Private Another Soul in the Library

[Aeris Lashiec]

Today was a good day. The cleanest jumpsuit she could find adorned her body and the most polished boots were strapped to her legs. As representative for the New Jedi Order, Aeris always did her utmost to appear as well-spoken as she could manage while under a vow to renounce most of her personal wealth. It was a sleeveless jumpsuit. Sleek without being too tight. No cargo pockets or excessive folds. Just a comfortable jumpsuit and a pair of boots to probably match it.

Of course, the person she was acting representative towards was a Padawan, but there was no reason not to treat them like they were of higher stature. Technically they would be representing the Silver Jedi Concord, so it wasn’t exactly uncalled for. Today was about sharing knowledge. The Silver Jedi had need of a few books, tomes and records that were housed in Aeris’ archive. Well, it wasn’t hers, but she was certainly one of the most prominent figures within it.

Aeris stood by the grand entrance to the table with her hands before her in waiting for her guest with a patient smile at those who passed her by. She had been given the description of what Padawan Scipora would look like. Now all she needed to do was wait.

A good ten minutes passed before finally the vaguely well-studied face stepped through the doors and Aeris slowly began to approach him.

“Padawan Scipora.” She said and gently bowed her head in greeting. “I am Knight Lashiec. Your guide for the day.”

“I trust that the roads were kind to you on the way here?”

Bright4

 

[Bright4]

.
​

FIRST IMPRESSIONS​

​

Coruscant. It was a world he had heard be mention so many times, and yet, he had so little to go off of for it. It was like Nar Shaddaa but with more politics from what he gathered, which sounded like hell to him personally. Yet, everyone had to go there it seemed. His flight to the metropolis had been unremarkable, as he spent much of it reading, looking into information regarding Sith holocrons. His encounter on that world with Aayla had gotten him thinking of all that he didn't know, of the secrets that laid concealed from him by the order. There was so little knowledge of the Sith, of the Darkside, only being told never to think of it, never to question it. Yet, he wanted answers, how else could he battle a foe he knew nothing about?

He cut his reading short however, feeling he was learning very little from it, and focused instead on the pulsing planet that he was arriving to. It seemed almost dream like, for a planet to glow in such an unnatural way. The balance of life must had been quite different than what he had experienced before.

He would arrive in the temple not long after landing, clad in his Ossis inspired robes, his saber hanging on his belt. He had made sure to trim his bead and hair before hand, which made him look much more of a young jedi knight rather than the padawan he was in reality. Hands clasped at his front, he smiled pleasantly towards the woman that met him at the front, Knight Lashiec seemed to be her name. He bowed his head in kind, giving a curious glance about this new site he would be exploring. It was very different from what he had gotten used to within the Concord, but it seemed homely in a way. "I've had worse flights, that much I can assure you. Thank you for welcoming me, Knight Lashiec. I'm very curious as to what awaits me." Best to make good first impressions. He seemed to have a knack for setting jedi masters off after all.

He would await the start of the tour, his mind curious as to what he could learn from this encounter.

Aeris Lashiec​

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

Bright4

“Good.” Aeris nodded yet again and began to lead the man into the temple. “While nothing out of the ordinary has been planned, we offer at least some form of relaxation before you are on your way again as a token of continued cooperation between our Orders.”

Not that Aeris was all that well-read on the internal politics between the Silver Jedi and the ‘New’ Jedi. Strife did not interest her, answers and solid efforts that bridged gaps between the two orders did. Did she want unification? Undoubtedly, but not at the cost of the things that made each Order who they were. She was, by all accounts, a decidedly boring centrist with no strong opinion one way or the other. The worst kind of politician. Which, luckily for her, did not matter because she was not a politician.

“The atrium was built from pieces of the old temple from before the Sith ransacked it and tore it down into rubble.” Aeris said and motioned around the two of them for Kadan to take in the whole view of the grand pillars and the staircase leading further into the building. “It’s been a lot of hard work, but we made it work. Found companies that helped us rebuild this place in our image without losing what it once was.”

