Star Wars - Some Damn Fool Idealistic Crusade (IC)

[Spectrum]

Kaiya Aseido

"Its good to see you Kaiya."

"You're still alive?" An elegant eyebrow raises. Not a smile. Not a frown. Surprise carefully hidden. There was a moment of admiration. "And doing well it would seem."

A glance to the side, catching the words of mother and daughter out of the corner of her ear. She looks back to Ana.

And then a deeper frown at the apparently loud but bodiless voice. This was not the time for hallucinations. Rather clear spoken hallucinations but still voices all the same. They were.. inappropriate.

A ship landed outside. How? This was becoming stranger and stranger. This was not appropriate. This was madness.

Yet, here was her old companion asking to take her away from here. A life of adventure, a life of excitement. It would be a different experience.. but there was always an opportunity for the Hunt.

"Yes." she said softly, quietly but with certainty.

[MissRo]

Kaz Trisst

The universe was a strange place.

The day had started so well. The weather had finally turned. She'd actually gotten five consecutive hours of sleep. She hadn't burnt the toast, for a change. She'd even made plans with Maree for the weekend. Veridia had finally started to feel like home, and now it was over. Just like that. The blink of an eye.

She'd never expected to see Dirk again, but now here he was swooping in out of nowhere to snatch her from the jaws of certain death. Again.

"Roger that," she replied over the com, kneeling and hustling Zara into a piggyback. She quickly checked her blaster, then stepped out into the kichen. "Ana, time to..."

Not just Ana. Ana and two strangers, one a woman whom her new acquaintance seemed to know. The other... she tensed, eyeing the huge man in the kichen's doorway with her blaster readied.

"It's OK, mommy." Zara's hand patted her shoulder. "He's coming too."

"No, baby, no he's not. Look, Norgill's not here! Beat it, pal! I'm not playin'!" Kaz disliked strangers under the best of circumstances. These were not the best of circumstances. "I don't know who your friend is, Ana, but if she's comin' we gotta go. Now."

Kaz moved towards the imposing... whatever he was and the doorway behind him. As she went to brush past him, Zara's small hand reached out and grabbed firm hold to the man's long moustache. She kept moving until she felt the girl tugging away from her, then turned and saw what she'd done.

"Zara, you let go right now! We don't have time for this!"

"Uh-uh."

"Right! Now!"

"Uh-uh!"

Kaz barely suppressed an expletive.

"Come if you're comin'!"

With that Zara released her grip, and they were out the cantina's front door.

[catsi563]

Ana Tathis

"You're still alive?" An elegant eyebrow raises. Not a smile. Not a frown. Surprise carefully hidden. There was a moment of admiration. "And doing well it would seem."

A mere shrug and the same pleasant calm expression was the only response.

"Yes." she said softly, quietly but with certainty.

Again that enigmatic smile warmed and Ana nodded as Kaz came out with Zara on her back. She wasn't the only one though as a large man in robes came into the Kitchen

He went back into the kitched looking for the owner and said out loud, "Nor-rahgill! Oh old-dah frien-dah... Wah,... what-sah going on?"

Ana sensed his presence through the force it was serene but carried a force of will that was impressive.

It's OK, mommy." Zara's hand patted her shoulder. "He's coming too."

"No, baby, no he's not. Look, Norgill's not here! Beat it, pal! I'm not playin'!" Kaz disliked strangers under the best of circumstances. These were not the best of circumstances. "I don't know who your friend is, Ana, but if she's comin' we gotta go. Now."

Kaz moved towards the imposing... whatever he was and the doorway behind him. As she went to brush past him, Zara's small hand reached out and grabbed firm hold to the man's long moustache. She kept moving until she felt the girl tugging away from her, then turned and saw what she'd done.

"Zara, you let go right now! We don't have time for this!"

"Uh-uh."

"Right! Now!"

"Uh-uh!"

Kaz barely suppressed an expletive.

"Come if you're comin'!"

Ana looked at Kaiya and smiled as she indicated the door and the ship that was now landing right on schedule as if Ana were waiting exactly for that moment.

She then turned and began to leave the Kitchen for the ship this phase of her life over and a new adventure beginning.

As she pulled her hood up over her long brown hair Ah'treyuu caught a glance at her blue eyes. Eyes locked on each other for a brief ever so brief moment and as they did Ah'treyuu was able to sense the great depths of the force in those eyes, sense the calm nature of an order now gone from the universe.

