Ask Fall Out

[Zathria]

Per my new OP template, thread is death enabled​

Zathria wasn't really much of a party-goer, but apparently her failure to attend the most recent Jedi social event had resulted in issues arising for her Padawan.

She had already received a report from Ezra about what was going on and assurances that - although he didn't tell her where they were - both he and Dash were safe. Safe and not with the Jedi Order anymore. Evidently, Hera had decided to make a unilateral decision that was going to seriously negatively affect both of their apprentices, and Zathria wasn't too thrilled about it.

Somehow, this gave her the same vibe as confronting a Jedi in her duties as a Justicar. Somewhere along the way, she had gotten used to the feeling despite the fact that she still didn't enjoy it. But the day she had taken Ezra as her Padawan, she had decided that she would go to bat for him no matter how uncomfortable the situation was, and she wouldn't betray herself or him by reneging on that decision now.

She made her way through the temple and toward where she and Master Albion had agreed to meet: in one of the meditation rooms in the temple where they could have a bit of privacy to discuss the situation. She wondered how much Hera even knew about what had happened after the party. Had she tried to reach out to Dash? Did she know he was gone? She ahd to assume the answer to both was yes, but she couldn't be sure.

She glanced down at her chrono to reveal she was about ten minutes early and moved over to take a seat on one of the meditation couches to await Hera's arrival.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera arrived late, ten minutes late to be exact. She could not have known Zathria had arrived early, but frankly she didn’t care. Punctuality had never been important to the Master Justicar, and this situation did not change that viewpoint. She arrived disheveled, her hair, a tangled mess, and her armor, clearly not removed in a day or two. It would be known to Zathria that Hera had not seen anyone since the night of the party, in fact, this would be the first person she talked to since that time.

Zathria could not know that Hera had sent messages to Dash. (@Alhon) Some messages begged him to return. Others begged to talk about this more. Dash did not ignore Hera, but neither did he speak to her. He sent a message, ”I’m ok, I’m with Ezra. I just need some space right now. Don’t follow me.” And Hera did not receive it well. She sent a final response to this, “I’m coming for you.” Then ceased attempting to contact Dash. And indeed, Hera had been preparing to go get Dash, but had no luck in finding exactly where he was.

Then Zathria asked to speak with her, and Hera decided to oblige the Knight. Stepping into the meditation room, Hera affixed Zathria with an uncharacteristically cold stare. A daring glance, as if she was quietly saying ’Test me, I dare you. See how well that will go for you.’ But her actual tone and words, when Hera opened her mouth to greet the Knight, did not reflect her eyes.

“Knight Zathria, it’s a pleasure to see you. How might I help you today?”

@Phoenix

 

[Zathria]

Zathria could tell that Hera was out of sorts. Or rather, she guessed as much. To be honest, the woman was a bit odd and therefore difficult to read at any given time, but Zathria had begun to pick up on some of the quirks. What wasn't subtle was the practical death glare that Zathria received upon the Jedi Master's arrival.

The glare didn't match with the words that Hera spoke. Zathria might have withered under the intense gaze if this were the first, second, or even third time she had experienced such a thing. Unfortunately, Zathria was no stranger to such attitudes by those she met with.

As I'm sure you can guess, I'm hoping to talk about what is going on with our apprentices, she said, her words calm and even. She wasn't going to insult the other woman by pretending that she couldn't guess what this was about.

And to find out if there is a way that we can set things right, she said.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera did not break her gaze as Zathria spoke, nor did the Master stop to sit down. Zathria stayed calm, collected, and logical; the perfect picture of what a Jedi Knight should be. She had asked Hera to 'talk,' and the Master's expression did not budge an inch until those last three words. Set things right, Zathria said, and at that, a cruel and terrible smile began to twist its way across Hera's face.

It was not the smile of someone who was happy, nor was it the fake smile of someone who wanted to suffer through a conversation. It was a different sort of thing, a defensive, infuriated sort of grin that crawled along the features of someone who could barely control their rage. For it was rage that Zathria would feel emanating off of Hera, a dark, broiling, twisting thing that bucked against the ropes that held it down. A caged Nexu, hissing and spitting to be released, and Zathria had poked it.

