Faction Midnight Council: Tempo of War Pt. II | Lightsworn & Jedi

[Jacen Voidstalker]

JACEN

"I'm afraid that I don't have much in the way of identification," Jacen explained. "Just this."

He held out his lightsaber. It was right that they challenged him. If they didn't, anyone could simply walk in and listen to the plans.

They took a few minutes trying to confirm who he was before asking: "Could anyone vouch for you?"

"That is a good question."

"I understand that the timing was inconvenient and sudden, but as you can see—" He gestured to the many projections around the assembly "—we do not have the luxury of taking our time."

Jacen looked around the holograms as he was escorted into the hall. It was Coruscant that had brought him out of his hiding place on Tatooine.

He had been there when the Sith Empire had taken it from the Republic, when the One Sith had emerged. He had been on the ground rescuing his son when his Alliance had retaken the world.

He looked around for any faces he might recognise. It wasn't going well until a familiar voice spoke up.

"Her!" Jacen said as he pointed at Romi Jade

"She can vouch for who I am."

Once upon a time he had been Jedi Master Jacen Voidstalker, hero and Marshal of the Alliance of Free Worlds. Now he was just an old man, weathered by the twin suns, but willing to help.

 

[Ren]

Rising no higher than the waist of the gathered warriors stood the diminutive Jedi Knight Renard Fenn. The Amaran's ears swiveled, listening to each of the speakers, though his black eyes were narrowed. He stroked the fur under his chin with a paw.

War was such a terrible thing. And it seemed unending. No matter what corner of the galaxy he looked to, there would be some conflict underway. Many of those present were simply interested in having their voices heard, maybe for status or to feel that they were contributing something to this meeting.

Ren remained silent. Wiser heads than his knew what to say. He had failed to defeat Darth Solipsis. Failed miserably. But all that mattered was that he picked himself up and tried again.

"We've covered a lot of ground. To me, here's how this boils down. We've all had our hands full but there's more than enough people here to look into all of it. Me, I'll be one of the scouts and evac pilots."

The Jedi Knight nodded at this. Sensible. The outlines of a plan. He looked up at those nearby and thought he saw a flash of blonde hair. Ah. A familiar human. His whiskers twitched. She was a Jedi after all, then. He was glad she was here.

Tansu Treicolt

 

[Aiden Porte]

"I did nothing. Are you sure you've got the right guy?"

"Of course you didn't. And perhaps you are not...?" Aiden chuckled as he looked over to him with a small nod in respect and smile that followed before he faced forward again. He hadn't spoken to Lorn much since his knighting, they were both incredibly busy. There was much going on within the Order and with the High Republic.

And now this threat from Empire, soon they would need to be dealt with.

"Are you planning on speaking in this meeting, Jedi Knight Porte, or are you just here to soak up the atmosphere like me?"

"Not at all." Aiden said with a smirk, in reference to speaking up here. "I have my thoughts, but we don't have time for everyone to sit around and share them. Not like the meetings I have back on Naboo, right?" Aiden said with a small chuckle.

"Whatever you and the Council decide, I'll follow it. I trust their judgement."

Lorn Reingard

 

[Kaleleon]

I cared not for anyone else in the world at this moment.

A voice broke out that I knew extremely well. It was a voice that I had heard for years as it was used to drill into my head the teachings of the Jedi and their codes. It was the voice of someone who I had once kept within my mind. A voice to remind me of all the things I could and couldn’t do. A voice which guided me for many years. Even now, I first felt like the voice that broke through the crowd, was just in my head. The sound of such a voice seemed almost omnipresent in many cases. Now? It was directly behind me.

I turned around to see within the group that had been speaking. The older woman. It had been years since we had seen one another. She had been through much since I remembered her. Her face was different but the same. Her voice is older and horace, but still the same as ever. I must have had the absolute strangest face upon me. Confusion, elation, brevity. Of all the things to feel, it was only the familiar feeling of seeing family for the first time in a long time.

I walked down towards her. Closing the distance even as others spoke up against her points of trusting visions in the force. That snapped me back to reality.

A simple shake of my head before I answered.

“We are bickering like children about what to do first, next and last. That is not what will get us any closer. It will not prepare Solipsis upon a platter to argue how we go about it. What order and when. They are all things that must be done. Visions, physical evidence or otherwise. To argue is a waste.”

The Lightsworn were the bunch that would so easily seek to fight the Galactic Empire. However, instead of agreeing that there are many things that need and should be done, there were some that sought to “blow them up my way.” Creating a rift over if Visions are a viable source of intel or not.

“Experiences matter. Yes, it is healthy to have skepticism over such things, but denying any possibility of usefulness is ignorance.”

