The transport landed on Reytha, in the capital city of Yeere. XXXX and Jaron disembarked along with the few other passengers. They joined the throng of people moving about the large spaceport, and made their way to the streets.
Once there, they found an empty side alley where they could discuss their situation without being overheard.
"According to the data our intelligence operatives uncovered, Tarn Eorax was requesting to meet his Sith contact in a cantina on the outskirts called the Blood Bucket.
"The communication betweent the two was in data form only, as far as intel could make out, and the Sith only identified him or herself as Deron," XXXX explained to Jaron.
"So we go to the Blood Bucket and track them?" Jaron asked.
"No. We need to locate Eorax before the meeting. We're not looking for a confrontation with the Sith here. We're here to try and talk the parents into letting us take the child," she reminded him.
"But Master, how are we going to find him?" Jaron asked.
"You've been a Knight for how long?" XXXX asked sarcastically. "Never mind. Eorax chose the meeting place, so it's probably an establishment which with he's familiar. We'll go there and ask a few questions. Someone is bound to know the man," she said as she put her data pad away.
"Let's not waste anytime. Intel wasn't sure when the meeting was to take place. I only hope we're not too late already," she said and stepped back out into the crowded street followed closely by Jaron.
It took no time to locate the Blood Bucket, and it was exactly the den of scum that the name implied. After entering the establishment, they made their way to the bar.
"Whaddya want," the bartender slurred.
XXXX spoke politely,"We have a few questions about a patron who frequents your canti--"
She was cut off by the bartender, "Never hearduv 'm."
XXXX casually waved her hand, "We wish you would reconsider. Answering our questions will do no harm."
"Weeell... maybe answerin yer questins won't do no harm," the bartender replied. "Whaddya wanna know?"
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Chapter 2
A long time ago XXXXXX had begun to question the certain teachings of the Jedi. Foremost among those teachings were those forbidding love, and attachments. She understood the downfalls that it presented, but wasn't it essentially a persons nature to love? Wasn't a parent programmed to love her child when it was born? And what about attachments?
Each padawan she had trained had been harder to let go. She had also reached the point where she stopped learning new prospects names as well as letting them know hers. It was too hard anymore when it was time for the prospect to either go home, or to their place in the temple for training. It made it worse when they cried and called to her by name.
But if attachment was this easy and this natural, then why was it forbidden? Wouldn't love for a husband or wife, or son or daughter seem to be something encouraged by the Order? Love, in moderation, seemed to her the best course of action, and forbidding it only seemed to be asking for more trouble than you were avoiding.
And what about hate? A little controlled anger had served her well in many of her fights, and she had never fallen to the Dark Side. It seemed to her that emotion when tempered, could be used constructively. All it took was a little self control.
And how about the decision to abstain from the Mando War? She had fought hard against that one, and had almost followed Revan and Alek on their quest. Actually, she would have gone had she not been in the middle of a delicate mission on the other end of the galaxy. By the time she had returned, arrest orders had already been issued for Revan and all of the Jedi who had followed him.
Only the Force had saved her from going, or she may have ended up a Sith, just like Revan and Alek, or Malak, as he was now calling himself.
There was a growing sentiment among the Jedi Order that if the council had supported Revan, that just maybe the Republic wouldn't be in this mess they were now, fighting for their lives against Darth Malak and his Sith.
Because of her misgivings, she had nearly turned down Master when it was offered. Was there really anyway she could accept a seat on the High Council when her heart was becoming bitter toward the Order and it's stagnation? And others had turned down a seat, but could SHE turn down the seat, remain in the Order and look herself in the mirror each day? Wasn't it her duty to do as the Council requested? If she didn't, was she truely a Jedi?
She put down her bush then and sat back, sinking into her meditative trance. When she awoke, the transport should be nearing the planet of Reytha.
It seemed that a man named Tarn Eorax had been attempting to contact the Sith. Apparently he was trying to sell his Force sensitive child.
I hate scum like that.
Each padawan she had trained had been harder to let go. She had also reached the point where she stopped learning new prospects names as well as letting them know hers. It was too hard anymore when it was time for the prospect to either go home, or to their place in the temple for training. It made it worse when they cried and called to her by name.
But if attachment was this easy and this natural, then why was it forbidden? Wouldn't love for a husband or wife, or son or daughter seem to be something encouraged by the Order? Love, in moderation, seemed to her the best course of action, and forbidding it only seemed to be asking for more trouble than you were avoiding.
And what about hate? A little controlled anger had served her well in many of her fights, and she had never fallen to the Dark Side. It seemed to her that emotion when tempered, could be used constructively. All it took was a little self control.
And how about the decision to abstain from the Mando War? She had fought hard against that one, and had almost followed Revan and Alek on their quest. Actually, she would have gone had she not been in the middle of a delicate mission on the other end of the galaxy. By the time she had returned, arrest orders had already been issued for Revan and all of the Jedi who had followed him.
Only the Force had saved her from going, or she may have ended up a Sith, just like Revan and Alek, or Malak, as he was now calling himself.
There was a growing sentiment among the Jedi Order that if the council had supported Revan, that just maybe the Republic wouldn't be in this mess they were now, fighting for their lives against Darth Malak and his Sith.
Because of her misgivings, she had nearly turned down Master when it was offered. Was there really anyway she could accept a seat on the High Council when her heart was becoming bitter toward the Order and it's stagnation? And others had turned down a seat, but could SHE turn down the seat, remain in the Order and look herself in the mirror each day? Wasn't it her duty to do as the Council requested? If she didn't, was she truely a Jedi?