"Set things right, you say?" Hera laughed joylessly, "Is that so? How shall we do that, Knight Zathria? Shall we compromise the protections the order has in place to protect the young and vulnerable? Will that 'set things right?'" Hera was pacing now, speaking fast enough not to be interrupted. All the while, she stared Zathria down, "Or shall we make exceptions?! These are exceptional situations, we need only do the one thing we promised we would not do for Ezra Thorne! Make special expectations. 'Make things right, make things right, MAKE. THINGS. RIGHT.'"

Hera stopped there, breaking off her gaze for but a moment as she tried to calm herself. She repeated her mantra, 'Breathe Hera, Br- TO HELL WITH THAT!' Raged her inner voice, taking a bat to her attempts to remain calm. Again, the gaze re-affixed Zathria, and again, Hera spoke, "Shall we promote Ezra Thorne before he is ready? Shall we lie to Dash and tell him he's not worthy of being a Knight? There are rules in place for good reasons, Zathria, I have seen the very reason these rules exist firsthand! But you must know, you must have some inkling of a plan, mhm? Tell me! Wise Knight Zathria, how we might 'make things right'?"

It was not a good position that Hera Albion placed her colleague in. As Hera Albion was not exactly in the mood to be reasoned with.

@Phoenix

 

[Zathria]

That was not the reaction that Zathria had expected. Not even by a long shot, and as she felt the rage flow and boil off of Hera, Zathria suddenly got a very different feeling about this meeting. The kind of feeling she got when she was very concerned that a Jedi under investigation was about to fall to the Dark Side or even attack her outright.

As the angry and spiteful words turned to yelling, Zathria's face hardened and her blood ran cold like ice. Her first instinct was to yell back, but instead she let her mind slip back into the mode of business. The mode of being a Justicar. The mode that suddenly had very real questions about the Jedi Master.

You are a Jedi Master. I recommend you behave as such, she said, her voice suddenly becoming cold as ice. She let out a breath through her nose, deciding that meeting force for force was likely not the way to do this, and although her expression didn't soften, her tone did if ever so slightly, speaking again before Hera could launch into what she imagined was going to be a slightly unhinged retort.

We have a serious issue, and fighting with each other is not going to solve it, she said, eyes staring with an intensity that didn't come out in the Jed Knight often.

Now are we going to have a conversation or are you going to continue to be controlled by your emotions? she said, the statement true and scathing, and there was as good a chance that it would rile her up more as that it would calm her down. Zathria didn't have a good enough read on the woman yet to know.

We are both concerned about our apprentices, she said, making an attempt to motion to the other seat for Hera to sit. Fingers crossed but breath not held. In hindsight, some of what she had said - true or not - was probably counterproductive.

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera's gaze did not waver as Zathria's 'recommendation' came through. She could see her words put the other Jedi in a defensive state, a state Hera had been in herself. The state that Jedi entered right before a fight. Some part of Hera relished that, that she could influence Zathria in such a way. But that part was shoved down, everything seemed to be shoved down so that the rage could pulse through her blood.

Zathria kept talking, and Hera kept pacing, but by the end of the other Knight's statements, Hera had been able to calm herself down just enough to stop walking around. She was not able to sit, however, not just yet. Hera could feel the intensity of the other woman. It was the same intensity that Hera had held herself the last time she exercised her Justicar duties. At that moment, even if she was not conscious of it, Hera knew she walked on unsteady ground.

But Hera could also hear the 'oh so very Jedi-like way that she spoke. Usually, the self-righteous way that Jedi talked and the mindset of 'we will all be calm or we won't talk at all.' did not bother her. But today, it struck the gong of anger once more inside her. It was all Hera could do to not take her fist and smash through the razor-thin ice they trod.

"You did not answer my question, Zathria." She said, containing her tone and her volume but unable to hold back the contempt that slipped forth, "I know who I am, and you know who you are. We are two of the same order, as you well know. So do not brush aside what I have said because you did not like how I delivered it. Answer me, Zathria, how do you intend we 'make things right?'" Because that was the core of this conversation, and Hera would not have any beating around the bush.

They would have their answers quickly, or not at all.

@Phoenix

 

[Zathria]

Zathria could feel the disdain pouring off the other woman, and this was why Zathria so freely admitted that she didn't care for being a Justicar. It was a necessary job but no matter how many barriers and walls she threw up, she never enjoyed the disdain of her colleagues.

