High Council Member Lamilia

[Apillis]

Name: Lamilia
Race: Hapan
Age: 36
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 107 lbs
Appearance: She has long very dark hair with dark silvery or red ornamental clasps at the end of her hairs lengths, tying the long locks together. Her fair complexion further contrasted with her dark hair and vivid almost cyan hued blue eyes. As is stereotypical of a Hapan, she is extremely pulchritudinous with a very natural feminine and delicate grace with soft, angular facial features and a slender frame.

She often takes to wearing various different types of robes and Jedi-like garments combined with somewhat with her Hapan heritage fashions. Along her arms, shoulders, and down her back to her thighs - she has numerous pale blue Jedi markings; being a hsitory buff within the Order, many of the old Jedi symbols, insignias, and runes are what she had essentially tattooed to her body many years ago, each encompassing varying meanings. Commonly she wears a long dark purple (or black or dark blue) tunic, though with a wide Hapan cultural silk band over it around her mid-driff with red tie strings. She also wears a pair of black clothe fingerless sleeved gloves, the lengths of which go up to the bicep. Covering her feet and legs, she wears a pair of black sturdy clothe leggings that go up to the thigh with a pair of black leather boots over them that go up to the knee. Around her waist is a standard Jedi utility belt with the lightsaber she named "Moonlight" clipped on to the belt.

((I take no credit for the pictures.))


Jedi Master Lamilia (click image for larger picture)

Birth place: Hapes

Faction: Jedi
Rank: Master - Healer/Historian

Lightsaber: Moonlight (Standard Single-Hilt)
Color: Cyan

Practiced Lightsaber forms:

Shii-Cho - 5
Makashi - N/A
Soresu - 5
Ataru - 5
Shien / Djem So - N/A
Niman - N/A
Juyo - N/A
Double Bladed Combat - N/A

Force-Sensitive Abilities or practices:

Telekinetic: 5
Telepathic: 4
Body: 8
Sense: 6
Protection: 6
Healing: 9
Destruction: 0

Specialized Skills:
Morichro
Force Absorption
Enlightenment

Attributes:

Physical Strength: 4
Intelligence: 7
Speed: 8
Leadership: 6

Unarmed: 6
Melee Weapons: 4
Ranged Weapons: 1

Force Attunement: +8

Bio:

Born into Inauthenticity

At this point in time, the Hapes Consortium, the matriarch hereditary monarchy that governs the planet and the systems in its control under the rule of their Queen Mother (the head of government and state), was still a fledgling planetary government comparatively to others do to it being only a few centuries old. It was forged shortly after the destruction of the Lorell Raiders by the Jedi in 4050 BBY. Albeit, it did not take the women of Hapes long to forge a system of government, especially from which to rule from - for even their Star Home, a massive starship in which the Queen Mother rules from - was built shortly after the Mandalorian Wars.

Lamilia's mother, Amelie, was not of the nobility, however, her household could be considered of the wealthy elite. She came from a long line of those who served in high ranking positions of the Hapan Security who protect the the various noble households. For the blindly loyal, the noble houses are an expression of utter beauty they behold and shear cunning they possess to exclaim Hapan societal and cultural superiority. To the jaded, it is an incestuous hive of backstabbing and superficial lives. But regardless of how the latter may feel, they are still typically flippant toward it.

Households often conspire against each other, such a thing is especially common amongst noble houses seeking to gain the Queen Mother's favor to produce an heir between them. Therefore, political backstabbing, underhanded deals, and assassinations become the norm, and even knowing about them Hapan tend to think nothing of it. It all comes with being a Hapan.

Before the Hapan systems closed their borders a few more centuries later, the odd, nomadic Jedi would pass through the Hapan regions of space, if not Hapes itself. Though, the Hapan tend to be leery and/or resentful of Jedi, primarily out of their history with them from when the Jedi destroyed the Hapan's ancestors, the Lorell Raiders; full blown hatred toward the Jedi for this would not come for a long, long time later. When the memory of the Lorell Raiders domination over the women would be a distant memory, for now it was but a few centuries ago.

Though, some in the more unique cases like Amelie who is constantly surrounded by the Hapan nobility and their shallow perspectives, immense egotism, and cold-hearted ambition. A Jedi is not nearly as insufferable, on top of which, she recalls from her history lessons the reason why the Hapan formed a matriarch society after the Lorell Raiders were crushed was because they did not wish to be dominated by men any longer... and the majority of those men were the Lorell Raider pirate gang.

Back when Amelie just entered the Hapan Security, she met a Jedi and his master when they were passing through the Hapes Cluster. They remained vague and cryptic about where they were going and why they were passing, through, but for the spell they were on Hapes, she befriended the apprentice of the pair. His name was Justin, he never gave a last-name, may not have even had one - he never spoke much about himself. But Amelie recognized him as a gentle soul, kind and soft-spoken, and a bit lackadaisical and carefree. Not exactly the disciplined Jedi she imagined one to be, but she enjoyed his company; and then one day, he left without a word, she assumed it was do to an emergency and his master's orders.

Some years would pass, and during such she married and became the matriarch of her family's house, and gave birth to a daughter of her own, whom she named Lamilia. For a Hapan mother it is both a joyous occasion and one of dread. Children in Hapan society among the wealthy like she is and more so the nobility, are often the targets for rival and enemy households. As a high ranking member of the Hapan Security, Amelie had accumulated many enemies through varying arrests, some just, others... questionable.

Amelie watched over her daughter closely, like any mother, especially in their society, to make sure no harm comes to her. Though much of her time was spent in fear for her daughter's safety, but she did enjoy every second she spent with her. Amelie's life is a jaded and cynical one, looking down her nose at her people's own society having been drowning in its inexhaustibly viciously ambitious culture all her life. But, of course, she still plays her people's games, more or less out of survival for herself and her family.

Not long after Lamilia turned three galactic standard years old, a visitor came to Amelie's estate, an old friend. The little girl hid behind her mother's leg holding on to her mother's dress when he entered the estate. Amelie introduced him as Justin, a friend, he looked at the little girl a bit puzzled and surprised, but gave a friendly, gentle smile that was a commonality with him. Lamilia squeaked out a hello in the Hapan dialect, but still remained close to her mother for protection. Justin just smiled at the little girl, and looked to Amelie and remarked the little girl is a spitting image of her mother.

While the two friends got reacquainted over tea, Justin mentioned to Amelie the reason why he was surprised when he first saw Lamilia is because she is Force-Sensitive, he could feel the Force around her. Though Justin was again surprised when Amelie told him she already knew. Her family doctor told her Lamilia's midi-chlorian count was high when he tested Lamilia's blood, and would likely be sensitive to the Force as a result. It was then Justin remarked Lamilia could likely become a Jedi. Amelie paused in response to that, while he looked to her with a gaze to ask a question but not actually say it. Amelie's response to him was requesting for him to give her time to think about it. Being respectful toward a mother's wishes, Justin conceded thinking she would likely want to at least bring it up to Lamilia's father, Amelie simply commented to him in reaction, "He is a man. He has no words, no say, and no voice in my house.", Justin merely smiled in response to that and said nothing more.

Amelie thought about Justin's offer all day and into the next, there is no night to speak of for Hapes - there is only daylight. Having more a insightful perspective on Hapan society than most given the life she leads as a member of Hapan Security seeing the greatest become the lowest; and while it may be the norm for the Hapan, to others outside of their kind, it is inhuman, seedy, petty, needless, and destructive. But these are things that Amelie's flippant nature dismissed as a culture that forces one to live by cunning and intrigue, rather than blindly following a linear routine.

It was not the Hapan people themselves she really focused upon, but still more so on the culture itself and what it means to live in the culture. It is a culture of hereditary, what belonged to the parents is bestowed upon the child; or in the case of the Hapan matriarch society, what belonged to the mother is given to the daughter. However, mother's have been known to plot their daughters deaths so they can keep their wealth, and vice versa. Incestuous in fighting combined with warring rival households via espionage is what ingrains Hapan culture. In a sense it is crawling over, dominating, and destroying others through vicious manipulations to get ahead for influence, wealth, land, and materialism that they never truly earned or owned themselves in the first place. Even often professing love they did not have, or beliefs they did not hold.

What it is, is basically living inauthentic lives, leeching off of the dregs of the past or living a lie or a sham. Surrounding themselves in death and standing in the pools of blood of all those who came before them. All for something they could only say in a moment of honesty was solely theirs in name only, but never having true ownership of it. In such a society, how does one offset being born into an inauthentic life? By leading an authentic life, Amelie concluded, but no Hapan of Amelie's family status among the wealthy elite, despite not being nobility, could ever truly lead an authentic life. She could trust no Hapan to help her daughter lead a truly authentic life, but there is a door open to her where she can, ironically through hereditary means. Being Force-Sensitive she could possibly become a Jedi, and Justin she knew she could trust more than any other, more than her own immediate family.

When she saw Justin again, which around the afternoon of the following day, she told him she had made a decision in regards to Lamilia. A little taken aback that she had already come up with a decision. Amelie simply told him, "A matriarch who cannot come to a decision regarding their house before a full day's time. Will find it in ruins in the next.", Justin only smiled once again making no comment on her statement. She then told him she decided to have Lamilia go with him for Jedi training.

