A Young Sith Takes A Break

[Alexander Dregar]

Coruscant, was beautiful in its own way. Buildings so tall, they nearly touched the edge of the atmosphere, so many people, and some of the most beautiful parks one could find on any world. Not far from the Jedi Temple, Zach went to one of his favorite spots on the planet. While the young Sith was nervous about being here, he didn’t care. He was searching for information about Aria and the rest of the Formos orphans he had grown up with. His weapons, and equipment were all back in the shuttle, locked away, as he had no use for them right now. Zach wasn’t here to hunt, only try and figure out what happened to them.

Staring at a large fountain, sitting on a stone bench in a little green paradise near one of the sidewalk areas, Zach just daydreamed. It was okay to take a small break now and then, right? Smiling he looks over at the temple in the distance. He was careful to keep his force presence hidden, and not cause any problems. It wasn’t like he actually hated the Galactic Alliance or the Jedi after all. He respected their laws as best as he could, and respected the Jedi as warriors. However, that meant little, as he never had a choice in what to do. It was survival, pure and simple. Kill, and fulfill his promise to the Sith who saved him from a life of slavery, or be killed as a traitor.

Sighing he shakes his head. “No, I am here now, just relax.” The boy whispers to himself, gazing at the hypnotic water patterns in the fountain. Letting his body relax, his mind stayed vigilant, he had heard stories about what the Jedi did to captured Sith, and he had no desire to be one of them.

 

[Haunting Melody]

Amaterasu walked out of the temple, tossing an apple up in the air and catching it. She was quite bored. The life of a jedi was far from perfect. It was difficult to stay busy as times. One could only take so much meditation before they started twitching in anticipation to get up and do something. So, she decided to check out a nearby park. She always liked the area. It was so serene and peaceful, which seemed quite different for the whole of Coruscant. She immediately headed to the fountain, a large piece of beauty in the middle of a small square that looked like a great place to sit and relax, or to just find something to do. At the very least she could get a little wet. She was feeling rather warm, uncomfortably so, as she often did in the city. She liked the smaller less urbanized planets a lot better, but, this is where she was. She sat at the fountain, reaching into the cool water, bringing a bit of it to her face. The cold water felt good on her skin, it was a nice, albeit brief, change. Her long silver hair blew lightly in the breeze, the red marks on her face and forehead unscathed by the water.

She turned to see a boy not far from her. He was probably around her age, just sitting there. He appeared to be lost in thought. She couldn't blame him. That was one of the best things about places like these. They were perfect for just zoning out, forgetting about your cares. A mischievous grin crossed her lips as he looked back to the water. She cupped her hands, storing a small amount of the ice cold liquid in her hands as she tried to sneak over to him. Whether he noticed or not, when she got within a few feet, she threw her hands forward, splashing him in the face before taking a step back and giggling into her hand. "Sorry, you look like you could use some cooling off." She said with another giggle before lowering her hands to her side. She didn't expect a warm response, but she wouldn't expect a violent one either. Just in case though, she had her knife on her in its holster on her left thigh. "That cute and brooding look suits you though." She said with a sly grin.

 

[Alexander Dregar]

Zach goes wide eyed as his face was splashed with ice cold water. Sputtering he looks over at the person who was speaking, who has splashed him and he freezes, just staring at her, mouth slightly open. Then she continued speaking and he turned a light pink. “Oh um…I was just um thinking.” He nearly lost his mental composure, his ability to hide his force presence almost breaking, but he manages to hold onto it, although barely. He could feel a slight force presence coming from the girl, but unless he dropped his guard, it would be impossible to tell if she was trained or not.

The boy then laughs. “I see, well thank you for your thoughtfulness Miss, I appreciate it. Always welcome to get your face splashed water by a pretty girl.” She was beautiful, he forces his eyes to move away from her, and back to the fountain. “Just lost in thought, missing some old friends, you know? I had a large group of them once, but now, I have not a clue where they are, or what they are doing, and just letting my mind wander, thinking about it.” Zach’s face was still wet, and he grins. “Well, fair is fair.” Then, quickly, he scoops up some water, and tries to dump it on her head. “I’m Zach, what’s your name?”

Chuckling he smiles warmly at her. “As for the brooding part, I get that a lot, I am just a daydreamer, so I guess it always looks like I am brooding, sometimes I am told I look like a dork however.” His voice was filled with humor, and warmth. Zach wasn’t here hunting force users, he had no reason to care if she was a Jedi or not, in the grand scheme of things, it didn’t really matter right now.