But enough self-sympathy. On the bright side, it seemed that Hera had calmed down at least a bit, and Zathria.

The simple answer is that I believe you are wrong, she said, deciding to meet Hera's bluntness with her own. She did know enough about the woman to know that dancing around the subject was not going to accomplish anything.

You've told Dash that he has to break off a preexisting relationship with another Padawan because of the power discrepancy, and while in many cases that is true and valid, there are other issues at play here. The first is that they were already dating - a relationship even the Grandmaster is aware of and didn't call for to be terminated - and the second is that Ezra is my Padawan, not Dash's, she said.

If we are concerned about an abuse of power, then I propose the answer is to simply not permit Ezra and Dash to be in a situation where one reports to the other, she said.

If the historical Jedi Orders have taught us anything, it's that prohibiting relationships is not healthy, she said. There were a multitude of "what ifs" about what would have happened if Skywalker's relationship had not had to be kept a secret. What if he could have sought help? What if he hadn't become bitter with the Order? What if, what if, what if.

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera breathed, first quickly, then slowly. The fire that had previously arisen in her, birthed by her rage and indignation, had slowly begun to die. It was only then, as Zathria finished speaking once more, that the red-headed master sat down. She could see where Zathria was coming from, but she disagreed. But Hera wasn't sure she could say exactly the thoughts that roiled around in her mind, her body still reacting from the rush of adrenaline brought on by rage.

Zathria was not 'wrong,' per se, and that fact alone made it all the harder for Hera to respond. She was a stubborn woman in every sense of the word, slow to admit she was wrong and even slower to admit someone else might be right. Gritting her teeth, growling out her words, the Arkanian Master slowly began to speak back to Zathria, "Of course I'm concerned about an abuse of power, whether it would happen consciously or not-" 'Of course, it wouldn't be conscious,' she thought, 'I trained Dash better than that, he's better than that.'

"Historical Jedi Orders, hah, shall we wait for the dead to instruct the living on how they might proceed? And is this very situation not something we were to be wary of from the beginning? What if it didn't work out between the two of them naturally, what then? If their relationship is true and strong, can it not wait a year or two for Ezra to finish his own training? Are we, no, am I prohibiting a relationship, or am I putting a pause on passions?" The anger was still there in the Master, still boiling beneath her demeanor as she calmed down.

More so, Hera was just stubborn. More than that, she was terrified for Dash. Most of all, she feared she had pushed away a great young man and an excellent friend. Hera didn't know how to process that, she wasn't sure she had the emotional capability to even do it.

@Phoenix

 

[Zathria]

As fire faded, so too, ice melted, though Zathria still found herself on edge as Hera spoke because... she had no idea what the Jedi Master would do next.

For a long moment after Hera spoke, Zathria was silent, trying to figure out the best way to approach this as the Jedi Master had unloaded a lot of statements and speculations, many of which Zathria simply didn't agree with.

If their relationship ends naturally... she said, using the precise word that Hera had chosen, not Zathria ...then so be it. And that is something that they will each have to work through. But there is a great deal of difference - and room for resentment, deception, and bitterness - in it being forced upon them, she said.

I suppose, I am asking and suggesting that we trust our apprentices and the training that we have given them to be the Jedi that we want them to be, she said. It was, ultimately, the thing at question: did Hera trust Dash to be a good Jedi Knight or not. If she did not, then the issue was moot and Dash shouldn't be a Knight anyway. If she did - and Zathria believed that she did - then she had to do that thing that Zathria, too, oh-so-struggled with. She had to let go of the control and trust in the tutelage that Dash had gone through under Hera.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Asking, came the phrasing. Suggesting, came the word that Zathria used. Words that were more pleasing to Hera's stubborn ears, and for a brief moment she felt shame that someone else had to humble themselves before her in order to get the Master to think outside their own narrow worldview. Hera's mind and worldview, for as much of the galaxy as she saw, was incredibly small. It wasn't that Hera was bigoted, it was that she simply wasn't gifted with the right emotional equipment to see a picture outside of her mind.

