What They Died For

[Brandon Rhea]

A breeze hit, soft and light, carrying the souls of the dead who now lived forever in the great power. The dead would never be returned to them, but they would always stay with them. Those left behind needed them, now more than ever. Their memory. Their legacies. When history was over, time would see that they died so that others could live.

The Jedi were respected in the galaxy. Not just as wise and humble beings, but as protectors. Any act that jeopardized that respect jeopardized the guardianship of the galaxy. Perhaps there was no more dramatic an example than the destruction of the Jedi Temple. No doubt it conjured feelings of the attack during the Great Purge of the old Jedi. No doubt it left people wondering if the new Jedi were to suffer the same fate.

Even here, on Coruscant, the hub of liberty, the wind spoke of demons. The breeze swept over the ruins of the Jedi Temple, carrying with it the shame of nine hundred years of humiliation—nine centuries of believing that the fire of the Sith had gone out. And now the last nine years of inaction on the part of the Jedi. Even the Sage Master, wise and vaunted, advocated for action. The Jedi needed Right Action.

The winds kept some of the fires, however faint, still burning in the wreckage of the great temple. It was morning here, right around dawn, and the early reaches of the morning’s light cast a rose-colored glow over the fires that still burned. Days had passed since the bombing, and the fires still burned, now more visible than ever.

That was the legacy of the Sith, the legacy of their wars against the Jedi, the eternal flame that burned. No matter how faint or how magnificent, the fires of the Sith had never been extinguished in the nearly ten millennia since they were first created. It was the legacy of war, of suffering, of greed; the legacy of destruction of untold proportions, of death around unexpected corners.

It could not be allowed to happen again. This was the time to chart a new legacy, one free of the tyranny of the Sith and the destruction they rained down upon them. Whereas once the Jedi would be called heroes for defeating the Sith in battle—in essence, slaying the beast they created in the first place—this was the age where the fires of the Sith would go out forever.

The Sage Master, still and reverent in the wreckage of the foundation, awaited a report from the newly-appointed Battle Master for defense and security, swore to himself that the Sith would never again reign free in the galaxy.

“Lest we forget...”

 

[Matt]

There were few places in the galaxy where the force itself seemed to be as confused about what path to take then the jedi temple. Three times this place of learning had been destroyed now and this bastion of peace was always brought down in brutality.

''Monsters''

The words escaped Bektar's lips as he walked across the rubble looking for any sign of things he knew, things he remembered and the souls that had been extinguished by the Sith and there cowardly actions. However, the galaxy was not black and white and neither was war....The sith had struck first with a devastating and ingenius attack.

Bektar could admit that much grudgingly.

But to truly give service to those who had perished this must never be allowed to happen again and he had spent days pouring over ideas to stop this form happening.

Never again.

He came up behind the sage master keeping a respectful distance, his outside calm with only his eyes giving an insight into his mood. The blazing yellow eyes surveyed the ruins in hope for the future.

Hope for the order.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

There was great resolve within with the new Battle Master, that much was clear, even from a distance. It was an anger that...no, not anger. Anger would have boiled to the surface more, would have displayed more outward signs of emotion, but he didn’t cave to that level of primordial emotion. No, it was disgust that he felt, a justified emotion best avoided, but one that even the most highly attuned to the Force could slip in and out of without recourse.

As the Battle Master approached, Jhon said, “Even a monster can be saved, Master Tulon. It would be a shame to see you fall prey to the same judgments made by your predecessors. You have far too much potential.”

His words served not as a rebuke or a condemnation. Rather, his tone carried a hint of sadness over the actions of the High Council these last few years since the Sith returned, and the last few months since the war began. By virtue of seniority, the Sage Master carried with him a newfound authority amongst the Jedi, so it was his great undertaking now to move the Jedi onto a more understanding path.

“You’ll have to forgive my rambling for now,” Jhon said as he turned towards Tulon, offering a nod of courtesy as they gazes met. “We can discuss such things later. For now, I’d like a report on your new security precautions, starting with these ruins.”

