Ask Yavin IV A Place of Peace

[Izel Thral]

Izel walked through the garden, not noticing Yulie's change in focus on the spider immediately. She did however pick up on the young Dathomirian's whispering to herself, her antennae twitching slightly as the Vratix turned around. There was some distance between the two of them now. The apprentice had lagged behind her to attempt lifting the arachnid. Izel remained where she was, not wanting to break the girl's concentration. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, watching the display curiously. As expected, Yulie was still just exploring her understanding of telekinesis and had much difficulty even moving small things. Izel could sense the anger and frustration rising in her with each failed attempt, but she did a good job of suppressing it, instead of letting it fester. As the girl finally succeeded in lifting the spider and its captured prey onto her shoulder, Izel took a few steps closer.

Her apprentice looked back to her and asked how mental chains were broken. Izel remained silent at first, observing the exploring spider for a few more moments before turning her attention to the Padawan. "Very slowly." She answered in a hushed tone and turned her head to gaze at the tranquil gardens around them. "Your problem Padawan, is that you've been conditioned to view yourself as less than other beings." She explained softly. Not exactly the kindest way to word it, but no less accurate. And the Jedi master carried no condescension or contempt in her tone. "You have difficulty visualizing your place in the Force's grand design for the universe. You feel insignificant." She looked back at her apprentice. "On a certain level we all are. There is so much life in the galaxy that any one individual seems like nothing, a single cell in a much larger organism. And yet the Force touches us all," She nodded to the spider. "Even those that can't feel it. That is why you are able to lift the spider at all. That is why history has shown us that single individuals have been able to, in certain pivotal moments, change the course of the entire galaxy."

As the spider came back up and appeared on the side of Yulie's arm, Izel would hold out a finger, pressing it against the fabric on her arm close to the arachnid. Her antennae would twitch again, and Yulie would be able to feel the most subtle shift in the Force around them. In the next moment the spider would take a few tentative steps before crawling onto the larger insectoid's hand. Izel gingerly lifted the arachnid up between her own face and Yulie's as she continued speaking. "Life is fragile, easily snuffed out." For a brief moment she would hold her thumb above the spider, as if threatening to crush it, the arachnid remaining oblivious to the danger. Then she would lower her finger again, leaving it unharmed. "And yet every creature naturally values its own life. It wants to survive and thrive. The Force also wants to grow and thrive. It does this by creating life, and the expansion of life in turn strengthens the Force." She would extend her hand again, offering for Yulie to create a bridge for the spider to return to her. "If we are ever made to feel differently it is a deception, and a horrific one at that. You, like every other living thing that has existed, have a purpose for being. Whether that purpose is large or small is yet to be determined. But it is a vital one. Breaking the chains that bind you means learning to let go of the horrors that have shaped your past. Letting all that anger at your captors and at the world that allows such things to slip away, and recognizing that your inner balance, and your connection to the Force is stronger than any temporary form of suffering we may be subjected to here." Humility, acceptance, peace, and perspective. These were the cures to her Padawan's ills. But given the extent of the scars she carried; Izel had no doubt Yulie's path to finding those would be a long one.

@Zohrael

 

[Yulie]

Even by Yulie's standards, the Dathomirian was unusually silent as her Vera delicately described her insecurities. She stood as attentively as a forest creature that heard an untimely rustle, scouring the meditation grounds with a twitching ear and eyes lowered just enough to see clearer in her periphery without visibly reacting. There were no predators here, but the girl could not know how far hushed words could travel in a place so tranquil.

She could not tell if anyone could overhear. They were either too far, too engrossed in their own pursuit of serenity, or too masterful over their emotions to betray any semblance of a reaction to Izel's words. Earlier in their travels together, Yulie would have fretted without knowing, her mind scrambling desperately behind a stoic face to make herself more pleasing whether anyone knew or not. Emotions so turbulent would be easy for a Jedi to read, even if she were in an adjacent room.

At this point however, Yulie had traveled far enough with Izel to trust her Vera's judgement. No, her Vera would not be so careless or cruel to speak freely enough for anyone to overhear, especially when Yulie was trying so hard to making a good impression. The Vratix may even possess Techniques to muffle sounds as they carry. Who knew? Her Vera had a Technique for drying clothes so anything was possible.

The spider had explored enough of Yulie's back and had begun to walk the ramparts of the giantess' arm, patrolling along the seam of the arm sock as to properly measure it for future webbing. Izel pressed a finger against the sock and Yulie felt something akin to walking into an old, unseen web. Though tentative in crawling onto the other hand, the spider took an abrupt interest in it.

Explaining that all life was fragile, Yulie's Vera held her thumb as if considering squashing the spider. The possibility made Yulie curious. Would her Vera do it? Perhaps all insects, even giant ones, were born with an instinctive intolerance to these arachnids. Their ancestral progenitors could have been culled in ruthless predation by those things, and even one so small could invoke memories from a more primitive age. Curiosity turned into anticipation. It was only natural for a Vratix to kill a spider. Just as a Hssiss needs to hunt, but kinder. It would be over so quickly, a small twitch and it would be over.

Her Vera's lesson would have taken a much darker turn if the skitter was reduced to a blueish-red paste. Instead, it was permitted to roam, oblivious to the hammer of the gods that was hovering above it. Extending the hand to a bridge, the Vratix encouraged to spider to return to the giantess. It hesitated this time, unsure if it wished to skinride the Dathomirian even if there was a small meal webbed against her.

I could make you return. Yulie thought to herself. I could make you summon as many as your brethren as you may find, and weave a hammock for me. Only by using the Dark Side, Izel once said, unnerved at how casually Yulie could dominate small creatures and how innocently she could admit to doing so.

This time, Yulie did not commune through the Dark Side. Nor did she commune through the Light. The spider's hunger was the deciding factor, and it resumed measuring Yulie along the seam of her arm sock as if nothing had happened.

"I'm not sure if I should let go." Yulie admitted. Not the textbook reply for Izel's lesson, but Yulie knew that if she were honest, at least her Vera would know how the Padawan was processing everything. There was something more, something deeper, something Yulie hadn't yet spoken, something that turned her anger inwards and stabbed differently than before. This was a place of peace, though. Following the edge of that knife would find a pain that others might find distracting.

Instead of doing so, she let her thoughts wander to places that didn't tilt her emotions in any noticeable way, deliberately avoiding a new thing that troubled her.

"Hating injustice and abusers, it causes trouble but it keeps me me. If I let myself be okay with all that, wouldn't that just make it easier for me to become what I'm compelled to destroy?" She had drawn lines in the sand, and lashed out against those on the wrong side of it. But if let go of that line, allowed the wind to erode it, would it matter where she or anybody else stood? What if that line was the reference frame that enabled her to find her way back? The Clan Mother said her Darkness was out of control. She may have seen the erosion of that line, and what it might mean.

@Reyn @Charndley @Rhogar

 

[Izel Thral]

With Yulie's response, Izel wagged her finger in front of the Padawan. "Now I never said you must be okay with it." She clarified. "Fighting injustice is part of our mission as Jedi, bringing balance to the galaxy wherever and whenever we can. But hatred is not a necessary factor in accomplishing that goal now, is it?" Noticing her earlier statement had set the young Dathomirian ill at ease, perhaps for fear of their personal conversation being overheard by unwelcome ears, Izel would gesture for her to follow once more. As she led her apprentice out of the meditation garden and back into the other side of the temple, she continued to speak.

