Blessing from on High

Posted on Mon Nov 19th, 2012 @ 10:43pm by Thane & Sotah & Jundal Quellus & Bomoor Thort & Thurius

1,919 words; about a 10 minute read

Chapter: Chapter II: Era's Dawn
Location: Jedi Council Chambers, Jedi Temple, Coruscant
Timeline: 0900 (Local Time), Day Six

Bomoor stood once again in the council chambers surrounded by the Jedi Masters that had quizzed them the day before. He and Thane had spent the night in their chambers within the temple. The modest quarters were a luxury compared to the rooms on the Raptor. Despite the Jedi way of modest living, they certainly knew how to keep themselves well and, right now, he could hardly complain.

However, only Bomoor had been summoned back this morning, Bomoor wondered whether Thane had come to his chambers to find him missing or whether he had been informed of the situation. The council had apparently come to a decision regarding yesterday's meeting. Some masters looked gruffly at him, with apparent self-approval, while others just gave him serenely blank stares. Bomoor was trying to guess why he alone had been brought before them this morning - whatever decision that had come to must affect both himself and Thane. Did they intend to split them apart?

Quellus gave the Ithorian a look of mixed warmth and something else, something perhaps akin to sympathy. "Young Bomoor, we must apologise for the manner of this second meeting, but the Council has been deliberating much this past day, each of us with something to add concerning this Cult of Axion, as well as yours and Thane's involvement in this affair. It seems that your friend withheld some information concerning this dark master."

The next to speak was the Selkath Master Sotah, Thane's former mentor. "Of course, I was aware of the attack on his home when he was a child. There was much difficulty concerning his future with the Jedi, if he even had one at that, but there has always been a light shining within him - a sense of justice and right - that I sought to facilitate, but through Master Vemrus' visions, we see now that this Axion was indeed the one who led the assault upon Thane's home." As very few now spoke Selkathi in the Republic, Manaan having dwindled to being a secondary planet for a substandard, cheaper alternative to bacta (being the sole place in the galaxy where kolto occurs), the Jedi Master had taken to speaking basic, although his words indeed sounding as though they were being said from underwater, as well as a snake-like hiss and gurgles to some words.

"You must understand that we do not make this decision lightly, Bomoor," Master Thurius added to the Grand Master's words, "Master Vemrus' vision has been thoroughly discussed and we have seen a great darkness that threatens your friend. It may be difficult to sense now, but we fear it may grow into something much worse and you understand we cannot allow that to happen."

Bomoor was silent. He knew all too well about the darkness his old master referred to. It was Bane's holocron - the dark power that threatened Thane, he had felt it too. But he could not let the council know about it.

The younger Master Veldryl smiled wryly, "But we understand your need to perform this mission. Both of you. We can't deny your obvious connection to this case and so we're going to grant your request."

Bomoor was somewhat taken aback, "Thane too? But what about the vision and the darkness you foresaw?"

Sotah was evidently saddened by what the Council had been discussing when he next spoke. "Whilst you were never my student. Bomoor... myself, Thurius, Thane and yourself spent much time together in the past, and taught you all I could about the Living Force."

Morla Dero made a strained noise at the mention of the concept, her long neck wobbling with annoyance at the Selkath. "Must we delve into this? The Council has made its decision, Sotah, you would do well-"

"Masters!" Quellus had risen from his chair and his voice was dark and booming as he glared around at his fellows. "Master Sotah may well have a good point to make to Bomoor; we have called upon this man not just one terrible mission, but two, and one involving the betrayal of his friend. Which, regardless of Thane's own potential betrayal, is still no easy task, or thing to ask of even a Jedi."

Master Dunrar bowed his head in respect to Bomoor. "I understand the pain of facing a friend," he explained in his Neimoidian tones, "for my own Master faced me in the field, many years ago. It is a harrowing experience, but one for the greater good of the galaxy, you should know."

"But all things are intertwined within the present," Sotah went on calmly, "and we cannot spend our lives thinking about fulfilling or avoiding visions, as we could well end up forcing that very dark vision to come true through our attempts to defeat it. You must do what you know to be right, should the time come." It was clear by some of the looks Sotah was receiving from the others that the blue-clad Jedi was in a minority on the Council, although none currently directly challenged him. He was often the wise optimism of the group, and whilst resented at times, never espoused ridiculous notions. "Be sure to help Thane where you can, as we will help you when we can, with whatever information or guidance we may provide."

