Ask Lothal A White-Winged Sword

[Jal Widase]

Theme​

Commander Widase felt fortunate. His recent history had been packed with meaningful conversations, both at home and abroad. Coming hot off the heels of successive meetings with Lothal's Senator Starros and the Sith Empress herself, he felt, perhaps, a certain degree of pride. A hotheadedness, even, starting to worm its way into his consciousness. That had been beaten down by his work since those meetings' conclusions, of course. It was an endless, bureaucratic maze of polite words to minor dignitaries, or it was overseeing joint training exercises with civilian militia-members who couldn't hold a rifle, let alone fight a war. The necessary functions of his station had grown tiresome; he knew that he had to show face, though.

So when the opportunity was presented to meet with the Jedi, he snapped upon it. "Military Attaché" was a broad enough title that he had been able to use for some time. Increasingly, despite his active position within Mon Cala's Navy, his work was more diplomatic in nature. Collaborating with civilian leaders, organizations, and sometimes, everyday peoples, became an increasingly important part of his day-to-day work. He hoped that meetings with the Jedi today could cement a change in direction in his career - pivot back towards higher-stakes work but bring his skills as a negotiator to bear. This meeting with the Jedi would be a wonderful place to see if he was up for the task; the Jedi Order's knowledge and diplomatic prowess were both intimidating and exciting. It was a rare opportunity to meet them. Lothal and the Jedi Order's closeness was beneficial, today; on one of his repeated visits to the planet, he had been able to secure a meeting with a negotiator on the world today.

The Jedi had become a topic of great curiosity upon Mon Cala, recently. As the skirmishes between Jedi and Sith lingered on, Mon Cala repeatedly felt forced to pick a side. Lothal, their closest and friendliest world, had opened a Jedi temple on their world as a sign of closer collaboration; the Sith, too, were at the borders of Mon Cala, and recent conversations had brought into question the Jedi's role in galactic affairs.

Just as Mon Cala had given the Sith a chance to meet, though, Mon Cala would meet with the Jedi. And this would not be an idle meeting, as there was an object in the Jedi's possession that was of interest to the Mon Cala security forces. He had a feeling that, one way or the other, he would not be left wanting. So, as he approached the site of the old Jedi Temple of the world, he let a feeling of contentment wash over him. Some of the mystery of the Jedi Order would soon be unraveled.

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Lothal hummed with the unmistakable tune of the Light. It had been so long since the Order could call Lothal home again. The Temple was ancient and held a special place in their history. That home had been lost for so long. Senator Starros’ continued efforts opened the path to returning to Lothal. Alex immediately accepted the offer. Thousands of Masters and students would come to Lothal to test their bond. Here the Temple mattered more than almost anywhere. Of course, there was a tremendous amount of work to be done. The Order had abandoned the Temple long ago and returning the structure to former glory would be difficult. Alex’s presence on Lothal served dual purposes. Oversee the healing of the Temple and bind their ties to the planet closer. While preparing to meet with the Senator she’d received a request from Mon Cala.

The Mon Calamari had long been friends of the Rebel Alliance, the Resistance, the Republic, and the Jedi…those days seemed over. A troubling recent trend seemed to throw that history aside. The Grandmaster was well aware of Commander Widase’s influence over Mon Cala and his recent exploits. His meeting with the Empress was well publicized. She had very little respect for those who forgot their history and doomed their worlds to repeat it. But Alex would never turn down a request to meet or make her personal feelings known. This was not about her. It was about the galaxy.

As she stepped from the Temple, the stone rose seamlessly around her. The Grandmaster appeared as any Jedi. Tan robes, a variety of brown clothe, and her sabers hanging at her hips. Her face was serene mask, her mental walls risen high. Alex was the calm lake on a beautiful day. She emerged from the Temple and the stone settled back into place. She smiled softly.

“Commander.” She nodded politely. “Welcome to Lothal. What can I do for you?” Alex had no guards. No pomp or circumstance. There was only the back drop of the Temple and soft winds of Lothal.

