Private A troubled meeting

[Amanda braska]

Corusant
Jedi Temple
Hallway
Appearance
Lukan Rath

Amanda walked down the hall towards her room in the temple not really paying much mind at the moment but paying enough attention to not run into someone. It was a little to quiet in the temple today but she preferred the quiet to that of a battlefield where screams gunfire and explosions where commonplace. She didn't have any padawans at the moment but the master was always accessible for those who wanted to learn anything she had to offer. She turned the corner seeing a rather scruffy haired young man she didn't recognize "can I help you?" She asked looking at him.

 

[Lukan Rath]

Coruscant. The Jedi Order. It was all new and so very...Clean. At least the surface had looked it on the way down from orbit. He hadn't seen nor heard of the lower levels that were so reminiscent of his home back on Nar Shaddaa; By first impressions, all of this was far more lavish and extraordinary than what Lukan had grown accustomed to in life and so far...-He had decided he didn't much like it. Or at the very least, he didn't fit in here.

From what life had taught him, he didn't fit in anywhere.

Somewhere...above the ground floor, Luke had found himself wandering one of the many corridors of the Jedi Temple. He was doing his utmost to make it look like he was exactly where he should be. Totally not skipping out on one of his classes scheduled by the...One of the adults around the place in any case. Yes, no, he was taking a tour that no one had bothered to show him when he had first been brought here away from everything he knew, loved and thought loved him.

"Can I help you?".
​

The voice came from behind him. Much too close to be mistaken for words meant for another. Lukan turned sharply on the heels of one foot to find himself looking at a woman, no doubt one of the adults who typically held the authority about the place. Another one who, by his guess, thought they held the reigns over him as the others had.

"Uhh..." Lukan had to think quickly; "Nope! I don't think you can" he replied with as best a 'matter of fact' voice as he could, before turning back and beginning to start off again as though he knew exactly where he was off to.

Amanda braska

 

[Amanda braska]

Corusant
Jedi Temple
Hallway
Appearance
Lukan Rath

Amanda listened to him she could tell he was new and he had a problem with authority or atleast he didn't like being here and he felt betrayed. She had seen many like him over the years new recruits who where ripped from their families reading his body language not using the force. She could tell he didn't feel welcome she followed behind "the only things this way is the elevator to the high council meeting room and the jedi vaults that are guarded are you sure your going in the right direction" she asked.

Matching his pace "if you want a proper tour I'm more than willing to show you around and we can get something to eat in the cafeteria" she offered. As she stopped walking she awaited his answer he reminded her of herself when she first showed up not fitting in a she felt alone like he might feel now.

 

[Lukan Rath]

Jedi Vaults.

Did he hear that correctly?

Slowing in his stride, Lukan paused to reconsider the stranger's company, suddenly intrigued as to what Jedi had to hide behind a big secure vault. What was protecting this place, and if so, it had to be worth a look?

"Hm...A tour?" He tried to feign interest, as though he were suddenly open to the company of another; "I suppose it would be...Useful to know my way around this place. It's big after all..." He spoke, trying his best to sound at least a little enthusiastic and not at all words dripping with pessimism.

Until now, Lukan had only found a few smaller valuables that looked capable of hiding in his dorms; But the nature and sound of an entire vault were just too good to pass up. At least there was something interesting to the place so far.

"I suppose I could eat too. Maybe after you show me around?" He pointed in the direction he'd been walking, acting as though there was totally nothing discerning about the polite warning she'd given him regarding that which protected the vaults, or the fact that there was some council type of room up the turbo-lifts.

Amanda braska

 

[Amanda braska]

Lukan Rath

Amanda welcomed him joining her for a tour even if was feigned interest but was surprised no one gave him a tour of the temple when he got here. "I'm surprised no one gave you a tour of the temple when you got here or atleast the next day" she said standing there for now "my name is Amanda braska if you have any questions just ask ok" she offered. As they began to walk she could tell he was up to something but not what but she wouldn't push it for now.

"If you're hungry I can show you to the cafeteria now and we can grab something to eat" she offered being polite. She didn't know anything about his past but the jedi master had trauma of her own most jedi did either after they joined or before. She could tell by his size he was probably malnourished it saddened her to see but she didn't show it. She showed the same kindness she always did to everyone until training or combat but this was neither of those.

 

[Lukan Rath]

"It's cool, I wanted to look around on my own anyway" Lukan replied nonchalantly, adding a shrug of his left shoulder to emphasize the fact that he hadn't cared then, and didn't mind one way or the other now either.

