Gala - Jedi Praxeum Ruins

[Nishant]

Nishant immediately returned himself to that place of mirrors, where he knew that with an application of intent his movements could have perfectly overlapped Emily's. He stood in the center of his mind ocean, and when she ignited her training saber he held up his hands, quite lightly. When she blocked one his hand moved in the gray area ”œbeside”

[Emily]

Emily's smile faltered a bit at Kirlocca's next instruction. She couldn't see what possible use meditation could be, but she had heard it was something the Jedi were famous for. She sighed to herself. If you want Jedi training, you're going to have to take all of it, and that includes meditation.

 

But when she saw Nishant's relaxed attitude, she began to think that maybe it wouldn't be so bad. He at least seemed to be looking forward to it. Perhaps she would learn to see the attraction in sitting around and thinking; after all, if Nishant enjoyed it, why shouldn't she?

 

So it was with a different attitude that she joined him cross-legged on the floor; it was tentative interest instead of the disappointed frustration that had flashed through her before. As she faced him, she was tempted to use the exercise as a covert way to simply observe him, but chastised herself. She was sure the Jedi Master would catch her; after all, the class seemed to be getting smaller and smaller.

 

So she dutifully closed her mismatched eyes and accessed the Force. Once again, it burst over her, and she struggled to control the power. It was hard. Now that she had no outlet for it, it was very hard to remain rooted. She found she had to limit the amount that she allowed through to her.

 

In her mind's eye, she formed hard barriers, storm walls to keep the raging winds of the Force at bay. She feared that if those walls ever broke, the Force would pour into her so strongly that she would lose herself and her mind. She visualized valves on those walls, and my giving them an imaginary turn, she could turn a light zephyr into a hurricane gale.

 

The sheer power available to her flooded her veins with adrenaline and outwardly, a smile crossed her lips. She felt invincible. And she knew that with more training, she'd be able to control more and more of that power. Her control would be more solid and she would truly be able to do incredible things. Anything she wanted would be hers, and the very fact that she would be controlling such an untameable force would give her satisfaction every moment.

 

As she sat there, she slowly and carefully turned those mental valves, letting more of the Force flood her mind bit by bit. Finally, she got to the point where she dared not go further. The Force can do terrible things to a mind, she remembered hearing once. It can wipe away your memories and destroy your very identity. I can't let myself go too far. But it's almost like an addiction, dangerous and seductive. I can never slip up, never let down my guard at any moment. But it's worth it...it's so worth it.

 

As she felt the power swirling through her mind, she began to detect a sort of pulling on one part of her mind. At first, she wanted to increase her mental defenses in that area, but she was reminded of what Master Kirlocca had said about the Force taking them places they'd never been before. She took a deep breath and readied herself. Hoping that this was one of the things the Jedi had predicted, she tentatively followed the pull.

 

She suddenly felt her senses expand outward dramatically. She gasped in surprise and again almost drew back, but steadied herself in a heartbeat. No fear...just strength. When she did so, she realized that she could sense so much more than she had ever had before. It was like the exercise with the remotes, but on a completely different scale. She could feel Master Kirlocca as a bright, solid presence. Nishant was a placid ocean of sunlight. The young boy--Aidan, she realized his name was, although how she knew was beyond her--felt like a loose cannon, unpredictable but powerful.

 

But her senses went beyond the room. She felt the bird-alien outside, being challenged by a more powerful Force presence that she knew had to signify a full Jedi Knight. As she continued outward, she felt three very bright presences. One was solid and steady, and as bright as Master Kirlocca. The second was peaceful but simmering with power buried deep down. The third had an air of authority, and all three were very bright presences. The winds of the Force seemed to swirl around them and through them, but Emily could not detect any deviations from the normal paths of the gusts. She wondered how they were holding all that power in check, and knew they had to be extremely powerful Jedi Masters. She also felt another presence in that same area. This one was dark and powerful, but not quite as dark as Emily's old master, or some of the other Sith she had been around. The winds of the Force were clearly under his control, as they warped and bent around him. His presence had some measure of authority as well, and Emily wondered who this Sith was and what he was doing here.

 

But her curiosity would have to be put on hold; the Force was pulling her in other directions. It drew her back to the room her body inhabited, to herself, and then down into the floor. Suddenly she felt the teeming life beneath her feet. There had to be millions of insects just in this small few meters alone. It reminded Emily of her own insignificance in the grand scheme of things.

 

She hated it. She longed to make a name for herself, to stand out from the crowd. And she knew the Force was her means to achieve that. She pulled back from the storm winds and returned to the confines of her own mind. Slowly, she shut the valves again, and when her mind had quieted, she finally opened her eyes, returning completely to her physical body again.

[Dagon]

"May the Force be with you, brothers."

 

Dagon's helmet hid his disappointment. A chance to end this bloody waltz had passed because the Jedi still jumped at shadows. How many more would have to die on the altars of self righteousness and repression? With an application of will, the shadow form of the Dark Lord was gone, and the Jedi council chamber returned in its ordered, sterilized state.

[Damon]

While the door was closed, and Damon with out his full ability he was allowed to see the meeting held in secret. It troubled him greatly. The process, the words, the ideas, the thoughts, the promises. It trouble him. Trained souly in the effort to combat the darkness that surged at the light at all times it seemed ludicrous, if not insane. Then again here he was ease dropping on something that had been reserved for the council and its great minds. His time since his return had been spent on remembering his old training. Meditation and reflection consumed most of his day, and for this moment at least it had lead him here. Under his breath the name was uttered.

 

Dagon...

 

He had given the sith Yue great power and with it great destruction. However, Yue was forced to hide underground and reside from the Kuat. Everything Dagon said not only made sense, but it was everything that every jedi wanted. Peace. A real peace. This sith lord. He had worked with the jedi in the past and he had yet to deceive or be anything but sincere. In his meditations. His purpose as an Exorcist has come into question quite recently. The admiral starlisk. He was a jedi he claimed. He acted in the purpose and the name of the republic. Really though, what was he. He was not better than any of the supposed evil sith that he had condemned and cleansed. A hard choice was to be made. Something was to be said that Damon in his age and years never thought he would say not only willingly but in defense of the sith with out threat of invasion. Even though this was not of alien origin, it was an invasion. The invasion of life and the natural flow of life in the galaxy.

