Walking the highwire between Order and Chaos (Interview with a Dark Jedi)

[Lucian Trell]

The call had gone out on Holonet.

It was unusual as far as such requests went. One did not usually track down a darkside practitioner simply to talk. Requests for maiming, mutilation and murder were more the done thing. If fate was to be kind this meeting would feature none of these things.
Initially the message had been an invitation to anyone who had experience with the dark side of the force. Lucian was somewhat shocked when he got a response from someone who claimed to be true Dark Jedi. If this was not simply a childish prank a great opportunity had presented itself. This was not simply some ships captain here to tell tall tales in return for a free lunch and drinks (Which the message had promised) but something that was to much of the galaxy a true enigma.

Lucian stretched feeling several clicks in his back as his spine put itself back into place. The cafe was a cheerful place warm and open under the midday sun. While generally a little humid for some Caridia was a paradise to those who favored a tropical climate.

Dressed in the unofficial jeans and open jacket that most Caridian university members adopted Lucian sipped from a tall glass of stout. The owner of the cafe - a friendly old gent in his sixties that many of the university students discreetly purchased their recreational spice from sat watching sports on a holoscreen .

The owner was both half deaf and understood the value of privacy so the venue had seemed ideal for meeting someone like a Dark Jedi who would probably value discretion in such matters.

A mixture of anticipation and nervousness played out through Lucian's insides. This was no theoretical exercise or second hand learning from books.

This was the real thing.

 

[Keira Priest]

It was odd for Keira to consider herself the object of anyone's interest. Typically the want of attention to her only extended as far as the battlefield, a situation she was perfectly content with. Combat was an environment she was decidedly at ease in, where the rules were set while being subject to change at any time, where the only talking involved the music of the weapons present and the silent strategizing that encompassed the whole of every thought. It was easy for her to confront any scenario similar head on and with little fear, viewing it as just another part of life, though perhaps a touch more violent and unorthodox in nature.

In comparison to this, being interviewed was as foreign as all requests came.

It wasn't as if she was unused to simply talking with another, because that was far from the truth. But in her line of work, civil conversation was another matter altogether. Those that were employed in or otherwise inhabited the criminal underworld were far from the average individual you'd encounter on the streets, and as such any and all discussion included either thinly veiled sarcasm or threats, sometimes both at once. A method of communication she had quickly adjusted to, but now was the time to forget all of that, at least for the moment. Her host likely wouldn't appreciate that attitude, and she did want to at least appear somewhat average, if only on that plane.

As far as venues went, this one was casual, a far cry from the formality that seemed to encompass the casino she called home, despite it being owned and operated by a criminal syndicate. Just as the place of their meeting was informal, so was her dress. Clad simply in a pair of worn jeans, slightly scuffed boots and a dark tank top, this was as easygoing as her outfits would ever get. The choice of shirt left her cybernetic left arm in plain view, and she still kept her lightsaber at her waist as always, having assumed the weapon wouldn't be unwanted. Rarely did she go anywhere without it.

It only took moments of her standing in the doorway of the cafe to locate the one that had called this meeting, and even less time for her to make her way over to the man and sit down across from him, her presence unannounced. Her amber gaze, thunderclouds roiling behind her eyes, took him in for all that he was: an unassuming university professor, not that she'd expected much different. The question was what he'd been anticipating when it came to her. She didn't appear as the stereotypical darksider by any standards, though signs of corruption were blatant in her eye color, above all else.

Briefly she glanced to the owner of the establishment with disinterest, and seconds later she returned to studying the one across from her. A smile slowly crept across her face, something of a turbulent edge to it. "Surprised?"

[member="Lucian Trell"]

 

[Lucian Trell]

Lucian was not really sure about exactly what to expect from the arrival. There were of course several stereotypes that manifested themselves in the public imagination when darkside wielding women were mentioned. The hunched crone cackling over a smoking cauldron and the siren temptress using both her tainted beauty and mind altering talents to enthrall helpless men. The arrival however was neither of these things.

