Open Coruscant Midnight Stroll

[Kaala Vel]

"Sounds good to me! Lead the way," chirped the teen after Ember finished speaking. Secretly, the togruta hoped it would be big and open so they could do something super cool or whatever. Maybe she would be able to test how heavy an object she could move. The possibilities!


Kaala glanced once again toward the sky. Hardly any time had passed since she'd last looked, but she just wanted to check. How long would she have? A few hours, for sure. For sure.

 

[Talak Rand]

Ember mentioned that Jedi weren't trusted, and he couldn't disagree. Anyone that could move objects with their mind and followed an "entity" that couldn't be seen or sensed by the average person was bound to draw suspicion.

Yeah, I don't think that'll change anytime soon, he stated truthfully. With Force users numbering in the thousands and sentient beings numbering in the quintillions, most would never see a Force users and fewer still would ever actually meet one. Many didn't even know what they were.

He gave a shrug at the mention of the empty building. It was as good a place as any, and he didn't have another suggestion.

Works for me, he said, falling in behind Ember to wherever she wanted to take them. His eyes darted back and forth and his head was always on a swivel, but there were no threats to be discerned along the path to the building. It was a large building with an empty space in the center and crates along the walls. It looked like it was for storage or perhaps loading and unloading of large ships. Either way, at this time of night, it was desolate, and the perfect place for them to do... whatever they would do.

So Kalaa, perhaps you could tell us what you know already, he said, deciding that was as good a place to start as any.

 

[Ember Blaze]

Ember led the small group to the empty building she had mentioned. The building in question was likely used for some sort of storage, as there were several crates and other objects strewn over the floor. Ember walked into the open space and turned back towards Kaala and Talak.

"Also Kalaa, is there anyone else who knows about your abilities?" Ember said. While she listened to the girl's response. Ember placed her hand out, feeling through the Force for several objects. She decided on a few crates of varying weight and several smaller tools. These would make good tests for Kalaa's ability to move objects. Ember grabbed each of the selected objects in the Force, and slowly lifted each a few centimeters off the ground. With some effort, Ember was able to guide each one into a row beside the group, with the smallest object at one end and the heaviest on the other.

'I believe these will be suitable for now.' Ember thought while looking over the objects. She continued listening to Kalaa and Talak, thinking of the best way to test Kalaa's skills.

 

[Kaala Vel]

Kaala pushed the line between walking and skipping. She was excited, to say the least. How could she not be?

As they entered the warehouse, Kaala took careful notice of the surroundings. It was big and open, and the tools Ember selected were perfectly sized. From what she'd practiced, small items were easy, but anything approaching half her weight took a tremendous amount of concentration for her. The togruta wasn't sure how to push past that barrier; maybe she could learn here.

"My mother knew. That's all," answered Kaala as she eyeballed the row of items. "And I- I think I can lift them...except maybe that one." She pointed to the first one that looked to her like it might weigh a bit.

Kaala reached out with her hand and relaxed. The smallest object lifted with ease and shot into her waiting fingers. A smile creeped onto her lips. It was no bigger than the ball she'd been bouncing earlier, but it felt nice to see it cooperate so well anyways.

"I mean, maybe other people have seen me use the Force...I've tried to be careful, but I mean, you saw me earlier," said Kaala to Ember. "No one's ever said anything, though. I use it a lot to catch a falling pencil, or fold the sheets on my bed..." It was a tool to Kaala. Until today, she'd never heard someone describe the Force as "living."

The teen set the tool at her feet and went down the line. The next few came as easily, but as the objects started to get bigger, the more she had to really concentrate on what she was doing. Ten pounds came after a second; twenty came slowly. Thirty pounds required her to use both hands. Forty, she was able to drag across the floor. Fifty? She was able to shake it a bit. Despite knowing her limitations for the most part, her embarrassment grew the more she had to actively put effort into it. Her face reddened when the fifty-pound crate didn't move at all.

"That's...all." She felt a little tired, too.

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak watched as the crates were assembled and the young Togruta began to pull at them one at a time. As one would expect, the progress slowed as the crates became heavier, but it was still impressive progress.

Impressive, he said as she said that was all she could do. Particularly for someone with no proper training, he said.

He thought about where to begin in the training process, and decided that perhaps before they moved into the Physical Force, it was better to start with the Living Force.

