The Last Resort (Republic)

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To say Graxin was a free man, was to lie. His surrender to the Jedi had been less out of desire to join them, and more the will to survive. The New Order had hunted him relentlessly for months, and just as their Mandalorian bounty hunters had caught up, one [member="Zaren Bouqi"] had come to his aid. He had not expected help from the Jedi, but his past work with one of their Padawans had opened him to the possibility of trusting them.

His loyalties lay with no one for the moment, though to say he was a true Sith was quite false. The son of the former Emperor was quite the odd individual indeed. He arrived in the Jedi Knight's ship bound in a pair of force cuffs. He had not resisted. His wounds had been treated and he had been permitted to eat. His health was slowly returning to its former state with the Jedi's assistance, and he showed little restraint when the cuffs had been put on because of it.

Now, he waited near the doors leading outside. He knew better than to move before being called, and the sharp knife of anxiety had already stabbed deep into his heart and it felt as if a thousand little insects were crawling just under his tanned skin. He didn't want to do this, but there were no other options.
"I'll just wait until I'm called out..."

[member="Kiskla Grayson"] [member="Talon Vosra"] (Tagged simply because it is on Ossus and by recommendation. Feel no obligation whatsoever to jump in. It's only for fun.)

 

[Zion Krayt]

Zaren had saved the Sith Knight, it was true, from that trio of Silver Jedi, and the Mandalorian Hit Squad that had come to take him. He was lucky that he had decided to hide upon the planet of Onderon, and the Protector's interest in old architecture. If not, well he probably would have been taken alive or dead.

Probably would have ended up dead if what the Sith said was true.

When the ship landed upon a landing pad near Ossus's Jedi Temple, the ramp descended and he passed by [member="Graxin Rade"] and said, "come, Graxin." And then he exited from the ship. Of course, the armoured saviour remained at the base of the ramp to wait for the Sith Knight to disembark, so that when he did the ship's ramp ascended and closed the ship off, and so he could continue and say, "will you go over with me why the Mandalorians were after you again?"

 

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Graxin's hands remained bound down at his waist. His shoulders were relaxed, and his mops of raven hair had been brushed to the side. His old combat armor had been left in bloody tatters during his escape from the Sith's hunters. It had been replaced with a plain white jacket and and old pair of brown trousers found in his pack. At the very least, he was trying to look presentable to the Jedi.

His leather boots clacked against the gangplank as he strode downward. The question was asked, and Graxin remained silent until his feet were down on solid ground. "Most of it is speculation." He replied quietly. "You have heard of Darth Vulcanus, Krag to others, yes? I was raised as his son. His heir." The former hand of the Emperor's amber eyes narrowed slightly as he took in his surroundings. It certainly didn't smell like Mytus. "He disappeared, as did Ayra. I was in line to become Emperor. I wanted to disarm the military and secure our borders. My opinion wasn't popular among those that knew me."

The Knight's lips pursed and he exhaled slowly as if the words had up and left him. It took him a long moment to compose himself, and when he did, his posture was far more tense. "I was a loose end, and imprisoned. I escaped with the help of friends. Those friends didn't survive, and someone, at some point, hired those Mandalorians. That is why they were after me."


[member="Zaren Bouqi"]

 

[Zion Krayt]

He kept it to himself for the most part, but he frowned behind his helmet when the Sith Knight had said that he was the son and heir of Darth Vulcanus. The Sith Lord he had been face to face with, in the atmosphere above the planet of Telos IV. He hardly remembered how he escaped, but he had and that was all that mattered to him. What they had wanted upon Telos IV... Was something that he couldn't give to them.

The location of Tython. He remembered.

"It sounds as if intelligence doesn't come naturally to all Sith." He said, more joke than being serious, but he figured that it'd fall on deaf ears, or ears that didn't appreciate Zaren's humour. Considering his humour was most likely more condescending and the type to make fun of people, he didn't really blame them. But that was a life time ago.

"You are safe now, Graxin. No Mandalorian will tread upon this planet to search for you. You have my word."

