[Jedi Mission] - From the Ground Up

[Tarus]

(OOC: this story ties directly into my character's origin story. Some characters and details that are mentioned here were explained there)

Cael gazed in wonder at the ceiling above her head. Even in its ravaged, torn state, the Jedi Temple on Coruscant was something to look at. She was no stranger to massive buildings - hell, Coronet was just as bad as Coruscant, with the majority of the planet covered by skyscrapers - but there was something mystical, something elegant about the gracefully-arching doorways and tall spires, damaged as they were from the recent Bogan attack.

She profusely apologized as she almost walked into a Qel'Dor, then quickly walked to another part of the grand foyer, trying to avoid people until the Jedi she had spoken to earlier came back to take her before the Council. It had only been six hours since she'd left Coronet, and her old life, behind, and she hadn't slept at all. Though she couldn't really blame her clumsiness on a lack of sleep. She felt more awake than she had ever been, memories of a past lifetime - or was it a current one? - swimming in her mind. She could see herself walking into the great chambers for the first time, holding Ren's hand tight - and then running out, eleven years later, lost and alone.

"You are not a tourist."

She turned, gaze falling upon a robed female Jedi. Cael was immediately breathtaken; the Jedi, some sort of unfamiliar race, was the most-beautiful woman Cael had ever seen. Her white hair shone with radiance, and, though there was no direct sunlight in this chamber, her jet-black robes seemed to shimmer with an aura of power. But Cael was not afraid - she felt calmed, her mind clearer, as she gazed in awe at the Jedi. Suddenly, she realized; this was no ordinary Jedi. The robes bore the weave of a Grandmaster. Cael broke her awkward stare, sinking to the ground on one knee.

"Forgive me, Grandmaster. I did not mean to be so rude."

The Grandmaster smiled, a true, warm smile, and bowed. "Talzea Keldroma. What brings you to our halls?"

Cael stuttered, still regaining composure. "Uh, Cael Scythe. I'm just here for an audience with the Council. Ma'am."

Talzea started walking, but Cael got the impression that she was to follow. She quickly picked up her napsack and fell in step alongside the Grandmaster as they walked through an archway into a massive chamber, filled with beautiful plant life - seemingly, a garden within the Temple walls. The place stretched for a good kilometer, a central path with offshoots into the lush, green surroundings. Cael, for the second time in five minutes, was awestruck with the magnificence. She could see multiple Jedi meditating in the clearings between trees and exotic plants. But something felt wrong - there was a horrible dread feeling, gnawing on the back of her mind.

"The plants are still recovering from the attack," spoke Talzea, her voice melodious as they slowly walked down the central path. "They have healed on the outside, but they are not without memory, without life. They have felt loss of kin, pain, suffering. As with all living beings, they exist in the Force just as much as you and I. Their cries echo through the night, aching to be soothed by the whisperings of others - but they can be healed by no expert's hands, no loving touch. Only through the Force may they restore their full beauty."

Cael closed her eyes, her mind filled with cries of pain uttered in languages unintelligible. She could almost see the past; the bombing run, the devastation in the Temple, the feeling of loss and despair that befell those who had never felt pain, never grieved. The torrent of emotion flowed around Cael, a million voices crying out in unison - but the voices quieted, respectful, attentive. She was not the only one who was reaching out with her mind - she felt the life of the chamber envelop her, welcoming and warm. Cael's eyes snapped open as she realized she had stopped walking. Talzea was standing a few paces ahead, looking over the plants in the chamber. She turned to look at Cael, smiling.

"I suppose you came to Coruscant with a reason?"

Cael blushed and nodded, focusing her mind. "Yes. I... I was a Jedi, once. I left the Order... out of anger or disillusionment, I don't know. But it was not the right action, it was rash. I'm... I'm just tired of feeling lost."

Talzea turned back to the plants, running a hand down the side of a rough, but beautiful, tree. "The Jedi Council does not convene on the matter of apostate Jedi. They may listen to your cause, but they will not deliberate the fate of one's life."

Cael looked down, crestfallen. "I... I suppose I should have known better. My apologies, Master Jedi." She knelt to the ground, then turned to leave, stopping as Talzea spoke again.

"There are caves on Dantooine. Our scribes speak of mystical crystals and powerful knowledge. The Order does not venture into them, only those who wander do. But within, the answers to this galaxy are said to appear clear, just like the crystals."

