Third Time's the Charm, Clandestine Meeting.

[Orphen]

​

Crazy Mandalorians, Sith Assassins, Battles, Lost Masters, Republic Contacts and Feline Sith lovers... Orphen in the last Year had lived a very exciting life, one that he could never have expected to have lived, and it showed on his face... though, of all the scenarios he had not missed, there was this feeling, the feeling of neglect, anger, lonliness and frustration at the Jedi order. He had actively had to search for a master to train for some time now, feeling like the student who had slipped through the cracks of the system, lost, like the Jedi council didn't know what to do with him yet alone who would be the best bet to train him as a Jedi... As such, Orphen had become less and less happy with the Order, amongst his peers the paranoid rumours were already beginning to circle, people were beginning to keep their distance from him as the tired bags under his eyes from long nights work began to look like the dark rings synonymous with the dark side.

It was little more than a distraction... but... for some reason, it hit the Padawan hard.

Those who would consider themselves white knights, Jedi guardians to be were puffing out their chest at Orphen when he would pass them, knocking into them as they projected their ideals onto him, with Orphen fulfilling the role of the villain in their fantasies. With the last student who had done so, Orphen had drawn one of his pistols on the teenager, aiming the S-5 heavy blaster pistol at the boys' chest and telling him firmly to leave him alone. An act that did not go un-reprimanded... After a disciplinary meeting the Padawan who was supposed to be the assigned student of Taeli Raaf was asked where his master had been...

Orphen responded with a simple shrug, withdrawing from the serious criticism.

"I'm sorry, I was just sick of people looking at me like I'm some kind of outsider... I guess it got too much."

...He could remember his explanation, and he could remember their deliberation, in the end, they came to the conclusion that his actions were not the fault of Orphen, but rather the fault of those they had allocated to train him, as well as themselves for not meeting the needs of the young Jedi who attempted constantly to evade the judging eyes of those who held seniority over him... Finally, giving Orphen a time and a date, he would meet his newly assigned master at the grounds of a nearby temple...

Orphen agreed. Wanting to yell at the council for the hardship he has undergone, being attacked, almost killed, neglected... but he didn't, holding his tongue steady as they could not read the thoughts... no matter how much he desperately wished they could...

Time passed. Orphen leaned low forward over a bench. Sitting, waiting, thinking, all the while the delicate fingers of the padawan tinkered with one of his Pyraemon drones, pulling it to pieces and cleaning its interior with a microfiber brush. The air of the courtyard he was told to wait in was cool and fresh, a soft breeze caressing his cheek lightly as the day seemed peaceful. The kind of day which would make any-one else forget the war that was really going down. And so Orphen awaited his master, not knowing his name, or how he would be different than the rest...

This would be the last one...

The Jedi thought to himself...

[member="Mantic Dorn"]

 

[Mantic Dorn]

The lush area was a good place to be in. Here thoughts was allowed to shrink and expand somewhat easier then in most other locations bustling with activity.

Mantic had stood and observed the young man from the shadows gor a while now. He was not sure why he had been assigned as master to this one. He seemed troubled and his file spoke of a rather troubled career here in the order. One not without events bordering on leaving. The jedi master was not known for a liberal state of mind. Would he not simply be the one pushing him over the line? Was it so wise to pair them up like this?

He shrugged the questioning thoughts away. He was in no position to question the wisdom of the council. He would do what he could.

Silently stepping away from the shadows he approached [member="Orphen"]
Wearing the traditional jedi robe he appeared like most others in the temple, perhaps with the exception of a scarred and burnt face that spoke some of his past.

"What is that object that are fiddling with?" he finally decided to ask, and thus revealing his prescence a meter or so away from the padawan prospect.

