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Before - Legends Rule Maker - OC Revolution Summer Challenge - Humour

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Kit', Jul 10, 2020.

  1. Kit'

    Kit' Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 1999
    Title: Rule Maker

    Author: Kit'

    Timeframe: Before Legends - start of the Jedi Order

    Genre: Humour

    Characters: Four OC Jedi Masters - Nira Huy, Rungox Drarte, Nimt Shrof and Illinlude (all created for this)

    Challenge: OC Revolution Summer 2020 Challenge - Write a story where a turn of phrase causes some confusion. Except I've chosen in this for it not to cause confusion right now...but perhaps a little bit further down the line...

    Summary: Surely no-one could misinterpret a rule when it's written in poetry? Four Jedi Masters try to settle a dispute about how exactly to write a rule so that no-one could ever possibly misinterpret their meaning.

    ****

    The spring air flowed briskly through High Winds temple, tossing leaves and making flower heads nod in the breeze. The Temple buzzed with life and the promise of a new day. Outside in the blossoming tree, the birds whistled cheerfully. The air shimmered and shook with promise, but all of the beauty of the world was lost on the four Jedi who sat facing each other around the table in the Great Hall.

    “So, you want to forbid people from loving each other?” Master Nira Huy’s face was a mixture of bemused consternation.

    “No, I want to forbid them from getting too attached and choosing love over The Order.” Her whiskered companion, Nimt Shrof, frowned at her as he spoke.

    “You don’t think that might lead to problems down the line?”

    “No, I think it’ll mean that younglings and padawans concern themselves with their training, not with what is below their belts.”

    Huy laughed, a light chuckled laced with a hum of amusement that only made the other Jedi Master’s frown deepen.

    Rungox Drarte leant forward, arms on the table. The Zabrak’s normally serene face had lost some of its tranquillity after being stuck in a room with his squabbling compatriots for hours. “Perhaps,” he said softly trying to ease the growing tension, “we should word it so that is less ambiguous.”

    “That’s a definite possibility.” Huy said still looking bemusedly at Shrof as she bit the end of her finger-nail.

    “I could think of lots of ways of being less ambiguous.” The final speaker, a female Twi’lek sat with one foot on the floor and the other on the chair. Shrof had often complained that it was a posture unbecoming the elegance of a Jedi, to which Ilinlude had often retaliated by throwing at him whatever she currently held in her hands.

    “Humph, I do not believe that the codex needs swear words.” Shrof muttered, scowling to himself.

    “I believe that the codex could use a good dose of curse words,” the Twi’lek replied taking a bite of the fruit she was currently holding in one hand as if daring Shrof to say something more. “For starters it would take the ambiguity out of it. I mean what does there is no ignorance, there is knowledge actually mean? Do we expect our Jedi to be experts in everything?”

    Drarte turned his head to face her, sighing as he heard the beginning of what was now a familiar rant. “You well know what it means Master Ilinlude, they don’t have to be experts in everything but they do need to be life-long learners.”

    “Then why can’t we say that?” The Twi’lek asked. “Why does everything always have to be poetry? Why can’t we just say. Don’t get too emotional, try to find your centre, look for the harmony in whatever you do and realise that you don’t die, you just become one with The Force. Wouldn’t that be easier?”

    Drarte sighed. “That’s not the way.”

    “I don’t see why-“ Ilinlude started up again but Drarte cut her off.

    “This is an argument for another day. We need to get this part sorted about the relationships. After what’s just happened between padawans Itofa and Silf, I think it’s important that we get this matter settled.”

    “Fine.” Master Ilinlude slouched back into her chair and took another bite of the apple.

    “I think if we ask Jedi not to form relationships then there will be a world of trouble.” Huy said quietly into the growing silence, “I think teaching people that relationships are important but they shouldn’t be abusive or all-consuming is far more imperative.”

    “But how would we put that in?” Shrof asked frowning, pen raised in the air, “there is no poetry in that.”

    “You and your poetry!” Ilinlude exploded out of her seat and strode across to the windows to stare out across the mountain ridges.

    “I don’t know,” Huy sighed her normally happy face looking suddenly troubled, “It's just- It's just that if we write into our codex that a Jedi should never have relationships then what is the momentum to do what we ask them to do?”

    “There is a difference between love that is consuming and compassion,” Drarte said leaning forward to pat her on the arm. She smiled at him but the concern in her eyes remained.

    "I've just had this strange premonition," Huy said softly.

    “What kind of premonition?” Illinlude tossed the remains of her apple out of the window and made her way back to the table.

