Post by WWFF on Aug 26, 2009 15:00:31 GMT -5
Name: Gabriel Alaris
Race: Human
Age: 25
Height: 6'
Weight: 173
Birth place: Corellia
Appearance:
~/Appearance\~
Faction: Jedi
Rank: Knight-Guardian
Lightsaber: He wields two: both sabers have a slightly curving hilt (for comfort as he wields), they are of standard metallic composition with chrome plating, though at the base (pommel) a small weight is suspended to by a metal bar, only an inch off. This is for a more effective slash as the weight helps with the momentum needed. The ignition button is a small pressure sensitive area located on the upper portion of the hilt, where the thumb can easily access the pressure point. The emitter shroud extends slightly longer than average. They are standard single phase sabers.
Color: Light Orange
Practiced Lightsaber forms:
- Shii-Cho – 5
- Ataru – 2
- Niman – 1
- Jar-kai – 3
Force-Sensitive Abilities or practices:
Telekinetic: 7
Telepathic: 3
Body: 5
Sense: 6
Protection: 2
Healing: 2
Destruction: N/A
Specialized Skills:
~Force Wave~
Gabriel Favors: Force Grip, Force Push, Mind Trick
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 7
Intelligence: 5
Speed: 6
Leadership: 4
Unarmed: 7
Melee Weapons: 2
Ranged Weapons: 2
Force Attunement: +3
Bio:
Gabriel was born in the capital city of Coronet, to Corellian parents, neither of whom was remarkable in any way. His father, Kregan, was a traffic officer with CorSec and mother, Ferra, (up until his birth) had worked in one of the many medical bays at the renowned space port.
Ferra gave birth in the same medical ward she frequently worked in, saying she trusted the people she knew with her child’s delivery rather than the droids in the medical compounds. A good choice as complications arose during birth; Gabriel’s cord had worked it way around his neck as he a being expelled, and had begun to cut oxygen supply. A quick maneuver by the bay chief had the complication corrected and the rest of the birth was easy, only lasting a total of seven minutes -a long seven minutes as she often recalled- where the baby began breathing and crying as the cold oxygen touched his skin and lungs. Of course Kregan was there to watch the birth of his first born son, and the two quickly opted to name their golden haired son Gabriel.
Having blood taken was a common occurrence for a new born, and it posed no worry for Ferra. Aside from a slight mutation in the boy’s iris pigments, he was healthy; healthier than most children are after a birthing compilation. Though the small family was unaware of his sensitivity, the Order would not be for much longer.
His first year brought Gabriel where any baby of his age would be, curious about existence and speaking only simple words; though he had learned to walk at a remarkably early age, and could maneuver around at what some would call a trot. His father continued working for CorSec and Ferra stayed with Gabriel.
It was roughly a year and a half after Gabriel’s birth that the representatives of the Jedi Order arrived of Corellia. Gabriel’s sensitivity had matured enough that the Council was made aware of his existence; and with this knowledge two representatives were sent to the capital city of the planet Corellia.
Finding the child was no difficulty for the knights; rather the difficult part was convincing the parents. The knights arrived mid-day at the domicile introducing themselves with curious bows. Ferra of course invited them in where they exchanged pleasantries and essentially killed time until Kregan arrived home from his newly acquired morning shift. At this point the two once more introduced them selves, once more. One was a tall Omwati female and the other a human male. Both of which felt it necessary to get down to business as soon as introductions were made and seats taken.
Initially, the parents couldn’t believe it. Two non-force sensitive humans birthing a sensitive; it didn’t make sense to them. Though the Jedi calmly explained that the force existed in all life forms, their son could tap into it and use it, and with the help of the order could learn to use it for the good of all. A noble enough cause, but not noble enough to convince a mother to just hand over a child she brought screaming into this world barely a year and a half ago.
The Jedi sensed the tenderness of the subject and offered them time to decide, though evidently it was not necessary, as Kregan suggested an alternative: if the would come back in another year and a half, the child would leave with them. The Jedi agreed and with a bow, excused themselves. Ferra wasn’t entirely happy about it, but once Kregan explained how important this opportunity would be to their son, and how much more good how could do; she understood, and agreed.
Each day from that point forward, Ferra spent every waking moment with Gabriel, always knowing that each passing day brought them closer to separation. Kregan seemed more enthusiastic than Ferra, he constantly told Gabriel of the good he was going do and how many adventures he was going to go on. Both would tell him not to be afraid of the day he had to leave and wanted him to be prepared for it.
Gabriel grew over that time, happily, playing, his understanding of the world around him becoming more and more, and his sensitivity began to display itself with quicker reflexes than average and even the nudge of an object he wasn’t touching. His hair began to change from the golden color it had been and started to darken, with black hairs growing in to mingle with his (now) vibrant red; eyes ever piercing and curious. He was a happy child.
Time stops for no-one, much to Ferra’s dismay, and one and a half years often pass more quickly than originally hoped. It was Gabriel’s third birthday and the same two Jedi had agreed to arrive the next day to collect the soon to be Youngling. The birthday celebrations we still joyful; though no playmates, simply the small family, enjoying what the parents knew to be the last day they would get with their son for many years. They each gave the boy their full attention, Kregan took the day from work and presented Gabriel with a crystal necklace. Something he had picked up earlier in the week fro Treasure Ship Row.
The next day the Jedi arrived. It was a tearful goodbye from the boy’s mother and a proud moment for his father. The Jedi took a bow and assured the parents of the boy’s safety, after roughly fifteen minutes, it was over. The boy hugged both parents, and tried to be as brave as possible, knowing he was going to be a Jedi; though not really knowing what that really meant. The two knights led the boy to their ship slowly, and soon they were off world and on their way back to Coruscant, to the Jedi Temple. Where he received his youngling robes, his first haircut, and his necklace was taken. The Jedi explained that it was the way is had to be.
As all children develop individual personalities, the same was true with Gabriel. Gabriel’s developed around the age of six. He was always a kind child, though as his skill in the force and saber handling developed, his mouth kept pace. He was a quick thinker with a quick mouth and enjoyed making his peers laugh, which often led to scolding by instructors.
Around the time he turned eight, Gabriel had become close to a young Zeltron female by the name of R’Hanna Duhl. She was his age, only a couple months younger, though seemed to excel in the more philosophical aspects. Their friendship budded as the two complimented each other; where Gabriel fell short R’Hanna would help him, and in turn Gabriel would help her likewise. After a short time the two could be found sparing or working on various techniques together almost any time during the day. Gabriel made R’Hanna laugh, and she made him feel strong, an ideal friendship.
While Gabriel’s mouth often caused him trouble, his ability to comprehend and perform skills taught –not only with a saber, but also the force– always seemed to end him in good graces with his instructors. And he did excel quickly, taking to the basic techniques of the saber and kinetic applications of the force much faster than some of the other techniques. He comprehended the tangible, where he could see the effects of what he was learning.
It was this trait that attracted his soon to be Master. Gabriel and R’Hanna were sparing when a familiar face made her way toward the two. The Omwati Jedi whom had initially received him from his parents was slowly making her way toward the duo. Slowly the two rotated to view the knight; both disengaged their sabers and bowed to the slender woman. Their meeting was only brief; long enough for the Omwati to tell the boy that with the council’s approval she had been given him as her Padawan. Initial shock over took the boy, which then turned to pure excitement; excitement shared by his friend. The two bowed once more to the knight who returned the gesture, and left the two to return to their sparing. Gabriel was ten.
Less than a week later, Gabriel was Padawan to a Master Xen Tai.
Gabriel’s training had been taken to a new level by his new master. She was Omwati, a naturally frail looking species with good brains; she knew Gabriel could easily catch on to the saber techniques; it was the aspects of the force which he lacked in. Her goal through his training was to get him to utilize the force, in junction with his natural aptitude for lightsaber, for a power duo. She herself specialized in Ataru and Niman, feeling a good offense would benefit her better than defense, as her species was not particularly the strongest. She utilized kinetic force powers, along with body, and sensory powers; natural choices to help compensate her lack of inherent strength. She focused on the basic form with Gabriel, until she felt he would be ready to forged his first saber.
The boy’s young body was put to the test countless time in the first couple years, but more than anything his mind. Xen made sure, for every one hour of saber training there were four of meditation. She would meditate alongside him, giving him council when she sensed his restlessness or frustration. Eventually it became second nature to the boy, to meditate on the living force, and feel his environment. The meditation sessions never became shorter, but the time seemed to pass quicker.
Their first mission came when Gabriel was fourteen; a simple droid recovery mission for the republic. An in-out mission, no use of force was required; the pirates who found the R3 unit were quite easy to work with and had no desire to interfere with a Jedi affair. While Gabriel was pleased that it went smoothly, he had been hoping to utilize his new techniques, little did he know that he would not be let down with his next few missions. Xen had begun training him in the art of Ataru and Niman, deeming that the boy had become more than proficient with the technique of Shii-Cho.
When Gabriel turned eighteen, Xen Tai had decided it was time enough for Gabriel to construct his own saber. She sensed his proficiency growing and knew his trial age would arrive quicker than either of them knew. And so, she rounded the youth from meditation, and informed him that the time had come, and Dantooine awaited. The preparations were made, and they set off. Soon they were on the decent toward the surface of the green outer rim planet.
Once on the surface Xen led her apprentice across Khoonda plains toward the kinrath tunnels which lead down to the crystal cave. The master nodded toward the cave, implying that her apprentice enter the dark hole. She sat cross legged leaving her apprentice with the instructions to “follow your feelings”. Though he was alone in the darkness, he remembers feeling the presence of his master, which made it easier for him to meditate upon the force as he searched to pitch blackness.
The young man was left in the cave system for nearly two full days; he had only a pouch of nutritious herbs to keep his nourishment up, the whole time relying on the force to plot his path. He could feel himself getting closer to the cave each step, until he found himself within it. The boy pulled the crystal necklace from under the folds of his tunic and meditated upon it. It was at that moment he felt a pull toward a corridor of the cave. Closing his eyes and allowing the force to guide his movements, he found himself standing merely feet from a small crystal formation. Understanding why he had been drawn to this crystal; Gabriel reached out and plucked a piece of the lightly glowing orange crystal; two small pieces seemed to come off with a snap, immediately he felt the power of the force pulling him toward another crystal; two small yellow formations, where he reached out and pulled another. Knowing he had more than enough for his saber he turned to leave the cave; though the pull of the force from the yellow crystal did not release him. While he was confused, he turned once more, and reached to the yellow crystal and plucked another piece. The pull ceased.
While his excitement was overwhelming, somehow he found the discipline meditate on the living force around him, and allowed it to lead him back through the maze. When he reached the mouth of the kinrath system, four days had elapsed and the dawn of the fifth was just breaking. Xen was in the exact place she had been when he left her initially. Gabriel explained his confusion as to the crystals, and Xen explained that no one could know the will of the force, and the reason behind it would become clear eventually. The two made their way back to their little shuttle and departed Dantooine.
Once back at the temple on Coruscant, Gabriel and R’Hanna (who had been taken for an apprentice as well) sat together as he relayed his story. The time the two had together was never long and usually in passing; but they maintained their friendship. Later that evening Master Xen left her apprentice to assemble his own lightsaber, and meditate on his crystals, however the force dictated to him. It was one morning, nearly a month and a week later, that Xen Tai was woken by the *snap-hiss* of a brightly glowing, light-orange saber.
