The Forging Of Blades (Open)

[Jenno]

(Open to all existing members of the Blades or any looking to join. Remember that Vreem isn’t the only member of the Blades present, Rugs, Kella and Sparrow will all have their Knights, existing members of the Blades, around as well any others who want to post.)


Vreem stood within the Citadel, a stronghold of the Jedi for many generations, often forgotten after the glory of the head Jedi Temple upon Coruscant. But this was to be his home now, their home, when they were not upon the battlefields. Under the Republic’s order this Temple, the Citadel and the entire Oden system that guarded their planet of Seraphim, was to serve as the headquarters of the Blades. Word had been spread amongst their number to meet on the planet, and to invite any and all who were interested in the idea of joining their fight against the Sith.

It was to be a gathering of sorts, a chance to bring together those who had already joined and those who might do the same. Where ideas and minds could meld and express their desire to help protect the citizens of the Republic against the coming tide. He looked upon the Great Hall of their Temple. He could see the faces before him, young and old, fresh and worn. But as for their number, he could only guess, a hundred, maybe two, perhaps even some more. It was certainly not the entirety of the Jedi Order, but it was more than they’d had before the battle of Rhen Var.

Now that the truth was out, there were more ready to join the ‘cause. But it was such a sorrow that it had taken the death of so many Jedi just to gain this much attention. He moved to address the crowd, standing upon the steps to the hallway above so that he could see all of those faces. Standing before them, donned in armour, gazing upon all of them, Vreem opened his arms, inviting them all.

“Sisters and Brothers of the Jedi, standing before you here I feel no joy. If it were possible that this were some conjured nightmare I would feel relieved, but sadly the darkness is all too real. There is no longer any way to deny the fact that the Sith have returned. Their Order is hidden and concealed within the Empire, but it exists and its members do not care if the Jedi wish to fight in this war or not, they plan to destroy us regardless. But it is not only us they seek to destroy, already the lives of those upon Dantooine, Mon Calamari, Yaga Minor and Mygeeto have felt the impact of this threat.”

“It seems that the Sith Empire and those who use the Dark Side for its means are setting out to conquer the Outer Rim. But I doubt the temptation of greed and power will stay their hand once that is accomplished. The Republic recognises the threat the Sith pose to its citizens and whilst the Council is aware of their intent, they fail to act. If we do not help the Republic, if we do not step up and help to defend its citizens from the Sith then by the time the Jedi Council decides it is ready to intervene, I fear it will be too late.”

“There are those here who fought within the halls upon Rhen Var as the Sith laid siege and killed all that they could. You have seen with your own eyes how they thirst to test their power, to exert their strength. They are savage and relentless in their destructive pursuit for power and they won’t be stopped unless we stand up to them and prevent them from covering the Galaxy in their taint. But you must all remember to view the Sith not only as a force that must be stopped, but as a reminder of what you must avoid within yourself. War will test you, it will put you face to face with the darkness that holds the Sith and you must be able to turn away from it. If you cannot then you will become like them, controlled by the Dark Side of the Force, corrupted by its influence.”

“You must dismiss the false rumours that are spread about us. We are reluctant in our actions, we do not join this war to destroy, we join this war to protect the citizens of the Republic. That must always be our first and foremost goal.”

“Please consider what you’ve heard here today if you are thinking of joining our cause. There is time to talk with myself and other members of the cause if you are still uncertain. Feel free to speak to any of us.”

With a gentle smile, Vreem made his way down from the steps and into the crowd.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Master Teer Ka stood in the assembled mass of Jedi at the Citadel on Seraphim, one of one to two hundred people there, her montrals rising up a head over the majority of the faces, undoubtedly blocking the view of someone behind her. That was unfortunate, but hardly avoidable.

Some of the Jedi were Blades, and others prospective members like her. She had no idea which was which, and she was light years away from her familiar haunts on Coruscant. There were no faces that she knew here, and the Citadel itself, while beautiful and intricate, was an enigmatic maze of corridors and buildings spiring ever upward, hewn out of the mountains itself. She felt very small, and very lost, in a place where her reputation was probably unknown.

It was like coming from Dantooine to Coruscant all over again.

