Thieves Guild

[Jacen Voidstalker]

Jacen Voidstalker arrived back at the Ossus Temple. It seemed a world away from the time he had come her sheepishly looking for redemption. Those first months had been so very difficult as he tried to regain his abilities alongside teenagers and children with far more natural talent than he possessed. The second time he had stood at this entrance had been rushing back after returning from the Netherworld. More painful memories.

Corvus Raaf in some manner was the epitome of his frustrations. She was remarkably young, yet the Grand Master of the whole Order. She was far more talented than he was and maintained an aloof attitude at all times. He also found tall women intimidating for some reason, a trait he was none too proud of. So perhaps it was to be expected that when she was rather curt when he tried to return the most precious holocrons to the Academy network it was not unexpected that he had been rather rude in return.

Jacen sighed as he walked across the threshold, case in hand. The nullification resin lining kept their contents from revealing themselves to the guards he passed. He identified himself and was directed to where [member="Corvus Raaf"] was currently holding a class.

Finding it still in session, he settled down for a period of quiet meditation, quiescing his higher thoughts as Adele Adonai had shown him. He didn’t tell himself he was a different person to the one that had arrived those years ago. He knew it.

As the younglings passed him by, he gracefully shifted to his feet. “Master Raaf,” he called as he walked into the wide, flat chamber. “I came here to discuss two matters with you, but it occurs to me that I should remind you…” he said glancing over his shoulder, “that the Sullust Academy has now been secured, has plenty of accommodations space and is a long way from Sith space.”

There was the solid thunk as he unclipped the case, betraying the heavyweight and reliable locks. The dark presence of the Holocrons would almost immediately make themselves known.

“Two things,” he reiterated. “Your access card for the three holocrons back on the library network. Biometrically locked to your DNA and the passphrase you provided. It is one of three master keys and will allow you to retrieve the holocrons from the network with one other key.

“Secondly, whilst I can only apologise that we provided minimal aid when then Republic was routed from Contruum, we decided to take the opportunity to go…thieving.” A leather bag was upended scattering three holocrons across the floor. “I’m afraid it seems there was nothing of significant value, but more importantly we broke into their defence grid, flattened the Sith Temple and set their fleet construction on Coruscant back two months. However, you should be careful with that one if you’re concerned about giving in to temptation and/or watching the waistline,” he added, pointing to a particularly angular, pyramid shaped holocron. The right hand side of his lips turned up in a smile.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Most of the time, if you wanted to find Corvus, you went to Ossus. It used to be all of the time unless she was on a mission. The difference? Braith - but that's an entirely different story.

So she was duly taking a class of Younglings one a lesson about one of the tenets of the Code. That Jedi were not above the law.

The questions were invariably interesting. Yes a Jedi could break the speed limit in pursuit of a criminal. No they could not run a red light if they were late for a meeting. Yes they could kill in self-defence or if it was the only option and all others had been exhausted.

And regardless, every life taken was a step towards the Dark-side. Only if the Jedi's heart was true to the Force when the person was killed could they legitimately be sure they were not moving towards the Dark-side.

Class dismissed, Corvus was aware she had a free period. She could do anything she wanted. Braith was not here, so that limited her choices. So she decided to go to the Archives and study. She'd found an old datacron that referenced the Ruusan Reformation and she was dying to see if it had any new insights.

But before she could exit the room, she was aware she had a visitor. She bowed politely. There was a wise-crack on her lips but she withheld it and smiled instead.

"Knight Voidstalker."

And then she listened. She presumed Sullust was where the New Jedi Order were based. And then he went to the trunk and she immediately felt the presence of the Holocrons. She'd had to transport the ones left in her care to a new location and had of course grappled with a Gatekeeper on Prakith. Her sister had been called into remove the slither of its consciousness that had lodged in her brain.

But she heard him out. He had lived up to his promise to allow the Republic Jedi access to the Holocrons.

And then she observed the Holocrons he'd tumbled out onto the floor. She didn't pick them up and kept a wary eye on them, in case they in some way interacted with her. Sith Gatekeepers were notorious for trying to turn anyone who accessed them.

