Instincts

I don't own Star Wars.

"He's been like this the whole time." Declared Oriana as Master Gren skipped towards the meditative Kallus. "I've never seen him so calm." She ran her hand through her blue hair, her normally calm, sane composure a broken mess. It had been barely twenty minutes after their landing… Lidia had been told to stay on the ship until Master Gren boarded the vessel. Lidia for her part was more than happy to stay… Kallus's current state of unnatural calm concerned her as well.

"I had to use the beast trick on him Master Gren." She watched Kallus concernedly. "…I may have overdone it."

Lala seemed more amused than anything, poking her unresponsive cousin in the cheek and smiling as she absently played with his red hair. "I don't know I kind of like him like this…" Nerri grabbed her by the arm and yanked her away grinning, "Oh come ON! Like you wouldn't just put him in your room like a poseable statue! Look at the guy!"

"Hah…" Master Gren sat down, staring at a meditating Kallus as he closed his own eyes and reached out to him slowly with his hand, slowly twisting it left, and right… "MMmmnnn… Full of anger he is…" declared Master Gren sadly. "…such Rage before I have never felt.."

"…What is he doing?" Lala asked as Nerri smacked her in the chest. "Ah my boob!" she hissed quickly at Nerri hissed at her.

"Shush! He's some sort of Jedi hoodoo."

"Please don't call it that." Lidia asked with an embarrassed sigh. "Please just try to be a little more quiet you'll disturb Master Gren."

But Master Gren didn't seem bothered by it, in fact he just seemed to smile at the shenanigans of the girls, continuing to use his Jedi skills on Kallus. Everyone was unnaturally quiet… watching, waiting. BANG!

"Sorry! My bad!" shouted Rattletrap from… somewhere. "I got it!" he added. Everyone had jumped except for Master Gren and Kallus.

"Little freak of nature." Mumbled Lala indignantly, "I'm certain he's watching me while I sleep."

"You sleep in the nude." Nerri noted as Lala gave her a 'duh' expression.

"Yeaaah! Because I'm being watched!"

"That's insane."

"SHUT UP." Snarled Oriana firmly as they took a step back, clearing their throats together. Yet again. Master Gren seemed undisturbed. "What's wrong with him?" she asked.

"Nothing wrong there is." Replied Gren quietly. "…Nowhere to go, his anger has…" he sighed, gazing sternly at Kallus. "…Only delayed it has master Lidia." Suddenly he clenched his fist and Kal awoke with a roar.

"CRITCHER!" he slammed his fist hard down on where Master Gren was leaving a dent in the floor. "RAAAGH!"

"Back! Get back!" Oriana shouted as everyone leapt away, she drew her one of her blasters, had half a second to think about it before drawing the other and setting them to stun. "KAL! STOP!" she demanded. Only for Master Gren to land calmly on the floor after his jedi leap. Kallus charged him…

The girls could only watch in awe as Kal swung, and missed… swung and miss, swung and miss. Kick, punch tackle. Master Gren leapt over a low kick, and promptly slammed both feet into Kallus's chest as he stumbled back.

"Kal! Stop!" Oriana shouted, hesitating to fire on him as Nerri and Lala tried to corral him even as he continued trying to attack Master Gren, who easily fended him off, he looked almost bored with his attempt.

Kal leaped at him, swinging his fists as if he was wearing his claws but they were safely stored in his room. Master Gren easily dodged the swing by ducking, Kal's fist missing the tiny jedi by centimeters as they body tucked into a roll. Master Gren stood up to face Kal as he rolled into a crotch, landing on his hands and knees but there was something purely bestial about it.

On all fours like the wolf he claimed to be his fingers clawed angrily into fists as he raised his right hand and pounded it hard into the floor. "Raaargh!"

"Kal! STOP!" shouted Oriana angrily standing in front of Master Gren but the old Jedi easily slid between her legs. "Kal!" Kal lunged at the master, as Oriana took a trembling breath, hesitating only for a moment. "Kallus Kane! H-"

Whatever she was about to say died in her throat as Master Gren leapt into the air and shoved his hands forward. The entire ship seemed to shake as Kal, lingering in the air was force pushed HARD into the floor.

