Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Jutrand was a metropolitan planet, home to much of the sector's capital and trade infrastructure. Located just beyond the Expansion Regions, off the Hydian Way Galactic Trade Route, and just a bit G-Northeast of Eriadu; it saw a good share of galactic visitors. Many of which found the planet to be a very modern comfort. Even if it was located so very very far from the Core.
Today, Samatharis of Rulon had just finished her guided tour of the Jutrand Jedi Academy. Browsing the temple grounds, corridors, and many familiar libraries. After all, Jutrand Academy was an almost exact replica of the mountain temple located on Coruscant. Galactic Center. It's warm brown halls filled with regal red rugs and lush marble pillars. Quiet patrons roaming in brown Jedi robes. And spotted all around by gorgeous green gardens tended with magical Jedi care. A perfectly peaceful paradise. Wrapped up lovingly and carefully in the calming patterns of The Force.
Samatharis' tour group now entered the Jedi cafeteria. A wide open space with tall ceilings and hanging garden bowls. Filled with seasonal dancing lights and wide open window panels. It was a recreational area for the Temple Proper. Overflowing with people, sounds, and laughter. Oh, and it smelled great too. The soft fragrence of lunch meals spiraling through the air. Causing Samatharis' very hungry stomach to do a Jedi back flip all it's own.
"Omph. Perfect timing, I guess. I'm starving!"
She smiled as her small tour group split up to visit the food vendors in every alcove. She herself got in line for some Smoke Tuscany Brisket with a side of Buttered Plant Hearts. Mmm mmm mmm. Yum!
Then she grabbed a drink and moved to grab a seat in the wide and tall auditorium.
"Oh my. So busy today. I might have to join somebody at a free table? Hmm."
Her brown eyes scanned the giant room. Surly there was somewhere she could sit?
Garbbed in her long brown robe etched with soft furs and wearing her tall black battle boots underneath. She definitely seemed the newcomer to the crew.
Lunch time had a habit of drawing people together into one place.
For Iroh Gedari, it was an opportunity to partake in both an interesting and an essential practice he liked to call “gauging”, as it was a little more innocuous than what his former apprentice called it, people watching. Of course, Caldon had little interest in anything that was not mechanical or related to a starship. Though Iroh did find it quite amusing a few times that Caldon could be so involved in trying to get a broken speeder to work that he missed the obvious signals the female driver was sending him.
But he was his own man, a Jedi Knight at that. There was little more that Iroh could teach him. So here he was now on Jutrand, offering his assistance at the Academy on a part-time basis. His duty still called him to serve the Galactic Alliance and the New Jedi Order, but he wanted to branch out more in his service.
While he watched the crowds pouring in for the lunch rush, the old Jedi Master sat at a corner table, enjoying his nerf stew with five-blossom bread, and a large cup of tarine tea, though this time he would forgo the traditional serving of sweet-sand cookies. He was not as young as he once had been, he thought with a wry chuckle as he watched the crowd. There were tour groups coming in, he remembered vaguely, new students or something of the other.
His attention was drawn to a young woman (Samatharis), a beautiful one at that but it was not her beauty that drew his attention. Her manner suggested to him one of upper class birth, nobility most likely. One who was taught from a young age how to command others. Though, as Iroh noted in his many years and experiences, birth did not always translate to skill. Her attire, while in a sense traditionally Jedi in style, was all the same, not Jedi.
Interesting....
Iroh mused for a few moments before returning back to his stew, eating quietly. There was something...off about her...not immediately dangerous but Iroh could not shake the feeling of concern. It would pay to keep an eye on her if she continued here at this academy. Iroh had learned long ago to trust his instincts. But he could not go off on baseless conjecture...no...he needed more information before he could make a decision.
Sam's pro-human bias lead her gaze to focus solely on familiar faces and skin textures. Perhaps it was her noble birth or her strong Rulonian heritage. Or, perhaps it was just the call to the familiar. Either way, she quietly narrowed down the tables to just a few places to sit. Then, perhaps by luck or by fate. She noticed Iroh Gedari
sitting alone. Maybe it was because his gaze lingered for just a moment too long. Or, maybe she just fancied his beard? Sam quickly smiled and made her decision.
