USH'S STAR WARS GAME- CAMPAIGN II EPISODE IV (JEDI)- Purity

"Perhaps," says Sott. "But you are not meant to SEE it, Jedi. That is the whole issue. You are meant to have faith in it. By trying to alter events you predict, you are working against the will of the force. Maybe this famine will be the reason a still worse event doers not happen a thousand years from now when we are all forgotten. or maybe not. Who can tell? Who are we to predict the will of the Force?

"Still. We could have this debate for a long time; it will change nothing. The Synod will announce that Sienar succumbed to his brain disease afetr making his great speech. The body has been appropriately moved. Fortunately it is in such a decrepid state that the casual observer will not see anything amiss. A medical examiner is a different matter. I have no legal power, of course. It will be incumbent upon you to halt any investigation."

-

"You are considering issues that weigh upon all of us, even as Masters," says Korth. "We Jedi set out to do good, but there is only so much good we can do. Many would want us to do more. But there are limits we must set for ourselves.

"Your biggest curse here is one the Force often brings us. The burden of knowledge."

"What do you mean?" Gallagher asks Master Korth.

"Say the Force had never shown you anything about dying people or the Aboot or any such thing. What woukld have happened then?"

"I would not have acted upon those things as I never would have known about them," Gallagher admits.

"And what would you have thought of this famine?"

"That it was just another tragic event that could not be prevented by the Order," Gallagher says, "something that wasn't within our power to stop and is naturally occuring."

"A task that we must undertake or both of our orders will face unpleasant consequences," Jelena says.

"So are we agreed then?" asks Sott of all the present Jedi.

-

"Of course," says Korth. "And plenty of unpleasnat things happen all the time. It's a big Galaxy and a lot happens. Whole planets become uninhabitable. Whole species become extinct. It never occurred to you as a Jedi to try and stop these things.

"But through the Force, you have become aware of the means by which such a disaster may happen, and it has given you this sense of personal guilt. The Force shows us the truth of things, Gallagher. But it makes no promises that the truth will be to our liking. Knowledge is a burden."

Andro nods his assent. Everything that has been said make so much painful sense, he would not have agrued even for the sake of argument.

"We are. We will halt any investigation. The universe shall not know what evil lurked beneath Sienar's appearance."

"Good," says Sott, nodding, "There'll be rumours, of course. I won't be able to stop that. Rumours you killed him. Being not only true but somewhat plausible... you may have a certain reputation."

"It is unavoidable," Jelena says. "We will have to deal with the consequences."

"And nothing new. I have dealt with rumors before."

"It is a lesson that I have taught myself through my tribulations," Gallagher says. "I have greater clarity on the matter, now, and understand that a Knight cannot prevent ever disaster. But the knowledge that it is happening does make me feel as if not preventing it is entirely my fault."

"THen why do you think the Force showed you these things, Gallagher? There are some who think there is no reasoning to such things, of course. The Force is a sense and like all senses, you may see that which you do not like. But we of the Jedi do not think like that. We see a Cosmic Force that has purpose, and through the Force you are touching the very purpose of existence. One on the Dark Side twists these things to suit his own desires, and so ultimately learns little of cosmic significance- though sadly, as we have just seen, perhaps they learn all too much of immediate significance to those around them. The sad fact is that the twisted Force can bring forth great and negative consequences, even if the practionier gains nothing in the end.

"But for a Jedi, a vision is puzzle with answers behind it. An opportunity. This was yours. So what purpose was there here?"

-

"Then the only punishment remaining is that which you will inflict upon yourselves," says Sott. "A shame."

"It was not to stop the famine," Gallagher says. "Instead, it was to confront my past. Through my time with Sienar, he brought to rise the painful memories of what happened with our investigations on Thespia. Memories that had been distorted or blocked by conditioning, that prevented me from recalling what exactly had happened to my sister and with Sienar. But now that I have come to terms with my past actions and the confusion and fear that had welled up inside of me... I am ready to press onwards and become a greater Jedi."

"It is how it must be," Jelena says to Father Sott. "Is there anything else that should be discussed? I would like to take Sienar's lightsaber back to Coruscant, if I may."

Yes, you can do that if you so wish. And Sott does not think there is anything further.

-

"Maybe that was it," says Korth. "Everyone has their time of trial. But with regards to your past... that is what I am here for. Do you have any questions? Any gaps that need filling? I fear Sienar may have twisted things as well as telling yuo the truth, as was his way."

Gallagher shakes his head.

"Sienar may have twisted the truth in his favor, but I am clear enough on the matter," Gallagher says.

I think you may want to consider some of the things Sienar told you- for example, about why your Jedi training continued after Thespia.