It was an answer Justin expected, though he did not expect it to be so soon, he underestimated how decisive the Hapan women are when placed with such a difficult decision such as, for example, giving up a child they truly love. He knew of Amelie's jaded point of view of Hapan society and culture, and what it meant to be a vulnerable child growing up in a wealthy elite estate - you are a target of your family's enemies. For a mother who loves their child, why would one want them growing up in such an environment where they were open to assassination by both enemy and family? Or so he thought, even though Amelie's reasoning in actuality is a bit different.

When it approached time for Justin to return to the Order, Lamilia by that time had warmed up to him. Amelie let Justin take Lamilia with him as he left, the mother and daughter said goodbye to one another - the father was not present, often is the case in Hapan society by choice of the mother most times. Lamilia merely a three year old child at the time did not understand that she would never see her mother again. Amelie did not cry when Justin took Lamilia with him, she only smiled contentedly, she felt something - a knowing that Lamilia will be fine and lead a good life. Perhaps, it was simply a mother's intuition.

Starting an Authentic Life

Lamilia begun training on as a Youngling in the Jedi Enclave of Dantooine, as she got older her teachers would remark that Justin's compassion must have been rubbing off on her. It seemed a Hapan growing up unaffiliated with the Hapan culture's seedy elements, never develop their peoples cut-throat nature. Or at least it is the case with Lamilia, as a little girl she had a big heart. She was often eager to learn of the Jedi healing methods in the course of her studies in class if only for the possibility to save lives. History class proved to be her next love, learning of the other cultures of the galaxy often fascinated her and rarely sated her curiosity, more so the lessons on the Jedi of the past.

Back when Justin met Amelie he was scarcely a nineteen year old Padawan, when he returned to visit Amelie a few years later as a Jedi Knight, he only had recently become one a year prier; so he is still very youthful and lively individual. Often coming by after Lamilia's classes to visit her shortly to see how she is doing and progressing. The brief encounters between the two is often like witnessing an older brother checking up on his little sister. Scolding her when she was falling behind in a subject or a lesson but try to help her understand it. Or regardless of what the occasion is - to tease her he would mess up her finely combed hair - her Hapan blood seemingly appeared to react quite displeased by Justin's antic and caused her to scowl as menacing as she could at him; which he would faux cringe in fear, and that would seem to appease her for the moment. Even instigating games of tag with her from time to time. Though a couple times when caught running around the halls of the enclave, a Jedi Master would give Justin a lecture on how he should be more disciplined especially in front of Younglings. Though the second the master's back is turned Lamilia would make silly faces at them to which Justin would join in doing - getting a snicker out of them both.

Justin was for a time, hesitant to take Lamilia as his Padawan right away, he would often acknowledge himself that even as a Jedi Knight he still needed a bit more maturing. Most thought his personality was a bit too playful and energetic. Justin often dismissed this with joking they were basically just saying his cryptic routine and pseudo-intellectual speak was sub-par and he needed to work on that. So he more or less he would play the role of a helpful guidance counselor to Lamilia in regards to her training while she still attended classes from other masters.

She was in the Brith clan of the Dantooine Younglings, but growing up with them she often unwittingly misled them. As her kind, gentle spirit and outgoing personality was not precisely what a Hapan matriarch heir is typically like. Despite her mother having been an unorthodox, jaded matriarch, Lamilia would have still likely grown up to be far more viciously decisive, insular natured, and crudely manipulative as would have been expected of a Hapan matriarch heir, had she been raised within Hapan society. Instead, much of Justin's influence and personality she tended to pick up as she grew up in the enclave.

A few months after Lamilia turned nine years old, while she and Justin went on a walk out into the fields of Dantooine outside the enclave at dawn before Lamilia's classes were to start; they stared out into the scene admiring the morning sunrise with its orange, yellow, pink, and violet sky hues with the silhouettes of the great Brith in the distance Justin just sort of blurted out, "So, you wanna be my Padawan?"

Lamilia's eyes went wide and she turned to him, her expression turned into a scowl then punched in the gut - to which he acted as though he had all the breath knocked out of him, "Six years I been a Youngling at the enclave and now you want me as your Padawan?!"

"Pwah!", he faked grunted in response to the punch before replying as though in immense of her stern posture, "I'm sorry I forgot!"

"Forgot?!", she replied, and then punched him the arm.

"Ouch! Do not hit your Master!", Justin exclaimed as though he were wounded and in fear, "What kind of horrible Padawan are you?!"

She growled as if in anger before kicking his leg.

"Ow!", he yelled pretending as though it hurt him badly and fell upon the ground, "Why do you assault your Master?! You are on the path to the dark side!", he then looked back at Lamilia as he lay on the grassy field they stood in, "Well?"

Lamilia with an overjoyed smile expressing her truest feelings on the subject, "Yeah.", she replied quietly, unable to hide that endearing smile of hers.

When it was made clear at last that Lamilia will be Justin's Padawan, he surprised many of his critics by proving to be an impressive teacher. Under his tutelage Lamilia seemed to learn and understand her lessons and the teachings the masters of her classes would explain to her Youngling clan, much quicker than before. Though she always did seem to struggle with telepathy and telekinetic arts in the Force, she still proved to be very adapt at the healing arts, and at increasing her own abilities and creating defenses through the Force as well. Her perceptions through the Force being somewhat decent but could still use some work.

Of course, every Padawan excels in certain areas while lacking in others, but regardless, she seemed to be very receptive to his training. It became evident to some of the older Masters who have watched the pair over the years that a Force bond had developed between them. She could understand what he would be teaching her or demonstrating to her, without having to go through the entire motions or long drawn out explanations - she could feel it through the Force. It helped her to gain a bit more insight into what is being taught to her, and it reflected in her classes with the varying masters. But, her progression naturally still demanded hard work and dedication like any other student.

Amongst her fellow Younglings, the Brith clan, however, she proved to be at the very least one of the sharpest minds when it came to understanding history and lore. As a pre-teen she begun painting markings on herself of various old Jedi symbols and runes. They were generally symbolic expressions of devotion, duty, peace, and knowledge within the Force. While some of her Brith clan peers thought it strange or peculiar as it is not the most common thing done, some of the masters had mixed feelings about it, though Justin himself viewed it as an expression of her dedication. If anything the Hapan are an expressive people, with their love for beauty and art. Almost everything for them came down to a form of expression - Justin simply saw this as her own form of expression, and so he never approached her about it.

Sunlight

If there is one thing that cannot be denied about Justin by his peers, he is quite skilled with a lightsaber, even amongst some of the other Jedi Knights with more experience than him. This also begun to reflect in his Padawan a little, during her training in basic Shii-Cho technique classes, she seemed to grasp the concepts of it fairly well. It is something Justin took note of when he begun teaching her new lightsaber forms. Lamilia possesses a natural grace not uncommon to Hapan women, and she is not truly an aggressive personality, she more subdued and exceedingly patient. So the two styles he believed she would benefit her most from would be Soresu combined with Ataru techniques.

It suited her perfectly, she took to the two concepts like a fish takes to water. As Justin anticipated, Lamilia favored Soresu out of the two forms more than Ataru, but she seemed to naturally utilize the Ataru stances and strikes to fill the void of where Soresu lacks striking attacks in a duel. This is one of the things about Justin as a teacher and instructor to Lamilia that surprised some of his critics. Using Lamilia's generally natural calm, patient personality for a blending of two styles, one meant for outright dueling, the other for utter defense complimented her typically consistent attitude. It all flowed so well for her, it forced his critics to recognize their underestimation of him.

Not long after turning twelve walking down the halls of the enclave one afternoon after her class in studying the Jedi healing arts that she loved attending, she felt a sudden weight pulling at her heart. It was an overwhelming but brief sensation. It confused her as the sensation itself never exactly went away, it lingered though it was far more faint. It continued to distract her like a memory at the back of the mind that just would not surface no matter how hard one tries to grasp at it.

She went to her room and meditated on it for hours, trying to find what it could be that is causing her this unrest. Until after meditating for so long, night and day, a word came to her, "mother". Something is terribly wrong, she has very little memory of her do to having been taken to the enclave when she was only three years old. But it does not matter, it is her mother all the same, worry and concern consumed her. Something has happened to her mother, and she does not know what it is or have any inclination of what it can be.

When she stood up off of the cushion she used to meditate on, Justin stepped into her room as if impeding her path before she could even walk it, "Thinking of leaving?", he questioned - he looked just as concerned as she did.

"She's in trouble! Something is going to happen to her!", Lamilia exclaimed, she could feel the pressure on her heart starting to squeeze a little more tightly - as though a skeletal hand held her heart in its palm and begun to grasp onto it tighter and tighter.

Justin's eyes turned downcast as he could feel it too, "Yeah... I know... There's nothing we can do... By the time we get there, it'll be too late."

"How can you say that?!", Lamilia yelled, her eyes beginning to well-up with tears, "I-Isn't she your friend?!"

Justin solemnly nodded, "Yeah... she's my closest friend... I always kept in contact with her, even when I brought you here."

"Th-Then why?", Lamilia questioned hurtfully, "W-Why won't you help her? I don't understand!"

"Yes you do.", Justin returned, "You're emotions on the issue are just getting the better of you... Matters that deal with family tend to do that to Jedi... cloud our judgment."

