Highway to the Danger Zone

Kyber Krystal · Jun 15, 2017

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
SULLUST, Sullust Sector Spacefarers Academy
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

A rather unremarkable freighter broke through the atmosphere of the planet Sullust, having already achieved the clearance and necessary credentials to clear for a landing onto the planet. This was something that the ship's pilot, Kyber Ortaigen, was not used to at all. Before he had decided to join with the Jedi, he was a commercial smuggler. But then again, "commercial" implied that what he did was legitimate and legal. He had his fair share of close calls and adventures in this ship, even going so far as to outfly two Imperial fighters on the lower levels of Coruscant. So, it was Kyber's honour to go to a flying academy and observe their efforts.

This was Kyber's first mission for the Jedi since he had officially joined the Jedi as an Initiate. Valen had given him a chance, and Kyber wasn't about to blow his first opportunity to do some good for the Jedi. He was joined by another Jedi, a Knight of superior rank. They hadn't talked that much up to this point. Working on a team wasn't exactly something that Kyber was used to either. He was a loner, a solo pilot. He could have hired some help before, and it definitely would have made his life easier. Having someone be able to operate the ship's guns would have certainly helped. But Kyber wasn't exactly trusting. Working with the Jedi, where many of the Army's members regarded themselves as brothers and sisters was... a new experience to say the least. Not necessarily bad, but new nonetheless.

Breaking through the atmosphere, Kyber piloted his freighter through the skies of the barren planet of Sullust. Kyver definitely preferred more verdant worlds, like where he grew up on Kashyyyk, but it didn't matter what Kyber liked and didn't like. The mission was to generate interest in the local flight academy to bolster its members. While Sullust wasn't exactly picturesque, the large, open spaces provided lots of opportunities for practical training. You couldn't learn to fly effectively on a world like Coruscant or Corellia. It was too Urban with too many obstacles. Kyber wondered if the academy had any obstacle courses for their fighters, but that would be a question for another time.

Touching down next to the Academy, Kyber took a second to look at the structure. It was quite large, the shipyard looking to house many different types of fighters. The location and the resources appeared to be in order, which made Kyber wonder why exactly the interest was so low. Regardless, it wasn't his place to ask questions like that, at least not yet. Generate interest, that was the primary mission. The only details Valen gave was that Kyber and his new Jedi companion were to meet with the instructors of the academy, and observe the demonstration from the current students. Kyber felt it might be better to take that a step forward, meeting with the headmaster of this academy and question him personally. While perhaps a bit forward, that was probably the best way to garner why interest was so low, and exactly how to proceed. Though he would ask his new Jedi companion what he thought. Kyber didn't take orders well, and hoped that the Miraluka wasn't the type to order others around.

Disengaging the ship, Kyber walked around the ship to gather what he needed. He had attempted to clean the interior of the ship, knowing that he would be representing the Jedi, and since everything wasn't just out in the open, things were a bit harder for Kyber to find. Eventually, he managed to find the two pieces that made up his father's lightsaber, as well as the blaster pistol that belonged to his mother. He decided to leave the bowcaster behind, thinking it didn't make a good impression to enter an academy heavily armed. But Kyber didn't typically go anywhere without his lightsaber and blaster. Those would not be left behind.

"So, Adan, right?" Kyber said, in a friendly tone of greeting. "Proper introduction time, my name is Sha-... Sorry, old habit. My name is Kyber. It's nice to officially meet you" Kyber almost gave out his alias he used while smuggling. He wasn't used to just saying his real name. He almost felt that people knowing his real name was a weapon against him. If you didn't know someone's name, how could they be tracked? Kyber wasn't recorded on any databases, and liked to keep it that way, but he knew he needed to show a bit of trust. Valen had promised that his fellow Jedi were trustworthy. Kyber had decided that Valen was trustworthy... and he would trust Valen on this.

"So, we're supposed to meet with the Instructors and stuff, but I was thinking we go right to the headmaster and talk to him personally" Kyber made one last check, making sure he was geared up. He strapped the separate pieces of his lightsaber to his belt, and put the blaster in it's holster on his leg. "Ready to go? I can't wait to see what these student fliers can do.". Kyber had to remind himself not to be too superior and condescending about the student's skills. They were learning still. It was only expected that they not be as amazing of a pilot as Kyber was.

@Valen Pelora @Beta12

Beta12 · Jun 16, 2017

The walls, floor, and roof all shuttered in unison, as the freighter that carried Adan Caal broke atmosphere. The Miralukan felt little, however, as he sat cross-legged somewhere in the bowls of the ship. A large, firm red cushion sat beneath Adan, and the Knight himself meditated upon it. He could feel the dimensions of the ship, and the way every line vibrated as friction took hold. The only other person on the ship, an Initiate that went by the name Kyber, sat at the controls and guided the metal hulk safely toward the surface. When he could, Adan often preferred to sit outside of the bridge. Sat inside of one felt too much like being seated on the edge of a cliff, so he preferred the center of any given vessel. At least in the center of the ship, he felt as though he sat on thick ice.

Ripples on a pond. The metal around Adan shuttered a final time, and the flat platform of the landing pad appeared all at once beneath him. A small smile broke across the Knight's face. They had arrived, and Adan wasted no time to stand and stretch. Kyber began to move around the ship as well, and it took little time for the two to bump into one another. "Yeah. Adan. Nice to meet you." Caught in mid-stretch, the Knight offered a larger smile and a nod in the initiates general direction. Adan noted Kyber's height and the way his hair curled, unique features that framed a strong build. He was impressive for an initiate. Adan had trained his entire life and never managed to keep such defined musculature.

Though Adan could "see" everything on his body, he grasped at the curved hilt of his saber as if driven by instinct. Kyber had come to him prepared, and the Knight hoped he wouldn't make the opposite impression. Everything was on him, but his tunic wasn't exactly eye catching. He would have gone for the robe, but it would have made him stand out. "Sounds fine to me. How does the school look?" Viewports were useless to a being that could see only a certain distance. The base was large, but he could only sense a sliver of it. Between them and the academy several groups of people milled about, though he could hardly tell any difference between them.

Kyber's confidence jarred the Knight, and it brought a certain tightness to Adan's own smile. He had known initiates like him on Tython some time ago. When he was new to the order, and surrounded by people he did not know, that sort of attitude would have served him well. "They will probably be in the same place. I heard they have a small gathering prepared for guests." As if struck by a sudden realization, Adan stuck his right hand out toward Kyber's general direction. "Adan Caal, by the way. How did you come by your name, grow up on Jedha?" The Miralukan couldn't help but be curious, after all.

Air burst through the opening bay doors, whether or not he was willing to answer the question, and for the first time Adan felt the sheer heat of the planet's surface envelop him. "Yeesh." With all of his gear in check, Adan made his way down the ramp, and back onto solid ground. Solid enough, considering the majority of the planet was covered in molten rock. Unfortunately, that unstoppable heat source, brought sweat to the Knight's brow before he even made it ten feet from his colleague's ship. "Best to get in doors, anyway."
----------------------------

Before them a large reception building stood, jutting from the rock in a fashion similar to the academy's largest hangar. It's large, glass covered front betrayed the deceptively air-conditioned atmosphere inside. Condensation dripped steadily along the frames of the massive windows, and a large metal door stood ready to allow them entrance. The lobby, though colored by the tint of the windows, housed plenty of interesting people beyond its glass. Colorful and sleek ships lined what could only be described as a show-room floor. Instructors stood at various ships, and spoke only to the people who strayed too close to them. While a few rare ones seemed enthusiastic, others were rather grizzled veterans returned from wars in the recent past. Those had little time for genuine interest, and often seemed agitated when asked to explain ship functions.

Beyond them, on a level separated by a gradually climbing, grand staircase. The enclosed glass office of the headmaster stood, or at least one of the many that dotted the facility. From there, she could see her guests mill about.

Kyber Krystal · Jun 17, 2017

Kyber shook Adan's hand as he stuck it out, with a firm grip. His father had not been able to teach Kyber much about the ways of the Galaxy, not exactly having the time, but something that he had managed to instil in the young Jedi was the value of a firm handshake. A firm handshake conveyed power and confidence, and showed the person on the receiving end that you meant business. Adan seemed like a nice guy. Which was exactly what Kyber was hoping for. Being totally new to the Jedi, he wasn't sure how systems of rank worked. He knew the Sith had a strict hierarchy, at least from what he could gather from his few interactions with them, so he wasn't quite sure how a ranking system would translate to the Jedi. But Adan seemed nice and easy to work with. That was all that mattered.

But his perceived confidence fell a bit when Adan asked about the origins of his name. Really, he didn't quite know where his name came from. He knew that Kyber was his name, and that was good enough for him. However, he also didn't exactly want to explain what it meant or where he got it. Adan seemed like a good person, but Kyber was not prepared to divulge every bit of information about himself. At least, not yet. So far, among the Jedi anyways, Valen was the only one that Kyber really felt comfortable speaking to openly. Him and Orlan. Adan was new, and Kyber simply was not ready to talk about himself in detail. "No, I didn't grow up on Jedha." Kyber said simply, as he punched the button to open the bay doors. As the doors prepared to open, Kyber decided to quickly attempt to change the subject. "Is Jedha a Jedi planet or something? I'm still pretty new, I don't know too much about how you Jedi work." His response was only partly ignorant. He didn't know what Jedha was, but he chose the wording of the question carefully. Feigning ignorance was a good way to get people to forget what they were speaking about.

