Private Astral Express

[Jacen Nimdok]

<It’s interesting that the first thing you noticed was her emotional state,> Nimdok remarked as Eliphas made his observations. <Starlin mentioned you had high empathy for others. If you develop that skill, you’ll be able to discern whether someone is telling the truth or not, using the Force as your guide.>

They both turned their attention toward Miri. <All you have to do is find a way to make your presence known to her. Obviously, you can’t touch her or speak to her while in this state, besides telepathy—so find something else to do. I admit, I normally use this heightened state in battle—but no attacking her, please.> Obviously the professor wasn’t going to stand for any harm coming to his daughter.

Lief​

 

[Lief]

Empathy?

Curiosity washed over him then, as he considered that. Of course the fact that Starlin had further spoken about him to the Professor wasn't so much of a surprise now as it had been before. No secrets among them... Not that there really needed to be. Eliphas didn't rightly mind at all. Especially not if it helped to progress his training.

It can be utilized with the Force? he inquired, Empathy, I mean...

But then came the task. And all at once he found it surprisingly more difficult than he initially expected it would be. No talking, no touching, and no telepathy? Well, Eliphas did not know of any other way to truly interact with the Force... Not consciously, at least. There were smaller things he could do, but they were instinctive and he had no idea it was happening.

With that in mind, he turned and walked around the presence of the girl again. Quiet, contemplative, for a little while longer. Then a smile played over him, as a small idea came to mind. Would it work though?

Would Starlin murder him for even trying to butcher it?

Well, he had to try right?

She walks in shadow and darkness, the boy projected, voice rippling with the Force, Ashla, protect her from wickedness!

Whether that would work or not, he had no idea. But it's what he had, and it sure as heck would send out a signal flare to the girl that he was doing something. Her skin would glow, after all, it was pretty hard to miss.

Jacen Nimdok

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

<Yes. When someone lies, even if they control their outward expression, a Force User can sense their true emotions. That’s why it’s so difficult to deceive a Jedi, unless one is a Force User themselves and understands how to hide their feelings, or disguise them. Take, for instance, Emperor Palpatine, aka the Sith Lord Darth Sidious…>

While Nimdok launched into another history lecture, Eliphas uttered the words of a spell. Or tried to—it’s a bit hard to make a spoken spell work when you can’t really, well, speak. Miri scratched her nose, still unaware of Eliphas’ presence near her.

Nimdok paused his rant, no doubt sensing Eliphas’ disappointment. <You know, you could also manipulate the environment around her. While astral-projecting, you can more easily sense the energy field you’re a part of, and thus more readily manipulate it.>

Lief​

 

[Lief]

Cool the boy said, sincerely, So I can tell how someone's feeling; if I learn how to do so, I mean? He pondered that for a moment, before the Professor entered his mini lecture, though not before adding a little more himself. I have a friend who sees the world through colours, and she always seems to know how I'm feeling even before I do. It... It would be nice to know how she's feeling sometimes. I worry about her sometimes... She can be so guarded.

It was understandable of course given all that Iris Arani had been through, but Eliphas was sometimes afraid of tripping over his tongue in his attempts at not bringing it all to light. He wanted to be a beacon of hope and stability for her, not a reminder. The boy frowned. Would it be wrong to do that, though? Is it an invasion of privacy to make use of such things when it's not exactly necessary? Apparently, the boy was worried about the ethics of it all now.

He knew all at once that his attempts at wielding the spell telepathically had failed. If nothing else though it would save him from trying it in the future, on the battlefield perhaps, so that was helpful. Speak it aloud... Not inside his head. Got it.

Nimdok suggested that perhaps he try to alter her surroundings instead, but that wasn't something he'd ever done before. Spells, telepathy, but the sorts of things he'd seen the likes of Mathieu Brion do? Levitating objects, and the like? Could astral projections sweat, because Eliphas felt as though he was sweating.

I... I don't know how he admitted, before focusing on his surroundings some more. I can try, though? The boy was always eager to try. Vague impressions of objects began to wash over him this way and that, most of them were tough, could easily be classified as weapons even if they were just vases or plates, not something he wanted to run the risk of dropping. Especially not if it was close to her.

