The Artists

[Ehrlich Mar]

Life is wondrous! Life is wondrous indeed! For all experiences, whether they be good or ill, are worthy of sampling. For each life is a unique and fine dish, prepared with care and wrought with artfulness; it would be a true shame for any man to turn up his nose at the remarkable life he has been given, for its texture, its flavor and its garnishings are never to be seen again in any form of existence.

But lo! One who partakes too freely of life is called a "glutton". And it is appropriate to answer thus: that partaking too freely of anything is gluttony, but for one to appreciate something to its fullest extent is to be a "connoisseur".

And our man, Varrec Marcao D'Ellessar II, has ever been accused of gluttony and piggish idleness, but there is not an idle bone in his body, nor is there the desire to partake of something to his own detriment or the detriment of others. He is, as formerly stated, a connoisseur of life, who enjoys everything simply because it is there and unique in its own way. To him, there is no such thing as "too much of anything," but only "too much at once." Alas, the man is grievously misunderstood.

It is this unorthodox view of life that has rendered D'Ellessar incapable of advancing further in the austere Jedi Order. Even Varrec cannot deny that his lack of advancement is due to his "worldly" line of thought, and this has been a great source of shame to him. Yet he cannot sully his beaming countenance with false repentance or hypocritical sorrow; for he is neither of those things, but believes himself to be correct on some level, and until proven otherwise, stands by his theories. And so time and again he has been cast off by the Masters, not as a lost cause, nor even as a stubborn man, but simply as a being who is so ignorant that few have the patience to put up with his innocent queries. Thus, it has been his lot in life for the past 35 years to traverse from one teacher to the next, learning as much as he is able in the brief tenure of apprenticeship allotted him, but without ever earning the approval of the authorities placed o'er his head. Tragic, tragic...

But D'Ellessar cannot complain, for he is able to boast that he has trained under more masters than any other student in the Jedi Order! Despite the painful realization that he cannot be trusted, our fellow is undaunted in the hopes that his ideas shall one day be shared by appreciators of the art of living. One can almost hear the beating of the heart worn on his sleeve. His soul is bright and evergreen, like a chalice that is full and overflowing. His step is light for a man of his size, and the spring in his walk is an audible tune; should others hear it, they likewise pick up the march. Such charisma is beautiful in a man so downtrodden.

And it was in this same lighthearted mood that he traveled to his new master; for today he was to be taught by none other than Master Avara. Were it not for his pleasant disposition, Varrec would have been worried; for the master was well-known to be a severe and careful man. A great warrior, even! Yes, yes, a great warrior. Now please understand, our man D'Ellessar respected the masters as they so rightly deserved, and he admired their willingness to sacrifice their pleasure for what they believed the greater good; his disagreeing with their beliefs was by no means an indication of personal dislike. Who was Varrec, stout and carefree, that he should be taught by such a fine man as Garak Avara? Few could fathom.

For he saw in Master Avara a love of art that he likewise shared; the art of war, the art of swordsmanship, the art of reading motions; these were as respectable as the arts of dancing or music or sculpture. So yes, Varrec respected the man and believed him to be a worthy teacher; his only hope was that he would not disappoint his new master in the same manner that he had disappointed his previous instructors.

So filled with hope and mild anticipation he bounced along the halls, his ivory cane whirling in his hand like a celestial baton. The tap of his rod set the beat of his march: 1, 2, 3 and 4. He smiled at acquaintance and stranger alike, for he was sure they had done something to deserve it, and as he basked in the warm morning light, he stared upwards at the immaculate ceiling. The pearly marble from which it was formed was gently shaped into interweaving floral patterns, and faces of Jedi long departed smiled benignly from their perches at the fat little Jedi. He smiled back in his gentile way and continued his jovial trot to plaza.

As he passed into the courtyard of the Sage Halls of Empress Teta, Verrac espied his new master. His long shadow was cast upon the delicately wrought patio, as though a dark rift had opened amidst its glimmering surface. Such was his perception of the stern Master Avara. The heat outside was considerably greater than the temperature indoors, and upon his entering the new environment, D'Ellessar broke into a sweat. "Heaven help me," he murmured quietly, wiping his glistening brow with the backs of his porky fingers. Moisture had begun to condense upon his delicate upper lip, and after smoothing his fine mustache and taking a deep breath, Varrec plunged into the heat-wave. "Perhaps it's this coat," he thought as he felt the fur lining of his Jedi robes.

But he had little time to contemplate the weather, for in a few short bounds he was within a few yards of his teacher. Upon approaching nearer, his face burst into a good-natured smile, and he stooped low in respectful recognition of the master. "Master Avara," he pronounced gleefully, sweeping his beret majestically from the crown of his head. "Your humble servant, Sirrah!"