The deep sense was there and then the young human woman pulled the hood over her head and her eyes were lost as she moved past him in an unhurried though brisk manner heading for the ship with the young child and two other women following in her wake.

Leave a little opening for Ah'treyuu to have a reason to come beyond the childs insistence.

[Mutie Scum]

Ah'treyuu still felt the temptation to try and find Norgill even when told by that impudent Twi'lek that wasn't a possibility. The child however was different. Whatever he sensed in the girl, she also seemed to know how different he was. The two were related if he guessed the resemblance and mutual protectiveness correctly.

GO WITH THEM, HURRY!

It was a 'voice' in Ah'treyuu's mind, strong with the Force but fading. Some presence was gathering them all together, protecting them, but for what purpose.

But concentration was broken when powerful blaster fire made divots near them. The approaching TIE fighters were at the most extreme of ranges but desperate and closing...

OOC:
I. My apologies for the delay.
2. This free-form prologue is coming to an end. This is a mini-post to aid that. I appreciate the help other PCs have added to speed this along. I have handled this beginning clumsily and I hope to improve the flow of the game once y'all leave Veridia.

[Atreju]

Ah'treyuu

The big Anzat stepped sideways to allow the, "Wait, this isn't the normal kitchen staff." he thought to himself. "I recognize the little and big Twi'lik dancers but who are all these other,..." As he was about to open his mouth to ask them what was going on...

Kaz moved towards the imposing... whatever he was and the doorway behind him. As she went to brush past him, Zara's small hand reached out and grabbed firm hold to the man's long moustache.

Normally, pulling on any hair from an Anzat would mean certain death for the puller, but there was something drawing him more than the physical little tug.

She kept moving until she felt the girl tugging away from her, then turned and saw what she'd done.

"Zara, you let go right now! We don't have time for this!"

"Uh-uh."

"Right! Now!"

"Uh-uh!"

Kaz barely suppressed an expletive.

"Come if you're comin'!"

Yes, an opportunity to leave. This may be what he has to do. He does, after all, have much knowledge on locations of Jedi temples and their libraries that he had served at in the past. Knowledge of the location of several hidden bases and Kyber crystal mines that the Jedi use to secretly send the initiates to so that they could get started on their lightsaber construction and training.

And he knew that the Empire had ways to break even the toughest of creatures, maybe with the exceptions of a Jedi Master, but he was no Master, and no Jedi. He should leave, but...

As she pulled her hood up over her long brown hair Ah'treyuu caught a glance at her blue eyes. Eyes locked on each other for a brief ever so brief moment and as they did Ah'treyuu was able to sense the great depths of the force in those eyes, sense the calm nature of an order now gone from the universe.

The deep sense was there and then the young human woman pulled the hood over her head and her eyes were lost as she moved past him in an unhurried though brisk manner heading for the ship with the young child and two other women following in her wake.

Those eyes... he recalled in his studies, since he had never seen this in person, that the Sith's eyes would take on a certain look due to how they commanded the Dark Side of the Force. The Dark Side would make its user pay a price for using it, and the SIth all had a certain look in and around their eyes. With all his work in the temples he had met and worked near so many Jedi that he thought that he began to notice something different about their eyes, no matter what species the Jedi were, there was something about a pure Force users eyes.... much like those eyes!

Hm, he should leave, this could be where his destiny lies for now, but he tried to calm his emotions and think rationally. If he didn't have a check on his emotions he thought it may make him an uncontrollable hunter like the vast majority of his species.

GO WITH THEM, HURRY!

It was a 'voice' in Ah'treyuu's mind, strong with the Force but fading. Some presence was gathering them all together, protecting them, but for what purpose.

Instantly his memory took him to Coruscant. There in the library, between studying for pleasure and working on some minor maintance needs on the protical droids and some of the libraries computer systems. His maintenance work was done, for now, and he got back to his beloved books. The majority of books in the Jedi Temple's library were digital, but there was a small section that had physical books, like the one he had now. "Collected Poems, Prayers, and Meditations on the Force" edited by Kozel Pel, Disciple of the Whills graced his huge hands. He has read it many times before but this time he was working on memorizing and meditating on this proverb from Sajar Ohmo who was from the Clan of the Toribota. He read it again:


In darkness I fol-
low the light and find my way
to the beginning
again,
and again,
and again


It was at that moment he heard a similar voice in his head, warning him that something was happening at the Jedi Temple, some danger and he had to leave immediately. So without question he gathered his books, mostly in digital forms, put them in his bag and sped off to the nearest shuttle. From a distance he could hear blaster shots and screaming, lightsabers zipping around and shutting off. War had made its way to the Temple. Normally he would stand and fight but he has heard similar warnings like this before and now knew better than to disregard them. So he left, and never stepped foot on the Jedi Temple in Coruscant again. The night of Order 66 was the last time he ever would.

