This is a story, based on a character sketch for a Star Wars tabletop RPG. The scenario is"what if Luke and Leia did not happen". The time frame is 4 BBY. FANFICTION on a character sketch, gotta love it! Enjoy or do not Enjoy, but do not Try to enjoy.
Yanibar
Original Colony
4 BBY
The Well ….
Jannma started her way down the drippy labyrinthine passages to the clan well with two farmers. On the walls were water marks showing just how much water had been removed from the well after more than four thousand years.
She searched for Jahn's presence as she saw his "great work" the rebuilt fungus and grain farm growing in the layers of silt and compost.
The fallen ceiling, which had fallen and nearly crushed her brother Dessa was removed, indeed pulverized by Jahn and his young students (her included) for the mixture of effluents, rock and compost they now used as soil. The wonder of the transparisteel ceiling that replaced the sheered rock that occurred with the glacier arriving to this high point. The way they structured the reconstruction allowed light into the room for the now combined growths since vegetables were added to the fungus. The light trickled through the ceiling along with the constant drips from condensation and the melt from above that allowed the glacier to slide on a small layer of water and pass light. Two air handling ducts circulated the naturally scrubbed air out to the settlement and drew the older air in for the plants to work their miracle.
"Quite the engineering trick don't you agree initiate Seniorita Jannma ?" Asked Norma as she entered the room with Jannma. "There are so many details in the design and execution." She shook her head in appreciation.
"I am glad it was made so we are safe in here once again. It is a wonder and more productive than ever." And Jannma reached out with the Force, checking the heat exhaust vents above that reformed the ice so it would no longer sheer off the rocky outcropping like what caused the cave in.
"And all this engineered by a nine year old." Norma shook her head.
"That nine year old is nearing thirteen and I do think Petre more than helped in the design and construction. Raisson and Vasco helped procure and place the panels and supports. It was a community effort, just as we all helped dig you out. Much as his alarm and determination held up the rock for the pocket you survived in, he needed all of us to get you out Seniora."
"I remember emerging to see you holding him shivering. We owe him much and his family." Her face showed thoughtfulness "Petre has trained his replacement abularyos and has been, ensuring our infrastructure is right and sustainable." Norma looked at Jannma "The two have suddenly been "energetic" in preparing us. They have been practicing some things in secret and go to themselves for long periods this week. Something is up I think." Norma looked at Jannma pointedly.
"I have started the warrior training to take my place among the Zeison Sha. It might be just Petre is old and Jahn is preparing to join me." Hoping fervently "I really expected him to be in my class, and was disappointed he was not there to push me harder, sooth me when I fail, and be there with me in triumph." Jannma replied "I am sure that is probably the answer."
"We will not survive without more children, we are getting old." Norma lamented. "Seeing you all leave is a sobering thought."
"I know this clan house is the oldest of all on Yanibar and yet still considered lost with us being in the most hostile environment and having most casualties upon founding. Every other settlement came from our ranks. The rest of the Sha thought we were dead for ages, they still do not know our location. But since the resistance was born at the port on the equatorial continent, we have added more warriors to it than any other clan. My tiyuhin and his outsider asawa are returning to raise their mgabata here. Those that stay will have more spontaneous births, others will be born, our traditions will continue. New blood has helped us." And Jannma looked around "I plan on returning one day to raise my mgabata, with my asawa ko, the Force be willing."
"The Force be willing." Norma repeated and then breathed "What brings our best and brightest down here today?"
"For me? It is a rest day to cherish. Plus Jahn mentioned maybe spending time with his water would balance my perspective, he says it teaches much." Then she smiled "I can confess I paid more attention to the process, not the lessons of water as Jahn calls them."
"He is speaking now, in more than that howl of his that warned us to cover up." Norma noted. "That should make his explanations easier on the ears."
"He used to only use the Force and with slaps and gestures, then his airy whisper appeared near the end of our duty in the well. He taught my brother and I the work, it should be interesting how his instruction has changed."
"Well you should get going, he was in the new siphon chamber teaching them the draw." Norma pointed to the stairs.
Jannma began walking down the hall to the stairs and began to walk the one hundred thirty meters of stairs up to the siphon chamber. Then remembering the written instructions she received when she started the water duties, broke into a jog. She reached the room to see the pair of initiates struggling to lift the water.
