First Reply I've Got a Rock!

[Braze]

TAGS: @open

Settled in the cluttered yet orderly workshop nestled within the heart of the Jedi Temple, a young half-Echani Padawan named Braze was diligently sorting through a collection of droid parts he had acquired from several junkyards. He had been picking apart, testing, and cleaning items he thought he could use. He mainly tried to find parts that would be compatible with a more athletic sort of droid he intended to piece together, though those were harder to come by. Among these metallic salvaged treasures was a large chassis. Inside, he saw something peculiar - a large crystal formation that had been attached to parts of the droid's inner workings. He reached in and tried to remove it; however, his fingers stumbled upon a different peculiar item - a small, dark stone that lay hidden within the cavity of an old droid chassis. This stone, cold to the touch and emanating an eerie aura, intrigued him.

"What... is that?" Braze murmured aloud to himself as he reached into the chassis to try and pry the small rock free. It felt wrong. It left him with an unsettling feeling just by putting his hand near it.

No sooner had these words left his lips than a voice, calm and resonant, echoed not in the room but within the very recesses of his mind. "Greetings. I am Aether," the voice said, its telepathic nature startling the young Padawan. "You have removed the void stone that kept me in a deep slumber."

Startled, Braze let the stone slip from his fingers, his heart racing at the unexpected intrusion into his thoughts. The tiny violet and black orb fell to the work table, then rolled off onto the ground. Braze scrambled to pluck it back up and set it down in a metal bowl so as not to lose the odd thing.

He looked about the empty room, confused, with an unsettled feeling in the pit of his gut.

 

[Vulpesen]

Peace and quiet. In all the bustle and chaos of Coruscant's metropolitan surface, the jedi temple was perhaps the one place where a person could reliably find a bit of silence. It was one of the things that made Vulpesen's walks through tis halls so enjoyable. Just a simple moving meditation where he could reflect on his life, the force, and how the two intertwined. Each day, he took a different route, hoping to see more of his old home and how it had changed in his absence, or how it had stayed the same. It was on one of these walks that the Valde found himself faced with something unusual, a break from his average day.

Silence. Not the silence that came with a lack of noise, rather it was an all consuming void, as though the galaxy had been muted around his ears, or at least, muffled. He knew the feeling in its extreme. It had happened on Myrkr. It was the feeling of being deafened to the force. His boots clicked as he did a right turn down the hall, heading to a presence in the force he could barely sense, a presence that he knew should have blazed like a fire like all jedi did.

His head popped around the corner, peering at an ashen haired jedi, his golden eyes noting the braid on his head, something that he had worn most of a century ago. "Hello there. Sorry, I'm looking for something... weird." His eyes moved to the backdrop of the room. mechanical parts and droids, Far from his expertise. If whatever he was looking for was in the room, most likely it would be like an offworlder searching for Teradin trees on Veradune, which is to say, difficult.


Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: @ Vulpesen

Braze's senses heightened, scanned the room, trying to pinpoint the source of the mysterious voice. The unexpected sound of footsteps further set him on edge, his attention snapping towards the entrance even before the figure of Vulpesen came into view.

"Uh... yeah, I mean... hello," Braze stammered, his voice betraying a mix of confusion and apprehension.

As he struggled to compose himself, the voice of Aether, the Shard, resonated within his mind once more, its presence not unkind.

" Do not be alarmed. I am Aether, the consciousness within the droid chassis you have discovered. I mean you no harm."

Braze, still grappling with the surreal experience of spontaneous telepathic communication, took a deep breath, trying to center himself in the Force- only to find he was struggling to make that connection fully. Something was preventing it or appending it.

"Weird? Well this is certainly... weird..." He continued talking then as if speaking to some unseen presence. "This is... new to me. How are you doing this?"

" As a Shard, I possess the ability to connect minds through the Force. It is how I communicate, given my lack of a traditional voice mechanism in this form."

"Wait so... you're inside the droid?" Braze asked looking ta the odd droid chassis he was just fussing with.

"Yes; More specifically I am the 'crystal' that you see. "

Braze may have very well looked un hinged as he seemingly had a conversation with no one and moved to reach in to the droid and pry the large crystalline chunk of rock out .

 

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen's brow rose at Braze's puzzled demeanor. Then there was the object of his conversation. While it seemed that was at least a portion of his words being directed at the Wilder himself, a great deal of Braze's words seemed directed at a dead droid. Silently, he watched the one sided conversation, his tail flicking back and forth before walking over to peer over Braze's shoulder. What he saw inside did much to answer his questions.

