Fangs of Gwahler

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

The jedi master was looking at her when she came over with a towel ready and she offered it to really warm her up. "It happens, you have no need to always succeed. Messing up and failing can teach you a lot more." She smiled though standing there and clasped her hands behind her back as she walked over with the pup moving towards the towel. "He likes you, a good way to bond and test a force users skills with reading and empathy. Is with small pets. jakobeasts can be smart and are force sensitive allowing them to form bonds and connections easier. it can teach a youngling or padawan to practice sense techniques." Also there was the whole thing of a loyal companion. THe jedi master though waited there for Mariya to feel a little warmer. She found a small place across from Mariya and stretched out on the ground extending her legs and reaching for them as her back popped a little then she groaned. "Oh don't ever get old padawan." She wasn't completely complaining about that but looked back up as she sat there and felt comfortable.

 

[Mariya Fleischer]

The shivering blonde was more than happy to be away from the chilling waters. She wrapped herself up with another towel and walked over to [member="Matsu Ike"], eyeing the small Jakobeast who had barked. She had initially thought that the creature was similar to a dog or a wolf, but on close up the pup looked like a mix between a cat and a cow, a strange combination that made her more than curious to pick it up and stroke its fur. The creature barked again, its voice sounding like a mew and a bellow.

"What a strange little fellow you are," she smiled at the pup and cuddled him while he whimpered to indicated his displeasure with her cold skin. Mariya laughed and put down the creature, deciding not to make him suffer the same fate as hers while she sat down next to the warmest spot in the area, the engine which powered up the temperature monitoring system for the Botany Bay. The pup ran around for a moment and decided to play with another pup who was hanging around.

"He certainly prefers his friend for now," the padawan rubbed her hands together to generate some warmth and was glad to be blasted with the hot air.

"Old? Master Iku, you are kinda defying age with your looks. I need to know what kind of skincare products you use to maintain your youth," she glanced at the Artisian and asked the burning question in her mind. Meanwhile, her stomach growled aloud to indicate her hunger. All these training and cold baths were making her hungrier than usual.

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

Her eyes remained focused and her mind thinking it... any questions about jedi history, the force the universe itself... ancient knowledge, lore.... locations across the galaxy both exotic and she was asking about skincare products..... The jedi master was speechless for a moment and then chuckled to herself... internally she was laughing...... but how best to explain it. "Well that is certainly something I wasn't expecting. I usually accompany my wife on Hapes to the spa and Hapan beauty treatments are quite in depth for making you look and feel younger. There was also from a previous acquaintance who made solari face cream."

THe micro force enhanced crystals rejuvenating the body and skin so it looked far younger... she was also a jedi and the force allowed one to live longer as well as age slower in the cases for some others. Sitting there as she had stretched out though the jedi master brought her arm up to type into the small chevron pad. Thin and fitted to her skin almost but it was a powerful communication device with the ships she had s well as the temples or the stations. Asking for them to send some food as she was preparing to exercise and moved a little. "We'll stretch and focus while food in being prepared and if you have any questions about skincare or the force. Or anything."

The Salutation to the Force, a combination exercise and meditative posture that started with a body arch upward, followed by a deep squat and leg extended stretch to the rear. The jedi master lay upon the soft grass, rolled up onto her neck and shoulders, and extended her body skyward, her hands on the ground at her sides. Hands and feet on the ground, Matsu pushed upward and formed her body into a high rounded arch. The movements as she remained there and extended skyward her leg pulling her body into a handstand. Arch, laser, rock and back to arch when she took her time with the poses and movements to end holding herself up with one hand in a classic focused pose.

