Bothawui

[Qaela]

((her bio is fully updated and accurate, did that yesterday))

 

The Kirlocca was talking to some nameless human flunky whom she ignored while focusing on the fur covered monster. She didn't want to have her children this close to the beast, but it was the only way for them to ever have a chance at living a normal life, so she was willing to tolerate it. Standing this close to the being who so humiliated her by not even having the respect to treat her as a dangerous foe and imprison her back on Cloud City was not at all easy, but she kept the fuming rage buried deep and well under control. This was definitely not the time to lose control of herself or do what her instincts wanted to do. No, it was time to trust in Starlisk to deal with his own kind. So far, he had proven quite trustworthy in keeping his word and not betraying her like so many Sith would have.

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca almost shifted uncomfortably where he stood. Although, not at all for the reasons that one might suspect. And his own feeling swithin the Force might have given himself away. Akao Den'kji was also now approaching the group, and with Kitt, Onderin, and Qaela already around him, being someone who disliked attention was now getting far more than he could ever hope for. It was a nightmare of sorts. Shifting towards Kitt, he spoke to scurry him away first.

 

<< I'm granting your request Sergeant Berhek. You may go and get your things in order. We'll meet with you in an hour. >>

 

Kirlocca now turned fully towards Onderin and Qaela, folding his arms as he did. He also did in this motion, a purposefully shutting Akao out of his sight. He would much rather deal with the annoyance that Onderin and Qaela would bring before him than deal with the politics of Akao Den'kji.

 

<< I do know why, and that topic may have to wait... >>

 

It was then that Akao spoke up, not wanting to be left out of a battle for position, as she was all too capable of.

 

"The funeral for the late Dirrm is going to be held in five hours. I suggest the Jedi... and their guest, are all dressed in time."

 

And with that, the female Bothan left the group, leaving no room for anyone to question her, as she liked it, Kirlocca suspected. With a frown, he turned his head back towards Onderin.

 

<< And on top of all of this, we need a Council meeting... Now. >>

 

Kirlocca voice hinted there were far more pressing details than what Onderin had come before him with. And all of those speculations the Jedi Grandmaster left there were all true. Qaela had her children, so the only conclusion could be that they both wanted them to have the Force back again. He could not do so without exposing Kitt. Granted, such information was going to be given to him anyways, the time for it was not now. Plus, Kirlocca was a bit mad at Onderin at the moment fro bringing Qaela to Bothawui during such a time. The Wookiee would indeed make sure that Onderin fully understood why Kirlocca was upset.

[Ads-Gop Flif]

((Just realized my response wasn't actually posted, sorry for the delay)

 

Ads was just about to ignite his lightsaber when several newcomers entered the auditorium on the second floor of the building. The auditorium was otherwise empty because it wouldn't have made any sense for them to have chosen a place where civilians would be mulling about. The newcomers didn't even seem to notice Ads standing near Kirlocca. Ads recognized Onderin Starlisk when he entered, but the others were unknown to Ads. They seemed to be in a big hurry, but Ads didn't really have any idea what was going on. It was all very confusing. He could tell that they had strong presences in the force.

 

Ads was unsure of what he should do, especially when Kirlocca said they need a council meeting. It seemed like his training was about to take a brief pause before it really even began.

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin noticed how uncomfortable Kirlocca was, but he imagined the wookiee would become even more so before this was over. A Council meeting would be the perfect place to bring up his grievance with what the Grand Master had done, and it would perhaps spare a more unpleasant personal confrontation. Onderin would have gone through with it, of course, but this would ultimately save time. The person he really needed to speak with was Darex, and he had a strong inkling that the other Master would agree with him strongly. He only wished Kitt was around as well. Although he had disagreed strongly with Kitt's pacifism during the war, believing that the Jedi should get actively involved in the stand against evil instead of sitting idly by and meditating while it flourished, now in this time of peace the man's temperence and willingness to speak instead of fight was just what the Order needed.

 

"By all means, then, call a Council meeting," he said. "I am certain Darex will respond quickly. I cannot guarantee Dahar's or Dashel's arrival, as I have not heard from them personally since our last meeting when they ran off with Faust of all people." He had his doubts about those two Masters, and although it was not his call, he questioned whether they were fit to sit on the Council or if they were still in need of instruction. The rot that pervaded the Order had touched all but a few... and if Onderin were the Grand Master, there would be some changes.

 

Qaela wouldn't be able to sit in on it, of course. At least not most of it, depending on what was on Kirlocca's agenda. Onderin started to consider carefully if there were other things he would want her to see. It really depended on her expectations... maybe he would ask Darex.

[Kitt]

Kitt took Kirlocca's words and bowed out of the group, leaving them behind to go and prepare. Hopefully things could get settled rather quickly, even during the times that were plaguing the whole situation on Bothawui at the moment.

[Qaela]

As much as she wanted to say something, Qaela held her peace. She had always thought Jedi refrained from emotions, but there were plenty of those floating around, especially from the Kirlocca. Strange that she didn't remember any of that on Cloud City, but he clearly wasn't happy at her presence. It could even be described as slightly angry and that suited her quite well.

 

She was most interested in a Jedi Council meeting. Only one of those could give her what she wanted if the Kirlocca didn't relent here and now. She was sorely tempted to demand it of him now, but this was Starlisk's environment and his game to play. She would expect his silent obedience were they ever among a crowd of her Sisters. To do otherwise would likely result in his death. Here, she didn't think the Jedi would actually kill her, but they definitely could try to take her children.

