Duel Lessons....(Venessy and Aello Training I)

[Xazor Elessar]

A figure clad in white robes sat upon a large boulder in the center of a large training room located in the heart of the Jedi Academy. It was quiet and remotly dark as the Warrior Jedi Knight sat in deep meditation. The sun was still rising and the time was nearing for her new students to arrive. So far, she knew nothing of them save for the fact that they were twins and excelled where the other failed. Still she was curious and knew that this was going to be an interesting new challenge, though she had a feeling the three would grow quite close. Smiling to herself whilst in the presence of the unifying Force, she awaited their arrival on this day commencing their Jedi training.

[Venessy Stromfeather]

Standing outside the training room, Venessy checked himself for the thousandth time that morning; his dun colored clothes provided freedom of movement, his weapon was in pieces, slung over his shoulder and his hair was tied back with a spare bow string.

Taking Aello's hand he squeezed it a little before opening the door and holding it open for her.

[Aello Stromfeather]

Aello bowed slightly, then slid cautiously into the room, her black clothes starkly contrasting the morning sunlight.

she noticed the blonde woman in the middle of the room, the one who ha introduced herself as Xazor, but didnt go across to her, just yet.

instead, she waited near the door for Venessy to follow her.

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor did not need to open her eyes to know that her Padawans had arrived. She sensed them before they even came near the door. Smiling to herself, she inhaled deeply.

"Please come in my young students....you do not need to wait. Come, take a seat before me and we shall begin."

Her voice was inviting and warm as she slowly opened her eyes and set them upon Aello and Venessy.

"Tell me, how was your night in the Living Quarters? I see you must have found a room alright..."

[Aello Stromfeather]

Aello bowed again;

"The living quarters are excellent, my lady. I slept well."

She waited, nervously, for her brother to add something to her statement, or for the Knight to instruct them.

[Venessy Stromfeather]

"Indeed ma'am, the quaters assigned us were very comfortable, however, my anticipation afforded me little sleep."

Smiling slightly, he lowered himself to his knees before his master and awaited her first lesson.

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor smiled and nodded at their comments. Quite typical of every student that passed through the Recruitment Center's doors, they slept well yet hardly for the anticipation in their hearts.

"Our lessons shall commence then with a few questions. If we seek to train together, I must know you so as to fully benefit your learning experience. I shall be like....an older sister to you, perhaps. I am not just your teacher, I am also your friend. You can come to me with anything that is upon your hearts. So with that, first tell me, both of you, your names in full....your ages.....and where it was you were born."

Smiling, she awaited the twins to tell their tale.

[Aello Stromfeather]

Aello began:

"Twins, as you might guess." she grinned, pausing, before continuing,
"Aello and Venessy Stromfeather, 18, me being slightly older, by a few minutes..... Our parents were Khalique and Josev Stromfeather, we were born on a little island in the north of Kajim, I doubt many people have even heard of the place, but it controlled quite a vast bit of the planet....." Aello stopped herself, realising she was babbling uselessly.

[Venessy Stromfeather]

Smiling slightly, Venessy started.

"I believe my sister has covered everything, more or less; I am Venessy Stromfeather, I am eighteen years of age and I was born on Kajim; my mother and father were respected bowyers and fletchers; they made some of the best weapons in the solar system."

When he had nothing more to say he just stopped talking; unnessisary noise had no function and he had been taught from an early age not to make noise for noises sake.

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor smiled upon her students and nodded before setting her eyes upon both of them, together. Her next words were spoken neither to one or the other...but both. This time, she wanted to hear two answers.

"My dear Padawans, tell me what the Force is to you....and you alone. Venessy, Aello...tell me seperatly what it is the Force means to you, not what you think it means to me or eachother."

Smiling, she nodded and allowed her students free reign to speak and discuss this issue.

[Venessy Stromfeather]

The question worked on so many levels for so many different people that Venessy rocked back on his heels and thought hard before he spoke.

"Up till now, the force was a little voice inside my head, telling me when a cup would fall from the table, or how somebody felt at that moment; its never been a source of reverence; I know this is how some view it, but at the moment it holds no great sway over me."

[Aello Stromfeather]

Aello shifted her weight from one foot to the other, thinking for a moment;

She waved her hands vaguely, as if she could physically scoop the words out of the air.

"It's like........ umm... like...."

more vague waving,

"Its... you know, like... when you throw a dice? and you know which way up its going to land, well before it lands. And you look at someone, and you think 'theyre going to say this' or 'theyre going to do that'"

she lapsed into silence, and shrugged.

