Nineteen is no age...

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus returned from Tython and saw a dejected figure sitting at the star-port, clearly waiting for a shuttle out of Ossus. Seeing the person and having just caught up with her personal logs, she figured she knew who it was.

A prospective Padawan had been rejected for a combination of Force Sensitivity and age. Corvus frowned and thought of her own little sister, discarded by the Academy on Corellia and how that particular scenario played out. So she walked over and using Force Sense and Force Sight appraised the girl's potential. It was, in Corvus' opinion, the wrong decision to send her away, but to challenge the decision of the Academy was not smart - even if you were its HeadMaster. So she had only one option available to her.

Reaching the girl, she bowed politely. "Corvus," she simply introduced herself as - and smiled widely. "And as odd as this sounds, please do something for me." She unclipped her saber and handed it to the girl. "Just the one thing, please activate it for me." Corvus indicated the switch that needed to be pressed and stood back - just in case she was accidentally impaled by the violet coloured blade.

[member="Moira Kataline"]

 

[Moira Kataline]

Ossus Spaceport

Ideally, she had gotten rejected by the high council of Ossus. Of course, it was all because of her age. She had showed them that she had knowledge of two core powers, Force Push and Force Pull. That wasn't good enough to gain her entrance. She sat down with the idea that she was unwanted, or maybe that she would have to run to Korriban to make any progress in Force training. Something changed, however, some sort of presence she couldn't figure out yet instilled hope. Perhaps it was this Battle Meditation thing she had heard tales about? She smiled softly, although it had been clouded by sadness.

A woman approached her, and upon sight, they looked roughly the same age. Upon introduction, Moira stood and looked toward the female. "Moira."

The request that was next made, had shocked her. She was being offered a lightsaber. She took a few steps away and held out her hand, and pulled the hilt toward the respective hand. When the hilt made contact with the hand, Moira's grip tightened around it with a gentleness that would become a mere deception in the future. Her thumb slid onto the activation switch, and pressed it. The lightsaber had hummed to life, held relatively still in her right hand, her left hand taking its position under the right.

Foot positioning changed slightly, her right foot moving back a few centimeters, her knees with a slight bend. The lightsaber was held slightly high, showing that of a "strong" fighting style. "How is this?"

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Of course, Moira no doubt thought she’d been rejected by the Jedi High Council – but as Corvus was the GrandMaster, she knew that wasn’t the case – but paperwork tended to carry the weight of the office and so that was no doubt how it appeared.

“Well Moira, the funny thing is, I’m not interested in your stance right now.” Corvus reached up and took the saber from Moria and deactivated it with a hiss-snap. She opened up the hilt to reveal two crystals – both violet in hue.

Spoiler

“One of these is a Solari crystal – a very old Solari crystal. It only works for those who are truly Light-sided. For me that is the only test I needed to perform to decide if you were suitable to be my Apprentice – assuming you accept of course.” She paused and smiled again. “You see there are many in the galaxy that call themselves Jedi. And they behave differently to us and believe in slightly different things. Does that make us right and them wrong, or vice versa? No, I don’t believe so. We all walk slightly different paths. I would be a poor Jedi if I decided my view was any more valid than theirs. They have as much right to call themselves a Jedi as I do.”

“But what defines us here in the Jedi Order is that we’re the guardians of peace and justice in the Galactic Republic. Some Jedi see their remit as wider – having jurisdiction over the whole of the galaxy. We are a little more modest and also non-political. I suspect they see their role more akin to the New Jedi Order, created by Master Skywalker in the wake of the great Jedi purge - when there was no Republic to serve. But now there is, and that’s why we’re here.”

“So, what do you say?”

[member="Moira Kataline"]

 

[Moira Kataline]

Moira had moved to take position next to Corvus as she was spoken to. She glanced to the lightsaber, watching the two purple stones get removed from their fixtures. "Why do yo take interest in me? The council has already told me to go back to my home world." Moira was curious as to why the Jedi had been willing to have this sitdown, not realizing who she was in the presence of. She closed her eyes. "The truth is I may not even be cut out for this. For starters, I've always had to get around doing the one thing I despise, killing. I'm a pacifist, and I've had to take bounties to survive. I put my feelings aside, knowing that I would be doing the Galaxy justice, but it feels wrong in the end. As a jedi, I'm expected to learn how to fight, but I'm not a fighter."


She looked over to Corvus and smiled. "I will say, that Solari is fascinating. I am still curious as to why you wished to test me to see if I am worth the training."

