Finality
Posted on Thu Dec 20th, 2012 @ 12:59am by Thane & Sotah & Jundal Quellus & Bomoor Thort & Thurius
3,082 words; about a 15 minute read
Chapter:
Chapter II: Era's Dawn
Location: Jedi Temple, Coruscant
Timeline: 0440 Hours (Local Time), Day Seven
OLD
“To answer for your crimes against an innocent civilian, no matter how mouthy, I order you to report to your Jedi Council by 500 hours tomorrow morning and face their judgment. If you fail to turn up or try to escape, rest assured I will know about it, and I will not hesitate to issue a galactic-wide arrest warrant for you, Jedi Knight Thane, and put a bounty on you head until you’ll have no choice but to return and answer for your crime—willingly or not. Is this understood, Jedi Knight Thane?”
Morgo nodded to herself, impressed. She had to commend the man, issuing orders to a Jedi who’d just finished Force-choking someone else. That took real conviction to the law, and bravery. Well, Morgo would just as soon call it stupidity , but she was in a generous mood. The officer seemed willing enough to let her go, after all.
NEW
Whilst it could never be said by anyone that Coruscant ever truly descended into darkness as the sun set in the evening, the millions of skyscrapers and advertisements permanently lighting up the Third Republic's capital like a globular jewel, the first glimmers of the dawn could be seen creeping over the far horizon. A creamy gold haze was beginning to seep its way into the dying blue-purple mass of the previous night, the never-sleeping world coming even more to life as sentients planetwide rose from their beds, arrived in their vessels or prepared to depart.
From where he stood at the top of the marble stairs leading into the main entrance of the Jedi Temple, Thane's blue eyes could see far, using the Force to reach out and feel the life of the planet, although it was largely masked by the massive presence of the large number of Jedi and their headquarters. After just a short few moments, his senses fell upon a familiar presence and his eyes locked onto Bomoor lumbering his way towards him, his Ithorian legs looking cumbersome but carrying him surprisingly quickly towards his friend.
"I am sorry to have had you dragged here so early," Thane apologised dourly, pale features looking slightly paler than usual, particularly in the early morning dimness.
Bomoor stopped before his friend and gave what could be perceived as a disgruntled look, "It must have been something serious you did to get such an early summons. It wouldn't perhaps have something to do with the attempted arrest of Duchess Le'Shaad I saw all over the HoloNews this morning, would it?"
While he already knew the answer, he felt it only right to enquire rather than accusing his old friend. Recent events had rather hardened Bomoor's attitude and he had not found the respite he had needed on Coruscant. He saw his friend changing before him. Something all his Jedi training had warned him against and yet Bomoor could not help seeing Thane's struggle and his righteous anger.
Thane gave the Ithorian a sidelong glance and a small smirk as they turned towards the bulk of the Temple, having a few minutes before reaching the lift that would take them to the High Council's spire. "I stand by my decision for innumerable reasons," he said finally, the number of Jedi currently about less than usual, given the unsavoury hour. "Not only does she have information that could help against the Cult of Axion, but she is also highly-adept in the field of biology. She'll make an excellent physician aboard the Red Raptor."
One of the older Jedi Masters currently about gave both Thane and Bomoor a long and careful glare from across the large room, his sunken eyes glimmering with disapproval. "That," Thane went on, "and because whilst I believe in the rule of law, you need only look at the lawmakers to know that there's something wrong. Her arrest would have been a waste." The Human sounded certain in that claim, more certain that he had expected to even sound to himself, but events of the past week had propelled him into numerous tricky situations unlike most of those he had faced over the years.
In a just a few short days, he had been forced to face a lot of his fears, doubts, concerns, feelings and philosophies, and whilst a standard week seemed a short period of time in which a person may make such a momentousness decision, Thane was feeling most definite in the conclusions he had gathered. "I made the right choice," he then declared, "but also know that whatever happens here and now has no effect on our friendship." The shorter Jedi halted and faced Bomoor. "We've been friends for a long time, know each other as well as brothers could and we trust and understand each other, so know my respect and loyalties are still with you."
Bomoor's heart sunk at Thane's words. His friend was unaware that the Ithorian's task had already been set and that this meeting would largely be a formality to seemingly grant their request to follow Axion. Now Thane had brought another highly-controversial crew member into the fold. This was all going to come crashing down and Bomoor felt helpless to stop it destroying the friendship Thane was re-affirming before him now.
"Our friendship means a lot to me, Thane, as I'm sure you well know. I want to protect that above all else. But that does not mean I don't doubt your intentions here. Whether the lawmakers have it right or not, Le'Shaad has certainly violated most of my key morals."
He paced forwards ahead of his friend towards the large turbolifts travelling up to the council chamber, "Nevertheless, I intend for us to face these adversities as friends, as partners...whether or not we are Jedi after this."