Young and pretty (though not in an unearthly way) she wouldn't have looked out of place among almost any society where humans were prominent. Indeed she could have passed herself off as a student in one of his lecture calls without much comment. The only indications to her true nature was the lightsaber displayed at her hip and the crimson hues of her gaze.

Lucian flashed a somewhat sheepish grin before replying to the young lady.

"A little bit. Though to be quite honest I didn't really know what to expect."

Taking a sip of his beer Lucian continued.

"My name is Lucian Trell as you probably already know given the Holonet message. Until recently I was a Dean at the Caridian Peoples University until I had a rather terrifying experience with the recent phenomenon causing the dead to rise. Having studied dark side cults and religions for most of my adult life I found the subject fascinating in an academic sense. Having the corpses of several people I knew in life attempt to devour myself and my students put things in an entirely different perspective. I now know that the power of darkside sorcery is very real and it seems to me that many of the Jedi have willingly remained ignorant of it in order to prevent corruption or some similar fate.

But before we really get into that I would be most grateful if you could tell me both your name and what a Dark Jedi actually is?

It may seem like somewhat of a foolish question but I think many people around the galaxy have certain misconceptions about the creed you follow."

Lucian spread his hands in an opening gesture. Keira had the floor and the researcher waited with bated breath.

 

[Keira Priest]

No one ever really did know what to expect, but that wasn't Keira had come there to discuss just what his thoughts were on her appearance by itself. It was still surprising to see just how far those clichés of your average darksider stretched, and it seemed as if this one was no exception. However, she had to give him credit in the fact that he didn't let much of anything show on his face, save for the brief smile in response to the first inquiry put forth. It was more than could be said for most, but once again she wouldn't question his train of thought. Her coming here was to discuss the more philosophical point of view.

Listening silently to his brief tale of the event that had devastated the majority of the galaxy, she was unfazed by it all. Similar tragedies had befallen other peoples of the galaxy, but thankfully enough she had been exempt from it all. It was interesting that that was the one event to spark his curiosity about Force users of any alignment, more specifically the dark side as a whole. Not many delved into what were considered occult matters so easily and nonchalantly, but she supposed it came with the title. Sometimes interest won out over common sense. But it wasn't as if she was going to hurt him or anything. If that had been her intent, neither of them would still be seated, or even present, for that matter.

"My name's Keira Ticon." A beat passed. "The answer to your second question depends on who you're asking. The Republic would tell you that it's a failed Jedi who couldn't resist the temptations of the dark side, and the other Jedi sects would probably say much of the same. Ask someone with no idea of either point of view, and they'd just shrug and recite whatever definition they were taught. But it's a bit more complicated than that. I don't mean to beat around the bush, but I've heard those explanations and more. It's all a point of view." That philosohy was something else entirely.

There was probably a less complex way to go about explaining things, but he hadn't invited her here to hear the condensed version. "A Dark Jedi is someone that doesn't follow either the Jedi or the Sith and happens to be a darksider. It doesn't make them evil, it doesn't make them good, they just are. The rest depends on the person, and that goes for the creed as well. I don't follow any dogma. The insistence on living by one is the reason I left the Jedi in the first place. I don't class myself as a Dark Jedi to begin with, because I'm just another sensitive that follows a different path. It's all one big mixed up philosophical mess." And no amount of poking and prodding would fix it, in her mind. People were too rooted in their ways to consider any alternatives. As long as it wasn't hurting her or hers, she couldn't complain. Much.

[member="Lucian Trell"]

 

[Lucian Trell]

[member="Keira Ticon"]

Lucian stroked his chin feeling the build up of stubble scratch across the tips of his fingers. A path that did not accept dogmatism from either Sith or Jedi views. It sounded like Keira was trying her best to be an impartial observer or perhaps simply find her own truth. The researcher could understand this after all it was this reason why he had put forth the invitation to her in the first place.

"There is much debate among anthropologists over whether or not one should attempt to embody the impartial observer in matters of study or simply accept that it is impossible and factor your bias into the equation. I personally don't know which one is correct - if there is a correct answer at all but I think the fact that you are taking the time to examine and question the doctrines in general is admirable. And indeed good and evil seem to be to be something assigned by sentients and can vary wildly with personal opinion "

Lucuans expression sobered somewhat and he turned to the barkeep motioning to get Keira a drink letting the young woman select what she wanted from the menu. Picking up the tab was the least he could do given the insights Keira might provide.

