In Times of Certain Danger [RR Jedi]

[Lilla Syrin]

“Questions are good,” Lilla said. “Questions mean they’re thinking. Too many accuse the Jedi of brainwashing. Inquisitive minds can only be evidence of the falsehood of that belief.”

As they neared the dormitories, Lilla stopped. Her newly acquired friend asked her a question that had her stumped. “You see,” she said, chuckling, “How powerful questions are. I have no idea how many Jedi or forces for that matter.”

“But I do now we are a fraction of the numbers of the old Republic. Many come and go, many serve on more than one front — wherever they see a need. So, to be entirely honest, I have no idea. But I can say with confidence, it isn’t a large number.”

She grinned. “But I believe it’s just grown by one.”

[member="Barrien Siegfried"]

 

[Norrin Fisck]

Brainwashing.

It wasn't as if they went out and took people, forcing them to come to the Jedi. People made that decision of their own volition. The belief that the Jedi were brainwashing people who came to them freely just didn't make much sense to him. If anything, most of the Jedi he had seen over the years appeared to have a little too much capability in the free thinking department. They were less Jedi and more like Rogues who didn't follow the code.

"When I left the Jedi they had fractured beyond three groups. The Silver's were already established and the New Jedi Order was growing. Some left our order to join them and some remained. The fact that our numbers are still divided is not a surprise to me."

Her comment about their number growing by one made him smile, but he just shook his head.

"Perhaps someday we will all realize our differences are what make us who we are, and then we can embrace the common ground of standing against the darkness."

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla smiled. "It seems to me the Sith embrace their differences - and as a rule, they are not particularly important variations on how to behave, how to follow their Code etc. But for Jedi, even a small variation can be the difference between seeing someone as an ally or not."

"I would like to think I am tolerant - but I will accept I am not progressive. The Code is the Code - at least as I see it - and so I can't or won't bend or break it to suit others. To me, it is something you accept in its entirety or not at all. But that is just my view. I do not seek popularity, or any odd comfort in knowing my Order is bigger than any other. I seek to serve, to honour the Code. That is all."

"And I think we can accept the common ground, but as loose allies - not as members of the same Order. But that is OK for me - I do not plan to unite anyone any time soon. I do what I know to be right and allow others space to do what they think is right. Does that sound reasonable?"

[member="Barrien Siegfried"]

 

[Norrin Fisck]

She was right. Jedi had numerous variations on how they followed the code, and it seemed that they often resented each other for not following it the same way. It was something he understood, as he had been rather put off by Ryan Korr fracturing the order when Grandmaster Raaf had disappeared. He'd taken his followers to join the more militant New Jedi Order. But then it wasn't their stance that had upset him, it was the fact that Ryan had promised to lead them as Corvus had and then had immediately betrayed that promise.

"So you believe that we don't follow our emotions and we develop no attachments then?" he inquired.

He didn't single those out for any particular reason other than the fact that they were usually the first parts of the code people were likely to go against. All beings were creatures of emotion with wants and desires. A denial of those desires seemed a quick way to becoming a part of the darkness. Bottled up feelings had a tendency to explode, as he knew firsthand. The trick, in his mind, was learning to control when and where you allowed your enotions to show.

"I believe we all ultimately have the same goal, regardless of how we try to achieve it. That means we should not quarrel amongst ourselves, but simply act like different groups following the same religion. On my homeworld people have a wide variety of beliefs but they get along because those beliefs ultimately follow the same principles and ultimate goal. How you believe is less as important as what you believe."

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

“We have emotions,” Lilla answered. “Of course we do, and it is a common fallacy that Jedi do not, based upon a misunderstanding of the Code. But we simply do not let them make our decisions for us. At least, we should not – not if we aspire to be Jedi.”

“Attachments is a trickier one. Can a Jedi forsake a loved one to save two random strangers? Logic says they should – but at the time the decision has to be made, can that Jedi be 100 per cent sure of their actions? That is why I shall avoid attachments. I would not like to put myself in that situation. I would not like to put an innocent’s life in jeopardy because of conflicted loyalties. I am and always will be a Jedi first.”

Lilla smiled. “And we may have an interesting debate about the order that how and what come in. I think we start with why. We exist to maintain peace and justice. If we all agree that is why we are here, we start in a good place.”

“How we go about it should not vary significantly – I believe – leaving the what to be the most variable – especially over time. As long as it serves the why, it should be broadly right.”

“For a Jedi, the Code and its tenets are the how. At least that’s what I believe. So, if what we do follows our why and how, we should be aligned. Which makes me wonder why we’re not!”

She smiled. On paper, it was so easy to reunite the Jedi.

[member="Barrien Siegfried"]

 

[Norrin Fisck]

"A logical argument," Barrien said, looming thoughtful. "One I cannot disagree with. Attachments are dangerous to our duties. I know from experience, though the experience was before I became a Jedi."

