— Chapter 2: The Disturbance —
Ryden stirred in bed. His quarters, small and cozy, were illuminated by the soft morning glow of Coruscant's sun. The light passed through the translucent, ornately stitched curtains which shifted slightly in the cool breeze that drew in from a gap in the window, which had been left ajar.
But despite the muffled ambience of Coruscant, Ryden could only hear one thing - screaming. Cries of despair rang out, echoing in his mind. He began to groan and mutter pained words.
"No.. No…" Clouded by the haziness of the dream, Ryden could see flashes of red light, clouds of fire and could feel and hear the rumble of ship engines.
'Now isn't the time to be a hero!' A panicked voice yelled out.
'Dishonour begets dishonour' a cold and deep voice spat. Suddenly, with a flash of light and a chorus of screams, Ryden bolted upright in his bed. Panting, his shoulder-length hair was tangled with sweat and rendered a darker shade of brown than usual. He absent-mindedly ran his fingers through his damp hair, calming his heavy breathing. 'What was that?' His mind was racing, trying to process the horrors that his brain had just conjured up.
Ryden had read about visions and premonitions before, but thought that they were only for Jedi who had committed themselves entirely to the force and its ways, something he did not feel he had achieved. 'Was it just a nightmare?' Struggling to make sense of the experience, Ryden found his thoughts dwelling on the screams of terror he had heard. He instinctively remembered the war that had begun with the Mandalorians, wondering if that was somehow connected.
The extent of Mandalorian brutality was no secret to the Republic, as Ryden had become aware of. Before their sudden uprise and bloody journey into the mid rim, tales were shared of raiding parties claiming cargo ships and Republic patrols on vicious Blood Hunts, butchering anybody who opposed them. Now the war had broadened the scale of the destruction to never-before-seen highs, and it frightened the Jedi.
Heading over to the window, Ryden brushed the curtains aside and gazed over the city. Hundreds of traffic lanes, all interweaving and turning off to pass by astonishing feats of architecture, filled the air above the lower city. Ryden's eyes followed one of the lines of traffic, which rose up into the atmosphere as a departure lane, and stared into the golden morning sky. He felt his heart rate lower as the wondrous view fulfilled its daily purpose of calming him. 'Some day,' he reminded himself, 'I'll be out there, among the stars.'
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"Order! We shall have order!" Gul Torth, the Rodian Vice Chair of the Galactic Senate yelled - his voice echoing through the massive chamber, successfully drawing silence from Senators and Delegates alike.
The Senate Chambers were a gargantuan display of Republic infrastructure and political prevalence in the galaxy. A huge, round building, the Senators each stood in hexagonal pods that stood in incremental layers of elevation - resembling an arena, albeit lacking in the entertainment value of one built for womp-rat fights.
Supreme Chancellor Tol Cressa stood in the grandest and largest pod, which stood atop a stone column in the centre of the arena, high above the carpeted floor far below. He looked around at the Senators of the Republic systems, weary yet determined as his Vice Chair managed to quiet down the disapproving utterances.
"Thank you." He said, taking a moment to let the silence hang. "Rest assured, we are doing all that we can to combat the Mandalorians, but as of now we cannot operate alone. The Republic military is ill-equipped to face such an unprecedented threat."
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As he continued to address the Senate, Jedi Masters Vandar Tokare and Vrook Lamar stood in their own pod among the Senators, listening.
"Same news." Lamar muttered. "Being seen here isn't going to help our cause. We've been clear on the matter, there's no reason to let the Republic kid themselves into thinking we've changed our mind."
"True, but this morning's events have led me to believe that the war has escalated. Perhaps our being here may be to the benefit of our own assurances." Tokare pointed out.
"You don't believe that that nightmare was-"
"I do. Surely you felt it too, I know that I am not alone in my inclination that we may have been granted a vision of events that have only recently passed."
"The chances that the entire order saw something of that magnitide-"
"Disturbances of any kind, let alone that scale, are rare - it is true. But we cannot afford to pass such quick assumptions, especially if we are to be sure of our decisions in handling this war." Tokare turned back to Chancellor Cressa, leaving Lamar to sit with his doubt.
