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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Before the Saga (UDC VIII) Nothing and Everything--Weeks 16 and 17 (10/30)

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by leiamoody, Apr 10, 2017.

  1. leiamoody

    leiamoody Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2005
    Title: Nothing and Everything
    Author: leiamoody
    Characters: OC's (Aduman Nical, Chevor Mikayzd, Naima Kairos, Nellith Kaido/Sibylla Orien/Lyra Melides [one soul, three characters], Zia Amopharis, plus other characters from different eras); canon characters when required by the story
    Timeframe: Primarily Before the Saga, with some timeslips into Saga
    Rating: Mostly G and PG.
    Genre: Who knows?
    Canonicity: Non-Canon (my AU GFFA with some Canon and Legends elements mixed in)

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Week 1: The Jedi and the Senator

    1. Valor


    “A noble knight seeks out the desired object of the fair maiden.” Aduman Nical, Jedi Knight, held out the amarna lily to the young Aeitheran senator called Naima Kairos. “And you deserve this precious blossom.”

    Naima laughed. “The Masters will be pleased you’ve plucked a flower from their garden.” But she accepted the flower from the young Jedi. “How else could you prove such courage?”

    Aduman bowed. “Perhaps there will be another unexpected occasion we might encounter each other. Then I can truly prove myself worthy.”

    “I shall call upon your bravery when it is required.” Then she laughed again.

    2. Honor

    “Just let that bastard say one more comment about us.” Aduman was headed to the door, ready to confront the Onderonian embassy aide who continued to harass Naima. The young upstart’s threats to investigate them for inappropropriate relations were dangerous. Not only would Aduman be forced to leave the Jedi Order, Naima might also be recalled back to Aeithera, or at the very least censured by the Senate Ethics Committee. Far more important than any legal repercussions was the potential for disgrace…

    Naima grabbed his arm. “It doesn’t matter. My reputation is not as important as you maintaining your sanity.”

    3. Sacrifice

    “We should run away.” Aduman flipped over on his stomach, disturbing the red sheets on Naima’s bed.

    She reached over and kissed him. “Of course. Let’s rush down to the spaceport right now and hop on the next freighter to the Outer Rim. Then we’ll find some little planet and set up housekeeping like good anonymous citizens.”

    Aduman frowned. “Why couldn’t that be possible?”

    Naima sighed. “We’ve given up our lives to something greater than ourselves.”

    “We can always become someone else.”

    “We can only remain ourselves.”

    “We are not bound by anything other than our convictions.”

    “You leave first.”

    4. Defeat

    That young troublemaker from the Onderonian embassy was vanquished.

    Aduman was delighted the most pressing threat to his secret romance was forced to resign due to various indiscretions with Coruscant’s “ladies of midnight”. It wasn’t scandalous for a member of the senatorial community to engage in certain indiscretions, although these acts were ethical violations and obviously illegal.

    It was not his patronage of those women which caused the man’s resignation, but his abuse of those women.

    Aduman should have felt shame at his small, anonymous role in the aide’s removal. But he only felt glee and pride. Certainly not shame.

    5. Victory

    “You seem awfully cheerful.” Naima pulled the bottle of red wine from the ice bucket. “Did you receive some kind of promotion?”

    Aduman shrugged. “It’s a lovely evening.”

    Her expression of evident skepticism suggested a certain level of suspicion at the true source of his good mood. But Naima chose to hand him the bottle rather than question him. “This is difficult to open.”

    “Perhaps I should use my lightsaber?”

    “Why don’t you just pop the cork with your mind?” Her smile indicated she knew the truth about the recent situation, but chose to keep silent and enjoy the moment.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Aduman Nical and Naima Kairos are characters that appear in the incomplete story Another Reality.)
     
  2. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Wonderful to see you back in action and taking part in the drabble challenge—these look to be off to a stunning start. I'm enjoying reacquainting myself with your characters; I remember Aduman as Chevor's teacher, and that he had indeed engaged in a romance earlier in his career; it's very cool to learn more about that romance here, and I like how you've woven the story through the five prompts. Beautifully written, as always, with that perfect dash of snark to spice things up ("You leave first" and "Why don't you just pop the cork with your mind?" [face_laugh]). I think I may have at least a guess about Aduman's "promotion," though I'll wait patiently and see what the story itself will have to say about that. ;)

    Mighty fine work here, and again, it's great to see you back. @};-
     
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  3. Ewok Poet

    Ewok Poet Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 31, 2014
    Oh, wow. This kind of starts as the PT story and then takes a whole new direction. I loved the scene of "popping the cork with one's mind" at the end and the whole flirting dynamics is enjoyable. :) Glad that the Onderonian can be gotten rid off when necessary.

    This was priceless, too - if it was meant to be funny, at all.

    And the whole dialogue in the third drabble got me interested. My guess is that, if things start becoming problematic, they will have something to do with Aduman and Naima's disagreement.

    That said, knowing that, when Aduman teaches Chevor, Naima is only a passing mention...I am a little worried.
     
  4. leiamoody

    leiamoody Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2005
    Thanks. :) This is the first time I've actually written in some detail about Aduman and Naima's romance, so I'm just hitting various moments in their relationship.

    Aduman's "promotion" was
    getting bumped up from Knight to Master, after he got assigned his first and only padawan...he never wanted a padawan, but he gets one anyway. It does work out for the best, although not in any way he could have imagined
    .

    Aduman and Naima's relationship is meant to mirror the one between Anakin and Padme in a precursor fashion. A preview of coming historic attractions, yet also another way for a Jedi to discover how to deal with loss instead of becoming swallowed up by the Dark Side.

    The line about Aduman's sanity is mostly serious, but also Naima's subtle way of reminding him the whole matter of the upstart Onderonian isn't that important in the grand scheme of things, at least not to her.
     
  5. leiamoody

    leiamoody Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2005
    Week 2: From Lyra to Lyra


    6. Name
    Lyra Melides stood on the cliff looking across the jungle. It was her first visit back to Xaan Doro in five years. The occasion for the visit was her brother’s upcoming nuptials.

    “Guess I’ll be the one to carry the Melides name into the future.” Jorash came up behind her to join in a perusal of the vista.

    “You’re not the Jedi who isn’t allowed personal commitments.”

    “You could always leave the Order.”

    She laughed. “You could decide to never get married.”

    Jorash grinned. “Not likely.”

    Lyra nodded. “You should become a Jedi in another lifetime. Then you might understand.”

    7. Title
    “Arise, Knight Melides.” The trilling voice of the aptly named Master Kestrel intoned the final words of the ancient ceremony that turned padawans into knights. On this particular day Master Kestrel’s former padawan assumed her new role as Lyra Melides, Knight of the Jedi Order.

    The young woman rose from her kneeling position on the polished marble floor. Now she could fully enter into the fulfillment of her destiny as a crusader for the Light. Perhaps she might also use her new role to better understand the strange memories that plagued her dreams and now interfered with her waking thoughts.

    8. Number
    In the space between the Living World and the Afterlife, the soul that recently inhabited the physical incarnation called Lyra Melides stood undergoing judgment.

    “During the eighty-five years of your habitation within the preceding incarnation, what do you consider the most important lesson learned?” the unseen voice inquired.

    “I accomplished my sole intention of remembering all of my previous lifetimes and accessing those memories.”

