Seeking a Master

[aipsylon]

Gadeon made his way out from his room he made sure his testimony was given. Once it had been her left for Olivan, the trip one on paper to surround himself in a different environment. In reality, he was seeking out a master, one who would be able to teach him the ways of the force warrior. He intended to keep himself alert and able. Boarding the transport after letting Auro, Unna, and Ashla know where he was going, Gadeon set out. Arriving at the temple on Olivan, he sought out the master he had found. He hoped to convince him to become his master.

[Akirapryde]

The world of Olivan is located near the half way point between the Hydian Way and the Daragon Trail. One of the last holdouts of the Sith Empire, Olivan was where some of the last of the Sith were hunted down by both Jedi and Azgardian forces. As the Sith Empire was being overrun by Republic/Azgardian forces, the Sith pulled their forces back to Olivan in hopes of forcing Allied forces in to one last costly battle. However, the Azgardians had another surprise for their Sith enemies.

When Azgardian warships arrived in system, the Sith were caught by surprise when Azgardian ships jumped in to system right on top of the Sith warships. The battle for the system was much shorter and not as costly for Republic as the Sith had hoped for. With the battle for the system over, the Azgardians offered the world of Olivan a final chance to surrender and to avoid further loss of life. The Sith and their Olivan allies refused. Sensing the coming loss of life, the Jedi moved to stop the Azgardians from carrying out their plans.

However, the Jedi were too slow and too few to stop the Azgardians from carrying out their attack. Olivan was laid to waste by Azgardian warships in defiance of their Jedi allies. The original population of Olivan were all but eradicated after they failed to surrender when given the chance. At the end of the bombardment, resistance across the world was nullified. This allowed Jedi and Republic forces to take the world with limited loss of life. Olivan would be the final major battle of the Great Hyperspace War, and the final engagement that the Azgardians took part in during the conflict.

The Jedi Temple on Olivan was built shortly after the Great Hyperspace War. Designed to be a representation of Coruscant authority across the Outer Rim, the Temple was built as an exact replica of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. From here, the Jedi were able to lead the reconstruction of the former Sith Empire. Since the Order of Korriban, the Temple on Olivan played a key role in the further development of the Outer Rim and many of its worlds.

Arriving at the Temple on Olivan, one finds themselves surrounded by many Jedi philosophers. Some of the greatest Jedi Scholars have studied at Olivan, but this is not what Olivan has become known for. From within these walls, whispers of sedition against the Temple on Coruscant have been rumored to be heard. From young and old, Jedi on Olivan speak about the corruption that has taken hold of the Jedi. Here debate over the fate and direction of the Order is not only allowed, but encouraged.

Walking in to the great walls of the Temple, Gadeon can sense the passage of the Force around him. Here the Force is strong. Large open areas are filled with students of the Force speaking in lowered voices about a great deal of many things. But it is a group of Masters walking down the hall that caught Gadeon’s attention.

“What is transpiring on Frey is indeed troubling” one of the Masters said.

A female master nodded, “yes I know. Because of this, our efforts within the Senate could be undermined.”

A third Jedi walking alongside sighed heavily, “Master Key-Ana, your brother has found himself in the middle of this. If we give up our efforts to reform the Order, then we could save his life.”

The female Master, now known as Master Key-Ana, “La’na,” she said speaking to the third Jedi. “If we allow our attachments to keep us from doing what is right, we will never be able to Reform the Order.” She said as the group continued to walk through the large main corridor. “We will have to face reform regardless of the costs to any of us.”

La’na paused, “Master, it would appear we have a visitor.”

Master Key-Ana, “I see” she said as the group walked up to Gadeon. “I sense you have come a long way seeking me. I am Master Key-Ana, Master of this Temple and Grand Master of the Tingel Arm Council. Who might you be?”

[aipsylon]

Gadeon stayed intentionally distant out of the way from the goings on in the meeting. He did not want to get entangled in things here. he could hear vaguely what was being talked about. he caught bits and pieces of what was said. When her was pointed out though he noticed the attention of the room turn to him. He stepped forward to meet Master Key-Ana halfway. "Greetings Master Key-Ana, I have come a long way seeking the strength to be able to do what is right. Recently I have felt like the corruption in the temple where I am learning, and I thought I might find what I am looking for here. I read a fair bit about this place. Is there some place where you would recommend meditating?"

He had been counseled on his impatience and now with so little time it was hard to resist just jumping in, but he would take his time, he would see if this was any better than where he had come from. He would not forget the words, and he would make an effort to be more patient, to not let his need to act outweigh his better judgment. "When you have the time I would like to speak with you about taking me on as a student. I know such teachings are frowned upon, by the temple on Coruscant, but my research showed that this place had philosophical ideals most in line with my own personal ideals." After starting such he quieted himself, listening to master Key-Ana's reply with interest.

[Akirapryde]

She smiled and turned to her two male counterparts, "gentlemen, I will catch up with you two later. As for Frey, we must continue to resist being dragged in to these distractions. The Will of the Force is better served when we focus our efforts on Reforming the Order and bringing balance to the Force."

On that note she turned back to Gadeon as the two men walked away. "Walk with me," she said as she motioned him to follow her. She walked slowly as she crossed her arms and moved her hands in to the sleeves of her robes. As she turned to walk outside along a balcony she spoke softly, "You speak of strength to do the right thing. Why do you feel it takes more strength to do what is right compared to doing what is wrong?"

