Trial on Ossus

[Duncan Kincaid]

Duncan continued to stand in silence after listening to Drast. Near him a man's voice spoke out in frustration and he could feel the very energy emanating from every word he bellowed outward. The room was chaos in the emotions that were filled within every Jedi. There was no even way to split the room, some were hungry for death and others wished for salvation; he feared neither of them would get their desire on this day. It was Alais that Duncan kept his eyes locked on, even reaching out to her what he was met with was different than the first time he met her on Tattooine. It was the whispers, the rumblings, and the extent of the Order that showed up that told him she was far busier than many of the others here. It was not merely Jedi who showed up for a trial, but those that were close to the girl.

He opened his mouth to speak, but the words were caught in his throat. It was to his immediate right that Evalyn Dan'ela's voice would cut into the air and he found himself breaking his focus from Alais to her and what she had to say. He was curious as to the stories this woman held that would divulge the information to the path Alais had taken. He knew what he was risking by speaking out about emotions, about what he had felt; but there was more to the Order than the light and Alais was evidence of this. Pulling his hood down to reveal his youthful face and almost glowing blue eyes he used the moment of quiet to speak his mind.

"Ignorance, yet Knowledge."

The young man's voice finally escaped his lungs as he allowed it to be heard. Despite being a youth of 17, he had not only the size to back up his voice, but a clarity to it that made it nearly echo off the chamber walls even with the constant whispers. He looked around from face to face in the room as best he could, making sure to look every Council member in the eye before continuing.

"How many here have truly experienced the temptation... the allure of the darkside?"

His gaze continued to pan the room, as if he were awaiting an answer; but, he'd speak before anyone could make a true effort.

"It was Alais Drast who took my hand in perhaps my darkest moment and showed me more than just the light, but the warmth that is there."

His gaze broke from the room of spectators to the one being charged as all he could do in that moment is look upon the girl who may have saved him from the same fate she was facing now. He could sense the anger, the malice, and the contempt for the girl radiating from certain individuals even as others spoke of alternatives. It was them he felt the greatest fear for, did they not know what they were hinting at? His eyes traced over the dark garment his friend wore and he could only feel it was a poor choice in garment given the circumstances. Smiling at her naivety he extended his hand out as if to showcase her.

"Is she... was she not a Jedi Shadow?"

His eyes now looked to Master Vox.

"A sect within our order that fights darkness with darkness... yet we expect them to be the very light that their shadow is cast from. Turning our backs on that light which remains in Alais is surely the fastest way this vision may become a reality."

Duncan huffed in one final breath before finishing.

"Ignorance, yet Knowledge... Let us not be ignorant to the mistakes we... the Jedi have made. This is our opportunity to fix past mistakes or risk all we have worked for being lost."

 

[Saeros]

Alais gave her defense. As her voice rose, he could feel the anger and hurt she unleashed at the Council. It came to a head with her final shout. The vision was of little consequence to Saeros, as simply seeing possible futures was not something one could or should be exiled for. However, the other cases troubled the Rishii. It was more than apparent to Saeros that she had not learned to temper her emotions and not let it cloud her judgement, which is exactly what the Jedi Order taught. Being a cold and calculating machine was not what being a Jedi was like — only the most naive would think this. Emotion, yet peace was what the Code stated. However, it seemed indeed that Alais had foregone all teachings and indeed fallen far. While many might have missed it when she turned, Saeros' eyesight missed nothing, including the yellow stain of her eyes. He inwardly recoiled, knowing full well the telltale effect of the Dark Side. It was clear — Alais had truly rejected the Light.

At her comment on trying to understand, Saeros thought back to not long ago when a Jedi escaped here on Ossus. This Jedi had forced another to retrieve a corrupted, dark tome for the very same reason, "to understand more". Saeros had heard that Wyck himself was instrumental in catching this Jedi and exiling the man. In answer to Alais, what the Jedi knew and taught was that the Dark Side was overwhelmingly evil and utterly consuming of both body and mind. There was no escaping its taint if one tried to simply "understand the other side". Alais was indeed fortunate that she was being given a trial and a chance to explain herself for what she had done.

Master Vao continued in his calm manner despite Alais' outburst, which pleased Saeros. However, his reply was...weak, in the Rishii's mind. Alais was given the chance to explain herself and confess or deny her guilt — not whether she wished to continue on such a path. It was then that a small, furry thing brushed rudely past Saeros to the front, whereupon he demanded to be instated on the Council representing the Crusaders. The Jedi next to the Rishii seconded the motion, and Saeros agreed that Fennex' point was fair. Seeing as the head of the Consulars was missing as well and that Wyck represented them, it was only fair that Fennex would do the same. It was then that Master Vox spoke, but once again Saeros was disappointed. He could sense nothing but disgust from the man and dislike for the Council as a whole. He was right in that Alais shouldn't be cast out immediately — the Rishii believed she should if she was unchanging in her path to the Dark Side. However, his defense of one so clearly fallen was unforgivable. Saeros' respect for Kal Vox, a Master of his own sect, had become nonexistent in one fell swoop.

