Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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Wayward Padawan

Spencer looked at the holomessage from the Grand Master; she didn’t understand why he would be sending her a message to visit his office. Her fingers played with the necklace the Dark Lord had given her as she made her way through the temple. She racked her mind to see if she had done something in the temple that either required she was recognized for the deed or punished for it. Of course, she knew other things she could be punished for, but the padawan hoped he hadn’t heard about those deeds.

She quickly found his office and noticed rapidly on the door. Once it had opened and he had answered, Spencer walked in and shoved the silver chain under her tunic. With a slight bow of her head in sign of respect she announced herself.

“Padawan Spencer Jacobs, you called for me Grand Master?”
 
Blue eyes looked over the young Padawan before him, he was familiar with Spencer Jacobs. She had been one of the Jedi to help him when he had first returned to the Order, in fact she had helped stop a Sith invasion of the temple on Coruscant before he had been reinstated. His expressionless face regarded her coldly as she walked in, due to their past experiences together he wanted to be friendlier. Yet today, wouldn't be one of those days, looking at what had been pushed to his desk had left Darron rather cold on the inside. He only motioned for her to sit as she came in to the plain office as he had just settled in, all of Master Teferi's possessions still where they had been left. The new Grand Master had yet to even know where to begin with the Order, especially with what had happened on Coruscant with Omni showing back up. Where do I even begin?

"Do you know why you are here Spencer?"

With his senses fully attuned to the young woman before him, he scanned her fully in the Force for the first time. The Jedi pushed and prodded her with his senses, trying to find darkness yet finding none. There was much doubt, even some trepidation, that could be attributed to seeing me though. He could tell when they had first met that she had feared him then, and it as rolling off of her now in waves. "So I just reviewed a lot of footage sent to me from a cruise ship, a night club, and of you on Mon Calamari..." He let his words echo off the walls as they sat in the brightly lit room. He idly adjusted his plain tunic before clasping his hands within each other, blue eyes never leaving hers. "I saw how you tried to spare Mikhail Shorn on Coruscant, and I have only one question to ask you Padawan." His voice grew quieter with each syllable as he leaned forward.

"What are you doing cavorting with Ashin Varanin, the new Sith Empress?"
 
Spencer bit her lip as he listed off having footage of the cruise ship, a night club, and Mon Calamari. Of course she would be in every one of them along with Ashin Varanin which right now was the new Sith Empress as well as her lover and unofficial teacher. Spencer felt his eyes burrowing into her; she picked up on his emotions despite not wanting too. There was something in his voice when he said the woman’s name.

“I—I have reasons why I was there Master. The cruise ship I was lost…the night club…I—I wanted to get away from everything and Mon….Calamari… I was trying to protect the village from being harmed. Mikhail Shorn…I felt sorry for him I couldn’t let him die in the temple. As for cavorting with Ashin Varanin…I would like to know for what reasons you would ask me such a question…”

Of course she avoided it the best she could. Spencer needed to buy herself time and a reason to get more from the Grand Master. She fought the urge to play with the necklace; it was a form of comfort for her knowing that Ashin had given it to her.

“What would the Sith Empress want with a Jedi Padawan such as myself...?”
 
"I have no idea what she would want with someone who can mind control a whole Parliament. Or if I may be so bold, why did you two leave the bar together?"

Darron kept his tone even and flat as his eye's never left Spencers, the tension in the room unbelievable. The footage the Republic agents they had put together had been quite a lot, and quite damning. There where a few blanks, but it didn't take a bantha to put the dots together in situations like these. The Grand Master simply let the tension build some more as he reached out, probing her for lies along the way. So far she was rambling, redirecting, and it wasn't working. Darron was legendary for his focus, and a Padawan wouldn't get out of trouble. Especially one who had broken dozens of Republic laws along the way while aiding an enemy to the very government they served. "You know they caught the footage of the kiss, and I'm not even annoyed with how you choose to spend your personal time. What annoys me is looking at these briefs and seeing what can only be described as battle meditation when the Sith were taking over Mon Calamari."

