The Force? Don't Be Silly!

[Jamie Pyne]

Naboo - Theed​

​

Jamie awoke to the sound of a rapping at her bedroom door. Her eyes slowly crept open, peering at the clock beside her bed. Her mother had done away with the niceties of attempting to gently wake her daughter, only to have her turn over and go back to sleep for another hour and finding herself late to her classes for the day.

"Jamie! Jamie Teresa Pyne! Get your ass out of bed and open this door!" There was a momentary pause of silence. The girl poked her head from the sheets and looked at the door, hoping that if she simply ignored the incessant banging that she could squeeze in another 15 minutes of rest. Fate, however, had other plans for her today. "Jame if you don't get up you won't be going to your fencing tournament tonight!" The girl wrinkled her nose in frustration. How her mother manipulated her through the fear of disallowing her to participate in the one thing she enjoyed. "I'm up! I'm up! Jeez! Turn down the crazy please!" Slowly she dragged herself from the bed, hair a tattered mess, half dressed and eyes partially shut and opened the door. "You look like homeless bum, Jamie. I hope you know that."

"I'll be out in fifteen minutes." Jamie shut the door abruptly in her mother's face, turning to dress and throw her hair up so that it looked relatively presentable. Makeup? Not today - No time. Normally her mornings consisted of an hour and a half of getting ready before she could consider herself presentable. Today was not one of those days.

For a teenager on Naboo, her life was relatively uneventful, save for being something of a noble. While the girl certainly appreciated having wealth, she rarely flaunted or even acknowledged it. Her passion was always sword fighting and boxing. She was a fantastic fighter, fluid in motion and quick on her feet. Her instructors seemed astonished at her rapid progress, often times referring to her as Jedi Payne in jest, as her form seemed to reflect that.

Later that night she would begin preparing for the largest tournament in Theed, hosted at the grand coliseum where she would compete for the fencing championship against a number of other participants. Suffice to say the girl felt rather confident in herself, and was eager to take home the win in front of thousands of eyes.

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

It was rare for Keira to be on a planet without some kind of violent intention or otherwise larger motivation. Pragmatism had been prominent in her life of late, however impulsive most decisions she made typically were, regardless of what impact they would have on herself or the greater galaxy. Living in the moment offered her a view of the galaxy that many weren't willing or able to take in for want of nothing more than a fear for their own lives. Learned apathy granted her freedom from such restraints, granting her the ability to make decisions that would paralyze anyone else for a short amount of time. Sometimes she didn't really mind what toll the trauma she had suffered induced. Not always, but sometimes.

Suffice to say her presence on Naboo wasn't a venture that had been extensively thought out or planned by any means. It was enemy territory, after all, being located on the fringe of Techno Union space. If her presence here was identified repercussions would no doubt be immediately violent, and perhaps that was part of the reason she had chosen to come. Psychological games were fun to play, especially when it came to the sort that tested just how far one could push the proverbial envelope before their opponent snapped completely, giving in to their baser emotions and leaving themselves open for a myriad of counters. But she had no desire to reveal herself as a member of the Republic, however impromptu her membership really was.

Besides, her visit here had the capabilities to prove worthwhile, should anything come of the fencing tournament to be held. That attraction had played its part in the second garner for her attention. After all, bladed combat was something she had extensive experience with, even if her weapon of choice was nigh weightless and comprised entirely of superheated plasma. At the end of the day swordfighting was still swordfighting, no matter how different the sabers. But she wasn't here to participate, not this time. However much she enjoyed testing herself in combat, her intent was to spectate. There was a wealth of young talent in the galaxy, and she was curious enough to seek it out here.

But there was time to waste until evening fell, and she would spend it doing nothing more than wandering the capital city of Theed, a venue that withheld its own sort of ancient history. If it weren't for the few Union operatives that patrolled the streets and the fact that she had to conceal her only weapon - an orange-bladed lightsaber typically at her hip - she might have been relaxed. As it was, however, her ethereal hackles were in a state of constant alertness, ready to snap to attack at the slightest hint of a threat. She had never been the greatest at losing herself in any moment, unless that moment was combat. But it was unlikely anything would come along to change that.

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

The streets, by the time the girl had managed to ready herself were filled with locals, each with their own personal agendas for the day. Some were out to simply wander the streets and gaze at the vendors selling their various goods. Fresh cuts of meat, locally grown fruits and vegetables, and clothing were among some of the items for sale. The smell of the market area was pleasant and inviting, causing many people to flock towards it. Jamie passed by each morning, typically purchasing a fruit from a rather talkative toydarian. By now they knew each other rather well, greeting each other on a first name basis during their brief encounters as she went off to class.