 

[Matt]

Bektar took all forms of rebuke as a personal challenge despite the tone of the sage master being anything but heated. He never did things by half measure and his swirling emotions could not be blamed simply because his people were incredibly warlike. He would do better, he must do better.

''You are right of course Sage Master, I will remember that''

He was always spoke lowly and deliberately which partly came down to him learning basic at a older age and partly due to him wanting to convey the right words, he would be working with this man form now on, he wanted to impress him.

As the Sage master turned to him he listened intently before conveying the thoughts swimming round his head to words.

''The ruins shall not be ruins for long Sage Master with your blessing. Work will begin soon on clearing away the bits that cannot be salvaged, and I have already begun speaking to the Galactic Alliance military about certain aspects the Temple will need in the future. The Sith were able to destroy the temple because it was sadly still set up for peacetime, whilst the Sith have shown us what we are in now...War''

 

[Brandon Rhea]

"Good."

The comment was directed more at the report rather than the Battle Master's assurance of remembrance, but the one word served to respond to both points. He was not here to prod at the moment, only to gain information and make decisions that would best serve the Jedi.

"Begin the work immediately," Jhon said. "This may not be our primary temple, but it is—it was—a much needed fortress here on Coruscant. Ensure that the temple on Tython and the Sage Halls of Empress Teta are protected as well. I want an increased military presence in the Deep Core, and I want the Light of the Force to be in different locations constantly to avoid a repeat of The Will of the Force disaster. Detailed specifications of the weapons and defenses of the Light of the Force are to be kept classified at the highest level, spread only on a need to know basis. Even the Jedi aboard her don't need to know, nor do they need to know the ship's location at any given time."

He paused for a moment, thinking of the fear that his once-lost apprentice Andraste felt on Empress Teta mere hours ago, how she feared that the Sith would destroy Empress Teta's temple. That could prove difficult, but there was no more symbolic an attack than destroying the temple on Coruscant again while it was under construction.

"Security at this site must be impenetrable," he said, surely reminding the Battle Master of what he already knew. "I don't want anything happening to compromise the reconstruction efforts. This place is a symbol, now more than ever."

 

[Matt]

''Very well Master, As I said I have begun speaking to the Alliance military and they will bring some gentlemen along to help quiz those under me on security procedures and methods that machines alone may not be able to find. I also wish to ask you about my role in regards to the planet's under our protection''

Bektar paused for a moment, this really was a strange sensation for him talking about his control over such huge amounts of money and more importantly people. It really was a complete culture shock compared to his activities several months ago but he had thrown himself into his work.

He spoke with the assurances of someone who had read hundreds of data files on his specialist subjects.

''I do not wish to overstep the mark but we are woefully under prepared to launch any kind of attacks against the Sith so I have been engaging in several plans in regards to keeping our planet's safe. Shield generators is a field the Alliance in most proficient in, mainly planetary shields. Do I have your permission to begun outfitting our world's with such technology?''

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Jhon let out a faint chuckle. The notion of stepping over the line of one’s role seemed amusing to him, given his own role now; a sage giving orders on military and security affairs was laughable, but necessary, in these times.

“You’re not wrong, Master Tulon,” Jhon said. “We are unprepared. We may have been the first to formally declare war, but we were the last to prepare for it. You may begin the refits as soon as the funds are allocated to the Order.”

 

[Matt]

''Very well Master, I will do my very best for the order. I won't rest until this Temple is what it was again''

Bektar stared out at the scene before him and taped the bone mask over his face for luck, he was sincere in his goals but by the Deities was it going to be a hard task, but no one ever got anywhere by words alone.

''Was there anything else you required of me Master Jhon?

He would be leaving straight after this meeting to begin his work and he had a list a mile long, but this was important. Standing by the man who essentially seemed to be leading the Jedi at the moment seemed to put things in perspective, his tasks seemed small compared to Master Jhon's.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Jhon wasn’t about to keep the Battle Master waiting. They both had important work to accomplish, particularly the Battle Master, tasked with the security of thousands of worlds, now more than ever.

“Do your job and do it well,” Jhon said. “Serve the people and follow the Way. That’s all we can ask of ourselves.”