The rest of the audience must have become emboldened by Fennex' arrival, as several Jedi stood and began speaking. Saeros nearly laughed at their disrespect. This was the proceedings of a trial! Not a place for open discussions such as this. Here, the Council's decisions held firm. Finally the boisterous rabble settled down and Wyck continued. The aged Knight, though looking troubled, exuded nothing but calm. ⁝⁝ This is how a true Jedi ought to act ⁝⁝ Saeros concluded, fully agreeing with the Consular's statements. And as the Rishii Shadow stared, silently as always, with his piercing gaze into Evalyn's eyes as she spoke, he saw her understand. Despite the Council's failings, Alais had still fallen. However, he hoped that they would allow the audience to stay — don't punish them all for the mistakes of a few.

And so it was — Alais' guilt was confirmed. There simply was no doubt, and any Jedi who thought she hadn't fallen was a fool. All that remained was her judgement, which was entirely up to Alais. Would she reject this darkness, the Dark Side? Or would she reject the Order, and therefore exile herself?

 

[Alphonse Carraway]

Through the words and actions of the others, the only thing Alphonse did was take out one of the cigars from the case he kept in his coat and lit the end. Taking a deep drag he let the smoke out, making sure not to get it in the face of anyone around. He kept silent, though he looked at Alais with an odd intensity in his eyes. Even though he was only basically trained he still had some small control over the Force. He used this to send her a feeling of gratitude, as strong as he could, for everything that she had done and that he had the privilege of being a part of. This whole thing was a farce and the outcries from the others in the gallery were only serving to condemn her even quicker. It was one thing to speak one's piece, it was entirely another to actually act on them. While most here were focused on the trial Alphonse was already planning beyond it. A path was forming, a plan and strategy to right the Order and prevent such injustices as this trial from happening again. If Alais looked at him he would salute her with his hat, a silent affirmation that he was on her side and that he believed in her.

The Balcony was getting crowded, the Amaran Jedi who had jumped up being another person who had captured his interest. He walked through the crowd, already knowing the end of the Trial from the attitude of the Councilor alone. He paused to take another drag, standing facing the opposite way as the older woman though standing just by her side. "I'm pretty new here, so perhaps I'm just not used to such things, but these Jedi sure seem quite the talkative bunch. There's a time and a place for everything and this is certainly not it. Yet, it's not my place to speak against them. Besides, they're...adults, mostly, they should know the weight of their words and actions." He held the cigar in his left hand, placing his cane under his arm as he extended a hand towards the woman. "Apologies, I forget my manners sometimes. Alphonse Carraway, former criminal and current Jedi. If that fact doesn't drive you away, may I have the pleasure of your name? I haven't seen you around before and I've been trying to make it a point to know as many of my peers as possible. Though if you are something more, than I apologize again."

@Malon

 

[Vishhkar]

Vishhkar nodded to Liam, silent, as the trial began. The whirring of the repulsorlift bringing Alais up into place before the council. The charges were laid, and the defendant exclaimed her guilt, laying the responsibility of her fall at the feet of the order. "Alaissssss... no." Hissing in a grieving pained whisper, but he knew the truth of her words. She had indeed fallen, he had seen the signs on Lothal, the beginning. It had not ended there. And it seemed it would not end here either.

The room erupted into chaos, Jedi speaking their minds from the observation gallery. Some even shouting at or lecturing the Council. Are we really thisss broken? The trandoshan Jedi questioned to himself as he closed his eyes, trying to block out the noise and chaos that surrounded him. Only the Force held the answers. Letting his conscious mind slip away, the large Jedi calmed his body and his mind, breathing beginning to slow.

The eddies of the force whirled with tension in the room, with Vishhkar's mind bobbing among the waves. Detached from his meditating body, Vishhkar's mind sought out Alais. An easy task, her presence one of simmering anger. His mind touched hers. There was darkness there, much as the darkness that had gripped her on Lothal. But this was different. This was her darkness. It bubbled within her, a sick oily blackness that stained her very soul, growing with each passing moment. Vishhkar's mind recoiled in shock. She had fallen more than he had suspected.

But hers wasn't the only conflicted mind. Not even the council in judgement was spared from troubling emotions surrounding the case of Alais Drast. Jedi Masters, yet torn in their hearts. His old master, Wyck, was easiest to read. Grief and sadness, yet resolve. Not yet a master, but in Vishhkar's mind the wisest among those seated above. Moving on to the woman, a Jedi Master he had only heard of, he felt great disappointment in her. Disappointment and pain. Alais' teacher, this one was, Master Dan'ela. And lastly was Master Vox. Greatly conflicted. Strong emotions stirred within his mind. But there was also something other. Another presence, delving deep past the surface thoughts. A presence that felt... Off.

A presence that didn't belong.

 

[Rhea]

As Rhea withdrew the Force and her probing mind back within her protective shell, she felt the briefest touch of another. Another Jedi out there had cast their net, but failed to make a catch. Fortunately, she had taken every precaution to hide her intent. No mater how skilled the casting Jedi was, they would not be able to follow what they felt back to the source, nor discern the meaning behind it. Unfortunately, that was not the end of the distractions.

Approaching her next was a man who looked distinctly as though he did not belong in the great Jedi library on Ossus. She momentarily wondered if he was the mind that had touched hers, but quickly dismissed the suspicion. This one was not yet trained in the Jedi arts. His mind was open, inviting, and pliable. She regarded him with the faintest of glances from beneath her cowl and spoke to him in a tone that would only be carried far enough to be heard by him (though she scarcely thought that the other Jedi could hear her even if she were to shout, given all of the shouting they were doing amongst each other).