Lamilia's eyes narrowed, "You certainly sounded like a Jedi just now.", she retorted disdainfully.

"Oh, you caught on to that, huh?", he retorted right back with his voice dripping in sarcasm, "Guess I must've fooled you, you know what with bringing you to a Jedi Enclave and all those years of Jedi training and whatnot."

"Stop it!", she grunted through her tightly clenched teeth, tears starting to drip from her eyes, the emotional hurt in her heart feeling all the more crushing.

Justin look downcast again and sighed, "I'm sorry, Lamilia, I was being a jerk... I know this is far from easy for you... You're a bleeding-heart and feeling something like this... I can feel it through our bond... it's tearing you apart inside... I just want you to stop and think for a moment."

"Didn't you tell me once that she hated it there?", Lamilia brought up grasping at straws and clinging to optimism, "W-We could save her, bring her some place else, get her out of Hapes!"

Justin simply shook his head, "She didn't hate it, your mother is such a decisive woman, if she hated it she would have left it long ago. She's just more realistic about it than other Hapan. She still played their deadly political games, and she made a lot of enemies. I asked her once if I could help her in some way", he chuckled a little bit at the memory, "and then she told me she'd put a blaster to my head and pull the trigger to save me from the misery if I did. That life was a norm for her, but not for those outside of it, outsiders just aren't used to it nor do they really understand it as living. You maybe Hapan, but since coming here when you were three... you're as much of an outsider to it than I am. Your peoples ways will destroy you."

"But, why can't we do something for her?", Lamilia asked pleadingly.

He looked off to the side as he stepped out of the way of the doorway, "There's nothing we can do... Given the strength of the echo that enabled you to hear it from here, despite how faint it is... By the time we get there, it'll be too late... The only reason we probably heard it in the first place is because our connection to Amelie, she being the closest friend I have and you being her only child."

"I... I have to do something!", she uttered desperately praying for guidance from him.

He gestured with one of his hands to the door so she may leave, "Then choose, you can run out that door to the enclave port. You can take a shuttle back to the Inner Rim, back to Hapes... And delve right into Hapan society vying for your mother's house, you are her matriarch heir. But doing so will mean no longer being a Jedi. The trap has already been sprung, your mother is going to die soon no matter what we do. I already tried contacting her to warn her, something is preventing communications to getting to her, likely those who are about to kill her. I warned the authorities there, but nothing has seemed to change. If we leave right now, by the time we get a ship prepped for launch, she will be dead before we even get outside Dantooine's atmosphere. So which will it be, going back to Hapes or continuing your Jedi training? If you want to go back to Hapes, I will pay for a shuttle to take you back. But you will not be able to continue your training as a Jedi, even with me."

"Why do I have to choose?", Lamilia asked still hurt and confused.

Justin sighed feeling horrible for putting her through this, "Because Jedi have no families, Lamilia, you know this. And that is why you are doing this, you are not doing this to save a life, you are doing this for your mother. When you learn she is dead and you are no longer allowed to resume your Jedi training by the Order, even by me. What will you do?"

Lamilia knew the answer right when he asked it. Her sense of obligation would compel her to take up the position of being the matriarch for her family's house. She merely stood silent uncertain what to do or say.

A quiet moment passed as they both stood there, though Justin broke it when he asked once again in a calming voice, "Which will it be, Lamilia? Family or the Jedi?"

Lamilia wrapped her arms around her chest, holding herself tight as she closed her eyes trying to comfort herself. She remained where she stood, it was clear to Justin she made her choice. He walked over to her and held her like an older brother comforting his younger sister. All she could do is cry. Just as Justin said, it was not long until all they felt was Amelie's absence from them. Lamilia did not know if the other Hapan would cry for the loss of her mother, or do so sincerely, but she at least did.

It is only natural that such an experience left her shaken, but focusing on her training gradually helped her to move on from the experience. Regardless, though, during a quiet moment while she was alone, her thoughts adrift would fall onto her mother from time to time. A regret of never having gotten to know her. In those moments she would try to remember what her mother looked like, but always failed to.

About a year later as Lamilia was heading to her lightsaber training class with one of the masters when Justin stood in her way and stopped her. Lamilia looked up at him a little puzzled by this, but all he said was for her to follow him. He led her out into the immense grassy fields of the Khoonda plains until they reached a cave entrance inside a steep bluff face. Lamilia more than little surprised, though extremely hesitant, she struggles to see even low lighted rooms because of her peoples genetic night blindness, and her perceptions through the Force are not very impressive. But she instantly recognized the place as the crystal cave where Jedi would go to get a focus crystal to create their own lightsaber.

She looked back up at Justin perplexed, "Why are we here? Are you going to make another lightsaber? What do you need me for?"

He nonchalantly shrugged in response, "I'm not makin' one, you are."

"Huh?!"

He chuckled for a second before bluntly stating to her, "If I thought you weren't ready to make one yourself - we wouldn't be here.", Justin started walking into the crystal cave, nervously Lamilia followed after him inside.

But once all she could see was itched black darkness in the dim lighting of the cave, she stopped, "Master...", she mumbled wearily.

Justin stopped to looked at her curiously, "What's wrong?"

"I can't see anything."

"Why are you using your eyes? Stop it.", he replied perplexed.

She let out a tiny huff, "I'm not that good with the Force, yet. I still have trouble perceiving things. I still need more training."

Justin scoffed with a smirk, "Pshaw. You just don't have enough confidence in your abilities, yet. Something we'll have to work on. Here's a trick my master taught me. You're using your eyes still, so close them.", Lamilia following just as her master instructed to him, she shut her eyes and listened to him, "With your level of night blindness you won't be able to see anything in here anyway. Now with your eyes closed, use the Force to focus on something. Like a light, any kind of light. Even a memory of light. Then use that light you create in your mind to illuminate what you can feel around you through the Force. It'll be a little weird at first, but with some practice you'll get used to it."

As she reached back into memories searching for an image of light. A vague distant memory pierced through the fog of a brilliant bright yellow sunlight gleaming behind a silhouette. She recognized the silhouette - it was familiar to her - comforting. She could just scarcely see the visage - it was herself - or so it seemed. No, it is not her she realized after focusing harder on it. It is her - only older and more mature - confident, with a smile of contentment. It is her mother. She could not help but gasp realizing what the memory was. It is when she looked back at her mother when she was three. The sunlight of the Hapan sun beaming behind Amelie as little Lamilia waved goodbye to her mother, while Amelie simply smiled back expressing an eased mind, contentment, and happiness.

She could not see it, but she could feel it now. The thought of sunlight was merely a context for illuminating her own mind and senses rather than something more tangible and outward. Like a simple mental exercise in another regard, just as how some use a the image of a calm sky to put themselves a serene frame of mind - the image of light is used to help mentally perceive as if lighting up ones own mental perceptions. It worked, she could feel the distance of space from the objects, debris, and obstacles - how close they were to her or far away within a ten meter or so radius without much if any strain. She could not help but grow a wide, happy smile.

Justin knowingly smiled at her in response and asked, "Ready?", Lamilia gave a confident nod, and he then continued to lead the way down into the cave.

The path Justin took Lamilia down into the cave seemed to avoid whatever nasty critters lurked inside it. As they walked deeper inside the cave Lamilia ran her hand its craggy walls, but stopped the moment her hand hit a small crystal formation. Justin watched her closely as she carefully picked one of the small crystals from the humble cluster.

Justin smiled in response as he inquired, "You remember what to do from your lessons, right?", Still holding a smile of confidence Lamilia simply nodded as she sat down on her knees right where she was standing and begun meditating on the crystal, "Ok", he said, "I'll be around, like if a kinrath comes to bite your head off or... something... you know... like... life threatening... Otherwise... you're on your own for constructing your lightsaber. Later.", and with that he left without a trace.

She sat and meditated for countless hours, only moving to forage something to eat or drink. A collection of dew drops in her hands from the overhangs. Perhaps an insect or other little edible critter to tie her over. If only her Hapan kin could see her now. Utilizing the survival skills taught to her in her classes and lessons. While she also scavanged varying usable parts from old junk left behind from salvagers, hunters looking for kinrath or some other nasty creature, geologists, or even other Jedi, any who ever took an interest in the crystal cave over the ages, there were some who would accidentally leave something behind. Some of those somethings Lamilia knew she could make use of, and when she was done scrounging for materials, she returned to her meditating upon the crystal.

In her meditations only one image held in her mind - the Hapan sun's light at her mother's back as she smiles upon her daughter contentedly and happily at ease. It was all Lamilia really needed to steady herself. It provided her with a relaxing calm she had never exactly felt before. It was closure. It provided her with the ability to move on and continue to follow the path meant for her.

It was about a month later when Justin returned back to his apprentice, or more accurately - appeared before her again. She looked up at him able to faintly see him thanks to the bright light of the crystal held up in the air level with her chest with either hand to the side of it - focusing and channeling her strength and presence in the Force into the small crystal. It glowed a bright yellow light - like a distant sun high in the sky. She looked up at Justin with a happy smile, "Sunlight.", she quietly said still smiling to which he smiled back in response, he then nodded to the crystal-less lightsaber hilt she had built from what she could scrounge from old left behind debris or forgotten electronic items from old camps made in the depths of the cave. She stopped meditating on the crystal, disassembling the lightsaber hilt, put the crystal in its chamber within the hilt, and put it back together once again. Without wasting a moment she fired up her lightsaber, and bursting from the hilt as expected is a brilliant yellow beam.

