Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Darth Bellious]

Moyr decided to act. What was happening was violating her every sensibility, her oath to the Sith Code, and her quest for liberation from precisely such bureaucratic schemes designed to destroy Sith freedom. Layne had done everything to exalt herself from her background of slavery. This was a cruel joke.

[Aphr Ahaya]

Moyr why...

Aphr closed her eyes, managing to hold in a sigh.

That isn't going to help...

[Darth Bellious]

Moyr left herself.

/exit

[Katarzyna Panteer]

Cynella raised a brow over the proceedings. After recovering from the shock, she said back to Kat, "I see. There's also the fact that some claim her to be Sith. Such seems dangerous if their goal is to maintain the peace." Her hand ever so slightly shifted towards her blaster, enough so she could snap it out in case this went horrifically wrong. "If she came here already as a Sith, then that doesn't reflect well on the espionage charges. The alternative is that she was converted here... which just raises further questions." More ideas mulled over in her mind. If she was on the defense... Well, then life would've been strange indeed.

"Things are more complicated than that. A Republic citizen, which she is, can't just commit crimes and then claim they were Sith to get away scot-free. And given the circumstances we are in here... such behaviour risks everything." The uneasy truce, their survival. The unity they would need.

Kat watched the Sith expel one of their own from the room, and felt actions spoke louder than words. The Sith wanted to survive too and knew they needed the Republic to do so. Some did not see it.

[Lucinia Malveaux]

"It's quite the farce, really. Layne chose to be Sith. She should be exercising Sith rights. This is not how you treat one. Her freedom is compromised by fearful bureaucrats. Aren't we complicit by even being here?" Moyr decided to share her thoughts with Lucinia, who she'd discovered to be a like-minded Sith during the soiree.

Lucinia smirked, giving a little half-shrug, one shoulder rising and falling. "Either I shall see a Sith triumphant, or I shall see a failed Jedi brought low. Perhaps there will be some satisfaction in that, either way."

Regardless, the disruption in the courtroom, with shouting, orders given, and guards summoned, even Baras involving himself, did bring a chuckle to Lucinia's lips. Okay, a bit more than a chuckle.

"Ooooohohohohoho!" Lucinia laughed, her waiting hand coming up. "So this is how trials are run in the Republic? So much for the tolerant Light!" She subsided, smirking.

[Zeno Thul]

Zeno continued to watch as Moyr spoke her peace and then was gone. He didn't hold to the Sith code anymore but also didn't really care about the Republic's ways either. Not really. His path was his own. And so was Layne's. She was doing what she decided to do. If she wanted out of this she had had time to leave here but she chose not to.

[Cynella Alde]

"Things are more complicated than that. A Republic citizen, which she is, can't just commit crimes and then claim they were Sith to get away scot-free. And given the circumstances we are in here... such behaviour risks everything." The uneasy truce, their survival. The unity they would need.

Kat watched the Sith expel one of their own from the room, and felt actions spoke louder than words. The Sith wanted to survive too and knew they needed the Republic to do so. Some did not see it.

"Well anyone knows that you can't just claim citizenship somewhere else while abandoning your own with a simple declaration. Why, imagine if something were legal on Kuat and I did it on Alderaan."

And then that whole thing in the courtroom happened.

"Um, I guess not everyone knew that." Cynella crossed her arms. "I suppose the Empire doesn't condone this behavior, at least, publicly. But human sacrifice? Is that what this Layne has gotten herself involved in?"

[Darth Baras]

"Um, I guess not everyone knew that." Cynella crossed her arms. "I suppose the Empire doesn't condone this behavior, at least, publicly. But human sacrifice? Is that what this Layne has gotten herself involved in?"

“First lesson about life in the Empire, no one can simply claim to be Sith, dear lady. It must be earned,” Darth Baras said softly.

“Even if this Jedi believes in her mind she is Sith, she would not be so easily accepted by my peers. Sur e some may welcome her with open arms, but deception of the foolish is a beautiful tool to be used liberally with those of weak minds.”

[Katarzyna Panteer]

-

-

Kat was considering her reply to Cynella while watching the court return to some semblance of calm, when a wild Darth Baras appeared. Ugh. She had hoped to not really cross paths with him while on Hoth. That she hadn't yet up until this point was probably a miracle in itself.

"Hm," she gave a single nod to the Sith, acknowledging his presence and his words. "But she'd be more accepted if she openly subscribed to the ideals of your fellow Sith who was just removed from this room?"

Proclaiming some infallible right to sacrifice people as they please was... a concerning statement. It seemed the Sith had become even worse since Kerren left. If such a thing was possible.

[Darth Baras]

"Perhaps someone like her, but those of us who are more discriminating with our time, not so much," he replied.

"This whole matter is not terribly surprising, she does have a history of biting the hand that feeds her."

[Cynella Alde]

For once, Cynella was caught completely off-guard. Her heart leaped but, at the very least, she kept her mouth sealed tight. How does one of such... girth appear out of nowhere?! Truly, if this was the power of the Dark Side, perhaps she could finally understand the appeal.

The horrible costs of slavery, genocide, and so on were a bit too high, however. Plus the lack of guarantees. And she wasn't even Force Sensitive.

"Even as a Jedi Master?" Her eyes shifted towards Kat as if asking what exactly even went into the Order's training. That lasted only a moment, though, before she recovered fully back to her stance of a united Republic. "But you've been privy to details regarding her life? It appears that she is of keen interest to you then. Worthy of that precious time, apparently," she said with her signature wink.

