A Chance Encounter

[Casmer]

"Here we are."

Kithiac followed the woman on board her ship. He had limitied knowledge of starships but looked on with great interest as the woman prepared the ship for launch. She slid into the pilot's seat and ran her digits over a variety of switches whose function was unfathomable to him.

"So have you thought about what I said?" she asked him, still facing the instruments.

Kithiac paused a moment, mulling over his answer. She had been straightforward with him so far, so he would show her the same respect.

"My duty is to the Order," he said, leaning against the bulkhead. "I believe in the battle we're fighting, and I think my urge to aid the defenseless is compatible with what the Order expects of me." Kithiac caught the woman's gaze. "But I cannot deny that I share very strong emotions with the beings suffering hardship at the hands of the Empire. And somehow, those emotions have made me a pariah." He made an exasperated gesture with his hand. "I am shunned by Jedi whom I would have suited as an apprentice because of my emotions." He looked away from the woman, whisking away tears with the sleave of his robe. "I shouldn't bother you with this."

 

[Tsunami]

"I see... Well it is indeed strange, I must confess that I have never thought much about what you speak. Sadly progression of life in the galaxy sometimes means oppressing the life of other things in the galaxy. Those with the smallest voices are often the ones who suffer this fate." Phoenix didn't share the same sympathy for the things that the boy did, but it seems that his emotions were justified if what he said was true.

"We shall continue onward to the Temple. I will speak to the Masters there and we shall see what we can do in terms of your training." Phoenix fell silent for but a moment before talking once again. "You may need to find a way to direct that emotion. For me, it was always into the combative arts, for you it may be as a scholar, librarian, historian or policeman. The Jedi are not as streamlined as they once were, there are many options in which one can specialise."

Phoenix's ships engine roared and she began to strap herself in to the cockpit seat. The seat behind her was ready for the taking by the boy and as soon as he was seated they would be ready for the off. Sadly there was no room for the stolen speeder, and Phoenix would deal with that if needed.

@Casmer

 

[Casmer]

"In terms of my training?"

Kithiac glanced at the woman, trying to process the information. Exactly what could the woman do about his training? It took him a moment to realize that she may have referred to tutelage under her. He sidelined the possibility, experience having shown him that high hopes could easily plummet. Her suggestions were interesting but seemed far out of Kithiac's reach. And what if she rejected him, same as the other Knights who had approached him? Could he stand another defeat?

"You would train me?" he said slowly, more to be confirmed in his doubts than in his wishes. "But you don't even know my name?"

@Tsunami

 

[Tsunami]

" You would train me?" the boy questioned, before stating that she did not know his name yet. It was true that she had forgone introductions, to get right into the thick of who the boy was however, names did not make a person but were a banner beneath which all their achievements were lay. Never the less she thought it made sense to obtain the boys name.

"I'm not saying I would, we shall see and what is your name since you brought it up?" Phoenix asked, her eyes fixed in flight as the flew what seemed like a short distance in a fighter towards the Jedi Temple on Dantooine.

@Casmer

 

[Casmer]

Kithiac couldn't withhold a grin. So it wasn't a definite 'no'. He did not want to hope for too much, but the odds were better than they had been before. Kithiac was no adherent to the Unifying Force theory of predestination, but it was hard not to see it as the Force reaching out a hand. Kithiac would do anything to avoid the Service Corps, and this woman might be his best hope.

Outside the transparisteel viewport, the fields of Dantooine slid by at a fast pace. Kithiac gripped a support bar and settled gingerly into the co-pilot's seat. Except for the migration from Coruscant to Dantooine, he had not spent any time flying. His adopted home looked different from above. Perhaps what he needed was a different perspective on his own conditions, too.

"It's Kithiac. What's yours?"

@Tsunami

 

[Tsunami]

Phoenix took in the information but did not reply just yet, part of her didn't want to. She had renounced her name for a name she had given herself... very few people new it and even less people understood it. Never the less it was only polite to reply. "Phoenix. People call me Phoenix." Her voice was set in a tone that did not beckon questions, it was a simple name and a name was all it was.

"We are about to land Kithiac. Once we do, stick close to me and we will make our way directly to the people with whom we need to speak. No need for distractions, focus begins now. If there is only one thing I teach you then it should be this." Phoenix paused for a second as she activated the landing gear and pressed numerous dials on the dash. "Steps in a direction not your own, are no steps at all. Don't spend your life walking backwards kid."

