Peacock Nightlight

[Dajara Boshtet]

Denon was such a strange world to come to, she was standing there and working to avoid the people as the petite padawan stood on the tips of her toes with wide eyes looking around at the people. They were big and rough looking compared to her... also they bruised her easily before she weaved through them heading towards the jedi academy. It was here on the world as she was watching soem fo the things that had appeared across the planet. Massive structures as well as what looking like the continued efforts to reconstruct parts of the world. "Ah hello." She said it while she was standing there and moved up the stairs quickly enough to get up and stand there. She had the silvery white robes, her long black hair and her training sword on her hip. She wasn't looking to make a big impresion but wanted to allow herself to get stronger. "I am looking for Master [member="Karen Roberts"]."

 

[Jsc]

[member="Dajara Boshtet"]

Karen worked out of the Denon Academy of Science. The planet's largest and most prestigious science center. So when Dajara approached the woman behind the administration desk, she was greeted with a polite and business-like smile,

"Doctor Robert's office is located in the campus' Science Building. Room 301. Cheers and enjoy your stay at the DAS."

The science building was only a short bus ride away. A sleek modern building made of mostly glass and white steel. It spoke of wealth on a grand technological level and captured every angle of it's own construction with an artist's sensitive touch. Inside where tall ceilings, open skylights, and strange glowing plants nearer the lounge area. Up on the third floor, room 301, was a glass office with a spectacular view. A blue-haired woman sat at her tiny computer completing her online draft for the day. She smiled and waved Dajara to the door. Perfect timing.

The Jedi Peacock was expecting her.

 

[Dajara Boshtet]

[member="Karen Roberts"]

She moved once she had it, short, quickly and quietly. Even normally one to avoid touching people the ghostling was really taking note of everything that was there around her. Dajara moved weaving under as she came to the door and opened it with a look on her face. Bright smile when her skin started to glow brighter from being happy to almost obscure her face. "Doctor Roberts?" She was uncertain about it but very glad when she stopped and stood there. Bowing her head as she worked to get herself under control and go back to a soft glow that wasn't lighting up the room like a nightlight or glow rod set on high. "I am Padawan Dajara."

 

[Jsc]

[member="Dajara Boshtet"]

"Damn right you are." Karen smirked.

Dajara was a Ghostling. Something Karen had only recently come to understand. And, by understand, I mean. She had read about it in the Jedi Archives. ...Once. So, when Boshtet showed up glowing light a race speeder's highbeams? Karen couldn't help but smile.

What a strange species.

"Welcome to Denon, Padawan Boshtet. I'm Karen Roberts. But you can call me just Karen for now."

The blue-haired woman waved Dajara over to the only open chair in the room.

"Now. First things first. Let's talk business. ...What brings a Jedi Ghostling all the way out to planet Denon? And, don't tell me the Silvers don't have enough teachers out on Kashyyyk. Because I totally know they do. Hehe."

 

[Dajara Boshtet]

[member="Karen Roberts"]

She bowed ehr head and moved quickly and quietly with a nod of her head. "THey do.... mostly. The biggest of the masters, the ones who everyone wants to learn from don't take padawans and others only want to take one or two at a time. Which leaves many to drift and look for other means of learning. Some stay and learn teaching themselves and working with padawans... some go to the other orders and some just go to the sith because they offer an easier path where doing things on yoru own can be of a greater benefit." She shrugged while looking at Karen and looked up at her sitting in the seat and she was tiny enough to not have her pointed fet reaching the bottom.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Dajara Boshtet"]

"Sure. Sure."

Karen noted that Dajara didn't actually answer her question directly. Mmm. Drifting, eh? Sounds like a horrible way to be a Padawan these days. Well. Unless you've got the spine for it.

"And what about you, Padawan. What are your goals as a Jedi hmm? Something tells me you didn't travel half way across the galaxy just to learn Force Jump. Hehe."

 

[Dajara Boshtet]

[member="Karen Roberts"]

"OI want to learn to be stronger, ghostlings aren't physical.. infact most of the galaxy sees us as weak. I want to show that we can be strong and help out in better ways then just breaking from a strong wind." She blurted it out but was looking at the master while she thought about it. Her eyes darting around the room to better try and get an impression of this jedi master. To see what she might be able to observe over just waiting for her to tell her about herself or maybe they would have some shared interest thbat would help the padawan endear herself to the jedi. That could always be a good way to go about it.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Dajara Boshtet"]

"Stronger? How so? Do you mean like, physically or, perhaps to express a warrior's prowess with the sword or lance?"

