Road to Jedha

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

The lavender skinned woman patiently waited for her Padawan to arrive, as she sat in a meditative position in the corvette's main sitting room. The corvette that would bring them to Jedha was a slightly modified Distance-class Corvette, used mainly for the transportation of Jedi from Ifrane to Jedha. It would take them a couple of days to travel to Jedha, and the route they had to take wasn't exactly safe. But thanks to it's long range sensors and comm systems, as well as it's reputation as an anti-piracy ship, Sakadi was certain that they would arrive safely.

The class of younglings she would guide to the crystal caves on Jedha were already asleep at this hour. It gave her the perfect opportunity to start tutoring Oddi, for the Clawdite girl barely knew anything. The Knightess had explained the very basics of the Force, such as the Light and Dark side. She had answered some of Oddi's questions, but she had yet to teach the girl how to connect with the Force. There was so little the girl knew, and she already had to enter the crystal caves. It was a test for both the apprentice and the master, for it all dependent on the late hours during their travel time.

This evening, they would start simple. If her Padawan wanted to find her own crystal, she had to be able to sense it first. It required her to rely on the Force, like the other Jedi did. From experience, she knew that placing one's trust into the Force was easier said than done. The Jedi relied upon it, viewed it as an ever present companion that guided them throughout their entire lives. It could be quite hard to adapt to that lifestyle, after growing up in solitude.

"Good evening Oddi." she greeted her warmly, as the young Clawdite arrived. "Come sit beside me. There's a lot I'd like to teach you today."

@Zanna Black

 

[Oddi Xon]

Oddi was starting to get a little more used to space travel now. The first time she had left Zolan she spent nearly every waking moment staring out into the stars, peering into the vastness of the sub-zero speckled void and trying to imagine what it must be like on any world but her own (and to say that Coruscant gave her culture shock was a gross understatement). But it was different now… today she spent most of her time listening in on the younglings lessons and even playing the kloo horn for them a little before they nodded off to sleep. The novelty of space had calmed a bit for her, but she didn’t mind whatsoever.

She had the feeling that she had placed herself in an unusual position. She was on her way to Jedha with a group that had already learned far more than she had in order to find a crystal to help power their self-designed lightsabers. She knew nothing about the Force compared to everyone else on that ship, and yet, she was going to be seeking a crystal of her own. So… Sakadi was going to give her her first lesson tonight. For the short term this would help her with her search, but for the long term… well… she had to know more about this thing that had totally altered her perception of existence. Now the younglings have drifted off to sleep, and Oddi made her way to the main sitting room of the Corvette. She was, admittedly, a little nervous, but that was overshadowed by the excitement of finally beginning to unravel this mystery.

She found Sakadi sitting in a meditative position, waiting for her, and Oddi felt her gentle voice radiate in her mind,

"Good evening Oddi. Come sit beside me. There's a lot I'd like to teach you today."

Oddi treaded softly as she came in, trying not to disrupt the peace of the moment with any sudden noises or movements. She wasn’t sure of how to act, exactly. Ai, Mabara… she felt like such a novice!

“There’s a lot I’d like t’ learn. I jus’ hope I can remember everythin’.” She sat down with the Knightess, eager to absorb all that she could.

@Powerfulhorus

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Sakadi took a deep breath as she waited for Oddi to sit down beside her. She was nervous, more nervous than she had every been. The performances she had done during her youth were nothing compared to this, compared to teaching someone the ways of the Force. Even now she couldn't really believe she actually had accepted someone as her Padawan, although she made sure that that wasn't noticeable to the girl.

"I'm sure you can. Unlike last time, I don't have much to explain." she responded. "I already explained how the Force surrounds us and binds us together, remember?" Well today we'll focus on opening up to the Force." she paused, allowing Oddi a moment to comprehend what the goal of today's practice was. She followed up with a short explanation. "Everything living is tied to the Force, and leaves an imprint on it. Skilled practitioners of the Light and Dark side are able to sense these imprints, to determine the strength, mood and location of living beings. Inside the crystal cave on Jedha, a single Kyber crystal will try to bond with you. It will call out to you, but you must be able to 'hear' it first" she explained. It was essential that her Padawan would be able to single out her Crystal. The only way to do that though, was through Force sense.

