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Josh had been to many Jedi Moots and all of those sorts of things. They never went well. But at the least, this one was done under different reasons. Not an attempt to unify the orders under one person's control, or anything like that... But just general friendship. Wishing to improve relations and strenghen the light side as a whole. It was a worthy cause, and that was why Josh had chosen to attend despite swearing off this sort of thing.
SJO's Master Of The Order, and a man who had been busy with taking charge when it came to the Order as of late, had remained in the background while all of the speeches and everything went around. He was still hesitant, even if the message seemed good natured. But he would eventually step into the crowds, taking a deep breath as he would look at all that were around him. Eventually he would find what he assumed to be the Praxeum's leader, [member="Coren Starchaser"] and as he approached, he would hold out a hand, giving a gentle smile.
"I hear you're starting quite the operation" He spoke softly. "I'm happy to hear it. It's my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master Starchaser. I'm hoping we'll be able to work together more in the future."
Was Starchaser his actual name? It sounded a bit silly...
With Coren Starchaser having more or less opened up the floor for others to speak, Veiere turned as [member="Calder Icehammer"] did, to focus upon the thoughts spoken from their peers. Many of them feeling the same sentiment though their approach differed some, others perhaps more aggressive while some might not consider it their way; yet over-all the cause and need for unity was clear and being who he was and what he too had experienced, Veiere felt the need to speak up.
"The Galaxy has been in turmoil since as far back as the re-emergence of the One Sith, and as history has shown us, does not look to cease with simply the end of the Sith Empire's reign, nor that of the First Order's", he sought to start with a simple truth, before introducing himself to the group. "Some of you know who I am and I suspect more will have heard my name. I am Veiere Arenais...-I disgraced myself and the Jedi Order by succumbing to the Dark Side once before", it wasn't the most encouraging sentiment to start with, however Veiere spoke foremost from the heart rather than scripture, nor sugar-coated half truths. "Some of you here may have felt the pull of Darkness before, perhaps even been lured into it yourselves. My mistake was my pride and the confidence in what I felt I understood of the Force and what it meant to be Jedi...-You can imagine my perspective has changed a little" he left a moment as though there might be a laugh to be heard. Amusement however was unlikely.
"The Empire has flourished because of Jedi like myself. Those of us who have in the past spoken for unity among us, yet been so blind to our pride that our differences have kept us at bay; and the longer we are divided, the stronger the Dark Side becomes. It's taken forty years dedicated to the Order, before I have finally been able to realize and come to terms with my own arrogance, believing that what I had been doing was justified under the Jedi Code and what has been taught to us in the past....-The Future however has changed from the path that the Order once followed, and it continues to grow further out of reach" in his words, he had briefly forgotten that his own Daughter were among them to hear all that he was saying. The fact was that when Coren had approached him, Veiere had admitted uncertainty towards his potential return to the Order. His guilt would be heard publicly from all of them today, rumors be damned when it was his mouth that the words were spoken, and yet if it could remind others to look beyond themselves, to the need of a strengthened and unified Jedi Alliance, to better enable them all to combat the threat that seemed near unstoppable, then his shame was worth airing.
"There are things that I will have to live with, memories that still haunt me...-But if we do not come together, so many more will bare witness to the loss of their loved ones, their homes, their worlds enslaved by Imperialism and darkness. In all that I've said, I want it to be considered; at what cost would it take for the Jedi to set aside their past, their differences and come together. The Galactic Alliance, The Free World's Coalition, The Commenor Systems Alliance, The Order of the Sacred Lotus...-And so many other Governments and peoples vying for Peace, only to be stamped out by the Sith Emperor and those that serve to embolden the Dark Side".
"We need this Jedi Union...-While we still have the numbers to turn this War around" and even then, they'd be extremely outnumbered and hard pressed for victory as they were. Veiere had given Coren his word that he would do what he could to help bring about an agreement of sorts, he had kept his word, though as he stepped back to allow others to respond, argue or speak up of their own voilition, he hoped that all that he had said wouldn't come back to bite him as these sorts of things had proven so in the past.
Suggesting an Alliance of Jedi Factions, not the merger into one.
As Thurion and herself moved into the gathering room and took their positions [member="Coren Starchaser"] took his and began the opening speech. He was short and to the point, which was a good and refreshing start. One of the first to speak in response among the gathering was [member="Michael Sardun"] from the Lords of Light, his address text book from their philosophy but each word was true enough. And she knew this simply because she had spoken them herself and in fact his name held familiarity from her youth with the Army of Light before she moved into the secret services with the Republic. These are the Jedi you need when a situation calls for something more extreme to neutralise a threat, to take action against it with a solution that will not allow other Jedi to break their code or Way.
