Post by kagemusha on Oct 21, 2008 14:53:56 GMT -5
Name: Ta'lin Aijati
Race: Human
Age: 25
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 170lbs
Birth place: Tyrena, Corellia
Appearance:
Although not particularly tall, Ta'lin bares all the hallmarks of a classical athlete, from his broad, muscular shoulders, to his lean physique and pronounced facial structure. His eyes are an unassuming shade of brown but wide and alert, set beneath a slightly heavy brow which gives him a slightly mean look when he isn't consciously smiling. Where his skin is exposed to sunlight, particularly along his shoulders and arms, there are tell-tale signs of a life lived in the real world and not cooped up in an enclave: they are well bronzed from time spent on worlds were the sun shines often, but also adorned with a few highly noticeable scars which bear testament to the tough life he lived as the student of Master Jan Carrel. Also as a result of his time spent travelling the harshest wildernesses of the galaxy with Master Carrel, he usually keeps his light brown hair buzzed close to the scalp so that it never gets in his way and also to promote hygiene during extended periods in which he had no access to washing facilities.
Having spent much of his time as a Padawan travelling the galaxy and exploring untamed worlds with his teacher, Ta’lin has acquired a taste for using functional attire rather than the traditional robes of the Jedi order, which might cause some hindrance in some circumstances. Although he will wear a beige tunic and brown, cotton over-cloak when travelling or staying in the Jedi temple, more commonly he wears a charcoal-grey, sleeveless vest made of a toughened synthetic material, which offers greater durability than normal Jedi robes in a range of environments without reducing flexibility, and trousers of a similar composition although slightly heavier for further durability. For a little added protection for his shoulders and neck, whether specifically in combat or in general, Ta’lin has attacked two short plates of light armour two the vest, as well. Around his waste a viridian-green sash bares witness to his connection with Corellia, concealing the utility belt worn by many of his fellow Jedi. His boots are also of the standard variety: hardwearing and innocuous. Finally, Ta’lin makes use of a leather strap harness to carry his lightsaber during missions (essentially the same mechanism used by General Khota to store his saber in Force unleashed) as this permits the lightsaber less room to rattle around as he moves.
Faction: Jedi
Rank: Knight (Sentinel)
Bio:
Early Life
Ta'lin Aijati was born in the very heart of Corellia's twin city Tyrena in rather unexpected circumstances. Neither of his parents were native to the Corellia system, having been born and raised on Coruscant. Lorena, his mother, and Tarek, his father, possessed competitive streaks a mile wide and a nose for a good business idea, so when an acquaintance of Tarek's father decided to retire and sell his surface to orbit transport business on, they were quick to pool their resources and take the company off his hands. However, they were not satisfied with simply running the business as it was, but worked successfully to expand it into an inter-stellar courier business. As it happened they were on a delivery to Corellia at the time when Ta'lin was due to be born and when Lorena went into labour and gave birth to a healthy baby-boy, they were forced to remain on the planet for a time.
The Aijati family would not stay on Corellia for a long time, due to the hectic schedule that their business imposed on them and so much of young Ta'lin's earliest memories are of being aboard the freighter that his parents used to make their deliveries between systems. However, Ta'lin and his parents would often return to Corellia over the first five years of his life to escape the daily grind of planet hoping and negotiation of rates, so that the youngster developed something of an attachment to the planet of Corellia. Being constantly on the move for most of the time, their brief holidays on Corellia's Gold Beaches constituted the only real length of time spent in any one place, so it was hardly surprising that Ta'lin would associate a return to Corellia as a return home. Later in life, his connection to Corellia would lead him to construct a lightsaber with a green blade, as the colour was regarded as having special significance for Correlian Jedi.
Admittance into the Jedi
Like so many events in Ta'lin's formative years, the discovery of his sensitivity to the force would come of the Aijati's connection with the Core world of Corellia. Although they mostly transported goods associated with the ship building industries in the Coreallian System, from time to time a Jedi would charter a flight with them to one of the core worlds. Shortly after their son's fifth birthday, they were hired to transport a certain a human Jedi by the name of Ghad Mi from Coruscant to Coronet. Though their son showed no obvious signs of being force sensitive, the Jedi seemed unusually interested in the child during the journey and for a time his parent's simply put it down to the Jedi's regret at not being able to have children of his own. However, upon arrival at Coronet's bustling spaceport, Gahd Mi confided in them that he could feel the force flowing through Ta'lin and suggested that they should take him to the Temple on Coruscant.
As might be expected, the decision to present their only son to the Jedi order was far from an easy one. Though they acknowledged that the work of the Jedi Order was greatly beneficial to the Republic, they were acutely aware that they might never see Ta'lin again if he were to be accepted into the order, which taught that attachment to anything, especially family, could cause untold woes. After much soul-searching and discussion, they reached a conclusion: they would seek the way of the Jedi for young Ta'lin. He would have the opportunity to do some solid good for the galaxy as a Jedi and though he would not be physically near them, he would be with them always in spirit. Soon after, Ta'lin Aijati was presented to the Jedi on Coruscant and after some preliminary testing, admitted into their order as a youngling.
Life as a Youngling
Ta'lin, being old enough to have developed memories and a strong attachment to his parents, was very much aggrieved to be separated from his parents who had been the only friends he'd known in his life and he struggled to adjust to life in the order. A deep sadness filled him and his feelings of abandonment often lead to tears and tantrums. Though the Jedi who cared for and trained Ta'lin's youngling clan could sense the force as it flowed through him, for the longest of times he himself was too caught up in his grief to fully engage in his training and it was feared that he was unsuited to life as a Jedi.
However, things took a turn for the bright side when it came time for his clan to undertake a rotation in the Agricorps. Learning about the nature of living things and the importance of balance, it was during this rotation that Aijati would meet one of the two Jedi to have a profound effect on his development as a force-user, an aged Jedi Master by the name of Methusilah. Under Methusilah's direction the younlings would learn the lessons of patience, forbearance and restraint: the very framework of the Jedi way. Having observed Ta'lin for a time, the aged master quickly understood the reason for the youngster's inability to keep pace with the progress of the other younglings was his continuing separation anxiety. Thereafter, Methusilah took particular care to make the boy feel welcome and valued in his classes, helping and supporting him so that Ta'lin began to regard Methusilah as something of a surrogate father. In addition to providing this temporary substitute for the parents that Ta'lin so missed - calming him and allowing him to adjust to life in the order more easily - Methusilah was able to teach him to let go of feelings and lose himself in whatever task he was performing. Digging, planting, watering and pruning: Ta'lin came to realise that when a Jedi focused on this act of creating new life, he could forget about what he had lost in the past and grow more in tune with the Force. Although he had initially struggled with his training, weakened by his various anxieties, Ta'lin began to grow stronger in the force at a faster rate than many of those around him now, allowing him to make up much lost ground in his training. When it was time for him to move on, the young Ta'lin was far more at ease within the order and though somewhat anxious to be leaving behind Methusilah, he was ready to fully immerse himself in the training of the Jedi Order.
