Private Actions and Consequences [TJO Council]

[Ala Quin]

The council chambers were rarely empty. Many on the council found it to be a great place to meditate, and meet with one another for private discussion about matters pertaining to the Order. As a result of this, while people came and went, there was always someone available to give counsel and offer judgment on matters of importance.

So, Ala sat in her seat. Contemplating, and spoke to those present within the chambers at the time. Matters needed to be addressed.

"I seek your counsel regarding disturbing reports that I hear of Bastila Sal-Soren, while she was on the Lightspire Station. It has been shown that she was the last one in a room on the Spire that was devastated by a lightsaber...well...tirade. If this truly was Padawan Bastila's doing, there a serious reprimand and counselling will be in order. What do you think of this matter?"

"Another matter to discuss is our former council member, Aiden Porte. Recently, he sought my counsel and with his permission I searched his mind for the darkness that he claims has bonded to him. The Force showed me a vision of a dark future. But I would dare not leave Aiden to his fate alone. But should precautions be taken to protect others?"

| FYI: Bastila Sal-Soren Aiden Porte @Jedi Council |​

 

[Lorn Reingard]

Tags: Ala Quin​

Lorn kept his back to the chamber, his gaze fixed on the jagged peaks of the Naboo horizon. The sunlight felt too bright for a room filled with such heavy talk. Every word Ala spoke felt like a physical weight pressing against his spine. He should have been sitting in his seat, projecting the calm authority expected of the Sword on the Council. Instead, he felt like an intruder in his own life.

I am failing her, he thought, his chest tightening as he imagined Bastila's blade carving through the station's walls. He had tried to be the anchor she needed, but she was drifting into a storm he couldn't see. If she was lashing out with that much rage, it meant he had missed the signs. He was her Master, yet he was the last to know her heart.

The mention of Aiden only deepened the ache. He had promised Kahne he would look after the boy, a silent vow to a dead friend that now felt like a lie. Aiden's life was a cycle of trauma, and Lorn's guidance had done little to break it. Am I the common denominator in their problems?

The vision Ala described sounded like a premonition of his own inadequacy.

 

[Colette]

Lorn Reingard / Ala Quin

Cause and effect.

Two very funny concepts. Colette had no idea what kind of cause someone would have to destroy vital monitoring equipment on a space station of all things, but the effect of it was undeniable as she looked at the very real costs they had in her spreadsheet. Part of her bet nobody in this room knew what a tri-planar hydropcoptic marselvane was and how much it cost, and she hoped they never would.

Her eyes set on Lorn who was by far the most connected to Bastilla. He looked devastated.

Then she looked at her pad again. She was aware of the darkness Aiden carried, and she still stood for what she had told him then. For the moment he seemed able to contain it, but she also knew better than banking on 'hope' to solve something.

"A potential reality, and a very real reality." Colette began and shifted in her seat. Her presence here still felt surreal. "Aiden is a friend to all of us. Makes this difficult. I've talked to him in the past about this and he seems to have a good grip on it for the moment."

"What bothers me most is Bastila's actions." Eyes wandered to Lorn. "Do we have any idea what caused this outburst?"

"Is there anything I should know about her, and more pressingly — can the Sal-Sorens be made to pay for these repairs?"

 

[Ala Quin]

She was concerned for Lorn. His distance, and lack of contribution to the discussion was more like the pre-Ala Lorn. More like the time when he was so sunk down in his old wounds, fear of new ones being created...that he was closing himself off again. It would not go unattended, but not now. There would be time tonight over dinner to needle him with silliness before he finally spilled the beans.

"I agree with you, Colette . Aiden has my trust. He has proven himself a faithful member of this order. It would be prudent though to keep senior members of the Order on notice to watch for any out of character instances. Even debriefings with the Padawan that go on missions with him. We can tell Aiden this will be happening. He will not mind, I am sure of it."

The issue with Bastila was more pressing.

