Corvus Raaf is going to be MY Master!?

[Alyona Volkovna (Алёна)]

Alyona finished laying out the last of her clothes on the bed she'd been given at the small Jedi Enclave on Onderon, the more or less "new" capital of the Republic. She glanced down at her handiwork, her clothing all nice and neatly pressed for inspection, should there be one of any kind. Truly, she just wanted to make a good impression on the Jedi who had taken her in after that debacle on Ossus. Alyona was only glad she hadn't been kicked out of the Jedi Order at all, though she missed Master Grayson at times. He was a good man, and his past should not have been holding him back in the eyes of others. It was a judgment Alyona was not concurrent with.

"There," Alyona said to herself, looking out of the window at the far end of her room, beside the 'fresher door. "All ready." She smoothed the light blue tunic she wore, then reached for her leather belt and fastened it about her waist. For a moment she considered bringing her training saber, but decided it wouldn't do her much good in the peaceful center of the Republic. Instead, she packed her datatablet into her leather satchel along with some credits, her ID and a small boxed lunch she'd taken from the mess hall after eating breakfast that morning. With a gentle smile on her face, Alyona locked her quarters as she left. As she was about to walk away, she glanced back at the door itself and the small nametape space built into the wall beside it.
Guess I'll be here for a while. Biting at her lip for a moment, Alyona slipped her keycard into the access port below the nametape and waited for it to click. "New occupant," she muttered. A small keyboard appeared on the screen, and Alyona typed in her name, then confirmed the entry and removed her keycard. It now read: "A. Volkovna." With a grin on her face Alyona turned and left.

[member=Corvus Raaf]​

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Onderon. Corvus had mixed emotions about this planet. The historian in her loved it – especially its moon. She was a true fanatic of Lore – both Jedi and Sith and the link between this part of space and Bane and Zannah was something that always excited her.

And lately she’d come here to collect a Sith Lord that had made the decision to seek redemption. But there had also been Padawans that sought the life of a Jedi but that lacked the necessary commitment. For that’s what it took. The Code was not optional – it was the measure of a Jedi. And not just the half a dozen lines – but the tenets too. Many aspired to live their life by its guidance yet so many proved too weak to do so.

But Corvus was a pragmatist and accepted that you didn’t have to be a Jedi to help in delivering the greater good – even though she could not support or endorse the actions of some that served the Republic. But then she did not have to – that was for the Senate to decide and for as long as they were in support of the others, she was content. Not precisely the end justifying the means – but close.

Ossus was now the only functioning Academy. The future of Ruusan was still to be decided and the Enclaves dotted around the galaxy were typically little more than hostels for the Republic Order Jedi when they were on a given planet.

But Corvus mentally shook her head and focused on looking forwards. As her ship landed in the small hangar allocated to the Jedi here, she smiled. She was here to see if a Padawan would consider taking her as a Master. Corvus never took these things for granted. And the file on the Jedi remained unopened. History was at best a rear-view mirror and could not accurately predict the future. So Corvus always started with a clean slate. Often the Padawan had information they wanted to share – and that was how the Jedi Master operated. She would not pry or carry preconceptions. It was for Alyona to decide what Corvus needed to know.

Corvus walked down the ramp of Raven 2 and looked around. There was something homely about an Enclave. Ossus was a sprawling site and the Kenobi Class Praxeum she’d recently been using was similarly vast. This felt…more personal and so not a bad place to train. Not bad at all. All you ever needed was a Master and an Apprentice, after all.

Only one thing puzzled Corvus. The GrandMaster knew she was here to speak to a Padawan about becoming their Master. But did Alyona? Well…there was only one way to find out.

Corvus headed to the Enclave building itself, her palms smoothing the hem of her robes as she walked. Had she never lost that habit?

