A Whole New World

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Ossus - That which the Jedi had claimed as home for countless generations. A beautiful jungle planet adorned with endless waterfalls, crystal clear waters, numerous wildlife, and of course the magnificent temple and grounds that surrounded it. The same place that she had called home for the majority of her life would now be home to Arlan for as long as he desired. The ship slowly lowered down into the hangar, creaking and shaking a bit as it touched down against the duracrete.

The Twi'lek turned to her new Padawan. "We're here. Gather your things and we'll find you a room before I take you around. Afterwards we'll get straight to it." A few console buttons were pressed, and the ship's engines silenced, followed by the rest of the systems. "No time to waste. We have a lot of work to do if we're to make you into a proper Jedi Knight."

"Meet me at the ramp, I just have to grab my things." Standing from the pilot's seat Sera rushed back to her quarters aboard the ship. She collected her clothing and armor, as well as her personal affects. She always preferred to keep her personal belongings wherever she was making home. So each time she left she took most of her personal affects with her, and replaced them in her room again when she returned. It wasn't much, a necklace from her former master, some photos of her family, and a few knicknacks.

When she returned to Arlan she gave him a confident smile to hopefully ease some of his hesitation. "Right. Shall we?"

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Arlan had never before been to Ossus and he had to admit it was a grand place to gaze upon. Of course he had been to naturally rich worlds before but something seemed different about Ossus, as it the very air was vibrant and full of life. If this was truly to be his home for the foreseeable future Arlan would surely have no complaints, here he felt as if he could finally cast aside his sordid past and start anew. However; Arlan knew this would be no easy walk of life, Serra had told him as much, but all the same he felt relieved to be here finally. Standing, without his crutch finally, Arlan took one last look around the ship and exited below. Joining Serra on the ramp Arlan grabbed hold of his things, swinging his pack around his shoulder and began to speak as his master egged him onward.

"I have to admit, this place is truly a sight. I look forward to seeing more of it tomorrow once we've gotten some rest." Stopping and looking to Serra for a moment, mind thinking back to the recent past, Arlan smiled and continued to speak. "I think that is something that we both desperately need don't you think?" Arlan spoke as he stepped down of the ramp and walk forward a bit, gaining a wider birth of his surroundings. "I'm ready when you are, Master." Arlan decided to add one final line before falling in behind Serra and continuing on. He was, of course, a little out of sorts in being on a planet full of Jedi. Something he hoped would dissipate with time.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"There is quite a lot to see here, both inside and out." She stretched her arms out wide as they made it out of the hangar. "This was where I grew up for the most part, and trained for quite a few years as well, so I would be lying if I wasn't a bit excited to be back here, and maybe even over inflating the prowess of such a place." The two walked through the massive cathedral halls, a number of chambers held classrooms of younglings learning while others had live training between would-be Padawans. Others were empty, training dummies positioned in a ready state, awaiting their turn to be used. Sera pointed them out to Arlan as they passed by each one, pausing for a moment to watch the children practicing their forms in unison. "Most of them have lived here their whole lives, others were brought by families who wished for their child to be trained, while some ended up here as refugees of the war with the Sith."

Entering the living quarters in the wing adjacent to the classrooms Sera paused at her room. Lifting her hand she pressed the button on the wall, sliding the door open to reveal a relatively sparse area; a bed, lamp, some notes sitting atop a table, and a datapad. She smiled and let out a comforted sigh, tossing her bag in and on to the bed. "Alright, let's find you an available room as well. Space is usually tight, but I'm sure we'll manage."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Arlan walked along behind Serra with all due confidence, but seemed to shrink within himself the further along the corridors they traveled. Within every room they stopped and gazed upon were new things completely overwhelming, and altogether foreign for Arlan. Still though, the allure of the unknown sent a chill of excitement through Arlan's bones as Serra explained on. To anyone but themselves the Jedi often remained a mystery and here Arlan was, in the heart of one of their most sacred places preparing for a journey he never before thought possible. It had all happened so fast Arlan had truly not had time to consider the weight of his situation, but he was feeling it all now. This was a once and a lifetime chance to make something better or himself, and Arlan would be dammed if he got lost in it all and screwed it up.

