Private Watch Your Step | The Circle

[Auteme]

Aaran Tafo Aeris Lashiec Allyson Locke Asmundr Varobalder Bernard of Arca | Jedi Council Chambers, Coruscant​

"Good to see everyone," she greeted. She'd said hello to everyone individually, but each time it had seemed she'd been in a rush. In their last meeting she'd sat in her chair, quiet, patient, straight-backed and attentive. Now she paced, her mind flying, flitting from thought to thought. But once everyone gathered she stopped, scanned, paused long enough to breathe.

"This one will be... quick. If you have any, ah, other items you wish to discuss- you'll have to do it without me. I have a meeting with DARKCOM in an hour, and there are a few things I must do to prepare." She almost gave the game away right then and there. A slight curl, a disgust, near anger perhaps, traced the name. "But, I wanted to tell you about something I learned only recently, and what I plan to do about it. I'll be pulling from my memories a bit, so, if you wouldn't mind opening your minds."

She glanced to Allyson, and that was when the first thought slipped out. There's something I want kept secret. A conversation held in the mind was more secure than one held in view of a prying eye. Suspicions may be raised, but information would be denied.

With their permission, she reached out, establishing a link to each of them.

Before we begin -- I know there are many we trust, and that all of our friends among the Jedi are worthy to know what we know, what might be a danger to them. But, I need your word that what I share today does not leave this room without my express permission.

Please. It's important.

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Auteme //: Asmundr Varobalder //: Aaran Tafo //: Bernard of Arca //: Aeris Lashiec //:

The summons couldn’t have occurred at a more inconvenient time. Allyson was starting to see a possible strain that the council would have put on Zaavik. Working with their own hands, being in the field, was what the former Master and Padawan were good at. Talking and discussing things - it was hard for the Shadow to adapt to. And yet, she answered the call like an obedient dog.

Sitting in her seat, Allyson ran her fingers along with the datapad in her lap; an eye moved quickly along the masked screen. A part of the Corellian wanted to remove the eyepatch and use the cybernetic enhancement of the other eye, but it could draw more attention to her than she would like.

Information spilled onto the screen in her unique encryption code; the contacts she had reached out to had come through. When Auteme spoke, the screen went blank, and she tucked it into her coat. Allyson watched Auteme; her body language, the inflections in her voice, and the speed of her pacing concerned the Corellian. Something was on the younger woman’s mind, and it was urgent enough to summon them.

“--if you wouldn’t mind opening your minds.” Allyson sat up straight and raised an eyebrow catching Auteme’s glance. It was a known fact that no one in this room trusted her, and the feeling was mutual. Her mind was a vault of secrets; any government would have a field day in the spy’s mind; because of this, Allyson’s mind was a locked fortress through the Force and other means.

“No.” Her answer was simple as she leaned back in her chair, hands folding in her lap. Any thought Auteme had relayed to those with their minds open would have hit a thoughtless void when it came to Allyson’s mind. “There are means to share the vital information without invading the minds of those here. We have secure rooms, ones that I’ve had a hand in creating and programming to avoid any infiltration from an outside source.”

She spoke sternly, hoping to convey her dislike for this means of delivering information. Allyson, of all people, understood the fickle nature of the mind, creating and splitting thoughts to fulfill a reality that made sense to it. She didn’t fully trust thought walks and memory recognition; still, this was the religious side of the Force to believe that it in itself would allow the truth to be told, despite the science of the mind.

"The mind isn't to be trusted. It can interpret and change reality bending it to the will of its own - creating realities we want to believe. I do suggest to the council that we take whatever you are viewing with a grain of salt and require more solid evidence than a memory." ​

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

A thoughtful gaze followed Auteme as Aeris took her seat. The question loomed in her eyes and the quirk of her brow, why was the other councilor pacing so? Equal parts wanted to tell her to stop and the other to ask if she was okay. In the midst of it all she settled for a bothered expression as her brows furrowed and lips shifted to the side with a frown. Now there was talk about information from the mind, memories, and spoken words that whispered in context of secrets, a fact solidified by the tendril that reached out for Aeris’ mind.

The part that worried for Auteme’s well-being quickly shifted into caution and disapproval. Secrets and the withholding of information was not something that Aeris dealt in. She was a provider of information, not someone to hold it back. The only real choice then was whether or not Aeris would be so bold as to tell a straight-faced lie so that she could evaluate the secret on her own or avoid it on sheer principle.

Before the decision could have been made, Aeris felt her attention to the mindlink fade into reality for a moment as the biggest secret in the room began to speak. While Aeris didn’t necessarily agree with Allyson’s methods in part due to simply what she was, there was no denying the wisdom she imparted.

“What is this about, Auteme?” Aeris asked and stood out of her seat, hands at her hip. “Why are you stressed by this information and why does this need to be contained to a meeting of the Circle?”

“... Are we in danger by being made aware of it?”

 

[Auteme]

Aaran Tafo Aeris Lashiec Allyson Locke Asmundr Varobalder @Aernard of Arca​

Perhaps it was folly to believe that they would accept even small things easily. She trusted the New Jedi, trusted the Circle, trusted nearly everyone she knew; perhaps, with this new danger -- and new ambition -- she needed to reevaluate that.

