Sanctuary stood on the surface of a small moon, it looked much like a tower though cracked and broken with age, it was to small to fit the ever growing community of force users, but beneath the tower great tunnels wound in every direction housing the fleeing people. There were schools to teach the young, kitchens to feed the hungry and med bays to heal the wounded, it was a work in progress that was over saw by the Sanctuary council, the council was made up by former masters, there was a very old Grey Paladin, he sat hunched over on a wooden cane that seemed to be as old as him, next to him sat another older fellow that would belong to the Order of the Grey, there were two Makutai elders, a Gun Dancer, a Jensaari, a Warden of the Sky and a incredibly old Jedi. They all looked old and sad, the recent events having caused them to age more so then their entire life before the Jedi were attacked and all force users hunted down. They all sat quietly around the table, they had been hashing out details about the newer generation they we're brining up in this depression, they were to graduate today, become knights of their own order and no longer be padawans. The elderly Grey Paladin cleared his throat "the banquet in their honor has been prepared, we should stop our squabbling and head there now" after pushing himself up and moving toward the door he nodded the the young Jedi female that leaned beside the door "Val, should you not be rounding up the other padawan and heading to the great hall?" he doesn't wait for a reply as he walks out the door.

Val uncrossed her arms an followed him out the door before teleporting ahead of him and bounding down the hall, she always liked sitting in on their meetings, learning all that she could, but the Master Paladin was right, she should be making sure all the padawan were gathered at the feast, running through the halls she alerted any padawan she could find that they were to head to the great hall immediately.

Val was to go first as soon as she reached the banquet hall, after completing her trials she had to duel her master an then recite the Jedi Code and she'd no longer be a padawan. Moving to meet her master on the dueling structure he instructed her to try her best and then stepped back, Val wasn't gonna hold back, she flipped backwards through the air lighting up one or her two lightsaber, the golden glow made her smile as she landed elegantly on her feet, she noticed her master stood ready with his own green saber out, with a swirl of her arm she rushes toward him teleporting every few feet to close the distance faster, bringing her saber around to meet his the beams clash and bounce away, flipping backwards Val force leaps over him and spins to swing her saber at him, clashing once more. After several long minutes of the pair clashing sabers Val lunged straight toward him though this time she Force blinded him and then teleports behind him, moving quickly she sets her saber near to his throat, having recovered from the blinding flash he puts away his saber with a proud smile. After reciting the Jedi Code with her absolute loyalty Val gets up and moves to stand by the wall now a Jedi Knight.

It felt strange to be testing himself twice in a lifetime, but all newcomers supposedly had to go through trials today. The Elder Jensaarai, in light of this, had told him there would simply be a combat test. Cyrus was fine with that. It had been a long time since he had sparred against a lightsaber user, after all.

"When you are ready Cyrus."

The Jensaarai could hide their presence well, but they did not prefer surprise attacks. Of course, they would do so if necessary, but honorable, direct combat was highly favored. Instead of a long, protracted, cat and mouse game, they would face each head on. Cyrus activated his blue lightsaber, entering an defensive stance. He wished to see how his opponent would attack, hoping formulate a plan to counter his opponent's strikes. The Elder Jensaarai took notice of this, and initiated with a dash, with a reverse grip style, swinging his purple lightsaber from his left side.

Cyrus was a bit surprised. A reverse grip was highly uncommon, and for good reason. However, opening up with a reverse grip was not really a bad idea, as it would allow for a lot of momentum to be delivered into the first strike. Cyrus quickly stepped to the side a bit to lessen the impact of the blow, and quickly deflected his opponent's blade. Before his opponent could start another attack, he swiftly performed an overhead strike, which was also swiftly blocked by his opponent.

The rest of the duel went on for a while like this. There would be brief moments where Cyrus would have an advantage, only to be pushed back, and it was the same story with his opponent. While strikes did hit from time to time, they were glancing at best, and their armor ensured they were dazed for a moment, but still largely unharmed. After about fifteen minutes, the elder Jensaarai stopped the duel, convinced Cyrus was talented enough to be called a Jensaarai Defender.

Cyrus took his place in the banquet hall, finding himself to be the second person there. The first person was a female, who he assumed was a Jedi. Those robes she wore seemed like those of the Jedi, and seeing how this was Sanctuary, it wasn't hard to come to an educated guess. Cyrus decided to greet her in a monotone voice.

"Jedi. I suppose I should congratulate you on finishing your trials."

Cyrus wasn't really sincere, but it was merely a formality. Cyrus always saw the Jedi as condescending, but it was a banquet, and he didn't wish to ruin the mood. Cyrus supposed starting his own trial on how fast he would be able to behead an arrogant Jedi, while amusing, would probably lead to him being exiled anyway.

Jason sat in his room, meditating when Val poked her head in and summoned them to the great hall. However, he made no motion to move, nor much indication that he'd noticed her arrival other than a curt nod. When she left, he remained as he was, an aura of both dark and light energies flowing around him as he focused on the Force. His mother's instructions, as she'd taken over when his father stayed behind, had been explicit that he remain in his room and meditate until she summoned him. If Val was already notifying the various apprentices that the time had come to head to the hall, than the final test was coming soon because the Council's meeting was done.

As he waited, he walked his memories in his mind, reviewing small things like a flaw in his form, or a flaw in his technique. He also reviewed all the lessons he'd learned over the years as a Acolyte in the Order of the Grey. He knew they were all important and this resulted in him reviewing all of them. It had been about twenty minutes after the Jedi Padawan poked her head in that Jason felt the familiar presence of one of his mother's aide's, Rida, enter. "Jason, it's time." Coming out of his meditation, Jason stood and bowed to Rida, his right fist over his heart, who curtsied in response.

"Thank you, Rida. I shall go at once." Following behind Rida out the door, while she went left to return to her other duties, Jason went right, to meet his mother in the combat hall. He moved at a brisk pace and, despite there being a considerably amount of foot traffic due to the banquet being held after all the tests, arrived in around fifteen minutes. His mother was already there, meditating in the center of the room. When he stepped in, she stood and unhooked her double bladed saber from her belt. "Before we begin, recite the Order's code." Nodding Jason takes up a position opposite his mother and unhooks his own sabers.