She nodded and finally looked at the Jedi Knight. "Who knows what they may contain? I admit unlike Jedi of old, I don't believe in destroying everything Sith. Rather I believe in learning from them. To understand your enemy is to have an advantage over them after all. So I shall carefully catalogue their contents and let you know of anything of use to you and your Order."

Was she rude the last time they met? Possibly. Was it behaviour becoming a Jedi? Most definitely not. Was she still disappointed that the New Jedi Order had made the decision they had? Yes she was.

But she'd refrained from sharing her frustrations with the majority of the Jedi. She hadn't even mentioned it to her Chroi. Not precisely a secret, but definitely something to be divulged sparingly until she could better understand their motives.

"And I appreciate you bringing them here." In truth she wasn't sure what to say next. He'd come a long way and deserved more than a curt thank-you.

"Fancy a cup of tea."

Lame didn't do it justice. She may have access to her emotions now, but that didn't make her any better at social intercourse.

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

Oh, Jacen thought to himself, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. He had expected another curt response for that, not an expression of gratitude.

“Erm...yes, of course. I'm afraid Master Rhen did decide one of the holocrons was not suitable for keeping and had it destroyed. It turns out suspending your temple in a chamber of magma is good for a few things, such as: holding Sith in inescapable cells; installing hot springs next to your auditoriums; and vaporising Sith artefacts,” he said with a slightly forced smile.

“Whilst I was never that appreciative of my cold stone room here, I always enjoyed the view of the gardens,” he reflected. “It was almost difficult seeing the Sith temple. Or perhaps it was difficult seeing that nothing remained of the Jedi Temple I grew up in," he said with an honest shrug.

"Oh and it is actually Master Voidstalker now," he added politely, the look on his face making it clear that he had only just recalled that fact.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled. “Master Voidstalker. Of course it is.” She made it sound as though she was the one that had overlooked the fact.

And she led him to the restaurant area. It was bustling at this time of the day, so she joined the queue and finally ordered a camomile tea. Once her guest had ordered she found a table with a view of the garden and sat down.

“Sometimes things need to be destroyed I suppose,” she said. “I’m sure the right decision was made.” In truth she would like to have known what was on the Holocron, but there was no value in thinking that way now. It was gone.

“And oddly you’re the second person this week to mention hot springs. Or maybe the other was hot tubs?” She wrinkled her nose. “Never mind, that’s not really important.”

“And you should drink your fill of the view whilst you’re here. I must admit, I love running through them, but it’s invariably dark when I do. But still, even in the moonlight, they are special.”

“And loss is sadly inevitable. But of course, we have to learn to let these things go. My own home planet is no more, the Academy I grew up in is destroyed. But perhaps it’s harder to bear if it’s desecrated?” She shrugged her shoulders.

“A clean slate,” she said, her face serious for once. “Last time was awkward and I apologise for my part in that. We are, at the end of the day, all Jedi after all.”

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

Jacen raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the hastily covered mention of hot tubs. “Jacen is also fine," he said with a smile as he took his seat. "The view on Sullust is sadly comprised of grey adiabatic duracrete blocks, or a vast swathe of obsidian rock and magma. You know, Master Vosra always used to be able sneak some food off the menu here, as charming as he was,” he said, there was thin smile as he fondly recalled his first days back at the academy. It had been so very difficult to face his past failures head on that way. Perhaps if the Coruscant Temple had still been in place, he would never have gathered the courage to return to the site of his greatest mistakes.

“I think we can both agree we were at the end of a strange sequence of events that places us in an awkward situation. I was somewhat defensive and rude,” he said with a sigh. He did not explain exactly why and he looked back to his feet thinking on how small she had made him feel. “I am sorry for that Corvus.”

There was a short intake of breath and he gathered himself, raising his chin to meet her lavender eyes again. He paused to take a sip of his own tea before continuing on a different subject. “So many worlds have been left alone by the crumbling of the Protectorate and the route of the Republic,” he said. The Republic had once held sway over most of the known Galaxy. Now their influence was a shadow of its former self.

“We have just been trying to bring some together to give them hope. To form an Alliance. How is moving the refugees going?” he asked earnestly.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled at the mention of Master Vosra. He was very supportive of her when she first arrived and spent countless hours in personal training. And his words of wisdom were still used by her to this day.

