Order [Invite]

[Qae Shena]

@[member="Spencer Jacobs"] @[member="Jaxton Ravos"] @[member="Seroth Ur-Rahn"] @[member="Boolon Murr"] @[member="Asha Seren"] @[member="Teynara Jeralyr"] @[member="Rosa Mazhar"] @[member="Quinn Vos"]

The word had been passed on, from Qae and Jaxton, to the appropriate interested parties. Between the two of them, they had contacts that would consider their offer, and they knew it; the start of something new for them all, a way to enact change and good in the Galaxy. Qae's temple on Teth had been offered up as a place of meditation, rest and learning, where they could hide from the face of the Galaxy. This place would be their home.

Whatever they were.

Seeker's Gate had been a good idea, with slow execution. Qae's offer had been to re-purpose that which he owned, his home away from home that wasn't the Aether Dreamer, and put himself on the path. To those that knew the Master-at-Arms, he was changed. There existed strange scars on his forearms, and a certain air about him that bespoke a new kind of strength. How different he was depended on how one viewed his new outlook. Was his acceptance of the path of balance, trending towards doing good in the Galaxy, all that different from his older role? He doubted it. This was who he'd always been - chaotically good. This was no different. Once upon a time he would've sworn away from an Order. Now, though? He wasn't so sure. He needed something stable in his life for the first damn time.

So, they had been called. Their ships could be parked inside the mountain and the turbolift taken up to the Temple, where Qae waited in the meditation chambers for all of them - and these chambers were gorgeous. Rocks with repulsorlifts installed that served as water features for a pond that sat in the centre of the room, with grass all around it. Water cascaded about like gorgeous fountains frm a central stony spire that pumped water up and endlessly trickled down the floating rocks. There was the constant scent of fresh grass and that quiet serenity that bespoke peace amidst turmoil.

Would they come?

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

The whole business of cryptic messages and clandestine meetings was one fairly alien to her, but Teynara had the sense that this was important, and not something to simply disregard as a matter of paranoia or over-caution. She'd received her invitation just over a week ago, left for her on the comm unit in her quarters. Not signed, no real sense of who was responsible for it. Just a simple invitation with the promise of an interesting proposition, and the planetary co-ordinates for a place a long way off. It was a little odd, but several years among the Jedi had taught her that, sometimes, it was better not to have too many details.

It had taken a few days to make sure she'd tied up loose ends on Tython, making certain that her duties and studies were well taken care of, not simply to be left neglected. As a Padawan, it wasn't always the easiest thing to do to convince the other Jedi that you had other responsibilities beyond those immediately apparent: to the Order, her role was to study and develop, and as a Healer, also to treat injuries or wounds and work on extending her knowledge of such a complex role. And you can't just abandon your patients or stop attending lessons without permission first. It was a pain, but a necessary one.

At any rate, she'd managed to obtain permission to borrow a shuttle and requisition sufficient supplies for her trip, and off she'd went. If only it had been that simple..., the blonde reflected with a smile, glancing back towards the small space-faring vehicle that was sitting motionless on the floor of the hangar bay she had but recently arrived at. At least I didn't crash on arrival. She wasn't the best pilot in the galaxy, but she could at least cope with dropping a small shuttle on a hangar deck without causing catastrophic damage.

"No welcoming party, though...", she noted, glancing around the nearly empty hangar. There were a few other ships here: all fairly nondescript, but functional, and that just screamed 'belongs to the Jedi Order', so she could at least relax and recognise that there were others of her kind here. If she concentrated, she knew she might even sense one or two of them, but that was the sort of thing that Jedi Masters went around doing. Me...I like surprises. "And this is just enough of a surprise for anybody's liking..."

The turbolift shaft at the other end of the hangar bay was empty: it had clearly been taken up to another floor, so she had to wait a minute or two after pressing the control to summon it. Perhaps someone else arrived just before I did, she thought, eyes narrowing as she rolled possibilities through her head. She still wasn't entirely sure that this wasn't a trap of some kind: the planet's proximity to Sith space definitely weighing on her mind a little, but if other Jedi were here, she'd be fine. Plus, the Sith don't want defenseless trainee Healers. They want the Masters, and the Warriors. Not me. That was the reassuring part.

When it finally arrived, she took the turbolift up towards what was probably the main floor - there weren't exactly many options, and she'd just felt this weird feeling as her finger had hovered hesitantly over the controls. The Force tended to be a little cryptic and vague sometimes, but ever so occasionally, she'd just get this more direct sense. In this case, it was more like a 'Press This Button' feeling, and the Masters had taught her to trust her gut, so she went along with it. Force alone knows where this'll take me, though.

Knowing her luck, it'd be waste disposal or something equally ridiculous. But she'd eventually figure out what she was doing here. That was the point of coming...

 

[Lief]

@[member='Thurion Heavenshield'] @[member='Jericho'] @[member="Qae Shena"] @Spencer Jacobs @Jaxton Ravos @Seroth Ur-Rahn @Boolon Murr @Teynara Jeralyr @Rosa Mazhar

Asha knew what was happening, and it was for this reason alone that she responded to the summoning. Not verbally, she gave no indication that she would be attending the meeting on Teth, let alone bringing along two Padawan's who, like their Master, would be joining the cause. This she had no doubt about, and to the pair she had merely informed them that they were beginning a new chapter in their lives, starting an adventure so to speak, of course the latter was more to entice Thurion's curiosity. He was, after all, only a child. Both had agreed without issue, and were the only ones she had chosen from her group of Padawans. The rest were too uptight in their ideals, they would not have understood. Of course, Thurion did not understand but he was the youngest and also the most dependant. She had no doubt that he needed her, Asha could not let him down. That is something we need to work on, however. It would soon be time for his training to be kicked up a notch... And it would begin with a trip to Pelagon, where the pair had met. Where his demons await. In the grand scheme of things, this could even pass as his Trial of Courage... Or Spirit, depending on how you looked at it.

