If You Keep Asking Questions... (Open)

Exodus. Eaon left from the stale walls and clammy air. Exodus from everything that Eaon had been hiding from. He hadn't met his new Master yet, and it was just one other thing weighing down the young Jedi's mind. His mind was swimming with questions and he couldn't think, without ever knowing it was coming his heart, Eaon's very life had been in one day shattered. It was hard for someone to just be expected to recover. The Jedi Code it was something that when used right protected a Jedi, and the people they knew and touched, but for someone who hadn't really gotten a chance to live it, it just added feelings of doubt and despair, like you were letting everyone you'd ever known down.

Eaon's mind was unusually focused this day though, he could feel a powerful presence, or at least he thought he could. Maybe it was just a rumor Eaon had heard, and the subconcious thoughts of that were causing Eaon to feel something he didn't really feel. Eaon didn't really know, and quiet frankly he didn't really care, he just needed someone to talk to. He knew there was someone, someone wiser, probably stronger who could find away out of this miserable state, someone who could help Eaon stand on his own two feet and start to find something else out again. Eaon made his way silently from his Dorm through out the Jedi temple towards the court yard. Eaon wished he'd worn his robe, since he'd returned and word had gotten out about Vjun there were too many people looking to give their two credits worth of advice and sympathy in.

After awhile Eaon made his way into the courtyard dodging around whatever people and plants seemed to block his way till finally he found what he'd come looking for. A rather predator like creature that could easily be described as the kind of beast that haunted children's dreams. Eaon had heard he was wise though, he'd never actually spoke to the person before, though it was to be quiet an honor for anyone who did, this creature was called "Master". Master Roq was an interesting creature, though his differences made Eaon like the Master a bit more, he was unique, and probably not as crazy about the slinging of sabers and absurd exploits.

Eaon was a bit on edge at first, but finally he came before Master Roq and sat down. At first Eaon didn't say anything and he'd unintentionally diverted his gaze. He didn't mean to be offensive if he was, he just wasn't sure how to ask for help. Eaon didn't like to admit his weakness, though he was plenty weak and not that experienced either. Finally Eaon built up his nerve and let out a sigh and after a brief moment opened his mouth, though at first it was hard for words to come out. "Master. I need help...how, how do I keep going?"

Eaon asked not knowing if he was even making any sense at all, though he was fairly confident that even if the Master didn't recognize him, he would be familiar with Eaon's situation. After all how could the High Council not know their own Jedi Knights were dying, and a padawan too?

"Locke Nemsee, what were you thinking when you decided to take a padawan?" The question was rhetorical of course, as the hall that Locke walked through was, for all intents and purposes, empty. Locke didn't mind, though. The Force only knew some time on alone would be nice, after all the stress that padawan had been putting him through. "Surely he doesn't do it on purpose, though, right?" The blaster pistol that normally rested on his hip near his lightsaber was free, and spun about Locke's finger in varying fashions as he walked along; it was a habit he was starting to develop when he was stressed about something. It just so happened that Locke was stressed about a number of things this day, most of them related to Jazen.

"I mean, he's a good kid, really." The pistol flipped through the air for a moment, and landed in his left hand, though he hardly paid any mind to it as he sent it spinning around his index finger. "He tries to do right, he really does. But if he doesn't start thinking, he's going to run me ragged."

Of course, the source of most of Locke's ire today was Jazen's recent decision to go Sith-hunting on Naboo on his own, without telling anyone about what he was doing. To the boy's credit there had been Sith there, two of them, in fact, but Locke had been still was quite irate at Jazen's brashness. Not only because of the fact that he'd not told anyone else what he was up to, but due to the fact that, in large part, it really wouldn't take a powerful Sith to kill the boy. Or capture him. Locke feared the second may have been worse. "Hell, if he'd run into that Sith I had to fight, rather than the younger one..." The pistol halted for a moment before it began to spin in the other direction and went flipping through the air again, back to Locke's right hand. Locke only sighed and shook his head.

There was also the matter of the boy's struggles with an internal darkness, one that surfaced on Umgul, but Locke didn't even want to think about that. He had enough to worry about as things stood. And that wasn't even counting the ever-growing war...

