Open Plot Ajan Kloss When Duty Calls

[Maxims Tionson]

It seemed he had really but the Nexu amongst the pigeons but that was to be expected – people tended to respond when someone had a different opinion to them. Of course, he was not the only one who held issues with the stated mission and he nodded in greeting to the Knight who used his species’ logical mind to lay out his points. Naturally, not everyone agreed with him and he was fine with that.

Was a boring Galaxy where everyone thought the same way.

What was a little bit of a concern was the bitterness that was thrown his way by one Knight in particular. He raised an eyebrow in the face of her emotion but otherwise didn’t react and let her have her say. Getting frustrated when someone dared to disagree with you was a bad sign in his opinion but he supposed he hadn’t been exactly placid in his own argument.

He waited until she had spoken before replying.

“It is the opinion of one Master that any argument that starts with fear of what might happen is an argument that is not mindful of emotions.” He countered without heat, maintaining eye contact, “And I believe it is reasonable to expect the person who will lead this mission, this advance, to defend her position. Jedi often stand alone and she will stand alone more than most – you may all support her but as leader she must shoulder burdens greater than a discussion with a friend who respects her, even if he may disagree with her position.”

The next counter to himself was one reasoned based on history and he could very much respect that – he had studied history at college while training to become a police officer. It was a passion that continued into his time as a Jedi as well. He met the eyes of the Jedi Knight who spoke up with a genuine smile.

“To argue against tying ourselves to a military and governments is not the same as being passive. I don’t counsel to ‘not act’ but rather to avoid acting in this way. Can anyone here say that I have not been active in attempting to bring the fight to those who would harm and abuse the people? Sith included. I was on Dathomir.” He countered smoothly, “As for the Clone Wars – acting as Generals and soldiers, actively chasing the Sith with outright war they enticed the Jedi into joining to stab them in the back while they were distracted pursuing a righteous war. Sounds an awful lot like what has been suggested today.”

He gestured around.

“The last time the Jedi were soldiers, Sidious used our distraction in the war, in our pursuit of Dooku, to undo us and bring about an Empire that subjugated trillions. We failed the people.” He raised a hand, “Further back still; Revan and Malek went to war and convinced many Jedi to go with them. They came back from the war as Sith, having fallen to the emotion and horrors of war. Of seeing ‘the bigger picture’ as worth any action. Can we not all agree that the Jedi’s track record of turning ourselves into soldiers and Generals has been disastrous?”

 

[Eisa Wex]

Standing at the rear of the chamber Eisa observed in silence her eyes narrowing as she folded her arms over her chest, seemed that it wasn't just the decor that never changed within the Order. It was the waffle that brought all the reasons why she had left the order to begin with. Everything seemed to turn into a debate, weighing up whether it was best to tackle the threat head long or to consider the wider implications of their actions

Her gaze flitting over the various jedi that were gathered within the meditation chamber as each either voiced their support to Koris plan, airing their own cautions and considerations as to how they should approach the venture - whilst of course there were some who had gathered who aired their objections to the prospect of tackling the Sith threat head on, cautioning over repeating the mistakes of the past, militarising becoming servants of governments, waging another Galactic war

Much of it was too high level for the fiery haired spacer, talking about consequences, wider effects of their actions whether they stand back and do nothing whilst the Sith seemingly run rampant. Or what would happen if the Jedi take up arms and mount a crusade against their dark sided kin. All of it to the Spacer was incredibly boring and was struggling to keep her focus. A wry grin crossing her features as she could hear the the raspy voice of Master Har reprimanding her in the back of her mind. If the Duros Master was here she'd imagine the words this is exactly why you never learned, you need to think about the long term effects of your actions don't be so quick to rush in otherwise you'd loose more than your arm next time. would be uttered by her former mentor

"Tying into governments or their military ain't gonna be likely..... Hell it'll be Kriffing impossible..." the fiery haired spacer blurted out, once it seemed that there was a slight lull in the debate, a wide grin crossing her features as she looked up slightly. "not every government tied to the syndicates will be welcoming of us magical space wizards.... Especially the ones overseen by that blubbery snake Durr the Hutt, ever since that Archany bloke blew up his brat.... If you give em the slightest hint to suspect you're a Jedi, you'll be getting a blaster bolt slung between your eyes" she continued, figuring that it might be of use to share some of her experiences wondering around the Galaxy, and meeting people at the ground level rather than in the lofty idealistic heights that scholars and those more learned view the worlds around them.

"Mean not to say that don't do anything about these sith..." she continued before pausing slightly. Before looking and pointing her cybernetic arm towards Master Tionson. "That one eyed guy had a point, save the individual not the society or summit... The sith would be expecting a reaction, Kriff! bet ya 20 cred sticks they did all this to spark up a Jedi crusade, looking to instigate another space wizard war for the whole 'verse to demonise the Jedi again, cos most of those in the Verse ain't got a clue about the difference between a Sith and Jedi, they just see magic powers and a glowing sword like this and think Jedi " Eisa added as she un-clipped her lightsaber hilt from her belt and waved the hilt back and forth in her hand, before returning her attention back towards her friend, her lips pursing in thought as she tried to think of something that may be more of use, rather than seeming like she was joining in with the nay saying - after all she knew she would help Kori out regardless of what support would be given or perhaps even not from the Order, that was a given but she figured it would might be helpful to at least offer a view point how those outside of the Order view the Jedi.