The unification of Jedi was on the table, once more. However, like in the past, it was not something that was likely to happen after all which one of the faction would they all gather under? And she doubted that this was what they were proposing, but a solution had to be achieved for they are right in the sense that if the war against the Sith is to be fought and won, they needed to be aligned. JAN had been proposed in the past but she did not believe that was the answer either, it was a great networking faction but that is all it truly was. No there had to be something else and today they might find it, [member="Coren Starchaser"] had been working tirelessly to try and achieve this.
Coci stood up to address them, "The changing shift in ascendancy has seen the rise of the Sith, as you are all aware. And it is time for that ascendancy to shift once more, toward the Jedi and the light side. This will only be achieved if we all find a way in which we can work together, in whatever capacity we can offer. Some of you come from factions that are strong and with numbers that will help achieve this, with forces that will hold up against any attach that the Sith have. As a unit, as one this would be a force that would push back the stemming tide of darkness. Smaller factions have the ability to help, maybe not with ships and troops, but in their capacity to train Jedi and offer their services to further strength the warriors of the Light".
She turned to face her husband with a smile, before turning her attention back to the gathering. "For those of you that do not know me, I am Master Coci Heavenshield of the Dawnguard we are few in numbers, but with myself and [member="Thurion Heavenshield"], my husband we offer our services and knowledge not only of the force but through experiences. There needs to be a unification of Jedi and in the past this suggestion was put forward, and agreed upon but nothing came of it, nothing concrete. There was talks of ruling councils made up of representatives from all factions, with the idea in mind to gather and made decisions regarding the war against the Sith and of course opinions were divided as to how and where this would achieved. In that time, there was a lack of tolerance between the factions and their codes and philosophies, no one was willing to respect the differences. I believe that now is the time to actually do it. The time is now for an actual Jedi Alliance". For the moment this opening speech would be enough from her, she wanted to hear what others had to say.
But, then, when hadn't the former Silver Jedi Grand Master been optimistic? Honestly, she was entirely too positive to have been Corellian. Probably all that time on Midvinter was starting to eat away at her Corellian sensibilities.
[member="Coren Starchaser"] spoke first. Sor-Jan knew the name. More to the point, he knew the voice. Coren had done some voice work for Corellia Digital on a navigation aid that had some eccentric qualities. Largely courtesy to what Coren had added to the project. Even still, it was nice to put a face with the voice, let alone the name.
The youngling kicked back, putting his feet up as he just observed from the back of the assembly. He had a HoloBoy Advanced out, using it to check the current standings and positions of the various markets. Trading was closed on Kashyyyk at the moment, but the markets on Druckenwell had just opened.
Coren had left a hook out there for others to grab or become snared upon, and it seemed first to chomp at the bit was the storied King of Commenor. [member="Veiere Arenais"] made the timeless pitch for an alliance between the Jedi. A concept that [member="Coci Heavenshield"] added her voice to.
Even still, what Veiere said caused a pit to form in the young Anzat's stomach. One that twisted like a knife until the boy decided that he couldn't just stay quiet.
"Hi, I'm Sor-Jan."
Putting his feet down, the tow-headed youth sat up straight as he addressed the assembly. He didn't get up, instead playing with the HoloBoy in his hands as though he was turning over a Sabaac deck as he spoke. "Most of you don't know me and are wondering why the youngling's talking out of turn," the boy commented, with a jerk of his head that flipped a lock of hair from out of his eyes.
"I'm not a member of any of these Jedi groups. Silver Jedi. New Jedi. Do we have an Old Jedi Order? If not yet, just give it time. But, that's not my point. You know why I walked away from these groups? Because people who claim to follow the ways of the Jedi have to be coaxed into alliances with one another."
The young Corellian paused a moment there. Relaxing back in his seat, the boy just gave a shrug as he looked directly over at Veiere and added, "You want to know what the problem is? That's where I'd start. Because, otherwise, if you think we're all just suddenly going to all help one another... mate, you're dreaming."
Once, Sor-Jan would have wanted to believe that dream as well.
Before the fall of the Alliance.
Before the Silver Jedi fled from the Tingel Arm, leaving Shri-Tal and countless other worlds to burn.
This was reality. The dream was dead. Welcome to the Dark Times.
The fact that there have to be calls for an alliance between Jedi groups reveals a problem in itself that needs to be addressed.
(Wrote most of this up right before Sor-Jan posted. Might seem a bit disjointed)
An unusual cocktail of emotions brewed beneath Cedric's silent visage.
He'd opted to to remain silent as the other Jedi said what was on their minds. They were all sentiments Cedric had heard before, and such promises had proven to be hollow. He found himself lingering upon the futility he'd attached to those memories, but as the children of the Light spoke, something in their words moved the dour warrior. He reached out into the empyrean, and found himself drawn to the optimism that rang within its depths.