Needless to say, there was a lot on Locke's mind. But he kept it hidden deep within, away from the prying of others. Most of the time, anyway. To the rest of the world, he was the same high-spirited, if irreverent, Jedi he'd always been. And if they could sense a bit of turmoil within? Well, who wasn't a little stressed about something these days?

So Locke had heard that one of the Council members was out and about in the courtyard, and he, being the intrepid young Knight that he was, decided it might be wise to go talk to someone with a bit more experience than he. It couldn't hurt. That was where he was heading now, and with just another turn...

He stepped out in the courtyard, flipping his pistol one more time and holstering it with one smooth motion. The ends of the long coat Locke wore over his robes flapped loosely behind him in the light breeze of the courtyard as he stood there for a moment, looking about for the Councilman. It wasn't hard to find Roq; the Graarl, being what he was, stood out quite readily in crowds. Locke nodded in satisfaction when he spotted the older Jedi, and sauntered over, hands in his pockets.

Another Jedi arrived to stand before the aged master before Locke did, though; a padawan, from the look of youth about him, though he was a few inches taller than Locke. Locke heard the young man's question as he came to a stop, and, deciding not to interrupt with his own question simply met the Graarl's eyes with his stormy grey ones and gave a short nod, saying "Roq" in greeting as he did so.

Though it may have seemed as if the Master was only staring idly into space, he benefited from the result of years of natural selection, and even the periphery of his eyesight was relatively sharp. Even as his eyes drifted lazily from flower to flower, he kept a surveiling watch over the courtyard. And so it was in this manner, and the subtle vibrations in the Force, that Roq noted a somewhat troubled newcomer.

Roq allowed the figure to enter into his periphery, and a quick glance afforded him all the detail he needed. The mid-length black hair, the tall, lean build, the gaunt, almost angsty shadow to his eyes. The recognition of the boy stemmed from several months past, when Roq had attended the final respects to a fallen Jedi, Raavin. This boy (His name began with either an 'E' or an 'A', Roq couldn't remember) had been the man's Padawan.Now Roq, plagued by his species' poor long-term memory, could not have immediately identified him as the Padawan in question. But see, even though Roq was no telepathy specialist, he knew this boy was grieving -- his decades at a Jedi Master had taught him well how to pick up on such things. And so, Roq deduced him to be Raavin's Padawan, even before he approached. And, as he came closer and Roq's stone eyes turned warmly upon him, the boy's question confirmed Roq's guess.

"Master, I need help..." He said. "How-- How do I keep going?"

Roq was quiet for a moment, but something in his gaze said that he understood, and that Eaon (That was his name! Roq thought triumphantly) need not explain himself anymore.

"Many Jedi will tell you to ignore your grief." Roq began. For one who was not used to seeing the Graarl speak, it could be disconcerting at first -- lacking the oral structure of a humanoid, his voice was shaped deep in his throat, refined by his tongue, and supplemented by only slight movements of his beak. At times, it could seem as if some record were playing from inside the reptilian, But once one learned to watch his eyes, or the vibration of the scales of his throat, his speech became less disconcerting.

"But they are wrong," He continued. "They mean you no harm, and I do not think it would be assuming too much to say you've heard it before. Burying your grief down in the darkness of your heart only allows it to grow and fester like moss. It will destroy you from the inside out," Roq said, and for a moment, his tone was that of the deepest empathy, "Hear this from a Jedi who knows." But then, the twinkle was back in his eye. "Let your grief run its course, but do not cling to it." Roq's eyes darted around a moment, as if looking for something to illustrate his point.

"Consider a flower," he said, pointing a talon at one of the garden's blooms. "Once it is pollinated, its time comes to an end. The petals die, the core wilts, and it becomes brown and dead. But only through the dying of the flower, can the seeds inside form. And only when the flower has dried to nothing more than a crisp, can the seeds fall, and new flowers, new good times grow. But what if the flower never wilted? If that flower remained eternally young, then we'd only know that single one -- and never the beauty a whole field can bring."

Roq examined Eaon, the subtle clues of his body language, to see how his metaphor had been received. There were some things that could be packaged, and there were some things that one simply had to come across on their own.

