The Force Wars (IC)

[AmenRa]

Tal Varsus sat in the chair as directed by Thorror. He steepled his fingers in front of him, as was his custom during Council meetings. When the indicator light signaled that the holotransmission was online, and Thorror gave his greeting, Tal gave a bow of his head.

"May the will of the Force be known to us," he said.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Jedi Temple, Coruscant

"Master Thorror, Master Varsus, thank you for joining us so promptly." said the gruff voice of the Cathar Master Kulan.
"It is our pleasure, as always, to be counted among the august body of the Jedi Council." Thorror said.
"The council has been called upon the request of Master Illus Van in regards to his former padawan and former Dark Lord of The Sith, Alain Talan'Vor. Unfortunately, as I am sure Masters of your calibre realize, Grandmaster Jak Katarn has become one with the force. As such, both of you must present yourselves in the flesh on Coruscant in order to be present for the naming of the new grandmaster and the nomination of another member of the council." Kulan said, bowing his head slightly.

"I was not aware that Alain Talan'vor had been taken into custody." Thorror said. "What is it that Master Van wants us to discuss?"
"We are not sure, but both he and Talan'vor will be coming shortly."
"Fellow masters, Knight Reyn Ordo has a report of grave importance to deliver as well."
Reyn walked into the holofield and looked around at the assembled masters.
"I am Jedi Knight Reyn Ordo, Watchman of the Mandalore Sector, honoured padawan of Master Thorror."
"You are padawan no longer Knight Ordo." came the voice of the Shistavanen Master Balor.
"I believe that as long as Thorror lives, i am naught but a padawan in comparison."
"Well said indeed, son of Mandalore." said the Whiphid Master Baruk.
"Please continue with your report Knight Ordo." Kulan chimed in.
"As you wish Master Kulan." Reyn said,
"I witnessed an attack on Tatooine." he started.

 

[Wolfsister]

Lalena Kar strode from her private chambers and walked quietly along the walkways which threaded themselves through exquisitely planted gardens. She closed her eyes briefly and touched the Force, a welcoming presence inside her soul that sang its beauty to her in every living being that existed in the world.

She opened her eyes again and a calming serenity stole over her. Her eyes widened when she was touched briefly through the Force by someone she knew all too well. Tal Varsus was worried, and she could feel it. He wished to seek comfort and a chill stole down her spine as something within the Force reverbrated. A foreboding sense of calm. Something akin to the calm before a storm.

She reached out and touched his mind, whispering words of comfort, though she knew he would not hear them. He would feel the intent though, and that was enough.

Suddenly feeling the urge to dance, Lalena Kar strode purposely indoors. She needed a space, somewhere alone that could see her craft and allow her to shape it to its full extent. For once, the confines of her room seemed stifling, though they were more than adequate.

She nodded her head politely to those she passed and a touch on her shoulder made her turn. A friend of hers smiled in apology and Lalena smiled back, her twin lekku twitching in unconscious effort.

"The council convenes. They have word on Master Varsus."

She closed her eyes briefly nodding her head, her lekku swaying elegantly from side to side, "Thank you, my friend. I had not known that my worry was so... transparent."

The jedi laughed and smiled, "No worries my friend. Only I could have picked up your signals. Your secret, yours and Varsus' is mine to keep. I promise you that,"

Lalena nodded brusquely, suddenly reminded of Tal's old way mentality that so frustrated her heart that she cut off her friend slightly early, "I am away to the council chambers. Perhaps I can learn something there. I can feel..." she shook her head, not wishing to frighten the other Jedi.

"The Grandmaster they choose will surely need a strong hand and a kind heart," her friend observed, seemingly out of the blue. Lalena blushed, well aware of her connections to the previous Grandmaster.

"It will be none of my affair," she answered and then turned to leave, flashing a quick smile to her friend before she did.

She quietly made her way though the maze-like temple and reflected on the death of the Grandmaster. She sighed, he had been a kind man. A true Jedi and one she had often looked up to in times of need. He would be sorely missed.

A sound diverted her from her inner thoughts as she heard the distant thrumming of two lightsabers. She frowned, knowing that there were no classes present at this time. She stepped quickly, assuming that it was some of the padawans, not yet wise enough to know that lightsabers were not mere tools for their amusement.

What she found was something a lot more disturbing.