Mission after mission Gabriel and Xen completed with precision and speed, both coming in with an offensive strategy and mindset. It was on one such mission, around the age of nineteen, that Gabriel got his first taste of dual-wielding combat. The mission was simple: stop a droid uprising at a factory on Raxus Prime. It should have been simple enough, though when the two arrived the droids hat taken control of a land to air turret and crippled Xen’s star-fighter, the Jedi had no choice but to perform an emergency landing. The droids were on her in an instant; it was a fight for her life. Gabriel, thinking quickly, entered a quick landing point into the auto-pilot and opened the cockpit, launching himself from the fighter several meters from the planet surface. Meditating on the force momentarily he landed gently on the surface and broke into a run toward his master’s aid. His saber zapped to life in his right hand. He utilized the force run technique and was able to reach his master much quicker than he had hoped, fending off blaster fire as he made his way. He launched himself into action, hacking droids down, using his telekinetic face abilities to fling some and pull others. He was in the process of fighting his way through a wave of droids when he heard the fizzing sound of seared flesh. His master had taken a blaster bolt to the back of her saber hand while in the process of deflecting a bolt headed at Gabriel’s head.
She ordered him to take her saber, he did as he was told and ignited it the green saber. A blur of orange and green zapped around him as he covered their brief retreat. Once the two had made their way to the factory, the workers closed the blast doors giving the Jedi a brief reprieve. They remained holed up in the factory for a day, until Xen’s hand had recovered enough to return to the surface, where the two were met with a difficult fight; in the end they were victorious. It was at that point that Gabriel understood why he had been compelled to take the extra crystals from the cave on Dantooine, Xen also agreed and from that point forward Gabriel’s training was focused mainly on the arts of Niman and Jar-kai.
Month after month brought more missions, and Gabriel’s proficiency grew more and more. It was around the age of twenty-one that Gabriel’s personality took a turn; when he learned R’Hanna had been lost to a Dark Jedi. He had been out on a mission with Xen, at the time the incident took place and he wouldn’t learn of it until he returned to the temple. The loss of his childhood friend caused a deep change in Gabriel; he had always assumed that his sensitivity to her, their bond, would have given allowed him to feel her death. It took many months for his mind to become less clouded by the sorrow he felt on a daily basis, constantly meditating, training was exceptionally difficult for him as he was constantly reminded of his younger days sparing with R’Hanna. Eventually though, he was able to move past the loss eventually; but it did leave its mark, and Gabriel became a much quieter personality around the temple, spending his spare time meditating and training even further with his technique.
By twenty-two Gabriel had established himself in the art of Shii-cho, and had crafted his dual sabers. With great pride, Xen Kai told Gabriel that she believe him ready to take the trials, and took pride within herself knowing she had delivered an apprentice whom had suffered no major injury to his person. She held announced to the council that she believed Gabriel ready to take the trials, and after a brief discussion, they agreed he was eligible. Gabriel felt the same excitement he had felt all those years before when Xen Kai had told him she had chosen him as an apprentice. It took Gabriel only days to convince himself he was fully ready, and with a racing heart announced he was accepting the opportunity to take the Jedi Trials.
Gabriel was alone in the large room. He stood in the center, a pool of light illuminating the whole room. His eyes were closed, hands free, posture slightly hunched in dangerous preparation for action. He sensed a presence behind him, his eyes and hands snapped open, his palms summoning his dual sabers, and thumbs quickly igniting the blades. The orange blades hissed to life as he whirled around and crossed above his head blocking the red saber of a holo-droid. Gabriel’s eyes scanned the form of his holographic adversary, to find a generic human face placed on a body roughly the same dimensions as Gabriel himself. He shoved off with his sabers sending both he and the dark Jedi [holo-droid] back away from one another. He stood, both sabers by his side, looking like bright extensions of his arm.
The droid lunged forward, bringing the saber in a stabbing motion, Gabriel expertly parried with his right hand and brought his left over in a vertical arch, immediately putting his opponent on the defensive, as had been he and his master’s strategy for year. Gabriel’s form was a buzzing blur of orange clashing with red, over and over Gabriel slashed and parried, constantly keeping his holographic opponent on guard; a deadly whirlwind of Jar-Kai technique.
The driod used a quick circular whip of his wrist and send Gabriel’s left saber flying from his grip, thinking it had the upper hand, the Dark Jedi gave a lunge, which was the exact moment Gabriel utilized his Ataru training: moving quickly to the right and performing a quick spin only to clash saber with the red, he focused energy into his legs and utilized the force to aid him in a high aerial over his opponent who deflected a half-hearted attack. The hologram lunged once more as Gabriel landed, though only moments too slow, the young Jedi dove to the left dodging the attack. Gabriel was one saber down and now on the defensive, and on his back, his opponent swinging for another attack only to be blocked by the orange saber. Gabriel shoved his left hand out focusing his force power into a push, sending the droid flying. Gabriel was up charging after his opponent, he reached out with the force to his thrown saber, pulling it to him and igniting the blade with a fizzing hiss.
It was back up, though the reprieve was enough to allow Gabriel to focus his energy on his opponent. To him the droid embodied all Dark Jedi; more specifically, the one who took his closest friend from him. With more ferocity than before Gabriel lashed out at the droid, one attack leading into the next. The poor droid was all but doomed, frantically the hologram struggled to keep up with the onslaught of saber attacks, though to no avail. Gabriel’s left saber swung down hard from a 180 spin sending it off balance, his right saber came up and around circularly as he squared himself to his opponent, the circular motion swept up and took with it the hologram’s saber arm, thus ending the duel and the first test. Gabriel stood alone again in the room sabers still ablaze, with only a dismembered holo-droid on the floor. By defeating the holo-droid, he had completed the Test of Skill.
Gabriel was sent to the planet of his origin for his second trial. His objective was to investigate some missing Twi’lek women. Apparently several had gone missing in the Blue Sector of Coronet City; presumably for slave trade.
Alone he wandered the streets of the Blue Sector. With the force he reached out, each night trying to feel something, anything. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the night scene, Gabriel was essentially invisible. For one whole week Gabriel walked the nights meditating on the force, but due to the nature of the area fear, anger, confusion, and pain were not uncommon. Twice in the week he had followed his senses down alley ways following the sense of fear or pain, only to find a mugging and two gamblers having a dispute. Of course it was simple to defuse both situations, using the force to convince the aggressors to leave; in the case of the mugging, Gabriel decided the aggressor wanted to give the victim all of the belongings on his person, and rethink his life.
It was middle of the night and Gabriel was starting to lose focus. He had been wandering the streets since before mid-day and was tiring of this trial. Either the slave traders had caught wind of his presence or, they were already gone. Either way it was a waste of the young Jedi’s time. Just when he began to lose focus a cold feeling of fear shot through the force to Gabriel’s left. He felt her! Gabriel knew time was against him, and shot into the cantina to his left. Once in he felt immediate aggression all around him. The room was only partly full by gangster type patrons.
The young Jedi kept his cloak’s hood over his head, as to not completely give away his faction allegiance. Gabriel walked to the Rodian bar tender, still sensing the woman’s presence, and demanded he tell her where she was. The Rodian attempted to play dumb but it was useless. Gabriel sensed the woman was near and began looking for obvious hiding places; he took a couple steps away from the counter and reached out with the force, immediately feeling the woman’s presence under the floor… A trap door. Gabriel waved his hand and the door dropped open, revealing two Twi’lek women and a Gamorrean boar tying their semi-unconscious forms, though at the moment looking rather confused and startled.
The cantina burst to life and Gabriel instantly had a saber in his right hand and ignited. His hood flew from his head as he spun about, pushing the Rodian tender into the wall behind the counter knocking him unconscious as he spun, and blocking a blaster bolt with his right saber. He was immediately facing two more Rodians, three orange skinned Nikto, and a rather perturbed Gran; all with weapons drawn and standing, save the Gran who was evidently the leader of the operation. Gabriel announced that they were all under arrest for illegal slave trade and kidnapping. The Gran laughed, insulted the Jedi and ordering his men to attack.
The Gamorrean had climbed his way from the pit; the searing pain that caught the young Jedi by surprise was only rivaled by the surprise he suffered by the smell of burning flesh. The Gamorrean had pulled a blaster as he made his way up and shot a bolt off, the bolt hit square in the left shoulder. The Gamorrean was fully out of the pit; figuring the Jedi was fully incapacitated, he attempted to grab the young Jedi. Gabriel was too quick though, he had his second saber summoned to his left hand and ignited taking a low sweep, while his right blocked two more bolts. The Gamorrean let out a squeal as his legs were severed from the knee down, falling to the floor and trying to claw his way to safety.
Gabriel tried one last attempt to warn the slave traders, all the while meditating on the force, and trying not to show the violent pain which the seared flesh of his shoulder caused. They responded with a volley of blaster fire; Gabriel expertly deflected the bolts and dove to the side dodging one. His sabers fizzed as he allowed them off and to latch back in place behind his hips. His arms shot out releasing a wave of force power shoving two Rodians and a Nikto into one of the Cantina walls and trapping them under a table, unconscious. Gabriel summoned his right saber to his hand as the remaining two fired two more bolts to no avail, the bolts were deflected. Gabriel utilized the force run technique and was upon the last two before they had a chance. The orange saber slid effortlessly through the two blasters and his left hand shot out a wave, pushing the Rodian and Nikto into a bench next to the Gran. Gabriel held his saber pointed directly in the face of the Gran, who was in between the two others.
Gabriel smirked and repeated the fact that he was under arrest and if he moved he would give him ten fingers instead of twelve. The young Jedi slid a transmitter from his utility belt and summoned the nearest CorSec officers to take the slavers into custody. Once the officers had arrived, Gabriel brought the two Tei’lek women from the pit and unbound them.
And so Gabriel had completed his second trial. He made his way back to Coruscant to the temple to receive his next trial.
It was only days after Gabriel had returned from his second trial on Corellia. He had been training nearly non-stop since he had arrived back from Corellia, knowing the third text to usually be the most physically demanding, and that it would text his resolve. At the moment, however, he was walking alongside Master Xen Tai. His arms tucked into the dark brown cloak, hood back, anticipation evident on his young face.
“Gabe,” Xen Tai’s voice cut into the silence the two had shared for nearly the whole walk to the chamber. Gabriel immediately sensed his master was uneasy of his next trial, though why escaped him. Did she not believe he was ready? He would hold his question until she had finished what she set out to say. “This mission will test you more than you know… I sense a great trial ahead of you. Do not waver, my young apprentice, you will be shaken to the core.”
Gabriel’s expression changed as the gravity of what his master had relayed to him set in. She wasn’t worried whether Gabriel was ready for a trial or not, she was worried whether he would come back. He focused on the force, allowing him to calm his mind and hopefully ease his master’s mind. “Don’t worry, Master,” he began, deep voice resonating from his lips. “I’ll be back before you know it.” His voice sounded small in the chambers of the temple, always making him realize that he was only one piece to an intricate puzzle.
Xen Tai stopped only steps outside the council chamber and with an uneasy, yet calm voice, replied. “I know you will, Gabe.” She smiled and continued on through the threshold and into the chamber, feeling her apprentice follow, piercing eyes hiding his eagerness.
The meeting with the council was short, though it left a sour taste in Gabriel’s mouth. His next trial was to head to the planet Alderaan, where a Dark Jedi had taken refuge. A knight had been sent to bring the dark one to justice, though hadn’t returned and was presumed dead. The council thought it a risky move to send the Padawan after this menace, but never the less they had decided to send him, an action quite puzzling for the youth. He couldn’t figure why they had chosen this to be his test, but they had and he would complete it, that wasn’t his worry; Gabriel had taken life before, and didn’t enjoy the taste, and the prospect that he may be forced to take the life of this dark Jedi loomed over him. The excitement had fled from him; it was replaced with bitter anticipation.
