The Gathering of the Light (Ti-Dai, Open)

[Kayura]

It was a rather unusual task set before the Chancellor, but even for a lame-duck Chancellor, she was willing to go on a limb. If there was even the risk that the Sith still existed, they would have to be sought out and eliminated. It was all too clear the damage they could do during the last Hyperspace War.

The invitation had gone out and there was the chance that the other Force-senitive groups would answer. It was now up to the Chancellor and a select comittee to play host to the first meeting of the sort. At this point, Chancellor K'in could have cared less about the political ramifications of such an unprecedented gathering. He just hoped that there was enough of a response to warrant the media attention it was gathering.

One by one the different Force users answered and one by one, they appeared on the date of the meeting. It was at the Seante Rotund, however it was not in the Senate Chamber itself. Instead, there was a chamber where the Supreme Court had originally been held before it outgrew the smaller chamber. Such a room and its historical restoration seemed the perfect place to conduct such a meeting. He just watched and waited as the varied guests entered. It came as little surprise to see that the Jedi had arrived.

The others followed suit in short order. All of them had thier places marked with all the formality of a state dinner. Like a good host, Chancellor K'in stood shaking hands with guests as they arrived.

[tonfa2]

Ti-dai strode into the chamber, ignoring the guards who glanced at his shyarn and lightsaber belted on at opposite sides. The Jedi Master looked past the Chancellor at the gathered force users, many of them appearing uncomfortable unarmed. Ti-dai shook his head and walked to the chancellor, ignoring the media as he spoke bluntly.

"Chancellor. Have your security return the weapons to those gathered here. The people gathered here are warriors, not diplomats. If they were any threat to you, a single Zeison Sha would have used any of these plates to remove your head; all that removing their customary weaponry has done is alienate those whom we need to win to our side." Almost as an afterthought, he added, "and if a single Cerean had his Kasha crystal taken, the guard who did so had best apologize sincerely if he values his health."

[Kayura]

"Good heavens, I've made a terrible mistake. I appreciate the input." There was a glance over at one of the security guards covered from head to toe in armor and then there was a slow nod. The guard nodded back and disappeared. Within minutes, the warriors had thier weapons back along with an apology. It was time to get the meeting under way.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, you all know why you have been asked to join us here today. It is in the service of more than just the Republic, it is in the service of the galaxy as we suspect that the Sith may still be in existence. We have asked as a favor, that you all do what needs to be done to either confirm or confound thier existence through the Force. At this time, you are welcome to begin."

[tonfa2]

Ti-dai smiled as the Republican guards brought the warriors back their weapons, perhaps the Supreme Chancellor would eventually learn the culture of warrior-sages.. As the chancellor spoke, the Jedi Grandmaster opened his lightsaber, removing the Kasha crystal he had carved before he joined the Jedi. Ti-dai stood when the Chancellor finished and spoke softly, but with the Force making certain he was heard.

"The Chancellor has called you here to attempt to confirm the Sith, but he did so at my request. Many of you would not have come if you knew the Jedi were asking; since you are here anyway I ask you to set aside prejudices and listen to what I have to say. I have seen the Sith's hand in the "rebellion" of Corellia and if any of us are to survive the onslaught, we must fight this imbalance together. The Chancellor seeks proof, please help me show him."

With that, Ti-dai closed his eyes and reached out, probing, with the force. Slowly, the other force users allowed him to touch their minds. Finally, the Ner Yan sank into the meld, allowing Ti-dai to turn his concentration to the Chancellor. With some effort, the Chancellor himself was brought into the meld, seeing what the gathered seers sent; but unable to speak through the merger himself. Ti-dai recalled the vision as he fed it to the gathered people. He showed them Corellia as the Uglies began their bombing runs; the dark lines reaching off the planet into the depths of space. The seers began giving their own visions of planets disappearing as a cloaked woman left them. Finally, Ti-dai sent the end of his vision; a warfleet assaulting Coruscant, slaughtering civilian ships as the Republic fleet fell. Almost reverently, Ti-dai spoke.

"This is the future if we continue as we have. You can change this, Chancellor; but not if you continue to debate and wait for the physical evidence that will come too late."