He quickly threw the briefs across the desk towards her so she could see them with her own eyes.

"I know Ashin very well, and she isn't skilled in that discipline of the Force. So when did you learn you could do Battle Meditation, and why wasn't it brought to our attention? I know you're wanting to help, it's clear in your words and the Force. So want to try and explain this, make me understand so I can help you before you spiral out of control? The path you are on is leading to a parting of the ways or much trouble for you Spencer, we serve the Republic and are citizens. Do you even want to know how many laws you have broken, or how unjedi-like you have acted?"
 
Spencer didn’t blink as she was questioned quite bluntly. The evidence was all there, even the kiss she had received from the woman. The memory of it caused her to touch her lips softly feeling the mark that was hidden in her mouth. He brought up her uncanny ability to Battle Meditate. She hadn’t fully mastered the skill; it would take more time for her to fully be able to control an entire army or even a planet. Though with her empathy and the fact that she was force created made it easier for her.

“We left the bar together but once we arrived at the door we split ways. Yes, I let her kiss me. As for my battle meditation, it’s not perfected yet so I wouldn’t call it as such. I see the force when I enter a meditative state. Everyone is connected by the force Master, I can touch those connections draw them inward towards me. It’s how I perceive emotion; I’m what you would call an Empath. But I don’t only sense the emotions around me – I feel them. They are connected to me just like the force connects everyone.”

She was getting upset; he blamed her for not telling them about her gifts. She had grown up in the temple, her teachers knew of her empathy and its unique nature. They had known all along. It wasn’t her fault that no one noticed until Ashin.

“She doesn’t, but along with my ability to influence thought and emotions…I can also influence the power of the force within other users. Master Wraith, I’m sure you’ve gone through my files along with my twin brother’s…which would give you the answer you’re seeking. The reasons I can do this and the reasons why Aston is the way he is… is because we weren’t conceived like you…I was created by the will and control of the force from my Father and my Mother…”

Her secret was out. She gritted her teeth and looked away from him tired of his stare.

“Are you happy now?”
 
"No, I'm not to be quite honest with you."

Darron stood up and made his way to the window overlooking the beautiful world of Tython, the sun light shining brightly on the broad-shouldered man. He stood at parade rest and he took a moment to collect his thoughts before proceeding with Spencer. He had to tread a very careful line, he knew Ashin's influence had to be great to have pulled this off. How in the world did you convince a Jedi Padawan to aide you, be your lover, and yet she still serves this order? The line of thought was treacherous, and it showed the skill with which the new Sith Empress worked. He had seen it first hand of course, her intelligence could be attributed to her grandfather. Je'gan, what in the world did you teach this woman when she was but a little girl? The new Grand Master quickly stopped the line of questioning as he returned to the present, and to Spencer.

"You have been going around the galaxy trying to aid the innocent, yet you have done no such thing for the Jedi. I can sense the desire to do good in you Padawan, but do you honestly think you have been? Should you have to keep your missions and deeds secret, please ask yourself that." He turned to face her as he continued. "Yes I have looked in your file, and I don't care how you were conceived. You have a responsibility to the Order and the galaxy you serve, I don't know why you feel the need to keep secrets but it must stop Spencer." Darron took a few more steps towards her, his voice echoing in the office. "I have done many things during my service to the Order, not all of them I am proud of."

The gap was closed a little more as the Jedi took a few more steps towards Spencer.

"I know her personally myself, she freed me Spencer. I was best friends with her grandfather, I know the allure believe me. Yet you must rise above that, and your relationship with her and devote yourself to working with the Order that has trained you. I'm shocked you were created by the Force, but why keep your talents and how you can use them a secret?"
 
“I do believe I aided the innocent, I kept them a secret because you must be humble, and pride is the path to the dark side. You should know that Master. I serve the Order and though you might not see that I’ve done something good I feel it to my core. I want to help the Order that has raised me since I was a child. This place is my home!”

