NR/JO: Slouching towards Bethlehem

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Mir
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NR/JO: Slouching towards Bethlehem

Post by Mir »

Mon Calamari

The man looked up from the data pad that he had been reading. It looked like the most recent budget addendum debates would have to wait. Raising an eyebrow, he spoke. "Master Jedi Muir, how are you?"

"Fine as can be, Minister. The title is only a knight, not a master."

"You can move things with your mind. More than I can do. I have to fight to keep the Senate where I want it. I can't just mess with their minds." Roman Kato said with a smirk. "What can I do for you?" He asked.

Derek braced for what he knew would undoubtedly come next. "The Jedi Order needs help."

"The Jedi Order always needs help." Roman said. "What's wrong this time?" He asked, rising from his chair and walking out onto the balcony that adjoined his office. Derek followed and they looked out over an almost fully rebuilt Mon Calamari.

"Have you heard of a man named Cadden Blackthorne?" Derek asked. When Roman nodded, he continued. "He's fallen to the Dark side." Derek stated. "He's the one who stole that Eclipse-class from Kuat. He's the one who sacked Onderon. He's gunning for Ossus now." Derek said.

"And you want me to protect you. Play big brother." Roman said, folding his arms over his chest and shaking his head slightly. "I can't just send a fleet to Ossus like that." He said, gesturing with one hand. "Ossus is Anari space. Sometimes in think about how the galaxy would be an easier place if no one could use your voodoo."

"Infinitely. But wishing for the impossible is a waste of time and energy. Ember Rekali is still Lord Protector of Anari space. He's already given the go ahead for New Republic presence in Anari space."

"More important than logistics is the reason." Roman said and Derek have him a sidelong glance. "You want me to commit lives and billions if not trillions of credits to help you. Why should I?" He asked. "Because you failed to police one of your own? Because Kuat didn't have the proper defenses or contingencies in place to stop someone from stealing a seventeen thousand kilometer vessel? The Republic doesn't control Mon Calamari Shipyards, but someone steals a Viscount-class, you're damned sure in going to do something about it. So where was Kuat's response?" He asked. "This was an Imperial ship or it was probably intended to be one. So where was the Empire's response? Have the Jedi gone to the Empire for help? Or are the Jedi expecting, as usual, for the Republic to bail them out their mess?"

"Minister, I can't answer all those questions. The previous Grand Master failed. We did send two council members along with ships to try to track and bring down Trayus. We only recently uncovered that Trayus and Blackthorne are one and the same." He said. Derek sighed. "We lacked the manpower and the ships to be able to do what we should have. But it's not our jo-"

"Except that it is. Except that it is, Master Jedi Muir. Darksiders come up and you set them down. Isn't that part of the Jedi Order's modus operandi?" Roman asked.

"Not all of us share the same sentiments and philosophy on the Jedi Order as you do, Minister." Derek said, watching as Roman dipped into his office for a cigar.

"Do you?" Roman asked, smoking.

"I'm not here as a representative of my own opinions, thoughts, or tenets. I'm here in my official capacity as the Jedi Order's diplomat." He said.

"Answer the question, Master Jedi."

"Yes, I do share the sentiments. But there's only so much that we can do with the resources that we have." Derek said. "Punishing us for past failures is fine, but doing so at the expense of the future isn't. We don't know where where Blackthorne will stop, assuming we can't bring an end to this at Ossus." He said.

Roman paused and considered. "I'll give you the help you need. I'll get you the ships. But the blood of those that lose their lives is on you personally. Tell the Grand Master that she and I have a conversation to finish."
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Re: NR/JO: Slouching towards Bethlehem

Post by Foxx »

The water was warm. Not too hot, but warm enough that it could try to soak the stress away. Makaera closed her eyes as she lay back in the tub. It was on of the few luxuries that she had as the Grandmaster, and one that she guarded feverishly. The galaxy seemed to be too big at one moment and then rushing into crash around her the next. Months had gone by with no real update from Cazzik and Daer’Gunn, only to have them return and inform the Council of findings that endangered all of them. Blackthorne. She’d never met the man, but she knew enough about him to know that h knew how they thought, how they fought, what their strategies were. Preparing for him was going to be a tedious and tiring process. She could only hope that they were up to the task. There were other headaches to worry about. Such as the unheralded return of Aaralyn Blackthorne. Damned family was one annoyance.