 

The younger Jedi seemed to be following suit. For a moment, she felt a flash of indignation that in this meeting, she was behaving like a mere pup standing dutifully beside her master just as this other one was. That moment passed quickly when she remembered the reasons for her silence. Better not stir the pot too much or too quickly and risk spoiling everything when silence would suit her far better.

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca could only let out a sigh of breath, as he was relieved that Onderin held enough sense still to speak in a group setting before openly demanding such things. Much as it was when Kirlocca had made to promise to Qaela to seek out help away from the Jedi and the Sith and prove herself to Kirlocca to regain her children from her self-harming and reckless anger state, she seemed fairly calm now. But Kirlocca was no fool, and not one to play any sort of games at this moment. Pulling out his comlink, he sent Darex a signal letting his fellow Grandmaster know that they were about to meet. For this purpose alone, Kirlocca alone would have just Darex, along with himself and Onderin for the meeting. With a motion, he directed Onderin to follow him into another room.

 

<< Ads, Qalea... Remain here and await our return. It shouldn't be too long. >>

 

Kirlocca's room of choice, or rather, Kitt's room of choice, was the very room that Dirrm had died in just a few hours earlier. Hauntingly, Kirlocca knew why such a location was chosen. Plus, it would help for Onderin to feel the weight of why this meeting needed to be called.

[Ads-Gop Flif]

Ads had no idea what was going on. As the Jedi filed out of the auditorium, Ads looked awkwardly over at the female newcomer.

 

"Um...hi, I'm Ads. Well, Ads-Gop, but that sounds stupid, so you can just call me Ads. If you want."

[Qaela]

The Kirlocca seemed to be the leader here because he felt comfortable in ordering Starlisk around. It was to be expected that he order the Jedi pup around, but it was interesting to note that he was not just a regular Jedi Master, but appeared to be above Starlisk, one whom she knew was on their Council. She choose not to take offense at him ordering her to do anything. Getting angry here would do no good for her at all.

 

Before Starlisk left, though, she did reach out with a simple telekinetic spell to brush his forearm. In a soft, demure voice, she said, "I understand your needing to discuss my issue in private, but before your Council dismisses, I wish to speak to them on a separate matter that I believe they will find worth their time. That is, of course, assuming that my concerns are addressed in an acceptable manner. If not, then there is no need to bring up the second matter for what I propose will not be possible."

 

She made no attempt to stop him, though she didn't like being left along among these Bothans. The locals might not have any idea who she was, but that didn't mean that the Kirlocca couldn't alert them at any point. She had not been here before to commit any crimes against them, but if they felt any loyalty to CoreSec, they may try to arrest her on their behalf.

 

Her eyes fell upon the Jedi pup as he introduced himself. He clearly had no idea who she was, either that or he was extremely foolhardy. Of course, she couldn't exactly fault him. She hadn't exactly been an abyss of darkness out of respect for Starlisk and a desire not to cause problems. It had been days and days since she had fully drawn upon the darkness, so unless he knew what he was looking for or had the experience that Starlisk or the Kirlocca had, he wouldn't likely have sensed that she wasn't just a simpleminded Jedi traveling with Starlisk.

 

He seemed to be roughly her age, and for normal people, that meant they were young and inexperienced. Oh to be that naive and innocent. She never had that opportunity, not by a long shot. How odd for her that she could look out and consider herself almost old compared to others who were her same biological age. This one definitely had at least a little experience in the Force and perhaps in life itself, but she didn't sense weight of blood and difficult choices that she could feel on Starlisk and even the Kirlocca, the same weight she felt burden her soul. An apprentice, apparently.

 

She shifted her daughter over to her left shoulder to free her right hand just in case. Her two sons were still slumbering in their makeshift stroller and she whispered a spell to make sure they stayed that way. When she was finished, the Jedi pup introduced himself as Ads, or perhaps Ads-Gop, though he apparently preferred a simplified version of his name. Why he would tell a stranger his full name then only want to be called by part of it was odd to her. He didn't appear like most of the people of this Galaxy with a given and a surname which could be used independently. She would only dare to use her given name in public. Those of her Clan obviously knew her clan name, but only her family and most closest of friends or allies could know her surname. She had not even told Ca'Aran what that was, though he did learn her Clan name.

 

"You may address me as Qaela," she replied, not seeing any reason to be impolite and, more importantly, not seeing any harm in it. The Kirlocca had already mentioned her name, so there was nothing to be gained by concealment. She flashed him a predatory smile. "You don't have any idea what I am, do you?"

[Ads-Gop Flif]

A smile appeared on her face, but Ads would have been hard pressed to say it brightened her. It was a bit creepy and reminiscent of a villian in a holovid, but its intentions seemed a bit misplaced with her holding one child while two more slept in a stroller before her. She certainly seemed unlike the Jedi council members who left the room moments before. When she spoke, her intent seemed to be to impress Ads. He was not so easily impressed, but he had an interest in her as a specimen warranting further study. Ads leaned against the wall that blocked the wings of the stage, putting one foot on the wall.

 

"I have no idea who you are, although from your...pallid skin ((presumably, your character sheet doesn't say)) and that great smile of yours, I'm not sure you could be anything other than a Nightsister of Dathomir. But above all else, of course, you are a mother. I don't suspect that you could make any such guesses about myself."

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin started to follow Kirlocca but paused at the brush he got from Qaela. "Understood," he said. "Last time the Council met, we entertained a proposition even from Vladimir Faust. I'm sure they'll be willing to hear your piece, and I might ask for you even while we're discussing Kirlocca's actions." Having the aggrieved party on hand might be useful for getting some sort of resolution, although Onderin hoped very much that she wouldn't be necessary; that the Order was not so far out of touch with the Force that they needed an illustration to understand the gravity of what he was going to present.