Her voice grew louder despite him getting closer to her. Spencer was starting to shake, she didn’t like where this was going she was scared about the situation and knew that she could be losing her home if this went farther. Spencer gripped the bottom of her tunic tightly, her knuckles turned white as she finally stared back at Darron.

“No one saw anything in me until Ashin. I didn’t even know what I could do. I thought my empathy was a curse because of what my parents desired. You don’t know how it feels to walk down a hallway and feel every single person’s emotions and never know what it’s like to feel what you want to feel. I know my responsibility I know what I must do, but don’t drag Ashin into this!”

The urge to use the necklace as a comfort grew stronger, she kept her hands at the bottom of her tunic though as she wrinkled her nose in frustration.

“Why do you keep bringing Ashin into this? What do you want me to do to make this right? I understand that my intentions were true but the outcome wasn’t. Tell me Master what you want me to do you continue to say to work with the Order, but I know there’s more I can feel it in your heart. Tell me what you really want me to do!”
 
"Don't you dare start with a teenage rant, you are a member of the Order and will be treated as such. Control your emotions and use your head instead of your heart when talking to me please. I can see where you are coming from, but you are communicating it quite poorly Padawan."

Darron didn't want to sound so rough and rude to Spencer, but she was quite honestly leaving him little choice in the matter. It was a small miracle the Republic hadn't come banging the temple doors down to come and arrest her. If some much wasn't going on in the galaxy right now, her actions would have gained greater notice. Due to the current climate, the Grand Master was trying to save her and help her, yet she couldn't see that. Why is it that the truly talented ones, always seem to have some issues with them? The question rang through his head as he remembered himself at her age. At least she's trying to do good Wraith, you were a crazy teenager who's rage and abandonment issues threatened to turn you into a Sith. You had no illusions about what evil you were doing Wraith, yet here is Spencer just needing some guidance. His face never betrayed the inner battle going on, and he did his best to keep his emotions to himself, especially after learning she was an empath.

"How can you even use your empathy, if you are blinding yourself with your own emotions?" Darron pulled a chair out and sat right across from Spencer, and he couldn't help but notice how she kept pulling at her tunic. "I used to be misguided myself when I was younger, I was arrogant and foolish. If you haven't noticed my telekinetics, and mastery of Vaapad got me my rank of Master. Yet I never truly earned this rank until I mastered my own pride and hubris. Your desire to do good is unparalleled Spencer, that I can't question, but your naiveté I can." He idly moved a few stray locks of hair out of his face as he leaned forward, steadily lowering his voice as he spoke.

"Ashin may have noticed you, but I will truly listen if you let me. I also will let you ask anything of me, the time is now for you to stop being afraid of the Jedi, and take some responsibility. What I want from you will come later, we will cross that bridge after we cross the one I am presently presenting before you." Another beat passed as the tension grew once more.

"So...?"
 
Spencer frowned and turned her head away from the domineering Master. She was growing tired of him pounding into her head the sense of responsibility. She felt she did what she needed to do, Mon Calamari had no one to save them – It wasn’t her fault that it was the Sith that stopped the civil war and not the Jedi. With Gand, there was a dictator and of course the Jedi were nowhere to be found. He continued to talk to her trying to be nice and help her see that he had once been in her place.

No one has been in my place…

“I’m fighting to keep my emotions Master, like I told you – I have no control over my empathy it’s just there. There’s not off and on switch. It just happens; it’s as if I’m connected to every living thing in this Galaxy. If I could I would turn it off.”

He continued to move closer and Spencer desired a sense of space from him. She had only interacted with him a few times and with the constant questions she was feeling suffocated. The chair she sat in scooted back slightly as she continued to look away. Finally giving into the urges her right hand shot up and her fingers soon found their way to twist into the chain playing with the charm that hung there. It was her one of her two connections with Ashin; the second resided in her mouth as a small dot. The woman knew exactly where she was at all times as well as Spencer knowing where Ashin was at all times.