But concentration was broken when powerful blaster fire made divots near them. The approaching TIE fighters were at the most extreme of ranges but desperate and closing...

Again, he knew commands like these had kept him safe in the past so he was determined it was again the right thing to do. Trust it. Follow the light to a new beginning. Without anymore hesitation and with much hope filling back up his twin hearts, he went with them, silent for a moment but finally speaking in a calm that contradicted the surrounding chaos, "Ohhhh kay... yah,... yah, I can be of uh uh service-cah."

[Spectrum]

Kaiya Asiedo

Kaiya arches a slender brow as she gazes at the Anzat. A pause, her fingers tightening on Ana's sleeve, a single finger and then two. Her eyes not leaving Ah'treyuu, a look of recognition, a caution. Never let a predator see fear, but a wariness, an acknowledgement of the danger that the race represents.

A soft voice, a rare tongue, one shared with Ana, <<That man represents a great danger. Trust cannot come easily.>> Is it ironic that a spider can sense another? A bit of hypocrisy? From what Ana knows of her, can Kaiya be trusted any further?

If the Force can be read within one's eyes, what does that say of Kaiya's twisted ways? How dangerous is she in her ignorance?

But another nod as she prepares to board the ship, to flee, to escape.

What is it that they bring with them?

[catsi563]

Ana Tathis

The fighters swarmed overhead laying fire down that hurried her along. She thought for the briefest of moments about slipping the handle of the lightsaber at her belt into her hand to attempt to defend the group boarding the ship but at the last moment decided against it and made to hurry everyone along.

"Last call were leaving now!" her voice was raised enough to be heard over the roar of the ships thrusters but remained calm as she helped Kaiya, then Kaz and Zara, and lastly the Anzat on board the ship where an older model Astromech droid beeped and whirred excitedly at them.

She did linger on the ramp for a moment more as she concentrated on the force and let it flow once more. Two heavy bags of local flour floated into the air unnoticed by the crowd which was scattered by the incoming fire. She grunted with the effort and then threw both bags into the air letting the force guide her throw. The bags collided with one of the Ties incoming blaster fire and exploded into a cloud of brownish white that briefly obscured the ship.

She smiled She knew it wasn't much but it might give them just enough room to get airborne as the fighters wheeled around. She closed the ramp and made her way to where the ships turrets would be.

"Get us out of here now!" she yelled up front as she climbed up the tower into the seat where the ships turrets where she took a seat and put on the headgear that would allow her to communicate with the other turret and the cockpit.

[Mutie Scum]

With a boom and glow of light, the mysterious ship took off from Veridia's plains, heading for the Galaxy above. The strangers aboard barely had time to ponder at what improbable Force brought them together.
_______________________________________________________________

Down below, that same mysterious presence guided Liira and Starstrider through the secret tunnels under the square that had recently served the others so well.

YOU ARE SAFE NOW...

Starstrider wasn't his name but the old con artist now faced a voice in his mind. There was no trick that could make that. "I did not believe before. But now I do." He said with reverence. Liira held his hand. There was much to do now to help Veridia to survive its occupation. But the mysterious voice had given assurances, even though it was fading. Liira looked at the receding ship and hoped that they would all meet again.
_______________________________________________________________

Preparing for battle, the ship passed practically through a squadron on unprotesting TIE fighters. Against the odds, the ship was soon enough in orbit. And the hyperdrive computer begin its calculations. TeeZee whistled almost humanly at their incredible luck.

I REST NOW.

It was their mysterious guide, leaving them from an exhaustion it could not hide.
_______________________________________________________________

Aboard the great Star Destroyer, the ship was overlaid with many targeting icons and crosshairs. Itchy trigger fingers instead tapped and drummed, wondering why the order to simply obliterate the grubby little freighter had not been given. The Admiral had simply stated that the ship bore an Imperial transponder and was not to be impeded.
_______________________________________________________________

On Veridia, Grand Moff Falgrimm was questioning the various armored figures and bounty hunters. He was not pleased. "What do you mean, hijacked? How could they have got the access codes?" His aide was frantically trying to contact the fleet up above.
_______________________________________________________________
The Admiral insisted on having the order double-checked, risking the Grand Moff's wrath. The ship was hijacked and now this was only discovered but a few moments before the ship would lead into hyperspace and safety
_______________________________________________________________
As the hyperdrive computer was gradually changing holographic symbols from red to green, the Imperial fleet opened up with ion cannons and redirected TIE fighters....