Justin smiled with great pride in Lamilia, like an elder brother dotes on a little sister, "Good work, Lamilia. Let's get out of here.", Lamilia simply nodded in reply as she stood up off the ground and followed Justin out of the cave.

Protect Life

The years after Lamilia had constructed her lightsaber, Justin increased her lightsaber training. She impressed him with how well she was able to keep up with his training regiment, though of course she was no match for him when sparring. But it never stopped her from trying to match him regardless of how futile the effort. However, he did have even more of a measure of pride in his apprentice that she was able to maintain a steady back and forth with him while sparring for a spell, but once he picked up the pace - she could not keep up no matter what she tried.

If there was one thing about the Jedi teachings that truly affected her to the core, is that all life is sacred. If it was not, it would not have such impacts when it dies or is lost or absent. That is what her mother's death taught her. Life is something to preserve, to save. Justin shook his head at these notions as he believed Lamilia was taking them a bit too far, telling her by saving one life you invariably are sacrificing another. Preserving life is more than simply saving it or sparing it.

It is a lesson that she understood what he is telling her on the most simplistic level, but the deeper meanings of what he is trying to teach her eluded her. She continued to focus much of her learning the varying Jedi arts of the Force, but specifically more so on the healing arts as she always seemed to have in the past. Taking it even further to studying and learning various medical arts that do not require use of the Force, such as triage and advance first aid for example. Largely do to Justin often pressing upon her that relying solely on the Force often makes for a poor Jedi, and in the worst case scenarios can lead to the dark side. A lesson she became quite mindful of, if nothing else.

Her history lessons was another matter she took about as seriously as her training in healing. The deeds of past Jedi from those who met their fall to those who rose to being saviors, she loves to study. Even more so, the areas speaking of the progression of the Jedi Order itself over the countless ages. So much so, by the time she was sixteen she had old Jedi runes and symbols of their history permanently marked on her body as pale blue markings. Runes and symbols used to designate devotion to the Jedi, knowledge, wisdom, and the varying designations to even symbolism of protection and preservation of life that she learned from her studies.

Though it could not have been more than a few months later when an ambitious pirate organization attempted to raid one o fthe larger farming colony settlements of Dantooine. Before the invasion she remembers the Jedi Masters being filled with unease and weariness - a sense of dread. She saw it in Justin as well, she begun to slowly feel it herself as did the others in the enclave. When the invasion begun, protecting the civilians became the top priority as what would be a natural reaction for the Jedi.

The moment the invasion begun Justin headed for Khoonda, Lamilia followed closely behind him. He was hesitant at first about her coming with him, but then figured the wounded would benefit greatly from her healing and medical skills she had been learning. He took her to one of the make shift the infirmaries there where she could help the nurses and the doctors. Lamilia did not waste any time in giving them her aid and power in the Force.

When the attacks begun, the wounded soon begun to pour in as well. Never taking a break Lamilia went about the infirmary helping the Republic soldiers from simple carbon burns to those who had been completely maimed by explosives and heavy blaster fire. Justin would appear from time to time helping bringing in those who had been severely wounded while fighting in the front. Seeing him return seemed to always bring a smile on her face as it was simple confirmation he was still okay.

Lamilia however continued to refuse taking a break as the battles waged on and the wounded kept coming in. When she had exhausted herself using the Force to aid and heal the wounded, she would switch to simple triage or helping the doctors and nurses to preform their medical skills. The moment she had recovered even a modicum of power, she resumed healing through the Force.

Never having seen or experienced... or felt... death at such a level, it was utterly horrific to her. Most times, more than she could bear, but she pushed herself to strengthen her resolve and focus on the task at hand. However, the lesson Justin attempted to teach her quickly begun to sink in - when you save one life you are invariably sacrificing another. As she would heal one soldier to save them, another is left dying, she could not save them all - such a feat is impossible.

An immense blast of fire burst piercing through her mind, her eyes widened and tears streamed down from her eyes as she focused on healing the burn wounds of an unconscious soldier. She staggered a few steps back as she lay her hand on her chest taking deep overwhelmed breaths. Her lower lip begun to wobble - she wanted to cry, but she forced herself not to. Ignoring the tears falling from her eyes, or maybe she had not noticed them yet, she went back to healing the unconscious soldier.

The other wounded soldiers and the couple of nurses who are near watched her with a heavy heart. It is clear to them what had happened by watching her. The girl just stood their continuing her work as she stared off, "Miss...?", spoke up one of the nurses as she moved beside her, but Lamilia did not answer, either she was ignoring her or did not hear her, "Miss...", the nurse repeated softly as she lay her hands on Lamilia's shoulders. Lamilia looked to the nurse with a gasp and a startled jump, "Why don't you take a break, you've done more than enough here.", the nurse suggested with matronly smile and soothing tone.

But, Lamilia shook her head with a tearful smile, "No...", she replied doing all she can to remain strong as she requested, "I-I'll be fine... Please, let me keep helping...", the nurses eyes gave the young Jedi a pitying gaze for her loss, and respected her wishes, so she simply nodded in reply and let Lamilia continue helping in the infirmary.

Even after the Republic soldiers long defeated and driven off the remaining pirates, she continued to aid the wounded. One of the soldiers who helped Justin bring back wounded from the front lines, eventually approached Lamilia, not simply because he was wounded himself from a vicious burn running up his left arm, but to hand her a lightsaber that looked not all that different from her own, as she intended it when she made hers. Despite it having some carbon scoring, she recognized it instantly as Justin's. He apologized to her bowing his head respectfully for the loss of her master. She bit her lower lip hard, to the point it nearly bled to stop herself from crying, and to remain strong. The sight made more than a few of the Republic soldier's hearts sink, either do to having children of their own or a younger sibling her age. They also looked upon her with respect and gratitude, for if it were not for her talents, perhaps some of their loved ones would never be able to see them again. Lamilia may not see that at the moment, but perhaps that is another lesson to be learned and understood at another time.

Maintaining her work with the nurses and doctors, she left Dantooine on one of the hospital ships. Eventually, she was placed on a shuttle to be taken to the Jedi Temple of Coruscant. Once she arrived there she met briefly with the Council to give them her master's lightsaber and report on what happened there via her own experience. Since the attack she had been informally trained by various masters at the temple, but has not yet been taken on by a permanent one, yet. If she is not taken on soon, it seems her fate will be the AgriCorps.

New Dawn

The Galactic City, she had never seen anything like it before, she grew up on Dantooine - within the walls of the quaint Jedi Enclave, and exploring Dantooine's vast Khoonda grassy fields. This place was the complete opposite, it is nothing but one vast city covering the entire planet. It is the height of the technological superiority of the Republic, or at the very least the greatest symbol of it. Albeit, the planet beneath the city itself, is long dead in a sense. It perplexed her as to why such a thing would be viewed as progression if the result is the planet being reduced to being nothing more than simple rock and molten lava.

As she stood on a balcony of the Jedi Temple gazing out into the metropolis horizon. She watched the thousands of speeder, shuttle, freighter, and other varying starship traffic against the early yellow and orange dawning sky. She mourned the loss of being able to see the early dawns of Dantooine again, especially with her master, Justin. Another loss she deeply mourns but will slowly and gradually learn to give it some closure, just not yet, it is still too soon. To feel a life you have bonded with all your life suddenly be ripped away from you is a vicious thing. It leaves a hole, an emptiness, a void that is nothing more than a sensation of absence. To fill that void again, it will take time as with all things. She knew at least that much.

Her thoughts also fell on her friends from the enclave, her Youngling Clan, the Brith Clan, named after the great manta ray-like creatures that soared through the clear Dantooine skies. She hopes they did not lose their masters as she did, she hopes they are all safe as she is. She has not seen any of them yet, she only arrived on Coruscant none too long ago.

Until the pirate attack on Dantooine, she never truly understood what it meant - that a Jedi's life is sacrifice, but now she has a far more profound understanding for it. With that greater comprehending from her master's death, she found herself more at ease in a way. Prepared.

Looking back on her studies and learning of her own people over the years to understand her heritage more clearly. While having learned more about her mother from Justin before his death and after hers, she felt she has a stronger understanding for why she agreed to Justin taking her to be trained as a Jedi. As she gazed out into that sunset she mumbled the realization that Justin himself never did grasp, "It is an authentic life.", Working, striving, and training for everything you earn, reach, and attain as a Jedi is true - it is all your own merit and strength of will. It is not handed to you by simple birthright or stolen or usurped.

A Jedi Knight then approached Lamilia to inform her, "The Council will see you now, Padawan.", She did not quite yet know what the Council will determine for her, if she does not receive a new master some time after this meeting, she will likely be sent to the AgriCorps, and then all of her training will be for nothing. She looked to Justin's lightsaber still grasped within her hand; she has not let it go since it was handed to her by the Republic soldier, and now she will be giving it to the Council. Thinking back Lamilia recalled the visage of her mother with the sunlight at her back, but now when she looks to that image - that memory, Justin is standing there smiling with her mother as they gaze upon Lamilia herself.

