Zereth Lancer
Mar 19th, 2015, 08:16:22 AM
"What are the Jedi like?"
"I have no answer for you, young one. I have never been to Ossus nor have I met any true Jedi. The galaxy is full of pretenders and charlatans who would take advantage of you. I know as much as you do. The stories of old, of shining knights with blazing swords protecting the galaxy and leaving peace in their wake."
And recruiting children as soldiers, forcing their creed down their throats, ripping out their emotions, and turning them into mindless drones that will continue the cycle. Forever. The Jedi as an idea will never disappear as long as it's fanatics continue to live. There will always be someone to indoctrinate, someone to twist into the desired shape. Like cookie cutter people they stamped out child soldiers out of the dough of the young and naive.
"That is why I am delivering you directly. I do not trust those who claim to deliver new padawans to Ossus. For all we know they may deliver you right back to the Empire, and we cannot have that now can we."
The boy's face darkened, but his stoic guardian gave him a reassuring look that brightened his face. "They cannot get you now. You are safe so long as you are in my company, and once we get to Ossus the Empire will never dare come for you again. The Jedi will protect you."
The transport ship hummed and pulsed around them, and in the viewport the planet Ossus drew closer. Those on board were vaguely aware of the pair sitting against the window, but had a hard time remembering they were there the moment they looked away. Sometimes they would catch sight of them out of the corners of their eyes, wonder who that was, and then forget or not see them at all. The illusions Zereth wrapped around himself and the teenage boy were thick, masking them from sight and thought.
He would be lying if he said he was not apprehensive about traveling to the new Jedi homeworld. They all knew this day would come, when they would rescue a child from the clutches of the Empire and he would still want to join the Jedi. His head was full of stories and legends. It was what he wanted, to be a Jedi. It was those desires the Empire preyed on when they lured him out of obscurity and pretended to be Jedi envoys before snatching him up and dragging him off.
They rescued him, and others, from the Empire. Eleutheria had it's mission, to give choice to those who had it taken from them or had no idea it existed. Some chose to stay with them, and some went back home, and some like this boy, Brenn, chose the path more traveled. Someone had to escort him to Ossus, and the others had been very uncomfortable with it. There was no short straws drawn. Zereth volunteered. I had always wanted to meet the Jedi, and perhaps walk among them.
He did not agree with their ideology, but there was always something worth learning from the other force practices. His own focus on the darkside and the sith teachings had failed him, but he had found great success in a great melting pot of ideas and concepts. Sith emotional liberty, Sith and Jedi meditation, along with an offensive combat style that was always preceded by diplomacy and reasoning.
He could have masked himself, made it difficult to find his aura in the force, but he left himself open to detection. Zereth did not want the Jedi to think he was sneaking up on them, infiltrating from from the shadows to take advantage or attack them. Rather he laid his cards on the table, and would allow them to see him when he arrived. There were no Jedi on board, just soldiers and a few civilians. They would know he was there when he landed. Surely some of them may have even detected him now as they entered orbit.
He looked out the window and imagined them standing outside their pre-fabricated structures, looking at the sky, feeling him approaching. He wondered how that must make them feel. Did it fill them with dread? Fear? Surely it must not be common to feel a darkside presence entering their skies.
The transport finished it's approach and set down on the military landing pad outside the Jedi Camp. Zereth took Brenn under his, hiding him partially behind the folds of his cloak, and together they stepped down the ramp and into the afternoon sunlight. The illusions faded away, leaving him feeling bare and vulnerable. No tricks. His only weapon was the lightsabre hanging openly from his hip. Not hidden.
No doubt the Jedi would be waiting for him at the bottom.
"I have no answer for you, young one. I have never been to Ossus nor have I met any true Jedi. The galaxy is full of pretenders and charlatans who would take advantage of you. I know as much as you do. The stories of old, of shining knights with blazing swords protecting the galaxy and leaving peace in their wake."
And recruiting children as soldiers, forcing their creed down their throats, ripping out their emotions, and turning them into mindless drones that will continue the cycle. Forever. The Jedi as an idea will never disappear as long as it's fanatics continue to live. There will always be someone to indoctrinate, someone to twist into the desired shape. Like cookie cutter people they stamped out child soldiers out of the dough of the young and naive.
"That is why I am delivering you directly. I do not trust those who claim to deliver new padawans to Ossus. For all we know they may deliver you right back to the Empire, and we cannot have that now can we."
The boy's face darkened, but his stoic guardian gave him a reassuring look that brightened his face. "They cannot get you now. You are safe so long as you are in my company, and once we get to Ossus the Empire will never dare come for you again. The Jedi will protect you."
The transport ship hummed and pulsed around them, and in the viewport the planet Ossus drew closer. Those on board were vaguely aware of the pair sitting against the window, but had a hard time remembering they were there the moment they looked away. Sometimes they would catch sight of them out of the corners of their eyes, wonder who that was, and then forget or not see them at all. The illusions Zereth wrapped around himself and the teenage boy were thick, masking them from sight and thought.
He would be lying if he said he was not apprehensive about traveling to the new Jedi homeworld. They all knew this day would come, when they would rescue a child from the clutches of the Empire and he would still want to join the Jedi. His head was full of stories and legends. It was what he wanted, to be a Jedi. It was those desires the Empire preyed on when they lured him out of obscurity and pretended to be Jedi envoys before snatching him up and dragging him off.
They rescued him, and others, from the Empire. Eleutheria had it's mission, to give choice to those who had it taken from them or had no idea it existed. Some chose to stay with them, and some went back home, and some like this boy, Brenn, chose the path more traveled. Someone had to escort him to Ossus, and the others had been very uncomfortable with it. There was no short straws drawn. Zereth volunteered. I had always wanted to meet the Jedi, and perhaps walk among them.
He did not agree with their ideology, but there was always something worth learning from the other force practices. His own focus on the darkside and the sith teachings had failed him, but he had found great success in a great melting pot of ideas and concepts. Sith emotional liberty, Sith and Jedi meditation, along with an offensive combat style that was always preceded by diplomacy and reasoning.
He could have masked himself, made it difficult to find his aura in the force, but he left himself open to detection. Zereth did not want the Jedi to think he was sneaking up on them, infiltrating from from the shadows to take advantage or attack them. Rather he laid his cards on the table, and would allow them to see him when he arrived. There were no Jedi on board, just soldiers and a few civilians. They would know he was there when he landed. Surely some of them may have even detected him now as they entered orbit.
He looked out the window and imagined them standing outside their pre-fabricated structures, looking at the sky, feeling him approaching. He wondered how that must make them feel. Did it fill them with dread? Fear? Surely it must not be common to feel a darkside presence entering their skies.
The transport finished it's approach and set down on the military landing pad outside the Jedi Camp. Zereth took Brenn under his, hiding him partially behind the folds of his cloak, and together they stepped down the ramp and into the afternoon sunlight. The illusions faded away, leaving him feeling bare and vulnerable. No tricks. His only weapon was the lightsabre hanging openly from his hip. Not hidden.
No doubt the Jedi would be waiting for him at the bottom.