Darkness

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

Quite a bit of time had passed since Unna perfumed the act that tainted her with darkness. She could not regret the act that had potentially saved her, Lady Baku, and the others. Gadeon helped her to understand why it was wrong, but she still was uncertain that she could atone when she could not regret it. Then she came face to face with Orchid, who was someone who killed for what she believed was right. Whether or not Orchid's acts were evil or Unna's acts were just, using the Force to kill for what the saw as right was what tainted them both with darkness. Orchid was just clearly further down that path with Unna, which revealed to Unna that it was a path she must turn back from. To Unna, Orchid appeared to be insane with darkness. The darkness starts somewhere, and for Unna it was on the day she killed two assailants by using the Force to hurl a speeder. Although using the Force to kill assailants to save another seems just, the darkness that can creep up will only end up resulting in the one with good intentions falling to the darkness and then becoming one of those insane assailants.

Exhibit A: Orchid, Exhibit B: Chun. Chun came back though. Auro, Gadeon, and Ashla had never been tainted by the darkness, so they wouldn't be able to relate, but Chun could. To speak with Chun, Unna had to walk through the Palace of Baku, which she could hardly bare to do. It was already changing. The Replublic was in the process of converting it into a military operation. The transition had just began, but what would come of the fountains? She supposed it wouldn't matter to the former Lady Baku, for she said she would always be able to see her fountains.

When Unna arrived to Chun's quarters, formerly The Lady's quarters, she saw that Chun was just wrapping up with Fa'lynn.

"Hello, Master Chun. I have a matter that weighs heavy on my heart and you are the only one I feel I can relate to. I would appreciate the opportunity to seek your council." Unna was timid due to the subject matter she was about to bring up. She could see that darkness that could not be purged was still upon Chun.

Before Fa'Lynn left, Unna looked to her pleasantly and said "Good to see you Master, I would be pleased if you could stay as well. Your perspective would be valuable to me as well, if you have the time." Unna was a little closer to Master Fa'lynn, because of the secret shared between the two of them and the fact that she had more experience interacting with her. Unna was a bit intimidated by Chun.

[Akirapryde]

Master Chun stood before the large carbonate slab. It's features were unmistakable. Trapped within the slab was a female no older than Unna. It was the facial expression that caught Inna's eyes. Trapped on her frozen face was that of fear and pain.

Master Chun turned and walked towards his desk. As he walked towards his desk, he glanced over towards Master Fa'lynn who gave him a nod. He redirected his eyes back to Unna, "you have our undivided attention." He took his seat at his desk as he watched Unna.

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

Unna looked at the slab and the figure within as she looked like she wanted to speak, but her thoughts were derailed. She couldn't help but ask "What is that?" She couldn't help but stare. She glanced at Chun, then Fa'lynn just long enough to make eye contact as she spoke, but her eyes quickly darted back to the girl's face. "I'm sorry. I obviously didn't come here to discuss that with you, but I have just never seen anything like it before."

[Akirapryde]

The look from Master Fa'lynn was of clear disapproval as Master Chun spoke, "it is the means to transport highly dangerous criminals such as her." Picked up a data chip and motioned it over for Unna to take. "She is your next assignment. Her name is Cordelia Chase, more commonly known in the underworld as Vixen. Your group will be escorting her to Courscant. There she will be trailed for crimes against the Republic and using her Force abilities to further those crimes. The Chancellor himself would like to sit, to over see these proceedings."

He smiled as he looked at the slab, "once she is found guilty, she will be sentenced in accordance with the law." He motioned to a pair of boxes. One sealed, one not. "Her personal effects and the evidence against her." He got up from his chair and walked over to the slab and touched her face, "she is alive and well. Well alive that is. Her days running with Orchard are over."

He turned to Unna with a stern look in his face, "I can not tell you how important it is that she arrive to Courascant ALIVE!"

Master Fa'lynn rolled her eyes, "it is clear she didn't come her to learn about their next mission Commander." There was a sense of unnecessary formality to her tone and words. She turned to Unna, "what would you like to speak with us about."

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

Unna took the data chip from Chun as she listened to him talk about the assignment. "Master Fa'lynn," Unna spoke up, with a respectful nod, "actually, this is quite relevant to what I wish to discuss. She has fallen to the dark. Is that correct?"

[Akirapryde]

Before Master Chun could answer it was Master Fa'lynn who spoke and cut him off. "That is not always a clear as it might appear young padawan. When we look at things such as those like Cordelia here," she said as she motioned to the slab. "We should look deeper in to the situation. Often clues are overlooked," as she spoke her eyes drifted from Unna and fell softly upon Master Chun. "Such clues that could often explain why darkness was allowed to take hold."

She walked over to the slab and rested her hand on Unna's shoulder with the soft caring touch of a mother. "Each of us has a story Unna. That story tells the how's and why things happened. Cordelia has made mistakes in her short life as a criminal." She brought Unna's eyes to her own by her tone and words. "We all make mistakes. Some silly, some far from silly. But the true light is in the simple fact of can we forgive ourselves for our mistakes."

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

"Just as you looked deeper into my situation..." Unna said with gratitude in response from the impromptu lesson from Master Fa'lynn. "I do not know what would have happened to me had you not listened. I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to be heard by you when I was on trial."

Unna looked back and forth between Fa'Lynn and Chun as she spoke. "I made a mistake too," she looked down at the floor for a moment, then back up to her superiors. "I am glad we did not blow up in a speeder back when I performed the dark act I was commended for. I have darkness within me for what I did. After encountering Orchid and having time to contemplate said encounter while awaiting my trial, I have realized that falling toward the dark requires taking steps toward it. Now that I have taken my first step, I want to turn back so I do not end up like that..."Unna looked over to the girl in carbonite.

"I want to atone," Unna looked to Chun. "My friends understand what the darkness can do, but they have never experienced it before. I seek guidance."

[Akirapryde]

Master Fa'lynn listened without interruption. She waited for Unna to complete her statements. "Unna you have to understand that you don't have darkness within you. Yes darkness has touched your spirit. The same is true for her," she said motioning towards Cordelia. "Unlike the two of you, orchard is someone who gave in to that darkness. Now she has allowed the darkness feed upon her at the same time she feeds the darkness within her."

Fa'lynn nodded, "I am glad you have decided that it is time for you to forgive yourself. You have already learned and now understand that the way you used the Force and the end result tainted the Living Force. Because of your encounter with Orchard you have seen where this can lead you, now you seek atonement," she explained.

"Unna it is important that you understand where forgiveness fits in to your atonement. Yes you took lives. Yes you took those lives by misusing the Force. But I have to ask you, why is it important that we understand how forgiveness plays a part in to atonement."

[Unna Hi Chaanu]

"Honestly, Master," Unna spoke after giving the question some thought, "I have been coming to terms with what I did, but I do not understand exactly why it is important. I only understand that it is."

[Akirapryde]

Master Fa'lynn glanced at Master Chun who had returned to his chair while the conversation between herself and Unna continued. "As you go about your life, you will ultimately take the lives of others. While this is sad it can often be unavoidable," she explained.

"Unna taking of a life is a horrible thing," she is paused a moment as if she decided to take the conversation in a different route. "If you don't understand the importance of forgiveness, then can I ask you. Have you reached out and touched he life you took?"