Training Begins

[Samatharis]

The Great Hall
Silver Rest Temple

Master McClaine was leaning against the reception desk in the guest area of the Temple's Great Hall. A grand, wide open space dedicated to welcoming newcomers and dignitaries alike. It was spacious, statuesque in decor, and radiated with afternoon light in all directions. Remodeled at least twice since Diana first arrived too. There was more marble now than Kashyyyk wood and the Hall was starting to lose it's Huntsman Cabin feel and slowly move closer towards the traditional Jedi theme colors. Which was fine. Would doesn't love giant marble pillars eh? Well. At least the tree gardener would have autumn leaves to sweep up anyway.

She held a data-pad in her hand and was dressed quite similarly to before. City girl in a fuzzy flight coat. Waiting for [member="Kresslyn Cantor"] to arrive. She checked her phone one more time. It was just after lunch. Perfect timing.

 

[Kresslyn Cantor]

As his dream was just getting interesting, a loud mechanical noise interrupted it and woke him up. It was the sound of the clock coming out of the wall and sounding the alarm. He hadn't slept in, luckily, and the alarm went off just on time. He did sleep through lunch, though. As he rubbed his eyes and yawned, it dawned upon him.

It was his first day of some sort of training that Master McClaine had planned.

Suddenly, a burst of energy hit him and he jumped out of bed. Once he finished brushing his teeth in his underwear, he got ready and ate at the same time, careful enough not to stain his brand new Heliost Clan jacket that he held in his hand. Under it, he wore his usual grey pants and grey, long sleeved shirt. Once he finished getting ready, he took a moment and stared in the mirror to quickly review himself.

He looked fine as usual.

After turning the lights off, grabbing a notebook and pretty much nothing else besides a datapad, he quickly walked out of the dorm room and followed the signs towards the Great Hall. This was pretty much the only place he knew at the Silver Rest because it was where the first welcome desk and where all the new Padawan learners gathered up at. Sticking to the right side and turning corners as fast as possible, he finally arrived to see [member="Diana McClaine"] at the same reception desk he and the rest of his group first went to.

Remembering his manners, he quickly approached her whilst waving hello from afar.

"Good mo- Afternoon! Master McClaine. What will we be doing today?"

 

[Samatharis]

Diana gave smirk at his arrival. He looked ready to get started.

"Afternoon." She stood up straight and flipped the pad under her arm, "Today. Well. Today we'll be starting your training. As such, I've reserved a dojo for us up on the second floor. Hope you're ready for some meditation training. We'll be working your Force connection first. Hehe."

She withdrew the pad again and tapped the screen.

"I've read your medical eval. Looks like you're healthy as an ox. Mmm. Good. I expect you'll keep that up as we move forward. Since you're not a usual Apprentice? Well. I wont be assigning you a lifestyle. Normally the Order would demand that you ate a certain way, exercised a certain way, and went to classes a certain way. All from child, to teen, and on into adulthood. The Order would look after everything. Forge the sword, the shield, the scepter, and the hourglass."

Diana shrugged and tucked the illuminated data-pad back under her arm,

"Alas. Well. You've grown up all on your own. No babysitting required. No supernatural prowess to draw out, mold, and sculpt into knighthood. Hehe. You've done all the growing up all on your own'some. So, I suppose we'll have to do things a little differently. Work at a slower pace. See if you adapt or... Well. I guess we'll see. Heh. Won't we?"

Again she shrugged. Adults were different.

"Come along then. Dojo is this way!"

...

It was a second floor dojo. Door overlooking the balcony and the Great Hall below. You could still the din and echo of the people down below from the door. All until Diana slide it closed and trimmed the window shades. All in all. It was a remarkably orthodox training room. Bare walls, bare floor. Some basket lockers for storage and a bench for sitting. But mostly just a wide open training mat. Spongy and firm. Oh, and it smelled like cleaning products too. The service droids must wash this room often. Erm. Maybe too often? Bleh.

Diana walked out onto the center of the mats and tapped her data-pad back to life.

"Take a seat right over here. Legs crossed, back straight. We'll be working on meditation first. I'll... Well. I'll want to see how well you connection to the Force is holding up. Test the waters, so to speak."

She remained standing and seemed to be observing him with the pad in her hand. Kresslyn couldn't see any cameras or sensors mounted on the walls but? Anyway. He still probably got the distinct feeling this was still a part of his evaluation.

"Okay. First things first. Close your eyes. Focus on your breathing. Deep breaths. Now, when you're centered. Let your thoughts pass from your mind. Becoming empty. No thoughts, no expectations. No fear, no stress. Just the steady rhythm of your breathing. In and out. In, and out. Just like that."

The world became quieter then. Like the Temple itself was causing all of reality to just... Pass away.

"Now. Let the Force speak to you. Let it's currents, flow through you. Feel it. See it. Let it speak to you."

Her voice drifted. As if she was becoming very far away.

"Now. As you mediate here. Tell me. ...How do you feel? ...What, do you see?"

There are no wrong answers. Everyone connects differently.

This was Kresslyn's dream now.

[member="Kresslyn Cantor"]​

 

[Kresslyn Cantor]

As he arrived to the Great Hall, she gave him a basic rundown of what they'd be doing today. Today's task was to establish a connection with the force and evaluate said connection. In addition to that, she also explained how Kresslyn had a variety of privileges that the younger Padawan Learners and Younglings did not have access to. If he had been younger, they'd be regulating his food intake, workout regimen, and more. Due to his quite large size and physical standing, he did not have to go through this sort of rigorous monitoring process.

"I'm sure there's something else they'll have an advantage to that I don't." He thought, pondering on the topic of having privileges others weren't able to enjoy here at the Silver Rest.

After listing the multitude of privileges Kresslyn would enjoy as an individual, it was finally time to begin training.

"Alas. Well. You've grown up all on your own. No babysitting required. No supernatural prowess to draw out, mold, and sculpt into knighthood. Hehe. You've done all the growing up all on your own'some. So, I suppose we'll have to do things a little differently. Work at a slower pace. See if you adapt or... Well. I guess we'll see. Heh. Won't we?"

