Post by Juzt on Dec 5, 2012 4:00:00 GMT -5
Name: Reiko Shae
Race: Wroonian
Age: 24
Height: 5'7
Weight: 129 lbs
Appearance:
As with all members of her Race, Reiko sports blue skin in a perhaps a slightly darker shade than average. She also has in a light shade of blue on her right shoulder swirling tattoo designs common to the people of Wroona. Many would consider her attractive with long lustrous black hair, reaching almost to her waistline. She tends to like to leave it free normally with only a patterned tie, placed near the end of her hair. On other more formal occasions or when safety calls for it, she ties her hair back properly. Around the Jedi Temple, she tends to wear the robes commonly associated with the Jedi, although that is mainly for the benefit of Masters as she finds the typical robes to be stifling of her identity.
Outside of the order she prefers to wear the more ornate clothing of her species. Purple being a particularly favourite colour of hers it tends to feature a lot in her modes of dress. Being quite haughty and confident she likes that to be reflected in how she dresses often wearing bold sweeping garments. She has quite a proud and beautiful face, she walks with purpose and determination always exuding the feeling that she has the right to be barging in wherever she is. Her youth and beauty tend to attract attention. Attention she is often not keen to return.
Personality: Proud, haughty and arrogant are perfect words to describe her. She has almost total and complete belief in herself, doubt is an almost alien feeling to her. This self confidence sometimes makes her hard for other Jedi and indeed non-Jedi to deal with, as she is unbearable when she is right and when she is wrong she flies deep into a black depression. If she is shown without doubt to be in the wrong about an issue, she finds failure almost impossible to cope with. If failure occurs, it is so in conflict with her own self image that she becomes unapproachable and untrainable for some time. In such times she will retreat into her quarters with her wide and varied collection of music, or else storm around the temple and its surrounding area being rude to all she passes.
She is often not particularly useful in situations where diplomacy are required (although she thinks differently). This is because in situations involving non-Jedi she tends to feel that what a Jedi's word should be law. She also tends to have no internal monologue, she says what she thinks without attempting to moderate it to suit her audience. She also has an unfortunate tendency to interfere in aspects of her friends lives, sometimes making things worse by blundering in heavy footed. This is not because she is cruel, she genuinely has people's best interests at heart but she tends to be forthright in expressing her views. She is reckless and willingly puts herself in harms way for others, attempting to take on dangerous and difficult jobs herself. Her confidence in her ability leads her to believe that she is the one that must put herself in harms way. It is her responsibility, as she has the power in her view, to make the running for the good of other people.
Reiko, for all her bravado however, has some emotional weaknesses. While her ego, is huge it also has very weak foundations and it can be easily crushed throwing her into deep dark despair. This results in quite depressive behavior. As she wears her heart on her sleave she can be hurt emotionally very easily, and is frequently subject to bouts of anger and sadness. Deep within herself she longs for the childhood she only barely remembers. The fact that her family are well off and quite well known, means she knows who they are and she secretly harbours a desire to return to them.
Birth place: Wroona
Faction: Jedi Order
Rank: Knight (Guardian)
Lightsaber: Single, Single Phase www.randomsabers.com/saber.php?name=Piryte
(She also holds Jatt's double bladed saber, which has tried to learn how to use with limited success)
Color:Yellow
Practiced Lightsaber forms:
Shii-Cho 5
Ataru 4
Double Bladed Combat 0 (Just started learning)
Force-Sensitive Abilities or practices:
Telekinetic: 5
Telepathic: 2
Body: 5
Sense: 4
Protection: 3
Healing: 2
Destruction: 0
Specialized Skills: Force Valor
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 5
Intelligence: 4
Speed: 6
Leadership: 3
Unarmed: 5
Melee Weapons: 2
Ranged Weapons: 0
Bio:0-6 -Discovery
Reiko Shae, was born in one of the larger cities on Wroona to Ori and Misou Shae. Her father Ori, was an especially wealthy and well placed business man. Being a wealthy planet on a shortcut to a relatively rich hyperspace route, Jedi were not an uncommon site in the region and the planet had its own Jedi Watchman. With the Shae family being quite close to the planetary authority they frequently met the Jedi, Miran Tafo. She sensed that the the Child within the now heavily pregnant Misou was strong in the force, and thereafter made a point to keep a closer eye on the Shae family. When the baby was born, she was named for her paternal Grandmother who had started the Shae's business Empire. Her parents were determined that she would take over the family name and business in years to come. They wished to imbue her with the business acumen of the rest of the family.
Miran Tafo, eventually came to them and told them of their daughter's Force Sensitivity and that it was possible the Jedi would wish to take her on and see if she could be trained. Her family were delighted that she was special, but her parents both agreed that someone need to carry on the business and the family name and so refused the offer of sending their daughter to be trained. Miran was disappointed but of course accepted their decision. In the meantime as Reiko grew up she was treated to the very best of childcare, as her parents were frequently away on business trips. However her parents always returned and lavished gifts on her, as she grew old enough she had expensive tutors brought in. She was made to feel like the center of the Universe. However, her mother became pregnant again, and a few weeks removed from her sixth birthday her younger brother Nivian came along. She found difficult like most young children do to no longer being the center of attention, in her own simple childish way she began to wonder what it would be like to be a Jedi. Miran came to examine Nivian operating on the principle that Force Sensitivity often ran in families came to examine the boy and found him not to be Force Sensitive. The young Reiko asked of Miran whether she could become a Jedi to. Her parents were surprised but were much more relaxed about it this time as they had a son to take on the family business, and said that if she wanted to go she could. Miran agreed to take the Reiko to her home temple on Mustafarr to be trained.
Youngling 6-13
On a personal level Reiko found the transition to the Jedi order rather a challenge, she was no longer the center of the universe and found adults who she could not manipulate into doing as she said. In terms of learning the ways of the force she started slowly as an older student and struggled initially to get to terms with the the concepts and tenants relating to restraint of her emotions. However as she got older she really started to grasp the ways of the force and Lightsaber training. She became a fast learner for such things even if she found getting to grips with the way of life of the Jedi difficult.
During this time she also developed an interest in music which was cultivated by her teachers as a way of directing her emotions. She loved Jatz and Tattoine blues and many forms of music in between. She even learned to play a kloo horn, and sang sometimes. She had a a degree of skill but was apt to think she was better than she in fact was. During her time as a youngling Reiko never had many friends as many of the other young Jedi disliked her rude and abrupt personality. One of the few who could tolerate her moods and idiosyncrasies was Jatt Evas. He was in such sharp contrast to her, shy, friendly and modest. They made a strange pair Jatt quickly ended up being her sidekick and she indisputably tended to dominate him. However, there was an upside to their friendship, as Reiko tended to protect Jatt from those who tried to bully or mistreat him because of his good nature.
Jatt might have been a bit of a soft touch socially with other people but he was one of the more gifted younglings with a training saber and physically robust as well. This was the perfect situation for Reiko, who's was sometimes vicious, aggressive and overly competitive nature made other younglings wish to avoid training with her. Sparring sessions between the two could be quite intense and resulted in more than a few bumps and bruises, and in a strange way it only strengthened the bond between the two of them.
As Reiko approached thirteen, there was much debate amongst the Jedi on Mustafar over who was a suitable person to take her on as a Padawan. There was no doubt she was skilled with the help of her friend Jatt she had improved to being one of the most skilled students they had, if not the most skilled. However her she was arrogant and prone to emotional extremes and therefore perhaps difficult for to be a first time student of a new Knight for example. Reiko got quite despondent, she had done everything that was required the year before Jatt had been taken on, though he still came by to occasionally spar or talk with her he was often off on assignment with his Master. However her despondency would not last long...