She'd simply have to join him for lunch.
Her smile was broad, her chin held high. Her stride full of pride and womanly grace. She approached like a queen and gave a flutter of her fuzzy fur cloak. Radiating the power of the Light Side of the Force through her comely, surprisingly normal, human eyes.
"Hello there!" She beamed. "Mind if a lady joins you for lunch?"
She set her tray on the edge and gave a flutter of her wrist,
"I'm with the tour. Master Tenement said we should mingle with the locals. Hehe. That is... If you don't mind a touch of company, hmm?"
She voice was pleasant and bold. Sweet with confidant. With just an added touch of eagerness that let Iroh know she was being honest and happy in her invitation. For, though she had lived as a Rogue Adept all her life. She lacked any of the sharp edges or even a hint of wild wilderness living that so terribly greeted vagrants and vagabonds. Oh no. Even her gloves hinted at subtle wealth disguised in bold brown leathers. Secrets she must have, surely. Though, perhaps they might be the benevolent kind of adventuring secrets too.
He sensed her approach before he looked up and saw her coming over.
Iroh looked up at the approaching woman, watching her move as she crossed the distance towards his table with a tray of food and drink. Yes, his original hypothesis was correct based on her movement. That, or she was a very, very good actress. But he still sensed the Force flowing through her in the sense of Light, not like one who served Darkness. As he got a better look at her clothes, everything screamed out to him that she was quite wealthy.
It reminded Iroh of his home world, New Alderaan. He had only been back a few times since being given to the Jedi Order at a young age. Not out of spite, but he did not feel at home in that environment. It was a world which came to him naturally, but did not feel real at the same time...
"Hello there! Mind if a lady joins you for lunch?"
He looked up at her and gave a soft chuckle while indicating for her to sit across from him in an almost regal yet casual gesture.
“Please, be my guest.”
He studied her while he said it, his dark blue eyes looking up into her brown ones. His eyes carried weight with them, the gaze sharing dozens of battles and challenges that turned the hairs on his head gray, and not just with age. There was a reason why he had earned the rank of Jedi Master of the New Jedi Order. And it was not a path that was free of pain.
“Though I am unfortunately not a local, an old man in my position does not mind any company.”
Mesh Zetnu looked up from his table and food and observed the two Jedi at the table directly in front of his own. He recognized Master Iroh Gedari
although he had never met the man. He had a reputation as an interesting member of the New Jedi Order. A peculiar understanding of the Force is Mesh recalled correctly. He rarely hadn't taken on an active duty call in years, and with Mesh constantly away from the Temples and in the field they had never ran into each other.
The woman who had made quite an entrance even if she hadn't noticed it was not one whom Mesh knew or knew of. Mesh did not appreciate the tours of the locals and the visitors through the Temple. Most were ungifted in the force and he viewed them with suspicion if not outright dislike, but he did not make the rules. It was no wonder he spent such little time in Temples like this. He was here because The Jedi Coalition had decided to gather here. The force was indeed powerful here and he sought after it.
The constant noise and flow of visitors certainly did not help his search. He looked back down at his food. He dropped the shroud he had used to cloud his thoughts. He let the Force in this place occupy his mind. He focused on his food and reading the energy of this Jedi tour guide(Samatharis). He was confident at some point he would draw attention.
Sam smiled at Iroh Gedari
's response and easily took her seat.
"Excellent. Thank you."
She settled herself in and opened her cloak, shrugging it's heavy decoration against the back of her seat. Now feeling much lighter and ready to eat.
"Samatharis. Of Rulon. A pleasure."
A sudden twinkle in the depths of her eyes caused her to pause. Then she smiled again and turned her shoulders to behold Mesh Zetnu
. Vividly recalling his features from the Coalition's first formal meeting. Though, his name and rank escaped her. Either way. He was surly one she remembered as a friend to the organization. Thusly, she matched his gaze and gave him a quiet nod and pleasant smile.
Then she returned to her food.