She hated the idea. Still, she wondered if it was necessary; an appropriate mirror to her other plans.

"I suspect you're in danger whether I tell you or not. I wanted to speak to you because it seemed a good idea to get on the same page," she said. "I... I feel less comfortable not telling anyone."

She let out a small sigh, then looked to Allyson. "I have no 'evidence', other than what I have seen and heard, and some deduction to support what I say. Still, if what you say is true, then my word is as untrustworthy as my mind. If you are uncomfortable with that, I'd request that you step out. We can discuss what I will have told the rest of the Circle at a more appropriate time.

"On the other hand," she said, producing a fist-sized rock from her bag, "If you're willing to stay, I can use this to ensure that what I share is trustworthy. This is a perspective stone. It allows the sharing of memories, and those memories cannot be fabricated or altered in any way." She supposed that her word wouldn't be enough, if Allyson was distrustful, but she had to try. "And the flow can easily be stopped, whenever you so desire. I cannot reach into your mind, I can only share what I have, so long as you allow me."

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Auteme //: Asmundr Varobalder //: Aaran Tafo //: Bernard of Arca //: Aeris Lashiec //:

"So just because I'm not agreeing to your course of action, I'm being asked to step out?" Allyson raised an eyebrow towards the younger woman. She was far different from the quiet bookworm she had first met. "I don't think that's a wise request for a Counselor." The Corellian didn't move, her lips twisting into a frown. Secrets were how things fell apart; secrets tore groups like this to pieces and ostracized those that didn't agree.

"When I first joined, you said we're meant to work together. I stated my request in counter to yours, asking for more evidence after presenting what you have. I don't think invading my mind is beneficial to the group as a whole." No, having them all connected in one network was insane and dangerous. If the secure rooms weren't to be trusted, what made the mind connect safe?

"What is so problematic that you can't follow a simple request from one of your peers? You don't want to be in my mind, and neither does anyone here. So, whatever it is, speak it - if you would feel more comfortable - we can do a sweep of the room, but I do promise whatever is said here remains in this room."

Allyson looked towards Asmundr; he was one of the only Jedi she trusted - his mind and his heart seemed to indeed lay with the good of the Alliance. The others, they were a different story. Asmundr would know the best course of action, in her opinion - but still she believed in the skills of interogation she developed as a Jedi Shadow. "Whatever has you this scared only allows you to become susceptible to any misguidance. I request that you rethink your course of action and speak to us about this horrible news you've encountered - I believe words and body language more than a glimpse into your memory bank."​

 

[Aaran Tafo]

Allyson Locke Aeris Lashiec Auteme Bernard of Arca Asmundr Varobalder

It seems it really was too much for simple trust to be expected among peers. He could only imagine why Locke had no interest in anyone connecting to her mind. The slightest suspicion that the blinded Jedi had led to him wondering just what secrets might end up tumbling out of the spy's head if someone were to go looking.

Something scandalous about a certain blue-hued intelligence director? The location of her fallen former student? Or perhaps something far more sinister, that her defection to the Sith was not entirely false.

To put it simply, Aaran just did not trust spies.

"This is pointless arguing and leading us nowhere." He finally said. Pushing himself off his chair, making his way over towards Auteme. His face, as always one of stoic serenity. But a tinge of annoyance audible in his voice as people seemed so reluctant to first see things from Auteme's perspective. That they thought themselves so attached to things that they would be unable to distance themselves and look at it objectively. Separating the Shield's view from their own.

Standing next to the much smaller Jedi, he towered over her. A wall of muscle clad in brown robes. But his expression was anything but fearsome.

Unlike the others, he had known Auteme for years. Seen her grow from a shy bookworm into the strong-willed woman before him today. One with the will and insight to do what needed to be done.

Saying nothing, he simply held out his hand for the memory stone. Placing his faith in his friend. "Let me look. See what you saw and feel what you felt." An open invitation for her to come into his mind. He had enough faith in his strength of will that his psyche was secure enough for any private conversations that needed to be kept under the radar.

 

[Auteme]

Aaran Tafo Aeris Lashiec Allyson Locke Asmundr Varobalder @Aernard of Arca​

"So just because I'm not agreeing to your course of action, I'm being asked to step out?"

From the first word, Auteme knew she wasn't being listened to.

For a moment she was taken aback, and the surprise for a brief moment morphed to anger -- how could Allyson so deliberately misunderstand? How could she be so hypocritical? How could she make overtures about trusting one's word, but nothing else? How come she couldn't trust Auteme?

But it faded in an instant, and whatever frustrations she had fell to sadness. She'd forgotten who she was talking to, forgotten what Allyson was feeling -- fear, and Auteme could not blame her. It wasn't as though Auteme's mind had not been assaulted before, but nothing she had encountered had sparked such visceral distrust of others in her. Allyson's experience was far different. Materialist, distrustful of even her own mind; Auteme couldn't imagine it, and that was where they found their disconnect.

She wondered, briefly, if it was a mistake to burden Allyson with the position, but the thought fled her mind soon after. Diversity was a great strength, and the more perspectives they had, the better. But unity of purpose, and boundless trust...

How few would she be able to trust in the future? It hurt to even consider.

