A Conclave for Concern

[Jubba the Mutt]

Jubba listened carefully to those who had gone before him and spoken and although the various different opinions each had their own merits, he was not certain himself which path to take. When an opportunity to speak arose, he would butt in to share his own thoughts in his native tongue as he continued to struggle to learn basic without a tutor.

Bu Beh doth kotky see upee an hhacs, gee paknee ata bokeua dee divisive tokiy da wahca bu kankahnox'a dee Shenpagcotkha mee danko an du woy hee la gee doptmuioka an moova koumhaptecee tee tokiy kankahuesa. Bu Ciduepe mee doth tee tee kouocea hocan haku bu Beh koee dopo bai cuanica um jeejee katka dotmuaha wonkee bu bideh uonza see cauekea gee neu tee ahban abeatit an kanlekau cay bu tam Ponlaueay, in ting wa sauasolea saiit bai manpanh cay jen dah wa tabakhoi danko mo cay naa jen.

Jubba shifted his gaze around the room slowly, taking in any reactions to what he had been saying.

Jee tee caie bidkana bu naa che lhecs bu cahwahh dooo whao fa doth taaiekadi, pionpoe Jee nah uonlaueza bai sawanba haku jeejee gee pantkhee hocan mah koumola bai coletca peee Meecooda. Jee hatkocanh bidkana bu naa bai chalankbana du sawanba haku jeejee gee bai chakaph, fa doth bu koumuaee jeejee caiot woy che tee chamy ahban jot charra mon bu camai dah kae danko jeejee bahva bai banpop chakaph. Whao bu saleu doth woy hocan da bu Ahban doth bai bolla dah bu awanu, hee hee doth fa.

Jeejee katka paknee ata tytung can bai douuot bankop bu kouuice wuona dee saieu doi hheicwa, um jeejee katka matka nesue da jeejee cha bolla gee haku jeejee phaba du bai cuanica fa. Jee cha neu wonkee jeejee tee caie tytung joday pin bai cuanica heee gai, cueiauee ai wapit dah bo hotpa ree wa tee-tocky.

Having said his peace, Jubba returned to his seat hoping that he had gotten his point across well enough.

 

[Leto Antilles]

Rattata Prime?! Leto hadn't heard of that one, but he assumed the Jedi Master knew what he was talking about so said nothing. Instead he stood in silence and listened. The little holographic Amaran Master had brought up a good point in that even if they allied with worlds they didn't have the means to protect them. Why would anyone ally with them if all they could offer was a target on their heads? Guess insight like that was why he was a Master and Leto wasn't.

He was listening to others speak up now, offering ideas, smart and useful ones at that. The holographic rebuke and convinced him to stay quiet through the rest of the conclave, but then the Hutt he had met in the hangar not too long ago spoke up and Leto could only stare in confusion.

"What?" The word spat out of his mouth before he could control himself, the entitled princeling revealing himself once more. "Sorry," he mutter softly as the Jedi next to him turned to look at him, probably expecting another tantrum from him, "it's just that I don't speak Huttesse. That was Huttesse right?"

Around him he noticed a few other Jedi nodding along and almost sighed, guess he wasn't the only one who hadn't understood what the Knight had said.

 

[Fennex Zeerda]

"I... Wh..."

Maybe the Hutt had been speaking to everyone telepathically when he grumbled, burped, and bellowed through his speech. There was no way to tell for Fennex and Company on the holo from a few million lightyears away. Fennex flipped off his voice-pick up again, the shimmering blue hologram focusing in on the slug as he said something that was obviously incredibly important, since it looked like the multi-ton Jedi had worked up an interpretive dance to go with the grating sound of the dialogue now filling the small crew lounge of Fen's Infiltrator.

"What's he saying? Who speaks Huttese?" Fen inquired of his companions, tail swishing irritably. He was clearly missing quiet a lot. This sounded like vital information, and he wanted to hear it.

