Ask A New Home

[Jonas Syl]

Jonas didn't spend much time on Brighthome; there wasn't enough nature for his liking. He needed growing things and nonrecycled air. When he was here, he often found himself helping in the gardens.

He had been asked to come here to meet with a new Padawan who had just joined the Order. It could be quite an adjustment. Even though it had been years since he had joined the Jedi, he remembered his first days quite vividly—the uncertainty, awkwardness, and loneliness to a certain extent. If he could help a newcomer out, it would be well worth the trip.

Most Jedi would have just scheduled a meeting, but Jonas was not most Jedi. He was in the process of carrying bags of fertilizer down the garden levels when he came across the Chiss woman. "Hello there," he said. "Could I bother you for assistance carrying some of these?" he asked. Without waiting, he started handing her several of the bags, him picking up the rest. Yes, he could have used a cart for these, but the easiest ways were often not right.

"Thank you so much," he said, starting to walk towards the gardens. "Hopefully, I am not keeping you from anything?" he asked. "I'm Jonas, by the way." he added, introducing himself.

@Pazaakly

 

[Rya]

Despite being a new arrival, Rya felt right at home on the temple station. It was easy to think of the structure as one massive ship, one she was incredibly curious as to what it would feel like to control it. It was installations like these where she felt most comfortable. Between the stars with nothing but endless expanse in every direction. It was the galaxy's never-ending buffet of oppourtunities. For now at least, she'd have to focus on the opportunity presented today.

She stood at attention as had been drilled in her for many years awaiting her contact. Every now and then locking eyes with someone who passed by to see if they'd engage with her. Most just averted their gaze quickly. It was hard to look amiable when you have a horrible resting face on top of the striking features of a Chiss. Where are they? She wondered, slowly getting irritated at what she perceived as tardiness on the part of her contact. As the thought crossed her mind she noted out of the corner of her eye a human man coming near. Hairier than the ones she'd seen to this point. He seemed to be some kind of laborer so she dismissed him and continued to scan passerby.

Then he addressed her directly, catching her off guard. She tried to say something but before she could get a word in she felt her shoulders burdened by some of the bags he'd been carrying. She stood for a moment in total confusion before finally finding her speech again "Excuse me, sir. Sir!" She called a little louder, now having to keep pace with him as she tried to explain "As a matter of fact, Mr. Jonas, I'm supposed to be meeting someone here. It seems they've not the punctuality to be here at the moment but I really cannot help you and potentially miss them when they do come for me."

@Raydo

 

[Jonas Syl]

He kept walking, a grin on his face as she strode to catch up. He made his way down the cool interior walkway. "Well, certainly, they won't mind you taking a quick detour to help someone, especially since they themselves are late." he responded. "You are a Jedi, after all. I hear they help people." he spoke, tone still warm as he rounded a corner.

"Not far now." he said, walking several more doors down until they stepped into one of the garden pods. The air in here was humid and smelled of life. Jonas took a deep breath in and set his bags down. "You can set those down there, thank you." he motioned to a spot next to where he had put his bags down.

"Master Syl!" a youngling called to him as he ran up. "I did it! I made the plant move! Just like you taught me." he said, voice overcome with excitement. "I told you you could do it!" he responded, clasping the child on the shoulder. "But where are our manners?" he said, turning back towards the Chiss. "This is youngling Treo." he said, gesturing towards the child, which prompted a bow from the younging. "...and this is Padawan...I'm sorry, I don't think I got your name earlier?" he asked. He, of course, had her name already, but he decided to let her introduce herself.

@Pazaakly

 

[Rya]

She continued to look over her shoulder as they walked, worried she'd miss them by only a couple minutes. Eventually where she originally stood was out of sight and she kept pace with a repressed huff. She was a navigator, getting to the right place at the right time was everything. No, she thought to herself as he reminded her, Jedi now. Jedi. Wait... "How do you know I am one of the Jedi?"

She certainly didn't look like one she'd seen to this point. She still wore travel attire from the Ascendancy not to mention lacked the Jedi's signature weapon. She kept an increasingly suspicious eye on him as they entered a garden of some kind. The warmth felt alien to her, an odd sticky feeling she wasn't used to hailing from a frozen planet. She dropped the bags where he signaled and turned to him unsure of what the proper farewell was. Before she got the chance to excuse herself and hurry back a child came to them.