His past was a memory that still haunted him. Hunting down the Imperials like he had nearly cost him his sanity and some of his people's lives. It had been reckless and foolish. The problem was, he hadn't been thinking and it was his mother. Those sorts of attachments were hard to forego considering she had given birth to him, which made her a patiah on their world, and then raised him despite the dangers of such. He had loved her.

"I lost my mother to illness brought to our world by the Empire. I snapped and killed because of it. Even familial attachments are dangerous. This is why I havr not sought out my father or siblings despite knowing they exist."

It was a painful memory for him and sharing it with her would have been much harder had he not shared it with you his Master in the past. Even now it was difficult to discuss but he found he trusted this woman and therefore felt it necessary to share with her his failing in case he should ever let something similar happen again. That he hoped would not be the case, but who was he to say. He did not know the future.

When she brought up the differences in beliefs he nodded. The why SHOULD always be the same, but he had found that wasn't always the case.

"For some the why is vastly different. I have met some who do what they do for the wrong reasons, but still with good intentions. The New Jedi Order has several eho have taken things to a personal level, for example. For them the why is less important. They are also far more militant and often seek to take the fight to the Sith, rather than realizing we aren't meant to be soldiers but protectors.

"Still, their intentions are the same. They just want people to be safe. It's their methodology that is questionable. Howrver, we should not shun them or demean them. Rather we should embrace them and be examples for whst the Jedi should be, in hopes they will recognize it and self-correct before things go tragically wrong."

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla nodded.

"Being a role model is possibly the most important thing, even the Code tells us how vital it is. I have seen that rebuking does no good, nor does pointing out another's flaws. If anything, it makes matters worse. I think I should simply resolve to be the best Jedi I can - and share my teaching with Padawans willing to listen. Maybe a new generation of Jedi like us can turn the tide in reuniting the Jedi - or more accurately reunite a group who follow the Code without picking and choosing parts of it to listen to."

"Are they wrong? No, I don't think so. I am sure their intentions are good. So, for that reason, I would embrace them as allies and friends. But they are not strictly Jedi in my eyes. Or, more accurately, we are different. They may perceive me to be wrong, and I accept that. Being different does not mean one is right and one is wrong. We may both be right...or wrong."

She smiled again. "I never knew my parents, so in many ways, remaining unattached is far easier for me. I have nobody to distance myself from."

[member="Barrien Siegfried"]

 

[Norrin Fisck]

"I like how you view the Jedi. I hope you hold to them when people come along to question your views. There's always someone who does," he said, hefting his pack up on his shoulder as it had slid down. "We are all Jedi, I think. You and I are just stricter in how we follow the code."

As far as he was concerned, even if another Jedi chose to attack a foe, he would be alright with it provided they were doing it for the right reasons. So long as there was no vengeance or malice in their heart, then let them attack someone. The ultimate goal was protecting those who could not protect themselves and preserving peace in the galaxy. Sometimes that meant that they had to fight people. Sometimes it meant they served as arbitrators. Sometimes it meant that they served as additional police forces in hunting down bad guys and solving crimes. The life of a Jedi was an extremely diverse one and he was perfectly alright with that fact. All he wanted to do was keep people safe.

Although, right at that moment, he kind of wanted to take a nap. He'd had a long day of walking through the storm and jungle to find the temple and he could do with a good rest.

"I think I will take my leave to my room, Knight Syrin. It has been a pleasure to talk with you and I look forward to working with you here. It is nice to be back among the Jedi."

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla nodded. She’d had more debates on the Jedi and their Code than she’d had duels. Not that she’d prefer the ratio to be the other way – but she found the former both healthy and unproductive. Debates that helped enlighten, she approved of. But conversations that demonstrated one side was entrenched and judgemental she did not.

“I see the Code as very simple. Not challenging in the least and not providing the opportunity for picking and choosing. So I do not see my following of it as strict, but merely compliant. I choose to be a Jedi, so the Code is not something I can deviate from. If I did, I would no longer call myself a Jedi. But I refuse those to judge those that follow that approach. I am happy following my own path and do not need others to mirror me to validate my decisions.”

“If someone wants to marry, or own a house, or a space-ship…so be it. They are doing nobody any harm. Nor is taking on multiple Padawans. These do not strictly speaking, breach the Code. But how they impact behaviour might. However, if I were to call anyone out, it would be for that specific conduct, not the decision that led to it. Being married is not so much of an issue. Acting emotionally because of an attachment is.”

“For me it is easier to follow the Code to the letter than to have to modify my actions as a result of non-conformance.”

She smiled and gave Barrien a small bow. “I’ll let you settle in and acclimatise yourself to our temple here. It’s not a typical Jedi building, but that should not be held against it.”

And with that, she left to resume her studies in the archives – she had been reading an interesting paper on the use of krayt dragon pearls as saber focusing crystals.

[member="Barrien Siegfried"]