Private Terminus of One Pilgrimage, Beginning of Another

[Dair Cotarin <inactive>]

Tiland Kortun | Myri Oakheart
​

There had been a time when Dair would spend every waking moment focused on specific goals. The Force had been a tool in his pocket, and he used it when it was necessary to accomplish a goal. The Dair of that time was a conflicted young knight, wayward in his own way and unknowing of who he would become, as much as he was unknowing of the mysteries of the Force. With the death of his friend, Nico, in the fall of a previous incarnation of the Galactic Alliance, Dair had sought solace in solitude, and returned to the planet he had learned was his birth place. Midvinter. Years spent there among the purposely simple folk, spending days of hard work and learning that even those who couldn't feel the ebb and flow of the Force could know more than a Jedi Knight about what mattered. He had found the solace he needed to heal, and had also found a strengthened connection to the Force.

He felt it pulling him.

Which was how he found himself across the galaxy from the place of his birth. Across parsecs of conflicting factions, to the world of Terminus. He could not tell precisely what he was moving towards, only that it called him.

He left the urban areas for the dwindling forests that had yet to be claimed by the ever encroaching sprawl of civilization. The trees were similar to the forests on Midvinter, only not covered in snow and frost. Yet they held their own beauty.

Dair left his speeder at a site he'd set up for camping. He didn't know how long he'd be here, but figured prepared was always best. He felt the pull guide him through the forest and down a slope towards a lake that looked nearly untouched by anything other than nature.

 

[Myri Oakheart]

Dair Cotarin <inactive>

She had come to meet with one of the Outer Rim Judges for some assistance and backup, here on the defacto capital of the Outer Rim. At least, old OPA space and its many offshoots.

Word had filtered in from the Church of the Force chapter houses about children disappearing in the regional sectors and being found later, seemingly drained dry. Whoever, or whatever, it was, bypassed all normal security systems.

Some said ghosts. Some said some sort of Force aberration from the Kathol Rift. But from what she had learned about the Aang-Tii, that was unlikely.

Her suspicion, unvoiced to Tiland, was an Anzat hunter. Probably going and inexperienced going after children, but capable of becoming far more dangerous. The other possibility was normal kidnappers with access to military grade stealth tech. Either way, she didn’t want to face it alone.

But Terminus, as a planet, was not one particularly hospitable to a Neti. So she had come out, far from the sprawl to dig her roots deep into the soil at the lake’s edge, and absorb what sunlight she could.

Something moved through the trees and approached from up the slope. Her eyes slid open but she remained in tree form, reaching out through the Force and the other plants, speaking in the language of shifting leaves and rustling branches as vibrations traveled from the the roots to the twigs. Slight, barely perceptible to those not attuned to the slow and patient ways.

That was a Jedi. She was fairly certain of it, although she sensed nothing familiar, or a hint of the pilgrim’s pendants. A new Jedi perhaps?

She didn’t think so, not by the strength of the Force presence. Just one she had never before. Perhaps he heard the same rumors or sought some solace as well.

But no, she sensed something purposeful. The Force brought all things together and that meant this meeting as well.

Myri waited until the Jedi would reach the glade before shifting back to her more humanoid, vaguely Sephi appearance, shaking water and soil from her arms and hair as she gathered her small pile of possessions.

“Greetings traveler!” She called. “Myri Oakheart, at your service.”

 

[Dair Cotarin <inactive>]

Dair had felt the presence of another nearby, he thought it was a Jedi but he was unfamiliar with how this one felt. He had his answer when a tree nearby slid into a humanoid form and greeted him.

"Well met, I am Dair. Dair Cotarin, Jedi." He offered a smile and a small bow with his introduction.

And just like that, the pull he had felt through the Force faded from his mind. He nodded to himself and looked around himself. He felt relaxed by the surroundings, at peace. It was different from Midvinter, but still had that pristine feel of a place that hadn't been tainted with civilization or dark side.

"It would appear I was led here for a reason that has to do with you. May I be of any assistance to you?"

Myri Oakheart​

 

[Myri Oakheart]

Dair Cotarin <inactive>

"Another Jedi?" Myri asked, considering for a moment. While a Jedi wasn't exactly the backup she had in mind, it had been primarily because none were readily available at the moment. "I am a knight of the Circle of the Light Hand and Jedi Pilgrims. Welcome to Terminus!" She bowed, clasping her hands in front of her.

"As for help," she considered a gestured to a small table built of stones she had piled by the lakeshore. "Might be better for you take a seat." She moved and knelt by the table, pouring water into a brazier as she made tea. "I could indeed use your assistance."