She put down her bush then and sat back, sinking into her meditative trance. When she awoke, the transport should be nearing the planet of Reytha.
It seemed that a man named Tarn Eorax had been attempting to contact the Sith. Apparently he was trying to sell his Force sensitive child.
I hate scum like that.
Chapter 1
The Jedi Master sat in her quarters aboard the transport and gazed into the mottled blue of hyperspace throught her transparisteel viewport. The time had come to make a decision. In reality, it was thrust upon her by the council. She would have put this off forever if it had been up to her. She reviewed the events of the previous day.
________________
The day before, in the chambers of the Jedi High Council.
She stood in the center of the ring of seats, conscious of the 11 pairs of eyes trained on her, scrutinizing her feelings and intents. She had long ago learned to conceal those, or she wouldn't be a Jedi Master.
She never felt she deserved the rank, but she had never discussed her misgivings about it before, and had no intentions of doing so now.
"Honored Masters, I am honored that you feel I am worthy of a seat on this council, but I must take some time, to meditate and determine for myself if accepting this position is truely the destiny that the Force has in store for me."
She bowed slightly as she ended her speech.
"Go then, Master XXXXXXXXXX. When you return from your mission to Reytha, we will have your decision."
She bowed her head again, "Thank you, Master."
With that, she turned and exited the High Council Chambers, brown robes flowing behind her.
______________
XXXX brushed out her long brown hair. She found it helped her to think and relax better than meditation some times. She looked into the mirror and studied the face that looked back at her. Not all that pretty, but far from ugly. The nose was a little big and slightly crooked from battles, the lips were too thin, and the brown eyes set too close by just that much.
It had been a blessing, or so she told herself. All the pretty Jedi females constantly seemed to either have men chasing them or even dropping out of the Jedi Order. Long ago she had decided that looks were nothing but a distraction.
She had passed her tests and been granted the rank of knight at the age of 15 early by many standards, and had become a Master by the age of 26, also a surprise to the status quo. She had trained four padawans in her 20 years since passing the trials. A feat almost unheard of as most Jedi spent anywhere between six to ten years as a padawan.
During the last 20 years, her primary area of expertise had been the aquistion of candidates for the Jedi Order. Nearly all of the 74 younglings which she had brought in had stayed. Most were still younglings being trained at the Temple on Coruscant, although some had become padawans, and 2 were even knights already.
Right from the start it had been apparent that she had a calming presence on children, making her a natural choice when going to persuade parents of Force sensitive children.
But she was anything but a babysitter and negotiator. Her skill with the lightsaber and knowledge of the Force was known and respected throughout the Order, and some of the main reasons they were asking her to fill the seat on the Council despite only being 35.
She could tell that many Jedi were confused as to why she hesitated to accept the appointment. Even her partner on this mission, Jedi Knight Jaron, had asked her about it already.
But unlike Jaron, XXXXXXXXX was able to bury her secrets deep down inside of her.
________________
The day before, in the chambers of the Jedi High Council.
She stood in the center of the ring of seats, conscious of the 11 pairs of eyes trained on her, scrutinizing her feelings and intents. She had long ago learned to conceal those, or she wouldn't be a Jedi Master.
She never felt she deserved the rank, but she had never discussed her misgivings about it before, and had no intentions of doing so now.
"Honored Masters, I am honored that you feel I am worthy of a seat on this council, but I must take some time, to meditate and determine for myself if accepting this position is truely the destiny that the Force has in store for me."
She bowed slightly as she ended her speech.
"Go then, Master XXXXXXXXXX. When you return from your mission to Reytha, we will have your decision."
She bowed her head again, "Thank you, Master."
With that, she turned and exited the High Council Chambers, brown robes flowing behind her.
______________
XXXX brushed out her long brown hair. She found it helped her to think and relax better than meditation some times. She looked into the mirror and studied the face that looked back at her. Not all that pretty, but far from ugly. The nose was a little big and slightly crooked from battles, the lips were too thin, and the brown eyes set too close by just that much.
It had been a blessing, or so she told herself. All the pretty Jedi females constantly seemed to either have men chasing them or even dropping out of the Jedi Order. Long ago she had decided that looks were nothing but a distraction.
She had passed her tests and been granted the rank of knight at the age of 15 early by many standards, and had become a Master by the age of 26, also a surprise to the status quo. She had trained four padawans in her 20 years since passing the trials. A feat almost unheard of as most Jedi spent anywhere between six to ten years as a padawan.
During the last 20 years, her primary area of expertise had been the aquistion of candidates for the Jedi Order. Nearly all of the 74 younglings which she had brought in had stayed. Most were still younglings being trained at the Temple on Coruscant, although some had become padawans, and 2 were even knights already.
Right from the start it had been apparent that she had a calming presence on children, making her a natural choice when going to persuade parents of Force sensitive children.
But she was anything but a babysitter and negotiator. Her skill with the lightsaber and knowledge of the Force was known and respected throughout the Order, and some of the main reasons they were asking her to fill the seat on the Council despite only being 35.
She could tell that many Jedi were confused as to why she hesitated to accept the appointment. Even her partner on this mission, Jedi Knight Jaron, had asked her about it already.
But unlike Jaron, XXXXXXXXX was able to bury her secrets deep down inside of her.
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