A New Arrival

[KarlinDarkflame]

Breathe. Just Breathe, she told herself.
Karlin Darkflame, youngest heir of the Darkflame family and only lightsided Force user left, walked down the ramp of the transport shuttle, her cloak dragging along behind her as she walked. Her features were covered by her brown cloak and hood, not revealing whether or not she was human, alien, woman, teenager, or man. Her presence was strong within the Force, and anyone who bothered to stretch out with it would see that.
Beneath the cloak, her long brown hair cascaded down her back in a braid, and dark blue, curious eyes looked around for any sign of human life nearby. Part of her was filled with excitement that she may be able to do something with her life. At seventeen, she was an orphan, and more than anything she wanted to train to become a Jedi Knight and follow the path her brother was unable to follow.
The other part, though, was scared stiff with fear. What if she didn't fit in with the other apprentices? What if she made no friends? What if no Jedi Master chose her as their apprentice? She shook her head. Think happy thoughts, she told herself.
Beneath the cloak she also wore a short sleeved light blue dress going down to her ankles, covered by the cloak, and brown boots. Around her waist was a silver belt where a lightsaber hung. On her back was a fairly large backpack, carrying a few credits and some other things.
She entered the recruiting center, hoping that someone would notice her. Once she took a few steps inside, she reached up to pull her hood back and reveal her features.

[Estelle Russard]

"Hello"

Estelle smiled welcomingly as she approached.

The young woman before here looked as many did that stepped into the Recruitment Office - obvious travellers, with hope and expectation easily readable in their eyes.

"Welcome to the Greater Jedi Order, my name is Estelle. Can I help you?"




ooc: Just a note that with Christmas, I might not be back to this as soon as I'd like - someone else is welcome to join in too, but I will come back. Promise. Just might not be as soon as I usually am.

[KarlinDarkflame]

She looked to the woman who approached her and nodded, "I hope so...My name is Karlin Darkflame. I'm interested in being trained to be a Jedi Knight." She swallowed before continuing, "My parents were once Jedi. I'm hoping to follow the path that they were unable to follow..." She knew that she would have to explain her past to someone, so she had to prepare herself mentally for it. So far she had told the truth. Her parents HAD been Jedi...before they turned to the dark side.

OOC: That's fine. :)

[Estelle Russard]

"Karlin...that' a pretty name" Estelle observed.

"To seek to follow in the footsteps as your Jedi parents - I'm sure they must be very proud." The statement, though leading, was an innocent comment, but seemed to elicit a strange momentary reaction from the girl beside her.

[KarlinDarkflame]

FONT=times new roman]Karlin gave a nod in silent thanks at saying her name was pretty. She gave a short laugh at the girls comment, though, "I doubt it. I never said that they were still Jedi...I said they were once Jedi. And, they're not...around anymore. I'm pretty much what you'd call an orphan." She wasn't about to tell a complete stranger that her father is on the dark side and her mother was once a dark sider. The chances of her being chosen as someones padawan would lower instantly if she were to do so. Though she couldn't help but remind herself of Luke Skywalker. His father was on the dark side at one point, and he was still trained, although it was by both of his fathers past mentors...why couldn't it be the same for her? She decided to attempt to change the subject, "So...if I were to want to find someone to train me...what would I do? Where would I go to find a Jedi Master in need of a student to train?"[/FONT]

[Estelle Russard]

"You are in the right place if training is what you seek"

Estelle noted the remark that Karlin's parents were no longer Jedi. It was an ominous way to put it, she thought. If they had died serving the order of Jedi, surely the girl would have said as much. Obviously there was a "story" there but she would not press to know it. However, to embark on the journey of a Jedi was to at once be starkly honest with oneself and those who would instruct you. If there was a past, in time, it would have to be talked of.

"When one joins the Order here, they come in as a padawan and begin study, eventually being assigned a Master as one is available. Sometimes the process takes time, but no doubt you are aware, becoming a Jedi is a life's work."

Estelle led Karlin around to a desk where she could enter her name into the GJO databanks to register her.

"Tell me Karlin" Estelle gently queried, "Why is it you want to be a Jedi....you said earlier your parents were unable to follow this path....You must know it is not an easy road?"

[KarlinDarkflame]

Karlin listened to her words and nodding, giving her understanding. She followed her to the desk, and swallowed at the question, preparing herself to answer.
"My brother was killed by a Sith. He died to protect and save me. He was young, and he was never able to follow his path as a Jedi. That is only one reason, though. My mother died when I was a baby. At the time, both my parents were dark siders. A Jedi came, trying to save myself, my brother, and my other siblings, my brother and sister who are twins, from lives of darkness. The Jedi was able to kill my mother, but not my father. He was able to rescue my brother, Ryder, and I, and we were hidden with him on a planet for a while while my other brother and sister began to live lives of darkness. After my brothers death, I basically became an orphan, and I decided I would follow the path that my brother was unable to follow, not just for him, but for me as well. I realize that because of who my parents and brother and sister were and are it will not be an easy thing to deal with, but I am willing to work hard to follow this path. I will do anything it takes to do this." She sighed and said softly, "Since my father and brother and sister know I am still alive, they will see my becoming a Jedi as a threat. They will want to turn me to the dark side, at all costs. I wish to find someone to train me, and hope that they will forget my past as I have pushed myself to do."

