Auspicious Arrivals

9 ABY, 

Yavin IV - New Jedi Order Academy

Featuring: Drex Nogru, Ace Nogru

Written by: Freddy, Absolut_Zero

The transport put down on a large landing pad at the base of the main structure. It was a stone construction, resembling a stepped pyramid surrounded by squared outer walls around the perimeter. In some ways it resembled a kind of castle, though the walls were less defensive in nature and more of a convenient expansion point for housing and storage. From observation port, Ace and Drex could see figures moving along the walls. Some walked, others leapt and climbed, a few traded blows with glowing energy swords. "Woah." Ace said, her voice full of awe, "I wonder when I'll create my own lightsaber." She said, turning to Drex. As the transport began its shutdown sequence, the few passengers aboard began to rise. All of these, save for a few technical staff from the Republic, were individuals. Ace, it seemed, was the only aspirant Jedi to arrive with her former guardian. She glared at Drex with a look of, I meant what I said, don't embarrass me., before standing and grabbing her bag.

"I suspect it'll be when they say you're ready." Drex offers a small chuckle and stands up, "don't get ahead of yourself, it's all going to come in time. I'm sure they have a plan for everyone." He snaps his fingers, "oh - better yet! Maybe you'll be the first Jedi to use a blaster instead. Wouldn't that be novel"

She turned back, the look returning. She rolled her eyes, "Come on, old man." She said, as other students began to file past. "Don't want to keep anyone waiting." She resumed her course, remaining slow for Drex's sake as he caught up.

Drex tilted his chin upwards, "I meant it - today is for you to enjoy. I'm here to catch up with some old friends don't let me slow you down. This is your place," he says, re-placing some of his personal cargo in the bag before hoisting it up. "I'm right behind you"

She paused, nodding, “Thanks Drex.” She said, smile returning. Having sorted themselves to the rear of the procession, Ace and Drex were the last to disembark. The students, most of whom were around Ace’s age or a few years her senior, milled about in small groups at the base of the ramp. A gold-tinted protocol droid stood there, taking names on a tablet. As Drex and Ace reached the end of the ramp, it spoke in a high, proper tone, greeting them. “Ah! And you must be young Ace Nogru!” The droid said, “I am C3-PO human-cyborg relations!” The droid turned to look at Drex, freezing for a moment. “I- uhh- you must forgive me I have no record of another expected arrival.” A voice resounded from behind the droid, “That’s Drex Nogru, 3PO!” Sazi said, moving to them through the crowd, warm smile affixed to her face.

A cold shot of panic shoots up Drex's spine momentarily, before he controls the impulse appropriately. "Who.." he stops for a moment, only then turning around to see the Mirialan moving towards them, "Oh now this is something Kred cooked up isn't it.." he says, shaking his head with a familiar laugh. Drex's mistrust of Sazi had defined their relationship, even down to the moment she helped bring down the Eclipse. It had been years since they'd spoken, even in passing, but Drex would have been aware she was going to be somehow involved in Kred's plan. "I thought I knew that voice.. I didn't expect to see you here, Sazi -" Drex takes a step and plants his feet, smiling back to her, "..how long have you been at the Academy?"

“Since it was founded.” She said, her smile turning cool. “Guessing you never got the Life Day cards I sent through Kred then.” She said, grimacing. She looked to Ace, “Hey Ace, do you remember me? It’s been a long time, but I was friends with Par and-“ she frowned as the second name clung to her tongue. “Yeah!” Ace said, interrupting as soon as she had the opportunity. “You trained with Kred a few times! I remember. Sazi right?”