"you know what i mean?"

she wasn't the most lucid of communicators.

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor watched her students explain before nodding with a grin upon her face.

"Yes, I know exactly what you mean. When you are able to tell that a glass is falling is called your Danger Sense. All who are Force sensitive usually experience this first, and if not...they do later on in their training. When you are able to see what happens before it does is something that Seers do...and there are very few with that gift. They can tell the future before it happens...even if it is only revealed to them in dreams or even flash-forwards. My adoptive Mother is a Seer...the best here at the Order. She is incedible, though her messages are not always ones of joy. Yes, Padawans....those are aspects of the Force."

She shifted her weight slightly and eyed the two young people intently. They were a most interesting pair indeed. Smiling still, Xazor took a new approach to the question.

"The Force has two 'sides' if you will...the Light and the Dark Side. The Jedi are of the Light Side and we use the emotions of love, joy, peace, kindness, and so forth. A Jedi is patient and understanding...not quick to judge, but always loving even to enemies. The Sith....our enemies, and those we protect the galaxy from...use the Dark Side and feed off of fear, anger, and aggression. Those are the path of the Dark Ones and those are tings we must stay away from. The Force flows through all things...the trees, the rocks...you and me. By doing so it binds all things together and holds it in order, but the Sith try to disrupt this order. There is another group, the Dark Jedi. They believe that by killing and by violence that they are keeping this balance. The Sith kill and hurt others for their own power. We seek no power and instead, seek to bring justice to the Galaxy and serve the Force.

The Force is not something to be controlled outwardly, but the Dark Siders do it. We are neither its Master nor puppet, but yet we work together with this Living River. With it, we accomplish the Greater Good. Do you both understand? If you have questions ask them, for the only stupid questions were those that were left unasked."

She said gently, allowing her students time to think.

[Venessy Stromfeather]

"My lady, it occurs to me that the whole philosophy of 'The Jedi' can be likened to a huge religious upsurgence in an already powerful society that now has to adopt pacifism; I am never at ease with a society that is hypocrytical to uphold basic principals that they profess to hold dear."

He staired hard at the floor as if to somehow divine his own answer to the question.

"I do not mean to be disrespectful, but from my position as a relitive outsider, could you make me understand?"

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor lowered her eyes for a moment and sighed to herself.

"I'm teaching you by the Jedi Code.....not what I believe."

She finally said, before looking up at her students. Indeed, it was difficult to accept what she knew was right could not technically be tought...she had to teach the way the Council wanted her to, unless....

"If you want to hear my opinions and be taught the way I was and the way I live by, say so...if not, I shall continue and answer your question the best I can."

[Darius Van-Derveld]

whoops.

[Aello Stromfeather]

"Well, you teach best if you like the subject, right?" Aello analysed, trying to fit the words to the meanings.

"I'll go with your way."

[Venessy Stromfeather]

Venessy chuckled.

"I think my sister summed it up nicely...i concure, teach us your philosophy..."

He grinned

"It seems to work for you."

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor nodded gently and smiled upon her Padawans.

"Good, then....I shall teach you what I believe and practice."

She resolved softly, though she knew she was moving far away from traditional Jedi principles. Inhaling deeply, she let her eyes rest upon her students.

"I believe just that....the Jedi spend all of their time up in their spires, meditating the day away to stay close to the Light. They're afraid of emotion, but I tell you....emotion is the core of our lives. It's what you do with that emotion that matters. One can be angry...it's how you react to your anger that counts. I too believe that we're a bunch of hypocrites....those of us who call ourselves Jedi and claim to live by the Jedi code. Everyone breaks it....it is most impossible not to. Take it into consideration, but don't let its boundaries stop you from killing one man to save ten. I say....indeed, your words were wise, Venessy. I am not a pacifist like the rest....there is a small group of us who stand against the rest of the Order....who defy the Council...."

She began slowly, allowing them to take in all she said. Breathing deeply, the Knight continued.

"We are the Warriors and we do things a lot differently. The Jedi do not look upon us with smiles all the time....we walk a fine line everyday. We go and fight the wars because if we don't, surly Darkness will rule. The others say that wars do not make one great...indeed, they do not.....but they can save. Yes, that's what I said....they can save."

She spoke with a noticable amount of confidence, furthering her point.

[Venessy Stromfeather]

As the master continued speaking, Venessy felt a certain rightness about the jedi that he had not felt since his arrival; he had known that there must have been something supporting the apparently weak pacifists that were the Orders public face.