Gabriel was to depart as soon as the arrangements were made and he was ready. Excusing himself from the council hall and his master, Gabriel took his leave. He was given a small transport ship, with only him and a pilot. Gabriel allowed the pilot to plot the course, while he checked the restraints in the back, incase he was fortunate enough to capture this dark one.
Gabriel sat himself on a seat next to the restraints and pulled a small bag from under that small bench-like seat. “Nursing supplies?” he murmured to the pilot who simply chuckled and shook his head, peaking back at the young Jedi.
“Yes,” his voice hid his own uneasiness with a chuckle. The pilot had heard that those of the darker arts could pull ships straight from the sky; needless to say he was worried. “They’re incase anything goes awry, nothing personal toward you, just a precaution… for me more than anyone.” He locked eyes with Gabriel for a moment and the two nodded their amusement.
“Mind if I use some?” Gabriel said slightly preoccupied, as a though formed in his mind. The pilot shook his head and waved his hand as a go a-head notion. Gabriel pulled some cloth wrap from the med sac, and pulled on a small piece to check its durability. It seemed strong enough. He began wrapping his hands winding around each finger and soon up his forearm to his elbow. He rotated his wrist to test mobility and tightness, deeming it fit, he tucked the sack back.
Gabriel’s mind turned to his past; trying to recollect everything he had been taught about the dark side of the force. His mind began racing, thinking of all of the possible outcomes of this encounter, though really there were only three he found plausible. One: he was able to subdue his opponent and take it back to the Temple for judgment. Two: he kills his foe. Three: he is killed. The last two didn’t seem to sit well with him, especially the latter.
“Alderaan,” The pilot’s voice cut into his thoughts. “Such a beautiful planet, eh, master Jedi.” Gabriel chuckled, he was far from a master, though didn’t mind that the man had made the mistake and simple nodded his agreement. “Where should I land, sir?”
Gabriel was about to give the pilot the location where the last Jedi had “disappeared”, when he heard the words “Castle Lands” echo through his head. His eyes narrowed as though to question what he had just heard, but for some reason didn’t. “The Castle Lands…” He repeated his mind beginning to focus on the force.
“Ah, been here before?” The pilot inquired as he made some brief calculations and a minor adjustment in direction. “They’re beautiful this time of year-” He continued on and they landed, though Gabriel wasn’t listening.
‘He’s not even trying to hide himself…’ Gabriel thought as he began to feel the cold chill of the Dark Side grow as his ship neared the planet surface. ‘It’s like he wants to be found… like he’s drawing me into a trap.’ The ship landed on the outskirts of the Castle Lands with hardly a quake, and Gabriel was already at the landing hatch. “Return to orbit,” Gabriel ordered the pilot as he prepared to exit the hatch. “I sense a great deal of danger here. I will contact you when I have dealt with the issue.” Gabriel sighed, as he exited the ship. Once he was clear, the hatch closed and the small transport lifted off, leaving Gabriel alone next to a petrified Killik mound.
Gabriel turned himself about and began toward the heart of the Castle Lands, where he sensed the dark power. He walked evenly, his hood over his head, arms tucked into his long cloak sleeves. He noticed that the light was fading; though it was roughly mid-afternoon, the petrified mounds were becoming denser, and their impressive height blocked most of the rays of light, lending a cooler temperature and darker feel. Though the blocked rays weren’t the only reason for a dark feeling; he felt the disturbing chill of the dark side grow nearer and nearer each step. And then he was there. He sensed it. He knew it. Saw it; saw the cause of this evil feeling he felt in the pit of his stomach, churning it, tying it in knots.
The black cloaked figure stood firm, a silhouette in front of a large mound. Gabriel’s form hadn’t changed, though it had stopped. The two faced one another, roughly twenty meters separating the dark Jedi and the young Jedi to be. Gabriel studied his opposite. He sensed the figure had no intention of attacking… yet. He decided rather that calling out to the figure, he would allow himself as close as possible. He took a step, and the black cloak took one as well. Not allowing this to phase him, Gabriel took another, closing the distance though keeping a keen eye on his opponent as well as a firm meditation on the force.
The two soon stood only ten meters apart; both had taken the same steps at the same time, clearly as a taunt to the young Jedi, hoping to get a rise from him; it was an unsuccessful endeavor. Gabriel’s hands left their tuck inside his cloak sleeves and found their way to his hood. Slowly he pulled it back, revealing his face to the dark figure in front of him. His piercing eyes stared into the darkness of the hood in front of him, hoping to catch a glimpse of this faceless foe; to no avail. He shifted he posture slightly, realizing he had begun to fold into a readied posture, like a large cat ready to defend itself. After straightening enough to seem more collected, he took a breath.
“You don’t belong here,” his deep voice shook the air around him as he spoke; each word ringing clear and clean. “You are under arrest.” He said as firmly as possible, though it didn’t seem to affect the dark one opposite him. Instead the figure seemed to be amused.
“Heh-heh heh-heh.” The feminine chuckle sounded cold and lifeless as it slid from under the cloak’s hood. “Gabriel Alaris,” she began slowly, each word dripping from her mouth like venom as she began to bring a gloved hand toward her hood. “Ever the comedian,” she stated as her other hand dropped to her side. “But you’re smarter than that Gabriel.” Her hand had reached her hood, which was where Gabriel had been focused, he missed the left hand dropping to her side and pushing her cloak slightly aside. Without warning Gabriel heard the sound of a saber zapping to life; sending him a quick step back, where he snapped his hands open and summoned his sabers to his palms. His orange sabers hissed as they ignited, Gabriel taking his usual posture, right saber arm stretching slightly to the side and left saber crossing in front of his form, legs in an open stance right leg closest to his opponent.
“I don’t want this,” he began, sensing no immediate attacks he took the time moment to fully settle into a readied position. But he was only met by the same chuckle as before. “I will take you back to Coruscant with me, one way or another...” He voice sounding more threatening now; the chuckling stopped.
“Surely I thought you would have realized, Gabriel,” the seductively venomous voice oozed from the darkness under the hood. “I am not going back to Coruscant.” Gabriel’s eyes narrowed as the gloved hand finally looked as though it would move the hood away, but instead he was placed on the defensive as the black cloaked figure lashed out with her saber; first with one hand, then more viciously with both, hacking at Gabriel who expertly deflected and blocked each attack.
Gabriel could feel the dark side growing as she attacked him; each blow full of anger and hate, the young Jedi would stand for no more of this use of the force. Trapping the dark Jedi’s saber between his sabers and shoving out with his own strength, coupled with the energy of a force wave soaring from his form, sending his opponent off balance and flying back ward, sliding several feet on her back before coming to a stop. “Enough!” His voice thundered with pure frustration shaking the air surrounding him.
“It is never enough, Gabriel!” The voice roared back. “Do you see there? The power you released! Rage!” Her growling voice seeming to grow more matter of fact with each word, as she slowly pulled her self to a standing position, holding her hood over her head. “It is never enough.” Her saber fizzed off, and was carefully placed on her utility belt under the black cloak. Gabriel left his sabers ablaze, but took on a more relaxed posture, meditating on the force. “Do you understand?” the voice returned to its previous venomous state.
Gabriel simply shook his head and responded calmly. “I see that you are deluded.” He stated. “You seek power for power’s sake, and you misuse what power you do have.” He felt a change in the force surrounding the woman, a darkness grow. He knew she would give into that feeling; he readied himself for an attack with a saber, but found he was preparing for the wrong form of attack.
“I will show you power for power’s sake, Jedi!” Her hand shot out and Gabriel felt the power of the dark side fully for the first time. He felt his wind being closed off; his feet began to leave the ground as he released his sabers. ”I push the limits, Gabriel.” The voice said calmly as she tightened her grip with the dark technique of Force Choke, and her left and summoned his fallen sabers. “Something I would never had learned in the academy. My old master never knew what I know now.” Her voice lifted. “No Jedi knows what I know now!” Gabriel could feel consciousness slowly fading, and she continued to focus her grip on his throat, tightening it. He had to do something quickly.
Gabriel began focusing all of his energy on the force, meditating, and in one quick movement, shot his hands out in front of him sending a wave of force push from his body, which billowed dust with it as it smashed into the dark Jedi sending her soaring backward. Gabriel was dropped back onto the ground. Kneeling only for a moment before realizing he was weaponless. “Have it your way…” Her voice resonated from the dust. Gabriel stood slowly rubbing at his throat as the hoodless form of his opponent began to emerge from the settling cloud of dust.
Gabriel did not believe what his eyes showed him. The deep indigo hair was the first feature he saw, followed by the soft red skin, and then the facial features. “R’Hanna…?” He voice cracked with a mixture of emotions. Her skin was lighter than he had remembered; her once soft features now hard and gaunt, weathered by the dark side. Gabriel’s eyes looked on, filled with confusion and glazed slightly by tears.
“Yes, Gabriel.” She said with a smile on her lips. She began to remove her cloak, revealing a black clad body. Her torso was only covered by a black wrap about her chest, which had straps winding across her abdomen and tying in a knot on her lower back; revealing numerous scars on her back and abdomen. Her black pants came just below her hip bones and fit tightly to her form, and were tucked into black knee high trooper boots. A utility belt draped from the top of one curvaceous hipbone and fell inline with the top of her pants. Her indigo hair, held in a high ponytail, fell between her shoulder blades, leaving only long bangs to fall and frame her face. “My old master and I had been sent to deal with a Dark Jedi by the name of Om’gress,” She stated calmly as she watched Gabriel slowly remove his own cloak, eyes still harboring disbelief. “He showed me the potential power I could have… I lost one master, and gained another.”
Gabriel’s eyes widened as he recollected that day. He was never told she was dead; simply that she had ‘been lost to a Dark Jedi’. That was why he hadn’t felt her death. Suddenly it all made sense to Gabriel. “R’Hanna,” His voice cleared. “You can come back with me,” he stated with urgency in his voice. “We don’t have to do this, R’Hanna.”
“We do Gabriel.” She stated coldly. “You are my final trial; the last tie to my old self.” Gabriel form gave away his shock. “I give you two choices, Gabriel…” She took one of his sabers in each. “Join me and realize a truth you will never know with your Jefi, or…” she ignited the sabers with a unified hiss and lowered her head, her golden eyes peering at him in an overly dangerous manor.
Gabriel was cemented in place, momentarily paralyzed in a hurricane of emotions. His piercing eyes welling up with hot tears, face slightly contorted in utter disbelief. His mind whirling in a flash of memories from their past together, and trying to completely comprehend what was about to unfold. “R’Hanna,” his voice shook slightly only audible enough for the two to share the sound. “I am a Jedi,” his eyes blinked the tears out, and he cleared his throat regaining the depth of voice back he was accustomed to. “Though you are my oldest friend,” He nodded as he straightened his posture, each word being said more to himself than the woman across from him. “I wont be swayed, R’Hanna.” His jaw locked after the words had left his mouth.
“Then, old friend,” She said coolly. “You will… Die!” R’Hanna leapt forward bringing the sabers around as she spiraled through the air. Gabriel ducked just in time to leap and roll out of the way, he spun to his right to face R’Hanna, catching a momentary glimpse of her saber hanging on her utility belt as she turned and squared herself to him. His hand shot out and a moment later a red saber blazed in front of his face blocking two orange sabers. Gabriel shoved off and let loose a couple quick slashes with the red saber.