As they began to ascend the staircase, Aeris stopped and turned around towards Kadan.

“Have you been to the temple before?” She asked out of curiosity. “I wouldn’t want to repeat bits that you are already aware of.”

 

[Bright4]

.​

TAKE THE TOUR​

​

Walking through these halls made him wonder, how many other Mandalorians had been here? How many others had taken up the jedi code? How many of them had been any good at it? There had to be at least one, right? He wasn't the only one who was a Mandalorian jedi, right? He had to chuckle to himself as she mentioned relaxation would be provided to him. He doubt it would be anything he would consider to be relaxing. Still, they were being hospitable, the least he could do was show thanks for it. Despite the differences that came from their two orders, he didn't feel there was any real conflict, just two way ward families who didn't agree with one another. He had met members of the order before, and had no issues with them what so ever, if anything it was nice getting an additional view point on jedi topics.

He continued to listen to what Aeris had to say, wondering how long she had studied, as she spoke with the such an elegant tone it made him wonder just how old she was. They had to be the same age, didn't they? He would have to wait and find out. Still, it was nice to learn new histories, something his own order seemed to forget about. "No actually, I haven't been to this temple before." He answered, facing her directly. "I grew up on Mandalore, the Concord hardly let me leave Silver Rest for much of my training, even then, I wasn't permitted to leave our own space. This is a nice change of pace truthfully." He was so very curious about what laid in store here, clearly Lashiec had to know a great deal of jedi lore. "Excuse me, Knight Lashiec, pardon me, but do you happen to know anything about Mandalorians serving in the Jedi Order?" He inquired, a soft smile tugging at his lips, hoping she could perhaps help him with that burning question. "I myself am Mandalorian, and...truthfully I struggle to find a balance within my place within the order. If we have time once the tour is over, I'd rather like to hear about what you might know, if that is not a breach of protocol of course." Perhaps he had been too forward with that request, his face showing a bit of regret at having stated his request in such a manner, but all he could do was wait and listen to what she had to say.

He could only hope she could help him, no one else seemed to have the answers he needed.

Aeris Lashiec​

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

“Well, of course. Why?” Aeris asked in response to the man’s question. As he explained she merely listened and nodded along until she was able to find a good place to respond in proper.

“Of course there has been Mandalorian Jedi.” Aeris smiled and motioned for Kadan to follow her up the rest of the stairs. These conversations were best had eye-to-eye. She turned back around towards him as they reached the peak. “They’ve made many Guardians, and even Consulars, in our ranks for years. There’s not as many here on Coruscant, but there has definitely been records of Mandalorian Jedi before. I believe one of them was named… Gray…” Her brows furrowed. “Raxis, I believe?”

“I apologize, my knowledge of specific names fail me at the moment, but there are definitely records of Jedi Mandalorians through the ages.” She hoped that would do. “Now, as for the tour of the temple…”


She stepped through the first door to the left that took them down a long and yet comfortably spacious corridor.

“Offices for some of the more important members. Circle members mostly, but they all seem to be out at the moment.” And some were seemingly MIA, but that really did not need to be said. “They run some of the more administrative duties of the order.”

“You have similar people in the Silver Jedi Concord, right?”

