Ask The Outlaw in the Library

[Laeonas Tannaras]

Thinking back on the Jedi's words, Laeonas stared at the old and worn ceiling, an idle look in his bright, aquamarine eyes. It was undeniable that the boy would have to take his leave in a few days, but there was still so much to do. The boy had tried to study the mysteries of the force on his own before. Now, however, Laeonas had the help of the Jedi-- someone with training, who could actually guide him.

Though he wasn't sure if Rishe was actually ready to take on a dedicated student. She only looked his age-- younger, even. He could still learn from her, but there had to be others-- genuine masters, with years of training and knowledge to impart onto him. It was experience that helped anyone learn, experience and talent. If Rishe herself was to be believed, well...

He paused, suddenly, and a frown slipped across his face. Disgust welled up inside him, and his fists clenched up.

Whose words were these? Who could be so self obsessed and arrogant to immediately do such a thing? To look at a person who, so far, had only helped him, granted his requests, provided him a pathway to knowledge, and mastery of his abilities, and immediately view them as an inferior? Who was this person, this self assured monster, who looked at people-- living and breathing, as he was-- as merely inferiors or superiors? As only step stones to his own elevation?

It wasn't Laeonas Tannaras. It wasn't him. He was self serving-- he had to be-- but he wasn't pompous. His pride, at least he believed, was reasonable, considering he was a man with natural abilities that gave him powers most could only dream of.

It wasn't him... but it could be.

Any sentient could change, for better or worse. The boy was young, and if he continued down the current path he was on, the skills and abilities he had would only grow with time. She spoke like he was impressive, that his abilities were actually uniquely strong amongst those in the galaxy like the both of them. What could a few years of training-- proper training, help him become?

He was already strong enough to deal with most individuals in close combat. How many could stand against him and fail after he refined his skills? Could ten stand against him and win? Could twenty? Could fifty? Perhaps he wouldn't ever need to fight again, if the stories about Jedi delving into the minds of sentient beings and twisting them were true.

Such a being could use their abilities for any number of goals... including the ones that pulled them towards that "wrong" the Sith gorged themselves on. The Sith styled themselves lords, and they were all to similar to those that ruled over his world-- apparently as uncaring, malicious, and self obsessed as they were.

Laeonas stopped, thinking back to what Rishe had said about the rulers of her world. She'd sounded honest towards the end; genuine, not influenced by a desire to pridefully defend herself. The girl had simply stated what she believed was true;

"Some did. All should."

It... could have been that Laeonas was initially right; that the lords, elevated above the people, were inherently inclined to view them like scum. Separated and pampered in their palaces, raised to believe they were entitled to their position, deserved it simply for being born.

But maybe it could be changed. Maybe the problem was with the lords themselves. In theory, if replaced with those who viewed themselves as servants to their subjects, and not that their subjects were their servants, the lords wouldn't act as they did. They'd use the tax revenue to improve the lives of the people, rather than fund increasingly corrupt security forces, or build massive palaces, or host luxuriant parties.

...but who could do that?

His thoughts might have continued on their current trajectory if the girl hadn't joined him again. Greeting her with an idle wave, and a single "Walked awhile, gonna sit for awhile s'well," he'd watch as the seemingly normal sized satchel was gently placed on an end table-- and than he'd hear the massive THUNK sound that came with it.

"What tha kark do ya got in there?" Laeo asked, both concerned, interested, and amused. Hopping off from the bunk, the slightly taller human pressed his back against the post of the double cot. Thinking back to what she'd said earlier, Laeonas was obviously... pondering what to say next.

When it came to him, he answered, "So, ya mentioned tha will of tha force; does that mean what Ai'm doin' raight now is under tha force's thumb? That no matter what Ai do, Ai'm actin' as tha force wants?"

Laeonas answered his own question, however, with a shake of his head. "Ai don't think th'at's 'ow tha universe works. Coincidences? Ai can buy th'at; maybe 'oever's will it is that's operatin' tha force from be'hind tha scenes finds that shite funny. But mae will's mae own-- Ai ain't just a piece in a game of dejarek." He asserted, confident in his assessment.

Thinking back further, he remembered the offer of datapads, and shook his head. "Ai don't gotta go fer a few days; you and Ai can go o'ver it ourselves. Who else am Ai gonna bother talkin' ta?" The boy explained, cracking a smile before he thought about it a bit longer and added, "Well, Ai guess we aren't tha'only ones 'ere, and Ai can still prob'ably call people on tha holo... but that ain't tha point!"


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@Stick

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[Rishe Vakren]

"And nobody gave you trouble?" She clarified as the bag was unzipped. Granted, Laeonas was not the shadiest character in this temple, as the foreman's steady reasurrance with a blaster rifle earlier did seem to suggest. A small construction project could not often afford clean criminal histories. Before the temple would host Jedi, visitors, tourists, pilgrims, and sentients of all walks of life, it was being built with humbler hands.

"What tha kark do ya got in there?"

"Devices for torture, if other Padawans are to be believed." Rishe says, pulling out a datapad from within with the same gravity as if she was truly pulling out a shuttle battery and some power cabling for some holovid-esque interrogation. She awkwardly angles it on her sling to tap the screen with her good hand - causing the transparent screen to flicker to life before she gives the actual answer. "It's my personal library, since not all planets have good holonet access. Perhaps not as large as you'd hope or on the exact things you wanted to study, but a few of them have related topics."