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

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Funny, that Graxin had no idea his savior had been on Telos. Telos had been Graxin's final test to see if he was worthy of Krag's praise. In the end, the former agent of the New Order had made it possible for the glassing of the planet to happen. he had deactivated the planetary shield. He had allowed millions of lives to perish in the cleansing flames of the Sith fleet. It was entirely his fault, and Zaren would never know.

The faintest of sounds would escape past Graxin's lips. It was an almost silent sigh of amusement, so at the very least, the joke was understood. "I was not a Sith by choice. It was necessity." He stated calmly; amber gaze falling on [member="Zaren Bouqi"]. "So...what do I need to do now? I assume there will be a legal trial of sorts or...?" His shoulders lifted up helplessly.

"I have no idea how Jedi do things. I know some of the teachings, not the structure, the politics....the temples. No policies on prisoners or anything." He admitted with an apologetic half-smile. At least he was being honest, for once.

 

[Zion Krayt]

He shrugged his shoulders. "I do not know either. You are the first prisoner that I have ever taken that was a Sith." He replied and he continued to escort the Sith to the Temple ahead of them. He paid heed to every single detail upon their way to the temple, he grass, the trees, the different species that were watching them as they approached the Jedi Temple.

"I will take you before the Jedi Grandmaster and Headmaster if they are present, and hopefully they will accept you to our Order. If you want to join the Jedi Order. If not, you will most probably be severed from the Force and sent to whatever word you would like. I'm certain it's painless." He said with another shrug of his armoured shoulders and continued walking.

"I truly hope that you do not decide to be severed. The Force is a gift, some would say and you'd do well to join the Jedi Order to use it."

He sent his presence searching through the Ossus Temple for the presences of [member="Kiskla Grayson"] and [member="Talon Vosra"], and if he were to locate them, he called to them. His call was urgent, but there was no hint of danger in it.

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

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Well, that was reassuring. Graxin had only really had pulled the force fully under his command for a year now. After so much work, so much progress, to have it ripped away from him because he did not wish to serve the Jedi--he had traded one master for another. The Knight fought back the urge to wince, and instead pressed his lips into a thin line. At least his siblings were no longer at risk were he to fail. Perhaps this was the galaxy's way of making him atone, or it was simply amusing itself with his life.

"That's comforting." Graxin mumbled just barely audible. He followed after Zaren, and met every look the temple's occupants gave him. He would show no shame; not in front of these people. It was unlikely they knew just what, or who he was, but he would not give them something to think him weak for. It was more of a self-conscious issue than anything to do with actual power. He knew of the problems he had caused; he was not devoid of morality, nor had he been when he served Krag. That, was his shame.

"Who are these two? The Headmaster and Grandmaster anyway? I assume they're important?" He asked with a slightly louder voice. He truly was clueless.

[member="Zaren Bouqi"]

 

[Zion Krayt]

He continued to walk, not deigning to give the Sith a response as of yet. Of course they were important, they were both upon the Jedi High Council, a place that Zaren would have surely been glad to be upon, but he was no Master, and based simply upon the ways that he served the Jedi Order, simply by travelling across Republic Space, simply to make his presence known and show that the Jedi still cared, well, it was quite a time consuming process. Of course they would do better with someone who was more stationary, and who was an experienced Jedi Master.

But that was their opinion, if they asked, he would accept, although he didn't see that day coming soon.

"They are." He finally replied once they got to the base of the steps and he walked up as if he were enjoying a walk. He was in no rush. He thought of describing in depth what the Grandmaster looked like and what the Headmaster looked like, but instead he said, "the Grandmaster is a woman, and the Headmaster is a male." And he continued up the steps.

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

[Kiskla Grayson-Matteo]

Kiskla was known as a redeemer. Not only for individuals, but for the Jedi Order itself. Still, many had begun to walk the path of light under her guidance and suggestion. When the message reached her channel, she responded. Ossus wasn't her favourite location, but she seemed to be here more often than not, mostly for training purposes as many weren't suited for Tython just yet.

