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dukeoftheblackstar · 9 months

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Lazy Headcanons (feel free to share yours)

I really like the idea of lazy headcanons for muses. It can be intimate or just their plain guilty pleasure wherein nothing (apart from work and emergencies) would ever pry them off it.

Plo Koon:

Plo Koon's thirst for knowledge is probably as thirsty as I am for him (and puzzles). If he's down with a good book that's really got him hooked of something his centuries of season haven't stumbled across, he's not above having to raise a finger and make you wait till he finishes the last remaining pages or just so until he can reread the section of that got him really hooked or confused.

I'd like to think Plo (at least my version of Plo) is also into puzzles and board games like chess, checkers, game of the generals (kekekke) and such. He's got about 1238912839128391 ways to make a move but would ponder so heavily on that one killer shot and wouldn’t really pay much attention to you but wouldn acknowledge your presence with "Mmmms...." and "I see."

This isn't much of a headcanon because it is canon when he handed of C-3PO to Wolffe.

He'd happily pass having you entertained by someone else if he's not interested or if he's about to indulge in some solo-reading bonanza or would rather not be interrupted on any of his personal wind-down activities.

Meditation is a must for our Baran Do Sage Master Jedi short King ♥ I HC that he'll write a note over the door of his chambers just so his boys know not to invite him in the usual 104th foolishness at least for the day. No sign means they're welcome to barge in (hopefully not as this worries Plo so much that his boys will eventually ingest so much Dorin gas they'd get sick. But has not the heart to lock up because boys are like cats clawing at the door when Buir has been in there far too long) while sign means Wolffe has to have extra headaches today.

Plo Koon requires little management when it comes to nourishing himself because he's tapped so much into the force it basically nourishes him. But in times when he can actually indulge in consuming food, he really savors and enjoys it. Given he does this in his private chambers, but who's to say he's not doing it all soaked in a bubble bath with scented candles and some good tunes? ♥

He has an old phonograph-like device handed down from generations to generations. A Koon phonograph from his father's father's father's.

And in the event that the Wolves are indeed persistent (as there is no 'Meditating on-going sign') and are so adamant to check on whether Plo Koon is still alive, he will do little to no protest and just be in his tub with a tray over, Dorin delicacies with his mask off and assure the boys that he is not depressed, sad, troubled, annoyed at them, ill, or anything apart from his best self.

He does this in his most very tired dad-voice and is all "Yes, yes, Commander Wolffe, I am unharmed. I simply wish to eat my dinner in peace." He sighs as the rest of the Wolves puff up trying to not inhale Dorin gas and Wolffe tries, tries, to do the same.

Comet passed out on the floor and Sinker and Boost about to panic and sound the alarm.

Warthog quietly picking a morsel from Plo's plate.

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veny-many · 9 months

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I wanted to make AU of Plo surviving Order 66 and somehow joining in 'Hidden ones' as one of the founding member.

And somehow for some kind of Force's will, Ahsoka and Wolffe meets with Baran Do Sages to protect them from Empire? And somehow dragged to secrets of the Hidden ones and finding Plo there.

And this is what I tried to make

...and Ahsoka and Plo hugges for a moment and Wolffe just broke down again with shock.

Ahsoka: Master Plo, we need your help. You don't have to hide anymore, you still can fight with us.

Plo: (casually hugging weeping Wolffe) As much as I want to help you with my power, little 'soka... I already made promise as the Hidden ones. I have new name, and no more alive in outer world. I have to remain here. I am so sorry little ones. But you have to leave from here. You might not be welcomed by this people's.

Wolffe: (suddenly switches to Commander mode) Sir, I'm afraid that even we want to leave here, we won't able to reach entrance for now. We are trapped here anyway.

Ahsoka: Yep, that's true.

Plo: Well, Jedi's way is always full of troubles.

Ahsoka: We are no Jedi anymore.

Plo: Force works in mysterious way, little 'soka.

#star wars #the clone wars #plo koon #ahsoka tano #commander wolffe #plo survives au #hidden ones #kel dor #baran do sages #my drawing #GIVE ME MORE KEL-DOR #my au

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exosorcery · 24 days

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KELDEORIN'YAA WORD OF THE DAY

HASSADURRA (N) - Lightning rod

KOMESSI - (PHR) - Very informal expression of sympathy, more or less "RIP, my dude."

Don't be too concerned about the dude, though. Kel' Dor survive lightning strikes. A lot.

In fact there is a whole clan on Dor'in with a name that essentially expresses "They Who Survive Lightning" - because many members of their clan (in particular) get struck and then live to tell about it.