Cael turned, peculiar, as Talzea started walking away, trailing her hand along the tree's trunk. "The plants, their lives have been damaged - but they will rediscover their youth and overcome their loss. Before they blossom, they must grow. For how long, only they can know; be it five months or five years." The Grandmaster looked back, smiling. "Not all who wonder are lost, Padawan Scythe. May the Force be with you."

 

[Tarus]

The warm sun of Dantooine beamed over the planet's fields of waving grass, warming Cael as she stood on an overhang, overlooking the plateau. The roar of the transport's engines echoed out from behind her, buffeting her all-black combat gear. She had hitched a ride with the privateers two days after her meeting with the Grandmaster; Dantooine wasn't on very many star charts, but she had paid well and the privateers had agreed to shuttle her. The transport's exterior speakers crackled, engaging.

"Satisfied, miss? We're due to come back in two days, OK?"

Cael turned to the ship and nodded. The craft's baffles extended, engines dropping to a low hum. Cael placed her binocs over her eyes as the ship took off, quickly receding into a small speck on the horizon. The sudden silence was deafening; in all her life, Cael had lived in planetary cities, surrounded by the constant drone of swoops and shuttles. Now, here on this wild planet, all she could hear was the rustling of the tall grass at her feet and the occasional bark or mew of a nearby animal.

She dropped the binocs away from her face, closing her eyes and reveling in the peace. The binocs went back into her compact travel pack, along with her meager supplies and flares; she had seen what she wanted. She stood on a medium-sized overhang overlooking a large plains, dotted with the occasional tree and herd of pack animals. The plains met a small lake; from the air, she hadn't seen any cave entrances. Given that there were no records on this planet aside from the original Republic astrogation data, she'd have to find one herself. Asking around wasn't an option, as no Basic-speaking settlements existed; aside from a few sparse tribal setups created by the planet's primitive native population, there was no civilized life on the planet.

Cael hopped down the twenty-foot drop, landing gracefully at the bottom of the overhang. The planet's sun was in full swing, casting a beautiful glow over the serene plains. She made sure to note a few landmarks, then set off towards her intended goal; a tree she had seen. She figured that, if she kept walking towards goals, she would find a cave entrance before she died of hunger or thirst.

The pack animals around her, used to the humanoid natives, did not fear the newcomer; as she walked, the animals would tail her, mewing curiously and sniffing the stranger's fascinating scent. Their presence was incredibly innocent and pure, and surprisingly resonant in the Force. The planet seemed conducive to the mystical energies, as she could sense the nearby lifeforms with ease, feel their wondering eyes and simple minds. There was, however, one lifeform nearby that didn't seem to be in tune with the Force - Cael winced as she probed it in her mind. It radiated waves of pain and agony, but not hostility - no, this was a cry of distress. She changed her direction; the source of the feelings seemed to be only a few hundred meters away.

She climbed over a gentle hill, greeted by the sight of dozens of the pack animals; she had stumbled upon a herd. They were all grazing or resting, not incredibly concerned about the intruder; however, one of the creatures stood separated from the pack, hobbling around a tree. Cael calmly approached it, making sure to clear her mind as much as possible. As she neared it, the animals behind her dropped back, almost hesitant to approach their injured brethren.

Cael walked up to the creature. It was much bigger than the rest she had seen, its three horns each the size of hers torso. The creature nervously hobbled back as she approached it, whimpering and neighing as its laboured breath accelerated. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with it, but it was clearly injured; Cael opened her mind to the beast, showing it her own torment and suffering. The beast calmed, slowing its breathing as Cael reached up and ran her hand down its neck. She could feel its powerful muscles quivering as she circled it, looking for an injury. Her eyes widened as she looked at the beast's back leg.

The cauterized flesh slashed diagonally, starting at the beast's rear haunches and extending almost halfway down its back right leg. Blood caked the creature's short fur, matting it together as small flies buzzed around the wound. Cael's hands instinctively dropped to her hips as she warily observed her surroundings; the lightsaber that had inflicted this wound could not have gone far, for she could sense that the attack had been recent. However, whoever the wielder was, they were malicious, and they were somewhere else at the moment. Cael turned back to the beast and dropped to her knees, placing her hands on the creature's leg. It twitched but held still as Cael shut her eyes.