 

[Mariya Fleischer]

"I have heard about those wonderful stuff from Hapes. Now I really should check their products tonight," Mariya smiled, knowing that she had probably asked one of the most unexpected questions to [member="Matsu Ike"]. Not like she could help it, her curiosity burning since she first met the Artisian lady. Now she was one step closer to discovering the secrets of everlasting beauty, mentally making notes about visiting Hapes whenever she could find the time in the future. Of course, it was more than just skincare products that made Matsu youthful. Some of the Jed'aii and Jedi holograms did mention the benefits of living in harmony with the Force, especially in prolonging one's lifespan. Yoda and Maz Kanata were just two examples of Force sensitive beings who lived in ripe old age.

"Food. Food sounds good," she ignored the hunger pangs and followed Matsu's body posture, aching her body and extending her legs. That was the easy part. The next movement required more focus and concentration when Mariya saw what Matsu had done. The Jedi Master was doing a handstand with two, no, one hand by now, executing it with ease and precision. Mariya knew the posture required the usage of the Force, for one's body could never maintain such strength on its own.

She took a deep breath to get ready for the next challenge, kicking her legs up in the air and handing her body upright. So far so good. She was strong enough to do a handstand without any assistance, but now was the time to make use of the Force to lighten her body weight and increase the strength of her right arm. Another deep breath, her mind focusing on the posture while she removed her left. Blood was flowing into her head by now, requiring more concentration to force her body to keep up with the blood circulation.

"Question time, I guess. Why do some Jedi subscribe to the notion of not marrying and yet others do? I am assuming it's a difference in opinion on how one should study the Force."

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

Marriage.... something he jedi master knew about and had done twice... but Mariya was right some were for it and some against it... some though she had seen use it as an excuse to retire from being a jedi. It was like a child or something they could hold up as a new title over a commitment. As she remained there though on one hand and spoke letting herself radiate energy. "It depends on the jedi and view they has subscribed to. Marriage in itself is not evil or wrong... it is what and how you act with it. If a jedi marries someone and uses that as an excuse to not continue their duties, or they shirk them to constantly check ion and then express jealously or fear about the other person."

Fear and negative emotions were the problem... for jedi it could lead to the darkside and some of them she had noticed barely had the emotional range to handle things not going their way in a discussion. They would storm off because they were right and possibly being wrong hurt their feelings. "A number of jedi I have noticed put their feeling in front of critical thought, they just rush ahead and don't give it a thought. If told they did wrong storm off and brood or join another group within the galaxy." She stayed there and was calm, some though she had met and they allowed their families to be well a part of them but....

"Though others are patient, they work and love and have children, wives, husbands, lovers without it becoming a thing. Few if any know about Hanna or my children. I don't bring them out to seem impressive, or bring them up just because. They are a part of my life not a title, not a prize to be shown off.... kind of." WIth her free hand she waggled it a little. "Hanna can do this.... anyways." She felt some heat in her face and there was the faintest hint of a blush under the pale skin... harder to tell or see but the jedi master thought about how best to end her view. "If it is something you wish to do, if you wish to marry a man, a woman, an alien in between."

A small smirk was on her face. "Then be happy but don't let it rule you, don't use it as an excuse to stop wanting to protect people. Don't use your children as a means to impress others and attract others. Just live, be happy and give them as much time as you can." She certainly made sure to give plenty of time to Hanna and their children... developing kwa technology that was reversed engineered to let her move quickly around and reach Hanna in a few minutes rather then simply by ship. There were a number of other things she had done like upgrading a ghost network so they could communicate from just about anywhere in the galaxy using the holo projectors on the chevron pads.

 

[Mariya Fleischer]

"I suppose it's the intention then," Mariya somehow managed to reply while balancing herself with only one hand. The exercise was tougher than it looked, but how could she give up so easily? At the very least, [member="Matsu Ike"] was not making her training more difficult by asking her to levitate an object while doing the handstand. Her ponytail was dangling on the floor while she stole a look around her. Was the ghost around, now that her master had mentioned the name? The only moving creatures were the two jakobeast pups that continued to play around them.

"Marriage is probably the last thing in my mind," the padawan said. When was the last time she actually dated someone? A few casual meet ups and nothing else to follow up. "I am kinda busy these days with this... Force experience and work." The blonde knew it was an excuse, but she decided it was best not to talk about the pirate captain from her memory. "Or perhaps I am just picky..."

