Unknown Faces, Familiar Places [Sorel]

[Josh Dragovalor]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

It was true that Master DragonsFlame had begun to tone down his schedule a bit, but he doubted that anyone would notice considering that his old schedule was a bit... Much, regardless. But either way, some, like the Grandmaster and his wife, would understand fully his reasoning. Before, he'd been a single Jedi, driven only by mission to mission and his goals. Now, he was beginning the process of starting a family, and now he had two different, just as important, priorities, to balance. But still, he did check in with Voss and the Silver Jedi. They had taken him in when he didn't have a real Jedi base to report to, and hadn't given him chit in the process. He'd been able to operate the way he had been, while having some guidance and direction.

So he knew he'd keep serving, even if he was going to tone down a little to focus on family. Though he did realize, of course, that with his very mission-focused ways until now, he hadn't really been to Voss except to train his students here. And he hadn't actually met many of the Jedi... It was a thought that crossed his mind as he wandered through the Temple on Voss, after his training sessions with the Padawans had ended for the day. He had some time before he headed back home, but he was curious... He hadn't had a chance to explore the temple either. Might as well try it at least once, right?

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel was settling into the idea of being the new Grand Master. Officially only the second Grand Master of the current incarnation of the Silvers.

It was an interesting and slightly tiring process. She’d been forced to be more inclusive and instead of spending all of her time with her own Padawans and so she was working her way around every class and every Knight and Master to introduce herself and get to know them better, as opposed to just being on nodding (or should that be bowing) terms.

So she finished speaking to some Younglings at the Voss Temple about the Jedi Code and was heading to the Library to meet a newly appointed Knight when she bumped into a Master that she was aware of but hadn’t spoken to before.

So she bowed politely and smiled as she approached him. “Hello, it’s Master DragonsFlame isn’t it? I don’t think we’ve ever been properly introduced.”

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

It had only been after his lessons that he had found out, through whisperings among people in the halls, that Grand Thurion Heavenshield had stepped down from his post as Grandmaster, and had assigned the role to one [member="Sorel Crieff"] in turn. Josh honestly knew very little about Crieff, except that she apparently knew his old Master, Master Ike, quite well. That unnerved him a bit, considering that while he respected Matsu, he knew that her views, actions and judgements could be... Questionable. She'd taught him much, but her demeanor taught him the ultimate lesson and that was to listen to your senses, listen to your gut... Listen to what the Force told you if it spoke a thing. Sometimes just following wasn't always the right thing to do... You had to decide yourself what was right. And when you did... Do what was right with all of your heart.

But despite that, he held no ill will toward Sorel. While he didn't know her, nor know if she had been tested, he would reserve his true judgement until he'd met the woman himself and made an actual decision from there. It wouldn't be fair to her if he judged without knowing her, after all. It just wouldn't be right. So he'd have to meet her eventually, he knew. But of course, things had... Well, heh. A funny way of working out. He would almost collide with Sorel, being 6'4, he tended to miss people sometimes and almost bump into them. He would stop just short, and note her greeting him.

He would smile then, with a polite nod of his own. "Greetings, Grandmaster. I don't believe we have, no" He would greet as he would gingerly hold out a large hand to shake. "Josh. Please, just call me Josh."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

“Josh then,” she said, smiling. “I understand you’ve been training Padawans here. Sorry if I missed the classes, I’ve been trying to show my face at as many as I can.”

“How are you finding things here. I understand that, like me, you were once a Republic Jedi. Except I was just a Padawan when I left whereas your role was significantly larger from memory.”

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"I have" He would respond with a light smile. "While the mission side of things has toned down a bit as of late... Not that anyone would notice since I've been working myself to death far more then I should have since the Republic days, I've been working hard to recruit and train new Padawans for the Silver Jedi. I've amassed a bit of a ragtag group of misfits, in terms of my students it seems" He would remark, a light joke at the end that was followed by a chuckle. Honestly, maybe tone down wasn't the word for it... He was just... Smarter, now. He was putting his body through hell for so long, and if it weren't for the old Order's tendency to just use people and spit them out when they were done with them, odds were someone probably would have stopped him years ago.

But now he had a family to think about.

"You'll have to come watch sometime, I'm sure you'd be able to provide them a few things if you'd like to come speak in a future session" He would offer with a smile. When her question came, he tilted his head a moment, then nodded his head a little bit. "I'm doing well here, thank you Grandmaster. My role back in the Republic days doesn't mean anything now. What matters now is the contributions I bring to the galaxy now, and the Padawans I teach here" He spoke softly. "I work in the outer rim mostly, dealing with issues out there, focusing primarily on liberating slaves. But I do pop into Silver space when they need me, or to teach."

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel smiled. “When I first became a Knight, I had this misconception that I would have a wide selection of Younglings to choose from and my Padawans would either be a younger version of myself or from a certain type. Nothing could be further from the truth — as you well know. But I think it helps us grow as teachers as much as it helps them.”

“And I’d like to drop in to a session some time. I always pick up tips. What are your particular strengths? It’s always good to know in case I’m asked to recommend someone.”

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He couldn't help but laugh in response to that. "One of my Padawans is half-serpent, their lower body is that of a snake. Another is blind. Another used to be a mercenary, another used to be a farmboy, and another used to be a slave who would only give me their slave number and not a name" He would explain, with a casual shrug of his shoulders. "I also had a bear for a Padawan once, but he didn't quite work out. It was un-bear-able, what happened to him."

"I try to work with as diverse a group as I can, so I can learn just as much as they do. I get to learn how to better teach Padawans no matter their situation, and they get a better Master. Overall, everyone benefits."

