Star Wars : New Jedi

( Jedi Archives )

"Let us start with something simple, perhaps?" Nu put one finger to her lip in concentration. "What is the Jedi Code?"

"That is simple." Kyle said. "Emotion, yet Peace. Ignorance, yet Knowledge. Passion, yet Serenity. Chaos, yet Harmony. Death, yet the Force."

...

Jocasta did not seem impressed by his answer. "We do not use that Code," she said. "Why does your sect say such things?"

Kyle had this argument with Luke before. The information dumped into his head by the Valley of the Jedi was a thousand years out of date, so his opinions and Luke's – who was taught by Yoda – were a nice contrast, and Luke liked those discussions to help him make his decisions.

"You're using the "There is no whatever, there is this other thing." format, aren't you?" Kyle said. "Right. The Jedi Code as you know it is a.. reduction. It acts to guide its adherents through removing untoward distractions. Essentially a purity of thought that leads to a purity of action." Kyle started to pace back and forth as he spoke.

"For you, There is no Emotion, there is Peace. Your Order stills themselves emotionally. Not stunting. I've seen too many argue that point, but you're not an emotionless droid. Far from it. For you, that part of the Code is the first step in better controlling yourselves."

"I practice the earlier version; Emotion, yet Peace. It teaches that our emotions are not something to be subdued, to be buried underneath and controlled rigidly. Rather they are an indelible part of us. We should make peace with our emotions, for they can lend us strength in times of duress, hold us back when we go to far. They are a blessing and a curse. We cannot have one without the other."

"Ignorance, yet Knowledge. This one, I don't think there's much of a difference between the two versions, except in how it's presented. The first step to learning is admitting to yourself that you know nothing. Our preconceived notions and biases can blind us, not only to the truth, but to other subjective viewpoints as well. I think that your version of the Code works a bit better in that it reminds people that ignorance is not the start or the end of us, but rather there will always be more knowledge to be had, for there is always something we are ignorant in."

"The third line shows a major breaking point between the two. In your Code, it is a repeat of the first line. It is a warning against excess, against the drive of emotion that can lead off the path those Jedi have chosen for themselves. On my side, it is a repeat as well, that we must accept ourselves without letting any one thing control us.

We may have our passions, but they pull us in all directions, allowing us to find our serene center. Same point, different arguments. And given that so much has come from falling off this point, it makes sense that it is a warning bearing repeating."

"My Code has a line that has been dropped form yours. Chaos, yet Harmony. We recognize that the Galaxy is a dangerous and often unpredictable thing, full of seemingly random events.

Yet the Force is in all things, all creatures, all around us. It brings a harmonious living unity to all the randomness that the Galaxy can and will throw at us. If I had to guess, I would have to say that the Order dropped this line because it didn't fit in with the notion that the Force is all around us. To admit to randomness as being part of everything would be very hard to explain."

"Lastly, the Force is with us always. Even in Death we can carry on." Kyle had seen Qu Rahn and his father as Force Ghosts. There was no way he could screw this one up. "Through the Force, we live, death can be just another phase of existence for those who live in the Force. Death? There is no Death? There is always the Force."

Kyle stopped talking, his throat a little dry. "Sorry about that. It's something I've talked about before. There are a lot more arguments to be had, but the guy I talked to – Master Luke – he and I pretty much agreed on those differences. He held to your version while I held to mine, and we enjoyed, well, him more than I, these discussions. It helped the both of us."

Jocasta Nu nodded. "If you can do so much with just the Creed, I think you will have no troubles with your Tests, Katarn. When I see you next, I wonder what your title will be?"

Kyle gave a half grin. "Whatever it is, please, call me Kyle."

...

( Jedi Temple )

Kyle left the Archives, making his excuse to Master Nu that he needed to talk a walk to keep from going crazy after looking over massive amounts of records, reports and observations of the Trials that had been made over thousands of years.

