I don't know why this bothers me so much, but unless I'm severely mistaken the plural of Jedi is Jedi.
May The Invisible Hand Be With You - (Star Wars CK2-Style Quest)
- Thread starter Dr. Snark
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I don't know why this bothers me so much, but unless I'm severely mistaken the plural of Jedi is Jedi.
Panory
The Omake Dragon
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Yep. Like a herd of moose, or a bunch of sheep.
Small Nerd
Meganekko
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How about "a conclave of Jedi?"
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Good enough.
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Well in my defense I have to say that in Spanish we say Jedi in singular and Jedis in plural.
I agree with both of you, it is impossible to a sentient being to live without attachments and remain sane and functional, this is something that Luke saw very clearly. Two of the most important reforms that he did to the New Jedi Order in Legends was to eliminate the No Attachments rule and that the recruitment of apprentices would be strictly from volunteers old enough to know what they were getting into.
But I must add that the most of the Jedi did not follow rule of No Attachments, the Jedi had friends inside and outside of the order, they became basically a parent or an older sibling to their padawans, and it was not so uncommon for them to have lovers, all of this goes against the No Attachments rule that basically is "You can love, but you can´t love someone more than anyone else in the galaxy" And despite these flagrant violations, most of these Jedi did not fall to the Dark Side.
Apart from that, there is also the case of An'ya Kuro, also known as the Drak Woman, she was an extremely powerful force user, and by all means a complete thundercunt, who followed the Principles of the Jedi order to their most ridiculous limits (she was called the Dark Woman because, acording to her, a Jedi cannot possess anything, not even a name) and the same happened with the No Attachments rule, she was often assigned the most conflictive padawans and she turned them into Jedis through a brutal training, but without connecting with them in the very least. When she took under her wing to a young girl called Aurra Sign (I´m using the Legends continuity more specifically the Republic/Clone Wars Comics) , she had no attachment with her, and when Aurra was 9 she was kidnapped by Space pirates, she leave her behind, since "It was the will of the Force". This came back to bit her when Aurra, after her training with the Anzat, started to kill dozens of Jedi as revenge.
So much for the No Attachments Rule...
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There's a big difference between attachment and social contact. Social contact is fine, but binding yourself to others isn't. If you need proof that humans without attachment do not go insane, just look at all the human Jedi who have done that without going insane. Being compassionate and friendly towards others while reconciling the fact that forming attachments is forbidden is a common and acknowledged challenge that padawans have to go through, it is not an impossibility.
I don't think I need a source for this. It's a basic and common aspect in the Star Wars setting, that of the Dark Side's seductive qualities and its corruptive nature. Ezra's a pretty good example of this, as he gets worse and worse the more he studies with the Sith holocron. As Kanan said, it offers quick results but it's a trap. The Dark Side consumes. The Light Side, like the Dark Side (and the Force in general), requires you to attune yourself to it to unlock its power, but unlike the Dark Side, it doesn't make you attuned to it. It's one of the reasons why "falling Jedi" is such a common theme while "redeemed Sith" is so much rarer in comparison, despite the two sides being equal in power.
Indeed, we are in agreement there. My argument was that the destruction of the Sith should be the highest priority, but that care should be taken that the methods to do so do not just give it power, like the Jedi did. Basically, I'm arguing in favour of the stance that Ciaran has taken.
The rule is there to ensure those who follow it do not turn to the Dark Side, and in the Dark Woman's case who held no attachment, it succeeded. Your story's moral doesn't show the flaw of the No Attachments rule (Aurra's fixation on revenge is itself an attachment), but rather the importance of compassion and fighting to protect people.
EDIT:
I haven't once seen any example of this happening, not in the movies, not in the series, and not even in this game.
I say it was the Dark Side's influence and his own rather lax attitude towards protecting himself from it. He started to feel attached, felt fear as a direct result of that attachment, and that fear fed and was fed by the Dark Side.
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Well, she might light sider, But I can´t understand how to abandon a little girl to death and/or slavery is in any way less EVIL than the shit the Sith does in everyday basis, and they at least have the excuse of being the irredeemable bad guys in the setting.
And as I said, if the Dark Woman had felt a little of attachment for her Padawan, dozens of Jedi would not have died, you can still fuck things up following the No Attachment rule and follow it to the letter doesn´t prevent you at all to become an evil bastard and a general thundercunt as lady Kuro was (but fortunately not a dark sider).
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Oh, what she did was definitely bad, there's no question about that, I'm just saying that what she did wrong is not what you think she did wrong.
You're making the mistake of assuming the No Attachment rule was meant to be the be-all end-all rule of the Jedi. Obviously the No Attachment rule on its own would be a bad one, and that story illustrates why there's more to just following that rule and no others. The Dark Woman's fault wasn't in following the No Attachment rule, but in failing to follow other rules such as "show compassion" and "don't be a dick" alongside the No Attachment rule.
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Here's my responses to @Andres110:
That's what we've been debating here!
We've encountered quite a few light-side Force sects (Baran Do, Luka Sene, Fallanassi, Zieson Sha, Teepo's Paladins, Corellian Jedi) in the galaxy, each of which acts independently of the Jedi Order, each of which features quite a bit of ideological drift. They're small, but that's hardly surprising given the dominance of the Jedi Order on Coruscant. But their overall innocuousness shows that decentralization is not the worst thing in the galaxy.
You want to have it both ways, and you're making this far more complicated than it is. The first commitment of a Coruscant Jedi is obedience to the will of the Council. If a Jedi disobeys, or starts going 'off-book', they're considered suspicious, potentially dark but certainly grey. The Council may turn a mostly-blind eye to Jedi Masters who occasionally engage in this behavior (cf. Qui-Gon Jinn, Thracia Cho Leem) but for Knights and Padawans it would certainly result in punishment or outright expulsion (cf. Ephaan Kenzon).
More pointedly, if "desire for power" is baseline human, then the fact that most Jedi (and non-Jedi light-side Force sects) are able to avoid this should surprise us. My conclusion is that the light side of the Force helps remove or minimize that as a temptation.
You say that "compassion" is a Jedi principle -- that somehow, feeling sympathy/pity/concern for another's suffering or misfortune isn't attachment -- but "seeking revenge" somehow is. At this point, why don't you just redefine "attachment" as "any bad emotion" and just be done with it?
You say that like it'd be a bad thing.
That's what we've been debating here!We've encountered quite a few light-side Force sects (Baran Do, Luka Sene, Fallanassi, Zieson Sha, Teepo's Paladins, Corellian Jedi) in the galaxy, each of which acts independently of the Jedi Order, each of which features quite a bit of ideological drift. They're small, but that's hardly surprising given the dominance of the Jedi Order on Coruscant. But their overall innocuousness shows that decentralization is not the worst thing in the galaxy.
Per the wiki page you link:
Corellia, like all Republic worlds, are subject to the same laws that give the Jedi legal permission to take any Force-sensitive infant back to their Temple. Thame Cerulian didn't have much of a choice in the matter. It appears that his classification as a "Corellian Jedi" on the wiki has more to do with his receiving a Jedi Credit, which was a Corellian tradition, not exclusive to the 'Green' Jedi sect centered on Corellia proper.
I had written:
The movies and TV series only hint at it, but other sources do show how the Chancellor became a close mentor to the little kid from Tatooine:
Pretty much as soon as Anakin graduated from 'Initiate' to 'Padawan', Palpaine started working him over -- the above is actually from the canon wiki. Also remember that, at the beginning of Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine directly references Anakin's slaughter of that tribe of Sand People -- his greatest shame, his greatest failure as a Jedi, and his greatest secret, revealed only to his wife Padme and apparently to Palpatine himself. That's a pretty clear indication that Palpatine had cast himself as Anankin's father figure and confidant, and that is explicitly confirmed on multiple occasions by the EU.
And if the Council doesn't give its allowance? Or if it gives poor or unsatisfactory direction?
You want to have it both ways, and you're making this far more complicated than it is. The first commitment of a Coruscant Jedi is obedience to the will of the Council. If a Jedi disobeys, or starts going 'off-book', they're considered suspicious, potentially dark but certainly grey. The Council may turn a mostly-blind eye to Jedi Masters who occasionally engage in this behavior (cf. Qui-Gon Jinn, Thracia Cho Leem) but for Knights and Padawans it would certainly result in punishment or outright expulsion (cf. Ephaan Kenzon).
Err... didn't @Fanhunter696 just demonstrate that most Jedi did not go without attachment, that they found it necessary to form attachments (through friendships and master-padawan bonds) in order to not go insane?
I was asking for a source for your specific claim that such corruption causes dark-side users to turn power-hungry. My point was that seeking power is a default human condition -- which is why you see it so commonly among non-Force sensitive politicians. The Force may amplify those desires (my argument), but they hardly generate them out of nothing.
More pointedly, if "desire for power" is baseline human, then the fact that most Jedi (and non-Jedi light-side Force sects) are able to avoid this should surprise us. My conclusion is that the light side of the Force helps remove or minimize that as a temptation.
Source? Where's your evidence that the Light Side has no effect on its wielders' personalities? If you must attune yourself to the Force to use it properly (whatever alignment), then it makes sense that the quasi-sentient Force would 'encourage' such attunement.
