The Jedi Path: Thom Arden.

[WolfMortum]

For generations upon generations those of the Jedi Order had taken up the responsibility of training students under their tutelage, a mentorship over a prospective future Knight if the pairing was to be successful, to walk and live alongside each other in service to the Force and to galactic society wherever they could reach out and bring some good to the lives around them. In his dealings to establish the Jedi Order upon Yutan and the many responsibilities that had come with the path, the choosing of an apprentice was one that had not slipped the Jedi Masters mind, in fact it was at the height of his many priorities to date, as well as the need to do his utmost to train the others.

It was a difficult choice having to prioritize students before others, though Thom Arden thus far had not involved himself within the first of the group led discussions in the Jedi teachings and Veiere had found this both interesting and curious. The Conclave of the Order had not gone in the direction he had wished for the students, their being given far more reason to remain a distanced than to be drawn into the Order, he decided instead to approach the young lad in order to talk with him in private what it was the boy sought for himself as a potential member of the Order and to what kind of training and virtue it was that he wished to uphold as an aspiring student to the light.

In the quiet of the days birth, the Yutan Temple was a peaceful place to consider ones thoughts and place amongst the galaxy at large, meditation often serving as Veiere's center of focus during which he could explore his subconscious and move away from his more immediate concerns and doubts, burying himself within the light and washing away all outside interferrance. It was during this session that he would reach out to the young [member="Thom Arden"], seeking to draw him to the chamber of practice.

'Thom, could you please join me, there are things I wish to discuss with you'​

​

His words being relayed across to the lad through communication within the Force, they would too project his position within the temple to the boys mind that he might find with ease the location in which they might meet to discuss his future training within the Order.

 

[Alkor Centaris]

The sensation of words in his head, however soft and reassuring, was a whole new world to Thom.

He had experienced the touch of the Force during the Conclave, and felt the fringes of an echo that compelled him forward, but this was different. These words were for him, and they came from a voice that he knew. Thom jolted in his bunk, only half awake as the early morning sun peaked through the windows of the Yutani temple.

"Woah," he stumbled over himself as the thought set off the neurons in his brain, ripping him from the depths of sleep. "Woah, woah, woah, what time is it?" he asked in a state of panic. "Did I oversleep? Is everyone already-"

Before he could finish, Thom noticed that the other initiates and Padawan learners had already migrated out of the prepared quarters and started their day. "Great," he mumbled. "I'm off to a fantastic start."

Thom tugged his trousers up as he jumped out of the bed, fighting with the leg and tripping over himself. "Hurry up, hurry up," he chided himself, "Master Arenais is going to make me clean the latrines for sure, damn it," he lamented as he finally managed to buckle his belt.

He threw on his collared, button up shirt and ran into the corridor, nearly colliding with a learner in the midst of her daily routine. Chores were important around the temple, especially given the rebuilding of the Jedi Order. Everyone did their part, whether it was keeping the builders fed and watered, doing the actual building, or training a new generation of Jedi Knights. He had come to understand this, despite his relatively new place among the initiates. Despite being older than some Padawans, and twice as old as the Younglings, he was as infantile in the Force as their youngest members.

It was incredibly humbling.

As he sifted through the labyrinthine puzzle that was the Jedi Temple, he recalled the winding path to Veiere, despite having never traversed it himself. Some trick of the Force, he told himself. I've never experienced anything quite like this.

He slipped through the door quietly, eyes on [member="Veiere Arenais"] as he meditated in the serenity of the room. "Excuse me, Master?" he said respectfully as he rapped on the door panel three times before he stepped inside fully. "I'm sorry for being late, I have no excuse."

He bowed out of respect, and with some hope that his punishment would not be severe.

 

[WolfMortum]

Opening his eyes, Veiere turned his attention to [member="Thom Arden"], a slight brow lifting in momentary silent question before soon offering a faint smile and lifting his left hand in gesture for Thom to stop apologizing. "It's new to all of us, this Temple and the life to be lived within it. I myself am having to adapt away from my home on Commenor" He replied with a slight tone of sympathy coming through in his words, knowing the struggle well. Being away from his wife and the responsibility of watching over the smaller trade world having since become the heart of democracy across the sector, Veiere didn't miss the politics though he did miss the reassurance that [member="Lady Kay"]'s presence always brought him. There upon Yutan without her, his doubts were his own and only he could seek to settle his mind and remember that in the Force, his want to control and steer the direction of his path was unnecessary. Faith would see him through.

