Masters of Forgework; Jensaarai (Open)

[RC 212]

Suarbi System​

OOC: Any of y'all fee free to join me. I'll DM for ya. OR write your own story. The objective is to complete the trials and learn the art of forging Cortosis.​

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Links:Jensaraai​

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It was sometime after her visit to the Witches of Dathomir. So many things had changed for Karren as she entered the wider world. Beyond the halls of the Jedi Order and her various teachers she was being reminded of the brutality of the galaxy. No her face was being violently rubbed in it,like a dog in urines after it pees.

She sported many, many injuries now. A scar on her forearm from where a bolt had torn through it on a Starliner. A broken nose and brittle face bones from a duel with [member="Varik Ice"]. The searing remains of crescent scars on her torso from a scatter gun [member="Causstik Rahn"] had wielded against her.

Those were only the beginning.

As she walked through the densely populated town she kept her head on a swivel. Here was the enclave of the Jensaari. She'd been living and working alongside them for months, helping them rebuild their enclave and seeking their knowledge. They were the finest workers of Cortosis in the Galaxy.

She needed armor and so the devil went hand in hand with her wants.

She was cross-legged, in a dull grey room when they finally approached. Still wearing her GA grey flight suit with the patches ripped off. Her hair was tight in a braid that hung on her right side; a single silver plain lightsaber hilt emanated from a holster at the back of her belt.

She flicked her eyes open as the master approached. The time had come, to see if she and the other Acolytes and force users that had gathered here were worthy,

"Karren Trask, Sentinel of the Jedi Order, this is you is it not?"

She floated to the floor with grace and took to her feet, spread wide. Her head swivelled to glance over her shoulder with that familiar stern glare.

"It is."

The one who spoke was a tall Jensaarai, clad in flaming red armor, moulded with a Corellian Sand Panther skull on each pauldron. At his hip a blade of obsidian color and mean angular proportions. On his other side a lightsaber.

"Come then. It is time for the ceremony. For you and the others to reborn as Jensaari, should you wish it."

She had nothing to gather. Her StealthX was parked far away and she had brought only herself and her wits.

"Very well."

She pivoted, following the Red armored man down a hallway of stone and glyphs, lit by dim torches. They emerged in a circular arena, ringed by those of all shapes and sizes. The mid day light blasted her eyes, blinding her, and the sea of colored armor's perplexed her. She glanced left and right at the the other contestants, sizing them up....

 

[Jaedan Fray]

With his body covered in leather training gear and a lightsaber at his side, Jaedan stood among the contestants. He may not have had the luck to be born among the more good natured people of the galaxy and stood among those whose way of life was questionable to others but it made no difference. He replaced the crystal of his lightsaber so it will create a purple beam instead of the characteristic red, his force signature was not fully claimed by neither side of the force, who would be there to say he is not a grey jedi?

A lone force user in search for knowledge? In a way that's what he was, knowledge was indeed a form of power and despite the idea that power corrupts he felt no different than before, if he were... He would probably be dead.

Cortosis was a strong material and he was adamant to learn how to properly use it for armors, he did not feel in danger, he did not feel nervous, he was blankly looking around himself at the others studying them as he was unsure what these tests actually were.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Jaedan Fray"]

The first person Karrens eyes lingered on was the black cloaked individual. He gave off simmering waves in the force, almost as if he seemed to be having an internal debate with himself. She grinned, and glanced up as the Red warrior spoke, rising to the fore of the pulpit, voice magically enhanced.

​

"Welcome Acolytes, Jedi and all others. You have taken a long stay on our planet and the knowledge we bequeath here does not come light. There is perhaps only one ceremony every hundred or so years. We are a reclusive people, whom prefer to be left to ourselves, but alas in an expanding galaxy that is not possible. Thus we have devised three trials to determine whom among our seekers is most fit to carry on the traditions of the Jensaraai."​

He paused and she cleared her throat, feeling a foreboding feeling hammer her gut like a lead weight.