Padawan 13-22
The Jedi Master Phlox Tu, was a Togruta, into his sixties. He had trained a few Padawans in his time and looked forward to virtual early retirement. However, many of the other Jedi decided he was the ideal candidate to take Reiko on. He was quite calm and sedate, but was perfectly capable of stamping his authority down when it was required. Reiko needed some of this treatment. Reluctantly at the behest of the other Jedi he went to see her training. He was impressed with her skill but less so her boisterous, competitive attitude. She seemed to question the Jedi instructors a lot frequently testing their calm. The old Togruta had to admit in and odd way he kind of liked her, as he remembered being young and rebellious once. Reiko for her part, was simply happy to have a Master for her it could have been anyone.
Phlox in the first few weeks began to build up a stronger idea of her skills and personality. Her true skills really lay in her speed and agility and martial prowess over control of her Force powers. Phlox thought the most natural thing to teach her, as she was progressing nicely with Shii Cho was Ataru. Ataru was fast paced and aggressive where the user of the form often used their abilities to assist their movements. To this end he gave her extensive training in the Force Valor ability. Physically one of its main disadvantages was how tiring it could be. Reiko while fit, would need to work harder in this area. So Phlox frequently sent her on runs through the forrests of Mustafar, even setting up one or two obstacles for her to get around. He also found it particularly helpful when she was in combative moods to send her on these runs, and sap the emotional energy out of her. In addition due to Atarus focuses it also lent itself to unarmed combat which Reiko also practiced and drilled through out her years as a Padawan.
Phlox very early on, was adamant that she should not make a lightsaber until he was absolutely certain she was ready for one. Reiko unsurprisingly thought she was ready for one straight away, and was getting frustrated with Phlox's softly softly approach. Reiko was still argumentative and combative and Phlox and she were finding it hard to get used to each other. Phlox really had to focus on what he was like when he was young even though Reiko was more reckless. He found that if she was truly wrong and he really put his foot down with her she would initially baulk and then would start to come down to his way of thinking. She liked to think she was an experienced Jedi but of course she knew she was not.
Over time, while still initially dissenting, she more quickly bowed to her Master's experience. She learned a great deal from him. Particularly in terms of her telekinetic and abilities that helped improve her body's speed and agility. From her personality and where her skills lay Phlox could see she was probably going to end up becoming a Guardian and it seemed to be where she wanted to go. That was how Phlox had started but now in his time as a Master he was working more towards being a consular. During this time she followed her Master on a few simple diplomatic missions though she frequently got him in trouble. While she deeply respected her Master she often did not see why people did not accept what he said as law. They were Jedi after all, who knew better than they. Phlox frequently tried to explain to her that Jedi did not always know best, and that people had to be allowed to go their own way. This was something she struggled with.
As Reiko hit 16, she had really begun to Master Shii-Cho and was working well with Ataru. Finally Phlox relented and thought it was time she start building her own Lightsaber. Not very technically minded she found the construction a bit of a challenge. However she worked hard to get it done, and when she did she ended up with a rather ornate design. Featuring copper coloured bands, switches and emitter. In many ways it was as flashy as the fighting style of Ataru. All she needed now was a crystal.
To this end her Master took her on a trip to Dantooine this was a few years before the Sith Invasion of the planet. It had been where Phlox had found the Crystal for his own saber. In the Crystal caves on the planet, one particular crystal called out to her. It glistened and shined with a Yellow hue, reminding Reiko of a star. She decided this would be the crystal she would use. Upon their return she completed her saber, and in her own distinctly 'modest' way thought it was the best saber ever made.
Phlox thought that the best thing for Reiko now was to begin to take her on more and harder missions. Teaching responsibility would be much easier he thought, if he gave her some. Her first real chance to use her abilities came with the an assassination attempt on the government of Mustafar. The Government buildings where the Mustafar authorities were holding a conference were bombed, and the attack was carried out by a group of hired mercenaries. Many of the Government ministers were either killed or injured. This was clearly an attempt to destabilise the region and undermine faith in the Jedi by performing the attack under their very noses. Phlox and his Padawan were sent to investigate a lead that the Jedi had, that the perpetrators originated from Taris. They were one of several groups of Jedi being sent to various suspected locations that the mercenaries could have come from. The Republic was eager to route out danger in their own territory.
Jatt and his own Master were also off on assignment and strangely Reiko felt a tight knot in her stomach about it. She talked to him the night before they were due to head off, and explained that she was worried and how precious he was to her. They then shared a chaste and shy kiss. Reiko was deeply confused and conflicted by the incident on the one hand there was the Jedi code and all the work she had done to better control her emotions, and her confusions over just how she felt about Jatt.
As she set off for the mission with her Master she did her best to try and forget the incident but it noticeably weighed heavily on her mind. She seemed stressed and distracted so much so the Phlox easily noticed. Her emotional states could be so transparent. Upon arriving at Taris, it seemed that they were on the correct track and had found the location of the mercenaries. They had a hideout in the lower city. Phlox decided to leave Reiko behind and break into the hideout himself. Once inside the hideout Phlox discovered bomb making equipment. This was defiantly the right place. The hideout however, was crawling with the mercenaries, Phlox doubted that this was a situation they could handle themselves. He met Reiko outside again and relayed his conclusions to her. Over, Reiko's protests that they could take them on alone, Phlox made contact with the other Jedi. The nearest two jedi were Jatt and his Master a Miralukan called Tiali Jonos. They kept an eye on the Hideout waiting for the other two to arrive a few hours later.
Jatt being there only increased her sense of anxiety, which she tried and failed to conceal, had Phlox not known Reiko so well he might have assumed she was worried about the up coming fight. He however was becoming suspicious of her behaviour. The four Jedi started to make their move working their way into the hideout. Within the hideout the two Masters began to sense a dark presence, a reasonably powerful one. This upped the stakes as there was possibly a Dark Jedi present. Oddly enough as before the Hideout seemed to be mostly deserted, they discovered the cause of this quickly . The base had a hangar bay and most of the inhabitants of the base seemed to be there loading up ships, being directed by two figures in black. They were clearly departing having realised that the Jedi would be on to them soon. Between the Jedi and the figures in black were a fair few mercenaries, there was no choice other than to fight to get the the dark figures who were clearly the source of the dark presence. The jedi made themselves known and the fight began. Reiko's odd behaviour continued she frequently leapt to Jatt's defense when he was in a tight spot and even when he was not. Her constant looking out for him resulted in her shoulder being grazed by a blaster bolt.
The field of mercs began to thin but Reiko was beginning to flag due to her injury and fighting not just the mercs before her but the ones before Jatt to. Finally the four jedi were confronted by unmistakeably two Dark Jedi Masters. During the ensuing duel, Reiko, really took a pounding, she was so reckless in her actions she was getting nicked by the Lightsabers of their opponents, again often in defense of Jatt. She was eventually knocked unconscious by sharp kick to the head, and was unable to see the Two Masters and Jatt defeat and kill the Dark Jedi.
Reiko, was sent to a medical center to recover, during which time both Masters got confirmation of what they already suspected from Jatt, and when she had recovered from Reiko to. Both of them confessed to be falling in love with each other. This put the Masters in a difficult situation, clearly from their perspective the two of them should be separated. Phlox decided to take his Padwan to Coruscant instead, while Tiali was to keep Jatt on Mustafar. Reiko, felt ashamed her emotions had again got the better of her, and while she loved Jatt very much, she knew that to be of any use her Masters were right and the relationship must end.