R’Hanna smirked at the young Jedi before her, wielding a red saber. “It suits you well.” Her voice chuckled as she watched her old companion’s expressions. “I feel your anger, Gabriel,” she stated closing her eyes and breathing in. “It feels good doesn’t it?” She exhaled and let loose a storm of attacks, throwing in force techniques where she could, though Gabriel was attempting to come to terms with the fact that his old friend was attempting to kill him.
Gabriel focused on the force around him and began meditating to calm his mind as he blocked her attacks. “R’Hanna, I will bring you back to the council.” He said as he forced her backward with his own barrage of attacks, neither gaining the upper hand over the other, almost as though neither wanted it.
“No, Gabe, you won’t.” She pushed out with the force toward him, but he push was med by his own, and both went sliding back on their feet, leaving two shallow trenches in their wake. Gabriel was enraged that the woman he had grown up with, been best of friends with, had fallen victim to a dark Jedi and been corrupted and made into this power hungry shell he saw before him; he hated her dark master more than anything. It was the first time Gabriel had really felt hate, and the weight of the dark side pushing down upon him. The feeling made his heart heavy, and for the first time - as she stood across from him a heavily breathing anger filled woman - he was able to see that R’Hanna Duhl was no more.
“…One way or another, R’Hanna…” He stated calmly allowing all anger to flush from his system. The two allowed their eyes to meet for a brief moment, and for that moment, they were younglings again, getting ready to spar; and in the blink of an eye the moment had passed and children were replaced by enemies. Gabriel readied the single red saber, knowing that R’Hanna’s Jedi master had knowledge in the Jar’kai technique, which he no doubt passed on a bit of, and he had no idea what technique her dark master called his own. He did know that this was now a fight for his life, and it may come down to a kill or be killed scenario, something he dreaded.
The two seemed to engage at the same moment, both striking high, R’Hanna with both sabers and Gabriel blocking, but throwing his weight into the offensive. He lashed out with an array of vertical and horizontal slashes, aims for various parts of his opponent’s anatomy. Each of Gabriel’s blows directed toward a limb or area of less vitality than the head or torso; the same was not true with R’Hanna who lashed out at Gabriel’s vital points at any chance she had. Gabriel was simply too aggressive to allow her many openings; his saber buzzed clashing with the orange sabers only momentarily before directing the next attack elsewhere. He continued to push her backward, through the forest of Killik mounds.
R’Hanna could feel herself slowly losing control of the two sabers as Gabriel lashed out, battering her defenses. In a fortunate turn of events, she found a brief opening and exploited it. Gabriel opened his defenses slightly as he wound up for a hard hit, but found himself being struck in the face and the sent soaring with a force push. The young Jedi was on the ground, summoning the red saber which had flown from his grasp, though it didn’t reach him in time; R’Hanna was on him, bringing two sabers down in a arch which began over her head. Gabriel barely moved in time to dodge the attack before she was throwing another down at his defenseless form. It was a scramble for life.
Deep glass lined trenches lined the ground around Gabriel, as amazingly he hadn’t been hit yet. He could feel R’Hanna’s frustration growing as she began to lash more violently and frenzied. There was no time for Gabriel to devise some escape from his situation, he was acting on pure instinct; he lashed out, kicking hard into her lower leg sending it out from under her and causing her body to sprawl forward. Gabriel rolled to his right, reaching up with his left hand and grasping into her forearm, pulling her farther forward and quickly reaching with his right hand and propelling her over his head by pushing from her hip.
Gabriel scrambled to his feet and summoned one of his orange sabers which had escaped her hand and summoned her red saber, both hissing to life. R’Hanna was attempting to get her feet under her as she stood, when Gabriel attacked out with the two sabers. One coming from over head and the other sweeping under and up; R’Hanna was able to block both, at the sacrifice of her footing. Gabriel kicked out, planting his foot into her chest sending a burst of force energy into her form, causing her to soar back and land on her back. Before she could regain her surroundings the young Jedi was on her, standing over his opponent, sabers blazing.
R’Hanna’s eyes followed Gabriel’s form as he breathed heavily. The orange saber in her hand was off, and she was pinned, she knew as well as Gabriel that she was finished. Though some how she had deluded herself into believing that she could fight her way back up and take him; Gabriel sensed her focus grow on the dark side and shot his right hand forward planting her on the ground, as a warning. Realization completely hit her, and the visible change from confidence to fear was evident to Gabriel, who watched as she reluctantly gripped her lightsaber.
“R’Hanna,” His voice raised in a warning, as tears began to glaze his eyes once more. “You don’t have to do this. It doesn't have to be this way. Please don't” Gabriel was not prepared for what R’Hanna did in response: she looked up at him, and smiled, the warm smile of her youth returning only for a moment before her face crunched in a snarl as she clenched the saber in her hand, igniting the orange blade Gabriel’s reflexes took over in a blur: he blocked the slash at his body with his right saber, and cut across with his left, the saber found its way through R’Hanna’s wrist, and his right followed through and down through her left shoulder.
The shrill shriek of pain sent two tears streaming down Gabriel’s cheeks. He disengaged his saber, sending it fizzling back to the hilt; the red one followed suit and he clipped it to the side of his utility belt. He knew R’Hanna was in too much pain to focus on the force, or to do anything but writhe in pain; a fact with tore at the tendrils of his heart. More tears running from his piercing eyes as he looked down at the wounded Zeltron at his feet. He cleared his throat and pulled his transmitter from his belt. “Jeri’hm,” he said voice cracking then clearing. “I’m done down here, prepare the retraining system.” He placed the transmitter back on this belt and extended his hand toward the severed extremity still gripping his second orange saber. He clipped it to the back of his right hip and the saber in his left hand opposite. His eyes met with R’Hanna’s, hers full of pain and hatred, though her voice could not be found to express her hate.
“R’Hanna Duhl.” Gabriel said, hardly able to eek out the words. “You are under arrest for crimes against the Galactic Republic, and the Jedi Order.” He paused, eyes shifting away. “You will be tried by the Jedi Council upon our arrival back on Coruscant.” As the words exited his mouth, the small transport ship soared in from orbit, slowly hovering closer and closer to the ground until it landed. The hatch opened and the ramp extended to the ground. The pilot, Jeri’hm, rushed to the hatch to see if Gabriel was in any need of assistance, but the only acknowledgement he received was a half hearted, “Put her in the restraining system.”
As the pilot ran out to do as he was instructed, Gabriel walked to the pilot’s chair and collapsed into it. His mind a swirl of emotions and memories, he knew that he had essentially condemned R’Hanna to death or imprisonment. R’Hanna’s voice had returned to her as her body released pain fighting endorphins, as the pilot carried her in she shouted curses at Gabriel and proceeded to tell him how much she hated him. She was still in to much pain to utilize the force, so containing her was simple enough for the pilot, who was returning to the cockpit. He took the co-pilots chair next to Gabriel, who robotically began to control the ship upward, he looked at Jeri’hm and nodded as a sign for him to take control.
The only thing Gabriel could do to keep sane amidst the cries and shouts of hatred from R’Hanna, was to meditate deeply on the force, attempting to find the place he had those years before when he was told she had gone missing. He was unable to find the place, but the realization that she would hand killed him had he not done what he did, was consolation enough for the remainder of the trip back to Coruscant. Once on the planet and at the Jedi Temple, he gave his report of the incident, as well as her saber, to the council, and excused himself to ensure that she was being transported with care.
The last memory Gabriel Alaris would ever have of his child hood companion, R’Hanna Duhl, was a cold look and the words “I hate you.” venomously spat at him. Post-trial, Gabriel’s old master found him, meditating in his chamber, and informed him that the council had given him the title of Knight, saying that the battle with this dark one was a test not only of his bravery, but also that of his spirit. The news did not give Gabriel the excitement he had dreamed since childhood it would, but never the less he thanked Xen Tai, and later the council for their faith in him.
From that day forward Gabriel was known as a Knight Guardian, for his display of prowess with a saber, as well as his knowledge of the force.
RP Sample:
Orange saber hit green. Gabriel’s orange blade whipping around him and he lashed out and forward toward the Omwati woman; Her saber seeming to knowingly know where each attach would land, and cutting it off before it was successful. After a moment of back ward tracking the sabers locked in between the human and near-human. She shoved off and pushed the youth backward with a barrage of her own attacks; expertly combining an array of techniques into each strike, one moment Ataru, the next Niman, the next Djem So, each attempting to find a week point in the young Knight’s lightning-like defense. None successful, and once more the sabers locked. The young man pushed out with his sabers and allowed for a brief breather.
“You open your left side a bit too far, my old apprentice,” the wise Omwati voice cooed. “You should not put all focus into the next attacking arm, but rather keeping the defending one.” Master Xen Tai’s maternal nature obviously speaking wisdom to the younger knight. She was met with an impish look from the ember haired youth, whose eyes seemed to hide some quick thinking comment. “Something to say?” The two assumed their separate stances, Gabriel taking that of Jar-kai and Xen Tai taking Ataru.
Gabriel extended his saber, for a couple quick taps on his old master’s saber blade with his own, a smile curling on his lips. “Only a question for you, my old master.” He stated rather confidently. His piercing eyes were met with an inquisitive cock of the woman’s head. “Why then, master, can you not exploit the weakness?” He mouth lifting into a crooked smile. “Perhaps I open it to draw you in?” The wise Omwati simply nodded her response, and lunged forward unleashing a number of acrobatic maneuvers, including attacking downward and she flipped over her old student’s form. She threw her weight into a horizontal slash from her right to her left, where her saber was met by the orange of Gabriel’s. He quickly shoved off, opening his defenses again for that brief moment as she took the momentum of the block and push into her own spinning attack, hitting his right saber as the surprise move caught Gabriel unaware. The amount of force which he had pushed her attack off with had opened him too wide and her attack from the opposite side hand throwing it further off, he was sent in a spiraling decent to the floor.
“You mean like that?” The Omwati woman smiled and allowed her saber blade to vanish with a hiss. “Pick yourself up, Gabriel. I am taking a new Padawan today.” She stated with the same smile lifting her voice. “I must simply find one... Do you want to accompany me?” Gabriel slowly stood and disengaged his sabers, clipping them back onto the back of his hips.
“Master,” he stated as though his pride had been hurt. “I would love nothing more that to watch you replace me,” he said jokingly. “But I would like to inform you of a simple fact.” He stated calmly and matter-of-factly. Xen Tai simply lifter her brow awaiting this ‘simple fact’. Gabriel spread his arms wide. “I do my best fighting on my back!” His deep voice thundered in the training hall and was followed by deep chuckling. Xen Tai herself couldn’t help but chuckle at the boy she had watched grow up.
“Oh, Gabriel…” she said as she turned around to continue on her path toward the training area for younglings. “No one could replace you, not to me.” She said as memories of their years together flashed through her mind. “Am I to take it that you will not accompany me?” She asked, turning only her head enough to see the young Jedi’s response. He shook his head and bowed low. She took her leave of the young man, who silently sat crosslegged and began to meditate.
Race: Human
Age: 25
Height: 6'
Weight: 173
Birth place: Corellia
Appearance:
~/Appearance\~
Faction: Jedi
Rank: Knight-Guardian
Lightsaber: He wields two: both sabers have a slightly curving hilt (for comfort as he wields), they are of standard metallic composition with chrome plating, though at the base (pommel) a small weight is suspended to by a metal bar, only an inch off. This is for a more effective slash as the weight helps with the momentum needed. The ignition button is a small pressure sensitive area located on the upper portion of the hilt, where the thumb can easily access the pressure point. The emitter shroud extends slightly longer than average. They are standard single phase sabers.