"Which brings me to the most recent development." Cressa continued, pausing for a moment. "We have received word from our forces on the planet Serroco that the Mandalorian forces have reached them.. And have wreaked havoc on a number of Stereb cities." A large hologram of the planet flashed up above the Chancellor's podium, dotted with red symbols highlighting lost cities. "The casualties consist entirely of innocent bystanders, and are significant."
Gasps filled the auditorium, as profanities were yelled out to damn the Mandalorians and their actions.
Tokare turned to look at Lamar, stone-faced with shock, though he had been bracing for the news. Lamar's face bore less expression, but the look that they shared was laced with understanding.
"It is in this time of desperation and horror that I ask, once again, for the Jedi Council to reconsider their pledge to remain neutral." Cressa extended his hand towards the Jedi pod. "The Republic needs you now, more than ever."
Tokare looked back with deep thought, his brow furrowed and his mind split.
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Early in the afternoon, the Temple canteen was fairly busy - filled with robed groups of Consulars standing idly in groups, discussing texts and ideologies, and Sentinels who were sweaty from their hours of training.
Ryden had just arrived back from the Temple archives, where he had spent most of the morning watching a number of old recordings of Jedi Masters reciting compilations of their personal thoughts and teachings regarding the force. He enjoyed the rare occasions when something clicked with him and opened his eyes to an aspect or point of view he had never previously noticed. This was uncommon mostly due to the heavy restrictions placed on the archives' contents. Only Masters had access to the larger majority of recordings and holocrons, and - within that - only the oldest, wisest and highest-ranking Jedi were permitted to view the more 'dangerous' teachings created by Jedi whose outlook on the force contrasted with the Council's, or else by various disgraced and much-feared fallen Jedi throughout history. Ryden always felt strongly intrigued by the concept of deserters. He had always understood the desire to explore the galaxy outside of the Jedi Order, but to leave it behind altogether and seek to destroy it? The idea frightened him, but a sense of curiosity always drew him to want to hear what the ancient holocrons had to teach.
Holding a plate of fried ray-scalefish, Ryden made his way over to Alek, who was already seated at one of the long tables that ran the length of the hall.
"Where have you been?" Alek frowned. Ryden sat down opposite his friend before responding.
"In the archives. What's wrong?"
"Well, many of us in the temple experienced some kind of vision this morning." At Alek's words, Ryden raised his eyebrows.
"I saw it too.."
"I haven't got a clue what it could mean, but apparently a few of the historians have been spreading rumours about it being connected to the war." Alek looked around him cautiously and then lowered his voice. "Apparently people are saying that things are taking a turn for the worse."
"But a vision?.." Ryden wondered. "I've read about premonitions, but how could something in the mid rim affect all of us here?" Alek shook his head. Ryden returned to his meal. 'Only significant events could create such a profound impact on the Jedi' Ryden memorised from some old textbook. As he chewed, he struggled to find the link between Alek's rumour and what he saw. 'Nothing makes sense'.
Minutes of silence passed before an old voice approached the two friends.
"Master Kildar, may I sit?" Master Tokare warmly inquired, smiling up at Ryden.
"Please," Ryden gestured to the space beside him, upon which Tokare took his seat. The two friends shared a puzzled glance; It was incredibly rare for Council Members to be seen in this part of the Temple. "How can I help you?"
"I won't pretend to know that whispers have been making their way around these walls." Tokare chuckled.
"I'm not sure what you mean." Ryden stammered, feigning confusion. Ignoring the response, Tokare turned to Alek.
"Considering this matter does not involve you, can I trust you to keep a secret?" Tokare raised an eyebrow. Alek took a moment to process the unexpected trust, before stuttering a reply.
"Uh-I mean- of course.. Master." Tokare turned back to Ryden, lowering his voice slightly.
"We have decided, against our better judgement, that the Republic's political matters are urgent enough for us to respond." Ryden stayed silent, eager as to what this could mean. "There has been an attack towards the inner rim."
"The inner rim?" Alek repeated without hesitation. "The Mandalorians are getting closer?" Tokare shot him a glance that commanded silence. Alek obliged.
"The Council, under my suggestion, is sending two delegates to oversee the military situation. Then, we will come to a final decision about our involvement in the Senate's next hearing." Tokare continued.