[aipsylon]

"It is easy to play to selfish desires, those with power seek to get what they want, it is easier to find allies in each endeavor in those that will profit from having power. There of course are wrong things that are as hard as the right, there are just some that are much easier too." He answered, as he walked along with her. He was short and had to move a little more quickly than she. I think that doing what is right often ends up in giving up one's personal power to those that need it, and in doing so weakening yourself for the betterment of others.

He thought for a few moments more before nodding, satisfied that he had said what he thought about the matter. Looking forward then back to her he asked the same question. "Why do you think that is the case, Master?"

[Akirapryde]

She nodded with minimal emotions on her face, "it is my belief that many people often would like to believe that doing what is right require some great effort, so that they might attribute a measure of worth to their actions."

She paused a moment before continuing, "very few understand that in doing what is right or wrong, selfless or selfish can be equally demanding of effort or as effortless."

She pointed to a bird sitting on a railing, "take a bird. Today it might find a worm with no effort at all. Tomorrow finding another worm might require more effort. Does that change its desires for food or increase the value of its efforts?"

She turned to Gadeon, "we do what we desire because we choose that course of action. It takes no more or less strength to do right compared to what is wrong."

She paused once more, "the paths we choose are more attributed to our desires to pursue Dukkha, or things which are incapable of satisfying. Rather be good or wrong, when we pursue that which can not be satisfied, we open our selves to disappoint, frustration, and even anger. Then regardless of effort, it turns sour and allows darkness to grow in our hearts."

[aipsylon]

"I understand the idea, Master, But do we not open ourselves to disappointment, frustration, and anger over not being able to do things about what we perceive as wrong? The king on Frey for instance. He starves his people. I know I cannot solve all of their starving with the current climate and conditioning, but your brother, he has become quite angry with the masters at the academy for doing their best not to inflame the situation, and I know at times my inability to relieve the suffering of so many people has frustrated me in the moment." He stopped for a moment in thought about something.

"After further thought I am not sure that your first statement is comprehensive. While doing right or wrong can be equally demanding if effort, it is situationally harder. For instance, it takes very little effort to wish someone a good day, and to inquire on their well being, while pretending they do not exist, in most cases, takes no effort at all, and belittling them takes far more. It this it took less effort to do right. Now take another example, a city where you are starving along with most of the rest of the city due to a food shortage. Starving, it is wrong to steal food from another to survive, but if you have the strength you would certainly be able to, and to stop one from stealing from another would be right. You cannot stop the starving, but you slow it, it is something you can do, it also is more difficult." At that he thought a pair of seconds more then nodded, convinced he had made his case.

[Akirapryde]

She nodded as she thought of which statement to address first, "you make a good case. However you have missed the greater lesson. Your case about the capital city on Frey is a prefect example. There are things that are simply beyond our control. But this doesn't mean we shouldn't try to help. Which in whole doesn't have everything to do with effort. We shouldn't confuse the two issues."

She paused a moment before adding, "what I am saying about effort is. Who we choose to be, one that does good or one that does wrong has less to do with strength of character or force of will rather than a personal choice we each must make. I used to think that by doing good in public made me a good person. I would go to the places of suffering, I would show the entire Republic how good of a person I was. I would speak of how much strength I had to do the right thing."

She stopped in her stride and turned to face him, "so much effort was put forward to put this face on me. For Family glory, for self glorification. At one time I was ranked as one of the most sought after women to be wed because of this face I placed on my actions. Others would speak of my work and how much effort I gave to others. But this was so taxing upon me. Each day I found myself lost in a sea of lies. The wrist kind of lies. The lies we tell ourselves. All my hard work to do good hung upon my neck like a great weight."

She sighed heavily, "it all came crashing around me the night before my wedding. I found myself standing in the rain on a balcony. I was dressed in my wedding dress soaked by the lies of who I was. I lied to myself saying how strong I was for all the good I had done. But in the end, I was nothing more than a liar. I truly didn't care about those who suffered. I only cared about how my actions reflected upon my family and how it advanced their own influence."

"Then I was rescued by Master Tin'Abon. He heard the cries of my heart. Knew the struggle I was loosing. He saw the choice I had forced myself to make. I stood their lost and drowning on that balcony. I looked down in to the darkness and saw the path I was on. He told me that it would take far less effort to turn away from that darkness than to leap in to its grasps. He saved me that night."

[aipsylon]

"Master, your example of your personal life is not applicable to what I had said. There was no lie that I have to tell myself if I do not seek fame, and instead think only to do what I can. You talk of not doing what we can and not bettering ourselves to be able to do more.

[Akirapryde]

She paused a moment then nodded, "betterment of ourselves is fundamental to our coexistence with the force. Each day in our lives brings us new experiences that we can learn from."

She turned and continued to walk, "as we live we learn as we learn we grow." She said gave a soft sad smile, "my personal story was not meant for your experience. It is a note of my brother's own frustration. He tells himself the same lies I used to. He ignores the will of the Force and therefore causes more harm than any good he hopes to achieve. It is a trap that many Jedi find themselves in. A trap designed by the corruption of our Order.