Liberated Minds

[Xyrael]

Despite not finding enough time to sleep, Saia was not exceptionally tired. She had found herself quite busy on her visits to Tython as of late, but still managed to find the energy to do what she needed to do. Right now she stood in the main lobby of the Temple, flanked on both sides by spiraling staircases that winded up the tower. All around her she could sense Jedi going about their duties, and it seemed like a veritable bee-hive of mendicant warrior monks.

She grinned to herself and looked to her feet as she continued to wait for the blue Twi'lek that would become another Padawan under her training. She had read about this girl and her troubled past; she had already trained under a previous Master and acquired a few skills under his tutelage, though Saia admitted that she hadn't actually fully read the dossier and didn't know why exactly Dia couldn't complete her training under him.

She shrugged to herself and figured he'd probably been called away on duties indefinitely, and her training couldn't be put off until an undetermined time. Saia tried to make herself obvious, standing about in her dark grey robes, her black hair and piercing blue eyes scanning about the younger Padawans, waiting for one of them to greet her. She probably could have picked a better spot to meet, but hey, one had to adapt to their own decisions.

 

[Dia]

Dia Rha walked down the grand corridor of the temple. The temple was such a mysterious place, and she had rarely had time to explore its many hallways, or mingle with its denizens. Nay, she couldn't. Fear was wrapped around her like a perpetual cloak. She felt lost in the corridor, but knew why she was there.

Unlike the structures on other planets, the temple's halls were oddly barren, and empty, leaving an almost calming sense of peace and quiet within. It certainly made it easier for the padawan to locate her new jedi master. Of the handful of padawans lingering about, jedi knights and masters going along their business and holding conversation, only one figure stood in the open, unoccupied.

Dia stopped in her tracks. Was this her new teacher? What if she were wrong? Dia had had bad experience with mistakes in her childhood, and was still adapting to the friendly mindset of the Jedi Order. Part of her wanted to retreat to her room. It was likely much easier to let those in charge come to her. They had a knack for finding her. But the other part disagreed. Counselor Ven'eera from a local therapist business had been holding sessions with Dia to help her gain confidence in herself. They had made some progress, and Dia was able to go about the temple of her own prompting, but she was still so anti-social.

Taking a deep breath, Dia took the first steps towards the woman she guessed was her new... master. That word made her shudder. Her days as a slave were behind her now. Why did that word still strike fear into her heart?

"Uh, M-Master? Perhaps you..." Dia's voice dropped to a quiet voice and averted her gaze. "Perhaps you could help me? I'm supposed to meet someone here."

 

[Xyrael]

"I do think you're referring to me, Padawan!" Saia beamed at her, "Dia Rha, I take it? Yes, it has to be, such beautiful lekku aren't common around here." She smiled and looked at the girl; Saia had an urge to call her young but there wasn't even a decade separating their age. She tried to give off no sense that she had easily picked up the Padawan's fear and apprehension, and instead folded her arm over her chest, the dark robes wrapping tighter around her body.

"My name is Saia, Saia Typhelon. You may call me Saia, this whole 'Master' business makes me feel old," she grinned; she was only twenty-five and being called Master wasn't something she had become accustomed to yet; at least, not by fellow Jedi.

"And I do believe that there are things for us to do. But first, proper introductions!" Saia exclaimed excitedly. "So, tell me about yourself, Padawan Dia. What brings you here to Tython?"

 

[Dia]

Dia glanced at the knight, and flashed a subtle smile before averting her eyes again. "Y-yes, I am, Mas-" She paused as the jedi introduced herself. "Saia."

When Saia inquired as to what brought her to the temple, Dia glanced around the room, looking at anything but her new teacher. "My... old master was called away on orders to the Outer Rim. I was told I would not see him for a long time, and then they shuttled me here." Dia was quiet, twitchy, but trying to keep her composure while the spotlight was on her. Just above a whisper, she looked up at the jedi and inquired. "What about you, Saia?"

 

[Xyrael]

Saia listened intently despite maintaining the customary smile she always wore, noting the sense of loss in the young Padawan's voice as the described her dutiful Master. Arms still crossed she turned about on her heels to face the young Twi'lek squarely. "I'm here to make sure that you continue your training, Dia. And you should remember," she waggled her finger, "a Jedi's first duty is to the Order, and not to their personal connections. You should not feel upset because your Master's services are required elsewhere; he is as much yours as anyone's."

She unfolded her arms and placed them squarely on her Padawan's shoulders with a smile, "Tell me, Padawan Dia, what did your Master teach you during your time with him?" Around them Padawans and Knights alike roamed through the halls, some sharing glances but for the most part the duo shared a air of anonymity.

