01.29 : The Light Begins to Dim

[21 BBY][Three Days after the Second Battle of Ryloth]

[Council Chambers, Jedi Temple, Galactic City, Coruscant]

Stass Allie sat calmly in an almost meditative pose as Master Yoda took his seat along with those few members of the Council she had been summoned before. Her cousin and kinswoman Adi Gallia nodded to her fractionally; an indication that they would begin soon, so Stass opened herself to the Force to relax and gain any guidance that might be needed. It was easy to understand why she had been summoned, beyond the mission she was to be assigned.

Because, despite the efforts of the High Council, the rumours of two now slain Dark Jedi who had murdered Master Tiin, and perhaps crippled Knight Tachi, were rapidly circulating the Temple along with the involvement of her former padawan. It wasn't overly surprising to her in so many ways to hear, another one of Daron's odd little contradictions at work, as she'd heard of his path in life. Just another matter in long running mishandling of the situation between the Temple and a wayward child; mistakes were made was too blithe an answer she had found.

One that had gotten her sitting where she was now, with an unfortunate level of distrust from one, and concern now from a few Masters on the Council due to slaying said Dark Jedi. Master Windu was not present at least, likely glad to away from the matter in its entirety she expected...even the death of one of its members could not reunite all in these dreadful times. Or, more likely, they had discussed the matter already and had moved unto 'lesser' ones such as this perhaps....it was hard to tell, and likely not to be told to her either. Master Yoda shifted in his seat, cane resting beside him, and was first to speak.

"Know you do, why call you we have? Hmm?"

"One can guess Master Yoda..." she agreed with a thin smile "...in the wake of recent events. May I ask the condition Knight Tachi before we begin?"

Adi smiled sadly "Will recover, though not for some time, weeks in the best scenario, and will remain in a bacta tank induced coma till she has done so"

"That is good to hear, especially with the loss of Master Tiin" she replied to her kinswoman, resting hands in her lap. Master Poof gave the faintest of nods, tone sad.

"Yes, a great blow to us all, so much death. Needless death..." he stated shaking his head, before looking at her with a curious look as a small holographic video began to display security footage it appeared "...which brings to the matter at hand, lesser perhaps than others, but to be considered none the less in the wake of the appearance of three Dark Jedi, and slaying of two..."

And there was her wayward former padawan, dressed in either power armour or heavy mandalorian hybrid armour, amidst a squad of clones, droids, and troopers. No lightsaber, face hidden, but the movements were as blasters cracked, gungan shields were held as a wall, and then flame throwers spat death in blue and white shimmering images. Thorough as ever; sonic weapons, gas, fire....swift and merciless death dealt to a perceived threat. Not a hint of his own Force powers either; just effective anti-Force-user tactics apparently well drilled into a squad or two of personal bodyguards.

"...not that we not relieved at the arrival, saving Knight Tachi from certain death surely, but...there are concerns Stass when one who was a former padawan rises so high, and comes forth with such...talents as shown here. Not to his loyalty to the Republic perhaps, but in what has occurred and to see his abandoning of our ways, and seemingly of his gifts of the Force"

She nodded "Yes, I can understand, but I very much doubt my former padawan has done anything but at the very least preserve his Force, and lightsaber, skills. Not using them, even when faced with those have Fallen to the Dark...." she sighed softly "...is not unsurprising, not truly"

Master Yoda nodded to her, they had discussed this matter a few times prior to Daron's departure, but not....since his resurfacing at Geonosis "Explain, you will, hmmm?"

"Daron....hmph, always preferred to use the Force subtly, or little, when on missions. Honestly, it was if he had too settings at times; subtle and minimal usage, or ruthless, but controlled, overkill when forced to bring his strength to bear. In a battle such as this..." she gestured at the replaying images "...he was confident in his troopers, in his droids, capacity to win this fight without having to resort to such things"

"You believe he has forged himself a new lightsaber hmmm?" Master Yaddle asked with faint amusement in her tone "...as others have done? Yet we do not see any signs of one in any encounters we are aware of?"

