Using The Force Made Easy
- Thread starter Fencer
- Start date
- Sci-Fi
Don't hurt the gamer box
Ch. 16
Fencer
Writer
- Location
- 2nd shift
- Pronouns
- He/Him
AN: Momentum baby sweet, sweet momentum! Got to keep it going, but hell's bells I'm updating again, and I'm thrilled about it!
Sorry about the lack of shout outs, but even boiling the list… yeah this was enough work without including credit for each question. Especially for overlapping questions, or people who submitted a bunch of relevant questions. Sorry.
Questions were chosen by random number generator with the one exception being when Delia goes looking for something lighthearted. Thanks go out to Functionality for Beta'ing this monster of an update
Delia POV: Hotel room.
Grinning, I tossed a thumbs up at R3 who warbled an affirmative and started to record. Maybe I should look into why she kept defaulting to that instead of words… later.
"Hello Galaxy! I am of course the delightful Delia! This video is brought to you by me! Because I browbeat John into doing it, and did all the prep work for it! You're welcome!"
John shook his head, but I could see his grin. He wasn't fooling me!
"Now, there were literally thousands of questions submitted to us, and we are obviously not answering all of them. Even finding the duplicates and paring out most of the goofy, and or stupid, questions left us with a heck of a list."
It actually took five hours to write and run a program that would identify and lump together the most common questions just to pare things down. Thankfully there was a lot of overlap so generalizing worked really well and then it was just down to me going through the list and discarding most of the craziest questions. Which wasn't terrible, but it still took hours.
"Before Delia really gets going, I just want to be clear that most of the detailed questions about the Green Jedi or Coruscant Jedi will not be answered." John said. "Otherwise, we would be here for days. If you're still curious, contact them for answers."
He wasn't kidding. There were a lot of questions for us, but the ones about the inner workings of the orders? Everything from daily life, to where they got the robes from, to their teaching curriculum. Anakin had helped me pick a few out, John and Obi-Wan picked out a few more, but most of them wouldn't get answered.
"Right, so even taking all those questions out and bunching together a lot of similar questions I still have a ton of questions for all of us to answer, so!" I pulled the ice bucket out from under my chair and held it out for everyone to see with a shake. "I wrote them down on slips of flimsiplast and dumped them in here. We're going to go until I run out of questions, or until we are all sick of this, but if that happens I'll nag them into doing another Q and A. Luckily, I don't think John wants to deal with a second one of these any time soon." I leaned forwards and fake whispered. "He's been making lesson plans."
"Goof." John said.
Anakin snickered, and I decided that was enough joking around.
"Right, first question. What is the relationship status and sexual orientation of the crew?!"
"Wait, you didn't even pull out a question." Obi-Wan crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow at me.
"Well, duh. This was always going to be the first question. It's what everyone really wants to know after all. Why bother putting it in the bucket and making them wait?"
Obi-Wan did not look thrilled with that answer, but that was his problem.
"We are all single, and we all like the ladies." I chirped before shoving my hand into the bucket and digging around for the next question. "So, you know, if you see me around girls, hit me up? I promise I'm just as awesome face to face!"
John snorted at that.
"Oh, pulled a good one right off the bat! I am a non-humanoid or partially humanoid species and want to practice Matukai, but my body type does not work for some/all of the forms. How can I go about learning?"
"That is a good question." John said. "Unfortunately, I don't have an easy answer. The Matukai are a very small group. I've only met one practitioner, and he was human. I'd say you have two possibilities. Option one is to find a martial artist, or self defense instructor, of your species to help you adapt the forms to fit your body. The second would be to find a martial art already designed for your species and approach it with the mentality I've covered for the Matukai forms. I honestly don't know what is more likely to work. Maybe find a few friends and try both approaches? Either way please keep notes as you might be paving the way for other members of your species."
I pulled out the next slip and winced. Also, a great question but a lot heavier.
"How can you know if someone is falling to the Dark Side? How can you help or stop them?"
Obi-Wan and John looked at each other for a few seconds before John waved a hand at Obi-Wan offering him the chance to answer.
"There is not a great deal of information available on this topic. I, well, I've unfortunately seen one Jedi fall. And encountered two individuals who used the Dark Side of the Force prior to meeting the Captain."
"John, damn it, my name is John. This crew isn't big enough to need that kind of bullshit formality."
Obi-Wan ignored him.
"... When a person is drawing on the Dark Side of the Force, especially if they are using negative emotions, another Force Sensitive can feel it. Like light or heat radiating out from the source. The Captain can stop. Those I've encountered before, could not. So, if someone is constantly radiating negativity into the Force and drawing that in… that would be the warning sign to watch for. The only person I have watched fall… They started off as something of a bully, when they failed to be chosen as a Padawan they… slipped, I suppose. And all of sudden an unpleasant individual became murderous."
Obi-Wan kept his silence for a few seconds then shook his head.
"I'm not sure how one might go about helping such an individual without resorting to permanent measures. Captain?"
John sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"That's going to be a tough question to answer, and it's going to be at least partially a learning experience for all of us. I've always managed to come back without the help of another Force sensitive. But I have gotten help from people. When I first started to really push my limits trying to figure things out. I stuck to positive emotions. Joy, love, playfulness. Getting into a feedback loop with negative emotions is easy, you get stuck in an awful mindset and it keeps reinforcing itself. Doing it with positive emotions is both better and worse."
"Usually, I keep a slightly better hold on my ability to reason and think when I mess around with positive emotions, but unlike with negative emotions you don't want to stop. Why would you? It feels great, everything is amazing. So what if you're driving everyone around you nuts? You feel great."
John scowled at nothing.
"If you're going to push your luck and try messing around with more than the bare minimum amount of energy and emotion, have someone level headed around to talk you down. And possibly a bunch of friends ready to stun you. A few days unconscious should be enough time for the effects to weaken. So long as you're not at the point where you can channel the Force without conscious thought. And even then, if they manage to talk you down as you wake up you should be ok to do like with the candle meditation and recenter yourself in the light."
"How many times did people have to stun you?" I asked.
"Just the once." John rubbed at his face. "Word of warning, playing around with pushing lust into the Force sounds like a great idea. It's really, really not. Moderation is ridiculously important. I do not remotely blame my partner for stunning me."
"Can I ask-" I got cut off.
"No. Next question, Delia."
"This sounds important though! And weren't you the one saying people need to be told why something is a stupid idea? So they don't go and poke it?"
"… Fine. Damn it, fine. Matukai improved stamina, and a Force augmented refractory period means that someone can go a good deal longer and more often than normal. With a shorter turnaround between sessions. Can, not should." John was looking anywhere but at the camera.
"I lost myself in it. My partner had enough. I wanted to keep going. After a bit too much begging her to change her mind, she stunned me to shut me up. We'd talked about the possibility after it took me three days to stop being clingy when I tried feeding love into the Force, and I am very glad we did."
"That…" He was begging, not demanding, still though. "That could have been really bad."
"Yes. Yes, it could have. Don't test it. Don't try it. Not without a lot of precautions, and not unless you're sure you can stay in control. I haven't tried it since. The experience wasn't worth the risks. Next question."
"Right, ok." Pushing for more info had been the right call. But I was all for changing the subject. "John, this one's for you. You're not a Jedi, or a Sith, or a Green Jedi, so what are you?"
John blinked, then looked at me like my tattoos had changed when he wasn't looking.
"I'm, heck, I'm not really anything. Just a guy going around dabbling in whatever Force abilities I can find or invent."
"A dabbler. You don't have some kind of cool mystical sounding word for yourself?"
"Nope. Never really thought about it."
"Boring. Ok, Ani, you pick one."
"Oh, sure." Reaching his hand into the bucket Anakin pulled out a slip. "Ok, for all of us, what is the strangest thing you've done with the Force?" After a second Anakin looked at the rest of us. "How are we defining strange?"
"I shoved half a sour fruit in someone's mouth with a bit of telekinesis when I needed a distraction to escape a bar fight." Obi-Wan offered.
Anakin actually gaped at that before laughing.
"I haven't done much of anything with the Force yet. Sorry folks." I said.
"I've gotten a little creative with telekinesis for intimate moments. It's a lot harder than it sounds. Useful if you don't have a free hand." John's grin was smug. As was his right.
"Um, sometimes when I'm fixing something it's easier to fit small components with telekinesis than trying to get my hand into a tight space?" Anakin offered.
"Telekinesis, always the most versatile option." John grinned.
"Ok, sure. One of you is teaching me how to move things with my mind soon. Next question… uhhh kind of a lump thing basically dozens of different people demanding to know more about the Jedi Lords that got mentioned."
"Not really something I know much about." John admitted. "They were Jedi, they were powerful, they led the Jedi of a planet or sector, defended them from the Sith, and governed the places under their protection. You want more, you'll have to talk to a historian."
Obi-Wan nodded and though Anakin looked curious he didn't offer up more so I moved on.
"Can you bring in more guest stars to talk about different groups of Force users?"
"I… would not get your hopes up." John said. "Most small force sects I've run into are these tiny little groups the locals try to pretend don't exist. Just a few people with some minor abilities they've cultivated over the years. There are stories of serious groups, but most of those stories either come with a warning about how they'll kill outsiders, or are near impossible to find. I'll certainly ask if it comes up."
"Damn, that kind of sucks." I muttered. "Ok right, umm, when people start making their own groups of Force users what do you think the Jedi, government, public, and criminals will do?"
"Not an easy question to answer." Obi-Wan stroked his beard. "The temple is currently undecided on how to proceed at all, and government or public reactions are going to be highly varied. Though I'd wager much of the reaction will depend on the nature of the group in question."
"Criminals might be a little easier to guess at, avoid, eliminate, follow, or enslave most likely. Probably depends on how powerful and ballsy the criminals are." John said. "Though some criminals may form their own groups as well which will be trouble until things settle."
"Most likely." Obi-Wan agreed with a sour look.
"Changing the subject, because that's depressing." I dug out another slip. "Where or how can I find Force users outside of the Jedi orders?"
"Following local rumors of witchcraft, sorcery, or strange occurrences, is usually how I go looking." John said. "Most of the time I don't find anything and several times when I have found something I've had to run away while dodging blaster fire, and on one occasion spears. You can find them, but it can be dangerous, and more often than not you're just wasting your time."
Anakin reached over and pulled out a slip.
"How do you recommend dealing with Force sensitive criminals?"
"Request Jedi assistance." Obi-Wan stated dryly.
"Train some LEO's to use the Force and bring a lot of blasters and stun grenades." John countered.
I pulled out the next slip before they could get going.
"Sith were supposed to be able to throw lightning, can you teach us to do that? Can it be done without hate, rage, pain, etc etc etc?" I summarized a bit at the end.
"Yes, mostly… I'll do a full video on it at some point. But yes, I can teach you how to play with electricity." John glared at the camera. "Obvious warning is obvious: do not try this on your own without instruction. Electricity can, and will, kill you. I seriously doubt anyone out there has the control to do it safely yet. If Delia is the benchmark for where the rest of you are at don't even try it. Just keep practicing the candle meditation for now."
"How long do I need to practice that way?" I asked, for myself. It wasn't a question I'd seen submitted but whatever.
"Delia, I still practice the candle meditation." John gave me a look. "It's not just about learning control, it's also about maintaining and improving that skill once you develop it."
"Right. Ok, ugh, oh! Ani, this is the one you insisted I leave in, can the Force be used to collect moisture? Got something like six versions of that one from people living in deserts."
"No idea. Probably but it's not something I've ever tried." John shrugged. "Obi-Wan?"
"It's not a technique I've ever heard of, but I don't see why it wouldn't be possible. Though I couldn't say how to go about it or how effective it would be."
"Next… Oh yeah, I sort of bundled these three together. What's the best way to train with the Force? Should I practice somewhere quiet or loud? Does the type of meditation I do matter?"
John looked very unimpressed with that series of questions. Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak but John waved him off.
"I would say practicing somewhere quiet or with simple ambient noise like rain or running water is your best bet starting out. The type of meditation you are doing should reflect what you are trying to achieve. Moving meditation will help build your connection to the Force if you don't have a lot of pre-existing potential. Candle meditation is good for learning how to deal with and prevent your emotions spilling into the Force. If you want to find peace and serenity or just focus on the Light Side of the Force then you want to meditate like the Jedi do seated, quiet, letting your mind drift with the Force."
John took a sip from a bottle of water.
"As for the "best" way to practice with the Force, that's just… You can practice certain abilities and there are different ways to develop those, but that's getting into Force abilities when most of you are likely still struggling with meditation."
"I would argue that the candle meditation is a terrible idea, but that's an ideological stance." Obi-Wan said. "Otherwise, I agree with the Captain's assessment. Some students prefer to meditate near running water or with recordings of wind storms or bird song. Others prefer silence. While the basic principles remain the same, some find certain things help them along when they are first learning. There are also many Jedi who are fond of moving meditation. Usually saber forms."
Anakin reached over to grab another slip. He'd mentioned the other day that he didn't like having nothing to add to the videos. Which was weird because he's a lot better at all of this than me. But between John and Obi-Wan, I could kind of see what he meant.
"If Matukai makes your connection to the Force stronger is Matukai the road to limitless power?" Anakin gave the slip of paper a look like he was questioning the writer's sanity.
"No." John shook his head. "I don't have a lot of info about their members, but from first hand experience I can tell you that it's not. After practicing for a few months, I saw a noticeable increase in my abilities. After about a year and a half I was hitting diminishing returns. Keep notes, hell, keep training journals. Maybe one day we can put together enough information to get a real idea of how it works. But no, it's not a way to limitless power."
"Has anyone ever studied the Force under laboratory conditions?" I asked.
"As a scientific study? Not to the best of my knowledge." Obi-Wan said. "Captain?"