She does stop tinkering with it to listen to Laeonas, keeping her attention on him with a blue gaze that still retained a measure of intensity even in a relaxed situation like this. She seems thoughtful at Laeonas' rebuttal, and sits down, tapping the tablet against her leg. "Not necessarily. The Force is not a single thinking being. It's a Force. You still have your free will, but your own will is influenced by it." Rishe says, before latching onto Laeonas' comparison to dejarek. "You are the player, not the Force. The Force helps to decide what pieces you get in dejarek, or what pazaak cards you draw from your side deck, and hopes you will take actions that suit the circumstances it's placed you in. Like not sacrificing a flip card on a bad round. "

It's not a perfect analogy, and her lips draw into a tight line as her mind immediately seems to barrage her with a deluge of ways she could have explained it better. "Of course, that's also a topic that actual Grandmasters have argued to death over." She says, leaving it unclear as to whether the death is metaphorical or literal.

She smiles as Laeonas stumbles over himself to clarify his words. It was an honest, human moment, not that she stopped him to save him the brief embarrassment. Instead, she waited until he finished, then motioned to a chair, leaning over to physically pull it out next to her. Strangely enough, she neglected the use of the force. "Well, come over and sit, then. I promise these aren't as dry as you'd fear." She says, placing the holopad on the table between her and the adjacent spot.

It was relaxing, even something she looked forward to, and it was relieving that Laeonas didn't outright reject her offer. More than that, he seemed to engage with her. Yet, her mind still wanted to yank her back to a guarded state. It whispered to her about the risks, about how she was being foolish, that at any moment things could go wrong. She needed to be ready for it. It wasn't the Jedi way to get relax. She had so much to do.

No. Just a few nights of rest like this, please. Forget the Sith, forget danger and responsibility. Just for a bit. Rishe thought, surprising even herself. It's going to help the Order anyway. I'm sure of it.

It wasn't that weak of a justification, and in her mind, she was doing this to try and sway Laeonas further over to their side. But she was happy to trade away violence and stress for something as simple and familiar as study. Of course, she was no master, but if Laeonas sat next to her, that's not how she'd approach it anyway. Sitting on chairs of equal height, looking at the same text, titles and expectations could be swept away, replaced with a mutual desire to understand and learn.

@Tom

 

[Laeonas Tannaras]

So, the seemingly stale Jedi girl had a sense of humor? He might've been amused; the idea that students of the force actively avoided learning about the force might have sent his mind spinning into a host of ironic scenarios, were it not for the fact that Laeonas was far more interested in the conversation they had begun to have. He had, after all, arrived for the things that apparent other students neglected; understanding of the force.

What Rishe had told him made sense, on the face of it. If the force was a... force, based off the connections of all life, and all wills, it made sense that it could exert an influence on his-- and everyone else's-- decision making. It made further sense that his decision making process was his own as well; if the force was some all controlling, will-dominating field that determined all decisions, why would any conflict ever exist? If that were the case, it'd mean all the absurd conflicts, the untold trillions of deaths in wars and crimes and famines and plagues-- all of it had been because the force wanted it to happen.

"What a shite existence that'd be." Laeonas thought to himself, pursing his lips in a line similar to Rishe's own. She spoke with conviction, but even she could admit that what she discussed was something that sentient beings of far greater station, understanding and ability had debated over. Her rationalization, he realized, was more likely a commonly held opinion-- not provable fact, but a conclusion based on inferences and reasoning, probably by hundreds of men who'd pondered far longer than he or she ever had.

The boy gladly took the opportunity to get his mind off the increasingly complex and frightening topic. Laeonas sat, glancing across the table at the other human as he nodded in thanks for her gesture. She'd asked earlier if he'd gotten any trouble with the others in the temple; in truth, he hadn't really seen anyone on his walk over to the barracks, so he couldn't say for certain. He left the topic out of discussion; he'd complain if anyone gave him trouble, but there wasn't a need to talk about much else, especially with how interested he was in what Rishe provided.

He... wasn't sure where to begin with the various datapads and pieces of information splayed out in front of him. "Ya'v proba'b'ly used these with kids who can't even count ta twenty." Laeo surmised, taking one of the pads into his hands. Aquamarine eyes studied the piece of equipment for a bit, before he tapped it on with the poke of his fingers.

"Still, this thing 'as got knowledge more solid than Ai could'ever 'ave 'oped for learnin' on mae own." The boy further guessed, not really sure if what he said was accurate, but not to concerned either. He was much more interested in whether or not he could actually glean any useful information from what Rishe had provided.

Looking back up at the Jedi, he gave her an expressionless shrug. "Can't 'urt'ta give't a look anyhow." Was all he said; though, he was obviously much more interested than he let on. She seemed as focused on her own thoughts as he was; he couldn't begin to grasp what they were exactly, but he was curious. Was she as eager to peer into this knowledge as he was, even if she'd read it before? Was she having seconds thoughts?

Who knew. Though, Laeo suspected he'd find out before he left the planet.


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@Stick

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