I'm tempted to call "toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe" on this. What you call "the Dark Side's influence" I call "his feelings of attachment were amplified" (not to mentioned manipulated by a Sith master). The big difference is, you blame Anakin's failure on "his own rather lax attitude toward protecting himself" (namely, his failure to get rid of his emotions). I'm inclined to blame it on the Jedi's failure to teach Anakin how to deal with emotion in a healthy way. Because repressing or removing emotion is not a healthy way of dealing with things, which is why the EU and the latest entries in the Star Wars canon have moved so far away from Lucas's original quasi-Buddhist ramblings.
...What? You're redefining "desire for revenge" as "attachment"?
You say that "compassion" is a Jedi principle -- that somehow, feeling sympathy/pity/concern for another's suffering or misfortune isn't attachment -- but "seeking revenge" somehow is. At this point, why don't you just redefine "attachment" as "any bad emotion" and just be done with it?
And my responses for @Stealthy and @Fanhunter696:
Also, recall that the Outer Rim weren't just 'poorly governed' but in many cases and for most of their history could be considered enemy territory, once ruled by the various Sith Empires, and only recently conquered by the time of the Reformation. That's the context for the Republic's failure to adequately integrate and govern the Outer Rim, and the Jedi's failure along the same lines.
However, considering that the Jedi were recast after Ruusan as the Republic's primary peace-keeping and law-enforcement agency... yes, I'd say it is their responsibility to keep the Rim in line. And considering that the Senate's bureaucracy has so consistently failed, the Jedi could and should feel free to address the root of the problem by going back to a structure that actually worked -- not perfectly, but better than the current system. And since politics is not an all-or-nothing game, moving toward decentralization when the current system is far too centralized would move the needle closer to the ideal.
Palpatine wants Anakin to use the dark-side, and is playing on Anakin's frustrations with the Order to do so. We recognize Anakin's frustrations, and want to get rid of the root causes while still encouraging him to remain on the light side. Similar, but with very different sort of outcome, which is precisely why we're such an effective counterbalance to Palpatine.
That's fair, but the decision to centralize everything certainly didn't help. Part of the blame for that rests in Tarsus Valorum and his 'Ruusan Reformation'; part of the blame lies in the Jedi's abandonment of the 'Lords' structure.
Also, recall that the Outer Rim weren't just 'poorly governed' but in many cases and for most of their history could be considered enemy territory, once ruled by the various Sith Empires, and only recently conquered by the time of the Reformation. That's the context for the Republic's failure to adequately integrate and govern the Outer Rim, and the Jedi's failure along the same lines.
Again, I'm commenting on the need for reform, not proposing that we (Ciaran) actually push such reforms in this quest.
However, considering that the Jedi were recast after Ruusan as the Republic's primary peace-keeping and law-enforcement agency... yes, I'd say it is their responsibility to keep the Rim in line. And considering that the Senate's bureaucracy has so consistently failed, the Jedi could and should feel free to address the root of the problem by going back to a structure that actually worked -- not perfectly, but better than the current system. And since politics is not an all-or-nothing game, moving toward decentralization when the current system is far too centralized would move the needle closer to the ideal.
Er... have to disagree with you here. We're both on board with the "Jedi Order is optional", but Palpatine is pushing the "you can be a Force User without the Jedi" (aka, join a Sith) while we're pushing the "you can be a Jedi without the Order" (aka, join some other light-side faction).
Palpatine wants Anakin to use the dark-side, and is playing on Anakin's frustrations with the Order to do so. We recognize Anakin's frustrations, and want to get rid of the root causes while still encouraging him to remain on the light side. Similar, but with very different sort of outcome, which is precisely why we're such an effective counterbalance to Palpatine.
Good point bringing this up. Considering just how many relationships and attachments were formed in the New Jedi Order, how many of those resulted in a Fall? And with Jedi recruits being old enough to have normal experiences and have the tools for dealing with normal emotions, how many problems did that cause? (From what I can tell, most of the 'Darths' and dark lords of the post-trilogy EU originated in a desire for power, not an inability to deal with attachment).
Which is a perfect illustration of the 'golden mean' principle. Feeling too much attachment to others can lead to evil. Feeling too little attachment (or no attachment at all!) does the same. And frankly, of the two, I know which one I consider to be worse.
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This discussion isn't getting anyone anywhere, so I think I'll terminate it on my end.
@Dr. Snark, I have more suggestions, questions, and things to point out.
In Organisation Assets, it says we make 345 credits from our Military but that it costs 525 credits in upkeep. That makes our military unprofitable. Since mercenary/security companies are meant to be profitable, I'd consider thinking about actions which could make our military profitable.
When we merged with a cybernetics corporation, our profits did not increase. Also, a 'Produce cybernetics for Wartime' option similar to the 'Produce Medical-supplies for Wartime' option would be profitable.
We make 2 units of battle droids per turn but we've hit our cap at 10. Can surplus battle droids be sold? If we build a droid factory on Lordran, would we be able to sell the results?
In the Undercity Investment option for Nar Shaddaa, we're improving the local economy and thus making money indirectly like with our Coruscant charities, which makes the 20% increase make sense. Unlike the charities, however, we're not giving the money away, we're investing it in stuff like factories and shipyards, things that produce profit and which we would have shares in if not outright own. Therefore, I suggest adding a flat income increase (perhaps similar to the Kashyyyk Business Investments option?) on top of the 20% increase in Nar Shaddaa income.
Can we build military production facilities on Lordran to increase income/decrease Military upkeep?
The text for Labour Droid Factory says that it would make construction go faster as well as well as decrease upkeep, but the only reward was the decrease in upkeep.
@Dr. Snark, I have more suggestions, questions, and things to point out.
In Organisation Assets, it says we make 345 credits from our Military but that it costs 525 credits in upkeep. That makes our military unprofitable. Since mercenary/security companies are meant to be profitable, I'd consider thinking about actions which could make our military profitable.
When we merged with a cybernetics corporation, our profits did not increase. Also, a 'Produce cybernetics for Wartime' option similar to the 'Produce Medical-supplies for Wartime' option would be profitable.
We make 2 units of battle droids per turn but we've hit our cap at 10. Can surplus battle droids be sold? If we build a droid factory on Lordran, would we be able to sell the results?
In the Undercity Investment option for Nar Shaddaa, we're improving the local economy and thus making money indirectly like with our Coruscant charities, which makes the 20% increase make sense. Unlike the charities, however, we're not giving the money away, we're investing it in stuff like factories and shipyards, things that produce profit and which we would have shares in if not outright own. Therefore, I suggest adding a flat income increase (perhaps similar to the Kashyyyk Business Investments option?) on top of the 20% increase in Nar Shaddaa income.
Can we build military production facilities on Lordran to increase income/decrease Military upkeep?
The text for Labour Droid Factory says that it would make construction go faster as well as well as decrease upkeep, but the only reward was the decrease in upkeep.
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On this, it worked for a long time because Jedi candidatess are usually taken from the very young. They are thus raised in a culture where the majority of their bonds share their beliefs, and it reinforces the zen monk type of attitude towards loss by the time they become adults and grow set in their ways. They were tied to the Jedi as a group more than to individuals ever since they could remember.
Like, it was outright said that Anakin was too old to be trained(read: brainwashed) before he developed strong familial bonds. But they were greedy for their Messiah, so they took him in anyway, and gave him the indoctrination he was too old for.
Worse, unlike normal Jedi trainees, he doesn't have dozens of peers of the same age in the Jedi trainees, only kids much younger than him, or of the same age but more senior than him. So he went through the training attached to only one person within their cult: his master. His mother, his lover, etc, are all outside, and he had few friends.
So it was easy for Palpatine to find some lever to apply.
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Returning to this topic for a little bit, it's less that there's evidence outright denying that the Light Side changes people and more that there is a distinct lack of evidence that the Light Side affects its wielders' personalities, plus there's the fact that you have way more people falling to the Dark Side than people ascending to the Light. In Ezra's case, we clearly see what learning from the Sith Holocron does to his personality, but his personality change while learning the ways of the Jedi looks more like the typical, mundane effects of a kid learning from his teacher.
If you have evidence that the Light Side does affect its wielders' personalities beyond headcanon and speculation, I would be interested to know.
EDIT: So, I mentioned before that Grievous would've been salty about being sent to rough up snitches while the Silencer got to take out Durge, but our decision may have been worse than I initially thought.
Here he was not given the chance to act as a skilled warrior and a talented leader, his abilities were not put to greater use than leading his people, he has not gained glory, and the name of Grievous was not spread.
I quite honestly doubt that this single action is enough to permanently embitter him to us or anything, but I think it might actually be important that we make it up to him next turn.
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Stealthy
Reverently Irreverent
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The fact that his people are forever indebted to Ciaran aside, I see no reason to worry there. He respects the Silencer as a warrior, so he'll be pretty understanding that the Silencer gets to have fun missions too.
Valkur
The True Valkyria, Valkur!
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*Tosses bacon*
I want to feed your avatar.
Right then I think I will tone down my weirdness now
Apropos of the discussion of Valley of the Jedi, I decided to borrow Darth Bane: Rule of Two from the library to learn more. There were quite a few items of interest, so I decided to transcribe the relevant bits for the rest of you.