She had sensed the Bothan in Derek wanting to come out. He’d clamped down on it, but she had felt th question that he had wanted to ask.

Cazzik and Daer’Gunn return to tell us that Cadden Blackthorne, your brother and Darth Trayus are one and the same. Conveniently, you choose this moment to return from some kind of self imposed exile, that we didn’t want because you needed to stand trial for your actions and now you magically say you’ve changed and you have needed intelligence?

It reminded her of what she and Rashael Koss had discussed.

Makaera didn’t have to be a Bothan or a member of the greatest house of spies in the galaxy to figure out where Derek would have gone with that line of thinking. That was what she valued about Derek, Ember, and Faye. They voiced the thoughts on her mind that she couldn’t always give breathe to as the Grandmaster. Often times the game she played was political, not one that she wanted to play.

Her datapad buzzed as she received a message.

Reading the contents, Makaera knew that her momentary reprieve was over. Derek had gotten the Jedi what they needed, but now Makara was going to have to pay the cost.

---

“Minister, I trust the meeting went well?” She asked.

“It went well. Look, I hate politics most days and doublespeak even more, even though I’m really good at both. I probably hate it more than you do. Have you considered the proposal?” Roman asked.

“I have.” She said. “It has my support and my approval. After this Trayus situation, I’ll raise it within the Council, properly.” She said. Makaera smiled then. “Was that all?” She asked.

“No, I have a request.” Roman said. “I want one of yours to command the fleet at Ossus. Your battle meditation would be helpful, wouldn’t it?”

“For someone who calls it voodoo, You know a lot about it.” She replied with a small smile.

“I have my comments, but I do my research.” He said, giving her a shrug that conveyed so much non chalance in it, she was amazed that a man such as this was the leader of the free galaxy. It seemed so surreal, considering that whatever pressures she had on her, he had so much more. Roman seemed so unflappable, and he did what she did on a such a larger scale. More baffling was the fact that he didn't have the Force.

“You are correct, Minister.” She said. “We will have a Jedi in command of the fleet.” Makaera nodded.

But which Jedi?

---

“L’hnnar is out.” Ember said.

Sovral frowned, as best as a Barabel could. “How do you figure?”

“We’re fighting someone who had someone crash a ship filled with explosives into an Imperial shipyard.” Ember said. “We can’t put him up against the man who trained his father. L’hnnar is a warrior, but Faarel Blackthorne had to have some kind of impact on his son. The philosophies and teachings of one person always trickle down to the next generation. Cadden will know how L’hnnar thinks.” Ember said.

“Master Rekali is correct.” Tan said, nodding. “Faye Ward would be a suitable choice, would she not?” he asked.

“Her mind is not in the right place.” Makaera said, shaking her head. “Despite her prowess as a fighter, she is too focused on what is happening with Trayus' sister. You heard her during the meeting.” She said. “She may be dedicated to being a Jedi, but I can’t readily put my faith in her at this moment, not for something this important, this big.”

“Do we even consider Cazzik Wyn?” Tan asked, looking around at the four members of the Jedi Council that were meeting together.

Sovral shook her head. “The man just found out that his best friend is a Sith Lord. How much will that affect his judgment when he has to lead a force against a ship with a superlaser and whatever other ships Cadden brings with him.” She said. The Barabel looked at Makaera Tor. “Grandmaster, we do face a difficult decision.” She said.

“I have an idea. But it will require something interesting.” Makaera replied. “An old friend.” She added, with a small smile.
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Mir
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Re: NR/JO: Slouching towards Bethlehem

Post by Mir »

OOC: Chronologically, this should take place a few hours or so before Aaralyn arrived in the Ossus Jedi Temple thread.

IC:

Renato held the door open for his fiancé, as they walked into the Grand master’s chambers. Tone and he had been asked to meet with the Grand master on a private matter, without even Ember’s knowledge. The two Jedi Shadows stood before the Togruta, who sat at a table, reading from a book and writing on a tablet of paper. The Grand master looked up at the two of them.

“Good, you’re here.” She said. “It’s always a pleasure to see two of the Order’s most promising Knights.” Makaera Tor said. “While I have not had the pleasure of talking with you that much since I was elected to the Council and to the seat of Grand master, I have heard wonderful things about the both of you. Daer’Gunn can’t help but beam with pride whenever he speaks of you, Renato. Tone, L’hnnar never fails to mention how a padawan was in charge of an entire Temple’s academics for a number of months.” She said.