She looked back over her shoulder at the rising brilliant orange sun with its receding orange, violet, and pick horizon topped with a vivid yellow expanding sky, "Sunlight...", she murmured as her eyes flicked from her lightsaber then back to Justin's, and she smiled softly. Everything will be fine, there are hard times, and likely more ahead, but that is life - there is always a new dawn ahead. She looked to the Jedi Knight and nodded firmly to him with a renewed sense of confidence and strength, and followed him to the Council chamber.

Machinations of the Inauthentic

As a Padawan the young Hapan more often than not being informally trained by other Masters, rather than being sent to the AgriCorps. For a few years she was placed under the tutelage of a Jedi Knight with some years of experience to him. From time to time with him she would delve into the seedier side of the Galactic City of Coruscant, down within the slums rife with crime and humanity's more abhorrent natures. For such as her it was a heartbreaking and disenchanting thing to see, but something she realized that she needed to. After all, how can one truly appreciate the beauty and serenity of the light, or even understand the darkness without having ever stepped into its shadows?

But given her new master's tendences and nuances of a jaded Jedi Knight who has walked the shadows of the darkness far too often, she begun to understand the true crime of cynicism. When the significance of life and suffering begins to deminish in the eyes of a protector and guardian of it and compassion, then hope falls with it and gives rise to more darkness. His lessons she understood, and minded them, a very combat oriented and humorless minded Jedi, as if everything beheld a dire consequence to it. While she always respected him as her Master during her time with him, during the fews years she spent under his tutelage, she realized he is not the Jedi she wishes to aspire to be, for his compassion and hope was eroding. He was a man who stared through the lense of cynicism for too long and was broken by his own experiences from staring too long upon them through that narrow lense. Regardless of her attempts to convince him otherwise, she was not able to sway him from eventually leaving the Order and following the grey path.

Once again she found herself being informally taught by other Masters until she was place with another. The Jedi Master she was eventually placed with is the one she remained with until she would reach the rank of Jedi Knight. Serving as his pupil was a role she enjoyed as he was one of the Jedi Master's who taught and instructed Younglings of the Jedi Temple of Coruscant. It was a duty she enjoyed, helping young minds to learn and grow within their teachings. A compassionate and caring heart such as hers reveled in the experience.

Though, it was under this Jedi Master's instruction that her abilities truly begun to expand, not just in simple strength but in technique and understanding. He showed how to follow the currents of the Force within a sentient body, and how they can be channeled and manipulated. They were in fact lessons that Lamilia would analyze and study for many more years to come. How to manipulate the body into a comatose-like trance, even placing others into one. Even how to absorb outside energies into ones being and channel it elsewhere. However, these were abilities she would not learn to master until years to come.

Toward her approaching her final days as a Padawan she begun to grow increasingly destracted by something looming over her, something from her past she was not quite privy to. For days she meditated on it, until eventually the realization struck her: Hapes. Something was calling her to Hapes, her homeworld. But why? The last time she was even near the system she was a three year old child. Why now? Though, before she could even think to investigate it herself, her Master gave her a datapad and told her to go discover it herself. Unbeknownst to her, this was the beginning of her trials...

Witht he permission of her Master, she was granted a shuttle and made her way back to Hapes. During her flight to her homeworld she begun reading and studying the datapad that her Master gave her. It was an old Jedi mission file with numerous recordings and records dating back a little over a year before she was born. Her eyes widened upon the realization of what it is, it is the mission Justin was on with his master when he first met Amelie. But, the details surprised her even more so, as the mission was never completed; and the mission was to capture... his own Jedi Master, the one he had before the one he served under on that mission.

There were several other details within the datapad, which she did not waste time in inserting the datapad into the holo-display of the small shuttle she flew in. With the information uploaded into the holo-display, she watched and listened to the various recordings of the datapad. It was mostly of Justin's second Master speaking of Justin's first Master's, Adolus, corruption to the dark side. The story of how Adolu's' corruption begun was long in the process, but could summarized simply in the telling. Adolus became curious of Hapan society, how such a cruel, cynical, backstabbing structured monarchy could thrive. In a gesture to do some good for Hapes, he managed to become a counselor to a noble house. He played their political games in order to turn the tables on the Hapes system itself, but gradually in his machinations to turn the noble house served and those that were its enemies into allies, the temptation of using them for his own personal designs became too great, and thus his decent begun. When Justin learned of the fall, he turned to the Council for aid, he and his new master were then sent out to capture him.

The reports and logs tell of Justin befriending one of the head Hapes security law enforcement officers, that being Amelie, primarily to investigate about the Da'tin noble house. Which proved to be the noble house Amelie made enemies with do to her being paid off by a rival to make arrests, some were warranted, though the crimes themselves were questionable, while other arrests and investigation into the noble house's goings on were unlawful. A man calling himself Vanu married the head of the Da'tin noble house, what raised questions about it was he seemed to take more control over the house than his wife, which is odd within a matriarch society. Before they could investigate further into Vanu, he disappeared to Bogden and lost his trail there, and was never found again. Even after becoming a Jedi Knight, Justin continued to pursue leads into this Vanu knowing he must be his old master, Adolus. After Justin's main contact, Amelie, was assassinated years later after his continued investigation, despite Vanu being one of the main suspects of her murder, the case went cold, and eventually Justin gave up on the investigation choosing to continue training Amelie's daughter as a Jedi in order to pick up the investigation again in the future.

While Lamilia remained ignorant that this was where her trials were to begin, she deeply felt she had to finish what Justin begun and bring Vanu to justice, not just in Justin's memory, but her mother's as well. The large question on her mind though was how she was going to do it. There was something leading her through the Force to Hapes, but what she could not ascertain. Being given the datapad by her current Master clearly this was all by no coincedence, there are no coincedences in matters witht he Force. Yet, knowing any of this served as no form of help to her in figuring out what she had to do and what she thought needed to be done.

Arriving upon Hapes, it was an odd feeling to her, two utterly contradictory sensations at once: it being an alien place to her, yet feeling as though it were her home as well. She could plainly see why her people revere Hapes so much, everything from its archeture to its art to its people are a picture perfect expression of beauty. But as she returned to wealthy elite house that was her mother's, she could feel from the people of the high society another dimension, a seediness that left one weary of the people's subtle unsavory presence. Even as young as she was she understood such a place is not for a Jedi to engage in politics.

Returning to her mother's house was an intense moment for her, flashes and images of her brief moments of her life as a toddler with her mother appeared in her mind. Lingering memories within the home that was once she and her mother's for a brief simpler time. These memories linger within the air itself...

"I didn't believe it was you at first... then again I didn't believe it was then one I mistook you for either...", uttered a man from behind her with a silky smooth drawl in his deep tone of voice.

She turned around to face him, pausing for a moment having absolutely no recollection of him, "Who are you?"

He smiled slightly, "Your mother was an unconventional matriach. But when it came to the daughter she cared for, she was fairly typical. She removed me entirely from your life."

It then begun to dawn on the young Jedi as she inquired with a clear uncertainty in her voice, "Are... you my father?", he gave a simple nod in confirmation, "Oh... I see...", she replied feeling quite awkward in that moment uncertain how to react to him, she has no emotional tie to him, no memory, not even a name, only distance -- he is little more than a face to her, "It's a pleasure to meet at last then."

He chuckled at her confused posture, "My name is Aron. So... did you come back here to take up your mother's house? There is little point in it."

Lamilia tilted her head a little bit in confusion at that last comment, "Why is that?"

"When she was killed and you were not here to claim it, the house fell to me", he explained, "But house controlled by a man within a matriach society doesn't stand for long. Your mother's house name has deminished severely over the years since her death as a result. No doubt the plan of whomever had her killed. A couple months ago I was given an offer by the matron of the Da'tin noble house to buy the estate. It has since been incorporated into the Da'tin household. This is theirs now, and everything that comes with it."

A scowl came upon Lamilia's face, "It was likely the Da'tin who killed mother."

"Likely.", Aron nodded in agreement.

Lamilia was a little taken aback by this, "But then... why would you give it up to them? Did they threaten you with harm?"

Aron laughed a bit in reaction, "Naive... A Hapan woman your age shouldn't be victim to such folly thinking that way. They didn't have to deal with me in the first place if they did not want to. Amelie made an enemy out of them, and no doubt they removed her because of it, they could do the same to me if they wanted to. But it is easier just to simply be patient, what for the house to erode with a patron instead of a matron, and then deal with me directly. Really, Lamilia, child, you should understand how these things work. Patience is as much of a key to all of this as strong ambition."

"I don't understand...", muttered Lamilia in confusion, "Why would they want this estate to begin with?"

"Why the influence and status of Amelie's house has been destroyed, everything that Amelie's house owned is quite profitable", explained Aron, "After all, Amelie was no fool, she made a powerful enemy out of the Da'tin, but the profits and wealth she was gaining from the Da'tin's other rival noble holdings were great. Land ownership, entire estates, credits, expensive artwork... political sway... Amelie was amassing quite a bit. The Da'tin waited and made certain none of their rivals could get Amelie's holdings after killing her while they waited for her house to weaken under patron rule. Killing me would have raised too many flags, even our society a certain nuance needs to be maintained. So, it became a patience game."