She'd endured that once, and she would survive this too. She was entirely sure of that. It hadn't been easy, and she was sure this would be just as difficult. More perhaps. The nagging doubt was still lingering in her mind, as it had been ever since she'd made this journey. The Council hadn't authorized war, but the Republic had. The Blades of the Order were fighting it anyway, and she couldn't fault them. But at the same time, without the Council's approval...

It made her feel uncomfortable, but increasingly she was feeling it was essential. The galaxy was at war, and it was time for the Jedi to realize their role in the conflict. It was time to be the defenders of the Republic once more.

Teer found herself nodding as Vreem spoke to the assembled Jedi, his words resounding in her heart. The man was fully right, and she found herself seeing him as a leader she could fully support. By the time he was done, she was applauding him, clapping her hands together in a gesture that was followed by some.

The Togruta Weapons Master peered over to her Padawan, Sirius Kelrune, in their first travel together since the mission that had lost his arm. That was something she still felt guilt over, and she wasn't sure if Sirius blamed her for it. Certainly she did.

She beckoned for him to follow as she moved through the crowd in search of Vreem.

[Ghostie]

Sirius stood just behind his Master, Teer Ka, inside of the Great Hall of the fortress of the Jedi Blades, his new home for the foreseeable future. Master Ka had finally decided to join the war effort, and Sirius had followed her. She had earned his loyalty, perhaps more than anyone else ever had, and so he wasn't about to let her fight a war on her own. Sirius reckoned she could fight the Sith herself, but someone needed to watch her back, didn't they?

Looking around the Hall before the meeting began, Sirius wasn't too surprised by what he saw. It was mostly older Knights and battle harden Masters. There were no padawans in the room, or at least he couldn't see any. He couldn't blame the Jedi. War wasn't something you’d bring a kid into. Even Sirius, with his padawan braid, received weird looks. If he shaved the braid off though, he thought he could pass as one of the many Knights here.

The Jedi Padawan stood and listened to the Jedi Master, Vreem, speak to all the assembled Jedi. It was short and to the point. But the more Sirius listened to the passionate Master, the more he remembered his history lessons when he was under Master Kellar. A splinter group of Jedi broke off from the main Order and fought the Mandalorians during the Mandalorian Wars. When they came back, a new war started within the Jedi Order. Sirius felt as if The Blades were just like that splinter group. It was uncomfortable doing something without the High Council's blessing.

But sure, Sirius wanted to fight. The Sith needed to be stopped before they hurt anyone else. It wasn't as if The Blades were doing this because they wanted glory or power or recognition of any kind. Sirius had the general impression and most Jedi were here because they wanted to protect the galaxy. He curled his cybernetic hand into a fist and then let it go. Remembering that mission and the young dark Jedi they encountered, Sirius decided he could understand The Blade's motivation.

After Master Vreem's speech, Teer took off at once and beckoned for Sirius to follow her. He did so silently, moving into the crowd after her. Bumping shoulders with many Jedi and apologizing to a Rodian who's foot he had stepped on, Sirius finally saw where they were headed. Master Ka had made a beeline for Vreem.

He gulped, nervous at the idea of meeting the leader of The Blades. What if Vreem asked Sirius what he thought? He couldn't lie. Sirius waited at Master Ka's side, deciding to stay quiet as the two Jedi Masters talked.

[Jenno]

As he found himself greeted by applause from some of the crowd Vreem was a little surprised. He had forgotten that he was amongst like minded members of the Jedi Order. Usually he would have expected silence, a slight mumbling before he was perhaps lectured on warmongering. But here he could see smiles, an understanding of ideals, it was refreshing.

He bowed heads to members of the crowd, thanked many for coming. Hopefully their numbers would increase after this gathering, providing the Republic army with a bit more stability against the Sith.

After he had briefly spoken to a few of the crowd, two figures were before him. He saw the padawan braid of one and was able to recognise the face of the other. He bowed to them both. “Ah, Master Ka, I’m glad to see you here. And this must be your padawan. It’s a pleasure to meet you, I am Master Vreem Took.” Of course, this introduction was not to mean that he knew Teer Ka, he knew of her, he knew how to recognise her, but that was simply due to his position on the Council. He knew quite a number of the Jedi Masters, spoken formally to some of them along with the rest of the Council, but he did not truly know many of them, just as they did not know him beyond the confines of the High Council.

