An Elegant Weapon of A More Civilized Age.
| An Elegant Weapon of A More Civilized Age. | |
|---|---|
| Date of Scene: | 16 December 2023 |
| Location: | Jedha |
| Synopsis: | Imoen consults Master Varric Sov about the loss of her lightsaber... |
| Cast of Characters: | Varric Sov, Imoen |
- Varric Sov has posed:
After Varric had heard of Imoen's loss of her lightsaber?
...He wasn't as mad as she may have thought he would have been. Notably though, he still gave her a good scolding for losing her lightsaber and putting herself in harms way. "You are to alert me when you go on your escapades. What if you were killed? What if you were captured?" Course, Varric has his ways if she were captured, but he wanted to put the fear of the Force into her. AFter a far longer moment, Varric takes a deep breath. "You were good to help your friend. But there is such a thing as overconfidence, my young padawan. Exercise wisdom in the future. Now come, there is somewhere we must go: The Festival of Balance is occuring in Jedha, and we will be in attendance for more reasons than honoring the Holy City."
And so, Varric Sov had brought Imogen aboard a transport vessel, where they swiftly made way to the Holy City of Jedha. Items and artifacts of significant historical and Force-preservational value are found in this place. Truly in all the galaxy, only the Jedi Temple itself on Coruscant may even come close. "Here you will meet Force Sensitives and Force worshippers from all walks, all orders. Those of the Matukai in particular are in good number here." He guides Imoen to conversing with several orders and individuals, including members of the Matukai and members of the Sorcerers of Tund, for instance. On that first day, he had sent Imoen away to learn about the artifacts and independently 'mingle', to call him should she have a need while he attended an important meeting.
But on this second day of the Festival? Varric is within the Kyber Crystal mines with Imoen in tow. He leads her to a natural vein, where the miners do not tread. "This is the other reason we have come here. It won't do to have you be without your lightsaber and the time has come to craft a new one."
- Imoen has posed:
Imoen has been taking the loss of her saber pretty hard - at least, after the chastising she received from others for such a humiliating oversight. It didn't help that she lost the saber on a mission Master Karina warned her away from joining, nor that she arrived back with a partially ruined tunic and tabard. To Varric's scolding, she responded by keeping her head down with sheepish regret, cringing at the questions that failed to spring to mind in the moment of her escapade. It was with surprise and no small amount of self-deprecating unease that she learned they would travel to Jedha together. The sort of thing she dreamed of, and yet she felt apprehensive. Did she really deserve what felt like such a grand treat? "Are you sure, Master?" She couldn't help but add a little stifled excitement at the prospect, hesitating to believe it true. She fell into a rigorous routine of self-improvement after that conversation, all but locking herself away in the testing chambers in order to prove to herself that she's still worthy of being a Padawan. Especially Master Sov's Padawan.
Upon the day of their departure, she packed her bag until it was practically bursting with everything she could think to bring - a spare set of robes, a couple civilian clothes, snacks, a datapad installed with a Jedha almanac, some Jedi romances, and miscellaneous texts on ancient civilizations to preserve her studies while abroad. On the first day, she allowed her enthusiasm to override her reluctance and eagerly encountered every order or tourist destination that could be packed into a single turning of the Pilgrim Moon. She met the suggested Matukai, the Sorcerers of Tund, and many more besides. By the end, she could barely remain on her feet, collapsing into bed after little more than a necessary light dinner.
The second day, she talked her Master's ear off about the experiences she earned on the first day, hardly keeping in mind the placement of her feet as they eventually arrived in the Kyper Crystal mines. Standing by a natural vein, she again inquires, "are you sure, Master?" Blue eyes flicker down to the vein, pursing her lips. "I lost the saber in my recklessness. I should have been more cautious. More alert. More aware of the Force and its warnings, instead of distracted by Mandalorians and my fear of Melina's status..."
- Varric Sov has posed:
Varric knows of the price of losing a lightsaber. Of course, he had been given a full briefing of Master Karina's interaction with Imoen by the Master herself. In a way, it helped him prepare for what was certainly a possibility. What saved Imoen was her ability to accept the punishment, to accept the scolding. If she had resisted or given him attitude, it's highly possible she would be going far longer without a lightsaber as a lesson in deserving it. But her self-depreciation added to Varric's clear disappointment was a far greater punishment than the Knight could give her. Yet, Varric had a heart and he understood the reasons why. Perhaps that was the true reason. Even as she questioned his reasoning for taking her exactly where she wished to go, Varric simply looked upon her.
