Ask Ajan Kloss Master and Apprentice

Izel Thral

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Izel scratched the scar on her arm obsessively as she stood with her back to the temple library wall, awaiting her new Padawan's arrival. Her new Padawan. That just seemed so surreal. It had been her choice. She wanted to be of greater service to the Order, and that meant taking on and training one of the many apprentices needing instruction. But it still felt unreal. She had only just earned the rank of Knight herself, something she had worked for for years. But she couldn't stop to enjoy it, she still had very far to go. She thought back to the road that brought her here. All the challenges and the marks they had left on her. She looked down at the one on her arm. Some of them were plain to see, others would haunt her mind for the rest of her life. But she couldn't dwell on that now. It was time to take up her new responsibilities as any Jedi must. She pulled the sleeve of her robe down over her arm and stood up straight. If he was at all punctual Isen would be here any moment.

The Vratix had made a point to learn whatever she could about her new apprentice. A Kiffar, originally from Kiffex, joined the Order at age seven. That was unusual for the new Order that Rey Skywalker had created, but not unheard of. She had spoken with the boy's previous instructors and his family. He was a promising duelist, probably already matching her own skills or even possibly exceeding them. But he lacked discipline in the Force. Perhaps that was why the Council had considered him a good match for her. Izel devoted much of her time to her meditations and had been rewarded with a profound connection to the Force. She looked forward to impressing those skills upon her student. She had thought things over quite thoroughly over the past few weeks. She already prepared an extensive training regimen for the boy. When she had shown her notes to her own former master he simply laughed and shook his head, telling her not to bother with such things. He encouraged her to get to know the Padawan before deciding what method of training would be best. Perhaps that was true, but then Master Reev had never taken her training too seriously at all.

Feeling the time drag on the insectoid began to pace about restlessly. Where was he? The more she thought she started to become worried, mind jumping to the worst conclusions. She never even considered that he may have simply been given the wrong meeting location or time.

@Isen
 

Isen Ramm

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The day was turning out to be a whirlwind for the young Kiffar. Isen Ramm had been quickly asked to take his leave by one of the Jedi Masters, Yuul Tik, from an interview with a local journalist. The journalist had apparently been interested in a bit of heroics that Isen was responsible for in the caves. Most days were slow news days on Jedha, and Isen had made a bit of a noise- much to the chagrin of some of the Jedi elders. Not that the deed was done, but rather that the deed was done without first heading to elders before acting. Interpersonal conversations with a stranger wasn't his strongest suit, so he didn't complain when he was able to politely cut the interview short. He was in shock when Master Tik told him he had 15 minutes to prepare his "go bag," and that he would be leaving.

Before Isen could decompress all this information, he had packed his essentials in a small satchel and found himself on a Corellian light freighter headed to an unknown planet for an unknown reason. He was told that whatever was left in his quarters would be sent to his family who had moved to Jedha- part of the agreement for the Council taking young Isen as a youngling even though he was not orphaned. He would be told if they remained on Jedha or if they had made the decision to move back to their home planet. What had become clear is that Jedha would not be Isen's home for quite some time once he left.

Master Tik, an aging Mirialan, was already on the ship when Isen boarded. Master Tik was slender, and soft spoken, but he spoke with authority. His blue eyes shown brightly against his yellow skin. They relayed a sincerity against a backdrop of stoicism. He said little, and Isen, not much of a conversationist, didn't say much either. The young Kiffar sat in the commons room of the light freighter as it made it's descent to land at the temple at Ajan Kloss. Isen was buckling when he asked Master Tik, "Master Tik, where are we going?"

"Where you are going, young Ramm," Master Tik said. "Ajan Kloss is simply a stop on the way to my destination. I have business on Dantooine."

A lump developed in Isen's throat. He had a great respect for Master Tik who spent a lot of time at Jedha among the conclave of Jedi there. He had hoped that Master Tik had decided to take him as a padawan, but that was very clearly not the case. Knowing that Ajan Kloss was a jungle moon with tons of flora and oceanic terrain and organisms, Isen thought his fate as a Jedi had been decided- he would be sent here to help research...something. Botany, medicinal applications, or something else that the young Kiffar would have to learn to tolerate. "And why am I being sent here, Master?"

The Mirialan stayed perfectly still, save his eyes which shifted to look at Isen. "You are impatient, young one. It's your greatest weakness," Master Tik said. His eyes drifted back to looking straight ahead. "Your impatience is why you struggle to feel the Force. It is why you struggle with content that doesn't interest you. Relieve your mind of impatience, Isen."

"You aren't going to tell me why I'm here, are you?"

"I will not. If it makes you feel uncomfortable, consider it one last lesson before we part paths."