"You first Task..... Survive."​

What she thought had been walls on each side of the aren now moved, grinding as their ancient gears moved downwards, driving stone against stone. She reached back to her holster and drew her lightsaber, clutched tight in her hand. Her eyes darted around what she now understood to be an arena. It was a blood sport here.

​

A spectator sport? Typical of the darkside I suppose.​

There was only four columns and from them dropped a hand full of crude wood and steel weapons. She glanced around confused as the roars of beasts emerged from deep beneath where each gate had opened. Her thumb flicked, rotating the activation knob on her saber. Nothing happened.

As many others did.

The voice of the Jensaraai boomed over them,

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"A warriors true mettle is their connection with the force and their use of it. You have the weapons you require for the duration of the trial. Good luck and may there be many survivors." ​

It was not cold, but matter of fact and she nodded, understanding now that it was closer to a warrior culture ritual than darksider cult practice or wanton slaughter.

She knelt, eying her choices and selected a spear, long and sturdy. Then her eyes caught a bag of coins.

She recalled her studies in the Library at the Order.

Ballistikinesis. The special skill of most Jensaraai.

She holstered her saber at the small of her back and clutched the bag of coins just as the first four creatures emerged. Corellian Sand Panthers, howling and charging into the crowd. She glanced left and then right, locking eyes with Jaedan.

"Together?" She asked.

 

[Jaedan Fray]

This pass of knowledge was more important than it seemed at first sight, he could tell from the warrior's words, that made him all the more wary even if on the outside nothing like that was visible. Never loosing his posture or expression, the man seemed fairly calm even when the beasts begun roaring. Then he grabbed his lightsaber, activated it and... It didn't activate... Why did not activate?

With a hint of surprise in his eyes, Jaedan looked at the lightsaber while trying to switch it on multiple times, what was this? Did he actually mess up when he replaced the crystal? That, of all things, was the worst way he could fail...

However looking around he did not seem to be the only one with this problem, soon, the jensaraai confirmed his suspicion, it was all part of their test. He wouldn't dare waste any more time, he put his lightsaber back at his waist and swiftly grabbed a longsword swinging it around a few times. It was certainly not a lightsaber, the difference in weight made that clear, but it had to do.

As Jaedan raised his head, he caught sight of a girl with a spear, she too was looking at him, "Together?" she asked and he merely walking closer and still trying to get used to the new weapon, he looked around themselves at what was coming.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Jaedan Fray"]

The crowd scattered as claws rent flesh and sent bloody droplets into the thick sand. Karren dug her heels deep, keeping her footing sure and bent at the knees. She was unfamiliar with the spear, but it seemed the best option short of her saber. Se hefted the wooden shaft, and checked the balance point on her open palm then curled her fingers around it.

"As soon as one strikes I'll pin it. You finish it."

She crouched a little deeper, eyes flickering this way and that, tracking each animal as it tore through the surprised and ill suited Acolytes. Several were gored immediately, trying to crawl away as their entrails were gutted from their bodies. she winced and almost felt vomit come up as another clamped down with enormous jaws, crushing a skull.

Then it glanced up and she nodded, setting her spear arm back and baring her teeth in a growl.

The Panther lunged. She sprinted forwards, dropping to her knees to slide across the sand as it pounced. She slid under it. It overshot it's leap leaing her just behind it facing away. Karren snapped out with her of hand as it landed. Her fingers found a grip on its coarse fur and she used the momentum to slingshot herself up around and up into the air.

The force propelled the thin girls lithe muscles as she leaped, drawing back the spear in a single motion. Her eyes narrowed, and she let out a throat ripping roar as she hung suspended in the air for a minute. Then she struck, driving steel and haft through the creatures back leg, weight of her fall coming down to ram the tip deep into the earth.

"Now!"

 

[Jaedan Fray]

Warily looking between themselves and the beasts, Jaedan did not act surprised or disgusted in the least when the beasts tore their fellow contestants apart, the same blank face and empty eyes as if such things were not even happening before him. As one of the more daring beasts struck at Karren he tightened his grip over the sword ready to act yet did not do so, he waited for the girl to pin down the beast while carefully watching the small fight unfold in front of him. Once the girl pinned down the creature, he turned his sword around and immediately thrusted it into its neck in an attempt to finish it off.

