Ask The Great Unknown

[Maxims Tionson]

Max wasn't much of a teacher but even he knew that his charge needed some help in actually getting her feet wet so to speak. She had heard stories about the Force and she had some idea as to what it felt like but she had not yet dipped herself into it. That was why he was here today with her on some nameless speck of a planet with the junker freighter they had brought with them just parked out of sight.

The planet was dull, boring even.

Honestly the entire planet was nothing but a rock of dust and stone and the occasional fungus or moss. It was a planet in it's infancy with an atmosphere that was breathable only during certain hours of the day, either roaming clouds of gasses too toxic for them to actually breathe in without leaving with holes in their lungs. But thanks to the sluggish movement of the planet, they had many hours before that became an issue during which the unclouded areas were actually very well suited to life.

A planet in it's infancy but still supporting some form or life.

And a Jedi foundling who had not yet found the way.

"Tell me Nashyr, what was your first memory of feeling the Force?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Nashyr Ris]

She felt.. oddly at peace here.

It had been so long since she had been anywhere remote, without the hum of Nar Shaddaa taking over her mind and driving her to the endless rat race of hunting credits. This place didn't hold the weight of so many bodies, both alive and dead, on its' surface or its' history. It was freeing to not feel surrounded by urban sprawl, and stand on a place where not too many stood before.

She doubted this place even had a name.

She turned her eyes away to face Max, arms crossed beneath her bust. Her head tilted slightly, chewing on her bottom lip.

"I don't even know if it was a real memory..." she spoke quietly, then hunched her shoulders slightly as though to shrug off tension. "We were somewhere in the Outer Rim... my parents left me with my siblings while they negotiated a contract of some sort for cargo transport." She smiled thinly, bittersweet at the memory. "Some local kids and I were playing... and someone got the bright idea to play hunters and prey. One of the bigger kids didn't like Cathars." The smile dropped, and she shrugged again, scuffing the ground with her boot.

He knew she hated losing control. Control was the only thing that kept doors from slamming in your face in this galaxy after all; she was all too keenly aware. "He was tying up my brother. Iyashir was crying, and he kicked him..." she took a deep breath, then slowly unfurled one palm, glancing down at it as though to recall the details.

"I... pushed him. I think."

Her brow furrowed, and then she dropped her hand, using it to instead sheepishly rub the base of her neck. "I don't remember too clearly... All I remember was feeling this energy, this... want to protect him from getting hurt. All I remember was the boy being shoved away, almost hard enough to break something. And I remember my mother finding me and my brother... the rest gets pretty blurry." She grimaced, but it was so long ago... "I think I was maybe six at the time," she shrugged again, then let out a weak smile.

"After that, though? Had a talk with the grandparents... they mentioned sensitivity, talked about controlling my emotions.. and the rest is, as they say, history." She knew it wasn't a compelling story, but it was simply an old memory. And not even a good one; she hadn't even thought about that instance for ages. It almost seemed unreal, even for her. But here she was... talking about something that was once upon a time in her own mind a simple fairy tale passed down her family's generations.

With a bona fide Jedi Knight before her. And here she was, thinking she was too old for stories. Funny how the Force could twist someone's life that way.

@Nefieslab

 

[Maxims Tionson]

It was good that she could remember so clearly as it would help her instruction.

Max had been willfully ignorant to his own sensitivity for decades, 'reasoning' it away as natural talent or luck or 'instincts' without much effort. Whenever the Force had led him in a direction he had foolishly refused to accept that it could possibly have been anything but his own efforts. But Nashyr had recognized what it was and she knew what that sensation, that connection, was called through her family links almost as soon as she had done it.

A part of him would have been envious of her if it wasn't also relieved. She would not need the kind of remedial training that he had had since she already knew what it felt like to grasp the Force.

"The memory might not be fully real but the feeling was." he assured her with a smile, "That feeling you already know - all we need to do now is reach into you and show you that you can grab that connection, that feeling, whenever you want."

