Alan Joyce: Knock Before Entering. No Soliciting

[Alan Joyce]

Alan hummed a light tune as he strolled down the thinly carpeted hallway in the middle of the living quarters. It was a beautifully engineered buildin; that much he could appreciate having been a draftsman and engineer himself.

"Well, hello there. You'll do nicely, I think," He said to himself while opening a door marked vacant.

It was a single room, sparsely furnished, but enough for what he would need. Stepping in, the blonde man set down his suitcase and looked around, gaging whether or not some of his old furniture would fit properly. But he had little time to think before the view from his balcony struck him. Leaving the door open, Alan walked over to the balcony door and opened it, stepping out and viewing all he could.

It was a breathtaking vista of Coruscant, with ships flying here and there along spacelanes, and tall spires of buildings jutting up between low clouds. He had designed one building on Coruscant, but honestly didn't know where it was. When a breeze picked up, he reached down and fastened the buttons on his tan tweed suit coat. He was really there, on Coruscant, making a new life for himself at the age of thirty-five.

[imported_Terran Starek]

Teran had noticed the face of someone he did not know stroll by him as he walked down the long corridor of the East Wing of the Jedi Living Quarters. Curiosity struck him like a hammer, as he was rather set on meeting and greeting all those people he didn't know on his wing. He was on his way to a meeting with Sarr, and he was already late...nah, a quick 'hello' couldn't hurt.

Sarr will understand, he assured himself in his thoughts as he turned back around. Slowly, he came to the now opened door of what once was an empty, single room. Poking his head inside, he took a good look at the man. He was fairly tall--not too tall--with sandy blonde hair. His disposition was pleasant enough, as Terran sensed a calmness in his demeanor. He was probably slightly nervous about being in a new place, but the Jedi Padawan could tell that he was in control of the situation.

After he had stood there, spying, long enough, he decided it best to draw attention to himself. He would be interested to meet this newcomer, and there was no better time than the present, he thought.

"HHHmmm-mm-mm-mmmm-mmm." He cleared his throat in the doorway, just to get his attention. He didn't want to scare him with a big, hardy 'Hello!'

"My apologies for interupting your settling-in process, but I thought I would stop by to welcome you to the East Wing." He smiled broadly and extended a hand out to the other.

[Alan Joyce]

Alan snapped his head abck to see where the voice had come from, and upon realizing it was from someone in the doorway, he turned and crossed the room to him, though shutting the balcony door first, though.

"Oh, goodness, no problems at all. Good morning." The man greeted Terran as he walked across the room, then shook his hand with a hearty grip. "Thank you for stopping by. I'm Alan, Alan Joyce. It is a pleasure to meet you Mr., ..." He trailed off, waiting for Terran to introduce himself.

[imported_Terran Starek]

"Terran Starek, padawan to Jedi Master Verse Dawnstrider." He smiled, shaking the man's hand with his own firm, but very gentle, grip. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mister Joyce." Terran released his grip and stood before the man.

"I am pleased that you have chosen this wing. I live just down the hall there--" he pointed to the direction opposite the entrance "--the second door from the end. Feel free to stop by anytime." He always had an inviting smile on his face, and this time was no exception.

"I should like to respect your privacy, so if you would like to get back to unpacking and arranging your things, I could be on my way." The remark was made in total politeness and hinted that the Jedi would love to stay and chat if Alan felt the same way.

[Alan Joyce]

This Terran fellow was quite nice; very pleasant and courteous. Alan liked him from the start, he seemed almost as old-fashioned as himself. "Oh, no, come in, come in. I have precious little to unpack at the moment, so you're not interrupting a thing." Alan assured him, then stepped back into his room and made his way to the closet.

