Between Light and Dark
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Exotic Solos =&gt; Topic started by: Odanrav on 02-11-2013, 08:08:29</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>02-11-2013, 08:08:29</strong>
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				The singe of a lightsaber ripping through armor and flesh hissed out as Master Ortan delivered a killing slash to his foe. And as the Imperial soldier collapsed onto the ground, so ended the last of the defenders. The base had been cleared, though there was no sign of the Sith presence the Jedi master and his young apprentice had been chasing all throughout Alderaan. Someone was pulling strings, coercing important nobles onto the side of the Empire-backed House Thul, and someone was systematically eliminating every Jedi presence on the planet one by one. The massacre of his brethren had to end, and Ortan took it upon himself to do so.<br><br>No small feat for a man well into his fifties and far past his prime. Though his skill was still impeccable, his strength was not what it was as a young and brash warrior of the light side of the force. Grey filled his once dark blonde hair, and his blue eyes had turned a shade more pale. Wrinkles creased along his forehead and cheeks. The wear and tear upon the master’s body was completely apparent from the scar that ran the course of his right cheek down past the jaw line to the noticeable gimp he had every time he took a step with the left leg.<br><br>For fifteen years it had been his mission to not only protect the Republic, but to teach and mold the next generation of Jedi. His charge and padawan was Danika, a gifted young pupil with untapped potential. It was an honor when the Council bestowed upon him the duty of teaching her, protecting her, and helping her grow in her attunement to the force. It was a conflicting feeling he possessed when he looked into her eyes and he saw a daughter that he never truly had, and he often wondered if she looked to him as more than a mentor. Their connection though the force was strong, something only years of bonding could produce.<br><br>“Well done padawan,” Ortan complimented her on her impressive showing during the battle. Nearly a dozen guards stood waiting inside the building the moment they stepped inside, and the two of them were able to quickly dispatch of the Imperials. It felt too easy, and sent a unsettling chill up the old man’s spine as he turned about to investigate his surroundings. It looked like a simple enough warehouse. No major weaponry, no large encampment of troops, no military plans. It seemed to be a dead end that the Thul supporter Vaddik Gillorm had confessed to be the Sith’s central point of operations inside Republic territory on the planet. <br><br>Heavy foot falls began to echo through the vast area they were, followed by a round of half hearted clapping as a red and black figure began to approach. He was clad in heavy&nbsp; polymer armor with a black cloak draped over the top. A hood and shadow obscured the majority of his face from view. There was no mistaking that this was the Sith they’d been chasing however after Ortan caught sight of the two light sabers that hung at the figure’s sides.<br><br>“Well done indeed… it seems you are not yet completely useless Ortan.” the Sith said in a deep and cocky tone, every word oozing with sarcasm. A flash of white shown through the shadow of his face as he grinned towards the pair of Jedi. <br><br>“Darth Erobas,” Ortan replied immediately in a somber tone. The old man knew full well who that sickening voice belonged to, even though he’d only had the chance to hear it up close and personal a handful of times before. Each time he found himself lucky to have survived the encounter. Though each of those times he was apart of a contingent of his brothers and sisters, and Erobas too had fellow Sith in their battles of the past.<br><br>The hood of the Sith was drawn back to reveal what was a Sith a pureblood, a race that Ortan knew his padawan had never seen before. His face was filled with hard ridges edged with fine jewelry, signifying his place as near-royalty among his pure species. A trio of scars ran parallel down from his forehead to below the chin. His eyes were a slightly more vibrant red than his own skin was. His build was tall and fit, but not overly bulky. Erobas appeared to be in the peak of physical form one could hope to achieve, and far younger than Ortan now stood.<br><br>“I wish you would have told me you were coming to visit, old friend. It’s so rude to just drop by uninvited.” Erobas said as he continued to walk forward. The Sith held his hands out to either side and force pulled his weapons into his palms. Their blades ignited in unison as he deftly whirl them around his body until finally pointing them to the ground at his sides. “I’ve already dealt with the traitor, Gillorm. Now I get to end you at long last… and who is this? A young padawan perhaps?” The Sith lord turned his gaze over to the young pupil standing at her master’s side. He grinned wickedly at her, a strange glimmer in his eye as he stared at her.<br><br>“Do not listen to him, Padawan,” Ortan quickly&nbsp; reassured his pupil as he motioned his body slightly to stand in front of her. He knew just how dangerous this situation was. They were not facing Imperial guards, or poorly trained acolytes and Sith apprentices. This was a Darth, and a force stronger than Danika had ever combated. He thought he must keep her safe, most importantly of all. <br><br>“Stay behind me, do not put yourself into harms way, do you understand?” the Jedi master continued, a new and odd strain in his voice. Even Master Ortan could not help but feel a dire sense in this situation they found themselves in.<br><br>“The pupil of the great and mighty Jedi Master Ortan. Oh yes… she is powerful… I can feel it. I will enjoy this.” There was a sick and malicious tone to the Sith’s voice. He had dark intent. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>LtRipley</strong> on <strong>02-11-2013, 09:47:22</strong>
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				As she ever did, Danika felt a burst of pride in her chest at her master's quick praise, but managed to merely nod, rather than grin. Now was not the time for such a display, she was young, but she knew the importance and consequences of what they were doing here, and that the situation was much more serious than any one she'd ever been in before. Naively though, she felt little fear, how could she as long as she was by her master's side? She didn't see a Jedi past his prime, perhaps a little blinded by her affection for him and her admiration. The bond between them was strong, likely stronger than the Council would deem appropriate, but Danika was ever pushing the boundaries of propriety.<br><br>She was talented, and powerful, but her instructors had ever looked upon her with an air of disapproval and wariness. Danika was more passionate than was typical of a Jedi, but somehow she never stepped over that line, always keeping herself in check just enough to never put herself in real danger of scrutiny. Perhaps it was the ever-frustrating situation of being that much more talented than her peers, but never truly favored by her tutors and instructors, that had made her all the more susceptible to the much warmer relationship she had with her Master. He had been more lenient with her, more encouraging, almost more like a father to her. <br><br>Like most Padawans, Danika's memories of her real parents were little more than shadows that sometimes played about her consciousness in those moments between sleep and wakefulness, when the mind was more open to itself. To look at her and Ortan though, they didn't just seem to have a more parent-child relationship but even looked similar. It would be understandable for anyone to mistake them as father and daughter, with Danika's blonde hair, pulled back in a loose, messy braid, and pale blue eyes, so much like Ortan's. <br><br>She kept her saberstaff ready, as one of the more lenient decisions her Master had made was to allow Danika to choose the dual sided lightsaber as her weapon. They were often considered too dangerous for Padawans, but she had excelled in it's use. It was also frowned upon as being an aggressive weapon, suited to aggressive styles, far too close to the Dark Side for the taste of many. It suited Danika's personality though, and in her hands, the weapon seemed less aggressive and more graceful, though the Juyo style certainly had an aggressive edge to it.<br><br>In the momentary lull she gazed about, but her head turned as Ortan's did at the sound of heavy foot falls. She glanced at her Master, then to the hooded figure, standing small but erect, her saberstaff held vertically, just behind her. It was obvious that the two knew one another from the fact that the new comer, no doubt the Sith they had been pursuing, knew her Master's name, and then he showed to know the Sith's as well. Danika could only frown, leaning forward slightly, appearing much more ready for a fight than the older, calmer Jedi she stood beside. <br><br>Despite the situation though she blinked in curiosity when the Sith drew his hood back to reveal himself as a true Sith pureblood, something she had never seen before. She watched the Sith approach, wary, and the corners of her mouth turned down when he looked at her, and then grinned, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end at the malicious intent in his expression, the strange glimmer in his red eyes. Her wary observation was interrupted though by Ortan, and she looked at him, nodding at his instruction to ignore Erobas, knowing he was right, that the Sith was only trying to goad her. She tried to calm herself, seeking the center of herself.<br><br>When he told her to stay behind him, not to put herself into harm's way, though, she gave him an initial look of protest, not liking the thought of her Master going to battle without her, but she knew better than to argue. As lenient as Ortan could be with her, he still commanded Danika's obedience, so she gave a reluctant nod, taking a small step back, falling into a defensive posture. This did not feel right, she should be fighting with him, and the tone in his voice set off warning bells in her head, but she would not disobey him. When Erobas spoke again she looked at him, and frowned, before she looked away, trying to ignore him, seeking her center, but it was hard to do.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>03-11-2013, 01:13:01</strong>
