Yavin IV Jedi Academy: Part II (open to the Jedi Order, regardless of faction)

[Ashin Varanin]

OOC/ This is a location-based thread for the Yavin IV Jedi Academy. Though you can also start your own threads with the Jedi Academy as a setting, either in the Public/Private RP forums or in the Jedi Academy training forums, this is a central location thread. It has no set storyline; you can jump in whenever, do your own thing, learn from NPCs or PCs, channel your inner Harry Potter, go nuts.

Pictures, information on the academy and the nearby town, and some useful NPCs are all listed here, in the spoiler under the picture of the Academy.

This is Part Two (well, more than that, really, but this is the second one that was explicitly named for the Yavin Jedi Academy; it grew out of other RPs. The first thread is found here.) If your character is a Jedi, you absolutely don't have to have been in that thread for this one: drop in and drop out whenever/however you like.

IC/ A heavy rain descended over Port Shardrock and the Jedi temple. It washed away the jungle mist and the grime of wilderness life; it drove youngling classes indoors and Padawan classes outdoors. Ithorian nature priests burbled happily to themselves in the gardens as the rain soaked into the soil. Combat veterans stared out the window and remembered. In the library, Silver Jedi and rogues and Levantines and Republic Jedi pondered the great matters of the Code over cups of hot chocolate, made appropriate by the rain's chill. The rain paused for a moment as a Mandalorian gemdiver ship passed overhead, on its way from the nearby landing pads to the gas giant hidden behind the clouds. A few truant younglings splashed each other in the puddles that were forming around the Jedi Code monolith. An advanced lightsabre class sparred across the stepped walls of the rain-slick pyramid. A flight of X-wings cut down through the clouds and slid into the docking bay, where the Knight and Padawan pilots bickered good-naturedly over their performance in flight training. Headmaster Eyal M'ti, a Neti of profound and quiet strength in the Force, liked to go for walks in the rain. Natural -- she was, after all, a tree.

Any Jedi temple was a collection of moments, but this one more lively than most. Here you could feel the Living Force and know that all moments, people and living things formed a web of life -- not as some ideal or tool or cosmic fabric but as a friendly connection between lives and little happinesses. Here, if you listened and waited and served just right, you might come to find some idea of what you truly wanted, and what life might have in store for you.

 

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

Master Clane knew her stuff when it came to telekinesis, Mara had to admit. Cut a striking figure in the process, too. Iara Clane was tall, a blue-skinned Twi'lek with a good few scars, and two lightsabres hung at her belt -- one hers, one pretty certainly Sith-built, a trophy. And she really wasn't that bad.

Didn't mean Mara wanted to come inside with the rest of the class. Not for some rain. She'd grown up on starship missions, where rain was infrequent and fun, and on the secret world of Q-27, where rain was common and generally friendly -- or came down a lot harder than this drizzle. Either way, rain was no reason to bring the kids' TK class inside.

On her way to freedom, she kicked stones through the puddles that surrounded the Jedi Code monolith. The lines caught her eye, and with a sigh of duty -- truant or not, she'd been the daughter of the Master of First Knowledge for a really long time -- she read the whole dang thing.

There is no emotion, there is peace.​

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.​

There is no passion, there is serenity.​

There is no chaos, there is harmony.​

There is no death, there is the Force.​

​

Jedi are the guardians of peace in the galaxy.​

Jedi use their powers to defend and to protect.​

Jedi respect all life, in any form.​

Jedi serve others rather than ruling over them, for the good of the galaxy.​

Jedi seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training.​

​

Jedi serve civilization and the Force above all other allegiances.​

Jedi do not allow civilization to destroy needlessly.​

Jedi do not take revenge or nurture resentment.​

Jedi do not act for personal power or glory.​

Jedi do not use the Force for personal gain.​

Jedi respect all life, even each other.​

Jedi are united in the face of crisis.​

​

She toyed with the lightsabre at her belt, recently completed and not much to look at, as she read. She also entertained herself by blowing rainwater off her upper lip. And if the puddles occasionally splashed around her boots as she pondered the great things of the Order, well, that was just an unavoidable side-effect of having a temple on Yavin Four.