"Despite the actions taken, there's great need to be on Jedha at the moment." He had smiled at her. "Trust me, it's necessary for you to be there." Of course, despite Imoen's desire for self-improvement, she often found herself in the company of her Master as he watched her forms and training with a careful eye.
He's just as invested in her growth as he is in her present.
As they walked into the cave, he had listened closely to her experiences of their first day in Jedha. He doesn't mind it when she talks his ear off, in fact he finds it as proof of her investment in what he's showing her, what he's teaching her. She questions him again. He's not a teacher who grows frustrated at questions. In fact, he's the kind of teacher who encourages them. Always. Questions are a proof of a philosophical and creative mind.
So he answers them.
"Imoen-"
He turns to face her, his hands clasping in front of him as his robes shroud him. "Regardless of your actions, you demonstrated my teachings. You were smart. You lived. You protected others in the meantime. You defended yourself and protected life above all else. A lightsaber is a small price to pay for your safety. You have learned your lessons and strived to improve upon your shortcomings. Even working with an enemy in the Mandalorian for the purpose of the greater good is an important lesson. An enemy yesterday is a friend today. You proved you can operate with a group, that you can be diplomatic and talk down your enemies rather than suffer only the sting of their weapons." Varric tells her with a kindness in his blue eyes, his features softening as he regards his padawan learner.
"For recklessness you lost your lightsaber. It will be with great care you craft a new one. But first...the crystal."
Varric gestures with his hand in a sweeping wave and they all illuminate in all of their colors. Most of them are shades of blue and green, but some of them are in shades of yellow as well. With some digging...she might even find a rare one.
- Imoen has posed:
Imoen felt a little emotionally fragile for at least some time after losing her lightsaber. It was like losing a friend. Sure, she only had it since elevating from a youngling to a Padawan, but that also meant she had the precious weapon ever since elevating from a youngling to a Padawan - and it was gone now. From the point of its loss to their journey to the Kyber Heart, there was a marked decrease in her flights out of the Temple. She gratefully took her Master's advice and soaked up his wisdom during training sessions, and struggled to leave time between training or meditating to feed herself or sleep properly. She probably lost a few pounds in that time, but strived to gain it all back in muscle. The certainty and confidence in her Master's voice for her to be on Jedha with him caught her a bit off guard - was there a greater reason than travel and attendance at the Festival of Balance? In any case, a wisp of relief entered her mind - the trip wasn't all for her own selfish curiosity.
The way her Master asserts her name, Imoen faces Varric with attention and focus, expecting weight and significance in his words. The speech fills her with joy, and tears spring from her eyes. She didn't expect that level of kindness. The base of a palm presses to her face, both hiding and nudging away the embarrassing droplets. "Yes, Master. Thank you." She bows low, only to rise in wonder, blue eyes sparkling, beneath the variegated shards of kyber chaotically - and yet beautifully - lining the walls. She draws in a gasp of delight, bright reflections calling out to her in numerous forms. "May I?" With his leave, she steps forward amidst the twinkling gems, running her hands gently along the cavern walls. Not the sort to stop at the beginning, she wanders into the depths of the cavern, searching for a crystal which might sing to her the loudest.
- Varric Sov has posed:
Emotional fragility was natural after incurring such a loss. A lightsaber was not only a friend. It was as though it were an extension of a Jedi. Their most personalized object. Their most prized possession in their minimalist lifestyle. To lose it is to lose a piece of oneself. To lose it is to lose a part of a sacred lifestyle.
Yet, Varric is not lying a single moment in his words. He meant everything he had spoken and as she had started to cry a little in the midst of her joy, Varric returns the bow she gives him in honor of what had occured between them. Trust grows. He looks around at the Kyber crystals that shine and echo in the Force. "You may." Varric permits his student and stays where he is so she may walk amongst them.
