Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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A barrier other than language

Sha'so

Looking for freedom...
At the edge of the courtyard boarding against the magnificent forests surrounding the Academy at Ossus sat the young, mute Cathar Sha'do. Her eyes were closed and her hands were relaxed in her lap, her aura calm and serene. It had taken time, not to mention an abundance of patience on the part of her new Master, for her to learn how to meditate without becoming depressed, but the lesson was accomplished and Sha'do was now meditating daily and she was one step closer to mastering herself and gaining better control over her abilities. It was a small step since she still liked meditating in the forest where she felt safe, but it also had a profound affect on her; she had become focused and driven to learn, becoming calmer and less likely to run from her instructors and her lessons when she became frustrated. And it was all because Uri had named her his Padawan.

At first, Sha'do thought she would resent the relationship, not liking the fact that she had to answer to another Master. Not that she felt like a slave under Uri, quite the opposite in fact, but she had initially resisted the notion of calling anyone Master. But she respected Uri, enough so that she used the appellation on a few rare occasions, though most often she referred to him by name. He didn't seem to mind, and he'd certainly never made her use his title, which made it all the more special for them both when she did it.

"Master," she greeted softly when she felt her Master approaching. It seemed that no matter where he was in the Temple, she always knew where he was, so it was easy for her to know when he was seeking her out. Slowly her amber eyes opened to see Uri crossing the Courtyard to join her.

[member="Uri Aureleos"]
 
Uri smiled as he heard Sha’do’s greeting. It warmed his heart to see how quick she was progressing. How happy she had become since the first time they met. She had a new will now. He could tell that she wished to learn more and that she was growing more and more in the force. He wanted to think this was because of him. No. It wasn’t. It was all Sha’do. Uri was only a small part of it. She was the real reason she was doing so well.

As he reached her he sat down next to her for a small second, “My Padawan.”

He shut his eyes for a brief second feeling the force around them, “I have an important lesson for today. Force Barrier. It’s one that all padawans should learn. The sooner the better. If it saves your life, then it’s a lesson worth learning. We’re in a war at the moment and unfortunately we are not soldier. However as Jedi we aren’t defenseless thankfully.

He stood back up then smiled down at Sha’do, “Have you seen the waterfall? It’s close to the temple. Would you like to learn the lesson there?”

[member="Sha'do"]
 

Sha'so

Looking for freedom...
Sha'do nodded with a small smile and dusted off her robes as she rose to follow Uri. "I know the waterfall well," she replied, eager to use it as a setting for a lesson. "A barrier? I think I have done that."

Sha'do didn't share much from her past, and when she did, she typically kept details vague. There were simply some things people weren't meant to know, and some of the things she had done under her last Master's orders had been horrible. But this she felt she could share.

"When the Commando team infiltrated my owner's compound," she started, making a distinction between her former Master and her new one by calling her former Master 'owner', which made it easier for 'Master' to carry a positive weight as it did with Uri, rather than inspiring fear as it once had, "we got cornered in an office. Valkren had just removed my collar and I felt this rush like I'd never felt before. The collar was no longer diminishing my ability to use the Force and I was scared, but more than anything I didn't want the team to get hurt, so I raised my hand and suddenly the blaster fire could not reach us. All I could think in that moment was to protect them and I did," she continued, carefully leaving out the part where she started to crush to death the Nikto who had been firing on them. She felt such incredible guilt over that, she never wanted to do it ever again, but consciously making a barrier was something she would like to learn.

[member="Uri Aureleos"]
 
He walked beside her listening as they walked. They weren’t very far from the falls but still she had enough time to speak before they got there. Any moment where she was willing to share was a moment where Uri was more than willing to listen to her. She was still distant. Not as much as other people Uri had met but rarely she spoke about her time with her ‘owner’ or how she escaped.

With the connection they established to each other’s minds they shared more than thoughts. He explained that to her when he first told her about telepathy. With the connection, they could also project emotions to each other. He pat her shoulder and smiled lightly as he felt her guilt. She didn’t explain it now but he had hope she would one day. He projected the hopeful feeling to her.

“You did well to protect those who needed you,” Uri answered through thoughts. “You’ll make a great Jedi.”

He stopped in his tracks. They had arrived at the waterfall and spring already. The sound of the babbling making Uri relax even more as he breathed in the smell of the water. The waterfall rolled peacefully over the edge and into the pool below. A smile graced his face as he watched it.

Here is where I first learned Jar’kai. Later a friend of mine and I came back here to meditate and practice barriers,” Uri glanced over to Sha’do. “Are you ready to being or would you like to meditate for a bit more?”

[member="Sha'do"]
 

Sha'so

Looking for freedom...
"What if I did something bad?" Sha'do asked as she knelt beside the water, peering down in to see her reflection distorted by the ripples caused by the waterfall. "Would I still be a Jedi if I did something bad?"

