A Peaceful Meeting

[Joza Perl]

Joza found Voss to be far more relaxing than Sullust. While she could appreciate the latter’s emphasis on building up one’s battle skills, the atmosphere on Voss made things seem less…hurried. As such, she often found herself to slip into a quasi-meditative state even when wandering around. It was similar to Zeltros, yet different. The pheromones on her home planet made her feel more satisfied, while the aura here made her feel more at peace. More in tune with the force, she was beginning to discover.

Peaceful was something she never really felt that she was. Joza was anxious by nature, preferring to distract herself rather than sit down and sort out her emotions. Maybe that wasn’t the best way to go about things, but it worked well enough for her so far. Still, there was that lingering thread of unease in the back of her mind. She didn’t want to let her feelings take over, that was bad. Maybe once she learned more about the force and trained with it would she be able to get ahold of her own feelings.

The young Zeltron didn’t realize that her mind was drifting off in contemplation until she’d accidentally bumped in to someone. “Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going. Are you alright?” She cleared her throat, voice cracking slightly. Was she walking with her eyes closed again?

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Joza Perl"] had been off in the clouds mentally and she hadn't noticed the Bith standing to the side of the walkway until she bumped into him. "Yes I'm fine, thank you. Padawan Joza Perl, yes, you must be." He smiled at that. "I was told to expect someone of your appearance and getting lost among the stars...that's a Padawan hallmark."

His tone was light and easy but he made a dismissive gesture anyway.

"Don't worry, I've done similar things too. Welcome to the Temple; not as busy as Sullust but a good place to study."

"I'm Dune Rhur, I was sent to bring you to your lesson today in the training yard. Please, follow me."

He began to walk towards the yards at a deliberate, calm pace knowing she'd follow.

 

[Joza Perl]

“Oh…” She offered a small awkward smile in response, a little embarrassed at having been caught being so distracted. Especially by someone who was supposed to teach her. Lucky for her, he seemed not to mind and was rather pleasant.

“It’s nice to meet you, Knight Rhur.” She nodded her head in a mock bow, moving quickly to catch up with him before falling into a comfortable pace. “Voss is much more comfortable than Sullust. I-I mean, atmosphere wise.” She didn’t want to make it sound like she didn’t like being on Sullust—because she did enjoy being a part of the New Jedi Order—but she…really didn’t like the planet’s harsh environment. “The air is a lot cleaner here. And calm.” At that thought, she inhaled deeply and let her lungs fill with fresh air.

“So…what will today’s lesson be?” She ventured, a genuinely curious look in her eyes.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Joza Perl"]

"Your lesson today will be practical in nature, in keeping with the New Jedi Order's philosophy."

Joza was led to an open training yard as the Jedi thought she'd enjoy the much gentler atmosphere. He raised a hand to stop her in place and stood about ten meters away facing her.

"Joza, during more formal occasions, you should address me by title. As we speak, I'm simply Dune. I'm your teacher today but I don't own you and don't expect flattery nor subservience."

"In addition, I don't expect perfection. Your skill will grow with time and practice and all I ask is for your best effort."

He smiled and nodded.

"That's out of the way. Now, the theoretical part. Feel free to ask questions as we go. Today we will be working on your barriers against both physical objects and telekinetic energies."

"A barrier is tremendously important in order to keep yourself alive and uninjured. These barriers can stop virtually anything but know that a Force user of far greater magnitude crush through the shield with sheer power."

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza tilted her head as she followed Dune toward the training area, eager to begin her lesson. Maybe a little too eager, as the Zeltron was in a hurry to prove herself and trying to amass as many skills as possible. In the back of her mind she knew that it probably wasn’t the best way to go, but she couldn’t help herself.

As the Bith raised a hand, Joza halted and watched him intently, waiting to see what he was going to do next. She couldn’t help but smile at his words, a bit of tension releasing from her shoulders—tension that she didn’t know she was holding in. “Right. I’ll give it my best effort, then.” She’d heard stories of Padawans coming out of training with broken bones before and didn’t know what to expect at first.