"Purp's what ever you need to help root these buggers out, I'll do what I can to help ya.... But if you're going to go after these Sith.... you're gonna need to be more low key than a paranoid spice smuggler!" the spacer spoke out after her moment of thought, before a wild grin curled on her features, as her reflection started to point towards being something akin to one of the holo movies she had watched whilst the Rim Hopper was making one of its long haul jumps - some low budget movie about a group of masked vigilantes going it alone in the seedy underworlds of the Coruscant slums to take out the big bad crimelord and his goons "These Sith are the boogeymen that linger in the shadows waiting to strike right?.... Then play them at their own game, keep things low key and hidden from sight, track em down and when we find em.... Give the Kriffers a right ol' spanking"

 

[Izel Thral]

Things seemed to escalate quite quickly after Master Tionson voiced his dissent to the majority. As Izel expected Nara was quick to join in on Kori's cause herself, and make a rather emotional retort to Max's argument. Hal spoke up in favor of Kori next, but with a much more measured response. Calm, rational and quoting history? Izel liked this one, and found herself nodding in agreement with his remarks. The next Jedi to speak, another Knight Izel didn't recognize, seemed to lean more towards maintaining the status quo. That wouldn't do.

Max continued making his case against the cause and a red-haired human cut in as well. She carried a lightsaber, but Izel didn't get the impression of a Jedi at all from her. But at least she seemed to be on their side. Seeing an opportunity to speak again the Vratix would make her own case against Max.

"Respectfully Master, I believe you are misremembering history." She opened rather boldly, though was careful to keep a mannerly tone. "In neither of the wars you mentioned did the Jedi face the Sith directly, rather we were tricked into facing a false enemy. In Revan's case the Mandalorians, and in the case of the Clone Wars an alliance of Separatist elements of our own Republic." On that point in particular Izel allowed a bit of edge into her voice. Her people had been on the side of the Separatists in the Clone Wars, they fought only for their own freedom. She didn't appreciate Max calling the Republic cause of forced unity a 'righteous war'.

"They do not directly compare to our current situation, as we would be facing the Sith directly, rather than fighting some proxy conflict." She continued to explain. "And I'm glad you brought up your own efforts, because they actually support our argument. You were willing to partner with the Sector Rangers to fight the institution of slavery, and I was proud to aid you in that cause. Why would it be any different partnering with them to fight the Sith? They represent an arguably greater threat to the galaxy given their history. And by working with the galactic community to stop them we can resolve the problem more quickly and with fewer lives lost." Then she turned her eyes on the red-haired woman. Or Jedi?

"And as for your own statements... uh... Miss... I can assure you we would never desire to cooperate with scum like the Hutts anyway. If we are to ally with anyone it will be legitimate organizations. If we allow the greater galactic community to lead this effort, with ourselves acting in an advisory and support role, we can avoid falling into the trap of the Jedi Civil War." She looked to the whole group now. "Let us work with the people of the galaxy to stop the Sith as we have before. Together we will have much more resources out our disposal than we would acting alone." She stepped back, waiting to see how the group would respond. To her it was only common sense to work with like minded individuals to overcome a common enemy, but there were some Jedi who seemed too frightened of the dark side to risk embroiling themselves in a larger conflict. She understood that fear, she held it herself, but in her mind to avoid taking action at this stage was irresponsible.

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Fiach was unused to such large gatherings and so many speaking not so much at once, but in quick succession. Her brain was reviewing one speech and hadn’t had time to process the information before the next person spoke, and the next and the next.

For this reason, she was in two minds. To either listen and make her mind up at a later date, or voice what was resonating in her mind – for she needed some specific answers before she could consider herself well-informed enough to even share an opinion…and if there was something Fiach abhorred it was opinions paraded as facts. She wanted hard and fast data to work with if at all possible, so finally gave in to the nagging thoughts in her head and shared them.

“When I first came here, I spoke long and often with my Master, Oren, about the Order. About who decides what to do. The Council was the simple answer, but then I asked – as was (and probably still is) my way – how does the Council decide?”

“The Jedi existed – past tense I accept – to be an order of protectors united by their ability to harness the power of the Force. Jedi philosophy did not forbid a Jedi from acting in self-defence or in the defence of others – but they were not perpetrators of acts of aggression.”

“Then came the Republic and a Jedi Order commitment to peace and democracy. Jedi defended against the Sith, who sought power and dominion over the galaxy.”

“Where am I going with this? I am seeking a better understanding of not our role per se…to be the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy, but whose version of peace and justice? Or is our role to preserve balance in the Force, which is an entirely different – or at least somewhat different role.”

“I need to understand our relationship with governments – which I hear so many wish to steer clear of. Yet, in my understanding of governing, defense and administering law and order were a significant definition of what being a government was.”

“If we decide to target the Sith, do we go anywhere and everywhere? Only where we’re invited? On planets that might choose to ally with them? What are our boundaries, our guidelines? Is it Sith only? What about darksiders who don’t ally with them? Or darskiders who do, but commit no crimes?”

“And finally, before I stop speaking and listen to others more wise than me, I repeat a line I heard so many times in my training. ‘A Jedi uses their lightsaber only for defence, not for attack, and uses the Force for defence and knowledge rather than use it to gain power over others.’ How can we be sure that any action against the Sith – or anyone else we target - adheres to this mantra?”

 

[Eisa Wex]

OOC: Just jumping a quick response to Izel before it gets too busy to respond

Following the conversation round the room, the fiery haired spacer's gaze moved over towards the insectoid Jedi as she responded to the comments on the history of the Jedi and their engagements with the various wars that the one eyed Jedi Master had spoke about, her features going blank and passive as she listened to the continuing exchange, each one bouncing back their commentary and view points of the events of the past. Her attention snapping back up from the floor as Izel addressed her regarding the comments about siding with or cooperating with the likes of the Hutts.