"Not that I've ever heard off. I've done a few experiments, but nothing particularly detailed."
"What happens if you feed… honestly between everyone who left questions I've got a list of every emotion I've ever heard of and some physical sensations. There was also someone who was really smart and asked what counts as an emotion, because a lot of them sound like they would be Light but you said every emotion counts as the Dark Side of the Force?"
John buried his head in his hands while Obi-Wan…. It was like his smile got a little bit less honest.
"That could be the topic of an entire video." John spoke as he sat upright and stared at the ceiling. "Possibly several videos. Some of the answers are dependent on what you are trying to do with those emotions, and individual responses. I think. Some people deal with certain emotions better than others. I believe that holds true with using the Dark Side of the Force, but I've got a sample size of one, and only self observation. I can't be sure."
"Can you, I don't know, break it down into smaller chunks? Answer some of it now?" I asked.
"...Yeah might as well. I am not covering every emotion under the sun. I'd probably miss a few just trying. I've explained the candle meditation try for yourselves, minimal energy in or out and maybe keep a spotter there to talk you down if you get stuck in a rut. Physical sensations are… trickier. Hunger and pain come to mind. Not great. Let's look at hunger. If it's mild you probably feel, I don't know, frustrated, maybe angry. That's what you'll be amplifying and getting back. If you're seriously hungry. Been a few days or more kind of hungry? Fear and desperation are really, really, not good for thinking clearly."
"What about the emotions that are 'Light'?" I asked, glancing down at the slip of paper. "Contentment, relaxation, joy?"
Obi-Wan cleared his throat and John waved him on.
"To truly use the Light Side of the Force is to not impart one's emotions into the Force. In your own meditations when meditating on the Light how would you describe your state of mind, Delia?"
I had to stop and think about that.
"It's… calm. Peaceful, I'm… I don't even feel bored. Not really, not unless I start to slip out of the meditation."
Obi-Wan smiled.
"Precisely. You are feeding nothing into the Force and you receive no emotions back. With enough training a Jedi can mostly sustain that state of mind even in combat. We will still feel, but we have trained all our lives to keep our emotions separate from the Force. And the Force can act to blunt those emotions. Limit them. It helps to keep us calm, even in the midst of combat."
I nodded slowly.
"But what about the really mild positive emotions? How are those not Light?" I really wanted some clarification on this.
"Those," John spoke up, "can be just as dangerous as the most violent emotions in their own way. You mentioned a few. Let's run with content. You are content. You want nothing, you need nothing. You feed that into the Force and close your eyes to meditate and just soak in that feeling, amplifying it, looping it round and round and round. Who's to say you would ever even open your eyes again? After all, you're perfectly happy just as you are."
I felt a shiver run down my spine. Just sit down to meditate and waste away to nothing because I couldn't be bothered to get up again?
"Could that really happen?" Anakin asked.
John shrugged.
"I don't know. Maybe if your hunger broke through, or someone jostled you, you could snap out of it. But I think it's possible. Force enhanced emotions are not safe. If you're going to follow my lessons, practice the candle meditation, learn moderation, learn control, and learn to snap out of a loop. This can be dangerous and you need to be careful."
"Right… moving on, please be a happy question…" I shoved the slip of paper back into the bucket and dug out another three before finding one of the questions I'd left in for a laugh. "Is the Force Endothermic or Exothermic?!" I demanded pointing dramatically at John.
John palmed his face.
"Next question."
"But-"
"Next. Question."
"Fine!" I huffed and pulled out another slip of paper. "What's the weirdest incident the Force has led you into? Oh me first! I was on vacation with my family, found John, and now I'm here learning to use the Force! Maybe not weird, but super unlikely."
"I got myself entered into, and won, the Boonta Eve Classic." Anakin grinned. "Some Jedi needed a lot of money and it was the fastest way to earn it."
Obi-Wan reached out and patted Anakin on the shoulder as he smiled fondly.
"There was a rather ridiculous chain of events when I was a Padawan." Obi-Wan began with a pained smile. "It involved a Trandoshan mercenary helping my Master and I rescue a number of small animals and a senator's daughter from a gang of Duros pirates."
All of us turned to look at Obi-Wan.
"It is a very long story."
"I'm getting that story out of you even if I need to sacrifice a bottle of brandy to do it." John declared with a gleeful look.
Obi-Wan only hummed and waved a hand at the Captain. John sighed and leaned back in thought before grinning almost maliciously.
"A year ago, a routine delivery I took at the Force's urging turned into a spontaneous rescue mission when the buyer got themself kidnapped. The buyer turned out to be a slaver. The ones who kidnapped him turned out to be a bunch of Bith musicians he had sold in the past. They got free at some point, earned some cash, then used the funds to come back for revenge. I never did get paid for that trip, but I helped the Bith get out of there in one piece and managed to recoup some of the loss when they insisted on paying me for transport off world after everything was said and done."
"Musicians?" I couldn't help it. I had to ask.
"They were very creative about getting even." John grinned.
"Right… Ok. Anakin?" I offered him the bucket of questions.
"Huh…" Anakin side eyed the bucket. "That's… relevant. I know I wasn't using the Force when I picked this but… Whatever. If the Force pushes people into dangerous situations is just learning to sense it and listening to its advice a risk? I don't want to live a dangerous life. Should I just ignore the Force's suggestions? Or just not practice at all?"
"That is a good question." I said, looking at John.
"It is a Jedi's duty to follow the Will of the Force." Obi-Wan said.
"Yeah, true, but." John rubbed at his chin clearly thinking hard, "Jedi can basically get away with anything as long as it isn't blatantly illegal. I'm not sure what galactic or local laws will think of a bunch of random people throwing themselves into messy situations. That could really easily spiral into vigilantism."
Obi-Wan frowned, but sat back to think that over.
"Honestly, a few of the messes I've gotten into over the years probably wouldn't look too good to local security. Until now I've skated by on laws that say if you see something illegal you can act to protect others, and things happening in places that are essentially lawless." John rubbed the back of his head.
"A good point, Captain. I'm used to being able to act with the backing of the law. The idea that some Force users won't be able to do the same is… novel."
John only shrugged in response.
"What else you got for us, Delia?"
"Right, umm, yeah, so John… There are… oh about a hundred different messages from regular people and people claiming they represent some government, and they are all demanding our assistance with some sort of problem. Which they claim is somehow your fault."
"You're kidding." John deadpanned.
"Nope." I shook my head.
"Do any of the problems they sent in sound even remotely like they are my fault?"
"Noooooot really, no. Most of them are ridiculous, and there was one request that you help them sort out new legislation to do with Force sensitives." I answered.
"Then they can all take a flying leap. Next question?"
"Will you teach us to make and use lightsabers?"
"Kark no. These are training videos about the Force, not lightsaber combat. I'm not arming the galaxy just because I'm pissed at the Order." John scoffed.
"What is the difference between the Force and magic?" Anakin asked. That sneak! When did he even take that one?
"To the best of my knowledge, not a hell of a lot besides what you want to call it and how many steps are involved in causing an effect." John shrugged.
Obi-Wan scowled at that but didn't contradict John. Maybe he just wasn't a fan of the M word?
"Can I teach my pet to use the Force? Someone with some sort of lizard monkey thing I've never heard of before claimed it was following along when they went through the Matukai forms."
John looked bemused and curious. Obi-Wan looked exasperated.
"I have no idea, but if they'll take notes, I'd love to hear about their results."
"As if anyone with free time learning to use the Force wasn't bad enough now we'll be besieged by Force sensitive pets." Obi-Wan grimaced.
"You think it's possible?" Anakin asked.
"I don't know, but after the past few weeks I'm not certain I should bet against anything." Obi-Wan admitted.
"Why are you teaching us to use the Dark Side of the Force if you insist it's dangerous?" I read off the next question.
"Ahh. Yeah, that's a bit of an important one, isn't it?" John absently rubbed the back of his head. "Right, there are two… three reasons."
"First reason. I'm not training you folks from the moment you could walk. Most of you are adults and teenagers. Probably a few preteens in the mix too, but the point is I can't just tell you all 'Dark Side bad, don't touch' and expect you to listen. More than that I can't even train you to avoid it without at least explaining what it is. If I'm explaining what it is, I need to explain why and how it's dangerous. Not just tell you to trust me because why the hell would you take my word for it without any kind of explanation?"
That… yeah that made sense. If he hadn't explained it and shown me the candle meditation, I'd probably have ended up drawing on the Dark Side without even knowing I'd done it. And yeah, I probably would have poked it just because without the explanation of why it's dangerous.
"Second reason; my whole goal here is to spread knowledge about the Force. When I still had access to the Jedi archives there were older sections full of holes because knowledge of some of the Force powers mentioned ended up being restricted to holocrons that only the Masters can access. And that's stupid. I want to know everything the Force is capable of. Even if I decide it's evil and never use it, I want to know. And I think others deserve to know as well. The Dark Side is a major part of the totality of the Force, and I won't just exclude it."
"Finally, well, there are things you just can't do with the Light Side of the Force."
John held out his hand palm up and I could feel his presence in the Force shift as he started pushing out and pulling in with… some emotion. Determination? Did that count as an emotion? For a moment nothing happened, then a small ball of flame, red with purple streaks, flickered into existence in his hand. John grinned at the camera even as Obi-Wan startled backwards.
"Don't any of you try this on your own. Not yet. There's a sort of in between step I can train you to do first which will make trying this safer, or at least easier." He cut off the flow of energy to the flame and it went out immediately. "The Light side of the Force is not weaker. Not really. But without having a personal investment in what you're doing, the kind that only comes with the use of your emotions, some effects just aren't possible. Which isn't to say that the Dark side is better. Some abilities can only be used when channeling certain emotions. Using the wrong emotion can actually negatively affect whatever you are attempting. So yes, I am teaching you to use the Dark Side because to do some of the things I can show you it is a requirement."
"That," Obi-Wan nearly growled, "sounds dangerously close to what a Sith might say."
John rolled his eyes.
"It's the truth. I could manipulate a flame with the Light Side of the Force. Even sustain one without physical fuel for a brief time, though that would be very draining. But to conjure up a flame like that? It can't be done with the Light Side of the Force. You need certain emotions to act as a spark, and as fuel, if you don't want to exhaust yourself in a hurry."
Obi-Wan did not look happy with that answer and John looked like he thought Obi-Wan's happiness could go to the Maw in a ship with no hyperdrive.
"So!" I chirped, breaking the tension before the pair could start arguing. "Next question!" I couldn't help but twitch as I read the next question. If the Force wasn't somehow involved in this, I would kiss a boy. I was trying to get us away from talking about the Dark Side, damn it!
"Been trying to understand, but just want to confirm, when using the Dark Side of the Force emotions are like a big toothy monster? Learn to ride it and direct it, or get dragged along behind it and maybe eaten?"
"That is not the worst analogy I've ever heard. So sure. That works. Can we get a more serious question?" John asked.
"If Jedi are pacifists or peacekeepers, why do they carry lightsabers? Wouldn't Blasters set to stun make more sense?"
"We are not pacifists." Obi-Wan shook his head. "Blasters are just so… uncivilized."
"And a blade of plasma isn't?" I asked.
Anakin snickered and Obi-Wan glared. I decided it was best to just move on.
"Why is it called the Dark Side if it's all emotions and not just the violent ones?"
"Because Dark and Light sounds more poetic?" John shrugged. "How the hell should I know, that's just been what they were called as far back as the records will go."
Obi-Wan didn't offer up a contradiction so I went to pull another slip only for Ani to beat me to it.
"Do the Jedi encourage or discourage hobbies? What kinds of hobbies do you have?" He read off. "They don't really do either? I like to work on machines and fly. I know some Jedi keep plants or play music?"
Obi-Wan nodded but didn't offer up any hobbies of his own.
"Ooh, this is a good one!" I grinned. "Will the Force help me find love?"
"Hasn't helped me, at least not lately." John shook his head. "Unless you count what I did for Kalle and Corrina the work of the Force… Which I suppose it could be… huh…" Now he looked thoughtful. I wasn't expecting a useful answer from Obi-Wan, so I just pulled out another question.
"How did the Jedi and Sith orders originally start?"
"No idea." John answered.
"Obi-Wan?" I asked.
"To the best of my knowledge that has been lost to history."
"Well… That stinks." I pulled out the next question. "How do you defend yourself from the Force if you can't use it?"
"Poorly." John joked. "Though overwhelming firepower is usually a good fallback."
Obi-Wan winced, but didn't disagree. Anakin chuckled and grabbed the next slip.
"Does using the Force make you tired? Yes, it absolutely can."
"Jedi are supposed to use green and blue lightsabers. Does the color mean anything?" I asked.
John looked bemused as Obi-Wan spoke up.
"Some believe it shows insight towards a Jedi's disposition, but there are enough examples which contradict the rule to make it a bad assumption."
"Can the Force be used to heal? If so, how?" I asked
"Yes." John and Obi-Wan answered together. They shared a glance before John waved Obi-Wan on and leaned back.
"Most Jedi learn to enter a healing trance which accelerates the body's natural healing, you can also use the Force to help the body purge toxins, like alcohol." Obi-Wan said. "But there are Jedi who specialize in using the Force to heal. They can greatly accelerate the natural healing process. However, it is a difficult discipline I've little talent for."
"I can do a video on healing trances some time in the future." John shrugged. "It's not something I've got a lot of practice with, but I've used it a few times. I've also run across a few small groups that do some form of healing. It's usually pretty minor or tied into herbalism, but I've never gotten a real lesson in healing so that's not something I can pass on."
"Can you use the Light and Dark Sides of the Force simultaneously?" I asked.
"No." John shook his head. "Or at least I've never managed it. Using the Dark Side of the Force… When you push your emotions into the Force it's like spilling ink in water. It spreads out around you and eventually it becomes diffuse, but in that moment, you are surrounded by it, feeding it. I don't want to say it's impossible, but I have no idea how you would do it. There is a method you can use to make the Dark Side more controlled. But that's something I plan to cover later."