She stepped quietly into the room with an apparent Sith Lord and a rather young and brash padawan. They looked to be angered with each other, though the sith lord was smiling in an oddly cruel way.

"Enough! Jedi do not fight amongst themselves!" she sharply intoned, flexing her hand and stepping in front of the padawan, throwing a Force sheild before them. She faced the sith cloaked Jedi and frowned, "You of all should know that."

Then she turned her head slightly, "I will have your master's name." When it was given she nodded grimly, "Go, report to your master and know that I will follow this through. We cannot expect to be able to protect others if we must constantly protect ourselves from our own attacks. Now go."

Looking slightly ashen, the padawan left, though she kept the Force shield between her and the reformed Sith.

"I have heard much of you, Alain Talan'Vor." She narrowed her eyes, something akin to fear flickering in them, though her voice was tempered and controled.

With somewhat of an inner struggle, Lalena Kar dissolved her sheild, "Tell me, if you are reformed, why do you hold a weapon to your fellow Jedi?" she asked mildly, however her tone brooked no room for him to deny her an answer.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Reyn finished his report and feel silent, awaiting the word of the council.

"This is most disturbing news Knight Ordo."
"Are you certain this what you saw?"
"Impossible."
"Another war?"
"When can we finally have peace?"

"ENOUGH BROTHERS!" Thorror bellowed, the council falling silent at the wookiees order. "Knight Ordo hasnt a dishonest bone in his body, he knows what he saw, and has a warriors eyes, he knows a threat when he sees one. The question is now what do we do?"

"We must inform the Chancellor, he may wish to pursuit diplomatic channels. In any case there is nothing we can do unless war is declared." Kulan said. "In the meantime, we will hear Master Ilus Van's words on the behalf of Knight Talan'Vor. Masters Thorror and Varsus, we would have you come to Coruscant for the selection of Grandmaster and the appointment of a new councillor."

"Very well." Thorror said.

 

[AmenRa]

Varsus let out a sigh. As he and Thorror stood, he turned and looked up at the Wookie.

"We've no time for this," he said, "surely every Jedi knows who the selection of a new leader of the Order will be, and surely no one objects to your taking the position, old friend." Varsus ran a hand through his hair. "I fear we will soon be entwined in war, and preparations must be made for this. I believe this consciousness that has awaked on a distant, frozen world can help us, and I must retrieve this Jedi soon. As soon as we are done on Coruscant, I will collect Jedi Lalena Kar to accompany Reyn and me on our mission to find this lost Jedi."

Tal kept pace with the Wookie's long strides, looking ahead of them as they walked. Having a moment to reflect on his thoughts, he spoke again, "I suppose it is imperative to get these formalities out of the way. To leave the Order now without a figurehead could prove disastrous in the near future. There are so many Jedi, and we must fight as one to prevail. The seeds of dissention can be easily sown by the Dark Side, as it was with Palpatine, as it was with Darth Caedus.

"It will be up to you, my brother, to hold the Order together in the dark times we will soon face. But, I promise, you shall not do it alone."

 

[Jedi_Khan]

General Whilhuff Koto makes his report

Location: Somewhere in deep space

“…and that, ladies and gentlemen, is the end of my report,” said General Whilhuff Koto. He had just finished presenting the findings of the investigation at Tatooine to the Supreme Commander of the Republic Military and his staff. The report included an analysis of a body that had been found that did not match any known species in the galaxy.

“Any questions?” asked the aging general, as he looked around at the holos of the Supreme Commander and his staff. General Koto was attending the meeting via the Holo-Net because it was the fastest way to report and the situation seemed to carry a sense of urgency.

One of the Supreme Commander’s advisors spoke up: “Why would these aliens attack a planet, but not stick around?”

“Well, sir, the planet in question is Tatooine. Look at its history. Mining companies have descended upon Tatooine looking for resources that they believe are there, but then they show up, and it turns out that what little resources there are, are completely useless,” responded the general. “It seems the same thing happened with the invaders. They went there looking for resources, but found nothing of value. And let’s be thankful that they weren’t like the Yuuzhan Vong, who saw sentient species as resources too.”

Another aide spoke up: “Have there been reports of other planets being attacked in your area, general?”

“None yet, sir,” replied the General.

“Do you think they will attack other systems?” asked the same aide.

“I would say—“ started General Koto, but he was cutoff by Major Kerrigan walking into the conference room.