"The light and dark are only aspects of the Force.
One body, one mind, one soul.
There is no light or dark in the Force.
Only one power, one being of Greatness.
The Force is the power, the wielder is it's hand.
Light is peace and tranquility, Darkness is chaos and destruction.
Separate, they are weak, together, they are strength.

The Force will guide me."

The sound of his mother's twin blades igniting, their silver light illuminating her face, confirmed to begin. Igniting his own twin black blades, he thrust forward with his left and had it deflected to the right. He used the momentum to bring both sabers to bear by spinning with it and going for a horizontal slash. She leapt over the blades and back, flipping and landing on her feet and rushing to close the distance. For several minutes, the pair exchanged blows, her mastery over the double bladed lightsaber showing in how effortlessly she parried and deflected his blows.

Jason, on the other hand, showed a natural skill with twin sabers, striking high, low, left, and right smoothly in an effort to bypass or test his mother's defense. Seeing one after about ten minutes, he thrust with the right hand saber again, only to have it deflected upwards by the bottom blade of his mother's saber. Ducking the retaliatory slash aimed at his neck, he sweeps her legs out from under her and pins her arms with his knees, his blades crossed at her neck. Smiling, she deactivates her own saber, but not before letting him know she still could have gotten him by using the Force to levitate her top blade close to his neck.

Deactivating his own sabers, he stands and helps his mother up, bowing like he had to Rida. "You have shown great understanding in all your tests and trials, Jason Je'and. And today, you showed more than proficient skill with your lightsabers. From this day on, you will no longer be an Acolyte with in the Order of the Grey, but a Guardian, one of our guiding stars and a protector of the Order and it's teachings. Rise." Jason did so, a smile on his face, and his mother hugged him. "On a much less formal note, congratulations. Your father would be so proud."

Jason nods and hugs his mother tightly before releasing it. "I need to get to the banquet hall, but I'll see you there, right?" His mother nods and they part ways, she returning to where ever she was needed and him going to the hall. After a ten minute walk, he entered and saw Val, who was obviously a Knight in the Jedi Order now, and a Jensaari he had yet to encounter before. Still, he had no reason to remain silent. "Good afternoon, Val, Master Jensaari. I take it your trials went well?"

Berisha was in a medical bay when Val stopped by and passed on the news to meet in the great hall. "Thanks Val. I'll be there in a bit." She says before finishing up her work in the med bay and heading out. She made her way to one of the arena rooms and knelled to one side, meditating as she waited for her Elder to arrive. A few minutes later a Mirulaka female arrives and takes position opposite of Berisha, smiling slightly. "Recite the code please." The Mirulaka, who Berisha had called Elder since the death of her parents, asks.



The Elder nods and smiles, drawing her twin sabers and igniting them, their blades a cool blue. In a flash Berisha is on her feet, lightsaber in hand and rushing at her Elder while the Mirulaka returns the rush. The pair clashes and repels each other several times before settling into a steady duel between the two. Both were careful and patient in their strikes but Berisha was also a bit more aggressive as she attacks and counter attacks her Elder, working to create her own opening in the double lightsaber 'shield' created by the Mirulaka.

Berisha soon got the opening she was looking for as she disarms her Elder of one of the blue blades and comes in with a diagonal slice, stopping right before she actually killed the Mirulaka. A moment later the two remaining sabers deactivate and the pair courtesy to each other. "Very good Berisha. You've done great in your Trials and now you've proven your skill with a blade. From now on you leave behind your previous rank of Acolyte and ascend to Guardian, one of our guiding stars and a protector of the Order and it's teachings. You've done your parents proud." "Thank you, Elder. Will you be at the banquet?"

"Of course I will, now go, you're one of the guests of honor after all." With that the pair parts for one final time as Elder and Acolyte and Berisha makes her way to the Great Hall. When she arrives she quickly spots Val, Jason and a Jensaarai she'd never seen before and heads over to them. "I take it you two completed your trials, and you, too, I guess but may I ask who you are?" The Cathar asks inquisitively and with a small smile.

Val leaned against the wall of the banquet hall, her mind preoccupied envisioning her helping bring back the Jedi force and allowing all force users to return to their normal lives, upon hearing the other now newly knights she drags hers self to attention "congratulations everyone, I do hope your trials went well, I'm assuming they did as you are here" she flashed a friendly smile and drew back the golden hood of her Jedi robes, she knew everyone if not vaguely, she tried to put as much attention in the areas the council did and the council was no stranger to wanting more knights to help their cause.

It seemed the trials were being finished up as they spoke. The two newcomers he assumed were Jedi as well, as they all seemed to know each other and wore similar robes. Hopefully, this wouldn't be a pure Jedi party plus one Jensaarai. Not that he would mind that much, but he never saw the Jedi as the kind of people who would make the banquet pleasing to say the least. At least one of them had manners, even if he gave Cyrus an incorrect title.

"I am a Jensaarai. Hardly a master, so I would say that title is inappropriate. I would assume my trials went well, seeing how this banquet is for those who completed their trials. Your jedi friend seems to be a bit faster."

Cyrus then turned to face the female Cathar.

"If you wish to ask someone to introduce themselves, perhaps you might want to introduce yourself as well. It is only fair. But I am Cyrus. Jensaarai Defender, similiar to a knight of your jedi order. I suppose I am mildly delighted to make your acquaintance."

Jason nodded and glanced at Val before looking back at the Jensaari. "A pleasure to meet you Cyrus, but Berisha and I are not Jedi. We are Guardians of the Order of the Grey. The Jedi and our Order are...at a sort of odds, if you will. We only know Val from our representative on Sanctuary's countil, Elder Sarah, my mother. I am her son, Jason Je'and."