"Ah. That explains a bit." His eyes turned over to see the stone in the bowl and he gave a curt nod. "And there's the rest of it. Seems you've made a friend, kid." He wasn't completely unfamiliar with shards, having met a couple in his long years, though they were still a bit of a mystery to him. Truth was, he couldn't even remember much of how they had met. Most likely on a battlefield. As for the stone, that was something that was a bit more recognizable, at least through his studies. Void stones were a possibility in making a proper prison for force users, but he found that Ysalimiri were far more effective, even with the upkeep costs.

"Where'd you find this droid?" He asked as Braze started to lift out the crystal. Something in the back of his mind, likely the teachings of his father and Lucas chided him for not asking for a name first. But names were normal. Everyone had one. Not everyone had crystal that apparently talked to them. As such, Vulpesen found his curiosity overwhelmed his decorum.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: @ Vulpesen

Braze carefully set the large chunk of crystal on the table, his gaze shifting to Vulpesen.

"I've understood kyber song before, but this is different. This is a full conversation," Braze said, his voice tinged with a mix of wonder and bewilderment. He seemed momentarily uninterested in formalities, absorbed in the novelty of his discovery. However, realizing that Vulpesen was a stranger, he paused, reassessing the situation.

"Uh... I don't remember actually. I've been gathering bits for the last two or three months. I haven't finished sorting all the parts I have. A little here, a little there - every time I see a 'junkyard,' I go take a peek," Braze explained, his words trailing off as he glanced back at the crystal and the void stone.

As the silence stretched, a new voice entered the conversation, not through spoken words, but directly into the minds of both Braze and Vulpesen.

"Greetings; I am Aether, the consciousness residing within this shard. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My journey has been long and filled with many turns. The void stone you see was used to suppress my consciousness, rendering me dormant until Braze here removed it.

" I didn't expect to find a sentient being in a pile of droid parts." Braze offered softly.

Aether's ability to communicate telepathically and seemingly sense their thoughts was nothing short of astonishing considering the proximity of the void stone.

 

[Vulpesen]

"Interesting hobby," he gave a small shrug and poked at one of the nearby metal contraptions. "But no stranger than mine, I suppose, I filled the temple with small creatures when I was your age." Then the Shard decided to speak, perking Vulpesen's ears to the sourceless voice. Of course, with the meager revelation came a myriad of additional questions. "A pleasure to meet you Aether, and you Padawan Braze," he finally said, introducing himself to the pair with a set of nods. "Vulpesen Torrevaso, Arch-Wilder and Valde of Veradune."

Odd as it was to be speaking to a rock, the telepathy wasn't nearly as novel. Even now, he could sense Ace's ever present mind on his own, though the Ashlan wolf was currently napping on his pillow. If he really wanted, a simple prod would let him see his companion's dreams. "There's far stranger things in the galaxy, but I suppose it is rare for such things to simply fall into your lap." He reached over and picked up the void stone, tossing it into his other hand. "Just as the jedi temple is one of the last places I'd expect to see one of these."

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Vulpesen

Braze watched him pick up the small pebble of a stone that the void stone was- it was like a very small bullet rounded out in to a minuscule ball bearing the side of a very small marble.

Braze felt a semblance of uneasiness near the object and watching the man toss it casually. " What is it, Mr. Vulpe-essen Torrevaso, Arch-Wild-Man and Valde of Va-va-voom?" Braze asked trying to replicate what he heard the man introduce himself as.

"Perhaps one of you can enlighten me on what year this is?"

 

[Vulpesen]

His head tilted as he watched Braze stumble and struggle around his name and titles. Admitedly, he knew it was a great many V's, and Zorren naming conventions often made for some long signatures. "Vulps will do. Valde or Archon if you want to be formal about it." He held the the stone up to his eye for a moment, inspecting the surface of the anomalous rock. "Its a void stone. I've read about them before. They dampen the force, or at least, surrounding people's connection to it. And its 900 ABY, Aether." He turned to the room's more talkative mineral. "Which begs the question of who would lock you away with this nasty pebble for... well, however long you were trapped there." Behind him, his black tail and started to swish back and forth. Few things were as enticing as a good mystery. Fewer still were as tempting as a mystery that involved an oddity in the force.

Braze

 

[Braze]

Vulpesen
"It felt... wrong. " Braze offered simply watching him toy with the purple and black meteorite like stone. "Is there any other uses for it??"

Aether was quiet for a time.

