The Chimera

[Dhalinar Greystar]

Spoiler

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOb3ykS4MeQ&list=PL_DjkvKlP9AO3zfzjzUO4UTyqenAL-Htn&index=6​

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"Steel your mind you must, or fall will you."

The words came out light heatedly from the small green, Green Jedi master as he spoke to his padawan. The floating stone walkway the pair stood on hovered some distance from the ground below. So high were they that clouds surrounded his padawan's feet. They completely covered Morteg. The stones they sparred on were typically used for padawan provings, where a youngling house would perform choreographed duels to the entertainment and education of others while also being silently evaluated by Masters and Knights looking to take on padawans of their own.

Today it was their personal training ground, and with the sound of the waterfall in the distance and his padawan wearing a blast shielded helmet to blind him Morteg was having more fun than he should have been.

"Ready yourself Padawan Horn," he said before activating his short green lightsaber with a snap-hiss. A gust of wind blew past them, tossing his hair about wildly before he smirked and leaped at his Padawan, lightsaber ignited once again. He flipped over his padawan

 

[Hunter Blackburn]

First, there was the confusing speech pattern that Ador still had yet to fully learn to comprehend, and now the completely unorthodox training. Joining the Green Jedi was beginning to feel like a mistake on the Jedi’s part. Heart hammering rapidly in his chest Ador stood with each foot solidly planted on its own stone that floated only the force knew how high up. How did they even manage such a thing to begin with? More questions began to crop up in the padawan’s mind the longer he stood there. In his hands he held Fortitude, the saber he’d crafted with the aid of the presence that lingered on the saber. The words it had offered both encouraging and guiding him.

“I don’t think any amount of steeling my mind will keep me from falling,” Ador called out reaching up and knocking on the blast visor that blinded him. How come all the other apprentices were allowed to see when they trained? Why was Ador forced into this? Sighing, Ador listened. Even within the helmet he closed his eyes. Deep breaths filled and exited the Corellian’s lungs as he attempted to set aside the fear that swelled up within him.

Despite feeling like he was about to lose his breakfast Ador opened his mouth to confirm his readiness to Morteg only for the Jedi Master to have already started. Forced to act at the sound of the saber activating. Ador activated his own in turn, listening for the hum of Mortegs. Turning to his right and bringing his saber upwards in a slash, the youth lost his footing under his right foot. Instead of tumbling off it was Ador’s knee that met the rock with a sharp pain radiating up and down his leg. A groan escaping the Jedi’s lips he thrust the saber forward to where he thought Morteg would land and be.

[member="Morteg"]

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

The young Jedi's first slash caught nothing but air as despite his small size Morteg actually could jump quite high. That coupled with his small stature made it difficult even with sight to really judge where his arc would take him through the air. When he landed however he parried the blade of his padawan and looked at him amused.

"Correct you are. Keep you from falling to your death, a steeled mind will not." Maybe this many distractions was too much for the young boy. With a sigh Morteg deactivated his lightsaber and began to speak again. "A Jedi quiets their mind not to avoid falling, but to open themselves to the force. Survived the Great Split you did. How did you do this, hrm? Worry did you about falling into the abyss? Or trust in your instincts did you? It is the same here." He took a deep breath and looked at his apprentice sympathetically.

"Fix your stance, quiet your mind and steel yourself. Again you will do. This time do not attack. Defend, parry, disarm...But do not attack. Feel the Force, guide your blade it will." With a "hurmpf!" the little green Master jumped at his apprentice again, his blade erupting with a snap-hiss again as he attempted to strike at his apprentice's right shoulder in a downward arc.

[member="Ador Horn"]

 

[Hunter Blackburn]

Rising to his feet Ador felt a warmth beginning at his knee and then creeping its way down to his booted feet. The knees of his pants darkened, stained by a crimson liquid that dripped off and onto the stone. A hiss escaped Ador’s lips but the pain of the wound was nothing in comparison to the verbal lashing that it felt like Morteg was giving him. Even with the cryptic speech pattern the words of the smaller individual were sharp, pointed and if were a blade would’ve drawn blood.

Biting his lip, memories of Corellia breaking sprang unbidden to Ador’s mind. Looking down through the viewport of the ship and down to the planet as it shattered and lives were winked out in an instant. The pain and weight came down on Ador as he remembered collapsing to his knees in the shuttle he’d stowed away upon. Before he’d thought it dumb luck that he’d survived but the more Ador learned of the force the Jedi began to wonder if it had been his destiny to survive?

“Yes Master Morteg.” Ador could’ve argued with the Jedi master but he’d learned over the past few weeks that it wasn’t wise to do so. Body shifting, his feet spreading a bit over shoulder width apart, and his saber held vertical Ador closed his eyes. With an exhalation of air Ador let his worries out, focusing on the moment he stood in. Letting his awareness spread and the force to flow into him. The cool energy filled the Corellian’s form and like a guide, it gently moved his arms. Ador’s blue saber came down to smack away Morteg’s own blade leaving the boy in the plow stance. The side of his lips forming the ghost of a smile at his success of blocking the strike.