"Have you heard any legends about past Force users? Do you believe any of them?" I asked.
"Despite all the research I've done I've found a lot fewer legends than you might expect, and I believe even less. Most of those kinds of stories boil down to a name, a rough time period, and how they were considered incredibly powerful. Detailed accounts are almost nonexistent, and the few stories that credit a Force user with some incredible feat or another tend to be… well they tend to be ridiculous."
"Will you teach us to levitate things?" I read off the next slip and grinned. I was really looking forward to that too.
"Yes, I'll teach you all telekinesis." John rolled his eyes but he was grinning too.
"Can you see the Future? Can I?"
John made a face. Obi-Wan chuckled. Anakin sighed.
"Always in motion, the future is." Obi-Wan said with the fond air of someone quoting another person.
John growled. Then he sighed, and nodded.
"There are legends and rumors of Force users that could see the future." John said. "But it's not a talent I've ever claimed to have, and even those who do have it… According to the stories, and records, and teachings, you're not seeing the future. You're seeing possibilities. Or you could be seeing the present somewhere far away, or even the past in some cases. Force visions are a messy, confusing thing to study, never mind properly interpreting and acting on them. If any of you out there develop a talent for it I'm not sure how much help I'll be."
"Can the Force be used to enchant things like in fantasy stories?"
Anakin perked up in interest and even Obi-Wan turned to John with a raised eyebrow.
"I don't know how to do it." John shifted a bit. "But I know it can be done." There was an excited gleam in his eye and I found myself leaning in as that excitement spread. Enchanting? That would be absolutely wizard!
"Think I mentioned having to dodge a spear a few minutes ago. What I didn't mention was the fact that the hunk of sharpened rock tied to a stick punched through a quarter inch steel panel. I want to know how that's done. I'd love to be able to make a jacket that can turn away blaster fire. If any of you figure it out, send us a message and we'll get you an episode to explain the process… Just please wait until you've got a better grounding in the basics before you go experimenting like that."
"Some day, Captain, you really must share with me where you find these groups." Obi-Wan shook his head.
"Because dodging pointy death is how most cultures say please come back soon." John scoffed. "What else you got, Delia? Are we almost through with this yet?"
"Ummm." I glanced into the bucket and then away from John. "No. No we are not."
"The, hell? John muttered. "How many questions did you even pick?"
"So!" I said, raising my voice. "Will the Force eventually become a prerequisite for certain jobs if this spreads far enough? Because I think I've gotten noticeably better at my work since I started practicing?"
John glared for a moment before giving up.
"I honestly couldn't say. I'm a freighter pilot. Not a politician or a lawyer."
"How does the Jedi Order react to Dark Side users or groups? Will we be attacked/jailed/killed etcetera for learning to use it?" I asked as I gave Obi-Wan a very critical look.
Obi-Wan sputtered into his beard.
"The Jedi Order are not in the business of extra judicial attacks!"
"Well, not when it would be a red flag for someone to disappear." John muttered.
"Captain, I do not appreciate you attempting to substantiate such ridiculous claims!" Obi-Wan scowled.
"Look, all I know is half the people or groups that ran me off or turned me away saw my lightsaber before they started with violence." John threw his hands up. "They don't trust the Jedi, I've never got much of an answer about why beyond a lot of distrustful grumbling. I made the videos under my real name in part because I was worried I'd be getting locked up or disappeared. There is a reason my chosen form for saber combat is a bastardized version of form two." John shrugged and looked away. "You two have been alright by me so far, but the only reason I didn't bolt when you showed up is because the Force wasn't whispering that you were a threat. If I'd even felt uneasy, I'd have made a run for it."
"... Is that really what people think about us?" Anakin asked.
John shrugged.
"The little groups of Force sensitives? Yeah, pretty much. Regular people don't usually have an issue with you all, but the adepts practicing something other than the temple teachings? They all think if you show up it'll be to force them to conform."
Obi-Wan was glaring at John again.
"I am certain that the good Captain has created more work than the Jedi Order will be able to handle. I still strongly recommend not using the Dark Side. However… Given the amount of chaos these recent changes will no doubt bring, I'd assume anyone not using the Force to commit crimes will be a very low priority for the Order in the coming years and decades."
I jumped in with the next question hoping to break the tension. I liked Anakin. He was awesome. Obi-Wan was usually alright too. But whenever it came to stuff like this… urgh. It was probably a good thing that John's opinion wasn't the only one going out because he was seriously jaded, but even still. The tension? Not fun.
"What are Jedi trained in besides the Force and combat?" I said, very loudly.
"Politics, law, negotiating, piloting, some necessary bits of mechanical repair, though you can absolutely study more about that if you want to. I did." Anakin listed. "Ethics, history… all kinds of stuff. You need to cover a minimum for certain subjects and then you can sort of decide what you want to study more of in your free time."
I nodded and pulled out the next slip.
"Does learning to use the Force increase the chance that my kids will be Force sensitive? If so, will I be able to train them myself?"
"The Green Jedi have clans and family lines that can trace their history as Jedi back a long way, though I'm not really clear on the details." John offered. "So probably, but I don't know for sure. They're a string of Force users with a natural predisposition to the Force so it might be more of a genetic thing. As for training them yourself? Sure."
"Can we get a list of Force techniques you know or have heard of?" I asked.
"Telekinesis, energy manipulation, energy creation, foresight, combat precognition, physical enhancement, empathy, some kind of enchanting or alchemy depending on what the practitioners want to call it, healing, curses, illusions and mind tricks. Are all things I have heard of or can do." John rattled off.
"Will you be taking more students?" Anakin asked as he snatched up the next question.
"Not anytime soon. I'm not staying in one place, and I've only got room for four crew on my ship. If these two get called back," he waved at the Jedi, "or Delia decides she wants out at some point, that might change."
"You mentioned the Force giving hints or pushes to do things, what does that feel like?" Huh I really wanted to know the answer to this one.
"...It's like instinct." Anakin was the first one to speak up. "An idea, but without any words, just the knowledge that you should or shouldn't do something. Sometimes it's very quiet, but if it's something immediate, something dangerous to you, it's like someone's shouting a concept right into your ear. Your saber needs to be here, you need to dodge at least this far. The person in front of you is going to try and kill you and you need to be ready." He shrugged. "It's hard to describe clearly. It can feel like a creeping dread, or make you nervous, or it can set all your hair standing on end with the need to move before something kills you."
Obi-Wan smiled at Anakin. A little sad, but mostly proud.
"Oh, yeah this is, this is probably a good one. My kids are interested in your videos but there seem to be a lot of risks. What would be a good age to start?"
"Depends on the kid and how you want to teach them." John answered very promptly.
"The Jedi orders start training at a very early age. But they are not touching on the Dark Side. The foundation of that training is in how to keep your emotions separate from the Force. Which is probably for the best because the way children and adults experience emotions are different. It's all in the way the brain is wired. Delia is a late teen and despite being a bit flighty she is actually pretty mature. I was an angry shit for a good chunk of my teen years and decided for myself that experimenting with the Dark Side of the Force wouldn't be safe. I only felt steady enough to start testing it a bit after I turned eighteen. It's not going to be a one size fits all solution."
John stopped for a moment to take a sip of water.
"Species, personal maturity, and just how well an individual deals with their emotions are all factors to keep in mind if you want to learn to use the Dark Side of the Force. If you only intend to practice with the Light side of the Force? Any age should be alright so long as they can get a handle on keeping their emotions separate. If that proves to be an issue and it doesn't seem like they can keep it under control? Waiting a few years before trying again wouldn't be the worst idea."
Obi-Wan looked pleasantly surprised with John's answer and Anakin was chewing on his lower lip. I was just happy John thought I was mature enough to learn a year earlier than he had.
"Right, next… My species are known to be immune to Jedi mind tricks and we have no history of producing Jedi. Can I still learn?"
John and Obi-Wan glanced at one another and the Jedi knight only shrugged.
"I don't know. It might be impossible, or it might be difficult, or I suppose it could be some way your species has developed to exert any force potential in a certain way and making your species immune to mind tricks is a side effect. The only way to know for sure would be to make the attempt and see what happens. If you decide to try, please keep notes and let us know what kind of results you get."
"Ok… oh, ummm, shit. I maybe shouldn't have included this one but… damn it. Right… Knight Kenobi, seventeen years ago my son, Vestar Tíborsson, was recruited by the Jedi Order. I've not seen them since they were one. Do you know if he is alright? Was he chosen as a Padawan? Has he been Knighted? Is he happy?"
I kept my eyes very firmly on the little slip of paper. I'd included it because I couldn't not. Not for John's propaganda. Not because I hoped the Jedi might see the video and know they were still loved. But because I couldn't help but imagine how my parents would feel in that situation. If I could help give them some closure, some peace? I had to try.
"...I'm sorry to say I don't know that name." Obi-Wan admitted quietly. "I can make an inquiry, and if Delia will supply me with contact information… I'll see if I can't get a response back to you."
Anakin's hand snaked into view and he plucked a new question from the bucket.
"How do you use the Force day to day? I mentioned using it when fixing machines sometimes, it helps a lot with reaction speed for piloting and fighting."
"Think they meant more mundane stuff, kid." John offered. "Pulling ingredients off the top shelf. Summoning things from across the room so I don't have to get up. Pulling something out of the oven with the Force because I can't find the oven mitt. Meditating a bit so that I don't start shouting at idiotic bureaucrats who decide it's their job to make my day more difficult than it needs to be. It's not life changing, but it helps."
"Can the Force help those with disabilities?" I asked.
"I… would think that would depend on the type of disability, and how creative you get with Force." John admitted drumming an idle beat against his thigh with his fingers.
"One of the earliest lessons with lightsabers is learning to trust the Force to guide our actions. We first practice this by blocking our sight. There is certainly some precedent though I'm not sure how that would compare to bionic or cybernetic replacements." Obi-Wan offered thoughtfully.
"This one's a two for one." I said. "What happens to Force users suffering from mental illness? And, if I was having an anxiety or panic attack while using the Force would that make me fall to the Dark Side?"
John winced and looked to Obi-Wan clearly not knowing how to answer. Obi-Wan looked alarmed at the idea.
"I can't say I remember any talks of Jedi who suffered from mental illness." Obi-Wan muttered as he ran his fingers through his beard. "And if a Jedi were to find themselves suffering from anxiety or panic attacks they would be pulled from active duty, assigned tasks in the temple with the suggestion they spend a great deal of time meditating until they felt settled again."
John nodded slowly.
"I'm going to actually defer to the Order on this one. If you're suffering from some kind of mental illness, introducing Force enhanced emotions sounds like a terrible idea. There might be ways to use it to help, but I'm not qualified to even guess on that subject. Meditating on the Light Side of the Force is a great way to deal with stress, I'd think that would extend to anxiety as well, but if you are prone to panic attacks it's probably safer that you not risk adding emotions to the Force. That could very easily become a feedback loop."
Well, that was depressing. Something happy please I want a distraction… Hah!
"Can the Force be used for sex? How?"
Obi-Wan buried his head in his hands and Anakin blushed nearly crimson. John laughed.
"Ok, ok. I've teased this often enough that I should have seen it coming. The answer is yes, but it's a lot harder than you might think. The obvious answer is that using the Force can really improve your physical stamina and strength, especially Matukai training. The healing trance I mentioned before can be sort of bastardized to speed up the refractory period and accelerate the process of sperm production. I've found uses for a bit of telekinesis on occasion too of course, but that's more about getting a little creative. If you can split your attention enough you can get a feel for your partner's emotions, but that's really hard to maintain in the moment."
John took a sip of water before continuing.
"That being said, there are issues. Actively drawing on the Force takes focus, even for someone that's been doing it for years. Focus which is very hard to maintain during sex, possible but not easy. Using the Light Side of the Force creates a bit of a buffer between you and your emotions. Which could either kill your mood or prolong the experience if you can maintain focus. And I've already said just how damn risky drawing on the Dark Side of the Force with Lust can be. Seriously, don't try it. The middle of sex is not a good time to see how good you are at controlling your emotions, or limiting how much emotion you feed into the Force. It's not worth it. It's a terrible idea. Don't do it. I'm sure there are other tricks people will come up with as the number of Force users having sex grows but that's what I've got for you."
Well, that was more than I expected, and somehow less than I'd hoped. Oh well, next question.
"Is what you are doing really a new idea? Maybe it's because we don't know the history but using both sounds obvious to at least try. Are there any records of others who did the same?"
"...Not entirely new, no. There are a few small groups I've run into that make use of the Dark and Light sides of the Force. One didn't even bother making that distinction. Just treated it as different ways to use the same thing instead of referring to it as sides. But those were all small groups hiding out on the fringes of society, sometimes with nothing more than an oral history. If there was ever a large group of organized Force users doing what I am the records have been lost to time."
"Can the Force increase your lifespan?" Anakin asked after snatching up one of the dwindling number of slips.
"I don't know. Obi-Wan?" John shrugged.
"It's not something I've ever really considered." Obi-Wan shook his head. "I can make an inquiry with the temple healers, but I'm unsure."
"Can the Force be used to help with my job?" I read. "There was something like fifty different people all asking about different jobs."
"Of course there were." John muttered. "I'm sure if you get creative there are ways the Force can be used to help with some jobs. Though if you work in an office, it'll probably only help you know when your boss is coming."
"What happens if you get stuck in a feedback loop with a positive emotion?" I grimaced remembering John's earlier example.
"Well, I've never seen it happen so I can only speculate." John said carefully. "But let's say you used joy and you got stuck to the point you couldn't stop. There are two possibilities. The first is that something eventually comes along that makes you feel sad, or angry, or something else, and you end up feeding that into the Force. If that happens you would end up either stuck with negative emotions, or bouncing from emotion to emotion whenever something changes your mood enough to break through."
