Isaac Cael's Training (Tían Velvar, Master)

[Cyril Khan]

The sun just began to enter the training room shortly after the time keeping systems of the Temple struck seven solar hours. Typically students met their masters at eight solar hours in the morning, but a certain strict master required something different. Unfortunately, no Jedi, including him, ever told new students about his private rules. The new student that day would not have known and could not have arrived on time. Luckily, this problem remained common among all previous students this master trained.

"You're late." No other words exited Master Velvar's lips as he felt the student enter. The new pupil probably didn't even have a chance to take a single breath in the training room when the course master began his usual lecture. "Training begins at sunrise; don't be late again, or I'll let dinkos nest in your lodgings."

Of course, this master hardly did anything to seriously harm his students. He meant to teach the ways of the Order, whether the student agreed with them or not, and to exterminate arrogance in some fashion. Depending on the pupil, the training could prove either easy or difficult. One thing was for certain; he never praised any good act and always mentioned every flaw verbally.

 

[The Lionheart]

It began as any other day on Ossus. The young man's eyes cracked open, to be greeted by the rising sun through the small window by his head. His body shifted on the bed, turning away from the sun, and his eyes were met with the video receptors of a lone protocol and service droid standing next to his sleeping place. This was not the usual occurrence any other day. "It is currently 7:00am. As per your request, this unit has come to assist in waking you, Padawan Cael."

Isaac muttered something. The droid spoke again, this time decreeing that a minute had passed since the scheduled waking time. Isaac managed to slowly push himself up from the pillow, and his eyes squinted in the dim light of the room to see around toward his own clock. The droid was right, of course. He placed his feet on the floor, his head hanging low. Since Master Varis' departure from the Temple to the Unknown Regions, he had become unused to such a schedule. He shook his head, wiping his eyelids and forehead. The droid updated him with the time - it was now 7:03am. Isaac waved his hand lazily in front of him.

"Deactivate alarm system," he commanded, "return to your usual functions."

"Very well, Master Jedi. I will return to my standard duties. Have a nice day."

Isaac was sure that he would. Before leaving, Master Varis had told him that he had arranged for his training to be completed by another master, one who could teach Isaac things that he was (apparently) not suited for. He had warned Isaac only that the new teacher was 'very strict,' that he was a member of the Council, and that Isaac should try his best to be 'on time' for his instructions. Dariim had, of course, failed to mention the fact that Master Velvar's instruction began at seven in the morning, whereas Isaac, like most students, had at first been accustomed to the usual eight o'clock training regimen. Years of travel and study abroad with his Master had hampered his schedule with such matters even further, and all factors accumulated into his current condition that morning. Dariim may have even declined to mention it, for it might have even been part of the lesson that Master Velvar was to impart.

He rose from the bed at last, and lumbered sleepily toward the chest of drawers built into the wall in front of him. He opened the uppermost drawer and retrieved his socks and shirt, the middle compartment to retrieve his vest and pants, and the final drawer to acquire his boots. He sat back down on the bed, and in little more than five minutes all necessary items of his attire had been arranged properly upon his body. He looked up toward the door, and hanging beside it in wait was his cloak. It would not be necessary for the day. He did not expect any heavy traveling, or any forays out into the wilderness of Ossus or the galaxy at-large.

This left one necessary item for him to obtain. He looked up at the picture of his parents, sitting on a shelf above the chest of drawers. Beside it was the glimmering, eager hilt of his lightsaber. Isaac stood and obtained it, lingering only a moment upon the tool of the Jedi he was to become, and then, finally, directed his attention toward the door. It was eleven minutes after seven in the morning. He was eleven minutes late, and he did not even know it. Isaac's stomach was empty, and so he decided to make his way to the cafeteria first.

