her ability to navigate; the girl didn't think it was that big of a deal, she'd rather chart stars over reading classical holonovels about other orphans and animals that could talk. The corner of lip turned into a small smile as Galahad explained the places he had been. She looked at Jedha for the longest time, recalling hearing on the holo about the attack from the Sith Empire that obliterated the temple there. Though his injury explained his limp, she couldn't help but to feel curious about what else Galahad had experienced. Her thoughts were interrupted though as Galahad bid farewell to the Jedi Councilor and Loa mimicked the Knight's mannerisms before turning back to the stars as she danced her fingers through the unknown regions. She felt herself stop, the urge came like in her dreams.

Before she could explore further, Galahad offered for them to continue; Loa was slow to decide, turning to face him with a smile, feeling slightly less nervous now that the Jedi Councilor was not present. He offered her a guess on where to go next, she eyed him for a moment, reading his own mischievous smile and returning one of his own. "Are there Jedi dueling? Are we going to see them next?" she asked, testing the waters and preparing herself if his mischievousness was of the trickster sort.

Though if it were what she wanted to see, certainly the girl would have a hard time containing her elation.

@Shalken

 

[Galahad Vult]

All things considered, the Knight's ruse was up as it was very obvious where he would take Loa next. Chuckling at her enthusiasm, Galahad punched in the controls that shut off the holographic map and pulled the windows' blinds away, letting the natural light into the room once again. "It seems there is no fooling you this time. Come! Let us see some real action." Satisfied with returning the map room to its former settings, he stepped out into the hallway once more and began making his way towards the Academy's entrance.

The Knight's staff thudded on the floor as he walked, its impacts echoing throughout the long, wide hallway. Periodically they passed other Jedi, many of which paid them little heed as they studied from datapads or rushed about to complete their duties. The Academy was full of younglings and newcomers, and the sight of one next to a Jedi was one of little consequence. Indeed, Galahad was still practically a nobody in the Order, despite having served in it for around twenty years. Not that Vult was upset with this fact, though; having served in the Temple Guard for a long time, his anonymity was to be expected.

As they neared their destination, a question came to the blond Knight. "Isola, you have expressed your desire to join the Jedi. Might I ask why? Do you have a goal or purpose you wish to accomplish in the galaxy?" Galahad was genuinely curious about her answer. He had already seen her assist those in need on Chalacta, and it was clear that not being a Jedi would not stop her from helping people if she chose. While there were many things the Jedi could offer her — training, focus, and responsibility — it would also potentially put her in serious danger. The galaxy was a dangerous place, and aligning herself with the Order could cause a great deal of difficulty as well.

No matter how she answered his question, the two would eventually make their way out of the Academy building itself and into the large training grounds before it. Rings of various sizes dotted the landscape before them, filled with Jedi of many ages honing their skills. Some traded blows with staffs, while others sparred with training sabers or honed their senses by blocking training bolts while blindfolded. Though he personally had not learned on these grounds, Galahad recognized many of the techniques from when he was that age many years ago. "Welcome to the training grounds of the Academy," he stated as he rested against his staff and placing his free hand on his hip, "where we Jedi train to fight...not because want to, but because we must."

@GABA​

 

[Isola Rin]

Loa was more mindful of her pace, knowing she could dart ahead easily, but didn't want the Knight to struggle with keeping up. Then again, she wasn't certain where she was going which made the process entirely more difficult for her to practice patience as Galahad lead the way. Her thoughts stirred as she picked up the distinct beat of his staff clicking and his footsteps and the quick pace of her own tapping steps, wondering why he still had his limp; by no means did he look like an old man, and certainly the Jedi could have fixed his leg for him. Though she pushed the inner questions aside when Galahad asked her about her inspiration to join the Jedi.