“Sir, data is coming in from a probe droid sent to the Mustafar system. You better look at it, along with the Supreme Commander,” said Major Kerrigan.

General Koto turned back to the holos before him and relayed what Major Kerrigan had told him. He then pressed a button on his console, and a hologram of the Mustafar system appeared in the middle of the group. It was a live image of the Mustafar system. As the droid made a pass by the volcanic planet of Mustafar proper, a group of ships appeared in the image, around the planet. There was no data on them whatsoever.

“Sirs, I think we have found our unknown hostiles,” said General Koto, as he watched the probe droid move into a position where it started to gather more data on the unknown ships. As it did, a more detailed view of the ships appeared in the image. “With your permission, Admiral, I would like to send a group to make contact and investigate.”

“You are hereby authorized to make contact,” replied the Supreme Commander. “Do not, by any means, attack them, unless they attack you. First priority, make contact and determine their diplomatic position. If they want to talk, then open negotiations. Second priority, if their diplomatic position is openly hostile, then turn them into space dust. Proceed with caution, General. I will take this matter to the Supreme Chancellor at once, even if I have to drag him out of bed.”

“Yes, sir,” replied General Koto, and with a stiff salute, ended the transmission. He then turned to Major Kerrigan, who was still standing behind him. “Send the Beta Group of the 4th Division to make contact. Their objectives are as stated by the Supreme Commander. I will issue my own orders as to how they shall proceed.”

The general then outlined how he wanted the group of 50 warships to make contact, after which, he sent Major Kerrigan out to execute the orders.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Thorror nodded at Tal's words. "'Thank you old friend, I only hope i have the strength required for this task, though i am loathe to have to give up the time training the younglings here." He said.

Reyn followed them as they headed toward the hangar,

"Who will run the Praxeum in your absence Master?"
"Master Talkyr will have that honour, I would give it to you, were you yet a master."
"I am honoured by your faith Master Thorror, at this point i feel my skills would be of greater use in the field anyway."
"I believe you maybe right, there are few warriors in the order who are your equal Reyn."
"I am honoured Master, but it is well known and documented that you are my superior in the arts of war."
"Now you honour me young one. But let us speak no more of this, we will go to Coruscant, and then i would have you join Master Varsus and Mistress Kar on their quest for the Lost One."
"It would be my honour Master." Reyn concluded as they approached a prepped shuttle.

"Now to coruscant."

 

[Adamus76]

The motley crew of criminals stood in what had once been the main hangar bay of Echo Base. It had taken the better part of the day to burn a hole through the layers of ice that covered the ruined facility. Vedico of course hadn't done any of the work, he'd merely delegated the efforts to his crew and shouted obscenities at those that slacked off. Now they were in, the men and aliens exhausted, while Vedico appraised the area, a mild smile playing across his lips.

"So," said the human called Colin between ragged breaths, "care to tell us what this is?"

"Echo Base," replied Vedico enigmatically.

"Yeah, which is?"

"Remember the Galactic Civil War? Centuries ago. Empire versus Alliance, all that crap. Well, this was an Alliance base. Empire took it."

The crew looked around the hangar, the light from their powerful torches illuminating the area. The roof had collapsed partially, remnants of destroyed crates littered the frozen ground, a few broken cables emerged from cracks in walls and ceiling.

"Looks like they tore the place up."

"Still, there has to be loot left here. Parts, computers, maps... maybe even weapons," said Vedico as he walked further into the hangar. "Call the Blame and have more men sent down. Let's explore."

 

[doubletake]

.....

 

[Angelus]

Alain looked down at the lightsaber that was in his hand then at the padawan and without a thought flicked the blade out of existence. He then turned and slowly looked over at the Jedi Master who stood there with her arms at her side.

“I was not going to attack the padawan. I was in here meditating when he came upon me and pulled out his lightsaber. I know that you cannot believe the words of a Sith but it is the truth and it is the only words that I will give you.”

He replaced the lightsaber back on his belt but let the hood of his cloak fall as he looked at the padawan again who flinched slightly at Alain’s eyes, his lightsaber still in his hands. He knew that he was going to face this whenever he was going to be anywhere near Jedi but it was something of his doing, something that he had caused to happen. In his former life as a Sith Lord he had caused many deaths, had done things that he was no longer proud of and would forever ask forgiveness for. He had caused many atrocities in his name, only to slate the destructive force and anger that had taken him over. His eyes closed with those thoughts and he let his head fall towards the floor. He raised it though when he heard the padawan’s voice.

