Faction The Sword Returns | The Jedi Order

[Lorn Reingard]

Shiraya's Rest

Spoiler: Click Me

Any Jedi of the Jedi Order are able to answer the summons here. We will be taking a more proactive approach to conflict in the future. This will be just a general meet of like minded Jedi.

A sudden clarity took hold of Lorn during his brief time on Gilaria. Others would undoubtedly criticize his choice, but the Force had spoken directly to him on those blackened shores. Enough was enough. For years, he had tired himself out pretending to be the perfect, balanced Jedi, constantly suppressing the harder edge of his training. He was a warrior, a weapon meant to protect the galaxy, and he refused to sit idle any longer.

Returning to Shiraya's Rest felt like a homecoming, even if he and the Order had abandoned the sanctuary when the Republic first expanded. A year or twos worth of neglect had left the grounds in complete disarray. Restoring the temple would require days of clearing out debris, a grueling task of sand, sweat, and physical labor. Yet, this rugged outpost was exactly where Shirayan Jedi had once honed themselves into true shields of the Light.

Standing out in the shifting sand, Lorn waited to see who would answer his summons. Encrypted messages had been sent through secure channels to specific Knights, Masters, and senior Padawans who favored a proactive approach against the Sith. If no one arrived, he would wage this campaign entirely alone. Still, a quiet hope remained that his old brothers and sisters from the Vanguard would join him once more.

 

[Connel Vanagor]

RECKONING
SHIRAYA’S REST
NABOO

Omega Squad Every Day Gear Locations

• Michael, Gabriel, Raguel, Raphael, Jeremiel, Connel
  [Any text in brackets signifies comm-link usage and not face to face conversation]
• 
  Rides
  
  • "Enterprise" Station Ship
  • Vigilant Reaper
  • Null Vector
  • Speederbike
  • Iron Psalm
  Gear/Armor
  
  
  • Gear(“Bodycam” Datapad, UAD Drone, link to Seraphim AI included)
  • Lightblaster
  • Shortsabers (“Night” and “Day”)
  • 5 Throwing Lightknives
  • 3 Force Blinding Flashbangs
  • RI-17 Rifle-w-MS-0412 Grenade Launcher
  SURGICAL - CRYBERNETIC IMPLANTS
  
  • Repli Implants that would be for the limbs
  • Bonemer enhancements to strengthen structure of the body
  • Muscle enhancements.
  • Hemo enhancements for blood flow
  • Hawkeye implants for eyes
  • Advanced Medical Implant
  • Scentzy
  • Injected Nanotech upgrades
  
  
  
• Shadow Sanctuary - Enterprise

Connel was working on his weapons, checking and assuring their readiness when several Knights who were there as well received messages. Normally he would think nothing of this as he was not officially of the Order(he was, but he was no active among them often going off and doing his own thing), when one of them gestured to him showing a summons by “The Sword of Shiraya” Connel’s attention was received. This was not good.

He did not know Lorn well. They had only met once or twice before but Connel knew enough about him and his connection to “Aunt Ala” that while the message he read was important, he was protective of his “family”, it was Caltin’s influence. This was not that time for personal feelings, or any for that matter, there was something he needed to do. He needed to compartmentalize the grudge he should not be holding against the man and focus on why there was a call.

That meant putting on the mask.

Putting on the sleek, black cover and letting it click into place, the Force imbuement took action and he heard the voice in his head. The voice every time he put the mental weapon on.

You will feel no remorse for those who would show none to you.
You will feel no fear beyond the fear of failing those behind you.
You will seek no reward beyond mission success.
You will feel no pain until death.
You are not wrath.
You are not vengeance.
You are the Light’s wraith.

Like ice cream melting in the sun, his emotions shut down, replaced by cold calculation and singular focus. Slowly he stood, methodically arming himself and checking each weapon’s status. Those who watched might be mesmerized, might be frightened, he paid them little mind. He moved with purpose, his every action deliberate and precise, as if guided by an unseen force.

Boots clunked along the tile, duracrete and marble floors on the way, following the others. He did not receive the message, perhaps he was not invited, perhaps they did not think he would show, perhaps it was because he had forgotten his comm-link. Either way, Connel made his way to see him.

There were others here, so he would not try to stand out. Then again, none of the others were in armor and armed to the teeth.

TAGS • ARE • Lorn Reingard
Personal Effects - Omega Squad Loadouts​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"Connel," she nodded to the masked Jedi, familiar in her greeting. Then, to the man of the hour, Cora inclined her head:

"Knight Reingard."

Corazona existed largely on the fringes of this particular Jedi Order. The NJO had hemorrhaged after the Alliance's defeat at Coruscant, and she still carried a heavy measure of guilt for choosing to step away when she did.

Lessons learned had her disillusioned with titles among the Jedi, a seed of bitterness planted after their leaders had fled the core.

Cora lifted her head, eyes steady on Lorn as she rose. He was built like a warrior, all hard, scarred muscle with a soldier's stern disposition. She knew him in reputation only. He'd been on Atrisia when the third Death Star had taken aim, and in a dozen more engagements since then.

"Knight Corazona von Ascania," she offered her name while straightening.

