Shadows of Bankor

Petrus had called ahead, made arrangements. A meeting out here seemed like a good idea for what he had in mind. Jenna was able to drop him off not far from where he wanted to go, and could pick him back up later; he waved as she departed.

He sat down by a tree at the edge of a brook, and waited.

Sacha waved as she approached. There was something stiff, some tension in her posture, but she still called out a greeting. "Hey, Petrus."

Slowly, Petrus rose to his feet, giving the approaching Sacha a smile and an easy wave.

"Hey, Sacha." He tilted his head, frowning. "Everything okay?"

She tilted her head, looking to the side as if considering something, then admitted, "No." She paused and took a breath. "One of the Inquisitors threatened us to get us to work for them. I said no. So we're sort of... waiting for the other shoe to drop right now."

Petrus took a deep breath. "I see." He said. He was silent for a moment, frowning.

He shook his head. "Which one? I mean, not that there's one where I'd say 'oh, sure, don't worry about it', but..." Petrus shrugged.

"Lady in a mask," she clarified. "She didn't identify herself. Paid an awful lot of attention to me, and I can't say I liked that one bit." She seemed to huff a little, recalling the events of the previous day. That lingering question of why still pursued her.

"Ah, that one." Petrus said. He mulled it over for a few moments. "That's not great." He said blandly.

His eyes widened. "She paid a lot of attention to you, huh?" He chewed his lip for a few moments. "Do you know why?" He asked.

"Aside from what little I can do, no idea," she replied, shaking her head. "She said she sensed a great destiny. Which... I don't know. What would she know about it?"

Petrus was once again silent for a few moments before responding. "She has a power. It allows her to do things, see things. With her, it's a dark power, but yeah, she's definitely got it."

He looked at her, his expression somber. "I think you have a power too, Sacha. And I think if you look inside yourself, you know it."

She nodded at that. "Yeah... I can't do much, yet, but... There's some things. Mostly influencing emotions. We have enough history with the Jedi that we can recognize something similar. I wouldn't be the first Mando like that."

"Don't know any of the details, though. Someone I know called it the Force."

"The Force." Petrus nodded. "Yeah, I've heard it called that too." He said.

He looked at her curiously. "Is it okay for you to have that? With your people, I mean. I know that Mandalorians and the Jedi haven't always been friends. Slight understatement there." He chewed his lip a moment. "How do they feel about Jedi now, anyway?"

"Yeah, you know. Just at war at various times over the course of our mutual twenty-thousand-and-change history. No biggie," she joked gently. "One of our overall leaders - we called them Mand'alor - was trained by the Jedi from a young age. Tarre Viszla, a thousand years ago," she said. "The Darksaber that he created is still a symbol of leadership. So, while it's going to be viewed with suspicion, there's precedent for respect, too."

"Opinions vary. I, for one, am offended that our best and longest term enemies were taken down in such an honorless way. Clashing with the same group on and off for so long I think creates a respect and attachment in some ways. I'd like to see them regain their strength. I've never taken a Jedi contract. It's one of the reasons I refused the contract the Empire offered, besides the stain on our honor it would bring."

"Exactly." Petrus grinned.

He listened to her, his expression growing gradually more interested. "That's... really interesting to hear, Sacha. And good. Huh." Petrus frowned thoughtfully for a few moments. "Do you think... would you like to learn more about the Force?"

She nodded confidently. "I think not doing so would be a bad plan. It's not like it's going away."

"Okay, uh, well..." Petrus scratched his head. He was no master, not even a knight. But, until she met with Master Hin, he was what she had.

He cleared his throat, giving her a smile. "Okay. Let's give it a try. Here, c'mon." Turning, he moved back to the tree he'd been sitting beside. He took a seat once more, sitting cross-legged."

"Here." He said, giving her an encouraging smile. "Sit. Please." He gestured to the ground in front of him.

After a beat, she shrugged and followed his instructions, sitting down in front of him. "Okay..."

Petrus grimaced. "I was never very good at this part. It's not quite like the blind leading the blind, but it's pretty close."

He reached up, brushing back his slightly scruffy red hair. And then he held his hand out, palm flat and facing towards her.

"Go ahead and put your hand against mine, just like that." He gave her an encouraging smile.

She paused. "Gloves off?" She clarified.

Petrus' eyebrows went up, and then he nodded. "Yeah, definitely. Uh..." He scratched his head with his other hand. "That's okay, right? I know you can't show your face, and you've seen what I use as a cultural primer for Mandalorians..." He flashed her a grin, only slightly apologetic.

She laughed gently. "A hand is fine." She took off one glove, revealing a small hand, olive toned, pale from lack of sun exposure. She held up her hand, imitating him, and showing the palm callused from both sword and hammer.

By contrast, Petrus' palm was only lightly calloused, a few spots that looked similar to sword callouses, but fainter.

"Okay." He said. "First, I want you to focus on your breathing. In and out, in and out. Slow. Relaxing. Be aware of each breath, think of the life it brings to you, suffusing your body." He demonstrated, his chest rising and falling slowly as he easily entered the familiar meditative rhythm.

"Then, when you're ready," Petrus words matched his breath, slow and calm, "-place your hand against mine."

She listened carefully and followed his rhythm. Her chest rose and fell slowly, and he could hear the breath faintly against her T visor. Finally, she reached forward slightly and closed the distance between their hands, touching his lightly.

Petrus' hand was warm, but not unpleasantly so, and his skin was soft. He nodded slowly.

"Now," He said, still breathing slowly in and out. "Close your eyes. Focus on our hands. Both of them. Feel the warmth in your hand, and in mine. Feel our pulses." His was steady, strong. "Feel the life that is in both of us. And recognize that it's connected. Your life, and my life. All living things."

She didn't verbally responded, just trying to do what he was asking. It reminded her of what Juri said the other day. To open herself up to it.

Thinking about all life right now was too big, but feeling the connection and the pulse and life within the personal she was touching? That was manageable. As she relaxed, she could feel all kinds of growing and scurrying things around nearby, too. She breathed out slowly, her pulse steady.

Petrus hadn't closed his eyes. He was watching her... as best he could anyway. It was so much harder to tell without seeing her expression. He even had to take it on faith that her eyes were closed. But there was a certain look for people who really were connecting with the Force, if you knew they were trying, that you could see. "Good. Good." He said.

"Now, focus on that feeling. The flow between us. Around us. Don't force it, don't fight it. Simply experience it. Be a part of it." He shifted his hand, just a little, so that only the tips of their fingers touched.