"The other likely scenario is that you stay stuck in that first emotion. I believe, but cannot prove, that over time you would lose your ability to deal with unfiltered reality. Like a drug addict you would simply lose the ability to function without channeling whatever emotion you lost yourself in. It could also cause spiraling insanity. If nothing can knock you out of that feeling of joy, you might find yourself unable to take things seriously. Unable to grieve someone's loss. Unable to think critically leading to ever more impulsive behavior. Which would all lead to more joy, because that's all you can really feel."
John shook his head.
"Traditionally those who use the Dark Side of the Force channel negative emotions because they are very effective for combat purposes, or curses, or things like that. There is vanishingly little information about the use of positive emotions with the Dark side of the Force. I've been saying it, and I'll keep saying it. Force enhanced emotions are not safe. Useful, but never safe."
"What species is Yoda?" I asked.
John facepalmed, and Obi-Wan chuckled.
"Ahh, that is one of the Jedi Order's great lingering mysteries." Obi-Wan offered with a smile. "No one really knows what his species is called or where they are from. Master Yoda is very fond of dodging that question whenever it is asked."
"Are there any Force sects we should avoid, and if so, why?" Anakin asked.
"Most of them." John groaned, leaning back in his chair. "A lot of the little groups are isolationist at best, hostile at worst. And really, do not go to Dathomir. They're actually pretty well known for their Force tradition. Problem is there are a lot of different groups and ideologies on that planet, and the culture is viciously matriarchal. I don't think I'd risk visiting without an invite and assurances I'd be allowed to leave. Even then I wouldn't really trust it."
"Umm, this next one's a bit similar to one you answered earlier, but the idea is a little different. Jedi are supposed to follow the Will of the Force. Does that mean the Force is sentient? Sapient? Why do the Jedi believe that its will is the same thing as the good of the Galaxy and its people? Especially if following it puts you, personally, in danger? Wouldn't that be malevolent towards you? Or at least indifferent so long as you fulfill its will?"
John rubbed his temples and groaned a little.
"You folks are not pulling your punches with some of these questions. There's a reason the Jedi are a religion and not a science. How the heck do you expect me to prove faith? I've distanced myself a lot, but even I still believe some of the things they taught me. Now you want me to be objective about this?"
"Captain, if I may?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Go for it. If nothing else it'll give me a chance to get my thoughts in order."
"Mmm. The Jedi Order believe the Force to be both Sentient and Sapient. However, you must understand, it is incomprehensibly vast, and almost entirely unrelatable. You might as well attempt to understand the views or desires of a star. What little we know and understand is that the Will of the Force can broadly be described as a desire for all living things to coexist. Which is why the Jedi Order is dedicated to ensuring peace, protecting life, and upholding the law."
Obi-Wan paused for a moment as he visibly gathered his thoughts. More surprising was the fact that John was actually nodding along with Obi-Wan's explanation like he agreed.
"Sometimes, when events are in motion that could help or hinder that goal of coexistence, and we are in place to affect them, the Force will nudge us, I suppose. It could be a feeling, or an improbable chain of events. Regardless, the point will be to place us in a situation that could mitigate damage, or do the most good. All Jedi understand that this is not only a possibility but our calling, and it is inherently unsafe. Sometimes it might be something as simple as pulling someone out of the way of a speeding vehicle. But it can just as easily mean pitting ourselves against assassins, or slavers. If someone feels they are not up to such a life they are often settled into another line of work. Either as a member of one of the corps, or with a job necessary to the running of the temple."
"So, yes, following the Will of the Force could very easily be dangerous to the untrained. It's possible the Force will be aware of an individual's ability, and will not hand out a task to someone incapable of completing it. But there is no way to know that for certain, and it is entirely possible that one life given for the sake of hundreds, or thousands, or more, may be acceptable to the Will of the Force. It is a reality that every Jedi must accept."
"So, does that mean people like me should ignore it?" I asked.
Here Obi-Wan hesitated.
"Frankly I'm unsure." Obi-Wan said. "As a Jedi Knight ignoring the Will of the Force would be…" He trailed off and shook his head. "But for a civilian with no authority, little to no combat training, and only the beginnings of a true connection to the Force…" He sighed. "I cannot say. Truthfully this may by necessity become a matter of conscience. Are you, as an individual, willing to risk your personal safety in the hopes of protecting your fellow sentients?"
That… I was going to have to think about that. Especially considering John's earlier comment about it leading to vigilantism. John seemed happy enough with Obi-Wan's answer so I reached for the next question.
"What do you, or the Jedi, know about the Sith philosophy? You mentioned it but didn't go into much detail?"
"Little." John answered shortly. "Very little. Or at least there wasn't much available to initiates. Most of what I know is pieced together from historical accounts."
"Generalities, mostly." Obi-Wan answered. "The Masters and the Council might know more. Or at the very least they may have old records they can check if they need to know more. But many Jedi see no point in studying our old enemy after so long."
"How exactly do the Green Jedi work with CorSec? Supposedly the people asking are law enforcement, but I didn't have time to try and confirm that." I said.
"If you can confirm they are then I'd say pass along Kalle's contact information. He might not be the best person to ask, but he'll be able to put them in touch with whoever is." John answered with a shrug.
"Is there an exercise I can do to know if, and how much, progress I'm making?"
"...Not quite yet, and not exactly." John rubbed at his face looking just about done with this. Luckily, we are almost out of questions.
"Once you've learned a few actual Force abilities like telekinesis you can test to see how much weight you can lift, for how long, or how precise your control is. But that's not an exact science either. Partly you'll improve at those things just because you've gotten more skilled, not just because your connection to the Force has gotten stronger. And then there's the fact that it can vary. If I slip deep into meditation and then start levitating things… it's a bit like becoming a conduit. I can lift more mass, for longer, there are moments where it feels like I could keep going forever… and then my focus will eventually slip. I'll suddenly feel exhausted, whatever I was lifting will drop to the floor, and I'll end up doubled over panting for breath. But I can't get that sort of result consistently and certainly not without all but losing myself in the Force."
"Do you think the Jedi Order will really change? If they do, will the Green Jedi rejoin?" Anakin asked.
John snorted, then laughed.
"Hell no, the Green Jedi aren't rejoining the main temple. No matter what or how much changes. Corellia is their sector and they'll protect it. That's ignoring all the centuries of tension between the two. No, that ship has long since sailed, and it isn't coming back. As for the Jedi changing… I think they'll have to. How they'll change, or if it will be enough to keep them relevant in a rapidly changing galaxy, that's anyone's guess."
Obi-Wan was looking particularly sour so I rushed to read the last question.
"Ok, last one and it's another one of those bundle questions. Can you read minds? Can you teach us to read minds? Is it true the Jedi can control another person's mind? Can you teach us to do that?"
John went absolutely still for a moment then closed his eyes and hissed out a breath.
"... The Force will not let you read minds. If you focus on an individual, you can get a sense for emotions, or if you spread your senses out you can get a feel for the emotions of a crowd. That's about the limit. There is a branch of Force abilities known as mind tricks. Some species are immune to them. Supposedly they only work on the weak minded." John took a deep breath and then blew it out as an explosive sigh.
"I will not teach you how to use mind tricks."
That… The hell? John was all about spreading as much information to as many people as possible. This wasn't like him at all.
"Everything I know, everything I can teach, can be used for good or ill. But nothing else I know of is as insidious and exploitable as mind tricks. In the right hands it could do incalculable good. But in the wrong hands…" John's hands clenched to white knuckled grip. "If anyone out there has ties to government or law enforcement, listen to me and listen to me well. Make mind tricks illegal to use in anything but self defense. Sooner or later, someone will figure them out, and the information will leak. You need to be ready and able to prosecute the kriffing bastards who will take advantage of it as harshly as possible."
Obi-Wan and Anakin both looked just as stunned as I felt.
"If any knowledge deserves to be lost or destroyed, mind tricks are it. I'll do a recording on a few of the best and worst ways it could be used and it will be made available exclusively to those who can prove they are high up in, if not in charge of, their planet or systems law enforcement. If I was teaching an individual and I could vet them myself over months or years I might consider teaching them, but this is not something I'll just put out there for anyone to abuse."
"Delia, you said that was the last question?" John asked
"Um, yeah, that was the last one."
"Good. Q and A over. May the Force be with you all. R3, cut the feed and end recording."
"Yes, boss." The droid chirped.
"Captain, what-" Obi-Wan started to ask.
"I will not hand the entire galaxy a way to replace date rape drugs with something that will convince the victim it was all their idea!" John snarled.
I leaned way back in my chair as John stood and started to pace.
"And that's just the beginning. Slavers would praise me for giving them a way to convince victims to give themselves up to a life of suffering peacefully. Criminals could convince strangers to leave them all their worldly possessions in their will. I've never pushed the limits of mind tricks I've never needed to, and I've been terrified to try, but what even are they? Could someone convince or force another person to kill themselves? Kill their families? If not directly than by endlessly twisting the way the individual thinks?! What if someone decided to go about enthralling government officials to force a change through?!"
John whirled and jabbed his finger into Obi-Wan's face.
"I will not be the one responsible for this. I will teach people to resist them. I will teach people to notice when someone has been affected, if that is even possible, but I won't arm the galaxy with this ability."
Slowly Obi-Wan stood from his seat and gripped John by the shoulders.
"Captain, take a deep breath. Just breathe. Reach out to the Force, the Light, and let it calm you."
For a moment John looked like he was going to argue, then with a terse nod. He closed his eyes and took a breath.
With every passing second some of the tension went out of his shoulders and back. It was almost a full minute before John reopened his eyes and sighed again.
"Sorry. That… more than anything else, that terrifies me… Without combat training and weapons, there's only so much damage a person can do. But mind tricks…" John took another deep breath and sat back in his chair.
"A slave could use them to get themself and anyone with them freed." John muttered.
Anakin sucked in a sharp breath, but John was too lost in his own thoughts to notice.
"A woman could use them to convince a rapist that; no he wasn't actually about to do something terrible to her and he wanted to go talk to an LEO."
That would be… Honestly that would be amazing.
"Law enforcement could use them to compel honest and truthful answers from criminals. There are so many ways mind tricks could be used to do good. But they are just too damn easy to exploit for terrible things." John gulped down the last of his water.
"I want to spread knowledge about the Force, but this?" He shook his head. "The galaxy isn't prepared to deal with the sort of fallout this would cause. It may never be."
Obi-Wan sighed and patted John on the shoulder.
"I understand, John."
We all did a double take at Obi-Wan using John's name. It even dragged a small grin out of the man in question.
"...Alright. Alright enough of that." John stood up. "Come on Delia. Time to make sure everything is properly posted. Then we're getting dinner. I need food and a drink."
Grinning, I stood up and went to grab my data pad. There would be time to think about everything later. For now, I had a job to do and dinner really did sound good right about now.
Sorry about the lack of shout outs, but even boiling the list… yeah this was enough work without including credit for each question. Especially for overlapping questions, or people who submitted a bunch of relevant questions. Sorry.
Questions were chosen by random number generator with the one exception being when Delia goes looking for something lighthearted. Thanks go out to Functionality for Beta'ing this monster of an update
Delia POV: Hotel room.
Grinning, I tossed a thumbs up at R3 who warbled an affirmative and started to record. Maybe I should look into why she kept defaulting to that instead of words… later.
"Hello Galaxy! I am of course the delightful Delia! This video is brought to you by me! Because I browbeat John into doing it, and did all the prep work for it! You're welcome!"
John shook his head, but I could see his grin. He wasn't fooling me!
"Now, there were literally thousands of questions submitted to us, and we are obviously not answering all of them. Even finding the duplicates and paring out most of the goofy, and or stupid, questions left us with a heck of a list."
It actually took five hours to write and run a program that would identify and lump together the most common questions just to pare things down. Thankfully there was a lot of overlap so generalizing worked really well and then it was just down to me going through the list and discarding most of the craziest questions. Which wasn't terrible, but it still took hours.
"Before Delia really gets going, I just want to be clear that most of the detailed questions about the Green Jedi or Coruscant Jedi will not be answered." John said. "Otherwise, we would be here for days. If you're still curious, contact them for answers."
He wasn't kidding. There were a lot of questions for us, but the ones about the inner workings of the orders? Everything from daily life, to where they got the robes from, to their teaching curriculum. Anakin had helped me pick a few out, John and Obi-Wan picked out a few more, but most of them wouldn't get answered.
"Right, so even taking all those questions out and bunching together a lot of similar questions I still have a ton of questions for all of us to answer, so!" I pulled the ice bucket out from under my chair and held it out for everyone to see with a shake. "I wrote them down on slips of flimsiplast and dumped them in here. We're going to go until I run out of questions, or until we are all sick of this, but if that happens I'll nag them into doing another Q and A. Luckily, I don't think John wants to deal with a second one of these any time soon." I leaned forwards and fake whispered. "He's been making lesson plans."
"Goof." John said.
Anakin snickered, and I decided that was enough joking around.
"Right, first question. What is the relationship status and sexual orientation of the crew?!"
"Wait, you didn't even pull out a question." Obi-Wan crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow at me.
"Well, duh. This was always going to be the first question. It's what everyone really wants to know after all. Why bother putting it in the bucket and making them wait?"
Obi-Wan did not look thrilled with that answer, but that was his problem.
"We are all single, and we all like the ladies." I chirped before shoving my hand into the bucket and digging around for the next question. "So, you know, if you see me around girls, hit me up? I promise I'm just as awesome face to face!"
John snorted at that.
"Oh, pulled a good one right off the bat! I am a non-humanoid or partially humanoid species and want to practice Matukai, but my body type does not work for some/all of the forms. How can I go about learning?"
