The Drowning Mermaid

They'd been in hyperspace for upwards of two hours. Having run out of things to help Shy'reena with, Uriel resigned himself to sitting in the main cabin, where Adrielle was. He decided to meditate, hoping it would rush the time.

"So…"

He suppressed a sigh as he looked at the girl sitting across him.

"You're a Jedi," Adrielle said uncertainly, "and you're taking me to your… base?"

"Our temple," Uriel corrected her. "Hopefully the Jedi there will have some kind of answer as to what's going on with you and your… condition."

He surveyed her. Just from initial glance, from her green-dyed hair which reached her shoulders, to her deep red strapless top and matching pants, she looked like someone easily more at home in a cantina or club than a temple. And yet, if his theory from what he'd seen of her was true…

"Just to be clear again," Uriel said, "You've never exhibited any abilities like that until just a few hours ago?"

Adrielle shook her head. "Never. And I've encountered one or two Jedi growing up on my homeworld, and they never mentioned anything to me or my parents." She started suddenly, as a thought just crossed her mind. "My parents! They have no idea what's happened! I need to contact them and let them know—"

"Not so fast," Uriel interrupted. "Look I know you're worried about them, and they'll probably be worried about you once word of Obroa-skai gets out. But we need to confer with the Council first before we decide anything further." When he sensed her withdrawing in herself—definitely not what they needed at this point—he added, "You have our word, you'll be able to get in touch with them soon. But there are some things we need to do first."

That seemed to appease her for now, as he sensed some of her tension ease up. From the corner of his eye he saw Reena pop her head out from the doorway to the cockpit area.

"We'll be out of hyperspace in a bit. Get ready."

Uriel nodded to her. "Thanks." He stood, looked at Adrielle and moved his head in the direction of the cockpit. "Come on."

Dantooine

The Mermaid docked in one of the temple's free landing bays. Reena led the way down the ramp, Uriel and Adrielle behind.

Adrielle hadn't interacted with Reena during the journey over so this was the first time she was able to get a good look at the Twi'lek in front of her. The first thing she noticed:

"Um, Uriel," she whispered, "Her left lekku. What happened? Part of it is—"

"Don't ask," he whispered back. "If she's ever okay with you knowing, she'll tell you. Til then, ignore it."

Nodding, Adrielle dropped the subject. Looking past Reena, she noticed someone walking briskly toward them. Uriel matched the newcomer's pace, passing both women and meeting him halfway.

"Karm!" Uriel greeted, "I would've sworn that you'd be at Obroa-skai on the ground, what with your dad leading the campaign."

Karmus Jysed grasped Uriel's hand. "I probably would have if I hadn't been finishing up on Corellia. Likely it's a matter of time before I do get called." He turned his gaze to the approaching women. "Reena," he greeted, nodding cordially.

"Jysed," Reena returned, stopping and placing a casual hand on her hip.

Karm then noticed the girl next to Reena. He tried to hide his obvious confusion as he said, "Greetings. Lieutenant Karmus Jysed, Republic military." He extended his hand, which Adrielle shook uncertainly as she introduced herself. "I'm going to assume you came from Obroa-skai?" Karm said.

"Yes," she answered, glancing at Uriel as though searching for some kind of hint. He nodded while widening his eyes as though to say What? Go ahead!

"Sorry about what happened," Karm continued, "You have our assurances that we're going to do all we can to drive the Empire offworld as soon as possible."

"Thanks." Adrielle didn't have the heart to tell him she wasn't actually a native, but she appreciated the sincerity nonetheless: a sentiment that Reena apparently did not share judging by her snort.

"All right, hero man, let's go. I'm thinking these two have a bit of business to attend to."

Karm gave Reena a quick scowl before he realized the connotation. "Oh…" He nodded to Uriel to lead the way.

"So what's the public spin on the attack?" Uriel asked as they walked through the hallways connecting the hangars to the temple itself. "Has it even reached the general public?"

"Story broke about an hour ago," Karm answered. "So far just another invasion. Typical Sith being Sith, another neutral world caught up in the tug of war between them and the Republic. Nothing in the holonet implicating you guys so far."

"Good. Means we did our job well," Uriel said as he raised an arm, hand facing backward, which Reena slapped from behind in response.