"You'll forgive my assumption Master Jedi." She spoke easily to Gedari, "Your posture blends so easily here among the Academy. Why, you fit right in. Hehe. I thought for certain you were Academy Staff or a Councilor at least. Pardon the guess."
She gave a subtle wave of her wrist and reached for her utensils, "But I suppose you're just visiting then? Excellent. What think you of such splendor, hmm? Does this building not feel exactly like Galactic Center? I'm aghast at the likeness."
She referred to it's similarities in design. Even the Force was strong here.
She began eating at a timid pace. Clearly she was in no hurry.
She gazed at the lovely white and red robes and wanted to be sick. She stared at her own lightsaber and the tears came down her face. The pistol that had once been one of her most cherished treasures now felt like an ugly weight whenever she held it.
All of them had to do with a person that never truly existed. Ursula Sandraven.
All of her training had come from a Sith hiding in a fake body and personality. All her resentment, all her jealosy of Maple Harte
had been over someone who wasn't real.
Laertia Io had a Lie for a Jedi Master.
This revelation, by The twisted monster herself, who months before had instigated a murderous attack on the Planet Castagne with an army of undead warriors, killing thousands, had not broken Laertia. But it had come damn close.
She had loved a monster.
Missions for the Silver Jedi had kept it at bay. The terrible knowledge. She had taken down all her old photos of her and Ursula in her pink, polka dotted captain's quarters. She had not destroyed them, but she would never display them again.
Only photos of her, Moya, and her Android sisters remained.
Why am I doing this? she asked herself.
To an ordinary person, it would be madness to wear items associated with such a creature. The robes, worn by 'Ursula' during training and formal events with Laertia present. The Pistol, a gift from the beast while she had been hiding underneath her fake mind still. The Saber, her saber, which she had taken to countless battles, constructed in that monster's very presence in a half sunken temple on Mimban, now felt Alien to her.
The urge to destroy them never fled her now. Yet when the moment of truth came, she couldn't bring herself to do it.
Her whole training, killing so many thousands with that Beast...how different from that murderess was she really?
When assignments couldn't release her stress, she had retreated into the comfort of her Android family. Then her more recent...interactions with Syd...
Laertia forced herself to gain control of her emotions. She was on both knees, taking deep breaths.
She knew deep down some part of her could never let go of what had been a truly beautiful lie. The other part was also too much of a pragmatist with too much attached to now soiled memories to discard such useful gear.
She had went and had the robes examined by Syd for hidden enchantments without explaining why. Syd had not found any. The Robes were genuine Light aligned. The Amalgam hadn't been kidding when she said she enjoyed Extreme Cosplay.
Laertia then eventually worked up the nerve to put the robes on. She felt a massive boost in her connection to the light almost immediately.
She couldn't figure it out. How could someone that evil create robes like this? Had Ursula been more real than even The Amalgam believed?
She clamped down on such a hopeful thought. It was all a cover in the end. If she had done it, it was through the use of magic to maintain her cover.
They were hers now. She would bear their burden as a way to atone for the sin of having been led astray by her all this time.
She gripped her Lightsaber. It felt so familiar. Yet it mocked her now.
Yet again the horrible question was posed in her mind...had she really killed all those Sith because she believed in the cause...or had she simply done it because she loved Ursula like a mother and the only gift the last of the Crownwraithe's had to offer was violence and blood shed?
She'd started to remember the faces of people she had slain. The way the eyes went dull...
She clamped down on her private despair. She wouldn't let The Amalgam win.
She couldn't...
The tombstone pale Jedi Shadow then removed her black, solidly built yet human purportioned cybernetic arm from its socket in her left shoulder taking an equally well designed and purportioned arm of dark green metal...a more recent design of hers...
She connected it and the left arm came alive but felt foreign to her despite being perfectly calibrated.
She activated its weapon and the mechanical hands wrist hinges allowed it to extend, fold and grasp the main trunk of the arm as a flat, pink lightsaber blade extended out to the length of a claymore before shutting off...
(Zelda Acquisition Theme Plays)
(Laertia received a new Cybernetic Arm!)
Arm: JEDI ARM
Upgradeable cybernetic arm containing a flat, clay more length lightsaber. Arm is upgradeable with more weapons or better power systems.
