Private The Gathering

[Cailen Corso]

The crystal’s energy, it’s connection to the Force, became interwoven with Cailen’s. He couldn’t quite explain the feeling of bonding with the crystal; It was like he had found a piece of himself that he never knew was missing, and it’s return made him feel a sense of completeness he hadn’t known before.

Cailen let out a small gasp as the the colorless crystal turned to a soft cyan hue. It was a rare color, signifying his purity and absolute trust in the Force.

Behind him, the ancient Jedi spirit faded away, returned to the Force now that his duty had been done.

The whole experience had an air of finality, though Cailen knew his path as a Jedi had just begun. The gentle song that guided him to his crystal was replaced with a call to return the the entrance, back through the now-melted ice wall.

Cailen retraced his steps, heading back through the caves. He was cautious as he approached the chamber where the vision of the Sith unfolded, but was relieved to find the room was empty. He moved on, eventually exiting the caves and returning to the temple hall where Master Noble waited.

He approached her, delicately carrying his newfound crystal. He looked up at the Master, a soft smile on his face; He wasn’t sure if he should let his excitement free or maintain his composure, so he elected to attempt the latter.

”I did it, Master Noble,” Cailen said proudly, cradling the crystal.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Ilum
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Cailen Corso

Valery had seen many young Jedi enter and return from the Crystal Caves, and their reactions were somewhat similar. They had all been confronted by something that was difficult to overcome or even shook them, but the excitement and joy they felt when they finally did connect with their first lightsaber crystal were often enough to help them set aside the more negative emotions from the challenges.

With Cailen, that seemed to apply as well, as he stepped out with a calm demeanor and proudly presented his crystal.

"I did it, Master Noble,"

"There was no doubt about it in my mind," Valery said with a warm smile. "Well done."

She gently placed a hand on his shoulder and gestured for him to follow her, away from the Crystal Caves she allowed to freeze shut again. They had spent enough time in the extreme cold — it was time to get something warm to eat and drink.

"So, how was your experience in the caves? It's not something you have to talk about, but it can help if something is still on your mind. The challenges aren't just difficult; they can also leave you with questions."

 

[Cailen Corso]

Cailen smiled warmly as Master Noble guided him away from the crystal caves. The entrance began to freeze over again, the caverns ready for another Youngling to face the trials of the Gathering.

He glanced down at the softly-glowing crystal in his palms.

”I did it,” he thought to himself.

Everything he had learned up to this point had finally come full circle. The sacrifice his parents made by sending him to the Jedi Order was repaid.

”Master Noble?” Cailen said, nervous to share what he’d seen in the caves.

”I saw something… something horrible, when I was in the caves,” he began, not taking his eyes off the crystal.

”It was a vision. I know that now. But it felt so real…”

The boy sighed, looking up at Master Noble.

”I saw my home. My mom and dad. And I saw a Sith. He was hurting my people,” Cailen said, his voice starting to crack with emotion.

”He was going to hurt my parents.”

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Ilum
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Cailen Corso

"Master Noble?" Cailen said, nervous to share what he'd seen in the caves.

"Hmm?" Valery hummed with a comforting, warm smile on her lips. But as her fiery eyes shifted down to look at the young boy, she quickly noticed that he was struggling with something he had seen in the caves. Quietly, she allowed him the time to explain and she just listened intently, as if it was her own Padawan talking to her about something personal.

"The crystal caves challenge us with our fears, our deepest desires, or those things that can keep us from taking action," Valery began while she stepped closer to gently place a hand on his shoulder.

She had always been very motherly and caring towards Padawans, so when she noticed one struggling with something, she was always there for them.

"The visions rarely show us actual events or the future — it's more like... an illusion," She continued. "I'm sure your parents are just fine, and I think you know it in your heart as well. But the Force wanted to make sure that you were dedicated to this new path you've chosen to follow."

Valery then reached down and gently placed her hands over his, cupping the one that held his crystal, "And with what you hold in your hands here, you've shown that you're committed to becoming a Jedi." She smiled warmly and reached back up to pat him on the shoulder.

