Log:Jedi Order: The Arrest

Jedi Order: The Arrest

OOC Date: February 20, 2022
Location: Devaron
Participants: Jedi Order: Rey Skywalker, Chani Tahn, Vega, Aryn Cortess, Nora Frayus, Bizz Bliptettjupp, Kasia Ashkuri, Corto, and Jax Greystorm with Lando Calrissian and Ben Solo

Saber Squadron had sent in their information on the clearing out of the Kulma System. The Imperial fighters that had been protecting the derelict Star Destroyers had been eliminated, and Rey was calling all interested boarding party Jedi to the council room to brief them on her plan for the infiltration...

Rey stands on the far side of the council chamber from the entrance, at a podium. A holo projector sits in the center of the room that-which is displaying the Kulma System in full 3d around the ceiling and center of the room, providing a nice bit of ambient light to the room, since the Sun had set an hour or so ago.

Rey watches others coming in, where there are chairs set around a half-circle table for them on the other side of the holo-projector. Once they are all settled, Rey nods her head once.

"We've got quite a job ahead of us." She says, showing a quick soft smile. "But I think we've a good plan to pull it off..."

She waits for people to settle in a bit more before she continues.

"What's the worry of more of those fighters lurking and trying to hit us on the way in? I read the report and it seems like pirates aren't really the concern anymore." Chani looks from the holoprojector display to the Paragon of the Order from a standing position not far off to the side of the model that is being displayed of the system itself. Her arms are up and together before her, with the wide sleeves of her robe melded together to form rippled fabric that reveals no seam. The rest of her robe is mostly closed, leaving her neck and face as the only skin exposed. Her gaze retrains on the image, reflecting the ghostly colors in her pupils and irises almost just as dark as the former. Her weight subtly shifts, bracing most of it on her left foot rather than on the right like it had been.

Vega's bb-unit rolled in before she did, rolling and warbling his way to a seat that he's decided his Jedi companion should sit in. The white haired woman in the black robes isn't far behind him as she reaches up to remove the hood from her head. She eyes the seat that he picked out and then moves to sit down in one of the end chairs. She reaches out a pale hand to pat the droid on the top of the head. Her hands then retreat to clasp lightly in her lap. Her grey gaze rises to Rey when she speaks and she listens to what the woman has to say.

The crepuscule songs of insects can be heard through the stone walls of the temple giving it a peaceful ambience despite the criteria of a mission that's being projected. Aryn wears a peaceful look when she steps in, and claims one of the wide seats she's grown fond of because of its tall arms. Settling in, she allows her focus to hone in on the images, but remains quiet to hear more detail about the mission and subsequent plot regarding the ship. Her arms settle atop the arms of her chair, and she lifts one leg to cross over her other, her booted foot idly rocking.

Nora Frayus steps quietly into the Council Chamber. Her eyes immediately turn towards the holographic projection on display with some curiosity, but that shifting attention doesn't interrupt her smooth approach to the table. She seats herself atop a chair, folds one leg over the other, and turns her eyes away from the projection and towards Rey. The soft smile and lighthearted remark see Nora inhale a touch, but even she knows all of the devils in the details of this particular mission.

"Can they do that...? Just lurk? Could we not just... scan for them?" Nora asks idly. She seems to be asking that question genuinely. She frowns. "You will forgive any ignorance on my part. I am hardly a pilot," she admits.

Brother Bizz waddles in and leans his unetiwood walking stick against the entrance. He moves slow with his left arm in an awkward sling. He goes to sit down, pulling a bottle of Mantellian fungolager out of his Jedhan robes to sip on. For the pain.

Kasia isn't a part of Saber Squadron but has heard a bit here and there about what was found. Vague, but enough to make her curious about the upcoming mission and what might be asked of them. Low heels click against hard floor as she makes her way through, settling in at the back of the room. She leans against the wall, focus directed ahead as Rey begins to speak.

One of the last to enter the room is a tall man dressed predominantly in black, the flip face of Rey's coin. Ben Solo moves quietly, taking up a post near the back of the room and off to one side, separate from the rest of the group and where he can see both the projector and the door from the corner of his eye. He does not lean, cross his arms, or otherwise settle into the space, instead standing there with his arms straight at his sides, glancing across the projected image at Rey before considering the others and Chani's question.