"There is not a single problem that hatred has ever solved." She stated firmly. "Hatred leads to cruelty. Unnecessary cruelty. Hating your enemies is what will ultimately lead you to become what you are compelled to destroy, not apathy." She looked down at her apprentice. "And it is not apathy I ask for in any case. It is compassion. Remember what we spoke of before. If others cause harm, it is most commonly the case that they have been wounded in some way themselves. Recognizing that doesn't mean condoning it, it just means that we strive to reform, not punish." She would lean down a bit, speaking in very pointed language now. "Remember that all of us have done things we regret. If one person can be allowed to change, then that same kindness must be afforded to everyone. So long as it is within our power to give."

She would stand up straight again and keep walking, taking on a gentler tone. "When I say to let go of your past, I don't mean to forget who you are. I mean to change your perception. Use the pain you've felt as a lesson. Let it teach you how to be better than those that have wronged you, not how to be the same. Show compassion where others would have shown you cruelty. Inspire where others would have knocked you down. Be the catalyst that helps the people around you change for the better."

@Zohrael

 

[Yulie]

"Now I never said you must be okay with it."

Yulie looked confused at first, her eyes moving as if working on a puzzle. It was the expression she wore whenever something wasn't working right even if she'd spent hours doing maintenance on it. Usually that was because the Captain hadn't replaced a burned-out bulb, or a meter was long overdue for calibration. It was easy to take those sorts of indicators for granted, and when she worked with faulty readings, the mechanic wound up doing a series of pointless, redundant checks without resolving the actual problem. If only the Captain kept better records of when diagnostics systems were serviced. If only Yulie could read those records.

This was a little different, though. Yulie was trying to figure out how to let go of an injustice without accepting of it on some level. Wasn't that how people made peace with certain things? The Dark Side did not allow one to make peace with anything. Thriving on volatility, the deeper its fangs could puncture the harder it tore through the fabric of the mind. It had a long time to get Yulie's soft, grey matter stretched between the rows of the Dark Side's teeth, fraying next to its serrated nails, tautly wrapped around its tongue. With emotional centres so badly deformed, Darksiders rarely were able to experience the full spectrum of emotions in a healthy way. Peace was hard to find, and in its absence, hatred made its presence known.

As if addressing that directly, Izel asked if hatred was necessary in fighting injustice. The textbook answer, and the proper one that any Jedi would give would begin with "No. Of course not." And although Yulie dutifully said as much, she still wasn't sure what she was supposed to feel instead. In this place of peace, everyone had found an emotional center to balance themselves, and that was especially true in the Meditation Gardens. True, Yulie was able to center herself through finding duality, but this was something more, not just a tool for concentration but a state of being. They could move things with their emotions, and were not moved by them.

Yulie followed her Vera, who seemingly knew the words that Yulie didn't say. But what then should I feel? Even unspoken, its defiance was in equal measure as genuine curiosity. For that, the Dathomian kept them in the back of her mind, where the Dark Side could gnaw on them as it always would. Anger about the past was an old anger, easier to bottle up than the new fear of becoming what she hated. She'd be able to walk these halls without disturbing anyone with negative emotions evaporating off of her.

"I've been trying to think of a way to do that, but it's not so simple." Being the catalyst for change was something that she had been thinking about a great deal, so instead of brushing off Izel's teachings, the Dathomirian opened up about something that had been festering in her thoughts the whole way to the Temple, that pain she wouldn't think about within the Meditation Gardens.

"Back at the prison, there were a lot of other Dathomirians, hundreds maybe. I didn't really think about that too much until we went to Kashyyyk because I have no way of paying off their debts and I certainly couldn't do anything for them." Yulie was still more reserved in her mannerisms since she was a guest at the Temple, but now that she was a respectful distance from the Meditation Grounds she allowed her body language to be a little more expressive. Having traveled this long, her Vera could likely read the Padawan's mood by the way she walked. Whether it be on her heels or her toes, there was always a purpose as to where she shifted her weight. This had the resemblance of whenever the girl had to inform the Captain that she broke something, minus the crippling anxiety.

"But now the Nightsisters are gone, and with those Dathomirians, a new Clan could be formed. I could teach them the Laws and some...stuff. Our culture could endure, even if the False Queen cannot be defeated, nor he followers turned, nor Dathomir reclaimed. I want to free them, but I have no way of doing so without tearing the prison apart, which would be a terrible idea."

There were many reasons why it would be a terrible idea. The prison was accredited with the New Republic, so it would be treated like any other prison break as far as the Law was concerned, and the Jedi Order would be responsible in bringing Yulie to justice. Countless bounty hunters would chase down the escapees for coin, and they lacked the skills to defend themselves. The pragmatic reasons were the ones Yulie thought about the most, however, if she were to embark on such a mission, she'd most certainly overindulge her violent impulses. The risk of Falling was so great and yet she hardly gave that any consideration at all.

"But freeing them could be a terrible idea, period. If the False Queen or her Master even senses that a new Nightsister Clan is rising, we would all become primary targets in this war. They could all be subjugated by the Sith, and I will not risk a new Ambria. Or they could all be exterminated, and that won't happen at the prison because no one cares to even think about the people there."

In truth, there was no way to know one way or the other how things might play out, and no matter how Yulie felt about it, she was in no position to take action. A calm, analytical mind would play the best cards it could for the situation, and it was much too early for anyone to obsess over the countless paths the future held. Yulie tried telling herself this, but as far as she knew, she was The Last of the Nightsisters. To her, the future felt like it was her responsibility.

"I am powerless to get them out, but I feel like I'm making excuses to justify slavery. I don't know how to condemn that without being angry with myself. If I let go of the past, I don't know. There's still so many people down there right now, and a lot of them have it worse than I did. It's one thing to let go what happened to me, but what about them?"

@Reyn @Charndley @Rhogar

 

[Izel Thral]

Izel listened quietly and intently to Yulie's misgivings, clicking her mandibles thoughtfully. The Dathomirian had many worries, extending far beyond her own wellbeing. And they were legitimate concerns, from where the Vratix stood. She didn't have an in-depth grasp of the situation of the other prisoners, but she could easily recognize how horrific their circumstances must be. Unfortunately, there was no easy solution to the problem, and none that wouldn't bring more stress to the Padawan's mind.

After taking a few moments of silence to think it over the Jedi master let out a long sigh. "You're not making excuses Yulie," She assured the girl softly, at the very least trying to ease her burdens somewhat. "We are all limited in what actions we can take. Even Jedi. And meaningful change comes slowly. Sometimes painfully so." She tapped her pike on the stone floor a few times, antennae twitching as she mulled over the prison situation. "There may be things we can do to try and assist those prisoners. The New Republic has labor regulations. And if this kind of slavery is allowed surely, it's because of some oversight or corruption with the system. Drawing public attention to it can result in the release of those held who have not actually committed any crimes. It would not be an easy task, but it is possible." She looked back at Yulie. "Of course, there is the other matter you mentioned, drawing unwanted attention to these people in the case we do manage to free them. Even the Sith are limited in where they can strike. Were we to find a haven for them deep within allied space, I would think they'd be fairly safe. Or at the very least, as safe as anyone else is so long as the Sith threat persists."