"Why don't we get some hot chocolate in the food hall? If there's anything more you'd like to talk about, we can take our time for it."

 

[Cailen Corso]

Cailen felt relieved as he explained what he’d seen during the Gathering , though he was worried Master Noble would think him weak for being so adversely affected by the visions he saw.

This fear was quickly diminished as the Jedi Master placed her hand on his shoulder and talked him through what he experienced. As he said, it was just a vision, not a premonition of a dark future to come. Deep inside, the Force consoled him. His parents, his friends, and his home were as safe as they were when he left his life as a scrapper behind.

He’d followed the will of the Force as it guided him through the caverns, and the fact that he now possessed his very own kyber crystal was proof of his commitment to being a Jedi.

Cailen smiled softly, and said, ”Thank you.”

At her mentioning of hot cocoa, Cailen’s face lit up and he nodded eagerly.

”That sounds amazing!” he said humbly.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Ilum
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Cailen Corso

"Of course, I'm glad I can help," Valery said as she guided him into the food hall, which was almost entirely empty, safe for a droid or two. The Ilum Temple wasn't exactly a place Jedi stayed for long, so its staff was minimal, and often it was just Valery as well, who served as the planet's Watchmen.

"Take a seat and I'll make you some cocoa."

She had brought him to a table positioned close to the kitchen, so she could step around and prepare it herself. There was a machine for it but whenever she had the time, making something herself tasted a ton better.

"While I prepare this, why don't you tell me a little more about yourself? Like... is there any particular path as a Jedi that interests you already?" she asked, referring to all the types of specializations a Jedi could get into. Hoping that would get some conversation going, Valery began to softly hum a tune, one that sounded like a lullaby a mother would sing to her kids to get them to sleep.

It was calm and soothing, but wouldn't interrupt whatever he wished to share.

 

[Cailen Corso]

The dining hall was sparely populated, but that didn’t bother Cailen. In fact, he preferred the solitude now that the Gathering was complete. He could also speak more candidly with Master Noble, given the lack of eyes and ears in the room.

Cailen smiled as he sat. He peered around the dining hall, giving a friendly wave to one of the service droids who was cleaning a table nearby.

”Hi there,” Cailen said to the laboring droid with a smile. It beeped and whirred in response. The young Jedi wasn’t fluent in Binary, but knew enough to appreciate the droid’s reply.

As Master Noble asked him what Jedi path he was interested in developing, he realized he hadn’t thought that far ahead. He’d studied the three main specialties a Jedi may enter, but his focus had been primarily fixed on completing the Gathering and becoming a Padawan

He thought for a moment before answering.

”The Jedi Sentinels seem very interesting,” Cailen said.

He recalled from his lessons that Sentinels were a blend of the diplomatic Consulars and the stalwart Guardians. The diversity of duties a Sentinel could assume was appealing to him; He didn’t want to be stuck in one place doing the same thing for long. That’s what life on Anaxes was like, and he owed it to himself to see and do as much as he could.

”I’d like to study their specialty more now that I’ve passed the Gathering,” Cailen said.

As he pondered the path of the Sentinel, Master Noble began to hum a familiar melody. It was quite similar to one he heard his parents hum when he was young. Naturally, the pitch was slightly different and the notes altered a bit, but at its core it was quite reminiscent.

Cailen waited patiently at the table, looking over his kyber crystal with pride in his accomplishment.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Ilum
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Cailen Corso

"A Jedi Sentinel, hm?" Valery asked as she finished preparing two cups of hot cocoa for them. The warm drink was always something she enjoyed, but for more than just the taste — it reminded her of good times at home with her family on life day. It's not something she ever expected to happen but a simple drink had a special meaning to her.

"One hot cocoa coming right up~" she smiled warmly and set it down on the table in front of him.

"I've worked a lot with the Jedi Sentinels in the past; they are interesting types. Are you really looking to balance all kinds of sub-specializations? Or do you think something might really interest you more? For example, some Sentinels are really good with slicing, mechanical work, and other types of engineering." Valery continued as she sat down at the table with him, the warm cup held between both her hands to give her some more warmth.