" Would you say that even though you have discarded the Jedi dogma surrounding the nature of the force and moralizing polarity that you have kept somewhat within their framework when it comes to working the force? By that I mean the way you cast which from my understanding the Jedi do without any incantations, sacrifices, or talismans. Also if you haven't would you ever consider utilizing such practices if it meant gaining greater mastery over the force? "

Keira seemed to be a pragmatic individual - though this could manifest in several ways. Lucian was interested in discovering if she would simply do whatever worked regardless of mechanism or whether she thought that the same results could be achieved without need for such techniques and devices.

 

[Keira Priest]

There was no question with his choice of words that this was a highly educated individual Keira was currently conversing with. And it was nice, for a change, to be discussing this with someone who was, as far as she was aware, unaffiliated with any of the major powers of the galaxy, whether they be political in nature or otherwise. That meant his opinion was largely unbiased by other's beliefs, and encompassed only his thoughts alone. That was a rare find in the galaxy these days, someone that thought for themselves and didn't allow others to dictate right and wrong for them. Then again, she could just as easily be over-thinking things, but that was the sense she got from him. And rarely did her instinct lie.

"If one doesn't question what they're told to obey, then they may as well cease to exist. Thought is what makes us sentient beings, and if you aren't utilizing it, you aren't living in any sense. The same goes for those things dubbed good and evil. Most are taught what to regard as one or the other, and rarely do they take a step back and look at things from the outside. The Jedi will say that peace and justice are good, and anything opposite that is evil. The Sith will say much of the same, though their ways of achieving such are arguably more malevolent and violent in nature, thus opposing what the Jedi deem correct. And so you have the ages long war that's still going on today." It was a simple, concise version of what spanned eras and encompassed much more than a battle of nothing more than morality, but that was how she saw it.

Briefly she paused in their conversation to order a Corellian Ale, mulling over his final question as she waited for the drink to arrive. Once it was delivered she took it in hand, sipping at it for a moment and finally setting it to the side, still not having quite formulated the proper response to all he was asking. There really wasn't an exact answer to it, at least not one that she could immediately think of. Then again, improvisation had always been her specialty.

Her fingers - the flesh and blood digits of her right hand - traced the rim of her glass absently as she spoke. "I don't utilize the Force as directly in my daily life as many others probably do. It's a tool at my disposal which I call on when necessary, mostly in combat. It's not all archaic magic and spells, and a lot of it is less complex than what you're probably thinking. I use acrobatics when I fight, and I use the Force to supplement my strength and speed where I need it. Other times I use it to push, pull or grasp objects - and sometimes people - if need be. That's all the more complex I get, typically. If you want to see any tricks, just ask." There were a few more unorthodox moves she was able to pull off, such as throwing her lightsaber in resemblance of a boomerang, but even that was rare. It was better, and easier, to keep things simple and nondescript.

"I can't say I've ever considered, or that I ever will, consider delving into the more arcane side of things. It's never interested me, and I've never felt it to be a necessity, so I haven't. I suppose one day if there comes a time I need it, I'll learn. But mastery isn't my goal, at the end of the day. Survival is."

[member="Lucian Trell"]

 

[Lucian Trell]

It certainly made sense. Survival was paramount to most sentient life forms. Keira's explanation brought up several interesting questions of its own. Surely the first users of the force had not divided it between light and dark and had simply wanted to use it as a tool to survive in an oftentimes harsh and cruel galaxy. Shamans - the force users of the more animistic and ancient cultures certainly seemed to work halfway between this and the use of ritual relying on instinct and esoteric formula both. Perhaps these paths two had once been one followed by a schism into the ritualized and non ritualized variants seen in modern times.

Shelving the thoughts for later Lucian replied.

" I must admit a small display of telekinesis would be interesting close up - though if we could avoid startling the proprietor it would certainly by a bonus.

