Private Meditation and Discussion

[Wuxia Wukong]

Wu focused on his breathing as he let the Force flow around him, through him, with him. With closed eyes he searched for inner balance, it was only with inner balance that you could find peace. The Living Force flowed through all living things, it was evident in scientific methods like a midi chlorian count, however Wu preferred a more spiritual and yet more direct evidence of the Living Force. Not that evidence was the point of course. The search for knowledge of the force was the search for deeper connection, as all things were connected.

Many chose to search for hidden truths within the Force answers about the meaning of life or perhaps death. The Sith searched for immortality, the Jedi sought knowledge of how to be one with the Force upon your death. Wu was self aware enough to admit that he would indeed like to become apart of the Force when his mortal life ended, however he hoped within himself that that wasn't out of a vain search for immortality. Rather a desire to become one with everything.

In the meantime Wu found the meaning of life to be a personal journey. Every individuals was different, he encouraged others to find their journey whatever that may be whether that be a great diplomat or a simple farmer. Even soldiers had their place in their protection of others. Though Wuxia found that to be a perilous path to take one in which there would be many chances to fall. He was aware of the irony that he himself did not shy from battle when he deemed it necessary, though he believed he always sought to defend life never take it blithely.

Wuxia was perhaps not worried or but perhaps a little concerned over the path his padawan Feng Huang was on, and the decision that was before her. He knew that she was considering becoming a Shadow. Wuxia had a heavy heart about Shadows. He knew they did necessary and even good works, amongst the most admirable being offering asylum and refugee routes for those who needed them, but he could not help feeling the fact that they worked in the Shadows gave potential for falling further into darkness.

Naivety wasn't Wuxia's mindset however. They served the force and their path was a worthy one. He just feared the burdons such a path could put on an already weighted shoulders such as Feng's. Wu sighed as he realised he had lost hold of the balance and inner peace he had been trying to maintain. Wu scrunched up his nose, then let out a breath.

"Nope. It's gone the moment has passed. As all moments do. As all moments should." Wu opened his eyes to find Master Vedot sitting beside him in the gardens.

"Master Vedot. Thank you for joining me." Wu bowed from his seating position.

Vodet

 

[Vodet]

Peace and quiet. A nice world. Warm seabreezes. These were the things that Vodet enjoyed. It kept him grounded. It kept his mind active, and brought him fully into connection with the Force. He was the type to be seen more in the sea and the water than anywhere else. But at times? Connecting with life wherever it was, could be the most important thing.

Kneeling in the garden, his staff to his left, on the ground, his light club hilt on his opposite side, extinguished but ready. There was no need for it now, but as a Jedi, it was his focus. He was more of a Sage and Watchman than he ever would be a warrior. A peaceful life, a simple life.

Still, he was also the Steward of Kattada.

And a point of connection for many Jedi.

“Always, Master Wukong. What may I help with today?” The Yinchorri looked around the garden, a smile crossing his features. Well, as much as one can be affected by his species.

Wuxia Wukong

 

[Wuxia Wukong]

"Please call me Master Wu." Wu smiled.

Vedot's presence always made him smile, not only was he a Jedi Master Wu respected, he was a kind and gentle soul. In addition to this he reminded Wu of his own master long since gone his own way. What his master perhaps should have been. Wu felt the urge to get sad about that perhaps even angry. Acknowledged the motion and let it flows, past his mind and past his heart so that he would not dwell on it.

Stewing in past wrong was a bitter poison leading to resentment. Wu wouldn't say it was a recipe for the dark side, but it certainly wasn't a positive experience.

Wu considered Vedot's offer of help and smiled gratefully he gave a small bow in thanks.

"Thank you. I respect your wisdom as a teacher and mentor for many of our young padawans and younglings I seek your counsel regarding my own." Wu informed him. "She is close to her trials and while I am sure she will succeed I am… anxious about the paths she is considering.As is she. I know it is not my path to take, nor can or should I take it for her, or pressure her in my dreams for her."

Wu paused.

"I cannot help feel however she seeks dangerous paths, not only of her body but of her soul. Shadows, Guardians, Sentinels, Pathfinder. She has already chosen the purple the path that treads closest to the dark side and I will admit she has been happier for it since."

"It was my second great test as her Master."

Wu spread his hands.