Amanda braska had mentioned getting something to eat once again, and though Luke was more interested in this vault of theirs, he'd learned early on in life that it was stupid to turn down a free meal. Besides, there would be time later to scope things out. It certainly didn't seem like he was going anywhere else in a hurry.

"Alright. We can eat" he agreed, nodding lightly and allowing her to lead the way. Truth was, he couldn't remember his way to the cafeteria anyway.

"So I'm guessing you're one of those Jedi too then," Luke said as they walked together, looking her way using his peripheral vision. Lukan was still trying to figure the Jedi out. Who they were and what they did. Stories told a lot, but then they were also just that, stories and myths spread by kids back home. Who could say whether there was any truth to them or not?

"We don't see a lot of 'em back on Nar Shaddaa, but I've heard about your guys' lightsabers. They're pretty nova".

 

[Amanda braska]

Lukan Rath

He was a loner she got that "why don't you care about anything? Is it because you don't want to be here? Or you miss home and want to go back?" She said. She was in his shoes at one point she had felt the want for her life to go back to the way it was before. "I get wanting to go back to your old life to your family it's familiar and you more than likely had friends" she said as they walked to the cafeteria.


But she also got why the jedi where needed in the galaxy the potential for Greatness or evil in each person " I am one of those jedi" she said looking at him through her preferals as well. As they walked she would point out the hallway to the jedi library and training halls. " Well what do you want to know about the jedi" she said and of course he heard of their lightsabers "lightsabers are pretty nova aren't they their also pretty dangerous to though" she said as she pulled out one of her two lightsabers. Its polished gold and silver handle glistened in the light she activated its brownish yellow blade for him to see "if you want to be a jedi defend people and fight for a better galaxy you'll eventually get to make one yourself" the young master said deactivating the lightsaber as they walked as they got to the cafeteria she looked at him. "Whenever your hungry aslong as your a jedi or a learner you xan come here and get food for yourself ok" the temple wanted for not and neither should he. As she walked them through the line for food she sat down with him "I was in your shoes at one point wanting to leave feeling like I didn't belong" as she ate she spoke the truth. "But a higher ranked jedi took me under his wing and taught me how to be an excellent jedi" she said "I'll make you a deal live here a couple of months give it a try make friends if you still don't feel like you belong and want to leave I'll take you home" she offered.

 

[Lukan Rath]

"why don't you care about anything? Is it because you don't want to be here? Or you miss home and want to go back?"

Lukan glanced sideways at Amanda braska yet refrained from making eye contact as she spoke to him. Did he not care about anything? Honestly, he wasn't all too certain. Life had a way of disappointing him and he had learned over the years to keep people at a distance. "There's not a lot to go back to, really" he replied nonchalantly, speaking to himself as much as he was answering the Jedi Woman.

"I didn't have friends on Nar Shaddaa. Just people I knew. People like me. There aren't people like that here...-From what I've seen so far anyway" he remarked, thinking of the other students whom he had shared classes with so far in his small time being with the Jedi on Coruscant. The others all seemed to be really intelligent, to be able to pick up on the lesson subjects with ease and almost as though the nice clothes and expensive tools they had been given were something they were entitled to. Lukan on the other hand had lived a life where the food on the table at the day's end was hard to come by and something to be grateful for. Many times, the result of activities many of his peers wouldn't be seen doing.

" Well what do you want to know about the jedi? Lightsabers are pretty nova aren't they their also pretty dangerous to though. If you want to be a jedi defend people and fight for a better galaxy you'll eventually get to make one yourself".

"I got given one when I first got here, one of those training ones for my lessons. There's a whole bunch of classes they've got me into" he rolled his eyes a little, though kept his face forward as they walked. "I don't know much about the Jedi. Just the stories you hear, lightsabers, fighting and helping people. That sort of thing" he added with a partial shrug. They were most often good stories, stories of heroes and saviours. Fantasies of people who didn't come to Nar Shaddaa. It wasn't a world of good people like that.

"I was in your shoes at one point wanting to leave feeling like I didn't belong. But a higher ranked jedi took me under his wing and taught me how to be an excellent jedi. I'll make you a deal live here a couple of months give it a try make friends if you still don't feel like you belong and want to leave I'll take you home".

"Or maybe somewhere else" he suggested. Luke had figured Nar Shaddaa was where he belonged but he hadn't really put too much thought into it. Only that he didn't like being in a place where he felt like he had been forced to be. It had been his foster parents' decision, an offer made and then sent off like some small-time trade. Rebellion was only natural to his character, that which was shaped by the streets of Nar Shaddaa.