Trust was often a leap of faith. If the other would not take it, then she would have to. She suspected that she wouldn't have such opportunities often in the future. She needed to secure things here -- if she couldn't do that, then everything else would fall apart.

Aaran stepped forward, but Auteme gently raised a hand to turn him down. "It's alright, I'll just say it. I suppose you'd all have questions, anyway, and the perspective stone is not a means of two-way communication. If there's anything I feel I must share, I'll do so to those who are willing."

She put the stone away, then took a deep breath.

She leapt, and hoped there was some landing on the other side.

"Kaigann Fossk, the Senator of Epoch, is Darth Solipsis, Dark Lord of the Sith, leader of the New Sith Order and the Brotherhood of the Maw."

 

[Aaran Tafo]

Allyson Locke Aeris Lashiec Auteme Asmundr Varobalder Bernard of Arca

He sat back down with nary a raised eyebrow. If she wanted to talk, he would not interrupt her, instead sinking back into his chair, arms resting at the side.

"Kaigann Fossk, the Senator of Epoch, is Darth Solipsis, Dark Lord of the Sith, leader of the New Sith Order and the Brotherhood of the Maw."

That did get a raise of a brow. Followed by a silence. From what the records showed, Kaigann was indeed a former Jedi. Rescued by Dagon from the clutches of the Maw. Finding his way back to civilisation and then becoming the senator of his homeworld in a rather short amount of time. For a while Aaran simply attributed it to his homeworld having a high regard for the Jedi mixed with some oration skills Fossk would have picked up in their youth.

But perhaps there was something more sinister afoot.

"He does seem a bit too honest for a politician." He finally admitted, breaking his silence with a slight injection of dry humor. A low-hanging fruit. But his old friend would now that the joke was a show that he was willing to believe her. The breaking down of formality to show something more personal.

"How did you arrive at this conclusion?" He wasn’t dismissing her claim. Not calling her crazy, nor outright jumping on the bandwagon either. He needed to better understand how his friend had come to this stopping point in figuring out the mystery that was Darth Solipsis.

"And more importantly. What do we want to do now? Because if we assume that he is Kaigann. That means we just need to work backwards and find an existing link so that we can unveil him in front of everyone."

No more murdering Senators without evidence thank you. Too many recent scandals in a short frame of time would honestly be the death of the Order in the public's eye. It would go a long way to repairing relations and undoing what the New SIth Order is attempting here if the Jedi could be shown to be able to work with the system instead o being above it all the time.

 

[Bernard of Arca]

Bernard rubbed his chin, deep in thought. The atmosphere of this circle meeting struck him to be much different than usual. Not only was the urgency in Auteme's words and requests enough to put him on edge, but Master Locke's adamancy about spoken words was also a matter that roused some curiosity. Aaran and Knight Lashiec, of course, both appeared to inhabit their usual selves.

Though, the information revealed by Auteme picked up his stray thoughts and focused them instantly. The ramifications of her statement, if true, had wide-reaching consequences for the entire Alliance. There were notions of Sith infiltration in the senate before, both in the case of the late Knight Dawnstar and during recent senate discussions involving clandestine projects that would better not see the light of day.

However, the Dark Lord sitting among the Senators? It was difficult to even begin thinking of all the possible ways in which he might have twisted the Senate to his own will.

Another connection suddenly clicked into place. He sighed, curling a lock of his own hair in his fingers.

"I am inclined to believe your hypothesis, Knight Auteme. We lack the evidence, however, there are," he pulled the lock taut, then let go of it, "circumstances I am privy to which corroborate your assertion."

He glanced to Auteme, eyes somewhere between suspicion and dismay.

"Know that this accusation will likely not hold ground in the Senate. If he is our enemy it will be your word against his, and the Jedi have begun falling out of favour with the political elite. We need to proceed cautiously, as Knight Tafo has suggested."

A slight grimace drew over his features, deepening the discontent he already felt at a situation that would potentially pit the Jedi against the rest of the Alliance.

"We need to act in secret, without the knowledge of the Senate or the Committee on Force Affairs, to gather concrete evidence if we are to verify Senator Fosk's true identity and have any real hope of any consequences sticking to him before he simply disappears into the Unknown Regions again. If he is made aware of our suspicions I fear our prey will slip between our fingers, or, worse, turn the Alliance further against us."

Auteme Aaran Tafo Allyson Locke Aeris Lashiec Asmundr Varobalder

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Auteme //: Asmundr Varobalder //: Aaran Tafo //: Bernard of Arca //: Aeris Lashiec //:

Allyson could feel the tension in the room, she hadn't helped the situation, but at the end of the day, she was looking out for their minds. Her's was fragmented, torn apart from years of believing she was someone else for the good of the Alliance, and to protect the Light. There had been moments of torture and mental invasions from Sith Lords and twisted individuals for the information buried deep in the spy's mind.

Secrets, they were all in there, the Alliance's, the Empire's, and so many more personal secrets. Her hand balled in a fist, so tight that she could feel her fingernails digging and cutting into her palm. The hint of annoyance in Aaran's voice only spoke into truth how she figured the rest of the group felt about her.