    “How will this increase your knowledge?”

    “By allowing me to go forth into my next incarnation with the ability to teach others how to remember their own lifetimes. I shall accomplish this goal within two lifetimes.”

    9. Date
    “On this day you shall come into life. Destiny calls you.”

    The former Lyra Melides stood next to her descendent and namesake. The former Lyra was taking on the unique role of sending off the future Lyra into her upcoming incarnation. This woman was destined to have one child who would become the leader of great endeavor that would help destroy the darkness that presently controlled the galaxy. The Melides line would die out with this future savior, the one to be called Jyn, but both mother and child would leave their marks on history and in the Living World.

    10. Legacy
    Lyra Erso (who was Lyra Melides until twenty minutes ago, when she exchanged vows with Galen Erso) smiled and kissed her new husband.

    Galen laughed. “I take it you’re happy.”

    Lyra smiled. “Blissful.”

    “What shall we do now?” His arm tightened around her waist.

    “How about going out for lunch?”

    “Anywhere in particular Madame Erso?”

    “Everywhere. As long as we are together.”

    “No matter where I go, you’ll follow me?”

    “To the end of the galaxy and back.”

    “Then let’s go.”

    The newlyweds exited the Sector Nine Registry Office, into the streets of Coruscant, toward their unknown yet hopeful destiny.

    This particular set of drabbles is a journey between the lives of Lyra Melides (a Jedi Knight who happens to be the nineteenth incarnation of the character who is later known as Sibylla Orien, an afterlife Force guide who appears in some of my other stories) and her namesake and descendent Lyra (Melides) Erso, who is the mother of Jyn Erso. Of course this is an AU version of Lyra Erso's background.

    The timeline of events occurs in the following years: 879 BBY (first two drabbles); 815 BBY (third drabble); 47 BBY (fourth drabble); 25 BBY (fifth drabble).

    The planet Xaan Doro is my creation, and details can be found in this fanon post.

    Master Kestrel is a Fosh, hence the reason for her being aptly named after a bird.
     
  6. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    A tale of two Lyras. :) Very cool dovetailing here of the Rogue One backstory with your own fanon lore. I like this AU on Lyra Erso's origins; it fits well with the character's established devotion to the Church of the Force and with the importance of Jyn's kyber crystal pendant. I love how ritual and ceremony of various kinds pervade this set—the knighting, the judgment/interrogation, the sending of the future Lyra by the former Lyra—and of course the weddings, both at the beginning and the end. (It's so sweet to see Lyra and Galen Erso as young newlyweds!) Of course given what becomes of Lyra only minutes into Rogue One, we know that another sending ceremony is not far off—so that as much as the two weddings adds a cyclical element here. (Which, of course, fits with the reincarnation theme in general. :cool: )

    I am curious about the "strange memories that plagued [Lyra's] dreams and now interfered with her waking thoughts" in "Title"—do those have to do with the Imperial future? With Lyra Erso's eventual death? With Jyn? With all of the above? I hope she will be able to find some clarity and resolution further down the line as she comes closer to her goal.
     
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  7. Ewok Poet

    Ewok Poet Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 31, 2014
    A masterful tie-in here. :) I did not realise what was going on until I have read the notes, but the idea of intrusive thoughts of past, present and future is splendid.

    Loved both Lyras and how they all come from the same immortal soul who already left her mark on the GFFA.
     
  8. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    I'm rather new to your world of OCs, but I wanted to dive in and read these anyway - and I'm glad I did! This is a fascinating world you're building; I really love the idea of following the various incarnations of a single soul, and seeing where that journey leads through the Force. It's certainly a creative backstory for Lyra! I particularly liked the correlation between Title and Date. Lyra trying to put a finger on just what her visions truly meant, to Lyra accepting the mantle of responsibility in her next life - that was fascinatingly done! I believe that has to be one of the most unique Force skills/presentations that I've yet to see in fan fiction. [face_thinking] =D=

    In the first set of drabbles, I liked the mirroring of Anakin and Padmé's relationship - history really does repeat itself, doesn't it? Though, it seems, with somewhat different outcomes. [face_thinking] I really like your Aduman, that said - his 'taking care of' the aide was very nicely handled. [face_mischief] But it was the dialogue in Sacrifice that really stood out to me in this set. Naima has a sharp mind, and I love her wit! That entire conversation was very deftly handled; you really managed to say a lot in a hundred words!

    I'm glad that you joined in on the challenge. I look forward to reading whatever you come up with next. :) =D=
     
  9. AzureAngel2

    AzureAngel2 Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 14, 2005
    I will try to catch up with your story about the two Lyras as quick as I can.

    First I need to do my award votes as long as my husband watches the Grand Prix/ Formula One on my parents TV, my father is busy in front of his computer, my mother does her magic in the kitchen & my elder brother is on its way.

    But I could not resist looking what you have been up to & now you made me curious. Thanks for the link!
     
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  10. leiamoody

    leiamoody Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2005
    Author replies are due, I know, but I wanted to get these up first while I remember to put them up...please forgive the irregularity.

    Week 3: The Master and Padawan

    11. Helpless
    "What are your views on life and death?" Master Aduman glared at his new padawan.

    Chevor tried to swallow away his nervousness. It was a strange first meeting, being held in a shadowed corner of the Archives instead of a more conventional setting. His new master had never been assigned a padawan, yet the Council (primarily Master Yoda) decided it was necessary for this strange/intense/questioning individual to have a student who needed guidance and assistance.

    Chevor didn't know how to answer the weird question in a respectful manner, so he could only reply: "I feel like I'm dying right now."

    12. Satisfied
    "So you're Aduman's padawan?" The senator in charge of the diplomatic group headed to Altiria/Anarris turned in the front seat to face Chevor.

    "Yes, ma'am." She was very pretty, and he couldn't help blushing.

    The senator, not much older than himself, laughed. "So much formality!" She reached out her hand. "I'm Naima Kairos."

    Chevor was briefly taken back by her informality. Yet it was nice to have her in charge of the treaty negotiations. "I'm Chevor Mikayzd."

    The senator shook the padawan’s hand. “I’m very pleased to meet you.”

    “Likewise.” At least she was easy to please, unlike his master.

    13. Enough
    "You aren't supposed to walk ahead of me," Aduman said to Chevor.

    Senator Kairos placed her hand on the Jedi Master's arm. "You need to stop being so harsh to him.”

    The padawan in question stood to the side with hands folded and head bowed. He still couldn't do anything right according to Aduman. Chevor made no attempt to engage with his master, neither to apologize nor make excuses for imagined misbehavior. Yet he received nothing but criticism from his master. It was kind of the senator to intervene, but something more permanent to alleviate his master's dissatisfaction seemed elusive.

    14. Non-stop
    Chevor stared at the stained glass ceiling. The green, blue, red, and orange mandala pattern hadn't shifted in the past three hours, nor had the gold drapes moved one inch since this current day of negotiations had begun.

    Nothing had progressed since the morning or the previous four days of talks. Yet across the meeting chamber Senator...Naima...sat at the head of a conference table going through the same list of talking points. Her persistence and patience could easily put the most dedicated Jedi to shame. Perhaps that persistence and patience might provide a breakthrough and the treaty could be signed.