[Estelle Russard]

Estelle listened in respectful silence - Karlin had suffered so much loss, and she knew there was nothing she, a stranger, could say that would make a difference to her.

Instead she allowed Karlin to fully explain her background, without interuption. When atlast she had finished, Estelle could only offer a truth that she knew never changed.

"You are very disciplined indeed if you can truly forget the past. Not many of us can, and it is for a reason that this is so. As painful as somethings are that we live through, the fact remains that these things help to make us what, and who, we are. They shape us - for better or worse. It is our choice that is the deciding factor."

Estelle lifted candid, yet gentle, eyes to the girl who stood before her.

"Your choice in wishing to serve the Jedi and walk in the light, speaks of a grace in your spirit. You have already won a great battle over bitterness. This shows your strength."

Inwardly, Estelle worried for Karlin. Family ties - even those that served the darkside - could pull on strings that could cause great trials for a Jedi. Karlin would know no easy path.

"There are many here who have suffered loss like yourself. You will find many friends here at the Order in whom to find encouragement."

[KarlinDarkflame]

She listened to Estelle's words, blinking at them. Disciplined? Hardly. Part of her blamed herself for her brothers death. A good part, actually. She just chose not to say so now, so that she wouldn't blow her chances at finding a Jedi Master to train her.
"My hope is that none of the Jedi Masters will use my past against me...seeing that, as you said, there are many others who have been in my boots themselves...such as the once-famous Master Skywalker. I don't expect them to use my past against me, but Jedi can be very unpredictable."

(Sorry for the shortness. ^_^)

[Estelle Russard]

It was a curious thing to say "use my past against me"..

Estelle wondered what exactly Karlin's understanding of the Jedi was, and what she thought their purpose was.

"You sound a little distrusting of the Jedi...how would you see them using this against you? Do you mean, perhaps, judging you in some way, or making the training harder for you...?"




ooc: not a problem. some short posts just suite. :)

[KarlinDarkflame]

She nodded, "In a way, yes. I don't really expect it, because I can probably think of numerous other Jedi of the past who have had to deal with things like this. Maybe part of me figures that if it hadn't been for the Jedi who had taken my brother and I from my parents and killed my mother, my life would be different...my brother wouldn't be dead." She shrugged a little, and waited for any more questions...hoping that she would be allowed to stay here and hopefully find a Jedi Master to train her.

[Estelle Russard]

Brown eyes, thoughtful and calm, looked into Karlin's own.

"Life is full of the "what ifs" of fate and fortune. If not for that Jedi's intervention, your brother may still be alive. He may have grown old and been a grandfather. Or, he may still yet have died in his prime, yourself lost to the will of the darkside. Who can tell?"

The question hung as the importance of what Estelle was trying to convey weighed between them. "We cannot control the past - only how it dictates our lives. Those who will train you know this."

She paused a moment before resuming. Something in what Karlin had expressed bothered Estelle slightly. Karlins true motives seemed veiled.

"I know you want to be a Jedi because your parents were, but what is it you wish to accomplish as a Jedi...What do you see our purpose to be...?"

[KarlinDarkflame]

Her first instinct as an answer was 'to gain revenge on the death of my brother', but she knew that her chances of being trained would immediately be lowered.
"I see the Jedi's purpose being to teach those in the universe who don't believe that there is hope in the galaxy, no matter how bad your life seems, there is always some hope, and the Jedi are what keep that hope going. They're there to protect us, and each other, against dark forces, like the Sith," she answered, not knowing if her answer was right or not.

[Estelle Russard]

The words were all the right ones, and Estelle believed Karlin meant the things she said, but was certain there was an underlying tone to what Karlin said.

However, motives to becoming a Jedi were wide and varied as Jedi personalities themselves. Training, over time, would expose and deal with any issues this young woman may be struggling with.

"Hope.." Estelle echoed with conviction.

"It is probably one of the greatest, if not the greatest powers in the galaxy. Without it, we are all lost"

The Jedi moved around to stand beside Karlin, reaching out her hand to take her hand.

"Welcome to the Order, Karlin Darkflame. You will like it here"

[KarlinDarkflame]

[/Karlin listened to her words, replaying them over in her head, and beginning to understand their meaning. She watched as Estelle moved around the desk to stand next to her and take her hand. Karlin put her hand in hers, smiling a little.
"Thank you. I have a feeling I will."
For a moment, she felt really happy, and wished her brother were there to see what she was going to accomplish in her life. She would become a Jedi. If it came to it, she would kill her brothers murderer...as well as her father, brother, and sister, but only if it came to it. As long as the three of them were still around, she would never be able to truily sleep peacefully because they would still haunt her dreams.

[Estelle Russard]

ooc: please join me here :)

http://69.56.186.201/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=33816

[KarlinDarkflame]

Uh...I got an error:

Bad Request
The page you are trying to find does not exist or may require authorization. Please check your URL for errors and try again, or start over at our Home page.

I'm gonna look at your profile and see if there's some sort of link to see where you've posted and try to find it....

[KarlinDarkflame]

Ooops, my bad.....it works! Void my other post!:rollin