 

[Morgana Forceborn]

The more she stayed here the more Morgana began to grow used to the environment of Yavin. There was an underlying beauty to how simple it was. The forests, that vegetation that covered almost everything, the rain. Even as it indeed began to rain now she felt it was all part of some deeper change in the Force itself to bring new life. The temple itself was helping her to see things a little more clearly. At times she found herself entranced in her dreams or finding a more at peace mindset while meditating; things that in the past tended to bother her more than anything. This temple was more of a focusing point and one that proved helpful for Morgana's training.​

​

Morgana had been out in the forest as it rained, using her coat like an umbrella to cover herself as she made her way back towards the temple. It had taken time for her to reach but she stopped when she saw a familiar face still outside. Seeing [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] there did bring a little comforting smile, especially when she saw the girl's lightsaber on her belt. A reminder of when they first met and how Morgana had grown to know her a little better. For a young girl she proved to be very knowledgeable, something she herself admired.​

​

Coming towards her she called "Hey! Mara! You trying to wash your clothes while your still in them, or do you just enjoy getting soaked?" ​

 

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

[member="Morgana Forceborn"]

"Sup Morg. Just, uh..." Mara looked up at the stone-carved Code, squinting through the rain, and blinked. "Huh. Guess I'm studying. Trying to figure out where I stand on some of this stuff. Like, my dad didn't used to be a Jedi. He made hyperlanes for money, just went around connectin' worlds to worlds with instinctive astrogation. Made a metric fethton of money, then just...gave it all away, one place or another. I guess that was him trying to be a better Jedi and have more time for me and Mom, but I...well, I wanted to do the same thing when I grow up. Make a big ol' everything. Be successful. Now I'm trying to figure out if Jedi do not act for personal power or glory; Jedi do not use the Force for personal gain gets in the way of what I thought I'd be. Not like he didn't teach me this stuff, and not like I wasn't listenin', but...yeah."

 

[Morgana Forceborn]

Morgana glanced at the words carved on the temple as [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] did, looking back down when she seemed surprised that she was doing so. If anything she felt that her mind wandered and for a second she forgot where she was. Or, like her, Mara was being effected by the temple's power as well and this was what she was experiencing. After that she looked down, still covering herself with her coat raised over her head, while hearing Mara mention her father. She'd not had the chance to learn about her past before but now, hearing, she could see that the Jedi heritage was within her family. Her father sounded a great Jedi for giving up his wealth to be with his family. It made sense that she would want to try and fill those shoes. But looking back on the rule she mentioned, how Jedi were never to act for personal gain or use the Force for personal gain, did seem contradicting.​

​

"I guess that depends more on the Jedi themselves." Morgana began to suggest. "I mean I'll be honest and say I don't know what I'd have done if I had the kind of money your dad did. But maybe it's more of something like this: not becoming too greedy with your gifts. Sounds like your dad knew that much."​

 

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

[member="Morgana Forceborn"]


"You've got a point there," Mara admitted. "It's not like he's stopped exploring either - he's with the Levantine Frontier Corps, pulling planets outta the Dark Age one at a time, or at least finding ones that got lost. Then again, I guess he uses the Force in that job, an' he gets paid...but on the other hand, lots of Jedi have had military jobs. Did they get paid? Turn it over to the Order? Who knows?"

She wiped back her damp hair out of her eyes. "I guess there's a difference between having a job and getting rich and famous, though, and if the Force is your life I guess you can't take it out of your job, even if you're like an accountant or something. Right?"