Isen sighed. The transport freighter landed, and the Kiffar unbuckled. The exit opened up and lowered the ramp to the landing platform at the temple. As he took his first step, Master Tik put a hand on Isen's shoulder. "Isen, I have great faith in you. I have a feeling that the Force has a great plan for you." He turned Isen to look him in the eye. "But, you must do your part. You must be more diligent, more patient. Do you understand?"

Isen smiled and nodded and made his way off the ship, his satchel hanging on his shoulder. He was unsure what that meant. Hopefully, it mean more than working in a lab, measuring bio levels of aquatic fauna or flora. He stepped away and watched the transport and Master Tik head off to Dantooine. The young Kiffar was escorted inside the temple. His satchel was taken and was told that it would be in his lodging room after he had been dismissed from his appointment. A youngling human, no older than 7 or 8, escorted him to the library. He was taken to the back wall of the libary where a towering Vratix stood dressed in Jedi robes. Isen's eyes grew wide. He had never seen a Vratix before, let alone one that was a Jedi. Having spent most of his life on Jedha, a planet most inhospitable to insectoids, he had not had many opportunities.

The human youngling bowed before the Vratix and said, "Master Thral, here is your new Padawan."

If the young Kiffar's eyes could have gotten wider, they did. He blinked a few times, gathered himself and bowed. "Master, Thral," Isen said. "I wasn't told why I am coming, but I can't tell you how happy I am to meet you."


@Reyn
 

Izel Thral

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Izel was just starting to consider going to the landing platform herself to ask if the transport from Jedha had arrived when she was snapped back to the present by someone calling her name. She turned and looked down at the two humanoids, the youngling amusingly being far less dumbfounded by her appearance than the teenage Kiffar. The Padawan recovered quite quickly though and gave a respectful bow as he greeted her. Well he knows his manners, that's good. she thought to herself approvingly. Before addressing the Padawan she looked to the youngling and gave him a short bow of her head.

"Thank you Cynan. You are dismissed." She said in a friendly tone, able to speak fluent Basic despite her unusual anatomy. The boy smiled and bowed in return to the Knight before turning to run off. With the youngling gone Izel turned her full attention to Isen, folding her hands neatly behind her back as she leaned perhaps a bit too close to get a better look at him. Her antennae twitched idly as she inspected both the Padawan's appearance and felt the emotions pouring off of him. He seemed relieved, and genuine in his expression of happiness. He must have been waiting to be assigned a master for some time. He certainly appeared to her like a Jedi that valued the martial practices of their Order. And the Force was strong with him, though wild and largely unchecked. Yes, it was quite clear why they had been paired now. Once she was satisfied with her examination Izel leaned back, giving the Kiffar some space.

"Pardon me," She finally spoke to him apologetically. "I don't mean to be rude. Just trying to get a good sense of you." She bowed her head to him respectfully. "Welcome, Padawan Ramm. Your enthusiasm is shared. I look forward to continuing your training. You strike me as a very promising Jedi." She gestured for the Kiffar to follow as she began walking through the library.

"To explain how things will proceed from here: Ajan Kloss will be your home from this point forward, until the end of your apprenticeship. Of course that doesn't mean you'll be stuck here. You'll be accompanying me on missions across the galaxy." She tried to be slow enough in her explanation of the details of his training that she would not overwhelm him with all this sudden news. "I'm aware of your skill with a lightsaber, and while that will be addressed and improved upon, for the time being I'd like to focus on a more basic field that has seemed to elude you." She looked at him as they walked, her face essentially unreadable to a humanoid. "The Force. That is where a Jedi's true power lies. And as I understand it it is something you still struggle with. No matter how much potential you have, you will never realize it without mastering the Force. Now, what can you tell me about what you already know?" As they continued walking they would exit the library, making their way into one of the temple's many courtyards, this one occupied by an exquisite garden.

@Isen
 

Isen Ramm

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Isen stayed still as the insectoid surveyed him, a stray antenna invading his personal space now and again. He tried to smile at her welcome, but his general stoic nature made it faint. He was hopeful that being at least a Jedi Knight, perhaps a Jedi Master, he did not yet know, that she would be able to read his appreciation and happiness. He felt his heart start to pound at the prospect of going on missions with an accomplished Jedi, at least one accomplished to take a Padawan of their own. Certainly, there was some hesitancy about moving to Ajan Kloss, but the decision had been made, and he would have traded a lifetime on Jedha to be trained as a Jedi anywhere. Besides, the jungle moon of Ajan Kloss fit his Kiffar sensibilities much better than the cold, barren landscape of Jedha. This was a much better fit indeed, and he was finally on track to become a Jedi Knight. No more spinning his wheels.