Hopefully he would adapt well. If not, he'd work hard to adapt to doing strictly good and studying all while maintaining a healthy training regimen.

​

The dojo was very intricate and smelled like it had been cleaned multiple times a day. It seemed to be just an empty room with a small storage locker and a nice bench for sitting. After looking around, he walked over to the storage locker, removed his Heliost Clan robe, folded it, and tucked it away into the storage locker.

After doing so, he followed Master McClaine to the center of the room and followed her instruction by sitting where she pointed. He carefully folded his legs and straightened his posture, something the majority of people would be uncomfortable doing; but he had somewhat perfect posture do to the amount of police work and service he'd done prior to this training.

"We'll be working on meditation first. I'll... Well. I'll want to see how well your connection to the Force is holding up. Test the waters, so to speak."

"Sounds reasonable." he replied, not thinking much of the exercise at first.

Then came the short series of instructions and guidance on how to properly meditate and gather his thoughts. "Okay. First things first. Close your eyes. Focus on your breathing. Deep breaths. Now, when you're centered. Let your thoughts pass from your mind. Becoming empty. No thoughts, no expectations. No fear, no stress. Just the steady rhythm of your breathing. In and out. In, and out. Just like that."

First, he thought meditating was some sort of personal hibernation, but when he closed his eyes, slowed his breathing down, everything faded away. His mind became almost absolutely empty. The only thing that remained was the sound of his Master's voice. Even that began to slowly fade away, becoming fainter and fainter. Farther, it seemed.

"Now. Let the Force speak to you. Let it's currents, flow through you. Feel it. See it. Let it speak to you." said a distant voice.

Something was speaking to him. It wasn't his on conscience. It wasn't Master McClaine. Some sort of familiar voice. A very familiar voice..

When Kresslyn "opened" his eyes, he was standing at the edge of a forest on a tall mountain, overlooking a grassy, vibrant valley below. From behind him, a voice spoke once more. This time, however, Master McClaine's voice sounded like what he had remembered of his dearest family member's voice. His sister's voice.

"Now. As you mediate here. Tell me. ...How do you feel? ...What, do you see?"

Complete and utter confusion filled his thoughts. The voice sounded as if it were right there next to him, but sure enough as he looked around he found that it was only him. No birds chirping, animals croaking in the distance, just this same familiar voice and the sound of wind passing through grasses.

"I'm... Atop of a mountain covered in light forests... I'm looking down into a valley covered in grasses, vibrant with life. I can't describe this feeling. How are you talking to me? Where are you? How have you been? Why did you choose to leave? You didn't even say goodbye to us.:

Alas, no reply.

It was only him, still.

As he asked the questions, they echoed through the surrounding medium. This was the first time Kresslyn had experienced something of this caliber. It was very strange yet.. somewhat relaxing and strenuous at the same time.

[member="Diana McClaine"]

 

[Samatharis]

Diana remained in the present. Her sensing tingling. A smile brewing on her decorated face. It was working, after all. He was doing it. He was really, really doing it.

But she couldn't intercede. Not yet. Not now.

No. This was his journey. He needed to work it through. Till the very end.

[member="Kresslyn Cantor"]​

 

[Kresslyn Cantor]

​

Location: Kashyyyk (?)
Objective: ???
Time: Just after Sunrise

Just as he finished asking the series of questions, it felt as if everything around him had evaporated into thin air. There was once again no one, nothing at all, too. His sister, or what he heard of her, was gone. He was in yet another limbo stage and the surroundings about him were pitch black. It felt as if he was underwater swimming through some sort of gelatinous medium. Time felt slow. He could hear himself think but he could not hear himself speak. When he tried to, it was like his mouth hadn't even opened. Eventually, it felt as if he had a long fall and landed on his back. When he opened his eyes, he saw the bright morning sky above him. He was in a tall grass field surrounded by the large trees native to the planet of Kashyyyk. This Kashyyyk was different, though. No Silver Rest. No ships going in and out of the atmosphere. It was a Kashyyyk without alien intervention.

As he got up and looked around, there weren't even Wookiees. There was life, but it was non sentient. Birds, insects, that sort. There was a natural ambience about this planet. Uninterrupted by any sort of noise pollution. Soon, he spotted a large mountain that was split in two by a waterfall. As he walked towards it, it felt like he was walking on thin air. The ground below him was false. In fact, as he tried to touch a blade of grass, his hand went straight through it. When he got closer to the waterfall, he stepped into the surrounding lake and looked around. As he looked down, there was no feeling of water as well. He was walking on the water. Soon, his sister in a very young and well maintained form materialized out of what seemed to be thin air.

"Hey there, Kress." she said as she somewhat magically hovered over him.

"I've been fine. I know you're confused. I can't tell you why I left or where I am, I'm afraid, but I'm fine." she insisted.

As soon as she finished justifying her absence, another form of herself materialized next to her. It was quite far away from the original version, but it was still within one line of sight. This version... had something off with it, though. She seemed more tired. She seemed physically battered and exhausted. Something was terribly wrong. Immediately, his attention drifted from the well-taken care of form of his sister to the exhausted form. What could this be foreshadowing? Was she alright or was she in pain?

"What's wrong?! What's happened to you, Eve? Where are you?"

No response. The figure tried to move it's mouth but nothing came out. As he shifted his gaze back to where the normal form of his sister was, he realized it was gone. Nothing was there. Not even a trace.

As he was looking away, both figures disintegrated. Nothing was there. The Kashyyyk background was no longer there. The ambient noise wasn't there as well. He was once again in the pitch black medium that felt like gel.

He was once again in limbo in meditation. His physical form now felt some sort of stress.

[member="Diana McClaine"]

 

[Samatharis]

Diana remained. Through the Force she could sense Kresslyn's connection. She knew what he was going through. Somewhat. As, every connection to the Force is different. Especially these days. So while her mind wasn't privy to the exact sequence of events he was sure to be experiencing? She knew a vision when she saw one. Even if it manifested in a new student.

She took her pad and paced over to the edge of the mat. She could feel the stress he was now experiencing too. However, she remained unphased. As, while within the walls of a Jedi Temple, death by vision was remarkably rare.

He would likely survive this. Probably.