The doors to the ship opened, as a large pulse of heat poured through the doors, slamming into Kyber's face. Kyber couldn't help but swear as the scorching hot air poured through the doors. "Kriffing!-" Kyber uttered. Though as the doors opened, he got a much better look at the facility. It was constructed in an interesting way, the majority of the main facility jutting out from a large stone. Kyber walked down the ramp of his freighter, as sweat began to immediately form along his brow. The tunic he was wearing probably wasn't the best choice for the temperature, but it was definitely the best choice for the meeting. Most of his clothes were either dirty, wrinkled or covered in blood... Kyber had many interesting experiences as a smuggler.

He took the opportunity that walking to the reception facility afforded him to respond to Adan's questions about the facility. The two walked side by side, displaying a front of unity to all who might see them approach. "The school is impressive for sure. They appear to have adequate resources and this location is perfect for learning how to fly... I don't really understand exactly why the interest is so low... Though the temperature of the planet definitely comes to mind." Kyber said with a smirk. As they approached, Kyber turned to his new Jedi ally, and looked him up and down once again. He had never met a Miraluka before, though he had read about them. "Stop me if this is an offensive question, but how exactly do you see? It's incredibly fascinating to me, I've read about Force Sight but I don't really know anything about what one's vision would be like."

The two Jedi entered the facility, the scorching hot air replaced by refreshingly cool air conditioning. Kyber had to resist the urge to look totally uncivilized and take massive breaths of the cool air. Kyber took a look around, at was absolutely enthralled. Although his freighter was his one true love, he was a huge fan of custom starships. Priming for the demonstration, the facility had set out what appears to be a show floor. Kyber's was starstruck by the cool looking ships in his vicinity, but looking at the ships would have to wait. Kyber noticed that numerous other groups had been invited to the showing. Kyber couldn't help but wonder if all of these parties were friendly in nature. However, he had to dismiss that as paranoia for the instant. He turned to Adan. "These ships are magnificent, aren't they? Absolutely amazing! Now, where to find the head of this school... Let's ask that droid over there."

Kyber began to walk over to a golden protocol droid, standing in the middle of the showroom floor. Kyber assumed that the droid was positioned there so that anyone could easily ask it a question. As Kyber approached, the droid turned towards him. "Welcome to the Sullust Sector Spacefarers Academy, The First Flight Academy ever established on Sullust. My designation is C1-47. May I offer you any refreshments, sirs?" The droid spoke succinctly and eloquently, but that was no surprise. "No thank you. We were wondering if you could point us in the direction of your Headmaster or Headmistress? We had some questions about the Academy's admittance policies". Kyber asked in a friendly, unassuming way. "Ah yes. The office of Headmistress Diana Krall is on the second floor, overlooking this lobby." The droid pointed upwards, to a large glass office. Within, one could clearly see a feminine figure observing the proceedings. "Thank you very much, SeeOne"

As the droid walked away to offer aid to another group of guests, Kyber turned to Adan. "So what's the play here? Do you think we should mingle a bit more, or should we go and speak to this Headmistress? I think the latter, is a better choice, personally." Kyber looked around, observing the other guests. "Did Valen mention that the Headmistress knows she invited Jedi? Or are we more along the lines of 'independent interested parties'?" Kyber hadn't asked Valen too many questions in his eagerness to accept the mission. A mistake on his part to be sure. He hoped his Knight friend, as a more experienced Jedi, would have more information on the subject.

@Beta12

Beta12 · Jun 18, 2017

Adan Caal stayed silent as he listened to Kyber's description of the Academy, and a frown fell across the Miralukan's lips when he realized that was all the description he was going to get. He had never seen light, so he had never witnessed color. Every impression, every detail of the world around him was afforded to him through his species innate connection to the force. "Our star is a red dwarf. You can't see light on our planet, so we learned another way." As Adan had been raised in the order, he had little specific knowledge about his home planet. "Kind of hard to explain, ya know?" The Knight brought his hands to his sides and shoved them into his pockets. "It'd probably be different for you. You see through eyes, so the force might leak in the same direction." Adan turned his head a bit toward the younger man as they closed in on the entrance. "If you stuck up some fingers behind my head I could tell you how many. Same at a bit of a distance too." He sensed the walls way before him well before the two entered. They were far thinner than the thick walls of the hangar, and that was because they had less to protect. While other's might have pressed Kyber about his past, Adan did not.

In a time of war, many individuals had a complicated past. That was often the truth for the Jedi. Adan himself had been orphaned on his home world, Alpheridies, by parents who could not care for him or simply chose not too. His time in the Orphanage had been short, but life with the Jedi had been very different from growing up in a normal family. He had been more than just educated, he had been trained for war. The force potential he had shown on his home world had been forged into a weapon for the Jedi and their cause. "Oh. And. Jedha is a planet.. actually more of a moon." Adan added right before the main door itself opened. The atmosphere hissed around the Jedi as cool, humid air met dry.

While he had been aware of the people beyond the glass for quite some time, the heat had done little to sharpen his focus. Now, in the cool air, they appeared to him much more clearly. Many of them had dressed for a show on Sullust, something that the Jedi had come woefully unprepared for. Shapes and sizes varied between groups, and often inside them as well. Plenty of them ranged beyond what one might considered "humanoid", but most star fighters could be equipped to accommodate. As Kyber had been the closest to him the entire time, he remained the most defined. There was definite confidence in his stride, and the way he glanced between starships almost made the Knight laugh. "Pretty great! ...And yeah sure." Most of the starships were likely models the students themselves learned to fly, and there was enough variety between them to even make Adan interested. While he wasn't a terrible pilot, Adan had developed his skill-set around Starfighters. The thought of flying some of the larger ships on the floor made him queasy.

The droid they approached, C1-47, would have been Adan's target if Kyber had not spotted him. It was a service model and did little more than serve drinks, though it had enough of a memory drive to point the two in the right direction. A properly programmed droid often had a eery awareness of its surroundings, and that was something Adan could relate to. The droid itself was about as lifeless as the tray of drinks it held, though the definition of the droid's hand stuck out from underneath the tray's flat surface. "Uh what?" Adan's attention snapped back to Kyber's words, right as he asked him a question. "Oh. Let's go speak to the headmistress. The Grand Master implied she had some idea, of a sort. Might as well go ask, yeah?" Kyber hadn't asked for a lot of detail, and neither had Adan. The Knight himself had wanted to stretch his legs, and a diplomatic mission felt like the perfect way to do so.

With little else to say the blone man continued on his way, and in turn left the Initiate to catch up to him. Adan weaved through the crowd with ease. The fact that he did it while blindfolded drew more than one odd glance, as he made his way toward the staircase at the opposite end of the lobby. The Head Mistress's glass office sat on a perch in the middle of the staircase itself, like an eagle's roost. It took only a short time for the pair to climb the steps, and reach the entrance of the office itself. Inside, behind the glass, a woman in her mid-sixties sat. Her thin, aged hair cascaded down her back, but it had been the crows feet on her face that had tipped Adan off. Through the force he could witness dimension, and wrinkles always stood out on a person in the same way one noticed a nose in relation to a face.

"You must be the Knights. Please, take a seat." A small, stern voice filled the otherwise quiet room.

It took Adan a few moments to realize the door before him had opened, and the woman in the room could now see him as well. "Oh, yes. Adan Caal, a pleasure to meet you." Adan ushered himself, his cheeks colored rose. "You've been expecting us?" In moments the Miraluka found one of two cushioned seats in front of the Headmistress' desk glass desk. The entire office was decorated in a rather utilitarian manner. There was a purpose for every peice of furniture, and little personal flair decorated the office.

"Well. No one else is dressed like you." The older woman waved the two over, as if they were two students about to be lectured. In fact, she began speaking well before either Jedi had actually sat down. "As I am sure you have been informed. Our Academy has gone through a... gap in attendance, of sorts. Most of our students graduate into the commercial sector, but with the war some seek a more... applicable set of skills. They want to play hero."

Adan pressed his back into the cushions of the chair, and listened to the woman tell her tale. While there had been plenty of interested parties in the lobby, the heat itself was enough to make any outdoor interaction unpleasant. "That sounds familiar." The knight could empathize with the woman, though he would not go into what he meant by his comment. The Jedi themselves could not escape the turmoil of war, so Adan was not surprised to learn that the student's hadn't.

"We had a student death last year because of it. She was close to graduating, and no instructors were close enough to guide her safely back into the hangar. The parents never got a body, and our numbers have dropped significantly. Which is why we have hosted this event, and the airshow." With that the Head mistress stood and turned around. Her eyes scanned the lobby below her. "They need to know that this Academy is a safe place to learn. You fly, ginger boy? I heard Jedi got some of the best pilots around." Her comment had been directed toward Kyber, as he seemed to have a good set of eyes. "Maybe you'd like a spot in the show?"

