Ask Tython Burying a Padawan

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera barely knew Crix. The Padawan, no, Jedi Knight, had attended a training session she hosted a long time ago. He was a Padawan back then, how fast time flew. He had become a Knight and Hera hadn't even noticed, he had died and Hera hadn't even noticed... The pain of her failure to protect a former student, no matter how short his time spent with her, weighed heavily on her. However, not as heavily as the anger and rage that boiled deep down inside her.

She slammed the sharp end of the shovel into the earth, digging a hole.

That infernal rage roiled and riled inside her heart, asking 'Why had they held a service for Crix without his body? Why hadn't they just requested it back? Would we not also send back our slain enemies to be properly tended to?' Hera did so with zero hope that it would be returned, but within a week the corpse had been returned in a soft Kashyyyk-pine box to a designated point on a neutral world; with body, lightsaber, and box free of tracking devices. His body had not been tended to, but his return at all was a shocking surprise. Altair (@Sreeya) didn't even hesitate when Hera sent the request to his public Imperial office.

Hera slammed the sharp end again, harder, digging deeper and deeper.

His body was burned almost to an unidentifiable degree, then impaled multiple times with earthen spears. The Sith were not merciful in their kills, but the Jedi were not defenseless civilians. This was war, and she would certainly not hold herself back in a duel with their sworn enemies. But it was not that Sith that felt her anger, no, it was the Jedi. A padawan threw away the Order after Crix's death, but didn't seem to care about caring for what remained of him. Her master utterly failed in teaching her, preferring to serenade her instead- 'What madness was this?'

Harder, the shovel hit the earth.

Hera had wrapped Crix's corpse in bandages, covering his body head to toe in a manner not dissimilar to what would be required of a mummification process. She gently clothed his wrapped body in the tunic and cloak of a Knight befitting his status. His lightsaber she clipped to her own belt, Hera would honor Crix's memory in her own way with his blade. Hera had been accused of not grieving, and that accusation from an angry Padawan had cut deeper than the Knight would have liked. She thought, 'How dare you, I will grieve in my own way in my own time! If I don't cry and spill my heart to you, begging for comfort, does that mean I didn't care? How- what- I cannot-'

The shovel thrown out of the hole, now seven feet deep, Hera screamed in frustration. Kneeling in the hole, she tried to get her emotions under control. This was not becoming of a Justicar, she had to be better.

She had to be better.

@Apollyon

 

[Zakrym La]

Zakrym La was entirely unaccustomed to being a single place for too long. He had always lived to serve the Force in the most direct way possible and remaining ever sensitive to her guiding song. For the longest time Zak had believed that the Jedi existed aid in this glorious song, to help guide the notes as they echoed out into the galaxy, and to ensure that peace settled in their wake. He had been opposed to an openly aggressive war against the Sith and their Empire, he had believed that many of these "Sith" could be rehabilitated, part of him still did. The attack on Yavin, had blindsided the entire Order and the loss of their primary Temple was a crushing defeat. To make things worse, Zak had not been there to aid in the defense, the ambush had caught him outside of the system, meeting with dignitaries and diplomats. Zak had told himself that he was trying to build alliances for the Jedi, that this was the Will of the Force, but in reality he was just playing politician.

He had lost his way.

It was a failure that rested entirely on his own shoulders. In response, Zak did what he could to aid the refugees that were settling in on Kashyyyk and refocusing on the Will of the Force. It was a period of re-alignment that provided jarring clarity that had already begun to shift his perspective. His fellow Councilor, Kaisa had already publicly backed the ISC in the war against the Sith and Zak felt an pull in the same direction. It was a decision not to be made lightly and one he wanted to be sure of before moving the Order in the direction of war. Zak had asked for guidance from the Force, he had asked for her Will to be made clear to him.

The Force made it so.

Zak had left Kashyyyk for the first time in months, he had felt the call of the Force leading him back to the shattered homeworld of his Order. He hadn't been on Tython long before seeking out an area that was vaguely familiar to what the Kashyyykian forests had been. There was a certain peace in being surrounded in the dense woods, by nature, and away from all disturbances. This level isolation had always allowed him to find his center far easier. It was in the middle of a meditative trance, with his senses extended to soak in the myriad of life that surrounded him, that something caught his attention. He felt a deep sadness, distress, and grief all mixed with raw anger. Instinctively, Zak turned his head to face the direction he felt the potent concoction of emotion from. He would rise up from his kneeling position, with his senses still extended, he would follow the strand of discordant notes back to their source.

He crouched down by the edge deep hole had been dug, his gaze turned to a carefully wrapped body the laid near the edge of the freshly dug grave. It was clear from the traditional vestments of the Order, that this person had not only been a Jedi but someone important to the procession. Zak placed a hand on the chest of the wrapped body and silently muttered a small farewell to the unknown man. His gaze would then shift back to the hole and the red haired woman within it, she labored tirelessly while lost in her own thoughts and misery. Zak didn't speak until after the shovel left the woman's hands and fell to the freshly dug earth, until after a cry of frustration left the woman dropping to her knees.

