Jedi Praxeum

Aurora stood and waited, greeting a handful of Padawans and Younglings as they approached her and answering their questions as best as she could. She didn't expect a great deal of recruitment to come of this venture, but at the very least, the offer had to be made. When the last few had left, Aurora found herself alone save for a young, green skinned Mirialan girl. Aurora gave a bow in return, listening then as the girl introduced herself as Synala Narz
I can't say I knew Master Gokana, but his loss is a tragedy... As for joining the Jedi Lords, there is no real... standard way. But that is very much what I am here for, helping figure that out. We'd want to test you and see just where you are in your training compared to our program, but you'd likely be sent to the Great Library, where our senior students study. From there... Well, it will depend upon how well you perform as to whose interest you catch. There are a number of good masters at the Temple itself, but we Lords and Ladys are also always looking for students to train ourselves. Some to join or lead our armies, and others to eventually inherit our titles one day. So long as you are serious, then we can begin organising a path for you, one which I would be happy to help guide you along...

Mastery of the Force as a Jedi was a pretty life long commitment to training and refinement. While it was true that older inductee's could still become quite skilled in the ways of the Force, those that had dedicated their lives to the Jedi were going to be much stronger in most cases. Synala reminded Aurora a little of her own past and experience. She smiled as she shifted down off the little raised stage area and did a circle of the potential future recruit to the Jedi Lords
We'll take you to the Library and you'll be put into a combat scenario where you can show off your combat skills. So where has your training focused so far? The Jedi Order does have a number of specialities that a student can pursue, some focus upon the blade, others upon the Force, and yet others upon more exotic methods...

Aurora nodded along, listening and looking, already assessing Synala's potential. Her senses reaching out within the Force to study what she found there as well
Yes, I had heard some Jedi favoured the use of the Force over a blade, and yet others still preferred never to draw their blade at all... The former is a fine approach when your skill with the Force is advanced enough. But the latter is foolish idealism from a time when peace was believed to reign in the Galaxy...
A perhaps slightly more civilised time, though the truth of the matter is that a number of Jedi were more likely to go missing. Such idealism these days was misplaced. Sith, as scarce as they had become, were vicious killers. Dark Jedi lurked about in the shadows. and both the Knights of Ren and the Imperial Knights would gladly cut down any that stood in the way of the Empire. It amused her to think those two Orders of so called Knights disagreed so much, when they were both murderers, leashed to their Emperor's Will. Her thoughts circled back to the present as Synala seemed to ask Aurora about her own speciality
Whilst my powers are refined from years of practice, my skills lay with that of the blade...
She flicked the activator switch in her gauntlet and a blue blade burst to life as Aurora came to a stop in front of Synala
I grew up fighting a guerrilla war upon Serenno, bringing justice to those that killed my family and that of my Liege Lady. The Force enhances my skills in this area, but you have come to the right place for blade work...
She deactivated the blade and lowered her arm then
Need some breakfast before we head off?

Berfen slightly frowns that the young Initiate didn't have the chance to marvel at the work of Ossus's restoration. The Mon Calamari would gesture to a class, just off to their right, which seemed to be discussing agriculture and animal life. With the revival of Ossus, it had become imperative that the Jedi Lords have a dedicated department towards the caretaking and nurturing of the planet. Certainly, the Neti, Ysanna, and Yuuzhan Vong would have done plenty in seeing this project fulfilled, so the High Lord felt it right that the Jedi have dedicated persons and groups that would aid in keeping the planet vibrant and as a paradise.

=Berfen=
As you can see, Initiate Giovane, the planet is nearly a third restored!

The instructor of the class was showing holoimages which indicated areas that were already seeing a full restoration. Holovideos revealed planet life and animals moving as crews had been sent to record the progress thus far and examine the achievement first hand. It was still very much a ways off, but the Yuuzhan Vong, under the Master Shaper Yim, were very diligent in their efforts.

=Berfen=
The Yuuzhan Vong even dedicated the last of what they call a Dhuryam, a bioengineered lifeform that will serve as the World Brain of Ossus. It is a coordinator of immense intelligence that is working in seeing the planet revived. Truly, such a gift is most generous of them to see our endeavor come to life.

Berfen looked at the holoimages for a moment longer before addressing Brielle once more.

=Berfen=
We are still working on building upon the curriculum here, but it is making progress. We have even gotten flying lessons that may be helpful, if you so desire, Jedi Brielle. His Lordship certainly wants the Jedi to be capable starfighter pilots, like the legendary names of Luke Skywalker's New Jedi Order.

A sigh left Synala's lips. Master Gokana was certainly one who would prefer the Force over the blade and he might even come under the category of those who wouldn't ignite the blade at all. She had rarely been taught anything combat based by him and even on missions she had only seen him once use his lightsaber and that was only because she would have died if he hadn't. "I agree. That ideology is commendable morally but in reality it doesn't help anyone. In fact the opposite. More people would likely suffer and die if the Jedi didn't fight for what was right"

This way then...
The pair of Guards fell in step as Aurora accompanied Synala from the meeting hall and through the Praxeum to one of the dining halls. Not having eaten before her trip to the Praxeum, Aurora collected a tray and got some food dished out and lead the way over to the table reserved for Masters to use on their visits. She motioned to the seat next to her for Synala to join her
Let us eat, then you can collect any of your belongings and we'll head for the Library...