Kyber Krystal · Jun 18, 2017

Kyber was used to operating solo and taking the lead in essentially everything he ever did. He did what he want, when he wanted, how he wanted. But now he was a new member of an organization and couldn't just do whatever he wanted. He was a member of a team, and he needed to listen to his teammate. It was fortunate that he seemed to agree with most of what he had to say. But Kyber felt that he couldn't just absolutely take the lead when he was so new to the Jedi. Although he was happy that Adan seemed to value his input.

As Adan mentioned Valen in his own words, Kyber was stunned. Wait, Valen was the Grand Master? Like the leader of the Jedi? Valen hadn't spoken a word of any of that to Kyber before. Kyber was astonished. He was recruited to the Jedi by the leader of the Jedi themselves. Maybe he did belong with them if that was the case. If the Grand Master of the Jedi had seen promise in Kyber, maybe he actually could make it as a Jedi. Be what his father couldn't be... He came back to reality in a hurry as he saw Adan walking towards the staircase. Kyber quickly followed, nearly bumping into another group of guests in the process.

Kyber ran up to join Adan as he was about half way up the stairs. Eagerly running up, he made it to the top of the stairs and opened the door. "Excuse me, are you the Headmistress of this Academy?" Kyber asked innocently as Adan made it to the top of the stairs. The two Jedi were quickly ushered into the room. Kyber smiled at the Headmistress, who was admittedly much older than he expected her to be. Not that he would ever say that. "Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you." He said to the woman as he quickly found a seat beside Adan. It was a simple, polite greeting. He still didn't really like giving out his name and if he didn't feel the need, then he didn't necessarily have to.

He decided it was the best idea to let Adan take the lead. He still wasn't exactly clear on how the Jedi preferred to operate, and expected he could even learn a bit by watching a Knight's example. Kyber felt sad hearing about the reason the academy's attendance was low. It was always a danger. Every time you entered that ship there is a chance of death, but that shouldn't be a deterrent. But even if you learned to fly properly, flukes could occur. He wouldn't pry into the details of the death, but it was nonetheless an unfortunate occurrence. But Kyber had to admit, he sympathized with those students who wished to play hero. He did that often. He had his share of dangerous and risky flights, some even on the Imperial Capital.

Kyber's contemplation was broken as the headmistress mentioned him directly, asking him if he wanted to fly. "Me?" Kyber said at first, surprised she would even ask. Kyber didn't just fly, he flew extremely well. He liked to take any opportunities to show his skills off, but usually he was more of an anonymous wonder. He never gave out any identifying factors. So he had a slight aversion to the idea of entering a public airshow. "Yeah, I fly." Kyber continued, still processing what he wanted to say... He decided he would fly in the show. He needed to prove to himself that he was willing to help the Jedi. Valen clearly saw something in him. Kyber didn't want to prove him wrong.

"Not to brag too much, but I've outflown Imperial fighters before." Kyber stood from his seat and walked to the window to join her. It was perhaps a bit of a forward or direct move, but he wanted to display confidence. Showing Headmistress Diana that he was willing to help with the airshow would be a great stride in the Academy's relations with the Jedi. "What kind of show are we talking about? You guys have choreography planned?"

"Nothing so formal" The Headmistress said plainly. She was direct, succinct and formal. Not the type of person that Kyber was used to dealing with, but it certainly helped accelerate business matters. He was mostly used to dealing with Underworld creeps that spoke way too much. He learned to use words as a weapon, and not having too many words to work with was a bit unsettling for Kyber.

"Our top students are each choosing a ship of their own, and displaying their prowess while flying. We have prepared an obstacle course, an open setting to engage in specific maneuvers, and finally... a shooting course, which I wouldn't ordinarily approve of, but we need to appeal to a greater base of potential students." It made sense to Kyber. Academies needed to adapt in order to survive. Training fighter pilots would be helpful no matter the occasion, whether they encountered privateers, pirates or even Mandalorians.

"I never did get your name, young man"
"My callsign when I fly is Shadow." Kyber didn't really feel comfortable revealing his real name to her yet.
"I see... Where did you learn to fly, Shadow?"

Kyber couldn't help but let out a scoff as she said that. He always thought it was funny when people asked if he was taught somewhere. But his smile was quickly eliminated as he noticed the stern look of the Headmistress. "Um, that is to say I am self-taught, I haven't been formally trained anywhere." The Headmistress paused for a second, before a gleam of inspiration hit. A small smile formed on her face. "I am going to make a proposal: How about you pretend that you are a graduating student of the academy. We will get you a helmet that covers your face, you will pilot one of our ships, and fly in the show representing our school... Your thoughts? I will definitely make it worth your while"

Kyber was a compulsive liar, so he was totally on board with the plan. It benefited both parties. She would get her phenomenal air show, and he and Adan would attain some great points with the Sullusian Natives. But again, he felt he was largely trying to take the lead again. He looked over at Adan. "Adan, what do you think? Sounds pretty good to me". But of course it did, Kyber had lived a life up until now where lying was not only inevitable, but also encouraged. He wasn't exactly sure how the Jedi Knight would feel about dishonesty in such a diplomatic manner.

@Beta12

Beta12 · Jun 20, 2017

A short, pleasant laugh shot out of Adan in the middle of Kyber's conversation with the Headmistress. He had just learned more about Kyber from his braggadocios behavior than he had from his archived file. The man's late induction into the order had interested Adan, but his past had evaded the Knight. His stance conveyed a certain confidence, and his words played like silk along skin. Kyber either told the truth, or he was an exceptional liar. The shadow was a name someone gave themselves when they were either confident in their ability, or overconfident in their luck. Plenty of smugglers had lived by similar names, and plenty of them had died by them. One could never truly be confident in their own capabilities until they gained the discipline required to understand them. The initiate's connection to the force was obvious, but his youth was evident through voice and action.

"Excuse me.." Adan muttered a small apology, as he sought not to interrupt the conversation. You're thinking too hard. A small yawn escaped his lips moments later. He was only 23, and that made him only a little older than his fellow Jedi. The Miralukan had spent two decades of his life in the order, and it was enough to make him feel like one of the shriveled old monks that once dominated Tython. Kyber must have lived a life of intrigue, especially when one considered the fact that his self-taught piloting rivaled Imperial standards. He must have spent an outrageous amount of time inside of a ship, to reach that level of skill.

"Sounds fine to me. Just sad you can't tell me how it's going!" Adan sat up from his reclined position, and tilted his head slightly toward Kyber's general direction. It was a fine idea to generate some interest. Though the students were sure to be excellent pilots in their own right, a force sensitive pilot with combat experience could make the show. In fact, there was a real chance the others would be bested. "Try not to outclass the others, Shadow." A grin crossed Adan's lips. Restraint had its applications, especially as far as the Jedi were concerned, but Adan felt that there was little harm in a bit of showmanship. "We would be glad to help you!" Adan's head turned back toward the older woman as he made his offer.

The woman's gaze shifted toward Adan. "Oh. I'm not done with you. We'll need both of you for the commercial, you see. It's for the new holo-media, covering our Academy's 'modern' approach." Adan's grin drooped into a curious smile, as he witnessed the woman's wrinkled face contract into a scowl. The word 'modern' fell out of her mouth like a hot coal. "It's nothing special, just a few lines. Shadow gets the interview as soon as he lands, while he's halfway in the cockpit. If he flies like a student he can be added into our interviews. You can do yours on the pad, by some ships. Gotta say, an Academy that can train a blind boy to fly is a damn good one by my standards."

"Actually, I am a Mir-" The old woman help up a hand, and the rest of Adan's words stuck inside of his throat.

"Doesn't matter, kid. People see the blindfold anyway." That much was true, and Adan could hardly blame her for her honesty. Not many Miraluka traveled beyond he veil, and it wasn't like they left it wearing the same eye-covers. Some chose flashier exteriors, while others went for comfort. Adan did not require texture or padded material, and preferred his simple blindfold over other covers.

"When does the show start anyway?" Adan stood from his seated position and adjusted his tunic. The Knight would play his part for the good of the school, and he was hopeful that he would do it well. With few more words, the Headmistress gave both of them the time, and excused herself from the office. She made sure to usher both of them out before she locked the door.

"If you don't mind..." While it was obvious that her mind had floated on to her next task, she made sure to get her parting words across. "Could you have a chat with the one of our instructors on the pad? He has been tense since the incident, and he is making the students a bit... uneasy." With that, the Headmisstress made her way down the staircase and disappeared into the crowd. They weren't the only guests that had been invited, after all.

"So. We have an hour to kill. Enough time to get to the pad and have our chat before your pre-flight checks. I mean, unless you wanted to look at some more star ships." They had enough time to do a bit of both, but Adan was content with letting Kyber make the decision. "By the way.." Adan made sure to turn his nose toward the initiate before he made his way down the stairs. "There isn't one way to be a Jedi. Be confident in your own ability, be careful in its application, and the force will guide you."

Adan's boots tapped against the stairs as he made his way back toward the lobby. The instructor stressed out his students, and Adan did not want to take on a similar role. The order taught itself, and built itself on the experiences of each individual.