The Force thought this was the right course, and his faith had not steered him wrong yet.
There was much that had been said that he could only echo. It was not his place to attempt to inspire or any other such notion - he simply needed to tell them the truth. If the proceedings thus far hadn't convinced any naysayers, surely honesty would.
Cedric waited for [member="Coci Heavenshield"] to finish speaking before he stepped forward. "I come from the world of Ession," his words were spoken slowly, his voice like that of stone, "In the past I would have spoken of my world's glories," the soldier tilted his head toward [member="Veiere Arenais"], " - but its glories are gone."
He paused for a moment, and when he spoke again there was far more purpose in his tone. "We led our armies against the Sith Empire in the name of the Light. Our sons and daughters bled in the millions to slow the encroachment of the Sith upon the core. We stood alone in that endeavor; we were far too proud to ask for help."
Another pause. "The Sith dreadnoughts leveled every city on the planet. The imperial army was let loose into what was left to do whatever they pleased. A few lucky thousand are all that remain of a population that was once several billion strong, and that isn't even going into the state of the planet itself. It is unlikely it will ever support much life for several centuries." Cedric shook his head, "The only way we will survive is if we stand together, otherwise the fate of my world will be the fate of every planet the emperor decides he particularly dislikes."
The Jedi Master fell quiet as the youngling spoke. The child's presence made him raise an eyebrow, but his words did pique Cedric's curiosity. What would the others have to say?
Quill's old datapad chose that moment to die. Not the greatest loss: the patchy old records weren't getting him very far. He tucked it away and refocused on what people were saying, without benefit of context or backstory. And to his deep surprise, he found he had something to add. He steeled himself against attention and stepped away from the back wall, clearing his throat.
"I'm Quill. The Padawan -- Sor-Jan, did I catch that right? -- makes the most sense to me. We're each of us too used to answering only to ourselves, I'd imagine. We're used to latitude and the different ways we do things. There's a reason the Jedi don't come together naturally.
"It's happened before, though. It's rare, but it's happened. Sometimes it even sticks around for a couple of years. I tend to think now should be one of those times. If any... overarching Jedi alliance comes from this meeting, I'll answer to it while it lasts. That's all."
He kept things brief and ducked back to stand against the wall again.
The fact that all the groups were her was important. The fact that he got them into a room and no one was shouting at each other, spoke volumes about how the Jedi had evolved recently. Yes, there were points that everyone had, regarding the role of the Jedi. From his interaction with @Joshua Dragonsflame, he nodded. The Master of the Silvers was someone he needed to speak more directly with. He had dealt with that Order for a time before he moved on to his other ventures. But today, today he was hoping to get more of this togetherness happening.
But first things first. [member="Michael Sardun"] was speaking and Starchaser didn't directly disagree with the Lord of Light. He almost joined with this group following the events of Endgame. But even within the Alliance, and the New Jedi Order, he knew that there were limits to what could be done.
"But then, Lord Sardun, that puts us on a similar page to them. I'm a warrior, but I'm not an assassin, nor murderer." He heard [member="Tellu Talon"] speaking, and nodded. "We need the union, we represent hope. If we push that too far to the right or left, we become what we are looking to remove.
As more spoke, Coren would do what he could to allow the focus on the speaker, from [member="Tiland Kortun"] to the point [member="Veiere Arenais"] was bringing up. The Jedi were fractured, but this group was here for another purpose. They were here for the Future. Between Tiland, and Veiere, and [member="Coci Heavenshield"], here was an air of what he was hoping to find here. An air of cooperation.
Then [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"] spoke. Coren knew the name and face. "Jedi Xantha," --Was he a Master, was the record right?--- "I appreciate the candor. With the group we have, from the previous speakers. It is not something that will evolve and occur overnight. it is something I have been working on. Taking roles within one of the defunct Orders, and not bringing my ideas to the Network and Praxeum. I know there are some radical ideas on the agenda, but even if it lasts for a while? We create a beacon. There are sects to the Jedi, and names are inspired by former groups. While one group may say 'charge' and another 'patience' they are all Jedi. And the Union, Alliance, whatever you want to call it, would allow Jedi to become cohesive. An organization that can direct the Jedi, and break the borders between the groups. Let someone focus how they will, and become the group this galaxy needs."
"If it was to happen, the leaders and Jedi involved would be welcomed, the ones who are not wanting to join? They would not be shunned. And it would be built with a goal in the short-term, something that should evolve into the long term. A Council from leaders of all groups, and using the Academy Network as a framework, bringing all the Jedi together."
He looked around at the group, allowing others to voice their concern. But don't think he didn't notice [member="Jend-Ro Quill"] there. Sure, it may be temporary, but the first step towards the Galactic Republic of the ancients began with such a meeting, did it not?