 

[Dia]

"He taught me the basics of lightsaber combat, and began instructing me in Ataru. Otherwise, he helped me get to my sessions. He says I need to be more assertive and confidant in myself." Dia finally made eye contact.

 

[Xyrael]

"And what of the Force? Did he teach you much about it?" she continued with the question. Knowing how to handle a blade was a secondary concern to understanding the mechanics that allowed a Jedi to wield such a primitive weapon with such power. "I imagine you must have some understanding, if you're capable of learning an acrobatic form like Ataru."

Her eyes looked into Dia's critically, wondering how much her Master had taught her about the nature of the Force. Still, she could tell that the younger girl had much potential and would no doubt learn what Saia had to teach her successfully.

 

[Dia]

Dia's eyes diverted again. "Well, he taught me the overall philosophy of the Jedi ways and how it intertwines with all life, but he focused more on the physical application."

Dia took a step towards a nearby window to look out over the temple's view. "Will you be teaching me different, Saia?"

 

[Xyrael]

"Understanding how the Force applies practically is an important thing," she said, following Dia to the window, standing behind her and watching her facial expression in the reflection, "but one can not learn the Force effectively without understanding how it works. Imagine, for example, you fire a cannon. You will not be able to strike your target without understanding how gravity, wind, and other variables will affect the projectile."

She continued to stand behind the blue-skinned Padawan, folding her arms over her chest as she continued to speak. "Discipline is the essence of being a Jedi. There are moments where using the lightsaber is unnecessary, and yet knowledge of the Force is just as essential. Have you learned much of the three pillars of the Jedi Order?"

((ooc: link included for quick reference))

 

[Dia]

"My master taught me the first and second pillars, but we were just beginning on the third pillar when he was called away." Dia looked at the reflection of the Knight behind her. "I'm still learning the Ataru form."

 

[Xyrael]

Saia should have figured that that would have been the response. She'd need to test Dia in an alternative fashion, not because she didn't trust that the previous Master had taught her what was to be known, but that she doubted Dia fully understood the concepts. The concepts were not lessons as much as they were lifestyles.

"Well, then, there are different ways that a Jedi can think of the Force. Every view is unique and all of them are correct. To me, the Force is like an ocean, each organism a life form within it able to create a ripple or current that impacts others. How do you think of the Force?" the question wasn't really an important one, but more a test to see if Dia had spent much time considering the nature of the Force and how it functioned. Sure, there were facts, but science and facts only went so far to explain the invisible.

 

[Dia]

"That every aspect of life in the galaxy affects the force, and every action affects those near to them, and the actions of others involved in some way. Paths cross, allowing said action to affect those uninvolved, and so on and so on until the entire galaxy is affected by a single action. And it becomes a vast orchestra of actions affecting and being affected by each other, thus governing all life in the galaxy. the Force plays into this as a binding essence that helps manipulate life in the galaxy, and expands their choice of action, bringing a greater variation to the ripples, as you call them." Dia glanced around, feeling like their lingering presence was gaining some attention from the minuscule number of people in the corridor, even if brief. "Could we... talk somewhere else, Saia? I-I don't like crowds."

 

[Xyrael]

Saia patted Dia on the shoulder and nodded, "Yes, we can go somewhere else. You'll learn to tune out unnecessary factors in time," she smiled, walking with Dia down one of the numerous hallways that radiated out from the center of the Temple. Flanking this corridor were numerous rooms with a wide variety of purposes. Saia peaked into one - it seemed to be an ordinary lounge, perfect for her purposes.

"This should do, most of the training rooms themselves are full, and I don't feel like filling out a form to requisition one for tomorrow," she cast a grin at her pupil. Saia sometimes liked bending rules an doing things when she wanted to. "Alright, so... we'll put off the lessons for now and go straight to the Force, let's see what you can do," she said as she sat in a chair.

"Lift the chair, and make sure I don't fall!" she said, her bright blue eyes glaring playfully at Dia. She crossed her legs and waited to see how well Dia could manipulate the Force.

 

[Dia]

"W-What? Lift it with you on it?" Dia looked aghast. "But what if I..." Dia knew she had little option but to try. Besides, this was a Jedi Knight. There wasn't any way she could be hurt by a padawan such as Dia. "As you wish."

Dia raised her hands, and focused on the chair. She could feel the Force flowing through her, and in the chair. The chair skidded an inch, lurching towards the padawan a couple times before it attempted to leap into the air. At one point, it threatened to lift one leg and flip over entirely, but Dia lessened her influence on it and lifted the other three to match. The veins on Dia's face seemed to pop out as she forced the chair into the air, before everything came crashing down and Dia slumped into one of the nearby chairs.

"I'm sorry." Dia said solemnly, watching the Jedi's feet at the top of her vision.