Color: Light Orange
Practiced Lightsaber forms:
- Shii-Cho – 5
- Ataru – 2
- Niman – 1
- Jar-kai – 3
Force-Sensitive Abilities or practices:
Telekinetic: 7
Telepathic: 3
Body: 5
Sense: 6
Protection: 2
Healing: 2
Destruction: N/A
Specialized Skills:
~Force Wave~
Gabriel Favors: Force Grip, Force Push, Mind Trick
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 7
Intelligence: 5
Speed: 6
Leadership: 4
Unarmed: 7
Melee Weapons: 2
Ranged Weapons: 2
Force Attunement: +3
Bio:
Years 0-3
(Pre-Academy)
The Core Worlds Corellian System, Corellia
(Pre-Academy)
The Core Worlds Corellian System, Corellia
Gabriel was born in the capital city of Coronet, to Corellian parents, neither of whom was remarkable in any way. His father, Kregan, was a traffic officer with CorSec and mother, Ferra, (up until his birth) had worked in one of the many medical bays at the renowned space port.
Ferra gave birth in the same medical ward she frequently worked in, saying she trusted the people she knew with her child’s delivery rather than the droids in the medical compounds. A good choice as complications arose during birth; Gabriel’s cord had worked it way around his neck as he a being expelled, and had begun to cut oxygen supply. A quick maneuver by the bay chief had the complication corrected and the rest of the birth was easy, only lasting a total of seven minutes -a long seven minutes as she often recalled- where the baby began breathing and crying as the cold oxygen touched his skin and lungs. Of course Kregan was there to watch the birth of his first born son, and the two quickly opted to name their golden haired son Gabriel.
Having blood taken was a common occurrence for a new born, and it posed no worry for Ferra. Aside from a slight mutation in the boy’s iris pigments, he was healthy; healthier than most children are after a birthing compilation. Though the small family was unaware of his sensitivity, the Order would not be for much longer.
His first year brought Gabriel where any baby of his age would be, curious about existence and speaking only simple words; though he had learned to walk at a remarkably early age, and could maneuver around at what some would call a trot. His father continued working for CorSec and Ferra stayed with Gabriel.
It was roughly a year and a half after Gabriel’s birth that the representatives of the Jedi Order arrived of Corellia. Gabriel’s sensitivity had matured enough that the Council was made aware of his existence; and with this knowledge two representatives were sent to the capital city of the planet Corellia.
Finding the child was no difficulty for the knights; rather the difficult part was convincing the parents. The knights arrived mid-day at the domicile introducing themselves with curious bows. Ferra of course invited them in where they exchanged pleasantries and essentially killed time until Kregan arrived home from his newly acquired morning shift. At this point the two once more introduced them selves, once more. One was a tall Omwati female and the other a human male. Both of which felt it necessary to get down to business as soon as introductions were made and seats taken.
Initially, the parents couldn’t believe it. Two non-force sensitive humans birthing a sensitive; it didn’t make sense to them. Though the Jedi calmly explained that the force existed in all life forms, their son could tap into it and use it, and with the help of the order could learn to use it for the good of all. A noble enough cause, but not noble enough to convince a mother to just hand over a child she brought screaming into this world barely a year and a half ago.
The Jedi sensed the tenderness of the subject and offered them time to decide, though evidently it was not necessary, as Kregan suggested an alternative: if the would come back in another year and a half, the child would leave with them. The Jedi agreed and with a bow, excused themselves. Ferra wasn’t entirely happy about it, but once Kregan explained how important this opportunity would be to their son, and how much more good how could do; she understood, and agreed.
Each day from that point forward, Ferra spent every waking moment with Gabriel, always knowing that each passing day brought them closer to separation. Kregan seemed more enthusiastic than Ferra, he constantly told Gabriel of the good he was going do and how many adventures he was going to go on. Both would tell him not to be afraid of the day he had to leave and wanted him to be prepared for it.
Gabriel grew over that time, happily, playing, his understanding of the world around him becoming more and more, and his sensitivity began to display itself with quicker reflexes than average and even the nudge of an object he wasn’t touching. His hair began to change from the golden color it had been and started to darken, with black hairs growing in to mingle with his (now) vibrant red; eyes ever piercing and curious. He was a happy child.
Time stops for no-one, much to Ferra’s dismay, and one and a half years often pass more quickly than originally hoped. It was Gabriel’s third birthday and the same two Jedi had agreed to arrive the next day to collect the soon to be Youngling. The birthday celebrations we still joyful; though no playmates, simply the small family, enjoying what the parents knew to be the last day they would get with their son for many years. They each gave the boy their full attention, Kregan took the day from work and presented Gabriel with a crystal necklace. Something he had picked up earlier in the week fro Treasure Ship Row.
The next day the Jedi arrived. It was a tearful goodbye from the boy’s mother and a proud moment for his father. The Jedi took a bow and assured the parents of the boy’s safety, after roughly fifteen minutes, it was over. The boy hugged both parents, and tried to be as brave as possible, knowing he was going to be a Jedi; though not really knowing what that really meant. The two knights led the boy to their ship slowly, and soon they were off world and on their way back to Coruscant, to the Jedi Temple. Where he received his youngling robes, his first haircut, and his necklace was taken. The Jedi explained that it was the way is had to be.
Years 3-12
(Youngling)
The Core Worlds, Coruscant System, Coruscant
(Youngling)
The Core Worlds, Coruscant System, Coruscant
As all children develop individual personalities, the same was true with Gabriel. Gabriel’s developed around the age of six. He was always a kind child, though as his skill in the force and saber handling developed, his mouth kept pace. He was a quick thinker with a quick mouth and enjoyed making his peers laugh, which often led to scolding by instructors.
Around the time he turned eight, Gabriel had become close to a young Zeltron female by the name of R’Hanna Duhl. She was his age, only a couple months younger, though seemed to excel in the more philosophical aspects. Their friendship budded as the two complimented each other; where Gabriel fell short R’Hanna would help him, and in turn Gabriel would help her likewise. After a short time the two could be found sparing or working on various techniques together almost any time during the day. Gabriel made R’Hanna laugh, and she made him feel strong, an ideal friendship.
While Gabriel’s mouth often caused him trouble, his ability to comprehend and perform skills taught –not only with a saber, but also the force– always seemed to end him in good graces with his instructors. And he did excel quickly, taking to the basic techniques of the saber and kinetic applications of the force much faster than some of the other techniques. He comprehended the tangible, where he could see the effects of what he was learning.
It was this trait that attracted his soon to be Master. Gabriel and R’Hanna were sparing when a familiar face made her way toward the two. The Omwati Jedi whom had initially received him from his parents was slowly making her way toward the duo. Slowly the two rotated to view the knight; both disengaged their sabers and bowed to the slender woman. Their meeting was only brief; long enough for the Omwati to tell the boy that with the council’s approval she had been given him as her Padawan. Initial shock over took the boy, which then turned to pure excitement; excitement shared by his friend. The two bowed once more to the knight who returned the gesture, and left the two to return to their sparing. Gabriel was ten.
Less than a week later, Gabriel was Padawan to a Master Xen Tai.
Years 10-22
(Apprenticeship)
Various Locations
(Apprenticeship)
Various Locations
Gabriel’s training had been taken to a new level by his new master. She was Omwati, a naturally frail looking species with good brains; she knew Gabriel could easily catch on to the saber techniques; it was the aspects of the force which he lacked in. Her goal through his training was to get him to utilize the force, in junction with his natural aptitude for lightsaber, for a power duo. She herself specialized in Ataru and Niman, feeling a good offense would benefit her better than defense, as her species was not particularly the strongest. She utilized kinetic force powers, along with body, and sensory powers; natural choices to help compensate her lack of inherent strength. She focused on the basic form with Gabriel, until she felt he would be ready to forged his first saber.
The boy’s young body was put to the test countless time in the first couple years, but more than anything his mind. Xen made sure, for every one hour of saber training there were four of meditation. She would meditate alongside him, giving him council when she sensed his restlessness or frustration. Eventually it became second nature to the boy, to meditate on the living force, and feel his environment. The meditation sessions never became shorter, but the time seemed to pass quicker.
Their first mission came when Gabriel was fourteen; a simple droid recovery mission for the republic. An in-out mission, no use of force was required; the pirates who found the R3 unit were quite easy to work with and had no desire to interfere with a Jedi affair. While Gabriel was pleased that it went smoothly, he had been hoping to utilize his new techniques, little did he know that he would not be let down with his next few missions. Xen had begun training him in the art of Ataru and Niman, deeming that the boy had become more than proficient with the technique of Shii-Cho.
When Gabriel turned eighteen, Xen Tai had decided it was time enough for Gabriel to construct his own saber. She sensed his proficiency growing and knew his trial age would arrive quicker than either of them knew. And so, she rounded the youth from meditation, and informed him that the time had come, and Dantooine awaited. The preparations were made, and they set off. Soon they were on the decent toward the surface of the green outer rim planet.
Once on the surface Xen led her apprentice across Khoonda plains toward the kinrath tunnels which lead down to the crystal cave. The master nodded toward the cave, implying that her apprentice enter the dark hole. She sat cross legged leaving her apprentice with the instructions to “follow your feelings”. Though he was alone in the darkness, he remembers feeling the presence of his master, which made it easier for him to meditate upon the force as he searched to pitch blackness.
The young man was left in the cave system for nearly two full days; he had only a pouch of nutritious herbs to keep his nourishment up, the whole time relying on the force to plot his path. He could feel himself getting closer to the cave each step, until he found himself within it. The boy pulled the crystal necklace from under the folds of his tunic and meditated upon it. It was at that moment he felt a pull toward a corridor of the cave. Closing his eyes and allowing the force to guide his movements, he found himself standing merely feet from a small crystal formation. Understanding why he had been drawn to this crystal; Gabriel reached out and plucked a piece of the lightly glowing orange crystal; two small pieces seemed to come off with a snap, immediately he felt the power of the force pulling him toward another crystal; two small yellow formations, where he reached out and pulled another. Knowing he had more than enough for his saber he turned to leave the cave; though the pull of the force from the yellow crystal did not release him. While he was confused, he turned once more, and reached to the yellow crystal and plucked another piece. The pull ceased.
While his excitement was overwhelming, somehow he found the discipline meditate on the living force around him, and allowed it to lead him back through the maze. When he reached the mouth of the kinrath system, four days had elapsed and the dawn of the fifth was just breaking. Xen was in the exact place she had been when he left her initially. Gabriel explained his confusion as to the crystals, and Xen explained that no one could know the will of the force, and the reason behind it would become clear eventually. The two made their way back to their little shuttle and departed Dantooine.
Once back at the temple on Coruscant, Gabriel and R’Hanna (who had been taken for an apprentice as well) sat together as he relayed his story. The time the two had together was never long and usually in passing; but they maintained their friendship. Later that evening Master Xen left her apprentice to assemble his own lightsaber, and meditate on his crystals, however the force dictated to him. It was one morning, nearly a month and a week later, that Xen Tai was woken by the *snap-hiss* of a brightly glowing, light-orange saber.