As she nodded in acknowledgement of the Knight's comments, before shrugging slightly. "oh I ain't saying that we should be working with the likes of the Hutts, or the shifty governments." Eisa commented with slight sigh, realising that perhaps just blurting out whatever came into her mind was probably not all that helpful around the Jedi - Feeling in that moment that it clearly had been way too Kriffing long since she had last sat in on one of these little meetings, that and she probably nodded off during the later ones before her departure from the Order.

"Just saying ya gotta be careful out in the 'verse is all" Eisa reasoned with a slight shrug of her shoulders, and a faint twitch of an apologetic smile curling on her lips. "It ain't just the governments, syndicates an the likes ya gotta be careful of.... Its the every day folk. A few revere the Jedi like old magical myths and legends, most would rather see you bleed out in the gutter.... I found that out the hard way after I left the Order... " the spacer continued before pausing to briefly sigh and quickly brush the stray strands of her orange hair from obscuring her face. "Like it or not, the Jedi are remembered for their failures and seen as meddlers and even the likes of ol Palpatine are pinned on the Jedi, sure some are glad to see a Jedi come to the rescue if they've been enslaved or that.... but I ain't gonna lie, the every day civie they don't see it that way. Everything that has gone wrong because of it being the actions of a Force User, regardless of how well intentioned your actions are, the majority see the Jedi as the root cause for all the conflicts that happened" she rounded off before pursing her lips pensively for a moment. "Ya just need to be aware that not everyone you seek to defend and protect will be happy to see you is all i'm saying.... been what six seven ish years since I was a Padawan here, and of all the worlds I've travelled through there ain't much sympathy for you guys.... I may not be part of the Order any more, but sure as Kriff don't want the people i grew up with getting hurt"

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Nykoria was NOT prepared for the storm her suggestion had unleashed. All she had done was pour her heart out — for the first time since forever to anyone but her Master. And with every voice or thought of support she heard, like @Weiss Zano's, the Zeltron's heart sang. It felt good to be among people who understood you and shared your sentiments. Even if they did take Kori's thoughts into the directions she hadn't taken them. An empath by nature, Kori assumed it was representative of the concerns each of those other Jedi had. Master @Hannibal Grayza brought up a point worth thinking through. This is exactly what Kori did while @Izel Thral engaged in a discussion with him.

But then... @Maxims Tionson spoke. Max. A person whom Kori knew and respected. A person who had saved her life once, even though skirting dangerously close to the Dark Side with his attempts at intimidating a Zygerrian slaver. And of all the people gathered, he was the one firmly against the idea. He even called Kori out on her own emotions, and indirectly accused her of zealotry in his extrapolation. To the Zeltron, that felt like a gut punch, leaving her speechless long enough for others to join the discussion, while she was coming up with a reply. She had opened up; acknowledged what drove her decision. Her master had told her that Jedi of old rejected and fought off their emotions; the new Jedi were supposed to understand them, and just not let them change who they were.

But before Kori could say that, a skeleton-like alien (@Udilor Hesph) joined the conversation. He started off with an equation, further confusing the Zeltron who was unaware of the Givin and their customary greeting maths. Had she known that the Givin were mathematical geniuses, and always used an equation with answer 3 for dealing with other species, she would've replied. But as of now, she tried to even imagine the equation in her mind, with mixed results. Meanwhile, the Givin stranger voiced his support for Max.

The Force knows how Kori would've responded, if @Nara Allam, a good friend and a partner on many missions, hadn't interfered and stepped up for her. So did another Jedi, whom Kori didn't know (@Hal Mikko). One more Jedi (@Ilukai Koa) joined the conversation as well, generally seeming to be in agreement with Kori, and trying to keep things as simple as possible. Perhaps it was the right thing. The Zeltron couldn't but take the stranger's mention of verbosity as something directed at her long initial speech.

The conversation evolved into multiple ones: an argument between Max, Nara, and Izel; a series of surprisingly useful suggestions by @Eisa Wex. You'd never have thought she was such a strategist by looking at her. She sure brought her street smarts to the table. And then there was @Fiach Dubh. A Jedi whom Kori had met a couple of times, who had a large number of questions. They caught the Zeltron's attention, for they seemed to resonate with the sentiment of some of the people who expressed doubts. It was a perfect opportunity to get the discussion back on track.

So far, 7 people seemed to be convinced (some with more reservations than others): @Weiss Zano, @Hannibal Grayza, @Izel Thral, @Nara Allam, @Hal Mikko, @Ilukai Koa, and @Eisa Wex. Of all the people who had spoken so far, that left 4 unconvinced: @Maxims Tionson, @Udilor Hesph, @Jago Haaldin, and @Fiach Dubh. That's not accounting for those who were present, but had chosen to remain silent for now.

Kori cleared her throat and raised her hand: "May I have your attention, please? I think it's about time I answered some of the questions asked of me."

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Again, the Zeltron had a lot of ground to cover. The task of alleviating all the concerns brought up so far seemed insurmountable... Or at least hard to approach. Where could Kori even start? Especially since she was to answer what being a Jedi actually was. To Kori, it was like answering the question about the meaning of life... Which even the wisest of Masters probably hadn't figured out yet.

Perhaps she had to start from the beginning: "Sorry, it might be a long speech again. But there's a lot to cover." The Zeltron decided to start with a thought that nobody would argue with, hopefully: "Everything is in the eye of the beholder. I expected concerns and objections. That's exactly why I asked you to come here and shared my thoughts." Admittedly, it wasn't the only reason, but it was true. A reality check before approaching the Council was something Kori sought too. But admittedly, she sought allies and support more than that.

"A lot has been said about what emotions drive me, and where my actions would take things," the Zeltron shrugged. "And honestly... I don't have the precognition so precise to tell me where we'd end up in a month, let alone a year. But I do know why I feel like doing what I said. And I've been thinking about it for a long time now, so it's not a hasty decision, let alone fueled by fear." The Zeltron looked around the gathered people, but paused her gaze at Max; he seemed to be her main opponent.