It nearly upset me that someone would so easily discount the possibility of NOT using all possible tools at our disposal. That would be like pulling the trigger on a firearm without aiming. However, I controlled myself as I looked over to Romi Jade. If anyone knew anything about me, they knew that Romi was, and in a way, still is my Jedi Master. She set me down this path and started to form me into the person I am today. The lack of knowledge of this individual to who Romi was, felt disingenuous. However, I let it fall away. Focusing on the topic at hand.

That was when someone brought out the list of what was going on.

I then spoke up.

“I can speak to the Nobles. I have close connections with them and will be able to reach them. Vanagor would likely be near or around the Nobles. Which I can also reach out to. As for Starchaser, I have not heard anything of him in years. However, what I can do as well, is support the New Jedi Order. I already know many of them and will shore up their defensive measures. Make sure they are taken care of.”

Turning around I heard another voice that was fairly familiar, It was when Jacen spoke up. Furrowed brow. A voice that I had heard many times, but in holovids from when I was a Padawan. Shown such by Romi herself in tactics that the Jedi would use in combat, and how deplorable that the One Sith had been during their strongest of days. How it led Romi to be the person she is now. It helped me form my own values of the Jedi in my early years. However now, his face was much older.

“Jacen Voidstalker? How are you alive still?”


Romi Jade | Jacen Voidstalker | Tilon Quill | @Everyone else

 

[Jace Rhane]

​

Jace listened a while longer, hands folded in contemplation as the rest discussed their plans, their merits, and small side conversations occurred. He tilted his head only slightly towards Aiden Porte and his contemporary, Lorn Reingard . They were having a private discussion, though it did not seem heated.

He spoke after a lull, his hands folded underneath his chin in quiet contemplation.

"A word of caution, friends, Jedi. All this talk of rebellion, actions, roles, hope."

He took a deep breath again.

"We will be sending innocent people to their deaths with any act of rebellion. We will hurt bystanders, we will cause deaths of innocents. I urge you all to weigh your decisions and loyalties heavily with that in mind. This is not a story, this is not a holovid with a heroic ending. The tragedies we are preparing to unfurl on the Deep Core will not always earn us favors. The Jedi on Tython are but wiped out. Coruscant all the same. The Empire will scour the Deep Core for rebels, traitors, and dissenters. And innocent people will die if we rebel or aid in any insurgency or rebellion."

A stern glance to every Jedi in the room.

"Many of us are ready to die for this cause, myself included. But are you willing to kill?"

 

[Inosuke Ashina]

Inosuke had been silent since yielding the floor to the congregation. Many of his thoughts were expressed by others. Jedi, even divided, still held similar dispositions.

Finally, he spoke, "Kaleleon is correct." The Knight may as well have plucked the thought straight from the High Lord's brain. "If there is any chance we can divine the location of this weapon, we would be foolish not to try." He blew contemplation out of his nostrils and resumed, "As Councillor Kaze mentioned, the Lightsworn are warriors. We have logistics records. Their production will be backtraced and the Sworn will strike, just as we accomplished on Balmorra. Those of you so inclined are welcome to join us."

Then he turned to Kalelon specifically. "If you find it acceptable, I would send my son, Ikuma Ashina , with you as my representative to the Nobles. I was disappointed not to see them here. I wish to extend my invitations to the enclave, despite our past friction."

"Many of us are ready to die for this cause, myself included. But are you willing to kill?"

"Knight Rhane, I will not speak for the representatives and independents among us, but our order is built on blood righteously spilled. You will find no group of Jedi in the galaxy more willing to do what must be done."

Inosuke's eyes swept a solemn glance over the congregated Jedi. He took stock of their faces and feelings, committing the unfamiliar ones to memory. He spared a somber thought for how many of them they'd lose. For a moment, he wondered if he, too, would finally be among them. Quickly, he compartmentalized the notion, stored it away in that hidden place where one locked such things away when they had work to do.

"One more thing before I yield the floor once more... My sister, Ishida Ashina , is in possession of the Hall of the Sun, inherited from her former Master, Sardun. Supported by a fleet and a team of willing Jedi, it is a more than worthy vessel for incursions into the core. It has space to house evacuees until their permanent relocation is resolved."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Kaleleon | Jace Rhane | Tilon Quill | Corin Kaze | Tansu Treicolt | Talin Treicolt | Romi Jade | Nathan Bloodscrawl
Talsin Lota | Vizion Trozky | Pelie besk | Michael Angellus | Aiden Porte | Lorn Reingard
Jannik Morlandt | Auteme | Ariana du Couteau | Thalen Dhorain | Jacen Voidstalker | Ren
@whoever i missed

(If I missed anyone addressing me directly, give me a ping, and I'll fix it. LOTS OF READING. Keep it up, though.

