Ask Yavin IV What the Force Is and Isn't

[Aronas Vicar]

Another peaceful day on Yavin IV, despite the troubles that circled around the Galaxy. The Sith were making enormous moves, even audaciously attacking a Jedi Temple, while other evils moved both seen and unseen in the darkest corners of the Galaxy. Yet here in this chamber of the Yavin IV training grounds, none of that mattered. Nothing was here to interrupt the peaceful respite, aside from that which was brought in with those who came to discuss a great many subjects. Aronas Vicar had set up something of an open meeting to discuss philosophy and the Force, and at least two individuals had answered the call.

Aronas did not know either of them personally, but he had heard of one of them being at least two centuries old. Old enough to have lived through an entire previous age, even if his species was known to be long-lived in general. It still meant something for the man to hold such a perspective, and the Knight found himself wondering what wisdom could be gained from hearing what differing views such a man would have to offer.

"Hello and welcome, thank you for coming to this little discussion of mine. I am Aronas Vicar." Aronas was more relaxed and casual than he would have been with students, as this was no instruction session as much as it was a conversation. "Would anyone care for refreshments before we begin?" On a tray sat a few finger foods considered to be safe for consumption by most species, as well as water and a sweet-smelling liquid that Aronas understood to be popular among the garrison of the planet. Nothing alcoholic, but it did apparently offer relaxation to the drinker, which could be helpful to facilitating talk between strangers.

@Forsythe Crowholde @Braden Drake

 

[Arctus Friers]

His acceptance and subsequent arrival to the Jedi Order wasn't met with fanfare or joyous celebrations. Arctus honestly never expected much – the reason he accepted Indy's offer of helping him when he desperately asked for it already making an impact on the former smuggler in ways that made him realize that his arrival to the Jedi Temple on Yavin IV wouldn't really be too much of a newsbreaker. As such, he never expected a welcoming committee nor a party thrown for a lost man who sought and found the right path.

His arrival wasn't met with fanfare but demoralizing blows to the Jedi Order.

Arctus had heard talk of a Jedi Councilor and Knight getting killed on Denon. Before that some Ranger's death had also been broadcasted by the Chief of the Sector Rangers. Seemed like Sith business was booming, until the Darksiders' attempted assault on Byblos ended in a fiasco. The air around the Temple remained gloomy despite that victory against the Sith, however.

New to the Order as he was, Arctus knew that there was nothing much he could do but to learn. Learn how to control the Darkness that still whispered in his ear every now and again, and how to use the powers granted to him by the Force so he could fight the good fight. He was a Jedi now – well, technically a Padawan – but at least the drive and motivation to help were ever present, right?

It's the least he could do for Indy who had been kind and sincere enough to help a fool like him, and to help the Jedi Order he was sure she saw as her family.

So, when an open meeting was set up by one of the Jedi Knights about the Force and philosophy (he never looked like it, but Arctus was a sucker for philosophical talks), the former smuggler threw hesitation to the wind and immediately signed up for attendance. He entered the chamber with growing timidity, nonetheless, suddenly self-conscious about his own presence not just in the room but in the Temple as well.

He must have been reeking of the Darkness right now. The voices that whispered demeaning words in his ears also didn't help.

Nevertheless Arctus was polite enough to tip his head respectfully at Knight Vicar in greeting. Belatedly he wondered if the other man could even see the action, with his eyes covered and all that.

"Er, hey, Knight Vicar." Or should he call the Jedi a Master? "Well, uh, thanks for setting this thing up. I'm Arctus Friers, and I've just recently joined the Jedi Order. Pleasure to meet you. And you as well, er..."

He had no idea who the old, tiny green dude was, but Arctus had a feeling that this was someone he shouldn't cross. Guy was two centuries old, if what he'd heard was right. Wouldn't wanna anger someone who had two centuries of experience under his belt.

Of course the same could be said for Knight Vicar.

Arctus showed his appreciation for the lesson and refreshments by taking one glass of the sweet-smelling drink. He had no idea what it was but it smelled good, therefore it must taste good as well. The former smuggler stood there awkwardly, undecided on what he should do next. Should he sit down or let the two other Jedi take their seats first?

@Xan @Braden Drake

 

[Yvain]

Yvain had been tending to his plants that morning, like all mornings he started with some light gardening just outside the walls of the temple. It allowed him to keep his mind free of complicated matters which could cloud ones judgement if they were not careful. Looking up at the sky the old Jedi realised that it was almost time for this open session to begin. Brushing some of the dirt from his hands and robe he turned and made his way inside.

He nodded and waved to the Padawan's and Knights that he recognised as he walked the halls. He finally reached the allotted room, perhaps a little later than expected but then his little legs meant it took him longer to get anyway. Waving his hand the door hissed open as the little Jedi made his entrance. Yvain nodded to the pair that were their before him before heading to the spare space that was left open for him.

The seat itself was built a little higher than the others to allow him to sit on an equal level to the pair, pushing off with his legs the mythical power of The Force flowing through them. He leapt up onto the seat with a small thud before turning to face them all and taking his seat. As the two introduced themselves he nodded to each in turn. "Pleasure it is, my name is Yvain, Jedi Knight." His ears twitched as he spotted the food and drinks. Aronas had done his research it seemed and there was a stuffed jumbo slug on the platter, the old Jedi excited reached out with The Force and pulled the large Gastropod over to him, it was about the size of the humans hand. It floated between the pair as it moved from the platter over to Yvain. Lifting it just above his mouth he let go swallowing the thing hole.

A pleasant slurping sound reverberated from his mouth finished with a little burp. "Ahh, Knight Aronas you do know how to please an old fellow." He said with a smile.