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Jal Widase]

The temple was serene. The Commander felt quite naturally at ease around the boulders - though he was caught off guard when the stone structure moved on its own accord. He had never seen the power of the Force in person, merely through holoscreens and whispered rumors. The woman who emerged walked with purpose to greet him; it was the new Grandmaster herself. A new wave of intimidation rolled down him, sending chills down his back. The Jedi were not known to kill those who they disagreed with on-site, but Widase had no idea the extent to which she commanded her Force magics.

He had been wrong to assume before, though. And unlike his previous negotiations, he would attempt to leave his pigheadedness behind in this introduction. Widase himself wore a black military uniform, the pin on his chest showing the Resistance-era designation of "Commander." Widase offered a thick, gloved hand to shake. "Grandmaster, it is a pleasure." He had reached out to the head of the Jedi, but he had rarely expected her to actually arrive in-person. He appreciated the gesture. "I believe congratulations are in order; your appointment as the head of the Jedi is recent, no?"

He took a moment to steady himself. An eclectic collection of stone was home to an ancient Jedi temple. He appreciated the design, as it drew on the world's natural features. On Mon Cala, city-ships were individually crafted to resemble the ocean life of their world, as well; there was no higher honor than to learn from and respect the organic design that the galaxy had set in front of you.

"I am unsure if you have heard," He was pretty certain she had, but wanted to avoid sounding presumptuous. "But the King of Mon Cala and I have recently met with the Empress of Sith." It had been another unique experience, that meeting. There was chatter that the Empress had used Sith Magick to mind-control the King, or that the closed-door meeting indicated that Mon Cala had quietly surrendered to the Sith.

"I hope that does not set us off on the wrong foot. I know there is ongoing enmity between much of the galaxy and the Sith," Ancient feuds that held an incredible amount of power over the present. "But, the Crown of Mon Cala is of the belief that now is the time of new beginnings, of hope, in a galaxy when less and less is secure."

"Our desire for hope has led us here. Our history has rarely offered the opportunity for a closer contact." The world's relations with the Jedi, New Republic, and Resistance were a...mixed bag. A rogue Padawan had misled their old King, Lee Char, to sacrifice millions of Mon Cala lives to spark the Rebellion. And while Luke Skywalker and General Leia Organa reportedly had a strong relationship with Admiral Ackbar, a hero who made his belief in the Force public, there had been little cause for coordination between the Jedi Order and Mon Cala since. In fact, in the early years of the Resistance's growth, the world had been actively opposed to outside intervention into the First Order conflict.

"We have a defensive agreement with the world of Lothal. Should either of our worlds come under attack by any forces, we are sworn to defend one another." Not an offensive arrangement, of course. "And Senator Starros of Lothal is a known supporter of your Order."

He glanced at the lightsabers on her hip. Could she wield more than one at once? He imagined it was an intense display. "It feels appropriate that we should meet our new neighbors. Welcome back to this section of the galaxy. I wonder, if you would be willing to indulge, how did a Jedi temple end up on Lothal?" He paused to prepare for his real question. "And, Master Jedi, what are your Order's goals here, today?"

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Her face remained a blank canvas. The Commander was a strong-willed man, but she could sense the surface of his thoughts, nonetheless. He was here with earnest intent, but he did not fully understand the stakes. This was not a game where one bounced between leaders to collect influence. The fate of the galaxy rested in their hands. Frankly, she wished he’d just speak plainly. Words meant very little when not met with action. “Thank you, but my position is often misunderstood.” Alex smiled softly. “The Order works as a collective. I just happen to be more recognizable.” The Grandmaster was not an unquestioned source of authority. She alone did not determine the direction of the Jedi. They worked as a whole to achieve their goals.

Her voice remained carefully neural and pleasant as the topic shifted. “I am aware of your meeting with Darth Andruil.” The Empress. Now she played a game. Come on Commander…just ask me…I can see the question in your mind. Alex knew he was getting there but the journey to that one point was winding. “Our history is long, Commander. When our Order first formed millennia ago, pilgrims searched for places the Force resonated. This was on such place. The Force sings more strongly here than almost anywhere and so it holds a special place in our hearts.” The Emperor had nearly destroyed it during the rebellion. It was a miracle pieces existed long enough to salvage the old Force wellspring. The caves beneath had mostly survived.