"Others focus more on investigation or even recruiting new Jedi. It's a very broad specialization."

 

[Cailen Corso]

Cailen nodded thoughtfully as he took the warm cup of cocoa into his hands, the hot liquid sending a wave of warmth through his muscles as he sipped.

"Thank you," Cailen said gratefully before elaborating on his interest in the Sentinels.

"I’m really good with ships and droids," he said.

"I grew up on Anaxes, in the shipyards. I searched old ships for good parts that could be reused."

Cailen took a generous sip of cocoa. He reminisced for a brief moment on his days spent in the scrapyards, mountains of defunct ships as far as he could see.

"I thought maybe I’d be a good Sentinel because of that," he continued, "but I’m honestly not sure what I want to do exactly."

There were so many roles, so many specializations, a Jedi could choose. It was hard to pick just one.

"Or maybe a Guardian," Cailen said with bright eyes as he sipped again.

The Guardians were so valiant and brave, excellent blade masters with a strong command of both the Force and the lightsaber. But then, Cailen was never much of a fighter. Back on Anaxes, he’d gotten himself clear of many perils by cunning and words.

Perhaps, then, a Jedi Consular? The options seemed endless.

"What path have you chosen, Master Noble?” the Padawan asked.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Ilum
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Cailen Corso

"I'm personally not great at handling droids or technology, and I can only pilot ships. But it is very much the work of a Sentinel, so it could be fitting for you," Valery said with a warm smile before she took a moment to enjoy the hot cocoa as well. It wasn't often that she had time to just sit down with other Jedi to talk and not be busy training or fighting.

It felt extremely relaxing.

"But don't worry too much about entirely fitting into one specialization; there is no choice you have to make. A lot of Jedi are varied in what they do, and it'd be impossible to put them in just one of them." She hoped that would ease his mind some because he could very easily be like a Guardian, but still develop tech skills the way a Sentinel would.

"As for me, I started my path as a Jedi a long time ago, over 4000 years to be more precise. Back then, Jedi did commit to a single specialization, and I was a Guardian — always fighting on the frontlines of the war, training and also instructing Jedi in lightsaber combat," Valery explained before she brought a hand up through her long hair. "But I was also recruited into the secretive Jedi Shadows, and spent a lot of my time hunting down Sith or dark side artifacts."

"After my long time in stasis, I continued as a Shadow for some time, but not that long ago I left that behind me. Now, I'd say I act more as a Guardian because I'm very active as a fighter and leader in the war."

 

[Cailen Corso]

"Four thousand years ago?" Cailen blurted in disbelief, choking down a mouthful of cocoa.

His face reddened as he realized how his words must’ve sounded to the Jedi Master. He was quick to correct himself.

"I’m sorry, Master Noble, it’s just… that’s a really long time!" he said astonishingly.

The oldest ship he’d ever seen was an ARC-170, from an era his father called the Clone Wars. But even then, it was only the cockpit and a quarter of its left wing. Centuries of rusting away on a long-forgotten battlefield left very little “ship” to see, though that didn’t stop Cailen from snagging a decent heat-sink unit from the vessel‘s oxidized bones.

"How could you have lived that long? You must have seen so much!"

Cailen took another sip of hot cocoa, his unbridled curiosity apparent in his eyes. Four thousand years was an immense amount of time. His mind raced through all the historical events that he could remember learning about, imagining Master Noble present for them all.

The thought was rather impressive.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Ilum
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Cailen Corso

For a few seconds, Valery just looked at Cailen as he went from a bit of embarrassment to being blown away at the idea of her having actually lived for 4000 years. Then, she just began to chuckle and brought a hand up in front of her mouth, while she tried not to burst into laughter. The reaction was just too funny for the woman.

"Oh no, I haven't actually lived for that long... sort of," she blinked, trying to think about how to explain this.

"I was born a few decades after the Treaty of Coruscant, in the days of what we now call the Old Republic. I became the leader of an Enclave on New Cov but after participating on a battle on Onderon, I ended up in deep stasis that lasted until just a few years ago, when I was rescued from my stasis pod."