Drex tapped Ace on the side of the shoulder, "she didn't just train with Kred - she got him started alongside Par." Drex looked up and nodded to Sazi, feeling the trepedation at the mention of their old companion. "I'll leave the best stories to her to tell when it's appropriate, but Kred Jervata had a lot to learn back then." Drex then looks back to Sazi, "..I visited once, I didn't see you here.. Jervata mentioned you'd be part of the organization, but..." his mind reels for a moment, considering perhaps Kred intentionally kept a few things back, "...hm... well, I gave him advice now and then, I'm sure you've been doing far more to assist than I ever could"

Sazi shakes her head, "I've done what I can." She waves around, encompassing the entire structure, "We all have, to make this place from a shared dream, into reality." She nods, looking to Ace, "I'm sorry that Kred wasn't here to greet you as well." She said, shaking her head, "Zana and Luke have him running rampant across the galaxy between them." Ace nods, "I understand." She said, then looked past her toward the other students. "I don't want special treatment, please, treat me like any other student." Sazi frowned, then nodded, "I can promise you that." She said, then looked over her shoulder. A new figure was approaching the group, his voice carrying across the distance from the doorway. He wore a black tunic and suited pants, carrying himself with a calm demeanor that betrayed his person immediately. "Welcome, all of you!" Luke Skywalker said, smiling brightly. "I am pleased that the force has brought you all to the Academy safely." He looks toward Sazi, "I am sure some of you have already spoken to Knight Offee-" he held his hand out toward her, "-she is one of the founding Jedi of this Academy and serves as one of our two dueling instructors." Luke smiled, "Kyle is the other, though he is currently off world." The crowd assembled around him as he spoke, a few murmurs passing between the students. "The others you will meet in due course-" He nods, reassuring the group, "-the life of a Jedi is one of service and is therefor a busy one." The Jedi Master holds up his hand, a mechanical thumb pointing back at him, "I am Luke Skywalker, but please just call me Luke, I prefer it over 'Master'." A few of the crowd chuckled politely as he spoke. "Sazi will show you to your quarters, the other students are awaiting you there." He looked toward Drex, fixing him with a smile, before turning his attention away. "There will be a welcome banquet later tonight, until that time you are free to travel the grounds and speak with your fellows." He waves the students ahead, "I hope you come to see this place as a home. You are dismissed for now." Sazi nodded to Dred apologetically, "Duty calls, let's catch up at dinner." She said, bowing before she moved away, guiding the students into the structure. Ace hesitated a moment longer, "I'll see you then Drex." She said, sneaking a brisk hug while nobody was looking before loping away to join the group. Luke, who had remained in his previous position nodded to her as she passed, then looked back to Drex. "Mister Nogru." He said, holding out his hand.

Drex would say a quick goodbye to Sazi as she left, then lets Ace go, "Enjoy - see you later." As the crowd moved elsewhere, Drex was left standing a few yards away from the man he'd come to meet. He noticed, in particular, the glove on the hand which had been reached out in greeting. Somewhere inside, he found it amusing that this gloved man clad in black was greeting an alien whose dress was almost exactly the same. Drex took a moment to assess the figure in front of him - shorter than I expected he commented internally, but perhaps this man would surprise in other ways as well. Most of the hatred he'd once held for Force sensitives had been tempered off over time, both dealing with Kred and Ace had given him expectations that perhaps the future could be brighter. "Mas-" Drex caught himself quickly, "Luke, I'm very glad to finally meet you. Jervata had hoped we'd have a chance to have met years ago, but the timing never worked." He would extend his own gloved hand, reach out, and grasp Luke's in greeting.

He nodded, his expression still bright, "All things are as the Force design them, though I wish we had this opportunity sooner." He let go of Drex's hand, gesturing toward the Academy. "So, what brings you to Yavin?" Luke looked ahead to Ace's retreating figure, which slipped through the doorway with one of the small group of students. "Besides the obvious, of course."

"That's my primary reason, yes..." Drex takes his hand and folds it behind his back, taking a more relaxed posture with the Master Jedi. "...but the last time I planned a trip here here, Kred thought it would be very beneficial if we also spoke - that is, you and I." He takes in the friendly expression of the man and tries to mirror his enthusiasm, without seeming disingenuous or patronizing. "...I have spent most of my life trying to help the galaxy usher in a better future. From what Jervata tells me, so have you." Drex nods, "I came to see what several years of progress have brought to your academy."