Her eyes went wide at the child's words. This man? A master? From what she had heard it was the highest rank a Jedi could attain. It was simply hard for her to believe such a rank could belong to a man so unassuming. Her cheeks ran hot with embarrassment as she righted her posture once more. "Hello Treo, my name is--" No, not Khyra, she had no family now. Her full name was most likely too difficult to pronounce. "You can call me Rya." She said with a practiced smile. "You said you made a plant move? That's very impressive. I'm sure you'll have a very fruitful Jedi career if you've such talent already, cadet."

@Raydo

 

[Jonas Syl]

He didn't let on if he noticed her suspicious gaze. He maintained a cherry attitude. He smiled as the Padawn engaged with the youngling.

"Oh really?!" he said excitedly, not quite understanding some of her words but picking up on the praise. "Thanks!" he said before scampering off to his next assignment.

Soon it was just the two of them, the humming of the lights overhead. He picked up a bag of soil and dumped it into an artificial bed. "Can you hand me those seeds?" he asked. "Want to help me?" he asked. "...Shouldn't take too long." he added. If she agreed, he would show her how deep to dig the hole with a finger and how far apart to spread the seeds.

"So, Rya." he said as they worked. "Tell me your story." he said. He left it open-ended on purpose.

@Pazaakly

 

[Rya]

She continued to be puzzled by this man, who continued to exhibit an odd mix of undivided attention whilst simultaneously not paying her or her words any mind at all. Still, she was nothing if not disciplined. This human was superior to her in rank and she'd treat them as such, as unconventional a first introduction it was. She dutifully retrieved the seeds and followed his instruction as he showed her how to plant the seeds in question. Hopefully it's not too obvious I'm probably the furthest thing from a gardener she thought to herself. The last thing she needed was to disappoint a Master so early in her new career.

Her initial instinct was to turn and face him to answer his question but held firm in her task. He was probably looking for small talk anyways, so she obliged in a politically neutral cadence that came naturally to her at this point. "I hail from the Chiss Ascendancy. My military career had no future and I wanted to serve where the need was greater. When I learned of your Jedi and their proficiency with the Great Presence I knew it was where I could prove most useful." She of course was holding back, not wanting to unload any baggage onto the relative stranger or bore him with personal matters.

She was still unsure if this was an interview or a conversation, but decided to take a chance given the Jedi's cavalier attitude to that point. ''And what of yourself, Master Syl?"

@Raydo

 

[Jonas Syl]

She was stiff, cold, and calculating as their conversation began. He had been told as much earlier in the day, which is probably why he had been asked to speak with her, being one of the more laid-back Jedi Knights in the order.

He continued planting seeds in the bed and covering them as she spoke. He listened contently until she was finished. He waited in silence after she finished speaking. "I grew up simply, hearing the Force early on but would not come to be with the Jedi until I was a teenager. They had come to my world to help with a horrific drought. I wanted to help people in much the same way." he said.

"Please, Jonas is fine now," he said warmly. The youngling had called him Master earlier. It was proper to call a Knight master if you were a youngling or a padawan being trained, but Jonas didn't like the titles. "There will be time for formality later, I'm sure." he said, smiling at the woman.

"The Great Presence," he said after a short pause, "I quite like that name. Though you speak about it as if it is a tool to master," he said, holding up a digging spade. "Is this how your people view the Force?" he asked. There wasn't judgment in his tone, continuing his consent pleasant tone.

@Pazaakly

 

[Rya]

She listened to his words carefully, finding them as irritatingly straightforward as was the rest of his being. Surely he was hiding something, surely. But he’d done her the service of not prying further and she would sooner tend the whole garden than do such a thing in this instance.

She met his gaze now, unsurprised that he’d done away with formalities given his disposition. Even so as she said “Very well—” she caught herself about to fill in “Sir” but continued carefully “Jonas.” Not knowing what to do next in the soil she idly drew shallow lines in the soil, thinking subconsciously of imaginary hyperlanes between the seeds. She quickly dusted off the lines however, worried they’d interfere with the growth of the plants somehow.