She knew the man she wished to see, and they would make there way to him with haste.

@Casmer

 

[Casmer]

"Phoenix. People call me Phoenix."

Kithiac thought there was a tinge of regret in Phoenix's voice as she spoke her name, but it could just as easily have been distorted by the noise emitting from the ship. "Phoenix," he said, tasting the name. "That's what I'll call you too, then."

The young Zelosian listened closely to Phoenix's instructions. He nodded solemnly, convinced that if fortune had finally found him, this would be the first test to see whether he had truly earned it. The past year's frustrations were of no importance if his situation was about to change. If and when the time came to take responsibility for the speeder, he would own up to it if that was what it took.

As the landing gear rammed into the ground, Kithiac rose, perhaps too eagerly. "Ready when you are," he said.

@Tsunami

 

[Tsunami]

The moment the pair exited the ship they began to walk. Not just a normal stride as seen by those with too much time on there hands, or one seen in the gait of a man too rich to care. No they moved with purpose and direction. Phoenix forgot that the boy was still young, not fully grown and that her energetic or athletic pace might cause the boy some trouble to keep up, perhaps it had been a minor slip of the mind or perhaps Phoenix had spent so long alone in her exile, that she forgot to think of others.

The pair of the hurried through a corridor and as they approached the council chambers they were halted by a young Jedi Knight. "Move. Or you shall be moved." Phoenix spoke with no aggression, but had returned to that stern vocal tone that she had used on Kithiac not so long ago. "I'm guarding the chamber of..." Phoenix held her hand up to his face, her wristsabers clearly visible as she hushed the young lad. "I am aware, and I am a senior knight of the order. Step out of my way." The young night had realised there was no battle to be won, and stepped aside.

At the end of the hallway, a large door stood before the pair of Jedi. "Listen to me Kithiac. This is your chance to say your piece." Phoenix explained, "Let me talk first, then when it is your turn... you will know." That was the last thing that Phoenix said to the boy before the doors opened.

"Jedi Master Buln Ziil" Phoenix said, to what might have seemed like a mysterious Kel Dor to Kithiac. "It is a pleasure to finally put a face to the name. May I have a word?"

@Casmer @Narsi

Spoiler: OCC

Thank you Narsi for agreeing to add a bit more weight to this thread. <3 <3

 

[Casmer]

They walked briskly, Phoenix with a purposeful gait, Kithiac simply jogging to keep up, but the young Jedi was determined not to show weakness. Mentally, he was a roiling cauldron of emotions; hope, anxiety, curiosity, all jumbled up and indiscernable from one another. He made no attempt to cloak it in the Force, but settled on keeping a straight face. Even if Phoenix and the other Jedi present could sense his unease, he would at least make sure that it did not show.

On their way they passed Orn-Orn and Motke. The Zabrak opened his mouth as if to speak, but Kithiac threw him a glance that made it clear there was no time. He mouthed the words "speak later", and then they turned down a corridor at the end of which a Jedi stood sentry. Kithiac waited in solemn silence while Phoenix gained access to the mythical council chambers. Was he about to have an audience with the masters of the council? What would he say? His thoughts were interrupted as the doors slid open and they entered the antechamber. Phoenix instructed him to stay his tongue until the moment was right and then speak his mind. Before the Zelosian could ask what he should say, the door opened and they were greeted by Master Buln Ziil.

@Tsunami @Narsi

 

[Narsi]

Buln had been going over some mission reports when he sensed the people nearing his door. Two presences, one far stronger than the other, and one wracked with a strange mix of frustration, uncertainty, and hope. Awesome, reports were boring, he'd been working on them all day, new people were not. Tossing his datapad on his chair, Buln turned away from the holo-table displaying a map of the galaxy, heading for the door to meet his unexpected guests. When it opened, he was surprised to find himself face to face with one of the more radical members of the order, Phoenix, whom he recognized from numerous reports, and a young Zelosian boy that he did not recognize.