Sahren, quite simply, had no idea why she was still here. Sure the Jedi, the Jinsu-guys, and just about every witch doctor in half the galaxy had told her that she was here because it was where she was meant to be. As far as she was concerned, all she'd done was accept payment to bring a few fools in robes to this remote and out of the way planet -correction, technically it was a moon, whatever... Still, despite that she wasn't in any major hurry to climb up the ramp of her ship and blast out of this closet of a moon.

The others here all had masters or had holocrons or even scrolls to study. Her own mentor, Captain Harbinger, had admitted that his order had no masters. They were still nascent when the Jedi wiped them out and yet here she was, surrounded by the very same Jedi that had wiped out her order amongst many others of every form imaginable. She could practically feel them crawling around in the back of her skull in what the others had called "feeling through the force".

Leaning back the small woman swept back her long chestnut curls and adjusted her position, propping up one old leather boot up against a plastered crate. Above her, the Heart of the Fire, her ship, a YT-2000 transport, cast her in shadow. Laying the peculiar weapon in her hands across her leg. Silently she cleaned the twin barrels of her plasma caster with a long probe. It was fairly unique. For all she knew, one of only a dozen left in the galaxy. The caster was two hands long and possessed a blade that went up from the pommel beyond the tip in a makeshift bayonet creating something like a gun sword. It was break action and had only the two barrels, each containing a number of electromagnetic accelerators that confined and propelled the plasma charges that had to be loaded individually by hand. In many ways it was similar to a bow caster and that is where Sahren thought the Gun Dancers got the idea for the weapon.

The last of her kind. Should she be training someone like the masters trained their path-wans or whatever they called them? Should she be learning from the others here? Hell, should she just sell the location to the Empire for a quadrillion credits! No, she'd never do that. She hated the Empire as much as anyone. The bastard Empire was everything the Black Suns or the Hutts would be if they ever managed to become the dominant power in the galaxy.

Berisha nods to both Val and the Jensaarai who had identified himself. "Nice to meet you Cyrus and indeed Jason and I are not of the Jedi Order. And yes, I am Berisha. You're likely new here but the council running Sanctuary is made up of the Elders and Masters from several different groups of Force Users and most seek to see their order restored in one way or another."

Liam sat with his master playing a game of sabacc with his master as Val entered the room. “huh? Oh yeah yeah got it. We will be there in a min-NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!” Cro grom Shouted as they both put down their hand, with Carver winning yet again. Liam watched Val as she walked away slowly. “Come master, its time to go, I want this to be over quickly.” Liam said as he started putting on his armor.

“Awww come on buddy, why are you rushing it? We still got plenty of time, how about one more game huh?” Grom said before realizing that his apprentice had already left the room. With a sign Cro Grom got up and went to the sparring arena.

As he entered the room he saw his apprentice awaiting him, his vibrostaff in hand. “Ah ah ah, not this time. You must show me your skills with your lightsabers.” He said drawing his own.

Carver sighed as he threw his staff onto the floor and readied his sabers. As master and apprentice looked at each other, they both took one step before practically vanishing from sight as they charged each other, the only thing visible being the light off their sabers. The pair exchanged blows for a few minutes until the two clashed their blades, with Cro Grom forcing Carver to his knees. Just as he did so, Liam sheathed his saber and what there was a sundering crack that caught the attention of everyone in the room as Liam stood still the top of his hilt a mere centimetre from the back of his master’s neck. It was here that Carver was signalled to end the spar doing sow with a polite bow meant for his master.

Cro Grom slowly resumed his normal posture and patted his former apprentice head. “Good job my boy. Now can we have that sabacc rematch cause I need those credits back. Really badly. Please” He said whispering the last two sentences.

“Another time master, we have to attend the ceremony.”

“Ugh who needs ceremonies.”

“Well I want to go to the ceremony”

“Yeah, well I want my credits back.”

“Shouldn’t have betted all your cash then, am I right Grom.”

“Y-eugh I got nothing you win….for now.” Grom said as he realized Liam had already left for the Banquet Hall.

As Liam entered the hall he took off his helmet and walked over towards Val and the others. “Hello, My name is Liam Carver pleasure to meet you all” he said as he took his place next to them.

The Kushiban was wandering through the complex that was now his home from the foreseeable future and gave a big sigh. It was never in his plan to get stuck in a complex as he loved exploring new things and enjoyed seeing the galaxy. Tarth's fur had become somewhat dirty since he had moved underground and he hated it. He had since started to also wear a bandoleer which he used to carry his communicator as well as a star chart that showed all the places he had been and his former guarded spacelane.

Just then, his communicator buzzed informing him that the testing exams were starting. He didn't understand why he had to go through these testing exams with the rest of the padawans and other Force Order trainees, but it was a way for all newcomers to show their abilities. Tarth wondered who he would face in his test as he hadn't seen many Wardens in this complex and not many were much more trained than him. He guessed that many had gone into hiding in other parts of the galaxy that they knew better.

When he reached the training room where the test was being held, there was a middle aged human Jedi who bowed to him as he entered. "Greeting Jedi, I guess you will be the one to test me this day." Tarth said in a gravely voice that didn't go along with his appearance and returned the bow.

The Jedi drew his lightsaber unaware that Tarth fought unarmed. "Don't worry, you will need that lightsaber to make this a fair fight." The Jedi looked confused for a second before taking a step back as the Kushiban leapt toward him in a flurry of fur. His opponent swept at him with his green lightsaber which Tarth deflected with the push of the force. Tarth than gathered the force in front of his fist and blasted it into the Jedi's chest. The fight than dissolved into a fit of swinging lightsaber that couldn't seem to find it's target on the small target which he continued to land strikes on the Jedi.

Soon the fight was called as he proved himself a true force user. With a smile and another bow the silent Jedi left the room after pointing in the direction of the Banquet hall. As he entered the hall he saw that there were others already there who had passed their tests. "Greeting young force users. It is good to see the next generation of force users coming along."