"He wants to meet with the Chancellor-" a dry metallic voice called from the co-pilot station, "-and get a lobotomy. I can assist personally with the latter, but I calculate the odds of a Jedi delegation being well received by the Republic at four thousand seven hundred and eighty eight-"

"Stuff it you worthless droid!" Fen interrupted KR3CH. Stupid walking scrapheap. The Jedi Master didn't know how Vin put up with him for so long. If he didn't know so many languages and come in handy as a copilot (and for the occasional nerf-back ride) Fen would have had the junkers memory wiped so hard...

"... to one."

 

[Kane]

"I agree with Jubba honestly, he has a point."

Kane spoke again as he stepped more towards the Hutt Jedi.

"I would gladly volunteer to.be a part of the delegation if the council were to proceed with that line of action. Provided the republic agreed to such a meeting. However I would suggest the meeting was in a neutral area."

 

[Galahad Vult]

Galahad shook his head at Fennex's question, completely unable to decipher the Hutt's speech. At first he thought their ship's co-pilot was just being sassy, but when Kane agreed, it confirmed that the Hutt had indeed suggested a diplomatic meeting with the Chancellor. "Put us back on, Master," Galahad requested. "I wish to respond."

Once they had been unmuted, the blond Jedi spoke up. "I would agree if we were under different circumstances. However, to the Republic we are mere outlaws and no better than the Cartel. In our attempt to help them in the past, we have forced ourselves into matters that do not concern us. Any further efforts to establish friendly terms with the Republic, no matter where we meet, would likely do more harm than good." He glanced sidelong in the direction of the cockpit, wondering if Jubba actually had mentioned a lobotomy. "If we presume the Sith are putting pressure on the Republic, and that the terms of their Non-Aggression Pact requires hostility towards the Order, then negotiations with us could only be seen as grounds to break the NAP."

Looking to Councillor Shai, Galahad concluded, "Even if such a delegation were approved, it should be made up entirely of masters and councillors." He then turned his attention to the volunteer, "I mean no offense, brother Kane, but the presence of us Knights in a meeting with the Chancellor would be akin to a private trying to negotiate with the Empress herself. It would be, frankly, insulting." Having made his point, Galahad waited for the others to offer their thoughts.

 

[Tynian]

Tynian sat back with his arms folded. He had already pledged to do whatever it took to help the Order.
Strengthening the Jedi outposts was a good idea, as well as meeting with certain planetary governments to help solidify the relations between them and the Jedi.
Deciding which ones though, was an interesting discussion.

“What has the council discussed and decided as a course of action, if I may ask?”

 

[Azar Torsin]

Azar had been content to merely sit back and listen up until this point. He didn't like the spotlight and he didn't like grandstanding. In fact, he had actively avoided conclaves before this and only half listened to what had been said up until this point. Instead, his mind was churning through the outcomes of what they had in front of them.

And then people began to suggest sending a delegation to the Republic, and Azar winced. He understood why they thought that, but it was not a good idea. He waited for the chattering to die down (or at least as much as it ever did).

What does the Republic have to do to show they're not our friend? he asked pointedly. He knew there would be those who would throw around phrases like "you only make peace with your enemies" or other equally quip-like adages that weren't practical in the real world, but this needed to be said.

They've declared us enemies. They've made an alliance with our enemy. They have picked a side. How long are we going to cling to the desperate and unfounded hope that the Republic wants anything to do with us? he asked, standing up from where he had been seated up until now.

Sending a delegation will be sending lambs to the slaughter. They put bounties on the heads of Jedi for fighting the Cartel. They are our enemy, and will gladly turn those delegates over to their puppetmaster - Andraste - to save themselves. And who can blame them? What do the Jedi have to offer when we can't even defend ourselves? he asked bluntly. He didn't care whether or not anyone believed him because he was right. It wasn't his opinion, it was the fact, and anyone that ignored it would be wasting their time... if they even survived.

If we continue to focus on the Republic, there won't be any Jedi left to fight the Emipre, he stated scathingly. He wasn't sure that anyone realized just how precarious a place the Jedi were at and if they weren't careful, none of them would be around to defend peace and justice anymore. They would be wiped out.