Zak would pull his gaze from the woman and allow it to return to the corpse beside him. Then his own presence would bleed into the Force herself, allowing the woman to feel the empathetic sadness that pulsed through Zak's veins. He might not have known the deceased man but he was a Jedi, a brother in the Order and deserved mourning. Once he was sure the woman was aware of his presence, Zak would return focus to the woman below him.

"I am so sorry for your loss." Zak told her, his voice etched with emotion.

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

The voice caught her off guard, not because she was not expecting anyone out here, but because her Hera's anger had pulled her out of balance with the Force. 'Breathe Hera, breathe.' She mentally told herself, leaning against the edge of the pit. Looking up the Jedi, she recognized him as Zakrym La, Councilmember Zakrym La. However, in her dark state, she could not be pulled to even show the respect she knew she had for someone in his position.

In response to his statement, she nodded, "Thank you, but I barely knew him. His public funeral caused a Padawan to try to leave the order and a Jedi Knight to follow the wrong path looking for her, I felt that a second public showing of his body would be unwise. So I am burying him myself, quietly- I was the only one to request his body after all.-" That last bit was something Hera thought, but accidentally also spoke aloud.

Straightening up, she quickly added, "My apologies, I should not have said that." Then, reaching up, she attempted to jump and grasp the edges of the pit to pull herself out. Speaking even whilst she did this, Hera asked as politely as she could manage, "Councilmember La, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

@Apollyon

 

[Zakrym La]

Zak watched as the woman leaned up against the edge of the pit she had dug. He listened to her response to his statement, it was dismissal of what he had sensed. She was grieving for this man, regardless of if she knew him or not, there was a deeper connection there. While Zak could discern that much, he didn't voice it, that would do nothing in the grand scheme of things. Zak didn't chastise the woman when she made her verbal snipe at him, what could he say in response? She was right after all, the Council had failed to put this Jedi Knight to rest, a rest that he had earned. As such, when the woman went to apologize Zak extended his hand, palm out, in a gesture for her to stop and slowly shook his head.

"No." He stated in a flat, calm tone. "You are absolutely right, we-" Zak paused shortly after he had began, he bit off his own words. "-no, I failed him." Zak corrected, he accepted the burden of responsibility. "In addition, I failed that young Padawan and the Knight that was almost led astray." He continued. "I also failed you and I am sorry for that." Zak stated in smooth, calm finality.

It would only be once he had finished this admission and apology that he allowed for the female Knight to continue speaking. Throughout his apology Zak would allow for his emotion to be plainly written on his face and in the Force, he wanted this unexpected company to be able to read him like a book. Nothing was hidden regarding the situation, Zak was completely transparent with her.

When the female Knight finally turned her attention to why Zak was here, his expression hesitantly shifted to a small smile before he spoke.

"I was led here by the Force." He explained. "She has always guided my path..." Zak would pause for a moment. "...or she did." He admitted. "In more recent months, I don't think I was a sensitive to following her designs." Zak explained. "So, I am trying to rebuild that depth of our relationship again...I guess that I am trying to understand my place in her plan again." He confessed to this perfect stranger.

Zak would allow a silence to fall between them after he had explained himself in such an open a brazen fashion. After a few moments he would speak again and break it.

"And you don't have to call me that." He suddenly stated. "Councilor, councilmember, Zakrym La." He explained as he expressed some measure of distaste at the formality of the titles and his own full name. "Please, just call me Zak, it's easier to remember..." He continued, a mischievous grin steadily began to appear on his lips. "...and easier for me to hear." He joked, that grin having spread openly on his face.

"However, you have me at a disadvantage, you know me but I don't know you."

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

"I am Hera Albion, Jedi Knight." She stated, finally reaching up and pulling herself out of the pit. Hera had remained silent throughout the older councilman's response. Older, yes, but not terribly. He couldn't have been more than a decade Hera's senior, yet he held strength she could only dream of at this point in time. She wasn't sure how to feel about him yet, he didn't argue with her anger, nor did he disapprove of it.

Councilman La, no, Zak, seemed to use Hera as a sounding board for his own doubts and thoughts whilst the Knight was still in the pit. Speaking of his musing and his questions of the path he walked. Now that Hera stood out of the hole, and at nearly the same height as the togruta, she finally smiled. The anger and disappointment that had taken her seemed to melt away as Hera quietly moved over towards Crix's body.

She motioned for Zak to help her, grasping the wrapped corpse by the shoulders, and began to lower him into the hole. Once the body hit the bottom, she would begin to cover him with dirt. Only now would Hera begin to speak once more, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Zak. If you would indulge me, I think I can offer insight into your walk down the path... I teach Padawans, that is my main role here in the Order. They are our future, the next generation. It is my role, our role, to guide them and protect them on the path.