"What do you want me to do exactly?".

 

[Amanda braska]

Lukan Rath

Amanda listened to him speak the whole time they walked to the cafeteria he felt out of place. She knew that he knew that and she felt for him. "How about after we eat I show you that you aren't alone on this planet that there is a place more like nar shadda on corusant than you realize" she offered as she ate her food. What he didn't know was she was the same way training and lessons came hard to her to and she hated them for it. "And I get it Taking classes in a place you don't want to be at around strangers who you don't know thinking your alone" she said. Sitting there finishing another bite finishing it before she spoke. "People tend to put us on a pedestal we are meant to be peace keepers throughout the universe but we are people flesh and blood but with the ability to move objects with our minds" she said oversimplified sure but she wasn't wrong.

He was willing to listen and do as she asked he wanted to get out or atleast rebel against a choice that More than likely wasn't his. She got that to a degree "you would learn to be a jedi under me I'll talk to the those in charge it will get you out of a lot of classes but the classes you have left you have to go to and make all of our one on one training sessions ok afterwards we can go have fun whatever you want to do ok" she offered to him and she waited to see his reaction.

 

[Lukan Rath]

Entering the Cafeteria, Lukan looked around the vast room and those who were either seated at their tables or otherwise being dished up their meals. Students and Masters of the New Jedi Order alike, all eating in the same dining hall, congregating and socializing, presenting a much more casual environment than that of Luke's classroom experiences thus far. The pair would move to collect their meals, Lukan choosing a cheesy-looking pasta dish before following in tow as Amanda braska chose a table for the two of them to share.

"How about after we eat I show you that you aren't alone on this planet that there is a place more like nar shadda on corusant than you realize".

"Outside of the Temple you mean?" Lukan asked, this time making eye contact and seemingly more engaged and attentive; "Are the lower levels of Coruscant really that bad?" he questioned further, assuming that was what the Jedi Master was implying. While some may have been disheartened by the criminal scene, Lukan found a sense of familiarity. If this was the case, then it would be the first time since his arrival that he found some form of connection to the Core World.

"you would learn to be a jedi under me I'll talk to the those in charge it will get you out of a lot of classes but the classes you have left you have to go to and make all of our one on one training sessions ok afterwards we can go have fun whatever you want to do ok".

The offer wasn't a bad one at all. She would teach him about the Jedi and how they did amazing things they did, while also getting him out of all of his scheduled classes. He could learn to use the Force and get as good with the Lightsaber as some of the other students were, and she even implied that it would be fun...-He couldn't help but wonder what her idea of fun was, but that didn't stop him from buying into the appeal.

"Sounds good to me then" he agreed, leaning forward and resting his elbows against the table's edge. "Do you always offer to train students one on one like this?" he asked, wondering if he was being given special treatment for some reason, and why that might be.

 

[Amanda braska]

Amanda chose a similar dish to Lukan Rath and got some toasted cheesy garlic bread as she found a table that was empty the master. Set the 6 pieces garlic bread down between them " your more than welcome to the bread aswell I got them for us to share" she said. Looking at him as she took a piece and began eating it she noticed he seemed more engaged and actually made eye contact it seemed the young master was getting through. "The lower levels still follow galactic alliance laws to a degree but it's pretty similar" she said "and yes outside the temple" she clarified.

As she sat there and they ate their lunch he seemed more open and maybe relaxed that was good as she sat there. It had been a while since she had taken on a full time student let alone one like her who Initially felt like an outcast. But she didn't know his story "no I don't usually train students one on one atleast not to the extent of taking a full time student usually it's a lesson or to too help them with a particular skill or ability" she said. Hoping to not discourage him but also wanting to reassure him she was capable "If I may ask what brought you here?" She asked.

 

[Lukan Rath]

Lukan's dish looked delectable; his mouth, while closed, watering at the mere sight of the food. In the days that he had first arrived, the cafeteria had been a dream come true because there was food whenever he wanted. At first, he ate until his stomach hurt. Over the days since, the shock of it all had gradually died down and he had learned to pace himself, yet even so, the food still looked amazing after years spent scrounging for scraps. Good thing that Amanda's first impression of him wasn't the sight of him devouring all within sight.

