Logged October 19, 2001
    Logged by Adept
    Titled:  Tai Jinn is Knighted 
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    Characters: 
    Phanton 
    Tai Jinn 
    Jorna (NPC'd by Adept)
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    Jorna 
    A massive Tchuukthai (or "Wharl") creature that looks to be a cross 
    between a bear and a rhinoceros. Standing on his hind legs, he's easily over 
    3 meters tall and his appendages end in four pointed digits with sharp 
    spikes coming back towards the wrist off the top of the knuckle. His spine 
    is heavily reinforced with a thick, organic armor plating (much like a 
    triceratops dinosaur). His steel-gray eyes are piercing, yet gentle. A short 
    gray beard shields his chin as well, but other than that, his brown fur is 
    very, very short. He wears no obvious weapon. 
    
    Phanton 
    As the devil may appear in a most beautiful form, this tall, 
    imposing Devaronian male defines such a metaphor. His skin is smooth, his 
    features carved by the artistic form of his maker to appear pleasing and 
    peaceful despite the short horns which sprout forth from his smooth, 
    hairless head. Like most males of his species, his horns are meticulously 
    well groomed. His violet eyes are kind and portray a depth of wisdom beyond 
    the comprehension of most sentients. Built by years of training by his 
    Masters before him, his body is athletic and graceful beneath his robes. 
    His robes are of traditional brown over beige in multiple layers. A 
    long sleeve tunic of beige muslin cuts a short v-neckline that continues 
    across to where it ties with wide strips at his waist. The length skirts 
    just below his hips. The sleeves of the tunic flow from the tucks of its 
    shoulder to full and open cuffs, but a tighter fitting undershirt can be 
    seen covering his arms to the wrists. Trousers of a matching fabric are 
    comfortable, but not too loose and tuck into knee-high brown boots of 
    unpolished nerf-leather. A belt at his waist is also of the sturdy brown 
    leather. The belt has an intricate clasp at center and clipped onto to it 
    are various cases and objects, including a distinctive silver and black 
    cylinder. Over all this is a brown robe of a soft woolen weave. The 
    floor-length robe is generous and when not rakishly draped over his 
    shoulders, the pointed hood can be drawn up to cover features and hands can 
    easily disappear within its bell-like sleeves. 
    
    Council Chambers -- Jedi Praxeum 
            The top level of the tower, this floor is much smaller than those below 
    it. The room the single elevator opens into has a breathtaking view of 
    Coruscant, visible through the six massively large transparasteel glass windows, 
    each separated only by the support beams that reach up to merge into a single 
    six-pointed star above. Directly below this is the center of the burgundy and 
    gold hardwood floor. Twelve chairs face the center of the room, each reserved 
    for a specific member of the Jedi Council. No other furniture is present.
    
    
    Hearing the summons from his Master, Tai steps out from the Elevator, dressed in 
    his robes. His arms, tucked securely behind his back remain there as he exits 
    the doorway and moves to before the council. Bowing slightly in the direction of 
    Phanton, the child speaks to him. "You summoned my master?"
    
    Phanton stands from the chair in the middle of the gathered masters with only a 
    pair of empty seats and nods slightly to his padawan. He walks slowly to the 
    middle of the room and turns to the council motioning Tai to stand beside him.
    
    The Council chamber's 13 chairs are almost all filled. Only Siobhan and two 
    other Masters are absent, obviously away on other important business. The other 
    masters nod as Tai Jinn enters the council chamber. When it is time to speak, it 
    is the largest, and oldest, Jedi Master who does so. The Tchuukthai Master known 
    as Jorna. "Masterrr Phanton. Youu brring beforre the Councill yourr padawan, Tai 
    Jinn. Whatt is yourr assessmentt of his trraining," the Wharl Master grumbles in 
    his low voice.
    
    Nodding towards his Master, Tai moves forward and stands alongside of Phanton, 
    his posture nearly identical to that of the devil looking being. Perhaps all 
    that training together has worn off greatly. Locking his eyes upon Jorna, Tai 
    maintains an aura of complete calm and peace about him.
    
    Taking a long breath before he speaks Phanton takes a moment to look at his 
    padawan. "I feared in the beginning that my commitments to the council would 
    impede his progress." He turns back to his fellow council members. "But despite 
    repeated attempts by the Sith to turn him from the light he has shown remarkable 
    fortitude and has proven himself to me to be well along the path of light, far 
    more than I would have expected."
    
    Jorna nods slowly, his eyes never moving from looking the young padawan over 
    from head to toe. "Yett he puts himself at grreat rrisk time and time againn..." 
    The giant Wharl looks to Phanton, and then back to Tai Jinn. "You arre still 
    trroubled by yourr drreams and vissions?" he asks of Tai.
    
    Thinking the question over a moment, Tai responds in a factual tone. "My visions 
    are guided to me by either the force or those that twist it as the Sith do. Do 
    they continue to happen? Yes. But do they continue to trouble me? No. I have 
    learned to decipher which are true and which are meant to manipulate."
    
    Phanton listens quietly as the padawan answers the questions offered him. This 
    is the padawan's time to shine or burn out so he lets the force guide the 
    conversation, not himself.
    
    As if it were only that easy... for the padawan or the Master. Jorna lifts his 
    head up slightly, eyes remaining on the padawan. "So, Tai Jinn... yourr last 
    vision. Or drream. Was it guided by the Forrce? Orr others?" The Wharl has 
    changed his seating position, leaned back a bit more than seems possible for a 
    quadruped. Interestingly, he didn't seem to move to reach this new position.
    