Without the backing of a robust Order, she'd been more careful in choosing her battles. Among those had been the organization of a raid on Sith-held Tython that saw precious holocrons returned to Jedi possession, and assisting in The Prosperity's evacuation as the Sith sought to exterminate their kind. Each operation had left her exhausted, and perhaps a little jaded.

Nearly always on their back foot, the Jedi would have to push forward together.

"I recognize that I may very well be a stranger to your Order,” she conceded, “But I gather that you're interested in a more ardent approach against the Sith."

Lorn Reingard Connel Vanagor

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Lorn Reingard | Connel Vanagor | Corazona von Ascania​

Sakadi suspected the summons had spread farther than intended. There was no other way it could have reached her.

She had kept herself deliberately obscure. Circling the rim of the galactic stage, careful to stay out of the light after the wars she had waged for the Silver Jedi. But it was Caltin Vanagor who had urged her to act. Cas Tynen who had lifted the guilt from her burdened spirit. And Lily Decoria who had shown her the tenacity that lived in the Jedi's next generation.

All three had echoed the same truth.

The dark side could not be driven back while the wise and the strong looked away, trading resistance for the comfort of pacifism.

Ryv had understood this. The sword of the Jedi she had known, he had carried that understanding in his very nature.

Romi Jade had understood. Valery Noble understood.

And now, so did she.

Sakadi was fourth to arrive, gliding into the space with quiet unhurried grace. Lilac eyes moved across the small gathering. Connel she recognised. The broad-shouldered man she could put a name to as well. Lorn. The Jedi who had sent out the summons. The last introduced herself. Corazona von Ascania. Another prominent name she knew.

She let the Force carry her own name gently outward to meet them.

~ Sakadi Sinvala. ~

She followed with a slight but respectful inclination of her head. Then, unhurried, she moved on toward a crumbled section of wall and settled herself there.

She had come to listen. Not to speak her mind.

 

[Rik Perris]

SHIRAYA'S REST
NABOO​

The Corellian hadn't been to Shiraya's Rest in some time, involving himself with the Underground, returning to the place his path had started, and most recently, he had taken on a new padawan. He'd kept busy. More than simply duty, he needed to be; it kept his mind off the absence of her. Them.

He got the message from Lorn, whom he had hardly spoken to for months and which was often the way of the Jedi path, but Rik didn't hesitate to answer with his presence. The degree of encryption the message was under spoke volumes. The kind of call, one way or another, he'd answered before on more than one occasion. Rik's late master had been unequivocal in his views of the Sith, the moral duty of the Jedi, and more besides, and Rik hardly strayed from that line of thought. Though the cycle repeated itself, it didn't remove that duty.

He gave Connel a short, acknowledging nod — the second time in so many days that he'd seen the half-Sorrusian — and likewise the same to the unfamiliar Sephi when she sent her name, before turning his attention to the healer.

"Wager you're right about that," he cut in, dropping a brief hand on Lorn's shoulder, which fell away soon as he was alongside the man, "I'm no stranger to the approach."

An understatement: fighting tyranny and the insidious stain of the Sith, with or without the sanction of a Council, defined much of his path.

"Knight Rik Perris."

Connel Vanagor • Corazona von Ascania • Lorn Reingard • Sakadi Marathi Sinvala​

 

[Aiden Porte]

Lorn Reingard Corazona von Ascania Rik Perris Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Connel Vanagor​

Aiden got the message and had arrived a short time after some others did. Lorn was a friend, and he had returned. The air around the Republic and the Order was thin, that much was clear. Aiden stood in the gathered assembly, off the to the side, simply looking to watch and hear what was being proposed. This wasn't the first time meetings of this caliber had taken place, he wondered if there was something different this time.

The Jedi Knight had his own darkness clouding him, which some would think it clouded his judgement, or perhaps would think it was an issue. That's why he still stood outside the Orders will. Still awaiting an answer that he felt would never come. And to that end, he wasn't upset by that. A Jedi, he was nonetheless....

"Aiden Porte here." The Jedi Knight stood as he watched the others, with a simple smile and nod, and waiting to see what would take shape.

 

[Colette]

Aiden Porte Rik Perris Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Corazona von Ascania Connel Vanagor Lorn Reingard

Three days of secrets, two days of checking the ledgers, and a single day to pin the crime on the perpetrator. Colette kept a separate ledger from the one available to the rest of the Order with good reason. Although the thefts might have been for a good cause there was no room for hesitation when ammunition and food began to disappear.

It started innocently enough with a cartridge, but when a crate of provisions meant for long missions suddenly disappeared it wasn't just a matter of petty theft anymore, it was potential life and death. So imagine then the surprise on the perpetrating padawan's face when he tried to sneak home one more box only to find the quartermaster herself within the confines of his room, stolen goods in hand.

He might have been a good forger, but Colette was an excellent tracker.

As it turned out, the padawan had overheard another slightly older padawan let it slip to a friend of theirs that Lorn had returned and that he had some kind of plan for the Jedi in the works at Shiraya's Rest. The kind that tried to solve the Sith problem in a manner the Republic didn't seem quite capable of as of late.

Colette had been skeptical at first, but much like a crooked tile it was hard to ignore the patterns of whispers around Shiraya's Sanctuary once you had caught wind of it.

