voice; un: imwe

[whillful]

I have arrived in a time of much uncertainty, but I wish to share with you a truth known among my people that has not yet spread throughout the Eluvio. Look to the Force, that which connects all life, and you will come to understand there is no need for fear for all is as the Force wills.

[ His speech is confident and firm, though it takes a more conversational tone when he continues. ]

I am Chirrut Îmwe, and I hope that, in trade, you will humor a blind man. I would like to hear the impressions others have of this place. What do you see? The races that live here, the structure of the ship? I would like to know it through your eyes.

May the Force be with you.

Comments

[voice;] un: gen.skywalker

[ex_forcechoke292]

["Among my people" huh?]

It seems as if the Force has beaten you to it. In some cases anyway.

[It's not a name or a voice he recognizes, though perhaps that's not terribly surprising in all that he's learned already of how these anomalies give as much regard to time as they do to space (which is none at all).]

But I haven't been around long; what about the ship do you want to know?

[whillful]

The Force has its way of making itself known. I can only follow. What stands out most strongly to you?

[ex_forcechoke292]

And what about when it doesn't want to be followed, but used?

[It has a way of speaking too, in the way he's come to know it. Not quite so literally, but the Force seems to eschew literal definition, even through the Order would prescribe an exact science to it. He sighs, shakes his head, and moves on.]

It's larger than most I'm used to. Bigger than a Republic Cruiser, probably; it's no wonder they need help.

[whillful]

[ He pauses thoughtfully before responding. Anakin might have been willing to move on, but Chirrut doubles back. ] One must first learn the discipline to determine when they are obeying the will of the Force, and when their own ego clouds its guidance.

[ex_forcechoke292]

[Stang. Has he just inadvertently walked into a Council lecture? He tries to laugh it off, but something about this hits him in the wrong way. Whether it's reminiscent of the Council's more aggravating moments or simply pinging on his until-now unspoken homesickness, he isn't sure he can say.

Or if he wants to.]

I've fought my share of Sith Lords, I know how that works.

[Fought. Lost to repeatedly. Semantics. He knows that this is a topic all too often hushed by the Order: the rise of the Sith is not common knowledge, and for good reason. But Chirrut sounds so much like one of the Masters that Anakin's better judgment...simply isn't.]

[whillful]

Is that all, young Jedi? [ Chirrut's tone is mild and curious. It isn't fair, but he has no problem with being misleading or deliberately misinterpret an answer to carry a conversation in an interesting direction.

How helpful it was that Anakin had spoken to Cassian days ago. ]

Conflict can be necessary, but that cannot be all you hear.

[ex_forcechoke292]

It isn't! [Which is immediately defensive and severely undercuts his point. But the tone is similar enough to the constant critique that he's grown up with that he doesn't think twice about the failed comeback.] But in the middle of a war, ignoring it isn't any better. We'll never see an end to it, thinking like that.

[whillful]

It isn't? Good. It is unwise to close yourself to any facet of the Force. I had heard Jedi often did so.

i'm already sorry bye

[ex_forcechoke292]

I--what?

[He only has about a million questions right now, and he's not even sure which one is actually the most important. So instead, they fall out of his mouth in quick succession:]

What do you--you mean you're not a--what do you mean?

Can't stop, won't stop

[whillful]

I am no Jedi. I am one with the Force, and the Force is one with me. And I accept the whole of the Force, for there is both light and darkness in all life. [ Mildly: ] Were you ever taught of the Temple of the Kyber, and its Guardians?

[ The loss of his temple and the holy city is a lingering wound, the sort that never truly heals, but this boy is Jedi and spoke of the Republic. Such events were past his time, likely far past the end of his life. ]

[ex_forcechoke292]

No. [He shakes his head, even if the movement itself doesn't translate over the feed.] If there were...uh are other beliefs in the Force, the Order apparently doesn't like to mention them aloud.

More like they don't like to allow anything that doesn't fit their narrow, flawed understanding as it is. I know where the crystals in my lightsaber came from, and it sure wasn't a temple.

[whillful]

Then they are fools. [ It is just that simple. ] More Jedi should have made the pilgrimage to Jedha. The Force of Others is your heritage as well.

