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last online Jul 8, 2012 22:10:44 GMT -5
Padawan
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Dec 24, 2010 12:09:19 GMT -5
Post by Trellheim on Dec 24, 2010 12:09:19 GMT -5
Master Galak Avara leaned in the high backed chair, turning his head only slowly to follow the steady ebb of the conversation. A green member to the High Council, Avara had not seen a place to interject as of yet and he was content with that. At his first chance, though, his opinions would be expressed to their fullest extent.
As Master Mon'vuuem finished Galak prepared himself to speak. He felt sympathy to both sides, almost balanced to the ideas proposed by Masters Took and Lamilia. "Master Mon'vuuem, even though your course of action is a logical one, splitting our forces could be detrimental to our progress. Division and strife between two separate 'factions' of the Order is not what we need in a time of obvious war."
Galak paused, collecting his thoughts. "The Order has remained strong throughout the years. Our true strength can be in learning from our past mistakes and not making them again. If we let our rogue Jedi Blades go on with their warring efforts alone, I fear a path similar to that of the Revanchists..."
"Master Roq, I respect you and all of your fellow thinkers to the greatest degree, and while the Force has it's calling, a half hearted, unfulfilled number of Jedi will needlessly go to war without the full backing of the Order. I still feel that even a compromise such as you propose will inevitably cause the separation that has already formed. Even though I am inclined to follow the propositions of Master Took, we must examine all courses of action, and I do not feel that putting in a half hearted display of Jedi force, however motivated on their part, would be remotely successful in our war. The Sith, powerful or not powerful, are always a force to be reckoned with. The Empire itself is mustering itself for attacks, and all Jedi should feel compelled to defend our sworn government. We are protectors, but sometimes aggressiveness, in light of peace, is a neccessary action in times such as we face."
"Our course of action should be a measured, unified one, even if that means causing a period of resentment. Our power rests in our combined talents and strengths."
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Jenno
Still glorious, but no longer your leader.
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last online Nov 5, 2019 10:09:22 GMT -5
Master
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Jan 12, 2011 16:11:01 GMT -5
Post by Jenno on Jan 12, 2011 16:11:01 GMT -5
It appeared as though this discussion was becoming quite heated now, for a gathering of Jedi anyway. Some of the members were becoming increasingly passionate for their cause, Vreem was certainly aware of the fact that he was attempting to appeal to the compassion that their Order was built upon. It was a topic of conversation he found it difficult to approach with a completely calm mind, and as many of the mannerisms and straightened backs of the High Council seemed to drop; the Jedi Lord became aware that he was not alone in this fact.
Master Mon’vuuem finally spoke, which came as a relief to Vreem. He had always found that she managed to maintain a sturdy sense of calm. Her reasoning, much like those of Master Roq and Master Gera, resonated within him; however her warning caught him slightly off guard. Truth be told he had donned his ‘armour’ many years previously and the suit he wore now was simply another layer. As much as his peers might dislike, Vreem had been closed off to all but a select few since he had become a Knight. Slowly he had managed to open up to more and more members of the Order, but over the last year he was gradually becoming isolated once again. The fall of Jahn to the Sith, the disagreement with Jace regarding the war and Meira’s refusal to join the war with him left the Jedi feeling almost like that young Knight again.
But now things were different, he had a goal he could commit himself to instead of hiding within his mind he could direct his thoughts and give himself a purpose. Of course, the idea of sharing these thoughts with those present, like Mon’vuuem had suggested was not something he wished to do. Even when he had been close to Jahn, Meira and Jace he had not been very open about himself or his past.
This line of thought was leading him to a negative place, especially given his location. The Jedi Master focused his mind and started to gradually slow down his breathing, the tension that writhed beneath his armour in his shoulders began to dissipate. And as that sensation began to fall upon him, Vreem allowed his thoughts and emotions to scatter with the easing of his muscles. As he regained control of himself again, the Jedi Lord moved to speak again.
“You needn’t worry Master Mon’vuuem,” he said with a gentle smile, “I understand that the Jedi Order is not composed solely of one mind, there are those who agree with my actions and those who do not, such instances befall all of us at some stage.” His eyes shifted from the elegant kaminoan to address the council as a whole. “In light of what has been said, I find the prospect of those who do not wish to fight taking another form of action against this threat as being at least a step in the right direction. Master Avara, you cannot truly have unity if there is resentment amongst the Order, and this course of action would allow some support for the Jedi who would join the war in a more active role. As Master Lamilia pointed out, there are more aspects to warfare than simply taking to the battlefield. For example, acquiring information through the use of spies and infiltration for example, establishing secure trade routes and resources through diplomacy can all lead to victory of defeat. Having the Jedi take even the smallest active role in these times, at this stage, is enough for me. It is far greater than having the Order simply do nothing about the threat.”