Between this point and his ascendance to the rank of Padawan, Aijati would learn how to use the force to sense the world around him and channel the force to affect those surroundings. The basic lightsaber Form I - "Shii-Cho" would prove to be little challenge to the increasingly athletic youngster, who quickly got to grips with its basic precepts and even some of the more advanced techniques. Though he was not the most adept of all the clan in harnessing the force, he was amongst the most proficient during the "velocities" drills and this skill endeared him to many clan-mates who had shunned him in earlier years. However, time marched ever onwards and before long it was time for the younglings to find a master to continue their training.
Ta'lin Aijati and Jan Carrel
Ta’lin Aijati was one of the more physically adept younglings in his clan and relied on his natural strength and speed to compliment his growing command of the force. This characteristic of the youngster was what attracted the attention of Master Jan Carrel, a Jedi with duties within the exploration corps, who was looking to take on a padawan that would be able to keep up with the unique rigours of life in the untamed and unexplored regions of the galaxy. Carrel was unorthodox as a Jedi Master in that he didn’t necessarily prize students with the strongest connection to the force, but those who nurtured their natural abilities as well as their connection to the force. He himself adopted a balanced approach to mastery of the force, lightsaber instruction and the honing of physical attributes in his daily duties as a Jedi, fearing what might happen if the Jedi Order became too heavily reliant on the force. He recognised that Aijati, though a boy only twelve years, was robust enough for life on the frontiers, and requested that the council allow him to take on Aijati’s training personally, a request which was accepted.
Ta’lin and his new master would travel to many of the most inhospitable and unexplored worlds in all quadrants of the galaxy. During their travels together, Carrel used his years of accumulated knowledge of the non-sentient to teach his padawan many valuable lessons about the nature of the force and the role of a Jedi Knight within the Republic. In some cases the plant-based lectures of Jan Carrel would lead the young Jedi to form some rather unorthodox views, having misunderstood the message being conveyed. One misinterpretation that was of particular interest occurred when Jan Carrel compared the struggle between the light and the dark, Sith and Jedi, as being like the struggle between plants to survive on one of the many jungle planets they visited in their travels. This lead Ta'lin to question if there was really a light and dark side to the one force, since plants that competed for access to sunlight and nutrients were neither evil nor good, simply locked in a struggle for dominance and thus survival. However, the old man was a patient teacher and explained at length that he was actually attempting to draw a distinction between wild plants and those that were managed by sentients, displaying that there were fundamental differences between the Jedi and Sith teachings that formed the basis for a labelling of one as good and the other evil. When you managed an ecosystem so that there was no longer any competition, there was balance and life prospered, but when left to it's own devices there would be a never ending struggle and that was why - according to Jan Carrel at least - the Jedi sought to eliminate the Sith: to create balance and harmony. Occasionally, Carrel would also take his student to the quiet places of the planets they visited, where there was tranquillity and no risk of being disturbed and here they would meditate. Carrel would encourage Ta'lin to close his eyes and stretch out with the force and sense the flow of energy that flowed through the plants, streams and animals that surrounded them. He began to teach his Padawan that one could see the world as it truely was by letting go of his sight, sound, smell, taste and touch, using only the force to percieve the world around him. Through time and after much training, such an ability might one day manifest itself as force-sight.
Following his usual philosophy of a balanced focus in training his apprentices, Jan Carrel also encouraged his padawan to forgo the use of his force powers in achieving some of their tasks, instead focusing on using his wits and natural abilities. Whether climbing a steep cliff or moving a heavy object, Ta’lin was made to see the value of being able to accomplish tasks without the use of force powers: a Jedi who relied only on his command of the force would exhaust himself quickly in combat and be vulnerable. Over the years, Ta’lin would take this message onboard and hone his strength, speed and stamina alongside his connection to the force and learn how to use one to augment the other. Naturally, Ta’lin’s greater than average strength lent itself to the use of Form V lightsaber combat and he showed especial aptitude for using Djem So techniques in training. Furthermore, Carrel taught his padawan many skills that were necessary for survival in the wildernesses that Jedi serving in the Explorcorp would often encounter, particularly knowledge of anatomy and healing.
By the time Ta'lin had been seperated from his family for some fifteen years, the feelings of abandonment that had held him back in his early days had faded into insignificance, but he had grown quite attached to his master instead and regarded him as something of a surogate father. For his part Carrel often warned his padawan that a Jedi must learn to dispense with such bonds and focus solely on fulfilling the Jedi code and maintaining order in the Republic. However, it was a lesson that Aijati often struggled with and he could not shake a feeling of sadness when he left behind the people and places that they visited. It would be a flaw that would cause him immense pain in time.
Ambush on Tholatin: Death of Jan Carrel
Although much of Master Carrel and Ta'lin's time was spent on ExplorCorp business, from time to time they would also be expected to undertake tasks that were part of the Order's more everyday duties. As Ta'lin approached twenty-two years of age and a state of readiness for the Trials, he and his master were sent on one such mission. A number of prominent businessmen and women of the Nubus System had been abducted by smugglers operating out of the nearby world of Tholatin. Unusually, there had been no demand for a ransom to be paid for their safe return and at a loss for what to do, the Nubian government had called upon the senate to look into the matter immediately. In turn the Jedi Order were asked to investigate the matter by the senate and Jan Carrel was dispatched, along with his apprentice, to rescue the abducted Nubians, discover the reason for these kidnappings and bring them to an end. As they boarded their shuttle to leave the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Ta'lin remarked that he had a bad feeling about their mission, a feeling which his master shared.
Tholatin was a mid-rim world, but a barren and rocky backwater planet, making it an ideal hideout for smugglers and bandits of all sorts, so it came as little surprise when Carrel and Aijati dropped out of hyperspace to find the locality devoid of noticeable activity. However, this quiet arrival would not last long, as when they approached the planet several blips appeared on radar, heralding the arrival of small ships approached on intercept courses. Immediately, they knew they were the victims of a trap and prepared to flee the system as they had no weapons to speak of aboard their craft, but before hyperspace coordinates could be plotted for a risky jump out of the system and out of harm's way they were shot down. With shields down and navigational systems failing it was a miracle than Jan Carrel was even able to land the ship without killing both Jedi, instead they only suffered a few cuts and bruises. Completion of their mission was now imperative as they no longer had means of escaping the system, so salvaging what they could, the two Jedi abandoned the smoking wreck and trekked on foot towards the only settlement detected on the planets surface: the smugglers hideout at Esau's Ridge.