"How are you finding it all?" Veiere turned the focus back on to Thom in the hope of knowing where the lad stood in the light of things; had he been able to make friends with his peers, was he comfortable with how they were progressing, did he believe in what they were doing. So many questions that Veiere himself often asked as a student, questions that required the guidence of a mentor least they be allowed to take form in anxiety or worse, fear. "We've not had a great number of days thus far to really find our mold, our routine so to speak and things are very new but I believe we're on the right path" he added, hoping to reassure the lad that Veiere himself was intent and comfortable with pushing on, despite their numbers and the controversy that had come of the recent conclave. He really did have to stop holding those meetings...

Where the other Jedi were concerned in the Galaxy, Veiere knew not where the Order of Yutan stood. He had opened the Conclave up to all and some had gathered to join them there within the Temple yet nothing had been spoken for the Galactic Alliance and things with the Silver Jedi Order could have gone better. It was a concern that the remnants of the Order stood opposed to one another in indifference to their beliefs and ideaologies, it was a difficult bridge to cross and one that wasn't easily approached these days where scrutiny was so vastly outgoing within the Jedi he had experienced and interacted with before his coming to Yutan. At times he wondered if they half expected him to believe himself some kind of martyr above them all, he truly hoped that wasn't the case; the truth of himself and his own views contrasting that completely. These were however concerns that he meant not for Thom to become caught up in.

 

[Alkor Centaris]

"Staggering, if I'm being completely honest," he replied to the Grandmaster's query about how he was adjusting. "I only recently became aware of the Force, or rather, I only recently began to feel it. And even then, it's distant, and more difficult to understand than anything I've ever studied. At the same time, it feels familiar, and-"

He took a measured breath, aware of how much he was rambling. The Force confused him still, and watching the other Jedi progress only served to make him doubt whether or not he was cut out for the whole thing. The youngest children among the Order already had the ability to sense the direction of blaster fire without using their eyes at all, and the most he could do was feel a ripple when something powerful caused a long-reaching disturbance.

"-I guess what I'm trying to get at is, I'm not entirely sure I'm capable of all this. I want to do it, and I'm willing to try, but I feel like I'm years behind everyone else and that I might be wasting someone's time." He laughed a bit, nervously. "It's... not like a regular job, serving the people and protecting others. It's a commitment, and you all take it so seriously."

Thom fidgeted with his collar and thought about what [member="Veiere Arenais"] was saying to him, about the proper path and he recognized that he was only looking at a very shallow version of the whole picture. He let out a soft sigh and relaxed as he contemplated his next words. The fingers of his right hand rested on his father's weapon, a habit he had only recently formed. It felt like Durell, the way he remembered him, and it made Thom feel a bit stronger just by way of its presence.

He knew he had no business with a Jedi weapon, and yet, this one was his.

"I think the direction you've taken with the Jedi is the right one, for what it's worth," he remarked. "What I've heard of the Jedi, they're not the sort of people who go making wars. They fight if they must, but only to protect. Never simply to defeat an enemy."

"War isn't something to be readily begun or joined, and the loss of life is abhorrent," he said finally, giving his own opinion. "If I had to choose between victory in battle or saving a life," he said, "that life saved would be worth infinitely more to me."

 

[WolfMortum]

"The Force is no simple concept to grasp, you're right..." Veiere chuckled softly in sympathy for the lads confusion and loss of answers, "The theory and philosophy alone can blow the mind for any having not experienced first hand for themselves what it means to connect with it, to feel it coursing around us. Don't be in a rush to further your learning in the path, you will progress as is your time and in a pace best appropriate for yourself. It's not a competition between students that one has to master all things before others and you will often find yourself frustrated by your struggles in training. You are after all, only human" Veiere eyed [member="Thom Arden"] with a reassuring smile and a look of consideration that spoke genuinely for his intent to help the younger man.

The lad soon continued to elaborate, questioning his capabilities in fulfilling his role there with the Jedi Order, something that in truth only he could measure as there were no one more capable than discovering and rising above his limits than he himself. "Even the most experienced of us carry doubts in our minds and hearts walking this long road. Surely you do not believe that someone in my position responsible for all the Jedi here under this roof, would carry no concerns or doubts in his ability to reside and care over such a responsibility?" the question was rhetorical and his tone conveyed as much as he offered Thom a half nod sideways in suggested confirmation that he too often found himself stumbling. "It's in those times where I need to look to the Force the most and keep faith that all that we are working towards will serve to benefit the lives of those in need out there within the Galaxy. I myself do not hold all the right answers but if I can do something to brighten the future of the Jedi Order and lead others to become capable practitioners of our way that they might save even one life among billions then the struggle is worth fighting to rise above, is it not?", this question was not rhetorical unlike the last and to Thom he posed a true query. The boys problem was that his lack of confidence blinded him from the possible good that he might bring upon the lives of others within his future. An understandable trouble for the mind of one so new to the way of the Order.