    "My last vision was guided to me by the force." Tai states. Looking about to 
    each of the council members the man tries hard not to smile or smirk. "I was in 
    meditation and envisioned my plant dying... Returning to my quarters I had 
    realized I hadn't watered it in 4 days and it was drying up."
    
    Phanton stands silently with his hands tucked in the sleeves of his robes until 
    something about a plant is brought up. He turns to look at his padawan and 
    simply blinks once before looking back to the council adding. "Since the attacks 
    upon the psyche of the padawan there have been no external impressions put upon 
    him, save one, of this I am sure."
    
    Jorna senses: Phanton refers to the cave being the one.
    
    Jorna again nods, but this time in Phanton's direction. Jorna shifts visibly 
    this time, moving forward slightly, leaning more on his front arms. "Tell me 
    then, Tai Jinn," he says, almost clearly in Basic, "What did you learn from your 
    experience in the Cave? If you could change anything, what would it be?" Even as 
    Jorna leans forward, several more of the Masters lean back in their seats. One 
    even arches an eyebrow at the question and waits patiently for the answer.
    
    "I would not do anything differently." Tai states in response to Jorna, eyes 
    locked upon the Master. "I grew from the experience, and learned from it. I 
    learned about myself more than I ever anticipated. To do anything different 
    would mean I lose that knowledge... and that is simply something I would not 
    desire. I wouldn't change a thing simply because of what I learned from my 
    mistakes."
    
    Phanton has nothing to say to this, it was the padawan's test and his opinions 
    to the council on the matter are known so he stands quietly.
    
    It's unusual for Jorna of all Masters to push to far at a padawan of another 
    Master, especially a Master on the Council. But the Wharl obviously has his 
    reasons and Phanton has not voiced any concerns regarding the questioning. 
    "Masterr Phanton," he says as he returns to his chair. "the Council believes 
    that thatt yourr student has reached the point wherre his own underrstandingg of 
    the Forrce will serve to guide himm. Do you have anything to sayy before his 
    future is set forrth?"
    
    Tai merely lifts an eyebrow as the conversation sways from him and the 
    questioning turns to his Master. But it's not his place to question the actions 
    of the council, so he stands there calmly knowing full well his future will be 
    told to him at any moment. Whether he'll become a knight or be in training for a 
    very long time to come.
    
    Phanton stands silent a moment considering his words. "I feel most of our 
    concerns were met in that cave and through the unintentional testing by the 
    Sith. I believe his faith in the force to be true as well as his heart." He 
    looks to the padawan. "I think he still needs to work to conquer some emotions 
    to control them but I don't think they impede his training." He turns back to 
    the council. "As I have said he responded to his limited time with me by taking 
    it upon himself to find the path, that speaks a lot to his desire to become a 
    master."
    
    "Yourr worrds arre trrue," Jorna says, with a slow nod to Phanton. He barely 
    turns his head to one side, and then the other. Only one Master visibly nods - a 
    human female dressed in burgundy and white. All eyes revert to Jorna as he lifts 
    his right claw to Phanton. "Verry well... the Council agrrees with you, Masterr 
    Phanton. It is yourr honor to remove the last vestige of his life as a 
    padawann." 
    
    Tai blinks a bit and nods slightly. Well, that's it then... no big parade or 
    hoopla, he doesn't even crack a small grin, he's too stoic at the mountain, 
    lowering his head slightly in a bit of a bow, he readies himself to take the 
    next step into life.
    
    Phanton lets his hands slide from his sleeves and produces a small blade. He 
    reaches to the padawan's braid lifting it from his head and with a simple flick 
    of the wrist removes the hair at the follicle without drawing a drop of blood. 
    He hands the hair to Tai. "Congratulations Jedi Knight Tai Jinn." He steps back 
    to allow the others to offer their best wishes to the padawan.
    
    As the other Masters rise to their feet, Jorna simply moves forward, remaining 
    on all fours to keep his body on the same level as the others. In the Council 
    chamber, no single Jedi Council member stood more important than another. As 
    they all rise forward, it is Jorna's voice that cuts through the well-wishes, 
    "Youu have rreached an imporrtant step in yourr journey, Jedi Knight. May the 
    Forrce be with you, and guide yourr life..." He inclines his head slightly to 
    Tai Jinn, and then more deeply to Phanton, indicating his respect for the 
    Devaronian Master.
    
    Tai bows slightly towards the other masters and then towards Phanton. "I thank 
    you Master, for both training and tolerating me." The last part is said with the 
    faintest grin. "I look forward to the day when you will be able to look back and 
    see the growth I make from now to the time when I become a Master." Because Tai 
    will one day be a Master.
    
    Phanton returns the deep bow to Jorna before looking to his padawan turned 
    Knight. "Remember that you call me master now because of my station within the 
    order, not because you are my personal student." For once his facial stoicism 
    relaxes. "But you may call upon me at any time with questions or training. I 
    look forward to monitoring your growth."
    
    Having given the young Knight his well wishes, Jorna returns to his backless 
    seat, settling onto it and watching the gathering dwindle as the other Masters 
    either return to their seats or go about other business. Apparently, this was 
    one of the primary reasons the Masters had gathered. Jorna and others would 
    remain here to contemplate other aspects of the Force and the future of the Jedi 
    Order.
    
    Nodding towards Phanton, Tai smiles slightly again. "Yes, I'm certain there will 
    be a time I will need to call on you for advice of one sorts of another." 
    Phanton was like his father now anyway... creepy father figure, but oh well. "I 
    will allow the council to continue upon their business, may the force be with 
    you." Turning, Tai slips back into his elevator figuring he's been more or less 
    dismissed.
    
    END OF LOG