A Compass With No Direction

[Darth Metus]

The Oceans of Manaan

Lost.

That was the only word that could accurately describe how Josiah Denko was feeling at this very moment. For the totality of his life, there was always some sort of...direction. When he was left with several siblings to care for, in the wake of his parent's demise, Josiah knew what to do. When the time came for him to seek out the Jedi Order, he knew what to do. When he felt the urge to fight against the Darkness...he knew what to do. But now, after witnessing the fall of the largest congregation of evil the Galaxy had ever known...that inborn compass that was within the Jedi was no more. Josiah simply had no idea what to do or where to go. So, he allowed those he cared for or admired to influence his direction. At the behest of the former Grandmaster, he joined the Republic's battle at O'reen and stared down the supposed innocent. Though there were many of the Darkness in their midst, the war was brought on by...the most convoluted of reasons. Josiah was supposedly a Jedi, not a sword to be brandished about on the field of battle!

Yet there he was, surrounded on all sides by enemies that were not truly his own.

And so, when approached by those who felt similar, he decided to tread yet another path. One of Silver. His former apprentice was the one who showed Josiah this new path and, at first, he felt right at home. But once more, there was no direction. Of course, he would stand by and support the woman he had watched grow from an exceptionally formal padawan to an all-around, exceptional Jedi. However, he still...had no idea what to do. There was just so much occurring in the world around him these days; so many sides to stand for...but in the end, Josiah Denko felt completely and utterly lost. And so, in a desperate attempt to seek some form of guidance, the Jedi Master followed a whim. He decided to venture forth to one of the first scenes of battle between the Light and Darkness in the modern era: Manaan. As was so typical of recent months, he had no idea what it was that he would find there...but he hoped it was something substantial. His voyage from Voss consisted of several hours in the depths of Hyperspace, which he spent in the cargo hold of his vessel. Alone, he sat with nothing save the hum of engines to keep him company. With his mind alive in meditation, he opened himself to the fullness of the Force and made a please.

Please...Tell me what to do...​

It took nothing short of the vessel's sudden lurch as it exited Hyperspace to rouse the Jedi from his meditation; at which point Josiah returned to the pilot's seat. He personally guided his craft down through the heavens of the ocean-covered world and ultimately parked it upon a landing pad within the recently-restored capital. To his recollection, a sizable portion of the floating city had been sunk due to the antics of the Sith Empire; but at least the Republic had begun rectifying this grievous injustice. His disembark was prompt and unceremonious, for he simply stepped down the exit ramp and found the closest native of the world. Engaging this individual, a male whose name was unpronounceable to the Jedi, he was informed of a...popular tourist attraction. Apparently there were some caves underneath the city that divers loved to explore. 'Why the kark not?' was Josiah's rationale; and without so much as a second thought, he dove over the side of the city. Sure, it looked like practical suicide, for Josiah looked indistinguishable from the average human...but he was pretty much part fish. A single breath of air would last him quite awhile, in comparison to the average joe; and so Josiah made a splash and began to sink under the waves.

As the light of day began to ripple before his eyes, an uncanny sensation awoke within him. He did not know how...and he certainly did not know why...but he felt a need to see these caves. Somehow, he knew there would be something...anything...that would help him find the direction he so desperately sought.

 

[Darth Metus]

What was this enigma that now raced through the veins of the Jedi? Was it excitement? Adrenaline, perhaps? No...It was motivation! The slightest inkling of purpose sparked within him a drive that burned much akin to an inferno; of the likes he had only seen a handful of times before. The feeling that something laid just ahead to help him shake off this feeling of wandering aimlessly through life motivated him to turn about within the water. With his eyes now set to the ocean floor, the Jedi began to slice through the waters with vigor, propelling himself forward as swiftly as his arms and legs would bear him. One thing, however, that Josiah did not exactly anticipate was just how...bloody heavy his cloak became when exposed to water. 'Twas the very same cloak that [member="Ben Watts"] himself draped about his shoulders upon becoming his Padawan, and Josiah had treasured it ever since. However, it was now officially a pain in his arse, for it impeded the full motion of the Jedi's arms as he attempted to move deeper and deeper into the ocean. Of course, nothing so frivolous as a heavy garment was going to deter Josiah from his goal! So, he continued to swim, harder and faster, until he came upon the ridge that the native had described for him.

Coming to a halt momentarily, Josiah briefly began to tread water and took stock of his surroundings. The description afforded to him enlightened the Jedi that he was drawing very close to his destination. All that stood between him and the epiphany he sought...in addition to a breath of karking oxygen...was finding the elusive mouth to the cave. This was easier said than done, as the ridge before him was completely composed of uniform stone. With the lack of light reaching this depth, it was difficult for the Jedi to truly see the mouth of the cave; causing him to squint ever so slightly. Looking every which way for a few moments, salvation came when Josiah finally spotted a difference in color within the rocks; thereby signifying that something was there. Eagerly, he swam over and was promptly rewarded: for he had spotted the sliver between the rocks that the local had called an opening. Sure, maybe for an aquatic species with slimy skin, this could suffice for a bloody cave mouth! But for a full grown man, this was...a challenge to get through. However, Josiah would not be denied, for he was so close that he could all but taste the end to his journey. As such, he struggled against the tight opening of the cave and admitted himself within; clawing and dragging himself through most of the way. Finally, when he swam up the sudden incline in the "path", he was greeted with a a breath of fresh air...and a breathtaking sight.

Taking a moment to suck down a few gulps of precious oxygen, Josiah rested his forearms upon the ground and panted. Then, mopping his soaking hair out of his eyes, he took a look about the cavern. It was a wide, open space populated with sparce vegetation...and the most luminous crystals he had ever seen. Dragging himself out of the water, the Jedi stood to his feet and then turned about; taking it all in. The cavern was beautiful, to say the very least...but he would not get all the time in the world to admire it. For, just as he began to take his first step forward, a voice rang out. It was loud, accented, and reeked of the same horrid attempt to form words in Galactic Basic that most of Manaan's natives suffered. "Gret. 'Notha toorist. Watchu wan? Shinee Rok? No! Get ohn rok! Dis mi hohm!" it said. Whirling about, Josiah immediately looked to see who so angrily addressed him...It was yet another of the natives of the planet; albeit...larger. This individual was obviously characterized by age, was armored, and held a rather-deathly looking, curved sword in his hand. Straightway, the Jedi raised his arms in a nonthreatening manner and spoke slowly...and clearly.

"I mean you no harm." he began, grateful that his soaking wet cloak hid his lightsabers from view. "My name is Josiah, and I did not mean to intrude within your home. I do not seek to take anything from your home...heck, I don't even know what I seek these days." Apparently, the native believed that which Josiah had to say, as evidenced by the lowering of his blade. Then came the million credit question. "Den watchu heer fo? Yu lost?"