Lehon Calls

[Janick Beauchamp]

Lehon, also known as Rakata Prime... a world so many who sought ancient knowledge of Rakata in any shape or form came to. Yes, Janick was one for rather exotic uses of alchemy, such as a Force-powered mind-machine interface, the Utai Mental Modem, just that she seemed to be in need of new sources of inspiration. Just that the expansion of the Circle's production schedules, especially after Rhen Var, left her with limited time for personal endeavors. Now, she could be made to feel that someone would soon run into her, but she couldn't yet know who, nor why would that person seek her out at this point. Nor would she trust that person entirely instantly. Why is it that I feel the need to try as many times as I can to get dark-siders to open up to mental data transfer, but that most of these attempts involve people who, at best, toil in obscurity? What is it that makes Memory Rub and/or Drain Knowledge so difficult to adopt by dark-siders despite the biggest barrier being that stuff requiring the use of the dark side? Flash isn't the be-all, end-all of life as a Force-user, she thought, while pondering how could the mindspears be improved to allow people's memories to be uploaded, and not just downloaded into people.

[member="Gwyneira Craft"]

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

The wide oceans roared below as Gwyn flew over the vast waters. She drove her slow, armored ship across hoping to find an island before the fuel ran out. Of course, she was always prepared - she had tons of barrels of refiles in the back. Yet, she knew that midflight refuels were too dangerous for one person to attempt.

"Form III is a diplomatic form, dedicated to..."

A hologram lesson on lightsaber forms played next to her as she drifted across the tropical skies. The planet was incredible. The foamy waters would soon give way to a sand coated island with palm trees. The two moons above decorated the sky like bulb ornaments. She was here for a reason. however. This was an ancient planet run by Force users who technology as well. The engineer was delighted to come here and study the remains of this ancient civilization to expand her own knowledge.

"... Form Five is known as..."

She turned the hologram off. It was useful in hyperspace, when she had nothing to pay attention to. Now, however, her mind was buzzing with thoughts and craving knowledge, power...

She eventually spotted an island far off. It was dotted with tropical plants and dressed in rocky mountains. Excitement spiked as she pulled her ship towards it. Landing on a flat surface, her fingers rapidly tapped buttons before she stood up and darted towards the back. Her eight fingers grasped ahold of a fuel tank and she pulled it outside the ship.

As the humid atmosphere tempted her tiredness, she started refueling. Yet, she felt some sort of feeling nagging her, biting like a pesky flee that would not let go. She realized it was the Force telling her something... someone else was here. She checked her belt for her weapons one more time. A blaster and lightsaber both left her with the ability to defend herself. With minimum training with a lightsaber, however, the Sith acolyte found she was still worried for her safety.

[member="Janick Beauchamp"]

 

[Janick Beauchamp]

Now that this new dark-sider ([member="Gwyneira Craft"]) landed on another area with a makeshift landing pad that only had a refueling pipe, Janick could have a better feel for who could even try to come to her, and it wasn't some Rakata mystic. She could almost feel that new dark-sider's mind pulsating, but for some reason, she feels that maybe the people at the top of the dark-sided world are not ready for what could be a radical paradigm shift. Even if those folk toiled in obscurity, even if the powers-that-be in the dark-sided world seemed to be skeptical at best about the benefits of mental data transfer, maybe these people are too blinded by their own flash, maybe their tunnel vision, which cost them on Rhen Var, made them perceive the benefits of such as being too limited for that to be worthwhile, Janick thought, while having some flashbacks of all those practitioners that "toiled in obscurity", and her greatest admirers, especially that... Ashara. An intelligent girl, sure, but maybe Janick feels that intellect is not fairly valued in the dark-sided world. She would probably want to ask the newcomer some questions before she could get to the heart of the matter.

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

A clink sounded as she detached the fuel hose from the tank. She started tidying up the platform and taking care of her equipment. The entire time, what she sensed kept nagging her, itching her, and it was gradually growing stronger. She was alert, constantly scanning the platform as she finished her task. Eventually, the loaded her equipment into the loading bay of her ship. She turned round, gazing into the tropical landscape beyond. She lifted her hand against the pale sunlight, sighing. She felt... she felt like she was being called to something.

The Force was trying to tell her something was out there, waiting for her.

Would she answer?

She turned to go back to the ship. She didn't want to deal with this today. She wanted to get back to her studies and hologram lessons. She was busy! She had things to do! She...

... it still grew stronger...

She turned back from within the ship's hull. Once again, she peered into the unknown.

She lifted her hand to her palm, letting out an exasperated sigh. Would she regret this?

She briefly checked that her pistol was loaded. It was. She reluctantly stepped off the platform. Putting her blaster in its holster, she trekked towards whatever the Force wanted her to go towards.

[member="Janick Beauchamp"]

 

[Janick Beauchamp]

Folk that have an actual interest in using Memory Rub and Drain Knowledge in the long run are scarce, so training even one practitioner that ends up toiling in obscurity in the long run is better than nothing, Janick thought, while that newcomer was edging closer and closer to that new person. Yes, she could feel that the newcomer ([member="Gwyneira Craft"]) didn't trust her completely, so she made a cautious approach, convinced, however, she was going on the right path. For the most part, however, the local Rakata tribes seemed to ignore her, and the real issues come from the local wildlife. "Primitive" beasts that originated from other planets, such as acklays, nexus, varactyls. And yet, keeping a certain distance from these animals was key here, and not moving too fast either. It was a good thing perhaps that she didn't want to interact with the Rakata because the only new thing she could feel about this newcomer was that it wasn't a Rakata. Yes, she could kind of tell that the newcomer wanted something to do with her personally. With me, you will never see knowledge the same way again.