"I looked up to the Jedi growing up, I wanted to be just like them, to protect and help, it was a game at first, but then I discovered I could really do some of the things they did, and when Master SIlas arrived to help, I knew he was one too. I could just feel it." Loa glanced at Galahad, her eyes light with awe and hope, "I wanted him to see I could be strong and I could protect too, I made my own code to follow, I listened," ...mostly... "helped, I wanted to learn the way because there is something inside that keeps growing and I just want to do what is right." Loa looked at her feet, her brow furrowed in thought as she never gave real thought to it, she had grown up to believe that the only road was to become a Jedi if you had the Force. Silas had taught her how to hone her skills, but there were still questions and curiosities that prodded at the girl as the more she learned about her abilities. Though in all, for Loa, it may unconsciously be her desire to be grown up, to be an adult in a galaxy where children, let alone an orphan, didn't have much of say.

However, as they approached the training grounds, Loa could hear the faint sound of voices and everything she had been thinking about in the past three minutes completely vanished; it took every ounce of her willpower not to let out a scream of delight as she tried to take it all in at once. Galahad said something again, but it was clear Loa was completely focused on what was in front of her, though completely forgetting to breath, she gasped, hearing the last part of Galahad's sentence, "But...what if you enjoy the fight?" she asked.

@Shalken

 

[Galahad Vult]

Loa's response offered a great deal of insight to Galahad, and while a few questions came to mind, he decided to keep them until later. For now, he simply nodded understandingly.

As the two watched the sparring in the open courtyard, Galahad scratched his beard in thought. "It's true, some do enjoy fighting more than others. While such a mindset is not inherently wrong, we as Jedi must be wary of our emotions more than others, as they can lead us down a dark path if left unchecked." A loud thud echoed across the field as a youngling was thrown to the ground in a hand-to-hand combat session with his trainer. "Very good, but mind your footwork. Again," the teacher instructed. Galahad continued, "Some truly revel in the blur of the fight. The adrenaline rush, the frenzy, and the thrill of combat can become extremely addicting. However, such a mindset is dangerous, as those that give in to it seek out conflict for the sake of conflict alone — and oftentimes, fighting is not the correct answer to our problems. As Jedi, our duty is to seek peaceful resolution, like how we approached you and Silas earlier." Galahad grasped his lightsaber from under his cloak and raised the hilt into the air in front of him, the sun reflecting brightly off its clean surface. "And yet, we train ourselves nonetheless. As a wise Master once said, while we must never seek out conflict, we must always be prepared for it."

Having spoken his mind, the Knight remembered Isola's answer to his questioning earlier. He paused for a few moments to let the girl take in the sight of the training grounds a bit longer. "You know," he began slowly, forming his thoughts as he spoke, "you could become a Jedi today, if you wished. It is not a long process, and I do believe you would excel in your training if you chose to undertake it. You need only give the word, and it can be done." He knew that it might not be an easy choice for Loa; she would have to give up everything she had known, her entire life changing drastically in a very short period of time. "Think on it, in any case. We are ready to receive you if you so choose. You are very talented — but more importantly, your heart is in the right place. I will vouch for you before the Council, and I am sure Doctor Austin would as well. "

@GABA​

 

[Isola Rin]

Loa recalled her lesson on finding nonviolent means early in her training with Silas. She remembered the inflicted wolves and nodded as she thought about Fennex's confrontation earlier as Galahad had explained. The Knight pulled his lightsaber holding it in front of them and Loa marveled at the legendary weapon; she thought about how she could have her own, one day, clearly today was not the day she was going to find her crystal to build it.

Her thoughts started to drift into daydreaming as she imagined herself like Galahad and the others until she felt herself taken by surprise by the Knights suggestion to become a Jedi at that moment. She looked back onto those who were training, many were much younger than she was and clearly excelled in their physical prowellness compared to herself, if she as not good enough, she wondered what the Jedi would do with her...the worst she could think of was being stuck in the library reading about the dietary patterns of garbage slugs. The girl grimaced in her wild imagination, and Galahad further suggested for her to think on it.