She couldn’t help but let a genuine smile spread across her face at hearing someone else use the term Great Presence. It brought back memories of her mother, and she hadn’t heard it for longer than she’d realized. “Of course.” She responded to his question, a hint of pride behind the words. As if it couldn’t be seen as anything else. “The Great Presence can guide one through the thickest of star clusters if one listens close enough. Though I will admit even I was unaware as to how powerful a tool it can be. Far more than mere navigation, your people make much greater use of it in warfare than I thought possible.”

@Raydo

 

[Jonas Syl]

He couldn't help but sense her rigidness. People came to the Jedi with all sorts of preconceptions and baggage. This was to be expected; one wasn't born a Jedi; it was learned.

"It certainly can seem like that, doesn't it?" he said, a tinge of sadness in his voice. Had they failed so much in this Galaxy that they themselves had forgotten what it was to be a Jedi, how could he blame this one for coming to those conclusions?

He picked up a small gardening trowel and dug a small hole. "It can be easy to view the Force like this tool," he said, pausing to look up at her. "Many do, and that is why many fall to dark temptations," he said. "In reality, the Jedi is a tool guided by the Force. Not the other way around," he said.

He looked up, wanting to see her thoughts on the matter. If she didn't conversate, he was in danger of slipping into a classic Knight lecture, and he knew how enjoyable those were.

@Pazaakly

 

[Rya]

She eyed him curiously as she felt his mood diminish if only slightly. She wasn't used to superiors showing emotion in general, least of all sadness. It left her unsure of how to feel or respond. Had she done something wrong? Or picked up on something she wasn't meant to? She came from a background where everyone was very guarded in how they acted and spoke. This was entirely different.

Honestly she was having understanding Jonas. The words sounded nice enough but their meaning eluded her. "Sorry sir, I fear I don't follow. What do you refer to by saying "dark temptations"? Do you speak of vices? I can assure you as I'd hope your Order's report of me in the database reflects I'm free of any such trappings." Most would call her dull for how little time she spent outside of her profession at any given point of her life. She liked to call it driven.

Seeing he was giving her more room to speak she continued on with her perspective "Respectfully I'd disagree. The nature of being guided by something doesn't make someone a tool. A pilot is guided by their navcomputer yet you wouldn't consider the pilot the tool. And that gives specific directions, the Great Presence helps me sense danger and find paths but I've never felt used by it of that makes sense."

@Raydo

 

[Jonas Syl]

"I am sure you are right." he said, listening to her struggle to understand. "The Force has two sides, The Light and the Dark." he said, continuing his gardening work as he spoke. "Followers of the Light seek the Will of the Force, channeling it only to serve others. Followers of the Dark seek to control to Force, using it for selfish reasons and for power. Their followers become a slave to what they seek to control." he explained. It was a simplistic explanation of the Light and Dark sides of the Force, but she would have time to learn more as she progressed.

"Jedis are followers of the Light side of the Force. You will learn to listen to the Will of the Force. It takes time, but when you learn to quiet your mind fully, you will hear it calling." he continued.

He smiled at her retort, "The Force is so much more than a nav-computer or this digging tool. It is a living thing. As we listen and grow closer to the Force, we become tools of its will." he said.

"So, let's begin today's lesson. I didn't just ask you here to help me with my chores." he finally said with a smile, the reason for their meeting in the first place. He moved to the center of the room, sitting on a patch of grass that they had been growing. He motioned for the Padawan to sit across from him on the sod as he crossed his legs underneath him. "The first thing any Jedi must do is learn to listen to The Force; we do this through meditation." he continued. He waited for her to sit. "Now, I want you to close your eyes, empty your mind. It will likely be difficult at first, but you will get better with practice," he said as he closed his own eyes.

@Pazaakly

 

[Rya]

Rya was listening carefully to Master Syl's explanation. A byproduct of such focus meant she had stopped gardening altogether, her tools left sitting in the soil with nothing to do.

Continuing her neutral tone to make sure she didn't come across as critical or challenging she asked "You say one serves others while the opposite seeks power. Wouldn't the one who could serve the most people be the most powerful? After all, you're far more powerful than I and I'm sure you could serve many more than I could at the moment."

She took his word for the rest of what he said. Her own doubts were still there of course, but she'd learn nothing from trying to dissect every statement the Master made. He really got her attention when he stated that their lesson would now begin in earnest.