Laertia then ventured off her ship, The Blessing of Loste at the pad she had landed on, paying the fee to the dockyard hand, and
Jutrand's world wasn't Coruscant but it had shades of it, definitely. Laertia walked through its streets to the Jedi Temple. People subtly walking wide of her. Laertia was here for reflection. To find something. Comfort. An answer. Moya had been busy hunting new medical treatments for Laertia down to manage her migraines and phantom pains. Laertia was a lot more alone than she had been in a while.
As she entered the temple, she didn't get the sense of peace she thought she should have. Maybe it was her stomach.
She decided to eat something before studying in the archives, moving past Jedi who gave the scarred, silent Jedi a funny look as she walked past them.
The mess hall was spacious, and there was so much to choose from. Laertia ordered only a bowl of steamed broccoli and rice, and she spotted Mesh Zetnu
sitting across from Iroh Gedari
and Samatharis .
"Exxkuuse meez..." Laertia asked, hiding her ever raging embarrassment at her speech impediment. "Izzit all rytez iffz I sitz heer orr wud yooz rathuh beez alonez?"
Mesh would flash a quick smile back at Samatharis before she turned back to her food. He was intrigued by her conversation with the Jedi Master, but his attention was quickly drawn elsewhere
Mesh looked towards the Jedi who approached (Laertia Io
). She was an impressive specimen. Scars showed evidence of a bold life. A life he himself had lived. He sensed however some troubles within her. A strange connection to the dark side perhaps?
Mesh was attuned with the Dark side of the force. He had to be to master Juyo. He felt again it here now but not within himself, curious.
His attunement to the dark side was a fact his fellow Jedi looked down upon. He cared little of their opinions when he was younger. Now it had begun to bother him. His shift towards From XI Niman was evidence enough of this, but he always felt the power of Juyo.
He noticed she was going to speak to him halfway into his thoughts about her. Mesh straightened up his posture and gave her a warm smile as she approached. He used the force to cloud his thoughts once again and focused on the Jedi before him as she spoke.
He gestured widely to the empty seat before him. He paid no mind to her speech impediment continuing without hesitation.
"Please by all means, sit. There is no reason for a Jedi to be alone during these troubled times. Especially so far from the Core.
I am Mesh Zetnu, of the New Jedi Order, and The Jedi Coalition. Whom do I have the pleasure of speaking to?"
"I'mz wyth duh SJC." She added. "I serrvez az a Jedi Shaadow."
She saw something different in this one. His gaze was sort of like hers. Alert, Focused. Not the dull cow gaze she saw in some knights not as exposed to heavy combat. But even if they were not, that was still no excuse. No Knight's eyes should ever be that dull. Not with as many enemies as they have. Assassination attempts should not only be prepared for but expected.
"I'mmz heerz tuh studdiez annd...refflekt..." Laertia spoke carefully with Mesh Zetnu
. If he only knew how much was on her plate at the moment.
"Yooz gotz a nyce temmpull heerz, Mesh." She remarked after chewing and swallowing unsalted steamed broccoli. "I nevuh stayyedz innz wun ov dhese playces too lonngz. Myy knowwledgez wuz gainnedz inn duh feeldz."
And how. Laertia didn't care what anyone said on the matter, there is no training like training on the Job...
"So wutz yooz dooz heerz?" Laertia asked, not certain how temple life actually worked...
Mesh couldn't help but smile at the idea of it being "his temple" he too rarely spent any time in Temples. In fact until most recently he had been exclusively leading soldiers in combat. He had met many Shadows, most were impressive fighters. Very few were equipped to deal with Juyo in the duelist circle though. The idea of a duel flashed for only a moment in his mind.
Mesh was not here to fight. He was here to rest and to learn. He was here to find some balance. He was much more dogmatic than most Silver Jedi and had made his choice to join the Galactic Alliance's New Jedi Order almost immediately. Still part of his duty as a member of the Jedi Coalition was to foster relations between all Jedi. Besides the SJC were allies to the Alliance. He had fought alongside their men on many occasions. Perhaps this Jedi Shadow, Laertia Io
, could be an ally. He looked broadly at the tourists and none force sensitive guests.
