Something we need to discuss (Loreena & Caedyn)

[WolfMortum]

"The Judiciary" Heavy Assault Cruiser​

Silver Jedi Border Patrol​

[member="Loreena Arenais"] & [member="Caedyn Arenais"]​

​

​

​

The Summit between the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Order of the Silver Jedi, among several other political powers, had come to an end and Veiere freed to return to his duty aboard the Judiciary, patrolling the Northern Regions of Silver Space that stood between the United Clans of Mandalore and the many World's protected under Jedi Sovereignty.

What lay ahead for Veiere, where his next assignment would take him, would be the system of Roche. Another Diplomatic Envoy though it seemed of a completely different nature as the recent attacks and raids against the Jedi, and their allies, had finally been answered with the declaration of War from the Confederacy. The Summit itself having been nothing if not uncomfortable and disconcerting, and what it would mean for House Arenais, was the reason why Veiere had called for his Children to join him before he would depart for his next duty.

The Twins had come a long way in their lives, both training and making their own sense of living under the ideal's and perspectives mixed of varying cultures and backgrounds. Originally, he and [member="Kay Arenais"] had agreed to keep them away from the ideologies of Force Users and their associated organizations like the Jedi, it had been Veiere's wish to empower them with the choice to make for themselves, whether or not they sought to harness their connection to the Force and strengthen their practices.

With [member="Caedyn Arenais"], [member="Asha Hex"] had appeared in a time of Veiere's life that offered the Jedi Master a different perspective of the War between the Light and the Dark. Her Flow Walking ability had seen them both witness events that had transpired back before the creation of the Lightsaber itself, before Veiere's Master's, Master's Birth, and far far more. He had witnessed the followers of Ashla turn away those of Bogan out of fear for their intentions, their powers that were fueled through their emotions much like the Sith Empire of today, only more restrained and still beholden to their former neutral teachings. It had been a startling and difficult truth to accept, yet it had also caused Veiere to reconsider what was best for his Son whom seemed so intent on following in his father's footsteps to become a Jedi. The Je'daii Order had offered a middle-ground instead, and Caedyn had learned to walk it with pride.

On the other hand, [member="Loreena Arenais"] hadn't taken well to the news of her Brother's departure, yet her Mother had organized for their Daughter to gain experience under the Mandalorian culture, long before the conflict of today. It was a side of their family that Veiere was less familiar with, especially compared to Kay's experience having been brought into Clan Raxis and found siblings through bond rather than blood, something stronger and more personal to her. Through them, Lori had found her strength and learned to defend herself, and for that Veiere was proud that she wouldn't fall victim to anyone's arrogance as she'd learned how to live for herself, of her own will.

Unfortunately, Veiere suspected that his daughter would be most torn by what he was to discuss with them both, though Caedyn wouldn't likely enjoy hearing what their Father had to say either.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Luke Skywalker's X-Wing​

Arrival aboard The Judiciary Star Destroyer​

[member="Veiere Arenais"] & [member="Loreena Arenais"]​

​

​

​

If only he could remain ignorant of these things...-Caedyn felt pretty confident that he knew what this was going to be about. It was typical of their Father to call for them aboard the Judiciary, and formerly the Resolute when something bad was about to be dropped on them. Couple that with his Girlfriend [member="Asaraa Vaashe"] having been a bit of a grump lately and spending more and more time training and less time with him, it wasn't difficult to put two and two together. Especially with all the stuff the Holo-News was saying about tensions rising between the Jedi and the Mandalorian Clans, lately. Hell, Caedyn had been there on Umbara. He'd seen it first-hand, and it hadn't been pretty.

No one liked being caught up in War, Caedyn least of all when his Order had been taught to remain neutral and keep out of politics between the Jedi and the Sith. Being a Je'daii meant that both Ashla and Bogan were well within his ability to control, his training had been elevated since he had come to be on his own, and in the absence of a mentor, he had been forced to reside over his own progress. He had become a great deal stronger in the Force and had been pulled into a number of conflicts already; he had exceeded the expectations that his Master had shown for him and today he considered himself to be a Je'daii Ranger in practice, yet in mind he remained of a journeyer's path, and perhaps he forever would since the Order's fading into silence. It just wasn't the same...-But it was his path, and one he couldn't let go of.