Her specialties, her job, everything that she was bucked against the logic of the Jedi thought process. She bit on her thumb, keeping her mouth shut as they continued. Allyson had said her peace, but her eyes remained locked onto Auteme. If anyone knew her past, it would be the Jedi politician.

Maybe it would make sense to come forth with the reasoning for her distrust for anything mystical in her brain, but right now wasn't the time for it. If the others cared to know more about her - they would ask.

They didn't care, Allyson assumed, but she was used to being the deniable asset.

Auteme decided to stop pressing the mental intrusion; Allyson felt guilty about it - but she thought it was necessary. Listening, Allyson nodded as if she had expected this. Her hand fell into her lap, "Thank you." exasperated, she shook her head.

"This is not unexpected. The easiest way to break us is through what makes us strong. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more. Permission, of course, after you've had your meeting, that we vet any senator that has worked closely with Fossk."

The spymaster had her suspicions on individuals. "Do you have any other suspicions, Auteme? This is your world; I ask for your guidance."

It seems they could all agree on one thing, this couldn't get out. Eyes moved towards Bernard, it seemed he knew more - which was a good thing. They needed evidence, more solid evidence especially with how the Senate already felt about Jedi. Clearing her throat, Allyson looked back towards Auteme. "I feel that your conversation with Fossk could spark even more difficulties with the senate and Jedi. While you have your meeting, there are ways to gather information unseen." Her words flowed, knowing that she could gather the information needed, but they needed to trust her - but she needed to trust them as well.

"I can get this information - if you want it." ​

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

How predictable yet embarrassingly overlooked. To assume the senate was infiltrated by someone so opposed the the Jedi was something that felt as if it was more a matter of time than anything. At the very least it was good to see that Sidious’ playbook had not been discarded so fully yet despite his failure, it made the next moves that Senator Fossk made at least at least a bit more predictable.

What did not help was the tension in the chamber.

“I think that would be fantastic, Locke.” Aeris said as her tone seemed to have changed over the last few moments alone. “What matters more than ever right now then is that we, as a group in this chamber, are united in our goal.”

“Allyson deals in shadows, lies, and information. Her apprehension makes sense given who and what she is and the role she was asked to take on.” Aeris then turned to Auteme. “Auteme, your involvement in the Senate is our strongest connection to them. Not one that I agree we should have, but one that may just prove to be to our benefit in this situation.”

“I will start work in the library to gather more information regarding the Sith and how they have done these things before and share with you anything that I find.” Aeris’ hand found her hips again as she hooked the other against her chin. “I do not mean to issue orders, that is not in my place to do, but we need the foundation for a battleplan right away.”

“Information needs to be gathered, defenses around the temple need to be improved. Padawans and younglings are in the most immediate danger of becoming compromised by someone from the outside.”

“And then there is us.” Aeris said as the frown she had worn before returned to her lips. “We need to understand each other. None of this argumentative nerfchit that we just pulled. We now know that is exactly what our enemies want.”

 

[Auteme]

Aaran Tafo Aeris Lashiec Allyson Locke Asmundr Varobalder @Aernard of Arca
​

Progress.

After listening to everyone, she decided to address Aaran's thoughts first -- it would be best, after all, if everyone knew what she knew.

"I was at Korriban -- alongside Cedric Grayson, and Romi Jade. We went deep into the academy there, and that's when we found Solipsis, waiting for us. He'd done some... ritual, it allowed him- I don't know how to describe it. It was like a tear in reality. He was... reborn. He looked like Kaigann.

"Afterwards, I spoke to Cedric. He'd known of Solipsis's prior identity, now turned alter-ego, but... it wouldn't have done much good to be someone who many view as a Jedi fanatic calling out an Alliance Senator, especially just as Kaigann had begun to oppose the Jedi on the Senate floor. I asked him to keep it a secret, and- well, if I asked, I think he'd come to help.

"By the time I got back here, the inquest had started- that was just the other day. When I was sitting there, an... apparition, appeared before me. Kaigann was a hologram, but Solipsis seemed so real, and- well, he taunted me." She paused a moment, wondering if he had some way of spying on her, of reaching her mind. She shook the thought away.

"He knows that I know who he is, and he probably assumes that I've told all of you, so leaving you in the dark would've been a recipe for disaster. Going public with my knowledge, given his current position and stance on the Jedi, and the end of the war against the Sith -- a bad idea as well, I think.

"As for actual evidence, well, his near-instantaneous recovery from being held captive by the Brotherhood, then his ascension to Senator of Epoch in a matter of months... but aside from that, nothing much. It just lines up with what I saw." She glanced to Bernard, asking a silent question. If he had information, she needed it.

Her gaze turned to Aeris, where she picked back up on the consular's points. "I have- well, the beginnings of a plan. Goals, at the very least.

"It's not enough to simply investigate and out Solipsis. Even if we brought solid evidence, it's not as though he is without his own ways out -- propaganda and his already strong public relations, a simple escape from Coruscant, a legal battle, not to mention escalating the situation by bringing in the Maw, or even using his own power." She paused, then shook her head. "We're many, and we're strong, but I... I wouldn't favor us if it came down to a fight against him. Not if we're unprepared."

