A Broken Circle Must Be Reforged

[Kamon Vondiranach]

Betrayed.

They had been betrayed from within by someone they had trusted enough to be their Grandmaster. Barrien had even trusted the man to uphold the ideals of the Jedi Order. But what did they all get for that trust? They got a man who insisted that they disband and join the New Jedi Order: a bunch of militant style Jedi that served as part of the Galactic Alliance. How could a member of the Jedi Order, people who had studied under Grandmaster Raaf for years, go and join a group that did exactly what Corvus had striven against?

Well, some of them had left, declaring the Order disbanded. They said it was over, nothing left for them. But they were wrong. So long as those who believed in the same ideals as Grandmaster Raaf existed, and those who wished to serve with them, there would always be a Jedi Order. The Order wasn't some thing that could be destroyed by people walking away from it. It was an ideal, and ideals never die as long as someone believes in them.

Barrien was one of those that believed in it. There were others, two. One in particular that he went in search of. If they were going to have to leave Lothal, since the world was under the Alliance and those who'd left would likely be staying, it was best if they left with a plan. So he sought out Shmi, knowing she hadn't left yet. He sensed that others would follow. Some younglings and padawans still looked up to Corvus even though she had disappeared some time ago. They would be the ones that would keep the order alive.

He went to Shmi's quarters and knocked. If she hadn't left yet, he hoped to catch her there.

[member="Shmi Labooda"] | [member="Morse Sunrider"] | [member="Roshki Belawiiks"] | [member="Suravi Teigra"] | [member="Claire Ouron"] | [member="Vulpesen"] | [member="Harmon Taldan"]

 

[Tarrlok]

She wouldn't call this situation an act of betrayal, she was surprised however...but she couldn't possibly imagine the stress such a position could put on someone. For her to have even been nominated placed her in a position where others might look up to her...and how would she make decisions and fail on her own thereafter...it just wasn't possible. She was upon the council until now, the order was disbanded and slated to join the New Order but she didn't fight it. She sought to be independent and train through the Academy Network; no harm done?

All in all she wasn't angry with Ryan, he did what he thought would be best for the majority. She wasn't angry with the council nor the New Jedi Order because in the end they were all the same. As long as those weren't without guidance she couldn't sit and hold grudges. However she did feel obligated to look after those who were either lost in the transition or not wanting to budge at all, so she stayed behind.

A knock at the door, though she knew the presence well...sensing her presence the door slid open and there she stood at the door itself.

"Barrien..." she motioned for him to enter, turning her body to move towards the center of the room. "What brings you?"

[member="Barrien Siegfried"]

 

[Morse Sunrider]

[member="Shmi Labooda"] [member="Barrien Siegfried"]

There was so much going on and she had to admit while walking to join some of the others.... well the ones that were still around within the order. It made it more interesting to be so sparse before she was seeing one of the people there. Offering a nod of her head and going to see one of the masters that had stayed. Hopefully she would be able to gather them and keep what was needed. Then there was another there and she knew him from his reputation kind of, there wasn't many jedi who looked like him being a small problem. "I guess I wasn't the only one hoping for more people." She offered a small smile to the two of them and looked around at some of the things.

 

[Claire Ouron]

Claire had been debating what to do for a while now. Most of the jedi had ether followed Ryan or left the order because they were upset with him, the rest stayed here, confused and unsure of what to do and Claire just so happened to fit into that other camp. Right now Claire was walking though the mostly empty building just thinking to herself about what to do next. She had three chooses before her. The first of these was to go to this "New Jedi Order" and join them but she had heard they were rather militaristic and while she respected her father, a trooper for the republic, she had no intention of becoming one herself. The second was to just stay here and see how things turn out. The final chose was to go to the silver jedi whom Claire knew next to nothing about, despite being friends with Matsu Ike.

Claire needed advice and Shmi was one of the few Masters that were left so she headed toward her room. When she turned the corner she realized she wasn't the only one with this idea. Morse Sunrider who was a member of the Veermok Clan Claire had trained in under master Shmi. Claire was glad to see a friendly face. "Hey Morse!" She said as she walked up to Sunrider. "It's good to see you." Claire then turned and gave a bow to Shmi. "Master Labooda. It's good to see you too. Am I interrupting anything?"

[member="Morse Sunrider"] [member="Shmi Labooda"] [member="Barrien Siegfried"]

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

He wasn't overly surprised when she answered the door directly. Though he was glad for it. Offered the chance to enter, he stepped within and soon found other voices behind him. Glancing back as he moved to the side, he saw first one padawan and then another appear. Neither of them did he know personally, but since they'd come to Shmi it meant that they likely had similar ambitions to what he had, which meant that he was glad for their presence. The more they had the better.