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				A slow walk, the Sith’s feet lazily dragging along the cold floor. The tip of one of his lightsabers scraped the ground, sending sparks flying into the air as he drew ever closer. Erobas’s pace quickened as he moved into a light jog, the space between him and Ortan quickly vanishing. Soon, he came into a full sprint letting out a roar of aggression, his cocky demeanor quickly turning into overwhelming rage.<br><br>Ortan was the first to make an attack as he stood his ground with weapon at the ready. The master lifted a heavy container at his side with the force and flung it at Erobas with all of his strength. The massive crate soared through the air, aim perfectly for the Darth. Erobas timed a upwards slash perfectly as he split the container in half and he emerged untouched without ever breaking his sprint.<br><br>As the combatant approached, Ortan took a step forward and entered a defensive Shien stance, prepared as well as he could be for the coming onslaught. He glanced back only a second to make sure his padawan was safely away just before Erobas reached them. Red on blue clashed together as the metallic singe of lightsaber upon lightsaber sparked. Erobas made a aggressive underhanded strike that Ortan was forced to go down to defend, then followed up by a vicious overhand slam that forced Ortan to take a pivot step back from. Erobas was relentless as Ortan struggled to block and avoid every slash, with no time or openings allowing him to counterattack. <br><br>Suddenly, Erobas leapt up into the air, flipping over Ortan’s head and landing just behind him. The Jedi awkwardly had to bend his body to block another shot and his eyes went wide in realization that Erobas had positioned himself between Ortan and Danika. There was a glimmer in the Sith’s eye, almost goading the young padawan to join the fray, as if that was his exact purpose in putting himself between two Jedi. <br><br>With his back still turned to Danika, Erobas continued to spar with Ortan, almost toying with him at that point. It was clear that the mixture of Ortan’s age and Erobas’s mastery were too much for the old warrior. Ortan’s legs and arms were growing weak under the constant onslaught. And as Erobas brought down&nbsp; another ruthless strike, it took all of the old man power to block and held the strike. The Darth gritted his teeth, the muscles in his powerful arms flexing vividly where his red skin could be seen. Erobas slammed his other lightsaber into Ortan’s, and forced him down to one knee. A chuckle began to escape his lips as he sensed an attack was coming from behind him. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>LtRipley</strong> on <strong>03-11-2013, 01:52:21</strong>
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				Danika hung back, as she had been told, watching tensely as the Sith and her Master fought one another. Her lightstaff stayed aglow, bathing the area around her in a pale green light, and she resisted the constant urge to jump in, to help Ortan. She could see him faltering, see his strength failing, and for the first time she really realized that he wasn't the untouchable idol she'd been following for the years they'd been together. And that he was, indeed, human, and therefor vulnerable, and mortal. <br><br>The impulse to help him was strong, as she watched him awkwardly blocking and defending himself, never able to counter or attack, only able to keep himself from being hurt or killed. And she realized that even then, it wasn't his ability to defend himself that was keeping him alive, but the the Sith. She watched, and knew that if he wanted to, Erobas could have killed her Master ten times over. The Sith was toying with him, especially when he placed himself between Ortan and his pupil.<br><br>Danika's jaw clenched, and her hand tightened on her lightstaff, her self-discipline, and will to obey Ortan, fighting a losing battle against her emotions. She knew it was important for a Jedi to master their emotions, to never let them rule you. She knew that if she ever wanted to be a Jedi Master, especially one as great as Ortan, she had to learn to control her emotions, to use logic and reason, not passion. Knowing that though, didn't make it any easier to sit by and watch her Master be slowly beaten down. And knowing what was right, and what was wrong, what she should and shouldn't do, finally didn't matter, when she saw Ortan fall to one knee.<br><br>She was attacking before she even realized what she was doing, slashing at the Sith with one end of her light staff. He dodged it easily, but she hadn't been aiming for a killing blow, merely getting him away from Ortan had been her goal. Danika fought back the fear that tried to rear up inside her, knowing that she couldn't possibly fight a Sith Darth, but she couldn't stand by and watch her Master be killed. She knew Ortan would be upset with her, but it wasn't in her to just let that happen. Perhaps they were too close, perhaps her loyalty to him bordered on love, but now wasn't the time to analyze her relationship with the man who was practically a father to her. <br><br>She kept herself between Ortan and Erobas, her face stony, trying to hide her fear from him.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>03-11-2013, 06:09:05</strong>
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				There was a flash of green in the corner of the Sith’s eyes as his senses correctly anticipated an incoming strike from behind and to the left. With abnormal quickness, Erobas was able to land a solid kick to Ortan’s chest, and send him onto his back, and then jump back from Danika’s slash at him with an acrobatic backflip. He eyed her, pacing back and forth slightly as she stood there between him and her master, his long time rival. That strange glimmer came back into his eyes. <br><br>“The padawan shows her teeth,” the Sith taunted her. The bright red lights of his weapons faded as they clasped back onto his belt. He slung his heavy black cloak off of him, letting it crumple onto the floor out of the way. Underneath, the Darth wore a protected vest that left most of his arms exposed, as well as neck and collarbone. His wrists and hands were wrapped tightly in black strips of fabric to allow for a better grip. <br><br>“Danika, no,” Ortan said between a heavy cough as he struggled up to his knee. His hand clutched at his chest, still reeling from the tremendous force Erobas’ boot had generated. <br><br>“Oh? She has a name it seems. Danika…,” the Sith casually muttered as he sauntered towards the young girl, his hands still empty of weapons. “You know, it’s very brave. Fighting for your master. Can’t you see it’s a lost cause? Why sacrifice yourself for a weak old fool?” he continued to taunt the young blonde girl. He was getting closer, close enough that her lightstaff could reach him if she attempted an aggressive strike, which Erobas anticipated she would do. He was simply waiting for her to fall into that trap, and he would be ready to teach her a lesson about the dark side of the force.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>LtRipley</strong> on <strong>03-11-2013, 06:30:17</strong>
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				Danika wanted to turn and help Ortan, but she knew better than to turn her back on a Sith. So she stood over him, protectively, her hands wrapped around the handle of her lightstaff, holding the weapon in front of her, diagonally, in a defensive posture. Blue eyes narrowed at Erobas when he spoke and put away his weapons, shedding his cloak. Like most Padawans, Danika's dress was modest and simple, a short tan tunic, with a thick leather band around her waist, which she usually had her lightstaff hanging from, and brown trousers tucked into knee high boots. It wasn't exactly flattering, but it was traditional of a Padawan. <br><br>She glanced over her shoulder when her Master spoke, and struggling to his knee, but didn't take her gaze from Erobas for long. “I couldn't just stand by, Master,” she argued, feeling concerned for him. And herself. He couldn't fight in his state, but she couldn't fight a Darth on her own. How they were going to get out of this, she didn't know. It wasn't in her to just let this Sith kill her master though, and then run away like a coward. Running would have been the logical thing to do, but Danika knew she was often more impulsive than a Jedi should be. It got her in trouble sometimes, and she felt like this was one of those instances.<br><br>Every step towards her that Erobas took, Danika's body tensed more and more, anticipating some attack or trick. When he called Ortan a weak old fool she gave him a glare, “My Master is not weak,” she growled at him, attacking suddenly, leading with the lower half of her lightstaff, bringing it towards him in a fierce upwards arch, beginning to shift her hands to continue the motion, so that her lightstaff would do a single, circular twirl in her hands. Her senses told her not to attack, that it was what he wanted, but her fear and anger pushed her to fight, not liking how close he was getting to her. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>03-11-2013, 17:17:08</strong>