Renato’s cheeks tinged slightly with embarrassment. “Master Daer’Gunn has always been very kind to me, Grand master.” He said.

Tone smiled. No matter how many years passed, whenever faced with a slightly personally embarrassing situation, her fiancé reverted to the farm boy from Froswythe. Sometimes he was still unused to the fact that people could give him compliments. Besides her that was, since he hadn’t seen his mother in years, and his interaction with Daer’gunn had drastically diminished. That reversion to the farm boy, it was one of the reasons why she loved him.

“Thank you for the kind words, Grand master.” Tone said. “How…how can we help you?” She asked.

“I have a request. I know that rumors are moving around the Temple, and rumors fly at such fast speeds. Particularly rumors with negative impact in them. There is a Sith Lord coming to Ossus.” Makaera said, and her brow furrowed when Renato held back a flinch. “What’s wrong, Renato?” She asked.

“It’s nothing, Grandmaster, except that I was at the Onderon Temple, when Sivter attacked.” He said.

She nodded. “That’s right, you were. I had forgotten. How uncouth of me. Accept my apologies, Renato. Though this will help you better understand my request. There is a Sith Lord coming, and we’re to marshal our defenses. We need a commander who can fight against this Sith Lord.” She said.

Tone barely held back the look of surprise. Her eyes darted to Renato and then back to the Togruta. “Grandmaster, with all due respect, you’re not asking us to be the commanders are you?” She asked. “I understand that we led Republic forces during the defense of Dac, but still…we’re too inexperienced for something of this magnitude.” She said.

“Though I hate sounding insulting, you are correct, Tone.” Makaera said and sighed. “Either my choices are too inexperienced or too known to our foe.” She said. When she saw the look on their faces, she explained. “Our foe is a former Jedi, who was one of us. He knows our tactics, our techniques…our procedures. He knows who is on the Council and how they think. This makes him very dangerous. Which means that my choice can’t be an obvious one.”

Renato thought about it, and then answered. “You need to go outside of the Order.” He said and she nodded.

“Correct, Renato.” Makaera said and rose, reaching into a drawer to remove a small datacard. “These are coordinates. On them, you find a planet and a place where you can reach an old friend of mine. He’s an expert at Battle Meditation and strategies. I do caution you though, he has a unique personality.” Makaera said. “For security reasons, you can’t tell Master Rekali about this, or anyone, for that matter. Leave as soon as you’re able to.” She said.
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Re: NR/JO: Slouching towards Bethlehem

Post by Foxx »

“Feris, Feris, I will never understand why a man with your talents, your skills, needs to be so…animal like.”

Feris Bayin smiled, revealing teeth that had been filed to razor sharp points. “My ship, my rules.”

“That is stating the obvious.” The other man said. “With that statement made, however, if you would please refrain from chewing with your mouth open, it would make my reading experience simply that much more enjoyable.”

Feris glared at the man, but shut his mouth as he ate. They were seated in the dining room of the Twilight’s Shepherd, Feris’ vessel, as the ship moved through hyperspace towards it’s destination. Feris’ eyes settled on the book that the man was reading, as he reached out for another piece of chicken.

“What’s that book about then?” He asked, brow furrowing. “What’s so special about that book that you need silence?” He asked.

“The plain and ordinary fact that it is, actually, a book. Feris, I’m amazed that you know what the word ‘book’ means.” The man said, closing it, and putting it down on the table, so that the title, A Brief History of the Ugnaughts in Cloud City, was visible. Taking off the reading glasses, the man reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment before letting long, genteel fingers wrap around the stem of a wine glass. He sipped, delicately. “But you serve a purpose, so I suppose that I’d prefer your knowledge of fighting and combat, and…well…cannibalism of a man’s body, to your knowledge of the more refined things in this galaxy.”

“I don’t even know why you’re here. You’re a scholar, a book worm.” Feris said, with a sneer that was woefully obvious. “You’re not a fighter.”

“Thank you for noticing.” The man said with a small smile. “You are correct, my warrior friend. I am not a fighter. The man we serve however, prizes me for my ability to think and my ability to manipulate the Force in ways that someone like you can not. Also, the Ithorian was busy, and Dev won’t leave her keep.” He said. Then he closed his eyes, a grimace fleeting over his features. “If you say something about how you’d like to bed Dev, I’ll consider it in bad taste.”