“My question is…what do you have against Ashin Varanin besides her being the Empress of the Sith?”
 
"You can control your empathy Spencer, you just have yet to learn how to since you seem intent on learning from everyone but your Master."

Darron made sure to try and hit home with that particular statement, judging from how much this Padawan had been running around it was pretty close to the truth. "You keep talking as if you have no control in the matters in which you have participated. Yet that is far from the truth, you are more than a spectator and you need to start seeing that. How can you expect to protect innocents and do good in the galaxy if you simply allow yourself to be pulled in whatever direction? You need to take responsibility Padawan, I mean that." He made sure to place extra emphasis on the word responsibility, as they continued to come back to the word. It seemed as if she thought that's what she was doing, was being responsible. Yet that most certainly was not the case. "You say you have helped, but the last time I checked a darkside Force user subjugating a planet isn't helping. Democracy is helping, conflict resolution is helping. Mind control....that is far from helping Spencer Jacobs."

A solid two minutes passed after the Padawan asked the question, and the Grand Master had to briefly pause to collect his thoughts. How best to proceed with his answer without revealing too much? How about you try some honesty Wraith, and go from there? The thought offered little comfort, but it seemed the best course of action given how this discussion was going.

"Ashin Varanin is the most cunning woman I have ever met, she is everything that her grandfather was except she is forced to use the Darkside of the Force. She is the reason I am free, and her ascension to Empress was something I foresaw yet was powerless to stop. She has a definite sense of justice, but the deeper she immerses herself into her dark powers the more it corrupts what used to be an astute moral compass. She is as powerful as she is strong, and will not hesitate to do what she deems is right. The letter of the law is most important to her, but i'm afraid with her new position that will have to change to keep her constituents happy." Darron looked away from the young woman for a moment before continuing, his eye's fixated on Teferi's lightsaber.

"You say you love the Jedi, well you need to put your personal feelings aside for Ashin and view her for what she is. Not for what she is to you."
 
A nervous hand fidgeted with the silver necklace, she looked for its comfort but it was washed away after the constant lecture. He found every point in her statements and turned them to be wrong. The Padawan was having a difficult time answering the bombardment of questions and comments from the Grand Master. She wished she was allowed to have Phylis here, but she knew the woman would question a lot of things she had been doing as well. It hurt her when he mentioned about not learning from her Master, Spencer shook her head quickly and looked at Darron.

“I’ve learned a lot from my Master! You can’t say that!”

Her voice cracked a little, but she regained her composure. The last thing she wanted to do here was cry, she couldn’t let him know that it was upsetting her. It was a good thing that he wasn’t an Empath, but even that upset her. He didn’t know what she went through every day; he didn’t understand there is no way to control her Empathy. The padawan had tried everything, nothing seemed to work.

“No offense Master, I’ve tried everything – there is no controlling my empathy and if I’m wrong to state this then tell me, but you’re not an empath you have no basis to tell me it’s controllable. I did protect innocents, if I didn’t the Sith would have killed them, I take responsibility for it – but I saved them no matter what I had to do I saved them stop telling me I’m wrong!”

Spencer stood as he mentioned mind control, she had to do it or her and Ashin would have been destroyed.

“I had no choice! The Gand they don’t function like you and I. They wouldn’t have accepted Democracy! Their nature they need to have a leader someone to guide them. The republic wouldn’t have done that they would have forced democracy upon an alien race that doesn’t think like that…I’ve been there inside of their mind…I’ve felt their desires!

The padawan bit her lip as he answered her question on Ashin, even the mention of her name made her heart flutter.

“I do love the Jedi Master Wraith…but I also love Ashin Varanin.”
 
"It doesn't matter what you felt when in their heads Spencer, all sentient beings deserve the right to choose their own fate. A Jedi does not choose their path for them, we merely are protectors of the peace and servants of justice. Not Sith enforcers, you should know better and your tone is very unbecoming but given the situation I'll leave it alone."