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				In a lightning quick motion Erobas sidestepped her upwards slash, pivoting his body diagonally to her own. His right hand reached down to his left, using the force to yank his lightsaber from his belt and ignited more quickly than she could counter. As the viscous spin of her lightstaff stopped, red erupted from Erobas' hand as he slashed forward. With pinpoint accuracy, his lightsaber cut directly between her hands, severing the light staff in half and rendering it useless. There was a short moment of pause then as Erobas relished, and let it sink in how quickly and easily he had bested her. It was always satisfying to see a Jedi realize they had encountered their betters, his grin evident of such. He spun his lightsaber around his and her body, just barely missing her delicate fare skin, before threw his free hand forward. it stopped a few inches before actually contacting her midsection, but the force push he unleashed was powerful. It knocked her off her feet easily, and sent the young padawan flying backwards no less twenty feet.<br><br>The Sith did not have anymore time to toy with the young girl however, as he felt a slash graze by his leg, cutting through the thin fabric of his pants and charring his skin slightly. He motioned back to realize Ortan had regained himself somewhat and had drug himself off the ground. Blood trickled down from the side of the old master's lips, clearly suffering from serious internal damage. But the old warrior did not understand any notion of surrender, all that mattered was protecting his pupil, even if it meant his own life. "Danika... run!" He coughed out before unleashing a flurry of strikes that consumed whatever energy he had left in him.<br><br>Erobas was never truly in danger from the impaired old man, but Ortan had succeeded in pulling his attention away from Danika for the moment, giving her a window of time to get free. But soon the Jedi was overtaken by a fierce counterattack&nbsp; that knocked the blue lightsaber from his grasp and sent it rolling across the floor. Erobas delivered a decisive forearm blow to the sternum with enough strength to crack ribs, followed by a viscous slash at the back of both knees, forcing Ortan to the ground. On his knees, and holding his chest it took everything he had jus to look up and see Danika. He gave her one last look, not of fear or sadness, but of simple reassurance. He knew she would obey his final wish at least to save herself. She was stubborn, but he couldn't have asked for a better student. His eyes closed as Erobas delivered a killing blow through the neck. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>LtRipley</strong> on <strong>03-11-2013, 21:13:30</strong>
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				Danika staggered back a little when the Sith's red lightsaber slashed between her hands, right through the handle of her lightstaff, cutting it in two. The green blades vanished and the Padawan stood dumbly for a moment, staring in disbelief at the severed metal in her hands. When her gaze lifted, eyes wide, to star at Erobas, she only had a moment to register how defeated she was before his lightsabers was whirling around them, distracting her so that when his free hand force-pushed her, she was completely caught off guard, letting out a startled yelp as she was knocked off her feet and sent flying backwards. She dropped the remains of her lightstaff and landed on her back with a grunt, the wind knocked out of her, and sliding a few more feet across the ground. She could only lay, gasping for breath, and trying to get her senses back about her.<br><br>Rolling onto her side, blinking off the dazed feeling of her hard landing, she could see Ortan on his feet and his lightsaber in his hands, though he was looking very unsteady. Danika pushed herself up on her hands and knees, panting a little as she regained the ability breath. Her teeth grit when her Master shouted at her to run, “No!” she wouldn't just leave him! She couldn't! And as he attacked the Sith, she managed to get to her feet, looking around frantically for something, anything, she could use to fight with. There was nothing though, her lightstaff was destroyed, and there were no other weapons about. Against a Sith with no weapon, she wouldn't last a second. Her mind though, was still balking at the reality of Ortan dying, even though he was as good as defeated, and she knew it, the reality of it was still eluding her.<br><br>She looked up though when her Master's lightsaber went skittered across the ground, announcing his defeat. Danika just stared, eyes wide, running forward a few steps out of the instinct to help him, but stopped when he looked at her. The muscles along her jaw flexed as she bit back a scream, she wanted to scream at him to get up, to fight! He was stronger than this, she knew he was! And he couldn't die, he couldn't leave her. His eyes were full of acceptance though, and farewell. It made her angry, an easier emotion to handle than fear, or the overwhelming sorrow that was trying to force its way into her. She tried to look away as the Sith's red blade descended, but she couldn't, and the last thing she saw before she turned to run was her Master's head falling from his shoulders.<br><br>She obeyed him though, and ran, as fast as she could from the building, not stopping until she reached their small personal ship. Danika was a decent enough pilot, and climbed in, engaging the ship's engines and lifting off from Alderaan, setting a course for Tython. They would need to know what had happened here, and without a Master, it was her duty as a Padawan to return. The flight there would be long, and lonely, leaving her far too much time alone with her thoughts and grief.<br><br>Only a few weeks had passed. Ortan's body had been retrieved, and cremated, and at the ceremony everyone had been able to see how effect Danika was by her Master's death. It worried many, not because they were worried personally about Danika's well-being, but because it was an appropriate level of response. Padawans of course were expected to feel some sort of remorse over losing a Master, but Danika was in mourning. And Jedi do not mourn. When a Jedi dies, they return to the Force, there by never truly dying. It is only their physical body that dies. To mourn a Jedi would be indicative of a deeper, personal relationship, of passion and emotion, which were discouraged among the Jedi. Many knew of Danika's ever present toeing of the line, and in her time spent on Tython, waiting to be assigned to a new Master, everyone watched her, and wondered what would become of her if she continued down the path she was treading.<br><br>Danika didn't notice the isolation she was under, that even Ortan's past Padawans (now full Jedi) distanced themselves from her, sensing in the head-strong Padawan a straying from the Code. She remained in her room, usually sitting beside her window, lost in thought. The images of Ortan's death played through her mind countless times, and she thought over and over again of ways that she could have saved him. She'd given up on seeking her center, seeking to balance herself with the Force. It seemed a pointless endeavor, with how her world had crumbled around her. She'd thought herself strong, capable, but the Sith had shown her how weak and powerless she was, shaking her confidence and determination to it's core. Her new lightstaff lay on her dresser, untouched, though she knew she should be training, adjusting to the new weapon. But training held no appeal for her.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>06-11-2013, 04:55:38</strong>
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				It had been years since Aydin had stepped foot back on the soil of what may have been considered the birth place of the force, Tython. Not since he was a padawan himself in fact. Over ten years it had to have been at least. His last memories painted the picture of the planet more grandiose than it seemed now, looking like just a jumble of forest, rivers, and hills with the expansive Jedi Temple oddly placed in the center of it all. If the order was hoping for obscurity they had certainly achieved that. And while the planet did hold historical significance, Aydin often wondered what that had to do with the current day. It seemed far easier to him to simply rebuild the destroyed temple of Coruscant than relocate entirely.<br><br>The young master of the light side of the force began to make the trek up the lengthy spiral staircase that would take him to the Council chambers, where he had been summoned a few days earlier for some urgent matter they felt needed to be debriefed in person.&nbsp; It was a bit of a surprise to Aydin that they would rely upon one such as himself, a very young master by most Jedi standards, even if his credentials spoke for themselves. During the war he’d already led many battles and helped liberate several lesser planets from Sith control. He was one of the finest young talents the Jedi had to work with, or at least Aydin thought so. A certain pride that was condemned by his order he possessed as well along with the accolades. And receiving a personal request from the highest ranking members of the order did not belay those feelings. <br><br>Inside, the chamber was unassuming mostly. A short hallways that opened up into a circular room with a high arching ceiling that gave it a bulbous appearance. An impressive and large circular table was the centerpiece of the room, surrounded by ten finely crafted chairs that seemed to be placed nearly perfectly apart. As his eyes scanned the room he immediately noticed the presences of several prominent Jedi. Satele Shan, the grandmaster and legacy of the famed Jedi Bastilla Shan sat at the head of the table with a almost regal demeanor. He knew her to be an older woman, but it was hard to guess save for the few scarce wrinkles along her brow and cheeks. At her right was Master Kadrian Agoth, a Zabrak who once upon a time was the master of Aydin. The bald elder Zabrak who’d risen in rank to a Council member himself looked upon his former pupil with a slight glint in his eye. Perhaps he was where Aydin got his prideful trait from. <br><br>“Grandmaster, master,” Aydin acknowledged Satele and Kadrian with a curtious bow of the head. His head rose back up and he glanced around the