Philosophy in Generations

[Jsc]

Ossus

It was the balcony that overlooked the Great Hall. Jay's favorite place in the world. How many times had he been here? Bah. Far too many to count. Now. Once more felt just right by him too. This. This was heaven.

The training room was built for sparring. A larger dojo with matted floors and wicker baskets on the walls. There was natural light that spun into the room from the high windows and dapper blinds to keep it from glaring. It smelled like cleaning mist and the dry aroma of sweat and hard effort. Even now the dorky little cleaning droid was making it's last rounds of the mat. It would leave before their audience started. Ah. Just the way Masaki remembered it. It was like coming home.

He checked his phone for the time. Perfect. She would probably be along any minute now. Little miss busy herself. Heh. Garbed in black robes and a brown Jedi cloak, the older Padawan smiled with somber delight. It was a good day for the Force.

...

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

It was starting to be the exception to the rule. Corvus was having a meeting on Ossus. But then this was with her latest Padawan. Not that he was averse to travelling himself. It was the sort of thing that impressed her. They were not the Sith – throwing apprentices in at the deep end – but a Padawan that was a self-starter was worth his or her weight in gold.

He’d learned a lot from the teachers here. If there was a down-side to being Corvus’ Padawan it was the draw on her time. So she always endeavoured to make it special. To make it count. For every Jedi deserved 100% attention when she was with them.

She was in her usual Jedi robes, a saber, shoto and her new katana attached to her belt. She was still learning the new weapon. The blade had a weight and so was different to wield than a saber. But she was – as ever – spending the hours to make the difference.

So she approached the training room. It was one set aside for sparring but Corvus did not expect that to be the subject of their meeting. Instead she was here to discuss the Jedi…and more specifically the Code. The one subject so few Jedi could ever agree on. Not in the detail anyway. And, in Corvus’ opinion, on that too few followed to the letter. She always linked it to a set meal. Many saw it as a buffet – to be sampled here and there. To load your plate with the things you liked and overlook the ones you didn’t. But the Code and its tenets were not like that. You ate what was served, greens and all.

Her Padawan will have learned the Code as a Youngling – but now he was mature enough to discuss the more prickly aspects. To review aspects that the Jedi did not agree on, and even frowned upon from time to time.

It was the correct moment to have a grown-up conversation about the Code.

So she entered the room and was pleased to see he was already here. She was mid-bow when a droid scuttled past her, clearly having cleaned the room. She smiled and straightened. “Padawan Masaki. Jay. I trust you’ve been keeping well.”

[member="Jay Masaki"]

 

[Jsc]

Ah, she was beautiful to the letter. Corvus Raaf. Shield of the Jedi, Seer of the Order, and Kenobi in a dress. Erm? Ya know. That last one just didn't sound as appealing as it probably should have. Let's try... She was so talented that even the ancient masters would have been proud. Ooo. Yes. Much better.

Jay smirked and replied in kind,

"Force be with us. I am and I have. Welcome to Ossus, Master Raaf. As always, your presence among the temple grounds is a lighthouse to the Force."

He gave a deep bow in the most formal of Cinnagarian fashions. A sign of respect often reserved for Kings and Queens of state. When he rose his face became much more proper. Yet still his smirk remained,

"Thank you for coming on such short notice. You honor me greatly with your arrival. And thus, in similar fashion, and without any further ado. I shall turn the time of our meeting, over to you. Mm. The floor is yours Master Raaf. Do with our gathering as it pleases you."

The happy male remained standing, chin up, and fearless. There was a grandiosity to his words. Spoken strong and bold. Yet, with a repetition and a somber poise that gave way to an older man's experience. If this man was a Padawan, he certainly wasn't show it. His pale hands held the scars of a hundred battles all the while his shoes remained polished, brushed, and clean.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled. Some Padawans were awed by a Master’s presence. Something her predecessor did so much to eradicate – and Corvus looked to push on with. They were all Jedi and all equal. The only difference between herself and Jay was that she’d learned things he had yet to be shown. Only time along the path separated them in truth.

And some Padawans were quite forward – which given the alternative Corvus was happy to accept. Jay seemed to fit the latter category. She could not take a compliment – it was not in her make-up. But she accepted his intent.