“He should not be here Master. He is a Sith Lord and cannot be trusted.”

“I am a Jedi now and will always be one. It is true that I was once a Sith Lord but that is a life that I have given up and one that will forever plague me. All that I want is to be left in peace and to prove to everyone that I can be trusted for all time.”

He started to slowly move forward as he pulled up his hood to cover his face but when he came across the solid wall of a force shield he looked once more at the Jedi Master. He knew that he could ask her to let him go bat a part of him realized that she would never do that unless he could prove that he could be trusted. With one eye still on the master he reached under his cloak and pulled out the comm unit that had been personally built to communicate with his Master.

“Master Van. I am afraid that I have a problem in one of the training rooms. I was meditating and a padawan came across me. I am very much stuck here until you come down and tell the master that is here that I can be trusted.”

As soon as he replaced the unit back under his cloak Alain sat back down on the floor and listened for the foot steps of his master whom he hoped would get him out of the mess that he now found himself in.

He did not realize that he had closed his eyes until he heard the sound of his master’s footsteps and opened them again to see him walk into the room and straight up to the Jedi Master.

“I know what he is or used to be but he is no threat to anybody here. He is a Jedi now and can be trusted.”

As he got back to his feet Alain hoped that his master’s words would be enough to change the other Jedi’s mind.

 

[AmenRa]

As Tal Varsus stepped from the shuttle onto the landing pad, he felt a slight tremor in the Force. It was from Lalena Kar, but he could not tell precisely what it was he felt. It was a feeling, but whether it was anger, fear, or what he could not tell for sure. One thing was for certain, however, he knew where she was.

The council would convene shortly. And, within the next few hours, he and Lalena Kar, accompanied by Jedi Ordo, would be en route to the Hoth system.

Varsus took his leave of Master Thorror for the moment, saying he would meet him again in the Council chamber. He headed for a turbo lift and bowed to several Jedi along the way. Once in the turbo lift he descended into the interior of the Jedi Temple. He stopped on a floor that held training areas and walked the corridors, following the Force echoes of Lalena's presence. He stopped at an open door and entered.

Near the door stood Lalena. Her back was to him, and he could see her lekku wrapped in coils of tension. Before her stood a youngling, Master Van, and one he recognized as Alain Talan'Vor.

Varsus stepped into the interior of the room. He radiated strength and purpose into the Force. He gave a curt bow to Master Van.

"Master Van," he greeted, "may the Force be with you." He turned to the other and added, "and to you, Jedi Alain Talan'Vor."

 

[rengadeirishman]

Thorror nodded as Tal took his leave. He walked with Reyn to the doors of the council chamber and then took his leave, entering and taking his seat.

Soon the council would begin.

 

[Wolfsister]

Lalena inclined her head in greeting, though her muscles were still coiled with tension and her lekku persisted in their irksome twitching. Her lips pressed thinly together as she dissolved the Force Sheild that held Alain. She hid a shudder that ran down her spine and turned to Master Van just before Tal Varsus walked through the open doorway.

Her eyebrow twitched up and she tried not to frown as he seemed to ignore her all together. Her twin lekku twitched, surely letting him know of her silent displeasure, yet he had never seemed to master the translation of her intricate movements. It saddened her beyond measure.

Men... they were all the same.

"Forgive my impertanence with your Padawan, Master Van. These two were about to duel." As if she needed to explain her predicament. She now ignored the young jedi in preference for the two other masters that now dominated the room. But she kept her eye on him.

And then, as if in afterthought, she added, "And the Force be with you, Master Varsus." Her tone was colder than ice.

 

[AmenRa]

Tal Varsus turned at the singsong voice of Lalena Kar.

"As well with you, Master Kar," he said to her. He wondered if she knew the only thing preventing him from taking her in his arms this very moment were the two others in the room.

He had detected an edge of frost in her greeting. He then realized why. Blast! Was he supposed explain why he hadn't spoken to her when he came in the room? The tension was permeable through the Force between her and Alain. He had felt it from the landing platform. He turned back once again to look at Master Van and Alain, then turned back to her. She was angry with him. No, not quite anger, but something else.