He then put his foot on it to remove the blade from the creature, no point in celebrating, it was definitely not over "We might want to stay away from the middle, it would be bad if they surround us, especially if they are pack animals." he suggested, at this point it was best to exploit anything there was to exploit he figured.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Jaedan Fray"]

"Nice work. I agree. Let's take a wall and hold it."

She ripped the spear free, with a little aid from the force and spun the haft over her hands twice, before locking it into both hands, point forwards. Two more teams had taken down their own montser, but a fifth was prowling towards the center, tearing up another pair. Their screams rent the air, mixing with the clang of steel on flesh and the roar of the Jensaraai warriors watching.

Karren grunted, sprinting for the edge of the arena, then sliding into position with her back against the wall. The spear but impacted the ground and she crouched again, waiting for her team-mate to catch up and watching his back. As he drew closer the beast from the center turned and sighted him.

She had no time to call out, but a single word slammed across the waves of the force, overriding the feeling of death and destruction.

RUN​

Her hand dipped into the sack of coins, other hand holding the spear firm. The same tricks might work twice, but it was time to change it up a bit. To show the Jensaraai her and her partners worth. Now he was bait, leading the Sand Panther into a trap....

 

[Jaedan Fray]

Jaedan looked away at the beasts viciously killing a screaming victim as Karren was already heading for the wall, assessing the situation it was likely they still had time until the entire horde of monsters were going to finish the remaining ones and focus on them, this in the worst case scenario. Back to reality, he breaks into a sprint after the jedi but what at first begun as a less than serious attempt to reach the wall while still saving energy, turns into a race as soon as he senses warning. Surprise was painted over his face, he dashed forward faster and faster reaching to the force for greater speed. The wall, he needed to reach the wall before the beast can attack him, he knew it was getting closer, yet did not dare to look back and slow down, instead staring at the ground should the shadow be visible.

The man concentrated on his senses, if he could hear the beast when it was close enough he might have time to react, the sword could not be more annoying than right now... While the lightsaber was relatively light and small, this thing was big and heavy, he could not tell why the test required it, but there was no wonder why it was no longer used by most people.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Jaedan Fray"]

The creature was stupid. As Jaedan neared she flung the coins up and into the air. They hung, sparkling and rotating for just a second until she blasted them forwards with a push of her palm. At near lightspeed they ripped through the air, in close formation to one another and tore through the sand panther. It screamed and fell as organs and bones were punctured by the lethal velocity and crumpled to the ground.

Karren felt her body ache, and her temples burn. She was drawing too heavily on the force. The usage of such a power had taxed her in ways she did not understand. Perhaps it was just the nature of the arena, or her alignment trying to block out destructive acts.

She hefted the spear, standing tall as Jaedan approached. The other teams had finished their own beasts and the crowd was cheering and chanting. Blood soaking her features she glanced over to him, swallowed and nodded. There were only six of them now.

"Congratulations on surviving the arena! You have showed great skill as well as grace. Worthy of the Jensaraai warriors of old. Remove your weapons, you will not be needing them. Your next test is quite far away, but also quite near. This one will be a test of will. You will travel through muck and mire, wood and mountain for three days until you come upon a cave. Deviate from the course marked, and you will die. Enter the cave and face what lays within."​

The gates of the arena opened, showing a stone path that lead into swamp like areas then high into windswept and bald blasted peaks. She groaned, un-clipping her belt, letting her weapons fall to the dirt. A part of her screamed as she left her saber behind, but she knew she would not pass if she didn't.

"Your weapons will be collected. You may travel in teams, but once you arrive, each must enter the cave on their own. Good luck."

And then they walked out, gates closing behind them. Karren glanced back at the black cloaked partner of hers. she hadn't even introduced herself. She knew nothing of him, except that his currents around him bent more as if he controlling them then going with the flow. She guessed darksider at the very least.