"Do you make it your prerogative to approach every stranger in such an uncomfortable manner, criminal?" Rhea hissed. "You are no Jedi and are a fool to think I cannot see through such deceptions. Still, you are at least perceptive enough to see that I am clearly not your peer... that I am something more."

She put the Force into her voice when she spoke again. The man, Alphonse, his mind pliable and his skill insufficient to resist her, would find her voice soothing and alluring—her suggestion irresistible. The words would not be spoken, though. They could not. Instead, he would merely hear her voice crawling within his head.

:: All thoughts of me will slide from your vision, from your mind, like water. You know what I am, but you will be unable to remember it, to voice it. :: She paused. :: What does a 'Jedi' see? Only what I allow them to see ::

And, with that, she released him and returned her attention to the trial, which, she sensed, was finally coming to a head.

@Arclight @Insalius

 

[Ryell Vao]

The voices in the room reached a crescendo and Vao could take it no longer. Standing abruptly enough to garner the attention of every squabbling Jedi in the room, the usually soft-spoken Jedi Master slammed his palms down on his podium and amplified his voice over theirs through the Force. "Order! We will have order!" he bellowed, then shot a glance at the furry Knight, Fen. "The Jedi Council—what remains of us—has permitted this hearing to take place as you see it; and our own council will decide who sits upon the bench."

Seating himself once again, he motioned to the Temple Guards below to put away their weapons. He would have no violence in this hall. Turning his gaze towards Master Dan'ela, he said, "Transparency is important, Master Dan'ela. I could scarcely call this trial just if Alais was not permitted to present her testimony—and we the evidence—in front of her peers." He breathed a moment until he had regained his composure. "Now, please recount your observations before this council."

He shot a glance back over his shoulder at Master Vox. "You too, Master Vox. The girl has not yet been condemned and you have directly observed her actions. Wyck here has been able to give specifics. Surely you, a Master, can do the same. Come to your senses and let go of the personal attachments clouding your judgement. The Jedi Council had no part in Alais's actions, nor the borderline renegade behavior of the Shadows. She is an individual with the ability to make her own choices, and, when presented with those choices, chose to torture and kill." He matched Vox gaze-for-gaze. "A Jedi never takes part in the torture and deaths their prisoner. A Jedi never uses the dark side of the Force to tear other beings into pieces—innocent or otherwise. If we start excusing such behavior, then we are no better than the enemy that we fight."

His tone of voice finally returned to normal and he added: "Temptations can be helped, Master Vox. But there is no turning away from torture and murder." He broke his staring contest with Vox to cast his gaze down at Alais as if an idea was beginning to form within his head. "Actions have consequences. The more severe the action, the more severe the consequence." His gaze shifted back to Vox. "That is the way of things."

@Valen Pelora @Phoenix

 

[Jedi Temple Guard]

Having received Orders from Master Vao, the four Jedi Temple Guards returned to their posts: two at each entrance to the pit beneath Alais. Their final acts were to deactivate their saberstaves and return to a guard position; but they were poised to strike again, should the need arise.

 

[Liam Valros]

Liam sat and listened as the Jedi Council briefly explained what had been brought against the young Jedi Knight in the center of the room. While others seemed to mirror Liam's first reaction to this trial, Liam began leaning the other way after hearing the Jedi Councilors speak. If she truly used the dark side to torture and kill, she deserved punishment. If it became acceptable to use the Dark Side of the Force than their truly was no difference between them are their exiled brothers and sisters.

Instead of beginning to react as some of his fellow Knights did, he listened, look of concern falling over his face as Alias began to speak. She made no attempt to deny charges brought against her. There would be no point in lying if the Council had the witnesses they claimed, they also carried a connection to Force that let them see into a person's mind. The next part is what horrified Liam. She took no responsibility for her actions, blaming the entire council and accusing the rest of the room of being blind. It was no secret that Liam had his doubts about the dangerous path young Jedi were put on, but it still did not remove blame from someone for their own actions. One had to seek the knowledge, one had to accept the knowledge, one had to use the knowledge.

As he waited for the Council's response he was blown away by many of the Jedi Knights who presumed they had the wisdom to cast their own judgment. Even a child spouted faulty logic. The room largely ignored the fact the girl offered no argument against the claims, showed no signs of repentance, showed no acceptance of responsibility.

He was embarrassed at the utter ignorance that these supposed Knights tried to pass off as wisdom. Their outbursts were a much more convincing argument that the Jedi Council had failed in their training of young Jedi.

Liam nodded slightly in agreement as Master Vao spoke. Many things needed to change within the Order, being tolerant about torture and murder were not amoung them.

 

[Evalyn Dan’ela]

The blathering did not stop. Knight after Knight dug the hole deeper, condemning Alais to the fate they preached against. Finally, Master Vao called for order. Evalyn felt a small flicker of hope. This farce would end as Master Vao realized it should have never began. The Order disappointed her again. Evalyn sadly shook her head as the Councilor spoke of transparency. He didn’t understand. They could hear testimony, evaluate witnesses, and sit in Judgment without the rabble. Jedi could watch the proceeding without dragging it into chaos. Master Vao was known to be careful and considerate, a deliberate thinker. How could he be so blind? He had let the trial become a referendum on the Order, instead of an investigation on why a young woman lost her way.

