We Are the Force [Tavjurn Phil]

[Ava Solborne]

We Are the Force

Coruscant,
the Jedi Temple
Equa Dominator & @[member="Tavjurn Phil"]

- - -

Equa, a young Jedi Knight, remembered his first days in the Jedi Order. He remembered how he had been taken into the Order even thought he was already too old to become a Jedi. It had been a mystery, but he thought it's because the Gulag Plague had done so much bad for the Galaxy and now they needed new Padawans. It seemed like they had forgot their original policies. But maybe Equa was wrong? Maybe they had taken him into the Order because someone told them to do that? Maybe someone threatened the Jedi High Council? There were many possibilities.

He didn't have a formal Master. He had been a Padawan for some time, but he was taught things basically by random people who had no connection to him. And so Equa spent his days either in the library or on random planets. He had studied the history of the Jedi Order very detailedly and it may have helped him at reaching the rank of Knight. Actually, the Umbaran Jedi didn't know why he had been granted the honourable rank of Jedi Knight. He had done... well, nothing. But a few possibilities raised again. Maybe the High Council thought he is worthy because of the work he had done in the library? Or, again, maybe someone threatened them?

The beginning of his Jedi Knight life had been a complete chaos. He didn't know anything about being a person in that rank. He had given the right to teach a Padawan. And he used the opportunity. But he didn't manage to teach him for long, because a time of lots of work had come to Equa's life. He had had to take a break, so he disappeared for months, leaving the young Jedi Padawan behind. He doesn't know what has happened to the Padawan now. He might be a Jedi Knight or even a Jedi Master.... or he could still be a Jedi Padawan who is doing nothing to get a "promotion".

Another thing which had come into Equa's mind was the Unifying Force. He had believed in it with his whole heart. It had been the rightest view of the Force. But time moved on and many things happened. And it all changed. He had been driven crazy by the Darkness and because of that Equa lost hope in the Unifying Force. He became a normal Jedi who believed in the Light and Darkness. But soon his beliefs changed again.

He started enjoying the thought of Inner Peace and Absolute Chaos. It was something which made his mind and soul... peaceful. This new belief was not very popular, but Equa decided, that he will start spreading it in the Jedi Order.

Now this Jedi Knight stood in the halls of the Jedi Temple, waiting for his new Padawan Phil Treymore. It was not very early this time. Actually, it was a bit after twelve o'clock in the afternoon. He was in his typical Jedi attire and his lightsaber stood on his belt. He had prepared an ultimate task for the Padawan. It was supposed to be one of the most important tasks towards becoming a Jedi Knight. Of course there were many other things the high Council was expecting from Padawans, but today's task was something which was the most important one in Equa's opinion.

Equa also had a bag with him. It was a simple brown bag which wasn't very big. Though it was enough to carry a few small things in it. And inside the bag there were actually a few things which were important: a little rock, a ball, a bandage.

Spoiler

This thread will be a test for you. Even though I know you are a good writer, I would like to test your skills with this character. The quality of my posts shouldn't matter very much this time, but I will kind of judge your posts.

 

[Tavjurn Phil]

Phil Treymore arrived promptly. He was garbed in grey Jedi robes with matching brown gloves and combat boots. His copper-head lightsaber was fastened behind his belt and held snuggly out of sight. He never bothered with an outer robe anymore. He could never keep the darn things clean.

"Master Dominator. Apprentice Treymore, reporting for duty."

Phil smirked and gave a happy salute in jest. Every hero needs a sense of humor. Well, if your human anyway. Haha.

@[member="Equa Dominator"]

 

[Ava Solborne]

Equa heard the voice of Phil, so he turned to him and smiled. "Hello, Phil! I hope you're ready for a more difficult training day." The task he was going to give was, indeed, not the easiest. He knew people don't usually talk about their problems or the things that disturb them. But doing it in a special way was even harder.

"So... How did you sleep last night? I'm asking it because you have to have clear mind today," the Jedi Knight continued. He had ordered some coffee, so hopefully sleepiness wouldn't be a problem.