Tarvon had, on occassion, one of the girl's favorite exotic fruits - honey melon. Today seemed to be her lucky day, as he had a few for sale. The girl dug through her pockets for a few credits and passed them to the man with a wolfish grin before saying good-bye, turning to rush off, though in her haste, after placing the fruit into her pack, as she turned to scurry off ran straight into an older looking brunette with strangely colored eyes. "Oh! I'm so sorry! Excuse me!"

The girl didn't wait for much of a response before running off down the street. She was so late. As usual.

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

She's sensitive. Years of combat had honed her instincts to a finely tuned precision, and Keira balanced herself almost before she consciously realized what would have been an impending fall. Her senses instantly extended outwards, tracking the girl for a few more feet before she let the connection sever, though that gap had been bridged for the sole sake of remembering, should they chance to cross paths again. The aura of the other held a strange neutrality to it, rejecting any aspect of the spectrum and simply existing as it was. Judging from both that and the appearance of the stranger in the first place, she would guess her to be largely untrained and perhaps even unaware of her ability.

In any other scenario on any other planet she would have immediately pursued the other out of nothing more than her own curiosity, but even someone like her knew their limits when the time called. Careful attention had been paid to where the girl ran off to and nothing more, and she continued to walk as if nothing had happened. All of these observations had been made in the span of minutes, a by-product of learning to think on one's feet the hard way. A brief few seconds passed in which she considered asking the vendor the girl had stopped by for her name, if nothing else, but that would only draw unwanted attention. Either they would become more familiar with the other or they wouldn't.

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

"As expected Miss Pyne, late as usual. Take your seat, your test is already on your desk, and you have the remaining 30 minutes to complete it. I hope you studied well." Her professor shook his head and looked back down at his datapad, tapping away while the other students in her class snickered at her, causing her to narrow her eyes and glare at a few as she took to her seat. Luckily for her, she had studied extensively for the final exam - she hadn't much choice, she needed the grade in order to maintain her average, otherwise she would never hear the end of it from her parents. Quickly she sat and began reading through the questions, immediately passing over those she didn't immediately have the answer for in exchange for guaranteeing answers for those she did know, just in case she ran out of time. Luckily for her, she knew a vast majority, and those she wasn't certain of she took a 50/50 gamble on. At worst she expected an A-, good enough to get her out of trouble, even if it wasn't her best work.

Submitting her exam, although last, and with only a few minutes to spare, she smiled at the professor, despite his second head shake, and ran off to the remaining classes for the day. She would have a short lunch break in between, enjoying the honey melon she had purchased earlier that morning and sharing with a close friend she had grown up with, and also a fellow competitor in the tournament that night. Jamie and Desmond frequently trained with one another, though she was clearly the better of the pair. Somehow she always seemed to predict his movements, almost as if before he knew himself. Unknown to her the main reason he kept up the training was simply to stay close to her. He had a bit of an infatuation with her, despite never revealing his feelings for fear of rejection, or something to that extent.

Finally, as her day drew to a close she hurried off to her home, passing once more through the market on her way home, though substantially less busy, to gather her belongings before rushing off to the grand coliseum with her family in tow. Desmond would meet her at the gates, hug her, and follow her in to the competitors quarters while her family took their seats in the stands. The competition would start shortly, and the place was beginning to get crowded. Vendors had already begun heckling spectators to purchase food and drink as they wandered through the stands.

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

Public venues were at once a blessing and a curse. While it was much easier to blend into large crowds and become faceless, the sheer amount of people never really afforded her an opportunity to relax and enjoy herself. The only use such vast gatherings provided was a cover and a way to occupy her time. At least there would be a distraction present so she wouldn't be constantly reminded of the others pressing in around her, claustrophobia seeming like an unavoidable outcome. There had been no secluded corner in which to situate herself, so she settled for remaining near the front, having meandered through the pressing throngs with aid of the Force to nudge others out of her way.

A minor altercation with Union officials that could have quickly spiraled out of control had been avoided on her way to the venue. Apparently the names and faces of the Ravens still lingered in their database even this long after their dissolution, but a few carefully spoken words - no, I'm not her - had afforded entrance into the venue rather promptly. For once she was thankful of her own anonymity. However willingly she would clash with these individuals on any battlefield, it was best to stay under the radar when within their space. The time for cut throats and severed heads would come later. Right now she had to at the very least pretend she was possessed of basic morality.

