Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

[fancybox2]

JEDHA
2300 Hours

@EmilyHuene ; @KinkyPrawn [/fancybox2]

Kyber crystals were the way of the future. The crystalline gems housed so much power in them it was searched out by many parties in the galaxy. One such party were the Jedi. Those magic gems were what supplied power to the greatest weapons this galaxy had created: a lightsaber. Capable of cutting nearly anything in its path, the lightsabers were only used by those strong enough to wield them. One such gifted individual, was Kae'Leigh Tameris.

Born on Ryloth with the rest of her Twi'lek family, the young girl was swept away from her home and deposited on Nar Shaddaa where she would grow up alone. Fearing slavery and danger, the young blue skinned Twi'lek trusted no one. She did whatever she had to do to survive and sadly those deeds would haunt her forever. But as the young child grew up into the mature woman she was today, she began to become someone or something far more benevolent. Kae'Leigh joined the Galactic Alliance as a Padawan learner who then climbed the ranks to Jedi Knight.

As a Jedi, a person is allowed to take an apprentice. Her faithful Padawan had come a long way and as such Kae'Leigh felt like rewarding him. Sadly the way things were working out for them in the war, she couldn't afford to take him on this journey. Instead, she'd bring him something she hoped would still prove useful. It was her plan to pluck a crystal from the caves on Jedha for her Kushiban friend so that he could build a lightsaber all his own size; he was currently using the one her own master had lent to her. The saber from Master Vu'thari was fit for a Twi'lek's hand, not someone barely over a meter tall.

Jedha was not a planet the blue skinned Twi'lek had come yet, but she was excited to see it for she'd heard rumor through the grapevine that the Galactic Alliance had finally set up a base there. And while she could easily slice her way through their security protocols, she felt it best to announce her presence in her Mynock-series freighter before scaring some poor soul watching the defense grid. Given permission to dock, she brought The Silver Bullet into atmosphere and landed in the designated hanger of the newly formed base. Her vessel was far from shiny or appealing, but that was because the blue skinned Twi'lek had done nothing to the spaceship's hull. All her beauty went to the engines and the interior. Being a rather exceptional mechanic, the girl had fine turned that beauty to do some serious clocking out there in the black. Plus, why draw extra attention to oneself?

Kae'Leigh appearances were everything in this galaxy. She'd once worn black armor that easily made her look like a Sith and thus gave her the perfect excuse to walk around with her wooden brylark hilt to her blue lightsaber. Today the Jedi would be wearing something much different however as her new attire was every bit as meaningful as her weapon. Kae'Leigh had only just finished completing the medium-coverage Jedi armor which came complete with several plates of durasteel plates to cover her tall slender frame without sacrificing too much speed or hinder her natural Twi'lek movement.

Walking away from her ship the blue Twi'lek took in the sights while putting her hands on her hips and smiling brightly. The place looked wonderful, and she felt such an aura of peace here. It reminded her of Serenno, not that she was in the right mindset at the time to have enjoyed it. That all felt like such a long time ago, before the masters all left for Exile leaving the Alliance to fend for itself.

 

[Hask Jen]

Hask's VT-1100 broke into the atmosphere of Jedha and made its way to a more uninhabited part of the planet, close to where an old Jedi temple used to be. He needed kyber crystals to replace the ones lost when his ship was stolen, not to mention getting new spare parts as well. That theft set him back immensely and he needed to replenish his stores. The planet had a strong GA presence and he wasn't in the mood to get into trouble with them. He made sure that he dodged the checkpoints and kept a low profile as he flew.

The ship touched down and he exited, leaving his new droid to keep an eye on it. His Rogue Armour was fully suited up and both his lightsabers and pistols were holstered under his coat. Just for extra measure he slung the WESTAR C-1 that Rayne gave him on Tatooine onto his shoulder. He had learned of her death through the grapevine and felt that the gun was some means to remember her by. She was a very good friend of his and he missed their bickering quite a lot. He also grabbed a backpack with camping gear and provisions and set out on his journey. The desert planet was cold, but between his warm coat and ties to Korriban's icy desert nights he was quite safe from the cold. In his backpack was also parts to build a very crude lightsaber to test out the new crystals and make sure they worked. Ever since he abandoned the ways of the Sith Order, he was rather curious as to what colour the lightsabers would be.

He walked through the night until he reached a crater. There was a mix of disturbances in the force. He knelt next to the massive crater and closed his eyes, focusing on the force. On one end there was the pleasant, yet annoying feeling of the Light. Evidence that the Jedi were once here.

On the other end he could feel the familiar, cold presence of the Dark Side. Evidence that the Empire had been here long ago. He could still hear the screams of the dead echo through the force. He sighed deeply and took his helmet off, his golden eyes glowing in the night. His gaze lingered on the crater for a while. He wasn't sure what he was feeling. Pride? Guilt? Sympathy? Amusement? The Sith and the man inside him continued their battle, tearing him in two. He stood up and slipped his helmet back on and took a look around. He could feel a strong presence in the force further onward. A cave full of kyber crystals. He pressed on until he reached the mouth of the cave.