@[member="Tavjurn Phil"]

 

[Tavjurn Phil]

"Slept great. Not a big fan of the beds they have here though. Apprentice rooms are pretty low-budget and I tend to go for the endothermic sheets myself. But that's a human thing. And I doubt the Order wants to spend a few thousand credits on luxury apartments anyway. Haha."

He waved the comment away with a witty smile. Phil was ready for a work-out.

"I skipped my morning work-out and came straight here. I'm ready and willing. So? What have you got for me today Master?"

@[member="Equa Dominator"]

 

[Ava Solborne]

@[member="Tavjurn Phil"]

Hearing all that stuff from the Padawan was good. Actually, it was really good. It really suited the task Equa was going to give him. But it had to wait just a bit. "Well, my room is slightly better than the one Padawans have, so..." He smiled again. But then his face turned neutral and a sigh was heard in the room.

"If want you to tell me what we are going to do."

 

[Tavjurn Phil]

Phil raised an eyebrow at that comment. What he wanted them to do? Huh. Fascinating.

"Well? If you're looking for a workout we could hit the gym and do arm exercises. Not legs. I hate leg day."

Phil smirked. It was a gym rat saying. Muscle guys hate leg day.

"Or... If you're looking for a great restaurant to go to for lunch, we could go hit the Porcupine Grill down on 25th? The Mango Burgers are the best in the whole city. Promise."

He winked and nodded. Today probably wasn't about food though.

"Your pick."

@[member="Equa Dominator"]

 

[Ava Solborne]

@[member="Tavjurn Phil"]

"I am your Padawan... It's your job to decide what we're going to do..." Equa said. He had given his student the task of being a Master of someone. And now the Jedi Knight decided to act like a Padawan for the rest of the day.

"Are you going to teach me something today?"

But this task was only a part of the task he wanted to give to Phil. The other part had to come later.

 

[Tavjurn Phil]

Phil looked bewildered and scratched his chin. This was either Umbaran humor or Equa was testing him. Best to be sure.

"So? Let me get this straight. For one day, I get to be the Master? ...Cause, I can totally do that. Haha."

Phil gave a wicked smile and nodded his head. Oh yes. He could could do that. First things first! Fashion. Maybe he would take Equa shopping?

@[member="Equa Dominator"]

 

[Ava Solborne]

Equa felt like this day will be kind of strange for a Jedi, but alright... He was okay with everything Phil will do. He wanted to see what the Padawan would do as a Master of someone.

"What? Are you feeling a bit ill, Master? Of course you can do it. You have always been my Master." Equa said that happily... and he was very nice towards Phil. He knew this day can be a bit too much for him which meant, that he has to be as supportive as possible. But he was optimistic.

@[member="Tavjurn Phil"]

 

[Tavjurn Phil]

Phil nodded with delight. The game was on.

"Excellent. First things first, then. Grab a Universal Translator from the Science Wing and meet me on Landing Pad Eight in twenty minutes. We are going shopping."

The Apprentice gave a jovial smirk and pointed to the sky,

"Twenty minutes Padawan. Don't be late."

And with that Phil raced down to the Landing Pad to requisition an Air Speeder. It was time for the Tour of Coruscant.

___

@[member="Equa Dominator"]

 

[Ava Solborne]

Equa nodded and ran to the Science Wing. It was a bit strange to be a Padawan again, but it was refreshing. The rank was so easy. Padawans had much less responsibilities than Knights. Well, of course they had to serve their Master, but Knights had other stuff to do. They had to teach their Padawans and participate in missions...

He grabbed the translator and headed to the landing pad. He wanted to be there before the twenty minutes were over. Actually, he wanted to be there in about ten minutes, but he didn't succeed at that. She reached the eight landing pad on the eighteenth minute.

"So... what are we going to do, Master? What will we buy?"

@[member="Tavjurn Phil"]

 

[Tavjurn Phil]

Phil was waiting on the hood of a bright red Air Speeder. It looked very fast.

"You bet'cha Apprentice Dominator. Today I have an assignment for you about culture. Coruscanti culture, to be specific. Hop in."

The dark-haired man smirked and waved Equa into the car. Phil took the driver's seat and buckled himself in.

