Hawkin looked at Calista.
"We can go anywhere right? From water worlds, to planets of rolling sand dunes? I bet there's even planets made of ice and sky frosting and crystals. Dex here may have some information on planets that may have even been forgotten. Calista, can you tell me about your time at the temple. What was it like?"
“Slow down, Hawkin.” Calista chuckled at his enthusiasm. “But, yes. Any habitable planet or nocturnal cheese wheel that isn't actively against the New Republic or still clinging to what’s left of the Empire would be the easiest for us to visit.” she agreed, hoping he wouldn't mind her preferences. Though she was definitely interested in the possibility of rediscovering forgotten worlds. “But that reminds me, I should check for reports on Illum… see what state it's in.”
Her smile turned thoughtful when Hawkin asked about the Temple and she adjusted the collar of her robe again, deliberately brushing against the cool metal. “It's been a long time… and I was only there until I was ten, but what I remember was how peaceful it felt. Overall, at least. The war definitely left a mark, for lack of a better word, on everyone. Most of the Knights were almost constantly off-planet, fighting, and so were some of the older Padawans.” she had to pause for a moment to calm back down from the spike of frustration she felt. “The Temple itself was bonita and the teachers were patient with us until our Master either picked us or were guided to us to be their Padawan.”
Hawkin touched the top of Dex's head.
"It's gonna be so cool. I be there's so much I haven't seen. Like trees. There weren't really any on Kiffu. Mainly rocky deserts. And the temple sounds really noice. Just a peaceful air and no one yelling at you to get an engine done for some backwater diplomat or whatever. I wish I could see what it used to look like."
He paused and looked at Calista.
"Wait… I technically can. If you're comfortable with it, can we stop by the temple? I want to see what it looked like. Maybe there's a memory I can see!"
Dex chimed in.
"You absolutely should not go to the temple. You just realized a few minutes ago that huffing hyperfuel wasn't the cause of the memories. And your understanding of the Force being cellular parasites leaves me wondering about your sanity. I may have seen Jedi from centuries ago, and I know how they work."
Hawkin stopped and looked over his shoulder in confusion, but he couldn't hold in his laughter.
"When did you pipe in and get an attitude?"
Dex replied.
"Since you activated me again. Truly this comes from you."
Calista turned sharply, but smoothly, to look at Hawkin sternly for his brain bubble. However, she was relieved and able to calm down when Dex chimed in with his reasons. “I agree with Dex. You need better control before we go to the Temple… Besides, not all memories there will be good ones.” she admitted with a sigh. “When I was ten, and the Empire was about to take over, there was a massacre at the Temple. Children, some who had been chosen and some who were too young to be a Padawan, were slaughtered by the very army the Masters had commanded and were led by a Sith. I only survived that because my Master had sent her troops on leave so that she could spend some time with and took me off planet. She didn't even tell anyone where we were going.” she explained, shaking her head. “I don't want you to see that. It was one of the darkest times in the cosmic spiraly-whirly.”
Hawkin furrowed his brow.
"So the temple now, is a graveyard of sorts? That's kind of horrible. At leas you got out okay. I don't know anything about your master. Tell me what she was like."
Dex hummed.
"Yes, Calista I too would like to know what your master was like. I would like to see if she had ideals like the order of the High Republic."
Calista sighed but gave a slight nod. "It's… complicated. Some members of the New Republic want to make it a memorial to the Jedi before the fall, others want to restore it, or make it a museum, or some other kind of historical building. But it's been ravaged by the Empire, trying to erase the presence of the Jedi, and scavengers who think they can find something "special" to sell." she told them, not wanting to keep secrets unless she had to.
But she smiled a little when she thought of her old Master. "Lira Voss. Well, she was Mirialan for a start and always had a deep respect for the Force. Why she chose some kid from Corellia to be her Padawan instead of another Mirialan, I still don't know. Apparently, it was an unofficial tradition according to the senior Padawans at the time." she shrugged. "But she was patient and taught me a lot about the Living Force, ways to seek balance in it… I admit, I still struggle with some of that to this day. Learning to adapt was something I picked up from her quickly, but that I blame more on the situations we were in as we hid all over the cosmic spiraly-whirly to avoid the Empire."