[member="Alyona Volkovna"]

 

[Alyona Volkovna (Алёна)]

Alyona was heading down a naturally lit corridor with her datatablet in hand, her boots rapping sharply on the floor below her. She was looking up the city's sprawling streets and little rues, hoping to find a good path to walk that she might be able to turn into a routine. There were parks here and there, and water front territory closer to the outskirts of the city, but what Alyona thrived in were the densely populated twisty-turvy roads and avenues of the Galaxy's largest cities. She'd spent a few months on Coruscant and they'd been the best of her life, or damn near. Then there was the center of the Hapes Consortium, itself a work of art perfected over millennia. These worlds were more teeming with life than Dagobah, and almost all of that life existed in the form of people.
Yes, people. Alyona loved people. Kind, ruthless, charming, rude, ambitious, vengeful, caring, intelligent, funny. These were merely a handful of the words Alyona had written into her flimsi-bound notebook to describe the many peoples of the Galaxy. She loved them for their complexities, and she wanted to ensure that her life was spent improving the lives of not simply individuals, but of the Galaxy's population as a whole. It's one reason she wanted to become a Jedi, though that was one bridge she had yet to cross. Or even find, Alyona thought, grimacing to herself.
It was at that moment she noticed two locations on her map program that interested her, though she knew little to nothing about them. One was a noted arts and theatre district, the other a banal marketplace. Both could mean an interesting day, then again, neither could as well. Alyona looked up, brushing a lock of greyed out out of her eyes and caught sight of a robed brown-haired woman coming her way. She looked important enough to be able to point Alyona on her way.
"Excuse me?" Alyona asked, lifting a finger and waving her datatablet gently before her as she made to intercept the woman's stride. As she neared her hopeful aide, Alyona spotted bright violet eyes that made her feel warm and worried all at the same time. This woman was clearly no mere attendant of the Enclave, Alyona knew immediately. It's too late now, she told herself, holding the datatablet out for the woman to see, screen facing upward. "I'd like to take an enjoyable walk, but can't seem to decide where to go." Alyona asked, biting her lip awkwardly. "I just need a quick bump in the right direction, as it were." Alyona smiled, to make it less weird that she was accosting a complete stranger, then decided the smile didn't help, and closed her mouth.

[member=Corvus Raaf]​

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled. This young woman was gifted with the Force but her aura suggested a Padawan. It wasn’t that Corvus was being invasive - it was just an occupational hazard of being Head Master of Ossus for six years and counting.

“Well, the last time I was here and had some time to kill, I made my way to the Malgan Market. I’d promised my older sister I’d buy some shoes to go with the dresses she’d bought me. And given she’d bought them six years previously, I figured I was overdue. Apparently Jedi boots did not complete the outfits appropriately — I mean how was I supposed to know?” She smiled warmly.

“Except this market was an open-air affair. I don’t…um…frequent shops but I found this place fascinating. In fact I met my last Padawan there. So it’s a great place to visit if you’d like to be surrounded by people - but less good if you like solitude.”

“Oh, and there’s a wonderful little market stall that sells the nicest tea and ryshcate outside of Corellia. If that’s your thing.”

Corvus was in two minds now and it showed on her face.Taking this stranger was her natural inclination but that meant delaying her meeting her potential new Padawan. But this was Corvus.

“If you’re interested, I can show you the way. I need a cup of tea anyway. Oh, I’m Corvus by the way, pleased to meet you.” Corvus bowed as was her custom. And smiled…which was also her way.

[member="Alyona Volkovna"]

 

[Alyona Volkovna (Алёна)]

As the older woman reached out to glean Alyona's mind, the young girl felt her presence as a bright, almost staggering light. Alyona felt herself shy away from the woman's luminous presence at first, though she grew accustomed to its strength as she listened to her speak. Alyona began feeling rather outclassed and if she were wasting the woman's time. She was surely a Jedi of much import, clearly a Master, and yet her air was so humble and polite, Alyona felt elevated by her demeanor. For the moment, Alyona felt as if she were the most important person in the Galaxy. A part of her recoiled at the thought for it was in Alyona's nature to be wary of pride. The woman expressed a desire to help and a need for tea, and Alyona's excitement grew at the thought until she caught the woman's name. Quickly, she clasped her hands over her mouth and bowed, she'd known the name of Head Master Corvus Raaf from her time living at the Ossan Academy.
"My apologies, Master, I did not recognize you!" Alyona atoned, shaking her head and stowing away the datatablet in her satchel. With that, Alyona held out her hand for the woman to grasp, as dazed by her smile as she'd been by the woman's presence in the Force. "I would certainly be beside myself with joy, were you to join me," Alyona answered happily, "My name is Alyona Volkovna, though my friends call me Voxyn." She introduced herself gleefully, containing the worst of her exultation.