“Our purpose remains the same as it always has. To protect those who cannot protect themselves and preserve all life in the galaxy.” Alex shrugged. “There really is nothing more to it than that.” She honest to a fault. There was no need to read her mind or face because she told you what she thought.

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Jal Widase]

Widase smiled at the Jedi - the pleasantness of this place washing over feelings of doubt. "Perhaps you can understand the confusion - when your title is Grandmaster, one might think it implies grand mastery over your peers. I appreciate the correction, though. I know precious little of the Jedi."

A wave of frustration rolled over him, briefly. Preserve all life and protect those who cannot be protected? Did that not run contrary to her previous statement, implying the Jedi arranged their order on planets where the Force was strongest? He imagined it was a Jedi koan, a difficult type of wisdom to interpret, before he collected his thoughts. But, it was enlightening at the very least; he had very little idea that the force could live in places, linger in some stronger than others. How did they know where to find it? Could they feel it? What did they attribute to these wellsprings of power - what was their origin? It must be so fascinating to be a Jedi.

"I have a great number of questions, Master Jedi, but I can save those until we have discussed business at hand." He couldn't help feeling like, between this meeting and the meeting with

Darth Andruil, there was some puzzle piece he was missing. Both Jedi and Sith spoke so plainly about their orders, their beliefs, that it seemed they would have little to fight about. Perhaps he was missing 10,000 years of context; or perhaps there was no answer. Perhaps it was the fate, the Force, that compelled Jedi and Sith to war. That mystical power he had only the faintest inkling of; he wondered if she could read his mind.

"It has come to the Crown's attention that you have secured a historical artifact," he mildly gestured his hands at the words "historical artifact." "Or, more properly put, a warship of Mon Cala design. And a crew of Mon Cala nationals to operate it." He referred to the Jedi's recent acquisition of a MC80A cruiser and sailors from the world. "You have our deepest thanks for liberating it from the hands of pirates. It is far better in your hands than the hands of ruthless, cutthroat brigands."

He raised a hand to the sky, pre-empting an argument that he did not want to have. "And, no, it is not my intention to come here and take it from you. Were your order to gift the vessel back to its ancestral home," his smile receded to a plain gaze, "it would certainly be appreciated. But failing that, members of the Naval staff, myself included, would treasure an opportunity to tour the vessel."

"During the Galactic Civil War, the dockyards of Mon Cala played a pivotal role in the liberation of the galaxy. New, experimental designs were constantly being tested. With the anarchic situation of total, guerilla warfare that the Civil War had, a number of vessels contained sensitive military information, pertinent to the security of Mon Cala through this day." Despite the vessels age, Mon Cala ship engineering had not come far, nor had the world so greatly changed from an engineering standpoint. He feared what would happen if this information fell into the wrong hands; and any hands that were not loyal to Mon Cala could be the wrong hands.

"And a crew of hundreds of sovereign citizens of our world work upon this ship, no?" Sailing the stars was second-nature to the Mon Cala people, who lived aboard the massive city-ships as a matter of rule. He understood that a crew of Mon Cala civilians could operate the ship perfectly fine, but... "As you may know, there is a delicate balance of peace on our world. Peace that could be disrupted by any saboteurs from Mon Cala, who could have infiltrated the ship towards nefarious ends." It was an unlikely concern - the Jedi had likely extensively vetted all the sailors from Mon Cala who would join their crew - but one must prepare for all probabilities.

"Simply put, my question is this: Would it be possible to arrange a debriefing with the sailors and an inspection of the vessel?"

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Alex shrugged. “It is confusing.” She spun her hand around, the Temple twisting again. “It’s more about understanding of the Force than command of the Order.” Her strength in the Force was unmatched within the Jedi. Few in the galaxy possessed the depth of her knowledge and skill. Of course, she did not expect the Commander to understand. The Light was difficult to explain to those who could feel the call. To the one unable to hear the song, what she explained was just space magic. Alex nodded politely as he continued to speak.