Finally! She could've been frustrated at the lack of transparency and apparent dilly-dallying beforehand but it was quickly covered up by excitement and eagerness to get started.

She sat across from him as instructed and watched him close his eyes and... do nothing. For a minute she just stared at the man trying to understand what he was doing before she tried to replicate it. Unfortunately she got no visual indication of what was supposed to happen so in the end she shrugged and hoped to figure it out on the fly.

Eyes closed the first thoughts running through her mind were pressing matters. Was she doing it right? Was she supposed to be seeing something? Feeling something? Those thoughts were soon superseded by more literal ones. Thinking of the soil she was sitting on. The earthy smell inside the pod. The sound of nearby younglings. She reflected on how odd of a sensation it was to feel this close to nature while being on a space station.

It made her miss home. Cold, desolate home. The environment itself wasn't appealing to herself or anyone else really. But the fond memories associated with her childhood homeworld made it a place worth yearning to return to.

Her mind continued to wander to her comrades, to Thasian and Vurook who'd served on the same bridge as her. To her father who'd instilled in her the discipline she carried to this day. To her mother. To all the still fresh and painful memories that stirred sadness, anger and resentment inside.

If the goal was to empty her mind, she'd accomplished the complete opposite.

@Raydo

 

[Jonas Syl]

He let her rebuttle hang. There would be all the time in the world for Jedi Philosophy. She would get much more training in the days/weeks/months/years ahead of her. They didn't need to figure it all out today.

His senses reached out, feeling the life around him, but he focused on the Padawan before him. He could feel the thoughts bombard her as she sat, coming one after another. This was to be expected; it wasn't natural to empty one's mind. Everyone struggled with it, but Jonas still struggled with it occasionally.

The Jedi Knight let her struggle with it for a while, feeling the brush of all the emotions she felt across his mind. She would learn to control those emotions in time, but he wanted to try something else for now.

"I sense a great amount of distractions in you; that is perfectly normal. You can get this, but it will take work," he said. He leaned over to his side, grabbed a potted plant, and placed it in front of her. "Look at this plant for a moment, and when you are ready I want you to close your eyes again. This time I want you only think about this plant. If other thoughts come, put them aside and bring them back to this plant." he said.

@Pazaakly

 

[Rya]

This whole Jedi thing was proving much more difficult to grasp than she had anticipated. It was an equal parts humbling and patience-testing experience. No matter, as long as she put her mind to it she was sure she could find the right answer to this trial in time.

It was discouraging however to hear him talk of her mental hurdles. How much could he sense? She knew Jedi could see beyond the naked eye, but could this man see her thoughts as they crossed her mind. It was an alarming thought, an endlessly multiplying one at that given she couldn't tell if that too would be picked up on.

She opened her eyes, thankful to have a moment back in the real and physical, looking down at the plant placed by her crossed legs. It was an odd request. One that even with several seconds to consider she didn't feel any closer to grasping the purpose of. Orders were orders. Stars know how many times she had to follow directions just as if not more confusing.

This was no time to think about them, though. She gave herself a subtle shake of her head trying to erase those thoughts from her mind and focus as she'd been instructed. She studied the plant from its outermost leaves to envisioning what its root system would look like beneath the soil. She took stock of the soil itself and the pot, examining its structure and tried discerning how much use it'd seen.

With all this knowledge she closed her eyes once more and recreated the image in her mind. Then she waited. And waited. Even more waiting for good measure. She didn't dare open her eyes, but it was a strong urge at the moment.

@Raydo

 

[Jonas Syl]

He could tell there was some frustration there; that was to be expected. He didn't chastise her; she didn't know better. For now, it was good for her to struggle, to continue to persevere.

We watched her method unfurl. It was meticulous; she was certainly overthinking it. Jonas often worked with newcomers to the Order; he was used to being patient. Meditation was a core practice for a Jedi; without they would be unbalanced. It was the simplest, often most difficult thing to do. He had faith in her.

She closed her eyes; he let her sit for several moments. "Now, try and feel the plant in your mind. I like to think of it as reaching out with my mind and touching something, but you may find another approach works better for you." he spoke quietly. He monitored her, feeling her work through the puzzle ahead of her. "Feel the energy that flows between you and the plant and everything in this room. It surrounds you; you just have to listen for it."