)​

 

[Jace Rhane]

​

"Knight Rhane, I will not speak for the representatives and independents among us, but our order is built on blood righteously spilled. You will find no group of Jedi in the galaxy more willing to do what must be done."

Jace took a moment, before turning his head to the other Jedi.

"You misunderstand, or perhaps I was not totally as clear I should have been. We will not be spilling righteous blood. We will be condemning innocents to die for our cause for which they have no say in. There is no righteousness in the path forward that we set ourselves on. Only dreams that we may never see with waking eyes."

​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

The writing had been on the wall half a year ago, when the Jedi were called to Crait shortly after the crisis on Hapes and warned. Her eyes went to Romi, trying her best to mask the stab of pain taking root within her chest, unsure what she could possibly say to the one woman whom she'd grieved so intensely and hadn't expected to see alive, let alone here of all places. Her presence caused further memories of Hapes, the good and the bad, and the people woven into those rememberings, to stir to the forefront. She brushed her fingers over the dagger at her hip, which had hardly left her side since that heartbreaking day.

When Romi had delivered those warnings, as Mother Askani — she'd come to recently learn — some had listened, but most had not, putting her and Brandyn Sal-Soren on opposite sides for what was not the first time in their lives, along with a few of her own Councilors. Mindlessly, Briana chewed at her bottom lip and shifted her weight as the cacophony of voices around her rose, hip cocked to one side as she switched feet in an effort to try and find comfort she wasn't likely to get.

If she'd listened to her gut.
If the Foundation hadn't fallen.
If they'd tried to push harder. If. If. If.

The word bounced uselessly off the walls in her mind and briefly, her eyes panned across the room to find Lorn, seeing the contrition in his expression and dipping her chin in acceptance of the apology. The past was the past, and no matter how many circles any of them ran in contemplating all they'd change, the reality was that none of them could rewrite a damn thing. There were many ways the Force worked, but in her own experiences, unfortunately, that wasn't one of them.

No, all that mattered now was dealing with the invidious problem in front of them, and block out as much of the background noise that she could.

"Many of us are ready to die for this cause, myself included. But are you willing to kill?"

"All of us here, have seen or been in war in some capacity or another. I don't think we need to be reminded of the cost, or what we may end up needing to do, or what we might have to ask, to prevent even worse tragedy." The act of taking lives had never sat well with her, being one of the first concepts she'd questioned and then consequently forced to confront during her early tenure as a Jedi, a grim reality she'd faced before she was ready.

Once more, memories of Naboo's cataclysm came flooding back, and once more she forced them aside.

"To build this, they have to be pulling resources from somewhere, yeah? A weapon of this magnitude isn't being assembled in the dark, there's a trail somewhere. Materials, labor, transport, all of it leaves a footprint. Checking shipping lane manifests for any suspicious transports would be something to look at, and the Spacers Guild might have the reach to help us do that. The High Republic has worked with them in the past, and we might be able to likewise petition them and see what they’re willing to share, give our seers a place to put their focus.”

Her eyes shifted between Kyric, Lorn, and Viz. “Our Order isn’t as large as the New Jedi Order was, but… we do work three times as hard because of it. As has already been touched on, we’ve been working to establish a network that we’re more than happy to utilize, with information and ships ready to deploy. If they're willing, I'd trust Kyric, Lorn, and Vizion could work together and take lead on further coordination. I can personally vouch that each of them have the skills and necessary instincts to further the cause there.”

She let her arms fold loosely across her chest. “I also have some contacts in the High Assembly that I can reach out to, and if I can bring them something solid, it might be enough for them to potentially get the Assembly to fast-track an extraction order and authorize emergency humanitarian efforts.”

TAG: Kaleleon , Tansu Treicolt , Talin Treicolt , Kyric , Tilon Quill , Romi Jade , Nathan Bloodscrawl , Talsin Lota , Vizion Trozky , Pelie besk , Michael Angellus , Aiden Porte , Lorn Reingard , Jannik Morlandt , Lossa Aureus , Auteme , Ariana du Couteau , Thalen Dhorain , Jacen Voidstalker , Ren , Henna Ashina , Corazona von Ascania , Inosuke Ashina | EQUIPMENT: Lightsaber, Echo Stone, Astor's Dagger

​

 

[Tilon Quill]

The Jedi Knight nodded at this. Sensible. The outlines of a plan.

That nod caught Tilon's eye. After the conversation moved on, he left the holo taskboard running and handed off its control remote to someone he knew.