[member="Kresslyn Cantor"]​

 

[Kresslyn Cantor]

As he exited the limbo, he fell against the ground once more, waking up rather quickly after he was "knocked out". When he got up and looked around, he was at the bottom of some sort of valley. The valley was surrounded by mountains and waterfalls came from between almost each of them. In the middle of said valley, a river ran quietly between the mountains. Birds chirped, the sounds of ships coming in and out of the atmosphere rang out, and more ambient noise of the sort. Ahead of him, he saw houses sitting along the banks of the river. Not quite up to date in architectural technology, but right up his alley for an ideal home.

Assuming that he wasn't heard or seen by the various people surrounding him and walking around, he approached a house and phased through the door as he tried to open it. He was right, still quite untouchable and invisible to others. When he entered the house, he saw a family sitting down at dinner. At first he didn't notice, but upon closer examination he realized they were all familiar. His father, sitting at the head of the table, his mother sitting across from him, his sister and brother across from each other. And finally, a much younger version of himself sat in the last empty seat at the table. This vision reminded him of his past, but also hinted at his future. It hinted that the remaining members of his family would one day be with each other once again. United as one family. Kresslyn with training, Eve back home, his brother on a clean slate. It was a vision of what he always longed for. For years, he wanted to be a member of a functional, honorable family. It was a distant dream now, though. A dream out of reach for him. Way out of reach.

​

When he awoke, he was sweating profusely. Bullets of sweat dripped down his forehead, and his sleeves were rolled up, probably by his own doing. He seemed relieved to be out of a very long stress. After looking up at the clock on the wall, he found that about 30 minutes to an hour had passed. He was meditating for a long, long time. He didn't learn much, but found that his sister was in distress. He didn't foresee anything besides maybe that his family would be linked as one once again. As he looked around, the room hadn't changed. Everything he experienced was the product of a manipulated environment.

After he gathered himself a bit, he looked up and smiled.

He'd already shaken it off on the outside, but on the inside he was quite rattled.

"Well, what next?"

[member="Diana McClaine"]

 

[Samatharis]

When Kresslyn awoke back to the real world. Some time had past. Indeed, Diana herself was not alone anymore either. Another tall old fellow in long flowing Jedi Robes was standing next to her. Both of them talking in hushed whispers as Cantor slowly roused.

"Well, what next?"

Diana smirked as the fellow next to her stroked a great big long beard. Then they both looked at each other and nodded. Diana pointed to the door,

"Go get yourself cleaned up. Take a shower, change, collect your thoughts, and then return here. You've got one hour. Master Vort and I need a moment anyway."

The tall old man's eyes never left Cantor. It made Kresslyn's Force Senses tingle.

Well. Clearly. Had this first class been an evaluation of some sort? Someone else had already taken notice. But who was this mystery sage? And, what did it mean that Diana and he needed a moment to talk? Was this about him? Well. I mean. It had to be, right? But. Didn't all Jedi Padawans have visions on their first try?

Right?...

[member="Kresslyn Cantor"]​

 

[Kresslyn Cantor]

​

As a result of meditating for quite some time, his arms and legs fell asleep. In addition to this, his shoulders were sore from being in such a relaxed and laid back position. When he finally gathered himself and looked around after asking the question, Kresslyn noticed the presence of the old man with the beard standing next to Master McClaine. "Strange". He thought, wondering why he didn't feel such a shift in the atmosphere while he was meditating due to his presence. Hm. How long was he there? The whole time? The last five minutes, maybe? Whatever he was here for, it wasn't just to catch up. It was to discuss something. It was quite obvious.

"Go get yourself cleaned up. Take a shower, change, collect your thoughts, and then return here. You've got one hour. Master Vort and I need a moment anyway."

Finally, a nice long, warm shower to get him prepared for the next task. He was very mentally drained from having exercised his mind so long, so a nap would be fitting as well. He didn't have the time for it, though. He'd probably just end up sleeping in way too late and upsetting those who set their day aside to train.

"Will do, Master." he said, bowing his head and turning as he spoke.

"Master Vort." he added, acknowledging the authoritative presence in front of him.

Strange. What could they be talking about? Was it him? Was it regular Silver Jedi gossip? Was it protocol that there were to be two people in a meditation session? Something strange was there, for sure.

After wiping his forehead once more, he finally exited the meditation hub and found his way back to his dorm, plopping himself on the bed to allow his muscles to relax.

"I need a nice bath." he said aloud, wishing he could relax his muscles even further.

[member="Diana McClaine"]

 

[Samatharis]

Meanwhile,

Diana opened the shades and let some more light into the training room. Letting the tall old gentleman beside her find a seat near the door,

"You are quite right Master McClaine." He nodded with a tug of his beard, "The young man has incredible potential."

Diana stopped to peer out the blinds. Admiring the view from inside,

"That wasn't just a meditation lesson. It was a beacon. Already he reaches out. And something reaches back."

Master Vort nodded again. Looking about the room with a calm ease. Even with all the wrinkles on his aged face.

"Nothing we can do about it really. He'll need to struggle with it. As all of them have."

Diana turned,

"You think he's a Seer?"

Vort shrugged,

"Could be, could be? ...Alas. Too early to tell really. His proficiencies have yet to reveal themselves in full. But, if this was really his first try at connecting with the Force? Mmm. Well, then the rest of his abilities should surface just as easily."

The old man stood up and patted himself off. Diana sighed and moved to the door.

"I see. Thank you for your help Master."

Vort just brushed it away,

"It was nothing. He'll recover quickly from the vision. And. Diana. You should push him harder than a normal Padawan too. With stress. Will come his awakenings. His type is unique. He needs to struggle. Like a baby bird pushing itself out of it's egg. He'll need it to face whatever strange challenge destiny has in store for him."

Diana nodded again. Yet, Vort held up one finger in warning.

"Still. Keep him away from the cave. He's not ready. The Dark Trials could break him. Fracture such a, sensitive mind."

"I won't. We'll keep him here. In the temple. A few weeks of physical training will allow him to grow and awaken. And, I'll keep your team appraised of any more changes in his power. Just in case something shift inside him."

