Li Andru
Padawan Learner
Homeworld: Shili
Mentor(s): Moza Ferorn
Species: Togruta
Biography
Li Andru is a nine year old female Togruta, born of the year 261 of the 6th day. She stands at a height of .6 meters tall. Her physical appearance was made up of a purple-toned face with black and white striped Lekku and Montrals. Her eyes glistened with the Shili’s deep ocean watery Blue. A very rare color, even for a Purple toned Togruta.
Li Andru’s birth family consisted of three members. The first was her Mother, whose name was Sheila. Sheila was a Healer, or a Doctor as it is known in most cultures. The second was her father, Zaran. Unlike the path of a Healer, Zaran went with the path of a Teacher. The third member of the family was her Uncle, whose name was always withheld from the child, but known as Tyrien. Li’s parents always maintained a high respect from their communities. Their sense of helpfulness and selflessness always drew attention. With their jobs as demanding as it was, both the parents juggled their free time to spend time with Li. Because of this, Tyrien had become a valuable commodity to the family. Seeing as how Sheila and Zaran were not around a lot, Tyrien often watched over the child. Li’s uncle had always been proclaimed the godfather of the child; Babysitting, teaching her, loving her. Do not be misleading, though. Li’s parents had love for her, but they never felt Li was alone because of her Uncle. He was a friend, mentor and secondary guardian to the child.
Though Li worked hard for her own individuality, she was blessed with traits from her mother and father. She had received an abnormally strong willpower from her mother. In a shorter term, her experiences have taught her that she could resist most temptations. And from her father the Togruta male’s independence trait. Most things she attempted to do on her own even if she ended in utter failure. Although riddled with failure, she still hungered to do things on her own. When Li was at the age of two, her parents had caught the child doing something they did not believe she could do. With a few crawls towards a stool, she had edged her way to her knees and, eventually, stood to her feet. Of course, this was after many failed attempts at it. Her persistence came useful, until she had finally achieved her first goal: standing. It was not a few days after that she began taking her first steps. Her stubbornness and discipline have proven to be inspiring, but it may very well be her downfall. At the age of four, Li was beginning her early years of schooling. Although the young Togruta was full of adventure and kindness, she was filed with inspiration and a consciousness to do all things right. With a heavy heart, she helped her friends and peers correct things that she would find ‘incorrect’. She often felt alone when it came to schooling because she always wanted to be the perfect little Togruta. But, her kindness always overlapped with her sense of stability.
It was now the year of 266 and the 5th day, exactly 1 away from Li turning six. She was walking towards a spiritual Togruta shrine for an Andru family tradition that was placed down by generation after generation for nearly six-hundred years. Some Togruta would call it a Ceremony, but Tyrien calls it a natural birthright. It was tradition that the eldest of the family would sit down five strokes before the turning of the new day, 23:55, and stare into the eyes of the Togruta until the stroke of that individuals sixth birthday. Depending on what the girls inner spirit reflected through her iris determined the fire that she carried inside of her. As the clock struck 23:54, the child and her uncle sat down with burning torches placed in front of the shrine lay next to them. Li was nervous about what her uncle would see, but remained calm and respectable. Now, the time was 23:55 and the ritual had begun.
The reason why the birthright was held at such a late hour is because the discipline of the family was to have the child be asleep at the time of 20:00. Depending on the resilience of the Child’s eyes mattered greatly on the outcome. Should the child have weary eyes and a lack of strength, their future was not promising. If the eyes were wide opened and active, their future was very promising. However, with a short choice of either promising or unpromising, came an even harder decision. Should the child blink many times, the path would be very difficult. And if the child should blink few times, it would be an easy path.
And so, Tyrien stared into the Childs eyes for five long minutes. To Li, these five minutes seemed like a year. But, with confidence, the girl was wide awake. She remained active, alert, strong, and her spirit full of fire blazing. Now 00:01 her uncle was confident of his decision that her future was strong, indeed. But, the young child *did* blink many times. Young Li was only prepared mentally, not physically. As such, it was marked that the year 266 of the 6th day, Li Andru would be an honorable Togruta with the future worthy of excellence, and she would have to work hard to achieve her full potential.
