[FLASHBACK]Three Sheets to The Wind

[Black Noise]

((Takes place before Battle of Tython))

Sogar Derimsa sat alone in a small bar, slowly dragging his thick, almost stubby finger around the glass of Ale put before him at 2:06 AM, nearly an hour before. Anything could have been on the former Sith Lord's mind. Having just left Lehon days before after being to the galaxy for a full year, the former Warmaster could've been contemplating the universe and his place it in. He could've been dwelling on the fact that he felt like he no longer belonged among the people with whom he had spent his entire life. He could've been entertaining his mind with anything of value.

Yet Sogar thought of nothing. His mind was blank, his Force Sense was blank, his entire body was zoned almost as zoned out as his mind. The thought that brought him abruptly back was, Am I really this old?

Sitting back and regaining his Force consciousness and awareness, Sogar realized he was no longer alone in the bar. Strange, this wasn't a well known place, and everything but the Corellian drinks were terrible here. Most sensible beings avoided these places. Yet, the newcomer, it felt familiar to Sogar.

Without turning, he set aside his warm drink and ordered two Corellian Wiskeys. The bartender paused for a moment, glancing over at the ale Sogar had already ordered an hour before and left untouched, and asked.
"Two more drinks? Why, if'n ye don't mind me askin'."
Pulling a slight grin and throwing back his black hood, the Iktotchi replied.
"Well one for me to actually drink and the other. Well, I think I'll just let it sit at the chair next to me until someone actually wants it, the poor thing..."
As the bartender shook his head and retrieved the whiskey, Sogar remarked aloud.
"Chilly out tonight, isn't it, Miss Daw?"

 

[GABA]

The evening was unusually chilly on Nar Shaddaa, a breeze had picked up and it reminded the Corellian of the winter months back on her homeworld. She even had to prod at the Force to adjust her own body temperature to compete with the elements. She removed the cowl of her ruana that covered her face, carefully draped over her shoulders to hide her pauldron as well as cover her lightsaber weapons that hung on her belt.

There was a familiarity to this bar, but the woman could place her thoughts on how she knew where she was or why it was significant. It bothered her enough she even took to reaching into the Force, looking to see if perhaps she was misinterpreting her feelings, there was an interesting presence that took her attention. Slowly she walked up to the bar, unsure of who or what lurked in the room. Her danger senses weren't firing off yet, but yet the presence was slightly shadowed.

The Jedi readjusted her ruana as she waited for the barkeeper to fix a Iktotchi his two drinks. She popped an eyebrow to their conversation as the barkeeper sat the drink down in the empty seat beside the figure who now addressed as 'Miss Daw'.

Ebberla was taken aback, she felt herself instinctively brush her fingers against her lightsaber. How did this guy know her? She certainly didn't know him. However, it could have been the slight possibility he recognized her from the holonet, she was well known, even described as a 'Jedi Hero' by some news teams. However, something didn't seem right, his presence was that she had felt earlier, shadowed; there was also the possibility he knew her from her captivity of the Sith.

Though, cautious, her senses flared, Ebberla took a seat next to the Iktotchi, looking at the drink, "Excuse me, but how do you know my name?" she asked.

 

[Black Noise]

Sogar turned to look at Ebberla for a moment, studying her face. His own carrying a curious look, the Sith sought to see if the Jedi Master was simply messing with him. They had engaged in meaningful conversations riddled with playful banter in their last two meetings. Yet now, there seemed to be something off about the Jedi Master, as if she was missing something and did not know what it was.

Tapping a finger on the bar, Sogar spoke his thoughts quietly aloud, more to himself than Ebberla.
"You really don't remember me...
Chuckling, Sogar shook his head. Noticing that Ebberla had pulled her hand back, likely resting it on her blade, Sogar slowly moved his hand down and withdrew the hilt of his lightsaber. Holding it and leaning on the bar, he raised his voice to a normal speaking tone and continued.
"Well, I suppose I should take this chance to finish something I should've done a long time ago, yet was far too much of a coward to see through."