Vort nodded and opened the door to leave. Letting the loud din of the busy temple corridors wash over them both. Diana watched the older gentleman shuffle off. His long robes sweeping against the ground as he went. Then she turned to go back inside and closed the door behind her.

...

When Cantor returned. She would be meditating in the middle of the mat. The air around her cold, and still. As if she was a statue. Frozen in time. Waiting for him to return.

[member="Kresslyn Cantor"]​

 

[Kresslyn Cantor]

​

Kresslyn always enjoyed extremely hot or extremely cold showers. There was no in between. When at the police academy, the showers were extremely cold so you could stay away and train the rest of the day. In contrast, as he explored the galaxy, he often found himself bathing in hot springs that made him quite drowzy. Today, he took an extremely cold shower, a luxury that hadn't been afforded to him in quite some time now. A few years, maybe.

After he got out of the shower, he sifted through his very small amount of clothes and chose his classic whites. Then, he slipped into his armored white boots, adding maybe an inch to his already large height of six-six. When he was finally done getting dressed for the remainder of the day ahead of him, he sat at his table and enjoyed quite a large meal. Yet another luxury he hadn't experienced in a while.

After that, he took a five minute power nap. Any sleep was good sleep, like his mother used to tell him.

​

​

When he arrived back at the training hall and entered the room reserved for himself and Master McClaine, he found her sitting on the floor meditating. She seemed relaxed and unbothered, but he knew that she felt his presence as soon as he entered the training hall. Not wanting to disturb her by calling out or anything, he simply stood at a parade rest and waited.

He wasn't in the police or military anymore, but it was something he got used to.

[member="Diana McClaine"]

 

[Kresslyn Cantor]

​

Kresslyn always enjoyed extremely hot or extremely cold showers. There was no in between. When at the police academy, the showers were extremely cold so you could stay away and train the rest of the day. In contrast, as he explored the galaxy, he often found himself bathing in hot springs that made him quite drowzy. Today, he took an extremely cold shower, a luxury that hadn't been afforded to him in quite some time now. A few years, maybe.

After he got out of the shower, he sifted through his very small amount of clothes and chose his classic whites. Then, he slipped into his armored white boots, adding maybe an inch to his already large height of six-six. When he was finally done getting dressed for the remainder of the day ahead of him, he sat at his table and enjoyed quite a large meal. Yet another luxury he hadn't experienced in a while.

After that, he took a five minute power nap. Any sleep was good sleep, like his mother used to tell him.

​

​

When he arrived back at the training hall and entered the room reserved for himself and Master McClaine, he found her sitting on the floor meditating. She seemed relaxed and unbothered, but he knew that she felt his presence as soon as he entered the training hall. Not wanting to disturb her by calling out or anything, he simply stood at a parade rest and waited.

He wasn't in the police or military anymore, but it was something he got used to.

[member="Diana McClaine"]

 

[Samatharis]

Diana took a deep breath and slowly opened her eyes. Then smiled.

"Welcome back Apprentice."

She looked around slowly and then moved to stand. Giving a small nod to the emptiness of the dojo.

"Master Vort and I have agreed that your physical training shall begin immediately."

There was a certain firmness to her voice when she said that. As if their training relationship wasn't just casual anymore.

"The Circle has taken notice of your vision, manifested earlier today. They say your connection to the Force is unusually strong for an adult of your species. As such. They've given me leave to test you to the fullest of my abilities."

She smiled and motioned to the door.

"The dojo no longer serves our needs. To increase your training from here on out? We'll be moving to the Holographic Training Center. So. If you'll follow me please."

The blonde exited the training room and made for the elevators.

"We'll grab a cab at the Hanger Bay exit. The Training Center is next to the Ranger Compound. So it should be a short jaunt across the campus."

As they walked together, McClaine seemed a good deal less chatty. More mindful. As if, expectant. Like a soldier readying themselves for a mission. Even as other students and teachers past her in the hallway and gave a nod. She ignored them almost completely. A woman on a mission, indeed.

They climbed in a silver shuttle, similar to a city bus, and Diana stood behind the driver.

"JHTC. Double time."

"Aye aye ma'am."

The doors closed behind them immediately and the driver hit the road with gusto. Diana did not look at Kresslyn the whole way.

...

Jedi Holographic Training Center

It looked like a sports stadium. Tall and imposing. With too gladiatorial statues flanking the grand entrance way. Past the wide glass doorways lay a series of circular corridors surrounding a large center mass. The duracrete walls here were spartan and rough textured. As if the foundation blocks had just been laser cut yesterday and slapped into place without paint or spectacle of any kind. All visible electronics ran underneath the duracrete floor in wide metal pipelines. You could even hear the electricity humming under foot as you walked. More military installation. Less Jedi Temple.

Diana moved to the side of the hallway and pressed the button for the lift. Sub-level 2. The Locker Room.

"From now on, you'll report here for training. Sub-level 2. Don't mind the soldiers. They're here just like you. For training."

She walked into the lift and hit the button. The doors closing shut behind them.

"We use this center to simulate battle situations for the Ranger Divisions. Special Forces. Jedi Shadow Ops. Zero Gravity training. That sort of thing. Any type of stressful condition that Kashyyyk can't offer us naturally? We attempt to recreate here. Using holographics and A.I. interactive HEAT programs. ...You'll get used to the buzzing noise in the walls too. We pull a lot of electricity. Naturally."

The doors opened again into another long curving hallway. It smelled damp and dark down here too. Like the ventilation system on an old cargo cruiser. They were definitely underground.

As the walked down the spartan hallway, they would pass a number of doors marked with Clan Symbols. Heliost, included.

"Don't mind those. We used them for the Clan Tourneys and Shock-ball games. You'll be down the hall for general training. Locker Room M2."

They found the door and walked inside. Sure enough. It was a very military-style locker room.

"This room is for Jedi Knights. The Rangers use the other one. Women's is across the hall."

She pointed to the exits.

"Showers are over there. Power Armor Bay to the right. Weapon Lockers there. And the exit to the arena is over there. Store what you need here for quick changes. ...Oh. And the A.I. doesn't have cams in here. But you can still talk to her. So don't feel embarrassed if she comes of the speaker while you're changing."

