All the Beauty in This Whole Life

[Cero-Serat]

​

Ossus, the home of the Consulars, a rich planet teeming with the vibrancy of life and basking in the warm serenity that permeated the light. Its great forests, steep canyons, flowing rivers, and rolling fields all formed with a harmony that somehow managed to endure the Hundred Year Darkness that had destroyed or perverted so much of the galaxy. It was here that the Great Library of the Jedi remained, strong and steadfast as one of the most complete libraries within the galaxy. It was also here that Cero Serat had started his training in the Jedi Order after being discovered as Force Sensitive but only a few years earlier. Outside of Eshan, and the other five of the Six Sisters, this planet was all he had known of the Galaxy at large. Even knighted he had not seen fit to leave this beautiful stronghold of the light, for he felt deep in his heart that this was where he still needed to be. The wisdom of the elder Consulars, the wisdom of the library, and the wisdom offered in the force was a pull he could not turn away from. Even when The Tragedy struck and all manner of Jedi left for Jedha or to take up the Crusade Cero turned from the violent path and instead looked to the spiritual road. The youth, a veritable warrior born and raised, decided to the elder's call and not seek to pick up the blade.

Now it was on many a day Cero could be seen within the halls of the library trying to expand his knowledge, or researching something for one of the Elders. Or it could be that he was found running through the dense forests near by, using the natural splendor of Ossus as a means to keep his body strong. Or, potentially, like it was on this day he could be found in one of the training areas in the shadow of the Great Library. Doffing his robes to the side, and indeed much of his clothes, Cero could be found in only his silver sleeveless under tunic and the loose fitting trousers for freedom of movement. His silver hair and alabaster skin seemed to have a gentle shine to it as the light of the day basked the young knight in its presence. Framing Cero quite idyllically within the circle of stones that he had placed himself within. With an initial breath that caused his chest to rise and fall the Echani would begin to center himself. Another breath, in and out, and his silver eyes would close and his body would flow naturally into the opening stance of Echani. The third breath would fall and establish the rhythm in truth as he began to slowly carry out the foundation steps of the Echani Art. The steps he had done over a million times, the motions as second nature to him as his ease of breathing, and yet while he moved in this slow martial dance one could feel his mind draw out into the force. His foot would slide into place for him to extend an unhurried strike towards one of the boulders and with it the flow of the force would follow his fist. With gentle ease he would readjust, moving in a small radius within the center of the circle and never leaving it. All the while using his body to guide his mind, his senses, and the force within the circle. A beautiful dance, an elegant trance, and through it all a knight expanding beyond himself and into the force.

 

[Tarlo Geld]

Tarlo Geld's mind was a frantic and confused blur of thought and counter thought. Ever since Illum had shattered the order's core the question of what to do next was everywhere, on everyone's lips. The crusaders and the shadows spoke of exterminating the Exiles, as if it were as simple as swatting a fly. The Consulars spoke of finding peace and mending the wounds in the farce, as if mourning the dead and ignoring the problem was somehow going to magically make it go away. No, there had to be something the Jedi could do to defeat the Exiles. A new method of fighting, an old technique lost to time, a weapon.... Something! Anything! And that was why Tarlo had come to the ancient library on Ossus, its vast archives could hold the secret to the order's survival. And maybe, just maybe there were writings on just why the exiles were so effective.

But after days of endless searching and reading he had made no progress, only ran into one dead end or rambling text after another. Sighing, he pushed himself away from the terminal and started roaming the halls in an attempt to stretch out his muscles. When was the last time he had eaten anyway? or slept for that matter? Maybe it was time for some rest, but soon he would have to get back to his research, the order needed him just as the galaxy needed the order.

He blinked as he realized he had stepped out of the library itself and into Ossus' marvelous sun. It warmed his skin as he breathed in fresh air once again, helping settle his mind some. Then his eyes tracked over to a young Echani Knight slowly going through a practice routine and a training circle. His moves were graceful and near perfect, flowing naturally from one stance and strike to another. It was beautiful. Upon reaching out minutely with the force Tarlo found him, a beacon of peace in the stream of the force, barely even causing a ripple as he reached out and called upon it in his own right. It was impressive to say the least.

