Second skin.

[Will]

Deep in the Ossus enclave, there was a tapestry. A majestic thing, it depicted two titans of war doing battle. Heroes of their age. One held a mighty blade aloft, ready to strike their foe from the face of the earth. The other seemed to be wielding magics, hand outstretched, wrathful force exploding from his palm. Both stood above the rest, on a mound, duelling. The fate of a great many lives decided by their actions.

Behind this tapestry was a small room. On the two long walls were collections of swords. At one end of the long room, a small pallet and desk, along with scavenged Taung armour, still bearing the heraldry of past wearers proudly.

At the other, set like an ancient shrine, sat a small forge. Around were scattered tools and sketches, and small, worked pieces of metal. This forge had crafted many of the blades on the walls, replicas of the blades wielded by the great heroes like those portrayed on the tapestry.

The master of this particular forge was sat at the bench, etching a small plaque. Though he ha put all the blades up, very few had names beneath.

Huang Karasu was hunched over the small sliver of metal, chipping away. This was where he was content. His sanctuary.

 

[Kit]

The tapestry had always held a special place in his heart. It spoke to a part of him that he rarely allowed to surface. It made his heart sing of glory. He smiled, and entered the room behind. The inner sanctum of his Master, and oldest friend, Huang Karasu.

He could never quite decide if he liked it in here. It was quiet, and serene, but he always felt, even after all these years, that he was intruding a little.

Another thing he struggled with was opening up to the older Jedi. The Sephi Sword Master was constantly reserved, and stony. Not, Hector had learned, because he disliked everyone, but because he simply did not let his emotional shell crack. Ever. An amazing Jedi, but a terrible confidante.

"Master Huang?"

He could never tell if the Sephi was paying attention or not in here. The man seemed to be both utterly elsewhere, and focused razor sharp. Even with Hector's intuition, and grasp of the force, he could barely read the man.

"I see you've found some time away from your horde of knight learners at last."

 

[Will]

''Ah, Hector. A pleasure.''

Huang placed the etching down. His days off did not come often, but other than expanding his collection, days conversing with Hector was a good day, even if the cold, toneless nature of his voice gave no indication that this was so. The fact he did not affix a rank before Hector's name showed the familiarity and respect he had for the master.

''Yes, many seem to be wishing to learn the blade. Always Jar'Kai. I don't understand. They seem to think more is better. I don't think any of them truly understand the blade.''

He turned to face his former student. So unlike him, yet in ways, so similar. A purist. A follower of a path, without deviation.

''I can live in hope you are here for some sabre training?''

His own little form of a joke.

 

[Kit]

Hector smiled as he listened to Haung speak. The Sword Master was funny, in his own way. An acquired taste, admittedly, but one worth acquiring.

He took a seat on the bench, and laughed with genuine mirth as his master asked of the blade.

"Oh Huang, one day you'll learn to stop asking."

Leaning against the wall, he paused for a moment. His master was right, there was definitely a change in the habits of the order; Jar'kai was becoming increasingly popular. And it worried him.

"I doubt there's anyone in the galaxy that understands the blade as you do, old man. I mean, I can't understand wanting a single blade, let alone two. No offence, Sword Master." He smiled, broadly, and added, "Does it not worry you? That so many wish to become more effective killers, and they choose to simply gather more weapons to do it?"

His smile disappeared, replaced with a face that betrayed his worry.

 

[Will]

''I'll only stop when I die, Hector.'' A smile flickered across Huang's face. Thin, but present.

''These knights will learn in time that they need only one blade. And they all seem to go for lightsabres. They never appreciate our history. They forge forth, not looking where we've been.''

Huang smiled again, a true smile, full.

''None taken, bladeless. It does worry me. They're like magpies. Going for shiny things, wanting more, rather than appreciating.''

Huang idly fingred the pommel of his newly forged force katana.

''But how rude of me! How goes your training, master Hector?''

 

[Kit]

"In that case, I sincerely hope I never have to stop enduring your constant badgering."

Hector laughed. There was a part of him that was absolutely sure Huang simply couldn't die. A combination of childlike admiration, still left over from his days as a padawan under Haung, and the knowledge that no-one could challenge the man with a blade.

"Ah, there it is! I'd heard rumours you'd gone and made yourself something a little different. I'm sure it's an excellent blade, though I'm no judge."

He laughed, and went on.

"Can you blame them though? Even I have to admit that carrying a small portion of the fury of a sun around is, if only a little, somewhat reassuring?"

He smiled. The idea was... pleasant, he supposed. But he had no use for it. The force could do far more than any blade ever could. And it could bring more than death and pain.

"It goes well, thank you. He's quite the little adept. In fact, sometimes I'm sure I could convince him to follow my path. Though I feel I would do him a disservice. He's far too young to go into war without the blade."

