Training for Delora Tempest

Sovereign Defender Tarna · Training for Delora Tempest

Tarna sat at a table in a beautiful garden. The garden, located in the heart of the Kuat Palace, was filled with beautiful plants from around the galaxy. He sat with datapads and flimsiplasts spread around him. He enjoyed getting out of his office sometimes, and this was one of his favorite places to peacefully do his work.

He had told his new apprentice, Delora, to meet him here. She should be arriving soon.

Delora Tempest

To any other Sith, the thought of having to walk through the corridors of the Kuat Palace was a daunting one. Their odds of meeting an extremely powerful Sith was high. Their odds of meeting an extremely powerful Sith who was in a terrible mood, higher. Delora however, was not any other Sith. She was a woman who had seen much in her fifty-four years; much death, much destruction and, much sorrow. Her thoughts were not filled with anxiety or fear, but with hope and delight. As she turned a corner, the aroma of a Kuati rose wafted underneath her nose. It seemed she was nearing her destination.

The corridor into which she had entered was the Kuat Palace Grand Corridor. Delora looked around before continuing her walk. She noticed that on its brown wall hung pictures of scenes from across the Galaxy. They were not scenes of bloody war, as she had originally thought, but upon closer inspection, they were scenes of relaxation in the countryside, scenes of flowers and, intriguingly, scenes of hope. This train of thought continued before she came to an archway adorned with flowers – the entrance to the garden.

She leaned against the entrance and looked out. Ever since she was young, she had an affinity for flowers and gardens. Flora had always interested her. It symbolised life itself. And here, in this Sith garden, were flowers of various species. Each species had a different life expectancy and this was one reason why she always looked upon flora as the metaphor of life. As she gazed, her eyes found a wooden table, nestled between two large bushes. At this table sat a tall, muscular, fair man; her new Sith Master – the Shadow Protector, Darth Tarna.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

The Dark Lord raised his head as a new presence entered the area. He was surrounded by life in every direction, but he could still clearly assess the new arrival. Standing in the doorway was a woman, like no other he had seen. The lady was roughly ten years older than he was, Tarna surmised, but Tarna could feel the power she held. Not power in the Force, but power of the mind. Quite easily, he sensed the struggles and strife this woman had gone through. But Tarna smiled slightly, because that meant she was perfect for the experiment he had in mind for her.

He spoke to her, "Delora, I presume? Please, take a seat." He nudged his head towards the seat opposite him on the bench.

Delora Tempest

Upon hearing her name, Delora immediately gazed at the Shadow Protector. For the split second he had looked at her, she had taken the chance to look into his eyes. His eyes were the gateways to his soul. And his soul was the personality of this man, his personality, his history and, possibly, his future. She stepped down from the archway and into the garden. It was an open garden and she could feel a crisp wind in the air. She looked around. The plantlife here was much like the plantlife in the Sith temple where she had rested after her tiring, yet worthwhile journey. She walked slowly toward the Sith. She had great respect for life and time and felt it futile to rush.

She reached the bench and placed a hand on it, as if to steady herself. Using her other hand, she smoothed her dress and sat silently, yet gracefully, upon the wooden seat. “Correct, Darth Tarna. I am, indeed, Delora. May I say, I quite like your idea of an office space. If it is true the Force is in every living thing, then you are surrounded by it, in abundance”.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Tarna smirked slightly when she addressed him as 'Darth'. It was a proper title, but he hadn't been called Darth Tarna since he was made a Lord. Oddly enough, it was slightly refreshing.

Tarna looked at the woman and thought of her views of life. "You have a fascinating view of life. One rarely heard throughout these halls. The vast majority of Sith see life as something to manipulate, and only for their own filthy and diabolical purposes. The Sith, throughout history, have been infamous for our crude views at times. Why would one so enlightened as yourself join our ranks? What do you wish to learn as my student?"

Delora Tempest

Delora smiled at the thought of being enlightened. It was something she would have loved to be but she was still a learner in many aspects of the word. “That question, Shadow Protector, is one that I have thought about since my arrival. It is quite simple though and the answer, obvious. I wish to learn of the Force, its power, its meaning, and its use. I also wish to learn how to use a lightsaber, or another weapon similar to it. My experiences have taught much to me, including never to remain unarmed”, she added with a small smile. She could tell that Darth Tarna was somewhat light-hearted and she hoped a few witty comments would improve relations.