“A request I would like to make, however, in conjunction with what seems to be an increasing agreement, is that those Jedi who wish to take to the battlefield be allowed to do so. And for those of us who have already decided to act as such, and those who will hopefully join us, to no longer be treated with as much contempt from our peers.” His gaze flickered briefly to a few members of the council. “Whilst I understand that we cannot control what members of the Order may say or think, for members of this Council to voice the same opinion again, on both courses of action, would likely be a comfort for all of the Jedi. We lead by example, as the saying goes.”
He knew there would be those amongst the council who would still not agree with the option of taking both courses of action. However, this would be a step in the direction of unity on this matter and whilst it might not be what he fully wanted; he was willing to speak as such to comfort the minds of their Order. It would also mean that potential members of the ‘Blades’ would be more likely to join Vreem upon the front lines. Previously, the disapproval of the group’s actions may have scarred off those who might have been considering signing up. And whilst the Jedi Master understood he a major factor in why they were currently faced with the disunity, over something that did not seem as important in comparison he was willing to make such a sacrifice.
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last online Jan 14, 2020 17:37:19 GMT -5
Master
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Feb 16, 2011 11:05:54 GMT -5
Post by Jace on Feb 16, 2011 11:05:54 GMT -5
If there was any sign that was needed to prove just how stressful the current time was, it was given as soon as Jace stopped speaking. He had not been a member of the Council long, he had been Grandmaster for a significantly a shorter time. In all the countless discussions the Council had taken part in, he had never seen one get so lively as this. Compassion, infused with a sense of pride was turning this discussion in a direction he did not want it to go. Every member here was proud to a certain extent, Jace included, but it was the Jedi's ability to check that pride with humility that separated them from darker foes.
In truth he feeling wearier than he had minutes before. He had not expected anyone to change their position on the war or not, but he had expected productive discussion. That was not to say that good ideas had not been brought forth, but they were beginning to become muddled in personal feelings. Jace knew any further discussion on the war would just be circular, and thus inquired what else could also be done. He wasn't dismissing the opinions of Vreem and those who held his beliefs, but was rather advocating something closer to what Roq had stated soon after him.
All eyes seemed to be on him now, so Jace stood, ready to once again address his peers.
"I understand that this is no simple matter, but I would suggest we all take a breath and a moment to consider why we are here. The matter of going to war or not, is over. It is clear where everyone's opinions stand, words will not change them, only experience and time. Everyone can rest assured that they have properly explained their position, and that all of us here have not just heard but listened to our peers opinions. In truth, these matters should be dealt with carefully, yet we must not delay too long."
He paused a moment, his gaze drifting towards Vreem and the others who had advocated going to war.
"I believe Master Roq is right in saying that being unified does not necessarily refer to just taking one action. That being said, I will not say that it is right for him and others to go to war, while sitting here and advocating that war isn't the course we should take. A hypocrite would make me a rather sore example of a Grandmaster.
Master Took, as stated before, the Council does not sanction your actions. Yet even so, it will be reiterated that those who wish to join you will not be stopped. I think every one of us here can understand the reasons for why this is so."
Jace had hopefully cleared up what was left of a discussion that he wished to move away from. It was time for the Order to decide how even with differing opinions they could protect the Republic as they have always done.
"I will ask once again, aside from engaging in open war, how can we help the Republic?
Master Lamilia did bring an important point to the table which I have been thinking on as of late. The Sith have not just attained planets through strength alone. Every time a planet joins the Empire, they lose very little resources, yet the cost to the Republic is great. We must reaffirm ties with planets throughout the galaxy. Negotiation has always been a staple of the Jedi way, the people of the Republic must know that they haven't been abandoned.
Master Took also mentioned another way in which we can try and bring light to the current situation. Spies, informants, more than anything we need information. The risk to Jedi on these missions may be substantial but I find our current lack of information increasingly disturbing. The Sith deal in deception, we must attempt to uncover some of the mysteries behind this dangerous threat."
A pause once more to let his suggestions take hold, to gauge the looks on his peer's faces.
"Finally I want to say this, the Sith Empire may be the biggest threat facing the Republic but it is not the only one. We Jedi do not exist solely to combat the Sith, in fact almost all of what we do suggests nothing of the sort. We may go to war and win, but what is the point if we come back to a Republic that has been destroyed from within.
Thus I implore you all once again, put aside the matter of battle or not for now, and let us try to find some actions that we can all agree upon for the benefit of the Republic and its people"
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Apillis
Poonikins
1,153 posts
108 likes
Cotton candy, sweet and low, let me see that tootsie roll!