I want you to close your eyes, and reach out with your feelings, he said. Concentrate on what you see in your mind's eyes much like you'd concentrate on moving an object. Tell me what you see, he said. The Force connected all living things. If she had already touched it in basic ways, she would have little trouble beginning to see the connections between all living things. The cycles that connected them and the Force that drove them.

 

[Ember Blaze]

'She is doing very well, for one so young and with no training.' Ember thought as she watched Kalaa display her control over the Force. Ember nodded along when Talak spoke, saying "I agree, this a very good start Kalaa." Ember smiled at the young girl, with a pleased look on her face.

Listening to Talak, Ember felt a tinge of concern at his request to reach out with her feelings. Ember shot a disapproving look at Talak, before saying "Do not rely solely on your emotions, they can sometimes fail you. Use your senses along with those emotions." Ember watched what Kalaa would do next.

 

[Kaala Vel]

'Impressive.' Kaala felt her cheeks warm up with pride. '...this is a very good start, Kaala.' Words couldn't describe the feeling that flooded her veins, but it was warm, good, and positive. Compliments--real, genuine compliments--came few and far in between for her. To have two complete strangers compliment her so was almost a shock for Kaala. She wanted them to say things like that again.


But now they were telling her to reach out. She closed her eyes. Reach out with your feelings, Talak said. Do not rely on emotions; rely on sense, Ember added. So which one was it? And what was she looking for? Her mind's eye? What? All she saw was the black of her eyelids. Her mind's eye...imagination? Kaala relaxed and let her mind wander, trying to intertwine the Force into it. She wasn't sure what she was doing, but it felt...right? Whatever. If she could move boxes, she could do this. Where were her emotions today? Irritation and anger; Kaala felt a heavy, burning "sensation" when she focused on that. The teen shied away from it, and she tried to find something positive. Who or what made her feel positive? Mom…


At the thought of her mother, Kaala felt overwhelmed with grief. It was a feeling worse than anger. It weighed her down, a sinking feeling, gasping for air in a dark ocean. She remembered the nurse who informed her of her mother's death, and how she had screamed and cried for days. Was she reaching out with the Force? She didn't want to relive this!


"I don't...see anything." Use your sense, Kaala reminded herself. What did that mean? Her eyelids twitched from being closed for so long. Reach out with the Force...like she would with an object. What did she see? What did she feel?


Kaala, after a moment, felt something different. She reached out with a metaphorical hand, seeing with the touch of the Force. "Wait..." She could feel the Force pulsating to her left and her right; from Ember and from Talak. They had very different...auras, Kaala realized, but she felt as if Talak didn't mean for her to concentrate on them. Perhaps herself, then? She squeezed her eyes further shut and tried to see with her mind's eye.


It was like she'd opened a door to a brand new world. Goosebumps raised across her skin. A nail bounced off the ground somewhere in the warehouse, but she heard it as if it were right next to her. Her own breath was so loud that she had to hold it to listen. With her eyes closed, she saw a critter scurry across the floor and leave behind the faintest trail of the Force. She was hearing and seeing with the Force. An excited smile crept onto her lips, then a doubtful one.


"I feel…" How was she to describe the feeling? "Everything is so loud," she whispered. "I can see- feel the Force coming from the both of you." They were the strongest presence in the room.


"Is this what I'm supposed to see?"

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak could tell the Jedi was annoyed with him, which in turn, caused him to be annoyed with her. Reaching out with your feelings was a term used by the Jedi, but the fact that Ember was telling Kaala not to use her emotions showed not only the Jedi's fear, but also pointed Kaala toward the fact that the emotions were the key to the Force. As much as the Jedi tried to defile the natural order, there was a reason the Force made itself so accessible through strong emotion.

That's an excellent start, he said. That meant that she was sensing things for the first time. Reaching out over great distances could come later, and with great practice. She was on the track though.

You've taken your first steps into a larger world, he said. She was catching on quite quickly, and he wondered if that indicated her strength in the Force. He had a feeling she had great potential.

But it's gotten late, you should probably return home. I'll be back to continue your training later, he said. He would be watching her with keen interest in the days to come, but tonight wasn't that night. He gave a nod to them both and turned to head into the night.

//Exit