Jatt was unusually vocal and furious, completely disbelieving at how Reiko was letting this all happen, as he was prepared to leave the Order for her. In fact not long after their forced separation, Jatt surrendered his Lightsaber and departed the Order. Reiko took a very long time to recover from all that had happened. She was not usually prone to fits major depression and crises of confidence, but this was particularity bad, her training suffered for the duration of her depression. This was coupled with her moving to the larger temple at Coruscant. On Mustafar the relatively smaller number of Jedi had meant she was easily one of the best students. On Coruscant however she was in a far larger pool of Padawans and she began to feel distinctly less than average. During this time her music talents really improved fed by her negative feeling, she was even brought in to perform at functions and formal occasions at the Jedi temple.
Phlox let this process run for a little while but realised he needed to snap her out of it pretty quickly. She could be a very talented Jedi, if she worked hard enough but her emotionality was making that a challange. In order to rebuild her sense of confidence, he needed to combine encouragement and confrontation. He hit upon the right way to handle it. He was harsh in the training sessions pushing her more than ever before, but at every stage reminding her she had the potential to do anything, and it was only her holding herself back. Gradually she started to snap out of it and recover some of her swagger. Phlox realised under it all she was very fragile, and her image of confidence was a way of her compensating for her social insecurities.
Phlox over the next few years worked on ironing out her weaknesses or compensating for them by teaching her other things. He worked hard on improving her senses, as she was a very reckless fighter this would at least give her a better awareness of potential risks, rather than simply rushing in like she usually did. In combat, she became a very proficient acrobat with the assistance of the Force and her own natural physical skill. He also gave her practice in piloting, and while she had no great skill or aptitude for most things mechanical she made a passable pilot.
With her confidence coming on in leaps and bounds, Phlox felt safe to take her with him on missions again. For once her musical skills would come in handy. Their mission was to investigate a disturbing trend that had been occurring across the Galaxy. Many Force Sensitive children that the Jedi had identified had been abducted before they could be retrieved by the Jedi. One of the chief suspects was a Hutt on Nar Shaddaa called Kodo. It had come to their attention that one of his number was a Jedi who had left the order some years before. The Jedi were however not sure why such children were being taken. It was their job to infiltrate his base and find out why they needed them. Phlox proposed a plan, like many Hutts, Kodo was fond of women, food, drink, music and fine living. He suggested that Reiko audition to entertain the Hutt, quite a few people on Nar Shaddaa did it as Hutts were generous to those who impressed them in entertainment. The Council and even Reiko was a little unhappy with this plan. Phlox was confident that not only would he be able to save Reiko if things went wrong, but that she should be able undertake her side of things effectively.
Reiko was flattered by the faith her Master was showing in her and so was desperate to repay that faith.
The way to Nar Shaddaa, was uneventful, and she practiced and practiced getting as up to date as possible on the popular tunes of the region around Nar Shaddaa and Nal Hutta. She even ran over a few more old fashioned pieces, as nostalgia was very useful at getting people into something, and she needed desperately to convince them she was just a musician. The Old Togruta, told her she was to play a slave and he was playing her owner. Kodo was having a party and they were pretending she had been loaned out to the Hutt to form part of his entertainment. Phlox thought this was best, as Kodo was less likely to let his men mess around with Reiko if she was not his. Though of course Phlox was not invited and could not go with her, so of there was an element of risk, but they had an agreed time when the party was over that she was sneak back and let him in. Reiko was nervous of this plan for more than the obvious reason. She also felt out of her comfort zone infiltrating and doing things subtlety and what she was doing was dangerous. However, she felt determined to do it anyway.
This portion of the plan seemed to go correctly, aided by the large amounts of alcohol consumed by the guests and a good portion of the guards. Reiko and her Master Phlox scoured the palace for clues eventually discovering a datapad detailing the movements of force sensitive children to mining operations on Ryloth. It appeared the Hutt was using their latent sensory abilities, so they could be used to lead mining teams and sense cave ins and save the slaves who could be expensive. A Grey Jedi was working for Kodo to look for force sensitive children and train them a little in sensory skills.
Unfortunately their escape was not as uneventful, as their entry had been. During their attempt to leave Kodo's headquarters. They were confronted by the former Nautolan Jedi Niuk Frax, the one who Kodo had hired to take the children. Frax refused to surrender to the Jedi, and so there was only one option left. Phlox tried to overcome the Soresu favoured by Frax, with his force powers and his own use Soresu, while Reiko in her customary way tried to overpower him with her use of Ataru and her agility. Frax was skilled but against two opponents he was simply delaying the inevitable. Eventually, Reiko spotted an opening and was able to disable him, with a saber to his thigh. Reiko had to really restrain herself from killing Frax who, for his actions she saw as little more than a monster. Thankfully due to her Master's training in restraint had been able to resist such a feeling. They instead secured him, for transport to Courscant and in their message were also able to communicate what had happened to the Force Sensitive children. Very shortly afterwards, Republic forces and some Jedi raided the mines on Ryloth and were able to retrieve many of the children.
The Trials 22-24
As soon as Reiko hit twenty-two, she began pestering Phlox for the opportunity to take her trials. Phlox was quick to refuse. While a capable Jedi, she still lacked a degree of emotional and personal control. Something he was keen to minimise further if possible. This went on for some considerable time, eventually Reiko stopped asking. She calmed down and thought logically that as she was skilled it would be unlikely for her not to be made a Knight at some point. Master Phlox knew what he was doing and she should just be quiet and wait. A little while later, Master Phlox decided she was ready to be put forward for the trials. As with most things Master Phlox did this was a test of her patience which had improved greatly.
Trial of Spirit
Phlox, got the ball rolling with the trial of spirit, sitting with Reiko in a meditation chamber in case she got into any difficulties. Entering a meditative state, she saw herself being taunted and laughed at by Jatt and someone else who she could not quite make out but she knew that that person was female. The two of them were together and laughing at her, the humiliation and hurt welled up inside of her. She lashed out in a rage at both Jatt and this woman and killed them. The rest of her vision, showed her wandering alone and bitter in the Galaxy. She saw herself, knelt before an evil man in black pledging her fealty to his teachings. She found this utterly distressing seeing herself caught up in rage, pain and a thirst for revenge. She came out of the meditation breathing hard, and feeling sick. She thought hard on it, it told her what everyone had told her what she had always known that her emotions were to close to the surface. She wore her heart on her sleeve, and her feelings could be used against her to turn her into something terrible. She was determined to make sure that it would not happen to her. Master Phlox decided after much thought that she had passed her first trial. However, the distressing memory of this trial would never truly leave her and it revisits her in dreams constantly niggling at her.
Trial of Flesh
Phlox continued to train and test his young Padawan. Now that she was gaining a degree of control over her emotions, Phlox wanted to test this by taking her on gruelling and dangerous training sessions. Once such session he took her to the planet of Onderon. While it was in the Republic, Onderon had a Dark reputation that was well earned. It had many locations strong with the Dark Side, and good place to train the mind to resist such temptations. However, training was interrupted. A dark Jedi Master, had also been using the planet for his own ends. Coming upon the Jedi, he decided to take them both on. He was stronger than anyone Reiko had faced before. Reiko had greatly improved and with Phlox's help was able to catch him off guard a few times. However Reiko made a large error in judgement by getting too close, her recklessness still apparent. The Dark Jedi was a gifted Force wielder and shoved her away with a powerful Force push. She smashed her head hard into a large rock suffering a serious head injury. Phlox used her distraction of the Dark Jedi, to part the man's head from his body. Phlox had to call for medical attention for her.
When she was taken to a medical center she was discovered to have a cracked skull and a serious concussion. She was in out of consciousness for a few days often talking utter nonsense as a result of her concussion. It took her many months to properly recover the injury, Phlox reintroduced her slowly and careful to training as concussions were serious and could be easily aggravated. The Council, considered this injury enough to qualify as her Trial of Flesh. Reiko, still finds much of the events before and after her injury a little hard to recall but she ended up having no lasting effects, except for a scar on the back of her head which is hidden by her hair.