Sallanna Was heaving with breath at the moment with sweat matting his fur only to frost up on the edges. For six hours now they had been rolling with the kattas over and over. The frosted over deckplates made for treacherous footing as they moved together in the cargo hold of the freighter, little more than a garbage scow just barely capable of keeping orbit. He had programed the systems to decrease life support by ten percent every hour and divert the energy to increasing the gravity generator. They were now training on a 'world' of his own making with ninty percent humidity, one and a half the gravity of Cardias already impressive 1.98, less than half the standard oxygen with the temperature well below the freezing point.

It was his own personal hell and she was along for the ride.

"Matukai, are not jedi. You, are not jedi. There, are no jedi. Your lightsaber, is not a Wan-shen. Your lightsaber, will get you killed. Your lightsaber, got your master killed. You must unlearn what you have learned. Repeat."

This mental breakdown was just as important as the physical. Ever since she had found him in the Kryatt dragon cave on tattooine, he had tried to strip away the ways of the jedi But it was easier to pull the teeth from the dragon sometimes. A month now of endless drills of physical instruction along with the environmental extremes would have made any mandalorian crack. But he knew she could take it and kept her riding the raggedy edge of her limits to deepen her well of will to draw from.

There is a difference between breaking the spirit and bruising the ego. Their world was going to get real rough, real fast, real soon and he needed her to be able to take the mental anguish that same with the physical trauma. The physical drills were one aspect of sculpting her body, next came the other portion of their training as the 8 foot tall bodybuilder suddenly broke away from his rhetoric and air-fighting from his katas to explode into assault on her.

Stava emphasizes quick closing and snap attacks in a proximity too close for comfort, Wruushi makes the most of the whole body strength into single powerful blows. He came at her in a charge, letting the pumping knees rise up into two knee strikes aimed for her solar plexus. If she blocked low against the legs then he could bring his arms down overhead onto her collarbones, or drop his elbows in against his chest to close up against a counterattack to his much longer midsection if she ate the attack and went on for her own counters.

For the first exchange, his energy in the force is being used to continually draw up new reserves of stamina to endure this harshness rather than empower his speed or strength, relying on his martial prowess for now.
*
How long had it been now? Several hours clearly, but her thoughts had drifted back to the Clone Wars. It happened a lot. It wasn't surprising though, Amira had gone through a lot during that time. Sometimes it was thinking back on the past that got her through things. Maybe not in a cheerful way, but that didn't matter as long as she found something. Once more the temperature seemed to start falling a bit more. Her body had ice crystals on her clothes, some on her skin, her hair definitely hadn't been spared.

Suddenly his voice cut in and broke her thoughts. For a month now Sallanna had been trying to teach her the ways of his own force group, the Matukai. She appreciated what he was doing for her, but she just wasn't sure all of what he wanted for her was really her. Each time he gave his speech she had never said a word. She didn't want to offend him, but at the same time she didn't believe all of it, and to her lying to him felt worse, after all, he was good friends with her old master.

Then the wookie rushed her. Another round of hand to hand. This was one of the few things Amira had become open to. It wasn't traditional for the jedi, but it definitely could only help her in the long run. Especially with how things were looking lately. As his first knee came up she backed up and twisted her body to avoid the first strike, as the second knee came up Amira backed up once more but as she twisted this time she spun around and launched a side kic with her right leg at the Sallanna's stomach. He was after all freakishly tall, while she herself was only around five foot four inches. Of course her kick was met by his arms, she figured, but it wasn't easy to keep up her stamina. The only thing keeping her going was through properly channeling the force through herself.

Amira wished that after this she would have time to meditate, but knowing Sallanna there would be a lot more before she had a chance to do anything besides train. Who knew, perhaps Hoth next? It didn't matter at this point though. She was learning new things, losing some others, and by the time she would run into the imperials next. Well she would definitely be prepared.
*
He took the kick to his arm without counterattack. Even exhausted, she had grown in strength significantly since she studied under him. For the last four weeks he had forbidden her from using her lightsaber in order to focus on her martial arts, he knew she still practiced her forms with an un-ignited blade or anything else she could get her hand on for the right weight and heft of a handle like common younglings who make the 'wooshing' sounds as they pretend they are jedi. He let it slide for the comfort it brought her in these dark times.

He didn't need to read her emotions, he could read her body language. She was holding back, not just physically but emotionally and mentally as well. She did not want to loose everything she had been raised on, it was like when he picked up stava at first. He had to abandon the muscle memory for a new form, clumsy and raw in the beginning, but he learned how to blend the old and the new. This was in many ways as much a trial for him as well, perhaps it was time to shift the doctrine.

"The force flows through all living things, the force flows through you now as you resist exhaustion. You are damming the flow by adding to your stamina, not diverting or channeling the energy to heal yourself as you tear and exhaust yourself. You could be making new flesh a gash to your stomach right now instead of clotting the wound. You will bleed more, but you will heal faster if you work with the blood to bring the energy to the wound to heal. Feel the force flow through your muscles, feel it grasp the lactic acids and pull them away to be processed by the rest of your body. It is a function, increase the function."

He broke off from the strikes to circle her as combatants do, He shifted his stances as he moved, From the stava home position of a tight and locked in frame to the low and wide armed stance of an arboreal warrior to the spiraling whirlwind of a weapon stance with empty hands.

"The dead jedi teach that the force and the self are separate things, to the makutai, they are one and the same. Your dead master spoke to me once of this when making your lightsaber.

The gem is the heart of the tool.
The heart is the gem of the person.
The person is the gem of the Force.
The Force is the tool of the heart.
All are intertwined.
The gem, the tool, the person.

Let the force fill your motions, think of playing in the water as you make the swirls with your own undercurrent, draw up the force with every motion, even your breath can be used to draw up the force, your own beating heart is a motion to be used."