 

Standing at the door he stared at it. While he was not afraid to do what he must and what he consider, he was concerned. That his advice would fall on deft ears who would not listen. One way or another he would make himself heard and now he hoped the council would listen.

 

As Dagon had only just vanished from the chamber, his words lingered on all the minds present. As such a silence had filled the room and now would be his only time if any to present his ideas to men who were once his equals, who had now earned the right and to make the choices that would impact all jedi.

 

The door opened and Damon entered. The Exorcist of the order. The one and only of his kind. The vanguard if any of the light. He stood as the example of far one could go in the name of force with out falling to darkness in the preservation of the light. Approaching the raised area that gave way to the seats of the master his staff made the only noise as walked the few humbling steps to where all could see him. After his short movements he bowed his head to the leaders before him. With his head raised he stared at all of them. The conversation clearly left its mark among all present. The faces were now different since he had last saw them. Aged and experienced in life. Now it was here, they would gain more experience.

 

”œI know I no longer hold the rank of master. I know I no longer am as current as all of you of the more finite details of the galaxy. I also know that at one point I have fought, talked, discussed, worked with, and most of all learned from everyone on this council.”

[Kitt]

Damon's appearance within the Council wasn't a big surprise to Kitt for some reason, but it was enough of a sudden atmosphere change for Kitt to at least acknowledge it. He was quiet during the speech of Damon, listening to each and every word spoken, and those that could not be spoken. Once Damon was done, he lowered his head and then let his own presence stretch out over Damon so that he could feel exactly what the Grandmaster was feeling as he spoke.

 

"Damon, you are both wise and well respected among the Order. Hear my words, as well as feel out what I am saying to you. True, the view upon good and evil has been tarnished, even by those within our own Order. I don't recall saying that I wouldn't take his side, nor did I say I wouldn't. I simply said the Council will figure out between ourselves what course of action is best needed for the Jedi Order as a whole. I appreciate your words of wisdom. Everything spoken must be talked over with, and then once we have found our way through the fog of everything, we will inform the Jedi Order of our decision."

 

Kitt left himself open to Damon through the Force so that he could feel the emotions that ran through the Jedi Grandmaster.

[Nishant]

The mind ocean, a visual landscape that had become the absolute symbol for the spirit, the place Nishant had found in his earliest meditations. His tutor had brought him to the sea to learn the practice for a reason, to emulate the impartiality, the perfection of all its imperfections, the balance to give and take, of ebb and flow; the waves were not always disruptions, but sometimes simply the buoyancy of his mood””as in the present, where his excitement over the day's learning and the opportunity to explore the Force in meditation were casting up joyous mountains in the ocean, all the more beautiful that they were under a sky so brilliantly blue with dappled, golden white clouds.

 

In the center of all these waves he sat, transposed into this arena of his soul””in technical terms it was an imagined aspect of his mind, but there was an incredible difference between thinking about this place, and being here, as he was now. The being was spiritual, was a think of radical essence and energy. Apparently, it did wondrous things to his physical being, like the spiraling maneuver he had just exercised.

He let all these images flash through his mind, let them settle as the waves around him spread and diminished and sunk back into the level body of the sea. He floated there, at rest, and the images that had spun through his mind moments before became feelings now, and the sky above him turned to night. It had never felt like night, before; it had never had that contrast quality””an opening, a stretch. In the sky a color bloomed, a quickly budding rose that soon sliced through the black of space. Soon it was joined by another color, a blue so clear and bright as if it were siphoned from the liquid, iced eyes of his mother.

 

These colors became other colors, a great arm stretching across the entirety of the sky. As he inhaled, the color began to sag, and flow back into a line as he exhaled. With a sudden fervor that engulfed even his physical body, he inhaled hugely and the great body of color flew downwards to him, encasing him in a sudden golden light that became his world. It rested there as he breathed softly, but the moment his inhale was strong enough this thing that was like golden light made tangible flowed eagerly into his lungs, filled him and flexed within his body, the ebb and flow of the Force.

 

He opened his eyes, and for a moment was startled”¦after a moment what had startled him was gone, and he could only call it something like a supreme sense of clarity. Even now, with his eyes opened and his attention in the physical world, he could feel the light bubbling along within him, and he flexed it for a moment before it faded softly.

 

Clarity”¦like he had seen everything that was, for just a moment. Already he had forgotten what it was he had seen, and he knew he would go back to this countless times. There was something very different to meditation now.

 

As Emily opened her eyes, Nishant's attention was on her. He had watched the last minute or so of her process with curiosity. "How was it?"

[Darex Trevelian]

Darex noted that Dagon didn't respond to his questions, but let it pass. He hadn't truly expected the Sith to have a response to his points anyway, but it would have been nice had the man acknowledged the points Darex brought up.

 

As Kitt dismissed the spectre, Darex felt an odd surge of fear from Darla through their Force bond. At first he was worried, but when he felt no fear emanating from Skye, knew that it must not be anything too serious. But he hoped Darla was alright. She had been through so much recently, and had had only a short amount of time to recover from the emotional and mental scars. He wished she had someone to focus on and care for, like a padawan, but knew that she didn't want to take one. He had to respect her wishes, but he felt like someone for her to take care of would be good for her.

 

He turned his mind back to the meeting in time to see Damon's entrance and his subsequent rant. He wondered at the man's confidence. At Kitt's response, Darex nodded.

 

"Our duty is to the Order as a whole, and to the galaxy beyond that. I don't think there is anything wrong with you personally wanting to support the Empire in this struggle, but I don't think it is right for the Order as a whole," he said.

 

Looking back at Kitt and Scorp, he continued. "I believe that for several reasons. The first is that, no matter how they might look, the Sith Order has always been notorious for being untrustworthy. Betrayal is the natural order; I'm sure this dark lord worked his way to this position in no other fashion. If we join them, we are putting our Order at their mercy.

 

"Secondly, while his words may sound good, I have yet to see any major action by him to promote the peace he says he wants. Actions speak louder than words in my book, and until he is willing to actually act on his beliefs and force the rest of the Sith to adhere to those beliefs, I don't see how we can formally ally our two Orders.

