First Wave Healers

[Tal]

The transport landed on one of the small landing platforms of Subterrel. It had been a long trip, but Talau didn't really mind...she had nothing else to lose...one more year and she was out of the academy, and with no master she wasn't likely to become a jedi any time soon. This was her last chance to proove herself worth some kind of training....and she was a good healer, even some of the healers in the medbay said so.

As she put some of her things back in her pack, she looked out on the desolate world....it was unlike anything she'd ever seen before in her life. Upon stepping out into the heat of the day, she was suddenly glad for the jedi clothing: her hood shaded her face, the cloth was thin enough to breath, yet sturdy enough to keep her warm if she needed it.

Looking about she noticed she was the only one not talking to another one of the young...or older...healers, but that was no different than normal she supposed....so she just waited to see what their orders would be.

[Kiriin Radd]

The tall dark haired man stalked into the hangar lost in deep thought. He kept running his hand through his hair as he paced towards an unused area of the hangar, totally ignoring the shuttle as it disembarked the group of healers. His mind was on other things. On the Past. On the Present. On the impending battles to come in his life. He couldn't tell very well but the Force had dark paths for him to walk before he truly found himself.

He found a clear area to practice in and stopped a local technician headed towards the shuttle. He gave Vex directions of the nearest shop along the perimeter of the bay. He returned from there with a total of six remotes. More than he could handle right now, but he needed the punishment and pain to awaken himself from his depression. With all six activated and floating and hissing in varying patterns, he stood with his arms to his side, empty handed. Barely recognized the first charge of energy as a stun dart shot towards him from the rear left. He simply stuck his hand out and let the bolt hit it dead on. His hand numbed and stung with the shot. The next shot started to charge in another of the remotes.

The man simply stood there waiting for the inevitable.....

[Tal]

Talau's eyes were suddenly drawn to a man not far off. He had recently arrived in the bay with several remotes, and was....she could hardly believe her eyes....he was LETTING them hit him! Taking heart in the words and small friendship that Regnier had given her before she left, she walked up to the man who was surrounded by the droids.

With a swift movement of her hand, the fiery 14 year old batted the next droid out of the air with her hand before it got a chance to shoot it's bolt.

What are you DOING?! In all the galaxy I thought I was the stupidest person in the jedi ranks! Honestly.....

She complained loudly to him, batting another droid out of the air as it rounded on her. Noticing that the droids were beginning to take her as their new target, she pulled out one of her sabers and struck another one down....

3 down, three to go...she thought to herself, as she was stung by one of the bolts. She hissed slightly and rounded on the droid, taking her anger out on it, sending it crashing to the ground. She had had as much as she could bear of people putting her down, and looking down on her, and then asking her to help them with things, then walking away....this man allowing himself to be stung by these blasted droids was the last straw....

With another sweeping movement, she took down the remaining two droids, then rounded on the man who was still nearby, deactivating her saber. She was hardly up to his chest, but she tried her hardest to look imposing anyway. After all...she wasn't here to find a master....she would never have one, so it didn't matter what she said to this man did it?

If you want something to give you a good stinging blow to wake you up, you could have just called me over...you don't have to pay for me to hit you, I'll give you a good stinging slap for free.
Honestly! What were you thinking! There's sith coming, and they bring all of us rej....they bring all of those healers and me here to help out and here you are, hurting yourself! Why don't you just let the sith do that for you huh? At least then I can feel sorry for you while I'm healing you!

She ranted, then blushed a deep red, and looked down at the ground, not knowing what had gotten into her all of a sudden.

Are...are you hurt at all? I can heal you easily...really I can....

She said, both wanting...and not wanting....to appologise for her actions.

[Kiriin Radd]

Vex felt a presence approach and assault his penance and meditation. This confused him and annoyed him, because no one had ever interrupted his meditation before. He opened his eyes to see a fiesty young girl staring up at him berating him on his stupidity for hurting himself. His mouth twitched at this last comment, but then the oddest thing happened. She began to apologize for her rudeness. She was strong in the Force and yet she couldn't be more than the age of thirteen.

He raised his eyes to hers and locked stares with her. He let her see and feel the anguish and anger within him. It pulsed off of him like a tidal wave. He knew his other two companions would take notice to this since he had closed himself down to the Force earlier and didn't care if they came to question him. He did not clamp down on his feelings like the Jedi wanted and taught. No, he let it eddy and flow, like water running through the land. He looked deep into the girls eyes and received the faintest glimps of a possible future. It frighten ed him.

You disturbed my training and meditation.

He whispered and turned to walk away. His cloak slipped from his shoulders as he paced a few feet away from her and spun back around. He saw that she still held a lightsaber in hand. His own two sabers swung from his belt. He did not reach for them or bring them to bear. He simply raised his hands out in from of him and bowed.