 

Finally the Jedi Master followed Kirlocca into the other room. Many Jedi would have recognized it as the site of a recent death simply by the Force sense of it, but Onderin was oblivious to it. He was trying to regain that kind of depth of feeling with the Force, but he had spent too long fighting the war to let himself feel other peoples' suffering, too long to let himself feel death, especially that of just one man.

 

He didn't initiate any sort of conversation with the wookiee, knowing that Kirlocca had called for at least one more Council member. It didn't make sense for him to start things alone. He would bide his time for now and consider just how he was going to go about this.

[Qaela]

Qaela tried to suppress a laugh. Though she was slightly insulted at being called "pallid" she was rather surprised that he had even speculated what she was. "You gather that because I have no tan and smile that I am a Nightsister?" It was quite a leap of logic there. Astonishing in truth. Almost nobody had even heard of Dathomir, much less Nightsisters. Even Starlisk had only vague guesses and he had been with her for a few weeks. Even if he knew she embraced the dark, there were a great deal of Sith who were just as pale as she and, she imagined there were a number of Jedi who were the same. After all, in a society that can live entirely on ships or visit planets that have little ultraviolet rays to darken the skin, pale people were not uncommon. To deduce that a slightly less tan than normal woman was a Nightsister based on appearances only was impossible.

 

Impossible, that is, unless the Kirlocca told him. The Kirlocca knew who she was both from talking with Ca'Aran and because she herself told him on Cloud City. The Kirlocca had been aware of Starlisk's queries about her and probably told his apprentice about it even if he never expected the Nightsister to show up here. She eyed Ads with a tiny amount of respect mixed with annoyance. Clever Jedi, pretending to know things like that and acting as though he didn't know from the start.

 

"You are young, but that means little as I am also young," she replied, answering his challenge. She didn't sense a great aura of nauseating light emerging from him like she did with the Kirlocca or Starlisk, but it was there. She pointed to the lightsaber in his hand, "You carry the weapon of a Jedi, so you have learned among them for a time. Despite that, you are not yet fully trained. You aren't afraid of me, though you know I embrace the darkness, so you are either extremely foolish or have been around a Sith before. As you commented so awkwardly regarding my maternal status, I am going to guess you don't have any children." She smiled cruelly and added, "I cannot say if you have ever even been with a woman, though if you give me two minutes alone with you I could answer that question."

 

She took a chance and embraced the darkness in order to reach out and touch Ads' mind. She had refrained from embracing the darkness out of respect for Starlisk, but he wasn't here. With the Force to guide her, she was able to get more details of this one's life. She had no specifics, but some things left marks on a mind and soul. She was incorrect before about him being too innocent. He may be but a pup in the Force, but he had fought before, even if he appeared unnaturally young. Cloning, perhaps, had altered his appearance and made his body younger than his mind or experiences would naturally have made him. "There is at least some weight upon your soul so I suspect you have killed before, but likely thought it was all in the service of good. You don't seem the type who kills for the pleasure of it or who has intentionally spilled innocent blood like I have. If you have, then you have found a way to 'redeem' yourself or justify the actions. For one who appears so young, you seem to have been around for a great deal of time and experienced much. Have you ever died and been reborn in a cloning tank? I wonder, how many years has your mind experienced? I would be surprised if it was as few as your body has seen."

[Ads-Gop Flif]

((Whoops, I didn't realize the Nightsisters were unknown. I figured Ads would know about them after being a Jedi for ten years.))

 

Ads felt Qaela reaching into his mind with the dark side. He had experienced the touch of the dark side on his mind before, and Qaela could not compare to the strength of the Emperor twisting and controlling his mind. Ads looked her in the eyes and clipped his lightsaber on his belt, where it would hang next to his blaster.

 

"Very impressive trick," he snapped back a moment before throwing her out of his mind. "I believe you've already had your two minutes with me. But you are right, I am young, yet I grew up over a decade ago. You cannot comprehend me because I cannot understand my own life. You do not impress me or whatever it is you're trying to do. I am curious as to whether leaving us together is some sort of test on Kirlocca's part. Then again I may be making a mountain out of a spacemole hill. But this discussion is overbearing," Ads said as he stood up to take a seat on the edge of the stage. "You're about my age but you have three children. If you don't mind my asking, because I can't comprehend having that much responsibility at this stage, are you married or are you raising the children with anyone else?"

[Darex Trevelian]

With a flicker of blue light, a hologram of Grandmaster Darex Trevelian appeared in the room. He bowed in traditional fashion. "Grandmaster Kirlocca, Master Starlisk," he greeted them. "Master Starlisk, I hope you have fully recovered from our mission on Onderon?" He asked merely to be polite. Although he wasn't there in person and therefore couldn't tell for sure, Kirlocca seemed to look slightly upset. Not that he was very good at reading Wookiee expressions. But both Jedi Masters seemed very serious.

 

He glanced around the room. "Are any of the other Masters joining us?"

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca could only stared out into nothing, which just so happened to be the chair and place of where Dirrm had died until Darex had contacted them both. It was almost unnerving to be so close to the place where he felt the Force twist upon itself and harm another. But the sense gave him a far greater purpose to speak, but not at the present time. Once Darex appeared and spoke his own to both Jedi, Kirlocca responded rather quickly.

 

<< No, it will be just us three. This matter does not require a larger body, for both details. >>

 

Had Kirlocca had the time, he would have made sure that Onderin was fully aware before hand of what was going on, but something told him that the Corellian Jedi had too much on his own mind to perceive the larger picture.