 

[Morgana Forceborn]

Hearing [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] talk things out with herself, and by extension Morgana, did seem to help. Morgana knew the value of having someone to talk to when distressed or in trouble. Force only knew that she barley had anyone like that when she was growing up in the Jedi temple. There were a few masters, yes, but they only saw her so often and were usually busy with matters involving the Sith or the Senate or teaching other padawans. Though the questions she brought up did become interesting to Morgana as she thought about it, her hand reaching up touching her chin as she contemplated it.​

​

"You know I never really though about Jedi being paid. I figured some just came from rich families or they did something or other than got them wealth. Well the rich ones anyways. But yeah, the Force isn't something you can just get rid of. It's like having a special talent or something. You have so accept it."​

​

As she talked she could see Mara getting all the more wet. She did Offer to share her coat as a makeshift umbrella, holding a spot up where Mara would be able to stand next to her and be a little more dry if she so chose.​

 

[Kaili Talith]

She had been waiting for this moment for a while now, the excitement of seeing new places. Mother had been patient during the trip, Kaili had not. She was going to see something that wasn’t home! Granted, she had seen plenty of places that wasn’t home but this was something completely else! A place of learning and understanding! Could it possibly have been what Aela would have looked for if she wasn’t so much of a homebody?

Possibly! She didn’t know! This was so exciting!

As the ramp had been lowered the clang of the ramp mixed with the sound of an engine turning off would serve as the girl’s start signal to just leap as far as she could into the rain. Each raindrop, every single one, felt like a new revelation. To breathe in the jungle air, to hear the sound of life that wasn’t just Micah or Aela going at each other. It was all great.

However, whereas Kai had set off on a specific task to wander in no particular direction at all, her brother seemed to have bailed on her. Disappointed but still excited she looked to her mother.

“So!” She burst. “We’re here! Where do we go now? Are there more people like you and I here? How many? Do they speak basic?”

The questions were many, the time to answer them non-existent. “Gaaah! I am so excited!”

[member="Micah Talith"]
[member="Kira Talith"]

 

[Qhorin Solas]

"You don't mind the rain, do you, Knight Aegir?"

I stepped up beside the Quartermaster. "No, it's fine. I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm fond of it, but..." I looked out the window at the vast, wild jungle, in all its wet, muggy beauty. "It's not so different from other places I've called home."

She hummed in acknowledgement. "Well, shall we continue?" The friendly smile she'd worn throughout the tour had grown wider.

Kali, I surmised, was fond of the rain. It made sense, considering she was a Nautolan. She had smooth, greenish brown skin, and overlarge eyes like glittering black gems. She was pretty, but unconventionally so, as non-human women so often were.

She led me outside to the courtyard, sharing more history of the ancient temple as we navigated our way out of the complex. The courtyard was dominated by a tall marble monolith, the Jedi Code etched down its length. A code that I was now obligated to follow, by virtue of my acceptance into the Republic's Jedi Order. I had agreed to follow the nature of the code, if not the letter.

We had passed Master Clane's class on our way out, but it seemed one of the younglings had remained behind. Through the light rain, I could make out little more than brown hair, from this distance.

"[member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"]," Kali supplied, answering a question I'd had no intention to ask. "She's a bit of an independent spirit, but she's whip smart. Her father's daughter on all accounts."

We descended the steps.

"Your probation with the Republic's Order is over now, yes?"

I nodded. I'd visited a few of the various Jedi enclaves during my probation; by the time I'd reached Yavin IV, my term was over.

"Have you chosen a padawan yet?"

"Sort of," I admitted. "The girl I met when I first arrived on Ossus, she..." I trailed off. Someone had joined young Mara Merrill.

"She what?"

"She's right there." I gestured towards the girl in question. "[member="Morgana Forceborn"]."

"Ah, yes, Morgana. Another independent spirit. Much like yourself, I imagine?" She grinned.

I couldn't help the fleeting smile that ghosted across my face. Kali might not have been strong in the Force, but she was strong with people. She had a way of putting you at ease, of knowing just what to do or say. It could have been a Force power in and of itself.