Another charge with a set of closing snap knee kicks and a third set to lull her into a false pattern before he jumped again and released a concussive wave of force to try and knock her back. Something he had been developing he called "kinetic-kenesis" where the energy used for moving objects around was contained to the body for either lifting massive objects with ones hands or else in this case to release a force push with a strike to sent the opponent flying away. It was not something ready to take into war, but here in training it was the perfect time to experiment.
*
As the pair circled Amira breathed heavily. While force techniques qere always easier for her to learn, maybe even easy for her to learn, that did not help with the fact that everything sucks when you first start. She would pick this up fast, but she would still suffer through the whole thing just like anyone else. Sallanna's training definitely put her mind and body through a lot, but everytime they trained, she learned more. That was another note worthy to make though. As for how she was being taught to use the force, she had no issue with that either. Honestly her views on the jedi weren't perfect. That didn't mean she was wanting to jump up at the chance to abandon everything she had learned though. She wanted to mix different cultures. Why did one have to be right over the other? Clearly they all had something to contribute or none of them would be alive anymore.

As they circled though it got easier to for her to breathe slightly, her body became more at ease. Sallanna was definitely a good teacher. He knew just how to describe things for her to work with it. Amira couldn't have been luckier. Then a lot of what he had been trying to teach really seemed to click at the water comment. Before she became a jedi Amira loved to play in the water. It was actually a lot like a safe haven if she ever needed to get away from others, so she knew exactly what Sallanna was saying, and just before he struck again her body loosened up, the force began to flow through her more easily and to top it off she began using her force speed to move faster, comprehending his movements faster, allowing her to side step his strikes easily. What she hadn't expectedthough was for Sallanna to use force push through one of his strikes.

Given her odd angle at the time it struck her, Amira began to spiral backwards towards the wall of the ship. After all she had been through though she was able to twist her body in time to land on the wall crouched before using the force to jump faster and harder towards Sallanna. The advantage here was that she could finally aim for Sallanna's head. The problem was that Sallanna would most likely have plenty of time to react. However this did not deter Amira at all as she flipped through the air to come out of it trying to axe kick Sallanna right on the forehead. If Sallanna blocked it Amira would use her other leg to kick up at Sallann's jaw. If Sallanna dodged Amira would use the momentum from her axe kick to start spinning to try and sweep out Sallanna's legs just as she landed.
*
The wookiee warrior was proud at the sudden shift of her composure and movement. The way she flowed now from one motion to the next as the force aided her was a sight to behold. Even if it wasn't perfect, it was significant progress. Perfection would come later.

How she twisted into a crouch after the attack showed him her mastery of her body even under such immense gravity, but it was the fact that she could launch into a counterattack surprised him enough that he nearly didn't block the first hick or dodge the second. Centuries of muscle memory had him on full defense, but he was unable to bring his leg up in time to prevent the sweep. Between the impact and the ice, he was forced to one knee, for the first time in their month together.

"Hold...Good. Congratulations. You are finally worthy to become an Adept. Let us return to the outpost so that we might celebrate and discuss your wan-shen design... You fly."

Slowly the wookiee rose to his full height and shifted the focus of the force into raising his core temperature. Steam began to roll off of him like a mantle as the thermal adjustment against the arctic air made for expected results. He went to the environmental controls and set them to the station's settings so that they might acclimate without suffering sickness.

It would take an hour or so for standard orbital descent into entry. During that time he would leave her to pilot the ship as he gathered several crates of materials for her to forge her weapon from, access to so much metal comes as a benefit to driving a garbage scow. As he did his work, he kept an ear open for her questions.
*
Breathing heavily Amira knelt for a moment. It had taken nearly all she had to do that last little trick. The fact that it succeeded was even more surprising though. As she rose up a smile lit up her face for the first time in months. She nodded to Sallanna and began waling towards the front of the ship to pilot it. The best part though would be that they could have better conditions inside the ship again.

As Amira approached her seat she called out over her shoulder. "So Sallanna. I Never did ask." She started off. It was also probably informal, but considering that before she was under his wing, Sallanna was just a friend Amira went to so she could learn new things. Having him as a teacher now didn't change that in her mind. No to her it just seemed like new learning material. What should she call him anyway? It's not like the sith where she should be saying 'Yes my lord' or better yet, 'Yes my master' in that dull 'I have no free will' kind of way.

"Why is it you made your wan-shen an executioners blade?" It had been something that had poked at her mind since the first day she'd seen it. Why that design? WHy not something of a more swift design? To her the weapon seemed so limiting, but perhaps that was because she was set on her double bladed saber. After all it was all she knew truly. Plus she'd never lost a battle with it either. If she had, most likely she wouldn't be around to talk about it.

Finally she was at the controls and off they were. The ride back would be a short time, but enough to relax a bit to regain her strength before they reached the outpost. Ideas had already begun going through her mind on what she might do for her own wan-shen. She definitely wanted something more flexible in the way of use then what Sallanna had. The fact that it was a pole weapon and not a sword would be alright though. It would take time to get used to, but at least she was used to a double blade instead of single blade or the two seperate blades like so many other jedi seemed to have been fond of. What was going to throw her off at first would be the weight, and the limitations of her new weapon, but as with all things, she would improve with time.

The old man moved through the ancient fortress, his brown and cream coloured robes swishing around his ankles and an old ornate metal staff clacking against the worn stone. He moved deliberately, silver eyes scanning the walls, the ceiling, the floor, even the very mortar between the ancient stones. Each resonating ring of his etched metal staff upon the stones serving almost like echolocation for some keen otherworldly sense.

Finally he came into a wide open expanse, the motley collection of starships tucked away inside what was originally some sort of great gathering place for those that once called this home and led into the twisting collection of tunnels beneath the tower. The place was already full to bursting and the odd assortment of ships reached out even into the exterior of the complex where they were set upon by the elements.

The ships were a striking metaphor to the old man who stroked his long white beard and equally long moustaches, patting them down against his dark brown robes. Each of those that had arrived were as different as the strange assortment of ships before him. Some of them used solar sails, some ion engines, others still used means of propulsion he did not understand. So it was with the people here that used the force.

