Training ... or something like it.

[Torriana Marx]

"Navaaariaaaa ... "

Torriana paced around the Academy with hands clasped behind her back, humming quietly to herself. She had recently been assigned a Master whom she was completely unacquainted with, but this Tarkin woman sounded friendly. Then again, weren't all these Jedi folk meant to be somewhat amiable?

" ... oh Navaaariaaaaa ... "

Kissing her teeth with a hint of impatience, she sat cross-legged on the ground; this had to be the place for their rendezvous, she was sure of it. The Padawan glanced down at her black-painted nails; and when this activity too lost its amusement, she craned her head upwards and called out into the vast emptiness.

"MASTER TARKIN!!!"

[Navaria Tarkin]

"Was that really necessary?"

Navaria asked as she entered the sparring room. Torriana was sitting on the ground exuding impatience. Her Padawan was quite twitchy.

Unlike the image that Navaria presented. She was calm, passive and completely at ease standing within the doorway; fingers laced together that rested comfortably on her belt.

Once Torriana had looked towards her, the Jedi Knight bowed.

"Navaria Tarkin, Jedi Knight and Council Member. Your Master."

[Torriana Marx]

Torri’s head jerked up at the sound of the voice. It was cool, and, in a way, soothing. Turning to face the doorway, her eyebrows arched. Its owner was no less composed, but she had been expecting someone … well … older.

“Eh, sorry about that. Patience is a virtue I’ve been denied.”

She scrambled to her feet and, following Navaria’s example, bowed after a moment of hesitation. Wringing her hands together, the Padawan grinned sheepishly and shuffled uncomfortably on the spot. She felt awkward, under this sense of authority. To say the least.

Her face all at once brightened. “But you can change all that, can’t you? That’s what you Jedi people do, isn’t it? Make people better and stuff?”

Then, another thought struck her. “Hey … what do I call you? Navaria, or Master Tarkin?” She swallowed before continuing, as if the word was foreign to her. “Or just … er … Master?”

[Navaria Tarkin]

This one was ... different. Not in a bad way ... no. Just the girl was very impatient and the reasoning behind her wish to be a Jedi was eluding Navaria at the moment. Though, the girl's mannerisms brought a smile to her face. What she didn't like was Torriana being uncomfortable around her.

"Actually, you make yourself better, Torriana. I am only here to help guide you on the correct path you wish to set for yourself."

She motioned with her hand, leading her pupil back into the room.

"And you can call me which ever you prefer. It does not matter to me. What does matter is you being comfortable around me."

Hopefully her simple tone devoid of any formality would get them off to a better start as Navaria removed her bulky outer cloak.

[Torriana Marx]

“You’re here to guide me?”

Her mood rapidly soured and she muttered quietly, more to herself than the Jedi Knight. She was admittedly stubborn, and few concepts differing from her own ever managed to penetrate her thick skull.

“I wish you good luck.”

Torriana smiled faintly as she followed on her Master’s heels. At least Navaria was making the effort to be affable. The fact that she wasn’t a bearded ancient using too many long words provided some solace in itself … Maybe then she would be abe to comprehend better the troubles of youth.

Understand your problems? You’ll be lucky if you don’t get kicked out as soon as she hears.

She mumbled a curse under her breath. As annoying as her own negative thoughts could be, they occasionally had a point. Torri shook her head as if to clear it, hurriedly breaking the silence.

“So it’s okay if I call you Navaria?”

[Navaria Tarkin]

"Of course. That is fine with me."

She replied, hanging up her cloak.

"And I do not believe in luck."

Navaria had added with a small smile and moving to the center of the room. Folding her legs underneath her body, she kneeled on the matte while looking up at Torriana.

"I believe in what I see."

The sentence had a double meaning for it meant what the Knight could see with the Force as well as with her own eyes.

As with motioning her new student inside, Navaria motioned to the empty floor before her.

"Please ... sit. And talk with me."

She said calmly. It was hard to gauge right now whether Torriana was uncomfortable being around her, the entire situation, or both. It still had to be quite strange sitting here with someone like Navaria that showed no real emotion, completely at peace and showed more patience then Torriana had felt her entire life.

[Torriana Marx]

Torri shrugged, lowering herself to the ground. She pressed her hands against the floor behind her, knees bent high. At the mention of luck and sight, she grunted in agreement.

“Me too. I guess.”

The Padawan still wasn’t sure how exactly to act around Navaria. Her superiors had never taken too kindly to her, no matter what the situation. Torriana seemed to radiate a sense of insolence and disregard for pretty much any and everything, and this wasn’t very well appreciated.

Still, her Master appeared … different. From the outside, at least. She was composed, too composed … As though nothing could ruffle that pretty exteropr shell, but from her experience Torri knew that regardless of how they presented themselves, everyone fought inside. Everyone. And the quieter you were about it, the more problems you were likely to have faced.

