Soup for the soul (D1, MA) [Open]

[Mir]

With his tail out of the way Mir turned to Murah. "Master, how in a city this rich and full of all the kind people, we have people this hungry?

[Faily]

"Ok," Tuulo nodded, and realising her soup was probably getting cold, figured it was time to eat. "I'll see you again then?" she gave a wave to Byron and Eir.

[Murah Bakash]

With his tail out of the way Mir turned to Murah. "Master, how in a city this rich and full of all the kind people, we have people this hungry?

There was a sadness to her features. "It is a sad truth that the more some people have, the less they share it with those less fortunate." Taking a step away from the line for a moment, she sighed and looked up to the faraway skyline. "Some of the wealthiest in the galaxy are here on Coruscant, yet rarely does that wealth trickle all the way down here. Though sadly, such is the truth almost anywhere in the galaxy - those who have much do not often share with those who have less. I suppose it's greed, to a certain degree."

She placed a comforting hand on the young man's shoulder. "Slavery may be illegal here on Coruscant, but one can still be bound by poverty. The Jedi Order isn't as wealthy as senators and the like, but we do what we can - though I often wish it was more."

[Mir]

As Murah stepped back, Mir followed her, his ears perked beneath his cowl. "I have seen worse, master." the young farghul admitted. "But Doloran had now law but the law that the strong made for themselves." The implication was there, even if he could not quite vocalize it. How things could not be made better here? "What good is power... if you cannot help people." Mir asked her, his blue eyes blinking slowly.

[Murah Bakash]

She understood, having seen and saved others from such miseries before.

"You need more than just power to help, Mir. One needs empathy and the desire to help... which is something many powerful lack. Many of those who are powerful often become too attached to the power and wealth they have, and some think that others should not have some of what they have earned for themselves." It was always a complicated issue.

"When I was younger, I put all my effort and resources into making a community garden for the people here in the lower leves to use - where they could grow vegetables and fruits. My idea was that it could help them, and from there, they could plant more in empty lots and rooftops." She sighed. "It is now gone. It didn't last a month before it was gone. Why do you think that is?"

[Mir]

"But the Jedi are not like that." Mir asked, tilting his head to the side. "Could we not do more?" his gaze drifted towards the tall spires where the nobles of the city lived. The Jedi did not lack power nor compassion.

Mir listened to Murah as she spoke, thought for a moment and answered as truthfully as he could. "Uh.. someone ate everything?"

[Byron Mik]

Byron chimed in, “Well Jedi do what we can but Coruscant has more people than whole Republic star systems. I was raised here, it’s a good place but people are driven by less lofty goals than helping others and compassion there is a lot of self-interest and what’s in it for me attitude, not bad but it means it takes more for some to care about what is going on beyond their doorstep.”

“It can be hard to worry about your neighbor’s lack of food when you are barely keeping a roof over your head for you and yours. Just lots of vicious cycles out there, you know?”

[Murah Bakash]

"We can always do more." At least, that's how she felt. Though even the Jedi did not always agree on what was the best course of action for 'more'. "But yes, I suppose you could say someone ate everything - taking all that had grown, a lot that was still not even ripe, and up-turned the whole thing."

She gave a solemn nod to Byron's words. "That is the sad truth of life... many people do not care beyond themselves and their own. In a lot of ways, that's why it is more important for the Jedi to be here on the streets to help where we can, rather than off in war to fight and kill. This way, we can hopefully nurture the life that is here and help it grow to bloom, rather than just remain buds in the darkness."

[Mir]

"But we could persuade them to do more, no?" Mir asked everyone and no-one particular. "The Order has some reach no? People respect us. Well, you." He had no idea what people thought about the students. But the Jedi were respected and even feared. "At least here." the young farghul looked around, his ears slanted to the side. "Maybe we cannot help everyone everywhere, but at least people here?"

"I guess that someone was really hungry." Mir murmured as he heard what had had happened to the gardens. "I can remember being that hungry." he added sheepishly.

[Eir]

Eir wasn’t sure such philosophical matters were appropriate right in front of the faces of the people they were trying to help. If these people began to think that the Order was doing less than they could, the outcomes could be... well, she didn’t want to think about the outcomes, shaking her head softly and smiling in a way she hoped was encouraging.

[Murah Bakash]

"They probably were too, Mir," she nodded and there was no blame in her tone on those who did it. "But... it's not easy to persuade a group of people on what to do. The Jedi Order have resources, but they must also be spread out - to feed and clothe our own numbers, to pay for expenses of the Jedi who travel the Galaxy to do good too. It wasn't free for Master Pollo to travel to where he found you, after all." Murah spoke with a kind smile.

"We enjoy the freedom to decide what to do, though that also comes with the needs to compromise on our decision-making. The same applies for Coruscant, and the Senate as well."

While the Master and student spoke away from the line, the line continued moving along at its own pace. The people here were familiar with the routine and didn't make a fuss.

[Mir]

"But we have the Force. Surely that should count for something." He waved hus paw before his own nose. "If we cannot make the universe a better place, why do we live in such tall palace?"

[Murah Bakash]

Murah blinked a few times. "It is a slippery slope to assume that the Force should grant us the right of being leaders or to use it to shape the Republic more to our will. While I believe many of us would do so with the best intentions, history has taught us many times that such paths easily lead to corruption or tyranny. "

[Byron Mik]

Byron chuckled and offered, "Revan or Darth Revan comes to mind, for all the good he did... he did some real bad too."

[Mir]

"But master, surely the order has more compassionate people then the senate? Such as you?" Mir pleaded, his eyes blinking. "I don't think any of us would look at this and think that there are no problems." he pointed his paw the the people queuing for the free food.

[Eir]

Eir's heart twisted at the farghul's pleading. She couldn't blame the former slave for wishing more could be done.

[Byron Mik]

"But master, surely the order has more compassionate people then the senate? Such as you?" Mir pleaded, his eyes blinking. "I don't think any of us would look at this and think that there are no problems." he pointed his paw the the people queuing for the free food.

“Leading a nation means compromise, it means doing things that some Jedi may not be comfortable with. I am with you Mir, but these are not easy answers, these are complex situations that require more than just compassion and a good heart,” he said solemnly.

[Mir]

"Take a wee bit from the rich. " he nodded at the high halls of the nobles gleaming in the distance. "Not sure they would notice. Set up kitchens and schools for the poor. Give them some hope."

[Byron Mik]

“How much do you take, this is a democracy, won’t the rich want a say in how much they stand to lose? I agree with you, mate, but you start dictating who gets what and the ideals the Republic was founded upon start to fall apart,” he said.

[Murah Bakash]

"It is a question and a problem that has plagued many for many years, young ones," Murah sighed, "but let's get back to the task at hand and the ones we can help now, yes?"