"Seek peace in knowing that the Force wills all things at the proper time. We each only have a short amount of time with those for whom we care, and the real tragedy is being surprised when the end comes. One might as well prepare for the end by taking advantage of every moment. Breathe the air, Eaon. Feel the sunshine. Though it can seem like your world's shattered, there's a whole galaxy to explore." Roq had an odd way with Rhetoric, and there was something in his tone, beyond his words, that communicated a fascination and a wonder, with even the simplest things of the universe.

At that moment, another Jedi approached, and Roq recognized his greeting with the nod of his head. That was the thing about being a Master -- more people knew who you were, than you knew who people were. However, Roq had learned well how to feign recognition until the proper clues could be pieced together. In fact, it was amazing what could be deduced from a few simple details. His hands rested in his pockets, and there was a saunter in his walk, confidence present in the set of his chin. The absence of 'Master' in his address hardly offended Roq -- but it did suggest either a disregard or an absent-mindedness towards respect of authority. He was curious to see what question -- and what answers -- this Jedi would bring.

However, this curiosity was masked well, both by the efforts of Roq, and the naturally enigmatic nature of Graarl facial expressions. For one not used to the species, the macro-expressions were harder to pick out, and so his countenance still showed genuine compassion to Eaon.

Eaon waited for a few moments in silence. Perhaps the Master had not heard of him? Eaon didn't know, but he really didn't want to ask the question again, it was like a knife in his heart. Finally though Master Roq did say something, meaning he knew Eaon and his story, which helped because Eaon didn't have to explain himself. Besides Eaon figured himself to sound foolish if he had to, how could one truly explain that they couldn't train because when they ignited their Saber they felt only the presence of their fallen master? How could one further explain that Meditation, one of the more important aspects of a Jedi's life was impossible to do, because you only felt the presence of your fallen friend?

Eaon did listen to the Master's advice though carefully, his eyes were shut as he tried to meditate, hoping to shake the feeling that his Izumi and Master were watching over him disappointed. Eaon hoped he could hide it though, through out most of the speech that Master Roq was giving to him Eaon had a hard time forcing back the tears that kept trying to swell up. Eaon already felt weak and low, last thing he needed was water works to confirm his pain.

It wasn't long though before Eaon became aware of someone else who'd entered in. Someone more powerful than Eaon was, but perhaps not as powerful as Master Roq. He felt stressed, which probably meant something about a recent mission or experience. Eaon couldn't really imagine what it was, but it had to be pretty high up on the list for a Meditation starved, exhausted, heart broken, Padawan to notice it with his eyes closed while multi-tasking in avoiding his own weaknesses.

Eaon got the feeling that the man was probably there to ask a question, just as Eaon was. Eaon figured he'd try to get some rest in while the man attempted to make some sense out of the Master's words. Eaon would attempt to- in this time- to bask in the sun and feel the life of whatever misc life was around him. It was probably the closest to the true, deep meditation that Eaon was used to. Back before Eaon had experienced the horrors of the Dark Jedi on Vjun he used to remember how vividly the force felt like the warmth of the sea surrounding his body. Lately though, it felt as if a storm and rolled in and blotted out the sun, leaving only darkness, turmoil, and an icy chill within the formerly calm waters.

{Yeah >.> Dialogue to explain things makes long post long}

Locke waited patiently for the Jedi Councilman to finish his talk with the padawn and allowed the padawan time to respond before making any move to bring himself more Roq's attention. He spoke up when Roq turned his attention to him. "I hope this day finds you well." Locke turned his head to look about the courtyard, with the various plants and Jedi that filled it. Truth be told, he was more a fan of the marvels built by mortal hands, like Coruscant's always-impressive skyline, than gardens and the like, but he could still appreciate the beauty that was before him. "It's certainly a beautiful day, eh?"

Locke sighed to himself as he returned his gaze to the aged master. "Mind if I sit?" The Knight didn't wait for an answer, and pulled his hands from his pockets as he promptly sat down next to Roq. His grey eyes went up to Eaon, and now that he got a good look at the padawan, he realized that he was not one that he knew. There was a deep sorry within the young man's heart though. Locke could feel it. A shame, that. "Hello there," Locke started with a friendly smile, "can't say I've met you before. The name's Locke. For both of you." He turned a wry grin to Roq. "After all, nearly everyone knows who you are, being a Councilman and all that. But I don't think highly enough of myself to think that everyone knows me. I know. It surprises most people that don't know me.