But he knew of her position as a weapons master. Master Ven whom had fought alongside him on Rhen Var was also a weapons master, he knew quite well of their proficiency in combat, certainly a valuable ally of the Republic war effort. “By your presence here may I assume that you are therefore interested in joining our cause?”

He turned to the apprenticed and smiled warmly. “Tell me padawan, what do you think of our support for this war effort?” The apprentice seemed quite old, perhaps almost old enough for the trials, and they were trying enough without having to contend with the issue of war.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

"Likewise Councilor," Teer said deferentially with a bow of her head as means of a response. However, it was quite honestly the truth, it was a pleasure. By and large the Council of late hadn't done much to endear itself to her, and she had felt increasingly confined by its rules and bureaucracy. Before her was one man who wasn't afraid to take a stand the way the others seemed to be, one who understood loyalty to the Republic.

He was someone she felt comfortable giving her loyalty to.

Her gaze softened considerably as he greeted her Padawan. Not only had he recognized her by sight, which was flattering, but also he'd taken the extra step of greeting Sirius, which was surely something the boy needed. He hadn't been himself since the loss of his arm, and hopefully a little positive attention would help him.

As he continued, she found herself nodding. Yes, they had come to Seraphim with open ears and the very real possibility of joining the Blades. Teer hadn't been fully convinced until the speech though. That had been the final straw, the extra measure that convinced her. It hadn't taken much, and she had to admit this day had been inevitable ever since the loss of Dantooine.

"Yes, we've come to listen. And I believe I have made my decision now. But as to Sirius, if you'll permit a Master to speak well of her Padawan..."

Master Ka's full lips turned upward in a smile, and she directed a soft look to her Padawan, one of the looks she saved for the rarest of occasions. Since his injury she'd been delivering more of them.

"My Padawan has completed his Trials of Courage, Skill, and Flesh. Only Spirit remains. Soon he will be a Knight, and a fine credit to the Order."

An orange-skinned hand found its way onto Sirius' shoulder, and black eyes looked to the Councilor again, beaming with a barely hidden pride.

[timtank]

Klon Driviz was there for the whole speech and he was still a bit unsure. War was not a pretty thing; it meant suffering, death, destruction, and those things the darkside feeds off of. His thoughts were on those who were in danger of being attack by the Sith. Klon never believed in war, so he felt as if the jedi shouldn't have been involved in the liberation of planets already in Sith grasp, but the protection of those not. It was unclear why the council didn't jump into war to maintain safety of the republic. The jedi's clams of being Peace keepers and protectors of the republic would prove false if they choose to at no point join this war as protectors.

The jedi have become so fearful, unwilling to fight because they think going to war would make them no better than the Sith. They seem so set on not playing the Sith's game that they would let the republic be crushed. Klon could no longer go without protecting the people of the republic, who so openly put their faith in jedi... Only the jedi can stop the Sith, the same as it always has in the past.

While Klon was still very Natural, he thought the jedi would have too at some point fight this war if the republics is to survive. The republic was near total destruction as the Sith was clearly growing more powerful each passing day. Somebody had to act, and there was to many on the council unwilling to fight for the Republic. Klon wouldn't wait for everything to fall apart, despite his peaceful nature. Although he would also like the idea of negations with the Sith. As even the Sith would know when to give up the fight, Something they may have not considered.

Choosing to walk through the crowd Klon found himself face to face with two other masters, One being Vereem. He had to talk to this character more than anything today, as joining the blades was much like picking sides, something Klon wished he didn't have to do. The Jedi in this room would likely be the republics only hope. He only nodded with the others and makes attempts to let it be known he had words, although he was unwilling to break up the master's conversation with the other jedi and her padawan.

He knew that women as a Jedi Weapons master, Teer was her name. He had not had the honor of meeting her but she was well known by most jedi. She had killed a number of darksiders in her time, while Klon could only think of a few he had done in on his own. He never liked killing but she was rumored to take life without mercy or care. She was more warrior then jedi from the rumored description of her... Klon also thought of Vreem as the strongest sentinel, well beyond his own power despite the master being much younger. Klon acknowledged them both as great masters and although never having a direct talk with them he felt a great deal of respect for them.