It might be a force quirk, nobody's sure.

Many thanks to @plokoonsdisapprovingeyebrows for the Keldeorin'yaa Conlang Dictionary which you can access here:

keldeorinyaa conlang dictionary - Google Sheets

#kel dor #plo koon #star wars fan art #star wars fanfiction #maskless kel dor #dorin star wars #plo koon simps unite!#planet dorin #plo koon fan art #star wars fanart #kel dor fan art #star wars dorin #kel dor lore #i'm so happy people are loving kel dors much and plo koon #star wars fandom #baran do sages

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roseaesynstylae · 1 month

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In the Legends continuity, Plo Koon was a member of the Baran Do sages, a Force-using group of Kel Dor. One of their techniques was "Ayna-seff," which allowed them to make their brain activity undetectable. I was thinking that that could be how Plo could have escaped being found by the Empire after being shot down.

#star wars #plo koon #plo koon lives

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thehollowprince · 1 year

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There is no ignorance, There is knowledge

I was on TikTok last night at work and came across a video calling out how many Star Wars "fans" were complaining about the "wokeness" being introduced to the franchise, specifically citing Lizzo's glorified cameo in a single episode. Putting aside that this is a franchise has a wise and powerful character played by a freaking muppet, the TikToker (?) rightfully called out how so many of these fans never seem to actually interact with any Star Wars projects. Their opinions seem to be based entirely on their own perception of clips and images taken from the internet and pop culture.

Hence, the title, because oftentimes, consumption of the source material usually clears up any confusion as to what this franchise has always been about. With Knowledge, we diminish Ignorance

I was reminded of this yet again this morning when I got home and checked my recommendations from Google and was greeted with this monstrosity.

I know I shouldn't get worked up because this is Screenrant, and literally anyone can post anything to it. There doesn't seem to be any vetting process to this website and what it publishes. But I've been seeing more and more Jedi slander over the last few years, and I just can't keep my mouth shut (metaphorically speaking).

So let's just break this piece of garbage down.

Naturally, it's not a complaint against the Jedi unless we call them child abductors, right? Putting aside the fact that I have never seen so many incorrect statements strung together in a row like that (and this is just the first paragraph), it really emphasizes the point I'm trying to make here.

There is no perfect system in any of Star Wars, no matter what faction you're a fan of. The Jedi are no exception to this.

The Order does not kidnap nor indoctrinate children. At least not more than any other religion, political group, revolution, educational system, etc. How the Jedi refill their ranks isn't any different than how the Mandalodians recruit their foundlings or how the Clones were created by the Kaminoans. The Jedi find Force-sensitive children and (with their guardians permission where applicable) and offer them a chance to not only hone abilities that can be dangerous without proper training, but an opportunity to be a part of what is a generally revered organization throughout the galaxy, bringing peace to all those they can.

This has been explained multiple times by multiple people within multiple supplemental entries of Star Wars materiel, but there is a reason that the young are chosen to be trained instead of adults. The entire purpose of the Jedi's order is to teach their students empathy and compassion (despite what this author insinuates, saying the Jedi are "without emotion or passion") so that they don't become tyrants like the Sith or other more militant factions throughout the Galaxy.

In fact, once again in complete contradiction to what this author says, the Jedi once filled their ranks with many adult initiates, but such recruits fell to the Dark Side at a much more commensurate rate. It was because of these constant droves of Dark Jedi that the current practice of only accepting students younger than a certain age or maturity became more pronounced.

But let's move on.

Say it with me now:

"The Jedi never forced any member of its Order to forsake their heritage!"

As a matter of fact, there are multiple examples of Jedi who not only explore their birth heritage but embrace it.

Both Shaak Ti and Ahsoka Tano, as Togruta, incorporate both a Togruta sash and an akul tooth headdress into their Jedi attire

Shaak Ti actually took her padawans to her home planet for their training

Plo Koon was both a member of the Jedi High Council and the Baran Do Sages, a Force-sensitive order on his home planet

Oppo Rancisis was the son of the Blood Monarch of Thisspias and kept in contact with the royal family

A'Sharad Hett wore the traditional coverings of a Tuskan Raider

Both Luninara Unduli and Barriss Offee bore traditional Mirialan tattoos

Tarre Vizsla, the creator of the Darksaber, wore his Mandalodian armor during his time with the Order

Ki-Adi-Mundi was married!

Depa Billaba wore the marks of the Chalactan Adepts

And numerous other examples!