"Truth be told I only recently got here. I have not worked out an exact role. I am not comfortable generally in places such as these."
He looked broadly at the tourists and none force sensitive guests.
"They cloud the force and represent a danger to our security. My own experience was gained largely in the field. Although not traditionally in the one on one sense of a Shadow. I have returned to Temple life to seek more knowledge and to find some form of balance. My Master and I went separate ways following our last battle together. I believe that it is not wise for a Jedi to go into the unsafe regions of the Galaxy alone. For now I have made Jutrand my home base. There is much power here and many to learn from. The Archives are expansive here and the Jedi Masters within the coalition offer much expertise and training."
He felt himself rambling and would abruptly return to his food.
Iroh was about to respond when his attention was drawn to an individual making their presence known in the Force.
He took a look up and over, seeing a Jedi Knight (Mesh Zetnu
) he had heard a few things about, though had never met face to face. One of the really ambitious ones, reckless, he had heard more than once from other Jedi Masters. He gave a slight eyebrow raise as another woman (Laertia Io
) came over and started talking with the other Jedi he knew, but then returned his attention back towards the woman he was conversing with (Samatharis).
“I am Iroh Gedari, Jedi Master of the New Jedi Order. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Rulon...I cannot say I have heard much of it. I assume it is quite cold there?”
He motioned towards her fur lined cloak as he took a spoonful of his nerf stew. He had never found any practical application for the things outside being on Ilum or another freezing planet. He tended to hate being in those places anyway, especially the older he got. He gave a soft chuckle at her statement after swallowing the spoonful of stew.
“Well, I guess everyone gets hunched over as they grow in wisdom. I received an invitation to come and assist here in a teaching capacity, something I am quite excited to do.”
He sighed softly before continuing.
“It is quite breathtaking, though I spent much more time on the Prosperity, our Order’s mobile temple.”
He took a sip from his mug of tea after speaking, blue eyes watching her as she ate.
"Ah, mobile bases are such fantastically convenient tools. Especially if they have a quality forge. I love keeping a garage and workshop close to a hot LZ. So much better when it's mission capable too."
Jedi Missions could be such a back-n-forth sometimes. Always nice to keep home base close by.
She nodded to her warm cloak but disregarded the topic. Jedi couldn't talk clothing to save their lives. Didn't matter if you were Yoda and had a thousand years experience on a thousand different worlds. Fashion and sense just didn't stick when it came to the Jedi Orders. Never had, never would. So she easily skipped over clothing as a conversation topic and moved on to traveling.
"I'm pleased to see so many members of the NJO frequenting the temple here on Jutrand. I was downright certain that being inside CIS space would dissuade countless Adepts from visiting. Rather, I expected to see far more Knights Obsidian, Judges, and Lotus followers today than NJO members. In fact, I'm loving all the participation at such an early venture. So many different Orders already. It's wonderful."
The Jedi Coalition had numerous Codex Locations across dozens of worlds. All volunteer participates with fantastic flavor and resources. So Samatharis completely understood that diversity would be a big theme among Coalition members. Different Jedi mixing together from all over the galaxy. It was a fantastic thing.
She continued to eat her food at a leisurely pace. Almost toying with it like a common distraction.
"But I don't need to tell you that. Hehe. No doubt you've had years to work together with many dozens of Jedi Orders. I mean. Ever worked with a Fire Shaper? I hear they can be quite, explosive, people. Hehe."
Laertia listened as Mesh Zetnu
talked, explaining how he was currently just using the place as a base of operations. She could tell there was an innate aggression in his eyes. She knew the look. It had been in her own eyes all her life.
She clamped down on the emotions from her broken heart, refused to allow them to escape lest it be sensed. She had defined herself by "Ursula's" teachings. The very teachings that had enabled her to kill thousands of Sith at Atrisia when Mythos invaded, and dozens at places like Yurb.
Ursula's teachings had turned her into a weapon.
Now that she thought about it, how had she NOT noticed The Amalgam's style was so similar to Ursula's.
Easy answer--she hadn't been looking. Or rather, had noticed but not wanted to acknowledge the similarity to it was practically used to beat her head in with.