She looked forward again, continuing her path down the ancient hall. "These types of obstacles and predicaments will commonly put themselves in your way. You mustn't let them frustrate you. Remain patient and centered, and we can find a rational path forward. It will be painful I have no doubt, but until you have progressed in your training enough to make more of a difference, you must be prepared to witness and endure some injustices. You would help no one by throwing your life away trying to stop an evil larger than yourself. For now we fight what evils we can, and plan for what we might do in the future."
@Zohrael

 

[Yulie]

"You're not making excuses Yulie,"

"I'm not?" The girl was confused, wondering how that could be so. It certainly felt that way. Her responsibilities had never been so large; they were always small tasks, simple, even if the machines she worked on were not. Bring the customers their spice, clean the tables, sweep the floors, wash the dishes, fold the sheets. Now the unbearable weight of a literal world was upon her, the preservation of a way of life, the endurance of ancient traditions, the keeping of a history, and so many reformations to a culture she barely knew.

If seeing a full-sized and well-stocked library made the Galaxy seem larger than she ever dreamed, she knew not how to even describe what the stakes felt like. A single misstep, rash action, or misuse of the Force and the way of the Nightsister could die with her. As was often the case, Yulie internalized this. Even though the Dathomirian population in the prison were so scattered that they lacked even a sense of community, their suffering felt like it was her fault. There was no one else who cared to do something about it, so how was she not making excuses when she was coming up with reasons to leave them there?

The Dark Side kept her from finding comforting answers to that question that would leave her more at peace. It only rasped things that brought out negative emotions. Whether Yulie was angry with the Sith, the False Queen, the Fallen Sisters, or even herself, the Dark Side didn't care. Hatred was a powerful tool no matter where it was aimed. Her Vera's reassurances, however, made it harder to be angry with herself, let alone hateful.

In the Meditation Gardens, it looked like the Jedi were not even remotely bothered by the deep wounds in the Galaxy, and that they were in so much control over themselves that they could do anything. It might have looked easy while they were meditating, but they were not so aloof and even they had to accept that in some things their options were limited. The only thing that really made them different was that they were able to let go of their burdens, while Yulie still carried hers wherever she went. Stormkirk, slavery and now Dathomir.

"I think I understand. Letting go of the negative feelings doesn't mean being indifferent to what we care about, it means being focused and thinking clearly about what we care about. I think I can find a way to do that. I think." It wasn't going to be easy, but she thought that it would be a good starting point to meditate on how she was beating herself up when her Vera gave her permission not to. Perhaps she could find the right words to argue those feelings away if she could think the way Jedi think. After all, Yulie typically damaged her own calm by letting her emotions affect her thoughts, and a gentle, rational voice kept putting her at ease. It would be a lot easier if that voice could be her own.

"Where is our next stop in the Temple?"

@Reyn @Rhogar @Charndley

 

[Izel Thral]

"I think I understand. Letting go of the negative feelings doesn't mean being indifferent to what we care about, it means being focused and thinking clearly about what we care about." At this response Izel would nod, beaming.

"Yes," She would reply with satisfaction. "Very good Padawan." The young Dathomirian still seemed a bit skeptical in her ability to do this, but the Vratix gave her another reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I know you will. Remember, Emotion, yet peace. You will find your balance, so long as the desire and patience are there."

To answer Yulie's next question Izel led the way into the awaiting chamber. This one, while still consisting of the same ancient archways, had been updated with more modern amenities and decor. They stood at the entrance to the temple's mess hall, with long metallic tables set up in straight lines along the old stone chamber. Jedi were early to rise, and so the room was mostly empty save for a few apprentices and knights still eating their breakfast. The pleasant smell of freshly baked bread still wafted out from the kitchens.

"This is where we take our meals." The Vratix explained. "Once I've worked out your training schedule, you'll be given an hour's time for breakfast, lunch and dinner between sessions. The staff go to great lengths to make sure everything is edible for every species. Considering you're near-human, I doubt you'll have any issues." The Jedi master glanced at her apprentice, waiting for any questions.

@Zohrael

 

[Yulie]

"You will find your balance, so long as the desire and patience are there."

"Desire's there. Working on patience. This whole thing with the False Queen, it just makes everything seem more urgent."

Yulie followed to their next destination, which pleasantly was where the good smell was coming from. Even before they arrived, the girl was prominently featuring this place in her mental map, and she may have even looked a little shifty the way she was looking around to commit landmarks to memory. When the Vratix explained this is where they had their meals, Yulie made sure not to get too distracted while her Vera elaborated on their scheduling.

Her eyes wandered though, making it seem like she was paying less attention than she actually was. Near where the food was being served there were signs displayed to describe the choices available and Yulie stared at them intently, their font too small at this distance for her to make sounds from their shapes, but she wasn't trying to read them. She was looking for numbers, something defining their portions and price, and she couldn't see anything for either.

"Free food." She murmured, her eyes widening with anticipation. The Library was impressive, but this was her favorite place so far. The long metallic tables were mildly concerning; if this place got really busy it would be easy to get surrounded by strangers. Some cultures saw dining as a social occasion, a place for heightened spirits and lengthy conversations. In prison, Yulie was too small and too young to be able to defend her plate by hunching over it like the older people, so for her, she just wanted to focus on consuming her calories. Her Vera wanted her to be more social, make nice with others in her age group instead of slinking away to the darkest, most remote corner she could find. Perhaps it would be more enjoyable now that the food was free and there wasn't a grouchy Captain pestering her about repairs.

Looking around the room, Yulie tried to get a sense of what things would be like based on what they served. Their bread appeared much like the kind that Isen once shared with her, dark and heavy-looking, but with something embedded in the doughy slabs, seeds, maybe. And a more granular texture to the crust, definitely a seasoning of some sort. The bread had the same nutritional value as the rations for a hard-working miner, plus a few luxuries in its making that Yulie never would have been able to afford. For those with more discerning palettes, this heavy bread would need to be slathered with some kind of spread to be appetizing, but the Jedi didn't have expensive tastes and neither did this Padawan. This was something that she'd have considered stealing were she still in Mon Gazza.

The other offerings were also on the humble side of Galactic eating, and they too were better than what the Dathomirian was accustomed to. The vegetables were fresh, and the meat was cooked from healthier cuts. The Captain's food tended to be frozen for too long, or artificially enriched with protein paste and nutrient powder, a staple in the spacefarer diet. Were it not for the leaves crammed into the foodstuffs to act as a desiccant, everything would have had a clinical aftertaste. Aboard the Gray Phoenix, eating was still better than what Yulie was used to.

Here, though. It didn't feel like it would be subsisting, or mere survival. Those oval things wrapped in foil were meant to be appreciated as well as to enrich the body. Wide trays arranged various options for display, large spoons ready to shovel generous portions upon plates roughly the size of Yulie's head. Care would actually have to be taken to limit what was given, quite unlike the prison where everything was meticulously accounted for and provided as sparingly as could be managed.

"Does everything have to be eaten here?" Yulie asked, already thinking ahead with plans to make an emergency food supply in her quarters. And a decoy emergency food supply, in case anyone wanted to mess with the new girl and pilfer from her stash. Having a stash would be completely unnecessary, the Jedi weren't ones to suddenly demand payment or arbitrarily cut her rations, but Yulie knew hunger in ways most people here did not. Having a little something saved nearby made it easier to think about when the next meal would be, rather than if there would be a next meal at all. If they weren't strict about where people ate, it also availed the option of ducking out if she didn't want to sit near anybody.

"And are there any rules about how much we get, like the higher ranks get more, or they line up first? Oh, and should the people giving the food be addressed in a certain way?"

