Ripples in the dark: A beginning.

[Illyiss]

It's been some time since I've shared writing publicly, and as such I apologize for it's rusty feel.  I do hope you all enjoy though.  It has been an inspiration to read what has come before me here.

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He watched her sitting in the very farthest corner of her bunk, her position closed off, knees drawn, arms holding them as she appeared to try and shrink into the walls.  She was afraid, the cold, wet feeling flowing in tidal waves from the poor girl, newly arrived.  It was not a new scene, nor uncommon in the least.

Still, the only one in the room who showed any sympathy, or felt it, as the Force revealed, was a brooding, broad chested boy, watching in silence.  The others laughed, and made sniggering comments, seeking, in the manner of children, to prop up their own egos in putting down another.  Then two of them, some of the oldest still in the common bunk, after whispering together, rose as one and moved towards the terrified brunette.  With a sigh, he started to silently rise from his own bunk, slipping with ease between the threads of notice from all others in the room.

"Oh look, another baby to cry and keep us up at night, do you miss your mommy?" the girl, Ch'rianna, a Togruta hissed in mocking tones.

Laughing, the boy with her, Tucree, barely her junior and always her lackey, reached his hand out, his intent to take the small blanket she had brought in with her away broadcast in the force like a shout in the night, only to halt suddenly with a squeak of surprise as I gripped his wrist and twisted, rising unseen beside him.

Tucree rose to the tips of his toes as the hold twisted his entire arm to discomfort, in a vain attempt to relieve the pressure mounting in his shoulder, and easily had him dancing back.  Leveling a serious gaze upon Ch'rianna, who narrowed her eyes in return, her lips pursing in clear anger.

"Stay out of this, Var'jo, this is no concern of yours." she all but spat at the red haired boy before her, her anger at his interruption of her bullying pulsing from her in waves of heat, the room going silent, the rest of the younglings overwhelmed by her ire, and the Force it flowed upon.

In defiance, Var'jo put himself between her and the new girl, who starting to cry behind him, and while emotion charged his purpose, he refused to fall to the anger the bully poured at him.

"Leave her be, bully, you cried for a week when they brought you in, Ch'rianna."  His words hard, challenging, and yet he couldn't resist emphasizing her name in such a way to make it sound more like "Cry-anna". Simultaneously, he released her conspirator with what he could muster of a Force push, sending him sprawling towards his bunk, whimpering like a kicked dog.

Ch'rianna stood facing him, her black eyes boring her seething anger into his blue ones, and yet he stood ground.  His will, rooted in the foundations of the planet, far below, and flared his presence out in the force, channeling namesake, the Shadow Bear.  He was, as well, older than she, if not by much, soon to be moved from the communal bunk, taller by several centimeters, and had a dozen kilograms on her.  He seemed, in that moment, to dwarf her entirely, an indomitable force facing her down.

After several tense moments, she cast her eyes down, with a scowling growl, and stormed back to her bunk, the rest of the room barely suppressing giggles and gasps.  With a deep, calming breath, he turned to the new girl, smiling warmly, emanating calm, voice soft and welcoming, "Welcome, I am Var'jo Karhu.  What's your name?"

She looked up, tear filled eyes quivering pools of honey brown, and with a sniffle, and then wiping her nose on her sleeve, a soft voice replied meekly, "La'ulu."

His head tilted, and smile broadened.  Song.  She was from his people, and her name meant song.

[Taegin Roan]

Ooh, great beginning. You really captured well the feeling of the bully, and the one standing up for what is right. Well done. I am already interested to see what you have in store for us. Who these Var'jo and La'ulu are, and where they come from.

[Lord_S_Gray]

Great start, i loved the opening sentences, very evocative feeling of her fear and well done with the kind of 'social hierarchy' amongst the children(?), the leader, their lap dog and the strong outsider.  But so much to learn...what are they there for...where are they from.  The Names in particular, Song and Shadow Bear, there is a new culture to learn about here I think! 

[Illyiss]

Ooh, great beginning. You really captured well the feeling of the bully, and the one standing up for what is right. Well done. I am already interested to see what you have in store for us. Who these Var'jo and La'ulu are, and where they come from.

Thank you.  It feels good to delve into new characters.  As for those questions, they are their own persons, and they come from their mothers.