[member=Corvus Raaf]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus beamed – she couldn’t help herself even if she wanted. There was something about the infectious enthusiasm of Padawans. She reminisced how she felt, all those years ago, when her Master called her, ‘her Padawan.’ If this young woman felt half of the excitement Corvus did back then, Corvus wished she could tap the energy and fuel a starfighter for a year.

As the Jedi clapped her hand over her mouth and bowed, Corvus realised that the Force clearly had some sense of humour. Instead of making her choose between two conflicting priorities – it had made them one and the same.

“Never apologise to me,” Corvus said, her voice good-natured and took the woman’s hand that was offered. “And anyway, why should you recognise me? Perhaps I should be sorry for not recognising you Alyona? For it was you I came to meet.”

Corvus let the sentence hang and changed the subject temporarily. “Voyxn eh? I met them twice. The first time was on Alderaan. Perforated my ear-drums, most unfriendly, wouldn't you agree? Anyway, that was a long time ago.”

“But Voxyn it is. And I have a question for you. Well two, or perhaps three…you know how these things unravel as you talk. The obvious one is…would you consent to becoming my Padawan? The second is even more important. Are you willing to become a Jedi?”

“The last Jedi I met here was a Vahla. She was conflicted but accepted the road to becoming a Jedi was a challenging one. There are many opportunities for short-cuts and other ways to do something for the greater good. Doctors and nurses do so much good but are not Jedi. Rogue Jedi, on the whole, seek the same goals – but do not always follow the Code. To be a Jedi – a true Jedi – means to make sacrifices. It is not the path for everyone.”

“And I am not saying it is the only path or even the best path – that would be both foolish and untrue. But it is the only course I know and one I follow without deviation.”

She smiled. “Which all sounds a bit heavy. But if you wish to become the best Jedi you can be – I will be here for you. Every stage of the way. You’ll take your own steps, not follow me or be told where to tread – but if you follow the Code, you’ll end up at the right place in the end.”

For the first time Corvus looked serious. “For if history has taught us anything, it is that those that do not follow the Code invariably fall to the Dark-side. The Code is clear on this. Unwarranted death is murder and each life taken is a step towards falling. It is sadly inevitable. But take comfort that only the weak fall – the strong remain true to the Light.”

Corvus blew a small puff of air from her lips. “Phew, that was a bit deep, so sorry of it came across that way. But it is important you understand the decision you’re going to make before you make it. It is a commitment that is not easily broken.”

“Two,” Corvus said when it was clear she had finished. “Two questions in the end,” and she smiled again.

[member="Alyona Volkovna"]

 

[Alyona Volkovna (Алёна)]

Master Raaf talked, and talked, and talked. When the older woman ceased speaking and smiled, Alyona, who had followed each and every word with due diligence, nodded and giggled. Raaf's commitment to the Jedi was well enough known, and Alyona could feel the devotion to the Order and the Code in the woman's very voice. It was a sense of purpose that Alyona had yet to feel herself, and though she desperately wanted to become a Jedi, she suddenly found herself asking why?
For that, Alyona had no true answer, though there were many more superficial reasons. She enjoyed helping people, and felt an unusual amount of empathy for others. Getting inside peoples' heads and figuring out why they felt and thought the way they did seemed like a rather clinical application of Jedi knowledge, but at the end of the day, that's all empathy was. Alyona wanted to harness that ability in herself and put it toward the good of the Galaxy.
Firstly, Alyona wanted to address her nickname, seeing as how Master Raaf associated it with a most unfortunate incident, as would anyone who had heard proper tales of the Vong's ferocious and terrible Jedi hunters. Clasping her hands lightly before her, Alyona cleared her throat, "My father taught me how to fight. I am Echani, for the most part. My mother is of our people, though she practices non-violence. At one point during his military career, my father survived an encounter with a voxyn." Alyona put a finger to her chest, "Then, when I first bested my father in combat, he cursed me as voxyn and said I reminded him of the cunning beast." She bowed her head as she ended the story, remembering the moment as if it were yesterday. Alyona wore the name with pride, and always would.

