Jim Hoth : The Road So Far

The arrival

With his eyes closed, Dominic rested, it was strange for different around him, the smell of grease and iron was strong, the sound of the freighter’s machinery, everything had an insane noise, but in his mind it was just silence.

“Master…I…survived…’”

His mind went dark as the sounds of constant knocking made him see the figure that had once ended his future, one more beat, one more and another… and Dominic would wake up, he was the chief of cargo.

“Hey Boy, we’re here…”

Said the ugnaught, in his husky voice tapping his tool on the door, Dominic looked at him and stood up, carrying only a few rags and with a cloak over what was the armor he had found, he used it a lot to rid himself of the dangers he faced. on his survival trips, the trip that took him to that place, he would approach the ship’s window, and he could see.

Dominic stared at the planet, wondering what would become of him now, one of the reasons he came here was to keep running.

" Don’t be fooled too much boy…this planet isn’t all that. Let’s go to the arrivals hall… "

Said the porcine mentioning the view of the planet, it was quite beautiful so to speak, Dominic watched the same from the window, and silently walked away, uncertain… but before leaving he had a feeling, looked back to the planet, and if he felt afraid, for years, that he no longer connected with the force, in fact, since that fateful day for him.

The ship finally landed at the Veles facility, where he was his first contact, taking some time to get to know the place before even descending the planet, he ended up helping with problems with defective droids and creatures that sneak around, which nearly killed him. it was having to face a strange creature, he got the datapad from one of the bodies, and finally he was able to complete a mission he hadn’t even accepted.

Finally now on the planet, being able to explore, the first city of his contact was Veles, the smell of machinery and certain places with rubbish and grease was what he could describe from the city he was watching, seeing Czerka active there made his stomach churn, it wasn’t much in favor of this slavery group.

"Slag… "

He was thinking to himself, wrinkling his nose at the Czerka, one of the soldiers was staring at him, but he didn’t want trouble, or even to draw attention, so just ignored him and continuing on his way.

Before he even made his way to Viscara, he had heard rumors about the Jedi’s and Sith staying in the area, which made him reluctant to go there, but he didn’t have much choice, was it that or having to keep turning aboard. clandestine ships and living as an assistant employee far too often, even working as a mercenary several times.

After seeing the city, he made his way outside, getting to know some residents, Qyllisc along with another of his race was one of his first contacts, could see he was something of an initiate to the Jedi, but he refused to talk a lot about the subject, had long since closed to these questions. His goal was just to keep surviving.

1 Like

It had been a few weeks since he’d arrived in Viscara, Dominic had been in one of the public dormitories, cleaning his blaster when he saw a hologram failing in the distance, talking about Viscara’s recent news.

Removing some points of dirt accumulated in the barrel, with the right tool, he looked at the barrel of the gun blowing it with a strong and short impulse of air, his datapad received a message,

“This is from Czerca’s office, a man named Jhorem. He looking for brave young men to explore the cave on the outskirts of Veles, anyone who wants to accept this job just look for him.”

Wiping the traces of blood from the animals he had previously hunted, donning the armor he had obtained from various places he had visited, rising to his feet, he withdrew from the public enclosure.

The city was quite agitated, seeing some people running, I also noticed the agitation of some with clothes similar to the Jedi, he particularly kept himself distant, meeting few people, he did not know if one day he would have to leave this place, after walking a I finally found the man named Jhoren.

“Hello. I assume you’re the publicist, not Jhoren.”

Dominic spoke calmly, with his right hand resting on the blaster pistol, looked at Jhoren, the man in turn looked him up and down, in silence for a few seconds, to the newcomer, the man seemed to penetrate his mind, like if he knew him, but before Dominic could speak, the man broke the silence.

“I see… Dominic, young man with a curious look… I have a mission for you…” - said the man with a slight smile to the boy.

Dominic frowned, as much as he had seen the Force abilities he was young, he couldn’t make out the secrets the Living Force held.

" How you…?" - Asked Dominic.

“It doesn’t matter…” - Jhoren interrupted, putting his hand on the boy’s shoulder. - Let’s get down to business, there’s something I want in the cave in front of the colony, the mission is simple, you go there and get it for me… - Jhoren finished taking the boy’s hand.

[color=“Cyan”] “Is that all? How difficult will this task be?”- Asked Dominic, it’s not that he was afraid, with a few years to learn to defend himself, he learns to be prepared.’

“It depends on your determination boy… just have faith” - Jhoren replied quickly. - Don’t worry so much, trust yourself, leave doubts behind and move on.

Jhoren’s words echoed in her mind, over and over again.