"Kooyah! Problems muchachos?" she asked with a smile as they dropped the siphon venturi.
"Seniorita Jannma!" the six year olds cried and came over, one chico Dean, one chica Allyssa.
"Should you have dropped the vacuum you were creating?" Jannma asked.
"Senior Jahn is down below working with an obstruction. So this was essentially practice." Dean replied to Jannma's nod.
"Jahn thought you might show, just his description of when was more…. "Sometime this week", an indefinite." Allyssa squeeked "It is good to see you tiyahin." And she hugged her aunt.
"Well then I shall go down to the deeping pool to talk to him, you two stay out of trouble." With that, Jannma retraced her steps, but stopped, why had she not sensed him, his caress, the swirling tendrils in the Force as he marked all nearing him. The sheer noise he created in the Force was absent, but why? As she started back down she reached the "deeping pool" from which they brought water. She saw his gear placed carefully by the door as if expecting no problems and then she felt his presence swirl furiously like a BOMB going off, he was in a battle! an image of a monster silhouette with him.
"Aswang!" and Jannma sounded the alarm "BERBEROKA IN THE DEEPING!" she shouted in the Force and from her lungs. Her new diskblade flew to her hand trying to find the right point of attack. The creature was definitely waging a war under the water with Jahn as she felt its pain over and over as the water boiled in response. A tentacle came out to snatch her. One pass of her diskblade came out and ended that threat to her. She felt the creature's severe pain and Jahn crested for a breath. A quick feeling of thanks arrived from Jahn with an image of her viewing the future hit her like a splash before he was pulled under.
Jannma calmed herself and fully stepped herself into this aspect of the Force without doubt, without fear for the first time in her life. She saw three visions clearly, Jahn and his spear in the pool with the berberoka, her beside him diskblade in hand in one. She saw two other echoes, both easier one running and the other just letting her blade fly from here but …. She then heard the clan mobilizing, help was on the way and with a deep breath she dove in to the pool.
Once in the pool Jannma saw what Jahn was trying to accomplish, he was wielding a knife stabbing the tentacle that grabbed him again and using a spear to push away from the mouth as he tried to concentrate and make roiling pressurized water under the creature to force it up. Ichor and blood filled the water, hindering visibility and if something was not done soon it would be a fight in blackness. She did not feel the creature at all she noticed. She released her diskblade to free Jahn and then strafe the beast from the bottom. In reaction it rose to the combined blaster fire from the clan killing it.
Jahn looked exhausted as he came toward the surface, Jannma recalled her diskblade, grabbed him with the Force moving him to the surface and swam back to the surface herself.
Life lines and buoys hurled out from the edge as Petre stood on the edge of the pool with concern all over his face as he drew the young adepts in. The other adults on the edge drew in the beast with grappling hooks.
As they were pulled in the two young adults looked at each other with affection and relief, and once up on the edge hugged earnestly. Until Jannma's emotions changed and she started smacking him on the back punctuating her words to him.
"DON'T" smack "YOU" smack "EVER" smack "DO" smack "THAT" smack "AGAIN!" Jahn just continued to hold her and soon she felt his calm and caring in a surge that all force sensitives felt.
"Not for nuthin, but it evaded my senses and sight, almost like it was a trap." And pointing to the two tentacles on the surface. "It is not like here I have ever been subtle reading and drawing the Force, allowing it to pass through. That thing" he pointed "hid. That small tentacle was the clog in the siphon, it must have been detached. I speared it and had just removed it when the berberoka decided I was lunch. I did not even see what the clog was when I was grabbed." And he shrugged his shoulders. "Did you sense it before I called?" with that he looked to Jannma. A concept of this being a creature of the dark side crystalized to all, which fit the legends the elders told.
"No I did not, I am sorry." Jannma pulled back and looked at him while Jahn soothed her feelings that she had not sensed it, her desire to protect him and the loss she would have felt without him echoing from her thoughts.
"Your thoughts betray you, I think you have learned much today INITIATE, I think two weeks extra training with Senior Petre should help calm you and deal with the probability one of you dies before the other." Old Vasco her mentor added.
"I understand your feelings for Jahn, I know he reciprocates, indeed he trusts you completely." Petre replied slowly "Yet because of that trust, he feels no panic, no worry. Where does he place his trust? Answer that question."