Luke nods, his eyes showing elation at the news, "Of course!" He said, his voice full of excitement. "I'm sure Kred has informed you of much in your correspondence, but I would be happy to show you around." He started moving, away from the doorway leading inside and instead toward a staircase leading down to the temple grounds. "I hope you are accustomed to traveling afoot, part of a Jedi's life is maintaining a strong physical form in addition to developing our strength in the Force." The staircase provided a better view of the training grounds below, a kind of garden with various flora surrounding open clearings with weights, training rings and droids.

"Kred had to pull me through some outrageous challenges before, but then again I had to pull him through some as well," Drex says, letting out a lighthearted scoff - his memory going back to a spelunking incident or two. He continued as they walk, "Ace has had a strong connection to the Force since she was very young, how did you come to this place in your life? Jervata didn't realize it until he was already a Commando - I seem to understand this is a very different experience for each of you"

Luke did not break stride as he descended the stairs, "I was a moisture farmer when I first learned of my-" he chuckled, "-heritage." As he spoke, he slowed to ensure Drex could hear him, "My first Master, Ben, told me that my father had been a powerful Jedi. That he had been killed during the Emperor's coups at the end of the Clone Wars." Luke shook his head, his face taking on a more serious expression. "As I'm sure you've heard, that was not quite the truth." Luke's voice softened as he spoke, reaching the bottom of the stairs before turning to address Drex, "Some might say I stumbled into this life, but in truth the Force brought me here." His smile returned, though there was still a minute glimmer of sadness in it, "Just as it brought Ace into your own life, to her betterment." He shook his head, "Just as it brought you into the hands of the Witches." The smile had faded again, an apologetic look apparent on his face. "You must forgive me, but I sense your distaste." His eyes convey understanding, "It is difficult to accept that one is subject to the whims of something beyond our control."

Drex eyed Skywalker carefully, turning his head as he cleared his throat. An audible popping of his wrist joint heralded the tick he was suppressed behind his back. "...accepting that isn't overly difficult." He stops, staring into a wonderfully-kept ornamental bush piece. Drex inhales and exhales deeply, "...my exception was, and still is, to those who hold that control and choose what those whims may be, regardless of those misfortunate outsiders who fall victim to those whims." Drex raises a hand and lifts a solitary branch, examining it. "I appreciate you're a man who doesn't waste time addressing what needs to be addressed. I've found the most effective leaders share that trait." He raises his eyes and meets the Jedi's face again, "What you sense," he points to the side of his head, "accurately, mind you... is the boiled down residue of pure hatred. I never would have seen myself here - or befriending the people I did along the way here..." He tilts his chin towards the direction of the new arrivals, "...I made a promise to myself, that if I could help put her on the right path, show her how to make her own decisions, then I've prevented someone else from befalling some terrible fate" He keeps his eyes on the spot they set off from, "...I want to know if more can be done. I need to know if this place can be as hopeful as our friend Kred Jervata believes."