Well, there was a familiar face, a smile touched Asaraa's lips as she twisted slightly, swivelling on her heel as she grinned at Lori. "Hey!" A pink-haired Jedi raised a hand in greeting, blue eyes flicking past Lori to stare at her father for a moment before returning to the girl. "Dad dragged you out here huh?" Asaraa let her hand drop, thumb slipping into one pocket, just resting there as her other hand gestured up to the sky. "He's off doing his journey thing," the girl's shoulders lifting in a small shrug, "You know how he is, pretty stubborn about doing things his own way." Luckily, for the most part, the trials weren't dangerous, but some of them...well she couldn't help but worry, but then something told her Lori wasn't all that different from her there. A pair of blue eyes flicked around, examining the crowd of Jedi before glancing over at her companion. "What do you think of the meeting so far?" This was one of the duties that she guessed got easier with time, but the master's had already started debating, trying to shape the future of the order, the future of the galaxy they all lived in. It was an interesting place to be, but the history, the arguments were so far beyond a Padawan, a newly knighted Knight so as to be in another world. "So, what's it like having your dad as a master?" If she was honest Asaraa was still a little scared of their parents, they were both such well-known characters and both seemed so...put together while half the time she was winging things on a hope and a prayer.
Lori waved and then shoved her hands in her pockets as she walked over to [member="Asaraa Vaashe"] . "Yeah, he did. Sort of just to get me more exposure to other Jedi, you know?" She was sorely lacking in that department. Most of the people that she came across had no Force powers at all. Whether or not that was a good thing, she wasn't entirely sure.
"Journey thing?" Lori didn't know anything about what he was up to. Maybe Asaraa just meant travelling. She couldn't be sure. Maybe [member="Caedyn Arenais"] was a lot like [member="Bradshaw Ku"] . Her older brother had a bad habit of disappearing, doing Force knows what.
She gazed out at all the grown ups having their chat about what direction they should all be taking in regards to combating the Sith. It was a lot like the Mandalorian meetings that she was brought to when she was undergoing training with them. The discussions were the same; all in regards to the Sith. It's just that the tactics might be a bit different.
Maybe.
"I don't know what I think, just yet. But whatever they decide to do, the consequences or results will determine what kind of Galaxy we'll have to grow up in.
Hopefully it's a good one."
She shifted her weight on her feet from one to the other, looking to [member="Veiere Arenais"] that was already in the thick of things. He was born to lead. Whether it was a Jedi Master, Grandmaster or King; people tended to follow him. "Well, I guess it's the same as any other. He's my first Master, so I can't really make any comparision. Umm...We haven't been at this for long, so don't quiz me on anything yet.
And I only know one Force trick so far that I taught myself a long time ago." She could create a tiny ball of light. It was useful when she was exploring caves and forgot to bring a torch or something.
"Who brought you here?" She had no idea who Asaraa's Master was. Or anything about her at all, really. That was Snotface's department.
Calder listened in silence as his friend and many others spoke. So many viewpoints that he had never had the time to consider on his own. "The Jedi have always been a beacon, to more than just themselves." The bear in the room spoke up. He didn't bother moving so folks could see him, as he was towering over almost everyone else there. "When the Netherworld incident occurred my people, unprepared for any sort of battle, were sucked into the living hell it was. It was thanks to a Jedi who had also been there, a Master Yenva, that so many of my people survived. It was not that he defended us all on his own. He gave us hope. Faith that no matter who we lost, we could survive. So long as we stuck together, we had a reason to fight."
The Beorni lifted up his hammer, letting the crystal shine in the light for a moment. "I took up my hammer because I have faith that the Jedi are what the Galaxy needs. But people see the fractures. They see the divide and they loose hope. I am here to see these fractures finally mend."
Hearing the words of his wife along with many others taking their turn voicing their opinion, Thurion had sat quietly sipping on a glass of blue milk he'd secured from the table of refreshments. In his lap he had a plate of biscuits and sugary sweets, also from the aforementioned table, and the only sound he'd made thus far was the occasional munching of said sweets. His taste buds thanked him profusely for partaking in treats that, for once, were not of Midvinter, and some of which even held a sense of nostalgia to him, from a time when he was a boy running around these very halls. It seemed to him that there was a sense of agreement in what everyone was saying; that the Jedi should band together to stand up to the Sith slowly overtaking the galaxy. Some leaned in more extreme directions than others, feeling that the price of total victory is worth any cost. While respecting their ideals, Thurion disagreed.
Once Coci sat back down following her address to the conclave, Thurion handed her the plate of sweets before getting up himself, wiping his hands against his tunic. "Can I just say, whoever brought these home-baked goods deserves a statue of themselves out there in the courtyard." Without skipping a beat, he moved on to the business at hand.
