Extraordinary Council Session - VlPER

[Tydeus of Tion]

Korr held out a hand, expression dark.

"Enough, Malcolm. We have already heard your defensive diatribe more than once. There are those yet undecided who require silence for deliberation. Let go of your concern for self-preservation and learn the value of patience."

The Jedi Master grimaced slightly.

"A value I myself have yet to learn," he thought, recognizing but not reconciling his own irritation with [member="viper"]'s impudence.

 

[VlPER]

Viper raised an eyebrow. Was it not customary when a hearing was nearing its end for the accused to give closing remarks in the form of a brief summary of all they had discussed? Truly, he didn't realize his final words were so offensive as he thought he was simply following protocol. No matter. Either way, he didn't wish to annoy them any further. It was then he wondered if he should have waited to be asked for it first. Apparently he was wrong. An inner sigh rumbled through him. Politics, they'd be the death of him long before a Sith, he thought.

"Yes, master." Viper said genuinely with a respectful bow before falling back to silence once more.

[member="Corvus Raaf"] | [member="Phylis Alince"] | [member="Ryan Korr"] | [member="Taeli Raaf"] | [member="Kian Karr"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="VlPER"]
[member="Corvus Raaf"] [member="Taeli Raaf"] [member="Kian Karr"] [member="Ryan Korr"]

Phylis frowned slightly at Ryan’s blunt and brusque manner, but made no comment.

Pausing, she looked to Corvus.
“Master Raaf, is there anything more before we vote our judgements?”

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus looked to the assembled group. "Of course, you know I don't vote unless there is a tie, so unless one, or all of you abstain, I have no say in the outcome."

"But I don't want that to be seen as an abdication of my duty. So I'll add something before you all vote. A suggestion, no more. You can vote now - to banish VlPER from the Order or to allow him to stay. Or you can choose a third option. To put the Knight on probation - in a similar way we would assess a Dark-sider's true intent. I would volunteer to oversee this period, or you can choose another if you wish. At the end of the probation, we could reconvene and make a final decision."

"I suggest this because I believe it is better to make the right decision slowly than the wrong decision quickly. The Code tells us explicitly...we must conquer recklessness. To recognise when speed is not important. To race when being first is important but to move at a slower pace at all other times. It is not always necessary to arrive at a solution quickly. Through self-restraint we can consider other options. Speed does not always lead to success. Surely this case is testament to that philosophy."

[member="VlPER"] | [member="Phylis Alince"] | [member="Ryan Korr"] | [member="Kian Karr"]

 

[VlPER]

Viper listened to Corvus intently but remained silent, curious on how his once fellow padawan would now suggest to judge him. After hearing it, he had a few thoughts. While he thought it was unfair to be put in a "trial period" as it were since he felt he had proven his innocence, he could still see the wisdom in the option. It would indeed allow him to prove Master Korr wrong in every one of his assertions about his own future while giving everyone else a chance to see with their own eyes that he was still the trustworthy Jedi he was before the huge mess on Manaan.

The more he thought about it, the more he liked it. Everyone would get what they wanted. He'd get his chance to prove himself, and they'd get the opportunity to not simply accept him back but have him on a testing period. If any of them were making an attempt to sense him emotional state, they would sense a sudden surge of hope to the level not yet felt during this entire meeting thus far.

[member="Corvus Raaf"] | [member="Phylis Alince"] | [member="Ryan Korr"] | [member="Kian Karr"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Corvus Raaf"] [member="Ryan Korr"] [member="Kian Karr"] [member="VlPER"]

"I am in agreement with the Grandmaster. The Jedi before us made an error, though for understandable reasons. If he is really committed to remaining a Jedi...this will be the chance to prove it. I feel it would be unjust to expel a Jedi without further consideration. Another vote will be held in time and we can make a more considered judgement then."

 

[Kian Karr]

[member="Corvus Raaf"] [member="Ryan Korr"] [member="VlPER"] [member="Phylis Alince"]

"I agree." Kian said after a money of thought. He had his doubts....but trusted in the others instincts. Besides, Kian was a believer in redemption. "I hope you prove my concerns unwarranted.....the Shadows will be watching." Kian warned but smiled warmly beneath his mask.

 

[VlPER]

Viper could not believe what he was hearing. Did he really just receive two votes to keep him with the Jedi!? Even it if it was for a trial basis. The faintest trace of a smile could be seen forming on his face when Master Alince cast her vote in favor. By the time Mast Karr, to his surprise, threw in his vote in favor, Viper was doing his very best to suppress a near giddy smirk that threatened to break out over his whole face.

"You can count on it, Master Karr!" He did say with all the confidence in the galaxy, finally allowing a small but genuine smile to banish away the last feelings of sadness in his heart about his predicament. They were going to give him a chance, and he'd make sure their investment in him would be repaid one hundred fold.