Kyber Krystal · Jun 21, 2017

Kyber felt happy as Adan agreed with the plan that the Headmistress had put forward. He wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of being totally honest all the time. Some preconceived notion he had about dealing with the Jedi was that no matter what the circumstances they would want to be totally and completely honest, which was not at all how the galaxy worked. The galaxy was filled with liars, cheaters and sneaks and you needed to learn to talk circles around those people to get what you wanted. Then again, he wasn't sure if Valen would go as far as to kill those slavers when they clearly deserved it, and yet he did. The Modern Jedi were proving themselves to be more pragmatic than what he had ready about on the HoloNet. Perhaps because the Jedi of new were not the Jedi Order of Old.

Though his joy was wiped away as the Headmistress spoke about the need to do a commercial. Kyber kept his poker face, maintaining a smile, but on the inside he was nervous. It was easy to not draw attention to oneself if you were with other pilots, but not necessarily when you were being personally interviewed. Maybe he could keep the helmet on, maybe that would look more interesting, touching down in the ship and throwing out some catchy catchphrase or something. Kyber was nervous, he would never admit it in a million years but he was.

"So am I keeping the helmet on for the interview or...?" Kyber's question would never be answered. As he tried to ask the Headmistress, she immediately began to walk out of the room. Kriff, he thought. A rare feeling for him, Kyber felt insecure. He didn't really know what to do.

"So. We have an hour to kill. Enough time to get to the pad and have our chat before your pre-flight checks. I mean, unless you wanted to look at some more star ships."

Adan walked right up to Kyber, as if the Knight had sensed his nerves. Kyber still wasn't exactly fond of the idea that he was consistently surrounded by trained empaths who could read all his emotions and, if trained well enough, his thoughts. Kyber, at least to himself, was this mysterious and unpredictable figure, to be able to be read like an unlocked datapad was a bit unsettling. But he did admit, it was nice knowing all these empaths were on his side.

"I'm sure we'll see more than enough ships on the way. She really didn't give that much detail, I don't even know where the hell I'm supposed to go..."
"By the way... There isn't one way to be a Jedi. Be confident in your own ability, be careful in its application, and the force will guide you."
"Thanks Adan... I appreciate that" Adan could in fact sense Kyber's emotions, his uncertainty. Adan's attempts to allay his doubts were very much appreciated.

Kyber walked out of the office, following Adan down the stairs. He took another look at the show floor as they walked down. The ships were amazing, but there were probably more ships towards the hanger. The ships that would be usable during the actual show were probably already being housed in the main hanger, being calibrated and prepared for flight. He preferred his own freighter above everything else, but he would not be able to operate the guns without a co-pilot. He decided he would take a fighter and participate the best he could in the shooting course. He needed to make a good impression.

As the two Jedi walked together, trying to find the irate instructor who were scaring the students, Kyber looked over at Adan. He seemed like a good guy, like most of the Jedi he had met so far. "I appreciate the assurances, Adan. I'm still kinda new to this Jedi thing, in case you couldn't tell... Seems like most of you guys have been with the Jedi since you were kids, like Valen... I just kinda feel like a bit of an outsider still, you know?" As much as Kyber wanted to learn about the Force and Lightsabers and stuff, the Jedi seemed like a whole new culture unto itself. A culture he was totally unfamiliar with. A culture he had a totally theoretical knowledge of. He had already been alienated from one culture, the idea of joining a new one and risking that happening again did scare Kyber. But he had met good people so far. Valen, Orlan, and now Adan. Turns out there were good people in the galaxy. Not just shady shits looking to make a credit and psychotic Sith waiting in the shadows. "I don't know though... Did you grow up with the Jedi? Or are you another late arrival?" Kyber ended that with a small grin, adding a sense of levity. Kyber didn't like things to remain somber and deep for too long. It was better to keep things light-hearted and fun, at least as much as possible.

------------------------

A few minutes had passed, filled with a bit of banter as the two Jedi walked down the showroom floor toward the hanger, they were suddenly able to hear the sound of an older man yelling. "And there was this one time when I was on Nar Shaadaa, I met this Hutt-" Kyber was interrupted by the man's voice. It was grizzled and old, sounding like that of a war veteran. A grizzled old voice that for a second made Kyber stand still in his tracks. It sounded much too familiar... no, it wasn't him. The voice was too high pitched. After being noticeably stunned in his tracks for a split second, Kyber shook his head and looked at Adan. "Well, I think we found the grumpy instructor." Kyber said nonchalantly. He shrugged, patted Adan on the back and marched off in the direction of the voice.

"What the hell are you still doing out here, walking the floor?! Report to your ship and get it ready! This isn't playtime, kiddo, this is real shit! Get moving" A grizzled, old Zabrak male with visible scarring on his face was shouting down at a mousy looking Mirialan girl. She looked around Kyber's age, if only a bit younger. She ran away, presumably towards the hanger. Before approaching him, Kyber waited for Adan to catch up, before talking to the Instructor. "Why were you yelling at her?" Kyber spoked in a presumptuous manner, perhaps too forward once again. The instructor turned around, rounding on the Knight and the Initiate.

"None 'a your business, kid. Why you out here, shouldn't you be in class? Get lost."
"I'm just wondering why you were yelling at her. Nerves aren't the best thing for any pilot to have."
"And who the hell are you supposed to be to tell me what's good for my students?! I have seen real combat before, runt, I think I know what to do with my charges"

Kyber wasn't exactly sure what to do. He had ways of influencing people, of course, but not in a way that would be considered legal or legitimate. Talking to people in a diplomatic fashion was a new occurrence. He decided to try something that had succeeded frequently in the past few weeks.

"You will take a breath, and calm down" Kyber said, making a wave with his hand as if to brush something off his face, and trying to wrap the force into his words. He had been able to persuade quite a few people leading up to the time he officially joined the Jedi. Maybe that would succeed here too?

"You need to learn some manners you little punk, telling me to take a deep kriffing breath! You kids have no kriffing respect in the slightest!"

Kyber's attempts to persuade him failed. Kyber was not yet experienced enough with that ability, or connected enough to the Force, to influence someone with a stronger mind. He had for the most part been practicing on common thugs in the underworld, the type you needed to tell to go and take a leak. All brawn, no brains. This was an intelligent, if belligerent, war veteran. Kyber, a little panicked at his failed persuasion attempt, looked at Adan, with the kind of look that just screamed "HELP".

@Beta12

Beta12 · Jun 22, 2017

"Yeah." Adan turned his head in the initiates general direction as they walked through the room. While some guests continued to mill about around the Jedi, most had gravitated toward the fighters on display. Bright colors that Adan would never see splattered the hulls, and drew eyes toward canons and hardware built into the ship. While the Academy itself trained plenty of commercial fighters, even traders needed to worry about the current state of the galaxy. Pirates filled space in a war, and this war was no different. A well designed ship could save someones life in a sticky situation, and a three-way war bred plenty of sticky situations. Detail stood out to them, but it was the initiate at Adan's side that garnered most of his attention. Kyber had opened up a bit, and asked a question of his own.

"I've been in since I was three." Many Jedi came to the order at an early age, and Adan had been no exception. His parents had both been Miralukan, and that was all he knew about them. If they had a story behind their departure, a reason for their abandonment, Adan had not heard it, nor did he wish to. "It's all I've ever known, ya know? I mean, some of my earliest memories involve a training saber!" An easy smile crossed Adan's lips, as he talked about his past. It was a common enough question, and it was not the first time Adan had been asked. He did not mourn the life he could have had. "Pretty easy adjustment I guess, but they like to train 'em young." Adan crossed his arms in front his chest. "Helps with the muscles, right?" Kyber must have been trained in something, when one considered his physique.

The hangar had been much larger than the lobby, when they had finally entered it. Students moved throughout the area as they tended to the various ships prepared for the show. They had something to prove, and the tension in the air could be felt by anyone with a shred of empathy. Even the softest features were hardened either by determination, or an intense urge not to vomit. Adan had made similar faces in both situations, and he only hoped his initiate would not be returned to him covered in the stuff. While Adan's "gaze" did not reach far, he could also sense several floors of chambers beneath him. The surface of Sullust appeared deceptively barren, as most of their buildings were located in vast underground caverns.

Adan's attention snapped back toward Kyber, as his pace faltered and stopped. Something had caught him off guard, and a note of confusion crossed the Knight's smile. A voice, that carried above the rest of the crowd, emanated from an old individual, and was directed toward a student. "I th-" Kyber patted Adan's back and moved off toward the altercation, though he did wait for the Miralukan himself to catch up. Kyber had been ready to take the reigns when Adan arrived, and did so as soon as they reached ear-shot of the irate Instructor.

"Er.." Kyber launched himself into the situation before Adan could get a word out. While his question was plain, it was not the best way to approach such an individual. The instructor himself was harsh, and the horns only added to his intimidating exterior. He had been a warrior, that much was obvious from his words, but it was Kyber's next action that brought out further ire. He had actually tried to persuade the individual, and force a calm interior on someone who clearly wasn't calm. Emotions were potent. If one sought to tamper with an individuals mind they needed to use such emotion to their advantage. An enraged individual with a powerful will would likely stay enraged, but the rage itself could be redirected.