Lamilia looked appalled by all of this, the deceit, the coldhearted nature of it, the lack of reverence to life, "If you knew all of this why didn't you go to Hapan security?!"

((Continued in next post.))

[Apillis]

Aron chuckled, "Jedi certainly are naive. What would Hapan security do? They would be just as likely to be bought off. Besides, everyone knows, it's just no one speaks up or is bought off or there's no proof. Besides, no one wants to throw out accusations, because accusations will be launched right back at them. It is better to keep your mouth shut and take your hits or plotting your own moves in the game."

"Game?!", replied Lamilia revulsion, "My mother was murdered! How can you call this a game?!"

Aron scoffs, "Some games are deadly. Amelie knew that better than most."

Lamilia's eyes narrowed, "Do you know about a man named Vanu?"

Aron smirked, "A role-model for Hapan men to emulate."

"He's not a Hapan, he's a human Jedi.", Lamilia stated.

"Hmph. Figures", Aron wryly muttered, "Probably twisting the Da'tin's matron's mind then with that--... mind stuff you Jedi are rumored to do. Disappointing. I liked the thought of he was a Hapan that managed to be so slick he got the Da'tin matron twisted around his little finger... But then again, completely dominating her mind is a pleasant thought as well."

Lamilia's expression became dull, this man before her she did not want to be her father, she wanted nothing to do with a man like this. With a quiet, calm monotone she asked, "How can I find him?"

Aron smirked, "Looking for revenge? The Da'tin estate resides within the Star Home. I can arrange a meeting if you like."

"Please do.", as she turned to leave the grand manse that once belonged to her mother, she uttered to the man, "As far I'm concerned... you are not my father... and though I was last here as a toddler... I'm glad of what little memories I have of this place... you are not in them... I think that is what my mother wanted above all...", glancing over her shoulder she stated a-matter-of-factly, "We will not see each other again."

Aron smirked, "Likely not."

Taking her small shuttle to the Star Home orbitting Hapes from which the Queen Mother and the Hapan noblety rules. With the permission of Vanu himself was she allowed to gain further entrance into the space station, and was guided to the estate by Hapan security. Lamilia knew she was waltzing right into a trap, it was too obvious, too easy to perceive, and too easy to meet with Vanu. The entire methodology of Hapan machinations is utterly alien to her, and nor did she have any desire to play her peoples 'games', having grown up utterly removed from Hapan culture, it was all so very alien to her.

She had no clue as to what she was walking into, what sort of trap would be sprung on her. The young Jedi tried to tell herself that traps can work both ways, but she still remained grounded to the fact she was only fooling herself -- this is a fallen Jedi Master she was about to confront -- her every action will have to be a careful one; which thus far is utterly contradictory to what she is doing now. Three Hapan security members lead Lamilia into the Da'tin estate, while a pair of Hapan security speeders circled the estate grounds.

Lead to a large study within the immense building that is the Da'tin main home, Lamilia saw before her the man she saw in the holo-recordings from the datapad as Adolus, "You are Vanu, correct?"

He smiled and nodded, "Yes, daughter of Amelie... So... guessing why you are here, I suppose it's the same reason as Justin and his second Master, Hue. They were smart, though. They tried using subterfuge to trap me, eventually pushed me to the point I had to escape off-world. You're just... being stupidly brazen. Justin did not teach you very well."

Lamilia smiled a little, "Right now, my only goal is exposing you for what you are, even if I die -- so long as I succeed my mission will be accomplished. Being exposed for what you are... a human... a Jedi... It will lead to many investigations and Da'tin being eroded once it is understood that it's matron's mind has been maleadjusted, or at least the suspicion of it which the presence of a Jedi always brings, whether right or wrong. Why else are you posing as a Hapan man? Justin and Hue sought to avoid the political fall out of the Da'tin noble house losing its status because of you. Whereas I see them as murderers, their fate because of yours and their own past deeds will fall on them upon investigation and exposure. Too much time has passed to be subtle."

Vanu's brows furrowed, he looked quite amused by Lamilia's display before him, "And how do you intend to expose me as a Jedi?"

Lamilia smiled grew a little more, "Well, you can always return with me to the Council quietly, I suppose. But, I figured you would try to resist arrest. The security can force me to defend myself, but even if you run as they attack me, you know without using your Jedi abilities, it will be a simple matter for me to catch you. You will be forced to defend yourself as a Jedi if you are to have any hope of escape."

Adolus appeared quite amused by all of this as he nodded a little to Lamilia's words, "Your assumptions are mostly correct, but flawed in one area. Justin and Hue didn't confront me as you are no because of fear of political fall out, they simply new if exposed, I would simply disappear; and the wealth I had been acculating til then and even to our present time - has been substantial. They knew enough if given time and patience I would return to Hapes. But, it seems, this time you have left with no option but to make myself disappear from here; and only after I make you disappear from this life into the next..."

Adolus drew his lightsaber he kept concealed on his person, simultaneously Lamilia drew hers. The second the three Hapan security officers saw Lamilia brandish her lightsaber they drew their blasters and open fire. Her ability with Soresu by this time in her life had increased greatly, it was a simple matter for her to deflect the first two shots fired by two of the security members, one back the officer who fired it dropping them to the floor, the second blot deflected instead of its firer but at the thrird security officer who was just taking aim at her. From behind her she narrowly felt something coming at her, she dropped a knee, spinning around and with an arching back swing from back to front she redirected a thrown blue beamed lightsaber at the remaining security officer who was taking aim at her once again.

As Lamilia turned to face Adolus, the thrown lightsaber sliced apart the remaining security officer, Lamilia was quick to blackflip over the lightsaber as it returned to its wielder. Lamilia stood firm and focused prepared to face what she knew was a superior opponent to her. Adolus smirked and chuckled with a nauseating condension as each word dripped with the haughty disposition as he had observed her movements and stance, "You certainly are Justin's Padawan-learner... Your Soresu technique... your Ataru stance... they're just like his... I know... I'm the one who taught them to him. Your technique... it belongs to me."

"While that maybe true... Justin was twice the Jedi you ever were... You've become nothing more than murderer.", Lamilia returned as their blades clashed.

"Ha. You're mother was one of the most backstabbing women in all of Hapes, she had to die...", Adolus sneered as they fought blade upon blade. The experienced Padawan unsurprisingly found herself struggling against the superior ability of her mother's killer, a Jedi Master.

In her frustration as she gritted her teeth feeling a sense of rage well up within her at Adolus' words, "She didn't deserve to die!", a sudden rush of enraged passion fueled the strength behind a sudden cross-slash that despite being blocked made the Dark Jedi Master stagger on his feet. He only narrowly regained his balance quickly enough to defend himself against Lamilia's passionate onslaught. While her ability with the Force is significant, the arts of telekinesis and telepathy were always a bit dull with her, but she had always been talented at using the Force to augment herself; and with her brush of rage it seemed as though this was momentarily increased as she and her foe fought.

Adolus smirked at this, while Lamilia herself felt a tug within her, something vicious, something overwhelming, something dark -- it made her feel ill -- not herself -- disconnected. Violently pushing herself away from Adolus with shining yellow lightsaber blade. It was plain to see in the look in her eyes -- the glare she gazed upon Adolus with -- she was struggling -- fighting the dark side within her. She could feel it welling up within her, the desire to cut down the man before her with all her fury. The man who betrayed her master, the man who murdered her mother. Does such a man deserve to live after committing such sins upon others as he has over the years -- betraying everything he once stood for?

An immense hate for this man burned within her, seething beneath her skin -- she struggled to fight this inner-darkness. Oh did she struggle. But, as she felt herself wavering, still she denied herself, she still fought it -- refusing her desire to act upon it. Adolus merely sneered in disappointment of her in action to indulge her darker impulses. By this time Hapan security forces begun to mov ein on the estate reacting to reported sounds of combat. Adolus with his own might witin the Force, seized Amalia by the throat telekinetically, she fought and labored for breath that would never come while under his grasp. As security poured he launched the young Hapan Jedi out of the nearest window. Hurled by the telekinetic strength of a Jedi Master, Lamilia shattered through the glass of the window, crashing harshly upon the ground, and tumbling for several feet.

Briefly she slipped in and out of consciousness for a trice, she was slow to rise to her feet. Even as she tried to get back on to her feet she found herself flopping clumsily back down to the ground in exhaustion. She laid there for a moment to let herself gather strength, using the Force to gradually augment herself to regain at least enough strength to stand. In the distance as she lay there she could Hapan security fighting and dying as they fought a fleeing fallen Jedi Master. For the moment she did not concern herself with it, do to given the chaos unfolding, it will make it that much easier to initiate the investigation in tracking him upon his leave of Hapes altogether. Which is precisely how things unfolded upon Adolus making his escape from Hapes.

This was not an ending, though. It was merely another beginning. When she related what had happened at Hapes, she was given Jedi Knight status for having faced an unknown reality of her past, fought and gone toe to toe with a superior opponent, and resisted the dark side. But, while her Jedi trial may have been over ascending to full Knight status, her true trial -- for herself was far from over. Her conflict with Adolus had only just begun...