"And you think yourself to have the right to make this decision!?" Grand Master Quellus' paling blue cheeks wobbled slightly as he boomed at Thane, incensed by the revelations concerning Morgo Le'Shaad. "She is a wanted criminal!" He went on. "For murder! It is the Jedi's duty to apprehend such individuals and bring them to justice - not help them escape it!"
As Thane stood, his arms crossed against his chest, glaring with disdainful eyes towards the Chagrian, the Kaminoan Morla Dero was the next to assail him. As before, a bony, white finger was being thrust in his general direction. "First you spare this Mandalorian Jedi killer, then you adopt this idiotic child and now you think yourself high enough to spare and aid this murderess!"
"By what authority do you think to make these actions, Jedi Thane?" Asked Nillak, the chief Jedi Watchman, his Quarren voice mangling his use of Galactic Basic. Unlike the other two, his voice remained calm and collected, but concern could still be seen on his alien features. Off to the side, Master Sotah simply watched his former Padawan with an element of sadness in his Selkath features, but he remained silent for now.
"By the same authority by which you think you can declare what is right and wrong," Thane said back to the Jedi Council with a great deal of firmness in his voice, blue eyes flashing with anger now that he was finally in the position to stand against the venerated Jedi Masters of the Order. "By that same authority by which you have crafted for yourself, twisting the teachings of the Jedi into something that better suits you and your fears of the real world; that same world which now crumbles apart because of your so-called benevolence; a world that is rotten to the core that you insist on defending when you should really be fixing it. You are all powerful Jedi, strong in the Force and truly capable of doing something that should be done, but where you are strong in the Force, you are weak of spirit, of mind."
Thane pointed off behind him, as if pointing towards the Red Raptor, so many miles away. "Morgo Le'Shaad committed a crime against her own family for a due reason, with intelligence and purpose, and has not harmed any others than did harm to her. She has the mind to know what she is doing, and how to do it; this very same mind can be put to better use than staring at prison walls!" Although he was not shouting, Thane's voice was hard and determined, but it softened slightly as he went on. "Not only this, but Duchess Le'Shaad has extensive knowledge of Jedi and Sith relice. She will be able to help us in our hunt for Axion and his cult, as well as the Kaiburr shards themselves."
Quellus looked ready to draw his lightsaber and challenge Thane to a duel on the spot, but Hale Dunrar's Neimoidian green hand on his arm seemed to cool him. Stepping forward, still angry but no longer trembling with it, the Grand Master looked Thane up and down, only offering Bomoor a couple of seconds of notice. The dawn had truly come through the windows of the Council spire, the Coruscant sun lighting up the entire chamber in a bright yellow light.
Settling himself back into his throne, Quellus steepled his fingers, interlacing them upon his lap. "You speak with conviction, Jedi Thane, but without merit or the spirit of a Jedi Knight. What you speak of is nothing new to us, but I know there are many who would see us take such a role - and there are those who have done that. That road is paved with good intentions, but leads to figures such as Darth Caedus and other dark souls once great and nobl-"
"A very nice speech, Master Quellus," Thane suddenly cut him off, surprising all of those in the chamber. Quellus' own eyes flashed with anger, but just as he moved to rise and throw a barrage towards Thane, the young Human took his own step forward, pointing a finger at the Grand Master. "I will no longer answer to your misplaced authority!" He declared, his eyes quickly flitting from one Master to another within his field of vision.
"You speak of doing the right thing, of careful calculations, but all you have done is misused the Force, spread it amongst like-minded fools and weakened your own position and the Republic, so even individuals like Axion can threaten this pathetic peace you claim to have made." He threw a hand about, gesturing to the world about them. "For these reasons, and my wish to take a truer path, I humbly resign from your Jedi Order!"
Whilst not all of them present were so clearly surprised by this declaration, Master Sotah was visibly shaken as his shoulders slumped and he leant forward, letting his head rest within his three-fingered hands. Nillak adopted a similar posture, whilst Master Ven Kel Farr's battle-scarred face turned into a grimace, eyebrows arching as he regarded the wayward Thane.
Bomoor gave a worried look towards his friend, "Thane..." he trailed off, knowing his words would not alter the situation. He looked over to his old master, but Thurius offered only a grim face before looking down.
The troubled Ithorian stepped forward, feeling a need to make his own feelings known but also highly aware of the role the council had placed upon him, "I think Thane has made it very clear that his heart is no longer with the order. However, I do not entirely disagree. While I believe in our goal of protecting the people of the Republic, I feel that this quest to extinguish the darkness has drawn you away from that path. I value my place amongst the Jedi but I also value our duty to the people. If you fail in that, then perhaps you should reflect on why the Republic needs you at all."
He looked around the chamber at the faces of the masters. Many stone-faces looked back at him, most seemed fairly unnaffected by his words, perhaps feeling he was only playing his role. Only Masters Sotah and Thurius seemed truly affected by his words, knowing him somewhat more that the rest of the older Jedi in the room.
