Mother Earth (complete)

[Dasquian Belargic]

If there was a grape vine in the Jedi Order, it was an efficient high speed delivery system that ran twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Word of anything spread like wildfire. After having witnessed the events on the day of the spider attack, and caught some of the rumors that were drifting about, Dasquian had decided some investigation was in order. He arrived at the Jedi Padawan’s door and gave two knocks, folding his arms behind his back as he waited.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Jolted awake at her desk, Quay'Na looked at the door and quickly rose. With signs of sleep still in her eyes, she wearily walked across the room and opened the door.

Suddenly surprised to see the Jedi Knight standing there, she bowed a greeting. "Master Belargic, it's quite a surprise. Please, come in."

The Padawan stepped aside and looked back over to her desk, books and datapads were strewn everywhere.

[Dasquian Belargic]

“Vedui, Quay… I’m not interrupting anything am I?”

Dasquian asked as he took a step in, noticing for the first time the myriad of datapads cast all about the Padawan’s desk.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"No, not really. I was supposed to be studying, unfortunately I think I napped a bit." She yawned and smiled as she closed the door. "What can I do for you, Master Belargic?"

[Dasquian Belargic]

“Well, I was wondering if you could help me with something.”

Dasquian’s hands met at his waist.

“You see, I have heard that you have the ability to communicate with animals. Is this correct?”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na nodded, "yes, Sir. That is correct. I'd be glad to help out in any way I can."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“How is it that you do this? Is it a natural talent of your species or some form of advanced telepathy?”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Advanced telepathy, Sir. I've had this gift ever since I was a child. It's quite amazing to say the least."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“I see,” Dasquian nodded.

“And do you directly hear the animals’ thoughts or just sense their emotions and attitudes?”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Their thoughts come to my mind as clear as you're speaking to me now. But, I can block a lot of it. Their emotions and attitudes come fairly easy as well. Even better once I make a connecton with their minds." She answered. "Would you like to sit?" She gestured towards the living area.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Dasquian nodded, “Thank you.”

He settled himself down in a chair, gathering his robes and folding his hands in his lap.

“Have you ever been able to show another how to do what is it you do? For that matter, have you ever tried?”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Actually, your apprentice Mylia has come to me. I've shown her a few things in the garden, I hope you don't mind. If, so I won't continue." She thought she was about to get into trouble.

[Dasquian Belargic]

“No, no”, he waved a hand dismissively.

“I am only there to guide my pupils during our lessons. They are free to learn elsewhere, and I would encourage that they do actively seek out help from others. But that is not why I am here… I would be grateful if you could show me some of your abilities.”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"I'd be glad to whenever you'd like." She answered, with a nod. "Not many request that, so I'd be honored."

[Dasquian Belargic]

"I'm surprised. I would have thought more people would be interested in learning how animals think. You know I think sometimes that animals would be invaluable help and witnesses... but they cannot speak. With this ability, however, you could translate their thoughts and well... I just imagine it would be rather handy."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Master Sage and I have been working on it quite a bit, one might believe the gardens are my second home. The animals are quite used to me on all the levels. I try to visit them all at least once every two or three days. Some weeks are better than others, but they all seem to understand." She stopped briefly after she thought of what she just said. "This must seem kind of strange to you talking of animals like this."

It wasn't strange to Quay'Na in the least, nor Sage...but then he knew her unique ability.

She looked at Dasquian again, not quite sure where he was going with his comment. "Witnesses? I'm not for sure what you mean."

[Dasquian Belargic]

"You know, sometimes when something happens there is no one around to see... but animals, or insects and such are there. It would be handy to be able to ask them, if you catch my meaning."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

She caught on quickly. "Oh...the spider incident." It wasn't one of her better subjects to discuss as she nodded solemnly. "I...I don't know that my abilities would help much in that region, Master Belargic. What animals....survived that attack..." She sighed sadly. "Don't trust me anymore."

[Dasquian Belargic]

"Oh, no I didn't mean that... I just mean that sometimes a crime takes place and a fly is the only witness."

Dasquian smiled faintly.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Relieved that he wasn't talking about the survivors, she gave him a quizzical look. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand where you're going with this, Sir. Connecting minds with insects is something, I've not done in a very long time and even then, Master Ira wasn't real impressed with the idea. Insects, unfortunately don't hold memory very long and they can be gone in a flash."

[Dasquian Belargic]

Dasquian waved a hand in dismission.

"I don't mean only insects, that is simply an example. But just imagine if walls could talk... they would tell you a lot. Animals are the same. They are mute but I am sure if they could communicate they would do so at any chance they got."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na sat up a bit straighter in the chair across from the knight. "Oh, yes, of course. Animals love to communicate, often when I walk into one of the gardens and they know who I am, they just start chatting away. They know I can hear them. I often wish I had more time to spend with them, they have so much to say." She smiled slightly. "They are the eyes of the garden, Master Belargic. I've heard quite few tales and they know names as well. It's kinda amusing to say the least."