The trip was not short, requiring him to navigate a few flights of stairs and the large halls of the Jedi Temple, but he arrived eventually in a large chamber filled with other students. Padawans, Initiates, and Hopefuls of all walks of life filled the cafeteria at this time of the morning, and he even spotted one or two Knights and Masters among them. When he arrived at the counter the first droid asked him what he wanted. Isaac simply said "Dish nine one, emphasize protein,' and was soon brought a plate with one sample of meat and two sides, all appropriate for the morning hours and a day of training.

He took his seat and began, sitting near the back and keeping his eyes low. The chatter at the other tables was usually kept to reasonable, low levels. Thus, breakfast was not a mentally challenging affair, and there was no risk of losing one's sanity or nerves before the day even began - a fact for which Isaac was very thankful at the moment. He finished his meal in about thirty minutes, leaving the time at about 7:48, and granting him a little over ten minutes to arrive at the designated training chamber.

Isaac made his way out of the cafeteria, and made his way through the massive halls of the Temple toward the place where his newest, and perhaps last, true training would begin. By now he was walking amongst small but growing crowds of other Jedi and pupils. When he arrived at the door to the room where Tian Velvar was waiting, he stopped for a moment to take a breath and allow himself to settle.

He found himself calm, at peace, and confident. Without a doubt and with no trembling to his usually shaky hands, Isaac Cael stepped forward, and the door opened to greet him. He stepped through the door, and the moment his eyes fell upon the man who was to train him was the moment the man said, "You're late."

Isaac did not understand, and the single statement broke every expectation and ounce of confidence that he had built before entering the room. Training usually began at eight solar hours in the morning - despite Dariim's own, older schedule and the schedules of other students and masters taking part in the affairs of the Jedi Temple.

Velvar's proceeding statement served to both inform and further rattle the younger, less learned student of the Force. Sunrise was what had served to rouse him from his bed that morning, and it took the further urging of a droid to complete the task of waking the heavy sleeper. He might have protested, but he understood the fact that he did not know much about the Jedi Master he now looked upon, aside from his position on the Council, and he further did not have any idea as to his own schedule before he arrived there. Thus, he did only what he felt was appropriate, given the circumstances.

He bowed, his entire upper body bending low toward the floor in reverence and respect to the older master.

"Forgive me, Master Velvar. It will not happen again."

His eyes trailed up from the floor to Master Velvar's feet, and he added: "I am ready to begin."

The cobwebs and clumsy rust of the morning had been washed away by both the breakfast and the shock of the Jedi Master's words. He had failed once already, and he made himself determined not to fail again. In the back of his mind he felt that it was not only his own reputation, but that of Master Varis himself, that was at stake. If such were true, he could not afford to fail again, lest he incur Varis' own disappointment and loss of standing in the Order.

 

[Cyril Khan]

"The Force is all around us." Tían Velvar sat in a motionless meditation position, and he seemed very distant as he spoke. No muscle moved except those required for understandable speech. "It is energy and matter. As you become more attuned to the Force, you will see the light, warmth, and energy of the stars as expressions of the Force. So, in a sense, we rise with the Force in the morning. You will be able to feel the sunrise in your sleep, which is good because the Sun does not light the planet at the same time every day."

Master Velvar made sure to read up on the details of his students and enjoyed knowing much about them before actually training them. However, on meeting them, he usually would ask them to reiterate certain things. While he already knew the answers to his questions, he preferred to hear if from his pupils. That way he could better understand their personalities.

"Do you have any training in the Force..." The teacher still remained motionless in his stance, like he had fallen into some form of trance. "... or will we need to start from ground zero?"

Master Velvar knew very well that Isaac knew both telekinesis and Force Jump, but he wondered what the student thought of his own skills. Regardless of the pupil's own oppinions, the master intended on testing him on both skills before moving on.

 

[The Lionheart]

Isaac's head remained bowed as he listened to Master Velvar's words. His eyes had returned to the floor-gaze, and his body was still bent into a loose 'L'. Velvar spoke of the Force in much the same way Dariim had at one time. Isaac had, over the course of several months, relapsed into his deep-sleeping tendencies after Master Varis' departure. He nodded slowly in understanding of these words, and received Velvar's coming question with a return to his normal posture.