There were only two things missing, in Asha's eyes... The presence of Tracyn and Kobe, both of whom would remain where they were. Neither knew where Asha was going, nor how long it would be before they were reunited. Kobe had a Master now, his path was being created, and Asha had to trust in the will of the Force. No harm will come to him, children had been raised within the Order for countless years. Still, she could not help but wonder if this was a poor reflection of Asha, not just as a Jedi as many in the Order would no doubt claim, but as a Mother too. You lost one son to the Sith, and another to the Republic. But she still had Thurion, she still had Jericho. The former often referred to her as Mother when he was going through hardship, and for a long time their bond had been as inseparable as Mother and Son. It still is she realised.

During their long flight from Coruscant to Teth the Knight had taken the time to teach both Thurion and Jericho a thing or two about navigation and piloting, if anything to pass the time. Thurion had been slow to begin with, but he soon grasped the concept. He was quick to learn, she had quickly noticed when taking him as her Padawan. Jericho, on the other hand, did not struggle even to begin with, clearly good at following instructions. A trait which will come in useful in the future she had no doubt. Between rest and ship-orientated lessons, Asha had also taken the time to train them both individually and as a collective. For Thurion the emphasis was on his written abilities, after all he was still learning to become fully-literate. Jericho, on the other hand, was still focused on his martial skills, and for the present Asha humoured his preference. But he cannot only learn to fight she knew. That, like Thurion's dependency, had to change. Her personal time with Jericho was spent trying to coax words from him. He was, more often than not, silent and introverted. Asha had, once upon a time, been frightfully similar, she knew the temptations silence brought, how difficult it was to break the habit... But in turn, she knew that it was possible, with the right support.

Finally they reached Teth and Asha allowed her Padawans to pilot the ship into orbit, and finally through the atmosphere of the planet. They successfully guided it down into the specified hangar bay, which was a considerably feat considering it was hidden within a rockface, out of sight. When the ship landed Asha picked up her backpack, ensured that the two boys had everything they required and ushered them down the ramp. Once on land the Knight then proceeded to activate the cloaking device, as an extra precaution. The ship was out of the way, which hopefully meant no one would crash into it while it was unseen. Taking Thurion's small hand in her own, and gesturing for Jericho to follow, Asha set off in the direction of the turbolift which was situated in one corner of the hangar bay. The tiny boy at the end of her arm had only one reservation about leaving Coruscant, the loss of his closest friend Daux, or Kitty as he called her. Of course, what Thurion did not know was that she and Jaxton were going to attend... But this she kept a secret from him, so that he would have a pleasant surprise.

When the doors of the turbolift finally opened, and the trio emerged, they were immediately greeted with a maze-like foyer. But luckily, Asha knew where they were headed, towards the concentration of emotions, no matter how mild they might have been. The trail led them to a gorgeous meditation garden, complete with waterfall, fountain and trees. "Master Shena" the Knight began, by way of greeting. Inclining her head, and then her body, Asha bowed in addition, to show her respect. "Thank you for inviting us." Extending her free hand so that it gestured between Jericho and Thurion she added: "These are my Padawan's, Jericho and Thurion. I do hope you don't mind that I brought them along. They won't be an issue, I assure you" to the latter she added a smile, before leading Thurion along to a seat, hoping that Jericho would join him.

 

[Seydon of Arda]

It was a time of growing contempt. The Inner Core and surrounding territories, marred by territorial lines that seemed to swell with the acquisition of a new world to the fold every fortnight, were the scenes of intrigue, duplicitous actions, arrogance, no small amount of spiritual heresy, and burgeoning violence. No one was expected to toe a personal line of neutrality and be spared from public and private humiliations. Omega Pyre. Republic. The Empire. A bolstered triumvirate of private nationalities that worked, round the clock, to undermine one or the other. Senators pocketed profits and kickbacks for their roles in initiating 'justified interventions.' Business men and women organized treaties that funneled resources into already fattened coffers. And blood thirsty monarchs kept legions of leashed psychotics in the wings, readying for the first prick of aggression.

Teth was an arboreal gem, brightly violet across the visible light spectrum when approaching from the Galactic northern span. A tiny gunboat shivered on descent, ploughing slowly through banks of roiling moisture vapor. Rolls of bleak thunder broke shivers across the ventral stub-wings, sent pricks of warning through the cabin sensor readouts. The lad at the controls kept a tight steer and maneuvered his pilfered transport down over a rise of jagged peaks, capped silver and alabastor with snow and untapped mineral veins. The mixture of coniferous with deciduous reminded the boy of the wilds of Contruum, where industry hadn't yet struck furrows in the virgin soil. There was a desire to race the winds through the emerald canopy, lay in wait below with just a blade stuck in his teeth while a grand prize of animal waltzed past in an oblivious hunt. Taste the cold rivulets and bathe in creeks, sigh and spend nights staring at too many stars.

Maybe soon, Seroth thought, if he was so lucky.

A set of auto-nav coordinates swung his gunboat down over a peninsular sag of elongated island continents. Three hundred miles into the lush interior of the second largest isle, nestled in a cradled upheaval of stark crags leaching snow into hues of lichen and vine growth, laid a marvel of spiritual architecture. Sloped roofs curled against like laps of opposing surf waves. Terracotta shingles, dyed in pigments jade and deep azure, shimmered with bright coats of latent moisture. The gunboat landed into the midst of a below ground hanger. Refueling scaffolds descended, manipulator-arms extending to suspend the weight of the small vessel above floor. Droids in chrome chased chassis, with slender, pronged arms that belied mechanical strength, rolled in to attach feed lines and refueling pipes to the underbelly. Seroth came to the decking via an extended ladder, breathing in traces of refined rocket petrol and machine oil.