Diana motioned for him to follow her out into the arena.

"Training happens out here."

They passed down a small tunnel to a wide blast door mark JHTC in bold lettering.

"And this, is where the fun begins."

The wide doors began to hiss open. Slowly rolling back as if pulled by a thousand heavy pistons. Revealing the way out into a giant plasteel arena. Three stories high with segmented walls and a glass roof looking out into stadium seating, high above. It was a twice as long as a Shock-ball field too. Maybe even bigger than the Jedi Hanger Bay honestly.

"This is Arena Two. We reserve it daily for training exercises. Luckily for us, nobody is here right now. So you can see it when the holo-emitters are down."

She walked out past the duracrete foundation and onto the plasteel segements that marked the floor. Yellow paint and warning labels where everywhere.

"The floor and walls are segmented so that the arena can be recombined into different shapes or sizes. Each panel under our feet houses an emitter under the trans-plas too. So when you turn everything on it can simulate multiple surfaces or obstacles. Works great to fool the mind into thinking you're somewhere else when the pictures are running."

She smiled and shrugged. Guess now he knew why this place used so much power. The whole darn thing could shift at a moment's notice. Fancy.

"Okay. Now that we have you here and you've seen the place. Let's start with the basics."

She moved to stand firmly on the center of one of the segmented floor pieces.

"Hera. Open Command Console. My location."

~ Affirmative Master McClaine. ~

A segment of the floor gave way and a data tower emerged at the edge of Diana's platform. A personal console.

"Hera. Load program. Padawan Training. Tomb Raider, Part One. Mobility Course."

~ Affirmative Master McClaine. ~

Suddenly, the floor panels began to shift and rise into a diverse set of complicated stair and ledge formations. Much like an obstacle course. Just, without the soft sand landing pits or shallow watery pools of most Army campuses. Here. Nothing looked to cushion a fall.

"Okay Apprentice. Time to learn to trust that Force Connection of yours."

Diana pointed to the obstacle course in front of him. Tall climbs, long jumps, hanging stretches of steel bars, and even some moving platforms later down the line. Just like the tutorial section of some popular video games back on Coruscant. Except, he was really here. Really doing this. And, this whole room could shift into something totally different in a heartbeat.

"It's time to learn the basics of using the Force. You'll need to complete this mobility course by using the Force to enhance your physical capabilities. To jump higher, to balance longer, and to sense the best moment to leap around the platforms. Failure, will mean you'll fall and almost certainly break an ankle."

She shrugged.

"Unless. That is, you learn not to panic and use the Force to cushion your fall. ...Remember. Stay calm. Focus on your connection. Fear, anxiety, panic? These things will break your connection. But faith, bravery, and trusting in yourself? These will see your connection flow and your abilities made manifest."

Diana pointed back to the tall stairs and ledge-like climbs.

"Okay Kresslyn. Time to get to work. Show me what you can do. Run the whole course. Any speed you'd like. Oh? And, try not to die while doing it. I'd hate to tell the council I lost another Apprentice on his first day. Mm."

[member="Kresslyn Cantor"]​

 

[Kresslyn Cantor]

When his Master concluded her very brief training session, he could feel the change of atmosphere in her tone of voice.

"Welcome back, Apprentice." she said, then looking around and standing. Suddenly, everything had changed. The pace of his training would take a drastic turn. He could tell.

"Master Vort and I have agreed that your physical training shall begin immediately." she said in a sort of authoritative tone of voice. As if things couldn't get any stranger or change any more drastically, what she said next had filled his mind with curiosity. All sorts of questions. It was most likely the strangest thing that he had heard in ages. A huge confidence booster, though.

"The Circle has taken notice in your vision, manifested earlier today. They say your connection to the force is unusually strong for an adult of your species. As such. They've given me full leave to test you to the fullest of my abilities."

Who was Master Vort? Was he apart of the Circle? How could the circle tell of his feelings? See his visions? Were they all secretly spectating the entire time? Strange. The whole Jedi thing was new to him, so he didn't quite understand how they could read minds, control objects from afar, things like that. He could do it, but he didn't understand how they mastered it. Even when he did understand, he'd be quite unorthodox in his ways. He'd use the skills obtained here to assist him in exploring the galaxy, helping others along the way.

To conclude her summary, she went on to explain how the training dojo and meditation room was no longer of use to them. Had he outgrown it already? Strange. It was a major confidence booster, though. Although his training here had concluded, he would always come back and meditate, spar, use training droids, so on and so forth. Maybe he'd even attend some classes or hold some when he was appointed the rank of Knight. That, however, was far, far along the road.

The pair found themselves walking and talking once again, exiting the training hall and into the large hangar bay.

Once they'd gotten towards the exit of the hangar, they boarded a shuttle and Master McClaine told the driver to head towards something called the JHTC. This, he assumed, was where he'd be training for another large part of his apprenticeship.

As they skidded with ease along the ground of the Silver Rest towards somewhere he'd never been before on Kashyyyk, Master McClaine hadn't said a single word. He could tell that she was focused and determined to begin the next part of his training, an attitude that matched that of his own. Any younger Padawan that wasn't used to being set to one objective might have taken offense to this, but he was just as focused as his Master. If not, even more.

​

When the pair exited the shuttle after the quick drive, a large and dull building loomed over them. When they approached, the doors parted their ways to allow them in, closing behind them. The gray duracrete walls contributed to the sudden shift in his training. Things were going to quickly get more serious. Perhaps he'd find himself exploring quicker than he though. Under them, he could see the wiring for thousands, maybe even millions of electronics. What could need so much power in this building?

A simulation room, perhaps?

He hadn't seen a good simulation room in his entire life. He'd heard of the A-Grade ones on Kamino or that professional militaries trained with, but not much else. Maybe he'd get to finally experience one in his training sequence. Another thing that only time would be able to tell.

As the two walked own an unusually long hallway, the eventually entered an elevator and he watched as his Master pressed the button to go down to sub-level 2, the locker room where he'd be setting his stuff down for a while. He'd better get used to being around the Antarian Rangers and other soldiers within the Silver military. Maybe even get to know some of them.