"Now, how to go about this?" Locke pulled his right leg up to rest on his left, tapping idly on his calf as he thought. "Well, I guess it'd just be best to start from the beginning." He leaned back a bit and turned his full attention to Roq, and paused for a moment when he found that he didn't have the slightest clue as to how to read the Graarl's expression. Odd... He went on without giving it a second thought.

"Well, Roq, you've had a padawan, I'm sure, so I figured it might be wise to come to you for a bit of advice on how to deal with my own. Now, I try to do the best I can for him; I feed him, water him, I even let him go outside to stretch his legs from time to time." Locke laughed warmly, and it was a genuine laugh--the kind that had been unnervingly rare for him as of late. "I thought I was doing pretty good. After all, that's what it says to do in the manual. And, for a time, everything was fine, but recently... Well, things are starting to slide downhill, and I find myself feeling rather, uh, well out of my element, to say the least.

"I'll spare you all of the irrelevant details, but it started a few weeks ago when we, along with another Knight went to Umgul to look into some kidnappings. Long story short, we were captured by a trio of Dark Jedi. They tortured him, thinking that he'd be an easier target than myself or the other Knight. They were right, to a degree." The cheer in Locke's voice faded as those memories came up to the surface, unwanted though they were. "They didn't get any information out of him, but they broke him. I think that within his mind, he got to the point where he didn't have anything else to do, and the Dark Side called out to him, so he answered. He went into a rage, and I was able to loosen some of his bonds enough for him to break free. He took one of the Dark Jedi by surprise, as was able to overwhelm another as me and the other Knight broke free. That was when I found out that he was so lost in his anger that he lashed out at anyone, regardless of if they were friend or foe. I... I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't listen. So I had to fight him." The pain of that decision still burned hard within Locke's heart. He'd never in a thousand years thought that Jazen would be an enemy, yet it happened, on one of their first missions together. His voice wavered as some of those emotions came up, but he pushed ahead. "The Force help me, I had to fight him. I was able to subdue him and talk him down, but..." Locke shook his head. "Even after the mission, I think there might be something lingering on within him; some darkness that rubbed off on him from his skirt with it."

Locke adjsuted his stance, putting his leg back down on the courtyard floor and leaning forward to rest both of his forearms on his legs before carrying on. "And then there was the little stunt he pulled a few days ago. We all know about the Sith resurgence, and we'd have to be fools to ignore the way they're pushing into Republic space. Jazen had visions, visions of the Sith going to Naboo. So, rather than telling someone, he took it upon himself to investigate, and went out deal with it. He didn't even tell me. The only reason I knew was because of a premonition that came during a meditation session. I found him before he was able to get himself killed, and there were Sith on Naboo. Two of them in fact; I had to deal with one while I was trying to get to Jazen, who was fighting another one, that, fortunately seemed to be about the same age and level as him." Locke looked up to Roq. "Surely you can see the source of my worries, though? If there'd been another one that was even the same level of ability that I am, he could have been killed. Or worse, captured. I'm glad that he can take the initiative and all that, but if the boy doesn't start thinking he's going to get himself killed. Hell, I'm still pissed that he went off without telling a soul about what he was doing." Locke's voice rose now, carrying with it a quiet heat, much like it had during the drawn out talk Jazen had received on the ride back to Coruscant.

"He's young, and it wasn't that long ago that I was his age, so I understand that he'll be rash, but this sh-" he cut the word short, deciding that a modicum of civility would probably be good, considering who he was talking to. It was hard to remember to keep his oft-rough tongue in check sometimes. "This stuff he keeps doing is going to run me grey." Silence fell for a moment as Locke made himself push his frustrations away with a heavy sigh. "Jazen's a good kid. He really is. I just... I'm just not sure how to handle him, really. I've never had to deal with the threat of the Dark Side within a comrade like this, and though his running of scared the daylights out of me, that scares me more than I can express. And I've tried some very creative methods of expressing it. Trust me."