He reached out a hand and Pushed her back slightly with the Force.

"Push me."

@Killa Ree

 

[Nashyr Ris]

She relaxed when he reassured her; it had almost been embarrassing to recall, and not a moment she was particularly proud of. She rarely lost control of her emotions.. and the few times it happened, she was simply fortunate no one was around to bear the brunt of her anger.

She almost stumbled at the gentle push at her, raising a brow. He made it seem easy.. she didn't remember even how she did it, she just knew that it happened. And now he wanted her to use it herself?

She took a deep breath, then exhaled slightly. Squared her shoulders to face him, and also reached out her hand...

...But nothing happened. Frustration, and the slightest hint of embarrassment flickered in her eyes, and she swallowed. "I... can't remember how I did it, Max," she muttered sheepishly. "It just... happened."

@Nefieslab

 

[Maxims Tionson]

Well it seemed that she caught on fast! She cleared her mind as best she could and she tried to visualize what it was she wanted to happen - it was a good start. Grinning a little bit, he hummed a little bit as he reached out physically with his hand to touch her our hand with a fingertip.

"You need to remember how it feels."

He began to call upon the Force but unlike before he didn't direct it in an attack or point it inwards to reinforce himself but instead he let it seep into Nashyr through their contact. It was like warm, honeyed, milk in the way it tasted to the body and it flowed like silk from himself to his apprentice.

But beneath the silk was a warmth that clearly came from raw power.

"Let yourself sink deep into the Force, feel how it connects to you and to the rest of the Galaxy. Close your eyes and breathe and just experience it." he smiled, "Once you're as relaxed as you've ever been, tell me and we'll move on."

@Killa Ree

 

[Nashyr Ris]

Remember how it felt...

She was terrified, she could remember that much. Fear, and hurt... but... it sounded so easy. Remembering how she felt was like remembering how many times she breathed, or how often an ocean rolled. But she had to go along; what was a Jedi without use of the Force, after all?

She inhaled sharply when she felt it. Warm, light, like a touch of sun, and she closed her eyes without even realizing it. It was almost familiar... but in such a way she couldn't remember. But relax...? She hadn't been able to relax in decades. But time rolled on, and as she kept breathing, she began to be aware of other things. The faintest hint of a breeze, the silence of a vacuum of space merely an atmosphere away. But there was more to it... and for the first time in a long time, she was almost painfully aware that there was more here in a single moment than she had been given her entire life. There was a connection, a sensing, almost... she was aware of Max, but it was more than that. Just like the ground beneath them, there was more than what met the eye. Her mind began to drift... and she could finally let it go.


She could feel the tension ebbing, and when she opened her eyes, she gave him a slight grin. She had no idea how long time had passed; it couldn't have been too long though.

Huh.

...That was new.

"I'm good now," she finally spoke, surprised she could talk at all.

"Let's begin."

@Nefieslab

 

[Maxims Tionson]

She drifts away from the here and now and instead drew inward towards the Force that he was showing her. He could not hold it against her. The first time he had connected himself to the Light side of the Force on such a level he was much the same and it continued to be a source of awe for him to this day. Anyone who could honestly tell him that they were 'bored' of being able to look into the depth and warmth of the Light was probably also bored of life in general.

In his opinion it was as close to a religious experience as he was ever going to have.

Being a Jedi, knowing the Force, was not a religion to him in a traditional sense but that was the closet he thought anyone would ever come to being in the presence of a God. Something so vast, so powerful and yet so soft and nurturing and all-loving at the same time. The uncorrupted Force was something so pure.

Of course the difference between a Padawan and a Knight was being able to touch the Force and command it without getting distracted by how overwhelmingly beautiful it all was. It was her first time connecting to it consciously so he wasn't going to hold it against her. Grinning back at her, he nodded.