"If you need an escort," Ben states with only a slight upward lift of suggestion on the last word, his shoulders raising by the same degree.

Rey looks to Chani firstly, before nodding once and glancing down at the podium. She taps a button to progress the presentation of the holo-display.

The display shows a Star Destroyer, crushed between two asteroids that which one is directly smashed in to the landing bay on the underside of the ship's hull, while the other is sandwiched perfectly against the second, somehow managing to lock the destroyer in place, while keeping atmosphere inside the ship... a 'one in a million' wreck that has left the ship sitting there for decades...

"As it so happens." Rey says, making the holo spin around to show the outside of the asteroid field range. "The New Republic has offered to let the RAF Renegade cover us while we make this operation. The capital ship should be able to take care of any remaining forces, let alone debris from the active asteroids that could get in our way. You see, this Destroyer is randomly firing its engines, apparently one of the last ditch efforts to trya nd free it before the asteroids ... crushed its super structure." She explains a little further. "But, these engines flaring up are still causing asteroids to fly wildly around the aft section of the ship, which will be where we are approaching from."

Another shift of the holo projected image has two more ships showing up on either sides of the RAF Renegade. "These vessels, are mining ships, on support loan from Maz Kanata. They will navigate with us to the hull of the destroyer where they will create new hatches for us to enter the ghost ship from. They are expert miners, and say that it shouldn't be a problem what so ever, to create new hatches."

Rey glances to Ben, then nods, and looks to the others. "We'll all take the Falcon. Its guns should further help take care of stray asteroids, while we board and search the Destroyer for what we're looking for..."

"You weren't kidding," Chani says to Rey without looking away from the display. Of all the represented ships, it's the Star Destroyer that holds her attention. Wedged as it is between two large asteroid formations, Chani's brows knit together and her head begins to tilt slightly to the side, as if to regard the display from a new angle. Chani glances from the display to a few of the others besides, spending mere moments studying their expressions, before orienting it back towards the holoprojector's presented imagery. "Is a mining crew going to accompany us into the Star Destroyer? Or will we be taking care of any sudden barriers to our path in the typical, less conventional way?" Jedi do, after all, carry a key to most doors in the galaxy at large.

Someone else being predominately dressed in black catches Vega's attention and there's a bit of a smile to Ben, but she turns back when others are talking on the Star Destroyer. She raises a pale hand, "I'm unsure if it was in the report, but it powered up while we were out there. Now...I'm not sure if that might have been some faulty thing...or if something else did that. So we'd need to be on the lookout for that possibly happening." she states in her gentle tone.

"Are we all intended to be a boarding party of sorts? Or will there be other tasks requiring us to split into teams?" Aryn asks, drawing her hands back to press her fingertips against each other. Her gaze holds the shifting images of the holo as she tries to understand the gravity of their mission.

Nora Frayus settles back in her seat and twirls a bit of pink hair between her fingertips as she watches the mission briefing. Her head tips idly to the side and she narrows her eyes when the projection displays the aft of the ship, where they will be boarding. A soft frown touches her lips at the complication of asteroids between them and their target. Nora is no pilot, but navigating that does ring a touch... tricky.

"I am quite curious as to how we are meant to get this ship moving again, as well," she says. A glance to Chani and Vega, followed by Rey and Aryn. "It appears to be well and truly stuck," she adds.

Bizz stealthily removes the bottlecap on his Mantellian fungolager with the edge of his impeller gauntlet. It gives a low SSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHH as the carbonated gases escape into the atmosphere. He has a sip and then clears his throat. "I was once an asteroid miner. I am very skilled in mining things in space. I will be of some use in this operation!"

"I'm glad one of us was a miner, that will probably come in handy in some way on this," Kasia remarks, though it's the only time she has spoken off so far. Most of the other questions have been covered, so she's just listening attentively to the back and forth.

Rey insists that they should all go aboard the Falcon, and Ben drops his suggestion along with his shoulders. "Stuck is a state of mind," is what he has to say about the wreck itself, not bothering to gesture at the holoprojection. "Expect a trap, though. If I could trick an opponent into gathering in that thing..." He shakes his head shortly. "Well, there wouldn't be much left of them to find, anyway." He's a very encouraging speaker.