He was allowing Alais to become everything he feared. Evalyn felt a deep moment of distrust. Was this a mistake, or part of a larger plan? Her eyes flicked from Master Vao, to Alais, to the crowd. Her gaze swept over the gallery. She had a choice to make. Alais was her sister. They were bonded together stronger than blood, but the young Jedi was ripping the Order apart. The Jedi could not survive another schism. They were broken, splintered, and scattered. Unity was their last hope. This trial, this show, could end them. The Order could still be saved. Evalyn made her choice. Her face hardened as she stood to speak. The Force ringing with resolve. She shot one look at Kal. He was a mess, his emotions spilling into the world. She silently urged him to control himself.

Her eyes fixed on Alais. Their connection oddly as strong as it had ever been. Evalyn did not speak to the mob. Her words were for Master Vao and Alais. If the shouterswanted to hear, they could be silent and listen. “I met her in a swamp, covered in muck. She had crashed her ship and lost her lightsaber. I was adrift when I met her, Ilum still weighing heavily on my mind. We were literally chased up a tree by Vornskr.” She paused for but a moment. “From that first meeting, I knew Alais was different. She made me remember who I was. I saw no Darkness in her then.” Evalyn would not give Master Vao every dirty detail he wanted. “I see it now, stronger than it ever was before. I taught her as best I could. I never saw her kill an innocent. I never saw her lose control, but I saw the Darkness and I thought I could save her. I watched her pour anger and hatred to fuel the Force. I watched her crush, suffocate, destroy.”

Evalyn never took her eyes of Alais. She wouldn’t. “She did it to protect me. To protect those we tried to save. It was never from a place of Darkness but a place of compassion. I thought if she could learn to control those emotions, if she could learn why it was dangerous, we could change everything.” Her resolved held strong. “We searched for answers. The Order had none. The truth had been scrubbed from every book, every tome. We had no choice but to find our answers elsewhere. We found them on Ilum. I saw the Darkness taking root then. I saw the vision Master Vao preaches now. I thought, in arrogance, I could still save her. I could show her the way. Together, we would change the Order for the better. We return with the truth and knowledge that had been lost. We could fix things together. Then she was lost to me.” Evalyn’s greatest singular failure.

“The Darkness I sought to defeat grew powerful than I could have ever imagined. The girl you all shout to protect is gone. I watched her kill in anger, in hate. I watched her revel in death.” Evalyn took one deep breath. “We deserve the truth but we cannot be blind when we are shown it. Emotions are not evil, but the Darkside corrupts absolutely. I’ve seen it. It has taken my apprentice from me.” She turned to face Master Vao. “This is my failure as much as hers. I failed her when it mattered most.” Evalyn reached for Alais in the Force. Her mind touched her student’s. “I’m sorry. I am so terribly sorry. It never should have come to this. You deserved better than me, better than all of this. I should have found you. Stronger together.” She prayed this foolishness would end. Alais’ fall firmly rested on Evalyn’s shoulders. The girl deserved a chance to atone for the mistakes of her master. The Order deserved a chance to heal. They had to be stronger together. @Sreeya @Phoenix @Malon

 

[Darth Kravos]

Kal thought for the briefest of moments that he felt someone else in his mind and soul: probing and searching. While he'd allowed himself (and, yes, his emotions) to be open to others to read, this person reached past the frustration to glimpse something that was not her business. By the time he realized this, it was too late, but Kal immediately shut his mind off to others. Although there may not have been any great way to completely mask his feelings on this trial, his deeper, secret thoughts were buried under layer upon layer of defense.

Kal listened to Master Vao, and his generalized disdain for the Shadows and their "renegade actions" that kept the galaxy safe was not lost on him. He silently wondered if he wouldn't have been condemned if he were the one on trial, or if any of the other Shadows would have made it through this trial unscathed. He had touched the darkness and killed for the Order in ways he knew would appall many.

The Jedi in the gallery were hardly even on Kal's mind as they shouted their opinions and objections. Though some sided with him and some against, there was one prevailing thought that clung to his mind. The small Jedi, Fennex, he thought his name was, had called for other members of the sects, but it only now dawned on the Jedi Master that the Councilor they needed was not one from the Crusaders, but one of their own. If anyone on this Council would understand the plight of touching darkness to serve the Light, it would be Councilor Winters.

He was about to speak to this, when Evalyn spoke up. Every word she said was like a knife in Kal's heart, and he could only imagine what it did to Alais, and even herself. Her attention was focused entirely on the young Jedi, but the spiked feeling of betrayal lingered just below the surface in Kal. Unlikely to be understood by anyone else but the three of them, Evalyn knew him well enough to know what it was. They had grown close over the last two years, nearly even dancing with something forbidden by the Order, but now he was shocked by what he heard.

His teeth gritted and he knew that would be the nail in the coffin. Her fate would be sealed by the testimony of a friend. The Jedi, who only really sought condemnation, had their evidence from one close to her. While despair wasn't his way, he knew the die were cast, and now it was merely a matter of time. He wanted to object to the proceeding now on procedural ground as well, but knew it would be futile. He knew that Evalyn spoke of things that Kal had seen as well.

Perhaps we aren't stronger together. @Malon @Sreeya @Valen Pelora

 

[Ryell Vao]

Master Vao listened carefully as Dan'ela recounted her testimony. The wind had been taken out of him. His worst suspicions—garnered from the glimpses he had seen within Alais' mind, and supplemented by Wyck's testimony—had just been confirmed. Master Dan'ela was right. The girl was beyond saving. If she was permitted to remain, as Wyck intoned, she would be the death of the Jedi Order. If she was not stopped, she would kill countless innocents. He saw that now. And as a Jedi Master, the leader of the Jedi Sentinels, and one of the few trusted with the leadership of the Order, he would not permit that to happen.