Bringing the X-Wing drifting slowly towards the entrance to one of the main Hangar's aboard the Judiciary, Caedyn had been cleared for entrance and used the repulsors to guide his descent until the landing gear touched down upon the solid floor of the Starship, the young man pulling the canopy back over his head and being greeted by the shift in temperature as the Hangar air came rushing into the cockpit, causing him to blink a couple times.

It had been a while since he'd last been aboard such a vessel, the last being the former CSA Resolute on the eve of Commenor's liberation from the Sith Empire. No doubt their Father would already know of his arrival, the man's presence in the Force was felt even down so many levels of the ship. The man's strength in the Force far exceeded Caedyn's, though it didn't keep the younger of the two from questioning some of the decisions he'd made, the recent being his living apart from their Mother, though that was something he couldn't help feeling resenting the both of them for a little. It wasn't right, it was far too close to heart and it was the first time he or Lori had seen their parents so distanced...-Almost estranged from one another. It wasn't right.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Normally Lori would be thrilled to be called to her Dad's ship. Afterall, she hoped to gain enough money ato purchase her own. The 20 million credits that she earned on a mission could have paid for a part ownership of one, but she'd rather have a whole one. Instead she used the credits to pay off Jaster's Sparrow, as well as keep it in top working order. The rest? Well, that was saved for getting her own home built somewhere in the Galaxy. [member="Caedyn Arenais"] was getting his own, and of course she was in competition with her twin at all times. But the exact location of such a home had yet to be decided. It wouldn't be any place that her parents would pick. That was for sure and certain! It'd just be...somewhere...

Back to the matter at hand, Lori knew that whatever [member="Veiere Arenais"] was summoning her for, it was important. She flew the Jaster's Sparrow up close, hailing it and waiting for permission to dock. Once the hanger was opened for her, she brought the Sparrow into it, touching it's feet gently on the durasteel surface.

"Better stay here, Arla. I don't think there's any danger."

"Understood, Captain. And how long are we staying?"

"I don't know. Just shut 'er down and be sure that we're stocked with extra fuel."

Arla nodded to her as Lori unbuckled herself before getting to her feet. For some reason she felt heavier. But maybe it was something that she was picking up from her Dad. It was hard to say. Stepping down the cockpit stairwell, she passed the kitchen and crew quarters before moving through the cargo hold. Punching the bay door button on the wall, she waited for the ramp to lower before she exited her ship.

Now to see about finding her Dad.

 

[WolfMortum]

[member="Loreena Arenais"] and Caedyn both would be greeted by an approaching escort, a member of the Jedi Vanguard whom personally served under their Father, carrying an aura of tranquility within the Force and though their faces were masked by the armor of the Jedi Temple Guard, they spoke with a welcoming voice in their greeting, offering to lead them to the conference room for which Veiere had arranged to speak to both of his Children. It was unfortunate that the reason for their visit wasn't anything more personal, such as a family visit and a time to catch up on everything that'd happened in their personal lives, but perhaps if they decided to stay, there would be time for all of that on the way to Roche.

"Greetings, Miss Arenais" The Vanguard Escort would meet with Loreena first, and along the way no doubt be met with Caedyn and his own escort as they headed toward the same location; "If you'll please accompany me, your Father is eager to see you".

Meanwhile, Veiere stood within the Conference room itself, his gaze drawn to the nearby Transparisteel view port, the stars ablaze upon the blanketed abyss surrounding the Judiciary. Since his promotion to a Senior Member of the Silver Assembly, Veiere's priorities had shifted away from the Silver Navy, putting more importance in his diplomatic skills and experience for the sake of the Silver Jedi Order's ability to reach out to nearby worlds and nations, in order to extend an olive branch of sorts in the Order's offer of continued support and protection.

Truthfully, he had come a great distance since the days of living an outcasts life. His past sins had taken their toll on him, yet he had never thought it possible to once more be in a position of leadership and authority within the Order again; The Silver Jedi had been most gracious in their acceptance of him, and since then he had done his utmost to show his appreciation. He had put so much into seeking to redeem himself, as best as he could hope to do so.