He was surprised she knew so much about him. She knew he about his prowess as dualist, but also his shortcomings in using the Force in more...practical applications. Namely, all the other applications. He was trying to compute everything that was happening, his emotions were going in a dozen different directions, and he so many questions about his new Master. While she had obviously been given a file on him or at least had talked to some of the Masters that lived on or frequented Jedha, he had been given no information on her. Or was his new Master a male? He couldn't tell. He had no dealings with Vratix, so his empirical knowledge about the species was nil.

Then she levied the question of all questions, "The Force. That is where a Jedi's true power lies. And as I understand it it is something you still struggle with," She said. "No matter how much potential you have, you will never realize it without mastering the Force. Now, what can you tell me about what you already know?"

That was a loaded question. What did he already know? How do you condense nearly eight years of training in the Force into answering that question? He walked beside his new master who towered over him. Together, they left the library and into a courtyard. Isen had not seen such a garden outside with natural wind and sun. The Jedha complex had a tremendous indoor greenhouse and aviary, but it felt incredibly sterile and synthetic. The garden was obviously a creation of design but was kept alive by the very real elements of Ajan Kloss. The rains of Ajan Kloss watered the soil. The sun provided natural energy for the plants to photosynthesize. The flowers and plants were rooted in the very earth of the terrestrial body. He caught himself gawking and made himself answer the question.

"I know that the Force is the energy that binds the entire universe together. I know that a Jedi's power comes from it. Through the Force, Jedi can manipulate both the living and the nonliving." He sighed. "I've become very good at harnessing the Force in areas of interest. Less so in areas where...um, where I struggle to get motivated." He wondered if that was a tactful way enough of saying that he was lazy when it came to studying the non-martial part of his training.


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Izel Thral

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Izel could feel the whirlwind of emotions within Isen, he wasn't exactly good at concealing it. She didn't think any less of him for it though, she had been just as excited and unruly once. His answer to her question was quite textbook, and very technical. He seemed to view the Force from a more practical perspective, which helped the Vratix understand his difficulties. Still, she couldn't help but chuckle at the last bit of his response.

"Trust me I know exactly what you're talking about." She spoke in a more casual tone as they continued their stroll through the garden. "I've had difficulty applying myself to the studies that have less interest to me as well." She looked out over the trees and flowering plants of the courtyard. "The Force is more that just an energy field that Jedi manipulate. It is everything. Life creates it, and when we die we become one with it. We are the Force made flesh, but we are blessed with a stronger connection to it than most beings. A Jedi does not manipulate the Force. The Force manipulates him. When you are at peace and at one with the Force it will guide you, and show you how to bring peace to others." She looked back at the Padawan. "That is the most vital lesson you need to learn. Humility. The Force is not your tool. It's your master, and your closest ally. Act as the Force wills, and it will never betray you."

Of course these were things Izel was still trying to master herself. It was immensely difficult for a being, especially a headstrong one, to let go of their sense of individuality and agency and become a pure conduit of the Force. But that was the end goal of the Jedi from what she understood. That was their purpose, true enlightenment. To her, the Jedi were tools of the Force to create balance in the galaxy. But perhaps she was getting ahead of herself. She tried to remember Master Reev's words and be a little more laid back about things.

"Sorry, I'm sure you have many questions. Please, before we go any further feel free to ask me anything. I want to make sure we're on equal footing before we begin any training." She realized she hadn't given herself much of an introduction before interrogating the Padawan. He was probably most confused. She wondered how much they had told him about her, if anything. Already she was starting to worry again if she had made a bad first impression, though she did well in hiding these uncertain feelings.

@Isen
 

Isen Ramm

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Isen was relieved to know that his new Master had some of the same difficulties that he faced. He figured, being that the master had already overcome these obstacles into being a Knight, that that would make for an excellent teacher.

Isen looked off into the distance as he tried to consider how to ask her the things he felt were necessary in the moment. He desperately wanted to know whether to refer to his new master as him...or her. He knew that many insectoid species were actually hermaphroditic, but he couldn't remember if Vratix was one of them. But, something she said stuck with him. "Act as the Force wills, and it will never betray you."

The last thing that Master Tik had said to him was, "I have a feeling that the Force has a great plan for you. But, you must do your part. You must be more diligent, more patient. Do you understand?" He knew that Master Tik was a proponent of the Living Force, while a majority of the Masters he learned under on Jedha were proponents of the Unifying Force. He had textbook definitions of each, and arguments for both, but it was a back and forth from both sides that had utterly confused him...not on what they were per se, but rather which primary philosophy he should adopt. Master Tik had told him that the Force has a plan. His new Master, Izel Thral had just said the Force has a will.

