Getting a Reboot (Ninjabot, Lmr)

[Ghostie]

Well, I didn’t take her to be one who would have a lecture. Sirius thought. But he wasn’t getting into trouble. He thought it might be better to get into trouble though, and avoid the lecture. He felt a little humiliated. But a part of Sirius inside said at least he learned his lesson. Be direct.

"Be direct and to the point. If you don't want to talk to someone, tell them. Anything less than honesty is disrespectful. Unless they're your enemy. But I am not your enemy."

“I thought it would be disrespectful to come out and tell you I didn’t want to talk to you. I will not make that mistake again.”

"What's your name Padawan?"

“My name is Sirius, Sirius Kelrune Master Jedi.” Sirius had no idea why she wanted his name. He had expected her to send him on his way, wherever that may be after this. Sirius decided to take a chance and ask the Togruta her name; she seemed like someone he could learn a lot from.

“If I may ask, what is your name, Master Jedi? You've seemed to be the first person to talk to me since I've been stuck in the Temple who didnt want to say they're sorry.”

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Stuck in the Temple...

Teer's eyes took on a distant quality as she stared off into nothingness. She knew what it was like to be stuck, constrained into a single place when she would have been more comfortable with anything else.

She'd been relegated to the role of teacher for young Knights, with limited success. She was an excellent swordsman, and she knew how to provide instruction. But so many of the young Knights didn't understand how to receive instruction. Their egos got in the way, and they always made assumptions that their new titles meant there was nothing left to learn.

How wrong they were.

In all honesty, she should have been out in the field where she could do good. She was better at fighting Dark Jedi than she was at instructing egotistical young Knights. She wished more of them had been like her last Padawan: strong, respectful, dutiful, and loyal. And most of all, humble.

Her eyes focused again, resting on the young human. Belatedly she realized he'd asked a question.

"Teer Ka. My name is Teer Ka. And you're not the only one stuck in the Temple."

In some ways it was a prison. A magnificent one full of allies, but she still felt trapped and confined at times. Something she only hoped she'd get the chance to correct.

[Ghostie]

Sirius watched the Togruta’s eyes, as if she was staring into nothingness. It happened after he said he had been stuck in the Temple, and he wondered why such a thing would cause her to do that. Sirius quickly got his answer.

"Teer Ka. My name is Teer Ka. And you're not the only one stuck in the Temple."

So Master Teer Ka, and she was stuck inside the Jedi Temple also? Then she must know how he felt. Sirius found this a little strange though, that she was stuck inside the Temple. She was a Weapons Master. Shouldn’t she be off somewhere, fighting something? He had heard most of the Jedi Weapon Masters had joined the Blades, the group of Jedi that had decided to go to war. Sirius didn’t think they had the right idea, but he did think their hearts were in the right place.

Sirius dragged another chair around to Master Ka’s desk, sitting at the side of her desk and putting his bag down by the chair. It made a soft rattle, like metal hitting metal when he put it down. Sirius leaned slightly over the desk, and then focused on Teer Ka, as if she was teaching his something. He had his hands folded in his lap. He decided to ask Master Ka a question he had on his mind for the few weeks he had been stuck inside the Temple. Since she looked like a seasoned warrior maybe she would understand.

“Master Ka, do you mind if I ask you something? I mean, you look like a warrior, you’ll understand. I hope.” Sirius didn’t wait for an answer though, and he continued. “If you’re a warrior, why do you sit here in the Temple? Shouldn’t you be off fighting… something? I mean, other Jedi say its wrong to want to fight, but shouldn’t we want to fight the Sith and the dark jedi? They pose a threat to everything we stand for don’t they? Where is the harm in wiping them out, fighting them aggressively?” Sirius had to know the answer. He wanted to fight the dark jedi and the Sith after they had killed Master Wolf. He needed to look every dark jedi in the eye and ask them if betraying everything they knew was worth a little power that got them no where but destruction. Not mention they posed a threat to the Republic and the ordinary innocent people. Sirius saw no wrong in fighting them aggressively.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

“Master Ka, do you mind if I ask you something? I mean, you look like a warrior, you’ll understand. I hope.”

Teer didn't mind, she was used to answering questions. Everything from the inquiries by Younglings about her unusual saber or her scary scar, to inquisitive young Knights interested in Juyo. She did her best to be patient with all of them, even the dumb ones. She hoped Sirius wasn't about to ask one of those.

And she did look like a warrior to be honest. Steely gaze, battle scars, and an aura of confidence all gave that correct impression. The impression she'd been in more than her share of fights.

"If you’re a warrior, why do you sit here in the Temple? Shouldn’t you be off fighting… something? I mean, other Jedi say its wrong to want to fight, but shouldn’t we want to fight the Sith and the dark jedi? They pose a threat to everything we stand for don’t they? Where is the harm in wiping them out, fighting them aggressively?”

