Star Wars: Jedi Academy (IC|Closed)

[Parcia]

Ziam Cyrus, the Arena


He didn't need to be told to take cover as soon as the Bantha shit hit the ion turbine. Drawing his pistol and sliding in to cover behind a toppled over stone of some monolithic persuasion and found him self just inside of the range to hear Martius's conversation. Yelling out as he flipped the power switch on his DL-18, he took a peek over his little piece of cover, "Sounds like a good plan, uh, did anyone thing to grab any of those E-5s off them clankers? I'v got a high power mode on this pistol but i'm lacking in heavy fire power here."

The situation was bad, they were out gunned, yet held a number's advantage. Maybe Martius was on to something.

[Urran]

Thrace

The experiment padawan had not headed much of what was said by the masters. His eyes had stayed fixed in a horrified, trance like state at the black shapes since he had arrived in the clearing. The lids of his eyes twitched, his skin had gone even more pale, his arms hung loose at his sides. He could not move.

Fell voices were all about him, harsh whispers of some forbidden language, laughing, mocking, hissing harsh promises he did not understand. The edges of his vision began to blur and gradually close in, consuming his world in darkness.

Now a jab came at one side, making him stumble sideways, then at his left knee, making him go the other. His arms swung deftly about, trying to shoo the whispers away, but he found himself unable to lift his arms above his waist. Even his mechanical appendage seemed useless.

"No...." he whispered back, unable to raise his voice. "Go away...." The first words he had spoken since before leaving for the temple.

The voices turned harsher and closed ranks, coming in for the kill, to swallow him and take him back to the void with them. Thrace's breathing became labored.

"I....said....NO!!!" The shout came as the Black Shapes opened fire on the Dathomirian. Whether consciously or unconsciously, he could not say, he drew his training saber using the Force and ignited it, sending a force push out his immediate vicinity.

The blue blade of a Jedi Knight came forth, his unrefined force ability was still triggered by fear, a powerful emotion, and it sent a great cloud of dust and small rocks scattering about. With the saber he moved to block an attack that had not come, the voices were gone for now, scattered to the void.

Thrace drifted back to the present. The rest of his compatriots seemed to be taking cover as the Black Shapes focused on the Dathomirian.

I hope I can do that again.... using a great amount of focus and effort, he sent out another great plume of dust, though more directional this time, towards the Black Shapes, and quickly dove for cover behind a mound of rock. The others had a better handle on what was going on. He felt a stirring, a growing to desire to follow them and not to flee. He could not escape the feeling he was about to follow them on some damn foolish idealistic crusade....

[Newrey]

[b]Caio Esau[b]

Breaking through the thick brush of the Yavin 4 jungle, Caio found himself in what Magnus had called the Arena. An oddly violent name for a place where the first generation of the new Jedi would be trained, especially if they were to be the peacekeepers that Caio had read and believed them to be.

He felt his heart sink ever so slightly when he saw he was among the last of the stragglers to arrive there. Caio was by no means the most competitive of people, and he was well aware that this whole trial was nothing more than a way to gauge the trainees abilities, but still, it would have been nice to arrive earlier, at least proving himself to be somewhat worthy. Caio shook the negative thoughts from his mind, he could feel something on this planet playing with his emotions, filling him with self-doubt. Perhaps Master Skywalker would know more of this. He made a mental note to inquire after the Trial.

As the projections of the Jedi Masters appeared, instructing them on their next time, Caio could tell it was going to be difficult, especially with how much firepower the droids were carrying with them. He could see his fellow padawans dash for cover and begin formulating a plan, but as someone with a blue saber sent forth a spray of pebbles and dust, Caio could feel a plan forming in the back of his head.

"Excuse me, blue saber person, sorry, never caught your name. Mine's Caio, but I just seen your dustwave. I'm thinking that maybe, if we get enough going, we might be able to obscure the droid's vision enough and then we can start pelting them with rocks while others sneak up and take the crystals. Alternatively, we could just send the dust wave and swarm them with those incredibly fast pebbles. What do you think?" he asked, his heartbeat slowly rising as the concept of testing out the limits of his force abilities began to appear more and more appealing.

[Anowa]

There was a rush of wind near Thrace and Caio, and the almost imperceptible shape of a massive figures entering the dust cloud. The current the dust was taking shifted dramatically as whatever was running through it was making a beeline for one of the so called droids. Moments later the shape of a Wookie burst through the far end of the cloud, smashing headlong into the droid and toppling both to the ground.

The other exoskeleton paused, it's previous movement directly towards the pillar that Ulsa and Redral were themselves moving had stopped, but only for a fraction of a second. The shoulder plates of the being popped open, as a flurry of rockets flew forth, directly towards the skirmishing wookiee and armoured soldier. They detonated mid air, bathing both prostrate combatants in a thick coat of hot pink fluid. In a moment of distraction, thew wookiee was thrown free, landing in the sand with a thud, as the fluid covering him went from a hot pink to a white rather swiftly, leaving him locked in position.

As his comrade recovered, the Dark Trooper that had launched the missiles was now moving back towards Ulsa and Redral, back handing the pillar over and revealing the duo of apprentices behind it. It raised it's assault cannon, fully intending to blow them away but a sudden jerk to the left saved the consciousness of the two apprentices. A ungodly yell of effort had come from behind as the dark trooper struggled to bring it's weapon back on target. It had come from the Balosar, who was standing on a different pillar, veins noticeably bulging, arms outstretched, sweating pouring off of him like a waterfall, and very likely close to full on seizing trying to keep the weapon pointed elsewhere.

There was now a colossal opening as someone, anyone really, could make a mad dash for their objective, and make an escape.

[The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune]

Inera

Fear... she had let it consume her. Shaking her head quickly, Inera dashed behind another boulder before the mechs could fire on her. Looking around her, she could see at least a few other apprentices, some of whom were adressing her and talking. She couldn't hear then over the pounding in her ears. Her thoughts blazed forward, her mind scrambling, rushing. A thousand different words ran through her head as she tried to recover and speak or comment on the plan around her. Finally, after a few seconds, she managed to catch her breath and control her thoughts once more. Finally hearing what the others were saying, Inera began to consider the plan. But, as she did so, a familiar itch on the back of her neck appeared.

Looking at the field, Inera saw that both of the droids had been distracted by various things. Inera smiled at the rest of the group, cracked her neck and said "If you want to do that, be my guests." before unsheathing her lightsaber once more and bursting out over the cover, sprinting across the battlefield towards the pedastle and the Kyber. If and when she got close enough, Inera would then grab one, and then try to flee the arena towards the next location.

[Brusia]

Martius Shan
Yavin IV

As the Wookiee apprentice boldly tackled one of the massive exoskeletons, Martius watched as the other exoskeleton fired a group of missiles at the two; unfortunately it seemed they did indeed have heavy weapons, and were more than willing to use them. As this meant they'd have little difficulty hitting the apprentices behind cover, it was clear their plan would have to be abandoned in favor of a new one. Fortunately, another apprentice would provide them a golden opportunity as he held the upright exoskeleton's cannon in place with the Force while the other exoskeleton was still getting up from the ground, creating a sizable gap towards the crystals for the students.