Her hand started trembling by now, her attention distracted by the growl of her stomach that was loud enough to be heard. She told herself that she would continue to hold on until the food had arrived, though she ended up having to switch her hand around before a droid somehow managed to roll into the garden and placed the dishes on the table.

"Food! At last."

The padawan eyed her master for a moment and hoped to see some sign to stop the exercise, but Matsu was still holding onto her position with grace.

"Okay... if it's not too personal... what happened to Hanna...?"

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

She looked at her for a moment more curious about it but spoke. "What Happened to Hanna?" A curious question but she supposed since Hanna wasn't hanging on her like some others or always around... it might have given the wrong impression. "Oh nothing serious or bad, she just stays around our home. After the republic fell she no longer had a place in the senate and the consortium is our home at times. I get back to see her whenever I can for as long as I can." She said it with a grin on her face though when the food arrived and twisted herself to go back to a sitting position from being on one hand.

THe jedi master looked at Mariya and bowed her head indicating she could cease as she looked to be straining and it was a matter of practice. As with everything she was teaching her you could do it in the background of your mind... dedicate the subconscious thought processes to maintaining it to let you do other things... it had taken her years to develop the skills after all. Compared to some other skills though as the food was opened up by the droid. white rice with eggs scrambled and blended in, diced carrots, snow peas, sliced strips of chicken, beef and pork that were lightly crusted and seasoned.

He indicated some of the sauces for the rice and the meats within. Curled shrimps that were slathered in a healthy dose of garlic and butter, little squids in a broth that smelled of flowers. The jedi master produced two bowls for them to get some food and two cups. The small decanter for tea intricately painted with images of atrisia keisei (force using geisha). In their kimono's, make up and with their fans. She lid out crystal chopsticks and spoke with a smile pour the tea. Jasmine with atrisian white leaves. Rarely seen off of the planet from the difficulty of it but she had a small stash from her cousin on the world who had brought her a few kilo's and a little went a long way.

"A little something to fill the belly. You have been working hard here." She looked though with a smile and touching the tea cups poured it for a quick moment. The set it back, her soup with a small spook as she ate being careful but taking it in without making sounds. As she looked around though the two pups were playing and came to her free hand nuzzling it as they sat there and purred a little in their throats. Something you said though padawan. You are young, you are allowed to be picky but remember that you don't have to be with a person. Find what makes you hapy and don't change youself but also try not to ask them to change drastically... be a team."

 

[Mariya Fleischer]

She was finally allowed to rest.

Mariya was more than happy to stand upright again, feeling the familiar sensation of her legs on the ground. Beads of sweat on her forehead, indicating that the stationary handstand posture was more tiring than one would have expected. More importantly, she was being served with glorious amount of food again to replenish her energy. The blonde eagerly picked up her bowl of rice and started attacking the seafood on the platter with her pair of chopsticks, half expecting [member="Matsu Ike"] to start blocking her movement like those old kung fu holomovies. The master would challenge the student to a food fight where the student would have to overcome the master's superior reflexes in order to eat.

Fortunately, none of such nonsense happened.

She managed to fish out the food without any interruption, grinning at her own imagination and decided it was best not to suggest it aloud. What if Matsu decided it was a good idea and incorporate it into their training regime in the future? That would be pure torture.

"I don't have to be with a person? I am assuming you mean being single... not having some relationship with a droid." It was true that some singles had turned to droids for companionship, albeit with some controversy. "Not really my thing, you know..."

She soon finished the meal and washed down the food with tea with a satisfying smile, tossing some leftover vegetables to the nearby pups. They ran over to her and ate the food up with joy, letting her run her fingers over their fur.

"Master, you mentioned animal kinship. So what exactly do I need to do? Communicate with them via the Force?"