Sighing, she resumed. "We need to reveal him, oust him, and capture him simultaneously. Moreover, I don't think we can be the ones to reveal him -- it needs to come as a shock, and we need to have trustworthy witnesses." Her mind had already begun to work on who might qualify. Finally, her gaze swung to Allyson.

"You're our eyes and ears. I know... I know you asked that your role here wouldn't interfere with your work, but I think this might. I'll-" she paused a moment, before continuing. "We'll need you, and what Shadows we have, to keep focused on this. I wouldn't dream of telling you how to do your job, but I can definitely tell you what is needed."

She paused once more. I did it again. Her ego slipped in, yet, how could it not? She found in herself a most terrible emotion -- excitement.

"U-um- I, ah, have something to ask," she said. The confidence fled her for a moment, but she worked it back up. "I know we're equals, but this- we need unity of purpose, as Aeris said. Not only that, we need... leadership. Someone to run everything by, to coordinate, to keep this all... together.

"That someone- is me." She did her best to sound confident, and to her surprise, she did.

"Solipsis knows me, wants to toy with me. I want to keep his attention long enough to take him down. And I'll need all of your help to do it. So, ah- if you'd put your trust in me, I'd like to see this through.

"I-if that's alright."

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

"That someone- is me." She did her best to sound confident, and to her surprise, she did.

"Solipsis knows me, wants to toy with me. I want to keep his attention long enough to take him down. And I'll need all of your help to do it. So, ah- if you'd put your trust in me, I'd like to see this through.

"I-if that's alright."

"No." Aeris said with a calm behind her words as she gently shook her head. "We need to work on an equal playing field as a group while leading this for any of our plans to play out well. Putting too much responsibility on one head is never a good plan. For one, if they cut that one off the rest will be scrambling to recover. It gives them a chance to strike more crippling blows, and for seconds... Well, what is the point of making this a Circle if we would not put trust in each other's ability to lead together?"

"And with all the due respect to the councilors, given the nature of our threat, any one of us could be compromised as well. That reason alone is enough for me to feel uncertain about having a designated leader for this."

 

[Aaran Tafo]

Aeris Lashiec Allyson Locke Auteme Asmundr Varobalder Bernard of Arca



"I am inclined to agree with Aeris."

Again, his silence broke with a simple sentence. While he did have ironclad faith in his friend. The simple fact was that Auteme's proposed plan involved throwing herself against a master manipulator who already had a great deal of popularity with the Senate. And the Force only knew how many sinister backroom deals and less obvious allies he had gathered away from the public eye.

She would be engaging an experienced opponent in their favoured terrain. It would hardly be an ideal battle for anyone, no matter how skilled or determined they might be.


"However. Sith are inherently selfish creatures. Chances are you leading the charge and attempting to fight them is exactly what he is expecting." He reasoned out. "He can see us acting as your underlings. But equal partners might be beyond what he is capable of understanding. Because for the Dark Side, one ego must be supreme over all others." He made a small gesture towards Auteme.

"One of the biggest issues we face now is a lack of trust from the Senate. We cannot allow that to spread to our Order." He wiggled his fingers. "But some measure of obfuscation might be possible."

"Auteme. Could you elaborate on exactly what it would be you would do if we were to agree to let you lead us. That way we could work something out to at least outwardly make it look like you're in complete control."

A risky proposition. But one that could reverse what was happening around them. Make it look like Auteme was dancing on the Sith's strings, falling right into their trap. Only to reveal that they had already planned around any potential mishaps or tricks the New Sith Order might try.

He did know one thing. Asmundr and his circle of Seers would be working overtime to try and suss out whatever plots Solipsis might be planning.

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Auteme //: Asmundr Varobalder //: Aaran Tafo //: Bernard of Arca //: Aeris Lashiec //:

Allyson listened. Everything that Auteme spoke of she had experienced before; the only difference was they had encountered two different Sith Lords. A hand rested against her chin as she examined the Knight's movements and inflections of her voice. As much as she wanted to express things through the memory, she showed them enough with her words and how they affected her physically.

The Spy's singular green eye locked onto the woman telling the story as if no one else was in the room. It was a tale that felt like it was ripped from a holofilm, but something similar had happened before and would probably happen again. Allyson shifted in her seat, preparing to state her thoughts, but Aeris interjected before she did. The Corellian's face betrayed her as she watched the woman agree with her to a point and then disapprove of the course of action.

Maybe she wasn't as alone as she felt on the council. Turning back to Auteme, she nodded.

"I am the eyes and the ears of the council, but while this is an issue you feel is the most important - there are other issues, other monsters burning at our heels. I cannot pull all my resources for this hunch or story about the senator." It was true; the network of shadows was spread across the galaxy, whispering back the secrets of the galaxy.

"But I do believe you." Allyson nodded. "I believe you saw the things you said you saw; it's written all over your face, in your stature. This Sith has sapped every ounce of confidence from you, and that's why I have to agree with Councilor Lashiec. You're a liability." If there was anyone in this room that understood the fear that Auteme felt, it was Allyson.

"I'll personally see to this situation with you and the council Auteme. Like Aeris has said, we need to work on equal footing. You look like a scared little girl, and that's exactly what this Solipsis wants. He wants you to spread fear to the council; he wants that fear to tear us apart - wondering who we can and can't trust." She paused, letting her words sink in. It was difficult to not scold the girl; none of the New Jedi Order had Masters to teach them; Allyson herself was a poor example of a Master - but she tried.

