9.31.4786 Republic Reckoning

Mira: The fifth planet hangs majestically overhead in a crescent, its rings glittering in the sunlight. As To'iir and Davin labor in their spacesuits to hook up the fueling lines to the ship, the rest of you take a moment to enjoy the view. Mira stretches out while sitting in the pilot's chair and yawns. It being late afternoon, she just got up. "I can see why J'ror would like the life of a scout. Being able to see things like this without having to push your way through lines of tourists. I suppose I could get used to traveling like this a bit more.

"So where have you guys been? What brings a group of students halfway across the galaxy when they could be safely studying? Why were you selected for this challenge? I mean, it just doesn't make much sense. J'ror could have grabbed a half dozen fully trained Jedi with a word and the Order would come running. Why use students?"

Igashu: Igashu walks out of the kitchen with an evening snack in one hand, and a datapad in the other. Upon hearing Mira's last comment about J'ror he bursts out laughing. "Are you talking about J'ror Tholin?" He manages after a few minutes. "You must know something I don't, because the J'ror I know only has the Order running all right... but not in that way I think you mean. Half the council claims to think he's starting some kind of uprising. The other half doesn't know him very well. On a more serious note... I haven't been able to figure out why J'ror picked us. I imagine he'd give some lame non-specific answer about potential. Sometimes I want to scream at him that he's blind and we're obviously not ready. The rest of the time I can't think about anything but what I'm doing, least not without dooming myself to certain failure."

Igashu stops and takes a byte of his sandwich and sits down on the floor. "Since We got involved with J'ror we've gone from Praconis to Byblos to Andijon to uh.... some space station and then some planet. I wasn't even there long enough for either to make much of an impression I guess. Anyway from there Hale sent us to Coruscant. From there we ran off to Coldatho, to pick J'ror, though we were supposed to be visiting some real boring masters in hopes of becoming padawan. Then back to Byblos and now here... Wait I forgot the Giaganto-Sith-Ship-Of-Doom... That counts as a place right? Well anyway there was a neat-o star that was over doing the flare activity so our ships weren't going anywhere, and Hale was a captive on board so we decided to be good sports and help him out. For all the good that did... Hale died not too much later, Nakail turned the the dark side, and ran off with the Holocron... and Davin's friend. We all nearly died, though Elbram's encounter with a saber blade brought him closer than the rest of us. I think before I met J'ror I was doing a better job of seeing the galaxy. At least nothing was actively trying to kill me then, and I was able to enjoy the planets I visited."

Quindo: Quindo looks back over his shoulder from a half-finished sketch of the ringed planet. "I'm going to redo it in watercolors later, once I get my easel set up in the lounge, To'iir won't let me paint on the bridge. "

He sets everything down and comes over to join the conversation, continuing to stand. "Igashu's pretty much covered our journey so far. Mostly we've been on the run. Either toward or away from. None of us want to, I think. I should be on Coruscant, studying under the weaponsmaster there. We're here because we feel we have a duty to uphold the principles of the Jedi Code, to the best of our knowledge, to the best of our ability."

"I don't know why 'us', unless it was just chance that put us where we were when everything hit the fan. As far as I know, J'ror tried to enlist the aid of the council and they turned him down. In fact, they punished him for his involvement and for involving us in his private war."

"I don't even know that we've done any good. Hell, most of the time we don't even know who to trust, or what to believe. If it we hadn't actually sensed Sith involvement in Santaros personally, I *still* wouldn't know for sure that J'ror's suspicions were correct. So, why should anyone else believe it without proof?"

He continues, becoming increasingly agitated. "I feel like we're tilting at windmills, or trying to building castles in the sand. We're either powerless to affect events, or anything we successfully accomplish ends up being meaningless or pyrrhic. Even Elbram's vision seems to indicate that we can't really stop or change what's coming... only weather it, and help rebuild when its over with whatever we've managed to save."

• snap* Quindo looks down at the charcoal pencil broken in his fist. He turns, sets the halves gently atop his sketch pad, and turns to walk out of the room with his shoulders sagging. "If anyone needs me, I'll be in the gym."