    15. Burn
    Chevor stared out the viewport, mesmerized by the five gold and white rings that surrounded Fornax. He never expected to wind up here, particularly after concluding the mission on Altiria/Anarris.

    Master Aduman was still disappointed in the reality of a padawan.

    Yet Chevor was here at the location he most wished to see.

    “It’s extraordinary.” Aduman came up to stand next to Chevor. “I can understand why you’re fascinated by the rings.”

    The startled padawan looked at his master. “This was your idea? But how did you know-?”

    Aduman smiled. “Remember who is the master. I can find out anything.”


    Week 4: Force Forsaken

    16. Hunger
    Zia stared at the nerf steak smothered in an ivory cream sauce, surrounded by pink Ojomian onions and orange protatoes. Next to the dinner plate sat a slice of rose apple pie. The final piece of this meal was a thin-stemmed glass of Alderaanian emerald wine.

    It wasn’t fancy, but it was enough for a girl who hadn’t eaten in three days. Ever since she left the Jedi Temple a month ago, it was hard finding daily sustenance. So this dinner was like a banquet, and worth the forty credits she received after pawning the kyber crystal from her lightsaber.

    17. Thirst
    Zia stared at the holo of the sandy beach and gleaming blue sky that hovered over the outdoor kahveon. Her daily caffeine habit pushed her to this establishment and placed her within viewing distance of that holo. It was a painful reminder that she could not leave this floating ecumenopolis and find somewhere else to call home.

    She never had the chance to go offworld. Master Okari worked alone, and always left his padawan at the Temple instead of taking her on missions.

    This created an urge to see to see other worlds.

    But she was stuck on Coruscant instead.

    18. Itch
    Zia felt the weird tingle down her back like the instant sensation of a thousand prickly bugs crawling up her spine. She had severed her connection to the Force, yet that creepy sensation of danger coursed through her nerves again. That feeling never left her no matter ho much she was otherwise in the dark.

    It wasn’t as easy to leave the Force behind as it was to leave the Jedi Temple.

    But a sliver of danger sense wasn't quite the same as the fullness of awareness within the Light Side.

    Yet it would have to suffice in the present.

    19. Yearn
    She was back in the damned cave again-

    It’s just a dream. You’re really on the Rose of Shara and you need to wake up in two hours and get breakfast ready for three thousand passengers (said her inner self).

    Zia reached out in the darkness, searching for some illumination that could guide her back toward that source of Light that once guided her every waking moment.

    You cut that connection with the Force. It was your only way to cope with giving up and leaving instead of putting yourself through the Trials again-

    “Shut up.” (Said her outer self).

    20. Impulse
    “You work in the kitchen?” The young bandleader took another drink of champagne followed by another drag from the cigarillo. In the dim pink light of the grand ballroom he was oddly incandescent, yet every feature on him was dark: hair, eyes, and skin were in various shades of brown. He wasn’t her type, even though Zia couldn’t say what type of guy she might find attractive, considering she never developed any preferences in her years away from the Temple.

    Luz smiled. “Why don’t we go up to the lounge?”

    Zia bit her lip. “How about we go somewhere better?”

    These drabbles feature Chevor Mikayzd and Zia Amopharis, two OC's who appear in my story Epiphany.

    The following are from Legends canon, and not created by me: Altiria/Anarris*, Fire Rings of Fornax, Ojomian onion, protato, emerald wine.

    *Although I did create the part about a peace treaty between the warring nations.
    [/quote]
     
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  11. Sith-I-5

    Sith-I-5 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 14, 2002
    Week One was very good, a nice coherent story that made the Anakin and Padme dynamic your own.

    I learned what was admissable in the bedroom when your jedi disturbed the red bedsheets, and got kissed for his trouble.

    Good creations with the flower blossom, their initial flirting in the first drabble; pretty good overall.
     
  12. AzureAngel2

    AzureAngel2 Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 14, 2005
    Wow, I have a lot to read then. I hope I can catch up with all the links that you just provided but your drabbles were like appetizers.
     
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  13. divapilot

    divapilot Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 30, 2005
    Lovely seeing Chevor and axis again. This look at Zia's younger days, right after she left the temple, is poignant. To think that the meal was purchased with her pawned kyber crystal...:-(
    It's interesting how the sets mirror each other. Chevor's set deals with him learning to fit in as a pad away, and how he eventually seems to win over his master, while Zia's is how she learns to NOT be a Jedi anymore, how she leaves her master and has to face things alone.
     
  14. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Week 3: Wonderful to see Chevor back, though he's in a bit of an awkward situation here through no fault of his own; little does he know that the friendly senator he has just met was his master's sometime lover. :eek: The awkwardness of the situation seems to be rubbing off on Aduman too, making him crustier and more disapproving than usual even on top of his usual negativity about the whole unwanted padawan situation. Which Chevor no doubt senses even when Naima's not around—and not just in the Force, but in his teacher's whole attitude. Rough times for Chevor—especially once you throw in long hours of boring negotiations. (And very cool that the most patient person in the room is not one of the Jedi!)

    Week 4: Also wonderful to see Zia again, in this very pivotal period of her life. The pawning of the crystal to get the forty-credit dinner stood out as a poignant moment for me, too: Zia definitely intends it to be emblematic of her severing of ties with the Jedi and the Force. The fact that she's exchanging something so precious and permanent for temporary sensory enjoyment speaks volumes too, perhaps foreshadowing choices she'll make later on down the road (some of which seem to be hinted at in the last drabble of this group). In practice, though, she's seeing that that kind of thing isn't just black and white: the Force doesn't totally seem to want to sever from her yet, and she does seem in that fourth drabble to be having second thoughts about having made that break. Definitely many gray areas here for her to navigate among—though from your other stories I know she'll eventually find a path of sorts of her own.

    Thanks once again for sharing these, and I hope there will be more! :)
     
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  15. leiamoody

    leiamoody Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2005
    Author replies below:

    The story of the two Lyras came about because I already had the character named Lyra Melides (who happened to be a Jedi) before the character in Rogue One made her appearance. That background mentioned about Lyra Erso helped me to connect the characters, so to speak. The emphasis on rituals is something that I like to focus on because rituals are such a common theme in our lives, and mark not only important moments but important emotions.

    The memories that trouble Lyra #1 are memories from her previous lifetimes. It's rather complicated, but basically involves her trying to integrate all of these memories that are normally blocked. But she uses this opportunity to go ahead and integrate those memories so she can better understand the
    process of reincarnation that helps her later on in her final lifetime as Nellith Kaido and in her post-life guide role as Sibylla Orien.

    Glad the notes helped. It's all very weird trying to explain the chain of reincarnation in this particular situation. It makes a certain kind of internal sense. The transmigration of one immortal soul is never a smooth journey.

    I've always been interested in the concept of reincarnation, and wanted to throw my interpretation into my AU GFFA. The idea of an ancenstral soul is something that usually works on a collective level, but my particular angle involves a "shard" of the soul reincarnating into the descendent. (Weird, I know, and it needs to be explained in more detail).

    The relationship between Aduman and Naima is meant to be a precusor and mirror to the Anakin/Padme relationship. The outcomes are the same in that death of a loved one is involved, but the way the affected Jedi left behind respond to their respective losses is quite different.