At the mention of war came too the reality of their path in life, "There will likely come a time where you will be faced with a decision that carries the weight of another persons life within your hands. It's an inevitability that in our search to do right for society around us, we meet with those who seek only to serve themselves and bring injustice and oppression down upon others. By that time, I will have helped you to learn the ways of the Force and the virtue of the Jedi as best as I know how but much will fall to you to decide how far you're willing to go Thom. You will only be held back by the limitations you place on yourself and while I am here with you down this journey, I can only show you the way, it must be you that walks the path".

 

[Alkor Centaris]

He had probably taken for granted the position and experience required to lead a group of Jedi when he considered Veiere, but when the man affirmed that there was an even larger struggle hidden beneath the surface, Thom sighed. The small responsibilities they afforded initiates were to prepare them for real tasks, which they took on as Padawans. He still did dishes and washed laundry, helped to prepare meals and assured that the Younglings were in bed at the prescribed time. All of that seemed insignificant when he thought about what it meant to be a Master, let alone the Grandmaster. It was a humbling thought, and he could only nod faintly as [member="Veiere Arenais"] spoke.

The Grandmaster spoke of the importance of guidance, and of trust in the Force. He listened intently, and he held the man's firm gaze with respect. He still only understood the bare minimum of what had been explained, but the perspective began to take shape. It was difficult to imagine that he, a singular entity in such a small, centralized portion of the galaxy could amount to much.

Yet he had begun to understand, there was more to the galaxy than he understood, and things that seemed irrelevant to one another were often more entwined than they seemed. When Veiere iterated the importance of a single life saved among billions, the actions of a single person appeared vastly more important.

Thom had heard of men with wicked hearts in stories, and he had seen the lasting effects of their depravity for himself. The wars that ravaged their galaxy were a very real threat. He had seen survivors of those conflicts struggle and scrounge to survive, and he had watched the vivid life wane from his mother after her husband was taken from her. It was that loss that sparked his latent Force Sensitivity, and the compassion that he felt that fueled his desire to walk the path that the Grandmaster now offered to him.

He could walk away from it all right now, if he wished.

But Thom Arden had long ago made up his mind.

"I will do my best, Grandmaster," he said.

 

[WolfMortum]

"...." Veiere paused, looking back at [member="Thom Arden"] as the boy called him 'Grandmaster'. His mouth opened to respond though found himself apprehensive and instead offering something of a perplexed gaze before glancing down a moment in contemplation and self-reflection. Honestly, he didn't appreciate hearing the title as much as one might expect. He recognized the importance of leadership certainly yet the title of Grandmaster came about as easily as the title of King of Commenor. "Please...-Let's go by the standard formalities of the Order. If you must call me by a title, Master will do as you would any instructor. However, I'd prefer we be on a first name basis in the privacy of our own company where the younger ones aren't around to pick up habits that could later trouble them" he smiled faintly, wishing not to be put upon a pedestal or looked up too by anyone. Veiere's stance of engagement with other Jedi was one of neutral ground, being on the same level as others helped to encourage the appropriate attitudes in students he sought to teach, being humble of ones self and respectful of others being the key to positive relations with all citizens within galactic society.

"Now then..." He moved the subject on, "If you are to become my Padawan Learner then we're going to need to cover a couple things to begin with. First of all, I'd like to see you involving yourself more often with the others. Relationships among the Order will be important for your growth and learning here, your training alongside your fellow students will be as vital as your training alongside myself will be. Ever pushing yourselves to new heights, I want you to attend more of our group sessions and try to make closer friendships with them..." He dipped his head in a sideways nod to the boy, a faint smirk crossing his expression as he had noticed Thom's tendency to remain at a distance and seemingly less confident than the rest. Their support of him would too come as a great significance in his future days.

"Finally, it's crucial that you learn to connect with the Force on a spiritual level. To truly feel its presence so that from this, you can learn to strengthen your connection life around you and further train to hone your abilities further down the line" Veiere's voice quietened, leaving a short pause for Thom to take in the things he had said while Veiere arched his back, stretching a little and soon returning to his former position. Legs crossed, his arms lightly balanced atop them, he concluded "Today's subject will be Meditation, the gateway of which all your latent ability will come from with practice and perseverance".

 

[Alkor Centaris]

"Yes, sir," he answered as Veiere gently corrected him and asked that he simply call him Master, or Veiere in private. He had always been taught the importance of deference to those of greater station, especially those who had worked unimaginably hard to rise to those heights. It was a matter of respect, and it showed that he understood the sacrifice and acknowledged it. He struggled for a moment with the prospect of not calling the man by his station, but he knew that doing so against his wishes would be just as disrespectful.

To call the man by his given name however, was unthinkable. Culture was different among Jedi, and humility largely dictated the man's desire for informality. For Thom, it was much the same. He had to be aware of his position, of his station, and of himself. He could not afford himself the arrogance that many of his peers had growing up.