Trials of Courage and Skill.
Reiko, was training harder and harder than ever, really mastering the Force Valor technique she had been taught by Phlox. It had been completely drilled into her. She felt confident of her chances of making it to Knight even though her injury had slowed her down a little and she was now 23. She had recovered and in her minds eye was completely back on form. Phlox, agreed and soon they were ready for missions again. One in particular would do more damage to her than all the physical injuries she could have suffered.
The Council had got word, that elements of the criminal underground of Coruscant were sheltering Dark Jedi. This was of grave interest to the Republic to, and raids were organised to route out these groups. Phlox and Reiko were sent to head up one group, the Republic troops, and Coruscant security forces made short work of the scum hiding in these dens, but ran into trouble when they discovered two Dark Jedi. One was a female Twi'lek of middle years, and with her was a young man awfully familiar to her. Jatt stood before her for the first time in many years, and he had fallen. Reiko was distraught, he gloated that since she would not have him, he had gone with someone who had more courage and skill than she ever would. He was trying to goad her playing on his knowledge of her weak emotional control. He spat, that she was weak and that he had never truly loved her.
Reiko gave into her anger and flew into a rage leaping at Jatt, while Plox paired off with the Twi'lek. Jatt, and Reiko's battle was vicious and furious, the friendly competitiveness of their sparing as children had evaporated completely leaving only hatred, resentment, bitterness and on Reiko's side a hint of Guilt which she was unable to shake off. Who's fault was this really? Hers. She had done this to him, her willing rejection of him had clearly pushed him into the waiting arms of that Twi'lek harlot and the Dark side. The battle that was till occurring between the criminals and the Republic forces was damaging the hideout, and part of the ceiling caved in separating the duellists. Leaving Jatt with Reiko and Plox with the Twi'lek. Reiko was finding Jatt a real challenge, he favoured a saberstaff since his time as a Padawan and she found it a hard weapon to attack and defend against. There were two blades to worry about and a large surface area from which he could defend against her.
A number of times, Jatt's superior power put her on the back foot. A great many Jedi over the years had fallen to the Saberstaff mostly due to its rarity in combat as it was so difficult to Master. However she had spent many years sparring with Jatt surely there was something she could do to counter him? Then she remembered the awkwardness of the weapon, the way it had to be used made certain manoeuvres impossible to complete. It in effect reduced his mobility. Reiko from then on focused on out manoeuvring him rather than trying to go power for power. Jatt started finding it harder to cope with her sudden changes of direction and unpredictable flanking manoeuvres. Eventually during the course of a challenging contest, she dealt Jatt a mortal blow. Reiko was utterly broken that Jatt had died by her hand. She kept a hold of his lightsaber, and tear fully went in search of her Master.
Phlox had his opponent defeated and wounded but alive on the ground. Reiko, approached the woman menacingly the urge to kill was flowing through her. Phlox, told her to leave the woman be. Reiko was furious and poured her heart out about Jatt, she pushed off her own sense of guilt onto the woman. Phlox fell into her Masters arms and cried for she knew he was right and that killing the Twi'lek would solve nothing and would not bring back the Jatt she loved. Returning from the mission Phlox decided that she had faced down a former friend and some one whom she had loved and that took courage and skill and as far as he was concerned she had passed her trials. He offered his recommendation to the Council, and waited while they deliberated.
Knighthood 24-Present
Reiko, however was in such a depression she did not seem care where she got her knighting ceremony or not. She at first thought of leaving the order, but doubted she would be able to go anywhere. She accepted her knighthood with a degree of reluctance not truly feeling she had earned it, as she had done so by killing Jatt. Her depression made the Council delay their judgement for some time, the injury and this latest delay pushed her into her 24th year.
Phlox had many long chats with her. As always her Master could reach her in a way not many others could. He explained that while perhaps she might be partly guilty, most of the blame belonged to Jatt. He knew the risks and allowed himself to become twisted by his bitterness. She felt a little better, she still felt undeserving but now wanted to prove to herself that she was worthy of the title of Knight. She spent her time again rebuilding her confidence and ego. They were always like a tower. Tall and vast but so easily knocked down when she failed. Her moods improved and with it her training. The Jedi council decided now was the time to award her the Knighthood she had strived for for so long.
While she was delighted., being a knight was much more lonely. Phlox, now well into his seventies had decided to ultimately retire, from active duty as a Jedi. She still sought him out for advice, but somehow the Temple seemed emptier and quieter than ever before.
Training for Reiko never stopped, but she had a new goal in mind. She wanted to learn how to wield a Saberstaff as Jatt had, perhaps as a way of connecting to him and his memory in her head. However, several abortive attempts left that dream in ruins. Reiko still hopes to one day go back to it if she can but for now she needs something beyond her music to fill a gap, but she is not entirely sure what that is.
RP Sample:There was a fierce clash of blades, the loud crackles of a yellow and a blue light saber crashing together with enormous force. A young woman with blue sking and long lustrous black hair was dueling with a young Miralukan man. He was utilising Soresu, the his blue blade seeming to spin round him in a circle protecting all his vital points. He was defensive and stoic. In stark contrast his opponent bounded round him utilising Ataru in an unpredictable way. Suddenly the Miralukan thought he sensed an opening, he pushed forward at her, just as she had flipped over him to try and attack his side. She however saw the blade coming and her body seemed to flow round the attack, and her leg came up and delivered a hard kick sending the Miralukan to the floor. She raised her Saber and in a distinctly undignified way jumped up and down screaming “I WON I WON!”
The Miralukan groaned on the ground for a moment before saying testily. “This was meant to be a training exercise, we were not supposed to be sparing!”
“Just because you lost, I can't help it if I am better than you.”
“Reiko Shae.” Said a quiet deep voice that she was only too familiar with. She turned to see and elderly Togruta Jedi Master called Phlox staring severely at her. “I want a word with you, but first you WILL apologise to this young man.”
Reiko pouted “But I....”
“No buts!”
Reiko sighed, as much as she hated to admit it he was right. She had been perhaps a little overzealous but she was a competitive person, and besides that, the Miralukan was arrogant, that kind of thing irritated her as she knew she was one of the most humble Jedi around, even though other people thought different. She apologised half heartedly to the Miralukan who was still rubbing his head and muttering swear words. She followed Phlox, out into one of the corridors. He gently chastised her as they walked.
“Reiko, your a Knight now. Your meant to set an example. I am not your Master any more, so I can't regulate your behaviour. You have to do it yourself. Your a talented girl, promise me you won't let it go to your head.”
“No Master Phlox, I promise.” She said quietly.
The old Togruta smiled amiably at her “Do us all proud prove to yourself and to us all that you deserve to be a Knight.”
Reiko nodded and watched as the old Jedi Master, went off down the corridor. A strange irritation hit her, she loved her former Master very much but she knew all about having to prove herself. She stormed off to her quarters in the Temple, entering the sparse room. She saw Jatt's Saberstaff lying on her table. She ran her finger s lightly over the cold metal. Killing him had bought her what she had always wanted, Knighthood. Phlox had told her this was not the case but she was not sure she believed it. She had to prove to herself above all else that she was a Knight on merit.
This train of thought had sapped her good mood from the sparing she had done. She did what she always did in these situations. She reached for her Kloo horn. She sat cross legged, and played a mournful tune common in Tattoine blues, called 'Far from the Core.' It captured the image of a barren wasteland that was beautiful and frightening at the same time. It captured her mood perfectly, she even put down the horn for a few moments and sang through a few of the verses with a feeling of burning behind her eyes.