Hiding his slight surprise with the ease of long practice, Buln bowed deeply in greeting. "Knight Phoenix, the pleasure is entirely mine. And of course, I am always free for a quick word or two," he said, stepping aside to hold the door open for them, beckoning them into room with his free hand. Once they had entered, he would close the door quietly, making sure to shoot his panicked looking guard a reassuring nod before doing so.

"So," he started, turning back to his guests and gesturing towards a small table and some chairs set off to the side. "Would either of you want some tea before we begin? I just brewed a fresh pot, a simply delightful variety from Ithor, and we can use the time to get me the introductions out of the way." He shot the boy a quick measuring glance, noting the seeming turmoil he could see in the child's spirit, a strong contrast to the sheer power and calm that seeped from the other Jedi in the room.

@Tsunami

 

[Tsunami]

It was a friendly welcome, not that Phoenix had expected any different but for some reason it was strange stepping foot inside the temple, and although she was a Jedi and belonged here as much as the next, she couldn't help feeling worried about what a congregation of her comrades could mean if the location was discovered.

Sending those thoughts and memories deep into the back of her mind she listened to the Jedi Council member, "Would either of you want some tea before we begin? I just brewed a fresh pot, a simply delightful variety from Ithor, and we can use the time to get the introductions out of the way" It was certainly a good opportunity to get the situation they were in relaxed and calm before Kithiac got his chance to explain what he had been feeling during his time at the temple.

"The boy would appreciate a drink Master, I could certainly do with one!" Phoenix said, her voice still as a soldiers could be expected to be, direct and to the point. She pulled out a chair for the boy around the table which the Jedi Master had gestured at, before sitting down herself, her armour making her seem far bulkier than her frame otherwise suggested.

@Casmer

 

[Casmer]

Kithiac did not believe in destiny, but it seemed the Force had decided to change that. Although he was confused on a number of levels by the turn his day had taken, he could not withhold a sense of this meeting as being a defining moment. Staying in the immediate wake of Phoenix, he studied the chamber. The interior design of Master Ziil's quarters was not surprising, austerity and clear lines reigning. Still, it was magical. Complimenting the matter-of-fact aura that emanated from the council member rather well. How anyone could project such a clear idea of their personality as Phoenix and Ziil did was an enigma to him.

Kithiac's throat felt like wallpaper, but he could not bring himself to answer Master Ziil. Phoenix had explicitly told him only to speak when the time was right, and accepting a beverage was hardly the proper situation. Luckily, Phoenix accepted on his behalf, and the young Jedi offered the council member a respectful smile. He dropped unto the chair, folding his hands in his lap. His presence had been tolerated. Now he needed to be patient.

@Narsi

 

[Narsi]

So much for "releasing the tension," if anything, the boy's pulse had just gone through the roof. Phoenix, on the other hand, was as level as usual, a soldier there for a reason, and that reason was not hyperventilation. Buln shrugged mentally, heading over to the table himself and grabbing a chair, oh well, he'd tried. Maybe the tea would have a greater effect, because it WAS that good, and it was best when he got share it with others.

Reaching out with the force, he made a show of levitating the teacup off the table and into the air as he pulled out three cups. Carefully he poured the steaming dark brew into each, allowing a thick minty scent to fill the air. Putting down the teacup, Buln levitated one of the cups to each of his guests, following with a bowl of sugar and cream in the center of the table. Eyeing his guests, Buln was suddenly struck by the realization that the boy had said nothing so far, not even a basic greeting. Apparently there was SOMETHING going on here, but the drinks were now served, and thus it was time to find out what.

Tipping a bit of sugar into his cup, Buln pulled out a straw and started stirring as he casually addressed his fellow Jedi. "Well, what did you need to talk about Phoenix? And who's your young companion hmmm?" He asked, turning to face the armored knight, trying to avoid giggling as he noticed the seemingly heavyset frame on the woman.
@Tsunami

 

[Tsunami]

Phoenix watched the display and couldn't help but utter a small smirk. What she had heard about the Jedi Master was true, he was indeed a character but it was certainly someone she needed right now. As the drinks finished pouring she added a smidgen of sugar but a hefty amount of cream and picked up her cup to take a sip, just as Buln began to speak.