Stass paused a moment, mulling the answer around in the Force before answering "Has crafted a new blade and trained in it? Yes, almost certainly. Made use of it....perhaps not I'd suspect. He...holds little attachment to his blade, beyond what attachment he holds to any tool or weapon of his. He is no Teepo mind you, if he draws it out as anything other than a tool to cut..." she sighed "...then he feels pressed, threatened...and fully intends to kill in his defence with it. This blade is no toy he told me once, it is cutting tool and an instrument of murder, and I won't use it lightly. That notion has likely persisted with since his departure"

"A lightsaber is more than Stass..." Adi reminded gently "...it is a symbol"

Stass couldn't help but give a soft snort of amusement "One had tried to impart such to him, but as even maintaining a bond with him as a padawan was nigh impossible I fear I couldn't not impart such. He is stubborn, and opinionated, and was intent upon leaving before my taking him as my apprentice"

"Hoped we did, Padawan –Learner we make, and fine Jedi he become, that his mind he would change we did. Not to be, not to be, stubborn he was. Set in his ways, his desires" Master Yoda agreed sadly, and Stass shook her head a fraction.

"Yes...and No. You have concerns his training his troopers as such is due to fear of the Order, or of his desires at work. Emotions clouding thought..." Stass disagreed recalling such warnings when she had been the boy's Master "...but this...unlikely by my estimation. What Daron desires, and what Daron acts upon, are oft differing and opposed. I agreed with you Master Yoda that he would make a good Jedi...but also not. Perhaps in the distant past..."

She sighed "But not in modern times perhaps, not when he views the Temple as flawed, as in the wrong, as...." she glanced at the Grandmaster "...we have discussed as such before Grandmaster. I fear this holo-feed is just another aspect of such"

"Believe you do, Force visions your Padawan had, or aspects of the Force like Master Windu he does..." he replied glancing at Master Al-Mundi who nodded, with a confused looked from Masters Poof and Yaddle "...discussed with Master Windu I have, agree in the past he did, but did not wish to intervene. Biased he is Master Windu stated, not his place to speculate"

Adi glanced at Master Yoda, and then at her "What made you believe he possessed this ability in the Force?" then frowned and looked at Master Yoda "...is this why Siri was dispatched on the mission Master Yoda?"

"Hmm, Hmm, best choice it was felt, a test" the Grandmaster agreed sadly "...all is clouded by the Dark Side, to see if visions were had, could be spoken of"

"Unlikely he would say much on them if he had them..." Stass stated calmly, though it had...hurt...to have her Padawan have so little trust in her, to open up so little "...for I fear they are portents of doom. Seeing these images means he believes in them, and the appearance of these...Dark Acolytes, will merely reinforce such thoughts"

"And what do you believe these thoughts are Stass?"

She nodded back to Adi, giving a thin smile to the Masters present "It's important first to understand with my former padawan....he can seem a mass of contradiction at times. He is loyal, very much so, to the Ideal of the Republic, but has little but contempt for how the Republic Is in this day and age. So his actions in Ryloth, in the War, are of little surprise to me. Nor does he hold hostile intent to the Order...the opposite in fact with a fondness to certain Jedi. He is not Count Dooku, nor a bitter failed Padawan such as Aurra Sing, but...he does not trust in the Force. At all. Whatever dark visions he hath seen lead him to believe the Order, the Republic, are doomed"

Maste Al-Mundi who had been silent till now, frowned "He believes we will lose this conflict?"

"No, not just that, that he foresaw this conflict in some vague manner, or felt it's approach perhaps..." Stass replied calmly "...it is hard to tell as it...well, only through slips in his control, and moment's of relaxation did he ever hint or mutter at such. Complaints, flaws he saw in things that were easy to discount, but with the re-emergence of the Sith....matters support such"

"But then would it not seem a better prospect to stay within the Temple..." Al-Mundi mused "...for if what you believe is certain, a strange choice he has made"

"Because...he believes the Order to be doomed, truly so, and that we are...wrong in our ways of fight..." she replied trying to articulate concerns and looks of pity years past "...but as I said, Daron can appear a contradiction. He believes the Republic will Fall, but would oppose such a future as best his abilities allowed. That the Jedi are in error, and will face defeat to the Dark Side...but are worth fighting for as well; that the Republic must be fought for, but the Clone Army is flawed choice. That sentients must fight for their freedom and not rely upon our aid and guidance in all matters, nor wait upon the Senate. He can be confusing at times I have found. Nor will he speak of such matters with us unless he has no other options"

"Trust he cannot, in the Jedi, in the Force"

Stass could agree with Master Yoda that it was a sad thing "No, I believe he fears we would reject what he would have to say. He had strong natural shields when he joined the Temple, as seen in those strong in the Force and wary of trusting. Rare at such a young age..." which was why it was only sensible for the Temple to gather in younglings before such distrust and unhealthy opinions could form "...but it has occurred before Master Nu assured me many years ago"

"Hmm, yes, see it I have" Master Yoda agreed "...agree I do, but work forward we must. Guide him we must, seek to join together to aid the Republic. Our Duty it is, now how we do so is..."