"But Master, why are you telling us?" Ryden frowned. 'Is he considering sending me?' He attempted to keep a hold of his expectations, considering that the Council had never entrusted him with any responsibility, but he couldn't control his rising heart rate. 'Maybe this is my chance to do something.. To prove myself..' Alek and Ryden quickly shared a glance, in which time Ryden could sense his friend experiencing the exact same thought process. Tokare watched the silent exchange of expressions take place before responding.
"I have been elected to lead the diplomatic mission." Try as he might, Ryden could not contain his excitement. 'This might be my one opportunity to go out there and see the galaxy - experience everything I've read about.' "And I have appointed the Jedi Knight Bastila Shan to accompany me." Tokare finished. 'Oh,' Ryden thought. Tokare had appointed his former Padawan for the task. Internally, the disappointed Knight reprimanded himself for ever thinking that the Council would choose for him to bear such responsibility.
"I see." Ryden nodded, hiding his feelings.
"So I come to you in need of a favour." Tokare paused. "The young Jedi Meetra Surik is fast approaching her trials, and is in need of a more experienced member of the Order to assist in her saber training."
"I see." Ryden repeated. He looked over at Alek, who raised his eyebrows hopefully. Even this amount of trust from the Council was unusual to Ryden. They had never asked for any favours from him, especially regarding any assistance in training another Jedi. The thought of becoming a Master had been pushed from his mind considering that his own Master, Kreia, held views that repelled the Council not only from her, but from him by association. That was when her words from the previous night echoed in Ryden's head. 'They can't really fear me.. They're giving me this chance to earn their trust, after all.' He thought to himself.
"Master Tokare, would there be any chance that I could come with you?" Ryden blurted out without thinking. He internally cursed himself for such a careless question.
"I am afraid that we require this mission to remain small." Tokare smiled. "But if you do not wish to take up Surik's training, I will gladly give the task to someone else." The Jedi Master's smile, while warm, held a shallowness from which Ryden could tell that there was more to why the Council did not wish to select him to leave the Temple.
"No, no I'm very happy with the task, Master." Ryden quickly smiled. "I would be honoured to assist her."
"Thank you, Ryden." Tokare stood up and stretched slightly, his very small stature requiring him to hold onto the long bench to maintain his balance. "Oh, and I would be grateful if this could be kept between us." He eyed both Ryden and Alek. "The less said, the better." The two Jedi nodded wordlessly, before Tokare departed.
"That's new." Alek chuckled once the Master was out of earshot. Ryden was speechless - he had never been treated with that much dignity from the Council. He had always known that Master Tokare was the most lenient and grounded member of the Jedi Council, however given Ryden's night-time antics, as well as the more careless and critical traits he had picked up from Kreia, Tokare would almost be forgiven for ignoring his existence altogether.
Ryden had always felt a nagging in the back of his mind that he simply made for a terrible Jedi; The meditating and training and studying, while all enjoyable, always left him unsatisfied and even more curious. He had assumed that leaving Coruscant and visiting planets across the galaxy would fill that hole, but that would have to wait. Maybe practising his skill as a Master would satiate his curiosities for the time being.
"Don't let them make you Grandmaster without me." Alek winked, grinning. A somewhat smug expression dawned on Ryden's face as his newfound responsibility set in.
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Having finished lunch, Ryden made his way from the canteen towards the training halls where he knew he would find Meetra. Throughout the long journey down the massive stone halls, all he could think about was how he would teach Meetra the nuances of saber combat. He knew that being able to use one without cutting oneself or removing a limb was only the beginning. True mastery required a deep understanding of discipline and calculation so as not to provide any openings for attacks. Not that the Jedi Order was part of any conflict that called for such mastery, however.
The Council was still shaken after the end of the Great Sith War. In the dull, quiet and peaceful streets of Coruscant, it was hard to believe that a conflict on a scale beyond anything Ryden could imagine ended only shortly before his birth. He had read about much of the war, and Master Kreia had recounted certain events from memory. The stories of the traitors Freedon Nadd and Exar Kun, as well as the redemption of the fallen Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma and his victory at the Battle of Yavin IV all existed as reminders of the dangers of the dark side of the force, as well as the consequences of turning one's back on the Order - at least in the conventional Jedi teachings. Generations of death, destruction and tragedy screaming across the known systems taught the Jedi an important lesson: The severe and terrible cost of war.