"This is place is a lot bigger than I expected. There are so many people around, are they all Jedi?" Arlan asked as Serra threw her bag down on the bed in front of them. "Size of my room doesn't concern me, you saw what I can live with back on Felucia. As long as it has four walls and a roof, I can call it a decent place to stay." Arlan jested as he backed away from the door giving Serra room enough to leave when ready. "I have the strangest feeling that this is gonna be one wild ride." Taking a breath Arlan stopped, glanced around the halls and said one last thing before finishing. "This place has such an intense air about it, but it's strangely calming. I cant imagine growing up in such a place, but then again I suppose it makes sense that you did. You give off the same air as these halls."

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Seraphina gave a nod in response to Arlan's question. "Yes. Or, at least they will be Jedi. Younglings do not leave the Temple, except for their journey to obtain their saber crystal. Until that time, they remain here, training and being educated by the other Knights and Masters of the Order. Once they have passed the crystal hunt, they are ready to be trained formally by a master, and are made a Padawan." She placed her hands behind her back as they walked. "At least, that's how it generally works, as their minds are also too young to understand the gravity of the galaxy."

The Twi'lek laughed as she turned to exit the room. "A wild ride? That's a good way to put it. You'll certainly see some things you'll have never seen otherwise. Whether that is good or bad has yet to be determined though." She paused her stride as Arlan stopped to take in the sight, and formulate an opinion of both the Temple and her. "You find me-" She smirked, almost proudly. "Intense?" Her eyes met his and she held the stare for a moment before laughing. "Interesting. You'll find Jedi of all stripes I guess you could say. Some are very quiet, keep to themselves. Others, like me, are pretty open and vocal. Everyone is different, but we're all here for one reason; To protect the galaxy from the depravity that lurks beneath the surface."

Continuing to walk until she found an available room just down the hall she stopped, pressing her finger against the button that released the door hatch, sliding inwards. "Here we are. You can have this one. You can arrange it as you like."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Arlan was taken aback as the door slid open to reveal the small chambers that were to be his home for the foreseeable future. He could naught but marvel at Serra's words, thinking all the while of placing himself in the position of those he spoke. If it was true there were Jedi from all walks of life, from all creeds and cultures, then perhaps Arlan's own joining would not be quite as turbulent as he originally thought. That small idea gave hope to an otherwise hopeless situation, and carving out a life within the Jedi seemed far more viable to the gruff mercenary side of Alan's being. So, as it were, Arlan walked into the room and placed his meager belongings on the bed with a soft thump before turning to Serra and beginning to speak.

"So I take it I won't necessarily be taking the normal route for training, seeing as I already have you as a master." Arlan asked with all due honesty. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't overwhelmed by all of this, but in truth I can't wait to begin. Jedi, Sith, all of this. It's foreign to me. For some reason though it feels familiar." Arlan spoke calmly as he turned back towards the door. "Whatever the first step is, I'm ready." There was a hint of coldness in Arlan's voice as he spoke, clouded but still clam. Arlan had struggled for so long to overcome the horrors he had gone through, and it seemed the Jedi offered him the way to do so.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"We'll take it slow. We'll start with the bare basics: The Jedi Code and philosophy. Once you've got that down I'll make sure that you've got access to the archives to view all of the information available to Padawans on the history of both the Jedi and Sith. I will leave most of that up to you to read, but will answer your questions if or when you have them." She stood leaned against the entryway while Arlan situated his belongings. "After we have the ideology and fundamentals down, then I will begin your actual training." The Twi'lek was eager to see how Arlan would fare with a lightsaber, his choice in hand, form, and style. Would he be one to prefer the traditional single blade, the unconventional saber staff, or would he undertake her choice of Jar'kai - wielding twin sabers. That was something she'd ponder to herself for now.

"What you feel is the connection to the Force. Its' guidance. There are many, near infinite uses of the Force, limited only by your knowledge. That is why it is a Jedi's duty to never stop learning and understanding the ways of the Force."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

For a moment Arlan felt a little insulted at the mention of learning the fundamentals of anything, but that thought was quickly displaced as he realized he had no idea how to conduct himself like a Jedi. From what Serra said as she loomed in the doorway Arlan surely has his work cut out for him, from studying in the so called archives to training along his master, and nothing could truly prepare him for any of it. Truth be told Arlan was frightened, more so than he had ever been, and as he arranged his things on his bed and the shelves nearby a sobering thought fell over him. ALl his life he had trained to become the best fighter he could be, the best mercenary in his sector of the galaxy. He had soldiered with the best of them, he had commanded men, but now he had to restart. Arlan would have to relearn everything and reapply it to his new way of life.