“Just have faith… What does this guy think he is?” - The young man thought, at the entrance of the cave he stopped to observe, on his back the blaster he used to use, a step inside and he felt an echo pass through him, like a strong wind coming from the bottom of the cave, repeating his name…

Such was the threat to him that the cave itself made him feel like a small being venturing into the world, but work was work, he was not intimidated and advanced into the cave, walking among the confines, a footstep echoing through him. everywhere, able to hear his own breathing and that was terrible.

Dominic closed his eyes and thought to himself. - " Stay Calm " - Reflecting on similar situations to the one he finds himself now, he finally calmed down, following the steps, something bothered him, the silence, and at the same time the feeling that that cave crossed him, as if he were watching and at the same time time analyzing.

He kept walking, this time more cautiously, he heard footsteps, and a figure quickly crossed a crossroads, causing the young man to raise his rifle, unlocking it immediately.

Concentrated approaching the wall to his left, the rifle aimed, his eyes fixed on what could be a potential enemy, walking with one foot behind the other, in the same line and slowly to lessen the noise that could alert his presence there, and as soon as he reached the fork, he found nothing but a mouse, which as soon as he saw the young man, ran into a hole.

“Rats…” - Dominic thought, relaxing a little, imagining why all the tension in that place, he took his hand to his eyes rubbing them, thinking to concentrate on the mission.

“WHATCH OUT, BEHIND YOU!”

One voice? The subconscious, what was that? His entire body shuddered, his hair stood on end, it was like a sensation, a sense of danger, maybe a sixth sense, and Dominic just darted forward, feeling the wind of something pass his back and hit a rock, the scream. shrill echoed in the cave.

“A GIANT FUCKING SPIDER!?” - shouted Dominic, seeing the huge creature prepare for another attack, raising its paws and squirting poison towards him, once again the boy threw his body to the side, the jet of poison hit the wall opening a hole in it.

“BUT I WILL NEVER LET IT HIT ME!!”

Dominic ran to the left and tried to take two shots at the spider, but the bastard was faster, hitting him and knocking him down with a swipe of his paws, to avoid the fall Dominic threw his body once more to force a roll, where he pointed the rifle at a rock, shooting at it, falling a rock right on the spider’s head, which squirted in pain, but… stopped…

The boy could see him looking right at him, squirting with hate, but what Dominic saw was a surreal murderous desire, something he’d never witnessed in his life.

It didn’t take long for the hunter to hear more footsteps. - “Oh, oh… I have a bad feeling about this.” - The footsteps worsened and several crackling screams echoed through the cave, one spider, two, no, FIVE spiders.

On the wall to your wall and one to your right, and then the one that was right, and then the one that was right in front of you. Surrounded, Dominic shuddered, he couldn’t flinch, or he would die there now.

“Old bastard… is he trying to kill me!?” - He muttered mentally, the spider on the left attacked, Dominic dodged, activating the burst mode of his rifle firing several times killing the first spider.

The one on the left wall intervened, hitting Dominic, knocking him to the ground causing his rifle to drop, the spiders on his back rushed to attack him, the spider that was on top of him took a bite, but Dominic activated a small shield of fire. energy. of the armor on his forearm, preventing him from being hit by the spider bite.

A struggle of forces, and the boy was not winning, the spider stopped trying to bite Dominic, and squirted a green goo on top of the shield, which dripped on the boy’s arm, who screamed, as it penetrated his armor and hit the skin.

The spiders that were on his back advanced towards the boy, who, using the small energy shield, pressed the head of the spider that was trying to bite him, taking his belt, pulling an electric blade and passing through the spider’s head.

He directed the jet of venom at the spiders behind him, hitting them full-on, the spiders screaming shrilly as part of their skin melted.

Taking the opportunity, Dominic pulled the rifle and shot the spiders that were with the acid poison, finishing them with several shots, turning to the spider that was on top of his body, seeing that it was dead, but ending up immobilizing him.

Dominic struggled to get out from under the spider, but in vain, he soon heard a long squirt, quickly pulled the rifle, but it failed, his electrical blade was still stuck in the spider’s head on top of its body, the larger spider approaching slowly, as if taking advantage of the moment when he was going to finish off his enemy, his fangs rose, Dominic saw his reflection in the damn thing’s eight eyes. It was now his end?

“SZIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNN”

Dominic closed his eyes, he was about to be hit, the fangs of the larger spider salivated, that’s where he would die… at least that’s what was going on in the young hunter’s mind, but that’s when he heard that sound.

Something he knew, something from a long time ago, that he could never forget, was a lightsaber, he felt the goo run down his chest, vision failing, something blue, a laser, a blade, it was really what he thought, or maybe not.

The creature’s body falls to the ground, and a figure remains standing in front of the boy, who feels the creature’s weight being lifted easily, with just a gesture from the man in front of him.
Dominic tries to get to his feet, looks the man up and down, then bends down to pick up his electric blade.