There has never been a tenet of the Jedi that prohibits their members from either learning of their culture (in fact, it's encouraged to do so) or to seek out their family or people. The only thing the Jedi have ever been pretty strict about in this regard is the formation of attachments. Specifically, the unstable emotions that come with such attachments and how those Jedi will do anything to retain them (i.e. Anakin Skywalker.)

This next one is a real doozy.

I have never read such garbage in my life. That's like saying, "How dare you not teach these children to be racist to their classmates because that's their family's culture!"

Once again, I understand that I shouldn't get upset because this is Screenrant, and they will post whatever click bate bullshit will get you onto their site. Rage-farming is the word, and I'm sorry to admit that I fell for it. It just infuriates me that so many people, or at least the most vocal ones, are so adamant about tarnishing the Jedi. All while usually loving characters like Vadar or Maul or any of the Mandalodians, who canonically do much worse than the Jedi ever did.

Are the Jedi perfect? No. But throughout STAR WARS, they've done the best they can within the confines of a horrific situation that they were forced into. They don't deserve this prolonged smear campaign because they don't meet the ever changing and often unrealistic standards that some people want.

Note: Sorry for the small text, but I wanted people to be able to differentiate between my words and the article.

#the jedi order #pro jedi #i hate screenrant #star wars #sw

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kiwikipedia · 3 years

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Apparently Grievous tried to take Dorin for the Sepps and Anakin + Ahsoka stopped him before he even got there but like. Imagine if they didn’t?

Imagine if Grievous landed on Dorin, storms raging and instead of a bunch of mild-mannered Kel Dor who can use the force he’s suddenly surrounded by the Baran Do Sages and one pulls off his hood and its Plo, who was visiting for some Sage things or whatever and just.

“Apologies, but Dorin doesn’t take kindly to uninvited hostiles. And unfortunately for you, Butcher of Hypori, I have quite a grudge with you.”

“That is not the Jedi way, Jedi.”

“No. But here I am just another Sage.”

Or maybe Plo’s not even there and its just all the Sages. Powerful force sensitives who, even though they’re not warriors, can wipe a droid army out because they can redirect the natural lightning from the storms through the Force. Grievous got more than what he bargained for.

#starwars #Star Wars #star wars: the expanded universe #star wars the prequel trilogy #star wars: the clone wars #kel dor #Baran do sages #Plo koon #general grievous #grievous #Dorin #Kiwiki Speaks

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mortallyclearwonderland · 3 years

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Star Wars Alien Species - Kel Dor

Dorin was a dark and dusty planet in the Expansion Region. It was the homeworld of the Kel Dors, with an atmosphere of a unique gas and helium.

The planet was situated between two black holes, making access to the planet limited, while space travel for the natives was highly dangerous. Dorin's atmosphere contained very little oxygen, and barely supported life, although some flora did exist on the planet. This atmosphere mix affected the evolution of the Kel Dor, requiring them to wear antiox breath masks to filter out oxygen while off-world. Likewise, many non-Kel Dors visiting Dorin would have to wear breath masks of their own for the gases they required. Humans, however, could survive at least a short time in the atmosphere without suffering any ill effects.

The Kel Dors were aware of and used the Force long before they joined the Galactic Republic and the Jedi. This proud Force tradition was known as the Baran Do Sages. The Baran Do Sages often acted as advisers to rich and powerful Kel Dor families. Initially, their powers centered on weather-prediction, but as the Baran Do Sages learned more about the Force, they realized they had an affinity for detecting, and subsequently preventing, dangerous events. Wars and disasters were often averted simply by the insight of a Baran Do Sage. After joining the Republic, the Baran Do Sages dwindled in power and number, due to the Jedi's greater knowledge of the Force, and their taking of Force-sensitive infants. Those Kel Dors who were even aware of their existence considered them to be eccentric wizards. Some traditional families still sent Force-sensitive children to learn from them, however. Because of their obscurity, the Sages managed to escape the Great Jedi Purges, for the most part, unscathed.

Kel Dors were noted for their simple approach to justice, and they typically saw moral issues in black and white. On the one hand, the Kel Dor were noted for their hospitality, they would never turn away a stranger in need. Yet, Kel Dors were not averse to taking the law into their own hands, and had no compunctions about putting to death a thief who was merely stealing to feed himself.

Kel Dor surnames, like Human surnames, were based on ancient family trades or jobs, or even a description of a particularly famous Kel Dor in the family. The Koon family name, for example, meant 'explorer'.

Kel Dor given names were based, loosely, on the sounds generated by Dorin's unique atmospheric phenomena. This tradition was highly popular among the Kel Dors, and the upper classes considered it bad luck to name a child away from Dorin. Kel Dor names tended to be short, usually monosyllabic, due to an ancient superstition about the "wind spirits" of Dorin. Upon hearing the sustained wind-sound of a long name, so the story went, the wind spirits would have mistaken the child for one of their own, and carried him or her off to be raised as a wind-child. No one believed in this myth for thousands of years, but the effect it had on Kel Dor naming conventions remained.