So, there she stood at the Rest. Out of sight and out of mind, taking in the presences of those around her with a curious gaze. None of the people here were people that she was particularly surprised to see. Connel, Cora, Lorn, and even Aiden fought before and undoubtedly still had that fight in them.

Colette took the first step down the stairs leading into the greater assembly. Her footsteps echoed for a moment before she raised her voice.

"Quartermaster Colette Noble." She announced and continued her descent down the admittedly rather small flight of stairs. "Please tell your more eager recruits to stop stealing from my food stocks, Knight Lorn, before it becomes a problem."

There was no malice in her voice, just fatigue. The would-be thief had been given a stern metaphorical smack on their fingers before ordered to return the food and equipment they had stowed away. And just like that thief had been 'let off the hook' so too, she figured, Lorn would be.

He might have personally pissed the woman off by causing an incident and then bailing, but in the end that had just shown how broken the system truly was. With how rigged it was against them, she could understand where this desire to fight stemmed from even if it didn't quite mirror her own.

Then again, when had she ever wanted a fight?

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

It'd been a long while since she'd stepped foot at Shiraya's Rest, not since she'd dragged herself up the unforgiving mountainside as a sort of pre-penance for the sharp words she'd hurled at both Lorn and Brandyn Sal-Soren , days before. There was a sort of purity she'd always appreciated about this place that was different from what was expected at Shiraya's Sanctuary. The same kind you found in battle, when the noise of everything else fell away, and all that was left was exhaustion, purpose, and the person beside you.

The symbolic reason for why he chose this place wasn't lost on her, nor the irony of its empty corridors, dusty from disuse.

It was no secret that tensions were growing to a fever pitch between the Republic and Jedi Order, particularly on their handling of the Sith next door. Memories were very short in this galaxy, with most of her people willing to trade a shred of comfort or a pretty credit over the last few decades of bloodshed.

Looking around, she was all the more grateful to be reminded that not everyone had forgotten.

TAG: All ya'all

​

 

[Zark San Tekka]

Lorn Reingard et al.

"I know all your names."

Master San Tekka did not arrive so much as the old man appeared in their midst. Glowing yellow eye lenses burned from within a faceless temple guard death mask. He did not introduce himself. Titles were meaningless here. His presence at this gathering was statement enough. Even other Jedi found his demeanor to be cold. Distant.

Lorn needed time after their encounter with Quinn Varanin to find some perspective. Zark could not blame the young knight for having doubts about the path forward. Maybe the Force had whispered answers to his questions out there. Maybe he was just done hiding.

So many victories. Just as many defeats. Master San Tekka purged the Sith from their holy worlds and the Unknown Regions many years ago only for them to fracture and metastasize like a cancer reinfecting both the Core Worlds and Outer Rim with their megalomaniacal regimes. Now it was the Jedi who were almost extinct.

Time to strike back before it was too late. Zark knew why they were here, but he waited for the rest to gather. Lorn needed to be the one who said the words. Like Corazona von Ascania he was still a stranger to most of these Naboo trained Jedi.

 

[Lorn Reingard]

Quiet murmuring and skeptical glances rippled through the gathering as the small crowd finally assembled. Standing on the worn stone steps, Lorn observed them with a calculating gaze. Some were familiar faces from the days when they were simply Shirayan Jedi, while others belonged to separate branches of shattered Orders.

A familiar hand dropped onto Lorn's shoulder. Rik Perris had made it. Relieved by the Corellian's presence, Lorn knew the Vanguard would need both Rik's battle-hardened strength and his natural charisma in the days to come.

Stepping down from the stone ledge into the shifting sand, Lorn moved deliberately through the ranks. He offered a solemn, respectful nod to Connel Vanagor , whose masked visage radiated focus. Pausing before the Sephi telepath, Sakadi Marathi Sinvala , he gave a sharp nod of appreciation for her presence. Next came Aiden Porte . Lorn clasped his old friend's arm in a firm warrior's shake, though his mind flashed bitterly to the image of Aiden holidaying behind the Black Wall. They would have words about that later. A quick nod to Zark San Tekka who he knew would be here as well.

Stopping before the exhausted quartermaster Colette , Lorn offered a faint smile.

"My apologies, Quartermaster," Lorn said, his voice low and raspy. "I should have been more explicit with my people about where to secure our provisions. It won't happen again."

Turning toward Corazona von Ascania , he studied the Knight whose reputation preceded her.

"I am glad you are here, Knight von Ascania," Lorn said openly. "We welcome any Jedi who share our resolve."

Ascending back to the stone platform to stand a foot above the assembly, Lorn felt the full weight of their expectations. He looked at Rik beside him, acutely aware that he was no charismatic politician. He was a blunt instrument, but he possessed a burning fervor to correct the wrongs of a bleeding galaxy.

"Welcome to Shiraya's Rest," Lorn announced, his voice cutting through the mountain wind. "At one point in our history, this temple was dedicated to the total eradication of the dark side by any means necessary. Sweat and blood were poured into these very sands to forge our minds and bodies for an unrelenting war against the dark. We have fallen a long way since those days. I have fallen a long way since those days..."

Silence gripped the courtyard.