@Pazaakly

 

[Rya]

She was about to break and crack open an eye when she heard Master Syl's voice again. Listening to his direction she tried to "feel the plant in her mind". She thought of the plants she'd touched before in her life. She didn't have to reach far back in her memory at all given the brief gardening stint she'd just gone through.

She thought about what it felt like, the soft parts, the rigid parts, the texture. What it was like to manipulate it in the process of planting it.

This still wasn't working. She didn't feel any more accomplished than when they'd started. So she continued listening. To him first and foremost. She felt nothing between herself and the plant that was for sure. As far as she knew Master Syl could've taken it away already and she wouldn't have noticed.

Find another approach. The words echoed in her head. Find another approach.

She didn't know plants, but she knew ships. When all else fails, fall back on what you know. After all, it was where she felt most in tune with the Great Presence. She thought of her ship, a very unforgiving, designed with only utility in mind scout ship. It handled like a dream. Every part served its purpose in wonderful harmony.

She pictured herself as the engine, the heartbeat that pulsed throughout the rest of the ship. Everything around her became the other instruments in the mechanical orchestra.

Right there, not too far in front of her, was the plant. She could feel it. No different than feeling the correlation between her controls and the shifts in output from her craft. It felt faint, but for the first time she was beginning to believe she felt something.

"I hear it." She said.

@Raydo

 

[Jonas Syl]

The minutes ticked, gears turning in the young Jedi's mind. He then felt it, it was subtle, but she extended her senses. First, beyond the room before narrowing back down to the plant. Jonas smiled widely; she was doing it.

"That's good," he said, voice barely above a whisper. "Hold on to that feeling. That bond you feel with that plant is a bond that connects all living things, the Force. In time, you will be able to feel more strongly." he continued.

"Ok, we will stop there for today. You have done well, Rya," he said. He was proud of her, and it reflected in his tone. "This plant is yours; take care of it if you don't know how the library has resources for you. Do not let my plant die," he said, sliding the plant against her leg. "Meditate with it for an hour at night and in the morning," he instructed.

"Now, what questions do you have for me?" he said, unfolding his legs, adopting a more relaxed position.

@Pazaakly

 

[Rya]

Rya maintained her straight face, but inside she was absolutely beaming. Finally. It felt good to get positive feedback again. It meant even more given the context, learning to play by a new set of rules and stretching muscles she didn't know existed before.

The experience quickly renewed her excitement in this new career path. All she needed was to know that she could do it.

She was a little disappointed that the lesson was over so soon, but she couldn't dwell on that thought for very long. She was at a total loss for what to do with this new "gift".

She didn't exactly have a place for it on her ship. It was about as barebones an interior as one could find. Definitely no terrarium in sight, she'd need to find a place to keep it secure so she didn't end up with a botanical crime scene onboard. She said nothing on the matter, but she highly doubted she'd be dedicating two hours very day to a plant.

She of course had more questions than either of them had time for, so she took a moment to try and sort the list in her mind and determine which ones got priority.

"Thank you, sir, for the lesson. I believe my most pressing questions are: how long does an apprenticeship last for a Jedi on average? When will I be able to construct my weapon? How do I compare to my peers in your eyes?" She was looking to gauge how far ahead/behind she was of what she perceived as competition.

@Raydo

 

[Jonas Syl]

He took her questions in stride, not surprising him in the least. She certainly was eager, but he was quite sure she had no idea what she was eager for.

"Even the most advanced Padawans take several years to rise to the level of Jedi Knight usually." he answered evenly. "That would depend on our your studies go, and when your teacher or Master, should one take you, thinks you are ready. The Lightsaber creation process is a special one for Jedi, and requires are solid grasp on the Force to manage." he continued straightening slightly.

"This is not a competition Rya, you have done well for today, but you must realize this is a lifelong journey you are embarking on. It will not be fast; it will not be easy. Many fail along the way. It will take patience, perseverance, and a willingness to trust in your teachers if you wish to progress. Think about what we have discussed today, and I mean it..." he said, holding a finger. "One hour at night and one in the morning," he said.

"That will be all for today, you may attend to your other duties," he said pushing himself up from his seated position. "May the Force be with you, Rya." he said, dismissing her.

@Pazaakly