"My friends. It has been a long time since we were all together like this, at least it has for me. Truth be told, the reason I'm not wearing Jedi robes right now is because I did not come here representing an order, discipline, or school of thought. I am here to represent the people of Midvinter; a world of many races and species, each with their own beliefs, culture and traditions. For untold millennia we were divided, but we now stand united against any threat to our home. Now, I may not know a lot of things but I do know this: If an entire world's population is able to stand united in the face of their enemies and disregard their differences, then what's stopping you all from achieving the same goal?" He pointed to several members of the gathering.
"All of us here are Jedi. I do not believe we may ever return to a singular Jedi Order after the great schism, but that does not stop us from working together to achieve what we all want for this galaxy: Peace. Hell, if the Sith can learn to march to the same beat, then how come we can't? Is it because of pride? Because if so, then we all might as well burn our robes and toss our lightsabers, for we are unworthy of either!" Unclipping his lightsaber he held it up before placing it on a table in front of him, as a demonstration. "Countless trillions have looked to the Jedi as their protectors since ancient times, and yet for so many years now we have seen fit to sit around holding debates rather than take action against the very people who would see every world enslaved."
He now looked to [member="Coren Starchaser"] with a certain spark in his one good eye. "Pardon my Valkyri tongue when I say, it's time we kick the Sith in the faen balls for a change! You have my sword, Coren."
Jerek couldn't help but be engulfed in the girl's mirth at the gathering of Jedi. He he come to feel strongly about Allya, almost as strongly as he did for the Jedi. In his heart, Jerek was a Jedi through and through. The extent to which that was divorced from any direct membership to one of the many orders represented here today was the trouble for him, almost as much trouble as his girlfriend's Sith nature. It was fitting, then, that both characteristics were present for redress.
"Wait until you get inside," the boy beamed, laying his head against hers. It was too easy to feel calm here, the confluence of so many Jedi saturated the very air with the light side of the Force. "Oh, Allya, I wish you could feel this right now. It feels like...home."
Taking her hand again, the padawan pulled his girlfriend up the steps and inside the temple itself. Jerek found a place near the back, not exactly his favorite spot in a classroom, but to say that the teen was intimidated by the presence of so many masters was an understatement. He felt the skin of his palm against Allya's grow damp, and readjusted to let some air between them, keeping his fingers in place.
He leaned over to her as Master Starchaser stepped up to the stage, whispering to Allya, "So, how close is your figurine to the real deal?" Jerek grinned an impish grin, his carefree teasing at conflict with the serious tone of the master's words. Jerek wanted to be the dedicated and deferential padawan that he used to be, but with a fellow youth like Allya here, it was too easy to fall into the bad habits he had cultivated around friends in his childhood. Dash would have already made some wisecrack to make him laugh, assuming some cunning master hadn't already separated them to opposite sides of the room. Today, however, he and Allya were as close as could be.
Jerek listened as Master Starchaser spoke, nodding softly at his mentions of coming together. Jerek had taken part in some of those, and witnessed their successes firsthand. Others chose to speak as well, including one whose accent was so thick he could barely understand them, as well as Master Kortun, who didn't surprise Jerek at all by using a tea analogy. The boy wore an amused smile after that, and tried to suppress a sudden urge to find a bottle of fizzyglug.
The words of Veiere —Master?— Arenais rang to close to home for Jerek. The padawan made a note to talk to the man sometime during the moot, maybe a former darksider would have some advice for him or Allya on their personal journeys.
Yet repeated calls for a union or alliance of Jedi didn't excite him. They seemed idealistic, an answer you might get from a youngling asked about what to do about the Jedi's fractured state. Before the incident at Korriban, Jerek might have even agreed with the notion, but now it rang hollow. Even among the crowd here, he wondered if there were those who could stomach those kinds of actions, the slaughter and violent pacification in the name of the greater good. A union of Jedi might either have to embrace those types, or take a hard stance against them, defeating the entire point of repairing the fractures. And any alliance of Jedi that could sanction such heinous crimes would not be one that Jerek could embrace.
The teen felt his stomach turn sour, and shook his head slowly. Listening to the masters speak made him wonder just how they attained their rank and titles. Jedi Masters were supposed to be wise! The boy let his hand fall from its clasping embrace with Allya, and turned away, the calm of the temple fighting against the brewing storm of emotions within him. He strode a few paces back out of the room, taking up a place within the hallway outside, but the boy could not keep his restlessness from coming out.
Jerek paced the hallway, a few steps forward, a few steps back, a few steps forward, a few steps back, trying to release the frustration he felt inside. He wanted to scream or kick or shoot something. The unnatural urge to be destructive gnawed at the boy as much as the calls to unify did. How could something so beautiful sound so ugly to his ears? A unified Jedi Order, as in the days of his childhood, was a blissful memory to which he longed to return. But those Jedi inside were not asking for that Jedi Order to return. They wanted something new, built upon divisions and conflicting ideologies and beaten-down crusaders, a frankenstein of an order.