“I sometimes wonder if I’m more of a moon? I may shed light where there is none, but I am not of myself radiant – I merely reflect what the Force and Jedi such as yourself shine on me.”

He was, in many ways an enigma – or rather more of an mystery than the average Jedi. His age belied his title. His manners and etiquette belied his calling. But all that mattered to Corvus was what beat in his chest. His heart was in the right place and she sensed there was truth between it and the Force. What else could a Master hope for?

She thought for a few moments. His title did belie his experience and maturity, so she had an idea.

“Here’s a thorny one. One that seems to be defeating the Council at the moment.” She smiled playfully. “The Code and its tenets. Where do you think it stands on the subject of rogue, or even Dark-Jedi?”

[member="Jay Masaki"]

 

[Jsc]

He smiled and took a step forward. Happy to join in.

"The Jedi Code is the center of the Jedi. If it is found within, then they might well be a Jedi indeed. However, if the Code is not with them? Then surly they must be found lacking in guidance. For what is a Jedi to measure up to but his own Code."

Masaki paused a moment to consider further. He enjoyed the silence and gave himself a moment to think.

"Mm. Honestly I don't understand anyone who could turn away from the simplicity of it all. Every tenet makes excellent sense and provides a firm foundation upon which to build. Not just with the Force, but also out into life itself. Now. Naturally, there will be those who choose to accept only portions or small spinets of it. Interpretations or even to embellish further. It matters not. These are those who have either surpassed us or, those who simply lack a fullness of it's rare understanding. After all. The Code simply guides one when making his or her decisions. So... I suppose we should judge all creatures by their decisions then. No matter what title they choose to wear."

He shrugged. Small wisdoms he could share and compare alike. However, a completeness of all things? Oh no. This was never his to give or to receive. Only the Force knew all things. Everything else was just, life. Heh. And what a beautiful mess it was too.

"Only the Force can define it's own, Master Raaf. As for the rest of us? Well. We must simply accept what is given."

He smiled and lifted his chin. Thoughts and conflicts behind his eyes. Endless cycles of love and pain. World weary and tired. Masaki did not speak as a boy reciting text but a man reciting history. So when he stopped talking it wasn't because he was finished? It was because that was where he decided to end the first chapter.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus listened. He spoke eloquently and in this regards she was pleased, but she felt he had more to give..or rather more could be teased out. They had scratched the surface of this conversation - no more. And Corvus was about to burrow.

"I sometimes crudely equate the Code to a set meal. Some see it as a buffet. To wander along with your plate and pick at the bits we like and avoid the ones we don't. But me? I say we have to accept all that is on our plate - regardless of our love for it. That, to me is one of the marks of a Jedi."

"But my personal opinion aside...have you heard of Potentium? Not the Order but their philosophy. Simply put, there is no Light or Dark-side of the Force per se - but good or evil use of it. So puzzle me this. Who is our ally? The Light-sider who does evil things or someone who uses the Dark-side but only for good?"

[member="Jay Masaki"]

 

[Jsc]

Jay just sort of looked at her for a second. Taking in her eyes, her nose, and everything about her. From the way she stood to the way she smiled. Masaki had met many a Jedi Master in his time. Each one different. Totally unique. Some with their secrets and others with their hobbies. Every single one an individual. So when Raaf described the Code as a meal? He knew this was one of those things that would set her apart from the others. She was a true believer. And that, was a beauty beyond rarity these days.

He let his eyes fall to her shoulders and then smiled again. Deciding that it was now best to answer and not linger so,

"I have heard many theories about the Force, Master Jedi Raaf. And I expect that you have too. Each one different. Each one unique. Each one made up from a thousand of different real life experiences. Some scholarly, some proud. Every theory a journal. A journal filled with notes, and letters, and testimonials. Written in pen and inked in sweat or in blood. And... I'm sure... Each one having a portion of the truth. If only in it's own little way."

He scratched his chin and looked to the door. Pondering now. Comfortable and aloof.