The young Cathar pondered many things as she gazed into the water's surface. She didn't think she would need to meditate since she had been meditating just a moment ago, but her emotions had become turbulent since talking about her escape from her Master's grasp, just like her reflection in the water, so she would meditate again if Uri thought she needed to. She just didn't see this potential to be a good Jedi that Uri saw, not yet. She had done many bad things and it was eating her up inside; how could a person be good if they've done bad things?

[member="Uri Aureleos"]
 
What if I did something bad?

The words echoed in his mind as he remembered an event that happened almost a year ago. The vision still as clear as day. The republic soldier who trusted him and the overwhelming feeling of blood lust that muted his senses. Then, his golden hands trying to heal the wound he created. The soldier gasping for air before taking his last breath. Uri killed that man. An action that he was never punished for although the memory use to punish him daily.

That memory was then followed by the one with his master. His confession to her kneeling in front of her and begging her to take his life for the crime. He made the man join the force prematurely. He thought it was only right that he do the same. She didn’t however, obviously, and as his master, she gave him the strength to continue. Now it was his turn to deliver the same words of wisdom.

“There is always the option of redemption,” Uri spoke this time rather than communicate it to her telepathically. Hearing the words seemed best for this moment. “As a padawan, I remember they stressed that we resist the temptation to fall. This is important. Very important. But you should also know that should something happen, you can be redeemed. This isn’t an excuse to do so however. If you wish to be a jedi and cling to the jedi way, then you will be a jedi. I will not give up on you, my padawan.”

[member="Sha'do"]
 

Sha'so

Looking for freedom...
"The blade I carry is not just for show," Sha'do started as continued to watch her reflection become distorted by the ripples of the waterfall. His words meant so much to her as were the emotions flowing through him; that he would try to relate to her and tell her it was all okay, and she felt she should reciprocate by telling him what she had done. "My Mas- my owner... he taught me how to kill, how to protect him, his home, and his family. And he was a terrible person, so people were always trying to come after him. I had to kill a lot for him. There was even a man with a yellow lightsaber who called himself a Jedi. If I hadn't done it, then he would have been tortured for days and I would have been punished and... at least with me it was quick. My owner was Morgukai and took great pleasure in making me do it, but I did not want to, I swear! If I thought for a moment I could have given the Jedi a way out, I would have, but... my Master had a hold on me and I could not defy him."

There, it was out, now Uri would hate her and she would finally be sent from this place. She was a Jedi-killer, what other option was there? She bit the inside of her cheek to hold back the tears, but she couldn't stop a couple from escaping and slipping down her cheeks and to the pool to further disrupt her reflection. She wanted to believe Uri's pretty words, that she was worthy of redemption, but she had killed a Jedi, surely they would hold that against her! She didn't want to leave this place, she had become so happy here, but she just couldn't believe that the Jedi would let her continue staying here when she had killed one of their own!

[member="Uri Aureleos"]
 
Uri’s eyes focused on his padawan. He felt the turmoil inside her. It was the same as the one he felt not so long ago. This Padawan wasn’t so different from himself. In life before the jedi, she was, but in this moment, Uri knew the force brought the two together for a reason. This would be more than a learning experience for Sha’do but for Uri as well.

“Your FORMER owner is the killer. Not you. You were simply his tool,” Uri walked over and placed his hand on her shoulder. “You admit you would have done it differently if you could have. I can feel that you regret the action. This alone separates you from the evil he forced you to do. The evil that he did. That’s not you. I can see the light in you. This is where you belong, Sha’do. The jedi with the yellow lightsaber did not die in vain. You and I both continue his path, the jedi way, in service of the galaxy.”

He pat her shoulder, “Take a moment to collect yourself and relax yourself in the force. There’s no rush.”

[member="Sha'do"]
 

Sha'so

Looking for freedom...
Taking comfort in the brief contact, Sha'do closed her eyes, settling back into a more meditative posture with a deep, calming breath. 'Relax into the Force...' she repeated to herself as she breathed steadily, surrendering those emotions that had left her so conflicted inside. 'I am not evil, I am Jedi...' It was easier said than done to let go of those tumultuous emotions; it was something she knew that only time would ever heal in her, but Uri's words were more that enough for her to banish the bad memories for now and reclaim her calm from earlier.

'Relax into the Force... I am a Jedi, protector of the galaxy...' she repeated to herself once more, then opened her eyes. What she spied before her made her gasp. Because of her strong desire to protect coupled with her brief meditation, she had unknowingly created a barrier around herself and Uri. It was so weak and barely visible because she hadn't been intending on making a barrier, it had just been on her mind because that was why Uri brought her here, but she had done it nonetheless. Part of the barrier had extended into the pool and was able to affect the water enough to halt the ripples inside the barely visible bubble, leaving the water smooth like glass. Sha'do smiled as she peered into the water's surface to finally see herself clearly. Okay, now she was starting to see what Uri saw in her...

[member="Uri Aureleos"]
 

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