One with the force

[Onewthfrc]

Hope Stormbringer grew up on Dantooine in the hills overlooking some ruins. Hope's mother, Janice Stormbringer never allowed her to explore the ruins, telling her that monstrous creatures lived there. Hope and her mother lived alone in a cabin, living off the land. They lived like hermits, Hope's mother did not allow her to venture far from the cabin due to the dangers of the wild animals. They had a handful of droids, five in number, two of which tended to crops. The other three were armed with weapons, one of which was named HK.

 

As soon as Hope grew old enough to walk, her mother began to teach her about the force and the Jedi. Hope took to her teachings quickly, for she was strong in the force. Hope quickly learned that her mother had been a Jedi Knight and had fought in the last war. And on the Hill overlooking their cabin there was a lone grave, on its marker the name of Kika Carr. Hope's mother told her that the grave belonged to her sister, who had died in the war. Hope's mother made sure that the grave was tended to and clean of weeds.

 

As the years passed by Hope grew older and stronger in the force, she excelled at moving objects. She surprised even her mother with her strength in the force. Her mother found it harder and harder to hide her thoughts from Hope, as she seemed to be able to read her thoughts. Hope told her mother that she could see the force, but her mother did not believe her. Hope could actually see the flow of the force, she could see it flow through and around everything around her.

 

One day Hope practiced her force sight while she was blindfolded and had wondered a little too far from the cabin. Several bandits attacked her, she saw them come near even though she was blindfolded, she drew the flow of the force into herself. And instinctively released the force she had collected as a wave of force knocking the men from their feet. She then force leapt into a tree where she waited and called for her mother. Soon Hope's mother and HK came to the rescue, the bandits fought her mother but were quickly dispatched by her light saber. Hope's mother was surprised at her story of how she got into the tree, since Hope was only eight years old.

 

Hope's mother had taught Hope the use of a light saber, however Hope could move objects with a mere thought, objects larger and heavier than her mother could even move. Hope had turned twelve years old and Hope's mother knew that the time had come, that hope needed to go to the Jedi Temple for training. Hope had become too strong in the force, and the guidance of many masters would be of benefit to her. She knew hope had trouble controlling her emotions that when she was emotional or threatened she would draw the force and then release it.

 

The time had come and Hope's mother finally told her the truth. Hope was her adopted daughter, that Hope's mother had died during childbirth. That the grave was that of her mother, Kika Carr. Her mother had been a Jedi Knight and had became with child. That they had come to Dantooine to hide from the sith and the imperials. Kika Carr had been like her sister, and that she had promised to raise Hope as her own daughter. Hope felt that her mother was not telling her everything and she asked what she was hiding. Kika Carr had been a Miralukan, those born without eyes, able to sense their surroundings through the force. Hope had been born with sight, but she could sense and see through the force easily as one with sight. Hope asked about her father, her mother refused to answer, telling her it's best that she does not know. Hope asked her, "Why is my skin different than yours? Only after you get a sunburn does your skin look anything like mine!" Hopes mother told her that that was enough, that they had to leave and travel to Tython to go to the Jedi Temple. Hope cried, her entire life had been a lie. Her mother hugged her and told her, "You are my hope and dreams. You are my daughter no matter what anybody tells you, I will always love you! You are Hope Stormbringer."

 

Hope and her mother packed up their belongings and left with their droids. They traveled across the countryside to a small encampment where the local farmers came to trade. There Hope's mother talked to a smuggler who agreed to take them to Tython on her ship. Her mother would pay which crystals taken from a nearby cave, hope could see and feel the force from the crystals. During their travel to Tython Hope's mother told her, "You must have patience with the other's at the Jedi Temple, none of them will be as strong as you are in the force. You must control your emotions. Remember there is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no death, there is the force. Remember your teachings and remember the Jedi way and remember you are good at heart." Hope kept to herself during the trip, her mother continued to check on her. Her mother continued to shield her thoughts from Hope, and Hope could sense that. Soon they arrived at Tython, Hope was amazed at the number of people. There were more people here than she had ever seen in her whole life. Hope followed her mother to the Jedi Temple, Hope was amazed at the number of people training in the Jedi way. They entered the Jedi Temple and went up stairs to the doors leading to the Jedi Council, where her mother spoke to a young man and robes. " Young man can you let Master Satele Shan know that Jedi Knight Janice Stormbringer request an audience with the Jedi Council." The young man quickly answered, "Yes, but she is Grand Master Satele Shan." As he ran off and disappeared. Hope looked at her mother, "You know the Grand Master, mother?" Hopes mother smiled, "We were once good friends, but that was many years ago." After a short wait the doors to the Jedi Council opened and Hope and her mother entered.