 

[Orphen]

Orphen didn't hear the presence of the Jedi, he was too lost in thought, distracted, isolated from the world around him as his fingers polished each of the individual components of the floating weapon, he could feel the presence of the force in his work, he felt at peace at this moment of time, a peace which was sadly short-lived. As the Jedi master came up behind him, hovering only a meter away and talked, Orphen almost jumped out of his skin, like being plunged into a ice cold bath. Short of breath and a little startled, Orphen recalled what the Jedi Master had said, looking to the drone, which was currently in pieces, he reached out to the components of the ship through the force, each of them resonating with his mind as the Jedi effortlessly rose the small components up, and re-assembling them seamlessly like a jigsaw puzzle. A couple seconds later and the small floating disk activated and began flying around Orphen's head playfully making a few light chirpy noises.

"Oh, ah, this is Alpha, well, it's controlled by Alpha... It's a small Repulsor-lift gun drone... one off six, I just like to play with them, it's relaxing, and meditative."

He said with a smile before de-activating the drone and standing to face his master... Orphen didn't look much like a Jedi wearing his red long coat and mechanical scientific visor, the visage was more of a mercenary or smuggler than that of a Jedi of the order. Though, as Orphen stood, he took in the middle aged man who stood before him, an air of authority and wisdom almost radiating from his presence. Orphen bending at the hips would bow with his arms at his sides, trying to be as formal and respectful as he could...

"Greetings master... My name's Orphen... are you the person I've been assigned to?"

He spoke, his voice a little more stressed and unnatural as he put on the heirs and graces of which would be expected for a padawans dealings with a Jedi of much higher rank....

It didn't suit him.

[member="Mantic Dorn"]

 

[Mantic Dorn]

Eyebrows, with gray streaks, raised as the components found its places in the machine puzzle that [member="Orphen"] named Alpha.

Mantic looked switched his attention to the prospect and observed his behaviour.There was a will, yet much doubt in this one. He replied to the bow with polite nod.

"I have been asked to teach you, yes." he said and tilted his head. Mantic was estimating the man in front of him and he was looking for something that could convince him that they could be a good match. Appearances was not one of them, but perhaps what [member="Orphen"] needed was a counterpart rather then someone like himself.

"However, I only take padawans that can promise to submit to my teachings, obey my word and trust in my guidance until the day I or a higher power set you free from my tutorship." he continued as if repeating a well rehearsed rhyme.

"Can you do that?"

 

[Orphen]

It seemed immediately that this Jedi was going to be a lot more Authoritarian than his other masters, Orphen had a unique view of the force, neither living not unifying but rather binary, Orphen would follow the teachings and the commands of the master, but in his mind, there was a defined difference between adherence and respect, and slavery. The boy had been there before, but, he was willing to assume that while the words spoken by the Jedi master were about his training, and less his way of life... Orphen took a pause as his over-active mind analyzed every possible combination and implication that he could potentially infer from what he had said, creating thousands of potential combinations and scenarios of where that edict could be beneficial or detrimental.

Orphen was unsure...

"I can promise that I will respect your word and trust in your experience Master Jedi. But... I... Don't think I can promise that I will always obey your word... as... with the unlimited probabilities the future holds, and I hold my promises sacred... I can try, but... there's just no way I can garuntee that with absolute certainty... especially in these troubled times... I hope you understand, but I will understand if that means I am ineligible as your student...

...Wouldn't be the first."

The last four words, mumbled in an afterthought as his eyes drifted to the side, the boy speaking in retrospect. He was not ignorant of his position in the order, he doubted that with his opinions and methods he would achieve an official knight-hood or promotion. The boy had, had other teachers other than the Jedi, and every one of them had installed a set of ideals within him, From Jedi, to Republic Army, to even a Mandalorian tutor, all of them were different and wise in their own way...

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

Orphen followed with a quick bow, realizing that the final quip at the end was likely unacceptable, definitely not to a master who was willing to consider taking him in. Orphen wanted to show that he was at least willing to try.

