Into the Sand

[Freyja Storm]

The Vanir, broke through the upper atmosphere, the ship shook under the turbulence, Freyja was strapped into the co-pilot next to Kara as she brought the ship into land near the outpost in the middle of the Tatooine desert. Her Jedi Master had put her in contact with another of her brethren, she was keen to learn more about this potential power locked up inside her.

The vibrating stopped as they broke through the last of the upper atmosphere, the planet had no clouds so she could easily see their destination in the distance. "Coming up, quick and fast." Kara said as the ship began to decelerate rapidly as they neared the Outpost. From the ground it probably looked rather dangerous or aggressive, but that was Kara and that was The Valkyries. Quick, powerful and to the point. It was only a few moments later that the ship touched ground just inside the outpost, the stone walls rose up around them. "See you soon." Freyja said to her pilot as she stepped out of the cockpit and down through the ship.

A large hiss echoed around the base as the loading ramp lowered, allowing Freyja to exit, she carried no weapons leaving them all in the ship behind her. Stopping at the bottom of the ramp she looked around to see if the Jedi Master was there. She had no idea who he or she was, Aurora had left that blank. For what reason Freyja was still unaware. @Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

Sandfly Hole - Freighter Repair
Northern Mos Pelgo
Tatooine
Tatoo System

Vu’thari watched as the ship made its way down on the edge of where he was standing underneath the tent. His loose garb hung neatly off his wiry frame and was currently wearing black googles, keeping the sand and sun out of his eyes. A blaster pistol was strapped casually to his right hip and a lightsaber tucked deep in the folds of his tunic. For all intensive purposes, he looked like a typical moisture farmer found on Tatooine.

Aurora gave a brief message stating that one of her padawans was coming to see Vu’thari…one who might could use “additional training”, but she also spoke of a troubled woman with great potential…emotions would be a focus. Perhaps he could help her, perhaps not. His take on emotions was very different than most of his Jedi "Master" peers. If he could help her in just a small way during her stay, it would be worth every minute...

He took a sip of his water and watched her make her way down the ramp. Reaching out, he could sense her curiosity.

Coming out from under the tent, he greeted the woman that fit the description he was given, “Freyja?…I am Vu’thari. Welcome to the Sandfly Hole. I can show you to your quarters. Want anything to eat? Drink?”

@Braden Drake

 

[Freyja Storm]

As Vu'thari appeared from the glare of the Twin Suns, Freyja realised why Aurora had not said more about the Jedi Master. He was an alien and her master knew about her thoughts on other kinds. Though she tried to change that nature with Aurora, it was still something deeply ingrained within her personality and soul. It would take a lot for her to change this indefinitely, or a lot of respect for the man walking towards her.

He was lucky, his heritage as a Jedi gave him a headstart over others of his kind, but not by much, even in the Core, Aliens with the Power of the Force only came in a little higher than the Humans without and that was only because of their use on the frontlines. Freyja hopped her pause at the end of the ramp was not too obvious nor the grimace from her face, before she finally put on a smile and walked towards the Jedi. "Yes." She replied to his first question. "Pleasure to meet you Master Vu'thari." She said through slightly gritted teeth. "Something to drink would be great, spaceships are dry places, but here just takes the mick." She added.

 

[Vuthari]

Sandfly Hole - Freighter Repair
Northern Mos Pelgo
Tatooine
Tatoo System

The twi’lek could sense the uneasiness as soon as Freyja laid her eyes on him.

Is that…displeasure I sense?

Greeting her with an easy smile, the Jedi walked up, giving her some space.

"Pleasure to meet you Master Vu'thari.”

Eyeing the force sensitive human, he responded, “The pleasure is mine…and please, just Vu’thari.”

“Something to drink would be great..."

“Of course. This way…”

The Jedi led the human over to one of the tents against the wall with metal unit sporting a spicket out of it. Reaching over to a pair of cups turned upside down on the table, he flipped the spicket and cool water filled the cup. The twi’lek handed the cup to her and then filled his own. Once done, Vu’thari took a long pull from his cup and then looked over at Freyja now that both of them were in the shade under the tent.

“So my friend, why have you sought me out?”

It was not the time to speak on what the Jedi sensed…that would come later.

@Braden Drake

 

[Freyja Storm]

Freyja followed behind the Jedi as he took her into one of the small tents littered around the hole. The water was refreshing and surprisingly cool considering the temperature of the air around them. If the Jedi was going to force her to do some more active work she would probably need to change or at least strip down a little to allow her body to breath. The Jedi's comment about Friend made her skin cruel a little, reminding her of another Alien who called her 'Friend' and he was more annoying than a Corelian Tick.