The Kiffar master simply waited, as he was sure the masters would invite him to join their conversation or Klon would speak with Vreem after. He has two young Padawan who should be showing up sooner or later, so for now Klon would talk about possibly joining the blades effort, at least as part time... Sense he only wished to defend and going on the offensive was no plan of his.

[Bones]

The cloak billowed out around him as he walked along the hallway to the bridge of The Remorseful, the Origin class dreadnaught transporting men, arms and weapons to Seraphim. He had been travelling with these men for some time, and the view of the planet, growing ever larger in the bridge windows infront of him, seemed like a haven. A much needed rest.

He arrived at his destination, the walkway over the controls centre, and leant against the steel rail running around the walkway. He stared out of the windows, looking at the planet. He was reaching out, feeling the light side of the force bouncing back at him. So the others were already here. He smiled. He was late. He turned to one of the officers nearby, and said politely, "Commander Chaplan, get my ship ready."

The Myrmidon touched down on the landing pad of the citadel, in amongst the other starships of the various Jedi onboard. He lifted the cockpit, and stepped out into the light breeze of the planet. He waved his hand to the ship, using the force to activate the closing mechanism, before he turned, walking towards the hallways and the safety from the breeze.

He could hear the speech of a familiar man as he walked along the halls. He smiled. It was amazing to him, just how inspirational and motivating Master Took was. He only wished that one day he could be half the Jedi that Vreem was.

He turned the corner, walking through the last of the hallway and stepped into the large, open area full of Jedi. He watched as they moved around, talking amongst themselves. He kept his hood up, hiding his mask from view. He also had his hands interwoven inside the sleeves of his cloak. He was hidden to all those around him, except those truly powerful in the force that could sense his presence.

He looked around, bowing his head to a few of the Jedi as he passed through the crowd. He simply wanted to find somewhere quiet to rest, although he would have no issue with any who approached him to converse.

[Jerek]

Jarael walked through the halls of the Citadel, feeling the Force all around him. He may be young, but he could still feel the presence of all the Jedi in the temple around him. He glanced around the hallway as he continued on his way to the Great Hall. The massive fortress was beautiful, having been carved out of a mountain.

Upon entering the Great Hall, Jarael heard the speech being given by Master Vreem Took. Jarael stopped glancing around the hall in search of his Master in order to listen to the speech. He found himself hanging on to Master Took's every word. The Jedi Master and Leader of The Blades was truly gifted with words

Jarael felt compelled to join The Blades after Vreem had ceased speaking. He began clapping his hands along with a few of the others in the crowd. He then immediately began the search for Klon. He wove through the crowd rather easily. He caught a glimpse of his Master disappearing into the crowd as he squeezed his way between two Knights.

Jarael quickly pursued, though. He followed his Master through the crowd. Jarael appeared out of the crowd at Klon's left elbow. He nodded up at his Master, before realizing where he was just led to. He followed Klon's eyes and found he was in the presence of a Togrutan Jedi Master, another Padawan, and Master Vreem. Jarael bowed to them out of respect and remained standing at Master Driviz's elbow.

[sparrow]

Elsie Therin entered the main hall. She had not been present at the beginning of Master Took's speech, having been in the armory at the time, but she had heard the whole thing over the Citadel intercom. She wore a breastplate and shoulder armor of traditional Echani design. The armor was worn over her Jedi robes, which were snowy white, matching her long hair that hung down to the small of her back. At her belt hung her lightsaber, the hilt simple and unadorned, while a Echani double-edged straightsword rested in its sheath on her back.

She moved with confidence and purpose as she weaved her way through the crowd towards the end of the hall where Master Took stood, past the masked Master Te'Baas who stood brooding in a corner, past a Kiffar master who stood awkwardly as if he wanted to talk to Master Took but didn't know what to say. Master Took was talking to a tall Togruta which Elsie recognized as Master Teer Ka, a powerful though somewhat controversial figure, and a younger man who seemed to be either a young Knight or an older padawan nearing his trials. Elsie wasn't sure which.