It was always others that let a small amount of light into the Jedi Master, and she treasured that light when she saw it. She treasured it in Dash and Ezra, once, and now Zathria saw fit to remind her of that fact. Sighing deeply, she held her head in her hands and furiously rubbed at her temples. She muttered now, hopefully, loud enough for Zathria to hear, but Hera couldn't be sure. "Of course I trust Dash, of course I do. He's an incredibly smart, talented, and emotionally balanced young man. Even as I cut him to his core, he did not lash out at me. I don't think I could have reacted the same."

Looking up to Zathria, she gritted her teeth, "I was only trying to do what was right, oh Force, Zathria I've messed up. We must contact them, we -no I- must let Dash know. He has to know it's going to be ok, he has to know I was wrong. They both have to know, oh Force, oh kriffing hell, I don't know what to do- what to say-" She was rambling now, consumed by a little bit of her own madness.

Hera hadn't fully come across to Zathria's way of thinking, not yet. But the thought of losing Dash over this had finally crashed its full weight into her. No matter who was wrong or right, Hera had to do whatever she could to let Dash know he could come back. If he even wanted to come back. 'What if he doesn't want to come back?' The dread thought wandered into her mind.

@Phoenix

 

[Zathria]

At first, Zathria was glad that she seemed to have broken through and felt a wave of relief. All of the remnants of ice that were in her tone and face earlier were gone, and she realized that at the core of it, Hera just cared about Dash as she cared about Ezra. The responsibility to guide and protect someone through literal battlefields was sometimes a crushing weight to carry, far more so than Zathria could have ever anticipated.

As the word vomit came out of the Jedi Master, she suddenly felt very out of her element. She was good at arguing, presenting evidence, defending a position: all things that her duties as a Justicar had taught her. She was good at healing the body and mending wounds, but comforting people? Providing words of encouragement? These were not quite so within her wheelhouse because when it was something outside of her control, what could she truly do? Because as she'd told Ezra, she, too, struggled with always wanting to be in control.

Control what you can, influence what you can, and let the rest go. The quote had not come from the Jedi by from a medcenter administrator that Zathria had brushed shoulders with while struggling through the Mercy Ships startup, and the Jedi had taken them to heart.

Maybe we can try reaching out to them together? she suggested. Yes, Hera had said that she had to do it, but having someone else to help might do just that: help the situation.

Ultimately, it felt like she should have said something else - she was certain of it - but the words just... wouldn't seem to come.

We'll work through this, she finally said, a reassurance and faith that firstly, they would get through, and second that Zathria was with her in it.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Finally, Hera began to breathe normally again. She repeated aloud to herself, "Breathe Hera, breathe." And began to relax her anxious heart. The anger, the rage, it was all still there, but Hera was able to push it away and somewhere it could not break out. She could deal with it later. She would deal with it eventually. She would deal with it. Looking up at Zathria, she smiled kindly and nodded, "Yes, we can reach out to them together. I think Ezra will communicate better my intentions to just meet Dash if it comes from you as well."

Reaching her hand out, she offered it to Zathria. A quiet cry for intimacy, a consoling touch of any kind, as she quietly calmed herself down. Dash would not abandon her, Hera believed, he would not throw away everything just because Hera had reacted in haste out of fear. She just had to explain herself to him, Dash would understand.

'And you will compromise your beliefs?' The voice nagged in the back of her head, 'What happens when this occurs again? When it is not Dash Pavan and Ezra Thorne? When it is someone you do not know, someone you do not trust? Will you take another chance? Will you compromise again?' The questions clawed at the back of Hera's stubborn mind, but she ignored them for a moment.

She did not need to win an argument with herself, not right now. All that mattered in this moment was that Hera would contact Dash, and Zathria would help her. Clenching her teeth, she tried to agree with Zathria, "We will work through this, yes." Looking at the Justicar once more, Hera forced a smile and spoke, "Let me know when they respond, ok? I'll let you know what I'd like to send to them."

@Phoenix

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

Leon laid on his bed on Ithor. He threw a force puzzle into the air, made a couple of moves then let it fall into his hands. Things had been weird since the party. Well, that wasn’t true. Things had been weird since Berchest, for him at least. Leon envied Dash and Ezra. Not the current situation, which was so dumb, he envied their love for one another. The closest he had was his dad back on Adumar, but it wasn’t like he could get a holo to him.