"Master Varis taught me much of how to control my body, mind and environment with the Force. I have trained at length in the affairs of manipulating my surroundings and myself. I can maintain myself on the ground very well, and I can go airborne with confidence. I can control objects of some size with my mind with efficiency."

Isaac felt somewhat eased with the question itself, which surprised him. The initial reception had cut to the bone, and made him rather nervous, even unsure of himself. To speak of his own merits felt better, as he felt reassured of his own strengths. He observed in that moment the way the Council Member held his posture, unflinching in his meditation.

He felt the presence of this man, as if his new teacher could reach out and touch him without a muscle being used. This kind of strength was what he had become used to in the company of Master Varis. It was a strength he had long sought, but had never quite understood. He had read, and heard, that when a being became adequately tuned to the Force, their lives and spirits could be felt through it, and they could even magnify their presence within it, or shut it off completely. He could feel the power of the man who he was to learn from. He could feel his strength through the Force - and, in some way, it soothed him more than any words that could be spoken.

 

[Cyril Khan]

"Very well." The Jedi Master meant to test these skills soon enough, but at the moment he had some things to get out of the way. Although many guardians in the order tried to avoid it, philosophy of the Order and the Force became crucial to members of the Order at one point and time. One could say that living as a Jedi required some knowledge of Jedi ideals. Otherwise, what truly separated them from the rouges that had disbanded from the Order. "Tell me what you know of the eight tenets and what they mean to you. Also, explain to me what you know of the Force, and how you perceive it."

 

[The Lionheart]

Isaac was caught off-guard by the question. He shook off the initial confusion that it induced in his mind, however, and with a steady voice he tried to put his knowledge into words. His mind worked to unscramble years of training, study and work into a legible monologue. His mouth, with the gift of speech, allowed him to articulate his ideas and standpoints better than he gave himself credit for:

"I know all of the Eight Tenets, Master," he explained, "and I know what they say in writing, and what they mean in practice. Study and observation have taught me that the Eight Tenets are a necessary part of our lives as Jedi. We have rules that we must follow, and there are certain responsibilities that must be met as Jedi. But, at the same time, I feel as if sometimes, perhaps, the Eight Tenets are not enough... ...or that, sometimes, they may be wrong. Experience has taught me that there are some instances where the Eight Tenets are not sufficient - rather, where they cannot adequately prepare a Jedi for what is to come, for what may happen. I feel that at times we must do what our hearts tell us to, for that is the will of the Force."

On that note, he began to formulate the train of words that could best describe how he viewed the Force itself, and what he knew of its form and function. His eyes trailed toward the floor again as his mind worked out all of the details. After he had decided on the correct choice of words, his eyes returned to the waiting form of Master Velvar, and he continued:

"I know that the Force binds all things; and I believe, largely, as Master Varis does - that we must be aware of the Force, aware of ourselves, and aware of our universe. I believe in the Living Force, I believe that we cannot always look to the future; it is the present that gives birth to the future, so we must act upon what is happening in the present to create a better future for ourselves. Through the Force we influence events in the present that will take form in time, and transform the galaxy for the better."

In truth, he had partially quoted Master Varis himself, but he felt it was rightfully so. The views of Master Varis had heavily influenced his own; and he would have it no other way.

 

[Cyril Khan]

"I am glad you understand the tenets." While the words alone sounded like praise, the Master said them with a darker tone. It seemed more like a subtle warning not to divert too much from the ideals of the Jedi. "They make us differ from those who claim to be Jedi, but are not. Also, you have a good philosophy about the Force, though you seem unsure about it. As your training continues, you will find yourself grow closer to the one you speak of or, perhaps, to one completely different."

Finally the Jedi Master moved from his seated position and stood to his full height. He indeed fell short of his student, but it did not even register in his mind. After all, he had spent the majority of his years in the Order in the presence of the Wookiee Jedi Dewbecca. In his mind, size only created an illusion to what had more weight, strength, and speed.