Having found the downed transport empty, the smugglers had expected the arrival of Ta'lin and his master, but had been given instructions by the one who lead them to allow the Jedi access to this heaven of criminals and cutthroats, so initially the two met little resistance as they entered the base. Doors were left unlocked, security systems left offline in such a way that they were lead towards the holding cells of the kidnapped Nubians, whom they set free. Wary of their surprising success in infiltrating the base, but in need of a ship to get off-planet, they picked their way through the base towards the hangars, avoiding what few guards there were. However, as they emerged into the hangar, the lights came on automatically and the Jedi and their charges found themselves surrounded my a large menacing band of mercenaries and smugglers, lead by a fallen jedi who identified himself as Dren Bossun. Bossun did not wait for his opponents to act but sent Ta'lin hurtling backwards into the wall, then ignited his lightsaber and leapt at Jan Carrel. However, he appeared to be less proficient in lightsaber combat than Carrel and soon fled into the depths of the hangar, using the ships and crates as cover, prompting a pursuit from the Jedi. Meanwhile, Ta'lin recovered from his temporary daze in time to deflect the first blaster bolts unloaded by the gang of criminals, allowing the kidnapped Nubian's to find shelter from the hail of blaster fire. His opponents were too many to handle by himself and the padawan was forced to remain behind the cover of a stack of crates while his master pursued the fleeing Bossun. This was all according to Bossun's plan who stopped occasionally to fight his adversary, only to slip away again when it looked as though Jan Carrel might get the better of him, drawing the Jedi further and further from his charges.
The battle took them onto a walk way over the hangar and there Bossun turned to fight Carrel and drove him back with all his might: slicing high, stabbing low and trying everything within his power to defeat the Jedi. For all that though he could not defeat the Jedi Master and came to realise he was fighting a losing battle. He was on the point of fleeing once more when he sensed one of the mercenaries running along the walkway behind him and waited until the mercenary was close behind him and then turned quickly around the man and thrust him towards Carrel. The unfortunate victim of Bossun's desperate tactic found himself suddenly face to face with a Jedi master and managed only a brief moment of panic before the Jedi's weapon arced gracefully through the air and dispatched him with practiced ease. However, what happened next would be forever etched onto the memory of Ta'lin. As he glanced up at the battle on the walkway, he saw the unfortunate mercenary slump lifeless over the barrier and then the air between the duelling warriors ignite with the terrible light of Bossun's Force Lightening, which flowed through the body of his master and lifted him clean of his feat. Carrel flew several feet and landed heavily on his back. He turned over and tried to heave himself upright using a handrail but even as he attained an upright position a fountain of red light erupted from his chest and a mocking laughter filled his ears. Bossun whispered in the dying Carrel’s ear that his masters would surely accept him now that he had defeated and killed a Jedi in battle.
The sight of his master's broken body collapsing to the floor was more than the padawan could bear and he immediately leapt from cover in a foolhardy and impassioned attempt to fight his way through to Jan Carrel. Blaster bolts filled the air, some close enough to his face for him to feel their warmth, but Ta'lin pressed on with his lightsaber an almost inperceptable flash of green light as he cut his way through the bewildered ranks of galactic scum. Faced with this reckless but deadly assault, some of the mercenaries began to feel that descresion was the better part of valour and fled the scene lest they would be the next to fall victim to the whirling dervish of lightsaber strokes that was Ta’lin. This presented him with an almost unopposed route to the platform and the object of his blood-lust: the fallen-jedi Bossun. However, something in his mind called out to him through the red mist that had descended upon him and he could almost hear his master’s voice in his ears, but it was faint and echoed as though it were travelling from a great distance. The voice told him to forget revenge and complete his mission: the rescue of the kidnapped Nubians. He turned now and launched himself at a wavering group of enemies that lay between himself and the nearest ship, scattering them with a flurry of saber blows and several force pushes, clearing the way for the Nubians. The way clear, they too broke from their hiding places and broke into an all-out dash for the safety of the now unguarded ship, several of them commandeering the weapons of Ta’lin’s fallen opponents as they went.
Knowing his masters would blame him for the escape of a mere apprentice and for missing the opportunity to capture and corrupt another servant of the light, Bossun gathered his wits, summoned the force to his aid and dropped down to the hangar floor. He bade the mercenaries to focus on the Nubians, who were now putting up something of a fight, rather than the young Jedi. Now the two force-wielders were free to fight their own battle, although Aijati was somewhat distracted by the knowledge that he had to finish this battle quickly and get his charges off the planet. With this in mind he dropped into an agressive Ataru stance and charged Dren Bossun. Bossun was keen to avoid killing the young Jedi and more than happy to allow the duel to drag out, so adopted the Soresu style of combat, which allowed him to deflect and redirect the power of Ta’lin’s aggressive strokes, easily keeping pace with the quick but unpolished technique his opponent was utilising. This continued until it became clear to Ta’lin that he could never find a way through the defences of such the defences of Bossun’s Soresu and had nearly come undone when Bossun had perceived the opportunity to counter-attack on a couple occasions. Next he tried the brute force of the Djem So style, which was well suited to a fighter that embodied the physical strength Aijati did, to break the defensive stance of his opponent and was able to drive him back somewhat, but was still unable to bring the duel to a close.
Some of the Nubians had been killed in the dash for the ship but the remainder were onboard, guarding the loading ramp and firing up the ships engines with a roar that filled the entire hangar. For a split second both fighters turned their attention to the source of the commotion and then resumed their savage duel, but already Ta'lin was looking for a way to disengage from the fight and get to the ship. Once more his blade met that of Dren Bossun and after a flurry of deflected blows on both sides they spun apart, giving the padawan the break he needed to execute his plan. With an impressive whirl of his blade, Ta'lin sent his saber scything through the air towards his opponent's neck, necessitating a straight parry from Bossun, but this was merely a ruse and as the blades met he did not follow through on the stroke but let his momentum carry him past the dark-jedi. Then with all his might he swung at Bossun's unprotected back. Bossun was caught unawares by the move, but threw himself out of the way and attempted to redirect the blow with his own saber. This left him off-balance and vulnerable as Ta’lin unleashed a thunderous force push into his chest, throwing the dark-jedi several feet through the air and freeing Ta’lin to make a break for it. However, as he recovered his feet and saw the young Jedi fleeing the scene, Bossun sneered and used the force to tear a section of the walkway clear of its moorings and fling it at the retreating Jedi. He sensed it coming though and threw himself onto his back and called upon the force to stop the flying hunk of metal and then send it back at Bossun. There was a massive crash as the projetcile landed, but Ta’lin never saw whether or not Bossun had been hit as he was already dashing headlong towards the loading ramp and then, with a few casual flicks of the wrist to deflect blaster fire, he reached the waiting ship and escaped.