He stood and stared into the darkness. He knew that there would most likely be some test or vision awaiting him. There is always some catch with these caves. Clicking his tongue he set everything down and dropped his helmet to the floor next to a rock along with the rest of the belongings. He gathered a small bunch of sticks to make a fire and packed rocks high around it to keep the light to a minimum. He held his left hand out and a small stream of fire erupted from the metal palm. He pulled a small bag out his his backpack and started to chew away on some Bantha jerky.

@EmilyHuene

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

There were many entrances to the caves on Jedha. The alliance knew of most of them. They'd even crafted their base on top of one, though they had to do a little digging to make it traversable to the public. As much as Kae'Leigh wanted to meet the rest of the alliance members and catch up on the goings on around there, she knew most of the people had retired for the night. She however -due to flight times and jet lag- was still wide awake and full of energy. Why not make the most of her trip now and not have to worry about it later?

Navigating her way through the temple she eventually found the entrance to the cave chambers and would slowly descend into the darkness. The main chamber right off the temple was lit, but if she wanted to push further she'd need a light. Her suit came equipped with a minor flashlight on the chest, so she used that to get by. Most of the light reflected off the crystals and did a lot of the work for her. Which was a blessing. Still, she had her saber if need be, not that she wanted to wave that around all night down there.

The Light side of the Force was brewing inside the cave. It felt good. The last Kyber cave she'd been in had been on Ilum and that was horrible. There was so much darkness down there. Oh and it was cold! How could people choose to live there? She'd heard rumors the Sith started a church of all things on the planet. Another reason she couldn't just go back and pick another crystal. But it seemed, the further into the darkness she went, she began to realize she was not alone....

 

[Hask Jen]

When the fire burnt out Hask was already packed up and ready. The embers were snuffed out and Hask started his journey into the caves. He held up his right hand and a bright light shone from it, bright enough to put a spotlight to shame. He journeyed deeper into the caves, using the force to guide him. If this cave was anything like the ones on Ilum, odds were good that he would be reaching some open meeting area that would lead deeper in. His left hand held onto the carbine's strap over his shoulder.

It felt like he was walking a mile if not more. How deep were these caves? He decided to ditch his helmet, sliding it into his bag and take a sip of water from his canteen. He was getting a good workout from all this hiking. There was some rock art along the caves here and there, recounting ancient tales of not only the Jedi, but their precursors as well. The ones that not only practiced the Light, but the Dark side as well. He scoffed at the idea and walked on. He couldn't imagine himself or any other Pureblood in that order. He could never adopt the Jedi philosophy.

He was getting close to the inner part of the cave and he could see the massive doorway leading deeper into the caves. But there was something else. He could feel the disturbance in the force. To top it off there was a feint light up ahead as well. "You serious? Those visions can't be starting already." his voice echoed along the caves. It was only when he got a few steps closer when he realised his mistake.

"Oh you're not a vision at all." he said with raised eyebrows as the light disappeared from his right hand.

His heavy silver hilt flew into his left hand from under his coat. A squeak erupted as the durasteel hilt scraped against his durasteel palm. He flicked his arm to the side and both the crimson blade and crossguards erupted with a deep hum. The crimson blades lit up his figure and his golden eyes were locked onto the twi'lek. "Stand back Jedi! I have no quarrel with you. Back off." he spoke with a cold, commanding tone as he took an aggressive stance, holding onto his hilt with both hands.

@EmilyHuene

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

The feeling of someone approaching made Kae'Leigh stop where she was. Her first instinct was not to grab her saber, but perhaps she should have considering what would happen next. The man would speak, letting his presence known. But...he wasn't speaking to her. Kae'Leigh turned in his direction and tried to see who he was from here. But then she realized her mistake.

The light would vanish from his hand and then a new one would appear as he ignited his crossguard lightsaber. The red hue lit up the cave around them. Kae'Leigh recognized what she was feeling now, it was the Dark side of the Force. She'd only ever felt it from afar, never seeing it in battle or being used. She took a step back as the man whom used the Force cried out to her in a panic, demanding she stay back. That was...very unlike a Sith. Was he afraid of her?

"If you have no quarrel with me," she would start in a patient reply, "Then I have to ask why you've come so far out this way. You do realize you are in Alliance territory, no? What is a Sith doing so far out here on his own?"

Kae'Leigh would turn to face him now and curl her hands in front of her. Only the light of her suit lamp was pointed at him, though he could still see her body, and saber, from the light of his own. She didn't seem willing to fight him, as he might expect. Instead, she was simply wishing to talk. Jedi were tricky that way.

 

[Hask Jen]

Hask stood steadfast, his eyes locked onto the Jedi as she turned to speak with him. His right hand let go of the lightsabre and a flame appeared in his palm. The force fire ready to bathe her in a blaze if she tried anything. It was clear that she was quite startled by his presence. Not that he was any different. He wasn't expecting to run into a Jedi down here.