But then he found something soft, fluffy even, a form which was far more malleable. So he reached for it, intangible brow crinkling slightly in focus. Nothing happened at first, of course, but he held the Force around the unknown-to-him pillow all the same. A first step, and one he was making by himself...

Jacen Nimdok

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

So I can tell how someone's feeling; if I learn how to do so, I mean?

<Yes.>

Would it be wrong to do that, though? Is it an invasion of privacy to make use of such things when it's not exactly necessary?

If he'd had a more physical body, Nimdok would've frowned. He'd been accused in the past of using telepathy when it wasn't necessary, with cruel results. <Ask Starlin, I suppose. He can tell you what the Jedi teachings are on such things, and there is great wisdom in them.>

Nimdok's surprise was apparent when Eliphas revealed he had yet to learn telekinesis. <That is most definitely a skill you must learn. One of the core abilities of any Force User...> But even as Nimdok spoke, he realized Eliphas was already making an attempt at it.

The Padawan seized a pillow and threw it at Miri. Since there was no ill intent behind the toss, her danger sense failed to go off—and the pillow hit her square in the face. "Wha—!" She leaped to her feet, looking around for the culprit, then sighed. "Very funny, guys."

Nimdok certainly was laughing. <Good! Have you really never been taught telekinesis before? I'm surprised you managed it on your first try. Not that it's particularly difficult—unless you're a Halcyon, that is. The Halcyons were a family of Force sensitives who, for whatever reason, all struggled with telekinesis...>

Lief​

 

[Lief]

The Professor suggested he speak to his Master about it, and after a moment of consideration he realized that was probably the best idea. Yeah, I can do that he stated. And if Starlin didn't have a good answer, well... He'd figure out an answer for himself. The last thing he wanted was to upset Iris, to pry where he shouldn't, but he also wanted to know that she was good, really good, and not just hoping to fool him into believing that. She'd been through hell and back, after all. She shouldn't be the one trying to protect him from the reality of it all.

As I said, they mostly had me meditating, he retorted in light of the Professor's surprise, I've learned more in a couple of days at Starlin's side than I did the months prior. Truthfully Eliphas did not know why they'd been so reluctant to actually teach him, but it didn't matter any more, he could catch up.

He sensed the beginning of another lecture, an explanation on how to do it, but then Nimdok halted and simply waited. Eliphas tried multiple times to move the soft item, wrapping the Force around it and trying to lift it. Try as he did, he couldn't seem to get it to work. Tug up, nope, tug left, nope. Make it wobble? Nah.

The boy was pretty close to giving up. He lessened his focus on it a little, and sighed. Then in a last ditch effort to get something to happen he simply nudged it much in the same way he'd nudged his consciousness from his body earlier. There was the slightest hint of frustration behind the act, but it served its purpose and the cushy pillow was tossed across to Miri with a little more action than he'd intended. He'd meant only to see the item move, not be thrown.

Oops he said, I didn't mean to do it like that... Eliphas frowned though, and turned his attention from the now-grumpy girl to her father. Concern washed over him; would he have managed it if not for that frustration? It wasn't a road he wanted to walk down, he'd heard the stories of how honourable Force Users could so easily fall to temptation.

I promise I haven't he stated, tone a little frayed, as though the Professor wouldn't have just believed him had he said 'yeah it's my first time'. The boy began to retreat back slightly though, as though seeking out his body once more. It was only then that he realized he had no clue how to reconnect. He hovered around his body, then tried to force himself back inside of it. Truth be told, in that moment Eliphas wanted to flee the ship entirely.

Jacen Nimdok

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

Eliphas seemed a bit stunned that it had worked. This was followed, oddly, by what seemed to be embarrassment. Nimdok observed as the boy frantically tried to reconnect to his physical body, before swiftly stepping in to offer guidance.

<Tired of all this, are you? It’s all right. Here, just ease your way back in, slowly. You should start to feel a tugging soon enough, and everything will fall into place almost on its own…>

Lief​

 

[Lief]

Was he tired of it?

No... No it was fascinating and curious and amazing, and he got the feeling he'd barely even scratched the surface of what it had to offer. Yet at the same time... I don't want to be the kind of person who needs to throw around their emotions in order to make things work the boy confessed, his voice and his presence both seeming to shrink in shame. I want to be in control of it, of myself...