The turbolift journey to the upper floors ascended him past an atrium of ancient tree groves, bark as gnarled as fused plate but so richly dark. Ponds were lolled with lily pads larger than repulsor plates, freshwater fishes idly floundering beneath while awesome, constricting pythons with glass scales lounged atop beds of velvet moss, tasting the air with trident tongues. He stopped upon an upper floor, strolling through a level with black decked floors and dimmed strip-lamp glow lights. Soft trails of incense burn tinged and lapped at his nose. A chamber of meditation was opened, spreading a soothing pat of lapping fountains. Two women wearing expressive wisdom and two younger men, bright faced and strong, kept a slight semi-circle round a risen Nautolan. His features were struck with a white mask of tattoos, arms long and showcasing similar markings that hid over puffs of scar tissue.

Seroth nodded his deference to those in company, pulling back his hood and scratching dew off his chin. "Adept Shena." He said quietly.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa smiled as the thunder rumbled above the ship, her mind flicking back to the storm on Spira. Months had passed since then, the galaxy hadn't changed, but many of the people within it had. The message from Qae had been unspecific about why he needed to see her, only that he did and that was more then enough of a reason for Rosa. Friends were one of the greatest gifts life had to offer, you had to treasure and support them no matter what. She guided the ship above dense jungles, through the rising storm. Sheets of rain cascaded across her viewport but she paid the whether no mind as the temple came into view.

She reached out in the force, as she brought the ship round to enter the underground hangar, seeking the other force sensitive's within the temple their own peace melding with hers for a brief moment before she broke away to focus on landing. Shutting the ship down Rosa disembarked and the first ship in her line of made her stomach do a somersault. The Iron Snake, with its sharp angular features was a stunning ship but Rosa's interests were in its pilot. She opened herself to the force once more extending with a rush of excitement as she moved through the hangar bay hitting the buttons on the turbolift, wishing it would come to her faster.

"Seroth..." she breathed though the noun would be heard in her lovers mind as she found him in the force, close to Qae presence. Once inside the lift she closed her eyes and pulled back, taking deep breaths and calming herself. This meeting was not about her and Seroth, it was about Qae... and whatever he needed. She calmed herself somewhat, though the buzz of delight and excitement was still there. Exciting the turbo lift she made herself walk and not run through the corridors. The mediation room, was a beauty to behold but Rosa had eyes for none of it. In a few quick strides she had crossed the room and drawn Seroth into a tight hug her heart swelling with emotion that she for a heartbeat, left unchecked as she buried her face into his neck.

No words were needed, as she drew back and took a deep breath bringing her emotions back into line and turning to face Qae and the others. She flashed the Nautolun a smile. "Hello Qae," she said softly as she slipped her hand into Seroth's and interlocked their fingers, eyes flicked to the others "Teynara." she inclined her head, recognising the healer form a lifetime ago, the others she did not know. She offered them warm smiles nonetheless. "Are there more to come?" she asked, looking back at Qae, noticing a subtle change in him. Eyes narrowed slightly but she pushed the matter aside to discuss at a later date.

 

[Jaxton Ravos]

Jaxton parked his ship in the mountain range near the temple, before chomping on a ration bar and heading out. In truth he was still quite worried, afraid of if his idea would work. Would people follow him? Should they follow him? Then again there was no other real choice if they thought as he did. There was no where else to go really, no culture or organization that merely wishes to protect and assist, rather than further their own means. He supposed that was why they were coming here, hopefully coming here, the contacts Qae and he had both worked to find.

He hoped they would show, he had contacted @[member="Asha Seren"], a Jedi he had heard didn't agree with the council, and @[member="Teynara Jeralyr"], a young padawan who specialized in healing, and old friend he'd met a few times here and there. His padawan @[member="Daux"], more child than student in truth, he left in his ship, hopeful that she hadn't figured out how to get around the locks yet as Jaxton left the ship and headed into the mountains, finding the Repulsor lift Qae had described.

The Temple, when he arrived there, was beyond beautiful. The sound of the flowing waterfalls hung in the background, while the scent of dew on the grass was refreshing. This place was perfect for what he hoped to accomplish. He'd have to ask the story of how @[member="Qae Shena"] managed to find this place. As he found the meeting place he found both Teynara and Asha had heeded his words, and gave a small smile. "Thanks for coming Asha, Teynara. " He said, before turning to a familiar blue skinned Nautolean, a bit more scarred and tattooed than he remembered, but he didn't seem shaken, so he'd take that as a sign it didn't need to be talked about. At least for now. "This is a wonderful place Qae. Better than I could have hoped for." He said, before he turned his gaze around

And found two former Jedi he hadn't seen since . . . well, his early Knighthood. @[member="Seroth Ur-Rahn"], a man who always had a strong moral compass, long as he had known him, and @[member="Rosa Mazhar"], a woman and empath who had helped him through Teferi's death. He hadn't seen either of them since the battle of Roche, oh how long ago that felt. He went over to the two of them, not knowing what to say, and wrapped his arms around them both, squeezing tight until he thought he heard something pop, then released them. If he was a human his face would a bit red, but thankfully his face was always red.

"I hope you two have been well." He said, not doting on where they went or what had happened. "Thank you both for coming." He said, before turning to address all of them. "I'm sure all of you have come to realize the flaws of the Jedi Order, and the Republic, and quite frankly neither are organizations I can support any longer." He said, before deeply exhaling, visibly a bit shaken. "I'd like to make a new Order, something that truly served the Force, truly sought peace." He said, fighting through the lack of confidence he had in his ability to run an Order. "And I'd like all of you to be a part of it."

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

The turbolift had come to a stop a few moments later, and the doors that had sealed it off had parted to reveal a large chamber that was far different to anything she had felt could have been expected. Broad, with a high curved ceiling, it wouldn't have seemed out of place at the Temple on Tython, but this was better: soft grass beneath the boots she wore, the gentle sound of running water trickling in serene flow that reminded her of quiet afternoons sat beside a stream, meditating and relaxing when the opportunity presented itself. It was quite something else, for this place to be indoors.