Mission after mission Gabriel and Xen completed with precision and speed, both coming in with an offensive strategy and mindset. It was on one such mission, around the age of nineteen, that Gabriel got his first taste of dual-wielding combat. The mission was simple: stop a droid uprising at a factory on Raxus Prime. It should have been simple enough, though when the two arrived the droids hat taken control of a land to air turret and crippled Xen’s star-fighter, the Jedi had no choice but to perform an emergency landing. The droids were on her in an instant; it was a fight for her life. Gabriel, thinking quickly, entered a quick landing point into the auto-pilot and opened the cockpit, launching himself from the fighter several meters from the planet surface. Meditating on the force momentarily he landed gently on the surface and broke into a run toward his master’s aid. His saber zapped to life in his right hand. He utilized the force run technique and was able to reach his master much quicker than he had hoped, fending off blaster fire as he made his way. He launched himself into action, hacking droids down, using his telekinetic face abilities to fling some and pull others. He was in the process of fighting his way through a wave of droids when he heard the fizzing sound of seared flesh. His master had taken a blaster bolt to the back of her saber hand while in the process of deflecting a bolt headed at Gabriel’s head.
She ordered him to take her saber, he did as he was told and ignited it the green saber. A blur of orange and green zapped around him as he covered their brief retreat. Once the two had made their way to the factory, the workers closed the blast doors giving the Jedi a brief reprieve. They remained holed up in the factory for a day, until Xen’s hand had recovered enough to return to the surface, where the two were met with a difficult fight; in the end they were victorious. It was at that point that Gabriel understood why he had been compelled to take the extra crystals from the cave on Dantooine, Xen also agreed and from that point forward Gabriel’s training was focused mainly on the arts of Niman and Jar-kai.
Month after month brought more missions, and Gabriel’s proficiency grew more and more. It was around the age of twenty-one that Gabriel’s personality took a turn; when he learned R’Hanna had been lost to a Dark Jedi. He had been out on a mission with Xen, at the time the incident took place and he wouldn’t learn of it until he returned to the temple. The loss of his childhood friend caused a deep change in Gabriel; he had always assumed that his sensitivity to her, their bond, would have given allowed him to feel her death. It took many months for his mind to become less clouded by the sorrow he felt on a daily basis, constantly meditating, training was exceptionally difficult for him as he was constantly reminded of his younger days sparing with R’Hanna. Eventually though, he was able to move past the loss eventually; but it did leave its mark, and Gabriel became a much quieter personality around the temple, spending his spare time meditating and training even further with his technique.
By twenty-two Gabriel had established himself in the art of Shii-cho, and had crafted his dual sabers. With great pride, Xen Kai told Gabriel that she believe him ready to take the trials, and took pride within herself knowing she had delivered an apprentice whom had suffered no major injury to his person. She held announced to the council that she believed Gabriel ready to take the trials, and after a brief discussion, they agreed he was eligible. Gabriel felt the same excitement he had felt all those years before when Xen Kai had told him she had chosen him as an apprentice. It took Gabriel only days to convince himself he was fully ready, and with a racing heart announced he was accepting the opportunity to take the Jedi Trials.
The Jedi Trials
Trial of Skill
Trial of Skill
Gabriel was alone in the large room. He stood in the center, a pool of light illuminating the whole room. His eyes were closed, hands free, posture slightly hunched in dangerous preparation for action. He sensed a presence behind him, his eyes and hands snapped open, his palms summoning his dual sabers, and thumbs quickly igniting the blades. The orange blades hissed to life as he whirled around and crossed above his head blocking the red saber of a holo-droid. Gabriel’s eyes scanned the form of his holographic adversary, to find a generic human face placed on a body roughly the same dimensions as Gabriel himself. He shoved off with his sabers sending both he and the dark Jedi [holo-droid] back away from one another. He stood, both sabers by his side, looking like bright extensions of his arm.
The droid lunged forward, bringing the saber in a stabbing motion, Gabriel expertly parried with his right hand and brought his left over in a vertical arch, immediately putting his opponent on the defensive, as had been he and his master’s strategy for year. Gabriel’s form was a buzzing blur of orange clashing with red, over and over Gabriel slashed and parried, constantly keeping his holographic opponent on guard; a deadly whirlwind of Jar-Kai technique.
The driod used a quick circular whip of his wrist and send Gabriel’s left saber flying from his grip, thinking it had the upper hand, the Dark Jedi gave a lunge, which was the exact moment Gabriel utilized his Ataru training: moving quickly to the right and performing a quick spin only to clash saber with the red, he focused energy into his legs and utilized the force to aid him in a high aerial over his opponent who deflected a half-hearted attack. The hologram lunged once more as Gabriel landed, though only moments too slow, the young Jedi dove to the left dodging the attack. Gabriel was one saber down and now on the defensive, and on his back, his opponent swinging for another attack only to be blocked by the orange saber. Gabriel shoved his left hand out focusing his force power into a push, sending the droid flying. Gabriel was up charging after his opponent, he reached out with the force to his thrown saber, pulling it to him and igniting the blade with a fizzing hiss.
It was back up, though the reprieve was enough to allow Gabriel to focus his energy on his opponent. To him the droid embodied all Dark Jedi; more specifically, the one who took his closest friend from him. With more ferocity than before Gabriel lashed out at the droid, one attack leading into the next. The poor droid was all but doomed, frantically the hologram struggled to keep up with the onslaught of saber attacks, though to no avail. Gabriel’s left saber swung down hard from a 180 spin sending it off balance, his right saber came up and around circularly as he squared himself to his opponent, the circular motion swept up and took with it the hologram’s saber arm, thus ending the duel and the first test. Gabriel stood alone again in the room sabers still ablaze, with only a dismembered holo-droid on the floor. By defeating the holo-droid, he had completed the Test of Skill.
The Jedi Trials
Trial of Flesh
Trial of Flesh
Gabriel was sent to the planet of his origin for his second trial. His objective was to investigate some missing Twi’lek women. Apparently several had gone missing in the Blue Sector of Coronet City; presumably for slave trade.
Alone he wandered the streets of the Blue Sector. With the force he reached out, each night trying to feel something, anything. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the night scene, Gabriel was essentially invisible. For one whole week Gabriel walked the nights meditating on the force, but due to the nature of the area fear, anger, confusion, and pain were not uncommon. Twice in the week he had followed his senses down alley ways following the sense of fear or pain, only to find a mugging and two gamblers having a dispute. Of course it was simple to defuse both situations, using the force to convince the aggressors to leave; in the case of the mugging, Gabriel decided the aggressor wanted to give the victim all of the belongings on his person, and rethink his life.
It was middle of the night and Gabriel was starting to lose focus. He had been wandering the streets since before mid-day and was tiring of this trial. Either the slave traders had caught wind of his presence or, they were already gone. Either way it was a waste of the young Jedi’s time. Just when he began to lose focus a cold feeling of fear shot through the force to Gabriel’s left. He felt her! Gabriel knew time was against him, and shot into the cantina to his left. Once in he felt immediate aggression all around him. The room was only partly full by gangster type patrons.
The young Jedi kept his cloak’s hood over his head, as to not completely give away his faction allegiance. Gabriel walked to the Rodian bar tender, still sensing the woman’s presence, and demanded he tell her where she was. The Rodian attempted to play dumb but it was useless. Gabriel sensed the woman was near and began looking for obvious hiding places; he took a couple steps away from the counter and reached out with the force, immediately feeling the woman’s presence under the floor… A trap door. Gabriel waved his hand and the door dropped open, revealing two Twi’lek women and a Gamorrean boar tying their semi-unconscious forms, though at the moment looking rather confused and startled.
The cantina burst to life and Gabriel instantly had a saber in his right hand and ignited. His hood flew from his head as he spun about, pushing the Rodian tender into the wall behind the counter knocking him unconscious as he spun, and blocking a blaster bolt with his right saber. He was immediately facing two more Rodians, three orange skinned Nikto, and a rather perturbed Gran; all with weapons drawn and standing, save the Gran who was evidently the leader of the operation. Gabriel announced that they were all under arrest for illegal slave trade and kidnapping. The Gran laughed, insulted the Jedi and ordering his men to attack.
The Gamorrean had climbed his way from the pit; the searing pain that caught the young Jedi by surprise was only rivaled by the surprise he suffered by the smell of burning flesh. The Gamorrean had pulled a blaster as he made his way up and shot a bolt off, the bolt hit square in the left shoulder. The Gamorrean was fully out of the pit; figuring the Jedi was fully incapacitated, he attempted to grab the young Jedi. Gabriel was too quick though, he had his second saber summoned to his left hand and ignited taking a low sweep, while his right blocked two more bolts. The Gamorrean let out a squeal as his legs were severed from the knee down, falling to the floor and trying to claw his way to safety.
Gabriel tried one last attempt to warn the slave traders, all the while meditating on the force, and trying not to show the violent pain which the seared flesh of his shoulder caused. They responded with a volley of blaster fire; Gabriel expertly deflected the bolts and dove to the side dodging one. His sabers fizzed as he allowed them off and to latch back in place behind his hips. His arms shot out releasing a wave of force power shoving two Rodians and a Nikto into one of the Cantina walls and trapping them under a table, unconscious. Gabriel summoned his right saber to his hand as the remaining two fired two more bolts to no avail, the bolts were deflected. Gabriel utilized the force run technique and was upon the last two before they had a chance. The orange saber slid effortlessly through the two blasters and his left hand shot out a wave, pushing the Rodian and Nikto into a bench next to the Gran. Gabriel held his saber pointed directly in the face of the Gran, who was in between the two others.
Gabriel smirked and repeated the fact that he was under arrest and if he moved he would give him ten fingers instead of twelve. The young Jedi slid a transmitter from his utility belt and summoned the nearest CorSec officers to take the slavers into custody. Once the officers had arrived, Gabriel brought the two Tei’lek women from the pit and unbound them.
And so Gabriel had completed his second trial. He made his way back to Coruscant to the temple to receive his next trial.
The Jedi Trials
Trial of Courage/Spirit
Trial of Courage/Spirit
(For the sake of its importance to the character development, I will write this section more in depth)
It was only days after Gabriel had returned from his second trial on Corellia. He had been training nearly non-stop since he had arrived back from Corellia, knowing the third text to usually be the most physically demanding, and that it would text his resolve. At the moment, however, he was walking alongside Master Xen Tai. His arms tucked into the dark brown cloak, hood back, anticipation evident on his young face.
“Gabe,” Xen Tai’s voice cut into the silence the two had shared for nearly the whole walk to the chamber. Gabriel immediately sensed his master was uneasy of his next trial, though why escaped him. Did she not believe he was ready? He would hold his question until she had finished what she set out to say. “This mission will test you more than you know… I sense a great trial ahead of you. Do not waver, my young apprentice, you will be shaken to the core.”
Gabriel’s expression changed as the gravity of what his master had relayed to him set in. She wasn’t worried whether Gabriel was ready for a trial or not, she was worried whether he would come back. He focused on the force, allowing him to calm his mind and hopefully ease his master’s mind. “Don’t worry, Master,” he began, deep voice resonating from his lips. “I’ll be back before you know it.” His voice sounded small in the chambers of the temple, always making him realize that he was only one piece to an intricate puzzle.
Xen Tai stopped only steps outside the council chamber and with an uneasy, yet calm voice, replied. “I know you will, Gabe.” She smiled and continued on through the threshold and into the chamber, feeling her apprentice follow, piercing eyes hiding his eagerness.
