Post by Latus on Dec 8, 2009 16:22:38 GMT -5
Name: Latus I'tan
Race: Rilan
Age: 24
Height: 6' 1''
Weight: 207 lbs
Appearance/Personality:
The life Latus has lived has shown itself on his features, his attitude, and his outlook and views. The way he chooses to dress matches his rank quite well. Rather than the customary natural shades of browns and tans that other Jedi garb themselves in Latus chooses dark grays and blacks. Though some may question this decision they complement the monochromatic color of his lightsaber and eyes. The shock of dark hair on his head is a very dark brown and stands out on his semi-pale skin. His features are moderately handsome and are summed up by the harsh lines on his face and the defined round muscles on his arms and torso.
The clothes are specifically chosen to allow a full range of movement without revealing a large amount of his body. He wears a set of simple matte black shoes and off-black pants while his upper body is covered by a gray shirt and vest that resembles the customary Jedi garb without much stretch of the imagination. His flowing robe is gray helping to conceal him in shadow and give him the look of a customary jedi though he often does not wear it. The simple black Corellian leather belt around his waist holds the clip for his dual phase silver saber as well as a few minor gadgets that anyone on the move, even a jedi, cannot live without.
Latus' Jedi Garb (Clicky)
Rilan Reference (Clicky)
The most unusual Rilan trait that sets them apart from others of the human race are the eyes which shift color with differing emotions. This is explained in the link above. However with Latus' personality as even as it is they rarely ever see a shift away from a deep but light gray. The change is hardly noticeable unless it is being looked for.
Eye Reference (Clicky)
Birth place: Cerea
Faction: Jedi
Rank: Knight, Sentinel - Shadow
Bio:
The Beginning
Latus Firians and his twin sister Talau, started the journey of his life on the beautiful and untouched world of Cerea. His parents, Jorlia and Ronan Firians, were refugees from their home planet of Rilia, a world that had been hidden from the galaxy for generations to the best of the Jedi Order’s abilities. Refugees from this world were not entirely unheard of, but these two, and the priestess that traveled with them, were special. It wasn’t so much because of their race (though that was uncommon enough), but rather their last name. Jorlia was the last of a long line of Firians who had somehow managed to survive the civil war that tore their home world apart centuries ago and still raged to this day. The name was one to be proud of, signifying a noble birth right that was handed down through the women of the family, but it was also a heavy burden. One day the Morequai…the War Lords of their planet…would come searching for them, to hunt them down and kill them. It had happened before, and it would happen again.
Luckily for the budding family of force users and their companion, they had always had the fall back of the jedi order to seek help from should they need it. The council, supposedly, knew of their plight and had, generations earlier, promised to help them should they need it. Also luckily, the family had managed to find this out of the way planet and gain the rights to live outside of the Outsider Citadels that most were relegated to. They preferred to live with nature anyway, so it suited their tastes perfectly.
On the day of the twin’s birth, the priestess was prepared to play the part of midwife, she had been trained in it after all, and to perform the ceremonies that would follow. The birth of children was never easy for any woman even with medication, and with only a midwife it was twice as difficult. However, the women of the Firians family were made of tougher stuff than most would assume with their fair features and slender bodies. That evening the cries of two newborns were heard from the small house at the end of the dusty street of the small town they belonged to, and two healthy babies were handed to their exhausted mother, a beaming father rushing in to see the little miracles that had come into his life.
The naming ceremony that followed was traditional for a Rilan, the priestess meditating on each child, bringing her mind into Silmorne to seek the true name of each child so they might be protected against its abuse. It never was meant to be a long ceremony, true names tended to be easy to find for a priestess as old as the one that traveled with them, and she did indeed find the names easily…or so she thought at first. An oddity occurred, however, as more names appeared. Surprised, she informed the parents of the occurrence and turned to the Force (“The Winds” in Rilan culture) to see what the correct choice might be. Twisted and shrouded paths she saw for the children, woven with many possibilities and many outcomes…this was the reason for the multitude of names she decided and returned once more to Silmorne with the knowledge she had gathered. There, before the great tree that stood as a beacon of life, knowledge, and hope to her people, she searched once more for the names of the children…
As the priestess delved into the spiritual connection of her people the great tree silently held its vigil for her search. It was only a matter of minutes before Silmourne gave her the answer she sought. From above her a single cloud passed overhead and a gentle rain began to fall. At first she worried about its meaning but soon the droplets turned silver and a warmth radiated where they struck. As the water pooled around the roots of the great tree the priestess looked into them and saw her own face as in a mirror. Her concern melted away as she gleaned the child's name; Arjento.
Broken Family
A routine settled into the household once more after the birth of the twins, Ronan worked in the fields during the day while Jorlia and the priestess watched the babies, and in the evening when he would return he would watch the children while Jorlia would cook, and by that time it was dark enough to sleep. This routine lasted for nearly a year with only minor deviations, and the two children were more than happy. It was already obvious that the two had inherited force abilities from their parents and would need training when they were older, which they would receive from their parents and the priestess…this, however, was never to be.
Several days after their first birthday, the crawling and precocious twins were playing in their room together. Jorlia was cooking, and Ronan was fixing a broken plow behind the house as the priestess kept an eye on the room with the twins. It happened swiftly, and even for the force using family there was no time to prepare. Ronan was the first to feel the attack coming…hurrying inside he informed the others. The priestess, old as she was, knew she wouldn’t be of much help and so she told Jorlia and Ronan to go to the capital city of Tecave not far away and to seek the help of the jedi if they could. Taking the babies, Jorlia and Ronan split up and ran for their lives as their home burned an angry orange behind them. They knew they stood a better chance apart, the assassin couldn’t chase both of them at once after all, and so Ronan took Latus and Jorlia took Talau with the agreement that they would meet up at the Council of Elders in the Capital.
Running through the inky night, Ronan called on the force to give him speed and reached the city by noon the next day. Arriving on the outskirts of the city, the assassin was not far behind him determined to kill the last descendants. It was here that he met several ‘outsiders’ who had just come from the city, requesting permission to stay on the planet. The couple was his only hope at the moment and so he begged them to take his son. He couldn’t be caught with the boy. Stunned and uncertain, the couple agreed…it was obvious the man was desperate. Without a clue as to what to do next, the humans went on their way unknowing that only minutes later, the boy’s father was murdered.
The appearance of the strange child and the even stranger man who besought them acted as a beacon to the human couple, a merchant family from one of the smaller outlying settlements. They had just arrived in the city, eloping to start their new life together. Quite unsure of the babe's fate or destiny they did the only thing they could, hide the presence. They feared the man's last words to them; "I cannot be caught with my Latus! Take him!" The stunned couple, unsure of what to do with the infant decided to take the child with them, afraid of possible repercussions should they give the child up. That very same evening they boarded a transport cruiser for Coruscant with what few possessions they brought with them. Like the infant in their hands the I'tans decided to start their own new life on a new planet.
Hardships and Discovery
Once the family reached Coruscant their hardships increased. The dowry from Sopheia marriage to Matej I'tan, which the newlyweds had intended to open a small restaurant with on Cerea, wasn't sufficient enough on the planet. However the couple were determined to care for their new child in all their capacity. Storing all of the credits from the dowry they bought a cheap flat in the suburban area of the the factory district. It was hot, smelly, and cramped but the pair were determined to move foreword. Matej took a job as a handyman, repairing things from comlinks to speeders out of the parking lot for the apartment complex. Sopheia pulled graveyard at one of the many human and semi-human diners situated in that sector. The child was passed between the two as they could, their limited attention payed to Latus as they could.
Every spare credit was saved for a rainy day and there were many times when things were tight but after a year of very hard work and perseverence the couple compounded on Matej's skill with his hands and opened up a small speeder garage in a better sector of the Coruscant merchant district. Matej's business sense was something of a marvel as he quickly built a reputation by word of mouth and ends were met easier and easier. Eventually Sopheia was able to quit her job to stay at home to raise little Latus. Life was still hard but the family was finally doing better than just surviving.
Every now and then Latus would accompany his father in the garage, sitting in his playpen as his father worked. Even for all the noise the tyke seemed at home amongst the machinery. One evening a customer came in to pay for the services rendered by Matej. The father's prices were not cheap but worth every credit but the customer sought to cheat the man out of his wage. As the stranger slid the credit chip across the table and lied to Matej that everything was accounted for Latus began to cry. The wail was enough to bring Sopheia out to see what was wrong. As she picked him up Matej reached for the chip. Matej, concerned, could only wonder as the mother and son fled inside while the customer, shaken by the turn of events pair for the work in full.
This event got the pair to thinking about the possibility of their strange son having the gift of the force. They had long since discovered his changing eye color and wondered if someday he would be taken away from them for training in the ways of a jedi. Accepting the inevitable the family returned to life as normal. Later realizing that his son had unwittingly deterred a thief Matej insisted that his son spend more time in the workshop with him, an idea that Sopheia begrudgingly agreed to.