"To test your skills in telekinesis, I will ask you to retrieve that datapad." Master Velvar pointed to a distant table, on which a small datapad laid. The table rested on the far side of the room against a wall; no obstacles stood inbetween the object and the student. "Once you succeed, proceed to move the table across the room. Remember, all objects weigh the same in the Force; it just takes more mental control to overcome what we believe to be real when lifting larger objects."

Tían then turned towards the corner of the room, where a pot of some beverage lay on the ground. He quickly crossed the room and began to tend to it, by pouring two cups of the steaming drink. However, while he seemed to ignore the student, he kept a very watchful eye on what the young Jedi did. He only went to tend the liquid for only a few reasons. First of all, he hated just sitting around and watching students all day; he also wanted to see how easily his students fell into distraction. After all, some students wouldn't even follow a direct order if he didn't appear to be looking.

 

[The Lionheart]

Isaac smiled at the challenge, and bowed his head before Master Velvar (though he had already turned around, and probably missed the gesture). As he eyed the table across from them, and the datapad that rested upon it, his mind lingered on the words of the aged master. In that moment, he thought back to the various training regimens with Master Varis, and how they had impacted and dominated his life. In truth, training and action had become his life; and looking back on it all, Isaac realized how brief it had been, and how quiet it seemed in retrospect.

Thinking back on the training with Master Varis throughout his life brought his attention full circle to the datapad on the table ahead, and with his right hand raised - slightly shaking, as always - Isaac called the small device toward him. It did not hesitate to leave its resting place and glide across the room to its summoner. It levitated toward him at a steady rate, and in a few seconds it found its way into his outstretched hand. He held it off to the side, and brought his other hand forward toward the table itself.

His palm was pointed upward, his fingers straight. His eyes focused upon the table, and its image was replicated in his mind. His fingers curled up, as if latching onto it through the air, and in turn he saw it gripped within his mind. As Master Velvar had said, the table was much heavier than the datapad - but size and weight were no matter to the power of the Force, and the power of those whom commanded it. In truth, the trick was in convincing himself that it could be done, and convincing his mind of what he already knew - that the weight did not matter, that the Force made it possible to move this object without even touching it, even from so far away.

Thus, the table inched forward, scraping against the floor. Isaac called it once more, and the table scraped a few more inches toward him. Finally, he focused on another detail of the situation: that the table itself would skid along, friction acting against his will to hamper its movement. With this observation, Isaac commanded the table upward, and it obeyed. It left the floor, levitating up into the air; and then, slowly, it began to approach him as he commanded.

The table came in front of Isaac, and he lowered it gently to the floor. He placed the datapad back upon it, and turned to face Master Velvar again. He had completed the first challenge of the day, but he felt that this man had many more to put before him. Moving datapads, tables, and more was something that he excelled at, but he saw, just in the way in which Velvar looked at him, that more would come. He relished in the idea of a challenge - a chance to show his power. It was part of the pride within him, the pride that he took in displaying his abilities, and in improving them even further.

 

[Cyril Khan]

"I think you are able enough to move on." Master Velvar turned from the potted liquid and held up one of the two cups. If the student looked, he could tell that the Jedi had started a fire and rested the pot over it and the cups, both on the ground and in his hand, steamed from the heat. Tían held the cup so that the student could take hold of it. In his other hand, he held a small flame torch, which used a temperature gage to allow the user to select a specific heat.

"I want you to keep this cup and liquid at the right temperature." The master did not intend to mention what was "right." This test would determine how well the student could detect life through the Force. A small water mite, invisible to the naked eye, lay dorment in water heated below fifty degrees celcius but would die at sixty degrees celcius. The student could detect the active life of the creatures at their preferred temperature, nothing at a lower, and the loss of life above. If the student heated the cup too much, the second still remained nearby so that he could try again. Once the student succeeded, the Jedi knew that he would have gained the ability called "Sense."