"I might be a Pureblood but I'm not Sith. I left the order behind. As for why I'm here, I need crystals. And between the annoying farmers on Dantooine and those fanatical crazies on Ilum it leaves options quite slim in terms of kyber crystals." he spoke clearly and rather roughly. He might not be in the order anymore, but even with his run-in with Vardon, trusting Jedi was something he still wasn't used to. That habit won't die out easily.

He looked her over. "I take it you're down here for the same reason as me?" his tone lightened up a little as the flame in his palm extinguished. This Jedi felt like she was roughly as strong as him but in terms of her looks and presence he doubted that she was as familiar with battle as him. He stood upright and lowered his lightsabre to angle downward next to his body. But it remained ignited, just in case the Jedi tried any tricks on him. He slowly walked forward, his golden eyes glued to her and her movements. "Come on. Step out of the shadows. You don't try anything and I won't hurt you. Deal?" his voice was cautious, but the anger had dissipated significantly. He came to a standstill at the edge of a big circle in front of the stone entryway.

Deciding against his better judgement he extinguished his lightsabre and the bright light appeared in his right palm again. The hilt remained in his left hand, his metallic fingers wrapped tightly around it.

@EmilyHuene

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

"Oh?" she'd throw in when he mentioned he was not a Sith. Apparently this pure-blood had left his order. That was certainly unlike a Sith. Kae'Leigh was rather curious why that was. But she wouldn't get an answer yet, for he explained he'd come for crystals.

He then accused her of being down here for that same reason to which she'd nod her head slowly, "That is correct."

Lowering his blade the Ex-Sith would then ask her to step out of the shadows. She would do as he asked, coming closer to be more visible in the light of his saber. "If you wouldn't mind, put your weapon away. There is plenty of light here for the both of us."

When he did as she asked, she smiled and would reply, "Shiny. Thank you. Now, perhaps we might walk together? I would love to hear this tale of yours...?"

Turning slightly to the side she would gesture outwards for him to move with her. Kae'Leigh was still every bit worried he might try something, but she had to give him the benefit of the doubt. She would give him no reason to think she might attack him, and hopefully that would put his mind at ease. Her mind recalled to only just recently on Ryloth when she'd spoken to a new Jedi recruit about anger and passiveness. She had the man whom coincidentally Hask had met too came across a gutkurr and she merely manipulated its mind with an aura of calm so as to avoid conflict. She'd told the man that a Jedi should never be first to violence, for then they were no better off than the Sith.

"A Jedi's weapon should always be his last and final choice. Never should he raise it in hopes of finding a fight. A Jedi's weapon is a shield, to protect those who are in danger." These are the words her master taught her, and she repeated to her new friend. Now she was curious to see how well her own preachings would come to pass.

 

[Hask Jen]

She would approach and gesture to follow, asking him to walk with her as well. Hask's glowing golden eyes would look her up and down and reluctantly walk side by side with the Jedi. "I'll walk with you but you're not getting a story out of me." he spoke sternly as they walked deeper into the caves. He held his right hand out to illuminate the path ahead of them. His left hand would grip his hilt tightly and the servos in his fingers would whirr slightly under the pressure.

This Jedi had a certain calmness about her that was affecting Hask. It was pleasant and he wanted to give in to it, but his distrust caused him to resist it and it only put him more on edge. He kept shooting a quick glance at her out of the corner of his eye, making sure she didn't go for her weapon or anything like that. After a bit he clipped the heavy durasteel hilt to his belt and rummaged in his bag for his canteen. He took a sip of it and stared down at the container. After a few seconds he sighed and held it out for the Jedi, not looking at her as he held it as if he was ashamed to share it with her. "You got a name or are we just going to refer to each other as 'Jedi' and 'Sith' for the rest of the walk?" Hask finally broke the awkward silence after a while.

Hask came to a standstill next to some cave paintings and shone the light over it. His mouth moved as he figured out what they meant. After a minute or so he looked over at the Jedi with an embarrassed look and quickly moved on, not caring whether she caught up or not.

@EmilyHuene

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

"If that is what you wish," replied the Jedi when Hask said he wouldn't share anything.

She turned to walk with him while keeping her hands closed firmly in front of her. It was a sign of goodwill that she wasn't walking with her hands at her sides, and thus closer to her saber. Not that she needed that extra closeness for she could have easily closed the gap by way of the Force. This was for his comfort. And she was grateful that he helped a little too but making a flame in his hand for them. She had to admit that was a rather handy trick. Not that she ever dreamed of using it against someone, but using it to cook her food that much faster...totally worth it.

As they walked, she stayed silent for now, letting the quietness and the peacefulness of the caves work their magic. She could practically meditate in this state. Calm: such a thing did wonders for the mind. It even allowed the Ex-Sith to clip his weapon to his hilt after a while. Kae'Leigh couldn't help but smile because of it. Still, she wouldn't say anything or draw attention to it. He then pulled out a canteen and took a swig, before offering it to her. She merely shook her head. She assumed the worst, that it was some form of alcohol. Not that she was against it, she just wasn't in the mood for a drink (she also liked them sweet and hated things with strong flavor).