There was a place deep inside him where the Force-bond between he and her was kept. It was in this place that feelings rested, emotions that were reserved for the one woman in all the galaxy whom he....loved. He knew this as much now as he had since the beginning. Even now, standing beside her in a room where a duel had almost occurred, he felt safe. He felt alive. He felt...complete.

"The Council convenes," he stated at last, "Master Thorror awaits us." As he turned to leave, he sent a Force thought to Lalena...

I must speak with you...

 

[Angelus]

Alain deactivated his lightsaber but still held it in his hand as he looked at the masters and padawan that were in the room. He knew that they did not trust him and he wished that there was something that he could say to make them understand but there was nothing that he could and just stood there, his hood low over his face. He wanted nothing more than to talk to his Master, to make him understand that what had happened in this room was not his fault but he knew that his master already knew that, he could feel that flowing from his master.

He moved closer to him but before he could get too close his master raised one hand and looked at Alain.

"I know what you are going to say and I believe you. I know that you are not at fault her but I am afraid to say that this is not the time for this. The council has convened and I might be needed there. I am afraid that I have to leave you alone for a little while but I know that you will be okay."

Alain bowed slightly and let a small smile come to his face.

"Thank you master," he said.

Master Van did not answer but turned and walked from the room.

 

[Wolfsister]

I must speak with you...

The Force thought hit her like a lightening strike. Far from being shocking, it was just the force sent behind the thought. Obviously something was very wrong and Tal needed either her advice or someone to vent to. Perhaps she had been wrong to talk to him so.

She took one last look at the two young men in the room, sweeping a meaningful gaze over them both. "Apologise and go tell you master what has happened here." She instructed to the padawan, reminding him of her earlier orders he had dallied in obeying.

She said nothing to Alain, but the disapproving frown had left her face.

Then she followed the other masters out of the chamber, her robes of leisure flowing around her. Moving to Tal Varsus's side, she briefly touched his hand, sending back a thought of her own, "I am here, Love." She dared to call him something he would not approve of in public via her thoughts.

She glanced sideways towards Master Van but remained silent on the little scene she had walked in on concerning his young jedi.

 

[AmenRa]

Tal Varsus breathed a sigh of relief when LaLena'sr fingertips touched his hand. Her touch was electric indeed, and he tried to suppress a smile as he her voice inside his mind.

He took her hand in his and deliberately slowed his pace, causing them to fall a bit behind. He turned to her, and looking in her eyes, smiled.

"I've missed you," he told her. But that was not what he need to talk to her about. He held her eyes for a minute, then his tone changed to that of a Jedi Master. "I'm sure you know Thorror will be named Grandmaster. This is an important time for us all. And it is also a time of darkness.

"You recall I spoke to you some time ago about a Force presence?" He waited for her nod, and then he realized he was staring at her soft, sensuous lips while he spoke to her. He blushed, and stepped a bit closer to her. "This presence is that of Jedi, and it is on Hoth. Of this, I am sure. After the Council meeting, Jedi Reyn Ordo is going with me to Hoth to search for this presence. I would like you to come with me.

"No," he shook his head, looking into her eyes, "I need you to come with me. I can not be apart from you any longer, Lalena. I feel as if I'm only half a being when we are apart."

 

[Wolfsister]

When Tal took her hand, Lalena gave a furtive glance to the other master that now strode ahead of them towards the council chambers. It was just habit, the feeling that the love she and Tal shared was a forbidden one. She looked up at Tal as he spoke, her eyes going wide, her lekku shivering in response to the love in his eyes.

She smiled, breifly reaching up to touch his cheek with her fingertips, "I missed you too," she whispered back to him before he could continue.

Then he spoke of the Jedi who was on Hoth. She frowned, "Hoth?" She remembered that planet. What Jedi didn't? But truth be told, she had never known that her future would be bound to take her there. She nodded slowly, absorbing his words, listening carefully to his heartfelt plea for her to accompany him.

She smiled, reaching up to cup his cheek this time, lingering just enough to warm the side of his face with her own temperature, "Hush, I will come. Have no fear." Her voice softly gentle, her tone definably feminine.

A thought crossed her mind, but she banished it without hesitation. She must attend to Tal Varsus as he needed her to. But she could not forget the soft eyes of the one they had left in that chamber behind them. His twisted lightsaber a testament to his dark past, yet his eyes had spoken so much more.

For some reason, his eyes had held regret.

 

[rengadeirishman]

4th division's Beta group emerged from hyperspace in the mustafar system, and finally laid eyes on their objective.