"I was told you were a Jedi Master, Aurora thought I could benefit from learning from more than just her," Freyja replied matter of factly, there was no reason to beat around the bush.

 

[Vuthari]

Sandfly Hole - Freighter Repair
Northern Mos Pelgo
Tatooine
Tatoo System

Ever sense she laid eyes on the twi’lek, Vu’thari was honed in on sensing her emotions, observing every nuance after every action and every word. There was more unease and something close to…hate? But it was not as strong. To Vu’thari, this was part of what Aurora had concerns about. Not this reaction specifically, but her emotions…

"I was told you were a Jedi Master, Aurora thought I could benefit from learning from more than just her,"

Vu’thari nodded as he took another sip of water. After a moment, he looked at Freyja with a hint of a smile and said quietly, “Freyja…your reaction to seeing what I was did not see me favorably. I do not know the source of your unease, but my best guess is that it is either my species or my gender. If it is not that, then perhaps I have done something to offend you the moment you stepped off the ship?”

Pause. The Jedi allowed the woman a moment to consider his words, then he continued.

“I do believe you can benefit from our time together. We should speak on emotions before moving on to anything else. Emotions, the state of mind, and our motivations guide our actions. Understanding these things and dealing with them is very important…”

@Braden Drake

 

[Freyja Storm]

Freyja let out a small smile at the Jedi's perception of her distaste, it was annoying being around people who could sense her emotions and dislike so easily. She had already been brought up on this by Aurora, though it had only sunk in a little. Perhaps that was why she was sent here. The thought annoyed her a little, she wanted to learn more about the power of the force, even the welding of a Lightsaber, instead she was stuck in counselling sessions about her emotions.

"The emotion you felt was dislike," She said matter of factly, no use hiding it from someone who could tell if she was lying. "Aurora may have told you, but I grew up Sith, I was born in the Core. I saluted the Drast family, read evil stories about the Jedi and the glorious rise of the Sith. Within all of these things was a great distrust and prejudice against anything not Human." Freyja reached down and took another sip of her water. "That upbringing is still part of me and I have seen little since I left the Sith to prove to me that they were not correct." She finished.

 

[Vuthari]

Sandfly Hole - Freighter Repair
Northern Mos Pelgo
Tatooine
Tatoo System

"The emotion you felt was dislike…”

Vu’thari listened as Freyja gave a bit more about her background. Her circumstances were indeed challenging. The Jedi reminded himself that although this was a Jedi student, she was a heartbeat away from traveling a different road altogether. She went on to describe her upbringing and the prejudice she grew up with. Finally, she said that little had been done to change her mind in that regard. Vu’thari now understood more of what Aurora told her. Perhaps she sent Freyja to her specifically because of this prejudice. It didn’t matter really—Vu’thari was determined to help her.

With a relaxed smile, the Jedi responded, “Candor and transparency is a great start for us, Freyja. Thank you for helping me understand a bit more about you so I do not waste our time together. My hope is that I am not lumped in with those aliens who have solidified your prejudice by the time we part ways…”

The twi’lek wandered out from under the tent into the blazing sun and turned to look at the human. He explained, “You may be better off learning from Valentine or Leah for lightsaber training. I can help you with the flow of the Force, being a part of its weave that can allow you to accomplish some amazing feats. Specifically, examples of such feats are moving things with your mind and controlling aspects of your body. While the mental and emotional aspects of being a Jedi may or may not appeal to you, I can help you there as well. Tell me, Freyja, what has your Master taught you so far so I know where I need to begin?”

@Braden Drake

 

[Freyja Storm]

Freyja stayed under the tent not wanting to spend as little time in the hot twin suns of Tatooine as possible. "Philosophy more than anything." She said crossing her arms at the edge of the tent. "She has spoken to me about what it is to be a Jedi, their beliefs and traditions, though much of the later seems destroyed after the purge by the Sith." She continued finishing with a smile. "There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force." She said with little emotion or belief, more like she was just reading it from a sheet of paper. She understood the meaning behind the philosophy if not fully believed in it yet. Again she needed proof this way was the best. History had taught her that belief and hope got you burnt.

Freyja closed her eyes and concentrated on the small metal cup she had used to drink from, it took a moment or two for her to clear her mind and fully concentrate on the object. After a short while which probably felt like an eternity to the Jedi Master, the cup finally rose from the table floating about half a foot from it before tumbling back down, it bounced off the edge of the table before landing in the sand beneath. "I have also learnt a little of force in terms of movement, though much of this is self-practised."

