Open Where Are The Jedi?

[Ezra Thorne]

OOC: Open to Jedi Only
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Ezra was not normally an emotionally charged person. However, even he had his limits with the sheer amount of inactivity he saw in the Jedi. The Grandmaster was missing - reported to still be somewhere on Ailon. The Council spent weeks deliberating and effectively doing nothing. He was the son of Emryc Thorne - possibly the calmest man in the galaxy. But he was also the son of Jaikus Thorne - one of the most theatrical and fiery individuals in the galaxy.

He marched up to the massive doors that led to the Council chambers, “I demand an audience!” He called out. However, he didn’t stop there, pacing around the courtyard as he scowled around himself.

“The galaxy is falling apart and where are we?” He called out, “Why aren’t we organizing a coordinated strike against the abominations? Why aren’t we retaking planets that have become overrun by beasts? They thrive off the Dark Side of the Force, isn’t it our job to disrupt that with the Light?”

His voice grew louder the more he spoke, “So come out, Jedi Council! Come out and tell us where our Grandmaster is! Come out and explain why keep burying our heads in the sand and waiting for Raze to simply go away! Come out and explain why we aren’t leaning into our allies!”

He was not usually a man of many words, but it was obvious this had been brewing for a while. He wanted to break the door with the amount of frustration he felt. He didn’t care if it wasn't the ‘Jedi way’. The Jedi Way had cost them everything thus far and now they perpetuated the sentiment to the galaxy that Jedi did nothing. No. Not while he had something to say about it.

 

[Theia Durand]

Theia stepped lightly behind Ezra as he marched with a fury to demand answers from the Jedi Council. She didn't think herself knowledgeable enough to speak up like him, but there were things she had been asking Ezzie in her training that seemed to point to the frustration he was feeling currently. There was certainly a part of herself that was worried about how upset he had become, and it was difficult for her to see him this way. The last she'd seen him this upset, she had just thrown his favorite ship toy off the balcony to see it would fly.

The thought fluttered through her mind if he still had that ship that Uncle Jai promised to fix, but Ezzie's raised voice brought her back to the present. Everything he spoke of was beyond concerning, where was everyone? The darkness had veined through the galaxy and made everything seem so much more in despair, it was hard not to think about it, she was just one padawan and it was easy to feel helpless.

She was curious to see who would come or who would answer.

 

[Ashen Kade]

Just a few days had passed since Ashen embarked on his personal little 'galactic expedition', and now he was on his way back to the exact chamber he hadn't expected to see again for several months. He's only now learnt of the countless reports about the newly emerging atrocities around the galaxy, with abominations wreaking havoc on Coruscant and Imperials invading Bastion. Strangely, the Jedi Council remained silent. No guidance, no plans, no organised effort to address these pressing issues. Absolutely nothing.

He hurriedly rounded the corner to the Jedi Council chambers ready to make his case only to be met with a rather upset Jedi pacing around the courtyard. Seems like Ashe was beaten to it. Though it was comforting to know he wasn't the only one looking to raise concerns.

Slowing his steps, he approached the two Jedi addressing them in a warm and relaxed tone. "I guess I'm not alone in wanting to know what's up with the council." He observed the tall Jedi with a concerned look, only to be replaced by a slight smile as he shifted his attention to the Jedi with fiery red hair.

 

[Killian Fray]

Doing a little lunchtime running, sandwich, and grumbling-to-himself multitasking while on the way to the Council to get a talking to for something-or-other, Killian had been in the middle of chomping through his food when he noticed someone Marching with Purpose in the general direction of the council chambers. The man was followed by a much less authoritative figure tiptoeing along behind them. It was enough to spark his curiosity. Was someone mad at the Council again?

The man's voice, which called out with increasing volume and seriousness to echo around the courtyard, told Killy all he needed to know. They were yelling at negligent authority figures? He loved doing that! Frankly, that the Council hadn't actually done anything about all the fucked up shit going on was... well, pretty fucked up. And it was tough coordinating a mixed group of others so far without Council support. Killian scarfed down the remaining sandwich with a few gulps of water and legged over at speed.