 

[Haunting Melody]

Amaterasu glanced at him with a sly grin, raising an eyebrow as he spoke. Yes! She totally caught him off guard! The almighty splash attack is a success after all! She laughed softly at her own thought, then actually began to pay attention to what he was saying, crossing her arms in front of her chest. It was funny when boys stumbled over their words sometimes. Maybe it was just that he was surprised. "Pretty hmm?" She chided, smiling as she sat beside him, almost just in time to get water dumped on her. "Eeek!" She shrieked as she backed away, having already been splashed. She glared at him angrily for a moment, then started giggling. "Oh, I can't stay mad at such a cute face." She covered her mouth again as she continued giggling like a school girl. She wasn't joking about him being cute, he was definitely a handsome guy, but, jedi weren't supposed to think like that, right? Eh, what harm could it do? She was only human after all.

Shaking herself a little bit, she shrugged and sat beside him again when he started talking. She wasn't really mad at him, it was actually rather refreshing. Although, the fact that she was wearing white and red robes (mostly white) completely eluded her. "Zach? Its nice to meet you. My name is Amaterasu, or Ammy for short. Some people get confused." She said with a chuckle, offering her hand to him for a handshake. She really did enjoy meeting new people, especially handsome boys who were deep. She loved a good intellectual conversation. Or a good interruption to an intellectual conversation. A laugh was always nice. "Friends, huh? I don't have many of those. My friends in the temple are okay, but, they stick a little closer to our codes than I do. I like to have fun, and their a bunch of party poopers." She said simply, shrugging at the last sentence.

"My mind wanders pretty badly too. Its a curse at times. A lot of people these days have unfortunate paths, I imagine you and I are no exceptions." As she spoke, she ran a finger lightly across the mark on her forehead, glancing at her finger. A small amount of the paint had come off. She guessed it wasn't was waterproof as she had previously believed. Oh well. She glanced to him again, her smile remaining. "If it makes you feel any better, Zach, I don't think you look like a dork. I like the look. Makes you look...interesting." She said with a small giggle, looking down into the water. "If you don't mind my asking, how come you haven't seen or heard from your friends in a long time? Thats kind of sad."

 

[Alexander Dregar]

Blushing brighter at the compliments. “Well now Ammy, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He looks at her eyes, for a moment his hazel eyes locking onto her amber eyes. Taking her warm hand into his, he shakes it, however, as distracted as he was, it would be easy for her to feel the physical strength he possessed. “I see, so you’re a Jedi, wow, that is so cool! Can you move things just by thinking about them, or read peoples minds, or anything like that?” He smiles happily. What the heck was he doing? Why couldn’t he just look away, the longer he was near a Jedi the more likely his cover would be blown. Oh well, what could the harm be, right?

“Hmmm, it must be a drag at the temple then. But sometimes rules are important, right? As for me, I am an orphan, from a small back water planet. I was taken away quite awhile ago by some nice people.” He thought back to Lady Zorra, she had been very kind at least. But how did you tell a Jedi the truth, you had been a street urchin, sold into slavery, bought by the Sith, and forced to kill off their enemies ever since, whether you wanted to or not, and in doing so lost track of all the people important to you. “Just had a bad childhood, things were hard, and lost track of them along the way. I will find them some day though, if I look hard enough, you know?”

He blushes more, looking away from her eyes. “I doubt I am anything compared to you in looks. But hey, I am biased I guess. I enjoy being next to pretty girls after all.” Chuckling he looks back at the temple. “What are the Jedi really like? I have heard some amazing, and some terrible things about them, and I wonder what is true and what isn’t.” Zach kept his cool now, letting himself just hide from the force, keeping his abilities hidden from the world around him. Might as well take the time to learn about your enemies right, even if it wasn’t what you had planned. “And, if you are bored, why don’t we go for a walk?” He was tempted to splash more water on her, but the white robes dissuaded him from that course of action. While he was a Sith, it didn’t mean he wasn’t a gentleman.

