[Closed] Judgement.

[Will]

Beric Kanasur sat in his chair in the council chambers. Before him were the ornately wrought double doors, allowing people into this hallowed sanctum.

Outside waited sin.

A knight had attacked a padawan, drawing upon the dark side of the force, and had the audacity to see no problem with their actions.

The very idea of remorseless use of the darkness was abhorrent to the Grandmaster. Had the order fallen so low that the evil taint of the dark side of the force could take hold?

A padawan had fought against his peers, heedless of the words and actions of knights. Was the teaching in the order so poor that none had respect for the knights?

Beric's brow was furrowed. He was calm, cold, staring at the doors. Once they opened, this would begin. This sick twist in the history of the order.

''Admit them.''

 

[Brandon Rhea]

The Sage Master’s holographic form shimmered in the sunlight that basked through the large windows of the High Council chamber. He was still on Coruscant, not able to make it to Tython for the impromptu session, but had been briefed on the situation that the Battle Master had been forced to become part of.

For now, Jhon waited, hoping that they would not be forced to expell anyone from the New Jedi Order—but he was prepared to help determine whatever was necessary.

 

[Kit]

The Battlemaster was there in the flesh. He had come down some hours ago to brief the Grandmaster on what had occurred above, under his own watch.

He would rectify this failing, both his own, and that of the Order.

 

[Kalen Conner]

Kalen had accompanied the Jedi Master Augustus Primus Leonus, Battlemaster and member of the Jedi High Council, to the secluded planet of Tython which was located in the Deep Core of the galaxy. It was the orphaned Jedi's first time coming to the headquarters of the New Jedi Order as he spent most of his life in the temple on Corusant prior to his fateful departure to the Will.

The Padawan felt a deep connection with the Force, deeper than ever before, as they entered the atmosphere of the planet and even more so when they finally landed on the planet's surface. Kalen and the Jedi Master had not exchanged not a single word after the Battlemaster had gestured the Padawan to follow him to the transport shuttle and get on for the trip to the ancient world where it was rumoured the Jedi originated from.

Master Leonus got up from where he was sitting and again gestured for the Padawan to follow him. It seemed like the Jedi Master was a man of few words when the situation didn't require it. That just made him all the more amazing in Kalen's eyes as he didn't talk much anyway. Following the behemoth of a man they made their way through the Jedi Temple on Tython.

Kalen had to slowly move from a fast paced walk to a light jog to keep up with the long strides of the Battlemaster and thus had little to no time to take in the scenery. After what seemed like hours they finally arrived in front of arched doors and yet again Kalen was gestured to this time wait outside. For the next few hours Kalen just stood their reflecting on the events of the past twenty-four hours.

He had just recently received the rank of Padawan; in fact it was his first time away from the temple on Corusant proir to him joining the Order at the age of six. A feeling of despair slowly overcame the orphaned Jedi as he realised his fate would be decided for him this day and it would not necessarily be what Kalen had hoped for, had worked so hard toward. All he wanted to do is be trained by the greatest of the Order so that he become strong enough to do the one thing his heart yearned for.

Kalen's thoughts was disturbed by the opening of the arched doors thus revealing the Council Chambers. The Padawan steeled his nerves and entered to face his pending judgement.

 

[Arm514ve]

((Sorry I just got gears 3 and well been playing that yesterday after i got off, or else i would have posted sooner.))

Kelly Cross entered the council chamber ready for the worst she had been over zelous in her attempt in stoping the out of control Padawan, after thinking of it more she definantly could have handled the situation better. But judging from the battlemasters anger towards her using force lightning and a force choke and seeing them only as dark side, and if the rest of the council was like him then she pretty much knew the outcome already, and was ready for it. she stood in the middle of the room waiting to be addressed.

 

[Kit]

Augustus watched the two Jedi carefully as they entered. He was, to put it lightly, not happy with either one of them. One of them had behaved utterly inappropriately for a Jedi, and the other... well, suffice it to say that the other had betrayed everything he held sacred as a Jedi.

There was no excuse, in his mind, for slipping, even a little, into darkness. There was no return from that, he believed. The Dark side was a taint that could never be scrubbed clean. There was no redemption for evil; only eradication. He would not tolerate it in his order.

As a result, as the two Jedi entered, he could barely contain his displeasure, though he did. Just.

He would let the Grandmaster, his oldest, and arguably only, friend, take the lead. He knew that Banic shared similar views, though perhaps less extreme, and certainly less aggressively. However, he was certain that he would not be disappointed with Banic's judgement. In part because of their friendship, but more because of what was right. What was just.

There must be repercussions. There must be judgement.

 

[Will]

((I do apologise, university and placement spit roasted me.))

Beric stared at the pair of Jedi before him. They had been escorted by paragons of the order, a show of what it was to be a true Jedi. He did not waste time.

''You have been brought before me because you have fallen from the path of the Jedi. You, Knight, used the darkside on a padawan of the order for the mere act of intimidation. You saw the darkside as a triviality. To you, the use of it is not an abhorrence, a twisting of its true purpose. For you, there is but one punishment.''

He paused for a moment, as if second guessing himself. Then his glare reasserted, a cold edge to his tone, uncharacteristic in the normally emotionless Jedi. His fists clenched, his lip curled slightly.

''Exile. You fell from our path. You will never walk it again, Kelly Cross.''

With a flick of the wrist, he took her lightsabre, her Jedi weapon.