Standing and turning to Serra, Arlan thought about her words again for a moment before speaking. "The archives do sound interesting, sure there is much I could learn I would never have other wise. The more I think on it the more interested in the Sith and Jedi Orders I become." Arlan stopped for a moment and smiled, then slowly stood and turned towards his master. "I think understanding more of this feeling I get, the Force you said, I think that intrigues me most of all." He stopped yet again, pausing and letting his words sink in before finishing. "Before then though I guess we need to see more of the temple grounds."

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"There is more information than you could possibly imagine within the archives of the Jedi Order. A collection spanning back hundreds of generations, and a collective knowledge of every Jedi Master that has ever walked these halls. It is truly remarkable." She laughed, thinking just how many lifetimes it would take to actually read through everything. "Though, should you decide to actually read all of that information, I suspect many years would pass before you could ever hope to leave this place."

Sera waited until Arlan was finished arranging his things before gesturing for him to follow her further down the corridor towards the archives. The chamber was massive, containing dozens of terminals, a large holo theater for which to view a 3D simulation of the galaxy, and the planets contained within. Holocrons were stored in a separate chamber with thousands having been created by Jedi dating back hundreds of years. "This will be where to go when you have need of information about the galaxy. You can also queue up information on specific Jedi, the history of our Order, and quite a wide array of other information. I highly recommend looking through the library and finding things that interest you when time permits. For now, let's find ourselves an empty meditation chamber, and we'll start with the Jedi Code, and philosophy. That will be today's lesson."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Serra had explained to Arlan the sheer size of the archives located within the temple, but seeing them up close brought truth to the words. It would take generations to even scractch the surface of the vast wealth of knowledge that lay before him in those hallowed halls, but that of course would have to wait. Not being the studious type to begin with Arlan much preferred more hands on training, some of which was offered by Serra as she mentioned locating an empty chamber in which they could go over the Jedi Code. For a moment Arlan wondered just what that would entail, laughing very slightly as he imagined words of grandeur from a bygone age quoted to him. In all honesty though Arlan knew it was likely to be much more sordid than all of that, and he immediately steeled himself.

"Yes master, I'm ready." Arlan said dryly as was his way. In recent days, with Serra, he had been showing a side of himself that he rarely put on for anyone. A more lax and gentle deamenor that he had rid himself of years ago, but as the great change of becoming a Jedi lay just over the horizion he found it was time to be serious yet again. "If I am to ever be considered a Jedi then I suppose the code is the first place any should start." He stopped for a moment, thinking about his words before smiling and continuing. "Well let us begin shall we?"

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera took a seat on the floor of the chamber and bid him to follow suit. Once sitting she lifted a hand, silently sweeping across to shut the door so not to be disturbed by those passing by.

There is no emotion, there is peace.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
There is no chaos, there is harmony.
There is no death, there is the Force.

Quietly she recited the mantra of the Jedi. Her eyes remained closed until she completed the final stanza.

"This is the mantra of the Jedi Code. Its' meaning varies slightly from person to person, but the foundations upon which it is built remain the same. To understand the mantra, one must first understand and believe in the Jedi Code. The Code, which is paramount to all Jedi, is as follows:

Jedi are the guardians of peace in the galaxy.
Jedi use their powers to defend and to protect.
Jedi respect all life, in any form.
Jedi serve others rather than ruling over them, for the good of the galaxy.
Jedi seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training."

She looked to Arlan, she was sure he would likely have questions, perhaps ethical or moral, of which she was prepared to answer. Each Jedi took the Code to mean slightly different things, and entire Orders occasionally bent the Code to fit into their perception of what made a Jedi. There were stereotypical rules and assumptions that surrounded the Jedi, and she would see to those in due time, though for now she wanted to ensure Arlan understood and memorized the Code and mantra before proceeding.

