Private New Faces, New Forces

[Jonyna Si]

Tython Jedi Temple, Temple Grounds

​

TAG: Alamie Hulo

New padawans. It had always been Valery Noble 's duty to greet them, but today Jonyna was doing it. Why? Because Jonyna had a promise to keep to Valery's kids. This new batch, due to a bit of scheduling shenanigans, was arriving damn near midnight. Jonyna had promised the kids that Val would start coming home early, and Jonyna was gonna make sure the Grandmaster kept to that.

Luckily, Jonyna didn't mind staying up. Cat naps, and a nice steak kept her awake enough to greet the new padawan.

Sitting in front of the landing pads, she watched the transport come down. Who would this new face be?

 

[Alamie Hulo]

Alamie buzzed with anticipation, the journey was nearly over and she was just about to begin her new life. For years she’d dreamed of leaving her home and venturing out into the great wide galaxy, but now that she was here it almost didn’t seem real.

As the transport made its descent, Alamie took a few deep breaths. She let her mind wander to what her future might look like: would she be a great swordswoman? A great pilot? A great diplomat? ‘You don’t need to be great’ she reminded herself, ‘shooting for the stars is enough.’

The cabin gave a light jostle signaling the end of the flight. Once the fasteners were released, Alamie all but leapt out of her seat. Desperate not to give her excitement away, she schooled her face into a neutral expression. As she walked towards the exit, her mother’s voice rang out in her head, ‘posture, Alamie.’ Right. Posture. She straightened up.

Alamie did her best to stride elegantly down onto the landing platform. She peered around, taking in the scenery. A shiver of awe ran down her spine as she took in the majesty of the temple.

A lone woman stood before the landing pad. Alamie approached her and bowed.

“I am Alamie Hulo. It is an honor to meet you, Master Jedi.” She smiled politely.

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Alamie Hulo

The Cathar looked to the padawan with an eyebrow raised. A Pantoran, a girl at that. Formal, but clearly nervous. "Rise, Alamie. No need to be so formal. Jonyna Si, Sentinel of Harmony." She offered with a nod. "Have you been to Tython before, or will this be your first time in the temple?"

The days of the old Jedi Order, padawans were trained first as younglings. While the order still honored that tradition, younglings nowadays were those who were offered by their parents willingly, rather than scouted by the jedi. More often than not, instead, it was cases like this. Teens who showed prowess in the Force, and chose to become a jedi.

It meant that training started much later, but it also meant that jedi were chosen out of a want, rather than a need.

 

[Alamie Hulo]

Tag: Jonyna Si

Alamie lifted her head and gave Jonyna a hesitant smile.

“I haven’t, this is my first time.” She straightened up, “Master Si.” She tacked on hastily.

It wasn’t like she was ashamed of where she was from or anything, but she also didn’t want to seem like some hick from a remote moon. She’d been off-world a time or two in her life but that was about it. She could be worldly, she was going to be worldly. And what would a master Jedi care anyways. Gosh, she really needed to get out of her own head.

“I am glad to have finally arrived.” Alamie added, almost bowing again out of habit.

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Alamie Hulo

"You're gonna throw your back out one day doing that." Jonyna teased. "Stand up, kiddo. Welcome to the order. Come on, I'll show you around." Jonyna gestured for the new padawan to follow her. "Most everyone is asleep by now, so you'll have to be quiet if you don't mind." She said as they walked up the main steps, into the main hall.

"So, what drives you to become a jedi, Alamie?"

 

[Alamie Hulo]

Tag: Jonyna Si

Alamie relaxed a little. She fell in step beside Jonyna, trying not to make too much noise. What drove her to be a Jedi indeed… She decided not to agonize over the perfect answer and just speak from the heart.

“I guess I just felt drawn to it.” She began softly, “I am the only force sensitive child in my family so I didn’t have a lot of guidance. I came here because I want to make something of that– learn to use it for real y’know?” She sighed. “I’ve always dreamed of being a hero and leaving some great legacy behind. It sounds a little childish now that I say it out loud.” she said, suddenly a little self conscious. “I want people to remember my name when I’m dead, I want people to be glad that I lived.”