The man looks at Dominic silently as he assumes a neutral stance and guides him towards getting a better weapon. Dominic looked down at his blaster, turning his attention to the man, asked his name, the name didn’t answer but told him something he hadn’t heard in a long time.

“May the force be with you…”

Those words entered Dominic’s mind. The Force? Seriously? This was unexpected, he didn’t expect to find it on that planet, so far away, he didn’t even look, the boy just followed the man’s advice, went back to the hut, looked for a more improved weapon and went back to the cave.

And this time, he only needed one shot to get rid of the creatures, although it wasn’t that hard to get past the spiders this time, the place was a veritable maze.

Hours passed, until he began to feel something that called to him from the depths of the cave, this time, it was as if his return, with a clearer mind, cleared the way, and he still felt, an echo, that called him, for a long time, he didn’t even remember, fear made him forget.

It didn’t take long to reach the bottom, just past a fork, the entrance to a cave, something glowed at the bottom, crystals everywhere, he certainly knew that, it was Kyber.

Why was there Kyber on that planet? Was his presence on that distant planet fate?

He walked, and once again a call, something behind that giant crystal called his name, the steps they took were cautious, and as they crossed to the bottom of the cave, there was something, a HOLOCROM.

Dom touched him, and a wave hit his mind, he saw himself, in a kind of empty space, with no horizon, the ground seemed flooded, with each step, he glimpsed his past, things he didn’t want to remember.

The death of his teacher, the attack on the temple, now he was there, carried by force.

The Force again? He didn’t believe it, it couldn’t be real, after so long, why now?

But the fear in his heart was growing, he saw it constantly, his teacher’s final fight to save his life, just the red light was enough to make him shudder, but… what is this?

A figure was approaching him, someone wielding the lightsaber, which he feared, when he realized, there was one in his hand, but the color, he could not distinguish, the fight raged, and Dom was victorious, but upon discovering that the defeated one was he, and the color red was on his lightsaber.

Time passed, after talking with Callista and Althea, they learned a lot, or as they were very early on, but his years of life were remembered in their essence, he could never forget the fear.

“TO FEAR.”

Dom meditated on his knees in his ship, trying to connect more and more firmly with the force.

It was what he had in him, of perhaps becoming what he feared most, of losing it all again, every step, struggle, learning.

The path has been difficult, it seems that learning alone is not as easy as he thought, even evolving, he feels stuck. Perhaps that made him stagnate.

He bought a ship, and left the galaxy in peace, although he has already returned as an initiate to the Order, he was not afraid of being found by the one he killed, he just followed the usual path, alone, training, looking for a connection with the force.

A lot has happened since he joined Viscara’s order, friends fall, enemies return, Dark One. The name just made his mind scramble, ever since that encounter, he’d heard echoes.

Echoes that were as if the past spoke to him, even information about it, there was a lot to learn, the council had not approved of knowing more, and being a padawan was something even further away.

It was nice to see everyone grow up, but even though he was repressed, he felt alone again. Anyway, what does it matter? Maybe it goes back on his way what he was supposed to do.

Dom would take his ship, return to Viscara, to talk now with his friends, now with others, totally oblivious to the reality that surrounded Viscara, the temple only seemed like a place to visit, his true abode was his ship.

The path was uncertain… but he should trust the will of the force, that’s what he believed now.

Dom is still sitting on the ship staring into the void of space for things to come, remembering how maybe he’s not that close to everything and everyone.

It is as if he is totally removed from the order that welcomed him, perhaps totally, and not part of the journey.

Certainly aware that he was guilty of this, the belief that as a Jedi, he’d somehow become more centered, more controlled. But maybe it was a sweet illusion.

After the discovery of the recent attack on her friend Feya, anger towards them grew, the idea of order and the republic remaining indifferent to the actions of the Sith made his stomach churn…

His thoughts mingled with memories of his past with the Sith.

He meditates on his thoughts to find answers by force and not succumb to his wrath.

There’s something to do… just have… courage.

3 Likes

Entering the ship and walking calmly down the aisle, he turned on the ship’s radio, the music echoed through the empty ship, only with the presence of its owner, Jim removed his tabard and following the preparation to begin his training.

The music played to the sounds of the lightsaber that swung in firm movements of the young padawan, focused on the maneuvers taught by his master, raise each one, circular, with a jump, a vertical arc, the young man make Ataru’s maneuvers repeatedly. As the music progressed and echoed through the ship combined with saber noise.

Two images in front of him formed, the young padawan could clearly see them. As he cut through the air a few times, he remembered his interaction, his failure.

image

Jim, remained in his path, but if he wondered which path he was on, maybe not even his master could show him, maybe he never could. Wondering what was inside him, what was it that was trying to consume him, to take his place, maybe it was too much to deal with, or he was just getting carried away. He could see, in the center, a cloaked figure, beside him, luminous as daylight, he was the true embodiment of what he understood to be the good side. But the left was what he feared most, the color of blood, the color of that, that could take his soul.

