Phanton keeps his hands buried in the sleeves of his robes. He moves on to the next group of plants and takes the time to squat down in front of them reaching out to touch one. His eyes close as he takes a deep breath and holds it.
Inclining its head towards Moira, Siobhan seems pleased with the situation so far. Replying with a common courtesy, Siobhan states, "And you may simply call me Master Siobhan. I am at your service young padowan. What of this planet are you wishing to know of. I commend you for wishing to know more, for as you should know, if you don't already, knowledge is power in itself. Without knowledge to guide us, the Force can be a difficult gift to understand."
For a moment, Tai looks ok before blinking and suddenly getting a bit well, nervous. "Forgive me Master Siobhan... I have greatly appreciated your time, but I must retire for the evening to my meditations then rest. I have early training scheduled." Turning, he walks away from the group abruptly, not even saying goodbye to Moira.
Head moving around and back, up and down, Sten walks into the garden. Always gawking around, this one. With a grin on his face, Sten barely steps out of the way of Tai as he leaves the area. He simply shrugs and walks on into the gardens. He stops a moment, frowning to himself, and then shrugging and walking on. Taking in the flowers, the trees, and other beautiful things in the garden, as if he actually enjoyed them. But, if one pressed the matter, they'd learn he'd rather be flying. He's here in stead, having no idea why. The Force is screwy that way.
Phanton finally releases the breath and slowly cocks his head towards a new presence. His eyes take inventory quickly before turning back to look at the flower and stand up. His hands quickly disappear back into his sleeves and the placid look crosses his face once more.
Siobhan slowly folds out one appendage while speaking as if to emphasize a simple fact, "Geography is a simple thing to learn. With the vast libraries about, there are maps abound just waiting for a pair of Jedi eyes to gaze upon them" the insectoids lips spread into a thin small smile. Humor is not usually associated with insectoids, but the past comment was an attempt at it as futile as it may be coming from Siobhan's lips. Siobhan has found that including a touch of humor into a small lesson, always helps to keep a padowans interest. Watching the other young padowan abruptly leave, the Master seems almost expectant of his actions, though minorly disappointed. In time, that padowan will learn, takes patience and practice, but he will most definitely learn. Returning its attention back to Moira, Siobhan continues, "The economics of this planet is what makes this planet work. It is after all, one giant metroplex. At one time long ago, those very buildings" gesturing towards a pair of towering skyscrapers off in the distance "rest upon a great battlefield in which a monumental battle occurred. The knowledge is out there, its a matter of where you go to find it, and what you do with it once you've learned it." Glancing off in the distance, Siobhan spots Phanton nearing. Gazing at Moira, Siobhan states, "I would garner as much information from where ever and whomever you can. For now, this is as much as I can give for I must be off to another place which awaits me."
Through the Force, Sten notices the others. He seems to take a keen interest in Phanton though. Of course, having never met the man he knows nothing of who he is, but takes an interest none the less. So, he strides up to the man and bows just his head and then says, "Greetings, sir. Such a lovely place to sit and meditate, if you're into that sort of thing. "
Moira nods, taking in this information. "Thank you, Master Siobhan. I think the library will be the next part of my geography lesson. And thank you for your help." Moira does, indeed, sound grateful, and she too gets ready to head off. After all, there's a library to find, and things to learn which will help the Padawan find her way around, and give her a base of knowledge from which to work.
Siobhan raises its multi-segmented body from the inviting ground. Fully renewed in its energies, Siobhan inclines its head towards Moira before moving off, finding the walkway to follow towards the exit. Passing the pair of Jedi's by, Siobhan once again touches the mind of the Jedi, and inclines its head respectfully towards Phanton. Siobhan also offers Sten a small thin smile before moving on and finally disappearing out of the garden area.
Phanton turns slowly to face the young man and returns the nod. His fangs flash in the artificial light as he speaks. "Yes, if such things enlighten your path to the force it is a lovely place to meditate." Almost rhythmically his eyes move to take in the features of the young man before him and he nods again. "Though meditation is not the only path to the force." You could swear that his lips weren't moving when those last words sounded in your head but they were as clear as the day is long. He looks back to the flowers and speaks again, this time the words emanating from his lips. "At any rate it is a lovely place."
Moira also turns to leave, her steps taking her toward the exit. Obviously not as attuned to the Force as the Master Siobhan- after all, she's still learning- she doesn't notice the other two until she's quite close to them. The girl stops, long enough to smile a greeting at the other two, and then heads out to find this much talked of library. Though by no means in a rush, her steps now have a purpose to them, and a bit more speed.
One eyebrow slowly raises at the voice in his head, and Sten grins when he hears it. Ahh, one who can relate, he thinks. His hands go behind his back, and he turns to gaze out at the gardens. "You speak the truth. I find myself enjoying other locals in which to strengthen my alliance with the Force, at the bane of my teachers no less. "And he chuckles to himself. He then turns, and a hand comes out towards Phanton and he smiles again, "I am called Sten. I am a padowan in training. Are you a knight?"
Phanton looks at the hand and for a moment looks as if he is not going to return the gesture but removes his hand from his sleeve and takes the young man's hand. "A knight." He states as much as asks. "I guess in some form we are all knights but no, that is not my title any longer." He leaves it at that as he shakes the man's hand. There is something odd in the hand shake. It is almost as if the hand has a slight electrical charge to it, maybe some residue of the force he shared with the plant he just handled. Removing his hand back to the sleeves of his robe he returns his gaze to the flora. "And how does your training progress?"
The implications of the statement do not fall on ignorant ears, and Sten suddenly drops his unrepentant manner and becomes the penitent student. His head bows and he speaks towards the floor. For a moment, he seems to stutter and manages to get out, "As well as can be expected, Master." And as he recovers his surprise he says, "I am told I seek too much excitement. But sitting and meditating doesn't seem to do anything for me."