“Will I ever forget it? Do I even have the right to?” She said to the empty room.
Race: Wroonian
Age: 24
Height: 5'7
Weight: 129 lbs
Appearance:
As with all members of her Race, Reiko sports blue skin in a perhaps a slightly darker shade than average. She also has in a light shade of blue on her right shoulder swirling tattoo designs common to the people of Wroona. Many would consider her attractive with long lustrous black hair, reaching almost to her waistline. She tends to like to leave it free normally with only a patterned tie, placed near the end of her hair. On other more formal occasions or when safety calls for it, she ties her hair back properly. Around the Jedi Temple, she tends to wear the robes commonly associated with the Jedi, although that is mainly for the benefit of Masters as she finds the typical robes to be stifling of her identity.
Outside of the order she prefers to wear the more ornate clothing of her species. Purple being a particularly favourite colour of hers it tends to feature a lot in her modes of dress. Being quite haughty and confident she likes that to be reflected in how she dresses often wearing bold sweeping garments. She has quite a proud and beautiful face, she walks with purpose and determination always exuding the feeling that she has the right to be barging in wherever she is. Her youth and beauty tend to attract attention. Attention she is often not keen to return.
Personality: Proud, haughty and arrogant are perfect words to describe her. She has almost total and complete belief in herself, doubt is an almost alien feeling to her. This self confidence sometimes makes her hard for other Jedi and indeed non-Jedi to deal with, as she is unbearable when she is right and when she is wrong she flies deep into a black depression. If she is shown without doubt to be in the wrong about an issue, she finds failure almost impossible to cope with. If failure occurs, it is so in conflict with her own self image that she becomes unapproachable and untrainable for some time. In such times she will retreat into her quarters with her wide and varied collection of music, or else storm around the temple and its surrounding area being rude to all she passes.
She is often not particularly useful in situations where diplomacy are required (although she thinks differently). This is because in situations involving non-Jedi she tends to feel that what a Jedi's word should be law. She also tends to have no internal monologue, she says what she thinks without attempting to moderate it to suit her audience. She also has an unfortunate tendency to interfere in aspects of her friends lives, sometimes making things worse by blundering in heavy footed. This is not because she is cruel, she genuinely has people's best interests at heart but she tends to be forthright in expressing her views. She is reckless and willingly puts herself in harms way for others, attempting to take on dangerous and difficult jobs herself. Her confidence in her ability leads her to believe that she is the one that must put herself in harms way. It is her responsibility, as she has the power in her view, to make the running for the good of other people.
Reiko, for all her bravado however, has some emotional weaknesses. While her ego, is huge it also has very weak foundations and it can be easily crushed throwing her into deep dark despair. This results in quite depressive behavior. As she wears her heart on her sleave she can be hurt emotionally very easily, and is frequently subject to bouts of anger and sadness. Deep within herself she longs for the childhood she only barely remembers. The fact that her family are well off and quite well known, means she knows who they are and she secretly harbours a desire to return to them.
Birth place: Wroona
Faction: Jedi Order
Rank: Knight (Guardian)
Lightsaber: Single, Single Phase www.randomsabers.com/saber.php?name=Piryte
(She also holds Jatt's double bladed saber, which has tried to learn how to use with limited success)
Color:Yellow
Practiced Lightsaber forms:
Shii-Cho 5
Ataru 4
Double Bladed Combat 0 (Just started learning)
Force-Sensitive Abilities or practices:
Telekinetic: 5
Telepathic: 2
Body: 5
Sense: 4
Protection: 3
Healing: 2
Destruction: 0
Specialized Skills: Force Valor
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 5
Intelligence: 4
Speed: 6
Leadership: 3
Unarmed: 5
Melee Weapons: 2
Ranged Weapons: 0
Bio:0-6 -Discovery
Reiko Shae, was born in one of the larger cities on Wroona to Ori and Misou Shae. Her father Ori, was an especially wealthy and well placed business man. Being a wealthy planet on a shortcut to a relatively rich hyperspace route, Jedi were not an uncommon site in the region and the planet had its own Jedi Watchman. With the Shae family being quite close to the planetary authority they frequently met the Jedi, Miran Tafo. She sensed that the the Child within the now heavily pregnant Misou was strong in the force, and thereafter made a point to keep a closer eye on the Shae family. When the baby was born, she was named for her paternal Grandmother who had started the Shae's business Empire. Her parents were determined that she would take over the family name and business in years to come. They wished to imbue her with the business acumen of the rest of the family.
Miran Tafo, eventually came to them and told them of their daughter's Force Sensitivity and that it was possible the Jedi would wish to take her on and see if she could be trained. Her family were delighted that she was special, but her parents both agreed that someone need to carry on the business and the family name and so refused the offer of sending their daughter to be trained. Miran was disappointed but of course accepted their decision. In the meantime as Reiko grew up she was treated to the very best of childcare, as her parents were frequently away on business trips. However her parents always returned and lavished gifts on her, as she grew old enough she had expensive tutors brought in. She was made to feel like the center of the Universe. However, her mother became pregnant again, and a few weeks removed from her sixth birthday her younger brother Nivian came along. She found difficult like most young children do to no longer being the center of attention, in her own simple childish way she began to wonder what it would be like to be a Jedi. Miran came to examine Nivian operating on the principle that Force Sensitivity often ran in families came to examine the boy and found him not to be Force Sensitive. The young Reiko asked of Miran whether she could become a Jedi to. Her parents were surprised but were much more relaxed about it this time as they had a son to take on the family business, and said that if she wanted to go she could. Miran agreed to take the Reiko to her home temple on Mustafarr to be trained.
Youngling 6-13
On a personal level Reiko found the transition to the Jedi order rather a challenge, she was no longer the center of the universe and found adults who she could not manipulate into doing as she said. In terms of learning the ways of the force she started slowly as an older student and struggled initially to get to terms with the the concepts and tenants relating to restraint of her emotions. However as she got older she really started to grasp the ways of the force and Lightsaber training. She became a fast learner for such things even if she found getting to grips with the way of life of the Jedi difficult.
During this time she also developed an interest in music which was cultivated by her teachers as a way of directing her emotions. She loved Jatz and Tattoine blues and many forms of music in between. She even learned to play a kloo horn, and sang sometimes. She had a a degree of skill but was apt to think she was better than she in fact was. During her time as a youngling Reiko never had many friends as many of the other young Jedi disliked her rude and abrupt personality. One of the few who could tolerate her moods and idiosyncrasies was Jatt Evas. He was in such sharp contrast to her, shy, friendly and modest. They made a strange pair Jatt quickly ended up being her sidekick and she indisputably tended to dominate him. However, there was an upside to their friendship, as Reiko tended to protect Jatt from those who tried to bully or mistreat him because of his good nature.
Jatt might have been a bit of a soft touch socially with other people but he was one of the more gifted younglings with a training saber and physically robust as well. This was the perfect situation for Reiko, who's was sometimes vicious, aggressive and overly competitive nature made other younglings wish to avoid training with her. Sparring sessions between the two could be quite intense and resulted in more than a few bumps and bruises, and in a strange way it only strengthened the bond between the two of them.
As Reiko approached thirteen, there was much debate amongst the Jedi on Mustafar over who was a suitable person to take her on as a Padawan. There was no doubt she was skilled with the help of her friend Jatt she had improved to being one of the most skilled students they had, if not the most skilled. However her she was arrogant and prone to emotional extremes and therefore perhaps difficult for to be a first time student of a new Knight for example. Reiko got quite despondent, she had done everything that was required the year before Jatt had been taken on, though he still came by to occasionally spar or talk with her he was often off on assignment with his Master. However her despondency would not last long...