    The Anakin/Padme dynamic is always open to reinterpretation, and my version works for me, so...

    The other details...well, I wrote them, and they worked for me, so again...

    Drabbles are quite like appetizers: tasty morsels that hopefully lead to tastier entrees. :p

    Zia, like any other person cast out of their old life, has to sacrifice everything, even those cherished objects considered valuable. Giving up the kyber crystal in order to purchase a meal is simply a necessity...it's not something Zia would view as tragic, not in the present. Eventually, yes, but only with the passage of time.

    The contrast between Zia and Chevor's experiences as padawans is one reason I posted both sets of drabbles. One manages to become successful after some struggle, while the other has to find her path and define her own life while trying not to remember who she could have been. (There is another reason, but that needs to be revealed elsewhere).

    Chevor's meeting with Naima was awkward, but it does lead to a good relationship, even after he discovers the whole truth about the nature of her relationship with Aduman. Chevor's relationship with his master, on the other hand, does require some more delicate handling. Time ultimately shifts the nature of that interaction, along with a set of circumstances that unites master and padawan in a quest for something greater.

    Zia's own journey definitely goes through its own twists and turns, and eventually leads to something greater as well.
     
  16. leiamoody

    leiamoody Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2005
    Week 5: The Knowing Soul

    21. Dinner
    Ophalin handed one slice of flatbread to his daughter. “Would you intone the benediction this evening?”

    Nellith filled their cups to the rim with metsima, then handed one to her father. “Shall I use the Old Form, Father?”

    Opahlin nodded.

    Nellith stood, placed her hands over the evening meal, and began to speak the ancient words of thanksgiving. “We are part of the Force. The Force is part of us. All living things belong to the Force. The Force belongs to all living things. One day everyone shall become one with the Force. But today we are one with Life.”

    22. Theater
    It was a twice-monthly occurrence for Nellith to leave the remoteness of the Whills sanctuary, travel on the ferry to Pannotia, and head into the capital to the Oceanic Holocinema on Vouroso. The features weren’t first run, but it didn’t matter. Being able to escape into other worlds created by others instead of being plagued by her interior visions was a blessing.

    Inside there was always a comfortable third row balcony seat, fresh cold tea and hot meat pies, and various kinds of boxed candy. (Her favorite was sparklemint sticks).

    It wasn't enlightening, but even a mystic needed some normalcy.

    23. Pint
    Nellith took another sip from the metal cup attached to the well. The Well of Ouill was sacred to the Vourosi; its water was considered "Force blessed," a notion that suggested that water was somehow infused with the Great Power. Water wasn’t alive, so it didn’t contain Force energy. But water reflected the Light Side back to all living things, becoming part of a link between the planet and imbiber.

    Nellith pulled out a pint sized drinking container. She always took some of the water back for the return journey and as a reminder of the importance of ancient sacredness.

    24. Shot
    "I've come to discover the truth." The historian downed another shot of metsima. "Your community is the most established-"

    "Second after the Temple on Jedha-" Nellith interjected.

    "Yes, true, although they no longer believe in life after death," the historian replied.

    Nellith leaned back in her chair. This woman, Belina Moirae, had traveled from Coruscant in search of "the ultimate truth" (her words). But her pursuit of immortality did not prevent her from enjoying the relative pleasures of life, as demonstrated by her enjoyment of the ultramarine colored liqueur. “Hopefully what you seek can be found here. Not just metsima.”

    25. Alcohol
    Nellith stared at the smoked brownglass bottle set into the silvery velvet interior of the black storage box. It was just one bottle, but it contained something sacred. One bottle from a total of twelve produced by the Order of Iziaka on Xaan Doro.

    This wasn't a spirit designed for perpetual inebriation, but was known as "Breath of Heaven", and was designed to provide the imbiber with heightened spiritual sensitivity. It was a rare delight, and cost more than she would normally feel comfortable spending on anything. But it was a pleasurable way to enhance her connection with the Force.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (I cannot get the Notes thing to work this week, so relevant information is posted below:

    These drabbles feature Nellith Kaido, a Whills shaman, during the course of her final physical incarnation (she was previously the Jedi Knight Lyra Melides mentioned earlier, and will become the spiritual guide Sibylla Orien who shows up later in my other stories).

    The following is from Legends canon: Sparklemint stick

    The following are my creations: Breath of Heaven (albeit a spinoff from the Legends creation) and metsima (details found in this post). Plus Vouroso.)
     
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  17. leiamoody

    leiamoody Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2005
    Week 6: In Dreams

    26. Dream
    Naima stared into the cup of sonhara. The mixture of ground sonhar herb, thanatoberry juice, and spring water was designed to place her into deep sleep. But she wouldn't be alone; this journey was meant to be experienced with a guide who would enter her dreams and help Naima understand the source of her strange and troubling memories. But she was afraid…

    “Would you like to end today’s session?” Yaquina the aident placed her hand upon Naima’s shoulder.

    Maybe she needed another day to get prepared? Yes?

    But if she waited any longer, she would never undergo the process. “No.”

    27. Stars
    Lyra opened her eyes and found herself standing in a field of stars...surrounded on all sides by those twinkling voices of the universe.

    Those crushing memories made it difficult to be a functional Jedi. This dream session would help uncover the source of those memories. So Lyra was now in two places; her body lay in a chamber in a sonharium while her spirit found itself in a simulacrum of a star field that was a starting point for dream excursion.

    A door opened in front of Lyra. She stepped forward, opened the door, the stepped forward into the unknown.

    28. Barricade
    Zia faced the gate fronted with seven iron bars. She was back in that cave where she always found herself, that limnal space between life and something else, but now she found a new corner.

    (Of course her body was lying in the sonharium, and was in the midst of a dream journey. But she was only in the second night, and had uncovered hidden sections of this cave. It was like the cave was expanding itself.)

    Perhaps her unconscious created this metaphorical cave, or maybe the Force guided its creation…that meant her connection to the energy field wasn’t severed.

    29. Rain
    Aduman looked up into the dark gray sky. A thunderstorm loomed on the horizon, and it would make sense to head back inside the sonharium rather than stand outside getting soaked with rain. He wasn’t due for another dream session until tomorrow, and there wasn’t much to do beside stalking the halls while trying not to focus upon the possibility of failure. It was unimaginable that he wouldn’t contact Naima…the reality of distance between them, separated by that insurmountable barrier between life and death, could not keep him from the woman he continued to love. Love must triumph over death.

    30. Home
    Yaquina Isoderi sighed as her tired body and psyche settled into the bathtub. Steaming water and powdered Esselian salt would heal her sore muscles and soothe her mind.

    It was always difficult coming out of a dream therapy session; walking through other beings’ dreams to help ease their emotional troubles could never be easy for the aident assigned to the supplicant. But it was a role she accepted years ago, and understood the consequences which followed all dream excursions.

    But it was always good to come home and release those negative emotions back into the accepting hands of the Creatrix.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    This set of drabbles is centered around the practice of dreamwork, which is a concept that I created. More information can be found here.
     
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  18. AzureAngel2

    AzureAngel2 Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 14, 2005
    I am seldom online these days, but I could not resist your drabbles. Both updates were really wonderful. Loved them! You created interesting OCs there.
     
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  19. leiamoody

    leiamoody Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2005
    Thanks. :)

    Now for Week 7...