Return to the Temple and Knighthood
The kidnapped Nubians who survived their ordeal were taken home and reunited with their families and friends. Ta’lin distraught over the loss of his master stayed only long enough to attend a memorial for those Nubians who had been killed in the fire-fight, before setting off for Coruscant and the Jedi Temple.
His propensity to form attachments to the places he visited with Jan Carrel and to the people he met along the way was, in many ways, one of Aijati’s greatest weaknesses as a Jedi. Overcome with grief for the death of Master Carrel, Ta’lin delivered a brief report on the mission to the council in a wavering voice and slumped posture, then left the chamber on the verge of tears. The Jedi Masters could sense his anguish, but knew that if he was going to become a Jedi, Ta’lin would need to overcome his emotions himself, so he was left to come to terms with his loss, while a team was dispatched to Tholatin to clear out any remnants of Dren Bossun and his cronies hiding in Esau’s Ridge. He confined himself to his own quarters and spent a long time in solitude, meditating and grieving in equal measure, but eventually the words of his master rang through his mind again and he remembered that the way of the Jedi encouraged one to forgo strong bonds and emotions such as those he was experiencing. Slowly he began to free himself of his sadness and think only of his Jedi training. When he was ready, he requested an audience with the council to discuss his future.
For his part in the rescue and for displaying his powers as a Jedi to be satisfactory for service in the Jedi Order, the Jedi Council announced that Ta’lin would be granted the rank of Jedi Knight, forgoing the formal trials that usually preceded the knighting ceremony. He had faced a trial of skill and bravery in completing the mission after Jan Carrel’s demise; he had experienced great loss when his Master was cut down and he had shown that he could pass a trial of spirit by overcoming his grief. In so doing, he had proved himself to be worthy of the title Jedi Knight. The following day, the padawan was brought into the Knighting Hall and his braid was cut, ending his apprenticeship and beginning his career as a full member of the Order. Soon after he would be sent to monitor progress on a new crystal mining operation in the Outer Rim.
Lightsaber: Single Blade, Single Phase, Adegan (Mephite) Crystal
Color: Green
Practiced Lightsaber forms:
Shii-Cho 5
Makashi N/A
Soresu 0
Ataru 1
Shien / Djem So 3
>>Sub-form Backhanded N/A
Niman N/A
>>Sub-form Jar-kai, or Dual Wield N/A
Juyo N/A
Double Bladed Combat N/A
Force-Sensitive Abilities or practices:
Telekinetic: 4
Telepathic: 3
Body: 6
Sense: 6
Protection: 3
Healing: 5
Destruction: 0
Specialized Skills: None
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 7
Intelligence: 6
Speed: 6
Leadership: 2
Unarmed: 5
Melee Weapons: 4
Ranged Weapons: 1
Force Attunement: +4
RP Sample:
As Jan Carrel packed the last of his things neatly into an ancient rucksack, Ta’lin stood quietly by the window, watching the freighters and shuttles buzzing to and fro above the surface of Corellia. Below him the massive shipyards, which provided many of the republics warships as well as a great many commercial spacecraft, stretched out across the planet like some shimmering blanket. However, it was not what he saw below that occupied the young Jedi’s thoughts, but what he could sense amongst the clouds of ships that hovered in orbit about the transport they were on presently. Carrel sensed his padawan’s rising excitement and put aside what he was doing momentarily.
“What is it, Padawan? Your heart is beating so fast it’s almost like listening to the hum of a hyper drive.” he asked casually, as though he hadn’t already guessed the answer.
“They’re here… they’re in the system. I can feel them somewhere close-by.” Ta’lin replied breathlessly.
His parents’ presence in the force was nothing more than a tremor in the force - a distant echo amid a cacophony of life that existed in the space around them - but it intoxicated him and made him deaf to almost everything else. He wanted to follow the echo back to its source, to find them, but no matter how hard he concentrated on it Ta’lin could not yet isolate such disturbances in the force and follow them back to their origin, so his frustration increased and made him all the more desperate to follow the tremor. Jan Carrel could feel Aijati’s complete certainty of their presence and also his longing to reach out through the force and identify where exactly they were, but the Master could not let his pupil continue down this dangerous path and he moved across the room to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“Even if they are out there, Ta’lin, finding them would be like finding a needle in a haystack for even the most powerful of Jedi. Besides, you know the order forbids padawans from seeking out their families.” Carrel’s voice was soothing without being patronising. “Attachments to family members are fraught with powerful emotions that cloud our vision, blinding us to the will of the force and eventually leading to the dark side.”
“I know, master. I thought I had let go of my parents a long time ago, but they are so close now… and now I’m not so sure anymore. I can see their faces in my mind’s eye and smell my mother‘s perfume. It’s like a craving now: an addiction. I must see them. I must ask them why.” desperation was creeping into Ta’lin’s voice now.
“But you know why they let you go. It was the will of the force that you should leave them and become a Jedi, it was your destiny and they let go so that you could achieve it. “ Carrel reminded his Padawan.
Ta’lin though said nothing in response but reached out his hand to touch the cold window pane and let his head droop as he struggled to control the maelstrom of conflicting emotions that beset him. It was a bitter-sweet moment indeed for the young Jedi.
“They chose the way of the Jedi for you, Ta’lin. They let you go so that you could fulfil your destiny.”
“Sometimes... sometimes I wish they hadn't." Ta'lin's words were laden with a genuine guilt at his own feelings and seeing Carrel's expression added. "You've said it yourself a hundred times, master: a Jedi must always be mindful of his feelings, he must make constant sacrifices and never attach himself to anything. To be a Jedi is to lose one's sense of self... and that's hard to bear."
Almost as soon as Ta'lin had finished speaking the look of concern that had been present on Jan Carrel's face melted into a smile that mirrored the pride that he felt to hear his Padawan speak such truths, so frankly. Here was a young man who understood what was required of a member of the order and what it would mean to continue on the path towards knighthood better than most, even if he was overstating the case.
"We must marginalize those things which make us prone to selfishness or arrogance, but we needn't lose our sense of self-worth and individuality. The difficulty is balancing individualism with the needs of the order and the tenants of the Jedi Code, but understanding that giving you up was an act of selflessness and learning to let go of your feelings of rejection is something you must do. Can you understand that?" he said kindly.
Ta'lin took one last look across the sparkling scene below and then closed his eyes with a sigh. When he opened them again he seemed much calmer.