 

<< There are two matters at hand. One of great importance, the other... well, we'll start with the other. Qaela, a Nightsister whom is suspected heavily in the case against Kitt's death is present, and making a request through Onderin. Since I made contact first, I will speak my mind on the matter rather frankly. I met her on Bespin, where a Vigo named Delta made the request for me to take the offspring of Ar-Pharazon for safe keeping. She ends up on planet claiming the children are heres and that she wanted them back. I stood aside, since they were still in Delta's care, until the two offered up a duel between the two for the children. I hesitantly agreed, but went through, where she ended up wanting a duel of words to sway me into her side. During this, she displayed fits of outburst rage, suicidal actions, and a lack of care for anything around her. I informed her that I would take the children under my care, until she could prove to me that she was in a position to even raise the children herself, as she was nowhere near such a state at the time. When I took the children, I took precautions to hide the children from the Sith by temporally removing them from the Force. >>

 

Kirlocca now leaned back, folding both his arms across his chest.

 

<< Since Onderin has brought her to Bothawui under such tense times, believing her to have redeemed herself, I am letting the both of you decide the fate. But I now fully wash my hands of this mess. I spoke my peace, and will no longer be held responsible for the future of these children. It will rest on both of your hands. >>

 

Kirlocca's own mind was made up. He didn't think that she was yet proven, nor did he believe that surrendering her children back to her would do the galaxy any good. It would only create new monsters for the Jedi Order to fight. And when that time came, Kirlocca himself would sit back and let them, as he was opposed to the idea to begin with. Kirlocca now turned directly to Onderin.

 

<< And since you brought her here during these tense times, you are fully responsible for all of her actions while on planet. >>

 

Kirlocca now turned to focus on neither of the two Jedi Masters. He would speak only next upon the greater and far more important task for this meeting...

[Qaela]

((Just roll with the conclusion that Qaela came to that Kirlocca told him.))

 

Qaela chuckled lightly at the Jedi's response. "Impressive trick?" the thought amusingly. It was a casual surface reading of his auras, nothing more. Mind games had never been her forte, but she knew some of her Clan who could know things that they shouldn't without their target knowing their mind was being invaded. Even if she could invade his mind completely, it would most definitely be considered a violation of the agreements she had made with Starlisk.

 

"I was not trying to impress you," she said lightly and in a good mood. It had not escaped her notice that he did not answer her question, but dodged it. She wouldn't press because it really didn't matter to her as she would likely never see this one again. She was just trying to be as polite as possible since there was no point in being anything but. She doubted that this one would attack her like a Sith might, so why not be at least somewhat pleasant? Might as well as humor him, too, since she didn't have anything to hide. Well, on second thought, she had plenty of things to hide, but those things weren't included here.

 

"The Kirlocca may have indeed left you to 'watch' me, though that is in and of itself amusing. He doesn't like me, and the feeling is mutual. It would be interesting to see how long you could contain me if I didn't have my three children to guard. Our last encounter was hardly pleasant and I think he made a very poor choice in not taking me into custody after I surrendered myself. If not for the fortuitous happenstance that caused Master Starlisk to come across my path, there would have been a great deal of blood shed."

 

She smiled and shrugged. That woke her daughter who moaned for a bit in complaint, but did not quite cry out. Qaela cast the same spell on her as she had done to her brothers and she fell back to sleep. "I have three children, though I can assure you that was not intended. I only wanted one, but in my own foolish use of the Force to enhance the chances of conception, it appeared that I ended up with three. Responsibility? My poor Jedi, you have far more responsibility than I. Your responsibility as a good little Jedi is to protect the innocent. Every moment you stand here doing nothing is one moment that you aren't out saving others. That is the road you seem to have chosen, and I wish no part of it.

 

"Your kind spend most of their time fighting my kind. Why? Because those who embrace the darkness like me like to rule over others and attain power. Most are as big a fool as you Jedi are because they seek too much. They want a great deal of power, wealth, and control and those things come with responsibility of their own. They must protect what they have and constantly watch out for fellow Sith. Such a waste, too, since if their energies were focused outward rather than against each other, you pathetic Jedi would have been wiped out long ago. As it is, they waste too much time killing each other to be more than the occasional threat.

 

"Me? I have so very little responsibility compared to most. I don't care about anyone else other than those who I choose to care about. I don't protect the innocent and I don't have much property or power to be vigilant over. Those whom I claim as my own are capable of protecting themselves for the most part. I don't even worry about following laws like most people, nor do I have the responsibility of a normal job. If I have need, I take. I take nothing more than I need because to do so would mean I would have to protect it and I choose not to be burdened by such things. All of the possessions that I personally own are quite literally before your eyes at this very moment. It is that simple."

 

What was with her of late? It was like being around the Jedi had made her a chatterbox. Being this open among Sith wasn't a wise thing as they were quick to take offense. At least the Jedi would only get in to a huff about anything that might offend them. She doubted they would try to snap her in half with the Force or stab her with a lightsaber or burn her with lightning or blow her up or any of the other things the Sith had tried on her. Still, she was trying to be polite and this Jedi was so new to the Force. She had nothing to lose by being frank about her own life.