"From now on, you'll report here for training. Sub-Level 2. Don't mind the soldiers. They're here just like you. For training." she said as she broke the silence between them.

"Fair enough. Will do, Master." he responded.

Then, they walked back into the elevator that they had came from and found themselves going deeper into a damp smelling area. Natural, of course. Turns out it was home to a few simulation rooms for organizations like the Rangers, Silver Shadows, etc. Nice. He'd have to team up with a few and try one some time. Once he had saber training, of course.

When they finished the tour, going over where showers were, locker rooms, even walking over a few clan symbols, they made it to their destination. An empty room that echoed with electricity from the walls. When she walked towards the center and spoke to the AI, a panel came up and with the touch of a few buttons, cubes and ladders and all sorts of obstacles began floating in the air, moving back and forth or staying stationary. This wasn't foreign to him, so it should come with ease. As soon as she told him to go, he focused on the first obstacle in front of him: a very, very high wall with a platform to stand on atop of it. He crouched down and closed his eyes, opening them about sitxy seconds later. Then, he jumped extremely high, almost panicking. When he landed on the tower, it took him a while to regain his composure.

"Phew. Not used to that. Definitely going to be sore after this one." he said, laughing after that.

When he turned around, the next obstacle was a stationary floating platform with a ladder on it, designed for him to climb sideways. This wasn't a test of his force abilities, just his physical strength. This obstacle he completed with quite easy, jumping off of it and standing on a cube about one yard wide. Across was another cube connected with one of the thinnest wires he'd ever seen.

"Uh oh. This'll be a challenge."

After he made the quiet remark to himself, he knelt down and flicked the wire. Extremely thin, but strong enough to carry his weight. Even if it wasn't he could use the force to make himself much lighter. After doing so, he stood up and closed his eyes, making it only himself and the wire. He held his arms out and stepped extremely slowly. It was almost like he wasn't moving. His world became him and the wire until he would eventually reach the next objective.

[member="Diana McClaine"]

 

[Samatharis]

Diana's platform slowly took to the air and hovered over to the center of the giant room. From here, she could observe and speak to Kresslyn from a similar height.

"The Force is an energy field made from the power of all living things. It surrounds the galaxy. Permeates it. Binds the universe together. All living people and creatures are connected to it by invisible bonds. Like molecules or the fibers of the brain. These invisible bonds pull everything together and push everything apart. Complex, interwoven, and possessing innumerable different currents and outcomes. Strong like the waves of the ocean. But this energy is not random. It follows rules. And It can be influenced by those with a special connection to it's moving currents."

She watched from a distance. Her voice being neither far away nor excessively loud. She spoke rhythmically, strong, and steady. Like the beating of a heatbeat or the careful pacing of one's own breathing. Not to disrupt ones ears but to guide them forward.

"Your blood possesses the ability to both speak and hear towards this energy. It is your six sense. And instinct born not of your species but of evolutionary stimulation. Eyes that are developing towards a new, yet ever present light. You are beginning to perceive a new reality. Just as real and tangible as the one you can feel with your hands and skin. And much with your legs, you can learn to walk. And much like with your arms, you can begin to pull. And much like with your ears, you can begin to perceive new echoes among the stars."

She paused and let him work. Let him struggle with an obstacle course that was just as big and daunting as he was.

"This new sense is based on faith. Much like how your brain regulates your bodies breathing. Some parts of the Force do not need much interaction or active thought on your part. You do not need to focus on breathing to breath, for example. Your brain is already built to understand this. As such, you breath without thought. Without effort. However, the Force does not have a brain. It has our beliefs."

She nodded and let the obstacle course continue,

"If you believe in yourself. Feel outward for your connection. You can succeed in influencing the currents that surround you. Shift the current as it passes through you. Instill a stronger piece of yourself, your willpower, into the water as it rushes out of you. This small pressure of yourself can become leverage. Not a dam against the river but a new pathway to push it's waters forward. A small cut that becomes a stream, that becomes the river. A river that pushes against the mountain and reshapes the world. Without time. Without waiting."

She watched as he struggled. Watched as he had to learn all over what to feel. What to believe. What was now new and a part of him.

"Trust in the Force. Let yourself believe in this new connection. The waters are cold when you first poke in your toe. But as you swim deeply. Accumulate with new eyes, new hands, and new ears. You will begin to perceive."

And then she began to work against him. Slowly, her words began to shift against this faith.

"But like a little fish beginning to swim. Soon, you will begin to see the ocean. Soon you will see it's endless depths, it's sweeping currents, and other moving particles within it. Soon you will begin to fear."

Such it was. To better understand light. Once must encounter dark. To begin to paint with white, one must first contrast it with black. For Kresslyn to fully understand the leap of faith? He must first encounter the chasm.

"Fear is the mindkiller. Fear is the sharks within the water. Fear is the doubt that you will reach out into the Force and it will not support you back. ...And why should it? What are you, small, and feeble, without eyes to see, without ears to hear, without lungs to breath."

The course would slowly begin to get a bit harder. Ledges would get higher, jumps would get farther, and the fun and faith of new abilities; would slowly begin to slide just out of reach.

"Can a little fish breath the whole ocean? Can a baby fox begin to run like the hounds that pursue it? Does Kresslyn Cantor's tiny understanding of this great new world really have no limits from which... He might fall?"

To have faith, one must risk doubt. To have power, one must embrace weaknesses. To appreciate the dawn of the new sun, one must truly... Have lived through the night.

If Kresslyn Cantor was to gain greatest victory. Diana McClaine must ensure he knew the greatest defeat.

"You. Will. Fail."

[member="Kresslyn Cantor"]​

 

[Kresslyn Cantor]

As he walked across the rope, holding his arms out in a T position to maintain balance, his Master's platform elevated up to about his level and she spoke to him, guiding him with words of encouragement and teaching him a lesson about the force weaving things together. Although it was working in building his confidence, it was still a distraction.

The last word of each of her sentences echoed in his mind, forming a feeling of distraction within his mind.

"Energy.."

"Connection..."

"Ability..."