"GAAAH!" Kal gasped, shaking slightly as his body twitched. "…agh…" Master Gren landed softly in front of him. So close Kal easily inhaled the minty smell of his robes. Before Master Gren casually sat back down before him, crossing his legs as Kal groaned softly.

"…Your enemy I am not." Master Gren said simply. "…Fine he will be." He smiled kindly at the stunned Oriana and Master Lidia. "Awhile this will take. See Master Knox you should." He added as Lidia watched him curiously.

"…Oriana." Lidia said, "…Oriana you better come with me, we'll need to arrange a fee and Kal is… busy." She said as Oriana stared down at Kal… looking very conflicted. "Oriana?"

"What?" she jumped, blinking at Lidia surprised… as if not realizing she was always there. "I. What?"

"…Payment?" Lidia began, apparently Oriana was a little more surprised by Kallus's wild attack than the rest of them. "Come milk the temple for all it's worth."

"...Kal would've had me do that anyway." She replied acceptingly before holstering her blasters. "Alright let's… let's go."

"Are you alright?" Master Lidia asked as T2 devotedly rolled after the two beauties.

"…Yes." Oriana replied flatly, not elaborating on her statement.

Kallus

"…What… hit me." I moaned face down in the floor.

"The little green guy did." Lala replied as Master Gren smiled at me, sitting cross legged uncomfortably close to my face.

"Express you anger you needed to do." he said softly, but kindly "…Sat in you long it did." He poked my forehead as I pushed off the floor… it felt like I left an imprint of myself in it. "Healthy it is not."

"You just space wizard him into the floor, you can bet its not healthy." Lala noted as Nerri smacked her with the back of her hand. "Ah! My tummy!" she yelped as Master Gren ignored them.

"Your anger, you believe is your strength…" he said calmly. "But a BOMB it is." He took a deep meditative breath. "Directed it at me I had… briefly better you will be." He said softly.

"Briefly?" I asked sitting down in front of him like one of his students as he studied me.

"Removed the source of your anger must be." Declared the Jedi Master, watching me studiously again, as if memorizing my face. However… now all I can think of was 'kill Critcher' and I can get behind that… of course if I kill Critcher I'll probably have to gill Batson and Daemon… maybe even Old Man Alastor…

Fuck every Cromwell I can find… except maybe Emila. Patch likes her. I should try and not kill her-"OW."

The old master flicked my head as I was jolted back to reality. He rested his hands on his knees, gazing at the girls. "Leave please. Alone I wish to be."

"…I assume with Kal?" Lala replied as Nerri grabbed her arm.

"Let's just go outside. The Jedi gardens are the greenest thing we've seen since Lidia. Fresh air will do us good." Lala just grinned as Nerri dragged her down the ramp. Leaving me alone with the old master.

"Great strength you have, Kallus Kane. Great warrior you are…" he watched me. "…But CHAINED. Restrained…" his words seemed to be dancing around something, more so then usual. "Stop you I cannot. But hone you I wish." He took a breath. "…Cromwell family… offended us all they have." He said it almost ominously, like it brought him significant jedi anger to even say the Cromwell name. "As you are no help you will be…"

"Be not the weapon. Wielder you should be." He said as the words echoed in my mind. "Hone your instincts you must. Time to do so…" he shook his head. "Spare it I can't."

I stared at the tiny Jedi, imitating his stance… mimicking his breathing. "…How should I do what you are asking me to?"

He stared at me and sighed sadly… nothing he will say will stop me from killing Critcher. To finishing what I started when he glassed my friends from orbit. Like a COWARD. And he knew that… I could tell from the way he looked at me, the way he sighed.

"Practice. Patience." He said, two words not one… I guess he was giving me instructions. "The only way it is." He said, before adding firmly. "A danger to those you love, you will be. If down this path you continue…" I growled to myself… all of my instincts telling me he was right and to fuck off… but that didn't change anything.