As he went he sent out a mass text to anyone else he thought would be interested in loudly complaining to the Jedi Council.

Killian skidded to a halt near the other steadily-gathering and joined in with Ezra- pretty recognizable guy, really- and instantly joined right in. And boy, was he loud. "Yeah! Fuck your meeting, we gotta do somethin'! People need our help!" The young man took in a deep breath and, powered by the lungs of a rock and roller, added on an additional, "Sittin' in Council chairs doesn't make ya leaders, it just proves you've got asses!"

Far less eloquent than Ezra, but between the two of their complaints others were murmuring general agreement and a few were even starting to join in. Yet more looked uncomfortable or shy over the idea of yelling at the Jedi Council, but whatever. Clearly being polite about it wasn't gonna work or it would've by now.

@Sreeya @GABA @Scrumppe

 

[Eirik Sunwielder]

There were fewer pleasures in this sordid world greater than that of a lungful of fresh, untainted air, Eirik had come to realize.

One deep inhale followed another, each relishing that untarnished luxury more than the one before, as though he were a man denied even this most base of experiences. And he might as well have been thusly punished, given his latest endeavor on behalf of the Order! An assignment to handle territorial disputes amidst the slaughterbarons overseeing the beast moots of Marrovia was, by and large, not the finest or most heroic of Jedi operations, but he had been in a neighboring system and figured he might as well. It was some measure of good in a galaxy beset on all sides by evil.

Even now, so distant from that place, he could perfectly recall his time on the agri-world: great, white clouds tracing the horizon like low mist rolling in banks that heralded the dust of super-herds coming down ancient drove roads. Stock pouring into town at the beckoning prods and hollers of herdsmen and dynastic shepherds along trackways scoured into the plains by generations of cattle that had dug deeply enough into the earth to form natural funnels towards the awaiting beast moot. Stockmen navigating their livestock towards holding areas while brandsmen went from pen to pen, checking flesh-brands and ear slashes for provenance and ownership, while tallymen collected up silvered tally rings from drove men, and clattered them onto the abacus-like tally boards they carried.

Beyond these herds and lit by oil-drum fires that stained the air with greasy heat, stood the long halls where buyers could inspect sample animals, and beyond that loomed the ancient, grim silos of the rendering plant. Traders came to peddle dead meat and salted or froze it for shipment to cheap food-marts down-system. Others bought live and shipped it, while more yet came for the mechanically-recovered meat products of the rendering plant, and others for the phosphate dung and fertilizer. It was a veritable hell for anyone who valued quiet surroundings and fresh, breathable oxygen. It was why Eirik fared so well, savage and wild his formative years had been.

Another soothing breath dispelled the lingering, heady autumnal stinks of blood, dung, fire, herbivore gas, and baled feed and returned the Knight to the present. The glowing sun above bathed him in warmth and comfort, and the rustling of fronds paired with the chirruping of nesting larks to create a calming concert of creation as perfect ambience to his meditations.

At least, it might have been calming, were it not for the sudden histrionics shrieking out from the halls behind him. A creasing of his brow was all the condemnation the Weikian displayed as he roused from his contemplations. His fingers dug gently into the soft loam below before he pressed against the earth and heaved to his feet with a tired sigh, hand brushing against the faded grey of his happabore-leather trousers to wipe away the dirt. A small prayer to his gods slipped between his breaths as Eirik strode swiftly into those harried halls to investigate.

”Scream any more like a banshee,” he remarked with the calmness of a gathering storm cloud, ”And you might wake the statues up, if only for them to plead for silence.” He let loose a quiet, grumbling chuckle, then paused to assess the four. Bloodwolf’s balls, he thought to himself as a saturnine expression veiled his face, They’re shriekin’ children.

His tongue slid along the face of his teeth as his jaw worked from side to side for several heartbeats, his venom-green eyes sweeping swiftly over those assembled in silent scrutiny. He’d only caught the tail end of Ezra’s shouting, and so the man found himself just as in search for clarity as he was for silence. He raised a palm skyward and gestured vaguely around him.