"The Jedi Order and the Republic have grown stagnant while our enemies took advantage," Lorn continued, his tone hardening. "The Sith built their strength behind the Black Wall, struck our borders, and conquered the Core. All the while, some of our own mingle in their sectors, holidaying in their resorts, and welcoming our ancient enemies into our homes."

The crowd shifted uncomfortably, the truth of his words stinging.

"Our current leadership faces an impossible task," Lorn said, leaning forward. "They try to keep a fragile peace, protect the innocent, and instruct the young, all while shackled by the bureaucratic laws of the Republic."

Lorn paused abruptly. The heavy iron gates creaked open, and a familiar presence rippled through the Force. Briana Sal-Soren stepped into the courtyard. The former Grandmaster, an old friend who had bled alongside him to defend Naboo some time ago, had actually answered the call.

Regaining the room's attention, Lorn pressed forward with renewed grit.

"The Vanguard was created for a reason," Lorn barked, the passion finally bleeding into his delivery. "We were forged to take a zealous, unyielding approach against the enemies of the Light. I called you here because extreme times demand extreme actions. We need to push back. We need to hunt them, drive them back into the dark corners of the galaxy, and liberate the worlds crushed beneath their fist."

A heavy silence followed, broken only by the low mutterings of the Jedi before him.

"This will not be easy," Lorn warned, his eyes scanning every face in the crowd. "We will not be offering redemption. We will not be saving those who have entrenched themselves in the dark. Every single one of you will be pushed to your absolute limit. Consider the weight of what I am asking before you commit to this crusade."

"What say you?"

 

[Connel Vanagor]

RECKONING
SHIRAYA’S REST
NABOO

Omega Squad Every Day Gear Locations

• Michael, Gabriel, Raguel, Raphael, Jeremiel, Connel
  [Any text in brackets signifies comm-link usage and not face to face conversation]
• 
  Rides
  
  • "Enterprise" Station Ship
  • Vigilant Reaper
  • Null Vector
  • Speederbike
  • Iron Psalm
  Gear/Armor
  
  
  • Gear(“Bodycam” Datapad, UAD Drone, link to Seraphim AI included)
  • Lightblaster
  • Shortsabers (“Night” and “Day”)
  • 5 Throwing Lightknives
  • 3 Force Blinding Flashbangs
  • RI-17 Rifle-w-MS-0412 Grenade Launcher
  SURGICAL - CRYBERNETIC IMPLANTS
  
  • Repli Implants that would be for the limbs
  • Bonemer enhancements to strengthen structure of the body
  • Muscle enhancements.
  • Hemo enhancements for blood flow
  • Hawkeye implants for eyes
  • Advanced Medical Implant
  • Scentzy
  • Injected Nanotech upgrades
  
  
  
• Shadow Sanctuary - Enterprise

The wind dragged thin lines through the sand at Connel Vanagor’s boots. Ever present reminders of the worlds he had left behind. The air was heavy, thick with the scent of ozone and a flurry of the dust that clung to his armor. For a long moment, he did not move. He simply stood there in silence, listening to the low hum of the Rest’s technology

Behind the black visor of his mask, his eyes remained fixed on Lorn Reingard, but his mind was somewhere else. Somewhere older. Warmer. Smaller. This was not the time for this in his mind. Not that it wasn’t necessary, but for the first time in his life, Connel was allowing himself to have something to come home to that was not just a goober named Buster. He had a home, a purpose, a future.

It only made him want to fight harder. To protect it.

The gist of the gathering was to see who was willing to take the fight to the Sith. Connel was built for this. Yet suddenly something about it felt wrong. Something about it made him think of something his father had said to him many times. Suddenly he was a youngling again, standing in one of the training halls with a practice saber too large for his hands and frustration burning hot in his chest. Caltin Vanagor had stood over him like a mountain given patience, arms crossed, watching as Connel tried to turn anger into form.

He had failed, of course.

Back then, he failed at a great many things. He remembered the big man crouching down until they were eye to eye.

Redemption is never out of reach, kid.

Caltin’s voice was so clear in his memory that for one breath, the courtyard at Shiraya’s Rest almost vanished.

You just have to reach for it.

Connel’s gloved hands flexed once. Then he stepped forward. Not far. Just enough for the old stone beneath his boot to scrape loud enough that the gathered Jedi heard it. He looked at Lorn for a moment, and then he looked at the rest, one at a time. He had no authority here, he did not delude himself into thinking he did. He had something else though, he had experience. Lorn is not wrong.

The words landed hard. Several faces turned toward him. Some in surprise. Some in approval. Some with suspicion. Connel did not look at them.

The Sith did not wait for us to be ready. The Empire did not politely ask whether our councils had reached consensus. The innocent have been hunted, occupied, enslaved, and buried while good people tried to balance ideals against survival.

His voice remained calm, even emotionless. That was the unsettling part. There was no tremor in it. No heat. No performance. Just steel pulled from cold water. What say I? The Jedi need a Vanguard. The galaxy needs Jedi willing to go where others cannot. Fight what others will not. Stand in the places where the law arrives too late and mercy is mistaken for weakness.

He paused.

His right hand lowered slowly to the hilt at his side. Then his left. Not drawing. Not threatening. Simply acknowledging. I was built for that.

Connel’s visor shifted toward Lorn. That being said. I will kill if I have to. His fingers rested against both weapons now. I will not murder.