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

The jedi master listened and worked to keep her face neutral.. she was not trying to make a joke.. she was not going to make a droid joke or three... So stop it as she lightly bit her inner part of her lip. The jedi master though looked at the pups and then at her padawan with a nod of her head. "Yes animal kinship and taming is an aspect of the force... best practiced with a pet to understand how the mind of creatures work. It is more instinct and everything that they have." She did hold a hand out for the two of them and let the one come to her while motioning the other over towards Mariya. "When you learn it though even if you don't want to master it... in the field, in the wild of some worlds being able to calm a creature, to sooth it enough to leave you alone can be invaluable... or guard pets that some favor."

 

[Mariya Fleischer]

"I can see the usefulness of it," Mariya smiled and gestured for the beast to come back to her even though she had no food left. He was kind enough to approach, letting her pet his head while purring in an unusual tone. "Are you a cat or a cow huh? Good boy..." the blonde smiled and ran her fingers across his fur. "I guess I'll be seeing you around more often then." She decided that it was not a good idea to bring the beast back to the Temple, but would probably drop by often to practice some Force bonding or animal kinship as what [member="Matsu Ike"] suggested.

"Okay, I am really full..." she let the beast go and pushed her empty bowl aside, refilling her cup of tea and sipping on it. She paused, eyes glancing at her master and studying the expression. Was there going to be further training? Secretly, she was hoping to call it for a day. It had been an intensive training on a first day, at least for a beginner like her.

"So... are we calling it a day? Hehe," the padawan smiled sheepishly, hoping that her wish would come true. "But I really won't mind a visit to the library."

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

"If that is what you want." She said it and it was more a question... Her padawan was just that a padawan. Her pace, her stamina wouldn't have been like that of a jedi master sure so if she needed to rest or eat then that was fine. Matsu had spent decades building up her ability to do just this and could keep it up for days if she needed to. So a smile, some more tea and a chance to let her go off and do whatever it was that the padawan wanted to do until tomorrow. "The library is here, massive rooms dedicated to everything from saber combat, to lightsaber construction to the history of the Jedi order going back to the je'daii and the Dai Bendu... we even have some Guardians of the Whills roaming around who have been working to restore parts of their world like Jedha."

The jedi master though rose up onto her feet and stretched. SHe had a chance to rest as well and there was always something new on the station... the jedi worked on things and who knew what kind of robes might be able to get made for them here. She had still many to work on while walking towards one fo the entry ways into the Botany Bay. Sge left plenty for her padawan to go around while walking within the library itself. The hallways lined with alcoves that had history, rooms filled with jedi artifacts and census data to display all fo the jedi they had. From the legendary to the simple and considered unremarkable by some. She found each of them fascinating and wonderful to see as she walked into one of the chambers and sat down in a meditation chamber designed like the bubble of the lost.

 

[Mariya Fleischer]

Her request was granted by [member="Matsu Ike"], who probably knew that the padawan was still rather new to the Force and reaching her limit for the day. Mariya had always been proud of her athleticism, but learning about the Force was a totally different challenge. By now, she was feeling the combination of a dull throbbing head and an aching body as she got up and bowed to her master. Matsu had told her all the things she could do for the rest of the day, things which were less taxing to her mental strength. The padawan was keen to explore the library after hearing that there was information about lightsaber combat and construction. Her lightsaber was a relic that she had found and while she had learned about the basics of lightsaber construction, she knew that her master's manufacturing capabilities on the lightsaber were worth a good look.

She left Botany Bay, spending just a few moments to navigate to the library which resembled more like a high tech museum. There were enough items on display to make her get lost in examining them, not forgetting the collection of data in the holonet and probably holocrons tucked away somewhere. Mariya spent the rest of the day catching up on lightsaber construction and toyed around with a couple of parts for the fun of it, comparing them to the workings of her own lightsaber.

******​

"I'm late!"