First, chapter 8 (pgs. 92-99 in the paperback) covers a meeting between Tarsus Valorum (Supreme Chancellor) and Valenthyne Farfalla (a rival of Lord Hoth's, who served on the Coruscant Council and succeeded Hoth as General of the 'Army of Light' after the Thought Bomb). This meeting took place in the immediate aftermath of the Seventh Battle of Ruusan, and resulted in the Jedi's acquiescence with the 'Ruusan Reformations':
First, chapter 8 (pgs. 92-99 in the paperback) covers a meeting between Tarsus Valorum (Supreme Chancellor) and Valenthyne Farfalla (a rival of Lord Hoth's, who served on the Coruscant Council and succeeded Hoth as General of the 'Army of Light' after the Thought Bomb). This meeting took place in the immediate aftermath of the Seventh Battle of Ruusan, and resulted in the Jedi's acquiescence with the 'Ruusan Reformations':
"Chancellor Valorum will see you now," the Twi'lek assistant said from behind her desk.
Seeing Farfalla rise, Johun did the same, tugging awkwardly to reposition the unfamiliar ceremonial robes his new Master had insisted he wear for the meeting. Johun had protested that his wardrobe had nothing to do with who he was or why they were here, but Farfalla had merely replied, "On Coruscant, appearance matters."
Johun had never been to Coruscant before--or any of the other Core Worlds, for that matter. He'd been born and raised on Sermeria, an agriworld in the Expansion Region between the Inner and Mid Rim of the galaxy. His family had worked on a farm a few kilometers outside of Addolis, one small cog in the great Sermerian agricultural complex that produced an overabundance of food and sold it to more developed worlds that lacked enough arable land to support their own population.
He'd left Sermeria at the age of ten to begin his Jedi training. In the decade since, he had accompanied General Hoth to dozens of worlds, though his former Master had preferred to stay on the Outer Rim, far from the politicians and urban culture of the Republic's capital. The planets they visited tended to be less developed rural worlds, much like Sermeria itself. As a result, Johun had never seen anything even remotely resembling the planetwide metropolis that was Galactic City.
On their initial approach to the world, Farfalla had tried to point out to him the location of important structures, like the Senate's Great Rotunda and the Jedi Temple. But to Johuns provincial eye everything blended together into one unbroken ocean of permacrete, durasteel, and brightly colored flashing lights.
Upon landing, they had disembarked and boarded an airspeeder that had whisked them off toward their meeting with Chancellor Valorum. Johun had simply sat and gawked at the spectacle as they raced along the skylane, their speeder weaving in and out among skyrises so tall, the ground wasn't even visible beneath them. Occasionally they would dive down or swoop back up as their jounrey led them under and over pedestrian walkways, hovering billboards, and even other vehicles.
By the end of the trip, Johun's already bedazzled senses had been completely overhwelmed by the constant stream of traffic and the mind-boggling numbers of people who chose to live and work on Coruscant. The overall impression he took away from the experience was a sickening blur of motion set against a deafening cacophony of sound... all too much for a simple farm boy to handle.
Farfalla, on the other hand, was in his element. Johun had noticed his new mentor coming to life when they touched down, as if he were feeding on the energy of the gret metropolis. The frantic pace and the maddening crowds seemed to revitalize Valenthyne, the city washing away the weariness of a long military campaign on a dreary little frontier world. Farfalla even looked different here; set against the vibrant, cosmopolitan backdrop of the galactic capital, the clothes that had seemed so vain and garish back on Ruusan now looked to be the height of fashion and style.
Even at the center of the halls of power, Farfalla looked completely at ease. He gave a gracious bow of acknowledgement to the Chancellor's assistant, eliciting a flirtatious smile from the young woman, then moved with a confident yet purposeful stride through the doorway into Valorum's inner sanctum. Johun gave a bow of his own, stiff and formal, then scurried off after him.
The Chancellor's office was less ornate and more functional than Johun had expected. The walls, carpet, and furnishing were all a deep, dark brown, giving the room an air of significance. There was a large window in one wall, though much to the young Jedi's relief the coverings had been drawn for this meeting. In the center of the room were half a dozen comfortable-looking chairs set around a circular conference table; several monitors lined the walls, flickering with updates from various HoloNet news programs.
Tarsus Valorum was seated behind a large desk facing the doorway, and he rose to greet them. He was a tall man in his early fifties, though he looked ten years younger. He had dark hair; bright, piercing eyes; a straight, slightly pointed nose; and an almost perfectly straight chin--a face many had called "honest and determined." It was these traits, along with his exemplary record of public service, that had led to Valorum being appointed the first non-Jedi Chancellor in over four centuries.
Johun had heard rumors that Farfalla had actually been the one in line for the position but had declined it, so that he could join the Army of Light on Ruusan. The young man wondered if his Master approved of the man who had been chosen to replace him.
"Master Valenthyne," Valorum said, clasping Farfalla's hand in an efficient, well-practiced gesture of welcome. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."
"You didn't leave me a lot of option, Your Excellency," Valenthyne noted.
"I apologize for that," the Chancellor replied, even as he turned and extended his hand to Johun. "And this must be your apprentice," he said, taking note of the long braid that marked the young man as one who had not yet completed his initial Jedi training.
"I am Padawan Johun Othone, Your Excellency."
Valorum's grip was firm but not overpowering -- the perfect politician's handshake. He pumped Johun's arm twice, then pulled his hand free and indicated the chairs around the conference table.
"Please, noble Jedi. Make yourselves comfortable."
Farfalla took the end seat on the near side of the table. Johun sat down in the chair directly across from him, leaving the Chancellor the lone seat at the head of the table, between the two Jedi. Once everything was in position, it was Farfalla who initiated the discussion, turning slightly to better face Valorum.
"The message you sent me was most unexpected, Your Excellency. And the timing was somewhat inconvenient. We are still dealing with the aftermath of the thought bomb on Ruusan."
"I understand your position, Master Valenthyne. But you must also appreciate mine. News of the Brotherhood's defeat has reached the HoloNet. As far as the public is concerned, the war is over. And the Senate is eager to put this unpleasantness behind us."
"As are the Jedi," Farfalla replied. "But this motion you plan to put forward -- the so-called Ruusan Reformation -- calls for some rather extreme measures."
"That is why I brought you here to discuss the recommendations before we vote on them," Valorum answered. "I wanted you to understand why this has to be done."
Johun had not seen the details of the message Farfalla had received, nor had his Master spoken of it to him during their journey to Coruscant. As a result, he was having difficulty piercing their political double-talk. Fortunately, Farfalla chose to cut through the diplomatic niceties and address the issue directly in his next response.
"Do you realize the ramifications of what you are asking, Tarsus? Your proposal calls for the Jedi to renounce their military ranks and completely disband all our military, naval, and starfighter forces. You are asking us to destroy the Army of Light."
"The Army of Light was created as a reaction to the Brotherhood of Darkness," Valorum countered. "With the Brotherhood gone, it no longer serves a purpose."
Johun couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Its purpose is to protect the Republic!" he burst out, unable to contain himself.
"Protect it from who?" the Chancellor challenged, snapping his head around to address him. "The Sith are gone."
"The Sith are never truly gone," Johun said darkly.
"And therein lies the problem," Valorum replied. "Over the past four cneturies we have seen the Jedi declare war on the agents of the dark side time and time again. It is a struggle that never ends. And with each conflict, more civilians are swept up in your web of war. Innocent beings die as armies align with you or your enemies. Worlds loyal to the Republic break away, fracturing a once united galaxy. It is time to put a stop to this cycle of madness."
Farfalla held up his hand, cutting Johun off before the young man could say anything else. He waited for Valorum to turn his attention away from the Padawan, then asked, "Tarsus, do you really believe the changes you have proposed will do that?"
"I do, Master Valenthyne." There was undeniable conviction in his voice. "There are many good people who fear the Jedi and what they are capable of. They see the Jedi as instigators of war. You claim your actions are guided by the Force, but to those who cannot feel its presence it appears as if your Order is not accountable to anyone or anything."
"And so you want the Jedi to answer to you." Farfalla sighed. "The Chancellor and the Senate."
"I want you to answer to the elected officials who represent the citizens of the Republic," Valorum declared. Then he added, "This is not an attempt to grab power for myself. The Jedi Council will still oversee your order. But they will do so under the supervision of the Senate's Judicial Department. It is the only way we can heal the scars left by your wars against the Sith.
"The Republic is crumbling," he continued. "Fo the past thousand years it has slowly been decaying and rotting away. A rebirth is the only way to reverse this process.
"Many of the measures proposed in the Ruusan Reformation are symbolic, but there is power in that symbolism. This will be the beginning of a new era for the Republic. We will enter a new age of prosperity and peace.
"Let the Jedi show their commitment to this peace. Cast aside the trappings of war and assume your rightful place as counselors and advisers. Instead of htis endless battle to hold back the dark side, you should help to guide us toward the light."
Valorum finished this speech and looked expectantly at Farfalla. Johun held his breath, waiting for his Master's outburst of righteous indignation. He wanted to watch as Valenthyne expertly and eloquently refuted the Chancellor's arguments. He couldn't wait to witness the impassioned defense of all that the Jedi stood for and believed in, that would justify everything General Hoth had done.
"I will speak to the Jedi Council and see that our Order complies with your demands, Your Excellency," Farfalla said, his voice heavy. "And I will send the order to begin the dissolution of the Army of Light as soon as the Senate passes your proposal."