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

Upon hearing the voice echo, Gwyn was stopped dead in her tracks. Her hands wanted to pull out her weapons, but her head told her that if this was friendly, she should not risk war. Instead, her hands fell to her sides as the half-breed peered into the thick forests. Her orbless eyes narrowed as she looked into the thick foliage, realizing that indeed eyes were staring back.

"Who are you?" She called into the trees.

Gwyn's white-blond hair was rustled in the wind. She had no hood on, so her blue and pink highlights stood out tremendously against her colorless hair. She wore a plain outfit, fit for casual travel. Yet, she had her weapons still clinging to her waist. She raised her four fingered hands into the air, blinking slowly in attempts to make contact.

"I feel the Force calling me, pulling me. But to what? Do you know, presence?"

Janick Beauchamp

 

[Janick Beauchamp]

"I don't want to hurt you. However, it's understandable if you want more details as to what makes you see knowledge differently once we're done before you can trust me enough to learn it from me"

She closed in on Gwyneira Vizsla as the Force-message was given to her: in fact, telepathic communication can render even Force-users uncomfortable if they are not used to it. Memory Rub can make someone somewhat queasy if their minds weren't warmed up even if the infusion took place at a speed the target could otherwise handle without inducing pain by excess throughput. Parasitic pain was still not too well understood beyond the pain of the memories being infused, altered or removed, or the mental stamina of the target. Then Janick tried to get a feel for Gwyn's mind to determine how fast to infuse the knowledge of Memory Rub into its mind, and whether the student of the day could be at risk of forgetting. It seems that everyone I infused Memory Rub into had fast brains, but unfortunately the people who need Drain Knowledge most aren't as fast in their heads as even the slowest person I infused Memory Rub in, she thought, while approaching Gwyn cautiously.

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

"Knowledge..."

Knowledge. Knowledge was the equivalence to power. Did all Sith seek power with reckless anger? Gwyneira was positive it could spell the destruction of many to search for power with reckless abandon. No, power was not fits of rage or torture, but control. Wisdom. Knowledge. Keeping a cool head and expending power with a sane mind could overcome any obstacle.

Through the Force, she felt the presence. This presence was filled with the dark side, like many apprentices and Sith Knights she had met. Yet, this Force Signature was less chaotic and more contained, cool. It was something that attracted the Sith Acolyte in a strange way. This was a familiar feeling as well, a feeling she knew within herself.

The Force called her to this woman.

The girl lowered her defenses, raising her hands in a sign of peace as she stepped towards the edge of the forest. "Okay. What knowledge can you teach me?"

Janick Beauchamp

 

[Janick Beauchamp]

"Memory Rub, which is the first item in today's agenda, is about manipulation of a person's memory. I mostly use it to infuse knowledge, and thus teach faster. Drain Knowledge, on the other hand, is used to download knowledge from other people and learn faster as a result"

Janick knew that even the slowest of the infusees she infused Memory Rub into was still reasonably intelligent, and Gwyneira Vizsla seemed to have a mind fast enough to be a viable user. Ashara was probably the most diligent of the infusees I had, and she knew that I was using the dark side for something other than reckless anger, or some other form of aggression. I wish Griet, or Jess even could find a way to make it work with alignment-agnostic ways, but Griet's tentative method for using Memory Rub seemed to involve growing neural networks in someone, which carries, as far as I can tell, the risk that parasitic or otherwise unwanted memories could be infused, Janick thought, while having a flashback of infusees as she recalled upon the mental data packet that relates to the side effects of Memory Rub as a means of teaching. Gwyn could then feel Janick's brain more strongly in the Force, and becoming very "juicy", as if her mind was issuing a subconscious invitation to download from her.

"But before I proceed with the infusion, I have a question for you: despite the fact that Memory Rub, as well as Drain Knowledge, has some advantages as they relate to dark-siders' learning curves over conventional teaching techniques, why is it that neither has seen anything resembling a widespread use?"

 

[Gwyneira Vizsla]

Janick Beauchamp

The ability to peer into the mind of others. The ability to see all...

Her fingers tingled in excitement.

Still, the question asked left her in a state of curious thought. The girl narrowed her eyes, thinking. Why didn't more Sith use it? Then, the images of her lessons and holograms flashed before her eyes. Lessons on lightsaber combat, deadly skills of war, and power. A theory entered her mind.

"I wonder..." Gwyn looked to the dark side user. "My colleagues are focused on power. The ability to dominate others, and empower oneself. I think-" she looked away, then back, "-I think that more strategic powers like this are just... cast aside."

She crossed her arms. "When they think of power, they think in terms of physics. Using brute force, physical manifestations of the Force, to gain victory. But, in all honesty, I believe differently."

She lowered her arms, extending them, and opened her hands. "Knowledge is power. True power. The ability to win a fight without even using that brute power to begin with? Now that is power..."

Her eyes widened, her pale face invisibly flushing. She felt a hunger overpowering her that she had always felt. That desire. That purpose. The one way to gain the respect and honor she truly yearned for. "And I want it!"