Jedi Master Kandor walks directly up the steps to the jedi council chambers. He is blinded by the glistening gold-metallic sheen of the semi-circular rotating doors leading into the den of the cabal. The bustling city sprawls out from underneath the large glass windows separating the Jedi and the open air. Hastily preparing for a presentation to the council used to make him nervous and his stomach flutter. Now, Mill prepares only for disappointment and another lecture. The council always criticized him for being too radical in his beliefs, for seeking too radical of a study, and for having no real plan. This time is different- although it is still a dangerous study inspired by radical beliefs- he does have a plan. To fly to Moltok in the Dartibek system and meditate in a dark nexus centered around a legendary waterfall known to contain an evil energy. Mustering his confidence, repressing his anger, and ordering his arguments, Mill clenches his fist and quiets his beating heart to a subdued snore.
A droid's metallic drawl invites in the circumspect Jedi "The council is now ready for you." Mill enters a hemispherical chamber contained within a glass panorama of the city below and looks directly ahead, avoiding the eyes of the council members that now surround him like stick-wielding monkeys behind brush, protecting their jungle from unadmitted predators. Behind his back sits the two newest members: Master Dooku from Serenno, and Master Sifo-Dyas from Minashee. Both timorous Jedi unfit to hold such positions, Master Kandor thought. To his left beside Dooku sat Saesee Tiin, a fearsome warrior with little governing ability, and to his right beside Sifo-Dyas was Jocasta Nu, a glorified librarian who has no business being in the council. Beside her was master drew-keel, an Ongree famous for his piloting and diplomacy. He helped Mill with his piloting when he was new to the order, even giving him a station on a jedi squadron for a time before Mill stepped away from militant roles in the order. Beside Master Tiin is the seat where Master Tu'n sits, empty due to business outside of Council-member duties.
The other 6 sat in front of him. In his peripheral sat Master Rancisis, the wise and venerable Thisspiasian, and Master Tyvokka, the Wookie with spirited honor and outspoken austerity. From left to right, Master Yaddle, Master Yarael Poof, Master Yoda, and Vux Shike. Master Yaddle is a small green creature housing 400 years of experience and wisdom. Master Yarael is a Quermarian, and greatly misunderstood. Coming from a philosopher's culture, his readiness to discuss existence and intention earns him a reputation for being priggish and distant. He is Master Kandor's closest friend in the council, and still a healthy interstice exists between them. Master Yoda is of the same species as Yaddle, and has attained equal éclat to Yaddle, with double the life experience nearing a millennium old. In the last seat is Vux Shrike, technically a Jedi-Master, but undeserving of the title as far as Mill is concerned. Noted for offering soft and respectful council, but always the strongest voice of dissent against Mill.
Quickly, Mill tries to interrupt the flow of thoughts regarding the council members, afraid of Yoda's ability to read his irreverent glares. Mill clears his throat, then setting his gaze far off into the urban canopy of Coruscant, breathing in faint encouragements from the millions of lifeforms below him, He begins his presentation with a simple adage summarizing his experiences with the council, "You, the council, and I have never seen eye to eye."
Yoda looks down, blinks slow and readies his thoughts to face Master Kandor with an open mind. Vux, on the other hand, burrows further into his seat, resting his leg horizontal to his lap and slips an arrogant smile. The other members seem already prepared, ready to hear out the concerned Jedi, but with predetermined reservation.
"I have been told to reconsider my opinions, build barriers from the influences of the dark side, and to silence my admonishments in the interest of the order as a whole. I come to you today out of interest for the order, but cannot hide my true opinion of our path hitherto. I have foretold of my concerns about the fate of our order. That by remaining dogmatic, we leave room in the Universe for evil to inspissate, spread, and corrupt. We deal with conspicuous threats that emerge, but are ignorant to the threats born from our ideology. Enjoying the light and security of the last millennia since the fall of the Sith, the confidence of our position has buried these threats in history's grave. We remain vulnerable to its lure, our bellies exposed to the fangs of enmity camouflaged by our disillusionment. And so, I come to you with a request, to freely study the dark side, to report my findings, and to learn of the entelechy of the dark side, its motivation and intention, its place in the force, and the essential characteristics that make it so."
Master Yoda answers first, with understandable concern and earnest considerations, "The dark side, you seek. But good, I have always sensed in you. What is in the dark, that we cannot access in the light?"
"I do not know, that is what I wish to study," Mill answered, still avoiding the Jedi's eyes. "I belong to the belief that the force must be balanced. And I also believe the dark side to be a necessary half of the force, but the peace we have experienced for so long does not support this need for balance."
Yoda spoke up once again, "And you think this means the dark is out there still, surrounding an individual or group perhaps? Or that we must embrace this ourselves?"
"I do not know Master, all I know is I will never know the answer to such things if I am unable to research this myself."
Master Rancisis offered the next question to the council's inquiry, "And do you refer to the prophecy when you declare a need for balance in the force?"