 

[Vuthari]

Vu’thari listened as she spoke on the Jedi and what she was taught. It was apparent those were just words to her, but the twi’lek did understand her perspective. He nodded in understanding of the Jedi Code and stepped back in under the shade of the tent. Following that explanation, Freyja went on to explain how she had begun to learn a bit of telekinesis on her own.

The twi’lek smiled and praised her, “Well done. For no formal training, that is quite an accomplishment. I can help you refine that during your time here.”

Pause. His eyes scanned out over the top of the “Hole” looking for any sandstorms or environmental phenomena unique to Tatooine. There was no appearance of that foul weather nor did the Jedi sense it immediately. Looking back to Freyja, he said, “The Jedi Code…you told me those words. That is a ‘big ask’ of a sentient being not to have ‘emotion’…we are not droids after all. As a Jedi ‘Master’…”

Vu’thari once again stressed the word “Master”, showing his disagreement of that term, displaying once again that some of the teachings of Aurora and Vu’thari were very different. Having been raised as Jedi and never having had contact with one another, taught on islands in and of themselves, was a glimpse into just how different the “five Jedi” truly were.

“…I have emotions. They well up within...at the most inopportune time, I might add. Do you believe your Master has asked you to feel no emotion at all?”

@Braden Drake

 

[Freyja Storm]

When the Twi'Lek mentioned his ability to strengthen her power with the force Freyja smiled. That is what she truly wanted, the lack of her progress was frustrating. She wanted to know more, to do more, the lack of ability to self learn was frustrating to the young women. She could only advance that which she was originally shown by one of these 'Masters'. Part of her coming to see Vu'thari was to access another web of knowledge to advance her quicker.

She stepped out from under the tent as the alien spoke about emotion and the code, though she fully understood its tenants and the Jedi's reasoning for them. Freyja felt them unnecessarily constrictive and optimistic beyond measure. "I think what my master believes and what I interpret are two different things," Freyja replied. "The Code can be read in a million different ways by a million different individuals, that's what makes it a code, not a law. But those who see it as law are the reason it fails." She continued. "I read it that the emotion's the code refers to are those that the Jedi see as paths to the Dark Side. Fear, Anger, Hate and the like. Without these 'negative emotions'. Then there is the possibility for peace in one's actions." She let her words sink in for a second, she took a short moment to wonder what the Jedi was thinking before she continued.

"By what 'Peace' means, again this can change, but I read it as a calmness in someone's actions. So as to not act on impulse in line with these 'negative emotions'." As Freyja spoke she began to walk around the small outpost, taking in the lay of the buildings as she walked and talked.

 

[Vuthari]

Sandfly Hole - Freighter Repair
Northern Mos Pelgo
Tatooine
Tatoo System

Vu’thari listened to the young woman as she spoke, feeling the ebb and flow of emotions within her. On instinct, the twi’lek erected walls around his mind. There was a twinge of uneasiness with the young padawan of Aurora’s. He would speak to her about Freyja when there was time, but until then Vu’thari decided his footprint would be very small here on Tatooine. He watched her eyes as she surveyed the Sandfly Hole. A usual response for a strange place? Perhaps. But Vu'thari had lived on Nar Shaddaa, in Imperial territory, for five years. Caution and suspicion were a part of the Jedi's life. Aurelian, another one of Aurora's padawans, alluded to the twi'lek that he was borderline paranoid. Vu'thari could not argue with his assessment...but it kept him alive for many years.

Unable to put a finger on it for the moment, he continued to listen. Sensing the emotions of another was an imperfect art and it could often confuse the Jedi more than help. Regardless, the Jedi “Master” felt the need to be more guarded around this aspiring Jedi. But he would help her all the same. Making sure to mask his own emotions, the Jedi replied with a smile, “I think you have a good grasp of the code. It is not black and white. To follow it in a literal sense is something that can be dangerous. My grandfather followed it word for word in a literal sense, rest his soul, but he turned out just fine. So there are those that can follow the Code as it is read and be great Jedi. I am sure there are different takes on the Jedi Code this day in age…”

Clapping his hands as he changed subjects, the twi’lek said with a grin, “Let’s work on something you can sink your teeth into…moving something more than a cup.”

Looking over in the “Hole” to a hydrospanner across the sand, he told Freyja, “That hydrospanner across the yard here. Reach out. The Force binds us to not only living things, but also threads us together with all things. Close your eyes, find the hydrospanner without your sight. When you find it woven within the Force, feel the contours of the tool, recognize the cold feel of the metal, the heft of its durasteel mold. When you have familiarized yourself with this tool, it can be woven into the Force, connected to you. At this point, you can will the tool to your hands—as you now know this tool and you are connected…try it.”

@Braden Drake