"…You don't have the time to teach me. I get that. But maybe I can do it on my own then?" I asked, "Tell me what to do so I don't end up tearing out the throats of my friends… I can't lose anymore…" I growled as Master Gren nodded slowly, "…I almost attacked Lidia when the mere THOUGHT of that bastard being so close drove me into a rage. She can handle herself but Oriana? Lala?"

Master Gren nodded. "…Idea I may have…" he hopped to his feet, patting my shoulders. "Rest you must. Stay here you should… arrangements I will make." He gestured to me to get up, and stiff and sore I obeyed, heading to my room. "A run for my credits you gave me." He added chipperly as I scoffed and rode the elevator up as Master Gren made his way to the ramp to leave.

"Hey. Master guy." Rattletrap popped out of the floor, and held to him something in a wrapped cloth. "I think you should take this." Master Gren eyed the bauble Rattletrap handed him. I might have been concerned if I wasn't so tired… and fucking sore.

…Being force slammed hurt me a lot more than I expected… I'm going to be stiff later.

Lidia

Master Knox was nothing but polite to Oriana but she had other things on her mind. During her negotiations she demanded a large but not ludicrous amount of credits before returning to ship once she was paid, not even bothering to have any tea as Master Know shrugged.

"Haaah… shame." He said but seemed to be far more interested in the holocron. "…After all this time." He mumbled, but carried the holocron into the other room, resting it on the table. "I'll have a look at it later. Excellent work as always Lidia."

"Thank you Master." I replied as he just rolled his eyes. I smiled at him, as he studied me.

"…So, how did Kallus do?"

"I think I could've managed on my own." I teased, sitting down on one of the mediation chairs as he joined me. "…But he was good company." He handed me a cup of tea.

"…Has the old Kane charm managed to break that Jedi exterior?"

"COUGH…" …I was not expecting that. "What?"

"The Firemanes? The Kanes?... quite promiscuous and charming." He smiled teasingly at me. "…I'm also curious as to your tastes." I stared at him, gob smacked as T2, spinning around his quarters cheerfully 'bwoooed' scandalously in another room.

"Master that's!" I blushed, clearing my throat and putting the tea cup down on the table between us a little harder than I wished. "That's highly inappropriate. I am a JEDI"

"Yes." He said frankly, "You are. But you are a living, breathing person not a droid. No offense T2." Master pointed to the holocron that we could still see from the room over. "THAT right there is proof of Jedi and Sith families… they WORK Lidia. The Firemane son Roland is force sensitive trained by his mother!"

"…Master can we please not talk about my hypothetical love life…" I replied, trying very hard to keep my composure. And succeeding, thank you.

"Oh… humor me Lidia." He said, he relaxed in his chair, and took a breath. "Personally I've always been a fan of Soccoro girls."

"Master!" I groaned as he laughed.

"No?... Twi'leks? No too easy… Coruscant boys? The ones that ride around on speeder bikes?"

"Master!" I moaned rolling my eyes and trying not to meet his as he chuckled, grinning rather fatherly at me.

"I suppose I could also say the obvious and just say Mirialans… or maybe it's females?"

"…Master." I stared at him. "Enough. Please…"

"Come now tell me your type! It's just us."

"Ugh!" I sighed through my nose. "…He IS handsome. Can we move on please?"

"Who?" asked Master, I glared at him as he sipped his own cup of tea that seemed to have remained hot even as mine cooled quickly.

"Kallus Kane." I scowled at him. "He is a very good-looking man. PLEASE. Can we move on!" I mumbled as he grinned at me.

"…You're blushing."

"Master. I hate you."

"Hate leads to suffering. Your poor lovesick heart." He teased as I pouted at him, trying not to laugh.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Master Knox twisted his head to the door in surprise. "…You're already here who's knocking at my door?"

"Master you have visitors other than me." I replied jokingly.

"I really don't." he noted curiously as he got up and headed towards the door.