    Week Seven: The Searcher

    31. Tangy
    “Miss, you will eat this?” The squeaky voiced B'trillan held up a green-yellow limu for Naima’s consideration.

    Naima wrinkled up her nose. “I don’t think so.”

    “Miss, you must eat, yes?”

    She nodded. It had been three hours since she landed on Vouroso. The meal served on the shuttle had worn off, and now she was hungry. But it was still ninety minutes until she arrived on Loroa, so the limu would have to work as sustenance.

    “Please take.” The fruit vendor handed her the limu.

    Naima accepted the fruit, then took a bite. The citrus taste flooded her senses.

    32. Sweet
    “Do you want metsima?” The Whills shaman called Nellith Kaido stood nearby with an empty glass and a bottle of something ultramarine colored in both hands.

    “I prefer tea for any initial meeting,” Naima replied. “But please save it for later.”

    The shaman nodded. “Good idea.” She placed the glass and bottle on a wooden counter, then went to the stove and picked up a copper teakettle. “Any preference for light or dark?”

    “What do you recommend?”

    “Something with the barest hint of sugar. It doesn’t make you jittery.”

    “Is something like that in the kettle?”

    Nellith smiled. “Of course.”

    33. Spicy
    “Where should I begin?” Naima stabbed her fork into the piece of salva encrusted roast kirim that Nellith had prepared for supper.

    “Which memory bothers you the most?”

    “All of them. I don’t witness separate memories. Everything is jumbled together, and it drives me crazy.” Naima shuddered. “It’s become impossible to separate one memory from another.”

    “Does anything stand out?”

    “Only that I’ve been other people besides myself.”

    “How did you come to that conclusion?”

    “Many hours overthinking the matter.”

    “You understand the source of the memories. And this realization has placed you into a different realm of necessary understanding.”

    34. Bitter
    “What do you feel while seeing the memories?” Nellith asked.

    “Confused. Lost. Trapped.”

    “Why do you feel trapped?”

    “Because I cannot understand where I am, or remember who I am.”

    “That experience is quite familiar. I was caught spiritual amnesia during the incarnation until I became aware of the Otherworld and reincarnation. I was overwhelmed by memories, but couldn’t remember who they belonged to.”

    “So you understand how terrible this experience has been for me over the last few months.”

    “I wouldn’t have been able to instruct others including yourself how to come through the experience and learn from it.”

    35. Bland
    Naima stepped away from the table. “I’m not hungry.” She moved over to the fireplace in search of some warmth.

    Nellith folded her hands over the cup of tea she had poured just after finishing supper. “I can understand. The bombardment by memories from all of your previous incarnations is terrifying.”

    “How did you manage?”

    “It was a complicated process that can help you, but will require instruction.”

    Naima chuckled. “Then perhaps I should eat something to keep up my strength.”

    “I would suggest a strong meat stock broth. Hardy enough to keep you going without making you feel ill.”
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Notes: This particular set of drabbles deals with Naima Kairos' desire to figure out the source of troubling images that have bothered her for some time. She eventually comes to realize these are memories from previous lifetimes (reincarnation is a central theme in my AU GFFA). She comes into contact with the Whills shaman Nellith Kaido, who also had similar experiences during her lifetime as the Jedi Knight Lyra Melides...her particular set of troubles will be covered in another set of drabbles.
     
  20. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    I'm caught up now, and so glad I am!

    5: There's such a lovely balance between metaphysical and physical existence here, between Nellith's visions and search for truth (and her role in assisting other people's searches) beyond mortality and the enjoyment of simple pleasures like movies, sparklemint sticks (to which I, as a person with a bit of a sweet tooth, say YAY), and fine spirits. The table blessing at the beginning is just gorgeous, and it fits in with that same motif, since such blessings are a way of sanctifying simple pleasures and bringing them into contact with the Divine. Ditto the Force-blessed water of the Well of Ouill; I like the idea of the water reflecting the Force back, even if it itself, being inanimate, cannot channel the Force. (And indeed, water's role in sustaining life furthers the Force as well.) The Breath of Heaven seems familiar; as I recall, you also have a story in which Luke and the other Rogues try that very same spirit, right?

    A wonderful set, and very fitting for an adept who will soon herself become a guide to others who are navigating between being one with the Force and one with Life.

    6: Wonderful exploration of your Dreamwork fanon here. Love that it turns out to be a common experience for these four very different characters—and that we get to experience the viewpoint of Yaquina, the aident, as well! I can see where it would be pretty exhausting work guiding people through dreams day after day, especially since the dreamworld seems to be (like T. J. Maxx here on Earth :p ) never, never the same place twice! The warm, salted bath is definitely very well deserved.

    Naturally the four supplicants we see here—all of whose names are familiar from your other drabbles and stories—all come to Dreamwork for totally different reasons, and naturally all have totally different experiences. Lyra and Naima are both there in order to make sense of troubling memories; Lyra, however, steps readily into her unknown (I wonder if her Jedi training might make such a step less daunting for her), while Naima is more hesitant about taking that step (though kudos to her for resolving to go through with it in the end). Aduman's objective in his dream sessions is to contact Naima across the life/death boundary, which I take to mean that this drabble post dates the first one of this group by a good bit—or that Naima has some means of availing herself of Yaquina's Dreamwork practice even within the afterlife (which would be a very cool and very leiamoody touch :cool: ). And though Zia's initial reason for embarking on Dreamwork isn't specified here, it's clear that it's affording her some wonderful and reassuring new insights—namely, that she still has a connection to the Force. (The nature of that connection is something I have wondered about with this character for a while, and this makes the situation crystal clear—it's like I, too, as reader, am uncovering new corners in the cave of your ocedarium! :cool: )

    7: The tastes, colors, and textures of the food and drinks described here really come to life—which of course comes as no surprise in your writing! :cool: I love that food and drink are part of Naima's journey to understand her memories—reminding us once again just how necessary physical sustenance in sustaining metaphysical existence, too. There's a progression here: we start with the purely sensory experience of the tangy limu, then move to the sweetness of the tea, which perhaps is emblematic of the gentle help that Naima hopes to receive from Nellith, and then to the spice of the roast kirim seems to represent the hodgepodge of Naima's troubling memories. But there isn't a particular food mentioned in "Bitter"; the bitterness there is exclusively that of Naima's own troubled feelings, and perhaps a bit of frustration as to whether Nellith really understands her plight or not. At the end, though, we're back to a parallel with an actual food item, this time suggested by Nellith: a nice, hearty meat broth to give Naima just enough sustenance to make it through the complicated process on which she'll soon embark. I have no doubt Nellith will be a helpful and understanding guide to Naima throughout that process.

    Thanks for sharing once again, and do keep these coming! @};-
     
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  21. leiamoody

    leiamoody Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2005
    Thanks for the comprehensive review, Findswoman. I will definitely address everything you mentioned in another post, but I would just like to get the entries for Week Eight up right now because they have been sitting on my computer for almost a month and I forgot that I actually completed them. :p

    So, without further ado...

    Week Eight: Sacrifice

    36. Rebellion
    “I’m going to Knosce, even if you don’t want to come along.” Naima stuffed another piece of clothing into her suitcase. “Nilo has requested my presence to help negotiate a treaty with the Abyss Society.”