"When you connected to the Force by instinct it was through emotion - raw and painful in some ways. The Force can be accessed this way but it is not how it should be accessed. Using your emotions, you anger or your fear, corrupts the Force as you draw it into yourself. Twists and mutilates it. That warmth you feel right now?" he touched her forehead with his fingers, "Turns to fire in your veins and everything you touch screams in the Force with the wrongness of what you've done. Remember this above all else Nashyr; the Force is peace. You will use it to protect, you will use it in combat but using it through reckless emotion will see it poisoned."

Warning over, he grinned.

"So... focus on the warmth. On the peace. Now, reach deep within yourself and think. Really think until it's not thinking - it's feeling. You don't just think about pushing me, you will it and the Force will obey your directions."

@Killa Ree

 

[Nashyr Ris]

It was the moment he told her to think, that she felt it. Flowing through her veins, sparking in her chest. It almost hurt to be so aware, all of a sudden, to feel this coursing through her, and even beyond, but she could sense it. She grinned playfully at him... and arched a brow.

She never felt more calm, more stable. She lifted her hand almost as soon as he finished, and could feel it channeling through her arm, coming to her call... and pushing towards his shoulders, palm extended and other hand curled into a fist.

Joy, then delight. She should have felt silly, but all she felt instead was a sudden light-heartedness. A laugh burst out of her lips, and she shook her head.

"Maxims Tionson, you are something else. What else can I do, do you think?"

@Nefieslab

 

[Maxims Tionson]

The Force lurched and suddenly Max was looking up at the sky.

Laughing happily, he sat right back up. Nashyr's Push had been a good start, a strong start. The attack itself wasn't anything special but it seemed to have been controlled in a way that few students picked up in such a short amount of time. With a solid foundation like that she would learn quickly how to adjust just how much strength she put into the action.

He grinned.

"And you've picked that up rather well, Nashyr." he congratulated her, "That's the most basic trick of being a Jedi but it's something that will serve you well no matter your level of proficiency with the lightsaber or anything else. Even the Grandmaster remembers the utility of the Force Push."

Max hummed a little bit as he stood back up and pulled the Force to himself. He launched a Force Push back at Nashyr to push her down to the ground. He did a little bit of showboating as he dusted off his shoulders.

"You think you can do it again against a moving target? You've done it once. You now have to get a feeling for it - so you can do it almost instinctively and, most importantly, quickly."

@Killa Ree

 

[Nashyr Ris]

She was a little more prepared this time, but she still stumbled against the push to a knee, then to her rump, grinning. Hearing her Master laugh for the first time... it was nice. Max always looked so concerned or focused, it was good to see him relax into something he knew. She grunted as she managed to pull herself upright from the rocky ground, dusting off her knees.

She lowered and bent her knees slightly, palms open. Determination glinted in green-gold eyes, as lips quirked into an open, easy smile.

"What is it the young ones say...? Oh, yes."

She gave him a wink, squaring her stance.

"Bring it on, Max."

@Nefieslab

 

[Maxims Tionson]

Honestly, Max couldn't really remember the last time that he had enjoyed himself like this. There was something liberating about this whole thing and he couldn't help but smile. Maybe it was just the fact that he was helping her tap into the Force by herself for the first time? That had been an incredible experience for him when he'd done it.

Living vicariously or something?

Maybe.

He didn't much care where the amusement came from right now of course. Seeing her pull herself together he grinned a little wider and readied himself. She was physically a bit quicker than he was so she might be able to act faster physically than he could, even if she was still a novice with the Force.

"Yes, that does seem to be what the kittens say these days." he teased her, "But you're wrong if you think this old dog doesn't have some tricks."

Like, for example, using a Force Pull on her left knee. The idea being to use her joint's weakness and tendency to fold to avoid damage (thank you biology lessons from the police academy!) to cause it to bend and force Nashyr into a tumble. He hadn't actually taught her Pull really but it was mostly the same as Push.

