AN: So just to get this out of the way, planets and OC names are chosen at random unless otherwise stated. Planets by going down the list of known worlds in the wiki and names by name generator. So, the latest temporary cast member has nothing to do with the solo movie. Honestly, I didn't even make it to the halfway point of that movie before shutting it off. Sorry this took so long.
Thank my beta Functionality folks we're all lucky to have him.
{}{}{}{} Four days after leaving Corellia; John POV
"So," Kira fidgeted where she sat cross legged on our new practice mats, "I get that it's going to be months at least until I can really feel the Force. But once I can, how do I use it to tell if someone is trouble?"
Delia abandoned her Matukai practice to focus on the conversation. Anakin, no doubt familiar with the concept, kept going through his saber forms.
Knowing this question was coming I'd been putting some thought into it and was pretty sure I knew what I wanted to say but if I was going to give the lecture anyway…
"You mind if I record this? I'll keep you out of the video but trying to put together how best to explain this I've ended up with a pretty decent lecture and I kind of hate to repeat myself. Kira nodded and Delia cheered as she parked her butt next to the older woman. "Hey R3!"
"Oh, are we making another video?!" The astromech called back from near the cockpit before the sound of wheels on durasteel headed our way. "I'm so excited! Making videos isn't as satisfying as fixing the ship but watching the viewer count rise is so much fun!"
I offered R3 a small grin.
"Just keep the camera on me, we're going to leave our guest out of this one. Anakin, mind turning your saber off? I don't think anyone will appreciate that sound of a saber cluttering up their audio."
Anakin grunted, but did shut off his saber before wandering off towards the cockpit. Apparently, this wasn't a lecture that would hold his interest. Which fair enough he probably knew most or all of what I planned to cover even if he hadn't heard it in the way I put my lectures together.
"Alright R3, count me down."
"Yes, Boss! Three, two, one!" The little red light next to their camera turned red and I grinned wider for the camera.
"Hello everyone, and welcome to another one of my little lectures. At our last stop we picked up a passenger who was running from a situation that could have turned bad. You don't need to know any more than that so don't bother asking because it's not my story to tell anyway."
Kira offered me a faint smile for my discretion.
"Now, you're probably asking yourselves why I bothered to even bring it up if I'm not going to tell you any details. The reason is they asked for lessons once they found out about these videos I'm making, and they had a specific goal in mind. They wanted to know if, and how, the Force can be used to judge a person's intentions and character. They want a way to make sure they won't ever find themself in a similar position. Which, fair enough." I shrugged at the camera and took a moment to review my mental notes.
"The problem with that request, besides the time investment it takes to build a strong connection to the Force, is just how messy, imprecise, and diverse that topic really is. Not to mention how it kind of requires me to cover a few more things that aren't entirely relevant just to fully explain."
Kira drooped a little and I offered her a reassuring smile.
"Of course, I'm fine with that, it just makes for a more interesting lecture. So, using the Force to get a sense for someone's intentions and emotions. We're going to start with emotions and then move on to the whole intentions and character aspect because. Mostly because the emotions aspect is so much more straightforward."
"At this point, assuming you have been paying any attention whatsoever to my instructions and warnings, you should all understand how using the Dark Side of the Force works and the associated risks. What you maybe haven't grasped, especially if you've been practicing by yourself, is how that feels from an outside perspective."
I closed my eyes and focused on the mischievous amusement that came naturally with the knowledge that every video annoyed the Jedi and from giving Delia some kind of on the spot lesson. I pushed some of that out into the Force and then drew a bit of it back in making a nice controlled feedback loop.
"What do you feel, Delia, from me?"
"You're amused, and cheeky or something." She answered after taking a moment to focus. "Should I be worried about a prank?"
I snorted.
"No, not you anyway. I just think of every new video as a prank on the Jedi." I answered with a grin. Closing my eyes, I took a minute to bring myself back to the Light Side of the Force. Then I stopped actively focusing on the Force and just let myself feel amused without doing anything with the emotion.
"How about now?"
Delia had obviously felt the shift. Now she scrunched up her face as she tried to sense what I was feeling. She stayed like that for almost a minute but I didn't rush her. This was much harder and she was still developing her connection to the Force.
"You're still amused, but it's… fainter. A lot harder to sense." She finally answered.
