The Final Lesson

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The artificial rains pounded upon the surface of Coruscant. Cedric had been rather amused by the prospect of the very weather itself being subject to the wills of the people, and had quickly grown accustomed to its convenience.

He swayed through the rain. The Blade of Ruusan hummed as it carved practiced arcs through the air, the Jedi Master having ensconced himself deep within a moving meditation. He focused his entire being into two prospects: following the sequences laid out by the forms of Soresu and Djem-So, and keeping any singular drop of water from touching his robes.

He had succeeded in both endeavors, aided in the empyrean as he was.

The Jedi Master continued to practice as he attempted to kill time, awaiting the arrival of his old friend at the landing pad. There was much to discuss.

 

[Alyson Halle]

Coruscant was much like how Ession was. Back in her youth the sheer density the Ecumenopolis of Ession had overwhelmed her. She had never seen such a dense city in her life. Now they were just par for the course. She had seen several in her many years and she would see many more. She wasn't sure if she would ever get fully used to them, she still prefered the pristine countrysides of Merides.

The shuttle pilot noted to her that it appeared Cedric was on the landing pad, hopefully he would move out of the way before she got there. She would hate to crush the Imperator under a shuttle. She trusted her pilot enough not to crush him.

The shuttle set down, giving the Jedi Master a wide berth to the point where they had to continue to run the engines to prevent the shuttle from falling off the edge. Alyson hopped off the ramp and the shuttle took off and fell into a holding pattern above apartment.

Alyson put up the hood on her cloak, making her way over to the Jedi master. She drew her lightsaber and made a quick underhand strike towards the jedi master. If he was training he would be able to block the blade easily.

"Like getting wet I see?"

 

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Momentary annoyance was Cedric's initial reaction to the arrival of the shuttle. He halted his forms, though he retained the thin veneer of kinetic energy he'd forged around his body to prevent the rain from soaking him. Such a barrier required a modicum of concentration: something Cedric could spare in terms of conversation, and the process would further help him to improve the rather obscure ability.

The Jedi Master stepped aside as the vessel came to a halt, his brow furrowed beneath the cowl that covered his features. A momentary shift in the empyrean warned him to oncoming danger. His blade was quickly shifted behind his body, the weapon clashing with the Meridian Jedi.

"Not quite," he replied, "Training. What brings you here? News?"

[member="Alyson Halle"]

 

[Alyson Halle]

"Nice to see that you are still on your feet." Alyson said, turning off the blade and putting it back on her belt, chuckling a bit as she did so.

"I think it's about time we discussed the future of the Jedi. For mine and your sake."

She noticed the strings that he weaved around himself, it provided protection from the rain. It seemed like a rather inane use of the force, but she supposed he was practicing. He was always the type to practice like this. Alyson preferred to practice by doing, she tended to throw herself into danger, perhaps to her own disadvantaged. She had an entire galaxy to train in, it wasn't hard to fight a fight worth fighting.

The Jedi were disorganized around the galaxy. There were only the Silver Jedi, and Alyson abhorred them. They had given up their martial prowess, they had given up their ability to fight. The dark side being what it was would not forgive mandatory pacifism. You had to be willing to fight for what you believed in, moral concerns be damned. Jedi who were willing to fight needed a beacon to follow.

 

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The battle to take the palace had been a tiring one. More blood had been spilled than Cedric was comfortable with, but the conflict had ended far more quickly than had been expected. The Imperator's offer had proven to be of enough interest to the remnants: their decision to sue for peace had only been logical.

"I have a few ideas," he mused as his extinguished the blade. The sound of rain crashing against the durasteel structure of the landing pad was almost deafininig, but Cedric heard Alyson well enough. "What exactly were you thinking?"

A brow was lofted. "The structure? The mythos?"

[member="Alyson Halle"]

 

[Alyson Halle]

"I have no interest in the tales of dead men Cedric. I am much more concerned in the here and now. What are we going to do to ensure that the Jedi will continue to exist long after we are gone? The Silvers have become dangerously complacent, they have given up their martial history." She said using the force to amplify her voice over the rain.

She began to move towards the apartment. "How should we ensure that the Jedi maintain all of the skills that are necessarry in this day and age, and how do we ensure that they never falter in their fight against the dark side." She began to make her way down the walkway.

"We should speak inside. Standing in the rain is not exactly to my taste."

 

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"We raise a new generation," Cedric replied simply as his blade was doused. The sounds of the storm suddenly began to register for the Jedi Master now that he had broken from his meditations, and he found himself agreeing with Alyson's desire to move in doors.

