A New Power

[P0L]

His muscles still ached from the last days exertions.
How could he fall asleep while the most exiting events in his life happened?
Strangers! A spaceship! Finally a way out of that little jungle planet and to the Galaxy!!

Kal strided deep in tought, to the fire pit. Then he realized that everyone was there, and that he was almost the LAST person on the village to join them.
Blushing he greeted his masters, friends, and the strangers. Wow! that redhead was HOT! but she semed what? 22?? a LOT older... Kal tried not to stare.

 

[Super Girl]

"I'm not planning onbeing here long enough to get used to the climate." Kia said with a youthful smirk of impetuesness. She allowedherself to be led to a seat by the obvious leaders of the group, Miera and the bearded man. She didn't accept any of the food from the group, simply ate a meal of roast nerf in naranji sauce with noodles, and then broke the desert bar that was with the meal into pieces and offered the sweet fruit bar to the children, especially the red skinned twi'lek child.

"Whats wrong kid, never seen a girl in an outfit like this before?" the youthful pilot asks Pol, teasing lightly, at the flush in his cheeks. "Do you have any parts availible from your ship? I got here from a blind hyper jump, just ahead of a flight of headhunters. I bounced to close to a star and my hyper-drive was slagged. Between your ship, if it still exists, and Joran's, if I can find it in orbit, hopefully we can get a hyperdrive functional enough to get us to couruscant, then we can get relief ships out here to you here."

 

[Angcuru]

Kal's father, Nikama, patted an empty spot on the bench next to himself. He sat not far from the Sethi, as his technological expertise would be needed. Seeing his reaction to Kia, he gave his son a quick wink and an indescernable hand signal that looked like he was tracing the sides of an hourglass. Kal noticed that Arias gave him a similar wink, but quickly turned his attention to Nikama.

Nikama responded to Kia's enquiry concerning the hyperdrive. "Actually, we scavenged what we could from our crashed transport a long time ago. Hull plating, wiring, power sources, systems, we took them all and made them into things that were actually useful. You see, when our ship crashed here about thirty years ago the only systems that were still functional were the engines, but our repulsorlifts and life support were completely shot. There was no way we could repair them, so we were stranded. The only thing we didn't scrap was the hyperdrive, since our transport was a very old model that used highly radioactive isotope fuel rods to power the initial boost to lightspeed. The seperatists wouldn't let us have anything more advanced, the bastards. If we broke that open, well...it would not be a good thing, to put it mildly. I don't know if it would be compatible with your ship's sytems as they are, but between the three of us," He indicated himself, Aasan, and Kia. "we might be able to jury-rig a solution. If not, we could try checking Jorran's ship if it's still intact, but that's a remote possibility, judging from the dent in your ship's hull." Nikama waved towards the bearded man who sat next to Miera, and dug into his food.

The bearded man cleared his throat. "You're already acquainted with my wife Miera, so I'll introduce the rest of us. I am Arias, these two are Adrial and Kal, our most advanced students, and this is Nikama, our resident technicai, also Kal's father." Arias said, indicating them each in turn. "As you probably suspect from the lightsabers, Miera and I along with Kal, Adrial, and our newest student Jorran, are practicioners of the force. And before you ask, no, we aren't Jedi. If we get your ship up and running, we will of course get off this planet, but we are not going to go about advertising the location of this planet to the rest of the galaxy. Although this is a very dangerous planet, it is more important than you realize."

 

[Super Girl]

Kia nods smiling at the introduction to the 30-something force apprentice, and then at the teenage one. "How long is your training?" Kia asks Arias, her eyebrow going up at the 30something woman being called an apprentice. When she is told that there would be no mention of the location of the planet once the survivors are evacuated, Kia's suspicious nature kicked into over-drive. All cops were suspicious people, and being surrounded by them growing up had shaped Kia as well. "What is so special about this place? The lovely animals? The wonderful climate?" she asks jokingly.