 

"Finally," he said, "is the point that we are beacons of hope to the galaxy. We represent justice and order, and freedom from fear. How can we answer to the millions of people who have had family members slaughtered by Sith like Faust if we join them? I'm not saying public image is the be-all end-all for the Order, but we should consider it. Perhaps by allying with the Sith, we become synonymous with them in the eyes of the everyday person, and I think that is possibly the worst step we can take."

 

He leaned back in his seat. "So while I may wish the Sith are changing and can now be trusted, I just can't believe it. Until I see actions that prove otherwise, and Sith like Faust, Ryu, and Geki are dealt with by their own Order, then I don't see how we can ally ourselves with them.

 

"The Empire, on the other hand, may be a different story. They are well-known to be extremely anti-Jedi, and even anti-Force, but if they are truly willing to allow us the same freedom we now, and if they do not oppress the people unjustly, then it is possible we could reach an accord with them. However, I still personally believe," and here Darex wanted to make it clear that this was his personal opinion, not his professional one, "is that our best bet still lies in siding with the Republic. I think that if they take over the galaxy, as the grandmaster's vision seems to indicate, we will be more free to uphold the Code and follow the will of the Force. If the Empire wins, perhaps we will have that freedom as well, but I've always been the kind of man that would rather be safe than sorry."

[Scorp Jedi Knight]

Besides, given the fact that we have not heard from the Senate in some time, and savage direction that the Republic military has taken, what the real choice may be is between Emperor Rustic and Emperor Starlisk. I know that Onderin has been trained in the Jedi arts, so I must ask you, do you trust him. The reclusive nature of our order is such that we do have Sith masters... unaccounted for, and this would not be the first time the Republic has been infiltrated.

 

Scorp had quietly sat back, watched and listened to all the parties who had spoken so far. Even the arrival of Damon had not been a surprise nor a disturbance, just a welcome. A fresh mind to a some what troubling issue.

 

The real choice may be is between Emperor Rustic and Emperor Starlisk

The Sith's words still rang in his head. It was true in a sense that the senate had been largely missing from their lives. It was also true that the Republic had indeed suddenly gone on a warpath for reasons yet unknown. Before he had always understood the reasons. Tyranny, oppression, unjust laws, slavery, rampant murder, even revenge. These were things he had seen the Republic go to war for in the past. But lately it seemed as if the Republic was going to war with everything that moved. The brief war with the mandalorians, which he had heard no news of expect from the holonet, and reported strikes. If that was resolved he knew not but, he had little information as to why the Republic would go to war with those people. There was this recent and ongoing Republic offensive, that only had the Jedi support of Onderin's former padawan. Onderin himself was currently in the hands of either the Sith or the Empire, from what he knew. That factored in made the second part of the Sith's words far more haunting.

 

The reclusive nature of our order is such that we do have Sith masters... unaccounted for, and this would not be the first time the Republic has been infiltrated.

 

He had not felt the Jedi master become one with the Force. Nor had their been any demands made, or news of his hostage situation. For the most part there also seemed to be no build up to retrieve the leader of the Republic's armed forces. Was the Sith giving out a warning? Was he implying that Onderin was a Sith master in disguise. Was that even possible?

 

Damon had argued in support of the Empire, Darex for the Republic. For some reason the fact that both had a name that started with the letter D, was some what coincidental in his opinion. Made all the more so by the name Dagon. There should naturally be no connection between the three but it would be interesting to see if there was. After all, all things are interconnected and, more importantly, interdependent, in a never-ending cycle of balance. He gave a mental chuckle as he had this thought and applied the Jedi code so terribly out of context.

 

Refocusing on the issue at hand he reflected back on what the Empire had done recently as well. He had decided to use the invasion by the Archtar as a clean slate point. As it was the one time the galaxy was unified over all and dealing with a single issue. As such he was willing to note, that the Empire had separated itself from the republic, denied the galaxy the resources produced under its banner, but willing to find compromises in its interests. He could not recall any recent forays into Republic space, if anything it seemed the Empire had focused on maintaining its own borders and shoring up its home land.

 

How troubling, this would put the Republic in a very negative light. If the Empire committed no worth while crimes against the galaxy. Why would the Republic attack. Has it gone stir crazy?

 

His mind turned the thoughts over around and around again, each time he attempted to get a glimpse at the big picture. The way the Empire was currently, it was in a manageable state. To support the Empire would be to be sure that he was not using the Force for aggression nor personal gain. After all he figured the republic would be more than willing to grant the Jedi anything they asked if they supported them in this battle. Plus a lofty and highly elevated social status in what ever order they imposed upon the galaxy. Unless the Sith implied that by serving the Republic they would be serving the Sith. A statement that seemed strange as then surely he would usher them into supporting the republic. Much like Palpatine did the Jedi of old. To take sith mind games into perspective was a terrible drain on what should be a simple pros and cons matter. Yet to not do so, could be to the determent of the entire galaxy.

 

Can one weigh in so quickly on this matter? So many things it seems to take into account. From Sith and Empire interaction, to Jedi and Empire interaction, Sith and Jedi interaction, Population and Empire interactions, population and Republic interaction, Sith and republic interaction this list could go on.

 

He closed his eyes looking at no one in particular and emptying himself of thought and felt the flow of the Force. He stopped rationalizing, reflecting on everyone's personal statements and beliefs and simply felt. When he opened his eyes again he looked to the Grandmaster for permission to speak. When no objection came his words rumbled forth surging through the quickening silence like a train's whistle.

 

”œMasters of the order. Let us look at this situation as best we can before making an official statement.”

[Darex Trevelian]

"But the question is, Master Ession, in a galaxy without the other faction, would either faction have a reason to go to war? You insinuate, whether you mean to or not, that if the Republic comes away the victor here, they will continue to wage their war, and justice and peace will not be achieved. But you believe that if the Empire takes over, the fighting will end."

 

Darex didn't mean to sound argumentative; he just wanted to throw every point of view out there so that the Council could make the best possible decision. "It comes down to imagining a galaxy without this large-scale war that has been present for decades. Which system would work better in peacetime?"