Closing her eyes she reached out through the Force, branching out through the ethereal and encompassing the entirety of the arena for a brief moment in order to glimpse at a snapshot of all who were present. Her posture shifted just slightly as she recognized the vague aura of the girl from earlier present in another section of the colosseum. It seemed that instead of simply watching the events as well, she would be participating. It would give her a chance to determine the lengths of her sensitivity and perhaps speak with her afterwards, that being more to sate her curiosity rather than force her to walk this or that path. After all, she wasn't a Jedi.

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

The lights that hung high above the coliseum shined down into the arena, casting run-off illumination into the stands so that patrons could locate their way around as the tournament began. The floor of the arena, a soft duracrete, had been covered by an endless row of rubber mats to protect fighters from injury during the competition. This was, afterall, a tournament for 15-20 year old competitors. The tournament board that hung above the center of the arena displayed the standings, and where each competitor would fall in the tournament. Because of her rankings throughout the year, Jamie had been positioned for the final, main event match of the evening, likely against her friend, should he succeed in his match against his own opponent one bracket beneath her.

The matches would go on for several hours before Jamie got her chance to step into the arena. During that time she had little else to do but watch the other competitors vying for their final standings in the tournament. In between, she practiced her form, and did a myriad of exercises to prepare herself for whomever she would be facing. She also peered out from the competitors corner, looking out into the ocean of spectators to find her parents, though relatively unlikely, given the sheer volume of people present, the number reaching somewhere in the 60,000's.

Finally though, her time had come. The final event of the evening - her moment to shine. Unfortunately she was not going to be squaring off against Desmond, as a few miscalculated strikes and parries caused him to lose his match. Instead, she would be facing his victor, a rather large, 20 year old male that was more known for physical strength than dexterous grace. Jamie knew she could not simply block his attacks with her own, he would crush her beneath his raw strength. And while he was not overly fast on his feet, he was larger than her, and had a much longer reach, something that was also a hefty advantage in sword fighting.

The girl stepped into the arena, glanced around at the crowd and then to her opponent. She bowed her head low in respect, though he seemed disinterested in the idea. As the gong sounded, he took two steps towards her and thrust his saber towards her head. The girl's eyes widened as she took a massive step back, nearly losing her balance right off the cuff. He took another step forward and made a sweeping slash across her mid-section. The girl then took her two hands, lowering her weapon down and to the side, then quickly upwards to divert the force of the strike up and over her, rather than through her, or attempting to simply block the strike. But almost as soon as she had, his blade came charging back downwards towards her head. Almost instinctively, she leaped to the opposite side, rolling out and away from him before he connected with a hit.

You need to do something besides evade Jamie, or you're never going to win. She was almost about to engage herself in an internal discussion when she turned to see him charging back towards her like some kind of rampaging bantha. With a quick shift of her body she side-stepped him, and made a quick angular cut towards his calf, which to her surprise, connected, eliciting a rather loud yelp from him as the pain from the impact was registered. - The weapons were not sharp, but they could still leave painful welts from being struck. The girl smiled, slowing him down would be the key to her success. She moved in and swung low again, aiming for his other leg. This time, while she still connected, the strike was higher, hitting him in the outer thigh where it hurt far less with all the extra muscle. However because she was now so close, her opponent was rather enraged at being struck twice, and thrust forward - not with his saber, but with a closed fist, colliding against the left side of her cheek and knocking her back several feet in a daze. This wasn't a boxing match, and anything used besides a saber was considered illegal.

Jamie went to adjust herself, but it was simply too late, he was already on top of her. It was as if something in him snapped, and he was out of control. His knees were buried in her chest, and with nowhere to maneuver, she was simply at his mercy. Mercy that he didn't possess. Each fist came raining down one after another against each side of her face, the stinging pain growing stronger after each one. She screamed, at first for help, then simply because her body had no other idea how to react. Officials began to rush on to the arena, the gong was rung several times to indicate a disqualification, but none of that mattered to either opponent. Jamie just wanted him off of her, and he apparently just wanted to beat someone half to death that day.

Her hands lifted to try and push him off of her, but the sheer weight on top of her made the effort rather irrelevant. She shouted again, and thrust her hands forward to try and hit him. Something happened though, and only moments before the officials reached the two to try and force her opponent off of her, he had been lifted, thrown into the air and across the arena by some strange unknown Force. It was as if some unknown entity had plucked him from her and threw him like a simple doll a dozen feet away. Jamie looked at her hands in shock. What had just happened?

The crowd went silent despite the announcement that her opponent was disqualified, and she the victor as such...