​

But not strong enough to be a full blown Sith.​

She would be easy to figure out. A shining beacon of light with glaring gray streaks running through her, where she tiptoed the line of moral right and wrong. A product of many philosophies.

She reached out her hand.

"Karren. Karren Trask. who might you be?"

 

[Jaedan Fray]

The coins flew past him piercing the creature's skin before he could even notice. Jaedan turned around hitting the wall with his back ready to stab with his sword, but there was no need, the beast was dead, the danger over. Only after peering at it then at the girl for a few moment could he tell what just happened, it must have been her doing and whatever she did exhausted her, it was surprising in a way, he did not expect this kind of response, especially not for a stranger... Always expecting to be attacked not defended is probably what made this so unusual. Seeing as the other beasts were killed, Jaedan walked beside her offering a stare "Thank you." he said.

It was then when the warrior begun giving his speech catching his attention too, it would seem there were more challenges to be had, or at the very least one more. He wondered however, how many of them are supposed to make it out alive? Do these warriors hope for only one to enter?

Alas, this sword will no longer be his burden nor defender. He looked at it for a mere moment then threw it away, immediately after he let his lightsaber fall on the ground too... Truth be told he probably would've tried to make it work on their way.

Curious how far this partnership would go, he locked eyes with Karren who did not hesitate to introduce herself "My name is Jaedan Fray." he begun with a slight pause, it wasn't hard to guess he was not exactly sociable, if anything that blank, unchanging expression was not exactly normal "A pleasure to meet you."

He could sense her presence, closer to the light than his, who would she be? The jedi do have a similar signature, but they do not usually meddle with he likes of the Jensaraai, yet she could fight and she did have a lightsaber, so then what was she?

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Jaedan Fray"]

The Trek was long.

After many miles across the barren windswept hills they came to an outcropping that was just at the edge of the mountains. Karren had gathered nothing but a stick and a few berries along the way, humming to herself and keeping pace with it. Though at times she fell into a walking meditation most of the times her eyes wandered the trails and the landscape, seeking anything they could eat.

Her stomach rumbled and she passed a few berries to her new partner, Jaedan. She popped the remaining in her mouth, chewing them down to a pulp.

"Let's stop here."

She knelt, built a fire ring of stones and earth and then struck two stone together to ignite a few loose sticks. Soon after she disappeared, arriving back with handfuls of local flora and fauna that passed as burnable materiel. She poked the ruby coals with her stick, gazing off into the fire. It gave her weird comfort in the force, casting a harsh current across them as the living things were consumed by flame.

Weird. I've never felt so strongly about the flames before. Perhaps this is a crossing over. Something from Witch tradition.​

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Affinity for fire?​

"So Jaedan, tell me about you. I've figured this much out, you are no Jedi. Nor are you a straight up Sith."

She glanced up, wrapping both hands around the stick, setting the end in the flames to light. Her flight suit was off, revealing her dirty white under shirt and myriad of scars. One familiar one that glowed in the light was garish scar from where a steel bolt had gone clear through her arm.

She glanced over, locking her stern brown eyes upon his own.

"I'm not one to judge anyone. We all have our own paths to walk. But why did you come here? What drives you, a darker force user to pair with the likes of me."

We could very well be enemies on the same battlefield one day, She mused.

 

[Jaedan Fray]

Without doing anything that could be deemed interesting, he walked by Karren's side most of the time. Maybe silence was a necessity to him or just a way of doing things at least at this point, when the girl gave him some sort of berries, he looked towards her until the moment she herself ate some then proceeded to do it aswell.

"Let's stop here." she said and he did not complain, no point in tiring themselves needlessly, they were all supposed to enter the cave at some point, face whatever it was inside... And given the Jensaraai way of doing things up until now, he already had a theory regarding what could be there.

Jaedan made sure to gather a few sticks to burn too, just to be there, just as he stared at anything else, he stared at the fire until she decided to talk to him. He raised his head to look at Karren, her statement gave him some sort of reassurance he kept for himself, she didn't think he was jedi nor a sith.