"The Sal-Soren family can easily afford to pay for repairs, and that suggestion will be implemented immediately. My concerns for Bastila are only increased with her brother's recent departure from this council, and the Unblessed's resurgence. The connection to her father will be a hard burden to bear. I am recommending that she see a Master for weekly counsel and observation."

| Tag: Lorn Reingard Bastila Sal-Soren Aiden Porte |​

 

[Sela Basran]

SHIRAYA'S SANCTUARY
JEDI COUNCIL CHAMBER
​

"Troubling," Sela murmured, almost to herself, as she reviewed the report of Padawan Sal-Soren's alleged outburst. Her dark eyes traced over destruction. It was more than mere vandalism. With just images, just a vague report, it was insufficient to make Sela suspect that the Padawan was in danger of falling to the dark side, but the violence needed to inflict that kind of damage... it would be irresponsible to ignore it.

Her gaze went to Colette briefly; the two had been invited to join the Council at around the same time. She might have found the younger woman's first instinct -- to discuss the cost of the repairs -- to be a concern, but if anyone on the Council had the prerogative to be concerned about that, it would be the Quartermaster. If it was her job to look after the property and good order and upkeep of Order equipment, then it fell to the rest of them to inventory and care for the souls of the Order's members. "I confess I do not know Padawan Sal-Soren well," Sela spoke up, turning her gaze back to the Council at large. "I do not know, for instance, whether she would be more inclined to have an open discussion with those who she knows better, or a disinterested -- that is, someone not part of her family or social circle, not uninterested in her well-being -- third party. I defer to my colleagues on that matter. But if you feel that a third party may be more effective, I am happy to meet with her."

The matter of Aiden Porte was different. Sela Basran was not a disinterested party. "Regarding Knight Porte," she began cautiously. "I am in the process of searching the archives and other sources for artifacts with similarities to the one he described. There may yet be something we can do for him before..." Sela was uncharacteristically challenged for the right words and her lips drew together in a frustrated twitch. "... before the worst should happen," she concluded delicately. "I will keep the Council apprised of my progress, of course. And I am friendly with the young man. I occasionally visit when he is at home on Naboo. I believe he understands the danger as well as any of us -- probably more -- and would not consider some monitoring to be inappropriate."

She nodded her concurrence with the Grandmaster's verdicts and then, almost timidly, half-raised her hand, indicating that she had something for the Council to discuss. "Grandmaster, if I might? As you all may know, I liaise with the Senate while a formal appointment for that purpose is vacant. And as you all have likely heard, recently Senator Monaray Dod of Toshara was assassinated in his office at the Senate by an explosive device. The Senate has requested the Jedi to investigate the crime, on the theory that we are a neutral party. Unfortunately, the issue was already politicized before Jedi involvement was proposed, so while I wish I could say that the Jedi would not be within a hundred meters of a potential political mess, I cannot."

She spread her hands, as if to release the issue to the floor. "Thus I submit it to your wisdom, Grandmaster and my colleagues: ought we dispatch a Jedi investigator or two to look into Senator Dod's assassination, understanding that there is potential for some political scrutiny on the murder already?"

Ala Quin | Colette | Lorn Reingard | Jedi Council

​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Council Chambers
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Arwr Da, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Ala Quin | Colette | Sela Basran | Lorn Reingard | Aiden Porte

Lily felt a large bundle of nerves as she looked around the room, she was probably the youngest, and the most recently knighted, Jedi on the council. The wisdom for matters that were not of combat relation was something that she probably didn't have a lot of insight for. Lily did want to attend, listen to what others had to say and potentially provide her own voice and insight as well to the matter. Listening, there appeared to be at least three matters that were being brought forward. One was on Bastila, Briana's younger sibling. Another on Aiden Porte and one that was surrounding the death of a senator.

"Is this a singular outburst? Was Bastila refusing to apologise for the behaviour?" Lily asked, curious more about how Bastila was and her immediate reaction to the aftermath. "I believe the council stepping in and demanding interventions for a singular incident could be extremely heavy handed. While, this could be something to keep an eye on. I don't believe enforcing weekly counselling sessions could help. If anything, you could end up pushing her away and making her more reluctant to talk."

Looking over to Lorn, "I know Bastila is your Padawan. So, you might have the best insight on whether or not Bastila is sliding down a path or this was merely an out of character moment for her, and therefore observation would be far more prudent than demanding therapy for something that could never happen again." Lily knew that if she was forced to attend therapy sessions with Briana over a singular outburst, then she would have been very hurt that something that was not usually Lily's behaviour was tarnishing the carefully built reputation and actual behaviour she displayed daily.