Karen leaned back in her chair and closed the lid to her laptop. Her gaze and happy expression locked solely on the strange glowing creature that sat before her. Of course, as Dajara looked around the strong glass room she found little to aggrandize upon. The room was spartan. Woven carpet with brushed white wood adornment. The walls were fine glass and the exterior panels were tempered and triple layered in thickness. Probably bullet proof too. Nearer the door sat the room's main panel. Beside the light switch was a holographic display linked to a micron computer terminal. Something you only see in wealthy tech houses or, perhaps, in Science Centers. Her desk was made from dark wood. Thick and heavy. Yet, without engravings or laser-finished texturing. Her laptop was a state-of-the-art thermal multi processor and, (besides her dark outfit,) probably the most expensive thing in the room.

Again. Spartan. Even the tiny trash can was empty. Heavens, not even so much as degree, plaque, or alumni upon the wall to show her expertise. Just, warm glass and unfiltered daylight. Not a curtain in sight.

Karen shrugged. Asking as many questions as she could to better understand the unique woman before her.

 

[Dajara Boshtet]

[member="Karen Roberts"]

"Physically would be helpful my species aren't known for being able to do much. We are also generaly seen as timid and easily pushed around so building drive and confidence is something that you just can't do by yourself." She looked around but returned her gaze towards the jedi master, compared to others she had seen this one was at least asking questions others... well the ones she had met previously just seemed happy to have her follow them and whatever personal thing they were doing that only seemed important to them... she might have gotten a lesson from it... except Kiriko he had taught plenty while they were exploring.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Dajara Boshtet"]

Karen scratched her head,

"Um. Not to be offensive. But, have you ever thought about telling the galaxy to go kark itself?"

She pointed out the window to the wide cityscape beyond.

"You do understand that nobody out there as unlimited magic powers. Like you. Or, perhaps, that basing their whole intergalactic society around human norms and culture is downright stupid on a pan-galactic scale? I mean. Why is a Wookiee strong? Because he is stronger than a human. Why is an Ewok small? Because he is smaller than a human. Why is a Yoda species long lived? Etc. Why is an Arkarian smart? Why is a Chiss exotic? Why are Twi'leks sexually attractive? Etc etc etc. ...See my point? Why is the galaxy obsessed with seeing itself from a human-only point of view?"

She twirled her hands to express herself.

"Padawan. Let's stop this nonsense now."

She leaned forward.

"You are not weak. You are a perfectly wonderful, talented, and beautiful member of your species. Of your tribe. You are special. You are smart. You are empowered by the Gods and of the Force. You are beloved by the world that bore you and are a gift to anyone lucky enough to meet you. Hehe. You are not human. Which is a blessing. Not a curse. And one day... You will understand that you did not come into this world so that you could learn to be a human. You came into this world so that you could learn to be yourself. A Light of the Force."

Karen smiled and slowly leaned back into her chair.

"So. Let there be no more talk of comparisons. Let there be no more feelings of guilt. Or shame. Or ineptitude. Because everything you need to be has already been given to you. Every strength you have, is already inside you. ...You are your own woman now. Compared to no one but the Force. Your only opponent? Nothing but the goals and challenges you set for yourself. Nothing more."

She held up one little finger. Nodding so slightly.

"I don't know why you left your home Dajara Boshtet. And I don't know why you think you're supposed to be a Jedi Knight either. But. Perhaps as we meditate upon the Force together. We'll both learn something new."

Karen sighed and looked out the window towards the city beyond. Letting the moment rest.

"Now then. On to training. ...Padawan, what do you believe is the greatest threat you will ever face?"

She turned back to Dajara slowly.

"What. Do you fear?"