”You’ve a flair for the dramatic,” he remarked as his hand dropped back down to his side, ”Have you an aim to this shouting, or is this an audition to play the part of a starship’s venting hydraulics?”

Around them, a smattering of Jedi had begun to curiously saunter in, beckoned forth by the disruptions.

@Sreeya @GABA @Scrumppe @Mr. Teatime

 

[Yi Tarkar]

From the crowd of jedi that had started to take a look at what was happening, a large Quarren man stepped in, the knight was covered in bandages in many places, an obvious sign that he had been in battle recently. Yi looked around, having only heard snippets of Ezra's speech before realizing what this was about. The younger knights were a bit...unorthodox, when it came to the way to approach this, but it was not necessarily a bad thing, they certainly had a fire in them that didn't allow them to stand by when shit went loose, and Yi couldn't help but respsect that.

So, he simply looked at Eirik as he asked what this was about "Too loud for my tastes, I'll admit" The Quarren would say before shrugging with his shoulders "But if there's a time for jedi to raise their voices, it's certainly now, what with the galaxy being swallowed by darkness as we speak." He would add. Being someone that had been in Coruscant not long ago, the man meant those words, the galaxy was in a dark place right now.

"So..." The Quarren would look at the jedi knights making themselves heard "With everyone gathered here now, it's as good of a time as ever for the council to do their part, they probably haven't been standing around idly while everything happened, but now they need to calm their jedi and guide us through these dark times." He said, nodding in approval at Ezra before looking at the council's door, crossing his arms and waiting for a response like everyone else.

@Sreeya @GABA @Scrumppe @Mr. Teatime @Painus

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

Leon’s verdant gaze roiled with frustration. Once again the Jedi had failed. Once again the galaxy called out to their protectors and their cries fell on deaf ears. He closed the article on his phone just as a text message came through.

Baudelaire’s smirk sliced across his lips.

A few minutes later and he was stepping through the thrown open doors behind his brother (@Sreeya). Ezra's voice rang out, echoing off the vaulted ceiling. The only answer he received was his voice bouncing back at him. Leon could count on one hand how many times he’d seen Ezra this mad, and he was glad to be on the same side of the Thorne's anger for once.

Since becoming a Knight, there had been zero direction from any of the council members. All of them were complacent in their station, and that complacency had cost the galaxy lives.

Leon wasn’t interested in adding his complaints to the gathering masses. Ezra’s challenge had been loud enough and until one of the council arrived, he’d remain silent. He thought back to the last missive the Grandmaster sent out. Was this what she’d wanted? Was this the change The Order needed?

Baudelaire put a hand on Theia’s (@GABA) shoulder to reassure her. A small reminder that even if this was uncomfortable, she wasn’t alone. Then stepped up next to Ezra. Making his intent and opinion clear without needing to speak. Actions would be the deciding factor today, not words.

The voice of a Jedi Leon didn't recognize (@Painus) caught his attention. The older guy was clearly trying to get a handle on the situation, so like a student with a substitute teacher, Leon ignored him. Anyone in the position of Master could have led this charge, but they hadn’t. His eyes remained on the door to the council chamber.

Leon took a deep breath, the course of history was being altered today, it’s direction, however, was still to be determined.

@Mr. Teatime @Versok @Scrumppe

 

[Ferrin Sipal]

Ferrin could barely contain his frustration.

Once again, the Jedi Order had fallen short of their oath to protect the Galaxy - victim to the rampant stagnation and complacency that had overcome their leadership. It had allowed Coruscant and Byblos to fall in rapid succession. It was why the Hapan Queen Mother had remained uncontested on her crusade - with not a single counterattack mounted against the tyrant. They had the support of trillions and a fleet loyal to their cause, and yet continuously writhed in their own indecision.

Twice within weeks, the Pantoran had risked his life to defend their temples and territories from the enemy. Twice, the Council had failed to respond whatsoever.

It didn’t take Ferrin long to arrive outside the council chambers, stepping into the courtyard with the rest of the assembly. The Pantoran was still adorned in his signature combat armor - the silver hilt of his lightsaber swaying at his waist. The fabric and leather of his armor was still discolored with blood and grime, having returned from defending Bastion only hours prior. It was a far cry from the refined and stylish way that the Pantoran often projected himself, his expression hardened and serious.