 

[Brand]

(( OOC: My apologies for the late post... :( ))

A new challenge.

Galak strode through the beauteous gardens of the Empress' Teta Temple. He'd arrived on the planet to take on a new apprentice, Padawan Varrec D'Ellesar. He was a special case, to say the least, but he held great potential to become an adept of the light side. Passed over by numerous masters, the Prime Envoy had decided that this man deserved a fair chance and took the man on for his own training.

Galak made out the portly man in the distance, dressed rather extravagantly. Galak's own plain navy blue robes were accompanied by a light tunic under a bold tabard bearing the Jedi and Alliance crest alike. His gleaming silver lightsaber thumped reassuringly against his thigh as he walked, a picture of confidence in the Force and one's own abilities. As the Order's representative to the Galactic Congress and the Grand Master's right hand he held a a busy and demanding position that rarely allowed him to make trips such as this, but he had made time for Varrec.

Galak made out the man's call of greeting, a bright smile apparent on his face. The Master returned the smile to the older padawan, his worn face creasing in a smile. It felt good to seperate himself from the business of the Order, and he stepped up his pace to reach the man.

"Padawan Ellesar, it is good to see you in fair health once again!" The two had met on occasion before, but only briefly. "I hope that you have prepared yourself, for today we begin your training." Galak noticed the sweat rolling down the man's forehead, and could make out deep nervousness over the man's joyous expression.

"I'll start with our first lesson. In your time in the Order I know you've learned and heard the Jedi Code recited numerous times, but I'll recite it's first line to you right now."

He paused. "There is no emotion, there is peace."

"Throughout our training we'll be focusing on the tenets of the Order and transitioning them into how they are applicable to life as a Knight of the Order. I can clearly see your nervousness, which is quite alright. Controlling one's emotions is something that even Masters of our order struggle with, but it is the key to humility and a real grasp of the light side of the Force. Fighting the initial surge of emotion is only combatible using the Force, and the power it will lend you. Do not be afraid to turn your fears and worries over to the Force and it will aid and guide your hand in matters which you cannot forsee any ending."

 

[Ehrlich Mar]

As he replaced his lovely berret, Varrec cast his eyes upwards. Lo and behold, Master Galak was smiling. "What a relief," thought D'Ellessar. And then, oh then what wonderful words that great man did outpour: "Do not be afraid to turn your fears and worries over to the Force and it will aid and guide your hand in matters which you cannot forsee any ending." "He saw my worry and thought it well to encourage me; what a fine gentleman!"

And despite Avara's eloquent speech concerning controlling one's emotions, D'Ellessar was ironically struggling to keep from grinning boyishly; for though his anxiety yet remained, it was diminishing rapidly, and as it decreased in greatness of power it was replaced by happiness, forged in the recognition that the remedy truly worked. His bosom swelled with pleasure at the fine knowledge bestowed upon him; for wisdom percieved to be true is powerful and useful for much!

And even now it had begun to dawn upon him how truly the Master had spoken; for even as he had contemplated his words with greater fervor, the Force had actively removed the anxiety he had born before; it was spirited away to wither in the heat of the sun amidst the opalesque courtyard; no troubles or worries need plague Varrec Marcao D'Ellessar now. And he breathed a sigh of ecstacy, and he ceased to sweat as intensely. Aha, so true!" he said in answer to his wizened teacher's words.

"Ah, Master Avara, your words do me good," said Varrec sincerely. "I'm glad to see that we shall have a sturdy foundation of doctrine upon which to stand; a man of my size needs solid ground if he does not wish to fall." And he chuckled in spite of himself. "But I'm curious," he continued, "for this knowledge is difficult; are we indeed expected to release all emotions whether good or ill, or merely the ones that lead to evil? For the letter of the law says emotion is a path to the Darkside, but I struggle to fathom what ill can come of genuine, innocent pleasures? Oh, but alas, I digress! What would you have of me this most excellent morning?"

 

[Brand]

Galak watched with a veiled expression as the man wrestled with his own feelings but easily overcame them. Varrec possessed an incredibly strong mind to offset his paunch. There was also a depth of knowledge to the man that intrigued Galak, and he had every intention to nourish as best as he could.

"Emotion in it of itself is not inherently bad, but the motives by which we derive these feelings can discern how to interpret them as acceptable or unacceptable. Pride and the enjoyment of a job well done, for example, is never something to be scolded, but taking these emotions too far to boast of one's abilities and bolster your self worth is dangerous and one of many paths to the dark side. Even such, you will still feel fear and anger in your career as a Jedi; I guarentee it, as the emotions still flare up in even the most experienced of Councilors. The true strength of a Jedi, though, lies in the knowledge that feelings are overcomable and not the end all be all in one's life. Meditation and pondering of the Force is invaluable in this process; continued meaningful communication with the Force will aid you in all of your endeavors, be it lightsaber training or calling on the Force to aid you."