“Now, you may be wondering why I did not go to the Jedi to learn of the Force, or of a weapon. The truth, Lord Tarna, is that I see the Jedi as more barbaric as the Sith. Yes, the Sith have been crude in the past, but, it was the Jedi that labelled them with their infamous description, it was the Jedi that hunted down and sought out the Sith to destroy them. And why was this? Because of the dogma, the beliefs that the Sith had. I did not wish to be part of such a society”, she said silently. Again, she smiled a little and looked up into the Kuat sky. The wind had died down now, it was little more than a breeze, but it was refreshing. The warmth from the sun tickled her face. It was a feeling that Delora often missed while alone in the Outer Rim. She spent time in jungles rather than quaint gardens.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Tarna's face grew serious as his new apprentice spoke of her intentions. "You say you wish to learn about the use of lightsabers, and perhaps own one yourself...because you wish to be armed at all times." Tarna looked into her eyes and spoke calmly and clearly. "You have a mind and potential that arrives on this planet precious few times. I will train you in the ways of the Force, of the Dark Side, to understand all of it's subtleties and powers in such a manner that you shall always and forever be extremely heavily armed. The Dark Lord of the Sith Sidious once said that the Sith had grown past the use of lightsabers, and we use them if only to humiliate the Jedi. Delora, it is my wish to train you in such a way that you will never, ever construct a lightsaber...nor use one...and vanquish any foe and be more powerful than any other Sith at your level."

Delora Tempest

Delora looked deep into the Dark Lord’s eyes before speaking. “Darth Tarna, you are my Master and a powerful and experienced Sith. If you see me above a lightsaber then I will not shame you by using one”. She sighed. “You have already taught me something about the Force – that it can be used as a weapon. I did not know this. I am intrigued to find out more about this and, indeed, about the Force as a whole. It must have been fate that you have become my master; you wish to teach the Force, and all it’s meaning, power, uses etcetera, and I, I wish to absorb all you know. Or is fate another use of the Force?” she said with a curious look on her face.

She sighed again to herself. “Do you find it odd, or unusual, that a woman of my age does not know about the Force? If so, I do profusely apologise. It was not my intention to be a, for lack of a better word, stupid apprentice; lacking in the basics with just age to her name.”

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Tarna laughed at his apprentice's worry. "You have a special purpose here, I know it. This type of case does not happen often. We usually get adepts as children, or rarely above the age of twenty. They do not know much besides the language they speak. Am I surprised you don't know about the Force? That's a tough question. Do you know about the Force...or do you know the Force? The latter does not surprise me, nor worry me in the slightest way. You know the Force exists and you can feel it, and with those two basic needs I can train you.

"I can train you to break all the standards. Every Master out there has their apprentice build a lightsaber to fight with other students. My master did as such, and he was an incredibly wise and strong man. However, lightsabers are just technology. They use buttons, crystals, knobs and levers, things of a physical nature. The Force...is life. A saber can cut, the Dark Side can destroy all together. A saber can stab a man, the Dark Side can be used to stab the heart of a civilization and watch it crumble from within. You need no physical tools to achieve power."

Tarna lowered his head and unclipped his lightsabers from his belt and placed them in front of Delora. "I'm ashamed to say I've grown reliant on these. I am a Dark Lord of the Sith, and can wheeled the Force expertly...but I wish to shape you to wield it to the point where you never need to move a muscle to defeat an entire army in combat...or worse." He took his lightsabers in his hands and put them back on his waist. "Delora, if you train under me, you are never to use a lightsaber. Ever. Any task you complete, you shall complete with your mind and the Force. Do you understand?"

Delora Tempest

As Delora gazed into the garden, she let her Master’s words settle. She thought about a lightsaber and how every Sith she came across either had one in their possession or spoke about creating one. However, as a natural pacifist, Delora did not care about ever having to wield, or not wield, a lightsaber. It was a weapon that symbolised war and death in the Galaxy; and she knew she had seen enough of both. Life was precious and society had evolved to forget this. With every word that this man spoke, Delora became more concrete in her stance on society and her choice of becoming a Sith.

“I must admit, Shadow Protector”, she began, “what you speak of, your intents, are quite unusual. Fortunately, I agree with every word you utter here today. The saber, this weapon, can be destroyed easily. From my limited knowledge of the Force, I understand that it cannot be destroyed; stripped yes, but not destroyed. Nonetheless, I have admitted myself to your training. I am not as attuned to the Force as you are. If you believe I can do what you say, then I will do my utmost to reach that standard”, she finished in her velvet voice. As she spoke, she became aware of the darkening sky. She knew that it was not yet nearing sunset and she knew that this part of Kuat had been having great heat for a few days. “Darth Tarna, we are going to have a thunder-storm. I think we should move inside”.

She gracefully stood and looked at the man gather up her things. She turned her head away and gazed around the garden. The birds too sensed the approaching storm. They fluttered about and searched for shelter. She smiled. She sometimes wished that her life had been as simple as that of a bird. However, what had happened to her had happened for a reason. She stepped forward slowly. She took note of her breath as she paced. Her thoughts of her past always made her breath quicken. He turned to her new Master. “No disrespect intended, sir, but do hurry along”.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Tarna gathered his papers and headed inside the palace with his new apprentice. "We should head down to the training rooms to begin. You don't know how to control the Force yet, and we must fix that if you are to use it as your only weapon."