Wordlessly, Ferrin came to stand close to Ezra and Leon - offering each of them a nod of acknowledgement as his arms crossed over his chest. His gaze, however, quickly panned over to the Jedi squawking at the quarter-Sephi.

“Did you come out of retirement just long enough to pontificate?” Ferrin hissed the words towards Eirik, his golden eyes narrowed into thin daggers. It was clear that the Pantoran wasn’t amused by the jokes, no more than he was amused by anyone making an appearance simply to bootlick for the Jedi Council. “Do us all the favor of shutting the fuck up.” His eyes lingered on the Knight for only a moment longer - promptly flicking to grandiose doors leading into the Council chamber.

 

[Ezra Thorne]

Ezra wasn’t surprised to sense skepticism - in the past he would have been just as put off by this display as Knight Sunwielder. It was loud, unconventional and unruly - everything Ezra was not. However, such a display was exactly what was needed to draw a gathering. His theatrics worked as intended, Jedi coming out of the woodwork all around him. He saw faces that had been tucked away, faces that had the potential to change the tides of war, and many new faces that still had unrealized potential.

The part Sephi exhaled when Ferrin gave his explosive rebuttal. Instead of letting tension linger, Ezra turned to regard those gathered, ignoring the council doors for now.

“The things that are eating through Byblos, Nixor and Coruscant were created with Sith alchemy,” He explained to the group, his voice firm but calm. The Jedi standing there would quickly realize the initial drama was just for show and he didn’t intend to actually perpetuate it, “They are susceptible to the Light side of the Force. If we use Force Light, plant surge, healing and other purely light attacks, they will be impacted. We have a chance to put up a real fight on these worlds, so I propose we deploy strike teams and I don't want to wait around on the Council to deliberate.”

He looked over the groups of Jedi, “If there are Shadows left or even justicars among us, we need to be in Imperial territory to sabotage operations and stop their war machine from continuing the offense they started. Those that are diplomatic among us need to reach out to our allies - we need to go to Ailon to reassure our militaries that we will not abandon them in their time of need. We need to go to Onderon, the ISC, the Core worlds that still call us friends and make a stand.”

Ezra felt very uncomfortable being in the center like this and talking so much. In fact, he didn’t even realize he had been awkwardly stepping closer to Leon and Ferrin - two people that were far more comfortable around crowds.

@Altaris @Zay @Painus @Versok @Mr. Teatime @Scrumppe @GABA

 

[Jon Callo]

Soon Jon would reach middle age and he had yet to see the Jedi Order in action. He remembered the Jedi Knights that supported the Sector Rangers in their fight against tyranny, the syndicates and eventually the Sith Order that would be their undoing. It was a good fight. One that Jedi Master Albion had reminded him of.

Yet, as the rodian looked around today amidst the commotion near the council chambers, he didn't see her. That, despite the other knight's screeching and the cursing at each other that some others seemed fond off, worried him more. Without Hera, all Jon knew of the Jedi was inaction. The Order was content in 'owning worlds' -as the Empire now called it- and not meddling in the greater galactic affairs.

Jon had always thought that without the Sector Rangers the Jedi Knights were the only truly good arbiters of justice. How naive and hypocritical that may seem.. even to himself. Walking up to stand roughly three meters behind Leon (@Zay), Jon was content with merely watching the scene as it unfolded.

Well, "Sounds like we need a posse," the rodian grinned as he more mumbled it to himself in a nostalgic wave of old the old ranger posses hunting down outlaws in decades past. "I think Onderon sided with Hapes and Darth Raze," he quickly returned to the present as he remembered the news of the Hapes-Onderon fleet trying to destroy Byblos before Raze did it himself, "but I reckon I still have friends with the locals there. Those willing fight against evil."

 

[Dash Pavan]

Dash had arrived late and spent a good few hours trying to track Ezra down. So much for the surprise. Finding out his man was apparently down at the Council chambers concerned him, but now he had caught up he felt only pride.