Silence is better than having people gawk at you every time you pass, any day.

Sighing loudly as though to announce the beginning of some long – and undoubtedly boring - speech, Torri canted her head to better view the Knight.

“What do you wanna talk about, then?”

[Navaria Tarkin]

The time it took Torriana to reply, Navaria waited patiently. She only looked at her pupil with genuine interest in what the Padawan was going to say.

When all that was said was a hefty sigh and one sentence, she had to smile.

"Well, I want to talk about you. Or you could always ask me something first. It is not easy to express personal history to a stranger."

Breaking the ice with Torriana was the first goal. She needed the girl to trust her. A Master teaching a student the intricacies of the Force when the student could care less about the person giving the lessons was a problem waiting to happen.

She wanted to be different for Torriana. Navaria didn't know what it was but the way the Padawan moved and looked at her .... The Knight knew her past in regards to teachers was a sordid one.

[Torriana Marx]

Navaria was, in a word ... nice. Then again, first impressions went only so far as to scratch the surface, if even that, and the Padawan was not willing to just go around distributing her loyalties to all the Jedi Elders she encountered. They were human (more or less), and humans were as a rule stupid.

Torri, unfortunately, fell into that class.

"You really don't wanna know about me. And honestly, I kinda expected a withery old man with a long white beard. Not a brunette bombshell."

The sudden change of subject wasn't intended to be deliberate; she just liked talking. A lot. And the more it revolved around her, the better, but she couldn't reveal her personal history on a first meeting. Plus, Navaria was admittedly very pretty, and things were making little sense to the girl right now.

"Just how old are you, anyway? You look awfully young to be doing this sorta thing. You know, teaching the newbies and that sort of thing. Why did you decide to become a Jedi in the first place?"

Always one to be blunt, Torriana's eyes widened in excitement and she leaned forward, her face mere inches away from the Knight's.

"Ooooooooh ... you killed somebody, didn't you?? Yeah you did! Then you felt all guilty and stuff and came here to repent - or whatever it is you Jedi folk do!"

Her face was swallowed by an exultant grin.

[Navaria Tarkin]

The image of Torriana almost pressing up against her face in genuine curiosity was quite the image. In her pupil's eyes, Navaria could see her very own reflection and watched it creep forward, closing the gap between them. They were so ridiculous close that if one of them sneezed, their heads would collided with one another.

"In answer to your first question. Twenty Five cycles old. For the second, no. I have never killed anyone. Ever."

That part was true, from a certain point of view. Navaria herself had never killed anyone. Dalethria had while Navaria watched, weak and helpless girl that she was. Afraid of the power she watched her twin weild. The fear of death had kept her from rising to regain control.

Navaria leaned back to where she was sitting before, Torriana hadn't moved an inch yet, and straightened out her hair.

"Though my family has had a rather sordid past. In a way, I am making up for the pain they have caused and following what I always wanted in my heart."

With a small toss, the last of her brown hair that was out of place, returned to rest upon her back.

"Peace. A place to call home again and to do good. Like I always knew my family could do under different circumstances."

[Torriana Marx]

Torriana pursed her lips in thought; whether or not the Knight showed it, she had obviously struck a nerve. Family issues were always prone to being sensitive and she didn't want to push the envelope too far.

Instead, she decided to speak out somewhat about her own past. It was only fair that she return Navaria's kind gesture.

"My dad, he ..."

She paused, carefully choosing how to phrase her next comment. The acts that inspired the words – and, in large, the reason why she was here - were not ones she took pride in. Rather the opposite, in its utmost extreme.

"... he did stuff to me."

The Padawan ended concisely, not wishing to draw the matter into a lengthy discussion. Torri had, for the most part, come to grips with her problems of old; acceptance was the only available option that remained.

"So I guess I can understand where you're coming from, in a way."

Biting into her cheek, she sat back on her haunches and stared blankly at her Master.

[Navaria Tarkin]

Her heart sank deeply into her chest. It became weighted down with such sadness to her pupil that Navaria physically slumped in posture. What could someone say to that? Torriana was brave and honest with her, and because of the Knight being so emphatic ... her charge didn't need to say anything else. She could feel the cascade of emotions as if they were her own ... Not the details.

Which it seemed that Torriana was reliving now perhaps?

"Torriana? I am sorry for what has happened. Truly."

She could hear Navaria's voice as it was thich with deepest regrets and sorrow.

"I hope that in being here, and training with me, we can look together towards a much brighter future."

Then she smiled. The ugliness in her voice suddenly changing to one of hope and promise. Something that Navaria wanted Torriana to pick up on. That way, the rest of the lesson would not be on such a sorrow and depressing note.... As in all things should be.

A Jedi brings hope and enlightenment, something that Torriana needed.