"Don't mind me, just making myself at home," he said while takign off his suit jacket and hanging it neatly, then turning back to Face Terran again. His suit was a light brown, almost tan tweed with bronzeish buttons and cufflinks as well. A tweed-fronted vest with collar and lapels, not to mention a small breast pocket and sateen back was buttoned over a creamy white linenshirt with a finelly pressed collar that was ringed ever-so-slightly with a perspiration stain. Tied in a full Windsor knot around his neck was a deep red and yellow striped tie that disappeared down beneath the vest which matched his pants. It was a custom tailored suit, that much was obvious, and held an old charm to it.

Taking a seat on one of the two chairs in the room, Alan idly wound his wristwatch and looked up at Terran. "Have a seat, old boy. Much more comfortable talking when you're relaxing, I've always found. I'd offer you a beer, but, I haven't had time to stock the cooler yet."

[imported_Terran Starek]

"Thank you for your consideration." He responded to Alan's kind offer of a drink with a smile. He noticed the man's suit right away--it was definitely very old-fashioned, he thought. He like things old fashioned. He had generally preferred old-fashioned things, lik riding horses intead of tearing across land in a land speeders. There was much to be said about the exhileration of fast ships and whining engines, but there was also a certain class to someone who appreciated the was things were.

Standing in his traditional Jedi attire, the beige, tan, and brown outfit was essentialy a fixed sight at the academy. Many padawans, knights, and masters, chose to wear the traditional garb. Some, however, strayed from its normality and wore other things. Terran wore his proudly--the mark of a Jedi, he had always prided himself.

"If you don't mind my asking, where do you hail from, Mr. Joyce?" Terran took the seat that Alan offered and sat, inquisitvely, while the man unpacked a few more of his things.

[Alan Joyce]

Folding one hand over the other as he sat, Alan cleared his throat lightly and answered Terran's question without further hesitation. "I come from Hathuneia, a commercial and business planet some distance form here, but not outside of the main rim. Lived in a good sized city and used to work as a draftsman. You know, engineering and architecture and the like. I'm trying to think of how to arrange my furniture in here once it arrives. Having it sent form home, you know."

With his classic smile still on his face, Alan raised his eyebrows and nodded to Terran, "And what about you, my new friend; where do you come from?"

[imported_Terran Starek]

"Hmmm," he said with thought. "I am afraid I am not familiar with Hathuneia. What is your home-planet like?" He smiled as Alan spoke of his funiture. "It is always nice to add a touch of home into one's room here. Sometimes, it can be quite long before we ever get the chance to return." He thought of his home. He had visited it a few weeks ago, but it had been several years--16 or so--since he had been there last.

"I am from the planet Gias. It is not very well known, unfortunately, but that is due to it being so remote." He thought of home. "It's a beautiful planet--full of nature. The closest likeness to it, I would think, is Naboo." He thought of the lush, green meadows and thick, full-of-life forests. Such a beautiful planet, Gais was.

[Alan Joyce]

"Hathuneia," Alan started, thinking back as he steepled his fingers, "is a decently traveled planet. Oh, we do have out forests and lakes and rivers. Good fishing, mind you. That is one thing I suppose I'll miss here. Used to go fishing ont he weekends, you know. Anyway, there were also numerous cities and towns, and quite a few spacelanes that frequent the place.

"But, I lived in the city, downtown to be exact. Fifth floor on the corner of Davis and Jameson Avenues. Lovely brick building, wish folks would still ask for buildings like that. Historical, you know." he waved a hand as if to prove his needless point. "Not a bad place, close to most everything, and lived next door to a wonderful old lady who was always cooking too much, and liked to share. I'll tell you, her lasagnae is simply superb. But now I'm rambling, aren't I? I really ought to be more careful about that."

[imported_Terran Starek]

Terran smiled and chuckled. Alan was a very enjoyable fellow.

"Your ramblings allow interesting stories to escape your mouth, Mr. Joyce. I very much enjoy what others share with me. Consider it no problem in my presence." Alan's descriptions of food made him think of his mother's home cooking. Though the cafeteria was fairly decent here, and Master Yoghurt's Bar and Grill was quite good, they both paled in comparison to a hot meal back home.

