Open Starlight Jedi Ascension Trials Observation — T'vani

[Kaedan]

Kaedan spoke of his trial and how his final task was constructing his lightsaber. After that, he asked the others how their trials went. Natalie was distracted by the mention of noodles that had happened prior to him talking about his trials. Being so distracted, when asked about her trials, she responded with noodles as an answer. She overall didn't answer the question and said that she would let him know soon how she did.

A tiefling padawan had appeared and approached the group of padawan. He was asking about how much of the trial he missed and if it was almost over. Kaedan turned to the new padawan and smiled. "Hello to you too. What was missed was the start of her trial. She successfully completed that and also the 2nd task. She's now onto her third task."

The Jedi knight who was eating noodles noticed Theia and Natalie and offered them a packaged bowl of noodles. The two ladies accepted and they got to eating. Nat gobbled down half in no time at all, surprising Kaedan. He could tell from that that she really loved this noodles food. Kaedan had yet to try the food so he had no idea just how great it was. He would try it someday though. Now that half was gone, Nat handed the bowl over to Theia who looked kind of sad when she was given the lightsaber chopsticks.

Kaedan turned his attention to T'vani who was now being given a hard choice. Law of legal slavery or getting involved. Kaedan didn't like how that question was asked nor did he want to ever be put in the position to decide. His heart would want to save those enslaved but there was also the other side of things with it being legal and law. He was a keeper of the peace and breaking the law wasn't exactly what Jedi did. T'vani's answer shocked the padawan. She had an outcome that was dependent on the circumstances. Even so, it still wasn't a definite choice. He wasn't sure how the judges would take that but he also believed that the circumstances decided a lot of what choices would be correct.

@TheDudeMike @GABA @LouJoVi

 

[Elenath]

Elenath chuckled lightly as the extra bowl of ramen was hastily accepted and shared between the two padawans. Perhaps he'd have to procure a few boxes and set up a ramen shop on the side in the Starlight Beacon. The dismal quality of the mess hall certainly didn't seem like it would improve anytime soon.

With his attention returning to T'vani and her trials, he listened intently to the theoretical question posed to her. While layered with false assurances such as "lawful" and the "greater good," Elenath could see that it would require the slavery and as stated, suffering of the few. T'vani's response was perhaps adequate, but the Jedi Order upheld freedom for all, and therefore slavery would not stand. Despite this, the seer did not think that the judges would fail her over this one answer — she was just an initiate, and clearly this was one way she could learn. They would not be so lenient on Knight trials.

Elenath pondered on his own future, what his own Trials of Mastery would be like. Would they even be the same without a Grandmaster to lead the council? "Regardless of the outcome of her trial, it is encouraging to see more Jedi step forward to progress in their teaching," Elenath said as much to himself as to any others who might be listening. His gaze turned to the several other padawans in the observation area. "I look forward to observing whenever those here seek to pass their trials to Knighthood."

 

[R'ashtaro]

R'ashtaro's brow furrowed as he listened to T'vani's answer to the question posed by the holographic image of Hannibal Grayza. Her relativization of the problem came as a surprise to the Fiani Knight - and he wasn't alone in that, it seemed. Knowing T'vani, it seemed unnecessarily 'grey', adding hypothetical nuances to a problem that was already concrete.

Circling around a subject instead of directly engaging with it was certainly not an unusual response to a difficult question - it could be a natural derivative of a nervous mind. But R'ashtaro suspected that parts of T'vani's answer had something to do with her upbringing. She was a homegrown Fiani. Like most who grew up on Fiana, she had spent a majority of her life in relative cultural isolation. On one hand, this gave her a deep respect for cultural autonomy. But on the other, it meant that she might not yet understand the necessity of sorting out actions that go against the will of the Force from the 'grey' complexities of a multifaceted Galaxy. One had to wade through the muck to appreciate the difference, so to speak. He would have to show her how.

The Fiani Knight looked to the Tiefling beside him. "I can introduce you, if you'd like," he suggested. "One ought to get to know one's peers, no? I am Jedi Knight R'ashtaro, by the way. And you?"