When he then asked about their names she would reply cheekily, "Well I should call you ex-Sith remember? You left the order?" She waited a minute before chuckling over her own joke. "My name is Kae'Leigh Tameris. You may call me Kaylee if you so wish. My name is not easily pronounced in Basic."

He would stop then for a moment as something distracted him, and she too stopped to wait for him. Her eyes took in the sight until he noticed her watching them too and he turned and started to walk away. She could tell he felt embarrassed about something, so maybe she should try to pry a little. Kae'Leigh was a natural at getting people to talk. Always had been. People just opened up to her because of her charms. She figured now that it had been because of her Force connection, but she tried to think it was because she was a kind person.

"It is ok to enjoy the things around you," she offered to him. "I imagine the Sith don't get the chance to stop and smell the flowers, as the saying goes. No?"

 

[Hask Jen]

She shook her head at his offer and he rolled his eyes. "It's just water but if that's how you want to be." he grumbled to himself under his breath. He took a final swig and slipped it back into his bag. His left hand rested on the pommel of his lightsabre as they walked. Not drawing the weapon but still ready to use it. She tried to joke with him, but he simply gave her an annoyed look with a tilt of his head. She quickly introduced herself and his eyes looked forward again. He took a few seconds before speaking up. "Hask Jen. The name's Hask Jen." he spoke softly.


Hask stormed off from the paintings and Kaylee followed closely. She tried to reassure him that it was okay to enjoy the sights. He wasn't sure himself why he was embarrassed by his action. Maybe appearing to be so calm in front of a Jedi was throwing him off, or maybe it was just pride. But he didn't have a proper response for her. "Oh the Sith get plenty of times. People just use that distraction to get the drop on you." he fired back. After a few seconds the faintest smile formed on his lips. "Plus there's not exactly many flowers on Korriban." he muttered to her, barely loud enough for her to hear.

They reached an inner sanctum of sorts. The cave's ceiling was open and the moonlight shone brightly into the opening that looked like the insides of an ancient temple, with pillars lining the walls of the circular opening. The force light in Hask's hand disappeared as he stepped into the clearing. In front of them were 3 entrances, all 3 leading deeper into the caves. Hask could feel the force emanating from them. They were definitely in the right place. He stood in the middle of the clearing, staring at the three doorways before turning and moving top place his gear down to the right of the clearing, next to a pillar. He took the carbine from his shoulder and rested it carefully against the pillar next to his bag.

He turned to face Kaylee. "You want to take a minute to catch your breath or do you want to push on?" he asked her rather stiffly.

@EmilyHuene

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

Returning to her calm demeanor she would say sincerely, "Well it is a pleasure to meet you Hask Jen."

He would comment on how the Sith had whatever time they wanted, but used it to fight and "get the drop on" their opponents. She was about to say something about how lonely and cruel that must be, always thinking of ways to fight and come out on top. But she stopped as he then told a joke of his own, something about flowers. She smiled, wondering if she should press the matter, but left it alone. Patience was a Jedi virtue. She had no desire to make him uncomfortable, and believed he would come around to opening up in small bits just as he had already. In no time at all she'd gotten him to offer his name, but also a joke. Her progress over him was to be admired.

Further into the cave they traveled, finally coming into a place where the light wasn't needed from them. The moonlight was beautiful down here. Kae'Leigh let out a long sigh; she was caught up in the moment of that tranquility. She turned her focus back to the ex-Sith as he took off his gear and weapon and would ask her if she wished to catch her breath. Kae'Leigh let it slide and would move further into the chamber to stand at the center; three doors waited for her in their path. Without explaining what she was doing, Kae'Leigh would kneel down and unclip her saber. Given that she was seated, the motion shouldn't scare Hask, but she wouldn't hold it against him if he tensed up.

The blue skinned Jedi would set the wooden saber down against the ground and then give it a spin. It rotated a few circles around before coming to a stop pointed to the left most door. Looking up she gave Hask a smile and would cheer, "Shiny!" before taking her saber and returning it to her belt.

Standing up she put her hands in front of her again and would explain to the man, "Now we have our heading. I'm ready when you are." She then turned and bounced in her step to start descending into the left tunnel, knowing without any doubt this is the path they were to go to. Kae'Leigh trusted the Force in every way she could. It took her a long time to really believe in it the way she did now, but she knew it was for the best. Something wonderful would happen to her one day that made everything worth striving for.

 

[Hask Jen]

Kaylee didn't answer Hask and it annoyed him somewhat. She was already on thin ice with him and now she wanted to ignore him flat as well. He was starting to regret even giving her the light of day. When she knelt down and unclipped her lightsabre, Hask's own left hand instinctively glided down to grip his hilt. She spun her hilt on the floor and the emitter pointed towards the left door. She seemed pleased with herself and Hask couldn't figure out how or why she seemed so happy. She just did the equivalent of 'spin the bottle' and decided to risk their lives in those dangerous caves on a whim.

Hask scoffed as she stood up and stared at the door. He hated to admit it, but it seemed that her little technique proved right. He felt a pull towards that door. But it wasn't a normal pull, it was cold and dark. He knew that he would be tested down there, but he was slightly frightened as to what was waiting for him. He sighed and took a few steps forward, standing right next to her as his eyes were locked onto that door. "Well I guess we better start sooner or later." he said with a shrug and walked forward towards the door.