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

Instinct had taken over for Keira, and whether that was entirely good or bad was anyone's guess. In the seconds before the burgeoning fistfight had been momentarily dispelled by the girl's own hand she had pushed through the crowd and vaulted off the edge of the stands to land lightly on her feet within the arena itself, a maneuver that likely hadn't been appreciated by any officials present. There was a threat to be neutralized, and that was what she would do, though arguably with less force than was typical given that no party could be put completely at fault here. The moment Victor charged again she merely looked at him, that simple gesture alone seeming to possess the power to knock him off his feet. To one that could manipulate it so effortlessly, the Force was nothing more than a tool.

All that had done was draw more attention to the both of them than was wanted or needed in those moments, and she knew it was only a matter of time before she would be recognized as some kind of Jedi, no matter how much she despised the label. Nothing could ever remain simple, it seemed, not even a small excursion to Naboo meant to offer her nothing more than a chance to relax away from the hustle and bustle of leading a millions strong clone army. When one of the officials put a hand on her shoulder and asked her to accompany them to a more secure locale for a debriefing she shrugged them off, not bothering to so much as acknowledge their presence or what authority they held on the planet itself.

Without a word she closed the gap of a few feet between her and the stranger, crouching next to the girl with a crooked smile, glancing briefly to the other that had started the scuffle as he was escorted from the colosseum. "Well, that was quite a stunt you pulled, huh?" Her gaze returned to the girl, not possessing its usual steely edge that often turned others away. Curiosity had taken its root there instead, and it would be painfully slow in leaving. "Looks to me like you've got a bit of Force sensitivity in you, which isn't a bad thing. Just means you can learn how to do things bigger and better than that someday, if you want." Which constituted becoming neither a Jedi nor a Sith, nor joining any sort of Order at all. That would just take the fun out of it all.

"Name's Keira." No need to reveal her surname, or much else about her identity. Not yet, anyway. A hand was offered in order to help her to the girl to her feet, and she stood in short order. "What do you say we go talk things over with your parents and get this whole mess figured out?" A beat passed in which she considered just how unwanted her presence and rather pitiful attempt at conversation might have been. "I'm like you, so you know. Sensitive, I mean. That's the only reason I came over here. Figured it was better than one of them," She jerked her head towards those in uniform, "Getting their way with things instead. Nobody else really understands people like us, usually. They're afraid of what we can do."

Maybe she shouldn't have phrased it all exactly like that. "I'd like to help you learn more about this power you have." Since when had she ever liked to help anyone?

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

With her eyes partially shut due to the swelling already occurring along her jaw, cheeks, and temple, Jamie strained for a minute to look at the woman who just made her appearance known. Stunt? She had no idea what had just happened in the moments prior to this woman standing over her. One minute, this guy was on top of her, practicing on her like some human punching bag, and the next, he had been launched across the arena with such violent force, seemingly of her own doing. "I....I don't know how I did that. I panicked." The teenager took the offered hand and stood up, wiping the bit of blood off of her face with the side of her left hand. "Thanks, I'm Jamie." She pointed towards the pair rushing through the crowds to make their way down to the arena. "Well, we won't have to look far, here they come."

The girl sort of shrugged, not entirely certain as to what she was being told, or what it meant. "You say I'm...Sensitive. Like you. What do you mean? You're like a Jedi?" Her parents were getting closer, though maneuvering through the thousands in the crowd was no simple task. They would have another minute or so to talk before the panicked interruption of her mother Karyn, and the stern concern from her father Jaeson. "I'm not sure I understand what this all means, in general, or for me. But if you can explain it, maybe you should come to my home with my parents and I."

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

Regardless of how many times the word was used synonymously with her, Keira could never identify with being any kind of Jedi. That was a term best used for other people, those that were selfless in assisting others, that didn't possess the selfishness she had in the past and still retained to some degree now. No, she wasn't a Jedi, and she never would be. "You could say that." But it didn't make it right. "But I don't belong to any Order. I work with the Republic, not for them. That still makes me a good guy, if that's what you were wondering about." There was a pause in which she looked briefly to the approaching couple that had been identified as Jaime's parents. "I'd be careful how much you throw that word around, though. Some people don't like it."

Momentarily she considered her options while intrinsically knowing that there would be no simple walking away this time. Not after her admittance, and especially not after being seen by so many people. "I can't tell you what this means for you, either. That's something you have to figure out for yourself. Nobody can tell you what path to walk." And her least of all. It was that quality of manipulation, in that form, at least, that she had never held under her own power or want. "All I can do is help you figure this mess out and see what you want to do about it. I have a few friends within the established Orders of the galaxy if you decide you want to go that route. In the end it's up to you." With that she took a step back in order to allow the family their room to convene.