"If you don't mind me asking, what occupation did you have on your home planet?" Terran could see him as some kind of...mechanic perhaps? No, he didn't have mechanic's hands. However, the padawan could sense building or designing in the man's aura.

[Alan Joyce]

Alan's blue eyes sparkled as he was asked about his occupation. It was one of the true loves of his life, and he perked up as he answered, "Oh, I was a draftsman. You know, and architectual engineer. Used to design buildings, homes, streets and whatnot else. Designed some building on this planet, though I've not the foggiest where it is. Drafting isn't the job for most, but I love it myself. Just you, a pencil, your T-square and engineering scale. It's amazing what you can come up with. Won an award a few times for designs, but nothing terribly prestegious.

"Trouble is, I don't have a clue as to how that can help me here. I mean, it's not like they need folk to design anything for a Jedi. SO, I wonder how they'll use me. What about you, my friend? What did you use to do?"

[imported_Terran Starek]

"Rest assured, my friend. I am sure that the Order will help you find your place. The Council is very wise and they are excellent advisors." Terran smiled, his kind, warm smile that was probably already becoming familiar to Alan. He always tried to put forward his best and polite when in the presence of his friends.

"Well, to be honest with you, I have never known an occupation but within the Force," he spoke. He wasn't lying to Alan, although he didn't feel the need to explain his past. Not yet--not until they had become closer friends, which he foresaw in their future. "I have served it for my entire life. When I was younger, the trainees and I would work the fields for our Masters. It was a very easy job. Just labor--no brains involved. But it was wonderful to be out in nature." He let out a soft sigh.

"You never know what you can learn from the wind until you just listen."

[Alan Joyce]

"Aye, and it's amazing what you can learn from a river, too." Alan replied, nodding. [i]"How to adapt, and when to just spill over. I'll tell you, there are some fine rivers where I come from. Excellent fishing, you know. But I hear there aren't any places like that on Coruscant; just pavement and steel. Oh well, I guess I'll have to adapt myself."

"So, what is life like here? Are you on some kind of schedule of classes and course requirements? And will I need any supplies outside of the necessities?"

[imported_Terran Starek]

"Well, life at the academy differs for all." He leaned back in his seat and thought. "The first step to your time here will be being chosen by a Master. No matter what type of training you seek, you will be taken padawan by a Master. This person will be you mentor, someone you can really have an excellent relationship with--someone to trust in, learn from, and who will care about you." At his words, he felt a bit forlorn--his own Master, Verse Dawnstrider, hadn't been seen in quite some time. He missed his Master and friend.

"After you get aquainted with the person who is to train you, it will begin. Your schedule depends soley on their liking--you will follow a training and learning schedule according to your Master.

All of the equiptment and supplies you will need will be given to you by your Master, or at least he/she will help you find it. Like I said, you and your Master will become very close, and in this time, you will learn all the ropes of being a Jedi from this person."

"Worry not," Terran smiled brightly. "The will of the Force is that you will be trained as a Jedi--otherwise, why would you be here? It will come to pass, my friend." He paused, taking his time to allow him to think of what Terran said. "Do you have any other questions?"

[Alan Joyce]

<font size=1>OOC: Please excuse my tardiness. College finals are a killer, and I have also been busy at work.</font size=2>

"A few," he admitted, "Do you know if it is mandatory for trainees, or, I believe padawans is the right word, to live on campus? If we were to find a place of our own within commuting distance, would that be acceptable?"

Crossing one foot over the other at the ankle, Alan leaned back in his chair and looked out the window. "Though I must say the view from here is quite something. But, I do have another question: What is the Jedi stance on alchoholic beverages? I mean, I have a modest selection of fine aged spirits and wines I would like to bring here, but, I don't know if that would be allowed by the rules."

[imported_Terran Starek]

OOC: No problem, I am into finals week myself, so I will probably be MIA for a bit.