The padawan found herself snoozing the alarm clock more than once and scrambled out of her bed in haste, brushing her teeth and getting dressed at the same time. All the exercises yesterday made her sleep too soundly. Breakfast was a grabbing exercise from the dining area, stuffing the food in her mouth quickly like all military personnel could before heading out to look for Matsu.

"Sorry, I was too tired and overslept."

Mariya walked up to the Artisian and made a bow to apologise.

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

THe jedi master had returned t her ship to sleep later that night. After some meditations it was quite nice and she had fallen asleep quickly. Waking up with the chrono as she moved donning one of the training gi's. The simple outfit was made like the robes but had exposed arm and head. e eyes flicking when her padawan appeared and she offered a smile and a bow clasping her hands behind her back. "It is quite alright, you worked hard yesterday you deserved a little rest." THe jedi master though did slip from her pocket a small thing. A cookie. "Here something for your hardwork to perk you up a little." She offered it and moved around in the chamber here in the Library itself. There were depths upon depths of it to explore and see as one fo the training biodomes served like this with a hardlight environmental simulator and the jedi master snapped turning it into a field on Alderaan. Calming, with the look of endless beauty for the mind. "We can start here, lets have some fun as it were, tell me what you got to do yesterday after our training session finished."

 

[Mariya Fleischer]

"A cookie?"

It was indeed a chocolate chip cookie being offered. The cookie felt warm when the padawan reached out for it, indicating that it had been freshly baked. Mariya took a bite of the warm dough, feeling the moment of bliss when the chocolate melted in her mouth. [member="Matsu Ike"] was right about the perk up and it appeared there were no rules written to prohibit food in the library. Perhaps the droids were efficient cleaners if she were to drop a few crumbs along the way while following her master around.

"Mmm, Alderaan."

The blonde noticed the simulator being switched about rapidly before settling upon a planet she knew well enough. It was new Alderaan, a planet terraformed to replaced the destruction caused by the Empire's Death Star many years ao. The greenery was indeed relaxing, reminding her of her vineyard back home. She stared at the pasture for a moment or two, her attention drawn to the question posed by Matsu about her post training. Mariya reached out for her lightsaber dangling on her belt and unfastened it, handing it over to the Artisian for inspection.

"I was examining my lightsaber actually after looking at the notes in the library."

The hilt of the weapon was a simple design of metal clasps, reflecting the original owner's preference for simplicity over form.

"I have reason to believe it belongs to... Kyle Katarn. Met his ghost before." she lowered her voice when mentioning the name, trying her best not to sound insane. Did such a person even exist? Some stories said so, while others proclaimed him to be a myth. At the very least, it would probably be interesting to hear her master's view.

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

She listened and bowed her head not indicating if she thought her padawan was crazy.. force ghosts... imprints on objects could be different. Usually it required a great deal of power to reform after so long. Darkside spirits bound themselves to something... jedi spirits became one with the force and a few really learned how to come back. She did though have some information and held a hand up for the hardlight bringing an image of Kyle along with some things they had collected. "Lets find out." The profile was as good as most could hope for after hundreds of years, battle reports from the different wars, operations he was mentioned in. Jan, Luke, Corran as contacts, fighting with Desann and Jerek as well as some of his padawans like Jaden. Personal equipment that had been preserved and recovered from some of the jedi vaults but the saber was absent. "Well it not being in the inventory mostly means it wasn't there when we checked them so if this is it could be invaluable. Kyle Katarn was one of the few jedi who understood the lightside and the darkside of the force beyond what some like to do just using it without though of consequences."

 

[Mariya Fleischer]

"Hmm..."

Emerald eyes studied the information that had been pulled out by [member="Matsu Ike"]. There was indeed a lot of information, from Kyle's history of fighting with a blind Miraluka in his younger days to his role as a Jedi Master in Luke Skywalker's academy. As usual, some of the information had kinks and contradictions, but the details were simply astonishing. Mariya was more surprised by the fact that Kyle's lightsaber was indicated as missing, taking another look at the lightsaber in her hand, wondering if she was really holding onto some ancient relic.