 

"To your question, the father of these children is the Sith Master Lord Ar-Pharazon. If you have heard of him, you would know that he is not exactly the nurturing type even if he weren't locked away in some CoreSec prison. Until recently, my innocent children were captives of the Kirlocca who stashed them away in a rather hostile and dangerous place on his home planet. There, he had them severed from the very Force that is their right." Despite herself, she felt anger warming her blood. "Such a coward to inflict such a terrible punishment on those who are not part of our war and who have done nothing to harm the Jedi or anyone else. Master Starlisk at least has enough sense to see this and has chosen to do something about it. We have made an agreement that I will no longer wage war against the Jedi or any you claim as your own as long as my children are released from the curse placed upon them."

[Ads-Gop Flif]

Even Ads was surprised how much Qaela opened up. From what he had heard of the Nightsisters, they weren't often the most agreeable people. Yet this one couldn't seem to stop talking. Yes, she had gone on a diatribe against those to whom Ads was linked, but it's likely that he would have done the same had their roles been reversed. She had most assuredly had an intense life thus far, although she seemed to be more intrinsically motivated and less concerned with the ideas with which the Nightsisters were commonly (or most often, to be more correct) associated.

 

"Yes, I know of their father." Ads wasn't sure if he should pity the woman--really, she was still a girl, just forced to grow beyond her years--or envy her resolve. He knew, though, that it was wisest to ignore her goads regarding the Jedi. Sometimes inaction is the more fruitful option. She didn't seem to be supremely interested in discovering or discussing the truth in such philosophical points, so there wasn't much reason to respond. Ads did see an opening for a relatively intellectual discussion, however. "You brought up an interesting thought, though. You say that if your kind could focus on the Jedi, we would have been wiped out long ago. But would the Jedi not change tack and meet them head-on? They have always prevailed, even when faced with the most grievous of losses. What makes you think that one side becoming stronger would not make the other stronger as well?"

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin frowned. "I have not claimed that Qaela has redeemed herself, Kirlocca," he said. "But all appearances to the contrary, this situation is not about her, but about you." This was the part that Onderin hadn't been looking forward to, but with Darex in the room he would forge ahead. The worst part was, Kirlocca still didn't seem to doubt at all that he had made the right choice.

 

"You worked with a Black Sun Vigo and confiscated Qaela's children from her, then severed them from the Force," he said. "I am relieved to hear that the condition is not permanent, but you do realize that this is the ultimate punishment that we can carry out on any individual? You chose to use it not on a powerful enemy of the Force, but on defenseless children, merely because they were the offspring of Ar-Pharazon. What's more, you did it without consulting the Council."

 

He was clearly somewhat distraught now as he continued. "Kirlocca, do you see what has happened to the Jedi Order and to yourself? Look around you. Masters Dashel and Dahar allied themselves with Faust, Aryian fell to the dark side, was redeemed, and then walked away from the Order, and now we're using what's essentially capital punishment on children because of who their parents are."

 

The former fleet Admiral turned to the other Master in the room. "Darex, surely you can see what I have come to know--if this is how we choose to fight our battles, if we continue to act without compassion, then the Jedi Order is dead and the Sith have won. At the very least we need to restore these children to the Force if it can be done." He paused, as if he didn't want to say what he was going to say next. "Qaela seeks for the wrongs against her to be repaid in kind, up to and including the same punishment Kirlocca doled out upon her children to be applied to him. And you know what? That doesn't seem inappropriate to me. I will leave it up to Darex, but at the very least I recommend Kirlocca be stripped of the rank of Master... for how can we ask Qaela to redeem herself if we ourselves have forgotten what it means to serve the light side?"

 

The words were painful to Onderin as well. He had always respected Kirlocca, and the wookiee had been the one who elevated Onderin to Master himself. But everything he had said was true, and whatever the Jedi Order had to go through to relearn what it meant to serve the Force, it would be worth it in the long run. Maybe it meant Kirlocca would have to reflect on it without being able to touch the Force for a time, if that's what it took. Sometimes only through fire and pain could imperfections be burned away. To be fair, it would only be temporary as it was for the children.

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca was offended by Onderin's straight up assumptions of the full matter. The fact that he was now so fully gone into his own delusion almost made his words come across as subtly evil as Ar-Pharazon had tried to turn every deed of the Jedi against them in years prior. Without giving Darex a chance to respond, but to openly now push Onderin, Kirlocca spoke with a mix of irritation, and calmness within his voice.

 

<< Indeed?! You now reveal your opinion that you think I have fallen to the Dark Side? You choose words that take actions and make them full final? That sounds very much like the Sith. And if you are to judge me on such a choice made, when no one from the Council was available to me for counsel in my choice... Then perhaps maybe it is also time we look at YOUR transgressions. Your time as an Admiral, you made a few choices that were highly questionable for a Jedi, as well as worthy enough for a Council to remove your rank. The Galactic Alliance pardoned those actions, as they did with all involved. The Jedi never agreed to those terms. If perhaps you are so willing to make this journey with me, your actions must also be looked at. >>

 

Kirlocca now began to confirm what he had suspected within Onderin upon his arrival, yet never openly questioned. Taking only a single moment to allow for his words to sink in, he spoke again with a lot more calmness then he just had.

 

<< Do not mistake my actions Onderin Starlisk, or the purpose of what this truly is. It is about her. My actions were made upon circumstances in which you were not present, nor were either of you available to me to provide wisdom. Qaela is what this is about. My actions were designed to push her towards redemption. Instead, she choose other ways out. The actions upon the children were for their protection, as Darth Furion was looking for them. And to say I worked with Black Sun to confiscate? You have known me long enough to know such words are slanderous. >>

 

Kirlocca now fully withdrew from the conversation. Onderin's words were bold, and at the very least, slanderous towards the character and nature of Kirlocca himself. If Onderin could not see that, then he would fully confirm what was in Kirlocca's mind about Onderin.