He held up a hand. "I've heard enough." Then, looking to Alais on her stand below him, he said: "I see now what has happened. It has been apparent to me since I peered into your mind, but the testimony here—" He glanced at Master Dan'ela "—has only reinforced what I initially thought. You carry all those deaths and torments you wrought within you. Each one has strengthened your ties to the dark side and emboldened you to go further. What's more," he glanced outward at the peanut gallery, "you easily form bonds and, left unchecked, will drag countless more into the darkness along with you; and that is why you are a threat to us all." He sighed and, for a moment, looked genuinely sad. "You are a breach that must be closed and you cannot remain."

Now he stood, summoned his voice, and proclaimed loudly: "My judgement is this: exile—you must leave—" He sighed, paused, but it had to be said "—and you must do so without your connection to the Force. It is a punishment reserved for only a handful and only when necessary, but we have the collective power to cut off your connection to the Force and it must be done."

@Valen Pelora @Phoenix @Sreeya

 

[Andraste]

Alais had been standing amidst the platform silently the whole time since her plea. Others judged her, some defended her, and the entire chambers were in disarray. She tried hard not to pay it any heed, keeping her gaze trained forward. Her heart pounded against her chest, and there was fear clear as day on her face. She had never felt so small, and she never felt more like a child. Her diminutive form stood alone under the crushing weight of everyone’s judgment.

She felt the emotion from all around her, some trying to reassure her, while others sent only hate. She was an open book, unable to hide the darkness that was slowly coming to surface. Anxieties took hold, and fingers began to fiddle with the sides of her dress, nails digging in and clawing away at the intricate trimmings. She chewed on her lip till she could taste blood, and she wanted nothing more than to run away from here.

Evalyn called for everyone to be sent away, and it was to no avail. Alais kept glancing up at her in hope, and she could feel the palpable emotions from Kal even from here. He had never been one to lose composure, but now everyone could see this was tearing him apart. Evalyn did well to keep her emotions in check. Alais looked from the two of them to Wyck, and then to the Vao. The Councilor had no change of expression, his face stoic as ever, and she began to wonder if the man ever had any semblance of emotions at all. In many ways, she envied him.

She had seen Fennex speak up, and she thought back to their little adventure on the mountain. How peaceful and carefree it had all been, and the worries of war and dark side were nowhere to be found. She would climb that insufferable mountain a thousand more times with him on her back than be here and face this. Alais tried to control her emotions, rapidly realizing that all of these people she considered friends and had grown to love would shun her and turn away from her forever one way or another. No matter how this ended.

She was pulled out of her thoughts as Evalyn began to speak. It began with the tale of how they met, and that brought a faint smile to her face. From there, it only spiraled down, the smile slowly being replaced with a look of horror. Her eyes widened, knives being repeatedly stabbed into her heart, right where she was the most vulnerable. Her mouth went dry, her jaw dropped. Evalyn was betraying her. Evalyn was crushing her heart. Evalyn was turning on everything they had vowed to be. Evalyn was letting go of her hand for the first time since she had gripped it that first day they met. Since she said they’d be stronger together. Right before Alais put her blind faith in her. In the end, it was Evalyn.

She barely heard the Councilor begin to speak, standing in numbed silence. She blocked her mind off from Evalyn being able to communicate with her, quickly trying to piece together the shards of her fragmented heart. She had known the Exile was coming, and she had been ready for it. However, what came next…

Stripped of the Force?

It was a fate worse than death. She would die a thousand times over before she could stand the thought of losing her connection to the Force. Could they truly stand by and condemn her like this? Alais looked up with pleading eyes, brimming with tears, “No..” She whispered hoarsely, barely able to get words out past the lump in her throat, “You..can’t…” Her mind echoed the Councilor’s words over and over again, and it was right when she didn’t think she could take any more damage. Any more pain.

Alais collapsed to her knees, her hands planted on the platform. She tilted her head down and cried, the tears now openly streaming down her face, right there in front of eveyrone. She was not supposed to display emotion. She was not supposed to break the fundamental principles of being a Jedi. And she couldn’t help it. The tears came, the sobs came. This was perhaps why she failed. This was why she was weaker than everyone else here. This was why she deserved this.

“Please….kill me instead..” She begged to the floor, too weak to stand, fingernails raking as her hands curled into the cold platform. She wanted to be dead to the world, she wanted her life forfeit, and she would take it in an instant over having her connection to the Force severed.

 

[Alphonse Carraway]

Alphonse felt her enter his mind with the Force, having already been suspicious of her, yet he knew that she was far beyond his level of power. Instead of fight against that attack, though, he resolved to do what he could by following her strand back to her own mind. He found it evenly protect, for the most part, besides for where she was now assaulting him thanks to her vaguest sense of arrogance towards him. The slightest thinning of her defenses allowed him to pierce through, though he knew she would feel it. On the other side was...Something. It wasn't like anything he had felt before, yet at the same time it felt familiar. Was this the Dark Side? What exactly was it, and what draw could it have? Perhaps it was because he had relied more on his own abilities than the Force that he didn't feel any temptation from this touch with it, or if he did it wasn't speaking to the right part of him. In any case, those thoughts and more began to fade as Rhea wiped the encounter from his mind, for the moment. He took another drag on his cigar, not even seeing her anymore, though he would remember her and her name and this encounter far later in the day once she had gone. He couldn't even feel if she were still reading his mind, for now completely blind to her.