Stepping off, she paused for a moment, placing her back against the wall that adjoined the turbolift, then reached down and lifted one foot off the ground, unlacing one boot and then the other, putting the soft leather footwear down by the wall so she could feel the grass beneath her feet, the way she often preferred to. It felt soft and springy, and the sensation as it tickled her sensitive skin made her smile faintly. Only when this was done did she think to proceed inside the room. She could sense well enough that this was designed as a benign place: had she thought otherwise, she'd never have taken off her shoes.

Now that she looked closer in, she noticed that there were several others here. Teynara recognised them all: hard not to, given that they were some of the Jedi Order's best and brightest. @[member="Qae Shena"] was here, a being she knew solely by reputation rather than by any personal interaction, but she recognised him at least. @[member="Jaxton Ravos"] was here, too. Of course, she thought, breathing a soft sigh. The invitation here will have been his doing. Why he couldn't have asked her in person, the blonde wasn't sure, but it explained a lot.

@[member="Seroth Ur-Rahn"] and @[member="Rosa Mazhar"] were here, too. She didn't know either of them, beyond recalling that Seroth had been Rosa's Padawan at one point: Teynara had seen them together a few times at the Temple, but from what she'd been able to tell, the two of them spent most of their time off-world. The only other recognisable face was @[member="Asha Seren"], one of the few Jedi that Teynara had met that had dedicated her time primarily to the training of students. Noble choice of profession, but it makes you wonder why she has come here. Wouldn't that leave her students to fend for themselves for a while? Intriguing, for certain.

Jaxton's words came without preamble, and Teynara had to stop herself from interrupting him, as she'd wanted to say hello to the others in the group. For a moment, though, it felt like someone had suddenly pulled a carpet out from under her, and she was falling backwards, all sense of balance and orientation vanishing at this. Yes, the Order has it's flaws: all things do. But to walk away? That seemed a shocking thing to ask of those gathered within the room, particularly given that many of them were well-known figures as far as the Jedi were concerned. Their departure would really shake the foundations.

"Are you sure such flaws cannot be fixed within the Order itself, Master?", she asked candidly, her voice soft and her tone low, but sufficient to carry to the others within the room all the same. Teynara knew that she was taking a bold step questioning a Jedi Master as she was, but it seemed like all the rules were being thrown out the window anyway. "The Jedi have always stood for peace, even though we've not always been so good at acting on it," the blonde added solemnly. "Is this the only way?"

@Thurion Heavenshieldhttp://starwarsrp.net/user/1646-thurion-heavenshield/ @Jericho @Qae Shena @Spencer Jacobs @Jaxton Ravos @Seroth Ur-Rahn @Boolon Murr @Teynara Jeralyr @Rosa Mazhar

 

[Qae Shena]

There were so many more to come, and Qae knew it; their assemblage so far had maybe half of the invited. However, they would be here, they would be brought up to speed, and Qae would be more than happy to do his duty as the gracious host to these wonderful people. Rosa was here, earning her a smile; his fellow Spencerprentice was almost like a sister to him. Seroth got a nod of his head, as a battle-brother and a Vagrant together they faced the darkness of the Galaxy head-on. Asha, Teynara, Jericho and Thurion - these were Jedi that he didn't know. And Jax, of course. Qae forced out a smile, and actually looked at him. Even if it was a little difficult to do so.

Damn pink.

"The Jedi Order is inherently flawed," Qae said by way of response, a quick nod to Jax to indicate that he'd field this one. "It has a single problem that it is bound to, that makes it very unsuitable for what it does: it is solely tied to the Republic. That bond is what costs it dearly; it has to fight the Republic's wars and beat back its enemies. This has been true for millennia. Ancient histories, what we've seen left of it, tell us that much. When the Republic calls on it to fight a war, the Order must because the Republic keeps it afloat and pulling that support would end the Order. It's that simple - they're warriors because of politics, not because of choice. We have that choice. We need to make the choice to sue for peace in a way we find morally non-reprehensible. Sometimes, breaking away from a mainstream tradition is a right choice."

Teynara was an interesting one, to Qae. An apprentice, probably, but a wise one. The Jedi did turn out some greats and the Nautolan could sense one of those greats right there. Inquisitive minds with keen philosophy were the kind of Jedi he could respect, because they were the most introspective of what the Order was. And, likely, the best-suited to be here in the Conclave than he, as a warrior. That was all he knew how to do, in the end.

"There are other reasons. The fact that the bloody and unending Jedi-Sith war raging on has killed more people than Palpatine's Galactic Empire and the Gulag Plague put together over several thousand years. The fact that the Jedi Order preaches a very strict, monastic sort of life one day and an open and caring society the next. The fact that their Masters are responsible for murderous atrocities and are not being punished sufficiently for it. The fact that, simply, they are just too big and too unwieldy for their own good and now their unwieldiness with a lack of internal policing is making them look the fool. I could give you dozens of reasons. We've all found different reasons to be here, given different levels of disillusionment with the Jedi. Let's face it, everyone's got a different reason, but we are here, and that's what matters. Here we can establish a way of life that works for our purposes. We aren't going to be the Jedi Order Mark Two, and we're going to be okay with that."

Qae spread his arms, welcoming them all to his humble abode. He was rather proud of it, for obvious reasons; its serenity was a thing of beauty and he was fortunate enough to have picked it up. Now he knew it would finally be put to good use, where his friends and family and newfound allies could come and seek solace from the troubles and terrors of the Galaxy. "Welcome to the Silent Temple, ladies and gentlemen. A home I've hidden even from people who don't have a home. This is my quiet retreat, a place of solace and meditation. It is now home to a conclave of like-minded people who, I feel, will appreciate the decor." A chuckle escaped Qae's lips at his own little joke. "For those who don't know me, I'm Qae Shena. I do a lot of different things and, at Master Ravos' request, I'm here to help out. First request of mine: just call me Qae. I'm bad with titles, and I'm not a Master. You have my welcome, and my thanks, for coming."