[Qaela]

"There have been many times when the Sith have inflicted terrible losses on the Jedi and conquered great amounts of territory," Qaela answered. "Even when the Jedi manage to fight back, it is often with great difficulty and often only barely a victory. Now, imagine if there were three or four times the number of Sith the Jedi were facing, all because the Sith weren't killing each other off. Imagine that the Sith didn't have to spend as much or more time worrying about one of their own stabbing them in the back as they were about fighting the Jedi. The Jedi may sometimes be stronger, but they are never so strong at any point that they can overwhelm a Sith force three times its number and with full devotion to the cause of opposing Jedi. There are times when the Jedi only just barely manage to beat back the Sith onslaught. If the balance is close in the Galaxy, tripling the number of Sith, all whom would be focused exclusively on fighting outside forces, would definitely tip it in their favor and leave the Jedi too afraid to show their faces in public to amount to anything important. It would be an utter massacre, total destruction of the Jedi and their supporters."

 

She chuckled. "Don't worry, though. The Sith are too selfish, prideful, and self deluded to ever truly unite. They will fight among each other for power and rank and weed out so many of their number that you Jedi will continue to have a chance."

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex was astonished at the topic of this meeting, and he certainly was completely unprepared for the outburst that occurred between the two Jedi on Bothawui. He raised his hands, palms out. “Masters, please,” he said, striving to calm them down. “Master Kirlocca, I’m sure that Master Starlisk has not meant to infer that you have fallen to the dark side. And I understand the need for quick decisions, but you should know that any of the masters are only a comm call away if you find yourself in a situation like this again. Master Starlisk, I understand your frustration, but calm yourself. It does no one any good to argue.”

 

It was a tricky situation, and Darex wasn’t sure he had all the puzzle pieces he needed to fully understand it. It seemed to him that Kirlocca had not fully thought about the consequences of the action he had taken. In terms of the action itself, Darex couldn’t help but feel that it was severe. Onderin was right in that stripping the Force from someone was one of the most serious forms of punishment the Jedi Order imparted. To do something like that to a child…well, as a father himself, Darex thought he could understand where this Qaela was coming from. He knew he’d personally be furious. But none of this was really consistent with what Darex knew of Kirlocca. Clearly there was something else that he hadn’t been told.

 

“Master Kirlocca,” he said, turned to the wookiee who clearly wanted nothing but for this conversation to be over, “I’m not sure I understand the situation. What exactly happened? This Vigo somehow had the children of Ar-Pharazon and Qaela in his care, and came to you asking you to care for them? How was this man involved? What were his reasons for asking the Jedi to care for them and not the local government?” Taking children away from a mother was a serious issue. “I understand that he didn’t trust this woman to raise the children, but we can’t simply take children away from their parents if the parents don’t give us permission. What was your reasoning for interfering?”

 

There was no accusation in his voice. “I’m sure you believed you were doing the right thing,” he clarified. “But you must help me understand, for you can’t deny that it sounds like you took these children away from their mother and inflicted a severe punishment on them for something they couldn’t control.”

 

He could tell from the wookiee’s tone that he was treating this matter as of little importance, and that concerned him. Justice should be the concern of all Jedi. Onderin was clearly frustrated with what appeared to him as another failure of the Jedi leadership, a trend that Darex could also perceive. Masters Dahar and Dashel hadn’t been heard from in a long time, and Master Aryian had gone down a different path altogether. Their last council meeting had been filled with emotional outbursts and aggressive, revenge fueled plans.

 

Nevertheless, the issue on the table was important. Darex knew that all Jedi were constantly under a lot of scrutiny, and the grandmaster most so of all. If Kirlocca couldn’t see how his actions might have affected the entire Order poorly—and might still, given what Darex knew about mothers fighting for their children and the temperament of Sith woman—then he needed to be made to understand.

[Wookiee Jedi]

From Kirlocca's own point of view, the discussion had turned away from the far greater importance. Neither of the two men before him seemed to jump over the issue that Kirlocca had already explained, plus the increased tension upon the planet itself seemed to be making a bad situation already worse. With almost a sound that could easily be mistaken as a grunt, Kirlocca turned his body with his arms still folded.

 

<< In all my years serving this Order, yet my own tones still get mistaken. I have made a critical choice at at critical time. What keeps getting overlooked here is not what I choose to overlook, but my own words spoken. So allow for me to make it clear one last time. >>

 

With a heavy breath taken in and then released, Kirlocca kept his body square of both men.

 

<< This Vigo was acting by himself, wanting to maneuver a position with the Jedi that would benefit both. This is how I was first contacted and brought in. Upon arriving, he felt like the Jedi gave the best chance for protection of these children. Children of which I wanted to part of. He tried to convince me to take the children with me repeatedly, but I did refuse. That was until Qaela showed up. Her actions upon Bespin showed and revealed that these children would end up dead or being the next Ar-Pharazon under her care. I acted at that point in an understanding that the children most certainly at the time were in danger with her, yet still in danger with the Vigo, whom I assume from conversations was a prior lover of sorts. This motivated me to act upon what I saw, which was to place the children in care of someone who would not endanger them, as Qaela mentioned Furion, a Sith Lord as a suitor to seek out the children. Because of this, I made the hard choice to protect them from beyond Furion's reach, by hiding them within the Force. >>

 

Kirlocca now turned towards Onderin with almost a snarl looking face, but his emotions revealed no such anger or anything other than disappointment.

 

<< To which even you could sense the tiny beacon of Force life within them. >>

 

Turning back around towards Darex more, Kirlocca continued.