“The past is the past. It’s what the future has in store that is important. Jedi need to find reasons to bring us together not keep us apart. And I should keep that at the forefront of my mind. So we’ll not mention it again, OK?”

At the talk of the Republic’s fate, Corvus sighed audibly. “We do what we can. There are many worlds in need and few Jedi. We go where we are asked to help out and help those we can. I fear in many cases it is too little, too late. But we are Jedi, so we continue. Where there is life there is hope. I serve.”

Those two words summed up her life in truth. She was loyal without question and for as long as the Republic needed help, she would offer it. “How goes your Alliance?”

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]
Jacen nodded his head slowly as she spoke, holding her gaze. He couldn't help but consider how rare eyes that colour might be; he certainly hadn't seen many like them in humans before.

“Somewhat desperate at the moment,” he said gravely. “Several groups styling themselves after the Empire of old have attempted, no - succeeded - in getting a foothold in what was Protectorate space. We have at least three Dark Side cults on our borders and our military is outgunned. Our rag tag fleet is comprised of what was the Republic’s 17th defensive fleet from the lost northern sectors and whatever old mothballed cruisers we could get our hands on,” as he spoke he placed his cup down, turning the cup to place the handle parallel to the edge of the table.

“I do try and get some of the Jedi to work more with the people. Personally I used to find helping to enforce the law satisfying. But when you have so many enemies encroaching on your borders it's hard to think of much else but holding the line. And that's before the One Sith turn their gaze our ways and perhaps pause their route of the Republic for a few weeks to tear us apart!”

“I do sound quite bleak about it all I suppose,” he said. “But we will fight. To the last if we must. There are people who need our protection. Very many if them. ”

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus nodded at his prognosis. It did sound bleak - but she knew his words weren’t defeatist, just pragmatic.

Yes the One Sith were a juggernaut — but even the largest predators are vulnerable, sometimes against a foe much smaller than themselves.

“I used to wonder if the One Sith’s interest in the Republic would allow someone else to attack them without them noticing until it was too late. Maybe we need a pincer attack? Maybe your Alliance is the solution?”

She sighed lightly. “I feel at times I have a lot of ifs, maybes and perhaps to offer and little concrete. The Republic’s military does what it can. The Senators have been awfully quiet of late and many of the Jedi number have taken to going rogue. Maybe that’s a valid plan? Like the rebels of old, no single point to be attacked, they blend into the background and then strike?”

She pinched the bridge of her nose between thumb and forefinger. “But we do what we can. We lay down our lives for the greater good. No more and no less.”

She stared out of the window. “No view compensates for what the One Sith are doing now, eh?”

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]


“Yes…gone rogue…” Jacen would say cautiously, a wry smile threatening to appear. A number of those “rogue” Jedi had resurfaced recently. Some of them had murmured things about Jedi registration acts, and other such abominations coming out of the senate.

“We had hoped that striking at their heart whilst their focus was on Contruum that we might have drawn their attention. I’m afraid our force was never really strong enough to do significant damage. I fear that perhaps we have just poked the hornet’s nest with a stick. The view of their temple crumbling did alleviate some worries for a time anyway," he added with a childish grin.

“We were hit hard by another group of dark side adepts on Sullust not long ago. Nearly brought down our whole Jedi Order before we even started. Still, there’s no point pretending we can stay out of their gaze forever. You know, I always respected how much time you gave the padwans,” he said, changing his tone from rather grim to more conversational. “You’d be welcome to come past and give a few lessons, if you ever found the time. The New Jedi Order is relatively traditional, but we have a wide range of Force Users coming through Sullust now. From remarkably traditional souls light Master Adonnai, to rogue force users who prefer to call on the elements. All are welcome as long as they don’t stray too far to the dark and as long as they’re willing to do what they can to stop the Sith.”

Jacen realised he had started off on something of a diatribe and paused to take a sip of his tea, trying not to seem rude. Perhaps he hadn’t come as far as he had thought and still craved the acceptance of those he looked up to because of his past failures? No, that was the wrong way to think. You had to look forwards and be who you wanted to be, not worry about the past.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

It was almost humorous to Corvus that she had the same conversation with different people. Funny if it weren't so serious that is.