"By the force..." Commander Dodonna said, as they entered into hailing distance with the objective.

Before him stood arrayed some thousand ships of a design so alien as to not have been rivaled since the arrival of the Vong.

"Get me a hailing frequency"
"No need sir, they are hailing us."
"On screen."

A tusked and green visage appeared on screen. The creature was massive, and his face was covered in what must have been battle scars. His jet black hair rose in a topknot from his otherwise shaven head. His large ears were covered in rings, and a similar ring pierced his right nostril. He wore black armor, spiked and clearly quite formidable.

"Broadcast to the entire battle group."
"Yes sir"


"Greetings soft skin, I am Kage'mar, Warchief of the Bladesong clan. I send you greetings in the name of the Dakari. To emerge into my territory with so small a fleet is brave, foolish, but brave. I respect that, and will allow you a moment to speak for yourself before you are destroyed."

"The Republic sends greetings Warchief, and we inquire as to your place of origin and your reasoning for this unprovoked attack on our system."

Kage'mar laughed, a huge bellowing affair.

"Your system? We have conquered this system by the ancient laws of combat, it is our system now puny one. We have come from Dakar, and we have claimed this system for minerals."

"To what end?"

He laughed again.
"You amuse me softskin. We have come for War! Surely your people understand war, although by the pathetic fight you have offered so far, you may not."

"You have come so far merely to kill and to make war?"

"There is no greater purpose, no more glorious pursuit then war. Have you no true warriors among you? Surely if you had you would know that."

"We have come to offer peace..."
Kage'mar laughed harder and louder, the men around him bellowing as well.

"We are not interested. Were i you i would pray to your craven gods, for you shall be meeting them soon."

and with that, the first blasts opened up.

"Retreat to jump range!" Dodonna roared, he saw the Vindicator sliced clearly in half by a beam of fire from one of the Dakari ships.

"FIRE AT WILL! Cover your retreat!"

the ships of the republic fleet returned fire as they bugged out. medium sized ships from the Dakari fleet leapt forward from the battle line to pursue. They faced withering fire from the retreating Beta group but to Dodonna's dismay he saw very few destroyed. The dakari ships returned fire, and their largest ships opened up again, destroying more ships out right. Dodonna's ship returned fire, having the heaviest guns of the group, he saw more of the small ships destroyed but they came on.

The last thing he saw was a bright beam of light from the largest ship

"EVAS-"

by the time they had pulled back. Beta group had lost 40 ships. Commander Dodonna had been killed in action.

 

[rengadeirishman]

The council had met and their decisions had been unanimous. Master Ilus Van had been appointed to the council, and Alain Talan'vor had been allowed back into the order, upon the command of the new Jedi grandmaster, Thorror.

"Master Varsus, Master Kar, Knight Ordo please come forward." Thorror said
"Master Varsus and myself have detected an anomaly in the force, coming from the Hoth system, It is my wish that the three of you investigate this situation, with this coming war, we cannot afford to allow an inner threat to bear fruit." He said, his fingers steepled in front of his face.

 

[Wolfsister]

Lalena Kar stood up, her lekku twitching in anticipation as she gracefully inclined her head towards the new GrandMaster, "I shall go where I am needed." She simply said as she seemed to think over something for a little while.

"A disturbance has been felt and we have no idea what we will be facing once we get to Hoth." Personally, Kar wasn't all that fond of the cold, but that would have to take a back seat due to the promise she had made Varsus. He needed her right now and was determined to be there for him.

Suddenly she turned towards Illus Van, now a member of the council and privy to all that was happening, "Master Van, there is a matter I wish to discuss with you concerning your reappointed young Knight and his... indescretions this morning,"

She wasn't sure that bringing this up in front of a fully convened council was the wisest of choices, but it needed to be done, "I believe that Alain Talan'vor has been to Hoth before. However... he was not as he is now." She avoided mentioning Alain as a Sith Lord as a common courtesy to his Master.

"I believe that taking him on this mission may be beneficial to his new training," she inclined her head in deference, however, her lekku twisting and sliding against each other, "If that is your wish, I would be happy to overtake that part of his..." she paused, " rehabilitation as I'm sure you will be busy with your new office."