The meeting with the council was short, though it left a sour taste in Gabriel’s mouth. His next trial was to head to the planet Alderaan, where a Dark Jedi had taken refuge. A knight had been sent to bring the dark one to justice, though hadn’t returned and was presumed dead. The council thought it a risky move to send the Padawan after this menace, but never the less they had decided to send him, an action quite puzzling for the youth. He couldn’t figure why they had chosen this to be his test, but they had and he would complete it, that wasn’t his worry; Gabriel had taken life before, and didn’t enjoy the taste, and the prospect that he may be forced to take the life of this dark Jedi loomed over him. The excitement had fled from him; it was replaced with bitter anticipation.
Gabriel was to depart as soon as the arrangements were made and he was ready. Excusing himself from the council hall and his master, Gabriel took his leave. He was given a small transport ship, with only him and a pilot. Gabriel allowed the pilot to plot the course, while he checked the restraints in the back, incase he was fortunate enough to capture this dark one.
Gabriel sat himself on a seat next to the restraints and pulled a small bag from under that small bench-like seat. “Nursing supplies?” he murmured to the pilot who simply chuckled and shook his head, peaking back at the young Jedi.
“Yes,” his voice hid his own uneasiness with a chuckle. The pilot had heard that those of the darker arts could pull ships straight from the sky; needless to say he was worried. “They’re incase anything goes awry, nothing personal toward you, just a precaution… for me more than anyone.” He locked eyes with Gabriel for a moment and the two nodded their amusement.
“Mind if I use some?” Gabriel said slightly preoccupied, as a though formed in his mind. The pilot shook his head and waved his hand as a go a-head notion. Gabriel pulled some cloth wrap from the med sac, and pulled on a small piece to check its durability. It seemed strong enough. He began wrapping his hands winding around each finger and soon up his forearm to his elbow. He rotated his wrist to test mobility and tightness, deeming it fit, he tucked the sack back.
Gabriel’s mind turned to his past; trying to recollect everything he had been taught about the dark side of the force. His mind began racing, thinking of all of the possible outcomes of this encounter, though really there were only three he found plausible. One: he was able to subdue his opponent and take it back to the Temple for judgment. Two: he kills his foe. Three: he is killed. The last two didn’t seem to sit well with him, especially the latter.
“Alderaan,” The pilot’s voice cut into his thoughts. “Such a beautiful planet, eh, master Jedi.” Gabriel chuckled, he was far from a master, though didn’t mind that the man had made the mistake and simple nodded his agreement. “Where should I land, sir?”
Gabriel was about to give the pilot the location where the last Jedi had “disappeared”, when he heard the words “Castle Lands” echo through his head. His eyes narrowed as though to question what he had just heard, but for some reason didn’t. “The Castle Lands…” He repeated his mind beginning to focus on the force.
“Ah, been here before?” The pilot inquired as he made some brief calculations and a minor adjustment in direction. “They’re beautiful this time of year-” He continued on and they landed, though Gabriel wasn’t listening.
‘He’s not even trying to hide himself…’ Gabriel thought as he began to feel the cold chill of the Dark Side grow as his ship neared the planet surface. ‘It’s like he wants to be found… like he’s drawing me into a trap.’ The ship landed on the outskirts of the Castle Lands with hardly a quake, and Gabriel was already at the landing hatch. “Return to orbit,” Gabriel ordered the pilot as he prepared to exit the hatch. “I sense a great deal of danger here. I will contact you when I have dealt with the issue.” Gabriel sighed, as he exited the ship. Once he was clear, the hatch closed and the small transport lifted off, leaving Gabriel alone next to a petrified Killik mound.
Gabriel turned himself about and began toward the heart of the Castle Lands, where he sensed the dark power. He walked evenly, his hood over his head, arms tucked into his long cloak sleeves. He noticed that the light was fading; though it was roughly mid-afternoon, the petrified mounds were becoming denser, and their impressive height blocked most of the rays of light, lending a cooler temperature and darker feel. Though the blocked rays weren’t the only reason for a dark feeling; he felt the disturbing chill of the dark side grow nearer and nearer each step. And then he was there. He sensed it. He knew it. Saw it; saw the cause of this evil feeling he felt in the pit of his stomach, churning it, tying it in knots.
The black cloaked figure stood firm, a silhouette in front of a large mound. Gabriel’s form hadn’t changed, though it had stopped. The two faced one another, roughly twenty meters separating the dark Jedi and the young Jedi to be. Gabriel studied his opposite. He sensed the figure had no intention of attacking… yet. He decided rather that calling out to the figure, he would allow himself as close as possible. He took a step, and the black cloak took one as well. Not allowing this to phase him, Gabriel took another, closing the distance though keeping a keen eye on his opponent as well as a firm meditation on the force.
The two soon stood only ten meters apart; both had taken the same steps at the same time, clearly as a taunt to the young Jedi, hoping to get a rise from him; it was an unsuccessful endeavor. Gabriel’s hands left their tuck inside his cloak sleeves and found their way to his hood. Slowly he pulled it back, revealing his face to the dark figure in front of him. His piercing eyes stared into the darkness of the hood in front of him, hoping to catch a glimpse of this faceless foe; to no avail. He shifted he posture slightly, realizing he had begun to fold into a readied posture, like a large cat ready to defend itself. After straightening enough to seem more collected, he took a breath.
“You don’t belong here,” his deep voice shook the air around him as he spoke; each word ringing clear and clean. “You are under arrest.” He said as firmly as possible, though it didn’t seem to affect the dark one opposite him. Instead the figure seemed to be amused.
“Heh-heh heh-heh.” The feminine chuckle sounded cold and lifeless as it slid from under the cloak’s hood. “Gabriel Alaris,” she began slowly, each word dripping from her mouth like venom as she began to bring a gloved hand toward her hood. “Ever the comedian,” she stated as her other hand dropped to her side. “But you’re smarter than that Gabriel.” Her hand had reached her hood, which was where Gabriel had been focused, he missed the left hand dropping to her side and pushing her cloak slightly aside. Without warning Gabriel heard the sound of a saber zapping to life; sending him a quick step back, where he snapped his hands open and summoned his sabers to his palms. His orange sabers hissed as they ignited, Gabriel taking his usual posture, right saber arm stretching slightly to the side and left saber crossing in front of his form, legs in an open stance right leg closest to his opponent.
“I don’t want this,” he began, sensing no immediate attacks he took the time moment to fully settle into a readied position. But he was only met by the same chuckle as before. “I will take you back to Coruscant with me, one way or another...” He voice sounding more threatening now; the chuckling stopped.
“Surely I thought you would have realized, Gabriel,” the seductively venomous voice oozed from the darkness under the hood. “I am not going back to Coruscant.” Gabriel’s eyes narrowed as the gloved hand finally looked as though it would move the hood away, but instead he was placed on the defensive as the black cloaked figure lashed out with her saber; first with one hand, then more viciously with both, hacking at Gabriel who expertly deflected and blocked each attack.
Gabriel could feel the dark side growing as she attacked him; each blow full of anger and hate, the young Jedi would stand for no more of this use of the force. Trapping the dark Jedi’s saber between his sabers and shoving out with his own strength, coupled with the energy of a force wave soaring from his form, sending his opponent off balance and flying back ward, sliding several feet on her back before coming to a stop. “Enough!” His voice thundered with pure frustration shaking the air surrounding him.
“It is never enough, Gabriel!” The voice roared back. “Do you see there? The power you released! Rage!” Her growling voice seeming to grow more matter of fact with each word, as she slowly pulled her self to a standing position, holding her hood over her head. “It is never enough.” Her saber fizzed off, and was carefully placed on her utility belt under the black cloak. Gabriel left his sabers ablaze, but took on a more relaxed posture, meditating on the force. “Do you understand?” the voice returned to its previous venomous state.
Gabriel simply shook his head and responded calmly. “I see that you are deluded.” He stated. “You seek power for power’s sake, and you misuse what power you do have.” He felt a change in the force surrounding the woman, a darkness grow. He knew she would give into that feeling; he readied himself for an attack with a saber, but found he was preparing for the wrong form of attack.
“I will show you power for power’s sake, Jedi!” Her hand shot out and Gabriel felt the power of the dark side fully for the first time. He felt his wind being closed off; his feet began to leave the ground as he released his sabers. ”I push the limits, Gabriel.” The voice said calmly as she tightened her grip with the dark technique of Force Choke, and her left and summoned his fallen sabers. “Something I would never had learned in the academy. My old master never knew what I know now.” Her voice lifted. “No Jedi knows what I know now!” Gabriel could feel consciousness slowly fading, and she continued to focus her grip on his throat, tightening it. He had to do something quickly.
Gabriel began focusing all of his energy on the force, meditating, and in one quick movement, shot his hands out in front of him sending a wave of force push from his body, which billowed dust with it as it smashed into the dark Jedi sending her soaring backward. Gabriel was dropped back onto the ground. Kneeling only for a moment before realizing he was weaponless. “Have it your way…” Her voice resonated from the dust. Gabriel stood slowly rubbing at his throat as the hoodless form of his opponent began to emerge from the settling cloud of dust.
Gabriel did not believe what his eyes showed him. The deep indigo hair was the first feature he saw, followed by the soft red skin, and then the facial features. “R’Hanna…?” He voice cracked with a mixture of emotions. Her skin was lighter than he had remembered; her once soft features now hard and gaunt, weathered by the dark side. Gabriel’s eyes looked on, filled with confusion and glazed slightly by tears.
“Yes, Gabriel.” She said with a smile on her lips. She began to remove her cloak, revealing a black clad body. Her torso was only covered by a black wrap about her chest, which had straps winding across her abdomen and tying in a knot on her lower back; revealing numerous scars on her back and abdomen. Her black pants came just below her hip bones and fit tightly to her form, and were tucked into black knee high trooper boots. A utility belt draped from the top of one curvaceous hipbone and fell inline with the top of her pants. Her indigo hair, held in a high ponytail, fell between her shoulder blades, leaving only long bangs to fall and frame her face. “My old master and I had been sent to deal with a Dark Jedi by the name of Om’gress,” She stated calmly as she watched Gabriel slowly remove his own cloak, eyes still harboring disbelief. “He showed me the potential power I could have… I lost one master, and gained another.”
Gabriel’s eyes widened as he recollected that day. He was never told she was dead; simply that she had ‘been lost to a Dark Jedi’. That was why he hadn’t felt her death. Suddenly it all made sense to Gabriel. “R’Hanna,” His voice cleared. “You can come back with me,” he stated with urgency in his voice. “We don’t have to do this, R’Hanna.”
“We do Gabriel.” She stated coldly. “You are my final trial; the last tie to my old self.” Gabriel form gave away his shock. “I give you two choices, Gabriel…” She took one of his sabers in each. “Join me and realize a truth you will never know with your Jefi, or…” she ignited the sabers with a unified hiss and lowered her head, her golden eyes peering at him in an overly dangerous manor.
Gabriel was cemented in place, momentarily paralyzed in a hurricane of emotions. His piercing eyes welling up with hot tears, face slightly contorted in utter disbelief. His mind whirling in a flash of memories from their past together, and trying to completely comprehend what was about to unfold. “R’Hanna,” his voice shook slightly only audible enough for the two to share the sound. “I am a Jedi,” his eyes blinked the tears out, and he cleared his throat regaining the depth of voice back he was accustomed to. “Though you are my oldest friend,” He nodded as he straightened his posture, each word being said more to himself than the woman across from him. “I wont be swayed, R’Hanna.” His jaw locked after the words had left his mouth.