OOC:
1. My apologies for the delay and my constants thanks for y'all's patience.
2. This is one of the last posts in this freeform prologue. All are aboard this strange ship and heading for Hyperspace. All of the NPCs left behind on Veridia have been guided to safety from the Imperials by the mysterious presence that has been guiding you all (as It informs you while fading away). They may yet return to the game later if there is demand enough.
3. The ship is (as the PCs will learn soon enough, they might already suspect) a covert Imperial craft, using the cover of a battered space freighter. It is rare but not unknown for the Empire to use stealth rather than overwhelming force. If it seems improbable that an Imperial craft could be stolen so easily, remember that you all had the help of a Force-ful presence and, in the Star Wars setting, it is almost comically easy to 'liberate' Imperial craft.
4. The Imperial ship has a secret transponder that grants it safe passage through Imperial space. But having now been outed as hijacked, the transponder will be flagged as stolen and will not work again (at least without some modification and planning).
5. Now alerted to your theft, the entire Imperial fleet is trying to capture you (which is why the Star Destroyer is using ion cannons and tractor beams, rather than turbolasers). But informed so late, the Imperial ships are at the most extreme of ranges and the pursuing TIEs are sacrificing accuracy and safety for the speed to intercept you.
6. In short, after a pitched space battle, you will escape into hyperspace. The next post is a character moment. There are two turrets and enough forward weapons that everyone who wishes to fire ship's weapons can. Dirk is probably busy just evading fire. There are a lot of character moments that can be had aboard ship.
7. Once in hyperspace, the characters will realize that they are safe and the ship will at least make it to a faraway port for repair. This is where the character awkwardly make or rekindle friendships. They are aware that a mysterious presence has brought them together and that might count for something. If you don't know what to do in this scene, don't worry, the plot will carry itself.
8. After that, extra experience will be passed around and we will decide how much time has passed. Fully-statted characters will be created (if not yet done) and vetted and a real adventure will begin.
9. Questions, just ask. I'm sure I have forgotten something...

[Corrigon]

Dirk Thrumbar

"Somebody get on the other turret," Dirk shouted down the intercom, "we have incoming."

He directed the shields to the rear, hoping to keep the Tie Fighters from getting in front.

"I bet you an oil bath that I will have had to do 6 dives and spins by the time you get those hyperdrive coordinates ready." he bet with TeeZee as he put the ship into a dive, as Ion Cannon blasts narrowly missed them.

[MissRo]

Kaz Trisst

Kazmine had never been a spacer. Most of her life had been spent in and around the twisting alleyways of Nar Shadda, the rest hopping from planet to planet as little more then a passenger. She knew she was of little use in the cockpit, no matter how much she wanted to talk to Dirk... thank him. There'd be time for that once they'd gotten clear of all this mess. They would. She knew he'd get them through it.

Still carrying Zara, she made for the ship's common area while it rolled and pitched as Dirk employed his evasive maneuvers. She plopped the child into a seat, and buckled her in with a safety harness. Zara was unusually quiet, as if her thoughts were still somewhere back on the planet. There wasn't much to say anyways; this wasn't the first time they'd had to pull up stakes and run on the fly. They both knew the drill by now.

Kaz took a seat and buckled herself in. She wasn't in a particularly chatty mood, just going over and over in her head 'How do I tell him? How do I tell her?'.

[Atreju]

Ah'treyuu

Dirk Thrumbar

"Somebody get on the other turret," Dirk shouted down the intercom, "we have incoming."

Without thought the Anzat pounced into action and clearly spoke, "On it, captian!" His speech was the only thing that gave away how much adrenaline must be flowing through him right now. Indeed, they must be in some kind of danger.

Questions began to plague his mind as he made his way to the turret. Why did I get on this ship? Could there still be a Jedi or two left in this big galaxy? How long until they are back on a planet? He didn't much like being in space, he felt so disconnected during his times of meditation if he wasn't around organic life. Or, it could all just be in his head. He had heard and read the teachings from various Force users, scholars, and zealots on how the Force flowed through the living... not much of that in space. How much longer can my body take this action and restlessness? He could feel himself not at peak strength, remembering he had already put in a near full cycle of manual labor. But this wouldn't slow down his trigger finger.