Hesitating for a moment, Mill replies, "Not explicitly no, I merely offer a consideration to the essential characteristics of the force itself, as we know it. It is a living thing, or the spirit of living embodied in a power privy to us all. Furthermore, all living things desire to be understood. Does this not call into consideration our duty as adherents to the force? Should we not seek out all aspects of the force? By understanding the force in its entirety, we may be able to understand why our enemies rise in the first place. Why they exist in antithesis to our entire being."
"Except they do not exist, they have not existed for a thousand years!" Dooku bellows from behind Mill. He does not turn to acknowledge Dooku's outcry, instead locking eyes with Yoda in an uncomfortable attempt at cohesion.
"I ask of you Masters not to assert a reemergence of our old foe. I share equal belief that they are destroyed, but I do not believe the source of their origin is. I think there is potential that the dark side will seek balance, and that this fate is avoidable if we act now to understand the needs and wants of this power. I wish to fly to the planet Moltok, seek out a location matching the description of a dark-force nexus, and study this energy. I consent to bringing armed guard and ask only for a ship, a formal grant enabling me open access to the system as a scholar, and the sabbatical necessary to complete my task. Give me just three…"
"This!" Vux Shike registers his voice above Mills in a move to command the floor, "This demand! And aggressive display of antinomian banter spits in the face of all of our tradition and sacrifices. This is the beginning of an antagonistic resistance to our order, our way of life." Then turning to Mill directly, he continues, "You do not ask to study in peace a harmless subject, you wish to harness the power of the dark side with full permission by the Jedi Council. The rest of your intimations are tricks. Allowing a Jedi to study the dark ways is the only way the Sith may return, and we cannot allow such things for the exact reasons you yourself have laid out, Master Kandor."
"I agree with Master Shike" Sifo-Dyas adds. "And I too" Master Dooku says in succession. "All sides must be considered," counters Drew-Keel, before the Wookie Tyvokka adds "Whrrraaargh!" to the commotion.
Yoda bangs his wooden walking stick on the ground, the sound of tapping glass and dense gimer fibers drown out the prevailing opinions. "Enough, enough. I think such an expedition too dangerous to carry out, but further thought we all should give on the matter. Disapproval, I suggest for now. Continued studies on the light side of the force you shall maintain. You have rid yourself of the feed of the dark side, I sense little fear or passion from you, with you I would trust this task over most others, but it is too dangerous for now. All others in agreement?" Silence and exchanging looks between the council members commence, then everybody nods, a sardonic smile forms on Vux Shrike's face, and a sorry look registers on Master Yarael as he meets Mill's eyes and nods aporetically.
Mill leaves the chambers and walks to the hall of records in the Temple's lower levels. He has an office outside of the archives, and heads there to reclaim his things and organize his thoughts. He reaches his office and sees a mass of clutter on his central desk. Four large tomes lay sprawled across, and a star chart of the outer rim hangs limply over the table, the weight of the silken scroll is about to pull it off the desk. Mill slams the central book, then leans over and rests his head over his hand. Breathing slowly, he thinks about what is upsetting him and subdues the feelings of resentment that bubble to the surface. He considers meditating on his next move, when he notices a red flashing light tucked into this belt. It is the communicator he used during his piloting days, but only two people have access to his frequency: his business associate Plank, a Neimoidian who gets him rare collections and information in exchange for credits, and his former padawan Sbeit Chemen.
His Padawan's voice picks up over the communicator, a voice recording left for him from just minutes prior, "Master Kandor, apologies for not answering your last transmissions until now. I did watch the interrogation as you requested and agree that the tactics were not belonging of a Jedi. I also recognize that he was in a tense situation and the Zabrak thug had sensitive information. We can talk about this at greater length the next time we cross paths, but we know we'll likely not agree on a point. I wish you luck with your petition to the council, and hope this time they do consider your points. I still disagree, but will support you however I may. Remember to be nice, and to not argue with Master Vux. If you do receive permission, inform me so I may plan around your absence. I will be in the Shiwal sector for the coming week providing rations to victims and planning military tactics with the revolutionaries. I will inform you of my travels and you will hear from me next with that very transmission. May the force be with you, and stay hospitable."
Master Kandor sat in his chair and thought of his former padawan, then closed his eyes and pictured the ball of energy that has been captivating his dreams. A black mist pours out from a dark Holocron directly behind his shoulder. The device opened and light broke out of the front. A line of golden light bisects the room, revealing half of a hollow chamber in bright light, the other half still blanketed by a thick veil of darkness. Standing in front of the Holocron, Mill's shadow carves into the display ahead, pitch black and solid is his shadow on the lit side, in the dark half, a golden hue fills in the other half of his shadow as if he were an illusion of negative space. He felt himself pulled toward the holocron behind him, as if being tugged from behind by his belt, the sensation wraps itself around him and he falls in the direction of the pull. Before landing hard on the ground behind him, he awoke with a start and looked into the eyes of his old friend, Jedi Master Drew-Keel.