@Xan @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Aronas Vicar]

The first to arrive was Arctus, of whom Aronas knew little to virtually nothing. He was aware of the man vaguely as a Padawan, but that summed the total knowledge he had concerning the man who was first to arrive. Still though, he was always happy to have a discussion with those of differing perspectives, and he suspected that this man held differing views to his own. Whether as a matter of experience or life lived, everyone tended to have slightly differing ways of viewing a similar problem!

Confirming that he could in fact see despite the blindfold, Aronas nodded politely in exchange to the similar action performed by Arctus. "All is well, Arctus," Aronas said in response to the man's gratitude for setting this discussion up. When Yvain arrived, Aronas would turn his attention towards the diminutive Jedi Knight. "To my understanding, you aren't actually that old, Knight Yvain. Certainly older than most others, but still...ah well, it doesn't matter, you're very welcome for the food and drinks." Aronas looked thoroughly amused as he spoke, to judge by the smiling tugging at his lips.

"Well then, if everyone is comfortable," Aronas pulled a drink to himself and sat down, getting comfortable in the seat. "Then let us begin. I have always held the belief that the way everyone experiences the Force is slightly different. Perhaps not enough from one person to the next to be significant, but I believe that there are always slight differences that can lead to differing experiences between Jedi as well as other Force-sensitives." Aronas paused to take a sip of the sweet smelling drink, sighing in contentment before continuing.

"Thus I believe it is worthwhile to have talks like these, to expand our knowledge by listening to others' perspectives surrounding the Force and other areas of our lives as Jedi. Knight Yvain, you have lived for over a century longer than I, long enough to have witnessed wars overtaking the Galaxy with the Jedi at their hearts. What do you believe is a Jedi's place in war, given what you have seen and experienced? Can we have a place in war, given our nature and that of our creed?" Well, there was a place to start, given everything happening around the Galaxy recently...

@Braden Drake @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Yvain]

Yvain looked over the two men sat in front of him and smiled before pulling back his cloak revealing his lightsaber. With a little inclining with The Force he pulled the hilt from his belt and held it floating out before them all. "The Lightsaber, a weapon it is. We do not have these, to sit in halls all day and talk, no. We often called ourselves, Guardians, Warriors or Defenders of Peace, yes?" He waited for an answer before continuing.

"Yet to have weapons during peace, breaks said peace as you have a weapon, yes? Hmmm, Guardians, Warriors, Protectors of the Innocent. That is what I believe we are truly, yes. Now, if someone attacks the innocent, should we not defend them, fight? When one side fights another they call it a war. So if the Jedi are to defend the innocent, the Jedi must fight wars, yes. It cannot be helped, if we do not we fight, the innocent suffer, that, is a greater atrocity than war." His viewpoint was perhaps strange compared to those who were fully brought up within the New Jedi Order, but then many of them had not seen war the way he had. Yvain had his own follow up question for his fellow Knight but he wanted to hear their own points upon war first before he asked.

@Xan @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Arctus Friers]

A smile of relief crossed the former smuggler's features at the indication that Knight Vicar could actually see despite the blindfold. Must be through the Force, he thought as he made to sit on one of the chairs after the two Knights have done so. He might have been a rascal once upon a time, but his mother also taught him good manners and right conduct.

Now was a good time to put them to use, he reckoned, as a part of the Jedi Order.

Arctus felt like a kid in class, both anxious and excited at the prospect of learning something new. He waited and listened in anticipation as Knight Vicar asked the first question that would open a whole lot of points of discussion. War. Seemed like a heavy topic to open the discussion but Arctus had no complaints, simply an opinion that he found no need to voice out. Even more so after hearing the Knight's follow-up.

He felt glad that he wasn't called first to answer the question. New as he was, he was still finding his place in the Order and trying to learn everything he could.

The former smuggler's gaze found the oldest in the room, head inclined respectfully as he listened to Knight Yvain speak and nodded in response to the latter's question. Only when the Knight was finished did Arctus open his mouth to speak.

"Well, war is indiscriminate," he began, feeling a little self-conscious as the attention now shifted to him. Arctus steadied his hands and took a deep, calming breath before continuing. He took a sip of his drink, then added, "And, er, I think one cannot keep peace without weapons. Don't get me wrong though, Knight– um, Master Yvain. Peace is broken in the presence of tools made to injure, to kill, yes. But from what I've seen during my travels, no one truly keeps the peace with just words alone. There will always be someone who would seek to challenge that peace, to crush it. Where there is peace, there also is evil. And sometimes, we can't just ever fight evil with kindness."

Sullust. Denon. Byblos. The Jedi and Sector Rangers rose in defiance to the Sith's quest for dominion over the galaxy. It was the kind of battle that could never be settled with words alone, knowing the Darksiders' nature. Arctus somehow understood the latter, given his own experience of the temptations of the Dark Side of the Force.

"To me, that viewpoint of yours isn't stilted at all. War is everywhere, no matter the scale. And it's indiscriminate, like I said earlier. Who really suffer when war is waged? The losing side? No – the innocent. Those who couldn't defend themselves, those whose homes and lives were ravaged by all the fighting. A Jedi Master extended a helping hand to put me here, so, yeah... if the Jedi won't fight to help, then..." he gestured a hand towards Knight Yvain before finishing using the latter's own words, "the innocent suffer, a greater atrocity than war itself."

An awkward smile and a shrug of his shoulders. His gaze now shifting between the two Knights, before settling on Knight Vicar, waiting to hear what the Jedi had to say about Knight Yvain and Arctus's contribution.

@Xan @Braden Drake