"Remember. The right crystal will call to you." Varric declares, then he falls silent. Perhaps this was a test in and of itself. It's a new beginning. A new lightsaber. Perhaps a new style? Perhaps a new color?
The possibilities are endless.
- Imoen has posed:
Imoen smiles at her Master for affording her the ability to explore the caverns, thankful and aware of the honor he provides. She steps carefully through the tunnels, running her fingers idly along the roughly sloping rock and ocassionally making contact with a brilliant gemstone. Most feel cold to the touch, their surfaces discordant with her presence in the Force. Some might suggest the idea of heat, and yet only superficially reflect the energy she exudes. Throughout it all, she asks, "tell me again how you found your own crystal, Master?" She stalls near a crystal, running her thumb over it, only to elicit a gasp of unexpected pain, as if burned. She pulls her hand away, examining her digits for any sign of harm. With a pensive expression, and after another long moment, she brings her thumb closer again, though not so close as to touch it. Even at that distance, she feels the warmth of it, and yet it strains and struggles. It sends out a long, almost anguishing whine. There's a starburst of cracks at the center, as if on the very verge of shattering from some prior collision. As the other crystals hum and shine in color, so too does this one - exhibiting a prismatic yellow, rich oranges delineating the veins of damaged kyber.
Looking over to Varric, she gives him a hesitant grin. "What do you think, Master? Is it sound enough to extract without falling apart?"
- Varric Sov has posed:
Varric watches, patiently, calmly as Imoen walks through the cavern, looking at the gemstones of brilliant kyber. "Even the strongest stars burn with hearts of kyber." Varric smiles. "You will choose a crystal...and the crystal will choose you." he echoes into these hallowed halls. Yet, he's given a fair question: how did he find his crystal? Varric chuckles for a moment. "I found it during my Padawan trials on Ilum. I went with my Master, Kublai, and he observed as my class went into the caves."
He considers for a moment. "I was normally first in my class. Like you I was adventurous, even a little reckless. In those caves I was confronted with my fears and dread. With my weakness...and I was given a choice: run from it or embrace it and rise above it. I chose the latter. My crystal was unique though. A lovely shade of purple glowed in the heart of the crystal itself and it became the core of muy lightsaber." Varric tells the story, yet as he does so, he can't help but notice that she burns herself a little on hte crystal. It's a burning heart, for certain, yet what it burns /for/ is for Imoen to decide.
"Hm. I don't see why not. Give it a pull. The Crystal meant for you will easily flee from it's home into your grasp. But beware, it may also be testing you."
The crystal hums with energy, with /life/. A prismatic yellow that calls to the very depths of Imoen's spirit in the Force.
- Imoen has posed:
"Your lightsaber is beautiful, Master. I'm sure the crystal in its hilt is just as exquisite." Imoen listens to his recounting of retrieving the Ilum gem, though a certain measure of regret laces her interest. "If only I kept my last crystal until I was a Knight like you. If ever I have my own Padawan, I will have to admit to my loss and accept what comes from that revelation in my Padawan's eyes." She grits her teeth, the shame and sadness briefly returning. She closes her eyes, allowing the emotion to run through her, accepting it, and then sending it away through the Force.
Blue eyes open and she, tentatively at first, extends fingers towards the sparkling jewel. It's not just warm, but hot, and the sensation makes her hesitate. She pushes forward anyway, and levels her digits across the surface of those orange and yellow hues. Pain scalds at her touch, and she hisses from the contact, but she barely needs to dig against the bordering stone around it before it all but leaps onto her outstretched palm. The sensation heightens, nearly to the point of agony, and she cries out, but the jewel stubbornly refuses to fall away. She lowers to one knee and her other hand curls around her straining wrist, muscles tense and skin quickly reddening. She could swear smoke or mist rises from her palm, the iridescent rock surely searing flesh from bone. Its multicolored and corrugated exterior brightens to a blinding shine, eradicating the darkness of the Kyber Crystal Mines all around. Tears spring to her eyes, her heart races in her chest, and distress flashes through her mind.
