Discipline (Jedi Master Eeth Koth/Padawan Raven Trebeck and others)

[Livia Yoran]

The glance at Raven had not gone unnoticed. Eeth had read in the reports on Jas that she had frequent issues with looking down on humans. Well, that would have to change.

"Do not call your peers dweebs," Eeth said neutrally. "They might currently not be as good at some things as you are. That can change, and even if it does not, it does not make them 'dweebs'. Now, as for the question why we are taking you off-planet. If you meant to imply that your creche masters feared you might blow up the Temple, then no, it is not quite as bad. And, incidentally, no one is referring to you as 'bad.' You did get into some bad habits, though. And our impression was that your normal Temple routine is not exactly conducive to making you change them. Sometimes, a change of scenery helps."

The Council also typically avoided transferring initiates who had not found a master yet to the main section of the Temple. It might create confusion and false expectations. But Eeth thought it better not to go into this.

He gave Jas a scrutinising look. For one who was currently being sent away in a last-ditch effort to sort out her serious attitude problem, she seemed remarkably sure of herself.

"When you say you are good at everything," he said, "that is obviously not the whole truth. If it was, we would not be here. Do you have any idea at all why your masters felt that you were becoming too much for them to handle?"

[Raven.]

“Because,” she answered without hesitation, “I call it like I see it, how it is, most people don’t like that. Hearing the truth without the sugar coating pisses people off,” she replied, thinking his reaction to her dweeb comment case in point, but wisely keeping that thought to herself.

Raven could guess what sort of a response that comment was likely to get from Eeth, he too was not one to beat around the bush. The thing is, Eeth had another three lifetimes of experience at ‘calling it how it is’ although she doubted Jas wanted to hear that the judgement of a ten-year-old initiate who had rarely, if ever, set foot outside the temple, could be off.

[Livia Yoran]

“Yes, that sounds all good and well,” Eeth replied without heat. “In fact, sugar coating is the one thing I am unlikely to provide you, nor am I going to ask it from you. And yet, I managed to master the art of diplomacy, which is something that you will obviously yet have to learn. If calling your creche mates dweebs is your idea of being truthful, your concept of ‘truth’ is inadequate. Anyway, from the reports the Council received, we did not gain the impression that this is merely about you saying things. Since you are so intent on being truthful, might you consider giving me the whole truth about that?”

[Raven.]

“If it smells like a bantha shit, and it looks like a bantha shit, then it’s most likely a bantha shit,” she replied in response to his comments on her crèche mates, as far as Jas was concerned ‘dweeb’ was actually being lenient, especially considering some of them…

It was at this point that Raven turned her back to them and started pushing buttons, pretending to be checking their navigation points, and, to hide her amusement. This was going to be an interesting mission, and by now the padawan was beginning to think it might turn out to actually be a mission helping this girl. Well, if anyone can get a child to straighten up and fly straight it was Eeth, and she had to concede they had indeed been a good choice for this, even if it wasn’t what she needed right now.

Jas wasn’t quite sure what to say when he asked for the whole truth, she had never seen the point in lying, it was cowardly, plain and simple. “I have trouble getting along with my crèche mates, sometimes.” She shrugged, pretending that her lack of friends didn’t bother her, besides it was them not her, or so she had convinced herself. “Some of them are okay but most are just dw….” she paused, not wanting to get into the dweeb argument again, and settled on: “special needs. They’re always looking for any excuse to run crying to our crèche master and getting me in trouble.”

[Livia Yoran]

Eeth frowned. “Your misplaced and disrespectful analogies aside, might ‘trouble getting along’ be a euphemism for getting into fights? Because this is what the reports I read seemed to insinuate. And punching others in the face is not the same thing as ‘saying it like it is,’ as I’m sure you’re aware of. Nor do I quite understand why it should surprise you to get into trouble about it.”

He was being unusually lenient about Jas’ attitude and her choice of words right now because he felt that jumping at everything he said - which he might have done under different circumstances - would hardly encourage her to be open with him, which was what he was interested in right now. There would be more than enough time to teach her the meaning and importance of respect later.

[Raven.]

“So, they told you about that too, huh,” she said, her tone blasé. She folded her arms across her chest. “Yes, I expect to get in trouble for fighting. It’s not the Jedi way, even if it did feel satisfying to clobber the witch for what she said. I’ve been in a few fights, mostly because people keep pushing me and I lose my temper. Besides,” she said in a tone of finality. “If you already know about this stuff why are you bothering to ask me about it?”

[Livia Yoran]

“Because I wanted to hear your perspective on things,” Eeth replied coolly. “Since you are so utterly convinced to be in full possession of the truth, I thought you might appreciate this. I, on the other hand, appreciate a more respectful tone of voice than you have managed to muster so far. And my tolerance is not infinite. Speaking of respect: Is there anyone in your life at the Temple who has garnered your respect so far? You convey the impression that they are all rather beneath you.”

[Raven.]

“See, stuff like that gets on my nerves. You adults are always telling me I’m being disrespectful when I’m not, it’s getting old.”

Raven frowned because now the kid’s attitude was starting to get on hers. “Have you considered the fact that they say this for a reason?”

“Yes, they like badgering me. I’m good at just about everything so they have to find something to pick on.” She turned back to face Eeth again, believing that her answer had sated the padawan. “Respect is hard to earn. Master Yoda is someone I like to talk to, he says things that make sense to me, and doesn’t make me feel like I’m constantly saying the wrong things each time I open my mouth. My creche master is like that, he’s constantly correcting me. I resent the fact that adults can swear and say what they want, but simply because I’m ten I have to speak like a baby.”

[Livia Yoran]

"Now you are talking nonsense on so many counts I will not start wasting my time pointing them out to you," Eeth said firmly. "Suffice it to say that, despite your self-claimed status as the sole arbiter of truth, the universe does not revolve around you and your views. You desparately need to learn what the concept of disrespect really means. Not according to you, but according to everyone else. And therefore, the next time I hear you talking disrespectfully about anyone - and I mean anyone - I will put you across my knee and paddle you until you are ready to rethink your ideas. Which you will then do in writing. Maybe after some time you will become a little more careful about how you voice your particular version of the truth. It all depends on how fast a learner you are."

Eeth knew perfectly well that Jas was not usually impressed by the threat of corporal punishment. Well, she would learn to be.

[Raven.]

Typically she wasn’t, however the spanking he’d given her had actually really hurt, and she didn’t want another one. The girl frowned. “So, each time I say something you don’t like you’re gonna spank me until I start thinking like you. How is that fair?”

By now Raven was dry-washing her face with a hand. This was the point in the conversation where it would be in the girls best interest to utter something along the lines of ‘yes, Master Koth,” and be silent for a while. She considered saying as much, and might very well if the kid doesn’t desist soon.