"Rogue, grey, Dark, Light? Labels..." She stared into the distance as she spoke. "I have been reviewing the Code of late. Taking counsel from many sources. And my approach is not about a beggar not affording to be choosy, as some think. Rather an attempt to have as holistic a view as possible."

"You see, it seems to me of late that we focus too much on Light and Dark," she held up a hand to indicate it was worth hearing her out before commenting. "And what I mean is, to the detriment of ignoring the more fundamental issue. Good or evil. A Jedi that tries to kill someone with the Light-side. A Dark-sider that uses the Force to save a life? Who is the enemy?"

"There is nothing in the Code that talks of the Sith. Or the Dark-side. Just right and wrong. Good and evil. Upholding the law and being truthful."

She looked into Jacen's eyes. "Do my words shock you?"

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

Jacen titled his head from side to side and stuck out his bottom lip as he considered the question for a moment. “Only so far as it's you voicing them I suppose,” he said. “I am nothing if not pragmatic, more soldier than Jedi myself. I suppose I viewed you as a more staunch traditionalist, though that may have been through the eyes of a Padawan from a great distance,” he admitted.

“I once had a conversation on the topic with Master Windspeaker. A Dark Jedi still does as they please, not at the whim of the Force. Though we haven't been tolerant of anyone reaching too far into the dark side. It does corrupt. I touched it briefly not long ago,” he said quietly. His gaze left her lavender orbs and found his feet in short order, as he sighed with embarrassment. “Far too easy to slip down that path it seems.”

“The dark side draws on powerful emotions, and not the good ones. Do you want to be extorting the most influence on the world through the Force when you have anger coursing through your veins?” he asked rhetorically.

“We now have many powerful masters standing with the Alliance. There are the most traditional in Masters Adonnai, Eden, Grayson and Vandal. You could hardly call masters like Starchaser, Braith, and Jacobs traditionalists though. I've seen some draw on the dark side in our name, though I know first hand that Aela is rather quick to act if any do it in her presence.”

“Would you tolerate a dark side here, amongst your younglings?” he asked.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled. Sometimes being an historian was a boon, other times it just made you look like a smart-ales. Which nobody liked...

“Being second was never favourable, but the second most powerful Jedi of what I see as the golden era for the Jedi? A man named Mace Windu. He used anger and negative emotions to create Vaapad. Is is risky? Of course it is. Few Jedi can resist the Dark-side if using it. But given it uses the Sith’s dark energy against them? A most useful Form. And there is a point to this.”

“Am I traditional? Of course. The Code has been unchanged for some while now. Millennia. So yes, a staunch believer in certain ways. But, in my humble opinion, pigeon-holing people causes problems. Stereotypes are not, in my experience, the only guide. Some Dark-side Jedi do as they please. So do many Light-sided ones. I think you’ll agree with me there.”

She chuckled. “And I thought I was the dogmatic one?”

“Many Jedi touch the Dark-side. Some through choice and others through trickery. It’s how you cope that counts. The choices you make. I know from bitter experience what it’s like to be touched. I also know what it’s like to lose people to the Dark-side. But I remain on my path.”

“And other than Vaapad, I’d counter there are no good or negative emotions. We are Jedi, we have emotions. But it’s how we cope that counts. That we choose not to use them in our decisions that sets us apart from others. Love is as dangerous an emotion as hate if it clouds judgement.”

Some of the names Jacen mentioned she recognised. Others she had not heard of. But it mattered little. If they were opposed to evil, she could ask little more.

“There is a distinction between being an ally and a Jedi — at least in my eyes. I cannot tell the Republic who to ally with. But on a battlefield, if they are fighting the One Sith? It is hard to stop to arrest them and then carry on as if nothing had happened. So I am, as you say, pragmatic. The enemy of my enemy is not automatically my friend. But if they act for the greater good? Then they have my support.”

“But that does not mean they would be welcome to train Jedi as a matter of course. And Younglings especially are vulnerable and impressionable. This conversation is not one I’d share with them. It would be too easy to misinterpret my meaning.”