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

The door closed behind Arlan with a soft whir as he entered, and though it could have well done so due to some mechanism Arlan was sure it has been Serra's doing. There before him Serra sat centered in the dimly lit chamber and softly chanted the edicts which govern the Jedi Order. Eyes wide and ears transfixed upon his master's words, Arlan dropped down to his knees before Serra as she spoke. In truth it was a little strange to the young mercenary as he sat there trying to ponder the meaning of the code, though not entirely unusual for him. For as long as he could remember, in his line of business, everyone conducted themselves with some form of honor-code. It wasn't too far of a stretch for Arlan to see the Jedi holding themselves to a similar walk of life. So, as it were, Arlan watched and listened until it was his time to speak.

"There was a time I felt intense bouts of passion, when my wife was still living. I can't even recall a time when I didn't feel emotion." Arlan spoke calmly as he looked towards his master. "I can understand most of all of it, I can grasp it and even accept it. What I cannot understand though is how the Order can claim to guard the Galaxy. Such a vast place, how can anyone hope to protect it all. Especially when most of it is so hostile." Arlan spoke in all due earnestness. As he looked on towards Serra he thought perhaps his words were too harsh, but as someone hoping to learn he knew the more direct the question the more accurate the answer.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"You're thinking of the meaning in a much too literal manner. The Jedi are the guardians of the galaxy, but we cannot possibly protect everything in it. There are far too few Jedi to take up such a drastic role. No, think of it more in the sense that we assist when called upon, and those in need along the way." In truth, the number of Sith far surpassed the number of Jedi at present, making their task of maintaining peace among the star systems not yet consumed by the Sith war machine that much more difficult, and at times impossible. It was unfortunate that the Sith had been stampeding their way across nearly all aspects of Republic space in recent history, with little recourse felt on their end, and little aide provided to the Republic by their neighboring governments. More unfortunate still, that if the Republic should fall, surely others would feel the ripple effect.

"The galaxy can be a hostile place, especially when you carry the burden of a Jedi. While many find us a welcome sight, other, more opportunistic folks will try their luck at cashing in the abundance of bounties on Jedi and their weapons. A lightsaber can be a very profitable endeavor on the black market, making us twice the target." She was hoping the truth wouldn't frighten him, or give him pause for the path he was taking, but she didn't take him for the type to be easily shaken, and she wanted to be as open as possible about the risks involved with the life of a Jedi.

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Serra was blunt, offering nothing but the truth with little recourse for empathy on Arlan's part. In a way though that was a good thing, for Arlan knew it to be far better to face the truth of things head on than dance around them. With that said Arlan couldn't help but think himself the villain in this situation, watching Serra as she spoke of those collecting bounties on the Jedi. Not too long ago Arlan could picture himself with entourage of mercenaries hauling in someone like Serra, that was a harrowing thought to be sure. Now though Arlan saw the error of his past ways and for some odd reason he felt as if his joining the Order would offer some form of redemption for him. As Serra continued to outline the faults in Arlan's logic, he would simply nod along with her until his to to speak came. Many questions still raced through his mind, but Arlan wished only to answers those most pressing.

"Such risk comes with being a Jedi, yet from all you've said the Order remains so benevolent." Arlan spoke as he rested his hands upon his knees. "It's hard to understand why you'd all risk yourselves as freely as you do for so many that seek to do you harm. In the line of work I was in you kept your friends close and your enemies buried, but you all wear your hearts on your sleeves." Arlan continued to speak. "You spoke earlier about falling to the Darkside. How can you keep from it when so much animosity comes your way?" Arlan finished, awaiting Serra to reply. To him his questions seemed childish, but Arlan knew it was more than likely the same for all. Everyone, no matter how old, had to start at the bottom.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"The Dark Side." Her eyes closed for a minute, leaving the three words to linger in silence for some time. "It is pervasive. Like a plague that spreads to those who are too weak or ill prepared to guard against it." She had seen first hand the corruption of the dark side. The creatures it spawned, the decay of the persona of those who wielded it, and the lust for power it created. "Those who follow that path aspire to greatness through greed, power, lust, and oppression. Countless numbers have tried to be that balance between light and dark. No matter the intent, it always ends with disaster."

It was difficult to explain in a world full of shades of grey that the light and dark were as clear as night and day. "The dark side is the easy way out. It is for those too ambitious for their own good. The Jedi care about the galaxy as a whole, and every living thing within it. We do not kill lightly, and we do not aspire to positions of power. We are servants to the people. That has to be your only ambition as a Jedi, lest you risk falling to temptation."