table at the others there, though there remained many unfilled seats. Some he knew to be longtime council members, others were new. Such was the turmoil that came along with war, many had been lost in recent years beginning with the sack of Coruscant and the fall of the old temple. Others still were off on the frontlines of war and fighting to defend the Republic, as Aydin thought it should be. A peculiar sight caught his eye however as he spotted a young girl in their presence as well, barely out of her teens she appeared and clearly still a padawan based upon her attire. He looked at her puzzlingly but soon brought his attention back to Satele and the masters who had called upon him. <br><br>“Thank you for coming upon short notice Master Aydin, there is a grave matter arising that the Council has deemed you suitable to face. Danika dear, please go ahead.” Satele turned her head around to glance back at the padawan standing there. The grandmaster knew it was a difficult thing she had asked the poor young girl to do, to stand in front of the council and revisit in her mind the tragic experience she’d suffered, but there would be no surer way to make the young master Aydin understand the true danger she and the council were sending him into. It also served as an important test for the young Danika who had not taken well to the death of her master. A brief period of sadness and loss was understandable, but as one who had aspirations to become a Jedi weeks of mourning would not be acceptable. And if she could show her strength to them then, Satele had a thought towards reassigning her a new master and continuing her training at long last. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>LtRipley</strong> on <strong>07-11-2013, 01:26:47</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Danika had received the summons as well, but she knew what it was about. The Sith that had killed her Master was still at large, doing who knew how much damage still. Some one needed to stop him, and they were bringing in another master to pick the trail back up. Danika agreed that this was a good course, but she had heard no indication that she would be sent to continue the hunt as well. And she wanted to. She wanted to find Erobas, but she always stopped her mind whenever she began to dwell too much on it. She was more emotional than was proper of a Jedi, but she even she was aware of herself to know that a desire for revenge was the path to the Dark Side. And as emotional she might be, Danika did not think herself as Dark.<br><br>So she took a shower the morning of her audience with the Council, and headed to the Council's chambers, climbing the stairs and took her place near the table, not too far behind Grandmaster Satele, to wait for the arrival of the new Master. She was surprised when he did arrive, she had grown so used to thinking of Masters as old men, like Ortan, it was strange to see one so young. It wasn't unheard of of course, it just didn't fit with Danika's personal image in her head of a Master. He was handsome, as well. She turned her attention to the matters at hand though when Grandmaster Satele spoke, her pale blue eyes turning to look at her as she spoke the Padawan's name. <br><br>Danika stepped forward, glanced at Aydin, then looked ahead, at nothing really, and recounted the events leading up to Ortan's death, the trail they had been following on Alderaan, the trail of dead Jedi, and then finding the Sith Darth, Erobas, and Ortan's death. She was brief on that part, honestly unwilling to go into detail, and she didn't see how it would be relevant anyway, though she did mention that the two of them seemed to know one another. Her voice was modulated, calm, and neutral, just as she knew it should be, and for the most part, it was how she felt. Here among the Council, her training kicked in, and she numbed herself, putting distance between herself and her emotions, but deep down inside, she felt a keen pain as she recounted even the few details she gave about Ortan's murder.<br><br>Satele nodded sagely, “Thank you, Danika.” She said and the Padawan glanced at Aydin before she stepped back. The Grandmaster looked at the newcomer, fingers steepled in front of her, “As you can see, Master Aydin, we have a problem on our hands. It is bad enough, losing Jedi on the field, but losing them on planets that should be safe, to a killer in the shadows, we can't allow this to continue.” Her voice was grave, “We would like for you to take over from the late Master Ortan, and find this Sith and stop him. It is very dangerous, far more than I think you might realize, but the decision is yours. If you decline, no one here will think less of you for it.”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>07-11-2013, 21:19:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Aydin listened as Danika, as Satele called her, retold her story of her hunt and eventual demise of Master Ortan. The young master himself could remember meeting Ortan when he was still a child and being considered for training. Ortan was a younger man then and already had another padawan so fate did not deal him that card, though Aydin held no regrets for the years he spent under Kadrian’s watchful eye. Danika’s story was tragic, and despite her flat tone and emotionless expression Aydin could tell there was a deeper pain inside of her she was doing well to conceal. Even the slightest hint at weakness or attachment and Satele and the others would latch onto it easily. It was a skill Aydin thought he mastered many years ago, to put on the face of a “pure” Jedi when needed to.<br><br>“The Jedi Council honors me with this task. I will accept,” he quickly replied to Satele without ever a second thought. He would not turn down the first mission given to him directly from the Council, nor did he truly think he would have been hand picked by Satele and the others if they thought he would decline. Aydin was youthful and powerful, skilled with the lightsaber above everything else. And this Darth Erobas seemed to be the perfect assassin with equal martial skill. This would not be an enemy one must outwit or think ahead of. It would come down to who was the better of the two, and in that regard Aydin excelled above most other Jedi.<br><br>&nbsp;“Good, we will upload the Darth Erobas’ last known coordinates to you so you may begin your search. May the Force---,” Satele began to dismiss Aydin, but was cut off suddenly.<br><br>“There is another matter that has not been addressed at hand Satele,” Kadrian interjected before she could finish. “What of the Padawan?” he asked her, turning in his seat to look at Danika still standing close by. “She is of a critical age in her training and should not be without a Master.”<br><br>“I have considered it, and in time I will assign to her a suitable teacher here on Tython. Possibly one of those among us, the Council.” Satele responded.<br><br>“I do not believe it would be in her best interest to continue to linger here at the Temple. No, someone&nbsp; her age needs to go out and experience the galaxy.” Kadrian stood up from his seat and made a hand gesture towards Aydin, his former pupil. “Master Aydin is still without a Padawan, I propose we assign Danika to him.” the wizened Zabrak said with a grin towards Aydin who stood motionless, trying not to give away his true emotion of being entirely uncomfortable with the idea of taking on a padawan.<br><br>Satele clasped her hands together in thought and looked down at the table before turning back to look at Danika. “What have you to say, Danika?” she asked her sweetly. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>LtRipley</strong> on <strong>08-11-2013, 05:33:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Danika watched the proceedings quietly, trying to keep a frown off her face. She felt frustrated that Aydin was being sent out to finish what Ortan had started, without her. Not only did that mean she wasn't going to be seeing this through to the end, as Danika was always one to finish what she started, but it meant that he would meet Erobas, and remove him, and she would have no hand in it. There would be no resolution to this, and for some reason, she felt it important that she had that. She knew better though than to speak out of turn, or demand something of the Council, it wasn't her place. Ortan had perhaps been too lenient with her in many areas, but one he had certainly impressed upon her was respect.<br><br>So she tried to resign herself, though in the back of her mind, she was waiting for an opportunity to speak, to express her desire to accompany Aydin. She needed a new Master after all, why not him? So when Kadrian spoke of another matter, she looked up curiously, and then blinked when he looked at her, her head tilting slightly to the side when he spoke of just what she'd just been thinking, that she needed a new Master. She glanced between him and Satele as they talked back and forth a bit about finding a suitable teacher, possibly someone from among the Council.<br><br>That would be an honor indeed... but she didn't want to stay on Tython, she wanted to go out and do things, and right now, she wanted more than anything to go after Erobas. So when Kadrian once again seemed to speak her thoughts, she felt some small measure of hope, and then he gave her exactly what she wanted when he nominated Aydin as a candidate. The Padawan looked up at the young Master, then looked at Satele when she was asked her opinion on the matter. Glancing at Aydin, then Kadrian, she looked back to Satele, giving a small nod, trying to hide her sudden excitement. “I would be honored to have Master Aydin continue my training, and grateful to be allowed to continue to have a part in what Master Ortan started,” she said, inclining her head.<br><br>Satele gave a nod and looked at Aydin, “And you, Master Aydin?” She asked, a brow arched at him. “Do you have any objections?”