Waiting until the others had spoken, he took a seat, setting his helm on the floor beside him and resting his lance against his right shoulder.

"You're not interrupting, Padawan. I'd just arrived," he said to Claire, offering a smile. "Besides I think this conversation is best had with all who have a similar instinct."

It was true. The more people were involved the better. Things that happened behind closed doors and affected all of them, like what had happened when Korr left with a bunch of the others, needed to not happen any longer. That had been a rather devastating blow for them, even if some refused to acknowledge it.

"Master Labooda there are some of us who want to keep the Order alive, but we can't do it without the guidance of a seasoned master such as yourself. Master Raaf would not have wanted us to abandon the vision she had, one of Jedi helping all without the overbearing dominion of a galactic government. It was a view I shared with her, both as an individual and as her apprentice. You are most apt to follow her beliefs, so I wanted to ask what you planned to do with Master Korr technically disbanding us."

[member="Claire Ouron"] | [member="Morse Sunrider"] | [member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Tarrlok]

She heard what he had to say, and quite frankly she was expecting much. In truth Shmi was up for nomination to be interim Grandmaster alongside Ryan, she however wasn't chosen for the job. While she would have glady taken up the offer she gave that up to remain on the council and protect the few once there was talk of a merge of Orders. There's been so much damage done to the infrastructure of their Order nd she wasn't sure she could mend it all...

"Barrien...I...I tried my best to represent you all on The Council. I apologize for my failure to be of service...

Her words were broken here and there, and she wasn't as confident because the foundation was gone now...

"I would have glady stepped in for Corvus then...i'm not sure I'm enough to make this happen for you." it hurt her then to say such words, for many years she gave her wisdom to The Jedi and here she was too quickly giving up on them and seeing it drawn on their faces the confusion. Shmi has had a unique career as a Jedi never having fully and completely trained a padawan, being a wielder of a deadly form of lightsaber combat but still being acknowledged for her wisdom.

"but...I attempted to stand for you then...and I will now. If you all have sought my guidance then it would be foolish of me to turn my back and leave you, even if just a few, in the dark. I suppose I must step up."

This wouldn't be to discredit the work of those before her, but to lay a foundation for those of the future to use it for whatever they wish.

[member="Barrien Siegfried"] | [member="Claire Ouron"] | [member="Morse Sunrider"]

 

[Morse Sunrider]

[member="Claire Ouron"] [member="Shmi Labooda"] [member="Barrien Siegfried"]

Morse saw the girl Claire and she was trying to place but then she remembered her with a bow of her head and was rather excited. A friendly safe and another padawan while her attention was on some of the things that were there now. She could hear the jedi knight and master speaking but she stood ready for anything. Not being under a government had been Corvuses wish and vision... she she could support it. WHile they should try to help guide they couldn't be allowed to dictate and control or form their own before she spoke. "We will be there to help you master. Might not look like much but I am certain in the long run we'll succeed even if it is just at not being part of a government or military."

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He knew it was coming.

Josh had never trusted Ryan. He hadn't trusted him since the moment he had attempted to have his Masterhood revoked because a bloody Dark Jedi had hugged him. Seriously. While Corvus had handled the situation, Ryan becoming Grandmaster, and Josh knowing his methods, was enough for him to see the writing on the wall... The Order would either become the same militiant crap that had caused Josh to leave to begin with, and ruin the reason he had returned due to Corvus's vision... Or the Order would be disbanded.

The fact that "Both" was even an option disgusted him. But he hadn't left yet... Not yet anyway. Not while there were still Jedi in the Order that believed in Corvus's vision... Which over a year ago... Had been his vision. His vision of returning the Jedi Order to what it once was, before it became militiant under Selena Halcyon's leadership and hadn't recovered since.

When a group of Jedi still loyal would walk to the room of [member="Shmi Labooda"], he walked nearby silently. But it was when the conversation had begun, that he would step forward from within the crowd and look the woman in the eyes. His eyes were calm, filled with compassion and serenity... Passion for an order he loved so much that had been spat on and mutated into something he no longer recognized... And a desire to serve the Order he grew up with once again.

"If circumstances were different... I would offer to take up the mantle myself and try to undo what people of the past have done to this Order that I love. I shared Corvus's vision... It was mine before it was hers, after all" He began softly. "But... These are not the circumstances that would allow for it. I have just returned, not long ago... The Jedi that are here now do not know me. They do not respect or trust me the way they respect and trust you. And it's not fair for me to come in and try to do something like that..." He would add, and finally, a small smile crossed his lips. "And that's why I want you to take the mantle of Grandmaster. If not for me... For the Jedi here that believe in you. The ones who trust and respect you... If they believe that you will be able to make Corvus's vision... My vision.... A reality... Then I will believe in you as well."