Lori and [member="Caedyn Arenais"] would eventually arrive however, and those distant years would be pushed aside for more recent troubles, the current affairs of the Galaxy. "It's good to see you both" Veiere smiled upon sight of his children, moving to embrace them both; "I've missed you kids terribly" he grinned down at them, soon giving them their space once more, not wishing them to feel smothered or embarrassed by their father. "Take a seat...Make yourselves comfortable" He gestured to the table, soon asking out of care for them both, "Are you both hungry? Anything I can get you?". Business could wait, his children were back within his care and that was forever his first priority when he could manage it.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Being met by someone whom looked and held the air of a Jedi, Caedyn simply nodded in response, not particularly knowing how or what to say to someone of their attire. 'Are they some sort of Guard, or soldier of the Jedi?' He wondered as he followed slightly behind them, not really feeling all that keen of letting them out of his sight. It wasn't out of lack of trust for their father, but more a habit he had learned through his own travels lately. It was difficult to know who to trust at times, and someone who hid their face, making it difficult to read their reactions or expressions, certainly discouraged any feeling of confidence from the younger man.

Meeting [member="Loreena Arenais"] along the way however quickly changed Caedyn's attitude, and he grinned as he hugged her in greeting. "I wondered if I'd be finding you here. Feels like I only just got rid of you" he teased his Sister, their last meeting in the western regions of the Galaxy having only been a week or so ago. "I'm guessing Dad's called you here too? Don't suppose you know what's going on...." he asked, the pair of them beginning to move again as their escorts lead the way.

A short ride in the turbo-lifts, a five minute walk to follow and they were soon entering into a large room, who's only other occupant was their Father who seemed to have been waiting for them. "Hey Dad..." Caedyn spoke in resignation as he and his Sister were taken into a hug, choosing not to fight it, though not overly enthusiastic about being embarrassed infront of what appeared to be rather staunch looking Jedi Warriors now behind them at the door out of the place.

Caedyn took to the closest chair when encouraged and kicked his feet up upon another nearby, soon looking to Lori and gesturing to the chair on his other side so that she might sit next to him. It was always good to see her again, especially when they seemed to travel the Galaxy and be apart more often than not these days. "I'm good thanks..." He waved a hand dismissively to their father, soon adding "Just kinda curious why we're here like this. These kind of things never seem to go well" he pointed out, hinting at their past experiences aboard the CSA Resolute.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

The Vanguard. It was hard not to spot the. Lori half expected [member="Veiere Arenais"] to be there, yet the Vanguard were there instead. It had better not be a trick...

"Okay. Cool." Shoving her hands inside of her coat pockets, she strolled in behind them. Lori looked about the hanger as she walked, searching for any signs of preperations for battle.

But that was soon sidetracked as [member="Caedyn Arenais"] arrived. The seriousness in her face was lost while he teased her. "Oh it's tough to get rid of me sometimes. I can be like a bad cold! You think that I'm gone and then BAM!
I'm baaaack to bother you." To his question, she shrugged her shoulders a bit. "Probably something serious. If it wasn't, we'd probably meet up on Kashyyyk or something."

Lori chewed the inside of her cheek as they walked the rest of the way. Seeing her Dad, she smiled and took her hands out of her pockets to return the hug. How long had it been since the three of them were together? Forever!

After Cae took his seat, she pulled out a chair and then turned it around so that she could straddle it and rest her arms along the back of it. And as if her Dad had to ask.... "You know me. I'm ALWAYS hungry. Watcha got? I could use some cakes." Yeah, she was like a bottomless pit sometimes. Especially during times like these. And sugar was great for making her feel better.

Lori chimed in after her brother. "Yeah...why are we here instead of in some place cozy?"

 

[WolfMortum]

Veiere turned his attention to the nearby Jedi Steward and gave a confirming nod, the Vanguard having heard his daughters request and taking his leave to find one of the crew capable of fulfilling the young Arenais' needs. The Twin's Father on the other-hand moved to take a seat at the table-side opposite the pair of them, his hands coming to rest atop the polished surface, fingers lacing together as he tried to consider his words carefully. "I have some news that neither of you are going to be happy about, I'm afraid" Veiere started, wanting to caution them both so that they knew what kind of news or information to expect and hopefully cushion the blow somehow.

"You both know that I've been quite distracted and kept busy lately with my business with the Silver Jedi" He offered them both something of an apologetic half smile, taking a moment to meet their gaze and acknowledge his lack of time shared with them both before moving on; "The Silver Assembly have decided to promote me, and make me one of the leading members of the Silver Jedi Order..." he lifted one hand from the table-top briefly to suggest patience, as he expected confusion from the two given it sounded like good news.