Ezra had always been a leader, even if he could not always see it in himself. He took his own focused, logical mind for granted, forgetting other people didn't think the same no matter how often Dash reminded him. His courage was also next level. From their exploits on Berchest to Eiram and beyond, the Rhinnalian was always astounded how Ez could march into things without a hint of fear. Even if it was just pure stubbornness sometimes, Dash still thought it was amazing.

He leaned against a pillar toward the back and tried to disappear into the stone. Ezra was standing there so confident, laying out more direction than the Jedi had been given in an age and Dash did not want to distract (@Sreeya ). He had other reasons for wanting to keep a low profile of course, not that his new hair and crystalline coat would avoid the eye for long.

Ferrin was there (@Altaris ), and Leon too (@Zay ). Dash had not seen either since he had left them in the lurch on Kashyyyk and his guilt at running from the Sith there weighed heavy. There were several Jedi around bearing the scars of recent battles, battles Dash had been notably absent from. Whatever he had been building on Kro Var these past few weeks, however important he felt it was, he still found it difficult to meet their eye.

So he stood silently and listened, one Jedi among others, wrestling with the duty they all shared.

 

[Rahman Bahadir]

The Jedi were once again thrust from the backdrop into the limelight in an uncomfortable collision course with itself. Each time there seemed to be momentum, some success of some kind, it would vanish under the cloud of anothers success triumphantly passing through.

It almost seemed like his brother was right after all, were the Jedi better off on their own? The bulky Orcolan fumbled his way up to the crowd gathering before the council chambers. Saying nothing for now, he watched and waited to see if anything would come of it, or had they truly been left to their own devices?

 

[Aranmir]

Aranmir had been walking back to his room when he heard a commotion coming from the entrance of the Council Chambers. Curious with what could be happening, the Tiefling walked toward it. When he arrived, the place was already crowded with other Jedi. He even recognized Leon (@Zay), but rather than staying close to him, the Tiefling stopped next to a Rodian (@Eccles). What had attracted all of them here was really surprising, at least for the Padawan.

The famous Ezra Throne, who some considered as the biggest jerk that was ever part of the Jedi Order, was screaming in front of the doors of the Council, calling the Masters to do something in face of the recent events in the Galaxy. Aranmir wasn’t sure if the guy deserved to be called a jerk, but he was sure that Thorne was speaking the truth.

The Tiefling could remember one time in the recent years that the Council came out of their fancy room to do something to help. All help that some planets received were simple relief missions organized by a bunch of Knights and the Masters only nodded in agreement. They talked about destroying the Sith, but did nothing to stop them.

Was it really the Jedi way to sit idle while the Galaxy burned around them? Aranmir immediately remembered a meme where a cartoon character was sitting in a burning room while saying that this was fine. The character could be easily replaced by the Council. The Padawan could laugh with this thought, if the situation wasn’t real and dire.

Thorne’s idea of sabotage was really good and made the Padawan have ideas. Being born in G’wenee, the Tiefling would not stay silent when he had an established opinion. “We should secretly reach the independent planets around the Empire, see if we can find allies there and prepare to spy inside its territory.” Aranmir had no idea if it would help, but maybe he knew someone in his homeworld that could help.

At least it was better than complain about them being loud while the Galaxy burned, like that old male Jedi was doing.

 

[Kane Seros]

Last time Kane had seen a gathering of people this hot headed was back on Nar Shaddaa. Pick a room full of tourists and watch them all turn on each other in the blink of a hutt's eye. Seemed this anger wasn't focused amongst the group, though; more like it was focused at a closed door. A door Kane hadn't seen open since he'd been there.

The brand new knight sauntered up to the gathering, staying among the fringe of the group. His dark brown eyes followed the outspoken Jedi one by one under a mop of charcoal hair, trying to at the very least get a hint of what was going on. It wasn't unlike Jedi to lose their tempers, but Kane had never seen Jedi so angry they'd make demands of the council. If there even was a council anymore. For all Kane knew they could be gathering outside a room full of skeletons.

