To wander the stars...

[Jhaiisiin]

Wanderlust comes rarely to Cereans. Logic, rationality and tranquility are the staples of Cerean Society. While not shunned for their decision to wander, adventurers are simliarly not encouraged. The pull of something more had been tugging at Lon Orus-Kaito for some time. He had long since shown force ability, and he longed to develop that talent.

Luck was with Lon. While he was still somewhat young. A Jedi came to visit Cerea for some errand. Lon was able to watch the Jedi mediate a conflict, and Lon was sure that this was the path he wanted. The path of a Jedi. He pleaded with his father, and was reluctantly allowed to travel with the Jdei.

To Lon's Credit, he was already quite advanced in his knowledge of the Force. This predisposed aptitude earned him a place as a youngling in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Lon spent many years in training, learing the ways of the Force, diplomacy, justice and protection. He focused his efforts not upon combat, but rather upon the mediating of such. His dual brain constantly worked to see both sides of any situation, and it gave him a unique ability to aid in mediating the conflicts. One such mediation was between the Jedi themselves.

A young Cathar was involved in an altercation with another Padawan. Though Lon himself was only a padawan at the time, his ability to mediate was rapidly developing. He arrived first at the scuffle, and there were no fully trained Jedi nearby. Without a moment's hesitation, he intervened. The Cathar had pinned his human counterpart and was looking very unhappy. Lon laid a gentle hand on the Cathar's shoulder. "Perhaps I can be of assistance..." he said quietly.

"You'd best leave or you're next," was the growled reply.

"Honestly friend, we're in the Jedi Temple. You should know that a display of such emotion would be frowned upon. Come, let me help you out. Perhaps we can find a more.... amiable solution to whatever discussion you two are having."

The Cathar blinked a few times, apparently stunned by this odd show of indifferent mediation. Perhaps he figured he'd immediately be thought the bad guy. Whatever he thought was irrelevant to mediation though. There were two sides to every story, and somewhere in the middle was the truth.

With much coaxing, the Cathar disengaged from his constituant and told his story. His name was Andyr Pryde, and he had been defending his Honor. The Human, Mark Glorind I found out, had apparently commented unwisely about the state of the Cathar's grooming habits, and that perhaps he should learn about a Comb. An amusing jest, as the Human looked so discheveled he certainly shouldn't have been making such quips. The Human's side was that he had merely tried to compliment the Cathar, and that his comments were taken in the wrong direction.

It took nearly an hour of speaking with them before certain details started to slip. In the end, I discovered that the Cathar himself was not to blame. While he acted rashly, a reaction that would have to be curbed, his actions were indeed provoked. As soon as I declared my decision, we hear slow clapping. A tall, slender being, known as a Quermian approached. His head weaved slowly at the top of his neck stalk as he looked upon the three padawans before him. "Lon Orus-Kaito. You have done splendidly. Your ability to judge and mediate is indeed surpasing our goals."

Lon looked the Quermian over. He was obviously a Jedi, and his tone and gaze seemed approving. "So you were watching?"

"Of course. Altercations cannot go unnoticed in a location such as this. I decided however that given your talent for mediation, that I would allow you the chance to exercise your abilities. One cannot develop if one does not practice."

"Of Course, Master." And practice he did. He embraced his more passive nature, and his ability to mediate conflicts. He learned the art of the Lightsaber, but always it was second to his ability with words. For not every battle can be fought with a blaster or lightsaber.

* * * * * *

"And not every battle can be won with words, Lon." Andyr Pryde, Lon's complete opposite. By will of the Force, the two had become fast friends after the first day they met. They trained together in many aspects. However their training was nearly always perfectly opposite the other. Lon focused on wordplay, while Andyr on sword play. Lon debated diplomacy and negotiation while Andyr discussed tactics and strategies. Now this was not to say they neglected the other facets of Jedi training. Simply that their focus lay in certain venues.

Lon was still quite young when the war of Exar Kun began. Master Kun was known well to the padawans of the temple, as he had always been a strong, wilful person. He taught drive without ambition, a strange concept to most. When he left suddenly, many Jedi, from Padawan to Master were quite confused. His intetions would show themselves when he persuaded many to his side and launched a massive war against the Republic. The Jedi and the Soldiers of the Republic won through however. This was at great cost, and yet Training continued. Lon found himself hopping between worlds at the side of his master, a Human named Arus Lindo. Together they mediated conflicts, brought families and worlds together, and helped seal many of the breaches that had occurred in the recent wars. Always he was in contact with his friend Andyr, who similarly was sealing rifts, though often more forcefully. All was going quite well until the Mandelorians showed up.

Then the rifts began to reform. Many Jedi in the Order felt they should go assist the Republic, as they had when Exar Kun had attacked. The Council was far less enthusiastic about the idea. War had already claimed so many lives. They were certainly not interested in yet another battle. They preached patience and Caution, yet their words fell on deaf ears quite frequently. Jedi left to help stop the Mandelorians, and an imperceptible rift began to form in the Jedi. Two Jedi Knights in particular, Revan and Malak led the Republic soldiers. Lon had heard of their exploits, and Revan it seemed was more than up to the task of the Mandelorians. The only question would become, "Should we help him to further speed up this conflict."....

(ooc: This ties into the discussion viewed in "A call to war"