Without hesitation, Sogar slammed the hilt of his own blade onto the bar and crushed it. Using the Force, he empowered himself to snap the hilt in half with his bare hand. Letting the broken piece of, likely ancient, technology fall to the counter, the aging Iktotchi grabbed his whiskey and spoke to Ebberla.
"I am Sogar Derimsa, I knew you a few years ago, we were as close to being friends as any Sith Master and Jedi Master ever got without leaving civil conversation. You are Ebberla Daw, a woman I'd like to count among the very few friends I still have in this Force-forsaken galaxy. I believe we left off our last conversation, abruptly cut off, discussing the future of the galaxy. A future that, after having been gone from the galaxy for so long, is totally unsure for one such as myself."

Eyeing the liquid in his drink, Sogar smiled and took a large drink of the potent drought in a mug. Setting it down, Sogar coughed momentarily before adding.
"What happened to you while I was gone?"

 

[GABA]

The Jedi kept her eyes locked on the stranger as he studied her for a moment. She didn't feel a shift in the Force, however as she watched him remove his lightsaber hilt, the Jedi acted, nearly falling backwards out of her seat, she stumbled, her own lightsaber hilt pointed at the Sith. The bar froze watching the two, the barkeep seemed the most panicked as he pressed himself against the wall in shock at what he saw.

However, in that moment, Ebberla was taken by surprise as the Sith broke his lightsaber in half, allowing the pieces fall to the floor as he continued on, explaining who he was and how he knew her. The Jedi's eyes shifted, catching the glares and stunned looks from other patrons in the room. She touched the Force again, looking for hints as to what was going on, but couldn't feel any; instead she lowered her weapon, replacing it back on her belt.

Ebberla picked up the overturned stool and set it back up, taking back her spot at the counter, any linger eyes and thoughts towards them were gently pushed upon by the Force, leaving the Sith and the Jedi to their conversation.

"What happened to me?" Ebberla repeated, letting out a small sigh, it was a slightly unusual question, no one had bothered to ask her that since her return to the Jedi. She shook her head, "Lots of things happened to me. Lots of things that hurt, lots of things that have reopened my eyes to the galaxy once more." Ebb glanced back to Sogar, "You feel familiar, but I did something to protect myself and those I cared for. I'm sure you were someone I did care for, it would explain the blanks I'm pulling up."

Ebberla looked around for her glass of whiskey, but she didn't see it and ordered another, "I can't remember a lot of things. You see, I was captured in combat and taken before the Empress; I knew things too dangerous to let it fall into the wrong hands, so I must have altered my mind. However, when the Force was ripped away, it just made things worse." she explained him, her voice quiet as she drifted back to the days of her Forceless explorations.

 

[Black Noise]

Sogar smiled lightly, yet his mind hung on what Ebberla said about a battle at Empress Teta. The Sith struck at a Jedi temple yet again, and apparently Ebberla was captured long before that. Whoever took her was one great in the Force and blade, someone of Sogar's level at least. And after capture, she wiped her own memories. Sogar shuddered at the thought, losing your memories would be akin to losing a large part of who you are. But she had a good reason, if Sogar had been in her situation he would have likely done the same. Even though Sogar had been assumed 'dead' when Ebberla was captured she did not know that. However, the fact that Ebberla would erase her memory of him because she did not wish for their meeting to be discovered was of comfort.

Then Ebberla dropped the bomb. Her Force had been taken away. Regardless of the fact that it had been restored, having the Force be taken away must have terrible. Tapping the bar, Sogar asked.
"You did what was necessary, the Jedi should be proud of your dedication. Losing your connection to the Force, having it be stripped from you, I can only imagine how that could have been. The Force is a crutch, and in the words of Darth Traya, 'take the greatest Jedi Knight, strip away the Force, and what remains?' In my case, very little would remain."

Taking another swig of the Whiskey, and coughing from it once he set the mug down, Sogar added.
"What was it like, without the Force?"

 

[GABA]

Ebberla begun to shake her head as he spoke, disagreeing about the Force, though he was very curious what it felt like without it.

"The Force is not a crutch, you and I, the Jedi and Sith, we are the crutches within the Force." Ebberla begun, "At first it was empty, it was painful, being connected as I was, knowing its comfort for all my life, the galaxy became a quiet and gloomy place. I was surprised though, the Sith are passionate about power and yet the Darth who took me under his tutelage still wanted to show me the workings of the Sith and the dark side. I accepted, I didn't know what else I could lose, the Jedi wouldn't be able to feel me, and with what happened, I'm sure they thought I had died." she explained shrugging.