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus stared off into the distance. “We are all able to make mistakes. Whoever made the decision to turn you down for further development made one. But there is no value in looking back at that judgement call. All that matters is the future.”

She looked back at the young woman sitting next to her. “My best friend is called Kana. She was 21 when she came here and had no idea she was Force-sensitive until that point. So 19 is no age, OK? What matters most is your heart. You have a Light-sided disposition and with your natural abilities we can turn you into the best Jedi you can be. For that was my test, I needed to see into your heart – and I liked what I saw.”

“Your concerns are honourable but needless. The Council will not challenge my decision to take you as a Padawan. And don’t worry – I’m not going to break the rules. You’re going to stay here and learn to become a Jedi. And my next point is that our primary role is to be a peace-keeper. A Jedi never uses the Force to attack, only to defend. And I know of at least one Master who can’t use a saber – she’s our Chief Healer.”

“So, are you prepared to unpack and work very, very hard?”

[member="Moira Kataline"]

 

[Moira Kataline]

She smiled and wiped a tear of joy away that had began to make its way down her left cheek. She was honored that she was wanted and she would have hugged Corvus, if she wasn't a Jedi. She then relaxed herself and took a deep breath. "I'm surprised, elated, and a excited. I accept. Thank you, master." She would add the master portion in, signifying her want to transition into the life of a Jedi. "So, now what? I didn't really think passed this point." She softly laughed and stood, waiting for the company of Corvus to guide her. Her pack slung onto her back and she held out her hand to offer to help Corvus up. "I owe you. You've changed my life more than you know."

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus sensed a hug. Six years ago she would have felt uncomfortable at the prospect but the newer Corvus was taking such things more in her stride.

The tear surprised Corvus but then every Padawan reacted differently. Corvus listened to the questions and accepted the hand to help her up. Corvus wondered just how old she looked! But she smiled good-naturedly and said, “Tell you what, how about we drop your bag off and I give you the grand tour. We can find out about each other along the way and then you can decide what’s next. You see, I can advise you, but you need to make the decisions – it’s your life after all. And you own me nothing, OK? You'll be the one that changes your life and if you let me help you, I'll owe you.”

As they left the hangar, Corvus asked, “So what do you think the life of a Jedi is all about?”

[member="Moira Kataline"]

 

[Moira Kataline]

Corvus didn't look old at all, maybe teens-early twenties. Moira was just being polite in her actions. After all, no one had to take a second look at her. "You say I don't owe you.... but if you hadn't given me this chance, I would have gone back to being a bounty hunter just to survive. You took me away from something I found distasteful. You helped me to find my purpose."

Moira realized that she was starting to avoid the serious question placed and cleared her throat. "The life of a Jedi is hardship. Jedi are keepers of the light. They constantly battle the darkness and those who bring evil in their wake. They resist temptations that most beings succumb to.They do not pride themselves over what they can do. They only do what they must to protect innocents. Temptation is an easy path to go down. and us, as Jedi have pledged ourselves that we would not use our abilities for selfish causes."

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus laughed, "We'll have to agree we'll help each other and owe each other one, OK?"

"And as to the life of a Jedi, as I see it? It is the best of lives. It is about sacrifice - but for me it is worth it. If you do it right and it means something to you, it will never feel like hardship. But otherwise you've got a good grasp of what we strive for. And forgive all of the questions but it's a good way to find out about each other, so I'll ask you one now and when you answer you can ask me one back and we'll continue like that until we're done, OK? Except that wasn't my question." She laughed again.

"Please tell me where you're from and a little about you." Corvus continued to walk slowly as they were approaching the gate that marked the entrance to the grounds.

[member="Moira Kataline"]

 

[Moira Kataline]

"My name is Moira Kataline, I'm nineteen and I'm a rare case.. I'm Felucian. My mother and father went to Felucia during a war. And some time during the war, I was born. I remember seeing Republic troopers destroying tinnies that day. It's ironic. I was born in a war, yet I grew to become a pacifist. I remember the Republic lost. My mother and father died protecting me from a thermal detonator. I should have been dead with them. A Republic Jet Trooper rescued me from the fray and took me in as his daughter. The day he died, I ran away. I didn't want to be around people who I could become close to and lose in the blink of an eye. It wasn't long after that I was forced to work as a bounty hunter to pay for my living." She smiled, it was a bit of a sad smile, but it was one of someone who could relax a little after having a trying past.