- - - - -​

She stood in the void, locked in meditation. There was nothing here; the blue-gray mindscape stretched out as far as she could see. Water trickled around her ankles, but it was a pitiful force, barely wetting her boots. Cael knelt down, placing her hand on the ground; the water seemed to gravitate towards her, climbing up her hand. However, there was not enough to even reach her wrist. She tilted her head, curious; it wasn't water, it was the Force, flowing about her, scarce and faint. She withdrew her hand, watching the tiny stream; the current was minuscule, but seemed to be flowing in one direction.

Cael stood up and took in her surroundings. They were completely empty; behind her, the world faded into black. The water seemed to be flowing that way. She turned, facing the opposite direction; a cool blue glow shone on her skin from somewhere up ahead. She starting walking towards it, gazing at the light; it hung in the air, wondrous and pure, but as she neared it, she realized it was fading, being obscured. By the time she came close, it had been completely blocked by a wall.

The massive construct stood impossibly high, stretching infinitely in either direction. It looked impenetrable, surface composed solely of a curious, dull metal; it seemed to absorb the warmth and energy around itself, a gargantuan monument to despair. Cael looked for handholds, but found none; the black surface was perfectly smooth. Strange, Cael thought, squinting - it looked like the wall was shimmering, almost breathing. She leaned in, only to fall back, staggering, as Ren's face flashed before her eyes.

Memories. The wall was covered in them. Thousands of them. She shuddered, suppressing tears, as she stood back up. Every negative moment in her life, every heartbreak... Cael took a breath and leaned in again. The memories swarmed about her, but she pushed them to the side, focusing on the wall. She tapped the surface, feeling no give - the stone was solid. Suddenly, she felt a drip on her hand; she traced her finger up, looking for the hole. There, a flaw in the stonework, a tiny crack slowly dripping energy down the surface of the obsidian obstacle. Cael touched the breakage, feeling the Force flow over her hand.

She scratched at the area surrounding the breakage, looking for weak points. The crack seemed to spread a little more into the surrounding surface; she dug her nails in, slowly prying at the black material. She felt a bit of give and redoubled her efforts, grasping the corner of the breakage with her other hand. The entire wall shuddered as an inch-long piece was torn off, turning the slow drip into a steady trickle. Cael stood back, satisfied. However, she had done no damage in comparison to the massive scale of the wall. She stepped away from the wall.

- - - - -​

The beast was quivering harder as Cael's eyes slowly opened. Slowly, the leg's injured flesh knit itself together, the gash disappearing within a minute. She took her hands off of the leg as the creature whimpered, taking a step forward. Surprised, it took another, and then another, quickly breaking into a run. Before she knew it, the three-horned animal had broken into a full gallop, racing around the pack in excitement. The other herd animals howled as Cael laughed, watching her new-found friend race around the field.

The beast ran for a full five minutes before trotting back to Cael, panting. No longer was it pained; in fact, the entire pack radiated positive energy as a whole, bathing the lone ex-Jedi in happiness. She laughed as the big creature trotted back to her, now trailing a few other animals. It stopped before Cael and, without hesitation, knelt on its front paws. Curious, Cael took a step forward; it seemed almost like the beast wanted... to be ridden?

She nervously grasped the beast's neck and swung her legs over its thick back, placing her hands on the two horizontal horns. The beast, satisfied, howled and broke into a trot, flanked by a good twenty of the other animals. Cael had never ridden anything aside from a speeder, and she could now see why she'd never possessed the urge to. The beast's every bound sent a shockwave through its rider, threatening to dispose her at any second. She gripped the horns tighter and hugged the creature as the pack bounded across the plains.

Ten minutes passed before the beast slowed to a walk, stopping under an overhang in a small valley. Cael looked around; there didn't seem nothing around, except for a large tree that stood right against the cliffside. She was hoping that she hadn't just healed a carnivorous beast who now wanted its meal.

"What's here?" she asked aloud, immediately feeling embarrassed for trying to talk to animals. The beast made a snorting sound, then walked closer to the tree. Cael leaned to the side and laughed as she saw the gaping hole in the cliffside; a cave entrance! She hopped off of the creature's back, giving it a loving stroke on the nozzle before making her way around the tree. The pack of animals howled, then galloped away, leaving the adventurer standing at the entrance to her future. Cael took in a deep breath, closed her eyes, and walked inside.