Igashu: Igashu watches Quindo walk toward the gym, and turns back to Mira. "Quindo isn't the only one who is frustrated by all of this. For all our effort there is precious little we can see that has been changed for the better. Hell Dormamu payed me a compliment once. You've done good in coming this far. Like she was proud or something. Nothing creepier than someone you think is the 'bad-guy'(tm) saying good job."

"Elbram's vision, our conscience, the code... all things we site as reasons we do what we did. Reasons we're walking down this path right now, but sometimes I wonder how much choice is really involved. There is a big game of galactic chess going on, and we're just pawns. Dormamu, Tholin, Valis, the rest of the Jedi Council, the ghost Nakail was chasing, A ship full of Sith... They all have they're own goals, and the only thing for certain, is that no one we've met is really completely with us or against us."

Mira: Mira nods at Igashu's comment and looks after the departing Quindo. "Poor kid. It seems that he's not handling the uncertainty too well." She moves over to where Quindo leaves his sketchpad and looks at it for a moment. After a while, she picks it up and flips through. "Do you think he'd mind?" She asks flipping to a blank sheet and picking up the broken pencil.

Without waiting for a response, she begins sketching quickly, but tilted so nobody can see. "J'ror as I know him should have been able to pull several Jedi out of the woodwork from around the galaxy regardless of the Council's opinions. He does have friends elsewhere and he's never been one to let someone stand in his way. But as to why he chose you instead, that's another matter entirely. Perhaps there is something special in you that he has seen that others have not. Perhaps you were simply there at the right moment. Perhaps he felt that he needed another student or students to increase the number of Jedi who are schooled in the Jedi tradition as he is rather than the standard dogma. But why you?

"You have gone on perhaps the greatest adventure of any student since To'iir, but at least she had a Master to stay with her at all times. You have seen more action than I have and I've been involved with the Jedi for almost twenty years. I've been part of this infiltration of Santaros for most of the past four years. But you guys haven't even looked for any sort of involvement and you're already in with the greatest Sith conspiracy in a thousand years. I think J'ror chose you for a reason, and I don't know what that is. But I do think that if you can figure that out, you will also figure out what it is J'ror, Dormamu, and possibly others want from you."

Elbram: "I noticed you said, 'who are schooled in the Jedi tradition rather than the standard dogma'... that implies that there's a difference between what is currently being taught and the Jedi tradition. Is that true? What is the difference? There are some things J'ror does that I find virtuous, but -- with all due respect to him -- there are other things he does that I find questionable at best... I find it difficult to believe that all those things are contained within traditional Jedi doctrine.

Oh, and before I forget -- does the Council have knowledge of your whereabouts, Mira? If you have only been involved with this infiltration for four years, either it was not the Council that assigned you to it or at least someone on the Council knows what's going on after all. Any help we can obtain in justifying J'ror's work to the Council would be greatly appreciated, as it appears likely that if that is not obtained he will take the blame for the consequences not only of his own actions, but ours as well."

Mira: Mira pauses in her sketching for a moment and looks up, lip curled in thought. "The Jedi are supposed to be protectors, a sort of combination holoflick superhero and policeman or detective. We're not supposed to be a quasireligous light-sword-wielding tool of the Chancellor. We need to be alert to threats to the entire galaxy, not just the Republic. If we cannot pursue investigations such as this, such as any police or intelligence agency would perform, then we are remiss in our duty to the people of the galaxy. The Jedi that I know are working to keep the galaxy from becoming slave to anyone, including themselves. Expanding of frontiers, removal of corruption, and protection against all threats from outside and inside galactic civilization are what we should be vigilant against. As to whether the Council is advised of my disposition, I don't know. I am confident that our mission has Council support, regardless of what they have said to you. I have spoken with both J'ror and J'hund and they have spoken with the Council. Even if they aren't completely candid then I am still convinced that we were doing the right thing in the investigation. Without a consistent ability to determine if Dormamu was even Force-Sensitive, the Jedi had no real reason to investigate. She ran a completely above-the-books company as far as J'ror could find. However, there was sufficient evidence to show that she was up to something, but they were simply unsure as to what it was. It looks like now there is sufficient evidence, but her plans are already in motion."