"Why are the Jedi taught to be mindful of their emotions in the first place? Because on the spur of the moment, a Jedi might give into them, abuse their powers, and make a choice that he or she wouldn't have made otherwise. A choice that he or she would regret in the long run," truth to be told, the Zeltron hadn't considered it until then. She was thinking on the fly, but so far found her own conclusions logical. "The main risk is losing yourself, your own moral compass. So, emotion, yet peace."

"And although I may be ignorant of what the future holds, and how to handle any possible situation, I know why I want to do this. Nara worded it best. Prevention is better than the cure. Sure, a Jedi uses their lightsaber only for defense. But when I hear the news of a Sith murdering someone, I feel like we... I failed to defend them. Once I realized that, it just... crystallized in my head, you know? We are the ones who can prevent this chaos. Is it not the Jedi way to do as much as we can about it, without compromising ourselves?" Wittingly or unwittingly, the Zeltron was referencing the Jedi Code now. She smirked at the notion, and at a sudden realization of something else.

"I understand why you're so concerned about governments. And why some governments are so concerned about us Jedi. They are skeptical of unaccountable powerful individuals running unchecked. And the Jedi in turn are wary of becoming just another soulless cog in the machine. It requires following orders blindly and without question; sometimes going against your own moral compass. That's hardly the Jedi way." The Zeltron looked at the two Masters inquisitively, trying to gauge if her thoughts on the matter aligned with theirs. "But in the end, we won't be able to just ignore them and do our thing. Or else we'd just add to the chaos. There'll have to be a middle ground, some form of cooperation."

...​

The Zeltron looked at Fiach, remembering some of her rather practical questions that were left unanswered. It would make a nice summary for those who had missed the long speech: "In short: I want to prevent people suffering. Caused by Sith and criminals alike. In my eyes, even a petty thief is more deserving of Jedi intervention than a Sith who does no harm—assuming there is such a thing. Look at a person's actions, not allegiance. That's my current guideline. I can't speak for anyone else: you're better off figuring out your guidelines for yourself as you go out there, and sharing them with others. Everything is in the eye of the beholder."

Nykoria gulped and took a deep breath. She sure had said much. Perhaps too much; she wondered if her points could sway people the other way. But that was the way she perceived the situation. Perhaps, if some Jedi shared her sentiment on taking action against the Sith, they'd find some of her new points agreeable as well? Either way, the genie was out of the bottle.

"Oh, and one last thing," she added hastily. "I have no delusions that I absolutely have to be the leader of this whole thing. Sure, I asked you all to gather here, and have some plans on what we can do. But if the Council agrees to the idea and assigns someone better-suited for the job, then I have no qualms with being a wingman."

 

[Maxims Tionson]

In neither of the wars the Jedi faced the Sith directly? Misremembering history? Honestly that last comment was what got him the most. Misremembering history? Oh that actually hurt his feelings... especially since he disagreed.

"Sidious. Dooku. Ventress. Maul. Savage." he counted off on his fingers in response to Izel, "One mastermind. One open Sith leader. One assassin and two rogue Sith. I believe Master Kenobi would argue they faced the Sith directly in the clone wars - if fighting an army raised by them didn't count. And the Mandalorians were pushed by a Sith Emperor who corrupted Revan and Malek for their return to the Republic. Or, if you wish, the war on it's own turned Revan and Malek to the Dark Side - either way it's an argument against going to war."

He knew it was perhaps a little bit petty to continue to argue - he was here to discuss after all, not provoke - but he wasn't about to let someone spread misinformation. The clone wars wasn't a war against the Sith... did a war against the Sith have to be nothing but Jedi charging against armies made entirely of other saber-users before it was direct enough?

He listened again as Kori further explained herself and he was proud of her. Despite their difference of opinions, she was committing herself well and not getting overly emotional. When a discussion was had it was easy, sometimes, to turn it into a war of words. It spoke well of her, and her intentions, that she had not degraded to that point.

"You have a good guideline and a good heart, Kori. I know for a fact that your intentions are good - my issue is that you will tie yourselves to those who cannot say the same." he admitted with a small smile, "War is different to anything you have seen before, any of you and even myself. I've been in gang wars and the like but actual war? We know from surviving texts of the Clone Wars how it changed the Jedi who fought in it. We know it changed Revan, Malek and the hundreds of Jedi who followed them."

He held his hands up.

"I know, I know... most of you are not here for a discussion. You're here because you've already decided you cannot accept anything less and you want to know how to actually do it. Some of you think I am stuck in my ways - an old man afraid of 'what might happen', ignoring what 'is' happening." he shrugging, "Ignoring how that last part would suggest I sit around all day meditating and not going out into the Galaxy... I am saying one last time to take a look at our history. The Jedi have gone to war, true war, twice is our history and both times we were all but destroyed, the best of us turned to the Dark Side and the Galaxy covered in Darkness for years. Once can be bad 'luck'. Twice? Will you risk a third when there is not a single example of this ending differently? Better?"

He smiled at the room as a whole.

"You will, and must, do as you feel the Force guides you and I will be here to support you all if I am proven right or if I am proven wrong. Either way, I will not fight and lose friends over this." he nodded to Kori and patted her on the shoulder, leaning in to whisper to her, "You'll be a great leader, Kori."

And then he left.

No ill-will, no further confrontation and no regrets now that he had spoken his peace and had it listened to. That was all he wanted after all.

/Exit Thread

@Catbert @Reyn

 

[Ilukai Koa]

"I, uh, I think I'll take this moment to quickly signal my intentions too" Ilukai opped her eyes up from the ground, where they had lingered throughout the discussion since her initial short statement. Hearing the voices of her comrades back and forth was something she wasn't used to, it unsettled her to some extent.