"Let's begin with the basics. As Jedi, we connect to the Force through focus and tranquility. If you find yourself unable to focus or terrified, your connection to the Force may waver. Remember this when you are lost, it may save your life one day." She had experienced it many times, the fear, pain or even surprise that made her connection waver. "Anyway, for now, I'd like you to close your eyes and just reach out."

@Zanna Black

 

[Oddi Xon]

Oddi listened to her teacher carefully and nodded. She maneuvered herself into a lotus position and closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath.

But wait… how had she reached out before? It always seemed to click in the most desperate times, and certainly not peaceful moments such as this. Of course, there was that moment after she had been shot… when she managed to calm herself despite the fact that she might’ve been dying and she still managed to use the Force to guide Funani out of that slaver dungeon on Corellia. Okay… she would try that route.

She slowed her breathing and listened to the rhythm of her heart as she centered herself. Then, she took that center and expanded it. She pictured it as a gentle wave rippling outward, looking for a current to flow into. Almost immediately, she latched onto something that was flowing right next to her! How remarkably conveni…

Oh wait… that’s Sakadi, she thought. Oops…

Oddi sighed a little and tried again. Same technique, but she visualized it going past Sakadi this time. She quieted her breathing… quieted her mind… and allowed herself to just… be.

And then there she was, aware of every life form on the Corvette, aware of the space that they were speeding through, aware of the energy that brought it all together, and aware of her being one with it, as all life was.

Her shoulders relaxed as they never had before. At last, she was reaching out to this energy that she yearned to connect with, and this time there was no strife attached.

It was nice for a change.

@Powerfulhorus

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Biting her lip, the Knightess watched as her Padawan focused. She was a little tense herself; hoping that the girl would be able to connect to the Force with ease. It was the essential base for any technique and the sooner she mastered it, the more ready she would be to enter Jedha its crystal caves.

When the Clawdite pulled it off on her second attempt, Sakadi felt relieved. Perhaps this was going to be a lot easier than she thought it would be. "Good. How does it feel to be connected to the Force, to sense it?" she asked Oddi, wondering what the Padawan would answer. Some considered it overwhelming, while others immediately found their place in their newly discovered universe. She guessed the latter was the case, but it was still worth asking.

Seeing how easily Oddi connected to the Living Force, Sakadi believed that Oddi was ready for a more advanced technique. With elegant movement, Sakadi stood up and walked over to a small locker. It contained some basic utensils she could use for Oddi her training. Among those items, a single blindfold.

"Say, do you think you're ready for the next step?" she conveyed to the Clawdite, as she turned round to show her the blindfold.

@Zanna Black

 

[Oddi Xon]

Oddi sensed movement from Sakadi, so she brought her focus back to their present time and place. “How does it feel to be connected to the Force, to sense it?" her master asked, projecting into her mind.

Oddi thought carefully about how to place her response to Sakadi’s question into words. “To be honest, it wasn’t my first time connectin’, exactly. But it was my first time not bein’ all desperate about it.” She let out a slight laugh in spite of herself. “I was actually able t’ appreciate it this time. It felt right. It felt like I was home. I ain’t used t’ that, but I like it.” Sakadi seemed satisfied with her answer as she had gotten up and opened a small locker. Oddi couldn’t help but raise a curious eyebrow. What was her new master up to?

"Say, do you think you're ready for the next step?" Sakadi had asked her, holding up a blindfold.

Oddi’s eyes widened a little. “Whatever you have in mind, it looks like a challenge.” She smirked a little. “Let’s try it! What do I do?”

@Powerfulhorus

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

"Okay, what you'll have to do sounds a lot easier than it actually is." she explained to her Padawan, as she moved over to blindfold her. She knew that Oddi could do it herself, but she wanted to be sure that the Clawdite indeed saw nothing. After waving a few times to check whether she truly saw nothing, Sakadi continued on with her explanation. "I'm going to throw objects at you with the Force. What I expect you to do, is evade them. You'll have to actively rely on the Force to sense my intent and your surroundings. That's the gist of it." Patting her on the back to give her a 'you can do it' feeling, Sakadi moved over to the locker again. Quickly scanning the room, she selected three objects to launch at Oddi. A cup, a toolbox and the dysfunctional head of a droid.

"Ready?" if Oddi would give her the signal, Sakadi would start.