There had been aspirant soldiers and politicians, scientists and doctors. Each of those children had taken pride in their chosen path, and many of them gloated and bragged endlessly. It was like they felt the smallest achievement was a massive step toward glory. He remembered the graduation ceremony where most of them walked across the stage, shook the hand of their headmaster, and went off to pursue the rest of their lives.

Thom alone had made the decision to walk his father's path, and all of them laughed. They called it ruinous, said he lacked ambition. His few friends told him from what they heard, the Jedi path was long and difficult, and the decision to take it was one not to be taken lightly. He never got angry with any of them, though.

It was those relationships, torn apart by circumstance and his decision to go far from home, that made him skeptical of new ones. It might be different with people who had made the conscious decision to walk the same straight and narrow path than it was with the ones who came before. [member="Veiere Arenais"] was insistent that it was important for them to have some sort of bond. Thom sighed softly.

This man would know far better than he did, given his experience. Thom struggled mostly with his own lack of understanding, but he would not allow himself to make the mistake of outright defiance. "If that is your decision, Master," he said at last. There was no wounded pride in those words, though the resignation was palpable. His arms hung limp at his sides and his head remained bowed as he contemplated his feelings on the matter.

Was it fear that they would ridicule him and reject him the way his former peers had? Or was it that he felt it annoying, being forced into a group of people that would make him seem inadequate? No- those were things he could not control, and that he would inevitably learn to accept.

He realized that it was a matter of how quickly all of this had happened. He did not know any of them, and he was thrust into the middle of a crowd of new faces. He hadn't even learned a quarter of their names yet. The Master had identified the problem before he had ever realized he had one.

Was this the wisdom of a Jedi?

"I will try," he said at last, in a much softer voice. "This is all very different from my little town, where everyone knew each other." He chuckled softly. "When I said I wanted to be a Jedi, they thought I was crazy. I sounded crazy. Before I felt the Force for the first time, I was convinced that all of this was tall tales and fantasy. I suppose- I'm still a bit skeptical of it all."

He let out a ragged breath and took a seat adjacent to the older man, hands rested on his knees. There was a silence between them for a moment before Veiere explained the importance of a spiritual connection with the Force, and went on to explain meditation. "Teach me," he said at last, "I am ready."

 

[WolfMortum]

"It's ambitious dream" Veiere chuckled quietly, nodding his head in agreement and understanding of those who had doubted the boys want to become a Jedi Knight one day; "A difficult journey that not all who begin down it are able to succeed. This is a life of dedication to the Order, to the study of the Force and most especially awareness over you yourself as an individual, as fallible as the next person yet representing the Jedi and expected by the galaxy to be without fault. Naturally, we all make mistakes but the popular theory is that Jedi are perfect and the first incident that goes awry pegs us as doubtful at best....".

Veiere gave something of a half smile, dipping his head to the side a little as he recalled the many times he as a student had made his share of mistakes out in the field of duty and those around him had made sure he wouldn't forget. "You will be judged by others in what you represent, doubted or refused trust by some...-But the opportunity you will have to help inspire the lives of the galaxy, to keep them safe and protect the good that remains across the worlds you venture to, the struggles you face will be far outweighed by the light you can bring into other peoples lives should you remain focused and true to the path".

"Now then, on to meditation and your connection to the Force" He gestured towards [member="Thom Arden"], soon glancing down at himself as if to suggest he sit in much the same way, legs crossed and his arms resting gently upon them, sitting upright yet looking relaxed, his shoulders loose and there not a hint of concern nor distraction upon him. "Meditation is mostly about self discipline, but also the will over ones priorities. If you've ever seen or heard of this exercise then you will know that we whom practice it make ourselves comfortable and seek to enter into a peaceful trance. How you get there however is not as easy as some might make it appear...".

"The way that I was encouraged to learn this practice was through simple breathing exercises, used in repetition to first put myself at ease and clear my mind. You see, our thoughts often hinder our progress and any doubts that you have that you might look silly or concerns about what's going on outside of your meditation such as friends having fun without you, no matter how simple and petty these might seem, they can interrupt your trance if you allow them. Thus, I focus on my breathing and ease myself away from the immediate, slowing the pace of my breathing over time to relax the mind..." Veiere took in a long deep breath through his nose, a slow intake of air before pausing for but a moment, his lips parting soon to exhale gently between them, doing so a couple times so that Thom would hear the sound of his exhale, the pace he was trying to take against what was otherwise silence around them.

"Your first task is to practice this with me. Slow deep inhale, hold it for a moment and then exhale and repeat. Learn to close your mind to all else, listen and focus only inward and when you believe you're ready to continue, speak up".