A few more turns, with each chorus of the song, he tried to match his punches, as if forcing himself to fight with himself.
No, No, No. I’ll never fall again, he told himself, he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t that happen.

The music ended, Jim turned off his saber, sitting down to meditate.

“There is no emotion, there is peace.”

He needed to find her…his peace.

image

2 Likes

The digitized sound from the panel resonates through the room, filling the space with an electronic hum. Jim is on his knees, his eyes closed, moving restlessly. Taking deep breaths, he tries to concentrate.

The screen in front of him displays a line of code, with the script running continuously.

################################################################
TRACKING CODE ACTIVATED
MODEL - ECHO - OUTER RIM -
TIME - 000000000000000604.800
STATUS - [LOADING: 98%]
################################################################

While awaiting the results, Jim’s mind delves into reflections about the Jedi Order and his master. The frustrations and doubts that have plagued him for some time resurface in his consciousness.

“Is the Jedi Order truly fulfilling its purpose? Are we genuinely balanced in our pursuit of the light? And my master… Does he share these same doubts and frustrations?” Jim questions, feeling the weight of these uncertainties on his shoulders.

As the script continues to process the data, Jim feels a whirlwind of emotions within him. On one hand, he is committed to the teachings and ideals of the Jedi Order, believing in the power of good and justice. On the other hand, there is restlessness that leads him to question if there are limitations in the way the Order operates.

Jim furrows his brow, thinking, “It doesn’t matter now. I need to stay focused, and…”

While these thoughts occupy his mind, a powerful disturbance in the Force manifests, interrupting his reverie. Jim feels a wave of worry and anxiety wash over him. He recalls his master and all the members of the Order, and the uncertainty of what might have transpired haunts him.

When…

BEEP… BOOP…

################################################################
TRACKING CODE ACTIVATED
MODEL - ECHO - OUTER RIM -
TIME - 000000000000000604.800
STATUS - [LOADING: 100%]
################################################################

A hologram of a galactic map materializes before him, displaying shining stars and interplanetary routes. A series of bright dots appears on the map, indicating possible locations.

Signs of recent activity, revealing scattered points within the tracking region.

image

With a determined gaze and the Force as his guide, Jim clenches his fists and prepares to face the unknown. He knows that, despite the frustrations and doubts, he has a role to play…

Even if it may be his last.

Warm… Jim felt a comforting warmth. Where was he? As he remained in the Kolto tank, he pondered to himself.

“Ah… yes… Veyla…”

Bubbles emerged from the tank with each breath the Padawan took. A profound sadness engulfed him, another friend fallen to the dark side. Calmly, he placed his hand on his abdomen, feeling a pain that was not physical but rather a sense of failure. In that moment, he didn’t feel like a Jedi.

“It wasn’t my fault,” he brooded. “Did I do the right thing? And Kairos?”

Memories of Veyla plunging the blade into his abdomen resurfaced, Kairos fallen. Jim moved his hands, realizing he couldn’t feel his pinky finger. It served as a reminder of Arcadia, but it no longer intimidated him. No one on the dark side could intimidate him anymore.

Jim felt weak and incapable due to his failure, blaming himself for Kairos getting hurt.

“Damn it, how did he end up there? Was that why I went alone?”

He questioned how Kairos had ended up in that situation, but in reality, his old friend had saved him from a fate he had set upon himself.

His thoughts turned to Veyla, and he wondered why she allowed Arcadia to control her. An immeasurable fear emanated from Veyla, as if she had no free will, but a desire for vengeance consumed her even more.

That’s when he heard it.

In the distance, at the back of the room, someone’s spirit screamed. It was Thalia, suffering. In that moment, his own pain was forgotten, and he focused on Thalia, feeling a deep desire to help her.

He could see the great darkness surrounding him, could feel her despair. Jim tried to reach her, but without success. He wasn’t strong enough, but then he felt warmth approaching. The Force was strong and it came from Thess.

Silently observing, he saw Thess calm Thalia with a tranquil and beautiful chant.

But what she didn’t know was that it wasn’t just Thalia who was reached.

Jim felt a peace within himself, a peace he had never felt before. He was certain that, even after everything, the Force would provide what the Padawan sought.

Everything settled down, and all feelings of failure and uncertainty seemed to have vanished. While in the tank, he was healed, not only physically but also in spirit.

It didn’t take long for Qyll to appear. Jim felt the presence of his master, knowing that he could read Jim like an open book, aware of everything that had happened, as well as the determination of his Padawan to become a better Jedi.