The four of them made their way to the main hall of the temple. Reena made her way to one of the benches along the wall and stretched herself out on it with her hands under her head, drawing confused at best, indignant at worst looks from some of the students, and mere exasperation from some of the older Knights and Masters who then glanced in Uriel's direction.

Karm stopped outside the door to the more inner halls and chambers, recognizing his boundary. "Well, if my old man makes the call before I see you again, take it easy." He looked at Adrielle. "Good luck, Ms. Lunan."

"Just Adrielle, and thank you," she answered with a smile. She found that she appreciated this man's earnest and considerate demeanor, especially given the company she'd had during the trip over.

"All right, this way," Uriel said shortly, leading the way through the door.

Adrielle trailed behind as he led the way through the halls, struggling not to be distracted by the sheer beauty and tranquility around her, from the gardens on the other side of the railing on their right, to the rooms and chambers which ranged from reading rooms, sparring chambers, or just meditation centers through open doors along the left wall. Even the subtle creak of the floorboards beneath her feet as she walked added to the ambience of the environment in ways normal permacrete floors couldn't.

Uriel led them to another area of the temple. This time there were doors along both walls, all closed, and the material was all metal, much closer to what Adrielle was used to. Uriel led her to a door on the left wall. He pressed a button on the panel next to it. A moment later the panel glowed green and the door slid open. Uriel entered the room, Adrielle right behind him.

"Master," Uriel greeted, "I've brought the… I'm not quite sure, actually."

Adrielle glanced past Uriel to see an elderly Devaronian stand from behind his desk. He was wearing similar garb to Uriel, except his robes were maroon with a brown cloak.

"Uriel," the master greeted back, "I'm glad you made it back safely. I just got word from Captain Jysed. Luckily, it doesn't seem that the Empire's heart is entirely in it on Obroa-skai, given they never actually had any designs on the planet. Even more so, since their search for the artifact is obviously DOA."

"Oh good. So hopefully the battle won't last long and they'll give up and leave."

"If only the Sith operated like that. Such is the folly of their pride. And I can only guess that this…" He gestured to Adrielle, who glanced again at Uriel, who again gave her the 'what are you waiting for?' look.

She stepped forward to the master, who extended his hand.

"My name is Orrickos. I am the master of the Jedi Council of this temple. I understand you have a lot of questions, as do we." He gestured to the chairs in front of his desk. "Please. The only way we're going to be able to plan our next move is if we put everything we have on the table." He returned to his seat as Uriel and Adrielle took theirs. He looked at her again. "So, Uriel here managed to give me an extremely condensed version of what had happened, but I'd much prefer to get the full story from you."

Adrielle nodded, and began recounting everything she had gone through to that point to the master: The star-shaped item she found, the headaches and violent moods she'd been feeling, watching her friends and classmates die all around her, her unexplained bursts of… some kind of ability that she was one hundred percent certain she'd never had before.

When she was done, Orrickos nodded. "Hmm. And you're sure that you've never exhibited—"

"No." Why does everyone keep asking her that? Keep doubting her? "Like I told Uriel before, you guys aren't even the first Jedi I've ever met, and they sure as hell didn't see anything special in me."

"Master, there is a way to be sure," Uriel suggested.

Orrickos nodded. "I suppose it's the best way," he said as he reached in his desk and pulled out what looked like a datapad, as well as a thin hand-sized metal cylinder with an opening on one end. "Your wrist, if you please, Adrielle?"

Adrielle extended her arm toward the master, who took it and placed the cylinder over her wrist, opening against her skin, just near the base of her hand.

"Don't worry, this won't hurt…" He pressed the other end with his thumb.

"Ow!"

"…too much." He lifted the cylinder, where a droplet of blood was surfacing from Adrielle's wrist. He brought out a small glass slide and dabbed the small puncture, and slid it into a slot at the bottom of the datapad. "Now, let's see…" He stared down at the screen, as Uriel likewise stood and leaned over the desk.

Adrielle watched the two men looking down at the datapad, before finally.

"Huh," Uriel said, "Well what do you know, I guess she was right."

"Well I mean, it's still above the average count," Orrickos added. "I've known a few Whill Guardians with similar counts. But yes, definitely well below the amount required for any type of substantial sensitivity."

"Sorry," Adrielle cut, "but, 'count'?"