He sighed, his mirth once more fading away in the face of the oncoming storm, the looked ready to engulf the galaxy fully.

"I fear for how this war will change the order, Huang. Will we still be worthy to guard this galaxy, once we start slaughtering it's inhabitants, simply because they don't want to bow before the Republic?"

 

[Will]

''Guards cannot simply wield a shield, Hector. We all need a weapon to fend of the darkness. They've been killing innocents in their bid to expand their empire, all for profits. We need to guard our own people. The only way to do that is to stop them before they hurt any more. I just hope it doesn't go to the next generations' heads.''

He bowed his head, pensive.

''Unfortunately, we need to fight this war. We cannot languish in our enclaves, as council member Velvar would wish us to do. We need to keep them back, weapons forward, making sure they never try it again.''

 

[Kit]

"You are wise as ever, old man. I know we have to fight, and I know our cause is just..."

Hector did the opposite to his master. He let his head fall back, staring upwards. As always, so similar, yet slightly different.

"What's the phrase? The road to the dark side is paved with good intentions? We are called guardians. Guardians of peace, no less."

He sighed.

"But the force demands war. So the Jedi shall become a blade. Our students will learn to kill to protect, and we will soak our hands in blood. I suppose we simply have to trust in the force to bring us out the other side with something worth saving."

Allowing his head to flop back into a more natural position, he inclined it to look at Haung. The man was fearsome in aspect, he supposed. And he had witnessed Huang wage war. Even having grown up with the man as a surrogate father, Hector still felt a little fear that day. And pity. Pity for Huang's enemies.

 

[Will]

Huang chuckled.

''Old man indeed...''

Huang's head snapped back up.

''Well, young Hector, you know the force the best of us. I'll look to you to guide that lot from the darkness. Including Knight Odres.''

Huang smiled at that. He could imagine Hector trying to beat sense into that arrogant skull. He had seen Hector teach. He had also seen Hector frustrated. Teaching a student, and spending time with a friend, as Huang had with Hector, you saw many things. Huang would gladly watch that conflict.

 

[Kit]

Hector laughed, he had encountered Odres from afar. Watched the boy duel another of Huang's students, Link something. He had taken something of a dislike to the pair of them, both arrogant and superior. Dangerous qualities for Jedi.

"I don't know why, Huang, but aside from me and Loki, you've always seemed to turn out knights with something of an attitude problem. What is it with you and drawing in all the stubborn ones?"

He smiled, wryly.

"No doubt I will. They are too young, all of them. I can't think of a newly raised knight that I would be happy to go to war besides. I maintain that you and I are all the Jedi will need to win this war, old man." He laughed, and quickly added, "We shall have to spar sometime. Can't have you forgetting how to fight someone like me, what with all this extra blade training you've been doing recently."

 

[Will]

''Don't blame me for Odres. I trained Nono. They seem to come damaged. No return address.''

Huang held up defending hands, knowing it was not a real improvement.

''I'm making sure to leave the leadership of the knights in battle to Winters. He needs something to do. We can do the winning of the war. Let the 'master of the order' take his credit while he does the usual nothing.''

A wry smile spread across Huang's face, more fearsome than before.

''A spar? I'm not sure my old bones would be able to last the thrashing they would give you.''

He grinned. Something he didn't do enough of, these days.

 

[Kit]

Hector couldn't help but grin at Huang. Huang on the defensive always seemed a little... off. It was like finding a forest at the bottom of the ocean.

"I don't know who I have to blame for Odres, but when the time comes, I might even enjoy it. And as for Nono, damaged would certainly be an appropriate assessment. Be honest with me, Huang; do you believe he'll survive this war, in the light?"

He chuckled, finding it a little hard to find any genuine mirth at the two knights. They genuinely worried him. What if they were the future of the order?

"Oh, give Winters some credit, he's a capable Jedi. I wouldn't follow him personally, but I'm happy leaving the Knights to his command. He's a little... over-prepared, but surely that's a good thing, in battle at least?"

Hector burst out laughing, there was the Huang he had grown to like over the years. He was one of the lucky ones, his relationship with his master had gone beyond his training, and had given him an ally, a mentor and most important, a friend.

"I doubt your old bones could even touch me these days, let alone thrash me! You've addled your brain, fraternising with knights non-stop, day and night."

Hector grinned, he knew all about how Huang had disappeared from the enclave a short while ago, for a night. Not many had noticed, Huang being involved in private training almost constantly, but this wasn't the sort of thing Hector missed. Not when Huang was involved.

"Especially at night, and with with the young, pretty knights as well, old man..."

 

[Will]

''Honestly, Hector? No. He isn't good enough with the force to disregard the blade, like you and Loki. I couldn't stamp that into him hard enough. I tried to drown his arrogance with blood. Something is truly wrong when that doesn't work. He's going to run in, thinking he can slay anyone. He'll be killed by the first Taung or Bogan he meets.''