"None of the miners will be going inside with us. I told Maz I wouldn't put any of her people at any further risk. Once we're inside, we may need to break up in to teams to cover the interior a bit quicker. This is an Imperial-II destroyer, and luckily that is the class I personally know best on the inside..." Rey tells them as she glances from face to face beyond the blue glow of the projector. "Brother Bizz, you may wish to accompany the miners, to help oversee their cutting work. We're using two teams, incase one has trouble breaking through the armor, we have two entry points planned upfront..."

Rey then nods to Vega and Chani. "The engines seem to be firing up randomly... it's possible the computer system has degraded its command over time without a tech to check its routines in so very long. The miners will be on hold though, incase we need alternate routes out of the ship as well, but no, none will come aboard with us."

A look is given to Nora then and Rey shakes her head side to side once. "We won't be trying to recover the Destroyer, if anything we'll set a destruction sequence on it, if possible. But... that is a low priority. Our goal is to get aboard, and find where the Sentinel Prime was housed, find any information on it we can possibly get... We're told it may still visit the Destroyer, for what purpose, we don't know. This is just one of the many questions we're hoping to find answers to at this starship graveyard..."

"Understood." Chani nods to the Paragon after the questions have been answered and goes back to studying the various representations of the assets they'll be committing to the system for the sake of boarding the stuck Star Destroyer to try to figure out why the Sentinel Prime is using it. Looking to Ben, her right hand slips free from its hiding spot and gestures at the holo map. "Do you think that's what it's doing? Luring us there to kill us? Maybe by blowing it up?" The craft float in absolute silence not far from her hand, with new shadows cast across her highlighted robe. Both arms drop after, with the front of her robe opening just enough that she can hook her thumbs into the top edge of the leather encricling her waist and serving as a cincher to her loose tunic.

Vega listens to Rey and there is a bit of a frown though at some of the information. "It's probably too damaged to be any good to us...plus the amount of hands we'd need to crew or fix it would be more than we could feasibly handle I'm guessing." she states. But boy she wishes they could tow it home. "I'm happy to assist in anyway I can in getting it powered up or helping get it destroyed." she offers. Given she's a mechanic she knows her way around things. So not helping would be rude! Her BB-Unit gives a little chirp and she shoots a stern look at it, "Shh." she whispers to it.

Brother Bizz just sips his Mantellian fungolager while listening. The smell of fungal goodness spreads around his general vicinity - an earthy, frowsty smell that can be described by some as deliciously aromatic and yet by others as unpalatable. "Maybe I can slice into the computers and see why the engines are firing! Maybe even turn them off. I know a librarian on Tatween who has some old Imperial codes."

Nora's back twists left and then right on her chair and she lifts her index finger up to gently tap on her lips as she considers the situation in a new light. "Well that certainly does make things a bit easier," she says. Her head then tips in the opposite direction as if to wordlessly say 'buuuut'. Talk of ambushes and sprung traps are what prompted that particular gesture. "It would certainly be an opportune time and place for an ambush. Though it would be quite the grand gesture to deliberately crash your Star Destroyer to spring a trap."

"Far as traps go, it's a good place for one," Kasia remarks as she eyes the projected images. "It's a ship, so many things could go wrong with it. It could be programmed to jump into a sun when we get there. Hopefully it's not, but..." She shrugs and looks around at the faces illuminated in the ambient light of the projection. She makes a vague gesture around as others have said similar. "Shutting it down would be good, if that's possible. Lower the chances of something being sprung on us."

"Never miss an opportunity to turn a disaster into an asset," Ben remarks, crossing his arms over his chest and giving another short shrug. "It's what I would have done. The clues all lead to this place, which happens to be in a spot that is dangerous, unstable, and entirely within the enemy's sphere of control." He glances at Rey. "The same way I took your Sith wayfinder."

A hand lifts from the crook of his elbow, large finger pointing at each asteroid as he explains, "It's worth checking the asteroids again on our way in. Explosives would be simplest. Perhaps hidden thrusters on opposite sides of the rocks. Overly elaborate, and totally within the realm of possibility given who we're dealing with."