[Dasquian Belargic]

"I would think so."

Dasquian felt himself blushing.

"But I'm digressing some... I'm very interested in learning more about how people feel and how to sense it and such and I thought a good place to start would be with animals, as I don't imagine they would be as difficult to sense as humanoids."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na just stopped and stared at him. "You...want me....to teach you, how to communicate with animals?" She couldn't believe what he was asking , she was quite stunned to say the least, that was if that indeed was what he wanted. "I wouldn't be hard, it's just I never had a request such as this from a master."

She pondered on the thought for a few moments. "Of course, if that is what you are asking...I'd be more than honored."

[Dasquian Belargic]

"Well I don't see why not. We are all learners here, some of us have simply been here longer than others,"

Dasquian replied with a small conspiratory smile.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

The Padawan nodded. "Okay, well we can begin here or we can go to the garden, whichever you like."

[Dasquian Belargic]

"I think the garden would be nice. It looks like a bright warm day outside."

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na nodded in compliance. "The garden it is then, shall we?" She stood, smiled and headed for the door. She grabbed her comm off the table near the door. "Just in case Sage needs me."

Quay'Na opened the door and allowed the Jedi Knight to exit first and then followed.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Dasquian headed out into the fresh air, inhaling deeply the fragrant scents of all of the greenery around them. It really was wonderful out here sometimes.

“Gorgeous.”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Yes," Quya'Na agreed as her mind began drawing on the Force of nature the moment she stepped in. The Padawan stopped briefly and closed her eyes, allowing her presence to be opened towards everything in the garden itself.

With a comforting sigh, and smile on her lips, she continued on to follow the Knight.

[Dasquian Belargic]

“Is there anywhere in particular we should be headed? Any animals who you are the most friendly with?” he laughed quietly.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Well, let me see. I've got one in mind, but I need to locate him. Hold on a moment." Quay'Na closed her eyes an let herself fall into the essence of the Force. She 'mentally' searched the gardens for the friendly 'Leaf-tail.'

It was a very keen, camouflaged, furry mammal with a rather large flat tail that looked...well, like a leaf on a long tail.

After a few moments, Quay'Na opened her eyes with a smile. "I found him, come this way."

She led him to the north section of the garden and looked into the tree, closely. Her mind making contact, immediately. De-bo, don't be shy, it's Master Belargic.

A few moments later, the tree rustled and out came the small 'Leaf-tail'. It stopped at the lowest branch.

Quay'Na smiled. "Master Dasquian, this is De-Bo. He's a Leaf-tail and very gentle, a perfect choice to begin with."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“Hello De-Bo,” Dasquian smiled warmly down at the unusual creature and wondered why he had never seen it before… and then realized why, upon looking at its tail.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na leaned down and allowed the small creature to crawl up onto her shoulder. She stroked his fur and he seemed to purr and began to rub against her head. His large tail began swishing back and forth behind her, like a big fan. "He seems more like a cat, than anything. I've spoiled him rotten."

The Padawan led Dasquian to a bench not too far away. De-Bo instinctively crawled onto the back of it after they sat down. "My telepathy with animals is my strength, however if we were to use telepathy between us, I'd never hear you. It's a portion of training Sage and I have yet to cover. But, anyway his thoughts are pouring out to me right now. He remembers you now..." She glanced at the Leaf-tail. "Quiet, De-bo..I can't here myself think. Yes, I know...you know who he is...."

Quay'Na smiled at Dasquian. "He's quite the talker and I'm sure once you start connecting with his mind, you'll find..." She whispered slightly, "he never shuts up..."

[Dasquian Belargic]

Dasquian held back a laugh for the creatures sake. Somewhat cautiously he held out a hand and ran it down across the smooth fur, smiling down at De-Bo.

“What an odd feeling it must be…”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na smiled and shrugged. "Well, I've had this talent since I was a child and the first few times it happened I thought of it nothing more than a game. We had a large woods behind our home and I'd spent hours in it, just sitting and listening. Then, once the animals started getting used to me, they began to come to me. It was just something I grew up with, so really I know no different."

She looked at De-Bo and rubbed the scruff of his neck. "This little fellow I've known since his birth, he's about three months old now. The leaf-tails grow rapidly and mature. In a few more months he'll be ready to find a mate and reproduce."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“I would imagine he’d looking forward to that,”

Dasquian smiled as the critter affectionately rubbed its flank against his palm, wiggling happily.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na took a deep breath, she was slightly nervous. "Okay, what I usually do when I come in here is open myself up to everything around me, the animals, the plants and flowers. The Force of nature thrives in me, so it's very easily done. I can do this in a meditative state just to relax or I can just allow myself to open up to it, like I did just now." Quay'Na smiled at him. "Perhaps, a meditative state would be good to start with, Master Dasquian?"

[Dasquian Belargic]

“Perhaps.”