The Jedi Master would look around at the Jedi around them. The last remnants of a once proud Order....

"Take the mantle.... And bring back the Jedi Order that we love. Do so... And we will all be here with you to support you, to help make this a reality."

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

What the kark had happened?

Nefertari remembered when she was one of the last known Jedi in the galaxy. That was over six hundred years ago, and now the order was in trouble again. The order she loved like family... a few remained.

Most of her days recently had been spent either meditating or training. If nothing but to dull the pain she felt inside.

Nefertari's home village, where her training began, awaited her return soon. Was Nef leaving the order? No, she knew hardly anything else. Sometimes though, viewing the big picture demands a step back.

Thoughts flooded her head as she wandered through the corridors.

As she passed the room of the new grandmaster, [member="Shmi Labooda"], Nef heard a familiar voice
"Take the mantle.... And bring back the Jedi Order that we love. Do so... And we will all be here with you to support you, to help make this a reality."

"You have my support as well." She said, entering and giving a respectful bow.

 

[Kamon Vondiranach]

Barrien nodded his head at what the others said. They were right. If anyone was going to lead them now it would be Shmi. No one else had the respect of so many jedi as she did. None of them had her knowledge. None of them had been on the council of late, save her. Most of those in the room weren't even eligible to be on the council.

"You've let no one down, Master Labooda. Fate and the Force are fickle things. This all has happened for a reason and that reason is for us yet to discover. Perhaps it was to cull the militant minded from our number. If so, we are better for it."

Though he was no stranger to combat, and absolutely willing to face any number of foes on his own if need be, he did not yearn for battle. A Jedi should always seek peace before engaging in combat, and that was something that was lost on a lot of those that masqueraded as Jedi. But there were also too many who wouldn't lift a blade when it was needed. A careful balance had to be struck between the two modus operandi, and that was where the Jedi Order stepped in.

"We need leadership, Master Labooda, and we need a home. Together we can do what is right for this galaxy. As long as we stick together, we can continue. You are our guide now. You point the way for us, and we seek peace for the galaxy. So guide us. We are ready. And in turn, we will guide future generations."

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

 

[Claire Ouron]

Claire smiled when heard the other jedi join in the conversation. She whole heartedly agreed with them. The jedi order needed a leader and Shmi would make a great Grandmaster.

"Their right Master Shmi. I'm only a Padawan but even I can see that a lot of jedi already love and respect you. I've heard some of them say that you should have been the Grandmaster instead of Ryan. We already have faith in you master, I will follow you if you become Grandmaster and I know others will too."

[member="Shmi Labooda"] [member="Barrien Siegfried"] @Mores Sunrider

 

[Morse Sunrider]

Morse was listenign to the people there and raised an eyebrow but she was in and spoke. "I am a Sunrider, so long as we are jedi you have my support and we are a home." She raised an eyebrow. "Though I would suggest we move off of Lothal, it is within the galactic alliance and we want someplace we aren't going to be surrounded or possibly run out of." That was more then enough for her while looking at Shmi. "We have a map to Exis, where only a handful of jedi kept records. We could go there and make a place, move the station if the reach comes to close and keep going just a little further to avoid the problems."

 

[Tarrlok]

She noticed all of those whom had stuck around, she figured there would be a few but this was more than she expected. She took a deep breath as well. She pondered the words of the others, bringing up her index finger to curl around her chin. She also agreed with leaving Lothal, until they could fully recollect and think she decided they would need temporary housing.

"I've considered Exis Station, and while a great idea I think we need to relocate to Telos for the time being. There's an Academy there that we can use for the moment until other things fall into place." She felt that being more grounded was the better choice, at least until she could perhaps gather a council and put some things in place that would benefit them in the long run.

She also thought that in the event that things wen't well for them on Telos they wouldn't need to relocate further.

[member="Morse Sunrider"] | [member="Claire Ouron"] | [member="Barrien Siegfried"] | [member="Nefertari Sovint"] | [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] |

 

[Morse Sunrider]

[member="Shmi Labooda"]

"Works for me, we can look into contacts for getting supplies at first until we get things set up grandmaster." Yeah she said it, if they were going to follow Shmi she should be either the master of the order or the grandmaster as a sign of respect. There wasn't much else she could do or think about while going over what a ragtag order of jedi would need. Place for food and basic supplies, ways to filter the ice in the polar regions or repair the filters if the systems were already in place. Bays for food and training, some protection in case there is structural damage as freezing to death because someone left a window opened for a few thousand years was not the way to go.