It was here he spied a young woman cleaning her weapons and he stopped clicking his staff upon the cobble so that he could approach softly on his skippered feet and not disturb her. He could feel her connection to the force, tenuous, unsteady. She wasn't quite yet one with the force. She was a young woman with chestnut hair, a soft pale complexion and a small frail looking physique but there was something to her demeanour, a gentle strength that said she was willing to do whatever it took to accomplish her goals. He considered reaching out with the force to get a better sense of her inner being but some of those here considered such a thing rude.

"Greetings child," he said simply, as he approached for he deemed it rather unwise to sneak up on those cleaning or bearing weapons.

"Hello," the young woman said cautiously, her eyes skirting the entire area and not just the old man as if seeking hidden accomplices, "Who are you?"

The old man bowed, staff held crossways across his chest so as to ensure it wouldn't be mistaken as being combative. He then straightened and petted his long white beard flat again across his torso.

"My name is Raksha of the Jedi," he introduced himself, neglecting to include is title or anything else, "I like the others am a refugee of the devastation that has befallen all our kind, Jedi and others."

"Sahren," she introduced herself, not uttering any other affectation before continuing with a small quip, "Just along for the ride."

Going back to cleaning her strange looking blaster the old man, Raksha, watched her for some moments cleaning her strange looking blaster while noting the other slung low on her hip in a classic speed draw holster. Being patient the old Echani just watched her for several long minutes.

"You planning on taking a holo-pic?" Sahren finally said.

"No. I am merely wondering why you are still here and why you are not attending the ceremonies belonging to the others."

"Not my place I figure. I'm not one of these groups. I don't really have a master to teach me. Don't really need one."

"What is the minimum number of people required to be a group: seven, thirty five, nine or maybe three?"

"I don't know but I think it's more than one. I mean, it's a plural, after all"

The old man nodded, as if this was the expected answer. He stroked his beard and looked back at her.

"and yet in mathematics we have groups of one and even of zero. These things are just words. Words are the tools of men to quantify, deceive and discriminate. All life is equal in the eyes of the force."

"So you're effectively saying I should be representative on this council of theirs since I'm the only member of my order?"

The old Echani coughed and flicked his long white bear up into the air, giving himself an excuse to smooth it out again and chuckled.

"I would agree to this but while we may all be equal in the eyes of the force the council's eyes, any council, are very human."

"Well, the others all have mentors, and the entire thing is some rite of passage, proving to their masters that they are ready to go out and do... whatever it is you people do."

"Yes, a rite based on combat," Raksha replied, "The way of the Jedi is one of peace. Something the order has long since forgotten. It disturbs me that so much attention should be paid to these trials but these are dark times. In times past a Jedi's strength lay not in his lightsaber but in his mind and his ties to the force. I can sense much violence on you already child and I suspect you are ready for such eventualities. You would likely pass whatever trials put before you."

"Oh no. They'd probably put me up against another one of you, either a Jedi, Ginsu-guy or even that super wookie. The first thing my captain taught me was run from anyone waving around a glowstick. There's never any profit in dealing with Jedi."

Raksha chuckled. "There is wisdom in that statement. I would not presume to debate him."

"So that it," she added, returning to polishing her weapon that she'd forgotten, "You just came down here to ask me to play in your little arena games?"

"To be precise my child, I am here because the Force brought me to you. I do not know why. I only know that I trust the force and that the why of my being brought to you will reveal itself in time."

"It... led you to me?" Sahren replied cynically, "Look glowstick. If you were any younger I'd respect you for the come-on line but seriously, the force pointed me out?"

"No. The force does not work that way. You may direct your senses towards a goal, a course of action, or another simple concept and the force may give you an indication in response. I merely opened myself to the force and let it take me where it wished to go."

"You can do that?"

"I will not lie to you," he replied, "The last is not easy. It requires one to shed themselves of desire, of connections to others. Even the most fleeting desire for anything can interfere with such a request."

"Can you teach me to do that?" Sahren asked, "My mentor, the man who trained me, he was focused on-"

Sahren set aside her larger weapon and pulled out the shapely blaster pistol on her side, the black and gold weapon spun easily in her hands, becoming a blur as it moved back and forth dancing in her hands, pointing first in one direction, then beneath her shoulder as if firing behind her and then again spinning about her finger as she displayed a dazzling display of manual dexterity.

"-how to use a blaster, not on the feeling stuff. I mean, I can feel where someone is in a fight, especially if someone turns the lights out on me but what you're talking about is something else like getting bad vibes from people. I get them sometimes but only sometimes."

"Ah... yes," Raksha said as he nodded, "I can definitely help with such things. You should also learn what you can from your fellow apprentices. There is much you can learn and not from just Jedi. After all, if we knew all there was to know of the force then how did my brothers and I fall?"

"In other words," she reiterated in her own fashion, "maybe I should get off my ass and meet some of the others?"

"I would not be so terse but yes my child. You should attend the ceremony above. Even if it does not mean anything to you it means much to those who may be your colleagues in the future."

"Okay," she said, rising up from her seat, slamming two plasma cartridges into the caster in her hands, "but I'm not calling you Master Raksha. Deal?"

"My child we are all but students in the ways of the force. There are no masters."

"It provides an obvious threat."
He replied in a simple answer to a complex question, but the look on her face seemed like it was not a full answer. He sighed and took a stand beside her to walk through close quarter meditation if she chose to join him ( like a tai-chi session). As he took his time through the motions, he moved his body as if acting out the story.
When I first learned from my master, the same master you are going to meet today, she picked apart my style and walked me through the fight I lost against her with a holorecordic level of memory. The reason I lost was that I focus too much on power and technique, which is nothing compared to speed with adaptability. At first, I made my massive axe to make the most use of my strength, and snub her to be honest. But as she taught me how to add speed to my strikes, she applied some simple science that changed my world.
'Power is Force times Velocity.'
If you add more force in the example of physical strength, you increase the power of the strike. The same goes for increasing the velocity in the form of the force technique of generating bursts of speed. Something I lacked.
Just as I have and will focus your training on overcoming more mental and emotional stresses that my teaching lacked. So did she focus my training on increasing my speed of strikes and movement. You have seen how I make this thing dance like a snake around me to keep up with your double-weapon technique. But anyone else will see a big, strong, wookiee with a big, strong, axe, who uses slow, heavy, chops. It is this outward an obvious projection of body language I use to deceive others to not knowing my true potential to land a handful of blows in a heartbeat.
So, it is a reminder of my arrogance of relying on only my strength, and a projection to others that I still arrogantly rely on only my strength.