"Your turn. Please, tell me a bit about you." She requested, after all she wanted to learn a bit about who would be teaching her.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus listened to Moira’s story. It was of course unique to her but aspects of the tale were all too frequent. The fact that Corvus lost her parents and most of her siblings to a bounty hunter who was determined to collect on the reward for a Jedi was not one for sharing at this point however.

“I’m a Corellian by birth – there’s a lot of us about. I was raised at their Academy as a Youngling but left aged 14 and came to Ossus to study. I left my home planet because my first Master died and I lost my way a little. But I found myself here and I’ve been here what, eleven years now and risen through the ranks. I’m a traditional sort of Jedi and have an unjustified reputation for being strict. I’m just thorough.” She smiled at this point.

And then they approached Clarity Gate, a trapezoid shaped arch that fronted the courtyard and was decorated with a fountain that formed the entrance to the grounds. As an entrance to the Academy, it is required for all visitors to stop and Meditate before passing into the rest of the complex. So Corvus paused momentarily and Meditated before moving on. Within the Academy grounds was a winding and meandering path known as the Crooked Way. Past shrubbery and vistas the path was designed to force visitors to slow down and concentrate on the gardens.

“So tell me, what sort of Abilities do you think you’ll want to focus on first."

[member="Moira Kataline"]

 

[Moira Kataline]

Moira couldn't help but smile by the end of Corvus' story. Her eyes traveled to the doorway ahead of them, then back to her. Once at the gate she followed her lead and got to a meditative position and focused her mind on nothingness, allowing it to clear. As soon as she was finished, she rose to her feet. "I would prefer to learn healing and defensive Force abilities. When it comes to swordplay, Hmm... Which form do you learn to have a balance of the other forms?" She asked, curiously. "It starts with an "N" if I remember correctly."

"Oh, master, I do wish to add... I will protect that smile on your face until the end. Something that precious, and fragile needs to have protection. The Galaxy is a bad place when you lose your will to smile." She would add in and smile softly toward Corvus. There was already a bond there, everything was seeming to click together.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus couldn’t help but smile. A smile that nearly got her into bother with a Tusken Raider – although you didn’t always need a reason to fall foul of their temper. But there was something about the infectious enthusiasm of Padawans to really make you happy.

“There are some basics we’ll cover first but something like Force Barrier is always useful and if you haven’t used a saber before, I’d start wit the basics of the first Form initially. Just to get you used to it and then you can go for your preferred form which I presume is Niman, the sixth Form.”

They now entered the Academy through a main entrance that was located atop one of the four major stairs. The interior was constructed out of the same stone as the outside façade and there were many stairs leading off into dark hallways. Small squares were created to serve as the hub for foot traffic throughout the academy; places where several hallways come together.

Statues of various Jedi were situated at these cross-roads reflecting the long and varied history of the Order.

Next Corvus showed Moira classrooms and living quarters for the Jedi. The dormitories were small rooms housing up to four Padawans at a time. Knights were afforded the same size of room but were not required to share – their rooms containing a desk and meeting area to talk to their Padawans.

Then Corvus took her to the upper layers of the Academy which were housed within the inverted pyramid. The outer halls were lined with windows which provided 360 degree views of the surrounding geography. Also in the upper layers of the academy were several conference rooms and the Jedi Council chambers which contained five large chairs. On this level were also the sleeping quarters plus the attached offices of Jedi Masters.

Finally they reached a door that Corvus opened to reveal an office and what was clearly a door to an en-suite bedroom. “This is where you’ll find me if you ever need me. If I’m not teaching on in a Council meeting.”

Corvus led Moira back down the stairs. “You didn’t ask me a question,” she teased, “But it’s my turn regardless. In your study of the Jedi Code, what aspect do you find most difficult to understand?”

[member="Moira Kataline"]

 

[Moira Kataline]

As she was shown the tour of the place she would fall speechless, admiring the architecture of the Academy. Corvus' words would not fall short of her ears, as she nodded with the explanations. She would study the features of the statues for a moment, everything was well chiseled with some minor wear from age. Another thing caught attention. The faces harboured the same expression, an unyielding caness that seemed to be able to break the darkness if there ever was any around.

Moira smiled and glanced over at Corvus to allow her to know she wasn't being ignored. It was the academy that had latched itself onto her like a kath hound. It felt like home. When she was told about her office, she smiled. "I'll keep this in my mind. After all, you are destined to be my master. I can feel it. It's like a soft breeze, but I had that feeling. I hope it to be true. In my eyes we make a good match."