Kane folded his arms across his chest, taking in the plans and tribulations with silent glances. Everyone that spoke had a point in one way or another. His finger tapped his arm through the wide sleeves of his scarlet robe. He wasn't diplomatic, nor was he inspirational; he was but a blade in the fight for light. Where that fight was, and against who would be decided. Who would lead who? Who would go where? And the towering rancor in the room looming over them all: how would the council react if they were still breathing?

 

[Zakrym La]

Zakrym La had faded from the spotlight within the Order, something that was intentional. The Jedi had felt as though he had failed the Light in his duties to her. He hadn't adhered to her goals for him and instead focused on ways he thought would make the galaxy a better place. He had once believed the Sith could be reasoned with, they could be pulled back from the precipice they stood on, they could be redeemed.

He was wrong.

In self-imposed exile, Zak had watched as the galaxy fell to ruin. The Senate crumbled and new evils took form where others had once existed. There was nothing but chaos, ruin, and death when there had once been the tiniest sliver of hope. Zakrym had expected the Jedi Order to rise up and become beacons for the Galaxy to turn to, to utilize the armaments he had once secured for them to push back the Darkness. But they didn't, instead the Jedi sat idle in their temples and enclaves while the Galaxy burned around them.

It sickened him.

It was why Zakrym had returned to the Order, in hopes of swaying action where there had been none. But someone else had beat him to making this case and demanding answers. Zakrym La listened to the son of the President of the ISC as he demanded answers, demanded that the Jedi Council do the right thing. He was met with nothing but silence from the Council, something that didn't surprise Zakrym in the slightest.

It would be only then that Zakyrm, with the hood of his robes drawn up, would begin to gently make his way through the crowd. His aura radiated the same earnest that Ezra pushed forth, the same need for action and justice. It would only be once Zakrym reached the second row of the crowd that he would pull back his hood and speak.

"I believe Coruscant should be our primary focus for now." He stated in a calm, peaceful tone. "The warships your father once gave to us need to be put to use and those people need aid immediately." He continued. "Where would you have me Ezra?" He asked.

@Sreeya

 

[Eirik Sunwielder]

Do us all the favor of shutting the fuck up.

Whatever ire the Pantoran boy had hoped to arouse from his fellow Knight would not be found here. There was a brief flash of bristling tensions that Eirik felt well up from a place deep within him; the irksome insolence venomously spat, by a comrade, no less, crashed upon him like a wave against a rock and flowed onward as the burgeoning savagery was swiftly suppressed. The Weikian then felt a pang of pity and melancholy, for it was these feelings of contempt and resentment that unbarred the gates of the mind and heart to those darker emotions that led to iniquity. It was an all-too-familiar path that Ferrin perilously inched towards, even in these desultory outbursts; the Jedi Order had long dealt with the younger generations rushing headlong into the fray and losing themselves in the process, and over millennia of their history they had the unfortunate trend towards repetitive entropy.

Eirik was not upset; he was crestfallen that such depthless disdain for its own kind had so thoroughly gripped the galaxy’s peacekeepers.

An inclination of his chin and a curtly-rumbled, ”Callow,” were the man’s response to his frustrated fellow Knight before silence swept over him, his attention drifting towards the ringleader of the display. His words were sound, even if they came from a place of impatience and frustration. The Jedi were not a band of the indolent waiting idly by until given directive as though they were automata; the Jedi were warriors and scholars, diplomats and peacekeepers, and rare was it to find one content with sitting and watching the galaxy burn around them. The Force worked mysteriously, and perhaps this was yet another of its many indecipherable tests to urge the Jedi onward.

”Rare is it to find a Jedi who thinks he must beg his leaders to let him go out and do the good he was taught to do, he mused once the introductory speech had concluded, raising his voice to be heard, ”Rarer, still, might it be to find one who would disagree with your words today. And yet,” he passed his focus over the younger Knights at the fore, his face placid and his words contemplative, ”These… theatrics before the Council chambers cause more harm to us than good. We are quick to assemble and shout, to cast blame and silence dissenting opinions as though we are not, each of us, equals, and erode trust among comrades,” his gaze lingered overlong upon Ferrin before continuing to drift across those gathered, ”We know what we must do to combat our foes, so why must we weep and moan within our halls like mewling cubs, and then bare and gnash our teeth when our impetuous deeds are called into question?” The man gruffly waved his hand nebulously to those around him in an emphatic gesture before threading his fingers into his beard, scratching at an itch.