"But with this position comes responsibility, and in my responsibilities lately, I was invited to join my peers along with other representatives of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Outer-Rim Coalition as well as the Core Imperial Confederation" they were all massively popular names among the present political climate of the Galaxy, and most younglings these days knew of them, let alone the twins. "After the attacks against Eshan, H'ratth and Umbara, among others, it's been decided that the Clans of Mandalore are going to be held responsible for these acts and subsequent crimes of war" He gave pause once more, taking a moment to gauge his childrens reactions before briefly elaborating, "What this likely means is that there's likely going to be a war, for what they Mandalorian Empire has started. I wanted you both to be aware, because this involves our family on a much more personal scale".

[member="Loreena Arenais"] & [member="Caedyn Arenais"]​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Oh great. Bad news. What was it now? Was he dying? No, no he can't be dying. He looked okay. So what then?

At first his news confused her. So [member="Veiere Arenais"] got a promotion. Cool. It also left her off the hook a bit as far as attending classes went. With him travelling everywhere, he wasn't around as often to teach. That gave her time to fly missions with her crew.

Her brows furrowed as he continued on, listing out the names of various governments, some of which were good, while others were bad.

And then came the kicker. He was going to war with the Mandalorians. They were half of her family, she was trained by them, loved quite a few of them and now her Dad was declaring war on them? Lori looked to [member="Caedyn Arenais"] briefly, her jaw dropping open slightly before turning to her Dad. "So...the war crimes commited by all those other governments are just wiped clean like nothing ever happened as they go after our family? What about Mom? The Confederacy wants to kill her too, you know. I saw the broadcast. I was there. What about Yasha and Kaine and Beth and Uncle Darlyn?" She wasn't so sure that she was hungry anymore. Right now she was surprised, confused, hurt and angry. Yet she was doing her best to keep it together. Her hands gripped the back of her chair so that she could keep herself planeted instead of running away.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Caedyn's jaw tensed as he sat there listening to his father explain that the Jedi were going to war alongside several other larger political powers against the United Clans of Mandalore; the news sent his Sister into a panic, fear and anger both coming out in the moment where as Caedyn had just fallen silent and tried to manage his thoughts internally. Lori had more connections to the Mandalorians, where as Caedyn's family consisted of the three of them as well as their Mom, [member="Kay Arenais"]. There was also his girlfriend Asaraa, she of whom was part of the Silver Jedi Order, which suggested she'd be involved in the coming fight too.

'Crap...' he thought. War between Nations had been frequent within the Twins life-times, but this one was far more personal to them given it was their family that seemed to be smack bang in the middle of it. The mention of Umbara also caused his gaze to shift to the side, Caedyn had been there and fought to defend the people under the protection of the Silver Jedi, he had already seen first hand some of the first victims of the coming War. He understood the ideology of the Jedi, though he didn't know what crimes [member="Loreena Arenais"] meant when she asked about the other groups. The only incidents that he had seen, were the raids that had targeted innocent and unsuspecting people who had done nothing to justify so much violence...

He needed to talk to Asaraa, but it wasn't so difficult to imagine the Jedi wanted some sense of justice for the worlds under their jurisdiction that had been assaulted in the recent raids.

 

[WolfMortum]

"I've spoken to the leaders of the Confederacy during the Summit that I attended, as well as with [member="Voph"] in person afterwards" Veiere answered his daughter's question regarding the twins Mothers involvement. "The Confederacy are wary of your Mother, they asked me whether I believe she's a threat to them, which suggests they're uncertain. It's my understanding that the grief between them is really between your Mother and Darth Tacitus who is also claiming to be a leader of the Eternal Empire. Two groups with the same name that has caused some confrontation between Kay and this other organization..." he tried to put it as simply as possible, though in truth it was a complication that had led to distrust and uncertainty between Kay's people and those under the Confederacy's jurisdiction.

"As for the Confederacy or the Outer-Rim Coalition, I'm not sure what crimes you're speaking about. I can't speak for the Core Imperial Confederation, as I'm not familiar with them at all, but the others are both Governments that seek to protect their citizenship, which they're having to act upon now as the Mandalorian's have caused enough trouble now that every Nation with the exception of the Sith Empire is involved in the hope of bringing about Justice for their actions", it wasn't just a difference of opinion between two peoples, but that every government with the ideology similar to the old Republic and the Galactic Alliance was stepping forward in order to do what they can to protect Galactic Society and keep others from falling victim to the Mandalorian's raiding culture.