Locke looked to Roq again, and a sad, helpless smile spread pulled at the corners of his mouth. "Any words of advice on how I might be able to deal with this?"

Roq knew that there was still turmoil within the Padawan's mind, but such states like Peace were things a Jedi had to reach my himself.

And then Locke sat upon him. The extra weight forced Roq to huff slightly, and he let the rest of his lungful out in an extended sigh. And yet, Roq tolerated the Knight's antics. He was above being offended by them. He was not, however, above responding in kind.

At the very least, he had the humility to allow the Knight to sit upon him and finish his story. While the assumption that Roq had had a Padawan was false, he wasn't lacking in experience -- he had mentored a great number of Padawans and Knights. Locke's comment about feeding and watering the boy made the Graarl chuckle quietly. The one thing no one could ever accuse Roq of was lacking a sense of humor.

As soon as Locke had posed his final question, the Graarl yawned lightly, and then, tensing the massive, toned muscles of his legs, usually used to launch him into the air, he stood up abruptly. The sudden change in elevation of his hindquarters -- moment's before also playing the role of Locke's bench -- would most likely dump the human to the ground.

Arching his back and stretching, the Graarl settled back onto his haunches, still perched upon a thick stone bench.

"Jazen is at the age," Roq began, "Where you cannot preach to him." The Graarl grinned cheekily, saying, "I'm sure you understand."

"He looks to you as an example, whether you want him to or not. Lead him by that example. He will turn out more similar to you than you expect; the Padawan reflects the master in many ways. Look into that mirror, and if you do not like what you see... then change it. But that change begins with you."

In line with his previous comment, Roq's words didn't sound like a sermon or a speech. Rather, there was a sincerity, and a good humor in them, that -- perhaps -- made them a little softer on the pride.

Still, he kept a careful eye on Eaon, not wanting to leave the previous conversation neglected, but also of enough good sense as to not push the boy.

{D: OMG! I forgot Eaon said I could go ahead and go again! Sorry for the wait >.<}

If Locke hadn't been so focused on telling Roq of his issues with Jazen he might have noticed that he hadn't sat next to the old Graarl master. No, Locke had taken a seat on Roq. Perhaps if he was paying attention he would have noted the Councilman's annoyed sigh. Or the fact that, solidly build though Roq might have been, he was not a stone bench. But, ignorance is bliss, and Locke was known for being high-spirited, among other things.

He was, of course, made aware of the fact that he'd sat on Roq when, the master, rather suddenly, stood up, unceremoniously dumping Locke to the ground in the process. "I guess I deserved that," he said with a warm laugh, though he was content to stay seated where he was, so he crossed his legs to listen to Roq's answer. At least the ground couldn't throw him onto the ground. That would just be weird, and he got a headache just thinking about how that might work.

Roq gave his answer, and Locke looked up at him with an amused snort. "Now, Roq, are you trying to imply," he started, false offense in his voice, "that I am not the sort that enjoys being preached at?" Locke's hand went to his chest as he put on a hurt expression, though it was exaggerated to make it obvious to all around that he was kidding. "What would make you think such a thing?"

Oh sure, he laughed and joked outwardly, as he always did, but within, things were different. Within, he was contemplating Roq's answer. To be honest, he'd expected something along the lines of what Roq offered, though he'd hoped he would hear something different. It wasn't for any lack of wanting to change himself, per se, but it added fuel to a fire that was starting to grow deep inside of his heart; a fire that fed on his doubts and his fears, one that had been growing too much for his own liking lately. They were, more than anything else, fears that perhaps taking Jazen under his wing had been a mistake. Not on the boy's part, but on Locke's. Locke's fears were that, because he was still, in the grand scheme of things, young, he wasn't ready to have a student. He knew how lax he was in... just being a Jedi, really. Well, perhaps not being one, because he'd carry out any order issued to him. Acting like a Jedi was a better way to put it.

Locke liked to imagine it was because his line of work had him dealing a great deal with the lowlifes of the Galaxy, and when he needed to blend in, being a stiff like some of the other Jedi (like Lev) wouldn't work. Still, he was who he was, and made no apologies for it. But with a student, perhaps it might be a good thing to be a bit of a better example, especially if Jazen was going to have to deal with these new Dark Side temptations. Or, better yet, perhaps Locke could finally stop trying to be Jazen's friend, as he had, up to going after him on Naboo, and actually be the young man's master.