@Reyn @Charndley @Rhogar

 

[Izel Thral]

"There aren't any rules against taking your food out of the mess hall." Izel replied to Yulie's question casually as they walked through the chamber. "Although I do advise against eating in the library. They can be real sticklers for cleanliness in there." She added with a light chitter. "And as far as I know it's always been first come first served; no preference given in. You'll get a generous enough helping, but remember the Jedi have rules about excess as well. You'll be well taken care of; I just ask you don't take advantage of the kitchen staff and try to take too much." She glanced in the direction of the kitchens, where most of the workers were cleaning up from the morning rush. "You don't need to use any kind of special address when talking to them. The people working in the kitchens are mainly made up of initiates and other Padawans like yourself." She looked down at the Dathomirian. "You might be asked to work there yourself occasionally, depending on who's drawn for chores. We've all done it at some point."

After leaving the mess hall behind, Izel would then lead Yulie towards the technical division complex. Even before they reached the chambers the air grew hotter and thick with the smell of carbon and oil. Inside they would find both Jedi and non-Jedi employees busy at work upkeeping weapons, equipment and droids. It was a good deal louder in here than in any of the places they had visited yet, although those inside still remained dedicatedly silent, laser focused on their respective tasks. Security forces worked on cleaning and inspecting their blaster rifles, making sure they were in top condition. Others were at work repairing droids and other machinery, and in the center of it all, like a shining beacon, was the lightsaber forge. Here Jedi worked on designing their sacred weapons, the tools taking various shape to match the master's unique style and personality. Hundreds of different components and casings hung on the walls surrounding the tables where they were assembled. Izel stood at the wall beside the entrance, so as not to block any traffic or anyone's work and spoke in a slightly raised voice to her Padawan.

"As you can see, the modern Jedi requires more than a simple knowledge of tradition and melee combat." She explained. "When you are on a mission in the field, you may encounter any number of difficulties that cannot be resolved with a lightsaber. To that end we do what we can to outfit Jedi with as much equipment as they can comfortably carry. You'll be given your own utility belt with various useful tools in addition to your robes. And should you require anything more, you can make a requisition here before departing. Now as a Padawan, you are not permitted to take any dangerous equipment out of this area without the express permission of myself or another senior Knight or Master."

@Zohrael

 

[Yulie]

"You might be asked to work there yourself occasionally, depending on who's drawn for chores. We've all done it at some point."

"I think I've perfected those duties. The Captain sure makes a lot of dirty dishes." She didn't know how to cook, though. Nothing fit to be served to a Jedi, anyways, unless they didn't mind eating stone-cooked lizards, smoked in venom (a handy survival trick to make sure she wouldn't get parasites from a fresh kill). If they expected her to toss something together, they'd have to be patient with their instructions; her reading skills weren't at a good level for interpreting recipes. Unlike some padawans who might moan about banal chores as if they'd been shot, Yulie was more in her element doing those kinds of tasks.

As they turned to leave the mess hall behind, the kitchen's aroma became impossible to ignore. Greens simmering in a buttery marinade. Cold fish garnished with peppery cloves and given a citrus drizzle. Strips of meat being tossed on a skillet until they were so crispy that they were just a little bit burnt. Yulie was slowly backing up, giving the serving area a long side eye. She could feel her stomach tightening in protest, disbelieving that she even considered leaving it empty when there was a free banquet that was so close that she could see the various dishes through the steamed domes that covered them.

"I...uh...I'll be but a minute!" Yulie said apologetically, backing up all the quicker until she bumped into a table. Well, there weren't any rules for taking food out of the mess hall. She quickly darted to the serving area, sunken eyes bulging as they searched for something quick. Perhaps a small bowl of that reptilian stew; the scales glittering on the surface were pretty tempting. Then she decided against anything like that because it meant carrying around dinnerware for the rest of the tour.

She snatched something that had been dug out of the ground, baked and wrapped in foil. Disposing of aluminum leaf would be a lot simpler, and these things were packed with desperately needed the calories. One of the padawans working the kitchen tried to warn her that they were still very hot, but the Dathomirian was already charging back to her Vera, her red sarong hanging in the air behind her while she ran.

Her connection with the Force had deepened since she had been discovered. At first, Telekinetic effects were the feats she could achieve through physical contact. Now, her instincts were having an effect on energy. Channeled through the Force, the thermal radiance was safely guided away from her fingertips to the furthest point from her skin. It only felt tolerably warm, inviting her to bite into it without fear.

"This should hold me over until later. And don't worry about the books, I'll make sure to keep my hands clean while using them." She then remembered to be aware of M-4PO as well. Droids had fewer options in keeping their digits fit for handling paper.

Nearing the technical division, familiar odours made themselves known to her. Not quite what she had smelled on that boy earlier, but the smell of carbon and oil was always familiar to a mechanic. Having lived in an engine room, the reek of machines felt like home. Yulie slit the aluminum foil open with her thumb nail, determined to get a few good mouthfuls into her aching belly before they entered a den of machinists.

Turning the wrapping aside with a flick of her fingers, she tore out a hearty chunk of tuber with her teeth, indifferent to its tough, outer skin. Those who refused to eat the skin did not know hunger; even if it were the thick peel of fruit, awful flavors still had calories. Even while chewing, the Force prevented the baked tuber from burning her on the way down, smoothing its heat over the widest area to be comfortably absorbed. It was an odd sensation, but it felt nice. Drawing ever closer to the division, Yulie sealed the wrapping by turning it over and smoothing it down with her fingers, but not before tearing off one last morsel.

The noise didn't bother her when they finally entered. Get enough people working and this is what it sounded like. The people here looked better, though. Focused, not exhausted. Doing the work for the sake of getting it done instead of avoiding the wrath of the boss.

Yulie looked around curiously, getting a feel for the place before wandering into it. It was good to be mindful of everyone's workspace in a place like this, and to that end it was also wise to know the general layout in case she was not able to trace her steps backwards. It would be pretty embarrassing if a self-described mechanic got stuck or lost just because the path behind her became cut off by someone else's work.

"Whoaaaa! You have welding goggles with a magnification setting! I've only seen those in pictures!" Once she was able to take inventory of the tools, it was like she was in a candy store. "Micro-soldering iron, Cherenkov filters, do you know what I could do with these??? Triple bypass surgery on a live booster cable, that's what." Yulie nodded with a smirk. The Jedi were loaded! Her gaze fell to a series of five cables wrapped tightly around each other, winding away from a starfighter's ignition reactor to a table with a half dozen metal boxes on them.

Clever trick. Using a macro reactor to prime the thruster packs for your torpedoes. You won't suffer any power drain when you launch them, and they should have a bit longer range, too. A bit rough on the engine, but you're running a full diagnostic in a repair bay, so no harm in that.

Yulie tapped her fingers against her baked tuber, wondering why she was so fixated on the wiring here. She became fixated on electrical work the moment she saw the tools. She turned the food over in her hand while she thought about it deeper. As a mechanic, she had learned to trust her instincts. If something was catching her attention, it probably needed her attention. It was always so puzzling when nothing seemed wrong. And why would there be anything wrong? She thought to herself, squeezing her foil-wrapped snack like it was a stress ball This is a Jedi Temple. Whoever they have working here is going to know their trade better than I.

As if sensing that the eager Padawan was going to try to cart out everything that she could, just like she was at the Library and the Mess Hall, her Vera spoke with a voice raised only enough to reach Yulie and warned that was "...not permitted to take any dangerous equipment out of this area without the express permission of myself or another senior Knight or Master." Yulie's hand froze, and she lifted the tuber before her. Aluminum!