"Very good!" I praised her honestly. "Wasn't sure you would be able to pick that out yet, but you did. Very good work."
Delia positively beamed.
"The difference, for those of you watching, was that the first time I asked I was actively using the Dark Side of the Force, pushing out and pulling in those emotions. The second time I asked I was just letting myself feel them, but not doing anything with them. Delia clocked the first basically instantly, but it took her time and focus to pick up on my feelings the second time. I remember reading records at the temple which described natural empaths, but that's a rare and apparently innate skill and not something that can be trained. The rest of us can still sense emotions, we just have to work at it and focus."
Kira perked up, paying even closer attention.
"Picture a pool of water. A river flows into and out of the pool so that the water circulates, but it's a slow process and the pool is mostly calm. For the purpose of this metaphor, the pool is the Force around a person and the river is the natural currents of the Force. When I actively use the Dark Side, those emotions cloud the water like dropping in a whole bottle of ink, or those liquid food coloring bottles. It's obvious, and dramatic, and anyone even a bit sensitive can sense it."
"Now when I center myself back in the Light Side of the force it's like filtering that ink out of the water. I could just stop and let the natural currents filter things away but that takes a lot longer. By contrast people going about their lives experiencing emotions, but not using them to draw on the Force is like dripping ink into that pool one drop at a time. It's subtle and easily missed. So, if you are trying to sense someone's emotions, being close is a great help, and even then it's something you'll need to focus on and look for. You'll also need to pay close attention because with such vague impressions it could be easy to misinterpret what you are sensing. And that's just one person's emotions."
Kira was still paying rapt attention and didn't seem even slightly put off by the fact the simplest aspect of what she wanted to do was going to require a good bit of skill and practice.
"That's just one person. Sensing one person's emotions when it's just the two of you alone in a room together is relatively simple now imagine you're in a bar, or a dance club. Dozens of people all crowded together in a small place feeling different emotions."
"The quiet guy at the bar who feels out of place and uncomfortable but still longs to be able to enjoy the place like others do."
"The group of friends who are there to have fun but don't want anyone hitting on them."
"The group that is there to find a partner for the night and nothing else."
"The wait staff pretending to be interested in what you're saying, but really just want you to leave a nice tip."
"Picture that pool again, but with dozens of different colored inks and you need to somehow sort through that and figure out which ink is coming from which person and successfully interpret what they are feeling. And that's a relatively small group imagine trying the same thing at a large concert or sports event? It's chaos."
"More than that, a Force user in a sufficiently charged setting, especially if the emotions all line up, can have their mood influenced by those emotions if they allow it. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it is something to be aware of. And if you're going to use the Force in an emotionally charged environment… Well, be very careful to use the Light Side of the Force or it might just affect what you're doing. I've got a theory that Sith might have used that to their advantage way back when, but there's obviously no one around to ask. I've been a little too nervous to try testing the effects in a crowded area where people's emotions are running high. Seems like a recipe for disaster."
I glanced at Kira and noticing her frown, offered up an apologetic smile.
"Sorry I know that's a bit off topic for what you want to know but it's a pretty close tangent and I'd hate to make a whole other video for a 30 second explanation and a ten second warning."
She nodded slightly and waved me on.
"Right so sensing emotions is the obvious and easy way to get a feel for someone's intentions. Problem with it is it's in no way a perfect solution. Mostly because people can feel more than one thing at a time, or be feeling something that doesn't necessarily come off as a warning sign even if you are looking."
"Let's use a first date as an example. Someone could be feeling nervous. That could mean they want to make a good first impression and are worried about screwing it up. Or they could be two timing and are afraid someone that knows them might see. They could be feeling aroused, that might just be down to the fact their date partner looks particularly attractive or it could mean they plan to try and get their date out of their clothes as quickly as possible. And that's just two examples, they could be feeling both of those things and more all at once which will make interpreting their emotions more complicated. They could also be having emotions about something else going on in their life unrelated to the date and then you would have to contend with that possibly giving you faulty impressions. Like if they're angry or worried about repairs their speeder needs, or some other unexpected expense it could accidentally give the impression that they are upset with their date. And none of that even gets into the difficulty of trying to properly interpret the emotions of someone with any sort of neurological issues that impacts how they feel and think."
I offered the girls and by extension the audience a shrug.