She dreaded what other Jedi might think of her. She already got looks of concern and fear from ordinary people even when she was wearing Jedi Garb and doing her best to actually act like one. But there was no getting the Axe-Murderer out of her movements. No matter how rigid and unassuming her posture, how polite and helpful, people saw the killer in the way she moved subconsciously. Even Moya had commented on it. Even her new sisters at times, had commented on it, and their movement was so graceful and fluid it wasn't exactly human like either.
That's part of why she liked Syd. Syd never noticed it because she had it herself.
"I caymez heerz seekinz...wellz...wizdummz..."
She wanted to know, specifically, how other Jedi had dealt with problems similar to hers. Any outright queries would likely get results that amounted to little more than 'Ha Ha Ha Feth You' and she would still be stuck with her emotional turmoil over the revelation.
"Lookinz tuh brushh uppz onn myy unnduhstanndinz of Duh Lyte Syde ov Duh Foyce..." she spoke after taking another bite.
She agreed with him on the tourists, but only on the security risk. She didn't voice her agreement however.
"Ittz mayy notz beez wize, but itz ann inevitabullz realiteez ov ourr lyfez...anndz Duh Jedi dhat operatez soloz anndz lerrnz anndz surrvyvez against mulltipull enuhmiez att wunce oftenn have bettuh survyval ratez againnst duh Syth. Itz notz a settz inn stonnez rulez, obbveeussleez, but wyth so manny majuh connfliktz all ovuh duh Galaxxee, I'dz rathuh bee baccked byy gruupz ov Jedi whoo cannz suhvyvez against multipullz threattz anndz enuhmeez onn dhere ownnz 'anndz' wurkz togethuh, dhen gruupz ov Jedi whoo cannz 'ownnlee' suhvyvez by wurkinz tuhgethuh, yetz collapse whennz a supposedlee crushull membuh ov a teammz iz elimuhnatedz. Innduhpenndennce iz cruciallz to Jedi Surrvyvallz inn dhis climatez, but I wyll bee fayrez tuh yooz cuz tuh be honest, itz iz greatt to havv backkuppz. Not too much dhat backkuppz buhcomez a cruttch howwevuh."
Iroh took a bite from his five blossom bread roll while he studied the woman in front of him. Besides the obvious physical beauty and attention to detail in her appearance, there appeared to be more than the mind for social graces. Impressive.
“Despite our differences of opinion, we all serve the Force, do we not?”
He smiled before then went back to his stew, though he was not eating as quickly as he had been earlier. Now he had a conversation to occupy his mind. At the mention of Fire Shapers he let out a low chuckle as he stirred the stew in his bowl with his spoon.
“Never with one. I had to take one or two of them down in the past. Fortunately for me they had little self control and were easy to box in.”
Yeah, he’d seen a lot of what the galaxy had to offer. And it was quite disturbing at times how much power was allowed to come into the hands of those who would abuse it. His old master would have spun a riddle or an intellectual question out that question while sipping tea and eating cookies. To Iroh while it was a good question, it was concerning.
“What Order do you hail from?”
With age comes experience. Even more so for the inquisitive Jedi. Samatharis was impressed. Iroh Gedari
did indeed seem the type to have 'seen it all'. Excellent.
She twirled her spoon with a smile,
"I've no Order. Except my most recent participation with the Coalition, of course. Here, on planet Jutrand. Though... Funny enough. I've worked with the Judges in the past quite often. After leaving my home planet of Rulon as a teen, I received some formal introduction to the galaxy at large by the Guard Adepts of the Omega Protectorate. Gray Masters, yes. But undisputed vanquishers of darkness, I assure you."
She smiled when she said that. Young Jedi would debate the effectiveness of Gray traditions. However, Old Jedi knew. Anybody who massacred Sith Lords by the sector, was probably a friend to the Light in some form or another.
"It's why I decided to finally join up and see what makes the strict lifestyle of the Jedi so special. For, it's not for power. I've seen dozens of wild Masters perform tricks that would put a Sith Emperor to shame. It's not for style either, or for wisdom. Though, perhaps... Perhaps the Jedi way is special in it's forethought and benevolence. Or, perhaps simply in it's dignity and eternal sacrifice. Indeed, no one would stop to question the Jedi for their wars or their brave fallen dead."