"Nah. I believe that If the Force wanted us to have all the answers? That we would indeed have them already. Granted to us in some grand vision or bestowed upon us in a dream while we slept at night. However. Such has never come to pass. For that is not the way life works, is it? Evolution, as in nature, is a slow slow process. A slow process of reaching, and growing, and learning. Step by step, ladder by ladder, and moving up from one wisdom to the next. This is how we grow. This is how we learn. Even, the Jedi and of the Force."

Jay smiled and gave another shrug. What a child he was indeed. The universe so big and he himself, so very very small. Where was truth when your mind was so small.

"But yes. I believe there is a light and a dark. Good and evil. Yin and it's yang. Both in this world and in the next. But whether the Force itself is that next world? Well. I cannot say. And so my theories must remain, only theories. My journal must remain, only idle thoughts. And my testimonials must remain, based on faith and works alone. Never knowing. Only grasping. Moving from one stepping stone onto the next. One day. Mm. ...One day. Perhaps when I have reached, and grown, and struggled enough? The Force will grant me the very knowledge we now seek. To know the mysteries behind the infinite Force and the answers to all of life's most important questions. To relinquish my faith and gain the Force."

He snapped his fingers. *krak* Loud and firm and strong,

"But for now. I remain your musing student. With far, far more questions. Than answers. Haha."

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Jay was not a run of the mill Padawan. In fact Corvus wasn’t sure if such a creature even existed. But if you could throw a hoop around them and come up with a broad facsimile, Jay would be an outlier. For sure.

He was unusually attentive. Often Padawans felt they were being judged…appraised. With Jay, Corvus suspected it was the other way around. Not that she minded. She was judged by her heart and the Force.

And he had a way with words. Oh, how he had a way with words. It was almost poetic. And sometimes you had to find the meaning within the beauty of his prose. But one thing was clear – he was assured in his beliefs. This was sometimes a good thing and other times not.

One train of thought he’d suggested warranted further probing in Corvus’ mind.

“You attribute a consciousness to the Force?” It was definitely spoken as a question. Not with any real inflexion – there was no judgement in her voice, just an honest request for clarity.

He may be the one with all the questions yet oddly she seemed to be the one doing the asking.

[member="Jay Masaki"]

 

[Jsc]

Ah. Her questions turned away from musing now. She was being more specific. Probably best to interject his comments now so as not to lose momentum,

"Master Raaf. You'll have to pardon me for a moment. Though, I'll get to your question in time..,"

He held up a hand and shifted his shoulders towards the window,

"You see. The reason I asked you here today was for this exact conversation. I wanted to discover your philosophy. ...Well. Not just yours, but the Order's as well. You see. Change. Evolution. These things can happen to whole Jedi Orders just in as much as they can happen to us as individuals. So, I wanted to talk about where the Order was right now. The very present of our society. What it believed it was doing as an Order for the Galaxy. Mission statements, goals, missions, and objectives. ...And, yes. I know. While these things might not seem like a lesson in philosophy right away? They are much the core of a Jedi as his Code. His purpose is his center. So, again, I wanted to keep our mind on the present. Mindful of our feelings. Not to browse, but to charge ahead. Right into the problems of the day."

He turned his shoulders back to her and gave a nod of his head.

"So, before I answer your question I'm afraid I have to ask one of my own."

Masaki smiled and took two steps towards the windows. Thinking deeply. Letting a moment pass before continuing again,

"Mm. Well. What do you believe the purpose of The Jedi Order is right now? ...And, not the Silvers nor the Grays. This Order. The Jedi of the Republic. I want to know what you believe our duty is. Today. This year, in this moment. I want to know where you believe we should put our heart."

And. Though it always went unsaid. Where I should put mine.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus listened and half-smiled. It was not a malicious expression, more born out of curiosity than anything else. He was asking and testing in equal measures – but similarly not in a negative way. He was clearly keen to hear what she had to say and perhaps, just perhaps, compare it to his own thought process to see how congruent they were.

And Corvus was not someone to say anything for the audience. And she didn’t think long and hard about her answer either. She simply said it how she believed it.

“Our purpose is simple. To serve the Republic. And as Jedi, we must follow the Code and its tenets.”