It seemed the nearby young Arkanian woman noticed this as well, and before Martius could even call attention to it, she already made her way over cover and towards the crystals. Turning to the young human woman who had spoken earlier and those still nearby, Martius stated: "That gap's likely to be our best shot, but I think we can still help the others as well; follow my lead." In the absence of cover, Martius figured concealment was their best bet and, lacking a smoke grenade, stood up and directed a Force push down at the ground in front of him and in the direction of Ulsa, attempting to kick enough dust up into the air to hide them so they could make their escape before the exoskeleton could bring it's weapons to bear on them. He hoped the others with him would do so for the rest of the arena, giving the apprentices slower than Inera a chance to make it out as well before they booked it towards the Kyber crystals...

[Mediama]

Adné Strenala
Temple Arena, Yavin 4
19 ABY

Adné gulped and then nodded. It appeared that recent events have thrown a wrench into her plan, and so it only made sense for her to adapt to these changes. As Samira and Inera moved forward Adné unholstered her S-5 and allowed an older Jedi, Martius, to take point and lead the advance toward the kyber crystals. She could only witness in awe as he used the force to fling some dirt into the air to provide a sense of cover for the two other apprentices further in front of them. And to think, I might have the capability to do that. she thought to herself.

She got the idea, they would try to provide cover for both the apprentices who were already far ahead, and for those who were straggling behind.

Given her basic knowledge on imperial tech however, a simple smoke screen might not do the trick to hide their movements.

While she may not have the training to use the force in just the way, what she did have was basic military training.

And so, Adné moved up with Martius from cover to cover as they tried to set up a smoke screen and covering fire while they moved toward the crystals. She took careful aim at the Dark Trooper’s helmets, trying not to aim for any apprentice still physically engaging the troopers, and squeezed the trigger, trying to do the best she can to at least damage the thermal sensors. “If anyone has any blasters, aim for the head! We might not be able to kill them, but we can try to disable their thermals or their sensors!”

[Nornsmark]

Redrel Prizevahl
So You Found Me

Well, son-of-a-nerf-herder. The pillar was, uh, as they say, gone with the wind. Backhanded with a thundering crash, it was ripped from his control and now, the threat of extreme violence now stood before him and his fellow padawan, held back only by the valiant effort of yet another of his peers. "Well then," Redrel said, his eyes wide, "I think I'll be breaking you a wee bit." He exhaled a long plume of tabacc from his pipe, and raising his arm, he let himself plunge into the Force and its unseen currents and will. He could feel the other apprentice pulling desperately, and with an unsteady inhalation, he split the burden of holding the cannon in place. Redrel's teeth gripped the pipe so hard he was afraid his teeth would shatter, or the pipe's stalk would. He couldn't tell. All he had to do was find the X-Citer module, and break it. Redrel's brow furrowed as he hunting through the colossal blaster, searching for the fragile module. Ah, there it was. He exhaled another plume of smoke, and with a hidden scream of exertion, curled his hand into a claw, his whole arm shaking and quivering like a pudding as he folded, curled and otherwise warped the X-Citer module of the cannon, rendering it inoperable with a bellowing metallic roar. With the last of his strength, he flung his arm in an attempt to pull the massive war-droid off-balance. The effect was... unimpressive, only serving to fling a multitude of pebbles, stone shards and dust to the side. Redrel let his arm drop, stumbling forwards only to catch himself with the stave of his saber-pike. "You lot best get going, I'll uh... I don't know, buy some time I guess? But you gotta go, right now!"

[The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune]

Inera

The Arkanian slipped past the two big droids, watching as they were both held up by the rest of the crew. It was funny, the closer to the canisters she got, the colder the air seemed to get. Shivering a little, she pressed on. Amazed that she actually made it to the pedastle, she gave it quick check to make sure that it wasn't trapped or anything, before nodding and grabbing a canister.

It was like a million voices screamed in her head at once. Inera briefly fell to her knees trying to cope. Sorrow, loss, pain, suffering, anger, hate. All the negative emotions she could name and more, coursing through her head at once. They lashed at her, compelling her to do things, terrible things, things she would never do. She couldn't. Inera took a deep breath. She had gone through worse than this. Calming her mind as much as she could, she took one step, than another, making sure that whatever was really housed in this cannister wasn't crippling her. Legs were good, arms were good, sight and hearing was good. Then she had all she needed. Before anything else could stop her, Inera took her prize, and ran like a hungry rancor was chasing her back through the chaos of the arena.

Breaking through the crowds and out the gate once more, Inera punched her way through the treeline in a northwestward direction, saving no hesistation this time. Unlike the several kilometer run out to the arena, the new location was practically a sprint away. She sheathed her lightsaber, tucked her cannister under her arm, and ran towards her goal.

[Beiarusia]

Llewellyn
Arena, Yavin 4 :: 19 ABY

She was nearing the pedestal, having almost completely circumvented the two Dark Troopers who, by chance, had yet to take notice of the small apprentice. Not that Llewellyn could relax. At any moment the two behemoths could spin to face the sneaking apprentice, and considering they were powerful enough to stonewall an entire class of would-be Jedi she herself wouldn't stand a chance. Their cannons alone were considerably larger than she was tall! No, her best option was to stay low, covertly slipping from one rocky outcropping to the next while the others acted as unwitting decoys, and only when she was close enough could she risk a hasty dash-and-grab.

Then came a loud crash. Peeking from her hiding spot Llewellyn saw the aftermath of the Wookie charging headlong into the nearest Dark Trooper, and in the seconds after chaos as everything happened at breakneck pace.

Now or never.

Llewellyn threw herself from her where she lay hidden, dashing towards the pedestal as the air grew heavy with the sudden appearance of a small dust storm. (The handiwork of Martius Shan, though she herself was unaware of the exact cause.) Reaching the pedestal she snagged an armful of the half-meter long canisters and was reaching for more when a figure approached quickly through the swirling dust. Llewellyn instinctively dropped down, back somewhat pressed to the pedestal as the white-haired human(?) grabbed a canister for herself. The woman paused the moment she touched a canister, faltering and falling to her knees, leaving the unnoticed Llewellyn to wonder if she'd been shot, but as quickly as it happened the woman was up and hurrying off towards the arena's exit. It never crossed the girl's mind that the canisters were responsible for the odd behavior. Regardless, Llewellyn followed suit, jumping to her feet and running with her three canisters with the singular purpose of getting as far away from the arena as quickly as possible. Unlike the white-haired human(?) who'd pushed her way back the way she'd came, Llewellyn gave a wide berth to the Dark Troopers, but soon reached the exit without hassle or bodily harm. Her lungs were on fire from the exertion, however, but she wasn't yet safe, not until she reached the area they'd been told to deliver the canisters to. She forced herself to keep going, running off after the woman she could no longer see.

She had acted alone, but Llewellyn had obtained not one but three canisters, and hoped that alone was enough for praise as she scurried off back into the surrounding forests.