Padawan 13-22
The Jedi Master Phlox Tu, was a Togruta, into his sixties. He had trained a few Padawans in his time and looked forward to virtual early retirement. However, many of the other Jedi decided he was the ideal candidate to take Reiko on. He was quite calm and sedate, but was perfectly capable of stamping his authority down when it was required. Reiko needed some of this treatment. Reluctantly at the behest of the other Jedi he went to see her training. He was impressed with her skill but less so her boisterous, competitive attitude. She seemed to question the Jedi instructors a lot frequently testing their calm. The old Togruta had to admit in and odd way he kind of liked her, as he remembered being young and rebellious once. Reiko for her part, was simply happy to have a Master for her it could have been anyone.
Phlox in the first few weeks began to build up a stronger idea of her skills and personality. Her true skills really lay in her speed and agility and martial prowess over control of her Force powers. Phlox thought the most natural thing to teach her, as she was progressing nicely with Shii Cho was Ataru. Ataru was fast paced and aggressive where the user of the form often used their abilities to assist their movements. To this end he gave her extensive training in the Force Valor ability. Physically one of its main disadvantages was how tiring it could be. Reiko while fit, would need to work harder in this area. So Phlox frequently sent her on runs through the forrests of Mustafar, even setting up one or two obstacles for her to get around. He also found it particularly helpful when she was in combative moods to send her on these runs, and sap the emotional energy out of her. In addition due to Atarus focuses it also lent itself to unarmed combat which Reiko also practiced and drilled through out her years as a Padawan.
Phlox very early on, was adamant that she should not make a lightsaber until he was absolutely certain she was ready for one. Reiko unsurprisingly thought she was ready for one straight away, and was getting frustrated with Phlox's softly softly approach. Reiko was still argumentative and combative and Phlox and she were finding it hard to get used to each other. Phlox really had to focus on what he was like when he was young even though Reiko was more reckless. He found that if she was truly wrong and he really put his foot down with her she would initially baulk and then would start to come down to his way of thinking. She liked to think she was an experienced Jedi but of course she knew she was not.
Over time, while still initially dissenting, she more quickly bowed to her Master's experience. She learned a great deal from him. Particularly in terms of her telekinetic and abilities that helped improve her body's speed and agility. From her personality and where her skills lay Phlox could see she was probably going to end up becoming a Guardian and it seemed to be where she wanted to go. That was how Phlox had started but now in his time as a Master he was working more towards being a consular. During this time she followed her Master on a few simple diplomatic missions though she frequently got him in trouble. While she deeply respected her Master she often did not see why people did not accept what he said as law. They were Jedi after all, who knew better than they. Phlox frequently tried to explain to her that Jedi did not always know best, and that people had to be allowed to go their own way. This was something she struggled with.
As Reiko hit 16, she had really begun to Master Shii-Cho and was working well with Ataru. Finally Phlox relented and thought it was time she start building her own Lightsaber. Not very technically minded she found the construction a bit of a challenge. However she worked hard to get it done, and when she did she ended up with a rather ornate design. Featuring copper coloured bands, switches and emitter. In many ways it was as flashy as the fighting style of Ataru. All she needed now was a crystal.
To this end her Master took her on a trip to Dantooine this was a few years before the Sith Invasion of the planet. It had been where Phlox had found the Crystal for his own saber. In the Crystal caves on the planet, one particular crystal called out to her. It glistened and shined with a Yellow hue, reminding Reiko of a star. She decided this would be the crystal she would use. Upon their return she completed her saber, and in her own distinctly 'modest' way thought it was the best saber ever made.
Phlox thought that the best thing for Reiko now was to begin to take her on more and harder missions. Teaching responsibility would be much easier he thought, if he gave her some. Her first real chance to use her abilities came with the an assassination attempt on the government of Mustafar. The Government buildings where the Mustafar authorities were holding a conference were bombed, and the attack was carried out by a group of hired mercenaries. Many of the Government ministers were either killed or injured. This was clearly an attempt to destabilise the region and undermine faith in the Jedi by performing the attack under their very noses. Phlox and his Padawan were sent to investigate a lead that the Jedi had, that the perpetrators originated from Taris. They were one of several groups of Jedi being sent to various suspected locations that the mercenaries could have come from. The Republic was eager to route out danger in their own territory.
Jatt and his own Master were also off on assignment and strangely Reiko felt a tight knot in her stomach about it. She talked to him the night before they were due to head off, and explained that she was worried and how precious he was to her. They then shared a chaste and shy kiss. Reiko was deeply confused and conflicted by the incident on the one hand there was the Jedi code and all the work she had done to better control her emotions, and her confusions over just how she felt about Jatt.
As she set off for the mission with her Master she did her best to try and forget the incident but it noticeably weighed heavily on her mind. She seemed stressed and distracted so much so the Phlox easily noticed. Her emotional states could be so transparent. Upon arriving at Taris, it seemed that they were on the correct track and had found the location of the mercenaries. They had a hideout in the lower city. Phlox decided to leave Reiko behind and break into the hideout himself. Once inside the hideout Phlox discovered bomb making equipment. This was defiantly the right place. The hideout however, was crawling with the mercenaries, Phlox doubted that this was a situation they could handle themselves. He met Reiko outside again and relayed his conclusions to her. Over, Reiko's protests that they could take them on alone, Phlox made contact with the other Jedi. The nearest two jedi were Jatt and his Master a Miralukan called Tiali Jonos. They kept an eye on the Hideout waiting for the other two to arrive a few hours later.
Jatt being there only increased her sense of anxiety, which she tried and failed to conceal, had Phlox not known Reiko so well he might have assumed she was worried about the up coming fight. He however was becoming suspicious of her behaviour. The four Jedi started to make their move working their way into the hideout. Within the hideout the two Masters began to sense a dark presence, a reasonably powerful one. This upped the stakes as there was possibly a Dark Jedi present. Oddly enough as before the Hideout seemed to be mostly deserted, they discovered the cause of this quickly . The base had a hangar bay and most of the inhabitants of the base seemed to be there loading up ships, being directed by two figures in black. They were clearly departing having realised that the Jedi would be on to them soon. Between the Jedi and the figures in black were a fair few mercenaries, there was no choice other than to fight to get the the dark figures who were clearly the source of the dark presence. The jedi made themselves known and the fight began. Reiko's odd behaviour continued she frequently leapt to Jatt's defense when he was in a tight spot and even when he was not. Her constant looking out for him resulted in her shoulder being grazed by a blaster bolt.
The field of mercs began to thin but Reiko was beginning to flag due to her injury and fighting not just the mercs before her but the ones before Jatt to. Finally the four jedi were confronted by unmistakeably two Dark Jedi Masters. During the ensuing duel, Reiko, really took a pounding, she was so reckless in her actions she was getting nicked by the Lightsabers of their opponents, again often in defense of Jatt. She was eventually knocked unconscious by sharp kick to the head, and was unable to see the Two Masters and Jatt defeat and kill the Dark Jedi.
Reiko, was sent to a medical center to recover, during which time both Masters got confirmation of what they already suspected from Jatt, and when she had recovered from Reiko to. Both of them confessed to be falling in love with each other. This put the Masters in a difficult situation, clearly from their perspective the two of them should be separated. Phlox decided to take his Padwan to Coruscant instead, while Tiali was to keep Jatt on Mustafar. Reiko, felt ashamed her emotions had again got the better of her, and while she loved Jatt very much, she knew that to be of any use her Masters were right and the relationship must end.