Turning his gaze to the last council member who had yet to cast his vote, his smile faded just a little. He didn't need Master Korr's vote to keep his place within the Jedi order for a bit longer. Nor did he believe they would ever truly see eye to eye on on many things. But that didn't mean Viper didn't want his vote of approval. No indeed. As far as the Jedi Knight in front of them was concerned, Master Korr's vote meant just as much as any of the others. And he sincerely hoped he could at least have gained his confidence enough for him to agree to a trial period.

In a last ditch attempt to show the master he did not think he was above anyone, least of all them. Viper bowed toward him respectfully, averting his eyes from Korr's gaze. There he waited to hear his judgment in this rather old fashioned, but sincere way.

[member="Kian Karr"] | [member="Phylis Alince"] | [member="Corvus Raaf"] | [member="Ryan Korr"]

 

[Tydeus of Tion]

Korr frowned at Malcolm.

"Sycophancy will get you nowhere, but I will agree to this trial. If we can rehabilitate mass murdering Sith Lords-" Ryan did not look at Taeli Raaf, "-then we might as well do the same for one of our own."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Ryan Korr"] [member="Corvus Raaf"] [member="Phylis Alince"] [member="VlPER"] [member="Kian Karr"]

As she had not been asked anything else, she had just quietly sat there humming to herself until the meeting was adjourned as no one had dismissed her yet. So, she got to hear just about everything being said and she couldn't help but crinkle her nose at Master Korr's last comment.

"Just for the record, not a mass murderer," she said brightly. "Unless you count the people who have tried to kill me in the past, then you'll find no murders on my record. Thank you very much."

And she went back to humming, wondering what lunch was going to be and when she might be dismissed from the meeting.

 

[VlPER]

Yup. It was official. Viper had decided there was no pleasing Master Korr and he must simply like being moody. But quite honestly, not even Korr could dampen his reinvigorated mood. He half wondered if the only reason he had agreed was because everyone else did. Standing back up he couldn't help but show a slightly appalled expression for just a moment at his words and implied accusation at Taeli while giving her a quick glance. Was he just mad at the galaxy?

Taeli's lighthearted and jovial response reminded him instantly of their time together in the Sith dungeon. Except this time, he had a very difficult time suppressing a smirk.

Clearing his throat to banish away the smug expression, he looked to the masters as a whole. "Thank you Council for the opportunity to prove myself. You won't regret it." Finally with everything seemingly said, he too waited to be dismissed.

[member="Taeli Raaf"] | [member="Ryan Korr"] | [member="Kian Karr"] | [member="Phylis Alince"] | [member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Tydeus of Tion]

"We shall see." Korr's lips twitched upward. It looked as though a statue were trying to smile. Though whether the reply was directed at Malcolm or Taeli remained unclear.

As for being mad at the galaxy, well, Korr had had his fair share of torment. The trail of Viper's thoughts led Korr to rifle through his own memories. Blood on his hands. Slaughtered classmates. Abandoned for a vision. The distrust of the Council. The pain of the Embrace. Returning, hopeful. Watching Coruscant fall, the Temple razed. Seeing the Silvers leave, a second and more painful abandonment. Apparine's betrayal. Twin red blades entering his back. Watching Marcello fall. Ashin's return. Diana's suicide. Third time abandoned. The death of Hasjo. Ket's fall. Quinn's failed redemption. Isolda's prophecies. Kiskla's absence. Deepening rifts. His own revelations.

The images skipped through his mind in rapid chronological sequence, calling up a hurricane of emotions. He physically winced at the last. While he had lain bedridden from Matsu Xiangu's venomous claws, he had discovered his origins. Part of him wished he'd left well enough alone.

What use did he have of the knowledge that he was part of the Vahla, a migrant people, innately inclined to the dark side? What could such information bring but more heartache? All he could envision for himself and his people was a long, vain struggle, with nothing but darkness on all sides. Damned to fall. Damned by nature.

Did he even belong here, in an Order and a Council that their fore bearers woulds be ashamed of? Had he failed in his quest to prop up the falling structure from the inside?

Korr's jaw worked, muscles writhing in silence. Plagued by an alien self-doubt, all thoughts of the rooms occupants gone.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus winced at the debate happening alongside the main one.

"OK," she said, "The matter is closed for now. I shall inform the Council when the probation has elapsed, give my findings, and as with repentant Dark-Siders, any that have proven their loyalty shall be admitted."

She stood beside Ryan. "Comments of mass murder are a little close to the mark for the Jedi. Sadly one of the Order's least honourable times. I am of course referring to our near genocide of the Vahla. No doubt done in the name of the greater good. Hard to believe the Order believed that anyone of that race should automatically be killed. Defenceless or not." She shook her head.

"But I shall keep a close and watchful eye, rest assured."

[member="Ryan Korr"] | [member="VlPER"] | [member="Taeli Raaf"] | [member="Phylis Alince"] | [member="Kian Karr"]