He stopped abruptly as he reached the threshold, hesitating. There was a dark pull further in the cave, and he could swear for a second he saw...eyes? Bright gold and glowing ever so faintly in the dark cave. He recognized those eyes, he stared into them every morning in the mirror. He shook his head slightly in confusion. "Did you see that?" he asked Kaylee...but it seemed that those eyes were meant only for him.

His test had begun.

He slowly took a step forward into the door, sparking up a force light in his right palm once again to illuminate their path. He took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. Suddenly having a Jedi to keep him company seemed a bit more comforting.

@EmilyHuene

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

Kae'Leigh could sense some sort of apprehenciation out of the pureblood so she'd out her hand on his and gently say, "Don't worry. There's nothing to fear down here." Though...that was just an assumption.

Hask would then shake his head as he looked out to the darkness of the cave and ask Kae'Leigh if she saw anything. She would turn her head and look, but all she saw was darkness. She turned back to him and gave him a smile. "Trust me. Trust in the Force. We will be alright."

Moving forward the man would once more summon a Force light to his hand. Kae'Leigh joined him at his side and raised her own hand now to mimic what he was doing. She'd never attempted a Force light like he was, but she figured it couldn't be too hard. With the Light nexus of the Force ever blooming down from all those Kyber crystals down below, she concentrated on making the light a literal thing in her hand. She found the task to be much easier than she expected, though her orb was nowhere near as effective as Hask's was. How strange that a Dark side user could make light better than a Jedi.

"Shiny," she said with a pleased grin. "Alright. Let's go." The Jedi would again continue forward with every intent on finding their power gems. She didn't fear the dark as he did. The Twi'lek had faith in the Light side of the Force and she knew it would protect her. That confidence exuded from her own aura and it would undoubtedly affect Hask in some way. If he allowed it, the aura would relax him and ease his anxiety. But that all depended on how well he was willing to bask in it. She'd never try to hurt him but she'd never had an experience to be around a Dark sider before. This was a very strange occurrence for the Jedi Knight.

 

[Hask Jen]

He felt her hand against his and instinctively it opened to take hers, but he stopped himself and balled a fist before he could take her hand. Why the hell was she so influential? She reassured him that there was nothing to fear, but he had his doubts. "Neither you nor I could even hope to know what's waiting for us down here." he said slowly as his eyes were locked forward.

They moved deeper into the cave. She kept reassuring him, telling him to trust in her and the force. He didn't reply at all. He trusted the force. It's what kept him alive all this time. But the Dark Side was dangerous, unpredictable. Sure he could feel the light's warm embrace, but there was also the darkness creeping in from all around. His natural draw to the dark side was restless. He could feel its presence.

Kaylee attempted to create a light of her own, but she was struggling. He looked at her attempt, his eyes much softer than before. "Picture...the sun breaking through clouds. Or lightning tearing through the skies. Focus on that light." he explained to her how to make it work. Soon enough she got it. It was still far from his proficiency but it was there. She gave him a smile and her enthusiasm climbed once more. He followed closely, his left hand on his lightsabre as they ventured deeper. More as a comfort for him than a threat meant for her. He was sure that she would have done something already if she wanted.

Her confidence and calmness shone from her, poured all around her. Hask could feel it. It's comfort and reassurance called to him, but he kept resisting it. A frown crept on his face and in no time at all it turned into a scowl. He stopped and faced her. "How? How could you be so calm? In one of the most dangerous places in the galaxy, how can you be so sure that the force will keep you safe? Have you so much faith in your Light Side that you think you won't be harmed?" his voice was bitter and angry, frustrated at her...but he was not at all angry. He was afraid of letting go and embracing her warmth and comfort. He didn't know the light. He doubted that he ever could, given what he is. But this Jedi and her aura...he wanted to explore it further.

He wanted that reassurance as well. But he was afraid of letting go.

@EmilyHuene

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

"No," the stubborn Twi'lek would say to him. "But I have Faith," This was her strength as a Jedi. Faith that the Force would lead her down the right path.

When he explained how to create the light, she pictured in her mind a more clearer resolve. She was grateful for his help. Her appreciation of him being here would continue to grow with every minute. And as they traveled further that same happiness and tranquility continued to eat away at him. All until he had enough that he had to stop and stare at her. To demand an answer out of her. He asked her how she was so calm. They were in an extremely dangerous place. What made her so sure that the mystical energy would protect them?

Now it seemed to had to finally make her move. She would face him completely now, leaving only her arm off to the side so the light wouldn't blind him. But with her other hand, she'd raise it and gently place it on his shoulder. "Hask. You have so much doubt in your life. So much pain, how much have you suffered? It's understandable that you would be scared to accept that not everything in the world is out to get you. But let me tell you something. Something that hopefully will clear everything up for you."

Kae'Leigh would lower her hand and negate the Force-light in her palm. "Turn off your light." She'd then do the same with the flashlight on her armor.