R'ashtaro then spoke to the question posed by the Tiefling. "I understand your confusion. We do not have a legal jurisdiction, that's true, no? But we are morally incentivized - some would say obligated - by the will of the Force and the Code by which we interpret it. We act on its behalf. While every Jedi must decide for themselves with what level of sensitivity they go about it, we ought to always look for a solution that will limit that which is morally reprehensible. If we can do so without causing additional bloodshed, then we have done our job as Jedi well, no?"

The Fiani Knight paused, contemplation set in his furred face as he observing the Tiefling. The young Padawan seemed to have a sharp mind inside that horned skull of his. The Fiani decided to probe it. "Do you think we should accept real jurisdiction, Padawan? Should it ever be offered to us, ought we to take authority?"

@marshland

 

[Hiraya Manawari]

The Reiko Fiani Knight's suggestion earned him an eager, happy smile from Hiraya, the Tiefling's tail now swishing like an excitable puppy's. White, shaggy hair flopped around as he nodded appreciatively.

"I'd very much like that, Master!" chirped the Padawan brightly. Then, dipping his horned head respectfully, he introduced himself, too. "Forgive my manners, Master. I'm Padawan Hiraya Manawari. Pleasure!"

Ma and Pa taught him good manners and right conduct, after all. But in his eagerness to witness the Initiate's Trial and his own inane curiosity, he was carried away and forgot one of the most important things to remember when interacting with beings he wasn't well acquainted with yet.

Hiraya inched closer, his gentle grip on his P9-H1 droid tightening a little while he listened to Master R'ashtaro. He took in every word the Knight spoke, brows once again furrowing as he contemplated the older Jedi's answer to the Tiefling's question. His attentive gaze met the Knight's, head cocked slightly to the side in thought while he mulled over the latter's elucidation, more so his following questions.

The Tiefling, though curious and oftentimes painfully chatty, secretly feared of speaking too much while actually saying very little. As such, he took his time gathering his thoughts, narrowing them down to what he really wanted to say, before opening his mouth to speak.

"I'd... have to say no on both accounts, Master," Hiraya finally responded after a moment's silence. The Padawan chose to focus on the questions posed to him by the Knight rather than riding along the inquiry given to the Initiate. "We follow the Will of the Force-" a textbook response expected from a Padawan, but "-not impose it upon others. People and planets support us, and I don't think we have to answer that support by placing them under Jedi 'jurisdiction', because that 'jurisdiction' doesn't exist. And if it did, it... kinda equates with authority, yeah? But... they support us out of the expectations that we'll do the right thing. Because right and just are what we're supposed to do, not because the Force wills us, not because that's what Jedi do, but because it's the right thing to do-"

Bright pink bloomed across the Tiefling's pale face when he realized what he was doing. Speaking, yet saying so little. The explanations, so green, so full of idealism, clearly from the mind of a child yet to test his mettle on the real world rather than on a simulated scenario. He couldn't even properly articulate what he truly wanted to say, and instead ended up mincing his words.

Embarrassment coloring his tone, Hiraya shook his horned head and reiterated, straight to the point this time, "No, Master. I don't think we should accept real jurisdiction nor authority, even if the galaxy itself demands it. We're peacekeepers, helpers, healers, protectors. Not rulers, nor authority, or leaders."

Suddenly he felt dumb. Doubtful, even. But Hiraya felt that it was a good thing - that meant admitting that he had yet to learn many things, correct? A smile, small but hopeful and earnest, flickered on the Tiefling's face as he awaited Master R'ashtaro's assessment of his honest - if albeit quixotic - response.

@Casmer

 

[Alhazred]

The woman's answer puzzled Alhazred. Weren't Jedi supposed to focus on the moment? But he shrugged. Her thoughts were her own. If one did not want to speak, he would not intrude further.

Alhazred couldn't help but clap his hands once and twice at the initiate's concurrence of singing and moving around the trial arena. "Bravo!" He whispered as loud as he could. His voice barely left the observation area. "A magnificent confluence of skill and training!"

Alhazred quieted down for a moment and then looked at those who would listen to him. "Of course, such impressive skills typically bring about overconfidence in the long run. A lack of humility can be amongst the cleverest of killers. Does anyone know if she is the type to let these displays go to her head?"

@everyone