"We are going to fly over to Pier 19 in the Metropolitan District. It's a famous shopping hub for both Senators and Citizens alike. A wonderful place to enjoy a little commercialism and see how modern cultures mix through fashion and advertising. It's the perfect place for a Padawan to start. Haha."

He closed the doors and lifted off. The little red vehicle was a race car. It flew through the skies like a crimson blaster-bolt. Phil might have been going a little too fast. Maybe?

"I asked you to bring the Universal Translator because our assignment today will have us interacting with many different alien species. How many Alien Cultures are you familiar with Padawan Equa? I'm curious."

@[member="Equa Dominator"]

 

[Ava Solborne]

Equa looked at Phil with a plain face. Then his left eyebrow raised. "None?"

He knew a few alien species and cultures, but he wanted to make things more difficult to Phil. He had to be sure the Padawan is doing the right things as a Knight. So far he had been quite unique. Normally Knights didn't do things like that, but maybe Equa was just an old-school Jedi?

"By the way, Master, which culture besides human cultures is your favourite?"

@[member="Tavjurn Phil"]

 

[Tavjurn Phil]

"That's easy. Zeltron."

Phil looked over at Equa and smiled. Everybody loves a Zeltron. Phil took the speeder down to the commercial area landing pad and parked the car inside the docking structure. Popping the hatch he exited the vehicle and breathed in the fresh air. Pier 19 was a floating silver structure high in the Coruscanti skyline. It glittered and sparkled with majestic metals and hummed with electric light. Holographic images floated high in the air and sultry women seemed to flock here by the dozens. Wealth was everywhere. This was a high class market, to be sure.

"Welcome to Pier 19, Apprentice. Where everything is for sale."

Air speeders buzzed overhead, the smell of the food court was powerful, and even the security droids were plated in gold and silver. Everyday was like a new parade. Today's theme was Tropical Paradise. All of the banners flickered with pleasing images of an island get-away. Phil had never seem so many holographic palm trees in his life.

"Let's start in the youth corner over by the Food Court. Here all the shops cater to a younger crowd. Grade School kids with rich parents. There is even a Pelgruvian Toy Store over there. Haha. We'll I'll be..."

Phil loved it here. It was such a fun and active place. Beautiful people of every species could be seen walking about. As if without a care in the world. The fabrics and textures were as diverse as the creatures who wore them. There was silk and linen skirts. Fine rust vests and long splintering trench coats. Colorful gowns and tall feathered hats. Even a few grand men and women with thigh-high fur boots. Everyone seemed to sparkle and shimmer. Making loud tappings as they walked. It made Equa and Phil look so bland and plain. How dull a Jedi must dress these days.

"Part of being a Jedi is getting to know the galaxy that you will be protecting. I won't let any Apprentice of mine die for a planet that he doesn't understand. Part of saving the innocent is understanding just how innocent they are. Look at all these people Equa. Do you think any of them care about the Sith Empire. Haha. Not a chance. These people don't have a care in the world. Many of them have no idea how much work the Jedi Order does to keep them safe. Many of them don't even care. Haha."

He put his hands on his hips and smiled. He loved normal people. Envious really. Which was probably because being a Jedi meant that he could never be one. Sadly, Phil and Equa could never be normal again. They were Jedi.

"Well? What do you think? Impressive, no?"

@[member="Equa Dominator"]

 

[Ava Solborne]

"Coruscant is a fine planet. Especially this area..." Equa said. "But there are other fine planets too, I believe." He was amazed by the beauty of Pier 19 and he really liked it, but there was something strange about it. No, it wasn't mysterious or anything, but... Equa didn't have the warm feeling he normally has when he visits a place. Most of the times when Equa visited a place he had never been to before, he had a feeling like it was his home. But this time... nothing.

"Maybe I can't be in middle of luxury?" he continued. "I feel like I should go away from that place, as far as possible. But there's nothing bad here, right?"

@[member="Tavjurn Phil"] (sorry for the delay)

 

[Tavjurn Phil]

Phil smiled. He understood to a degree what Equa was saying.

"Bad? No. There is nothing inherently bad here. These are just normal people living very normal lives, and making very normal choices. There is no sin because there is no knowledge. A man cannot sin in ignorance. Neither can a child. They are not accountable yet. They do not understand the consequences for their actions."

