Hoth: Blood and Ice

The topic of Layne was a difficult one. She had heard the news that she had been recovered and brought back to the base, and was now awaiting her trial.

"We will of course try to do our best for her," she said honestly. "At some point though... while help can be offered and provided, only she can choose to accept it and let others in, and want to receive help." So it was with healing of all kinds.

"Mostly I'm just really troubled that she thought her only option was to killed a defenseless person to... make herself into some twisted main character in a story. And how little remorse she showed over it when she confessed to it." And then also escaping custody.

"Layne and I go way back and we were definitely not friends then. But we're well aware of each other's lives. But, like most people, I suspect I consider her more of a friend than she considers me. And she'll never likely trust me," he says with a shrug.

"But this monster needs slain."

"The murder aside, it is not a uncommon attitude among the Jedi to have a hero complex. Though not one himself, Durasay has lept into danger because he felt he was able to do many times. He manages to still succeed, despite good logic and reason saying he will fail. Luck, the Force, whatever, Jedi will always try to shoulder everything in a heroic sacrifice because they believe it to be the only way. It is respectable sense of selflessness, if not equally foolish to expect it will go your way every time."

He shrugs. "Again, I will keep what we talked about between us, but you'll find that this situation is no different if you look at it in the proper perspective."

He turned to Zeno and nodded, listening. "I would not take it too personally, Zeno; she pushes everyone away. But you are right, there are dragons to slay, and she must move forward. Hopefully this case allows her that much."

"You don't have to be a Jedi to be a hero. And many Jedi don't seek heroics either," Kat said with a small shrug. Plenty of members in the Order were fine with just doing good things in the galaxy at large, without wanting to be painted as heroes. They simply saw that they had a point of privilege with the power they had, and decided to put it to good use to benefit a greater whole.

And if Jedi only did heroic sacrifices, the Order wouldn't have existed as long as it had.

"But you're right that it's foolish to expect things to go how you want it to. That's simply an unrealistic expectation to have, I feel."

"Hero is subjective anyway. Some people might say that sacrificing for others is heroic but I see it as self harm and de-prioritozing the self. Is that the type of precedent we want to set for young people? I don't want my kids throwing themselves at a problem until they die. I'd rather they figured out how to work with others instead."

He listens to Kat and nods. "A fair point; they seek no glory. Well, I should give credit to the possibility some do, just because of the possibility exists that it could. Ultimately, I would agree with Zeno, it should not the option sought after, but one that is done when there truly is no choice."

He shrugs a little. "Otherwise, well...we have our example."

Kat really hoped people didn't consider Layne to be an example of the Jedi.

"Self-sacrifice has it place sometimes, but overall... if everyone just sacrificed themselves all the time, there wouldn't be many left." A shrug. "As you say, it's the option when there is no other."

Dying was the easy part. Living to face consequences or do the hard work was the real challenge.

"Learning to work with others is a good thing though. One we certainly have to put to the test here, with the Republic and Empire sharing a temporary 'home', so to speak." She looked to Zeno. "What is your impression on how that is going so far? As you seem to know many of the Sith present here."

"The Sith just want to get out of the situation and eliminate the threat, same as us really, from what I can tell. They will effectively work with us and do what they can to get out alive. On top of finding whatever personal advantages they can. A mindset that will work for everyone until we're safe or all dead," he says with a shrug.

"I wouldn't put it past Baras to have intentionally screwed with Layne. Good chance she was coerced or convinced into the killing and he's a conspirator. But Layne being who she is will just take it all on herself to try to ease tensions and be hated because she thinks most people hate her anyway. Doesn't justify what she did, but something to look into if you want to ensure real justice is pursued. He's a dick."