    “I don’t know,” Huy rubbed her fingers across the bridge of her nose and then swept her long black fringe out of her eyes. “I just get the feeling that if we write something like ‘thou shalt never form romantic relationships’ then we are asking for trouble. Teens are want to sneak off behind their Master’s backs when tempted by a pretty girl or guy. I would hate for this rule to mean that a padawan or young knight could not tell his Master that he had formed an attachment or wanted to start a family without fear of getting into trouble.”

    “One cannot see that far into the future,” Drarte said softly after a few moments, “I think you needlessly worry. No Jedi or Council will ever become that dogmatic.”

    Huy shrugged and looked at her own former Master, “I don’t know, I just know that if we leave it like this, if we write down that Jedi should not form romantic relationships then one day it’s going to bite us. It could even cause the downfall of The Order.”

    “Don’t be ridiculous,” Shrof snorted, “nobody is ever going to take it that literally.” He stared for a moment as if considering the words and then scribbled furiously. He looked up at them as if congratulating himself for a job well done. “It is written. I found the right words and now no-one will ever be confused by what we mean. I even put it in poetry," He smiled at Ilinlude who was obviously regretting tossing her apple core. "Now," he said officiously, "what’s the next order of business?”
     
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2020
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  2. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    A debate with eloquence and personality and excellent points about making a rule that causes persons to lie and sneak around instad of being honest and finding their balance. [face_thinking] Superbly done. =D=
     
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  3. Cowgirl Jedi 1701

    Cowgirl Jedi 1701 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 21, 2016
    =D= Well, that explains a lot.
     
  4. Kit'

    Kit' Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 1999
    Thank you! Yeah, I think that particular rule is the one I struggle with the most in the universe. I know some religions in the real world have done it, but it causes such problems for their adherents that I'm not sure that it's worth it. I think the Jedi code probably should have just said "be sensible with the powers you've been given" and a lot of issues would have disappeared [face_thinking]

    Doesn't it just [face_laugh]:*
     
  5. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Ooh, very interesting take on both the challenge theme and the origins of the notorious non-attachment rule—headcanon accepted, I do believe! :D I totally believe that the Jedi Master of yore twisted themselves into myriad philosophical and theological knots over this. All four of these masters have a point—it does seem like there’s a real need for some kind of rule, given what can happen (and it seems like there already was An Incident), but one has to strike just the right balance of making it clear but also not too blunt, and one has to watch out for the “forbidden fruit” effect. I smiled toward the end especially with Shrof’s “no one is ever going to take it that literally”—hoo boy, if only he knew what confusion this “turn of phrase” will lead to down the line! :D Agreeing with @Cowgirl Jedi 1701 that this really does explain a lot! Very cool and unique interpretation of the challenge theme—thanks so much for sharing this with us! =D=
     
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  6. amidalachick

    amidalachick FFoF Hostess Extraordinaire star 5 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Aug 3, 2003
    This was so funny, but they raised a lot of good points too! Rules and guidance are important, but they have to make sense and not be too rigid either. You did a great job writing the Masters' discussion here!

    Curse words do unambiguously get the point across! [face_mischief] Also I already really like Ilinlude. :D

    [face_laugh]

    And I second @Findswoman's "headcanon accepted"! This was a really fun read. Great work!
     
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  7. Kit'

    Kit' Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 1999
    OOOOoooOO! I've never managed to do anything head cannon worthy before~! Thank you! @};-[face_love] I'm glad you liked it. That rule is the one that I've never understood and although I know it's a plot device, it just made the whole Jedi idea so strange to me. I figured having some bureaucratically minded Jedi like Shrof who believed that everything could be worked out through a good dose of poetry (or obfuscated into something that could never be logically interpreted) was exactly what had happened to the Jedi Order all those years ago. It's often what I feel like when I'm trying to get kids to read works of Philosophy - why can't you just say what you mean? Why do you need to make it so flowery and ridiculous that no-one can read it! Gah! *Ahem* Sorry, I think I'm less of a Shrof and more of a Illinlude :p

    Yay! I can't tell you and @Findswoman how much creating head cannon for other people has made my week. That's just so amazing :) @};-@};- I'm glad you like Illinlude too, I was thinking today that when I finish some of the various Scoundrel arcs that I might go back and dabble in The Legends for a bit. It'll mean some homework and reading for me, but it'll be fun and there will be no Order 66 that I feel I have to rescue all my OCs from. :_|
     
  8. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    and we know where this leads