Igashu: "You know... no one else has ever had an interest in drawing so the question never came up Mira, but no I don't think he'd mind. As for the J'gang having council support... forgive me if I don't trust a word they say at this point. Quindo isn't the only one who has had trouble dealing with the situation. I tore into To'iir and Altair pretty good just a few days back. Through all the crap, and all the lies I have 3 friends who are still with me. 3 people who regardless of what I believe haven't withheld a fact of opinion ever. I would have walked away from them to do what I had to for my conscience. J'ror walked away from what he professed to be so important to be with 1 person he must feel equally strongly about. J'hund has never bothered to offer the smallest gesture of respect and simply openly ask for a favor. They both have the skills and knowledge that would make the man I always felt drawn to become... Like Quindo to the lightsaber, Davin to the droids, and Elbram to the philosophy. Neither has shown himself the be the man I want to be. Maybe I just don't see what they do, but it doesn't matter right now. I stopped doing this for any of them long before we returned to Byblos, it just took me a while to realize why I was doing it."

Igashu stands, and runs his hands over his face and through his hair. "I'm tired" he says and turns to walk from the room.

Mira: "Wait." Mira puts down the pad and walks over to Igashu. "I have never been directly lied to by either J'ror or J'hund. Both are vague, arrogant, deceptive, obtuse, and when they really have to be, as ignorant or at least thick-skulled as they want to be. I think they like each other less than you like them. But what they are doing is for the good of the galaxy. Not the good of the Republic, not the good of the Order, but for everyone. If J'ror left you guys then I'm sure he had a reason. I don't know much about his history, but I know he's totally devoted to Vraile. I know he also believes in you if he selected you. Perhaps he felt that by going along with their plans they would be distracted from you, the true threat. I would think he would try to communicate this to you if he could, but maybe he needed to act fast. But realize that with the weight of millions on your shoulders, sometimes niceties can get left by the wayside.

"I think all he wants to do is to be able to roam the unexplored galaxy and not have to deal with people like Dormamu, but he can't. He has a sense of duty that keeps him from being able to step away and let others take over when they see it.

"He's worried, but he trusts you. He trusts all of you to make the right decisions and to become more important than he is.

"As for J'hund, I'm not sure he even knows you exist. He's.... Well, let's say he makes J'ror look straightforward. He's a bastard. But he believes in the idea of the Jedi and he believes in using the power for the galaxy as a whole. Whatever we're doing is just some small part of his plans within plans and it doesn't make any sense to try to figure it out.

"Not right now, anyway. We have a job to do. I know you're tired. We're all tired. But we're the only ones that can do that. Believe in yourselves and know that what we are doing is for the best." She grabs Igashu and Elbrahm on the forearms and gives them a squeeze and a rough smile. "Now, get some rest. I'm not sure how long we can stay here. I'll watch the cockpit and help out with the fueling if To'iir needs anything."

Davin: After spending hours minutes or however long it has been up to this point sitting behind the sensors array and yelling at the ship/slash beacons at his failed atempts to initiate conversation he turns around and says "huh mission what are you talking about....And no I haven't found jack. Those damn beacons refuse to talk to me for some reason."

Davin gets up annoyed at his failure and walks past all...missing most if not all of the previous conversation. mumbling as he goes by about not being trained enough for this.

Igashu: "Children, students, and pawns. A lot is being asked of us in this game, don't ask us to have faith in the people pulling the strings. They see an opening on the board, and we're being pushed to charge ahead to the opposite side. Maybe we'll get elevated to queens in the game, maybe we'll all die. It' nice that a few knights have been spared to cover us on this bum rush, I'm glad J'ror is occupying the bigger pieces on the board, because we'd be neutralized instantly without all that. Even still it's a very dangerous and error prone strategy... and I've never liked being a piece on someone else's game board. Do you?"