She paused for a little while, letting the silence hang between them.

“It’s selfish, I think. But then again, no action is ever really altruistic when you dig deep enough.”

Realizing that her voice had gotten a little loud she whispered “Sorry, I’m rambling. What I mean to say is that I want to help people– as many as I can.”

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Alamie Hulo

To leave a legacy.

Selfish? Maybe. Relatable...

"I've already left mine. Before I became a Master, before I came out of the ice, my people were already carving murals of me into our home-tree. A right usually reserved for those of our myths and legends. I guess at some point, I became that. Didn't think about it at the time, but when I came out of the ice 900 years later, I saw it. Saw my legacy staring me in the face. Now I'm carving even more, and they're carving more murals." She paused, looking back to the padawan. "To be a hero, to make a legacy, it isn't a matter of doing it purposely. The harder you try, the less it happens. People will remember you as conceited, arrogant, selfish. To be a hero means doing it not because you want to be remembered, but because it was right, because it was obvious. Remember that, kid. That's my first advice. If you want that, good. Keep at it. Do it with as much gusto as you go. But don't let it drive you to do it without remember why you're doing it. To help people. To save the day."

 

[Alamie Hulo]

Tag: Jonyna Si

Alamie nearly tripped over her own feet. 900 years. She can’t even imagine.

She took a moment to mull over what Master Si had said. The history of the Jedi order is long and storied, she was stepping into their world to become a peacekeeper and guardian. The last thing she wanted was to let her ego get in the way of that. Especially when lives hang in the balance. For the first time since arriving, the weight of her decision bore down on her. A little voice in the back of her head whispered painful doubts into her ear: ‘You are not ready. You will only let them down. You will get someone killed. It’s not too late to back down.’ Looking up at the large hall she found herself in, she suddenly felt very, very small. Her pace had slowed considerably as well.

Maybe she should say something.

No. That wasn’t what Master Si’s warning meant. She wanted to help people, first and foremost. People like her family and community. People who didn’t have the means to defend themselves alone. That was who she was, that was why she was here. It wasn’t about her, it was about the ideals she held. She may not be remembered in 100 years but she will be part of something greater. She will be a Jedi.

She quickened her pace to catch up with Master Si. As they walked down through the hall, she looked up at her, and thought ‘I want to be like you.’

“That is very wise, Master,” She smiled, “Thank you.”

Just as she was about to say something else, her stomach growled.

“I don’t suppose there’s anything to eat at this hour?” she asked, sheepishly. ​

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Alamie Hulo

"Wisdom is just learned experience." Jonyna chuckled as she gestured to follow her deeper into the temple. "Of course. I can cook us something. How do you feel about soup?" It wasn't anything fancy, but it would mean they could help her make it, and make it how they would want.

Jonyna never felt wise. She never felt like a Master. Not because she didn't feel she had earned it, but rather, she never felt like the sage that Sylvar, or Kenobi, or Yoda had been. She still felt youthful, still felt like a rebel in some ways.

But maybe that was part of her wisdom.

 

[Alamie Hulo]

Tag: Jonyna Si

“Soup sounds wonderful!” Chirped Alamie.

The halls of the temple seemed endless, she hoped they were nearing a kitchen of some sort soon. If only she’d eaten before her flight. She supposed now might be a good time to ask some of her questions.

“What does life look like for a padawan?” She asked. “When can I start training with a lightsaber? I have this one,” she gestured at the saber on her hip, “it belonged to an ancestor of mine– some great great great uncle or something like that. Is it true that you have to construct your own? It would make sense, after all, to customize it.” Unable to stop the avalanche of questions from tumbling out of her mouth, Alamie pressed on. “Oh! And what are sleeping arrangements like? Will I have a roommate? I hope not. I've had to share a room with my three little sisters for way too long. Not that I have any problem with shared quarters! I am happy to share my space! And who knows? Maybe it would be a good opportunity to get to know my peers. Maybe not though, close quarters can really make or break a relationship–” She broke off.

“Oops! Rambling, sorry.”