It was the year 268 and the day the 13th of the month. All had appeared well for young Li. Her schooling hours, chores, and private sessions with her Uncle, all appeared to be a normal day. Although the day was a shadow of normality, what stirs in the heart of a normal girl often misleads. As the day drew to an orange and red colored sky, a search party was being formed. The search party contained faces such as Sheila Andru, Zaran Andru and Tyrien Andru, who lead the search party. It would appear that Li Andru had been missing for several hours, shortly after students at the local Academy broke for lunch. One of the Li’s teachers had noticed her missing after roll call. After about twenty minutes of search the Academy grounds, Li’s parents and uncle were notified, and they took action outside of the Academy. With two groups searching, one being lead by the Academy’s supervisor and the other Tyrien, they had began sweeping the area of ten miles. Meanwhile…
Li Andru was having an ordinary day. She had just finished her hour of reading and went with her class peers to eat lunch. Shortly after eating her lunch [1 Apple, 1 Blue Milk Box, 1 Bread stick, and 1 Fried Crispic] she decided to take a before-class stroll in the Gardens. Li Andru has a problem with the beauty and delicateness of nature. Although, her gentle Togruta side of her is always admiring nature, she always wanted to embrace nature in a more passionate sense. With her sense of calmness and fortitude with the earth, she felt easily capable of sleeping under a tree, or a bush, or even on a bed of flowers. So, with her eyes spotting a pleasant spot to lay down for a moment to rest, she drifted off to unconsciousness, leaving no word of her whereabouts. It was several hours until she had awakened. The sky had turned to a dusty yellow vision, with barely few clouds remaining and the sight of a half cut orange lowering out of sight. Li had risen to her feet from underneath the tree and started making her way back home. To her surprise, she had many guests waiting for her at her house; including her family. The end of the day Li had been sent to her room and grounded for a week straight. Though upset by what she did, she was neither angry nor mad at anyone but herself.
Late in the evening hour, just before Li was lying down for the evening, her uncle had stopped by for a visit. As Li’s private tutor he had been observing the child since she turned the age of four. Knowing a year before the visit that she carried a gift of exponential potential, he could not allow her to be kept secluded any longer. He quickly brought it to the attention of Sheila and Zaran. As failed to mention before, Tyrien’s occupation was in philosophy; a wise and noble teacher to many of Shili’s greatest leaders. The potential that Li had was found far greater than the normal Togruta everyone thought she was.
It was the year 265.04 when two unknown humans entered the Corvala Galactic Alliance Embassy. The closer they came to landing, it was clear that they were flying a silver J-type Star Skiff. As the ship landed, one of the humans’ had exited, meeting a small group of Togruta representatives. The human was dressed in a long brown robe with cream colored tunics beneath it. A few moments later, after a brief talk, the second human had exited the ship. His apparel was the same. With an escort of two Togruta guards, the two humans and the group of Togruta representatives entered the embassy doors, leaving their ship in the bay.
Continuing to be escorted by Togruta representatives, they made their way through the Embassy and entered a large classroom. There, Li Andru and twenty four other students were waiting for there arrival. As a special treat each year the children of the Grill Loc Academy of Corvala, the Academy of Higher Learning, were allowed a three hour visit with two representative’s of Coruscant. Seeing as the distance between Shili and Coruscant was dramatically long, the students were given a great honor to be given this privilege. And that is why only twenty four of the twelve-thousand three-hundred students were allowed to speak with the representatives. Li Andru and a boy named Meekno Ta were the only two in the same grade. The other twenty were older or in a higher grade.
After the honorary welcoming and ceremony of the two humans’ arrival, the two had taken a seat in front of the large viewing audience. With Li Andru and Meekno Ta in the front row, seeing as how they were the smallest and youngest, the other students sat parallel to the two men in rows that were placed scaling away in an upside-down-triangular pattern. After taking a brief moment to stare around the room at all twenty-four of the students, the two men immediately dismissed twelve of the twenty four, and had them removed from the room. Of course, with the group split up, so did the two humans. The younger of the two humans had escorted the group of twelve out into a separate section of the embassy. It was never mentioned to Li Andru what had happened with the twelve students. The group that had remained, Li Andru’s group, was left to be questioned with many, many questions for nearly two hours. They were instructed to write down their answers on a data pad. A time limit of five minutes was given to each question. They were to look up immediately after they had answered, so they could save time.