"I tried to talk to your Mom about the possibility that things might worsen, the last time that I visited her on Zakuul" Veiere sighed, trying to explain the reality of their situation; "She'd have been better to stay where she was, but as of last week, she sent me a message explaining that she's been convinced to move to Mandalore thanks to Yasha...-The problem there is that if she doesn't put distance between herself and the Clans, she may be viewed as a sympathizer of the opposition".

[member="Loreena Arenais"] & [member="Caedyn Arenais"]​

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

"All I know for certain is that I fought against them on Umbara, which was under the protection of the Silver Jedi" Caedyn spoke up, sparing a glance to his Sister whilst remaining uncertain whether or not the fact coming from his perspective would change anything. "I get that Mom has family over there, but if she's going to get caught up in a war on the wrong side then we need to try and get her out of there..." he frowned as he spoke, finding it rather easy to assume that she'd be surrounded by other Mandalorian's if their cousin Yasha was really as high up in their Hierarchy as Caedyn had heard back during the days where they'd still lived on Commenor.

It was difficult to know how to feel between anger and disappointment, yet there was plenty of resentment there over the fact that he and his Sister were in this position to begin with. "I don't understand why we're even having to deal with this crap" he spoke up as his frustration got the better of him in the moment of weakness, "If you and Mom hadn't let politics get in the way of our family, then we wouldn't be needing to worry about whose side who is on..." Caedyn's eyes had fallen upon and locked with [member="Veiere Arenais"]', finally speaking his thoughts which he'd been battling with over the last few months.

"How does a Husband and Wife, who've always stood for peace, even wind up being on opposite sides of a Galactic War?" He glared, "It's ridiculous!".

[member="Loreena Arenais"]

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori let out a snort that was half of a snicker as [member="Veiere Arenais"] told them that one of the political powers was wary of their Mom. As if! She rolled her eyes at the notion that every nation was against the Mandalorians. More than likely they only counted those that went to whatever summit her Dad was called to and that was all. Just the big boys doing their big games of warring others into non-existance or into submission.

She looked to [member="Caedyn Arenais"] as he spoke up. He seemed to be mixed up in a number of different emotions like she was. She wanted to reach out and take his hand or his arm or something like they used to. But he was an adult now and practically married. Any such action would just make him look less than that.

"It's the same as any argument they've had Cae. They've been on opposite sides before. Just...not like this." Lori shook her head a little. "A government with genocidal Sith among them, another of Imperials much like the First Order, the Outer Rim that recently had trade talks with Mom, and others; you can't say that they have never hurt innocent people or killed them during their invasions of other planets. And to say that the people deserved it would be ridiculous. Where is the New Republic? They were good guys and they got destroyed! They helped us liberate Commenor and they were destroyed by the Confederacy. And now instead of trying to come up with a means for peaceful solutions, you all beat the drums of war and profit. You have Mom THERE! Did you talk to her? She messaged you, did you message her back? Why not utilize her position to try to broker something? I mean, duh! You have someone on the INSIDE!"

Lori huffed and folded her arms across her chest. "I'm not going to fight against those that took me in, trained me and are of a constant help when I need it. They are family."

 

[WolfMortum]

"Nor am I asking you to fight, Loreena" Veiere replied sharply, wanting nothing of the sort for his children to be any more involved in the whole ordeal than they had been already; "I'm just telling you both because you deserve to know what's happening. I don't want either of you involved in all of this, it's better if you both steer clear of either side until the conflict has settled down" the last thing Veiere needed was the twins running off to try and pull their Mother away from it all, just to be caught up in the mess and have their allegiances questioned.

He could understand [member="Loreena Arenais"] argument, there were no perfections when it came to Government or Political powers. The last mention of genocide that had crossed his desk had come out of the disaster that had been Eshan, and from there further attacks had been unleashed from the Mandalorian Empire. Wars had been waged many times before, and unfortunately these weren't likely to be the last for whatever reason but the Mandalorian's had crossed a line, and there needed to be consequences least the Galaxy be left to descend further into Chaos. There needed to be ethical and legal boundaries, not just for the Mandalorians but for all; It was unfortunately their culture that had encouraged their need for violence, to cross these lines and bring the consequences down upon themselves.

"The fact of the matter is that the Mandalorian's have attacked and raided numerous world's under diplomatic and political influence, forcing other Governments to intervene so that some semblance of Galactic Law and Order is kept. What I need from the two of you is to stay away from Mandalorian Space for a while" his words sounding like an instruction, with no room for them to be mistaken as a question of suggestion; "Don't get yourselves involved in this mess".