 

[Bruce Guleya]

Spoiler: OOC / TL:DR

Yeah... so I might have overdone it. Really sorry about that folks... lots of yellow-ish text.

Short version: Yes the Sith might have coerced the Chancellor into making that decision, but it is done and we cannot change it - we will be killed or captured and killed if we try and pursue this. We need to forget about and focus on ourselves.

In addition, the actions are of one man NOT an entire people. Many people in the Republic MAY disagree with this decision.

Further, A delegation is a suicide mission and the Jedi will not sustain anymore careless losses. The Jedi Order needs to reinforce what we already have (specifically Tython) and get out there and get planets, resources, and assets (Find shipyards, make alliances, establish footholds).

We have to look after ourselves and not everyone else, the Jedi are no longer peacekeeprs or guardians of the galaxy.

We must be prepared.



Sorry everyone. Got a little carried away...

Bruce had been present with the rest of the council, he shared the stage with his fellow Councillors. He had been listening closely to all the background noise and all the ruckus presented by those gathered, as a method to keep things sorted in his head he had maintained a continuous and passive meditation where he allowed the words to flow through him and absorb what was being said. This allowed him to cut the chatter down to a more manageable level; he hated large crowds, he always sought peace.

His mind processed the words as they were coming through, piece by piece, point by point, everyone had their own beliefs and own points, some valid while others were questionable. He possessed no opinion on the points - to him, everything was valued. What caught his attention a little bit more was the Huttese that entered the Conclave. His connection with Force and his extensive knowledge and deep levels of trance allowed him to translate the speech to a more condensed version. He nodded a long casually, to the untrained eye it might have appeared that the Caretaker had no interest in all of the conversation, but on the contrary.

His attention shifted from one comment to another, from one speaker to another, his head bobbed from side to side as he maintained his trance. He'd move his head like he had turned his attention to the next speaker, and then the next speaker, the chat would not die down - and that was okay. He moved his attention to the young Azar Torsin now and once he finished, the bardottan stood to his feet without a word he opened his eyes. His attitude was as cool as ever.

"Brothers!" The Caretaker boomed, "Sisters!" he roared; it was not out of anger it was just loud as he had to address a large crowd and reach as far as the galaxy would permit - he needed their attention and the silence with it. "The ruling has been made, despite our disagreement. It is a decision we cannot dispute. We will be hunted like Kath Hounds, slaughtered or capture and slaughtered. Even if this is the work of the Sith, we cannot argue it and we - regardless of our take - we are at a great risk and cannot deny it."

Bruce took a pause to allow the words to sink in. "We cannot put any more lives carelessly on the line. We may not agree with this decision but alas it is out of our hands for the moment. Sending a delegation will not be undertaken by this Order or this Council, for a delegation - as mentioned - will be wiped out, and for what? An attempt? Unfortunately, no we cannot allow it. While we disagree with this decision, we will do what we can to right this wrong; but it is not to be done at the expense of your brothers and sisters, I implore you to heed my word, and allow for this decision. Now is not the time." Bruce looked over the room before continuing. "We must do what we can with what we have, we must be willing to look forward instead of the moment. Our Order is in great peril and it is each and everyone of your duties - including our own - to ensure our safety and prepare for the worst."

"People may argue, people may squabble, people may frown upon us - and I know you may all not agree with me, but it is becoming more and more apparent, brothers - sisters. We have not turned our backs on this galaxy, we never have turned our backs on this galaxy but right now - as much as it pains me.... you... all of us... we must let go." The Caretaker pleaded with the conclave, and though he was ever calm it was obvious that this decision was a painful decision to the strange purple alien before the Order.