Two hours passed and a small break was given to the twelve students, during which time they could get a drink, eat a snack, use the restroom or simply relax. After the break was over, the students had just began entering the room, but the two humans were there waiting for them. They had ordered seven of the twelve students to leave with, once again, leave the room. Li’s friend, Meekno, had gone with the two. Now all that was left were five students. Three of which were aged twelve years, one was aged eleven years, and of coarse, Li Andru, age nine years.
With the room emptied, the human had asked the five students to take a seat in the front. Five selected candidates of the twenty-four waiting, ignorant of what was going on or who the human was, he had began to speak.
He first introduced himself as a Jedi Watcher. His mission was to enter the Shili system to conduct an experimental test to find Force-sensitive candidates. Of course, realizing that he had waited until a small number of students were left, the class immediately assumed that they were selected; at least, that was what Li Andru had assumed. The Jedi Watcher continued on with his speech, answering any and all questions given by the five. With Li Andru being her curious little self, she asked the most questions. The Jedi Watcher had ended his speech with a congratulatory hand shake and a letter of notification to be given to the candidates’ guardians.
And so, as the eventful day’s sun dieing and the moon being reborn once more, Li Andru and her four peers were escorted back to the Academy where they made their usual trail back home. The two Jedi Watchers, however, had to stay back at the Embassy and report back to the Temple of Coruscant.
Early the next morning when the bright sun had risen far beyond the peaks of the horizon, Li woke up expecting a lecture from her uncle about her lateness. To her surprise, she was not given one. Li’s mother, father and uncle were gathered around the family table and appeared to be talking amongst each other. Once noticing that Li was awake, they decided it was a good time to eat lunch. After eating the meal, Li had abruptly spoken about the letter she had given to her mother. After a brief pause, the three had smiled and agreed to allow her to be accepted into the Jedi Training. It was because of the date of her sixth year that she was given permission to leave, to fulfill her fate.
The morning of 269.25, Li Andru’s life began to rapidly change forever. Doing as she told by finishing her packing, she had said her goodbyes to her family and took off for Coruscant. The four began their walk to the Corvala Embassy, nearly a two mile hike. It was on this hike that Li Andru noticed how serious the situation was, and became disheartened by what, exactly, she was going to do. But, none the less, the young girl realized the opportunity ahead of her and she accepted the two Jedi’s offer. Once arriving at the Embassy, Li Andru had a few moments to say good-bye to her family, and step aboard the Star Skiff. With a hug and a kiss a piece, she did exactly as instructed by the Jedi, and finally left the planet of Shili. That was the last time she had seen her parents and uncle. It was her last thoughts of Shili.
On her way to Coruscant, Li had been traveling with four Togruta and two human Jedi. The eldest of the Jedi remained in the back with the Togruta, so full of hope, while the younger of the two piloted the skiff. In flight, the elder Jedi Watcher had been listing off what would happen to the five. Telling them about the test, the Jedi Council, and even the Temple Locations that the Council might send them off for training, if they should prove worthy of passing the test. Li had stayed quiet, still accepting and coping with what is happening. It was a big change for the girl. One day she was sipping blue milk and talking with her girlfriends, and the next flying in an alien starship.
Finally, the Coruscant Jedi Temple landing bay was visible. As the shuttle approaches the docking bay, hissing sounds could be heard from inside the skiff. Finally, the shuttle came to a steady halt. Three strangers, three men and one woman, were waiting outside the shuttle to greet the young faces. Li was the second to last off the shuttle, being followed by the eldest of the two Jedi. For some strange reason, throughout the entire ride or visit, the two watchers *never* mentioned their names. They just said to call them Master. Li never understood why they called them Master, until the two spoke out to the four strangers with the word Master, and bowing. Two of the four strangers took the three oldest of the selected few into a shuttle, departing immediately. The two remaining strangers had taken Li and the ten year old, named as Po Treel, into the Temple. Once inside, they walked down a hallway into a small classroom. On our way to the classroom, the two announced themselves as Jedi Master and Councilors’ Yaron Mnemos and Shaktar Ilumino.
During the stay in the classroom, the Councilors had taken Li and Po into their own cubical station. Li was given an exam by Shaktar while Po was examined by Yaron. During Li’s exam, a series of tests and devices were used on the child to first see if the child possessed a connection with the Force. She had been given a blood test for a midichlorian count. Shaktar had mentally connected into the mind of Li to visually sense, in her own mind, the potential that Li carried. Po had undergone the same treatment. After the examination was complete, the two Togruta were split up and sent on different paths of the Great Hall. Li had never seen Po after that.
