Psychometry - self teaching

[Darth Ren Malgus]

She only knew of one Master of Psychometry in the Jedi and he was she believed on a long LOA. Instead Serena took one of the teaching holocrons from the library to learn this skill.

The silence would help her.

Sitting in a meditation chamber the holocron glowed before her. She had to relax, to breath. She would need to be focused to open the holocron, and she needed a clear mind to understand the teachings.

"OK" she touched the holocron which glowed as if to open and then stopped. Serena blinked, her mind must not be clear enough, her focus not strong enough. She closed her eyes and tried again, gentler thoughts, soft pliable, teach me thoughts.

She felt the tension leave her body as her fingers touched the holocron, once she found balance the holocron glowed.

A woman standing in armor, with a long dark robe smiled upon her. "You need practice at that"

Serena opened her eyes, "Yes Master, my mind floods too easily" She smiled though.

What a relief so far no intruding thoughts.

"Very well Padawan, there is much to learn for you to master this skill."

"Yes mam." Serena waited patiently for the class to begin.

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

The Master seemed to be circuling her was it to test her patience, to test her resolve or something else all together. Master's confused her for certain.

"Padawan you have something else that I can see, you are troubled. Uncertain, even fearful" The Master stood before her, "explain this to me"

Serena looked up into the piercing eyes of the Master, "I have not mastered my empathy it" she wanted the right word, "over whelmes me and my senses"

The Master arched a brow, "And you would seek to add another skill that requires you to take on the images and emotions of things you touch"

Serena nodded, "Yes mam, it would be helpful in my work, and helpful should we ever need to find something, or someone" Her mind needed to be busy at all times that was the only thing that seemed to keep the emotions of others away.

"You will be taught how to separate the images and the emotions during this time, only with practice will you become better skilled" The Master paused though, "there is a danger in all of this for you, your mind is so open that anything you take on could easily influence you, and destroy you should it be an object of darkness"

Serena was nodding she understood before the Master asked. The Master did not know if the padawan was brave or foolish, or perhaps both.

"Very well, the holocron before you has been handled by many, put your hand upon it, close your eyes and draw yourself into a connection with the force"

Serena put her hand out touching the holocron it glowed bright as if her skin had made it burn hotter, she closed her eyes and sought out the force her connection to it. Slowly she drifted until she found it. Her breathing slowed

there was a gentle whisper, Now Padawan see how times shifts within the force the ripples that reach out from where you are those are the connections to all that is around you. Look at the ripples where in them can you see the holocron.

Serena looked she could see the ripples but not within them, she concentrated harder staring at the ripples.

You're trying too hard, do not force this skill.

Serena's brow furrowed, in a moment the beginnings of frustration showed.

Stop, clear your mind of everything.

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

She tried to clear her mind.

You're allowing the echoes of the others to filter in and distract you. You must control this.

Serena nodded, "I've been trying it gets harder the more I use the force the more they pound on my brain sometimes I can't tell whether it's me or them with the feelings I just want to curl into a ball and forget it all."

She frowned looking at the holocron, "maybe I should get that skill"

There was a soft gentle laughter in her mind, If you can master this it will help you to also learn to block out the others. For sometimes this skill brings in the images and emotions of those who have touched it

Serena looked up almost pleading in her eyes, "Can you teach me to block them out?"

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

Serena did not feel lost or hopeless she felt empty. The place where her father had been felt the emptiness of his presence in her life. She looked up at the Master "It is not that I do not wish to learn from anyone. It is painful to learn from them, their emotions for all the control that they have their emotions come off them in rivers. It assaults my senses and threatens to take everything that I am and wash it away"

The Master considered these words all while looking down at her. The Master kneeled, Serena let it happen. There are reasons that we are all given the skills we possess. This level of empathy that you have could lead you to take on other skills involving emotions. Battle meditation where you could empower others around you. The Master reached out and wished once more for a body that could physically touch the Jedi in front of her.

You put too much pressure on yourself to do it perfectly. We are not perfect creatures, we live and we learn. We fall and we get back up. You are always yourself, no one can take that from you. But you must bend Serena, you must allow yourself failure in order to be stronger. Now. Do the exercise again, and this time concentrate.

The Master rose up she hoped the words that she spoke would penetrate the stubborn streak that the girl seemed to have. But there was potential here with in her she just needed more confidence in herself, her abilities, and she needed to trust the Jedi around her.

Serena nodded and looked again at the holocron she reached out for the force timid that touching it would flood her mind. The force did come it did touch Serena slowly in a small trickle it began to wrap itself around her, growing steadily wrapping her in a warm blanket and with the extension of Serena's hand upon the holocron the force flowed between them, memories of a life, images of a maker, touched the Padawan's mind.

Serena tilted her head back her fingers lightly resting on the holocron. Her breathing slowed each breath drawn nothing more than a whisper in the room.

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

Each breath she let go of the surroundings she no longer saw the walls or the master she only saw the holocron. Small flashes began bright brilliant but nothing that would show her anything about the holocron.

But the emotions these she felt. The sadness that this was all that was left. The astonishment over that this would be all that was left.

Serena withdrew her hand sucking in air for she had stopped breathing.

She looked around for the Master but she was not there and the holocron glowed. It would seem the lesson had ended for today.

Serena picked up the holocron this time nothing happened, yes she was tired. She thought about the sensations why would someone feel these things in regards to the holocron. It did not take her long to have answers. The Jedi would have been sad to have one of their own pass into the force and this holocron would be all that was left. And then there was the Master, she would have been sad to know that this cube, this holocron of memories and lessons would be all that was left to show for her life.

It would be all that was left of any of them i the end, if they were lucky. Serena did not think anyone would want to learn about geology in a holocron. But, perhaps they would like to know about her life.

Well. She needed some sleep and tomorrow she would begin again with the holocron. today she had made some progress but she needed to learn more she needed to be able to call this skill when she needed it, not when it decided to work.