Life, The Universe, and Everything [Durro and Tesara] (Closed)

[rythmicjea]

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
(Takes place near the end of the flight to Rotterdam)

Tesara feels a stirring in her mind; as if her master is trying to contact her via their special Force connection, but this time if feels... different.
"Tesara... Tesara... My young apprentice, I have so much to show you."

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
Tesara blinks, slow to come out of her own sleep/meditative state.  She stretches and focuses on on her breathing.  I am here, master.  Have you awoken from your meditation?

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
As Tesara speaks, she finds herself inside a massive structure, lit by both natural and artificial light. Various beings in Jedi Robes walk around in small groups, some species that Tesara recognizes, like a blue-skinned twi'lekk, but many she does not. Upon closer inspection, she notices they do not have faces, just approximations of facial features, a non-specific nose, or two non-specific eyes, but not a face anyone might recognize.

Durro is in a hallway, open and overlooking a vast atrium. Tesara has never seen anything enclosed that has so much space. Tesara stands near him, near enough to speak and to hear, but not right beside him. Durro seems to be meditating, his hands inside the sleeves of his Jedi Robes, his hooded head bowed slightly. He does not seem to have noticed her nor heard her.

(Durro is about where Mace Windu and Obi-Wan are in the picture.)


Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
Tesara is silently amazed, but manages to keep all of her questions from escaping.  Instead, she uses the training that Durro had taught her and focuses her attention on everything she is seeing and hearing, including him.

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
Long moments pass, the Jedi coming and going around them. Tesara is amazed how quiet the temple is, despite the hundreds of beings that pass through. None come close to Durro though, the two of them are alone. He is deep in meditation and does not seem to realize she is there.

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
She looks up, trying to gauge how high the structure is.  Can she tell if this building is within a city or are the windows showin open spaces?

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
Due to her lack of experience with such buildings, it is hard to judge how high the ceiling is. Outside the windows, not a spot of green can be seen, only the grays and silvers of a massive city stretching as far as the eye can see. Speeders zoom across the sky in web-like lines through the air, and lights twinkle like stars in the setting sun.

Very briefly, in the blink of an eye, the hallway goes dark; smoke and debris and the bodies of Jedi young and old litter the blaster-scarred building. Before Tesara can fully grasp what she has seen, the building is back to the serene, sunset setting again. Durro does not seem to notice, he does not move, continues to stand with his back mostly to her, looking out over the atrium with head slightly bowed, meditating.



Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
Once more she barely manages to hold back a gasp of shock at seeing the dead Jedi.  Quietly she lifts her hand to her mouth to stifle any noise.  This is the Jedi temple on Corusant.  She cannot tell if the Durro next to her is real or a vision.  She closes her eyes briefly.  Show me what you need me to see.

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
Durro shifts slightly, turning to face Tesara. He is young, not much older than Tesara and wearing a padawan braid, his cream-colored Jedi robes immaculate. In an instant, he is the master she knows, wearing the brakka-wool home-spun Jedi robes he made on Lanus.
"Tesara." He says warmly. He gestures around, "I've always wanted to bring you here; this is the Jedi Temple on Coruscant." He lowers his head and smiles slightly, "Our Jedi Temple; the way I remember it from our universe."
He gives her an intense look.
"Are you a vision?" A look of understanding lights up his face as soon as he asks, "Ah, you're contacting me. What's the matter? Was there trouble during your flight?"

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
She shakes her head. “No, Master. You contacted me. We are both on the Shadow on our way to the capital.  You have been....still are,  in a very deep meditation.  I heard you call for me in my sleep.  You said you had so much to show me.”

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
Durro furrows his brow in confusion.
"I didn't call out to you. I've been trying to find clarity among the chaos of Baklid and our crew."
He smiles and continues;
"I can sense the storm of emotions flying around the Shadow, but do not know who is feeling what or why. What has happened?"
After a moment, before she can answer, he adds. "Once you explain, there is something I could show you."

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
Tesara opens her mouth to tell him, then realizes there is far too much.  She sighs a little.  “Hard conversations that sting everywhere.  Too much to explain here. The ship is tiny and there are too many people on it.”  She closes her eyes briefly, bringing her breathing and emotions under control. “What do you wish to show me?”

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
Durro gives her that cocky half-smile she used to hate so much.
"I came here to find answers; so much is happening so fast it is hard to tell where to dedicate my time and attention."

The settings shifts, and Tesara finds herself in what can only be a library; high-tech books line dozens of bookshelves that extend up higher than any building in the villages Tesara has been in. A central area divides the library in half, at the end of each row of shelves a pedestal with a bronze bust of a presumably great Jedi Master; many species are represented by the busts, each with a different expression on its noble face.