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

'Not like this'.

Never had their parents been so estranged from one another on a scale as large and dangerous as this. Their Dad had always been a Jedi, for the most part in any case, but even during their time on Commenor, it had never kept him away from their Mom or split the family in half like things seemed to be now.

"Don't get yourselves involved in this mess".​

​

Their Father's next words sounded more like a demand, and it was easy to understand why and hear the concern in his tone, but Caedyn had already been involved since Umbara. Not to mention the obvious fact that his Mom would be fighting on one side, and not just his Father but his Girlfriend was also on the other. How could he not already be involved?

"Asaraa's with the Silver Jedi" Caedyn replied, more so stating the obvious in open expression, his thoughts running wild in the moment. "Lori and I have had to sit around and watch you and Mom living separate lives, pretending like nothing's wrong and it's been infuriating...-You can both do what you like, but I can't let Asa go fighting in some battle alone". Given his position and feelings on the matter, it wasn't difficult to imagine his Sister having a similar response towards the Mandalorian's for her past experiences with them; but if she went off to help them, what did that mean for the two of them? Glancing back to his Sister, [member="Loreena Arenais"] was old enough and more than capable to decide for herself, but whatever her decision, Caedyn was damned if he was going to end up fighting his own flesh and blood. That just wasn't something he was willing to allow.

"If we can get Mom out of there, maybe we don't need to be involved in any of this at all" he suggested, thinking of any alternative over having to split their family up over an age old grudge between the Mandalorans and the Jedi. History was rife with those sorts of battles, the two cultures never having been on the same foot where their ideologies were concerned and it wasn't difficult to see why when you understood what it meant to be a Jedi, and where the raids had been concerned.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori was stubborn. And so was [member="Caedyn Arenais"] , and so was [member="Veiere Arenais"] and her Mom. There was a time and place for stubborness and this was definetly one of them! Especially as he continued on, just telling her and her brother what to do instead of listening to them.

"You told me to respect all life and not to kill. Or at least to find a way to disarm and disable my opponent first. Have you done that Dad? Is revenge the last course of action that the Silvers and others are taking? Or is it the first? An eye for an eye? Blood for blood? That doesn't sound very Jedi-like to me. Especially as instead of seeing the opportunities in front of you, you all just go to war instead."

Lori looked to Cae as he made his stance, laying it out for their Dad to hear. This wasn't a good situation for either of them and it hurt in so many different ways. "You heard Dad, Cae. They are wary of Mom and are already painting her with such language that getting her out of Mandalorian space would just be giving them the opportunity to put Mom back in jail. Or worse, have her executed." She had already seen one parent at a public trial. Having to do so again would be difficult to bear. But more than likely their minds were all made up anyways. They only sought death that was thinly veiled as justice.

Maybe some people were right. Force users shouldn't be in politics. It was filled with too much corruption.

 

[WolfMortum]

Veiere shook his head slowly, listening to Loreena Arenais as she fell quickly upon her frustrations and targeted the Silver Jedi in casting the blame. "The Jedi in the Galaxy fight to uphold the laws of society, to bring order when others are guilty of bringing violence and tyranny down upon others. Whether you like to believe it or not, that's what we're having to do here. We haven't asked for this, the Mandalorians have started the War by attacking the Confederacy, and the Nations and Worlds under the Silver Jedi's protection", he wanted to relieve his Daughter of her hurt, and her anger, yet she was too deeply connected to the guilty party to see the truth of his words. Veiere could tell this, despite trying to explain it all the same.

"You still have a long way to go in your training as a Jedi Lori...-We have a responsibility in these times, to fight for justice and do what's best for the greater good of the Galaxy. The Order has always sought to intervene when the political state of the Galaxy becomes unstable. When innocent people are threatened and killed like those the Mandalorian's are responsible for" Veiere looked to his Son, he too was full of anger and confusion over the situation, yet he seemed intent to stand by his partner, [member="Asaraa Vaashe"] whom remained among the Jedi. That atleast gave Veiere some hope that his children could avoid being on the wrong side.

"Your Mother's in a position that's made things extremely difficult for us" He continued, leaning back into his shoulder, his shoulders falling in resignation. He didn't wish to be arguing with his own children but they needed to know that he had tried; "I've tried to talk some sense into her. To help her to understand that the people she's supporting have become allies of the Sith Empire, and are also guilty of crimes the likes of Commenor's occupation from the Sith...-But something's changed in her since her time in Purgatory. The good things we used to stand for, she can't see that the people she's with contradict the ideologies that we once stood for".