"I am SO. SORRY!" Adan's voice almost hitched an entire octave above its normal, if not scratchy range. While the Zabrak itself had yet to become violent, it might very well have if it had realized what Kyber had tried to pull. "Clearly this guy knows what he is doing!" Adan hid a slight frown as he attempted to hook the Initiate by the arm to guide him a few steps away. With his back to the instructor, the Knight leaned his head in toward Kyber's and whispered in a low voice. "Short term solutions aren't best applied to long term issues." There was a slight strain to his voice, but it did not convey annoyance. "If that had worked, he might have remained calm for an hour. But you can't rid someone of their attitude."

Adan made sure to step away from the initiate in that moment, and threw up his hands in disbelief. His right hand fell toward his face moments later, and his finger pinched at the bridge of his nose. The Zabrak was watching them, and he would need some sort of show to salvage the situation. "Now!" Adan's voice increased in volume, and he retraced his steps back to the instructor. "I run a class on Lothal, small thing for some Jedi." The instructor perked up at that, and turned the majority of his attention toward the Miraluka. "My student, Kyber, is just a bit rough. Got invited by the Headmistress, but he hasn't seen such a professionally run Academy." The Zabrak's hard expression softened with each word, but his chest puffed with each compliment. It didn't matter if the Zabrak was in on Kyber's false role, as he (hopefully) did not control the Academy's media.

"He.. uh.. was just concerned..." The Knight leaned closer to the instructor than he had before. Adan's voice was thick, and filled with emotion as he continued. "We've lost many members of the order to.. similar situations, battle nerves.. you know? " The Miralukan stopped himself, and turned away from the Zabrak. "I think he just thought you had some yourself.. there is a lot at stake." The fate of the school was at stake, and even the instructors needed to be reminded of that sometime. "But you've trained your students well. They are confident in their abilities, and their skill shows through the force... they practically radiate your desire to succeed." That was all a lie, of course, as Adan could see little past their busy movements, and nervous minds. Dishonesty could be a useful tool in the right situations, even for a Jedi.

"Yeah... well. Get that punk in a ship. I can handle my students." The response was as short and harsh as the others, but there was a clear difference in the tone of his voice. A lack of attention might have killed the student from the previous year, but Kyber was correct. Nerves in battle could lead to errors, and those errors could snowball into something else entirely.

"Of course." Adan offered a small bow to the instructor before him, before he turned back to Kyber. In a lower voice, Adan spoke to the initiate. "You need some practive. But.. just remember. The force is a powerful tool, but if you rely on it soley you will be useless in its absence." It was a lesson Adan himself had learned inside the Catacombs of Cadera. "Just show 'em what you got, and talk to the instructor after that." Respect was better earned than demanded, usually more-so to a soldier.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pre-flight checks went by quickly. Though Kyber was a professional pilot, the students around him had trained to be just that as well. They were a graduating class, and strove to prove that their education had been decent, at least enough to put on a show. Though the majority of the show would be held outside, the inside of the hangar featured several, elevated rows of seating, that provided a wide view of the air-space outside. Adan could only see the seating, and the open air beyond the hangar. Somewhere, objects danced in the sky, but they were far away, and the rest were likely concealed from him entirely.

Kyber Krystal · Jun 23, 2017

"The Hell are you-" Kyber exclaimed as Adan grabbed his arm and dragged him away. Kyber was a little annoyed. Yeah, he was looking for help with the situation, but he wasn't looking to be man-handled by his companion. It made him look like a stupid kid, unable to operate on his own. Kyber had been operating on his own for nearly a third of his life now. He resented needing anyone's help, never mind being physically removed from a situation. Adan probably had his heart in the right place, but the act of being physically removed from the conversation, at least to Kyber, felt belittling and condescending.

As Adan turned around, he began to explain the folly of Kyber's previous action. Kyber wasn't exactly used to being 'taught' yet. Ironic for a Jedi Initiate fresh in the order. When Kyber had initially resolved to join the Jedi, he had assumed that most of his time would be spent in the Archives, practically training himself while instructors occasionally interjected. Having lived very independently for the last few years, Kyber didn't exactly take lecturing very well. Which, to Kyber, was exactly what Adan was doing right now. Kyber didn't apologize as Adan explained. He thought that trying to persuade him was the best course of action and didn't necessarily see why it wouldn't work, had it been successful. By the time the airshow started, the belligerent instructor wouldn't have mattered at all. Kyber saw what he had done as a short term solution for a short term problem.

And so, Kyber was shut out from the conversation as Adan took the lead.

Kyber, admittedly, as a bit impressed. Adan's talent for theatrics was considerable. You needed to be smart, creative and you needed a certain type of zest to pull out a backstory and an excuse out of your ass. Kyber had an appreciation for the art of bullshit, as he needed to perfect it while living as a smuggler. But Kyber was noticeably peeved when Adan blatantly told this told stranger his name. Something he really did not appreciate. He understood that Adan didn't understand his inherent desire for discrepancy, but it didn't stop him from being angered. Kyber was amazed that Adan was openly admitting that the two were Jedi. In Kyber's short life, he had come to learn that knowledge was power. Giving away so much information all at once was unfathomable to the young Initiate.

"Now wait a kriffing second!" Kyber attempted to interject as Adan spoke.
"He.. uh.. was just concerned..." Kyber was totally ignored by the instructor and completely brushed off by Adan. He just stood there. It didn't help the Jedi's mission for him to keep running his mouth, and he wasn't about to get anywhere with the conversation.

Kyber stood there, observing Adan and his choice of words. Kyber had a decent bullshit detector, and it was going off right now. Talking about sensing the student's abilities through the Force. Kyber wasn't too experienced sensing things with the Force, but it didn't take a Jedi Knight to tell that the students, at least almost of them, were nervous as hell. When he had looked at the girl the instructor was yelling at, he could sense her anxiety towards the show. She might have been a good pilot, but perhaps she didn't necessarily want to show off. Adan was bluffing this instructor to calm him down, but it remained to be seen if it would work... turns out it did. As the instructor walked away, Kyber approached Adan again. Kyber was a little angry, but he understood that Adan did what he had felt best to do in the situation. After all, Kyber was the one who "asked" Adan for help in the first place.

"You need some practice. But.. just remember. The force is a powerful tool, but if you rely on it soley you will be useless in its absence."
"I don't need a lecture, okay? I don't use the Force as a crutch, I've made it just fine by myself up until now! ...Sorry. Thanks for jumping in to help but... This sounds weird, but can you please not say my name to total strangers?"

Kyber didn't offer any explanation as to why. Before he could, he noticed that there were more people heading towards the hanger. "Looks like the shows starting soon, I gotta get ready"

----------------------------------------

Kyber was all-suited up and prepared to fly. His pre-flight checks went by swimmingly, with no real problems presenting themselves. The instructors were walking around making sure the students were all prepared and ready to fly. While these checks were usually just something Kyber learned to do on his own, they were almost treated like testable material by the instructors. Something that Kyber almost found laughable, but he needed to remember that this was an academy. People came to learn how to do exactly that. Kyber was just walking up to his ship now, after making the rounds and looking at the other ships. His checks took much less time than others, which gave him time to make the rounds.

As he made his way to his fighter, he nearly bumped into another young man. He looked around Kyber's age and was about the same height. Another guy just making his way into the galaxy. Kyber decided to act amicably and civilly. He was representing the Jedi and needed to act like it.

"Sorry man, my bad. Best of luck in the show"
"Yeah yeah, save it Blaster Brain" The man retorted. "We all heard rumours about a Jedi pilot coming into the show. You might fool the audience, but you ain't fooling me. Just stay out of my way, and let me be amazing. I'm just as good as any Force using pilot, you got that?"
"Listen, buddy-"

Kyber was interrupted by a loudspeaker, perhaps for good reason. "PILOTS, PLEASE ENTER YOUR SHIPS! THE SHOW IS ABOUT TO COMMENCE"

Although Kyber would have liked to settle the dispute, he needed to be behaved better. He needed to be a good representative. "Best of luck, slick" said the other man as he walked away, intentionally slamming into Kyber as he moved. Kyber took a necessary deep breath to calm down, before proceeding to his ship. He entered the cockpit and hit the ignition of his fighter. Kyber secured his helmet, perfectly masking his face and covering his person in the colours of the Academy. Dozens of ships, fighters, freighters, flew into the skies of Sullust, Kyber along with them.

The show had finally begun. Time to begin the main event.

@Beta12

Beta12 · Jun 26, 2017

Beneath Adan the bleacher was cold, and it brought goosebumps to the surface of his skin. His blond hair tossed in conditioned wind. Investors, instructors, and potential students slowly filed into the hangar as pilots climbed into their ships. The show was close to its start, and tension filled the air. A lot of people wanted, needed to see some sort of success in it, but Dyson was confident in the Initiate's ability. The Miraluka himself could witness most of guests as they sat around him, but his mind had been elsewhere for the past few minutes. "PILOTS, PLEASE ENTER YOUR SHIPS! THE SHOW IS ABOUT TO COMMENCE." Other's around him jumped at the sudden, shrill voice that erupted from the hangar's speaker system.