Turning back to Ala, "I have nothing I can really offer in terms of dealing with Knight Porte and the visions of darkness. We are all battling with darkness in our own ways, temptation to the Dark Side is never far away. But I also do believe the future is fluid and visions of it and never concrete predictions. Aiden has not done anything to suggest he would fall down that path. He might have already changed the course by merely informing you of this."

Focusing her attention on Sela and the mention of the dead senator, "this is going to be a difficult situation for us to handle. Some senators and well-respected members of the High Republic already have a dislike for the Jedi. We should approach cautiously and ensure that all communications and actions are not only by the book, but reported to the senate. That way, we can show them how transparent and forthright we wish to be."

 

[Vizion Trozky]

HIGH COUNCIL CHAMBER
SHIRAYA'S SANCTUARY ☛ GALLO MOUNTAINS ☛ NABOO

​

As he was wont to do, Vizion listened more than he spoke, though the very first thing the Grandmaster put forth, on the matter of Bastila, had him weighing whether he should say anything while other councillors weighed in.

The overlap of dates was clear, but so was the line of privacy, and he'd been privy to the throughline of that part of her private life for months... the part that concerned his brother. Putting two and two together provoked a sinking feeling in his stomach, while he followed the discourse, picking up the thoughts of the other councillors about the incident, and other matters added to the table.

While every incidence of her actions when it came to his brother lined up with stark clarity — more than the society gossip could ever know — the history behind Dominic's reservations to her interest provided the spark for all of it: unlike Vizion, Dominic was constrained by familial expectations, and how he was seen by society, vis a vis her family's reputation.

It was all too close, but the risk of saying nothing?

[ I'm... sorry. ]

Not that either of the two of them could hear it. When Lily finished speaking, he took the opportunity to cut in, and looked to Ala and Lorn. He swallowed.

"I... may be able to provide some context for that outburst," he started, pushing past whatever hesitation he still felt. "I have reason to believe this has a lot to do with Senator Praxon, who you may or may not know is my brother." He sighed, lightly. "Fraternal, one of three. Also true that her family and ours have always been close, and..." his mouth became a grim line. "...I'm seeing Briana." So that was out. "Have been for a while, but that's besides the point."

All of this did make it clear that him getting involved with this could be a conflict of interest, though. He couldn't rightly provide his opinion on how best to deal with this matter.

"Fact is, this isn't the first time Bastila and my brother interacting has gone sideways, but far as I know this is the worst it's been." A beat, dancing around the heart of the issue, until: "To paraphrase... she got it bad, and he's having none of it. If this is how she's reacting now..." he grimaced, and let that thought slide. It was a small blessing that Dominic was, for the most part, with the Outbound Flight, for now. Removed from the equation. "What compelled him to be on the 'spire that day?" Viz shook his head. "Not even I know the whole of his mind."

That aside... no, he would wait to weigh in on the other matters, and let this settle.

Ala Quin • Colette • Lily Decoria • Lorn Reingard • Sela Basran
FYI: Bastila Sal-Soren​

 

[Ala Quin]

Ala listened, her expression shifting from the gravity of a Grandmaster to the soft, observant warmth of a matriarch. She turned first toward Vizion, her eyes twinkling with a sudden, mischievous light that momentarily chased away the shadows of their discussion.

"My, Vizion...what a wonderfully well-kept secret," she said, the corners of her mouth twitching upward. "It seems love finds a way even amidst the mountain peaks of Naboo. You have my heartiest approval, though I expect a full account of this romance over tea when the Council is not in session."

The lightness vanished as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by a focused resolve as she looked toward the others. "Regarding the Senator's assassination, Sela...proceed. But let it be conveyed to the Senate with absolute clarity. They have asked for a neutral party to seek the truth. We will do exactly that. They must understand that once the Jedi begin to pull the thread, we will not stop, even if the truths we uncover are ones they would prefer stayed hidden in the dark."

Finally, she turned her gaze toward Lily. Her expression was lovingly sweet, yet underscored by the immovable weight of her office.
"Dear Lily, I hear your heart, and I value your compassion. But we cannot afford the luxury of waiting for a second or third outburst. With the context Vizion has provided, it is clear that Bastila's heart is under a pressure that her spirit is not yet equipped to handle. Passion, when unrequited and unchecked, is the swiftest current toward the dark."