“But that is not to say we should turn a blind eye to evil just because it is outside of the Republic’s borders. But our priority – if we have limited resource – is to the Republic. That is our duty. That is my duty.”

“Evil is what we are sworn to oppose. And we shall. So, to answer your question fully, my heart must remain true to the Force. All else, as we say, is transitory.”

She smiled. If her Padawan wanted to follow up with another question, she would answer him before pressing her own enquiry.

[member="Jay Masaki"]

 

[Jsc]

He shifted to face her fully and nodded his head. It was a firm answer. Though, not the one he had actually expected.

"I see. Thank you for your answer."

Masaki paused a moment to consider if he should ask anything else? Following that paused he seemed completely content with their discussion thus far. This had been exactly what he had needed.

"Well. It appears I have no more questions Master Raaf. So I suppose I should return to yours. ...You asked about a consciousness yes? To be specific to your inquiry, no. The Force is an energy field that surrounds us and binds us together. It is not intelligent in and of itself. Though it can move with purpose and has been expressed to have a will, of sorts. However, this can be said of many non-specific droids as well. Following a program and being a sentient being are not the same thing, after all."

He shrugged. The next part was complicated and he wondered if he shouldn't express it. Still. Raaf was a very experienced woman. Not just as a Jedi, but as a human too. So there was a chance that she would understand that life was a very complicated thing indeed.

"That said. I have experienced numerous intelligence's who dwell independently within the Force itself. Spirits, as some might call them. Spirits both light and dark. Having not only intelligence but consciousness as well. And while these spirits are not always mindful of our world? They can most certainly be found motivated at times to influence it."

Mm. Yes. That was probably the best way to say it. Best to stop there two. If it falls outside the Jedi Libraries vast wisdoms then it is probably knowledge best left unspoken. At least by Jedi standards.

"So. Once again, no. Not really as in a general sense. The Force remains, mysterious as always."

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus inclined her head to her left. That feeling of being tested would not go away – not that she minded, a Padawan that took everything at face value was often a worry. It meant they would accept false advice as easily.

Corvus accepted his answer. She did not attribute any consciousness to the Force and only raised the question due to her Padawan’s phrasing – nothing more. For their relationship was Master and Apprentice. A two-way thing – she was here to learn as well as to teach.

Part of her was unsure if her Padawan considered the conversation at an end, and the remainder considered he may be expecting her to take the lead. Either way, this was a stimulating conversation, and so, on the basis that you don’t learn if you don’t enquire, she asked another question.

“Tell me. It’s been a few years since I was a Padawan. You are closer to that group. You hear more than me. So…why do so few Padawans stay the course here? Are we seen as old-fashioned, or…” She frowned, her eyebrows knitting at the centre of her forehead. “But I am leading you.”

She stared out of the window. “Indulge me, why do we seem to fail to attract and keep Padawans?” Was this philosophy? To Corvus it was.

[member="Jay Masaki"]

 

[Jsc]

Oh. Now that was a strange question. Wasn't it obvious? Interesting. He turned sharply and seemed taken aback. Surprised even,

"Master Raaf. Surly you jest?"

He paused to watch her face. Again, surprised that she might have been completely serious.

"You are a human, are you not? Does your very blood not answer this question. Are you not entrapped about by the weaknesses of your flesh, daily?"

Masaki was human too. His blood knew her blood. His heart beat like her's. Encircled about by temptation, awe, and wonder. All the glories and frailties of man. For they were not so very different after all.

"To be a Jedi is to overcome the world. To put yourself last and to embrace the Force as the will of the universe. To be a true Jedi is to deny oneself and become something greater. Something noble and strong. ...And... What greater challenge for any mage than this? To put aside all that power, all that wonder, all that magic, all that lust, and awe, control, passion, fire, and temptation."

He raised his arms wide. As if to embrace eternity itself.

"...Is there no greater challenge than this? Therefore, do not wonder at the lost. But rejoice in those that are found. Weep for the lost sheep, yes, but do not wonder why he has gone astray. For his path was treacherous and steep. A mountain of danger and of the most high. Far, far beyond the sight of one so small and so timid. Is not death a mercy for the animal? Is not this world built for suffering?"