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last online May 10, 2023 15:20:37 GMT -5
Master
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Mar 16, 2011 18:23:49 GMT -5
Post by Apillis on Mar 16, 2011 18:23:49 GMT -5
There was little other feeling Lamilia could feel than being disturbed by what has been unveiled within this meeting. Over half the Council could only think to go to war, while utterly ignoring, dismissing, or simply completely ingorant to alternatives to violence. But more often than not it felt less like after seeking and considering other alternatives, and coming to the reasonable deduction that only fighting in war was left; instead it came off more as they never wanted to entertain the idea to begin with and rather dive headlong in war and crush their preceived Sith threat with an ironfist.
The sad reality is that the darkness they feel they need to crush and stop so badly is the very darkness brewing within their own hearts that is making them want to go to more than any other peaceful alternative. The reasoning and context of their statements of wanting to protect others is little more than excuse and pretense to the aggression of seeking to fight as the primary, and all else as the secondary. If battle and war is the first option Jedi thinks to reach for as the primary action, than it is not the light within them they are adhering to.
As history and experience has shown Lamilia is that within the individual this is far more manageable and can be pacified. But within masses, it can cascade vastly, and it has, and she can already see it doing so amongst the young. The fact over half the Jedi Council thinks only of battle and war as a primary option thus far within a conflict that has yet to truly erupt beyond anything more than the couple large battles that have occurred, confirms her concerns quite articulately. War is upon the galaxy, but more than half the Council only want to gaze upon the immediate and charge straight into quash the darkness before it gets the chance for momentum. But seeing only the immediate rather than the long term and the abstract is what has caused so many problems in the past. The darkness will only consume their aggression and grow stronger from it, as it always has in the past. Lamilia's thoughts mused that no one wants to learn from history to resist a destructive cycle within it, for it is much easier to go along with it blindly following the patterns.
The fact a couple of the Jedi Council members were practically demanding entire unity she found even more troubling. For the very fact Sith make the very same demands of their councils, gatherings, and followers. Such forms of absolutism is a form of tyranny, only following no descenting, no thinking for oneself or ones own path. All Jedi paths must march along the drumb-beat of war to a single resounding tune. Insanity. That is not the Jedi way, nor has it ever been. Too many want to mimicry a past that saw to the near complete destruction and obliteration of the Jedi Order. Why? The reasoning was unfathomable to her. All of it did nothing more than scream of complete nonsense to her.
It was then a question that popped into her mind: Does the Jedi Order even remember what it is to follow the path of the Jedi anymore?
It was all simply repeated perceptions of seeing their enemies raise their head at long last from the shadows, and what came across to her as the childish notion of those who want to be the valiant 'knight' running off to vanquish the rising darkness. If only history and reality here were so simplistic, but every tale of a knight running off for glory and to sink their blade into the heart of the darkness they seek to destroy -- they only find in the end they are the very evil they sought to slay. This is why Jedi are trained since they are younglings to let go of such petty attachments. To have an enemy is to have an attachment, and a Jedi should have none. There maybe those who see that Jedi as an enemy, but to the Jedi -- neither are enemies of one another. A lesson Lamilia was beginning to see as either never being taught, or not taught enough to the Jedi from decades past into the present, for it is certainly a lesson not understood here or by some members of this Council in here eyes.
The Grandmaster's judgement gave Lamilia small measure of relief, but with having heard the perspective of more than half the Council's inclination to war as the primary option. There was no relief to be found in this, only discomfort and unease. She could only hope that they soon gain insight into numerous other paths available to all Jedi in this current time other than one mired in violence and death. At this point, however, she had nothing more to add after the Grandmaster spoke his words, and she merely instead remained silent... at least until she may feel enough cause to speak further should the meeting continue to progress.
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Kella
Fire and Blood
4,089 posts
5 likes
Fire cannot kill a dragon.
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last online Oct 30, 2014 9:41:46 GMT -5
Master
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Mar 20, 2011 15:40:53 GMT -5
Post by Kella on Mar 20, 2011 15:40:53 GMT -5
Roq had found, in his sixty three years, that solving problems with direct application of force was much, much easier than solving it with negotiation or diplomacy. That did not mean that he preferred the former -- in fact, the ease of the latter often troubled him. Roq wondered -- no, he knew -- that if solving things with words was easier than solving things with weapons, that arms dealers would be out of business.
However, it had never been the nature of the Right Thing to be easy. In fact, the right thing was often the difficult thing. It was for this reason that truly good men were much more rare and much more valuable than gold.
"I think," Roq began, somewhat halting, "Or rather, I have come to the conclusion that, our focus ought to be humanitarian aid. On the war front and off. It is a way of showing individual planets that the Jedi still care, that the Jedi are still invested in their wellbeing, regardless of what is going on in the rest of the galaxy. As far as public policy goes, focusing on humanitarian aid allows us to offer aid to those planets which are affected by the war, without the appearance of being biased."
The Jedi cocked his head. "Now, I suggest this only politically, not as a reflection of my own motivations, but this sort of aid could create good feelings in planets towards the Republic, which would be a great aid if the war spreads. Though," he sighed, "I suspect that might be more of a 'when'."