"Perhaps you're right, Roq," Locke said pensively. A nostalgic chuckle slipped through his lips as a sudden thought came. "Force, he does remind me of myself when I was his age. Well, in some ways. I never ran off to another planet without informing my Master, but we all have our quirks, I suppose. Although, there was this one time where I got my Master good." Locke grinned devilishly at Roq and then turned his attention to Eaon.

"Look, kid, I'm gonna let you in on a secret. Now, we all get mad at our Masters sometimes. It's part of the package. I got mad at mine, I'm sure Roq got mad at his, and if you've never gotten mad at yours, then you'll probably get really mad before you hit the Trials and both of you will end up looking for Roq. Now, a great way to get back at said Master is to fiddle with the oil pipes on a ship, and then get them to fix the pipes. I did that to my old Master once, after he got me with some prank. We had a habit of pulling such jokes on each other." Locke's smile became genuine again, as memories of Tiino, his Iktotchi teacher, returned. "It wasn't hard to mess with the pipes, since I'm terrible with mechanical stuff. My first attempt at making a lightsaber almost exploded, you know. Anyway, he went to look at them, and oil went everywhere! Ah, good times, good times. He got me back, if you're wondering.

"Wait, what was I talking about?" Locke's brows knitted as he pondered that question in silence. "Ah yes, Jazen. Well, I'm sure I'll figure out some way to handle him, though my hair will probably be as white as his by the time he gets to the Trials, if all this stress I've been through so far is any indication. Not to mention the war..." Locke trailed off to silence. Images from Rhen Var suddenly flashed through his mind. Images of the death, the hurt. Images of Dorrin, an old friend. That battle shouldn't have happened. Or, it wasn't supposed to. They'd just been at Rhen Var to recruit more Jedi to the Blades--something that was causing enough worry within the Order in and of itself--not to fight a battle.

Speaking of the Blades... Locke's stormy grey eyes shifted back to Roq. The decision by some Jedi--himself included--to go against the wishes of some of the Council and join the war was one that divided the Order deeply. Oh, they might have appeared untied to an outsider, and they were, beneath all of the worry, Locke supposed. But the signs were there. There was a tensions about, one that hadn't been there before the Blades rose up as a group. Maybe it just coincided with the escalation of the fighting. Maybe not. But Locke had a Councilman before him. That presented an opportunity to hear opinion and insight he'd not had the chance to hear, in a number of areas.

Perhaps it would be best not to ask... No, he'd be alright. "Roq, if I may ask, what do you think of the war? And of the Jedi's involvement?" At the very worst, the Graarl might just refuse to talk of the war.

Eaon continued to sit eyes closed not really listening to too much about the man and his problems. He did however pay just enough attention to realize what the man's concerns were, and they were legitimate, and being in pain and mourning, Eaon probably had some idea the feelings of distaste for The Dark Jedi that the man's Master was having. Eaon thought for a moment before opening his eyes to the scenery around him and with a heavy sigh listened to the man a bit more and Master Roq's response.

"You don't need to preach anything. You just need to be there. We're younger than you, our teachings of the Code are fresher, we in a way, know the Jedi Order in it's purest and simplest forms better than anyone Jedi or Sith. You just need to make sure our goals, hopes, dreams, and power don't go to our heads." Eaon said to Locke. He didn't mean to sound arrogant, but he was rather sure he was right. As far as pure understanding of the very core basics of everything, the foundation of what is to come, the Padawan's mind was superior. It hadn't had life to get in the way of judgment which was it's best weapon and biggest weakness.

"And my Master Raavin was killed recently, I came here to find out what I should do to prepare myself for my new Master. I don't even know who they are yet. Part of me was hoping Master Roq would know that too." Eaon spoke, a bit stronger than he had before. He hadn't had much, but that closeness he felt to Izumi during those few brief moments of Meditation were something soothing to him, instead of troublesome for the first time since she'd died, it gave Eaon a little hope he could do better.