”We’re not karking droids, and the Council does not pilot us. Get out there and do the damnable things we know we need to do.” The Weikian folded his arms across his chest and snorted, brows knit together with mounting vexation. He inclined his chin once more, pointing it towards Ezra curtly. ”Have you a proposal of how we might conduct our oath-sworn duty, boy?” he queried, his tone no less calm in spite of its gravelly tenor.

 

[Kara Vaalki]

When the Drama began kicking off, Kara had been sitting in a nearby alcove, datapad connected to her lightsaber as she attempted to calibrate the blade for quite possibly the millionth time that week. As she stood up with a sign, disconnecting the cable from her pad and clipping the blade to her belt, the Jedi Knight couldn't help wonder if the tensions now truly boiling over had been playing some small part in why her lightsaber crystal was being particularly fickle of late.

Of course, given the broader state of the galaxy and the turmoil in the Force in general, she could hardly be surprised if the crystal was just having a rough week. Given the shouting coming from the lobby in front of the Council chambers, Kara couldn't help but smile wryly to herself. At least my crystal would be in good company, she thought.

Still, it wasn't like the anger was misplaced. Hell, the fact that the Council lobby was flooded with young, irritated Jedi spoke to the heart of the issue - the Order was, once again, sitting on its hands in inaction. A tale as old as time, really.

And now we all get to sit around and point fingers - or worse, argue about why we're arguing, or whether or not we're doing anything - and still walk away after doing nothing.

The war had worn everyone down, and Kara was no exception. Where once she was a Jedi who expected the best out of the Order and accepted no less than perfection, now? Now she was just...tired. So damn tired. She'd read enough holos to see how this would play out. And for her part? Kara was....well, done with all of it.

"You know, usually when Jedi are this melodramatic, we tend to have a Schism." Kara observed dryly, to noone in particular as she approached the growing crowd of Jedi. "And then we install a new leadership, with the same old structures, the same old codes, the same old ranks in the same old temples where we teach each other lessons that, generation after generation, lead to melodramatic meetings and more schisms because fundamental failures in the structures and teachings of the Jedi Order keep producing predictably ineffective results. And the galaxy gets a little darker every time."

"So!" Kara said, with an emphatic clap of her hands. "Given the fact that we're all pretty much sitting on our hands waiting for someone to give us the green light to go do something, and that's literally what we were doing five minutes before now, how about we just go spread the light, or however you want to call it? You know, go out, do the good thing, fight the good fight, maybe cut down a Sith or two if we find the time. Help people everywhere, big or small, wherever we're needed. Travel the galaxy and restore hope."

"If we keep having this problem with our leaders in their ivory towers turning a blind eye to the suffering in the galaxy...maybe we need to burn the ivory towers down. Maybe we don't need our leaders telling us what to do from on high anymore. Maybe we don't need the Council."

 

[Zathria]

Zathria's interests had continued to follow the path of the healer, and while she was rarely on the front lines of battles these days, she also found she was rarely among the Jedi themselves. Perhaps that was an indictment against her or maybe it was an indictment against the Order. Who could say? But Zathria's relationship with the Order had never been the chummiest. She was a Jedi in her soul, and the fact that she almost didn't feel at home in the Order spoke volumes.

Ezra hadn't been her apprentice for some time now, and in many ways he had outgrown her. She had always known that he would make a better Jedi than she was, and that was being proven correct. Not because he had received great training from her but because that little seed that had always been inside of him had sprung up to take its own form.

He was beyond the point of needing her to give him gentle nudges of confidence in the Force, but she was still there with a faint smile on her face. A smile of pride that he stepped up for what he believed in.