"Well, what did you need to talk about Phoenix? And who's your young companion hmmm?" The questions were very much intertwined, and Phoenix would answer in the simplest manor she could. "This is Kithiac Master, and while I do not know too much about the young boy he is the reason I have so... forcefully sought your audience today. He is a student here, but has from what I understand had a tough time of things, something that I've no doubt would be on his records here." Phoenix paused for a moment to take another swig of her tea. "I feel it is best if he explains his predicament to you himself. However, the training and guidance he has revived has seemed to have ceased. His worry now is that he will have no choice but to enroll in the Service Corps."

Turning to the boy she looked at him, her gaze almost giving him permission to say his piece. As she did so she arose from her seat, she was a foot soldier and the complaints that a initiate had with his instructors here should be for the Councillor and the councillor alone. "I will wait outside Master. It would not be proper for me to listen while the boy voiced his grievances. If i am required, I shall be within earshot and Kithiac... Just tell the truth."

She would wait for Master Buln's permission to leave, before she made her exit. As with all soldiers, Phoenix did things in the proper manor and remembered there place.

 

[Casmer]

The silence that permeated the room after the door closed behind Phoenix was profound. Kithiac sipped his tea silently, careful not to lock eyes with Master Ziil. Phoenix had framed his issue rather well, but there were more frustration latched on to the issue than she could have known. This was his chance to speak his mind, perhaps for the last time before he had to pick a direction at the ideological crossroads he had reached. Service Corps or strike out on his own, the doors to the temple forever closed behind him.

The Zelosian cleared his throat and looked up at the Jedi Master. "Master Ziil, first of all, thank you for allowing me to speak." The Kel'Dor was opaque, his mask and goggles rendering his face expressionless to Kithiac. The young Zelosian paused, drawing in a deep breath. "I've known no other life than that of a Jedi. It's what I am. And yet I am yet to be assigned a Master, even though I passed the trials over a year ago.

"I know," he continued before the Master had time to speak, "that I am in no way entitled to such an honour. But I have studied hard, I've behaved." His face briefly flushed with green, and he hoped that no word of the stolen speeder had reached the older Jedi. "I think most of the rejections were because of a difference of opinion, but are we not expected to be individually strong willed while at the same time able to function in conjunction with our brothers and sisters? If so, then I would have expected veteran Jedi to be more callous of youthful willpower such as I possess." The young Jedi paused, looking expectantly at Master Ziil.

@Narsi

 

[Narsi]

He wished he could be more surprised. In truth, he'd heard these kinds of issues many times before, and unfortunately for the boy, those before him hadn't had much luck. He let no sign of this escape however, mildly waving his permission for Phoenix to leave and leaning back in his chair. Just because he'd heard it before didn't make it unworthy of being heard again. And besides, he didn't like the frustration and turmoil that echoed from the young Zelosian, at the least, Buln could TRY and help fix the situation.

Letting the initiate speak, Buln busied himself with sipping his tea, using a straw to facilitate the awkward transfer through his mask. Unlike usual, he did his best to avoid slurping and other obnoxious noises. Normally, he TRIED to be loud, as a means of relieving tension and getting nervous initiates to loosen up. But somehow, he didn't think Kithiac would appreciate such things in a discussion regarding his future. So instead he tried to look contemplative and wise, which honestly, was something his mask and googles did already.

He WAS thinking though, earnestly considering the young boy's case while he stared into his tea. As he'd thought, it was indeed similar to the ones come before, differing maybe only by the specific wording and viewpoints. A young lad, raised and determined to be a Jedi, unable to find a master and thus coming to him for an intervention of sorts before they became something lesser than their dreams. The difference? That would be the Knight who waited outside the door. Oh, and the slight tint of dishonesty, that was pretty unique too. Buln sighed, setting his tea down and folding his hands on the table as he finally spoke. "Kithiac......first, let me just say, that I understand your feelings here. You worked hard, you.....behaved, anyone would feel a bit left out in your situation. But....I feel as if your complicating the issue" Now Buln spoke tentatively, aware that he was entering the sensitive zone. "There is a reason why Masters pick and choose their initiates. I cant speak for the others regarding their personal opinions or your youthful willpower, but if they didn't choose you.....then it was because they didn't feel a connection, a connection that is absolutely essential for a master and initiate."

Buln stopped to see how the boy was faring before continuing, trying his best to avoid upsetting him with what he was sure was something Kithiac had already heard many times before. "And in the end its just that simple, its not your opinions, its not your youth, not your feelings. Its just the will of the force, and unfortunately, you aren't the first or last to have grievances with it."