As Alyona looked back up at Corvus, her short-term memory kicked in and Alyona finally processed Corvus' words about her apprenticeship. She fell silent, the gears of her mind turning slowly through the mud of her own surprise. She'd began feeling as if her transfer to the Jedi Enclave on Onderon had been the Order quietly shuffling her out of the door. Up until now, no Master had seen her fit enough to take on as a Padawan learner, and whilst her twentieth birthday was half a year away, Alyona was growing too old to train at all as the Order saw fit. To suddenly learn, at the deepest of her fear and despair, that a Master had sought her out for apprenticeship was almost too much for Alyona, and she could feel her eyes begin to well with tears. She tightened her jaw, gritting her teeth behind her lips and bowed lowly. "Thank you...Master." She whispered, though it was the Force itself she was truly showing gratitude. For Corvus Raaf was no average Jedi Master. The woman was well known throughout the Order and Alyona had known her as headmaster on Ossus before she'd left. Only the Force itself could have bestowed upon her a gift of this magnitude.
She's not a gift, Alyona realised as she straightened once again and wiped her eyes dry. Being her student is a responsibility.
"You had...other questions..." Alyona stumbled out, "Yes...to both of them..." She nodded furiously, "I can stay the course. I can overcome anything...even myself."

[member=Corvus Raaf]​

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus knew she could talk if the subject was right — and anything to do with the Jedi, the Force or the Sith, or just history would do it. But just about any other subject under the sun and Corvus would have precious little add to a conversation.

And the giggles from the girl in front of her suggested it was apparent she’d talked too much.

“Voxyn works for me…please don’t worry about it…but remind me to keep on your good side.” Corvus smiled as the girl fell silent. Only this time it wasn’t because Corvus was doing all the speaking.

Corvus beamed when the girl said yes. There was always the possibility a Padawan would choose to follow a different path, or select a different Master — she’d done it herself when she first arrived on Ossus.

“Now…” she paused. “And I’ll keep this short, I can’t have you dying of old age before we finish our first conversation…” She laughed softy. “If I ever talk too much, just tell me, OK?”

“Anyway, I have many mantras I live my life by, but one is more important than all the others, and if you remember it, it will serve you well.”

“Governments will let you down. People will let you down. Even you will let you down. But the Force will never let you down.”

“Which basically means, the Force is your friend and ally. And a powerful ally it is. Trust in it and you can truly overcome anything. Learn to trust it implicitly. Not some of the time, or most of the time — but all of the time. With your life. I do..and I’m still here.”

“Anyway, less of my thoughts and ramblings. Tell me more about you. What do I need to know?”

[member="Alyona Volkovna"]

 

[Alyona Volkovna (Алёна)]

Alyona maintained a rapturous level of attention to her new Master as she spoke. My new Master...Alyona wanted to let her mind drift with thoughts of exciting adventures and dangerous perils, but she forced herself back on track. There were many times she wanted to laugh out loud to Master Raaf's small jokes and little insights; the woman's demeanor was as fun-loving as it was educational. Yet Alyona managed to contain herself, somehow. Little did she know, Master Raaf's faith in the Force and her devotion to the Code would soon become the center points of Alyona's own life, and the time she spent with Corvus would be some of the most memorable she would ever have. Alyona took a deep breath and blew a lock of ashen hair from her face as she sought the answer to Corvus' latest inquiry.

"Well...as I said, I am Echani. My mother does not partake in combat, and has been a pacifist my entire life." Alyona shook her head, a look of confusion coming across her face, long worn dull from years without an answer. "I've never discovered why, or if there is a reason at all." Alyona shrugged and chewed on her bottom lip for a quick moment. "I arrived at the Ossus Academy when I was young, and have been awaiting a Master ever since. I am a well learned student of the Echani martial art, and spent my years at the Academy training in Sokan, which really suits me considering I'm such a nature bug to begin with. I've got experience with a few of the other forms, like Soresu, Niman and Form Five, though of course it's only at a Padawan level, training with other students, I've never owned a real lightsaber." Alyona didn't seem to be running out of fuel, and simply kept on with her recanting of her time at the Academy.
"Lightsaber training was fun, but what I really enjoyed the most was just...learning." Alyona shrugged a second time, "I would spend...well, days, in the archives, just reading and studying and practicing things on my own." Alyona smiled, unable to hide how proud of herself she was. "Picked up a couple tricks here and there too." She winked. At this point, Alyona paused long enough to adopt a more serious tone and demeanor. After all, she was speaking to her new Master. "I mean...if all we do is learn how to fight people, that's all we'll ever be able to do. Learning as much as you can rounds you out as a person, and I want to be the best me I can...well, be." Alyona pursed her lips after she slogged her way through the accidental rhyme and ceased talking for a moment, feeling already as if she'd gone on too long.