"Master, I feel like a rope in a tug of war. On Jedha, most of the Masters that I studied under accepted a primary philosophy of the Unifying Force. Some, like Master Tik, were more inclined to the Living Force." Isen said. "You said that the Force has a will. Master Tik said that the Force has a plan." Isen looked at his new Master and said, "If the Force has a will and a plan, then would it be fair to align more with the Living Force tenets?"


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Izel Thral

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Izel visibly perked up a bit at Isen's question. That was quite the surprise, but definitely a welcome one. It implied a deeper level of interest in understanding the nature of the Force that the Knight wouldn't have expected given the Padawan's alleged difficulty with it. Although it might have been hard to tell for a humanoid the Vratix was practically glowing with glee as she fell into her response.

"That is a matter of much debate," She began. "And Masters far wiser than you or I subscribe to both philosophies, so I will not say there is a right or wrong answer. But personally, yes, I subscribe to the school of thought that follows the Living Force." Her own master considered himself a student of the Living Force as well. "Go with the flow" was one of Master Reev's most oft repeated mantras. She looked out at the myriad of life that existed just within the temple garden.

"My people have a custom," She began to explain. "That touch is the only trustworthy of the senses. Everything you see and hear has already happened. But what you feel, that is the present. That is where you are and what you are experiencing at this very moment. Seek to always be in the present, to exist alongside the Force. Because everything you see, and everything you think you are is temporary. Your body will eventually wither and die, but the Force is constant. Be always with the Force, go where it leads you, act as it bids you. And you will never fail yourself." She looked at the Padawan. "And when you are serene and at peace, you will know it's will, and be able to carry it out."

As the pair kept walking they passed out of the courtyard and into another ancient hallway, leading them towards the temple's exit. "The dark side will try to tempt you. But you must remember that your desires, your fears, your hatreds, these too are fleeting things. Strive always to remain at pace and in rhythm with the flow of the Force, and they will pass over you harmlessly." She looked forward towards the approaching light of the outside world. "Of course, we need you to learn how to properly connect with the Force before you can worry about any of that don't we?"

@Isen
 

Isen Ramm

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Isen nodded as he listened intently to his new master. He was very happy here. The jungle planet was full of life. It was as if a part of his Kiffar nature was coming alive for the first time. Better yet, his great hope of becoming a Jedi Knight finally had a tangible path.

Even though Master Thral had not given Isen a clearcut answer on the Unifying Force vs. Living Force debate, at the very least, it appeared that the tug of war would lessen somewhat. He was going to be instructed by a practitioner of the Living Force. Perhaps Isen would eventually devote himself to that philosophy as well, but at least the constant pull and competition between Masters and their philosophies was in the rear view. He was happy for that. He would be taught a prevailing philosophy, and he would have to accept it or not accept it. It was actually a great load off his mind.

"Of course, we need you to learn how to properly connect with the Force before you can worry about any of that don't we?"

The young Kiffar smiled nervously. "Yes, Master. The connections come naturally for me in combat training and manipulating my own athleticism." He sighed. "But, I suppose it's no sense in trying to hide it. I struggle to stay focused on mental exercises. It's like...It's like I'm in a bubble, and I can't access the Force outside of what I can touch and what is inside of me." He shook his head. "It's not that I can't. It's that I haven't put in the effort, I know. It's so hard for me to stay focused on the bor..." He stopped himself before finishing the word. "To stay focused on the topics I enjoy...less."


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Izel Thral

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As they continued speaking they once again entered the light, this time outside the temple, facing the dense, expansive jungle of Ajan Kloss. Izel was happy that Isen was being honest with her about his shortcomings. It spoke well to his humility. She was more amused by his finding meditative training boring rather than offended. Even though it was something she personally took great satisfaction in, she was well aware it wasn't everyone's cup of tea. Turning to face the Padawan she spoke in a friendly tone, with no sense of a scolding edge to it.

"You just need the topic to be presented in a way that plays to your strengths." As she continued speaking she reached into one of the many satchels she carried and pulled out a long, bright red piece of cloth. She began to loosely tie the fabric around her right wrist. "Let's perform an exercise. You say you're already talented at using the Force to augment your physical abilities? That's good." She raised her arm so Isen could get a good look at the cloth. "Your task, is to take this ribbon from me." Without warning she turned and leapt to the nearest tree, clinging to it some thirty feet off the ground. Looking back at the Kiffar her antennae twitched curiously, interested in how he would approach this training exercise. "Do whatever you need to do to get close to me. Don't hold back." She shouted back to him.

She hoped that a physical exercise would catch the boy's interest, but that was only the hook. Once the chase began in earnest she would push his reflexes to the limit, beyond what his body would be able to react to. If he wanted to succeed he would need to learn how to improve his perception through the Force. He would need to be perfectly in tune.

@Isen
 

Isen Ramm

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"Whoa..." Isen said as his master leaped with ease to 30 feet. He looked up to see the insectoid looking down at him. He couldn't read the face, but the tilt of the head hinted at curiosity.