Then he circled around to try and catch Ren for an aside.

"Renard Fenn?" he said quietly, trying to keep his feelings muted. "I saw your name elsewhere. I'm Tilon Quill. I was seeing someone until recently, Weequay pilot."

He gave Ren a glance at his datapad, which showed a certain bounty.

"I think maybe you could tell me how he passed. Or who else I should be talking to that might know more."

All subtext intentional.

 

[Ren]

The Amaran's ears perked up at Quill's approach, then abruptly flattened against his skull at the words. Ren drew in on himself, eyes downcast.

"He was... with you?" whiskers trembled and Ren felt a pain in his chest, "I am so sorry for your loss."

Ren's fur rippled and he wished he could pull up his hood and sink into, but that was not how Jedi dealt with difficult conversations, with loss, or with empathy. It would have been a selfish choice, just as it would to immediately beg forgiveness or make excuses.

"There was a firefight. A young human force user used him as a shield. I was too late to save him."

I could have done more.

Looking back, he thought perhaps he should have arrested the young man then and there. But they were in the middle of a fire fight. Innocents were dying, the Ithorian was shooting. It had all been chaotic. He took in a breath and tried to center himself.

"I... let the ones who did it escape. There were other people massacring the crowd. I have not been able to find the one who did it since," he nodded his head in the direction of the blonde human, Tansu Treicolt . "She was with them and may know him better."

Tilon Quill

 

[Tilon Quill]

Tilon didn't advertise it, but he'd spent years living with the Order of Shasa and had a good grasp on one of their signature abilities: detecting lies. Ren tracked clean.

"Here's my ship's comm," he said quietly, passing Ren a small card. "Anything you remember, send it to me."

He circled away through the crowd to attempt an aside with Tansu Treicolt

"Renard Fenn sent me over. I lost someone on Denon recently. Fenn said you'd spent time with the young man who killed him. I'd very much like to know more."

 

[Henna Ashina]

Jace Rhane | @ the rest of u sorry i'm on mobile​

Inosuke spoke thoughts which echoed her own. She contented herself to silence while she listened, picking out those who had carved themselves as leaders among them. Quill had been wise in mentioning coordinated teams, though in Henna’s experience, strong leadership was needed to herd the general option, lest they be paralyzed by disagreement. She'd feel out the skills of those she didn't know, make proper assignements, and give them the authority to go forth as they saw fit. Finally, Henna spoke up to respond to Knight Rhane, expanding on Sal-Soren.

"I would not send civilians on their way and hope for the best. Any refugees we evacuate will be protected." She agreed, disapproval of the events he mentioned above Coruscant evident. "However, if people wish to take up arms in defense of their homes, I welcome the assistance. There is no death - there is the force. If they come willingly, understanding the risks, allow them."

 

[Kyric]

After Kyric put forward his information and suggestions, he took a step back beside Lorn and the others. He felt the Sword of Shiraya's eyes on him during the small presentation. The weight of the seasoned Jedi's stare bore into Kyric, then settled into a feeling akin to kinship. Maybe even a little respect. It felt... strange. To stand beside so many Jedi after so long on the fringes of space he expected to feel like an imposter. Instead, the young Waybinder experienced the opposite. He belonged here, one way or another, and he had a duty to the Jedi beside him.

Logistics proved to be this budding coalitions biggest problem. The Lightsworn lacked a large enough fleet to strike out against the Sith and defend innocents caught in the crossfire. Neither the New Jedi Order or the Jedi from Naboo could surmount that problem alone. Continued attacks throughout the Core forced the Galactic Alliance on the backfoot. And the High Republic relied on individual planetary defense forces within their sphere of influence.

Not to mention the matters of who, what, when, where, why, and how pertaining to Stardust itself.

Nathan Bloodscrawl wasn't the only Jedi gathered hesitant to rely on misty visions and half-truths. Prophecies weren't concrete at the best of times. What would these visions present when under Solipsis' manipulations?

Jace Rhane's suggestions and questions weren't far off from Kyric's. The kiffar didn't feel any particular desire to arm the civilian populace to fight this war, not without excessive and thorough training, but they didn't have the time for that. Not while the Empire had the advantage of momentum and a target-rich environment.

In the meantime, Tilon did everyone a great service and simplified the conversation exponentially. These nebulous ideas manifested in the form of visual aid!

While the others engaged the newcomers, Kyric considered the board. The most difficult problem to solve was refugee evacuation, yet it wasn't the most pressing matter. If the superweapon could be destroyed before the Empire had the chance to use it, less people would find themselves displaced in the weeks leading up to an attack. But that was the golden timeline and the Jedi spread throughout the galaxy were far from a golden era.