"I wish I could change her mind...-But she doesn't listen to me anymore" he exhaled heavily, a sigh leaving. Fatigue was setting in, and it felt as though he had been moving non-stop since the beginning of the whole mess. The reality of things was more than just a little depressing, his marriage was more or less over the moment his wife had chosen to back known war criminals. As a Jedi, he was forced to put the many above his personal desires, and all he could do for their family right now was hope that she wasn't going to take part in the fighting. "I know you'll want to rush to her side, but you need to understand that there will be consequences for you too if you're seen to be supporting your cousin and her people. You're free to make your own mind up and blame us if that's what you decide, but I need you to stay away from the Mandalorians...-I've already lost too much in all of this".

[member="Loreena Arenais"] | [member="Caedyn Arenais"]​

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Listening to his Sister and Father arguing back and fourth was maddening. It was hard enough with everything that was happening between the Mandalorians and the rest of the Galaxy, knowing that one way or another, so many people would be affected by the fighting; he didn't need to be reminded of the damage politics had already caused to their family, let alone what more it could bring ahead of them.

"I don't have time for this" Caedyn growled, pushing himself to his feet and looking down at the two of them. His resentment for their family had been building up since their Dad's fall to the Darkside, and then when their Mom was convicted and sentenced to Prison. They'd both tried to make up for their past, but the Twins had learned early on that their Parents were fallible, and despite how much they had tried, their lives just hadn't been the same ever since those times.

"I'm heading to Kashyyyk, I need to see Asa..." caedyn said looking to [member="Loreena Arenais"], declaring his need to talk with [member="Asaraa Vaashe"], and to try and wrap his head around all of the news that seemed to be overwhelmingly crushing. "She's probably going to be involved in all of this somehow, I need to see her" he seemed to repeat himself as though trying to reassure himself that he knew what he was doing, remaining in some semblance of control of his own life when everything else seemed to be crumbling down around them.

Caedyn didn't want to be putting the blame on their parents. He had been on Umbara and so he knew that at-least some of which Veiere had said was the truth. They had attacked a world that had no intention of being caught up in such senseless aggression. As for the Confederacy or any other organizations or Governments, he'd never associated with any of them so he couldn't say whether or not they were in the right. The Silver Jedi were different though, both their father and Asaraa had always been the kind of people to fight for the right reasons, to protect, defend or stand up for those that couldn't do it on their own. Retaliation wasn't exactly that difficult to comprehend, given what he'd heard over the holonews lately. Laws weren't made to be broken after-all.

"I'm leaving" he informed their Father, though chose not to wait for a response as he expected Veiere to try and stop him. Instead Caedyn moved for the door and disappeared out of the room as quickly as possible without breaking into a run. No doubt he'd run into their father again on Kashyyyk, the two of them both came and went from there frequently so it was difficult to expect anything otherwise.

Walking down the corridor, he headed for the nearest turbo-lift that would take him back down to the Hangar he'd arrived within. Already trying to think up the words to send to Asaraa, informing her that he'd be on his way and why.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

"How many innocent people will be threatened and killed through this war on their side Dad? Or do your turbolasers know the difference? Do their lives hold less meaning because of who governs them? And why go to war right away instead of other methods first? Did anyone even try? It sure doesn't seem like it. I thought war was a last resort, not the first. This is all just...revenge. It's not upholding the laws. It's just legalizing murder." More than likely Lori was out of line, yet she wasn't holding back. She was too emotional to do so. Words always poured out of her like a fast-flowing river. It was always difficult to make it stop.

"How many times did you try to talk to her Dad? You said she messaged you recently. What did she say? What did you say? Is she refusing to talk to you? When I last saw her after our trade talks with ORC, she seemed fine. She didn't speak badly about you at all. Yes she changed a little since she got out of prison, but Dad, given what little you both have told us about her kidnapping by the Sith when she was tortured, I don't think that she can handle being in a cage so well. So I can see why she'd want to avoid it..."

Lori had a little understanding at least. She related it to the long periods of time that she'd be in the Jaster's Sparrow, travelling in deep space. Sometimes it got super BORING. She wasn't sure that she'd be able to handle being tortured as well.