"Do whatever you need to do to get close to me. Don't hold back."

"Yes, Master." Isen blew air out of pursed lips and looked at the distance. He could jump higher than most padawans and some of the knights, but this was a stretch. No doubt his master's legs were designed for incredible leaps, and Master Thral just showed that in spades. Isen was unsure how he would ever be able to catch up and take the ribbon in this exercise. He wasn't even sure he could make the jump to get to the branch. Was Master Thral trying to see if he could reach the branch, or if he ever managed to get there, would he/she spring to a different branch...or even a different tree.

Isen couldn't worry about that now. First thing's first- get on the branch. The young padawan took two deep breaths, bent low and exploded upward toward the branch that held his Vratix master. He was not even close. Better than most, he made rose to well above 20 feet, a respectable jump for most human Jedi, even in their prime. Still, it wasn't nearly enough. Isen shook it off, backed up, took a few breaths, and took a running start before jumping. Again, he came up short. He landed on one foot, one knee, and a hand on the ground to soften the drop. He felt like he didn't even get as close as the first try.

Isen sighed scratched his head. He flung his dreadlocks behind him and paced between the tree Master Thral was on and the nearest tree to it, which was about seven or eight feet away. He leaned against it with his arms crossed in thought. He looked up at his master and then back to the ground. A big leap for any Jedi, an incredible ask of a padawan. Perhaps this was a lesson in humility. Perhaps he shouldn't have boasted about his ability to manipulate his athleticism.

Isen sat down and basically pretended to meditate with his back flush against that nearest tree to the one that held his quarry. He assumed that his teacher would like to see that. He shifted against the tree he was leaning against. Hmm...the tree he was leaning against. His chin lifted and an eyebrow raised as he took a look at the tree he was by and the one that was his goal. There weren't any lower branches on either tree, but maybe he didn't need one. He stood and measured the distance between the trees....Might work.

He stepped away from the nearby tree, turned toward it and leaped as high as he could toward it, reaching about 20 feet, tried to time a jump off the trunk with a force push toward the desired branch on the target tree. He mistimed his force push and didn't get a full jump off the tree trunk, however, and came about three feet short of grasping the branch with his hands. He barely was able to soften his fall at all and the wind was knocked out of him all the way to Ord Cantrell. He tried to catch his breath, but he just wheezed. Isen managed to roll over and get to his knees, coughing out what air he had left. Once he gained his ability to speak, he looked back up to his Master and said, "Master Thral, am I on the right track, or should I try something else before I kill myself?"


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Izel Thral

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Izel had been anticipating her new Padawan to be right behind her. She was picturing in her head a chase through the trees, much like she used to perform on her homeworld. Then Isen jumped and wasn't even able to reach her. Immediately the Vratix realized her mistake. Oh no, I didn't jump too high did I? She thought to herself. A second failed attempt from the young Kiffar answered that question. I jumped too high... She thought with a disappointed sigh. She didn't blame Isen but herself. She still had trouble gauging the athletic abilities of humanoids. She had intended to present him with something challenging, not impossible.

As the Padawan sat down against another tree anxiety began to grip her again. She didn't want to discourage him! Oh this was a terrible first impression she was making! She was about to climb down when the Kiffar stood up and made one last attempt to reach her. Like his previous attempts it failed, and he fell quite hard on the ground. Concerned Izel immediately jumped down from the tree, landing much more gracefully. As she approached the Padawan recovered somewhat and spoke to her.

"That was... A creative solution, if not successful." She offered consolingly. "Forgive me. I overestimated your abilities..." Her antennae twitched and she quickly raised both her hands. "That's not to say I think you're untalented of course. You did very well for a humanoid," She shook her head. "For a Padawan." She corrected quickly. She sighed again and put her face in her palm. Now she was just coming off as patronizing.

Taking a moment to collect herself she looked back at Isen. "Sorry. If I can be perfectly honest with you I'm new to this as well. Teaching, I mean." She offered him a hand up. "If that wasn't too taxing for you we can continue the exercise on the ground. I think that's a little more reasonable don't you?" She desperately wanted to cultivate a friendly relationship with Isen considering they'd have to be dealing with each other for quite some time to come. She could only hope he wouldn't see her mistakes and behavior thus far as something worthy of contempt.

@Isen
 

Isen Ramm

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Isen caught his breath and was trying to listen to her, but he kept looking up at the branch. He felt foolish for not being able to make it. He should be able to reach that branch. He was a Jedi, after all. He'd been Jedi initiate up until just a few minutes ago, but a Jedi nonetheless. He had heard something about his abilities...slightly overrated....good for a humanoid...a padawan. Isen's feelings weren't hurt because he wasn't paying close attention. It wasn't on purpose or to be rude, but he couldn't get his mind off that branch.