And did he ever say he would play fair?

@Killa Ree

 

[Nashyr Ris]

She smirked at his wordplay, perking a sly brow. "No doubt, especially when you're not getting shot at--" she was about to tease, when she grunted at the pull to her knee. Like he planned, she folded forward...

But...

She tucked and rolled forward, using her palms to cushion the hard landing to the rocky surface. The moment she could be even remotely upright, she pulled at his shoulders, intending to pitch him closer for a kick.

She could fight dirty too... and did it with a sly grin on her lips. Two could play at this game.

@Nefieslab

 

[Maxims Tionson]

Yeah being shot at tended to suck a lot. It was the only reason he carried around his lightsaber some days honestly, the fear that he might get shot at so he would need it. If he could comfortably say that the likelihood of being shot at was zero he would probably bring his lightsaber along with him in pieces.

If he brought it at all.

But a lightsaber was far from his mind right now - right now all that mattered was getting Nashyr up to speed with how the Force worked. Of course his dirty trick worked but she pulled her own dirty trick in return! He laughed as he was pulled but managed to avoid face planting, instead just kind of staggering forwards.

Her kick he blocked with a Push at her leg as it swung up for him.

"Oh now we're throwing kicks too? That's just unfair! You know I can't kick a kitten - that's old school Sith kind of stuff!"

@Killa Ree

 

[Nashyr Ris]

She chuckled, eyes narrowed in focus as her leg was suddenly pushed down. "Hardly a kitten, Max," she replied, turning her pull back into a push to his left shoulder with her left hand... but a pull to his right knee from her right. They weren't strong attacks, almost instinctual, but she felt like... like something grounded her, warmed and answered her command. Like a will, that flowed from her fingertips and pushed at her opponent. If it worked in that way, then maybe...

...It could work in other ways?

"More like an old cat, but sweet of you to think otherwise."

@Nefieslab

 

[Maxims Tionson]

Max decided that he was going to be gracious.

He could feel her intentions through the Force even if he would need to react to them even as she was playing them out. The fact remained that he could counter them... but he decided not to and instead he took a tumble to the ground and landed flat on his back with a laugh even as the air was pushed out of his chest in one great big woosh.

Grinning a little bit from his position on the ground, he shrugged helplessly.

"Guess you got me there Tiger." he joked with his apprentice, "You've taken to the training well so far Nashyr; I'm glad I was right about just how much potential you have."

He patted the ground beside him.

"Lay yourself down oh mighty warrior and look at the stars with me. Tell me what you see."

@Killa Ree

 

[Nashyr Ris]

She smirked at him, rolling her eyes just a little bit. She knew he was going along with her; this wasn't a challenge, but an exercise. A way to learn, without being lectured; guess the older knight really knew her. She scooted over closer, mindful of any rocks and careful of disturbing any lichen as she did.

When she finally got comfortable, she did.

The atmosphere here was just enough to support them, but the thin newness of it presented something unique to this little rock in nowhere.

The stars were visible by day too.

He wasn't asking for something literal; he was smart enough to know how she processed things, that the literal and the obvious were already present, and didn't need talking about.

So she looked, and she could feel it seeping into her bones, just like it always did when she slowed enough to listen.

"...Pain." She spoke quietly, feeling her heartbeat slow. All teasing and joviality faded as her hands laced together over her stomach. "Hope. The usual struggle that things move on, even without us being there..." she nibbled on her lip, then sighed. "Nothing old, and nothing new. But that's not all you're asking, is it?" She glanced sideways at him, features almost unreadable from her angle.

@Nefieslab

 

[Maxims Tionson]

Max just relaxed a little bit as he enjoyed looking up at the stars as he waited for Nashyr to get comfortable beside him. Of course with any cat, it took quite a little bit of time for Nashyr to get comfortable. He would tease her about it but he wasn't feeling in the mood at the moment.