 

[Dajara Boshtet]

[member="Karen Roberts"]

Senpi noticed me.... she perked up listening and then the real question came.. What did she fear.. everything... everything could break her like she was a fragile piece of china and needed to be wrapped in a foam bubble... "Ah most things that can break me master." She said it small and timid like but looked up from her seat while her eyes looked at the woman. She was strong and confident which was something she wanted. Better to really leanr how to do it and meditating on the force sounded a good way to go about it. She couldn't hurt herself just meditating... she hoped. She might need a helmet..... Definately a helmet.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Dajara Boshtet"]

Ugh.

Karen rubbed her mouth with distaste. Oh dear, oh dear. Dajara had seemingly just become unqualified to be a Jedi Knight. Goodness. Was she was afraid of everything. More fear and anxiety than little Anakin Skywalker. Easily swayed by compliments and probably thinking of Karen more as a role model than as a drill instructor. Mm.

It couldn't get much worse than this.

Karen sighed,

"Well. Look. In that case. Why not go home Dajara Boshtet? This might not be the world for you after all."

Karen leaned back in her chair and shrugged. Yeah. This audition was probably close to over now. And given how one day a future Jedi Dajara might have actually had to fight a Sith Lord in mortal combat? Welp. Karen had probably just saved her life too, if she decided to leave.

Yeah. Now that she thought about it more. At least if Dajara left now she could still have a chance at a normal life. Just, let her go home. Live back among her people. Live in the trees, fall in the love, have a family, have a life, build a nest, and forget all about the big scary galaxy of warmongering wizards who would like to eat her for lunch.

Karen still wasn't sure this little girl could cut it.

 

[Dajara Boshtet]

[member="Karen Roberts"]

She looked at her. "Datarr is nice and I would love to go back but... but being there means isolation. Most ghostlings are happy to just avoid people. THey would rather do as you suggest live and have a family but then we'd never really get to do anything else... Never get to help other people even though we try to bring the simple life to everyone we met." She said it though looking over at a few more things they might be able to do, her interest in becoming stronger and being a jedi improving as this was the type of master she needed. Helpful but well honest.. she wasn't just trying to make some sort of quota for getting padawans trained or pumping out jedi.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Dajara Boshtet"]

Karen shrugged,

"So what's your point? Did you travel half way across the galaxy just to help people or did you come here to get physically stronger, huh?"

She looked out the window again. Shaking her head,

"Because, I can tell you right now. You don't need to be a Jedi to do either of those things. Not even for a second."

...

This was one of the hardest parts of the Jedi beginnings. Finding out what it means to be a Jedi. What it means to you. Personally. Deep, deep inside. Then finding the strength to put that willpower into words. To speak your intent. Fully. With power and with authority. To know yourself, truly. To know why, you are here. This. This, is where Karen wanted Dajara to start her training. As the master of her own ship.

The captain of her own destiny.

Now. Dajara already knew all of this, of course. She knew why she was here. She knew exactly what she feared if she wasn't. But was her willpower strong enough to give her what she sought? Was she strong enough to suffer it out until the end? Mmm. So many questions. And the only person who could answer them. Was her. For herself. And for nobody else either.

Karen quietly reminded herself that there were many paths that a Jedi's training could take. There were Knights and then there were Healers. There were Scholars and there were Pilots. Not everything had to be about the sword and the gun. Though it was Karen's world. Her rock and her hard place. It need not be Dajara's. Perhaps she was being too quick to assume that every Jedi need be the world's strongest to survive.

And maybe she had always been too hard on herself about that too. Hm.

 

[Dajara Boshtet]

[member="Karen Roberts"]

She looked at the master and she moved quickly and quietly rising up from the chair with a smile on her face. "I could but being a jedi is helpful and learning it from you means the best. There are legends about the jedi master with hair as blue as the ocean. From the Omega Protectorate. Even we on Datarr heard about your exploits fighting the undead and other creatures that came around some of the galaxy." She said it while moving and stood there in the white robes, with her hair tied up and the she let it loose for now. The black hair going to her shoulders and cascading down her back, her skin glowed a little brighter with her happiness and excitement that this might be a chance ti really do things.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Dajara Boshtet"]

Ah. And there it was. The spark that drew her across the stars and to Karen's own doorstep. Dajara would not be dissuaded. Karen could tell now. She was here to stay.

"I see." She smiled, "Well. Then I suppose we should get started in earnest, hmm?"

Karen looked across her desk and nodded. Application, accepted.