Bright4

 

[Bright4]

.​

QUESTIONS QUESTIONS​

​

He was rather surprised as she started to recite about Mandalorian jedis and their histories. Though she was unable to continue the conversation he was still grateful that she gave the effort. Mandalorian jedi were more than likely a niche area of study anyways. "I see, thank you for this information. I'll have to continue my studies into such matters." He remarked, wondering to what extent her knowledge extended. Clearly she was well read, making him wonder about the debates they could possibly be embroiled in.​

​

Entering the office space of the order, Kadan had to wonder what the point of such things were. Did the masters of the Silver Rest have offices? He didn't think so, they had meditation chambers of course, but office buildings? That sounded like some sort of civilian or administrative role. "In a matter of speaking, yes. Though I believe that's reserved for council members." He explained, giving a glance about the halls and pushing his senses outwards. To his surprise, he found the hall oddly empty. "Seems that they are fairly busy today then." He commented, keeping his hands gripping his belt, following in tow of the woman. "Tell me, Lashiec, if it's okay to call you that, how long have you been with the order? We can't be that far apart in age." He was indeed curious. The last member of this order he had encountered was a bit younger than he, and yet she was also a knight. Seemed he had missed out on an opportunity to promote early.

Aeris Lashiec​

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

And so she had set another student on the path of seeking knowledge. Aeris took that as a clear win in her book and continued the tour. They continued out of the corridor and towards a big wooden door that opened on their approach to expose them to the library and its many shelves. A veritable treasure trove of information.

“Lashiec works.” She said and gave the man a warm smile and nod to show that she was okay with skipping her honorifics as long as he understood that she would not stop using them. “I was brought to the Order as an infant, it is all I have ever known. Not this particular Order, of course. I was found by the Republic, my parents died in the Netherworld Crisis.”

And that was just a fact for her. No emotions or hard feelings. Family for her was the force, her siblings the Jedi Order. The pity that people had felt for her had always struck her as misplaced. She was always curious, of course, but her parents’ real meaning had become lost in an ocean of better memories. It was hard to mourn something that you had no memory of.

“Either way,” Aeris said and straightened her jumpsuit. “This is the library.”

“We have a section for most of your needs. The message sent from the Silver Concord mentioned several different digital copies of books on the Bryn’adul, I believe? Was there anything more that might have been forgotten or left out of the message?”

Bright4

 

[Bright4]

.​

LIBRARY CARD?​

​

It seemed that their paths in life were very different, but both involved being orphaned. Curious. The Netherworld Crisis was an event he had managed to avoid, but based on the accounts he had read, it sounded rather hellish to endure. He noted the lack of emotion in her voice, much like his own when he talked of the destruction of his world. It was just a memory, one that had been burned deep into his being, but the pain was only a phantom. It only truly hurt him in his nightmares. "I apologize if I pried, I lost my own family during the Sith siege of Mandalore. The Concord effectively took me in after that." He didn't share the horrors that he witnessed, or the many weeks he spent on the ashen broken world. No, that much was something only he and a certain someone knew of. Heck, if he hadn't changed his name, he'd be going by Padawan Ordo by now, which wouldn't have made it easier for him during the initial training phases.​

​

The pair reached the library soon enough, and with it Aeris made the comment about obtaining additional information. It was true, he was here for info on the Bryn'adul, but he could always use additional information. Particularly on things the order didn't want him knowing about. It was a tempting offer for certain. He paused for a moment, his hand unintentionally stroking his beard as he thought it over. "For my order, I require nothing else. But I would be interested in other topics of research, though it's a bit outside of my current assignment." He elaborated, wondering if he should tell her about what he was seeking. He wouldn't disclose it so opening, but if she inquired, he would inform her of his reasons.

Aeris Lashiec​

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

Bright4

“Oh, it’s no worry. I’ve had years to contemplate it.” Aeris reassured Kadan with a quick raise of her hand. She contemplated what he said about research. Part of her knew better than to get in the way of a Jedi and their mission, but she would also be lying if she said she didn’t want to at least consider it in this case. Research was after all something she held particularly close to her heart.

“What is it you would like to research?” She asked and looked at the shelves around them. “We might have something you could read while you stay, if that’s what you wish.”