There was a knock on the door and he hopped up. He hit the panel and the door swished open. Leon blinked as he stared into the lifeless photoreceptor’s of a protocol droid. The Droid scanned him and then in an overly polite voice said, “Ah, Padawan Leon Baudelaire. You have been assigned a Master.”

Leon blinked, “What?”

The droid’s head cocked to the side like a confused parrot, “You are to report to Master Hera Albion immediately to begin your training.”

Leon looked like a gasping karp as one thought after another slammed into his brain only to fall short before spilling out.

“I think there’s been some kinda mistake—” the droid cut him off, “I can assure you there is no mistake. Please collect what personal effects you deem necessary and follow me.”

Why now? He wondered, grabbing his blastvest, K-19, and his two found sabers. He had no idea what Hera was gonna be like. The last time he’d seen her she’d looked pissed. His little BD unit peeked from around his dresser, “C’mon, pal. I guess we’re going on an adventure.”

Leon followed the droid through the halls of Ithor. He’d come to love this place. He hoped Ez and Dash were okay. He hadn’t been able to get through to either of them and it wasn’t like Ezra to not send some dumbass Swik Tok every couple of hours. He frowned as they neared the meditation chambers. Aw man was his first thing going to be boring? He wondered as the droid strode up to the droid running the counter. They shared a brief exchange and Leon saw the one behind the desk nod toward a room.

The Padawan shrugged without waiting for the droid to give him the go-ahead. He walked right up to the door and entered, “Uh, Hey Hera? It’s me, Leon, I guess I'm your… new…”

Leon froze in place as he spotted Zathria. Why were they together? Was this a secret affair? Were they going to kill him for discovering their hidden romance?! He held a fist up to his lips and cleared his throat awkwardly finishing, “Your, uh, new Padawan?” he said with a please don’t kill me smile his little BD unit peeked over his shoulder seemingly terrified. Oh good, things were off to a great start...

@Phoenix @Black Noise

 

[Zathria]

Zathria smiled as she agreed to working together. Where would we all be without each other? she asked with all sincerity. The Jedi's greatest strength was each other, and Zathria firmly believed that.

She reached out and clasped Hera's hand and squeezed it tightly. Although she could still tell that Hera was bothered, she didn't press it. As she had learned with Ezra, often it was best to just leave people be until they were ready to speak and only pry as a last necessity.

The door slid open before Zathria could say more, and Zathria turned her head to see Leon standing there and to Zathria's knowledge, relatively uninvited.

They statement that Leon was to be Hera's new Padawan caused Zathria's eyebrows to rise. She finally withdrew her hands after a moment.

Well, congratulations to you both, she said, finding herself in an awkward position of not being sure whether she should leave or what now.

@Black Noise @Zay

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera smiled as Zathria clasped her hand, comforted for but a moment before Leon stepped into the room. Hera looked over at him stuttering over his words, then looked back to Zathria as she withdrew her hands and sat there awkwardly. A grin spread across her face and she couldn't help but laugh. It was a little bit uncontrollable, a little bit manic, the laugh of someone attempting to move on from the intense emotions of a previous conversation.

It occurred to Hera as the Jedi Master stood that she didn't really know how to process her emotions all too well. Stepping toward Leon, she held out a hand to shake and declared loudly, "I know who you are, Leon! I requested you specifically. Glad to be your master, I hope that our time together will be nothing if not exciting!" And she laughed again, the joy covering for the little, quiet fears that skittered around her heart.

There were fears that she didn't even know how to handle herself properly, fears that she might be more than a little broken inside, and fears that she might mess up again as she stepped from one apprentice to another. But laughter and smiles covered these fears as Hera buried them so deep she wasn't sure the next time they might arise. For now, she would get set up for a mission with Leon to be begun after she wrapped up her time with Dash.

Dash was going to be a knight, and he would handle himself with dignity and grace in both his new duties and his continued relationship with Ezra. Hera was sure of this, she thought, and attempted to reassure herself of this. Smiling, she glanced back at Zathria and remarked, "We will message them soon, together." And at that, motioned for Leon to step out with her. "Come Leon! We have work to do soon, I've already got a new mission lined up!"

@Phoenix @Zay