Year Seven – Day 30

This is the second time that Dooku has been outside of the Jedi Temple. He is with other younglings being led by a short, male Rodian Jedi Master who is busy explaining the history of the Senate Rotunda. The boy briefly appears in the image as he explains what they're doing there.

When I heard that we could sign up for extracurricular credit for our social science courses, I jumped on the opportunity to get out of the Temple at last. Master Jeedo was offering a course in political science and after some research, I found out he takes his students on a tour of the Senate Rotunda so we can get some experience on actual politics at work. We're suppose to eventually watch the Senate in session but we just got here and the Senate isn't suppose to meet for another hour.

He turns the holo-recorder back around so he can show where they are. They seem to be at a landing terminal of some sort. There are people everywhere, not just politicians. Jeedo is explaining that the Senate Spaceport had seen itself rebuilt countless times over the last four thousand years, each time it's appearance always changed.

Jeedo is leading them into the Rotunda and through the grand hallway that displayed many of the banners and tapestries of the sectors and systems that were represented in the Senate. There were also statues of past Chancellors and immediately one of the younglings notices one that also caught Dooku's interest.

"Why is there a Jedi statue in here?" asked a young girl and Jeedo brings the group over.

"This is Master Ola Reysan," explained the Rodian. "She was one of very few Jedi before the Reformation to have been elected as Chancellor. Master Reysan would lead the Republic to victory against Lord Remus and bring peace to the galaxy during her twenty years as Chancellor. She is honored not for her victory over the Sith, but for her political triumphs that allowed her to end conflicts before they could begin."

Why does the Senate elect non-Jedi when it's obvious Jedi are the better choice to lead?

That was Dooku and the holo-recorder's view drops to the floor as Jeedo is heard answering the young boy.

"Because, Initiate Dooku, power corrupts."

"Obviously," quipped the boy, sounding displeased with the Jedi Master's answer. "The Senate is full of corruption. But Master Reysan was immune to the temptation, was she not?"

"To a degree," the Rodian replied a little amused, as if he's been faced with these questions before. "Her discipline as a Jedi helped her resist the temptation to abuse her position of power for most of her career. She was not entirely immune, however."

"So if our discipline helped her resist," Dooku pressed on, "with the Force guiding her, then isn't it more logical to have a Jedi as a chancellor than a non-Jedi despite the fact that temptation will still tempt the Jedi?"

"It is that alone as to why we do not lead the Republic, young one," Jeedo answered and gestured up at Reysan. "Master Reysan was an exceptional Jedi Master who was very attuned to the Force. Her connection allowed her to perceive the consequences of her choices, and the morals and the Code of the Jedi helped guide her along an honorable and peaceful path. The High Council did not approve of her ascension to the Chancellery but could not argue that she was the better choice at the time. She had been tempted and had given in to that temptation which briefly led to immoral decisions made. Had the Sith not returned at the time and the threat of war lingering on the horizon around the end of her political career, her choices would not have been seen as perspicacious foresight by history but rather as her tragic fall to the Darkside."

There was silence as Jeedo waited for Dooku to try and counter argue with him. After a moment the boy did come up with something. "Maybe it was foresight and she simply made the decisions that no one else would or could? Is that not expected of a leader, Master Jeedo?"

"Yes, it is, but for a Jedi to make such decisions could lead him or her down a dark path in which they could never return from. What then shall we call it when a Jedi becomes a Sith because of the position of office he has undertaken? It is a risk we Jedi cannot take and the offices of the Senate is too great of a temptation toward the Darkside of the Force. Do not look so defeated, Initiate Dooku," Jeedo tried to appease as he approached and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You are not the first to question why we do not lead, nor will you be the last. It is good that you do ask them."

"Why?"

"So you may know early why it is dangerous."