Dasquian sat back away from De-Bo, who curled up on the bench between the two Jedi quite happily. The Knight closed his eyes and took deep calming breaths as he tried to clear his thoughts of all distractions. It was something he practiced frequently and so didn’t find much difficulty in. He could sense the Force gently passing by him, and the presences of those nearby him.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

In a soothing tone, Quay'Na spoke very softly. "Once you've opened yourself up to the nature around you, the animals will become comfortable with you and you'll be able to hear whispers. The first whispers are like those of the wind rustling through the essence of a meadow, Master Dasquian."

[Dasquian Belargic]

Dasquian shifted a little where he sat, focusing only on his breathing and trying to really listen to that which was going on around him. He smiled lightly as he felt the presences of the trees, the insects and all the tiny little beasts that could not be seen with the eyes. After a while he began to hear a very quiet voice, like lots of people speaking all at once. It was incoherent and he couldn’t decipher anything which was being said.

“It’s all… jumbled.”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"I can take care of that." Quay'Na said quietly as she closed her eyes and placed the palms of her hands on her temples and reached out through the Force.


Attention!! Attention!! I am trying to show Master Belargic how to reach out to you through the Force, but all he's getting is a bunch of jumbled voices. So, if you'll please keep your chatter to a minium for just a bit, it would be very helpful.

The entire room of chattering animals seemed to simmer down to a low roar.

Thank you.

With a deep breath, Quay'Na dropped her hands to her lap and said. "Ok, I've quieted them down a bit, so you can try again. Hopefully, this time you can hear something besides a bunch of jumbled up thoughts."

[Dasquian Belargic]

“Thank you,” Dasquian laughed slightly and nodded.

“Now,” he settled himself back down and did as before, only now the re didn’t appear to be much noise at all. Eventually he thought he could hear something and began to concentrate on it.

Wot’s doin’ up there? Oi, look there’s anuva wif a’! ‘ide, Moki, ‘ide!

“… Who is… Moki?”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na laughed a bit as she looked into the nearby trees. She had caught on to the comment. "A black Raven. A very outspoken black Raven. Kinda like the local announcer of sorts... you could say."

[Dasquian Belargic]

Oi!! She jus’ mentioned me, she did!

Dasquian grinned, “Yes, we did, Moki.”

’e did it that time! Wot’s goin’ on ‘ere then?

A tiny little bird sprang up into view, perched on a branch, with its head tilting back and forth furiously.

“Quay is teaching me ...” Dasquian righted himself and began speaking telepathically, “how to understand you all.”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

The feeling was strange to Quay, she could only pick up on one side of the conversation and that was Moki's side. She had no idea what Dasquian was saying , she could not hear Dasquian's telepathy at all.

Moki was chattering away and she watched as Dasquian smiled. It seemed that he was truly enjoying himself.

Knowing that she was helping out someone else made her smile, she really enjoyed it.

[Dasquian Belargic]

A short conversation took place between the tame raven and Dasquian before the voice eventually jumbled back into a quiet cawing. The Jedi opened his eyes and smiled.

“That was unusual,” he beamed, “I envy you at having had this ability all your life, Quay. It’s quite amazing.”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Yes, it is. I would never trade it for anything, Master." She looked about the garden. "There are so many here that just want to be heard, they all want to talk at one time, when they know I'm here. I usually have to calm them down, they get so excited." She smiled.

[Dasquian Belargic]

“I’m not surprised.”

Dasquian looked to the side, where he could see Moxi the raven skipping his way up a tree to meet with a few other birds like him. He wondered for a moment what they were going to talk about.

“You know you don’t have to call me Master, Quay,” he looked back to the Padawan, with that ever-present friendly smile, “Dasquian will suffice.”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Really?" She looked surprised, she had never thought of calling any master by their first name. "Okay...Dasquian." She answered hesitantly. "Would you like to continue listening to the animals?"

[Dasquian Belargic]

“You know,” he looked across to where the birds had gathered and laughed quietly.

“I feel a bit guilty listening to them. I don’t really know them, so it sort of seems rude for me to be eaves-dropping on their conversations.”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na laughed. "Well, I'd never thought of it that way before. But, I really don't think they mind. Of course, I could always wake up De-bo here, who was supposed to chit chat with you, but seems he'd rather nap." She stroked De-Bo's fur lightly.

[Dasquian Belargic]

“I wouldn’t want to interrupt his sleep,” Dasquian too brushed a palm over the critter.

“Perhaps I’ll come back tomorrow and settle in a little.”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

The young Padawan nodded. "Oh, they would like that, Mas...Dasquian. So, now what? I'm kinda thirsty, would you like to join me at the Bar for a drink? That is, if you're finished here?"

[Dasquian Belargic]

“Certainly.”

Dasquian rose up to his feet and gave a little wave off in the raven’s direction.

“I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na giggled slightly as she heard Moki's reply. "He said...he's be waitin' and watchin'."

Continued to here. (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=31504)