Switching Tactics [Mara/Open]

[Res]

The desicion to come to the the temple on Seraphim to seek out the Blades had been on his mind for some time. It wasn't a easy decision tomake either, meditating on the idea for hours. The ship made its final dissent to the landing platform at the temple. Tov switched over the landing to the R2 unit that occupied him on his journey. The Jedi Master didnt discuss this with his Padawan. He didn't need Gharassk to get mixed up in his actions with the Blades. The young Togruta had enough problems with the High Council he didn't need this one too. The ship finally landed and theTTwi'lek exited the ship and the astrodroid popped out and followed the Jedi into the temple. The time was very similar to the one on Coruscant but not as bit. There weren't very many people around and the ones that were there looked at Tova'nas. He approached one and asked where he could find a Jedi Knight Xierra Zalq. The Bothan Jedi pointed toward a corridor, Tov nodded in thanks and made his way down the hall.

The Jedi made his was toward the person he seeked. He didn't know this person but he had hear that they could help him. Making his way into a courtyard he saw several people sittkng around taking, reading or meditating. The Twi'lek stood there not knoa if thks was where the Bothan was directing him to but he only saw two branching paths but he wasnt sure if he should take one and see whrre it leads or stand there. He felt kinda foulish, and he no doubtly knew that most everyone could feel it. It was like hd was a youngling lost in the temple with no one to help him. Tov made a choice to venture down the path to his right. It was more narrow than the first one he was in before. Walking a few more feet he stopped, now he felt stupid he was lost and didnt see or feel anyone around. What have you gotten yourself into Tov? He thought just as he felt a pressence coming up from behind him.

He turned arijnd to see a female Fallen Jedi walking toward him.

"Hello, I am Master Tova'nas and i am looking for a Jedi Knight by the name of Xierra Zalq."

[Mara]

(((Sorry for the length...)))


[...from x]

It had been a hard last month or so for the Falleen Jedi Knight. Though really, if she thought back further, everything in her life had gotten much more complicated and difficult ever since she had been knighted around a couple years prior. Before Master Revisc had passed on into the Force after being fatally injured and she had been merely a padawan training with her master. Xierra had dearly wanted to rise up in the ranks of the Jedi--which student of the light side didn't?--but once she had made it there, she had caught herself wondering from time to time if she had been ready for the responsibility that came with it.

Her latest stumbling block had been focused around the boy who had until recently been her padawan. She hadn't been intentionally looking for a new student, having just lost her first during the battle of Rhen Var, and was rethinking her purpose and role within the Jedi Order, specifically with the sub-faction of the Blades of which she was a member. But their paths had crossed, and Xierra had felt a connection to Larkin, felt his potential where others hadn't. So with an idealistic outlook, the reptilian humanoid had taken a chance on him, trying not to think of him as a replacement for Zorn.

However, it had been challenging from day one, to say the least. Larkin had needed to start from scratch in the ways of the Force, re-learning everything that should have been second nature to him already. And despite all her patience and faith in the boy, Xierra had gradually felt helpless in her endeavor. Even after seeking advice from other Jedi and showing stubbornness in his training, she had come to a very hard and heart-breaking decision. She and her padawan had to part ways, even though she knew doing so would send poor Larkin to the corps, as he had aged out.

And in the midst of these mental struggles, she had been called away to fight on Makem Te, a desperate call to reinforce her fellow Jedi and Blades under attack from the Sith. In hindsight, she probably should had declined in order to focus on her padawan after the disaster on Caamas. A last-ditch effort to keep him in the Order. But at the time it had seemed a welcome distraction, using what she was most skilled at to do some good, rather than muddling through lessons with Larkin.

The decision had almost cost her her leg and her life along with it. Xierra had been dueling against an enemy, holding her own and the advantage as well.  But then she had gotten overconfident and in one flip of Ataru had left herself defensively weak. With a flick of his wrist, the Sith had sliced upwards with his weapon; at the last moment, the Falleen knight had sensed this and shifted her body. With this movement, she had kept her limb attached but gained a deep gash in her right thigh from the man's blade. Soon, another Jedi had come to her rescue, while another helped her limp away from the fray to where she could get medical attention and transport away from the battle that was steadily moving out of the Republic's favor.

Back in the Citadel on Seraphim, she realized just how lucky she was as the medical staff took care of her. The Sith's blade had cauterized most of the bleeding, fortunately having missed severing a major atery. Plus her reptilian genes were resilient in repairing the damage. But Xierra still had needed to stay in the medbay for a several days, receiving multiple kolto treatments as well as heavy-duty stitching. And she would always carry a scar as a reminder, as well as a bit of a limp.