Location: Knossa (Ossus) | Jedi Praxeum Grounds | Exterior Gardens

Callused hands sank up to the elbow into the soil of the Praxeum gardens located behind the main building. Shaper Adept Atara Kwaad, a Handmaiden of Yun-Ne'Shel the Jedi younglings had taken to calling Professor Mcvongall, rooted around in the dirt with her five digited shaping hand until she felt what she was looking for. Slowly she extricated her bare corpse pallor limb from the ground and turned over her palm, revealing in her hand several squirming grubs.

"Ewww!" Collectively groaned the class of Jedi Lordlings standing in the garden around her. They were none to impressed by their teachers practical demonstrations. Lil Lady Gemma Sorha, an aldar originating out of Riverswift Hall, especially didn't like bugs.

♪♪ "Now, now." ♪♪ Chided Atara in her melodic take on Basic. ♪♪ "These grubs are helping to replenish the soil. Years of exposure and neglect has led to a severe depletion in mineral and nutrient concentrations. With the assistance of our little friends here..." ♪♪ She held up the wriggling worms in her palm. ♪♪ "...we can create a more fertile environment to encourage growth and new life." ♪♪

The class was well aware of the Handmaidens philosophy and beliefs at this point. Atara was a pretty standard example of their religious doctrine and creed. They believed all life was sacred and were sworn to do no harm. While most of the Handmaidens resided in the Gardens of Yun-Ne'Shel where the largest examples of the Yuuzhan Vong's efforts to terraform the planet were taking place, the adept here had always held a fascination with infidel culture. Perhaps not to the same extent as Master Shaper Mira Yim, but her curiosity had been strong enough to convince her to accept a teaching position at the Praxeum.

♪♪ "They are also quite a good source of protein." ♪♪ She said, before plopping one of the grubs into her mouth. "Ewww!" The class said that a lot. Professor Mcvongall smiled warmly at the child, her light blue eye sacs puffing beneath her cerulean blue mqaaq'it ocular implants that seemed to shine with an inner light. ♪♪ "Alright class, that's enough for today. Read chapters seven and eight of the text and be sure to have your papers on my desk by tomorrow morning. Class dismissed." ♪♪ She chuckled as she helped some of the littler ones put on their backpacks, before sending them scampering off back into the Praxeum. When they were gown, Atara raised her hand to her mouth and spat out the uneaten grub. She prodded it with one of her unaltered fingers. ♪♪ "Thank you for your cooperation, my friend." ♪♪ Her lightly tattooed brow furrowed. ♪♪ "You didn't think I was actually going to eat you, did you?" ♪♪


Giggling musically to herself, the shaper adept left the garden and headed towards a large shady tree overlooking the rolling highlands in the distance. Up until a few months ago the terrain had been somewhat desolate, but now everywhere she turned her attention, the planet was green with life. Sometimes she swore she could feel the gentle pulses of the World Brain through the blades of grass beneath her feet. Finding a comfortable spot at the base of the tree, Atara took a seat and retrieved her qahsa personal device from within the folds of the loose set of robeskin attire she was currently wearing, fashioned similarly to Jedi robes. The Handmaiden tapped away on the screen, going over her lesson plan for the next day.

Brielle follows Berfen's gaze as the Mon Calamari nods towards where a Yuuzhan Vong is wrapping up a lesson with a group of younglings, which, while she has missed the lesson for the day, bodes well for her chances to meet a Yuuzhan Vong during her stay on Ossus. Returning her attention to Berfen as he describes some of the things that the Yuuzhan Vong has been teaching at the Praxeum, Brielle nods in agreement with his assertion that the Praxeum is fortunate to have the opportunity to learn what the Yuuzhan Vong have elected to share, "I think it would be quite fascinating to learn more about their culture and technology, and would like to have the chance to attend some of the lessons, if possible," she adds, not sure as yet whether or not her time and instruction here at the Praxeum will be structured or left up to her to pursue as her interests dictate, and supposing that, should the former be the case, it cannot hurt to indicate where her interests lay.

Looking up with Master Berfen as a shuttle approaches the Praxeum, Brielle smiles in reply to Beren's explanation of who is arriving on the shuttle; one of the reasons she had been looking forward to participating in the exchange program between the Jedi academy on Corellia and the Praxeum here on Ossus had been to learn more about the Jedi Lords, their teachings and perspective on the Force, and the arrival of the High Lord suggests that she may have just such an opportunity sooner than she had anticipated. "I would very much like to meet the High Lord, Brielle tells Master Berfen, adding in light of the fact the High Lord's agenda might not allow for such a meeting to take place at this time, if and when it would be most convenient for him, of course."

Followed after Lady Valhalla, glancing at the two guards who accompanied them. They didn't bother her , after all she had spent most of her life in the Jedi Order. Once they reached a dining hall Synala picked up a tray and fell into the queue for food. She picked a spiced soup and sat down opposite Aurora. There were a couple other Jedi sitting on the table and just by looking, Synala figured they were Masters. She brought up a spoon of soup as the Lady spoke and she nodded.