"We know from the strike on the Balmorran Arms Factory that the Trade Federation is involved in some manner with the weapon's construction. This ain't much of a surprise, really. They've had their hands in every war fought for the last three decades."

Kyric stepped up to the projected board and pointed at the first section of information labeled "Find it."

"There's a finite number of facilities that can build a weapon this size without detection. We can use our seers to sift through the noise and pinpoint high priority targets," Kyric offered the beginnings of his plan while looking between Henna, Romi, Jannik, and Pelie. He shifted his focus to Nathan, then. "From there, we get down n' dirty findin' it. Anyone with an inklin' of skill infiltratin', shadowin', and slicin' need to be boots on the ground dredgin' up everythin' we can."

United under one Order or split between a plethora of enclaves, the Jedi were stronger together. Where one faltered, another often soared. Their greatest weapon in this fight was not hope or their skill with the Force, but trust. Forged in a shared desire to instill a lasting peace.

"Cora, Bri, you two need to put together a team of delegates you trust from within each enclave. You both have connections that run deeper than the Order. Whoever you can't petition fer a meetin', we got Auteme here." He turned to look at her, pausing briefly at the sight of the former Chancellor. "We'll get you what you need to convince whatever Sovereign, Governor, King, Queen, or Senator you can negotiate with. Just make sure we got folks on standby who can move mountains with their words, cause the Force knows we'll be movin' much more than that before all is said and done."

Kyric studied the names at the bottom with mixed feelings. Three of them were deserters far as he saw it. One abandoned the Core to the One Sith, while two abandoned the New Jedi Order to the Galactic Empire now. Were these Jedi to be trusted in the face of such monumental danger?

"Heavenshield's got a planet, don't he? Maybe we can lean on him for ships, pilots, and a place to evacuate refugees. And the Starchasers are legendary as far as pilots and navigators are concerned. It ain't a stretch to think they can find us some back lanes for our ships to fly. Who can we rely on here to bridge the gap between our buddin' coalition and those who failed to show here today? Kale's got the Nobles. What about the Heavenshields and the Starchasers?"

---

Tags: Inosuke Ashina | Henna Ashina | Tilon Quill | Thalen Dhorain | Ariana du Couteau | Corin Kaze | Lorn Reingard | Briana Sal-Soren | Vizion Trozky | Ren | Jace Rhane | Kaleleon | Aiden Porte | Jacen Voidstalker | Romi Jade | Talsin Lota | Pelie besk | Michael Angellus | Nathan Bloodscrawl | Jannik Morlandt | Auteme

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"Manpower," answered Corin to Cora. "More than Jedi, but soldiers and their instructors. Pilots. Engineers. The credits to fuel a war, because that is what this is. One that will not end until Darth Solipsis is defeated, and for good."

Cora tilted her head towards Corin in a slow nod of acknowledgment. She chewed at the inside of her cheek, wondering how to best phrase this.

"Many Jedi and soldiers were lost in the battle for Coruscant. The Alliance was already stretched too thin before the assault on the core, and now we are navigating what remains. We're still…tallying who and what were lost, if you'll forgive me. Resources are not as abundant as they once were, but I will see what can be done."

The conversation that unfolded was, from what she understood, far more forgiving than the last time the Lightsworn had made a call to action. They brushed past decrying their fellow Jedi, opting for a mutual message of unification. The task before them was gargantuan enough to necessitate it, at any rate.

More faces, some familiar, spoke their piece and offered their plans. Kaleleon and Kyric were two she recognized, both men with their hearts set in the right place. They talked of safe houses, refugees, and reading the whispers of the Force, hoping to glean what they could of Solipsis' machinations.

Cora let her eyes flutter closed, grounding herself among the flow of emotions that swelled within the hall. Loss, uncertainty, and sorrow were at the forefront - but within them lived sparks of hope and determination. They slipped through her fingers like sand, and her eyes reopened. The skin beneath them sank sallow and dark from a distinct lack of sleep that the galaxy’s strongest concealer couldn’t quite mask.

"The New Jedi Order has fractured, much of them have left for one reason or another. For those that still have ties to them, make yourselves known. You must contact them, bring them into the fold. Them and their students." His eyes settled on Cora, most of all. The Jedi councilwoman was sure to know best of their state.

"Cora, Bri, you two need to put together a team of delegates you trust from within each enclave. You both have connections that run deeper than the Order. Whoever you can't petition fer a meetin', we got Auteme here."