Crumpling to both knees, she sits back and clutches her burning hand against her side. She forcibly disconnects her other fingers from her wrist, so that she might attempt to pluck the stone away, but it refuses to budge, only serving to prick heatedly at her skin. She relegates herself to enduring the pain, riding the waves of suffering with gasps and wheezing exhalations. At a certain point, she looks up beyond tear-streaked cheeks at her Master, as if intending to say something, but then surprise contorts her features. She glances down, noting the luminosity of the jewel gradually dampening. It dims with every passing second, and so does the blazing heat roasting her palm. Eventually, it settles into a softer light, and the heat ebbs to just below discomfort, still sharp and reminiscent of its potency. Breathless, her head tilts up again, and she notes, "well." She wipes her free hand against her face and sniffles, scrubbing away the tears. "This is certainly nothing like my first crystal."
- Varric Sov has posed:
"Thank you for thinking so." Varric remarks softly, a kind smile on his face as he observes Imoen. Though....he notices the regret on her features. "Everyone makes mistakes, Imoen. Even Knights are not infallible. Even Masters are not Infallible. When you have a Padawan of your own one day, you can choose to tell them this story. And if you're lucky...they will mimic your ability for heroism. Though perhaps, they will be easier to find." He chuckles a little bit, crossing his arms over his chest.
But then...she's going for the crystal. Neither of them aware that the crystal has it's own test for Imoen. Perhaps the burning is a purification. Yet even as Imoen receives the crystal and it latches onto her palm and starts to burn her, Varric stays exactly where he is. He seems ready to intervene as soon as she calls for help. But he cannot interfere in the Will of the Force. The brilliance of the crystal itself causes Varric to briefly lift a hand to cover his eyes as if to shade them from the blinding light. The darkness is eradicated for a long moment.
Until....Imoen collapses to her knees and keeps that now-cool crystal in her palm. Slowly now, Varric approaches, slowly taking a knee beside her as he looks upon Imoen's face, a hand lifting to help wipe the tears from her face. "You passed the test." He looks at her hand now. "You won the battle of wills. And here you thought you weren't worthy to possess another crystal."
- Imoen has posed:
Wincing her eyes shut as Varric helps to wipe away the tears, Imoen then peers down skeptically at the crystal still held in her grasp. She tries plucking it away from her palm, and this time, she manages without any real sense of pain. Holding the jewel aloft, she examines it curiously. It's more spherical than she had expected, and it isn't merely cracked at its front. The crack runs unevenly throughout - or perhaps it's better described as an uneven sphere of cracks and ridges - more akin to a glassy ball that imploded inwards, yet it retains its shape without shedding a single iota of material. "It's still warm..."
Her head ducks to investigate the damage to her palm. It's a little red, but there's no evidence of broken skin or charred flesh. She flexes her hand experimentally, confusion and surprise knitting her brow. "The kind of pain I felt. It doesn't make sense. It's as if it never happened." Whatever the reason, her digits curl fervently around her new kyber crystal, cracked though it may be. "I won't lose this one. Not ever."
Closing her eyes briefly to sear those thoughts in her mind like the crystal seared her palm, she opens them to a new chapter in her life. "Thank you for bringing me here, Master Sov." There's a small smirk pulling at the corner of her lips. "Do you speak from experience, knowing so much about foibles, Master?"
- Varric Sov has posed:
Varric seems to smile a little bit, watching as she manages to pull the crystal away from her palm without effort. He looks at the jewel, tilting his head softly. It wasn't cracked in one place, per say. It was cracked /everywhere/. Potentially, it could mean it's energy is unstable. Yet...it looks as though a sun. "Hm. Your lightsaber will need to be carefully built. It burns hot, much like a star." He looks at her palm for a moment, a smile on his face. "The Force moves in mysterious ways. Perhaps it was meant to find you and you were meant to find it." He chuckles softly.
"And of course, the Force sometimes moves through false illusion. Pain, yet no scar. No burn. Just a nice red mark as though he had touched a hot pan." He chuckles momentarily. "Not everything does. Not everything has to." Make sense. Yet, Varric seems to chuckle. "Then you have learned your lesson to it's fullest." He starts to rise to his full height. "Of course. This journey was not for me. It was for you." Though as she asks him if he speaks from experience, he nods. "Of course. More than you can possibly understand." He starts to laugh a little bit. "And you will make your own fair share."