[Empire of Donner land]

Yavin IV

---

19 ABY

---

Apprentice Ulsa Anve

---

Behind the rock that Ulsa and Redrel were carrying, she could barely see what was going on but could hear the struggle that was occurring. Missiles going off, yelling, the general sound of mayhem that made her wince if she even felt that any of it was coming towards them, it seemed they were safe, Ulsa could swear she felt the Crystals were close, or atleast, that was what she thought until the stone they were carrying was thrown out of their grasp with a thunderous smash. Pebbles, debris, and dust being thrown into the air as Ulsa was thrown aside and her telekinetic grasp on the massive rock literally ripped out of her hands. The rock now on its side, exposing her and her companion to fire as the Titan turned to them with a raising weapon.

Ulsa could see the blaster powering up on the Dark Troopers' arm, a glow emanating from its muzzle as the barrel turned to them. She braced for the worst until suddenly it's arm jerked backward as if held away, Ulsa looked to her right seeing a student reaching out to keep them safe. Meanwhile, it looked like Redrel was trying his own form of grip on the Dark Trooper themself. She tried to say something, a thank you to either of them, until a gust of wind blew in, bringing up an artificial storm of dirt, dust, and other particulates that made it hard to see. Ulsa took this as a sign to 'Shut up and get up.'

Ulsa pushed herself off the ground and into a running sprint, jumping off the now broken and fallen pillar in front of them into a roll underneath the Dark Trooper's massive Blaster that was shaking as it and the Padawans wrestled with it using their powers but based on how hard the Dark Trooper was fighting back based on the glimpse she had, it was a losing battle and Ulsa had little time. She recovered from the roll and ran towards the pedestal, nearly running into it as a few other Jedi were now plucking cylinders of Kyber Crystals off it. Ulsa grabbed two, placing them between her right arm and body, cradling them. Ulsa looked to the left, the exit was right there, she grabbed her Saber with her left hand and sprinted out of the arena, pushing her self off the pedastal clumsily into the jungle. She was home free, for now.

[The GAmeTopians]

Samira Icejade
Doom Arena

As one of the few who hadn't hesitated right at the start, Samira was one of the closest to their objective. Seeing the opening, she broke into a mad dash for the crystals, snatching a cylinder with one hand and making a break for the exit.
"That was... far simpler than anticipated. Presumably there's more to this..."
Despite having reached the objective, Samira still warily observed the Dark Troopers, knowing that one false move could result in instant failure.

[Newrey]

Caio Esau
Yavin 4

It was the sudden burst of wind against Caio's head that first informed him something was developing, his head quickly turning to the direction it came from, seeing a rather fearsome looking Wookie physically grappling with the Dark Troopers blocking there path. So much for the tactical play, he thought to himself. Before he could begin to find a path to go down to avoid the fight and get the crystals, he saw three other people start before him, his head tilting as the Arkanian dropped quickly too her knees as she grabbed one of the cylinders. He felt both his suspicion and interest rise as it appeared the drop was only momentary. Quickly vaulting over the rock he had been using for cover, he began a mad dash towards the crystals from the side of the arena, a cold, heavy feeling began to grow in the back of his mind as he approached the crystals, confirming that something was wrong with them, but Ciao could not tell what. As he grabbed one of the cylinders, it felt as though every negative emotion he ever felt exploded outwards before retreating as quickly as it had arrived, leaving him with nothing but a cold chill along his spine, which wore off as he ran for the exit. He was beginning to seriously dislike this planet.

[Anowa]

Redrel Prizevahl

There was a dull thud behind Redrel as the Balosar dropped to the ground, fatigue and strain overcoming him. The massive droid, seemingly unaware of the damage to his weapon, raised it to fire on Redrel, only for a blast of superheated gas and now molten metal and plastic to spray upwards out of a seam in the rifle like a volcano, landing on the arm and chest plating of the mech. The walker simply looked down at the weapon, and for a moment, seemed at a loss, until a steady steam of, something began leaking from the wrist joint of the walker. A deep crimson, it had similar properties to blood, but anyone with any mechanical aptitude would likely instead recognize it as hydraulic fluid.

To add insult to injury, a blaster bolt slammed into the left lens of it's helmet, cracking it and leaving half of it's field of view obscured. This, combined with the force push, actually caused the machine to go off balance for a moment, the pressure on the hydraulic system causing a massive spray of fluid to arc through the air. As it tried to regain balance, it's movements seemed sluggish, delayed, and not nearly as strong as before. It was on the ropes.

Samira Icejade

On the other side of the arena, the now pink splattered walker stood up fully, fixing it's eyes on the collection of only 2 canisters of crystals, and the sole woman standing before it. Raising it's weapon to fire, a cloud of dust and sand wafted over the machine, clouding it's sight of the apprentice and leaving not much else to go off of other than it's thermals, which were lacking in effectiveness due to the aforementioned dust. Regardless, it's still hosed down the last area it saw Samira at, the stunning blaster bolts raking back and forth in an effort to stop the last few containers being taken.

[Mediama]

Adné Strenala
Temple Arena, Yavin 4
19 ABY

As a group, Adné followed Martius’s lead in moving under the cover of dust towards the pedestal. She smiled internally as she saw that at least one of her shots hit their mark and was able to disable one of the Dark Trooper’s lenses. Although she was initially disturbed that the trooper seemed to have been bleeding, confirming concerns that there was indeed a human under the armor, she calmed down as she quickly recognized the red, viscous liquid as hydraulic fluid, given her unfortunate experience during pilot training in the NRSFC that involved a laser spanner, some tape, an accident-prone handmaiden in-training, and a malfunctioning astromech with a side of tempermental N-1.

With one of the troopers disabled, the group was able to make it with relative ease towards the close proximity of the crystal canisters, just in time to receive the blind fire from the second dark trooper. The group briefly took cover and Adné fired a handful of slightly focused but equally blind fired retaliatory shots as they reset the dust screen, then continued onto the final pedestal.

Something felt off though, Adné couldn’t describe it, but something felt wrong, and that sensation only felt worse as they moved closer toward the canister. She had briefly glossed over the reactions of some of her comrades as they took the canisters, some were briefly stunned, others took them with no issue at all.

One thing’s for certain: despite her fears, the situation was more perilous than it was when the other padawans grabbed the canisters, she didn’t want anyone else to risk their lives for a few canisters, she had already made up her mind by the time there were close to the pedestal.

“Cover me! I’ll bring the canisters back!” Adné yelled to the rest of the group. After getting acknowledgement, she sprinted through cover toward the pedestal. Under the cover of the pedestal, and ignoring her feelings of dread, which were now blaring at this point, she reached up and grabbed both remaining canisters. She wasn’t prepared for what she experienced next.

Having never had formal training in the force and how to control it, the feelings she felt through the canisters seared through her like a knife through butter. Adné collapsed and shrieked as intense emotions of fear, betrayal, and anger ran through her psyche. It was overwhelming, it was too much, and she could do nothing as she laid against the pedestal, still trying to hold on tightly against the canisters in great emotional pain as blaster fire blindly flew above her.