The tradition of using the sounds of atmospheric phenomena meant that Kel Dor given names appeared to have almost no meaning to an outsider, but another Kel Dor who had heard the sound in question and could identify the phenomenon would understand the significance and meaning of the name.

Likewise, objects and techniques were often named after their purpose or effect. For example, the Baran Do Force technique ayna-seff, which caused brain activity to become undetectable, translated to "dead brain" in Galactic Basic Standard.

Dorin joined the Galactic Republic in 5975 BBY, and had direct representation in the Galactic Senate. Because so many Jedi came from Dorin, the Republic funded the construction of an enclave on the planet. The atmosphere limited the regular students to Kel Dor, although many Jedi of other species visited the enclave to learn from the Kel Dor masters. While its isolation allowed the planet to remain unharmed by the Old Sith Wars, nearly all Jedi at the enclave on Dorin were killed by Sith assassins following the Jedi Civil War. During the New Sith Wars, the planet was the site of a battle won by the Sith.

During the Clone Wars, General Grievous led an attack on Dorin, but the Galactic Republic defeated his forces.

Dorin fell within space controlled by the Galactic Empire during the Hunt for Zsinj of 7–8 ABY and was within the core territory of Grand Admiral Thrawn's confederation during his campaign against the New Republic in 9 ABY. Dorin was outside of Imperial space by the following year, during which it was attacked by Imperial forces as part of an offensive by the reborn Emperor Palpatine's alliance of Imperial factions. Dorin later joined the New Republic, and the Baran Do engaged in contact and exchange with the New Jedi Order.

During the Yuuzhan Vong War, the planet fell into the hands of the invaders. After 35 ABY, the territory of the Imperial Remnant expanded, and Dorin was within the borders of the Remnant during the Second Galactic Civil War of 40–41 ABY. In 43.5 ABY, Luke and Ben Skywalker traveled to Dorin to consult the Baran Do and their involvement in Jacen Solo's fall to the dark side.

Early in the reign of the Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire, Dorin was blockaded by the Imperial Navy. The Sith then ordered that the best and brightest of Kel Dor offer their service to the Empire, or their people would suffer. As a result many Kel Dor entered the Imperial service, though the blockade remained in place. A secret route onto the world, called the Dorin Run, was discovered by smugglers, though it lay so close to the black holes, that all but the most reckless considered it too dangerous to use.

Their skin ranged in color from peach to a crimson red. Most had dark, black eyes, although some were born with silver irises, a mark that was often seen as an affinity for the Force.

Kel Dors were, as a whole, considered an unattractive species due to their strange facial structure. Their noses were described as falling short of becoming a beak, with a gaping opening that descended to the mouth, a toothless chasm with drooping fleshy strands. In place of teeth, Kel Dor had an upper and lower hard-palate, visible only when they pulled their lips back. Framing their head were extrasensory organs which terminated in small black tusks.

Due to Dorin having a unique atmosphere composed of helium and a gas unique to their world, the Kel Dors were forced to wear an antiox breath mask and protective goggles whenever in atmospheres of a different composition. This equipment protected them from carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen, which were fatal to a Kel Dor. The breathing mask also helped to amplify the Kel Dor's voice, as they were forced to shout to produce any sound when out of their native atmosphere. Without their protective goggles, Kel Dors were considered effectively blind when away from Dorin. They were also able to survive in the vacuum of space for a short time, though it was unknown exactly how long they could withstand it.

The Kel Dors also had heightened reflexes, a result of the extrasensory organs in their heads. As a species, they were thought to be typically quick and wise, but of a weaker constitution, when compared to other species. Kel Dors were also said to communicate with their minds using a form of telepathy. This form of telepathy was thought to be a Force technique known only among the masters of the Baran Do order, but was later exposed to be a lie spread by the Baran Do sages.

The average Kel Dor stands between 1.6 and 2 meters or 5.2 and 6.6 feet tall and weighs 70 kilograms or 154 pounds.

Kel Dor age at the following stages:

1 - 11 Child

12 - 15 Young Adult

16 - 44 Adult

45 - 59 Middle Age

60 - 69 Old

Examples of Names: Dorn Tlo, Plo Koon, Sha Koon, Torin Dol.