 

[Bright4]

.​

STUDY SESSION​

​

He was a bit surprised that she was willing to dispense information for him, something that frankly caught him off guard. She was asking if he wished to research anything, something that he could pry into at his leisure. Giving a polite smile, Kadan nodded. "Well, actually, I've been wanting to learn more on force bonds, and of jedi who can counter dark siders. I've had encounters with both, and I think that knowledge of such things could be beneficial in my training going forward." He had his reasons as well, Aayla's own training was showing that the gap between them was shifting. Kadan might have been better at hand to hand, but she was showing her own force abilities were surpassing his own. Unless he wished to lag behind her, he needed to keep up.​

​

Stroking his beard in contemplation, the padawan added onto what he had to say. "I initially began trying to use my skills to become something akin to a guardian, but I have found my combat skills to be rather comparable to some of the knights. I'm starting to think I need to delve further into my force studies, and of jedi knowledge. Sadly, we have few masters of such things within the Concord." That much was true. His search for a master was rather fruitless, and now he was effectively having to teach himself.​

​

Aeris Lashiec​

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

Bright4

Force bonds and ways to counteract the dark side of the force. Aeris slowly began to nod at Kadan as she began to ponder where to find said information. There were row upon row of different concepts on fighting the dark, some more moral than others. There was no doubt a great many other books on force bonds, but the difficulty was separating drivel from gold. Given how many different ways a force bond could come to be, it was really just a matter of sourcing, and that was more for Aeris to care about.

“That is odd.” Aeris couldn’t help but raise a brow. “I thought the Concord had more of a spiritual capital than the New Jedi Order did.” Her eyes glanced at the ground for a moment before she shook her head and looked back up at Kadan. “No matter. We have what you seek.”

She began to lead the man down the hall of shelves and over towards a place where more Jedi seemed to have gathered to study. Some out of books, but most of them from holographic devices with projected text and imagery.

“I’d say we’ll start with the darkside countermeasures.” She said and began to lead the man to a nearby shelf. “Given the state of the galaxy we saw it fit to ease access to the material. Along this row you will find several books and topics on how to best counteract the darkside.”

“Any particular part of it that interests you?”

 

[Bright4]

.​

O B J E C T I V E​

​

Kadan chuckled at her comment about what she believed the Concord had. It was understandable, every jedi was different, but to Kadan, he felt that his order just wasn't able to live up to what he needed from them. "I would like that very much, I feel like I've hit a wall with my studies as of late." He remarked, falling in line behind the knight, watching as she navigated the immense library with impressive skill. "You must do this often, this amount of knowledge is incredible, yet you can move through it effortlessly it seems." Perhaps he needed a change in vocation, maybe he should train as a consular instead.​

​

Listening to what she had to say, he was very much interested in the information she provided. "Yes, I'd like that very much." He remarked, looking to the books in question and collecting them after a brief glance. After grabbing several however, he set them down, looking to Aeris with a hint of curiosity. "Given the state of the galaxy, I have to ask, what do you know of the darkside? If we look to battle such things, I think there's a level to which we should understand it, yet to study the darkside is considered forbidden. Truthfully, it puzzles me." He pushed his hair back, smiling. "Obviously, there is a risk, but knowing the enemy helps you over come them is that not true?" He inquired, wondering how she would answer. He knew what most jedi would say, but he was curious what a consular would offer in this perspective.​

​

Aeris Lashiec​

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

Bright4

There was a smile on Aeris’ lips at the compliment. While she wasn’t one to know all of these things, she took pride in knowing where to find it just like a hunter knew how to track down prey. Her brain was her rifle and the sections of the library her tracks. All she needed was that first pointer that something was to be found.

“Well, I wouldn’t say studying it is forbidden, but practicing it certainly is.” Aeris bobbed her head from side to side. “To study is to examine, to practice is to put it to action.”

“The issue with practice is that we are, by nature, susceptible to corruption. Each figment of our presence in the force and the physical realm are intertwined where the heart is. If you accept darkness into your heart in an effort to understand it, you have still accepted darkness into your heart.”