Hawkin shrugged.
"Well you're the Jedi. They should take your opinion into account. What do you want to happen to the temple? Do you want it to be made into a memorial, or even torn down? What would people even take from the temple? It just seems so right to just take stuff from a place that become a mass grave."
He stopped, and thought for a moment, and looked at Calista.
"Is there any place to access the current states of who controls planets? I want to see what has become of my home world. A lot can change in five orbit parties."
Calista smiled softly at Hawkin’s opinion and shook her head. “I don't know. I don't think a memorial is right but I don't want to tear it down either.” she admitted. “I guess, what I would like is to restore it, maybe find more students and start again… but the thing is, I’m not the only Jedi in the cosmic spiraly-whirly. There was one who defeated the Emperor but I never met them. And who knows how many survived like I did. The New Republic would want their opinions too.” she pointed out.
“That should be public knowledge. So we can look that information up through any holonet access.” she answered thoughtfully. “We could stop at the public archives, if you want, and get a look there.”
Dex chimed in.
"Other Jedi survived? They must have vast knowledge. I would like to find them. To fully understand how much has changed over two hundred orbit parties."
Hawkin tapped Dex on the head.
"We'll get there when we get there. I want to know about my planet. Calista, please take me to the public archives. Let's see what has become of my home."
"I don't really know." Calista told Dex as she started leading Hawkin to the public archives. She understood why he wanted to know about his homeworld. Even she had gone through a phase of researching her planet of origin when she was younger. “Sometimes when I meditate, I think I can feel others reaching out as well… other times, all I feel is what should be there. Or maybe what I think should be there.” she shrugged. “But, I know there are others because everyone knows a Jedi defeated the Emperor, and Darth Vader hasn't been seen or heard from since the second Death Star exploded.”
Hawkin looked at Calista and enjoyed the conversation that he was hearing with Dex. He butted into the conversation when he heard Calista talk about a Jedi defeating the emperor and meditating and feeling other Jedi out there.
"So who was the Jedi who defeated the Emperor? They're a hero. And do you recognize any of the presences that reach out to you? Can you talk to them? Why haven't they come back yet?"
“I agree that they are a hero, but the only name I hear for that victory is Skywalker. Which is confusing for me… unless it's a more common name than I thought.” Calista answered. “Well, I think I recognize one or two of them but one feels like they’re in the Outer Rim and I keep getting the feeling that I shouldn't interfere. The other is more complicated. I thought I heard a report that she was dead and even before that there was… an issue with the Council.” she tried to explain since those details had been at a higher level. “Whether or not I can talk to them depends on a few things though. How far away they are, how strong they are with the Force, and if they are receptive to talking. And I wish I knew why they haven't stop hiding yet.”
Hawkin scratched his head.
"Skywalker? That is sure an interesting name to be common. It sounds like we gotta do some digging. Nothing like digging in some public archives."
Hawkin reached a terminal and looked at Calista.
"Can you show me how to use this thing? I've never used the holonet before. I've only used grimoires and hard copy resources. I never had a use for the holonet."
“Yeah… and I knew of a Skywalker before the war but he was already, at least, ten-orbit parties older than me and I heard he died either at the hands of the Emperor or during the slaughter at the Temple. So, I doubt it's the same one.” Calista explained with a shrug.
“I can but I have to admit that I’m a little surprised.” she smiled at Hawkin’s request before proceeding to show him how to look up the information he was after.
Hawkin laughed.
"Yeah watch it be like the Skywalker you knew had a kid or something. That would be wild. And be surprised. I don't really ever have much use for technology."
He began looking up Kiffu and his brow became more and more furrowed.
"I hardly recognize it. There used to be wide open plains, with some vergetation, but it's nothing but desert now. Lava fields are more active, and the mountains themselves have been destroyed. I can only assume for resources. I would hate to see what happened to our water world, Kiffex. I doubt the water is pure anymore."