Sera knew the words sounded absolute, but she wanted to convey the seriousness and gravity of the differences between Sith and Jedi as powerfully as she could. "The Sith funnel their emotional state into their use of the Force. Channeling things like hatred, anger, revenge, or fear gives them strength, but it further pulls them down the path towards corruption and evil."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Abstract thinking had never been one of Arlan's stronger talents, yet as Serra spoke he could feel the terrible weight upon her words. The Dark Side, something he himself had never knew existed yet been drawn to all the same. Arlan felt a chill fall upon him as he wondered just how far he would have fallen if Serra had not stumbled into his campsite that fateful day in the not so distant past. Hatred, anger, those perversions of the soul Arlan knew intimately, even in this very moment sordid thoughts haunted him, if the Dark Side held as much power over the hearts of men Arlan knew he surely would have fallen to it's sway. Yet, he had not. Somehow at the dawn of his breaking point, when Arlan's psyche could hold out no longer Serra had arrived and delivered him. He knew not if it were fate, destiny, sheer chance, or even the Fore, that guided her to him but he was glad now that it had. Here in the meditation chambers on Ossus, Arlan felt at peace and that in itself was a great and rare occurrence.

With those thoughts lingering still within his mind, Arlan once again fixed his attention upon Serra as she spoke. Such conviction and belief in one's words Arlan had never seen before, and that too added to the severity of Serra's warning. Nodding for a moment and trying to gather the correct phrase, Arlan began to speak again. "It seems as if avoiding it would be an easy feat. Act justly and fair, conduct yourself in a manner which benefits those around you. Those things are easily done, most do them every day for no reason other than every day goodwill, but...." Arlan stopped, closing his eyes and shaking his head before fixing his gaze upon his Master. "The Dark Side is not something so easily avoided is it? It can't be, for if it were I doubt the risk of falling to it would be such a threat." Arlan stated honestly as he waited for Serra to respond, his eyes wandering for a bit as he continued to ponder all of his Master's words. "If the Sith themselves use it to wage war against the Galaxy then how do the Jedi retaliate?" Arlan finally asked, teeth clenched, hoping his question would not be too blunt and full of malice.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"The ideology behind protecting one's self against the temptation of the dark side is simple enough. Simply don't do evil, hateful, or vengeful things." She held up a finger. "Though, all of that is subjective, and not exactly an absolute. You must understand that the corruption of the dark side is not something one simply turns to overnight. It is a slow decline, acts of revenge, whether warranted or unwarranted. It could be that you defended an innocent against the brutal killing of their family, but instead of turning them to the authorities, you enacted your own justice, killing them because you felt it was right." She shook her head, her nose slightly wrinkling. "It's not so black and white. You have to always be mindful of yourself, your actions, and your intentions, good or bad. We are not executioners. We are not judges. And we are not the law. We are peacekeepers, and nothing more."

The Twi'lek recited the Jedi Code once more, as emphasis. "Always remember that we do not kill when it is not absolutely necessary. A defeated opponent should always receive the same care and attention as those you sought to protect. A Jedi respects all life, in all forms. We are not to decide the fate of those around us." Sera knew that understanding the rights and wrongs of being a Jedi, respecting the Code, and living by it were complicated subjects, things that would take time to fully comprehend and understand, though that is what she was there for. To guide him through his apprenticeship until he was ready to become a Jedi Knight.

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Once again Arlan tried to wrap his mind around the words that poured forth from his Master's mouth, yet he made little headway in truly understanding Jedi ethics. Simply 'doing good' seemed to be the resolution to not falling unto the sway of the Dark Side but as simple as it appeared it was the unseen levels of complexity that truly disturbed Arlan. He knew at this moment in time that no matter how long his mind lingered on the subject he could never actually comprehend Serra's meaning, for he had nothing to on which to base his thoughts. No, at present it would be far better for Arlan to press onward with his introductory training than loitering on one thing for to long. In the future, should his training as a Jedi probe fruitful, Arlan was sure with gained experience would too come knowledge on the matter. So, as it were, Arlan sighed for a moment and waited for Serra to finish speaking before piping up himself.