[Kayura]

Phar K'in stood not as the Supreme Chancellor at that perticular moment, he was instead a man left stunned. There were several moments before he was able to speak. When he did, it wasn't with the usual power of a leader, it wasn't with the glossiness of a trained, professional politician. He spoke simply, humbly and let the look of being stunned show on his long face. Emotions were something frowend upon by the Muun, and so for him, they came with difficulty. "I have been given a rare glimpse into a world that I fear I could never fully understand. For that glimse Grandmaster, I am thankful," he bowed his head. There was a deep breath before he continued, "Now I know how you come to know what it is you know. The dilemma that this causes of course is a matter of reconciling what you know to be future events with the law. The body of law was written to accomodate the many who do not have your abilities and so the Judiciary will only regard this as hearsay at best. I cannot have a judge issue warants based on predictions. Similarly, I cannot order a military strike unless there is a clear and present danger, which must be substantiated on direct physical evidence and proper intelligence."

He knew that this was all there in black and white in the Republic's constitution. He knew it was there as a matter of record amd he knew that the Grandmaster was all too aware of it. Again, he sighed, feeling that his hands were tied. The tone was still soft and even though there was a part of his Muun psyche that warned him against the hotheadedness of other races, there was at least some way to reason with him and to at least make the collected efforts seem like more than a waste of time, and for some, honor. Looking the Grandmaster in the eye, even from across the room, he added, "This may sound like I am the stereotypical government wonk, but you are right, there are things that can be done. With that said, Grandmaster, let's look at it from that angle. What can we do at this time?"

[tonfa2]

Ti-dai frowned and then closed his eyes in thought for a few moments. An idea came to him and he looked at the Chancellor and then the gathered force users of various sects.

"The Republic Intelligence Agency reports directly to your office, correct? If you will assign us a detachment of agents, I will reactivate the Jedi fleet and assign fighters and transports to both your agents and any others who wish to join us."

[Kayura]

There was a moment of thought as the Chancellor stroked his chin in thought. There was a moment of two as it clearly played on his face. There was a slow nod as it worked out in his head. There was a second nod as he seemed to be working it all out in his mind. It didn't take a Force-user to know exactly what equation he was trying to balance out his head.

"Yes, that does work. The Sith by thier nature have proven repeatedly to be a clear and present danger, and you're right about the fact that they are clever at covering thier tracks. To use intelligence resources to investigate the matter...as follow-up from the last Hyperspace War would skirt any litigation regarding inroads into constitutional procedure and civil liberties as it's simply follow-up from a previous, necessary action. It satisfies all the requirements."

Looking up to meet the Cerean man's eyes the Chancellor said in a matter-of-fact, unpolished tone that would have startled many, "How soon do you need me to file the appropriate paperwork?"

Chancellor Phar K'in barely blinked and his steady gaze didn't leave the Jedi Grandmaster's face. It wasn't a challenge, and it wasn't a joke. It was proof that under the right circumstances, when all the variables were eliminated in just the right way...even the behemoth of the Republic could be made to move with lightning speed.

[tonfa2]

Now it was the Grandmaster's turn to hesitate for a moment as he calculated force numbers and transit times. The Jedi fleet did not have any true warships, but it would still take time to reactivate and launch the "decommissioned" corvettes. He would have to call in some favors, but it could be done. After a few moments Ti-dai met the Chancellor's gaze and spoke bluntly himself.

"It will take a week to get the fleet reactivated and then another three days of transit time. I would like to be sending out the first groups four days later at the latest."

[Kayura]

The Chancellor nodded wearing a pensive expression on his face as he mentally worked out a different calculation. He was working out the times to contact, the times that the resources on his end could be deployed.

"I can have enerything ready on my end in thirty-six hours, at the slowest."

[tonfa2]

Ti-dai smiled and extended his hand to the Chancellor. One step down, entirely too many left to go. And convincing the gathered sects to join together would quite possibly be harder than mobilizing the Republic Navy when the time came.

"I thank you. If my counterparts gathered here agree to join us, we could begin the organization of our respective forces then."

At that, the Grand Master of the Jedi Order turned to face his equals in the various orders of the light. None agreed with the others, and at some point, each of them had fought against the Jedi Order. Still, they had a common enemy; perhaps that would be enough.