"That is a good question." John said. "Unfortunately, I don't have an easy answer. The Matukai are a very small group. I've only met one practitioner, and he was human. I'd say you have two possibilities. Option one is to find a martial artist, or self defense instructor, of your species to help you adapt the forms to fit your body. The second would be to find a martial art already designed for your species and approach it with the mentality I've covered for the Matukai forms. I honestly don't know what is more likely to work. Maybe find a few friends and try both approaches? Either way please keep notes as you might be paving the way for other members of your species."
I pulled out the next slip and winced. Also, a great question but a lot heavier.
"How can you know if someone is falling to the Dark Side? How can you help or stop them?"
Obi-Wan and John looked at each other for a few seconds before John waved a hand at Obi-Wan offering him the chance to answer.
"There is not a great deal of information available on this topic. I, well, I've unfortunately seen one Jedi fall. And encountered two individuals who used the Dark Side of the Force prior to meeting the Captain."
"John, damn it, my name is John. This crew isn't big enough to need that kind of bullshit formality."
Obi-Wan ignored him.
"... When a person is drawing on the Dark Side of the Force, especially if they are using negative emotions, another Force Sensitive can feel it. Like light or heat radiating out from the source. The Captain can stop. Those I've encountered before, could not. So, if someone is constantly radiating negativity into the Force and drawing that in… that would be the warning sign to watch for. The only person I have watched fall… They started off as something of a bully, when they failed to be chosen as a Padawan they… slipped, I suppose. And all of sudden an unpleasant individual became murderous."
Obi-Wan kept his silence for a few seconds then shook his head.
"I'm not sure how one might go about helping such an individual without resorting to permanent measures. Captain?"
John sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"That's going to be a tough question to answer, and it's going to be at least partially a learning experience for all of us. I've always managed to come back without the help of another Force sensitive. But I have gotten help from people. When I first started to really push my limits trying to figure things out. I stuck to positive emotions. Joy, love, playfulness. Getting into a feedback loop with negative emotions is easy, you get stuck in an awful mindset and it keeps reinforcing itself. Doing it with positive emotions is both better and worse."
"Usually, I keep a slightly better hold on my ability to reason and think when I mess around with positive emotions, but unlike with negative emotions you don't want to stop. Why would you? It feels great, everything is amazing. So what if you're driving everyone around you nuts? You feel great."
John scowled at nothing.
"If you're going to push your luck and try messing around with more than the bare minimum amount of energy and emotion, have someone level headed around to talk you down. And possibly a bunch of friends ready to stun you. A few days unconscious should be enough time for the effects to weaken. So long as you're not at the point where you can channel the Force without conscious thought. And even then, if they manage to talk you down as you wake up you should be ok to do like with the candle meditation and recenter yourself in the light."
"How many times did people have to stun you?" I asked.
"Just the once." John rubbed at his face. "Word of warning, playing around with pushing lust into the Force sounds like a great idea. It's really, really not. Moderation is ridiculously important. I do not remotely blame my partner for stunning me."
"Can I ask-" I got cut off.
"No. Next question, Delia."
"This sounds important though! And weren't you the one saying people need to be told why something is a stupid idea? So they don't go and poke it?"
"… Fine. Damn it, fine. Matukai improved stamina, and a Force augmented refractory period means that someone can go a good deal longer and more often than normal. With a shorter turnaround between sessions. Can, not should." John was looking anywhere but at the camera.
"I lost myself in it. My partner had enough. I wanted to keep going. After a bit too much begging her to change her mind, she stunned me to shut me up. We'd talked about the possibility after it took me three days to stop being clingy when I tried feeding love into the Force, and I am very glad we did."
"That…" He was begging, not demanding, still though. "That could have been really bad."
"Yes. Yes, it could have. Don't test it. Don't try it. Not without a lot of precautions, and not unless you're sure you can stay in control. I haven't tried it since. The experience wasn't worth the risks. Next question."
"Right, ok." Pushing for more info had been the right call. But I was all for changing the subject. "John, this one's for you. You're not a Jedi, or a Sith, or a Green Jedi, so what are you?"
John blinked, then looked at me like my tattoos had changed when he wasn't looking.
"I'm, heck, I'm not really anything. Just a guy going around dabbling in whatever Force abilities I can find or invent."
"A dabbler. You don't have some kind of cool mystical sounding word for yourself?"
"Nope. Never really thought about it."
"Boring. Ok, Ani, you pick one."
"Oh, sure." Reaching his hand into the bucket Anakin pulled out a slip. "Ok, for all of us, what is the strangest thing you've done with the Force?" After a second Anakin looked at the rest of us. "How are we defining strange?"
"I shoved half a sour fruit in someone's mouth with a bit of telekinesis when I needed a distraction to escape a bar fight." Obi-Wan offered.
Anakin actually gaped at that before laughing.
"I haven't done much of anything with the Force yet. Sorry folks." I said.
"I've gotten a little creative with telekinesis for intimate moments. It's a lot harder than it sounds. Useful if you don't have a free hand." John's grin was smug. As was his right.
"Um, sometimes when I'm fixing something it's easier to fit small components with telekinesis than trying to get my hand into a tight space?" Anakin offered.
"Telekinesis, always the most versatile option." John grinned.
"Ok, sure. One of you is teaching me how to move things with my mind soon. Next question… uhhh kind of a lump thing basically dozens of different people demanding to know more about the Jedi Lords that got mentioned."
"Not really something I know much about." John admitted. "They were Jedi, they were powerful, they led the Jedi of a planet or sector, defended them from the Sith, and governed the places under their protection. You want more, you'll have to talk to a historian."
Obi-Wan nodded and though Anakin looked curious he didn't offer up more so I moved on.
"Can you bring in more guest stars to talk about different groups of Force users?"
"I… would not get your hopes up." John said. "Most small force sects I've run into are these tiny little groups the locals try to pretend don't exist. Just a few people with some minor abilities they've cultivated over the years. There are stories of serious groups, but most of those stories either come with a warning about how they'll kill outsiders, or are near impossible to find. I'll certainly ask if it comes up."
"Damn, that kind of sucks." I muttered. "Ok right, umm, when people start making their own groups of Force users what do you think the Jedi, government, public, and criminals will do?"
"Not an easy question to answer." Obi-Wan stroked his beard. "The temple is currently undecided on how to proceed at all, and government or public reactions are going to be highly varied. Though I'd wager much of the reaction will depend on the nature of the group in question."
"Criminals might be a little easier to guess at, avoid, eliminate, follow, or enslave most likely. Probably depends on how powerful and ballsy the criminals are." John said. "Though some criminals may form their own groups as well which will be trouble until things settle."
"Most likely." Obi-Wan agreed with a sour look.
"Changing the subject, because that's depressing." I dug out another slip. "Where or how can I find Force users outside of the Jedi orders?"
"Following local rumors of witchcraft, sorcery, or strange occurrences, is usually how I go looking." John said. "Most of the time I don't find anything and several times when I have found something I've had to run away while dodging blaster fire, and on one occasion spears. You can find them, but it can be dangerous, and more often than not you're just wasting your time."
Anakin reached over and pulled out a slip.
"How do you recommend dealing with Force sensitive criminals?"
"Request Jedi assistance." Obi-Wan stated dryly.
"Train some LEO's to use the Force and bring a lot of blasters and stun grenades." John countered.
I pulled out the next slip before they could get going.
"Sith were supposed to be able to throw lightning, can you teach us to do that? Can it be done without hate, rage, pain, etc etc etc?" I summarized a bit at the end.
"Yes, mostly… I'll do a full video on it at some point. But yes, I can teach you how to play with electricity." John glared at the camera. "Obvious warning is obvious: do not try this on your own without instruction. Electricity can, and will, kill you. I seriously doubt anyone out there has the control to do it safely yet. If Delia is the benchmark for where the rest of you are at don't even try it. Just keep practicing the candle meditation for now."
"How long do I need to practice that way?" I asked, for myself. It wasn't a question I'd seen submitted but whatever.
"Delia, I still practice the candle meditation." John gave me a look. "It's not just about learning control, it's also about maintaining and improving that skill once you develop it."
"Right. Ok, ugh, oh! Ani, this is the one you insisted I leave in, can the Force be used to collect moisture? Got something like six versions of that one from people living in deserts."
"No idea. Probably but it's not something I've ever tried." John shrugged. "Obi-Wan?"
"It's not a technique I've ever heard of, but I don't see why it wouldn't be possible. Though I couldn't say how to go about it or how effective it would be."
"Next… Oh yeah, I sort of bundled these three together. What's the best way to train with the Force? Should I practice somewhere quiet or loud? Does the type of meditation I do matter?"
John looked very unimpressed with that series of questions. Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak but John waved him off.
"I would say practicing somewhere quiet or with simple ambient noise like rain or running water is your best bet starting out. The type of meditation you are doing should reflect what you are trying to achieve. Moving meditation will help build your connection to the Force if you don't have a lot of pre-existing potential. Candle meditation is good for learning how to deal with and prevent your emotions spilling into the Force. If you want to find peace and serenity or just focus on the Light Side of the Force then you want to meditate like the Jedi do seated, quiet, letting your mind drift with the Force."
John took a sip from a bottle of water.
"As for the "best" way to practice with the Force, that's just… You can practice certain abilities and there are different ways to develop those, but that's getting into Force abilities when most of you are likely still struggling with meditation."
"I would argue that the candle meditation is a terrible idea, but that's an ideological stance." Obi-Wan said. "Otherwise, I agree with the Captain's assessment. Some students prefer to meditate near running water or with recordings of wind storms or bird song. Others prefer silence. While the basic principles remain the same, some find certain things help them along when they are first learning. There are also many Jedi who are fond of moving meditation. Usually saber forms."
Anakin reached over to grab another slip. He'd mentioned the other day that he didn't like having nothing to add to the videos. Which was weird because he's a lot better at all of this than me. But between John and Obi-Wan, I could kind of see what he meant.
"If Matukai makes your connection to the Force stronger is Matukai the road to limitless power?" Anakin gave the slip of paper a look like he was questioning the writer's sanity.
"No." John shook his head. "I don't have a lot of info about their members, but from first hand experience I can tell you that it's not. After practicing for a few months, I saw a noticeable increase in my abilities. After about a year and a half I was hitting diminishing returns. Keep notes, hell, keep training journals. Maybe one day we can put together enough information to get a real idea of how it works. But no, it's not a way to limitless power."
"Has anyone ever studied the Force under laboratory conditions?" I asked.
"As a scientific study? Not to the best of my knowledge." Obi-Wan said. "Captain?"
"Not that I've ever heard off. I've done a few experiments, but nothing particularly detailed."
"What happens if you feed… honestly between everyone who left questions I've got a list of every emotion I've ever heard of and some physical sensations. There was also someone who was really smart and asked what counts as an emotion, because a lot of them sound like they would be Light but you said every emotion counts as the Dark Side of the Force?"
John buried his head in his hands while Obi-Wan…. It was like his smile got a little bit less honest.
"That could be the topic of an entire video." John spoke as he sat upright and stared at the ceiling. "Possibly several videos. Some of the answers are dependent on what you are trying to do with those emotions, and individual responses. I think. Some people deal with certain emotions better than others. I believe that holds true with using the Dark Side of the Force, but I've got a sample size of one, and only self observation. I can't be sure."
"Can you, I don't know, break it down into smaller chunks? Answer some of it now?" I asked.
"...Yeah might as well. I am not covering every emotion under the sun. I'd probably miss a few just trying. I've explained the candle meditation try for yourselves, minimal energy in or out and maybe keep a spotter there to talk you down if you get stuck in a rut. Physical sensations are… trickier. Hunger and pain come to mind. Not great. Let's look at hunger. If it's mild you probably feel, I don't know, frustrated, maybe angry. That's what you'll be amplifying and getting back. If you're seriously hungry. Been a few days or more kind of hungry? Fear and desperation are really, really, not good for thinking clearly."
"What about the emotions that are 'Light'?" I asked, glancing down at the slip of paper. "Contentment, relaxation, joy?"
Obi-Wan cleared his throat and John waved him on.
"To truly use the Light Side of the Force is to not impart one's emotions into the Force. In your own meditations when meditating on the Light how would you describe your state of mind, Delia?"
I had to stop and think about that.
"It's… calm. Peaceful, I'm… I don't even feel bored. Not really, not unless I start to slip out of the meditation."
Obi-Wan smiled.
"Precisely. You are feeding nothing into the Force and you receive no emotions back. With enough training a Jedi can mostly sustain that state of mind even in combat. We will still feel, but we have trained all our lives to keep our emotions separate from the Force. And the Force can act to blunt those emotions. Limit them. It helps to keep us calm, even in the midst of combat."
I nodded slowly.
"But what about the really mild positive emotions? How are those not Light?" I really wanted some clarification on this.
"Those," John spoke up, "can be just as dangerous as the most violent emotions in their own way. You mentioned a few. Let's run with content. You are content. You want nothing, you need nothing. You feed that into the Force and close your eyes to meditate and just soak in that feeling, amplifying it, looping it round and round and round. Who's to say you would ever even open your eyes again? After all, you're perfectly happy just as you are."
I felt a shiver run down my spine. Just sit down to meditate and waste away to nothing because I couldn't be bothered to get up again?
"Could that really happen?" Anakin asked.
John shrugged.
"I don't know. Maybe if your hunger broke through, or someone jostled you, you could snap out of it. But I think it's possible. Force enhanced emotions are not safe. If you're going to follow my lessons, practice the candle meditation, learn moderation, learn control, and learn to snap out of a loop. This can be dangerous and you need to be careful."
"Right… moving on, please be a happy question…" I shoved the slip of paper back into the bucket and dug out another three before finding one of the questions I'd left in for a laugh. "Is the Force Endothermic or Exothermic?!" I demanded pointing dramatically at John.
