[D1 LM] Brunch of the Champions of the Noble People of the Order of the Jedi on the Planet of Alderaan

[Dapper Dog]

"Then we return him to the Force," Lunda said flatly.

[Baesal Zyn]

''I do not believe that will be possible, nor the right option at the moment Lunda''

She had not spoken to Lunda in a moment...and that kind of intervention made her worry about the knight

[Layne Hoshin]

Layne would've probably returned halfway through the conversation, catching wind of a familiar name.

"Zeno?" she sighed. "Yeah, I know him. He was there when we fought my old master, Darth Baras. Which I have no doubt he only did because he thought he could gain something from it. Zeno was probably the worst of the lot when it came to our class. Most of the others had at least *some* redeeming qualities to them, but in my experience, Zeno was nothing but anger, hate, ambition, and convinced of his own superiority in all things."

She sat down.

"I don't know whether him marrying into the Republic was genuinely because Baras gave him no choice but to defect, or whether it's some sort of ploy for power. Marrying into a politically powerful house does seem to suggest the latter, at least. The only question is whether it's power for his own sake, or the empire's."

[Katarzyna Ulgo]

"Regardless of the reasons, it further cements that House Thul is in bed with the Empire." A pause. "Literally."

"He does not seem like someone who would be redeemed to the Light...?" Kat asked, focusing on that for the moment.

[Dapper Dog]

"I am only seeing reasons to remove him from this equation," she added.

[Alysele Organa]

"No. the Jedi are not murderers." Aly forced the words through her teeth, seething. "That is not our way. We protect, we guide, we do not go out of our way to kill someone."

She glared at Lunda. "The Empire has a foothold, but it can be rebuffed through our advice and guidance. Going there and killing him will only give incentive for the masses that we are wrong, and drive them to support Thul."

She placed her cup down. "That is not a solution, that is just yet another problem we want to invent for ourselves."

[Katarzyna Ulgo]

"As much as I hold no love for the Sith either, I am in agreement with Alysele."

She continued with the same careful calm. "If we are to move against Zeno Thul, we must do so with the full proof that he and Thul are working for the Empire's benefit and not Alderaan. Currently that is only a suspicion with no evidence, and Thul currently holds favor with the crown. An unprovoked Jedi attack on them will only drive the conflict here further, and fuel the fires of anti-Republic feelings."

"As Jedi, we should be seeking to mediate between the houses to ensure this festival ends with a peaceful future. While we also continue to speak the virtues of the Republic. Uncovering the truth about the Thuls and the involvement of the Sith must be done with discretion... working alongside those who are not Jedi is probably a safe option."

[Layne Hoshin]

"I agree," she said, in what might be a surprise to some, "unless we are absolutely certain, and there is absolutely no other way, we can't just go and kill him."

Lunda had certainly changed. How much of that was Layne's fault, back on Bankor, she wondered?

"Don't get me wrong, I don't think we should underestimate the threat either, and imagine it's a simple matter of giving advice and guidance to the right people. We should be ready and willing to do whatever is required to keep Alderaan and the republic safe and stable. But if we're going to take such measures, we should be very certain about it, and very clear on the possible fallout."

[Dapper Dog]

"If it helps I vote with the Ulgo Jedi," he said with a smile.

"Do Padawan get votes?"

[Tarlia Nirazas]

Tarlia listened quietly as the discussion continued, "I don't think anyone truly beyond redemption but it is a road one must choose for themselves... And it sounds like this Zeno has not done so. Watching him would be prudent, but I am in agreement with the majority. Unless he acts to harm another then we should not harm him."

"As for the general situation. It falls to the people of Alderaan to chart their own path, but they must do so with full understanding of what their choice will bring. Ensuring they have such knowledge and countering the lies I am sure are already being spread will be a priority I think."

She looks to the two native Jedi, "May I ask, and am sorry for any offense but just for clarity's sake, how your family situations are...I know both Houses have their own interests."

[Layne Hoshin]

"I uh," she cleared her throat uncomfortably, "may uh... have some need for advice from the locals myself."

She cast a brief glance toward her padawan, who was probably sitting in a manner suggesting she was avoiding putting strain on one of her arms.

[Alysele Organa]

"My family situation is...uh...complicated." Aly took a diplomatic sip of plankton juice. "I am originally from House Cortess, who are practically vassals of House Thul." She let that hang in the air. "But I am now Organa, though I cannot say that I cut all my ties to my former house."

She turned towards Layne. "Of course I'll help Knight Hoshin."