Her injury had been the event that had made the last brick come into place regarding her thoughts of her padawan. And after she had recovered, she had broke the news to Larkin with a heavy heart and wet eyes. Xierra truly believed she had somehow failed him as a teacher. The boy was obviously saddened but seemed to understand her choice all the same, taking it all in stoically. Perhaps he had always been resigned to this fate, thinking his training with the Falleen was merely a detour. Either way, the Jedi Knight felt awful about the entire situation, though she knew she wouldn't have gone back and changed anything about it, knowing the Force worked in mysterious ways. It could all have been some way to test her mettle.

In the days after saying farewell to Larkin, Xierra's mind had been focusing on the boy. Wondering what she could have done differently, but always coming to the conclusion that despite his potential in the Force, he just hadn't enough of a connection to it to be a strong Jedi. She was once again trying to convince herself that she had done the right thing in letting her student go while walking the corridors of the temple area of the Citadel. It was part of her personal rehabilitation to strengthen her leg, not wanting to lean on the Force to take away the inconvenience of lingering pain, needing it as a reminder for her rash behavior. And so she was dressed simply in her beige Jedi attire, sans boots and robe, as well as lightsabers.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't immediately realize that someone had spoken her name aloud. Part of her assumed it was just words of her master rising to the surface, chastising her for acting like a sulking child, or maybe just trying to offer her advice... reassure her. But she didn't want to hear it and forced them away angrily, continuing ahead in her green-skinned bare feet. However, the voice was still there, and surprised, she blinked, seeing a purple-hued Twi'lek in Jedi robes standing before her just moments before she sensed his presence. Jolting to a stop a meter or so from the other being, Xierra was even further surprised to notice she had wandered into one of the courtyards and was no longer in the halls of the temple proper.

Still feeling unsettled with all her thoughts fluttering around her head, she cleared her throat and responded with "I'm Knight Zalq," inclining her head in respect to his rank. Her heart pounded in her chest, wondering what ever this elder Jedi could want with her. Something to do with her ex-padawan? More briefings on Makem Te? Another mission? Xierra braced herself for the worse, daring to ask, "What can I do for you?" At the same time, she cloaked herself in the Force, hoping for calm, if not inwardly, at least outwardly, not wanting to show this other Jedi her fear.

[Res]

The Twi'lek looked at the Falleen Jedi and listen to her. He was sensing some uneasiness fromthe young Jedi. What he heard the Citadel doesn't get many visitors so the uneasiness was understandable. Tov wasn't there to question her about anything other than entrance into the Order of the Blades. He had thought it over, meditated about itfor hhours a day. Master Tov felt that they needed to take action against the threats against the Republic. After all the Jedi were members of the Republic and are loyal to it. After Sierra finished speaking Tov explained why he was there.

"I am here to join the Order of the Blades. I was told you could help me with that. And there is no need tobe nervous that is all I am here for today."

The purple Twi'lek flashed her a smile to reassure her that everything was fine. Tov knew thesscrutiny that the Blades got amongst the other members of the Order. This may hold him back from getting a seat on tthe Council butthere awere two members already on the High Council. Master Roq must trust them with their duties to let them remain on the Jedi High Council.

[Mara]

Even with the Force enveloping her and decreasing her nervousness somewhat, Xierra still felt fidgety, a very unusual state for the Falleen Jedi, normally very stoic and logical. And so she tightly clasped her hands together behind her back to keep them still and forced her body into a posture of relaxation. With just a bit of inquisitiveness on the surface of her reptilian features as she opened her dark eyes fractionally wider. Instead of the tinge of nausea that threatened deep within her abdomen while she waited for his answer.

But when his explanation came, she blew out a breath of relief, and her heart receded to a more stable level and rate. The various scenarios that had been swimming around her mind once she had noticed the sudden appearance of the Twi'lek master in front of her calmed down and soon dissipated. She was no longer projecting her anxiety through the Force; though she had kept it closely hidden, a master of his skill would obviously had glimpsed it through his own Force connection. So he was not here to reopen yet unhealed wounds or to drag her into another battle but to gain her assistance in joining with the sub-faction of Jedi of which she was a member.

However, this unexpected request opened a whole new set of worries in her mind. Though she was a Blade herself and had been for several months, she didn't know how much help she could be to the elder Twi'lek. Xierra wasn't sure who would have pointed this Master Tova'nas in her direction, because she wasn't exactly close to the leadership of the Blades. An inside track to the inner workings of the Jedi involved in the group's running was not something she was privy to. But at least it would give her something else to focus on, keep busy with.

She then sensed a pair of Jedi coming up behind her and stepped off to the side of the path to let them pass, murmuring apologies for blocking their way. Xierra needed a few seconds to consider her words, and this momentary distraction gave her just that. But as she did so, the Falleen registered the cool dampness of the greenery at the edge of the pathway under her bare feet. Self-conscious, she straightened out her utilitarian tunics and pushed her long, black hair behind her shoulders, regretting that she had partially disrobed for her stroll. Though, it wasn't as if she had been expecting a visitor, and her appearance didn't seem to bother the master, so she did her best to push it out of her mind.