"So, for the vast majority of that time, I was asleep in a facility hidden somewhere within the Onderon jungles. I wasn't present for most of the history you might remember from your lessons, but I did live through all of them because of the stasis. In a way, I'm over 4000 years old but physically, I certainly am not."

"I hope that makes some sense?"

 

[Cailen Corso]

The Old Republic wasn’t a period Cailen was very familiar with, but he recalled learning about the war that was waged between the Jedi of the Republic and the Sith Empire. The conflict was long and brutal, but the Republic had eventually won the war.

Cailen grabbed his cup with both hands, warming his palms on the sides as he took another sip. He processed the explanation Master Noble had offered him, still amazed at how much galactic history had come to pass since she had been put into stasis.

"Yes, that makes sense," he said warmly, giving a nod of understanding.

Cailen glanced at his kyber crystal, it’s soft cyan glow pulsating gently as it rested on the table beside him.

"It’s a very pretty color," the Padawan noted aloud.

It was much lighter than most blue crystals. Cailen imagined its blade would shine a brilliant cyan hue, but was unsure why his crystal had manifested such an atypical shade. He looked to Master Noble for wisdom. Perhaps she’d know more.

"Master Noble, what exactly causes a crystal to turn colors? Does it choose its shade on its own?” Cailen asked, his eyes turning back to his crystal.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Ilum
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Cailen Corso

Crystal colors.

It was a topic that instantly brought a ton of memories back into Valery's mind. She could still vividly remember how they changed for her, and perhaps, to some extent, it was a story worth sharing with the young Padawan here. His fascination for these things was something she highly appreciated, after all.

"Well, it's a tricky question because not all crystals are the same," Valery began before taking a quick sip from her cocoa.

"You have a Kyber Crystal, and it's believed they gain their color because of the nature of their owner. What type of person creates which color is likely impossible to determine, but there are some themes Jedi have noticed,"

Valery then reached for her double-bladed lightsaber and placed the hilt in front of her at the table, "Originally, the crystal I retrieved in my gathering here on Ilum was blue. I was a Guardian, so I believed it to be associated with my desire to protect and be a shield for others. But after I got this scar..." Valery tapped the left cheekbone, "I went back because I also needed a new crystal. But the one I got wasn't blue anymore — it was purple. What happened at the time made me really emotionally chaotic, and I was struggling as a Jedi."

"It has never changed and I still believe it has something to do with that conflict within me. I just got a lot better at controlling myself and my emotions."

She then gestured for his crystal and smiled, "It's hard to say what it means for you, but maybe you know deep inside or will figure it out someday. It took me years before I really understood what it meant for me."

 

[Cailen Corso]

“…the nature of their owner…”

That concept stood out to Cailen. Ever since he became a Jedi - or, rather, a Youngling - he’d struggled with his self image. He‘s always been Cailen the Scrapper, or Cailen the salvager - even Cailen the freak, dismal as it was. But even that was familiar to him. Now that he was a Jedi, he wasn’t so sure who he was or who he’d become.

He was jealous that the crystal seemed to know more about him than he did.

Cailen eyed the dormant lightsaber hilt on the table, impressed by its superb craftsmanship and unique design. It was certainly a weapon befitting the legendary Jedi Master who sat opposite him.

The length of the hilt indicated that it was a saber staff, a specialized lightsaber design that featured two beam emitters on either end of the weapon. Cailen wondered if it detached in the middle, into two lightsabers, or if it was bound to serve as a staff. Either way meant Master Noble was very skilled with a lightsaber.

He absorbed Master Noble’s account, sensing, for a brief moment, a negative energy stir within her. He thought for a long moment about her words…

“…It took me years before I really understood what it meant for me…”

"I’m not so sure I’ll ever know what my color means," Cailen said, a hint of discouragement in his voice.

The Padawan sipped the last of his cocoa, savoring it’s warmth. He was very grateful for Master Noble’s guidance and wisdom. She could have very well sent him along after the Gathering was finished, but she’d instead taken the time to comfort him and help him process the experience.