Approaching Master Took, she saluted, bending her body forward slightly while touching closed fist to open palm. She turned towards Master Ka, giving her the same salute, and acknowledged the younger man with a polite nod. "Knight Therin reporting in, Master Took," she said, "I apologize for being late. I was helping some of the soldiers set up the armory."

[Deleted]

There was a buzz of activity and noise in the room as Lyria arrived, she had missed being in the hall for the speech by Master Vreem, but had heard it over the comms as she walked towards the gathering. She had been drawn to joining the Blades when she first heard of the opportunity, Lyria knew war was far from glamorous, but understood the necessity of it to defend the Republic and to also deny the Sith any further power in the galaxy. Still, she sought the opportunity to be involved in something bigger and to truly test and expand her battlefield knowledge, by maybe getting some field experience.

Upon entering the hall, Lyria was taken aback by the number of Jedi present, they must have come from quite a ways to be here, she certainly did not expect there to be so many, from what she had been taught by her Master, Klon Driviz, war was something the Jedi would not seek and the council would not approve.
 
Even as tall as she was, the young girl still had to stand on her tiptoes to see over the crowd in the room, searching for her master and fellow padawan that were already here, it wasn’t as easy as one might think, with most of the Jedi wearing similar outfits. Eventually she spotted the, her master standing with several other Jedi, she made her way through the crowd to them, smiling at her fellow padawan Jarael as she stepped up beside him, behind their master she bowed her head to the other Jedi in the group, standing quietly and waiting.

[Vaner Talos]

Not to destroy, but to protect; a tenet that seemed to resound with the teachings of the Jedi Order. Vaner looked as Vreem delivered his speech to join the war effort, a decision that seemed to be proactive. Vaner felt the presence of many Jedi who must have reflected the sentiments of Master Vreem as he spoke of what to avoid within oneself. Avoid the feelings of anger that the Dark Side can easily bring about. With a stoic face amongst the smiles, Vaner watched Master Vreem deliver his speech. It seemed so strange to go to war with the Sith, as he had stated. Some must be member of the Blades already. Vaner observed as he stood still amongst the crowd. He wasn’t smiling or clapping as some Jedi were doing. He was simply observing, for it was not his place to voice opinions nor state a fact.

It seems…strange. Vaner thought as he merely stayed quiet, his worry being thought out form within rather than expressed. His hands were hidden beneath his brown robe, which covered him completely. It seems absolute…but it seems right Vaner watched the crowd talk amongst itself as the Jedi Master headed down to talk to a few Jedi. He merely stood still and watched, having nothing to say at the moment. It seemed so troubling to go to war with such a proactive stance, as opposed to the usual contemplative stance that the Council would hold at times. But to the Jedi Knight, it made sense. But it seemed too…unlike a Jedi to head to war in this manner. Vaner could help in any capacity that the Force deemed prudent to. That was what he simply chose.

Vaner merely stayed where he was, a few ways away from the crowd, and kept quiet. There was no applause to be had in times of war for it was not something to laud over. It was war...war, such an abhorrent concept that would bring change to all its participants in its theatres. Vaner had nothing to say and he realized because it was a lack of words from him. Master Vreem was right, no joy is to be had. A Jedi's mission was to protect the inhabitants of the galaxy as deemed by the will of the Force. It was why Vaner was there. Vaner simply stood there as the crowd gathered to greet the Jedi Master. Vaner had to think it through before making a decision: Be contemplative and current with the wishes of the COuncil or be proactive and participate with the Blades.

[Bones]

His eyes glanced across the crowd before him, eventually coming to rest on the conversation between Masters Vreem and Ka, aswell as Teer's apprentice, Sirius, he was led to believe. His eyes lingered on the two on the fringes, waiting to be involved in the conversation. The feel that Kaiven got, however, suggested that they may be waiting for a while. He was curious though. Masters with Padawans seemed to make up a vast amount of their numbers. Obviously it showed great faith in the apprentices, putting them in such a dire position. He wanted to know more.

He moved towards Master Klon, aswell as his Padawan. He had met neither, and saw it as an opportunity to extend his welcomes to them. He weaved through the crowd, brushing against a shoulder here, nodding to a familiar face there. Eventually he reached his targets, before bowing his cloaked head to them, and speaking, "Master Driviz, a pleasure to finally meet you." His voice was low and quiet, showing to those around he only wanted to converse with the two infront of him. He turned to the Padawan before saying, "And greetings to you, young Padawan. What may I call you?"