''You, padawan. You are arrogance incarnate. You see others as obstacles to your glory. Glory is not the Jedi way. It will lead you to the darkness, like this knight here. You will relearn everything. You will restart your youngling training. You will take classes with them. You will find out what it is to be Jedi.''

He shot an almost venomous glare at Kelly Cross.

''Before it is too late.''

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Immediate banishment for a first time offense? That was unusual, not to mention disturbing to say the least. Why the Grand Master would act so hastily, especially with one so young, was a mystery to Jhon, and one he couldn’t tolerate at that.

“Grand Master, I must protest,” the Sage Master said. “This is completely out of the ordinary and, at the risk of being overly blunt, completely unacceptable. To make an arbitrary decision about exile, without allowing the accused to defend themselves and without deferring to the collective judgment of the entire Jedi High Council, is completely uncalled for."

Jhon boldly continued, "I demand that the decision be reversed, at least temporarily, so Master Cross can defend herself. The same goes for the decision regarding young Kalen. It is a basic sentient right to be able to defend oneself, and we are duty bound to defend basic sentient rights. Failing to do so undermines our integrity as Jedi.”

 

[Arm514ve]

Kelly was shocked at the verdict past to both of them in such a fast and harsh matter and was even more shocked of the forcibly removed lightsaber from her belt luckily it was a training saber and not her real ones. She was about to argue when Master Cordacus spoke up she stood there silently hoping that this master could at least give her a chance to defend herself.

 

[Kit]

The Battlemaster scoffed as the Sagemaster demanded leniency on her behalf. Augustus had sensed the taint her actions created, and had heard all that had occurred. There was no need of a trial here, only judgement.

"Her guilt is without doubt. Cross damned herself the second she willingly stepped into darkness. I will not accept her in this order, she cannot be allowed to taint those around her, as she does herself."

He looked toward the Sagemaster, a man who was lucky enough to exist almost solely in a world of meditation, and theory. Augustus, however, was a much more practical man.

"I for one demand that she be exiled immediately. It is far too dangerous to allow her to remain."

 

[Brandon Rhea]

"Futures are not set into stone, Augustus," Jhon reminded him. "Look at me. Look at my own experiences. There was great darkness inside me: arrogance, pride, over-confidence. It led to the deaths of hundreds of people and a war that killed even more. The Council could have expelled me then, but they chose not to. It was a temporary exile, yes, but not an expulsion. I returned and took the path of a sage, and I was reformed.

"Do I taint you? Do I taint the others? No, because I was given another chance, and my actions were heinous. Cross fought other Jedi in a Temple. Are we really going to be a Jedi Order that expels Jedi, without question, for that?"

He continued, "As Jedi, we are not above the law or basic rights. If you're so determined to throw her out, then letting her at least say something first isn't going to do much harm. Then we can all decide, as a Council, whether she is to be expelled."

 

[Kit]

Augustus listened. He knew, all too well the past of which Jhon spoke, he had seen the danger of pride, of hubris, himself all to many times. And whilst the Sagemaster had a point; that a Jedi must be willing to forgive, Augustus simply could not allow the unrepentant unconditional forgiveness.

Rather than voicing his concern in that regard, he decided to let the girl damn herself, as she had aboard The Will.

"Very well, let her say her piece. I feel no harm will come as a direct consequence, though I do not hold much faith in her ability to sway me."

 

[Will]

He turned first to the Sage master, ever questioning him, expected.

But then he turned as his ears seemed to deceive him. The words of Augustus did not sit well with him. But the tone... Ah, he was still the old friend Beric had grown up with. They were so similar, in their old age.

His own council had betrayed him. He gripped the arm of the chair, knuckles white under the gloves. He sighed.

''Very well. Let them say their piece.''

He sat back in the chair, relaxing slightly. She would speak, but it would be difficult to sway the grandmaster, still set in his ways, ready to judge her.

 

[Arm514ve]

((again thank you Brandon for speaking on my behalf but seeing as the Jedi order will be getting a new council soon I think it be faster and easier to ask for an appeal when they are established.))

Kelly noticed the aggravation from both the Grandmaster and the Battlemaster, and noticed the Grandmaster practically digging into his seat. She frowned a bit bowing to Master Cordatus. "Thank you Master Cordatus for speaking on my behalf and giving me a chance to defend myself, but I'm afraid any argument I make might be futile the way things are now and the mind set of both the Grandmaster and the Battlemaster. And I can feel that no matter what I say it will fall on def ears." Kelly said standing up from her bow, and turned to Kalen. "I wish you luck in your studies. It may have been extreme what I did to try and stop you, and for that I am sorry."

She told Kalen, then turning back to the grandmaster, and the Battle-master, and bowed to them before turning and walking towards the giant doors. Leading out of the council chambers.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

This is what militancy does to a person, Jhon thought. He wasn’t just thinking about the Battle Master, but rather the exiled Jedi Knight as well, a Knight so resigned and demoralized that she was willing to walk away from the Jedi. It never should have come to that.

The Sage Master shot a pointed, disapproving gaze at Augustus before de-activating the holographic projection. Jhon’s image disappeared from the High Council chambers on Tython, and he remained only in his temporary office on Coruscant within the halls of the Galactic Congress.

He typed out a message on the communication pad sitting on the desk, sending it to Cross’ quarters so she would hopefully see it before she left. It asked a simple request: please travel to Coruscant to meet with the Sage Master as soon as possible. They would meet in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, where he would ensure she was allowed entry.