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie's eyes lit up like a thousand tiny galaxies, as if she had just been told the secrets of life. For that one quick moment, she'd forgotten about having just been beaten half to death. The world around seemed to drift away into the distance. Keira's words trailed off as the girl slipped into a sort of mental deliberation of her entire life up to this point. Recalling every moment of celebration, of accomplishment, and wondering if that was all simply due to this...Sensitivity that the woman spoke of. All that time...Was I supposed to be a Jedi too? Is that why I am the way I am? Her parents called her name a couple of times when they finally arrived. Waving their hands in her face to get her attention and pull her out of whatever trance she seemed to be in. Her eyes blinked - she finally shook her head and looked at them both.

"I'm fine, I'm fine! He just hit me in the face a few times. When he wouldn't get off of me I shoved him really hard, but I don't know what happened after that." Looking over at Keira she nodded towards her and spoke quietly. "She knows whatever it is that happened. I guess -" She paused, trying to think of the way to phrase her words. "I guess she can do it too. I have to talk to her somewhere private." Her mother's face looked rather disinterested with the whole idea, focused solely on the rather nasty welts rapidly growing on her daughter's face. "No. What you need is a doctor. You need to make sure you're not hurt any worse than you look." The woman touched Jamie's cheek as if inspecting it herself, instantaneously causing a grimace of pain to vibrantly display across her face and the girl to jerk away. "I'm fine. I'll see a doctor later if you so demand it, but I must talk with her first. Please." Looking over to her father for support, she tilted her head to the side and gave him the look.

"Miss? I'm sorry, I didn't get your name. But it seems my daughter would like to talk to you, if you're inclined. We've got room if you wish to come with us." He looked towards his daughter, then back to Keira, knowing this was probably a bad idea.

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

"Just call me Keira." Formal titles of any variation were a nuisance, even those as seemingly minuscule as honorifics of that sort. The comment, however, was made offhandedly as she stepped forward to examine the girl's injuries herself, finding them to be minorly extensive, if that. A near-lifetime experience with brawls of every sort had left her with an uncanny ability to gauge wounds on sight. Her only response to the mother's concern was a minute shake of her head. "She'll be fine. There isn't a point in going to a doctor, because all they're going to tell you is to ice this and watch the swelling. Bandage the cuts, sure, but this isn't going to give her physical trauma." Given the myriad of scars that twisted about her form, she knew better than most.

Realizing momentarily that she may have been overstepping her boundaries she shrank back just slightly, and she turned her attention back to the matter at hand. "Yeah, I'd be happy to talk to her. This is something you're probably gonna want to hear about, too. It'll always have an impact on her life, from now forward." A beat passed. "In a good way. I'll explain more when there's less people around." So much for not sounding cryptic like every Jedi that inhabited the galaxy. But she didn't want to risk exposing any of them in a manner that was undesirable. No publicity was needed, especially not on a planet currently under control of a government allied with the Sith.

So much for this being a chance to get away from it all.

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie smiled with excitement, though she did her best to hide it as she listened to Keira address her parents.The girl had seen holovids and heard countless stories about Jedi, their lightsabers and incredible ability to do things most feared impossible. It was as if they were some type of demi-god - mortal, yet able to perform impossible acts. Jamie rushed the group back to their transport, entirely disinterested from that point on about the tournament, the rulings regarding the turn of events for her match, and whether or not she won by default. In that moment, all she was focused on was what Keira had to say.

On the way back, she tried desperately to sit quietly and not ask a million questions, but she simply couldn't sit still. She was anxious to know everything, like a kid who was simply inquisitive about everything, she just had to know.

"How long have you been a Jedi for? Have you fought in battles? Do you have your own lightsaber?" Her own excitement was getting the better of her. "Can I see it? Where did you get trained?" Her mother turned her head and gave her daughter a rather stern look. "Jamie, relax. You're asking a million questions. Allow her a minute to think about your first question before you bombard her with three more."

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

A dismissive wave of the hand was her only response to the mother's concern in regards to the abundance of questions. It was better to garner the right sort of attention rather than that which earned you a blade at your throat. This was a nice change rather than any sort of nuisance, and Keira wasn't bothered by it in the least. "I was a Jedi for four years, from twelve to when I left at sixteen. That was when I started not seeing eye-to-eye with the rest of the Order, so I decided to leave and do things my own way. I trained on Ossus originally, but after I left I learned from others with more alternative views of the Force." Namely a brief stint with a Sith Lord before being brought to Masterhood by a Dark Jedi.

