A new start

[Seamus Valik]

[member="Kana Truden"]

An intrepid bird passed over head, its majestic call echoing over the jungle surrounding the Ossus temple. The place was a living breathing thing tucked away as it was among the alien flora. Insects of various kinds flitted in the air as he sat on the temple steps. His elbows placed firmly on his knees he sat datapad clutched in both hands as he read a holonovel that was most certainly not on his padawan reading list. He had not realized the difficulty of being twenty-five and being treated like a child would create for him. In Boloball he had been famous after a fashion well known for charitableness and playing "for the love of the game". Here he was awkward, overly given to attempts at humor, and tended to simply blend in unnoticed.

He had been informed he was chosen as a padawan and meet them here though he could scarcely imagine why. Perhaps he was weak enough to make a quick assessment of his skills and be sent to one of the corps or prehaps they knew something he didn't however the later was doubtful. He thought of the lovely Master Raaf and how awkward the younger woman managed to make him feel. Had he been still just a boloball forward he would have simply asked he to caff or tea and biscuits but for a Jedi it simply seemed wrong to even consider. They were supposed to be self sacrificing not self gratifying....were not they?

 

[Kana Truden]

Was it irritation or an honor? Perhaps it was both. Kana had been given yet another padawan in a very short timespan and as much as she loved to help there was a point when enough was enough. This would be the last padawan she accepted coming her way in a while and she hoped it was worth it. Kana’s rotten mood broadcasted itself as her face scrunched up. It was nothing personal on the new kid, she had only met [member="Seamus Valik"] a few times before and she knew that he was a good one. Maybe a bit too keen on staring at Kana’s best friend but other than that he seemed perfectly fine.

At least she could find solace in the weather. She always tried to. Rounding the corner she spotted him in the distance. Was he reading? Did it matter? She slowly approached her new student. Would she go casual or all professional on him?

“Good day, Seamus.” Casual, how nice. “I’m Kana Truden. Your new mast-... Teacher. I am your new teacher. It's good to meet you.”

The title ‘Master’ was still not something she truly wanted to use.

[member="Seamus Valik"]​

 

[Seamus Valik]

[member="Kana Truden"]

Seamus stood quickly dropping his datapad down the steps. He had been so engrossed he neither saw nor heard her coming. He supposed he should have felt it but then he was new to this. He fumbled his hands after the pad before standing up right and pretending nothing happened.

"Good day!" He said forcing embarrassment from his mind for a moment, "Nice to meet you Miss...uh, Mast...um, Kana. Thank you for agreeing to teach me."

Well he felt awkward. The seemingly endless supply of failings that kept popping up in his person were begining to make him wonder if the whole Jedi business was not for him. He looked at her and noted she was yet another pretty Jedi woman and his anxiety that they all would treat him like a male nerf in rut if he so much as smiled rose once again. He would admit Master Raaf was attractive and he did on occasion glance her way more than he perhaps should but he worried they would all get the wrong idea. So, with that in mind he made direct eye contact, said as little as he could and tried not to smile.

"What shall I do first?" He said as seriously as he could manage, "laundry, polish some rocks, carry something?" And promptly blew it.

 

[Kana Truden]

Kana held back the giggle as Seamus fumbled with her title and name. He seemed to be her age yet here he was in a state of utter submission and with no self-esteem. It felt wrong but the conclusion drew itself. He must have been like Kana and been brought in at an older age. Perhaps it got to him a bit more than her or maybe it was just in his nature. In any case she could fully understand how he felt… Somewhat.

“You will do no such thing.” Kana shook her head calmly. “I have been assigned to you to teach, not to humiliate.”

“When I was new I felt like that. Like the entire place was a big collection kids and me, the big girl. Really, it was horrible but eventually I sort of just got over it. Met a few friends and things sort of took off from there.”

That was how she had met Corvus after all and now they were the best of friends. A total accident as they both bumped into each other, literally. Then came years of practice together and by now they’re hardly ever not seen together.

“That is of course assuming...” Well that was awkward, what if... "You're new... Are you new around here?"

[member="Seamus Valik"]​

 

[Seamus Valik]

[member="Kana Truden"]

He knew not whether it was her declaration that she was there to teach not humiliate that prompted his slightly embarrassed smile or the fact that he words came in a slivht torrent of information.

"Yes, well." He said taking a deep breath and smoothing his simple brown robes, "that's a bit of a relief then isn't it." he colored breifly eyebrows rising "Usually I can handle the humiliation part quite well unaided." He smiled and took a few steps down to retrieve his data pad.

He placed the device in a pocket on his robes and returned to his teacher with a nod and closed lip smile.

"And yes, quite new." He said, "what shall we do then?"

 

[Kana Truden]

She followed him with a curious expression on her face. It felt like not so long ago that it had been her who had been in his shoes. Maybe things had changed, maybe they hadn’t but to know the effect age differences could have on a person was enough for Kana to be thankful that she didn’t have to relive that anymore.

“That depends on you.” Kana smiled back. “Some people are more interested in lightsabers and others are more interested in the force itself. I find both as equally important to understand in moderation.”

She gave him another look. Her eyes wandered up and down as if trying to get a sense of who he was. It was the question that bothered her most, who was this man? As someone who had come from outside the order there were so many more questions to him other than “How long have you been with the order?” Maybe in time she would ask them, or maybe he would tell her himself. For now the simple questions would have to do.

“What about you? Why did you come to join the Order and what is the most interesting aspect to you so far?”

Kana liked to talk at times.

[member="Seamus Valik"]​

 

[Seamus Valik]

[member="Kana Truden"]

"I'm not sure I know enough to even decide" Seamus said as he looked at his new teacher. His blue eyes squinted as he tried to make up his mind on what he should learn.

Her next question however sparked a whole new line of thinking. He couldn't help but smile as he picked up a small rock from the steps.

"I was a boloball player until a Jedi came to a game and told me I was force sensitive." he dropped the rock and caught it on his foot then juggled it a few times before kicking it toward the jungle. "I figured I should use my ability to help someone rather than use it to excel at sports and followed the jedi here."

He thought for a moment more and decided to ask a question.

"Is there a way to alter your environment?"

 

[Kana Truden]

A boloball player, a force-sensitive one at that. The sentiment to use the ‘ability’ to help people was familiar as well. It was after all why Kana had left Alderaan to live at the Order too. Her eyes set on the stone as [member="Seamus Valik"] kicked it around. She had always tried to do that as a kid and it never worked, she would have given it a try now but to fail miserably at such a thing in front of your student was not within Kana’s best interests.

What was worse was the fact that she had to think before she could give an answer to his question. Altering the environment. There were several ways one could do that but which way did he mean? Still, she only knew a few skills that truly related to that.

“Well, one of the most basic things I can offer you is how to use the force to manipulate objects around you. Telekinesis, to move them around mostly, but it’s as good a start as any.”

In an attempt to demonstrate Kana reached out for a nearby pebble and held it in the air in front of her. Her hand reached out under it and with a sudden drop it fell into her hand. Bowing down she carefully placed the pebble on the ground between her and Seamus.

“We’ll try to do this as a start.” She slowly rose from the ground. “Start by clearing your mind of emotion, let go of the doubt and let the force guide you for now. Center yourself and I will give you further instructions once you’re ready.”