 

<< To say any form of punishment was doled out is borderline slanderous, as it distorts the truth, much like any Sith would for their own gain. So lets not pretend those words are factual. I hide the children on Kashyyyk and had their Force presence turned upon itself, which is a technique used to hide oneself in the Force. >>

 

Kirlocca now let out a large breath of air from his body, almost ready to push on towards more of a frantic topic that would draw even more debate from the two men before him now, with the third in the shadows.

 

<< I do not neglect the negative stems this action has, but I am also not ignorant enough to ignore this simple truth. If I decided any other path, or delayed in any fashion, the children would be far worse off. >>

[Ads-Gop Flif]

"Yeah, I get what you're saying, but isn't the essence of being a Sith gaining as much for yourself as possible? Perhaps if they got over their arguments and tried to work together they would be stronger. But on the other hand, if their lives weren't constantly in danger and they weren't always on the brink of being forgotten forever, what reason would they have to expand? Why branch out when it would only serve to dilute your own power?"

[Qaela]

Qaela sighed in near frustration. The answer was obvious to any but a Jedi who was used to thinking of their enemies in a narrow scope. "The Sith love battle and, in some part, need it to remain sharp and effective. If they aren't fighting each other, then that means their challenges would come from the outside, such as the Jedi. Yes, they want more power and yes they wish to conquer, but the Galaxy is large and they don't control all that much of it when you think about it. There is plenty of room to expand without harming each other. If they are fighting beside each other instead of with each other, then they will have the strength to conquer all of the Galaxy. Then, once all other threats are destroyed, they would fall against each other, just to keep themselves strong. The more powerful of the Sith would keep things in check so everything doesn't totally destabilize, though that would be out of self interest more than anything."

 

She frowned at him and added, "Of course, this is all hypothetical. The Sith are to ingrained in their own self blindness to ever do what was needed, that is why I am not a Sith."

 

With a sigh, she stretched her back. Being cooped up in a small ship for so long was not fun. Now that she was free, she had to stay in this area with only this Jedi pup and a goodly number of Bothans to keep her occupied. "So, young Jedi, what is it that made you join with these instead of using what is your birthright through the Force to get what you want?"

[Onderin Starlisk]

There was something primally terrifying about an upset wookiee. Onderin nearly took a step back when Kirlocca retorted, but decided he needed to hold his ground both physically and morally. In truth, he was disappointed when Kirlocca tried to turn things back on him by bringing up some of the things he had done in the war. He had faced those deeds over and over and had put them behind him, but if the Council felt he needed to answer for them, he would take responsibility. That was not what Kirlocca was doing here.

 

To an extent, Onderin completely understood now the actions Kirlocca had taken. At one time, he might have done the same. But that didn't make them okay. Onderin fought to keep his own ire from rising when Kirlocca seemed to almost attack him verbally, likening his words to those of a Sith Lord. "You cannot believe that there was no other path," he said. "Qaela herself told me that you had the opportunity to take her into custody and did not. You said you were concerned with her sanity, her instability. How could you think that stripping her children from her and turning her loose would help? And is it the only way now to hide someone from the Sith to strip them of the Force completely? The use of that technique is and always has been a sentence, and now it has been used against the innocent."

 

Even as he spoke though, Onderin wondered if this was a case of poor judgement instead of maleficence. The problem was, Qaela wasn't going to buy that explanation. Maybe, just maybe, if he could get Kirlocca to admit he had acted incorrectly, he could attempt to make amends with her, starting with restoring the children. There was a chance of salvaging this without the kind of severe punishment she had in mind. But the wookiee would have to admit he was wrong, or else Qaela would hunt him until one of them was dead. It wasn't the ending Onderin had had in mind.

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca now frowned directly at Onderin. He was standing his morally high ground. Clearly the Corellian Jedi was oblivious to the fact that Qaela was not above lying outright to him. He was almost certain she managed to weasel her way out of any guilt on Kitt's death. With a short sigh, Kirlocca spoke.

 

<< Again, you were not present and are taking the words of someone who was directly involved in Kitt's death, as well as a very possible reality that she could be lying to you. Taking her and the children... My small ship would never be able to handle it. >>

 

It was almost like a strike of lightning to his mind. Kirlocca could see the clock turning ever so slightly, and he would not wait around for it any longer. With a grunt sounding sigh, the Wookiee spoke with a very stern and final voice.

 

<< I will not wait to see where this madness takes the Order any longer. Make your final decision now. Outcast me or forgive me. >>

 

Kirlocca now full stood. Not in defiance, nor in anger. He knew how both felt, and he clearly felt different. He could not apologize for that. And nor would he drag Kitt through any more of this maddening discussion.

[Ads-Gop Flif]

((By the way, if you're ever about to write an RP post, don't start playing Abba right before it. Especially not "Dancing Queen." I'm not entirely sure why I listened to it, but it made me want to write the most ludicrous response ever. Anyway, I would have responded last night if that hadn't happened.))

 

Qaela was certainly unaware of Ads' family's past, but referring to a birthright through the Force was certainly quite apt in reference to the young man. Of course the Force gave him no right to anything he wanted, although because of the Force he had a right to much that he did not want. This did not matter to Ads though, it was a remnant of a life he had never lived.

 

"My birthright? No wonder the Sith can't stop killing each other, even those who don't want all of the murder think they have rights to everything. No, the Force doesn't give me a right, it gives me the ability to achieve more than I could have otherwise dreamed. But if I choose to achieve that, I have certain other responsibilities that I cannot forgo for mere vanity."