"Being able to sense a person's emotions can be a useful tool if you're trying to get a handle on another person's intentions and thoughts but it's about as far from an exact science as possible." I paused as a thought occurred and then tacked it on for completeness's sake. "Especially because there are all kinds of things we might think or feel, and then not even consider acting on because society has most of us trained to act to certain standards."
Delia drummed her fingers against her leg.
"So," she asked, "like I might see a girl I think is pretty and think that I'd like to kiss her, but obviously I can't just walk up and kiss a stranger so I don't do that. Instead, I'd maybe try to talk to her?"
"Exactly." I nodded. "Only brains are crazy so it can get worse. Think they're called intrusive thoughts? Been a while since I looked into that, but sure. So, someone could be harassing you and for just a second you remember you have a blaster and it would be easy to make them stop. But that's not acceptable behavior, so as soon as the thought crosses your mind you dismiss it. Maybe without even paying it any mind, or maybe you feel guilty for even having a thought like that. Never mind that they just happen, and it's normal."
I shrugged again.
"Bottom line, sensing someone's emotions can give you some sort of feel for their intentions but it's not reliable on its own. And especially not in a small sample size. And it's easier one on one or in small groups."
"So!" I clapped my hands together and grinned at the girls. "Now we get to the truly ridiculous and nebulous Force abilities. Believe me this is going to be ridiculously vague and require soooo much practice, and practical experience."
"There isn't really a word for what we're discussing. Most Jedi would call it being mindful of the Force, or sensing the world around them, or something equally vague. With good reason! This is almost as bad as trying to catch glimpses of the future. Because to a certain extent, that's what you're doing. It's not as bad as outright hunting for visions of the future but it's close."
I stopped talking in favor of sipping from my water bottle abandoned nearby after earlier exercises.
"The Force can, and will, warn you of danger. If you train that, which I'll demonstrate someday. You get the Jedi's ability to block or dodge blaster fire. Moving into position before an attack even happens. That is a sharp, precise threat. You know exactly where the threat is going to hit. It's just up to you, not to panic, and react in time."
"We'll come back to that some other day though, the point is that's an immediate threat with intent behind it, and it's really hard to miss the Force screaming at you to move. Sensing other threats or people's intent, is much more difficult."
I drummed the fingers of my right hand along my leg running over the vague script I'd been preparing, hoping I could explain this clearly.
"The less immediate a threat is, the less tangible, the harder it is to grasp and understand. It could feel like creeping dread, or hairs on the back of your neck standing on end. It might feel like you're being watched, or a dozen and more vague and utterly useless sensations that won't tell you exactly what's happening. Just that something isn't quite right and you had damn well better pay attention."
Kira who had already been paying close attention was now leaned forward as if proximity would somehow make the lesson stick better.
"The problem is because of how imprecise those warnings are, it could mean any number of things. It could mean they are a direct threat to you and mean you some form of harm in the near future. It could mean they have enemies who won't hesitate to threaten you if it gets them their real target. It could mean they are trained and capable of violence, be that as part of a military or police force, bounty hunter, or criminal. Just the Force telling you that the person has the potential for violence and you should respect that."
"A person could give you the impression of being oily, or greasy, or maybe even gritty. That could mean they are manipulative, a con artist, or maybe just secretive. None of which necessarily means they are a threat to you. It could also mean they have a past they're trying to distance themself from that left a mark." I shrugged.
"The process is a bit like sensing emotions. You focus your attention and the Force on the person in question, and then just open yourself up to what the Force is willing to tell you. But like I've been saying, those impressions aren't necessarily clear or concise. Sometimes you'll get a response and know beyond any doubt that the person is trouble one way or another. Sometimes you'll get such a glowing review, that you'll want to be their friend before you can even learn their name. And a lot of the time you're going to get a confusing jumble of 'not a Saint not a Sith.' Which runs the whole gamut of impressions from 'would let them watch small children', too 'might stab me in the back if I show weakness.' And honestly if you travel enough and meet enough people, well you tend to get a sense for that even without the Force. Still, it's good for catching some of the better actors and actresses."
I paused and looked Kira dead in the eye.
"If this is a skill you want to develop, more than that, if it's something you want to focus on?"
Kira nodded firmly even despite all the limitations and guesswork involved. She must really want this. Not that I could blame her, but even still getting genuinely good at this could easily take years.