"I suppose my request for assistance is two fold. The first would be to speak with her, I think she can only take so much well intentioned counsel from myself before she get's sick and tired of it tuning me out. The second would be of any assistance or advice you could give her about the respective paths. Perhaps speak to the masters whose experience of them you respect the most. I fear my isolation from the structure of the Jedi Order leaves me ill suited to assessing or approaching the Jedi whose insight would be valuable."

Wu paused to let it sink in the let out a laugh under his breath.

"And if you have any advice for an anxious old master whose student is outgrowing him I would welcome that as well."

Wu bowed.

Vodet

 

[Vodet]

Vodet was learning to be a bit more relaxed and less formal, all his time on Kattada. The attitude of that Temple was very lax, a result of someone like Starchaser setting up and leading the temple until he retired from the active service of the Jedi. A relaxed wayseeker, the elder human did make his appearances every so often.

"Of course, Master Wu it is. I just prefer Vodet." Two Masters, they didn't need to use honorifics. The Yinchorri waited for Wu to expand. While Vodet had very few Padawans in his time, taking two true Padawans, he did center his skills on assisting the younglings and being an advisors to many.

"We all must take our own paths. Like the sea turtles on Kattada, the mothers may lay their eggs where they are safe. But when the young hatch, they make their choices to the sea on their own. An ancient master once said that we are what our students grow beyond." Vodet's tone and clip were relaxed. Matter of fact.

"Many paths before any of us. The explorer, warrior, researcher… any combination can make for a great life for a Jedi. It is true that several are more intense and risky than others but if we shield all students, who fills the roles when they're needed?"

"I would be honored to assist her; my friend. As for what you can do. The Force does provide our answers. But even our students teach us lessons. Where she goes, and what she accomplishes are the results of you. Your methods. It is testament to what you placed in her mind."

The Yinchorri took a few moments. Gathering his thoughts. "She will be safe and I will do all I can to provide the best guidance for her. From myself and others."

Wuxia Wukong

 

[Wuxia Wukong]

Wu took a breath and nodded.

"Xièxiè. Thank You. It is difficult to let go as a teacher after so long caring, guiding, nurturing another soul." Wu acknowledged

"I also wonder what will become of myself." Wu admitted "A part of me wishes I could go back to meditating in ancient Jedi temples, but… I think my time of doing so has passed. I may not agree with the Lightsworn about their methods, and galactic politics tires me to my bones, yet I can no longer pretend the galaxy isn't suffering. To go back to a temple or even a monastery secluded from the world, when I perhaps have the skills to be of assistance to some small few."

"If I can spend my life saving others that would be a worthy pursuit of the Force. Though saving even one life would be worthy."

"I had thought perhaps I might take a part time teaching position here at the Enclave? To recuperate from the field when necessary" Wu asked hopefully.

"Feng spoke to me with approval of the Lightsworns actions. It is not a path I would choose for her, but then it is not my place to choose for her." Wu sighed "The Lightsworn seem to pursue justice to the cause of vengeance."

Wu paused, lost in memory.

"My own master was once Sith." Wu said softly "I don't know why but somehow he turned aside from that path. If there was hope for him there is hope yet still for others."

"It is not just my own disapproval of their cause. I believe them to be too rigid for a free spirit such as Feng Huang. Though if it is a path she would seek I will not stand in her way. Despite my worry as someone who cares for her."

Wu gently played with one of the ferns gently, careful not to break it off, rubbing the soft stem between his fingers.

"I should like some of these for my own garden I think."

Wu let the fern go.

"I hope you will not be offended when I say you remind me of my old Master. He was Master Wu as well. Xuan Wu. Yinchorri such as yourself though from the Aakaash system. He taught me their language and some of their ways integrated with Jedi teaching."

Vodet Vodet

 

[Vodet]

Vodet was definitely the archetype of a retire adventuring Jedi who held an important role in his enclave now. His chambers were sparsely decorated for he cared all his memory of Padawans and adventures close to his heart.

What became of the teacher was up to them. "I stopped adventuring. I am around to support the Jedi where they need it. Leading from Kattada but providing others with my experience. It feels good to relax from a life of adventure." And still find his own meaning.

"I know after pushing back the One Sith, Master Starchaser worked to help set up governments but then went back to his exploration roots. Pushing science and knowledge is also a worthy pursuit."

Listening more, Vodet nodded. "I can use you here. Absolutely. And don't worry too far on her choice. If she values your teachings, and your intentions on how to bring her into the future of the Jedi are clear, Feng will make the right choice."