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Alamie Hulo

Jonyna couldn't help but smirk idly as the padawan asked a barrage of questions. It reminded her of Braze in a way, but that was the padawan experience, one she had never had the chance to have. Being bright eyed and filled with wonder, lacking in experience, but filled with eagerness.

"I wouldn't know myself how life as a padawan was. My days as a padawan were spent fighting the Empire, running for my life, and living day to day. Padawans these days live a much more mundane life than I did. You'll have your own room, but it will be connected to a larger dorm you'll share with a few others, each with their own connected room. You're not expected to create your own saber, but you're encouraged to personalize your own." Jonyna smiled, pulling her own saber off her belt, showing it to the padawan. "This hilt was built by my own hand, but it's crystal has been passed down through my family for generations. Given to me by my mother, when I passed my trials as a knight."

She chuckled, looking down to Alamie. Jonyna had led them into a smaller kitchen area, normally reserved for masters and knights to get away and enjoy a quiet meal. "You're quite the spitfire, if you don't mind me calling you that. I've seen a few like you, but you're the first in a while."

 

[Alamie Hulo]

Tag: Jonyna Si

Alamie’s face lit up when she saw Master Si’s lightsaber. It was beautiful. Her excitement at learning the blade only grew. She’d had her saber since she was fairly young but she’d never had any proper training. She’d mostly swing it around in the snowy plains behind her village when she was sure everyone was sleeping. Now she’d get to spar for real! She could hardly wait.

Her mind then drifted to what Master Si said about sleeping quarters. She was relieved to hear that she would have a space of her own, something she hadn’t had since her sister, Pelle, was born. A shared common area sounded nice too; Alamie was looking forward to meeting the other padawans.

When they reached the kitchen, Alamie smiled at what she hoped was a compliment– or at least a neutral statement. A spitfire, huh? I could get behind that.

“Not at all, Master.” She said.

In any case, she was already feeling a lot more relaxed. Back home her general demeanor was frowned upon, but maybe it could be accepted here. She hoped so.

Her hunger reminded her why they were here. Soup. Right. She scanned the kitchen looking for a skin to wash her hands and readied herself for instructions. This would be the first trial of her padawan life! If only she weren’t a dreadful cook.

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Alamie Hulo

Jonyna could see the shine in those eyes. This one was gonna be a handful for whomever was chosen as her master, and Jonyna considered it herself. As she gathered the materials for the soup, she looked over. "Do me a favor, get a pot ready. Should be right in that drawer." She pointed to a low drawer, right at feet level. After a moment, she pondered it.

"So what kind of jedi would you like to be, Alamie?"

 

[Alamie Hulo]

Tag: Jonyna Si

Alamie grabbed the pot and dutifully went about setting it up. She hadn’t really considered with any kind of seriousness what sort of Jedi she wanted to be. She scrunched up her face a little and gave it some thought.

“To be honest, Master, I’m not sure.” Alamie confessed. “I’m rather indecisive, you see.”

Alamie brought the pot to the sink and filled it with water. The familiar weight of the pot reminded her of making soup back home with her mother. She brought the pot to the stove and then turned to face Master Si, resisting the urge to lean back against the counter.

“I want to do it all! I want to be someone on whom the order can rely, y’know?” She declared, placing her fist in her palm. “But, if there was one discipline I was really interested in, it would be fighting. I want to be able to defend myself and others.” She said grimacing at bygone memories of having her ass handed to her.

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Alamie Hulo

Jonyna let out a chuckle. "No one can do it all, not even Grandmaster Noble. A good jedi finds where they best fit, and specialize." Jonyna flicked her hand, snapping her fingers together as she raised it. A flick of flame ignited from the snap, floating above Jonyna's hand. "I'm an elementalist, and a specialist in two handed saber combat and Ataru. But I don't know a thing about technology, or mentalist abilities. Surely, you have something you already excel at, yes?"

 

[Alamie Hulo]

Jonyna Si

“Well,” Alamie began, “Define excel...” she laughed a little. Coming off as insecure was the very last thing she wanted– although, she was sure that ship had already sailed. Even after thinking on it, Alamie was embarrassed to find that she had very few skills that fit the image of ‘Jedi’ in her mind.