Since you interupted my training I have a lesson for you. Prepare yourself young one.

[Tal]

Talau got slightly nervous, feeling the pain and anger radiating off of him, but she didn't back down....not this time.

Hmph....you can't do me any more harm than what's already been done to me, so have at me.

She stated defiantly, pulling her other saber from her belt and igniting it in a flair of purple lightm which contrasted beautifully with the blue of the first one. She stood ready, not igniting her sabers...yet...she still had some time yet. Talau didn't bother to hide her feelings this time...no instead she allowed him to feel her hurt, and anger at her situation, and the disappointment she felt in herself.

[Kiriin Radd]

Her feelings were a drop of water cascading down a cliff face. His presence was shut down to the point of being solid rock. He bent his knees a little bit and shifted his weight to leap over her, but did not jump just yet. He still held nothing in his hands as he slightly Force pulled at her to make her lose balance.

Your pain and regret is pathetic. You are weak and a fool. You were right when you started to say reject. I now know what you are. A masterless youngling and nothing more. And you dare stand up to me.

[Tal]

She grunted at the shift in the air around her, but she stood fast, resisting the pull on her. Instead she held her head higher and snorted in derision.

I'd dare stand up to a Sith Lord if I felt the need. I'm not afraid of you, and I'm not afraid of death. My parent's weren't...so why should I be?

She growled at him, not moving a muscle. She didn't want to fight him in a full out battle...she'd never win, and she knew it....but she'd be darned if she backed down from him. If this was her fate, to die at the hands of this man, or any other man, so be it....she'd do just that, and she'd do it without a second thought.

[Kiriin Radd]

Vex snarled back at her. His anger showed and it flew off of him like great heat waves. He raised his hands and using the Force as a pair of hands, he Force slapped the girls hands. He had noticed that she had not been gripping them too tightly. Just as he slapped at her hands he then reached out and yanked on her sabers with all his might.

It took a second before she noticed what was happening, even if she did have a good grip on them, before the sabers were ripped from her clutched hands and flew up in front of her face. Using all the grace Vex had in kinetic combat, he ignited the sabers so that both were pointing back in her face. Unfortunately his had was not steady enough and the violet saber's heat blistered the girl's face.

Vex went from stone hard to fluid water in less than a blink of an eye. He leaped towards her and threw the sabers away from her, deactivating them in their flight, and embraced the girl. The wave of anger and pain vanished and all that radiated out from him was love and kindness. He let his power flow into her and through her to let the blister heal. He whispered in her ear.

I'm sorry child. I will never harm you again.

[Tal]

Talau's hands were clenched tightly on her sabers until the moment they stung from seemingly nothing. Before she knew it her sabers were out of her hands and igniting. She tried to duck away, but it was too late. Her purple saber, Talon as she had named it, scorched the side of her face along the jawline. Tal hissed loudly, but didn't move a muscle. She was afraid...even to the point of almost being terrified...but she didn't let it show, she couldn't...not now.

In one swift moment, she felt the attention of the other students and healers on them, and she turned a deep shade of red against her will. In the blink of an eye however, the man had flung her sabers away from her and had wrapped her in his his arms, healing her blistered face in the process. Against her will, Talau shuddered and shied away from him at first, before burying her face in his shoulder.

All at once a powerful memory struck her...and she knew. Backing up all of a sudden, she looked deeply into his eyes and nearly laughed from happiness.

You're him!....I've been looking for you!....Thank you so much! Thank you!!

She said, hugging him tightly.

[Kiriin Radd]

Vex was taken aback by this sudden change in the girl. It confused him as he tried to take a step back. He didn't know what to say. He had not known anyone was looking for him in the first place. This sent a flood of thoughts through his head, but he just didn't know what to make of it.

I'm sorry girl, but I don't know what your talking about. I just feel sorry for harming you. I did not mean it. Please calm down. Again, I don't know what you mean. Why have you been looking for me? Of all people.

[Tal]

She looked at him as if he were crazy for a moment, then calmed herself down, so she could thing propperly, and try to explain.

It....it was a long time ago, I know....I was five then, I think....Anyway....I remember....my parents were going to find a traitor...they kept talking about him....but....someone else came and killed all three of them....and I was next....then...then you came and saved me...and you took me to the temple. I've been wanting to find you ever since...

[Kiriin Radd]

Vex stood frozen, it all seemed familiar, but that long ago he was a different person. He jogged his memory and flashed upon a frightened child as her parents lay dead. She was next, but he would not have that. He had slain the others and saved the girls life. He now looked down upon her and stared into her eyes. There she was, the same frightened girl he had rescued so long ago. The Force had come full circle and brought him back to her.

