Berak Grae

"'I don't believe I've had the opportunity to test myself to my full potential. None of my opponents have matched to my abilities, with a weapon or with their mind.' -Berak Grae to Master Aas"Berak Grae is a Rodian male and Jedi Master born on Rodia in 41 ABY. Being trained by Jedi Master(later Grandmaster) Aas himself, Grae is highly skilled in both his Force abilities and lightsaber combat. In 74 ABY, Grae took Kashaar as his first official Padawan learner, and in 95 ABY, he began training Padawan Keto Medorma after Master Cyto Ki became the bodyguard of Chancellor Kyrus, and Medorma wasn't granted permission to accompany his master. Thanks to the teachings of both extremely skilled Jedi Masters, Medorma eventually became a skilled Jedi, as well.

Early Life
Berak Grae was born on Rodia to Ianta Grae and Doran Grae. He wouldn't form a bond with his family, as he was taken from his home almost a year after his birth by Ronin Jensari, a Thisspiasian Jedi Knight.

Padawan Learner
Grae was chosen to be the Padawan of Jedi Master Aas, one of the most skilled Jedi of the time. Aas instructed Grae on Forms I and IV, and his abilities in the Force. After becoming familiar with both Forms, Grae began teaching himself Forms II and V (more specifically, Shien) and would gain a strong understanding of both Forms. He would also learn a little bit of Form III, and would soon base his fighting style on a combination of the five Forms. Because of his Masters age and important role throughout the Jedi Order, Grae spent most of his time inside the Jedi Temple, and subsequently spent it harnessing his Force abilities.

Knighthood
Impressed with Grae's self-determined urge to keep learning new things, Master Aas decided to Knight his Padawan in 60 ABY, when Grae was 19 years old. After being Knighted, Grae began teaching himself Jar'Kai, the art of using two lightsabers in combat. On top of learning Jar'Kai, Grae also spent most of his time in the Temple library and studying the Jedi Archives.

In 64 ABY, Grae was tasked with locating Jedi Knight Nilbin Chan, who vanished weeks after leaving for Nal Hutta. Upon arriving, Grae requested an audience with the Hutt Council, who had denied any involvement of Chan's disappearance. While leaving the Council's chamber, a Pa'lowick female named Snee Lioa informed Grae than Chan was on Tatooine being used as a prize that would be presented to the winner of a Pod Race sponsored by Ganeda the Hutt. Grae traveled to Tatooine and, disguised as a bounty hunter, located Chan through use of the Force. While freeing Chan from the small cage he was locked in, two Gamorrean guards attacked the Jedi, who were able to fight them off with ease. Aside from fending off many of Ganeda's forces while escaping, both Jedi made it back to Coruscant unscathed.

Two months after freeing Chan, former Jedi Knight Nola Sandura, now a bounty hunter, infiltrated the Jedi Temple and attacked Grae inside the Temple library, who soon discovered that Ganeda had placed a bounty on him. Grae proved to be more than capable of keeping up with Sandura's attacks, despite ordering Chief Librarian Chi Jotsu and the other observing Jedi not to engage. Noticeably gaining multiple opportunities to disarm his opponent, Grae got carried away and killed Sandura. After the fight, Grae was ordered to report to the Jedi Council, where his actions where questioned. Although he faced expulsion from the Jedi Order, Grae was dismissed after Master Jotsu claimed that Sandura wouldn't have stopped fighting until one of them was dead. Despite this, Grae felt like a failure to the Order and began teaching himself restraint in battle.

First Padawan
In 74 ABY, Grae was allowed to begin training a Padawan of his own, and chose Kashaar. During their training throughout the following years, Grae taught Kashaar how to harness his Force abilities and better his lightsaber skills. However, Grae's teachings focused more heavily on mastering the Force, and Kashaar, who believed that lightsaber combat was a more important skill to master, confronted his master and voiced his opinion. Grae claimed that being able to master the Force would "do more good than engaging in violence with a lightsaber", but agreed to adjust his training methods with his Padawan, as long as Kashaar worked to enhance his Force abilities on his own time. Despite both of their opposing belief systems, the duo continued to work well together, and Kashaar was Knighted on his twentieth birthday.

Becoming a Master
Almost a year later, the Jedi High Council decided to grant Grae the title of Jedi Master following his successful training of a Padawan.

Following the quick rise in power of the New Galactic Empire, many Jedi were positioned as bodyguards to the senators of the New Republic Senator. When Master Cyto Ki was positioned as Chancellor Kyrus's bodyguard, Grae was required to continue training Ki's Padawan, Keto Medorma. Grae found the Ithorian to be an extremely talented individual after sparring with the Padawan. Medorma proved to be skilled in Form IV, with much credit to Master Ki's training, but Grae noticed that Medorma moved quicker than the average Ithorian. Grae began teaching Medorma Jar'Kai to help balance his speed with more precision with every strike. Medorma later combined his knowledge of Form IV and Jar'Kai into his own lightsaber combat style. In 99 ABY, Medorma was Knighted by the Jedi High Council after Grae's recommendation. After Medorma's Knighting, Master Aas told his former Padawan that he was proud of the Jedi he had become.

Jedi/Imperial War
After the Battle for Felucia in 99 ABY, the Jedi Order went to war with the Second Galactic Empire, and Grae was not selected to become a Jedi General or any other rank in the Jedi Order's new army, and he spent most of his time during the war inside the Jedi Temple.

In 100 ABY, Master Jotsu stepped down from his position as Chief Librarian and the position was offered to Grae, who declined, choosing to help maintain the Jedi Temple's defenses instead.