 

[Haunting Melody]

Amaterasu couldn't help but laugh at his sudden spurt of questions. It was rather strange, the feeling of strength she got from him when their hands touched. Still, his touch felt, powerful, yet, gentle. It was a strange thing. She looked to him for a moment, a slight smile crossing her lips. The naivety of the assumptions people made about the jedi amused her. "I can kind of do things like that. But, for the most part, our abilities are only supposed to be used when appropriate. Especially the mind related stuff." She said simply, still smiling at him. When he called her pretty again, it was her turn to turn a little red. Her cheeks flushed a bit and she looked away for a brief moment, her smile widening. "Well, I can understand the orphan thing. To tell you the truth, I was born into a really bad situation. These marks..." She started, running her fingers lightly over the designs on her face, stopping on the ones on her forehead. ..."these marks are symbols that the slavers I was born to use to mark their slaves. I was one of the lucky ones that weren't marked. But, I wear these, as a reminder, and as a warning." She spoke slowly, her voice becoming very soft, a small sadness behind her words. Until she got to the last sentence, her eyes meeting his at the last words.

She wasn't typically one who liked intimidation, but sometimes, it paid to make people think you were dangerous. But, then, she simply smiled again. "Anyway, I would enjoy a walk, I think. Maybe I could tell you a little about the jedi." She said kindly, gently taking his hand as she began to walk slowly away, attempting to pull him lightly with her. "The Jedi are about peace, honor, and justice. The most important thing to the Jedi is peace and harmony. We are warriors, diplomats, archivists, bodyguards, and so much more. Our order seeks to preserve peace, sometimes, through any means." She tried to speak slowly, but a lot of times when she got excited or off on a rant her voice picked up speed. She figured he would be able to understand her though. "I can sense something about you, Zach. I have a feeling that, maybe some day, you could understand our order more than you may think."

 

[Orphen]

Orphen lay in the park on her back, newly appointed as a Jedi knight. The thought was such a relief, she had trained for so long to reach this eventuality. Pulling herself up into a sitting position she opened her hand to gaze at her many crystals that she had collected, each of them glimmering their own soft glows as she removed the perfectly cut Anterres crystal from her blade. Its powerful glow dwarfed the others' as she was often seen in hospitals, her mastery of force heal was put to almost constant use. To the point she was almost able to use it as a repulse aura of healing.

That's when she sensed a spike in the force, looking over to two individuals who it seemed one had just been splashed with water. The other, taken bu surprise had let out a tiny outflux of their force potential. Miniscule. though even the weakening of a defense could be sensed. Orphen looked in their direction, the Togrutan girl returning the gems to their sealed pockets so she never lost them. She watched and listened, ascertaining the Young girl was a Jedi, new, a Padawan or youngling no doubt, the other, was masking his force potential. It was a shame Orphen was not potent in psychometry, but she sat and watched them for now, as soon after she was splashed by him. Leaving them to laugh as they exchanged pleasantries.

Orphen then at that point missed Mira Albion. She sighed. Her dearest and possibly first friend. Now deep in the empire.

They're going for a walk, I should probably keep an eye on them, just in case... She thought to herself.

Orphen could not sense weapons on him. But decided to stand. Moving over to them now. She was aware of Assassins having been on coruscant before. One having killed the mother of a close friend recently. Standing up and walking over to them, her armoured robes jungling slightly as she did, her hood raised as her horns arched backward unlike most Togruta.

Hello you two. Do you mind if I join you? She spoke lightly, keeping a little more at a distance so not to be too intrusive. Her eyes resonated with mysterious light, as if reflecting the light of the setting sun off rolling waves. It was a deep, dim, simmer of potential. Though to someone trained to sense the force, they would instantly notice she was severed from the dark side entirely...

 

[Alexander Dregar]

Watching the girl, he suddenly became all to obvious of Orphen’s presence. He chuckles a little. It was to late now, at this close range, someone of that power would be able to feel him. “Well, I guess, since you told me that, there is no reason to hide any part of my past, now is there?” Smiling warmly at Orphen he nods. “Oh, please, be my guest. It’s not like I could get away from you now anyway.” Looking back at the girl he looks into her eyes. “I was an orphan, who was then captured by slavers and sold into slavery. I never made it out. But I lured them away from all my friends, especially my little Aria. From what I hear, as I was being shipped to Hutt space, the Jedi came and stopped the slavers, and for that they will always have my gratitude. See, that little girl Aria, was the most important person in my life at the time.”