She cleared her throat and said, "Well?"

I was lost. "Well what?"

"Well, your 'sort of' padawan is right over there, and your probation is over, so..."

I smiled again, just as briefly. "Right. Thank you again for the tour."

"You are very welcome, Knight Aegir." She held out her hand, and I clasped it with my own. "Don't be a stranger," she said. "Maybe this could be another place you call home."

I shrugged. "Perhaps."

She left me then, no doubt to engage in some other duty. I imagined she had quite a few of them as Quartermaster. Hair hanging in my face, I ventured over to the two girls, mindful of the puddles, but utterly unable to avoid the mud.

"Morgana." I dipped my head, then reached up to part the curtain of wet, blond locks from in front of my face. "It's nice to see you again." How long had it been since that day? About a month? I turned my attention to the shorter, younger girl. "Miss Merrill." Another dip. More rearranging of hair. "Enjoying the weather?"

 

[Morgana Forceborn]

Morgana was surprised to hear the voice of [member="Cronos Aegir"] before turning to see him. She was surprised to see him hear on Yavin IV after what must've been over a month since their last meeting. And last time they spoke they had little tie since the older Jedi Masters arrived and separated them. Cronos was sent to make sure he was still not under darkside influence while Morgana was punished for trusting him so easily, even after she felt nothing but the good in him. To see him now was something of a relief.​

​

She nodded almost into a bow before saying "Good to see you again, Mr. Aegir. Or is it officially master now?" She then turned to [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] and quickly said "Oh, Mara, this is Cronos Aegir. He's something of a convert to the Jedi Order."​

 

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

[member="Morgana Forceborn"] 's gesture elicited a grin, and Mara shook her head. "Thanks, I'm good. I like the rain."

She glanced away, squinting through the drizzle at [member="Cronos Aegir"]. Behind him, the Quartermaster was walking away; Mara didn't think much of it. But Aegir got her attention pretty quick. Used to a pretechnological planet and holocron conversation and shipboard solitude, people knowing her name was still something that caught her ear. Maybe Kali Skywalker had mentioned it; maybe her dad had come up in conversation. "Yeah, the weather's great," she said deadpan. "Don't tell me -- those Republic karkwits did their ysalamiri-AgriCorps one-two punch on ya?"

She was, it transpired, not a fan of the Republic Jedi Council's methods for handling new converts and defectors. 'Useless, counterproductive, and easy to get around' was her dad's opinion. The method offended Mara on a fundamental level, but hey, at least she didn't have to answer to'em. Then again, that was the Warden in her. Any Warden of the Sky would have laughed and walked out.

"Well, you're here now, right? Welcome to the promised land."

 

[Qhorin Solas]

"Master, I think," I answered Morgana. "Unless you've gone and found yourself a master while I was... indisposed?"

Mara was the sort to speak her mind, it seemed. I don't think I'd ever had so much cause to smile. Not since Madeline. "It wasn't so bad as all that, compared to some of the places I've been. But thank you for the welcome." Independent spirit indeed. The girl had spunk.

I had noticed that the academy was more... free-thinking than the order on Ossus. Not quite so rigid, so strict, and ultimately, a better fit for my beliefs. For all that order was tranquil and serene, it didn't feel like a home to me. More like a workplace. A place to learn, perhaps, and teach, but not live. The academy though... there was something special about the temple, some intangible quality that made it feel so...welcoming.

But I had given the order my allegiance all the same. Come hell or high water, they could count on me, mind, spirit, and saber.

Speaking of sabers, this was the longest stretch of time I'd gone without cause to use one. I'd trained, certainly, but always alone. The Republic's Jedi Masters were always busy, it seemed, and their Knights had come across as somewhat wary of me. Understandably so, considering my previous progression.

I made a note to see one of the resident Master's or Knight's for a spar. Perhaps they would be more amenable?