"But how can we protect them if we allow the Darkness of the Sith to run rampant? After I leave here, I am headed on a mission to Manaan to help protect the world, a show of good faith for the ISC. I won't be taking any padawans with me. While the Force has led and directed me my whole life to protecting and training the young, if I do not go out and proactively prevent the darkness in this galaxy, then I feel all I am doing is preparing a new generation for the hardships that I should've taken care of myself. The new generation, raised with a debt to the galaxy, will not be free. You know?"

With every few words of her rant, Hera would shift more dirt into the pit. A certain calmness overtook her once she was out of the hole, and the body placed into it. It was not that she was 'happy' Crix was dead, nor was she 'happy' to be burying him, but there was joy in the Knight. Crix would finally be receiving the rest he deserved, and it seemed disrespectful to Hera to celebrate his life with anything other than joy.

After all, when she dies, Hera hopes that she will be buried with a party and laughter. A fitting remembrance to Hera the Joyful.

@Apollyon

 

[Zakrym La]

Zak reached his hand out to aid Jedi Knight Hera Albion from the grave she had dug for the fallen Jedi beside him. He grasped her palm with one of his hands and behind her elbow with the other to acts as an anchor, support, and counter balance as she climbed from the hole. Once she was free from the grave Zak would softly return Hera's smile.

"Hera Albion," He repeated softly. "It is a pleasure to meet you." Zak replied before he paused to glance at the carefully prepared body and gestured to it. "Despite the unfortunate circumstances."

Even before Zak spoke, he would notice shift from grief to joy on Hera's expression. While the sudden shift was slightly jarring, given the depth of her emotions just moments before, what took Zak back the most was the fact they were genuine. The Jedi Knight wasn't masking her true feelings, instead he felt the warm wave of joy wash through her presence in the Force. To Zak, it was a staggering sensation and one that left him momentarily perplexed at Hera.

"How?" He thought.

Zak wouldn't be given the time to process what he sensed, instead Hera had begun to move towards the fallen Knight, Crix's body and motioned for him to help her. That had drawn Zak back from his own mind and back to the present. After a momentary hesitation, Zak would move to help this peculiar woman with lifting the body of the man she 'barely knew' and yet and carefully prepared his body and a grave for him on a world that neither were supposed to be on. Nothing about Hera made sense in Zak's eyes and maybe that was the point the Force was trying to show him, that She wouldn't always make sense to him and that he would have to simply trust Her.

Zak crouched down at the feet of the fallen Knight, he grasped the dead man's thighs tightly and respectfully lifted in time with Hera. He carefully bore the weight of the honorable dead alongside Hera back into the man's final resting place. The pair would carefully place Crix's body into the earth that Hera prepared for him. Only then would the Knight speak as she began to cover Crix's body with loose earth. Zak would listen as he began to help her bury their fallen comrade.

The Knight spoke simply but wisely and what came from her heart. Zak heard that she didn't speak of vengeance or destruction but rather doing what she must to protect and free. She spoke of their mutual responsibility to the younglings, the Order, and the Galaxy. It resonated with Zak on a level he hadn't truly expected.

Zak had spent his life treating the symptoms of corruption and evil, letting the Force guide him to where she needed him most. He thought it was his job to fix the most immediate issue and bring temporary, surface level peace to those he helped. However, Hera's words made him question if that was the intent of the Force, he had seen Onderon, he had helped the refugees from that world settle on Kashyyyk and had seen the devastation caused by the Sith. His mind though back to the countless atrocities committed by those that led the Sith and a singular revelation struck him. None of the Sith opposed that cruelty, instead they fell in lockstep with the evil of those that led them.

Shame crept into Zak's soul, his mood and expression would change from one of neutrality to sullen at the realization. He had been so focused on believing that the Sith could be saved that he had fallen into their trap, he had become blind to the suffering they caused. What's worse is that it was suffering he had witnessed first hand. Hera's explanation ended with a simple question, one that was likely rhetorical but drew him once again from his self-reflection.

"Yes." Zak breathed his reply in a mournful sigh. "I think now I see the error of my own ways." He replied, his gaze pulled from the freshly buried grave and back to Hera. "Shall we pay our comrade one last token of respect?" Zak asked her before offering his hand to Hera. "Trust me and open yourself up to the Force." He instructed as he knelt down and placed his other hand on the mound of loose soil before him.

This would be the least he could do for the fallen he had failed.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Zak seemed to understand Hera and the meaning behind her rant. For that was what Hera seemed to be best at when she spoke, just ranting. His expressions ranged as he moved to assist Hera, though Hera herself wasn't able to do much more than smile understandingly. She liked helping people and it felt like this was helping Zak to come to a realization that he needed at this time.

Suddenly, turning away from the grave as Hera finished her work, Zak asked her to trust him. Hera did not hesitate, as she felt no reason not to implicitly trust the councilor. Reaching out with her hands, she grasped his firmly and attempted to let her joy flow through him. She wanted him to know what she felt and that she felt so strongly. There was uncontainable, reckless joy in this Jedi Knight, and all she wanted to do was share it.

"Let's give him a proper rest, then?" She asked, unsure of what Zak had planned, but ready for whatever he wanted to do in this moment.

@Apollyon