His eyes flicked between the two, barely visible due to the shadow of his cloak and the mask hiding his face. His eyes scanned completely over the Padawan, before returning to Master Driviz, "You show great faith in your Padawan, Master Driviz, bringing him into such a difficult position." He turned his attention to the Padawan before asking, "Forgive me, I merely wish to understand the situation. I wonder, what it is you are hoping to achieve with the Blades? Do you wish for action, or are you here regretfully?" His eyes lingered on the young one as he reached out with the force, trying to feel his emotions on the response.

[timtank]

The Kiffar master was somewhat deep in thought contemplating the situation he had found himself in today. Joining the war effort even in a minor way could likely put him on bad terms with anti war jedi… His ideal that the jedi should play a minor role in the war affecting the opinions of the pro war blades was on the mind as well... The master simply waved it off as his first student arrived at the scene. Much to Klon’s surprise Jarael was the first to arrive and young Lyria was yet to be seen. The master simply nods his head in greetings to the young pupil before saying “So Lyria was not with you then? How sad. She should be turning up soon.”

He only hoped tardiness wouldn’t become a habit of both his students. Jarael was late to the first day of training while Lyria late to this meeting. Something the Kiffar considered odd do to the young women showing a slight eagerness to assist the blades section of the order. Whatever her reason was it couldn’t be helped at the moment. He had one student at his side and that was better than none. So he simply awaited the end of a very long conversation between the other masters until he noticed a approaching figure of great importance.

"Master Driviz, a pleasure to finally meet you."

A greeting from none other than Master Kaiven Te’Baas, expert swordsman and High Council Member was something of a delight to Klon. With a smile Klon responded with a bow of his own. ” No… The pleasure is my own Master Te’Baas. It is an honor to be in the presence of such an esteemed Jedi like yourself.” This man’s face was hidden under a mask and cloak, but as far as Klon knew the man was human. Klon has yet to have a real conversation with a Council Member, or anybody with such a title. He was a bit egger to hear the point of view of Master Kaiven Te’Baas, who before his appointment to the Council was known to be an excellent Guardian.

After the master spoke to Jarael he laughed a little as he thought of the reaction Lyria may have had if she was to miss out on a conversation with a Council Member. He couldn’t help but think of this other student as he soon noticed she had made her way into the room. He could feel her though the force, sensing the young women as she forces her way through the crowd and appears behind Jarael. Although it didn’t take long for his attention to turn back to the master as he once again addressed him.

"You show great faith in your Padawan, Master Driviz, bringing him into such a difficult position."

Klon nodded once more and responded to Master Te’Baas ” Oh, forgive me for not saying. I have two Padawan Master Te’Baas. They both had such potential and were days away from being shipped to the Corps, so I had no choice but to teach them both to allow them to reach their full potential. And it appears the second has just arrived.” He then addresses her without even turning to look at her. ” You’re late Lydia, we will talk about that later. But this is Master Te’Baas, say hello young one.” The Kiffar master swiftly changed his tone from relaxed to something more serious as he answered the Council Member. ” I will be completely honest with you on the topic of faith in my Padawans sir… I am not one of those Masters who lie to themselves and say they have complete unwavering faith in their Padawan. They are skilled for their ages, but lack experience and are somewhat emotional, so I KNOW this experience will prove a major test of resolve and dedication for them.”

Anyway my point of view on this war is still very much on middle grounds. I don’t think the order should fight an offensive battle, we shouldn’t get involved with capturing planets, taken from the Republic or not… I think we should serve in a more defensive, minor role, like Medical support in the field, Guarding supplies and the main base. Maybe commanding from the back, but we shouldn’t have to go to the front lines as Jedi… Despite what many would like to believe, the Jedi was never meant to be warriors. “

” After all, me and my Padawans will likely be moving around a lot so…” Klon halted as the masked man spoke with the Padawans, but the moment the talking stopped Klon would say ” Master Jedi, if I may ask… What is it that drove you to join this war… It seems like a risky move being on the council and all as a member of the blades… I mean you and Master Took may very well be the reason the original Blades members have not been Exiled from the order.” The Kiffar says with a poor attempt at humor while waiting eagerly for a response.