 

[Angcuru]

Arias took a long draught of water and pondered Kia's question for a moment before answering. "The initial training is not long, but our training never truly ends. If one has the capacity to feel the force, it takes but a short time spent training for them to be able to find some measure of control. From then on, it is a matter of strengthening those abilities. Depending on the focus of one's abilities, the methods of strenghtening those abilities differs.

Considering the state of the galaxy, I find it odd that you carry a lightsaber, and that I feel a measure of control of the force in you. You could not have been trained as a Jedi. Just as well, considering how poorly the Jedi trained their students in retrospect. A significant factor in their demise, I imagine.

The significance of this planet is not in anything mundane, but that the force has an abnormally strong presence here. Nearly all of the wildlife seems to have some ability to feel the Force, and the planet itself seems to be trying to hide from the rest of the galaxy. I suspect this is why the system is uncharted as of yet. What's more, there are many areas within a day's walk of this settlement alone that are extremely powerful focus points within the Force. There is even a cave nearby where one can find crystals of extraordinary power, which are perfect focuses for lightsabers. So you see, this planet is the perfect training ground for our order, hostile though it may be."

 

[Super Girl]

"Carrying Lightsabers is coming back in fashion, during the purge with Vader and Palpatine hunting down and slaughtering anyone with links to the Jedi, carrying a Lightsaber was a suicidal death wish, anyone and everyone would be gunning for you to curry favor with the Imps. After Luke Skywalker slew Vader and the Emporer and was declared a Jedi night a few years ago, wearing them is back in-style among the rich, some people even wear it if they are afraid to carry a blaster. I wear this because I liberated it from an Imperial Collaborater who was holding out from the Emperor, and because my family and friends were purged by the Empire just like the Jedi were." Kia says defensivley, narrowing her eyes at Arias.

"Lightsabers are the weapons of Jedi, if you think they are so incompetent and everything, why are you using their weapons?" Kia shakes her head, sounding a tad offended, despite the Empire's attempts at spin, she still thought of the Jedi as the guys wearing the proverbial white hat, and even if that wasn't her path, she had been raised to respect people who put the lives of others before their own. "Look, lets just get my ship fixed, then I can get you to Couruscant or wherever refugees go and get what you need to start over somewhere on some nice boring planet like Dantooine, and we can go our seperate ways."

 

[Angcuru]

Arias looked at Kia, unmoved by her glare.

"You exaggerate my comments. The Jedi were noble, this is true, but they were not without fault. I did not suggest that they themselves were incompetent, only their methods. I said that the Jedi were poorly trained because the very code that they followed and glorified was their very weakness. A Jedi was taught to only become as powerful as was necessary to protect the weak. Centuries of relative peace made them complacent, and when a real conflict found them, they were unprepared and were destroyed.

Miera and I were Jedi once. We helped maintain peace in the galaxy for a time, and served the Republic with distinction in the Clone Wars. Yet we were looked down upon by our own order. Unlike our bretheren, we did not limit ourselves in our training and did not forsake our emotions. Because of this, we were able to find love with one another, and the fleets and armies under our command never lost a system to 'the enemy'.

You speak of history, but do you truly understand what you speak of? Unlike the rest of the Jedi, who blindly followed the council, which blindly followed the Supreme Chancellor, I questioned this 'grand crusade' our order was on. I examined past events, and the course of the war, and eventually found that the entire war was the last step in a grand, elaborate plan to overthrow the Republic. But by the time we realized Palpatine's plot, it could not be stopped. Even if we were to reveal our findings to the Jedi Council, they would never beleive us. We had disobeyed their mandates and found love and strength outside of their restrictions, and even though we remained loyal to the Jedi, we were scorned.

The individual Jedi was strong, but as a whole, the Order was fragile. Because of their self-imposed limits, they could not forsee or prevent their downfall until is was too late. The thousands of Jedi were destroyed not by an army or a great fleet, but by one man. Noble though they were, their nobility was no shield against their demise.

A lightsaber is simply a weapon. Nothing more, nothing less. It is the warrior who weilds it that gives it worth, not the weapon itself. I carry one because a lightsaber is a powerful weapon with which I have significant skill. If they are tools of the Jedi as you say, why do you carry one? Would you disgrace the memory of those who fought in died in your defense by wielding one of their 'sacred' weapons?"