[Brusia]

Martius Shan
Yavin IV

Martius ran towards the canisters with Adne following close behind and slid into some cover near their objective. He peaked over his cover out towards the exosuits and noticed the one still shooting seemed to be firing blindly. Figuring Adne must've managed to knock out its thermals, he looked to her and stated: "Great shot kid!" He then turned towards the path ahead to the canisters, attempting to size up the safest route to their goal that would allow them to best bypass the incoming fire. Before he could inform the others of his plan however, Adne devised a plan of her own and ordered everyone nearby to cover her while she went for the canisters.

While Martius would've preferred to grab the canisters himself to minimize the danger to the others, he also knew the young woman presented a smaller, less obvious target, and her youth certainly afforded her greater speed. He nodded in agreement with her plan and drew his blaster, laying down suppressive fire as near to what appeared to be the origin of the droid's blaster fire as he could see. What he failed to notice however were the feelings of shock, sorrow, and betrayal emanating from the Kyber crystals ahead; he had shared in those same emotions for so many years, and for much the same reasons, that he was nearly deaf to them now.

When he suddenly heard a scream coming from the direction of the canisters, Martius ceased firing and quickly turned his head towards the sound's origin, where he saw Adne drop down against the pedestal. Fearing she may have been injured, he started off towards her position, staying low and making short dashes from cover to cover to try and stay out of the exosuit's sight and its line of fire. As he drew near to Adne's position, he began to sense the emotions emanating from the Kyber a little more clearly, though to him it felt more like the dull aching of an old wound than the searing pain of a fresh one. Still, when he was close enough to see she hadn't been physically wounded, it wasn't difficult to put two and two together; particularly after having had a similar experience himself when he was not much older than the Nabooan.

Ducking down behind the pedestal in front of her, Martius put his hand on Adne's shoulder and calmly stated: "Hey, it's going to be okay. I know what you're feeling right now, but you can't let the emotions you're sensing control you; rather, you must take control of them. Try to calm yourself: close your eyes, take a deep breath, try to clear your mind and repeat 'There is no emotion, there is peace.' Hoping to avoid her getting shot while regaining her senses, Martius scooped the young woman up in his arms and took a deep breath, clearing his own mind as he prepared to use the Force. Knowing his connection was still far too weak to attempt to run with Force Speed all the way out of the arena, he instead concentrated as best he could to move with a short burst of speed, and dashed off to the nearest cover close to fellow Apprentices, hoping they'd be willing to help escort the pair, and the crystal canisters, out of the arena and to their final destination...

[Urran]

Thrace

The current tunnel vision Thrace was experiencing meant that he had paid no mind to the other apprentice that had attempted to communicate with him. By the time the new comer's presence had been noticed, they were gone.

The negative feelings kept swirling. He'd seen dark troopers before, more than his fair share. Many of the Phase Is had been enteched at the same facility he was held at, an awful place. Still, they served the Empire. He was unsure if these were people in a robotic husk, or just droids. Whatever the case, they seemed to be susceptible to Wookie attacks.

The others were still scrambling to try to get hold of the canisters filled with crystals, the purposes of which were still not exactly clear to the experiment. As the surge of negativity subsided, he could full a slight pull, a gentle tug coming from the canisters. Something in there was calling to him. He felt as if there was a bond in the force that he somehow shared with something in one of those containers.

He slowly raised his head above the rock that was his shelter, peaking ever so carefully about. Steady now, you can do this, one....two...three....over the top!

[Mediama]

Martius Shan
Yavin IV

Martius ran towards the canisters with Adne following close behind and slid into some cover near their objective. He peaked over his cover out towards the exosuits and noticed the one still shooting seemed to be firing blindly. Figuring Adne must've managed to knock out its thermals, he looked to her and stated: "Great shot kid!" He then turned towards the path ahead to the canisters, attempting to size up the safest route to their goal that would allow them to best bypass the incoming fire. Before he could inform the others of his plan however, Adne devised a plan of her own and ordered everyone nearby to cover her while she went for the canisters.

While Martius would've preferred to grab the canisters himself to minimize the danger to the others, he also knew the young woman presented a smaller, less obvious target, and her youth certainly afforded her greater speed. He nodded in agreement with her plan and drew his blaster, laying down suppressive fire as near to what appeared to be the origin of the droid's blaster fire as he could see. What he failed to notice however were the feelings of shock, sorrow, and betrayal emanating from the Kyber crystals ahead; he had shared in those same emotions for so many years, and for much the same reasons, that he was nearly deaf to them now.

When he suddenly heard a scream coming from the direction of the canisters, Martius ceased firing and quickly turned his head towards the sound's origin, where he saw Adne drop down against the pedestal. Fearing she may have been injured, he started off towards her position, staying low and making short dashes from cover to cover to try and stay out of the exosuit's sight and its line of fire. As he drew near to Adne's position, he began to sense the emotions emanating from the Kyber a little more clearly, though to him it felt more like the dull aching of an old wound than the searing pain of a fresh one. Still, when he was close enough to see she hadn't been physically wounded, it wasn't difficult to put two and two together; particularly after having had a similar experience himself when he was not much older than the Nabooan.

Ducking down behind the pedestal in front of her, Martius put his hand on Adne's shoulder and calmly stated: "Hey, it's going to be okay. I know what you're feeling right now, but you can't let the emotions you're sensing control you; rather, you must take control of them. Try to calm yourself: close your eyes, take a deep breath, try to clear your mind and repeat 'There is no emotion, there is peace.' Hoping to avoid her getting shot while regaining her senses, Martius scooped the young woman up in his arms and took a deep breath, clearing his own mind as he prepared to use the Force. Knowing his connection was still far too weak to attempt to run with Force Speed all the way out of the arena, he instead concentrated as best he could to move with a short burst of speed, and dashed off to the nearest cover close to fellow Apprentices, hoping they'd be willing to help escort the pair, and the crystal canisters, out of the arena and to their final destination...

Adné Strenala
Temple Arena, Yavin 4
19 ABY

Adné barely heard Martius' advice over the torrent of thoughts of pain and suffering, but was still somewhat able to make it out. Her eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration and she shuddered as she tried to repeat over and over again to herself, "There is no emotion, there is peace." The young woman was barely able to notice that she was being picked up and carried as she held the two canisters closely to her chest. In the matter of time as he carried her to safety, the voices in her head started to abate, and soon her thoughts were cleared of the tumultuous emotion and replaced with total peace. She felt calm, she was at rest, despite the sounds of explosions and blaster fire going on around her. Hopefully, they will get to safety soon.

[Anowa]

In the arena, things seemed to suddenly stop. The blaster fire ended, the massive war suit, now looking at an empty pedestal, moved from a battle ready stance to a more relaxed one, though it wasn't until the last canister had left the arena that it spoke.

The deep, resounding voice of the person within had obviously been put through a filter, "You should all make your way to the meeting grounds. There is no more reason for you to remain."

It simply stood, even as a few of the extraneous apprentices moved out to collect the unconscious. It seemed like an earnest suggestion.

---

Inera
She sheathed her lightsaber, tucked her cannister under her arm, and ran towards her goal.