 

He rubbed his beard in thought. "I admit it is hard to even think what that would look like. But we do have history to shed a little light on the subject. The Old Republic lasted thousands of years. It was a prosperous time for the galaxy. This New Republic is founded on the same ideals and principles as the old one. When the Empire ruled the galaxy, it was a time of oppression and darkness. The current Imperial system has a few differences, but is largely the same machine. Both were times of peace in a sense, but both were very different.

 

"We obviously agree that this ongoing war has been terrible on both sides. But I think we must compare banthas with banthas here, because there is no sense comparing them with womprats. Only by looking at how these factions worked in peacetime can we predict how they will respond in peacetime again.

 

"Of course," he said, hesitating, "during the time when the Empire ruled, there were always Rebels against them. It wasn't true peace. But I think that is inevitable, even in this situation. However, weighing the consequences and examples of history, I think that rebellion will be inevitable under the Empire, but not so under the Republic. As protectors of peace," he looked at Scorp, "and justice, should we not aim for a system that history has shown us has the best chance of providing that?"

[Scorp Jedi Knight]

He took a small step forward, raising his hands out from folds of robes that had draped them.

 

"Why would the Republic stop waging war? It is in its nature by the very foundations it laid down.

 

History is mighty unkind to the Old Republic. Though history often recalls the Republic as peaceful, numerous galactic conflicts; such as the Hundred-Year Darkness the Old Sith Wars, the Vultar Cataclysm, the Mandalorian Wars, the Jedi Civil War, the New Sith Wars, and the Clone Wars””occurred throughout its history just to name a few. To list them all would strain even the most gifted among us. There has been at least thirty-six wars and or conflicts not including the battle of Naboo nor the Stark Hyperspace war. I know this because my time as a padawan allowed for much time in the library. One could almost ignore the idea of having a major war every seven hundred years or less, if it wasn't for wars that last for nearly five hundred years of straight continued fighting.

 

Under the old republic, the Jedi were often forced to our very last resort. That of drawing our lightsaber and fighting for years on end. Who was the Old Republic prosperous for besides the grave diggers? How often were we Jedi called to fight in the name of the Republic. How many times were we broken under its reign. The answer to that is three. Three great schisms. Under the Empire we have always been untied and strong and focused. Under the Republic, well at one point WE WERE the Republic until the Russan reformation. Shortly after that there was a marked increase in Jedi being used more and more for the maintenance of civility.

 

The Republic was horribly biased. Remote planets theoretically under jurisdiction of the Republic hardly could find the technology that was commonly available near the Core. Feeling little interest for those planets, the Republic did not even chart them properly or classify all of their flora and fauna. As the Republic grew more and more powerful, many of the bureaucrats and Senators that ran the government grew increasingly corrupt or complacent. The bureaucracy that had grown and festered over millennia choked any attempt at proactive government. Furthermore, patron politics and personal agendas also hampered effective governing, and due to the capitalist nature of the Republic, corporations like the Trade Federation and Techno Union grew in power and even formed their own militaries.

 

The theocratic Pius Dea cult was able to control the Republic for over one thousand years. This is the cult that then sanctioned "crusades" against rival alien sects in the Rim. The Republic's greatest failing was its lack of formal organization. This much is certain. When ever large corporations are able to do what ever they wish due to an ineffectual government.... you have a problem. There is no justice in such a system. The Empire has a troubling history to be sure, yet it was founded by a Sith, the system put into place can find most of its faults due to the influence of the Sith, instead of with the actually system. A system which does have the capacity to bring forth justice and does not rely solely on Jedi man power to do it.

 

If one looks at history than the Empire is far more peaceful than the Republic. Which started as an illegal uprising filled with moral righteousness. The Empire, patrolled the skies, brought law to lawless lands, and opened up millions of new jobs. They sought order and stability, and sought to maintain these things. The rebels sought to overthrow the ENTIRE empire. Destroy all of that relative peace and tranquility and protection. This is after the galaxy hadn't gone even ten years since the end of the clone wars.

 

The Republic is a dark creature disguised with noble intentions, capable of hiding Sith until they are poised and ready to bring the galaxy in years of war. It's history is mired with violent struggles that have broken even the Jedi order. The Empire on the other hand was able to keep stability and enforce Justice. It had the wrong leadership to be sure, and has had the wrong leadership for quite some time. Yet, in terms of peace and prosperity the Empire gives the average citizen a better chance than the Republic, who wages war at what seems every opportunity. Even now the Republic is fighting for a reason that is not yet clear to any of us in the room. After all, if it was, would we not be out on the battlefield, once again drawing our lightsabers and killing people of a different civilization, solely because we were told to?”

[Kitt]

Kitt listened in on Darex, knowing full well that as the Jedi Order would need to find a way to live within what peace they could through whatever faction could declare a win over the other. Scorp then spoke about the history, a view that Kitt most likely knew more about then both of them, as he did spend the majority of his time as a Jedi learning about such things. He took his time ponder before he spoke, addressing both.

 

"Understand Scorp, that we originally formed as a philosophical study group, and the Empire was formed by a Sith. One who wished to see the Jedi Order destroyed, and more or less succeeded at it through a war that he started."

 

Kitt shook his head and lowered it, letting his head hang in between his legs. Two sides stood before him, provoking him to take a side, a side that could change the face of the galaxy. He slowly raised his head, stretching out his feelings, trying to see if he could get an unspoken word of guidance from the Force.

 

"What it comes down to is this and this alone. Who do we trust more?"

[Darex Trevelian]

"I do not disagree that the Old Republic was far from perfect. At it's end, it was bloated and incapable of doing anything. The Jedi Order had devoted itself to the service of that Republic, and that let us stray from the very core of what being a Jedi means by participating as generals in the Clone Wars."

 

Darex, too, was an avid Jedi historian. It was nice to be around others who shared his hobby.

 

The Grandmaster summed the entire discussion up. It really did come down to who they trusted more. Darex knew for his part he trusted that the Republic's traditional values of democracy and justice would return to the forefront with the decrease of the military. It was a militaristic faction now, but Darex could see it really changing once that was no longer the case and it become more political. The current Chancellor was a good man, even if his voice routinely got drowned out and overruled by the Admiral's. Darex had confidence that with Starlisk stepping down and out from power, the Chancellor would be able to retake the power that should have rightfully been his the entire time.