[Qaela]

"The Sith kill each other because they are selfish, paranoid, fools, not because they have some sort of belief on rights. If anything, it is the Jedi who believe in imaginary rights such as that of 'freedom' or 'liberty' or even the 'right' to live or hold onto that which one cannot protect. Rights are foolishness, contrivances of the weak to demand what they cannot take or protect. Those who are born with the Force have that as their birthright. It is one of the few things in this universe that cannot be bought, conquered, or acquired through any means but being born with it.

 

Those who have the birthright of the Force should use it, not hide or diminish it. The Jedi hide behind the false rules of others when it comes to using the Force. At least the Sith, for all their faults, don't bind themselves to those impotent ideals of 'rights.' A Jedi fails to use the Force to its entirety to accomplish for themselves what their potential could be. They are little different than a man who refuses to use one of his arms out of a sense of piety or humility. Those sorts of beings who intentionally hold themselves back deserve no pity or mercy, but only contempt.

 

"I don't embrace the light because it inhibits and restricts by telling me what I can feel and what I can't do and how I must act. The light burns those who don't follow its strict doctrine and allow themselves to be chained to the will of the masses. The darkness is comforting, soothing to the soul, and accepts people however they may be. One doesn't have to be pious or conformed to a certain set of arbitrary standards to be accepted by the darkness, they simply need to be themselves and embrace nature. You Jedi always like to claim you are in tune with nature and are at peace and harmony, but that is a self delusion brought on by chronic self deception.

 

"Is it natural for beings to give up of themselves to strangers? Is it natural for the strong to protect the weak? No, it is not. Nature sets each creature with two most basic and overriding guidelines: survive and reproduce." She smiled mirthlessly, "I have survived, and I have reproduced, so in that sense, I am more in harmony with the natural way of things than you are. In nature, the strong take from the weak and survive. Creatures in nature look for strong sires for their offspring, just as I did with Ar-Pharazon. They don't wait for the weak or inept to pollute their offspring, nor do they waste time and energy watching out for those that aren't theirs."

 

She would have gone on further, but she had said more than enough. Ads had ignored her question once again and she was beginning to feel that this was an unbalanced game. "You have not answered my question, Jedi. What brought you to serve the light?"

[Darex Trevelian]

It was strange. Kirlocca kept stubbornly hinting that Qaela was manipulating Onderin and lying to him, but wouldn't tell the truth of what he was referring to. If he knew Qaela was lying, why did he not prove it? And if he just had suspicions, then his words meant little. It was frustrating for Darex. He didn't want this to have to end poorly, but it seemed like his hands were tied.

 

He thought the matter over. There was little doubt in his mind that something needed to be done. The problem was what. He didn't want to see Kirlocca gone, a shell of his former self, just because of a single mistake. What would be best, it seemed, would something that would allow him to still be a member of the Order, and yet be stripped of some of the responsibility of his current station.

 

The tall blonde Jedi shook his head and spoke. "There's no such thing as a perfect parent. It is not the place of a Jedi to determine who will make a good parent and who will not. We stand up for the innocent, yes, but in a situation like this, I believe we need to weigh the balance of what would be the best thing possible for everyone. The love of a mother for her children is one of the most powerful bonds one being can feel for another. It is strong, and it is pure. We should be encouraged by this woman's love for her children. It is a sign that she is not too far gone, if she is able to love. And love can ignite the stars. I believe there is a strong chance that these children could be her salvation. If they can bring her to the light simply by existing, then we should encourage that."

 

He lowered his head for a moment. "Master Kirlocca, I know that you believed you were making the right decision. It is because of that, and the loyalty and years of dedicated service that you have given to our Order, that this decision before me is a challenging one. However, there must be consequences to some mistakes we make." He expected his Jedi brethren to hold him accountable for his actions, just as he was for them.

 

He then opened his mouth to speak the judgement he had decided on, but suddenly paused. He felt a current, a ripple in the Force, and suddenly he knew that his decision was wrong. There was a clear path the Force wanted him to take. He couldn't see where it would lead, but he had always trusted the Force to guide him, even when he disagreed with what it seemed to be saying. He folded his hands and looked up. "Master Kirlocca," he said slowly and solemnly. "You are exiled from the Jedi Order. Until you have taken some time to reevaluate what it means to be a servant of the Force, you are stripped of your authority in our Order." He paused for a moment. "I'm sorry. Know that this is not a permanent exile. But it could well be of some duration."

 

Darex was sad. While he had never really gotten to know Kirlocca on a personal level, he highly respected the wookiee on a professional level. Since they had both been elevated to grandmaster, he had worked closer with the wookiee than ever before, and had always been impressed with the Jedi's commitment to justice. But everyone made mistakes, and it would be doing his fellow Jedi a misservice if Darex ignored this one.

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca nodded his head in a simple fashion. Darex made the choice that the Wookiee knew he would make. Therefore the surprise was not present. Kirlocca simply removed his comlink, as well as all other possessions of the Jedi Order and handed them to Onderin. Although Kirlocca did keep his lightsaber, as he would not surrender that under any circumstances. A choice due largely to past circumstances had made him into a somewhat superstitious being when it came to it.

 

<< Very well. Onderin, you are in temporary charge of Ads-Gop Flif, and you both are in charge of Haloburner Lighterre and Kailen Aeli until you can find a suitable master for them. >>

 

Kirlocca then bowed and turned from the room. But upon his way, he looked directly at the shadows and addressed Kitt.

 

<< The floor is now yours. >>

 

And with that, Kirlocca left the room and the Jedi Order...