"Alas. Denon has no Jedi Temple. So therefore we will need to find you a place to stay, and eat, and work. If?... I assume. You plan on staying Denon, yes?"

Karen touched a finger to lip in thought. This was always the second-hardest part of new students. Where would she find the money?

"Do you, perhaps? Have a ship of your own too?"

 

[Dajara Boshtet]

[member="Karen Roberts"]

"I do master, it is simple and a small freighter but the jedi artisan's made it with lightside crystals in the metal so that darksiders and creatures do not want to be near or within it." She said it and offered a smile slipping a small hologram projector from her robes to show the ship. A light freighter with a small shuttle attached to the back. It looked like the old ghost from the rebelion but modified to well be up to date with defenses, a training room and better crew quarters. Dajara was looking at her master. "For credits, I know how to hunt and farm. We can grow food in the bays and sell it if needed or there is always helping out in some of the darker places that need light but might suffer from ionite dust."

 

[Jsc]

[member="Dajara Boshtet"]

Excellent. That takes care of the day-to-day necessities. Now they could focus on training.

"Good. Then I'll spare you the small stuff."

She opened up her laptop and signed back in. Typing as she talked.

"We will train once a week. On Fridays. Very nearby. You will arrive at the DAS main campus building at eight o'clock in the morning and proceed down to the sub-basement. Level 3. You will bring two sets of clothing. One casual and one fitness outfit. You may also bring a lightsaber, if you own one."

She paused her keyboard typing to click a few open pages.

"Now. I've just now given you official DAS clearance to access the main campus' sub-basement. You can now use the Holographic Colosseum located on Level 3 whenever you want. The building's Artificial Intelligence will know who you are too. So please be nice to Amber. She keeps the place running. Hehe. Most of the holo-programs are already set for Jedi training. So you may explore them as you wish. Amber will know what to look for. She's helped me train students before. Easy as pie."

She clicked print on her screen and a small box under her desk spat out a red laminated access card.

"Ah. And here you go. Carry this Red Pass on you at all times. It will let the DAS guards, smart doors, and the flying drones know that you're with me. You shouldn't have any trouble with security from now on. Just mind carrying guns around campus, yes."

Karen placed the card on the edge of her desk.

"The rest of the week is yours. Six days to work, play, and explore the planet Denon. I expect you to make money and live a healthy lifestyle away from your Jedi training too. After all. I only train balanced adults who know how the real world works. This isn't some Jedi Temple vacation. You either learn how to live like a normal person in a modern society and control your Force abilities, or you're done. Or we're done. ...Understood?"

Karen didn't smile when she said that.

"Six days to learn how to be a city girl. One day to learn how to be a Jedi Knight. That's your schedule from now on. If you need any help? You have my com number and Amber is always available as a resource down at the main building. She knows everything, so don't hesitate to ask her a question."

Karen closed her laptop and moved it to one side. Meeting adjourned.

"Well. That's all I have for you today Padawan Boshtet. If you have any questions for me? Ask them now. Otherwise, I'll see you again on Friday morning. Class dismissed."

 

[Dajara Boshtet]

[member="Karen Roberts"]

She was listening intently about it, what she could use and what she could do came to mind but she was looking over at some fo the things.... In her head she filed thoughts away for questions. She didn't have much, she didn't ask or interrupt.. her master was answering some of the questions as they went so.. she would let her continue until Karen stopped talking and Dajara bowed her head. "Ahhh what jobs does Denon have the best need for... that will be flexible to your schedule." She asked it and was curious, she knew from some things that a job was well a job and they didn't always like when you requested time off.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Dajara Boshtet"]

Karen shrugged. It was a strange question.

"Denon is a metropolitan. So, you're likely to find millions of people, with millions of jobs, in millions of different physical locations. All different. All unique. All looking for specific things, peoples, and qualifications. And yes. All with very variable schedules. The skies the limit. Unlimited jobs to choose from."

She leaned over she desk and nodded.

"As for my schedule? My schedule is not flexible. We train on Friday mornings. That's it. I use the rest of my time for work and travel. Naturally, you can call me anytime. But Fridays are the only days I will available to you here at the DAS. It's just that simple."

Karen tilted her head.

"Does that work for you? Is that what you wanted to know?"