"Master Silas says I lack patience." she frowned, which she absolutely disagreed and thought fifteen seconds was a long enough time to wait for anything, "I hear the Jedi are very patient and they meditate a lot." Loa made a face clearly communicating a dissatisfaction with the ideas of slowing down and waiting. "Sometimes people say that's why things are bad and I don't want to be the Jedi who waits, or let people think I'm bad, I just..." Loa slowly shook her head unable to to find the right words and just shrugged.

"Who would train me if I joined? It won't be the councilor will it? I don't want to be stuck in a library." Loa glanced at Galahad with legitimate concern.

@Shalken

 

[Galahad Vult]

Galahad chuckled when Isola mentioned patience as one of the Jedi's virtues. "Believe me, not all Jedi are patient; some more than others. But that should not bar you from joining us if you want to. We can help you build that trait, if you so wish." The Knight looked up towards the Academy where he knew many private meditation chambers were housed. ⋮⋮ Perhaps we do meditate a lot... ⋮⋮ he thought in passing before taking a seat on a bench nearby, beckoning for Loa to do the same as he gathered his thoughts on the matter.

"There are many people in the galaxy," Galahad began, "that think the Jedi are bad simply because of who we are. Whether they are biased, under the influence of the Empire, or were wronged by genuinely bad Jedi; but what people think of us is not what matters. What truly matters is what is in here." At this, he pointed a finger towards Loa's heart. "We know that whatever we do, we do for a reason. Our goal is to help those in need and protect people from injustice and the dark forces at hand. Whether they think ill of us for it is not for us to decide. Whatever they want to believe, the goal of the Jedi remains the same. And that is why we train so hard every day — not simply to make ourselves better, but to do so in order to use our strengths for the benefit of others." The Knight looked over at a nearby sparring match, where the victor who had just thrown down her opponent extended a hand to help him to his feet. "Selflessness. The true goal of a Jedi."

Galahad could not help but laugh again when he saw the concern obviously displayed on Isola's face. He shrugged incredulously. "Well, Councillors have a wealth of knowledge and insight, you know." After letting the reality sink in for just a few seconds, the Knight continued, "But it is not likely, though. You would likely be assigned to a seasoned Knight to help with your training. I would not dismiss the library entirely, though; it often contains the answers to many of your questions, if you take the time to look for them."

Off in the distance, Galahad noted the two Temple Guards that had been trailing them since the beginning of the tour. Though they had remained vigilant and impassive as always, one of them motioned to him that it was time. Sighing, the Knight pulled himself to his feet gently. "It seems I must return you to Silas. Do think on what I have said. The galaxy would benefit from a girl like you, and the Jedi can help you hone your skills and abilities," he encouraged.

@GABA​

 

[Isola Rin]

Loa followed Galahad to the bench, feeling herself relax as she leaned against the the backrest, listening to the Knight speak. It made her feel a little better that some were not perfect at being patient either. He continued, pointing to her heart as he explained what was most important. She knew of the tough choices she would have to make, ones that didn't bode well with others, but it would always be the best course of action. It was a lesson she was familiar with knowing she could do everything right and in the end, things would still turn out bad. She wanted to protect the people of the galaxy, she had felt growing up it was something the Jedi were failing to do and wondered if they better protected, would she still be with her parents; would her life be any different, any easier than it had seemed. Much of a part of her wished she could still go back in time to tell them not to leave her or tell them to send her to the Jedi.

Deep down, Loa wanted to be better, to be on top of everything, to prove to others she was capable of handling her own. She was curious to know what else the Jedi could teach her that Silas could not, she believed she had learned everything from Master Silas, she wasn't sure what else there was to learn. Then again, she had not much opportunity to explore on her own. More questions were rising, but she noted Galahad's attention to the temple guards and before he spoke, she knew their time was up for the afternoon.

Frowning, Loa stood up with the Knight as he bid her farewell for now; his words were encouraging, but for Loa's young mind, it was hard to imagine how she could help the galaxy when she didn't want to even clean the dishes from time to time.

"Thank you Galahad, I'm sure we'll soon meet again." she gave him a small smile before letting the temple guards escort her back to her Master.

@Shalken

/End Thread