"I'd like to requisition some items, to build a training aid." She looked around, taking stock of the parts surrounding her. It was starting to click now, but she didn't have a clear idea of what she wanted to build. Electricity was the key, and aluminum was the fourth most conductive metal on the Periodic Table. Yes, it was on the back of her mind ever since she was told about The Eternal, a puzzle needing a workaround, and now the pieces were starting to fit together. She quickly trotted back to her Vera as if to say 'See? It's been right here the whole time.'

"You said that the So-Called Eternal called lightning from the sky. I think I have a way to counter it. With this." She shook the potato excitedly. "Did you know you can use these as batteries? That doesn't matter. Thinking about electricity. I can make a cage of some sort, something that I can move around in like a really bad suit of armor, except it's made of highly conductive metal, with a copper mesh and aluminum skin that will safely allow electricity to ground itself without harming me."

The part that Yulie thought her Vera would possibly object to was assembling a nozzle to shoot a high-voltage ion stream at her as a training exercise.

"I used to make things weightless just by touching them when I was angry, but when I'm hungry It turns out I can make it so I don't get burned. Just realized that I can do that. Getting distracted. Anyway, if that can be done to heat then it can be done to energy. Electrical energy. The kind that guy called from the sky. So if I can learn how to re-direct an electrical current being used against me, we can nullify his Technique entirely and with a fraction of the effort."

Yulie was pretty happy with herself for coming up with the idea, but she was unaware of the risk. The temptations of the Dark Side could urge her to turn the lightning against the Sith instead of merely guiding it aside. It was a defense that offered the opportunity for attack, and it would not be one that could be considered merciful. Isen thought that it was stupid to train someone like her in the ways of the Force, and he could very well feel justified in thinking that if he heard her suggest anything that combined the Force with lightning.

@Reyn @Charndley @Rhogar

 

[Izel Thral]

Izel watched Yulie's clearly excited reaction to the technical division with amusement. The Vratix had a feeling her apprentice would appreciate the more mechanically centered branch of the Order. The Dathomirian's apparent discovery of a counter to the Eternal's power came as something of a surprise as well, the Jedi Master drawing her head back a bit, antennae flicking curiously.

"Shooting right for the stars, aren't we?" She asked with a slight chitter. "It might be a bit early to be thinking about how best to fight Sith Lords, but your theory about how you might be able to apply the Force is right on point." It was quite something that with such a limited understanding of the Force Yulie was already imagining very complex ways in which to wield her connection to it. It spoke of a clever mind that would no doubt prove to be highly adaptive in dangerous situations. Izel considered herself honored to have the opportunity to train another naturally gifted Padawan.

"In fact, the use of conductive metals is not strictly necessary at all," She explained further. "Using the Force for energy absorption and redistribution is a tried and tested technique. We call it Tutaminis. It is something we teach to all Padawans, but mastering the art takes great time and effort. Once you have however, you will be able to absorb a blaster bolt with your bare hands, without being injured." She paused and looked up, clicking her mandibles thoughtfully. "Tutaminis has been used to absorb Force lightning in the past as well. Absorbing lightning on such an immense level as I witnessed on Sullust however... Such a thing would only be possible by a very powerful Jedi. Perhaps in that case building this armor you're suggesting might actually be the better option. But it would still be quite dangerous. It would probably be wiser to try avoiding being hit at all." She looked back at Yulie. "It's something to ponder. Although for the time being we should keep our objectives limited to your basic training."

@Zohrael

 

[Yulie]

"Shooting right for the stars, aren't we?"

"I just think we should have an answer for whatever Techniques the Sith might use. Since they pride themselves on power, if we're ready for their leader then we are ready for them all. I'm still working on how to deal with those lava bursts you mentioned." There was simply no thermo-conductive material as efficient as electro-conductive metals. Heat was easier to insulate than channel, but it took a great deal of preparation to make something that could handle temperatures as high as molten rock.

It had occurred to Yulie that Telekinesis might offer a solution; since heat itself was merely the result of motion on an atomic level, if the Force could render a fluid completely motionless it would cool itself instantly and solidify. To even attempt something like that would take greater understanding of Telekinesis however, and there was no telling how far she would need to refine it to affect anything on an atomic scale, nor could she fathom how powerful she'd need to be in order to do something like that quickly. While Yulie was confident that she could perfect the means to re-direct lightning attacks without exerting herself, she knew that her current workaround for molten rock was likely to be more tiring than the whatever Technique was summoning from it from the ground.

She had no use for an inefficient workaround. Better it would be to match the Sith strength for strength and forcibly pull it back beneath the surface than weaken herself for the sake of a vulgar display of power. No, her strategy was to waste less time and energy than her opponents; plenty would be standing between her and Dathomir's throneroom, after all. Subtlety and passive efforts were far more appealing, surgical strikes meant to deflect or imbalance were better than contests of strength. That was the opposite of her fighting style, but the Force offered more options than she ever had in a brawl.

As if sensing that Yulie was immersing herself in finding a solution to the Eternal's ability to conjure geysers of lava from beneath one's feet, the Vratix reassured her that it was too early to set their sights upon the Dark Lord of the Sith. Her Vera then explained the basics of how the Jedi understood energy conversion by way of the Force. She looked at her palm, trying to imagine a blaster bolt dissolving impotently against it, but it was hard to imagine anything other than a charred hole all the way through, with an orange halo among the ashes where it still burned hot.

If Tutamanis could neutralize all that energy, then there could be other alternatives to dealing with electricity that she hadn't considered. The first step would be thinking that she were capable of something like that. The whole point of the training aid was to learn how to turn energy aside and otherwise redirect it. It was...worrying...to think that as a Padawan she would need to deal with a blaster bolt so directly. Perhaps I should insist on making the training aid. And just focusing on electricity. Unfortunately for Yulie, her self-doubts came from the same place as her quiet obedience, so she did not champion her training aid any further.

Changing the topic, Yulie pointed into the technical division.

"Before we go to the next stop, I was wondering what that section is." She was pointing towards the lightsaber forge, the shining beacon in the center of the division, the area that Yulie seemed least interested in when she initially took a look around. The multitude of components hanging on the wall had little resemblance to anything Yulie had been taught to work on. Though she tried many times to get her former lightsaber in working order, she knew only of its own specific parts, and lightsabers were quite varied in their assembly.

@Reyn @Charndley @Rhogar

 

[Izel Thral]

"Do keep me updated, I'm eager to hear what you come up with." Izel replied with some amusement to Yulie's intention to continue looking for workarounds for the Eternal's powers. The lava bursts, those were something of a nuisance when having to simultaneously watch out for incoming attacks from several different sources, as would most definitely be the case in such a battle. Personally, Izel's first instinct would be to rely on mobility to avoid such attacks, rather than waste energy trying to counter them with the Force. But if Yulie could divine an efficient way to cope with such an assault, she was certain it would come in handy.

Following Yulie's pointing finger, the Vratix clicked her mandibles and turned back to her apprentice to explain. "That is the lightsaber forge. Although when you construct your first lightsaber it will be part of your Initiate Trials, you will be able to use this area for repairs and modifications. You may even construct a second, depending on if you have any aptitude for Jar'Kai. That is a style of combat where two lightsabers are used in tandem. You may have seen Isen practicing as much during our time on Ambria." The Jedi master paused to look her student up and down. Of course, there were many different forms the girl's lightsaber might take depending on what style she proved to be most effective in. Perhaps she would go with the traditional single hilt, maybe curved if she showed talent in Makashi. Perhaps she would choose the double-bladed saberstaff. Who knew? She might even follow in Izel's footsteps and build a pike. Such a short combatant could certainly benefit from the extra reach it afforded.