 

But Emperor Deton was a military man. If he took over, Darex couldn't trust that it wouldn't be martial law. Perhaps that might be good in Scorp's opinion, but Darex didn't think security was worth trading freedom for. And he didn't know if he could trust a military man to change into a politician overnight. Also, he knew that the Empire had no real political system in place; the Republic at least had the advantage of a head start--they had begun making strides in the political arena with the election of the Chancellor, and Darex believed that it was a sign of the Republic's true intentions.

 

But both of the other Jedi Masters knew all this, and even if they didn't, Darex was careful to keep his mind open to both of them. They knew where Darex himself stood. But he quickly suppressed his personal opinion. They were Jedi, were they not? And Jedi followed the will of the Force, not their own will.

 

So the Jedi Master opened himself to the Force and became immersed in it's flow, seeking an answer or any guidance that might be offered.

[Aidan Darkfire]

Though Aidan was disappointed that the saber training stopped, he did as was bidden. Sitting on the floor the way the others were, he began to open his mind as Kirlocca directed, focusing his thoughts to nothingness, and as if it were second nature, he could feel his senses expand exponentially, seeing outward, the shining auras of everyone in the temple, especially Kirlocca and a large group of people in the area of the Temple he had visited before.

 

But something else he saw was scary and at the same time captivated him into being unmoving, he saw the specter of his father on the far side of the room, simply watching him. For a moment Aidan said nothing, frozen in horror that somehow his father had found out what he'd done, but as he opened his eyes, Aryian was not there. The young boy frowned sadly, missing his dad, but at the same time felt a mixture of confusion and relief.

 

Silent, he waited for the lesson to finish.

 

((I've been busy. More of a placer post.))

[Emily]

She shook her head. "Interesting." It was the only word she really had to describe the experience. But she did give him a little smile. "More interesting than I was expecting."

 

She rocked back on her heels. "I felt...presences. People here on this base. The Council in session. Then the insects beneath our feet. There is so much life everywhere...it's a bit sobering."

 

Emily's mismatched eyes flicked up to Nishant's face. "What about you? What did you see?"

[Reptilia]

Rep continued his "attack", he kept spinning his blades as fast as he could but not trying to hit her. He was interested in what the padawan would do, she could try to stab or slash at him to stop his blades or she could get around to his backside where he was open to attack, when Trushaun decided to go for the direct method Rep slowed down his twirling sabers. The clash of two sabers reminded of his training with Xae, he had sparred a lot during his training which was why he decided to start with it for Trushaun's training; something that she could draw upon easily and know what to do in a sticky situation.

 

The Kel Dor was much taller than the Fosh that stood before him so it was rather easy to push into her with his saber, he had sheer strength and a better angle to attack from. He knew that she was tired from using the Force and from running around fighting. He pulled back with his lightsaber, he threw his hand up to beckon her from fighting, he didn't need to get hit while instructing her on what to do next.

 

"That was good, but before we move on we should cover some lightsaber basics. The most basic form of lightsaber combat relies on rendering your opponent incapable of fighting and not killing them. It's useful against multiple enemies, against one though you're better off using another one." He said as he displayed some of the movements with his blade.

 

Rep closed his eyes and felt into the temple, he found a remote, and lifted it back to them while he continued talking.

 

"So for some practice you're going to deflect shots from a training remote, boring but effective." He ripped a piece of cloth from his robe and tossed it to the padawan. "Put this on, you need to rely on the Force to effectively wield a lightsaber regardless of what form you're using."

 

As he finished talking the training remote dropped into his hands, he fiddled with it for a moment to activate it. It levitated upwards and started shooting, Reptilia made his way out of the clearing for Trushaun to have enough space to practice.

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca keep himself quiet, almost going so far as to shut out the entire room that he was in. He instead let the Force speak to him and flow through him. As it did, he was able to hear and sense what every padawan was doing, and what progress they were making. He then extended his own presence out over the room.

 

<< Now, expand your mind. You will find that you will be able to sense and feel everything around you. Let your presence stretch out. If you need help with doing this, please ask, and I will help. >>

 

Kirlocca then waited to see if any of the padawans would need his help in reaching this state. If none did, he would move along with them.

[Darth Furion]

A haggard old fellow with thick, unkempt travelers robes hobbled up the wide stone steps leading up to the temple doors. He took every step one at a time, always leaning hard on his half cane for support every time he had to put weight on his left. His hands seemed to match the knotted structure of the wooden cane he sported, his fingers bent at odd angles either from arthritis or broken bones. With each step up, it was clear it became more and more taxing on the older man, but he made no effort to show his discomfort. A man grown accustomed to pain over the long, long years.

 

At the top, he took a moment to collect his breath, leaning against one of the large pillars for support. For a moment he just seemed to sit there, taking deep, controlled breaths as his doctor had instructed and simply watched the great cityscape in front of him. The day was at a wane, and Galu had just begun to light up for the night. Traffic lanes started to strike deep contrast against the quickly darkening sky, and still the city was bursting with hustle and bustle. After a few moments, it came to him how late it must be getting and made his way into the temple, shuffling in with all the other passer-bys coming to tour the temple, or speak with Jedi on personal matters. Once at the reception desk, the old man let his hood fall, though only to show more of the same wringled, greying old man.

 

"I would like to speak with Grandmaster Armiena Darkfire, please. And please tell her it is both a private matter, and one requiring haste."

[Kitt]

As the man approached the front welcome area of the Jedi Temple on Gala, the receptionist stood up with a soft bow. She smiled at the man, taking a moment look upon him after the very strange request, as Armiena Darkfire wasn't even at the Jedi temple at the moment, let alone even the Grandmaster of the Jedi anymore. Locking eyes, she sent a page to the Jedi Council, letting the Grandmaster know that someone was here.

 

"Sir, allow for me to keep you informed of current staff. Kitt Fitt is now the Jedi Grandmaster. If you wish, I can send for him..."

 

She did her best to keep her focus upon him as he looked like someone that she should know, but couldn't place a name or a place with it.