[Torriana Marx]

Her eyes narrowed with suspicion as Navaria's form drooped forward. It was hard to tell whether the Knight was truly sympathetic about Torri's past, or if it was just a form of embarrassed kindness. She didn't need pity from anyone, and one of the main reasons she had sought to join the Order was to escape this sort of judgment; she alone knew why she thought and acted how she did, so why bother proving it to anyone else?

Having others feel sorry for her was about the last thing Torriana needed right about now, but something about the way the Knight carried herself suggested that this wasn't a joke. And that smile, it was just so ... real.

"Hey, no worries, I'm over it. I got my own back, anyway, so it's all cool."

She offered her own signature grin as reconciliation and shrugged her shoulders, as though disposing of all unpleasant memories at the same time.

"And please, call me Torri. I don't like the whole formality business."

The Padawan then lofted a brow, her next query somewhat more hesitant and tentative.

"By the way ... could you maybe teach me how to conjure fire? I don't mean now, of course, cause there's probably like a whole load of technical mumbo-jumbo to go through first, but you know. Eventually."

[Navaria Tarkin]

"Yes, there is a lot of technical jargon that goes with it, ah Torri."

Navaria said slowly, raising a brow in turn with the same speed.

"You would be skirting around the Dark Side to do such things. I do not think you fully realize that ... but at least you realize any feats, as powerful as that, would be done by you much later.

This brings me to an important question. Have you any experience with the Force?"

Hopefully, this would switch gears enough to get on what was important and perhaps Torriana would understand in time, through training, what Navaria meant.

[Torriana Marx]

Torri made a face. Dark Side, Light Side, what was the big difference? Just that one encouraged death and destruction whereas the other opted to bring peace, unity and salvation.

Okay, so maybe there was a slight difference.

She frowned and pursed her lips in thought. Only one incident immediately came to mind in answer to Navaria's question, and so long as she did not disclose the finer details, she should be safe from criticism. After a long pause, she slowly replied.

"I think I've set stuff ablaze before, if that counts ... By accident, of course!"

The last part of the sentence was spoken with her arms raised in surrender; she didn't want the Knight receiving the wrong message (although, in this case, it was probably the true one).

[Navaria Tarkin]

"By accident?"

Now Navaria was keenly interested in this story.

"What led up to the accident and please, Torri, do not leave an details out. It is important."

She didn't want to take her Padawan for granted but Navaria had a sinking suspicion to what had caused Torriana to create the fire.

[Torriana Marx]

She blinked and wrung her hands together. "I first started noticing that I could manipulate fire a long time ago, back when I was a kid. Sometimes at night, after he..." she swallowed, "after he left, I'd cry. I'd feel all numb, cold... angry, and sometimes the candles in my room would flicker. I didn't think much of it back then."

A glassy look came over Torriana's eyes and her gaze traveled past the Knight's shoulders, staring blankly into empty space.

"Then one day I got into a particularly nasty row with my dad. I don't remember what happened... but next thing I know, I'm lying on a hospital bed. They said I'd been in a coma for several days and had various bruises all over my body, but no burn marks. Which they found odd, considering that they'd found me in what remained of my house. Both my parents had died in the fire, but somehow I escaped unharmed.

"I didn't want them poking around, asking questions, so I ran away. I hung about in the lower levels of Coruscant, where no one knows your name, and nobody cares who or what you are. I heard the Jedi were setting up base there and thought I might as well check it out. Maybe even make something useful of what's left of my life."

Shaking her head clear, the Padawan looked back down, her voice lowering to a whisper. "And here I am now."

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria tenitively reached out to grasp Torriana's shoulder gently. The Knight hoped she would not pull away.

"My sympathies are with you and you were right to seek out the Jedi."

She lowered her head, trying to find Torriana's gaze.

"I can teach you how to control your powers, Torri. I promise you this. Eventhough your power can be rooted in the Dark Side, it can be used for good.

Intention of the power is just as important its use. You did not cause that fire on purpose. It was an accident but we are going to work together so it never happens again."

Her voice was just above a whisper and held the determination that Torri did not yet have for herself.

[Torriana Marx]

Her frown deepened. Navaria was the first person to not lay the blame on the Padawan... including Torriana herself. The girl's disregard for authority had developed from a deep-rooted sense of loathing for herself, and her inability to do things right. She only knew that she had an astounding capacity to ruin everything, and this belief had been supported by all adults in her life, including her parents.

And now, Navaria was saying just the opposite. Navaria, someone who Torri had known less than an hour, but to whom she had revealed her most intimate truths. It felt... strange, to let her guard down like this in front of a relative tranger. Strange... but also strangely liberating.

She tried desperately to find the words to express her gratitude. They were words often said, but rarely meant with as much sincerity as Torriana. "...Thank-you."