Openly drawing upon the Force, Sakadi lifted the toolbox first. It was located behind the Padawan and with a calm gesture Sakadi launched it at the girl's left shoulder. She made sure that the impact would be gentle. She didn't want to go all out in the first attempt yet. The girl had to get accustomed to the Force first, before she'd do that.

@Zanna Black

 

[Oddi Xon]

"Okay, what you'll have to do sounds a lot easier than it actually is." Sakadi had told Oddi before she explained what this next lesson would entail.

Wait… what part of this sounds easy??? she asked herself as she put herself in a readied stance. The blindfold was firmly in place as she could only guess what was going to fly her way and from what direction. Okay… I got this… I got… Ow! She had braced herself for a frontward blow, only to be bumped in the back by something metallic and clunky. The toolbox? Really???

C’mon, Oddi… reach out like you jus’ did a minute ago! Breathe… reach… Ow!!! She couldn’t quite place what struck her right side, but it seemed to be from an angle. It didn’t hurt much, really… it was only because she was having difficulty predicting where they were coming from… wait… something was coming straight in front of her! She moved to dodge to her right, and swiftly moved back into place… only to get beaned right between the eyes by a flashlight.

Her legs wobbled as she fell backwards onto her posterior. “I think I might’a moved too soon…” she announced, stating the obvious. She hopped back up on her feet. “Keep ‘em comin’. I’m gonna do this.” She breathed in slowly and attempted to reach out again.

See with the mind… see with the mind…

@Powerfulhorus

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Sakadi jumped a little when the first few items she threw at her Padawan hit their mark. While Oddi encouraged her to keep them coming? The Knightess bit her lip in hesitation. This was exactly what she had expected to happen, as this was Oddi's first attempt after all, but still? Was there anything she could do to assist the Padawan?

Critically analyzing the Clawdite's stance and mindset through the Force, the Sephi stumbled upon a few flaws in her current technique. "You rely too much upon your own senses and judgement. That's not strange, considering you had to do so for years, but the Force is not a tool. Be an extension of the Living Force, instead of having it be an extension of yourself." she stated, her head slightly tilted as she wasn't sure how to get the message across. When she saw Oddi's breath control however, she felt a little more relieved.

"The Force will warn you if you just stay calm and focused. All you have to do is be patient and follow its guidance." she proclaimed once more, as she lifted a wrench from a table with the Force.

"Attempt 2. Ready?" she asked again, before launching the wrench at Oddi. The heavy tool marked the second wave of a telekinetic assault. If Oddi would be able to evade just one, Sakadi would already be happy. She had to get the Clawdite girl to listen to the Force and she honestly couldn't think of any other way in this ship to do so.

@Zanna Black

 

[Oddi Xon]

Oddi moved her head from side to side to crack her neck. She drew in a long breath, exhaled slowly. “Be an extension of th’ Force…” she whispered to herself. Maybe instead of reaching out to grab it, I should let th’ Force come to me… Instead of pushing her energies, she simply opened herself up and invited the energy in.

“Ready…”

It was hard to explain… it was as if the energies were whispering advice to her but she couldn’t quite grasp the language yet. She could sense an object being launched at her from an upward angle but the information wasn’t specific enough…

Klonk!!! A clunky metallic object beaned her right on the crown of her head. She kind of knew that she was supposed to move, but it did not register fast enough. And yes, it hurt. But she wasn’t about to quit.

Should I let it control me? Let’s test that…

Rather than try to listen, she (at first) tried to picture the Force as being inside her, but that was kind of like using it as a tool, wasn’t it? And so, she adjusted and flipped the perspective, acknowledging that she was a part of the Force… that it was inviting her into it. She accepted its invitation…

She and the Force moved together, bringing her left foot back as her body leaned leftward. She felt the presence of another metallic tool spinning just past her right cheek. As curious as she was to know what she just avoided exactly, she found herself more engaged with the next object approaching her feet. She felt compelled to jump, and as she did so she most certainly felt the presence of another object flying beneath her. As she landed, a wave of jubilation washed through her and she let out a childlike squeal of delight… just before another object hit her square in the chest.

She fell over again, but this time she couldn’t stop a slight giggle from escaping. Some was because of her success at the two dodges, but it was also because she felt like a doof for breaking her connection. “Sorry! I had it fer a minute but I got in my own way.”

@Powerfulhorus