"I understand, master."
Race: Human
Age: 25
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 170lbs
Birth place: Tyrena, Corellia
Appearance:
Although not particularly tall, Ta'lin bares all the hallmarks of a classical athlete, from his broad, muscular shoulders, to his lean physique and pronounced facial structure. His eyes are an unassuming shade of brown but wide and alert, set beneath a slightly heavy brow which gives him a slightly mean look when he isn't consciously smiling. Where his skin is exposed to sunlight, particularly along his shoulders and arms, there are tell-tale signs of a life lived in the real world and not cooped up in an enclave: they are well bronzed from time spent on worlds were the sun shines often, but also adorned with a few highly noticeable scars which bear testament to the tough life he lived as the student of Master Jan Carrel. Also as a result of his time spent travelling the harshest wildernesses of the galaxy with Master Carrel, he usually keeps his light brown hair buzzed close to the scalp so that it never gets in his way and also to promote hygiene during extended periods in which he had no access to washing facilities.
Having spent much of his time as a Padawan travelling the galaxy and exploring untamed worlds with his teacher, Ta’lin has acquired a taste for using functional attire rather than the traditional robes of the Jedi order, which might cause some hindrance in some circumstances. Although he will wear a beige tunic and brown, cotton over-cloak when travelling or staying in the Jedi temple, more commonly he wears a charcoal-grey, sleeveless vest made of a toughened synthetic material, which offers greater durability than normal Jedi robes in a range of environments without reducing flexibility, and trousers of a similar composition although slightly heavier for further durability. For a little added protection for his shoulders and neck, whether specifically in combat or in general, Ta’lin has attacked two short plates of light armour two the vest, as well. Around his waste a viridian-green sash bares witness to his connection with Corellia, concealing the utility belt worn by many of his fellow Jedi. His boots are also of the standard variety: hardwearing and innocuous. Finally, Ta’lin makes use of a leather strap harness to carry his lightsaber during missions (essentially the same mechanism used by General Khota to store his saber in Force unleashed) as this permits the lightsaber less room to rattle around as he moves.
Faction: Jedi
Rank: Knight (Sentinel)
Bio:
Early Life
Ta'lin Aijati was born in the very heart of Corellia's twin city Tyrena in rather unexpected circumstances. Neither of his parents were native to the Corellia system, having been born and raised on Coruscant. Lorena, his mother, and Tarek, his father, possessed competitive streaks a mile wide and a nose for a good business idea, so when an acquaintance of Tarek's father decided to retire and sell his surface to orbit transport business on, they were quick to pool their resources and take the company off his hands. However, they were not satisfied with simply running the business as it was, but worked successfully to expand it into an inter-stellar courier business. As it happened they were on a delivery to Corellia at the time when Ta'lin was due to be born and when Lorena went into labour and gave birth to a healthy baby-boy, they were forced to remain on the planet for a time.
The Aijati family would not stay on Corellia for a long time, due to the hectic schedule that their business imposed on them and so much of young Ta'lin's earliest memories are of being aboard the freighter that his parents used to make their deliveries between systems. However, Ta'lin and his parents would often return to Corellia over the first five years of his life to escape the daily grind of planet hoping and negotiation of rates, so that the youngster developed something of an attachment to the planet of Corellia. Being constantly on the move for most of the time, their brief holidays on Corellia's Gold Beaches constituted the only real length of time spent in any one place, so it was hardly surprising that Ta'lin would associate a return to Corellia as a return home. Later in life, his connection to Corellia would lead him to construct a lightsaber with a green blade, as the colour was regarded as having special significance for Correlian Jedi.
Admittance into the Jedi
Like so many events in Ta'lin's formative years, the discovery of his sensitivity to the force would come of the Aijati's connection with the Core world of Corellia. Although they mostly transported goods associated with the ship building industries in the Coreallian System, from time to time a Jedi would charter a flight with them to one of the core worlds. Shortly after their son's fifth birthday, they were hired to transport a certain a human Jedi by the name of Ghad Mi from Coruscant to Coronet. Though their son showed no obvious signs of being force sensitive, the Jedi seemed unusually interested in the child during the journey and for a time his parent's simply put it down to the Jedi's regret at not being able to have children of his own. However, upon arrival at Coronet's bustling spaceport, Gahd Mi confided in them that he could feel the force flowing through Ta'lin and suggested that they should take him to the Temple on Coruscant.
As might be expected, the decision to present their only son to the Jedi order was far from an easy one. Though they acknowledged that the work of the Jedi Order was greatly beneficial to the Republic, they were acutely aware that they might never see Ta'lin again if he were to be accepted into the order, which taught that attachment to anything, especially family, could cause untold woes. After much soul-searching and discussion, they reached a conclusion: they would seek the way of the Jedi for young Ta'lin. He would have the opportunity to do some solid good for the galaxy as a Jedi and though he would not be physically near them, he would be with them always in spirit. Soon after, Ta'lin Aijati was presented to the Jedi on Coruscant and after some preliminary testing, admitted into their order as a youngling.
Life as a Youngling
Ta'lin, being old enough to have developed memories and a strong attachment to his parents, was very much aggrieved to be separated from his parents who had been the only friends he'd known in his life and he struggled to adjust to life in the order. A deep sadness filled him and his feelings of abandonment often lead to tears and tantrums. Though the Jedi who cared for and trained Ta'lin's youngling clan could sense the force as it flowed through him, for the longest of times he himself was too caught up in his grief to fully engage in his training and it was feared that he was unsuited to life as a Jedi.
However, things took a turn for the bright side when it came time for his clan to undertake a rotation in the Agricorps. Learning about the nature of living things and the importance of balance, it was during this rotation that Aijati would meet one of the two Jedi to have a profound effect on his development as a force-user, an aged Jedi Master by the name of Methusilah. Under Methusilah's direction the younlings would learn the lessons of patience, forbearance and restraint: the very framework of the Jedi way. Having observed Ta'lin for a time, the aged master quickly understood the reason for the youngster's inability to keep pace with the progress of the other younglings was his continuing separation anxiety. Thereafter, Methusilah took particular care to make the boy feel welcome and valued in his classes, helping and supporting him so that Ta'lin began to regard Methusilah as something of a surrogate father. In addition to providing this temporary substitute for the parents that Ta'lin so missed - calming him and allowing him to adjust to life in the order more easily - Methusilah was able to teach him to let go of feelings and lose himself in whatever task he was performing. Digging, planting, watering and pruning: Ta'lin came to realise that when a Jedi focused on this act of creating new life, he could forget about what he had lost in the past and grow more in tune with the Force. Although he had initially struggled with his training, weakened by his various anxieties, Ta'lin began to grow stronger in the force at a faster rate than many of those around him now, allowing him to make up much lost ground in his training. When it was time for him to move on, the young Ta'lin was far more at ease within the order and though somewhat anxious to be leaving behind Methusilah, he was ready to fully immerse himself in the training of the Jedi Order.