Moonlight Knight

Several of her contemparies disapproved of Lamilia's course of action, newly a Knight and right away chasing off after Adolus. To do so, so soon was viewed brash and thoughtless believing it better to hold of on such a quest until she gain a bit more experience. But, in her mind, they did not understand, it was not some blind quest for vengeance. During her confrontation with Adolus, there was something she felt, something she realized when fought him... How easy it was to suddenly forget everything it is you stand for.

She wanted to get vengeance for her mother, she wanted to justice brought upon the one responsible for her death. But what Lamilia realized was everything she had worked for, learned, and believed she had cast aside for just that reasoning. It was then in her confrontation with Adolus she felt the dark side within her for the first time, and all that had stopped her from further indulgence was her being tossed aside by his strength as he sought to escape as Hapan security begun to strike the estate in greater numbers. It was this interruption that allowed her to regain her senses, thus while she may have passed the Trial of Spirit because of her not succumbing to the dark side, it was merely by default. She saw this failure within herself, and finally begun to learn to empathize with Adolus' own fall.

Therefore, her pursuit of him was not one of vengeance or retribution or downfall, but one of empathy and understanding -- she wanted to save him from himself. In a way, because of his defeating her technically caused her to regain her senses and not fall completely to the dark side, Adolus saved her, and thus she sought to repay him by saving him. Above all else, this was a quest of thanks, gratitude, and self-reflection.

To track a Jedi Master who did not want to be found and possessed much accumulated wealth at their disposal is far from a simple individual to find within a vast galaxy. But, utilizing the old mission datapad, she used it as a medium for estimating by his patterns for where he would have escaped to. It took her a year to find his financial trail and begin to tracking him. That in of itself proved difficult as it is, for it took her over a year to accomplish that alone.

The places he had been, the lives he had touched upon, she saw as they were left bled from and broken by his machinations. The pain of his inadequacies inflicted upon others, then leaving them to suffer after taking what he wanted. How do you stop a man like that? The true answer is to break them of it. But how do you break a man who is already broken? By counter-balancing them. While she trailed behind him, for every terrible act he did, she brought about equal aid to help the people wounded by his actions. Everything he wrought, she reversed. It was a cycle that lasted for several years.

In that time Lamilia learned and studied much largely from the actions of the fallen Jedi she pursued. Just as a Sith or Dark Jedi can learn from the Jedi and twist their teachings, a Jedi can do much the same to a Dark Jedi's methods. From Adolus' machinations of oppression and harm upon those he sought to parasitically bled dry, Lamilia learned to set in motion uplifting and mending maneuvers amongst the people. After all, healing is simply another form of manipulation, and it can be accomplished in assortment of ways through the physical medical arts, the Force, or simple words alone.

Albeit, the times she returned to the Jedi Temple for introspective reflection and her own medning of the self, she did learn a of certain techniques while able to be used to heal, could equally be used to harm. It all was dependent up on how one viewed its use or intended to utilize it. The Force technique Morichro is one such technique, and one she was given to utilize on herself than another, despite it being able to subdue opponents effectively -- it could possibly kill them as well; thus completely counter to everything she believes. Self-defense or the defense of those cannot defend themselves is one thing, but to subdue an opponent only to kill them is nothing but disgraceful.

Over the years her studies expanded beyond only the healing arts, of course. The subtle art of channeling the Force she had always been quite talented at it, however, utilizing it to apply it to something such as Telekinesis she had always been very poor. Her last master having noticed this begun teaching her how to absorb energy with the Force and channeling. However, it took her years of study and practice before she could even put the basic concepts into practice.

In all that time during her activities years had passed, but it was by the time she was in her late twenties, she had once again confronted Adolus. This time, though, it was he who initiated the confrontation with her. Her own machinations reversing or curbing his own only made him seeth with hatred for her. It eventually boiled to a point it overflowed enough that he challenged her suddenly one night. Their cat and mouse game had come to a confrontation, and one that Lamilia was not prepared for.

It was shortly after following him to Bogden, a place where Adolus preferred to hide himself for a time. It was while Lamilia was leaving the settlement heading back to the place she made her camp where he ambushed her. It was on a high cliffs edge of the planet's treacherous terrain. The thrashing sea at the base of the grand high cliff filled he air with oceanic smells and sound of harsh crashing waves.

There were no words to this confrontation, it was a battle brought about for the sole purpose of killing. Adolus fought with a murderous heart, while she fought only for her life. There would be no victory in this battle, not for either of them, not truly -- regardless when one of them "won" it. It was a battle with only a base and primal purpose: an intent to kill. His victory means damning himself further into darkness, hers meant she failed to save a man from himself. Victory in its truest form had no existence here.

Lamilia understood this perfectly well, she was not fighting to survive for herself, but for him -- his decent into the dark side will only be all the greater if he manages to kill in this battle. She had to survive, but she cannot strike him down if she is to save him. If she is to save him from himself later, she must survive and endure the abuse of his wrath.

With years having passed by til now she proved to be more of a match for him, but still her experience versus his own the chasm between them was still in his favor. As he pushed her back with his assault near the cliff's edge, and with a paowerful clash of their blades, she lost her grip upon her lightsaber as it flew out of her hands. A master Makashi duelist, Adolus with his free hand with a strong Force Push launched her over the high cliff's edge sending her to the thrashing sea below.

It was largely thanks to her knowledge of the Jedi Protection, Body, and Healing arts within the Force that she survived the fall and near drowning within the violent sea crashing against the rocky bluffs. It took her much time to swim ashore to a beach, and when she did she lay there for a long moment. Staring up into the night sky of Bogden and its twenty moons illuminating it. Though the realization came to her in a half-delirious state out of fatigue, there was something she learned about herself and her facing Adolus.

The man had enclosed himself within so much darkness for so many years, all he saw was endless night. She would have to become something akin to the moonlight, he could not see the sun for there was no daylight in his mind... only darkened night sky. But as sunlight reflects off of the moon to illuminate the night sky, that is what she would have to do. The approach was entirely wrong. Her methods were nothing but road blocks, and the more opposition one is met with, especially within the dark side, the more it only fuels their hate. It was then she become to fully understand what the Jedi Code truly stood for, and all her understanding for it in the past was the mere simplicity of a child.

By this time she had just reached past her thirties. In some ways it was almost like starting anew. Lamilia returned to Dantooine where all of her training had begun. In a way this was her retracing her steps, rethinking, reflecting everything she had been taught by her teachers, and by Justin... he was much wiser than most ever gave him credit for she believed. The path she had been walking as a Jedi Knight was not wrong, it was right, but for all of the wrong purposes. She did obsess over saving only but one man when she should have focused on saving more than just the lives he ruined.

The Crystal Cave of Dantooine... where she created her first lightsaber, and where she first learned how to shine light within her own vision within the darkness in a physical sense to perceive through her psyche. However, in this regard she went there to accomplish the same on a far more deeper and metaphysical sense. Rather than be the shining sunlight that is ever constant on Hapes, she now seeks to be the very polar of it yet within the very same realm. The very moonlight that shines amidst the darkness that her people on her homewolrd never knew until they step beyond it. That was her goal in this moment, stepping beyond herself for clarity. She herself is an unwitting representation of this: a Hapan who was been removed from all that composes a Hapan, stepping beyond what they are believed to be.

Within the very depths of the Crystal Cave she found a small formation of crystals, yet surrounded by kinrath nests. But... they never attacked her... something about her presence, something about her calm manner led them to ignore her much as if she were simply one of their own. It was right in that very spot she chose to sat and meditate upon the crystal as well. For weeks, months, she sat there within the cave amogst the kinrath with cave. There she found a serenity witihin herself she never knew existed dispelling the disquiet within her mind that plagued her often.

To touch upon enlightenment... it is not how most believe it to be. It is not knowledge based off of endless amounts of information and book reading or learning a litany of information to be a guide. It is a centering of oneself that is so profound that the clarity of which leaves one knowing their precise positioning within the macrocosm. It is not knowledge, it is knowing. Its wisdom is not information, it is clarity. It is understanding in a pure form. For a Jedi this clarity can turn from the metaphysical to the material through the Force enhancing themselves.

For a Jedi it is a complete awareness of where they are in relation to the Unifying and Living Force within the material. All life has its purpose, and for a Jedi to comprehend what that purpose is within the Force itself -- be aware of ones focal point to that purpose. That is enlightment, it is no grandiose awakening to the universes truths or all its knowledge. It is simply becoming accutely aware to ones purpose to it as they bask in the radiance of the light. It is not something just awakened to, however, as it is pathway found through years of self-reflection.

When she at last exited the Crystal Cave, she had clipped on her belt a new lightsaver, and gave it the name that is polar to her first: Moonlight. But, she knew, she had to confront Adolus again, one last final time. No matter what would occur from this confrontation, her time pursuing him would end there. Over all the years of having pursued him, she knew precisely where to find him again. She knew he would still be at Bogden.

It is there she found him in the outskirts of the small village residing within the small rundown hut she once lived in before their last battle. There she found him as a broken down old man drowning in his own misery. The sight of her still being alive enraged him, he quickly drew his lightsaber, "WHY CAN'T YOU JUST DIE?!", he screamed infuriated he motioned to attack her.

"If it's my life you want. Then take it.", she simply uttered as he charged for her, he paused in confusion before he could strike her. She was not drawing her lightsaber.