Still got it.

[Katarzyna Panteer]

"A dog bites the hand that feeds," Kat shrugged slightly as she breathed in softly, maintaining her calm. "Master Hoshin is not one, even though it seemed like she was treated as such before she came into the fold of the Jedi."

Despite all the problems Layne had, so much of it could be traced back to her past of continuous mistreatment. No one deserved such. "Though I admit I don't know her well, but this turn of events seemed very out of character for the Jedi I knew. My concern is what happened to cause this."

[Pipka]

Watching and listening, or at least trying to listen to the proceedings, Pipka leans forward towards the others in the observers' area and offers a not too subtle, "Ssshhhhh."

He had not come here to listen to the loose lips Lucy's in the peanut gallery.

He had come here to support his newest friend... and to report back on the proceedings to Jerri in the detail only a fellow writer, or at least enthusiast, could provide. He could already see the different storylines this one trial could provide. It was like he was actually living in one of Jerri's books.

[Darth Baras]

"A dog bites the hand that feeds," Kat shrugged slightly as she breathed in softly, maintaining her calm. "Master Hoshin is not one, even though it seemed like she was treated as such before she came into the fold of the Jedi."

Despite all the problems Layne had, so much of it could be traced back to her past of continuous mistreatment. No one deserved such. "Though I admit I don't know her well, but this turn of events seemed very out of character for the Jedi I knew. My concern is what happened to cause this."

"From what I recall of her in my service this is all very familiar," he responded.

[Cynella Alde]

Cynella covered her mouth to keep herself from bursting into laughter. Justice? Oh how like the Sith to bemoan the law when it effects them. That amusement could only last so long. Dark comedy did little to truly warm her soul on this frigid, detestable planet. "It has been some years since she has been a Sith, has it not?" Unless those pesky espionage charges were true, though that wasn't up to her prosecute nor judge. "Perhaps she has relapsed into those behaviors. The cause, as my dear friend puts it, is a matter of grave concern."

[Darth Baras]

Darth Baras chuckled and said, "No one is ever a traitor until they are."

[Durasay Mixo]

~~snip~~

Nudimsu leaned in close to Durasay and did what he could to be out of earshot. "You know, she hired Hacha and I before on Alderaan. Terrible Cheunh accent, but potential for growth."

He listened to his friend, hands steepled in front of his face to hide his lips. Durasay's eyes turned to Nudimsu.

"That may be. But I would have concerns about someone who rises to the highest of highs within an order, only to fall so quickly." It wasn't that he couldn't work with someone who had fallen so low. But given his history with her, "She got someone killed that I found myself wanting to mentor, on Bankor. We ended up on a mission together to rescue a Padawan. I wouldn't trust her on our crew. She's impulsive, and goes after her goals over the mission."

[Nudimsu]

~snip~

He paused and looked at Durasay and nodded. "Well, at least her credits cleared at the end of our time together. My only real concern. That and she didn't mention to anyone about our, uh, acquisition of that speeder. Wouldn't ask her to join the ship over one successful job together, though. Not without reason, anyway. Didn't realize you two had a history, though...could be why she hired us, then, as a jab at you."

He shrugs and faces back to the proceeding. Layne had already seemed to give up on everything. Oh well. "Doesn't matter, in the end. As I said, what's past is past, and we got paid."

[Durasay Mixo]

He paused and looked at him and nodded. "Well, at least her credits cleared at the end of our time together. My only real concern. That and she didn't mention to anyone about our, uh, acquisition of that speeder. Wouldn't ask her to join the ship over one successful job together, though. Not without reason, anyway. Didn't realize you two had a history, though...could be why she hired us, then. Maybe a jab at you."

He shrugs and faces back to the proceeding. Layne had already seemed to give up on everything. Oh well. "Doesn't matter, in the end. After all, we survived and got paid for it."

"I'll be honest. I don't think it was a jab. She probably hired because you and Hacha don't exactly leave a paper trail." Dursay shrugged. "Her focus is her own goals, I think this trial has shown that."

[Nudimsu]

~~snippy~~

"That's for damn sure." He kept his face towards the trial, keeping a eye on things from above.

[Aphr Ahaya]

So the punishment is to cripple our ability to attack and defend ourselves. I thought these people were supposed to be smart?

Aphr sighed softly, leaning back against the wall behind her.

[Lucinia Malveaux]

Lucinia smirked, both as the sentence was pronounced, and various pieces were editorialized. There wasn't anything quite enough to give a proper laugh to, though.

On the other hand, things weren't entirely finished. Lucinia looked around, eyebrows raised. Hope springs eternal.

[Galen Panteer]

As the judgement and its appropriateness was debated by the defendant and the court. Galen leaned forward to speak with Kat. "If she believes it is inappropriate for her to serve her penance under the watch of the Jedi on Tython, perhaps the Paladins would be better suited."

[Cynella Alde]

"Far better that we conclude on the Tython business once we're off this planet, yes?" Cynella sighed. "Or this Layne will find some way to escape again. Regardless, a proper trial in the future will be necessary." She looked back at Darth Baras. "In the effort of maintaining the peace, we can rely on the Sith to extradite her if she flees to the Empire, correct?"

[Darth Baras]

"Surely Lady Alde, dead or alive," he said warmly.