"What remains of the New Jedi Order has found a temporary home on Ilum, including the Padawans. Some have elected to move beyond borders, but perhaps they can be persuaded to bring their expertise into this fight." A nod was given to Kaleleon when he volunteered to reach out to the Nobles and company. "Do let me know if you need any assistance," she said softly. "Valery was my Master."

Her gaze shifted to Briana for a moment, offering her a tired smile, before her focus returned to Kyric.

"Regarding the refugees, the Alliance has a small fleet of specialized relief ships. I'm not certain if they survived the war, but I will reach out to Master Jonyna Si . I cannot yet speak for what remains of my Order, but you will have my saber. Whether that be in combat, healing, or diplomacy."

For now, they'd push past their differences in ideology and skepticism to face a brutal truth: divided, the galaxy would fall.

Together, perhaps they stood a chance.

Inosuke Ashina Henna Ashina Kyric Corin Kaze Tilon Quill Thalen Dhorain Ariana du Couteau Lorn Reingard Briana Sal-Soren Lossa Aureus Vizion Trozky Ren Jace Rhane Romi Jade Auteme Kaleleon Jacen Voidstalker Aiden Porte Talsin Lota Pelie besk Michael Angellus Nathan Bloodscrawl Jannik Morlandt Tansu Treicolt

 

[Jonath Kago]

It made him uncomfortable to be surrounded by so many Jedi.

Jedi.

Even the word discomfort him. But why? He was never slighted or wronged by them. Hell, Talin was a Jedi so how could he hate her? Jon was lost in a trance, not capturing what was said throughout the whole meeting. His hand itched for his blaster, a hint of anxiety creeping over him.

He finally snapped out of it, this little joint seemed to come to an end.

“You’re gonna have to fill me in back on the shuttle,” he nodded at Talin. “I tried to follow, but was kinda lost,” and shrugged with a relaxing smile. Trying to keep his cool from the near anxiety attack he just had. He might had to pick up on smoking to find some relief from it.

“Should we get going or-“

"Renard Fenn sent me over. I lost someone on Denon recently. Fenn said you'd spent time with the young man who killed him. I'd very much like to know more."

Maybe not. A quick glance at Talin when her sister was approached by this fellow Lightsworn follower. All their troubles seemed to stem from that planet.

“You, uh, got a name or a picture of the guy?” he dared to intervene and asked Quill. “Or something to help you out.”

“Didn’t catch your name, mister…”

Talin Treicolt | Tansu Treicolt | Talsin Lota | Tilon Quill​

 

[Tansu Treicolt]

The words of Talsin brought another dimension to the conversation, and she watched him with a sad kind of pride. He was not alone in his plight, and thankfully, others recognized the need.

But are you willing to kill?"

Tansu's stomach curled a half turn too tight and she felt heavy in her seat. The subsequent conversation described who would die, and that many in the room had killed before and were capable of it.

Doubt seeded into her mind. How could she help here if she were so afraid to take a life?

And as soon as the thought appeared, so did Talsin's hand to squeeze hers.

"I could be a scout pilot and evac pilot," Tansu spoke up. She elbowed her sister, dropping her voice. "Any flyin' really."

This was the right place to be if Aunteme was here. Tansu closed her eyes and warmed to the affectionate hello, caught the look she gave to Talsin, and nodded. Auteme should meet Talsin!

Oh Force but then what if Auteme told her parents? She hadn't mentioned the boyfriend thing yet and she could only imagine her Pa's reaction.

Different problem for a different day.

Now that the discussion had broken, and people started to splinter and have side conversations, Tansu felt the opportunity to volunteer might have slipped away. She could pilot for evacuations as good as, if not better, than any. Where should she sign up? Just put her name on the board? That felt schoolgirlish and weird but — oh good! Tilon, who'd made the columns visible to all, approached her.

Readily, she stepped to the side.

But he did not discuss the topic she'd anticipated.

Tansu's mouth went drier than Tattooine midday and she followed the direction he'd come from. She knew the name, Renard Fenn. She'd barely been conscious enough to hear it on Denon, but she'd read it on a bounty.

"You did? I'm so sorry. Uhm," she said stupidly, unable to feign any lie.

"I was there, yes, but I haven't seen him since that night and —"She'd always been terrible at fabricating falsehoods, and maybe she could have just not said anything more but then suddenly Jon appeared. She startled with a noise that just hopped out in shock.

Before that, maybe she would have been able to say yes she did know him, it was out of character for him, they'd grown up together, and that she hadn't seen him since that night. But now he was here, at a Jedi congregation, and her stomach twisted into a knot.

She hadn't even seen him — how? Probably the overstimulation of seeing her sister again for the first time after the longest timeline of being apart, and everything else going on.