It was at this time that Alphonse heard the words of the Councilor, not believing what he was hearing. Severing one's connection to the Force? That wasn't something he had even heard of before. It raised so many new questions as to the conduct of the Council and just went to further raise the bitterness that the former criminal felt towards the organization. These men were NOT the people that should be in power, their decisions were flawed and cowardly, ultimately self-destructive. A person didn't grow and evolve by ignoring problems, instead growing by facing them and overcoming them no matter what horrible truths they might find. His path was clear now, he HAD to become a leader for the Jedi and right this wrong from the inside. He would cast down these cowards, schemes and strategies already beginning to form, though for now he had to get to where Alais would exit from the main fall from. If she were going to be stripped of her power then he had something to give to her, even if it were just a small thing. He'd be damned if he let her go without some means of protecting herself and he wanted to let her know that he still believed in her and would always be there for her.

@Malon

 

[Fennex Zeerda]

Fen subconsciously bared his teeth as Vao shouted him down, his fur rippling in annoyance rather than anger. Fen wasn't grandstanding here in the Gallery like some of these youngling dingi. He was standing up for what he believed was a sham. A kowakian-monkey lizard court. It was emblematic of what was wrong with them right now. They had half a council, and of those only one of them seemed to be running things. Two masters were here testifying, but neither had anything to say publicly in Alais defense. There were no counter points. No mitigating circumstances. Nothing. It was a lynching. Fen wouldn't deny for a second that Alais was guilty- she had said as much. But at least she was being honest about it. This wasn't even about her, as Fennex saw it. This was about the order and how they had shaped the circumstances that turned Alais into what she had become. She wasn't the only one either- they were bleeding talented Jedi at an alarming rate through death and defection, and this was just the latest and most public example of the cancer that was eating them alive. The impassioned pleas of the dolts around him wasn't helping. This wasn't about her feelings, or his, or theirs. It was about how the Jedi did business... and, more importantly, how they didn't.

Vao stood up, all carefully cultivated seriousness, acting like he was the grandmaster or something, and delivered the sentence. There was a collective intake of breath, and then a hush seemed to fall on the room that seemed to last forever, but was probably only the briefest of seconds. Excommunication was serious, but a severing? That was extreme. Too extreme. There had been no deliberation, no discussion. No opportunity for Alais to plead any further- though he doubted she would at this point. If she was emotionally troubled before, he could only imagine how she was feeling now. He wouldn't stand for this any longer. Fen leaped from the railing to land on the podium where Alais stood and took a position between her and the Council as she pleaded with them. His stomach was in knots, and he was keenly aware of the orange blades flashing to life in the pit below. Luckily for him, he was one of the only Jedi in attendance small enough to fit on the platform meant for one. The Guards would have to pull him off. He wasn't here for a fight though, and was careful to keep his hands visible and away from his lightsabers. So much for that promotion to Master, Fen thought, knowing how this was likely to go over.

"I SAID OBJECTION, Master Vao, and I will not be shouted down.", Fen cringed even as the words left his mouth. He really hadn't thought this one through. "Last I checked, you were not the Grandmaster of this order, and I take great exception to the lack of proper representation on this council." The irony in objecting to the way this proceeding was conducted after leaping onto center stage was not lost on him. He half expected to be yanked off the platform at any moment given a judicious stun blasting. "Nobody here is saying knight Drast isn't guilty, but there's not been a single shred of deliberation here. Not one person has been allowed to give any mitigating evidence before passing such a drastic sentence. I've been here as long as you have Councilor, and never in all my years in this order have I seen business conducted in this manner. I sincerely doubt the other councilors would have allowed this to become such an ill considered spectacle."

Fen was really pulling words out of his fluffy hind parts at this point. His tail was twitching and his eyes flicked back and forth between the assembled masters. Win or lose this argument, he was guaranteed to get a tongue lashing for this later. Wouldn't be his first, probably wouldn't be his last. But what were they going to do? Exile him? He could feel the raw emotion radiating from Alais behind him as she collapsed, and for a brief moment he wondered if he were doing the right thing here. He pushed the feeling aside. Choose your path, and follow it to its end without hesitation. Master Quickbill had taught him a lot in the few years they had been together, but the most valuable thing Fen had ever been given by the little bird was a sense of right and wrong, and the conviction to follow things through to the end. He'd made his choice here today.

"This is wrong."

 

[Ekaj]

Ekaj was shocked, the verdict was far beyond what he had expected a verdict worse than death. Banishment from the jedi, banishment from the force. Was the council insane, they would do more harm than good, this will be the catalyst that burns the order, Ekaj preyed that it would rise anew and fresh like a Phoenix. But the order could not survive this intact.


Ekaj whispered to him self. "master's, council you doom us all with this." There was nothing more that need to be said. Why was his eyes the eyes of child open to what clearly the council could not see. This was torture this was what they spoke against they where committing the same crime they had called out.


"council how can you, your punshment is far worse than any crime Alais has admitted to. Your punshment is worse than death worse than torture and far darker than any vision." he knew his cry would fall on deaf hears, he knew punshment or better, guidance was needed. But to remain silent would condemn Alais to a worse fate, total abandonment. A simple spark may be all that is needed to saver her from a dark fall.