“I can do a few simple tricks.” She said, lifting a hand in the direction of the pot lid and gently guiding it into her grip. “I assure you, lifting a series of small objects seems much more impressive in a small village of non force users.” She smiled.

“I’d like to think I’m a quick study too,” Alamie added, “But that hardly feels like a concrete skill.” She turned to look at Master Si again. “When I really want something, It’s like nothing else in the world exists. It’s just me and the finish line and the space between us until I can finally reach it. So, it’s not really like I have things that I excel in per say, it's more that I strive to excel in certain things, so my perception is inherently warped.” It felt like a stupid sentiment the moment it came out of her mouth but she hoped Master Si would understand. “Sorry, that was a rather roundabout way of saying ‘I don’t know’.”

She cringed. “Well, it’s not that I don’t know. It’s more that I find it difficult to measure any success because it never really feels like enough.” ugh. That answer felt stupid too.

She straightened her spine, as she often did when trying to seem confident, “What I mean to say is I have had reason to work very hard at being a competent fighter and a well informed individual.” She declared, adopting her usual more stilted and formal manner of speaking.

She fell silent for a long moment, then dropped her shoulders “I’m overthinking this, aren’t I?”

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Alamie Hulo

While the padawan went on, Jonyna quietly got to work on the soup. A little bit of bantha meat, a pince of corellian spices, a bit of warm chicken stock, some pulled Wark. It was rhythmic to her, cooking. Something she could passion in even in her days as a rebel. One of the few creature comforts she had during those days.

"You are." Jonyna said simply. "Look at it like this." She said, still focused on the soup. "You're young. You won't know for a while, but it's better to start thinking about it now than it is worry about that you didn't later. I didn't become a padawan technically until I was 23. I was too busy fighting the Empire to find a teacher, not that it was easy to find one. Ended up having to train under a ghost, then my mom." She chuckled. "Your generation is lucky. And not in the 'oh you have it so easy' kinda way, but in the sense that like..." She paused, looking around the room. "You have all this. Everything you could ever need. Don't rush yourself kid, just...think about it. You'll find an answer eventually."

 

[Alamie Hulo]

Tags: Jonyna Si

---

Alamie nodded. She hadn’t considered how fortunate she was to come up in a time where Jedi were abundant. “Well, I look forward to training, then.” She said resolutely, “And figuring out where to specialize!” She gave Master Si a bright smile.

“Do you mind if I ask a few questions about using the force?” without waiting for a response, Alamie launched into it. “How do you determine aptitude for force abilities? Does that affect Jedi training? What skills are padawans expected to learn during training? What if your connection to the force isn’t strong enough?"

She paused for a moment. “And what do you mean ‘training under a ghost’? Like a real ghost?” embarrassment set in quickly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. You don't have to answer that one.”

---

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Alamie Hulo

Another moment of Jonyna just letting the kid ask questions. She chuckled, before answering. "A good jedi knight will know their padawan's aptitude simply by feeling them in the Force. Those more skilled with shine brighter, and those lesser can be trained. Don't let the Skywalkers fool you, even one weak in the Force can become a Jedi Knight without training. The Force is our friend, first and foremost. As for your training, you'll be expected to become self sufficient. Anything and everything you'd need to succeed as a jedi. Wisdom, experience, skills that would take you to do what needs to be done as a knight. How to swing a saber, how to survive a few days on a planet without tech, how to fly a starship. All these things will be taught to you."

Then she paused, stirring the soup one last time, before pulling it off the heat, and grabbing a pair of bowls from the drawers. "As for my masters, it started when I was trained by a Dathomiri woman, a rebel leader. She eventually moved on, but through her, I was led to the tomb of an ancient Jedi Knight, Sylvar. There, I met her ghost, and yes, a real ghost. Those who choose to stay behind, and manifest themselves through the Force, to train those who lived past them, or were born after their time. One day, I figure that'll be me."

She walked over, pulling a chair out from under a small dining table, then walking over and filling her bowl with soup. "Now, before you ask anything else, let's eat."