"Can't you see that? Your sense of leadership is weighing on one person. That's obviously the worst thing we can do. Look what it did to Ryv, it broke him, and he's gone. So instead of continuing to do the same thing over and over again, the council needs to lead as a unit - not on one person's shoulders." Allyson shook her head, "No one does it alone. No one can do it alone. I learned this lesson the hard way - as a Master of this Council, I'm determined to help steer my peers and the younger generation from making the same mistakes as those before them. So no, you're not going to lead this plan - you're going to work with us as a council, as it should be."

Aaran interjected, while most of their thoughts aligned - his plan to 'pretend' to puppet made her nostrils flare. Turning towards the blind man, she couldn't believe what was coming out of his mouth. "I have never heard more of an idiotic idea in my life, Tafo." She started, forgetting any manner she might have started the day with. "She knows nothing on espionage, even those that have had years of training and conditioning struggle to stay on the right course. Some of the best have fallen, have failed," She paused knowing that he would possibly retort with her own failure undercover. "I failed and no one should ever have to pay the price that I paid to even survive - to try and come home. Which is why we can't pursue this half baked plan of yours. I will not allow you or this council to put her farther into harms way." ​

 

[Auteme]

Aaran Tafo Aeris Lashiec Allyson Locke Asmundr Varobalder @Aernard of Arca
​

Auteme grimaced at the mounting slights, but it was the insults to others that felt over the line. Yet it was that slight shock that made her realize that Allyson was the one saying loud what the others had been whispering this entire time. It's a hunch, but I believe you. You're a liability. Equal footing. Scared little girl. It's what he's expecting. It's what he wants. Trust each other. Don't do it alone. She knows nothing. Fallen, failed. Half-baked.

She wanted desperately to be calm, to explain, to fix whatever rift in communication had caused them to misconstrue her intentions, to clarify, to mediate, to propose ideas, to be constructive, to be the Jedi.

That wasn't what came out of her mouth.

I will not allow you or this council to put her farther into harms way.

"Are you kidding me?" Allyson's shifted tone served as a springboard as Auteme escalated her own. "When has that ever been your choice?"

By the time she'd stood up she realized she was passing a point of no return, but the heat rose to her chest and cheeks and her voice rose with it.

"I am a Jedi Knight. When I risk my life it will be of my own volition, not because I got permission from you, or because you're babysitting me. I am not- and this is ignoring the egregious sexism and ageism in this phrase- a scared little girl.

"Am I afraid? Yes, of course I am, because I am the only one here who understands the gravity of this situation. No, it's not a hypothesis, a suspicion, a hunch, it is fact. I know what I saw, and the fact that none of you take me seriously is- is- it's infuriating!" Her hands balled into fists. The nails digging into her palms only made her angrier.

"And you talk like you know him, too, like you've even met Solipsis, or even Kaigann, like you know the first thing we'll need to take him down. Did it occur to you, for a single second, that I might still know more? You know, me, the child, the one who's been running our public relations since I was eighteen, the one who brought every single one of you into this room.

"You know what, maybe it is just my ego, maybe I came in here thinking, "This'll be easy, they all trust me, I can get them to help, then I can focus on what needs to be done," and then I- I- I'm pulled out of hyperspace by this gravity well of distrust that you threw on me the very second I started talking because you can't handle me sharing a memory at you- your mind wouldn't even have been touched, by the way, thank you for listening to me when I explained how it worked- and now I'm standing here screaming, when I have a meeting in-" she looked to the digital clock that had been set in the corner- "Forty minutes, with the very guy we're talking about, and I wanted more time to think about how I was going to approach it to get the most information, but now I'm so pissed I'll probably give away the whole game, and then you'll come back and whine about what a liability I am, because you think I can't handle something as simple as talking to a Sith Lord, something I've done as many times as you have.

"I came here with optimism even though we have so much going against us, I mean- it was a huge, dumb risk not to tell everyone immediately, but I thought we could be smart, we could, what, work together, not do it alone, and figure things out, and wow, was I ever wrong, I mean, the first half-baked idea gets hard shut down and you tell Aaran he's an idiot for suggesting something, which I think is a great idea, actually, because we still don't know what Solipsis wants, and we need to obscure what we're doing as often as possible, because there are a billion ways he can attack us and we only have the smallest of clues as to what his goals are, and I was going to try to find that out, because I'm closest to the situation, and none of you could ever hope to learn from him personally, because none of you have ever even set foot inside the Senate Chamber and listened to a debate or talked to him, and- gah." Her hands came up, one covering her face, the other clawing at her hair.

"And don't even get me started on using Ryv as an example of some- some failure as a leader. You don't know the first thing about what it was like for him. You don't know the first thing about leadership, while I've been learning from the best for the past six years, and I've literally been doing everything around here while you all- what do you people do? Why are we here? Ugh-"

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

And so it was that Master Truden had been right all along when it came to councils. A waste of time, egos and pride, all swelled into a sense of belief that these words they spoke carried any real weight outside of the very halls they were uttered. She couldn’t blame Auteme for her anger and frustrations, not really. The phrasing used in this chamber had been counterproductive to the bottom line they wanted to paint. And yet she couldn’t blame Allyson either, or Aaran, or Bernard. All of this was a melting pot of stress, of revelations that they perhaps should have seen coming.