After Locke had concluded his tale about the exploding lightsaber, Roq turned his attention back to Eaon, as the boy said. "You don't need to preach anything. You just need to be there. We're younger than you, our teachings of the Code are fresher, we in a way, know the Jedi Order in it's purest and simplest forms better than anyone Jedi or Sith. You just need to make sure our goals, hopes, dreams, and power don't go to our heads."

The slightest shade of darkness passed over Roq's countenance, as brief and subtle as a gauzy scarf, tossed by in the wind...

"And my Master Raavin was killed recently, I came here to find out what I should do to prepare myself for my new Master. I don't even know who they are yet. Part of me was hoping Master Roq would know that too," continued the youth.

Roq's stony eyes centered on Eaon, and in his voice was a tone that warned of danger, like the groan of a boulder just before it tumbles from its ledge.

"Young Eaon," he said, voice gently scolding, "Be wary of the difference between ignorance and innocence. Your faith in the Jedi is like an ore. It is freshly mined, yes, and so in a way, you are right -- it knows best its potential, it knows best the hope of all it can be... But to become pure, an ore has to be refined. It is not a gentle process. It is a violent process, in a wickedly hot furnace. And even once the ore has been purified, it is soft. It is weak. It must be tempered, by fire then by ice, by fire then by ice. Only after this can the ore be strong.

"Each Jedi is like an ore. The trials we face, the ones that shake us the most, the hardships and pain we go through -- they are the fire and the ice that first purify us, then strengthen us.

"Young Jedi, you Padawan... Theirs and your hope is the strongest. But you are also filled with the most impurities, and have the most challenges to face. Do not forget this, Eaon."

Roq himself had been refined by the very fires of Hell, and all their horror. His words were more than empty, rote shells -- they were filled with the painful wisdom of countless scars.

"Unfortunately, as to the identity of your master... I have no idea."

Once more, Roq returned his conflicting attentions back to Locke.

"Roq, if I may ask, what do you think of the war? And of the Jedi's involvement?" Locke asked.

Roq made a deep thrumming noise in his throat, a sound of thought. "That is a very good question," he said, but still offered no answer. A moment passed, and it seemed as if the answer would be refused altogether.

But then, it came. Not words, but rather, a melody, reverberating deep in the Graarl's chest. It was mournful, the way it drifted through the keys... but steady. Determined, like a march forward into the unknown. There was strength, resolve in the tones. It was a small piece of the Graarl language, a Hieroglyphic of sounds... That was the power of the language in song -- to draw precisely at the heartstrings, to evoke an emotion, call forth an image.

The short melody faded, and Roq looked at Locke with somber eyes.

"War is a fact of life," Roq said. "Sometimes it happens with blasters and ships. Most of the time it happens with words and grudges, in the heart and in the head, in homes and in temples. There is always war between the Dark and the Light. War is often an agent of Balance. The Jedi are peacekeepers, and peace comes when there is balance. Therefore, war is often necessary for Peace. One must not be so distracted by the war of ships and blasters, that they forget the invisible war. It is far more impactful, far more profound, more far-reaching.

"As for the Jedi as a whole... The force calls each Jedi, prompts each Jedi differently. I cannot rightly judge another Jedi. I can watch with insight, but I cannot judge. The Force acts through us all in a way we cannot quite fathom. So I will protect the innocents that I can, because that is what the Force urges me to. That may mean charging when the time is right, or retreating when the time is not. I must have faith that my fellow Jedi, Council members especially, are listening intently to the Force. Because where one loses that faith, one loses trust, and when one loses trust... the darkness has won the true war.

"Beyond philosophicals, the fact of the matter is, the Jedi are peacekeepers. That means ending inevitable conflicts quickly and decisively. Hesitation is deeply detrimental to this goal. So is Recklessness." Roq gave Locke a meaningful look, as if warning Locke -- and every member of the Blades -- that they stood at the edge of a wicked precipice. "There is only a very fine line between wise patience, and hesitation. Which one currently holds the council... only the Force knows."