Inera was making decent progress through the jungle, the only sounds reaching her were the sounds of now distant fighting, a few birds, and her own footsteps. Nothing was following her it seemed, and more notably, nothing had started attacking her. It seemed that this part of the test was simply to get to the stated clearing. A clearing which was now within Inera's sight.

Then, a sudden cacophony of sounds. There were people going through physical strain, some form of energy field echoing between the distinct squeal of clashing lightsabers. Suddenly, Inera would feel as if she'd just been punched in the face, and immediately afterwards, an ungodly heat speared directly through her chest. A green glow that could only be said as unnatural emanated from the canister she was holding. The sound of a young man screaming out in anguish could be heard, but very distantly.

Yet, just as quickly as it came, it went. No injury was apparent on her, and the sight of four Jedi masters mulling about the field ahead gave a clear indication of where she was to go. What the vision meant, was up to interpretation, if it even had any meaning.

---

Llewellyn
She had acted alone, but Llewellyn had obtained not one but three canisters, and hoped that alone was enough for praise as she scurried off back into the surrounding forests.

Llewellyn was quiet as a mouse moving through the jungle, yet so was everything else it seemed. The birds were making noise, but most animals had fled the sounds of fighting from earlier. It seemed the quiet young survivor was home free. Ahead was the form of Inera, making a good pace on her own, the younger of the two following close behind.

This progress was shunted however by the sounds of blaster fire. As it reached it's height, the feeling of a single shot slamming into Llewellyn's spine screamed up and down the last Icarii's back. It was followed by the feeling of someone cradling her, "Master!" howled the voice of a young girl. Followed by the ungodly feeling of drowning, though not in water, but by pure unadultered rage and fear.

It hadn't ended when the feeling of hot wind rushing over the child's body came next, a dark presence, followed by three shots of a blaster, themselves feeling like a death in their own right slammed into Llewellyn's stomach, then the feeling of falling, before every bone in her body yelled out as an impact incomparable to all but the greatest falls slammed her body.

As with before, more feeling and sounds came rushing forth, an argument, with another man in the background pleading. The feeling of having her right hand outright sliced off burned up Llewellyn's arm, a trumphant scream, and every nerve in her body setting alight, as if fully engulfed with flame. The feeling of rushing air and a long, far fall came next.

The glow of the canisters Llewellyn carried were green and purple. And as this glow faded, so too did the pain and sound. Revealing that the girl had been left unharmed, perhaps shaken, but in good physical condition. Her goal was close however, a gap in the trees ahead of Inera gave way to the sight of the four masters, standing silently, waiting.

---

Samira Icejade
As one of the few who hadn't hesitated right at the start, Samira was one of the closest to their objective. Seeing the opening, she broke into a mad dash for the crystals, snatching a cylinder with one hand and making a break for the exit.

Samira would exit the arena not too far behind Llewellyn, just barely seeing the younger of the two duck back into the treeline. Though that would be the last the human apprentice would see of her compatriot for a while. The route Samira seemed to be handed was almost dead silent, no birds, no bugs, not even wind. It was as if she had entered a tunnel.

The sound of metal foot falls made this all the more apparent, the subsequent sound of sabers clashing however didn't fit with the surroundings. Deep, reverberating chatter from some kind of droone, followed by a distinct coughing reached the human's ears. Then the feeling of strenuous effort, as if holding back a speeder bike. Then, pain, three strikes to the belly that felt like concentrated lightning. A feeling of failure washed over the young woman before the hallucination had ended. The blue glow of the canister, had only just faded as the vision ended.

Samira however, was no worse for wear, her objective still holding true. She had to soldier on.

---

Ulsa AnveUlsa grabbed two, placing them between her right arm and body, cradling them. [/blocktext]

Ulsa made her mad dash into the jungle, not once looking back. The ice cold feeling coming from the canisters gave her no issue as she trekked through the now serene foliage. The sound of the others making their way through the jungle could be heard, but not so effectively tracked.

A gap in the treeline came into view, revealing a collection of blank white standing stones, though as soon as the image registered with Ulsa, sounds and physical stimulation came to the forefront of her mind. The sound of a heated battle, mechanical whirring and the sound of metal bubbling and spitting under the force of a light saber. Suddenly, a foreboding feeling from behind. Her very essence shook as a sudden change in equilibrium made Ulsa feel like she'd been tossed to the ground. Wet, ragged teeth seemed to close around her head and neck, as if a rabid animal had just clamped down. The feeling of heavy biting traveled from her head to her abdomen, and as it came, it went. Shredded skin and cracked ribs rippled through the young nightsister, though a feeling of accomplished duty came as well.

The vision swiftly faded into another, the sounds of an incredibly active forest, or perhaps jungle came from all around, it was very quickly drowned out by a very sudden and intense feeling of mortal danger. In an instant, Ulsa's whole body came alive with the feeling of blaster bolts slamming into her, from all around, dozens escalated into hundred, and as the feeling of falling came, they continued into her back and legs. It seemed to last forever, until finally it ended.

Ulsa came back to reality, seeing a fading blue and green glow, respectively from the duo of the canisters she took. Her goal however was in sight, the Masters standing in full view, perhaps they could provide answers to what Ulsa had just experienced.

---

Caio Esau As he grabbed one of the cylinders, it felt as though every negative emotion he ever felt exploded outwards before retreating as quickly as it had arrived, leaving him with nothing but a cold chill along his spine, which wore off as he ran for the exit.

Caio had broken free of the engagement, holding his single canister as he made his move for the treeline. The sound of the jungle and the fauna within came back, overriding the sounds of battle, which swiftly faded. Soon after, he would find himself in a clearing, leading up to what looked like a graveyard. The sudden sight of a blue glow from the canister enveloped both Caio and the surrounding foliage, and before the young man could register what was happening, the sound of a turbolaser firing a single salvo reached his ears.

A sudden wash of extreme heat and the sound of rippling metal echoed across the small clearing, almost immediately after, he would feel as if he was holding back a molten ocean. The feeling of pure fatigue coursed through Caio's veins, and for a moment, he heard someone calling for him, though it wasn't his name they yelled.

Reality faded, as a vision welled into Caio's eyes. Fire wreathing the scene, his eyes, locked onto a green Twi'lek in an Imperial prison uniform on an older dropship. Then it went speeding away, from what felt like Caio's own will. It would feel as if Caio was now melting, that the skin and flesh was being ripped apart atom by atom as he burnt alive. But there was no anger, nor sorrow. Not even fear. What slipped into Caio's heart was a sense of fulfillment, success. The death he had just experienced, whoever's it was, was a sad death, but not a pitiful one.

Reality came back to the boy, revealing the masters waiting ahead. They would likely be able to give answers.

Adné StrenalaThe young woman was barely able to notice that she was being picked up and carried as she held the two canisters closely to her chest.

As Adné was being carried, the sounds of battle disappeared, as the ambiance of the jungle returned. Although, there was a sound of something else. A deep heavy breathing, almost as if through a gas mask.