"We must ensure we even have a future. A future not for me, not for you, but for all of the younglings and all of the beings and all of the galaxy. If we pursue this course of action - if we dwell on this development - we will not have a future and we will cease to exist. Yes the Sith are powerful. Yes the Chancellor has forsaken us. But that does not mean we need to die. That does not mean we need to surrender. That means we need to prepare. Though the order has come down, we are all enemies, not all people agree with this assessment. Remember this, remember what we have done over the centuries. We have overcome a great deal and we will continue to do so. We have suffered a great number of losses and we've been damaged in almost an impossible way to recover - but we will recover. We are stronger than they believe us to be."

"What I ask you, what I plead of this Order and each of it's membership - let it go. We will address this going forward BUT the time is now. Look to yourselves, look to our borders, and look at what we have. As I said before the Sith are strong and are rapidly developing but that DOES NOT mean we must bow to them. We are strong and I implore you all to help the Order prepare so we may even HAVE a future. Now is the time for all of us to ensure our safety - it is our duty. Turn your attention to the skies, there are plenty of planets NOT within Republic Space, there is plenty of opportunities to forage alliances - to establish trade and establish assets. While we, by our nature, are not here for violence. These dark days are forcing our hands and we mus ensure our safety and our security. Resources. Ships. Credits. As Lucian had mentioned, a few planets of a vast number of this galaxy."

"I'm sorry my family. The days of peacekeepers and guardians of the galaxy have ended. They have retreated into darkness. The Jedi Order CANNOT be passive any longer... but we can't be aggressive either. To this day, I will speak the truth as painful as it maybe, we are not ready - not any more. If we were attacked we would be destroyed - slaughtered and wipe from this galaxy and if that were to happen... all hope would be lost. Our teachings destroyed and our traces no more. At that time, we have failed the galaxy." Bruce took some more time to address the Conclave, the weight of his words pushed down hard on his shoulders, this was not how it was supposed to be. The Jedi were to be so much more and had so much to offer, but alas - the future moves in mysterious ways.

"I am not prepared to fail this galaxy. Not today. Not tomorrow." His eyes scanned the room.

"Research. Locate. Set out. Establish. This is what is necessary. You all have this ability, you all have the strength and drive to see this through. You all represent our Order. You all are responsible for the direction of this Order. It is not just the Masters, nor the Councils, it is all of us. Your words hold weight as does your actions. Look at everything we have accomplished over the centuries... they thought we had lost Tython for good, but look at us now. They thought to destroy our knowledge and our symbol by baring down on Ossus, but we are still here. They thought to wipe our ships and supplies, to cripple us by slaying our former Grand Master, but look at us now. They thought we'd cave to their will by bringing the hammer onto Jedha - but we are still here. They though to defile Prakith with their twisted minds, but we have purged it clear and now have a fortress. Many of us have died, and many of us have questioned where we stand but..."

"Look at you. Look at me. Look at your brother or sister beside you... in front of you... What do you see? You see Jedi. We STILL STAND and we will not break, no matter the weight. The Republic seeks to add to the weight, but we shall prevail and push through it. We have NEVER given up or surrendered, and this is NOT the time to do so either. We have ships, we have temples, we have soldiers, we have The Force."

Bruce stepped forward to the center of the room during his last rousing sections of the speech, he had looked around the room as he spoke and where he stood now he didn't finish.

"Brothers! Sisters! Remember!"
"Emotion, yet peace."
"Ignorance, yet knowledge."
"Passion, yet serenity."
"Chaos, yet harmony."
"There is no death; there is The Force."

The Caretaker wanted to remind everyone of the code, he even suspected some might even repeat it or say it with him. He choose the final line on purpose.

"The Sith will not win this. I know you all are capable and are willing. I know you've all made sacrifices and commits in order to achieve this very life we lead. Would any of us truly reject our life? Would anyone here truly give up on the Order? Give up on yourselves? The Galaxy? My friends, I say no. We don't always agree on our decisions, we don't always do the same thing and we may even argue it out - but we are all Jedi. We are all bound by our Code, our Tenants, we are all bound together through our actions, through the Force. There is not one individual in this hall - on this broadcast that I would not gladly stand beside, who I would not shun or forget. We are vast this is true, but we are family. We are friends. I will lay down my arm for you all, I would endure the worst pains and sufferings you all might endure - and I suspect you all would do the same for those around you."

