Form I: Foundations (Open, Anbira)

NOTE: If you come to give Wei grief, give him a little bit of grief. I'm looking for minor opposition right now, considering this is the start of the story. No major disasters, please :)

Wei Wu Wei stood in seclusion in a forest clearing on Dantooine. Considering all the Imperial activity everywhere trying to find people like him, he was surprised to find any peace and quiet at all anywhere in the galaxy.

An orange lightsaber hummed in front of him as he moved it in wide circles, practicing. Blocking was simple enough--it was just as his master had taught him. Beginning the circle near the inside of his body, he moved the saber blade in an arc outwards to push the opposing weapon away. Blaster bolts recieved similar treatment.

Out to the left, out to the right, down to the left, down to the right. Thrust, vertical cut, horizontal cut. Master Quinlan's voice whispered in his mind.

"Come now, Wu Wei, that's not how it's done. Don't make so many unnecessary movements. Drive with the arms, turn your entire body, make a great deal of power. It's important to know how the body moves. It's a helpful thing to learn, especially when mastering Form IV. Keep those circles big for now, and do them slowly. Let your body memorize what a circle feels like and soon you'll do them reflexively. Then when you've become better able to feel the Force, it will guide the circles for you and make them big enough or small enough to suit your needs. Circles are important for Form III, which uses very small ones to create a solid defense as well as in Form V which will use them more aggressively."

Along with Quinlan's voice came other sounds. Sounds of screams and explosions, fires crackling, blasters firing. That was where all the trouble started, at the Jedi purge.

Wei's face contorted for a second in grief and anger. The longer the grimace threatened to linger, the slower and more practiced the circles became.

"Wu Wei," Quinlan Vos' voice appeared in his mind again. "Whenever you get angry or fearful, trace out the circles. Nothing ever stays bad. Then again, nothing ever stays good either. We can help make things better, but there will always be some sort of bad out there. At least we, as Jedi, can make the bad parts of life seem less so until we can make them good again. There's always some bit of good in the universe, Youngling, even when you can't see it. And as long as there is some good in the universe, we can continue to have hope."

The circles became slower as warm tears threatened. "Tell that to my wife and unborn child. Tell that to my father and my mother."

"Deep breaths, Wei," The master's voice intervened. "Clear your mind of things that would distract you. Watch the circles you make as you look past them to see what it is you are confronting. See it for what it is, accept it for what it is, and then seek to find an answer. Our feelings can make things worse or better than they appear. It is then good for us to forego attachments of all kinds so that we might see the truth."

Wei sighed and watched the orange circles make their passes in front of him. "The problem is that there is no good in the galaxy anymore. And the source of the problem happened all those years ago at the temple."

The next thrust came with a shout. The Force flowed in Wei as he struggled to fight back the emotions and simply follow the Form I drill. The air around him rippled as his body turned to drive the blade forward quickly. "Where did all the good go?"

The Corellian Star Shuttle had landed and Ridwan's voyage continued. Dantooine was simply another stop on his venture from the tales of his adopted father. The history under the steppes, lengthy grasslands, wide oceans, long rivers and deep lakes of the lush planet was more incredible than the planet's very physical features. All the tales his long-lost father had told him left Ridwan with a strong crave for an adventure.

The voyage from the Inner to Outer Rim was always a long one, but it had developed into a chance for Ridwan to catch up on much needed sleep and meditation. The habits that had been instilled into his brain during the rigorous course of Jedi Training from his unique father had managed to sway during the times of his absence and a much-needed reflection was in order. A cleanse ran through him as he stepped onto Khoonda's grounds, his eyes whipping about, taking in every morsel.

Galanatos and Corellia were true contrast to the explicit beauty of Dantooine. Even in its cities landscape there was nothing in comparison to the previous worlds Ridwan's eyes had met. Every one was truly far from the homely atmosphere of Galanatos, but it was to be expected. The robe and garbs of a Jedi didn't make him a man, the voyage would and hopefully his new home would be in the journey. Ridwan smiled at the thought of his galactic exploration. It was truly a wonder that a simple Kiffar hybrid boy had grown to be a Jedi adolescent in a time when the Jedi Order was extinct. However, Ridwan held onto the idea that there was other's like his adopted, beloved father...others that had survived the purge.

"There has to be some lead here." Ridwan thought a loud, leaving his words to fall only on his own ears. "There just has to be."

Heading through the long-standing town of Khoonda, he drifted about in search of transportation. There was many faces, creatures and beings he watched pass his path. Galanatos didn't home the diversity that the rest of the galaxy knew, especially in comparison to the Outer Rim. The Core Worlds were a haven of racial oppression, and COMPNOR thrived in it. Humanocentrism was a topic that left the hybrid happy to see a Dug renting out well forgotten BARC speeder. Hopefully he could leave a nice human impression.