Jahn released some of the hug to look her in the eye "I meant not for this to be the lesson for you in the well, no idea this would happen, but it is a good lesson, the armor of our faith and belief in family the others discarded. We can then learn from the water other things at another time." And he looked at her expectantly.
"I do not know." Jannma started to feel ashamed, so Jahn shook her.
"Look inside, replay life, you have heard what you seek. Place yourself at ease and listen to the past." Jahn softly said looking deep in her eye. In her mind she started to hear Jahn's speech after the delivery. "I TRUST THE FORCE COMPLETELY" echoed in her head.
"JAHN! THAT WAS CHEATING!" Petre shouted to get their attention "And who do we cheat when we do such things?" Petre said sternly.
"The recipient of the cheat." Jahn answered with no tinge of regret.
"Then that is the answer?" Jannma asked as the adults moved the creature up the passage leaving the two initiates and their instructors standing on the edge. Jahn however had one of his eyes open meditations before smiling.
"Well sir, how can you fault me?" Jahn looked at the instructors. "I believe you sometimes reinforce your lectures the same way."
"Searching the Force for the right response Jahn? I do not know whether to be impressed, or frightened by the prospect." Old Vasco chuckled. "Very well, I admit my repetitiveness and coming back to reinforce a concept. Point made although I think Petre disagrees, his thinking that Jannma might have gained more understanding by struggling to learning it herself. I agree with your hint though." And Vasco turned to Jannma "Yes Jannma the answer is, put properly, He Trusts the Light in the Force in you as much as he trusts it in him." turning to Jahn "am I correct?" to which Jahn nodded while continuing to look in Jannma's eyes as they held each other. "Good, I have others to attend to, Force Be With You." Vasco stepped back to leave.
"Force Be With You" the other three replied in unison with a bow Vasco returned in acknowledgement. A few deep breaths later and the kids were still holding each other.
"Well, break it up you two. Time to continue your duties and studies. Jahn, check on your two students. Jannma you stay with me, Thank you Sir Vasco."
"You are welcome, I do not think in the annals I have any two Force sensitives closer or more talented than these two. Petre, I leave them in your hands for today." With that Vasco walked out to the bows of all three.
"Jahn, I thought you were to check on them, PHYSICALLY." Petre barked sternly, finally breaking the two apart.
Jahn continued looking deep int Jannma's soul "I am glad the Force moved in you to come today Jannma. Your timing was fortunate for me, I owe you my life today." Jahn kissed her lightly and took his leave walking briskly to the siphon room.
This comment changed Petre's demeanor somewhat as he looked at Jannma and defocused his eyes for a short time.
"I take it all this is the whole truth?" Petre asked Jannma who seemed to be regaining her composure. "So, Jahn asked you down here, why?"
"On the recent Diskblade Alliance resupply delivery, that little jaunt you never tell him why we do it" she jabbed "the call came in late and just before the storm. During the trip, he chided me, many times and offered to show me what I had not learned from the water." Jannma replied.
"And that was all?"
"It was Sir, Jahn said there are many lessons to be learned in this study."
"What was the context?"
"He said it teaches so much and makes one self sufficient, as you know sometimes it is what he does not say that is the key and thing you need to fill in."
"Ok, well I can teach that…. The things unsaid are to trust in the light for sufficiency. His other lesson was to follow this route." and he parsed his words carefully "You do remember the base art of sensing the now and the dissolved substances. So concentrate on what is in the water now." and he observed her reaching out with the Force and sensing the substances. "Good, now what do we need that information for?"
"Proper lining of the sluices to use natural means of water purification on the way to the holding tank. That way we use the Force less in changing the water states and get impurities out with less energy. More work, less action, conserving resources for all contingencies." Jannma replied.
"And do you ever recall running out of the coals or aggregate?" to which Jannma nodded "What if there was a way to look at what you will need for the next day? How would you propose to find out?"
"Looking at the eddies and currents, building a fluid model and when you calculate the substances in the pool .."
"Those are the scientific ways and given the variables, are those accurate or estimations?"
"Estimations as the concentrations vary, where you need guidance from the Force."
"But it is dependent on your original readings and many times, inaccurate correct?"
"It was Sir."
"What if you asked the Force in the water?"