"It holds just about all of the components you could ever need for your weapon." She continued as she turned her eyes back towards the forge. "Although someone with your creativity might think up something we aren't equipped for." She added with a chitter. As her gaze remained on the forge one Jedi would finish working on his single-hilted saber before raising it in the air and igniting it. The purple hued blade glowed and hummed as he swung it back and forth, testing the balance before retracting it with a satisfied nod. The Vratix turned her attention back to Yulie. "You already saw the hangar bay where we landed. All that's left is the infirmary. Then I'll show you to the barracks." She would wait to see if the Dathomirian had any more questions before continuing on their tour.

@Zohrael

 

[Yulie]

"The components must be highly specialized." Highly personalized would be a more accurate description. One's lightsaber was more than a Jedi's standard issue tool; every aspect of the device uniquely represented its maker and symbolized one's relationship with the force. The possible variations were as equally diverse as the potential wielders of the blade. Even though Yulie had tinkered with one for years as if it were a puzzle box, many of its components likely held little resemblance as the pieces selected by another. Their shapes, artistry and even physical properties differed in ways both subtle and profound.

In Yulie's view, she regarded the components in the same way as she might regard aftermarket mods. Like devices that were never part of the assembly of a factory-made vehicle, their highly specific performance standards and unique artistic flair rendered them unsuitable for anything but their highly specialized function. To a mechanic, it was burdensome to have such things using up valuable space, for even if it were compatible with something, it likely needed to be paired with a specially ordered component to get real use out of it.

This would not be an issue for the lightsaber forge, however. The collection on display was meant to show off various inter-changeable pieces, and now that Yulie knew what they were meant for, she was a lot more interested to see all the different ways she could fit them together. While her Vera looked her up and down, Yulie was also wondering what her ultimate creation would eventually be; there was much that she needed to learn about the science involved before she could make an earnest attempt. And there was always the fact that the Force would influence her decision-making as well, expressing Yulie's own unique personalization in ways she couldn't foresee.

Yulie thought to ask if she could requisition a box of random pieces, just to tinker with for muscle memory's sake, but decided against it. Without understanding how the lightsaber worked, she'd only create misconceptions for herself that she'd have to overcome later. She would be given access when the time was right.

She wrinkled her nose when the infirmary was mentioned, like she discovered a new smell and was unsure if she approved. The prison had an infirmary--it was the nicest area of the entire complex--and never did anyone make her want to stay or return. Hefty bills for any service, and there were always those regularly-scheduled exams where they'd appraise her physique. "Below average." They'd always say, uninspired by her mediocre height, weight, and other results of a basic physical. A low score made it less likely that anyone would want to buy out her contract, so in addition to being referred to as 'Nothing' or by number, there were frequent reminders that she had very few opportunities to make something better for herself.

Surely, that would not occur here, and she knew that. The library here had free books, after all. Skepticism of clinics was easy to acquire and difficult to forget. Still, she kept her mouth shut and didn't voice any objection. Instead, she tried to hide the wrinkling of her nose with a tactical chomp out her tuber, ever mindful to limit even the mildest displays of disobedience.

"Are we going to schedule my physical?" She asked, trying to sound more neutral or interested, instead of just mining for hints about how long she had to look forward to before being prodded. A physical would be useful, though. Getting baseline vitals on record could help plan physical training, a battery of blood tests would reveal whatever problems her poor diet has created, a skeletal scan in case bacta therapy was in order, and sensory evaluation in case she required any corrective procedure. It was typical for new patients of a clinic to face more tests, though Yulie didn't rule out the possibility of avoiding it by 'acting healthy' during the tour.

@Reyn @Charndley @Rhogar

 

[Izel Thral]

"Indeed," Izel replied to Yulie's comment about specialization as they continued their walk down the hall. "The forge is also used to shape casings and other parts to fit the form of the owner's hand. Some Jedi take more steps than others to express their individuality. I've seen some extraordinarily diverse creations here."

When the topic turned to the infirmary Izel's antennae twitched a bit, sensing Yulie's discomfort. More bad memories being dredged up no doubt. She had a feeling it would take some time for the Dathomirian to acclimate to the temple. A hard life had geared her instincts towards assuming the worst of intentions. "Not now, but that will need to be seen to eventually." She answered honestly. "Since you're not in the best health, the healers will want to monitor things until you've improved. We need to make sure your training doesn't push you beyond what you're currently capable of physically after all." She looked down at the girl and clicked a bit, her tone becoming somewhat brighter. "Don't worry though. They're all very friendly. They'll have you feeling stronger than ever in just a few months, I'm sure." It would take time after all to counteract what was very clearly a lifetime of malnutrition and abuse. But the healing abilities of the Force were unparalleled.

Izel looked forward again as she kept walking. "They'll probably want to take a blood sample for a midi-chlorian count as well. That's a more concrete way to determine your potential with the Force, rather than just trying to sense one's ability." She glanced back at her apprentice, realizing the mechanic might actually be more appreciative of the science of it. "Those are essentially microscopic organisms in your cells that help you connect to the Force. The more you have in your blood, the easier it is to form a strong connection."

Finally, the pair reached the infirmary. Like the mess hall, this area of the temple had been heavily renovated to look more modern. Cold stone had been replaced with a more welcoming white. Comfortable beds lined two walls, while the far one showcased a series of bacta tanks. Thankfully none of these seemed to be currently in use. In a separated room, an elder Jedi appeared to be teaching students how to apply Force healing to a synthetic approximation of a humanoid.

"If you're ever injured during training, or catch a bug of any kind, you'll report here for treatment." She explained to her apprentice. "You also may receive some training in healing practices here, should you show an aptitude for it." She turned her gaze to the Dathomirian, again waiting for any questions.

@Zohrael

 

[Yulie]

"Not now, but that will need to be seen to eventually."

"Eventually is good." Yulie agreed, readying herself to find new and creative ways to put it off. But like a skilled duelist cutting through an opponent's defenses inch by inch, the Vratix left little room to delay the inevitable. It sounded like she would have to make a pit stop here before training could really begin. Yulie took another tactical bite out of her tuber. It may have been more diplomatic to say something like 'soon is also good', but her Vera would sense the lie and that would make things even worse. And there was no objection that she could think of that wouldn't sound like whining or disobedience, so Yulie ate her potato.

"There are things in my blood that do that?" Yulie blinked in surprise. Suddenly, she had a hundred questions. Are there different types? How did they get there? Do they have anything to do with the Light or Dark Sides? Is there anything that's good or bad for them? Is there some way to get more? As interesting as it was, there was still a worry about the back of her mind: that the results would come back saying she was below average. If that were the case, would it still be possible to reclaim Dathomir? Perhaps it was the will of the Force to live well and die honourably in a hopeless fight against the False Queen. Could one's Destiny be decided in a blood test? Perhaps this was one procedure that she could wriggle out of, if she could figure out the right way to ask.

When they arrived at the infirmary, Yulie was pleased that there wasn't someone waiting, eagerly waiting to start prodding any newcomers. There was some movement in a separated room, but the main area was fairly empty.

In many ways, it was quite like the one back at the prison. The sterile white that softened edges and blunted corners. A line of empty beds along the walls, impeccably clean, ready to be adjusted for the user. Too high and too narrow for sleeping, but well-padded. There was always something about a clinic that made it feel ahead of its years, like the rest of the world was still catching up to its point in time. Too insulated to hear the electricity in the walls, the lights at a precise brightness that discouraged shadows from ever growing.