Ryden arrived at the walkway overlooking a grand layout of training halls. Down below, Jedi Knights, Masters and Padawans were duelling and practising with their sabers, as well as training staffs and sticks. Blue, green and yellow blades spun and locked in combat stances and manoeuvres throughout the grand halls. Ryden spotted two Jedi talking to one another in one of the rooms, and - recognising Meetra - slowly made his way down a red carpeted set of stairs toward it.
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"So, you're abandoning me, huh?" Meetra grinned. Bastila looked at her seriously.
"That's no way of putting it. I'm merely putting your training on hold until I get back." Bastila stated. She knew her friend was joking, but she never had time to return such an attitude - especially not when faced with a matter so particularly important. "It's urgent that the Order maintains diplomacy when faced with such a dire political situation. Being part of the effort means I-"
"-It's alright." Meetra laughed, cutting her off. "You didn't make for a very good Master anyway." They both hesitated, taking one last look at each other.
"Well, I'm leaving early tomorrow. I'd best be heading to my quarters." Bastila sighed.
"I'll see you soon." The friends briefly hugged before Bastila turned to leave. "I hope your replacement isn't as boring as you." Meetra giggled.
As Bastila left, she caught Ryden's eye and the two of them exchanged a short nod. Ryden recognised her from around the temple; She had always been a favourite of the Council's. Having passed the trials at around the same time, Bastila had been popular for her prowess as a member of the Order. She studied hard, practised vehemently and rose up to one of the most popular and prized Knights in the Temple. Seemingly impressive enough, she even - Ryden thought to himself - had the looks to boot. However, such a thought was always quickly expelled from his mind, at least within the confines of the Jedi Temple.
Ryden turned and entered Meetra's training hall, where she was waiting and lazily stretching in preparation.
"Meetra?" Ryden asked, as if he had any doubt. Though he had never met her before, he vaguely recognised her from around the Temple - and had been given her profile by the Council. She was dressed in simple, plain tan training attire which lacked sleeves for ease of movement. Her hair was short and dark brown, and her face was pretty and youthful - though she was clearly only a few years younger than Ryden.
"Yup. So you're the new guy?" Meetra responded with a cheerful curiosity.
"I guess so." Ryden curtly responded. He made his way over to the benches lining one side of the room, where he pulled off his brown cloak and laid it down, allowing the less restrictive robes beneath to enable him more mobility.
"What will we be doing today, Master?"
"I'm not a master." Ryden corrected. "What have you learned so far? Do you know your basic stances?"
Meetra began to showcase the main combat stances, and the critical eye which Kreia had passed down to Ryden began to present its purpose.
"You're showing defensive stances. But I'm assuming you use Form 1?"
"How did you know?" Meetra frowned, slightly incredulous.
"Well, I can tell from the way you're moving." Ryden indicated her feet, which were spread apart on the floor. He was internally revelling a little in the slight admiration. "You're unbalanced and moving a lot. Your lightsaber swings are very strong, but too wild." He made his way around Meetra, observing the stance she settled on. "Are these the only stances you know?"
"I mean.. Yeah." Meetra shrugged.
"So you've only been taught defensive positions?" Meetra's silence spoke volumes. Ryden stopped moving, and stroked his stubble as he considered the remainder of the training session.
"Are we going to duel?" Meetra tentatively asked.
"No. Not today, for now we need to work on your stances and positions. You've been taught how to move defensively, but Form 1 can be better utilised for offence."
"Offence? Why would I be learning that?" Meetra asked, confused.
"In case of an attack." Ryden responded bluntly. "You never know what you're going to face outside these walls."
"But who's going to attack me?"
"Criminals, thieves.. There's a war going on out there."
"Yeah, but it's not like we're joining the fight. I mean, they keep saying they're peacekeepers. Not warriors or soldiers."
"Sometimes keeping the peace means fighting back." Ryden stated. Before Meetra could continue, however, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. In the entrance of the training room, stood Master Vrook Lamar. He was watching the debate unfold with a stern frown. Ryden cursed internally. 'This is supposed to be my chance to prove myself to them.'