"I was expecting a public execution, being the Order's Sage Master, however, Darth Silentius and I traveled, he showed me how the Sith view their emotions, the passion that fueled them, he showed me how I could do the same." Ebberla glanced over to Sogar and smirked, "But that's when I discovered the Sith and Jedi are truly more similar than different, I was able to grasp weaknesses and strengths of both Orders without the Force whispering what I did know about the Force." The Jedi took a sip of her drink as the barkeeper set the glass down before her, she held up the glass studying the tumbler for a moment before setting it back down.

"Though I wasn't able to physically connect to the Force, it was still able to communicate to me, not directly, but through others. Darth Silentius, The Empress, Jhon, Skhai, all of them, abide by the Force's will I believe. I'm still a believer that everything happens for a reason, whether or not it is revealed presently or in future time."

 

[Black Noise]

"An interesting story. It seems to me that, from your journey, you have gained a complete view of the Force and our two orders; enlightenment, as some could call it."

Sogar examined his own glass, barely a sip of whiskey left now. Quietly, he repeated a sentence of what Ebberla just told him.
"More similar than we are different."
While not being executed, honestly, did not surprise Sogar. A smirk played on his face when he heard the name Darth Silentius. Sogar's mind began instantly connecting the dots, and perhaps assuming more than he should have when he began to suspect the main reason Silentius allowed Ebberla to live was because he began to fall in with her. With a slight shake of her head, he banished the thoughts. It was not his place to pry or assume.

However, the fact that Ebberla discovered similarities between the Sith and Jedi intrigued him. Having always viewed the Jedi and Sith as polar opposites, he had believed that having similarity between them was impossible. But then again, Sogar had never been a Jedi, he knew he wouldn't know.

Hesitating for but a moment, Sogar downed the last sip of his drink and inquired of Ebberla.
"Forgive my constant questioning, but, in what ways are we similar?"

 

[GABA]

The Corellian drained her glass of whiskey and raised it to the barkeeper signalling she wanted another. The Sith beside her was a curious one, both with the questions he asked and his overall fascination with her. It reminded her when she met Jhon Cordatus in the alley way, all of his questions, however, as Ebberla learned later from Dal, Jhon wasn't a Sith, or so she was told. Her senses kept jabbing at her as they continued to try and connect to how she knew this individual.

Nevertheless, he mentioned enlightenment and she couldn't disagree. She remembered when Thaed took her to the cliff tops to view the waterfalls over the ledge. The feelings of serenity she held at that moment and everything had fallen through to understanding. Another glass was set down before her and she took another sip before speaking, "Control, Sogar, control." Ebberla brushed a screw off the counter from the Sith's broken lightsaber from earlier.

"Neither light nor dark allow themselves to be consumed by either of their alignment. The Jedi know if they fall too far to the light, it will blind them, the Sith know if they fall too far into darkness, it will consume them. Then there is power, which is subjective to how one defines it. However, power is power. The Sith tend to flaunt theirs more than the Jedi, but the Jedi still hold it; look at their position in the Alliance, the Council, the Masters, or even the padawans looking to prove themselves, its still power, the best will rise through the ranks." The Jedi explained, turning her glass on the table as she spoke.

"Then emotions, don't let any Jedi fool you into believing they don't feel their emotions. They're ok, as long as you don't act with them. Tell me, when has anyone made a smart decision while using their emotions? The Sith use them to fuel their passions, however, they come to find if they allow those emotions to consume them, well...they wouldn't last too long in battle would they?" the Jedi asked rhetorically.

"Essentially it boils down to our intention on how we use the Force, once you take that away, then we all just look like a bunch of silly Force using warriors."

 

[Black Noise]

Motioning to the bartender as he walked past with Ebberla's drink, Sogar turned and focused on what the Jedi Master spoke of. He did not disagree, he himself had often taught his apprentices not to be consumed by the dark side, rather to become a master over it. As a Juggernaut, Sogar often drew upon his emotions to aid in his strength, yet allowing those emotions to control him was neither wise nor something he allowed. Sipping his drink, and unconsciously beginning to get drunk from not having any alcohol tolerance, he replies with a slight smile.
"Silly Force using warriors indeed, fighting a war neither side can ever truly win."