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

"No negative emotions," Jacen reiterated slowly, his expression turning dour. "I've had good times and... hard times and I can tell you there are negative emotions. They can make you do things you know you shouldn't, or keep you from doing anything at all. Just because we're trained to put them aside when we need to make those key decisions it doesn't make some any less negative..

Tell me Corvus, have you ever known anyone suffering from depression?"

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus’ smile dropped.

“I’m sorry. You misunderstood me and for that I apologise. You see I was referring to your observation about the Dark-side drawing on powerful emotions — and not good ones. My perspective is that the Dark-side draws on all emotions, therefore none are good in this sense. And as a Jedi we experience all emotions, because we are people, but we are trained to cast them aside when making decisions.”

Her face remained impassive. Sad even.

“And up until a few weeks ago, I experienced no emotions and recognised none either. As someone who has a natural affinity for Empathy, I had to close them down, or else I was overwhelmed. I literally felt and lived every emotion around me. In the Academy, I would have felt everyone’s emotion — all at the same time. So, aged four, I learned to close my mind down to them. Veino Garn taught me to filter them. To allow a trickle in. Which, with Braith’s help, I have learned to do on a daily basis. But in battle? I close them all down.”

“So, to answer your question, I do not know of anyone who suffers as until recently I would not have been able to identify moods — I was a social weakling. Only now am I learning what emotions mean. The subtle differences between them all. And to match emotions to manifestations of speech or behaviour.”

“I was not referred to as the cold-fish for nothing.” There was no humour in her voice. The whole subject was clearly uncomfortable for her. “So sorry again if I offended. I was not suggesting all emotions were the same on a personal level.”

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

When Jacen looked up from his delicate cup, he looked thoroughly abashed. He let out a long sigh. “I apologise, I think perhaps I took that a little personally. Master Adonai has been recently working on my control, to help me keep out influences from my mind. Those that come from within and without,” he said, thinking of the times that Sith had tried to encroach on his consciousness. “It is hard to step outside the problem, remove yourself from it and make a decision based on good judgement and empirical evidence without emotional influence.”

Jacen took a moment to digest Corvus’ words. “You know depression is…it’s like a dark cloud that stifles all emotions. Some days you don’t feel sad, happy or anything. You also don’t want to do anything,” he said, though he knew he failed to capture the essence of what it was like to experience those episodes. Pushing out of those times had always been excruciatingly slow and difficuly. “I suppose to me, cutting yourself completely off from emotions almost sounds like depression,” he said, screwing up his face in a grimace.

“You know, both Veino and Braith have frequented the temple on Sullust, you should accompany one of them there sometime,” he said, this time clearly trying to change his tone to something more jovial.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus smiled softly. She hadn’t meant to make her visitor feel awkward — she still had a lot to learn about social interaction.

And she did what she was good at — she listened. “I was devoid of emotions from the age of four. I didn't know any difference, so for me it was just a way of life. I had logic to guide me and nothing else. But looking back, as I have these past few weeks, I always felt incomplete. I knew it was never the answer but could find no way out of it. I wanted to — but simply couldn’t.”

She shuffled in her seat. “But that’s enough of me. I’m happy now, and that’s what’s important.”

And then her smile widened. “And I’d be delighted to visit Sullust — view notwithstanding. With or without Braith.”

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

Ah, a cog fell into place as he mentally review their conversation. He was about to say more when the comm unit on his hip vibrated. “Excuse me a moment,” he asked politely. With one hand he finished his cup of tea, with the other hand he reviewed a simple encrypted message that had been left for him. His expression turned grave.

“I am afraid it seems my time here has come to an end. One Sith fleets are moving quickly, blockading right down the middle of Republic space. The Alliance is convening now to see if we can assist with running materiel or civilians across the blockage,” he explained before letting out a long sigh. “It was a pleasure to talk to you Corvus, my thanks for the tea.”

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus saw her guest to the hangar bay and once he was on his ship, she turned and was inundated with her own messages. There would be much to organise - and decisions to be made.

And for once her patience was not a virtue - she needed to act quickly.

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]