John palmed his face.
"Next question."
"But-"
"Next. Question."
"Fine!" I huffed and pulled out another slip of paper. "What's the weirdest incident the Force has led you into? Oh me first! I was on vacation with my family, found John, and now I'm here learning to use the Force! Maybe not weird, but super unlikely."
"I got myself entered into, and won, the Boonta Eve Classic." Anakin grinned. "Some Jedi needed a lot of money and it was the fastest way to earn it."
Obi-Wan reached out and patted Anakin on the shoulder as he smiled fondly.
"There was a rather ridiculous chain of events when I was a Padawan." Obi-Wan began with a pained smile. "It involved a Trandoshan mercenary helping my Master and I rescue a number of small animals and a senator's daughter from a gang of Duros pirates."
All of us turned to look at Obi-Wan.
"It is a very long story."
"I'm getting that story out of you even if I need to sacrifice a bottle of brandy to do it." John declared with a gleeful look.
Obi-Wan only hummed and waved a hand at the Captain. John sighed and leaned back in thought before grinning almost maliciously.
"A year ago, a routine delivery I took at the Force's urging turned into a spontaneous rescue mission when the buyer got themself kidnapped. The buyer turned out to be a slaver. The ones who kidnapped him turned out to be a bunch of Bith musicians he had sold in the past. They got free at some point, earned some cash, then used the funds to come back for revenge. I never did get paid for that trip, but I helped the Bith get out of there in one piece and managed to recoup some of the loss when they insisted on paying me for transport off world after everything was said and done."
"Musicians?" I couldn't help it. I had to ask.
"They were very creative about getting even." John grinned.
"Right… Ok. Anakin?" I offered him the bucket of questions.
"Huh…" Anakin side eyed the bucket. "That's… relevant. I know I wasn't using the Force when I picked this but… Whatever. If the Force pushes people into dangerous situations is just learning to sense it and listening to its advice a risk? I don't want to live a dangerous life. Should I just ignore the Force's suggestions? Or just not practice at all?"
"That is a good question." I said, looking at John.
"It is a Jedi's duty to follow the Will of the Force." Obi-Wan said.
"Yeah, true, but." John rubbed at his chin clearly thinking hard, "Jedi can basically get away with anything as long as it isn't blatantly illegal. I'm not sure what galactic or local laws will think of a bunch of random people throwing themselves into messy situations. That could really easily spiral into vigilantism."
Obi-Wan frowned, but sat back to think that over.
"Honestly, a few of the messes I've gotten into over the years probably wouldn't look too good to local security. Until now I've skated by on laws that say if you see something illegal you can act to protect others, and things happening in places that are essentially lawless." John rubbed the back of his head.
"A good point, Captain. I'm used to being able to act with the backing of the law. The idea that some Force users won't be able to do the same is… novel."
John only shrugged in response.
"What else you got for us, Delia?"
"Right, umm, yeah, so John… There are… oh about a hundred different messages from regular people and people claiming they represent some government, and they are all demanding our assistance with some sort of problem. Which they claim is somehow your fault."
"You're kidding." John deadpanned.
"Nope." I shook my head.
"Do any of the problems they sent in sound even remotely like they are my fault?"
"Noooooot really, no. Most of them are ridiculous, and there was one request that you help them sort out new legislation to do with Force sensitives." I answered.
"Then they can all take a flying leap. Next question?"
"Will you teach us to make and use lightsabers?"
"Kark no. These are training videos about the Force, not lightsaber combat. I'm not arming the galaxy just because I'm pissed at the Order." John scoffed.
"What is the difference between the Force and magic?" Anakin asked. That sneak! When did he even take that one?
"To the best of my knowledge, not a hell of a lot besides what you want to call it and how many steps are involved in causing an effect." John shrugged.
Obi-Wan scowled at that but didn't contradict John. Maybe he just wasn't a fan of the M word?
"Can I teach my pet to use the Force? Someone with some sort of lizard monkey thing I've never heard of before claimed it was following along when they went through the Matukai forms."
John looked bemused and curious. Obi-Wan looked exasperated.
"I have no idea, but if they'll take notes, I'd love to hear about their results."
"As if anyone with free time learning to use the Force wasn't bad enough now we'll be besieged by Force sensitive pets." Obi-Wan grimaced.
"You think it's possible?" Anakin asked.
"I don't know, but after the past few weeks I'm not certain I should bet against anything." Obi-Wan admitted.
"Why are you teaching us to use the Dark Side of the Force if you insist it's dangerous?" I read off the next question.
"Ahh. Yeah, that's a bit of an important one, isn't it?" John absently rubbed the back of his head. "Right, there are two… three reasons."
"First reason. I'm not training you folks from the moment you could walk. Most of you are adults and teenagers. Probably a few preteens in the mix too, but the point is I can't just tell you all 'Dark Side bad, don't touch' and expect you to listen. More than that I can't even train you to avoid it without at least explaining what it is. If I'm explaining what it is, I need to explain why and how it's dangerous. Not just tell you to trust me because why the hell would you take my word for it without any kind of explanation?"
That… yeah that made sense. If he hadn't explained it and shown me the candle meditation, I'd probably have ended up drawing on the Dark Side without even knowing I'd done it. And yeah, I probably would have poked it just because without the explanation of why it's dangerous.
"Second reason; my whole goal here is to spread knowledge about the Force. When I still had access to the Jedi archives there were older sections full of holes because knowledge of some of the Force powers mentioned ended up being restricted to holocrons that only the Masters can access. And that's stupid. I want to know everything the Force is capable of. Even if I decide it's evil and never use it, I want to know. And I think others deserve to know as well. The Dark Side is a major part of the totality of the Force, and I won't just exclude it."
"Finally, well, there are things you just can't do with the Light Side of the Force."
John held out his hand palm up and I could feel his presence in the Force shift as he started pushing out and pulling in with… some emotion. Determination? Did that count as an emotion? For a moment nothing happened, then a small ball of flame, red with purple streaks, flickered into existence in his hand. John grinned at the camera even as Obi-Wan startled backwards.
"Don't any of you try this on your own. Not yet. There's a sort of in between step I can train you to do first which will make trying this safer, or at least easier." He cut off the flow of energy to the flame and it went out immediately. "The Light side of the Force is not weaker. Not really. But without having a personal investment in what you're doing, the kind that only comes with the use of your emotions, some effects just aren't possible. Which isn't to say that the Dark side is better. Some abilities can only be used when channeling certain emotions. Using the wrong emotion can actually negatively affect whatever you are attempting. So yes, I am teaching you to use the Dark Side because to do some of the things I can show you it is a requirement."
"That," Obi-Wan nearly growled, "sounds dangerously close to what a Sith might say."
John rolled his eyes.
"It's the truth. I could manipulate a flame with the Light Side of the Force. Even sustain one without physical fuel for a brief time, though that would be very draining. But to conjure up a flame like that? It can't be done with the Light Side of the Force. You need certain emotions to act as a spark, and as fuel, if you don't want to exhaust yourself in a hurry."
Obi-Wan did not look happy with that answer and John looked like he thought Obi-Wan's happiness could go to the Maw in a ship with no hyperdrive.
"So!" I chirped, breaking the tension before the pair could start arguing. "Next question!" I couldn't help but twitch as I read the next question. If the Force wasn't somehow involved in this, I would kiss a boy. I was trying to get us away from talking about the Dark Side, damn it!
"Been trying to understand, but just want to confirm, when using the Dark Side of the Force emotions are like a big toothy monster? Learn to ride it and direct it, or get dragged along behind it and maybe eaten?"
"That is not the worst analogy I've ever heard. So sure. That works. Can we get a more serious question?" John asked.
"If Jedi are pacifists or peacekeepers, why do they carry lightsabers? Wouldn't Blasters set to stun make more sense?"
"We are not pacifists." Obi-Wan shook his head. "Blasters are just so… uncivilized."
"And a blade of plasma isn't?" I asked.
Anakin snickered and Obi-Wan glared. I decided it was best to just move on.
"Why is it called the Dark Side if it's all emotions and not just the violent ones?"
"Because Dark and Light sounds more poetic?" John shrugged. "How the hell should I know, that's just been what they were called as far back as the records will go."
Obi-Wan didn't offer up a contradiction so I went to pull another slip only for Ani to beat me to it.
"Do the Jedi encourage or discourage hobbies? What kinds of hobbies do you have?" He read off. "They don't really do either? I like to work on machines and fly. I know some Jedi keep plants or play music?"
Obi-Wan nodded but didn't offer up any hobbies of his own.
"Ooh, this is a good one!" I grinned. "Will the Force help me find love?"
"Hasn't helped me, at least not lately." John shook his head. "Unless you count what I did for Kalle and Corrina the work of the Force… Which I suppose it could be… huh…" Now he looked thoughtful. I wasn't expecting a useful answer from Obi-Wan, so I just pulled out another question.
"How did the Jedi and Sith orders originally start?"
"No idea." John answered.
"Obi-Wan?" I asked.
"To the best of my knowledge that has been lost to history."
"Well… That stinks." I pulled out the next question. "How do you defend yourself from the Force if you can't use it?"
"Poorly." John joked. "Though overwhelming firepower is usually a good fallback."
Obi-Wan winced, but didn't disagree. Anakin chuckled and grabbed the next slip.
"Does using the Force make you tired? Yes, it absolutely can."
"Jedi are supposed to use green and blue lightsabers. Does the color mean anything?" I asked.
John looked bemused as Obi-Wan spoke up.
"Some believe it shows insight towards a Jedi's disposition, but there are enough examples which contradict the rule to make it a bad assumption."
"Can the Force be used to heal? If so, how?" I asked
"Yes." John and Obi-Wan answered together. They shared a glance before John waved Obi-Wan on and leaned back.
"Most Jedi learn to enter a healing trance which accelerates the body's natural healing, you can also use the Force to help the body purge toxins, like alcohol." Obi-Wan said. "But there are Jedi who specialize in using the Force to heal. They can greatly accelerate the natural healing process. However, it is a difficult discipline I've little talent for."
"I can do a video on healing trances some time in the future." John shrugged. "It's not something I've got a lot of practice with, but I've used it a few times. I've also run across a few small groups that do some form of healing. It's usually pretty minor or tied into herbalism, but I've never gotten a real lesson in healing so that's not something I can pass on."
"Can you use the Light and Dark Sides of the Force simultaneously?" I asked.
"No." John shook his head. "Or at least I've never managed it. Using the Dark Side of the Force… When you push your emotions into the Force it's like spilling ink in water. It spreads out around you and eventually it becomes diffuse, but in that moment, you are surrounded by it, feeding it. I don't want to say it's impossible, but I have no idea how you would do it. There is a method you can use to make the Dark Side more controlled. But that's something I plan to cover later."
"Have you heard any legends about past Force users? Do you believe any of them?" I asked.
"Despite all the research I've done I've found a lot fewer legends than you might expect, and I believe even less. Most of those kinds of stories boil down to a name, a rough time period, and how they were considered incredibly powerful. Detailed accounts are almost nonexistent, and the few stories that credit a Force user with some incredible feat or another tend to be… well they tend to be ridiculous."
"Will you teach us to levitate things?" I read off the next slip and grinned. I was really looking forward to that too.
"Yes, I'll teach you all telekinesis." John rolled his eyes but he was grinning too.
"Can you see the Future? Can I?"
John made a face. Obi-Wan chuckled. Anakin sighed.
"Always in motion, the future is." Obi-Wan said with the fond air of someone quoting another person.
John growled. Then he sighed, and nodded.
"There are legends and rumors of Force users that could see the future." John said. "But it's not a talent I've ever claimed to have, and even those who do have it… According to the stories, and records, and teachings, you're not seeing the future. You're seeing possibilities. Or you could be seeing the present somewhere far away, or even the past in some cases. Force visions are a messy, confusing thing to study, never mind properly interpreting and acting on them. If any of you out there develop a talent for it I'm not sure how much help I'll be."
"Can the Force be used to enchant things like in fantasy stories?"
Anakin perked up in interest and even Obi-Wan turned to John with a raised eyebrow.
"I don't know how to do it." John shifted a bit. "But I know it can be done." There was an excited gleam in his eye and I found myself leaning in as that excitement spread. Enchanting? That would be absolutely wizard!
"Think I mentioned having to dodge a spear a few minutes ago. What I didn't mention was the fact that the hunk of sharpened rock tied to a stick punched through a quarter inch steel panel. I want to know how that's done. I'd love to be able to make a jacket that can turn away blaster fire. If any of you figure it out, send us a message and we'll get you an episode to explain the process… Just please wait until you've got a better grounding in the basics before you go experimenting like that."
"Some day, Captain, you really must share with me where you find these groups." Obi-Wan shook his head.
"Because dodging pointy death is how most cultures say please come back soon." John scoffed. "What else you got, Delia? Are we almost through with this yet?"
"Ummm." I glanced into the bucket and then away from John. "No. No we are not."
"The, hell? John muttered. "How many questions did you even pick?"
"So!" I said, raising my voice. "Will the Force eventually become a prerequisite for certain jobs if this spreads far enough? Because I think I've gotten noticeably better at my work since I started practicing?"
John glared for a moment before giving up.
"I honestly couldn't say. I'm a freighter pilot. Not a politician or a lawyer."
"How does the Jedi Order react to Dark Side users or groups? Will we be attacked/jailed/killed etcetera for learning to use it?" I asked as I gave Obi-Wan a very critical look.
Obi-Wan sputtered into his beard.
"The Jedi Order are not in the business of extra judicial attacks!"
"Well, not when it would be a red flag for someone to disappear." John muttered.
"Captain, I do not appreciate you attempting to substantiate such ridiculous claims!" Obi-Wan scowled.