For several years following the family led relatively uninteresting lives. Latus' outbursts of force potency were few and far between and limited to outbursts of crying at strange times. As he grew Latus still spent a lot of time with his father in the garage where he showed an aptitude for mechanical systems. By five he could probably have taken apart a speeder engine and put it back together... if Matej had let him. However, rather than continue his life in the garage he was taken before the Jedi Order and put to their test, one which he easily passed. Sopheia explained all that had happened over the years, how he had come to their custody, and about his eyes and manifesting force powers. The order imediately recognized Latus as a Rilan though they said nothing about it to either of the human parents. After short deliberation the order accepted him as a youngling and, after a tearful goodbye, left the I'tans for a life of a jedi.
A Youngling Life
What happens to a child when he is pulled away from his parents and thrust into a strange world? Exactly what happened to the young Latus; he turned inward. He rarely got to spend time with anyone but his parents and, as such, never made real friends. He went from the loving arms of his parents to the comparative arms of the droids that tended the youngest of the younglings in the council's care. However, under the kind and watchful eyes of the Jedi who cared for the children Latus soon opened up though he tended to keep to himself when around the other children. The caretakers figured that the massive group of his peers may have turned out to be more intimidating than the boy was used to.
When actual training commenced a few months later Latus was placed into the Wolf Clan of younglings. As the minders predicted the boy soon found his place among a small handful of other children, some human and others not. During the teaching sessions Latus showed the spark of intelligence but in a very reserved manner; shyly raising his hand, speaking very softly and so on. In practical use lessons Latus didn't stand out more than the other students, nor did he want to. Everything about this place, though he had finally started to get used to it, had something that intimidated him. It wasn't that he was scared to try the slew of new things that were being shown to him at once but he was almost hesitant to use his powers thought he barely even knew that they were.
Thirteen months into his training he made friends with someone new. She had approached him to ask if he had wanted to play; her name was Talau. At first he wanted to refuse but when he saw her eyes and the shifting and changing colors that were so like his he timidly accepted. After meeting her the times between lessons brightened immensely, he felt like he could be himself. Even the minders saw the growing confidence in the boy and were happy that he had found a friend that could bring him out of his shell. He also met another boy from the Soaring Hawkbats clan, named Ryn, and the trio became nigh inseparable after a very short while. Until then Latus had never been much for sparring, both Talau and Ryn served to fill that niche and his performance in his training sessions improved hand over fist.
For the first time in his life young Latus descended into a routine. Like the other children he loved the time between his studies when he could spar, play, and be himself. He had finally come out of his shell and with the guidance and support of the jedi who raised him and the friendship of Talau and Ryn Latus became embroiled in the study of the force.
The Next Step
Years passed and the training intensified, Latus passed out of his early years and into the capable age of 8. Murmurs among the younglings began to circulate that the next stage, the padawan-master relationship, was close for this latest group of potentials. Slowly the groups, the clans, were splintered as, one by one masters chose their apprentices. Ryn's master, a duros, was a what he had imagined of the pure jedi knight; the master of the light side. He was almost envious to see his friend go but could only give him a friendly smile as they parted; Ryn was on his way to being a true jedi. With Talaus it was different. Latus had seen her skills in healing and watched her dealings with Master Skoal. When she left suddenly one day he spent several days in a deep depression; almost as if he had lost one side of himself.
In the following days the depression didn't lift and he could almost feel himself drifting back to his earliest childhood memories of loneliness. That changed one evening as he stood in the sparring chambers, his small lightsaber grasped tightly in his hands. All of the others had been chosen but he remained. Trying hard to get his mind off the events of the past few days and weeks he spun into his Shii-Cho routine trying to throw off his misery in the blur of movement. However, he was still depressed his focus was low. Not two minutes into the routine he tripped, dropping his lightsaber which instantly deactivated. The cylinder rolled until it was stopped by the foot of someone who entered silently. Clearing his eyes Latus looked into the face of the stranger; a Draethos jedi.
The outward appearance of the strange alien was intimidating, Latus didn't know what to say. Without a word the Jedi gently lifted the training saber with the force and returned it to the frightened young man. In a flash the Draethos palmed his own saber and ignited it with a brilliant flash of silver driving Latus back a single step. The voice that came then was not in one of voice, but a resounding command in his head; this frightened him even more.
Come at me.
Not knowing what else to do Latus ignited the tiny training saber and rushed the imposing figure, using his training to push the fear from his mind. The first few swings were wild and unfocused and easily deflected but the jedi only blocked, never returned the attack. Concentrate, child. Doing as he said Latus poured his knowledge of the force into his movements and his swings became cleaner, more directed. The strikes increased in intensity but never once did the older jedi give an inch. Good. Good.
The youngling thought he should have been angry at the jedi but it wasn't arrogance that he sensed, it was a calmness, an even sense of things. Figuring he had nothing to lose Latus put everythign he had behind the blows, the swings, the steps. He heard the strikes increase in intensity even higher, the connections cracking with enough force to echo loudly throughout the hall. In one swing he struck high, then low and, with an almost involuntary thrust of the force felt himself thrown upward over the jedi with surprising ease, coordination, and speed. As he landed his saber spun to strike the older jedi but stopped just short of contact, held in place like it had been immersed in duracrete. For a moment the youngling stood still unable to look up, so deep was his concentration. When he finally did the jedi seemed to be smiling. He was unable to tell by the facial features but somehow, in the eyes and through the force, he knew. He felt the strength of this jedi, the beacon of light in the dark, but felt something more, something darker. It wasn't the dark side but more of a gray tint. Still speaking with his mind the older jedi knelt before Latus to allow him to look into the boy's eyes.
My name is Thelakk-Ni, child. I suppose you will have to call me Master Ni from now on.
A Surprising Change
Master Ni and his newly christened Padawan departed from the Jedi Temple early the next morning. Latus, excited to finally begin his true jedi training, was unable to sleep that night. He met Master Ni on the landing pad expecting grandeur; the Jedi's own ship. When they boarded the shuttle to the spaceport he was apprehensive. Master Ni must have sensed his trepidation and, as the pair joined the other wanderers of the galaxy in the cargo hold of the bulk transport the older Jedi looked deeply into the boy's eyes.
The jedi are no different from commoners. The Draethos continued to speak directly to his mind. You will need to learn that, learn humility before you can even have a hope of becoming a jedi.
But we have the force; that makes us different. Makes us better!
That doesn't make us different.
In a flash Master Ni reached out to grab Latus' arm.
This flesh is no different from that of the beggar on the street, from the entertainer, the politician, the Chancellor of the Republic. The force is not a tool; this you shall soon learn.
Latus tried to argue but Master Ni would say no more, descending into a powerful trance-like state. The trip took several days and, through it all the master did not move a muscle. The boy tried to emulate the trance but, with his limited knowledge only served to frustrate himself. He hadn't even been told the destination. With nothing else to do he settled in for the long journey, one that he hadn't expected to feel so lonely.
Every time the transport stopped he expected Ni to stand but each time the Master Jedi remained seated. Through half a dozen world the pair remained aboard until, finally, as the ship was setting down the Jedi's eyes opened. Looking down he stared at his padawan and motioned to the exit. The pair disembarked, rolling hills of green stretching out before them' they had landed on Dantooine.
Between breaths of wonder Latus asked if they were going to learn of the force on the Jedi populous planet. His Draethos master simply looked at him with cold eyes and motioned him to walk. Boarding a speeder they vanished over the rolling horizon. Before too long they reached a small camp in the center of the vast plain several miles from the nearest forest and overlooking a small stream. Again Latus became apprehensive; this was not what he had imagined at all. Before long they had unpacked and settled in, Latus on a small cot outside the obviously spacious tent. As night fell and the temperature dropped the padawan shivered and cried himself to sleep. Throughout everything that happened that day, the Draethos did not speak.
The Padawan Learning
For one year the pair lived on that grassy plain. Each day was the same and for thefirst few months one ran into the next. Every morning he carried water from the small stream for breakfast over a hand lit fire. Until lunch the pair sparred, then meditated, all without the aid of the force. Once or twice Latus tried, only to be silently reprimanded my Master Ni who, more often than not, physically corrected the boy. Not once did he beat his padawan but if a chair was pulled out, a pile of wood stacked, or the force abused in such a manner the Jedi would push the chair back in or knock the pile over. At first Latus was crestfallen at this but eventually he remembered the Master's words on the transport and he gradually got used to this new life. The Temple didn't discourage force usage and, after being "addicted" for so long, it was refreshing to live without it.
As the weeks passed and Latus adjusted he noticed a change in his master's attitude toward him. Ni saw that his padawan had begun to realize the truth in his words but the training continued even though some things changed. The sparring became focused more on technique than strength, the meditations were less lonely, and Latus' small cot was moved into the tent; a true relationship was blooming and the pair became fast, silent friends.
The silence ended when the pair were in the far forests collecting firewood. The pair had split up to cover more ground and neither had seen any predatory animals in the forest since they had arrived. As Latus crested a small rise he received a bit of a shock as he almost tripped over a Kath hound and her three pups. To retain his balance Latus was forced to drop the firewood which registered as a threat to the mother Kath who immediately went defensive. Not knowing what else to do, and without anything to defend himself, he had left his saber in camp, he dove into the force. Slowly he put his hands up in a submissive gesture and reached out to the creature. After having been separated from the force for so long he could much more clearly feel the ebb and flow of its currents and eddys as he gently tried to calm the territorial creature. Slowly and with a level of concentration he had learned from his master, the Kath hound shook its head and walked back to where its pups were sleeping. Sighing in relief Latus fell to a seat.