"Midichlorian count," Orrickos explained, "They're sort of symbionts within the cells of all living beings that allow them to connect to the Force. In high enough amounts, that connection can also give way to a degree of control over the Force."

"But," Uriel pointed out, "I definitely know what I saw. She used the Force. She clearly has powers. So the relic gave her abilities, but her count is still below the normal count of a Force-sensitive? How?"

"Oh come now, Uriel," Orrickos chuckled, "we both know the Force is and will always be a grand mystery. As if it could ever be truly and reliably known and measured scientifically. As in all things, the Force only ever shares as much as it wishes for us to know of its nature at any given time, no more, no less."

"Careful, Master, your Sage is showing."

"Oh shut up," Orrickos laughed, before turning his focus back on Adrielle. "Well, don't worry about any of that. All of this will hopefully be clear to you soon. I suppose for now, if I could ask you to try and meditate. Have you ever tried that before?"

"Sure," Adrielle said, "My dorm mate back in Obroa-skai introduced me to—" She stopped. That particular memory was still too raw.

"Don't worry," Orrickos assured her, "Just do your best."

"That's just it," Adrielle answered, "If I'm understanding what you're saying, and everything I've been feeling is the work of the… the Force, then…" She took a breath. "Then I want no part of it. You have no idea the hell I've had to go through! When you feel like your skull is going to burst open, when you're feeling so many things you don't know whether to laugh or scream, to cry or rage, the urge to break the closest thing to you but also this crippling fear of doing anything…"

"Oh we know more than you think," Orrickos said, "Tell me. These floods of emotion. Have you felt any of it since setting foot on Dantooine?"

Adrielle blinked. Thinking back to everything, from landing, to sitting in this office, she'd never even realized. "No."

"What did you feel as you walked here?"

She remembered clearly. "Peace. Serenity… harmony."

Orrickos's eyes twinkled. "You're so new to this. Things that even an untrained Force-sensitive would've mastered at childhood if only by instinct, you're dealing with in adulthood." He leaned forward. "Those feelings plaguing you… Those were the emotions of people around you. Untrained, undisciplined minds who've never needed to keep their emotions in check, and they were bouncing off your suddenly sensitive mind, like a satellite relay, and you with no way to filter or control it. But here…" He gestured around him, "Here, we train specifically to control those things. That's why you can be here with no worry of pain or torment. You don't need to worry about taking the turbulent emotions of those around you because those around you here have learned to control them. Just as we can teach you, if you'll let us."

Adrielle looked up at Orrickos, her eyes beginning to well up. Finally, after what felt like forever, she thought she'd never again know what hope felt like. But here, in this place, almost like an answer to her prayers, she could find shelter from the storms of the rest of the galaxy.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Orrickos smiled. "Not at all. After all, it's what we do." He leaned back. "Now, if you can, please, try to concentrate."

She nodded and closed her eyes. She tried clearing her mind, envisioning an airlock in her mind sucking all her thoughts, worries, and fears into it, before dissolving it. She took a deep breath, then exhaled. Then again, several more times. She felt her shoulders, which she hadn't even known were tensed, relax. She was beginning to find her center…

Until she saw and felt it again: The frigid gales, the thundering waves, the deafening winds.

She let out a scream and slumped forward.

"Adrielle!" Orrickos swung around his desk and took a knee next to her as Uriel leaned toward her, his hand already hovering over her head.

"Nng…" Adrielle moaned as she slowly raised her head.

"Are you all right?" Orrickos asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, thanks, but…" She shook her head. "I saw… flashes of… something. I can't tell you. It just comes in a rush, I can't pinpoint anything. And the chaos of it…"

"Could it be the relic?" Uriel asked.

"Possible," Orrickos said. "But I definitely know that feeling of chaos. Your balance." He looked at Adrielle. "You're unbalanced. In order to even begin to try understanding your newfound connection, you need to find your own balance, otherwise every time you try to touch the Force, it'll be torture for your mind."

"But how?" Adrielle asked.

"Oh that I can't just answer," Orrickos said, "I'm afraid everyone has a different source or means of balance."

"Then how do I find it?"

"Simple. You need a teacher."

Adrielle smiled in relief. "Thank you. I was afraid I'd be a lost cause."

"Certainly not. However…" Orrickos's eyes twinkled. "I won't be your teacher." He pointed at Uriel. "He will."

He and Adrielle both looked at each other.

"WHAT?!"