Delora Tempest

Delora nodded in agreement. She had not even had a Force-related experience. Nonetheless, the Sith on Kuat knew she was Force-sensitive when she arrived and so did, apparently, her new Master. She walked slowly through the garden, in the direction of the archway. She did not know where the training rooms where but once inside she would allow her Master to go ahead of her. It would not do well to get lost but Delora was always one to admire the little things in life and often got distracted. She smiled at this thought.

Once inside the flower-adorned archway, she stopped, to wait for her Master. She wondered how often he had walked the white marble hallways in the Kuat Palace, how often he had stopped to look upon the artwork and how often he had trained an apprentice in the rooms where they were going. She had not been deep inside the Palace; she had just walked around the corridors and visited one or two of its public amenities. She was particularly fond of the library as it housed hundreds of scrolls, books and datapads on her homeworld Corellia; the planet she had not visited for decades and missed very much.

As if by magic, as soon as her Master stepped inside into the corridor, the heavens opened and with a bang and a flash, the thunderstorm began. She smiled as she turned to her Master, “Looks like we just made it. Now, to the training rooms?”she said with a gesture.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Tarna laughed as the heavens opened up. He shook his head and turned to his apprentice. "Yes, I'll lead the way." He walked down the hall, with Delora following closely behind him. As he walked, many of the Sith he passed nodded with respect, or bowed slightly as he passed. The men in the military saluted as he passed. Every once in a while, a Moff would join stride with him and try to lobby for a new building they wanted or other projects. Finally, they reached a large elevator and stepped inside. As they traveled vertically, Tarna turned to his apprentice, "What Orders are you interested in?"

Delora Tempest

She looked directly at the doors of the elevator before speaking. The thought had crossed her mind before and she really only felt strong about one option. “The Inquisitors”, she said simply. She had originally thought about the Church. It was the Order most associated with the use of the Force; prophecies, experiments and sage advice. However, it was the Inquisition that she felt more attracted to. They were dedicated to solving puzzles and finding the answers to questions. They used logic heavily and travelled across the galaxy, weeding out the barbarians who were threats to society.

She turned to face the Shadow Protector and repeated her statement, “The Inquisitors. I have thought about this and I believe that they suit me adequately. The other Orders, while all admirable in their portfolios, do not attract me as heavily as do the Inquisition”. Perhaps the Inquisitors attracted her so because of their mysterious ways. She did not know. Nevertheless, she was dedicated to find out.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Tarna nodded. "The Inquisitors do fine work, and they're one of the most important groups to the well-being and stability of our Empire. I'll speak to the Grand Inquisitor for you and see what I can do." A chime sounded, and the doors opened to reveal a long, dark hallway. Tarna and Delora walked past several doors which were in use until they came to a large, empty room. Tarna smiled, "Perfect."

Delora Tempest

After following her Master through the long dark corridor, she wondered if there were Inquisitors near her at that very moment. She settled on the answer that it was highly possible. As her Master stopped and entered a doorway, she looked out a nearby window and at the rain that was falling. It looked peaceful and serene and the drops looked like tears against the solid pane of glass. She mused at this thought. To be one with nature was a strong belief with her. Nature was the very core of society; the beliefs that only the strongest survive or how it was a dog eat dog galaxy.

Leaning against the doorframe, she gazed into the room. It was empty, with the exception of a table and a few chairs. It was a large room and it had windows that allowed the correct amount of light in. It seemed to be an ideal work place, or as the Sith used it, an ideal training room. She placed her hands behind her back and walked so gracefully into the room, it was as if she glided.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Tarna turned to his apprentice, "Delora, please stand in the middle of the room."

Delora Tempest

Delora bowed her head in a respectful way and strolled towards the center of the room. She did not question her Master’s order. He had taught many apprentices and he knew what he was doing. Once settled in the middle of the room, she looked at her Master; her face void of expression. She did not ask for another order, she did not ask why she was here; she simply looked at her Master. He was a tallish man, with fair hair. It was obvious that he had seen his fair share of battles and because of that, she felt slightly more at ease with him than she would have with another.

Shifting slightly, she smoothed down her dress and lowered the silk hood that she had on her head. She allowed her long, grey hair to rest on the folds that the hood created once it was lowered.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Tarna said, "Close your eyes...what can you feel? Even with them shut, what can you see?"

Delora Tempest

Doing as she was asked, Delora closed her crystal eyes. She could see nothing but darkness, one of her favourite things in her life. She felt comfortable in the dark and because of this, she relaxed. “I feel comfortable, Master. I feel safe and aware of my surroundings. I can feel the wind bracing my face. I feel my breath entering and leaving my body. I feel your presence, I know you are here”. She topped and continued to breathe slowly.

