Shadows of Bankor

The weeks had been good for Liua, she finally had a heart to heart with Petrus, well it was more she just kind of got over her crush and then wrote about in her diary but she was better now maybe due to the Jedi influence. She still smoked but not around the old man’s cabin which is where she spent half the day the other half was helping at the soup kitchen… she was actually being respectable besides the speeder bike she had acquired, but that was kind of payback from her friends ditching her.

She also was learning that being a Jedi was hard work and there were parts that didn't make sense to her, like all this talk of redemption, some folks just didn't deserve it… but maybe that was something she would learn along the way. She was taking to the training and apply it in ways that suited her talents and operating in the city.

Today was a special day though, the old man said she was ready to create her own lightsaber and with the crystal she found when she almost drowned, she was ready to see if she could actually make this work.

Hours of work and then with a click, her blade came to life.

OOC: Successful creation.

Liua Lightsaber Creation + Destiny: 2eP+2eD 2 successes

Sloan watched as Liua ignited her lightsaber and his heart beamed with pride. She'd grown so much over the last few weeks.

"It suits you Miss Liua." He gave her a deep and earnest bow of admiration. She'd come from being under the heel of a trooper to being a living embodiment of hope, open-mindedness, and dedication.

Watching Liua grow these last few weeks had been an uplifting experience. She had really thrown herself into the training, and she was so nice to people at the soup kitchen, the regulars figured she must be 'old' Liua's twin sister.

Now was the day she would make her own lightsaber, and of course Xanna was there for it. She restrained herself from clapping and instead gave her an encouraging smile. "Congratulations Liua...and thank you."

“Thanks big guy,” she said extinguishing her green blade. “I don’t think I would have gotten this far without your help, or any of you even Petrus.”

“How are your people faring? We have been making sure any refugees get plenty of food at the soup kitchen and what we could salvage from the farm before we torched it.”

She clipped the weapon to her belt and left the poncho down over it and added, “I am still trying to get that move down you showed me, but I will probably need more practice.”

She smiled to Xanna, it was still an odd experience having so much support but odd in a good way.

She wanted to hear how Sloan's people were doing too.
"Yes, it was a shame about the farm but there was not much choice." She looked over at Master Hin. "With the Imperials searching Jaklu at least we have the ships now, if we need to relocate elsewhere on Bankor." She wondered if they should visit the Aznuri and see about joining forces.

"The Aznuri endure." He replied resolutely.

"After the attacks there were wildly varying ideas on how to proceed. Blame was thrown in all directions but blame doesn't bring back the ones we've lost.
Many of us returned to the Sky-Tree Forest, and I don't fault those that take that path. It has provided peace and refuge to our people for ages. Others still refuse to be driven away." Sloan cleared his throat. "One thing is for certain though, the Rebellion has gained a powerful ally in the Aznuri. Those unbreakable spirits that returned to the Calm shine serenely on us, invigorating the Sky-tree's Hammer in our fight for the soul of our planet."

It was a proud day. Not just for Liua, but for the Jedi in general. For years so many of their kind had died, lost to them. Now today they gained a new member perhaps for the first time in over four years.

Qareme rarely smiled. She rarely showed any emotion. However in this moment even the large Zabrak smiled.

"Congratulations, young one. This is truly a wonderful, joyous occasion" Qareme said without a single note of joy in her voice "however this is but a start of your journey. There is more to learn. However, remember this feeling, as I am sure all of us remember when we first forged our sabers" she looked at her staff for a few moments before looking back at Liua.

"What did you feel when you lit your saber for the first time?"

“That I didn’t want it to explode in my hands,” she said sardonically.

“But after that I sort of just thought of everything we have been through all the days training, and helping people and well just trying to make a difference. The Empire isn’t going away not without us doing something about it, but not just us… Yusandr and the Resistance, the Aznuri, the slummers. I didn’t want to let them down I guess?” she offered.

“I never really cared about other people because no one really cared about me, until that Imp put a boot in my back and some folks actually said something. That’s I guess what I felt,” she said honestly.

"Even Petrus?" Petrus shook his head, but he couldn't hide the smile on his face.

He looked at Liua, his blue eyes warm. "Congratulations, Liua." Petrus said.

Petrus Karath wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 03, 2020 4:07 pm

"Even Petrus?" Petrus shook his head, but he couldn't hide the smile on his face.