This was the first time Kresslyn would physically feel a word. He felt the calming energy attached to what she was saying. Her intent at the moment was to instruct him, but any sort of noise or outside interaction would knock him off course. Suddenly, her tone continued to shift. Deeper. Darker. The philosophy she was telling him now became negative criticism. He began to panic and lose focus.

"You. Will. Fail."

At this moment, he froze in place. It was the most stationary that he'd ever been. More still than when he was observing animals in the mountain ranges of Manas. More stationary than a stakeout on the under levels of Coruscant. Suddenly, he took about a minute to regather himself. Although his eyes remained closed, he could suddenly see a small outline of the objects around him. On the outside, his eyes glowed a dim yet bright blue. As he became more relaxed with this new sight granted to him by the force, he lowered his arms and walked normally, yet still carefully. This time, though, he walked much faster across the rope. Whatever this was, he needed more of it. He needed to Master it.

When he finished crossing the rope, he took a moment to stand on the hovering platform before opening his eyes. At this point, his Master was done speaking.

The next task seemed easy. The few after that easy as well. At a moment's notice, he leapt off of the the pad he was standing on after the tightrope and bounced off of a hovering wall, engaging a very short yet sloppy wallrun. After that, he would jump and slide down a pole to bring him closer to the ground, only for him to climb up higher afterwards. Finally, he tapped the button and signalled he was finished down to his Master.

"Done, for now. Master. That's all for this course so far."

[member="Diana McClaine"]

 

[Samatharis]

Diana gave into stillness for the rest of the course. Let Kresslyn work through his connection to the Force. Let it normalize. Let it become something he could experiment with as he trained. Becoming more than myth. Becoming his. First an experiment, then a friend, then an ally. The Force.

When he finished the course she checked the time and nodded. Then wiped the screen clean and reset the room. Allowing all the platforms to reshuffle back into an empty arena. Allowing her floating platform to lower back into the floor.

"Good. You're active connection is strong during exercise. Even under stress."

She smiled and looked around the large empty room.

"Hera is the A.I. who runs the building. She's integrated into most functions and will serve as your assistant and guide as you explore further programs."

Diana snapped her fingers,

"Hera. Grant Jedi Apprentice Access to Kresslyn Cantor."

~ "Jedi Apprentice Access granted to account, Kresslyn Cantor. Will that be all Master McClaine?" ~

"For now. Thank you Hera."

Diana returned her eyes to Cantor and nodded.

"I want you to work on Mobility Training here for the next week. Three times a week minimum. Whenever the Rangers and Knights aren't using the room. I'll have Hera record the footage and look it over when I can. You can skip the time trials if you want but I want you to try all the difficulty settings. Laser grids, drones, and stun blasters too. There should be at least six different courses in programming, if I remember correctly. Plenty of content to grind your teeth against."

She nodded with a shrug,

"I don't expect you finish all of it with a gold star rating. Just push yourself and your connection to the Force. You need to know how far you can push yourself before you start field missions. Learn your limits, so to speak. And don't worry about injuries either. Hera is staffed with enough droids to get anybody out to medical in a jiffy. We've even carbon frozen a few lost limbs following saber training and reattached them to their owner's later."

She smiled and threw up her hands in surrender,

"I'm just kidding. Haha. Ah, that was horrible. Hehe. Mm."

Diana tapped her chin and nodded towards the door.

"Anyway. Come on then. Let's head back to the dojo and get you a training saber. You'll have plenty of time to practice your free running with Hera later."

She began moving towards the door and their elevator exit,

"Thanks Hera. Rooms all yours darlin'."

~ "You're welcome." ~

They exited the lockers and made for the campus green above ground.

...

Back in the second floor dojo.

Diana crossed the empty mat and touched a hidden panel on the wall. It opened into a long weapon's rack that was about half full of training sabers. Rod and hilt alike.

"Here we go. These models are a few years old but they'll work just fine until you build a saber all your own."

She tossed Kresslyn a long training saber from the rack.

"Swordsmanship is the most traditional martial art in all of Jedi history. Galactic history really. Heck, mastering a sword form is considered a right of passage for almost every Jedi Knight who's ever lived. Even the old Gunslingers prided themselves on knowing how to defend against a Jedi swordsman. So... While I know that swords aren't everyone's cup of tea? Sure. You'd be crazy not to familiarize yourself with them. Especially if you ever live long enough to meet a Sith Knight in battle."

Diana motioned to the hilt in his hand,

"Go ahead give it a few swings. Feel the weight. Sense the balance point. It's not Kyber so, it won't feel like a Jedi lightsaber would. But that's okay. Training sabers still build muscle memory for form work. Which is what we want for the first few lessons anyway."

She stepped back to let him test it out.

"By the way. I guess I should ask now. How familiar are you with combat Kresslyn?"

She seemed skeptical in her tone of voice,

"Any reservations I should know about before we get started?"

[member="Kresslyn Cantor"]​

 

[Kresslyn Cantor]

The brief yet exercising lesson on how to use his abilities to get through difficult terrain definitely helped him and built his confidence. By the time he'd been through each difficulty and mastered every stage, he'd have a multitude of abilities that would make exploring rough terrain significantly easier for him.

When he finished jumping, flipping, climbing, and freerunning along the walls and touched the bottom, a time appeared along the walls with a scoreboard of other times below it. Other rangers, Jedi Shadows, Pathfinders, the usual physically skilled that he'd meet were above him. That could easily change.

At the flip of a switch, the platforms and floating walls went back into their respective areas and the room was now empty and bare just like it was when they first entered.

"Hera is the A.I. who runs the building. She's integrated into most functions and will serve as your assistant and guide as you explore further programs." she said and then snapped her fingers and commanded the A.I. to carry out an executive command.

"Hera. Grant Jedi Apprentice access to Kresslyn Cantor." she added, now making the A.I.'s most basic commands available to him to set up his own training regimen here within the JHTC.

She then talked about how she wanted him to try every scene and every difficulty, mentioning how he didn't have to finish with a gold star rating every time. That was a challenge he'd give himself.

"Got it, Master. Gold star rating." he responded, laughing quietly to himself.

Soon, they found themselves walking back towards the lockers where he retrieved his personal items and headed back to the surface, catching another shuttle back to the Rest.