    Aduman shook his head. “You can’t negotiate with terrorists.”

    “The interim government needs to have cooperation with them so another uprising doesn’t occur. Since Nilo is the acting president, he requested my assistance. I’m required as a senator to help a member of the Republic.”

    “That doesn’t mean you’re required to go.”

    “I already asked the Chancellor for authorization for the mission. I must go.”

    37. Revolution
    “The Abyss Society kidnapped three members of parliament just before your arrival.” Nilo handed a flimsiplast copy of the security report to Naima. “This isn’t unprecedented. Fire bombings are common against the government buildings, and general disorder has become their standard order of chaos.”

    Naima glanced at the summary of the current situation on Knosce. It was a distressing turn of events, although it should have been obvious the insurrectionists would proceed from acts against inanimate buildings to violating the liberty of living beings. She came here confident that intervention would be enough to stop their violent activities. Not anymore.

    38. Freedom
    They came in the middle of the night, armed with stun weapons that showed their intention to capture yet (perhaps, hopefully) not to physically harm. A Republic senator and her party were better captives than members of a planetary government and would make excellent tools for negotiation of their radical demands.

    The five hostages (one senator, two bodyguards, one Jedi-posing-as-aide, and one private secretary) were taken to a remote camp. Escape was unlikely. Release could only happen through terms that involved ransom and the liberation of fellow guerrillas from prison.

    Or, perhaps, the only hope for freedom required a sacrifice.

    39. Martyr
    “Search for me,” Naima whispered in Aduman’s ear, then kissed his cheek.

    “What do you mean?” Something about her statement…was absolute…his breath quickened. He needed to stop her.

    Naima placed both hands on his shoulders. “I love you. Always remember that. But you must not interfere.” She kissed him deeply on the lips to stop any protest, to distract him just a moment…one final kiss. One last time together in life.

    Then she pulled away from Aduman, turned away from him without looking into his eyes…gone forever…perhaps forever?

    She was taken from life by one blaster bolt to the chest.

    40. Veteran
    “Blessed are those joined with the Force. Peace has the senator found through her sacrifice.” Yoda’s words were meant to be comforting, but Aduman wanted silence instead. How could this wizened creature understand anything but the space between his ears?

    “Darkness surrounds you, Master Nical.”

    “That is to be expected, since I don’t agree with your assessment of the matter. Jedi aren’t supposed to grieve. Yet I feel …” Nothing could describe the emotion…it was more than sadness, obviously, and far more deep and encompassing than sorrow, but Aduman knew he would become a veteran of that feeling soon enough.

    (Notes: This series of drabbles finally covers an event I've alluded to in other pieces of my work. The death of Naima Kairos occurs as part of a hostage crisis on the self-created planet Knosce, and is the catalyst for the search into the existence of life after death which consumes Aduman Nical and eventually becomes his ultimate life mission. This life mission goes on to change galactic existence in my GFFA five hundred years later when knowledge of the Afterlife is passed on to Luke).
     
  22. leiamoody

    leiamoody Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2005
    Week Nine: Deliverance

    41. Bright
    “What does this necklace represent?” Zia held up the piece of jewelry under the light. The cable link chain and five-petaled rose made from gold gleamed like twin suns.

    “It’s a key to something great.” Pierrot shrugged. “I don’t know, that’s what the guy at the antique shop told me. Maybe it’s supposed to be some connection to the universe.”

    Zia stared at the rose pendant. Something resonated from the center, like a ray of light. Maybe it was a clarion from the Force. Perhaps it was a message that emanated from the heart of a great and unknown power.

    42. Star
    Somewhere up above the artificial light created by the spaceport and its surrounding facilities, Zia could always remember there were more stars than anything else living or otherwise in the universe.

    The certainty of those celestial lights was a great comfort. Her life was unraveling, and she couldn’t find any hope for the future, but the stability of stars was something akin to a miracle.

    She would return to their embrace once she had the baby. But she might not be able to live among them. Reality was going to force her back onto soil and under some sky eventually.

    43. Mama
    Zia nearly uttered a Rodian curse she picked up working in various kitchens when another wave of pain shot through her body. She screamed for the Nurse Droid 5000 or whatever it was called.

    The droid came along and said, “Calm down. You will scare the other patients.”

    “I don’t care about them.” Zia grabbed the droid by its shoulder, almost knocking it to the ground.

    “That’s no way for a mother to speak,” said the only living nurse in the room.

    “Oh yeah? How about this?” Then she got to say the Rodian curse word and other colorful metaphors.

    44. Please
    “I don’t know what to do.” Zia had spent the past hour talking to something or someone unseen. She had been in the recovery ward at the Doun Yeepine Medical Center for two days since giving birth. Tomorrow was her release day, along with the little boy, back into the unprotected real world. Her only shelter was the shabby room at the hotel. Her savings was going to be eaten up by paying for that room and the miscellaneous costs of delivering her baby.

    “I have nowhere to go. How am I going to raise a baby? What happens now?”

    45. Shine
    Her little boy was gifted, or cursed, with Force sensitivity. But he definitely possessed a brilliant light that shone bright from the center of his mind and soul. Despite the fact she closed herself off from the Great Power, she could still feel those familiar traces coming from him.

    It wouldn’t be fair to deprive him of the chance to become a Jedi. Maybe that wasn’t the best choice for his life, considering he might fail just like his mother.

    But there was only place for him, and it couldn’t be with her.

    She needed to go back to Coruscant.

    Week Ten: Child of the Force

    46. Raise
    Zia sat in the chair across from the Chief Seer. She was giving up custody of her child to the Jedi so the boy could have a better future than she could provide. Little Chevor was in another room being assessed by a Junior Seer meant to determine his possible future. A good future would guarantee acceptance into the Order, while a bad future would condemn the baby to spend his life with a woman who couldn’t even find another job.

    Fortune smiled upon Chevor once the Seer told her, “We’ve determined your son will have a great future”.

    47. Juvenile
    Chevor jumped back to avoid the stun blast from the training remote. It was another failure in his lightsaber training. His persistent fear of getting zapped in the rear again hindered any improvement in his skills. The extra practice with Master Epherion was supposed to alleviate that fear. But all his persistence and the master’s patience the padawan couldn’t overcome that fear.

    “I’ll never be able to do this.” Chevor dropped his practice saber on the floor.

    Master Epherion patted Chevor’s back. “If you continue the practice, then you will succeed.”

    “I’ll just keep failing,” Chevor retorted with a sigh.

    48. Mature
    It was after two hours of wandering through the backstreets of Coruscant before Chevor finally confronted his master.

    “So you emerge from the shadows.” Aduman stood there near another occult shop on Midnight Street holding a black satchel.

    “This wasn’t my choice. But your pursuit of this knowledge concerns them-“

    “Because they exist in isolation from the reality of life. They don’t allow us to feel any misery.”

    “I understand Naima’s death hurts-“

    “You can’t understand anything so deep,” Aduman retorted.

    “Your grief burns inside you, but it also radiates outside you. I can feel it like my own sadness.”

    49. Growth
    Chevor stepped into the dream chamber. It was his second trip to Ultraia and the sonharium. It was during his first trip that he discovered his twelve previous incarnations.