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

"All your eggs in one basket, great way for them to be spoiled." The deep rumble-drawl of an old Feeorin emerged from the hall as Corto the Drifter made his way into the room, his own tree-trunk legs the harbinger of his approach. Man was dressed like a drover, with that wide-brimmed hat and the poncho, an unlit cigarra sticking out from nearly-nonexistent lips. Hat was tilted in such a way that his eyes would be hidden to anyone on eye-level with him, but at a height of seven-foot-five this was a grand total of nobody.

'Course, there was the whole idea of the vagrant just walking on in like he owned the place. As far as he'd shown, he was just a wanderer who'd had a couple run-ins with these law-giving fellers. Bit rude to just stroll on into a planning meeting.

"Looks just like Coruscant in here. Bit homier, though." Well that was certainly something. "One suggestion, send more'n one ship in," advised the drifter to the crowd of faces most of whom he'd never seen. "That way, worst comes to worst, more chances to board successfully." Teeth chewed on the end of the cigarra idly. "Grand gestures are the kinda thing Sith are known for, Youngling," he rumbled in the direction of the one called Nora. "Ain't outta character."

"It's possible that we can send more than one ship in on this. We are making more than one hatch... but I don't want to volunteer any of your vessels for a dangerous mission." Rey says, to everyone, essentially. She does nod to Vega, and then to Bizz. "The two of you working on the ship computers would potentially be a great team effort. Making it to the bridge, I assume, would be the best course of action for this team."

Rey is about to say something else before Ben speaks up. She looks up, and over at him, with a paused expression. "You mean when you smashed it." She corrects him, then shows a light, self satisfied smile. Her eyes go back to the others at this meeting, and she's about to speak to them further when the doors to the elevator open again...

Jax was late to the party but that had precedent from time to time. He slipped in behind Corto not quite know who he was or why he was here. He slips in taking up what ever spot is apocopate at the time. "Rey if you need my ship and me to do something less than wise. I volunteer." Then he claims up see the turbolift opening again.

There's no doubt a hush that falls over the room as the turbolift doors hiss open, especially for those in the room with the ability to know when someone is coming. Or many someones, in this case.

The stomping of boots fills the room as a cadre of New Republic soldiers file in, notably armed and in a foul mood. They're not making in swift movements just yet, just fanning out and getting into position. "It's clear," the Captain in charge comms.

Moments after that information is relayed, Chancelor Lando Calrissian enters the room, his own cane-aided stride no match for the hale and purposeful march of the soldiers that accompanied him. For folks familiar with him, he looks...old. The weight of the Galaxy rests on his shoulders now and it's very clear that it's taking its toll. The man approaches the center of the room and casts his eyes around, a frown resting on his face. It's not anger that can be read on his countenance; not even disappointment, but a deep sadness.

"By order of the Galactic Senate..." he begins, eyes landing on Ben for a moment and then Rey. "I, the Chancelor of this New Republic, am here today to place under arrest Rey Palpatine...and Ben Solo...under suspicion of sedition and conspiracy to commit treason."

The soldiers are ready for a throwdown, but it's clear that they're waiting to see what happens.

Vega's expression had gone blank at the appearance of so many guards and then the Chancellor. She felt a bit nauseous given this didn't seem to be a good visit. And then it is confirmed. The ebony robed Jedi gives a look to her fellows to see what reactions are. She was hoping no one pulled a lightsaber and started swinging on the New Republic guards or their Chancellor. Because that would be bad, mmkay?

Aryn rises up from her seat, hands locking at her lower back as she addresses the soldiers and Chancellor alike. "Chancellor Calrissian, you can not make arrests based on suspicion alone. Have you irrefutable proof of these charges?" Aryn makes no effort to appear threateningly, but she does put herself out there.

"Set aside all notions of violence, there are children in these halls." This is said to the soldiers, though Aryn wonders if her words have even reached them.

Nora's eyes turn to the back of the room as a slew of turbo-lift hissing sees three newcomers arrive dramatically in rapid succession. First, it's Corto, who gets a look of disbelief from Lady Frayus. A look of disbelief that seems to say 'really? even here?' It seems like the young Alderaanian has a lot of questions for the man, but none of them roll off her tongue. Her only words to him?

"Do not call me 'youngling'... how dreadful," she says. And then Jax! His is a bit less dramatic, but he does offer a ship and heroicism. Nora nods in his direction.

And then there's Lando. Lando the man...do.