...

When they arrived back at the rest, the entered the second floor dojo once more, the same one that was now cleaned and smelled as if they'd never even been there.

Another random panel in the wall opened to reveal a rack of training sabers, one of which his Master threw to him. Trying to use his untrained force abilities, he slowed the saber down mid-air and gravitated it towards his hand, clutching its handle firmly after words. A nice trick, he thought to himself.

"Swordsmanship is the most traditional martial art in all of Jedi history. Galactic history really. Heck, mastering a sword form is considered a right of passage for almost every Jedi Knight who's ever lived. Even the old Gunslingers prided themselves on knowing how to defend against a Jedi swordsman. So... While I know that swords aren't everyone's cup of tea? Sure. You'd be crazy not to familiarize yourself with them. Especially if you ever live long enough to meet a Sith Knight in battle."

Going one versus one against a Sith Knight would be an interesting part of Kresslyn's life. With the amount of exploring he was bound to do, it'd be inevitable.

​As she instructed him to do, he gave the saber a few one handed swings in each hand, showing no particular dominance in one hand. Ambidextrous. One thing he didn't do, though, was try the weight of the saber with both hand at once. It would most likely feel unnatural to him.

Then, she asked him how familiar he was with combat.

"Very." he said, quickly answering with one word.

When she asked him about any limits he had, he couldn't think of anything so he quickly answered that question as well.

"No limits, Master." he said, holding the training saber in one handing, flipping it in his wrist.

[member="Diana McClaine"]

 

[Samatharis]

He answered like a peacekeeper. Good. That experience would come in handy moving forward. As, many Padawans the temple took in these days were staunchly pacifists. Which, while not technically a cardinal sin by Assembly definitions? It still didn't help in a real fight or grant the user a superior connection to the Force. That said. Most of them still participated fully in the Order's other divinely appointed missions. And Destiny still had a place for them too. So Diana couldn't fault all the non-violence types. The Force would provide.

"Excellent. Then we can jump right in."

Diana began the lesson with an introduction to Jedi Form One. Shii-Cho. The Basics of the Laser Sword. It was traditional swordsmanship in many ways. Including it's basis in philosophy. Form One took a balanced approach to combat. It was about self defense, leg work, normal gravity, and keeping your mind in the fight. Perfect for newcomers.

Over the course of the next hour, Diana would teach Kresslyn many things. She would teach him how to hold an iron sword, a wooden sword, and a laser sword. She would teach him how to respect the weapon as an extension of himself. How to think of it as less of a bloodied edge and more of a symbol. How to hold your weapon in stillness. How to venerate it's place in a sheath. Unused. Unbloodied. Unbowed. How to think of it not as a weapon, to be stabbed. But as a tool in your tool belt. To only be used as you would a drill or a saw. The right tool, for the right job. Nothing wavering.

She would teach him how hold a blade. How to respect it's length. How to cut with it's tip and not with it's edge. How to hold his shoulders when he blocked. How to shuffle his feet when he stepped and how to bend his legs when he took a deep stance. She introduced him to light blocks and heavy blocks. How to sense when an opponent was using the weightlessness of a saber to his advantage and how to anticipate a magically empowered strike that could sunder pure steel with it's raw kinetic force. How to glide and guard against a flurry of feather blows and how to avoid a leaping power attack with gusto. Etc.

She touched only lightly upon deflecting blaster bolts. As, most opponents in this galaxy knew that trick pretty darn well by now. In fact, glamorous and prized was the weapon technology that used such a technical skill against the Jedi. Bypassing the saber and striking the robed monk behind, with ease. Therefore. Diana mentioned the technique only briefly. Dodging, freezing, or crushing the projectile was almost always preferred these days. Least one meet their doom at the wrong end of an acid spraying Scatter Gun.

She did not teach duel wielding. Or Shatter Point. Or Battle Meld. Or Battle Meditation. Or Form Zero for that matter. Today was just the basics. For the basics. And even that would still be enough to take years of practice to Master. Heck... Diana herself had never mastered all seven katas of Form One. But that was a story for another time. This was Kresslyn's journey now.

"Excellent." She nodded as they finished up the lesson, "I think you're ready to begin practicing the first kata, or saber dance, of Form One. You already have direct Apprentice Clearance in the library, so. I'll have you assigned a Sword Holocron from the Archives so you can study with some advanced instruction. Probably... Three weeks, to start? Mmm."

She stroked her chin in thought. Yes. Three weeks to memorize the first kata would do fine.

"After you memorize the form to my satisfaction. I'll have you start on kata two and three. After that, you can pick an advanced form to begin working on too. Something other than Shii-Cho. ...Then. You'll be ready for live sparring and can begin the wizard's duels as well."

She smiled.

"I'm sure many of the other Padawans will be happy to have somebody of your size to practice with. Just... Try not to take victory and defeat too seriously with the younger students. They've a few years already to get ahead of you. So, just enjoy the live practice as you can. You have plenty of time to learn how to incorporate telekinesis into your style later. They all do. Hehe."

Diana pulled out her phone and tapped a few buttons.

"Okay. I've ordered a Holocron to your room. So, along with your mobility training, I want you to memorize the first kata in three weeks. Listen to the Holocron's spirit. Let it guide you to Mastery. Trust the Force to teach you what you need to learn. What your body can absorb to further your Jedi training. And remember, wisdom is like water. It can many shapes to fix many problems. Never assume that water in the shape of a glass is the answer to every problem. Sometimes your water must take the shape of a hammer or the shape of an umbrella too. So be like water, my Apprentice. Never be just one thing. Just be water."

She nodded again and put her phone away.

"Your homework for tonight and tomorrow will be from the library archives. I want you to go research the Jedi Sword Forms and be prepared to teach me about them, academically, tomorrow evening. If you do well, I'll have more homework for you to do. If I find your teachings lacking? I'll have you assigned to Laundry and you'll be folding robes for hours. ...Understood?"

Harsh teacher was harsh.

Then she smiled and dismissed him until tomorrow night. He had plenty of learning today anyway. Now all he needed was the time to put it in it's place and schedule himself likewise.

[member="Kresslyn Cantor"]​