[member="Mantic Dorn"]

 

[Mantic Dorn]

There was a defiance in his otherwise well phrased response. Mantic heard him out and began to ponder his position some more. It would be sad to see another one fall for the many temptations the force outside of the order - but he held no leash on this one. Mantic had met similar force users before and they seldom considered Mantic more then an old relic. He cleared his throat and gave [member="Orphen"] a feint smile.

"The jedi order no longer forces anyone into training. And as you must be aware of we are far from the majority of force sensitive in the galaxy these days." he then spoke and took a long eye toward the skies.

"It is my personal belief that this lax training and view on the force is the greatest contributor to the chaos the galaxy has entered." he spoke from his heart. He was still unsure if they were a good match.

Mantic then lowered his gaze to meet [member="Orphen"] again.

"The force is in many aspects a dangerous thing and not something open to individual interpretations. If one believe that the path to the dark side is but a few stumbling steps away padawan." he continued with a lecturing voice. He did actually not mean to come of with a lecture but teaching was something so familiar to him that he often slipped into the role without thinking.

"Before we decide to go on separate paths however, allow me the pleasure of a well thought out answer on this question." he wet his lips and steadied his feet on the ground.

"I have been told that you are a sort of free spirit and that you have traversed worlds on various tasks, own or otherwise constructed. Thus you are fully aware of very many force orders who would gladly teach you about the force, even allow you more interpretation then we do. The jedi order holds nothing against these teachings. I admit that I as an individual knight consider this a mistake but I heed and accept the grand masters decision regarding them. You can find a free thinking master in pretty much every corner of the galaxy."

"Why have you stayed with the most traditional and, to most, strict force order of them all if you are not certain it is the right path to follow?" Mantic finished.

He was certain that this young nan needed a firm hand and mentor but he also knew that the order no longer enforced such things. He had asked the question hoping that it might trigger something inside [member="Orphen"] but as usual his view on things was sometimes missed or simply considered out if date.

 

[Orphen]

Orphen was a little taken back... was this Jedi trying to convince him to leave? No, that wasn't it... there was no way that was the implication, the Jedi needed to look past Mantic's physical words and attempt to hear their meaning, why had Orphen stayed with the Order? He did not agree with their methods a hundred percent of the time, the Jedi Order operated with very little logic as far as he was able to see through history. Their steady hand at standing at the side of conflict had potentially even caused more problems than it had solved but that begged the question... why was he still here? If he wanted Pragmatism he should be with the Mandalorians, men of action that see a problem and they fix it immediately... If he wanted freedom he should have signed with the Hutts or the Sith... Knowledge he could have pilgrimaged to the farthest edges of the galaxy in search of hidden truths... If he wanted knowledge and logic he could have sided with the Chiss, with their advancements in technology and engineering far exceeding the rest of the galaxy... And if he truly hated the Sith enough to hunt them down he would be with the Silver Sanctum...

But why was he here..?

It was in this moment, that the Jedi clicked, the truth of the matter was he didn't want to fight, he wanted to build something, he wanted to create, he didn't want to live in a world of logic, he wanted compassion and kindness in his life, freedom, in absolute, bred anarchy, not stability. Finally, the pragmatic approach is not always in the favor of those who are unable to be the best, leaving the strong to thrive in a darwanistic social structure. The Jedi were the faction who showed compassion and understanding through the galaxy, who upheld the balance, who fought, ONLY when they needed to fight, and only as a final resort. They were idealistic, and even i Orphen didn't like it a lot of the time, it was not the teachings but the IDEALS of the order which drew him like a moth to the flame...

"Mostly Loyalty, I think... And what the Jedi stand for... I believe, The Jedi stands for equity... The Jedi Path is the way of peace, and as peace keepers, the Jedi spread compassion to the Galaxy with an open hand of kindness and limitless acceptance and resolve... It was with that compassion that the Order took me in... when I was sure I would be destroyed for what I was by the Republic. I'm here because in this order, my potential to do good is limitless. You're definitely right about my uncertainty... I'm not certain this IS the 'right' path to follow, or that I'm strong enough to walk it... but, unlike those who would needlessly, or blindly stand against the Jedi Order or cast it down... I'm willing to try my hardest to walk it, I'm willing to try and discover if it IS the right path. And hope that, that's enough. I guess... ... ...