Mira: "Well what do you want them to do? Say "please, will you go do this and these are all the reasons and thank you oh so very much for helping me on this minor task that is really beneath your great self"? You're right! You're just pawns at this point, you don't see the entire board and you don't want to see the entire board. Sure it sucks having to rely on others that have information that they aren't telling you and won't tell you and might just deny that they know, but that's how things are. We don't go around understanding exactly why we do everything that everyone asks us to. Even less so when we're dealing with something like this. But we're at least playing the game rather than hoping that it will come out in our favor. We at least can make a difference in how it ends.

"I'm not saying that you have to like it, but at least learn to deal with it. This is the real world kiddo and things are not going to be nice because you want them to be."

Igashu: "I'll take that as a yes then." Igashu says as he tugs his arm back out of Mira's grasp. "I'm still here doing my best, despite my complaints. I made the decision to keep doing exactly that some time ago. I never ever thought any of this was beneath me. I'm scared stiff that exactly the opposite is true, and I've seen plenty of evidence to support that. But look at this, still here, still not giving up. Just complaining that your boss is an impersonal tool!"

Mira: Mira turns away with a snort. Quietly, she says, "Isn't everyone when they get lost in something larger than themselves?" She sits back down at the pilot's station and resumes her sketch.

To'iir: From the airlock, To'iir clambers in, still in her suit with just the helmet removed. "Could someone monitor the fuel levels? I need to get some liquid." Noting Igashu moving past her with a sour look, she looks at him, Elbrahm, and Mira, then knowingly rolls her eyes and lets her shoulders sag. "Come on people. Is arguing about politeness worth it right now? Save it for when we catch up to J'ror. Tell him off, not each other. I need someone sitting on sensors too so we're not surprised when anyone drops into the system, so could someone find Davin if nobody here wants to do it?"

Elbram: Elbram quietly regards Mira and Igashu, his face showing the calm of one attempting not to get involved in an argument he is too confused to engage in. He glances down and gives his arm an odd look, then looks up abruptly as To'iir enters the room. "Sensors, hmm? I'll do it, if you teach me how... that might be easier than finding Davin. How goes the fueling?"

Mira: Mira looks up. "I'll go over it with him. And don't worry. I think we're all tired of arguing in circles."

To'iir: To'iir raises her eyebrows, then shrugs. "Fueling's proceeding. Just make sure we're keeping 300 kilopascals of fuel line pressure. The tanks didn't look too full when I was hooking them up to us. If I see Davin, I'll send him up here, either that or it's his turn to go out next." To'iir heads off toward the kitchenette with a "Keep sensors on passive!" shouted back over her shoulder once she's out of sight.

Mira: To'iir was reentering the airlock when Mira caught up to her. "I've got Elbram looking at the sensors. If anyone arrives under power, he'll see them, assuming they don't approach on the other side of this moon."

To'iir: "Good. Fuel line pressure holding up?"

Mira: "Yeah, last I checked, four-twenty k-p-a"

To'iir: "We should be about set by now with fuel. I'll only be a minute." To'iir turned to enter the airlock but Mira stopped her.

Mira: "To'iir, I know we can count on you, but can we count on them? They're awfully young and it sounds like they're not about to trust anyone. It could be dangerous."

To'iir: "Just because you see a holy cause doesn't mean everyone else does, will, or even can."

Mira: "But you do...?"

To'iir: "I don't know what I see anymore. Do I trust J'ror? Absolutely. Do I agree with using these kids to get Dormamu while he finds Vraile? I think it should have been the other way around. But I know he has his reasons. And I know that he trusts us to get the job done as well. So I'm going to take it for now and suck in my pride."

Mira: Mira looks at To'iir sternly. "I'm surprised in you. I thought you saw the dogma and hypocrisy. I didn't think you were another of the Jedi hiding in the shadow of their mystical Order."

To'iir: "I'm not hiding and I see damn well the blindness of the Council. But they're almost as inexperienced as us. They feel the best way to avoid any more turnings is to give the Order some dogma. Maybe they're right. I don't like it, but they're on the Council and as long as they don't stop me from dong my mission I'll be fine with that."