“You ask what I see. I can still see the room and where each object is. I know that seven feet to my left you stand with you right hand on your hip, your left by your side. I know that to my left, the desk is placed less than a foot from the wall. Its chairs are placed neatly beside it. But, wait. Something else. It is like a wisp of wind. It’s surrounding you and me”. She kept her eyes closed and continued her slow breathing.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Tarna's hopes raised slightly. He whispered, "The wind you feel, reach out to it. Touch it, and let it touch you."

Delora Tempest

Delora nodded and did as she was told. In her mind, she reached out and touched the wisp. She was nervous; would it hurt or burn her? She pushed the negative thoughts to the back of her head and again focused on her breathing. Again, with her eyes closed, she watched the wisp flutter about. She imagined her arm reach out and touch the wisp, gently yet firmly. She beckoned the wisp toward her. She embraced it. Her breathing quickened. She was getting excited. She tried to shake the excitement away, but the wisp tried to get away too.

She slowed her breathing once more and tried again. She again took hold of the wisp, asking it in her mind to embrace her. She felt the wisp of wind against her face; it was warm and comforting – it was familiar. When she let go of the wisp of wind, it did not run away, it stayed with her. She was left with a warm, mellow feeling.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Tarna could sense Delora was making contact. He rolled his lightsaber hilt along the floor so it finally rested several feet in front of Delora. "Now, my apprentice, control the wind to make the lightsaber roll back to me."

Delora Tempest

This time Delora did not nod or use any other gesture to acknowledge the fact she had heard her Master. She opened her eyes and saw the lightsaber hilt about four feet on front of her. She reached back into her mind, keeping her eyes open, and grasped hold of the wisp once more. She concentrated only on the lightsaber hilt and the wind. Everything else in the room was irrelevant. This was easy for her to do, as the years of hermitage made concentrating on something in a short space of time almost second nature to her.

She outstretched her hand, palm down and, using her mind, urged the wisp of wind to surround her and to focus on that point. The feeling of warmth in her hand told her that the wisp of wind had obeyed her. She took a gulp and swiped her hand to the right. Nothing happened. She tried again. This time willing the wind to extend to the hilt. She swiped her hand to the right once more. Success. The hilt flew across the floor towards the feet of the Shadow Protector. She let out a long sigh.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

The hilt rolled at Tarna's feet and then flew up into the air towards Tarna's hands. Then he moved the hilt, still airborne, to the same spot in front of Delora...but now at her eye level. "Grasp the hilt out of the air with the Force and hold it up by yourself."

Delora Tempest

The lightsaber hovered on front of Delora. She reached back into her mind to try to find the wisp, or as Tarna had correctly identified it, the Force. She once again willed the wisp to flow through her body. The warm feeling it brought now began to feel familiar to the Corellian. She enjoyed the feeling, it made her feel safe. She looked at the hilt and without moving her hands, used the wisp as an extension of her body to take hold of the hilt gently. It did not work the first time. She shook her head and tried again. She felt the wisp gently extend from her body and grasp the hilt. The slight change in weight told Delora the hilt was now in her control.

She closed her eyes and, using the Force, became familiar with the layout of the lightsaber. Opening her eyes and using her mind, she twirled the saber around. She enjoyed the feeling the Force brought. It felt like a third arm, a second head, a third leg. It felt like another part of her body. Looking again at the lightsaber, the Force brought her attention to a knob near the middle of the hilt. Using the Force, she closed her mind and willed the wisp to press the button. It took extra effort as it involved using the Force to put pressure on something. She did not mind exerting herself. She pressed the button. The saber ignited; a yellow blade shot out so quickly it surprised Delora. She lost the connection and the saber fell to the floor.

She looked at her Master as a bead of sweat slid along the side of her face.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Tarna bore a smile that reached from ear to ear. "Excellent! You've done fantastic work for your first day! But I can see you're getting tired, which is to be expected. Let's leave this here for today, and come back tomorrow to continue. Good day, my apprentice." he said.

Delora Tempest

Delora nodded and watched as her Master, the Shadow Protector, picked up his saber, bid his farewell and leave. She sighed and went to sit by the window. The rain had gotten heavier and she smiled as she saw people below in the courtyard scatter around, looking for shelter, she presumed. She decided to look back upon the day’s proceedings. She concluded, after a few moments of thought, that she had achieved a good deal. However, she was not as tired as the Shadow Protector thought. She felt weary, admittedly, but able to continue.

She turned to look at the door, which Darth Tarna had left ajar. Again, she delved deep into her mind to search for that wisp, the Force. Surprisingly, she found it easily now and it filled her body without her having to ask. Turning her attention back to the door, she took a deep breath and pushed the Force out of her body. Of course, it did not physically leave her, but that invisible third hand shot out of the body towards the door, grasped it, closed it gently, without a sound, and then finally returned to the body of the Corellian. She smiled. Now she did feel tired. She decided to stay in the room for a little while – at least until the rain died away.