"We are that little sheep, My Master. Lost and found. Up and down. Our faiths and doubts alike. Strengths beyond magic. Weakness beyond hope. ...So. Let us pray that we never lose sight of our tiny legs and stumble. Because our mountain is the most rugged terrain of all. We are Jedi. And we are not afraid."

There was a sadness to his voice. A firmness to his sorrow. He did not speak as one who pondered but as one who had experienced. One who knew. Lost sheep and dead friends. Crushed dreams, bleeding veins, and mountains of doubt. Jay Masaki was an olive that had given his oil long, long ago. But his feet had found the path and a Jedi he still remained. Unyielding as the stone.

Smaller than Corvus now. His powers long spent. Little more than a twinkle in her eye. She could crush him in one blow. One snap of her magically infused fingers. Oh yes. If there was any greatness left in her Padawan, it must come by his words alone. Because his magics and his powers had fade with time. A tiny little sheep indeed. Starting his mountain all over again.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus gave him a look that made it clear she wasn’t jesting.

“I am human but do not perceive I am trapped. For I am a Jedi. Denial is a useful yardstick but placed in different places by different people. Grand Master Skywalker married for example. But that does not mean he has to succumb to his emotions.”

“The Code is clear in its tenets. We are not forbidden from having emotions – but rather from acting upon them. At least when such an act would be in conflict of the greater good. If a Jedi were not able to differentiate…to segregate the two then yes…absolute denial should be the likely option.”

“But to deny friendship or companionship? Because we can’t trust Jedi?”

She sighed audibly. “It took me twenty years to understand this fully. And oddly, it was a Sith that showed me the truth – or rather she was a conduit to the person that did. Which is no doubt confusing. So forget that bit. Well the Sith bit anyway, the ideology behind it is sound.”

“So as I understand it, we should accept the path of a Jedi is so challenging that some many falter? And are Padawan really sheep?” Her brow furrowed again. She was taking it all in and internalising it. In time she would make sense of it all but right now she did not profess to fully understand her Padawan’s words.

“What of you? Is denial the only option?”

[member="Jay Masaki"]

 

[Jsc]

He smiled. Guess he over did that last one. Go figure.

"Ah. Then you must forgive my example. Such thoughts are what keep me humble. Pay this little sheep, no mind. Hehe."

He turned towards the door and seem to cheer up completely. Letting the Force wash away the emotions that fueled his explanations. There was a time for musing about the past and a time for gathering your courage for the future. Now. Was the later.

"Well. In closing. Yes. I believe that a good student should accept that being a Jedi is the greatest challenge he will ever face. And, I never fault another Jedi for failing to become a Knight just simply for that reason. If this Order struggles for honest Knights? Well. Then we must simply be recruiting the wrong people or not giving the fallen few enough second chances."

He hoped that still applied to her earlier question. Jay hated speaking dramatically about complicated topics. There was never any one good answer to every situation.

"As for denial of emotion? No. Impossible. A man cannot be human without his emotions. They are a part of him. To deny them completely is a sin. Temperance of emotions? Ah. Balance of emotions? Yes. That is the key. One need only understand that natural human emotions are inadequate to judge every situation with alone. Only the Force can do that. Love, hate. These things are powerful, yes. But they alone do not make for the perfect ingredients when making decisions. A Jedi must temper his emotions with patience, knowledge, peace, understanding, etc. ...It's. Like a fruit cocktail. When facing injustice? Divine wraith and justice must not be drunk alone lest the Jedi become insensitive to all around him. He must temper his decisions with much much more if he is ever to actually overcome the injustice he faces daily. The same with love. Love alone makes a Jedi gravitate harshly towards their spouse or lover. Sometimes going so far as to forsake their sworn duties in favor of serving their companion. However, love mixed with faith, hope, charity, and a firm grasp of duty? Ah. But that is the greatest drought of all. Delicious."

He smiled and shrugged again. She didn't need to know the rest. Corvus had plenty of good romances ahead of her. She would just have to find that special balance all by herself.

"It's just about priorities. Put the wisdom of the Force ahead and on top of all your passions, and you will succeed. ...No biggie."

[member="Corvus Raaf"]