Li was taken to a small group of Jedi Masters where she would greet them, speak with them for just a brief moment, and then leave without knowing exactly had happened. In the middle of the group was a Jedi Watcher himself; assigned to test the attitude and charisma of the child. Should she successfully pass *his* test, she would be assigned to a nearby Jedi Temple to undergo the candidacy of a Jedi Hopeful. Should she pass *this* test, then her path ahead of her as a Jedi will begin to be written.
And as the year 269 of the 26th day draws closed, young Li Andru’s fate is about to be tested over the next three weeks. Over the course of these three weeks, she will see if she is Jedi capable. If so, she will become a Jedi. If not, she will be sent back to Coruscant to either be transferred back home, or to a different Jedi Temple to await further trials and more testing.
Li’s arrival to the Temple on 270.26 sparked curiosity amongst the students. Making an abrupt entry, she exited the ship and began meeting the Jedi of the Yavin IV Temple, her relocation position, issued by the Jedi Council of Coruscant. She met a very large variety of species from Kel Dor, Zabrak, and Human to Echani, Kiffar, and Arkanian. Though a many of species, there were also Togruta; Yulia Cera and Z’phos. Yulia was a female Togruta bearing the mark of the rising sun, and Z’phos was a male, bearing the strange marks of the flowing river. It was strange; I had never seen a Togruta with this mark. But, now Li Andru was living in the guest dormitories, waiting her trials of the Yavin IV temple.
Even though she was waiting, she still had the urge to learn more about what she was doing, why she was going to do it, all sorts of information. So, in the three week span she began to research. She asked many Masters questions like, “What are a Jedi?”, “What is the Force?”, “Why am I at this Temple?” She got an answer to all of them, eventually. She attended all of the classes that the Jedi had to offer, but it was a very fast three weeks.
As the Jedi Council of Yavin IV met on the year of 270 and the 19th day, they conducted their normal Cycles Council Meeting. On the agenda for the day, Jedi Padawan Iverian Prey and the Candidates for Jedi Initiation, Li Andru and her fellow peers were called into the Council chambers. Unknowing of what the purpose of the calling was for, Li Andru became extremely nervous and frightened. She had never had the honor of meeting a gathered High Council before, other than the four Councilors she had met on Coruscant. She began to make her way to the Chambers, and on her way her mind was filling with many certain thoughts; thoughts of failure, of remorse or loss, very deepening thoughts.
Her arrival was eased by the eying of her peers; Curtis Aderkon, Elsavira Zanshin, Jaden Valdar and Xeeris. All five were waiting to enter the Council Chambers. After being escorted to the Council lobby by Jedi Knight Cyril Feraan, we waited anxiously to be called in one by one into the chambers. Elsavira was the first, followed by Curtis, then Xeeris, and then Li, and lastly Jaden. She was unaware of what was happening, and her friends would not give her a clue. All she could do is wait and fidget in her seat until she was called.
It was now time. “Li Andru.” Master Cyril called out. He had held the door open for her to be escorted in to the center of the Chambers. However, she was struck with a nervous twitch and she had to be told twice to take the center view. Eventually, she did, and was being glared upon by four men; Jedi Master and Councilman Soh Raun, Corinth Alkorda, Jamus Kevari, and Jedi Knight Cyril Feraan. She was greeted by Jedi Master Soh Raun, where she was asked a single question: “What have you learned about the Jedi and the Force so far, Li?” She quickly responded with her answer, which was her current thought at the time. She had never met Soh Raun before, so in between her answer she had asked for the Councilman’s’ name. He responded with Soh Raun, followed by her response. Soon, Master Cyril Feraan had asked for Li’s attention, where he tested her insights on a three pictured test. Her answers’ intentions were to guess what was on the Data pad. Without any idea or having the slightest sense of three objects, she quickly searched her feelings and thoughts to raise the answers. Though, she never knew exactly what was on them. They never gave the answers.