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>12-11-2013, 01:43:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Aydin was taken aback by the discussion that was unfurling before his eyes, and becoming dismayed by it all at the same time. A padawan? That was the last thing he could afford to take on at that stage in his life, for a reason he could neither disclose nor would the Council accept from him. He seemed to go up and down with each passing response by Kadrian or Satele. For all the respect he held for the Zabrak, he prayed to the force that Kadrian would bend to the will of the grandmaster. But the farther things moved along, the less it seemed that was a possibility. <br><br>He looked on, and listened as Satele offered the young girl a chance to speak about the matter. Her face was blank, if thoughtful, and she didn’t seem overly excited or disappointed by what was&nbsp; happening. Though that may well have simply been the trained look of a young Padawan who had learned to hide her true emotions well. Aydin thought she might have been experiencing the same turmoil he was, even if for entirely different reasons. Regardless, she seemed receptive which gave the master mixed feelings of pride and dispair. And then the conversation had turned to him. There was only a single answer he could give to the Council following the entire display, and they all knew. <br><br>“It would be an honor, grandmaster. I thank the Council for this opportunity. I will teach her to the best of my ability,” he formally said to Satele’s face, only lowering his eyes to the table for a brief, but telling moment. Satele looked back at him, a knowing stare in her eyes. It was unsettling for Aydin each time he met the older woman. He always felt like she could look into his soul and see every sin and imperfection in him.<br><br>“It seems it’s settled then,” Kadrian added, the hint of a grin forming at the corner of his mouth. There was a moment of pause as Satele clasped her hands together in thought.<br><br>“I have my&nbsp; misgivings about sending Danika back out to face this enemy, given their history. But I will not deny the will of the Council. So be it, I hereby play this padawan under your care Master Aydin.” She stood up and announced to all in the room.<br><br>“May the force be with you both in the troubling times ahead, this Council is adjourned.”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>LtRipley</strong> on <strong>13-11-2013, 06:40:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Orianna had stayed on the ship while Aydin met with the Council, it hadn't seemed like it would take long, a day at the most, and while she could have gotten one of the guest rooms here within the temple, it would have meant she and Aydin would have to limit their time together. It annoyed her a little, that when around other Jedi, they had to sneak around like children not yet old enough to date, but as it were, there was nothing she could do about it. She knew that Aydin would never do anything to compromise his status as a Jedi. Sometimes that bothered her, knowing she came second to the Order, but it was something she'd just had to learn to accept over the years.<br><br>Currently she was relaxing on their bed, watching a vid with her Kath hound, Theron, curled up beside her. He took up nearly half the bed, and Aydin hated it when she let him up in bed with her, but Theron hated it when Aydin was in 'his' bed too. She'd had Theron longer than she'd known Aydin, and the Kath hound was very loyal to her, and very protective. He disliked Aydin a great deal, he'd bitten him more than once, and she usually had to put him out at night or he'd trying crawl up in bed between them and push Aydin onto the floor. He was asleep, snoring softly with Orianna stroking his mane of dark brown fur. He started slightly though with a snort and lifted his head, long ears pricking a little before he let out a grumbling sort of growl.<br><br>Orianna laughed under her breath and stood, the Twi'lek stretching as she got to her feet, “Guess Aydin's home huh?” she asked and Theron let out a gruff, disapproving snort, and laid his head back down. She rolled orange eyes and padded out, barefoot, into the hall and out to the main cabin to greet him. She was ready to be away from the Temple, these Jedi all made her feel paranoid, like they could read her thoughts or something, and she didn't like it. Orianna didn't have an exactly pure mind after all, she was a smuggler by trade after all, she didn't think that made her a bad person, but Jedi always seemed so... stuck up and judgmental. Even Aydin had driven her a little crazy at first.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>15-11-2013, 01:29:20</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				There was an uneasiness in the air as Aydin and Danika made the lengthy journey out of the Jedi Temple and to a transport which would then bring them to a small, secluded spaceport where his ship was docked. It may have been partially due to the simple awkwardness that may follow after a padawan was assigned to a new master, though her advanced age would make the transition even harder than usual. But it wasn’t thinking about Danika and teaching her, something his mind had not even grown accustomed to as of yet, it was more upon what he would tell Orianna once he got back to the ship. It was going to be a… odd situation to say the least, and he did not look forward to it.<br><br>As he exited the transport, she followed and he made his way to his ship resting along the platform not far away. It was a wide and open space with free docking, but with travel from the port heavily restricted coming and going. Aydin was easily recognizable and allowed to leave, though for a security measure a guard had to check his data pad to be sure that Danika had indeed been registered as Aydin’s padawan and be allowed ot leave as well. He walked up the ramp and opened up the bay doors with a hiss. <br><br>The master stepped onto the vessel first and looked back to welcome Danika aboard with a hand gesture. The ship wasn’t large by any means, but big enough to serve in getting Aydin from place to place, as was the original intention when he hired Orianna to pilot for him years earlier. But now it was the closest thing he’d ever had to a home. Under Master Kadrian’s tutelage he never had a consistent force in his life, as the Zabrak was one of the more active and aggressive members of the Order when it came to combating the Sith Empire and their push into Republic territory. It was refreshing to be able to come back to a familiar place every night, and more importantly to a familiar face.<br><br>“Welcome to the ship, you’ll likely be spending a good deal of time here, so I hope you like it,” Aydin turned and said to the girl as she came aboard. And there Ori was coming to greet him from the hallway. His green eyes, almost the same color as her own skin, met with the orange of hers for a moment before he looked back at Danika standing behind. “Orianna, this is my… padawan, her name is Danika.” Aydin said as he shook his head slightly to break the awkwardness of the moment. He could see confusion setting in by all parties involved and hoped that it would pass soon, and hope even more than all of the things Aydin had told Ori over the years about how important it was to remain low-key on their own relationship would resonate with her here before he’d had a chance to properly explain everything. <br><br>“The Council has tasked us with a new mission, and I’m also now responsible for her. The first thing we should do is find a good place for her to sleep on the ship.” He told the Twi’lek, and look in his eye hoping that she would play along, and more importantly play nice with the young girl. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>LtRipley</strong> on <strong>18-11-2013, 20:45:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Danika followed Aydin onto the ship after a silent, awkward walk down to the port. She didn't know what to think of all this really. She had thought that Ortan would be her Master until she became a full Jedi herself, it had seemed like a fact of life, something steady to keep her feet on. Now though he was dead, and she had a new Master very late in her training. She knew she wouldn't have anywhere near the relationship with Aydin as she had had with Ortan. She knew she'd never have a relationship with anyone like she had had with her Master, and that left an aching sort of hollow in her chest. She resisted the urge to rub it and tried to just suppress the emotion, remove herself from it. Jedi were not supposed to feel lonely.<br><br>On the ship, they were greeted by a green-skinned Twi'lek, and Danika gave Aydin a slightly confused look, before he introduced the two of them. Both Danika and the Twi'lek gave one another slightly perplexed looks, and Orianna especially looked slightly startled when Aydin explained that he was now responsible for her. She seemed to recover quickly though, and gave Danika a small smile. Behind her, a large red-brown Kath hound ambled out of a room down the hall, and walked past her, up to Danika to give the new comer a sniff. The Padawan looked slightly startled but Orianna spoke up quickly, “Don't worry, Theron's friendly. Unless you're Aydin, they've never gotten along.”<br><br>Danika gave her a nervous look then looked at the Kath hound, patting him on his horned head when Theron looked up at her. His head came up to her waist, and he wagged his long bushy tail before looked at Aydin and a soft growl rumbling from deep in his chest before he walked off to collapse lazily on a large cushion in the corner of the main cabin. <br><br>“Uhm, follow me, I'll get you settled,” Orianna said, motioning for the girl to follow her. Danika gave Aydin a small look, seeking permission, before she followed the Twi'lek down the hall, to the end. “This is my ship technically, but I chauffeur Aydin around,” Orianna explained as they walked down the hall, “For a fee of course. Girl's gotta eat and buy shoes after all.” She said, grinning at the girl, who just gave her a nervous smile. Orianna held back a sigh. The door they approached opened with a soft 'whoosh' and they stepped in. It was small, but clean, with a bed in the corner and an R2 droid in another. It beeped softly and came to life, rising up on it's rollers and lights blinking. “That's N7,” The Twi'lek told her, “You don't mind him being in here to recharge occasionally do you?” She asked.