The idea of a dedicated warrior faction within the order itself was so logical that he baulked at his own naivety at not having thought of it sooner.

"Well, I was never enamoured with the Ivory Tower idea, I look forward to learning what differences there are between the Jedi and learning your ways."

"Very Promethian."

[Aello Stromfeather]

"even the lightside needs butchers, as well as shepherds?" Aello half-quoted, tilting her head to one side with an interested look, her eyes narrowing slightly with thought.

"I never thought of that... It seems logical though."
A smile fleeted across her face,

"I admit, the idea does appeal, quite greatly. I never could just work from behind a desk, always attending to official business"

she decided to try for a summary, ill-advised as it may be with her lack of word-using-ness, and general blunt demeanour.

"Basically, neither of us mind getting our hands dirty."

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor nodded and smiled gently, glad that her Padawans were accepting of views.

"Yes my young students....that is basically what I do. I am not afriad to get my hands dirty either....I am not cut out to do official diplomatic relations. Though, I do not condone the use of anger in such 'business'. The first lesson you must learn and keep in your mind and close to your heart is that to become angry is one thing...to use your anger is another."

She looked to both of them, hoping that they would remember this. She smiled gently and nodded.

"Now about the Force....I want you to close your eyes and forget everything but feel joy from your soul. Let it wash over you and reach out for the deep river that runs through your consciousness. Once you feel this, grab hold and keep it close. This is the Force."

She said softly, closing her eyes to diminish distraction. Immediatly the Knight fell into the Force and awaited the arrival of her students to this point.

[Venessy Stromfeather]

Inverting his mind, turning within himself Venessy dove down.

Control over the self was a thing Venessy prided himself on; his father had told him once that if a man could not master every aspect of himself, he had no hope of mastering anything else.

Siezing hold of the errant wisps of distraction he crushed them into oblivion and resolved his focus.


Decending deeper toward the sound of rushing water, Venessy felt a benevolence and reached for Xazor who waited patiently.

[Aello Stromfeather]

Aello's eyes flickered for a second as she closed out all the distractions, just like she had been taught to shoot:

"Don't think about the guy next to you, don't worry about the next shot, or the cigar smoke behind you, or what you ate for dinner, just roll the shoulders, set the elbow, and concentrate on the shot."

She followed the almost-sound of her brother, and dropped into the Force

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor could feel the thoughts of her students slowly being surpressed until there was barely nothing but their presence there. She smiled, sensing that they had been taught to do this previously and that it came almost naturally for them.

Very good, now you are here with me and our minds can touch one another. Can you speak as I am? This is a form of communication used by Force users called 'Telepathy'. It is something wonderful for speaking things others should not hear, but it is a gift not to be abused.

She informed her students, gently speaking in their mind. Though her telepathic voice was normal for her, it would be but a whisper at first to her Padawans until they formed this skill.

[Venessy Stromfeather]

The Masters voice chimed softly inside his head; it was similar to the communication his sister and he had shared in infancy. Then it had been ideas and images, after that, the skill had faded but now, the door to that skill opened again.

I hear you my lady.

Casting about for his other half, he brushed the spirit of his sister; feeling secure once more, he directed his attention back to the lessom.

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor smiled as she heard Venessy's voice in her mind. She got the feeling from both of the twins that they had done this before -- and quite well. She looked to Aello with anticipation.

"'You can do this as well Aello, yes?"

She questioned in the Padawan's mind, hoping that she had not lost the young one just yet.

[Kirreessaa Midarruu]

deletage, please

[Aello Stromfeather]

"Loud and clear, my lady" she replied.

whats next?

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor smiled gently and nodded to herself.

"Good -- now what I want you to do is remain in this state but open your eyes and look at the rocks sitting right in front of you. Connect with that -- wrap the Force around it and then lift it."

She said softly in their minds, then became silent as to not disturb their mental transitioning.

[Venessy Stromfeather]

Snapping his eyes open, Venessy sent streamers of power coiling toward the rock; the force responded sluggishly at first, but as time passed; the power seemed to sharpen and shine as he excerted his will-power.

The rock floated into the air, holding it for a minute and returning to the ground, Venessy found himself feeling exhilirated.

[Aello Stromfeather]

The glaze lifted from Aello's eyes, as the nearest rock was hit by a wave of energy. It shot backwards then rose up off the ground like a plane taking flight.

It ascended to about seven feet, then slowly drifted to the ground like a feather.