After Master Feraan had asked the girl her three sense questions, she was asked to step out into the lobby with her peers. And, for a short while, a tense and silence moment fell upon the five. When Master Feraan came back out, he called in all five of the candidates. They all took center once more, and were given the results. With a sudden heart stoppage of all five, Master Feraan gave the results. Li Andru was the only one of five to be accepted into the Academy. Her fellow peers and close friends were being relocated back to Coruscant for further deliberation of their futures as Jedi.
Now at the 9th year into her life, she had embraced the career as a Jedi. She took her training seriously, seeing has how she could actually begin her training. When Initiated, she was given a container of Jedi tools that she would need and get use to for her every day life; A Comm device, a Data Pad, a Jedi wardrobe, clips for her items, a shield pack generator for her belt, and her Lightsaber. The girl later discovered the uses for each device by Jedi Knight Iverian Prey. The Comm device was a communications link with her brothers and sisters of the Force. Her Data Pad, which would probably be her closest friend for a long while, was a device to take class notes, write assignments with it, and record her Journal entries. A good use for her, but a very new tool since her time of using the sketch pad back at the Grill Loc Academy. And last her Lightsaber. A Jedi’s symbol for what he or she stood for.
Her first class as a Jedi was Jedi Master Jamus Kevari’s class on Lightsaber Arts and Theory. She had previous classes with Jedi Knight Iverian Prey and Jedi Knight Moza Ferorn, but only small lessons on equipping the hilt and using its powers. Master Kevari’s’ class had curricula where he would have a pre-set teaching agenda. This year he would be teaching the basics of the Lightsaber Arts and Theory. Her first lesson was based on body attacks, starting off with the four essential attacks; Cho Mai, Cho Mok, Cho Sun, and Sai Cho. The class lasted for nearly an hour and one half.
Although the class lasted for quite awhile, her experiences with classes were already clear to the young Togruta. From her time on Gril Loc, she had spent several hours working hard on her studies; and always recorded or drew her experiences with a sharp eye for detail. With her past already on her side, she could easily note down class Notes on her new Data pad with great success.
It started off to be a ordinary day, but turned out to be a devastating day to the young Togruta girl. It is the year 271 and the 2nd day, nearly four days until the girls’ birthday. As a casual day, she made her way into the Training Dojo to begin her daily. Though, on her way she heard an announcement over her Comm. “A funeral was being held in five minutes. All students and faculty, brothers and sisters are invited to attend.” Though, when she got there, only a small number of the Jedi were present. Of the Jedi present, Jedi Councilman Soh Raun and Corinth Alkorda were the two attending leaders of the funeral. It was a friend of Li Andru’s, Ryrek Flavius. With the child’s naturalistic and kind, loving heart, any death of a friend she knew, she would take it to the extreme level. She loved and cared for all of her friends. Some times she would not show it, but a strong weakness is an attachment to her family and friends.
With the funeral being cast, the processes included a speech by his former Master, Jedi Council Soh Raun, a speech by Jedi Councilman Corinth Alkorda, and the burning of the body to be released back into the Forces life stream. Jedi Knight Aslyn Denethorn and Jedi Knight Arkallon escorted the body to be burned, and as Master Corinth Alkorda lit the timber under the carcass, Li Andru was struck with a heavy heart, and turned her attention away from the blaze and into the abdomen of Jedi Knight Rash Loist.
After the funeral services were held, for a day young Li mourned the passing of Ryrek Flavius, and searched for consult through several Masters; Jedi Master Corinth Alkorda, Jedi Knight Rash Loist, and Jedi Knight Ergo Stomi. All three earned their place in Li’s heart for helping and supporting her.
Though struck with a burden of selfishness and a loss of a friend, Li’s next day would begin her full pledged journey as a Jedi by manipulating the Force through her body to allow usage. Jedi Knight Rash Loist, on the year of 271 and the 3rd day, taught the young child to channel the Force through her hand to force an energy wave outwards from her hand, pushing the wave outward. Though, being taught this new style, she was more excited about learning to use the Force than failing to use it.
Over the course of several Cycles, Li Andru’s power, both physically and mentally, slowly began to grow and strengthen within her. Although with her dedication towards her studies, classes and work outs, she was not succeeding with getting used to Academy social life. She could easily do her assignments and maintain a self disciplined practice and patience to steadily learn at her own pace. However, when it came to strengthening her bonds with her friends, she feared that doing so would be very much harder than she had anticipated.