Nimdok had explained to him how he had to slowly ease himself back into his body. He hesitated on doing that, though. This whole decision had been impulsive too, and he needed to make sure he wasn't going to keep acting that way once he returned to his body. So for a moment... He paused on the threshold.

Do you think she'd mind if I tried again?

Jacen Nimdok

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

<Your emotions?> Nimdok paused, slowly understanding. <Ah, I see. Well, you’ll find Starlin a rather poor role model then. Positive emotions are what drives his power. Especially humor—he laughs in the face of evil, finding it absurd. It’s one of the things I find most remarkable about him. It can also be very, very obnoxious, but hey, nobody’s perfect.>

He reached out to Eliphas in a gesture of reassurance. <You won’t fall to the Dark Side just because you got frustrated over not being able to move a pillow. But go ahead and try again.>

Lief​

 

[Lief]

Were good emotions viewed in the same light as negative ones?

Heck... What even made an emotion good or bad? They all served a purpose, right? They were all cathartic in nature... By the Empress, now he was confusing himself. Is it the same, if he laughs, as if he were to find himself enraged instead? He frowned, then shook his head. Knowing the answer for himself. So maybe emotions wasn't the word for it. Anger? Rage? But he'd felt neither of those just...

Well...

Natural frustration which accompanied growth and learning. Oh, that made sense then.

I understand he finally stated, though he knew it was something he'd mull over more on his own time. Instead he found himself with the blessing to give it another shot, and the reassurance that a moment of frustration would not undo everything else. A relief, to be sure.

Eliphas reached out toward the pillow again, no doubt set upon the floor by the cot or perhaps in Miri's lap. He blushed at that thought then shook it from his mind, before focusing on the task at hand.

Maybe it had been the lack of forcefulness which had been in his favour, as opposed to the frustration. It had been a far more casual gesture after all when it had proven successful, almost dismissive and uncaring of whether it worked or not. A last ditch, tired effort.

Well he couldn't mimic all of that, but what he could do was ease up a little. Trust in the Force, and let it do its thing. Intent... That was what was important, right? Intent and will.

Okay, so he willed the pillow to move. Willed it to rise up from wherever it lay...

Jacen Nimdok

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

Nimdok just nodded along as Eliphas seemed to figure things out for himself, then sat back to watch the chaos unfold.

The pillow was not in Miri’s lap, but lying on the floor where it had fallen after hitting her—although Nimdok noticed the flush in Eliphas for the first time. The professor didn’t remark upon it, though his thoughts strayed to the shotgun he kept on hand in case of unruly teenage boys. Not that he thought he’d need to use it, but…

As the pillow rose up off the floor, Miri sensed it. “Not this time!” She held up her hands as if she were about to fight the pillow, waiting to strike.

Lief​

 

[Lief]

A couple of failed attempts more, and then Eliphas felt the pillow shift and move, at first wobbling this way and that then eventually rising up to hover near the girl. A girl who promptly became particularly defensive - playfully so - if he was reading her correctly. This time when he threw it at her it was with intent.

He chuckled, amusing himself in that moment, before focusing back on the Professor. Thank you he said quietly, almost sheepishly, For letting me try again...

The Professor could have just pulled him out of it, or moved past the moment and onto something new, but he hadn't, and Eliphas was grateful for the opportunity to prove to himself that he could do it without relying on external factors.

Jacen Nimdok

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

Miri punched the pillow away. “I feel like I’m fighting a poltergeist,” she muttered.

Nimdok watched in amusement. <I’m not in the habit of preventing students from learning, even if it's through trial and error. Now—would you like to keep tormenting Miri and practicing your projecting, or is it time for a break, would you say?>

Lief​

 

[Lief]

The girl knocked it aside this time, and Eliphas rose it up one more time though before he could do much of anything with it the Professor was asking him a question. He dropped the pillow and turned toward his presence, pondering his response.

Then he nodded to himself.

I'm feeling much better now, actually, the boy stated, I think I'm good to continue, Professor, if that's okay with you?

His need to flee had been instinctual and immediate, but giving himself the time to process it all had certainly helped matters.