She was looking him dead in the eyes right now. Her tone was gentle. Trusting. Her hand trailed down to take his, clasping it tightly to reassure him that she wasn't going anywhere. And she waited. What was she asking him? If he turned off his light too then they'd be completely surrounded in the darkness. Anything could jump out and get them. They'd be defenseless. Helpless even. Could he trust her? She seemed to believe he could.

And when he finally did, the darkness was staggering. Complete and utter black. His worst fear come true. Until, the light began to change. Down the path from them a glowing sparkle would start to form. It wasn't too bright, but it was enough that as it shimmered and gleamed, more and more of them appeared. Hundreds of tiny blots all down the cave until even the ceiling above their head started to sparkle. Tiny kyber gems were laced within the rocks of the cave. They were nowhere near big enough to be used in a lightsaber, but they were enough to light their path like little fireflies in a field.

"I have faith, Hask," she would say with a kind and warm smile, "Because I know that even though darkness is all around us, there is always light." Kae'Leigh squeezed his hand again and then looked away from him to admire the dazzling sparkles of all the minuscule crystals surrounding them. They were this close, the whole time, but the light of their tools kept them from seeing it.

 

[Hask Jen]

She turned to face him and laid a hand gently on his shoulder. He looked at her hand then at her, his fear and insecurity barred behind a wall of anger. She went on to try and do something. He wasn't sure what. Console him? Lecture him? No, she was reassuring him. But she knew nothing of his suffering. What it took to break free from the empire. He raised his left hand and held a finger in her face, wanting to tell her just how ignorant she is. But before he could speak, she asked him to kill his light.

Hask tensed up. He was not some boy. He was a Pureblood. Bred for war, hardened by battle. But in these caves, he was afraid of what they would bring. He lived his life believing he could just forget his nature and be a normal person. These caves could ruin his entire life. He hesitated immensely but ultimately did what she told. The light disappeared from his hand and plunged them into darkness. His golden eyes glowed brightly, his night vision kicking in...until it started sparkling all around. The cave lit up with the kyber crystals shimmering like the starry night sky. He was in awe.

He turned his head to look at the direction the lights were headed, but snapped back as Kaylee talked to him. He wanted to believe her. It showed. His hardened shell disappeared as he looked at her with soft, sad eyes. He felt a tug on his body and looked down at his left hand. Her hand was squeezing the hard metal and once again he hated the arm. He was still unsure if it was worth it in the end. He looked back into her eyes. "I can't follow down that path. I can't." he said softly. The hesitation was clear. He wanted to follow. He wanted to give in. But he wasn't sure. He couldn't be sure that he would be able to follow down that path.

His wall erected once more as he pulled his hand from hers. "You don't know darkness." he said with a shake of his head. He walked down the tunnel, using the crystals for light. He raised his left hand and looked at it. It was a painful reminder of everything he had gone through. What he had to do to escape the empire, let alone turn to the light. What would happen if he went down that path? What of Aurie?

After a while he looked up and simply walked in silence, looking over every now and then to the Jedi next to him.

@EmilyHuene

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

For a moment, Kae'Leigh finally thought she'd broken through to him. The lights all around them were wonderful to look at. She hoped he'd find a certain peace within her message. The was always a light to be found, if one simply knew where to look for it. Or in her case, believe it to be there. Trust. Faith. Concepts that were not easy to come about and hold merit to. She understood that. Kae'Leigh had worlds of trouble delving herself into this religion. It took her months to even grasp the concept of some magical ability at her fingertips. Though in Hask's case, things were quite different than her problems.

Hask would pull away from her and say he couldn't follow her down the path she was implying. She wanted to say something, but his body turned cold and rigid again. He claimed she didn't know darkness and then turned to storm off. Kae'Leigh gave a low groan as she felt he was taking steps backs when they were so close to a break through. But she wouldn't give up! She didn't know why, but Kae'Leigh knew it was her destiny to help this man find the right path.

So she kept following him. "You're right," she'd say when she caught up with him. "I don't know darkness. And from what you say, I imagine it's pretty cruel. I can't imagine choosing to stay around something so toxic." Naturally she was trying to even guilt him into it. Why was he trying so hard to fight the Light? Compared to the alternative?

Kae'Leigh would then raise her saber hilt while a smile and offer it to him. Way dangerous, but she trusted him. Why, she didn't know. But there it was. "Inside that hilt is something very special to me, Hask Jen. On Ilum, I found myself a crystal that gave me something far more powerful than words, or lessons, or anything else could give me. When I touched that crystal, I had a vision. And do you know what I saw...?"

She would take a pause for emphasize before continuing, "I saw my daughter, Hask. A daughter I have yet to have. A daughter who is the most beautiful child I've ever seen. And that gives me hope. That crystal means everything to me, because I know that no matter what happens, one day I will have a daughter who looks at me with a smile in her eyes. And that, is Faith. I don't know darkness like you do. I know something much, much more fulfilling." Holding her hand back, she would silently ask for the weapon back.