Something brushed against the side of his face, and as Jerek lifted his hand to sweep it away, he found it was a tear. It had followed the trails of those before it, bursting from eyes the boy had not realized were wet. Between the calm he had felt earlier and the anger he had felt just now, it was sadness that emerged from the storm. A sadness that bubbled up from a deep pit inside his stomach, one that had been lodged there for a long time, and had only now released its river of truth upon his face.
And then he looked upon her before him. Allya, the girl he liked and had been so excited about showing off the wonders of the Jedi to, now standing there watching him cry. He felt her arms wrap around him and he fell into her embrace, a willful victim to her comfort. He turned his eyes once more toward those speaking to the moot gathering of fruitless alliances, fearfully wondering if he was watching the Jedi die.
Allya listened to each person. That man from the Lords of light, was simply a Sith in denial. Of this she was sure. That rhetoric was unmistakable. Few Sith did what they did because they believed they were in the wrong. She was both excited, and nervous. However, there in her hand, was Jerek's, and she gave it a gentle squeeze. “He looks pretty similar. A bit older, but that is to be expected. Still very dashing. I mean, not compared to you but still.....” She gave the boy a mischievous smile and looked back at the talk. However, as time went on, she noticed the change in her man. She couldn't feel, but, that was irrelevant. When he walked off, leaving her there, the stubborn Sith girl wasn't about to let him bear the hurt on his own.
As his tears fell, she went up and wrapped her arms tightly around him. She pulled him close and her fingers reached up as she brushed each tear away. Finally soft lips went and kissed each eye. She brushed and kissed the tears away. “It's okay to hurt, you know. It's okay to cry, to feel. To be upset and even a bit angry. You have the right to feel the way you feel. I know you've been hurt. But, please.” She ran her fingers through his hair so tenderly. “Don't ever give up hope. I don't claim to know what you are going through, or to understand everything. But I'm here for you. And I know, that you are a Jedi. Pure and amazing.” The girl leaned over, and she, with a slight bashfulness, but with good intentions smooched his lips. Almost as if she could read his mind, even though that wasn't possible with the stone on, she tried to address what she could see in his body, and his eyes. “And I know, no matter what is decided in there, that the Jedi will exist, because you do. I know one day you will become a master, and you will take on padawans, and everything will continue. So long as one exists in this galaxy, this galaxy is a much better place, and the Jedi will flourish once more. These people, they are trying their best. We both know they are worn, and the Sith have already put them where they want them. In fear, and anguish, divided, and bickering. But, see, here is the thing. This event, it shows they are still trying. So, we have too as well!”
Brown eyes looked into his tear filled eyes, and she brought his head down to her chest to rest there. Once there, she continued to caress his hair gently. As he cried, she hummed a soft tune, a Mandalorian lullaby. It was one of the few gentle songs they had. There, she rocked him gently and held him close, safe, and protected. “I believe in you, Jerek. You are already proving the Jedi ways work. You have already saved me.”
In that moment, Jerek understood. It was the closeness of his girlfriend to him, his arms wrapped around her, her hands stroking his hair and her lips pressing to each droplet on his face. That connection, so visceral, filled a long-held desire that had gone unfulfilled, one that had formed in parallel with the pit in his gut. That closeness, that connection with something, or someone else, the feeling of belonging to something.
A kiss from Allya was just icing on the cake.
That was what had been missing for Jerek —connections, that is— and it didn't matter if it was a master, or a Jedi Order, or a Confederacy, or a Vi'Dreya that filled it. The padawan could build his own connections among those that existed already, much like Master Starchaser was already doing among the Jedi, pulling along those that were interested in cooperation and leaving others to their own devices.
And on her broader point, Allya was right, of course. Jerek bristled a little at that realization, and far too selfishly. He had brought her here to learn the Jedi ways, but Allya seemed to be teaching him more. Force, what was it with the Sith he encountered being better at forgiveness than he was? She was too right, though, Jedi Masters were supposed to be wise, but in the end they were like he was, fallible. They were no gods, either, but mere mortal beings, doing the best they could to make something good happen. Even if the Jedi decided to form a union, that didn't mean it had to be perfect right away.
Jerek pulled his arms back, bringing up his hands to wipe off his face. The motivation for his tears had run dry.
"Thank you. You seem to always know just what to say," he said to Allya, returning her kiss again to her. That electric feeling he always got from the touch of their lips was still there, answering a question Jerek had wondered about since she had put on the void stone, and one he wondered why he was even asking. Especially now. The urge to laugh at himself at least brought a smile to his lips as they retreated from hers. He didn't feel completely carefree again, but rejuvenated enough to move forward.