He considered the conversation he had had with the Initiate. Kyber was a spit-fire, but his response to the situation was no fault in his own. Adan had spent most of his time in the order, and the majority of his adolescence had been rather tame. Though some Jedi encouraged independence, the sheer community of the order meant that Jedi always had some system of support to fall back on. That same support system had enveloped the entirety of Adan's life. Things were easy when one had the sheer ability of the Order at their fingertips. He had never wanted for food, comfort, or other necessities. It was an unfortunate fact of life that millions lived with far less, and would likely never leave their planets.

Kyber's life had been spent outside of the Order. His strength, his skill, and his capabilities had formed under a different crucible. What Kyber had achieved had likely been fought for, through blood, sweat, and tears. It wasn't that Adan hadn't worked hard in his life, but Kyber might have worked more just to achieve similar goals. "Ahem.." The air in the hangar vibrated with the energy of multiple fighter engines. For a moment, Adan did not hear the voice of the person next to him. "Ahem!"

The small frown that had played itself across Adan's lips faded. While his mind still buzzed with thoughts of Kyber, they would have to be brushed aside for now. The voice itself had sprung from the Headmistress, who had taken a seat next to the Jedi Knight. "Oh. Ready for the show?" A smile was absent from his voice, but Diana either took no note, or simply did not care.

"If you can call it that." A small groan escaped the woman's lips as she adjusted herself in her seat. She reminded him of his former master. His advanced age had elicited similar noises, something Adan noticed as he had grown from a boy to a man. However, the Knight doubted that it was advanced age that brought the woman low. It was her academy after all, and the weight of it hung on her as much as it did the students below.

Past the bleachers, the first few starships left their berths, and began their initial climb inside the cool air of the hangars. In that same moment, Adan realized how casually dressed everyone around him truly was. They had prepared for the heat of the planet. That same heat greeted the skin on his face and left it damp with sweat moments later. The large metal doors of the hangar creaked, groaned, and slowly began to open for the commencement of the ceremony. Climate control was a necessity on any planet, but it had its limitations on Sullust. Most of their cities were locked far underground, in places where the intense heat could not reach. The entire civilization had fled under the skin of the planet like mites, and only their industry braved its surface. "It'll go fine."

Starships fled his sphere of vision, as they tore from the hangar and screamed into the sky. Cameras buzzed from the hangar behind the star ships to record further details of the show. Somewhere above them, in full view of most of the audience, Kyber had begun his show. It would be impressive, but Adan himself would not witness most of it. "If you could be down by the pad, before the end...?" Diana's voice chirped out beside him. Her gaze was locked on some point in the sky, and her eyes traced shapes that only entered his vision briefly.

Adan stood without a word and took to the stairs in the bleachers. Diana's focus was with her students, and he doubted anything he could say would pry her attention from them. It was only a short jaunt to the pad, but Adan was already drenched in sweat. If he ever came back to the planet, it would be in a pair of shorts and little else. "Here for the interview right?" A small, fox faced woman called out to the Knight. Beside her stood a rather large, red-faced man who shouldered what most have been some sort of holo-recording device. Fox-face continued as soon as Adan nodded in response. "Right. Well, you know the drill. Sam! Start rollin'!"

The Miralukan might have turned pale, if his face hadn't taken a hue similar to Sam. "Tell us a little about yourself! What brought you to the school?" She was beside him in an instant.

"Mom grew up in commercial flight, and Dad fought for the Border Alliance. This just seemed like a fit." It was easy to lie about parents he had never known. "Sullust kind of offers both world's.." Adan perked as if he had been struck by lightning. He had forgotten one of the most important parts. "I mean, look at me!" In a dramatic motion the young man waved both hands in front of his face. "I can even fly blindfolded!" A cheesy grin spread across his face.

"Cut! Marvelous. See ya!" With that the woman left Adan's side, and began her journey toward a cluster of ships at the opposite end of the pad. They were idle and pilotless, but soon the first of the students to clear the course would land. Sam huffed behind the woman, and Adan followed the pair closely. Kyber would touch down soon, and there was plenty he had to say to the Initiate.

Kyber Krystal · Jun 26, 2017

Kyber flew up to the skies of Sullust, careful to do last minute inspections on his ship's controls. They were nothing extraordinary and nothing he hadn't seen before, but it was still good to get his bearings. He was impressed overall by the training ships the academy provided. They appeared to be specially modified to handle the surface temperatures of the planet, able to maintain their core functions even on the most extreme days when the temperature skyrocketed. Looking down at the main console, Kyber could see a small monitor that had been imbedded inside. Like a datapad had been mounted to the ship's controls. Its function was to provide instructions to the fliers. It was a good method to communicate with the pilots. He had to assume that operating multiple com channels would be much too tedious and costly. Transmitting instructions to an imbedded monitor was much more efficient when teaching new pilots. Kyber was sure to read the screen.

"Display Basic Maneuvers while Demonstration Courses are brought online"

Basic Maneuvers... What the hell did that mean? Kyber had to assume that they were the first flight patterns that were taught at the academy. Nothing too showboat, just to display some sort of confidence in their abilities. So, Kyber decided to do just that. He was not planning on showing off at all, just flying around and grabbing his bearings of the surrounding area. Until he witnessed a similar fighter to his engage in some risky looking moves. Kyber just knew it was the same asshole he had encountered on the ground. Kyber decided to follow suit, for two reasons. The first being it looked better if two ships were engaging in extravagant maneuvers, instead of one gifted pilot. The second being that Kyber didn't like the cocky son of a hutt.

Kyber did what didn't seem like any big deal to him, but most likely was to a simple commercial pilot. Being a smuggler meant you had to be... creative. Especially when you flew a clunky freighter that wasn't exactly the fastest ship in the galaxy. Kyber had his share of close calls and chases in his ship, where he had to pull off many maneuvers that would definitely not be deemed safe in an academic setting. But this was a mobile, speedy fighter. Kyber could do that and more in here. Casually, he weaved in and out of the other pilots, never close enough to come into contact with another ship. The last thing this academy needed was to be portrayed as unsafe.

"Students will enter course, one after the other. When your name is displayed, it will be your turn."

Kyber, not paying attention to its establishment, had noticed that numerous metallic walls had been lifted from the ground and into place, forming what would be their obstacle course. He couldn't see the shooting course yet, but had to assume it would be at the end of the maze that has just been erected from the ground. He saw as ships began to enter the course, no doubt being captured by the cameras within. Kyber decided to give the crowd a show unclose while he waited for his turn. Besides, if he was to be interviewed, might as well give his ship a good reputation. He flew right near the bleachers, and pulled off a double aileron roll, a trick Kyber would use in his freighter to avoid blaster fire. In the smaller fighter, it made him look like a torpedo. He couldn't hear the crowd, but he did see figures jumping up and down, excited by the show.

"Callsign: SHADOW. Enter the Course" Showtime!

Kyber flew directly through to the course entrance, taking deep breaths as he flew. The course was nothing too difficult, at least not for him. He had flown through the lower levels of Imperial Coruscant in his freighter, tight turns here were no big deal. Kyber didn't pull off any fancy tricks here. The fancy trick would be to get through the course totally unscathed. Kyber, in his element, was almost having fun. He didn't get many chances to fly anymore, not since confining himself to Dantooine. This was familiar. This was the life Kyber lived for years, and being back in the thick of it was... pleasant.

Exiting the main obstacle course, Kyber came upon an open arena with an array of moving disks shot through the air. A skeet show. The object being to shoot the objects out of the air before they hit the ground. Admitedly, shooting in his ship wasn't something Kyber did often. He flew a freighter, the guns weren't at his disposal. He knew he was a good shot with a blaster, but he wasn't as confident in his ship shooting skills... But he remembered Adan's words before:

"Be confident in your own ability, be careful in its application, and the force will guide you."

Kyber breathed deep, and extended his senses to the world around him. He flew through the course, as the disks were launched at various speeds, altitudes and angles from all around the arena. One by one, as Kyber flew around, he was able to shoot the disks down. It was impossible to hit every disk, there were simply too many, but each disk that Kyber fired towards he managed to hit. They weren't live targets, they were inanimate objects. With the Force, combined with his skills, he was able to track their movements and shoot. It was a great feeling. Before long the disks stopped shooting.

"COURSE COMPLETE. You may return to the Hanger"

Kyber flew out of the arena and back to the docking bay without any hesitation. He steeled himself. The Headmistress had promised him an interview when he landed, and he was about to get it. Ironically, this was the most difficult part of the show for the young Initiate. As he docked, a camera crew quickly descended on him, looking like they were already recording. Kyber decided to put on a little show, since he was being taped anyways. Taking advantage of the smooth edges of his craft, he emerged from the cockpit and slid down the ship, onto the ground. Landing directly in front of the camera crew. In front of him stood a fox-faced woman and a large man with a holo-recorder.

"That was some fancy flying there!" The interviewer said. "And some fine shooting to match!"
"And it wouldn't be possible without my instructors here at the academy!" Kyber said, totally enthusiastic. He was trying to sell the material.
"Any advice to the new students looking to learn to fly like that?"
"Absolutely! Fly Straight, Fly High, Fly with Sullust!"
"CUT! Oh you're golden kid. Inspiring words and a tagline to match! Perfect! See ya!"