 

[Wyck]

Wyck clutched at his heart as if physically pained when the verdict came down. Exile was punishment enough. Imprisonment, even. But this...? To strip a Jedi from the Force was the most terrible punishment the Council had in its arsenal. In all his many decades of life, Wyck could count on one hand the number of times it had been used against another Jedi—and he only had three fingers! Master Vao was right to be cautious about the girl, given the severity of her crimes, but... was this the answer? Was this what needed to happen?

"Careful we must be, Master," Wyck at last opined. "Clouded by the dark side these matters are. Dangerously clouded." Wyck's face creased. His eyes closed. "Seen many Jedi exiled, I have. Self-exiled or formally, the result has always been the same." He remembered his confrontation with Shiro in the libraries of this very temple. He remembered how pained young Vosrik had been when he realized the betrayal that had taken place. It was similar to the pained look on Evalyn's face... on Kal's. Wyck was tired of seeing such pain painted on the faces of so many good Jedi. "But—" He steeled himself. He needed to be strong. "—though at a disagreement we are, made a decision, the Council has."

He glanced down at Fen, who, at this point, was making the same mistakes as the other Masters. Too much were their personal feelings clouding their judgement. He addressed the tiny fox with reverence, with sadness in his voice, but also with resolve. "At times, difficult choices must the Jedi make. Not always in agreement are we, but... Master Vao, right about one thing he is. Torture and kill prisoners, Jedi do not. Use the dark side to kill, a Jedi does not. A reverence for all life, innocent or otherwise, must a Jedi show. Killing, a last resort must it always be. Hmmm." He paused. "Always done in defense of others, and never inspired by vengeance or anger."

Again, a sigh. Wyck felt defeated. For it to come to this... Yet, still, he persisted "Brought this punishment upon herself, young Alais has. Saddened, am I. But respect the Council's judgement... I do."

@Sreeya @Phoenix @Valen Pelora @Loco

 

[Vin]

Vin stood there, all alone in a far end of the viewing gallery, and stared down at her friends. Not with sadness, not with pity, not with worry, but with fear. Her eyes followed the proceedings, her ears heard the terrible things that were said, her skin felt the warm tears that escaped her eyes as she realized what was happening. All her senses were aflame, there was just too much for her to process. In that moment she was just a little child, caught up in something she didn't know how to deal with. And for once the Force offered her no comfort. When she opened herself to the Force, the maelstrom of emotions around her overwhelmed her. For all her time among the Jedi, she was still no one, a fumbling fool whose grasp on the Force was far from subtle enough to comprehend the undercurrents of the trial through the Force. The emotions, the anger, the pain, the fear, it was all too much for her. But through it all she did sense something, something that scared her to her very core. The Dark Side.

It was here, in the very heart of what remained of the Jedi Order. She sensed it all around, an undercurrent flowing through the chamber. With every disagreement, with every whimper, with every strong emotion is spiked. She didn't know the source, there was no way for her to know whose emotions were betraying them. Evalyn, Kal, Alais, she couldn't distinguish one from another, as well as she might know them, they seemed so far away. They were at the heart of what she sensed, engulfed by it....or feeding it. That thought scared her more than anything she could imagine.

All she could do was close her eyes, bury her face deeper into the hood of her cloak, shutting the world away. But that wasn't enough, for she couldn't stop herself from hearing Master Vao's words, the finality in them. She couldn't stop herself form hearing Alais, even from this far away her pain shot through to her. The darkness, the fear inducing grip that now had her in shivers spiked.

She opened her eyes and slowly raised her head to look at Alais through blurry eyes. Vin didn't know what had happened to her in the years since they last met, didn't know what had driven her to do the terrible things the Masters said she had done. She wanted to believe in her, trust in her as she once had. But that darkness, that darkness scared her. And fear changes things. She saw not the young girl who had run headfirst into a haunted forest to help her simply because she had asked. She didn't see the girl who had saved her from a Rathtar's clutches. She saw the darkness she has sensed in that forest, she saw the anger she had felt in her. There was a darkness here, in the very heart of the Jedi Order, and it was making her see what it wanted her to see.

She wrapped her arms around herself, praying that this was just a dream and she would wake up. For what was she to do if it wasn't. Those were her friends down there, and in this reality they had just been lost to her. She still held onto the Force, and through her fear she heard whispers, whispers of possibilities. If the Jedi abandoned Alais she would fall, with or without the Force she would be a foe the Jedi would regret giving birth to. But that was not where this would end, Evalyn would not be the same, Kal would blame himself, and they might never trust Wyck again. Fennex was already willing to fight the Council, what would he do if this went through?

Her eyes cleared for a moment, and she saw it as clear as day. The Force had laid out two paths for them this day, and the Council had just pushed them down the darker of the two.

@Sreeya @Valen Pelora @Malon @Phoenix @Loco

 

[Kaizer Sutsgy]

Kaizer felt disappointed in himself for having been one of the catalysts to turn the trial into a shouting match. All around him, people felt the need to shout their opinion without even waiting their turn, though he was equally as guilty for having spoken needlessly. The emotional nature of such a trial, combined with the unequivocally high tension, was making people lose their minds.