On Burinjina, her home, there was a way of things, not so often discussed. While she at times poked and prodded against it, its people as a whole were often not ones to step beyond the lines, argue about such things. Perhaps she'd picked up some of that without her knowing. And when she'd joined the Jedi, she'd read, fled, explored, often on her own accord. She was used to her own company and thoughts, such a meeting was, it seemed, a little overwhelming for her, and she became lost within it all.

Part of her was brave enough, to stand up and fight in what would perhaps be a war whether the Jedi decided to call it one or not. But part of her needed that distinction, part of her thought the Jedi needed that distinction. That this was not exceptional circumstances, that fighting Sith was merely their role, and that even the darkness now was simply another time and place to act as they always were meant to,

"I don't intend to join an army, and I know that's not what you're suggesting, it's just..." she took a moment to breath, her assuredness from earlier had left her,

"If I see a Sith, I'll stop them, no change there. But perhaps I'll just be an ally of this mission. A more enthusiastic one that Master Tionson perhaps, but just an ally" she offered a smile before standing,

"Keep me in the loop, I'll help where I can and where I feel its right. That's what I'd do as a Jedi anyway" she finished, her voice had stayed calm through her whole talk. She took a step back from the group to the edge of the clearing, just to make clear her position. But otherwise, like Maxims before her, she'd said her peace, and would let the rest celebrate.

/ExitThread (or like, stepping back from it)

@Catbert

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

Bri stood quietly at the back of the room, arms folded over her chest and a pensive look painted on her face. She hadn't been invited to the gathering per se but had an inkling for what Kori, a Zeltron Jedi with whom she was previously acquainted, had in mind, and decided to attend. As her head turned from participant to participant, a quote from her old Master floated through her head. You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time. Always remember, there is as much wisdom in listening as there is in speaking. He was right of course; at least in the Jedi Knight's opinion. Thus she evaluated each and everyone's own thoughts before even contemplating offering a thought of her own.

Unfortunately, Kori had also broken Bri's number one rule of a successful meeting (which she herself had learned through trial and error): always bring free food. The Knight resolved to provide a friendly chastising to her colleague at a more lighthearted moment in the future.

Bri attempted to make sense of the varying opinions in an orderly fashion, weighing the valid points against each other, endeavoring to come up with the right solution on the other end. Only....it wasn't that simple. Or at least in Bri's mind it wasn't. The central question always seemed to devolve down to what was the Jedi's place in the Galaxy? The Knight was of no doubt upon the unanimous agreement of being the guardians of peace and justice, devoted to preserving peace and promoting prosperity. But, how far could or should one go to achieve those goals? Was there a limit? If so, who decided where it was? The thought meandered like a slow stream in Bri's mind.

The Jedi Order that Rey Skywalker had begun, the very one that Brienna Lanaamer was apart of, was not the same Jedi Order that fell to Sith in the time of the Galactic Civil War. Nor was it the Order that had clashed with the Sith Empire centuries ago. No, this Order was something new, centered on the same foundational tenets, yes, but indeed, attempting to chart its own course in the Galaxy. It was left to the very Jedi who were present in the room, and those not, to find the that right course.

The deep and rather philosophical questions that puzzled Bri were challenged by a simple question that had occurred to her; was it ever wrong to do what was right? If only I had something to physically chew on while I mentally chewed on this question......

Nevertheless, Kori was trying to do the right thing, and that, plus her own initiative, warranted praise. Hoping to cheer the Zeltron up after a few more critical comments, Bri offered her own, "You know, at the end of the day, our Order is a brotherhood and sisterhood," she paused, looking around, "and we'll stand by each other no matter what," flashing a friendly smile.

 

[Udilor Hesph]

As usual, it seemed the others were ignorant to a proper greeting so much to not even give an attempted answer. Confusion and a nod were hardly an educated response. Udilor knew better than to be insulted. It simply was amusing to him at this point after over a decade away. It was simply a habit he would never let die and it was a joy to see the occasional return. In time maybe they'd learn to understand.

Yet another big speech came as the Zeltron Jedi tried to speak in response, only for another demonstration from the elder Jedi Master to follow. Maxims left the room after essentially dropping the mic on the room. This left Udi as the most vocal opponent to the motions presented. He did not follow the man out, at least not yet. The girl had at least earned some further attention and discussion.

"To strike out and use our place of power for aggression is an action of lesser beings such as the Sith. Schemes and violence do not fit in a Jedi way of life. A criminal is hardly a definition we should be chasing. Under an evil regime, anyone could be technically a criminal. We must take actions to prevent suffering. We agree there..." He trailed off as he felt himself rambling a bit, then changed his tone to be more direct. "How do you decide who is worthy of training? Where do you draw the line between aggression against a foe and keeping the peace?"

Udilor kept his empty gaze on Kori now, listening for a response to the questions he presented. She had already been lectured by Maxims before he wandered away. At least now she had someone to respond to directly. The Givin's hope was that she could understand that her goals were possible without it sounding like a war or first strike against foes. Udi would gladly help push back oppressors. He would happily support the Jedi in peacekeeping actions. This simply seemed to much like an emotional response and a call to battle.

@Catbert

 

[Hannibal Grayza]

As usual at these sorts of gatherings, there was a lot of talking. Misremembering of historical events, personal opinions abound, flares of emotion, and reasoned logic both flawed and otherwise. In other words, a mess. As always. Hannibal kept his mouth shut through most of it, even when he was spoken to, because he was thinking. Comparing words to others, reading the emotions in the room, and generally analyzing the scenario. The Givin speaking again is what finally got the Jedi Master to say something, his face shifting into an impish grin.