"Master Noble?” Cailen asked, looking at her.

"What happens now? Now that I’ve gotten my crystal?”

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Ilum
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Cailen Corso

Valery watched the young boy closely for a moment, as he stared at her weapon.

Most Jedi she met after her stasis were incredibly different from the traditional Jedi she once knew — it was in their behavior, their routines and in the way they followed the Jedi philosophies or were even unaware of some completely. But Cailen felt more familiar to her. He was young and respectful, but with the curiosity and drive, she expected from a Jedi learner.

If he didn't already have a Master, he would have been the perfect Padawan for her to train.

"I'm not so sure I'll ever know what my color means,"

Valery smiled at the comment and returned her weapon to her belt, "I think you will. It's hard to really figure these things out when you're young, but the more you're out there, the more you'll start learning about yourself. The things you're good at, the things you need to improve on, or even the things that can scare you," she said, hinting at what he had learned about himself today in the caves.

Self-reflection was a crucial part of being a Jedi — one can't grow without understanding their shortcomings, after all. But for the young and inexperienced, some guidance was needed. That's what she was for, as well as his Master.

"Master Noble?" Cailen asked, looking at her.

"Hmm?" she hummed with a smile.

What happens now? Now that I've gotten my crystal?"

"Well, I think you should go tell your Master, and I'm sure he'll be very proud. But with your lightsaber, you're also ready to go out into the Galaxy and work alongside your Master to help people. You've learned a lot in classes and through training, but now you're going to experience what it means to be a Jedi."

She smiled again, and took their cups so she could set them aside later, "Your path as a Jedi is really going to accelerate now."

 

[Cailen Corso]

Cailen gave Master Noble an appreciative smile as she collected their cups. He hadn’t realized how cold he was until he’d felt the warmth of the mug; He was suddenly aware of the chilling temperature again now that it was gone.

“It's hard to really figure these things out when you're young,” Master Noble said reassuringly.

The Padawan nodded his understanding as Master Noble continued. When she mentioned returning to his Master, Cailen’s eyes lit up in realization. His Master! It’d been quite some time since he’d left the warmth of their ship for the temple. He’d completely forgotten he had to journey back out into the snow, across the expanse of ice that separated the temple complex from his Master’s ship.

"Oh, right,” Cailen said with a giggle.

"My Master says that once the Gathering was complete, I can begin learning about lightsabers!”

Cailen was very excited about it. He’d been looking forward to constructing his first lightsaber for some time, and now it seemed he was closer than ever to doing so.

He donned a wool parka to brave the snow and carefully cupped the kyber crystal in his hand. Once he was satisfied that the jacket was adjusted properly and the crystal was secure in his palm, he looked up at Master Noble with a warm smile that conveyed his gratitude for her guidance.

"Thank you, Master Noble. It was a pleasure to meet you,” Cailen said with a bow.

He turned to leave the dining hall, but stopped in the doorway to give the Jedi Master a final wave goodbye. Somehow, he felt that this would not be the last time they’d see each other.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Ilum
Appearance: Link
Outfit: Factory Link
Weapon: Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Cailen Corso

"My Master says that once the Gathering was complete, I can begin learning about lightsabers!"

Valery chuckled and offered a dip of her head, "I assume you've learned the basics with a training lightsaber already? It will be more interesting with your very own lightsaber though. If you ever need some proper training... I was once the Battlemaster of my old Enclave — a lightsaber instructor," she explained with some excitement in her tone.

Teaching Jedi lightsaber Forms and helping them develop their own styles was one of her favorite things to do, when it came to training.

But for now, it was time for Cailen to leave this ice cold planet behind him, and return to his Master to share the news. It was one of the most exciting things to bring up, and she sincerely hoped that this step forward was going to pay off. He had a lot of potential as a Jedi, and she looked forward to watching him grow more.

"Thank you, Master Noble. It was a pleasure to meet you,"

"The pleasure was mine. Force be with you, Padawan Corso," Valery said before she bowed her head, and watched him depart from the Ilum Temple.