Durro is sitting at a circular table, gazing at a computer terminal. Tesara is setting in the chair next to him, looking at her own terminal.

"Some cultures with great mental discipline teach of a memory-enhancement technique called 'Fortress of the Mind.' Master Tiplar insisted I practice; though I made my Fortress the only home I'd ever know." He gives a humorless laugh. "I suppose that makes it my 'Mind Temple.' I could teach you sometime; it is easy to learn but hard to master."

He leans over and starts typing on the terminal.
"I come here most of the time when meditating. If I am looking for information, guidance from the Force, I come here to the Jedi Library. The largest repository of knowledge in the galaxy. Master Nu, the librarian, used to say 'If something does not exist in the Jedi records, then it does not exist.' A bit arrogant perhaps, but you get the point."



Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
Once again, the surroundings leave her speechless. She is staring around her at the books glowing in the stacks. She is listening to him but also absorbing everything around her. Then she turns to him.  “You have pulled me into your mind Temple?” she asks.

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
"You came to me." He says simply, studying whatever is on the monitor before him; the light making his face glow a light blue. "I felt your presence reaching out to me."
He turns to face her.
"I sense a new presence aboard the Shadow. Who is it? How are they settling in?"

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
Tesara sighs heavily.  When Durro speaks of her calling him, she understands. She has been wanting his advice but hadn’t wanted to wake him from this meditation.  She hadn’t realized her own force connection with him would cause him to hear her. But she would take advantage of it while she had it. She turns to him.  “A girl in the village where your sister/the speaker had been, she requested passage aboard the ship, and Ava agreed. Unfortunately it wasn’t Ava‘s decision, but as we left rather abruptly, it was one of those ‘what’s done is done’  situations.  She has caused quite a few ripples so far already, namely with Sinya and then more intensely with Ava.  I had to play the role of peacekeeper as you had taught me in order to defuse the rising tensions between Ava and Reine. That is her name.  she wasn’t present for the conversation that I had with Sinya though.” She sighs.  “every time I speak with Sinya I feel as if I am moving my light saber, deflecting oncoming blaster fire. She is sharp tongued and willful and convinced that she is right. Sometimes she is, sometimes she is not. She accused us of standing by and doing nothing while people are killed and captured and hurt.” She inhaled slowly.  “I feel that way sometimes as well. But the biggest problem was that she had learned that Nova had threatened Lysire’s life.  Apparently she had seen some video archives of when it happened a year ago. She accused me of ignoring it and not doing anything about it, but I had no recollection whatsoever of what she was talking about. Apparently, you were there and not me and all Sinya sees when she looks at you and I is Jedi and not two separate people.  I approached  Nova about it and she admitted to having threatened Lysire twice.  And I know she was lying to me when I questioned her further, but unfortunately I don’t know what she was lying about”.  Tesara finishes, feeling as if her insides had been scoured.
“What did you say to Nova about this?” She asks, confusion on her face and in her voice.

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
"I wasn't there when the threat happened." Durro says. "I was shown the security footage by Ava, when I came to see where everyone was. Half the participants were missing from our first morning of meditation!" He gives a slight smile. "What I said to Nova I said to everyone; because it was the lesson I gave that first morning. I did not say anything to Nova about it one-on-one."
Durro leans back in his seat, looking thoughtful.
"Sinya is really that worked up over it?" He smiles wryly; "People are so petty... and tiny."

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
Tesara nods gravely.  "She has come to see Lysire as her little sister and is as protective of her as a tiger with her cub.  And...it was a serious thing.  Nova threatened to KILL Lysire.  TWICE.  That's really not okay.  She should apologize and assure Lysire she was just being emotional and protective of Ava.  Lysire is still rather scared of Nova.  What do you think the consequences of that behavior should be?"

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
"Lysire is a threat though, Tesara." Durro says gravely. "She may need to be dealt with. She houses a portion of The Mother, the Bringer of Chaos. If that being comes back together it will threaten the very fabric of reality itself, by bringing chaos to the order and balance of the Force."
Durro rises as if to leave;
"Come, let me show you something."

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
Tesara frowns.  "So Nova faces no consequences for that threat because of the Mother?  Yes, we need to find out how to get IT out of Lysire. I told Sinya I would be working on it."  Tesara stands as soon as Durro does, her expression curious.

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
"Tesara, you have much to learn my young apprentice. Your focus is very narrow, your vision limited. That is why I came here, to see the bigger picture."

Suddenly, the scenery changes. Tesara is standing next to Durro... on nothing. Before her, a planet; presumably Coruscant as it appears to be entirely city. The lights glow and twinkle like light off a perfectly cut gem.

"Look at it, Tesara; the entire world of Coruscant. Trillions of sapient species, and it is only one of millions of inhabited worlds in the galaxy."



