Freya and Tryce

The next night, Freya is sitting cross-legged in the drop bay beside the X-Wing with her eyes closed.

Tryce walks over to Freya with 2 cups of tea and clears his throat, and then hands over one of the cups.

Now I'm not that great with words and you seem to take things at their literal value, so try not to explode until I get this all out, and even then please try not to think less of me. Having this conversation right before we are about to try and liberate an entire planet may not be the best of timing but as you are so keen to point out time is running out.

It seems lately we only stop sniping at each other long enough to face some powerful force of evil. Now lately when the chips are down we have been starting to show signs of working together playing up our strengths. That battle at the Judge I thought was a good example.. up till when you got shot.. I hope you are feeling better. I'm sorry I couldn't do more in the fight but it seemed to me getting as much warning, and maybe having the chance to take them up in orbit was just too good of an opportunity to pass up.

Ok now let me see if I can articulate my feelings about the Jedi and the Force. I've been reluctant to improve on my control of the force because I do not want to be branded a Jedi. Tryce immediately holds his and up and in the most soothing voice he has says, "now before you explode in one of your fits of rage please hear me out. Then if you feel you need to berate me go a head"

Point 1. In my opinion there's just too much power in the hands of the few. Yea the Senate is slow and a bit corrupt but I want to think that the members are still accountable not only to the other members but to the worlds they represent. Who are the Jedi council answerable to? They may have been the all great guardians of peace but that ended along time ago. They failed to see/stop their own down fall for whatever reason

Which brings me to
Point 2. Their numbers are not what they once were, I site the formation of STARS and its members as a good example. If this group would have been formed during the old republic STARS would have been filled with masters. Now with that said our happy little bunch has accomplished some pretty impressive things. Still the fact remains that they may not be the far reaching, all knowing (which I always suspect), all powerful force they once were.

Point 3. In their absence the rest of the good in the galaxy stepped up and did what had to be done to overthrow the evil in the galaxy. They didn't use mystic powers, ancient weapons, they did with their blood, sweat and tears. And when someone realizes they don't need a crutch, protective parent, or what ever you want to call it, they can be reluctant to go back to it. I'm not sure the new council has done what it takes to earn the galaxy's respect, they seem to think that because they are Jedi they are entitled to it.

Last point I promise
Is the council's ability to see in only 2 colors, Light or Dark, its amazing that they are even taking and working with the Jennersai, which I guess reinforces a couple of my points, they're so desperate so they are reaching out. But only so far..If this is really the end of the galaxy you would think that some dark siders might not like to see it end. If this was my fight I would be calling out to anyone and everything I thought I might save us. Hell we were even considering working with Menetok.

Ok said my peace and let me just add this final bit

I give up arguing with you.. It obvious you want something from me, although what that is I don't know but If you can try and articulate in real concrete terms what exactly you want, I will do everything in my power and then some to accomplish it, just so you will stop pissing me and several of the others so much. But you should now that, after all this is over and we save the galaxy, yes I'm that confidant that we WILL be victorious, I will be looking at either removing myself from the Jedi and if that's not that then removing the force from me. Call me a quitter, call me what ever you want I just don't want to be a member of an organization like that. Now if you said I could sit on the Council and institute the change that is long long over do, well I might reconsider.

So with that Tryce takes a sip of his tea and braces for the inevitable tongue lashing.

Freya takes the cup and sniffs it a few times, then she takes a small sip. Tryce would almost swear that she's checking it for poison. "Force of habit," she mutters.

"That was, perhaps, the most erudite expression of a point that I have heard on this ship, and I'm not going to berate you for it. Maybe later and for something else, but not for this. And I agree with you on just about all of it."

She takes a drink and sighs. "I was trained to wield the Dark Side, to see it in myself, and to draw it out in others, and anger is one of the most powerful tools I have. People are more honest when they are angry than at any other time in their lives. For me, it's like throwing out a spotlight and yesterday was the first time I've had everyone in one place where our lives weren't at stake. I nearly lost control of it in the cargo bay, but it was still an illuminating experience.

"The Doctor is hamstrung by his fear and his past. Mina is… Mina… but has potential. Dannel cannot see beyond his books. I'm still formulating an opinion on Kerlos -- he seems to defy classification.

"When I first saw your lightsaber I thought it was a parody -- a stupid affectation. But over time I saw that you had molded it into something that was important to you, something you cared about, and that impressed me." She smiles faintly.

"I like you, Tryce. You stand up to me, you're brave, and while it might not strictly be honor, you seem to have a code you adhere to. I respect that. When we first started I was afraid for you, but you proved me wrong.

"You love what you do and have a gift for it. And it's not just that, I heard the way you spoke about it. You have passion, and that should be rewarded." She shakes her head, "I don't want anything from you. I want something for you."

"You're a soldier, and I think it behooves you to use every weapon at your disposal. I was serious about what I said -- you're a good pilot, but with the advantages the Force gives you, you could be the best. However, you have to want it! Anything else is a waste of your talent.

"You do not have to be a Jedi. You don't have to be what I am. Hell, anyone in the galaxy could do the things we do with the proper training. The various traditions of the Force -- the Jedi, the Sith, the Jensaarai, and the others -- have built up all this baggage because they know that an untrained adept can be more dangerous than a legion of dark-siders.

"I know at times the Force seems like it is more trouble than it is worth, but it is a fact of existence and you ignore it at your peril."

She sips her tea and waits for his response.

Well that is some food for thought. That's the problem with being trained by the Jedi, its tough to see things other than black and white. Maybe its time to really embrace my other gift, and find my own way through the Force.

But that still leaves, the nagging question of who would in your words take such a "stupid affectation" of a light saber. While this cobbled together blade is functional, it just doesn't have the balance of my old one, besides the black clashes with my jumpsuit, Tryce says with a smirk.

This doesn't make us best friends forever so don't think we are going to have sleep overs or anything, and someday i'd be curious on your story on how you got to be standing on a heavy modified smuggler ship debating the force with a stick jockey, but we have a planet to save. You can see the confidence/pilot bravado starting to swell up from inside Tryce.

Well if you don't mind I need to start prepping The Old Girl and EV3 for their first real combat. Tryce looks at his X-wing with a troubled brow. Its missing something, I can't put my finger on it, but something seem off.

"Just one more thing, Tryce." Freya closes her eyes and frowns. "The thing that threw me, that almost made me lose control, was when you said that you would give up the Force, if you could. You said it again, just now."

"Did... did you really mean it?" she asks hesitantly.

Sorry I still keep thinking in absolutes. If I was given the choice in either being a Jedi or having no access to the Force I would choose the no Force option.. however recent events and this chat has opened me to other paths to the Force.

She looks relieved. "Good. For a moment, I thought you were going to say something stupid, like that would make you happy."