Luke considers for a long moment, indicating the direction of travel with his left hand before walking. "That remains to be seen, I suppose." He said, breaking a short silence as the pair entered the first clearing. "The dark side is an ever present danger to all Jedi." He gave Drex a serious look, "Many of our students face early contests with it, eventually moving beyond their struggle and becoming true Jedi." His eyes turn to the ground, "That contest, as they eventually find out, does not end when their title is claimed." He looks back to Drex, brow furrowed, "I must admit that at times, the pull of the Dark Side remains tempting, despite my knowledge of the Force." He shakes his head again, a slim smile returning, "In truth though, having other Jedi around, people that understand my struggle, only makes these battles easier." He stops for a moment, observing a few students practicing their meditation efforts. A man, perhaps a decade older than Luke, stood above them, speaking softly. "-it is easy to let your mind wander, become a passenger to the tides of the Force." He ran a hand through his red hair, "There is peace to be found in wandering, but to become a passenger is to see even that which you may rather not bear witness to." He looked up to Luke, nodding in acknowledgment, "Trust me, when you are out on a mission, you'll be thankful you took the time to learn focus." Luke leaned in, "Jedi Knight Cal Kestis, our archivist." He said, stepping forward with a wave. The older Jedi moved to greet them, "Cal, this is Drex Nogru, a mutual friend of Kred and I." He nodded, staying to the side as Kestis extended a hand in greeting. "Good to meet you Drex." He said, a slim, awkward smile touching his lips.

As Luke speaks, Drex notes the complete honesty in his assessment. No platitudes, no hopeful promises, but a frank and realistic critique of the life of a Jedi. He almost speaks again to Luke, but decides to table his question for later. Perhaps listening would do more today than speaking. Drex purposefully keeps his voice low and limits his words, as an attempt to maintain the peaceful situation. "..likewise, Cal." He said simply, giving him the courtesy of a handshake. "You specialize in the history of your order - interesting. What mission do you see your pupils undertaking?"

Cal looks to the students meditating behind him, "That is hard to say." He began, chuckling softly, "The demands of the path are difficult to chart ahead of one's own course, even less so for that of another." He nodded, "Though, with the trajectory of things, I would suspect a surplus of diplomatic taskings in their future." The students groaned in unison, which turned into soft laughter as Cal chided them with, "Focus!" He shook his head, sharing a knowing smile with Luke, "I wasn't prepared for my own journey, the Clone Wars, Order 66, the Empire-" he shuddered, "-I was especially unprepared for Dathomir." His smile dipped some, a slight hesitation before finishing his thought. "Anyways, to answer your question, I expect they will be quite uninterested in the life of a librarian-" He spoke up, "-though it is most important to remember the lessons of the past." He shrugged as the students straightened.

Drex's eyes lock forward as Cal speaks, a pure torrent of emotion as he listens to the man speak, his body shifting nervously for a moment as behind his back, he wringed his opposite wrist in his right hand. "The end of the Clone Wars brought opportunities for my people and my planet. Diplomacy has been my life's work, and my path took me there as well." Drex breaks his catatonic gaze and snaps his eyes back to Cal, "...why do you mention that place - Dathomir?" Drex's face is a mix of inquisition and distrust, but his voice bears a twinge of unease as he says the final sentence, as if pushing his mind to work in the same way you might push a boulder uphill

Cal's face shows obvious embarrassment, "Sorry, I just-", he shakes his head, looking to the ground for a moment before meeting Drex's eyes with a firmer look, "- I suppose seeing you just reminded me of my visits there." He nodded, grimacing, "No, more than that-" his brow furrowed, "-you..." He appraised Drex for a long moment, then frowned, "I see it now, you have been there, seen it all for yourself." Cal looks to Luke, "You knew, I assume?" Luke nodded, "Kred told me about Mister Nogru's prior experience with the witches of Dathomir." The Jedi Master said, "As a fellow witness to their power, I had hoped you might be able to speak about your experiences." Cal took on a smirk, staring at Luke side-eyed before turning back to Drex. "I-" he hesitated, "I am interested to know of your experiences, though you should know that my view of the Nightsisters may differ from your own, as I sense your time among them was very different from my own."