Johun's jaw dropped, but he was too stunned to say anything.
"Your cooperation is greatly appreciated Master Valenthye," Valorum replied, rising to his feet. "Now if you will excuse me, I must call the Senate to session."
At first it seemed as if he was about to escort them from the room. But when he glanced at Johun, he obviously sensed the young man was not quite ready to let the matter rest. The Chancellor hesitated, giving him a chance to speak.
Johun, however, remained stubbornly silent. Valorum exchanged a briefly look with Farfalla, then nodded in deference to the Jedi Master.
"Please see yourselves out when you are ready," the Chancellor said, before giving them each a cordial nod and leaving them alone in th eroom.
"How could you?" Johun demanded angrily the moment Valorum was gone, leaning across the table toward Farfalla.
The older man sighed and leaned backward, his hands clasped together and his fingers forming a steeple just below his chin.
"I know this is difficult to understand, Johun. But the Chancellor was right. Everything he said was true."
"General Hoth would never agree to this!" Johun spat at him.
"No," Farfalla admitted. "He never could understand the value of compromise. That was his great fault."
"And what's yours?" Johun shouted, slamming his fist on the table and juping up so swiftly he knocked over his chair. "Betraying the memory of your friends?"
"Watch your anger," Farfalla said softly.
Johun froze, then felt his face flushing in shame and embarassment. He took several deep, cleansing breaths -- a Jedi ritual to calm and focus the mind. Once he had his emotions under control he turned and righted his chair, then took his seat again.
"I'm sorry, Master Valenthyne," he said, struggling to keep his voice even. "But this feels as if we are dishonoring him."
"Your Master was a man of great strength and steadfast conviction," Farfalla assured him, still sitting with his steepled hands clasped beneath his chin. "No other could have led us through our time of crisis. But the galaxy does not exist in a state of perpetual crisis.
"The Jedi are sworn servants of the Republic," he continued. "We will fight to defend it in times of war, but when the war is over we must be willing to set aside our weapons and become ambassadors of peace."
The younger man shook his head. "This still doesn't feel right."
"Since the earliest days of your training, you have known nothing but war," Farfalla reminded him. "It can be difficult for you to remember that violence should only be used when all other methods have failed.
"But you must always remind yourself that a Jedi values wisdom and enlightenment over all else. The great truths we seek are often difficult to find, and sometimes it is easier to seek out an enemy to do battle with... especially when we hunger to avenge those who have fallen. This is one of the ways even good people can fall to the dark side."
"I'm sorry, Master," Johun whispered. The words seemed to catch in his throat, even though his apology was sincere.
"You are still a Padawan. You are not expected to possess the wisdom of a Master," Farfalla consoled him. "That is why I brought you here: so that you could learn."
"I will do my best," Johun vowed.
"That is all I can ever ask," his Master replied
Seeing Farfalla rise, Johun did the same, tugging awkwardly to reposition the unfamiliar ceremonial robes his new Master had insisted he wear for the meeting. Johun had protested that his wardrobe had nothing to do with who he was or why they were here, but Farfalla had merely replied, "On Coruscant, appearance matters."
Johun had never been to Coruscant before--or any of the other Core Worlds, for that matter. He'd been born and raised on Sermeria, an agriworld in the Expansion Region between the Inner and Mid Rim of the galaxy. His family had worked on a farm a few kilometers outside of Addolis, one small cog in the great Sermerian agricultural complex that produced an overabundance of food and sold it to more developed worlds that lacked enough arable land to support their own population.
He'd left Sermeria at the age of ten to begin his Jedi training. In the decade since, he had accompanied General Hoth to dozens of worlds, though his former Master had preferred to stay on the Outer Rim, far from the politicians and urban culture of the Republic's capital. The planets they visited tended to be less developed rural worlds, much like Sermeria itself. As a result, Johun had never seen anything even remotely resembling the planetwide metropolis that was Galactic City.
On their initial approach to the world, Farfalla had tried to point out to him the location of important structures, like the Senate's Great Rotunda and the Jedi Temple. But to Johuns provincial eye everything blended together into one unbroken ocean of permacrete, durasteel, and brightly colored flashing lights.
Upon landing, they had disembarked and boarded an airspeeder that had whisked them off toward their meeting with Chancellor Valorum. Johun had simply sat and gawked at the spectacle as they raced along the skylane, their speeder weaving in and out among skyrises so tall, the ground wasn't even visible beneath them. Occasionally they would dive down or swoop back up as their jounrey led them under and over pedestrian walkways, hovering billboards, and even other vehicles.
By the end of the trip, Johun's already bedazzled senses had been completely overhwelmed by the constant stream of traffic and the mind-boggling numbers of people who chose to live and work on Coruscant. The overall impression he took away from the experience was a sickening blur of motion set against a deafening cacophony of sound... all too much for a simple farm boy to handle.
Farfalla, on the other hand, was in his element. Johun had noticed his new mentor coming to life when they touched down, as if he were feeding on the energy of the gret metropolis. The frantic pace and the maddening crowds seemed to revitalize Valenthyne, the city washing away the weariness of a long military campaign on a dreary little frontier world. Farfalla even looked different here; set against the vibrant, cosmopolitan backdrop of the galactic capital, the clothes that had seemed so vain and garish back on Ruusan now looked to be the height of fashion and style.
Even at the center of the halls of power, Farfalla looked completely at ease. He gave a gracious bow of acknowledgement to the Chancellor's assistant, eliciting a flirtatious smile from the young woman, then moved with a confident yet purposeful stride through the doorway into Valorum's inner sanctum. Johun gave a bow of his own, stiff and formal, then scurried off after him.
The Chancellor's office was less ornate and more functional than Johun had expected. The walls, carpet, and furnishing were all a deep, dark brown, giving the room an air of significance. There was a large window in one wall, though much to the young Jedi's relief the coverings had been drawn for this meeting. In the center of the room were half a dozen comfortable-looking chairs set around a circular conference table; several monitors lined the walls, flickering with updates from various HoloNet news programs.
Tarsus Valorum was seated behind a large desk facing the doorway, and he rose to greet them. He was a tall man in his early fifties, though he looked ten years younger. He had dark hair; bright, piercing eyes; a straight, slightly pointed nose; and an almost perfectly straight chin--a face many had called "honest and determined." It was these traits, along with his exemplary record of public service, that had led to Valorum being appointed the first non-Jedi Chancellor in over four centuries.
Johun had heard rumors that Farfalla had actually been the one in line for the position but had declined it, so that he could join the Army of Light on Ruusan. The young man wondered if his Master approved of the man who had been chosen to replace him.
"Master Valenthyne," Valorum said, clasping Farfalla's hand in an efficient, well-practiced gesture of welcome. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."
"You didn't leave me a lot of option, Your Excellency," Valenthyne noted.
"I apologize for that," the Chancellor replied, even as he turned and extended his hand to Johun. "And this must be your apprentice," he said, taking note of the long braid that marked the young man as one who had not yet completed his initial Jedi training.
"I am Padawan Johun Othone, Your Excellency."
Valorum's grip was firm but not overpowering -- the perfect politician's handshake. He pumped Johun's arm twice, then pulled his hand free and indicated the chairs around the conference table.
"Please, noble Jedi. Make yourselves comfortable."
Farfalla took the end seat on the near side of the table. Johun sat down in the chair directly across from him, leaving the Chancellor the lone seat at the head of the table, between the two Jedi. Once everything was in position, it was Farfalla who initiated the discussion, turning slightly to better face Valorum.
"The message you sent me was most unexpected, Your Excellency. And the timing was somewhat inconvenient. We are still dealing with the aftermath of the thought bomb on Ruusan."
"I understand your position, Master Valenthyne. But you must also appreciate mine. News of the Brotherhood's defeat has reached the HoloNet. As far as the public is concerned, the war is over. And the Senate is eager to put this unpleasantness behind us."
"As are the Jedi," Farfalla replied. "But this motion you plan to put forward -- the so-called Ruusan Reformation -- calls for some rather extreme measures."
"That is why I brought you here to discuss the recommendations before we vote on them," Valorum answered. "I wanted you to understand why this has to be done."
Johun had not seen the details of the message Farfalla had received, nor had his Master spoken of it to him during their journey to Coruscant. As a result, he was having difficulty piercing their political double-talk. Fortunately, Farfalla chose to cut through the diplomatic niceties and address the issue directly in his next response.
"Do you realize the ramifications of what you are asking, Tarsus? Your proposal calls for the Jedi to renounce their military ranks and completely disband all our military, naval, and starfighter forces. You are asking us to destroy the Army of Light."
"The Army of Light was created as a reaction to the Brotherhood of Darkness," Valorum countered. "With the Brotherhood gone, it no longer serves a purpose."
Johun couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Its purpose is to protect the Republic!" he burst out, unable to contain himself.
"Protect it from who?" the Chancellor challenged, snapping his head around to address him. "The Sith are gone."
"The Sith are never truly gone," Johun said darkly.
"And therein lies the problem," Valorum replied. "Over the past four cneturies we have seen the Jedi declare war on the agents of the dark side time and time again. It is a struggle that never ends. And with each conflict, more civilians are swept up in your web of war. Innocent beings die as armies align with you or your enemies. Worlds loyal to the Republic break away, fracturing a once united galaxy. It is time to put a stop to this cycle of madness."
