A Sightless Vision

[Lief]

[Em'ari Tyok]

She spent the morning as she did most others. The walk along the plaza was pleasant enough - and unlike the other children in her group she remained within the boundaries assigned to her: no further than the Cantina or the mechanic's workshop. To the west and north were natural barriers in the form of a sheer mountain and a vast body of water.

It was toward the latter that she headed today, her shoes slapping against the decorated concrete sidewalk as she ducked in and out of other people going about their business. It took a lot of control for her to refrain from fleeing from the crowd she walked against.

When she was finally free of the plaza, jogging down the steps toward the pier, Ema took in a large breath and began to relax. While she could not see exactly what was before her, the Force painted a good enough picture. To her everything was simply a vast array of different colors and depths, blurry shapes that didn't really have edges but instead merged from one to another. It was a wonder she could navigate at all sometimes, but despite this fact she managed well enough.

Finally she settled down in the sand; the way she was sprayed by the sea suggested that she was facing toward it. The sun was warm on her face, which was comforting. Hopefully that meant that there would be no rain today - they always ended playtime prematurely when that happened.

[member='Sargon Vynea']

 

[Sargon Vynea]

Everything ends, its the first real lesson the galaxy teaches everything, everything and everyone eventually finds the end of their story. He just always thought he'd find his own ending before watching the sun set on all he'd stood for. There had been no last clash, no final line in the sand, but the silence left behind by the vanishing lights of hundreds of ships taking too hyperspace never to return. Not all had of course, but they were scattered carrying new flags and purposes. He was no different.

The flag that flew over Bakura's capital now was an old design of times before the Fringe had claimed it, a time when chaos ruled the Fringe systems. Those times had returned in full now, warlords claiming depots and armories left behind, and military forces left adrift without direction. Bakura was really no different again, only Sargon had claimed it for himself rather then let it fall too.

A large part of the sector fleet was gone, but the shipyards were still running and in time they'd be replaced. Of course this would require a great deal of effort and raw materials, and trading had turned to hell in the Fringe. Dozens of ships had turned pirate simply to stay afloat the cost of a warship suddenly a very real thing, and each warlord claiming their own badly managed slice of the pie required their own funding. Without legitimate government to collect taxes and enforce the law the last wild area of space was once more wild.

The Black Fleet was till out there raiding planets, reports came from worlds mostly flying the old Fringe flag, planets who still held out hope. Sargon had no such illusions, there would be no return to the days of peace and prosperity. Those planets that did were the first targeted and so he'd ordered the Fringe flags removed for the security of Bakura, it had left a bitter taste. The Fringe had left for another frontier, and there was not a single hint of returning from the rumors he heard.

So the Zabrak had gone from Governor of Bakura to Lord of Bakura, and while he'd lost all the larger ships there were enough left to give pause. His legion was at half its numbers as well, but they were training more. It wasn't much, but it kept the local warlords from moving on the world. There were bigger fish in the water anyway, those who held to the old flag made the warlords afraid, afraid of what would happen if they all returned. Sargon knew better, the Astral Horizon was not going to show up to save any of them, it was gone. He understood the decision and the order, but it left him no less empty feeling.

His solace was in Bakura, and it's people, for them life had changed little. Trade was stifled and incoming freighters were rarer, but the technology they produced was in more demand then ever, so they did arrive. Sargon had arranged deals with the local warlords and small escorts for Bakurian traders traveling as a convoy so they were still getting out. The people of Bakura, always strongly independent anyway were more then willing to aid in the struggle to keep them independent of the other warlords.

He doubted it would all last though, eventually someone would consolidate enough power to move on the gem that was Bakura. He'd fight, but once one of them were strong enough he'd lose, if the Black Fleet didn't arrive first. For now though he'd keep it moving, in his mind it was all he had left.

Today though he was checking on a rather unique problem, a Miraluka child of all things. Apparently she was having issues with her vision, and despite numerous attempts the children's organization had no idea how to aid her. Sargon had decided to take a personal hand in the situation, she might simply need some guidance from one who saw the world her way. So he stood off to the side a bit and watched her, she would find him he was sure of it. Letting the Force flow through him he waited patently as she watched the sun. She'd see him in all the blur, the Force would guide her.

[member="Snowflake"]

 

[Lief]

As she sat there, Ema became more than aware of a presence nearby. It wasn't often that anyone came down to this edge of the shore, its beauty lost on those who had been born and raised in the region; Yet it was an ever changing cacophony of color for the little girl who sat in the sand, something which she could never bore of.

Turning her head the world span around her for a moment before she finally focused her sight upon a severely glowing shape. It was, in fact, the brightest thing she had ever witnessed; most things were dull, lifeless, the average person contrasted against the monotonous background, some more so than others. But whoever was stood on the edge of the beach was another thing entirely.

Feeling within the pit of her being a severe necessity to find out more, she rose up and made her way slowly toward him. The general height suggested an adult, the wider stature male, however it was difficult to denote the gender for certain. She simply wasn't that well versed in her own sight, unlike the majority of her species.

She tilted her head to one side curiously, peering up at him if one could call it such. A thin cloth hid the eyeless crevices upon her face so as not to scare the other children, yet it was nothing special simply a means to an end. After all, it made no difference to Ema; the lack of care on her Guardian's part was noticeable, however.

"You're shining" came the very quiet greeting from the girl; she made no attempts at addressing the person by a title, as she wasn't entirely sure it was a man and had no desire to embarrass herself or whoever the being was.