Is it?"

Orphen spoke honestly, finishing his answer in a question and looking directly into the eyes of the master whom was standing by him. Searching for any signs of acceptance, the kind of acceptance he had been looking for for quite some time. Orphen was a wayward Jedi, not lost, but wandering off the path, following wisps which had already plunged his life into uncertainty. His use of Mechu Deru alone made him an odd specimen at the best of times within the Jedi Order, as well as forsaking most traditional light-saber combat almost entirely unless he absolutely had to... though, for the path of a consular, that was not too outlandish.

"But I mean, you may very well be right when it comes to the relaxed view of the force, I have my own views... As much as I don't think you'd like them Master Jedi, not a single bit. Haha. But they're not relaxed, I can promise you that much."

Orphen spoke with a chuckle, his mood lightening a little, knowing full well that he was right about Mantic not liking the opinion, much of the opinion was forged by ignorance, but the thought that the force itself was Order, structured and abides by laws and reason which could be measured and quantified... was not entirely a fruitless thought... Though, it may be something to talk to this man about.

"I do believe in the Jedi, Master... With all of me... as much as I may not seem it sometimes..."

[member="Mantic Dorn"]

 

[Mantic Dorn]

The padawan made his explanation to Mantic who listened and tried to make his own interpretation of what was being said.

To Mantic it did not seem like the perfect situation, [member="Orphen"] was too close to boundaries that the jedi master were struggling against.
Then maybe he was what this one needed, maybe it was meant and maybe Mantic could offer stability where confusion currently ruled...

"Very well then padawan, it seem you will enter this relationship with an upper hand because even though you are not ready to pledge your obedience I will offer my word on that I will teach you to the best of my abilities until the day when I see it ready for you to enter knighthood." Mantic took a bow to complete the oath he finished with all his new padawans.

"You should go and rest, tomorrow your training will continue."

 

[Orphen]

A smile crept along the face of the Jedi Padawan, something which he had not expected, it seemed perhaps this master did understand after all, so, bowing to the man as a sign of respect, Orphen would heed his words and move to get some rest, he would assume that the plan they had for tomorrows training was going to push Orphen to his limits,, be they mental of physical to determine where he already was in his training, much of the later night would be thinking about what he was to do in that training, Orphen had only a couple of skills to his name, very little in the way of combat, but a lot when it came to his great many inventions... None of which he bet would be allowed to help him in a training regimen... But more's the pity.

The night was cold, and Orphen could not manage to get much more sleep for the night, his mind racing as he found himself wondering the local area, looking up at the stars and watching the sky move subtly... a big part of him wondered were Kitty was right now...

"wherever you are... I'm thinking of you..."

He said upward to the starry sky, a solemn shooting star crossing his field of view, the majestic phenomenon ruined only by Orphen's passive over-calculation... After a long walk, and about an hour passing, seeing a couple of others who seemed to have the same idea and heading back to his dorm room, Orphen would finally get the last few hours of his rest... at he crack of dawn the Jedi padawan would be up,, fifteen minutes before the others in the nearby area. One by one, Orphen would re-quip his weapons, all four of his pistols, his drones, his visor, shield, DCD spike and datapad, not to mention his light-sabers as he exited the room. His mind a flutter with all of the training exercises he was sure to engage in today at the bequest of Mantic Dorn.

Coming into the temple training area, he would see a couple of younglings moving to compose their light-sabers, which bought back fond memories for the Jedi, he could remember when he made his own one quite some time ago, but having long upgraded the machines he had now, he could not wait for the day where he would be able to instruct them on crafting their own blades. The thought plastered a smile across his face rarely seen by those who observed him.

[member="Mantic Dorn"]