Still, ever the image of calm, Aeris took a deep breath and stepped up in front of them all.

“Councilor Locke, Councilor Denko-Durren,” She said and began to mediate. “This is an understandable situation we have found ourselves in, but screaming at each other over something that needs to be smoothed over in less than an hour is not going to get us anywhere.”

“Councilor Locke, the lines you have crossed is regrettable, the words you used could have been more tactful, but…” She turned to face Auteme. “Councilor Denko-Durren, you have to understand that this has nothing to do with distrust or disbelief in what you are capable of or the situation we are in. Some of us are new to this kind of role, and the information is still brand new, it caught us off-guard and we are still reeling from wanting to fix this as fast as possible. It was never anything personal towards you directly, merely a desire to get started on a solution as fast as possible.”

“Yes, you are more than capable of talking to Sith. Yes, we have seen you do this before. And yes, we forgot to listen and for that I will apologize on my own behalf.”

“Locke,” She turned towards Allyson. “You are not wrong to be worried, we all are. Your job more than any is to make sure that something like this does not happen, and to deal with what happens if it does. I trust you completely to devise a plan to help assuage any repercussions this may have on the Jedi Order, but throwing around blunt opinions in a situation like this is not the way forward.”

“And finally, what the former leaders of this Order did has no bearing on our current situation and is a distraction from what matters within the next few coming moments. We are all going to have our disagreements, and while this is the room to air it in, this is also — yet again — not the time.”

Finally she turned towards Auteme, again.

“Denko-Durren, what do you need for your meeting with Fossk that we can provide you with before then?”

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Auteme //: Asmundr Varobalder //: Aaran Tafo //: Bernard of Arca //: Aeris Lashiec //:

Allyson listened; she didn't move, she didn't react, she just sat and listened. When Auteme was finished, she opened her mouth to speak - but was silenced by Aeris. Glancing towards the blonde, Allyson knew she was wrong and allowed her personal feelings to filter into her words. Maybe she was overcompensating for Zaavik to prove that she was a demanding Master and that his failure wasn't entirely her fault.

No, his failings were her fault. She knew it; maybe that's why she wanted to keep Auteme from the potential Sith Lord. Allyson rolled her shoulders back and straightened up in her seat. Auteme gave her a tongue lashing, and it had been some time since someone had done so. "You're right, Councilor Lashiec." She started, she didn't filter her words, but she felt it was necessary. As much as they all have encountered the Sith - Allyson thought she was the only one that had been so far deep that she had lost herself. She took a minute to compose herself and allow the rest of the room to do the same.

"I let my emotions get the best of me. While yes, you've faced the Sith - but have you had them crawl into your skin, puppet you, to the point that you've forgotten who you are?" Her hands fidgeted in her lap. She had never really opened up about what had happened in her youth and in her recent endeavor in the Empire. Remembering how young Auteme was when she began to take the mantle of responsibility, she faced the old memories of her first mission and how she was capture, tortured at the whim of the Dark Lord of the Sith. Her voice cracked as she spoke, "It's why I don't trust anything dealing with memory. It's not the connection of my mind to others - it's just everything. I have some memories that I don't even know if they're mine or from a cover. I was sure it was in my dossier that all of you would have had access to before making the choice of asking me to join you." Her eyes never left Auteme's; she should have known it was a common factor that made people question the Corellian's true allegiance.

Her demeanor changed as she looked at the rest of the group. "If you will, I'll give a brief explanation why I disagree with the course of action. With my experience with the Sith, it's not something to take lightly from pretending to be on their side. We have less than forty minutes to have Auteme prepared to deal with this - and keep it as contained as possible." The fidgeting of her hands stopped as she struggled to keep them folded, "My first suggestion was to allow Auteme to meet with the senator. While she's distracting him, I or another shadow would stealth through undetected if that would make you more comfortable. This will allow Auteme to have support within the meeting if I go.." She paused as her hand made its way over the leather eyepatch and pulled it back. "My cybernetic eye can record or stream live feedback to the SIA. We could reroute it to anything you wish - having someone in the shadows would help support Auteme."

Shaking her head, "I'm not offering safety because I don't think you can handle it - I'm offering it because no one should face the darkness alone. Every time you do - you risk losing yourself to it." Allyson stood from her chair and replaced the eyepatch over the lost eye. "As much as I trust Auteme's memory and judgment - how do we know the Senate will as well. If we have concrete evidence or something more solid - they wouldn't be able to deny it or find negligence on our part."

She started to leave but stopped. "If you feel Tafo's plan is worth doing - I'll take my leave and start working on the Shadows angle for this." ​

 

[Bernard of Arca]

What an absolute disgrace.

Though at that moment he felt ashamed to share the title of Jedi, and much more a member of a council such as this, he couldn't put the blame on anyone. Those of the New Jedi Order had always been unpredictable, outspoken, and very confident in their abilities. They each had far more than their share of bad luck in this galaxy, and only the most fortunate among them had ever received any formal training in the way of the Jedi. He couldn't blame them at all for their temporary lapse in following their Code or in executing their duty as Jedi of the Alliance.