He looked at Liua, his blue eyes warm. "Congratulations, Liua." Petrus said.

"Thanks, Petrus," she said with a smirk.

Verse had been there as well, for moral support and what not. Unlike the others, she didn't give Liua a 'congratulations'; instead she gave her two thumbs up and a big excited grin just before she flipped it on, which was accompanied by a "Yay" when it worked.

The old man said, “This is a milestone, Liua, but only one of many steps but I am proud that you have come this far. This journey is a lifelong one, but not one you will travel alone even if you feel alone you have every Jedi that has ever lived standing beside you. You are now part of that legacy.”

He took a seat, cross legged, with some discomfort and added, “Our greatest strength is our fellow Jedi, living and those that have returned to the Force.”

"It is wonderful to see our family growing." She gave Oraka a look when he almost seemed to wince, that was new. "Master Hin, you are not that old. I could show you some stretches if you like?"

With a smile she took the cue and took a seat as well. "Is it possible to communicate with those who have returned to the force Master? Do they watch over us? Or am I thinking about it in too simple a way?"

Following the other examples, Petrus knelt, his gaze downcast. His lips compressed slightly, as they so often did when reminded of those they'd lost.

Xanna's question made him look up. "When I was in the prison," he said, speaking slowly, "-a man appeared to me. Showed me where to find Qareme and the others."

Since everybody else was doing it, Verse followed the latest Jedi trend and sat down cross-legged, listening to the others and especially what Petrus said.

"Did you recognize him?"

Petrus shook his head. "No. I think he was a Jedi from long, long ago. In the times of the Old Republic."

For a moment, it looked as though Petrus was about to say more, but he bit his lip, shaking his head.

Xanna Teevou wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 03, 2020 6:36 pm

"It is wonderful to see our family growing." She gave Oraka a look when he almost seemed to wince, that was new. "Master Hin, you are not that old. I could show you some stretches if you like?"

With a smile she took the cue and took a seat as well. "Is it possible to communicate with those who have returned to the force Master? Do they watch over us? Or am I thinking about it in too simple a way?"

The old man said calmly, “Some injuries from the war linger, Xanna.”

When she asked about the Force and speaking with the past he said, “There is speculation it could be done, or that they will speak to us… it is unclear if this is the person or a manifestation of the Force and we interpret as those we once knew or are tied to us.”

“It is a mystery of the Force, of which there are many.”

She nodded in sympathy. Now she felt bad about drawing attention to it, but there might still be something that could be done to ease that pain. Her own scars from the war were internal ones.

"So this is an unknown. Interesting." She gave Petrus a small smile. He had not mentioned it before but they all had their own relationship with the force.

Verse considered the answer Petrus had given her; and didn't ask for more details despite him looking like he wanted to say more. Or maybe she just hadn't noticed that part. Regardless, her gaze drifted elsewhere as she too considered a matter to bring before the group.

After a few moments she looked up again.

"Master Hin, earlier when I was meditating in the cave... I believe I had a vision of the future."

"I am listening, Verse," he said attentively.

"I saw the inquisitors. Both of them, Neela and the other one. I believe it was somewhere in the Hypermatter Foundry. She was on a lower platform, fighting some of us. The other one was up above..."

She wasn't entirely sure how to say the next part, causing a short noticeable pause in her story.

"...There was fire everywhere, and you were facing him. But, he was holding your daughter. And... he threw her over the edge. Then you reached for her through the Force, to save her. And that is when the inquisitor struck you."

She bit her lip. "That is all I saw before the vision ended."

He was silent as he considered this.

Petrus' lips parted, then pressed together firmly. Did he save her? He didn't think it would be a good question to ask.

"Master Yoda always told us the future is uncertain. That it is always in motion. Perhaps we could change this outcome? Prevent it from happening."

Xanna was quiet, listening as Verse told them of her vision. "The other Inquisitor is, or was, Valus Mal. He was Master Hin's Padawan during the Clone Wars. We thought we saw him die, but a worse fate awaited him."

She looked around the group and then back at Master Hin. "We should prepare ourselves in case this scenario cannot be prevented. If these events do come to pass Master, trust in us to save Versa."

She looked around for the girl. "I not believe asking her to keep out of trouble would be much use."