[member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"], [member="Morgana Forceborn"]

 

[Morgana Forceborn]

Morgana only glanced back when [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] spoke with [member="Cronos Aegir"] . If she'd had not met the girl before she'd have been more annoyed with her words, but given what she knew about Mara's personality it was obvious she would bring those sort of things up. In truth even Morgana was curious. At least they didn't do anything bad to Cronos while they had to be sure he was trustworthy. After that she turned when he asked if she'd found another master at all.​

​

"Of course not." she defended. "At most I've had some help from others, but they haven't been permanent. Like you said before, you wanted to be my master so I figured I'd stick with that promise. So, as of now, I'm all yours."​

 

[Micah Talith]

P O R T S H A R D R O C K


Bailed was not quite the word per se...

More like needed a bit of room to breathe and unwind first. It was pouring rain, big fat droplets pelting down over the grey green hood of his cloak. It was lined with fur on the inside, the dark gray and brown ermine keeping his cheeks and head dry and warm. He'd blend in like a gray green shadow, bright orange eyes peeking from under the hood as he'd make his way from the the jungle town of Port Shardrock.


He heard something the last time he was here. Something about a Witch Town and witches and this rather ornery old coot of a Mandalorian. The Warlock of Yavin. It wasn't too crowded here, but as Micah wove his way around, he heard the rather fascinating inclusion of Paecean and Mando'a.

Huh, he'd wonder to himself doing a half spin turn as he'd look around.

Now where to start?

 

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

[member="Cronos Aegir"] [member="Morgana Forceborn"]

"Yeah, well," Mara said, pointing at the Jedi Code plinth, "Jedi respect all life, in any form. Jedi do not take revenge or nurture resentment. Jedi serve others rather than ruling over them, for the good of the galaxy. Pretty sure that's as close as the old Masters could get to 'Don't be a dick' without, y'know, saying it. An' I still say it's a dick move."

Then again, griping about it probably fell under the heading of Jedi respect all life, even each other. Feth. This Code stuff was hard work.

"So, Master Aegir -- why'd you pick Morg here? Gonna teach her to use that saberstaff she runs around with?"

 

[Qhorin Solas]

All mine, she said. "Good, good. I'm glad to hear it." My thoughts turned to the best ways to structure her training, and then Mara spoke, and my thoughts left me.

Had she just called the Jedi Order's council a bunch of dicks?

A bark of laughter escaped me, almost startling in its intensity, and my smile widened, eyes crinkling at the corners. Mara had quite the colorful vocabulary; a welcome change, after so much time with far less...open people.

Why had I picked Morgana? We were kindred spirits, of a sorts. And she'd trusted me. But that wasn't it; not all of it. "You could say I was compelled to select her as my padawan." There was no way our meeting had been coincidental. Much like this one, I was starting to think. "As for her saberstaff... I will teach her as best as I am able, until a better teacher arises."

Truthfully, I had never used a saberstaff. I preferred a hand-and-a-half hilt with a slightly longer blade than the standard. But I could certainly learn to use one. The adjustment wouldn't be that drastic. I was no battlemaster, but I knew my way around a blade.

My own saber was a familiar, comfortable weight at my hip. A thought struck me then, and I unclipped it, calling it to my hand. It was simple and elegant, with a phrik casing that was wrapped in black leather. The crystal was synthetic, and one that I had gone through great pains to make. Wisps of darkness still cling to it, as they still clung to me.

"We could start now, in fact," I told Morgana. "Unless you'd rather wait." Mara's possession of a lightsaber hadn't escaped my notice. "You can join in as well, if you like."