It wasn't long before the two were smiling and the transaction of credits was made. The young man was soon off, heading out of Khoonda's gates after a few formalities and checkouts. It was only rational able to investigate outside the city. Such a place wouldn't hold the prey of Imperial Security Bureau for long. Just wasn't sane to stay in a place like that for too long. So he headed off, using the Dugs instructions to the closest possible safe haven on the outskirts of town and any possible clue on a remnant of the Jedi Order.

Wei barely heard the hum of a speeder approaching over the mire of throughts that bogged down his mind. He switched off the saber and dove for the treeline, hoping he would make it before he was spotted, if he hadn't been spotted already.

Ridwan's hand jerked back as a sound of a lull rustle whispered in his ear. A wheeze could be heard echoing through the brush as the BARC speeder stuttered to a stop. Life was in this area and Ridwan knew it was best to take interest, for his own safety. Dantooine was a foreign world and even the slightest movement outside of the comforting city atmosphere left a chill down his spine. It was no different in this moment, but the journey from Khoonda had been more than just a few kilometers.

Throwing his weight off the finally motionless speeder, he dropped upon the soft grass. A small crunch whispered under his feet as he boldly stepped toward the rustle he had heard. There was nothing odd about the clearing. Trees stood across the lush, green grass, matching each other in their conquest for best greenery.

"Anyone out there?" He called, hoping for a response. The direction that the Dug gave were bad as a rancor's breath. Maybe whoever was stumbling about could lead him to the closest village or stronghold.

Wei pressed himself low to the ground and tried not to move. The lightsaber he had been using sat just beneath the bush he had jumped through. Wei held his breath and hoped that Ridwan wouldn't see it there.

Stop fooling yourself, Wei suggested to the Padawan through the Force.

To be honest, the Jedi mind trick wasn't something that Wei practiced very often, and in fact had never been taught to do at all. He could only hope that as he laid there under the brush that something would just sort of 'click' and make things work.

A lull waved it's way over the land. There wasn't even the slightest twitch, beside the calm breeze, in the nature. Even as Ridwan's eyes swayed over the land, there wasn't anything specifically unique to depict. Observation wasn't one of the strongest suites for him, but it was to be expected. Galanatos was it's own world and the crowds would never mirror such planets as Coruscant or Corellia. Not a single thing seemed peculiar.

An urge bellowed inside him, demanding for him to leave the seemingly lifeless settlement. It was at that very thought that the Force called out. Ridwan's pivot ended as the omni-present engrossed his very being. A demand had been thrown lazily into the very air and it's effort left no result. The Padawan leaner was left at a standstill, his eyes darting over his shoulder. There was something...out there.

"I know your there, whatever you are! I'm not going...to hurt you!"

He called again. The defeated composure that had consumed him only moment before had been rejuvenated to an eager, sociable youth. The pleasant demeanor leaked into his words as he continued to call out to what he thought was there.

"Stop hiding!"

Wei sighed. This kid was stubborn, to say the least. But who was he with? The braid reminded him oddly enough of a Padawan, but the robes were rather plain. Anyone would wear those clothes.

Imperial in disguise or just some poor fellow who thought he saw someone and wanted to talk? Wei wasn't sure. At last, Wei sighed and clambered out of the brush, tucking the lightsaber away just inside his sleeve in case he should need it.

"Not going to hurt me, huh? Such a gentle statement and then you just come out and demand that I show myself?"

Wei was in no mood for people. People were evil, after all. It was people's fault there was so much evil in the first place. "So, now that I'm here, what do you want?"

Ridwan sighed. For a moment it seemed that he was loosing his wits. Yet in the end it was true, the reliance on the Living Force would deliver. Even as the calm nature overtook him, Ridwan couldn't help but detail the man. He was of an average height, at least for a human and had very casual features. A smile showed itself on Ridwan's face he examined the upfront man. In many ways he was average, but the young hybrid had been taught to respect every sentiment the same.

"I'm just trying to find my way to the closest village," the adolescent Padawan learner said, his head shaking as his words drifted into another sentence. The single, skinny braid of his finely dread-locked hair could be seen bouncing against his chest with a certain pride.

"I mean no harm."

Wei nodded very slowly. "I see. Wei pushed his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose.

"Where did you get the speeder? Surely they would have given you a map or something for you to find your way around, or at least offered you one for sale."

"The directions did not work that well."