The difference hung between them like a blade suspended by a single thread.

I will put down a Sith who gives me no other choice. I will end a slaver before I let them take another child. I will break a warlord’s army, destroy their weapons, cut their routes, and leave them with nothing but the consequences they built for themselves.

His voice lowered.

But I will not call vengeance justice because it makes the work easier to stomach.

For a moment, he could almost hear Caltin again.

Redemption is never out of reach.

Connel’s jaw tightened behind the mask. My father taught me something when I was young. Redemption is never out of reach. You just have to reach for it.

That name did not need to be spoken for many of them to feel its weight.

Caltin Vanagor had been many things. A warrior. A Guardian. A wall between darkness and the people it meant to devour. But he had never mistaken strength for cruelty. Connel looked across the assembly. That does not mean every enemy will take the hand offered. Some will spit on it. Some will try to cut it off. Some will use the offer as cover to hurt more people.

His hands remained on the hilts.

Fine.

One word. Cold enough to frost the stone. Then we stop them. His visor returned to Lorn.

But the offer matters. The line matters. Because without it, we are not Vanguard. We are not Jedi. We are just another army convinced the galaxy would be cleaner if enough bodies were stacked in the right places.

He let the words hang in the air, heavy and unyielding.

A sword is not a butcher’s cleaver. A sword has discipline. Direction. Purpose. It is drawn to defend, not to feed the hand holding it. His fingers finally eased away from the weapons.

So if this Vanguard is meant to be the blade that protects the helpless, I will stand with you. He took one breath. If it becomes a crusade that forgets the difference between necessary and righteous, then I will stand in front of it.

No threat followed. No flourish. No raised voice.

Only Connel Vanagor, silent behind the mask, carrying his father’s lesson like a light kept alive in hostile weather.

That is my answer.

Rik Perris • Corazona von Ascania • Lorn Reingard • Colette • Zark San Tekka • Sakadi Marathi Sinvala • Aiden Porte • Briana Sal-Soren
Personal Effects - Omega Squad Loadouts​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Shiraya's Rest - Naboo
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Arwr Da, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Lorn Reingard | Briana Sal-Soren | Colette | Connel Vanagor | Sakadi Marathi Sinvala | Aiden Porte | Corazona von Ascania | Rik Perris | Zark San Tekka

Lily remembered there was a time where she had been asked and somewhat recruited to be part of Lorn's vanguard of Jedi for the Order. Back when she was a Padawan within the early days of the Order on Naboo. The message brought back a flood of those memories, a different time. A different Lily. Thoughts did not linger as much on the consequences of her actions, or inactions, as much as they tended to do so now. Her priorities more on training, fighting and fulfilling roles that she felt like were needed from her. Now Lily trained future generations and thought about what she wanted their time as a Jedi being about.

War was not the Jedi way.

Looking at the message, she sighed and grabbed her stuff. It was crucial to see what Lorn was doing. Her hair was tied into a loose ponytail as she headed over to Shiraya's Rest. An old location, another trigger of memories but Lily had to place that behind her now and focus on what could be going on. She hoped it would be positive, something that allowed change to happen in a good way, a healthy way. Perhaps Lorn would be teaching others to fight in more guerrilla, or in warfare. Areas of combat that Lily was less versed in teaching herself, so having someone else help with those lessons would be great in her mind.

Since the conflict for the Jedi was that war was not their way, but war was thrusted upon them all too often.

Arriving at the Rest, Lily spotted several members of the Order. Connel, Colette, Aiden, Rik, and Zark. There were others more outsiders for the moment like Corazona and Sakadi. Then there was her own Jedi Master, Briana. It had been a long time since Lily had spoken to her Master. Too long in a lot of ways but Lily hoped that Briana was doing well. Then Lorn started his speech.

Mentions of Republic and Jedi stagnation were fairly ironic since Lorn was part of the Jedi Council and did not bring that issue up with the council. Mentioning of welcoming ancient enemies into our homes had Lily cringing. She had truly hoped that matter would not be still this lingering issue. Especially since Lorn and Zark nearly caused a galactic war in the poor handling of it all. But Lily held her tongue, it would not look good for the Battle Master to be so publicly disagreeing with the Sword of Shiraya. However, Lily was beginning to have some bad feelings about what this meeting was going to be about.

"So, redemption is not the Jedi way now?" Lily asked loudly, her silver eyes staring hard at Lorn. This was not zealousness or dedication to the Light. This was butchery. He was organising a force that would differ naught to the Sith but named Jedi and Lily would not have it. "You would demand that we surrender all that makes a Jedi, a Jedi. To become the evil that you swear you wish to destroy? Because the path you are demanding these Jedi take, the path you desire to walk. Nothing you say differs to how the Sith behave."

Disappointment was written all over Lily, "offering a hand, helping someone change the path they are on. It is not a gesture that works every time and it is not a gesture that will work the first time. But we try because everyone can desire to better themselves. You just have to let them try, fail and help whatever ways they allow you to."