[Navaria Tarkin]

A thin smile crept forward ever so slowly before the thank you was heard. There was inner turmoil that Torriana was working through after her speech. From what the Knight could sense, it was most positive. A foundation of trust was continuing to solidify between them.

"You are welcome."

She said, smiling wider in hearing her pupil's voice finally. Navaria stole a glance at the chronometer.

"Time has run away from us. Did you want to call it a day or continue? It is up to you."

Not much had been done today. Mostly it was getting to know one another but Navaria knew Torriana was emotionally drained and would not fault her for wanting to rest.

[Torriana Marx]

Her eyes snapped up, suddenly alert. "No, no... we can't just end it here. All I've done is rant on endlessly. Sorry..." she mumbled. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to continue. After all, this was a training session up until I started yapping away and screwed it up for you."

[Navaria Tarkin]

"No apologies. You have not ranting on endlessly. Everything you said is important to me. Actually .... I am flattered that you were so honest with me and because I know it was so hard for you ... I wanted to give you a chance to rest."

She eyed Torriana through carefully.

"But ... if you are eager to continue ... Very well then."

Navaria reached into a pouch and pulled out something that Torriana couldn't see. Both of her hands came together to conceal the object until eventually the Knight held out both of her hands, which were balled into fists.

"Which hand am I holding the object that I took out of my pouch?"

[Torriana Marx]

Her initial thought, and the one which she acted upon, was that of ignorance. "I don't know!" she immediately replied. The answer was clearly not the one Navaria had been looking for, however, and the Padawan reluctantly turned her eyes back down to her Master's hands. Now way are you ever gonna get this.

Spurred on by her lack of faith in herself, she furrowed her brows and gazed ahead intently. Liar, liar, you're just lying to yourself. You don’t know the first thing about the Force! Lying... that was, essentially, what Navaria was doing in a way. One hand concealed the object, whereas the other was simply a falsehood. Now, be it "Jedi-like" or not, Torriana was a seasoned liar and could sniff out any signs of deceit with ease, but having to pick one clenched hand over the other was a bit of a gamble. That was something she wasn't so good at.

"Uhm..." she paused a while longer, her thoughts gradually drifting into nothingness to be replaced by the welcome bliss of peace. She stopped concentrating so keenly on where and what exactly the item was... and it was then that the faint outline of some unknown object began to unwittingly form in her mind's eye. Her frown deepening, Torri turned away from that hand and looked to the other. The image was still there, but the edges were sharper.

If there was one thing she did know, it was that there could never exist a 'true lie'... no matter how convincing, the person telling the untruth always has a little seed of doubt in his mind, and this always seeps into his conscious thoughts - thus, making the lie vague and distorted. In the same way as vocalized dishonesty, it was almost as though the hand was signaling to her that it was false, because of the ambiguity of the image it provided.

"That one," Torri said decisively, pointing to the Knight's right fist. "Don't ask why, it just feels right."

[Navaria Tarkin]

It didn't start off too smoothly as Torriana took the fatalistic approach, but Navaria sat there patiently, saying nothing. This was a test of patience as much as it was a test of Torriana believing in the Force to answer the riddle. She could feel the mood shift from the Padawan until she sat there calmly working out the puzzle in her head. And then finally ...

"That one," Torri said decisively, pointing to the Knight's right fist. "Don't ask why, it just feels right."

So she wouldn't. The Knight would ask another tough question.

"Then what is in my hand?"

[Torriana Marx]

Again she was tempted to deny any and all knowledge, but this time the reaction was so sudden and so powerful that even Torriana, with her wondrous ability to jabber her way out of overly demanding situations, couldn't reject the image. The initial stages of finding that little something - anything - were taxing, but once she was past them it was easier to hold onto that original idea. The impression the Padawan received caused a deep frown to etch into her forehead.

It was a primitive form of lighting, but effective nonetheless. "You're holding a box of matches," she said bluntly. Her expression was one of ludicrousness.

[Navaria Tarkin]

The face of her Master was quite the opposite. There was a disappointment present, to which Torriana was probably certain that her answer was indeed wrong.

"Why do you doubt yourself? I sense that you feel adamant about your answer but you scoff at the possibility that you are right."

Navaria turned her hand, palm inward, so that she could reveal the object within her hands between two fingers.

It was a pack of matches.

"You are correct, Torri. And you know why you are correct? You did not over analyze the situation. You simple let go and believed in the images that appeared in your mind. It is as simple, and difficult as that."

[Torriana Marx]

Torriana's first thought upon hearing her Master's words was, indeed, one of incompetence, and again she cringed in anticipation of a berating. It came, but was of a nature entirely different to the one she was accustomed to. Peeking open her eyes, she fixed her eyes on the now open palm and what it held, utterly mystified.

"I..." she hesitated. "What does it mean?"

[Navaria Tarkin]

That question could me a lot of things. So, like any good Jedi, Navaria answered with a question of her own.

"What does it mean to you?"