And, Ossus was under the jurisdiction of [member="Talon Vosra"] -- a redeemed himself. This would be an excellent meeting for him to attend, but he was busy with other duties that demanded his attention.

On the other hand, Kiskla was sitting cross-legged in a round surface chair of the make-shift council chambers on Ossus. It was really just a cavernous office, but it still served the purpose. Tall, stretching window panes reached across the top of the ceiling and cast floods of directed light to the centre of the room, and a glow over the seat the Grandmaster occupied. As for a Grandmaster, she hardly looked it. Not only was she remarkably youthful, but she was also void of the traditional Jedi garb -- her attire was more suited to a spacer perhaps. Either way, she looked like a slender, seated mannequin than the powerful warrior that she was.

Not that her fighting prowess was demanded here. [member="Zaren Bouqi"] and [member="Graxin Rade"] sought her reconciliation insights.

 

[Zion Krayt]

The Jedi Knight escorted the Sith throughout the Temple of Ossus. Many people took note of the dark side within the centre of the Order, but if anyone stared too long as they went past, the Jedi Knight stared at them until they left. He'd at least use the armour to it's advantages with it's facelessness, it was quite disconcerting for some people evidently.

He straightened out his black robe as he walked through the hallways and neared the Council Chamber. He had yet to fix any dents within his armour or scratches, it had only been a few days since Onderon, yet he hadn't bothered to fix the damage that had been done to his armour when he saved the Sith Knight. He didn't see a point, it'd only be damaged again, but he may as well keep up appearances, right? And at that point he decided he was going to do it. I've got to do something.

And then they were down the hallway from the Council Chamber, and he hurried his step just enough. When they got to the door, he said, "she can only help you if you want it." He warned, and then he pushed the doors open to reveal the Jedi Master in the room. What he saw was the youthful Grandmaster in a chair, and he brought the other Force Knight into the centre of the room before the Master as the door swung close behind them.

"Master." He greeted, knowing that she didn't enjoy the title of Grandmaster. "He was hunted by his own and had nowhere else to turn. I found him on Onderon where a Mandalorian Hit Squad attempted to ambush us." He interlaced his fingers with each other in front of him, and it was quite obvious the extent of damage that he had experienced on the armour. Some spots were blackened, other spots had small dents, gouges, and visible scratches. When he blinked a few times, the Knight's actual head emerged from the helmet as it retracted back from his head and slid into position in between his shoulder blades as simple plates instead of it's natural spherical form.

"I believe he is unsure whether he wants to join the Jedi Order, and I believe that you're the best person to help Graxin with this."

[member="Kiskla Grayson"], [member="Graxin Rade"]

 

[Kiskla Grayson-Matteo]

"You're flattering, Knight Bouqi." Kiskla said, with little more than a breath between the end of [member="Zaren Bouqi"]'s sentence and her own. Her elbows rested on either of her knees and the heels of her palms were pressed together, as were her fingertips. Like an arrow, they were pressed against her chin, her lips pursed as she considered his words. "But incorrect."

Kiskla was becoming known as The Redeemer. Some could consider it a weakness, whereas it drew in others. Her goal was to institute The Order as the sanctuary for knowledge that it had been long ago. She wanted those types of people to be a part of it. To protect it, and keep the wheels of her administrative chariot moving.

"The best person to help him is himself." At this point, her gaze was directed to Gavin, one who had a dark side signature that called to the creature trapped in her alchemical cuff. One that none knew of, for her own brilliance outshone it tremendously. Her fingertips moved from her chin to point at him "I can be a convenient catalyst only if you decide within your own accord that this is a transition you wish to make.

You've learned much of the dark side. Inner tumult is not new to those that wield it's power-- what is your true motivation." At this, a blonde brow quirked pointedly. There was much deception amongst the Jedi, and they couldn't afford more treachery. If [member="Graxin Rade"] was running from his past, one had to ask what he'd want for his future: "Protection, or redemption."

