Next steps

[Kriel Firin]

The bloody civil war had been raging for thirty years. And in truth it was a continuation of a conflict that had lasted for centuries. The two warring peoples couldn't even agree on a name for their planet. The First Order were here for one reason. Wars were bad for productivity. They could not care less what the planet was called – they would rename it if need be.

Every town and city on the planet was hotly contested, with territory taken and lost in a continuing series of battles. The capital was under siege much of the time, as the boundaries between the two warring factions constantly shifted.

The mission ahead was more difficult and dangerous than usual, Kriel knew. This time, they had not been invited to settle a dispute. They were unwelcome. The last First Order envoy had been captured, perhaps killed. So this time they sent Knights of Ren. Their place in the galaxy was still shrouded in mystery – their presence anywhere typically covert and usually swift.

Kriel boarded the ship that would take them to the planet. It would be a long journey, taking in a few hyperspace lanes. Which afforded him time to speak with his apprentice. To understand how his training was going and to instruct him if the opportunity arose.

So Kriel placed his few items in one of the cabins and headed to the meeting area at the centre of the ship. Here he sat in his usual armour and mask and waited for the Disciple to arrive.

[member="Brennan Cabrol"]

 

[WolfMortum]

All former priorities had been pushed aside the moment he'd been given word of their pending venture, the Bastion had come to be a place of familiarity, the closest form of residence that he felt less at war with the galaxy around him while standing within; that tension however would quickly return upon being given such instructions. He was to meet [member="Kriel Firin"] aboard one of the Vessels in the First Order's possession, to disembark once having reached their intended destination and to aid his Master in securing the world for the Supreme Leader.

The Knights of Ren were in a class of their own where the First Order was concerned, the elite of the New Empire, they had been given this task because others had failed and on learning this, Brennan sought to come better prepared this time than he had upon the world of Lothal. Walking in stride, clad in black of leathers and armor-weave, he moved passed his fellow disciples to leave them all and to seek out their designated transport for the new assignment. His lightsaber hung loose, hooked to his belt and bouncing with a metallic clank every time that it hit the reinforced mesh around the sides of his legs. His dirk, the rather lengthy knife sheathed to his back just against his belt line, a much less graceful weapon that unlike the lightsaber, relied on smaller and faster attacks, a weapon of stealth more so than face-to-face battle.

The two hadn't spent much time in one another's company since the undertaking of his apprenticeship, his first assignment had been given to Brennan on the spot upon his initiation into the rank of the Desciples and from their his focus had turned to preparing for Lothal. The Mission itself had forced them into a confrontation with the Jedi of the Galactic Alliance, a complication that had been expected yet was part of their training and way of life, risking tooth and nail for the greater benefit of the First Order. Castor Ren had suggested they leave behind their lightsabers, Brennan had listened and obeyed yet as Kriel had told him before, their own safety was first and foremost their own responsibility, neither above nor below any other of the Knights of Ren, though there were superiors in the ranks he was not to be looked down upon and the suggestion at the time had been taken as an Order, something he had complied yet been alone in doing; it had left him seriously disadvantaged when the conflict in the Caves had come around yet also taught him his first significant lesson. Respect the goals and opinions of your fellow Ren yet rely only in yourself for safe keeping.

His boots sounded against the durasteel hull of the craft as Brennan made his approach towards the center, a timely arrival as it seemed his Master was only just now getting himself settled for the coming voyage. "Greetings...Kriel" Brennan spoke his name still with an ounce of reluctance, as was requested of him the first time he had bowed to show his loyalty to his new Mentor. Lowering his head in respect of the Knight of Ren, he did not hold the pose longer than necessary to negate any discord, instead moving towards the row of seating opposite his Master and turning to place his back to the wall, seated and looking ahead to await any further instructions or otherwise be briefed on the details of the new mission.