Secretly, she just wanted to see what he was capable of and she was more than confident that a Master of Varsus's capabilities as well as herself could handle Alain should he stray from the path.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Reyn nodded his head to his old master. "The order is in good hands, master." he said grasping Thorror's huge arm in a warrior's handshake. "I can imagine no one more fit then you. he turned to Mistress Kar.

"Mistress Kar, with respect, I do not agree with bringing Knight Talan'vor along, I trust the judgement of such a revered master as Master Van, but what if this aura we feel is dark? Mightn't such a thing cause Alain's...regression?" he asked.

"What are your thoughts Master Varsus?"

 

[AmenRa]

Varsus looked to Reyn, then to Lalena.

She was testing him. Or was it him she was testing? What was her sudden interest in the Sith turned Jedi? Perhaps, like some others he knew, she had a fascination with the Dark Side and its seemingly endless power. Or, there could be something else......

If there was one thing Tal Varsus knew, it was all about the Dark Side of the Force.

The Dark Side was not stronger. No. Quicker. Easier. More seductive. He closed his eyes and heard the words echoing from the Force, and he reached into the tendrils of the present, searching for an answer to Reyn's question. He could sense no evil emanating from the once-Sith. He felt no trickery, or deceit, or betrayal. At least not from that one. There was something, though, coming from the future. Something tangible, but not quite touchable. It felt as if it were distant, perhaps on their very destination of Hoth. But then again, if it were a foreshadowing, it could be the future emanations from someone within the very room. From someone close to him, or someone who would be close to him.

Varsus kept his eyes closed for a moment, then opened them and looked at Jedi Ordo.

"I understand your concern, my friend," he said, "but I do not sense anything that would cause us alarm at this time. However, we should always be mindful of the Living Force," he added, his eyes settling on Lalena Kar. "Through it we can sense many, many things. Sometimes it is the future, sometimes it is the past, but often times it tells us of the very nature of those around us."

The Jedi Master then opened his comlink and called ahead to the hangar bay, where crew techs began prepping a shuttle for the trip to the Hoth system. He then placed one last look at those around him, and bowed to Thorror and the other Masters.

Without another word, Jedi Master Tal Varsus turned on his heel, his brown robes flowing as he walked out of the Council Chamber.

 

[Angelus]

Illus Van looked over at the grandmaster and wanted to open his mouth to say that Alain would not be a problem to the group if he went to Hoth with them but he knew that he did not have to. He knew that Alain would prove himself when a problem came to him and there was nothing that he could say that he had to prove that. He sat forward in his chair and looked at everyone.

"I can understand that everyone has concerns about Alain but I can assure you that there is no reason to worry about him. He has been reformed, has come back from the dark side of the force and wishes nothing more than to become a part of the order again. I will not plead his case but I will say that he will be an asset if he does go with the group."

He then turned his head to look at Lalena Kar, "If you wish to take over his training then I will leave him in your hands. I know that I will be busy with my new duties now and I do need someone to watch over him. If you wish to do so all you have to do is ask him. It is his opinion and not mine that you should seek on this matter."

He then closed his eyes and let his consciousness drift out to Hoth, instantly finding something dark there. His first reaction was to seek it out and find out what it was but he knew better than that, his situations with Alain had proven that. When he opened his eyes his face was slightly grim as he watched Master Varsus walk out of the council chambers.

"I think that there is something happening on Hoth that is bigger than we can all imagine."

 

[Wolfsister]

Lalena heard all that was to be said, she looked over to Thorror and nodded, her lekku twisting delicately around her head, her opinion that strong, "All the more reason for him to come. We will find his true heart in Hoth, I know we will. I feel it resonating in me. For better or ill, I would have his heart tested - "

She paused as Illus Van spoke to her, respecting his rank above hers and inclined her head. "I will see what he has to say,"

She then turned, paying her respects to the council members and the new GrandMaster and then retreated out the door behind Tal Varsus. Just outside, she touched Tal's shoulder briefly to stop him as she leaned in against him, "I am sorry my love, but I can feel something strongly in the Force. Our fates; you, me, Thorror, Illus Van, Alain... and this force we feel on Hoth, it is all connected," her right lekku twitched one way as her left twitched the other, "I cannot explain it. I simply know.. please give me some time to speak to Knight Alain. I will come to the ship as soon as I have talked to him,"

She smiled and leaned up to kiss him affectionately on the cheek, "My love..." she smiled again, her eyes shining with that indefinible, loving light she had.