Edited April 19, 2013 by Onewthfrc

[Onewthfrc]

Hope and her mother entered the Council Chamber. Hope was amazed at the Jedi Temple's grand scale, everything was so beautiful. Hope walked behind her mother, she could see several Masters who were present and several others were on HoloNet. She stood behind her mother, as she took it all in. The first person to speak was Grand Master Satele Shan, " Janice Stormbringer, we believed you were dead all these years." Janice smiled, "It is good to see you too, Satele. My congratulations on you becoming a Master and the Grand Master at that." Satele smiled, " Yes it's been many years. Has it been 12, 13?" Janice replied, "It's been 13 years, Satele. I have come to ask that my Padawan here, be taken in by the Jedi Order for training."

 

A Master with salt and pepper hair stood up, "How dare you show yourself here, of all places! After you turned your back on the Jedi Order! You are no longer a member of our Order!" Satele snapped, Master Vortag, when was Janice expelled from the Jedi Order?" Master Vortag stepped back, "Satele, she should have been after she followed Master Dar'sool on his raid!" Satele replied, "It would seem that the Council would decide that! Janice, why did you go against the Council's wishes?" Janice stepped forward, " I followed Master Dar'sool willingly. We were doing the right thing in rescuing Kika Carr." Master Vortag turned towards her, "The right thing! She had turned Sith and was an Apprentice of the Emperor! The Council had forbidden you from partaking in your plan of rescue and with good reason!" Janice lowered her head as she answered, "Yes, you are correct, but it was the right thing to do! We rescued her and she returned to the light side. Master Dar'sool sacrificed himself allowing us to escape. We hid on Dantooine, near the ruins of the Jedi Temple. It's disturbance in the force allowed us not to be found." Master Vortag sat back down, "Kika Carr survived?" Janice looked at him, "Yes, but she is no longer with us." Master Vortag looked down at the floor, as he was visibly shaken, "How did she die?" Janice answered him, "She died shortly after childbirth." You could almost cut the silence with a light saber, as everyone in the chamber turned their attention to Hope, who was standing behind Janice Stormbringer.

 

Master Vortag stood up, again his rage plainly showing, "This girl is her daughter?" Janice defiantly answered, "She is my daughter now!" Master Vortag started to rant, "She is not your daughter! She is an abomination! She is the spawn of a Dark Lord, she may even be the Emperor's own! She has no place here! She should be eradicated before she infects the other Padawans! Satele stood up, " Master Vortag! That is enough! That is not the Jedi way! You have let your emotions control you!" Master Vortag relented, "But Satele, we..." Hope turned towards Janice, " Mother, who was my father? Is he right?" Janice looked into hopes eyes, "Hope, I'm sorry I never told you. Your father was a purebred Sith, your mother never told me who he was." Master Vortag looked to all the other Council Members, "All of you can feel this girl's strength in the force, her father had to be a Sith Lord of great power. She must be watched closely for any indication of the dark side like her mother! This is no place for her!" Satele turned towards him, " Master Vortag control yourself!" Hope stepped forward looking at master Vortag, "You loved her! You loved my mother, but she betrayed you and became Sith. She hurt you, I can feel your pain and I'm sorry."

 

Master Vortag turned away lowering his head, as everyone in the chamber looked at him. Satele regarded Master Vortag, " Master Vortag is that true?" Master Vortag raised his head and answered, " I had feelings for her once, but I repressed them as any Jedi should." Satele stood up, " Master Vortag, I can see this Padawan will test your self-control. You say she needs watched. And I can think of no one else who can do that, other than you, Master Vortag." Master Vortag looked at the other Council Members before he answered, "Yes Satele you are correct. If she is to remain here, I shall watch her like a hawk for any sign of the dark side!" Satele smiled, "Master Vortag I'm sure that you and your new Padawan shall learn from each other." Master Vortag looked at Hope, "Satele... I will if the Council wishes..." He looked at the other Council Members as they nodded in agreement with the Grand Master. Master Vortag conceded, "It would seem that I have a new Padawan."