Farfalla held up his hand, cutting Johun off before the young man could say anything else. He waited for Valorum to turn his attention away from the Padawan, then asked, "Tarsus, do you really believe the changes you have proposed will do that?"
"I do, Master Valenthyne." There was undeniable conviction in his voice. "There are many good people who fear the Jedi and what they are capable of. They see the Jedi as instigators of war. You claim your actions are guided by the Force, but to those who cannot feel its presence it appears as if your Order is not accountable to anyone or anything."
"And so you want the Jedi to answer to you." Farfalla sighed. "The Chancellor and the Senate."
"I want you to answer to the elected officials who represent the citizens of the Republic," Valorum declared. Then he added, "This is not an attempt to grab power for myself. The Jedi Council will still oversee your order. But they will do so under the supervision of the Senate's Judicial Department. It is the only way we can heal the scars left by your wars against the Sith.
"The Republic is crumbling," he continued. "Fo the past thousand years it has slowly been decaying and rotting away. A rebirth is the only way to reverse this process.
"Many of the measures proposed in the Ruusan Reformation are symbolic, but there is power in that symbolism. This will be the beginning of a new era for the Republic. We will enter a new age of prosperity and peace.
"Let the Jedi show their commitment to this peace. Cast aside the trappings of war and assume your rightful place as counselors and advisers. Instead of htis endless battle to hold back the dark side, you should help to guide us toward the light."
Valorum finished this speech and looked expectantly at Farfalla. Johun held his breath, waiting for his Master's outburst of righteous indignation. He wanted to watch as Valenthyne expertly and eloquently refuted the Chancellor's arguments. He couldn't wait to witness the impassioned defense of all that the Jedi stood for and believed in, that would justify everything General Hoth had done.
"I will speak to the Jedi Council and see that our Order complies with your demands, Your Excellency," Farfalla said, his voice heavy. "And I will send the order to begin the dissolution of the Army of Light as soon as the Senate passes your proposal."
Johun's jaw dropped, but he was too stunned to say anything.
"Your cooperation is greatly appreciated Master Valenthye," Valorum replied, rising to his feet. "Now if you will excuse me, I must call the Senate to session."
At first it seemed as if he was about to escort them from the room. But when he glanced at Johun, he obviously sensed the young man was not quite ready to let the matter rest. The Chancellor hesitated, giving him a chance to speak.
Johun, however, remained stubbornly silent. Valorum exchanged a briefly look with Farfalla, then nodded in deference to the Jedi Master.
"Please see yourselves out when you are ready," the Chancellor said, before giving them each a cordial nod and leaving them alone in th eroom.
"How could you?" Johun demanded angrily the moment Valorum was gone, leaning across the table toward Farfalla.
The older man sighed and leaned backward, his hands clasped together and his fingers forming a steeple just below his chin.
"I know this is difficult to understand, Johun. But the Chancellor was right. Everything he said was true."
"General Hoth would never agree to this!" Johun spat at him.
"No," Farfalla admitted. "He never could understand the value of compromise. That was his great fault."
"And what's yours?" Johun shouted, slamming his fist on the table and juping up so swiftly he knocked over his chair. "Betraying the memory of your friends?"
"Watch your anger," Farfalla said softly.
Johun froze, then felt his face flushing in shame and embarassment. He took several deep, cleansing breaths -- a Jedi ritual to calm and focus the mind. Once he had his emotions under control he turned and righted his chair, then took his seat again.
"I'm sorry, Master Valenthyne," he said, struggling to keep his voice even. "But this feels as if we are dishonoring him."
"Your Master was a man of great strength and steadfast conviction," Farfalla assured him, still sitting with his steepled hands clasped beneath his chin. "No other could have led us through our time of crisis. But the galaxy does not exist in a state of perpetual crisis.
"The Jedi are sworn servants of the Republic," he continued. "We will fight to defend it in times of war, but when the war is over we must be willing to set aside our weapons and become ambassadors of peace."
The younger man shook his head. "This still doesn't feel right."
"Since the earliest days of your training, you have known nothing but war," Farfalla reminded him. "It can be difficult for you to remember that violence should only be used when all other methods have failed.
"But you must always remind yourself that a Jedi values wisdom and enlightenment over all else. The great truths we seek are often difficult to find, and sometimes it is easier to seek out an enemy to do battle with... especially when we hunger to avenge those who have fallen. This is one of the ways even good people can fall to the dark side."
"I'm sorry, Master," Johun whispered. The words seemed to catch in his throat, even though his apology was sincere.
"You are still a Padawan. You are not expected to possess the wisdom of a Master," Farfalla consoled him. "That is why I brought you here: so that you could learn."
"I will do my best," Johun vowed.
"That is all I can ever ask," his Master replied
Some key points and lit-crit:
This is an implicit threat. Valorum is not-so-subtly telling Farfalla that Valorum himself and his supporters fear the Jedi, and believe that if the Order will not put down their military forces, the Jedi will be treated as enemies of the Republic.
This was clearly not a "discussion" -- Valorum is telling Farfalla what will be done and why. That's why Farfalla gives us without a fight -- having just finished a war with the Sith, he's not prepared to go to war with the Republic.
On the other hand, despite Farfalla's protests to the Chancellor, it's also clear from his conversation with Othone that Farfalla (and implicitly the other Coruscant Jedi) agree with Valorum. Farfalla was a rival of Hoth, just as the 'High Council' on Coruscant was a rival of the 'Grand Council' of Jedi Lords around the galaxy. The Coruscant Jedi agree: with the Sith gone, there is no reason to maintain a standing army or peacekeeping force, and there's no reason for Jedi to be elected into high office. The galaxy is at peace again.
Subtext: of course they feel that the galaxy is at peace -- they live in the Core! The Outer Rim does not feel nearly the same way.
It's especially ironic that Valorum's reforms were motivated by a desire to unify the Republic, when his reforms are directly responsible for causing a thousand years of Separatist movements that the surviving Sith would exploit.
This passage is a conversation between Darth Bane and his apprentice, taken from pgs. 151-153 of the paperback:
- The passage sets us a basic contrast between the Core and outlying regions -- Sermeria is in the Expansion Region, but described as though it belonged with the Outer Rim. Johun Othone is a 'country bumpkin' in awe of the big city. More significantly, Othone's former master (Lord Hoth) was also from the Outer Rim (his homeworld Kaal lies in the southern Mid Rim, and he got his title from a victory over Hoth in the Outer Rim proper).
- Farfalla also hails from the Expansion Regions, but he's obviously at home ("in his element") in Coruscant and the rest of the Core Worlds by extension. He's "completely at ease" in the Supreme Chancellor's office, was reputedly considered for the post himself (!), and despite not being the Grand Master of the Jedi Order, is able to speak on behalf of the Council and promise that he alone will be able to direct them. Farfalla is a political creature.
- The political subtext here is fascinating. Chancellor Valorum is described as "the first non-Jedi Chancellor in over four centuries," which means there has been a four-hundred year old tradition where the Jedi don't merely rule the outlying provinces (via the Jedi Lords structure) but in fact rule the entire Republic. Farfalla himself was considered for the position, but declined in order to go off and fight the forces of evil with Hoth. However, while their attention was focused on the Sith, Valorum has been busy...
AndDarth Bane: Rule of Two said:
Valorum is saying this, telling Farfalla to "answer to the elected officials", and to "assume your rightful place as... advisers" in the context of four hundred years of Jedi being those elected officials, as Jedi Lords and as Supreme Chancellors. Valorum is presenting Farfalla with a fait accompli -- the Jedi will no longer hold elected office.
This is an implicit threat. Valorum is not-so-subtly telling Farfalla that Valorum himself and his supporters fear the Jedi, and believe that if the Order will not put down their military forces, the Jedi will be treated as enemies of the Republic.
This was clearly not a "discussion" -- Valorum is telling Farfalla what will be done and why. That's why Farfalla gives us without a fight -- having just finished a war with the Sith, he's not prepared to go to war with the Republic.
On the other hand, despite Farfalla's protests to the Chancellor, it's also clear from his conversation with Othone that Farfalla (and implicitly the other Coruscant Jedi) agree with Valorum. Farfalla was a rival of Hoth, just as the 'High Council' on Coruscant was a rival of the 'Grand Council' of Jedi Lords around the galaxy. The Coruscant Jedi agree: with the Sith gone, there is no reason to maintain a standing army or peacekeeping force, and there's no reason for Jedi to be elected into high office. The galaxy is at peace again.
Subtext: of course they feel that the galaxy is at peace -- they live in the Core! The Outer Rim does not feel nearly the same way.
It's especially ironic that Valorum's reforms were motivated by a desire to unify the Republic, when his reforms are directly responsible for causing a thousand years of Separatist movements that the surviving Sith would exploit.
This passage is a conversation between Darth Bane and his apprentice, taken from pgs. 151-153 of the paperback:
"You have done well," Bane answered.
As always, she felt a surge of pride and accomplishment at her Master's praise. But her satisfaction was tempered by memories of Kel, and the knowledge that he was lost to her forever.
"Is there any chance they will succeed?" she asked.
"No," Bane said after a moment's consideration.
"Then what purpose do they serve?" she demanded, finally giving in to her frustration. "I don't understand why you send me on missions like this! Why waste all this time and effort if we know they're going to fail!"
