Look no further than Lothal...

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus relied on only a few hours of sleep per night. Whenever tired, she used a meditation technique to remove weariness from her body.

The future of the Jedi Order weighed heavily upon her. And the fate of the Republic was far from assured. So she stood atop the small mountain that marked the site of the Lothal Academy and Temple. To those not trained in the ways of the Force, and of those none that were Dark-sided would be able to access the entrance. It was underground and only a Jedi that was true to the Light could expose the entrance.

Since the loss of Ossus and Ruusan, they had built a secret base from the ruins of the old Academy. She’d handed over the responsibility for training the next generation of Jedi to another. But she was a Master, and had a responsibility. Today she would begin the formal training of one who would be part of the new generation, like those who had protected the Republic for a thousand generations.

She stood on the smooth, cool stone of the small mounting – or was that large hill – and looked out across the plains to a small forest nearby, smelling the myriad sharp and sweet scents as the air warmed in the morning light. The spicy tang of the spine trees reached her. She listened to the sound the wind made in the tree cones. They’d been recently planted, a nod to the old world of Lothal, before it was industrialised by the Empire.

She closed her eyes and let her hands hang at her side, her fingers spread. She let her mind open and relax; he drew strength from the Force, touching ripples made by the life-forms crowding the forest below. With heightened senses she could hear the rustle of millions of cones, twigs scraping, small animals scurrying through the underbrush.

Letting out a yelp of pain and terror, a rodent thrashed and died as a predator crushed it in its jaws.

The plants grew. The animals flourished. The Jedi awakened to a new day. Lothal was alive - and Corvus felt energized.

Listening intently, he heard one person approaching from the direction of the hangar, far off in the dense foliage. They moved quietly, without speaking, but she could sense the change in the woods as the Padawan made a path through the undergrowth.

Her introspective moment had ended. She smiled and realised it was time to go down and meet her.

[member="Belle Vos"]

 

[Belle Vos]

Belle took a quiet breath as she began making her way through the dense jungle, agilely manouvering around obsticles and subconciously tapping into the force to use a weak connection to remain clear from the larger animals. She took her time, in no hurry to reach the far side - she had learned at an early age that if she was over-eager, she'd be more likely to cause harm to herself or others, so had learned to tamper down her enthuesiasm. She walked at a slow pace, occasionally stopping to inspect a small animal or plant, before continuing on.

After leaving her home planet of Iago, she had travelled her local systems, lending her expertise in medicine and pyschology wherever and whenever she was able. During this time, she had encountered a member of the Jedi Order who was doing pretty much the same thing. After a lengthy discussion on her capabilties and how little she really knew about the more in-depth abilities and lore of the Force, the Knight had referred her to the Academy, who after many holo-conferences had deemed her worthy and able for admission.

She had delayed the invitation, wishing to finish up her current duties and obligations to the people she was currently helping. After a few months, she could put it off no longer, having no further reasons to stall her arrival. Knowing the uselessness of procrascination, she had promptly packed her bags and began hitch-hiking her way across the galaxy to Lothal Temple.

Belle looked up and her thoughts faded from her musings as she climbed out from the bushes that lined the tangled vegation she'd just been traversing. She stood still for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the change in light, before they began a sweep of the new area. They tracked up the hill in front of her, spotting a lone figure facing her direction.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus walked forwards, her traditional Jedi robes flowing behind her as she closed the gap between them.

As she reached her new Apprentice, she stopped and bowed politely. Straightening up, she smiled. “Belle? I am Corvus. Welcome to Lothal. Welcome my Padawan.”

“Presently I’ll show you to your dormitory, but before we enter the Temple, did you have any questions? Of me, of the Academy here? Of life as a Jedi of the Order?” Her smiled remained. “For I have questions of you, so it’s fair we take it in turns. And it is only fair that you can go first.”

She turned to face the small mountain that marked the entrance to the Jedi Order’s new home. The paint was quite literally still wet, but it was finished. And ready to welcome the new crop of Padawans, of whom Belle was to be Corvus’ first since they arrived here.

[member="Belle Vos"]

 

[Belle Vos]

Belle stops as the individual gets closer, her hands fidgeting at her sides as she waits for the Jedi to introduce herself.

She watches as the graceful woman bows, so bows in return as she has noticed this custom among the Order members she had come in contact with previously. "Greetings, Master, and thank you for the welcome; this place is...beautiful, as well as for taking me on as your Padawan."

She looked past Corvuus to the entrance, before looking back to her, "If we're to take it in turns...You're the Grand Master of the Order," She says, "Surely your time would be better spent teaching and aiding everyone, and not just the few...So, why did you pick me to become your Padawan? Not that I don't appreciate this opportunity!" She adds the last bit in a rush of breath, her eyes moving slowly up and down her Master inquisitively.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled. “From time to time I will undertake group training. I’ve just started a course on Meditation, which you should join if you have the opportunity. It’s a much undervalued set of Abilities. It’s not all about pretending you’re not asleep.” She smiled again.

“But each Padawan requires different training, so a one-size-fits-all approach won’t necessarily work. So each Knight and Master reviews the Younglings and decides which would be a good fit to train. It’s a two-way process, so we look for those that will bring something out in us too.”

“Which is why I chose you. I trust I can train you in the Abilities you seek and I hope and expect you’ll show me things that will help me grow. As a person and as a Jedi.”

“So…my turn. Please tell me a little about you. Where you grew up, family, anything like that.”

[member="Belle Vos"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

[member="Belle Vos"]

Spoiler

Gentle bump