"I sit here in the Temple because those above me thought I would be more useful as an instructor than as a warrior. If it was solely up to me, we would be fighting the Sith right now across every corner of the galaxy to destroy their empire. We should hunt down the Dark Jedi and show them no quarter."

Teer sighed and leaned back in her chair wearily, her hands resting limply at her sides as if to accent the weariness of her voice. Even her determination seemed tired and distant. But she clung to it out of habit, like it was old leather. Comfortable.

"The Dark Jedi are a perversion of all that is good, and they constantly threaten us. If they had their way, all of us would be dead. Why should we feel any different about them? But I'm kept here instead, hoping to be of use to those in need of intense training. Someone has to show them the way Dark Jedi will fight, to show them when mercy becomes foolishness instead of a virtue."

The Togruta Weapons Master closed her eyes and focused on slowing her breathing, embracing the soothing and rhythmic pattern of it as a diversion from the subject matter of the conversation. It did have a tendency to make her tense. She had some sharp edges, and chief among them was the topic of Dark Jedi.

"Perhaps when you next go out on assignment with your master you can keep this in mind. Just in case you ever cross sabers with one of them."

[Ghostie]

"The Dark Jedi are a perversion of all that is good, and they constantly threaten us. If they had their way, all of us would be dead. Why should we feel any different about them? But I'm kept here instead, hoping to be of use to those in need of intense training. Someone has to show them the way Dark Jedi will fight, to show them when mercy becomes foolishness instead of a virtue."

Sirius soaked in all the Master Ka had to say. His eyes never waivered from her face and he listened to what she had to say. As Master Ka finished, Sirius turned to get up when she said something that made him stop.

"Perhaps when you next go out on assignment with your master you can keep this in mind. Just in case you ever cross sabers with one of them."

Sirius turned back around and sat back down. He interlocked his hands has they sat in his lap. Sirius lowered his head looked at his hands. Did his topic have to come up so much in one day? Couldn’t he get a break? He decided being truthful with Master Ka was the best option. He didn’t want to make her upset again.

“Well, Master Ka, remember how I told you I was stuck in the Temple?” Sirius looked back up at Master Ka. “Well, um… I’m stuck inside the Temple because my Master was killed.” Sirius puased for a moment, and when she didnt say anything, he continued on. “And that’s actually why I asked if it was wrong to want to fight dark jedi, because my master was killed by one. I've looked into careers as a Jedi Shadow and a Weapons Master, y'know fighting the dark jedi all the time." Sirius sighed and paused for a moment "But it’s been weeks, I’m afraid the Council is debating whether or not to send me off the Corps.”

Sirius sat there and looked back down at his hands. He just sat there thinking. Thinking about what Corp we would be sent to, thinking about what life would be like there, and thinking about how he would leave the Corps. Sirius became so lost in his thoughts he forgot he was sitting there with Master Ka.

"Al though, Im pretty sure I'ld leave the Corps."Sirius said out loud, forgetting who his audience was.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Teer frowned. The idea of a Padawan being sent to the Corps after losing his master? It was like punishing him for the actions of whatever Dark Jedi had killed his master. And that... that made her angry. It wasn't Sirius' fault that his master had been killed.

She wasn't about to let that injustice happen. Doubly so if, as the young human indicated, joining the Corps would cause him to leave the Order. Too many promising young Jedi who left wound up serving the Dark Side. It made her wary about allowing one to slip away from the Order so easily.

Increasingly she realized just how wrong it would be to let that happen. And a call to action emerged at the forefront of her thoughts. She wouldn't allow it to happen.

Master Ka rose to her feet, sliding the datapad she'd been examining back into the belt pouch it had come from. In a quick movement, she drew closer to Sirius and laid a red hand on his shoulder, reassuring him with the contact. When she spoke, her voice was surprisingly soft and gentle, with a lilting quality to it that was almost musical.

"I won't let that happen to you Sirius Kelrune. If you need another master, I am willing to take you as Padawan."

She stood there for a minute with her hand still softly touching the human before raising her voice to a slightly louder and more grave tone.

"If you accept that offer though, know that it won't be easy. I challenge all my Padawans. You will face many tests, and you will have to face my exacting standards. I will require your unquestioning loyalty, and nothing but the highest devotion to the Jedi Order. I will break you down, but I promise to build you up again better than before. As a master I am harsh, I am demanding, and I am difficult to please. But I can make a warrior out of you."

[Ghostie]

Sirius was a little shocked at first. He hadn’t even known Master Ka thirty minutes and she was already offering to be his new master. He sat there and looked down again, her hand still on his shoulder. Sirius thought about her offer.