"Look, all I know is half the people or groups that ran me off or turned me away saw my lightsaber before they started with violence." John threw his hands up. "They don't trust the Jedi, I've never got much of an answer about why beyond a lot of distrustful grumbling. I made the videos under my real name in part because I was worried I'd be getting locked up or disappeared. There is a reason my chosen form for saber combat is a bastardized version of form two." John shrugged and looked away. "You two have been alright by me so far, but the only reason I didn't bolt when you showed up is because the Force wasn't whispering that you were a threat. If I'd even felt uneasy, I'd have made a run for it."
"... Is that really what people think about us?" Anakin asked.
John shrugged.
"The little groups of Force sensitives? Yeah, pretty much. Regular people don't usually have an issue with you all, but the adepts practicing something other than the temple teachings? They all think if you show up it'll be to force them to conform."
Obi-Wan was glaring at John again.
"I am certain that the good Captain has created more work than the Jedi Order will be able to handle. I still strongly recommend not using the Dark Side. However… Given the amount of chaos these recent changes will no doubt bring, I'd assume anyone not using the Force to commit crimes will be a very low priority for the Order in the coming years and decades."
I jumped in with the next question hoping to break the tension. I liked Anakin. He was awesome. Obi-Wan was usually alright too. But whenever it came to stuff like this… urgh. It was probably a good thing that John's opinion wasn't the only one going out because he was seriously jaded, but even still. The tension? Not fun.
"What are Jedi trained in besides the Force and combat?" I said, very loudly.
"Politics, law, negotiating, piloting, some necessary bits of mechanical repair, though you can absolutely study more about that if you want to. I did." Anakin listed. "Ethics, history… all kinds of stuff. You need to cover a minimum for certain subjects and then you can sort of decide what you want to study more of in your free time."
I nodded and pulled out the next slip.
"Does learning to use the Force increase the chance that my kids will be Force sensitive? If so, will I be able to train them myself?"
"The Green Jedi have clans and family lines that can trace their history as Jedi back a long way, though I'm not really clear on the details." John offered. "So probably, but I don't know for sure. They're a string of Force users with a natural predisposition to the Force so it might be more of a genetic thing. As for training them yourself? Sure."
"Can we get a list of Force techniques you know or have heard of?" I asked.
"Telekinesis, energy manipulation, energy creation, foresight, combat precognition, physical enhancement, empathy, some kind of enchanting or alchemy depending on what the practitioners want to call it, healing, curses, illusions and mind tricks. Are all things I have heard of or can do." John rattled off.
"Will you be taking more students?" Anakin asked as he snatched up the next question.
"Not anytime soon. I'm not staying in one place, and I've only got room for four crew on my ship. If these two get called back," he waved at the Jedi, "or Delia decides she wants out at some point, that might change."
"You mentioned the Force giving hints or pushes to do things, what does that feel like?" Huh I really wanted to know the answer to this one.
"...It's like instinct." Anakin was the first one to speak up. "An idea, but without any words, just the knowledge that you should or shouldn't do something. Sometimes it's very quiet, but if it's something immediate, something dangerous to you, it's like someone's shouting a concept right into your ear. Your saber needs to be here, you need to dodge at least this far. The person in front of you is going to try and kill you and you need to be ready." He shrugged. "It's hard to describe clearly. It can feel like a creeping dread, or make you nervous, or it can set all your hair standing on end with the need to move before something kills you."
Obi-Wan smiled at Anakin. A little sad, but mostly proud.
"Oh, yeah this is, this is probably a good one. My kids are interested in your videos but there seem to be a lot of risks. What would be a good age to start?"
"Depends on the kid and how you want to teach them." John answered very promptly.
"The Jedi orders start training at a very early age. But they are not touching on the Dark Side. The foundation of that training is in how to keep your emotions separate from the Force. Which is probably for the best because the way children and adults experience emotions are different. It's all in the way the brain is wired. Delia is a late teen and despite being a bit flighty she is actually pretty mature. I was an angry shit for a good chunk of my teen years and decided for myself that experimenting with the Dark Side of the Force wouldn't be safe. I only felt steady enough to start testing it a bit after I turned eighteen. It's not going to be a one size fits all solution."
John stopped for a moment to take a sip of water.
"Species, personal maturity, and just how well an individual deals with their emotions are all factors to keep in mind if you want to learn to use the Dark Side of the Force. If you only intend to practice with the Light side of the Force? Any age should be alright so long as they can get a handle on keeping their emotions separate. If that proves to be an issue and it doesn't seem like they can keep it under control? Waiting a few years before trying again wouldn't be the worst idea."
Obi-Wan looked pleasantly surprised with John's answer and Anakin was chewing on his lower lip. I was just happy John thought I was mature enough to learn a year earlier than he had.
"Right, next… My species are known to be immune to Jedi mind tricks and we have no history of producing Jedi. Can I still learn?"
John and Obi-Wan glanced at one another and the Jedi knight only shrugged.
"I don't know. It might be impossible, or it might be difficult, or I suppose it could be some way your species has developed to exert any force potential in a certain way and making your species immune to mind tricks is a side effect. The only way to know for sure would be to make the attempt and see what happens. If you decide to try, please keep notes and let us know what kind of results you get."
"Ok… oh, ummm, shit. I maybe shouldn't have included this one but… damn it. Right… Knight Kenobi, seventeen years ago my son, Vestar Tíborsson, was recruited by the Jedi Order. I've not seen them since they were one. Do you know if he is alright? Was he chosen as a Padawan? Has he been Knighted? Is he happy?"
I kept my eyes very firmly on the little slip of paper. I'd included it because I couldn't not. Not for John's propaganda. Not because I hoped the Jedi might see the video and know they were still loved. But because I couldn't help but imagine how my parents would feel in that situation. If I could help give them some closure, some peace? I had to try.
"...I'm sorry to say I don't know that name." Obi-Wan admitted quietly. "I can make an inquiry, and if Delia will supply me with contact information… I'll see if I can't get a response back to you."
Anakin's hand snaked into view and he plucked a new question from the bucket.
"How do you use the Force day to day? I mentioned using it when fixing machines sometimes, it helps a lot with reaction speed for piloting and fighting."
"Think they meant more mundane stuff, kid." John offered. "Pulling ingredients off the top shelf. Summoning things from across the room so I don't have to get up. Pulling something out of the oven with the Force because I can't find the oven mitt. Meditating a bit so that I don't start shouting at idiotic bureaucrats who decide it's their job to make my day more difficult than it needs to be. It's not life changing, but it helps."
"Can the Force help those with disabilities?" I asked.
"I… would think that would depend on the type of disability, and how creative you get with Force." John admitted drumming an idle beat against his thigh with his fingers.
"One of the earliest lessons with lightsabers is learning to trust the Force to guide our actions. We first practice this by blocking our sight. There is certainly some precedent though I'm not sure how that would compare to bionic or cybernetic replacements." Obi-Wan offered thoughtfully.
"This one's a two for one." I said. "What happens to Force users suffering from mental illness? And, if I was having an anxiety or panic attack while using the Force would that make me fall to the Dark Side?"
John winced and looked to Obi-Wan clearly not knowing how to answer. Obi-Wan looked alarmed at the idea.
"I can't say I remember any talks of Jedi who suffered from mental illness." Obi-Wan muttered as he ran his fingers through his beard. "And if a Jedi were to find themselves suffering from anxiety or panic attacks they would be pulled from active duty, assigned tasks in the temple with the suggestion they spend a great deal of time meditating until they felt settled again."
John nodded slowly.
"I'm going to actually defer to the Order on this one. If you're suffering from some kind of mental illness, introducing Force enhanced emotions sounds like a terrible idea. There might be ways to use it to help, but I'm not qualified to even guess on that subject. Meditating on the Light Side of the Force is a great way to deal with stress, I'd think that would extend to anxiety as well, but if you are prone to panic attacks it's probably safer that you not risk adding emotions to the Force. That could very easily become a feedback loop."
Well, that was depressing. Something happy please I want a distraction… Hah!
"Can the Force be used for sex? How?"
Obi-Wan buried his head in his hands and Anakin blushed nearly crimson. John laughed.
"Ok, ok. I've teased this often enough that I should have seen it coming. The answer is yes, but it's a lot harder than you might think. The obvious answer is that using the Force can really improve your physical stamina and strength, especially Matukai training. The healing trance I mentioned before can be sort of bastardized to speed up the refractory period and accelerate the process of sperm production. I've found uses for a bit of telekinesis on occasion too of course, but that's more about getting a little creative. If you can split your attention enough you can get a feel for your partner's emotions, but that's really hard to maintain in the moment."
John took a sip of water before continuing.
"That being said, there are issues. Actively drawing on the Force takes focus, even for someone that's been doing it for years. Focus which is very hard to maintain during sex, possible but not easy. Using the Light Side of the Force creates a bit of a buffer between you and your emotions. Which could either kill your mood or prolong the experience if you can maintain focus. And I've already said just how damn risky drawing on the Dark Side of the Force with Lust can be. Seriously, don't try it. The middle of sex is not a good time to see how good you are at controlling your emotions, or limiting how much emotion you feed into the Force. It's not worth it. It's a terrible idea. Don't do it. I'm sure there are other tricks people will come up with as the number of Force users having sex grows but that's what I've got for you."
Well, that was more than I expected, and somehow less than I'd hoped. Oh well, next question.
"Is what you are doing really a new idea? Maybe it's because we don't know the history but using both sounds obvious to at least try. Are there any records of others who did the same?"
"...Not entirely new, no. There are a few small groups I've run into that make use of the Dark and Light sides of the Force. One didn't even bother making that distinction. Just treated it as different ways to use the same thing instead of referring to it as sides. But those were all small groups hiding out on the fringes of society, sometimes with nothing more than an oral history. If there was ever a large group of organized Force users doing what I am the records have been lost to time."
"Can the Force increase your lifespan?" Anakin asked after snatching up one of the dwindling number of slips.
"I don't know. Obi-Wan?" John shrugged.
"It's not something I've ever really considered." Obi-Wan shook his head. "I can make an inquiry with the temple healers, but I'm unsure."
"Can the Force be used to help with my job?" I read. "There was something like fifty different people all asking about different jobs."
"Of course there were." John muttered. "I'm sure if you get creative there are ways the Force can be used to help with some jobs. Though if you work in an office, it'll probably only help you know when your boss is coming."
"What happens if you get stuck in a feedback loop with a positive emotion?" I grimaced remembering John's earlier example.
"Well, I've never seen it happen so I can only speculate." John said carefully. "But let's say you used joy and you got stuck to the point you couldn't stop. There are two possibilities. The first is that something eventually comes along that makes you feel sad, or angry, or something else, and you end up feeding that into the Force. If that happens you would end up either stuck with negative emotions, or bouncing from emotion to emotion whenever something changes your mood enough to break through."
"The other likely scenario is that you stay stuck in that first emotion. I believe, but cannot prove, that over time you would lose your ability to deal with unfiltered reality. Like a drug addict you would simply lose the ability to function without channeling whatever emotion you lost yourself in. It could also cause spiraling insanity. If nothing can knock you out of that feeling of joy, you might find yourself unable to take things seriously. Unable to grieve someone's loss. Unable to think critically leading to ever more impulsive behavior. Which would all lead to more joy, because that's all you can really feel."
John shook his head.
"Traditionally those who use the Dark Side of the Force channel negative emotions because they are very effective for combat purposes, or curses, or things like that. There is vanishingly little information about the use of positive emotions with the Dark side of the Force. I've been saying it, and I'll keep saying it. Force enhanced emotions are not safe. Useful, but never safe."
"What species is Yoda?" I asked.
John facepalmed, and Obi-Wan chuckled.
"Ahh, that is one of the Jedi Order's great lingering mysteries." Obi-Wan offered with a smile. "No one really knows what his species is called or where they are from. Master Yoda is very fond of dodging that question whenever it is asked."
"Are there any Force sects we should avoid, and if so, why?" Anakin asked.
"Most of them." John groaned, leaning back in his chair. "A lot of the little groups are isolationist at best, hostile at worst. And really, do not go to Dathomir. They're actually pretty well known for their Force tradition. Problem is there are a lot of different groups and ideologies on that planet, and the culture is viciously matriarchal. I don't think I'd risk visiting without an invite and assurances I'd be allowed to leave. Even then I wouldn't really trust it."
"Umm, this next one's a bit similar to one you answered earlier, but the idea is a little different. Jedi are supposed to follow the Will of the Force. Does that mean the Force is sentient? Sapient? Why do the Jedi believe that its will is the same thing as the good of the Galaxy and its people? Especially if following it puts you, personally, in danger? Wouldn't that be malevolent towards you? Or at least indifferent so long as you fulfill its will?"
John rubbed his temples and groaned a little.
"You folks are not pulling your punches with some of these questions. There's a reason the Jedi are a religion and not a science. How the heck do you expect me to prove faith? I've distanced myself a lot, but even I still believe some of the things they taught me. Now you want me to be objective about this?"
"Captain, if I may?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Go for it. If nothing else it'll give me a chance to get my thoughts in order."
"Mmm. The Jedi Order believe the Force to be both Sentient and Sapient. However, you must understand, it is incomprehensibly vast, and almost entirely unrelatable. You might as well attempt to understand the views or desires of a star. What little we know and understand is that the Will of the Force can broadly be described as a desire for all living things to coexist. Which is why the Jedi Order is dedicated to ensuring peace, protecting life, and upholding the law."
Obi-Wan paused for a moment as he visibly gathered his thoughts. More surprising was the fact that John was actually nodding along with Obi-Wan's explanation like he agreed.