Phil waved his hand over the crowd,

"These people are responsible for their jobs and families. They are not like us. We as Jedi are responsible for all. Indeed. Only we are accountable for the Universe. But this is because we are different. We are wise, while these people are sheltered. The Jedi are strong, while these people are but flesh. We can see the light and the darkness. These people? ...They can only see the price-tags that life has to offer them. Haha."

Phil tapped the side of his head,

"But these are the people we are sworn to protect. These are the shopping centers we defend with our lives. These are little people for whom so many Jedi have died, and bleed, and suffered. They are small people but strong. Simple but beautiful. Childish but so full of divine potential."

He smiled and looked out over the crowd.

"Yes my young Apprentice. These are just people. So love them. Forgive them. Be with them. ...Because they are a part of the endless Force. ...They, are a part of your destiny."

...

Phil paused and took a moment for himself. Quiet and still. What would Equa say?

@[member="Equa Dominator"]

 

[Ava Solborne]

"You're right. These people are the ones we must protect. But they are not the only ones. And they are definitely not the most important ones," Equa said. He didn't have much else to say. And that was the reason why Equa decided to ask a question.

"What happened, Master? You have told me about the woman or a friend or whoever the person was..."

@[member="Tavjurn Phil"]

 

[Tavjurn Phil]

Phil seemed a bit dumbfounded. Important ones? Phil didn't know there were important ones. Fascinating. His Apprentice/ playful-Master was on to something. Huh.

"Oh right. Well I uhh... Nevermind all that then. On to the first task of the day. Shopping!"

Phil dismissed Equa's comment knowingly. The last thing he wanted to talk about today was Meridian and her effortless golden hair.

"Come Apprentice." the human strutted his way towards the food court with a grand wave, "It's time to learn to appreciate alien culture, foreign food, and artisan craftsmanship! What say we start with men's shoes eh? Let's pick out some boots fit for an Umbaran King! Don't dally Apprentice. Let's be off. Haha. We've got all day to kill you know!"

 

[Ava Solborne]

"Boots? But... Jedi... Never mind." It was a bit impolite to ignore a question, or at least it was in Equa's opinion. Phil had either intentionally or mistakenly missed his question, though the Jedi Knight understood the Apprentice was trying to avoid talking about it.

"I guess we'll have to go shopping, then. But may I ask: why does a Jedi have to go shopping?" he asked. It was another trial to see how good Phil is at finding logical answers to the things he did as someone's master.

@[member="Tavjurn Phil"]

 

[Tavjurn Phil]

Phil smiled as they moved through the crowds,

"That's easy. To get new things."

He stopped in front of a footwear outfitters. High class, lots of honeyberry wood, rustic influences, and a focus on ergonomics. It was built to appear old fashioned though the material wealth wasn't fooling anybody.

"It is important to remember that wealth and money play an important role even in the lives of the Jedi. The Order itself makes money through various applications via the Jedi Service Corps. We specialize in self sufficiency through well-prioritized industry. The JSC has canneries, farms, recycling complexes, and distribution centers. Tython itself houses many of our plantations and mining operations. Food, clothing, and gas don't just grow on trees, ya know. Haha. Even the Jedi have to work and labour to provide for themselves. And whatever surplus is leftover from our projects we sell on the open market for a profit. Thus creating revenue to spend on even larger Jedi agendas. Such as new temples, academies, and starship facilities. Indeed. It is not uncommon for the Order to rent out it's technical services for money either. ...I expect the Jedi Order makes well over a billion credits every day through hard work and labor. And we are always growing to accommodate for even bigger tasks and membership. It really is impressive."

Phil smiled and pulled out a credit chip from his pocket,

"I myself sell Force Crystals to Gem Crafters to make credits. That is how I can pay for services offered outside of the Jedi Order. ...You should try it sometime. Righteously using your own money can help a great deal of people and it builds character."

The Apprentice waved them into the storefront,

"So... Tell you what? Pick out any pair of traveler's boots or you want from the shelves and I'll buy it for you. Call it a gift from the Force. No. ...Call it a gift from a friend. Haha."

@[member="Equa Dominator"]