His entrance, truly, is the most dramatic of all. It's dramatic enough that Nora rises to her feet and pushes that chair she'd been sitting on away with the outside of her thigh. It's instinctual how her right hand crosses over her body, nearer to the ornate rapier at her side. Looking around, however, towards her fellow Jedi for guidance. That hand remains where it is, but her fingertips relax along the grip and slowly slide away. She turns to look towards Aryn and briefly opens her mouth to chime in. Thinking better of it, however, she remains silent. Her cold, ice blue eyes turn towards Lando and his guards.

Brother Bizz was watching a 7 foot tall giant sea monster-looking alien dressed as a nerfboy walk in, but then Lando Calrissian upstaged him. The charges make Bizz rise to his feet and spill his Mantellian fungolager from the bottle. "This is outrageous!" he shouts. "By the FORCE, they saved the Republic! This is an OUTRAGE."

Kasia pushes away from the wall as Lando steps into the room, dark brows jumping slightly at his mere presence. The words that follow aren't particularly shocking, though. "Stay calm, everyone," she steps forward, saying this to the room at large. "We don't want anything to get too exciting in here today. Do we?" She glances around at the others, Bizz in particular, then turns to focus on Lando. "Where will you be taking them?" she asks politely. "And can you explain to us what comes next for them," a gesture to Rey and Ben. "Or direct us on who we need to speak to to find all of this out."

"Daresay now ain't the time nor place to be arguing politics," interjected the drifter with exactly the brand of hokey frontier politeness that was the complete incorrect manner of tact needed. He'd opted to do the mysterious leaning against the wall thing, which here's hoping would hold up since he was not exactly light and some walls didn't like that. "We're in Republic territory, y'all can't really argue since we're in their juristiction."

Way to shoot your team in the foot, Corto.

"Chancellor, surely you believe that you're in no danger in their company. The leader of the New Republic and the co-founder of the Galactic Alliance putting himself in harm's way to announce an arrest?" Chani has turned with the rest of the group to face Chancellor Calrissian and his retinue of guards. "Isn't that unusual?" Chani's arms lift from her sides and then return to them, affecting as much in her gesture as the way her shoulders slightly rose and then fall back into place in their natural state. She drops her arms back into their own natural position, thumbs slipping from the leather belt around her waist to keep her hands where they can be plainly seen, even if the wide sleeves of the robe they're hidden in do a lot to keep them from being outright on view. Her nostrils flare lightly, but her gaze is fixated on the two groups that have entered into a tense conversation.

Jax draws in a deep breath and exhales it slowly. He makes no move but he watches the soldiers and as they itching for a fight. There stern expressions are met with a smile.

"Actually this is pure politics." Jax says after a moment, "Princess, Perhaps if this is being done by the senate. Perhaps it best you speak to Alderaan's Senator. Just as the rest of us should be speaking with our local representatives and senators. We are citizens of the Republic. Just as Rey Skywalker and Ben Solo are Republic Citizen with all the rights that means. They're also heroes of Exgol. There is no need for a fight." That was aimed at the Republic Troops more than the jedi.

When the Alliance soldiers breach the chamber, the snap of tension brings with it the hiss of a lightsaber igniting as Ben pulls his from its place behind his hip. The blade burns fiery orange in front of similarly bright eyes, staring from behind it with equal intensity. Drawn like a bow, the accused man glances sidelong at Rey.

And in chorus with a deep exhalation from the one wielding it, the blade shudders back into its hilt.

A short shove of the silver cylinder sends it skittering sideways across the stone. It stops at Lando's feet. A tug of the snapped strap securing his SE-14 at his hip later, the blaster pistol joins it. "...I had a feeling I'd be returning those eventually," the sour words twisting Ben's lips as he puts his hands out, showing they're open. The look he gives his own hands in that moment is no less suspicious than the ones the soldiers are, and he slowly raises them over his head, putting them behind it.

Rey listens to the voices, she hears it all, and many of the questions that they ask, she is considering herself. But, obviously, its the lightsaber that comes on, that draws her eyes most quickly. She looks to the orange blade as it snaps to life, then watches as it is extinguished.

She follows the sound of it across the floor, as it goes directly to the Chancellor, and then watches as Ben walks toward the Republic guards.

