2nd Oration / Voice

[dun_moch]

[Dooku's voice on the Network is difficult to miss: deep, resonant, rich, and inexplicably British despite him being from space.]

Good evening, my friends. As his probation officer, I feel it is my duty to inform you that Death the Kid has departed from this universe.

[Pause]

A pity, really. He only had a few days remaining on his sentence. I was looking forward to recommending his freedom from government supervision.

Now then, there is another matter I wish to discuss. I have been considering the role of emotion in the matters of power. ImPort abilities often seem tied to how we feel. Passions such as anger and fear can threaten our control, yet they can also spur our powers to greater heights in times of need.

In my Galaxy, there are two philosophies which have debated these issues for many thousands of years. One believes in the denial of passion. They insist upon tranquility and harmony. It is their belief that only a calm heart, without attachments, can attain true wisdom in serving others. They do not even allow themselves to fall in love...

[The Count's voice drops slightly, becoming a touch darker.]

The other perspective calls this a lie. It accepts passion as the truth of all living things, and draws power from it. It teaches that even the strongest of emotions can be embraced, and disciplined, and used to great effect.

I would be interested to know what my fellow imPorts think on this matter. Are our feelings to be repressed, or embraced? Which path do you believe will lead to greater fulfillment?

[Talk to the Sith Lord about feelings, Network. Also, if you're tagging him for the first time it's a good idea to check out his permissions post!]

Comments

Voice

[dun_moch]

These philosophies have commanded the history of our Galaxy for a very long time, Ambassador, as you are well aware. Perhaps our fellow imPorts are indeed wiser than so many others who have lived in your time and mine... or perhaps the tension between the two exists for good reason.

Not all beings can share your... flexibility.

[exsithstential]

Commanded. Yes. In an endless cycle of self destruction. Because neither side was willing to give on the ideas both held as absolutes. Because neither side was willing to allow themselves to be open to the idea of a greater truth.

[This was starting to get a bit personal. And perhaps the network wasn't the best avenue to peruse this debate. Especially seeing as he was trying to keep his history and abilities out of the public eye

And yet, something had to be said. He couldn't ignore a session of Sith recruitment 101 happening and leave it be..]

[dun_moch]

[The Count chuckles darkly. When he begins to really recruit, he will have far more to offer than rhetoric and questions of philosophy.]

Indeed. But has it not always been the case that those walking a different path are just as involved in the same destruction? Participants in the same conflicts? Often quite decisively so.

Who is to say that a Galaxy filled with more Grey would be at peace? Perhaps it would be even more unstable. Instead of worlds pulled between two poles of belief, there would be a thousand different individual compromises. A recipe for chaos, I would expect.

[exsithstential]

You won't hear me say that either side with without it's faults. But simply because one participates in a conflict, doesn't mean the fault lies with them. That would seem... more pacifistic than I would expect from you. Surely even you can admit that some fights have to be fought. And for what would seem like good reasons.

[The power of Dooku's argument is the slivers of points that Revan agrees with. But never for one second did Revan regret the fights he fought. The wars, both personal and galactic, where he did what was necessary to save the greatest amount of lives.

In war, lives were lost. And collateral was a tragic eventuality. Many people would cry at the costs of Revan's war, but never consider the personal sacrifices he'd made. But for as long as Revan had control of his own mind, he was confident he had no other choice BUT to participate. To sacrifice. A detail that had been lost on the Jedi many times. And a detail that traditionally was never found in the Sith.]

That's the problem with comparing the Galaxy in terms of one facet versus another. Dark versus light, for example. A common misconception is to believe that one is inherently good and the other bad. What matters, as it does in all things, is intent.

[dun_moch]

[Dooku snorts.]

Pacifism is certainly not my way. On the contrary: I understand that conflict, like passion, is a part of us all. Including the Grey.

You are right in one thing, at least. There is no inherent 'good' or 'bad' in the darkness and the light. Such judgments are often artificial: a story people tell themselves to assign moral value to the universe. But I say there is an important point where you are wrong.

Intent is not what matters the most. Results are what count most in the end.

[exsithstential]

Ah, but results can be fickle. A slight tug and even the greatest tapestries can come completely undone. Sometimes you do everything right and it still isn't enough. Is it more important that you may end up ruing a failure, or that you had the strength to to set off on the path in the first place?

[dun_moch]

I have no need to test my strength, Ambassador. And I do not fear failure.

Those who seek to achieve great things must be willing to face many hazards- including the undoing of all they have created. That is the only path by which great works can be accomplished.