[Jerek]

Jarael watched as another Jedi Master, this one masked, emerged from the crowd and began speaking with Master Driviz. Jarael was somewhat surprised when the masked Jedi - Master Te'Baas was what Master Driviz had addressed him as - turned to him and spoke as well.

"And greetings to you, young Padawan. What may I call you?"

Jarael bowed to the Master out of respect before responding to the greeting.

"Hello, Master Te'Baas. My name is Jarael Orlryck."

After introducing himself, Jarael watched as the Masters conversed. He heard Master Te'baas say that Master Driviz shows great confidence in Jarael by bringing him to the Citadel to join up with the Blades.

"Oh, forgive me for not saying. I have two Padawan Master Te’Baas. They both had such potential and were days away from being shipped to the Corps, so I had no choice but to teach them both to allow them to reach their full potential. And it appears the second has just arrived."

At that moment, Lyria emerged from the crowd behind them. Jarael nodded to her as Master Driviz scolded her lightly for her tardiness. Then, Master Driviz went back to conversing with Master Te'Baas. Master Driviz told Master Te'Baas that he did not have unyielding faith in Jarael and Lyria, saying that though skilled for their age, they were both still inexperienced and emotional. Then, he went on to state his viewpoint on the what they Blades were doing.

[Ghostie]

Yes, Master Vreem had asked his opinion like he had feared. What was Sirius suppose to say? He was afraid they'd all end up like the Revanchist? How would he take that? Sirius wouldn't take it well if someone told him that. But before he could speak, Master Ka spoke up instead.

She was praising him, with an orange hand on his shoulder and a smile his way, which was rare. Sirius had noticed it happened more often though since he lost his arm. He hoped the increase wasn't because of that. Sirius had been working hard to overcome his new hand. It wasn't quite as agile as his normal hand, but it worked fine and he was now performing again as normal. He hoped Master Ka wasn't praising him to make him feel better.

Before Sirius could talk again, more Jedi came a joined their little group. Sirius noticed the first padawans he had seen around besides himself. Being a Jedi was dangerous, so he couldn't even imagine what war was like. Sirius was still somewhat surprised Master Ka had brought him along after his failure on their last mission. Sirius hooked his thumbs through his belt before he started talking.

“Well Master Vreem, your speeche was good. Nice, short, and to the point.” Sirius smiled, joking. “And I understand why the darkside needs to be fought, which is why I came with Master Ka.” Sirius toned changed now though, to a more serious sound. “I'm just a little worried. I mean, last time some of the Jedi Order went off to war without the full support of the Council, didn't we get the Jedi Civil War out of it?”

[sparrow]

Elsie listened as teh padawan asked his question. No, not exactly a padawan. Almost a knight. He looked only a year or two younger than her, at most.

It was a good question, one that she had thought on herself more than a few times. "It's different," she said. "In the Mandalorian Wars, we rushed to war, not seeing the true threat of the Sith." They hadn't known what they had faced, weren't prepared for the dark influences of the Sith lurking in the shadows. Not this time. "We know who we're fighting today."

Her eyes drifted down towards his prosthetic lower arm. "I've heard that you lost your arm in battle. I'm sorry for your loss. You must very brave."

[Jenno]

As he began talking to both Master Ka and her apprentice, Vreem was slowly being surrounded by more people, a number of whom seemed to want to talk to him. The prospect became a little daunting, but fortuneately Master Te'Baas stepped in to help lighten the load. Vreem would have to thank him for that later.

"Being able to speak well of one's apprentice is a great reflection upon the relationship and development between teacher and student, and I most certainly will not prohibit such things." Vreem listened to Master Ka's words. "Very impressive padawan, with this conflict I believe you may very well face your trial of spirit. In fact I believe all of us will have to be mindful of such trials in the battles to come. I'm glad to have the support of both of you in these troubling times."

Another Jedi approached them, Vreem recognised her as one of the Blades. "Ah, Knight Therin, no apology necessary, might I assume everything is in order?"