The way you explain the force makes it sound very primal - as another part of nature really. Anything that aids in the presevation of life Looking at it under that light makes it seem almost like water or air - things we have use for and encounter in our daily lives but do not have any sort of agenda or inherent morality. Following on from this I know that the Jedi hold a view known as the living force which states that the force is present and ties all living things. Some scholars have even gone so far as to suggest that the force is both itself alive and aware. In your time as a practitioner have you ever come across anything that would suggest that the force or parts of it do in fact have a personal consciousness and will?

That's not to say that such entities if they exist need fall into the trap of human morality - a being such as that could have a mind more alien than any physical species."

Slowly rotating his neck to remove the kinks Lucian's gaze didn't waver from Keira. Across the years Lucian had come across several records of such beings however they seemed to always show up on the fringes of society. Keira was herself something of an outsider as far as the Jedi were concerned so she might have seen , heard or felt things that more orthodox Jedi never came into contact with.

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Poro]

Poro was trying to get into the packaged sweets inside of the basket he was currently hiding in. Poro was once again inside a cargo hold of sorts, but this one was in the back of a moving speeder truck. He gnawed and gnawed, but he was getting nowhere fast. His stomach gurgled and he let out a little whine. The truck came to a stop and the force of it threw Poro off his perch and deeper into the basket. He squirmed around until he heard a loud metal noise. Poro was scared, so he froze still and didn't make a sound.

Soon, he felt the basket that he was in get lifted up into the air. Poro silently panicked until he felt the basket get set down. He could hear a lot of talking. He didn't know what to do and he felt something moving in the basket. A large, meaty hand reached down and grabbed Poro! He panicked and tried to grab the closest thing with his mouth to keep himself from being pulled. It ended up being a wrapped brownie, however, and he was easily pulled along with the brownie out into the light.

Once outside, Poro came face to face with a surprised cashier. The man was big, brutish, and looked mean. "Aah!" said the cashier as he flung the little ropo away. Poro flew through the air and released the brownie in his mouth to let out a squeal of terror and joy, as one might do when they go upside down on a roller coaster. The brownie and ropo landed on a table in between [member="Lucian Trell"] and [member="Keira Ticon"]. The ropo rolled upright and shook itself off. He looked up at the two people staring at him and saw the big brute come over to the table with a bag saying, "Come here, ya' varmint!" Poro curled into a little ball and started to whine with fear.

 

[Keira Priest]

That was a question Keira didn't entirely know the answer to, partially due to the phrasing, and partially due to the number of ways one was able to interpret it. Never had she considered so deeply her personal views on an energy field that permeated her everyday life. It was always there and had always been, akin to something like a limb. Just another fact of life, like eating or breathing. There wasn't anything that could be done about it, whether positive or negative, and all in all it helped more than it hurt. A rather beneficial relationship, but not one she'd pried into past just skimming the surface with her personal ideology. Much like a live and let live philosophy.

Chewing the inside of her cheek she took another sip of her drink, not quite ready to answer. His request for a demonstration of one of the simpler abilities granted her did bring a smile to her lips, gone as quickly as it had come. It was always amusing to see the light in which those either unattuned or rather inexperienced with the Force viewed the capabilities it granted an individual. Of course, she was perfectly aware the man sitting across from her was a sensitive. It had been evident from the moment she'd entered the building. And she had expected that, given his profession, he had little experience in the way of exploring his innate ability. It was still something of a humorous scenario. "Whether we frighten him or not depends on what you'd like to see."

Now on to tackle the more complex inquiries. "I wouldn't say it's alive or sentient in the sense that it chooses sides. There's always talk of the Force favoring this sect over another, but I've seen nothing of the sort. I'm not sure if I would classify it as even being aware, but it's certainly not oblivious either. Perhaps semi-sentience is the correct term, but even that doesn't quite fit." Her lips pursed thoughtfully. "And I don't see the Force as being controlled or emitted by any entity, whether spiritual or physical in nature. I don't put much stock into gods myself, but if I did, I still wouldn't believe it. It goes deeper than that. Not into the supernatural, but deeper."

