"I am sorry, I was not told who had their eye on you. All I know is that it is someone of great authority to be able to hand pick a Youngling who was not even part of the Order yet. As Master Salaban said,k you are well known to us." As the lift shot downward deeper in to the complex Julet did not interrupt Jalak-Adaka's thoughts. Only when it was clear that he had concluded his thoughts did she finally speak up, "The complex is nearly five miles below the surface. In the habitation buildings, that is where you will spend most of your time, there are these vast gardens that have massive sky lights above them. The Futoush tend to the Gardens. The habitation gardens are the only parts of the entire complex that reaches the surface. The rest of the complex is all underground. I asked Master Salaban about the complex and why it was built the way it was. He said that it was once a military post and the design came out of a nature of defense."
She noticed that the lift slowed down then started to move sideways down another tunnel. "We are now traveling between the habitation buildings. We are almost there. The Futoush are all force sensitive. While they are nicknamed tree people. They are not plants. Though it is easy to forget that. Did you know that they actually communicate with the plants of the complex?" she said with a hint of surprise in her voice. "I teach a class to the younglings about the gardens. It is a very basic class about the living force and how it affects the garden. Psst, a Futoush, helps me teach it. Well he does most of the teaching, I just lead the younglings to the class and sit and listen. Master Salaban believes that in teaching those younger than me will help me learn my place and master the skills needed to teach when I become a Master. The Padawans when we are home stay down the hall from the Younglings. While we might be separated by a pair of doors, the Padawans and Younglings tend to stay close together. Because Master Salaban is in charge of Youngling training here at the Imaginous Temple, I get to spend more time with the Younglings than other Padawans. So you will see me more than other Padawans."
Padawan Julet paused a moment and pondered his question. The lift doors opened to the vast Habitation Building. Walking in from the lift, it looked more like a massive grand hotel. Jedi of all sizes and colors were walking around. "Welcome to the Imaginous Temple. Well our temporary home, till the Temple above is finished." She led him from the lift and past a group of Jedi walking in to the lift. "As for what I want to do as a Jedi. I was raised on born and raised on Lorta. But my family was not from Lorta. They were refugees from the Great War. My mother was always so sad that they can not return home. Sure they loved Lorta, but it was not their home. My family is from Polosh. Before the war, it was an Independent World in the Core. The Reich invaded Polosh years before the Great War started. Many say that Polosh was the match that light the fires of the war. Now, Polosh is occupied by the Socialist Worlds of the Varl" She explained.
"My father managed to get my mother, my older brother, my older sister and me out of Polosh after the Reich invasion came. He never made it off world and we have not ever heard from him since then. Sure we attempted to find out what happened to him, but the Varl claim not to have any information on him. Both my siblings joined the Lorta navy during the War. My brother died during the Battle of Bothawui. We were told that he died a hero trying to save his fellow shipmates. The King of Lorta actually gave my mother a metal for his actions. My sister was a fighter pilot. During the Battle of Vendaxa, her fighter squadron was ambushed by Reich fighters and escorts behind enemy lines. While most of her squadron managed to return to their carrier, she was never heard from again. My mother took her own life some time after that. because of my age, I was put in to a foster family. They were very nice and treated me like i was one of their own. I guess they are as much my family as anyone else is. But I do think of my own family and what happened to them."
"The Minister of Defense back on Lorta still has my sister listed as missing in action. Among with tens of thousands of others from that war. That is what used to hurt the most. Wondering what happened to my sister and father. The pain of those losses used to really bother me. Thankfully I met my Jedi Recruiter. And just like yours, he saw the Force in me. He moved me from my Foster family and placed me in the Temple on Lorta. There was given special counselings for my feelings and the loss. It really helped me over come those feelings. For me, being a Jedi is very important. I want to be part of the peace that both my brother and sister gave their lives for. The Great War took so much for me. I don't want another kid to suffer that kind of loss like I did. When I look at the Masters around here, I see in them the hope of a better tomorrow. And sometimes I do wonder if I will find out what happened to my sister or my father."
She pulled out her datapad and turned it to a holo-image and showed him the image.
"This is the only image I have of my sister. It was taken two weeks before she was lost during that battle."
"So you are from Fra? That used to be a strong hold of the Reich during the War. Before that, I am told that it used to be a strong supporter of the Varl. What was your home like? What was growing up like for you?"
"Oh do you want to see a picture of what the Futoush looks like? Here I have one on my datapad." she said showing a picture of the creatures known as Tree People.
The Continued quest for Knowledge (Beta Test 1.1)