[member="Morgana Forceborn"], [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"]

 

[Morgana Forceborn]

Morgana couldn't help but smirk at [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] when she made her comment. If anything she sort of took the word out of her mouth on the matter. If he wasn't a Jedi Master and a superior to her she might have said the same thing to Master Korr when he'd done so back on Ossus. She was starting to like Mara all the more, hoping she could see herself standing with her as a friend in the future; possibly in future fights with the Sith when both of them had reached the rank of Knight and/or Master.​

​

After that she turned back to [member="Cronos Aegir"] when he made mention of her saberstaff. In truth Morgana had chosen it because she wanted to. One could argue the Force had just guided her to learn about using it over the more casual single saber but Morgana wasn't sure. It might have just been her ambitious attitude to stand out more from the other Jedi, since a saberstaff wasn't too often used. Her hand had actually moved over and felt it hidden in her jacket; her training version that is. She had faith that Cronos would be able to teach her, even if it wasn't her usual weapon of choice.​

​

When he'd asked if she was ready for training she perked and said "Oh yeah. Ready and waiting...Master." she said, remembering to show respect to the man who was now her teacher. After that she looked to Mara, wondering if she would agree. Either way she knew she was going to go with Cronos after this.​

 

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

[member="Cronos Aegir"] [member="Morgana Forceborn"]

Mara slopped back her hair. "Yeah, long as Morg doesn't mind, I'd be down. Rule number ten -- on someone else's ship, live like you're a guest, fight like it's your home. Sort of applies. I don't like to impose." She shrugged as it became clear that Morgana didn't mind her company, and that Mara was talking too much. "Yeah, I'm in. I'd dig some pointers with a sabre."

The lightsabre on her belt was crudely and recently made, a simple single-phase blade with a bifurcating cyclical-ignition phase to let it operate in water. Frankly, she had a lot more experience with vibrorapiers and knives than she did with a lightsabre; her dad didn't even own one, Jedi Master or not.

"Where to?"

 

[Quorl]

Quorl was flying overhead above the Yavin Temple and grounds. he enjoyed a good midday flight, and could see a great deal from his lofty position. [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] was down there. He of course knew her father Jorus who trained him in the ways of being a Jedi with Boloon… Poor Boolon. He missed the man. Hoo, hooot. The sounds escaped his beak. An owls hooting, even softly, could be heard miles away being carried in the air.

Mara was with two others, [member="Morgana Forceborn"] and a new knight [member="Cronos Aegir"] who had just gotten through the procedures the council laid down for darksiders. Quorl imagined the man was happy to be out and about.

The old owl kept his altitude and watched the little group. He was sorely tempted to listen in with his superior hearing but suppressed the urge. It wasn’t his place to listen in, even if she was a friends owlet. He did however keep his eyes on her, and around her. Swirling head examined the area around her he saw a tree utterly covered with small insects.

Nope. Quorl bobbed his head to get a better look. Piranha beetles. With a hooting swoop he dove down landing just between the little group and the beetles. The insects flared up into the air creating a small swarm. Quorl for his part puffed up his feathers and displayed his wings wide pacing back and forth to scare the insects away. It was standard defensive instinct. He was however, a Jedi Master and as such had more tricks up his sleeve. Focusing on the force he sent out waves of distaste and disorientation until the swarm retreated into the jungle.

Quorl then turned to Mara and stood up tall stretching his back to make himself appear taller. He looked down his beak at Mara and bobbed his head excited.

 

[Qhorin Solas]

"The jungle seems as good a place as any." I'd just taken a step towards the overgrowth when a Rishii landed less than a stones throw away. A swarm of Piranha beetles rose up as if in challenge, but with a swift and skillful application of the Force, the owl Jedi drove them off. The owl had sharp senses; I hadn't even noticed the Piranha beetles.

Kali had mentioned quite a few of the Jedi Knights and Masters that visited the academy. Which of them had been a Rishii owl? Qorin? Qoiru?

"Quori?" I said. "Master Quori?" I was sure that was it. He appeared to have some measure of familiarity with Mara. "We were about to engage in a bit of lightsaber practice. Care to join us?" Yay or nay, the jungle was my destination. I stepped closer to Morgana. "Might I see your saberstaff? Have you ever used it?"


[member="Quorl"], [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"], [member="Morgana Forceborn"]