[member=Corvus Raaf]​

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Alyona was a good listener and Corvus admired that in a person. Too often people would clearly be seeking a gap in words so they could leap in with their own opinions or stories. But her new Padawan was different and seemed keen to learn. Being studious was another facet Corvus held in high regard. The difference between being good and great was no more clever than time spent practising. And given there were only so many days in the week and hours in the day, typically Jedi had to pick and choose the areas they wanted to focus on.

And now it was Corvus’ turn to listen – and she did, diligently. Answers to specific questions yielded a certain amount of information. But give someone free reign to talk about anything and what subjects they chose were typically insightful.

Once she’d finished, Corvus wondered why she hadn’t recognised the name when she’d first seen it. She tended to know all at Ossus by name – if not by sight. But regardless she nodded. The girl had wisdom all right and so many of the building blocks to becoming a Jedi were already in place. Her attitude to combat – necessary but not defining of the Jedi was good for Corvus to hear.

“Now. I am here to help you, not to force you to live my apprenticeship all over again. What I mean by that is, you will make decisions about training, missions and the like and I will ensure you are able to perform at the best of your ability. From time to time I will insist you accompany me on missions – that is a natural aspect of our relationship. And the most important aspect for me is that it is a partnership. I cannot expect you to respect me if I do not honour you. So we will learn from each other. Echani for example. I’m a Teräs Käsi girl, so we should share knowledge."

“And as for owning a real lightsaber, that happens as soon as you say you’re ready.”

Corvus paused as they’d reached the stall that sold the teas and ordered a couple of drinks and then took a quick sip before talking again.

“A bit hot,” she said as her face revealed the temperature of the drink before she spoke of it. “Now, a quick history lesson in Corvus before you tell me what you’d like to do first.”

“I was born on Corellia and have been a Jedi since I was four. My first ten years were on my home planet and after that Ossus. I left Corellia because my Master died. It was a trying time for me. I travelled the galaxy for a while before finding myself again – and a Jedi in truth who took me to the Academy. I know enough to get by and one of the perks of being GrandMaster is that I have access to all the holocrons, so no Ability you wish to learn is beyond us.” She smiled.

“So, let’s walk and talk and as well as letting me know what you’d like to do next, tell me about your favourite part of Jedi history. Mine’s the Ruusan Wars if I’m honest.”

[member="Alyona Volkovna"]

 

[Alyona Volkovna (Алёна)]

Alyona knew of Corellian fire. They were a brash and headstrong people, quick-witted and resourceful. For whatever reason, this brought a comfort to Alyona, for the personality type reminded her of her father. He had always been firm in his believe for the need of action, yet clever and intelligent in its application. As such, Alyona's personal fighting style had never been geared toward a single discipline; her father had always impressed upon her the need for flexibility. Let your opponent make the first move, but do not remain idle in the meantime. Once again, Alyona felt giddy with excitement, and Corvus' desire to be as much a student as a Master only inflated this feeling further. Alyona felt privileged Corvus thought her worthy enough not only for instruction, but contribution.