"Yeah, right." Calista laughed at the brain bubble and shook her head. "I didn't know him very well, but Jedi… well, it wasn't generally allowed for us to form the kind of attachments that lead to having kids. There were cultural exceptions but… I don't know. Maybe it was supposed to guide us towards being selfless." she shrugged, once again a bit bumfuzzled by the whole 'no attachment' thing.
She sighed and gently put her hand on Hawkin's shoulder. "I'm sorry. Would you like me to pull up the information on Kiffex?" she asked, understanding if he chose not to see it.
Hawkin rolled his peepers.
"Well that's kind of dumb. If Jedi were all about peace and patience and keeping it, I think some of them could have benefitted from children. And not to mention, loving something more than yourself could be considered selfless, right? As for Kiffex, I need to know what has happened. Then I'll know where to start. It all starts back at home, right? If there's a problem, I've gotta try to fix it there."
“Yeah, I’m not arguing with you on that.” Calista nodded. “I do remember that… maybe it had something to do with losing them? Cause I definitely remember there was a whole thing about fear leading to the Dark Side… maybe I’m just shooting in the dark but…” she shrugged before accessing the information. “Maybe after we check on the status of Kiffex, we can search for the reason why this happened.”
Hawkin shrugged and looked intensely at the holonet.
"Fear of losing someone you love is natural. I just don't understand. As for Kiffex, I'm preparing for the worst. A precious resource planet, brutalized by the Empire, more than likely."
“I know and have experienced losing people. But… I don't really know. Maybe I should check the Jedi archives and see if there's more about that. Unless you have any information about it, Dex?” she asked. “Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if that was happened either. The Empire ravaged so many worlds for their own greed.” Calista admitted as she read the information.
Dex was silent for a moment.
"I possibly have some information, but I would have to sort through all of my memory banks. That would take a while."
As Hawkin looked at the information on Kiffex he sighed.
"Yes. It looks like the Empire came in and absolutely ravaged it. It doesn't look like it used to look. That makes me feel a certain way, and I don't know how to explain it."
"Take your time, Dex." Calista assured, curious what information he might have about Jedi and any ancient rules or changes the droid would know of. "Heartbroken? Maybe even a little angry? It's understandable if you are and I certainly won't blame you for it. You can feel any way you want about it. The important thing is to not let those feelings control you." she said calmly.
Hawkin looked at Calista and struggled to voice what he was thinking.
"I mean yes? But no? I expected something to happen, because for the last five orbit parties I've been here and I saw the stormtrooper squads in the lower levels, and I saw them take people, but I didn't expect the Empire to just absolutely ravage a planet. Everything changed when I heard about the first and then second death star, but I never expected it to work. There's still so much bad in the cosmic spiraly-whirly. How can that be so, when good won in the end?"
Dex beeped.
"Sometimes, for good to come to fruition, bad needs to happen. Dealing with Jedi for centuries at this point, I've heard my fair share of you can't have the light without the dark, and there has to be a balance. The Force is mysterious Hawkin, and you will never know all the answers."
“Believe me, I understand. I knew that there wouldn’t be a single planet untouched by the Empire but when I found out how much of the Imperial fleet was Coreillian made… I felt like there was a piece of molten metal in my gut.” Calista told him. “And being Force-Sensitive means that I could feel when Alderaan was destroyed. It nearly knocked me off my groundhands.”
She nodded at Dex's wise words, remembering many lessons from Masters that said basically the same thing. “He’s right. My Master emphasized the importance of balance in the Force many times. Once or twice I heard her wondering if… things weren't as balanced as we believed before the war.” she admitted.
"Wait. How long ago was Alderraan destroyed? It had to have been orbit parties ago. It could explain a three day period when I was younger where I just felt horrible, and like my world was ending."
Hawkin sighed and touched Dex's head.