 

************************************************************

 

Kitt received a comm signal, informing him of an important visitor at the front Hall of the Temple. He stared at it, as it didn't say that his presence was needed, yet the information was sent to him anyways. He took a moment to think upon it, and then stood up. The Force urged him to go down and at least see this visitor. He stretched out his senses, trying to get some wisdom in why he was being urged to see this visitor.

 

"I will return. You can continue to discuss this more if you wish, but I think it's clear to everyone here where the Force wants us to commit."

 

Kitt then walked out of the Jedi Council Chambers and began to make his walk towards the Main Hall, and where this visitor was waiting. Why he was being urged to see this person was beyond his own understanding.

[Darth Furion]

A quizzical look fell upon the gentry man's sagging face. His hands fumbled on his cane for a moment before he spoke.

 

"Well...where is she, then? I must speak with her."

[ObliviousKnight]

((Um, did not see the last few posts. But I really don't want to rewrite this, so roll with it?))

 

All of a sudden, every Jedi on Gala probably felt a compulsion to look up, for a familiar presence suddenly arrived. It was that of the Jedi Temple that had arguably taken the most horrific beating in the entire war: the Eternal Vigilance, a Jedi-constructed ship that had been attacked time and time again, then finally sunk at least twice”¦ until it had been raised from Manaan's oceans.

 

That, and one of the most powerful Force-Sensitives that the Jedi knew of was on board. The lines of the Lux Aeterna (or Eternal Light, was the translation from a disused and ancient language) were unmistakable, even if some of the work done to the hull had taken away from its former elegance””the firing ports of a great many missile launchers could be seen on its flanks, and a set of transparent panels lined each side near the engines.

 

Armiena sat along at the edge of the wing of a Starsword fighter in the hangar, her legs dangling over the edge of the cannon. She watching the world of Gala calmly turn over in the distance, a great apprehension tensing her shoulders. It wasn't the Republic's security that made her shoulders hunch over and brought a worried frown to her expression””the Jedi would be able to intervene before they were blown to bits””but rather how”¦ combative her return was going to be.

 

No, that wasn't quite the right word. But in the next few hours, she was going to have a very uncomfortable talk with the rest of the Jedi and desecrate at least three major points of doctrine. And worse, her son was around””yes, a message that her mother had just relayed from the ground confirmed that her son had attempted to sneak away to pursue Jedi training. Armiena fought the temptation to throw her datapad out the magcon field.

 

Another nightmare that she had hoped to avoid.

 

She launched the starfighter and took it down to the surface. Misal was nearby, as reported in her message, but she and her son would have to wait. From the main hangar, Armiena took the familiar pathway down the grand hallway in the center of the temple, passing under the semiprecious stones that marked the known lineage of the Jedi Order in the ceiling. A grim gravity took her steps, a weight on her shoulders that wasn't entirely accounted for by the additional three lightsabers that she'd sworn to wear.

 

And then the Council Chamber. It wasn't sealed, so Armiena simply walked in.

 

Armiena couldn't have looked much more different than the weary warrior had when she'd last left this planet. Gone were the white Jedi robes, replaced by a more practical black combat jumpsuit. Her Force presence was entirely silent and nearly impenetrable, clear evidence that she didn't want anyone probing around in her mind. Then there were the three new lightsabers, and a grim expression that was evidence to several years of age since she'd last been in this room.

 

She spoke quietly. ”œHi.”

[Darth Furion]

A feeling ran up the old man's spine. So used to feeling in various hues and magnitudes, lukewarm was something he simply wasn't prepared for. He felt her arrive, long before she ever touched down, as did most of the others in the temple. But as he awaited patiently, the tick of each passing second whittled at his will. She was coming, yes, and soon, but not soon enough. He had been waiting for this time for so long, dreaming about it every free moment he had.

 

As the former grandmaster strode past him, it took considerable will to keep himself veiled, calm and collected beneath his mask of lies. Soon he chided himself.

 

Sitting alone in the reception area, the old man rested his eyes as he waited, feeling minds upon him. Over time, some would trickle away to more present matters, such as a new guest, or other duties, but always he lingered in their mindfulness. How long he waited, he wasn't certain, but at the very moment when he had remained sitting for long enough to stray from the conscious thoughts of those around him, he seized the opportunity and completely vanished from the absent minds of those around him.

 

Fully cloaked, the old man wondered further into the temple a ways, to a garden near the center of the temple. He stood in the very middle, and for a moment, he simply drew a few slow, steady breaths.

 

In a gesture his travelers robe fell from his shoulders, revealing the taunt muscular structure of a well seasoned athlete. In the next he touched toward his face and....pulled it off. No. No, he was removing a mask, one that had seemed to rest just under the old man's wrinkled skin. As the mask broke from his face, a great pressure seemed to escape him. The pressure spread through the temple like a backlash, coursing through every path. The pressure felt simultaneously to be a perversion of everything within the temple, yet something wholelly apart of it. Underneath the mask shone a pair of golden eyes, hungry and impatient.

 

Darkfire!

 

The name resounded through the temple, shaking even this venerable temple to its very foundation. Riding the vibrant waves, torrents of longing, frustration, and anger comprised its power.

 

I know you can hear me, Armiena! I want her back!

[Aidan Darkfire]

Bidden to continue, Aidan did as he was told, though with haste, he still wanted to get back to lightsaber training. The flashy swords had him dazzled, but at the same time he held a reverence and awe for them, the sacred weapons of his parents. Quietly he closed his eyes, his senses once again reaching out as he cleared his mind like he had before, this time a little easier, the path a little more familiar as his thoughts wove their way into the Force, and the Force wove through his soul.

 

Life.

 

So much life around him, the animals, the people, the Jedi...his mother...his mother? He could sense her, somehow, he knew it was her as if he'd known since his birth. The other presences he couldn't focus on, couldn't define, but to him hers rang clear as a bell on a calm day. At first he reached out to her, a sort of 'look what I can do', but almost at the same time he withdrew, knowing she'd be coming for him. Well...he was ready for that. She couldn't drag him away this time. Maybe she could, but Aidan was resolved to keep coming back.