He finished the motions just as the ship was caught into the remote autopilot of the spaceport docking protocols. The environment was mocked to match the Sanctuary so there would be no disturbances upon disembarkment. He took a moment longer to leave her as he stepped into the refresher to refresh before coming out wearing heavy green robes and a tiny spider-like droid that scrambled over him. It was a Shyyriwook-to-basic translator and groomer who was quietly braiding and plaiting the walking carpet into something both manageable and subtly braiding his muscle lines to give definition and look even more powerful than an 8 foot tall power-lifter can.

Amira had decided to lean on the wall and just listen. Sallanna always had some tale, or some wise remark to everything it seemed. As usual it also got Amira to think hard about what she was to do next. Not only would she be meeting with Sallanna's old master, but she also needed to decide on her weapon, and one thing she already knew for sure was that it wouldn't be an executioners axe. No she wanted something a bit more exotic...Something that she could modify what she already knew to use her weapon.

What Amira had thought about for a while now seemed to be right for her. It also should be a proper weapon to have the speed Sallanna talked about. As Sallanna walked off to grab his droid and robe, Amira too ran to her own area to grab her pack to take with her. A back pack really. She always found it nice in case she found something while they were off the ship she might want. Before leaving the room she put her hair in its normal ponytail and grabbed a small holo before rejoining Sallanna.

Amira had planned on waiting before telling Sallanna what she planned on making for her wan-shen, but she dicided that she wanted to show him now before they went any further, and so Amira finally spoke out before they disembarked. "Sallanna, I know I've been difficult. You took me in and have been helping me for a while now." She started off a little nervously. She'd barely held a conversation lasting ten minutes with Sallanna ever since they'd come together on Tatooine, she'd mostly listened, nodded, trained, and that was it fort he longest time. Not to mention her starting a real conversation not pertaining to an already started topic was even more rare unless it had been a simple question to be answered and finished with.

Even so Amira forced herself to keep talking. "I also realize I haven't fully embraced your ways, and no matter how much we train or discuss, I'm not sure I'll ever be a true Makutai. However I just wanted to say that I really do appreciate what you're doing for me. Anyway, I made this in my spare time" Amira presented the holo activating it revealing a slim trident. "I wish to create my wan-shen like this." In all honesty this was what she was worried aboutt he most. For what she knew so far most wan-shen seemed to be more powerful looking, like Sallanna's blade. Her biggest fear was that perhaps what she wanted could be an insult to tradition. Perhaps that is why she chose to present it now, but it is what she felt was right for her, and with everything shew as about to go through she wanted Sallanna to see it first.

Yes, you have been difficult, one of the most difficult people I have known in 300 years. But, from the strongest iron comes the finest steel. Perhaps that is what you are meant to do. Maybe you are meant to take the makutai with the jedi like two metals then fold them over and over in seperate but incorporating layers to make more than either single sect. The Jakudai.

He takes a look at her suggested blade, very unlike his but deffinately functional. He saves her projection and opens a copied form beside it as he makes some suggestions

Rotate the forks from thee in a row to a triangle with a point in the middle, like this, now you have blades in all directions with the ability to still trap an opponents weapon. I think you are still thinking about a lightsaber when it comes to the grip. Instead of ribbed straight lines up and down that rest between the joints and creases of the palm to provide a more sure grip when twisting left to right or griping ridges for your fingers to settle in between to prevent slipping on the shaft; go with a twisted spiral thread. It will give you a better grip against both possibilities, less than either one completely but more adaptable. I like the spike on the bottom as it compliments your two weapon familiarity without being obvious, I might recommend a textured cover if you want to keep the tip hidden. As for the internal of the shaft, I do not advise a solid core like mine, but rather a honeycomb of smaller tubes within and filling on the smaller gaps with casted liquid metal. It will have a significant strength against stresses with a surprising lightness. If you want something more substantial than seven straws, I would use the tube to fill it with all manner of equipment in small packages from a screw release on the heel, you could put a medkit, tools, whatever your imagine allows...

But, those are only my suggestions, you can toss it all to the wind if you like.

He saved the work handed the two projections back to her with what was a bit more brisk measure as he took a step back. He realized his was so far removed from hers, it began to look like something else entirely. It was her weapon, not his, it was a reflection of her life lessons and he should respect it. She was an apprentice now and that afforded a responsibility he needed to give her.

He never fathered children, or at least no one ever came to him with a hairy child demanding a paternity test. But here he was with what he could call a 'niece' as he called her lost master 'brother'. But, in some ways humans were almost to be looked at like long-lived pets. There was a wookiee tale of a cub who grew up with an adopting human family from child to father to grand father to being buried beside the great-grandfather as they died only a few years apart.

As the jedi train with their masters in their rooms, Otique just sat quietly at the corner of the banquet hall and began to meditate deeply. The horrors from what happened just a year ago still haunt his very mind to this day. Of course, he was not the only one of course. However, he was worried about where his old master was, despite he being already a borderline jedi "master". No, not the master he was forced to be in around 200 years ago, dead Yu'lung is, but where master Yoda was... one of his own kind. Maybe... one of the last. But Otique senses that he is alive. No illusions, no mind tricks, none of that. Yoda was alive and he felt it. The question was... where is he? Where is he hiding out now? Certainly he was not on this planet, for if it was, Otique would've ran straight towards his location. So many questions does he ask himself... yet gets no answers, or partial-answers if anything. All he can do, was remember the olden days...