The Jedi paused, but it was the sort of pause one made before saying something heavy, and weighty, as if gathering the gumption to carry the burden.
"On the matter of spying. I wholeheartedly agree that gathering more information is absolutely necessary. However -- as I'm sure you all know -- it must be done with the utmost caution. I cannot say that enough. Any information gathered must be carefully scrutinized, and any action taken on that information counted with a secondary plan in the case that that information prove to be false. Counterintelligence is a delicate thing when people have only control of themselves, but when you add the Sith into the equation, and the Force, there is no such thing as too much caution. The last thing we want is to be baited by the Sith -- or worse yet, to have our own brothers and sisters corrupted."
This struck a particularly personal cord with the Jedi, and anybody looking at him could see that Roq was gravely serious. The dark side could compel one to do horrible, horrible things. Roq knew. He'd done them.
The moment of vulnerability having had its effect, the gravity began to fade from his countenance, and Roq seemed more his normal self, waiting for the feedback of his fellows.
Because, as it were, despite words being far more difficult to tame than blasters or sabers, the Graarl actually enjoyed these sorts of things -- as far as one could without making a mockery of them.
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last online Jul 8, 2012 22:10:44 GMT -5
Padawan
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Mar 25, 2011 20:05:41 GMT -5
Post by Trellheim on Mar 25, 2011 20:05:41 GMT -5
Galak listened through the words of the two fellow Council members seated near him. Avara stroked his chin, feeling the slight stubble that had accumulated there. As Roq finished his remarks Galak began speaking.
"I concur with both of you, Master Lamilia and Roq. The Jedi must be wary of inner affairs within the Republic; we cannot become one sided and focus on a certain position. We have skilled Jedi in all areas of this time, from Guardians who are available to aid in the war if necessary, Sentinels for continued upkeep of Republic worlds, Counsulars for negotation and Senatorial advisory, Shadows for covert operations. I could go on, but you all catch my drift."
Galak paused. "The Force is a balanced effort, and we must concede to it's will; we cannot close our eyes and pretend their is not war, because it will be always be there. We must keep our eyes open, watch, and make ours moves carefully from there on."
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Kuhblam
I've got two guns, one for each of ya'.
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last online Sept 7, 2013 15:30:01 GMT -5
Guardian
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Jun 9, 2011 20:33:49 GMT -5
Post by Kuhblam on Jun 9, 2011 20:33:49 GMT -5
Leaning back into his chair, he stroked his blond beard repeatedly as in deep thought or concentration, but otherwise remained silent. The course of battle was the one he wanted to take. It was straightforward, and if properly executed in lightning fashion, they could decapitate the Sith in one fell stroke. Of course, however, there was little use in not gathering intelligence first, and Master Roq was absolutely right. If he went charging in there with a group of Jedi behind him only to be surrounded and captured, all it would do was give the Sith a bartering chip to be used as leverage for control of more systems. Granted, every single avenue of approach to the situation had multiple risks. Of course, if no one ever took any of the risks they were presented with, nothing would ever get done and the galaxy would turn into quite a stagnant place. That was how he felt right now sitting in this Council; all hypothetical blabber and the like.
Perhaps humanitarian aid was the right choice of action at the moment. It would definitely look good politically; however, there were innumerable systems in contention right now against the Sith Empire and the title of "victory" had only been claimed by the Galactic Republic once now at Subterrel. Rhen Var, Mon Calamari, the loss of Dantooine... Roq was right that it was more of a when as opposed to an if. Even with all the Order's resources, they would not be able to cater to the needs of every planet. He pondered this for a moment. Maybe it was best to simply help where they could. But this was a short term solution. If the Council would not agree on the Blades about confronting the Sith Order in battle, then he would vie for support of this stealth spying suggestion. Intense scrutiny and caution would be needed, yes, but it would have to be done. Humanitarian aid would only be able to go so far before the Jedi's sword was forced in one way or another.
"I agree with stealth operations and humanitarian aid as viable options."
His eyes kept away from any of the other Council Members. An elbow on the side of the chair propped up his hand, which was still incessantly scratching his short blond beard.
"However, humanitarian aid can only go so far. The Sith Empire's attacks are spreading to more and more systems; we will eventually be hard-pressed to keep up with the needs of so many innumerable planetary populations."
Tyrdo's mind went back to the stealth operations after Galak mentioned the word "covert."
"However, we need something a little more direct. If not battle, then these stealth operations that are being mentioned. Send the Shadows and Sentinels, uncover this Sith Order's lair and it's bases with caution but also enthusiasm. When we have found them and put intelligence on an even keel, we can more properly move against the snake with our heel... however, someone would need to volunteer to lead such an operation. No doubt the dangers involved would be as numerous as the population of Coruscant for anyone taking part."
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