Atton shrugged, seemingly unaffected by the way the others looked at him, some with anger, other with bafflement. "Well come on, this thing is bound to happen at times, and I always found the way the jedi code is interpreted to be a little too strict..."
"You would." Mical snorted.
"...anyway, why not change things?" Atton licked his lips, struggling with putting his thoughts into words.
Mira surprised herself, finding her mouth open to form words. "He's got a point you know..." Ignoring Mical's puff of irritation she continued: "The teachings of the jedi masters of old has been said to be the reason for Revan's fall, along with all the jedi alongside him. Heck, our own teacher is what the jedi masters setting these interpretations deemed as a 'failure', yet she taught us...well I would say."
Mical hesitated for a moment, his features softening at the thought of the exile, then hardened as he set his mind against them. "I would agree with it if it wasn't for your own blatant failure."
"Is that not an argument missing the point of Mira's suggestion?" Visas asked, her features neutral. "If the teachings themselves are wrong, the two have done no wrong."
Mical shook his head furiously. "Who are we to judge the teachings to be wrong? The jedi teachings have existed for eons! To change them on the whim of some of the weakest jedi through history, merely to mend a rift within the order, is unthinkable." He glared at the assembled. "Besides, even if we were to change the tenets these two would have still have knowingly broken them, their crime would still stand."
"That's law-speak." Atton snorted. "We're jedi."
"And we're above the law then? Is that what you wish to say?" Mical glared at the other man, then at the other two jedi running the trial. "Another sign of arrogance wouldn't you say?"
Squeezing his hand Mira stopped Atton from coming with an outburst. "Look, these tenets, the jedi teachings...they're a bit hard to live up to. I'm not saying they're inherently bad...but they weaken us. They inhibit and tempts us for no good reason, I believe we should change them so as to be a strength rather than an obstacle for the jedi."
"That is very close to sith thinking, is it not Visas?" Mical's narrowed eyes made Mira gulp, oh...she hadn't thought her words could be interpreted like that... it was made all the worse by watching Visas nod in consent. "Is this to become a precedent Mira?"
"Uh...excuse me?"
"Are we going to change the code and tenets to your liking? Because it is in the way? Shall we continue to do so each time they get in the way? Until the jedi are nothing more but a band of opportunists whose difference to the sith is nothing but in the name." Mical shook his head, looking sad. "No, the code is our strength, or at least it is when one follows it...are we in an agreement?"
The last had been aimed at the two standing next to him, to Mira's horror they nodded, though they didn't look that eager to do so. Atton however spluttered. "What!? That's it? You're just casting aside the fact that we were taught by an exile and what had happened to the jedi order for being too inflexible? I thought you were a historian!"
"Yes, and while I agree that the code at times have caused problems, it is because people have failed to follow it....when followed it has been a source of strength for countless jedi and served to save both the order and the republic." Mical took a lecturing tone, force Mira hated that haughty look... "Being a jedi is supposed to be hard Atton, I'm sure the exile told you this at least once. A shame you didn't take that to heart."
"Oh go suck a..."
"Atton, please don't make things worse." Bao-Dur spoke up finally, he sounded...sad. Turning to Mical the Zabrak said. "Could we continue? I have a meeting with Olmark and there are already senators requesting...or demanding...the records of the trial."
"Oh yes, please hurry up with our sentencing, force knows I don't want to be kept in a force cage over the night." Atton rolled his eyes, making Mira wince. Defiance wasn't really the best option right now you fool!
"Yes, of course." Mical nodded. "We are in agreement, the code is not to be changed and as such..."
"You know, I bet the order will regret that decision later on." Atton interrupted again, making Mical glare at him. "I'm just saying..."
The blonde took a deep breath before he continued, his hands balled into fists by his side. "Please make the protocol clear that if the fool won't stop these stupid predictions he'll be gagged." The way Mical said it it was almost a challenge, he wanted Atton to try to speak again. Of course the scoundrel knew when to stop pushing...simply shrugging as he looked at Mical to continue. "Anyway...as such we should proceed with the actual discussion of the crime."
"How about keeping them here on Dantooine? In meditation and separated until they have mend their ways?" Bao-Dur suggested, making Mira and Atton grimace, though Mical seemed at least a little interested. "Would that be sufficient to begin fixing things?"
"We won't do that." Atton snapped, making the smile about to come to Mical's lips fade away. Mira however felt her heart flutter, a smile appearing on her lips despite her best efforts, Atton just grinned at her, then inched closer and placed a quick peck on her lips. Mical gasped angrily at the audacity even as Mira found herself blushing, Atton merely continued to grin as he looked down on her: "Ever."
Had the room suddenly gotten warmer?
"I...see." Bao-Dur muttered, questioned look turned to Mical. "Suggestions?"
Mical didn't look back, his face dark as he focused on the two 'criminals'. "They do not regret their choice? They do not wish to make amends and return to the way of the jedi?" Mira didn't like the way he spoke those questions...
"Not your way of the jedi, Mical." Atton replied, voice full of scorn. "Will you get this over with? Though I like to point out in what light this paints you in considering our very recent history..."
Huh? What was Atton talking about? Did he know something she didn't? Mical looked...hesitant...as if something Atton had said had actually managed to hurt him. The dark look returned however, stronger then before. "Very well, we'll get this over with. Bao-Dur, Visas, we have discussed this have we not? Are we still in agreement after hearing their plead?"
Visas and Bao-Dur both looked away, looking...ashamed. They still nodded however, draining all colour from Mira's face. They couldn't mean... "Atton, Mira, for your refusal to follow the jedi code and the blatant disregard for the danger it sets for the jedi order and the republic...endangering their survival...you are hereby no longer in the jedi order." No...no that couldn't.... "You are both exiled."
Mira felt dead.
"We need your lightsabers." Bao-Dur muttered, still not looking at them as he held out a spectral hand. Coward...
"Fine, never liked it anyway." Atton tossed the weapon towards Mical.
It stopped mid-air.
Mira blinked, realizing her hand was out, her mind holding the weapon in-between the two groups. "No." Her voice was firmer than she had expected, her mind was blank...yet she spoke: "You exile us from the order, fine, I can live with that. But we are jedi, and taking our sabers will not change that." She pulled the weapon back until Atton could grasp it.
What was she saying? The other's looked equally confused, Atton doubly so. Mira still spoke though: "We will leave, move to the outer rim perhaps. There we will still be jedi, there we will struggle for the order and the republic's sake. We will help you whether you want it or not, exile or not...for that was what we were taught."
She felt Atton squeeze her hand, sending a jolt of joy through her, he agreed! Despite all...she smiled...happy.
Mical blinked, taking a step backwards, eyes wide with a storm of emotion. The other two merely looked down at the floor, in shame or thoughtfulness was hard to tell. Mical opened his mouth to speak...then closed it and cleared his throat. His voice was still thick with emotion when he spoke though: "I...see..." His shoulders slumped, the anger fading to nothing. "Then go...take that ship you got and go...wherever you like...we no longer care."
"You're lying." Mira smiled, feeling surprisingly calm. "But we will go...come Atton...lets see where the force takes us."
They didn't speak any more, instead they walked out the council chamber, through the corridors and into the ship...in silence. Atton had an oddly peaceful look on his face as he moved to activate the ship's systems and...Mira realized numbly...so did she.
And so they left...the new exiles.
Fin.