 

[Xyrael]

The Jedi Knight finally exhaled, waiting a moment to make sure the chair didn't jerk once more before releasing her steely grasp of the arm. She looked at Dia, the Padawan looked fatigued at tired, and Saia knew that the girl did not yet have the mental focus of discipline to concentrate and accomplish the task. The fact that she had been sitting in the chair had no doubt added to the pressure.

"Do not be sorry, Dia. Learn from your mistakes, never regret them. Tell me, where do you think you went wrong?" she asked, trying to get the Padawan to explain herself and learn. The best education was enlightenment, and perhaps the greatest thing Saia could ever teach Dia was the ability for Dia to teach herself.

 

[Dia]

Dia glanced up briefly before staring back down to her feet. "I... I didn't keep balance on the chair and lift evenly."

Dia pulled her legs onto her chair and hugged them. "My master normally had me lift smaller objects and work my way up. He's never physically participated in my training besides tug of war in push-pull exercises."

 

[Xyrael]

Saia lifted a finger and waggled it at Dia. "The size of the object was not the reason you failed. Weight, size, these things mean little in the Force. It is your mind and your preconceptions that make this task the most difficult," she said, still sitting in the chair. "Close your eyes and meditate, find your center and quiet yourself. Listen to the Force, and not to your doubts and emotions. Take as much time as you need, and when you're ready, when you're free from distractions, try again."

Saia waited patiently in her chair for the Padawan to do as she said. Assuming that no one else actually needed to use this room, they would have a few hours to practice, and Saia was sure that Dia would succeed by the time they left the room. The exercise was not so important towards training Dia's skill with telekinesis as it was to attune Dia's mind to the flow of the Force and how it worked.

 

[Dia]

Dia frowned, and raised her head, pulling a lekku over her shoulder to lay against her back. Lowering her knees to the sides, Dia placed her hands level with her stomach and closed her eyes. Breathing in, she began her concentration.

She pushed the surrounding corridors and rooms of the temple into the darkness, leaving just the room. Next, she pushed the teacher from her mind, and left herself alone in the room.

She focused on the moment, pushing her past away, and pushing her hopes of the future away. She pushed her master away, and her own wellbeing. She was alone in the room, and even that was slowly fading, leaving only the sense of air, and the solid surface upon which she sat. Faintly, she could hear her heartbeat, as it grew, and twisted, and duplicated, growing, evolving, mixing in with the heartbeats of a thousand others. It was an endless drumming, pounding in her head, chaotic, yet rhythmic. Was this the heartbeat of the Force? Or was it of those around her? Dia slowed her own heart to match the beat, and exhaled calmly. She breathed in, and exhaled, quietly maintaining her focus.

 

[Xyrael]

Saia was pleased with the young Twi'lek's ability to enter a meditative state, closing her own eyes and drifting into a trance herself. Saia preferred to cancel out all emotions and memories and focus on the absolute silence and harmony of the Force before allowing anything, even the voice of the Force, to enter her mind. She could sense the Twi'lek falling deeper into her meditation, attempting to understand the senses she was grasping. No doubt the voice of the Force was calling to her, whispering to her but seeming as a thousand notions at once. She would need to focus more before she could pinpoint each idea and manipulate them; but she was close to the clarity that would allow her to move Saia, and her chair, with ease. In this state there was no physical property, there was only the silhouette in the Force.

Saia began to consciously think in her mind, intending for the thoughts to be transferred through the Force into the mind of the Padawan near her. Saia was, unlike most of the Jedi she knew, uncomfortable with direct telepathic communication. She preferred to share feelings and notions. The notion she shared with Dia was a simple, easily identified one. Here I am, she beckoned, helping her Padawan identify her presence in the Force

Now move the chair.

 

[Dia]

Dia listened to the heartbeats, smiling inwards to herself as they lulled her. Here I am... a voice whispered faintly in her mind, somewhere in the dark, inky backdrop. Now move the chair.

The voice knew the purpose for her meditation? 'Who...?' Dia thought to herself, confused as to what the voice was from. But Dia complied, and made an effort to focus on the drumming of heartbeats as she reconnected to herself and the room she was in. Steadily, she reached out to the chair, and gripped it with her mind. Causially, she lifted it up, but remembered that the teacher sat there, and as Dia added her back to the range of her senses, felt she herself was in meditation as well. Best not to disturb her. Dia picked another chair as the target of her practice.

She gripped the chair, and paused to listen to the heartbeats, timing herself, moving to its rhythm. Casually, she lifted the chair.

Dia snapped back to her senses as a metallic crack sounded in the room. The chair she lifted crashed to the ground with the same sound. Dia was alert, and looked around for any more surprises. Perhaps she had lifted the chair too hard?