Another pause as she considered how to put it. "I've been asked by the Church of the Force in the nearby sectors to do some investigating. Younglings have been going missing and their bodies reappearing, apparently drained and dessicated, usually a few weeks later. There's not a lot of information, but based on what I'm hearing, it seems like there's an Anzati on the loose, preying on weaker beings. So probably still young, but undoubtedly formidable."

 

[Dair Cotarin <inactive>]

Dair knelt at the opposite side of the table from Myri Oakheart, hands folded in his lap as he listened.

"I must admit I haven't spent much time out this way, while I've heard about the Church of the Force and the Circle of the Light Hand and Jedi Pilgrims, I cannot claim a great deal of knowledge." His face was relaxed, as was his tone. His breathing was deep and clear, settled by the lack of pull and the serenity of their surroundings. On the horizon, though, he felt conflict arising, though not with his companion. "As for Anzat, I have only dealt with one once, and that was as part of a group doing work for the Republic Jedi Shadows. I can't claim any major part in the creatures subdual aside from my presence."

Dair paused a moment, looking out over the lake before turning back to Myri. "Of course, I will help you in this. That isn't a question." He paused again before resuming. "What do you intend to do with the Anzati? And what will we need to prepare for this?" He wanted to ask more, learn about the organizations she had spoken of, as her mentioning them had rung to his mind like a well made bell. With lives on the line, however, personal curiosity took a back seat.

 

[Myri Oakheart]

Dair Cotarin <inactive>

Myri set up the tea out of habit, not even thinking as she put on hot water and added bags of tea. Tiland would be horrified, but she had never quite got the fascination with the beverage, and held to the ritual out of habit more than anything else. Unlike the ancient Jedi Master, she didn't need it to survive in the same way. Light and water were all she really needed, and places to put down roots for a few weeks at a time.

She grinned at his statement and shrugged. "I'd be more surprised if you did claim a lot of knowledge. We're very new, well, except for the Circle of the Light Hand. Tiland Kortun has been doing that for a while off in the background." She considered how to explain it. "They're like... radically pacifistic Jedi, almost? While many more radical Jedi lean towards crusades and attacking the Dark, the Light Hand rejects that as the primary purpose of the Jedi. Very monkish. Usually eschew lightsabers and other weapons for martial arts and monastic arts."

A quick check on the tea showed it was about finished, so she poured two cups and slid one across the small table. "The Jedi Pilgrims are those of us from the Outer Planet Alliance Jedi who have stuck around. Church of the Force is mostly the religion that grew up under the Outer Rim Coalition for non-Force sensitive who want to live by and uphold the Jedi ideals. Those of us who are Jedi tend to wander the Rim between Church chapterhouses and go where they ask for help. When not requested, both Pilgrims and Light Hand just tend to... wander..." She waved one hand airily. "Following where the Force leads us."

She took a sip as her mind raced through the possibilities and what she knew. "Well, Jedi Shadows always have useful skills and experience when it comes to investigation. But, fortunately, my old Jedi Master is an Anzati Jedi, so I know more than most. As for when we find them," Myri shrugged. "Apprehend and bring to the local authorities is my first goal. If not possible, I'll have to trust where the Force leads. As for prep, I already have the reports from the cases and I've begun narrowing possibilities based on range, travel times in hyperspace, and the like."

 

[Dair Cotarin <inactive>]

"I am intrigued by your description of the Pilgrims and Light Hand. I have spent much of my time active as a Jedi moving from one battle to the next. While I have never relished the deaths I have caused, and though I have tried to sway those of the dark side I have met to come over to the light, it feels somewhat hollow. I believe the force led me here so I may deepen my knowledge of the force." He smiled at the tea, and once it was done he picked up the cup on his side of the table and sipped appreciatively.

He took a deep breath, switching back to the more pressing topic.

"I will follow your lead, then, and render what assistance I may. I have a ship at the spaceport if we have need of it as well." He set the tea cup down, then rested his hands on his lap. "What have you learned from the case files? Do we think the creature is independently mobile, or using other ships as transport?"

Myri Oakheart​

 

[Myri Oakheart]

Dair Cotarin <inactive>

Myri nodded as the other Jedi spoke. "I am glad the Force has brought you here then. Much of my orders have been called by the Force to help with the refugee crisis from the Bryn'adul, and those who are eager to exploit masses of desperate individuals." She paused to consider the other words he spoke. "It is a challenge, finding the balance protecting those in need of protecting and fostering harmony. I know of no single answer, I'm afraid, except that we are all on the journey of deepening our understanding of the Force."