He'd already been in scores of escort missions over the centuries. Having sat behind so many different types of turrets, he was sure this one would work like one he'd known in the past. He looked at it and said, "Dank-ah dank da Force-cah!" He got behind the turret and second nature took over. No time for questions now. He let loose on those tyrants... the Empire!

[Mutie Scum]

TeeZee didn't even time to 'blow' an electric raspberry at the overconfident Dirk as the ship spun and whirled in and out of blaster fire. Kaz and Ah'treyuu were spitting fire back at their many TIE pursuers, swarming at them like metal insects. Ana and Kaiya helped out where they could when they weren't bouncing off of bulkheads.

They should have been dispersing shrapnel or tractored into a Star Destroyer's belly, awaiting torment and execution but instead they had not been attacked until the last few moments before the jump to hyperspace. At this extreme distance, even the faraway Destroyer's turbolasers were merely shaking the ship rather than atomizing it.

The moment finally arrived. Dirk and TeeZee raced to activate the hyperdrive. They could later who won the race. With a rush and boom, the ship reached a speed this universe could not maintain. But the smoky blue of hyperspace could. As the whirl and smoke of the hyperlane filled the cockpit's windows, Veridia might as well have been a memory.

The danger and subsequent adrenalin rush were both fading away. Now what was left was the awkward sentences and the even more awkward silences.

And in that silence, Ana and Zara heard the tiniest sigh of relief through the Force and then silence.

_____________________________________________________________________

Now back aboard his Star Destroyer, Grand Moff Falgrimm stared at the empty space where his promotion should have been. Instead he cursed and stated simply, "Inform Lord Vader that we have found a disturbance in the Force." And then he whispered low enough for the junior officers not to hear, or at least to plausibly deny. "And then we lost it..."

OOC:
1. Again, sorry for the delay. This effectively ends the freeform prologue. Although you may wish to have some quiet time getting to know each other in Hyperspace and beyond.

2. The IC action will begin again some (game) time in the future. This could be any where from a week to a year and anything in between, whatever period is long enough for the characters to realize they should hang together for the indefinite future.

3. In that interim, here are some things likely to happen.
a. The PCs will realize that they are hunted by the Empire. The Empire has very little information about them. As long as they try not to draw attention to themselves, they can hope to be safe.
b. Their ship, now renamed the Crying Dawn (along with other carefully cultivated identities and transponder codes) will be discovered to be an Imperial covert ops ship. It's access codes are now known as false but the ship still has secrets. Crying Dawn has many capabilities and is just shy of Millennium Falcon in impressiveness. 'Dawn may yet have secrets not discovered.
c. Zara will grow in Force skills. Ana and, to some degree, Ah'treyuu will probably her develop her Force skills as best they can. Dirk, Kaz and Kaiya probably help just by being there. Zara will not be very powerful in the scope of this game but an adult Zara might even challenge the Emperor. Worse still, the Empire will try and corrupt her into a Sith apprentice if they can, which might be worse than dying.
d. The characters could be trying to keep a low profile to protect Zara or even find the fledgling Rebellion. Either answer might make sens depending on circumstances. The characters may have had to turn to minor grifting and crime to survive. Think of Han Solo or the crew of Firefly's Serenity; good folk in a bad way.
Let me know what you think has happened in the interim.

4. The tiny sigh of relief was a shout-out to Obi-Wan's ghostly sigh of relief after Luke torped the Death Star. It was more obvious in the novelization than the movie.

5. Let me know what I didn't explain very well or answer at all. I know I've missed something.

[Mutie Scum]

THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED, CHANGING THE PLANET CORUSCANT TO THE RING OF KAFRENE.

It was said that no one ever truly reached the bottom of the Ring of Kafrene. There might have been no bottom to reach. It could be that the core of the dead planet was just another chamber and if you descended far enough you would find yourself of top of the tallest spire on the far side of the planet.

In any case, Zara couldn't remember even seeing the bottom of Kafrene, looking down was just looking into layers of older construction until the distance simply blurred with distance. On other worlds, and even young Zara had seen a few, there were mountains, valleys and caverns. Here, there were mountainous ranges of buildings, valleys of gaps between megastructures, and there was only steel and lights were the suns should be.

Right now, suns and stars were memories to Zara, or only seen in blue-tinted holographic miasmas. At least she had memories of skies, some of the poor wretches below had never even seen the sky. At least it was never boring. There was always something to see or someone to meet. Today was proving to be no exception. A small group of humans and humanoids were traipsing their way across the underscraper, a downward pointing tower sprouting from a kilometer-wide factory spanning a canyon-sized smelting pit.