"My esteemed colleague speaks of a gamble, but the stakes are still low," Dero explained, her high and raggedy voice softer than before, "but know that you must do what you must should the time come. Thane's arrogance, self-righteousness and impatience may serve him well in hunting down this Axion, but it does not serve a Jedi Knight well."

A serious and gravelly voice joined in. "You know him best and could confront him best, not only as a fellow warrior, but as a brother would," Archivist Ven Kel Farr said, his scarred face stern, "you alone, we feel, could guide him away from true darkness, but no darkness can be tolerated. It is too dangerous."

"And he must not be allowed to train this young Near-Human!" Master Nillak then announced, the tentacles protruding from his face rising and wobbling with the urgency of his sudden comment. "He would impart idealistic but dangerous teachings upon her, making a threat greater than himself simply from guiding her!"

Quellus bowed his head as he finally reclaimed his red throne. "Agreed, but her future is more clouded than Thane's own, if Vemrus has anything to say from his vision." He looked to the Iktotchi, a peculiar figure but whose insight was invaluable to them all. "You must think on what we have said, whilst we discuss and meditate more on what should happen to this Bería, and you shall be summoned again tomorrow - with Thane - to receive our verdict."

Bomoor felt a sudden flash of anger within him. How could they be asking him to work against his closest friend, the man who had shown him another side to the idealistic Jedi as well as being a strong partner in many a difficult situation? This "Dark path" that Vemrus had seen, why should that be reason to deceive Thane. He swallowed his emotions and sternly addressed Quellus, "Master, Thane must have hidden the truth about his past because he knew it would lead you to this conclusion. He is no fool, I do not believe he would turn against his values and his friends to defeat Axion. If you are asking me to abandon my values, to turn against Thane in the name of the Jedi, then why do we even have values? Why bother forming bonds?"

Veldryl chuckled dryly, "We're not asking you to turn against anything. At least, not until...not unless Thane really does turn. Then we must demand that you do what needs to be done."

The Iktotchi Seer rose from his seat and drew a hand towards the Ithorian, "I foresee a choice you must make, Thort, when you one day stand between Thane and the dark path. Your decision alone will either allow Thane's corrupt intentions to flourish or... bring them to an end!"

"Jedi Knight Thort!" Quellus boomed, glowering at the Ithorian before him as he gripped the arms of his chair tightly, white knuckles appearing on his large blue hands "You have been given your instructions by the High Council, and it is not your choice in this matter whether to question our wisdom. We are twelve Jedi Masters, you are but one young Knight; we are invincibly more learned than you currently are, but do not take this as a slight."

"You are judging too quickly, too impatiently. You should be honoured to be trusted with such a mission," Dero rattled, a shaky finger chiding Bomoor, "for we are trusting you with something delicate, to ask one to be impartial enough and to have enough integrity to do what is right, even when it comes to one so close to you as young Thane. We foresee a great future for you, certainly on a speedy road to becoming a Master before your time, but only if you can see how your relationship to this one man can do so much damage, should you let your attachments get the better of you." Her speech was slow, but still surprisingly fast for a Kaminoan of her great age, having lived almost a century in this existence. "Surely you must see how ending Thane before he goes too far is the compassionate - the Jedi - thing to do, as not only could you be saving countless lives, but also your friend from himself."

"Bomoor," Sotah spoke again, kindly and carefully, with the closest expression to a smile the aquatic Jedi Master could muster, "I know you, and I know Thane, and I know you are the best one for him to listen to. He and I may be close, but we both know how he feels; he would see me as enacting the Council's will, and so whilst he would listen out of respect and friendship, I feel only you are the one who could dissuade him from going too far. He sense of duty is strong, as is his integrity... I failed to quell his pride, but I know he is not beyond reason. He is my friend and we are close, but I will never be the one to change his viewpoint - you can."

Quellus had decided the Selkath had spoken enough. "Take your time to consider what we have said and what you must do; we shall convene with you and your friend tomorrow, and we shall have something more to say on this young girl of yours."

Bomoor looked to the cold red-seeped floor, his breathing heavy with the weight of the task placed upon him. Thurius stood up from his seat and walked over to his old pupil. He did not speak but he gave Bomoor a hard stare that willed the Ithorian to stay strong. He laid a hand on Bomoor's hump.

"If this session is concluded, I hope you will excuse me," he spoke, eyes locked on Quellus, whose harsh words towards Bomoor had made him protective of the Ithorian, "I should speak with Bomoor."

With glowering eyes and hunched upon his chair, Quellus lifted his hand as if to gesture towards the exit. "Do what you must, my friend, just as Bomoor must... and we all must as well."

RSS Feed