The scene shifts again, and again Tesara stands next to Durro on nothing. Only a sun, Coruscant's sun, sits nearly imperceptible in the distance.

"This is the Coruscant System; one of trillions of star systems in the galaxy. Look at the stars in the background, Tesara. Each one is a sun, many with planets of their own. You cannot even see Coruscant, it's so tiny in comparison to its sun and we are so far away."



Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
Tesara has never seen anything like this in all her life.  Stunned speechless, she stares at the image.

((She is honestly speechless))

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
The scene shifts yet again, and Tesara is "standing" next to Durro looking out across the entire galaxy. She is familiar with how the galaxy is constructed; Durro taught her what she would need to know to live among the stars with the Jedi. She has never seen anything like it, though. The views through starship viewports are very limited...

"This is our galaxy. Each point of light, barely perceptible, is a star. Most stars have their own planets, and many planets have billions or trillions of sapient inhabitants. Many, many times that 'animal' and plant life."



There is another nauseating feeling of rushing movement, and now Tesara is confused. The other images looked like things Durro had explained, described, taught. Even shown her on the computer when they left Lanus. This, this is... alien. Durro loses no time continuing his lesson;

"This is the universe. Trillions of galaxies, each containing trillions of stars. Most stars having planets, and many planets with countless individual examples of life."



Tesara feels sick, an overload of information. How does her Master process it all? The feeling of movement, and the scene changes again.

"This is the multi-verse. A universe of universes. All connected by the same Force, the Cosmic and the Living Force. Each universe contains trillions of galaxies, each galaxy trillions of stars. Most stars have planets, and many many planets have life."

Durro gives a sly smile; "Then, you add time."

The static image begins to move, the points of light twinkling, winking out of existence, new ones forming, blinking, then winking out of existence. They moved around each other in an orderly fashion, each one seeming to take its turn.

"Oh, you just missed it. Your whole life has passed." He gives a dry, humorless laugh. "So has mine, and oh look!" He points to a specific point of light as it goes out. "There goes our origin universe!"



Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
Tesara's knees are shaking slightly, and she struggles to breathe and stay upright.  It's almost too much.  She knew the universe was vast, but to see if this way is overwhelming.

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
"Do you understand yet, Tesara!?" Durro's voice is climbing, as if pleading with her to understand. "We are so small, smaller even than specks of dust; on the cosmic scale we are insignificant. The Jedi, the Republic, Baklid, the Queen, the Natives, what does it all matter? In the end, the universe continues to turn, The Cosmic Force feeds the Living Force, which in turn dies and returns to the Cosmic Force. The Force is eternal, always has been and always will be; unseen and unknowable, like a rock in the river."
There is a flash of light and a rushing in Tesara's head like a mighty wind. She is back in the Jedi Library, sitting before a terminal next to Durro, who sits at his own terminal.

"I found the answer I sought. Nothing we do matters. Even if The Mother escapes, and the universe falls into chaos, there are countless other universes out there. Even if Baklid burns, all her life returned to the Cosmic Force, that force will feed the Living Force elsewhere. It is a perfectly balanced cycle, a logical perpetual motion machine. The Force is as beautiful as it is mysterious, and the best we can do is to leave it alone and let it do its thing. Who are we to tell it what can and should be done? It predates the universe itself, and will long outlive it."

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
She stares at him, her mind reeling.  Words feel thick on her tongue, but something within her is shaking, like the wings of a butterfly in her heart.  “But what does anything mean if we don’t live to try and make the worlds we go a better place?  It....”. She pauses inhales, and continues as she can hear her own voice shaking.  “It would be like floating in the river while someone next to you is drowning and you don’t help them because you think it isn’t your place to tell the Force what to do?  Why even have lightsabers and use them if we just lie down and let everything happen to and around us?”  Her voice has risen, passion filling the words.  “My mother taught me that the Spirits want us to work with them and through them and them through us. To stand by and do nothing would betray that trust!”

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
"Everything has an end, Tesara. Things must end in order for new things to begin. We are but dust in the cosmic machine."

Tesara feels a sense of calm, serenity, peace that does not feel like her own. It clicks; these are her Master's thoughts, this is his 'Mind Temple.' She feels more than sees that he has no idea how long he has been in meditation; thinking back he spoke as if the flight had just begun. Of course, when you can watch the universe you are in be born, live, and die in moments, what does time actually mean?

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
understanding fills her and there is a sense of relief. She reaches out and touches him, curious to see what will happen.

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
His skin feels cool, not unnaturally so, but still cool. She can feel the Force flowing through him, more powerfully than she has felt it before. He is still Durro, he is in there, but like the aforementioned rock in the river, he is completely immersed in the river's currents. He sees nothing but the serene flow of the crystal clear water, the problems of the multiverse as far away as anything can get.
One thing she does not notice, is any desire to change that. To leave this meditative state and to return to the chaos of the living world.
Perhaps it is not there to be noticed...