@[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] @[member="Jericho"] @[member="Teynara Jeralyr"] @[member="Spencer Jacobs"] @[member="Jaxton Ravos"] @[member="Seroth Ur-Rahn"] @[member="Boolon Murr"] @[member="Teynara Jeralyr"] @[member="Rosa Mazhar"] @[member="Quinn Vos"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

An Ithorian, perpetually distracted, looked up from his datapad. He was, in truth, engrossed in nailing down the most ambitious project of international peace since the Darkness. And he'd done it without the Jedi Order.

"I am in no mood to give speeches, nor to talk. Suffice it to say, I am here."

 

[Quinn Vos]

Qae's shadow stood to the side, emerald-fire eyes alert, scanning each new stranger for weapons and analyzing their actions. Where the Kiffar warrior lacked skills in understanding basic, she made up for with observation of nonverbal cues. Plain features remained uncharacteristically passive and calm.

A rather large Ithorian brushed past her, his robes catching on the exposed skin of her arms. Eyes seemed to glow as images of a life that wasn't hers' flashed inside her mind. Gritting her teeth, she fought to clear her mind of @[member="Boolon Murr"]'s robes and all the memories that came with it.

Eyes snapped back into focus, silently mulling over the foreign memories.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Following closely behind Master @[member="Asha Seren"], now twelve-year-old Thurion would look all around him as they walked, taking in the scenery. To Thurion, none of this; their relocation to Teth, them leaving the Order - none of it was of any major significance to him. He was happy to join Asha in whatever undertaking she'd committ to. There was nothing for him back on Tython or Coruscant, nor the Republic in general. As he was growing up, his dependancy of Asha started to wane slightly, though he much preferred to hold her hand when able to. It still instilled some sense of safety and comfort in him doing so.

Upon meeting all those already gathered, Thurion would bow to greet them, allowing Asha to introduce him rather than doing it himself. He knew these people before him were important people of varying degree; they were bigger people than himself, and he did not wish to be seen as a bumbling child in their eyes. Things would be different now, this he was more than certain of. Standing close to Asha, he dicreetly grasped her hand with his, their sizes matching eachother to a greater extent now than four years prior, when his would become lost in her much larger hand in comparison.

 

[Jericho]

Things were moving and escalating quickly, one day he is reading up on how to use tech properly in battle situations in the jedi archive and the next he's leaving the order with a handful of other master jedi and their padawans after the news of how the order have been conducting their influence with the republic. Did he honestly care about the situation he was getting himself in? No, not really. He didn't exactly have any ties bounding him to the order, most of the other padawans called him by ghost because how quiet he was and typically didn't noticed him unless he was asked to do something by the jedi masters. But most of his training has come from master Seren who actually took the time to talk, train, and get to know him. Of course, to a certain degree, a mere single reason for him to leave the order. From recent news about the jedi massacring innocents, that was something he did not wish to stand by. Contradiction and Corruption. From what he has been taught the Jedi are suppose to be peacekeepers not soldiers and last he checked peacekeepers didn't kill innocent people on a order by the republic. At least, that was his concept on the situation, there could be factor as to why, but he wasn't planning on staying to figure out why. To him that whole action was more sith-like than anything.

Master Seren, on the other hand, thus far showed him that she was one of the few jedi that was against this and was not willing do as told like a conforming soldier of the republic and for that, she had his respect. One standing strong in the their ways against diversity was something to be admired and respected. But aside from that there were other reasons for him actually choosing this path of a rouge jedi. The knowledge he could gain from experience than just reading from the archives was something he could not pass up. He could freely do as he pleases within the rules of the jedi and under the supervision of his master, which would be alot less tedious and strict through all the protocol of the order. He is also excerising one of Master Seren's teachings, adapting to a situation, seeing as this was a considerably big change one would need to adapt to the situation and not be nervous rather more calm and collective as he usually was.

On their travels he remained quiet of course following closely behind Thurion, his fellow padawan, whom of which followed closely behind Master Seren. Finally after their trip from the order to the planet Teth, they reached the rendezvous point for the meet with the other like minded people. He stood up straight, showing that he stood now at exactly six feet and two inches tall, he wore the traditional robes of a padawan with his braid resting on his shoulder. He had his hood over head cover the upper half of his face and his hands at his sides near his saber, not that he thought anyone would attack them here. But was just cautious and didn't want to be caught off guard if something did happen to well, happen. He looked to all the people there when Asha introduced the two of them and gave them a bow of respect regardless of whether or not they were important, he was merely polite and respectful to all.

He noticed that Thurion grasped the hand of their master showing their relationship between the two as master and student. And so, respectfully, he took a step back from the two so they can have their moment and stood there quietly letting thing proceed. In this time he took in the environment that they were in. He looked up, down, side to side with his eyes all the while listening intently to what Qae had to say. Jericho agreed with most of what Qae had to say about the order and the republic, mid speech he noticed a woman at his side that was just alert as he was and noticed the gritting of her teeth as the ithorian brushed passed her. Jericho wasn't sure whether or not to be more cautious, he knew not what was going on with her. But Qae's welcoming words and body language kept Jericho from saying or doing anything about it, he merely kept silent and ready, awaiting for the next step to happen.

 

[Lief]

Asha remained stood in place, somewhat silent throughout the exchange. When Thurion's hand settled into her own she managed a half-smile, and allowed their hands to remain together... How would he react when he learnt that Daux was going to be here? Well, maybe not directly here, as Jaxton had already arrived, and the child was nowhere to be seen, but more so in the sense that she would be part of what was to be established. To her side, although slightly back from where she was presently standing, stood her second Padawan, who was considerably older than Thurion. Jericho, the silence to counteract the typical day-to-day workings of life in general... Fitting, all things considered.

