Forceful Stoicism 4 - (Star Wars, SI)
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I feel like I am being punished by the Council right now. Either that, or my Inner Anakin was spitting kriff in my ears.
To be fair, I could tell there was a degree of genuine concern when I was 'grounded' from going for missions for a few months.
My encounter with Xanatos had been intense, enough that some Masters, Dooku included, had deduced I was in desperate need of not only recuperate from the encounter.
Not only that as I also had to work to refine my duelling skills as I may have the right ideas but I lacked the exercising that Dooku would have been more than happy to give me to improve my stamina.
Hence why, in a rather unusual situation, he decided to be off on a new mission with Komari, while I was stuck in the Temple to deal with 'Temple Duties'.
In particular, I was to act as an assistant to Master Cin Drallig and then be taught by him in the matters of duelling.
Through these intense weeks, I was hardly worrying about little 'Granta Omega'. The baby that was Xanatos' son had been taken to the temple, but it would be an understatement to say that he was an easy task despite his infantile age.
The boy was a Force-Blank, which meant we were keen to be 'forgetful' of him from time to time.
Only the more skilled masters could break into the little veil hiding the kid's away, and it was decided by the council that, due to his sufficiently-high midichlorian count, the boy was to be taught as a Jedi.
For now, however, the baby was monitored, and he was given under the care of non-force-users.
The sheer amount of embarrassment Mari and I felt at losing the kid twice before getting back to Coruscant had been immense, but Master Dooku was forgiving since he almost forgot the child too for a moment or two.
Now, the real struggle was in regard to Cin Drallig himself.
The Battlemaster of the Jedi Order was one of the strongest duelists around. Some would even say he is so good that he could match Dooku and potentially win in a fair fight.
And as I worked under him and then trained under his care, I could tell that was a honest and believable claim.
Cin was ruthless. There was no way to sugarcoat it - his way with the sword and his insane grasp on most of the basic Jedi styles. He was a 'defensive' fighter with a 'forcefully offensive' pace.
The way he harnessed the force was at a level far higher than mine. And his speed with each strike made fighting him a nightmare for anyone that was either too focused in offensive patterns or too clumsy when guarding themselves.
Yet, I was able to do a fine impression. Enough that the next few months helped me build up more physical endurance and also hone my force-boost whenever it was needed.
Mari kept on giving me hourly reports.
She was having fun being around Dooku... unless it came down to the reason behind their trip: training with the Force. I couldn't defend there if I wasn't around to begin with, something that had sheltered her from some harsh truths from our master.
Dooku was one that sought balance between duel-skills and force-skills.
Mari was a prodigy for the former, but very average for the latter. She had improved considerably, but she wasn't at the point where both skills were at the same degree of mastery.
So, more meditation, less fighting, and more 'boring times' for her.
I think it even got under her skin when she had to personally tell me our Master wanted to give me a 'mission'. Not exactly one sanctioned by the order, but rather a 'personal favor' he was bound to follow through on behalf of a 'recent friend'.
This was already a red flag for as much as I could care, and yet I didn't have much of a choice to deflect the chore. I was told to go to Sojourn and observe a meeting unfolding there.
I couldn't recall what was this gathering about until it was too late, yet I could tell something foreboding came from the request itself.
The force was telling me something, same for my meta-knowledge senses as they tingled in a hurry. I was really unsure what was up with that... until I was there and I felt the fucking issue slapping my face by merely existing.
My brain had farted. A big fart at that.
I thought that I wouldn't have to deal with this shit until much later, but as I arrived in Sojourn, I felt my inner sense screaming at me to bail from this visit ASAP! Like, I had never felt this much terrified by merely visiting a place like this.
It felt like everything could kill me on the spot and, while that sounded like a panic attack, it was worse because I knew there was merit to the fear and there was a source for it.
When I made it out of the hangar where my ship had landed and I had been escorted around by some guides regarding my as 'Dooku's representative'. When I arrived at the room where the gathering was being hosted, I found him already there.