He plays with the simple necklace around his neck, enjoying the feel of one of the beads. “But some terrible things happened to me. I was sold to the Sith Imperium.” Zach laughs at his misfortune, but this wasn’t the first time. “Then well, let me show you what they did to me.” He brings down some of he barrier around his force abilities. Both the Jedi would feel an incredibly strong dark side aura, the force was quite strong around him. “I was trained as an assassin, and forced to kill criminals in the Imperium, to hunt them down and bring them to justice no matter where they were. I can honestly say however, I have not come here to hunt, nor have I hunted the innocent. People that die at my hands…they deserve it, even by your own standards.”

Shaking his head. “Not really because I wanted to, but I don’t have much a choice. I am here looking for Aria, she was taken away by the Jedi, and like me, was force sensitive. I was hoping she might have been taken in by the Jedi. I just need to know she is safe, that’s all. I have looked so long for her, and all that research brought me here. I want no trouble, and am curious. If she is a member of the Jedi, I would owe your order a debt I could never truly repay. Does that make any sense to either of you?” Sighing he puts his hands up however. “But now what? I didn’t come to cause problems, so I have no desire to fight. What shall I do?”

 

[Haunting Melody]

Amaterasu simply smiled as they began their walk, but then another presence alerted her, followed by a familiar voice, asking if they would mind being joined. She turned to look at her and a smile crossed her face. "Oh, lady Orphen! I had no idea you were on Coruscant right now. Its nice to see you. Congratulations on making Jedi Knight. I knew you could do it." She said with a wide smile. She figured that, she being an initiate, Orphen likely didn't know her. But, she viewed her as a sort of role model. She was already very powerful, and a gifted healer and practitioner of the healing power, something she aspired to master some day, among other things. There were many things to respect about her, and she respected all of them. "Of course we don't mind you joining us on a walk. It'd be a pleasure." She said kindly, beginning to walk again, just before Zach began speaking again. She stopped and looked to him, a curious expression on her face.

When he told about his past, the sith, her breath caught in her throat. Then, the flooding sensation of his dark side energy hit her like a tidal wave. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened, taking a step back, raising her hands up as if to defend herself. "But...but..." She started, unable to form the words she was looking for. This wasn't possible! How could a guy with such soft and gentle hands be a sith? A guy who seemed so content in peace and happy. How was this possible? He claimed he wasn't there to fight, that he was there to find someone he cared deeply for. The strangest thing is, that even with her training, she believed him. Something in her wanted to trust him. Maybe it had something to do with her own past, being taken by slavers, forced to do their dirty work. She was lucky she was taken in by the jed and not the sith. She couldn't imagine being forced to kill against her will. It was awful.

Against her better judgment, she took a step forward, brashly taking his hand, feeling it again just to see if it had been part of the mask. But it hadn't. That same feeling came over her, although, it was mixed with that horrible feeling of power. She could taste it, it left a horrible taste in her mouth. But this boy, there was potential in him. A good heart, buried in regret, sadness, and fear. Maybe she could help him. She had to try. "I believe you...Maybe...maybe I...I mean we can help. Master?" As she spoke, she gazed into his hazel colored eyes. It was strange, she could feel the dark side radiating from him, but couldn't see it in his eyes. She wanted to believe him, and maybe that was the problem. She spoke the last word, looking at Orphen. She hoped that she wouldn't attack him, she didn't want a fight here. Not with him. "There must be a way..." She pleaded. She didn't know what was coming over her, but it was probably the strongest emotion she had felt in a long time, and now, for the first time, she understood just how dangerous they could be.

 

[Orphen]

She watched and listened as the assassin openly pleaded his story, she could tell instantly he was being honest, maybe not entirely honest, leaving out a couple details, but for the most part, she could read his face, expressions, he was naught but an acolyte. She listened about him being a slave silently, then moved to the hutts, thinking about everything that would probably entail, potential prostitution. There was a market for force sensitives these days. People would pay big money to sleep with one in certain circles.

But then there was being sold to the Sith, the Sith initiations she had heard of from the late Atreya as well as all of the other things she had heard, from. But Oprhen knew full well, that as much as she held no love for the corruption of the force and twisting it into its dark form. She folded her arms as she thought deeply, Orphen was not prominent with the power of Force Light to sever him from the dark side. Even if she could, the purification of Caris was a fluke, and her own very life was in danger last time she tapped into the pure manifestation of the light side of the force. So there was no guarantee it could work.