Not one to linger, Cedric led the way back into the apartment. It was a rather spartan chamber, furnished with a leather couch, a handful of wooden chairs, and a meditation mat in the center of the room. Cedric had not been given much time to personalize his new home, and in truth he had little intention of staying here. A place had been prepared for him in the Imperial Palace, but he'd not yet elected to utilize it. He needed some time away from the hustle bustle to think: at least until the coronation anyway.

"A new doctrine is needed, along with a new system of training. We need force sensitives of great character, and the galaxy is lacking in that." He paused, taking a seat on one of the chairs. "But, before we get into that discussion, one of the former remnants has come to speak with me. I sense he intends to pledge his loyalty in return for a station of great standing. I wanted to get your measure of him. He should be arriving shortly."

[member="Alyson Halle"] [member="Maracel Yorkell II"]

 

[Marlon Sularen]

Location : Coruscant on board Delta-Class T-3c Shuttle

As Maracel's Shuttle descended from the Eye of the Director and entered the atmosphere , Maracel began thinking of his future plans for the expansion of the Directorate through a staged uprising within the Corellian Confederation. Then one of Maracel’s pilots made a remark “Sir we have spotted Lord Cedric Grayson near a Landing Pad.” “God then” Maracel replied , “Land the Shuttle and alert Lord Cedric of my arrival.”

As the Shuttle landed near another Shuttle , Maracel exited the Shuttle escorted by a small contingent of Directorate Dark Troopers and Supercommandos. Then Maracel and his escort then proceed to move forward towards , the Apartment where Lord Cedric was awaiting him. "Stay here” Maracel ordered his guards as he proceeded to enter the Apartment alone.

Then he entered the room where Lord Cedric and another Jedi Master awaited him. “Hello there Lord Cedric , i am Maracel Yorkell nice to meet you” Maracel said as he moved forward to bow in respect to the Essonian Leader. “I have heard of stories of how you have recently defeated the Coruscant Warlords along with the terrible atrocities that the Sith Committed against your people a sad tragedy unfortunally. "

Tags :[member="Alyson Halle"] | [member="Cedric Grayson"]

 

[Alyson Halle]

Alyson nodded. "I agree. We need Force sensitives willing to fight what they believe in. True conviction, not rote drill."

She noticed the new presence before it even arrived. Her senses were keen, and she could sense the ship coming in to land. Cedric's statement afterwards only confirmed it. The way he said it this man simply wanted a cushy job. She would need to make sure that there was at least some substance to this mind beyond mindless pursuit of power. "I will do my best Cedric."

The shuttle eventually did land, and out of the shuttle came a man. Alyson quickly noted the way his strings moved, they were arrogant, overconfident, yet dignified and calculated. This was by all means a noble, somebody who had almost certainly never known true suffering or struggle. She was like that once, a long time ago. Cedric was too. She could work with this, perhaps.

"Greetings Mr. Yorkell. I am Alyson Halle, Empress of Merides, Master Jedi. It is a pleasure meeting you."

[member="Maracel Yorkell II"] [member="Cedric Grayson"]

 

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Cold calculation filled the Imperator's eyes as this new arrival stepped through the door. He did not know much of Maracel Yorkell, other than that the man had enough resources at his call to serve as a bit of a nuisance if he so wished it. Desiring to avoid any further needless conflict, Cedric had seen to it that Yorkell would arrive on Coruscant freely. If the Imperium could bring this man's base into the fold, then all the better.

He gave Alyson a brief smile before turning his attentions fully to Maracel. The Jedi rose to his feet, a hand outstretched to the nobleman. "You as well, Mister Yorkell. I hope your trip was uneventful," a pause. "What, pray tell, brings you to our humble Imperium my friend?"

A pregnant silence hung in the air. Yorkell was being tested.

[member="Alyson Halle"], [member="Maracel Yorkell II"]

 

[Marlon Sularen]

Location : Coruscant

Upon meeting Lord Grayson and Alyson Halle , Maracel looked at both Jedi. In front of him he saw a great advantage , with the rise of the Grayson Imperium , Maracel saw his chance to finally launch his planned Coup d’etat against the Corellian Confederation. The Grayson Imperium gave him a chance to expand his Industrial Empire and finally rule over Corellia. “What brings me to the Imperium?” Maracel replied. “Only to make my oath. An Oath of Loyalty to the Leader of the Grayson Imperium”.

“For years I have been plotting to create the largest megacorporation the Core Worlds has yet to see. But with the rise of the Grayson Imperium , a major opportunity has opened for such a possibility and for this I must pledge my loyalty to you Lord Cedric in order to achieve my plans “ It had been years that he had been planning for this. A Coup against the Corellian Confederation.