The tall Muun had a respiration mechanism following an 'accident' he suffered on this planet. Hego Damask II, the Damask Holdings, was also known to the lore as Darth Plagueis the Wise, Master of Darth Sidious.
He appeared in his civilian attire, his force pattern heavily suppressed but... I made a curious discovery that day. If you already know someone is a force user, and a dark side user at that, your own senses will instantly pick up on the little trail left behind by the Sith Lord and... I could 'break' through the veil.
He didn't seem to notice that, as I had sharply forced my stoicism back to full power. None of the representatives noticed this too, or they just didn't care as I was there merely as an observer to then record and send the data to my master.
It should have been just that. I had gotten close to the sun and almost shat bricks because of it but-
"Young Padawan. May we... talk?"
I had been on my way, so close to just pick up my pace and bolt for my ship once out of sight when Plagueis intercepted me.
Turning to greet him, I offered a polite smile.
"Mr. Damask."
"Please, call me Hego. Alas, I am surprised that your Master couldn't make it. I suppose he was busy with a mission."
"He was. I wish to forward his apologies if you wished to speak with him... Hego."
He nodded and offered an amused look at the politeness.
"That being said, I am also surprised to finally make your acquaintance, young Dester. Dooku spoke highly of you and young Komari."
Did he? Fucking hell, Master!
"I hope he didn't leave out any of my flaws either. I would be upset if he praised me so highly and I end up flundering any demonstration."
A chuckle came from the Muun's respirator. "A humble mind, truly rare among your... ilk. Especially those of the old guard."
"Peace can do that. Especially when people are unwilling to look within themselves and accept their own faults. Not just individuals but groups."
There was a brief pause, then a sigh. "I do see why Dooku says you have quite the mind, young Dester. Would I be right in saying you share his disappointment for the order?"
"In its current capacity and subordination to a corruptible organization such as the Republic? I do. However, I do feel the worst of the excesses come from a rather zealous application of the orthodox doctrine of the order. There is no introspection, no genuine inward look to accept the flaws of forceful interpretation and a lack of individual freedom within the ruling."
"True."
"But I would say that there are other factors to blame, Hego. After all, one doesn't need to look so far to find examples of similar declines. The Sith Empires, for example, were based on a form of rules that hardly changed. Orthodoxy and disbelief in frequent changes in their system allowed for their faults to trump their qualities."
I saw the Muun tense up at the mention of the Empires, but then he nodded in delighted agreement.
"Oh, I can see you have a fine grasp of history. A smart understanding is what makes us able to accept the need of changes, one way or another."
"Which is why I am aware that change is on its way. And that the Jedi dominance over the balance may soon be disrupted," I flatly confirmed, leaving the guy smiling under his respirator. "Alas, I have other matters to attend. My Master wouldn't wish for me to play 'politics' if I have chores to still conclude."
"It's fine, Young Padawan. One's education never ends and should hardly be disturbed. Still, let me grant you a gift as I feel you may have a chance to use this specific holocron to further expand your horizons."
I expected a red pyramid holocron, but I got a blue semi-cubical one instead. A Jedi Holcron, which a Sith Master gave me.
To say I was very suspicious but 'grateful' was an understatement. I didn't wait much to see if this was a faux Jedi Holcron, perhaps a bomb or something, and I opened it within the ship as I was on my way to Coruscant.
What I didn't expect was that 1) the creator of the Holocron was actually a figure that once was a Jedi but became a Sith and 2) the lessons were not about the dark side.
"Greeting Student. My name is Master Kreia, and I shall provide you with my knowledge regarding the use of the Force to manipulate the elements."
As awkward as this may sound... I actually looked forward to learn what Master Kreia wished to impart through this holocron.
After all, how many people could say they had a holocron from Darth Revan's Jedi Master?
AN
And we are back... as Dester prepares to further expand his skills around the force and the duel styles before facing a legit war. Next time, the Jedi Order faces a crisis involving... pirates!