There was an acidity to his tone that wasn't present before as he leaned back in the chair, a loud exhale was the only indication that the Jedi Master was the least bit frustrated with the Padawan. Crossing his powerful arms across his broad chest, Darron looked back at Spencer while keeping that same acid in his tone. "You are right I'm not an empath, but I know the Sith better than you. I have almost fallen to their Order before, I know the allure of the darkside Spencer, I know it all too well." His tone indicating a little too much honesty in his words as he remembered the dark times he was vaguely alluding to. " Just because Ashin presented you with choices, and you picked the better of the evils doesn't make your choice inherently good. A society may crave for solidarity in one leader, but it should be their leader that they decided upon. Not the one that Ashin said would make the most sense. Yes you may have saved lives, but just because blood wasn't spilled doesn't mean you did the right thing young Jedi. The moment you begin to think that the ends justify the means, is the moment you stop thinking like a Jedi Spencer."

The tension in the room continued to build along with the Grand Master's frustration.

"Can I ask you something? You sit here and all your choices appear right...but to who? Just because you were allowed to feel like you were doing the right thing doesn't make it right, believe me I used to think like that. My older brother who was a Sith Lord died because of that thinking, yes I saved thousands of lives by ending his. But did I do the right thing by murdering a defenseless opponent?" He loudly exhaled once more before continuing, his mind swirling with memories. "The allure of the darkside is that the choices seem so easy, but what happens when you are asked to do progressively worse things and compromise who you are? Once you cross that line, it's almost impossible to come back from it. I have been among the Sith, I have seen their true nature. Yes it is tempting to be like them, they do make sense at times, but the Code is there for a reason young Padawan."

At her admission of love for Ashin, he froze momentarily considering his next words very carefully.

"You may love her, and it is a sign of your considerable compassion. Let me ask you this though, does Ashin love you or see you as a valuable tool? If posed with the choice of stepping away as Empress to be with you, and renouncing the darkside of the Force to live a normal life. Would she do it? Because you are risking everything you have stood for your entire life for a woman you honestly can't answer that question for."
 
“Then how do you think like a Jedi Master? You force the government that you feel works for a people? You force upon them the code or a way of life they are not used too? You said it yourself Master, we are not Sith enforcers. We are here to protect the way of life of every species that the Force has graced the galaxy with. I do wish it would have been the Jedi that I was with when I helped liberate the Gand; Mon Calamari has some sort of peace now because I helped prevent their Civil war. Master, I may not have forced what the Jedi know as order – but as a Jedi I helped protect the way of life they know and have prospered with.”

Spencer remembered the conversation about the code and the order; she had assumed Master Wraith would understand where she was coming from with the thought process. She gritted her teeth knowing that it was possibly his rise to Grand Master that has forced him into honoring the code to the t. Her hands now both touched the necklace nervously, she wanted her Master with her, and she wanted her mother and father with her…most of all though she wanted Ashin with her.

The girl whispered to herself in the native language of her Mother…

Mita’wa hopa Jaa’nu…

Looking back at Darron she sighed softly. The tension in the room was starting to make her sick and she sat back down.

“Master didn’t you just say a Jedi doesn’t chose the path for someone? I can’t answer that for Ashin no, I would never put her in that situation and I know she wouldn’t do that to me. When we first met, she was looking for a tool, but after that. I became someone valuable to her, yes my existence is useful. I’m more than that. Master, I know more about Ashin than you care to think about. I’ve asked myself this question several times – I do want to live a normal life with her…but I know neither of us can. She does the best with what she has – she’s a good person, I see that…I see someone beyond the Dark Lord of the Sith...she sees me beyond just a Jedi Padawan...there is no good and evil - there is only us.”
 