A final plea was to be made, "I ask one more sacrifice of you all - but I don't ask it lightly. I ask you all to sacrifice this event, to sacrifice our commitment and strive to protect ourselves so we may return to the way things were. This is not a true sacrifice, it is more like I'm asking you to put that duty on hold - because as I have said before, if we do not... we will not have a future."

"This galaxy will not have a future..."

Bruce hung his head as he said his final words, a great pain within him, this commitment and this sacrifice is the very thing he had always done and to turn away from it broke his heart and to ask this of his fellow Jedi, it meant so much to him.

 

[Kane]

"No offense taken Brother Vult, I completely understand your point."

Kane then listened to the next points spoken, nodding along with Councillor Guleya's speech.

"Councillor Guleya is right, we have much that we can do now. Renew our efforts to found new temples and garner resources. I shall go wherever the council requires.

We will not be destroyed as the Sith wish, we shall remain strong in the face of these times. Perhaps our darkest times since the hundred year darkness itself. The fact of the matter is that our enemies have made a grave mistake in thinking us too weak. Yes we have few in numbers and not many resources, but we have our order, we have our beliefs and above all, we have the FORCE!"

He then stood at his full height, raising his unlit lightsaber in his right hand and bellowed.

"I AM ONE WITH THE FORCE! THE FORCE IS WITH ME!"

 

[Leto Antilles]

Leto was bored. One of his first Masters had told him that being a Jedi was 10% adrenaline pumping excitement, and 90% sitting around doing nothing. As an arrogant and overconfident teenager, Leto had ignored her words and assumed, as most kids that age did, that adults simply didn't know what they were talking about. In his defense he had spent a month building a lightsaber, a literal laser sword of unimaginable awesomeness, how was life ever going to be boring with one of those in his hands? Staring down at the blade the still hung at his waist, and hadn't been actually used in a fight in months, he couldn't help but sense his Master's spirit whispering to him...I told you so.

But back to the here and now, he had been eating and drinking and arguing since the conclave began, and it was beginning to take a toll on him. So much so that when the Bardottan Jedi Master began speaking Leto felt himself drifting off, his eyes beginning to shut. He fell asleep to the calls of "Brothers", "Sisters", and some weird play began enacting in his dreams as the Jedi Master continued speaking.

He finally snorted loudly and was brought back to wakefulness by shouting around him. No, not around him, near him. He had no idea what was said, but it looked like it was the old fellow who had stolen his feed. Some eyes were still on him, but more were now on Leto who had woken up with enough of a bang to draw attention away from the huge jack-looking-man.

Not sure what was going on, he just fell back to the last thing he did remember, Master Guleya's voice. "Yes...YES!!" He had no idea what he was agreeing to, but if he was going to do it then he might as well try and sell it. "Yes, BROTHERS!! SISTERS!!..siblings..united!?" His voice fizzled off as he slowly woke up, confused out of his mind about what he had just spoken up for.

 

[Fennex Zeerda]

Fennex and crew listened respectfully to Caretaker Guleya' many words of wisdom. The Master was certainly on the right track, in Fens humble opinion- primarily that anyone stupid enough to volunteer for a delegation to go visit the Chancellor is someone who just wanted to die for no reason, but also that the reasons for their current situation were both clear and self wrought. Passion was something the Jedi were supposed to guard themselves against, and yet here were some Jedi Knights that were so passionate, so emotionally attached to their self appointed role as white-knight saviors of everyone and everything in the galaxy that they couldn't even see the harm that attitude could do. They were blinded by their emotions. Ignorant of their own ignorance, as Fennex had once been himself. Now that he'd woken up to his mistakes, it was still sometimes appalling to see so many others afflicted by the same failure. He hoped some of the other Knights watching this could pick up on it and learn something from all this... And then Knight Kane started shouting.