 

[Cero-Serat]

There is no emotion, there is peace. The first line of the Jedi code within its more eloquent phrasing echoed in the mind of the Echani Knight as he went through the opening forms. There was much to reflect upon the code, there had been for millennia and yet something about the current time made it feel more prevalent. There is no emotion, there is peace. Cero didn't feel the presence of emotion when he went through the forms. He felt calm, he felt peace, he could let himself be one with the force more easily in these movements than he ever could sitting still. This was his peace and with it the force flowed around him. Still he had his eyes closed as he began to shift his movements somewhat. The flow of the force being directed not about him now but on a specific stone within the circle. One that had, at least for a time, been stationed to his right and now began to align itself before him as his meticulous footwork flowed him into position.

All the while his thoughts flowed much in the way his body did. But it was not chaos, it was not striking out blindly and hoping to hit on a target. Instead his thoughts matched his form in all things for There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. He knew, better than some on Ossus, the frustration of not knowing your path. Cero grappled with his choice to remain among the Consulars after Ilum multiple times over the course of a week. But there was knowledge in the Master's advice, and the ignorance in that immediate desire to lash out in kind. It took much mediation for him to understand that, and even then Cero still had his doubts. But there was something to be said about making the resolute choice that centered a person. After all There is no passion, there is serenity, and serenity in body and mind was a gift to the resolute.

Shifting forward Cero would begin to quicken his pace. The unhurried display of the Echani arts was finally gaining some momentum and with it the rippling of the force could be felt. But this was as precise as his strikes, as focused as his mind, there was no chaos and no wasted movements. The thought flowed through his head as his calm and stable breathing continued to keep himself centered, There is no chaos, only harmony. He used that harmony, that serenity, that knowledge, and that peace to reach out in the force and begin to lift the heavy stone. Where he guided it the force moved with the same ease of his motion, and as he drew closer the stone would lift free from the ground. Each thrust guiding it higher and higher until he came to a halt and it had leveled...somewhat. Truth be told it was a little shaky and one could see that steady stream of breaths finally shifted to a more labored rhythm. But it was progress, and Cero could feel it.

What he could also feel though was the faint disturbance in the force. A droplet that cast out the tiniest of ripples, hardly noticeable in a place so full of the Light. Yet the young Echani had established this space as his own, his senses filled the small radius through his mediation, and though a small droplet the subtle push was enough to let him know someone was feeling him out. So he paused and let his body stand up right. His hands rising before his chest and angled so that they formed a small triangle with his fingers fully extended outward. Releasing a trembling breath the youthful Jedi brought his hands downward and out, the angle flatting before his chest while his fingers never touched. Meanwhile the stone he had been holding would follow the motion and lower itself back down into place. In one final breath the silver haired knight allowed his equally silver eyes to open, and softly on the wind his voice would ring "There is no death, there is the force." A final word spoken, punctuating his thoughts more to himself than to anyone else.

It was but a few seconds after he spoke that Cero turned those silver eyes to the other knight. His gaze proved steady, calm, and much like him so youthful in so many ways. "Greetings, I don't believe we have met." He opened quite formally, "My name is Cero Serat. Were you looking to meditate?"

@Kallus

 

[Tarlo Geld]

Tarlo stood watching the young Jedi, reveling in the precision and focus on display in the ring. And as the younger Knight lifted a large stone of the ground Tarlo noted the subtle signs of strain, but the level of focus and calm was striking. Then again, he thought bitterly, it doesn't seem like he has ever left the sanctuary of a temple, Lets see how long that calm will last on the battlefield. Sighing he pushed the thought from his mind. Or maybe it is I who have seen too much chaos and far too little peace in my time.