It was suffice to say that Asha agreed with what was being said, the reasoning for having left the Republic. She had known in advance the reason for leaving, it was the only thing which had, to Asha, made sense to join, all things considered. The Republic was slowly corrupting, rotting from within, and the Jedi remained their pawns, puppets used for war, not peace. More so than this, they had inserted one of their own into the political system, as the Supreme Chancellor no less. "Jedi serve others, rather than ruling over them, for the good of the Galaxy" the Knight murmured, albeit under her breath. The words were so soft that she doubted any outside of her immediate space had heard them. It was a direct quote, a precept of the New Jedi Code. Even in an Order which had been substantially more relaxed in dogma and doctrine the Jedi were forbidden from taking part in politics.

How things have changed.

The Knight had reassigned those Padawans of hers who had yet to make it to Knight, the ones who did not believe in leaving, or more appropriately those she did not think were best suited. That had left just two, the Guardian and the Ghost as students had often, wrongly, called him. It was safe to say that she had done all she could for those still on Coruscant, ensuring that they had suitable Masters, that their training would not be hindered. And in doing so she had cut all ties to the Republic... Save for two. Tracyn and Kobe, her husband and her son. But no one could expect me to cut them from my life, Jedi or no. They had suffered enough already.

With a tender sigh she focused back in on the conversation as it stood, noting the entrance of several new faces. Boolon was a face she recognised from the Restoration of Ruusan, but the others were alien to her. All the same she greeted them with a kindly and respectful inclination of her head, without interrupting Qae or Jaxton, who seemed to be the two focal voices within the room. Asha already knew where she stood, they did not need to convince her, nor her Padawans, of whether this was the correct decision or not.

@Thurion Heavenshield @Jericho @Qae Shena @Spencer Jacobs @Jaxton Ravos @Seroth Ur-Rahn @Boolon Murr @Teynara Jeralyr @Rosa Mazhar

 

[Seydon of Arda]

There were was much to note, each pressing matter of import spanning seconds of conversation. Seroth had not been back to the Deep Core worlds since he silently departed after the fiasco at Cato Neimoidia. With conviction, he was in the rare belief, or perhaps not as rare as he'd come to assume, that a Jedi's principles, personal morals, were up for definition by the Republic Senate, the Supreme Chancellor, and every other crony sycophant politician involved in that unwieldy, cantankerous machine. He would not have it. He wouldn't let his childhood and years after of wrestling with the ethics of being a Force Sensitive be clouded or coloured by politics. So he left and made an concerted effort to reduce the noise of his departure. Luckily, his tiny profile in terms of exposure and importance lent him virtual anonymity.

Here, now, Qae Shena and those in attendance helped lend validity to his self-imposed exile of sorts. His emotional make-up was naked with stark surprise seeing Jaxton Ravos, rumoured Jedi Master when he last put his ear to the HoloNet, turn up for the discussion. The Zeltros was exactly as he recalled: big, very big, very pink, quite intelligent and gifted, and fast to hug a friend rather than sneer and bark rebukes. It required a steady hand and steel constitution to not fall into a boyish cry and interrupt the proceedings for the sake of catching up. For Adept Shena himself, a noted constant in the day-to-day affairs of Ori'Vod's Vagrants, a chance for closer fellowship teased his curiosity.

And... More of course... Feeling a slender set of arms loop around his waist and crush him like the grasp of a Hoth wampa, scenting familiar drifts of perfume and shampoo, brought his senses to a boil of romantic stupor. Rosa Mazhar he hadn't been fortunate enough to encounter again after their rendezvous on Spiran beaches. Seroth tried to think that their private romances had come about in a whirlwind fashion... But he liked the way her eyes would linger and consider him, back when they were paired in a brief apprenticeship. He the learner, her the teacher. And he liked that her soulful presence in the Force lulled his ordinarily tensed state of being into something more flexible. ...And the compliments she paid him for his lovemaking skills (amongst other, breathtakingly 'emboldened' things) over that of her prior lovers'. He needed to afford time for each and swore to do so when the meeting was adjourned.

"Perhaps, if we are laying down the foundation of something that can be of great benefit, then if I may? ...We cannot be beholden to any political institution or... anyone. It has to be emphasized that this venture, of which we are investing our souls to, is for furthering help and hope," He said in the wake of Qae's statement. "...And that we are not obliged to withhold action when innocents are needing someone to intervene on their behalf."

 

[Rosa Gunn]

The tight hugs offered by Jaxton brought a fresh wave of emotion as she hugged him back. She could feel Seroth's sudden spike in excitement as they each resisted the urge to catch up rather than face the matter at hand. She cast her eyes about the room as more arrived, inclining her head in respect towards Boolon. Teynara's question brought a smile to her lips, glad to see that the Order still nurtured their smarter students. She let Qae say his piece, a shiver of delight running through her as Seroth's baritones washed over her. She looked at him, smiling softly before returning her gaze once moe to the others.

She made a note of the young Padawan clutched at his masters hand, a mother like glance coming over the master as she looked down. Somehwere deep in Rosa's heart something cried out silently in pain. A sharp intake of breath made a small his audible only to the man next to her as she snapped her eyes away and focused her attention on the matter at hand. "This temple is beautiful, Qae." she told him softly "I'd love to know how you came across it, when we have time." Her gaze shifted to Jaxton and she offered him a warm smile "I promised myself I would never join another order, but this doesn't feel like one." It felt more like a family, but she kept those words to herself. "You want my help, Jaxton, then you have it but I have a request first. A group like this works well to serve the force as it calls us, and, if we avoid all political alliance as Seroth suggested then we will do even better. But... we must be cautious, our size must be minimal. The moment we become to big we loose the ability to think and act as one."

 

[Jaxton Ravos]

As Qae answered Teynara's concerns and questions he listened intently, though lost focus every few moments taking glances at Rosa and Seroth. His face was noticeably beaming. Qae was defending his ideas, and had brought two of the best friends he'd had in the Order. Teynara, though cautious, he thought would understand what they were trying to do. Asha Seren had brought a couple of her padawans, who didn't seem to protest or worry, but respect their master and the discussion the rest of the je- Force users were having. Overall he felt support, and Teynara's questions as well as the rest of their responses proved that it wasn't blind. His idea, this rag-tag group of his was gonna work.