"I do believe I am beginning to understand, though I know it will be some time before I fully grasp the gravity of it all." Arlan looked down for a moment and began pondering how to proceed. "If it was impossible to avoid falling to the Dark Side I'm sure many more like myself would have fallen. So I have to hope the chance for me avoiding such a fate still exists as well." Arlan stopped again, letting his words sink in before finishing. "So what is next, Master?"

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

There was a short giggle from the Twi'lek. "Do not worry. This is just the beginning. You have plenty of time to hone your understanding and knowledge. I would not expect you to comprehend the full reality of being a Jedi on your first few weeks. Even I still discover things I had not known now and then." She kept her voice warm and gentle. The learning process for Arlan would be slightly different from that of other Padawans, given his age, though it made his progress no less significant. In some ways it was better for her that he was an adult. The man would be able to focus whereas teaching a youngling or a teenage would be met with constant goofing off, or lack of interest. An adult male would likely understand what was expected of him during training and perform as such.

"As for what comes next? Well, you're going to hold a lightsaber." She said it rather nonchalantly. Sure, to most the weapon of a Jedi was a distant dream to hold, almost mythical, but in reality it was nothing more than a weapon, much like any other. An ordinary person could wield it, albeit with lackluster grace, but it was certainly no tool which required the guidance of the Force to manipulate. For safety purposes however, she would ensure that when it came time to train Arlan would be using a training saber, with the power dialed back to ensure that only minor burns would occur if any accidents were to come.

She stood, unclipping one of her lightsabers from her belt, beckoning for Arlan to stand as well. She then put the weapon in his hand, and explained the general overview of it. "This button here will activate the saber. It is fairly long, and unbelievably dangerous, as you saw earlier. Whenever you draw this weapon, you must be absolutely certain of your intent. It is not to intimidate, only to protect. If you activate this weapon, you are of the understanding that a peaceful resolution is impossible, and you are prepared to take a life, or lay down your own." She once again implied the gravity of the situation to Arlan. "I want you to activate it, feel the weight of the hilt, but the weightlessness of the saber. Swing it a few times, familiarize yourself with it."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Arlan had known that eventually any and all routes his training could have followed would lead him to holding a Lightsaber within his grasp, yet doing it so soon seemed unprecedented. However; Arlan could not mask the apprehension building within himself as Serra drew her blade and beckoned him over. He did as he was bade, slowly standing from his meditative position and heading over. His palms began to sweat a little as Arlan considered just how few non-Jedi have ever had the honor of holding one of the fabled laser-swords. Now, here Arlan was not even a full fledged Jedi of any sort and his Master was willing to allow him to hold one of her Lightsabers, and he knew not if he was truly ready. Yet Arlan was a prideful man, had been through the whole of his life, so he swallowed his inhibitions and steeled himself for his first act as a Padawan.

Arlan's hand extended slowly, reaching towards Serra and taking hold of the hilt within her grasp. He was expecting it to be fairly light due to it's size yet it was surprisingly heavy in hand. The awe he had felt just moments before had already began to subside when he began looking the thing over, for no matter the craftsmanship and materials covering the handle it was just another piece of technology. The mysticism and wonder behind not knowing of the magical devices were part of the wonder of them, but looking at the thing in his hand now he could attribute the same feeling to holding an arc-welder or a blaster. It was strange to be so close now to something he had only rarely heard about just a few months ago, but here he was. With that in mind Arlan thought it prudent to test the device as Serra suggested, and with a flick of a switch the blade hummed to life.

Arlan had used swords and vibroblades before, most mercenaries had at one point or another, and though they weren't his forte he found himself decent enough with one to put up a good fight. What he held now was completely different. The blade had no presence, no pressure, it just hung there suspended from the emitter making wide arcs in the air from the smallest movement of the hilt. The queer feeling of holding something yet feeling no weight from it made Arlan's hands feel clumsy, even as he made a few strikes in the air with the Lightsaber. How anyone ever managed to fight with blades such as the one he held Arlan could not even fathom, yet Serra stood testament to the fact it was possible. Arlan retracted the blade and handed it back towards his Master, sighing as he did so.

"It's.....strange to say the least." He stopped, scratching the back of his head. "The hilt is so heavy, heavier than that of a normal sword, but the blade is like nothing is even there. Without that weight how can you feel out your attacks? I know I wouldn't be able to if I was forced to use one right now." Arlan spoke earnestly as he looked at Serra and smiled awkwardly.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]