[member="Morteg"]

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

Morteg caught the the thinly veiled smile of his apprentice and grunted, suppressing a prideful smirk. With another grunt he pushed off of Ador's own blade, aided by the force, and flipped over his apprentice's back. His long, dreadlocked hair flew wildly about and his lightsaber's hum bounced in the air. His small feet slapped the stone behind his padawan with a soft thud, his sudden weight causing the floating rock to sag in the air and rebound to its proper position. Steadied, he made a low swipe at Ador's legs.

[member="Ador Horn"]

 

[Hunter Blackburn]

The rising swell of reassurance from the force comforted Ador, it told him everything would be fine so long as he placed his trust in it. The weight of Morteg even if diminutive in comparison to his own could still be felt against the saber, then it was gone. The apprentice’s saber held the same second for a bit longer as he listened to the air whistling, the humming of Morteg’s saber as it went up and over his head.

Moving to meet his master, Ador’s body shifted, his body turning in the direction of Morteg. There were only a certain few places the Master could land considering how the stones they stood upon were lined up. His footing the same as before, Ador brought his saber down going from the plow position to a low guard his saber intercepting and locking with his Master’s once more.

“I think I’m beginning to understand what you mean Master Morteg.” Although he could not see Ador felt at peace. No longer was fear the dominating factor in his mind. All thoughts of falling shunted from the padawan’s mind instead focusing on just him and his master.

[member="Morteg"]

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

"Master Morteg," A voice came from the far end of the bridge, causing Morteg to disengage from his padawan's lightsaber. It was one of the floating temple's droids. The multipurpose droid's limbs were long and jointed heavily to facilitate the use of training sabers and weapons for sparing but its torso looked disproportional and short when compared to a normal humanoid's. It stood almost two meters tall and as such dwarfed Morteg as it made its way confidently over the floating stone bridge.

"You've received a mission from the Council!" Morteg's ears perked up, straining to hear what the droid over a sudden gust of wind and the hum of their lightsabers. With a soft sigh the little green Jedi deactivated his lightsaber and began following the droid back to the temple. It was a shame they had to cut this lesson short, just as Ador was on the cusp of understanding, but he was a Horn. Even if he wasn't a main branch Horn he had much potential especially not knowing his heritage. He would need to train him carefully.

"Come Padawan Horn, remove your helmet you may. Our things you must prepare. A long journey we have." As they passed the bridge's threshold Morteg used the Force to float a small hooded robe to him. A chill ran down his tiny little spine as the adrenaline from combat began to wear off and his body slowly began to remember how high up in the sky they were. The robe was damp from the clouds and only served to chill him even more.

"Do not forget the holochrons," he shouted over his shoulder knowingly, "A long journey means lots of time to study you will have!" he shouted with a smile before he strode off confidently with the droid and they were both enveloped by the cloud cover leading back to the Temple.

[member="Ador Horn"]

 

[Hunter Blackburn]

Transfixed in the partial trance Ador almost failed to notice the arrival of the droid, the canny tone that came through its vocalator catching the padawan’s attention. The wind whistling in Ador’s ears keep the young Correllian from hearing what was said. Even straining and seeking to listen to the words through the force he heard nothing. With a flick of his thumb, Ador deactivated the saber, the silver blade shrinking into the hilt simultaneous with Morteg’s own.

When the command came to remove the helmet Ador couldn’t be more thankful. Pulling it off his dark hair lay matted to his head, sweat pouring freely down his forehead the moisture in the air doing nothing to help dry him off. Could they not at least put something within the blast visors to cool people down when wearing them?

“Yes Master, should I also gr-” Ador started before Morteg cut him off mentioning grabbing the holocrons that drew an audible groan from Ador. It wouldn’t be so bad if Morteg didn’t make Ador constantly write essays on what he learned, his takes on them, or if he at least picked more interesting subjects. The last holocron Ador had read was on the History and establishment of the Jedi Order as a whole. A hand rubbing at his face the Corellian set off to gather his own and Morteg’s things to meet the Master on their ship. Hopefully this isn’t a repeat of Kashyyyk.

[member="Morteg"]

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

In a few hours Morteg had been briefed and made the proper preparations for their trip. They were headed to the Goorla system to a small moon where a group of Corellian Belters had began protesting and overall causing a massive disturbance. While things hadn't deteriorated to outright violence yet there had been several bomb threats to the Bacta factories and the Goorla Observatory, an observatory and lab dedicated to studying the Goorlish Light Source used in Corellian Flame Minitures which was an art form unique to the Corellian Sector. For obvious reasons the moon was not only culturally significant, but militarily as well as one of the main producers of Bacta in the Sector.

Morteg found Ador waiting, though he couldn't tell if the Padawan was excited or dreading this journey. If all went according to plan they wouldn't be fighting at all, and he knew the Horn blood in the lad was strong and he figured he'd always be looking for a fight. Well, to be fair, most human Corellian Jedi that he'd met or trained preferred to solve their issues either over a game of Pazaak or with their lightsabers so it wasn't surprising his Padawan would feel the same way.