As she cupped her tea within her hands, Alyona was reminded of a single, fateful night on Ossus mere months before, the night she'd met Master Cyril Grayson. Considering what had been told to her of him, Alyona found herself wondering what Corvus' own thoughts might be, though she refrained from mentioning it now. Instead she found herself thinking of one of the most prominent historical figures of which she had learned, and caught herself smiling in response to her new Master's question.
"My favorite part of history is not a period of time, but an individual." She mused, sipping at her mug before continuing. "Luke Skywalker, first of the New Jedi Order and Grandmaster of the Order under the Galactic Alliance." Alyona sighed, looking over at Master Raaf. "His power, his wisdom...I have read everything about him that the Jedi Archives on Ossus had to offer." She gave the other woman a serious look, "Every word, every holo-recording, every mission brief...I know his entire career with the Rebellion, and bits and pieces of his life before that."
Alyona seemed to drift off for a moment. "There is little I would not give to fight him...and find his lightsaber." Alyona fell silent, almost as if she had finished her speech. But a mere moment later she spoke again, elaborating the finer points of her thoughts. "See, many people see Master Yoda or Anakin Skywalker as the definitive Jedi of the time, but the fact remains that Master Yoda merely set the foundation, the groundwork for the culmination of the Jedi Order in Skywalker's time, and Anakin was merely a tipping point in the balance of the Force that actually turned things in Luke Skywalker's favor later on when he confronted the Emperor and his father. It is true that without Masters Yoda or Kenobi, Skywalker's journey to the Force would have been...lengthy, yet I never once truly felt as if he could succumb to the Dark Side. There was just...something about him that I feel inherently resisted its power, something I feel his mother passed down to him." Alyona tapped Master Raaf on the shoulder, as if to reassert her attention over Alyona's newest point of logic.
"Actually, that makes a profound amount of sense, considering how his parents' relationship ended, with his father falling to the Dark Side, and his mother resisting the temptation." Alyona's face lit up with the discovery of a new explanation for an age old argument. "In fact, I would go so far as to posit that it was Skywalker's mother that provided him with the inherent strength to resist the temptation of the Dark Side, and thus provided Skywalker with immunity through innumerable challenges such as the war with the Yuuzhan Vong, the Second Corellian Insurrection, and the conflict with Abeloth and the new Sith!"
Here, Alyona's studies were clearly evidenced, and her knowledge of certain verse, undeniable. Smiling happily to herself as she absentmindedly sipped at her tea, Alyona waited to hear her Master's thoughts on the matter. By the time Alyona had truly delved deeply into her studies on Ossus, most of her fellow younglings had been taken up by Masters for apprenticeship, so she had spent most of her time studying alone, with few to share her discoveries with save for the occasional Jedi Knight seeking specific, typically combat-oriented knowledge. Yet Alyona's internal deliberations had never ceased, and she had spent a great amount of time writing analyses and historical commentaries for transmission to scholastic institutions such as Obroa-Skai. Only one of them had ever been published, (under an assumed identity) but Alyona knew her work was out there at the very least, something of which she was proud. Alyona broke off her train of thought for a moment and quelled her excitement. She sipped at her tea and shrugged. "I mean, so yes...I fancy Luke Skywalker a bit. But not like...fancy him, I just find him rather...interesting. He's alright...I suppose."

[member=Corvus Raaf]​

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus noted the girl was reflecting internally after she spoke but chose not to pry. Instead she simply listened and waited to see what was going to be shared.

And it was an odd coincidence about her former Master and this girl’s interest. So Corvus listened.

“Well I find Master Kenobi rather…interesting too, in his younger days of course, so no harm done.”

She smiled and possibly blushed, but she took a sip of tea and carried on.

“Anyway, I too have some knowledge of the former Grand Master. We share the favourite spot on Ossus for example — the Meditation Pavilion. I do a lot of my training there for example.”

And she fished out what appeared to be a locket from her pocket. “A talisman that once contained Darth Maul’s memories. Master Skywalker held it for quite a while and one day I’ll share how it came into my possession.”

“And as for his saber. My former Master has it — at least his first one, his father’s. But his second one - the one he crafted for himself? It’s never been found”

And then Corvus unclipped her shoto from her belt and handed it to Alyona. It was a personal thing to allow another Jedi to hold your saber but Corvus did so without thinking. “The design should be familiar. It’s based on Master Kenobi’s — which in turn was the blueprint for Luke’s. The one he crafted on Tatooine. Which was in precisely the same cave as I built this one. You see I own some land there and the cave in which he created the saber is there. When the time comes, that is where you shall build yours.”

Her eyes sparkled now. “But first, how about we see if we can’t find his saber for you? You’d need to realign it to suit you, but if it still exists, why not?”

[member="Alyona Volkovna"]

 

[Alyona Volkovna (Алёна)]