"The what huh?"
"Seek the answer from the Force in the water, seek the answer in the sluice, the needs of the near future should be clear." Petre answered "The Force is in all life, it knows its needs better than we do. It is no different than what you will be taught to utilize the Force in combat. And it flows closer tighter and quieter. You make fewer ripples by merely listening to the ripples from things around you. Like the Togrunta, which is where I learned to model the lesson, Jahn just picked it up swiftly with full acceptance. Did you sense him at all coming down here?"
"No, I can honestly say I was surprised in that." Jannma replied "I think I have got it now, I guess I need practice it." and started to relax to meditate on it.
"Wait! First things first. Emotions, we need to go back to those. You were in a strengthening or dangerous place depending on your decision forward." Petre stressed with concern "Do you fear losing Jahn?"
"I do not understand? I will not lose him because we are meant to be. I could not conscience harm to him I could prevent. I think that is like my feelings toward all though, just deeper." And she deliberated looking at Petre's frown "I am attracted to him on so many levels, sometimes I do leave caution and calm at my cot when it comes to him." and she got a wry grin "Just the other day I demanded he tell me if you were forcing him to sleep by the water in here." At which mention Petre scoffed "I offered him a place in my room, early and young we may be." Petre started looking displeased "But he said he sleeps where he sleeps by choice." Petre nodded "He has been my best friend since I had the first bad feeling I know and now associate with a warning in the Force. He interpreted the Force better and showed me how to deal with the snakes that set up a nest near my home hatch. He did not need to say a thing but his carrying the poisonous ones out and bringing the little mammals in that kept the snakes away for good spoke for him. I could feel it was just because he wished me safe, he cared and used that care for everything he did there."
"He pacified the poisonous ones. Did he ever tell you how they got there?" Petre asked.
"I just assumed they came naturally, why? what do you know?" Jannma looked at Petre strangely.
"If you promise never to tell, for the elders have dealt with it, after all, our culture permits no blood debts. The story you will learn is a story about what happens when that taboo is broken." To which she nodded before Petre continued. "Remember, he brought the last one to me after he removed the rest of the nest." And he said measuredly as she nodded "They were there to hurt, kill or scare you and your mom, for the perceived injuries your brother caused to the large boy Stocc. His whole family was in on it." To her gasp "Stocc and his family are out there somewhere as we left them on Laverstral, with no knowledge of this place's location. They were shunned for their teachings of avarice and vengeance."
"Jahn knew nothing when he had me stop as we went home from school?"
"He merely felt and reacted as he is so prone to do." Petre nodded. "I think he always listens and reacts because the Force listens and reacts to him." and Petre looked at her again "It was that day, when you felt what he felt, he knew, he reported to me you were sensitive but unaware of it. He said you had a bad feeling about the same time he did. He felt your unease which combined with his alerted him to the danger. That day, he set you on your path to be a Zeison Sha. He told us as he sat with us elders and played with the water, whispering in his splashes what he had done and presenting the snake to us. And we took our actions." Petre looked at her before continuing.
"Do you know why he speaks to the Force more than people? It was the first to listen to him and speak back in ways he understood. I think he relies too much on the Force's translation and insight." And he made a hand cleansing gesture. There, now you know all the mysteries of how Jahn bonded you to the Zeison Sha a full year before we had planned on testing you. So tell me about your point of view of the day Stocc cemented his exile outside the school hall."
"It makes sense now to me, Stocc and his followers decided to pick on him and when verbal taunts were ignored, they figured rocks would do." She scoffed "Teens picking on a mere child of five. He stopped the rocks with the Force and simply dropped them to the ground which meant they needed to use their fists. So I used the martial arts my father teaches to defend him as he stood stoically. The others just let Stocc fight me once I defended Jahn. I felt the Force join me so many times in that fight where it had not done so before and would not until much later."
"That was Jahn working with you and your Force. He saw the mismatch and acted to balance the conflict. He is still truly grateful for your intersession then, like he was today."
"Why is that?" Jannma looked interested.
"Remember how he acted when he could not speak, only whisper? He was unable to control his vocals and he, because of frustration, an inability to call out for help or to talk someone down, he would have been consumed by a blind rage, madness, the darkside would have joined, it would have happened right then, only deadlier." Petre began and was interrupted by Jahn's return.