 

And then the nightmare...death, anguish, pain, destruction, fear...everything exploded like a toxic gas cloud in his awareness as he felt the presence...the evil...the hatred and pained cries of a tortured soul. He opened his eyes, cutting the feeling off immediately, but it still made him sick to his stomach. He stood, grabbing onto a nearby bench for support, legs weak.

 

"Mr. Kirlocca...I don't feel so good..."

[Darex Trevelian]

At least Kitt seemed certain. To Darex, the Force seemed silent on the issue, which made the Jedi Master believe that perhaps this was an area where each Jedi needed to choose for himself. But he would respect whatever insight the new grandmaster had gleaned.

 

It was then that he felt Armiena's presence. It was strange; almost like he didn't recognize it anymore. She had clearly changed a lot since he had last seen her all those years ago. He rose and went to the viewport. While the Eternal Vigilance remained in orbit, he would recognize that floating hull even from the ground. A small smile touched his face. While he believed it personally to be dangerous to gather all of the Order's assets in one system, he couldn't deny that it was good to see it again. The ship-station was the closest thing he had to a home.

 

He resumed his seat as Armiena's presence touched down, and then simply waited. As she strode into the Council chambers, Darex rose. She seemed older, grimmer, and Darex wondered at the change. She had the air of someone who was quietly suffering, and he hated to see that in anyone, much less a woman he considered a friend.

 

He greeted her with a warm handshake. "It's good to see you again, Armiena." He motioned to the chairs lining the room. "Would you care to sit down?"

 

Before he could inquire of her further, however, the voice echoed through the Temple, full of anger and frustration and longing; the voice of a desperate man crying out. Darex wondered briefly at the presence of someone who was clearly a Sith in their temple, but outwardly he only raised an eyebrow and looked to Armiena.

[Kitt]

The feeling was very strong and clear, and to Kitt's own mind, it wasn't even connected with the surprise visitor. The feeling was almost like a great weight, one that he felt it was oddly familiar to him. Stretching out his senses, he couldn't really make out what it was, yet the sudden change in the atmosphere of the Force energy around the planet of Gala was so great, that Kitt felt compelled to walk back towards the Jedi Council Chambers to see if any of the other master had felt it, or for that matter, recognized it.

 

Leaving entering the Council Chambers, it was clear to him just by looks alone that both Darex and Scorp had felt it, as well as held some minor recognition over it. He was about to ask when behind him he heard a very quiet and familiar voice speak a small word. "Hi." Kitt turned around, finding himself staring at Armiena, but somehow, she didn't look the same. She didn't have her usually white robes, but instead, she wore a simple black jumpsuit. Kitt did his best to push past the great feeling that seemed to overtake him as he locked eyes with her.

 

"...I... I'm glad that you are here."

 

Somewhere in the Force, yet very loudly and strongly echoed a single word. Darkfire. Kitt pulled both of his eyebrows in, trying to focus himself through the Force. There was too much going on for his own liking.

[Trushaun]

The fosh looked up. Still breathing heavily she listened to Rep for her next exercise. Using the force so much that last few moments of the skirmish really wore he out. Now the kel'dor wanted her to use it again. She did not want to disappoint him so she tried her best. She waited as Rep told her what the exercise was about and what he wanted to happen.

 

The blindfold shut her off to the outside world. She started to breAth more easily now, and was able to call upon the Force. Trushaun wasn't able to dodge the first few. But after about the fifth shot she started to feel the little remote fire and she started to dodge and block the shots fromthe remote.

 

 

(sorry school is picking up.... Just typed this in class on an iPod touch... Lol otherwise it would be in greaterdetail

[Nishant]

She shook her head. "Interesting." It was the only word she really had to describe the experience. But she did give him a little smile. "More interesting than I was expecting."

 

She rocked back on her heels. "I felt...presences. People here on this base. The Council in session. Then the insects beneath our feet. There is so much life everywhere...it's a bit sobering."

 

Emily's mismatched eyes flicked up to Nishant's face. "What about you? What did you see?"

 

(Sorry for the delay).

 

"I'm uncertain. I felt the energy more keenly than before...I have some idea of how it can be shaped, and sculpted, and worked into what I would imagine possible. In the sense of what did I see...I admit I was so far inward that I did not enjoy what I knew was possible; I did not see all those things around me that are here. Only...well, I think in a way I may have. This is why I'm uncertain. There was an instant, something I wouldn't be sure even happened only that I just know that it did, where everything was...clear. I saw everything. I don't know what that means, or what that is, or how to explain it."

 

He paused, and looked around him, and was about to turn back to her with a question of his own when he felt a sudden compulsion to vomit, and could not understand why. The feeling itself, in the form of the impulse to throw up, faded almost immediately due to the state of calm he retained, but he was unsettled. There was unease everywhere around his sphere, where before there had been the simple rippling of hopefuls accessing the Force in a neutral way. This new presence...it was stifling, it was hazy and sharp at the same time. Nishant felt nausea wash over him; he had not been sick in any inhibiting manner since he was a little boy, and he found the sudden return of the feeling as unsettling as the implications. Something wasn't right, at the moment, something beyond him and everyone in this room.

 

"Do you feel that?" he asked Emily. He saw Aidan struggling, heard his words to Kirlocca, keyed in. "Master, what is happening?"

[Ulan]

Sitting alone, quietly studying in the halls of the archives, Ulan closed the screen he was looking at and took a walk through the stacks of memory files. Several hours had passed since Gavin and he had arrived in the archives and he had resumed his studies as a Jedi Padawan. Beyond those few hours were weeks of confusion that Ulan had yet to make sense of and that Gavin had offered little insight into. In fact, the Knight seemed as confused as the Padawan. Going back farther, it felt as if years had passed since Ulan had experienced average, typical training as a Jedi. Kakuto Ryu had turned his and Gavin's life into a war both inside and out, infesting each of them with the taint of the darkside, and reminding them that being a Jedi is and will always be the most difficult struggle of one's life.

 

Through the stacks an arched doorway opened up to a small meditation garden that was enclosed in glass like a greenhouse. The room was mildly warm and so humid beads of condensation dripped from the glass panels creating a slow, sporadic rain.