"Sometimes, when events are in motion that could help or hinder that goal of coexistence, and we are in place to affect them, the Force will nudge us, I suppose. It could be a feeling, or an improbable chain of events. Regardless, the point will be to place us in a situation that could mitigate damage, or do the most good. All Jedi understand that this is not only a possibility but our calling, and it is inherently unsafe. Sometimes it might be something as simple as pulling someone out of the way of a speeding vehicle. But it can just as easily mean pitting ourselves against assassins, or slavers. If someone feels they are not up to such a life they are often settled into another line of work. Either as a member of one of the corps, or with a job necessary to the running of the temple."
"So, yes, following the Will of the Force could very easily be dangerous to the untrained. It's possible the Force will be aware of an individual's ability, and will not hand out a task to someone incapable of completing it. But there is no way to know that for certain, and it is entirely possible that one life given for the sake of hundreds, or thousands, or more, may be acceptable to the Will of the Force. It is a reality that every Jedi must accept."
"So, does that mean people like me should ignore it?" I asked.
Here Obi-Wan hesitated.
"Frankly I'm unsure." Obi-Wan said. "As a Jedi Knight ignoring the Will of the Force would be…" He trailed off and shook his head. "But for a civilian with no authority, little to no combat training, and only the beginnings of a true connection to the Force…" He sighed. "I cannot say. Truthfully this may by necessity become a matter of conscience. Are you, as an individual, willing to risk your personal safety in the hopes of protecting your fellow sentients?"
That… I was going to have to think about that. Especially considering John's earlier comment about it leading to vigilantism. John seemed happy enough with Obi-Wan's answer so I reached for the next question.
"What do you, or the Jedi, know about the Sith philosophy? You mentioned it but didn't go into much detail?"
"Little." John answered shortly. "Very little. Or at least there wasn't much available to initiates. Most of what I know is pieced together from historical accounts."
"Generalities, mostly." Obi-Wan answered. "The Masters and the Council might know more. Or at the very least they may have old records they can check if they need to know more. But many Jedi see no point in studying our old enemy after so long."
"How exactly do the Green Jedi work with CorSec? Supposedly the people asking are law enforcement, but I didn't have time to try and confirm that." I said.
"If you can confirm they are then I'd say pass along Kalle's contact information. He might not be the best person to ask, but he'll be able to put them in touch with whoever is." John answered with a shrug.
"Is there an exercise I can do to know if, and how much, progress I'm making?"
"...Not quite yet, and not exactly." John rubbed at his face looking just about done with this. Luckily, we are almost out of questions.
"Once you've learned a few actual Force abilities like telekinesis you can test to see how much weight you can lift, for how long, or how precise your control is. But that's not an exact science either. Partly you'll improve at those things just because you've gotten more skilled, not just because your connection to the Force has gotten stronger. And then there's the fact that it can vary. If I slip deep into meditation and then start levitating things… it's a bit like becoming a conduit. I can lift more mass, for longer, there are moments where it feels like I could keep going forever… and then my focus will eventually slip. I'll suddenly feel exhausted, whatever I was lifting will drop to the floor, and I'll end up doubled over panting for breath. But I can't get that sort of result consistently and certainly not without all but losing myself in the Force."
"Do you think the Jedi Order will really change? If they do, will the Green Jedi rejoin?" Anakin asked.
John snorted, then laughed.
"Hell no, the Green Jedi aren't rejoining the main temple. No matter what or how much changes. Corellia is their sector and they'll protect it. That's ignoring all the centuries of tension between the two. No, that ship has long since sailed, and it isn't coming back. As for the Jedi changing… I think they'll have to. How they'll change, or if it will be enough to keep them relevant in a rapidly changing galaxy, that's anyone's guess."
Obi-Wan was looking particularly sour so I rushed to read the last question.
"Ok, last one and it's another one of those bundle questions. Can you read minds? Can you teach us to read minds? Is it true the Jedi can control another person's mind? Can you teach us to do that?"
John went absolutely still for a moment then closed his eyes and hissed out a breath.
"... The Force will not let you read minds. If you focus on an individual, you can get a sense for emotions, or if you spread your senses out you can get a feel for the emotions of a crowd. That's about the limit. There is a branch of Force abilities known as mind tricks. Some species are immune to them. Supposedly they only work on the weak minded." John took a deep breath and then blew it out as an explosive sigh.
"I will not teach you how to use mind tricks."
That… The hell? John was all about spreading as much information to as many people as possible. This wasn't like him at all.
"Everything I know, everything I can teach, can be used for good or ill. But nothing else I know of is as insidious and exploitable as mind tricks. In the right hands it could do incalculable good. But in the wrong hands…" John's hands clenched to white knuckled grip. "If anyone out there has ties to government or law enforcement, listen to me and listen to me well. Make mind tricks illegal to use in anything but self defense. Sooner or later, someone will figure them out, and the information will leak. You need to be ready and able to prosecute the kriffing bastards who will take advantage of it as harshly as possible."
Obi-Wan and Anakin both looked just as stunned as I felt.
"If any knowledge deserves to be lost or destroyed, mind tricks are it. I'll do a recording on a few of the best and worst ways it could be used and it will be made available exclusively to those who can prove they are high up in, if not in charge of, their planet or systems law enforcement. If I was teaching an individual and I could vet them myself over months or years I might consider teaching them, but this is not something I'll just put out there for anyone to abuse."
"Delia, you said that was the last question?" John asked
"Um, yeah, that was the last one."
"Good. Q and A over. May the Force be with you all. R3, cut the feed and end recording."
"Yes, boss." The droid chirped.
"Captain, what-" Obi-Wan started to ask.
"I will not hand the entire galaxy a way to replace date rape drugs with something that will convince the victim it was all their idea!" John snarled.
I leaned way back in my chair as John stood and started to pace.
"And that's just the beginning. Slavers would praise me for giving them a way to convince victims to give themselves up to a life of suffering peacefully. Criminals could convince strangers to leave them all their worldly possessions in their will. I've never pushed the limits of mind tricks I've never needed to, and I've been terrified to try, but what even are they? Could someone convince or force another person to kill themselves? Kill their families? If not directly than by endlessly twisting the way the individual thinks?! What if someone decided to go about enthralling government officials to force a change through?!"
John whirled and jabbed his finger into Obi-Wan's face.
"I will not be the one responsible for this. I will teach people to resist them. I will teach people to notice when someone has been affected, if that is even possible, but I won't arm the galaxy with this ability."
Slowly Obi-Wan stood from his seat and gripped John by the shoulders.
"Captain, take a deep breath. Just breathe. Reach out to the Force, the Light, and let it calm you."
For a moment John looked like he was going to argue, then with a terse nod. He closed his eyes and took a breath.
With every passing second some of the tension went out of his shoulders and back. It was almost a full minute before John reopened his eyes and sighed again.
"Sorry. That… more than anything else, that terrifies me… Without combat training and weapons, there's only so much damage a person can do. But mind tricks…" John took another deep breath and sat back in his chair.
"A slave could use them to get themself and anyone with them freed." John muttered.
Anakin sucked in a sharp breath, but John was too lost in his own thoughts to notice.
"A woman could use them to convince a rapist that; no he wasn't actually about to do something terrible to her and he wanted to go talk to an LEO."
That would be… Honestly that would be amazing.
"Law enforcement could use them to compel honest and truthful answers from criminals. There are so many ways mind tricks could be used to do good. But they are just too damn easy to exploit for terrible things." John gulped down the last of his water.
"I want to spread knowledge about the Force, but this?" He shook his head. "The galaxy isn't prepared to deal with the sort of fallout this would cause. It may never be."
Obi-Wan sighed and patted John on the shoulder.
"I understand, John."
We all did a double take at Obi-Wan using John's name. It even dragged a small grin out of the man in question.
"...Alright. Alright enough of that." John stood up. "Come on Delia. Time to make sure everything is properly posted. Then we're getting dinner. I need food and a drink."
Grinning, I stood up and went to grab my data pad. There would be time to think about everything later. For now, I had a job to do and dinner really did sound good right about now.
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- Location
- Canada
Just need a Palpatine interlude with the secret Sith lord watching the Q&A Video with some interest while thinking of what laws will be needed to implemented to keep the nrfs in line while taking note of anyone interesting enough to be earmarked for future recruitment.
dhasenan
always lowercase
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Among the Green Jedi, the Halcyon family is noted for being utter pants at telekinesis. They are amazing at illusions, though.
Axel
Tenno Wax
- Location
- Italy
- Pronouns
- He
Too bad Darth Plaguis is dead, i think he would love both the show and answering questions, maybe even bemusedly thinking of appearing as a guest, just for the kicks of giving the Jedi a heart attack
Death_Sheep
Cat Owned
- Location
- Wisconsin
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Also, if I remember I, Jedi correctly, the Halcyons were really good at energy absorption & redirection.
Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
I can understand John's worry about mental force powers since beyond mind trick there are tons of abilities around it that can corrupt, cause fear, mess with memories, straight control, etc.
Pyrokinesis or maybe Alter Environment/Legends for this, with the latter basically making you a druid and harnessing nature under your control in ways so long as you have knowledge.
MajorKO
Amateur QM and Writer with little motivation
- Location
- United States
A very nice chapter! Also, just a minor thing, but forgive my nitpick:
Don't think this phrase would exist in Star Wars, although 'what in the Galaxy' is probably a good equivalent.
Don't think this phrase would exist in Star Wars, although 'what in the Galaxy' is probably a good equivalent.
- Location
- Canada
Imagine the pain when some politician accuses the other of using a mind trick to be elected, they wouldn't know if it could be true or not but the implications could result in a revote.
- Location
- New Zealand
Paper is rare and expensive, they normally use Flimsiplast
Krazyfan1
Worrying for the future.
- Location
- Australia
Great as usual
i wonder how the telekenesis training will go...
I'm imagining the flame summoning being used for cooking, or lighting a cigarette...
or it being reversed to keep a drink cool...
i wonder how the telekenesis training will go...
I'm imagining the flame summoning being used for cooking, or lighting a cigarette...
or it being reversed to keep a drink cool...
Telepathy is a thing though, would that count?
- Location
- Wisconsin
Telepathy would be more of a send and recieve only I would think. Can only get what the other person sends.
i doubt that
if some guy was powerfull enough to mindtrick enough people at the same time to affect a planetary election then they are powerfull enough to take over by force and most wouldnt want to pisss such a powerfull guy of
- Location
- Singapore
Drifter090
"We are the Knights of Ni!"
- Location
- Classified
This is honestly one of my top Star Wars fics, I really hope you plan to throw in a Sith reaction sometime, like Darth Plagueis finds or is informed of the videos, starts watching them and finds it genuinely informative and decides to start responding with his own series or starts sending in questions like in this last chapter. I think that would be amazing! any who, more please!
Edit....
gahhhhh!!! I totally brain farted that Plagueis would already be dead!!!!
Edit....
gahhhhh!!! I totally brain farted that Plagueis would already be dead!!!!
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- Location
- Canada
It doesn't matter whether the guy can do it or not, the claim is still there and with John showing the galaxy that the force isn't just a Jedi exclusive thing it is going to happen.
Umm... Isn't Plaguis still alive?
I recall from somewhere that he fooled Sidious into thinking he killed him and basically hid away to play SCIENCE!
I could very likely just be remembering something from a fanfic, tho.
That was a pretty emotionally-charged response.
I'm guessing Jake has some past experience, either with date-rape drugs or someone who's suffered from them. The reaction feels too personal to be just third-hand condemnation of something bad; I doubt that would make him lose control of his emotions and force presence the way he did.
On a side note, I wonder if date-rape drugs would be more of or less of a problem in Star wars. More, because with more advanced science comes better chemistry. Worse, because there are so many species, meaning you'd need many different drugs, meaning it's harder to turn a profit making them (gotta pay development costs for each drug, and then your market is only a fraction of each population... At a certain point, it probably becomes cheaper to just buy a slave outright than to buy a drug to rape someone with)
I'm guessing Jake has some past experience, either with date-rape drugs or someone who's suffered from them. The reaction feels too personal to be just third-hand condemnation of something bad; I doubt that would make him lose control of his emotions and force presence the way he did.
On a side note, I wonder if date-rape drugs would be more of or less of a problem in Star wars. More, because with more advanced science comes better chemistry. Worse, because there are so many species, meaning you'd need many different drugs, meaning it's harder to turn a profit making them (gotta pay development costs for each drug, and then your market is only a fraction of each population... At a certain point, it probably becomes cheaper to just buy a slave outright than to buy a drug to rape someone with)
Considering how many variants of spice we know of, i wouldn't doubt there being one that would fit the role.
Aeselon
Runs With Sentences
- Location
- UK
I love how you managed to weave in some great character interactions, and that moment of camradarie between John and Obi-wan was a great touch. John's reasons for wanting that ability to stay very much under wraps is definitely solid. Mind control, even limited, is fucking terrifying. To be able to rob someone of all agency and volition in such a fundamental way is a violation beyond anything I can think of.
- Location
- Australia
But on the saner worlds at least, doing so without any evidence to back it up is going to get them hit with a defamation lawsuit. More likely will be hint-hint-nudge-nudge smear campaigns that try to say it without actually saying it.
Speaking of saner worlds, mind tricks would almost certainly already be illegal under more general laws; e.g. mind tricking someone into locking themselves into a closet could see a charge of deprivation of liberty, etc. What would be more likely to be legislated is the specifics, as various legislatures decide how mildly/severely "with a mind trick" should modify the base punishment and look to close loopholes from any existing poorly-worded legislation.
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Delusionist
Seeker of Truth
- Location
- Land of the Fruits and Nuts
Mind reading totally does happen with the Force though. Vader picks up that Luke is thinking about his sister with no verbal indication of her existence, and the Jedi council picks up that Anakin is thinking about his mother. In both cases the phrase "Your thoughts betray you" is used.
Zedalb
I just started a Patreon!
- Location
- Washington
It doesn't matter who votes. It matters who counts the votes.