Between this point and his ascendance to the rank of Padawan, Aijati would learn how to use the force to sense the world around him and channel the force to affect those surroundings. The basic lightsaber Form I - "Shii-Cho" would prove to be little challenge to the increasingly athletic youngster, who quickly got to grips with its basic precepts and even some of the more advanced techniques. Though he was not the most adept of all the clan in harnessing the force, he was amongst the most proficient during the "velocities" drills and this skill endeared him to many clan-mates who had shunned him in earlier years. However, time marched ever onwards and before long it was time for the younglings to find a master to continue their training.
Ta'lin Aijati and Jan Carrel
Ta’lin Aijati was one of the more physically adept younglings in his clan and relied on his natural strength and speed to compliment his growing command of the force. This characteristic of the youngster was what attracted the attention of Master Jan Carrel, a Jedi with duties within the exploration corps, who was looking to take on a padawan that would be able to keep up with the unique rigours of life in the untamed and unexplored regions of the galaxy. Carrel was unorthodox as a Jedi Master in that he didn’t necessarily prize students with the strongest connection to the force, but those who nurtured their natural abilities as well as their connection to the force. He himself adopted a balanced approach to mastery of the force, lightsaber instruction and the honing of physical attributes in his daily duties as a Jedi, fearing what might happen if the Jedi Order became too heavily reliant on the force. He recognised that Aijati, though a boy only twelve years, was robust enough for life on the frontiers, and requested that the council allow him to take on Aijati’s training personally, a request which was accepted.
Ta’lin and his new master would travel to many of the most inhospitable and unexplored worlds in all quadrants of the galaxy. During their travels together, Carrel used his years of accumulated knowledge of the non-sentient to teach his padawan many valuable lessons about the nature of the force and the role of a Jedi Knight within the Republic. In some cases the plant-based lectures of Jan Carrel would lead the young Jedi to form some rather unorthodox views, having misunderstood the message being conveyed. One misinterpretation that was of particular interest occurred when Jan Carrel compared the struggle between the light and the dark, Sith and Jedi, as being like the struggle between plants to survive on one of the many jungle planets they visited in their travels. This lead Ta'lin to question if there was really a light and dark side to the one force, since plants that competed for access to sunlight and nutrients were neither evil nor good, simply locked in a struggle for dominance and thus survival. However, the old man was a patient teacher and explained at length that he was actually attempting to draw a distinction between wild plants and those that were managed by sentients, displaying that there were fundamental differences between the Jedi and Sith teachings that formed the basis for a labelling of one as good and the other evil. When you managed an ecosystem so that there was no longer any competition, there was balance and life prospered, but when left to it's own devices there would be a never ending struggle and that was why - according to Jan Carrel at least - the Jedi sought to eliminate the Sith: to create balance and harmony. Occasionally, Carrel would also take his student to the quiet places of the planets they visited, where there was tranquillity and no risk of being disturbed and here they would meditate. Carrel would encourage Ta'lin to close his eyes and stretch out with the force and sense the flow of energy that flowed through the plants, streams and animals that surrounded them. He began to teach his Padawan that one could see the world as it truely was by letting go of his sight, sound, smell, taste and touch, using only the force to percieve the world around him. Through time and after much training, such an ability might one day manifest itself as force-sight.
Following his usual philosophy of a balanced focus in training his apprentices, Jan Carrel also encouraged his padawan to forgo the use of his force powers in achieving some of their tasks, instead focusing on using his wits and natural abilities. Whether climbing a steep cliff or moving a heavy object, Ta’lin was made to see the value of being able to accomplish tasks without the use of force powers: a Jedi who relied only on his command of the force would exhaust himself quickly in combat and be vulnerable. Over the years, Ta’lin would take this message onboard and hone his strength, speed and stamina alongside his connection to the force and learn how to use one to augment the other. Naturally, Ta’lin’s greater than average strength lent itself to the use of Form V lightsaber combat and he showed especial aptitude for using Djem So techniques in training. Furthermore, Carrel taught his padawan many skills that were necessary for survival in the wildernesses that Jedi serving in the Explorcorp would often encounter, particularly knowledge of anatomy and healing.
By the time Ta'lin had been seperated from his family for some fifteen years, the feelings of abandonment that had held him back in his early days had faded into insignificance, but he had grown quite attached to his master instead and regarded him as something of a surogate father. For his part Carrel often warned his padawan that a Jedi must learn to dispense with such bonds and focus solely on fulfilling the Jedi code and maintaining order in the Republic. However, it was a lesson that Aijati often struggled with and he could not shake a feeling of sadness when he left behind the people and places that they visited. It would be a flaw that would cause him immense pain in time.
Ambush on Tholatin: Death of Jan Carrel
Although much of Master Carrel and Ta'lin's time was spent on ExplorCorp business, from time to time they would also be expected to undertake tasks that were part of the Order's more everyday duties. As Ta'lin approached twenty-two years of age and a state of readiness for the Trials, he and his master were sent on one such mission. A number of prominent businessmen and women of the Nubus System had been abducted by smugglers operating out of the nearby world of Tholatin. Unusually, there had been no demand for a ransom to be paid for their safe return and at a loss for what to do, the Nubian government had called upon the senate to look into the matter immediately. In turn the Jedi Order were asked to investigate the matter by the senate and Jan Carrel was dispatched, along with his apprentice, to rescue the abducted Nubians, discover the reason for these kidnappings and bring them to an end. As they boarded their shuttle to leave the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Ta'lin remarked that he had a bad feeling about their mission, a feeling which his master shared.
Tholatin was a mid-rim world, but a barren and rocky backwater planet, making it an ideal hideout for smugglers and bandits of all sorts, so it came as little surprise when Carrel and Aijati dropped out of hyperspace to find the locality devoid of noticeable activity. However, this quiet arrival would not last long, as when they approached the planet several blips appeared on radar, heralding the arrival of small ships approached on intercept courses. Immediately, they knew they were the victims of a trap and prepared to flee the system as they had no weapons to speak of aboard their craft, but before hyperspace coordinates could be plotted for a risky jump out of the system and out of harm's way they were shot down. With shields down and navigational systems failing it was a miracle than Jan Carrel was even able to land the ship without killing both Jedi, instead they only suffered a few cuts and bruises. Completion of their mission was now imperative as they no longer had means of escaping the system, so salvaging what they could, the two Jedi abandoned the smoking wreck and trekked on foot towards the only settlement detected on the planets surface: the smugglers hideout at Esau's Ridge.