 

[Kriel Firin]

Behind his mask, Kriel was meditating. It was an act that served two purposes. Firstly it deepened his connection with the Force – essential as he developed his abilities as a Knight of Ren. And secondly, it allowed the Force to alert him of his Disciple’s presence – which it duly did as he approached the ship. In the limited time they’d spent together, Kriel had a handle on the young man’s Force aura. It was no greater a bond than that at present, but it allowed him to pick the young man out of a crowd even if he could not see him. In time it would assist in telepathic communication – even alert him if his acolyte was in danger, and could one day transcend the current short physical distance and allow them to connect in basic ways across the galaxy.

But for now he prepared for the arrival of Brennan and he smiled behind his mask as the Disciple used his name. He was sure the young man still found the use of his name uncomfortable, but in time he suspected it would become second nature.

Kriel was facing the entrance to the room he was sitting in and nodded his acknowledgement of Brennan’s arrival.

“Before we begin the mission briefing– ” Kriel paused momentarily as the ship made all of the appropriate noises to suggest it was preparing for take-off, “I thought it prudent to talk. Not about the planet we are due to visit but about you and your progress. To begin with, tell me about Lothal.”

[member="Brennan Cabrol"]

 

[WolfMortum]

The floor vibrated beneath his steel capped boots, a slight sway noticeable by the movement of his shoulders as the vessel departed from the Bastion and they were soon at the point of no return, everything being pushed into motion, it felt good to have another goal, another direction to pursue. [member="Kriel Firin"] soon spoke up, suggesting that his instructions would come soon enough but that he wished to know of what had happened upon Lothal. Brennan's gaze turned away from his Master, cold eyes sweeping through out the vessel from beneath the black and white mask that he bore, searching for any sign of those that might be listening to them. Naturally Kriel had already assured their privacy though he had learned already to rely wholly on another, they were all flawed in their own standards that others would always fail to meet them completely.

"[member="Castor Ren"] led the expedition, there with several other Knights of Ren as well as a couple of the Disciples alongside myself" He began; without the influence of onlookers, his words came easily as was asked of him. "There was a Sith Knight there with us I believe, one Darth Veles if I am not mistaken. Our infiltration was silent and successful. The ship that Castor had procured for us gave no hint of deceit and so it was not until we arrived at the location of the Cave system that we ran into opposition...", it had been the first time that Brennan had seen those of the Jedi Order since his enslavement under the Sith Regime back on Svivren so many years ago. He had expected the fight to come at far greater personal cost and yet been met with nothing but purpose. If they were to stand in his way, he were to cut them down for the sake of the mission that he had been given. It had not been personal, simply another obstacle set before him.

"The Jedi of the Galactic Alliance were there, members of their Order with the same goal as ours I suspect. They treated the crystal as though it was personal property to the Galactic Alliance..." It had seemed strange to him, as if the very earth of the world had been claimed as their property. You could govern over a world but the nature of the Force was a far greater monarch and all, natural and living beckoned to no one groups claim. Dirt was dirt, stone was stone and alike these both, Crystals were a rock formation bred through nature; to Brennan's mind it belonged to no man least they find it and earn it through such means. "They refused to allow us to leave with the Crystals, thus we were forced into a confrontation and during which, the Caves were brought down upon us. We escaped though only by Force did we all make it. Our cover was blown but the objective you set before me was not a failure, I did all that was in my power to see that the others returned from the mission".

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel listened to Brennan. He had already received an update on the mission and was keen to hear both Brennan’s account – to see if it correlated – but also wished to understand what aspects were pertinent to Brennan. To find out what aspects he felt were most important to share – as well as any learning he had taken from the expedition.

With an inability to convey he was listening through any facial tells, Kriel nodded at regular intervals to confirm he was paying attention to the recounting.

Occasionally Kriel smiled at what he heard – not that this reaction could be shared with his apprentice.

Finally, when he was sure that Brennan had finished, his body relaxed slightly and he spoke. “It is odd that Jedi, whose very Code reeks of the willingness to forgo personal wealth and to eschew any attachments – including material things – should be so protective of a resource that is not even theirs. They should learn to let go of everything they fear to lose.” The fact that he had just cracked a joke did not resonate in his voice. Perhaps he meant it as an observation as opposed to sarcasm?