"Qae and Seroth are right." He began as he addressed the group of those called and their students. "If we are to truly pursue peace and hope for not only ourselves, but the galaxy we can't be obliged to any governments, any people, anyone but the Force and the ideals we choose to pursue. We won't force anyone to join us, or see to our ideals, but instead we'll trust that if we need to grow larger the Force will bring people to us, and that they will see our path without us trying to bend their minds to see it. This should keep us small, unified, yet not exclusionary or uninviting."

"So, Teynara," He said, looking at the @[member="Teynara Jeralyr"]. "I'd like you to come with us, to join us in Qae's 'Silent Temple'." He said, and noticed it had quite the ring to it. He'd owe this nautolean a looong time for this place. "But I won't force you to come, nor will I persecute you if you want to leave. Before we continue on and begin lining out our work and deciding where we shall go from here, I'd like to know, will you join us?"

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

Thoughtful as ever, Teynara listened patiently as the others spoke, some explaining the reasons for such a dramatic shift, the others voicing support, the general concensus being that this move was very much needed. Makes you wonder what will happen to the Order, if all here withdraw from it's ranks, she mused, brushing a stray strand of blonde hair back behind one ear in a nonchalent gesture. It'll never be the same, that's for sure. She had to admit, she found herself torn between finding that terrifying and yet acknowledging the necessity in it. It does make sense, really.

Reflecting on @[member="Jaxton Ravos"]'s question was simpler than she thought: ultimately, Teynara wanted to be where she could do the most good, and that wasn't as part of the Order permanently at war with the Sith or too busy trying to drag the Republic out of the bureaucratic mud it kept getting stuck in. It's all a delaying action, in reality, she noted inwardly. The Republic's been dying for years, and it's feeding off the Jedi, draining it of it's best and brightest as they fall to it's influence. Small wonder the Sith had grown in strength so much: they offered a release from the problem of 'Democracy'.

Teynara wasn't quite ready to believe that it was over, though: the Republic had a long history, and had survived through a lot. The optimist in her had to believe that it would bounce back, and even that the Jedi Order might see it's way through to being something better than it was. Won't happen through any actions of mind, though. She knew that now: she didn't have the hubris to imagine that she could pull it out of the fire. Which means I've got to be where I can do the most good now.

And that choice was simple enough.

"Alright, I'm in," she said calmly, exhaling a deep breath in a gentle manner which belayed the fact that she'd just made a conscious decision which was both momentous for her, and yet wasn't really going to have any major consequences. Ironic, really. "It's not that simple, though. You must know this: the implications of doing this are going to be far-reaching. A mass desertion from the Order will absolutely destroy it, if not physically in the manner of our persons, then with respect to it's image. How can people trust the Jedi to help them when they can't even help themselves, to hold ranks?"

The blonde shrugged a little, as if to say even that wasn't the major problem, but she could see plenty of others. The unfortunate consequence of having an analytical mind is that she always found herself looking at every decision and thinking about what effects it might have. And this one has too many to count properly, she thought. And there are going to be others I've missed, too.

"We have this place, thanks to Ma...uh, Qae," she said, correcting herself just in time. "But we need more: we'll need resources to keep things going. I don't know about any of you, but it's been a while since I've held down a job. Been a little busy with this Jedi thing," Teynara added, an amused smile curving her lips. "We could set up a vegetable garden and grow some foods, but there'll be things we need that we can't make ourselves: clothes, foods we can't harvest, medicines we can't grow, fuel for our ships, power generators to make the lights go on. How do we manage that?"

It wasn't just that, though, was it? Ultimately, the nagging question in her brain was simple: without the tenets of the Order to guide them, the rules and the sense of moral righteousness, what would direct their actions? And we're all too well trained to wholly abandon those, too. You couldn't just flick a switch in the brain and suddenly become immoral, or lack empathy and compassion for others. You couldn't just reverse all the emotional conditioning or the training that went with it. So, if not Jedi, what are we? What will define us now?

They needed to know that, even more fundamentally than knowing where dinner might come from. In the absence of that, this was all hope and optimism. As substantive as smoke. We need something solid.

@Thurion Heavenshield @Jericho @Qae Shena @Spencer Jacobs @Seroth Ur-Rahn @Boolon Murr @Rosa Mazhar @[member="Asha Seren"]

 

[Qae Shena]

@[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] @[member="Jericho"] @[member="Teynara Jeralyr"] @[member="Spencer Jacobs"] @[member="Jaxton Ravos"] @[member="Seroth Ur-Rahn"] @[member="Boolon Murr"] @[member="Teynara Jeralyr"] @[member="Rosa Mazhar"] @[member="Quinn Vos"]

As Quinn approached the group, he gave his wonderful apprentice a quiet nod; little more needed to be said between blood-bonded. It was an understanding and a link that Qae had, one that he treasured deeply. Frankly, he wouldn't be where he was without his apprentice; she was an anchor to reality just as much as his own Master was. Many students of the Force found little use for loyalty to one's mentor - Qae found it to be useful and refreshing, as well as deeply personal. Part of his heritage, really. Rosa got a grin, too, one wide and broad - she was like a sister to him. It was incredible just to have her here, let alone so pleased with the place. As apprentices to the same Master, they knew how it was.

Their conclave was interesting, Qae reflected. There was everything from a wandering Nautolan to Jedi Masters, from warriors and hunters to healers. Almost every kind of walk of life was represented in the group in different ways, but they all came together for one reason in the end: for the betterment of themselves and the Galaxy, such that they might be able to make even a minor difference in the altruistic pursuit of good. Qae liked what he saw, though his face remained impassive for the moment. They had thinkers and people of action in equal measure, with kind hearts and just wills. This was, really, the best possible way to approach their problems. Group discussions, with input and ideas from everyone.