"As for my questions about the Jedi Code, I have only one. Why is emotion bad? Not all emotion harms others, but it heals over time. So why is it such a bad thing?" She posed the question with a piqued interest.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled and nodded. "It is a common question, so rest assured you are not alone in considering this. And my first piece of advice is to consider the Code holistically rather than one line or tenet at a time."

"So, taking my own advice - which I don't always do I haste to add - I'm thinking the following. Firstly we take the line 'There is no emotion, there is peace.' Which might suggest a Jedi may not have emotions. Yet we know that emotions are a natural part of life. As the great sagas have shown us, Jedi are not immune to feeling emotions. Obi-Wan Kenobi openly expressed his sorrow when he discovered the death of Younglings at the hand of Anakin. He openly admitted he would have left the Order over the love of a woman if she had asked. And I hold Master Kenobi in the utmost respect. Perhaps too much respect." She gave Moira a conspiratorial wink.

"So logic says that the Code is not suggesting that emotion does not exist or is bad but that it ought to be set aside. Emotions are natural and must be confronted for them to be understood - and I'll expand on this."

"A Jedi should always plan for success first and then for failure. So it is quite alright to believe you will not be confronted by strong emotions but also be aware that the day might come when you do and you should be prepared for that to happen."

"And emotions can be tricky as they lead to aspects that as Jedi we need to be aware of. Anger leads to hate and you know where that leads. Love can lead to attachments which can challenge a Jedi in the line of duty. Save the one you love or face the foe. Remember Anakin and Padmé?"

"I'm now aware I've been talking for too long. Tell me, has what I have said made sense and what new questions has it raised." Corvus' voice remained calm and gentle throughout and she finished with her usual smile.

[member="Moira Kataline"]

 

[Moira Kataline]

"You have not been talking too long. You've been doing your part as my master to educate me on something I had a question about. I thank you for that. Do not be so hard on yourself, it's me you should be hard on. After all, I'm still a padawan, and I have much to learn. What you said made a lot of sense, it opened my eyes quite a bit. I have no further questions about it at current, but should any come up, I'll come to you, if you're not busy in a meeting. As for the respect. I don't see you as having too much. You see his example and his life as guidelines. He could have changed and gone a separate path at any moment, but stayed true. I know of the heroes of the old Republic. It's alright to have idols like him. It helps remind you that you're still a mortal being with or without the Force." She chuckled, realizing she was starting to ramble. She saw nothing wrong with sharing her thoughts on this, though. Their minds seemed to work alike.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus lead them outside and showed Moira the gardens, the many areas to practice in, the Meditation Pavillion and the various obstacle courses where Younglings in particular practice Force Jump and Speed.

“That’s the quick tour. It’ll take a while to get used to everywhere until it feels natural to you – and you have to get used to the time taken to move between places. It’s easy to underestimate.”

Corvus then took them back to the Meditation Pavilion and sat down, gesturing for Moira to do the same. “This is arguably my favourite place here. It was Master Skywalker’s too apparently.” Corvus glanced at the gap where a brick was missing, she’d never uncovered the mystery to that riddle.

“So, before I take you back so you can get settled in, do you have any questions of me?”

[member="Moira Kataline"]

 

[Moira Kataline]

"Thank you for the tour. I know it is not much of a thank you, but may I give you a hug?" She asked, while she did want to give the hug, she would understand if she declined. A smile stayed on her face throughout the whole process. She then noticed Corvus stop in the meditation room and glance at the missing piece of the puzzle.

She smiled wider as she glanced to the gap. "None at all. I figured this out, by the way. Come here and stand by me, master. I have my own idea of what this means and maybe it's the right meaning behind this." She said as she awaited her master to fall in beside her. She loved riddles and puzzles, and even picked up a fever for dejarik.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus accepted the hug. Was that number five or number six in the past twenty-one years? It was certainly the first for the past six.

Intrigued by what Moira could see and she couldn’t Corvus stood next to her Padawan and smiled. “I’m keen to hear what you think. The Master and Padawan relationship is a two-way one. We should learn from each other, always. So tell me, what are your thoughts?”

[member="Moira Kataline"]

 

[Moira Kataline]

"To me, this puzzle is you and I and anybody else. The majority of this is the calmness and principles of a jedi, but within that there will always be temptations. Where light exists, there must be darkness.Where wholeness exists there must be emptiness." She said as she looked over to Corvus. "What are your thoughts on it?"