Regardless, he continued. “And you have done well to have returned and played your part in ensuring the remainder of the party escaped too. I suspect the Alliance will put the raid down to a bunch of Sith looking around. The presence of the former Sith Lord – the Mon Cal – will only add to that likelihood.”

“Now, please tell me of your training thus far and where we might best focus our efforts to raise your performance above that set as standard by the Academy.” It was not a criticism of the training approach to the Disciples, but an understanding that group teaching provides generic training. As Brennan’s Master, it fell to Kriel to maximise his Disciple’s abilities.

[member="Brennan Cabrol"]

 

[WolfMortum]

"The Jedi talk to much about the preservation of peace in the galaxy and balance within the force...-That statement alone is a contradiction of itself" Brennan could've spat the words out, his response came without thought, his head turning to look away from [member="Kriel Firin"] while the dark side of the force seemed to swell around him, fueled by his resentment over the past. "I know their teachings intimately but even on Lothal I was surprised how little it took for them to bring the attack against us..." his body language spoke volumes, leaning forward to press his elbows into his thighs, hunching forward as the vessel moved with a quietly frustrating and consistent rumble, still his eyes averted from his superior. He did not speak it but within himself, he regretted not having the moment to sink the blade of his Dirk hilt deep into the body of a Jedi, as if that action would have sealed his new path and separated this life from the last, to bring full inclusion of his self into the enveloping cold that was the Dark Side of the Force.

A moment of silence passed between he and his mentor within the Knights of Ren before Kriel began to commend him for his time on Lothal, his participation with the mission. The inclusion of the Sith Lord, Darth Veles did indeed offer some sort of an alibi yet offered Brennan little comfort as he felt more disgust towards the Sith than he did the Jedi. The line was very thin between the two as far as he was concerned, having had so much history with both of the organizations, it had been the Sith to torment and torture him, abuse and embarrass him inside captivity that it didn't take much to know where his priorities lie should he have the opportunity to attack either one of them. The truth was that above his hatred, he felt the galaxy was better off without either side. Truly the Knights of Ren offered him the greatest comfort in knowing his allegiance and his efforts would not be misplaced for a cause corrupted of itself and flawed.

"Much of my experience comes from the Jedi Order" he answered plainly and truthfully in response to Kriel's intrigue over his current training and progress. "I know much of the theory surrounding their lifestyles, my former Master taught me many aspects of the lightside of the force ranging from telepathy to telepathic communication, curato salva and tutaminus...-My experience in the Dark Side of the Force however...-I still have a great deal to learn. I feel I've barely scratched the surface of how truly powerful the Knights of Ren are...".

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel nodded as his Disciple spoke and he offered words of advice where relevant. “Do not confuse a cause with a person. The Jedi believe in balance because it is true. Dark and light have been pitted against each other for millennia and neither has triumphed. And neither will. What they cannot see is the futility of their struggle with the Sith. Each side is focused on taking the other out. Yet they are both doomed to failure. We, on the other hand, operate in a vacuum. We do not seek to eradicate Sith or Jedi. We do the Supreme Leader’s bidding and aid in the establishment of order in the galaxy.”

“But individual Jedi are no more light-sided than I am. They wear a badge as if that makes them something special. A bantha may live in a cave, but that does not make it a Krayt Dragon. It’s actions define it, not where it calls home.”

Kriel allowed the silence to hang for a while, aware that reflection was invariably a useful tool. “Your eyes can deceive you,” Kriel said, offering an old Jedi saying, “But your heart rarely does.” The ending of the quote was not a Jedi one. “You can trick your mind that whatever you are doing is right, but your heart invariably knows the truth. As does the Supreme Leader. Anyone who says differently is a liar and a fool – and arguably the latter is the key.”

“But do not be afraid to learn. From the Jedi and the Sith. Take their strengths and none of their weaknesses. The Jedi have many techniques, although their focus is on preserving life. The Sith, on the other hand, are more comfortable destroying.”

Kriel glanced around the room and noticed a bowl of fruit. He gestured and a large piece floated across the room. When it was between them, Kriel closed his fingers and the fruit disintegrated into a pile of pulp. “Force Choke, a distant cousin of Telekinesis. Summon a piece of fruit and your lesson can begin.”