As the crew left, Kyber breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't forced to take his helmet off after all. He was just the golden boy in academy garb. Kyber, overall, was very happy. The whole affair had gone smoothly. Nothing ever went smoothly. He almost always expected something to go wrong but... nothing did. Remarkable. Before long, Kyber was able to spot Adan nearby where he docked. He walked up to the Jedi Knight.

"So how's my flying?" He said with a grin. "Did you get ambushed by the camera crew as well?"

@Beta12

Beta12 · Jun 26, 2017

A small smirk replaced Adan's cheesy-interview-grin as he neared Kyber's berth, with Sam and the fox-faced woman. Kyber had done well, and even Adan had gotten a small taste of the smuggler's skill. His trick for the audience had easily entered the Knight's perception. No matter how puffed-up he had gotten in his braggadocios behavior, the skill and confidence that Kyber advertised had been completely grounded in reality. Whatever skills he had taught himself before he had entered the order had obviously served him well, and facilitated his survival in a harsh world. Adan couldn't help but wonder at the alien worlds he had learned to fly in, where tight turns and crowded situations were a way of life. The only planets the Knight himself had ever truly known were for the most part empty and secluded. The thought of being surrounded by such life and structure brought a cold sweat to his already drenched form, he had already felt overwhelmed in the crowded marketplace of Jedha.

While the rest of the show had escaped his sphere of vision, the parts that he did see seemed to indicate a successful show. The crowd had definitely oo'd and aw'd, he had heard that much during his trip back toward the berths. Fox-face's words only confirmed Adan's suspicion, as she praised Kyber for his skill in the course. Kyber's response, though manufactured, worked perfectly with the mission that they had been given. 'Fly Straight, Fly High, Fly with Sullust', had a catchy ring to it, and it would only be a matter of time before the Academy itself appropriated it in some form. "You flew? I couldn't tell..." A playful, confused look crossed the Knight's face as he spoke. Adan could only hold the look for a few moments, before his satisfied smirk broke back into a (this time genuine) grin.

"You're great. Way better than me." Adan's skill in flight was strictly relegated to his sphere of vision. He could have navigated the obstacle course if he had been asked, but his movements would have seemed much more random, and far more jarring than the skills offered by Kyber and his fellow students. It was a boon in space, and allowed quick reaction time that could seem almost uncanny to even a seasoned pilot. However, he was forced to rely on an astro-mech co-pilot for anything beyond the sphere. He could fly right toward a massive frigate while in his fighter, and not even witness it until he was close enough to be tractor beamed inside.

"The interview went fast. Guess I wasn't as ready as I thought." Kyber looked practically stellar in his flight uniform, and the helmet only helped the flight student persona. Adan, however, was still dressed in the tunic he had come in on. That fact seemed to shadow the direction of Adan's interview. He had practically blushed when he had forgotten the blindfold bit, and was glad that he had remembered it before the camera had stopped recording. Kyber had occupied his thoughts, and that had shown through his forgetfulness.

"Listen..." Adan's voice dropped a bit, and became far more guarded as Fox-face and Sam let earshot. "I'm not about titles. You are hardly even younger than me." The words fell awkwardly out of the Knight's mouth. He always liked to make Initiates comfortable around him, and the fact that he dragged Kyber off for a lecture had been a bit out of his character. The stress of success in war weighed on him like any other Jedi, but he had let it drive a wedge between him and Kyber. "Sorry if I made you feel... doted on." Adan's voice became a little less awkward as he went on, and the grin on his lips never truly disappeared. "We are in this together, all of us. Work off of each other's strengths you know?" The Knight stopped himself before he began to lecture again. Kyber was fiercely independent, and could take care of himself, but older Initiates required guidance in some things, even the oldest among them.

"Let's get back to the office." The Headmistress would hopefully be pleased with the show, as well as the other instructors of the Academy. A successful show brought nerves down for everyone. The students had proved their own ability, and now they could be confident in their instructor's guidance. Sullust could attract commercial pilots, as well as those looking for war. Perhaps, even the Jedi could send their own to be trained within the walls of the Academy. Fighter pilots would be useful in the wars to come, and exceptionally trained fighter pilots would only help their cause.

Adan began to move back toward the lounge building, through its inner connection inside of the hangar. Around him, plenty of students began to return to their berths, assaulted almost immediately by fox-face and Sam. The tension that had hung in the air had been replaced with something far more jovial, relief crossed the room like a wave. "You know. Maybe you could teach me a thing or two about that freighter you fly."

"Sharp flying punk." The grumpy instructor the two had met before seemed almost unrecognizable. The intense stress on him had been lifted like a weight, and it was as if he had climbed out of a thick suit of armor. "Got time for some pointers?" The meek, green girl that he had yelled at earlier stood at his side. She had a smile on her face, and her gaze was locked soley on Kyber.

"Might as well. Golden kid." Adan might have winked, if he could, but he was able to offer a small eye-brow wiggle instead. "We got some time."

Kyber Krystal · Jun 27, 2017

Kyber was happy to see that Adan had loosened up once again, the interviews and the demonstration having been completed successfully. Kyber was a bit off-put when Adan had decided to chastise and lecture him in front of an academy instructor, but had to remember that he was an experienced Jedi with a lifetime in the order. While Kyber wasn't totally connected to the Jedi in every aspect, this was Adan's life. It was a small wonder that Adan wanted to make sure that every mission he took part in went successfully. Kyber was used to being by himself, only having to really care and think about himself. Thinking of others and putting himself into another's shoes was still very new, foreign even. So he couldn't be mad at Adan. He was doing his job.

Though the last thing that Kyber was expecting was an apology. Kyber on principle had never really apologized to anyone. An apology meant you were sorry and felt remorse for some of your actions. In the Underworld that was more or less a sign of weakness. You needed to be absolutely certain of what you were doing. You needed to have no regrets and just go forward as best you can. Kyber didn't feel that Adan needed to apologize for "doting" on him. After all, he was a Jedi Knight, it was sort of his duty to do that with the Initiates. Nonetheless, Kyber appreciated the words. "Thanks man. I'm not exactly used to doing shit like this. You know, official missions and stuff... Sorry if I snapped at you back there." Apologies felt stale and stiff in Kyber's mouth, but as he learned to trust his fellow Jedi they were getting easier and easier. "I'm also not used to having... support. Of any kind. But yeah, like you said, we're all in this together." Kyber ended that with a smile, a genuine one this time. Adan was getting a glimpse of Kyber's genuine side, not the cocky presentational front he would put on.

As the two talked and walked away, towards the headmistress' office, Kyber took off his helmet. His hair was glistening with sweat, the helmet combined with the heat of the planet causing him to feel extremely hot, even in a temperature controlled ship. He brushed his hadn't through his hair, slicking it back to prevent the sweat from dripping onto his face. "My freighter? Yeah sure, I'd love to! I know the Jedi have ships of their own, that are most likely faster and better than mine, but the freighter is special to me. It... It belong to-" Kyber's quiet conversation was cut off by the irate Instructor along with the meek girl he was yelling at earlier. The Zabrak looked improved already. He stood taller, and did not look nearly as sullen. Like emotional weights had be lifted off his shoulders. Kyber was surprised as the Instructor shot him a compliment, and the girl asked him for some pointers. Kyber definitely didn't object to that. Besides, she was cute.

As Adan gave him the go-ahead, Kyber smiled at the girl. "Well, you know, some of the tricks I've learned aren't exactly the best used in an academic setting" Kyber said to the girl, putting on the charm. "But maybe I could give you some pointers in private sometime. Give you my holo-frequency and-" His attempts at flirtation were interrupted by the instructor clearing his throat. No doubt, even if Kyber's skills impressed him, he was less than impressed with the way the Initiate had conducted himself up to the present moment. "Or not." Kyber let out a nervous laugh. "I'm not much of a teacher, but hit me up and I can talk to you a bit more... My name's Kyber, by the way" Kyber thought that by now this instructor would have told the student his name, no point trying to conceal it now. "Emma. Nice to meet you, 'golden boy' " Already the girl seemed more confident. Kyber and her swapped contact information as they made small talk, totally disregarding Adan as he did so. After they made the exchange, Kyber looked back at Adan. "I need to get going, Jedi business and stuff, but... call me, alright?" Kyber threw her a wink as he walked away with Adan to report to the headmistress. Kyber had a huge grin on his face. "How hot was she?!" Kyber said with a smile. "And I got her frequency, this is a good day!"

-----------------------------------

After a few minutes of more talking, Kyber and Adan made it back to the main lobby. The air conditioning was extravagant, absolutely sublime. Kyber and Adan were getting along better now, the initial awkwardness of new partnership having been passed. He looked up at the office, seeing the headmistress standing at the window. No doubt she would see the two approach. "Well, time to see if we screwed up or not" Kyber said with a smirk. It was light-hearted but at the same time, was hopeful they did everything right. The two walked together, again displaying a front of unity to all who might look at them. As they headed up the stairs and opened the door to the office, the headmistress spoke as if she was omniscient, not letting them even say hello.