Mira: "So you'll just hide in your own mission, trying to empower slaves by bringing them the light of education while not giving them the means to actually break their chains."

To'iir: "If you want to lead people to their deaths, go right ahead. But don't do it with my kids. Stick to your gadgets and let those of us who can do real work get on with it." To'iir glares at Mira as she steps into the airlock and closes the door.

Mira: Davin was adjusting a servo on one of the scattered combat droid parts he still had floating through the bay when Mira found him. "Hey, need a hand?"

Davin: "Huh? Uh, sure. If you could get the multimeter I need to see if this servo is responding properly or if it's higher up." After she handed it to him, she sat down and fished out another part from his corner and hooked it up to a power supply. "You know how to fix droids?" Davin asked.

Mira: "Yeah, I work on just about everything. My specialty is Force-attuned devices, like the shields, but they require truly specialized parts. Much more so than a lightsaber."

Davin: "Everything in a saber except the crystal is fairly easy to get or make, but I just thought, can't we make artificial crystals? Wouldn't that be a lot simpler than searching for natural ones?"

Mira: "We can and do. But there's something about them that just doesn't quite make as good a saber."

Davin: "But making a perfect crystal is easy." The arm Davin was working on jerked and he nearly lost his grip on it. Frowning at it, he poked the multimeter probes into different ports and checked the results.

Mira: "It's not the perfection of the crystal that matters. In fact, I'm fairly convinced that it's the imperfection that matters, up to a point." She reached toward the arm. "May I?"

Davin: "Uh, sure. But, imperfection?"

Mira: Mira prodded underneath a bit of armor plating with a screwdriver. "Yeah. The not-quite perfection of the natural crystal gives it a greater resonance with the Force because it was created much more slowly, even if it did cool faster. A quickly fired perfect crystal that is made artificially doesn't have the time to become attuned to the Force and as such while the mechanical properties are there, the Force properties are stunted." With a pop, the armor plate loosened, revealing that it was effectively snap-on. Underneath a circuit-board was placed.

Davin: "Yeah, I see."

Mira: "There is an interesting way that the Force can connect to inorganic or partially organic materials." Mira studied the circuit-board.

Davin: "I thought that the Force was only really connected to living things."

Mira: "If that was true, could I do this?" She telekinetically raises a wrench across the room. "The Force connects all things, living or not. Living things just have the ability to amplify or block the connection to a degree." She grabs a wire, hooks it to a lead and grounds it. "There, now that capacitor is discharged. Shouldn't have any more spazzing until you get it powered up again."

Davin: "Thanks." Mira handed him back the arm.

Mira: "I know I didn't do a good job explaining cognitive trance. But I know there's a lot that I know that you want to learn. I can teach you. I know some engineering. And I know some interesting Force tricks. I'm not on par with J'ror or To'iir, but I'm like you. I'd rather be working with real devices and making real things. Not sitting around meditating on the meaning of the universe. You interested?"

Davin: Davin looks up from the servo. "You don't even know me and you make assumptions on who I am? Although you are correct that there is a lot I can learn from you and our interests do seem similar. Its just....."

Mira: Mira looks at Davin confused "Just what? Are you like the rest of the students on this ship and lack trust for fellow jedi?"

Davin: Davin looks at his feet a pained expression crossing his face, "I am loosing faith that what I am doing is for good. I keep ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time, and each time while I am most lost people die. Maybe Quindo is right! I might not be willfully working for the darkside but maybe I am like a carrier for its taint." Davin looks back at the parts in his hands, "But anyways this droid wont fix itself."

Mira: Turning to rummage in the tool bin, Mira continues. "What you did on Byblos, when you guys saved me. That was good. One person did die, but many more would have died as well if you hadn't talked to the mainframe. In doing that you saved To'iir as well. By extending a gracious hand to your enemy, he returned the favor. As he said when he brought To'iir over, 'Even in our enemy we can find reflections of ourselves.' You made that reflection a good one." Mira reaches over holding a soldering iron. "Here. Let me help you."

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