[member="Brennan Cabrol"]

 

[WolfMortum]

If the Jedi of the Galactic Alliance were anything like the Jedi of his past, it was true that without the constraints of the temple and those walls who some comfortably reminded him of his former dedication to the Order, were to fall away then those members house within would be likely to take matters into their own hands; yet he had always thought the Jedi had been more stead fast in their faith of their own teachings before being sent to Lothal. It seemed clear to him now that perhaps the faith of his former peers in life had not been quite as tangible as his own. Even in the darkness where everything had been taken from him, he had found a means to survive, to return to the path that would put Order and peace on top yet not allow harm to come to others where it could be helped. Under the regime of the First Order, Brennan saw security and above all, that was what the galaxy needed in his mind, and most certainly what he had been lacking at the time himself. Now with a little more leg room to move about, so to speak, [member="Kriel Firin"] brought another question to mind. Speaking on the Supreme Leader, how was one to know what his ambitions were or how he knew such things that the Jedi Order could not. Sitting there, he gazed back to his superior with a moment of intrigue before his attention would soon be shifted towards the table not so far from them.

"Forgive me..." He began to speak while reaching out with his left hand and channeling the flow of the force through his arm, his mind quietening to connect with the presence of life in the ship around them and eyes narrowing, focusing upon the fruit itself that it would lift from the others within the bowl and slowly float towards him, "But is it not one in the same technique? A sustained hold through telekinesis, gradually applying pressure to all sides until..." he caught it with a gentle pat against his gloved hand, crushing it not as that had not been his instruction yet turning to look back to his Master, the tilt of his head might have suggested that he were quite ready to.

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel nodded as his Disciple spoke. “Yes, they are related. You will find many Force abilities overlap, it is a facet of the fact that we all approach techniques from a slightly different perspective. Force Sense and Sight are commonly covering the same ground.”

“And Choke is, as you suggest, a Telekinetic attack via the Force that could be used to crush a living being’s throat. In effect you choke them. And some Jedi use the technique.”

“But it varies in its application the more advanced you become. Initially, you will need a line of sight – as with Telekinesis. But if you develop the ability, you could in theory perform it on someone you can see, even if you’re not in the same room. Via a viewscreen for example.”

“And if you develop further, you only need to be able to sense the victim.”

“And then, once you have mastered this ability, you can move on to Force Grip and then Force Crush. In theory you can develop them concurrently, but I would recommend a degree of proficiency with one before you move on to the next.”

“So, given you have the basics, the next step is to perform the technique on something you cannot see. Close your eyes and single out a piece of fruit. Lift it and then crush it.”

[member="Brennan Cabrol"]

 

[WolfMortum]

He listened and as expected, sat back to close his eyes and obey his Masters instructions as best to the letter as he could. Within the flow of the Force around them, Brennan still relied on much of the techniques of his training within the Jedi Order. Through his many sessions of meditation alongside those that had sought to help him grow in the force, their words of encouragement flowed to his mind, a memory he had not lost as were many, whispers of the quiet, of inner peace and discouraging all passions in order to truly listen to the veil of life in the light.

This however, he could no longer abide by. It was maddening and though it meant not to be, it caused him to stumble within. With his eyes closed, his hands subconsciously gripped at the loose sides of his leggings, had his gauntlets not covered his hands, [member="Kriel Firin"] would have seen them whiten around the knuckles. Within the aggravated trance however, it was likely enough that his Master would sense his frustrations. In this personal disobedience of past teachings, Brennan chose to seek out something completely opposite of the Jedi ways. His anger churned slowly, it threatened to rise up and become something physically noticeable, thus he shut himself off completely. The Force ceased to flow within him, as if his blood had slowed to a halt in his veins, he chose to deny his thoughts for the sake of the objective at hand; not to let them go but to silence them altogether in contemptuous denial. The first piece of fruit that he had claimed, began to roll off of his lap, falling to the floor with a wet thud against the durasteel hull, this interference causing Brennan to react without so much of a thought, letting his instincts throw him into action and reaching out swiftly with his left hand, he called to himself any tangible spherical object within the direct of the fruit bowl.