The few scars immediately visible on her form should have answered the second question before it so much as came to mind, but she would answer regardless. Common courtesy may have been a new concept in some respects, but she was doing her best to exercise it. "I've fought in more battles than I have an accurate number for." Briefly she gestured to the burn scar that branched like a spider's web across the right side of her jaw, then to the raised ridges from a lightsaber that cut from the right side of her neck diagonally downwards towards her sternum. Ironically enough both had been gained through rather violent sparring matches rather than anything explicitly serious, but the sentiment remained.

"I can show you my saber, but let's wait until we get somewhere else. Lightsabers aren't something to be waved around like toys." Not when they had the capacity to be deadlier than most any other weapon in the known galaxy when in the right hands. Her expression turned a touch more serious as she considered the girl's thoughts towards the life of one like her. No doubt she thought such a life was glamorous to lead, never considering the detriments. Most didn't, and she certainly couldn't be blamed. But unlike those others, she wouldn't bother disguising the truth. Perhaps if the Jedi hadn't those years ago when they took her from Corellia she would have thought twice about joining. However, she wanted to make sure Jaime had a fair choice in the matter.

Her brow furrowed slightly, and she sighed quietly. "Listen, I want you to know that this life isn't all fun and games. Not everything's as great and full of adventure as it seems. I've seen some pretty amazing things in my lifetime and done some myself, but believe me when I say it all balances out. It's not always going to be easy, or fun, or as fantastic as you've been taught. It's going to be hard, you're going to be challenged more than you ever have been before, and there's a chance you're going to get hurt along the way." She had her own scars, mental and physical, to hold as testament to that. "But I can tell you that it's going to be worth it in the end."

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie studied Keira's scars with a certain degree of admirable respect, as if it were some kind of right of passage that had been earned. Truthfully she hadn't really noticed them until they were pointed out, her attention was very much more focused on everything else, and hadn't stopped to really take in the woman's features. There was so much about her she wanted to know. "What was it like on Ossus? We don't travel a whole lot, but I've heard stories that it's where all of the Jedi learn and that some live most of their lives there." A brief glance over to her mother was greeted with a rather displeased look. It was obvious that she wasn't keen on this idea of the Force, or that her daughter might somehow be caught up in it, and least of all that she was about to dive more into it. Jamie saw the look, and immediately turned back to Keira. Despite having to wait to see the lightsaber she was still excited, replying with a simple, but ecstatic "Okay!"

She hadn't had to be told twice that a lightsaber wasn't a toy. She was, after all, both a sword fighter and a boxer herself, so she understood the necessity of being careful. She nodded her head, understanding as Keira spoke of how her life was not as glamorous as it was made out to be, and that it would be both trying and difficult, despite feeling it was still all worth it. Jamie wondered if the scars on the woman were something that every Jedi bared in some fashion, or if it was simply circumstance.

"I understand. How did you get your lightsaber? I've heard that Jedi go to the far edges of space and have to mine their crystals from a planet. Is that true?" As they pulled up to the home, the gates opened to a rather large courtyard area, and a magnificent house awaited them. Three floors complete with a sprawling yard, pool, and split hot tub at the far end. A beautiful garden was opposite the pool area, with fresh vegetables, flowers, and fruit growing. Jamie hopped out and smiled. "Welcome! We'll have privacy to talk and such here. Are you hungry at all? We have plenty to eat."

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

Was there a way to describe Ossus that wasn't entirely deprecating? Keira would try her best with it, at least. "It was nice, just not for me." A lot of places weren't for her these days, all told, and that had just been another one of them. "It's always quiet and peaceful. The light is dominant there, so any disturbances are rare. You always seem to be able to find yourself, even if you aren't sure who you are yet." A sense of belonging pervaded the entire planet and extended to all who landed there, but somehow even then she still felt alienated. Maybe that was because she had never really fit in anywhere other than Corellia. Anywhere else was really just a temporary home at best.

Luxury was as foreign an entity as anything, the only sort she had been exposed to belonging to the criminal underworld. Maybe it would be nice to experience life through a different lens, if just for a little while. While she couldn't see herself ever adjusting completely to something like this, it made for a nice change of pace. "I'm fine, unless you'd like to eat." Oh, formalities would always escape her. "We can talk first. I'm sure you have hundreds of more questions from where those first few came from." To be able to demonstrate her ability in a controlled environment was a good feeling, as it meant she didn't have to worry about fighting for anything or anyone. It was a sign everything was at peace.

"Some of them do. Ilum is where most of them find the crystal for their blade, but some of them are created synthetically. Most of the time the lightsaber is assembled by the individual through the Force." As had been the case with her. "I went to Ilum just as the rest of them did, and created my saber through much of the same means. It's a lengthy process, but if you do it right you're left with a weapon that's yours alone." Malfunctions were always a possibility, but if she could credit the Jedi to one thing, it was their teaching methodology. Of everything she had found useless, the construction of a weapon didn't fit under that label. That was one of the things which had brought her this far.