Great start, i loved the opening sentences, very evocative feeling of her fear and well done with the kind of 'social hierarchy' amongst the children(?), the leader, their lap dog and the strong outsider.  But so much to learn...what are they there for...where are they from.  The Names in particular, Song and Shadow Bear, there is a new culture to learn about here I think! 

Again, thank you.  It seems that children, bullying, and hierarchy are timeless, as are those who stand apart, yet against.  As for the culture, that could be the most enjoyable part, though I will admit to borrowing, at least linguistically, from another, existing culture...

[TheDutchman]

Once again I feel as if SW has a wonderful inoculation of "high-brow" poetry (which I mean as the sincerest form of compliment  )!  Your prose is SO much more than expository, indeed you've produced a narrative of feelings.  Fantastic!  What new culture are we being introduced to?  And clearly children the galaxy throughout (even one a long time ago, far, far away) can be wantonly cruel...

And I finally figured out why I thought your syntax was vaguely familiar: it reminds me of Robert Browning's "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came." 

I can't wait for more Illyiss!

[Illyiss]

Once again I feel as if SW has a wonderful inoculation of "high-brow" poetry (which I mean as the sincerest form of compliment  )!  Your prose is SO much more than expository, indeed you've produced a narrative of feelings.  Fantastic!  What new culture are we being introduced to?  And clearly children the galaxy throughout (even one a long time ago, far, far away) can be wantonly cruel...

And I finally figured out why I thought your syntax was vaguely familiar: it reminds me of Robert Browning's "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came." 

I can't wait for more Illyiss!

I do take that as a high compliment!  Thank you.  And yes, feelings are important in narrative, in my opinion.  As for what new culture, stick around, see what comes up.

Do you mean the syntax here specifically, or in general?  If here, I think it comes from the perspective or voice, third party and viewed, yet with insight seeming to primarily be from the perspective of one character within the narrative...

[TheDutchman]

I do take that as a high compliment!  Thank you.  And yes, feelings are important in narrative, in my opinion.  As for what new culture, stick around, see what comes up.

Do you mean the syntax here specifically, or in general?  If here, I think it comes from the perspective or voice, third party and viewed, yet with insight seeming to primarily be from the perspective of one character within the narrative...

My pleasure!  And you already have me hooked as an avid reader 

Here specifically^^  Most awesome 

[Illyiss]

And so we glimpse a bit more...

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The class of initiates sat in orderly rows, in the classic lotus position, a pile of stones in front of each.  Deep in meditation, each tasked to raise the stones to float in the air, and form patterns and dances, designed to build and strengthen their skill, control, and concentration.  Ranging as they did from eight to ten years in age, each was capable, if some still worked towards mastering the skills and control needed for this exercise, and the class was scarcely overseen.

At this very moment, the Jedi Master in charge of them was out of the chamber, seeing to the needs of his aging bladder in the nearby refresher, so there were no adults to witness what happened next.  La'ulu's stones began spinning in unexpected paths about her head, in spite of her guidance, some darting to strike her from behind, nor to witness the grinning face of Ch'rianna, enjoying her mean spirited prank.

As La'ulu struggled to regain control of her stones, and hold her emotions in check, the stones hit her more and more often, and the girl could not stop the few tears from escaping her eyes, while Ch'rianna and Tucree giggled at her misfortune, even as they colluded to cause it.

Var'jo, on the other hand, was present, his own stones dancing in the complex patterns of an advanced student, until, with a deep breath and heavy sigh, his pile reformed in front of him.  The peace of his own meditation was shattered by the sadness and frustration flowing again from the girl he had come to see as his sister, combined with the ever darkening cruelty and malice from Ch'rianna and her ever present lackey, Tucree.

Without warning, both Ch'rianna and Tucree rose from their seated position on the hard stone, to spinning about one another a half dozen meters in the air, as the stones assigned to them began flowing along various orbits about them, plunking the backs of their heads, as they had been doing to La'ula.

Overcome by the surprise of it, combined with helplessness to stop Var'jo's retribution, Tucree cried out, the fear in his voice ringing through the stone room.  Ch'rianna, meanwhile, hissed her frustration, struggling to reach out and undo the threads of Force holding her bound. 

"Let me down, Var'jo, this instant!" she spat through clenched teeth, no regard given to her equally treated crony, and her sharp undertone of anger disturbed the calm of several other students.