She drained half the cup of tea as she considered the questions. "A ship would be most useful. I was going to seek out some of the Outer Rim Judges for assistance if there were any around, but you were the first person the Force has brought me with. As for how they're moving," Myri only shrugged. "I've been trying to track ships that go in and out at the right times, but haven't found any direct correlations, except that they all form a ring around Anoat. That was going to be my first place to investigate, see if there's some sort of base there, or perhaps an off-shoot of the Anzati assassin's guild that's set up shop, although I certainly hope not."

She tapped her chin, consideringly. "But I suspect we'll find more when we're closer."

 

[Dair Cotarin <inactive>]

Myri Oakheart

"It appears as though the Force is accommodating many needs with a single pairing." Dair smiled and nodded. "My ship is a bit old, but I restored and upgraded some of the systems. When I came into the clearing, you were in the form of a tree. I have a meditation chamber that can generate the light of many types of stars, but I do not have soil onboard. I can have some brought in, though, if you would like."

The idea sparked separate ideas in his mind, there was nothing ruling out creating an area onboard the ship that held soil and plants. It would automatically supplement the life support systems on board, and would be a nice place for his meditations on long journeys. He'd only need to alter the observation deck, the largest open space not utilized by ship functions, to be able to generate the right type of sunlight when they were not near enough to a system primary...

He pushed the thought aside, though hoped to remember it in the future.

"And it does sound like Anoat is the best place to start." He took another sip of his tea. "When you are ready, we can make our way back."

 

[Myri Oakheart]

Dair Cotarin <inactive>

Myri simply nodded in agreement as he spoke again. “The Force will always provided” she agreed, as she quickly finished her tea, and standing. “And I thank you for the offer, but I’ll be alright without the soil. I’ve taken in enough nutrients to last me for quite some time.”

She gathered her small backpack of belongings and strapped it to her shoulders. “My old teacher would have said it would be rude to rush a ceremony of tea and meeting, but I have a sense of urgency that’s begun to drive me.”

Shading her eyes, she stares up at the sky, trying to look across thousands of light years of distance with only her eyes and the Force.

“There seemed to be a decent enough time gap between the earliest killings, but it when I made a timeline for pattern, the time was shrinking. I hope to catch them before their next kill, or they decide to move to more powerful beings whose essence they can use to strengthen themselves with.”

She considered for a moment. “If you can drink tea and walk while guiding the way to your ship, I can explain more about the Light Hand and the Pilgrims and the philosophies of the two.”

 

[Dair Cotarin <inactive>]

Dair drank the rest of his tea and stood. He smirked somewhat sheepishly and nodded. He nodded back the way he'd come.

"I have a camp set up a little bit up the path, and my speeder is there as well. We can be at my ship within the hour." He replied and started up the path.

Once at his camp, tear down took only a few moments, as Dair wasn't one to bring a large amount of gear with him. Living in the more remote areas of a planet with as large an amount of remote areas as Midvinter, Dair had learned to make do with very little. In the climate they were in, he had packed even less as he wasn't worried about having to truly endure the elements like he had bene used to. Soon they were travelling at speed towards the nearest star port, where Dair had landed his ship.

"So tell me about the Light Hand and the Pilgrims." Dair's eyes were on the path they were taking, but he was a fairly old hand with flying, and the direction they were coming from was used far less than the more urban areas, so their approach to the star port was mostly clear.

Myri Oakheart​

 

[Myri Oakheart]

Dair Cotarin <inactive>

Myri nodded as Dair spoke of the speeder and the camp. "That is fortuitous then. I fear we will need a great deal of speed before this is over." She finished gathering her own meager possessions and following behind him as they went to his camp. It was only a brief time before that too was disassembled and they traveled towards the spaceship. While that feeling still pressed at her mind, it eased now that she was moving towards what felt like the proper direction.

Dair asked about the pilgrims and the Light Hand and she considered how that could be answered, and what it was he was looking for. She decided to start with the Pilgrims. Partially because there was so much less to discuss. "For the Pilgrims, we're mostly Jedi who are led by the Force to remain in and around the Outer Rim. The Rimward Trade League recognizes us as a formal organization and we have a voting member on the Council, but we don't work for them. If that makes sense. No funding or anything from the League. Mostly donations from people who believe in what we do. Instead of the government, we work closely with the Church of the Force chapterhouses around the Rim. They're mostly ordinary folks who believe in the ideals of the Force-- harmony, balance, the flourishing of just and safe societies in which all members can thrive." She shrugged, making sure her words aren't stolen away by the wind rushing past the speeder. "We go where we feel the Force leads us if not requested by any chapterhouses or rumor of tragedy we might help prevent or resolve."