"I am Jaedan Fray, I am force sensitive and I am human. Is there really anything else to it?"

That moment his attention was caught by the scars, whatever she was it would seem she had her share of combat, dark siders? The sith pretenders? Before being able to make any kind of assessment her voice made him focus on her once more. Darker, she called him darker, not only she could see his force signature but she could look at it in detail aswell? That was impressive indeed.

"I came here to learn." He answered briefly "But what does it mean 'The likes of me'? Do you refer to the fact that your aura has a nicer 'color'? If that is the case I do not see a reason not to."

Sure he was evasive but he was also calm, even if there was no peace to his calmness. What drives him? Why is he here? What does he hope to accomplish? One would need to work harder to get a real answer to such questions.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Jaedan Fray"]

She grinned. He was reclusive, much like some of her allies in Rogue Squadron. The fact that he referred to auras as colors told her a great deal as well. He was fresh in the force. Perhaps even fresher than she was. And it was odd, to see someone that stood as if they had immense power not display it.

"Come here Jaedan."

She slid from her perch on a stone to sit cross-legged before him, fire-stick crossed on her lap, end still smouldering. The spicy wood smoke permeated the air around them

"If you want to get to know yourself deeper, and who I am let us share."

She held out her hands, palms up so he could place his if he so chose, breathing deep breaths from her navel, allowing the force to flow through her. Not only the light, but the dark as well. The side she walked while at peace and the eerie side that emerged from her in the heat of battle, no matter how many creeds or warnings she received. No matter how hard she tried.

Her new truth that she had come to understand went through her mind​

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There cannot be darkness without light. Both sides must be honoured to reach our true potential in the force.​

 

[Jaedan Fray]

Share? Is that what she wanted? He would share many things in life, weapons, equipment, food, medicine, knowledge... Because all these fall under a singer banner and there is only one thing he shares in the end. What she wanted was knowledge of him... For what? Is there a purpose behind this wish? There is always a purpose, a goal, something one cat get out of it, whether they tell you that or not, whether they themselves know it or not.

That way his mind kept struggling to anticipate what was it she actually wanted, but he had to offer an answer fast, the way she stood looked like she would want him to take her hands, it is unlikely to be a simple gesture... A way for them to connect with each other through the force maybe?

"...Know yourself deeper... And who I am..."

Jaedan touched her hands gently, his brown eyes set upon hers, no effort was made to conceal their emptiness, the void within. The force would begin to flow through him as he concentrated, darkness poured, light poured and yet he would remained the same, no peace bestowed upon his soul, nothing filling his heart, he would not wish it so.

It was good to know the person next to you... It was also good to know yourself... But the most terrible mistake one can do, what will pave the way to the grave...

"Is to let others know you..."

He played it in his mind as if that voice was beside him. The force is the energy that binds all living beings, it binds them to the same fate, to the same ways, it is what most avoided to acknowledge

"Upon them forever gazes the will of the force and the endless void."

Jaedan raised his head a little ready for what followed, unsure himself of what she intended.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[Veino Garn]

"I don't like this," Veino said softly, standing beside the Saarai-Kar. The man wore his armor once more, although his helmet had been removed to reveal the shaggy dark hair and careworn face. Time had not been kind to Veino Garn. He'd died a few times, fought on dozens of world, and traveled enough on public transit lines for free travel wherever he went.

"Nor do I," the old woman answered with a frown etched across her face. "But it was a compromise that needed to be made to maintain the support of some of the families."

They watched the screen before them as the contestants set about their tasks as others manned the control room buried deep in the Jensaarai enclave. None would visit them.

"Which ones?" Veino asked. "Not Tillian, I hope."

Loreena shook her head.

"No, not them. They too disapproved."

Veino rubbed his chin, watching.

"Has the Alliance been informed that Dark Siders have been allowed into their space?"

"No," Loreena replied, resting her hands on her cane. Her aged face was pensive, even worried. "But we are keeping close watch upon them all."

Veino nodded.

"And the cave," he asked quietly, "Is that the one that Tael died in?"