"I'm sorry, do you think you're better than the Sith? Do any of you? 'Cause you're not," he replied, some of the thoughts expressed having drawn a mocking tone. "We can't just wait with lives at stake until we think we're ready or the Sith strike first. They declared war. They have made clear their intent to attack, destroy, and conquer several times. Jedi are keepers of the peace, not soldiers. But that doesn't mean Jedi shouldn't fight an enemy that has declared ill intentions. By striking out at Sith, we defend the lives of others. A Sith has more capacity for death and destruction than most other beings."

He paused a moment, then turned to look directly at Kori, bright green eyes staring into hers. "Long and pretty speeches about hope aside, involving governments overmuch or worrying about petty crime are pointless. Is your goal to focus efforts toward the Sith as well as help the Free Worlds be better prepared to face them, or is to form a paramilitary, government-aligned group of Jedi who also happen to fight Sith? Speak plainly, if you don't mind."

Hannibal had his own things in the works and would have no part in a military group of Jedi enforcing government rule. He was particularly proactive when it came to dealing with Sith, and would generally advocate as such, but that was different in his view.

@Catbert @Bauren

 

[Izel Thral]

Much of what Eisa said made sense to Izel. She had a few of her own run ins with people who didn't appreciate the Jedi, she understood they were quite common. But she felt that was more the result of their ignorance of the Jedi and Sith than true malevolence. In her mind if they could show the galaxy who they were through action, and help them understand more about the different factions of Force users, things would be different. But that was easier said than done. There were a lot of people in the galaxy, and an extremely small number of Force sensitives.

Max on the other hand frustrated her. She considered it bad form to leave in the middle of the debate without allowing your opponent to retort. But it was clear he never intended to be convinced, he had just come here to try and dissuade them from acting. But he was wrong, Izel was sure of that much. And walking away instead of defending his case more strongly just proved that. But at least the Givin remained to maintain the opposition argument. He seemed quite haughty in his own response though, and Master Grayza was quick to put him in his place. When the master clarified his own position Izel thought she ought to explain hers as well. She wanted to help Kori, but she also wanted to be clear in what she supported.

"I came here to fight the Sith." She said, looking between the Zeltron and Hannibal. "I think we can best do that by allying ourselves with the Free Worlds. They have an interest in stopping the Sith as well after all. But I have no intention of becoming their agent. I serve the ideals of the Jedi, not a few elected officials likely to have their own agendas." She knew Kori meant well, but she personally knew better than to believe everything a government did, even a democratically elected one, was morally right. The best they could do was keep to their own morals while helping the rest of the galaxy where those morals aligned.

"We should help them prepare better defenses against Force sensitive enemies, and use their connections and intelligence apparatuses to hunt down and engage the Sith on battlefields of our choosing, where innocents will not be harmed. And welcome those who choose to fight with us." She didn't fully disagree with Kori. Much of what she had said held merit in the Vratix's eyes. But to her it was important to focus on one issue at a time. And the Sith were definitely the biggest issue in her mind.

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

As it turned out, Max's initial alleged "attack" on Kori was just his form of expressing concern. That outcome made the Zeltron feel better. If anything, they weren't parting on bad terms. And only time would tell who was right and wrong. Perhaps Max would come around; Nykoria definitely saw him as a potential ally. Same with Illukai; she spoke cautiously, but if she agreed to divert more of her attention to the Sith, that's all Kori could ask for.

Then the skeleton-like alien spoke again. His questions and concerns were valid of course; they all were. But that was exactly what could stay the hand of the Jedi Order and let the Sith run unchecked. Izel and Hannibal defended what Kori was about to say, somewhat. "Alright, speaking plainly," she nodded with traces of grim smirk of determination on her lips. "The Sith who launched those recent attacks kill the defenseless and don't discriminate. Their power makes them the worst kind of criminals. The Rangers can't stop them on their own. But the Jedi can. And that's what I want to do. Train people, help them defend themselves. Prevent Sith attacks. Track down the attackers and stop them. And if I run across non-Sith terrorists along the way, I'll try to stop them too."

Hopefully, that much was clear and agreeable to everyone. In Kori's eyes, labeling everyone non-Sith as irrelevant would've been the same zealotry Max had warned against. To her, it wasn't a war of beliefs on how to use the Force. It was about preventing further atrocities, by Sith or non-Sith alike. The Sith just happened to be the most dangerous groups, which only the Jedi could fight effectively. "I understand your concerns about us spreading too thin, and I don't intend to sell us out to any sector government, or align with anyone in particular. A Jedi's got to do only what a Jedi's got to do; we can't become someone else's thoughtless weapon. But as Izel nailed it, governments have resources, and non-Jedi might be willing to help."

Kori looked at the Givin, who seemed to remain the only vocal opponent of the idea. She needed to answer him. "As for how we handle the more complex issues... I agree that it can't let us delay taking action. So, we cross that line later. Do our thing, encounter those issues, and then figure them out together. Just like we've just figured out our agenda, hopefully." The Zeltron cast a glance around the room, to see what the audience thought of that idea. People of action, like Nara and a few others, could be supportive of that approach. Just as Hannibal, if his latest comments were anything to go by.

"Speaking of issues to figure out... If so many of us agree, then we'll need the support of the Jedi Council. It'll be a long away mission, with many Jedi involved. I already have a couple of possible destinations. But we're going to need a ship large enough for all of us, and a steady source of supplies. I'm hoping that the Council could spare something, if they authorize this mission. I was hesitant to contact them until I knew how many Jedi were up for it... But now it's the next thing on my list." Hopefully, shifting the discussion towards the more practical aspects would stop the waterfall of "what-ifs" and get the ball rolling.