Attack on the Senate Building
Later that year, Chancellor Kyrus informed the Jedi High Council that he heard rumors of an attack on the Senate Building during the Senate's next meeting. Believing the rumors to be true, the Council sent almost 20 Jedi, led by Masters Grae and Jensari, to uphold the Senate Buildings security. Senators were ordered to make sure their previously assigned Jedi bodyguards attended the meeting alongside them. Before the meeting was held, two Jedi and a squadron of Jedi soldiers were positioned on each landing pad. Grae and Nilbin Chan shared the same landing pad, along with Chan's Padawan, Tora Follan, while Jensari oversaw the meeting inside the building with Jedi Knight Jetsu Niata. Snipers were also positioned many in nearby buildings.

As Kyrus previously warned, New Imperial forces attacked the building during the meeting, and Jensari locked down the Grand Convocation Chamber while Grae, Chan, Follan, and the other Jedi fought off the enemies outside. The Jedi and their soldiers defended the building with ease, but Grae realized that the battle was just a distraction for something greater. When Grae realized this, Chan and Follan attacked the Rodian Jedi Master. Grae managed to hold off both of them for a while, Force pushing Chan away and dueling Follan. Chan used his Padawan as a distraction and entered the Senate Building, where he soon found Chancellor Kyrus being escorted to safety by Ki, Jensari, and Niata. After defeating Follan and leaving him with the Jedi soldiers, Grae tracked Chan down and discovered that he had killed Niata and was dueling the other two Jedi on his own. Grae joined the battle so Ki could escort the Chancellor to safety.

Grae and Jensari Vs Chan
Despite being outnumbered by two Jedi Masters, Chan immediately went on the offensive, using the speed of Form IV to leap behind Jensari and Force push him into a wall before attacking Grae with his lightsaber. Grae fended off Chan's rapid lightsaber strikes by utilizing Form III, but he had some difficulty matching to his opponents speed and reverted to the precision of Form II to regain his defensive advantage. When Jensari rejoined the fight, Chan grabbed Niata's lightsaber to help him defend against the attacks of both Jedi Masters. Chan managed to hold off both mens attacks while wielding both lightsabers, but his inexperience in Jar'Kai caused him to leave openings in his defense, which allowed Jensari to Force push him a few yards down the hallway. Not wanting to continue a fight he was bound to lose, Chan fled down the hallway. Grae continued after Chan while Jensari fought off a group of New Imperial soldiers that infiltrated the building. Grae chased Chan to a landing pad, which was occupied by Jedi Knight Nash Patura and his Padawan Grun Iilac, who trapped him between themselves and the Rodian Jedi Master. Grae was then Force pushed through the door of the Senate Building by Chan, after he threw both lightsabers at Patura and Iilac, who then jumped off the side of the landing pad and escaped.

Hunting for Chan
After the attack on the Senate building, the Jedi High Council placed one of its most trusted members, Jedi Master Hanyon Zonnan, in charge of hunting down the rogue Chan. Zonnan ordered Grae to search Coruscant's cities in the underworld. Patura and Iilac also searched the planets underworld, but after months of searching, Chan was never found. Grae also began thinking that restraining himself too much is what caused Chan to escape in the first place.

Grae accompanied Zonnan to interrogate Follan, who was imprisoned by the New Republic and being held on Coruscant. Follan denied any involvement or contact with Darth Katos, the Wookiee Sith Lord leading the New Galactic Empire, and that he and his Master were acting on their own accord, but did say that their plan was meant to end in the Chancellor's death. Follan also claimed to not know of Chan's whereabouts.

Personality and Traits
As a Padawan, Grae had an eagerness to learn, and would spend most of his free time perfecting his lightsaber and Force skills. After killing Nola Sandura, Grae felt immediate regret and began teaching himself how to restrain his powers. Later on, Grae began doubting the importance of showing restraint, fearing it kept him from achieving victory in extreme scenarios. As he aged, his devotion to the Jedi Order grew more powerful, making him extraordinarily loyal.

While training Kashaar, Grae realized that his belief that Force mastery was more important than lightsaber mastery was rivaled his Padawans opinion that supported the opposite belief, but was more than capable of reaching agreements with him in order to complete the training to both of their liking. Grae did this throughout Kashaar's apprenticeship. Grae would also negotiate with Medorma during his apprenticeship as well.

Grae is known to be incredibly wise for his age, partly due to his immense hours spent at the Jedi library studying the Jedi Archives and his desire to continue learning about the Force. Grae was even offered to become the Chief Librarian, but declined.

Lightsaber Skills
Grae was quickly able to learn Forms I and IV under the training of Master Aas, and soon taught himself Forms II and Shien, and a basic concept of Form III. He later adapted all five Forms into his own fighting style, utilizing different aspects and moves from each one. Grae was more than confident in his skills whenever he fought Nola Sandura, the former Jedi Knight turned bounty hunter, and was capable of defending himself from Nilbin Chan and Tora Follan, the latter of which wielded a double-bladed lightsaber. Grae also had some knowledge about Jar'Kai, teaching the skill to Keto Medorma and even being able to defend himself against it when Chan used two lightsabers against him in battle.

Force Abilities
Grae strongly believed that skills with the Force were more important that skills with a lightsaber, and would spend most of his spare time training in the ways of the Force. Because of his constant training, Grae grew to be a powerful Force user capable of pushing his opponents hundreds of yards away and sensing the emotions of non Force-sensitive beings.

Grae realized his potential in both skills, and has claimed multiple times that he hasn't been able to test the true limits of his abilities, yet says he'd rather wonder than have to find out.