The clashing of lightsabers came and went, in slow methodical bursts, as if it were two individuals fighting with ancient swords rather than the energy weapons. Though it stopped for a moment, an overwhelming feeling of resignment and recognition now filling Adné's heart. It was followed by a flash of pain to the neck, and then an incredible feeling of euphoria and primal connection, as if bathing in the tides of the force itself.

In an instant, the feeling of euphoria disappeared entirely. Now, now it was nothing but pain, as if bathed in fire, Adné would feel restrained, sprawled out by her limbs and left dangling. The intensity of the burning amplified a thousand fold, as it no longer felt like a baptism by fire, but more like being strapped to the whole of Naboo's power grid. It ceased soon after.

Martius, holding on to the young woman could perhaps experience a less intense vision of the same vein as the girl. Regardless, both he, and the padawans now moving with him and Adné, would notice the bright blue glow coming from the duo of canisters. A single crystal within both calling out through the force itself.

---

It wasn't long before the various apprentices arrived at the meeting point, though the masters had remained tight lipped for the time being. To many it was obvious where they stood, nearly two thirds of a kilometer in every direction was occupied by a number of white stone outcroppings. The more attentive among them would spot colored crystals embedded into the top of almost all of them, the names inscripted under them ranged from every species and alphabet imaginable, Yoda, Halsey, Anakin Skywalker, Rosh Penin. The only deviation among these stones was a simple table next to Master Deshro, the Togruta, and a quartet of Temple guards.

It wasn't until they had all gathered, in their battered and bruised forms, that Master Ganthor spoke, his voice was not the authoritative yet fair tone it took prior. Instead, he spoke over the complete silence of the grove with nothing more than a soft lecture, "Jedi, must finally realize that they are fallible. As you stand here, among our honored dead, I want you to become blissfully aware that every decision you make is hauntingly final. There can be no do overs. The crystals you brought here are the crystals from the lightsabers of these Jedi. The ones we could reclaim, at the least."

Bo gestured to Katarn, "After you hand the canisters to Master Deshro, I want each of you to spend the next hour in this grove, tending to these gravestones, reading the names, committing them to memory. Let their mistakes stand as a lesson to you all, that the enemies of the Jedi are not relegated to simple thugs or inanimate clutches of circustance befalling the downtrodden... Martius. You may opt not to do so, the last thing any of us want is for you to reopen old wounds after finding an old friend."

Katarn spoke next, "Should any of you have questions, please ask them, we understand the crystals you carried were potent with the force energies of the deceased, and you may need some explanation."

[Aidannadia]

For most of the time in the arena, Osi-Rusi had been trying to gain ground with her deflector shield, but there were few openings in the way she approached, leaving little room for her to grab a canister. As the other began to one by one grab one, two, or even a handful, she began to feel the dread of failure sneaking its way into her heart. To think, with her device at her command, she would have lost was inconceivable. Perhaps she was not a good fit for this life of adventure...

Whatever the case, the masters had soon called the rest of the younglings into a field, littered with white stones that gave off palpable energies. Osi walked through the field, moving from stone to stone, inspecting the stones. Each gave off a slightly different... how could she put this... frequency? Either way, she could tell that each one was made for a different person without looking at the lettering. Plo Koon, Mace Windu, and then one stood out to her; a master by the name of Cin Drallig. The nobility of the energy that came off the rock caught her attention. She could tell somehow that this was a man of immense refinement and power in his own right, with pride in his work. She felt the energy harmonize with her own, her passion for study being emboldened for an instant like a generator taking in a surge of power, then it subsided the moment it came.

She spent the hour in the grove, reflecting on what exactly this all meant. The Jedi, a once powerful force in the Galaxy, had fallen so quickly. What had happened? What little reference she had found of them during her reading was short and curt in nature, not going into the details of what exactly had happened to them. Apparently, the Empire had had made clear that no one was to go digging, but she had always been curious.

Then, there was the words that the masters imparted onto those in the field. 'Fallible' they said. So, some fatal mistake or error must have brought about their downfall, but what kind of mistake can end so disastrously? As she meditated on these questions, little answers came to her. Perhaps if she had gotten a crystal like some of the others, something would have been made clear, but as it stood now, she was still in the dark as to the nature of what happened.

[The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune]

Inera

The Arkanian burst into the clearing when her mind was assaulted yet again from the canister. She heard voices, saw in brief flashes a haunting demon before her. Pain shot through her head and then her stomach as a voice wailed in the background. Then, a sort of peace washed over her, drawing her out, spreading her thin, and yet infinite. The whole galaxy was within her, and she was within the galaxy. The feelings faded back into the canister, which glowed green with light. Inera shook her head, and continued forward to where the Masters had gathered.

When none of the masters adressed her arrival, Inera assumed that they were to wait for the rest of the group. Finally having a moment to properly rest, Inera sat down and laid back in the slightly moist jungle grasses, taking a moment to get her breathing in check. The task had not been the most strained she had ever been, but it was up there. She sat back up as more apprentices stumbled into the clearing, waiting on her masters for the next set of instructions. She also took a moment to look around the clearing more carefully. Around her stood a variety of white stones, each marked in various runes. As Inera read them, she realized that they were all covered in names... oh. The reality of her location set in and Inera stood up immidiatly. With the realization came a sudden opening in her mind, a thousand different faint force signatures emanating from each of the stones. Inera stood slightly straighter than usual in reaction to her surroundings.

After the Masters finished their post lesson wrap up, Inera handed over her canister to Master Deshro. The demonic face the canister inflicted upon her still burned in her mind, and deciding to learn more, she approached Master Katarn shortly after the rest of the Canisters had been turned in and asked simply "Master Katarn, I was wondering if you might be able to tell me some of the stories of those who rest here. I don't mean to imply that I am uneducated, but the situation that I grew up in was not one were forbidden history was at the fore front of my priorities. I am familiar with some of these names, but I am woefully unfamiliar with their significance."

[Anowa]

Inera
"Master Katarn, I was wondering if you might be able to tell me some of the stories of those who rest here. I don't mean to imply that I am uneducated, but the situation that I grew up in was not one were forbidden history was at the fore front of my priorities. I am familiar with some of these names, but I am woefully unfamiliar with their significance."

Katarn gave a slight grin at what Inera had said. he himself knew very little of many of the honored dead present, only what could be garnered from what remained of the archives, and through witness accounts of aging clones and disillusioned Jedi. Of course, Master Yoda and Jinn had been a great help in recovering the history of the Jedi order, they themselves weren't historians. As such there were gaps beyond what happened before the Clone Wars, especially before Yoda's birth. Ganthor had helped prior to that, though how the Zabrak knew so much about the Old Republic, Kyle never sought to ask.

Kyle sighed, "In a field of tragedy and loss, there are few stories that could sum it all together. And there is not enough time in the universe to tell them all. I could speak at length of Master Windu's mastery of shatterpoints, Revan's tactical genius, Master Luminara's skill with a lightsaber, Master Ti's affinity for teaching." the man paused, his thoughts trailed to another, as he looked upon the stone he stood in front of, Quinlan Vos."I think, I shall tell you about the tragedy of Darth Tyranus."