You understand. Knowledge and defense. This is the true power of the force.
Latus looked to his Master who stood behind him, eyes smiling.
But master... I failed. I used the force.
Indeed but not vainly, not trivially. You learned one of the most important lessons today. Come; your real training begins.
For what remained of that short year Master Ni increased the intensity of the training but in more depth. The Latus learned to read moves, postures, subtle things about fighting. He learned how to communicate through the force and soon the pair only talked through that media. To the padawan it came easily and Master Ni, whom he discovered was a mute, was all too happy to accept the change. Latus learned new things every day, small niches for certain plants and bugs were accepted and absorbed by the boy. With a very strong grasp on Shii-Cho, Ni moved on to Makashii which brought the pair even closer as their spars became ever more heated. Expounding on their first meeting Ni also introduced Latus to Ataru which exploited the boy's natural affinity with the physical applications of the force. It even surprised Ni to a degree how quickly his padawan developed but it only drove the master to introduce things more quickly and to a higher degree of difficulty some of which Latus struggled with.
His master also took to teaching him some of the basic languages that he might encounter among the stars. Some of the most rudimentary skills he taught consisted of Bocce and Binary, two languages of the space lanes, Dosh the language of his own people, and even a few words of the old sith language. This knowledge, even basic as it was, gave Latus a broader understanding of the many different ways that all species interacted with each other.
All too soon the year ended. As the pair boarded the transport back to Coruscant, Ni placed his hand on Latus' shoulder brushing the Padawan's braid. You are well on your way, young one.
The Path of a Padawan
For a time the pair returned to the Jedi Temple. Master Ni returned Latus to the safe keeping of the temple handlers on the promise; I must consult with the council on assignments we are to take. I shall return in one week, make the most of it.
For the first few days Latus didn't know what he should do. The routine that was still etched into his memory inspired him to keep working, reviewing and perfecting the techniques Ni had taught him. Hours were spent in the sparring rooms, the meditation chambers, the Art of Movement arena; he had become obsessed with surpassing his best. Once again he met up with Tal and Ryn, both having returned from their first bit of training with their masters and that broke his routine. Stories were shared, spars were fought; they raced, ate, laughed together as though they were younglings again.
But several days in the changes between the trio became more apparent. Ryn departed with his master on a council assignment before Latus really had a chance to catch up. Talau had been developing her healing skills, learning a form of hand to hand combat Latus has barely heard about, and developing quickly as a woman and a padawan. He was not jealous, only happy that she had progressed so far. On the fourth day she left as well leaving Latus with much to consider. As the last days marched by the padawan's chief thought was his own specialization; what was it?
Latus wouldn't receive that answer for several years. In the mean time he dedicated himself to the assignments, to proxying his master's movements and skills. The assignments the pair were sent on tended to be diplomatic, something that Latus found himself enjoying. He was seeing the universe, being trained as a jedi by someone he respected, and learning all the time. Master Ni continued to drill him on his saber technique, adding Broken Gate lessons in to break the routine. However, he also stimulated a sense of critical thinking in Latus. From what he had learned on Dantooine he no longer viewed the force as a tool but there was more to the argument.
Ni Taught him many sides of the perspective upon which the force played. The light side always spoke of defense but they were forced to attack every now and then, the dark very similarly. Latus knew the dark side was the road to corruption but, as these lessons continued, he no longer feared it. It was a respect that replaced the fear for if he knew how the sith operated mentally;
You will know how to fight them.
As Latus grew the diplomatic missions faded away, replaced by tasks that included stealth, espionage, and ultimately combat. In most of these combat situations Latus would use the tecnique of force persuasion that Ni had taught him to hide, observe, and stay out of danger. It was after one of these missions that Ni failed to notice Latus while he was hiding in plain sight. Both master and apprentice were surprised and Latus finally found something he was gifted at.
Soon the meditation sessions between the pair included gently bending light, sensing lies, forcing eyes to pass without seeing, and manipulating small illusions. The physical portions included more jumping, running, movement enhanced by the force than Shii-Cho or Masakii. Ataru quickly became Latus' favorite style when fighting with lightsabers. Whats more, during their travels neither of them used more than they had to. The sparring, the meditation exercises, and the missions were the limit. Even the debating that took place in their minds seemed to leave the realm of the force behind for something that felt more natural; only Master Ni knew the truth, that his apprentice was inhuman but thought for sure that he knew.
When Ni told Latus he was ready to make his first lightsaber the young man was immensely happy. He chose a yellow crystal and a shorter, more mobile blade chassis. Master Ni instructed him in the construction of his weapon, the mark of a Jedi of the Republic. As the final piece slid into place Ni nodded at the passable piece of work.
You still have a long way to go, my apprentice. The next blade you assemble will be more difficult as your understanding for the force increases. This may take months, years, but perfection cannot be rushed.
Though Latus was proud of his blade he saw the opportunity to make his next a challenge but was unsure of how an improved knowledge in the force would change anything.
End of a Legacy
At nineteen years of age Latus had become strong and confident, one skilled in the force and its practices, both physical and theoretical. His life with his master had been one filled with the force even though they kept themselves as remote from it as they could. Latus' affinity for tricking the mind had advanced at an incredibly rapid pace. Ni's only reaction after he avoided conflict by convincing the squad of soldiers that their blasters were plastic toys.
You, my boy, could convince the Galaxy's stingiest Rodian to give away his every possession.
Everything changed, however, on a mission to the Outer Rim. It was a simple border dispute mission that had one set of militia pitted against another. The council, realizing that a jedi could both quell the problem and be seen as a good PR move sent the pair who they saw as needing a small break. The meeting place was aboard one of two privately owned Corvettes on the edge of both system's space, several light years from either planet.
When the pair boarded they were accosted by both sides barking their petty squabbles, of which none were particularly conflict worthy. Thus began the days long debate between ruling bodies over resourcing rights, trade route taxation, and so on. Master Ni sat at the conference tables while, from several rooms over, Latus sat and meditated over the different information being directed to him through their telepathic link.
Something is wrong with this whole picture. It feels like there is something else at work here.
I agree master. I will give this ship the once over? See if something in the immediate environment is causing the problem?
Your insight serves you well. Do so. Keep me informed.
And Latus did indeed search the large Corvette. The conferences gave no indication of ceasing so the padawan had all the time in the galaxy. He began in the engine room, somewhere with a level of power to project a negative energy field or some such madness. Since the pair had been traveling in their own ship Latus had gotten more adept at working with machines through the force as well as piloting; maybe that was why the council had sent them in the first place. He didn't know. However there was nothing in the engine room, nothing in the storage bays or communications. Only when he broadened his search did he finally feel it. A cloud of the dark side hung over the corvettes. However, at that moment it was stronger over the other, the feeling drawing closer.
A feeling of dread washed over him and he turned on his heel and used the force to expedite him back to Master Ni; something was indeed wrong. Before he made it back to the conference room the ship rocked as an explosion tore out the engine compartment knocking Latus to his feet. When he finally reached the conference room Master Ni was just leaving, covered in blood and marked in a few places with blaster rounds. He thought only one word as his eyes burned; Latus drew his lightsaber.
I felt it too!
Master...?
I'm fine. The Kath-mutts who called this meeting are using it to stage a coup, killed the other dignitaries and tried to kill me.
The battle that followed was as intense as it was bloody. Extremists boarded the ship lead by a single dark jedi who must have been in it for the credits. The pair fought only when they had to and in the chaos Master Ni was shot several times protecting Latus. When they finally reached their ship to escape Master Ni stopped and turned; the dark jedi, garbed in dark black and red robes had found them.
Latus had never seen his master fight so ferociously, but the dark jedi matched him blow for blow. Frozen in place the padawan could only stare as the pair dueled. In one fell stroke the tide turned and the dark jedi severed Master Ni's head from his shoulders and the Draethos' body fell limp. Crying out in anguish Latus drew his own lightsaber and charged the monster who had killed his friend, his master.
Launching himself at the dark one he felt a twang of nostalgia to the fight; it was as though he was fighting Master Ni for the first time all over again. Soon he overcame his pain and focused on the fight. The dark one, who at first seemed to have the upper hand, was unprepared for the much nimbler padawan who leaped over, around his enemy, off the walls and hull of ships. Even with his skill the dark jedi managed to fend off the scattered assault and knock Latus back until they were staring each other down. A dark grin overcame the man who slowly began to step forward. Latus, on the other hand, could only think of his reliance in the force, his lost master, and his knack with persuasion. Nothing seemed to be working.