    His first into the Dreamworld only yielded blurry images of events ranging from human sacrifice to gambling on a fancy space liner. Names, places, and dates weren’t revealed. Maybe he could find out more details by undergoing another dream journey.

    The drive to uncover those other incarnations was influenced by Aduman’s own pursuit. But Chevor wanted to understand the process of reincarnation, not just discover how to interact with the Afterlife.

    50. Elder
    Chevor had lived for one hundred plus one years. From his humble birth on Doun Yeepine through his ascent to Jedi Master until this final day on Tython, he underwent many trials during his years in the Living World. Many things had changed for him; at first it seemed unlikely he would ever succeed in the Jedi Order, particularly his troubles with the Trials of Knighthood. But he found courage and strength within the Force and himself, and so became a Knight then, eventually, Master.

    Enough time had passed, and much had been accomplished…now Chevor was ready for his ascent.
     
  23. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Catching up with comments:

    8: This is unbelievably sad, of course—and a bit chilling, too, in the way Naima seems to foresee her death and takes it so calmly—even takes action to set it in motion (by applying for the Knosce mission to begin with)—as if she’s aware of some bigger plan or order behind it all (and I have no doubt that she does). One really has to admire her resolve! My heart really does ache for Aduman, especially since he tried sohard to dissuade Naima from this mission (he's right about negotiating with terrorists). I fully believe that what he is feeling is more than sadness and deeper than sorrow—but at the same time I know that feeling will prove to be a catalyst for something bigger. And given that Naima’s death is such an important turning point for Aduman this particular universe, I was glad to see the story told at last.

    9: It’s always wonderful to see Zia, and what a momentous event we get treated to here—the birth of the unborn child we first met in Epiphany. My heart aches for her, too, in dire straits with a newborn baby and no one to help. I just hope that she’ll continue to find hope and strength in the certainty of the stars above and in the inner glow of the celestial rose around her neck. (Though I also totally realize that that, and many things, are easier said than done when one has a newborn to deal with—there’s nothing like a baby to force one “back onto some soil,” sometimes in a whole different sense! :p ) Naturally his Force sensitivity adds a whole other element of complexity, too: will it mean he repeats her failures, or makes up for them? That’s a question so many parents ask, even here in our own Galaxy![/URL]

    10: Absolutely incredible view of Chevor’s life in telescoped form. And of course at this point I don’t mind saying I was pretty sure all along that he was Zia’s son, though once again it’s wonderful to see the the story told by you (and indeed, I love the way these drabbles have been filling in so many things in your 'verse). I don’t know if the procedure with the Chief Seer is established or your own creation, but it definitely seems like the kind of “mystical bureaucracy” the Jedi Order of this period would engage in (though there’s something in me that of course bristles at the idea of locking up a baby's future like that :eek: ). He too has his moments of fearing failure, and it looks like he too gets to experience a momentous turning point here—the start of his own journey toward understanding the workings of the Afterlife. (And it’s wonderful that that journey begins with his concern for his Master, his honest desire to understand what it is he’s feeling.

    And as we see in “Elder,” he didn’t end up failing. Quite the opposite—not only did he attain to Knighthood and Masterhood in the regular Jedi sense, but has also mastered the workings of the Afterlife. He definitely is entitled to ascend in peace. (Not to mention that this is absolutely perfect for drabble #50, the halfway point of the challenge! :D )
     
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  24. leiamoody

    leiamoody Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2005

    I wanted to give Nellith a “normal” characteristic that helped to balance out her weird (to most individuals who aren’t hep to what she’s really doing) metaphysical personality. Going to the movies and having a sweet tooth, plus the appreciation for the finer beverages, is a very human…no, let me be more encompassing since I’m writing in the GFFA…LIVING BEING characteristic.

    The matter of Force blessed water comes from the concept of sacred wells. Sacred wells have either been considered to be blessed by some local divinity (such as Coventina in Britain) or a saint or other religious figure. The Force would not literally inhabit non-living things like stone or water. But it can act as a mirror and reflect and connect the Force between living creatures. So the Force truly does flow through
    everything, even when it acts as a conduit.

    The Breath of Heaven was mentioned in that other story with Luke and the Rogues getting infused with Force blessed alcohol. (Now that I think about it, I’m not exactly sure how alcohol could be infused with the Force…maybe some kind of bacteria that survives the fermentation process?).

    Showing the perspective of four individuals at the sonharium on any given day was the most practical way I could think of to show how that environment works.

    Naima and Lyra’s experiences represent contrasts in how the dreamwork experience works for each supplicant. Lyra’s background as a Jedi helped give her the emotional grounding necessary to undergo the dream journey which would place her into direct contact with those memories she experienced in dreams, but also would grant her the understanding (which she always possesses from one lifetime to the next, although it’s not readily accessible to the conscious mind) that these memories were from just one incarnation.

    Food and drink are necessary to keep the body going, which helps keep the soul functioning (since the soul is housed in the body, and the body is a temple, etc.). But they are also unique physical experiences that help enhance the standard processes of the body. The progression of the order of the food is meant to reflect the sweetness and sourness of the life experience, in particular the life cycle of a soul. Naima is diving into really deep waters by allowing herself to fully understand her memories (not just the ones that have been bothering her, but eventually uncovering memories from other lifetimes she isn’t aware of just yet). The roast kirim is literally the “meat” of the matter, which is to say the entire substance of the spiritual experience that she will “consume” as she undergoes the becoming-awareness of her previous incarnations. (Wow, that’s cliché, isn’t it :p?).

    The bitterness comes with the experience of enlightenment. It’s never an easy process. ;)

    The bitterness of enlightenment is fully revealed by the outcome of Naima’s journey. She not only forsees her own death, but has to come to terms with how it will help the larger reality of bringing awareness of the Afterlife back into the galaxy. That is part of what motivates Aduman’s sadness, of course. But it’s all in the service of something greater, which always brings tragedy to those who are pressed into that service. (The Force works in mysterious ways, right?).

    Zia has her own part to play in the journey towards the Afterlife, in that she is the one who initially connects Chevor with Nellith, who eventually gets to speak with Aduman and begins the process of passing on the knowledge. That’s the reason why she reconnects with Chevor in the diner in Epiphany.

    It was pretty obvious that Chevor is Zia’s son, I know. :p Not everything I write is that mysterious.

    The procedure with the Jedi Seers is partially based upon information taken from the Legends book The Jedi Path; A Manual For Students of the Force, and I just expanded upon what was described in there.
     
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  25. leiamoody

    leiamoody Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2005
    Week 11: The Persistence of Memories

    51. Go
    “I am Lyra Melides, Jedi Padawan.”

    She sat in front of the mirror, using facts to keep hold of her place in reality.

    “I am the apprentice of Master Kestrel.” Lyra sighed. “I have existed for seventeen years.” She laid her head on her folded arms.

    It was impossible to continue her daily activities while experiencing this perpetual sense of disassociation. Her dreams had become infested with those images…flashes…of something that felt like memories, although she never looked like herself and nobody else looked like anyone she encountered.

    She needed guidance in this situation…perhaps going to her master would help.

    52. Wait
    Lyra paused at the doorway to Master Kestrel’s chamber. Confessing that she was plagued by dreams of people and places that were unfamiliar was hard. The Jedi placed little faith in visions that weren’t based in some known factor that was influenced by the Light Side. Having dreams that she considered memories although she couldn’t identify anything or anyone in them was a strange prospect that would be difficult to explain.