"OK then. My honest advice is to practice constantly. Keep a journal or detailed notes about your first impressions of people and their emotions, and how those observations line up with what the persons actually like after you get to know them a bit. Maybe learn how to run background checks, and study psychology, to supplement those impressions with real information and knowledge about people in general. This isn't going to be quick and easy even after you get to the point when you've got a solid connection to the Force. Just sensing these things isn't all that difficult but getting to the point where you can properly interpret them easily and quickly is going to take practice and dedication. But if that's what you want to be able to do, it's possible."
Kira leaned back against the bulkhead behind her and grinned.
"Yes, I really do want that." She said.
I smiled back.
"Well then folks, one impromptu lecture on an interesting if imprecise use of the Force." I clapped my hands. "Now I'd better see about making sure my very temporary student has a decent foundation to build from before we part ways." I waved a hand across my throat and R3 ended the recording.
"Excellent as always, Boss!" The droid chirped. "I'll go start editing so the new video is ready to be uploaded when we reach our destination." R3 then turned and rolled off in the direction of the cockpit.
Standing I offered both girls a hand up.
"Alright, Kira, break's over. Let's run through the forms one more time before we break for dinner." Neither girl complained and we set back to work.
{}{}{}{} Planet Warlentta, a docking bay.
Delia wrapped up Kira in a hug. And kept alternating her big sad eyes between Kira and I.
"Delia for the love of my ship stop that and let the poor woman go already." I sighed into my hand. "She's got her own goal to pursue and with the rush on our next delivery now really isn't the time for more delays."
"But John," Delia whined, "Kira can't even sense the Force yet! Couldn't she travel with us for a bit longer? This crew needs another girl."
Kira just laughed.
"Honestly, Delia, I'll be fine. I've got enough money saved up to last me awhile and I asked around while you were unloading there are a few jobs around the space port I can handle. I'll be alright. You all got me away from my fiancé. That's more than enough already."
"Miss, If only to sate my curiosity," Obi-Wan asked, 'what will you do once you've learned to use the Force as you intend?"
"I think I'm going to start my own group." There was a faint sense from the Force. Like curiosity and something massive stirring just out of sight. "I know I'm not the only person to ever be tricked into a bad relationship. At first, I just wanted to make sure it wouldn't happen to me again but why stop there? If I can help people vet their possible partners, give them a sense of safety… Point planetary security at potential abusers and rapists. There's a lot of good a few people trained to sense those sorts of things could do." Kira said with a determined glint in her eye.
The Force seemed to actually cheer for her declaration and my grin split my face, honest and wide. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Obi-Wan almost stumble as the sensation from the Force washed over him. Even Delia felt it and perked up. This? This was exactly the kind of thing I'd hoped spreading knowledge of the Force would inspire.
"That sounds absolutely brilliant." I praised her. "You'll have to keep an eye out for any corruption. It would be pretty easy to manipulate that kind of reputation, but you could do a lot of good with a group like that. Good luck."
She smiled and hefted her bag over her shoulder.
"Good luck to all of you as well. I'll be waiting for the next video!" Kira shouted over her shoulder before making her way out of the docking bay.
"Captain, that surge in the Force…" Obi-Wan started to speak before trailing off.
"Oh, so I wasn't imagining that." Delia said as she stepped up next to me at the foot of the ramp.
"No, that definitely happened." I agreed with a grin.
"I don't understand though, Why would the Force be so… interested in a new Force sect that is years, decades really from having any kind of real impact? It's nothing more than one woman's dream at the moment."
"Who knows." I shrugged. "I've certainly never claimed to fully understand the Force. But it's certainly exciting." I gently shoved Delia farther up the ramp. "Come on, we're burning daylight. We've got a full cargo hold, a full tank of fuel, and a rushed delivery. And we're fresh off a long stint of shore leave from Corellia. So, let's get right back to it."
Delia groaned but headed up the ramp, Obi-Wan following behind me. I grinned all the way through take off and into hyperspace. Obi-Wan was right; Kira's hypothetical group wouldn't have any sort of galactic presence any time soon but It hasn't even been half a year since I'd released my first video and already I'd helped someone start a whole new Force sect. There was no telling what the future might hold now, but I was so excited to find out.