It was out of haste, it was a juvenile tantrum at the past that had failed him and yet with a loud slap against the polished inner leather that covered his palm, his fingers wrapped around the apple so tightly that the outside cracked and his hand left a slight print at the grip. Alarmed, his eyes snapped open and his mind caught up with what he had done. Though too wearing a mask, he turned to look towards his Master, his hand and the piece of fruit within slowly descending to his side, shoulders falling and silence continuing before them. It wasn't rocket science to see in the form of Kriel Firin that the man was observing him closely, no doubt he had missed nothing of this little spat...-The Jedi Order remained a stain in his mind that he had yet to recover from.

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel sensed serenity in his Disciple. Meditation was a technique taught to both Sith and Jedi – but their approach and what they got from it was vastly different. Both looked to empty the mind of external thoughts but a Sith did not seek peace and calm, instead they looked to fuel a negative emotion that would deepen their connection to the Force and hone their control over it.

But soon enough, Kriel was aware of negative emotions pushing the stillness aside. Each dark-sider used a different set of emotions to fuel their control of the dark side. Anger and hatred were common and in Kriel’s experience, fear was the most powerful. It was the most risky too – but harnessed, it was significantly greater than any other emotion.

And Kriel watched as Brennan generated many of the emotions he would have expected to use to control the Force – yet his Disciple failed. He failed in one specific way.

“If the Force is the fuel, your emotions are the heat that create the fire. The Force is ever-present and so you don’t have to worry about providing it. Your emotions, on the other hand, need to be controlled. At present, they are controlling you. You are their servant – be it petulance or some anger aimed at your past. Regardless, they are not under your control. You need to learn to harness them. To allow them enough oxygen so that you can use them to control the Force and not enough so that you become consumed in the flames.”

“You are like the rider of a thoroughbred,” Kriel continued, changing the metaphor. “Are you riding it or are you a helpless passenger? You would be better off on a cart-horse if you can’t exercise control. Repeat the exercise and this time remember who is in charge.”

His voice had remained eerily calm. In his experience, Brennan had sufficient emotion to work with, and to anger him further was like adding a second horse to the equation. What his Disciple needed was a firmer grip on the reins.

[member="Brennan Cabrol"]

 

[WolfMortum]

Brennan stared back at [member="Kriel Firin"] through his mask, a wealth of arrogance and pride building up around him, all wounded by his failure and refusal to give in to such a ridiculous fault. Reaching out, his gaze did not leave his Master while the force strengthened around him and for a brief moment, Kriel might feel anger or resentment directed at he himself for the criticism. They both knew it was his place and before him, Brennan was a mere disciple and yet to have it shown to him that he was a mere passenger aboard some emotional pony express, it angered him enough so to reach out for the fruit, his instincts his only guide and drawing the fruit up into the air, it crushed in on itself with a spray of juices; Brennan's hand tightening forcefully into a clenched fist only to open again and only now turn to look back at the bowl a ways off from them as the crushed apple dropped back down atop the rest showering them all in its remains.

His arm returned to his side and leaning forward, he pressed his elbows into his knees. It was possible that this latest mission had thrown him somewhat, seeing the Jedi in all their truth, the evidence of their hypocrisy and the waste of most of his life so far spend under them had begun to boil as some sort of tormented obsession. He couldn't tell anymore who he blamed more for his incarceration and abuse under the Sith; had the Jedi been better capable then none of that would have happened. Both were as equally damnable in his eyes and the First Order offered a path of reason and strength, not blind faith and cynicism towards the unknown.

"What do you require of me for this mission?".

He changed the subject, forgetting himself and pushing his focus ahead to the day to come. Thus far he had been kept in the dark though that was no doubt the case for the unproven such as he, disciples told that they were equal yet they knew the expectations on them or they did not last. He was glad to be fully armed today, Lightsaber and Dirk both. Perhaps some of that pent up anger and resentment could be better directed rather than reacting so vulnerable as he had. A life taken from him, years of enslavement and shame under the enemy; Brennan could already see it in himself and knew he needed to release it all somehow. His old Jedi Master's image came to mind and his shoulders tensed up, his aura immediately darkening though his gaze dropped to avoid his Masters study.