Even if sometimes younger Jedi needed to find their solution themselves. "We can provide you any of the plants here.

"And I was not aware your master was a Yinchorri as well. We as a people are not known for our acceptance of the Jedi way very often."

Wuxia Wukong

 

[Wuxia Wukong]

Wu nodded peacefully with acceptance and acknowledgement.

"Truthfully I admire you. I have perhaps dreamt of starting my own Enclave. Nothing as extensive as Kattadan perhaps. Just a small monastery with a class of younglings." Master Wu sighed "Though I have learnt that such isolation isn't healthy for young children of any kind."

"Perhaps a Praxeum ship." Wu considered thoughtfully. "Presuming I could find other Masters willing to join me."

Wu would prefer a quiet monastery, but he liked the idea of exploring the Galaxy with a class of younglings, padawans and masters. That way they wouldn't be as isolated. They could visit other enclaves and Jedi temples frequently. Though perhaps might lack stability.

Wu nodded it was worth thinking on.

Wu smiled a little nostalgically at the memory of his master.

"Yes he taught me much." Wu sighed "I'm afraid we did not part on the best of terms. I found out about his time as a Sith by chance. I felt betrayed."

Wu sighed and shook his head at the impertinence of youth.

"Now I would like to meet him again someday. Sit down have a cup of tea as we used to. Perhaps not even talk, just sit and enjoy a mountain valley view as we used to."

"Bah enough of this worry worting." Wu exclaimed raising his hand as if to wave away the bad mood, harnessing a bit of the force to do so. "You are right of course it does not do to dwell too much on fears that may never happen. Feng is a bright young girl. My concern for her sometimes gets in the way of trusting her to find her own path."

"Thank you for the offer of your plants. I should like a fern if it is not too much trouble." Wu nodded and clasped his hand behind his back. "I should like to chew on a leaf of fern I think."

"My species can digest many types of leaf and fruits. It helps when you're a vegetarian." Wu grinned.

Vodet

 

[Vodet]

“Having the platform of a temple wasn’t my goal originally. I was happy being a wayseeker. Seeking out where the Force brought me, and teaching what I could to who would listen. But I found myself always coming back to the Jedi. With the Republic? It made sense. Kattada was offering a home to explorers, and when Master Starchaser became a wayseeker full time and stepped away, I stepped in. The fit… fit?” Vodet smirked and nodded.

“But the message is more than the temple, or location. If you have something to bring forward, you should. Find a temple that lines with your ideals, or start your own enclave. The galaxy needs more Light.” Another second of consideration. “Or you could always stay on Kattada, base a ship out of here.” He tweaked a shoulder in a half-shrug.

Or would have been, had he been a no-shell.

“If you found your Master, and he was of the Sith, would he want to sit and talk?” Vodet had varying experiences with the other side like that. “I feel it would behoove you to prepare for Feng’s future, and maybe meeting with your past, can help you be ready when she needs to consult her own?”

Wuxia Wukong

 

[Wuxia Wukong]

Wu smiled and chuckled, his simian nature coming to the forefront.

"I suppose I was once a Wayseeker as well, though I had never considered myself as such up until this moment. My master and I would visit ancient Jedi Temples, study their ruins, their libraries if they were still intact, they're training grounds. I think my master believed our presence would help foster those planets that once had a Jedi presence and had since been abandoned by the great Jedi Orders."

Wu smiled fondly.

"Truthfully until Feng I had sought to continue on that path. She helped me realise the galaxy was greater than myself. That ignoring the greater powers and their conflicts was limiting myself, my service to the Force and my service to people."

Wu took a satisfied breath. He nodded.

"I meditated and considered carefully where to bring her. Kattada and the High Republic seemed the best fit."

"The fit, fit yes?" Wu grinned

"I thank you for the offer. I may yet take you up on it someday." Wu nodded satisfied with the discussion.

Wu's gentle face grew sad. He sighed.

"I once had a similar thought. Just before I met Feng. I believed the force was guiding me to his home system. The Aakaash system. I defended her village from raiders. I had my doubts about some of my allies on that particular quest, but the force guided me well for it lead me to Feng."

"I should very much like to see my master again. I have searched for him in the force, but I believe he must be hiding his presence in the force. I know not why. Perhaps the Sith are still hunting him for turning his back on their ways."


Vodet