By now Cero had turned and introduced himself in the formal manner. It felt stiff but well practiced, and Tarlo could not quite tell if the Echani was distressed by his presence or simply following protocol and greeting a fellow Knight like they had all been taught. And the only way to find out was to talk to him and find out just what sort of person he was. Bowing slightly at the waist Tarlo replied "Greetings Cero, I am Tarlo Geld" dropping the formal 'Knight' from both of their names to see how he would react. "I did not intend to interrupt your exercises, simply clearing my mind of my studies with a walk. I guess you could say that the force guided me here, or maybe I was instinctively drawn to your presence." He added with a soft laugh that sounded like notes being played from a flute.

 

[Cero-Serat]

To his initial thought Tarlo would by and large be correct in his assessment. For the Echani he might have fared a little better than a young Knight from a non-warrior culture. But he did not see the fighting from the front lines, he did not experience the grit and horror of war that many of the older knights have experienced. Cero's joining of the order came in the final years of the open conflict, and he was finishing his accelerated training when the Tragedy occurred. So he had never seen the war but on the peripheries and even then only in how the government of Eshan acted and his father's trips to help train Republic soldiers affected his life. In end though the war was hardly over, at least in the mind of the Echani Knight. Even on Ossus the whispers of the shadow war reached and spread through the temple and library. But the Consulars had made their position clear and above all the war would never be over if the galaxy as a whole did not manage to heal from the wounds of the Darkness.

The melodic tones of Tarlo's voice found itself a perfect balance to Cero's more soft spoken tones. The Echani did make note that he had dropped the Knight from the other man's title, but so had the Echani so he didn't seem to pay too much mind to it. After all Cero had broken formal convention to some degree and he would hardly be perturbed that Tarlo felt similarly inclined. "Ah, no, it isn't an interruption in the least. Such respites can prove fruitful in any instance." The Echani offered mere moments before walking to his supplies and drawing forth a towel from his gear. It seemed by all indications Cero didn't draw an issue with the appearance of the other knight. The Echani for their part all looked incredibly similar to one another, especially among family members. Were you to line Cero together with his father and older brother one might be hard pressed to tell one Echani apart from the other. It was in that genetic uniformity that most Echani learned appearance was little to be concerned with.

In taking his towel Cero would lightly dab the soft fabric along his brow here and there while Tarlo continued, and as the other knight chuckled the young knight let the towel fall back to his other gear. "Would you second guess the will of the Force? There are many paths from the library to take and yet here you are just as I am. If you forgive the impudence of one so young, maybe I can offer perspective to what weighs on you?" Cero could feel the weight of the age of his new found compatriot, and while outwardly he couldn't tell the man's age the Echani knew he was at least older than he was. The Khil just didn't feel young, in fact he felt wizened beyond what Cero might have guessed. "Come, if you wish." He finally offered and made his way back towards the center of the circle. His more formal tone never quite leaving him as he spoke to Tarlo. It was odd for one so young to be sure, but to Cero it was just natural as he simply didn't naturally express himself well through words.

@Kallus

 

[Tarlo Geld]

Tarlo flexed his Heluphi in satisfaction, a sort of smile that the members of his race tended to use. The young Knight had dropped right in to the conversation without a hint of hesitation. More yet, he still felt the Echani to be centered and at peace, not at all perturbed by his sudden presence or even his little faux pas regarding the will of the force. Many counsulars would have quickly admonished him for such a statement. This was turning out to be a rather nice encounter and Tarlo flexed his Heluphi again.

"I wish not to second guess, but only to wonder the true scope of the force's influence. True it guides us, but does it direct us every step of the way, at every point in our lives? Countless members of the order have pondered on that and so far their only answer is 'it will be revealed when we are one with the force'" He said, his last line a statement taken directly from one of the last texts he had read. This brought another note of musicale laughter to the knight as he stepped closer. "Impudence? Youth may mean a lack of experience, but it may not mean a lack of wisdom. I for one relish a fresh perspective."

At Cero's invitation Tarlo joined him in the ring and bowed low at the waist. Straightening, he waits for the Echani to start.