The boy drew away from Allya, turning back toward the moot. He looked back into the gathering hall, watching as some masters stood again for a second or third round of speaking. Jerek rolled his eyes, content to let them be. That didn't mean he wanted to continue listening to them. Spying a few others on the sidelines, he spotted one that he knew, and beckoned Allya over. "Have you met Asaraa yet? She's cool, she helped me rescue a bunch of Jedi that the Sith —uhh, the Sith Empire, not your Sith— had imprisoned on a train and were sending Force-knows-where."
Hooking his arm into Allya's, Jerek steered them over to the teenage knight and her companion, another girl who looked familiar. He had met her before, but where? "Hi Asaraa, fancy seeing you here at a Jedi shindig." The boy grinned at the pink-haired girl, but pulled his girlfriend a little closer at the same time. "This is Allya. She's a...prospective Jedi, let's say. Allya, this is Asaraa, and," Jerek turned to Asaraa's companion, whom he had met on...Chandrila? That was it, the diner on Chandrila. "This is...Lani? Laura?" The youth felt his cheeks reddening. "I'm sorry, what's your name again?"
The boy couldn't help but give a smile when [member="Jend-Ro Quill"] referred to him as the padawan.
If only that were true. When Sor-Jan had been a padawan, life had been much simpler then. The galaxy, in many respects, had been much simpler then -- even amid the chaos of the Stark Hyperspace War. As a padawan, his master had been the center around which Sor-Jan's entire universe had revolved. He could always look to his master for reassurance and guidance.
What he wouldn't give for just one day more with Master Azul Gol. So much time taken for granted. So many opportunities to ask meaningful questions that simply hadn't been in the mind of a padawan. If Sor-Jan could have talked with his master this day, he would have very much liked to have benefited from the Thisspiasian's wisdom in the present crisis.
A... was that an albino Wookiee? No? Interesting. In any case, someone white and fluffy stood up and spoke for the cause. The boy merely let his eyes move across the room.
And then [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] spoke. His words brought a reply to mind. One that addressed the inability to foster an alliance when it had been possible this entire time.
Was this the first Jedi Conclave? Not hardly. How many of these had Sor-Jan attended? How many more had he not? Craning his head back, the boy looked up at [member="Coren Starchaser"] and said, "Master Starchaser, you speak of cohesion and I suspect few, if any, here would claim not to support it. Yet, I fear we need to move beyond the hypothetical to the practical. How would this cohesion be achieved? How would such an alliance function? What would our responsibilities to it be? And how would it police those responsibilities to ensure that we are meeting them? And, finally, are we willing to grant it a measure of authority to police us? Because otherwise... how can we hope to sustain such an endeavor? Through good will alone? If what you say were as easy as you would lead us to believe -- that mere belief, that the sum of our sole convictions should be the bridge that enables this alliance of mutual cooperation to occur... then why have none of our prior conclaves managed to achieve this?"
"Yeah, something to do with his Je'daii training, he has to go and visit the various temples to learn skills from the masters there. Well, he's either there or travelling around somewhere, it's kinda hard to keep track on him sometimes." The pink-haired girl smiled, "as long as he's ok, that's the most important thing really right?" Or at least that's what she thought, but then this was her boyfriend they were talking about who made a habit of flying around. Still, as long as he stayed away from any war zones she couldn't complain too much, after all, it wasn't like she was great with her missions. It made the times they did manage to spend together more special for its fleeting rarity.
"Hey at least you know one trick, that's way better than me when I was in your shoes. When I started training I was the absolute worst, I could barely move a coin on the table," as she spoke a line of 5 coins slid out of Asaraa's pocket, just floating above her hand, rotating round and round the girl's wrist. just floating a few millimetres above her skin. "It's just a matter of practice, before you know it you'll be tearing up mountains and teleporting all around the galaxy...well ok, maybe not quite that much, but still, the tricks will come." With a flick of her wrist, the coins slid back into Asaraa's pocket, a smile touching the girl's face, "I kinda brought myself. My old master's over there," she noted nodding at [member="Josh DragonsFlame"], "someone's gotta be here to keep him out of trouble right?" More of the fact that wherever the man went something fun was bound to happen, he was always interesting that way.
"Have you met Asaraa yet?"
The sound of a familiar voice behind her came as a surprise to Asaraa, although it really shouldn't. After all, if you were going to a meeting of the Jedi who else would you expect to meet but a Jedi, and despite the numbers in the galaxy she was bound to run into someone she knew. "Allya from the poker right, you're the girl with the cards right? Hey! Nice to see you again. This is Lori, we were just talking about you know all this and exchanging stories about our masters. We don't have any fries or milkshakes here but," she gestured at the buffet tables a plate of brownies speeding towards them, "anyone fancy a snack?"