"To round out this lesson we'll be moving onto an impromptu history lesson. The second line of the Jedi Code states, 'There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.' Word has spread quickly through the Order of the coming war with the Sith, but I ask you, padawan D'Ellesar, what you know of their motives and of their past intents. How do you see fit to respond to this crisis that draws and looms ever near?"

 

[Ehrlich Mar]

What grand sentiments! Varrec nodded his approval as Master Avara spoke, even smiling as he did so. "Mhmm, yes," he assented at appropriate intervals.

And then that fateful question was posed to him: "Word has spread quickly through the Order of the coming war with the Sith, but I ask you, padawan D'Ellesar, what you know of their motives and of their past intents. How do you see fit to respond to this crisis that draws and looms ever near?"

And D'Ellessar eagerly responded: "Ah, well, I'm sure there are many interpretations of the motives of the Sith, Master Galak. But my own opinion may differ from that of some, I'm afraid. We all know darkness flees the light, Master, but though we are as Light and that which is Dark cannot stand against us, the Sith do not flee. I do not believe them to be the Darkness, Sirrah, for if they were they would not withstand us; no, they are merely blind, and cannot walk towards the good revealed to them because they are quite incapable of seeing it altogether. I think if they were blessed to see the righteousness and profitability of what we do, there would not be Sith in the first place.

"For what drives a man to the Dark Arts? Does he practice them just for the fun of doing so? Perhaps on occasion, amidst the bored and idle. But I think it is more likely that the Sith embrace the Darkside because it is powerful to change their circumstances, not because it is desirable in-and-of itself. They cannot see happiness outside of what is happening to them at the present moment, and hence they seek that which is easy.

"So we cannot judge them too harshly, I think; I am not certain how much they are to blame for their blindness. But nevertheless, their wickedness does the galaxy much harm, and we should attempt to spare the innocent masses the poor choices of a select few in as many ways as possible. So if diplomacy will suffice, then let it, say I! We should be gentle with the debilitated, after all. And if reason elludes our adversaries, then our hands have been forced and it must come to war; regardless, our duty is upheld."

Varrec's voice trailed off towards the end of his tirade, and he looked towards the ground abashedly, embarrassed for having spoken so openly. He shuffled from foot to foot, doing what looked like a tiny little dance with his feet whilst leaning upon his cane.

 

[Brand]

Galak listened, taking in his padawan's opinions.

"Wise words, my young apprentice," he said, complimenting the man. "Your views are unorthodox, but I feel they still ring true even though I may disagree with you on some points. The Sith are a very real threat to the galaxy and they must be stopped at all costs; as a diplomat I am for every measure of negotiation and peaceful resolutions we can find, but it is suicide for any Jedi to show mercy to a Sith when he will never show grace to a foe and is quick to backstab even a rescuer. I would urge you to cautiousness and wariness around such a foe, for so much as I would like to look on them as blind I know that they see the destruction that rages around them and they enjoy it."

"The dark side is never to be tampered with, but as you said the Order moves to justice and to defend the galaxy. In this way we must uphold the laws set down by our Jedi ancestors and protect the Alliance. It is and always has been of utmost importance that we do not become swept up in the war, even though today Knights integrate into the Alliance military to lend aid. First and foremost the Jedi Order will always remain keepers of the peace and not soldiers, but..." and he paused at this point, grasping at his belt and drawing his lightsaber. "These weapons are not for show, and, as you said we will deal with the Sith as is necessary."

 

[Ehrlich Mar]

"Well, I'm pleased to hear that you believe me young," laughed Varrec. He was sure the man had said it out of habit, but it amused him nonetheless.

And as Galak spoke of the dangers of the Darkside, Varrec internally recognized that this was not so much for his own benefit as it was for his master's; Avara needed to know as much as he could about Varrec before they commenced with training in order that he might personalize his teachings as much as possible. So D'Ellessar nodded and smiled and listened to all that his new master had to say, not to indulge or patronize him, but rather to provide him with a clean slate from which to work.

Because of this, Varrec would not venture to query any further; for he timidly shied away from dictating the direction of the conversation so as not to look impatient. In any case, it was fascinating to hear a veteran impart his knowledge, and he bobbed around pleasantly as he listened, his eyes twinkling merrily as they beheld the famed swordmaster.

 

[Brand]

Galak chuckled. "When you grow to me my age in time, Padawan D'Ellesar, you will have earned the right to call all men young."