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Delora watched as one of the Kuati suns rose above the hills surrounding the Kuat Palace. The view was breathtaking. She had dressed in the same fashion as the previous day but with a small colour alteration. She awaited her Master who was due to arrive in fifteen minutes. She decided to have come early, as she knew from experience military precision – and she presumed that precision was the same for the Royal Guard.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Dark Lord Tarna walked into the small training room wearing his Royal Guard uniform. Red armor covered his chest, and a red cape followed him. "Good morning, apprentice. How are you feeling?"

Delora Tempest

Delora turned to greet her Master. She bowed slightly and turned back to admire the scenery. “I am well, Shadow Protector. I am well in the regards of my mental and physical health”. She turned back to her Master. “I do hate it when people reply with ‘I am good’ or something to that effect. How can they say they feel good when all around them people die, animals die, flora dies, society fails and the universe continues it’s slowing to an inevitable end”, she said depressingly. Nevertheless, she smiled and turned to the Dark Lord, “I am well, my Lord.”

She looked at the floor and back at the Sith Lord. “I have been thinking though”, she began, “I understand your wish for me to never carry a saber, or use one, but would you not agree that this would be difficult in the future. How would I ever train my apprentice in the art of the saber, or indeed, knight my apprentice. Would I not need the saber in the Inquisitors? On the other hand, would the Grand Inquisitor understand? I, personally, do not care and would prefer to respect your wishes to never use a saber”.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

"The Inquisitors perform many duties. I know of many of these duties that the average person does not. There is not one task the Inquisitors perform that can't be done without a lightsaber." Tarna paused, "As for a possible apprentice...I don't know. I'll admit that."

Delora Tempest

She nodded, “Let us not concern ourselves with possibilities, lest they drive us mad”, she said in a quiet voice. Lowering her hood, she turned to the Shadow Protector and raised a hand. Almost instantly, the door behind him closed. “As you can see, Darth Tarna, I have been practicing”, she said with a smirk. The rain had not let off, so she had practiced all night, resting every now and then. She left earlier that morning for a shower when the rain finally died down.

“Not meaning to sound impatient or disrespectful”, she began, “but what shall we be doing today. I presume more working with the Force?” She enjoyed working with the Force and she looked forward to the day where she could use it to help people, herself and the Empire.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

"Yes." he said and unclipped his two lightsabers, and levitated them across the room to the spot where just one had floated yesterday. "Grasp them both with the Force, ignite them both, and send them at me. But when you send them at me, do not be timid. Imagine I am a foe. And above all else, don't worry. I assure you I won't be harmed."

Delora Tempest

She outstretched her hand and easily levitated both lightsabers. She did not smile at the ease of this compared to the attempts the day before. It came easier to her today because she had become more in-tune with the Force. Now came the more difficult part. She closed her eyes in order to concentrate more easily. She used the Force to examine the two sabers. She found the knobs that operated the blade launching system. Slowing her breathing, she tried to use the Force to put pressure on the knobs. Like yesterday, she failed on the first attempt.

She cleared her mind once more and again, took note of her breathing. She opened her eyes and looked at the sabers. She could feel them with the Force. They were slightly heavy, but not to the extent where they hindered her progress. She willed not only the Force, but also herself to put more pressure on the knobs to ignite both sabers. After about 90 seconds of this willing, she closed her eyes. She saw everything the same as it was when her eyes were open. She pushed a little more. Immediately, she heard two consecutive hums. The lightsabers had ignited.

A bead of sweat ran down the side of her face. However, this did not deter her. Holding the ignited sabers in the air with the Force, she made many gestures with her outstretched hand. The sabers imitated the movements she made. She nodded. This was what was supposed to happen. She turned her whole body to face the Shadow Protector, her concentration never leaving the sabers. She looked at him and nodded, as if warning him of what both of them knew was going to happen next. She had no qualms in throwing the sabers at him; she knew he would not be harmed.

Letting her breath return to its normal pace, she shook herself slightly, as if to shake off all the weariness obtained during the first few stages of this exercise. It seemed to work; she had become a good user of the ‘mind over matter’ dogma. Remembering how she closed the door the previous night, she willed the Force to extend out of her body and throw the sabers toward the Shadow Protector. As had happened the night before, it did not work the first time. This did not matter, Delora expected this. Again, she concentrated. After a few seconds, the sabers flew towards the Dark Lord.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Tarna threw up both his hands, and the sabers spun around so that the blades faced Delora. The hilts flew into his hands and he de-activated the blades. "Good, very good." he said. He replaced the sabers upon his belt and walked over to the pile of equipment on the side of the room. He moved items out of the pile at seeming random, and then turned to Delora. "Here are a series of boxes each getting smaller, and all made to fit inside each other." As he spoke, five boxes appeared out of one box and floated to different corners of the room. He gestured to the six boxes and said, "Group them back together inside each other."