 

[Eisa Wex]

Despite her best efforts to try and keep up with and pay attention to the rolling back and forth of the growing debate and various chains of conversation that seemed to keep gaining pace - the fiery haired spacer could feel her eyes rolling to the back of her head as her eyelids grew increasingly heavy. This was certainly the one thing that she didn't miss since leaving the Order, was the long winded debates over what the right course of action should be based on each others interpretation of what a Jedi should and would do. Ones that would go around in a never ending circle if they weren't too careful, going around and around and around and around..... Kriff better stop that otherwise will definitely nod off!

Despite the departure of the one eyed Jedi who had cited some rather valid points not to get too involved the notion of leading an allout militarised war, to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. It did seem that the Zeltron Knight was doing pretty well at putting her case forward and giving good enough reason for what she considered to be the prudent course of action, the Spacer couldn't help but smirk at the difference she could see from when they were training as Padawans - but it didn't help that for someone like the Spacer who just wanted to bounce from adventure to adventure, this was in her eyes still incredibly boring..

If it were down to Eisa, she would have simply called the meeting, said Sith are bad, they need their arse kicked, who's in? And then called the meeting to a close, but then again that's why these guys were still Jedi, and she had long since put that path behind her.

Looking up as Kori rounded onto the and worked her way through the latest array of questions and statements directed at her intentions, the Spacer woke up a little at the mention of needing transport and supplies. That was enough for the Spacer to wake out of her boredom induced stupor and push off from the wall as if re-energised by an electric shock, something to do rather than sit and debate. "No worries Purps, I'll get ya sorted out on the supplies" Eisa declared as she waved her cybernetic hand to catch Koris attention, "was about to nodd off any way, so me an Curse will get started on that now...." the Spacer declared before muttering "provided that scamp isn't running about the Temple grounds" under her breath whilst brushing the fringe of her mohawk out of her face, before moving towards the meditation chamber doors. "Nice seeing Ya all, give my regards to Master Har, and Purps send me a wave when you want the supplies " she continued as she moved towards and through the door a wide grin curling on her features as the cast a final glance other the Jedi before departing.

//Exit Thread

 

[Jago Haaldin]

Jago nodded at Nara brief description of the meeting he'd found himself in. He was eager to listen in on what the Jedi planned to do about the recent Sith activities. Jago had honestly only just heard of the attacks on Nar Shaddaa and Coruscant. It saddened the Matukai that he'd been too far away at the time to help in either circumstance, though now maybe he could offer some kind of help. So he listened and listened well to what all the gathered had to say.

Points were thrown back and forth for a few minutes, but it seemed that most were ready to go out and face the Sith in whatever way they could. Jago couldn't disagree here, but also found the points about history to stick in his mind. To many the events of the rebellion against the Sith empire were a distant memory from over 100 years ago; but on the scale of history this was just a drop in a vast ocean of the past. Jago thought on this as the discussion continued and gathered his thoughts.

Finally once the Zeltron woman, who Jago guessed had called the meeting in the first place, mentioned non-jedi; Jago stood and stepped forward. He let the rather wild looking girl with the mohawk finish her statement on supplies and he spoke up.

"Hey there Jedi people, names Jago. So I know I've happened to run into a few of you before," he nodded to Izel, Nara, Fiach, and Hannibal as he mentioned that, "and...Kori right? You mentioned Non-Jedi who would be willing to join in your cause." He put his arms out then and gave a deep bow. "You're looking at one right now. I came here to Ajan Kloss to seek friendship with the Jedi on behalf of my people, the Matukai." He waited a second to see if anyone besides the Jedi he'd already met reacted to this news before he continued. "I can't speak for all my people, but you have my aid at least. I've seen the reports of the Sith attacks and agree that something should be done yeah?" Now was the part that he wasn't sure if the gathered Jedi here would like but he steeled himself and continued to address them.

"Now I'm not sure how much my opinion here as a non-jedi matters or anything, but I think that while the Sith are a threat that obviously need dealing with in some way, I don't think open conflict is the answer. I mean...has anyone just tried talking them?" He gave a big shrug then and looked around. "I've met a Sith myself, seemed like an ok guy to be honest. He obviously used the Darkness to fuel himself, but ya know...just seemed like that's just who he was." Jago then scratched his head, not really sure if he was even making sense at this point, the tendrils around his head twitching nervously. "Look all I'm saying is it seems like these last few attacks are just the actions of people who just want to be noticed. Like they just want their way of life acknowledged. Do I think they should just be allowed to slaughter innocents, hell no! All I know is that what I'm hearing sounds like eradicating a people and their way of life." He looked around the room at that comment. "I think this order and my own know what that's like yeah?"

Jago sighed and at that point leaned against the wall next to Nara. He wasn't used to talking this much and it had honestly drained him a bit. "I guess to finish, I want to protect the innocent. I've spent my entire life turning my body into a weapon to accomplish that. I just don't want to erase another culture, no matter how terrible, from the galaxy if we can help it yeah? I think peace can be found and that fighting will need to be done to get there. I just have a feeling that open conflict isn't the way to get there unless it's brought by the Sith first at the very least." Jago then slid down the wall and took his seat again with no honest idea if what he said had gotten through to anybody, but it was what he felt he had to say.

Spoiler: OCC

Holy hell sorry for the long post, just needed to get a word in before the thread ended.

 

[Udilor Hesph]

There had not been much to swing Udilor over to the other side yet. Lessons had been learned with each generation of Jedi that seemed to be constantly relearned. The Givin spent most of his time in study so he knew history quite well. He had no issue fighting a Sith or helping those in need, but this seemed aggressive. A Jedi should help others and could even train people in risk of oppression to defend themselves. A Jedi should do many of the things planned by this group. It seemed like they wanted to go be Jedi but with hope of chasing down the enemy.