Drex watched Cal closely, noting his sinking demeanor. He turned his upper body to take another peek over to Skywalker, hands still folded behind his back. Drex watches as Skywalker speaks again, then turns his body back towards Cal. Drex shakes his head, thinking to himself about how long Luke had set this up for. A playful smile traces his lips, relieving some of the tension of the subject at hand. Drex clears his throat, brings his hands in front of himself, and begins working the fingers of his right-hand glove off one by one. "Almost immediately before the disillusion of the Galactic Senate, my government sent me to Dathomir. Iridonian Zabrak.." he begins stopping his work for a moment to touch one of the horns on his head and point at Cal, "..are not the same as those of our species on Dathomir. Our Senate wanted to project greater influence in the galaxy, and they wanted to start by reuniting our lost cultures. They therefore dispatched a 'peace envoy' to Dathomir. Our mission.." he says, sliding the glove off and putting it into a coat pocket, "..was unsuccessful." Drex holds his hand up in plain view, spreading the fingers to show old, criss-cross scarring all over the joints and connective areas. One could mistake scars for the otherwise-normal palm lines of other humanoid creatures. "The Nightsisters killed every one of us. I can recall a comment about the insolence it took to even address their Mother directly, but the following period of time clouds my memory of any of the specifics." Drex takes the ungloved hand and undoes the clasp of his collar, and his top jacket button, letting the high-collated dress jacket fall loose. His neck bears a large and noticable hangman's scar. "...and I mean it when I say all of us." Drex continues by unbuttoning the middle button of his jacket, grabbing his undershirt and sliding it aside momentarily. Down his chest is a large and old Y-shaped scar, something alarmingly similar to that of an autopsy. "You ask how our experiences may have differed. Did you ever witness their regenerative capabilities?" 

Cal nods, "Yes, though the Nightsister I know-" He catches himself, wincing, "-she wasn't like that, not at all." He nods, remembering something clearly in his mind's eye. "I saw the horrors that their use of the force could create and faced them down." He shrugs, "That was a long time ago."

"You understand my considerations then, when I say it could very easily happen again." Drex speaks as he carefully sets his buttons again, taking his time as he makes his point. "I can only base my expectations on my own experiences, as I'm sure you're speaking to your own." He finishes with the clasp on his collar and clears his throat, allowing a moment of silent reflection to capstone his thoughts. Drex exhales and gives a thoughtful hm, nodding. "We actually met on Dathomir originally... Kred, that is, and myself. The Empire had assumed responsibility over the planet and turned the ritual chambers into some crude prisoner of war camp. That was only a few years ago, after the planet was all-but abandoned. When had you encountered the witches of Dathomir?"

He considered, a slim grin touching his lips, "23 year and some change." He said, shaking his head, "Had a lot less gray in my hair back then." He leans back, groaning, "And less problems with my back as well." He shakes his head, "Also, it was witch, not witches." He shrugs, "Merrin was the last of the Nightsisters by the time I arrived on Dathomir."

Drex seems to be in a state of confusion, shaking his head as he thinks backwards to other times. "After a completely unknown time of captivity, there came a day where the Nightsisters did not arrive to fulfill their daily evils. I was lucky to escape when I did - no one was there to stop me. Years later I had heard none of them survived some sort of battle - certainly none of them were there the last time we visited a few years ago." He looks over Cal, as if assessing his demeanor when discussing this woman, "What became of her?"

Cal nods as Drex explains the circumstances of his last visit. At the question, he nods, looking to the ground, "We got separated." Cal said, the subject obviously a sore one for the Jedi. "We were pretty far out beyond the edge, the Inquisitors still hot on our heels after-" He chuckled, "-well, that's a long story in itself-" His eyes turned back to his students. "Tell you what, if you intend to stick around, I'll regale you with the whole story at the banquet." Cal said, extending a hand to shake on the deal, "Perhaps you'll tell me yours as well? For the archives?"