 

Ulan sat on the edge of a rock wall that blocked off a flower bed and thought about what he had been reading. He had discovered that the Jedi had not always been divided into classes which made it very difficult to search for naturalists, but he was able to narrow his search results into a a specific field of Jedi that had developed a strong affinity for the natural world.

 

One that had expanded the field in particular, and that seemed to stick in Ulan's mind, was the Jedi Master Luscious Fanine. She had spent a great deal of her time with the order exploring numerous worlds cataloging life, embracing the growing properties of plants, and through the Force communicating with the natural animal species. Her work with the animal kingdom was particularly interesting. Across the galaxy, Fanine observed that cliche suvival of the fittest lifestyle that all animal life had to learn to live within. Her observations had made her question the natural order of things, realizing that the universe was a place where the ones willing to take were the ones who survived. Yet, in certain cases she found that the only the strong survive motif was not always true. The direction her work eventually went was the investigation of why beings that were seemingly strong enough to overthrow all other life would choose instead to live in symbosis. Why did the galaxy exist in a give and take reality? What made some vicious, hate mongers and others peaceful, yet powerful caretakers?

 

These questions eventually led her to the powers she became famous for: the ability to speak with beasts and plants, calming their aggresive behaviors and teaching them to work with her rather than against. It was something he certainly hoped to apply to his own arsenal, but before he could continue in his thoughts, he was disrupted by a strong feeling.

 

Gavin, here someone powerful is.

 

((Sorry for all the comma errors. I'm rushed and needed to post. I'm not gone, just really busy. Sorry))

[Wookiee Jedi]

Whether he knew it or not, Kirlocca ended up opening his eyes and stared out of the grand auditorium. The presence he felt was... odd. He knew it much like he knew what his paw felt like, yet it was different... not the same. A familiar feeling echoed within the presence, almost drowning within it. Grief was that feeling. Sadly, it was a grief that felt like he should know it. It was Arlan, a former Jedi student of Kirlocca's that he trained for a short while before Armiena Darkfire took him as her own apprentice. Suddenly, it clicked in Kirlocca's mind that presence that he was feeling was Armiena's. She seemed to be broken inside... pained.

 

The pain was slightly masked by another presence that he knew by familiarity. Ilim is when he last felt it, and this person overtook Kirlocca. Drawing in a breath from his seated position, he found himself quieting and calming his own presence. The events of the galaxy were unfolding at a very fast rate, and Kirlocca's didn't like it. To him, it felt like the Force was in a frenzy, constantly stirring around as it tried to find a balance, or a peace.

 

Shaking off the feelings that now swirled around within his own mind, Kirlocca then became aware that he still had a room full of Jedi students looking to learn; However, by this point, many of them now were also concentrated on the strong emotions that were being poured into the Force around the Jedi Temple. Letting out a breath that he was unaware of holding in, he looked at Aidan, feeling a strong sense of compassion for him, and then to the rest of the class.

 

<< The Force has much unrest in it right now. I will say nothing more on the matter. We are done with lessons today. I want all of you to go to either the Mess Hall, or to your own quarters. >>

 

Kirlocca stood up and then walked out of the grand auditorium and began to head towards the grand hall and towards the Jedi Council Chamber. As he walked, he pulled out his lightsaber hilt, doing his best to keep it hidden from any hopefuls or padawans that may be looking on. Granted, he didn't even know if he would need it, yet he felt a need to have it ready, just in case.

[Emily]

Emily listened with interest to Nishant's description, wondering at the differences between her experience and his. But before she could inquire further, a wave of mental Force energy washed over the room. It was filled with emotion--anger, pain, sorrow--and was extremely powerful.

 

Emily immediately reached out with her own tentative senses. A Sith was here, a very powerful one. She wondered at the amazing difference there was between someone like this man and one of the Jedi Masters she had sensed earlier. The Jedi shimmered with calm, repressed power, while this Sith radiated intensely like a star. The power that swept over her was enthralling and intoxicating. It spoke to her of freedom and the power to choose her own destiny. Her Jedi meditations had opened her mind, and she could not deny that it was the same Force, the same power source; but it was being controlled so differently.

 

The raw power behind the voice that echoed through the temple made her blood pound in her veins. Adrenaline pulsed through her, and a shiver raced down her spine. She saw Nishant turn green and Aidan, pale, nearly collapse. She wondered at their responses. To her, it was intoxicating, and made her feel powerful and alive.

 

She blinked and closed her mouth; her jaw had fallen open in awe. Master Kirlocca quickly ended the class, and so Emily turned to Nishant. "I wish I could meet this Sith," she said, speaking in a whisper for some reason. "Or at least get a glimpse of him." As the Jedi Master walked out, an idea came to her. "Wanna go see if we can see him?" She knew it would be disobeying what Kirlocca had told them to do, but her curiosity was stronger than her worry about being caught.

[Nishant]

Nishant felt a twinge in some depth of him at Kirlocca's answer, something that might have been a familiar frustration at an answer designed for someone incapable of handling whatever disturbance there was in the Force, but more in the sense that Nishant had a piercing curiosity. It was this curiosity that led him to wonder at Emily's reaction to this rippling energy. She seemed to relish it, from what he could discern in the small things.

 

It made him reflect on his own reaction, and the why in regards to his reaction. The moment he asked why, the nausea disappeared, and he was in that middle ground he so often sought. Had he reacted in opposition to the newness of the energy, to the foreign quality of it? Perhaps it had something to do with the contrast, so close after seeing the sun of the Force. He knew that, like many other things this day, he would have to reflect when he was alone later.

 

He would have taken the opportunity to reflect in his quarters, as Kirlocca wished, had not Emily given him an idea he could not resist. Nishant was intrigued by how Emily knew immediately this power belonged to a Sith, and how she was in such awe of this kind of power. He wondered for a moment on a larger scale; why had he met Emily? The way she thought, or had presented her thoughts, opinions, beliefs--thus far--made him feel that she contrasted him in a peculiarly balancing way. Perhaps he had met her to broaden his spirit. He smiled at the thought, and he agreed to her idea.

 

"Yes, let's see if we can." He stood easily, and recognized the excitement he felt. Now that he had approached this new energy differently, he noticed he could locate it more precisely, and was neither drawn to it nor repelled by it--engaged by its presence.