After listening to his explanation, the pink-skinned girl spoke up. She’d heard of force barriers before but was never instructed in creating one. “I understand.” She gave a quick nod before continuing. “It’s not…something you can see, right? Rather, something you can feel?” She felt a little silly for asking, but her experience with barriers and shields of the sort were solid, not created from the force. Thankfully, he didn’t seem like the type to make fun of her ignorance.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Joza Perl"]

"You can 'see' it in the same way you can 'see' through the Force. For someone without the Force, you may as well be a street performer miming out your actions."

Some considered such esoteric 'vision' a truer way of seeing. It could certainly show things ordinary sight would miss. For all intents and purposes, it wasn't seeing. They could delve into philosophy later when Joza had the ability to not be killed by flying debris or strangled to death by some Sith lackey.

"Now, send a shove at me through the Force. Do it as hard as you can manage."

Though he appeared to stand there, he'd in fact readied himself. The greatest events had the smallest catalysts and so it was here. Those unfamiliar with the Jedi would see a slightly built alien with an oversized head standing as if waiting in line for the checkout. A Master would know not all was as it appeared.

 

[Joza Perl]

As [member="Dune Rhur"] finished speaking, Joza clenched and unclenched her hand. She was slowly learning more about the Force, both philosophically and physically. The concept of it was a bit difficult for her to wrap her head around at first, but she was gaining a better understanding of it gradually.

She stared at the Bith for a few moments, consciously trying to garner as much information as she could from his posture. She was surprised to see that he wasn’t physically bracing himself, but then again he was the teacher, so she figured he knew what he was doing.

Nodding, a look of concentration came over the Zeltron’s face. She bent her knees and thrusted her palms outward with a grunt, sending a Force push toward Dune. It wasn’t very strong and had the mark of a novice, but it might have been enough to knock him down if left unblocked. Or at least, make him stumble back a little.

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Joza Perl"]

The wave of energy rushed toward him and he raised his hands, palms out. It impacted and dissipated around the semicircle he'd formed. Lowering his hands he nodded. "Well done, Padawan. The good news is, if you can strike out with the energy, you can use it defensively too. It's the same thing applied in a different way."

"It's not as impressive looking but it's important. An old teacher once told me that 'A dead Jedi serves no one'. She was right and not only about that point. That's another topic, and so, as I was saying."

"You'll want to focus the power not as in a physical push or wave. Instead, form a sphere and envision the encroaching wave scattering before it. Now, I will attack you and you will apply what I've shown you. Are you ready, or would you care to watch again?"

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza watched the Bith intently, trying to feel out what he was doing as he clashed with her Force push. She remained in her offensive position until her attack had completely dissipated before moving into a more neutral posture.

A hint of a smile danced on her lips at his praise, but it could be seen clearly in her eyes. She was unsure of her own abilities, so it was nice to know that she was doing something right. But learning Force push wasn’t today’s lesson, and she reminded herself to keep her head in the present.

“So it’s stationary then?” She had pictured it like more of clash of two moving Force pushes, but she supposed that an unmoving barrier made more sense, especially if one was defending against some sort of body manipulation or Force choke. At least for someone who was just learning the skill.

Nodding her head, she moved into a more defensive position in preparation. Although Dune had not done so, Joza was still a novice and felt more comfortable bracing herself. “Alright, I’m ready.”

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Joza Perl"]

"Yes," he nodded "It's fixed in a specific area around you. Fortunately, it makes it simpler to focus that way."

He saw the doubt in her eyes and he knew it was in her own abilities. Dune empathised with her because he too had doubted himself in such a way. He'd come to realise he was his own biggest hindrance in the Force. It was always there and ready to help him if he just let go of his own self doubt.

"I want you to know that you are fully capable, Joza. Believe in yourself and trust in the Force. It will never fail you because it's power is infinite."