Then cam Ammys' reaction.

Orphen, at ammy's reaction, covered her mouth, holding something back, her breathing began to increase a little as she held her composure, still trying to think of a solution as everything became hyper serious for a couple of moments. As Orphen thought the pressure built up higher, and higher, and higher. Until she cracked, and began to laugh. Shaking her head.

If he's not here to fight, then there is no reason to fight. I was just worried about you Ammy. The Empire isn't always a bad place, I have friends in the Empire myself. In war like this, people can be separated by their beliefs. They're not always right or wrong. I have friends in the Mandalorians and the Chiss too. She smiled. as she mentioned thinking about Ann and Junn.

We can help you in any way we can, I can check the Jedi Archives now that I'm a Jedi Sentinel. But I'll need to wait for them to give me my key. So, until then, how about that walk. She looked at the two of them, her eyes seemingly gleaming with built up mirth. Eyes that the world would doubt could lie even if she tried to.

 

[Alexander Dregar]

He smiles brightly and nods to Orphen, he takes Ammy’s hand in his, entwining his fingers with her. Then, with a slight movement in the force, uses it to gently brush Ammy’s cheek. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt any of the Jedi and in truth, I never have. And I will never hurt you, alright?” He lowers his other hand and laughs too. “Sorry, but you see, I have been told horror stories about the Jedi, and the things they do to Sith prisoners. Truth be told though Ammy, if it was YOU doing them, I am not sure I would mind so much anyway.”
Shrugging he looks at Orphen. “Yes Ma’am, I was trying to go for a walk anyway. For me, I think Aria was taken in by the Jedi, so she has to be somewhere within your system. True, we are at war, but I am a Sith, I don’t have to make sense, or be rational about things. I am emotional, and moody!” Nodding he then teases. “Also, I am prone to change my mind on a daily basis. While the Empire isn’t necessarily evil, a lot of the Sith are. But there are also some kind, caring Sith, who would protect just as well as the Jedi. People are just people.” Zach doesn’t let go of Ammy’s hand, just keeping his fingers entwined with hers.

“I am not evil by the way. I don’t think I am…selfish probably, but not evil.” He smiles at Orphen. “Thank you for your offer of help, I really mean it, I could rest so much easier, just if I knew she was okay, even if I never got to see her again. This necklace I wear, it’s a promise to her, to protect her always. We were so young back then, but I loved her, she was my family. So I have to know, so much so in fact, I got caught.” Rubbing the back of his head he closes his eyes, with a sheepish look on his face. “Well, this day is still fun, no matter what it brings, right?”
Strangely at this moment he was almost content. He had an offer to help from a Jedi Knight, hopefully he would soon find out if Aria was okay, he met a charming, silly girl, and was still alive. Truth was, so long as Aria was okay, he would accept anything they did, he knew the risks in coming here after all.

 

[Haunting Melody]

Amaterasu felt silly when Orphen burst out laughing. She suddenly realized just how far her emotions had spiraled, that didn't bother her so much, since Jedi spend their entire lives shutting out emotions, the occasional outburst would be expected. But, she made herself look stupid in front of someone she admired, and a boy she kinda liked but just met. She blushed and looked down in a huff. She was glad, however, that Orphen agreed to try and help him. After all, he wasn't entirely evil, or from what she could tell, evil at all. She wanted to help him, and apparently, so did the knight. This was a comforting thought to her. She would have help, after all, and wouldn't have to tackle this on her own. She began to walk with them, suddenly becoming aware that he still had a grip on her hand. She blinked a couple times and looked to him with a nervous smile. "Umm, can I have my hand back, Zach?" She asked politely, looking to Orphen again with a look of 'Please don't say anything.

She was, in truth, embarrassed by her liking of this boy, now me so than before because not only is Orphen an adult, but she laughed at her, which never helped her much. She listened to Zach speak, genuinely interested in what he had to say. This girl, Aria, must be very important to him. Sadly, she hadn't heard tell of anyone at the temple by that name, but then, she had only been to a couple, this being one of them. She believed him about not hurting her, she got that feeling from him when she first spoke to him. That wasn't her concern, her concern was for his safety, not her own. She was taken from her bad situation in life, whereas, he was just placed in another bad situation, and still hadn't gotten out of it. She wanted to help get him away, but how could she? "I hope you can find her, Zach. It must be very difficult for you. The force works in strange ways, I'm confident you will find her some day." She said simply, a reassuring smile on her face.