"They don't need to succeed to be of value to us," Bane answered. The separatists are only a distraction. They draw the attention of the Senate, and blind the eyes of the Jedi Council."
"Blind them?"
"The Jedi have surrendered themselves to the will of the Senate. They have let themselves sink into the morass of politics and bureaucracy. The Republic seeks a single, unified government to maintain peace throughout the galaxy, and the Jedi have been reduced to nothing more than a tool to make it happen.
"Each time radicals strike against the Republic, the Jedi Council is called upon to take action. Resources are wasted on quelling rebellions and uprisings, keeping their focus away from us."
"But why must the separatists always fail? Zannah asked. "We could help them succeed without risking exposure!"
"If they succeed, they will gain support," Bane explained. "Their power and influence will grow. They will become harder to manipulate and control. It is possible that they might even become strong enough to bring down the Republic itself."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Zannah asked.
"The Republic keeps the Jedi in check. It maintains control and imposes order across thousands of worlds. But if the Republic falls, a score of new interstellar governments and galactic organizations will rise. It is far easier to manipulate and control a single enemy than twenty.
"That is why we must seek out radical separatist groups, identify the ones that have the potential to become true threats, and encourage them to strike before they are ready. We must exploit them, playing them off against the Republic. We must let our enemies weaken one another while we stay hidden and grow strong.
"One day the Republic will fall and the Jedi will be wiped out," he assured her. "But it will not happen until we are ready to seize that power for ourselves."
As always, she felt a surge of pride and accomplishment at her Master's praise. But her satisfaction was tempered by memories of Kel, and the knowledge that he was lost to her forever.
"Is there any chance they will succeed?" she asked.
"No," Bane said after a moment's consideration.
"Then what purpose do they serve?" she demanded, finally giving in to her frustration. "I don't understand why you send me on missions like this! Why waste all this time and effort if we know they're going to fail!"
"They don't need to succeed to be of value to us," Bane answered. The separatists are only a distraction. They draw the attention of the Senate, and blind the eyes of the Jedi Council."
"Blind them?"
"The Jedi have surrendered themselves to the will of the Senate. They have let themselves sink into the morass of politics and bureaucracy. The Republic seeks a single, unified government to maintain peace throughout the galaxy, and the Jedi have been reduced to nothing more than a tool to make it happen.
"Each time radicals strike against the Republic, the Jedi Council is called upon to take action. Resources are wasted on quelling rebellions and uprisings, keeping their focus away from us."
"But why must the separatists always fail? Zannah asked. "We could help them succeed without risking exposure!"
"If they succeed, they will gain support," Bane explained. "Their power and influence will grow. They will become harder to manipulate and control. It is possible that they might even become strong enough to bring down the Republic itself."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Zannah asked.
"The Republic keeps the Jedi in check. It maintains control and imposes order across thousands of worlds. But if the Republic falls, a score of new interstellar governments and galactic organizations will rise. It is far easier to manipulate and control a single enemy than twenty.
"That is why we must seek out radical separatist groups, identify the ones that have the potential to become true threats, and encourage them to strike before they are ready. We must exploit them, playing them off against the Republic. We must let our enemies weaken one another while we stay hidden and grow strong.
"One day the Republic will fall and the Jedi will be wiped out," he assured her. "But it will not happen until we are ready to seize that power for ourselves."
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Second, chapter 14 (pgs. 187-190 of the paperback) covers a conversation ten years later, between Valenthyn Farfalla (still serving on the Jedi Council) and Johun Othone (former padawan of both Hoth and Farfalla, who has spent the last ten years serving as Chancellor Valorum's bodyguard). This meeting took place shortly after Othone saved Valorum's life from a separatist assassination attempt on Serenno -- Valorum offered a 'boon', and Othone requested that a memorial be raised for those who died on Ruusan. Now Farfalla has called him to account...
Johun walked with long quick strides down the dormitory corridors of the great Jedi Temple. He passed halls and staircases leading to the various wings that had been constructed to house the Jedi Knights and Padawans who chose to dwell here on Coruscant, making his way toward the base of the Spire of the High Council and the private chambers reserved for the Masters-in-residence.
He nodded curtly to those who waved or called out to him as he marched briskly past, but Johun had no time to stop and exchange pleasantries. He had received a summons frm Valenthyne Farfalla immediately after landing, and Johun had a pretty good idea what his old Master wanted to talk to him about.
When he arrived at his destination he was surprised to find the door to Farfalla's private quarters standing open, the Jedi Master seated at a desk inside, deep in study.
"You wanted to see me?" Johun said by way of greeting, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.
The room was decorated much as Farfalla's private cabin had been aboard the Fairwind, the flagship of the now disbanded Jedi fleet. Fine art adorned the walls, and expensive rugs covered the floor. In one corner sat the four-poster bed depicting key stages of Valenthyne's rise to the rank of Jedi Master.
"Johun," Farfalla said with mild surprise. "I did not expect to see you so soon." He turned in his seat and motion ot one of th eother chairs in the room, indicating that his guest should sit.
"Your summons sounded urgent," Johun answered. He spread his feet and stood stiffly, refusing the offer of a chair.
"I need to speak with you," Farfalla said with a weary sigh.
"As my friend, my Master, or a representative of the Jedi Council?"
"That depends on what you have to say," Farfalla answered, ever the diplomat. "I have heard that Chancellor Valorum intends to petition the Senate for funds to create a memorial to Hoth and the other Jedi who fell on Ruusan."
"No doubt he believes this to be a fitting tribute to the people who gave their lives to keep the Republic safe," Johun remarked. "A tribute some would say is long overdue."
Farfalla raised an eyebrow. "So you had nothing to do with this request? Valorum came up with this idea on his own?"
"I never said that," the Jedi KNight replied. The truth, as both he and Valenthyne were well aware, was that Valorum had agreed to do this to show his gratitude toward Johun for saving him during the attack on Serenno.
"As I suspected," the Master said with another sigh. "The Jedi Council does not approve of this, Johun. They see it as an act of pride and arrogance."
"Is it arrogant to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice?" Johun asked, staying calm. He was a Jedi Knight now; the Padawan who would fly off the handle at the slightest provocation was long gone.
"Requesting a memorial to honor your former Master smacks of vanity," Farfalla explained. "In elevating the man who first trained you, you in effect elevate yourself."
"This is not vanity, Master," Johun explianed patiently. "A memorial on Ruusan will serve as a reminder of how one hundred beings willingly marched off to face certain death so that the rest of the galaxy might live in peace. It will be a powerful symbol to inspire others."
"The Jedi do not need symbols to inspire them," Farfalla reminded him.
"But the rest of the Republic does," Johun countered. "Symbols give power to ideas, they speak to the hearts and minds of the average person, they help transform abstract values and beliefs into reality.
"This monument glorifies the victory on Ruusan: a victory that came not through the strength of our army, but through the courage, conviction, and sacrifice of Hoth and those who perished with him. It will serve as a shining example to guide the citizens of the Republic in their thoughts and actions."
"I see Valorum's flair for speeches has rubbed off on you," Valenthyne said with a rueful smile, recognizing that he would not be able to convince Johun to change his position.
"It was you who chose to assign me to the Chancellor's side," Johun reminded him. "And I have learned many things in my years of service."
Farfalla rose from his seat and began to pace the room.
"Your arguments are eloquent, Johun. But surely you know they will not sway the Jedi Council."
"This matter falls outside the Council's authority." Johun reminded him. "If the Senate approves funding for Valorum's request, construction on Ruusan will begin within the month."
"The Senate will never refuse Valorum anything." Farfalla snorted. He stopped pacing and turned toward Johun. "And what will your role be in this project?"
"That, too, is for the Senate to decide," Johun answered evasively. However, after a moment, he relented and told Farfalla the truth. "The Chancellor has agreed to travel with a full security complement on future diplomatic missions, so that I will be free to go to Ruusan and oversee construction of the memorial."
Farfalla sighed and sat back down in his chair.
"I understand why you are doing this, Johun. I do not fully approve, but neither I nor the Jedi Council will stand in your way." After a moment, he added, "I doubt we could stop you now even if we tried."
"At times I can be most stubborn," the Jedi Knight replied with just a hint of a smile.
"Just like Hoth," Farfalla noted.
Johun chose to take his words as a compliment
He nodded curtly to those who waved or called out to him as he marched briskly past, but Johun had no time to stop and exchange pleasantries. He had received a summons frm Valenthyne Farfalla immediately after landing, and Johun had a pretty good idea what his old Master wanted to talk to him about.
When he arrived at his destination he was surprised to find the door to Farfalla's private quarters standing open, the Jedi Master seated at a desk inside, deep in study.
"You wanted to see me?" Johun said by way of greeting, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.
The room was decorated much as Farfalla's private cabin had been aboard the Fairwind, the flagship of the now disbanded Jedi fleet. Fine art adorned the walls, and expensive rugs covered the floor. In one corner sat the four-poster bed depicting key stages of Valenthyne's rise to the rank of Jedi Master.
"Johun," Farfalla said with mild surprise. "I did not expect to see you so soon." He turned in his seat and motion ot one of th eother chairs in the room, indicating that his guest should sit.
"Your summons sounded urgent," Johun answered. He spread his feet and stood stiffly, refusing the offer of a chair.