"Master Ike, don't you think it is too coincidental that I found an ancient lightsaber and the information so far seem to suggest that Kyle's lightsaber is indeed missing?"

She ignited the weapon in her hand, staring at the shimmering blade of blue and wondered if it was really the Force that guided her to discover the lightsaber.

"Then again, I did see his ghost before. He did acknowledge himself to be Kyle when I called out his name... unless he is pulling my leg."

Mariya stared at the holographic image of Kyle, trying to see if the features matched against the ghost who had been appearing as an old man.

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

Looking at her padawan with a look on her face when she thought about it. "Possibly but the force does work in mysterious ways.. Many will say that but live long enough padawan and you will see strange things happen by circumstances." She smirked though and looked at the saber but didn't touch it. "Granted it is hard, in the days now when it seems everyone can copy the greatest holocrons, can create for themselves force artifacts that no one else had been able to for thousands of years. You never know what can happen now." She said it but internally without showing rolled her eyes she found this with others being able to make their own versions of everyones artifacts and history.... instead of working to find it. Still she would enjoy the holocrons they had found/recreated for the library. "Tionne recorded several ballads of him about the battle she fought in." THe jedi master though produced her lightsaber as the casing gleamed. Silver and smooth with small grooves and she had found a crystal. The palest blue from the Tedryn holocron and some of the first jedi to create and craft the more known aspects of the jedi. She held it. "The crystal for my saber was from Boda Baas an ancient jedi and much like you a force ghost led me to it. So I know things like this can happen."

 

[Mariya Fleischer]

"The Force works in mysterious ways. Hmm, I wondered who invented this phrase because it sounds so... convenient. Like a movie script," Mariya was bemused by the answer given by [member="Matsu Ike"], but knew that it was the truth. The concept of the Force was strange to begin with, at least for most non Force users. The padawan had been skeptical about the Force herself from her youth until her recent days after the discovery of Kyle's lightsaber.

"Cool. So your lightsaber is also discovered with the help of a Force Ghost..."

The blonde stared at her master's pale blue blade for a moment and decided to take the opportunity to suggest some physical training.

"Maybe some lightsaber lessons today, Master Ike? I haven't really learned much about lightsaber combat yet, except for the basics. Oh, training sabers, please."

Mariya remembered having gone through a lesson with [member="Sol Damerin"], but that was using a vibroblade.

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

She wanted to practice lightsaber combat... The jedi master deactivated the blade and stood there for a moment as she bowed her head. "Very well." She moved back a little and shifted her outfit... removing the robes so she was in a bodysuit to let her move around and her hair was put up into small hoops. IT would keep her hair out of the way and the jedi master raised an eyebrow as she held her hand out to the side. THe blade activating when she took a more loose stance. Feet planted side by side, She waited to see what Mariya would do but stayed there the blade pointed to the side and in one hand as her free hand came up and blue fire cascaded across her palm. Tutaminis for catching and absorbing energy from the power cell of the blade to fuel her own actions and force capabilities in a saber fight.

 

[Mariya Fleischer]

She followed what [member="Matsu Ike"] had done, taking off her robes to make herself more comfortable. The blade intensity was lowered to mimic the training saber that the younglings used to do, but Mariya knew that even a slight touch was sufficient to make someone yelp in pain. The padawan had little experience, so she merely copied the stance which she was taught before. Her dominant right foot was behind, her blade in parry position to the right side of her face. It was the most basic stance, known as Jedi ready.

"Okay, erm... I am ready?"

Mariya looked at her master who appeared to be standing casually with her blade at the side. Was that some powerful Force ability at work in the Atrisian's palm? The padawan had no idea what it was, but it was certainly impressive.

"So, no learning of forms or movement? Guess not..."

The padawan posed her question, wondering what exactly Matsu wanted her to do. Was her master expecting her to attack first before explaining? Possibly. Mariya took a deep breath and started running over, her blade swinging downwards towards Matsu's neck.