Languages: Kel Dor, or Kel Dorian, was the native language of the Kel Dor species from Dorin. Most Kel Dor were fluent in both Kel Dor and Basic, preferring to use Basic over their own language when away from their homeworld due to oxygen atmospheres making it more difficult to understand. It was easier to speak the language when in Dorin's atmosphere, though this did not prevent some non-Kel Dor from learning the language. Vylanthar Merric and Commander Doel Scherp both had learned the language, as well as the Jedi Bultar Swan and Ahsoka Tano.

#Kel Dor #star wars aliens #star wars species #Plo Koon #Sha Koon #Ahsoka Tano #Bultar Swan #Commander Doel Scherp #Vylanthar Merric

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blackkatmagic · 4 years

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One thing I absolutely love about the Jedi is that, while they're part over an overarching order and clearly incredibly debited to it and its teachings, all of them have some sort of obvious, visual contention to the cultures of their birth as well. Agen Kolar and Eeth Koth both have traditional facial tattoos. Shaak Ti and Ahsoka both wear akul tooth headdresses and sashes with traditional patterns. Plo Koon and Depa Billaba both have connections to the Force traditions of their home planets with their status as a Baran Do sage and the Marks of Illumination respectively. It's just this beautiful mix of traditions where they can be proud of where they come from and still be a devoted part of the Order, and I think that gets downplayed a lot but it's a very important thing culturally.

#meta #star wars

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faeymouse · 4 years

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Speaking of things that Fate of the Jedi is introducing me to that I'm absolutely loving, the first book really like delving into Plo Koon and the Kel Dor and to say I'm not taking notes for possible future fic is a lie.

My favorite bit so far is learning about the Baran Do (an order of Kel Dor Force sensitive sages that Plo Koon was once a part of) Force technique called ayna-seff (nicknamed the 'Lightning Rod' or 'Dead Brain' technique). Basically, it's an ability that allows a Force sensitive to manipulate elecromagnetic radiation in their body, and it has so many fun things it can do. Some examples are short circuiting stun cuffs or other electronic equipment in and around the body (remember that bit I'll circle back around to it); fooling brain scans into thinking someone is brain dead; and - the reason it's nicknamed 'Lightning Rod' - attracting lightining and other electricity directly toward the user.

Anyway, I like the idea that Plo Koon had the ability to short circuit electronic equipment at will because that means if he'd found out the clones had control chips he could have been like "Not MY boys" and used the Force to break them (hell, whose to say that this isn't exactly what Ahsoka did with Rex during the last season of TCW...? She and Plo were good pals, he could have been like " Little Soka, want to learn a neat trick that could potentially save your life one day?")

#babbles #Star wars #Star wars EU #It's also called lightning rod because people that can't control it will fry themselves in storms #Because lightning will just keep hitting them #And that's fun too

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kaasknot · 4 years

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Ooh what's your plo/wolffe about?

heya! i talked about it some on this post, but a general summary is that plo survives the crash on cato neimoidia, wolffe's chip doesn't trigger properly bc of his injury from ventress, and he defects to rescue plo. then, after much medical wank and a dab of political wank, they hide out on dorin to heal. cue grieving, hurt/comfort, pining, and eventual requited love.

the tag bundle is one of the first things i write for any fic (subject to change as i work through writing it), and so far the tag bundle is:

Plo survives Order 66, Wartime trauma, Grief, Angst, Hurt/comfort, PTSD, Recovery fic, Baran Do Sages, Pining, Gentle dom!Plo Koon, Service sub!Wolffe, Daddy kink, Shaving, Asphyxiation, Xenophilia

#askbox #anon #plo/wolffe

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norcumii · 5 years

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Reviving from the Purge: Judgement

Originally posted 3/31/2015, as an unofficial part of the Through a Mirror Darkly universe.

dogmatix asked for: Break fic: Sith ‘verse - one of the Apprentices dealing with hiding in plain sight: wondering what would happen if they were discovered, keeping their secret from a friend, talking to their Master about it, anything like that.

Yeah, we haven’t talked about this one much. THIS might be of interest, thought. XD Here, have some angst!

* * *

“Well, look who’s back.” Qui-Gon grinned as Plo Koon whipped around. The Kel Dor set down his algae pouch and near tackled him in a hug.

“You’re the one who was out on his first Knight’s assignment! Congratulations on returning in one piece!”

Qui chuckled and thumped the Kel Dor on the back a few times before stepping back. He glanced around the commissary, then grinned. “You have time to share a meal?”

“Of course. I got back a week ago. Not even Master Yoda can interrogate me that long.”

He couldn’t stop a wider grin. “My quarters, or yours, then?”