She paused when she said that. It was the last warning of her favorite Master. Not to get caught up in the great star wars of the galaxy and end up as just another sword-swinging Force User on the front lines.
"Anyway. I expect a great mystery awaits me here in these sacred halls. And, hehe, and I'm quite fashionable about chasing after it."
Iroh smiled to himself before taking another spoonful of stew, followed by a bite of bread while listening to Samatharis . This was quite the different type of lunch than what he had been getting used to for the past twenty years. Caldon had never been this talkative at the table, always focused on eating so that he could get back to whatever project he was working on.
Though this young one might have few things in common with his former padawan learner...
“You would be right in saying that it is not power that makes the Jedi. Nor the style, and not the wisdom. The Jedi do not have a monopoly on wisdom.”
He paused before continuing, taking a bite of stew and a sip from his mug of tea as he weighed his words carefully before uttering them.
“I would say that the last thing you said was correct. I believe that the sense of selflessness towards all beings is that which sets the Jedi apart from other Orders of the Force.”
Of course, while he said that his mind went back to the association between The New Jedi Order and the Galactic Alliance. As he got older, and perhaps a little wiser he began to understand the concerns had by his old teacher, Master Kell-Von Dedyken, at the association of Force Orders and governmental associations. Such associations had blinded the Jedi Order during the days of the Old Republic, and led to their downfall.
He shook himself from his thoughts at her statement, causing him to give her a wise old man smile.
“So it is adventure and excitement you seek? You did not have to come here to try and find it.”
Ha. She almost laughed at Iroh Gedari
's question.
"Oh no. I've come to get away from such trivial things as adventure. Hehe."
She played with her food. Musing at the past with a faint blush to her cheeks.
"As you well know. Adventure is for fools. Work? Labor? Ah... Yes. Now that's a word for a true Adept. Only fools go on adventures. But Adepts? Jedi. They just get to work. Jedi preform their hero's labors. Just like true Adepts were designed to."
She pushed what little food she had left aside. Her meal time almost coming to a close.
"Anyway. Musings aside. I've enjoyed our little chat Master Jedi. Thank you. You were most kind to entertain a newcomer from afar. I appreciate it."
She organized her things and reached for her coat. Taking her time getting ready.
"Was there anything I could do for you in return for your kindness today? I'm not accustomed to how Jedi handle such a fine meeting? Does one bow or, perhaps, simply pay it forward? Hehe."
Samatharis gave a hint of a giggle when said that. She knew how little money actually meant to an orthodox Jedi. Still. It was funny to say it out loud all the same.
Pay it forward.
Ah. What her old Master would think of her now. Sitting so easily inside a Jedi Temple. Surrounded by brown robed clerics and white marble walls. Mm, it was enough to bring a great big smile to face.
Iroh was on the last stages of his meal, taking the final spoonful of stew and the last bite of bread before chasing it down with the last dregs of his tarine tea.
As he watched her finish off the last remnants of her food, a feeling of peace came over him. It reminded him of something that Master Dedyken had taught him, one of his final lessons.
“Just as there is no one side to the Force, there is no one side to the Jedi.”
This woman before him might be different than what he had been used to, trained in different methods. But she still had the spirit of the Jedi in her.
“Thank you, young one. Tradition might dictate one bows, but in my opinion tradition can be quite...foolish at times. I merely ask that you..as you said...’pay it forward’.”
He gave her a soft smile before he picked up his tray and stood, then gave her a short nod of his head in respect.
Sam smiled to Iroh Gedari
and likewise took her leave. Grateful for the opportunity to have meet someone of such esteem, experience, and good culture.
As she left the cafeteria she gave a care to her agenda. The tour of the Jedi Temple was at an end and she made preparations to seek living accommodations nearby. Anxious to begin a new life on Jutrand, looking forward to the good works of the Outer Rim and the Jedi Coalition. All good things to come.
Iroh Gedari
| Open Jedi