Today, however, he ate with one fork full at a time while listening to Amanda braska as she spoke of the lower levels of Coruscant. It sounded as though there was still some semblance of law and order down there, yet it also sounded like a place he would very much like to see in the immediate future. Exploring the streets and seeing how people lived on Coruscant, whether there were other kids around and what kind of trouble there was to be had down there.

Lukan didn't respond when Amanda confirmed his suspicions, this whole training deal she had made with him wasn't a common sort of thing. Apparently, she had taught groups from time to time but not one on one in such long-term methods; whatever they might be.

When she asked what had brought him to Coruscant, Lukan looked at his food apprehensively. He was trying to figure out how to put the story into words. "I guess things changed the night I got stabbed and wound up in medicare. It was a stupid fight. I was just hanging out with some other guys. Anyway, Medicare Staff did some tests while I was there and apparently there was something about it that interested the Jedi. A couple of weeks later, one of 'em turn up at my home and I'm being shipped off-world to here". He gave the short version of the story, keeping a lot of details out of it for the time being.

 

[Amanda braska]

Lukan Rath

Amanda listened to him tell his story as she ate he had a hard life it sounded and if he lived on nar shadda she could fill in the blanks even if some facts might be wrong. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to bring up painful memories for you" she said but from what she's heard and seen of nar shadda it sounded like an average day. The young master looked down at her food "the day I was brought here my home was destroyed by sith evil force users hell bent on galactic conquest" she said "I watched my family butchered before my eyes and my city on fire I was it's sole survivor" she revealed to him she replayed the images in her head.

Staring at the table for a few seconds before snapping herself back to reality as she took a bite to eat and quickly finishing it. She looked at him softly "not everyone who joins the jedi has a happy life before your not alone" she offered the wisdom. Freely as she reached for a piece of garlic cheesy bread and taking a bite of it she chewed for a few seconds before swallowing "I know you didn't want to be here at first neither did I I wanted my family and friends back but you can make new friends of you give people a chance" she said taking another bite of her cheesy garlic bread.

 

[Lukan Rath]

Lukan shrugged in response to Amanda braska as she sympathized with him; "I've been in lots of fights before" however that was the first time he had been stabbed. He'd seen other people take a shiv before, but he had to admit that landing in medicare with a stab wound had been pretty freaky; Of course, he wouldn't admit that to anyone else.

When the Jedi Lady started talking about the loss of her own family, Lukan instinctively sought to try to read whether she was lying to him or not. He had been pretty good at being able to read people in the past on Nar Shaddaa, it was almost like a sixth sense, but here in the now he couldn't see any telling signs of deception and had to assume she was being honest about what she'd been through.

"Sorry about your family. I hope the one's responsible wound up in a ditch somewhere in the end" he offered his condolences, as well as the hope for karma reaching the culprits, speaking without hesitation or any sense of remorse for the wishing ill of others. It sounded like these people had it coming to them and this woman seemed to be alright, as far as he could tell.

"What about being a Jedi in this place that makes life seem better to you?" Lukan asked, curious to know how his situation might improve and possibly change his mind and attitude towards his given circumstances.

 

[Amanda braska]

Lukan Rath

She noticed him shrug and listened to him speak She sensed no lies but where he came from she wasn't surprised. He didn't seem to care "I'm sure it was freaky or scary ending up in Medicare especially since it turned your life upside down" Amanda said before taking another bite of her food. She gauged his response but also trying to get to know him better if this was going to work between them.

She watched him as he looked at her gauging if she was telling the truth she took a piece of garlic bread. "I wanted that to at first to see them dead before me" she said taking a bite of her garlic bread and chewing it after swallowing it. "It wasn't until after they where dead that I realized that to think that way leads to becoming what you hated all along" she said looking at him.

"Your force sensitive even if you don't want to be if you don't Learn to control your power it will destroy you and those you care about" she stated in a moment of seriousness. As she took a bite of her dish she then heard him ask his question and gave him a sincere smile. "It gave me a purpose in life to help others or atleast attempt to help others to make a better galaxy free from evil war even if it seems impossible" she could tell that it didn't seem all that grand "everyone has their own reasons you will have to find yours maybe after the month or two if you want to stay I can help you move your parents here to corusant and find them jobs if you want" she offered to him as she finished her food.

 

[Lukan Rath]

"I don't know anything about the Force and I don't know much about the Jedi but back on my homeworld people got what they had coming to them. If someone messed with you, you had to deal with it or else others would think you're too weak to take care of yourself" Lukan replied, speaking from experience. He didn't know what Amanda braska meant with regards to the whole 'destroying himself' and he didn't exactly have anyone that he necessarily cared about as far as he could tell.