“The MC80 was recovered from pirates, and you are correct citizens of Mon Cala crew the ship. They are all volunteers. We’d never ask them to do something with which they were not comfortable.” Did he want the ship back? It sure seemed like he did. What an odd request. The Mon Cala armada was legendary even outside war times. If they were allied with Lothal, the Commander had to know the Sith would come. “Of course you see the cruiser and speak with the crew. It remains positioned above Ossus but we can reach it easily enough.” Alex was cautious to a fault. The betrayal at Taris hammered that home. “If I am unable to join you, I will arrange for another Jedi Master to meet you.” She cocked her head to the side.

“If you want it returned Commander, you only have to ask. We are not an army. We don’t have a fleet. The MC80 is one of our only methods of moving large groups quickly.” They needed the transport room more than anything else. “If we find a suitable replacement, the Order will return the vessel. Until then, I’m happy to keep the Crown fully appraised of its use.” The MC80 had not truly seen much combat. She planned to keep it that way. The Order needed an escape vessel, and it served that purpose. The capture Sith naval strength was their battering ram. The Star Cruiser was the escape route.

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Jal Widase]

"Full appraisal to the Crown would be a welcome gesture." He took a moment to consider her words. "No, I mean it genuinely, Grandmaster. You have liberated it from pirates, who would have surely used it to take countless lives. If, in return, this vessel can serve as a signal..." He snapped his fingers, looking for the right words to connect . "A signal of a relationship between our world and your Order, long since gone. It would be wholly inappropriate to take it back, or even request it." Even if he wanted it and the Jedi were willing to hand it over, it had a far greater value in their hands than in military control. The Fleet had fewer sailors today, having sent many fine engineers to safer grounds in the ISC. Were they to add another vessel to their command without proper staffing, it would sit idle; a ship like that deserved to be sailed.

He appraised his surroundings once more. This conversation was not going as he expected, as he wanted. "Grandmaster, I understand that your Order and my world are already bound to each other." So far, conversation had felt stilted. Almost mechanical. He was sure a miscommunication was happening, but he couldn't put his blubbery fingers on where it was. "I have come out here not to mill about, or to just shake hands with the Jedi's most prominent member, but to openly communicate."

"Trust is hard to find and harder to keep in today's galaxy. Perhaps once, grand ideals and a galaxy-spanning Empire united the righteous in a banner against the Sith." A topic he had been researching lately - the Sith's history. Uncovering the past of the Galactic Empire led him straight to the Jedi, who had suffered genocide at the hands of the Sith. Betrayed by their greatest warrior, Anakin Skywalker, and later betrayed again by Ben Solo. He imagined these dual tragedies had altered the Jedi, but their mission to protect the innocent and worship the Force remained the same. And still, in spite of their service to the galaxy, public opinion of them remained mixed. Or, rather, the pendulum swung heavily in both directions: Factions within galaxy strongly supported the Jedi, while others wanted them firmly out of their affairs.

"Today, a simple call to arms is not enough to rally worlds and sacrifice lives." The Sith onslaught continued on worlds, Jedi and neutral, seemingly undeterred by massive fleet losses and constant changes to their own balance of power. "The Crown desired a meeting so that we could reach an understanding between us. The Cruiser is not just a gift, but rather, it is a symbol of our fleet's history in avenging crimes done by Sith, against both Mon Cala and the Jedi Order." Mon Cala was victim to a great number of crimes from the Sith: Dooku's manipulation of the Quarren peoples' suffering, the Empire's oppression of the world, the First Order's preemptive strikes against them. In the interceding years, though, conflict on Mon Cala had been largely internal, as the ever-present strife between Mon Cala and Quarren intensified. Memory changed; few had any interest, now, in the legends of the Galactic Civil War when issues of corruption, piracy, and violence continued to press on their backs.

"Conflict is unavoidable between us and Sith, that much is true." His meeting with the Empress had more-or-less confirmed it. While the nice conversation and discussion of history had started a relationship that could be of diplomatic value down the line, today Mon Cala was firmly allied with Lothal, the Free Worlds Alliance, and thus, the Jedi. "But conflict between the Jedi Order and the free peoples of Mon Cala and the rest of the FWA might be unnecessary. Already, I feel a sense of friction between us, if I am honest." Whether or not that was just his perception, he felt the need to clear the air. "While there is no Jedi temple on Mon Cala, it is clear that are fates are bound together."