 

[Darth Vazela]

| [member="Kiskla Grayson"] | [member="Zaren Bouqi"] | [member="Talon Vosra"] | [member="Graxin Rade"] |

The doors behind him closed and the landing ramp retracted back into the shuttle. Vilox Pazela turned away from the ship, whilst lifting the cowl of the dark robe he wore as he did so. The Jedi Master was returning back to the roots of the Jedi Order following the completion of his assignment. A mission in which he had been left with no choice, following the One Sith's return to the galactic fold and subsequent annexation of Coruscant following their invasion of it. He had been but one of two Jedi, of his knowledge at least, that had remained within galactic center following the Galactic Republic's retreat and the Jedi Order's evacuation; and as he strode down the pathway away from the shuttle that he had commandeered following an engagement between himself, the Sith Lord Darth Pandeima (@Enigma) and a Republic hit squad that had located the blackened capsule the One Sith had used to send his 'deceased' body into space, his thoughts were on the recent engagement on Prakith.

But the One Sith had been deceived into thinking he was dead; and the Sith Lord, alongside the Republic commandos that had attacked their ship, had failed in whatever intentions they had. He was only interested in meeting with a few select people and they did not include men in darkened rooms demanding information.

No, he only had time for Jedi Councillors at this moment.

Entering the Jedi Temple that [member="Daella Apparine"], who ironically had been one of the six Sith Lords that he had fought off on Prakith, had been responsible for restoring to it's former self, he came to a stop within the building. A group of Jedi Younglings passed by the hooded dark figure, led by an unknown Jedi Master who was obviously their teacher. His eyes turned to another man, in the form of [member="Zaren Bouqi"], who was passing by him. It was the fact that he too was wearing a dark robe that had caught the Jedi Master's eye. Beside him was another. "Interesting," he murmured as they walked on, turned a corner and disappeared to the flight of stairs that would taken them to the council chambers and Jedi Grandmaster [member="Kiskla Grayson"].

But he had not been in the Ossus Jedi Temple before and found himself lost. He turned to search for a terminal, that would lead him to it.

 

[Lupe Baracka]

Lupe appeared as [member="Vilox Pazela"] took a sharp turn.

"I haven't seen you before, have I?"

Before the poor lad could probably even comprehend what he was saying he questioned him.

"Hey from one man to another... Do you know of any companies that would fund a Libertarian Militia?"

Lupe suddenly frowned.

"Just... Hypothetical."

 

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(I sincerely apologize for not posting. I had some OOC and IRL issues, and took an LOA on Calico a few days ago.)

The irony of his current position was almost astounding. Once, he had stood among the chambers of the most powerful Sith Lords in the known galaxy. Now, he was quite willingly at the mercy of the Jedi. He had never hated the Order; only accepted them as a necessary enemy. Now, however, was not the case. The long internal struggle as to just where his twisting path would take him made itself known once more. He had never been acknowledged by the Lords under Vulcanus--his compassion had been a hallmark. A weakness that one must purge before ascending to the title of Lord, and yet, it was just that compassion that had compelled him to follow the Sith's orders, and forced the Lords forsake him.

One did not need to feel the force to see the conflict within the former Sith. His amber gaze drifted from his savior, and one he was slowly beginning to consider his friend, to the Grandmaster.

She's far younger than I expected.

He drew in a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. The words came to him, and when he spoke, it was with a false confidence. In truth, he was terrified of what may happen if the wrong answer was given. The Knight was trying to put on a strong face. "Master." He paused, the words uttered identical to those used to refer to his father, but meaning something entirely alien. It was not fear, though there was bits of it within. No, it was an odd sense of respect. "I don't know. I wanted to survive, Bishop rescued me. I..served the Lord Vulcanus. I was his son." Bound as he was, Graxin tilted forward in a deep bow. "I'm unsure of what punishment the Republic will deem fit for me, but I would bear whatever is given if it removes this terrible guilt."


[member="Kiskla Grayson"] [member="Zaren Bouqi"] [member="Vilox Pazela"]