“Then consider it unsaid, but know I’m thinking it.”

“Your animalistic tendencies will one day get the better of you. I do hope that I, Ishmael Javer, Count of Be're Demonts, will be there to witness it.”

“Hopefully I’ll have chewed one of your arms off by then.”

Ishmael couldn’t help but smirk. “One day, I’ll invite you to try.”
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Mir
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Re: NR/JO: Slouching towards Bethlehem

Post by Mir »

The transport ship arrived, pulling out of hyperspace into the Velm system. The planet Velmor lay before them, a world controlled by the Galactic Empire. As the ship lurched forward, the large passenger liner received a cursory inspection by the Imperial garrison present. Renato could sense the TIE Interceptors as they flew past the large ship. Tone and he had opted for the larger liner for the anonymity that it gave them, needed protection from any prying Imperial eyes. He felt her presence approach him, and he turned.

Tone slid an arm around his upper arm and laid her head on his shoulder. “We should get on the shuttle that they’re preparing.” She said, looking out the transparisteel window.

Renato nodded, and the two, dressed in casual traveling clothes, walked towards the turbolifts. As they did, Renato sensed that something was wrong. “What was is it?” He asked.

“I don’t know. The Grand…I mean…Makaera, she seemed very secretive. She didn’t want anyone else to know what we were doing? Not even the person in charge of the Shadows?” Tone asked, changing what she would have used to refer to the Grand Master due to their surroundings. “It just seems off. Did she seem a little paranoid to you?” Tone asked.

“Considering the burden that’s been placed on her, and the charge of defending the city that she now has in front of her, I wouldn’t think too much of it.” Renato replied. “I am wondering how we’re going to find this person, though.” He added.

“She gave us coordinates on the planet, but not much else.” His fiancé said, nodding her head. “I doubt that he’ll be standing right there waiting for us.” She said, as the turbolift doors opened and they exited into a hangar. Tone frowned. “Though that’d be nice.” She added as they got into the line for the shuttle heading down towards the planet below.

They hadn’t brought any luggage with them, so moving around would be easy. A few minutes later, they were moving down towards the planet’s surface. Tone was accessing information via a datapad that had connected to the local HoloNet array. Renato looked over and through his Force gifted sight, saw that she was looking for information on speeder rentals. Makaera Tor had given them coordinates that appeared to be far away from the regular points of civilization on Velmor.

Undoubtedly they would need a speeder in order to find this person that the Grand Master wished for them to locate. Renato had to admit that everything that Tone had said had merit. But there was a part of him that didn’t want to believe that it was as far as Tone was implying. The last thing that the Jedi Order needed was a leader who didn’t trust any of the people that she was in charge of.

Otherwise ruin would befall all of them.
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Mir
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Re: NR/JO: Slouching towards Bethlehem

Post by Mir »

Renato gently reached over and placed a hand on Tone’s shoulder, to calm her down. Otherwise, she might have tried to hurt the man in charge of the speeder rental company. “It’s not that serious.” He said, though he was a little disgruntled by the man’s words. In essence, the man had required that in order for them to ride the speeder, there was a written down promise that Renato, being blind, wouldn’t drive the speeder. At first Tone hadn’t understood the man’s words, but that was because to her, Renato wasn’t blind. But it was hard for that to be the case when other people took a look at him. Once she’d understood what the meaning of his words, Tone had been rather upset, and the man hadn’t helped the situation by pointing at Renato and calling him blind to his face.

But realistically, she was far more irate about it than he was. Then again, Renato was used to it by now, sometimes getting odd glances or sidelong looks. It didn’t bother him anymore. For his fiancé, however, she couldn’t understand how someone would be so rude.

Tone walked away, and he could sense that she was a bit annoyed with the whole situation.

“The nerve of that man.” She said, walking.

“I know.” Renato said, comfortingly.

“You’re not blind.”

“He doesn’t know that.” Renato said. “No, I don’t think it would be right if we telepathically tell him to hit himself.” He said, knowing that Tone might have gotten the idea. “That’s not a very Jedi thing there, Tone.”

“I just dislike rude people, that’s all.” She said. They continued on to the next speeder shop, to keep trying, not knowing that they were being watched, from the distance.
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