 

[Cero-Serat]

Cero watched the way the tendrils seemed to move on the other male's mouth and for his part he didn't seem to react. The Echani knew very little of the Khil and for all he knew such a little movement could have been their version of a smile. In any case Cero didn't dwell too much on it, and if he was in the wrong then he was certain he would be corrected on the faux pas. In the mean time he found his thoughts leaning more towards his fellow knight and the research he was undertaking. Just what was it that he had been researching that drove him to the point of being so eager for a break. Not that he didn't understand the need after having spent many days in the Great Library himself. But the curiosity was still there and as far as he was willing to admit to himself the Echani was not willing to stifle it yet.

While he moved to the center of the circle he listened as his brother in the Jedi spoke of the scope of the force. The question by and large was an interesting one to say the least. Tarlo was more than correct in that many pondered the very extent of the Force's pull all things, and what insights Cero could offer...well he feared they might be found wanting. Still the question was posed and Cero was bound to give his answer as best he could. A breeze flitted by as he paused and mulled over the thought. That playful wind brushing along the silver locks of his short hair while those youthful eyes grew distant in finding his answer. "It is a fair question, and I am certainly not one to rebuke the answers of those who came before. Still when I think on the force, I think on it as an old friend. As long as I can remember I have felt its presence with me, but never once has it dictated to me the actions to take. I feel such a view is a means of taking the self out of the decision." At this Cero paused and let his words linger on that playful wind for a moment. With a simple gesture to the ground he offered Tarlo a seat before proceeding to settle in himself. His legs folding before him as one might expect a Jedi to sit when meditating. In truth, Cero was merely mimicking what he had seen the Consular masters do many times when he came to them with questions. As far as he saw it there was a purpose in the tradition, and to a degree in the comfort. But Cero didn't quite understand that the comfort was meant to open both up to the discussion at hand.

"Take the Exiles for example, the records show clearly that in their quest for power they destroyed millions of lives and decimated worlds. They might argue that it was the call of the force that made them carry out such actions, but there was a choice to pursue them. In much the same way, when I was on Eshan and Master Tovar discovered my potential I had the choice to go with her to Ossus or remain on Eshan with my family. In that case I could feel the force guiding me to the moment, but when the moment arrived it was my will that brought me here." As he finished Cero would bring a hand to rise from his lap, the palm facing upward and lifting some. In that same moment some of the dust kicked up from his training would rise as well, guided by the force in a small swirling nebula. While trying to keep it together put a little strain on the Cero's focus, in all it was certainly a lot easier than the boulder. "The force itself has a light and a dark, it is a balance between everything. It does not demand, nor does it let pass by. The force is...and we as conduits of it must accept that. But we must never assume we are masters of it, nor must we allow ourselves to be blinded by it. Just as the force is, so to must we be." His small swirling cloud of dust would continue to form as he drew more of his focus upon it. The end result being a...mostly spherical cloud of dust moving in motion and yet holding no definitive pattern. "There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no chaos, there is harmony. This is what I think."

@Kallus

 

[Tarlo Geld]

Nodding in response to Cero's initial statement Tarlo could see that he had been right to encourage the younger man to speak him mind, and he felt his own mind continue to calm as it shifted to consider this new view. Sitting and crossing his legs, facing Cero as he had done many times before with others when having discussions of this caliber, he listened to carefully to every word. Some came from the teachings of the masters, just put into slightly different words. But more still were views and thoughts that one rarely heard from members of the order.

After a few seconds of silence, pondering over his reply Tarlo said "I too believe that the force is there as a guiding and watchful presence, pushing us but not controlling us. Some would have us believe that the force controls all things, that no matter what happens it is as the force wills it. To those I ask, was it the force's will to plunge the galaxy into a century of war? I think not. We are gifted with the ability to see and feel things most others in the galaxy cannot, but what we do with this ability is ultimately up to us." He held up a hand to forestall a reply.

"Let us ponder their view for a moment. If we are but djerik pieces in the grand scheme of the force's game then it goes to say that the exiles' actions are not that of people but the dark side manifested. They are not a sign that anyone can fall to temptation, hubris, or rage. In this interpretation they are simply evil creatures warped by the dark power they wield. And what does that leave us? We would be the heroes to their villains, beacons of justice and light. It is appealing to look at it that way, your enemy is pure evil and you are absolutely justified in the actions you take. After all, it is as the force wills. But that is not how i see it. We are all prone to failure, all given to flaws. And it is much harder to view your enemy as a broken man who made a mistake than it is to vilify him. It is these individuals that i fight, not the dark side."