Not far from where Kaizer stood, a Jedi that Kaizer had met only once spoke and confirmed what Alais was speaking. Kaizer could not quite remember the boy's name, though was eventually able to remember that the boy, the Knight, was named Ekaj. Ekaj allied with Alais and Kaizer could not help but shake his head disdainfully. How far the Jedi have fallen that younglings take part in adult matters, thought Kaizer, though was careful to keep his emotions hidden in the event that the Masters were looking for signs of trouble. All in all, he was calm, if disappointed.

More and more Jedi stood on the soapbox, both for and against Alais, and each one made Kaizer more and more disappointed, both at the Order and with himself. He blamed his momentary lapse of judgement, of discipline, for the chitshow that the proceedings had become. Although saddened when Evalyn mentioned dismissal of the observers, he could not help but agree with her because they had brought it on themselves.

Kaizer's disappointment changed to a moment of sadness and then a degree of relief when the Council handed down the sentence. He had not wanted Alais to be executed for her wrongdoings, nor did he wish her to be released upon the galaxy to fester and bring a plague forth against the Jedi. While he agreed that cutting someone off from the Force was extreme, he felt it an appropriate middle ground for crimes that, according to those present, were horrific in nature and wholly against the trainings of the Jedi.

Due to this sentence, people continued to shout out around him and Kaizer almost lost his restraint, seeking to simply tell everyone to shut it and allow the proceedings to continue without input from the peanut gallery. Just before he opened his mouth, however, he realized that he would just be adding fuel to the fire and silenced himself. On the other hand, Ekaj continued to speak on a matter in which he had no experience. Kaizer understood that he was a Knight and that, while Ekaj, Kaizer, and Wyck were all technically equals, Kaizer would yield to Wyck's greater amount of experience and additional training nine times out of ten.

Careful to avoid stepping in front of any yelling Jedi, as Kaizer liked to avoid being spit on or having people yell in his ear, he made his way to stand directly behind the young Jedi. Bending enough so that he could speak directly into the boy's ear, he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and squeezed it in a way that was intended to get the young Knight's attention. Kaizer, speaking in a firm tone, was loud enough for Ekaj to hear him, though hopefully not loud enough to be overheard by the others. "You will silence yourself, young one, for you know nothing of what you speak. While you may not agree with the Council, they have rendered their verdict. Yes, you are a Knight, same as the rest of us, though do not mistake yourself for thinking that rank gives you all of the answers. Those Masters in front of you have more time spent in training and defense of this order than you likely have in this galaxy. If they are mistaken, we will handle that at a later time. Now is not the time. If you wish to argue, we will step outside where we do not risk further interrupting the proceedings." Should Ekaj argue, Kaizer would attempt to steer him into the corridor leading to the proceedings so that they could speak freely without it adding to the noise pollution present in the room.

@Andrewza

 

[Jedi Temple Guard]

The fox's actions were enough to get the Jedi Temple Guards' attention. At once, they sprang into action, combining their considerable power in the Force to latch onto and rip the tiny Jedi off the stand and into the pit below. It would be a short fall, the impact of which would only daze the tiny Jedi. But, in that crucial moment of stagger, all four Guards would project a powerful Force stasis around him, preventing him from moving.

Afterwards, each took out their saberstaves and ignited a single blade, surrounding him in guard formation as one might a captive or a prisoner. One Temple Guard stood ahead of the rest, apparently their leader, and glanced up at Jedi Master Vao.

"What are your orders, sir?" he asked in a baritone voice amplified by his helmet.

@Loco

 

[Shalken Tanari]

Shalken sat quietly amidst the rambunctious gathering, content to remain silent. These were woeful times indeed. The Order was shattered, their Councillors missing, Exiles and bounty hunters alike preyed upon the Jedi across the galaxy, and now this — their own kind falling to the Dark Side, even openly and willingly. These things troubled Shalken greatly, and it seemed that everywhere he looked for solace, he could find none.

Shalken closed his eyes and opened himself to the eddies of the Force to seek peace as he was taught, but what he found disturbed him even more. Emotions flowed freely about the room, but not tempered as they should be. Hate, anger, sadness and fear. How could they have fallen astray from their path? Were they even so different from Alais, the little girl that stood in judgement before this Council? There were beacons of tranquility within them which brought Shalken hope, true, but they were few in number.

Hearing the judgement laid upon Alais, Shalken was truly shocked. Stripping someone of the Force was drastic, certainly, but condemning young Alais to this fate was incredibly severe. Was it truly merciful to let her live on, part of her soul forever stripped from her body? Death would be a far kinder fate. Shalken knew the severity of her crimes, but he could not help but feel pity for her. Indeed, such a punishment had not been done in an age, and never without the presence of the full Council. Who would be the ones to carry out such a ritual? Master Vao of course, but what of the others? Knight Wyck would be willing, but he was likely unfit to assist them. While Shalken could not read Master Vox or Dan'ela easily, it was plain to see the pain on their faces that reflected something deeper. Stripping one of the Force required total concentration and conviction, and Shalken doubted they would agree with the Council's sentence.

Even so, Shalken remained silent, unlike some that murmured their dissent about the room. It was not his place to decide Alais' fate. It was clear to him that she had indeed fallen, and he wished it was not so. But perhaps the Council's decision was kinder than it first appeared, as a severance from the Force meant the Dark Side would have no control over her. In time, she could repent of her cruelty and live a normal life, albeit without the Force.

Shalken sighed deeply. This was a dark day indeed.