"When you learn, Ch'rianna, to stop bullying my sister."  His words echoed with Force, and while calmly said, the force of intent echoed heavily through the chamber.

"What is this insubordination?"  The calm but commanding voice of Master Vaerk filled the chamber, his re-appearance sudden, like a strike of lightning, and the accompanying thunder.

While the rest of the students hastily re-stacked their stones, Var'jo dropped the two bullies, unceremoniously, and certainly not gently, their stones following them down, to pile neatly atop them, insult lent to injured pride.  Meanwhile, La'ulu sat hugging her knees, her stones spread about her, as she tried, once again, to calm her tears.

With a heavy sigh, Master Vaerk stepped to the fallen pair, subjected to the further humiliation of stones scattering as they rose while rubbing bruised bottoms.  Looming over them, he reached out with the Force, making certain they were not harmed, a frown forming on his lined, ancient face.

"In over one hundred years," his voice boomed as it buffeted all within the room, "I have never been subjected to so much willful disobedience, and flagrant disregard displayed from initiates to other initiates!  You will ALL learn compassion and peace, or I will see those who cannot assigned forever to the sanitary corps!  Ch'rianna, Tucree, Var'jo, I will see the three of you after class, and you will be polishing ALL of the stones.  By hand."

Ch'rianna was unable to keep from shooting Var'jo a scowling sneer, and despite her efforts, it did not go unseen by the resident master, though he chose not to speak on it presently, instead making a note to speak with Master Yoda about his concerns for initiate Ch'rianna, and the influence she had on Tucree.


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Later that night, after polishing what felt like a thousand stones, Var'jo walked back to his dorm, a small smile on his lips.  He would gladly polish stones daily in payment for bringing that cretin Ch'rianna and her pet, Tucree to task for their cruelty.  Especially when they aimed it at La'ulu, which they too often did.

He truly had come to think of the girl as his little sister, and he looked out for her as such.  She was the only other Suomi he had met or heard of since being brought to the Temple from Suomal when he was but a small child himself.  Over and over had he been scolded by the Master Jedi, that connections were forbidden, but it felt right to him, and the girl had bore the brunt of that narttu* Ch'rianna's bullying since she arrived, now four years past.  He cared for her, like family, and looked out for her as such, like he would have done if he hadn't been chosen to leave his own family. 

That too had been chided, that he acted from emotion too often.  While he admitted that his motivations often were inspired from his feelings, he always thought before he acted, and only fueled his choices with the emotion that bore it.  Never anger or fear either.  Well, other than that time La'ulu had startled him, slipping into his bunk after a bad dream, when they were both still in the common bunk.  She had startled him awake, and he had barely caught her before she landed across the room.

He chuckled to himself at the memory, closed the door behind him, and used the Force to flip on the lights, then froze, startled again.  This time it was Master Br'din, sitting in the room's only chair, at his small desk, bright green eyes boring into him.

Remembering himself, he stammered out a greeting, "M-Master Br'din, you startled me, I did not sense you, nor expect you."

The tan skinned Lorrdian master nodded, and gestured to the bed, indicating Var'jo should sit.  "You know what I have to say, yet again, don't you, boy?"  His voice gentle, resigned, and reminiscent of a parent giving a lecture recurring so often as to seem practiced.

With a sigh, Var'jo took a seat, blue eyes meeting the Master's gaze, "Master, she's like my sister, a feeling born of compassion.  How can feeling protective and familiar to my fellow initiates, and eventually Jedi, be wrong or dark?  Further, someone has to put a stop to Ch'rianna, she grows more and more cruel every day.  How is SHE not seen as dark?"

Head tilting, and eyebrows raising in familiar gestures, master Br'din took stock of the boy.  His frame was large for his age, and his head bore close cropped hair the color of copper filtering starlight, with eyes full of intelligence and compassion. Thinking, he chose his words carefully, for this was a debate they had shared many times over.

"Compassion and care for your fellows is fine, but the bonds of sibling run too deep to be anything but contrary to the code.  It should be an equal care for all your brethren.  As for Ch'rianna," he continued with a sigh. "you should allow the teachers to deal with her, and her shadow.  It is NOT your place to discipline.  Now, my old bones are tired, and you have lightsaber training early."  This final line bore the weight of finality, he would brook no more debate this night.