She then remembered Orphen again, and smiled to her, ignoring her unhappiness with her for the moment. "So, lady Orphen, what brings you here? I was told you would be off-world for a while. I am happy to see you here, though I've never had a chance to directly speak with you." She said plainly, looking down at the last sentence. She did truly admire her, even considered her a role model, but then, was that something you really said to a role model? It took away from the image if you did, she thought. It would change her perception. She was glad that Orphen was a happier jedi, she was more like her than she would have thought. A thought came to her just then. What if she could somehow convince Orphen to train her?! That would be like a dream come true. But then, she would never agree to it would she? Maybe...she would ask her some other time. Now was simply not a wise choice for it. But some time, yes, she would ask.

 

[Orphen]

Orphen smiled lightly, moving both of her hands behind her back, keeping one arm straight down while the other hand cupped around her elbow sustaining them in that rather comfortable position. She listened to either of them, and thought that it was rather disappointing that this boy didn't become a Jedi, she saw no reason for the Sith to continue to inspire loyalty in him, after everything they had put him through. She began to see the connection that was forming between the two of them, and began to get an interesting idea. This boy had no doubt been hit with propaganda. To stop him from running a bee line to the Jedi, if he discovered just how much of it was lies however... Perhaps he could be convinced to join them... 'twas just a thought.

Today's already been more fun than I could have possibly thought, though I believe more is to be expected today.

She laughed then listened to Ammys' part to play in the conversation. Orphen had refrained from giggling when she had asked for her hand back, but when she had asked what she was doing on the planet so early, the answer was rather simple.

To be honest, I'd just visited the council, they'd appointed me as a Jedi knight, after a long duration of training and helping out more than I should and getting into far too much danger for my own good. But apparently that experience is worth something, and now, I guess, I'm looking, or waiting for my next charge... which i think I may have found. But, I would also like to note: She spoke looking directly to Zach.

The Jedi currently have plenty of Sith refugees working within its ranks. Even the two dark lords we captured during your attack on my home of Empress Teta are still, well cared for. It seems like your captors did not want you running to the only logical destination for someone to run to when you've been caught by the Sith. She finished, smiling, the fact Orphen was severed from the dark made her incapable of most negative emotions. Her contented smile and facial expressions were almost constantly apparent.

 

[Alexander Dregar]

He looks up at the sky. “Do you know what they tell me you will do to me? That you force Sith prisoners to create more force sensitive children, that you will torture us, imprison us, use the force to go through our memories, try to force us to be separated from our emotions, that you will place us in prisons of our own mind. My master told me, that the Jedi will try to make you feel welcome so they can use you. But he also told me, that not all Jedi are the same, there are some very good people in them.” He lets go of Ammy hand. “Awww, you don’t like holding my hand? And here I thought we had something special…but if that’s how you feel, I guess it can’t be helped.” Grinning mischievously he looks at Orphen.

“We both know what would have happened to me had the Sith not been the ones to buy me from the slave market. I would have been used to create force sensitive children for who the force knows who. I would be passed from one person to the next, tortured and made obedient, never able to be free, used and thrown aside time and time again. And there is nothing the Jedi would have been able to do about it.” Walking a little bit away, Zach looks over the railing, down towards the depths between the buildings. “They saved me. It may not seem like it to you, but it does to me.”

And yet, for the first time he wanted something else. This girl in front of him had intrigued him, mischievous and beautiful. It was odd. He hated being a hormonal teenager. Sighing he looks between them. “So, rather than just going on what I have been told, why don’t you tell me about the Jedi order from your own perspective? And congratulations on being made a Jedi Knight.” Why was he fighting so much with himself? Well it was obvious, that girl. She was the cause of this. This confusion.

His confusion caused him to drop his guard, his large force signature fully visible to Orphen and Ammy, as well as those around them. “I don’t…know what to do anyway. If I leave them, I have nothing left. I keep losing everything I care about. What is the point then of caring? Why not just let yourself be used?”