    She backed away from the door. Consulting with her master might not be wise until she gave the matter deeper consideration.

    Lyra turned and headed back to her room.

    53. Rise
    The memories varied…whomever the beings and places were meant to represent, there was a common theme that united them.

    Lyra watched the sun rise over Coruscant from her chamber. Yet that perpetually growing flood of visions disturbed another night’s sleep. She now realized those images weren’t just phantoms from her imagination, but something tangible.

    They didn’t just feel like memories. They were memories. The images belonged to the perceptions of beings that were somehow connected.

    A realization arose from her unconscious. Perhaps those memories belonged, somehow, to her. Maybe she wasn’t always Lyra, but had been other individuals throughout time.

    54. For
    Wandering through the Room of a Thousand Fountains became Lyra’s recent distraction from the dreams. It allowed her to make some conclusions about those visions.

    By the time she passed the cluster of Ithorian roses near the Memorial Arch, she could acknowledge these images were indeed memories from other lifetimes, and those were her memories. One soul could inhabit multiple bodies across time. Multiple bodies and lifetimes would create memories that would seem unique yet feel unified. But the soul couldn’t access those memories except through random flashes from the unconscious.

    It was time to reveal everything to Master Kestrel.

    55. Against
    “So you think what you see in your mind is real?” Master Kestrel’s inquisitive chirp underscored her sense of doubt in Lyra’s revelation.

    The padawan shifted in her seat. Confessing had taken courage, and only happened after several weeks. A sense of disbelief was necessary given the nature of her confession. Yet Lyra couldn’t help feeling disappointed. Her master’s skepticism was tinged with something inscrutable, given the nature of Fosh psychology to a young human. But she could detect amusement, like Master Kestrel thought she was telling a fable.

    “Child, you have not slept well lately. You need more rest.”

    Week 12: Between the Roads

    56. Break
    It was less than five minutes after the child was born when the healer discovered the malformation.

    The baby had both male and female reproductive organs that were clearly visible to her experienced gaze.

    This first child of the Anum clan leader was supposed to take over the role. But this condition meant the baby was disinherited.

    The healer wondered how to reveal this devastating news to the clan leader. Should her approach be straightforward? Perhaps the revelation could be contained within soothing words about the child’s overall health (the baby had a healthy set of lungs and was energetic).

    57. Quiet
    The Twi’lek youngling was alone in the barracks, seated upon the bunk with eyes closed and legs crossed. Arkanum had been given to the Jedi soon after birth, and grew into a studious pupil who excelled at most subjects except for lightsaber fighting. The youngling’s true Force gift lay in perceptions of the future.

    Arkanum’s breathing remained steady while focusing upon the image of a road that forked in two directions. Seeing between the roads was supposed to be the gift bestowed upon the aspiring Seer in return for having the reproductive organs of two sexes, according to Twi’lek tradition.

    58. Lives
    “Any visions of the future you will see are only possibilities.” The Chief Seer was practical and patient, two qualities that were necessary to be in charge of those meant to gaze into individuals’ potential futures. “This must always remain in your conscious thought, even when you watch those images pass across your inner sight.”

    “Of course, Master Taro,” Arkanum replied.

    The Chief Seer pointed to a stack of data cards on the desk. “Search among these files of potential Jedi. Tell me which ones could be assets to the Order, and which ones should seek contentment in ordinary life.”

    59. Dies
    Arkanum first saw the black masked demon wielding a red lightsaber while trying to sleep.

    It wasn’t a dream, because the vision felt too bound to reality, more real than anything within the waking realm.

    The demon was surrounded by black smoke and red lava.

    The significance of this demon and his surroundings (Arkanum knew this creature was a man under the mask) was clear by the third variation of the vision.

    This demon-man would come when the fall of civilization.

    When the demon came to power, all hope, peace, and Light would die, replaced by chaos, war, and Darkness.

    60. Story
    “Seer Arkanum, please inform us of your visions.” Master Livada sat forward in her chair, eager to hear in further detail about what Arkanum reported to her. The other members of the Council did not reflect this openness. Yet all twelve members needed to hear about these visions; the future of the Jedi Order and the galaxy might well depend upon their actions.

    Arkanum took a deep breath, then began telling the Council about the demon-man. These events were destined for the far-flung future, but perhaps these visions could serve as a useful warning, and the demon could be stopped.

    Week 13: Descendents

    61. Uprising
    Lyra Erso stared at the Holonet newsfeed. Being able to access the guerrilla network this far away from the Core took a great deal of technical knowledge and subterfuge. But she couldn’t deprive herself of the truth about the latest insurrection against the Empire. This particular revolt had occurred on Vouroso. Lyra had spent five months on the Inner Rim planet working on the Medoun archaeological site during her university years. The royal family was forced offworld, while the Empire retained control through the Prime Minister.

    So many worlds were lost to the Empire’s tyranny, yet this loss was personal.

    62. Negotiation
    “Do you want pasties or nerf cutlets?” Lyra stood at the counter. It was dinnertime, which couldn’t begin until the chief decision maker decided on the main course.

    Jyn, five years old and stubborn, glared at the limited choices for her consumption. “I want bantha nuggets.”

    Lyra frowned. “That isn’t very practical. A growing girl needs to eat healthy.”

    Jyn pouted. “I won’t eat anything green.”

    “Not even celonslay sauce?” Lyra knew it was made from a vegetable, but her daughter didn’t need to know her favorite condiment was nutritious.

    Jyn pursed her lips in a typically rebellious fashion. “Okay.”

    63. Convince
    Lyra was awakened by the blue-white illumination. Galen remained unaware of the disturbance, snoring away next to her.

    The illumination revealed a woman clad in a long black dress. “Hello again.”

    “Again? I’ve never seen you before,” Lyra replied.

    “You don’t remember me?”

    “What am I supposed to remember?”

    “Remember the dreams.”

    “I’m your ancestor. I am you. But we were both Lyra Melides.”

    “Who are you now?”

    “Sibylla Orien, an Intercessor between the Living World and the Afterlife. I’m here to reveal your destiny, and Jyn’s.”

    Lyra got out of bed. She understood the Force worked in mysterious ways.

    64. Overthrow
    “That crystal you wear around your neck once belonged to me.” The woman called Sibylla Orien, whom Lyra understood was some kind of spirit with a physical body, sat in the corner of the living area. Lyra and Sibylla were alone in the house; Galen had taken their daughter to inspect the moisture vaporators. “It will soon belong to Jyn.”

    “What do you mean?”

    Sibylla looked at her descendant. “A day is coming when the Empire shall be overthrown. She will inspire others currently rebelling against them.”

    “But I’m not aware of any rebellion.”

    “The best rebellions are always hidden.”

    65. Unite
    Lyra held the kyber crystal between her right thumb and index finger. It was attached to a leather cord, and had been part of her life since that encounter with the Ryn who pursued her on Alpinn so many years ago. It had been a mystery why it was given to her. But now the spirit of her namesake ancestor explained its significance.

    What began as a lightsaber crystal evolved into a symbol of hope for Jyn. It had always been destined for her. Time and circumstance had joined the crystal that once belonged to Lyra Melides to her descendents.