Katarn softly cleared his throat, now slowly walking through the grounds, beckoning Inera to follow. "Darth Tyranus, was a human, born to the nobility of Serenno, an outer rim planet known for it's forests. From an early age, the boy exhibited force sensitivity. This, concerned his parents greatly, his mother was more accepting of it, afraid, perhaps, but still caring for her child. But the father, found him a freak of nature. When the Jedi were contacted, the father simply dumped the naked infant into the outdoors, at the mercy of the wildlife and the cold. Were it not for the seekers arriving soon after, he would have perished."

Kyle would linger a moment before carrying on, Inera still trailing, "As a Jedi, Tyranus would display excellent cunning and wisdom, and was an unrivaled duelist, in a time where fighting against another lightsaber was unheard of. Such would be expected of Master Yoda's apprentice. Early in his career, a close friend of his would share with him a vision, one of a monumental catastrophe. Yet, no matter who they shared their concerns with, they were either brushed off, or ignored. Even as no one heard their calls, the event occurred, killing many millions, and leaving infrastructural damage with took nearly a generation to repair. Most importantly, the lack of concern by the Republic and the Jedi, not only about the event itself, but the loss of life, left a deep wound in Tyranus' heart. A wound which left him seeking easier paths to save the innocent."

"Eventually, through many trials and tribulations, Tyranus would now take on his own apprentices. Taking on one Qui-Gon Jinn, Tyranus would mentor the boy until he became a knight of his own, and then a master. Taking on his own apprentice." they now stood in front of a another stone Obi-Wan Kenobi. "Ultimately, Tyranus, disillusioned with the order, and being called back to his home by the members of his family that still cared. He became the ruler of his homeplanet, and willingly left the order."

"After this, he seemingly disappeared from public life. His reaction to the death of his apprentice, Qui-Gon is unknown, but it was around this time that he was contacted by the then Senator of Naboo, in truth a dark lord of the sith, and was further corrupted with Tyranus gfrowing frustration with the Republic as a catalyst. It was here that he was first named Darth Tyranus. Not too long after that, ever the schemer, Tyranus orchestrated the construction of the Republic's clone army, as well as the droid army for his own purposes. Using the name of his old friend to prevent suspicion, he would later have Master Sify-Dyas killed. All in the pursuit of ridding the Republic of corruption."

"As above, so below however, that Tyranus himself would corrupt another mind to the Dark side." The stone the two now stood in front of was named Asajj Ventress, yet it didn't feel whole, instead, more hollow than those surrounding it, "It was 24 BBY when Tyranus officially founded the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Less than two years later, his plan to plunge the galaxy into a civil war came through. The battle of Geonosis was what started it all, and it was where 179 of these stones lend their creation to. Throughout the war, he would always evade capture, his own dark master working his respective magic in the republic senate, as Tyranus lead from the CIS. many times was there an attempt on his life, trying in vain to end the war before it escalated further."

Now they stood in front of a single, well worn stone. One that had a turmoil of conflict and regret about it, and if one were to meditate in this exact spot, they could swear to hear the rasping hiss of a respirator. Anakin Skywalker.

"Fate caught up to Tyranus, however. In a plan orchestrated during the Battle of Coruscant in 19 BBY, both the Chancellor, Darth Sidious, and Tyranus himself used Sidious as bait to attract two Jedi. Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker. With the true nature of the Chancellor unknown, the Jedi were quick to hatch a breakout. Whatever it was that Tyranus had planned, we know not. But we do know that he forgot that the sith are founded on nothing but treachery and deceit."

"Anakin Skywalker would eventually best Tyranus in a duel. Removing his hands and at the Knight's mercy. For a moment, Anakin hesitated, wishing to uphold the Jedi code of avoiding death when he could. But, at the behest of Sidious, the master of Tyranus. Anakin beheaded the count, leaving the last remnants of the CIS under the control of a psychopathic cyborg."

Kyle leaned over brushing some dirt off the the stone, revealing the blue crystal beneath, "This was the start of Anakin Skywalker's fall to Darth Vader." a pause, "I know, that you know who that is." katarn would now fully turn to Inera, "Count Dooku was a bright and wise Jedi, who sought to make the galaxy a better place for all beings. The very goal which allowed his corruption."

Katarn gave a small look back at Ganthor, before turning back to look at Inera, "Should I tell you another tale, or should I let you meditate on this one?"

[Mediama]

OOC Disclaimer: Post Co-Written with Brusia

Adné Strenala
Temple Arena, Yavin 4
19 ABY

Adné relaxed as she was carried away from the battlefield, and the sounds of battle transitioned to the ambient sounds of the jungle. It didn’t last long though, as chills went down her spine the moment she heard a distinct, deep breathing from what seemed to be her mind.

She froze.

Her mother and father told her of the legends surrounding Emperor Palpatine’s right hand man, of his finesse in fighting, his leadership, his perfectionism… his cruelty… his horrific slaughter of Nubian troops as he put down an insurrection and killed Queen Apailana in his hunt for the jedi.

It was well known that Emperor Palpatine’s homeworld was Naboo, and as such one would assume that there would be strong Imperial sentiments within the populace. To a point, there was; the Empire brought security and stability in the tumultuous years after the Clone Wars. But ask any veteran of the RNSF who served during that time, and survived both the battle, and Imperial custody, ask any gungan who was brutally put down and who conducted guerrilla raids in response, ask any of them, and the story was different.

She felt the passion that went into the ensuing duel envisioned within her mind, she felt the calm precision that went with it. It was beautiful, like a dance, she could only wish for that kind of grace, the kind only taught to the Queen’s Handmaidens. She felt the resignation to fate and the shock of recognition and then the sudden pain of her neck, before it quickly transitioned back to peace and euphoria, shuddering as she felt so.

That peace was quickly ripped from her, and she yelled loudly in pain again as she felt a surge of what she could only describe as electricity rock her to her core. She struggled against it, to no avail as she felt parylized in her actions. All she could really do is scrunch her face together and scream in agony.

Then… just as abruptly as it came onto her, it soon left. Adné fell limp into the older jedi’s arms. Despite her better instincts, she weakly struggled to open her eyes, to notice great blue hues coming from both canisters. She can only note how beautiful they were, and a little tug in the force as both crystals gave off their own distinct auras. Adné could only lose consciousness as exhaustion from the extreme emotions wrought onto her by her experiences in the force set in.

Martius Shan
Yavin IV

As the rages of battle ceased and gave way to the peaceful quiet of the jungle, Martius’ adrenaline began to die down, and a tired soreness began to creep its way into the old Jedi’s muscles as the action of the long morning began to catch up with him. His arms in particular quickly began to grow weary, but looking down at the young woman and seeing some little relaxation in her face now after her harrowing ordeal, he was loathe to put her down and snap her back awake. So he walked on, hoping to give Adne a chance to get at least some rest, but sadly it seemed that still was not to be, as the crystals she carried began to glow a bright blue while they flashed out the last sensations of their previous bearers.