 

[Haunting Melody]

Amaterasu looked at him with a sly grin, raising her brow as he spoke after releasing her hand. She decided not to say anything particularly since the conversation continued. When Orphen spoke, she paid the utmost attention. She seemed quite wise, especially for a jedi who seemed as carefree as she was. "Charge? What do you mean you think you've found it?" She asked with a curious expression, then looked to Zach as she spoke directly to him. Oh, that made sense. She restrained a giggle as she watched her speak to him. She made a valid point or two. The Sith would likely want him back, they weren't known for releasing their pawns easily. But, that was just the worst thing. All they are to the Sith, is a pawn. All Zach is to the sith is a pawn. She hated that. It was just voluntary slavery, and she wouldn't stand for it.

She watched Zach walk to the rail, looking over it. She couldn't help but feel bad for him. Just meeting her was messing with his mind, and the fact that she wasn't even trying to mess with his head made it worst. Heck, at this rate, it probably would have hurt less just to probe his mind. But, she couldn't do that to him, at least, not right now. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, but sometimes she enjoyed exploring people's minds. It gave her insight into that person that she couldn't get any other way. She listened to him speaking of what he had been told of the jedi, and the words pained her. She had come to know the jedi as some of the most caring and gracious people in the galaxy, but she also understood that it was the word of a rival force, the enemy. Surely, it wasn't much different from what the jedi said about the sith. Sometimes, she really had no idea what to believe.

"Zach, I promise you, the Jedi are not as cruel as they told you we are. The Jedi value its members, they value peace, respect, and heart. They say that the sith treat their members as pawns, but in the Jedi Order, you are treated as an individual with your own value. When one of us is lost, the rest of us mourn. When one of us is happy, others of us are happy. The concept of the jedi forcing the breeding of force sensitives is just...wrong. I can't see any of our masters allowing such a thing. I won't ask you to leave them, Zach. All I ask is that you try to understand our side, and you give us a chance to show you that you can be much happier with us." She spoke to him slowly, taking a few steps toward him. She folded her hands in front of her, occasionally twisting her hands about, as she tended to do when she got nervous. She didn't really know what else to say. She wanted to help him, but she wasn't sure what she could do. Especially without offending him or her superiors.

 

[Orphen]

Orphen listened closely, not surprised that the sith had spread such rumors about the Jedi order, the Jedi order had its own closed minded view of the Sith, even Orphen once had such opinions that the Sith were evil, full stop. Listening to both sides as Ammy did her best to preach her case, though Orphen did see some of the merits in what Zach was saying, there were some truths there, though she felt as if it had been perverted past the point of the reality of the facts.

There are some truths to what you may have heard, though it's extremist in cases. The Jedi as a whole train you to not need to rely on your emotions, this training potentially decreases your direct tap into the pure reservoir of power that is the force. But The Jedi believe that acting impulsively, and being careful and calculating is a more desirable trade off. To someone new to the idea, may indeed think we're trying to imprison your mind. But interpretation is everything in this case. The idea is not to separate you from your emotions, just to teach you to control them, and prepare yourself for such a time when you will need to keep them under control.

She spoke lightly, though keeping the facts as facts. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

And as far as I know, noone's been used for breeding purposes. That's just, kinda weird. Along that means of thinking you'd expect us to be horrid caricatures of malevolence. Hiding behind puppets to keep up our honorable appearance. She chuckled.

 

[Alexander Dregar]

“Yeah well, now you can see why I was quite nervous here. I am never supposed to be near Jedi, if I am, something went horribly wrong. Normally my missions take place inside the Imperium, or in neutral space. If they happen in the GA its far from a Jedi presence. Maybe there is a reason for that, I am still to young and moldable. See, the moment I felt Ammy, I knew something wasn’t right. There was nothing like I expected to find in her. Until this very moment, I was proud to be a Sith, protecting the Imperium from criminals and one day be strong enough to save us all from the terrible Jedi. Yet, I knew the truth before all this, that they Jedi are not terrible, at least not to non-Sith. Part of me wishes you would do these things, so all the times I fought would be for something.”

Gazing at passing air speeders, he smiles softly, sadly. “Ammy, how can I ever learn how to be happy? How could I ever have a chance with you? The moment I leave the Sith, even for a moment, to try and see, I would be hunted down and killed as a traitor, as corrupted by the Jedi. I know how good their assassins are, I am no where near as good as the teams that hunt the traitors and yet I can slip on and off most GA worlds without a problem. So tell me, what would stop them from doing the same?”