Thundering Gammorean love claps… Fennex thought, his mouth slightly agape as the old man started in inexplicably, saber hilt raised high in some sort of unhinged display. What kind of low budget holo-drama did he think this was? This was a serious conclave, for serious business- not rabble rousing and feel good self aggrandizement. Fennex shook his head, whiskers and tail now both twitching irritably in unison.

"If either of you ever pull something silly like this I'll fall to the Darkside just so I can come back, hunt you down, and murder you with your own lightsabers." Fennex wagged a clawed paw at both of the young Knights accompanying him, hoping to impart the gravity of the situation (who knew if he was serious after all?) before he turned the voice pickup back on again, "Knight Kane, I appreciate your, erm… enthusiasm" Fen's flickering blue holographic projection turned to address the elderly Knight directly, "But perhaps we should save superfluous chanting and unnecessary rallying cries until the conclave is complete? I don't believe the Council has addressed everything on the agenda, nor called for a conclusion."

@Shalken @Painus @One For Sorrow

 

[Aliyah Phoenix]

-Music-​

"Now, on to the thing nobody here is going to want me to say.

The soonest opportunity I get to take down a member of the Dark Council, the better, but I'm taking it." Aliyah hoped they wouldn't jump down her throat yet. She wanted to explain this wasn't what it had been, this wasn't a quest for vengeance or a personal vendetta. "I don't know if I'll win or lose, but I have to try and even the odds. We all do, but I know their reputation, I know you value your lives."

She didnt want to say it out loud, but she never valued her own. She'd been raised to believe she was worthless, and even though Venatus taught her she wasn't Aliyah never forgot that lesson. She knew it was her calling to face Kravos, it was this feeling she couldn’t shake, all paths led to him. To his Council; to that battle in the future. "Today my life is over. I'm the light's living weapon, and from this day on I have just one purpose...

To fight.

I don't ask any of you to do this with me, this is something I have to do on my own... but while I can hunt them down... I will." Aliyah paused to let them talk, comment, argue. She knew Master Guleya would be disappointed, but she needed to focus on the Order, on the future of the Galaxy. At that moment, a part of Aliyah did die, the part of the hopeful girl who'd never take a life. She understood now that taking a life could save a million, that sparing a life could end a family... so, she was ready to kill. Arise, Alius Phoenix. A single, deep and booming voice echoed in her head for just a second, and maybe it was her imagination, but it send shivers down her spine.

She knew that voice.

Venatus.

If they said their pieces about how there was a better way, she'd smile. If they started chastising she'd keep droning on, blankly. "Not for vengeance or retribution, but to make sure that even if I die we stand a better chance than before. Don't try to talk me out of this, and please don't tell me this is the Dark Side, I'm not feeling aggression. But I know what I have to do. Evening the odds against the Sith is the only thing that matters right now, because if they win we won't be able to help anyone.

We'll be dead.

It isn't our place to decide when to ignore the laws of others, Lucian, but I agree with you. The Empire should be our focus. If Andraste walked into those doors right now with the entire Sith Order at her back... who would stand and fight? Who here feels ready to fight them? Knight Vult and Torsin... you too, Master Zeerda... are right. We can't, and we need to be able to."

@Raydo @Loco @Zigara @Nefieslab

 

[Leto Antilles]

Leto still a little disoriented, all that talk about NAPs had lead him right to one, and as a result he seemed to have missed a lot. But when the Twi'lek from earlier began speaking again he did catch one. In that moment he felt something run down his spine as well, a single bead of sweat as he wondered if he had made a huge mistake.

"Wait, wait, wait." He almost shouted in his eager to clear things up, "I didn't just agree to go with her, did I? Because earlier, I had dozed off, that was almost sleep-talking." And it had been, he couldn't really be held accountable for something he said when not of sound mind. Could he?

"Because no matter what, I'm not agreeing to that." He turned to look at the Twi'lek and shrugged apologetically. "No offense, but you're asking people to join a suicide pact. And seven hells I'm not doing that."