Seemingly of her own accord she meandered further into the courtyard, motioning for Jaime to follow if she wished to have a closer look. In short order she produced an object from the inside pocket of her jacket, turning it over in her hand. "This is my lightsaber. I've had it for about thirteen years." Taking a few steps backward she ignited the brilliant orange blade with a snap-hiss, plasma thrumming into existence. "You aren't going to want to be too close for this one." With a flick of the wrist she spun the saber before moving through a sequence of the Ataru form with increased speed once every strike was made, ending with the weapon in low guard, chest rising and falling visibly with each breath. "You can learn how to do that, too."

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

The teen smiled; the wealth of information from someone like Keira was a much welcomed change from her ordinary life. The things she'd seen, and places she'd been, they all sounded magnificent. The relative freedom to go where one wished, and choose their own life was something sorely lacking in her current situation. That was something she'd hoped to change, and this seemed her best chance at that kind of life. Who knew? "I'm fine, I can wait to eat!" The girl had offered out of politeness, being the host to their guest and all. She was in fact much more eager to see Keira's lightsaber than any thought of eating. Jamie blushed slightly at the mention of having hundreds of more questions. She could have said yes, and after those hundred, another hundred. There likely wasn't enough time in the week to ask everything she had questions about. But such was things.

The girl listened as her elder spoke of lightsaber construction and how it was perfected by each Jedi. Some seemed to choose synthetics, others the real deal. She thought on that, wondered why anyone would prefer a fake crystal as opposed to the real thing, an accomplishment on its' own merit. "Why do some choose to use synthetics instead of going to Ilum? Is that where all of the colors come from? The type of crystal you pick? What's the planet like? Is it a Jedi planet?"

Jamie's jaw nearly dropped to the floor as Keira produced and displayed the hilt of the saber. Her eyes grew wide and awestruck as it was ignited, and the humming of the blade combined with the flash of brilliant orange. "It's beautiful! Like a work of art! I've never seen one up close, or at all, just in the holovids." Her voice fell silent as Keira made a vibrant display of maneuvers with the near weightless blade in hand. Jamie was pretty good by Naboo swordfighting standards, but Keira was way out of her league. It made what she did look like effortless breathing. "Wow! That must have taken years and years to learn. I am nothing at all like that."

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

In some sense Keira yearned to preserve the innocence to the larger galaxy Jaime so readily retained, if just so she wouldn't have to suffer through the same hardships that had a seemingly meaningless void attached to them. It was, at the end of all things, a want for the other to not end up like her, lost and without purpose for years. For all of her generally impassive attitude there resided within her a seed of compassion that was slow in taking root but steadily making headway nonetheless. Funny how this newfound warmth surfaced first not with those she had become romantically involved with nor her family, but those she had taken on in some fashion to teach.

Truth be told her knowledge of the Jedi didn't extend much past the basics in most facets, but she knew intrinsically other, far less substantial pieces of information. "It's personal preference. Most Jedi I've met use natural crystals." And most of them were far more spiritual about the whole ordeal than she would ever come to be. "The colors can vary depending on the type of crystal, but you can find almost any color regardless. It's an ice planet, and the crystals can be found in a few specific caves on the surface. It used to be in Jedi space, but I'm not sure anymore." All of this was knowledge recited from her time as a youngling and Padawan within the Order, stored within her memory thanks to research done in the archives.

Any sort of praise had always been taken to either awkwardly or indifferently, oftentimes a combination of both, and this was no exception. A shrug, a slight smile and a quiet laugh were the manifestations of such this time around. "Don't get down on yourself. It's taken years of training under different mentors and more than a few fights for me to get this far. The most I've learned is through my own failures. You'll get there." Encouragement was just as new to her as anything else, but if she knew one thing it was that people were capable of far more than they were ever credited for. All it took was a bit of pushing one's limits to unlock endless bounds of hidden potential.

For a moment she considered the saber, turning a knob in order to adjust the power setting similar to those of a training blade. This might not have been the most orthodox method of going about things, but it was one way. No one had ever called her a fantastic teacher by any means. "I'm going to give you a choice in the matter as to whether or not you want to take on this path. It's not something I can force you along on. It won't be easy and it won't always be immediately rewarding, and you're going to want to give up a lot. But it's somewhere you can find a place where you belong, and maybe find it in yourself to make a difference in the galaxy." She offered the blade for Jaime to wield herself. "It's your turn. Just remember that the blade is weightless."