Master Ka's apprentice put forward a question, one that Vreem had heard posed before, but its repetition simply addressed the concern regarding it. "What you say is a very good point to consider padawan. History is something to be mindful of, and when in my speeches I talk about being aware of the darkside and how we will be confronted by it as we involve ourselves in this war, part of that means remembering what happened to those before us. We must observe happened to them so that we can avoid the same fate."

"The Council is mindful of our past as well, the reason Master Te'Baas and I still hold our seats upon the Council and remain part of the Order is because neither we nor the Council wishes for another civil war. Whilst we may not see eye to eye on the matter, they recognise that something needs to be done. Their concern is very much understandable, they wish to uncover more information before taking any real action. Were the Sith not conquering worlds and claiming dominion over the people of the Republic I would most likely act as the Council does. However, I fear that by the time they have found what it is they seek and are prepared to act, the Galaxy will already be in the hands of the Sith and its people will know nothing but darkness. That is why we are here and that is why we choose to act, but we still wish to maintain a healthy relationship with those in the Order who do not want to act as we do. Of two different minds we may be, but we are all Jedi, the moment we being to resent the actions of our peers, that is when another civil war becomes a possibility."

Vreem found now that as much as he spoke about the war and protecting the citizens of the Republic, he spoke equally or more so about how they as Jedi must be mindful of the dangers they would face. He hoped that that would be enough to avoid history from repeating itself.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Teer's jaw tightened as she heard Sirius question the whole war effort. Or at least that was how it seemed by bringing up the Jedi Civil War. As if they hadn't all thought this over very carefully before? Acting as if they hadn't...

The Togruta sent a cautionary look his way, growing firm again, possibly for the first time since Sirius had lost his arm. Just because he'd lost his arm didn't excuse being so forward, and to a member of the High Council no less. Her jaw was set and her black eyes were extremely serious.

Luckily another Jedi who Teer didn't recognize spoke up, correcting her Padawan. Unfortunately the damage was done. She made a mental note to suggest that Sirius be mindful of his audience before speaking.

Luckily, Vreem didn't take offense. He was being patient, and accommodating. He also spoke highly of the Council's actions as a whole, which came as a bit of a surprise. Their inaction was certainly not laudable. Yes, Vreem was in a position to know more than she was, but it was hard to imagine that they recognized a need to act. And if they did recognize a need, why not act? It made no sense.

Administration. Bureaucracy. It seemed inescapable.

"So, Councilor," Teer spoke, Could you explain the organization of our battle? Are we to serve as foot soldiers? Naval commanders? Military advisors? I realize we must fight the Sith, but how?"

[Ghostie]

Sirius caught Master Ka’s, stern look his direction. He had upset her somehow with his question. While Sirius had a great deal of respect for Master Ka, she was one of the only beings he looked up to, he had just as much respect for Master Vreem. Vreem had asked Sirius’s opinion, and Sirius had given it. What was he supposed to do, lie to a Council member to please Master Ka?

Then another Jedi spoke up. A woman, probably only a little older than Sirius himself. She said that it was different this time around, they knew who they were fighting. Then she saw his arm, and said that he must’ve been very brave.

Brave? Sirius didn’t think so. He had been doing his job. And while doing his job he got into a fight with a dark Jedi. And while fighting the dark Jedi he made a stupid mistake and ended up losing his arm. No, Sirius didn’t think himself brave.

“Thanks. But I was just doing my job.”

Then Master Vreem began explaining. As Sirius listened, he had to admit Matser Vreem made a very good case. Sirius knew something had to be done, but he just didn’t want to end up in the middle of another civil war. Master Vreem convinced Sirius that he wouldn’t.

“So, where do we start?”

[sparrow]

"True," she said, "But there can still be bravery simply in doing your job. Don't shortchange yourself."

She listened intently with the others as Master Took. Unlike the others, she had heard this particular speech before. Elsie had been one of the first to arrive at the Seraphim Temple with Master Took. She knew why they were here, and what they were fighting for. But Master Took was able put all those reasons into words and articulate them in a way that Elsie never could. It was not difficult to see how the man had earned his position of leadership.

She hung back a bit as the others asked their questions, although the same question lingered on her mind as well. So far, she had been helping the soldiers and other jedi set up the temple, but the actual battle plans of the masters remained a mystery to her. But there was no need to repeat the things others had already raised.