The poor boy looked depressed. He found someone he liked, someone he wished he could get to know better, but they were a part of his mortal enemies. The one group he had to remain a part of. “Besides, I have killed so many people, maybe even dozens now. Even if I did, what would change? How would I ever be any different than I am now?”

 

[Haunting Melody]

Amaterasu found herself frowning, gently placing her hand on his shoulder. "What Lady Orphen is saying is true. There have been instances in the order when atrocities have been committed, but these were isolated incidents." She spoke in a soft and soothing voice. She moved a little closer, her chest against his shoulder as she glanced to him, then over the railing as he was. She wanted to comfort him, she hadn't realized just how difficult life had been for him. More so, she hadn't realized how much it would harm him to try and get close to him, or to even get to know him. Part of her suddenly wished she had just left him alone. "I believe you can be happy in a different life, because you aren't happy in your current one. You said you don't like killing, that you would rather not do it, then that is what you should do. Besides, no being is truly omniscient. By the time they find out, we could already have you protected. If you really don't want to, I can't force you to do anything. But, I am here, even if you just need someone to talk to or confide in."

After she finished speaking she took a step back towards Orphen, unsure of what to say next. She herself was having an internal struggle, battling with a great uncertainty. What was she supposed to do? She liked him, yes, but she was also a jedi, and he a sith. She had a duty to uphold, and her emotions were making it all the more difficult.

 

[Orphen]

Orphen had been thinking almost constantly. She didn't quite know how to resolve this, if only she were stronger she would have been able to settle this minutes ago. But she lacked the conviction, she found herself asking the force for direction. As she had done many a time, praying for an answer. The force to her was a living being. A god, a parent which walked beside you through your life. She could feel the winds of the force blowing around her, whispering into her ears and her montrals, teetering on the edge of her senses.

After a while she opened her eyes, she had ways to save him in the long run, though nothing in the meantime which would work one hundred percent.

Force light is the only way i can feasibly think that would blind your existence to the Sith, it is a force power, creating a pure manifestation of the light side of the force, it would sever you from the dark, which to the senses of your masters would cause them to loose sight of you. You would fall off the radar. And seem dead to their minds. It's the only way I could guarantee absolute safety. I have witnessed and heard of the power of the Sith, it's true, their assassins can seemingly breach anything they put their mind to. Even eliminating key VIP's to the point where they've made it look like suicide.

She frowned, though, perhaps this could be the start of something new.

Though there is nothing saying that a Sith and A Jedi must fight. A Sith. Mira Albion, and I are sworn never to fight each other. She's my close friend, and I'm the godmother of her daughter. Perhaps this is a sign from the force, a sign that more bridges are being built than burned between the GA and the Empire, that the people, are overcoming the state of war mentally. Overruling it. And wanting it to be over. Whatever happens, it is the will of the force. So, in this meeting of peace, perhaps it is best to leave this animosity and guilt. Allow this friendship to grow. And enjoy the peace you have together.

She smiled, taking Ammy's hand, and taking his. And looking between them as they now both seemed to be unsure of themselves.

Worrying about this in the meantime solves nothing if we have no solution, so let us look past it for now. And when a solution arises, we will consider it. She beamed, hoping to be a beacon to the two of them in this time of hardship.

 

[Alexander Dregar]

Zach was touched by Ammy on the shoulder and he blushes, looking back at her. “Ammy…” he says softly. Then her chest touched his shoulder and he blushes even more, his entire body just relaxing. Smiling back at the two. “Eh, don’t worry about me.” As she steps away he nods and turns around. He steps forward and then strangely, he presses his forehead to Ammy. “I want to say this, before anything else. I am glad I am meeting you, regardless of what happens. I may be confused but that’s okay.” Then, Zach kisses the girl’s forehead, where the markings had washed away earlier.

“I am a slave still, to something, or someone, somewhere. If I ever want to change that, I need something to actually fight for and really, its what I have been lacking. When you fight only so you live, there is no time to wonder if your doing the right thing.” Pulling back, he steps away from the girl. “The truth is, I have never had the chance to figure it out on my own, always been to scared.” Then turning a bright red, he looks away. “Yet today, I found something I find….interesting enough I am willing to try something new….just to see, you know?”

He stares off in the distance. “I can’t actually help you all mind you, but I am at least willing to stick around a little while, learn what I can, see if maybe…I have a chance at a future in something else.” Besides, he thought, it never hurts to learn more about your enemy anyway, so what harm is there.