Delora Tempest

Delora smiled, “Excellent, some logic”, she beamed. She stopped for a moment before nodding once more. “Now, Shadow Protector, the way to do this is simple. I shall place them all in the largest box backwards, so to speak. One may put the smallest box into the slightly larger box first, however, that would mean you would have the weight of five boxes to carry at the end”, she began to explain. “However, if I put the second largest box in the largest box first and then the third largest into the second largest and so forth, it requires me to only lift one box at a time thereby reducing all pressure that could otherwise be exerted on me”, she finished.

Delora turned to the rest of the room. She stretched out her hand and picked up the largest box with ease. She then placed it in the center of the room. Somehow, she could sense the second largest box was behind her. Without turning around, she used the Force to find it. As it was the second largest, it was quite big and as such, the Force found it quite quickly for her. She concentrated on getting that box, picking it up with the Force and bringing it to the center of the room. This was much more difficult as she could not actually see it. She closed her eyes, and tried to see the box with her mind’s eye. She nodded and opened her eyes once more. With a graceful flourish of her arm, the second largest box soared into the air, narrowly missing the Shadow Protector, and floated over on front of Delora. She smiled and lowered it into the largest box.

“Two down, four more to go, Master Tarna”, she said silently, but clear enough for the Sith Lord to hear her. Having already seen the room using the Force, she knew where the third largest box would be. She turned to look at it. Judging from what had just happened, she knew trying to grab it without actually having a good view of it and knowing what she was doing exerted a lot on her and made her weary. She moved her fingers inward and the box went up into the air slowly and hovered before her. As she turned, she concentrated on this third largest box, ensuring it followed her to the small pile. She saw it hover over the pile and outstretched both her arms, as if yawning. The box fell vertically into the other two boxes. Another success.

She turned to her Master, “I am halfway there, I believe”, she said simply. Locating the other three boxes was simple as they were on front of her and scattered behind the pile in the center of the room. She gazed out the window. She guessed it was nearing midday, as the three Kuati suns were making a perfect arc in the sky. It was a lovely sight indeed and she wished she could enjoy it more. She shook her head. She had totally forgotten about the task. She looked at all the boxes again and concentration set in once more. She outstretched both her arms once more. Using her right hand, she used the Force to grab the third smallest box, using her left; she used the Force to grab the second smallest. She brought them into the center of the room.

Then, her brow beginning to sweat, she closed her eyes and concentrated heavily on the two boxes. In midair, she placed the second smallest box into the third smallest. It did not work on the first attempt, the second smallest missing the other. She opened her eyes and tried again. She carefully watched as she raised the second smallest and attempted to put it into the slightly larger box. It took precision. After a few minutes of carefully lowering it, she succeeded in placing it. The shift in weight was not as evident as she thought it would be. Stepping back to get a better view of the entire room, she brought the two hovering boxes closer to her until they were directly above the three boxes in a pile. Releasing her grip, the boxes fell and, as if by magic, fell perfectly into the other pile.

She raised her hand and wiped her brow. The task was beginning to show its pressure on the Corellian as beads of sweat poured from her brow. This did not matter to her. With much more ease, she picked up the smallest box with a flick of her wrist. Drawing her hand closer to her chest, the box seemed to follow, as if attached by a string. She waited until it seemed to be directly above the pile and, lowered it slowly into the rest of the boxes. She did not want to just drop it in the event it missed. She wanted it to be prefect. After a few seconds, she stood back and sighed. She had finished, but she was becoming weary. She looked at her Master.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

(( So sorry for my absence, internet troubles. ))

Tarna smiled and nodded approvingly at his apprentice. "So far you have lifted and moved inanimate objects, hollow boxes, nothing with serious weight or matter to levitate. For your last task with this exercise, my apprentice, you shall levitate and move a live, human being...myself." he said with a smile. "I shall exert no effort or motion and you must bring me to the opposite side of the room."

Delora Tempest

With a low sigh, Delora bowed her head as a sign of acceptance and understanding. She cleared her throat quietly and gestured to the door. “If you would be so kind to stand near the door, please, Shadow Protector”. Once he had done this, Delora shook her sleeves back from her hands and took two slow, long, deep breathes. She decided to think about this. The boxes had tired her out slightly, and they were light, so how would she fare with a heavy object. On the other hand, the boxes took several trips and this would be just the one. Logic told her that yes, although the Shadow Protector would be heavier than the combined boxes, she should be able to move him, albeit with considerable effort and strength.

Outstretching both her hands before her small, thin frame, Delora grasped hold of the energy that she was becoming ever familiar with – the Force. Concentrating on the Sith Lord was easy; the room and surrounding areas was quiet, the sky was darkening and Darth Tarna himself was not moving. She willed the energy to extend out from her and to surround the Dark Lord of the Sith. She kept her eyes open, as she no longer needed to close them to focus or see, as it were, her Sith Master with the Force. Using the Force, the energy emitting from both her hands, she began to slowly lift the man. It was difficult as he was heavier than anything she had tried to lift before. Nonetheless, slowly but surely, the Sith Master was beginning to rise in the air.