Nettled at Jon's interjection, Tansu bristled. She was still horrified by his actions on Denon. He'd split off with Talin after that night, and she'd encouraged him to set the record straight. For half a beat, she hoped that's what he was doing.

Tansu was deeply disappointed that it was not.

And even more upset that she balanced between two points. Forestall this investigation and work with Jon to give Captain Quill the runaround , or be straight. Lend to justice. Maybe it was because she was in a congregation of Jedi that she made her choice the way she did.

Keeping her voice low, so as not to disrupt the others, she grimaced out a disapproving: "Jon," and reached into her back pocket. "He ain't need an image. I gott'un. They were The Drop's security cameras.

It was a weird night. Nobody was actin' like they outta. He ain't ever been like this before."

Silently, she handed her data pad over to Tilon. A 10-second run of the event played from start to finish, cycling on a loop.

"Reckon maybe this conversation oughta continue outside?"

_____________________________________​

Immediate area: Talin Treicolt | Talsin Lota | Jonath Kago | Auteme | Tilon Quill | Ren
@everyone else, we tryna be real quiet like here and not make a scene at our first jedi party

 

[Tilon Quill]

“You, uh, got a name or a picture of the guy?” he dared to intervene and asked Quill. “Or something to help you out.”

“Didn’t catch your name, mister…”

"You did? I'm so sorry. Uhm," she said stupidly, unable to feign any lie.

"I was there, yes, but I haven't seen him since that night and —"

Keeping her voice low, so as not to disrupt the others, she grimaced out a disapproving: "Jon," and reached into her back pocket

"He ain't need an image. I have a picture. They were The Drop's security cameras."

Silently, she handed her data pad over to Tilon. A 10-second run of the event played from start to finish, cycling on a loop.

"Reckon maybe this conversation oughta continue outside?"

Let go of what you fear to lose. Mourn them do not. Miss them do not.

Reminding himself of old Jedi tenets that he'd never agreed with, Tilon held on to his balance as well as he could as cagey and dissembling became more than strange. He had not expected to come face to face with the person who'd killed Lurk. A little bigger and taller than Tilon, maybe younger, a fighter or a killer.

Well, certainly a killer. The recording seemed clear enough. And whatever others had speculated, that looked nothing like panic. Just a body deemed disposable.

"Yes," he said eventually, tearing his eyes away from the recording of the murder. "I think that's best. I'll be out back."

 

[Lorn Reingard]

Lorn stood still. The conversation swelled around him like a tide lapping at his boots: quiet, relentless, full of weight. So many voices filled the room. Plans and strategies layered on top of grief, resolve, and the occasional, jagged trace of bitterness. It was all familiar, almost comforting, in the way that old scars could sometimes be.

He listened. That's what Lorn did best when there were too many voices. He let the ones who needed to speak do the speaking.

Aiden's words still hung near his ear like a leftover ember.

"Whatever you and the Council decide, I'll follow it. I trust their judgment."

Lorn turned his head slightly, just enough to meet the younger Knight's gaze. He let out a slow, amused breath through his nose. It wasn't quite a laugh, but the suggestion of one.

"You should always question the judgment of people who make decisions in rooms like this," he said, low enough that only Aiden would hear. "But… thank you. Just don't follow us off a cliff. Not without a rope."

He patted Aiden once on the shoulder, a light, wordless thanks of his own, then returned his focus to the broader chamber. He felt Briana's presence brush past his mind even before he saw her across the room. She spoke clearly, with authority, despite the fatigue in her stance.

Her eyes flitted between him, Vizion, and Kyric. Then the request came, subtle but pointed. Lorn didn't need more words; she wanted him and the others to take the reins. That tired but unmistakable spark of command still flared behind her, even now. Lorn dipped his chin once, a quiet yes, and then looked back to Kyric.

The kid was still talking. Not rambling, not posturing, just talking. He moved across the projected map with quiet purpose. Names. Contacts. Plans formed like lines drawn in sand just before the tide. Lorn noted the careful way Kyric handled each person: Henna and the seers, Cora and Briana, even the political pieces he hadn't been assigned. The kid wasn't just sharp, he understood people. That was rare. Jedi were so often trained to understand the Force, not each other.

Lorn allowed himself a rare moment of quiet pride that had no real right to be his. Guess it's not always a bad thing when a council seat opens up.

He stayed quiet. But the way he stepped a little closer to Kyric as the plan formed said more than words. He was ready.

@All y'all (Look at all of us in here lol)​

 

[Rik Perris]

HIRATA ENCLAVE
ATRISIA

Rik was still a bit confused at how quickly Zeriana seemed taken with him, which flew in the face of how shy he’d been told the girl was, and how shy she’d appeared to be the moment he met the two-year-old.