[member="Caedyn Arenais"] got to his feet then. He was never really one for arguments, was always the one to keep it all to himself. Maybe she had said too much and should have just followed his lead. But she couldn't help herself. She wanted answers.

Lori lowered her head as her brother left abruptly, wiping away a tear. "You don't want me to see Mom anymore. I don't know if I can do that. At least not forever....Would I be locked up or executed too if they see me with her?" Already she could picture it, a public execution in front of a firing squad, or being locked up in a cell until she was old with awful stories being written about her on the holonet. Right now everything had consequences. She just didn't know where to run away at the moment.

 

[WolfMortum]

"How many innocent people will be threatened and killed through this war on their side Dad? ​

Or do your turbolasers know the difference?".​

​

Veiere's gaze hardened upon his daughter in response to her words, though he knew where they were coming from and refrained from showing his frustration. "How many more will be left to suffer from these raids if we do nothing to discourage their behavior, Loreena. Lawlessness cannot be met with inaction; that would only promote and enable them to attack further worlds free of consequences" he responded, intentionally and actively seeking to keep his words spoken upon a restrained tone of voice as he spoke to her.

[member="Caedyn Arenais"] soon voiced his own feelings on the discussion and rose to take his leave, Veiere's gaze lifting to meet his, saying nothing to keep him but merely offering him an apologetic eye. The fact was that this was happening with or without House Arenais' involvement, including Veiere's part in it all. He and his daughter weren't arguing for the chance that they could stop the fight, but rather the morality behind it.

"To my knowledge, there have been negotiations between the Mandalorian's and the Silver Jedi Order before, though they also share a long lived history of disagreements and previous fighting. From what I know, these talks fared little better than the last" he explained, trying to offer his daughter some semblance of assurance that they'd looked for an alternative.

"As far as your Mother's concerned, I have no intention of fighting her. Nothing of the sort, I'm bloody well hoping she stays clear of this mess so that when it's all over, we can all see each other again. You and your brother can even go live with her if you like, but for the moment we just need to wait for this whole mess to be dealt with" Veiere had only recently spoken to [member="Voph"] about the very same thing. It was safe to say that Veiere was praying that he could avoid any contact with [member="Kay Arenais"] during these conflict to come...-So that they could somehow see a way through all of this turmoil and keep some sense of their family and personal lives in tact.

"I know you're distraught Lori, but don't go blaming me for your Mother's choices" Veiere added, feeling the need to remind her of the past. "I have always done everything within my power for your Mother, to keep her safe and happy. To support her even when I knew what she had done on Commenor, and I had to try and ignore these things for the sake of our family and our marriage. You do not know the lengths that I have gone to for her and for Commenor in the past, so don't start questioning my integrity here. Your Mom has made up her mind, she's ignored all of my warnings..." his voice trailed, brows falling heavy as he was forced to turn his gaze away from his daughter. It was rare for Veiere to have to speak firmly with [member="Loreena Arenais"], but she was young and knew only half truths, failing to understand that every story held two sides...-And this story wasn't looking to have a happy ending any time soon.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Again [member="Veiere Arenais"] didn't answer all of her questions. It was as though he didn't want too. Perhaps he shared in the stubborness as well and had cut himself off from her Mom. Or maybe she was just too young and inexperienced to know. Afterall what did she know of marriage or love? Nothing really. And at times like these she wondered if it was better that she never knew. Why complicate her life with a significant other or love if it could cause such turmoil? She was better off alone, cruising the Galaxy from one job to the next. Not that she really had to. She had enough credits to live comfortably on some small planet in the middle of nowhere if she wanted to. Maybe later, if things got worse.

She sniffled a bit as she quickly wiped away another tear from her cheek. "I can't promise to stay away because we don't know what will happen. But if she needs me, I'm not going to abandon her. If she calls me, I will try to keep her safe and out of harm's way. But if she doesn't, then you'll have no need to worry. I'll stay away."

Her thoughts dwelt on her talks with her Mom while her old friend [member="Hawk Solo"] recovered from carbonite sickness. Lori accepted the role of being her Mom's heir for Zakuul if she was killed. Hopefully that wouldn't happen anytime soon.

She got to her feet, stepping to the side of her chair and kept her eyes on the table. "Is there anything else, Dad? Or do I have permission to leave?...." She didn't want to argue anymore. She just wanted to hide under her blanket in her quarters and cry into her pillow in private.