This was the second time she'd ever told anyone about her vision. First, to someone deeply special in her life. And now Hask. She hoped that by hearing her story he'd know where she was coming from. All the darkness ever did was take. She was sure of it. Why else would he run? What could the darkness possibly give him that would be worth all the horrible things she'd seen the Empire doing? Nothing. Nothing would ever compare to knowing her life would one day be filled with an infinite amount of love and joy.

 

[Hask Jen]

She perked up again, deciding to try and belittle the dark side and make him come around. What the hell was wrong with her? He might not want to be part of the dark side but it was part of him. And he still had that Pureblood stubbornness. He simply stared out in front of him. A few moments later he saw her hilt in the corner of his eye. He looked at her, confused and hesitant to take it. This meant a lot, trusting an enemy with your own weapon, and the act didn't go unnoticed by Hask. He took it and ran his right hand along the hilt as he listened to her story.

Hask always believed that a warriors weapon is an extension of themselves. He admired her weapon, the exotic Brylark wood encasing the weapon. He was actually quite jealous of it, and hearing the story behind it made him feel guilty for taking it in the first place. She asked for it back and he placed it gently in her hand with the emitter facing towards him. How could one argue with a story like that. Hask was tempted to write it off as the Force giving her false hope...but then again that's now how the Force worked. Especially not the Light. Hask's wall was coming down brick by brick. His posture relaxed and he returned the favour. He unclipped his lightsabre and held it in his hand for a few seconds before handing it to her.

Just like their owners, their weapons were polar opposites. His was easily double the weight of a normal lightsabre, the durasteel body was polished clean and it was clear that it was built for war. And from one warrior to another he was offering his weapon in a gesture of trust. "Mine might not have such a...powerful story. But its got its values to me." he spoke kindly with a small smile. "The crystal was given to me by a dear friend, a Mandalorian if you can believe it. It was part of a symbol of trust, swapping lightsabers like that. She was shot down over Myrkr a few months ago, but I only found out about it a week or so back. She was my first true friend I ever had, inside or outside the Empire. She saved my life many times over...and the Empire cut her down. That weapon and my rifle are the only things I have to remember her by."

He came to a halt and faced her. "Since then I've been using that weapon to kill dozens if not hundreds of people. All to protect one other person. My co-pilot is more than just an employee to me. She came into my life when I needed a friend the most and since then we've grown so much more. She's shown me the kind side of life, helped me get past the darkness and see that peace isn't a lie. And I can tell you that there's nothing I won't do to keep her safe." his voice was gentle, sincere and passionate. It was clear that he thought of Aurie as more than just friends but he would not admit it. Not to anyone else but Aurie at least. "You see, Kaylee, that's what I'm afraid of. I could care less about myself. If turning to the light means the death of me so be it. But risking her life is something I don't want to do. I'm afraid that I won't be able to protect her." he stared at her with glowing eyes filled with worry and concern.

There it was. That's what he was afraid of. "I don't want to belong to the dark side. I've always been against my nature, but that darkness gives me the power to protect her. I'm afraid of turning to the light because I don't know if I will be able to protect her..." he held his hand out for his weapon. The crystal was calling to him, begging to cut down the Jedi and claim another life for it. It was as restless as ever. He ignored its calling, its anger, and simply clipped it back onto his belt. He started walking backwards further down the cave. "That's what I'm afraid of." he finished and turned back around, following the lights once more.

Damn that twi'lek and her influence.

@EmilyHuene

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

Taking her hilt back the Twi'lek would rub her thumb around on the wood for a moment before putting it back on her belt for safe keeping. To her surprise, he then decided to do the same gesture. He handed her the heavy silver crossguard hilt which was five times as heavy as her own it seemed. She couldn't imagine anyone lugging this around in the middle of combat. Sheesh. But her hands would admire the metal and the way it gripped in her hand. While hers was a backwards grip, she couldn't lie that his forward blade hilt fit much more naturally to her. The cross guard was a nice touch too, for it's purpose was exactly the kind of thing a Sith would want to avoid. His was bred for combat just as this man once was. She pitied him for that upbringing, not that hers was any better. At least he (probably) didn't have to look over his shoulder his whole life in fear of someone enslaving him.

As she examined the metal Hask would explain where it came from. His crystal had been given to him by a Mandalorian friend of all things. Kae'Leigh found that strange. She knew a more personal connection to a gem would have a stronger aura about it, but in this case that didn't seem to be the case. Maybe because it was a Dark side effect? All she knew was that when she had used her master's old saber for training purposes she never really connected to it. It wasn't until she got her own crystal that she really understood what it meant to be a Jedi.

He would then explain that his friend had been shot down. Now the connection made sense. Loss. And while Kae'Leigh had lost her master too, he was literally lost. Jedi Master Vu'thari along with his Padawans had left into the black in hopes of raising the Jedi on their own. She had no way of contacting him. In her heart she knew he was alive, but loss was loss. She'd never see him again and that was a fact.

Her demise was a tragic story. Cut down by the Empire. Like so many innocent people in this universe. And Hask was carrying around her weapons as mementos to that friendship. She understood how that must feel, and why his connection to his weapon were so strong. She felt bad holding the blade now, knowing the crystal came from such a painful place. Which was a shame because she really wanted to try swinging it around a little to feel how the blade felt when it was lit. Though now she knew it would be disrespectful to even ask such a thing.