Stargazing had that kind of effect on him.

He asked her to tell him what she saw and he didn't elaborate. Max wanted to see what she had to say because it would really be important to one aspect of her learning. Did she see the big picture at all? Did she focus too much on the big picture at the expense of the here and now?

All could be gleaned from such a simple question... maybe.

He was new to being this kind of mentor.

Letting her answer, he nodded a little bit as he closed his eyes.

"Deep." he congratulated her in a wry tone, smirking lightly as he just lay there with his eyes closed, "An answer I would expect on someone on their way to becoming a Jedi but I want you to remember something as well."

He gestured above them with his hand, eyes still closed.

"Sometimes the stars are just stars, and that's okay." he declared brightly as he opened his eyes to look up at them, "Sometimes we will look into the mysteries of the Galaxy and we'll see how the Force entwines everything in it. But we must not lose sight of how we viewed the Galaxy before we became Jedi, before we saw with the Force, back when we viewed with our eyes."

Reached out, he poked her nose.

"You were a person, a citizen, of this Galaxy before you were a Jedi and if you don't take care you risk losing that. That link with everyone else in the Galaxy." he paused before sighing a little bit, "... did any of that actually make sense? I'm trying my hand at this teacher thing but I'm not experienced in it you know."

@Killa Ree

 

[Nashyr Ris]

She smirked at his droll reply to her answer, humming out a sigh. "I never claimed I was credited with brains, Master," she teased, scrunching up her nose at it being poked. "You're not too bad at this, you know?" Her voice was hushed, low. "Being on Nar Shaddaa… it was glamorous, even beautiful at times..." she briefly thought of rainy nights, when the Slicer's Vice was shut down and it was just her and that rain... "stressful... but it was a prison."

She thought of all the hours she spent pushing aside personal dreams, goals and aspirations because of others' mistakes. All the time forgetting who she was beyond the tomorrow, and the next day, and how exhausting it was to balance everything in the name of business. "You lose people, out there," she waved a hand to the stars. "People you love. People you never got a second chance with... and people that needed you, and you failed them." She thought of Jazzy, holding her sister Siggy together while she cried, knowing she shouldn't show any emotion other than understanding. It hurt.

"...I forgot who I was the day I landed on that smuggler's moon," she commented bitterly, then sighed, closing her eyes.

"But you're right. Sometimes... there's nothing but stars."

@Nefieslab

 

[Maxims Tionson]

Was he really not bad at this?

It was going to take some time to adjust to it but Max could honestly say that he was enjoying being a mentor far more than he expected. If that helped to translate into him being a decent mentor from time to time? Well he would take that and he would just have to work on how he gave advice.

Maybe get a calendar with a "Word of the day" to build his analogies and the like around. It couldn't hurt.

Instead of reflecting inward however, he reflected on Nashyr and what she was saying. What she was feeling and how she was almost leaking it out into the force around them. He could feel the truth to her feelings as he could almost say that he was tasting them through the Force as she continued.

"I've said it with Ezekiel and I've said it with Ori." he smiled a little bit and reached out to take Nashyr's hand in his own even as they both still stared up at the stars, "You are not your past. You are not your regrets and your bittersweet moments; you are the sum of them all and more, the potential to be so very much more."

He glanced at her.

"Remember when you felt lost but use it to reinforce one thing; you know who you are now. Who are you now, Nashyr?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Nashyr Ris]

She chuckled, then exhaled, tilting her head to gaze at Max a brief glance, then gently squeezed his hand.

"The answer's so simple, isn't it? I'm a Jedi."

And that was all that needed to be said, honestly. It was the sum of her parts, what made her who she was becoming. And she thought she was unchangeable, that all her past experiences kept her cemented in the present while opportunity slipped through her fingers. But not this time. It was time to embrace change, and to not wait for another opportunity. It was time... to get moving, before the stormclouds on the horizon became any closer.

@Nefieslab