With that said, he smiled and nodded. Her extended a hand and sent a push towards her. Not enough to seriously harm her, but still enough to knock her onto her backside.

 

[Joza Perl]

The young Zeltron blinked, taken aback for a brief moment when he addressed her ability to use the Force. Sometimes she didn’t realize how her feelings surfaced outwardly, or perhaps Dune was just perceptive? Oh, and couldn’t Jedi feel these types of things through the Force if they were strong enough? She hadn’t dabbled in that much, instead relying on her natural racial abilities to be able to detect changes in feeling.

Still, she appreciated it. The Knights and Masters she’d met so far were generally patient, which was good considering how she was easily frustrated. That didn’t stop her from trying to better herself, but it did make things more difficult.

Joza kept her focus heavily on Dune, her body tense as if she were waiting for him to lash out and strike at her. The moment he sent a wave of Force toward her, she thrust her palms out with gusto and attempted to create a barrier around herself.

To her surprise, she found it difficult to maintain a stationary presence of the Force. Thus, the “barrier” she had formed was shoddy at best. It crumbled under the Force push and connected solidly with the Zeltron’s chest. “Oof..” She grunted as she hit the ground after stumbling, a scowl settling onto her face. But she quickly scrambled to her feet again, dusting off her robes.

“Well…that didn’t go as well as I planned it to. I thought I had it, but it started to weaken and I couldn’t keep up with it. That would not do in live combat.” She frowned, wondering what her problem was. The Padawan was too concerned with getting things right as quickly as possible, and considered taking things slowly to be a waste of time.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Joza Perl"]

He knew it wasn't going to end well the minute he struck out. The barrier was tenuous at best and aall he could do was wait. Upon contact, Joza grunted and was knocked to the ground. Not very hard, but enough to be a bit embarrassing for her.

"We don't have to worry about that for a while yet," he replied "You're thinking about it too much. 'Do or do not, there is no try'."

A small, green Master had once said that to a young apprentice around Joza's age. They'd both been plagued with the same self-doubts. The Bith was more than half-again the height of that old one, but his job was the same. Make the learner see the truth of their capabilities within the Force.

"Focus on the barrier in front of you, nothing else. Consider it to be like meditation. Just focus on that one thing."

 

[Joza Perl]

“But in battle there’s so much going on that—“ She stopped herself short, the sour expression falling from her face into a more thoughtful look as she digested his words. She was still freaked out by the thought of combat—she’d been in a few skirmishes against the Sith, and while she had come out alive it had definitely left an impression on her. They fought so assured of their own power, and it terrified her. Leaning how to handle herself in a fight was important to her, and she was slowly coming to realize that it had to do with more than physical skill.

But he was right. She was trying to do too much at once and couldn’t keep up with herself. Swallowing her mixed thoughts, she nodded once at him to indicate that she was ready again and gathered her concentration.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Joza Perl"]

He shook his head to say 'no'.

"Don't worry about that. Let's focus on here and now."

The Bith waited for Joza to gather herself. She nodded and he smiled, pleased how quickly she'd gathered herself. It showed grit and determination and these traits were very good to have. Once again, he raised his hand and sent a Force Push towards her. As it raced towards her, Dune felt more confident in the outcome.

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza took in a deep breath, steadying herself. Concentrate on this alone. How can you create a barrier in battle when you’d need it if you can’t even do it in a peaceful place like this? She was vaguely reminded of how her dueling skills seemed to be a bit more natural in her last battle, owed in part to her constant practicing. Yes, that’s right…everything will come in time.

As the next wave of Force came toward her, Joza pushed her palms outward and funneled all of her concentration into developing a solid barrier, the outside world forgotten. She could feel the clash of the two Force entities, her stance wavering but she did not let up as the Force Push scattered and dissipated around her barrier. Lowering her hands, she let it fade and couldn’t help the grin that appeared on her face. It wasn’t as strong as she would have liked considering that she could feel the recoil from the Force Push, but she was still standing.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Joza Perl"]

"That's how it's done. Now just imagine how much better you'd do if you stopped doubting yourself."