But there was no point in fanning the flames further by chiding them. The valiant attempt to salvage the discord by Knight Lashiec seemed to do good, and he was grateful to her for her effort to return harmony to the council. They had to make do with what they had, even if what they had was a dysfunctional blend of emotional pressure. With luck, this conflict would break open the rigidity of all gathered egos and reshape them to play off each other in a more harmonious fashion, his own included.

But, game face. Time was running short and the fate of the Jedi, and the Alliance, hung in the balance.

"Absolutely no involvement of the SIA. For all we know Darth Solipsis has ties to them as well. Based on all current information the only people who know about Senator Fossk's identity are Auteme, us, and another Jedi. As such, this is a Jedi matter, it stays within this temple. Any information that leaves this room will be used against us and make it that much more difficult to plan our next steps," his expression remained impassive, but his voice held a resolute firmness.

He glanced over to Allyson, suddenly wondering if her eye had a permanent link to the SIA, or if there was some different sort of mechanism that controlled the flow of information. It was impossible to find out at the moment, and pressing the issue would only further distract when they were already running low on time, so the safest bet was to assume the former and take into account that everything they said was already known to their enemy. But that wasn't a revelation he had to share with the rest of the council. Not for now, at least.

"Allyson, you're the most experienced in matters of stealth, I agree that it would be best if you undertook this mission, but you cannot under any circumstances share any information with the SIA. Can you use an analogue recording method instead and share that data with only the council?"

He turned to Auteme, locking eyes with her. His gaze softened slightly

"Auteme, you'll be our main point of contact with the Senator. However, in keeping with the idea that none of us should face a Sith Lord alone. As a Marshal it's simple for me to seek the Senator out, as his testimony is vital to my investigation into both attempts on his life. If you need me, I will accompany you and remain in wait just outside the room under the pretence of requiring some of the Senator's time. Not that he needs to know I arrived with you. A coincidence is sure to arouse some suspicion, but for the sake of security that's a risk I'm willing to take. Three on one is far better odds than two.

"I agree, however, that Knight Tafo's plan is not necessary. As a council we operate together and I don't see how the appearance that Auteme is directing us will aid us. Instead, our primary objectives should be to find concrete evidence of Senator Fossk's double identity so we have something tangible to present before the Senate, and to win back the trust of the Senate. Secondary objectives should be limiting the Dark Lord's influence within the Alliance and finding out just what it is he's plotting to do. Nothing good, that much is obvious, but we need to know the details of what he plans to do if we are to prevent a disaster from befalling the Alliance.

"That is, at least, my suggestion. Secure proof, win back trust, discover our enemy's goal, and prevent our foe from ripping the Alliance apart from the inside," he looked around the room, going from face to face to seek their thoughts on the matters.

"Whatever it is we decide, as Jedi we are protectors of the Alliance and her people. Whatever may come we must fulfill our duty. We would all do well to keep this knowledge at the forefront of our hearts, always."

Aaran Tafo Aeris Lashiec Allyson Locke Asmundr Varobalder Auteme

 

[Auteme]

Aaran Tafo Aeris Lashiec Allyson Locke Asmundr Varobalder @Aernard of Arca
​

Auteme almost wanted to continue, to cry out more and more, but in the face of almost depressing calm of Aeris and Bernard, she mellowed. Fitting that Allyson was the one who made herself the most vulnerable. As the color left Auteme's cheeks, she gave a slight nod to the Shadow, a sign that she understood. She wouldn't apologize -- to embrace her anger, release it among friends, had been an enormous relief -- but it felt like they were indeed on equal footing.

She rubbed her face, then sat, letting herself reset.

"It's not enough," she said, glancing to Bernard. "Evidence is good, and all, and I think you should get it -- but it's not enough to just expose him. We should be looking to capture him. Vindication is one thing, but a victory here- it could mean the end of the New Sith Order, or even the Brotherhood as a whole." It was optimistic; for all her second guessing, she had not lost that.

"Still, that's probably a long way off. For today... I don't think a recording device would be of much use -- when Solipsis appeared to me during the inquest, it seemed like no one else could see him. Even in private, I don't think he'd be so careless. But maybe. I don't exactly, ah, have anything like that, so if you'd be willing to pass one along." She glanced between Allyson and Bernard. "As for an escort, I suppose I wouldn't mind, but I admit I don't think he'd try to attack me."

It's not as though violence between Jedi and Senators on Coruscant was impossible, but for some reason she felt confident in that.

She supposed that sort of thinking could be her downfall. Sith tended not to be as beholden to the common sense of, "Don't kill someone in your office in broad daylight", no matter how cunning they may be.

"Yes. Some help would be nice. Just, you know- discreet." She probably didn't need to remind them.

"For longer-term, I'll start meeting with more Senators, building public support- honestly, I've been meaning to hire a proper PR expert, maybe a script writer. And Aeris, in your studies," as soon as she said the words, she began to wonder if Aeris had already formed a comprehensive reading list, "could you look into the means by which Sith Lords have concealed themselves in the past, and perhaps any counters?"