“I prefer not to think of those who practice the dark side of the force as my enemy. They are merely an opposing side to our actions, same as a tidal wave. The stronger we are, the stronger they are, and in the end… Well, there can never be darkness without light, and light can never exist without darkness.”

“To study the darkness is to accept that it is a reaction to ourselves. That by studying what makes us act, we can also find what makes them act.”

 

[Kadan Scipora]

.​

INTENSIVE STUDY​

​

If she was a hunter for knowledge, then that'd make her the apex predator of this library. He listened intently as she explained the view point of the force, and how one could learn from the darkside without being considered 'corrupted' by it. It was something that Kadan needed to remind himself of, or risk falling into it. His people lived and died by conflicted, bathed in the hate, the rage, the blood lust that came with war. His fate was linked to it as much as an warrior, and the danger to give into it was quite real. How refreshing it was to be of the same mind with a fellow jedi about such topics.​

​

"I think I can agree with that sentiment, we are both users of a tool in one effect. One seeks to work with the tool, the other forces the tool to work alongside them." His manner of thought came from that of his own people, least it was how he had found he could talk of the force without being struck by his clan during his youth, but still, the fact remained. Jedi worked with the force, the Sith made the force work for them. Two sides, each of the same coin, the force was the core that kept them centered. "Perhaps by studying the darkness in others, we can better find and contain that which festers inside us as well. To study the disease is one step closer to curing it, no?" He inquired, looking to the knight for confirmation of such a thing.​

​

Aeris Lashiec​

​

​

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

Kadan Scipora

“Close, but you missed my point. Just slightly so.” Aeris said with a weak smile. “What I mean is that we cannot ‘cure’ this, because there is nothing to cure. The dark is a symptom of us who dwell in the light, and we who walk with the light are a symptom of those who walk in the shadows.”

“It’s…” Aeris rubbed at her hands and began to look away in shame. “A radical belief, though, and I can recognize this. There is also merit in destroying something that causes others pain, too. To be the, uh, antidote so to speak.” Or at least that’s what Dagon would have said. Her eyes set on the Mandalorian before her. “Much like anything else relating to philosophy, the question is never as cut and dry as one would hope.”

“All I ask is that you keep it in mind when you are staring down the blade of either your own blade or someone else’s. Every action that they made, or that you yourself make, is the result of someone else’s influence. Be mindful, and always temper your actions with the resolve to avoid causing misery in others.”

“But most of all, never be afraid to part with your body. Accept the force’s love into your being and it will never betray you.”

 

[Kadan Scipora]

.​

SELF REFLECTION​

​

Truthfully, he didn't quite follow what she was saying, not at first. But when it clicked, he understood what she was suggesting. He felt a bit foolish as the realization dawned upon him, that his thinking was indeed flawed. "No, no, I think you're right." He nodded in agreement, rubbing his beard as he began to form the theory in his mind. "Being of the dark means you give into the urges, while being in the light means to renounce such things; within reason of course." He nodded slowly, taking in a breath, as he firmly grasped the idea now. "We must acknowledge the weakness within us, and be aware of that same weakness within others. Dark, and Light need one another to be in existence." It was something of an eye opening moment for the padawan, something that he could slot into his studies of his own culture. This venture had proved more beneficial than he had initially thought then.​

​

He listened to what Aeris advised, which was a far more enlightening way of stating what his previous mentors had said. Be mindful, thought before action, all the things they told younglings during their first initial years. Yet, coming from another close in age, it didn't seem as demeaning. Strange how that worked. What caught him however, was her last line in particular. Part with your body? Was that becoming one with the force? Perhaps. Given the wording Aeris had given, that was the message he received. "Those words are insightful, thank you for sharing them with me." He smiled, giving a brief bow. "It's nice to have a different prospective from those outside of my order."​

​

Perhaps he had been a part of the wrong order this whole time. Everything seemed to make more sense from the side that Aeris' order was coming from.​

​

Aeris Lashiec​