The shrieking clash of lightsabers starts the training with Otique and Yoda. Otique presses hard, but suddenly dives forward as Yoda summersaults over him, making the young one almost trip forward. The jedi regains balance as he runs towards the Grand Master once again, leaping into the air and begin to clash again, slash after slash. Yet Yoda keeps calm, his face sowing little emotion as he blocks Otique's attack with superior precision. Eventually, Otique became slightly unaware of his surroundings, which led Yoda into making his counterattack and ultimately making the jedi loos balance once again. It was here where his lightsaber was then taken by the Grand Master as he force pulls it to his palm. The jedi apprentice grunts as he gets back on his feet, rubbing his head.

"Your form," states Yoda, "Lacks concentration, it does. Be on your guard, a jedi must be. Clear your mind of distractions, you must."

"But master. I've been trying my best. See that I've not been wielding my lightsaber too wildly as I've did before, have you?" asks Otique in a highter pitched voice, similar to the Grand Master, but not as quite.

"Always room for improvement, there is. For the secret of strength and success, it is. Much to learn you still have, but getting there, you are young padawan."

Otique would pause as he fiddles with his lightsaber and lifts it in the air.

"I'll tr~"

"DO..." Yoda interrupts as he begins to say one of his most immortalized lines, "Or do not. There is no try."

The padawan sighs again as he remembers this line, being repeated to him over and over every time he says that "He'll try". With a nod, he grins as he begins to continue training once again.

That was barely 330-some years ago, perhaps more even, when Otique was just a young padawan. Roughly 20 years later would he become a jedi knight and another 60 to become a jedi master. Yet even with such a title, Otique never thought he was one. He even refused to take the seat of the council that Master Yoda offered, for he felt he was not ready to take the responsibility. He would later reconsider on his 501st birthday, with Yoda promising him that after they win the battle of Kashyyyk. But thats when Order 66 was issued... and the two were separated from each other. He would've gotten his ultimate 501st birthday present... which the now newly formed Galactic Empire shattering it to pieces, like glass. Ironically... the only 501st he heard, was the Legion that stormed in the jedi temple, lead by the sith lord Darth Vader. Too broken to be angered was Otique when he heard the news. Yet there was nothing he could've done. But as long as he knows that the Grand Master was alive, the more hope does he grab with the force.

He was sure, that one day, the Empire will fall to its knees. However long it would take, a year, five years, ten, a hundred, a thousand, a million... he knew that it would fall, like all Empires do. He then slowly opens his eyes and looks around him, taking a peak at the world around him during his mental concentration.

After placing the copies into her pack Amira cupped her left hand over her right before bowing in gratitude. "Thank you Sallana, I believe that will be perfect..." It truly was. Even before he had finished showing it to her she saw it piece together in her mind. That's when her thoughts turned to her lightsaber she had put in her bag earlier. So many memories, so much training, and for what? Could she really give it all up? Doubtful, but Sallanna seemed to have faith in her for at least some kind of future.

After bowing and thanking Sallanna, Amira slowly raised up again. "So, shall we depart?" Amira had a small smile on her lips as she turned slightly to leave waiting for Sallanna. After all that time on the freighter it would be nice to get off the ship and stretch her legs again. Hopefully this time she wouldn't even cause a scene at some point. Of course she was prone to running into trouble, odd for one who can be calmer than most considering her specialty, but none the less history shows it all.

Atreyu stood after having been meditating for what seemed like hours his master had wanted to make sure he was calm and ready for anything that could happen in their duel.
"Atreyu, stand my padawan its time for your final trial." The middle aged man said from across the room. Master Erranus had been with Atreyu since he had reached the age of four. They had been on many adventures together and fought many battles yet their relationship was more of a father son type than brotherly like the one Atreyu witnessed between Master Kenobi and the young Skywalker. IF it weren't for MAster Erranus Atreyu would never have made it out of the Jedi Temple when the 501st and Darth Vader attacked. These thoughts raced through his mind as he stood and followed his master to a dueling platform.
"Your mind is still not clear Atreyu. You cannot keep thinking of the Temple we were visiting anyway. It was not your fault." he said resting a hand on Atreyu's shoulder.
"You keep saying that master, but i can't shake this feeling like I should have stayed to try and save thouse Younglings." he said clenching his fists. "They didn't deserve to die not like that....not at his hands." he continued before looking up to his master.
"Atreyu you spent too much time with Anakin and Asohka you're begining to think like a Jedi." Erranus said with a smile. "Not like that's a bad thing but you mustn't bottle up your emotions let them out feel them but don't let them consume you." he continued.
"Of course master."
"Now, let us begin." Erranus said drawing and igniting his blue hued lightsaber. Atreyu responded by drawing his own silver colored blade. Their battle was quick and they moved more like assassins than sword wielding warriors. Each stroke was matched by a parry or block each movement in synch with eachother like a true dance of warriors and friends. Finally Erranus slipped up and Atreyu took advantage of it utilizing a force push to knock Erranus over before leaping up and force pulling his white lightsaber to his hand and igniting is before landing on his feet above Master Erranus both blades crossed at his neck.
"Seems as though I win this round." Atreyu said with an arrogant half grin.
"That you did, and with that you pass your final Trial. Congrats" he said smiling. Both withdrew and holstered their blades as Atreyu helped his master up and as he did he knelt and as a joke between them he recited the old Jedi Code before reciting that of the Grey Paladins.
"Very good now go celebrate with the others I will meet you there." Erranus said before walking to converse with a few masters that had gathered to watch. Atreyu smiled and ran off to the banquet hall to see the others. Upon arrival he stood in the doorway shocked at the number of others having become Knights and such each having passed their trials.

Val watched as conversations were exchanged, she turned to a near by table and grabbed a glass from among others and cleared her throat loudly to draw the others attention "I'd like to raise a toast in our favor, cheers to a long life without the suppressive rule of the Sith Empire" raising her glass slightly she takes a drink of the emerald wine and half smiles before moving back against the wall, she looks around the hall to the long table that the other people from Sanctuary were eating and talking, their eyes darting toward the new generation, hope gleaned in their eyes, they had high hopes the new generation would be enough to free them from their underground hiding spot.