“Then, old friend,” She said coolly. “You will… Die!” R’Hanna leapt forward bringing the sabers around as she spiraled through the air. Gabriel ducked just in time to leap and roll out of the way, he spun to his right to face R’Hanna, catching a momentary glimpse of her saber hanging on her utility belt as she turned and squared herself to him. His hand shot out and a moment later a red saber blazed in front of his face blocking two orange sabers. Gabriel shoved off and let loose a couple quick slashes with the red saber.
R’Hanna smirked at the young Jedi before her, wielding a red saber. “It suits you well.” Her voice chuckled as she watched her old companion’s expressions. “I feel your anger, Gabriel,” she stated closing her eyes and breathing in. “It feels good doesn’t it?” She exhaled and let loose a storm of attacks, throwing in force techniques where she could, though Gabriel was attempting to come to terms with the fact that his old friend was attempting to kill him.
Gabriel focused on the force around him and began meditating to calm his mind as he blocked her attacks. “R’Hanna, I will bring you back to the council.” He said as he forced her backward with his own barrage of attacks, neither gaining the upper hand over the other, almost as though neither wanted it.
“No, Gabe, you won’t.” She pushed out with the force toward him, but he push was med by his own, and both went sliding back on their feet, leaving two shallow trenches in their wake. Gabriel was enraged that the woman he had grown up with, been best of friends with, had fallen victim to a dark Jedi and been corrupted and made into this power hungry shell he saw before him; he hated her dark master more than anything. It was the first time Gabriel had really felt hate, and the weight of the dark side pushing down upon him. The feeling made his heart heavy, and for the first time - as she stood across from him a heavily breathing anger filled woman - he was able to see that R’Hanna Duhl was no more.
“…One way or another, R’Hanna…” He stated calmly allowing all anger to flush from his system. The two allowed their eyes to meet for a brief moment, and for that moment, they were younglings again, getting ready to spar; and in the blink of an eye the moment had passed and children were replaced by enemies. Gabriel readied the single red saber, knowing that R’Hanna’s Jedi master had knowledge in the Jar’kai technique, which he no doubt passed on a bit of, and he had no idea what technique her dark master called his own. He did know that this was now a fight for his life, and it may come down to a kill or be killed scenario, something he dreaded.
The two seemed to engage at the same moment, both striking high, R’Hanna with both sabers and Gabriel blocking, but throwing his weight into the offensive. He lashed out with an array of vertical and horizontal slashes, aims for various parts of his opponent’s anatomy. Each of Gabriel’s blows directed toward a limb or area of less vitality than the head or torso; the same was not true with R’Hanna who lashed out at Gabriel’s vital points at any chance she had. Gabriel was simply too aggressive to allow her many openings; his saber buzzed clashing with the orange sabers only momentarily before directing the next attack elsewhere. He continued to push her backward, through the forest of Killik mounds.
R’Hanna could feel herself slowly losing control of the two sabers as Gabriel lashed out, battering her defenses. In a fortunate turn of events, she found a brief opening and exploited it. Gabriel opened his defenses slightly as he wound up for a hard hit, but found himself being struck in the face and the sent soaring with a force push. The young Jedi was on the ground, summoning the red saber which had flown from his grasp, though it didn’t reach him in time; R’Hanna was on him, bringing two sabers down in a arch which began over her head. Gabriel barely moved in time to dodge the attack before she was throwing another down at his defenseless form. It was a scramble for life.
Deep glass lined trenches lined the ground around Gabriel, as amazingly he hadn’t been hit yet. He could feel R’Hanna’s frustration growing as she began to lash more violently and frenzied. There was no time for Gabriel to devise some escape from his situation, he was acting on pure instinct; he lashed out, kicking hard into her lower leg sending it out from under her and causing her body to sprawl forward. Gabriel rolled to his right, reaching up with his left hand and grasping into her forearm, pulling her farther forward and quickly reaching with his right hand and propelling her over his head by pushing from her hip.
Gabriel scrambled to his feet and summoned one of his orange sabers which had escaped her hand and summoned her red saber, both hissing to life. R’Hanna was attempting to get her feet under her as she stood, when Gabriel attacked out with the two sabers. One coming from over head and the other sweeping under and up; R’Hanna was able to block both, at the sacrifice of her footing. Gabriel kicked out, planting his foot into her chest sending a burst of force energy into her form, causing her to soar back and land on her back. Before she could regain her surroundings the young Jedi was on her, standing over his opponent, sabers blazing.
R’Hanna’s eyes followed Gabriel’s form as he breathed heavily. The orange saber in her hand was off, and she was pinned, she knew as well as Gabriel that she was finished. Though some how she had deluded herself into believing that she could fight her way back up and take him; Gabriel sensed her focus grow on the dark side and shot his right hand forward planting her on the ground, as a warning. Realization completely hit her, and the visible change from confidence to fear was evident to Gabriel, who watched as she reluctantly gripped her lightsaber.
“R’Hanna,” His voice raised in a warning, as tears began to glaze his eyes once more. “You don’t have to do this. It doesn't have to be this way. Please don't” Gabriel was not prepared for what R’Hanna did in response: she looked up at him, and smiled, the warm smile of her youth returning only for a moment before her face crunched in a snarl as she clenched the saber in her hand, igniting the orange blade Gabriel’s reflexes took over in a blur: he blocked the slash at his body with his right saber, and cut across with his left, the saber found its way through R’Hanna’s wrist, and his right followed through and down through her left shoulder.
The shrill shriek of pain sent two tears streaming down Gabriel’s cheeks. He disengaged his saber, sending it fizzling back to the hilt; the red one followed suit and he clipped it to the side of his utility belt. He knew R’Hanna was in too much pain to focus on the force, or to do anything but writhe in pain; a fact with tore at the tendrils of his heart. More tears running from his piercing eyes as he looked down at the wounded Zeltron at his feet. He cleared his throat and pulled his transmitter from his belt. “Jeri’hm,” he said voice cracking then clearing. “I’m done down here, prepare the retraining system.” He placed the transmitter back on this belt and extended his hand toward the severed extremity still gripping his second orange saber. He clipped it to the back of his right hip and the saber in his left hand opposite. His eyes met with R’Hanna’s, hers full of pain and hatred, though her voice could not be found to express her hate.
“R’Hanna Duhl.” Gabriel said, hardly able to eek out the words. “You are under arrest for crimes against the Galactic Republic, and the Jedi Order.” He paused, eyes shifting away. “You will be tried by the Jedi Council upon our arrival back on Coruscant.” As the words exited his mouth, the small transport ship soared in from orbit, slowly hovering closer and closer to the ground until it landed. The hatch opened and the ramp extended to the ground. The pilot, Jeri’hm, rushed to the hatch to see if Gabriel was in any need of assistance, but the only acknowledgement he received was a half hearted, “Put her in the restraining system.”
As the pilot ran out to do as he was instructed, Gabriel walked to the pilot’s chair and collapsed into it. His mind a swirl of emotions and memories, he knew that he had essentially condemned R’Hanna to death or imprisonment. R’Hanna’s voice had returned to her as her body released pain fighting endorphins, as the pilot carried her in she shouted curses at Gabriel and proceeded to tell him how much she hated him. She was still in to much pain to utilize the force, so containing her was simple enough for the pilot, who was returning to the cockpit. He took the co-pilots chair next to Gabriel, who robotically began to control the ship upward, he looked at Jeri’hm and nodded as a sign for him to take control.
The only thing Gabriel could do to keep sane amidst the cries and shouts of hatred from R’Hanna, was to meditate deeply on the force, attempting to find the place he had those years before when he was told she had gone missing. He was unable to find the place, but the realization that she would hand killed him had he not done what he did, was consolation enough for the remainder of the trip back to Coruscant. Once on the planet and at the Jedi Temple, he gave his report of the incident, as well as her saber, to the council, and excused himself to ensure that she was being transported with care.
The last memory Gabriel Alaris would ever have of his child hood companion, R’Hanna Duhl, was a cold look and the words “I hate you.” venomously spat at him. Post-trial, Gabriel’s old master found him, meditating in his chamber, and informed him that the council had given him the title of Knight, saying that the battle with this dark one was a test not only of his bravery, but also that of his spirit. The news did not give Gabriel the excitement he had dreamed since childhood it would, but never the less he thanked Xen Tai, and later the council for their faith in him.
From that day forward Gabriel was known as a Knight Guardian, for his display of prowess with a saber, as well as his knowledge of the force.
RP Sample:
Orange saber hit green. Gabriel’s orange blade whipping around him and he lashed out and forward toward the Omwati woman; Her saber seeming to knowingly know where each attach would land, and cutting it off before it was successful. After a moment of back ward tracking the sabers locked in between the human and near-human. She shoved off and pushed the youth backward with a barrage of her own attacks; expertly combining an array of techniques into each strike, one moment Ataru, the next Niman, the next Djem So, each attempting to find a week point in the young Knight’s lightning-like defense. None successful, and once more the sabers locked. The young man pushed out with his sabers and allowed for a brief breather.
“You open your left side a bit too far, my old apprentice,” the wise Omwati voice cooed. “You should not put all focus into the next attacking arm, but rather keeping the defending one.” Master Xen Tai’s maternal nature obviously speaking wisdom to the younger knight. She was met with an impish look from the ember haired youth, whose eyes seemed to hide some quick thinking comment. “Something to say?” The two assumed their separate stances, Gabriel taking that of Jar-kai and Xen Tai taking Ataru.
Gabriel extended his saber, for a couple quick taps on his old master’s saber blade with his own, a smile curling on his lips. “Only a question for you, my old master.” He stated rather confidently. His piercing eyes were met with an inquisitive cock of the woman’s head. “Why then, master, can you not exploit the weakness?” He mouth lifting into a crooked smile. “Perhaps I open it to draw you in?” The wise Omwati simply nodded her response, and lunged forward unleashing a number of acrobatic maneuvers, including attacking downward and she flipped over her old student’s form. She threw her weight into a horizontal slash from her right to her left, where her saber was met by the orange of Gabriel’s. He quickly shoved off, opening his defenses again for that brief moment as she took the momentum of the block and push into her own spinning attack, hitting his right saber as the surprise move caught Gabriel unaware. The amount of force which he had pushed her attack off with had opened him too wide and her attack from the opposite side hand throwing it further off, he was sent in a spiraling decent to the floor.
“You mean like that?” The Omwati woman smiled and allowed her saber blade to vanish with a hiss. “Pick yourself up, Gabriel. I am taking a new Padawan today.” She stated with the same smile lifting her voice. “I must simply find one... Do you want to accompany me?” Gabriel slowly stood and disengaged his sabers, clipping them back onto the back of his hips.
“Master,” he stated as though his pride had been hurt. “I would love nothing more that to watch you replace me,” he said jokingly. “But I would like to inform you of a simple fact.” He stated calmly and matter-of-factly. Xen Tai simply lifter her brow awaiting this ‘simple fact’. Gabriel spread his arms wide. “I do my best fighting on my back!” His deep voice thundered in the training hall and was followed by deep chuckling. Xen Tai herself couldn’t help but chuckle at the boy she had watched grow up.
“Oh, Gabriel…” she said as she turned around to continue on her path toward the training area for younglings. “No one could replace you, not to me.” She said as memories of their years together flashed through her mind. “Am I to take it that you will not accompany me?” She asked, turning only her head enough to see the young Jedi’s response. He shook his head and bowed low. She took her leave of the young man, who silently sat crosslegged and began to meditate.
You shall make a wonderful addition to this RP community.
Hope you don't mind.