"We will not impose a clinical or cold 'therapy.' Instead, we shall offer her the guiding voice of a friend — an older, wiser Jedi who can engage with her purposefully. Not to lecture, but to ground her before the storm carries her further away."

She looked back to Vizion, her gaze turning practical. "Vizion, as you are close to the situation, I would ask you to speak with Senator Praxon. Encourage him to maintain a healthy distance from Bastila for the time being. It is for the protection of them both."

Ala’s eyes drifted toward Lorn. Her lips pursed, and for a moment, the heavy atmosphere of the council chamber faded beneath the steady thumping of her heart against her chest. It was entirely inappropriate to hug her beloved in this moment of tumult, surrounded by the watchful eyes of their peers — but the silent promise remained. He would be squeezed until nearly popping later on.

| Vizion Trozky Bastila Sal-Soren Sela Basran Lily Decoria Colette Lorn Reingard |​

 

[Colette]

Ala Quin // Vizion Trozky // Sela Basran // Lily Decoria // Lorn Reingard
Mentioned: Bastila Sal-Soren

As far as intergalactic politics went, Colette stayed away from it with a ten-foot pole. She was a hammer, the Senate was a bunch of ceramic plates. There were times when you needed a hammer and a few plates, but intrigue was not it. As such she let the others speak as if it was on her behalf.

And from the way Lily talked it made it seem like she felt out of place here. Colette gave her a firm but hopefully reassuring look as she spoke. Something to make her realize she wouldn't have been picked if she hadn't belonged.

Of course, one could only do so much with a mere look.

There was a moment when Colette's eyes wandered to the pad again when clarification on the Sal-Soren situation came to light. All this destruction over a crush? Was this a Jedi Order or a kindergarten? Colette bit her tongue and pushed the accusations aside. She supposed love would make anyone do crazy things, but then she also held a Jedi to a higher standard than any other individual. The saving grace was that she was both young (like Colette) and also a Padawan (unlike Colette.)

"I just want to make sure we're on the same page here. Bastila is the storm." Colette said and leaned forward in her seat. "Her 'heart' is still part of who she is. If we say the storm is carrying her away we're already making excuses for if our attempts to calm it down fails."

"What are our procedures if the 'therapy' doesn't work?"

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Council Chambers
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Arwr Da, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Ala Quin | Vizion Trozky | Colette | Lorn Reingard | Sela Basran
Mentioned: Bastila Sal-Soren

With further information coming forward, it clarified some things that then demonstrated that Lily's advice was not as helpful as she had wanted it to be. Lily nodded her head silently. The new that Briana was dating Vizion was news that Lily had not expected to hear from someone who was not her Master but Lily did not show any disappointment or concerns that things had drifted too far apart with her Master. Life got in the way of things and hopefully they could properly reconnect soon.

Lily turned to Ala, "with the new information provided after my advice given. Yes, I would have to re-evaluate what I said and while I still think that we should be less aggressive with how we approach Bastila. The concerns on this being an escalating behaviour is understandable." Lily leaned back and looked over to Colette, listening to what her friend had to say. "If it is not going to be hard, cold therapy. Try organising a group of similar aged individuals for Bastila to spend time with. Wiser, older Jedi advice can often fall on deaf ears because they are older and they do not understand the hurt of an unrequited love. Especially if this is Bastila's first time falling for someone."

"Let her find friends, friends she can vent to, friends that are not family and hold no connections to her siblings so she can feel more comfortable in sharing her troubles without fear it will come back to her Master, or to her family members." Sometimes a Jedi could accidentally isolate themselves and find themselves alone in the galaxy when people were right around the corner to be there and support them. "I would also restate, while this has been ongoing and escalating between the two. It does not mean she is vulnerable to the Dark Side. Emotional outbursts are going to happen with people, we all are plagued by our emotions, whether they are good or bad. How she is now and how she reflects on that outburst is something that is important to note."

"We cannot accidentally come across that she behaves emotionless like a robot to situations like this. But acknowledge it might have been an overreaction and there were better ways she could have handled it."