He considered his own world, and his meeting with the Empress. Abandoning the Jedi for the sake of domestic security had its allure, certainly, but the only true guarantee of safety and independence would be through strength. "Worlds fear total warfare, members of our Alliance most of all. And some speak to old, lost conspiracies about Jedi seeking to enslave the minds of free people, drawing them into a conflict that is not theirs. Make no doubt, the Sith Empire has already exploited this fear and doubt, paralyzing worlds who do indeed desire peace." The small protests in the FWA senatorial building, the economic downturn for arms manufacturers after the sanctions were passed against the Empire; it made it seem impossible to face head on. Every attempt thus far had been to repel invasions, which seemed to never end; even the liberation attempts on Felucia were mixed and left a sour residue to some.

"All this to say, if we are to fight together, we must be able to trust each other. And, I believe that a joint tour of this ship will be an opportunity to build that trust; it provides us an incredibly easy, yet still worthwhile, point of communication. I believe this vessel is a sign, guidance from a higher power that our coming work will rely on each other. An interdepence, of sorts." Personal questions about the Jedi Order notwithstanding, Widase saw in the Jedi a wise and powerful force. If properly understood, that power could be harnessed and brought to bear in defense of Dac and her allies. "The forthcoming war will be painful. Civilians will be reduced to collateral, already they suffer and toil in fear. Buildings, cities even, will be reduced to ash; victory will cost a great deal. No matter how much we strive to protect the innocent, we will fail. This is the nature of a total war. I hope, Grandmaster, you can appreciate Mon Cala's great desire to avoid this." Efforts to rearm the armada, ally with other FWA worlds, and even negotiate with the Empire rested on a great hatred for warfare. Mon Cala has known no end to war over its long history, even though its culture gravitates to peace. "But, just as closing one's eyes in a storm does not make the hurricane disappear, we, too, cannot avoid the unavoidable."

He paused. His intention was to convince the Jedi that he was earnest. Not just earnest, he supposed, but honest; straightforward enough that they could settle any problems there, seal the cracks of doubt that could rupture the foundation of a grand alliance. "We will stand beside our allies when the time comes."

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Alex laughed. A full-throated roar from her stomach. She put her hands on her knees, taking a deep breath. “Oh, Commander, I have underestimated you.” A broad smile broke across her face. The carefully crafted Jedi mask melting. “I’m a difficult woman…as you’ll continue to learn.” She looked him square in the face. “There need be no tension between us. The Order and Mon Cala have a long history of fighting against the rise of Empires. Our greatest figures fought beside one another.” Alex shrugged.

“Cards on the table. I understand why you met with the Empress, but you must know why that would make me wary.” Her voice was hard for a moment. “People I care for gave their lives to defend Taris and what happened? They turned on us the moment it suited them. Not the people but the Oligarchs who reigned over them. I can’t afford to make that mistake again.” She’d lost too much that day. Including a piece of herself. “I want the Republic, The Free Worlds Alliance, the ISC and the Jedi all working towards a common goal…to stop the rise of another Empire.” Progress on some of those elements were better than others.

“If you’re asking us to go to war with you, the answer is simple…yes and always. I need help convincing the rest of the galaxy the threat we face is real and we need all the help we can get.” The Grandmaster met his eyes again. “I don’t want this war, but it is here regardless. It is our duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Our duty to stop this.” She cocked her head to the side. “The Sith claim the ‘best’ ships…the ‘deadliest’ naval arsenal. I don’t know about you Commander but I’m certainly tired of hearing that when we both know a far more dangerous sleeping giant waits.” Don’t make an army, Alex. You swore you wouldn’t. Well, times changed.

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Jal Widase]

Widase joined in her laughter, their voices becoming a chorus that echoed across the quiet temple's plains. She had a point, of course; the Jedi would naturally be apprehensive about any potential enemies in secular space. He was glad the awkwardness was over, the Grandmaster's calm facade melting to a more jovial and charming woman. "The galaxy is in great need of difficult women, Master Jedi." Radically open minded, but not easily persuaded. That was a difficult position to walk, Widase assumed; being the face of an order so polarizing had its toll.