Xierra turned her attention back to Master Tova'nas, her dark eyes focused on his yellow ones, and she smiled, all professional. "I'm not sure where you received your information, as I am fairly low in the hierarchy, but I will certainly do what I can, Master. Here, let's sit over here..." She gestured toward a stone bench a short distance from the path that rested underneath a large flowering tree and then made her way over to it, only seating herself once the Twi'lek master had done so. "I suppose, before anything else, I should ask you how and why you have come to this decision. If I may? It's not one I myself made lightly." This was due more to her own personal curiosity than to any sort of screening process for joining the Blades. But if would also give her insight into what made this Jedi tick and perhaps into how she could help him.

[Res]

Tov stood watching the Falleen Knight push her hair behind her shoulder. The Master didn't mind the state of dress the woman was in, she was obviously been recently injured. He noticed her limping when she approached him. But he didnt pay that any mind, he had seen a lot of things similar to that. He himself not took long ago lost his left hand and part of his left forearm in a fight with a Sith. The Twi'lek knew hher pain and could sympathize with her. As the two Jedi moved out of heb way of the way for the other he waited for her to speak. She motioned to a bench and he listened to her as she spoke.

"I heard your name among others that were members. Though the Force guided me to seek you out. Remeber the Force works in mysterious ways, we do not question it we just follow its guidance."

Tova'nas replied as he sat on the bench. His cloak billowed out as he sat, his black robes and glove on his left hand was a contrast to his purple skin. Flexing his left hand, every now and then he needed to be reminds that he had a replacement there. It was quick thinking on his Padawans part that he didn't loose more than an just his hand. Pondering what Xierra was saying now.

"No, it wasn't an easy ddecision to make for me. I meditated on it for days. Weighed every option and other way to proceed with this. But the Force pointed me in this direction and here I am. As for the reason for me choosing to join is that, we as Jedi are protectors of the Galaxy. And sitting at the Temple and doing nothing while the planets that we swear to protect are being attacked and controled is not the Jedi way. We are soldiers but we can't sit back and do nothing."

Tov finished and looked into Xierras eyes to tell her that he was genuine in his words.

[Mara]

Any lingering uncertainties she may have had remaining since the Twi'lek master had approached her immediately vaporized at his words. Xierra nodded solemnly, her features taking on a serious expression. The Force did indeed work in mysterious ways, with reasons that were not always readily comprehended; the Falleen Knight had had many experiences in that regard. So she had learned to trust its nudges and instincts, following its lead without a second thought. Though doing so was sometimes difficult, she knew that was more of a failing to understand on her part than any shortcoming of the Force. And if the Force had pointed Master Tova'nas in her direction, she would never challenge its purpose and do everything in her power to aid him.

Listening to him answer her curious inquiry about his decision to come to the side of the Blades, she felt a little ashamed. It really was none of her business why Master Tova'nas had made the choice and had no bearing on his entrance into the group; she chalked it up to her earlier nervousness and surprise at his request. But she remained still and quiet, dark eyes on the purple-skinned being, glad that he had not seemed to take offense at her bluntness. Xierra took in what he had to say and did not show her embarrassment underneath the grave demeanor she had undertaken upon learning of the Force's recent actions in the Twi'lek's life.

She nodded after he had finished and allowed herself a tight smile. "All very valid points, Master." Much of what he had said was similar to her own leanings, what had first brought the Falleen Knight to the Blades. Her former master had ingrained in her early on that the Jedi were the peacekeepers of the galaxy, working against conflict and cultivating harmony. And she had learned later on that that mission could not always be carried out with diplomacy; some circumstances required more aggressive tactics. As well, the Jedi could not be biased in who received their aid, as the Republic was wont to do, picking and choosing who they sided with; they worked to help all achieve peace.

Xierra paused, unsure on how to proceed. Though she would never question the workings of the Force, she was struggling on how to respond to this master and his desire to join the Blades. Was she supposed to explain what they did? What they were all about? That would be pointless; if he hadn't at least a rudimentary understanding, he wouldn't have made the hard decision to split off from the main Jedi sect and seek out the Blades. Sometimes she disliked the vagueness of the Force. She looked down at her leg, at the mottled shadows thrown by the flowering tree behind them. Perhaps she would just be honest. "At times, it will not be easy... very difficult, in fact. More so than the mere conclusion that you can no longer sit back and watch. War is, if you pardon my expression, hellish. It tests you in ways you could never have imagined." The Falleen stopped, not knowing where she was going with this trail of thought.