"Master Knox. Not Interrupting I hope."

"Master Gren." I said quickly seeing the wisest and most powerful of the Temple's Jedi waddle cheerfully into the quarters. "…Is Kal alright?" I shot my smirking master a look as he tried not to grin at my chief concern."

"About him I wish to talk… borrow Lidia may I?" Master Gren asked Master Knox as he waved a hand dismissively.

"Despite the fact that she still considers herself as my padawan I have never had any real control over her. Would you like a cup of tea Master Gren?"

"MMN!" he hummed delightedly with a nod and pleasent smile as Master Gren left the room. He then turned his attention seriously to me. "…Go with them I wish for you to." He said as I stared at him.

"What?"

"Kallus Kane. Go with him I wish." He stared at me seriously. "…A disturbance in the force I feel." He declared softly. "…An echo… a warning." He seemed to stare off into the distance. "Kallus Kane. The Cromwell family… a vital point I feel we are." He tilted his head to the left. "Will our doom be Kallus Kane? Or Savior will he be? Regardless. Center of it all he feels."

"But… why do you want me to go with him?" I asked breathlessly.

"Training he needs. You he trusts most." He replied, "Best of all options you are."

"But. I… but…" There was no reason for me to really say no. So I found one in Master Knox as he returned. "…Master?"

"I am not you master, you are one in your own right." Declared Master Knox handing Master Gren his tea.

"But… yooou... need me for another mission right?" I asked as he smiled knowingly at me.

"Actually I'm good for now…" he replied, "I'll need time to thoroughly study the holocron, research the genetic lines… I will have very little if anything for you to do." I glared at him. "…What is it you need her to do exactly?"

"Train Kallus Kane…" declared Master Gren. A weapon he is. A wielder you must make…" I sighed softly, clearing my throat. "A DOG he is not…" declared Master Gren ominously as Master Knox nodded agreeingly.

"You're very right Master Gren." He sat back down. "…A bit of time off will do you good. Have an adventure that doesn't involve dusting off old bones… I imagine I'll still be here when you are done."

"MMmn…" nodded Master Gren, apparently agreeing with his statement.

"…But what am I supposed to do with Kallus exactly?" I asked, "I've never had a padawan before and he's not even a Jedi!" I replied indignantly.

"…Instincts you must follow…" he replied softly. "A Jedi he is not… but calm him you should."

"…Right. Okay. Great…" I sighed sarcastically, downing my Tea and hating more than ever the cryptic lessons of Masters other then Master Knox. "T2…" I shouted standing up, "I guess I need to talk with Oriana." I headed to the door as Master Knox stopped me.

"Lidia." He said kindly, "You'll be fine… Kanes are fairly easy to get along with once you understand them." He smirked as I blushed and slammed the door behind us as T2 left ahead of me.

"…I've gone from archeologist to pirate." I mumbled, returning to the ship.

"Bwoo…"

"Okay. Bounty Hunter!... but still."

"Beep-boop."

"What?" I replied turning my attention to him. "…What do you mean Kallus isn't a bounty hunter?"

"Bwoo-beep."

"…Pit fighter? I guess that does sound more like him huh…" I frowned thoughtfully as the sight of the ship came into view as I approached… ready to break the news to Oriana of Master Gren's request… I suppose it's also always possible that she will refuse to take me along… but I imagine Kal had more veto power since I would be training him…

…Force what am I supposed to train him? Breathing? Stances? Jedi do have unarmed combat training… what am I supposed to do with him? Instincts… Master Gren told me to use my instincts… Hone his instincts maybe? "What would be best to hone Kal's instincts?" I asked nobody as T2 answered my rhetorical question.

"Beep-wooo…"

"Yes. You told me he's a pit fighter T2. Thank… you…" I blinked. "…Pit fighting." I rubbed my chin. "…That just might work. Master always told me to think outside the box… let's start by thinking inside the ring."

"Bwwow!"

"Yes I thought that was pretty clever myself…"

End