With her greater sensitivity and proximity to the crystals, it seemed Adne again bore the brunt of their output, as Martius experienced only brief flashes of emotion from the first crystal. The sheer suffering exuded from the second crystal was still severe enough however that the flashes of pain struck him like being jabbed with a stun baton. Well accustomed to having to push forward in spite of intense pain, he kept walking towards the meeting point, slowed but refusing to stop, and as Adne screamed her agonizing screams, he clutched her closer to his chest and through a shaking voice stated: “Hold on, just a little further now” perhaps speaking to himself as much as to her. Finally, after reaching its crescendo, the pain abated and Martius let out a sigh of relief as Adne passed out in his arms; at least she could finally get a little rest.

The remainder of the journey to the meeting point was, fortunately, uneventful, and as they neared the Masters, Martius slowly set Adne down on the soft grass, propping her back up with one arm and gently shaking her shoulder with the other to try and rouse her back to consciousness. As she looked to be coming to, he softly said: “Hey, we made it; you still with me?” Though he felt a little bad for waking her up so soon, after everything the crystals had put her through, Martius wanted to make sure Adne would be awake to have the honor of turning them in to the Masters herself...

Adné Strenala
Temple Arena, Yavin 4
19 ABY

Adné’s eyes fluttered open as she was shaken awake. She looked around at where she was. She definitely wasn’t within the arms of the older jedi, instead, she was on the grass. There was a vast field of white stone blocks, spanning out in every single direction.

She looked back towards Martius, and gently nodded, “Thank you, thank you for helping me.” The Nubian girl said. She gathered her strength, and softly grunted as she put it all into standing back up on two feet. She held her head in her left hand as she dealt with the headrush that came with standing up so suddenly. She steadied herself before noticing the canisters on the ground. She picked one up, but left the other canister for Martius, “We worked together as a group, and you helped carry me away from danger, it’s only fitting that you deserve some credit as well.” She said, in order to explain herself.

It was only natural, in the RNSFC everyone in the flight group worked together as a whole unit, as was the case with their planetside brethren in the RNSC, and with their more elite sisters within the Queen’s Handmaidens, not one person took more credit than the other, even if they were the designated leader. It fit well with her humility, and in turn felt right for her to not take all the credit for what was in essence a group effort.

She turned and faced the congregated Masters, seeing the other trainees hand their canisters over to one of them. She put two and two together, turned to Martius and said, “Again, thank you.” She turned an about face, and walked to Master Deshrow. As one did to her superior, she handed out the canister with both of her hands. He hesitated before softly saying, “I... I fear I cannot take all of the credit for this task, Master Deshrow. I had the help of my fellow peers, without which the task may have been more adverse than it was. And for that I feel they should share the credit.”

Martius Shan
Yavin IV

As Adne thanked him for his help and began to stand up, Martius kept a hand on her arm ready to grab her in the event she passed out again from standing up too quickly. Fortunately, though she looked a little dizzy, she seemed to be alright, so Martius removed his hand and replied: “Of course, think nothing of it; helping each other is what we do.” As she grabbed one of the canisters and left the other for Martius, stating she felt he deserved some credit, Martius smiled and replied: “Thank you, that’s very kind of you” then bent down to grab the canister. He’d known many people in his time who would’ve been only too happy to try and take all the credit and glory for themselves, so it was refreshing to see someone willing to share credit; so far, from the students he’d met, it seemed like Master Skywalker had done an excellent job selecting candidates for the Academy.

When she thanked him again, he replied with a gentle smile and nod, then followed next to her as she approached Master Deshro to turn in the canister. After she turned in her canister and addressed Master Deshro, Martius turned his in as well and stated: “Indeed, our fellow Apprentices were invaluable in retrieving the canisters.” Once the canisters were turned in, he stood nearby and listened closely to the assembled Masters as they addressed the students; looking down for a moment when Master Ganthor gave him the option to not remain in the grove. He considered leaving, but ultimately decided this was something he’d have to face sooner or later, and with the Masters and his fellow students around to support him if need be, now seemed like as good a time as any.

Once the Masters finished speaking, Martius approached Bo and stated: “Thank you Master Ganthor, but if it’s alright I’d like to stay to honor the memories of the fallen, and to say a few goodbyes…”

[Tayner]

Tillisk'Tor'Vih
Yavin IV
19 ABY

---

Torr had survived the conflict at the arena. After arriving rather late to the party, he found himself pinned to cover before eventually the engagement stopped, him being of no help at all to the situation. He found his way to the next objective, a field with many markers, great stones. Soon he would realize that he was in a graveyard, and as he walked through studying the names, he saw few he recognized, and many he did not. The order used to be large, and had a long lineage that led up to the scant few Jedi they had left now. Torr studied names as directed, walking past the stone markers and reading names and transcribing them into his notepad to study later.

Sarrissa Jeng. Tarados Gon. Plo Koon. Sora Bulq. Ki-Adi-Mundi. Shaak Ti. Etain Tur-Mukan. Keiran Halcyon. These were some of the names he read. Most from the Clone Wars, although some older. Some had crystals embedded into them, others didn't. He repeated each name inside his head a couple of times before going onto the next. Torr was used to feeling small, as an explorer he saw many things greater than him. As a pilot he scouted large fleets, and participated with other large battles. As a youngling, he was inducted into an order larger than he could understand, but now he found himself feeling smaller than ever before, standing among the many dead of the Order.

He stopped at one stone in particular, Edvar Voss. It was a name he hadn't heard of in a while. Memories of the past flooded into his mind of his days as a youngling on Coruscant. Edvar was his Clan's master, and when Torr couldn't pass the initiate trials, Edvar was the one who recommended he join the Jedi Service Corps. Torr stood still for a moment, running his hand across the name engraved in the stone. Torr had known his old master's fate for some time now, but he had long gotten over it. However, he still felt a sense of sorrow before he pushed on, continuing his studies. Master Voss wouldn't want him missing out on his second chance to become a Jedi, and most certainly wouldn't allow himself to be blamed for any lapse in concentration, so Torr continued on.

[Urran]

Thrace

---

The shy, skulking figure of the young man had appeared quietly in the grove after all the others, as usual it stuck to the fringes of the group, trying to not draw attention to itself. Hungrily it devoured a small portion of bread it had hidden in its now sullied white clothes. It was upset about that. Perhaps it could acquire one of those brown robes so the dirt and mud would not show so much.

Thrace listened intently. The crystals, it was obvious, these were no mere rocks. They seemed to almost call out through the Force, they were alive somehow. He tried to soak in the information. As far as he could tell, they were used in weapons, the weapons of the Jedi.

The graves caught his eyes next, stones marked with many names, unusual, yet somehow wonderful. The Force was strong in the area. It was solemn and oddly peaceful. The death Thrace had seen was always horrible, and usually never quick or painless. Here, it seemed death was more than an escape for suffering, it was almost an honor. His emotions stirred within.

He had little Force instruction, but he found a grave with an unusual name, Qui Gon Jinn. It had a nice ring to it. He closed his eyes and tried listening to the voices. They seemed close, yet distant, he tried to make out what they were saying. Perhaps he tried too hard.