There really wasn't any way to put it into perspective for one so seemingly unfamiliar. "Think of it like..." She drummed her fingers absently on the table. "A sixth sense, of sorts. That's how I utilize it, most of the time. It warns me of any impending danger, giving me time to dodge or otherwise counter, but I don't call upon it consciously to do so. Other times I do, for the uses I mentioned previously. It's a complex thing that can't be explained or rationalized by any field of study. And I suppose that's why so many that call science their domain have given up on attempting to categorize the Force. It's simply impossible."

Only seconds later that same sixth sense came into play, hinting at something coming her way mere seconds before both a small animal she recognized as a Ropo and a packaged treat both landed on the table between she and [member="Lucian Trell"] with a quiet thump. For a moment she was at a loss for what to do, but it was soon obvious the creature was afraid, and so she slowly began soothing the mammal by petting it, attempting to convey something of a soothing aura through the Force, a skill she hadn't called to bear in what was likely years. Her amber gaze lifted to the cashier. "Yes, sir?"

[member="Poro"]

 

[Poro]

Comforted by the petting, Poro looked up and saw [member="Keira Ticon"]. He panted and smiled at the friendly person. He muzzled his face into her palm and when he pulled away, a mustache had appeared. This was a sign that Poro REALLY liked Keira. He then closed his eyes and grunted with exertion. He changed into these colors.

file:///C:/Users/Ryan%20Gauwitz/Pictures/Poro%20Sticker%20Keira%20Ticon.png (You can put these into a browser address bar.)

When a ropo likes someone, they try to mimic them. This was the best the little ropo could do at the time being. The big man who came up to the table looked dumbly at Kiera and said, "Wuh!...Well...It's clearly a vermin! Don't touch it! It's liable to give ya' germs...or somethin'. Let me get rid of it for ya', marm." Kiera could clearly see the butcher knife that the man soon tried to conceal behind himself while holding his other hand out.

The poro, seeing the meaty hand reach out for him, hid his face in Keira's palm and started crying.

[member="Lucian Trell"]

 

[Lucian Trell]

Lucian was doing his best to ignore the small fluffy animal that had landed on their table. As long as it was not poisonous or the bearer of disease it could go where it wanted save perhaps into his drink. He would let Keira decide to do what she wanted with the creature as it clearly displayed an affinity towards her and dealing with her and he could not be bothered getting into a dispute with the owner over the critter.

"What you say about the force not favoring individuals or sects certainly seems to ring true. Claims toward divine mandate are a dime a dozen but in the end it seems to do little good. Even the great Sith lords of old whose rituals could strip entire worlds bare of life apparently died failures in the end. So it seems that sorcery can make you strong in the force but certainly not it's beloved champion. "
What Keira had said was about as logical as you got in such matters and he had certainly not lied when responding to her. However in the back of his mind doubts swirled. It was said that the night sisters could with the right preparations in fact make one quite literally an avatar of the dark side. The same was said of particularly strong light siders and the state of oneness. There was little concrete record involving both counts in fact most of the texts he had seen on them had been nothing more than rumors and baseless speculation. Still it gnawed at him knowing that he could be missing something vital.

Shaking his head to clear the errant notions Lucian continued speaking to Keira.

" The idea that the force conforms to whatever rules and limitations sentient minds put to is has been a popular theory in academic circles. Do you think that perhaps those who hold a more modern view over what is and is not possible may be more limited than cultures who do not rely on technology and scientific reasoning but rather give greater import to supernatural powers? Also to one such as yourself who has attempted to do away with doctrines both religious and secular does that make the force a blank slate to do with as you will?"

If that was the case then Keira and those like her had the potential to be the greatest force users of all. But perhaps Lucian was getting ahead of himself and thus he steadied his breathing waiting to see how the issue with the minute mammal was resolved.

@Keira Ticon

 

[Keira Priest]

Unable to stop a small smile from turning up the corners of her mouth at the display of affection from the animal she had now recognized as a ropo, Keira continued to slowly pet the small mammal, scratching gently behind the small horns that protruded from its head. For whatever reason it seemed to have taken a liking to her rather quickly, something she couldn't exactly complain about. What she did have to deal with, however, was the man still standing over their table. The smile faded from her lips to a carefully neutrally expression as she looked to the man. "I think we'll be just fine here, thank you for your concern. I'll be sure to let you know if we require anymore service." And that was the end of that, as far as she was concerned.