Turning her hands so her palms faced the ceiling, she raised them. In imitation, the Force began to raise Lord Tarna in the air. After a few moments, the Shadow Protector was raised 5 foot in the air. Delora quickly turned her hands once more and held them palms facing out, as if halting the Sith in the air. Her breathing began to get heavier and it was evident she was beginning to tire; this was a heavy weight and she knew it was the fact that the Shadow Protector was wearing his armour and his weapons in addition to his usual weight. Nevertheless, despite all this, Delora did not stop and Delora did not falter. She was used to working under pressure and this would not change.

She moved her hands slowly to the left. She watched as her Master began to follow her hands’ movement. She willed the Force even more, to give her more strength to move the man. She took hold of her breathing and used this to aid her. She looked at the open space in the left corner of the room before looking back at the man she was levitating in the air. She imagined him in that open area. This image willed her on and she continued to slowly move the man. The sweat on her forehead was clear but she did not let this affect her. After a minute, she had successfully managed to levitate the Shadow Protector from one corner of the room to the other. Now she had to lower him without hurting him.

As she already had her palms facing the man, she slowly lowered her hands so that they faced the wooden floor. Her object, the Shadow Protector, began to lower too. She began to let the Force withdraw, and after a few seconds, she sighed heavily with relief as the Shadow Protector’s feet touched the ground. She severed the connection with the force and took a few steps backwards, in exhaustion. She ceased control of her breathing and let out a few quick pants. “My lord”, she said silently, “I have completed your task”.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Tarna smiled greatly as he looked at Delora. "Yes, you have. We have been here for a good time while you move items around the room. What have you learned?"

Delora Tempest

Delora looked around the room as she took a few moments to steady herself and to take a few breathes. The boxes she had moved and sorted were in the center of the room, while the Shadow Protector now stood on the left of her. She thought for a moment. She had learned much; not least of which was the fact that when wearing his armour the Shadow Protector was quite heavy and an enemy may use that to their advantage. She toyed with the idea that she should say that to him but she quite liked having her head attached to her body, so she decided not to. She could hear chatter in the corridor and she decided it must be getting late. The Sith Lord would be expecting an answer soon.

“Well, my Master”, she began, “I learned that the Force is not something one should take advantage of. Relying on it consistently could see your end sooner than is destine”. She pauses for a moment. “Furthermore, the Force does tire you out. Of course, if you are stronger than I am, it will take you much much longer than I to weaken, but in theory and indeed practically, the Force does weaken you”.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

"The Force can weaken you when you use it a lot, yes. However, the Force can also strengthen you. As you saw today, you could certainly never perform these feats without the power of the Force. And if you are in battle and need a burst of energy, the Force can be called upon to give you a new surge of power." Tarna looked at Delora and said, "Any questions?"

Delora Tempest

Delora began to shake her head in the negative but stopped for a moment; to think about something. It was something she had discussed with the Shadow Protector before and she thought she might have come up with a compromise. “Yes, actually, Master Tarna. I would like a lightsaber. I know you wished for me never to wield one; however, I believe I may have come up with a suitable compromise”.

She leaned against the table. “I believe telekinesis is the answer. And I do not wish to use the lightsaber in battle, merely for the future, when I have an apprentice to teach or indeed knight. And if I use telekinesis, technically, i will not have touched it, and as such, I will not have wielded it”. She looked at her Master expressionlessly.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Tarna sighed heavily. "You will still have wielded it even though your flesh and the metal of the hilt do not meet. The point of this experiment was to prove that a lightsaber is not needed to defeat an enemy in combat. If you truly wish to use a lightsaber, you may. The Jedi oppress their apprentices and force them to adhere to their beliefs and standards. As a Sith, however, I shall allow you to make a choice. You can use a lightsaber now, or wait until after your formal training is complete and I shall show you how to wield the weapon, or any other teacher you wish."

Delora Tempest

Thinking about this for a few moments, Delora nodded. “I will adhere to your wishes, my Master. I think that the Force would aid me more than a saber would. If it happens that I have an apprentice, I am sure another member of the Empire would instruct him or her, of course, in the art of the saber”. She nodded along with her own train of thought, as she often did. This was the correct solution. She would prove to those who may doubt the use of Force alone that it was possible.

She looked back the Shadow Protector and raised an eyebrow. “I have no further questions for you, my Lord. Is there anything you wish to ask of me?”

Sovereign Defender Tarna

"No, my student. Rest well, for tomorrow we leave these walls and venture out into the galaxy." Tarna said and before Delora could ask any questions, he walked out of the room to leave his apprentice to ponder those words.