Jatt was unusually vocal and furious, completely disbelieving at how Reiko was letting this all happen, as he was prepared to leave the Order for her. In fact not long after their forced separation, Jatt surrendered his Lightsaber and departed the Order. Reiko took a very long time to recover from all that had happened. She was not usually prone to fits major depression and crises of confidence, but this was particularity bad, her training suffered for the duration of her depression. This was coupled with her moving to the larger temple at Coruscant. On Mustafar the relatively smaller number of Jedi had meant she was easily one of the best students. On Coruscant however she was in a far larger pool of Padawans and she began to feel distinctly less than average. During this time her music talents really improved fed by her negative feeling, she was even brought in to perform at functions and formal occasions at the Jedi temple.
Phlox let this process run for a little while but realised he needed to snap her out of it pretty quickly. She could be a very talented Jedi, if she worked hard enough but her emotionality was making that a challange. In order to rebuild her sense of confidence, he needed to combine encouragement and confrontation. He hit upon the right way to handle it. He was harsh in the training sessions pushing her more than ever before, but at every stage reminding her she had the potential to do anything, and it was only her holding herself back. Gradually she started to snap out of it and recover some of her swagger. Phlox realised under it all she was very fragile, and her image of confidence was a way of her compensating for her social insecurities.
Phlox over the next few years worked on ironing out her weaknesses or compensating for them by teaching her other things. He worked hard on improving her senses, as she was a very reckless fighter this would at least give her a better awareness of potential risks, rather than simply rushing in like she usually did. In combat, she became a very proficient acrobat with the assistance of the Force and her own natural physical skill. He also gave her practice in piloting, and while she had no great skill or aptitude for most things mechanical she made a passable pilot.
With her confidence coming on in leaps and bounds, Phlox felt safe to take her with him on missions again. For once her musical skills would come in handy. Their mission was to investigate a disturbing trend that had been occurring across the Galaxy. Many Force Sensitive children that the Jedi had identified had been abducted before they could be retrieved by the Jedi. One of the chief suspects was a Hutt on Nar Shaddaa called Kodo. It had come to their attention that one of his number was a Jedi who had left the order some years before. The Jedi were however not sure why such children were being taken. It was their job to infiltrate his base and find out why they needed them. Phlox proposed a plan, like many Hutts, Kodo was fond of women, food, drink, music and fine living. He suggested that Reiko audition to entertain the Hutt, quite a few people on Nar Shaddaa did it as Hutts were generous to those who impressed them in entertainment. The Council and even Reiko was a little unhappy with this plan. Phlox was confident that not only would he be able to save Reiko if things went wrong, but that she should be able undertake her side of things effectively.
Reiko was flattered by the faith her Master was showing in her and so was desperate to repay that faith.
The way to Nar Shaddaa, was uneventful, and she practiced and practiced getting as up to date as possible on the popular tunes of the region around Nar Shaddaa and Nal Hutta. She even ran over a few more old fashioned pieces, as nostalgia was very useful at getting people into something, and she needed desperately to convince them she was just a musician. The Old Togruta, told her she was to play a slave and he was playing her owner. Kodo was having a party and they were pretending she had been loaned out to the Hutt to form part of his entertainment. Phlox thought this was best, as Kodo was less likely to let his men mess around with Reiko if she was not his. Though of course Phlox was not invited and could not go with her, so of there was an element of risk, but they had an agreed time when the party was over that she was sneak back and let him in. Reiko was nervous of this plan for more than the obvious reason. She also felt out of her comfort zone infiltrating and doing things subtlety and what she was doing was dangerous. However, she felt determined to do it anyway.
This portion of the plan seemed to go correctly, aided by the large amounts of alcohol consumed by the guests and a good portion of the guards. Reiko and her Master Phlox scoured the palace for clues eventually discovering a datapad detailing the movements of force sensitive children to mining operations on Ryloth. It appeared the Hutt was using their latent sensory abilities, so they could be used to lead mining teams and sense cave ins and save the slaves who could be expensive. A Grey Jedi was working for Kodo to look for force sensitive children and train them a little in sensory skills.
Unfortunately their escape was not as uneventful, as their entry had been. During their attempt to leave Kodo's headquarters. They were confronted by the former Nautolan Jedi Niuk Frax, the one who Kodo had hired to take the children. Frax refused to surrender to the Jedi, and so there was only one option left. Phlox tried to overcome the Soresu favoured by Frax, with his force powers and his own use Soresu, while Reiko in her customary way tried to overpower him with her use of Ataru and her agility. Frax was skilled but against two opponents he was simply delaying the inevitable. Eventually, Reiko spotted an opening and was able to disable him, with a saber to his thigh. Reiko had to really restrain herself from killing Frax who, for his actions she saw as little more than a monster. Thankfully due to her Master's training in restraint had been able to resist such a feeling. They instead secured him, for transport to Courscant and in their message were also able to communicate what had happened to the Force Sensitive children. Very shortly afterwards, Republic forces and some Jedi raided the mines on Ryloth and were able to retrieve many of the children.
The Trials 22-24
As soon as Reiko hit twenty-two, she began pestering Phlox for the opportunity to take her trials. Phlox was quick to refuse. While a capable Jedi, she still lacked a degree of emotional and personal control. Something he was keen to minimise further if possible. This went on for some considerable time, eventually Reiko stopped asking. She calmed down and thought logically that as she was skilled it would be unlikely for her not to be made a Knight at some point. Master Phlox knew what he was doing and she should just be quiet and wait. A little while later, Master Phlox decided she was ready to be put forward for the trials. As with most things Master Phlox did this was a test of her patience which had improved greatly.
Trial of Spirit
Phlox, got the ball rolling with the trial of spirit, sitting with Reiko in a meditation chamber in case she got into any difficulties. Entering a meditative state, she saw herself being taunted and laughed at by Jatt and someone else who she could not quite make out but she knew that that person was female. The two of them were together and laughing at her, the humiliation and hurt welled up inside of her. She lashed out in a rage at both Jatt and this woman and killed them. The rest of her vision, showed her wandering alone and bitter in the Galaxy. She saw herself, knelt before an evil man in black pledging her fealty to his teachings. She found this utterly distressing seeing herself caught up in rage, pain and a thirst for revenge. She came out of the meditation breathing hard, and feeling sick. She thought hard on it, it told her what everyone had told her what she had always known that her emotions were to close to the surface. She wore her heart on her sleeve, and her feelings could be used against her to turn her into something terrible. She was determined to make sure that it would not happen to her. Master Phlox decided after much thought that she had passed her first trial. However, the distressing memory of this trial would never truly leave her and it revisits her in dreams constantly niggling at her.
Trial of Flesh
Phlox continued to train and test his young Padawan. Now that she was gaining a degree of control over her emotions, Phlox wanted to test this by taking her on gruelling and dangerous training sessions. Once such session he took her to the planet of Onderon. While it was in the Republic, Onderon had a Dark reputation that was well earned. It had many locations strong with the Dark Side, and good place to train the mind to resist such temptations. However, training was interrupted. A dark Jedi Master, had also been using the planet for his own ends. Coming upon the Jedi, he decided to take them both on. He was stronger than anyone Reiko had faced before. Reiko had greatly improved and with Phlox's help was able to catch him off guard a few times. However Reiko made a large error in judgement by getting too close, her recklessness still apparent. The Dark Jedi was a gifted Force wielder and shoved her away with a powerful Force push. She smashed her head hard into a large rock suffering a serious head injury. Phlox used her distraction of the Dark Jedi, to part the man's head from his body. Phlox had to call for medical attention for her.
When she was taken to a medical center she was discovered to have a cracked skull and a serious concussion. She was in out of consciousness for a few days often talking utter nonsense as a result of her concussion. It took her many months to properly recover the injury, Phlox reintroduced her slowly and careful to training as concussions were serious and could be easily aggravated. The Council, considered this injury enough to qualify as her Trial of Flesh. Reiko, still finds much of the events before and after her injury a little hard to recall but she ended up having no lasting effects, except for a scar on the back of her head which is hidden by her hair.