[Layne Hoshin]

She'd expected... something different than that. Though she assumed that less agreeable words were still forthcoming once she explained *what* it was she needed help with.

"So uh... my padawan got assaulted by this lady from house Rist and her goons. Right in the middle of the spaceport. Had her arm broken. Threatened to kill her and anyone else I care about. Accused me of killing her sister, what was it... Vidara Rist. Declared a vendetta on me, which apparently is some sort of tradition here, and says I have three days to get my affairs in order. Now, before you ask... no, I didn't kill her sister. The Rist I killed was Galen, this sister's assassin mentor, apparently."

[Dapper Dog]

Daz wished he had some popcorn or the Star Wars equivalent.

[Katarzyna Ulgo]

"Do Padawan get votes?"

Kat offered a gentle smile to the padawan. "A padawan's voice matters as well. We are all here to work together, after all."

Sipping the tea, she let Alysele speak first. Then Layne. "... Wait..." it was an uncharacteristic moment of her to begin and then pause in her speech. "... Please elaborate, Knight Hoshin. You... are not being wrongfully accused of murder, except the specific identity of the victim, but you are confessing to having killed someone else?" She sounded quite... surprised. Not shocked. She seemed too disciplined to be shocked.

"I wish to know what happened. Then I must also ask if your padawan has recieved medical attention - I am at best a field medic, but I offer my services nonetheless."

[Tarlia Nirazas]

"Why did you kill any Rist?" Tarlia shifted her attention back to Layne. She held an inward sigh at this progressively weird turn of events.

[Layne Hoshin]

For once, her reputation did not precede her, apparently. Or maybe it had been so long that people were starting to forget who she used to be. Although she *had* mentioned her former master was Darth Baras, which of course did mean Layne had also been a Sith once.

"I'm sure Tyche would appreciate any help you can give her, the medical droids at the first aid post seemed competent, but a sentient hand can do things they can not."

She sighed then, because she had to explain other things, of course. "After I graduated from Korriban, I became Sword of Darth Baras. A fancy way of saying that I served as his top assassin. Baras had, and still has, many ambitions. He was already important back then, but had not risen quite as high a station in the empire as he holds now. Part of the reason he's advanced as much as he has, is because he's used people like me to kill everyone who was a potential threat to him. And he didn't like loose threads. House Rist, as you may or may not know, concern themselves primarily with the business of being killers for hire. One of them had done such work for Darth Baras, but being an independent contractor meant he was a liability. So I was sent to Alderaan to kill him. But that was a long time ago. And that encounter actually provided one of the reasons why I ended up joining the Jedi later."

She shrugged. "Naturally, all of this is a bit ironic."

[Tarlia Nirazas]

"The sins of the past." Tarlia sighed, "I do not question the will of the Force but it has certainly an odd plan to guide you here. Perhaps this is a way to cleanse your self of that old crime. Even if you were a different person back then, clearly not all have forgiven."

She shrugs, "Or since it's a new murder you find yourself accused of, perhaps someone saw a chance to cover their own crime by using your known murder. Who would question that a killer has killed again."

[Katarzyna Ulgo]

"I see..." Kat commented, but remained silently on offering her opinion just yet, as she instead placed down her teacup to move over to Tyche.

"I'll see what I can do, young padawan." She said calmy as she took out the small medpac she carried on her belt. It was a military-grade kit, one that showed obvious signs of having seen lots of use, but the tools within were clean and safe.

Beginning the examination of Tyche's arm at least gave her hands something to do as she spoke. "This is a serious issue then, Knight Hoshin. Of course, turning away from the Sith and becoming a Jedi is a hard path - one I've observed closely myself the past years, so you are commended for this difficult path. However, merely becoming a Jedi does not wash away the sins or crimes committed in the past. Regardless of House Rist's position as a noble house that do contracted work as assassins, the matter is... complicated. You were after all an outsider who did in fact assassinate one of theirs. I am not certain how this matter can be solved, without either a proper trial, or somehow making amends."

"Knight Tarlia makes a good point though, so perhaps uncovering the true culprit of Vidara Rist's death might solve some of this dilemma."

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D1. LM. Medicine/Intellect to treat Tyche's arm. Hard difficulty. Military medpac. Physician: 1eP+3eA+3eD 4 successes, 1 threat


Success. If the Threat gives Tyche 1 strain, Physician can counter it as it lets her regain 1 Strain.

[Dapper Dog]

“So we solve the murder of Vidara Rist and absolve Layne of one crime… and then… they try her for the other one?” Daz offered.