Delora Tempest

Delora nodded her head in acknowledgement of her Master’s order. She walked quietly out of the room, shutting the heavy oak door silently behind her. Draping her hood carefully across her light grey hair, she looked around quickly before walking to the left. She walked silently yet quickly, quickly yet gracefully. Her hurried, fluid movements made her almost unnoticeable to the Sith she passed in the corridor, too busy to be distracted from their duties from a seemingly noiseless being.

After walking for several minutes in the Temple, she came to a small room in which was kept a small bed covered with snow-white linen sheets. This was the room in which Delora resided. Because of her age, the appropriate authorities gave her a separate room, away from the apprentice dormitories. It had been arranged only that day, when she had gone to shower and she was glad of it. She smiled as she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. It was time for a shower and a rest and then to continue her training with her Master, the Shadow Protector, Dark Lord of the Sith, Lord Tarna. He mentioned the galaxy and she hoped it meant she would be travelling. She did enjoy it so.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

Dark Lord Tarna waited next to his shuttle in the palace's docking bay. He had flown over from his residence and offices as Grand Moff to pick up his apprentice, Delora. They were going to go on a mission, and he had sent her a message to meet him here.

Delora Tempest

The delicate summer rain fell slowly from the great grey Kuati heavens. Their almost musical falling was soon drowned out by the thunderous roar of a ship landing on the helipad of the humble Apprentice Dormitories located near the revered Sith Temple. This roar startled many in the dormitories, but not the apprentice of the Shadow Protector who had appeared unmoved by this seemingly unexpected event. However, to Delora Tempest this was no unexpected event. She had been awaiting the thunder-like grumble of the ship for over an hour now. It was her signal that her Master had arrived to whisk her away on a mission through space.

Rising from her room, she walked gracefully, yet briskly, through the maze of stairwells leading from her room, on the corridor of the second floor, to the helipad, located on the roof of the five-storey building. Opening the door, she raised her hood slowly, to shield her face from the bitter wind and the sharp rain. She stepped out onto the platform and grasped her hood firmly against her face. As the ship was landing, it caused the wind to become fierce and strong. After a few moments, the ship landed expertly and the main door opened. A stairwell ejected out from beneath the door and metaphorically invited Delora to enter the ship.

Once aboard the ship, the greying apprentice made her way towards the bridge. Using the force to open the door, she bowed humbly to see the Shadow Protector awaiting her. “Master Tarna”, she said simply.

Sovereign Defender Tarna

"Good evening, Delora. Please, take a seat." Tarna said and nodded towards the co-pilot's chair. He started to take off again as Delora sat next to him. "How are you, my student?"

Delora Tempest

Delora mused about this question as she took her seat. She belted herself in and slowly turned her seat to face her Master. “I am alive, Darth Tarna. Well, alive but dying”. She smiled politely at the Shadow Protector and turned her seat back to face the window. “We are all dying, of course. We can try to delay it; but it is inevitable. I do, however, look forward to death. I see it as another stage on my journey. Into the dark, the void, the unknown”. She began to sport the now famous dazed, yet philosophical look that most people had come to know her by.

With a sigh as quiet as the wind’s breath, she pressed a few buttons on the dash, enabling the ship to take off on the pilots command. “Tell me, Master Tarna”, she began, not looking at the Sith Lord, “do you fear death?”

Sovereign Defender Tarna

The shuttle soared through the atmosphere as Tarna said, "Fear death? It depends. How do I die? Gruesomely? I do not desire a slow, painful death. So yes, I would be afraid. However, if I died this very second, instantly from a blood clot? That would be fine, although I hope you can land this shuttle safely. I know the Emperor would be safe, Lord Adenn would be a fine Shadow Protector. I would only be afraid of death if it put the Emperor in danger. If I were protecting him against an assailant and I was defeated, that would be my worst fear. Of course the Emperor would strike down any such foe with no difficulty...however, I would still fear for his safety."

Tarna turned the shuttle towards several massive ships. "So, young one, shall we take the Star Destroyer Dawn's Promise? Or shall we really travel in style with the Executor-class?"

Delora Tempest

The Corellian nodded silently, as if in approval of the Shadow Protector’s answer. “Your loyalty knows no bounds. You would die for your liege and, even in death; your loyalty would not diminish. That is quite admirable, my Master. Quite admirable indeed”, she added, trailing off. She looked with an expression of boredom as they approached the floating sea of metal before them. “Although, when does one cross the line between admirable and folly. One must always keep that in mind”.

She sat looking at the armada for a few moments before clearing her throat. “Well, Darth Tarna, that would depend on the mission we are about to depart on. One should examine the mission carefully before choosing their correct equipment – including their means of travel. Speaking of mission requirements, you have neither divulged to me the details of the mission nor what I need for it. I assume you will tell me, albeit in due course”, she stated clearly, her crystal blue eyes piercing those of the Sith Lord.