The consternation on her face amused him.

"No, I'm not a natural telepath. I can see it in your eyes and on your face."

"It's a mistake of a beginner to assume things should somehow come faster. Even a natural talent will take time to achieve full control and magnitude. It may come easily to them yet mastery often eludes them."

It was some time later when Dune called a halt to the exercise. Joza had shown improvement which pleased him but that she didn't give in was even better. One of his reasons for stopping was the fatigue in the Zeltron's posture though she tried valiantly to fight it. Another was a chance to work on another key whilst allowing her to recover.

"That went well but you don't become a Master in a day. Come and join me in meditation."

He suited his words by sitting down cross-legged and beginning to regulate his breathing.

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza was inwardly relieved when the training came to an end. She didn’t try and hide her exhaustion, but rather continued to focus on the exercise at hand. The more she learned, the more she realized that there was a lot she didn’t know. The amount of knowledge and training that went into becoming a skilled Jedi was daunting, but her pride wouldn’t let her give up.

With a grateful nod she closed the gap between herself and the Jedi Knight a bit more before dropping down and seated herself in a similar manner. She had only meditated within the temple on Sullust, unable to do so outside. The harsh environment did not lend itself to a meditative state, at least not for her. She briefly noticed how nice the grass felt beneath her before exhaling slowly. “Thank you for helping me today.” She said softly, rolling her shoulders back to release some of the tension.

“I guess…you can tell that I’m eager to be able to hold my own against the Sith, huh?” It was partially a confession, but she found that speaking aloud actually made her feel better.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Joza Perl"]

"It's expected that we train apprentices, or at least strongly encouraged. Besides, it was enjoyable for me to help you today."

He watched her plunk down with obvious relief but she'd earned the right. Joza worked hard, determined to learn and to excel. Dune saw a little of himself in her need to work hard. It was a trait he admired and had continued to attempt to emulate.

"Your desire to excel is a good thing. I'd say to not just focus outwardly but inwardly too. The journey of Mastery is said to be internal as much as external. I've found that external focuses are simpler because we're all our own worst enemy."

 

[Joza Perl]

The young Zeltron rolled her shoulders back until she could feel her joints pop, sighing in the momentary satisfaction that it brought. Her body felt a little stiff from holding posture during the exercise, so she found relief in settling down into a meditative position.

A small frown came to her face when Dune mentioned focusing internally. She knew that Jedi had to gain control over themselves and their emotions, but she had a lot of emotions and didn’t tend to hide them well. Closing her eyes, she pressed her hands against her ankles where they crossed and leaned over, attempting to dig deep into her mind and define her emotions.

There was uncertainty in her own abilities, but she was gradually working over that. Fear is what she felt most, a primal fear for her life. She wanted to excel not only to better herself, but to be able to defend herself. Joza knew that there was more to being a Jedi than fighting, but she couldn’t let it go. Sometimes she felt as if she wasn’t cut out for this sort of thing but her pride wouldn’t allow her to lose.

Letting out a frustrated breath, the pink Padawan sat back, hands resting on the soft grass behind her. “How do you deal with it? The fighting, I mean? I do well enough in training, but I can’t seem to keep a clear head when faced with…” She trailed off, wondering what it was exactly that she wanted to say. Sith? Death? All of the above?

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Joza Perl"]

"We learn by doing, by facing our fears and by trusting in the Force," he answered simply. "It's a misconception that a Jedi feels no fear. We do, but we do not let it rule over us." He went on after considering how to express what he'd learned over most of his life. "Fear can stem from ignorance, but remember, there is knowledge. By knowing and experiencing, we gain the wisdom to trust our greatest ally."

"I dislike the violence, but on occasion there is little choice. I'd rather be reading or exploring an old Temple." Dune sighed heavily and shrugged. "But we have our duty because we too have great power. We're chosen and we must uphold the good and just things."