The Clearest Path

[Jaden_Starchaser]

(This takes place the next day following after the events of The Tinkerer, In Memorium, and Taking a Ni)

Jaden walked along the halls of the Falcon in hopes of finding his brother. Mentally he prepared himself to tell Duncan about the hardest decision that he has ever made, but the younger Starchaser knew that its was in the best interest of the group that he take this path. He eventually found his brother in one of the cargo bays in meditation. By the look on his face he was attempting to figure things out.

Jaden took a deep breath, gathered his resolve, and called out to Duncan, "Brother? Can I speak to you?"

[Duncan_Starchaser]

Duncan didn't know who much time had passed since he had begun his meditation. His intention was to come out of it when Ni had come back so he could hear what it was that she had to say. But the first sight in front of him was Jaden. "What is it? Has something gone wrong?" He asked as he started to come around.

[Jaden_Starchaser]

Jaden shook his head no and said, "No. Everyone is okay, but there is something I need to tell you." He took a deep breath and then in the most official voice said, "I, Jaden Michail Starchaser, upon returning to the Vengeance will be resigning my position as ship's Executive Officer and.." He paused as he knew there would be no going back after he said this. "I will be leaving the Jedi Order and take on the Barash vow."

[Duncan_Starchaser]

Duncan didn't hide the surprise on his face. The fact that his brother had come to him and revealed this... especially now. "That of course is up to you, but why is it that you believe that this course of action is best for you?" he asked.

[Jaden_Starchaser]

Duncan could see the control Jaden had on his emotions slip and was hit by the strongest wave of frustration, anger, self loathing, and guilt he has ever felt. "Because it's all my fault Duncan! I'm the cause for so much death ever since Naboo. I piloted the speeder to our family's compound and got my best friend killed! I couldn't see Anong's family was in peril until it was too late! And Anong? I was the one who convinced her to join the Baku temple so she could develop her connection to the Force and then got so buried in work that I didn't know that she was missing until I saw your report of your assault on Marshal Haze's compound and saw what had happened to her. I killed a fellow fucking Jedi for Force sake! If I had tried to communicate with Duke Saar instead of being committed to the mission he would still be alive instead used as a propaganda tool. And then Tod.."

[Duncan_Starchaser]

"While it's true that you did kill a Jedi, it was an accident you didn't mean to kill him." Duncan told his brother. "As for your friend on Naboo... you might have been operating the landspeed but it was I that gave that order or else you would have died and I couldn't allow that." Duncan informed him. "What happened to Anong's family wasn't your fault that was war and was something beyond our control. As for what happened to Angog was more my fault than yours. I should have stopped Haze sooner. I should have seen what he was planning and stopped him. And Todd made her own choice because she couldn't deal with what happened to her. I should have gotten her some help and didn't."

[Jaden_Starchaser]

Jaden shook his head vehemently and said, "It was my decision to include her that put her in that position to be mind tricked by that Master that was in Tarkin's division. If I had checked in on Anong during her stay at the academy I would have found out she had left it. I would have tried to talk to her and maybe been more watchful. I owed her family that much! To make sure their daughter stayed safe, but she's gone. Used for that mad man's experiments. No Duncan you did all that you could. You kept him alive and prevented that disease from getting out. If I was there and in charge of that strike team...I would have killed him and many more lives would be extinguished."

[Duncan_Starchaser]

"It seems you've already made up your mind. I wish you would have come to me over all this sooner." Duncan said.

[Jaden_Starchaser]

"What choice do I have brother?" Jaden let out a hollow laugh. "Psychologically I'm not even fit to be a Jedi anyway. If it wasn't for Demaya's intervention you would have had me shipped out months ago."

[Duncan_Starchaser]

Duncan smiled. "I had a feeling that was what Demaya had done. She was right that you are a good officer. I had hoped however that you would find your way back to the path." Duncan revealed