<br><br>Danika shook her head and looked down at the R2 unit as it approached her and whirred softly, likely scanning her. “No, that's fine,” she said, looking around before she went and sat down, setting her bag at her feet.<br><br>Orianna shuffled her feet a little, feeling awkward, “Well, if you need anything, just let Aydin or I know alright? We'll probably be heading out soon.” And with that she left, going to find Aydin and ask him a few questions.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>20-11-2013, 05:44:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Never before had Aydin ever felt so odd and out of place, watching the two women awkwardly exchange greetings to one another, not even the very first time he was with Ori in the throes of passion after spending his entire life completely dedicated to the emotion that “there is no passion, there is serenity” as the Jedi Code dictated. Though after he could have hotly debated the line, as he’d never before felt such peace or serenity as he lay there beside the green twi’lek.<br><br>Theron pranced by, proud as a peacock and acting like he owned the ship himself, and offered up a grown towards the master which was returned with a silent glare. The annoying beast walked past to curl up in the corner of the room on it’s mat. He never quite understood why Ori thought a ship would be a good place to keep a Kath hound, but he was there before Aydin ever got there so he had no say in it. It was a contemptuous, yet respectful relationship they shared.<br><br>Thankfully, Ori finally suggested getting Danika settled, and hopefully on a part of the ship secluded away from his own cabin. And that suddenly made him begin to&nbsp; wonder just how their… sleeping arrangements were going to change. Ori and himself were going to have to be extremely careful, that much he was going to make completely clear to the twi’lek. He gave Ori a long look like he was expecting a talk with her after she’d gotten Danika set up and then he turned to meet the gaze of his new padawan. The naïve seeking of approval in her eyes was something entirely knew to the master. She wasn’t a child, but the first thought he had was of a youngling asking with just their eyes if they can go out and play with the others. <br><br>“Go ahead and get some rest. I’m sure it’s been a long day for you. We’ll make our way out tomorrow and pick back up your training then,” Aydin told Danika as she and Ori headed off to the port&nbsp; side of the small frigate sized vessell. It was a modest ship, initially intended for smuggling, but suited well to his purposes. And it’s pilot was one of the best in the galaxy. Aydin sighed a breath of relief as they walked out of the central room and he quickly made his way up to the bridge to wait for his pilot, and lover. <br><br>A few minutes later the green twi’lek came strolling down the hall with her usual, and natural, confident strut. Aydin was leaned up against the pilots chair and quickly stood straight up to greet her. As she walked inside he approached, putting a hand on her bar arm just below the elbow.<br><br>“Apologies, I wanted to warn you, but I never got the chance. Let me explain…” the master began as he recounted the days events to his pilot, and hoped she would understand. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>LtRipley</strong> on <strong>22-11-2013, 03:14:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Orianna went to the bridge, finding Aydin waiting for her. She made a face at him as he touched her arm just below the elbow and apologized to her, voicing that he would have warned her if he had had the chance. As he started to explain she leaned against a console, arms crossed and one leg crossed over the other, balancing on the toe of her boot. She listened as he recounted what had happened, and let out a deep sigh as he finished, frowning at him. <br><br>She shook her head and rubbed the bridge of her nose, eyes closed, “This is just great Aydin,” she muttered, opening her eyes again to look at him. “And what is your plan for having the three of us on this small ship without her noticing a few things?” Orianna asked sharply. “You can sleep in the spare bed room tonight, Theron and I will take our bed,” She glared him before scoffing softly and shook her head again. Why in the world had she allowed herself to fall for a Jedi? She leaned her head back, staring hard at the ceiling.<br><br>She lowered it though to give him a hard glare, “You might not have had much of a choice but you did have some, that stubborn pride of yours got you in this. If you'd have said no they wouldn't force her on you,” she waved her hand irritably. “You should have taken the assignment and made up some excuse about not taking on a Padawan,” Orianna was so <em>angry</em> with him, more so than she knew she probably should be, but it was more than just having some girl on her ship that bothered her, “It's bad enough that we have to sneak around outside of this ship, now we have to do it here too. Why in the name of the great black expanse of space do I put up with you?”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>26-11-2013, 03:07:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				“I’m sorry Ori,” Aydin said in the most apologetic tone he could muster once his story had been told in full. There was nothing else he could say. He knew that this would have a rippling effect on everything that he had built with Orianna over the last few years, despite how strongly he might have felt about her and vice versa. To no surprise, she wasn’t very happy with his explanation. She never liked what he was, the order he called his own and he understood it. One on the outside could never truly grasp the importance of the Jedi and what they did for the good of the galaxy. But that was a wall and burden each had learned to live with over time and had continued to grow close in spite of it.<br><br>“We will just have to be more careful,” he told her which didn’t seem to do much to&nbsp; sway her opinion. And truly he never believed it would. Orianna had grown overly tired of being careful after all these years. He knew that she yearned to be free for them to show their passion without hesitation or fear of watchful eyes, and so did he. But it wasn’t possible, not so long as he was a Jedi. <br><br>He shook his own head at her suggestion that he did have a choice in the matter. “You wouldn’t understand. If I had denied the grandmaster she would have seen right through it and known I was hiding something. If she doesn’t already,” he explained to her, the odd gaze in Satele’s eyes etched into his mind. “We can make this work, it will only take some time and patience,” he continued as he moved himself closer. Her final words cut deeper than normal. It was in her nature to overreact or become irrational at times, but at times it became more harmful than anything else. His hand slid up and grasped her at the shoulder gently in a caressing motion.<br><br>“I think we both know why,” he told her, looking fondly into her purple eyes. She would be mad for that night and for perhaps the next many nights to come. But she would come to understand, she always did. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>LtRipley</strong> on <strong>28-11-2013, 19:00:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				For Orianna, the only thing that made having to sneak around and hide their relationship was the safe haven of their ship. Here they didn't have to worry or hide anything, but now that was out of the window. She didn't think she was overreacting at all. She scoffed when he simply suggested they would have to be more careful, “<em>More</em> careful?” She repeated, her tone disbelieving, shaking her head. She'd known when they had gotten involved that she'd never be able to have him the way she wanted, but at least in private she'd been able to be with him. <br><br>“What will we do? Steal away a few hours a night? Having to be careful even then? And make sure that we're both back in our own beds by morning?” She asked him angrily, feeling like she was about to become a dog begging for scraps. She'd already gotten so little of his time and energy before, now she would be getting even less. Orianna was already calculating in her head if this was worth the trouble. She'd left other men for far less than this. She knew she wouldn't leave him, though, even if it made her feel better to threaten it as an option in her mind.<br><br>When Aydin told her about the Grandmaster's suspicion, which would have likely become more of a realization if he had refused to take Danika as his Padawan, she had to hold back the comment that she wished she had figured it out. What would they do then? Kick him out? She didn't dare voice that though, for all his Jedi calm, and as much as she hated the Order for getting in their way, she knew saying that would be cruel and hurtful. And while she could be prone to lashing out, she knew better than to go that far.<br><br>Orianna glanced at his hand as it slid up her arm and rubbed her shoulder, glaring at him but not pulling away. “Yeah well,” she grumbled, though it was obvious she was struggling to maintain her glare, her face trying to crack into a smile, “You're still sleeping in the extra room tonight and I'm locking my door. And I won't pull Theron off you if you manage to get in.” She wouldn't say she was as confident as he was, if he voiced that she would come to understand and accept their situation. Orianna didn't know if she was capable of really doing that, but she'd try. Sighing softly she stepped into him, her head ending up resting on his shoulder, face nestled into the base of his neck. “You're a real pain in the ass you know that?”