It was the damnedest thing. Plo shuffled his feet a little, steepling his hands in a gesture that usually indicated a touch of nerves. “Unless you’re going to eat around a breathmask, then it must be yours, I’m afraid.”

Qui-Gon blinked. “You’ve been gone two years, not – that was a sabbatical! They reassigned your rooms?” He bit back a flare of anger, tucking it down to be released – damn. No. Qui-Gon breathed a little deeper, struggling to release his anger into the Force. He was never quite sure he was doing it right, but at least he’d had long practice in hiding his first reaction, and the subsequent confusion he’d been wrestling of late.

Plo looked surprised. “What? No, you misunderstand. I – when I returned, I had the ventilation systems changed.”

He stared. Plo Koon had gone off to Doran to study with the Sages there, learn more about his cultural heritage and whatnot. While Qui had missed his older friend’s presence, they’d spared enough time somehow to exchange a few quick electronic letters. Plo had been undergoing training of all sorts that ran him ragged, while Qui-Gon had finally broken off an amiable enough working partnership with Sinube when the older Knight had taken on a new padawan. Having finished his first, long solo mission, Qui-Gon been delighted to find both he and Plo were both in the Temple at the same time.

Still. It was a bit of a shock to realize that the time away had changed Plo quite so much. Even if it was just that Plo had become acclimatized to Doran’s atmosphere enough to not want to wear his antiox mask –

Well, it was understandable. Just damned strange. “Mine, then. Let me grab a tray.” Plo surprised him again with a graceful nod that was almost a bow, leaving Qui feeling distinctly unsettled as he gathered up his meal on autopilot.

Back at his quarters, he was busy clearing off the tiny table he almost never used, since he preferred taking his commissary tray to the battered sofa on the rare occasions he bothered to eat in his rooms. He was watching Plo a little covertly as the Kel Dor pulled a small vial of some sort from a belt pouch. It was a deft set of maneuvers as Plo neatly pierced his algae pouch, slitting it with some kind of ceremonial hand armor he was wearing. He tapped a precise amount of shimmering flakes from the vial into the food pouch before folding it back together and tucking the vial away.

By the time the table was clear, there was no visible sign that Plo had done anything with his food.

“Vitamin supplements?” Qui asked as they sat, nodding towards the food pouch. Plo froze for a moment, the area underneath his eye lenses coloring maroon.

“Not…really.” At Qui-Gon’s questioning look, Plo sighed and shrugged in resignation. “Spices. I never realized Coruscanti food pouches were so…bland.”

Qui blinked and sat back in his chair, setting his fork down slowly. “Plo Koon.” The Kel Dor’s shoulders hunched a little. “Are you trying to tell me you went off and found out food can be interesting?”

Plo used the Force to scoop up Qui’s fork and lightly clonk him on the head with the handle before returning it to the human’s hand. “Do shut up.”

“I believe the phrase is ‘I told you so,’ and so help me, I did.”

“You were drunk, and –”

“And so were you!” Qui-Gon waved the fork at his friend, grinning hugely. “Second time ever, if you are indeed to be believed, and I’m not certain that you are!”

Plo did the thing where he conveyed rolling his eyes, and for a bit things were almost like normal, back to how they used to be. That lasted through the meal and a bit after, until they migrated to the old sofa. They both went towards their usual ends, but instead of sitting at his end, Plo pulled himself up into a neat lotus. Qui-Gon sat down a little slowly, shaking his head. “You never mentioned Sage Parum was making you change all of your habits.”

“Yes, well, in light if giving up my mask, most of the others were of no significance.”

Qui snorted. “Plo, you’ve told me virtually everything you can about Doran, yet for all that you’ve mentioned your training maybe a time or two. What’s wrong?”

The Kel Dor went quiet, studying his hands for a long moment. Then he sighed. “My friend, much has changed since we last met.”

“Then perhaps if you talked to me about your concerns, we can do something about that, instead of sitting here dancing around the rancor in the room.”

Plo dipped his head into one of those polite nods again, giving a nervous chuckle. “I think you need to pick one verb and stick with it, Qui-Gon.” He took a deep breath, accentuated by his mask. “Master Yoda has…concerns that my studies with the Baran Do might be opening me to the Dark side.”

Qui-Gon froze in place, face still a polite, open facade. His mouth was opening and moving on its own, words sharp and vehement. “That’s absolute shit. Is he stupid?”