"Centuries have past. Near a millennia since the quarrels with the purge. I sense much has changed, and much has remained the same. "

 

[Vulpesen]

"Try going to Myrkr. This is like being in a darkened room. An Ysalimiri is like having your eyes plucked out. As for other uses... I have no idea." He was old. He wasn't omniscient. Aether's question however, gave the Valde pause as he started to think on the holocrons and datapads he had read and how they worked with a bit of math. Depending on how one defined "near a millenia," there were at least two purges that Vulpesen could think of. Though the rock might not have even cared about the fate of the jedi with whom it had been found. "Time moves on a wheel. I've learned that in almost a century. If you're at least close to a millennium, then I'm sure you've seen that wheel turn over a few times."

Braze

 

[Braze]

Vulpesen

"I've played with the lizards a few times. Wasn't very fun either time," Braze admitted, referring to his encounters with Ysalimiri, creatures known for their ability to create a Force-neutralizing field.

Aether, responded with a tone of calm assurance, "I'm much older than that." The statement was simple, yet it carried the weight of centuries of existence and experience. "The information is most enlightening, and I am grateful to you for providing it. The small void stone you are holding was made into a projectile that pierced my chassis."

"I don't think I've ever heard of a void stone before... I wonder where they come from."

Aether, tapping into its vast reservoir of knowledge, offered some insight. "Void stones are rare. They are believed to be formed under unique conditions, possibly involving dark energy or other unknown forces. Their ability to dampen the Force makes them a dangerous tool for those who seek to control or negate Force-sensitive beings."

Braze nodded, absorbing the information. "So, someone used this stone as a weapon against you. That's... unsettling."

 

[Vulpesen]

Being a Zorren meant that Vulps could watch the galaxy pass generation by generation, but he knew that even his extended life was nothing compared to the shard before him. "Whatever their origins, I'd hold onto this one. Might come in handy some day." With a clack, he placed the rock back on the table and sat down on a nearby chair. "It also raises the question of who would use such a weapon." His eyes turned towards the improvised bullet. Whoever had done so had known what they were doing. This wasn't just an unlucky assault. This was a form of assassination.

Braze

 

[Braze]

LOCATION:
TAGS: Vulpesen

"The assistance of such a being may be lost to the annals of history by this point but I shudder to think of what kind of legacy they have left. Indeed, the passage of time has left its mark, both on the galaxy and on me. My existence, was once vibrant and purposeful.

My past, though clouded by the long slumber is the culmination of centuries laying witness to myriad of cultures. I've witnessed the rise and fall of powers, the ebb and flow of the Force in endless forms. Yet, here I am, a relic of a bygone age, seeking purpose anew in a world that has evolved without me. Braze, Vulpesen, your presence and actions have granted me this new awakening.

I find myself curious about your journeys, your struggles, and how the Force manifests in your lives. In turn, I offer my knowledge, my insights from a time long past, which may yet hold relevance in your current endeavors. As for my immediate future, I yearn for a means to interact more tangibly with this world. Whether through a new droid body or another form, I seek to be more than a voice within a crystal. There is much to learn, and perhaps, in this new era, much that I can contribute."


Braze just settled down and looked form the crystal in his hands to the void stone the Zorren set aside. "I'm, sure I can try and help find you something viable. Not sure where to start though... "

 

[Vulpesen]

It was easily the most eloquent rock, Vulpesen had ever met. It was also one of the oldesst beings he had ever met, and Vulpesen had a jedi living in his house who was several millennia old. Still, the questions of wisdom brought by unmoving age could be masked another time. For now, there was a problem to solve. Thankfully, the answer seemed to be provided in their very meeting. "Well, if I had to guess, I'd say that your droid body got deactivated by a simple loss of power source. With you taken out by the stone, it simply collapsed." He reached forward, tapping the chassis with a clawed finger. "I am far from from an expert in the field of robotics, but I think that someone who can do a bit of tinkering," his eyes lifted up the Braze, "we might be able to get you up and running until we can find something a little more modern."

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Vulpesen

Braze's enthusiasm was evident as he contemplated a solution for the unique situation. "I think Master Jasper Kai'el might be able to help us find a more permanent solution for you," he said with a hopeful tone, his eyes reflecting the spark of an idea forming in his mind. His suggestion conveyed his trust in his mentor's expertise and his optimism about finding a way to assist the shard.

Turning his attention to the task at hand, Braze moved towards a corner of the room where a discarded Mouse droid lay. The droid, once a common sight in the corridors of the Jedi Temple, now sat unused, gathering dust. Its once sleek black and silver casing was dulled by time, but it still held the promise of utility.

Braze knelt beside the droid, his fingers deftly working to open its access panels. He carefully examined its inner workings, his brow furrowing in concentration as he assessed what modifications were needed. The small droid was simple compared to the complexity of a sentient shard's requirements, but it would serve as a temporary vessel.