"As for living arrangements...I'm not exactly positive. It would definitely be encouraged to stay here, in the Academy. Perhaps, with permission from your Master or the Council, you could stay in alternate housing.

As for the alcohol issue, as far as I know, it isn't a problem. The Bar and Grill serves a fair share of alcoholic drinks, so the stance on alcohol is set person to person. I do not partake of it's fruits, but I will have a small serving of wine at commencements and other prestigeous events."

Alan seemed to be a very classy fellow, and for that, Terran was glad to meet him. It seemed that lately there was an overflow of rough-and-tough, hard-edged padawans who were having difficulties staying in training. Something told him that Alan was going to be just fine.

"So you've worked as a draftsman, which is in itself an honorable and skilled position." He thought about the lightsaber at his side. "Have you ever had any..." He wasn't sure how to word this question. "...any combat experience? Do you seek this type of training?" Terran wondered with an utmost respect and politeness.

[Alan Joyce]

"Combat experience?" Alan echoed, then his face quirked as he looked away to think on it. "Well, not in any military way, no. But, I was a fair pugilist at the local gym. Good ol' leather glove days. I've been told I have a nasty right hook, you know. But I never did go into any serious competition after Bernard broke my nose that one time. Three years back, I think it was. Lovely match, made it four rounds before he landed that one, and I decided to call it quits. No, never went into competiton after that. Decided one bad blow was enough, really."

His smile returning as he looked back to Terran, Alan straightened the knot on his tie for no good reason save to help change the subject. [i]"Do they require some kind of military background here, or something? Dear me, I hope not. I wish they would make a better information packet for people to look at before coming all the way out here."

[imported_Terran Starek]

Terran stopped for a moment. He wondered what was going through Alan's head. He didn't know if the man was unsure about what the Jedi Academy stood for, or if he was confused or unclear as to what training at the Academy meant. He needed to clear this up.

"Alan, if I may interject," he stopped the conversation for a moment and looked at his friend with serious eyes. "Why have you come here?" He asked the question politely, but there was something inquiring in his voice.

"The Jedi are a group of beings who, for thousands of years, have stood for justice and peace. The Force has a separate path for all of us. We use our skills to be servants to the will of the Force and representatives of its truth and beauty. We use our minds, our skills--like your draftsman skills, and our bodies to fight the Darkside is all ways possible.

The Darkside comes in many forms--crime, corruption, disease, and in it's purest veil, those who practice its power. It is our duty to do all thins possible to defeat the evil that is the Darkside. This means being smart, helping others, and taking up arms against those that threaten our creed."

Pausing, he hoped Alan was following him. He could not read the man's motives, but it seemed as though he was ignorant to the fact that this Academy trained warriors and scholars of the Lightside of the Force.

"You will learn to do this here. You will train your mind, your spirit, and your body. It will be physicaly and mentaly taxing. You will struggle, you will hurt, you will want to quit at many times. People will despise you just because you are Jedi--they will point fingers at you and fear you and hate you. It is a commitment to excellence that takes much strength to make." He looked into Alan's eyes.

"Is this a committment you are willing to make?"

[Alan Joyce]

Alan looked at Terran as if he had just recited a famous poem incorrectly. "Dear boy, I fully understand what I'm getting into. I was just having a bit of fun. A fellow is allowed to have fun, now isn't he?" the man in the tweed suit replied indignantly, his brow furrowed in disapproval.

"Now if I had truly had more serious questions, I would have hashed them out on a commlink chat with a Master or someone else who would know what I wanted to learn. Just because I tend to be a bit different makes me no less capable than you are, sir. I choose the pencil and T-square over the knife and blaster, for I find it more peaceful and beneficial. So, if I am to be a Jedi learner such as yourself, I would look for ways not to fight before leaping into a scuffle. I might be older than you, but that makes me no less capable."

[imported_Terran Starek]

"Of course not, Alan. No offense was to be taken, and I apologize if my comments were brash." He paused. Part of him felt silly for sounding as though he was insulting Joyce's intentions. He should have known that someone like Alan did not take a decision to enter an establishment such as the Greater Jedi Order without careful thought and planning. Perhaps he had misread the man before him the entire time.