Plo held up a placating hand. “It is more complicated than that, Qui. It is quite understandable –”

“No, it is not!” Qui lunged to his feet, pacing across the room with an almost panicked snarl crossing his face. By the time he’d turned back to his friend, the expression was gone, the emotion hidden away, and the reminder that he was prancing about like Dooku in a snit was firmly in mind. “Plo, you’re an excellent Jedi. Your track record in the field is exemplary. Going to your homeworld to study with Force–”

“Qui!” Plo pointed to the sofa, imperious and stubborn in a way the human had never seen. “Please. Sit. I know I can trust you, but this is complicated!” He sighed and slouched back against the arm of the sofa, voice both weary and exasperated. “Please,” he repeated softly. “Sit.”

Qui-Gon stood in place for a long moment, muscles quivering with the impulse to run, to challenge someone or something, and once again he felt that lick of despair and hate as he fought it all back down without showing any emotion. Then he sighed and slumped back down in his seat. “You are not Dark,” he declared, allowing himself to sound fierce for the moment. That could be explained, that was reasonable, and Force help him, Plo would understand that.

Plo would believe that.

“Thank you,” the Kel Dor declared dryly. “I like to think so as well.”

Qui let out a snort of not-quite laughter, biting back the urge to reassure the man again that no, he wasn’t Dark. Qui-Gon couldn’t even begin to imagine his friend as Fallen, though he shied away from trying to visualize it too hard.

Some notions just could not be borne.

Plo stared at his hands for a bit, then sighed and steepled his fingers with slow precision.

Then Qui-Gon’s jaw dropped as flickers of green lighting sparked between the Kel Dor’s hands. He could feel no Darkness in the room, none of the emotion or rage needed to produce Force Lightning. There was merely Plo Koon’s usual balanced presence, a little agitated and sad, but on the even keel most Jedi needed and strove for. Plo separated his hands bit by bit, letting the emerald light sparkle in a cheerful little display of power that would probably have most Jedi reaching for the nearest lightsaber.

He finally dragged his gaze away from Plo’s hands to see the Kel Dor was watching Qui closely, faint concern rippling over his Force presence even as he lowered his hands. “The hells was that?” Qui-Gon gasped, only long practice keeping him still, even as his back muscles nearly locked into place with sympathetic memory and the well-learned need to keep still.

“Not Force lightning,” Plo said, voice quiet and somber. “The name translates fairly well to Emerald Judgement. I swear to you, Qui-Gon, it is not Dark.”

“No shit it’s not Dark,” he muttered, shaking his head and trying to discretely roll his shoulder muscles back into place. He knew Dark, he knew Force lightning, and he well remembered the feel of that power flaring through his body, even as a calm, disdainful voice kept insisting he must. Hold. Still.

After all, surely no Jedi would scream under that treatment, now would they?

Qui-Gon brushed the memory away with another head shake. “Please, Plo, tell me.”

That finally made Plo relax a little. He sighed and ran a hand over his head, wincing a little as he sent a random little static spark along his skin. “The Baran Do are not Jedi. They do not study the same teachings, nor in the same manner. I had not expected to find that their skills are also more varied. Which reminds me, you and I need to spar some time with staves. I’ve learned some interesting things –”

“Plo.”

The Kel Dor went still for a moment, then sighed. “This is…difficult, Qui. I am sorry. I just…” He placed his hands back together and stared down at them. “I am…different, now, and that is somewhat difficult to accept, even if I am not Dark.”

Ice water began to slither down Qui-Gon’s back, and he shifted position a little to try to hide the quivering muscles under his tunics. “Different?” His voice was a fraction too high, but Plo didn’t seem to notice.

“Not quite Jedi, not quite Baran Do. I’ve credentials as a fully-fledged Sage, for what that is worth.” His chuckle was just a touch bitter. “Not much, I suspect. They think we are violent little bastards, impatient little busybodies that don’t sit and listen to the Force enough to hear what it wants. I was not joking when I told you that I wore out a set of leggings from excess meditation.”

“And here I thought that was a euphemism.”

Plo snorted. “No. Different skills than a Jedi, different philosophies, and though none of them…contradict the Order’s views, they are…not quite as close as I think some might wish for them to be.”

Qui-Gon closed his eyes and sought to channel his emotions. Fuck releasing them, fuck trying to be Jedi, he needed some fucking composure now. “And you wish to follow at least some of those philosophies.”

There was an odd silence from Plo. “I…did mention how none of them contrad–”

“Fuck, Plo! Why?”

He opened his eyes to find Plo watching him, face professionally expressionless. There wasn’t the slightest doubt in Qui-Gon’s mind that it was Sage Koon who dipped his head in a polite nod of recognition. “My apologies, Qui-Gon. I did not think this would upset you, nor have I intended to.”