"We do not fight the Sith using their methods, we do not fight the Sith with the same mentality they fight us with. We do not demonstrate to our enemies that they have won because they have broken us so much that we have completely forgotten what it means to be a Jedi. And we do not raise the next generation of Jedi to believe that violence is the only solution to a problem." Lily mentioned in a sharp tone. "That doesn't mean we do nothing, I have not fought every battle the Jedi have had with the Sith since I became a Jedi, to suggest we do nothing. My stance is that we don't lose what makes us Jedi while we fight."

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

"If you feel this goes against your personal morals and beliefs, no one will force your hand or make you stay, Lily." It was painful to be on the opposite side of her former student, but just as Lily felt the need to stand firmly in her convictions, so too did Briana have to stand firmly in her own. Truthfully, she hadn't intended to speak at all, but instead had planned to attend, listen, and afterward seek out Lorn in private. But the moment he'd finished speaking, Briana knew where she needed to stand.

Her loyalty would always be to the light, that'd been her oath when she'd risen from the steps of her rushed knighting ceremony and was thrown through the gauntlet of Exegol as her christening. All she'd known since her Padawan days was war, and it was a war they were losing. She didn't want to fight forever, even though she was almost certain that her future involved her dying with a blade in her hand. Force willing, if she ever had children of her own, she did not want them carrying the same burden. Nor Brandyn's children. Nor Bastila's. Nor any of the younglings who would inherit the galaxy they left behind.

Stepping forward, Briana went to stand beside Lorn, clasping her hand firmly on his shoulder to let him know she would be there for him - that she would stand by him... and pull him back, if needs be. After all, there'd been a reason why she'd asked him to stand as the Order's Sword, even though he'd struggled to accept the role for a long time.

"But, I think it's important that we all stay calm and look at what is being said here. I don't believe Lorn's point is to blindly butcher anyone, we are still Jedi. But, there are some enemies who we all know are beyond redemption, and we should not pretend otherwise. Yes, this might seem like a break away from what it means to be a Jedi, but how long do we continue to let the Sith gain ground? Until they've conquered the entire galaxy? They already hold the Core, and much of the corridor next to us, unopposed. If you are to call yourself a Peacekeeper, then surely you also realize that you must call yourself a warrior. Peace is not maintained through hope alone, or only acting when the fight comes to us. It is secured through sacrifice, and the willingness to take action when necessary. And I know that I, for one, do not want to leave the the next generation to a Galaxy ruled by the Sith."

TAG: Lorn Reingard , Rik Perris , Lily Decoria , Corazona von Ascania , Zark San Tekka , Connel Vanagor , Colette , Aiden Porte , Sakadi Marathi Sinvala

​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

A zealous, unyielding approach. Crusade.

Lorn's particular choice of words twisted unpleasantly in her gut. To her, this was a dangerous rhetoric, but the Republic's softer stance on Sith was just as dangerous.

There was another thing, too; her own brother had made a name for himself among the Sith. Cora had clashed with him aboard the Prosperity, but neither had taken the other's life.

Would she have, if the opportunity had presented itself? Cora didn't know, and the guilt that came with indecision may end up eating her alive.

Cora didn't have much to say, largely because her concerns had been adequately - if zealously - expressed by Lily and Connel. Briana leant a more nuanced touch to Lorn's speech, and the blonde grazed the pad of her thumb over her lower lip in thought.

"I understand that difficult decisions will have to be made, often without much time to consider." Her gaze leveled on the Shirayans, steady and discerning. Jedi differing in their beliefs was nothing new, but they'd all answered this summons to work towards a common goal.

"I'd like to hear more about what it would mean to align with this Vanguard. What sort of operations would we be expected to undertake? What would you need from us?"

Lorn Reingard Connel Vanagor Lily Decoria Zark San Tekka Rik Perris Colette Aiden Porte Briana Sal-Soren Sakadi Marathi Sinvala

 

[Aiden Porte]

Lorn Reingard Connel Vanagor Lily Decoria Zark San Tekka Rik Perris Colette Briana Sal-Soren Sakadi Marathi Sinvala
​

"If you feel this goes against your personal morals and beliefs, no one will force your hand or make you stay, Lily."

"When one begins a conversation as it just was, what is one to think." Aiden spoke up soflty, a small smile on his face, no malice or anything in his voice, just edged with truth. "Called here and our first order of business is something we are all aware of, and followed with..... 'There will be no redemption' "

Some and more of the same, Aiden thought. "I don't mean to be a pain, but I have to ask the question. What has changed, we all know the oath that Jedi took. Everyone here has bled and fought more or less of the same wars. What has changed, and even more, is this something, you as the Council is fully sanctioning. Is the Assembly supporting this decision." As Aiden knew there were a few Councilors that were present. Aiden said the latter more as a formality, for all intents and purprose, he was still awaiting word.

Aiden raised his hand to his chin, rubbing it lightly.

He stood back as others began to talk, and he just waited for questions to be answered. And it seemed Cora had asked a similiar question as to what he was referring to.

 

[Rik Perris]

SHIRAYA'S REST
NABOO​

Disagreement was part and parcel of most gatherings like this; he almost expected it, not with any mote of derision, but... there was no good in an Order that agreed blindly and followed blindly, too entrenched in idealism to see what festered beneath their feet. Briana spoke, and he was glad for her words. Cora asked for meaning... but first, Rik raised a hand, hoping to forestall further contention... then when Aiden slipped in some words, he gave the son of a late ally a firm, not-quite-a-smile. More questions. More to get to, but clarity first. Brown eyes went here and there, taking in each of those present.