"Fly Straight, Fly High, Fly with Sullust" She said with a sense of grandiose. "That statement will be perfect for our marketing campaigns in the coming months. You flew well, boy. Looks like my assumptions about the Jedi were correct. Please, Gentlemen, make yourselves comfortable" Kyber smiled at Adan before sitting down. Looks like they had done well.

@Beta12

Beta12 · Jun 28, 2017

A small sigh escaped Adan's lips as he fell into the seat next to Kyber. The knight had never understood the merits of a properly air conditioned building until then, and being fully indoors only made his smile wider. For the better part of the last decade he had lived on Ilum and Jedha. You couldn't take a step without landing in snow and ice on Ilum, but the vast deserts of Jedha were just as frigid. Both worlds were largely barren and unimportant to anyone save a select few. By now, he was simply use to the cold, and heat took more out of him than he liked to admit. "We aim to please." Though the Jedi had succumbed to war and its necessity, they had always been a force for good in the galaxy. Two Jedi and their good deeds could go a long way.

Kyber's slogan had spread fast and even the Headmistress had greeted them with it when they had first arrived. Bet that will be playing over the holonet before we leave. Adan kept the thought to himself. Kyber had earned his time in the spotlight, even though his identity remained unknown. Largely unknown, considering the sparks between Kyber and the girl with the geometric tattoos.

"And you have. I wasn't sure that you'd actually show." The Headmistress' posture reminded Adan of some sort of feline. She was much more relaxed, especially when compared to the straight-back, rigid posture they had first been greeted with. Her fingers lightly drummed on the desk before them, and underneath the desk her foot tapped the hard floor languidly. "Smugglers always take up commercial freight in war. Not a lot of pilots have hope for that sort of work."

"The war won't last forever." There was truth in that, somewhere. All wars came to an end eventually. Unfortunately, it was the wars between the Sith and Jedi that seemed eternal, at least to a student of history. There could be hundreds of years of relative peace, even a thousand, but there never failed to be some sort of odd recurrence. It was almost as if a cosmic balance had to be struck, at least once in a while. Adan brushed the thought aside, and folded his hands in his lap. "The order could use all the trained pilots they can get, Jedi or otherwise." The Knight had not been instructed to strike some sort of deal, but he allowed his words to fall in that direction anyway. Sullust would never train battle ready pilots for the Jedi alone, but that didn't mean a few wouldn't be nudged their way, from time to time.

"Mmm, quite. Well...." Though it took a few moments, Diana raised herself from her chair to stand behind her desk. She brought her hand to bare and offered it to both Adan and Kyber. Adan was the first to respond, and he grasped her hand firmly. Her skin was thin, and it stretched across the the delicate bones of her hand. "Thank you for your assistance, gentlemen. The Sullust Sector Spacefarers Academy will not soon forget it." For the first time since they had met, the Headmistress' allowed an excruciatingly small smile to grace her lips. Adan almost flinched, as if her face would shatter and send a spray of glass toward them.

Several figures became apparent to Adan as they neared the glass office, and he tilted his head toward the door moments before the first person knocked. "Ah, that would be my appointment. If you would excuse me..." To her credit, Diana seemed slightly annoyed at the interruption.

"No problem." Adan unfolded his hands from his lap and stood. "May your students and instructors continue on their path to success." It wasn't a standard farewell, but it would have been less genuine if the Knight had mentioned the force. A vornskr was more connected to the force than most of the students combined, so it had been their skill that brought them to this point. After the Jedi left, it would be skill that carried their Academy into the next generation.

---------------------------------------

The lobby itself was practically electric, as Adan and Kyber moved toward its exit. Guests that had once milled casually between the star fighters now grouped around them. In fact, several had to push their way in just to get a look at some of the Sorosuub Corporation's recent models. Instructors and students alike had filed back into the room as well, and stood near starfighters similar to the ones they had flown in the show. One woman in particular stood out to him, as they passed her similar ship and identical instructor. "You know.. I am more interested in the Valen's of her kind, but she does have interesting dimensions." Adan witnessed a person fully. He could study an outfit and an expression on ones face in close to the same thought, though his own human-ancestral mind had its limits. "Did you notice the instructor when you got that frequency? I thought the Headmistress' was a frowner, but sheesh." A small laugh escaped his lips at that.

"And as far as flying lessons go, I've never flown anything other than an Antarian..." Cool air hissed against the heat of Sullust as the lobby doors slid open, and Adan stepped outside.

Kyber Krystal · Jun 28, 2017

Kyber for the most part just sat in silence, beaming with the success of his mission. Although he was more than capable of talking his way out of most anything, he wanted to be respectful... for once in his life. He decided to just sit back, smile and let Adan do the talking. Besides, at the end of the day, as an Initiate this was a learning opportunity, and he wanted to observe how Adan conducted himself. Overall, he was very impressed with Adan. He was friendly and conducted himself with dignity. Kyber would definitely be happy to count Adan amongst his friends in the future. Of which he now had two. Him and Orlan.

Kyber couldn't help but smirk when Diana mentioned Smugglers. She had a fair point, at any rate. With the war, before he formally chose to side with the Jedi, he found he was getting more business than ever. Contraband, Weapons, whatever needed to be transported. And people paid extra for a good smuggler who would make sure their goods would get exactly where they needed to go. If these students could be trained to match the skills of the best Smugglers, it would be an incredible boon both for them and the academy.

Kyber was also very surprised to see Adan so boldly mention providing pilots to support the Jedi cause. It was a very direct move... a very respectable move too. Kyber was thinking the exact same thing, but wasn't really sure if it was appropriate to mention it. He and Adan were similar, and appeared to have a lot of the same thoughts and opinions. He couldn't help but form a small smile as Adan said this, and a bigger smile when Diana appeared to consider the proposal.

As Diana approached to shake their hands, Kyber stood and grasped her hand firmly. Not in a crushing grip, as she appeared to be perhaps a bit more frail, but still firm. Conveying respect. "Hey, would you consider letting me keep the suit? It fits really well, and I look like a kriffing-" He looked up at the Headmistress, seeing the smile that she had formed shortly before quickly vanish. "Okay, that's a no, not a problem" He took off the suit and placed it in the corner. He had kept his tunic on underneath so it wasn't like he was stripping in front of her. He bowed his head towards the woman as a show of respect. "Thank you for everything" He said briefly with a smile, before following Adan out of the Office.

--------------------

Stepping out into the lobby once again, Kyber could just feel the air getting lighter. He almost felt more connected to the Force, even after this one day. The unanimous feeling of happiness and excitement filled the room. Kyber had never really felt such a large group's feelings, at least not intentionally. It was a new experience. A very good one. It brought a sense of genuine happiness to the young man. It was a feeling that you would never feel on the more underworld centric planets. Here, way from the toils of war, people were happy. Kyber, being spaced out for a second, didn't realize that Adan had walked away from him down the steps. He quickly followed.

As the two conversed, Kyber couldn't help but notice Adan mentioned that he enjoyed the "Valens" of the Miraluka species. He'd heard of men that liked other men before but he had never met one before. It was something new. Nothing super extraordinary, but new nonetheless. "What, you like the big muscles and the chiselled jawlines?" Kyber said jokingly, flexing a bit for Adan's amusement. Though Adan quickly changed the subject to the irate instructor. "Oh I know, talk about a kriffing buzzkill! I really hope that none of Jedi instructors are like that. Being stuck in a class is one thing, but I don't think I could handle dealing with that guy all day. But that girl was smoking right?! I mean, did you see"
"Hey! Ginger!"

Kyber turned over his shoulder. It was the asshole that slammed into him earlier during the show. Looks like his turn had passed and he was done now. "This will just take a second" Kyber said to Adan quickly, before leaving his company to talk to the kid. He really did look very similar to Kyber. Almost like this kid could have been Kyber if he was able to have a normal life. If his parents hadn't perished, and if they weren't on the run in the first place.

"You flew good man. Sorry I treated you like shit"
"Hey, emotions were running high, it's fine... I'll be real, didn't expect you to even talk to me after, never mind say you're sorry"
"I was being a dick, didn't need to mouth off. You were helping... So are we good?"
"Yeah... We're good. Good luck here man. And you know, the Jedi are always looking for good pilots... You could really help"
"We'll see... May the Force be with you, or whatever you guys say"
"Yeah... May the Force be with you." A Jedi's farewell that Kyber had never said before... The words felt more natural to say by the day.

He ran up to Adan after settling his dispute. "Alright. Ready to go? Valen's probably gonna want a report or something... Do Jedi make reports, I don't kriffing know." Kyber laughed as the doors shot open, letting hot air cascade into the cool foyer of the academy. "Hey, I'm not sure how much I can teach you with your vision, but I can try my best. But no one flies my freighter but me, little rule." The one rule that Kyber really had. It was his Father's freighter and it meant a lot to him. He really needed to trust someone were they to fly his ship.

"I guess that wraps things up, more or less. I could use a drink. Want to take a pit stop in Hutt Space? I know a few dive bars on Nar Shaadaa where I can get us cheap drinks"

And with that, the two new friends walked towards Kyber's ship, getting ready to leave the planet. His first mission for the Jedi was a complete success. He couldn't wait to tell Valen the good news.

OOC: END THREAD

@Beta12