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>02-12-2013, 06:32:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				“We… will find a way to make it work,” Aydin responded to her initially as her frustration continued to boil over. It was a thin line they were forced to tread everyday, fending off discovery while also trying to become closer despite the great differences in their past. One was raised since childhood in a temple of mythic protectors, while the other was a smuggler who’s only goals before they met had been to make profit. The clash in personality was the first difficult task to overcome, but they had done so. And Aydin truly believed that their strength could make it through this as well. <br><br>“Danika is at an advanced age and has received extensive training already, so my time as her mentor should be short lived if nothing else. It will not be too long before we’re at least able to take solace in the ship again, I promise,” he told her looking into her eyes. Some of her fires seemed to begin to fade as she regained herself. Aydin knew her look, one of feigned acceptance. It was similar to the look she gave him every time he accepted a dangerous assignment or went out of his way to help others and put his own life at risk. A look of understanding, if disappointment as well. <br><br>His arms wrapped around her as she embraced him, her face against his neck and shoulder, the sweet touch of her lips against his skin. It still sent the same amazing shiver up his back to hold her as it did years earlier when they first became entangled. “I know,” he chuckled at her as they pulled away slightly to look upon one another again. He leaned in and gave her a small, reassuring kiss, not wanting to overdo it right then with her current state and then pulled away from her. <br><br>“Goodnight,” he told her with a voice filled with longing and turned to make his way for the extra room Along his way there he silently cursed that damn kath hound of hers who was still nestled in the corner of the main room as the Jedi passed by. As if the beast had been listening in it lifted it’s head to growl at Aydin until he disappeared into the extra room. A simple and small space with only a collection of four bunk sized beds along one of the walls that also doubled as a storage room. He sighed and prepared himself for bed.<br><br><hr><br>The following morning Aydin sat and ate at a table tucked away in a corner on the second deck next to storage and the engine room. He’d risen earlier than Ori, he always did, but he was interested to see if Danika possessed the same type of dedication to morning meditations and preparations as he did. To that point he’d&nbsp; heard no other stirrings aboard&nbsp; the ship. His back throbbed with a slight ache from sleeping in the cramped bunks and made a mental note to have them improved at the next opportunity. He also developed a great deal of pity for all those who’d had to sleep in those things over the years on the various adventures Ori and Aydin got themselves entwined in. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>LtRipley</strong> on <strong>06-12-2013, 06:58:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Danika had not slept well. She'd sat in the room Orianna had shown her to for some time, perched on the edge of her bed, lost in thought. She'd tried to meditate a few times, but she could never seem to focus enough to do so, and found herself simply sitting and thinking. She couldn't recall now all the subjects her mind had wandered to, but as it had since her Master's death, Ortan had been chief among her thoughts. With this change, having a new Master, she had found herself thinking nostalgically of when she had first been assigned to Ortan and those first, formative years of her tutelage under him. <br><br>Eventually, she had laid down, and fallen asleep. Her sleep had been far from peaceful, as she had for some time now, her dreams were chaotic and unpleasant. Whatever stream they had would often be broken to have scenes from Ortan's fight with Darth Erobas, watching him die all over again. Only to resume whatever strange concoction her mind had come up with. Erobas often featured in those as well, a dark figure that stalked her no matter where she went. And when she woke in the morning, her only solace was that now, she would be the one stalking him. She would finish what Ortan had started, and maybe then she'd find some measure of peace. She tried not to think of it as revenge, she knew that that was against the teachings of the Jedi, and that revenge would not bring her peace. Or that's what she had been told over and over. Instead she tried to see it as closure, to continue Ortan's own mission in his honor.<br><br>Danika had never been a morning person though. As far back as she could remember, she'd gotten often gotten in trouble as a Youngling for sleeping in. She just had a hard time getting herself going. And this morning was no different. The only thing that had her up at a decent time were her dreams and the droid. How it knew it was time for her to wake up she had no idea, but it had beeped and whirred at her until she'd finally gotten up, even though she'd tossed one of her boots at it to make it shut up. With a sigh, she'd gotten ready, and made her way out of the room and down the hall to the main chamber, following the droid, who somehow seemed pleased with itself. <br><br>It lead her, or she thought it was leading her, as the one time she'd stopped it had as well, then turned and beeped at her until she continued to follow it, across the main room of the ship, down a ramp, and across a hall and into a room that seemed like a compact kitchen. And there was Aydin, sitting at a table bolted into the corner, eating breakfast. Danika paused, looking at him for a quick moment, before walking in, giving him a small nod, “Good morning, Master Aydin.” Her tone was neutral, but she was clearly unsure of herself. The droid tucked itself into a corner, where it plugged itself into the wall and settled in.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>09-12-2013, 00:42:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				“Good morning, padawan,” Aydin said as he cleared his throat and turned to see who was coming down the ramp. The T3 model droid rolled down the ramp with a&nbsp; loud wooing noise and spun it’s top completely around followed by a few more clicking noises before rolling away again. Danika followed inside still looking somewhat timid or unsure of herself in a new place. Aydin could understand her position, going from the comfort of having a long time master to guide her to suddenly being practically on her own. He hoped he would not fail the tragic young girl and help her along till graduation from her padawan status, preferably soon. <br><br>The master was just finishing his own meal as he stood up from the table and discarded his mess. “I hope you slept well,” he said as he walked over to a small counter and put his plate away. “Living aboard a ship is a different kind of lifestyle,” he mused to her, trying to make some smalltalk in their odd situation. It probably would have been prudent to learn more of Danika’s past, and of Master Ortan and the ways in which he trained her, before taking her on as a padawan. But Aydin rarely thought that far ahead, an unbecoming&nbsp; trait of a young Jedi master. <br><br>“Well, feel free to have anything you’d like and prepare yourself how you normally do. Meet me upstairs when your ready and we’ll begin,” he told her, a great deal of unsurety in his voice. He slowly passed by her and went back up the ramp to the top deck. Aydin’s mind stirred heavily, desperately trying to think back upon his own days of a padawan and how Kadrian taught him. But all he could think of were the early days. The simpler times when he was still learning how to even use the force to lift small objects and hadn’t even reached the point of being trained with a proper weapon. Danika was clearly well beyond that stage and Aydin had no idea of where to begin with her. And it would have almost felt like shame to have to ask his own padawan where to begin. He looked down at the lightsaber hanging at his hip and knew then.<br><br><hr><br>When Danika arrived in the main room later, Aydin had moved some things out of the way to create enough space. He stood in the center and waited for her, his robe had been cast aside leaving only a layer of simple body armor he wore beneath the robe. Pushing a strand of dark hair from his face he used the force to pull the lightsaber from his belt and held it. <br><br>“Show me your lightsaber form,” Aydin told his pupil as he took a sidestep out of the way for her. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>LtRipley</strong> on <strong>12-12-2013, 03:40:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Danika nodded slightly when the Jedi Master spoke, “Yes, I slept fine,” She told him, watching him put his plate away, but only nodded again when he mentioned living on a ship as a different kind of lifestyle. She'd gotten a taste of it with Ortan, they had had to charter ships to go places, often having to sleep on them. It looked though that Aydin lived on the ship for the most part, not staying in Temples or hotels like she and Ortan often would on their longer journeys. When he told her to eat whatever she liked for breakfast and then to meet him upstairs she nodded yet again, “Yes sir,” and stepped out of the way a little as he went to leave.<br><br>She glanced around the kitchen, then over her shoulder, before letting out a heavy sigh. She found some bread and made herself toast, sitting at the small table alone, feeling out of place and even more isolated than when she'd been sitting in her room in the Temple. Danika couldn't remember ever feeling so unsure of her future, it had always seemed so set, so solid. She would have finished her training with Ortan, gone on to be a Master herself, he'd be there at her ceremony, proud of her, and she'd be a true Jedi, helping to fight the Darkness that the Sith sought to spread. Now... she didn't know anymore. She supposed all of those things would still happen, though it would be Aydin now, and not Ortan, that would be there to take the role of her former Master and welcome her into being a Master herself. She couldn't seem to summon the same amount of enthusiasm though. <br><br>When she was finished she did as Aydin had told her and went back upstairs, finding that the main room had been cleared, and was now as open as it could be. He was waiting for her, and she approached, giving a curt nod when he drew his own lightsaber, and told her to show him her style. Exerting a bit of will, Danika's lightstaff flew into her hand, both blades igniting with a soft <em>hiss</em>, green in color. It was the first time she'd wielded it since Master Ortan had been killed, and out of habit she started to turn her head, to look at him, like she always did, but then stopped herself, remembering that he wasn't there, and put her head back forward, before flowing into a few basic maneuvers. The aggressive edge of the Juyo style was on display in her movements, but it was also graceful, and Danika for once seemed confident of herself, and not so awkward and out of place.