"It's just...so many people come to this Academy never knowing why they are here or caring. They just want to be here. Some only wish to fight, some only wish to live here, and some only care about being around the people here." He looked to the ground--he probably wasn't really helping much here.

"To be honest, your comments mislead me to believe that you didn't know what the Academy was about, and I wanted to clear it up. No more and no less. If my comments hinted that I thought you were ignorant--that is not the case at all. I can already tell, from this short meeting, that you are indeed very intelligent and knowledgable." He stopped. He didn't know what else to say, and he was beginning to ramble.

[Hunk]

*knock knock knock*

::he waited patiently in the hallway outside the room::

[Alan Joyce]

As Alan heard the knock at the door, he looked to Terran and shrugged. "Sorry, let me see who that is. You don't mind, do you? Thanks." he said while getting up and pacing to the door, his soft-soled shoes making little noise on the carpet.

He actually reached for a doorknob before he remembered that the doors to his new toom required a button to be pressed instead. Poking it lightly with his finger, the blonde man stood primly on his side of the portal and nodded to the man who was revealed on the other side. "Hello, there, sir. Can I help you?"

[imported_Terran Starek]

Terran let Alan know that he didn't mind at all, and sat patitently and quietly while he answered the door.

[Hunk]

Well, he certainly looked like a well groomed young man. Probably more used to sitting at a desk than crawling through the dirt. Good manners, too.

His face an emotionless mask, Hunk spoke simply, in his rather loud voice, "Are you Mr Alan Joyce?"

[Alan Joyce]

The fellow had the manners of the neighborhood water commissioner, Alan thought, but kept up a polite smile and replied, "Yes, that is me. Is there something I can do for you, sir?"

Alan was also not one would often call a young man, being in his mid thirites, though he did tend to look a little more youthful than he actually was.

[Hunk]

"Ha ha ha ha, glad to meet you, Chief!" He boomed, his face breaking into a much more customary wide smile.

"The name's Hamilton, Jedi Knight, at your service," he continued, stepping into the room,"but you can call me Hunk; most do. Word is, you seek to become a jedi. Is that right?"

[Alan Joyce]

Alan was slightly befuddled at the sudden change in the man's nature, and stepped aside to let him into his rather barren room, trying to figure out jsut what had happened. Once he had, the former engineer sat back down in his chair and bade Hunk to have a seat on the bed, as he was now all out of chairs.

"Yes, that I do," Alan replied, folding his hands over each other. "Though, as Terran here has found out, I am not terribly knowledgable about the Order, I'm afraid."

[Hunk]

He declined the bed, preferring to stand.

"Don't know much about the Order, eh? No matter, few do at first. But as long as you have a good heart, you should fit right in here. There really is a place for anyone."

[Alan Joyce]

"Yes, Terran was good abotu explaining that to me," he nodded. [i]"I'd offer you both something to drink, but, I'm afraid I haven't had a chance to go shopping quite yet, and my other things haven't arrived. Sorry, perhaps later."

"Oh, Hamilton, perhaps you might know. Do you know if it is possible for a new Jedi-in-training to live 'off campus' essentially? Like, not here in the living quarters? It's not that I don't mind them, but, I just have a fair amount more furniture than will fit in here, and I'm rather attached to it, you know."

[Hunk]

"To tell you the truth, I don't really know. You'd have to ask one of the high muckity mucks about that. And don't worry about the drink, I'm not staying long. In fact, I was just dropping by to let you know that we'll begin your training bright and early tomorrow morning...let's say around 11."

[Alan Joyce]

"My training?" Alan asked, slightly puzzled, almost as if he had entirely forgotten that it takes training to become a Jedi. Then the memory snapped back to him and he nodded, smiling. "Ahh, yes, training. And, do you teach a class or something? Where should I meet you in the morning?"