"When you remove the pretense of chasing down the Sith and partnering with Governments... this is simply the job of a Jedi. Finding those who need us. If you can remove the blood lust sounding emotional portion, you might have my support. " He noted, looking to the colorful Jedi with his continued empty stare.

Rather than fight or continue his point, Udi would stop with that much. He had made his opinion known about government partnerships and emotion-driven wars. The intent was important for how things went forward. Figuring it along the way when you jump in with the wrong footing is asking for the worst. A solid base must be established before going any higher and then count on said foundation. Engineers knew this fact well enough and a Jedi should live it too.

The Givin would hardly give time for much response before making his exit to let those more in support discuss. His role would wait to see if the council even would support such a venture. Then, and only then, would he consider actually jumping into it himself. In his mind, the equation was doomed without changes to a few variables as he had made known. Udi's exit from the room was quiet and he gave a slight bow before returning to his study room.

//Exit thread

@Catbert

 

[Izel Thral]

Izel nodded along with what Kori had to say. As expected she had actually taken the time to think this through rather than just throw ideas at a wall to see what stuck. Despite some continuing to protest she felt that the plan the Zeltron laid out was generally agreeable, and not in conflict with Jedi doctrine. And those gathered largely seemed to be in agreement, if some were more cautious about it. The apparently not-Jedi red-haired human offered her assistance as well before leaving. And then the Givin, like Max, voiced his concerns and then left before a further explanation could be offered. Had she been given the chance Izel would have argued that it was absurd to think they were the aggressors, when it had already been established the Sith had declared war on them and made several attacks, some resulting in Jedi casualties. Yes there was obvious emotion behind their efforts, but pragmatism as well. It only made sense to fight an enemy that was already attacking you.

What Jago said on the other hand was simply too much for the Vratix to bear. She had encountered the Natolan on Onderon, and he seemed a good sort. His statement may have been well meaning, but to Izel seemed the height of lunacy. "Yes, the Jedi do know what it's like to face eradication." She replied to Jago as she crossed her arms. "At the hands of the Sith. There is no talking to be had, aside from their agreement to abandon their ways entirely. You cannot coexist with the Sith, unless you kneel before their might. They are not interested in diplomacy, their entire philosophy is based around control. They are taught to embrace their most base, animalistic instincts. They don't want us to acknowledge them, they want us to cower in fear. In the past they have engineered galactic level conflicts, murdered billions, ruled over worlds with an iron fist. And those are not the results of misguided Sith, those are Sith following their own teachings to the letter. Please tell me, how do you coexist with that?" Izel of course wasn't advocating for the extermination of the Sith. If they wished to turn away from the dark side and walk a peaceful path than they were welcome to it. But as far as she was concerned anyone who used the dark side, even if they meant well, would inevitably become a monster.

 

[Juniper]

Nara said very little else for a while. She met Maxim's look and refused to be the first to break it, waiting until he'd finished his admonis- argument to do anything. She had no reply for him, save an impetuous raise of her eyebrows. But she held off on a reply of her own, letting him have his retorts and replies. Getting further into the depths of a personal argument would only weaken Kori's project and that was more important than having it out with a Master, there and then. Just.

At least he left decently. With his last words, the tension in Nara's shoulders released and she watched him head out. Maybe I'm just getting het up for nothing, she thought. Still though, there'd been a contrast between the harshness of his first statement and the other things he'd said.

She listened to Kori's replies and the arguments of the other Jedi around her. Definitely a mixed bag, but there was plenty of support there too. An awful lot of presumptions about what they'd do and what damage they might cause. Then Jago spoke and... eeeesh. Way to read the room, man. Nara couldn't hide the wince on her face. Unsurprisingly, Izel went for him. Deservedly so.

"Yeah uh... I'm gonna have to agree with Izel there. There can be no tolerance and acceptance of people who want to subjugate others and murder innocents. Not while they cling to the Dark Side and refuse redemption. If those attacks on innocents, and the murder of several Jedi already, aren't a declaration of war, what is?"

She held her hand up. "Put me down for finding a ship. I'll make enquiries with some dealers, but I think we need to know if we're getting proper backing first. If we are, we'll have more resources to invest in the ship."

 

[Jago Haaldin]

Jago would simply nod as Izel and Nara made their counter arguments to his own. Yeah he figured they wouldn't appreciate that sentiment. It wasn't like he, some weird monk from another order, was going to be able to cut through centuries of bad blood between the Jedi and Sith. He didn't stand to retort and pretty much only shrugged.

"I had no plans to simply allow them keep killing yeah? I just had the thought is all, but I agree that they need to be held responsible for their actions so far." He did stand at that point and nodded to Kori. "Like I said you've got my help in this and we'll see where it leads yeah? I can put the word out to my fellow Matukai and see who's willing to help out with this. I can think of a few that will jump at the chance to help." He stepped forward and held out his hand to Kori. "Thought I'd be approaching the council directly for a talk but this honestly seems like a better use of my and my people's time and ability, as long as you don't mind me chilling out here for awhile? Also don't let that red haired one get you down, I've also been all over the galaxy and there are just as many who still look up to the Jedi and the light." He thought for a moment and smiled wider. "In fact many that would probably be willing to offer up supplies in exchange for some honest work. You'd be surprised how generous people can be when they don't have to worry about thugs and such swiping their livelihoods."

With that he turned to the other gathered Jedi and made a fist with his right hand and touched it to the palm of his left hand to give the typical Matukai salute. "I'll get to work if that's ok. Takes a bit of time to get in touch with my people, we like to wander." He would then take his leave, hopeful that this was the right step for his people and with a lot to think about. Also wondering how kriffing weird all the Jedi probably found him.

/Exit Thread

@Charndley @Reyn @Catbert