Sogar waited a moment, silent and thoughtful, before speaking again.
"Intentions, that reminds me of what you said once before, the first time we met. We discussed the possibility of a Sith Lord surrendering. You spoke of, should his intentions be sincere, he would be examined and possibly given a second chance. Ever since leaving the sands of Lehon, I've been dwelling on that second chance. Yet I am unsure of whether or not it is still held out.

Have you ever dwelt on Precognition? Attempting to sense the future. Sensing the future is a dangerous ability, not for others, but for the being attempting it. As an Iktotchi it comes almost naturally to me. However I can not bear attempting it some days, for all I see is the galaxy aflame, and it scares me."

Shaking his head, a mirthless laugh escaped Sogar's cracked lips. He spoke again, almost to himself now.
"A Sith, afraid of his own victory. Ha! It's almost comical. I fought so hard, I wanted to end this war as quickly as possible. But now, I sense the end nearing ever closer and I do not like how the outcome seems to tip to my favor."

Taking another sip, Sogar popped another question that seemed to rattle in his brain.
"How did the Jedi react to your return, Ebberla? I can only imagine mixed feelings if you returned alive and unharmed from Sith care."

 

[GABA]

"Always in motion the future is." Ebberla quoted, "Just because you've seen the future, doesn't mean its fate. Your choices now can and will still have effect of what happens between now and when that future comes to present, if it ever does." Ebberla explained taking a sip of her drink. Sogar had continued on, asking her about her experience in returning home. He was a very curious Sith both in his questions and to Ebberla. She thought about that day she did decide to return back to the Jedi, when she saw Jhon in the alley way, broken and what she had thought, consumed by the dark side. She had not talked to him since then, the assault on the Core kept her busy, but she wanted to know if Dal was telling all truths about him, or was he really broken as he played so.

"I returned to what I had feared. I had always feared from the start of the war that I would return home someday and everyone I would have known, would be gone and I was the last of them standing." she explained continuing on, glancing to Sogar, "And I was. There wasn't too much resentment, not until later. I didn't return unscathed, I lost my hand in a duel when I was captured and I was disconnected. You see, the Empress thought death would have been too easy, and instead she severed me from the Force." the Jedi explained tilting her glass to the Sith as she spoke, "It was worst than death; but then I realized, if I could survive a fate worst than death, then anything thrown at me would be a piece of cake." The Corellian gave a small shrug.

"Hell, with what I've been through, the Grand Master's spot looks like youngling's play." Ebb smirked, draining her glass of whiskey. She gave a pull on the Force, detoxifying the liquid in her body to avoid its effects.

 

[Black Noise]

Sogar nodded, that was true, and he knew it more than others. To be reminded by Ebberla, it dually served as a reminder of still how little he knew of the Force as a whole. He had always worked in absolutes, as was the way of a Sith. Yet now he saw the galaxy did not work that way, that the future he saw was truly not absolute. Though, honestly he knew this before now, he had simply chosen to deny it to himself.

What Ebberla spoke of next was an all too familiar feeling, the loneliness of everyone you knew leaving or dying off while you were gone. Nodding slowly and taking another drink, Sogar spoke.
"I know the feeling. We discussed something like that, losing everyone you knew, back then. Was after I lost my best friend, my only friend. I believe I told you I planned on bringing him back to life."
Downing the rest of his drink, Sogar added.
"It didn't work, if you were wondering."

Ordering a third drink, the Iktotchi sighed and wondered what it was like to lose connection to the Force. Worse than death perfectly described what Sogar expected it to be. Chuckling, Sogar warned.
"Be careful what you speak of, that position may one day be thrust upon you. Heh, I sure as hell know I was not ready for the position of a Dark Lord when I took it. But I filled it, I did my job in order to bring the galaxy closer to the end I thought would be best. I don't like war, that's why I've always fought to end it. Yet in my recent years, before being abandoned on Lehon, I have not even wanted to avoid battle. Heh, I doubt you've ever had such a 'problem.'"

 

[GABA]

The Jedi gave the Sith a curious look trying to decipher the paths of reminders that made his story sound too familiar. She didn't doubt now that they have met in ht past, nor what he was explaining to her; her senses still remained alert as she continued to purge the alcohol from her system as she downed the potent liquid in her glass.

Ebberla understood the desire to conquer death, however, it left the Jedi in a state of confusion as she contemplated on the paradox for some desire to meet death instead of living. Frowning at her own thought, she quickly pushed it out of her mind as Sogar continued, discussing his time as a Darth and his desire to end war. She quirked an eyebrow, her interests piqued as she took her moment to speak.