He could only concentrate. As his target stalked closer, savoring the kill Latus dove into himself, bringing his level of meditation up higher than he ever thought possible. Opening his eyes he saw his Master there, standing beside him. Surprisingly, his enemy did as well. A look of shock and fear crossed the dark jedi's face as it continued to stare at the padawan. Undaunted Latus flowed into Makashii, striking in powerful strokes and driving the dark jedi back. The confused enemy thought he was fighting a padawan but now, both physically and spiritually, he seemed to be fighting a master!
As the battle reached its crescendo another battle rocked the landing bay, the concussion throwing the two combatants against the far wall and destroying Ni's ship. Latus recovered first and rammed his yellow lightsaber into the man's chest. With his death rattle the padawan was already running, summoning the lightsaber of his master to his free hand. Sirens blared as he made his way to the escape pods. In an instant he was in and rocketing away from the corvettes as both were engulfed in a massive fireball of metal and glass.
Even in the escape pod the nearest friendly planet was weeks away and the padawan knew the food would not last half that long. Knowing there was only one way to survive Latus settled down on the padded seats, turned off all but the reserve power and life support, and closed his eyes. He pulled the force inward dropping himself into a state of the deepest meditation.
In the dark of the escape pod Latus slept the sleep of a jedi, his mind passing far and wide, crossing over hundreds of different subjects. He saw things he never could have fathomed before, the birth of suns, the death of a species. He saw himself change over the past decade to be a strong and confident young man. But what his strongest vision contained would haunt him forever. He saw a baby carried by a man given to two people, two people who he loved and knew as his parents. He saw the same man murdered as though it was being committed right before his eyes. He saw a woman carrying a child who she left on the doorstep of a monastery, the woman killed in the same way while the daughter survived. But try as he might he could not see any more.
His spirit roamed the galaxy for weeks, asking questions of things that would not answer, learning things again that would only be seen as common sense but from the nonsensical perspective. Latus' mind argued and debated with itself over the old questions he had when he was a child of how the force was to be used only to steel his modern viewpoints and set him on the road to learning again. But the question he didn't receive an answer for still revolved around the other baby, the one in his vision.
The visions came to an end when a passing merchant out of Alderaan scooped his escape pod for the salvage. Imagine the man's surprise when he found the Jedi, cold as death, spring to life after getting a smell of fresh food. That evening after Latus had eaten nearly 5000 calories, the merchant finally asked the question.
So... uh, where can I take you?
Take me somewhere but I don't need to go anywhere or... wait. There was somewhere I needed to go isn't there. Coruscant, my good man. And keep the food coming!
A Jedi Knight
Latus told the Council everything. From the dark cloud over the corvettes to the battle, to the death of his master and the defeat of the dark jedi. Each of them listened without a mote of emotion or change in their faces. When he finished Latus was unsure as to if he had done something wrong or committed dereliction of duty or what. Master Ni's lightsaber lay before him, glittering in the early morning light. They say in relative silence for a few moments, conversing among themselves low enough so Latus could not hear. Sighing he put his head down, unsure of whether to stand, move, breathe.
"Step forward, Padawan."
In an instant Latus was on his feet ready to take the good with the bad, ready to suffer whatever punishment they had in store. He screwed up... big time. If he hadn't have been so cowardly and hid his master would still be alive.
"Kneel." Latus did so with a look of pained guilt coating his face. The High Councilor stood and picked up Master Ni's lightsaber, activated it. Cringing Latus waited for the strike that did not come, but the buzz and the heat of the saber built on one of his shoulder, then abated to reappear on the other. What was this?
"Latus I'Tan, by the right of the Council, by the will of the Force, I dub thee, Jedi Knight of the Republic."
For a moment Latus was stunned. A knight? Him? He looked up as the Councilor deactivated the saber, popped the crystal chamber and pulled out the unique silver crystal.
"Honor his memory with this, Sentinel."
A tear ran down his cheek as Latus begrudgingly accepted the crystal that he admired for such a long time.
The Shadow Knows
With Latus' new station came a new sense of duty. He was bound and determined to live up to the crystal he had been given and, by his request he took several weeks leave after the whole ordeal with the corvettes. He compounded his reasons to the council asking for some time to construct a new lightsaber; they agreed. Latus found that Ni was right when it came to constructing a true lightsaber. For those weeks he barely slept and ate often to keep his strength up. He spent most of the time in the jedi archives researching methods of construction, materials, what the handle and trigger placement, and so on. He wanted the blade to be perfect.
After two weeks he had finally decided on the type of saber it should be, almost as if guided by Ni's hand itself. It would be a dual phase lightsaber, one the yellow color to symbolize what the pair had together, the silver so he would never forget his master or what he stood for. On the twenty-second morning he took the materials into one of the construction chambers; the jedi didn't exit until noon three days later holding a saber of exquisite build and shape. When he finally fell asleep he was out for nearly a full day.
In the weeks that followed Latus was given his new assignment, one that played to his strengths and that would teach him to use the powers of the force to rid the galaxy of the practitioners of the dark side. He wondered if the galaxy had a sense of irony as he hesitantly accepted the probationary post of Shadow. If he could complete the missions he received efficiently he would be promoted to a full shadow with everythign that entailed.
So he was given a ship and a target. Nothing else. For the next month he researched the target, got close, planned the strike, exploited those who could be persuaded, and, when it was time delivered the blow cleanly. He did it not for the position but for his master. Only once did he wonder if Ni had been readying him for just this position; then he plunged the lightsaber into his target.
He returned to the council with news of his sucess and, after several hours of reviewing the intel from the mission accepted him into the ranks of the Jedi Shadows.
Now Latus spends very little time on the core worlds. He lives out of his ship, receiving information directly from his handlers of who to kill, who to avoid, and how long the missions will take. It is not uncommon for him to take more than a year to complete a mission but one had completely stumped him. At this point he has not been heard from for two years, the last contact just before his 22nd birthday. No one knows where he is, what he is doing, or if he still works for the council.
Lightsaber: Silbernes, Single blade, Dual-Phase
Color: Silver, Dull Sheen
Practiced Lightsaber forms:
Mark a skill with N/A if you’re character has no experience in it
Shii-Cho: 5
Makashi: 1
Soresu: 1
Ataru: 3
Juyo: N/A (Wants to learn)
Force-Sensitive Abilities or practices:
Telekinetic: 2
Telepathic: 6
Body: 7
Sense: 5
Protection: 5
Healing: 1
Destruction: 1
Specialized Skills: (for skills with stats, 1-10 basis of aptitude)
Force Illusion (Basic)
Force Persuasion
Force Speed
Force Jump
Telepathy: race related. Only used in communication
Mechanical Aptitude: 5
Piloting 6
Flowing Water 4
Languages:
Binary: Comprehend
Bocce: 1
Dosh: Comprehend
Sith: Very Basic
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 5
Intelligence: 6
Speed: 7
Leadership: 3
Unarmed: 2
Melee Weapons: 7
Ranged Weapons: 4
Force Attunement: 2
RP Sample:
And you're sure he will be at this location waiting for you? I don't want to to get shot over a little... misunderstanding.
"No, Mr. Bell. I assure you everything is as I said it would be. My supplier knows that you wanted to meet with him, I even gave him your credentials myself. There isn't a problem, is there?"
The squirrelly man stared across the table at his visitor; the graying hairs, the glasses and engraved datapad, brown suit coat and well hidden guard .Who would have known that such a fine, upstanding member of the Alderaan Senate was so well connected, or financed. Hell if Sneaky pulled this off he would be able to retire in luxury. At least that was what Mr. Bell had said. It was so common for politicians to go corrupt, he had seen it dozens of times, this one seemed to be no different.
No, not at all. Thank you for your help. I would offer you a cut for the assistance you've given me but you're probably sick of the smuggler's life. You should go home and think about alternatives for the future, this doesn't seem like the life for you.
The man had tented his fingers and looked hard. As he stared the diminutive man before him seemed to shrink even more as the thoughts seemed to catch and hum in his mind. "Mr. Bell" had done something like this a dozen times in the last month alone, dealing with smugglers and drug dealers. For his aim the end justified the means, especially if he wasn't actually hurting anyone. He glanced to the guard and nodded, the other human gave one of his own.
"You're right. Thanks for the help Mr. Bell, and I hope everything goes well for you. Next time you're in town I'll have to buy you a Corellian Whiskey."
Bell only nodded as the man stood and turned, leaving through the front arch of the open air cafe. The air was filled with speeders and, paying for the meager meal he stood. A ghost of a smile graced the edge of his lips as the bodyguard moved to follow. He said his farewells to the waitress he had seen since the place opened years ago and nodded to an old friend from the academy. The pair of men turned from the cafe and walked several blocks in silence only nodding or smiling at those who did so first. However, rather than continuing to the senatorial buildings of the Alderanian capital the pair turned down a shadowed alleyway.
Later this evening, far western block number 5 of the industrial district, come alone. Well that wont work well for you will it.
Bell turned to the bodyguard who blinked twice before fading away in the early evening twilight. The man smiled, taking off the glasses, the suit, the entire face all by simply relaxing his mind. After only an instant the man who claimed to be Senator Turian Bell no longer existed. Old Mr. Bell would have some odd stories next time he entered that particular cafe but it no longer mattered. Latus brushed his hair back and looked upwards between the buildings as the star began to sink lower.