This leaves her behind that podium. She stares through the projected holograms, and reaches to the podium to turn it off. The mission is obviously not getting its briefing completed tonight.

Rey doesn't say anything as she lowers her eyes and walks around the podium. Her right hand crosses over her form to her own saber hanging on her belt. She detaches it and holds it at her side as she walks to the edge of the table that the Jedi were seated at.

"I'm sorry it's come to this." Rey softly says. Before she sets the saber down on the table with a quiet thud.

Her hands then detach the leather holster around her thigh, and she sets it down beside the saber hilt too, letting the strap fall around the holster with the blaster pistol inside it.

She looks to the others of the Order, then to the Knights in particular. She speaks softly. "You're in charge." She tells them all, before she walks toward the Chancellor herself.

There is a lot of tension going around, Vega focuses on the lightsaber that Ben Solo has. She'd never seen anything like it! Then it's being scooted across the floor followed by a gun. Welp. That was a shame to see it being given up. Her BB-unit warbles a little and then starts to roll backwards, feeling all the tension in the moment. "It's alright, Round One." she whispers. There were already enough people talking and the woman didn't want to add to the diplomacy that was going on. She'd probably just muck it up. She then looks to Rey as she gives up her things as well.

Well...this was a turn of events.

"Princess Cortess, listen to Mr. Greystorm; this course of action was decided on in an emergency session. Take it up with your senators. This isn't some backwater civil claims court or a speeder stop. I'm not taking them into custody because the Senate thinks they're smuggling death sticks." Lando answers Aryn, his tone curt and indicative that he's done with that conversation.

He takes a deep breath and straightens his back with the aid of his cane, very nearly reaching his full height. "As citizens of the New Republic, the onus of avoiding violence rests squarely on your shoulders, now," Lando reminds them, holding a staying hand up towards the soldiers that are with him. He looks to Kasia for a moment and announces to the crowd, "They'll be held on Chandrila until such a time that a trial can be arranged. The Senate is not stripping them of their rights, but a decision has been made and I'm here to make sure...that things don't get out of hand," the older man says, looking to Ben. The lightsaber and blaster rest on the ground in front of him and he bends down slowly to pick them up. The lightsaber is ignored, but that blaster pistol is the very same one he'd given Ben when he'd decided that Han was babying him too much. Every young man needs to know how to handle a blaster pistol, after all. At least, that's the way it was on Socorro. Emotion reads plainly on Lando's face and he clutches the two weapons together in his hand, eyes finally landing on Rey.

With his quarry now standing beside him, two guards join him and slap restraints on their wrists. "As previously stated, any further questions should be fielded to your senators," Lando voices, taking a few deep breaths and staring down at the floor for a moment. "That is all. Thank you for your cooperation," he says, that last bit sounding infinitely more like it's coming from the man himself and not the office he's found himself appointed to. With that, the man turns slowly and begins walking back towards the lift.

Aryn is quiet, turning only to regard each person who adds their voice to what's going on. None seem willing to defend their friends Rey and Ben, and Aryn feels alone for having said anything contrary at all. Her cheeks burn red at being dismissed, and anger rises up. "For a man who once moved the galaxy to fight tyranny, falling prey to the Senate was the last fate I imagined for you, Chancellor. -- Be about it then, though forgive me when I declare my confidence in the senate has quickly diminished. Regardless, I will trust in the system we fought to restore. I trust you all know the way out?"

Nora's fingers return to the grip when Ben Solo's lightsaber springs to life and, for a moment, it appears the young woman is ready for the tension in the room to burst. And yet, that lightsaber beam plunges back into its housing, and thunks across the floor towards Lando's feet. Nora exhales through her nostrils and turns to look over her shoulder at the rest of the Order... and Corto. The look she gives him now is far from the bemused curiosity of the previous. There's a venom in her expression, but not one that's given air and put to words. Not yet.

Her attention moves to Rey when the Jedi Paragon offers herself up for arrest. Restraints are applied and both Rey and Ben are being led towards the Turbolift by Lando and his men.

"Surely we can do -something-?" Nora asks, gesturing backwards over her shoulder towards the Turbolift. "The Sith were in -Chandrilan- space not a week ago, and the Republic waste its time and resources arresting... monks on Devaron?" she asks, irritation and frustration clear as day in her tone.