"The Sith do have something right, conflict, its a natural thing in life; the choices we make is what defines us, shapes us all while a greater force presents us with the events to chose from." Ebberla explained, "Sometimes though, conflict is not always seen in terms of physical contact, sometimes its internal, I can personally attest to that."

 

[Black Noise]

Sogar nodded when Ebb spoke of internal conflict, she and him both had that in common. Pushing aside his drink and deciding he had enough, the Iktotchi spoke.
"Indeed. Ironic too, how our resolutions to conflict between our two factions isn't typically much different. Kill or convert, is that not the view typically taken by our Orders? Sure, capture is always an option, yet that often ends in death or a fate far worse. You know the resolution of a punishment worse than death firsthand.

Conflict is something our Orders are forever doomed to. The Sith will always fight the Jedi as you oppose their core values and vice versa."

By now, the alcohol ha fully taken effect and had begun to seriously impair Sogar's judgement. The Sith knew he should purge his body of the poison, yet he had no want to do as such. Plus, for a body purge to be performed by a Sith, both concentration and the Dark Side were required. Neither of those did Sogar want. Tapping the bar, he asked.
"What now, Ebb, do we walk away from each other for the third time? Slightly more knowledgeable yet nothing really changing? I have no intention nor want to draw or drag you back to the Sith, hell, I won't even be going back there."

 

[GABA]

It still bothered the Jedi that he knew a lot about her, but yet she couldn't recall anything on him. She stopped trying to connect hm to previous memories, she knew she wasn't going to find anything for now, all she could do was trust his word. Tugging on the Force, she increased her senses, she thought she could hear a slight slur to the Iktochi's words as he spoke, surely the dark side had a way of forcing toxins from their system, but she wasn't sure why he wouldn't do such a thing, unless he wanted to purposely feel drunk.

The Sith tapped the bar, continuing to speak, Ebb quirked a thoughtful eyebrow as she begun to think on what they should do now and gave a small smirk.

"I wouldn't let you drag me back to the Sith." she smiled, sitting up straight, stretching her back for a moment and then took a drink, "With the Mandalorians at Brentraal, there's a good chance the Alliance would want to handle you and the Council would have to hand you over. I advise to stay away from the core for now if you're looking to start anew." the Corellian explained, "Besides, I don't want to face ridicule for the situation that lead me to bring you back in the first place. The Council seems a little more conservative in their views." she said, but understood why they would be as such.

"If you are not going back to your brethren, and I not taking you back to mine, then perhaps this is your second chance. There's a lot to what you can do with a second chance."

 

[Black Noise]

Sogar slowly stood up as to not startle the Jedi. As he did so, he grinned and stretched his body, feeling far more aged than he should. Looking to Ebberla, he spoke.
"Of course. Even if I were to return to the Core, I most certainly would not allow you to take me. Your reputation is great, and it needs purity reflected upon it. A Sith Lord drinking buddy is not exactly the pillar of purity. Besides, though I doubt you know it, I have a reputation on Coruscant. Too many bomb threats and battles if you catch my drift."

Drawing his dark hood back up, Sogar turned his back on Ebberla, a sign of trust from the distrustful Iktotchi, and added.
"If it's a second chance I've got, then I believe I'll take it. I'll see you again Ebberla Daw, hopefully by then we can meet as good friends."

 

[GABA]

No, a Sith Lord drinking buddy was not the ideal friend any Jedi expected to have. Though even finding one associating with a Sith was a dangerous in the behavior itself, sworn enemies, currently at war, it sounded almost childish to the Jedi Master, clearly not every Sith out there was a blood thirsty monster. She couldn't bring herself to argue with her thoughts at the moment as the Sith rose slowly from his seat. Ebberla felt herself tense for a moment, the Force stirred around her as she prodded her senses for any sudden change or disturbances in the Force.

The Sith continued to speak with his back turned, raising his hood over his head, he bid Ebberla farewell, wishing to see again in the future. The Corellian didn't doubt they would see one another again, if he had spoken the truth, the did know each other at one point in time, unfortunately, Ebberla couldn't recall when.

"Good friends, that's rare to hear these days." she replied turning in her seat, "Until then Sogar, may the Force be with you."