"I force no government Spencer, I am a servant of the people nothing more...nothing less. The Republic is simply the easiest vehicle to help keep peace in the galaxy because Democracy allows one simple thing: Choice. I don't serve Aurellia, I serve the office of the Chancellor and the institution that is the Senate. Am I naïve enough to believe that it is perfect, of course not. I will not sit here and say I have all the answers Padawan because I sadly don't, I'm merely doing the best I can to save you from your own irresponsibility."

Darron let a sigh escape his lips as he put his face in his hands, she was trying his patience but something told him to press further. The way she spoke, her tone and body language showed she wasn't comfortable being put on the spot like this. It seemed she had done everything within her power to avoid such a talk, and maybe some form of catharsis could be had from airing the dirty laundry? "So it seems we are at an impasse, you won't let her go, and if I order you to you will simply rebel or leave. My intent is to save you from yourself and from Republic justice. You will make an amazing Jedi one day, but it seems this lesson is one that you have to learn on your own young one, and I intend to let you do just that."

Every muscle relaxed in his frame as he motioned for Spencer to follow him back to the window as he continued.

"Can I tell you something about experience? It is earned, and I'm glad you were open and honest with me. You will receive no punishment, and I will shelve what I saw. You will also be allowed to stay in this Order as long as you agree to a few things Padawan. I don't want to lose you, nor do I want you to think I am a hardliner. My job is to save all innocent life, whether it be a farm hand outside this temple, or you. I am trying to keep you firmly in the light because you have much potential, and I would die for you to save you...please know that." His hard expression broke as he let the tension leave the room, a sad smile crossed his lips as he put his gloved prosthetic hand on her shoulder. Not speaking until she looked into his calm eyes.

"You can continue to see Ashin, but please know you risk much not just for yourself but for the Order you serve. Perception is everything, and none of us know who is right in this situation. I know Ashin very well myself, and I know there is good in her that she isn't allowed to access, due to the Sith poisons. So you can see her, but you will not aide her anymore do you understand? You see injustice, you report to me and the Order and Republic will get on it so you can act and respond as a Jedi. Secondly, you will start to receive formal training from any Master of your choosing, even myself should you choose on your battle meditation. Third, these talks will continue, and you will learn that you can talk to Darron Wraith I promise I am here to help."

A second ticked by as he paused before finishing.

"Lastly, when you see Ashin, you will report back to me what is said. You will be put with Republic Intelligence from now on and you will be our eyes and ears in to the Sith Empire, do this and you will be allowed to stay in the Order. Do you find my terms agreeable?"
 
Spencer bit her lip she didn’t like where this was going, but she was happy that Darron let her stay within the order. There was a cost though and she was now being held accountable in bringing in information. Her heart sank knowing that this would and could cause a strain on her and Ashin; it was a defiance of her trust. The more she thought though what she had been doing was defiance to the Order and to Phylis’ trust. Knowing that she had disappointed Phylis also made the padawan even sicker to her stomach.

“Knight Alince will remain my sole Master, she’s dealt with me for some time now and I’ll demand no other Master, sorry to have disappointed you Master Wraith”

The padawan bowed her head slightly as she apologized to him, a part of her wondered if he had wanted to train her in her battle meditation himself. Her only master in her mind would always be Phylis the woman was the only one that had answered her request to a trainer. Looking out the window, she pondered his next statement; she was to be a spy as much as it hurt her she knew she needed to stay in the Order. If this was the only way then it had to be done – though no conditions were set around it she would agree to it, but her follow through she’d figure out at a later time.

“I accept the terms you’re offering Master, but I do not find them fair or ethical. I’m going to prove to you my loyalty to the Order, but my loyalty as of now to you sir is rocky. I will speak to you, but only when I must…my Master is waiting for me. I should be leaving.”

Once more she bowed slightly to him, inside of her rage surged and twisted as she looked at him. Silently, she prayed to the Force to help her find the strength to endure this trial. Either way, she was going to see Ashin and become a Jedi. The lines of good and evil were so askew…
 

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