Finally a step in the right direction.
Race: Rilan
Age: 24
Height: 6' 1''
Weight: 207 lbs
Appearance/Personality:
The life Latus has lived has shown itself on his features, his attitude, and his outlook and views. The way he chooses to dress matches his rank quite well. Rather than the customary natural shades of browns and tans that other Jedi garb themselves in Latus chooses dark grays and blacks. Though some may question this decision they complement the monochromatic color of his lightsaber and eyes. The shock of dark hair on his head is a very dark brown and stands out on his semi-pale skin. His features are moderately handsome and are summed up by the harsh lines on his face and the defined round muscles on his arms and torso.
The clothes are specifically chosen to allow a full range of movement without revealing a large amount of his body. He wears a set of simple matte black shoes and off-black pants while his upper body is covered by a gray shirt and vest that resembles the customary Jedi garb without much stretch of the imagination. His flowing robe is gray helping to conceal him in shadow and give him the look of a customary jedi though he often does not wear it. The simple black Corellian leather belt around his waist holds the clip for his dual phase silver saber as well as a few minor gadgets that anyone on the move, even a jedi, cannot live without.
Latus' Jedi Garb (Clicky)
Rilan Reference (Clicky)
The most unusual Rilan trait that sets them apart from others of the human race are the eyes which shift color with differing emotions. This is explained in the link above. However with Latus' personality as even as it is they rarely ever see a shift away from a deep but light gray. The change is hardly noticeable unless it is being looked for.
Eye Reference (Clicky)
Birth place: Cerea
Faction: Jedi
Rank: Knight, Sentinel - Shadow
Bio:
The Beginning
Latus Firians and his twin sister Talau, started the journey of his life on the beautiful and untouched world of Cerea. His parents, Jorlia and Ronan Firians, were refugees from their home planet of Rilia, a world that had been hidden from the galaxy for generations to the best of the Jedi Order’s abilities. Refugees from this world were not entirely unheard of, but these two, and the priestess that traveled with them, were special. It wasn’t so much because of their race (though that was uncommon enough), but rather their last name. Jorlia was the last of a long line of Firians who had somehow managed to survive the civil war that tore their home world apart centuries ago and still raged to this day. The name was one to be proud of, signifying a noble birth right that was handed down through the women of the family, but it was also a heavy burden. One day the Morequai…the War Lords of their planet…would come searching for them, to hunt them down and kill them. It had happened before, and it would happen again.
Luckily for the budding family of force users and their companion, they had always had the fall back of the jedi order to seek help from should they need it. The council, supposedly, knew of their plight and had, generations earlier, promised to help them should they need it. Also luckily, the family had managed to find this out of the way planet and gain the rights to live outside of the Outsider Citadels that most were relegated to. They preferred to live with nature anyway, so it suited their tastes perfectly.
On the day of the twin’s birth, the priestess was prepared to play the part of midwife, she had been trained in it after all, and to perform the ceremonies that would follow. The birth of children was never easy for any woman even with medication, and with only a midwife it was twice as difficult. However, the women of the Firians family were made of tougher stuff than most would assume with their fair features and slender bodies. That evening the cries of two newborns were heard from the small house at the end of the dusty street of the small town they belonged to, and two healthy babies were handed to their exhausted mother, a beaming father rushing in to see the little miracles that had come into his life.
The naming ceremony that followed was traditional for a Rilan, the priestess meditating on each child, bringing her mind into Silmorne to seek the true name of each child so they might be protected against its abuse. It never was meant to be a long ceremony, true names tended to be easy to find for a priestess as old as the one that traveled with them, and she did indeed find the names easily…or so she thought at first. An oddity occurred, however, as more names appeared. Surprised, she informed the parents of the occurrence and turned to the Force (“The Winds” in Rilan culture) to see what the correct choice might be. Twisted and shrouded paths she saw for the children, woven with many possibilities and many outcomes…this was the reason for the multitude of names she decided and returned once more to Silmorne with the knowledge she had gathered. There, before the great tree that stood as a beacon of life, knowledge, and hope to her people, she searched once more for the names of the children…
As the priestess delved into the spiritual connection of her people the great tree silently held its vigil for her search. It was only a matter of minutes before Silmourne gave her the answer she sought. From above her a single cloud passed overhead and a gentle rain began to fall. At first she worried about its meaning but soon the droplets turned silver and a warmth radiated where they struck. As the water pooled around the roots of the great tree the priestess looked into them and saw her own face as in a mirror. Her concern melted away as she gleaned the child's name; Arjento.
Broken Family
A routine settled into the household once more after the birth of the twins, Ronan worked in the fields during the day while Jorlia and the priestess watched the babies, and in the evening when he would return he would watch the children while Jorlia would cook, and by that time it was dark enough to sleep. This routine lasted for nearly a year with only minor deviations, and the two children were more than happy. It was already obvious that the two had inherited force abilities from their parents and would need training when they were older, which they would receive from their parents and the priestess…this, however, was never to be.
Several days after their first birthday, the crawling and precocious twins were playing in their room together. Jorlia was cooking, and Ronan was fixing a broken plow behind the house as the priestess kept an eye on the room with the twins. It happened swiftly, and even for the force using family there was no time to prepare. Ronan was the first to feel the attack coming…hurrying inside he informed the others. The priestess, old as she was, knew she wouldn’t be of much help and so she told Jorlia and Ronan to go to the capital city of Tecave not far away and to seek the help of the jedi if they could. Taking the babies, Jorlia and Ronan split up and ran for their lives as their home burned an angry orange behind them. They knew they stood a better chance apart, the assassin couldn’t chase both of them at once after all, and so Ronan took Latus and Jorlia took Talau with the agreement that they would meet up at the Council of Elders in the Capital.
Running through the inky night, Ronan called on the force to give him speed and reached the city by noon the next day. Arriving on the outskirts of the city, the assassin was not far behind him determined to kill the last descendants. It was here that he met several ‘outsiders’ who had just come from the city, requesting permission to stay on the planet. The couple was his only hope at the moment and so he begged them to take his son. He couldn’t be caught with the boy. Stunned and uncertain, the couple agreed…it was obvious the man was desperate. Without a clue as to what to do next, the humans went on their way unknowing that only minutes later, the boy’s father was murdered.
The appearance of the strange child and the even stranger man who besought them acted as a beacon to the human couple, a merchant family from one of the smaller outlying settlements. They had just arrived in the city, eloping to start their new life together. Quite unsure of the babe's fate or destiny they did the only thing they could, hide the presence. They feared the man's last words to them; "I cannot be caught with my Latus! Take him!" The stunned couple, unsure of what to do with the infant decided to take the child with them, afraid of possible repercussions should they give the child up. That very same evening they boarded a transport cruiser for Coruscant with what few possessions they brought with them. Like the infant in their hands the I'tans decided to start their own new life on a new planet.
Hardships and Discovery
Once the family reached Coruscant their hardships increased. The dowry from Sopheia marriage to Matej I'tan, which the newlyweds had intended to open a small restaurant with on Cerea, wasn't sufficient enough on the planet. However the couple were determined to care for their new child in all their capacity. Storing all of the credits from the dowry they bought a cheap flat in the suburban area of the the factory district. It was hot, smelly, and cramped but the pair were determined to move foreword. Matej took a job as a handyman, repairing things from comlinks to speeders out of the parking lot for the apartment complex. Sopheia pulled graveyard at one of the many human and semi-human diners situated in that sector. The child was passed between the two as they could, their limited attention payed to Latus as they could.
Every spare credit was saved for a rainy day and there were many times when things were tight but after a year of very hard work and perseverence the couple compounded on Matej's skill with his hands and opened up a small speeder garage in a better sector of the Coruscant merchant district. Matej's business sense was something of a marvel as he quickly built a reputation by word of mouth and ends were met easier and easier. Eventually Sopheia was able to quit her job to stay at home to raise little Latus. Life was still hard but the family was finally doing better than just surviving.
Every now and then Latus would accompany his father in the garage, sitting in his playpen as his father worked. Even for all the noise the tyke seemed at home amongst the machinery. One evening a customer came in to pay for the services rendered by Matej. The father's prices were not cheap but worth every credit but the customer sought to cheat the man out of his wage. As the stranger slid the credit chip across the table and lied to Matej that everything was accounted for Latus began to cry. The wail was enough to bring Sopheia out to see what was wrong. As she picked him up Matej reached for the chip. Matej, concerned, could only wonder as the mother and son fled inside while the customer, shaken by the turn of events pair for the work in full.
This event got the pair to thinking about the possibility of their strange son having the gift of the force. They had long since discovered his changing eye color and wondered if someday he would be taken away from them for training in the ways of a jedi. Accepting the inevitable the family returned to life as normal. Later realizing that his son had unwittingly deterred a thief Matej insisted that his son spend more time in the workshop with him, an idea that Sopheia begrudgingly agreed to.