Var'jo sighed, resigned to his place, feeling now the ache of a long day seeping into his body.  He rose in deference to the Master as he left, and set to changing for rest.

With that, the old Master rose, returning to his own chambers, his mind troubled that the boy may be right.  Ch'rianna did seem to harbor a growing darkness within her, one he may need to discuss with his peers...

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*Narttu; a derogatory term of the Suomi, similar to useless cur, or worthless hound.

[TheDutchman]

Fantastic addition to your narrative!  The more I learn about Var'jo, Lu'ala, (and Ch'rianna, that narttu) the more invested I am.  LSG said it before: highly evocative writing!

Var'jo hits upon a point that I feel is one of the main faults of the Jedi Order: so-called lack of attachments.  In fact, that's one of the reasons that I think the Gray Jedi have the right of it: almost all sentients have emotions and to deny them is a  fallacy.  Var'jo may be young but he seems to see with clarity.


Ch'rianna may want to remember that a cornered animal will fight that much harder.

And in this particular instance, said animal is a Force-user...

[Karmack]

Illyiss!   This is delightful!  :-)  I can't really add anything to what my fellows have said, but I will say this: Your writing draws the reader in very quickly.  This is no small feat!  Only two episodes in and I am highly invested in Var'jo and Lu'ala.  I am also intrigued by your view of how the Jedi handled the padawan training of younglings.  This is the second narrative that has shown this to be ... less than ideal.  Even akin more to what you would expect to find in a Dickens orphanage than how the 'enlightened' Jedi would handle such a thing.   Unless one considers the code.  If anything seems clear from what we've been shown by canon, the Jedi make TERRIBLE parents.  :-)

I am looking forward to more!  And that lyrical style is just intoxicating!  :-)

[Illyiss]

Fantastic addition to your narrative!  The more I learn about Var'jo, Lu'ala, (and Ch'rianna, that narttu) the more invested I am.  LSG said it before: highly evocative writing!

Var'jo hits upon a point that I feel is one of the main faults of the Jedi Order: so-called lack of attachments.  In fact, that's one of the reasons that I think the Gray Jedi have the right of it: almost all sentients have emotions and to deny them is a  fallacy.  Var'jo may be young but he seems to see with clarity.


Ch'rianna may want to remember that a cornered animal will fight that much harder.

And in this particular instance, said animal is a Force-user...

Thank you, very much.  I'm not sure why, but I felt a lot of apprehension at releasing this chapter, feeling it was a bit... lacking someplace.  Yes, the emphasis on disallowing both attachments and emotions are two points I have always questioned the Jedi Order on.  The vast majority of sentient beings, and their cultures, form and function around familial attachments.  As well, emotions are a part of the process of motivation and determination; not to mention how often Jedi preach things like "show compassion" and "search your feelings." 

I see that someone has become used to having to look past the squeaky wheel.

Illyiss!   This is delightful!  :-)  I can't really add anything to what my fellows have said, but I will say this: Your writing draws the reader in very quickly.  This is no small feat!  Only two episodes in and I am highly invested in Var'jo and Lu'ala.  I am also intrigued by your view of how the Jedi handled the padawan training of younglings.  This is the second narrative that has shown this to be ... less than ideal.  Even akin more to what you would expect to find in a Dickens orphanage than how the 'enlightened' Jedi would handle such a thing.   Unless one considers the code.  If anything seems clear from what we've been shown by canon, the Jedi make TERRIBLE parents.  :-)

I am looking forward to more!  And that lyrical style is just intoxicating!  :-)

I thank you, good sir.  I have always felt that the better a story engages a ready, and the sooner, the more effective it is, and have worked to bring that to my writing.  As for the Jedi "academy", I agree.  All such "schools" that isolate the young, and train them to a set of specific "values" feels very indoctrinative to me, as much like a boot camp as anything.  In my mind, the view of orphanages offered by Dickens shows us how such institutions of the early industrialized age, were crude instruments bluntly churning out obedient, disciplined, soul crushed workers.  While the Jedi don't outwardly seem to want to crush souls, they DO expect adherence and dedication to their core philosophy; as well as the currently in fashion interpretation of it.

Besides, how can they be good parents, without emotion and attachment?

[Illyiss]

Once more into the tale we delve...