Having found the downed transport empty, the smugglers had expected the arrival of Ta'lin and his master, but had been given instructions by the one who lead them to allow the Jedi access to this heaven of criminals and cutthroats, so initially the two met little resistance as they entered the base. Doors were left unlocked, security systems left offline in such a way that they were lead towards the holding cells of the kidnapped Nubians, whom they set free. Wary of their surprising success in infiltrating the base, but in need of a ship to get off-planet, they picked their way through the base towards the hangars, avoiding what few guards there were. However, as they emerged into the hangar, the lights came on automatically and the Jedi and their charges found themselves surrounded my a large menacing band of mercenaries and smugglers, lead by a fallen jedi who identified himself as Dren Bossun. Bossun did not wait for his opponents to act but sent Ta'lin hurtling backwards into the wall, then ignited his lightsaber and leapt at Jan Carrel. However, he appeared to be less proficient in lightsaber combat than Carrel and soon fled into the depths of the hangar, using the ships and crates as cover, prompting a pursuit from the Jedi. Meanwhile, Ta'lin recovered from his temporary daze in time to deflect the first blaster bolts unloaded by the gang of criminals, allowing the kidnapped Nubian's to find shelter from the hail of blaster fire. His opponents were too many to handle by himself and the padawan was forced to remain behind the cover of a stack of crates while his master pursued the fleeing Bossun. This was all according to Bossun's plan who stopped occasionally to fight his adversary, only to slip away again when it looked as though Jan Carrel might get the better of him, drawing the Jedi further and further from his charges.
The battle took them onto a walk way over the hangar and there Bossun turned to fight Carrel and drove him back with all his might: slicing high, stabbing low and trying everything within his power to defeat the Jedi. For all that though he could not defeat the Jedi Master and came to realise he was fighting a losing battle. He was on the point of fleeing once more when he sensed one of the mercenaries running along the walkway behind him and waited until the mercenary was close behind him and then turned quickly around the man and thrust him towards Carrel. The unfortunate victim of Bossun's desperate tactic found himself suddenly face to face with a Jedi master and managed only a brief moment of panic before the Jedi's weapon arced gracefully through the air and dispatched him with practiced ease. However, what happened next would be forever etched onto the memory of Ta'lin. As he glanced up at the battle on the walkway, he saw the unfortunate mercenary slump lifeless over the barrier and then the air between the duelling warriors ignite with the terrible light of Bossun's Force Lightening, which flowed through the body of his master and lifted him clean of his feat. Carrel flew several feet and landed heavily on his back. He turned over and tried to heave himself upright using a handrail but even as he attained an upright position a fountain of red light erupted from his chest and a mocking laughter filled his ears. Bossun whispered in the dying Carrel’s ear that his masters would surely accept him now that he had defeated and killed a Jedi in battle.
The sight of his master's broken body collapsing to the floor was more than the padawan could bear and he immediately leapt from cover in a foolhardy and impassioned attempt to fight his way through to Jan Carrel. Blaster bolts filled the air, some close enough to his face for him to feel their warmth, but Ta'lin pressed on with his lightsaber an almost inperceptable flash of green light as he cut his way through the bewildered ranks of galactic scum. Faced with this reckless but deadly assault, some of the mercenaries began to feel that descresion was the better part of valour and fled the scene lest they would be the next to fall victim to the whirling dervish of lightsaber strokes that was Ta’lin. This presented him with an almost unopposed route to the platform and the object of his blood-lust: the fallen-jedi Bossun. However, something in his mind called out to him through the red mist that had descended upon him and he could almost hear his master’s voice in his ears, but it was faint and echoed as though it were travelling from a great distance. The voice told him to forget revenge and complete his mission: the rescue of the kidnapped Nubians. He turned now and launched himself at a wavering group of enemies that lay between himself and the nearest ship, scattering them with a flurry of saber blows and several force pushes, clearing the way for the Nubians. The way clear, they too broke from their hiding places and broke into an all-out dash for the safety of the now unguarded ship, several of them commandeering the weapons of Ta’lin’s fallen opponents as they went.
Knowing his masters would blame him for the escape of a mere apprentice and for missing the opportunity to capture and corrupt another servant of the light, Bossun gathered his wits, summoned the force to his aid and dropped down to the hangar floor. He bade the mercenaries to focus on the Nubians, who were now putting up something of a fight, rather than the young Jedi. Now the two force-wielders were free to fight their own battle, although Aijati was somewhat distracted by the knowledge that he had to finish this battle quickly and get his charges off the planet. With this in mind he dropped into an agressive Ataru stance and charged Dren Bossun. Bossun was keen to avoid killing the young Jedi and more than happy to allow the duel to drag out, so adopted the Soresu style of combat, which allowed him to deflect and redirect the power of Ta’lin’s aggressive strokes, easily keeping pace with the quick but unpolished technique his opponent was utilising. This continued until it became clear to Ta’lin that he could never find a way through the defences of such the defences of Bossun’s Soresu and had nearly come undone when Bossun had perceived the opportunity to counter-attack on a couple occasions. Next he tried the brute force of the Djem So style, which was well suited to a fighter that embodied the physical strength Aijati did, to break the defensive stance of his opponent and was able to drive him back somewhat, but was still unable to bring the duel to a close.
Some of the Nubians had been killed in the dash for the ship but the remainder were onboard, guarding the loading ramp and firing up the ships engines with a roar that filled the entire hangar. For a split second both fighters turned their attention to the source of the commotion and then resumed their savage duel, but already Ta'lin was looking for a way to disengage from the fight and get to the ship. Once more his blade met that of Dren Bossun and after a flurry of deflected blows on both sides they spun apart, giving the padawan the break he needed to execute his plan. With an impressive whirl of his blade, Ta'lin sent his saber scything through the air towards his opponent's neck, necessitating a straight parry from Bossun, but this was merely a ruse and as the blades met he did not follow through on the stroke but let his momentum carry him past the dark-jedi. Then with all his might he swung at Bossun's unprotected back. Bossun was caught unawares by the move, but threw himself out of the way and attempted to redirect the blow with his own saber. This left him off-balance and vulnerable as Ta’lin unleashed a thunderous force push into his chest, throwing the dark-jedi several feet through the air and freeing Ta’lin to make a break for it. However, as he recovered his feet and saw the young Jedi fleeing the scene, Bossun sneered and used the force to tear a section of the walkway clear of its moorings and fling it at the retreating Jedi. He sensed it coming though and threw himself onto his back and called upon the force to stop the flying hunk of metal and then send it back at Bossun. There was a massive crash as the projetcile landed, but Ta’lin never saw whether or not Bossun had been hit as he was already dashing headlong towards the loading ramp and then, with a few casual flicks of the wrist to deflect blaster fire, he reached the waiting ship and escaped.