While the newcomers were as many and varied and people could be, almost half of them carried filled backpacks with a perishable symbol on them. The other half had various weapons which even young Zara could identify. The latter half seemed to guarding the others on their journey. Zara was about to introduce herself when an armored stranger stepped out from behind some machinery.

"That's some nice merchandise you've got there. Let me make an offer for it." The distorted voice said. One of the people with a backpack said, "They are just Bantha steaks, two credits each. Nothing special."
"Nothing special doesn't need an armed guard, friend."
"Well, since we have an armed guard, why don't you move along."
"Actually," the stranger said, "they are my armed guard."

At this, the guards pointed their weapons at the porters and their cargo in an act of betrayal. Zara crouched down, hidden in one of the tiny ventilation shafts she was small enough to fit into. It would be smart to leave things alone, to go away before she brought this trouble onto herself and her loved ones. But her teachers told her that a true Jedi was her choices before her powers. She scuttled off into the darkness.

It wasn't long before she found the Crying Dawn, nestled between close enough foundries an ersatz landing pad had been erected between them. The rent was cheap and the Jawas didn't ask many questions, at least not questions most could understand. Zara ran into 'Dawn's lounge and called everyone there. "There's folks who need our help..."

OOC:
1. My sincere apologies for taking so long to reply to you.
2. This is the first actual encounter using the rules. As I am a little (OK, a lot) behind, you can 'make up' any stats needed while I catch up on character creation.
3. It has been some time since your escape from Veridia. The time can be as much as a month or a year as suits. Your characters have been jumping from system to system trying to avoid the Imperial authorities. It doesn't seem like you are that suspected or hunted but why take chances?
4. You've eventually came to Kafrene, a Galaxy into itself, and an easy place to hide even though you are sharing the planet with the Emperor. It's been fairly easy to get work or live. It's been like New York City after hours, you're never bored.
5. Ana, A'treyuu and Kaiya have been training young Zara in either the noble Force or survival skills that might work when the Force doesn't. The characters are staying low in the meantime. If there is a link to the fledgling Rebellion, the characters haven't yet found one they can trust.
6. Zara wants her guardians to help save those poor porters. Now it may seem that this is none of your business and better them than you. But there is no neutral stand of a young Jedi, even a tiny padawan.
7. This encounter should be easy. The robbers are low-rent to say the least. But this encounter leads up to something. If the characters do try and save the porters, they will find them being shaken down by the guards.
8. Questions, just ask...

[Spectrum]

Kaiya

Kaiya glances up from her report.

"Hello pada-whine (sic). Is this any way to come home? To scream to the halls? Not even a proper hello, it is a pleasure to see you again Lady Aseidu?"

It was difficult to deal with such a free range child, so little control, all around her being so permissive.

"And is it the proper way of the Force (a slight grimace) to involve oneself in the lives of others without proper consideration? Emotion is the foe, the mind killer, is it not?"

[catsi563]

Ana Tathis

Breath

Breath slowly control yourself

Breath is life and where there is life there is the Force.

No emotion, just peace

the words a steady mantra in her mind as she stood on one finger her body straight up in the air. Her blue eyes were unfocused seeing out past stars and nebulae and galaxies feeling the flow of the life energy around them. Her long brown hair hung down in a loose tail as she extended one hand to the side, her legs spread out in a near split making her balance all the more precarious.

But she held it focusing on her breathing letting the force guide and sustain her.

No ignorance, just knowledge

Around her five crates of different sizes floated up from the ground. As they did the crates slowly moved through the air arraigning themselves from largest to smallest, and began to stack themselves slowly and carefully one on top of the other.

No passion, just serentiy

She became aware peripherally of Zaras voice calling out but she set that aside for the moment intent on the work at hand, steady in the moment, this moment here no other.

No Chaos, just harmony

And as the last box came down on top it made a scrunch sound before it toppled off.

Ana grunted and caught it slowly raising it to its position and replacing it back on the stack she was building. Landing on the stack it teetered a bit but finally settled and she let loose a breath she hadn't realized shed been holding and bent over backwards in a manner that would have caused males of several species to notice appreciatively as she stood and then stretched out her arms and back and legs.

She took a towel and wiped away the sweat on her face and smiled she was improving, a long way to go to be sure but improving steadily. Now to see what her way ward student was on about.