Having begun building up a Fleet , Maracel planned to overthrow the Corellian Confederation by ambushing their Leadership and capturing their Leaders within a First Strike. However despite the fact that Maracel already had the resources for a Coup , he knew that his forces were no match for the Green Jedi Order or for the many Aces of the CC. But now with the rise of the Grayson Imperium , his opportunity had opened and once he would be granted the position of High Lord he would prepare for such a campaign by securing important vital planets such as Brentaal IV , Kuat and Balmorra to increase his strength and power to secure his homeworld and become one of Lord Grayson’s top Commanders.

Tags : [member="Cedric Grayson"] | [member="Alyson Halle"]

 

[Alyson Halle]

"I am not interested in merely your efficiency Mr. Yorkell. I wish to ask you a few questions. They are questions about you. Don't lie to us, we will know." She said, glaring at him with her one good eye.

"Why do you fight? Or more importantly, why do you lead? Money? Power? Love? Secondly, if it came down to it, which is more important to you, the lives of your subordinates, or your own life."

Alyson wished to know exactly the person she was dealing with. She could control greedy power hungry despots, but she couldn't trust them. She wanted to know if this was a person she could trust with her life, did he have something that he truly believed in. Was he fighting for himself or for others, to prove himself, or was it simply power and influence. She didn't care, but she would prefer somebody who she could trust with her life.

The second question was of grave importance. Soldiers trust each other deeply, if that trust is broken at any chain of the command, then there will be grave implications for the effectiveness of the battle. A general should be willing to die for their men if the men should be expected to die for their general. That was the way things were. She needed to know whether he was a true leader, or just a man with power.

[member="Maracel Yorkell II"] [member="Cedric Grayson"]

 

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Always ambitions of money and power. The temptation of influence was one few beings in the galaxy had conquered. It would be a lie to say that Cedric had obliterated his own, given his current actions, but he did well not to let it guide his life.

Whether Maracel Yorkell was much the same, or a far more primal beast was yet to be seen.

"I'll admit I share Master Halle's curiosities," Cedric mused, fingers steeping at he appraised the man standing before him. "Do tell us."

[member="Alyson Halle"], [member="Maracel Yorkell II"]

 

[Marlon Sularen]

Location : Coruscant

With the Questions asked by Alyson Halle , Maracel knew that one wrong answer could ruin everything and quickly reflected on her question though without taking too much time in order to avoid any suspicions from the 2 people that stood before him. “Why do i Lead? Well i do it to expand my company and to defeat the rivals that had killed my father and rise to prominence within the Core Worlds. “ Then he paused and continued

“As for whose life comes first i will have to say my own life. As the Leader of the Directorate and off Yorkell Industries I maintain control over a vast amount of assets. If i were to die there would be infighting over leadership is i don't possess an heir for my Company and the Directorate. Such an event would result in the instant collapse of what i have built and therefore i am of uttermost importance for my men as without me they can not maintain the opportunities that i have bestowed upon them”
Maracel was an honest man. He did indeed have plans to rise to prominence and establish a mega corporation and for that he need important allies such as the Grayson Imperium. The many people who had been responsible for his father’s death were members of powerful noble houses from Corellia in which had been rivals to the Yorkell Family for decades. During this struggle these Nobles had almost ruined the life of Maracel by nearly ruining his reputation during his teenage years and even causing Maracel’s own Family to turn against each other. For Maracel the only way to end this struggle would be to eradicate his enemy through sheer strength but his enemies possessed important positions within the Corellian Government and therefore Maracel needed the support of an outside power and the Grayson Imperium perfectly filled that role.

Maracel had spent years building up the Directorate and Yorkell Industries with his father and had inherited both Organizations when they were only in their infancy. Maracel then turned both organizations from a small group of people to a collection of operatives and employees expanding his wealth and power. Should Maracel fall , his efforts would be wiped out in a series of infighting instigated by his closest allies , his Cousin , his Fiance and his Best friend all whom Maracel expected to begin a long struggle for power if he was to die trying to glorify his name.

Tags : [member="Cedric Grayson"] | [member="Alyson Halle"]

 

[Alyson Halle]

She wasn't asking for the mans entire life story, yet that is what she recieved. He was telling the truth, however pretentious it was. She could see it in the strings, he was being truthful. This was somebody who would need quite a bit of work before he got where Alyson wanted him. Hopefully one day he could tone down the rants.

"I appreciate the honesty, however excessive it is. I suppose I will be working closely with you in the near future. I expect you to prove yourself with your actions not your words."