She never got to work on medical technology, but some of the devices were familiar, and every clinic had the exact same disposables on display in transparent containers along the counter. However, the prison didn't have anything in the way of decorations, nothing pinned to the walls to put a patient at ease. Yulie stared, unimpressed, at a brightly-coloured poster of a pudgy little porg.

"Smiles...are..." Yulie squinted. The final word was a little long. "Smiles are...contaminants?" The cartoonishly plump creature looked really pleased with itself. Yulie raised an eyebrow and muttered "Well, that doesn't make any sense. Oh. Smiles are contagious." That made even less sense! Surely the infirmary would want to stop a contagion, would it not? Maybe they didn't like people walking around smiling? Then why was that chubby little bird waving its stubby little wings like it was Life Day? Yulie furrowed her brow, thinking way too hard about a poster meant to make Younglings feel a little better.

A youngling in the separated room noticed the Dathomirian. Perhaps it felt a similar sense of unease as Yulie's Vera when they first met, something off-putting that couldn't quite be identified. It watched with a cautious side-eye, and when Yulie noticed, she opted to wander out of its line of sight.

Approaching the bacta tank, Yulie looked at it quizzically. "Zaltin Corp? Is this a bacta tank? I heard of these. It's said they can heal anything."

@Reyn @Charndley @Rhogar

 

[Izel Thral]

"They're in every living thing's blood." Izel answered Yulie's question. "We're all a part of the Force remember? Of course, it's not an exact science. We still don't fully understand the nature of the relationship between midi-chlorians and the Force. It's why many Jedi prefer not to bother with the subject at all." Indeed, Izel could recall more than one occasion where merely bringing up the topic had resulted in groans and rolling eyes from her colleagues. Even she herself, the infamous bookworm, found most research on the subject to be horrendously dry. If nothing else, it made for an excellent sleeping aid.

As Yulie stopped to inspect one of the posters on the wall Izel tilted her head slightly in curiosity. Having not been made aware her apprentice was still largely illiterate, the girl's stumbling over the words led her to believe the Padawan might be in need of glasses. Curious, but it wasn't particularly important in the moment. She could always ask about the issue later.

As the Dathomirian approached the bacta tank however the Vratix visibly perked up, seemingly even more delighted to explain. "Just about anything, although some wounds take longer to heal than others." Izel stepped up to the tank and gently ran her fingers along the glass, staring intently at the blue liquid inside for a few moments before turning her gaze towards Yulie. "Miraculous, aliens call it." She said with distinct pride in her tone. "It induces rapid tissue regeneration, healing in hours or days what would normally take months. It doesn't even leave any scars. My kind invented it you know. Our great gift to the galaxy..." She looked at the Zaltin Corp logo and tapped it, clicking her mandibles. "One of my brothers works for them you know." She added, still beaming. "Research and development. We were all very proud of him for that. He loves to talk about it." The Vratix chittered, fond memories coming to mind.

@Zohrael

 

[Yulie]

“Really?” Yulie was surprised to hear that many Jedi were so dismissive of them. “They sound like something that the Jedi would want to understand completely. Even if the Jedi are more concerned with their relationship with the Force, wouldn’t the Council want to research any possible way to influence them?”

If more midichlorians meant stronger connection with the Force, it was strange that they didn’t prioritize studying how to maximize one’s count, or even pursue a eugenics program for their progeny. Consolidating power wasn’t the Jedi way, but Yulie never heard of a hierarchy that didn’t seek to secure the dominance of those at the top. It wouldn’t surprise her in the slightest if the Council had their ways to put thumbs upon scales to control ascent through the ranks.

It wouldn’t even seem corrupt—it’s just what people in power did. The Dathomirian was just thankful whenever someone didn’t wield their institutionalized authority as a weapon against people who were just trying to get by. That the highest circle of power within the Jedi Order would actively choose to ignore the options that midichlorian research might avail to them…well, that just didn’t fit Yulie’s worldview of those of upper rank.

Maybe they just haven’t thought about how that information could be applied. Yulie considered, which was at least better than suspecting them of performing that research in secret. Whatever the case may be, she was confident that she was below average. If her count turned out to be shockingly low…perhaps her Vera would lose interest in training her. Isen had been such a good student, and everything seemed to come so easy to him…while the last of the Nightsisters struggled to perform the most basic tasks.

From within its deep lair, the Dark Side needled at her doubts and insecurities. It hadn’t mustered the courage to creep out fully in the garish Light of the temple, but it could extend a claw and scratch the scar tissue of old wounds, trying to part the tear open again. Making her doubt herself and her worth was easy…but what it wanted her to do was to get her mind fixated on gaining power. To make her need more, and to stoke that need forever.

The discomfort of her inevitable Doctor’s visit distracted from that train of thought, however. The change of scenery kept her mind from wandering too far, and the bacta tank was a new piece of technology to marvel over. Even her Vera spoke highly of it, almost reverently, but that made sense given her people’s connection to it, and her family’s work with one of its most prominent manufacturer’s.

“You should be proud.” Yulie agreed, running her palm against the transparent shell of the tank.

“There are very few technologies that could be considered part of the galactic identity. Interstellar travel has the Hyperdrive…Jedi have the lightsaber…and medicine has this.” Her small stature gave her a steeper angle to investigate the upper mechanisms hidden away at the top. There wasn’t much to see, apart from a breathing apparatus locked up somewhere dry. Yulie concluded that the bacta itself must be pumped from below, a passive failsafe to keep the fluid and pressurized gas in separate systems.

Mechanics generally didn’t get to work on medical technology. If her Padawan duties ever put her in the infirmary to help out, she would be a lot more keen on playing with the new equipment or servicing the droids than dealing with the living. She would also do her part on keeping the place clean. Sterilizing equipment and disposing of biohazardous waste was in the same vein of the general upkeep duties that she was conditioned to perform.

“It reminds me of the ship, actually. The old one. There was this spot in the engine room where the wall was just warm enough to fall asleep to, without ever getting uncomfortable.” The tank was highly insulated and so it should have been cool to the touch, like sheet metal left in the shade, but Force users could extend their awareness beyond the crude matter of their bodies. A fully trained Jedi could easily become aware of everything within an entire room, but Yulie’s extended most easily through touch. She did not know it, but the warmth she felt at the tips of her fingers was the warmth of the bacta inside; the clear exterior told her only of its texture.

“Became a little problematic whenever I had to work there. Always got sleepy for some reason. I imagine if I was ever put in one of these, I wouldn’t want to wake up.” Like a lothcat in a sunbeam. Yulie retracted her arm, realizing that the warmth was making her want to doze off.

“New ship doesn’t have that. Much better air circulation. Tends to be a little cooler than the rest of the ship unless it’s been flying for a while.”

From the other room, the Twi’lek who had been sparring emerged, slightly hurriedly, yet still composed.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Usually we have a medical droid on standby, but it’s being used for a demonstration.”

“You were duelling earlier.” Yulie recognized her. She was a lot taller now that they were both on ground level, despite being similar in their years, and she was a noticeably more fit. Her muscles defined well enough for clothes to not dangle off her limbs, her gait suggesting natural strength and balance. This fight is going to be tougher than I thought.

“My Master has a way of doing things.” She said, gathering a few items from the counter, none of which were exactly where she’d hoped they were. “When I learn a way to do harm, I must learn a way to mend harm afterwards. You’ll always find me here after combat training.” Satisfied that she had everything she needed, she returned to the newcomer.