"I would think that effort and resources might be better spent elsewhere," she says.

"And the Sith said some very shocking things openly, to the public," Kasia tells Nora as she steps forward to retrieve the dropped lightsabers. "Which has upset quite a lot of people, causing protests and demands for action. This is politics," she says, looking down at the weapons with a furrowed brow. "A threat at home needs to be handled first, and that's what this becomes if the senate appears to be doing nothing over very serious charges. Don't worry, we'll figure it out, but there's nothing we can do to stop the arrest unless /we/ want war with the Galactic Senate, too."

Jax waits till Lando and the shock troopers are away. He lets out a deep breath and exhale. He points at Kasia. "Exactly. Of course we do something about it. The old Geezer probably wants us to do something about it. He can't say that cause that would get out and make him look weak. If he was trying to shut us down. He would have brought more people and tried to arrest us all. It's all smoke and mirrors. Now we get to rescue cats from trees, spend what political capital we have, and figure out how to help Rey and Ben out. The Sith just laid a trap for us. We got over the first trip line."

"When you play in the political sandbox, y'don't get to be bothered when another kid dumps sand down your shirt," was the continuation of outdoor wisdom from the giant Falleen. "The young lady there is right," he continued, nodding in the direction of Kasia and turning his head to the other Jedi who he saw while on the ground with the tribals. "It's the right move, will keep the hounds quiet for a bit." Casting his eyes across the rest of the assembled gathering, his eyes landed squarely on the blonde Alderaanian and he mused to those near him, "Sure hope others can see that."

Vega's gaze goes from person to person, but in the end she tries to relax. "Kasia and others are right." she states. "Also, fighting the Senate sounds like history repeating itself for the Jedi." she frowns slightly at that. "We'll have a lot of people to calm here tonight." she states with a look to the doors.

"Polite politics is what gets people killed. Has the Republic not learned anything from Alderaan? From the Hosnian system? Or are we only called to action when we're made to mourn trillions?" Nora asks. Her voice is emotionally-charged, but she seems to be calming. Kasia's words ring a little truer than she'd care to admit. She exhales softly, bleeding tension from her body. She straightens and slowly blinks her eyes open. That smile that normally sits on her face is gone, replaced with a more neutral, even-keeled expression. She turns her eyes slowly towards Aryn, and then back towards Kasia. She offers a brief bow of her head.

"You are right, of course. My apologies. I do not care for how helpless I feel," she says.

Over the protestations of the others, Ben is shackled in binders along with Rey and shown to the lift. The questions behind him are a dull roar now, fading into the static in his head. In the middle of the haze, he throws out the only thought that pushes its way into his language center, looking back over his shoulder at the Jedi with a level eye.

"Don't do anything stupid."

Then he's in the lift.

'Don't do anything stupid.' That comment spurs a breathless little laugh, and a response comes to her lips, but the lift doors are already closing, and the time is up.

"Precisely," Kasia says to Jax and Vega instead. "This was a trap, a well laid one that forces hands into action. It doesn't matter whether or not the senate wants to do this, they have to, it doesn't matter that we don't like it, we have to stand back and let it happen or else we stand opposed to the senate which puts us in a poor position. As it is I think we need to step back our presence from Chandrila because I suspect we're not going to be well loved there for a time."

A deep breath is drawn as she looks over to Nora. "No one likes to feel helpless, Nora, but we're not. We just can't do anything /right now/, because right now would be setting us up for more trouble. We just have to be smart about what we do now."

Rey holds out her hands for the cuffs and allows them to be wrapped around her wrists. She starts toward the lift ahead of Ben, but pauses and looks back over her shoulder, the guard behind her urging her to keep moving. "Tell Chewbacca." Rey says to the others. "Don't tell Dio... or break it to him lightly."

And with that she too is ushered in to the lift to stand beside Ben. She looks over and up at him, before she looks away again, now to Lando. She doesn't stare at him with malice, she understand this situation goes far beyond the Chancellor.

A moment later and the guards are aboard the lift, and the doors are swept closed.

When the group has been escorted safely away, Aryn watches the hatch they left through a moment and sighs. Not wanting to add to the fount of wisdom being spouted by the others, she steps silently away with a gentle whisper of a cape swishing. She would meditate on this and find her center again.