Bomoor stepped backwards to where Thane stood, still breathing deeply, fists clenched after his accusations, "I believe that my role is still to protect those who need it. There is a threat to the peace is to be found in Axion and my place is with Thane as he attempts to quell it."
Master Veldryl drew herself up, eyeing the Ithorian and his angry friend, "Preserving the peace is a noble goal, but so is removing the darkness that seeks to corrupt that very peace. We believe that this quest for Axion embodies both these goals and that is why-" she paused, looking towards Master Quellus who nodded back, "-we have decided to allow you to pursue Axion using the Red Raptor."
The quiet Master Olus suddenly spoke, her tone unusually harsh, "But, Thane, if you choose to denounce your membership within the Order, you will still be accountable to us as long as you undertake this mission. Bomoor Thort will be with you at all times to ensure an active link with us. We also strongly advise that you go alone. Duchess Le'Shaad should really be handed over to CoruSec."
"I fear it is somewhat late for that," Master Sotah said slowly, and with sadness in his alien voice. The blue-robed Jedi Master was avoiding letting his eyes settle on Thane, his former padawan now something to be considered a failure by other Jedi. Of course, for Sotah, it was not a matter of appearing as a failure to other Jedi; the Selkath felt as though he had failed Thane in his years training him.
"As do I," Quellus grumbled darkly, burning coals of eyes still fixed upon the now-former Jedi Knight still standing before them, who in turn seemed to focus most on the Grand Master. "You will tread carefully, young Thane. Whilst it is indeed your prerogative to rescind your membership at any point, know that you will now ever be in our sights, watching your every move for hints of darkness, of the evil that may corrupt your heart and soul. The moment you are deemed such a threat, you will be an enemy of the Jedi and the Republic."
Master Farr gave a slow nod of his tied-back dreadlocked grey head, scratching just quickly at the thick beard about his mouth. "The Jedi Archives will be updated with your abandonment of the Order; you will lose all privileges of your status as Jedi Knight and will become a typical citizen of the Third Galactic Republic."
The battle-hardened 'warrior-poet' shifted slightly in his chair, the double-bladed lightsaber hilt now in plain sight about his waist. "I have seen you train for many years, Thane, and saw great promise despite a shaky start. I believe I speak for all of us when I say we admire your spirit, but we are disappointed by the choices you are making and the path you follow. Be mindful of your future, and do not tread too close to the path of vigilantism; we will not protect you, nor can we promise to not oppose you, should you continue to disrupt the law."
"You are dismissed, Thane, Jedi Knight Bomoor Thort," Quellus said to them, firmly rooted upon his throne and hands grasping the armrests tightly. "We wish you luck in your journey, and we will do what we can to aid you in your search."
Not bowing as was customary for Jedi visiting the High Council, Thane merely nodded to the Chagrian but just as he moved to turn on his heel and depart, he let his eyes rest on his former master for a few seconds before finally placing a hand on Bomoor. "It's time we left."
"Indeed it is," Bomoor rested his own large brown hand on Thane's. He glanced around the room and gave a firm nod in the direction of Master Quellus, who still glared in Thane's direction. He then gave a softer nod to Thurius and Sotah before turning and leaving with Thane.
The two Jedi were silent on the turbolift down from the council chambers. For Thane, it may well be the last time he rode that lift and Bomoor felt that he too had lost something today. When the doors opened at the bottom of the shaft, the Ithorian turned to his friend,
"Seems you gave them quite a talking to. I only wish they could understand why they deserve it..." Bomoor's words were unanswered, "Well, we got the permission we needed so it looks like we're ready to set off. You'd better collect your things from your chamber."
"Already done," Thane declared, not looking to his friend, the statement revealing that this move was not spur of the moment. He had remained silent during the trip back down to earth, uneasy at the feelings he may have stirred within his friend, as well as digesting his own thoughts on what had happened.
He wished for nothing more than to reveal more of his inner workings to the Ithorian, to explain himself more and rationalise his actions and words. Knight or not, Bomoor remained his closest friend, and whilst he now felt more free and capable to do as he saw fit as a man, he was still upset by the distress he may well have caused to not only the Ithorian, but also his former master. Thane was aware of how his move could be perceived, that he was abandoning something or leaving himself more prone to a path they did not approve of.
He simply hoped he could make them see that his decision made the most sense for him now, as well as for their mission, for Morgo Le'Shaad and - indeed - Bería as well. As the doors parted and revealed the main hall of the Jedi Temple, he felt nothing for the building but respect for the design. Glancing at the other Jedi, his former kin, he was pleased to no longer be counted amongst them. Only the Jedi Archives would be something he would truly miss.
Finally letting a small smile play across his pale features, he glanced to his friend as they made their way on. "I think we're on the right track."
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