"But that's not why we're going to be working on your stances." Ryden sheepishly added. "To be a good Jedi Knight, you must study the broader details of your chosen form and skill with a saber."
"Right." Meetra said, brow furrowed at the change of tone. Ryden began to take her through offensive stances, helping her with saber positioning and legwork. Occasionally, he reached over to reposition her uncoordinated limbs - but generally left her to work it out for herself., which Meetra appreciated. Bastila had been very overbearing with her borderline micro-management, but because she was such a close and trusted friend, Meetra could never bring herself to say it out loud.
"You should consider using a second blade." Ryden had recommended at some point. "It would complement your form." Meetra had silently chuckled at the suggestion. 'If I'm struggling with one, I think two might be a stretch.'
The next time Ryden looked over at the entrance, Master Lamar was gone. He anxiously wondered how much of the session he had watched, and whether or not he had shaken off the rough initial impressions.
By the end of the session, Ryden felt satisfied with Meetra's improvements. Her legwork was far more firm, and she had begun to control her saber movements with much more discipline.
"So why are you here?" Meetra suddenly asked.
"Sorry?"
"Why did the Council choose you to help train me? I mean, everyone knows I've run through my fair share of teachers." Ryden paused, thinking.
"I don't know."
"Are you a star pupil of theirs?"
"Not exactly." Ryden laughed.
"Huh." Meetra uttered, the corners of her lips stretching into a thin smile. "Well, thanks anyway."
"I'll see you tomorrow." Ryden nodded.
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At night, Ryden and Alek made their way out of the Temple gates, down the mammoth stone steps and into the plazas and avenues below. Having traversed the lower streets of Coruscant at length, they had no trouble finding a quiet area away from the commercial clutter and black market vendors, but that still offered that priceless view of the decadent night-time city.
Even at midnight, the sky was still littered with the orange glows of vehicles travelling across the planet's surface, moving in straight lines as per the city's air traffic regulations. Once again, Ryden found himself gazing across at the ascending traffic lines, imagining what it might be like to feel the towers and apartments slip further away as he climbed into the atmosphere - far away into the galaxy. He couldn't imagine a life without the Jedi Order, but he knew that someday he would feel the dirt of another planet, and breathe the cool air of a forest.
Having settled into their spot, Ryden suddenly noticed a small commotion in an alleyway below. What looked like a mugging was taking place between a small street gang and a lone civilian.
"Do you want me to go scouting out in the Uscru district?" Alek asked bluntly. He hadn't noticed the situation below them. His weariness was evident yet his assumption was clearly that the night would be spent as it usually was.
"Not tonight." Ryden responded, which drew a surprised and slightly perplexed expression from Alek.
"Really? What's happened?"
"Nothing." Ryden lied, pausing for a moment. He turned away from the mugging with a difficult internal struggle. He knew that spending another night as some kind of Jedi vigilant would be to his own detriment - the Council was wary enough of him as it was, but now with his new chance to earn their trust as Meetra's teacher, Ryden was aware that he had to keep his head down and play the part of the wise Master.
"So you're stopping?" Alek tentatively asked.
"I guess so." The two friends stayed quiet for a little while, watching the spectacular view. Minutes passed with only the sounds of the cool breeze and faraway bustling streets cutting across the silence.
"Why did you want to fight off criminals for so long?" Ryden hesitated before responding.
"It seemed like the right thing to do." He shrugged, unsure. "But I think I just enjoyed it."
"Helping people?"
"No. Being free, using my skills. Doing something that the Council weren't dictating or supervising. But it wasn't enough."
"What is enough?" Alek asked. Ryden paused again.
"I don't know." He finally answered.
"I think at the beginning, I wanted what you wanted." Alek remarked. "To help people, but also to be free."
"And what do you want now?" Ryden questioned, turning to face his friend, who hesitated.
"To be seen. I guess I'm just tired of the Order looking past me. I'm happy that you've been given the chance to teach someone - I really am." He smiled. "But I wish that the Council would see me and give me the same chance." Ryden had no idea what to say. Such an honest and blunt display of desire from his friend was rare, but he wanted to validate it - to console him in some way.
"Well." He started, hoping he could find the right words. "You'll always have me." They smiled at each other. "I promise."
As silence set back in, Ryden looked back down at the alley - which was now empty.
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