Wishing he could offer a smile, or at least something other than an stone mask, Buln settled for another sigh and reached for his tea, waiting for a response to his words. He was well aware of how cliché it sounded, and unhelpful to boot, but it was truth. Now the only question, was what the response would be, and why the force had led them all to this particular moment.
@Tsunami

 

[Tsunami]

Phoenix did not glance back into the room as the doors shut behind her, but across to the Jedi Knight who had blocked her path previously. They did not meet each others gaze and there was to be no hard feelings between the pair. Never the less, Phoenix just took a seat in the hallway, closing her eyes and slipping deep into her own thoughts.

Meditation was good in these situations, it allowed time for clarity. The clarity that she searched for however was to do with the unexpected chain of events... Why had the pair of them, her and Kithiac been drawn together.

@Casmer

 

[Casmer]

Master Ziil's explanation was not surprising. Kithiac had gotten more or less the same answer from his instructors, and while he had pondered what it meant for him thoroughly then, he did not waste time pondering it now. "And what if the will of the Force is counterproductive to the needs of our order?" he asked, genuinely puzzled. "I'm a qualified Jedi, a talented swordsman and a student of environmental politics. I would, however, be a lousy farmer. What good does the Force do the Jedi if its imperative is to place us on wrong shelves?" The boy crossed his arms, a green shadow tracing his cheekbones. "Unless what poses as the will of the Force is actually the short-sightedness of individual Jedi, unable to look past their utopian idea of partnership."

The Zelosian took a deep breath, knowing that he had crossed the line. But he was adamant to speak his mind, such as Phoenix had recommended. He looked the Kel Dor straight in the eyes. "What if no one comes, Master Ziil?"

@Narsi

 

[Narsi]

"What if no one comes, Master Ziil?"

Buln only sighed, softly shaking his head and returning his cup to the table, easily meeting the young boy's eyes with his own masked gaze as he spoke with a grave tone, "Kithiac, you already know the answer to that question. I'm sure you've probably considered the possibility and the consequences many times by now."

Buln paused, to let that sink in fully, himself thinking through the possible future ahead for the young Zelosian. In truth, he couldn't see the young lad in front of him doing well as a farmer, so much passion and drive, not enough patience. In that regard, Buln felt a sting of pity for him, he could sense the truth in what he said, and he could feel the slightest tinges of despair, which had manifested itself in angry words. There were plenty of other careers out there however, and Buln had a suspicion that more than a few would fit Kithiac well, that is, if his next theory fell through.

"Now, as for your other questions, I believe you may have the right of it. The force is everything, it is everywhere, it probably does manifest as the preferences and....short-sightedness of some Jedi." Buln put a little bite on the last words, giving the initiate a sidelong look as he did so to get his point across. After a moment though, he continued with a more lighthearted tone. "I still believe your asking the wrong questions however, for instance, here's a good question. Are you sure someone hasn't come already?"

As he spoke those last words, Buln suddenly cast his senses out into the hall, towards Phoenix, whom he knew was still in hearing range. Carefully, keeping a delicate touch so as to avoid detection, he tried to read her aura, feeling for her reaction and feelings on his last sentence.
@Tsunami

 

[Tsunami]

The conversation had been in flow, and it was deep. Phoenix couldn't remember the last time that she thought about things past the day to day, it was the focus of a solider, taking each day as it came and regardless of the wider force, her purpose had never been more clear. Never the less, she had a good heart and it was unthinkable to allow a Jedi even one as young as Kithiac go without a Master.

She was puzzled - conflicted. Her taking on this young lad would mean that she would be putting him in danger, that his life would be at risk in no uncertain terms because of the type of missions that she would usually accept. At the same time she knew the power of the combative arts, she knew that someone like Kithiac would thrive with his temperament.

As all these thoughts drifted through her mind she felt the warm embrace of a familiar aura, its presence simply calming and soothing the Jedi Knight just by existing. "Master Buln. What would you ask of me." She thought it, because what she was thinking needed no words, and those thoughts would travel to the Jedi Councillor and his decision would be the one that she would trust.

The one she would have to trust. Too long she had spent alone, a hunter, a soldier. Could one such has her really become... a teacher?