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Running across the open expanse, saber deflecting shots from three hovering drones right back to them, she vaulted into a somersault, her lithe, muscled form extending and then contracting, perfectly timed around the lattice of beams projected to limit access to the next cover point.  Had she made even the most brushing contact, pain and unconsciousness would have been her rewards for failure, though she barely breathed a sigh of relief, as her attention quickly transitioned to her next challenge. 

Opening herself to the Force, feeling out the room in front of her, rather than poking her head around the corner (the mistake that failed the last four initiates this day), she isolated the position of both auto-turrets (thankfully set to stun), and the two initiates meant to challenge her passage.  They had the entry covered, though Soresu could get her in, as the initiates hung back, intent on letting the auto-turrets do the work, but the two of them had good position to act if those were defeated. 

Quickly, she ran through multiple scenarios in her head, all of them ended with her falling to a training saber, usually to the second opponent.  In spite of that she smiled, the grin casting a determined, almost frightening expression across her face. 

In the observation pod, Master Windu arched an eyebrow, concerned that the battle lust of her people might be starting to make a show.  As he was about to turn to the other Masters watching, La'ulu sprung to motion.

The leap up was easy, timed with pulling the grate from the vent using the Force, while kicking her boots free, she wriggled into the narrow shaft like a burrowing worm.  Reaching the other side, her battle grin still in place, she silently started a countdown.

3.

The boots, left behind levitated.

2.

The grate in front of her came just loose of it's mooring.

1.

With a thought, her boots shot into the room, and split directions, drawing fire from the simple circuits of the auto-turrets, and startling the waiting initiates, who turned to watch her get stunned over and over by the weapons.  She wasn't there, and confusion flooded the room from them both.

0.

Exploding out of the ventilation shaft, La'ulu roared aloud, the covering grate slamming into the far turret, spinning it to disable the near, continuing it's spraying arc to slam several shots of painful, stunning energy into Tucree, who let out a high pitched squeal as he fell. 

The other initiate had more time, and caught between a corner and an auto-turret pivoting wildly, the Togruta rolled under the spray, and swung the saber she held into a wild, frustrated arc, splitting the training turret in two.  Ch'rianna rose, saber at the ready, facing back towards the ventilation opening, expecting an attack from the runt presently.

"Perfect." La'ulu said to herself, as she twisted her body, while tucking end to front, like a swimmer turning at the end of a lane, and launched at the turned initiate.  Still caught in the action of the moment, adrenaline pumping, she pinned the Togruta's well timed, or so she thought, block behind her back, as the grinning human slid under the shocked initiate, between her legs, and scored searing, painful hits to both inner thighs, and then executed a devastating thrust up into the grimacing girl's abdomen, which would have ended her life, had they not been using training sabers.

Her shining brown eyes full of accomplishment and pride, she strode barefoot (she never could stand socks), over her fallen opponent, and through the exit door of the course.  She had done it, she would become Padawan, and be allowed to go to Illum and claim a crystal for her very own lightsaber!

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In the pod above, the gathered Jedi Masters were abuzz with excitement.  Her entry into the last room as new, and unexpected, and much enjoyed.  Even Master Yoda cracked a smile and nodded appreciatively, before turning to leave, his wooden cane clacking in time to his footfalls.

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Waiting behind the other initiates, minus the two sore and unhappy ones, just now waking in the last room of the test, Var'jo stood, face beaming with pride, but letting her celebrate with the others first, ever mindful not to SHOW how much he still considered her family.  He held no illusions that the Masters didn't know, but he found that as long as he didn't show it in front of the rest, they let it alone.  He watched her, the smile on her face and the sparkle in his eye set his chest to beaming, and he was relieved, as well.

Two years ago, after the rock incident, several Masters had pulled Ch'rianna and Tucree aside, and no one, not the pair, nor the Masters had ever spoken of what transpired.  All anyone knew was that when the pair was sent back to class, a week later, they acted differently.  No more bullying, though for a time, Ch'rianna could be observed visibly restraining herself, and Tucree seemed lost, forlorn.  In time, the two had set themselves to being exemplary students, and took to being little Jedi clones.  Many attributed their success to the personal tutelage of Master Dooku when he was in the Temple, though the pair worked hard as well.

Shaking his head, coming out of his thoughts, he watched La'ulu try her hardest to walk slowly to him, barefooted and looking down in a failed attempt to hide her sheepish grin.  With a sudden squeal, she exploded up into the air, and he easily caught her in a massive hug, spinning her around.