The little creature walked through the Green Jedi hangar towards their shuttle and gave Ador a nod as he neared the ramp. The vessel was small compared to most diplomatic shuttles, but for the pair of them it was more than adequate. An astromech, infuriatingly taller than Morteg, beeped and twerped at the pair from atop the ramp impatiently.

"Yes yes my little friend. I know. Late I am, hurry we must," he said in the most sarcastic way possible. The astromech bobbed side to side and warbled something probably inappropriate at the Jedi Master which drew a growl from the little green man. His eyes wandered up at his Padawan and he sighed.

"Hate droids I do. Much noise do they make." He grumbled again and waved dismissively at the droid before hobbling up the ramp.

[member="Ador Horn"]

 

[Hunter Blackburn]

Pacing back and forth at the foot of the shuttles landing ramp Ador waited for Morteg to arrive his impatience with the Master growing. Morteg took his time everywhere they went, and the Jedi had prepared their things and had it packed away over thirty minutes ago. The faint warbling of the droid that would be accompanying them catching the Corellian’s attention. “I don’t know what's taking him so long S4! I don’t even know where we’re going, he went off to meet the council without me, keeps me in the dark till we reach our location. Worst of all he makes me constantly read over ancient holocrons.” Sighing the Jedi rested his head on the cold metal hull of the shuttle.

Finally feeling the presence of Morteg approaching the hanger bay Ador straightened and turned to watch the Master approach. He was grateful in so many ways to be one of the Jedi’s students, at the same time he wondered when the master would place a bit more trust in him. The droids sharp retort to Morteg almost caused Ador to break out in laughter, but he was far wiser and composed than that. The closest that Ador’s composure came to breaking in that moment was a faint smile.

“Droids aren’t that bad Master, they’re fun and great for company. Isn’t that right S4?” Ador asked ushering the little astromech up the ramp and being the last to enter. “I already ran through the pre-flight checks, and the engines are warmed up Master. But where are we going? Please don’t tell me Kashyyyk again.”

Settling into the pilot’s seat the youth waited for both his Master and the droid to settle in before guiding the shuttle up and out into the Coronet sky.

[member="Morteg"]

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

Kriff. He'd done it again. He always forgot to tell his Padawan where they were going for a mission before the mission. He winced and and turned to face his Padawan from the top of the ramp. He needed to be better about that, not that where they were going ever changed how Ador behaved.

"To the Goorla System we must go. Much unrest between the Belters and the people of Goorla, mhm!" He nodded and turned to walk deeper into the ship. "A test of your piloting skills we will have. Fly us to Goorla you will," he paused and then continued after some thought, ",at least to the Igress Point. Much studying you also have on the failure of the Jedi during the Mandalorian Excision."

 

[Hunter Blackburn]

Finally, an interesting mission! Ador thought, one for being able to explore more of the Corellian system and at least with this one there was the smallest bit of chance for action. To do something besides sit down and listen to both sides argue back and forth as they usually did. Ador didn’t know how Morteg could listen to the bickering of both sides so readily without becoming the least bit bored or upset. Sometimes people even had accused the Jedi of not being impartial. Just remembering past incidents brought a headache to the boys head.

In the darkness of space, my fingers danced over the controls and with that, I activated the hyperdrive turning the white points of stars into thin lines before we entered the realm of kaleidoscopic colors. Turning in my seat to face Morteg I looked at my Master. “Instead of reading about the failures of the Jedi in the past why don’t you teach me of the more recent failures Master?”

Feet kicking up on the dash and his hands crossing over his stomach Ador looked out into the depths of hyperspace finding the view oddly soothing. “Was it the failure of the Jedi that led to our world dying the first time? Was it the failing of the Jedi the times Coruscant has fallen? Or are there just things that even we can not stop?” The padawans eyes crinkled on the sides as he thought on his own question.


[member="Morteg"]

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

The small creature stopped to ponder his Padawan's question. Recent failures of the Jedi Order? Of those there were many, from trusting the artificial lifeform OMNI to the more recent Jedi Schism that birthed the many different Jedi Offshoots such as the Silver Jedi and the Green Jedi themselves. Over the last several centuries the Jedi had failed the Galaxy many, many times but focusing on these failures he knew, while potentially enlightening, could also severely damage and had severely damaged the image of the Jedi.

They were the Light, the vanguard against the Dark.

Not so much anymore.

And so the little Green Jedi answered his Padawan's question carefully.

"Hrm...The Breaking of Corellia...The Battle of Coruscant...All powerful and all knowing the Jedi are not. Beings in this Galaxy there are that transcend power, disrupt the Balance in the Force," he nodded, "And sometimes the Darkness blinds us to the true threat. Treachery and seduction has destroyed the Jedi and the people's trust in them. It is our folly yes, but also our duty to restore that trust. Study the Jedi Schism of the Republic you will. Learn the history of the modern order you will."

[member="Ador Horn"]