"I need to speak with you," Farfalla said with a weary sigh.
"As my friend, my Master, or a representative of the Jedi Council?"
"That depends on what you have to say," Farfalla answered, ever the diplomat. "I have heard that Chancellor Valorum intends to petition the Senate for funds to create a memorial to Hoth and the other Jedi who fell on Ruusan."
"No doubt he believes this to be a fitting tribute to the people who gave their lives to keep the Republic safe," Johun remarked. "A tribute some would say is long overdue."
Farfalla raised an eyebrow. "So you had nothing to do with this request? Valorum came up with this idea on his own?"
"I never said that," the Jedi KNight replied. The truth, as both he and Valenthyne were well aware, was that Valorum had agreed to do this to show his gratitude toward Johun for saving him during the attack on Serenno.
"As I suspected," the Master said with another sigh. "The Jedi Council does not approve of this, Johun. They see it as an act of pride and arrogance."
"Is it arrogant to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice?" Johun asked, staying calm. He was a Jedi Knight now; the Padawan who would fly off the handle at the slightest provocation was long gone.
"Requesting a memorial to honor your former Master smacks of vanity," Farfalla explained. "In elevating the man who first trained you, you in effect elevate yourself."
"This is not vanity, Master," Johun explianed patiently. "A memorial on Ruusan will serve as a reminder of how one hundred beings willingly marched off to face certain death so that the rest of the galaxy might live in peace. It will be a powerful symbol to inspire others."
"The Jedi do not need symbols to inspire them," Farfalla reminded him.
"But the rest of the Republic does," Johun countered. "Symbols give power to ideas, they speak to the hearts and minds of the average person, they help transform abstract values and beliefs into reality.
"This monument glorifies the victory on Ruusan: a victory that came not through the strength of our army, but through the courage, conviction, and sacrifice of Hoth and those who perished with him. It will serve as a shining example to guide the citizens of the Republic in their thoughts and actions."
"I see Valorum's flair for speeches has rubbed off on you," Valenthyne said with a rueful smile, recognizing that he would not be able to convince Johun to change his position.
"It was you who chose to assign me to the Chancellor's side," Johun reminded him. "And I have learned many things in my years of service."
Farfalla rose from his seat and began to pace the room.
"Your arguments are eloquent, Johun. But surely you know they will not sway the Jedi Council."
"This matter falls outside the Council's authority." Johun reminded him. "If the Senate approves funding for Valorum's request, construction on Ruusan will begin within the month."
"The Senate will never refuse Valorum anything." Farfalla snorted. He stopped pacing and turned toward Johun. "And what will your role be in this project?"
"That, too, is for the Senate to decide," Johun answered evasively. However, after a moment, he relented and told Farfalla the truth. "The Chancellor has agreed to travel with a full security complement on future diplomatic missions, so that I will be free to go to Ruusan and oversee construction of the memorial."
Farfalla sighed and sat back down in his chair.
"I understand why you are doing this, Johun. I do not fully approve, but neither I nor the Jedi Council will stand in your way." After a moment, he added, "I doubt we could stop you now even if we tried."
"At times I can be most stubborn," the Jedi Knight replied with just a hint of a smile.
"Just like Hoth," Farfalla noted.
Johun chose to take his words as a compliment
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Unfortunately, this is the entire conversation treating the Jedi's response to the Valley. According to the wiki, Othone's petitions to the Jedi Council is only covered in the Power of the Jedi Sourcebook, which I've also put on hold at the library.
However, it is interesting to note how things have changed. Othone used to be a country bumpkin -- ten years at Valorum's side, and now he's the politician in the room. After ten years of enforcing and applying his Reformation (and ten years of working alongside a Jedi as his guardian), Valorum has altered his own harsh judgment of the Jedi Order and is finally willing to build the memorial. (Or he's content in the knowledge that the Jedi Lords are gone and won't be coming back, so he has no objection to 'fondly remembering' those long-dead saviors of the Republic...).
In contract, Farfalla has stagnated -- he's isolated in his room, his room is decorated in the same way as his flagship stateroom ten years ago. Farfalla's conversation with Valorum, and the fear of the Republic's retaliation if the Jedi stepped out of line, have not helped things in the slightest. Farfalla still treats Othone as a Padawan ("smacks of vanity") and as an outsider ("Just like Hoth").
Farfalla's critique of the memorial is... odd:
On the other, remember that Farfalla is still a political creature (whatever else he's been reduced to). Criticizing the memorial as "an act of pride and arrogance" takes on a lot of subtext, when you imagine what the Jedi Order has been up to these past ten years. All of the (proactive, go-getter) Jedi Lords are dead, and the Council was told to shut up and go to their room or else be treated as an enemy of the Republic. So they did. And for ten years, the Jedi Council has been hiding in their room, scared of making their presence felt lest they face the Republic's retaliation.
That's the context for the Council's treatment of the survivors from Ruusan. The Lords and their retainers were long-standing rivals to the Coruscant Council, but in the more immediate context, those survivors represented a real political danger to the Council -- what if the survivors didn't shut up? Would that give the Republic sufficient excuse to retaliate?
The Jedi Council was always defined by passivity -- that's why the Jedi Lords got started, and why the Army of Light was formed, because the Order wasn't doing its job. But now after the Reformation that passivity was amplified by fear.
But people don't like to imagine themselves motivated by fear or baser instincts, especially if you're supposed to be motivated by higher emotions. So the Jedi engage in a bit of motivated reasoning: they're treating the Ruusan survivors this way because they were heretics. Because the Coruscant Jedi and the High Council were true Jedi who knew when to act and when not to, while the former Jedi Lords (and former Jedi Chancellors...) were brash and most especially arrogant, in elevating themselves and caring too much about what the rest of the galaxy thinks of them.
This line of thinking simultaneously justifies the Council's passivity during the Reformation, justifies their failure to memorialize the heroes who died on Ruusan, justifies their abhorrent treatment of the few survivors (exiling Teepo and Berenthon as dissidents and heresiarchs).
That also explains why the Council couldn't be relied upon to go after Darth Bane at the end of the book.
However, it is interesting to note how things have changed. Othone used to be a country bumpkin -- ten years at Valorum's side, and now he's the politician in the room. After ten years of enforcing and applying his Reformation (and ten years of working alongside a Jedi as his guardian), Valorum has altered his own harsh judgment of the Jedi Order and is finally willing to build the memorial. (Or he's content in the knowledge that the Jedi Lords are gone and won't be coming back, so he has no objection to 'fondly remembering' those long-dead saviors of the Republic...).
In contract, Farfalla has stagnated -- he's isolated in his room, his room is decorated in the same way as his flagship stateroom ten years ago. Farfalla's conversation with Valorum, and the fear of the Republic's retaliation if the Jedi stepped out of line, have not helped things in the slightest. Farfalla still treats Othone as a Padawan ("smacks of vanity") and as an outsider ("Just like Hoth").
Farfalla's critique of the memorial is... odd:
On the one hand... it's possible Farfalla is being serious, that this is the Jedi Council's real critique. In which case... huh? What a load of garbage!
On the other, remember that Farfalla is still a political creature (whatever else he's been reduced to). Criticizing the memorial as "an act of pride and arrogance" takes on a lot of subtext, when you imagine what the Jedi Order has been up to these past ten years. All of the (proactive, go-getter) Jedi Lords are dead, and the Council was told to shut up and go to their room or else be treated as an enemy of the Republic. So they did. And for ten years, the Jedi Council has been hiding in their room, scared of making their presence felt lest they face the Republic's retaliation.
That's the context for the Council's treatment of the survivors from Ruusan. The Lords and their retainers were long-standing rivals to the Coruscant Council, but in the more immediate context, those survivors represented a real political danger to the Council -- what if the survivors didn't shut up? Would that give the Republic sufficient excuse to retaliate?
The Jedi Council was always defined by passivity -- that's why the Jedi Lords got started, and why the Army of Light was formed, because the Order wasn't doing its job. But now after the Reformation that passivity was amplified by fear.
But people don't like to imagine themselves motivated by fear or baser instincts, especially if you're supposed to be motivated by higher emotions. So the Jedi engage in a bit of motivated reasoning: they're treating the Ruusan survivors this way because they were heretics. Because the Coruscant Jedi and the High Council were true Jedi who knew when to act and when not to, while the former Jedi Lords (and former Jedi Chancellors...) were brash and most especially arrogant, in elevating themselves and caring too much about what the rest of the galaxy thinks of them.
This line of thinking simultaneously justifies the Council's passivity during the Reformation, justifies their failure to memorialize the heroes who died on Ruusan, justifies their abhorrent treatment of the few survivors (exiling Teepo and Berenthon as dissidents and heresiarchs).
That also explains why the Council couldn't be relied upon to go after Darth Bane at the end of the book.
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Third, chapter 20 (pgs. 256-268 in the paperback) includes a conversation between Johun Othone and Valenthyne Farfalla, just after they discover that there was a surviving Sith Lord from Ruusan, and that the Sith apprentice had snuck in to the Jedi Archives...
"Tython," the Jedi Master remarked, picking out the common theme among the thousands of articles and papers referenced by the index. "Birthplace of the Jedi."
"That must be where they're going," Johun insisted. "Bane must have gone into hiding in the Deep Core!"
He turned to Faralla, clutching his Master's arm in his urgency. "You have to convince the Council to let us go after them."