[ex_forcechoke292]

[It doesn't quite get a laugh, but he certainly sounds amused enough at the Order being so succinctly dismissed when he's been saying much of the same for years. The conviction is similar, but the reasoning and the experience coloring it is new.]

You think you can get through to them better, be my guest. I've been trying to tell them that--well, some of it--for thirteen years.

[A pause, and he finds himself thinking back to Mortis, and all that transpired there in the interest of "balance." It doesn't seem all that unreasonable to find that there are schools of the Force, or beliefs, or whatever this is, that the Council in all its "infinite" wisdom doesn't know about. Or refuses to talk about. That would require someone there to admit they've been wrong.

But of course, it had to take being stuck in an unfamiliar galaxy to see it.]

So how does it work--for you? Guarding this temple?

[whillful]

All people called through the Force to Jedha live true to their natures. A Guardian of the Whills both protected pilgrims drawn to the Temple of the Kyber, and, at times, protected it from them.

The moon was poor in all but faith and kyber, and the holy city hosted thousands of unique understandings of the Force. Conflict came naturally. [ He pauses in memory of such a loss, and his voice is quieter when he speaks again. ]

Even though my path has brought me here, it seems I am not left with nothing to protect. In a way, we are all pilgrims.

[ex_forcechoke292]

You think we're meant to be here, then.

[It's the only reasoning that doesn't keep him awake at night--any more so than usual, at least--but the validation would be nice. Chirrut seems to echo his own thoughts so easily as it is, though perhaps with the air of a Master (even if he isn't one Anakin knows what expertise feels like, and the man speaks with a rare conviction and authority that commands attention).]

Who's left to guard your temple if you're here?

[whillful]

You should listen more carefully- all is as the Force wills. [ So, yes, clearly they're meant to be here. ]

Now, in the time of your war, I know just who I trust most to guard the Temple. Baze Malbus, so devoted that he is the one that needs looking after. That should fall to me, but surely the combined effort of my brothers and sisters could manage for a time.

[ex_forcechoke292]

[Anakin inhales abruptly, as if he were about to snap about a retort and thought better of it suddenly. (Which is precisely what's happened.) He's heard everything just fine, thank you. He's not a Youngling that needs to be herded around and constantly chided. Criticism of any kind rankles, and this is no exception, but he has learned to bite most of it back--even if it's obvious that he's done so.]

My war? It's not my-- [He stops here too and audibly sighs. This isn't the point, is it?] If you're from that same future the rest of our galaxy seems to be, it sounds like you have your own to worry about.

[whillful]

[ It's an impressive amount of self-restraint. Not everyone manages that much when Chirrut is feeling inspired. He has to find someone that will rise to the bait and bicker with him, after all. ]

No, not anymore. I have nothing to worry about.

[ex_forcechoke292]

"Not anymore?" [There is no passion, there is serenity. There is n--oh, kriff serenity.] What in the Hells does that even mean?

[whillful]

What did you hear when I said it?

[ Chirrut has enough serenity for the both of them. It's fine. ]

[ex_forcechoke292]

Someone who can't be clear about what he means to say?

[H U F F .]

[whillful]

What will we do when we find ourselves with a blind Guardian, and a deaf Jedi? [ But he does clarify somewhat. ]

No, I will not live that long. That fight will be in the hands of others. [ This might have come out a bit too casually for the subject matter, but he's confident that it's the case. ]

[ex_forcechoke292]

That sounds awfully defeatist to me.

[Though truthfully, there have been times he's felt the same. But he doesn't take the comment literally, even if he knows now that there's a future not all too far off that he's not in. Right now, this is perceived as a fault, and one that isn't his for once. Of course he has to point it out.]

[whillful]

How could it possibly be when I cannot be defeated?

You sound quite young. [ Young enough to see a whole world stretch out before him as nearly boundless opportunity. Truthfully, Chirrut is not so old, but a full life makes it easier to accept the inevitable. ]

[ex_forcechoke292]

One of the youngest knights in the Order. [He's just going to breeze right on by the fact that this was meant to be critical, thank you very much.] Maybe the youngest Master, too.

[As if that's not an entirely fruitless endeavor when he knows the Council doesn't trust him enough for that and might not ever.]

And what is that supposed to mean, "cannot be defeated"? Anyone can be.

[The "Chosen One" lost an arm proving as much.]