Sure his adoptive parents were back on Nar Shaddaa but the relationship there had always been strained at best. Maybe not on their side of things, but more Lukan and how he never felt like he truly connected with that family. They had tried to get him into school, to get an education and all the rest but Lukan had taken to the streets with a far greater fondness than having any old timer telling him what to do.

It wasn't personal; He didn't particularly think much of his tutors but it wasn't as though he disliked them, it was more the fact that what happened on the streets of Nar Shaddaa was real and that's where he had learned to survive and even succeed in the most desperate of times.

"What makes you so sure I'd be cut out for the Jedi?" He asked, soon turning the conversation back to the Jedi Master with both scepticisms but also underlying uncertainty in himself.

 

[Amanda braska]

Lukan Rath

She listened to him speak letting him finish without judgment or reprisal in any way. She sat there thinking for a few seconds before speaking "there's no problem with defending yourself but I'm taking about being angry feeling hate those emotions turn you down a dark path" she said. Sitting there she crossed her arms on the table "anger and hate can turn anyone evil a thug from nar shadda or even the strongest jedi but the difference is a thug from nar shadda can't shoot lightning from his fingers or move tanks with their mind" she offered.

As she sat there she thought about his lack of knowledge of the force and thought that might be their first lesson. Assuming he showed up to the lesson that is "then I guess our first lesson will be on what the force if you want to learn" she said calmly and with no pessimistic tone in her voice.

She heard his question she took a second to think about it looking at him contemplating her thoughts the young master then spoke hearing his uncertainty and skepticism. "I think you have the qualities of a jedi shadow someone who uses real life skills in conjunction with their force sensitivity to accomplish goals and make a better galaxy" she said looking at him.

 

[Lukan Rath]

"Wait, you can shoot lightning from your fingers?!" Lukan exclaimed rather loudly as they sat at the cafeteria table, causing some of the other occupants to look across at the pair of them. His head tilted to return a slight glare their way before looking back to Amanda braska intent on hearing more.

He had heard the stories of Jedi fighting Sith, lightsaber battles or leading armies into war against whoever wronged them; Yet the details of Force Powers were not something that had ever been explained to him. What exactly could they achieve with the Force, and how they accomplished it.

Hell, he didn't even accurately understand what the Force was. It sounded spiritual in nature, but Lukan had never been one to believe in religion or spiritual beliefs.

"What makes a Jedi Shadow different from other Jedi? I thought they all did that?" he further asked, curious to know more about yet another subject he had no understanding.

 

[Amanda braska]

Lukan Rath

"Yes I can but it's not a common ability and frowned upon by other jedi because it is a purely offensive power" she said looking at him. As she sat there she glared at a few jedi herself before looking back at him "it's an advanced ability that I'm not supposed to teach to anyone below a jedi knight in rank" she said. Sitting before him she leaned back and examined his expression she had his attention atleast for now.

The young master thought about his question for a second before answering "your right they do but shadows lean more on tech and blending in to hunt out darkside practitioners and artifacts than other jedi who prefer jedi robes and straight up confrontation" she said. Sitting there for a second looking over his expression "shadows are kind of deep operatives go behind enemy lines sometimes or take long lasting missions" she said. Sitting there for a moment "finish your food ad have a piece of cheesy garlic bread and I'll take you to the lower levels of corusant if you want" she offered sitting there.

 

[Lukan Rath]

"I suppose I can guess why," Lukan remarked as he thought of the Jedi going around electrocuting other people. It wasn't a very heroic thing to be doing; "But Droids wouldn't stand a chance!" He added with a smirk. You couldn't kill a Droid, they were never alive to begin with! So it couldn't be frowned upon if used in that way, could it?

The sound of a Jedi Shadow did have a certain appeal to him, too. A Jedi who goes behind enemy lines! Sabotage and sneakiness. Lukan had been around plenty of bad people in his short lifetime. Gangs of all kinds, criminals and drug addicts. He'd always found his way to fit in on the streets of Nar Shaddaa. Almost more than he did at home. He'd never exactly been a team player either, so there was that too.

"Today?" He asked, soon looking down at his plate and realizing he hadn't eaten as much as he thought he had; "Sounds awesome, I'm in" he grinned before continuing to finish his lunch, along with the piece of cheesy garlic bread.

"What kind of Gangs run the lower levels on Coruscant?" He'd soon ask, curious to listen to Amanda braska's answer while he finished the last few bites of his food.