Still holding the lightsaber hilt in his hands Galak ignited the blade, and the brilliant yellow blade sprang to life with the familiar 'snap-hiss'. From the folds of his robes he withdrew a training lightsaber, borrowed from the dueling arena, and tossed it gently to Varrec with an easy underhand toss. The Master swung the blade experimentally, it's hum cutting through the air with a power that seemed to emanate from the confident diplomat's steady hand. Even as a renowned negotiator Galak was known as one of the foremost duelists of the New Jedi Order, a master of multiple forms of combat.

As a ambassador of the Jedi Order and Galactic Alliance Galak had learned the importance of not eschewing combat, as agreements could quickly turn ugly. "As Jedi we stand as united, but each of us chooses a different path for one's self upon Knighthood. For me, that path was that of the Diplomat, as a Consular of the light side. I have known many the skilled negotiator, even more adept than I, who chose to forgo lightsaber training and, in their darkest hour, relied upon the Force to rescue them and it not enough."

"The Force is an amazing power to possess, but as with any strength it has it's weaknesses. While a Jedi is nothing without the Force, he is also nothing without skill and tact. The lightsaber is an ancient weapon, one of the most recognizable tools in the galaxy. But even as such it training is not to be taken lightly for whatever path you find yourself walking once you leave the braid of padawanship behind. To kill one's enemy is a detestable act, and an option sought after only if no other options present itself."

"The third tenet of the Jedi Code is, 'There is no passion, there is serenity." Let the Force flow through you and guide your hand, your actions, and use instinct to outsmart your foes." Galak dropped into a familiar Niman combat stance, his body tensed, ready to spring into action, with his blade wavering in an unpredictable circle in the front of him. A technique he had developed himself, this allowed him to transition into a thrust from different angles and also transform a jab into a slash with relative ease.

"On guard, Padawan," he barked. Varrec was a shy and thoughtful padawan, but he would need to be sharp with the blade just as his other skills. He was confident that concealed beneath his considerable weight was a power that he could utilize if he tried with the Force with him.

 

[Ehrlich Mar]

The fat man looked doubtful at Master Avara's sentiments concerning age, but he accepted that should he ever attain the considerable years of his tutor he would feel similarly. Still examining the ground and shuffling slightly, Varrec's eyes were lifted upwards as the sound of a lightsaber's ignition reached his ears. Even as he raised his head, the training lightsaber left Galak's hand, and D'Ellessar almost failed to catch its shimmering frame in his palm.

"On guard," said Avara as he took a Niman stance. Varrec's eyes widened; was he in fact expected to fight? Already, and in this heat? He mopped his brow thoroughly before examining the training lightsaber once more in search of its activation switch.

Unfortunately, D'Ellessar had caught the handle wrong, resulting in its being upside-down. He looked flustered for a moment and gave an apologetic smile to his tutor before righting its positioning and activating the blade. As the blade grew to its full length, a myriad of questions forcefully penetrated Varrec D'Ellessar's mind: was he expected to duel his master, the foremost swordsman in the Jedi Order? Were they simply going to do drills? Would they ever get out of this heat and head indoors? Bah! But these thoughts are of no consequence! If the Master says on guard, then on guard it shall be!

And so it was. Varrec was practiced in the form of Makashi, mainly due to its similarity to classical fencing. That and it required little in the ways of dynamic movement, something for which D'Ellessar was very grateful. So, bending his knees and pointing the toe of his right foot at Master Avara, Varrec held his blade aloft so that the elbow of his blade arm was a hand's length from his torso, whilst the tip of his blade resided approximately at eye level with Galak. His posture was erect and his weight was evenly distributed, and even a man such as he could maintain such a position for quite some time.

Varrec eyed Avara's swirling blade, and he recognized the unpredictability of such a motion. Unfortunately, he was still uncertain about the Consular's plans for the training session, and as such remained motionless in his stance, awaiting a que from his Master.

 

[Brand]

Galak examined the padawan's stance. "I see you practice Makashi. I too am a practitioner of this form; it grants finesse and precision, a strong defense, and makes it an ideal dueling form."

"One of the keys to Makashi is not only physical prowess but also mental swiftness. The Contentious Opportunity, as it is known to practiced users of the form, involves analyzing and processing your opponent's stance, movements, and looking for weaknesses to exploit and capitalize on. Upon recognition of a weakness a duel or battle can be ended quickly by striking your exposed enemy where he is not prepared."

Galak kept his blade moving, it's tip swirling in different patterns, but he kept the blade low, leaving his upper-torso unguarded. Varrec would need to take in and process Galak's moves and not become flustered by his moving blade. A well placed cut could end a fight from the offset, and as a diplomat or ambassador this was often a vital tool to success. It was a hot day, and the sun beat down on both, but the padawan would need to hunker down and execute the moves to the best of his ability; if he expected to enter the real world as a Knight he would have to deal with much harsher conditions than these.