“So, do you have an appointment, or is this a walk-in?”

“Oh, I feel fine. We both do. Just looking at the tank, no need for appointments.”

@Reyn @Rhogar @Charndley

 

[Izel Thral]

"It's equal parts philosophy and caution I think," Izel mused in response to Yulie's question about midi-chlorians, and why they weren't more closely researched. "The approach of most Jedi is to focus on the Force itself first, and the material world second. They believe power is restricted by one's mind more than any limitations of the body. I'm inclined to agree, although I also sympathize with the desire to understand more about our physical relationship to it." She paused her for a moment, moving her mandibles wordlessly as she thought over some of her more controversial research. "More than that... Attempting to influence the midi-chlorians has traditionally led to... undesirable results... But that's a story for another time."

Izel preferred to focus more on their little tour for the time being, and so was glad to bring the conversation back to the topic of bacta. As her apprentice talked about comfortable spots in Captain Watam's old ship and expressed a fear of never wanting to leave a tank, the Vratix chittered and nodded her head. "Have you ever been in one?" She asked as she nodded towards the tank. "I've had quite a few visits. I have a nasty habit of getting myself hurt in the field, but you've seen that firsthand already." She paused to rub her side, still not fully healed from their escapades on Umbara. She looked back at the cool blue liquid. "It's a most pleasurable and relaxing experience. Although not everyone agrees. Some people have told me they feel like they're being swallowed alive. Bacta has an unusual consistency."

Their conversation was interrupted however when the same Twi'lek from the sparring room appeared, still looking a bit tuckered out from the exercise. Izel's antennae twitched as she watched the two young girls speak to one another. Her apprentice's apprehension about a checkup was not lost on her. "Actually... perhaps we should just schedule it now." The Vratix pondered aloud as she glanced at her Padawan. "Better to just get it out of the way don't you think?" the Twi'lek looked between the two of them.

"I can see when we have an opening if you like. We're not very busy." The Padawan would look down at a handheld, presumably looking through the schedule. Izel clicked as she looked the young Jedi over. She recalled Yulie had been oddly focused on her back in the sparring room.

"You were using Form II during your match, yes?" She asked curiously. The Twi'lek looked up at the Vratix, seeming to brighten a bit as talk turned to the lightsaber.

"Yes Master." She said with a nod. "It's the best choice for single combat."

"Only if you use it effectively." Izel replied plainly. "Your initiative is good, but Makashi requires more control. Your flourishes were excessive and unnecessary." The Twi'lek blinked and seemed a bit annoyed by Izel's criticism. She opened her mouth to respond but stopped, seemingly rethinking her reply before giving another slight bow of her head.

"Thank you, Master, I'll keep that in mind." She turned her eyes back to the handheld for a few moments before looking at Yulie again. "We have an opening for nine next week. Shall I put you in Padawan?" She asked with a very slight edge to her voice.

@Zohrael

 

[Yulie]

"Have you ever been in one?"

Yulie shook her head. No, the prison did have them in their medical wing, but prisoners were seldom afforded the opportunity to use them. As for the Yulie, they weren't important enough and lacked the personal value required for bacta treatment to even be considered. The only cases that the Dathomirian knew of were for any of the Yulie who were with child. Ensuring a new generation of workers to inherit their parents' debts was in the prison's financial interests, after all.

The Padawan kept those details to herself, though. Her Vera knew well enough of the ruthless calculus of unfettered capitalism that gripped the prison, and Yulie thought it better for the Vratix to not be troubled by every horror that lived there. This was one that the Padawan was spared of, or at least that's what Yulie believed. Any treatments received were only technically legal as far as the New Republic was concerned, or barely stood upon the minimum standard that the prison was required to meet if it wanted to retain its accreditation. Yulie simply didn't know what good procedures she missed out on, yet was grateful that she never was in the position to become a living incubator for a cheap labor force.

"They keep the tanks on an upper level, where all the expensive stuff is." An inaccurate assessment borne of ignorance. While she got to witness many of the abhorrent practises there, she only had a childish understanding of the complex economics governing the prison. "There were a couple salvage jobs where we hoped to find some, but all our jobs were already picked over before we even got there. Most I got to see of a bacta tank is a suspiciously empty space where one of these things would fit." She lightly rapped the window of the tank with a knuckle.

Her Vera recanted her experiences with a bacta tank, and Yulie was momentarily puzzled why people would have such different reactions to being in one. There was quite a large gulf between a relaxing time and being swallowed alive. Perhaps some people just didn't do so well in tight places, or perhaps it was a psychological byproduct of whatever injuries brought someone to a bacta tank. Whatever the case, Yulie pondered ways to mitigate the discomfort. A semi-permeable bodysuit might do the trick, though it would be inadvisable with certain wounds. Maybe an alternate location to pump the bacta in when a person was inside? If only she could bang away at one of these for several hours, but infirmaries rarely allowed mechanics to tinker with their equipment.

When the Twi'lek was ready, it didn't take long for the conversation to steer towards booking an appointment.

"Better to just get it out of the way don't you think?"

"Of course." Yulie agreed, consenting without hesitation, despite feeling like she just lost a bet.

"We have an opening for nine next week. Shall I put you in Padawan?"

"I will be here at your earliest convenience." Yulie said a polite nod, one that neared a bow in the way held her head lower for a couple beats as a sign of humility and respect. Padawan...

The Twi'lek may have just overheard Yulie's Vera call her that, but it was possible she had been briefed about the newcomer or had exchanged words with someone who was preparing for the Dathomirian's arrival. To Yulie, that would make it even more important to make a good impression; those who had the chance to brace themselves were the ones who already had a chance to form an opinion on the matter. Yulie couldn't be sure if the lower ranks were more likely to be skeptical than the upper ones; they were the ones who had less time to learn how to set their feelings aside in the name of duty.

Setting feelings aside was always a challenge for the troubled Darksider, but performing her duties was simple. If enduring...whatever they had in store for her...with dignity and grace made things easier to fit in, then Yulie would make sure to hold any snarls or grumbles in the pit of her throat until everything was done with.

"Could be short notice if there's a cancellation, but if you two are planning on remaining at the Temple, somebody will be in touch if something opens up."

She doesn't want you at the Temple...she's trying to learn if you'll have an elsewhere to be. She dislikes this even more than you do. She does not approve.

"What sort of tests will be done?"

"Well, there's blood work, a bone scan, hearing and vision tests, we'll measure your vitals in your resting state and after a simple fitness evaluation. They'll test for any allergies, get you current with immunizations, and check your M-Count if you like."

"What happens if my Count is below average?"

"It won't be." The Twi'lek said with a knowing smile. "Master Thral wouldn't have brought you here otherwise. The number of people who possess enough to even use the Force is astronomically small, fewer still are noticed by Jedi. You have defied the cosmic odds just by walking through the front door, so the M-Count more or less just tells you by how much you've beaten those odds."

"Okay." Yulie said, still unsure about it. The Twi'lek may have been trying to reassure her about what it means on the Galactic Scale, but Yulie knew well enough that there was yet another average--the M-Count among Force users. Filtering out the vast majority who didn't meet the threshold, how would she compare to the Jedi, Sith and Nightsisters? If it was only a matter of meeting a certain threshold, why even run a count at all? It had to mean something more than a door prize. "Might as well make sure my file is fully completed when you put it together."

@Reyn @Rhogar @Charndley