Alexandria stirred a feeling of pride within Widase. Mon Cala: The Sleeping Giant; he liked the sound of it. The feeling that it implied. It imbued a great amount of responsibility, purpose, to Mon Cala in the whole galaxy. But, the maxim remained clear" Mon Cala must not fire the first shots. They were in a careful dance now, navigating a complex geopolitical territory with the Sith Empire. It was not as simple as showing up and flashily dueling their greatest warriors; war would "Any power that threatens the independence and sovereignty of free worlds will be brought down. We will not start a war, but no longer will our polity be insulted, disrespected, and divided." He paused for a moment, reflecting once more on his meeting with Darth Andruil. He had never fully considered the sovereignty of Sith worlds before that meeting. And yet, it was out of free will that many worlds joined them. Manipulation, in some cases, but Felucia, Korriban, Dromuund Kaas, Exegol, Dathomir...these seemed impossible to police. "In all honesty, Mon Cala is less interested in the...ideological components of this war. The Force and its followers are quite complicated, and we cannot risk the lives of our soldiers to police a religion we do not understand." He put his finger to his chin, entering the metaphorical war room in his mind with the Grandmaster.

"Strategically, too, it strikes me as unsound. Surely, the Jedi Order cannot spend its resources patrolling the wastes of the wilder parts of space forever. What does an end to conflict between you and the Sith look like, should you arrive to Dromuund Kaas triumphantly?"

"And, on the topic of strategy, might I ask something of your order, Master Jedi?" He felt he had already asked much just by asking this meeting. "The New Republic. You are familiar with their Supreme Chancellor, yes?" She was a reported member of his harem. "He has, unilaterally, assaulted Denon and continued to insult the Free Worlds Alliance and its members after the fact. This is disrespect bordering on an act of war." Chancellor Ro's comments had been repeatedly poorly received; almost universally, the attacks were condemned for different reasons by the New Republic, Free Worlds Alliance, and even the Sith. "We need to work together. There, you are correct. But that will not happen if we are continually disrespected; we must be treated as equal partners, not a part of a grand political game by the Supreme Chancellor. I have no idea the extent of your relationship, but if you could arrange a meeting," His frustration took hold. "or, at least, tell the man that he is not the only person fighting a war, we can proceed better in-step."

A final curiosity struck him after his questions. This was a quite interesting meeting; rarely does one get to meet the Jedi. He thought that firing all his questions at once could help. "Might you indulge me once more, Grandmaster? Your architecture is meant to highlight and complement the existing natural features of this plain, to draw out its 'Light,' yes?"

"Would it be possible to emulate these features on a ship? It is striking to me that our finest craftsmen and engineers share the design philosophies of the Jedi." An emphasis on organic-looking material was one, but the abundance of stone and other unliving-yet-natural elements to the temple implied that it wasn't just cellular life that motivated the Force, but some kind of broader natural order. Mon Cala's mighty cruisers, too, emulated the sands, the waves, and the rocks of Dac; they brought him great peace and a feeling of home. "Your natural insight into the Force could be quite useful in future engineering."

He took a second to gather his thoughts. He had launched a veritable barrage of questions at the Jedi, and he still had many more to ask. Though he could not ask them all at once, he found the possibility of conversation quite stimulating. As a matter of course, the Jedi took on so many roles: Spiritual guidance, military leadership, diplomatic efforts, healing, building...all for an Order that was based on small temples across the galaxy. They were expected to be so versed in so many topics, Widase found it easy to ask anything of the Jedi before him. "I apologize for the outburst, Master Jedi; this is a rare honor. I am merely enthusiastic, I suppose."

@Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Finally, the Force shifted. The future was so clouded Alex could barely see a moment ahead. War and darkness obscured her vision. She never knew the right path until her feet set on it. Alex felt the comforting embrace of the Force. She’d found that path. It had simply taken some gentle prodding. “No need to apologize.” Her words were earnest. “There’s very little to celebrate these days and I rarely have such pleasant conversation.” Her responsibilities shoved one disaster at time on her plate. She’d worried this meeting was headed in much the same direction. Commander Widase deserved much of the credit for the change in tenor.