To her next question, he would think it over for a moment. "I'm best suited as a combat teacher, but my organization and multitasking are good as well. I try to organize my training program to the best of my abilities, having my students be in classes together as much as I can, and placing them on missions together alongside myself, and then together on their own once they no longer need me by their side for missions. I want them to be used to working with one another, and being able to learn to trust in each other and other Jedi. Being used to working with other Jedi as early as possible will help them in the long run... They need to learn that we are all in this together with the same goal. So I try to help them build bonds and everlasting friendships, and on a practical side... Build chemistry on the field as well. If they can develop that chemistry with their classmates for best results on the field... Then they can do the same with other Jedi for maximum efficiency.

Of course, they do missions on their own as well. A Jedi must learn to be independent as well as part of a group. They need to be ready for any and all situations."

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

“A bear?” she echoed. “I have trained a bird of prey to use a saber but in my experience it is the mind that is the greatest challenge with many Padawans, not their physical manifestations or even their histories. Too many Force Users believe their story is unique and that the Code and the Order should bend to fit their needs.”

She shrugged. “These I can help only so far. I cannot walk the path to the light side for them, so have to point them in the general direction and allow their own moral compass to do the rest.”

“Not that I mind being challenged or even questioned. I do not seek sheep, but more do I think I can help wolves that wear sheep’s clothing. But my success rate is solid so far.” She smiled. Her eyes lit up whenever she talked of training Padawans and it was clearly an aspect of being a Jedi that she enjoyed more than others.

“And your approach is a testament to your undoubted years of experience and knowledge. So I have a question for you. Not a riddle, a genuine question. I spend almost all of my time with other Jedi. Would I benefit from time with non Force Users or is that a fool’s errand?”

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"A bird, huh? I haven't tried that yet. I guess you can recommend 'em to me next time you end up getting a bird in the Silver's employ" He would half joke, a light smirk crossing his features as he would make it, though he did seem to enjoy the thought of teaching something - or someone - new. "People will always try to bend the code to their whims... Doesn't matter what race they are, dear. It's just a fact of life... And a fact of people who use the Force. You just gotta learn how to deal with them individually. And in some cases... They gotta learn their own way their folly."

He would scratch his head. "Admittedly, I haven't had a Padawan get promoted to Knight in years. Many of my Padawans the last few years have disappeared. But with my current crop, I'm hoping to make up for it in spades should the whole lot of them be promoted at the end of my course. Some have disappeared, yeah, but there isn't a whole lot I can do about it. All I can do is keep cultivating the ones I have. There's two in particular I'm very proud of. Padawan [member="Douglas Starwind"] and Padawan [member="Dusaro Dresari"]" He would remark, a glow in his eyes as he began talking about his Padawans. A glow of pride. "Both of them I picked up while in the outer rim trying to free slaves on separate missions, though around the same timespan. Dresari was a mercenary doing a job, and Starwind was a farmboy who hardly knew how to use a blaster.

Dresari was friendly and worked with me to take the slavers down on one occasion, and ended up showing a compassionate side you barely see from guns-for-hire when one of the slaves we got out of the cages turned out to be a slaver in disguise and blew off one of the slaves' heads before aiming for mine" He would admit, biting his lip as his eyes would dip a bit toward the ground as he recollected this particular story. "I was having a hard time keeping my composure, as I felt personally responsible for that father of two, with his wife and kids right there watching, being killed under my watch, my protection... His families eyes bore into the back of my head, and I could feel it, I could sense it. I could see their glares, even when I wasn't looking at them. Dresari took the lead, and tried to take the load off me while I tried to re-collect my thoughts, as he could somehow sense just how bad I was hurting. That was the first indication I had that Dresari was a force sensitive, and I broached the topic to him once we got them home."

He would chuckle a bit as he would remember back when he'd met Starwind. He hoped Sorel wasn't inconvenienced by him telling stories when she likely had a million other things to do. "Now, Doug Starwind... This kid was a piece of work. He was a moisture farmer, from Tatooine... Barely any blaster experience, pretty much no combat experience. On this particular occasion, this kid's parents were kidnapped by the slavers I was hunting down. I don't know whether to call him brave, or stupid, or both... But this kid risked his life by stowing away on their ship. I happened to find him just before he could get himself killed. He refused to stay behind, so I threw the kid a blaster and a vibroblade and told him to stick with me. Ended up being a natural, and saved my skin at one point when I overexerted myself after we were outnumbered. Sensing he was force sensitive as well, I let him choose if he wanted to go back with his folks, or come with me to be trained. He picked the latter."

He would smile lightly.

"Both of them, I've been training for a good two years, maybe three. They're both about ready to journey into the crystal caves and construct lightsabers of their own. Once they've got more mission experience under their belt... I think they'll be ready. They're the pride and joy of my current student class. The rest are new, mostly. But these two... They've got a bright future and it fills me with joy that I can be able to cultivate the future of this Order personally."

He considered Sorel's question a moment, before seeming to come to a resolution.

"You would, yes" He would answer warmly. "It is true that the Force is our guide, our partner... Our friend, even. But not everyone you battle alongside, not everyone you fight against... Not everyone you encounter can do the same as we do. This galaxy is full, brimming and ready to burst with life, Sorel. You want to be able to experience it all and see all you can in this lifetime. A Jedi must be ready for any and all situations... Whether they be from Force Sensitives or those who are not. If you spend all your time with only one side... You will be blind when it comes time to deal with the other."

He would smile warmly once again. "You have to be ready and prepared for anything... And anyone, that can be thrown at you."

[member="Sorel Crieff"]