"The Temple here is self-sustaining, so our personal resources are the primary thing we need to consider," Qae said, contemplating. "I've got a ten-percent stake in a company which nets me some income, but beyond that there's little I can do. We'll have to find some other means of providing for ourselves in the end. Good point, Teynara," Qae said, acknowledging the apprentice with a nod. They were lucky to have her.

But that did raise an interesting point. The Nautolan stepped into the middle of their little circle, pondering. Why he was waxing so eloquent lately he didn't know. Occasionally, he felt like a bit of a warrior-poet, but that didn't make him want to write blasé poetry upon scraps of flimsi and cast it to the stars.

"I think there's a need for a... I daresay not a Code. An oath perhaps is too serious. No. What we need is a covenant, formed of this conclave, of our ideas and our beliefs. We all differ. We all come from different places and ways of life. But we all have common ground somewhere and we all agree on certain things. Ours is a pact - one that we promise to uphold, for better or worse. We don't need to be reclusive monks to be good people, do we?"

He looked each of them, every man, woman and child, in the eye, searching their souls. There was no question of their dedication or loyalty - it was matter of what they wanted to get out of this. Qae wasn't sure how to express it.

"We're not the Jedi Order, but we want the best for the people. How do we accomplish that? Obviously, we can't be tied to the major political powers. That's a given. But how do we do it?"

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

"Erm..." a faint voice was heard uttering. As the youngest of those gathered, Thurion had little to add to this conversation. In truth, he did not know what mystical force had made him open his mouth at that moment, but it was too late to back down; everyone's eyes were on him now. "Master, Sir..." he continued, taking a few steps forward as he addressed the group. It started off verging on catastrophe, as he almost tripped himself on his own robes, but managed to find his footing fast enough to hinder a nose-dive to the ground. "Um... I-I don't need money to be happy, Master. I just want to help people... a-and if Master Asha is here with me... th-that's all I need. Th-Thank you." So nervous he was, that he struggled with every word. He managed an awkward bow to Qae before fast as lightning return and hide himself behind Asha, before any of them had a chance to open their mouths. "Darnit..." he said quietly to Asha while frowning, slightly ashamed and hugely uncomfortable. His hands immidietly went for her own, and gently began fussing about with it, picking and petting at it just to find something to do with himself while hoping nobody would acknowledge his existance at that very moment.

@[member="Asha Seren"] @[member="Qae Shena"] @[member="Jaxton Ravos"] @[member="Teynara Jeralyr"] @[member="Jericho"] @[member="Spencer Jacobs"] @[member="Seroth Ur-Rahn"] @[member="Boolon Murr"] @[member="Rosa Mazhar"] @[member="Quinn Vos"]

 

[Lief]

Locked away in the bowels of the metal-monster the little girl paced around, on all fours, driven mad with frustration. She wanted to leave, to find her Jaa or Furry - to feel the grass beneath her toes and no longer be subject to the scary sights which surrounded her. Everything still seemed alien, despite the times she had spent upon this ship. Scratching around the ramp which she knew, she knew, could open, the little girl began to mew and growl, attempting to scare it into submission. But her attempts were futile. Treading from room to room she called "Jaa" hoping that by some miracle he was still onboard. The only times she typically spent alone had been when exploring the lush forests of Tython, although more often than not that was with her Furry, or during the night... Which again, she often found herself breaking free of the cage, as she regarded the dormitory, in favour of tracking down Jaxton or Thurion.

Returning to the hull of the ship, where the ramp awaited, the child tried to figure out what Jaxton had always done when wanting it to lower. Sniffing around she made her way across the metallic ground until she stumbled across a pressure-switch on the wall. It smelt like Jaxton, and while she had no idea what it was used for this was more than enough for her to rub up against it, as she typically did with anything that reminded her of her two favourite people in the Galaxy. After the second nudge the ramp began to lower, and immediately the child turned and howled in the direction of the noise. The monster was being noisy again, and with a harsh growl she lowered her chin down to the ground and prepared to pounce... But nothing came, so she edged closer, and found that the bottom of the ramp was empty. Cautiously the tiny creature began to move down the ramp, sniffing out Jaxton as she went.

The moment she caught onto Thurion's scent, however, the child became ecstatic. She practically ran in the direction of the scent, which led her to the corner of the cave-like room. It ended at a stalemate, a door like the one she had always struggled with on Tython. Usually Thurion or Jaxton helped her out, or anyone else who was nice enough to stop and give a strange feral looking child with constantly knotted hair a hand. Again she nudged against the pressure switches, frustrated, wanting nothing more than to find her beloved Furry and her blue-furred friend. Whoosh, the door opened... And slowly the child entered, sniffing around as she went. Yes, this was definitely the right way. Suddenly the doors closed, and the floor began to shake. Whimpering, as she always did when in the bowels of such a monster, the tiny girl backed into a corner and waited...

... Eventually the door opened again, and she couldn't wait to leave, pouncing out onto the grass beyond. Sniffing all the while, she traced after the steps of both her Jaaa and her Furry. And when she found the room, when she could spot both Jaxton and Thurion, both of whom were lost in their exchanging of noises, she entered hunter-mode. Prowling around the trees the little girl entered unseen. Before suddenly she LEAPT at @[member='Jaxton Ravos'], bit at his hand affectionately, and then landed. In the same movement she pounced away from Jaxton and landed with a kathunk against @[member='Thurion Heavenshield'], trying to scare the boy. "Fuuuurrrryy!" she purred, nuzzling up against him, before looking back to Jaxton. "Jaaa!" Little Daux was completely oblivious to the various others who were gathered, nor did she seem to realise that she was disrupting a rather serious meeting.

@Asha Seren @Qae Shena @Teynara Jeralyr @Jericho @Spencer Jacobs @Seroth Ur-Rahn @Boolon Murr @Rosa Mazhar @Quinn Vos