Locke's gaze shifted up and to the side to look at Eaon when the young man started to speak. He had to crane his head back, for Eaon was taller than he was--a difference that was multiplied by the fact that Locke was sitting on the ground. Locke's brow furrowed just a bit as Eaon spoke, though he remained respectfully silent. The padawan's words were a number of things: interesting, without a doubt, perhaps a bit insightful into the boy's frame of mind (though Locke didn't really care too much to go down that path), and perhaps just a little bit insulting.

As Eaon's speech shifted to a subject that only Roq could address, Locke's mind turned inward, working over the young man's words. Eaon was, by saying that he and the other young Jedi knew more of the Code, or had a better understanding of it than more senior members of the Order like Locke and Roq, more or less saying that they were better Jedi, and knew more about what it was to be a Jedi. After all, the Code was the strongest of the pillars of the Order, and in it were the tenets of what made a Jedi a Jedi. Without it, they were nothing. Locke was sure that Eaon's intentions were good, and with the apparent loss of his master, couldn't say the boy hadn't been through hard times or tests, but Eaon was still young. There were still several years left to go before he could even be considered for Knighthood, which was, coincidentally, a sign that his master and the Council had enough faith that he understood the tenets of the Code well enough to function out on his own, without constantly needing the hand of another Jedi to guide him.

Roq spoke before Locke could, which was probably a good thing, given the way the Investigator had a tendency to sometimes be blunt in his speech. He nodded as the councilman spoke, agreeing, though Roq said things much more artfully than Locke might have been willing to. It was all for the good.

"He's right, kid," Locke said, moving his stony eyes up to meet Eaon's. "Knowing the Code is well and good, but there's a difference between knowing it and knowing it, if you catch my drift. But, while I see what it is you're getting at, to understand what it is to be a Jedi, you have to actually go out and be a Jedi. If anything, Roq here understands the Order more than either of us, because he has so much more experience at being a Jedi. Life can bring things that can cloud your vision, no doubt, but don't be so quick to discredit the fact that it can just as easily open your eyes."

It was a surprisingly civil answer from the oft rough-tongued Jedi. Locke was rough around the edges; he'd be the first to admit it. But for all of that, he knew that, at his core, he was as devoted to his Order as any other Jedi. Perhaps he hadn't been shaped by nearly as many fires as Roq had, but he'd had his own trials, and he knew there were many more to come. And those trials would continue to forge him into a stronger Jedi, just as whatever trials Eaon would face would mold the young man.

His attention shifted again to Roq, when the Councilman gave an answer to his question. Locke listened intently as Roq spoke, and found himself nodding in agreement a number of times. Strangely, though, he found himself breaking Roq's gaze when the master gave him a look after his warning about recklessness. It was a subconscious thing, and only lasted a heartbeat, but still, it was there.

"I can agree with most of that. You're right, in that hesitation can be very dangerous, just like being overly-enthusiastic. And while I obviously agree that we're peace keepers, aren't we also the protectors of the Republic? I don't want to start a philosophical debate with you or anything," Locke's teeth flashed as he laughed warmly for a moment, "no doubt because it's something I wouldn't stand a chance in, but I find myself thinking about that more and more often as of late. When I joined the ranks of the Investigators, it was because I swore I'd do whatever it took to keep what happened to my parents from happening to anyone else. I swore I'd do the best I could to defend them from whatever lowlifes would try to prey on them or take advantage of them, as was done to my father." He shrugged, almost carelessly, and kept going.

"So, for the past four years, that's what I've done. But now the Republic's threatened by more than just some petty criminals. And I find myself thinking that that some vow I took to protect the Republic--or, more importantly, her people--applies, though the circumstances are different." Locke looked down at the ground and sighed heavily. Compassion touched the edge of his voice as he spoke; compassion for those who'd already lost their lives at the hands of the Sith interlopers, and the countless more that would before everything was said and done.

"I mean no offense to you or any member of the Council Roq, believe me, but there are people dying out on the Outer Rim. People who've done nothing more than choose a poor location to live their lives. And for what? Because some rogue group thinks they have the right to control the Galaxy?" His sigh was noticeably frustrated as his head shook, and he looked up to meet Roq's eyes with his own. "I know being reckless is dangerous, but just sitting and meditating while we leave them to their fate doesn't sit right with me. Not in the least."