Alyona inspected the locket from where she stood, not sure whether or not to be surprised Corvus had possession of such a rare and historically significant artifact. Most of the interactions Alyona had experienced with Master Jedi at the Ossus Academy were of a formal, instructional nature, and as such the Masters themselves rarely provided their students with more than a glimpse at who they were beneath the surface. Alyona was being given more than a glimpse at who Master Raaf was, she was learning about Corvus herself, and finding a significant similarity between them. She supposed it shouldn't have been much of a surprise considering their relative closeness in age, yet Alyona had half-expected Corvus' experience to have made her a much different woman. Alyona felt so fortunate she couldn't help but believe the Force had brought them together. Their union just felt...right.
She took the lightsaber tentatively from her Master's hand. She held it lightly, gently, though firmly enough to show she was comfortable with its grip. The weight was about that of her training saber, and both were lighter than a true Jedi weapon. Alyona looked up at her Master as she spoke, absorbing the words that told her more of who her Master was, and those that would one day make her a Jedi as well.
But when Corvus spoke of retrieving Luke Skywalker's lightsaber, she almost laughed, not expecting it to have been a possibility. The man had died over 800 years ago, though Jedi artifacts had been known to last much longer in obscurity. Alyona searched Corvus' eyes for any hint of jest, and found none. "Would you really do that? Help me find it, I mean?" The words tumbled out of Alyona's mouth with little decorum. Her eyes widened as the details began coursing through her mind. "B-but where would we even begin? And won't I need one of my own first...in case there's trouble wherever such a mission takes us?"

[member=Corvus Raaf]​

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus listened to her Padawan’s thoughts and misgivings.

“Here’s a fact. I didn’t have a saber until I was just about to be Knighted. In truth crafting it was the last thing I did before the ceremony. I participated in Invasions and such like with a training saber from memory. I just avoided Sith Lords wherever I could.”

Her hand went to the scar above her eye – faded now but more visible when the sun tanned her skin. “I couldn’t always manage that though.”

“But, you can use my shoto if you’d like or I have a few collected sabers in my time on my ship. Actually there’s one I picked up on Abeloth. First time I met a certain Sith Lord. Funny how paths keep crossing. Anyway, the saber belonged to Hasjo Hallu and has a durundfire crystal. It would serve you well until you are able to acquaint yourself with the saber we seek.”

“And while I do some research to start us on your path, we should spend a few days here and then on Ossus. Getting to know each other and ensuring the basics are in place. Push, pull, telekinesis, speed, that sort of thing. Plus you can show me what you’ve learned. Maybe I can offer a few tips? Or you could show me some.”

“And you’re right by the way, missions do tend to lead us into trouble. And that’s why we do them. If they were easy, we’d let others take them on. Recovering a significant Jedi artefact like that is important for the Order. And I can’t think of a finer Padawan to wield that saber once more. So…do we have a plan?”

[member="Alyona Volkovna"]

 

[Alyona Volkovna (Алёна)]

Corvus' explanation of her own lack of a lightsaber made Alyona feel a bit better, though she winced at the thought of merely trying to "avoid" Sith Lords on a battlefield. Still, the girl couldn't help but admire Corvus' bravery, even if it seemed a bit brash. Of course, a training saber could be plenty effective even in a real fight, though Alyona knew the Sith and Jedi's lightsabers, as extensions of themselves, counted for much more. She nodded, following along, growing more nervous as Corvus offered her the use of her personal shoto. Alyona shook her head, but let Corvus continue.
"That sounds like the best laid of plans, Master." Alyona replied, not bothering to hide the smile from her face. Corvus seemed to like smiles, and Alyona enjoyed sharing them. "And I'm ready whenever you are!" She added, hardly able to contain her excitement. Alyona was proud of herself in a way, not every Master would be willing to jump right in to a mission of this sort after having just met their new learner. But Master Raaf seemed more...personable, than that, and this was something Alyona appreciated. She did not do well with people of conflicting personalities, as it led for her desire to fight them in order to learn more about who they were; fighting strangers was well accepted on her homeworld, though the greater Galactic society tended to take issue with it.

[member=Corvus Raaf]​

 

[Corvus Raaf]

So as planned, they spent a couple of days on Onderon, Corvus simply observing her Padawan’s prowess with the building blocks of Force Powers, offering advice and alternatives wherever sensible and picking up the odd pointer herself here and there as she went along.

But as good as data-connections were, Corvus missed the real thing and so they made their way to Ossus, where Alyona was able to continue her practice whilst Corvus was able to spend every available moment in the Archives. Seeking out old journals and cross-referencing history books.

She uploaded everything she thought was relevant to a datapad for their upcoming journey and made arrangements for any classes she was booked to take to be transferred to another teacher.

Then she toyed with the decision to use the Praxeum or her Corvette? Finally she decided on the latter. It was more intimate, flexible and less obvious when it came to travelling through space.

So she ensured Raven 2 was ready and headed back into the Archives for one final look. That final clue could make the difference between success and a wild-fynock chase. And then she was ready for the next chapter in their story…

[member="Alyona Volkovna"]