 

Janice finally spoke up, " Masters, I would take my leave. For I have unfinished business to attend to." Hope turned towards Janice, "No mother! Don't go! You don't intend on coming back!" Janice looked at Hope, "Oh Hope, I can't hide my thoughts from you anymore. Don't worry about me, I will be all right. Just remember, I will always love you and I will always be with you." Hope was in tears, she knew this was the last time she would see her mother alive. Satele turned towards Janice, " Janice what are you intending to do?" Janice smiled, "Satele, let's just say that the Council does not need to know. What I intend to do will protect Hope and the Jedi Order. Farewell my daughter, my Padawan, may the force be with you." Hope wiped her tears away, "And with you too, mother." With that Janice Stormbringer turned and left the Council Chamber leaving Hope behind with her new Master, Master Vortag.

[Onewthfrc]

Hope left with Master Vortag, he took her to the dormitory set aside for the Padawans. There she was given a bed and a place to put her belongings. Master Vortag told hope that he would see her in the morning, and that she should get her rest, for she would need it. He gave her instructions on where to go in the morning for her class. Master Vortag left Hope alone as she finished unpacking her bags. Hope thought about her adoptive mother, Janice Stormbringer. How she had left her here by herself, and had gone off with the droids to who knows where, not planning on coming back. Hope sat on her bed and cried, she had no control of what was to come, she could only trust in the force.

 

Soon the other Padawans came into the room, they all gravitated over to Hope. Each one introducing themselves to Hope, and she was amazed at how many there were. Hope wanted to get to know each one of them, most of them were human but many of them were not. Hope herself appeared to be human with her black hair and sunburned skin. Her green eyes with flecks of yellow in them, she was a very pretty girl. Hope soon forgot her problems, as she was happy to meet the other Padawans. Soon all the Padawans prepared for bed, as did Hope. Hope laid on her bed as she reflected on her life and how it would change. She finally drifted off to sleep, before she began to dream.

 

Hope sat up in bed and looked around and saw the other Padawans still sleeping, however she knew she was not alone. That's when Hope saw her standing at the foot of her bed, she had always known her as the watcher woman, always in the shadows, always there. Now Hope knew who she really was, she was her mother, Kika Carr. Hope called out to her, "Mother, I know it's you." And her mother smiled at her before holding out her hand as she spoke, "Hope you must come with me." Hope quickly got up out of bed as she stepped over to her mother and took her hand. Hope looked back and was amazed as she saw herself still asleep in bed, and with a flash they were gone.

 

Hope realized that they were someplace different, very different. She looked down at her bare feet that were in sand, sparkling white sand, that was alive with the force. Hope's mother led her into an arena that was made of stone, it was plain nothing like the Jedi Temple. But hope realized it was a Temple, and she could feel she was being scrutinized, that they were not alone. Hope looked up and saw them hundreds upon hundreds of them, all Miralukan men and women. All of them in robes with their eyes covered, they were using the force to see, and they were all looking at Hope. Hope's mother began to speak, "Behold, she is our hope and our dreams. She who possesses sight beyond sight. She sees what others cannot, for she is the One! The One you have foreseen!" Hope turned towards her mother, but before she could say anything, they were gone in a flash.

 

Hope sat up in bed, her heart was racing about to leap out of her chest. It was all just a dream, but it seems so real. She looked around the room at the other Padawans, who were still asleep. Hope wondered what her dream meant, she wondered where the Temple was. She wondered, why was she the One? The One, what? Hopes thoughts raced through her head, but finally she went back to sleep. Soon the other Padawans were up and getting ready for their day. Hope was tired, since she only slept very little. As Hope tossed her blankets to the side, she couldn't believe her eyes. On and around her feet there was sparkling sand, alive with the force. That was impossible, it was just a dream, it wasn't real. But how could she explain the sand, how did it get here, and how was it alive with the force? Hope quickly gathered the sand and put it in a small container. It was only a couple of pinches of sand, but it was so very different from anything and she had ever seen before. Hope quickly got ready for her day, however she would make a side trip to the library and the archives. She would try to find out where the sand came from, if anyone could find out it would be the Jedi archives.