Return to the Temple and Knighthood
The kidnapped Nubians who survived their ordeal were taken home and reunited with their families and friends. Ta’lin distraught over the loss of his master stayed only long enough to attend a memorial for those Nubians who had been killed in the fire-fight, before setting off for Coruscant and the Jedi Temple.
His propensity to form attachments to the places he visited with Jan Carrel and to the people he met along the way was, in many ways, one of Aijati’s greatest weaknesses as a Jedi. Overcome with grief for the death of Master Carrel, Ta’lin delivered a brief report on the mission to the council in a wavering voice and slumped posture, then left the chamber on the verge of tears. The Jedi Masters could sense his anguish, but knew that if he was going to become a Jedi, Ta’lin would need to overcome his emotions himself, so he was left to come to terms with his loss, while a team was dispatched to Tholatin to clear out any remnants of Dren Bossun and his cronies hiding in Esau’s Ridge. He confined himself to his own quarters and spent a long time in solitude, meditating and grieving in equal measure, but eventually the words of his master rang through his mind again and he remembered that the way of the Jedi encouraged one to forgo strong bonds and emotions such as those he was experiencing. Slowly he began to free himself of his sadness and think only of his Jedi training. When he was ready, he requested an audience with the council to discuss his future.
For his part in the rescue and for displaying his powers as a Jedi to be satisfactory for service in the Jedi Order, the Jedi Council announced that Ta’lin would be granted the rank of Jedi Knight, forgoing the formal trials that usually preceded the knighting ceremony. He had faced a trial of skill and bravery in completing the mission after Jan Carrel’s demise; he had experienced great loss when his Master was cut down and he had shown that he could pass a trial of spirit by overcoming his grief. In so doing, he had proved himself to be worthy of the title Jedi Knight. The following day, the padawan was brought into the Knighting Hall and his braid was cut, ending his apprenticeship and beginning his career as a full member of the Order. Soon after he would be sent to monitor progress on a new crystal mining operation in the Outer Rim.
Lightsaber: Single Blade, Single Phase, Adegan (Mephite) Crystal
Color: Green
Practiced Lightsaber forms:
Shii-Cho 5
Makashi N/A
Soresu 0
Ataru 1
Shien / Djem So 3
>>Sub-form Backhanded N/A
Niman N/A
>>Sub-form Jar-kai, or Dual Wield N/A
Juyo N/A
Double Bladed Combat N/A
Force-Sensitive Abilities or practices:
Telekinetic: 4
Telepathic: 3
Body: 6
Sense: 6
Protection: 3
Healing: 5
Destruction: 0
Specialized Skills: None
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 7
Intelligence: 6
Speed: 6
Leadership: 2
Unarmed: 5
Melee Weapons: 4
Ranged Weapons: 1
Force Attunement: +4
RP Sample:
As Jan Carrel packed the last of his things neatly into an ancient rucksack, Ta’lin stood quietly by the window, watching the freighters and shuttles buzzing to and fro above the surface of Corellia. Below him the massive shipyards, which provided many of the republics warships as well as a great many commercial spacecraft, stretched out across the planet like some shimmering blanket. However, it was not what he saw below that occupied the young Jedi’s thoughts, but what he could sense amongst the clouds of ships that hovered in orbit about the transport they were on presently. Carrel sensed his padawan’s rising excitement and put aside what he was doing momentarily.
“What is it, Padawan? Your heart is beating so fast it’s almost like listening to the hum of a hyper drive.” he asked casually, as though he hadn’t already guessed the answer.
“They’re here… they’re in the system. I can feel them somewhere close-by.” Ta’lin replied breathlessly.
His parents’ presence in the force was nothing more than a tremor in the force - a distant echo amid a cacophony of life that existed in the space around them - but it intoxicated him and made him deaf to almost everything else. He wanted to follow the echo back to its source, to find them, but no matter how hard he concentrated on it Ta’lin could not yet isolate such disturbances in the force and follow them back to their origin, so his frustration increased and made him all the more desperate to follow the tremor. Jan Carrel could feel Aijati’s complete certainty of their presence and also his longing to reach out through the force and identify where exactly they were, but the Master could not let his pupil continue down this dangerous path and he moved across the room to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“Even if they are out there, Ta’lin, finding them would be like finding a needle in a haystack for even the most powerful of Jedi. Besides, you know the order forbids padawans from seeking out their families.” Carrel’s voice was soothing without being patronising. “Attachments to family members are fraught with powerful emotions that cloud our vision, blinding us to the will of the force and eventually leading to the dark side.”
“I know, master. I thought I had let go of my parents a long time ago, but they are so close now… and now I’m not so sure anymore. I can see their faces in my mind’s eye and smell my mother‘s perfume. It’s like a craving now: an addiction. I must see them. I must ask them why.” desperation was creeping into Ta’lin’s voice now.
“But you know why they let you go. It was the will of the force that you should leave them and become a Jedi, it was your destiny and they let go so that you could achieve it. “ Carrel reminded his Padawan.
Ta’lin though said nothing in response but reached out his hand to touch the cold window pane and let his head droop as he struggled to control the maelstrom of conflicting emotions that beset him. It was a bitter-sweet moment indeed for the young Jedi.
“They chose the way of the Jedi for you, Ta’lin. They let you go so that you could fulfil your destiny.”
“Sometimes... sometimes I wish they hadn't." Ta'lin's words were laden with a genuine guilt at his own feelings and seeing Carrel's expression added. "You've said it yourself a hundred times, master: a Jedi must always be mindful of his feelings, he must make constant sacrifices and never attach himself to anything. To be a Jedi is to lose one's sense of self... and that's hard to bear."
Almost as soon as Ta'lin had finished speaking the look of concern that had been present on Jan Carrel's face melted into a smile that mirrored the pride that he felt to hear his Padawan speak such truths, so frankly. Here was a young man who understood what was required of a member of the order and what it would mean to continue on the path towards knighthood better than most, even if he was overstating the case.
"We must marginalize those things which make us prone to selfishness or arrogance, but we needn't lose our sense of self-worth and individuality. The difficulty is balancing individualism with the needs of the order and the tenants of the Jedi Code, but understanding that giving you up was an act of selflessness and learning to let go of your feelings of rejection is something you must do. Can you understand that?" he said kindly.
Ta'lin took one last look across the sparkling scene below and then closed his eyes with a sigh. When he opened them again he seemed much calmer.
"I understand, master."