 

[Aliyah Phoenix]

Aliyah was surprisingly close to snapping at him again. Every. Single. Time. He opened his mouth, she just wanted to throw the rudest, most vile comment she could. Not that she was judging him for not wanting to go her route, even though she'd clarified that it was her path alone. She was judging him because he deemed fighting the Dark Council a suicide pact. "Believe it or not, we don't have the choice anymore.

Leto.

You're either ready, or you're dead. And I don't mean practicing your saber forms ready. I mean throwing everything you've got at your sparring partners, fighting like you want to incapacitate, because that's what you are going to face out there on the battlefield.

The Sith don't give a damn what seven hells are, or what suicide pacts you join, they will kill you without a second thought. My own sister was willing to cut me down because of the Dark Side. It changes people fundamentally, I understand that now.

Some can come back.

Most can't.

Even if they can, we can't go into fights without the intent to incapacitate. We can't go into battles wishing to spare their lives, because that's getting us killed. I've been trying my hardest to teach what I know to those of you who are willing to learn, but now it has become a necessity, we need proper martial training.

We need a Battlemaster. Or someone to fill that role for the time being, to get the ball rolling on forcing the severity of what a fight really is.

Strip away all those clouds and fairy tales about how you can plan your entire attack in your head, or that your actions are somehow infallible. These things will save more Knights than anything I've heard said here today."

 

[Azar Torsin]

Hadn't there been an admonishment not to make long speeches in here? Apparently no one had listened to it, as the speeches just kept getting longer. The Jedi all had their words to say, but it wasn't until the final comments that the Jedi Master had to stand up and speak again.

You sound exactly like a Sith, he said, speaking directly to Aliyah (@Autumn's Firefly). The mindset you just described is precisely why we have Exiles and Sith. People who lost sight that the means are just as important as the ends. The Exiles were Jedi. For someone who understands that the Dark changes you fundamentally, you don't seem to grasp how it does so. There is no passion, there is serenity, he stated. Normally he found reciting the Code in these sorts of events to be quite silly, but given what she had just finished saying, it was quite relevant. Too many of the Jedi seemed to have forgotten what made them Jedi.

He moved on to address the rest of those gathered then. We don't have the strength to fight the Empire, but we can sow distrust among its people. The Dark Side breeds paranoia, and the Sith can never have the unity that the Light provides, he said before moving on to the piece of information that would be perhaps most interesting and important to his proposal.

The Empire and the Cartel are at war because the Republic made it so, he said. That piece of information was one that not another Jedi in the room knew and Azar knew it. Republic soldiers disguised as Cartel Enforcers attacked Imperial assets, sparking a war. We don't have the manpower for direct confrontation, which means we need to begin considering alternative tactics: hit and run, decentralization of our leadership and bases, and a tempered offensive, he admonished. The Jedi were limping along ever since Ilum and had been rapidly declining since the many betrayals. The standard pathways weren't working. We won't last another decade of direct confrontation, he stated, and it was true. The Jedi had lost over half of its members over the last five years, their losses at this rate were untenable.

 

[Lucian Volante]

The Force was a turbulent sea of emotion right now and that was the least of what he wanted. Rubbing a hand over the bridge of his nose, he froze a little bit at the words of Aliyah Phoenix.

"You sound like your sister, Aliyah." He warned her with a frown, "Be careful that you do not see yourself as incorruptible - as if you alone can have the right in a situation."

He shook his head,

"If we can stand here and advocate killing people as the first option then it won't be long before we can justify anything to ourselves." He grimaced, "How long before you can stand before us and seriously suggest we kill Elix Drast - a four year old boy - because he is "of the sith"? No I agree with Azar."

Lucian looked at the other Jedi,

"We can't afford to stop the fight but we can't afford to fight in the same way they do. If we fight the same way they do..." He declared, looking to the councillor who had opened the proceedings, "We become our enemies."