<br><br>Twirling the weapon over head she ended the sequence by bringing it down in a savage arch, mimicking the action of stabbing a downed enemy, but of course was careful stop well above the floor, not wanting to damage it, then straightened. The blades disappeared and she looked at Aydin, breathing a little more heavily and her cheeks a little flushed, looking more alive than she had in a long time, but it faded, and she bowed slightly. “How was that?” She kicked herself mentally, hating how childish that sounded. It was strange, she never would have considered asking Ortan for his opinion or approval as childish, but Aydin was much closer to her own age than Ortan had been. He would have never seen her as anything but a child, no matter what she did. Aydin though, she had a chance at being seen as an adult, but she never would if she continued acting like a Youngling.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>15-12-2013, 05:44:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				“How was that?” Aydin echoed Danika’s question with a puzzled&nbsp; look on his face. Her arrogance was easy to see in her over aggressive maneuvers, dramatized motions, and unnecessary false steps. Perhaps she had been trying too hard to impress him, or perhaps that was how she was taught, he could not say for sure. But he would maintain focus on staying calm and patient with her, partly because she was his first padawan and because the girl had already been through enough trauma already in her young life. <br><br>“Your Juyo is impressive, but unrefined. My former master, Kadrian, was the greatest I’d ever seen at that style. It was like watching a man walk on water, every movement was flowing into the next seamlessly.” the master explained&nbsp; to his new pupil. He was himself a master of the Shein form, a walking fortress upon a battlefield with a near unbreakable defense. But Aydin had advanced himself well in most of the Jedi lightsaber arts, including Juyo, and he could see the subtle flaws she possessed. <br><br>“Get in your stance,” he told her as he moved closer to her side. Once in it Aydin examined her more closer. “Move your feet&nbsp; a little farther apart and lower your base. Your advantage will come from precise strikes and leverage, not overpowering.” Master Aydin deduced looking upon the young girl. Nearly every enemy she would face in battle was going to be the more physically imposing, that was almost guaranteed. Performing heavy over handed swings would not be to her benefit. “There,” he said as he became satisfied with her position. <br><br>“Your movements are well trained, but they are disconnected. One fluid motion throughout the entirety of your attack. Don’t allow your enemy a window of opportunity. Again.” Aydin advised her as her training continued on that morning. They would keep going some time after that, working primarily just on her form, dissecting each movement and perfecting it. Until Aydin believed he had pushed her enough for a single day. It wasn’t nearly as grueling as some of the sessions he was put through as a padawan to Kadrian, but it was only her first day and everything must have still seemed surreal to her still.<br><br>They sat at a table together as she rested and he was far away in thought. He broke the silence by asking a number of questions. “It was Alderaan where you and… Master Orton encountered the Sith correct?” he asked her in the most polite and soft way possible, knowing the subject was going to be difficult for her. But their mission was clear, so she would have to face that truth eventually anyway. If he wasn’t willing to talk about it by now, he felt like he may never be. “That may be the best place for us to start our search.” <br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>LtRipley</strong> on <strong>04-01-2014, 06:53:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Danika almost winced at her Master's reply, but managed not to visibly register much of anything to his reaction. She straightened, slowly, to stand at ease, trying not to frown as he told her that her style was impressive, but unrefined. She moved back into her stance when he told her to though, adjusting herself as he instructed her, until he seemed happy with how she was standing now. “I... haven't been practicing as much as I should,” She admitted. She wasn't trying to make an excuse, though she supposed that was how it might sound, but it was the truth. Danika had been having a hard time motivating herself to practice and train since Ortan's death. <br><br>“And I haven't used this lightstaff before,” She looked at the weapon in her hand. As weapons of the force, the lightsabers and lightstaffs were not as static as weapons of steel or other material, they often seemed to have a personality, a mind of their own, that took time to learn. This one was new to her, and she was new to it. Those two things in mind, she was sure that she could show Aydin that she wasn't as unrefined or poorly trained as she might have just seemed. She didn't want him to think that Ortan had done a poor job, that more than her own pride was her concern. So that he at least thought her movements well trained assured her a little.<br><br>Danika did her best to follow her new Master's instructions in the training that followed, he was very different from Ortan, and while the session was short and relatively easy, her own idleness and the strangeness of working with Aydin had her feeling exhausted by the end. Sitting at the table, she sipped at a glass of water, thinking over her training, but was pulled from her retracing by her Master's question. She seemed to consider him for a moment before she gave a nod, “Yes, I would think that his trail would be easiest to pick up there,” she agreed. It was not painful for her to answer that question, she found that it was only at night, when she was alone, that thinking of Ortan's death itself disturbed her. The rest of the time, it was random memories, triggered unexpectedly, that seemed to make her feel like some one had just jabbed a piece of broken glass into her heart. The rest of the time though, there was an ever present dull sort of aching sense of loss. It had faded, but she still missed him. Over all though, she did her best to keep her emotions in check.<br><br>The Padawan's head turned at the soft woosh of an opening and then closing door, seeing the Twi'Lek, Orianna, exiting her room, the Kath hound on her heels. “Oh, are you two finally done imitating a herd of bantha beasts?” She asked them, her tone holding an obviously false tone of curiosity, edged with irritation. Theron's maw opened wide in a lazy yawn, jagged teeth on display as he padded behind her. The green Twi'Lek paused with her hands on her hips, looking between Aydin and Danika, lips pursed. Orianna never had been and never would be a morning person. "I'm going to have to clear the hold out a bit if you two plan on making that much noise every morning."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Between Light and Dark</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Odanrav</strong> on <strong>10-01-2014, 06:38:00</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				&nbsp;“Yes Orianna, we’re done with training for today,” Aydin confirmed with his pilot and secret lover, though it was more of an attempt to make it seem like everything was normal to Danika. Aydin was always the first to wake, often by several hours, and he always trained and meditated by himself in those wee hours of the morn while his twi’lek bedmate continued to sleep. She was more used to the noise going on around her than she was letting on to the young padawan. Perhaps after a night to sleep on it she was still far more upset with him that Aydin had thought she’d be. It wouldn’t have surprised him.<br><br>“If you think that’d be best,” Aydin stood up from the table with a small stretch after Ori’s suggestion and moving them down a deck to conduct their lessons. Using the force he pulled his lightsaber off the table and tucked it away in his robe. Making sure to give Theron a wide berth he approached Orianna a few steps. Still the beast showed it’s teeth and gaze him a sanctimonious snarl, as was it’s custom greeting for Aydin. He would never understand that beast. <br><br>“We have our destination for whenever you’re ready,” Aydin came up to Orianna and handed her a data pad with the information. “It’s on Alderaan. An old Sith bunker. Republic troops were sent to investigate the area after Danika brought the news back. Their reports indicated it was abandoned, likely not long after you escaped.” Aydin turned to where he could look at both Ori and Danika as he informed them of the situation. Any talk of that dreaded bunker he was sure would bring a chill to young Danika’s spine, and he pitied her greatly for the hard memories that would soon come back to her once they landed on the planet. But it was in a way another test to prove that she had grown past such emotional attachment. Emotional attachment… Aydin supposed that made himself a hypocrite. His green eyes glanced over at Ori for a moment then pulled away. <br><br>“It will likely take some time before we arrive, so feel free to rest or prepare however you see fit, padawan. I’ll be in my… room in the meantime,” the jedi said, finding it hard to describe his modest bunk quarters as a room. He made his way downstairs to the lower deck and into the bunk quarters. Kneeling down on the cold ship floor he closed his eyes and drifted off into a tranquil meditation. 
			</dd>
		</dl>
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