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie's mind wandered to Ilum, the frost covered ice world. How amazing it must be to land there, entering these deep caverns eons old, where countless Jedi had come before, to find that one special crystal that calls out to you. To choose the color of your saber that best suited you. She nearly shivered at the excitement. It was almost magical. A mental picture sprung up in her head of herself holding a lightsaber, and the color it might be. She had always liked yellow. Ya, yellow she thought to herself as she snapped back to reality. "I'd love to see the caves. It sounds wonderous." Her ignorance to the true dangers of the galaxy were apparent, though not for lack of thought. She knew not everything was rosey outside of Naboo, but she had never been forced to experience such dangers before.

The girl nodded at the encouragement given by Keira, though it seemed rather forced, as if she wasn't quite sure what to say in response to Jamie. It didn't matter too much to the younger female, she simply let it go and carried on with the discussion. When the woman handed her the hilt of the lightsaber she grasped it rather firmly, her body instinctively assuring her that there would be a certain amount of weight in her hands, as if it were similar to her fencing sword. She immediately felt the distinct difference. It seemed awkward. A small flick of her wrist tumbled the saber in a rather loose circle. It felt almost wrong in some ways. She had always been taught that there was a weight to account for with her sword, and to play off of that weight when making strikes. This would be almost like learning how to walk again. The feeling was almost disconcerting. "Woah." Was about all she could say. She took a step forward and made a quick jab, the quiet humm of the blade following its' directed path away from Jamie's body. "This is nothing like sword fighting. No wonder so few people carry these!" She returned the saber to a safe guard position and observed the weapon carefully. It was so vibrant, she almost wanted to just run her hand along the plasma, though she knew better than to even seriously contemplate such a thing.

"This is fantastic, even if it's rather awkward." She sighed, she knew one thing was certain, that her mother would absolutely, positively, never agree to her leaving Naboo to take on some kind of Jedi-like training from a random stranger she had known for a handful of hours. There was no amount of convincing that would ever garner any sort of agreement out of her parents. This was a stretch, even for her father to agree to. "My parents will never agree to this." Jamie gestured with her hand. "All of this, becoming a Jedi, leaving Naboo to train with you, carrying around a lightsaber like some galactic law enforcer, or soldier. But this life here, it doesn't interest me. I'll just be stuck in some boring office with a fancy title next to my name because of my parents' heritage. Take me with you when you leave."

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

To watch another that was completely unused to the simple concept handle a lightsaber was intriguing, to say the least. There was an awkwardness present that Keira hadn't witnessed since her days as a Padawan among the Jedi, an unfamiliarity with the fundamentals of the weapon that was blatant in nothing more than her hold on the hilt. It was no mistake that the two had their work cut out for them if Jaime so did choose to take on this challenge. It would be a new feat for her to teach one that didn't have so much as a basic idea how to exercise her own talents in any regard in accordance with the very basics of being any kind of Jedi. But her background in swordplay would serve its own purpose.

With a careful yet nonchalant scrutiny she observed how the other moved with the saber in hand, the movements made exuding a familiarity yet foreignness with the weapon. It wouldn't be too difficult for her to make adjustments to the featherweight of the plasma, and from then on it would be a matter of perfecting her finesse until every movement came nigh instinctively with aid of the Force. That was another facet to nurture and help grow. "You'll learn, if that's something you'd like to pursue. It's difficult, but certainly not impossible. Live combat is where things get tricky, but I have no doubt you'll work through things." I wouldn't have agreed to this if I didn't see potential.

Here she was making future plans when nothing concrete had been so much as considered. It wasn't difficult to sense the doubt emanating from Jaime, and it was made evident by her statement only seconds afterwards. At first she didn't respond, smiling just slightly. Perhaps her impassivity wouldn't be appreciated, but she wouldn't bother plaguing this conversation with dishonesty. "I wouldn't worry too much about what anyone else wants. This is your life, and your decision. You have to remember that." Then again, she didn't have any ties to way her down as Jaime did, and so was in many aspects indifferent to the mere thought of it. But it was difficult to hold sympathy for something you had never really known.

"If you want to go with me, I don't have a problem with it. But I would like to talk things over with your parents first, just to get their opinion on the matter. Sometimes you can't judge things by how they appear on the surface." She would know better than anyone, after all. "And you won't be training to be a Jedi, exactly, because that's not what I am. I uphold some kind of greater good, but that's a mantle I don't take. I left their Order for a reason, and I don't have any desire to go back." No, a Jedi she would never be. "I'm not going to teach you to be anything but yourself. What you do with your ability is up to you. I'm just going to show you how to use it."

[member="Jamie Pyne"]