"My gratitude then was like with the berberoka, I would have flown to the dark side, immersed in its rage. I knew all too well how to end the fight quickly, fatally, in both instances." And he took Jannma by the hand. "In truth, both times you saved my life, I will never forget and I will always cherish the memory." And he looked into her being with his eyes "Should we ever find our way to becoming soul mates, I would be honored and LOVE to be yours." Both Jannma and Petre gasped at this pronouncement before noticing a sadness in Jahn. "But we will not travel the same path and may not ever get to the same place. I am willing to risk it for the future of your mgabata …."
"Of course you will take the path that is right for you, but you will be Zeison Sha, and I hope for that future as well."
"Father, her best lesson for today dovetails what you were aiming for. It is the one she willingly took to save me and then the path to tomorrow becomes clearer for her." he looked at Jannma "Without so much as a panic emotion, you still used "need", without desperation to break into the next minute, a noisy and deliberate act in the Force. It is now something you have already accomplished. I am surprised he diddled with speech before cluing you in to what you did. You accepted the three paths presented; do nothing and be safe, join me or hurl the diskblade as hard as you could, kill the monster and with me in its tentacle, me as well. Even though the future was foggy you saw that. It is the key to our passive future training. Instead of reaching out with your feelings as they teach in defense, you let the feelings of others in, for the first time. Thought leads action in all cases. That is the mystery of the water, and the lessons the bacteria and all teach, looking and seeing the future silent in the Force, like the ripples or scent. Intent has motive forces that create waves in the Force. Intent is a future act, potential energy stored and available, the future is palpable, especially in the near now."
Petre merely looked at them both, as the understanding came to Jannma. "You see father, I did not cheat, for she already learned and accepted the lesson, just she did not know it yet. She trusted the Force to guide her completely, and acted on the information the Force presented clear and fresh. So tell me how that is cheating?"
"Put that way, none, it is like explaining an experiment. One merely has to frame the reference."
"Would you have remembered it and associated the lesson with me Jannma in either case? Would you have the desire to remember and keep it in your soul from now one if you had worked on it or do my explanations help, or is it immaterial?"
"I think this is the most vivid way for me to remember and if our teachers are right, one that I can hold and armor us for the future if, we agree that all is still transient, for the Force transits all." Jannma recited her lines from Vasco.
"One day during my time with you, make a written report on what you just spit out and apply it to this situation as well." Petre ordered, "Since my son has the floor on this and learned it so well, teach her how you came to this in the well. I have other duties, I have only two conditions."
"And they are?" the two teens said in unison blushing as the information flowed to them.
"Clothes on, body parts to yourselves. Yes I remember teen hormones." Petre walked away with a grin.
"There are deeper intimacies." Jahn began.
"OK MAKE THAT THREE THINGS NOW. WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET MORE CREATIVE AND MAKE IT FOUR?" shouted the retreating Petre, "telekinetic teens, no wonder we have so many issues with the precocious."
Notes, I took and basically modified some Tagalog terms to fit an isolated founders language. Gender terms are not differentiated too much.
Kuya= brother but drawing it out in a kooyaah is a greeting, like hey bro! and sometimes I screwed with spelling etc. Just adding a bit of texture.
Abularyo=doctor and herbalist, in this use I am putting it as a medical doctor that believes in chiropractic and expert pharmacologist. It runs as a much lower tech and is slower than bacta wielding medical droids but still complete heals. Think about medicines stimulating stem cells.
I have asked permission to use the "landscape" and some Characters from Mechalich, I have received approval. I hope I can make it at least as good as a Thieves world Borrow. I used few Canon personalities so far, basically just two Maz Kanata and Zuvio. Check out the Tales from the Kalat Arm and The People's Armor here, they are quite awesome.
And lastly, since I did think Jedi were a bit stuck up, I believe the term is hidebound, rigid, unable to understand their own prophesy (This is what I am driving the story at, those that bring balance to the Force). I chose this Kalat Arm and Zeison Sha backstory for the character. It appealed to me, added conflict. I hope to make it a long long way bringing balance and up to date all the way to Rey-Finn and Kylo Ren. (except in my vision, those will be from different origins, hey, if Disney can scrap canon…which oddly is the metaphor of Jakku.)