"If that wasn't too taxing for you we can continue the exercise on the ground. I think that's a little more reasonable don't you?"

Isen did a double-take. He heard that much. "Huh? Oh, I can make it, Master. I was only kidding about killing myself. I'd probably only break my arm. Maybe a leg or rib." He was kidding, of course, but his dry wit made it hard for some to read at times. He nodded, trying to feign some confidence. "There aren't trees like this at all on Jedha. It's just a new exercise for me, and I mistimed my push. I can make it...Easy." He was still looking up at the branch. "I should have two or three inches to spare...I think...Pretty sure."

He stood and dusted himself off. He finally looked back at his master. "I'd like another chance, Master. If you'll allow it, of course."


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Izel Thral

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Izel was somewhat worried she was saying the wrong thing, but fortunately (or unfortunately) Isen didn't seem to be listening too closely. He was too focused on the tree, clearly determined to succeed. His words concerned the Vratix, unsure if he was joking or not. She certainly didn't want her Padawan to be seriously injured on his first day. Of course, she didn't want to encourage him to give up after just a few failures either.

"Very well." She replied to his request a bit reluctantly. "Try it once more if you think so. But don't be too discouraged if you can't. All these things will come with time." She turned so she was facing the tree as well. This time she decided she would stay on the ground and observe. She didn't mention it would also be easier to catch him with the Force should he fall again. "If I may offer some advice, try to put the distance between yourself and the branch out of your mind. These factors are irrelevant. Feel the Force flowing around you, through the air and the tree itself. Let it carry you like the wind carries a leaf."

She wondered if he would be able to grasp what she meant. To a Jedi the physical world ultimately meant very little. It was through the Force that everything was accomplished. It wasn't his muscles or agility that would help Isen succeed in this task but his connection with the Force.

@Isen
 

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The padawan nodded to his new master. "Yes, Master." He thought he understood, but he still found the philosophical talk vague and confusing, especially in reference to very physical things. But, what he thought his master meant was that during, and especially after the jump from the first tree to the branch, to try let the Force guide him and move through him and to trust it...and hopefully he would make it. If he was going to buy into this whole "Living Force" and the "Will of the Force" philosophy, he would just have to hope that the Force wanted him to make it to that branch.

Isen took a deep breath, looked at the branch, and then looked at the tree. He marked his spot on the launching tree that he felt like he needed to hit, did a little geometry to try to figure out the correct launch angle to the branch. He would do his best to trust the force, but a little preparation and game planning seemed like a good idea.

He backed up, took his running start, and leaped. He was going to hit his spot, and he did his best to relax and to let the force dictate his launch off of the tree. On this go-round, he timed it perfectly. His feet pushed off the tree from a crouch and exactly at the angle he was wanting. As his body recoiled off the tree, he concentrated to use the Force with a push. The tree, three feet in diameter or so, swayed noticeably from Isen's force push. Isen exhaled, and tried to do as his Master said, to not concentrate on the branch but to let the force carry him like a leaf. He had trouble trusting the Force. It was incredibly difficult for him to trust this unseeable thing. Be that at his may, the young Kiffar looked at his branch, and he was going to make it easily. In fact, he almost overshot the branch. Both hands grasped the branch, and his momentum allowed him to circle over the top of the branch like a gymnast on a bar. He circled again, caught a branch about 8 feet above him in his view, and launched himself upward, landing on that branch with both feet. He could used to this. Now, this was fun.

The jungle looked so different from about forty feet in the air, and it was incredibly refreshing and new. His smile was wide and he took in this jungle biome from such a great vantage point. The young Kiffar felt at home. He was meant to be in the jungle, not a frozen iceball like Jedha. He suddenly remembered that he had a teacher on the forest floor. He looked down and said, "Sorry...I got carried away, Master Thal."


@Reyn
 

Izel Thral

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Izel could sense the feelings of satisfaction and triumph coming off of her apprentice, feelings that seemed quite contagious as she laughed at the sight of him accomplishing his task and clapped her hands in praise. "Most impressive!" She shouted up to him, ignoring his seeming apology at having overshot his target. Looking over at the tree Isen had jumped off of Izel prepared for another leap herself.

Augmenting her already powerful legs with the Force was enough to let her leap up to the same level Isen was at on the opposite tree. As she clung to the trunk the Vratix looked over at the Padawan about eight feet away from her. "You felt it didn't you?" She asked him. "The pull of the Force? It's like being in a river, move with the current rather than fight against it." She raised her hand so the Padawan would get another good look at the ribbon still tied to her wrist. It seemed she wouldn't have to cut this exercise short after all. Now hopefully she could draw out his true abilities.