"If I could," he started, lowering his hand as his own thoughts went back to a former padawan, when they were contending with Mandalorians, "I'll tell you what I once told a former student of mine: if we can avoid conflict," he started, then going on to paraphrase for the present, "if redemption is on the table, we take that chance." His former padawan, as well as his current one, were as compassionate as they come. "But there's far too much stacked against that outcome." End paraphrase. "Let me be clear. History aside," and he knew the history well, and learned his students in that knowledge, "six months ago Sith were enacting the genocide of the people and cultures of an entire sector."

Fact one.

"An entire. sector. Recent." His tone remained even. He would not shout. "So much death." Sorrow and righteous anger creased his brow, started to sheen his eyes with that fact, as he continued. "Too long — well before the shifting of the planets invalidated our maps — have the freedoms of countless people been infringed upon to unknown extents, obscured by the Blackwall."

Fact two.

"These are only the largest and most egregious realities of now." The tip of the iceberg. "Make no mistake, we have a moral duty to be vigilant against this. No matter what they may tell you, no matter how the Sith may act, the Dark is pervasive. It twists. It corrupts." Only a matter of time. Always only a matter at time. "Keep redemption in mind. Have compassion, but know there are those that are beyond redemption. Leave your compassion, then, for those who would suffer if you do not act." Then he pointedly looked at the Echani. "Discern the difference. Use your judgement."

Aiden Porte • Briana Sal-Soren • Colette • Connel Vanagor • Corazona von Ascania • Lily Decoria • Lorn Reingard • Sakadi Marathi Sinvala • Zark San Tekka​

 

[Feng Huang]

Feng stayed silent, demure, her eyes widening at the rhetoric. No redemption? A crusade? Feng didn't like the sound of that, but what was she to do? What was she to say in this hall of powerful Jedi? She was just a padawan. She had no great victories to her name. No grand titles. She was half thinking her invitation had been a mistake. Feng had come as much just to be included honoured at having been offered a place in such august company. Now they were talking about a relentless crusade with no place for redemption or forgiveness.

It was everything the Jedi stood against.

Feng was relieved when it turned out she wasn't the only one who objected to the proposed mission parameters. Connel spoke up against it, which Feng was both a little surprised at and greatly relieved. Connel always had a somewhat special operative bearing about him, it would be easy to confuse him with the righteous crusade type. Feng was grateful he had a more measured and forgiving nature at heart.

The other Jedi who spoke fervently against it Feng didn't know well but nonetheless she was grateful for everything she said. The part about raising the next generation of Jedi struck home as well wasn't Feng that very next generation. Was this the lesson she was supposed to take to heart?

Aiden the other master that Feng knew of seemed mostly concerned about how official this endeavour was, whether it had the support of the assembly. That was perhaps a little disappointing, Feng had hoped he would be more emphatic in his refusal, but perhaps he was just presenting calm while he gathered information.

Another Jedi spoke. He spoke of his rage, his anger at the genocides. At least he allowed room for redemption, though his message was still one of conviction that some Sith were beyond saving. That was natural, Feng felt it too, but to lose who they were because of it? They'd already lost so much must they really lose more? Feng didn't want to live life full of rage, of hatred, a life of constant war. There had to be a better way, and the only way Feng could see that was to live by example.

The reason such a proposal struck to the core of the conflict within Feng, is that a part of her, a strong part agreed with it. She had seen the evils of the Sith on the battlefield, the suffering they caused, a part of her, a greater part than she liked to admit, wanted to strike out with furious vengeance. Smite the evil wherever it was found.

Feng had once felt an attraction to the Lightsworn for that very reason. She was surprised to find herself feeling such abhorrence to that way of thinking now.

Feng deflated it just wasn't the Jedi way.

"Is this the lesson I am supposed to take away?" Feng asked the group during a lull in the conversation "That the Jedi are for vengeance, a righteous crusade where we offer no mercy, no redemption, no forgiveness? Where we act in the total surety of our purpose without regard to law or decent treatment."

"I was taught that a Jedi never seeks to end life where alternates can be found, not seek the death of our enemies no matter how much they may have aggrieved us."

"I know I'm just a padawan. I have no great victories, or titles to my name. When I was invited here I was honoured, now I'm horrified. My heroes turned to villains before my very eyes, perhaps I was being naïve. A child's view of the galaxy, but I know this much. This wasn't what I was taught, of what a Jedi is to be."

"For all the padawans who believe in what's right, that the Jedi seek what's noble and just. Please don't do this."

Feng wiped frustrated tears from her eyes as she finished.

Lorn Reingard Connel Vanagor Aiden Porte Lily Decoria Briana Sal-Soren Corazona von Ascania Colette Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Zark San Tekka Rik Perris

 

[Ala Quin]

Ala arrived out of breath, still in training clothes, a robe thrown loosely over them like an afterthought. Her hair was tied back in a hurried knot, curls escaping at the back.

She stopped just inside the room, catching her breath.