“We can’t fight this war forever nor can we assume the Sith would never return.” Where there was Light there was Darkness. Her predecessors had failed to understand the Sith would always return. They needed to learn to manage those returns. “Should the Empire cease hostilities and their sovereignty consist of only worlds that joined willingly…we would be content…assuming the hunt for our Order stopped.” Ale shrugged. She could live with such a compromise for a time. “But I doubt that can be achieved despite my highest hopes.” Andruil wanted more than she possessed. Alex doubted the Empress was fully in control of her Empire.

“I admonished Chancellor Ro personally for his actions above Denon. We must not allow such tension to fester.” Faith had led her to Emil. He made only terrible mistakes since. “Our ties to the Republic will be no closer than any world. I have no desire to return to the days of the Old Republic but only to serve them as we would serve any who asked for aid.” Finally, she turned to the topic of true interest to both of them. “In centuries past, it was possible to recreate these conditions above as it was so below. Much of that was lost when the Order fell during the Clone Wars…with the right help I believe we could recapture that art.” Mon Cala was the perfect partner in such an endeavor.

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Jal Widase]

His curiosity had been sated. He was able to prompt Alex for a reasonable response to the Sith Empire; those worlds that had joined peacefully would retain their sovereignty. They would be able to avoid disasters like Felucia going forward, with the specific goals of restoring civilian government to the former FWA worlds.

"We are in agreement, then. An expansionist force of such potency is a threat to much of the galaxy, regardless of affiliation. I imagine the people of Ossus and Kabal know that best of all."

But liberation would certainly not be so simple. Widase remembered the brutal civil war on his own world, barely ended in an uneasy truce by King Le'Fam's brilliant rule. He wished he had the vision his king did; he remembered his first days in the Mon Cala Navy. After many backroom dealings and blaster bolts, he had secured himself a legitimate position in government; a far cry from his days as a criminal. He once thought the two worlds to be dissimilar, polar opposites, like Jedi and Sith; Mon Cala and Quarren; legal and illegal. He now saw that they were sides of a coin, legal and illegal, light and dark. It was not legal, legitimate, honorable war that had brought peace to Mon Cala, but thuggery. The murder of civilian opposition. Torture of enemy combatants. Dealings with criminal syndicate members, like himself, to keep the broader population in line. War was hell, and it made its victims into demons.

He suspected the Jedi already knew that fact. The stress was visible on her face; her taciturn attitude at the beginning of the meeting a result of a morally upright woman who was constantly dragged down to the slimy depths of violence. He would not mar the pleasant moment with a discussion of such things; she had not reached her position by being naïve, surely. But the coming war would test their faith, and he was quietly curious if the Jedi Order was ready for the measures Widase believed necessary to win.

He would soon learn. Empty, moral bluster had taken the Jedi and FWA to square one in Felucia. The time for such talk was over; the sun was setting on flowery negotiations, and now beasts began to stalk the night.

Widase extended his smile at Alexandria once more. "I am glad this has been as pleasant for you as it has been for me." Her insight into her order's role in the fall of the Old Republic showed great wisdom, a necessary humility over her Order's past errors. While she did not accept blame for their actions, she accepted that they had misstepped, misused their power. Much the same as the Sith Empress had. He wondered if the two women might appreciate each other, in another world.

"Forgive me if I rush too ahead of myself, but it sounds like we have the makings of a project." A new vessel, of Mon Cala make with Jedi consultation. It could have great merit, but it had its own risks. Namely, the brief de-facto ceasefire that Mon Cala had made with the Sith after their meeting.

Before he was a Commander, he had been a crook. And before a crook, he was a gambler. The risk-taking, adventure-seeking part of his past called out to him, asking him for one more game of chance. It was time to roll the dice.

"I'll make the necessary arrangements with the Crown. The Fleet of Dac will prepare for a friendly Jedi delegation."

/exit thread

@Valen Pelora