[member="Sargon Vynea"]

 

[Sargon Vynea]

With a slow stride the Zabrak walked towards the young girl, a small smile upon his lips. "No, I'm simply a conduit of the Force, and it is that which you see so clearly. What I trained for years, and have still not perfected you were able to do at birth. Your people are very special, blessed even, though it may feel like a curse at times."

Stopping a few steps from her he knelt down as he continued, "They tell me you have trouble perceiving what you see. I understand this can be difficult for anyone who isn't of your people to understand, but I have a bit of understanding in it." Nodding towards the sun he gazed into the horizon. "I see you can find the sun at least, but seeing through the Force has nothing to do with light and shadows, so your senses are good. So what do you see, little one?"

[member="Snowflake"]

 

[Lief]

While she had halted in place several feet away, the man closed the gap in a short stride; he denied that he was glowing, however Ema knew for certain that he was. Peace flowed from him, and as she continued to gaze upon him she felt hopeful and safe. As if she were in the presence of the Force itself. "You see as I do, yet you have eyes? Why would you seek to learn a burden?" Being that she was severely lacking in the ability of her people, or more so her understanding of it, Ema knew not of its benefits.

She watched as the shimmering light sank down into a knelt position, and tilted her head softly the other way curiously. He - for his voice spoke of a male - was not like any other adult she had met before. He wasn't condescending or dismissive. Instead he spoke as though they were on the same level. "Who are they?" she inquired, no one had spoken to her about her sight issues. When he asked what she could see the girl cast her gaze about, before chewing on the inside of her lower lip thoughtfully.

"I don't know how to explain it, Sir," came the initial, honest response, "Unclear shapes, they just sort of merge into one another. It hurts my head, at times. Different... Colors? I think." What did Ema know of shapes and colors? They hadn't been able to explain it to her back at the Orphanage, not even when lessons required it. She just presumed that the terms she was using were correct. "But you... You shine, Sir. You look different to everything else."

[member="Sargon Vynea"]

 

[Sargon Vynea]

Laughing softly he reached out to the girl through the Force, his mind brushed softly against her own before he stopped allowing her time to understand the sensation. "Your kind are Force sensitive, every single one of you, a remarkable trait for any race. So gifted are your people that others sought to enslave and destroy you, but your people have been resilient through all this. What you have is no burden, but a great gift, the ability to see the truth at all times. Nothing is truly hidden for one who sees through the Force, and an ability most never master you are born with. I've never seen through your eyes, but I believe your own innate abilities may be blurring with your sight. If you would allow it, I'd like to help you learn to control this. In other places you may have been found already, and taken into training. There are no Jedi and Sith here though to take you away to an Academy, though perhaps in time I could arrange for that."

Opening his mind around her own he sent waves of calming peace through her mind, it was a well practiced thing for him. Like a warm summer breeze he sought to open her mind, never forcing, but simply waiting for her to let him in. Just focus on me and open your mind, child, and we will see if we can't find the problem.

[member="Snowflake"]

 

[Lief]

The child's eyes widened when she felt a presence brush against her mind; she cast her senses about trying to find the source, before realising that it was the man before her. "If you believe that you can help, then please..." She recalled back to all the difficult times she'd had so far, especially where groups of people were concerned, and mentally shuddered.

"But what if I'm seeing the way my people are supposed to, and I just don't understand it?" What if there was no way to... fix it. At the mention of the Jedi and Sith the child's face wrinkled slightly, she had not heard much but some things had fallen down the grapevine and were uttered in the plaza. No, she was grateful to have lived a very ordinary life rather than being whisked off and made into a weapon!

As he sought to enter her mind the small child allowed it, putting back all resistance she naturally had in order to do so. Her anxiety levels skyrocketed for a moment, before she took in a deep breath and calmed herself down. She had never experienced anyone trespassing on her person before now.

[member="Sargon Vynea"]

 

[Sargon Vynea]

Smiling softly as he followed the Force through her mind he let himself float without focus allowing the Force to bring him where it willed. He trusted it as one would a lover, blindly and completely. As his awareness of her grew as he felt her anxiety and fears surround him, with a slow breath he opened himself to her sending waves of peace into her. As with Spencer so many times before he created a cradle of calming peace around her mind. Child, your people see beauty most of the galaxy never even knows exists. I'll help you, you're not alone in this.'

As his mind and her's melded he saw the world through her own, bright lights and colors he had still not come to fully see were before him. A gift from the Force on a blessed people, or a curse due to the ambitions of some. Now, breath in slowly and let it out. Don't try to focus, just relax and allow the Force to show you what it will. Relax your eyes and don't try to see, simply breath deeply, in the nose and out through your mouth.

 

[Lief]

She began to feel oddly at peace within herself, the underlying fears washing away until only serenity within herself and the Force remained. Fidgeting a little in the meantime, as the man settled within the connection bridged between their minds, the small Miraluka nodded her head to his reassurance. She had no reason not to trust him or his word, and he seemed to know what he was talking about.

Slowly she inhaled, through her nose, focusing on just the rhythm of her breathing. Once it became steady she tried to even ditch those thoughts and instead allowed herself to become lost within her mind, within the Force, and the disjointed lights she could see. She could sense the fact that he was seemingly happy with what he could see, perhaps even a little bit of awe showed through too.

As she focused more on not focusing, if that could even be considered a thing, the world seemed to straighten itself out a little. The more blurry shapes became more decipherable, and while it was still not perfect it was a step in the right direction. The real issue was, of course, finding a way for this to become a common occurrence. She could not have a blank mind every hour of her waking life.

[member="Sargon Vynea"]