For several years following the family led relatively uninteresting lives. Latus' outbursts of force potency were few and far between and limited to outbursts of crying at strange times. As he grew Latus still spent a lot of time with his father in the garage where he showed an aptitude for mechanical systems. By five he could probably have taken apart a speeder engine and put it back together... if Matej had let him. However, rather than continue his life in the garage he was taken before the Jedi Order and put to their test, one which he easily passed. Sopheia explained all that had happened over the years, how he had come to their custody, and about his eyes and manifesting force powers. The order imediately recognized Latus as a Rilan though they said nothing about it to either of the human parents. After short deliberation the order accepted him as a youngling and, after a tearful goodbye, left the I'tans for a life of a jedi.
A Youngling Life
What happens to a child when he is pulled away from his parents and thrust into a strange world? Exactly what happened to the young Latus; he turned inward. He rarely got to spend time with anyone but his parents and, as such, never made real friends. He went from the loving arms of his parents to the comparative arms of the droids that tended the youngest of the younglings in the council's care. However, under the kind and watchful eyes of the Jedi who cared for the children Latus soon opened up though he tended to keep to himself when around the other children. The caretakers figured that the massive group of his peers may have turned out to be more intimidating than the boy was used to.
When actual training commenced a few months later Latus was placed into the Wolf Clan of younglings. As the minders predicted the boy soon found his place among a small handful of other children, some human and others not. During the teaching sessions Latus showed the spark of intelligence but in a very reserved manner; shyly raising his hand, speaking very softly and so on. In practical use lessons Latus didn't stand out more than the other students, nor did he want to. Everything about this place, though he had finally started to get used to it, had something that intimidated him. It wasn't that he was scared to try the slew of new things that were being shown to him at once but he was almost hesitant to use his powers thought he barely even knew that they were.
Thirteen months into his training he made friends with someone new. She had approached him to ask if he had wanted to play; her name was Talau. At first he wanted to refuse but when he saw her eyes and the shifting and changing colors that were so like his he timidly accepted. After meeting her the times between lessons brightened immensely, he felt like he could be himself. Even the minders saw the growing confidence in the boy and were happy that he had found a friend that could bring him out of his shell. He also met another boy from the Soaring Hawkbats clan, named Ryn, and the trio became nigh inseparable after a very short while. Until then Latus had never been much for sparring, both Talau and Ryn served to fill that niche and his performance in his training sessions improved hand over fist.
For the first time in his life young Latus descended into a routine. Like the other children he loved the time between his studies when he could spar, play, and be himself. He had finally come out of his shell and with the guidance and support of the jedi who raised him and the friendship of Talau and Ryn Latus became embroiled in the study of the force.
The Next Step
Years passed and the training intensified, Latus passed out of his early years and into the capable age of 8. Murmurs among the younglings began to circulate that the next stage, the padawan-master relationship, was close for this latest group of potentials. Slowly the groups, the clans, were splintered as, one by one masters chose their apprentices. Ryn's master, a duros, was a what he had imagined of the pure jedi knight; the master of the light side. He was almost envious to see his friend go but could only give him a friendly smile as they parted; Ryn was on his way to being a true jedi. With Talaus it was different. Latus had seen her skills in healing and watched her dealings with Master Skoal. When she left suddenly one day he spent several days in a deep depression; almost as if he had lost one side of himself.
In the following days the depression didn't lift and he could almost feel himself drifting back to his earliest childhood memories of loneliness. That changed one evening as he stood in the sparring chambers, his small lightsaber grasped tightly in his hands. All of the others had been chosen but he remained. Trying hard to get his mind off the events of the past few days and weeks he spun into his Shii-Cho routine trying to throw off his misery in the blur of movement. However, he was still depressed his focus was low. Not two minutes into the routine he tripped, dropping his lightsaber which instantly deactivated. The cylinder rolled until it was stopped by the foot of someone who entered silently. Clearing his eyes Latus looked into the face of the stranger; a Draethos jedi.
The outward appearance of the strange alien was intimidating, Latus didn't know what to say. Without a word the Jedi gently lifted the training saber with the force and returned it to the frightened young man. In a flash the Draethos palmed his own saber and ignited it with a brilliant flash of silver driving Latus back a single step. The voice that came then was not in one of voice, but a resounding command in his head; this frightened him even more.
Come at me.
Not knowing what else to do Latus ignited the tiny training saber and rushed the imposing figure, using his training to push the fear from his mind. The first few swings were wild and unfocused and easily deflected but the jedi only blocked, never returned the attack. Concentrate, child. Doing as he said Latus poured his knowledge of the force into his movements and his swings became cleaner, more directed. The strikes increased in intensity but never once did the older jedi give an inch. Good. Good.
The youngling thought he should have been angry at the jedi but it wasn't arrogance that he sensed, it was a calmness, an even sense of things. Figuring he had nothing to lose Latus put everythign he had behind the blows, the swings, the steps. He heard the strikes increase in intensity even higher, the connections cracking with enough force to echo loudly throughout the hall. In one swing he struck high, then low and, with an almost involuntary thrust of the force felt himself thrown upward over the jedi with surprising ease, coordination, and speed. As he landed his saber spun to strike the older jedi but stopped just short of contact, held in place like it had been immersed in duracrete. For a moment the youngling stood still unable to look up, so deep was his concentration. When he finally did the jedi seemed to be smiling. He was unable to tell by the facial features but somehow, in the eyes and through the force, he knew. He felt the strength of this jedi, the beacon of light in the dark, but felt something more, something darker. It wasn't the dark side but more of a gray tint. Still speaking with his mind the older jedi knelt before Latus to allow him to look into the boy's eyes.
My name is Thelakk-Ni, child. I suppose you will have to call me Master Ni from now on.
A Surprising Change
Master Ni and his newly christened Padawan departed from the Jedi Temple early the next morning. Latus, excited to finally begin his true jedi training, was unable to sleep that night. He met Master Ni on the landing pad expecting grandeur; the Jedi's own ship. When they boarded the shuttle to the spaceport he was apprehensive. Master Ni must have sensed his trepidation and, as the pair joined the other wanderers of the galaxy in the cargo hold of the bulk transport the older Jedi looked deeply into the boy's eyes.
The jedi are no different from commoners. The Draethos continued to speak directly to his mind. You will need to learn that, learn humility before you can even have a hope of becoming a jedi.
But we have the force; that makes us different. Makes us better!
That doesn't make us different.
In a flash Master Ni reached out to grab Latus' arm.
This flesh is no different from that of the beggar on the street, from the entertainer, the politician, the Chancellor of the Republic. The force is not a tool; this you shall soon learn.
Latus tried to argue but Master Ni would say no more, descending into a powerful trance-like state. The trip took several days and, through it all the master did not move a muscle. The boy tried to emulate the trance but, with his limited knowledge only served to frustrate himself. He hadn't even been told the destination. With nothing else to do he settled in for the long journey, one that he hadn't expected to feel so lonely.
Every time the transport stopped he expected Ni to stand but each time the Master Jedi remained seated. Through half a dozen world the pair remained aboard until, finally, as the ship was setting down the Jedi's eyes opened. Looking down he stared at his padawan and motioned to the exit. The pair disembarked, rolling hills of green stretching out before them' they had landed on Dantooine.
Between breaths of wonder Latus asked if they were going to learn of the force on the Jedi populous planet. His Draethos master simply looked at him with cold eyes and motioned him to walk. Boarding a speeder they vanished over the rolling horizon. Before too long they reached a small camp in the center of the vast plain several miles from the nearest forest and overlooking a small stream. Again Latus became apprehensive; this was not what he had imagined at all. Before long they had unpacked and settled in, Latus on a small cot outside the obviously spacious tent. As night fell and the temperature dropped the padawan shivered and cried himself to sleep. Throughout everything that happened that day, the Draethos did not speak.
The Padawan Learning
For one year the pair lived on that grassy plain. Each day was the same and for thefirst few months one ran into the next. Every morning he carried water from the small stream for breakfast over a hand lit fire. Until lunch the pair sparred, then meditated, all without the aid of the force. Once or twice Latus tried, only to be silently reprimanded my Master Ni who, more often than not, physically corrected the boy. Not once did he beat his padawan but if a chair was pulled out, a pile of wood stacked, or the force abused in such a manner the Jedi would push the chair back in or knock the pile over. At first Latus was crestfallen at this but eventually he remembered the Master's words on the transport and he gradually got used to this new life. The Temple didn't discourage force usage and, after being "addicted" for so long, it was refreshing to live without it.
As the weeks passed and Latus adjusted he noticed a change in his master's attitude toward him. Ni saw that his padawan had begun to realize the truth in his words but the training continued even though some things changed. The sparring became focused more on technique than strength, the meditations were less lonely, and Latus' small cot was moved into the tent; a true relationship was blooming and the pair became fast, silent friends.
The silence ended when the pair were in the far forests collecting firewood. The pair had split up to cover more ground and neither had seen any predatory animals in the forest since they had arrived. As Latus crested a small rise he received a bit of a shock as he almost tripped over a Kath hound and her three pups. To retain his balance Latus was forced to drop the firewood which registered as a threat to the mother Kath who immediately went defensive. Not knowing what else to do, and without anything to defend himself, he had left his saber in camp, he dove into the force. Slowly he put his hands up in a submissive gesture and reached out to the creature. After having been separated from the force for so long he could much more clearly feel the ebb and flow of its currents and eddys as he gently tried to calm the territorial creature. Slowly and with a level of concentration he had learned from his master, the Kath hound shook its head and walked back to where its pups were sleeping. Sighing in relief Latus fell to a seat.