For the rest of the conversation she pointedly ignored the cashier, a clear indication that the man was welcome to leave whenever he saw fit. "I don't think anyone is limited in their Force use in the sense of the abilities that they're able to use at their specific skill level. It's all up here." She tapped the side of her head with a finger. "I'm not saying that everyone should go and try and learn everything they can that pertains to what they're capable of, I'm just saying that sometimes they uselessly limit themselves just because someone else supposedly higher up in the hierarchy said it's wrong and that they'll be labeled evil because of it. That's far from the truth.

"And I'm not claiming to be superior just because I choose not to follow any doctrine. I just believe that it allows me more of a freedom of choice, which is not having to make any choice at all. Yes, I'll agree that my alignment is predominantly dark, if we're going to get into semantics, but I don't view it as such. Continuing in that vein, I'm not limited to strictly dark side or light side abilities because of that. I can call on either as I see fit, but I don't typically delve so completely into things so as to concern myself with those specific constraints. LIke I said, it's usually the basics for me." She shrugged. "I just don't see the point in getting so deeply involved in something that's just an argument about opinions. There will always be naysayers. It doesn't matter what side you follow."

Exhaling slowly, she tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "The Force doesn't conform to any rules and limitations because there aren't any. To believe as such is to limit your own potential and that of others. It's an energy field that a select view are gifted with the ability to wield, and I agree that it's not a skill to be taken lightly. But you can't tread too carefully either, otherwise you'll waste what skill you might not have known you possessed in the first place. It's a fine line, and one that many have treaded previously. No one person can define it for everyone."

[member="Lucian Trell"], [member="Poro"]

 

[Poro]

The cashier dumbly turned around, tossed his hands up in the air, and walked back to his station, the butcher knife now in the air. He realized what he had done and quickly brought it back down to hide it.

Poro watched the man go, a smile returning to his face as he saw the man leave. When he knew he was safe, he blew a loud raspberry in the direction of the mean brute. He stayed content in [member="Keira Ticon"]'s hands, but his gaze eventually came upon the brownie. He stared at it with desire, but didn't want to leave her loving hand embrace. He stared at it for a few more seconds. Then, he stuck his tongue out and used it to gradually reach out towards the brownie. His tongue was wider than a normal human's and it was longer, too. He was only two inches away from it, so he squirmed a little bit forwards in her grasp to reach it. He was SO CLOSE...but he couldn't reach it.

He gave up, tired and exasperated. He slumped down into her hands, his tongue hanging loosely outside of his mouth, and a groan of defeat sounded from him. His stomach rumbled quite loudly (enough for Keira and [member="Lucian Trell"] to plainly hear) and his tummy shook. This would feel quite weird in an endearing way to Keira. Poro stared depressingly at the brownie.

 

[Lucian Trell]

For a first foray into the world of force users Lucian thought things had gone remarkably well - all things considered. Keria was a pleasant and very level headed young woman quite at odds with the lunatics that mass media portrayed darkside practitioners to be. Though Keria's interests clearly lay elsewhere the topic of sorcery had been brought up and perhaps more importantly Lucian had a better understanding of what exactly it was to be labeled a dark Jedi.

Lucian now had a starting point to judge darkside users against. Keria had clearly accepted both sides of the force into her life and yet did not seem overcome with superstition or lust for esoteric knowledge.

Finishing the last of his drink Lucian got up from the table and gave Keria a small bow.

"Thank you for both your time and knowledge Keira. I'm sorry that I don't have much to offer in return for your contribution but perhaps I can help set straight in academia what a being a dark Jedi entails. I sincerely hope that the other people I interview prove as congenial as yourself. "

Throwing some credits to the barkeep for their drinks Lucian pulled pad and pen from his pocket. Scrawling down an holonet address he slid the paper across the table to Keira carefully avoiding the Poro's path.

"If you ever do decide to branch out into the more arcane force disciplines or simply want to see how things are progressing then please feel free to contact me whenever."

@:Keira Ticon