"I will do what is required of me".

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel observed the show of temper with dispassion – Brennan had enough for both of them right now. What the Disciple showed was potential, but for Kriel that was not enough. In fact, it was nowhere near enough, and he planned to share that fact.

“Consider two Disciples. One gifted, powerful with the Force. The other is mediocre. Which would you choose to tutor?” Kriel held up a gloved hand to show he was not expecting an answer.

“What if I told you that the former was gifted but lacked control. The latter, on the other hand, worked tirelessly to perform each and every task. What would be your decision then?”

“The dark-side is a tool – no more and no less. It is important that you control it. And to control it, you need to control yourself, more specifically your emotions. Draw on them and control them. You achieved the task but how you accomplished it is as important as what you did. That was the true lesson here, not the…” He waved his hand in a casual manner and the remainder of the fruit exploded in the bowl.

“What I expect of you on this mission is to exercise control. Internally your emotions can be unleashed but externally I advise you to keep them under wraps. It can be viewed as a sign of weakness. If you are to succeed, you need to be strong. I can show you the way, but only you can deliver.”

“Have you tried meditation?”

[member="Brennan Cabrol"]

 

[WolfMortum]

The question between prowess in the Force and self-control, both were required to become truly powerful yet mediocrity could get you killed.

"Self Control can be taught...-With time and effort, patience...Honed." Brennan replied, the face of his mask drifting back to [member="Kriel Firin"], reluctance built up around him for the statement that he returned to his Master. He wasn't eager to acknowledge his faults, least of all his pride and perseverance were what had taken him this far and to relinquish those, were to accept defeatism. "I assure you Kriel, I will show no weakness to those that oppose the First Order", perhaps he had allowed himself to let his guard down to much with his mentor; those outside of the First Order however were another story entirely. Brennan was damned if he were to allow any other to manipulate his life as had the Sith and he would fight tooth and nail to see himself reimbursed, an example of rock bottom climbing back to full strength.

Having been the victim to his own failure to protect himself in the past, what pride that he still clung to was what had pulled him to his feat every time the Sith had beat him. It was what had kept him from dying when they had starved him and what had ultimately lead him back to Svivren to discover everything once loved, lost. It was what burned within him and fueled his anger and resentment against both sides of the warring infrastructures and with the decision to turn his back on them all, he had found the First Order. Call it arrogance, but he could not do without the core part of him that still sought out progress, and the means to be someone for something that mattered.

"Meditation..." he soon added, a whisper to himself as he thought back to the Jedi of Svivren; "The Jedi Order practiced this, all students were taught the basics in order to learn the core principles of the Force, control being the first of them", any and all practices that he had taken part in had only been for the sake of drawing from the light side of the Force, he knew not the ways of the Dark Side nor how to lure strength and focus from it outside of the unrealistic ideals of his former company and life.

"Do the Knights of Ren not differ in their methods?".

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel listened to Brennan’s words. The Disciple knew so much and yet was his own worst enemy when it came to fulfilling his potential.

“The history books are littered with the names of Jedi and Sith alike with great potential but that lacked control.” Behind his mask he smiled ruefully. “Actually they aren’t. Why? Because such individuals never troubled the scholars to document their existence. But the chronicles do list the name of many who were only average when it came to their power but who knew their limits and capitalised on every ounce of their abilities.”

“And there is the lesson, right there. Control has to become innate. You will have to teach yourself, because at some crucial moment, you won’t have me or another Ren there to coach you or to remind you. You must find a way to harness your immense power all by yourself.”

“I can show you techniques and strategies, but which ones work only you can tell. And I am not saying bury your emotions or your potential – but always be the one in charge of it, not the other way around. Self-destruction is a common cause for Jedi and Sith to fail.”