Farfalla's eyes were cold and hard. "I doubt the Council will be in any great hurry to take action in this matter," he warned.
"But Master Valenthyne--" Johun pleaded, only to have the other man cut him off with a sharp wave of his hand.
"The Council will not help you, Johun. Therefore we must go to Tython ourselves."
Johun's eyes went wide in surprise.
"I swore a vow to General Hoth," Farfalla explained, his voice taking on the hard tone of military comand he had not used since the disbanding of the Army of Light. "I promised I would not rest until the Sith had been cleansed from the galaxy. I still intend to honor that vow.
"Go find Masters Raskta and Worror," he added. "They also served with Hoth on Ruusan. They will join us in our cause. Tell them we leave within the hour."
"That must be where they're going," Johun insisted. "Bane must have gone into hiding in the Deep Core!"
He turned to Faralla, clutching his Master's arm in his urgency. "You have to convince the Council to let us go after them."
Farfalla's eyes were cold and hard. "I doubt the Council will be in any great hurry to take action in this matter," he warned.
"But Master Valenthyne--" Johun pleaded, only to have the other man cut him off with a sharp wave of his hand.
"The Council will not help you, Johun. Therefore we must go to Tython ourselves."
Johun's eyes went wide in surprise.
"I swore a vow to General Hoth," Farfalla explained, his voice taking on the hard tone of military comand he had not used since the disbanding of the Army of Light. "I promised I would not rest until the Sith had been cleansed from the galaxy. I still intend to honor that vow.
"Go find Masters Raskta and Worror," he added. "They also served with Hoth on Ruusan. They will join us in our cause. Tell them we leave within the hour."
(Sorry for... err, sextuple posting? That was the last of the excerpts, and this is the last of the analysis).
The most notable element of the last excerpt is Farfalla's immediate and absolute certainty that the Jedi Council would not act.
Having spent ten years serving on the Council and working with the other members, Farfalla's testimony must hold a lot of weight. Having just discovered that there is a surviving Sith Lord, Johun proposes that they ask the Council to approve a mission to finish him off. Farfalla immediately understands that the Council would not give their approval, or at least that they would not "be in any great hurry to take action."
Why not? Because all the proactive Jedi Lords are dead, and the Council is the same notoriously passive body it always was.
More pointedly, the Council has also spent ten years keeping its head down lest the Republic look at it funny. This discovery -- that there was a surviving Sith Lord after all -- would generate a lot of suspicion among the Jedi's enemies (most likely including Valorum) that this was merely a convenient excuse for the Jedi to remilitarize. The Jedi don't want to upset the apple cart!
In contrast, notice Farfalla's respoxnse:
And he's not going to let anything get in his way: he ensures that Othone won't tell the Council (so they can't give him a stand-down order) and sends Othone to gather two other Jedi Masters who survived Ruusan, who can be trusted to act.
In fact, the Council is so obscenely passive, that they don't even bother to follow up on Farfalla's apparent disappearance:
This covers pgs. 313-314 of the paperback. Note that Farfalla did leave a note saying where he was going (Tython) and why (pursuing a Sith Lord). The Council doesn't bother sending back-up (!) or even bother to investigate for another two weeks (!!), even though Farfalla and the others don't send word (!!!).
It's only after they receive word that there's a dying Sith Lord on Ambria do they bother to act. They send a much larger strike team (fourteen Jedi total) to the landing coordinates and promptly discover the Sith Lord. The Jedi promptly kill him ("The battle lasted less than three seconds, the raving young man cut down by a swarm of Jedi lightsabers").
The strike team then fails to do any investigation whatsoever, giving the Sith's hut a once-over but failing to notice the trap door in the corner. It turns out that the 'Sith' was actually Darovit, a former Sith soldier who had been driven mad by torture so the Jedi would mistakenly believe that he was a Sith. And that trap door would led them to a (barely surviving) Darth Bane and his apprentice hiding in the cellar.
The Jedi were so determined to keep their heads down, that as soon as they possibly could, they washed their hands of the matter and told the rest of the galaxy that "Nope, we definitely finished off the Sith, no need to worry."
Talk about 'confirmation bias' -- this is the very definition of motivated reasoning.
The most notable element of the last excerpt is Farfalla's immediate and absolute certainty that the Jedi Council would not act.
Having spent ten years serving on the Council and working with the other members, Farfalla's testimony must hold a lot of weight. Having just discovered that there is a surviving Sith Lord, Johun proposes that they ask the Council to approve a mission to finish him off. Farfalla immediately understands that the Council would not give their approval, or at least that they would not "be in any great hurry to take action."
Why not? Because all the proactive Jedi Lords are dead, and the Council is the same notoriously passive body it always was.
More pointedly, the Council has also spent ten years keeping its head down lest the Republic look at it funny. This discovery -- that there was a surviving Sith Lord after all -- would generate a lot of suspicion among the Jedi's enemies (most likely including Valorum) that this was merely a convenient excuse for the Jedi to remilitarize. The Jedi don't want to upset the apple cart!
In contrast, notice Farfalla's respoxnse:
For all that Farfalla was a member of the Jedi Council, he was also one of the few Coruscant Jedi willing to join the Army of Light -- sacrificing his own political ambitions (election as Supreme Chancellor) in the process. Farfalla was Lord Hoth's deputy, the general who took command of the Army of Light after Hoth's death. He is one of those go-getters, and for the first time in ten years, he has something to do!
And he's not going to let anything get in his way: he ensures that Othone won't tell the Council (so they can't give him a stand-down order) and sends Othone to gather two other Jedi Masters who survived Ruusan, who can be trusted to act.
In fact, the Council is so obscenely passive, that they don't even bother to follow up on Farfalla's apparent disappearance:
The Light of Truth, one of the many Jedi cruisers that had been incorporated into the REpublic fleet after the Ruusan REformations, landed with a soft thump on Ambria's desolate surface.
"Be ready for anything," Master Tho'natu warned his team as they prepared to disembarck.
Back before he achieved the rank of Master, the Twi'lek had served as a Jedi Knight in the Army of Light on Ruusan. He had been assigned to Farfalla's ship, luckily in time to avoid the effects of the thought bomb, but not before he'd had ample opportunity on Ruusan to witness first-hand the kind of atrocities the Sith were capable of. He wasn't about to take any chances here.
They'd been dispatched in response to a message drone that had arrived on Coruscant a few days before. The anonymous message inside had been cryptically short, and somewhat disquieting in its lack of detail. It contained only a set of landing coordinates and four brief lines of text.
A Sith Lord still lives.
He killed five Jedi on Tython.
He is now on Ambria, under the care of a healer named Caleb.
He is badly injured and helpless.
Less than two weeks ago, Master Farfalla and four companions had hastily taken off Coruscant, leaving behind word they were heading to Tython in pursuit of a Dark Lord of the Sith. They hadn't been heard from since. The message drone offered a grim expalanation of their fate, and it drew an immediate response from the Jedi Council.
"Be ready for anything," Master Tho'natu warned his team as they prepared to disembarck.
Back before he achieved the rank of Master, the Twi'lek had served as a Jedi Knight in the Army of Light on Ruusan. He had been assigned to Farfalla's ship, luckily in time to avoid the effects of the thought bomb, but not before he'd had ample opportunity on Ruusan to witness first-hand the kind of atrocities the Sith were capable of. He wasn't about to take any chances here.
They'd been dispatched in response to a message drone that had arrived on Coruscant a few days before. The anonymous message inside had been cryptically short, and somewhat disquieting in its lack of detail. It contained only a set of landing coordinates and four brief lines of text.
A Sith Lord still lives.
He killed five Jedi on Tython.
He is now on Ambria, under the care of a healer named Caleb.
He is badly injured and helpless.
Less than two weeks ago, Master Farfalla and four companions had hastily taken off Coruscant, leaving behind word they were heading to Tython in pursuit of a Dark Lord of the Sith. They hadn't been heard from since. The message drone offered a grim expalanation of their fate, and it drew an immediate response from the Jedi Council.
This covers pgs. 313-314 of the paperback. Note that Farfalla did leave a note saying where he was going (Tython) and why (pursuing a Sith Lord). The Council doesn't bother sending back-up (!) or even bother to investigate for another two weeks (!!), even though Farfalla and the others don't send word (!!!).
It's only after they receive word that there's a dying Sith Lord on Ambria do they bother to act. They send a much larger strike team (fourteen Jedi total) to the landing coordinates and promptly discover the Sith Lord. The Jedi promptly kill him ("The battle lasted less than three seconds, the raving young man cut down by a swarm of Jedi lightsabers").
The strike team then fails to do any investigation whatsoever, giving the Sith's hut a once-over but failing to notice the trap door in the corner. It turns out that the 'Sith' was actually Darovit, a former Sith soldier who had been driven mad by torture so the Jedi would mistakenly believe that he was a Sith. And that trap door would led them to a (barely surviving) Darth Bane and his apprentice hiding in the cellar.
The Jedi were so determined to keep their heads down, that as soon as they possibly could, they washed their hands of the matter and told the rest of the galaxy that "Nope, we definitely finished off the Sith, no need to worry."
Talk about 'confirmation bias' -- this is the very definition of motivated reasoning.
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If you feel the need to ask that question then your omake hasn't reached them yet.