"Now that you're starting to get the hang of this I want you to try and take the ribbon again. I'm not going to be a stationary target, so be prepared to react quickly to my movements. And remember, don't look at the trees, feel the Force. Let it tell you what to do and where to go. That's how you'll achieve victory." She crouched down in place, prepared to jump to another nearby tree the moment Isen came after her. Hopefully he would be up to the challenge, and this would have the intended effect of helping him to better perceive his surroundings through the Force. If he was able to make that connection he would be able to predict her movements and preempt them.

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Isen Ramm

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The young padawan nodded. "Yes, Master. I think I understand." He made the leap to the next branch where his Master crouched. As Isen made his jump, his Master lept to another branch. Isen once again found Thral on a branch and lept, but she would leap, and Isen stayed behind her and the ribbon. This cat and mouse game continued for several jumps. He found himself looking down from time to time to check the distance to the ground. They were gradually getting higher into the trees. Sometimes his master would jump down to a branch, but slowly and surely, they were elevating. Isen found himself trusting less in the force to guide him to where his Master might be, and more focused on simply making sure he didn't take a tumble out of the trees. He would be fine if he fell...there were plenty of branches to cling to should he miss his spot, but...the optics gave the young padawan some pause.

More jumps, and the same result. The Kiffar teen was trusting the force more and more to make the branch-so long as he knew which branch he was going to at the start of the jump. He was starting to feel a swirl in his body, a looseness in his muscles as he trusted his body to do as the Force willed....but, with a focus on the next branch.

A few more jumps persisted, and he felt as if he continued to get to the branch later and later. His master was always one step ahead. He stopped and looked at her. She was perched on a branch about fifteen feet away on a nearby tree. "Master, I can feel the Force more clearly, but I can only seem to focus on where you are, not where you will be." He looked down. They were now about seventy-five feet high. The branches were so thick that much of the ground was not visible. "I think it might be....fear." He didn't want to say it, but he had. The younglings and initiates were lectured greatly about the negativity and consequences that accompany fear. Isen had little in the way of experiencing physical fear. Most of his fear had centered around social anxiety. Even when approached with real danger in the mines of Jedha, he was never fearful. "I feel that I can trust the Force to get me to the next branch so long as I have picked out the branch, but I'm having trouble letting the Force pick out the next branch for me."

He hoped that made sense.

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Izel Thral

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Izel found herself enjoying this exercise immensely. It reminded her very much of the games she used to play with her siblings when she was younger. The longer they went on jumping through the trees the less she remembered that they were actually in the midst of a test and the more she thought back to her homeworld. Unfortunately she was drawn back to reality when Isen suddenly stopped and voiced his concerns.

Izel did not respond immediately, remaining silent for several long moments as she stared back at her Padawan. Well this was embarrassing. She was supposed to be assessing his performance not having fun. But she could piece together a good enough conclusion from what he had said. While he was able to use the Force now to keep up with her he was still unable to go into the state of true oneness she was looking for.

"If you're experiencing fear than you don't really trust it do you?" The Vratix finally spoke up. Her tone was more explanatory than scolding though. "You're afraid to give up control because you think you might fall. You won't. As I said before, the Force will guide you. You need to think of your body as a conduit through which the Force flows. Let go of your fear and relinquish control. I promise you will not fall."

She prepared to jump again should he have the courage to continue. Eventually he would realize that with her superior training and natural advantages he wouldn't be able to catch her by just following after her. The only way he could hope to catch the ribbon was by predicting where she was going to go and intercepting her. After thinking on it a bit more she spoke again.

"I know this is going to sound like a crazy suggestion to you but bare with me. Try closing your eyes. Use only your Force sense to navigate." Usually this type of thing was employed when practicing with remotes, but Izel figured the greater risk would inspire better results. Besides, she was fully ready to catch the Padawan should he fail.

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Isen Ramm

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"Yes, Master," Isen said without thinking about what he agreed to. He took a deep breath. filled up his cheeks with air, and then exhaled. He had long wondered if the mind actually became lost between a padawan's apprenticeship and the time he or she would become a knight. "Close your eyes," she had said. "...you think you might fall. You won't," she said. Hmph. Isen took another look down. It was actually safer to miss your mark at this height as there were several branches between the start of your fall and the ground. Finding a landing spot before your body went splat on the forest floor would be pretty easy, he thought.