Ridwan shrugged clueless. A sense of embarrassment slowly crept over his features as he glances over to the side, evading the man's glass eyes. The man did not impose at all, but the words he spoke had exposed a flaw. For a moment Ridwan was lost in his thoughts, contemplating the horrible choice of actions that had led him to rely on some random Dug's instructions.

The moment soon past, allowing the humiliation to form a shy smile. The youth's eyes darted quickly over, giving the man his full respect. Ridwan knew better to discredit another being of his focus, especially in conversation. At the very thought of otherwise the wise words of his step-father echoed through his head, pushing him to do the right thing.

"So do you know a way?"

Wei nodded. "I do," he said. Wei couldn't help himself. He felt like he ought to say no, but he just felt compelled to help this poor kid on his way. Even if helping out would land Wei into a trap.

"I'll go with you," he said at last. "I'll ride right behind you and give you directions."

Wei walked over to the speeder and looked it over. "Well, let's get started," he sighed and climbed onto the passenger's seat.

The boy watched as Wei headed off to his vehicle, ready the departure. Awe was written across the adolescent’s face, taken aback by the unexpected sense of grace. All signs had pointed toward a different conclusion, but man was known to hold far more up their sleeve then assumed. A grunt escaped Ridwan's hold, a long with a thankful smile.

"Well, let's get started," Wei said. The words broke Ridwan's mold of silence, allowing him to drift toward his speeder.

Leaping over, his cloak flapped like a flag against the wind. Pressing his hand across the keys, he reactivated the engine. A moment passed as the speeder's repulsorlift murmured to dull the lull. Then, in a sudden burst, the cloaks’ clothe broke once more into a flag-flap as the speeder accelerated ahead.

"Come on!" Ridwan yelled, throwing his arms in a hail toward Wei as his speeder pushed him rapidly forward.

Wei nodded and jumped onto the back of the speeder.

"Believe it or not, you're not that far away from it," he said. "You'll have to be careful getting to this place. There's a lot of unpaved road between here and there."

The roads, which were more like nature trails or dirt roads than anything else, wound around and forked a lot where people had blazed their own trails over time.

"There's going to be a fork in the road up ahead. Take a left there and then slow down because almost immediately you'll need to make a right turn. We'll follow that path out of the woods."

Last of all was a straight shot across a wide open field. It made things so that the villagers could see people coming from the forest a good distance off and prepare. Before it was used for farmland, but now no one grew crops there because they could be used to hide Imperial troops that might want to show up at the village unnoticed.

At last the final row of trees blew past the two riders and they made their way across the field. "Slow down and stop just outside the village," Wei instructed as they came upon the small houses and shops of the town.

At the outskirts of the village, a Lambda shuttle rested on a landing pad. The shuttle had seen better days. It was covered with carbon scoring, and a few metal panels were pocked with blaster scorchmarks. There was no activity near the ship though, and the pilot was more than likely somewhere in the town.

The speeder skid to an abrupt stop as it came closer to the waypoint. Impulsively shifting the BARC vehicle to a side stop, the braided Padawan watched as the dirt flew from its ground. The abrupt moment quickly came to an end as the slide stopped. Ridwan's eye captured the small town's landscape like a holocam, in taking the drastic contrast of Coronet and this foreign land.

Grass engrossed the land, leaving a lush taste on Ridwan's tongue and pores. Nothing could compare to the unique atmosphere that distorted all chances of Dantooine comparisons.

"This the place?"

"Yeah. This be the one," Wei answered.

What was a shuttle doing at the village? It was best to stay calm about it, but Wei couldn't help but feel a sense of panic and resentment, mostly towards himself. Maybe it was a trap after all.

"What did you say your business at this village was?"

From a nearby farmer's bazaar, a figure in a dirt-speckled garb of plastoid armor and hand-woven cloth discussed the finer points of a spiralfruit's quality with an elderly shopkeeper. As a gentle wind lapped over the town, the man drew his hood over his head. Only the extreme ends of a thickening beard and long hair could be seen from underneath.

"I'll take three."

The hooded figure paid with a hand-struck coin, a curious commodity for an offworlder.

"Didn't."

The words shot out his mouth quickly, as if the question was expected. Before an expression could come to Wei's face in response, the rider quickly leaped off the bike. Softly landing on the surface, his eyes glanced back, scanning Wei for a moment. A second passed and a new moment began before Ridwan spoke.

"I need to talk to somebody here. Following?"

Wei paused and raised an eyebrow. This was definitely odd. The fine hairs on the Jedi's arms started to raise. He got down from the bike and stretched a moment to coneal his anxiety and try to work it down.

"It's ok. Maybe the kid's just a private person. Like me," Wei thought to himself.

"Sure, I guess. That is, if you don't mind someone knowing what it is you're here for," Wei said, standing up straight.