The woman met his gaze and nodded. A quiet curse slipped from Veino's mouth and he turned away, fists clenched.

"Whoever planned this did this intentionally," he said after a moment. "And I fear their motives are ill." He replaced his helmet on his head and turned to the woman, saluting her with his fist raised to his shoulder. "I must go the cave. It has been too long." The woman merely nodded again as the frown grew even deeper on her face.

Veino strode from the command room and through the corridors to the hangar. It was hidden, as no outsiders were permitted in the main headquarters. Those who wished to learn stayed in one of the smaller enclaves that had been opened to the Jedi Academy Network. He threw himself into the driver's seat of a speeder and pushed the accelerator. It shot down the tunnel and out the exit, hugging the cliff-side, to keep from being hammered by the waterfall that cloaked the entrance.

Salty air rushed past him as he turned the speeder inland and pushed the speed into the red zone. The plains and forest sped past in a blur as the memories flickered in his mind. A lightning storm in the mountains and two foolish boys stranded above tree line with a crashed speeder and one with a broken leg. He had died that night, as hypothermia and shock drained away his life. It took the Jensaarai Defenders three days after that to find them and Veino had barely been alive.

Only someone with malice in their heart would sent recruits to that cave. Not even Veino had returned to that cave since the incident, although he had visited Tael's tomb from time to time. And the message of the conductor of these trials. Shams of a trial, really, for they were throwbacks to long-forgotten days the rest of the Jensaarai had left behind centuries ago.

Some time later, he parked the speeder at the entrance of the cave. Thunder rumbled through the gorges that crisscrossed their way through this mountain range. If he looked hard enough, he could still even make out some of the speeder wreckage from his last visit. A shiver settled in his stomach and he took a seat at the entrance, away from the incoming rain.

[member="Jaedan Fray"] [member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Jaedan Fray"] [member="Veino Garn"]

Near the Mountains

She felt their hands connect and as they did the uncertainty within Jaedans heart washed over her.

And met with her own.

The second their flesh connected, the force flowed between the pair stronger than ever before. Her walls came crashing down as if washed away by a tsunami and they both were exposed to each others. she saw his fears, his ambitions and heard the voices of his long gone teachers. He would feel her struggle to keep the balance of the darkness and the light. The voices of over five different mentors conflicting within her.

Karren gritted her teeth, fully opening to Jaedan, letting him see everything now. Her Childhood as a silver Jedi, the first time she had taken a life, by force slamming an enemy into a wall until his spine broke. But most importantly he experienced her hunger. The lust for knowledge that ever consumed and drove the young padawan to seek out the most unorthodox and dangerous places.

She screamed, letting the darkness take hold for a brief moment and then ripped her hands away, gasping. The orange flames of the fire illuminated her face in half red, and half shadow, lighting the glistening sweat on her brow.

"You....... Your a ...... Sith?"

She could not quite place him. He was there, but not fully.

"No matter. Can you trust me? That is the question. For without trust between us...... we must split tonight and find our own ways into the mountain caves."

 

[Jaedan Fray]

As the connection between them was made, Jaedan begun a huge struggle to keep some of the things hidden away from Karren, there were things in there that would not change much if seen... Others that could change everything, he would not risk it, especially not with someone he's just meet. Maybe the girl could feel this or maybe not, in plain sight however was his curious mind, the tendency to seek answers to many hard questions, there was a powerful will to survive and a fear even he could not fully understand.

Alongside those she could see he wasn't fond of most of other sith or dark siders for that matter, he saw them as weak, pitiful, mere slaves to instincts they are unable to control, he was deeply devoted to his goal and saw most things withing the eyes of logic an reason, there were no unjustified murders, no senseless killing for some twisted idea of fun, not to him, everything had to have a reason.

The moment she allowed him to see everything, he was simply shocked, for what reason would she even consider giving this all to a stranger? Had she no regard for what could happen? Do the endless outcomes and options only appear in his head, was this how other people actually thought? It was a complete new experience to him, too feel and see what she saw... Is that how he was supposed to be like? It offered him a completely different perspective of life, a beautiful one... One he could not understand...