Perhaps this man could be forged into a useful ally, or perhaps he would remain the way he is now, believing in his own grandiose self importance in comparison to the power of the force. They were all merely tools of that greater will, perhaps he would be able to understand it, his own insignificance in the face of such beauty.

It was just a dream though.

[member="Maracel Yorkell II"] [member="Cedric Grayson"]

 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkyPnpW7eQ8​

Check your blood pressure outlander.

Cedric remained entirely silent as the man spoke his piece. He waited to see what Alyson had to say, clearly intrigued as to what the older woman's opinion might be. When she spoke it, he found himself more or less agreeing with her assessment.

This one had the heir of carrion, but perhaps he could be molded into something more. The Imperium existed to serve its people, and a purpose beyond simply mortal pleasures. This man would either learn of that mission, or he would fail in his duties.

There was only one way to find out.

"You may build with us," he began, "Under the stipulation that your business remains entirely within the Imperium's borders, that you pay your taxes accordingly and fully, and that you devote twenty percent of your company's income into into developing the industry of our people. I do not care what you build, be it housing, more factories to be worked in, whatever suits your purpose. Only that it is invested in such a means that would benefit the people. You will also maintain that a certain number of your positions be employed exclusively by organic staff. I'll not have our economy's backbone run on droids."

A pause.

"Agree to this, and swear an oath of fealty to my dynasty, and your company will have free reign within our borders."


[member="Alyson Halle"], [member="Maracel Yorkell II"]

 

[Marlon Sularen]

Location : Coruscant

Upon hearing the reply from his peers , Maracel decided to agree with the conditions given by Cedric Grayson. “I will agree to these conditions as I pledge allegiance to Cedric Grayson and the Grayson Dynasty. “ Maracel had indeed plans to use his position within the Grayson Imperium in order to rise as a prominent figure within the Core Worlds. However he knew that the individuals that were before him were Jedi and that they were extremely powerful and not a force to be reckoned with.

“And Lord Cedric is there anything else I should know or that you wish to tell me?” Maracel asked. He knew that these Jedi were cautious about where his allegiance laid and he wished to prove it by proving to be very useful. When he learned that he would have free reign within the Imperium he knew this would be the perfect opportunity to use the Imperium for his planned campaigns within the Corellian Sector and the Unknown Regions.

Tag : [member="Cedric Grayson"] | [member="Alyson Halle"]

 

[Alyson Halle]

Ambition was necessary for progress. One without ambition has little reason to attempt to change things, to attempt to make things better or worse. She could see the ambition that guided the man before him. He wanted this position for his own benifit, and she couldn't entirely blame him. People who were not force sensitive were not bound to dogmatic thinking as much as Jedi were. They did not have to fear falling to the temptations of the dark side, the constant whispers of power that the Bogan offered. They were free to be as greedy, ambitious, and violent as they wanted.

They did not have to tell themselves that what they were doing is just every night of their lives, they did not have to rationalize every decision they made in terms of the good it did for the galaxy. They were free in a way that no Jedi ever could be. She envied it in a way. Her job as a ruler would be much easier if she didn't have these concerns. However, she wished to guide this man to adopt a set of morals, of values beyond just mindless accretion of money and power. Power was useless without something to use it for.

"You have been given much power, but I want you to use it for something more than just gaining more power. I will contact you soon, we are going to go on a walk together." She said.

[member="Maracel Yorkell II"] [member="Cedric Grayson"]

 

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"Your pledge is welcome," Cedric replied with a smile. The Jedi Master was evidently rather pleased with how the proceedings had gone, though there was little more he had to say on the matter. He shifted his gaze to Master Halle.

"I only ask that you join Master Halle on this walk. I believe she aims to take your measure," he paused, gaze flickering to the door. "For now, however, I would ask that you leave us. There is much the Master and I have to discuss pertaining to the future of this Imperium. In time you will be called upon, you need not worry of that."

[member="Alyson Halle"], [member="Maracel Yorkell II"]

 

[Marlon Sularen]

“Okay then i shall meet with Master Halle for this Walk later as I shall leave you two to discuss on the future of the Imperium.” Then Maracel left the 2 Jedi Masters and headed outside where he was escorted by his Death Troopers and Supercommandos back into his Shuttle where he soon departed intending to meet with Master Halle later in the day. As he left , Maracel wondered on how things would progress with the Imperium. As he headed for his Star Destroyer to inspect the progress of his lieutenants throughout the Galaxy.

Tag : [member="Cedric Grayson"] | [member="Alyson Halle"]