“Oh just stop,” Qui snapped, holding up a hand. “It’s absolutely not – You haven’t –” He stopped speaking with an exasperated breath, trying somehow to find words. “I think I understand more than you imagine. I –” The words caught in his throat, even after years of friendship, even after the show of trust Plo had granted him by showing him a skill that was rife with political implications and potential difficulties. “I –”

I am still just a new Knight, his mind muttered at him, even as despair settled around him like the old, well-worn cloak it was. No one would ever believe, not even based upon this kind of trust. He closed his eyes for a moment, upraised hand curling into a fist. “I am still your friend.” His voice broke a little. “I do trust you, I merely think you’re a little mad to just – flout the Code like that.”

“I am not flouting it.” Plo’s voice was soft, absurdly gentle. The Kel Dor settled back into his lotus position and shrugged. “I just might not follow it all to the letter.”

Qui’s laugh was hollow. “With thinking like that, you should try politics. Or the Council.”

“What makes you think they’re any different?”

Good. Back on familiar ground. Complaining about the Council, the hoops they had to jump through, the topic of the Baran Do politely abandoned by silent, mutual agreement. A part of Qui-Gon wanted to thank Plo for his bravery, his kindness in sticking out the conversation for another hour and change.

The rest of him was relieved when his friend finally left.

Qui-Gon stood before the closed door, one hand on the latch, the other braced against the door itself. He let his forehead thunk against the door, pounded it with the upraised fist. He started breathing exercises; deep, powerful breaths in a measured but fast rhythm. Then he turned and walked to his bedroom, shoving the closet door open. He opened the simple storage chest tucked into the back. He paused for a moment before pulling out one of the larger boxes inside, one marked with dates from his fifth year as a padawan.

He took the box out to the cooking area, checking on his way to make sure the fire suppression system was still properly disabled. He opened the box and upended it over the sink, sneering at the data pads and flimsiplast that cascaded into the sink. Stepping back, he shrugged and used the Force to lift the box up and over to the sink.

Qui-Gon used the Force to dismantle the box, shredding it as much as he could. The dust and splinters rained down over the detritus of life as a padawan; various notes, reading material and whatnot.

Nothing incriminating, of course. Nothing that was a hair different from that which any padawan to any Jedi in the Temple would have. All of it normal, bland, and lies, lies, lies.

Master Dooku was nothing if not an exemplary Jedi.

Qui-Gon snarled and let out his bottled emotions. Rage over ludicrous near-accusations against his friend. Grief and despair over a perpetually broken, horrible position.

Fury. Hate. Always so much hate for that. Fucking. Bastard!

He snapped out his arm, hand clenched into a claw, and violet-blue electricity exploded forth into the evidence of his past. He kept his Darkness tightly leashed, broiling emotions channeled to mirror the Darkness inwards, where only he could feel it. It rebounded back out, channeled to sear ‘plast to char, datapads sparking and exploding then melting into slag which kept burning.

When everything was gone but for the stink of burning material and Darkness, Qui-Gon lowered his arm. His breathing was still ragged, his blood still churning with emotion. He walked over to the sink with shaking legs, some of his muscles involuntarily twitching. He’d never figured out if it was past damage from having lighting flung at him, or just the trauma of the memory.

He really didn’t give any fucks.

Qui’s hand was mostly steady as he reached out and started the water, washing away the scorch marks from the porcelain. He glared down at the water, eyes burning as shame started to thread its way through the other emotions.

“Emerald Judgement” the Baran Do called their lightning, which was not emotion fueled, not Dark.

Qui-Gon knew Darkness.

His hands were steady as he washed them, clearing away the char still lingering on his fingertips. He dried them meticulously, setting the threadbare towel back on its hook. Then he braced himself on the sink, glaring down as he tried to get his breathing down to Jedi levels of calm.

Qui had to close his eyes against his faint, warped reflection off the wet porcelain, showing the yellow in his irises for all to see, and the thin rim of red surrounding them. Calm. Control. He had to regain control.

He had always wanted to be a Jedi, ever since he had been old enough to understand the concept.

He shoved his emotions back into the corner of his being where they lived and snarled amongst themselves. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he made himself clean up the shards of his life, as he always had since he’d become Dooku’s padawan. Even before he’d known.

His hands clenched tight, and he forced himself to let go, finger by finger.

Was it called Judgement because it would judge one? Did it spare the righteous, the innocent?

He didn’t dare ask. If he did, Plo might offer to show him.

Would it sear a Sith to pieces? Burn him into char?

Maybe if he was lucky, that would finally clean up all the shards of his life.

~end

#star wars #our writing #dogmatix #sithverse #qui gon #plo koon #angst

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