After some adjustments and re-calibrations, Braze gently placed the shard into the Mouse droid. He made sure the fit was secure, his movements precise and careful. The droid's blue sensor lights flickered to life, indicating that the shard was now in control.

"It's not ideal, but it should allow you to move around for now," Braze said, stepping back to observe the droid come to life.

​

"Thank you, Braze. This form is... different, but it offers a new perspective. I am curious to explore in this temporary shell. Your ingenuity is appreciated, and I look forward to seeing what Master Jasper Kai'el might propose for a more permanent solution. For now, let's see what this form can do."
With that the little mouse droid zipped out of the room.

 

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen simply leaned back in his seat, quietly watching as Braze went to work on the mouse droid. Inwardly, he couldn't help but feel some pity for the shard, being trapped in so small a shell. Still, it was a temporary fix, and he figured that the padawan's master would be able to give the shard something more substantial for the long term. "Good luck Aether. I hope to see you around on my future visits," he offered before the newly possessed droid zipped off out the door.

"That was kind of you. I can't imagine what it would be like to be stuck in one place, unable to move and explore the galaxy." Ever since he was young, Vulpesen had looked forward to business trips with Zarro. Later while he was with the jedi, Vulpesen had crossed every corner of the galaxy on the Republic's numerous campaigns. To be locked in a metal shell without any ability to travel... he shivered at the thought.

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Vulpesen

Braze responded with a casual air, his voice carrying a hint of simplicity and honesty. "I'm all for freedom," he said, the faintest of smiles playing on his lips. The concept seemed to resonate deeply with him, reflecting a core value he held dear. "Nobody likes being cooped up forever, right?" His words were straightforward, yet they carried an underlying sense of conviction.

Shifting the topic slightly, Braze looked at the man with a curious expression, his somber green eyes reflecting a genuine inquisitiveness. "So, are you some kind of politician?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. The man's elaborate title had piqued Braze's interest, but it was clear that he wasn't entirely sure what it entailed.

He reached out and picked up the odd little void stone uncertain what to do with it and pocketed it for now.

 

[Vulpesen]

"Truer words were never spoken," he agreed. Freedom was, a fterall, the second of only three words in the Vitae code, the only thing more important than it being life itself. In that way at least, Vulpesen found that the jedi were more often on the mark than off. Sure they weren't always the best at freeing themselves, but they were great liberators of the galaxy as a whole.

Braze's appraisal of his profession however, did bring a slight dampening to Vulpesen's mood and his tail stopped swishing as he thought on the truth of the words. "I suppose I am, unfortunately. As Valde, I hold final say on what happens on my homeworld, Veradune. Though my time at the temple is something a bit more force oriented. Consider me an advisor or an outside perspective on the force. I lead the Vitae Sect of the Veran Wilders, a force order apart from the jedi." So many in the galaxy always assumed that the sith and the jedi were the only two options in the force, to the point that laws were written with that 'truth' in mind. As such, Vulpesen found himself in a bit of a grey area where the Galactic Alliance was concerned, and that made him an outsider in the very halls he had once called home.

Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Vulpesen

"Ah so you're a politician with some form or religion?" Braze's eyes lit up with recognition as he connected the term 'wilder' to a memory. "Ah, a wilder! I think I've come across that term before," he said, his voice tinged with curiosity. He recalled a conversation with Gweneth Zarari , where she had mentioned aspirations of becoming a wilder one day. The concept had intrigued him then, and it did now.

"So, you're like a Jedi who doesn't adhere to the traditional temple teachings, but here you are in a temple yes?" Braze observed. He paused, considering his next words carefully. "I've heard that wilders don't follow the conventional Jedi curriculum. Is that true? And that means you can transform your form, embracing different aspects of the Force in a more... primal way, perhaps?"

Braze leaned in slightly, "I hope I'm not misinformed. The idea of experiencing the Force in such a unique way is quite thrilling. Can you tell me more about it? How does being a wilder differ from the path I'm on as a Padawan in the Order?"

 

[Vulpesen]

Hearing Braze's sudden interest and flurry of questions, did bring a smile to Vulpesen's face, though he did wince slightly at the implication of being a jedi. "Primal might be a good way to describe it, though we aren't jedi, at least, most of us aren't. I haven't been a jedi since long before you were born." His tail flicked as he lifted a hand to display a swirl of wind and crackling lightning. "We focus on the gifts offered to us by nature. The elements, plants, and beasts. We also focus less on light and dark, and more on the results of our actions. Afterall, there is a balance to nature, predation as well as cooperation."

Braze