 

Hope quickly ran to the library with her sand in hand. She saw an attendant who appeared not to be busy, she walked up to him and asked. " Could you help me? I have found this sand and I would like to know where it came from." The attendant took the container of sand from Hope, as he told her. "I shall have it analyzed. My, this is odd sand, it appears to be touched by the force. It is obvious not from Tython, however I have never seen sand like this. It will take some time to analyze the sand. Do you plan on waiting for it?" Hope answered him quickly, " I'm sorry but I cannot wait, I have classes to attend to, is it okay if I come back?" The attendant smiled at her as he answered, "Of course you can come back, Padawan we do not intend on going anywhere." Hope gave him a smile and said, "Thank you for your help, I appreciate it very much. I will come back several hours from now when my class is over." The attendant then added, "By then I should have the results, I will look forward to seeing you." Hope quickly turned and left the library, she had to run to get to her class, just making it in time. She sighed a breath of relief, Master Vortag would not have been pleased if she had been late. However Master Vortag was not present, the class was being taught by another Master. Hope listened to every word the Master spoke, but she was amazed at the other Padawans in the class. She had grown up with only Janice Stormbringer, and meeting the occasional farmer or traveler on Dantooine. Everyone and everything else she had seen had been on the Holo recorder, she had studied everything she could. She had studied every language that she could, and everything about the Jedi and the force that she could. Everything this Master was teaching, Hope already knew, but she paid attention anyway. Soon the class was over and Hope quickly ran to the library to find out the results on the sand.

Edited May 24, 2013 by Onewthfrc

[Onewthfrc]

Hope entered the library and made her way to the attendant who she had given the sand to. As she approached him she could tell that something was wrong by the look on his face. That's when she felt his presence, it was Master Vortag. Hope turned and saw Master Vortag as he approached, the attendant quickly disappeared into the library. Master Vortag began to speak, "Padawan, I have waited for your return. Do you know who I am?" Hope did not know what he meant, but she could tell that he was plainly not pleased. Hope answered him, "You're Master Vortag, you're my Master." Master Vortag corrected her, " I am on the Council of First Knowledge. The Council of First Knowledge is responsible for the library and the archives. Did you know that your mother had been on the Council of First Knowledge on Coruscant? That is where she came across the Sith data crom that took her to the dark side. She stole the Sith data crom and was leaving Coruscant with it. When a foolish Jedi Knight tried to stop her. She nearly killed him, but she spared him out of mercy or pity. I bear the scars of that encounter to this day. And for my bravery I was given her seat on the Council of First Knowledge. I have seen what the dark side can do, Kika Carr is an example of that, and I fear you are too! Now you need to answer me truthfully! Where did you get the sand?"

 

Hope could feel the anger in him as she answered, "Master, I found it." Master Vortag's face turned red as he asked again, "Tell me the truth, where did you get the sand!" Hope was at a loss of words as she tried again, "Master you won't believe me if I told you, I don't believe it myself." Master Vortag demanded an answer, "You will tell me the truth and you tell me now!" Hope had tears running down her face as she answered, "Master, I had a dream and in my dream my mother took me to a Temple and the floor was covered in sand. And when I woke up I found the sand in my bed, I cann't explain it but that's the truth, I swear it!" Master Vortag shook his head as he added, "That's impossible, you expect me to believe that? The sand was taken from the Jedi archives on Coruscant during the sacking, how did you end up with it?" Hope pleaded with him, "Master, I'm telling you the truth I found it in my bed after a dream!" Master Vortag looked at hope before he spoke, "You honestly believe that, I sense no deception in you, that's impossible! The sand is called the sands of time and it came from only one location in the entire galaxy. From the Luka Sene Temple on Katarr, but it was destroyed 300 years ago. Not one stone was left standing and all the sand was turned to glass, when Darth Nihlus extinguished all life on the planet except for one, and she became his apprentice. The Temple had been called, the Temple of the minds eye. So you see there is no way, that even in meditation, that you could travel to a Temple that no longer exists. Hope agreed with him, " I don't believe it myself Master, but it is the truth as crazy as it sounds." Master Vortag told Hope, "The Jedi Temple will be keeping the sand that you brought here to the archives. I suggest that you hurry to your next class and that you learn as much as you can about the Jedi Order and the force. I shall let the Council know of this, for your sake, you better hope they allow you to continue here at the Jedi Temple." Hope could feel her Masters contempt, as she left the library and ran to her next class.

Edited May 28, 2013 by Onewthfrc