You understand. Knowledge and defense. This is the true power of the force.
Latus looked to his Master who stood behind him, eyes smiling.
But master... I failed. I used the force.
Indeed but not vainly, not trivially. You learned one of the most important lessons today. Come; your real training begins.
For what remained of that short year Master Ni increased the intensity of the training but in more depth. The Latus learned to read moves, postures, subtle things about fighting. He learned how to communicate through the force and soon the pair only talked through that media. To the padawan it came easily and Master Ni, whom he discovered was a mute, was all too happy to accept the change. Latus learned new things every day, small niches for certain plants and bugs were accepted and absorbed by the boy. With a very strong grasp on Shii-Cho, Ni moved on to Makashii which brought the pair even closer as their spars became ever more heated. Expounding on their first meeting Ni also introduced Latus to Ataru which exploited the boy's natural affinity with the physical applications of the force. It even surprised Ni to a degree how quickly his padawan developed but it only drove the master to introduce things more quickly and to a higher degree of difficulty some of which Latus struggled with.
His master also took to teaching him some of the basic languages that he might encounter among the stars. Some of the most rudimentary skills he taught consisted of Bocce and Binary, two languages of the space lanes, Dosh the language of his own people, and even a few words of the old sith language. This knowledge, even basic as it was, gave Latus a broader understanding of the many different ways that all species interacted with each other.
All too soon the year ended. As the pair boarded the transport back to Coruscant, Ni placed his hand on Latus' shoulder brushing the Padawan's braid. You are well on your way, young one.
The Path of a Padawan
For a time the pair returned to the Jedi Temple. Master Ni returned Latus to the safe keeping of the temple handlers on the promise; I must consult with the council on assignments we are to take. I shall return in one week, make the most of it.
For the first few days Latus didn't know what he should do. The routine that was still etched into his memory inspired him to keep working, reviewing and perfecting the techniques Ni had taught him. Hours were spent in the sparring rooms, the meditation chambers, the Art of Movement arena; he had become obsessed with surpassing his best. Once again he met up with Tal and Ryn, both having returned from their first bit of training with their masters and that broke his routine. Stories were shared, spars were fought; they raced, ate, laughed together as though they were younglings again.
But several days in the changes between the trio became more apparent. Ryn departed with his master on a council assignment before Latus really had a chance to catch up. Talau had been developing her healing skills, learning a form of hand to hand combat Latus has barely heard about, and developing quickly as a woman and a padawan. He was not jealous, only happy that she had progressed so far. On the fourth day she left as well leaving Latus with much to consider. As the last days marched by the padawan's chief thought was his own specialization; what was it?
Latus wouldn't receive that answer for several years. In the mean time he dedicated himself to the assignments, to proxying his master's movements and skills. The assignments the pair were sent on tended to be diplomatic, something that Latus found himself enjoying. He was seeing the universe, being trained as a jedi by someone he respected, and learning all the time. Master Ni continued to drill him on his saber technique, adding Broken Gate lessons in to break the routine. However, he also stimulated a sense of critical thinking in Latus. From what he had learned on Dantooine he no longer viewed the force as a tool but there was more to the argument.
Ni Taught him many sides of the perspective upon which the force played. The light side always spoke of defense but they were forced to attack every now and then, the dark very similarly. Latus knew the dark side was the road to corruption but, as these lessons continued, he no longer feared it. It was a respect that replaced the fear for if he knew how the sith operated mentally;
You will know how to fight them.
As Latus grew the diplomatic missions faded away, replaced by tasks that included stealth, espionage, and ultimately combat. In most of these combat situations Latus would use the tecnique of force persuasion that Ni had taught him to hide, observe, and stay out of danger. It was after one of these missions that Ni failed to notice Latus while he was hiding in plain sight. Both master and apprentice were surprised and Latus finally found something he was gifted at.
Soon the meditation sessions between the pair included gently bending light, sensing lies, forcing eyes to pass without seeing, and manipulating small illusions. The physical portions included more jumping, running, movement enhanced by the force than Shii-Cho or Masakii. Ataru quickly became Latus' favorite style when fighting with lightsabers. Whats more, during their travels neither of them used more than they had to. The sparring, the meditation exercises, and the missions were the limit. Even the debating that took place in their minds seemed to leave the realm of the force behind for something that felt more natural; only Master Ni knew the truth, that his apprentice was inhuman but thought for sure that he knew.
When Ni told Latus he was ready to make his first lightsaber the young man was immensely happy. He chose a yellow crystal and a shorter, more mobile blade chassis. Master Ni instructed him in the construction of his weapon, the mark of a Jedi of the Republic. As the final piece slid into place Ni nodded at the passable piece of work.
You still have a long way to go, my apprentice. The next blade you assemble will be more difficult as your understanding for the force increases. This may take months, years, but perfection cannot be rushed.
Though Latus was proud of his blade he saw the opportunity to make his next a challenge but was unsure of how an improved knowledge in the force would change anything.
End of a Legacy
At nineteen years of age Latus had become strong and confident, one skilled in the force and its practices, both physical and theoretical. His life with his master had been one filled with the force even though they kept themselves as remote from it as they could. Latus' affinity for tricking the mind had advanced at an incredibly rapid pace. Ni's only reaction after he avoided conflict by convincing the squad of soldiers that their blasters were plastic toys.
You, my boy, could convince the Galaxy's stingiest Rodian to give away his every possession.
Everything changed, however, on a mission to the Outer Rim. It was a simple border dispute mission that had one set of militia pitted against another. The council, realizing that a jedi could both quell the problem and be seen as a good PR move sent the pair who they saw as needing a small break. The meeting place was aboard one of two privately owned Corvettes on the edge of both system's space, several light years from either planet.
When the pair boarded they were accosted by both sides barking their petty squabbles, of which none were particularly conflict worthy. Thus began the days long debate between ruling bodies over resourcing rights, trade route taxation, and so on. Master Ni sat at the conference tables while, from several rooms over, Latus sat and meditated over the different information being directed to him through their telepathic link.
Something is wrong with this whole picture. It feels like there is something else at work here.
I agree master. I will give this ship the once over? See if something in the immediate environment is causing the problem?
Your insight serves you well. Do so. Keep me informed.
And Latus did indeed search the large Corvette. The conferences gave no indication of ceasing so the padawan had all the time in the galaxy. He began in the engine room, somewhere with a level of power to project a negative energy field or some such madness. Since the pair had been traveling in their own ship Latus had gotten more adept at working with machines through the force as well as piloting; maybe that was why the council had sent them in the first place. He didn't know. However there was nothing in the engine room, nothing in the storage bays or communications. Only when he broadened his search did he finally feel it. A cloud of the dark side hung over the corvettes. However, at that moment it was stronger over the other, the feeling drawing closer.
A feeling of dread washed over him and he turned on his heel and used the force to expedite him back to Master Ni; something was indeed wrong. Before he made it back to the conference room the ship rocked as an explosion tore out the engine compartment knocking Latus to his feet. When he finally reached the conference room Master Ni was just leaving, covered in blood and marked in a few places with blaster rounds. He thought only one word as his eyes burned; Latus drew his lightsaber.
I felt it too!
Master...?
I'm fine. The Kath-mutts who called this meeting are using it to stage a coup, killed the other dignitaries and tried to kill me.
The battle that followed was as intense as it was bloody. Extremists boarded the ship lead by a single dark jedi who must have been in it for the credits. The pair fought only when they had to and in the chaos Master Ni was shot several times protecting Latus. When they finally reached their ship to escape Master Ni stopped and turned; the dark jedi, garbed in dark black and red robes had found them.
Latus had never seen his master fight so ferociously, but the dark jedi matched him blow for blow. Frozen in place the padawan could only stare as the pair dueled. In one fell stroke the tide turned and the dark jedi severed Master Ni's head from his shoulders and the Draethos' body fell limp. Crying out in anguish Latus drew his own lightsaber and charged the monster who had killed his friend, his master.
Launching himself at the dark one he felt a twang of nostalgia to the fight; it was as though he was fighting Master Ni for the first time all over again. Soon he overcame his pain and focused on the fight. The dark one, who at first seemed to have the upper hand, was unprepared for the much nimbler padawan who leaped over, around his enemy, off the walls and hull of ships. Even with his skill the dark jedi managed to fend off the scattered assault and knock Latus back until they were staring each other down. A dark grin overcame the man who slowly began to step forward. Latus, on the other hand, could only think of his reliance in the force, his lost master, and his knack with persuasion. Nothing seemed to be working.
He could only concentrate. As his target stalked closer, savoring the kill Latus dove into himself, bringing his level of meditation up higher than he ever thought possible. Opening his eyes he saw his Master there, standing beside him. Surprisingly, his enemy did as well. A look of shock and fear crossed the dark jedi's face as it continued to stare at the padawan. Undaunted Latus flowed into Makashii, striking in powerful strokes and driving the dark jedi back. The confused enemy thought he was fighting a padawan but now, both physically and spiritually, he seemed to be fighting a master!