She considered what else could be included, although there wasn't much she could think of, given how new they were. "We have pendants so we can sort of feel where the others are or communicate very simple messages through the Force. But, in many ways, we are a throwback to an ancient style of Jediism before they joined the Republic. As for the Light Hand..."

Myri took several moments to try and decide how to talk about that. "They, or we, are a Jedi Circle, a philosophy, a martial arts organization, and a martial style all rolled into one. I was the first novice to complete the basic training program and become an adept, but there are quite a few who have studied under Tiland in the Way of the Light Hand, at least parts of it. I haven't heard anyone else decide to embrace the path in its fullness. I carry a lightsaber, which isn't part of the full Way, only because I have not yet reached full mastery when lightsabers become unnecessary."

That, she admitted, was a jumbled mess of a description, but it was difficult to condense the Light Hand philosophy into a short descriptor. "But at the core, the Way of the Light Hand can be summed by what Master Tiland said once: The hand of a Jedi must be held lightly, quick to open in an offer of aid, slow to close into a fist, and quicker still to offer reconciliation. It emphasizes personal mastery and total openness to the Force at all times in the pursuit of fostering harmony within the self, among others, and with the Force. As part of that, by never carrying a lightsaber, it's a symbolic way of saying the lethal option is one they will never take."

 

[Dair Cotarin <inactive>]

Dair listened intently as Myri Oakheart spoke. Her words engendered a spark of...something in Dair's chest. Hope wasn't quite the right word, but her words rang true for something he'd been looking for. It might not be the best fit for him, he intended to be as galaxy spanning as he possibly could. Unification of the Jedi was something he knew his former master had held dear, and the flame for the same had kindled in his heart.

He didn't know if it was even possible, so much had changed in the years he'd been away. A much younger Dair would have been ashamed to have stayed away for so long, but he knew that he'd needed the time away. There was not likely anything he could have done to stop the Bryn'adul from striking out. Likewise he had nothing more than his own hands and his lightsaber, which was a flicker of wind against the bulwark of Sith dominance of the galactic east.

After she had spoken, their traffic became denser, nearing the port as they were. He took that as a reason to be silent for a time.

Dair Cotarin <inactive>
The hand of a Jedi must be held lightly, quick to open in an offer of aid, slow to close into a fist, and quicker still to offer reconciliation.

That stuck with him. Vibrated in his head, and in his heart.

He had tried to speak a couple of times, but he didn't know what to say. Those words just kept reverberating with him.

His ship appeared below them, and he pulled out of the traffic flow and spiraled to the dock. The ship opened as he neared, and he pulled the speeder into the small bay, then powered it off before turning to her.

"I'm sorry I've been so silent. While I had heard of Master Tiland previously, I had never had the chance to speak to him." He paused, stepping out of the speeder with his eyes unfocused. "The words you quoted from him just seem...profound seems like a cliche word, but..." He shrugged. "It may be that I need to find a way to train with your groups. I have spent much of my life as a Jedi at war, and it feels...incongruous."

He led the way to the bridge, and activated a few things as much by feel as by seeing. He gained the clearance within moments, and had the autopilot plot a safe course up to orbit.

 

[Myri Oakheart]

Dair Cotarin <inactive>

Myri sat silently in the speeder once she finished speaking, watching the Terminus landscape rush past them in the speeder. Something she had said had resonated with Dair. She could feel it and by the way he seemed to almost start to speak and then stopped. She didn't add any pressure or prompt any questions. Each person's individual journey with the Force was as unique as the individual themself.

Everyone viewed the Force, and felt its presence, in a different way. For many, the way she had described the two was unimaginable. For much the galactic memory, the Jedi had lived in temples serving different galactic governments in different roles. They were dispatched on request of the government, but the Councils had the prerogative of who to send.

Jedi wandering around helping people and working directly with the community? That was a radical departure in a galaxy where Jedi owned fleets of warships and military-grade armories. And as what she'd heard in recent days about the threatened split and excommunication from those who viewed the Jedi's primary purpose as killing Sith, the advancement of radical pacifism was undoubtedly seen as weak or heretical.

The great irony of the Force. The landscape turned to a cityscape and soon they were aboard the ship as Dair began preparing for departure. "Silence is the pool that can allow the roots of wisdom to flourish," Myri said in response, quoting Tiland again. "It is a very strange way to consider things in this day and age, although research suggests it was common many thousands of years ago."

She took a seat and strapped herself in. "We would be glad to have you train with us. And yes, war has been the defining feature of many Jedi since the end of the four hundred year darkness. We're trying to envision an alternative way of living in the galaxy compelling enough to persuade others to share that vision, wherever the Force takes them."