Phanton nods and stands silent a moment until the moment you think he didn't hear you and then he responds. "Excitement is just another part of the force." He turns to face you. "Just another aspect to control." His eyes narrow a bit as he continues. "There are those among us that believe that to be a true Jedi you must be locked in a dark room in deep meditation connecting with the force." His hands emerge from his sleeves and he motions about the bio-dome. "The force is out here. The force is everywhere, it is in exciting places as well as the dark room." His hands disappear back into his sleeves. "To want excitement is nothing wrong, it is how you react to it that matters."
Sten smiles even broader than before, more surprised to hear that from a Master than anything else. "I had not known there were Masters around who thought such things. My teachers demand that I spend time everyday in this place. To 'slow me down'. Ever since I went through Republic Flight school I have been dying to fly with the military, but my studies with the Jedi are far from over. And this place has become nothing more than...."and he sighs," a necessary evil." And he looks out at the gardens again. "I will not take away from the beauty of this place, and if I had the manner for it it would be a place I would loathe to leave." And he shakes his head and looks up. "But I long for space, the cockpit of a snubfighter, and battles to win for the Republic."
Phanton offers a slight nod in response. "Learning the ways of the force is learning control. To learn to control the urges that separate you from the force." He turns to face the Padawan. "To not be tempted into anger for that is the path to the darkside." He looks through you. "That is what your instructors look to temper." His eyes take on a semi-glassy sheen. "The dark side is an evil temptress that feeds on the eagerness of young padawans that rush off to do too much too soon." He blinks once slowly removing the sheen as he turns back to the flora. "Do not forsake your training as a pilot, as an adventurer for the force because that is not the way it is intended, but do not forsake the force for worldly desires."
Nodding, Sten turns his gaze to meet yours. He takes a breath and nods, "I understand, Master. It would be terribly easy just to ward off my teachers words and not do as they ask, but I understand the implications if I do." And he smiles to himself, "I just try my best to do what they ask, but I tend to day dream allot. I strive to be better than I am, and I know I will not fail so long as I keep control of myself. It is a hard road to travel, Master."
Phanton nods and says the most sensible thing he has to this point and even shows a bit of humor. "If it were easy everyone would do it." His eyes scan the area in a cursory movement. "You would do well to listen to your instructors, but do not lose the things inside you that make you a part of the force. You are a living entity, what motivates you moves you within the force, to give up those things would kill you and damage the force.'
"Yes, Master, I will." And he bows once. "I wonder, if it is not to presumptuous, if I could know your caste, Master. You seem.."And he seems to be searching for the right word, " a bit more exciting than the other Masters I have met. I dare venture to say BattleMaster?"
Phanton almost imperceptibly nods to the padawan. Almost, but it was there and he holds comment for a moment. "Yes, I use the force, or it uses me, to protect the light from the darkness and I use everything the force provides me to do the things I must." He turns once more to face the Padawan. "The path of the battlemaster is the most difficult path to follow young one. You face the dark temptress every time you are put into battle. To anger and lose control is the easy path during conflict. Controlling feelings is not easy and will test you at every step of your training, even the masters are tempted by them."
Surprise again on the young man's features as you reveal the strength it takes to be what he has thought is his destiny. Sten frowns for a moment, as he thinks about what was said. "I see, Master. Is it mainly because you must be called upon to take life? Or is there more to it than that?"
Phanton shakes his head no slowly. "Ending the life of someone who steals the light is not the hard." His eyes slightly glass over again. "Not hating them for who and what they are, not being angry at the way they destroy the force and all things around them, that is the hard part."
Your words seem to make Sten stop and think for a moment. His eyes look upon the grass around him. He seems to speak to nono onhave often thought about what it means to kill another, and it is a concept I find hard to accept. On of my Masters has told me that the more I grow in the Force, the more in touch with life I will be." And he looks up once again to the sky, "2 years ago I was in one of the many hunting enclaves Coruscant on her surface a Duros dressed a catlike creature so he could eat it. I found myself a few moments later bent over a trash recycler giving it my lunch. It was quite embarrassing." And he looks at you for a moment and says, "I do not know if I would be a good battlemaster or not, because I am loathe to take life. I felt the animal's pain when the Duros bit into it's neck, and I could hear the crackle of bone. I do not want to hear that ever again."
Phanton nods as he listens. "We all feel that, it is a drain on the force when life is taken from a being of light. The cat knew not dark nor light. It knew what it needed to survive, not good nor evil." His eyes close a bit. "It was simply a 'part' of the force. When it died you /should/ have felt a disturbance because it was a living creature in the living force." His hands briefly appear from his sleeves. "Take light from light you get darkness. Take darkness from light, you get more light." His head tilts slightly. "Do you understand?"
Sullen for the moment, and the gears in his head turning more than they have in years, Sten nods. "Yes, Master. It is the darkness we must seek to destroy, not the light that brings us peace." And he looks once again towards the sky.
Phanton nods slowly as he stands silent for a moment to let you digest the lesson. "Simply put, yes." His hands disappear once more into his sleeves. "And now you have something to meditate on." If this man ever smiled he would have as he said that. "Your lesson for today is done. Should you have any other questions I am available to you." With that he simply turns and walks away not wanting to give you the opportunity to ask any further questions at this time and think about what he has imparted on you.
Yes, if the padowan had thought about what had happened, he may have smiled himself. But, he is too caught up in the lesson taught to really even notice the Master's departing. Sten, in such deep thought, takes a seat in a tuft of grass and is soon lost to the world. His mind adrift on the tendrils of the Force as he meditates on the lesson given him.