Unlike her, what little she could see of his past were pieces that managed to get away from his grasp, training in an empty white room, with droids or with others as small as he was back then. There were memories of monsters, terrible creatures not seen before, memories of a cave. No parents or family could be seen, but as a child feelings of loneliness and hollowness dominated at some.

Eventually everything was over, all that happened made him very confuse and uncomfortable for a moment. Jaedan touched his head while slowly calming himself then looked towards Karren, she revealed what she could easily see after the connection was formed, he was a sith, a statement to which he bluntly replied "I am sith."

The question was there, just how did she feel when she felt the emptiness inside him? He could not answer but this was not the time to ask at all. Karren wanted to decide what will happen and with good reason, she was honest with him from what he could tell yet he was not in full... This was a strange situation, he never trusts people, it is what kept him alive for so long, but what was trust? Believing that a person will not betray you? In that case... Karren showed him so much and he could not feel she would be holding anything back. Amazement would fill him as he realizes, lack of trust is born from the inability to know what someone thinks, could this mean he trusts her to some extent?

"I couldn't trust you before." He begun after a long pause "But I suppose I trust you now... I've seen you do not intend to harm me..."

"The Jensaraai have proved to be secretive with their tests and showed no regard for our safety... I'd rather we went to the cave together or we may risk not reaching it at all."

He stood silent for a while, he didn't know what to make of it all, he saw and felt it yet it was not enough for him to understand... Nor was there time to think about it now. Something else caught his attention though, Karren had something in common with him, she wanted to acquire knowledge.

"I can give you what you want..." He said blankly "There are things the jedi would never tell you... And you know that. But I can share with you what I know... And perhaps this way I can make up to you for hiding."

[member="Karren Trask"]
[member="Veino Garn"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Veino Garn"] [member="Jaedan Fray"]

She nodded, breaking the connection and returning her gaze to the coals. As she stirred them again with the stick, Jaedan spoke his part. When he replied he was Sith she smiled and cast a stern gaze his way.

"I am Jedi. Though not a very good one I'm afraid. and yes I am willing to fight alongside you. I believe that would be best."

he kept stirring the coals until he added the last part.

"I'd be interested. To know the force truly, you have to know all sides of it. I am not as narrow minded as my predecessors so......"

She trailed of, thinking back to all her teachers. Turin, Yumi and a few others she'd sparred with. They were all decent people.

"Let's get some sleep. Tommorrow we will reach the caves..."

 

[Jaedan Fray]

Not a very good jedi she says, yet she proved some mastery of the force back in the arena, it was his guess this is not what she meant by that phrase, then perhaps a jedi who looks beyond the jedi teachings is not a very good jedi... But what is a jedi really? A person who follows the jedi code? Someone who is a pacifist? A secluded monk open only to the force? If that is the case then a jedi is simply a delusional person led by blind faith rather than anything else?

From that conclusion it was easy for him to form another, such a person could never defeat the sith... And yet the cycle did repeat itself times and times again. Jedi came and others followed, the sith fell then raised again, it is not a delusional person those people followed, no, only zealots would, so then it had to be someone who could lit a flame inside their hearts, a bastion of hope.

Yes, this had to be it, the jedi were protectors for that is what every jedi wanted to do, it was what the code was for, what their training was for, just like power was for the sith.

At Karren's recommendation, he prepared himself for sleep laying on the ground, with the opinion he has formed, it also came a conclusion of his own

"I never saw a jedi."

[member="Karren Trask"]
[member="Veino Garn"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Jaedan Fray"]

"Well, now you seen it."

The next day when they awoke, Karren packed up what little they had. A quick pace brought them up rocky slopes, and down craggy valleys until at last she laid eyes upon the cave and the inhabitant that dwelled in the entrance. A small whisper of the force came from Veino and she recognized his armor.

Jensaraai​

"Dead ahead."

She hefted her spear, fingers tightening on the haft, and then approached up the shale slope.

"Who are you?"