And, to be honest, he enjoyed talking with Jocasta Nu. She was extremely intelligent, and as she helped him prepare in her own way by coming around every so often and asking him questions about things he should know as a Jedi, or more general questions on many subjects. Some he didn't have the first clue how to respond to, while others he was very confident in .

He half-suspected that he was already doing the Trial of Insight, but wasn't going to call out the Council on it either. There were some Tests that could be done with little prep work.

"Master Katarn?" A Trandoshan Jedi Initiate ran up to him. "Sir?"

Kyle nodded. "I'm Kyle. What can I do for you, youngling?"

"Master, your presence has been requested in the Halls of Healing." The young Jedi trainee reported, bowing politely. "If you would follow me?"

"Is someone hurt? Jan?" Kyle was instantly worried. No matter how much Master Nu said that a Jedi was not to have attachments, he wasn't going to give up on Jan in any way.

"No, Master. Master Obi-wan Kenobi and his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker wish to speak with you."

"Oh." Worry for Jan was replaced by a different form of worry.

...

( Halls of Healing )

Kyle knocked on the door, his Initiate escort having taken his leave. "Kenobi? Skywalker?"

"Come in," the familiar educated accent of Obi-wan came from the other side of the door. "Ah, 'Master' Katarn." Kyle could hear the quotation marks around the title. "Thank you for coming."

"Well, I did want to apologize to you for last time," Kyle said as he stepped in and closed the door behind him. Anakin was sitting on a bed, stripped to the waist as a Medical Droid examined the circuitry in the prosthetic right arm. "How's the arm?" Kyle directed the question as Anakin, even as he tried to remember if he still had it when he came to the Claw.

His memory told him no, and Kyle started berating himself for not noticing something so blatantly obvious.

"Well," the young Jedi answered. "Thank you for your concern." He sensed Kyles feelings, but mistook the reason.

"Good. I don't know how many Jedi have those, but if you want someone to help you, Jan, my pilot, has a replacement hand." He smiled at the thought of Jan ans Luke's father in the same room talking technical stuff far above his head. "So, Kenobi, what's up?"

"What's up?" The Master replied, a slight tinge of annoyance in his voice. "I have heard of your dealings with the Council and what they have set out for you."

"Seems like a fun topic of conversation these days." Kyle snarked. "I suppose it's a popular topic for people who don't want to discuss the war."

"It is," Obi-wan had to admit. "A mysterious Jedi shows up, attends the Memorial service, talks to the Council, then vanishes for almost two weeks." He realized that he could ask this man about something else. "Did you feel the disturbance earlier this week? In the Force?"

"Maybe?" Kyle asked, not certain what Obi-wan was talking about. "My sensing skills aren't all that great, though I try."

"A great disturbance in the Force," Anakin said as he flexed his new fingers. "A great flood of power washing over the Galaxy."

Oh. Kyle knew what they were talking about. The Valley. That was different than last time, but then again, it wasn't like there were a lot of Jedi around to comment about it. "I may know something about it. Was there any problems, or was it just surprising?"

"If you know something, talk to the Council. They are quite anxious about it." Obi-wan turned to his student and clapped him on the shoulder. "You get well soon. Katarn, please come with me." His command brooked no argument, and Kyle fell in behind the Jedi Master.

"Look," he said as soon as the door was closed. "I want to apologize for any misgivings I may have caused."

"Yes. You should." Obi-wan was stern, but he didn't have that sense about him that would have caused Kyle to snap to attention. "I understand your desire to help, but there had to be a better way for it!"

"I wish there was," Kyle said. "The Council said that there may be others in my position, wanting to help and all that, so they're using me as a test run of the old protocols for such an event."

"So I am lead to understand." Obi-wan agreed as he crossed his arms. "What do you intend to do?"

"Honestly?" Kyle sagged a little. "What I'm good at is something I think we'll need in coming days, but convincing everyone else of this won't be easy."

"And what," Obi-wan was very wary of the potential answers, "are you good at?"

...

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