Efnir, Rhen, and Sekar Mirah

Not long after Rhen returns to her room from the Bacta tank - but curiously after just enough time to get washed up, clothes arranged and settled down - there is a knock at the door.

"Mistresses Rhen and Sekar Mirah, it is Efnir. I was hoping you would be willing to receive me and answer some questions for me?" There is definitely a sound of formality, or attempted formality, to his request, as he is unsure of the proper etiquette with the Nightsisters, Sekar Mirah's station and etiquette in general (as we have seen).

The door opens promptly, revealing Rhen. "Hello, Efnir. You're welcome to come in. With all of the chaos I suppose we didn't really have a proper introduction." Rhen steps very close to Efnir and says quietly, so as not to be heard inside, "No questions about her time in captivity. Not yet."

Rhen steps back into the room, and gestures Efnir to the open chair. He notices that the room is very spartan, without any decoration. Rhen sits down next to Sekar Mirah on the bunk and puts her hand on her back, rubbing it in slow circles.

"What questions can we answer for you, Efnir?"

"Thank you." He sits, still looking a bit nervous and formal. He turns to Sekar Mirah. "My name is Efnir Kis, trained as Jedi before the fall. I have interest in uncovering the mysteries of the Cosmic Force, and to that end, exploring the other Force cultures that now I know somewhat more of." He glances and nods over to Rhen. Then to both Sisters, "I had been meaning to ask for some time now, but never really found the right moment. And now, I feel with recent discoveries with Lilikai, or the First Sister I guess, and other personal developments, well now it just felt more pressing. I know already a bit of your views on the Force and balance between light and dark, or maybe not even classifying as such? But still it must remain that those who delve into that area of power, fear and anger must exhibit changes to mind and body like we have just seen? To fall to the Dark Side as we would put it. How can you enjoy your passions and love without that threat? Or maybe to state it better, what have you learned that lets you succeed in this area where the teachings of the Jedi fail? I have some hypothesis but seek greater information. Ever a student of the Force I will be, and if it means anything these days I apologize for the Jedi of the pasts attitudes towards your order." He then stands and bows humbly.

"There's no need to be so formal, Efnir," Rhen says. "You have helped us tremendously, and I will help you as I can. That said, neither of us are Mother's, which I suppose would be like a Master for Jedi."

Rhen pauses for a moment and seems to gather her thoughts. "We do not talk about the Light and the Dark as much as Jedi." She pauses again. "Well, as I said, I am not a Mother. Let me answer you from my point of view, and not try to speak for all Nightsisters. I see shades of gray where I hear the Jedi speak of Light and Dark. We are all beings, and we all have both. It is unnatural to be only one way in life. Yet to allow passivity to take control, then nothing will happen. To allow anger to take control will surely lead to ruin. Yet anger is my ally when I am wronged, and it can give me strength. But to let it rule me, focus my life around it and build a temple in my mind to it, as the Sith do...that is madness. That is without balance. And to do it with the Force warps our very bodies, as you saw from the Warden."

Rhen exhales, and looks directly at Efnir. "You asked how I can 'enjoy my passions and love without that threat,' and the answer is, I suppose, I cannot. Nothing is entirely without a chance to go wrong. But that is no reason to avoid trying. Isn't being afraid to take a risk giving in to fear? Nightsisters form attachments to each other, in our covens, and we draw strength from those attachments." Rhen turns and looks at Sekar Mirah, and smiles slightly. "Even between covens, sometimes."

Efnir replies, "Yes, this view matches my own deductions and observations. I suppose what I am really getting to is, if you are in that moment of fear or anger, is there any special practices to keep from letting that Dark side of the Force take control, warp your mind and body? I have a theory that the Jedi's habit of trying to take younger and younger initiates, trying to train them in detachment, calmness and separation from emotion had the consequence of making Jedi who were in fact fragile when these emotions were too much to keep at bay with simply strength of will, meditation and so on. So in those instances were more likely to break and fall to Darkness. Their fear of the Dark side led to avoidance, blindness, and then near complete destruction by the Sith. I am not saying that everything that was taught to me at the Temple was without merit or worth preserving in some way, but as the last of a broken Order, I feel it must be my...our...duty to learn and rebuild better. Something more balanced, and enduring. So I will search for any knowledge and lore from others with this in mind, regardless of what previous Jedi opinions about them may be."

Sekar Mirah lifts her head from the bunk where she is resting. Like Rhen, she doesn't have much in the way of obvious physical injuries, but there is a somewhat distant and haunted look in her eyes as if she's still putting her psyche back together after a long period of trauma and difficulty. "Our people believe that the light cannot exist without the dark," she says. She has a low-pitched voice, strong and confident. "And it is the rare being who can wield the Force without ever touching darkness. A being who is taught to fear and revile the dark can never be truly prepared to confront it. Worse, they may not know it for what it is when it calls. We believe that through our sisterhood, we can call each other back from the brink when one of us is in danger. It is a difficult path to walk, and a narrow one, the same as your Jedi Code. But it is made easier when we walk it together." Her gaze flickers briefly toward Rhen and a slight smile twitches at her lips.

Efnir seems more relaxed now. "You mentioned your sisterhood being able to help one back from the brink. What about for those past that point? Like Lilikai- one also called the First Sister. Do you know of ways to bring them back? Bring her back? She was my teacher for a short while, but is very important to Nom...the Amersu sisters."

"We speak of the connections between peers, mutual belonging and shared interests and goals. I fear that Lilikai has had those things stripped from her. Further, she seems to see only students or children when she looks to our group. Right now... Well, even if Lilikai were to see the universe as we Nightsisters do, it would be very difficult to reach her when she cannot see herself as our peer."

Rhen pauses. "Her link to the Amersu sisters," Rhen makes eye contact with Efnir and continues, "with Nomi, may be a way to reach her. But after what happened last time, I think it will be challenging to connect with her. Unless... Well, unless Damasa can help us." Rhen shakes her head. "There are too many unknowns down that path. I should probably not have said that."

Efnir nods. "Well, thank you for your thoughts." Looking at Sekar Mirah, "I know little of you save your name. I am Efnir Kis. I would like to know more about you if you wish, but in your own time if you are not yet ready for such things. If you do not see me in the common area practicing with the Force, lightsaber or finding some entertainment I would be in my room. Generally for study and meditation but I do not mind a visitor so feel free to knock."

Sekar Mirah nods along with what Rhen says about Lilikai. "I don't know your teacher at all," she says to Efnir, "but I heard what she said. It sounded to me as though she had made a choice to do as she did. Such a choice can only be unmade by the one who made it of their own free will. Even if the Nightsisters knew of a way to reverse what she had done, such a technique would not bring about true redemption. She must decide her own path and commit herself to walking it. I wish there were an easier way.

"You're right - in the coming days I must regain my strength. But when I do, I think we will have much to teach each other, Efnir. I have never really known a Jedi, even one like you whose journey has been...unorthodox. We could learn much from each other."

"That sounds nice. Welcome to the ship. You can really get to feeling the cramped space on the longer hyperspace runs so remember to move around and you'll meet everyone soon enough. Vesper holes up in the cargo hold for some Bothan reasons even if you don't see him there. I think he likes the boxes? I will take my leave, maybe see what N-the others are up to and pass the time."

He then stands up and leaves, shutting the door behind him.