Arias turned to Aasan. "What of you? You fought along side a Jedi. You were present throughout the whole ordeal of the Jedi Order's destruction. What is your take on what happened?"

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Aasan had done his best to restrain himself and keep himself quiet. He would not eat or drink, but that did not mean he couldn't just sit there quietly, even if he was getting angry. But when he was directly addressed, everythint went right out the viewport.

A critical look in his eyes(though they couldn't be seen directly), he leaned forward and pointed to Arias with a single finger, "Arrogant and thick headed Jedi who thought they knew what was best for the galaxy while ignoring their duties and teachings were what caused the entire Order to fall. It wasn't Palpatine. It was Jedi who thought they knew better than the entire Council. It was arrogance and childishness," he paused, a slight hiss sounding through his breath mask as he exhaled, "It was Jedi like you, focused on glory and victory, and so sure of themselves that they ignore the combined wisdom of the greatest Jedi to do what you thought was best, more than what really mattered, that destroyed the Jedi."

To say Aasan sounded angry was very much an understatement, especially for the many Force Sensitive around him.

 

[Super Girl]

"You could have tried to tell them, tried to help them escape being hunted. You got your wish, the Jedi are all gone, and a single Jedi Knight is going to try to rebuild the order. If you had problems with policy, well heres your chance, rebuild the Jedi with him, I doubt much information survived the purge, he'd probably love all the help you can give him. So long as the ideals stay the same, I doubt policies will matter much, I mean, things that worked before wont work now, new ways will probably need to be found." Kia says solemnly.

"I keep this saber, I use it, because I agree with what the Jedi stood for, I was on a parallel, if force-free, path, before CorSec was destroyed by the remnants of the Empire. We were dedicated to putting our needs behind those of others that needed help, protecting the weak and the helplesss, upholding justice and law. I keep it because I don't trust the use to which someone who does not agree with those precepts would put it to. It may sound foolish, but I keep it, because deep down, I want to make sure that the Jedi don't simply disappear, I want to make sure that they are reborn, whether I help someone do it, or have to fumble through it myself, because those are important things that the galaxy should not lose." Kia says, putting a lot of feeling behind her words, she truly did believe them in the center of her being, and she felt guilt at the thought of having not lived up to the honor of them for the last few years as she drifted from system to system. She had helped out a bit, here and there, but overall, she had fallen into a selfish spiral of despair, and turned her back on what she had hoped to be. I will do better, guilt wont help, needed to come here, I needed to feel all of that, it only makes me more sure of what I have to do, she vowed to herself.

"Once we are away from here, I will be doing what I can to help Skywalker, if he'll have me, the New Republic is in its infancy, and I am sure that it will need all the help it can get." she told the others simply. "Even if I don't know everything about the force, using what I do know to help those in need cannot be wrong. The worst thing the Empire did was not simply destroying the Jedi, it was in villifying them, making them feared."

 

[Angcuru]

"Focused on glory and victory, were we? Arrogant? It was by our negligence that the Jedi were destroyed? Strong accusations. Or are they simply the words of someone who holds himself responsible for not being able to prevent the destruction of that which he cherished, and desires a scapegoat on whom to lay the blame?" Arias said calmly to Aasan. "The fall of the Jedi rests on the shoulders of Palpatine alone."

"Please, try not to be offended, Aasan. If the blame is to be laid on anyone, it falls to those who acted with malice and hate, and actively sought the fall of the Jedi and the Republic." Miera said. "It is good that you understand that the Jedi are needed in the Galaxy, Kia. We intend to meet this Luke Skywalker fellow, and perhaps aid him in rebuilding the order. The New Republic will need the Jedi again, perhaps it will not rely so heavily on them as the Old Republic did.

We will help you repair your ship, of course, but that will take time. It would be a shame if we were to spend that time on ill terms." She looked around her as she spoke, with her eyes resting on Aason with the last words.