After another moments though something occurred to him. "If the force is forever in balance, and we have shunned the study of the dark is this the force seeking to balance itself out?"

 

[Cero-Serat]

Cero held in silence as the other knight postulated over his own thoughts and in kind offered a summation and retort of his own. Through it all the young Echani listened as he was taught to listen, and to take in the thoughts of his fellow knight. It was here that Cero's patience was well proven and why he enjoyed conversations of this nature. For his mind worked hard to pick the words of Tarlo apart, examine them, take in the meaning behind them, and decipher truth behind them. What's more he was given the time to do so at his pace, a pace that his upbringing made difficult in less formal conversations. It truly gave him a sense of peace that he ultimately didn't completely understand, and yet was always profoundly joyful to experience.

When finally Tarlo finished Cero took up his turn to reply,

"It is an interesting view point I feel, and one I think many of our brothers and sisters as well as the Exiles might find more comfortable in the end. If there is no choice, if the will of the force is what binds us to our roles then we can do no wrong in our actions. To slay a foe, to take their life becomes a simple matter because it is the will of the force that they be extinguished. To dominate a person, a town, a nation, a planet becomes easy because it was that person's lot to rule over the others and the force brought them to that point. The cries of those harmed through such actions become easy to ignore, the pains of extinguishing a life...any life become easier to silence. In many ways I find myself wanting to look to this form of thought because it would be easier to do so. It would be easier to take up my blade and turn it upon the Exiles for the countless lives taken and say it is the will of the force that they be destroyed and so I destroy them. It is easy to say that they are villains, puppets of the dark side, and with the light on my side I would strike them down as a hero. But, I feel that view is the height of arrogance and in many ways can be a step off the path of the light." At this Cero paused and looked to the swirling cloud of dust floating just above his hand. His silver eyes following the patterns before him as he worked out what to say next.

"My people, the Echani, are a warrior culture. To this combat, war, battle, it is life and expression and it can be equally beautiful and tragic. When one engages with another it is to reveal ones heart and bare it to your opponent. In form, stance, and discipline there is always a root, a choice to strike and by striking communicating your heart. This conviction, no matter the cause, is incompatible with such thoughts that we are all just pieces in a wider game of the living force. It makes no apologies and each act becomes its own truth. When one risks pain or death there is no truer act of bravery or strength, when one risks pain of death for another there is no truer test of ones beliefs or conviction. The Exile who cuts down another proclaims his power, the one who cuts down indiscriminately proclaims he can not live without that power. The Jedi that destroys the Exile proclaims his will to protect, but it can also proclaim a heart of hatred in the way of the execution. If these were born purely of the force then I do not feel that one simple act could speak to so many different outcomes. It is why I hold firm in my belief that ultimately we are the arbitrators of our fates. That the only difference between we who feel the force strongly and any other person in the galaxy is that we feel the flow that brings us to these ultimate moments of choice, and the echoes of those choice ring deeper than many others." At this point Cero finally finished and gave a silent nod to Tarlo to convey that. To which eventually Tarlo would come with another question, one that the young knight would seek to answer as well.

"It is a good question Tarlo, and in many ways one could say that it is true in many respects. But it could also be said that more, beasts would prey upon the weak, or more citizens of the Republic could turn to darker paths to balance the proverbial scales. The force exists in all living things so it must be that if balance did not happen among us it would happen elsewhere and thus a natural state would arise." At this punctuating point Cero finally lowered his hand and the swirling cloud of dust began to fall once more to the ground and settle as it had before, slightly disturbed as Cero could not place it perfectly, but arguably in its natural state. "Obviously I was not around when the first Exiles were banished from the order. But I wonder what might have been had not those Jedi from a hundred years ago decided instead to work with those curious about the dark path and brought them into the light instead of trying to cut them off. The choices of our elders are just as much to blame as those ancient exiles who felt the pull of the dark side and decided to heed the call."

@Kallus