 

[Leto Antilles]

Leto looked up at the mention of his name, shocked that people actually knew his name. First the pretty one calling him the Order's best, now the angry one calling him by name. Maybe he was becoming one of those famous heroes after all!

The mention of his name had forced him to listen to the Twi'lek, and even after the broody looking Jedi Master, Tonsil if he was recalling correctly, had spoken up he couldn't help but smile at the Twi'lek's words. He knew when he was getting on someone's nerves, the result of being a bratty kid, and he knew that he was getting to the Twi'lek. He was about to say something to try and say something to push more of her buttons but was interrupted by the pretty one speaking up. And oddly enough Leto found himself agreeing with him. He might not fit the mould of a conventionally good Jedi, but there were lines even he would not cross. This happened to be one of them.

"I have to agree," he gestured towards Master Tonsil as he spoke up, "that's as sensible a plan as any I've heard today." He gave a subtle nod towards the Jedi Master, a rare sign of respect from him, before turning back to the Twi'lek, Aliyah as she had been called. "We don't need a Battlemaster, great though you might be at that job. We simply need to be less like the Sith and more like..well not-Sith."

 

[Jubba the Mutt]

Jubba realized quite a number of Jedi were not so well versed in the intricacies of Huttese despite the beauty of the language, if he wanted to speak up it would have to be in basic much to his disappointment.

"Jubba not fight but help as can. Jubba find world that help Jedi, them help fight. Work need done, not has be fighting."

There existed many planets still outside the reach of both the Sith and Republic that had not yet been reached out to by the Jedi who would perhaps be sympathetic to their cause. At least in theory, but they wouldn't know without trying and staying locked up in Tython wasn't going to help the Order build up what they needed to fight with.

"Make Jedi stronk."

 

[Aliyah Phoenix]

-Believe-​

"If that is the case..." Aliyah unclipped the lightsabers from her belt, placing them on the ground in front of the Council. She wasn't angry, and she'd completely expected this. She was actually startlingly calm, considering what they where trying to pin on her."...then maybe my sister had a point.

Perhaps Kathry got through to me as much as I got through to her.

I can't be what you need me to be, obviously, no matter how hard I try. I'm not saying we should go around killing every Sith. I'm saying we need to be prepared for the eventuality that they are here to kill us. We must adapt to those circumstances as war decrees, for the sake of the Jedi Order and the Galaxy as a whole. This is something that is beyond what I want to do, or what I think is right. If I must do this on my own... so be it.

Please, don't discount my words because of how you view me. When all is said and done, I intended to take the Barash. But if this is to be my fate... I leave it in your hands. Look within. And if you find a darkness, please, kill me before I become like them."

 

[Vollen Shai]

The debates continued to rage, but at the very least it seemed the Jedi present were energised, ready to go out and act. Or at the very least he hoped so, there was so much to do now, they'd need everyone, all the Order, to give it their all for as Bruce and others had said, open war was upon them, whether they wished it or not. But perhaps there could be some clarity that came from all this,

"Direct war is not an option, you're all correct, certainly not in our current position. And as others have said, despite those fears, we cannot be war like, we are not war like. We are Jedi. That doesn't not preclude us defending ourselves though, or others. But as we are we cannot do much of that either if the Sith were to press their advantage" Vollen counseled, trying to take the great mass of opinions and option debated, and focus them down, clear the air and their goals into something workable, something that could work beyond any one of them,

"We have lost a great deal of territory, and whether we'd be able to defend much more from the Sith, the Council doubts. But we can work, as has been said and agreed by many of us here today, to defend what we have. That means resources, ships especially, and other means of defending ourselves. I trust you all have more ideas for that than we alone do. If you have a course of action and are uncertain, you're welcome to approach. But we trust you all to make the right decision. And do so soon, we need to get to work" He offered finally, trying to spur them to action, taking their thoughts and focusing it down, make it manageable. And hopefully, hopefully between the brothers and sisters that were assembled this day, they could do exactly that.

Build defences, ships. Keep themselves safe. And from there, then they could keep the galaxy safe.