He had picked up the jumping and acrobatics fairly quickly. The physical came easy. It was the giving up the physical that was hard- and in a very real way, that is what is his master was asking him to do. Give up the control of his physical senses- in particular, his eyes- and let the Force do as the Force wills. Isen wanted to completely trust the Force and go for it, but, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He felt as if he had to start slow. He would find the branch, close his eyes and focus on his target. Again, the cat and mouse would begin, each time with Isen trying to catch a glimpse of where his new master was...without Master Thral catching him peaking. He was quite sure that she did. Still, this was his gameplan jump after jump...trying to sneak his peaks less and less,until, strangely, he could start to feel where his Master was without looking. He could feel her without the aid of his physical senses. Soon, he had put two major pieces of the puzzle together. He was trusting the Force to get him to the branch safely, and he could finally sense his Master without looking, hearing, feeling, or smell. He knew where she was.

He knew this wasn't the end game, but he was excited for his progress. "Master, I feel like I'm making progress." he smiled and opened his eyes. She was much further away than he thought. Isen's smile cracked a little to the side. "Or so I thought."


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Izel Thral

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Izel leapt to another branch as Isen came after her once more and tilted her head in confusion. Had he peaked? After a brief pause Isen leapt towards her again, and again the Vratix Knight evaded. him. Yes, he was definitely peaking. The insectoid clicked, feeling a tinge of annoyance. Well that was childish. If he wasn't ready for such a thing all he needed to do was say so. It was foolish to try and deceive her this way when she was paying such close attention to his movements. She was about to speak up when he jumped again, this time without opening his eyes. The jump was shorter and not quite on course, but he had done it.

Izel's antennae twitched and she decided not to intervene. The chase continued. Isen's movements were more sluggish and less accurate at first, but as he trusted more in the Force and let it guide his path he slowly began improving. He was still somewhat off course, but this was an obvious improvement that filled the Vratix with a certain sense of pride. Perhaps she wasn't so bad at this after all. Well, that or the young Kiffar was naturally gifted. Either would do.

The Padawan stopped to open his eyes, and the Knight was somewhat amused by his disappointed reaction at finding he wasn't as on point as he thought. "One step at a time Padawan." She reminded him with a chuckle. "You're getting the hang of it, keep doing what you're doing and you'll have it in no time. Now, on the subject of precognition..." She raised her arm with the ribbon and waved it slightly, causing the red cloth to whip in the breeze. "When a being moves they create ripples in the Force, like when a drop of water hits a pool. Just as you can see where the ripples will go in a pool of water, you can predict where a person is moving by reading the ripples they make in the Force." She crouched down and prepared to jump again. "On your own time, try to read my movements and intercept me to grab the ribbon. Don't rush this. Just relax and let the Force flow through you. We can do this all day if that's what you need..." She was beginning to get the sense that the more she assured Isen it was okay to fail or to be a slow learner the harder he tried to pick something up. He seemed to be competitive like that. Hopefully he would prove her right.

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Isen Ramm

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Isen listened intently. He nodded politely and said, "Yes, Master." The young padawan had to admit, this was much more interesting than how he was being taught at Jedha. There, the Masters and Knights were more interested in their own research than teaching the next generation of Jedi. The initiates there were a mere afterthought for most of the Jedi. If a youngling really hit it off with someone who had passed their trials, they might get a recommendation to become an apprentice. But more often than not, the Jedi there saw taking a Padawan as a severe distraction to their academia.

But this...now this was fun. It was challenging. It was personal. In just this first meeting and lesson, he had learned more about how to feel the Force and use that knowledge practically than he had in years on that frozen rock he spent years learning. Maybe his personal deficiencies weren't the problem. Maybe it was the culture of the enclave at Jedha. He wondered how many initiates that had the misfortune of being placed at Jedha had never been given a real chance at success. Well, that was a pondering for another day. He had a ribbon to try to grab from his Master- a near impossible task, but a fun one nonetheless.

To do this with his eyes closed was going to require the Force to talk to him about several things at once. To do this without his senses, he had to determine where his Master was, where she was going, what branch was the best station to get there...and could do so only using the Force as a guide. And to make the situation more difficult, they were getting closer and closer to the canopy of a jungle planet. Birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, the trees and vines...all of them had a Force signature vying for the young Padawan's attention. He had never been so inundated with life all around him. It was invigorating, but it was also incredibly difficult to parse the noise from the situational Force signatures at hand.

Isen knew he was tight, rigid. He did all he could to force his body to relax, to go limp. Let the Force flow through him. He started making his jumps, again, trying to feel where Master Thral was at first, trying to follow her until he felt more comfortable trying to feel the smaller ripples that he felt were coming from her...ripples of thoughts about where she was going in relation to where she was. Jump after jump, drop after drop, swing after swing, Isen let the Force tell him where to go and where he should be going. Several more jumps, and Isen could feel his confidence growing. He couldn't take it anymore and opened his eyes to see if he was making any progress.


@Reyn

ooc: I'll let Master Thral determine my success to this point. I want to be surprised as Isen to see if I'm on the right track.
 
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