Jedi and Clone

Monsters

Junalli: 20 BBY
Zunja Territory
Irel Kirsi

    Already, they had been on Junalli for three days. The Separatist ships remained. Irel glanced up at the sky as she headed to Chief Aeito's hut. Saji went on ahead of her. What are they doing out here, still? Why haven't they left yet? She wondered. Her comm had continued to receive transmissions, so she had begun to leave it in the Ohara family house, ignoring it's constant pings.

    The guards moved and pulled the door flaps aside. Irel ducked in, spying Chief Aeito surrounded by several of the tribe elders. Saji had already taken her place, grinning broadly at Irel. The chief beckoned her closer and Irel took up a seat before them. "Thank you for coming, Master Kirsi," Chief Aeito dipped his head. "I hope Junalli has been welcoming to you?"

    Irel grinned, recalling some of her more recent memories. "It has, Sir." She met the chief's gaze. "I want to repay your hospitality as much as possible. What can I do?"

    "The Zunja Tribe values knowledge more than any material thing," Chief Aeito replied. "We want to know the ways of the Jedi and how our beliefs reflect yours."

    Irel's eyes widened a bit. "There's a lot to cover, there."

    "Begin with your core beliefs," one of the elders directed.

    Irel nodded and drew up the old words Saesee had taught her. "The Jedi follow five core teachings. There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force."

    The elders seemed to ponder her words. "The Jedi seem to teach only peace," one of them remarked.

    "That's what we strive to do. The Jedi are the guardians and keepers of peace in the galaxy," she replied.

    "I would like to break down your Code and share my thoughts," Chief Aeito said. "May I?" Irel waved an inviting hand towards him. "I see your Code as a list of how things ought to be and less as how they are. The Jedi want the galaxy to be at peace. They want a serene and harmonious place. They teach that there is no discord, or that there should be none, but that's not how the galaxy works."

    "You've mentioned to me that attachment is forbidden for a Jedi," Saji added. "Why?"

    "Attachment is a form of greed and selfishness. When we allow ourselves to become attached, we make ourselves vulnerable to the Dark Side," Irel replied.

    "And this...Dark Side...is dangerous?" An elder asked. Irel nodded.

    "Master Yoda has always said that the quickest way to the Dark Side was to walk with fear. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. All of those lead to the Dark Side. If we fear to lose something, we fight to keep it and can become selfish. We put that thing before all else, costing both ourselves and others everything," Irel explained.

    "To fear is to be human," someone replied.

    "Master Kirsi, you've told us what the Jedi believe. How do you believe?" Chief Aeito prompted.

    "I...my opinions are controversial..." she replied hesitantly.

    "Perhaps to the Jedi, but not to us. We merely want to learn."

    "The Jedi taught me that I shouldn't let emotion control me. When emotions rise up, push them back down. I believe that we need to let our emotions run their course. Locking them up will only lead to an eventual melt down, which will welcome the Dark Side even faster. Attachments can be a weakness but more often than not, I've seen them as a strength," Irel said, finally. Saji gave her a proud grin.