He sneered at this serene disposition of hers, he loathed it, something within him made him hate her all the more for it, "Are you going to start spouting off the Jedi Code? Explain to me how a Jedi's life is sacrifice? Is that what you're trying to do now? Sacrifice yourself? Giving up? Cowardice."

There was aonly melancholy in her eyes as she looked downcast, "No, Adolus... Having once been a Master yourself you know the Jedi Code, but it has been lost to you for... longer than I have been alive. It is not a penal code. It is a moral code. A moral code is not a law but personal rules of behavior to aspire to. The greatest failing for many Jedi is believing it is a law. It is an aspiration for bettering oneself, which you and I both know you have given up on long ago. Your attempts to change my people with their own system lead you to this fate. If killing me. A Jedi Hapan will grant you any measure of peace to your suffering. Then I will gladly die... for you, Adolus."

The man seethed at her words, he could feel his rage boiling, he sneered and scoffed at her, though he still hesitated to strike her down, "You think I won't kill you? Are you trying to bluff me into submission?"

"You have been tied to my life before I even begun to live it. You were Justin's master. You are mother's murderer. You are the man I have spent over a decade pursuing to bring to justice for all those you have harmed. You are the man I have failed in my attempts to bring back to the light. If anyone knows you will strike me down and kill me... it is I."

Lamilia's eyes went wide in response to the pain of Adolus' lightsaber stabbing through her abdomen the moment he charged into her. After he switched off his lightsaber he watched her fall as her eyes slowly close. There at his feet she lay, and he felt no gratification as he could feel her life slipping away. It was worse than defeating her the last time, this time all he felt was emptiness. There was no victory, there was only a hollow shell of a man standing over a Jedi who had ascended to everything he could not as one. A representation of all his failures, someone who cared enough to save him from himself, and in the end forced him to decide what his fate would be. But had his decision been final in this moment?

He knelt down beside laying a gentle hand over her wound and utilizing every shred of his power and knowledge within the Jedi healing arts to keep her alive. While her would was still severe she did regain consciousness after having for a second touched upon death. She was not nearly fully healed, nor even near strong enough to stand. But as her weary eyes opened and looked up at Adolus, she smiled warmly up at him.

There was only shame and regret on his face, he had been defeated without her ever having to landing a blow, "When I defeated you at the cliff... all I felt was destitution. Defeating only showed me just how much I had fallen... And I hated you for it... This time... I hoped it would be different, that there would be satisfaction in ending the life of my enemy... But there was nothing... a shallow desire... with empty results.", he smirked wryly, "I suppose you will wish to take me back to the Order then... The last place I want to see again after all that I have done."

"Then don't go...", Lamilia uttered scarcely able to speak.

"What...?", he replied perplexed.

Lamilia smiled gently, "I gave up... trying to... bring you back to the Order years ago... All I wanted to do... was save a broken man from his darkness... But, I see now... he saved himself...", the old man almost looked like he was ready to cry as he smiled at her, as she continued to smile at him she uttered still in quite a weakened state, "Whether or not... you come back to the... Jedi Order is up to you... Whether or not you and I meet again after we part ways... is up to the Force."

When the two at last parted ways after Lamilia's recovery they never did see each again. Where Adolus wanders now is anyones guess, but when asked Lamilia always seemed to give knowing smile with a contradictory shrug as if she did not know.

The few years to the present that followed then Lamilia spent within the Jedi Temple of Coruscant as a Historian and Jedi Healer. History and the Jedi healing arts had always been two very strong suits with her, and much like the last Master she possesed until her Knighthood teaching the small younglings she always seemed to find enjoyment within. Within the Jedi becoming a matron of an entirely other sort from what her people understood one to be.

With her understanding of the Force and discovering how one can truly center themselves within the macrocosm during her journey, it was a pathway she hoped to guide the next generation to as best she could...


RP Sample:
Moonlight Knight: Epilogue

Walking across the grand Room of a Thousand Fountains, listening to the trickling waters, their soothing melodies. So easily could she lose herself within the place, and not but a few times when meditating she has in the past. Though her paces slowed to a hault upon seeing a young girl sitting at a fountains edge... a Padawan... speaking with a young Jedi Knight, she could feel the Force bond between them from where she stood. A soft, tender smile formed on her face as a memory came to mind through the cloudy haze...

Herself as a young girl on Dantooine, sitting by the center tree within the courtyard. Classes had been tough that particular day, and she preformed poorly leaving her feeling disappointed within herself. But, a young Jedi Knight approached her, charismatic and carefree... it was Justin. Seeing her in such a mood, he strode right up to the girl extending a hand to her as he uttered cheerfully, "Dear little one, why are you looking so sad. Take my hand and laugh.", the young little Lamilia looked at the young man, but placed her hand into his, and immediately pulled her off her seat.

Taking her other hand into his, he begun spinning the girl around and around in a playful, mock dance. The young Lamilia squeeled and giggled as she was spun around continuously, especially as she started to get dizzy from all the spinning. When all the blithe spinning ceased, the girl clumsily took a few steps back before falling backward and landing on her backside from her severe case of dizziness. But neverthelss, she looked up at Justin with abeaming smile and giggle, who looked back down at her happy to see her no longer downcast.

In the next moment the young Lamilia sprung back up onto her feet wrapping her arms around Justin giving him a hug like an adoring little sister would hug their big brother. As if fulfilling that very persona, he recipocated the hug...

Gazing upon the young Jedi Knight and Padawan within the Room of a Thousand Fountains remindered Lamilia of that small moment in time. A precious moment that will never be repeated again, and one held so very dear and close to her heart. She gently closed her eyes and openned them again as a single tear formed at the far corner of her left. Feeling it trick down she quickly wisked it away with a dainty touch.

"I wish...", she uttered quietly to herself, "I had gotten the chance to tell you, Justin... that... those were the best years of my life... and I will always cherish them..."

[Mara]

1. Hapan is not really a race; just humans with a unique culture

2. The Hapans are VERY isolated at this point in time, so you'll have to have a good excuse as to why one left.

[Apillis]

Not really, the Hapan were just forming, and some sources say they are Near-Human others say they are human, even Wookiepedia has been forced to acknowledge such: starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Hapan#Behind_the_scenes Despite how much they botched the Hapan species page, they got most everything else right.

In the years of the NJO they were extremely isolated, but not so much in this era. Bear in mind, it was a campaign by Arca Jeth in 4050 BBY that wiped out their ancestors the Lorell Raiders, also called the Hapan pirates, they weren't exactly unknown, just uncommon. Their isolationist period doesn't occur until the Queen Mother of 3100 BBY, which is a few more centuries ahead of this time period, when she closed off the Transitory Mists. But, before then it wouldn't be surprising if there those using it's hyperspace routes when passing through the Inner Rim, even the Imperials did when the Transitory Mists through the cluster was closed off. Albeit, at that time the Hapan obliterated them, but that isn't until a few more thousand years from now.

Right now, they're simply an insular fledgling hereditary matriarch monarchy that's independent planetary nation that's barely a few centuries old since the Lorell Raiders defeat. But they aren't unknown to the Republic by this time, either. I'm actually thankful Wookiepedia actually got as much down as to mention the Star Home (where the Queen Mother rules from) was built shortly after the Mandalorian Wars, and the Old Republic listed it as "Custom-built Royal Conveyance" even though it's a frickin' town/starship orbiting space solely for the nobility.

And the reason why she left is right there in the Bio currently.

[Apillis]

Whew. Done. Ready for inspection.

[Apillis]

Made a few minor edits. Not sure what else there is to do to get her approved.

[Meira]

Ok, sorry for taking so long to review.

But, you'll be happy to know that I don't think your bio needs any changing to be approved. You did a wonderful job. I would suggest putting it through a word processor of some sort, however. From time to time, you switch between present and past tense and it can be a little jarring to read, but it's nothing that I'm going to hold you up on, just thought you'd like to be aware.

As far as stats go, I'm only going to ask a few minor changes.

Lower Shii-Cho to a 3. She's still got 6 years before a 5 you be allowed. Since you say she takes to Soresu so quickly, I will allow that one to stay at a 3, but just remember that it will not be allowed to progress as quickly.

Lower healing to a 5, she may be skilled, but she is still young. A 5 for a 16 year old is quite high.

That's all.

[Apillis]

Okie doke, no worries. Though, my Word Processor blows and its spelling/grammar check doesn't work, the grammar check does nothing and only preforms spell checks. But it's Mircosoft, so go fig'... naturally it'd suck. So, I went in and tried to fix what I can catch, caught a few more typos, and tried to fix where I accidentally combined past tense with present where I could find it.

Edit: Err... Oh yeah, and lowered Shii-Cho to 3 and Heal to 5 ;D

[Meira]

APPROVERIZED!

[Apillis]

lmao Woot! Thanks! ;D

[Jenno]

Jun 2, 2009 13:07:29 GMT -5 Meira said:

APPROVERIZED!

Noooo!

My approving stamp has been stolerized!

Damn you Meira ¬¬.

[Jenno]

Moved to Inactive.

[Kella]

Re-vamp and new bio material approved, character reactivated. :3

And just because...



Go forth and heal the galaxy! Again! Older!

[Rugs]

Inactivated per request