"You did it!" he exclaimed, his own excitement and pride flowing from him like a beacon in deep space. 

"So did you!  And I never would have without your help, veli*."  She arched her back, not pulling from his hug, but looking him in his blue eyes, her own, usually seen as brown, always seemed almost to match the color of his hair.  She really did feel she owed her success to him though.  He always looked out for her, and when that narttu and her mato* had finally stopped bullying her, it was Var'jo who helped her find herself, with his support, his tales of their people, and his tutelage when she struggled.

"Shhhhhhh!" he whispered through his smile. "The Masters DO know our language, remember?"  He winked at her, and set her down finally, walking with her towards the waiting meal, much needed after the very physical trial.  "Soon we will go find our crystals, and then make our OWN sabers!  I hope mine is yellow.  How about you, 'Ulu?"  He asked her, excitement bubbling over.

Her cheeks colored momentarily, the warm feeling of being loved as a sister, especially when he called her 'Ulu, as only he did, and she would only let him.  "BLUE!" her affirmation was sudden, and full of expected conviction.  She had spoken often of wanting to be a Jedi guardian, to protect people from bullies the galaxy over...

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Shaking his head, sore and disoriented, Tucree sighed, berating himself mentally, "I should have been able to dodge that.  I really am worthless, and all the Masters know it!" 

As his shame and self directed anger washed through him, and from him, he looked up, realizing that Ch'rianna had fared little better, it seemed.  Suppressing a smirk, he stumbled over to her, offering his hand to help her up, now that she was stirring as well.

Her vision clearing, head pounding, not to mention the painful near burns between her legs, and her stomach that felt like it had been rammed by a tram, she cursed inwardly, "That little cheat!"

Clearly this wasn't HER fault, HER plan had been flawless, but that runt had cheated, and Tucree had failed her, again.  Anger flared from her, and she could feel the ambient temperature of the room drop slightly.

Looking up, Tucree was extending his hand to her, and was that the start of a smirk on his worthless face?

Slapping his hand away, she hissed at him, "Get back you worthless oaf, before you mess up even more today!" 

He recoiled from her, hurt, which she had meant him to be, and she began to rise, the ache in her abdomen re-asserting itself, and as she rose further, her thighs burned and ached, though, awakening other, unexpected feelings nearby in her body.

Glad for her deep orange skin, to hide her blush, she rushed to the nearest refresher, overcome with the sudden sensations washing through her in response to the pain...

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*Veli; brother
Mato; worm

[Lord_S_Gray]

As Karm and Dutch pointed out for C 2 great expositon of Jedi training methods- that is likely why they only take very young children (infants if possible) less attachment to 'purge' them of.  They are basically fighting against the innate nature of virtually every species to form packs/groupings in doing so though...its bound failure yet they persist.

As for the third chapter good subtle point shining at the time frame - whilst Yoda has 900 year time frame to show up Windu and Dooku training padawans narrow the field to well before Clone wars. Well placed time skip and seeing how the bond between siblings' remains if only clandestinely.

As to Ch'rianna...perhaps there is a fine, fine line between pleasure and pain...

[Illyiss]

As Karm and Dutch pointed out for C 2 great expositon of Jedi training methods- that is likely why they only take very young children (infants if possible) less attachment to 'purge' them of.  They are basically fighting against the innate nature of virtually every species to form packs/groupings in doing so though...its bound failure yet they persist.

As for the third chapter good subtle point shining at the time frame - whilst Yoda has 900 year time frame to show up Windu and Dooku training padawans narrow the field to well before Clone wars. Well placed time skip and seeing how the bond between siblings' remains if only clandestinely.

As to Ch'rianna...perhaps there is a fine, fine line between pleasure and pain...

Thank you, as well.  As for time frame, I suppose that depends on how you define well before; as I recall, Dooku didn't leave the Order until after the death of Qui-Gon...

And yes, there is a fine, fine line there, and I wonder, how would the Jedi see that...

[TheDutchman]

Wonderful training scene!  Looks like our two Soumi teens are progressing well, using more than just brute force.

As LSG mentioned, the inclusion of Masters Windy and Dooku give us a better handle of the timeline.  VERY interested in seeing where this is leading...

And looks like Ch'rianna displays a bit a sadomasochist tendency 

Next installment please!