As the battle reached its crescendo another battle rocked the landing bay, the concussion throwing the two combatants against the far wall and destroying Ni's ship. Latus recovered first and rammed his yellow lightsaber into the man's chest. With his death rattle the padawan was already running, summoning the lightsaber of his master to his free hand. Sirens blared as he made his way to the escape pods. In an instant he was in and rocketing away from the corvettes as both were engulfed in a massive fireball of metal and glass.
Even in the escape pod the nearest friendly planet was weeks away and the padawan knew the food would not last half that long. Knowing there was only one way to survive Latus settled down on the padded seats, turned off all but the reserve power and life support, and closed his eyes. He pulled the force inward dropping himself into a state of the deepest meditation.
In the dark of the escape pod Latus slept the sleep of a jedi, his mind passing far and wide, crossing over hundreds of different subjects. He saw things he never could have fathomed before, the birth of suns, the death of a species. He saw himself change over the past decade to be a strong and confident young man. But what his strongest vision contained would haunt him forever. He saw a baby carried by a man given to two people, two people who he loved and knew as his parents. He saw the same man murdered as though it was being committed right before his eyes. He saw a woman carrying a child who she left on the doorstep of a monastery, the woman killed in the same way while the daughter survived. But try as he might he could not see any more.
His spirit roamed the galaxy for weeks, asking questions of things that would not answer, learning things again that would only be seen as common sense but from the nonsensical perspective. Latus' mind argued and debated with itself over the old questions he had when he was a child of how the force was to be used only to steel his modern viewpoints and set him on the road to learning again. But the question he didn't receive an answer for still revolved around the other baby, the one in his vision.
The visions came to an end when a passing merchant out of Alderaan scooped his escape pod for the salvage. Imagine the man's surprise when he found the Jedi, cold as death, spring to life after getting a smell of fresh food. That evening after Latus had eaten nearly 5000 calories, the merchant finally asked the question.
So... uh, where can I take you?
Take me somewhere but I don't need to go anywhere or... wait. There was somewhere I needed to go isn't there. Coruscant, my good man. And keep the food coming!
A Jedi Knight
Latus told the Council everything. From the dark cloud over the corvettes to the battle, to the death of his master and the defeat of the dark jedi. Each of them listened without a mote of emotion or change in their faces. When he finished Latus was unsure as to if he had done something wrong or committed dereliction of duty or what. Master Ni's lightsaber lay before him, glittering in the early morning light. They say in relative silence for a few moments, conversing among themselves low enough so Latus could not hear. Sighing he put his head down, unsure of whether to stand, move, breathe.
"Step forward, Padawan."
In an instant Latus was on his feet ready to take the good with the bad, ready to suffer whatever punishment they had in store. He screwed up... big time. If he hadn't have been so cowardly and hid his master would still be alive.
"Kneel." Latus did so with a look of pained guilt coating his face. The High Councilor stood and picked up Master Ni's lightsaber, activated it. Cringing Latus waited for the strike that did not come, but the buzz and the heat of the saber built on one of his shoulder, then abated to reappear on the other. What was this?
"Latus I'Tan, by the right of the Council, by the will of the Force, I dub thee, Jedi Knight of the Republic."
For a moment Latus was stunned. A knight? Him? He looked up as the Councilor deactivated the saber, popped the crystal chamber and pulled out the unique silver crystal.
"Honor his memory with this, Sentinel."
A tear ran down his cheek as Latus begrudgingly accepted the crystal that he admired for such a long time.
The Shadow Knows
With Latus' new station came a new sense of duty. He was bound and determined to live up to the crystal he had been given and, by his request he took several weeks leave after the whole ordeal with the corvettes. He compounded his reasons to the council asking for some time to construct a new lightsaber; they agreed. Latus found that Ni was right when it came to constructing a true lightsaber. For those weeks he barely slept and ate often to keep his strength up. He spent most of the time in the jedi archives researching methods of construction, materials, what the handle and trigger placement, and so on. He wanted the blade to be perfect.
After two weeks he had finally decided on the type of saber it should be, almost as if guided by Ni's hand itself. It would be a dual phase lightsaber, one the yellow color to symbolize what the pair had together, the silver so he would never forget his master or what he stood for. On the twenty-second morning he took the materials into one of the construction chambers; the jedi didn't exit until noon three days later holding a saber of exquisite build and shape. When he finally fell asleep he was out for nearly a full day.
In the weeks that followed Latus was given his new assignment, one that played to his strengths and that would teach him to use the powers of the force to rid the galaxy of the practitioners of the dark side. He wondered if the galaxy had a sense of irony as he hesitantly accepted the probationary post of Shadow. If he could complete the missions he received efficiently he would be promoted to a full shadow with everythign that entailed.
So he was given a ship and a target. Nothing else. For the next month he researched the target, got close, planned the strike, exploited those who could be persuaded, and, when it was time delivered the blow cleanly. He did it not for the position but for his master. Only once did he wonder if Ni had been readying him for just this position; then he plunged the lightsaber into his target.
He returned to the council with news of his sucess and, after several hours of reviewing the intel from the mission accepted him into the ranks of the Jedi Shadows.
Now Latus spends very little time on the core worlds. He lives out of his ship, receiving information directly from his handlers of who to kill, who to avoid, and how long the missions will take. It is not uncommon for him to take more than a year to complete a mission but one had completely stumped him. At this point he has not been heard from for two years, the last contact just before his 22nd birthday. No one knows where he is, what he is doing, or if he still works for the council.
Lightsaber: Silbernes, Single blade, Dual-Phase
Color: Silver, Dull Sheen
Practiced Lightsaber forms:
Mark a skill with N/A if you’re character has no experience in it
Shii-Cho: 5
Makashi: 1
Soresu: 1
Ataru: 3
Juyo: N/A (Wants to learn)
Force-Sensitive Abilities or practices:
Telekinetic: 2
Telepathic: 6
Body: 7
Sense: 5
Protection: 5
Healing: 1
Destruction: 1
Specialized Skills: (for skills with stats, 1-10 basis of aptitude)
Force Illusion (Basic)
Force Persuasion
Force Speed
Force Jump
Telepathy: race related. Only used in communication
Mechanical Aptitude: 5
Piloting 6
Flowing Water 4
Languages:
Binary: Comprehend
Bocce: 1
Dosh: Comprehend
Sith: Very Basic
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 5
Intelligence: 6
Speed: 7
Leadership: 3
Unarmed: 2
Melee Weapons: 7
Ranged Weapons: 4
Force Attunement: 2
RP Sample:
And you're sure he will be at this location waiting for you? I don't want to to get shot over a little... misunderstanding.
"No, Mr. Bell. I assure you everything is as I said it would be. My supplier knows that you wanted to meet with him, I even gave him your credentials myself. There isn't a problem, is there?"
The squirrelly man stared across the table at his visitor; the graying hairs, the glasses and engraved datapad, brown suit coat and well hidden guard .Who would have known that such a fine, upstanding member of the Alderaan Senate was so well connected, or financed. Hell if Sneaky pulled this off he would be able to retire in luxury. At least that was what Mr. Bell had said. It was so common for politicians to go corrupt, he had seen it dozens of times, this one seemed to be no different.
No, not at all. Thank you for your help. I would offer you a cut for the assistance you've given me but you're probably sick of the smuggler's life. You should go home and think about alternatives for the future, this doesn't seem like the life for you.
The man had tented his fingers and looked hard. As he stared the diminutive man before him seemed to shrink even more as the thoughts seemed to catch and hum in his mind. "Mr. Bell" had done something like this a dozen times in the last month alone, dealing with smugglers and drug dealers. For his aim the end justified the means, especially if he wasn't actually hurting anyone. He glanced to the guard and nodded, the other human gave one of his own.
"You're right. Thanks for the help Mr. Bell, and I hope everything goes well for you. Next time you're in town I'll have to buy you a Corellian Whiskey."
Bell only nodded as the man stood and turned, leaving through the front arch of the open air cafe. The air was filled with speeders and, paying for the meager meal he stood. A ghost of a smile graced the edge of his lips as the bodyguard moved to follow. He said his farewells to the waitress he had seen since the place opened years ago and nodded to an old friend from the academy. The pair of men turned from the cafe and walked several blocks in silence only nodding or smiling at those who did so first. However, rather than continuing to the senatorial buildings of the Alderanian capital the pair turned down a shadowed alleyway.
Later this evening, far western block number 5 of the industrial district, come alone. Well that wont work well for you will it.
Bell turned to the bodyguard who blinked twice before fading away in the early evening twilight. The man smiled, taking off the glasses, the suit, the entire face all by simply relaxing his mind. After only an instant the man who claimed to be Senator Turian Bell no longer existed. Old Mr. Bell would have some odd stories next time he entered that particular cafe but it no longer mattered. Latus brushed his hair back and looked upwards between the buildings as the star began to sink lower.
Finally a step in the right direction.
