The inner demons

[NightSister]

Now Aria had to laugh: it was so like a Sith to use controversial and unrealistic examples to prove their point.

"If everyone used their powers for good, there would never be any need to sacrifice thousands to save millions, would there? How hard can it be to distinguish between good and bad when even its followers call it the Dark Side, and even its foes refer to it as the Light? Those who cannot identify good from bad are either to weak-minded to make their own choices or so immoral that they cannot tell the difference between their desires and the desires of others."

[member="Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"Same dilemma. For me anything that makes me more powerful is "good", even if it is something you would see as bad. Call it immoral, call it selfish, call it whatever you want. It is typical for the followers of the light to believe that their beliefs are on some untouchable moral high ground."

His words were harsh but still he slightly smiled. She did understand more than he thought she did, yet she came to the wrong conclusion. She still tried to put peoples beliefs in to simple boxes without considering that everything could be perceived different in another context. The jedi were better at brainwashing than he expected.

[member="Aria Vale"]

 

[NightSister]

"Good for you is personal power, and that is why you are a Sith. Good for me is a galaxy full of safe, happy people, and that is why I am a Jedi. My religion has flaws, like all religions do: but mine is one devoted to peace. Hardly untouchable, but on comparatively high moral ground, yes. By my standards at least, an act which leaves more innocent people safe or happy than otherwise would've been is a good deed and any which makes leaves more innocents suffering than otherwise would've been is bad." She shrugged. "And in my experience, people who define good and bad differently aren't to be trusted."

[member="Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"Than you should assume that I can not be trusted. Doing good still can lead to bad things. I am sure you know how to old Republic ended and the empire emerged into being. It was a time that even today inspires me as a sith. Never before and never after did a dark lord use the blindness of your order so effectively. They trusted him because he was what they were considering good, so he could rise to power right besides them. Good deeds do not mean good intentions, and the other way around. Even the most altruistic actions are just small steps in a bigger picture. Is a man fighting for the freedom of his people using any means necessary what ever the cost evil? Good and evil are just words we made up to describe concepts we made because sentience is constant hunt for answers that do not exist."

At this point his words became an aimless ramble indecipherable mumbles, as Abyss focused had slipped so far that he almost forgot he was talking to someone. His mind was a storm of thoughts, thoughts that appeared faster than Abyss could follow them. Suddenly he stopped, becoming silent for a second. Then a single laugh, inhuman and dark, left his mouth before he spoke once more.

"Peace? Peace is a lie jedi. The universe and those who inhibit it were born from chaos. Conflict means evolution. With peace the universe would become static, improvements of technology and men alike would stagnate. Conflict means change. Change is the reason we exist. Without change we will die"

[member="Aria Vale"]

 

[NightSister]

Aria breathed in and out carefully to quash the torrent of words - mostly impolite ones - that threatened to spill out of her, but she couldn't resist rolling her eyes.

"Conflict means change, yes - but is it always good change? Conflict could mean anything from a disagreement to a Death Star. And I'm sure I don't need to explain to you that with that particular change, a whole planet died. But peace can also bring about less destructive change. Without wars, there are more people and resources left to make new technology and to evolve for the better. A peaceful galaxy would be perhaps less fun for you chaotic types, but that doesn't mean we'll die."

[member="Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"It is ironic that you mention the death star. Sure it is quite easy to see it as the devastating weapon that it was, but is it not more than that. The death star is proof of my words, more than you might have realized jedi. It is true that it was one of the most dangerous things ever created but also one of the most powerful and elaborate technologies ever made by men. And only war, only conflict allowed it to be. You might be right that war forces progress into a direction you and your kind do not approve of, but it is progress never the less. In times of peace a project this complex would never find its way into reality."

The technology of the death star was nothing Abyss admired, a weapon to destroy a planet seemed to raw and obvious foe his taste. Yet he held the space station in high regards simply because of the effort and power that was needed to create it.

[member="Aria Vale"]

 

[NightSister]

"There's development," Aria said with a raise of her eyebrows, "and then there's galactic catastrophes waiting to happen. If space stations that can let the Empire terrorize the entire galaxy are what's considered a breakthrough then humanity is going nowhere good."

She stopped.

"Why am I still talking to you? This conversation's going nowhere. You have your beliefs and I have mine, and it's clear that neither of us is going to change their minds about that." Sighing, she began to head for the temple's exit. "It's been nice talking to you, but I really...need...to go."

[member="Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"No need to be so polite jedi. We both know that we are enemies, if we want to or not."

The acolyte released a dark, unsettling laugh from his lungs that echoed through the ancient stone around them.

"This conversation is the reason why the galax is at war. The ancient conflict between light and dark, older than both our orders. Whatever it was that you searched for, I hope you could find it, so it will lead you on the path of your destiny. Maybe we will see us again, as allies or on the battlefield. Farwell jedi, may the force be with you."

The last words had a audible hint of sarcasm in them, yet without any hostility. Time would tell if she learned anything from him ... and if not there was still the chance of meeting her on the battlefield were they could continue their conversation with a pair of lightsabers.

[member="Aria Vale"]