Today was the second time the Corellian had been around Lossa’s daughter, and he could think of any number of reasons why she clung to him, but he wasn’t bothered in the least by it. Even the look Lossa had given him only made Rik shrug, and return her slit-eyed gaze over the noggin laid against his shoulder with an expression of helplessness and a half–smile.

Yet he didn’t catch the second glance from Lossa; once the meeting was well under way, his attention was split between the snoozing kid held and propped up on his hip, and the shifting discourse itself. It took a bit of discussion jumping from place to place, but now it appeared that there was more concrete direction starting to form. Rik would fight, and he would do what it took - that was the kind of Jedi he was, the way he was trained, and the breadth of his experience. That he was almost entirely aligned with the Lightsworn’s initial precepts, and had run with them a year prior, spoke to this.

Many of the faces of the Lightsworn who were still present were recogniseable to him from that handful of months, and that meant a great deal to Rik, in a galaxy where so many of the people he used to know to any degree as a padawan and in his early days as a knight were either dead or well on with their lives. Somthing was off, but it wasn’t something he could put a finger on.

And it hardly mattered in the grand scheme of the present.

"Heavenshield's got a planet, don't he? Maybe we can lean on him for ships, pilots, and a place to evacuate refugees. And the Starchasers are legendary as far as pilots and navigators are concerned. It ain't a stretch to think they can find us some back lanes for our ships to fly. Who can we rely on here to bridge the gap between our buddin' coalition and those who failed to show here today? Kale's got the Nobles. What about the Heavenshields and the Starchasers?"

Now he knew he could offer something more than his blade. "My sibs and I are all competent pilots to one degree or another," he spoke up, while carefully adjusting his hold of the two-year-old snoozing against his side; competent was the minimum, "you can thank my folks for that." It had been a requirement for all of them, no matter what path their lives took, but most had chosen it as a career, one way or another. "Could be one of them flying escort, or the craft you're catching a ride in, you never know." One end of his mouth pulled up. "Turns out most of 'em decided to follow me to Naboo."

Sort of. The reasons were different for each of them, but they'd all been raised the same. Sitting on their hands wasn't something a Perris did. Wasn't very Corellian either.

Aiden Porte • Ariana du Couteau • Auteme • Briana Sal-Soren
Corazona von Ascania • Corin Kaze • Henna Ashina • Inosuke Ashina
Jace Rhane • Jax Thio • Kaleleon • Kyric • Laurent Costeau • Lorn Reingard
Lossa Aureus • Nathan Bloodscrawl • Pelie besk • Shinzou Ashina
Talsin Lota • Tansu Treicolt • Thalen Dhorain • Tilon Quill​

 

[Kaleleon]

The voice of High Lord Ashina spoke and broke through the sounds of all others speaking. The voice was filled with a determined but soft spoken tone. One that desired respect only out of the wisdom he held behind such words. Agreeing with me that if there would be any chance at all to determine if something could be found through the force, we should at the very least try. Not doing so was foolish. Moreover, his words continued. Speaking of Councillor Kaze and how the records would be tracked and found for the Lightsworn to strike.

What surprised me further, was the addition of his words coming to me directly. Asking me, not commanding. It took me a bit off guard. However, I nodded my head in respect as his request was actually a very easy one. To take his son Ikuma with me to meet with the Nobels so that we can make contact with them. Moreover, this was an act to invite the Nobles and the Ashina’s families together despite their past problems. It was interesting to say the least.

Without hesitation, I replied back to him.

“I will accept his presence with me. It should be someone of your blood to properly deliver the invitation. Not a jedi that bounces from enclave to enclave.”

A very small notation of what was going to be done. That was, until Cora showed up. Her face familiar in this sea of people. Half-surprised with her presence. Responding to Kyric and his questions. Specifically mentioning how Ilum was the temporary home of the New Jedi Order. While others stayed there to help the refugees, I had been one of the Jedi to leave from Ilum directly to try and seek aid.

I thought Cora was one to stay back and use her connections to help the refugees. Instead, she was showing up in person. Which only made me find a host of respect for the woman. Knowing what needed to be done, and doing it despite any title or preconceived notion of who she was. Even mentioning Jonyna Si. My head dipped just a bit at the mention of the Cathar Jedi.

“Cora, should you require aid to find Master Si, I can be of assistance.”

A soft pause.

“After I reach out to the Nobels. I doubt they will return, but I will see what I can muster.”

Corazona von Ascania Inosuke Ashina Kyric Romi Jade