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
“Durro.”  She says firmly.  “ it’s time to come out of meditation.”

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
He stares at her blankly, and she sees that they are in a room bustling with life. They are still clearly inside the Temple, but there are fountains of pouring and gushing water everywhere, flowing all over and around the room. Wherever the water is not, there is plant life, fauna from all over the galaxy making the room completely green and teeming with the Living Force. The image flashes, the waters of the fountains are still and the plants dead and decaying. Blast marks pock the walls and walkways, and the bodies of dead Jedi litter the pathways and one even floats facedown in a fountain. As quickly as the image shifts, it shifts back. Durro places his hands on Tesara's shoulders, and for the briefest of moments, she sees the young padawan again. Only a moment, the twinkling of an eye. Then he is her master again, grasping her shoulders.

"Tesara, all the answers are here. The greatest philosophers and mystics could only dream of understanding like this. I've learned so much, and there's so much more to learn. Time passes differently here; I still have until we reach The Capital."

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
She exhales softly. Never in all of her life did she think she would be the one guiding her master.  “Durro, we are already at the capital. You have been in this meditation… In your mind Temple for days now. It is time to come back to us, come back to ME.”

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
Something in Tesara's voice seems to get through. His eyes, which had been clouded over slightly (similar in appearance to the 'starfields' of the multiverse), become clear and he looks at her as if seeing her for the first time. The Temple fades around them, and they sit cross-legged facing each other aboard the Shadow. Durro looks shaken, and says nothing.

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
Relief floods through her and she grasps his hands tightly. They are cold.  “You need food, and water, right away.”  She doesn’t want to let go of him but knows it’s necessary.  She looks around the room and sees a towel, just a plain dish towel near the sink. She grabs it, and wraps it around his hands.  “hold onto this. I will be right back.”  She turns and immediately begins preparing an MRE.  She wishes there was tea but she couldn’t find any. As soon as the MRE was heated, she returned to him with it and a spoon.  “Eat.”  She commands.

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
Durro complies, slowly but not weakly. He seems deep in thought, but not meditating. Just... thinking.

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
She watches him intently, wondering if his natural inclination to meditate would take over and pull him back in.  She is glad when color begins to return to his skin.  “Three days is too long.”  She whispers.  “You scared me.”

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
He gives her a wry smile.
"I'm sorry, I did go in looking for answers. I've felt... lost. Confused. Like everything is happening around me and I'm not focusing on what I'm expected to focus on. I keep getting told the Force has a purpose for me, but I feel like I'm stumbling in the dark. I went looking for answers and I found..."
He trails off, staring into the remains of the food.

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
She removes the towel and squeezes his hand again.  “You did find answers, but you went too far.  You went far far out into space until everything here was just a tiny speck of sand and it didn’t matter anymore. Yes, the Force has a purpose for you, but it is here, not way out there.”

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
"Tesara." He says softly, and she can almost hear the padawan from the temple. "I've never experienced anything like that before. I don't know if what I just did was even possible in our universe. The Force flows here, as everywhere, but something is... different. It's dangerous in there. Dangerous, but alluring. I did learn a lot. A lot. Without you, I could've been lost, marooned on the currents of the Force."
He shakes his head and finishes the rest of the food.
"I just need some rest. Where is somewhere I will be undisturbed?"

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
She bites her lip.  “undisturbed I can’t promise, but there is a bunk here.”  She says, pointing to it.  If Sinya gets upset with her for doing it she will deal with it but Durro needs to sleep.
“I am glad I understood what was happening. I don’t know how I managed to get into your mind Temple, but I am glad I did.”

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
"That is a mystery to me, as well." Durro lays on the cot and closes his eyes.
"Perhaps" he says after a quiet moment "My subconscious realized the danger and brought you in."
Another pause, perhaps he has fallen asleep? Then,
"Or, perhaps it was simply the Force." A grin splits his tired face. "I always did want to take you to the Jedi Temple..."

Tesara Anerin — 05/22/2021
She smiles a little.  “It was beautiful and terrifying. Sleep now.  we’ll talk more about this later.”

Durro Skywalker — 05/22/2021
There is no need for the last command, he is asleep before she finishes speaking.


TheTraveler — 05/23/2021
(OOC: @Tesara Anerin @Durro Skywalker

i want to clarify the placements after this In Between. Durro did leave the Shadow with the party and is with them at the Hotel. The alternative would mean Durro is out of the next few games and that is unacceptable to me lol)

Durro Skywalker — 05/23/2021
Of course. He was sleeping in the hotel last session. Not meditating.