"Yeah. I don't think anything was ever balanced before the war. I heard the old timers saying that there was too much political unrest and something to do with a trade federation led to a lot of problems. If I'm being honest, I had heard of the Jedi and Sith, if you call them that, but I just thought they were tales for kids. Something the Empire made us believe. It was like I couldn't fathom a whole bunch of people who could move stuff with their minds and were powerful could just abandon us. Then I found out later that they were hunted down and killed for sport."
He trailed off and looked distant for a moment.
"In the underground, if it was a popular bounty hunter, sometimes they would take a holo crew and they would broadcast them hunting down people. I do remember seeing some of those in passing. It makes me wonder now, that if some of the broadcasts were just bounty hunters going after Jedi…"
“Yeah. It was destroyed by the first Death Star but I don't remember how many orbit parties ago it was… at least five orbit parties ago roughly. It was one of the most painful moments in the Force.” Calista sighed, remembering another similar feeling too. “But, I’m sorry to say that you're probably right about that being the cause.”
She let out a soft huff but nodded at the mention of the Trade Federation. “The Trade Federation was just the start. They became the first of the Separatists, a group who deserted the Old Republic for one reason or another, and the “public” enemy during the war. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole thing was a setup from the start.” she confessed before looking at Hawkin firmly yet calmly. “Now you know that both people did exist and that the Jedi didn't abandon anyone. And now you know that you are on the path to becoming a Jedi yourself.” she smiled encouragingly. “As your teacher, I promise, I won't abandon you either.”
Her confidence wavered slightly when he told her about how the bounty hunters recorded their hunts. “Honestly, depending on the bounty hunter, I wouldn't be surprised. I'm sure the Emperor had a high price on anyone who knew or could use the Force. Some Bounty hunters had a personal issue with Jedi… but some were honorable.” she sighed.
"Sounds to me that the trade federation wasn't even really a trade or a federation. It was just there. As for becoming a Jedi, that sounds daunting. I'm glad you won't abandon me, it does bring some comfort. Most of the bounty hunter's I've come across, and mind you, it's been a few, have all been noice to me. Which is a good thing. They come in asking for people to fix their ship, no questions asked, and they just get pointed over to me. Of course Coruscant has labor laws, but since I am still technically underage, I can work on Bounty Hunter ships and I don't ask questions and they don't ask questions. I'd like to say that I'm on good terms with them."
Dex emanated a mechanical laugh.
"If I know anything about a Jedi and their padawans, you won't have to worry about being abandoned. You just have to worry about making it through training. You'll probably feel like she's actively trying to kill you sometimes. But that's all in good fun. For the most part."
"I knew a bounty hunter once. She was the last person I would expect to help me and my Master, for more reason than one… but she did." Calista smiled softly, remembering the warrior fondly. "If we come across any Bounty Hunters, I'll trust you to know how to deal with them. We'll just have to be careful all the same."
She chuckled softly and gave a small shrug. "Learning to be a Jedi can be a daunting and difficult path but I believe you can do it. With you as my Padawan, my job is to guide you and show you what you can do. The rules of being a Jedi have changed because of the war but together, with Dex, maybe we can bring things back to a better way." she affirmed. "I believe the Force brought all three of us together for a reason."
His peepers widened.
"If we run into one I know, then I could probably do it. If it's one I don't know, you better hope you what what they want. And please show me what do and how to do it. I'm clueless here."
Dex whirred.
"I can see the rules have certainly changed. This is all new stuff for me. It's very much uncharted territory. Like the outer rim."
Hawkin frowned at the droid.
"I should probably hook you up to the holonet. The outer rim has been colonized for a while now. People live out there."
Dex let out a whistle.
"I have missed a lot. Alright Hawkin, hook me up to the terminal."
Hawkin laughed and hooked Dex up to the terminal and waited for his memory banks to be updated.
Calista nodded. “I will show you.” she promised as she watched Hawkin, her Padawan, hook up Dex to the holonet. “Everyone starts out with little to no brain bubble of what they can do. I grew up among Jedi but since the Empire, most people have written off abilities of the Force as coincidence or luck, either out of an attempt to hide or simply because they don't know that the Force is real.”