Of course, Eirik (@Painus) attempted to disregard what Ezra was saying, but that wasn't shocking. She had worked with the Justicar before and was fairly certain he enjoyed being confrontational just for confrontation's sake. Another Jedi she didn't recognize spoke up (@Versok) and Zathria at least agreed with his desire to get to the meat of the issue.

Ferrin snapped back a "diplomatic" response (@Altaris). Another Rodian (@Eccles) who she also didn't know spoke up to throw his lot in with those who would do something against the evil spreading in the galaxy.

For the moment, Zathria remained silent and simply watched the proceedings. As ever, she would stand ready to help where needed, but her part in this tale had never been one to lead the Order, and it never would be. She would leave that to those who excelled far more in that regard.

 

[Vanya]

Vanya had been told that Jedi didn't get "angry" and that sounded idiotic to her. The Nightsister-turned-Jedi was hardly the epitome of Jedi calm, and the reality of what had happened in the last several weeks made her skin crawl.

Bastion had been all but overrun by the Empire, and she'd fought on Coruscant in the face of the abominations and no Jedi had come to help her. She had relied on the forces of mercenaries because they were more reliable than Jedi.

People were already arguing, and Vanya had never been to a meeting like this before when it came to Jedi, but if it was anything like a Clan meeting, it would be spicy.

He just answered that, she said, staring down the Jedi who seemed filled with veiled jabs (@Painus), and not flinching in the slightest from his steely gaze. Sabotage the Empire, gather allies in the ISC and Core, and get ready for a defense, she recapped precisely what Ezra had just said moments ago.

If you were half as zealous in defending Coruscant or Bastion as you are at jabbing your fellow Jedi, we would not be where we are, she stated bluntly. There was condemnation in her tone not just of him, but of all who had failed to act, and she turned her attention to the rest of the impromptu gathering.

I came to the Jedi because I was told this was a place for those who would fight against evil. But we have let evil run rampant over the galaxy. It cannot continue. I do not know why the Jedi have lost their way, but the time of waiting for someone else to step up cannot continue, she said.

 

[Yi Tarkar]

Still with his arms crossed, the Quarren listened as the young knight got his point across and then came up with things that the jedi had to do. His plans and measures were sound, which was not a surprise given how he was the child of the galaxy's most sucessful leader in recent times. Then, he listened as other's offered ideas that could be of use from the padawans. It was clear the people was motivated right now, sure, it was by their indignation, but it was a motivation that they could temper later, for now they had to take advantage of it.

"You are not wrong in many aspects, brother." He would refer to the older human (@Painus) "We are not droids that need the council's command at all times...But you're wrong about one thing. We are not all equal" Yi stated, his eyes darting back at the door "They hold a higher rank than us, their duty is supposedly greater than us, for they are the ones that should be guiding our people during turbulent times such as these, right?" The Quarren then looked at the former councilor (@Apollyon) for agreement or a reaction, his opinion was one that he held in high regard when speaking about such subjects, for he knew better than them what a councilor was responsible of.

"If they falter in their duty at such times, it is understandable for the young knights putting their lifes at risk to feel indignant." His eyes then looked at the Pantoran (@Altaris), the way he addressed the other man it was clear he had suffered close calls recently, he could understand that pain and decided to validate it, even if he didn't quite like the agressiveness towards another jedi "If we need to get through this without the aid of the council, then the council should perhaps step down...After all, I wonder what the Grandmaster would have to say about their lack of initiative when she is away risking her own life." He would add, agreeing with what Kara (@Green Ranger ) had to say.

There were good plans and good ideas being thrown around, but it was time to assign people to each of them, so the Quarren decided to raise his voice once more and take some initiative, Ezra couldn't be expected to organize everything entirely on his own, it wouldn't be fair for him to be put under such pressure alone "I volunteer to take care of the Empire" He would say, looking at Ezra and then the rest of the jedi "We've established that Raze and his monsters are the main issue right now, so I'll take with me a small team, two or three jedi more in total" the Quarren said, it seemed like a low number, but jedi were capable of doing a lot of hurt in small numbers, everyone knew the kind of pain that Sevrin inflicted to the sith empire a while ago. For now, he would see who wanted to join him.