"I'm not sure if it's still a tradition in the Jedi Temples, but those who take on the mask of the Temple Guardians. They once surrendered any sort of individuality to protect the Jedi Order. The Guardians could act as a policing force of this Alliance. To answer one of the young ones concerns." The Albino wookie spoke up again, glancing around the room. He really wasn't sure what the end game of this meeting was, but he certainly wanted to help where he could! Even if it was random ideas.
Lori was half paying attention to [member="Asaraa Vaashe"] , [member="Jerek Zenduu"] and [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"] , while half paying attention to the grownups. The silly, bickering grown ups.
Firstly she looked to Jerek, smirking as he had forgotten her name. Boy was he ever smitten with Allya! It messed with his brain. "Good to see you both again! Glad you're alright."
Asaraa gave her come comfort in regards to her brother. He was lucky, getting to do what he does with no one questioning whether or not he can accomplish his tasks. Lori didn't have that luxury. But when one was the youngest...it sort of came with the territory.
Lori was fascinated by her trick of course and took the brownie, munching on it as she looked to the grown ups. Why was it that kids could talk sense and adults couldn't? [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"] seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. And he was proving his point. "Think anyone would listen to me if I spoke up?" She looked to her friends for any sign of encouragement. But she didn't wait long, just in case she lost the courage.
She stepped forward from her little group and cleared her throat before she raised her voice loud for all to hear. "EXCUSE ME...But I have something to say!" Lori waited for another second or two, glancing to her Dad/Master [member="Veiere Arenais"] first before she proceeded. "My name's Loreena Arenais of Commenor. My parents had me live among the Mandalorians for a time to train and learn of other cultures. And during that time I had come to meetings EXACTLY like this with the EXACT same reason behind them. To defeat the Sith. And all of the meetings turned out the same way as this one is becoming, and in the same way that all other meetings of governments turn out. Instead of working on STRATEGIES and SOLUTIONS, you all just bicker and bolster your egos on who has a better way of doing things. That has led to FAILURE." She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, knowing that she has widely overstepped her bounds and offended some people. "We are all DIFFERENT.
With different ways of doing things that work for us. That should be used as TOOLS to achieve our objective! I'm no stranger to battle. I fought on the ground when the Sith siezed Commenor. I fought in orbit when we win our liberation! But I didn't just go in! The liberation wasn't something that was planned and executed in a week! It took months! So I say we should pool our resources and strategize! Turn the Sith allies AGAINST them! Use intelligence to find out where their resources are, their shipbuilding, their weapons manufacfuring and strike them HARD! Get the Sith to focus on one area and strike HARD in the main target while their guard is down. This will take a lot of effort from EVERYONE, Forcies and Non. But we can do it! Who are the Sith allies? We know that the Mandos have treaties with them, but who else? I can work on the Mando end amd try to get their help without endangering the mission. Only give Sith allies slivers of information so that they don't know what we are up to. It's time to stop posturing and time to actually work together! For the sake of your children and grandchildren's future, please!"
And now she took in another deep breath and let it out slowly. "That's all that I have to say...Thank you."
When his Daughter spoke, Veiere turned to catch her gaze as though she were searching for the confidence to continue. [member="Loreena Arenais"] hadn't been around for any of the prior conclaves or the first official Jedi Moot between the Silver Jedi Order, the Galactic Alliance's New Jedi Order and the Enclave of Deneba; yet she did seem practiced at the very least in what she'd experienced from her time with the Mandalorian Empire. A people who were different in their own respects, yet apparently not entirely so when it came to the purpose of finding unity against their clan's dividing politics.
What he felt came with a mixture of both concern and pride for her desire to help influence the future of the Jedi present, yet he could not help but feel cautious as to know the girl's inexperience too. Perhaps she put to much emphasis on the notion of their 'bickering and bolstered ego's', something that certainly may have contributed to past failures where situations such as these had come about, yet today seemed to show more promise and cooperation than previous times, thankfully.
"For those of you not familiar with the young Loreena here...-My Daughter and Padawan Learner" Veiere spoke up, as he felt the need to provide some level of confidence and assurance behind what his Daughter was trying to instill in them all, to encourage rather than to do so otherwise. "She has an interesting choice of words, though her intentions are pure...-And she is not wrong" he added in a subtle form of apology should any of the others take insult from her lack of humility and caution upon stepping on the toes of others.
Turning to look back to Loreena, Veiere gave her an encouraging smile. His contribution not to be thought of as disapproving, though perhaps there was too much mandalorian in her and not enough Jedi restraint when it came to public speaking. A lesson that they would need to go over in the near future; the blame not entirely her own as he too often spoke from the heart and had too been guilty of speaking too bluntly upon certain matters that required a little more finesse...