What do you use this state for, anyway? he inquired, Observing? Or is it just another way to interact without being physically present? Might be that was at times safer, no? Keep your body safe...

Jacen Nimdok

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

No break? All right, then.

“I use it to fight,” Nimdok replied. “I’m more of a scholarly type, you see—not much of a combatant. But sometimes you have no choice but to defend yourself. I find a place to hide and astral-project, attacking my opponent’s mind and nervous system. What I lack in physical power and prowess, I make up for in strength of will and mental fortitude. Speaking of which—you’re due for a lesson in waging war from the astral plane. Do you know how to stun someone with the Force?”

Lief​

 

[Lief]

The boy felt somewhat certain that if he were to give in and take a break he might never give this thing a shot again. No... No break. He wanted to focus, to push on through; they wouldn't be on Erakhis forever, after all, and once they left he might never get another chance to learn these things from Nimdok.

And so he listened as the man explained the use he had for it. To keep himself safe while still engaging the enemy. To stun them or overwhelm them through the Force. Eliphas nodded to all of it; it sounded tricky, he reckoned he'd have to get good at differentiating between people, friend and foe, lest the wrong person be targeted, but still...

At this point in his training, the boy wasn't much of a martial artist. Maybe this could help him out too, if he ever encountered a need for such. For now, though?

No, Professor, I'm afraid I don't know how to do that... Boy, the kid wasn't lying when he said he knew very little. After today though..? Well, that certainly seemed to be changing.

Jacen Nimdok

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

<Afraid? Ha!> Nimdok seemed to find a strange humor in Eliphas’ phrasing. <It’s surprisingly easy, and one of the most useful skills a Force User can have. Stun can end a fight without having to fire a single shot or draw your blade.

<You reach out to someone with the Force, and sense their nervous system. You feel the firing of neurons and electrical currents throughout the body. Then, you reach in and disrupt those currents, shutting the brain off just like a stun bolt would.>

After spouting off some more theory and details, he asked Miri, <Would you be willing to let Eliphas practice stunning you?>

“I’m already stunning,” she replied. “But okay, I guess… It’s not like he could accidentally kill me, right?”

<No. But I recommend you lie down so you don’t bump your head on anything.>

She returned to her cot and lay down flat on her back, her eyes open as she waited.

Lief​

 

[Lief]

As the Professor explained Stun in a little more detail, Eliphas found himself rather drawn to the premise of it. Sure it sounded a little scary, one might even argue horrifying, to target neurons and the like, but to end a fight without drawing blood or risking injury on either party?

Well, that was Eliphas to a tee.

He listened intently, first at the explanation and then at the conversation between Father and Daughter. Miri's comment made him smirk, though he tried to hide his amusement at such from Nimdok. Probably not all that successfully, mind you.

Okay... A more intense form of Sense... Then block the neurons?

How did one block neurons..? Something told him this wouldn't be quite as simple to grasp as some of the other things had been, but that wouldn't keep him from trying all the same.

The boy focused, inhaled an unnecessary breath, and then reached out through the Force toward the girl. Finding her presence in the room wasn't particularly difficult anymore, it had been all-consuming while he was in this weird astral state after all, but going deeper?

Well that proved far more laborious than he was expecting. Clearly he had misunderstood something. Or maybe he was just thinking too hard again. Time ticked by, as the Force swirled between them, and yet nothing much seemed to happen...

Jacen Nimdok

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

Minutes passed.

Several minutes passed.

<... Eliphas, are you having some trouble?> Nimdok asked, not sure what the problem was.

Lief​

 

[Lief]

... Maybe...

Okay, so maybe trying to learn so many things in such a short span of time was taking its toll; his brain felt positively fried, and he wasn't even entirely certain where he could possibly begin with wrapping his head around it.

I can sense Miri, but... I'm having a hard time pinpointing what you meant. The uh... Neutrons? No, that wasn't right. Think, think. Neurons...

Had he a tangible body in that moment he might have facepalmed. Instead he let out a slight sigh.

Am I overthinking it? Is there an easier way..?

Will, intent, action. Yet all Eliphas could do was try to visualize whatever the feth a neuron was.

Jacen Nimdok