“And first you should embrace your successes. All that you have overcome to be here now. Do not deny them, celebrate them. For what made you what you are today is part of what makes you great and will continue to make you great.”

“And my second tip is meditation. But not in the Jedi way. Behind my mask and under my armour, I am covered in burns and scars. I require daily medical attention. The physical pain and the emotional discomfort of the limitations of my body are daily challenges. So I channel them into my meditation. I do not seek peace and tranquillity. I seek perfection. I use the pain to hone my focus. When I meditate, I am connected to the dark side most acutely. After meditation I have supreme confidence but also control. I use meditation to harness those emotions, to call upon when I need them. Like a muscle memory of sorts.”

“A Jedi is taught to clear their mind of emotions and thoughts. That is their definition of control. We, on the other hand fuel our emotions and thoughts. To use them to manipulate the Force. That is our definition of control.”

[member="Brennan Cabrol"]

 

[WolfMortum]

'For what you are today, is what makes you great....'.

Such words had not been spoken to him in a vast amount of time, it drew out a long silence in Brennan, disbelief and uncertainty coursing throughout him. What was he, today. There in that moment, what exactly was it about him that made him so great? [member="Kriel Firin"] mentioned one thing above all else. He had overcome embarrassment and pain, years worth only to make clear his failings as a former Jedi Pupil. He had survived somehow where once he had sat beaten and bloodied in a cage wishing for death...

What he knew of the Jedi way of doing things, did not amount to much when concerning the new path he had undertaken since. A disciple was treated the same as any other of the Knights of Ren, only lacking the clearance and authority of his superiors, yet for whatever knowledge he might have had, he still felt very much like the initiate who had been brought into the Svivren Enclave all those years ago, helpless and uncertain.

His little corner of the vessel physically darkened, the lights flickering in response to the build up of emotion, the ripple that the Force sent out around him. His mouth moved behind his mask, almost releasing an audible sneer in contempt of himself though resigning for a smug and dissatisfied glare at the floor between his boots, his arms pressing down into his knees as he sat hunched forward, pondering the words that Kriel spoke to him with attentive care.

"How does one let their emotions fuel their prowess within the Force, without losing themselves to it in the process..." He spoke up, his anger still easily felt for the more experienced of the pair, though Brennan doing his best to suppress it as much as possible. The Jedi had often lectured him of ones passions drowning out all conscious reason, it sounded like a typical lecture at first but then he had later witnessed just how unpredictable even Jedi could become when emotional. The Dark side of the Force was the epitome of Anger, fear and deceit as far as the Order had been concerned and the Sith had done nothing to dissuade that impression from him, thus Brennan had to question his chances. In all his vulnerability, how could he draw power from such instability without doing more harm to himself than good.

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel noted that his Disciple was calling on the Force. It was understandable and it was inevitable. Brennan was at a tipping point – and the Knight of Ren knew it. His progress could go one of two ways and unlike the Sith, who would no doubt leave him to it, determining that if he were worthy, he would pull through, Kriel was a Ren.

“Some say that the power of the dark side comes at a price. That every day you die a little quicker than you would if you did not access that power. It is an old saying that the candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long.”

“The question is, is that a trade-off you’re prepared to make? Too many ignore the fact and pretend it does not exist. But it does. And I’m not suggesting you’ll die an early death – but using the dark side is something of an addiction, and like most drugs, it has long-term effects. The most likely impact is on your appearance. You will look to age quicker – and if you are vain, there are ways around that – but at an additional cost.”

“But consider the positives.” Kriel’s voice was low and passionless, his mask dehumanising his voice. “Consider what you will achieve in your lifetime and what the Order will attain. The key – the only key – is control. You must learn to harness all of your emotions and to maximise them, whilst at the same time ensure that you are in control. Of your emotions and of the Force. Otherwise you will lose yourself and you will self-destruct.”

“The path to the dark side is easier than the light and it is infinitely more seductive. You must learn to control your speed along that path. Too quick and you will crash and burn. But I implore you to embrace your emotions and realise your true power. And with my guidance you can achieve it.”

[member="Brennan Cabrol"]