Hask would then stop and look at her, explaining further how he'd used that weapon to kill hundreds of people. While that number was probably a little far fetched, she didn't feel like holding onto it any longer and happily surrendered it back to him. His reasoning for fighting was to protect his co-pilot; Kae'Leigh noted he neglected to use her name. Was he protecting her even now perhaps? His life had changed drastically because of this girl and Kae'Leigh thought for a moment she'd really like to meet this mystery woman. Anyone who had that kind of influence on a person was a good light and a kind soul. The exact type of person Kae'Leigh tried to associate herself with.

This girl -according to the pureblood- had shown Hask a kinder side of life and helped him move past his own darkness just like the blue skinned Jedi was trying to do now. And yet out of all of this he said there wasn't anything he would do to keep her safe. Kae'Leigh respected such a bond with someone. She knew in her heart she'd do the same with her daughter when they finally got to meet for the first time. And this apparently was what scared the man. The heart of the problem. Hask was afraid of losing the power he had because he then believed he wouldn't be able to protect this woman who meant so much to him.

Kae'Leigh would give him a half-hearted smile -the other half sad from his tale- while he continued to try and defend his reasoning. He wanted to run from the Dark. He wanted to be a better person. To him, it was a double edged sword. While it gave him the strength to fight it was killing him inside. And that was exactly the reason he would never be as strong as he would with the Light.

Turning away, he would start to move further into the cave until the sound of her lightsaber emitting would be heard. A blue glow basked the cave walls that also made the shimmering crystals around them vanish. Kae'Leigh stood tall and firm and looked like a warrior all of a sudden, not some gentle Twi'lek.

"Do you think me weak, Hask Jen?" she asked with her voice booming in echo. With all her might she was calling on the Light side of the Force and pushing it outwards. The tiny rocks and dirt around her would lift and begin to hover in the air. "Do you think I am weak because I will not take a life? True power, is not whether you have hatred. It's in belief. It's in faith. I am connected to the Light side just as you are to the Dark. But you are conflicted. You fight against your nature. That hesitancy will be your downfall. Then what will happen? When the Force betrays you for doubting it. How will you protect your love then?"

Lowering her blade she would disengage the light plunging them into darkness for a moment. As his eyes adjusted Kae'Leigh would now be right in front of him holding her crystal in her hand. In that split second she'd disconnected her saber and pulled the gem out and then put the saber pieces back together.

"Take my crystal. Take it, and remember who it is you're really fighting for."

 

[Hask Jen]

The sound of a lightsabre igniting echoed through the cave and they were plunged into darkens...except for her blue blade shimmering brightly. For a moment Hask thought that she ran him through, but there was no blade protruding from him. He slowly turned to face her, a mix of shock, confusion and anger was in his eyes. There she stood, appearing ready to fight. Hask took a wide stance and hunched over, his left had resting on his hilt. Had she gone mad? What's gotten into her?

She asked him a question he was not expecting. He didn't get a chance to even think it over when she continued. Her words carried weight and wisdom. It was a bit disarming but also rather threatening. Hask didn't know what to make of it. But it was the truth. This rift inside him, between the man he is and the man he wants to be will tear him apart and in the end it will be Aurie who would suffer because of it. She had him. He was frozen solid and he didn't know what to make of her words.

She extinguished her blade and plunged them into darkness once more. When the lights returned she was standing right in front of him. He took a small step back in surprise. She opened her hand and in it was her crystal. The very crystal that kept her fighting for a better future. She was offering it...to him. Should he take it? Could he take it? What will happen if he takes it? She motivated him, telling him to remember who it is he was fighting for.

Those words. The weight they held.

It sparked something in him. Something he hadn't felt in a long time.

Hope.

He slowly reached out with his right hand and hovered over the crystal. It was so much different to his current ones. He took it and held it up, looking at it with wide eyes. He looked back at Kaylee. He wanted to say something but he didn't have the words. He dropped it in his palm and closed his fist shut, holding onto it tightly. An idea popped into his head. While the gesture meant so much for him and her, it left her without a weapon. A second lightsabre flew into his left hand and he held it up for her. "Take this. I don't have the words to describe what your gift means to me, but allow me to return the favour. This crystal I found on Ilum a long time ago. It was red when I first found it. Pure, strong. If you're going to keep fighting to one day be able to hold your daughter, the least I can do is to help you in that endeavour." he muttered to her. Only for her to hear.

He released the weapon and allowed her to take it. He turned to walk again but stopped. He spun back around and pulled her into a tight hug, his right hand still clenching the crystal tightly. "Thank you." he whispered in her ear then pulled away with a smile. "Better get moving, I guess." he spoke with a smile and turned to walk further. He slipped the crystal into his pocket and zipped it shut, right over his heart. Maybe...just maybe...the force had indeed a plan for him. He couldn't care what kind of plan, as long as it allowed him to protect the one thing in his life he could not live without.

@EmilyHuene