Her gaze cut through the gathered Jedi, as she sought Lorn's attention. And her expression softened, pleading with him in silence.

| Tag. All. |​

 

[Ilaria Morvayne]

TAG: Lorn Reingard | Connel Vanagor | Lily Decoria | Zark San Tekka | Rik Perris | Colette | Briana Sal-Soren | Sakadi Marathi Sinvala | Aiden Porte | Ala Quin | Feng Huang

---

None could understate the importance of such a gathering, nor could anyone deny that it was desperately needed. The galaxy had spent decades crushed beneath the ever-tightening grip of the Sith and their sycophantic allies. As someone who had possessed little patience for the frankly appalling state of the New Jedi Order upon her introduction to the wider galaxy, Ilaria had long sought something capable of striking back against the tide of darkness.

And now, her new Order was fraternizing with it. Drinking. Celebrating. Laughing upon beaches secured by the blood of billions who had dared stand against the imperious march of death.

She had always desired a strong Jedi Order. An Order willing to stand against darkness rather than negotiate with it. An Order capable of meeting the Sith head-on and crushing them beneath its heel. An Order whose light shone so brightly that the shadows of the galaxy had nowhere left to hide.

It was therefore no surprise that the cold and seemingly heartless Padawan had made her way to this gathering. Indeed, if her heart still beat with the same cadence as those around her, she would have desperately wanted them to succeed in whatever struggle lay ahead.

She did not offer an introduction as many of the others did. Better to let the conversation develop organically. Better to observe. Better to identify the variables within the equation and apply pressure where it would matter most. After all, light only possessed meaning when there was darkness to oppose. The flame burned brightest amidst the storm. Great and terrible flame, powerful enough to blind an entire galaxy with its majesty.

Yet the doubts voiced by some of the senior Jedi irritated her. She was reminded of the stories of her ancestors, who had gone to war regardless of the warnings of isolationist councils more concerned with preserving themselves than confronting barbarity. They had acted because action had been necessary.

She would do the same.

If the day came when the Jedi refused to oppose evil, then she would not hesitate to abandon the comfort of the Order in favor of spilling Sith blood. For such was the nature of peace.

Sometimes, there were people who simply had to die.

Yet she would never allow those feelings to control her. She was a Jedi. Personal desires remained secondary to the objective. If achieving that objective required calm words, measured reasoning, and political patience rather than demanding the heads of the Dark Lords, then she would reluctantly comply.

Even if she despised it.

Then a Knight spoke. He dismissed concerns over redemption and freedom with remarkable ease, reminding those gathered of the countless atrocities committed by the Sith and their servants.

And then he uttered the words she had been waiting for someone to say.

"...the Dark is pervasive. It twists. It corrupts."

Indeed it does. Indeed, that was the game the Sith were playing. She knew so intimately.

Then another Padawan spoke. A passionate plea. A warning that this path would only lead to ruin. That the Jedi should turn away before some self-inflicted damnation consumed them all.

Ilaria glanced toward them.

The look she offered was brief. Pathetic.

"Yes, I will do this."

The response came immediately, without hesitation.

"I will fight. I will push myself to the absolute limits of my ability. I will stand for the innocent and for those unjustly persecuted. I am a Jedi—a shield against the darkness, a bearer of the light."

She drew a small breath.

"I will face whatever horrors await us. I will endure whatever sacrifices are required. I will stand where others cannot, and I will not turn away simply because the path is difficult, nor because it demands."

Her gaze remained steady.

"I will not go gently into that good night."

​

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Lorn Reingard | Connel Vanagor | Lily Decoria | Zark San Tekka | Rik Perris | Colette | Briana Sal-Soren | Ilaria Morvayne | Aiden Porte | Ala Quin | Feng Huang​

She saw it when she studied their faces. That same jaded, tired look she had seen staring back at her from the mirror these past years. These were the Jedi who cared. Had cared, and now carried the burdening weight of their decisions.

And all of them had arrived at the same conclusion. The Sith needed to be stopped. Disarmed, by word and deed.

Yet however rousing Lorn's speech had been, there was an undeniably dangeorus edge to it. It reminded her strongly of the early days of the New Jedi Order. Their path had led to victory, peace, and balance in the Force. But had also strayed dangerously close to the Dark-side.

When Lorn finished, the whiplash followed immediately. It always did when a Jedi suggested action, it seemed. First Connel's warning. Then Decoria's opposition. Brianna pushed back against it. Both Corazona and Aiden asked for clarity. Rik, she found herself nodding along with. Feng struck her as childish. Ilaria, too passionate.

With so many divergent convictions, it was no small wonder the Jedi Order had fractured into separate enclaves.

~ I too sense that this path brings us close to the Dark-side. ~ She found herself projecting through the Force. ~ Yet when I search my feelings and trust my judgment, I find there is no other way forward. ~

She rose from the low wall, drifting forward to stand nearer the elevation Lorn had claimed.

~ We cannot blindly devote ourselves to redeeming a handful of individuals twisted by the Dark-side when entire civilisations hang in the balance. That is a fool's errand. One that risks everything we stand for. ~ Every word was calm and measured. Even if the meaning was not.

She turned to Lorn. Firm, but perfectly composed.

~ But I must ask. How do you intend to keep us from losing ourselves to the Dark-side, when we instigate nothing short of a war beyond the Blackwall. Cut off from aid? From peace? ~