Trials of Courage and Skill.
Reiko, was training harder and harder than ever, really mastering the Force Valor technique she had been taught by Phlox. It had been completely drilled into her. She felt confident of her chances of making it to Knight even though her injury had slowed her down a little and she was now 23. She had recovered and in her minds eye was completely back on form. Phlox, agreed and soon they were ready for missions again. One in particular would do more damage to her than all the physical injuries she could have suffered.
The Council had got word, that elements of the criminal underground of Coruscant were sheltering Dark Jedi. This was of grave interest to the Republic to, and raids were organised to route out these groups. Phlox and Reiko were sent to head up one group, the Republic troops, and Coruscant security forces made short work of the scum hiding in these dens, but ran into trouble when they discovered two Dark Jedi. One was a female Twi'lek of middle years, and with her was a young man awfully familiar to her. Jatt stood before her for the first time in many years, and he had fallen. Reiko was distraught, he gloated that since she would not have him, he had gone with someone who had more courage and skill than she ever would. He was trying to goad her playing on his knowledge of her weak emotional control. He spat, that she was weak and that he had never truly loved her.
Reiko gave into her anger and flew into a rage leaping at Jatt, while Plox paired off with the Twi'lek. Jatt, and Reiko's battle was vicious and furious, the friendly competitiveness of their sparing as children had evaporated completely leaving only hatred, resentment, bitterness and on Reiko's side a hint of Guilt which she was unable to shake off. Who's fault was this really? Hers. She had done this to him, her willing rejection of him had clearly pushed him into the waiting arms of that Twi'lek harlot and the Dark side. The battle that was till occurring between the criminals and the Republic forces was damaging the hideout, and part of the ceiling caved in separating the duellists. Leaving Jatt with Reiko and Plox with the Twi'lek. Reiko was finding Jatt a real challenge, he favoured a saberstaff since his time as a Padawan and she found it a hard weapon to attack and defend against. There were two blades to worry about and a large surface area from which he could defend against her.
A number of times, Jatt's superior power put her on the back foot. A great many Jedi over the years had fallen to the Saberstaff mostly due to its rarity in combat as it was so difficult to Master. However she had spent many years sparring with Jatt surely there was something she could do to counter him? Then she remembered the awkwardness of the weapon, the way it had to be used made certain manoeuvres impossible to complete. It in effect reduced his mobility. Reiko from then on focused on out manoeuvring him rather than trying to go power for power. Jatt started finding it harder to cope with her sudden changes of direction and unpredictable flanking manoeuvres. Eventually during the course of a challenging contest, she dealt Jatt a mortal blow. Reiko was utterly broken that Jatt had died by her hand. She kept a hold of his lightsaber, and tear fully went in search of her Master.
Phlox had his opponent defeated and wounded but alive on the ground. Reiko, approached the woman menacingly the urge to kill was flowing through her. Phlox, told her to leave the woman be. Reiko was furious and poured her heart out about Jatt, she pushed off her own sense of guilt onto the woman. Phlox fell into her Masters arms and cried for she knew he was right and that killing the Twi'lek would solve nothing and would not bring back the Jatt she loved. Returning from the mission Phlox decided that she had faced down a former friend and some one whom she had loved and that took courage and skill and as far as he was concerned she had passed her trials. He offered his recommendation to the Council, and waited while they deliberated.
Knighthood 24-Present
Reiko, however was in such a depression she did not seem care where she got her knighting ceremony or not. She at first thought of leaving the order, but doubted she would be able to go anywhere. She accepted her knighthood with a degree of reluctance not truly feeling she had earned it, as she had done so by killing Jatt. Her depression made the Council delay their judgement for some time, the injury and this latest delay pushed her into her 24th year.
Phlox had many long chats with her. As always her Master could reach her in a way not many others could. He explained that while perhaps she might be partly guilty, most of the blame belonged to Jatt. He knew the risks and allowed himself to become twisted by his bitterness. She felt a little better, she still felt undeserving but now wanted to prove to herself that she was worthy of the title of Knight. She spent her time again rebuilding her confidence and ego. They were always like a tower. Tall and vast but so easily knocked down when she failed. Her moods improved and with it her training. The Jedi council decided now was the time to award her the Knighthood she had strived for for so long.
While she was delighted., being a knight was much more lonely. Phlox, now well into his seventies had decided to ultimately retire, from active duty as a Jedi. She still sought him out for advice, but somehow the Temple seemed emptier and quieter than ever before.
Training for Reiko never stopped, but she had a new goal in mind. She wanted to learn how to wield a Saberstaff as Jatt had, perhaps as a way of connecting to him and his memory in her head. However, several abortive attempts left that dream in ruins. Reiko still hopes to one day go back to it if she can but for now she needs something beyond her music to fill a gap, but she is not entirely sure what that is.
RP Sample:There was a fierce clash of blades, the loud crackles of a yellow and a blue light saber crashing together with enormous force. A young woman with blue sking and long lustrous black hair was dueling with a young Miralukan man. He was utilising Soresu, the his blue blade seeming to spin round him in a circle protecting all his vital points. He was defensive and stoic. In stark contrast his opponent bounded round him utilising Ataru in an unpredictable way. Suddenly the Miralukan thought he sensed an opening, he pushed forward at her, just as she had flipped over him to try and attack his side. She however saw the blade coming and her body seemed to flow round the attack, and her leg came up and delivered a hard kick sending the Miralukan to the floor. She raised her Saber and in a distinctly undignified way jumped up and down screaming “I WON I WON!”
The Miralukan groaned on the ground for a moment before saying testily. “This was meant to be a training exercise, we were not supposed to be sparing!”
“Just because you lost, I can't help it if I am better than you.”
“Reiko Shae.” Said a quiet deep voice that she was only too familiar with. She turned to see and elderly Togruta Jedi Master called Phlox staring severely at her. “I want a word with you, but first you WILL apologise to this young man.”
Reiko pouted “But I....”
“No buts!”
Reiko sighed, as much as she hated to admit it he was right. She had been perhaps a little overzealous but she was a competitive person, and besides that, the Miralukan was arrogant, that kind of thing irritated her as she knew she was one of the most humble Jedi around, even though other people thought different. She apologised half heartedly to the Miralukan who was still rubbing his head and muttering swear words. She followed Phlox, out into one of the corridors. He gently chastised her as they walked.
“Reiko, your a Knight now. Your meant to set an example. I am not your Master any more, so I can't regulate your behaviour. You have to do it yourself. Your a talented girl, promise me you won't let it go to your head.”
“No Master Phlox, I promise.” She said quietly.
The old Togruta smiled amiably at her “Do us all proud prove to yourself and to us all that you deserve to be a Knight.”
Reiko nodded and watched as the old Jedi Master, went off down the corridor. A strange irritation hit her, she loved her former Master very much but she knew all about having to prove herself. She stormed off to her quarters in the Temple, entering the sparse room. She saw Jatt's Saberstaff lying on her table. She ran her finger s lightly over the cold metal. Killing him had bought her what she had always wanted, Knighthood. Phlox had told her this was not the case but she was not sure she believed it. She had to prove to herself above all else that she was a Knight on merit.
This train of thought had sapped her good mood from the sparing she had done. She did what she always did in these situations. She reached for her Kloo horn. She sat cross legged, and played a mournful tune common in Tattoine blues, called 'Far from the Core.' It captured the image of a barren wasteland that was beautiful and frightening at the same time. It captured her mood perfectly, she even put down the horn for a few moments and sang through a few of the verses with a feeling of burning behind her eyes.
“Will I ever forget it? Do I even have the right to?” She said to the empty room.