He to chuckled himself at Hector's response.

''You seem to have lost your sense, youngling. I shall have to beat it into you.''

His smile dropped at the mention of that night.

''Yes. I don't think you'll see this 'old man' out on the clubbing circuit any time soon after that. When did knights become such lightweights?''

He seemed boggled by the question. The force could make a Jedi immune to drink, yet knight Valena had spiralled into drunkenness so quickly...

 

[Kit]

"Somehow I doubt that there are any other souls in the temple that walk that path that Loki and myself do. You all see that we have limited ourselves, rather than opening ourselves up. Of course, we'll never convince you, and you'll never convince us."

He smiled. Hector had, and would never, take up a blade. Or any weapon. He was every inch the Force Warrior. And if he had his time again, he would always make the same decision.

"So many of them suffer the same problem. They draw their blades, and call upon the force. They think themselves gods, they think themselves invincible. They bite off more than they can chew and a Bogan or Taung carves them into pieces for their trouble. They only seem to realize when it's already too late, that we are all but flesh and blood."

Hector laughed. He ignored Huang's jab at his age. The Sephi was older, true, by more than a decade. But in terms of species, Hector was technically the older man. Just.

"A better question would be that for all your wisdom, when did you forget how to read people? A beautiful young woman practically had to drag you out of the temple, to go dancing. We're supposed to control our emotions, not crush them utterly, you old fool!"

 

[Will]

''She said it was a mission. I didn't know it was a ploy.'' Mock indignation in his voice.

''I think you simply have jealousy that this old 'rock' managed to get the attention of a lady.''

He grinned at Hector.

''A drink? All I have is water, at the moment. You know my Spartan lifestyle.''

 

[Kit]

"And here I was, thinking you still had so much to team me!"

Hector couldn't help but laugh. He had known Huang his whole life, and wouldn't have believed it had anyone but Huang told him that the Sword Master had been fooled by a Knight half his age, and tricked into going out drinking and dancing.

"Thanks, that would be perfect. Well, you claim it to be spartan, but you're the man who wears three blades at his hip, with a dozen on his wall, and doubtless plans for more."

 

[Will]

Huang rose, placing a jug in a small wall alcove. He filled it, and picked up two earthenware cups.

''Everyone has their little luxuries, Hector.''

He handed him a cup.

''I like to preserve the history in a different way to the archivists and archaeologists, like master Quimarthen. Each blade has a story.''

He stood, facing the wall, his hand resting on a small embossed plaque. though it was a replica, the blade it identified still had memories.

He sat back down.

''It's good to see my metalwork has entranced you. I'm sure you have a little hobby, or a luxury, Hector. We all do, somewhere. As you said. We're not meant to crush emotions.''

He sipped the cold water.

 

[Kit]

Hector smiled. He was all too aware of Huang's hobby. He had watched and listened to the man hammer at the metal from afar for years. The blades were beautiful, one would be forgiven for forgetting that they were instruments of death, replicas or not.

"Master Quimarthen doesn't spend all of her time in the archives Huang. Surely you remember how close she and our new Grandmaster once were? That was a woman with a hobby all right..."

Hector laughed.

"By the force, you bring out the worst in me, Huang. Or possibly the best. Maybe both."

He smiled warmly, and drank deeply from the water. He drew upon the force as he did, and savored the subtlest taste he had yet encountered in the galaxy; taste of the water, normally forbidden to humans.

"It's good to hear that Huang. I worry that one day you'll forget how to feel entirely. Which is why, as your favorite padawan, it will always be my duty to annoy you, and make sure you don't forget."

Hector smiled. He felt he was nearing the point where the conversation had strayed close enough to reveal his ulterior motive in this particular visit.

 

[Will]

''Yes. Quite.''

He had heard of the past actions of the pair. He had thought it was rumour.

Apparently not.

''I know how to feel, young one. I also know when it's appropriate to feel.''

He smiled, drinking deeply from his own cup.

''You do have a... penchant for annoyance. Yes. I presume you didn't come here simply to badger a frail old man?''

He put on a dejected face, begging sympathy.

 

[Kit]

"Always the quiet ones, isn't it?"

Hector laughed quietly. It was all too easy to forget that Jedi were people. For some it was so shocking when Jedi actually found someone. Hector always rooted for them though, being something of a soft touch at heart. He had learnt how to be as hard as iron from Huang, but he was a lot more... human than most Jedi.

"Appropriate is just another word for scared, and fear is a path to darkness. You taught me that."

He laughed, the conversation slowly shifting away from the more serious side.

"Ah, you see through my cunning facade yet again. You're absolutely right, I've come to ask you a favour." He grinned, "And it's finally one you'll enjoy doing!"