Paths of the Fallen

The Dark Jedi's followers who had fallen unconscious after being knocked down were promptly arrested by a few Republic agents. The Republic agents were from the Republic Intelligence Agency (RIA) and were in charge of securing the Dark Jedi after Daimon and Sera subdued them and return them to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant where they would be exiled and banished from the order.

The Jedi Order had a practice of exiling Dark Jedi rather than executing them, as it was believed that killing them would be an act of the dark side itself. Exile served as a way to rid the Order of those who had fallen to the dark side, while also ensuring that they would no longer pose a direct threat to the Jedi.

Daimon knew that this was the reason why the Sith had become a thing because the Jedi allowed them to go free without any major penalties or measures to alleviate their descent into darkness. As he watched the fallen Jedi being taken away, he was thinking about how he could try and get the order to change how they deal with fallen Jedi.

Right now, he was just a Jedi Knight who held no real weight within the order besides his accomplishments and popular reputation within the Republic. If he wanted to make important decisions, he would have to reach the rank of Master first and join the Jedi Council. If that didn't work, then he would shoot for becoming the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order.

Jedi Knights are highly respected for their skills in the Force, combat abilities, and wisdom, however they did not possess the same level of authority as Jedi Masters. A Jedi Knight's primary role is to carry out the tasks assigned by the Jedi Council or Jedi Masters, often in the field. Knights did not make the high-level decisions that shaped the Order or its philosophy.

However, all of this was based on how long he planned to stay in the Order. As of now his plan was to build a good reputation for his future and become a powerful/influential figure within the Jedi order and the Republic. Either before or after he achieved this, he would leave the order and walk his own path within the galaxy.

He wanted to stay in the order for as long as he could stand it even if it was holding him back, but if some major event happened that made him upset with the order, then he would not hesitate to leave.

Sera approached him, "Are you okay, Master?" she asked, her gaze falling on the fallen Dark Jedi leader.

"I'm fine," he assured her, "What about you? How was your first encounter with a Jedi who have fallen to the Darkside." Sera looked down at the prone body. "I never thought I would see a Jedi turn like that."

Daimon nodded, not surprised by her reaction. This was one of the harsh realities of the Jedi life during this time period. It was 35 years before the Hundred-Year Darkness began, and by the way things were looking, Daimon could already see things riling up within the order.

"This is a path some may take when they succumb to their fears, hatred or even their ambitions," he replied. "I'll say this Sera, while the Jedi may try to walk the path, they think is right, I believe that limiting people from making their own choices only makes the darkness more appealing. They believe their way is the only way, but in the end, all that leads to is more restrictions and control Emotions are part of any person's experience, and the inability to express or process them can create significant internal conflict."

Sera turned to him; her eyes still filled with questions. "So, you think the Jedi are wrong? That we should let others develop emotions."

Daimon took a deep breath and let the words hang in the air for a moment before responding. This was an increasingly difficult topic to talk about, especially with his Padawan who grew up learning nothing but the Jedi code. But he wanted to start planting the seeds for change within the order starting with his Padawan.

"I'm not saying we should abandon the Jedi Code or let chaos reign, Sera. What I mean is that the Jedi's refusal to acknowledge the role of emotions, all emotions, leads to problems we often don't address. Denying someone the right to feel, to live through their emotions, is dangerous. It creates pressure, and eventually, that pressure will either crack the person or push them toward something darker."

He paused, turning his gaze to the horizon. The transport ships carrying the arrested Dark Jedi were lifting off in the distance.

"I think," he continued, "that the Jedi need to learn how to manage their emotions, not suppress them. You can feel anger, fear, love, and grief, but you can't let those feelings control you. The Jedi talk about balance, but their teachings have created a culture of avoidance. If we don't face our emotions, we risk falling into something darker, something far more dangerous."

Sera nodded, understanding her Master's words and way of thinking. From her 3 years of being with him, she had learned a lot about her Master. While he sticks to the Jedi code, he tries to sometimes go about things in a different way if he could help out. He also was so much different from her instructor she was under as she was growing up.

She wondered just how different the order would be if her Master's way of thinking was more common. Perhaps they would have less Dark Jedi or none at all. She thought about this as they walked back to their own ship.

Once onboard, Daimon had contacted the Jedi Council to give a report about his mission. Within one of the rooms of the ship, Daimon sat in the small, dimly lit room, while in front of him, the 4 members of the Jedi Council appeared over the holographic projection.

"Jedi Knight Daimon," Master Talia's voice rang out. "Your mission has been a success I assume?" questioned Master Talia.

"Yes, the Dark Jedi and his followers have been dealt with. Unfortunately, the Dark Jedi himself was too powerful to subdue peacefully, but I did manage to knock out his followers who are already being transported by RIA agents to the temple." reported Daimon.

Master Talia nodded, "That is good to hear. You have carried out your duty with professionalism, Daimon. You and your Padawan are to be commended." Daimon nodded accepting her words despite what he actually thought on the matter.

Master Sorrin, his face stern as ever, spoke next, "Exile is the only solution for those who fall to the dark side, Daimon. There is no place in the Order for those who have strayed so far from the light. The Jedi Code is clear on this. Their exile ensures that they will not be a threat again."

'Or so you think' said Daimon in his head. He was the only one who knew what was to become of this action and how it would affect the galaxy for the next thousands of years.

"I understand, Master Sorrin, but I think that we should attempt to bring them back to the path of the light. Exile should not be the only solution," responded Daimon. He wanted to see how each Master would react to his words, which would give him a little insight into who he could attempt to persuade into believing that his point of view could work.

Master Belgar, the oldest of the council members, nodded thoughtfully at Daimon's words. "It is a difficult topic; you raise Jedi Knight Daimon. A Jedi's fall to the dark side is always a tragedy. Your perspective on this subject is... unique,"

"Unique or not," interjected Master Tyro, "it is against the Jedi Code. We do not negotiate nor reason with those who have given in to the dark side. They are lost."

Master Tyro and Sorrin were against the idea and showed udder disdain for the thought, while Master Belgar and Talia were relatively thoughtful about the idea. So, he could possibly influence at least 2 of them to believe what he was saying, but that left 8 other members of the Jedi Council whom he would need to test and see their reaction to his proposal.

"I understand, Masters. I only wished to open the conversation of seeing another path that we could take." stated Daimon.

Master Talia offered him a soft but thoughtful nod. "We appreciate your conviction, Jedi Knight. You are dedicated to the Order, and we see that. But this is a delicate matter. We will deliberate further on this matter you have brought up."

Daimon gave a respectful bow. "Thank you, Master Talia."

The holographic images of the Council members disappeared, leaving Daimon alone in the small room. The more he thought about things, the more plans that began to develop in his head. Not just about the order, but about other things such as starting a corporation which he couldn't do until he left the Jedi Order because it was forbidden for any Jedi to own any corporation, business, or even pursue wealth for personal gain.

However, he had another way around that. Once he completed building Cortana, he would task her with creating a secret account where she would 'legally' procure funds, invest, alongside other things while Daimon is in the Jedi Order. She would be extremely important for when he left the order and allow him to have a substantial amount of money once he got out.