It was true he didn’t know her that long or that well, but Sirius was still interested. Master Ka was a Weapons Master, someone he could learn a lot about combat from. But I can make a warrior out of you. This was exactly something Sirius wanted, he wanted to fight. Teer Ka would be a perfect master for his career as a Jedi after he became a Knight. Not to mention that becoming her padawans would get him out of the Corps.

But he was also doubtful. Master Ka said she was a harsh and demanding Master. Could Sirius meet her demands? He wasn’t sure. If Master Ka was harsh and demanding, Sirius last master was anything but. Master Ka also wanted his questioning loyalty. Sirius wasn’t sure if he was going to make that commitment, what if she died on him too?

Sirius decided to ask for a little while to make up his mind. Accepting to be the padawan of someone I hardly know isn’t something to be taken lightly he thought.

“Master Ka, do you mind if I take awhile to decide? Maybe sleep on it? You see, accepting to become the padawan of a Master I just met isn’t something to be decided upon lightly I think. But I have very interested.” Sirius looked up at Teer Ka, hoping she wasn’t going to be upset he didn’t accept… yet.

Sirius just remembered though that she originally wanted to speak with him, before he had upset her. “But I do believe you wanted to talk with me about something, before I upset you?”

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

"Do, that," Teer advised with a nod. It was always wisest to think out decisions when you weren't in combat. With time, you could afford to think differently. To her, it was a good sign he had to think about it.

She didn't need an impulsive move to net her an unwilling Padawan. If he did decide to learn from her, she wanted him ready to learn and willing to be challenged. She didn't pick Padawans she considered weak, or at least she hadn't so far.

Sirius was a different circumstance though. He was in need. For all she knew, he was terrible. A pathetic swordsman with no control over the Force. But she'd rather have difficulty turning a third-rate Padawan into a first-rate Knight than let him become a Dark Jedi, dead or otherwise.

Besides, there was always the chance he was a highly competent and motivated student with potential she could hone. She'd hope for that one.

“But I do believe you wanted to talk with me about something, before I upset you?”

Teer waved dismissively. "Its nothing. I just wanted to warn you about Xell Rayner. I'm not entirely sure he's all there."

[Ghostie]

Sirius grabbed his bag and got up from the chair. He smiled slightly as he did. Xell Rayner, not entirely there. Yeah, Sirius knew Xell Rayner wasn’t entirely there. In fact, it frequently made him laugh. Sirius then realized he should probably treat his one and only friend a little bit better.

Sirius turned around when he got up and looked at Master Ka. “Yeah, I know that Xell isn’t entirely all there. In fact, I frequently tease him about being a little crazy. But one friend is better than none right?” Sirius hefted his bag over his shoulder and around his neck. “In fact, I better check on him. I didn’t make the best comment towards him and he seemed pretty upset. Thank you for talking with me Master Ka, and I’ll let you know in the next day or two about my decision.”

Sirius walked away from the desk back towards where he and Xell had met. Becoming the padawans of a warrior who was willing to teach him how to fight the darkside? That was definitely something to consider, and something Sirius definitely wanted to do. Fight the dark side that is. And Master Ka seemed like she would make a great teacher.

As Sirius walked away from the desk, he thought his future as a Jedi looked pretty bright.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

A look of vindication appeared on Teer's red face. Sirius admitted it, Xell wasn't entirely there. She had outside confirmation for what she'd been increasingly suspicious of.

It should have been obvious actually. Somewhere between keeping a thimiar as a pet and promising to beat her with Niman, it should have become crystal clear.

Of course that meant he got a free pass with her now. She wasn't about to beat down a special needs Padawan. As painful as it was, she was going to feel obliged to be nice to him.

She nodded respectfully to Sirius as he turned and walked away, her eyes following him for a moment longer. Had she made the right choice in extending the offer? Or would anything even come of it for that matter? Teer honestly didn't know. But she'd done her best to ensure the young human stayed in the Order and stayed strong.

Still, she couldn't help but think of the last young human she'd taken as a Padawan. She'd trusted him, she'd taught him to the best of her ability. It hadn't been enough, he'd turned on the Order, leaving a young Padawan of his own dead and leading her on a chase across the galaxy until they'd faced off.

Then he'd died by her hand.

She'd mourned him, and burned his body in a pyre in a way befitting a Jedi. But that failure still resonated with her, and left a bitter taste in her mouth. She hoped fervidly that she'd never see a repetition of that scenario, but she still faced a resurgence of doubt over the concept of taking a new Padawan.

She'd already failed two of three times. Was she doomed to fail Sirius as well?

Teer sighed deeply and resumed staring at the star charts, in the hopes they'd give her some sort of reassurance.