"My story is the reason I'm here." Drex states, taking the hand and nodding, He looks back to Luke and Cal and takes a posture to face both of them, "..I've long believed that any organization of force sensitives could become so insular and dangerous that their abuse of power would be both inevitable and irrevocable." He folds his hands behind his back again, not mincing any opinions he held. "Until I met Kred Jervata and learned his quality, I had no hope that the future could be molded with any different intentions." Drex makes a small nod to Cal again, "I would consider it a wonderful opportunity to tell my story for your students, and have it recorded for your records. I do not want anyone to need to repeat the experience personally"

Cal nodded, looking to Luke, whom had remained quiet for a spell. The Jedi Master had a concerned and distant look on his face. He turned to Cal and Drex, "Forgive me, but a matter needs my attention." He said, bowing his head in an apology. "Mister Nogru, the grounds are open to you, please enjoy what we have to offer." He looked to Cal, who now shared his expression, pursing his lips and nodding to the master. "I feel it too, go ahead." Luke turned, leaping up the stairs three at a time as he climbed back toward the doorway above.

Drex shifts his weight back and forth, clearing his throat. "I apologize if I had anything to do with that. I've been told that these thoughts have far more influence over a sensitive mind than just my own." He looks to Cal, genuinely apologetic, "..but this will always be a large part of who I am. I don't anticipate it would ever stop influencing me"

Cal shakes his head, looking back to the Academy, "No, it is most certainly not you at fault." He takes a step back from Drex, looking toward his students. "Our students are young, full of ideals and opinions, brash-" He shrugs, "The Dark Side's call is stronger in one's youth."

He takes a moment to consider those implications, "...can that assessment also be applied to your associate Sazi?" Drex asks softly, his eyes never really leaving Cal. "For one reason or another, Kred never informed me she would be a major influence on the development of the academy. We had our differences for years - in fact, when we first met she.." Drex stops, realizing it may not have ever been public knowledge if Kred had not even told him. "..well, it seemed to me that she would not break that hold"

“Knight Offee?” Cal asked, surprised at Drex’s statement. “I know she was formerly an Inquisitor, but she has never given me much reason for concern.” Cal read the lines on Drex’s face, “I suspect she has changed much since you had last met.”

"Offee." Drex said, smirking, "... that's the first time I ever got the surname properly." He watches the direction that Luke had easily traversed, back towards the academy proper. "Everyone told me she had changed even as I knew her, but I suppose my initial impressions of her were too strong to overcome." He drums his finger into his opposite palm, his inner thoughts whizzing away with possibilities and doubt. "...I know I never gave her a fair chance." He winces tossing his hand into the air theatrically as he emphasizes a few words, "I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt she would take her earliest opportunity to betray us to the Empire - that she was just waiting for the prime moment of value. Kred knew differently - he trusted everything she said about change." His eyes hang low, his boot's toe stamping twice into the earth. "..I never could"

“It’s not a crime to trust your intuitions about someone.” Cal said, “I never saw that side of Sazi, so I can’t judge you for what you may have known of her.” His smile returned, “The Jedi I do know is one of the finest beings I have known-“ he nods, reaffirming the statement, “-brave and skilled, but also understanding.” He shrugs, “Suffering changes people, for better or worse.”

Drex's vision scans the beauty of the place: the dedicated students, the meticulous landscaping, the tranquil atmosphere. He considers that there was a time he'd never seen this achievement as possible. He nods softly as Cal speaks, "...yes, yes it does, Cal." Who was he before Dathomir? Drex felt a pang of anxiety as he realized he may not even recall properly, but may only hold a distant notion of the idealistic yet determined young man who thought anything was possible. Now, more than halfway through his life, a soul dominated by anger and revenge for so long. "I think there's a conversation she and I might have before I leave." Drex puts a hand on Cal's shoulder, "but please, I've kept you from your students long enough. Let me know when we can sit and talk longer - I view it as very important that the students here know my story"

Cal nods, “This evening at the banquet.” He said nodding, “I’ll bring a recording droid.”

"And I'll bring something special too," he began. Drex pulled his hand off Cal's shoulder quickly and snapped, touching the side of his head, "..oh wait - do you have any sort of vow against alcohol?"

"Moderation is the key to inner balance-" Cal said, "-or so I've been told." He laughed, "See you then."