That was so long ago. I barely remember, but here you stand before me. Once again it seems I have come to your rescue. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out on missions with your master, or back at the temple training?

[Tal]

She looked down, withdrawing into herself at the painful thing she had to say to him.

I'm 14....I only have one year left before I'm no longer allowed to be part of the academy....and I've no master. You were right in what you said earlier...I am one of the rejects of the jedi order. Not even the masters speak to me....only one other knight has ever helped me in anything....and that was just before I came here.
Everything I know....I've taught myself...aside from the very basics the younglings know.

Talau said quietly, not daring to look up into his face...she couldnt' stand to see the disappointment he must feel in her.

You were right...I was a fool for even trying to stand up to you.

[Kiriin Radd]

Vex was no longer the steady rock, but more of the bending willow. He took his hand and raised her head by the chin. He smiled as he looked down at her. He felt all her pain and sorrow. He knew what he was destined to do at this moment.

Child, I am Vex Andross, Jedi Knight of the Order. I hereby take you under me as my Padawan. Please do not hide your feelings, fore they are what make you alive. Let me protect you and guide you.

He drew her into his arms and hugged her once more. Tears started to fall from his eyes. He had never felt so unburdened in his life. Through the tears as he stood there he thought he saw his master leaning against the back wall of the hangar with a smile on his face. He started to wipe away the tears and double check but there was no one there.

[Tal]

Talau grudgingly looked up at him, though what she saw was not what she had expected. Instead of disappointment, or admonishment, she saw love and kindness....something she wasn't familiar with. As he spoke, she couldn't help but wonder if this were some kind of strange dream, or a cruel trick of her mind....hadn't she just been hurt by this man? Yes...

...but had she been?....really?....The answer came to her easily. No. It was not the same man. That man had been angery, and full of pain and sorrow, but this man was the one who had saved her once upon at time....no....not once....twice now. Tal nodded at his words and offered him a small, shy smile, as if she weren't quite sure if she should smile or if this required more formality than that.

Master Vex....I'm Talau Sulin, and I gladly accept you as my teacher.

She said with a slight bow, and hugged him again, trying not to cry herself.

...and thank you for saving my life once again...

She added, her thoughts no more than a whisper in his mind.

[Kiriin Radd]

Vex smiled widely and hugged the girl once more when she embraced him. He now felt he had a purpose within the order once more. He placed his hand on her shoulder.

Please Talau, call me Vex, I am no master and feel that I do not deserve the title. Also, I see that there are other with you. Lets go meet with them and see what else we can do to help. I will definitely find appropriate housing for them, and you. You are welcome to share my villa as well if you wish. Lets go get that gear unloaded shall we? Now there's one rule though about this exercise. We do not use the Force one bit. Not to refresh ourselves or help lighten the load. Got it? Good. Nothing bad about a little hard days work.

[Tal]

Talau listened to his short speech and laughed, a playful smile on her face. She had never been adverse to hard work...infact, she liked it...the harder the better.

Call me Tal....it's easier to say. Anyway, you're talking to the queen of hard work...I seem to live for it. The more difficult the better!

She said, walking with him over to the others, who watched her with a mixture of confusion, mistrust, and some even bordered on dislike....but all of them seemed to look down on her. Tal looked up at him before they got to close and stopped walking, catching hold of his sleeve for a moment to stop his walking.

Just so you know....um....most of them don't think to highly of me....and I doubt what just happened will help that any.

She said quietly to him.

[Kiriin Radd]

He stopped with the tug on his sleeve and looked down at her smiling while she spoke to him. He listened intently and ran some ideas through his head. He had a few good ones, most involving speeches, but he didn't like giving speeches. He took it at face value and decided that they would jump that hurdle when it came time to.

Do not worry my dear young one. They will not start anything while I am around, and if they do, well it will be a lesson that would make them rather be back at the Temple doing lessons there. Relax and let the Force pull you along its currents. Do not fight the rapids, but be fluid and glide through the water gracefully.

[Tal]

She listened to him, and felt slightly better about the situation. Tal nodded quietly, thinking about what he had said.

So...you are likening the force to a river?

Tal asked curiously, as they walked through the group toward the transport's holding bay. She looked up at him as they walked, her anxiousness to know more making her feel restless.

[Kiriin Radd]

Tal seemed to have a good head on her shoulders and was a quicker thinker. She picked up on his view of the Force rather quickly. He kept eye contact with her as they walked towards the cargo bay of the shuttle. He jumped over a refueling cable without breaking stride and looking down.

You're quite right. I believe the Force can be related to the flow of a river. It's easier and more fulfilling when you go with the flow instead of fighting your path that your given. There will be times when the waters are calm and times when the rapids with shred and pull at you.