Arriving On Sullust

[Nia Siroc]

"I...," Nia's brow furrowed as she tried to focus "No. Well, not really."

She frowned and she opened her eyes, her focus broken now. "The grass and rock sort of blur together. It's different but the...the lines aren't distinct."

The young woman shrugged because she really couldn't describe it beyond that. Voidstalker was almost like a large school of fish, their collective lives glowing in her mind, back on Lamaredd. The other creatures were there but not nearly as distinct to her. It seemed to be the magnitude that made it stand out.

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Nia Siroc"]

"That's alright Nia. Just being able to stretch out beyond your usual senses is an excellent step in of itself. Take your time," he said, before falling silent. For a short while he was busy stretching out with his own sense. He searched their surroundings.

"There is a Padawan coming up the path. Explore the different between two individuals, see if you can find what makes them unique."

 

[Nia Siroc]

She averted her eyes and shrugged with some embarrassment at the compliment.

"It's something I've done since I can remember back home. I could feel where the largest shoals of fish were or when a storm was coming."

Nia exhaled slowly and began to center herself once more. It didn't happen right away, in fact, it took a long moment but it did happen. Apparently it was a matter of being comfortable enough to just relax. Easier said than done for her in this scenario but it was true.

There she was, the other Padawan and Nia began to speak as she examined what she could.

"The feeling is the same from her, but different too. You stand out more, like the energy is...bigger and more vibrant. But she stands out compared to the others who aren't Jedi."

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Nia Siroc"]

"Look deeper Nia, see what else you can find that separates us," Jacen whispered. A smile, not befitting a Jedi Master, crossed his lips. Deciding that it would be unfair to ask something of a new arrival, he decided to make the difference between them more obvious. A small stone a few metres from the pair skipped into the air before being tossed in the direction of the padawan.

"Ow!" called the young man as the stone lightly caught him between the shoulder blades. He turned about, looking for the cause. The bright burst of surprise, followed by the burn of annoyance would perhaps stand out to Nia.

 

[Nia Siroc]

There was a surge of emotions that came from the youth. Irritation, anger, confusion and a melange of other things. "Oh yes, the emotions!"

Her lips twitched into a smile at the juvenile nature of the act. It reminded her of her own little brother throwing pebbles at her. She could see his flare of emotions subside as he grumbled to himself and shook his head. As he walked on, the blaze died down into an ember. "It's strange to be able to see someone's feelings."

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Nia Siroc"]

"Yes, but be careful. It isn't always clear. Would you judge someone by their facial expression? Would you want someone to judge you on how you felt in a moment of heightened emotion rather than based on your actions?" he asked rhetorically.

"Also, I'll apologise to Sineath tomorrow. Why don't you tell me a little about yourself Nia?"

He shifted his weight from side to side a little as he receded from the Force, his focus returning back to the physical realm.

 

[Nia Siroc]

Before she answered, Nia moved from the kneeling meditation position into a seated one before she answered. She looked into the near distance as she began. "I don't know that my village even has a name. My family has been there since we left indentured service, oh I don't know, hundreds of years ago."

"We've been fishermen there which means we've always been poor. At least it's better than the miners; they might have a little more money, but they were...just...they looked broken. We saw them in Bartyn's Landing on market days."

"There aren't so many human fishermen there. Mostly aquatic beings but they never gave any trouble."

She shifted her eyes back over to Voidstalker.

"My family has had somebody who could do what I can do for a long time. Before me, I had an uncle who I don't really remember much of. He died when I was three or four. My parents told me he had the ability too. The beings in the village knew about it but they've never made a big deal over it. It's just gone on so long; they think maybe it's luck and experience, just knowing the waters really well."

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Nia Siroc"]

"The Force manifests in many ways. Even now, here at this temple, your path is uncertain. You could do many things. I know Jedi who use their abilities to help scientists understand each other to further research, some who further diplomacy, other can heal with a touch. Given the Galaxy we live in many fight. They fight for those who can't. You might decide to return to your world when you've completed your training and use your skills there."

He shifted from side to side, noting that the sky was quite dark now. "Your path is up to you, but for now you can stop worrying about that and just decide if you'd like something to eat? Let's not push on any further. You only just arrived after all."

 

[Nia Siroc]

Nia's gaze had drifted back to the near distance but she certainly was listening. It was her default thinking position, as it were, looking but not really looking. She had no idea where she would end up in a year let alone what path she would take. Her eyes snapped back to him as Voidstalker mentioned food.

Just then, her stomach grumbled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since before they'd left the hyperspace lane. "Food sounds like a very good idea."

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]