"I apologize for not addressing you earlier, but without the Republic's aid, any effort we made would have no lasting effect. I know that many of you dislike the others gathered here and almost all of you bear animosity toward the Jedi. I am not proposing an alliance, but each of you have seen the others' visions; if we do not cooperate, the Sith will destroy us all."

[Kayura]

The Chancellor excused himself with the usual polishes skill that the galaxy had come to expect. With a graceful bow of his tall, thin frame, he made an equally graceful exit. In his place was the flowing figure of his secratary Sayeeda instead.

Others perhaps would have been a little more eager to join along with the Republic, but there the Zeison Sha had room for pause. Yes, the Sith ere dangerous and had proven it time and time again. They had seen evidence of thier resurgence in the Force, but the republic itself was a massive thing with a great deal of power behind it. Thier sense of independence told them there was a degree of danger in the possible alliance. While others may have agreed, they were still deliberating among thier own represnetatives. All of them were still weighing which of the two was less of a threat: the image of that dark, terrible shrouded and faceless woman, or perhaps the Republic itself.

The only sounds in the room coming from them were hushed whispers, and the sounds of perhaps the odd grunt of disagreement.

[tonfa2]

Before he could speak, Ti-dai's holocom buzzed. The Jedi danced down at it and then stood, placing it on the table before him. Perhaps this would convince everybody concerned there was a true threat in the Galaxy.

"Gentlemen, Ladies. I have footage from Corellia you need to see."

With that the Grandmaster of the Jedi activated his holocom and the table filled with a miniature of the battle with the Sith assassin. Blaster bolts entered the field of view, killing the Jedi that were targeted before they could react. The others drew their lightsabers as the assassin came closer. The assassin's red blade speared upwards as the Corellian security forces opened fire. Moments later the guards were dead and the assassin turned to the Jedi, his blaster and lightsaber flashing as he carved through their ranks. A single sentence came over the audio. "Last transmission: Sith confirmed, video attached, burst to Grandmaster. Goodbye." With that, the Jedi closed to do battle with the Sith. After a blur of color from the two's lightsabers, the Jedi collapsed as the holocom picked up another message. "Whallah nas Jedi!" After a momentary message, one final audio transmission came through; "Inform Command, opposition sighted in area. Casualties as expected, over and out."

[Kayura]

There was a stunned silence and many mental voices that seemed to whisper across all ranks and all sects. So cold...so sterile...so unlike what they were before. Eyes across the room had seen the brutal efficiency that apparently one Sith assasin had been capable of before the lense caught only his back. There had been a couple of muted gasps as the nasty gashes and burns drew the eyes away from the masterfully hidden face. That voice had been so gathered, collected, calm, sounding almost like profesional military. This was more frigthening than what they knew or the mental image that came to mind when they heard the word, "Sith."

There was a tense silence and there was the sesne that many wished the Chancellor could have been around for just a few moments more to have seen it too. There was no denying that the red streaks and flashes were the work of thier collective nemesis.

[tonfa2]

Ti-dai shook his head, a grim expression set on his face. After a moment he spoke.

"As if we needed more confirmation, we now have it. The Sith are back and they have reactivated their assassins. The last time they were active, the Jedi were nearly destroyed. I can wait no longer in deliberation."

With this, the Jedi Grandmaster drew his shyarn and lightsaber, placing them before him on the table.

"I pledge my swords to aid in the defense of any of you who choose to join the Jedi. This fight will not be ended quickly, but the past has taught us if we do not fight, we will die. Together we can ensure that though the Sith may take our lives, they will not end the legacy of those we have sworn individually to protect. Who will aid me in this quest?"

[Kayura]

Slolwy, one by one, they rise from thier seats. There are several voices which echo in the antiquated hall.

"We will stand with you..."

"As will we..."

"...The Sith must be stopped...we shall join you..."

One by one, the different leaders of these factions came and approached the table where the Jedi Grandmaster stood. It was as much out of practicality as symbolism and they all knew it. As these leaders approached, the rest of thier respective ilks applauded. There were polite bows as they appraoched and finally, there was the sixty-four credit question on the lips and minds of them all..."What comes next?"