Private A Good Man is Hard to Find

[Thelma Goth]

It was the middle of the night. Long past curfew for younglings, a Padawan found wandering around outside their quarters would certainly be stopped for questioning, and perhaps escorted back to bed. So Thelma kept to the shadows, hiding from anyone that passed by, be they a Jedi Master or a patrolling guard.

Upon reaching Silas' room, she hesitated. Maybe she should just go back to her room. No one else needed to know her business. Certainly she didn't want Silas to get involved in anything that might put him in undue danger. But she didn't know how to handle this on her own, and she trusted him...

Finally, she gathered up the courage to knock on his door.

Silas Westgard​

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant
Objective: Help Thelma
Tag: Thelma Goth

"Ughhh..."

Silas groaned quietly to himself when he was awoken by the sound of doorknocks, dazed and confused as to who would be trying to gain his attention at such an ungodly hour. With a sigh, he hesitantly rolled out of his bed in only a pair of shorts and went to the door.

"I'm coming..."

Yawning all the way there he slowly opened up and peaked his head out. To his surprise it was Thelma standing before him "Oh, Thelma? what's up?" he asked tiredly, trying greatly to try and somewhat wake up. ​

 

[Thelma Goth]

After a couple minutes, Silas answered the door. Thelma’s face reddened at his state of undress, but she didn't quite avert her gaze. It was a nice view, after all. “Oh,” she mumbled. “I’m sorry, did I wake you?...”

Of course she had, it was the middle of the night! She probably should’ve waited until the morning, but she hadn’t been thinking straight. What’s done was done; she couldn’t turn back now.

“I… I got a message from my old master,” she blurted. Then, realizing she probably shouldn’t be talking about this in the hallway, she lowered her voice and asked, “Can I come in?”

Silas Westgard​

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant
Objective: Help Thelma
Tag: Thelma Goth

"I'm afraid so Thelma, but I don't mind for you," he said with a sheepish smile, noticing her blushed cheeks from the fact he was topless. Unknowingly, Thelma must have gotten a bunch of eye candy.

"Oh, of course. Just make sure to shut the door behind you" Silas asked as he walked over to his bed to try and find a spare top that was folded neatly somewhere. In all honesty, he didn't know she had a master before Kahlil. Whatever the case, it must have been important if she came to him. Swiping a decently clean one from his bedside, he turned to Thelma and threw it on in front of her

"What's this about your former master then?"​

 

[Thelma Goth]

Thelma did as asked, entering the room and closing the door behind her. “Master Maxim Koschei,” she said, nervously running a hand through her hair. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him.”

While Silas got dressed, she started to pace. It occurred to her that she had never really given Silas the full story of how she wound up on Coruscant. “He helped me escape the… the vampire hunters who killed the rest of our coven,” she began haltingly. “Max saved me from them, put me on a shuttle to Coruscant, and told me to wait for him here. But he never came. I thought the hunters must've gotten him…”

She sank down on the edge of the bed, her expression grave. “Now all of a sudden I get this message from him saying that I need to go back to Dahrtag. I don’t even know if it’s really him, or if it’s a trap, or what, and—and I don’t know what to do.” She held her head in her hands.

Silas Westgard​

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant
Objective: Help Thelma
Tag: Thelma Goth

"Hey hey, trying to get a level head would be the first step," he said calmly, sitting next to her on the edge of the bed to put an arm around her to let Thelma know he was here for her "He seemed like a good man if he was willing to put his life on the line to keep you safe. I presume you think the same correct?" Silas asked with a gentle squeeze of her shoulder, a short sigh coming from his lips from how strange it sounded.

"From my way of thinking, you have followed his instruction and stayed put. It just seems odd to me if he wishes you to go back after all this time," he mentioned with suspicion "And he wouldn't seem like a person who would want to bring you back into danger..."

Looking down at her he gave Thelma a quick kiss on the temple "If I was in his shoes, I'd want you to stay where you're safe"​

 

[Thelma Goth]

Thelma hugged Silas back, resting her head just below his chin. “He was the best Jedi I’ve ever known,” she said. “Er, no offense. You're a pretty good Jedi too.”

He was right. Max would never have told her to do anything that would put her in danger. The message was definitely suspicious. But there was something else.

“I don’t know what happened to Max,” she said. “Unless I go back, I won’t ever know for sure.”

Silas Westgard​

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant
Objective: Help Thelma
Tag: Thelma Goth

"No offense taken," Silas said with a light smile. It was times like this that called for calm, and right now they needed that in order to decide what they were going to do about this problem.

"Go back? are you sure you want to do that?" he questioned "I sense a trap Thelma, if you go there you'll only be putting yourself in danger" his voice said softly, a hand going to her chin to raise it up

"And trust me, the last thing I want is for you to be hurt"​

 

[Thelma Goth]

“It’s something I have to do,” she said, meeting his eyes as he lifted her chin. “I need to know the truth.”

Were their positions reversed, Thelma would have felt the same way about Silas walking into a trap. She couldn’t exactly deny that she was afraid of what would happen when she went home, either.

“So come with me,” she suggested, her gaze hopeful. “I’ll be better off if I don't go alone.”

Silas Westgard​

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant
Objective: Help Thelma
Tag: Thelma Goth

“I need to know the truth.”

"I remember saying that some time ago..." he said with a sigh, remembering when he was telling Master Valery he had to go to Dathomir to put his mind to rest too. Silas knew if he refused she'd go by herself anyway, he couldn't have that on his conscience

Silas seemed to be hesitant for a few moments, looking down into her eyes with a look of concern. However, a small nod and a smile creeping onto his lips seemed to confirm he was with her "I'll come with you Thelma..." he said softly with a kiss on her cheek.

"I warn you though, if things get too heated I won't hesitate to drag us both out"​

 

[Thelma Goth]

“You too?” she asked softly. He had mentioned a trip to Dathomir he had taken with Master Valery Noble, but Thelma didn’t know all the details. She could infer that it had something to do with his troubled past, however.

A craftier girl might have deliberately manipulated Silas by guilting him into going with her. But Thelma was quite guileless, even for a vampire. She looked relieved when he agreed, and accepted the peck on her cheek—then pressed her lips to his in a slow and lingering kiss.

“It’s not exactly a date, but…” she murmured as she pulled away. “Thank you, Silas.”

Her body language was poised to stand up and return to her own room, but she was more than a little reluctant to leave.

Silas Westgard​

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant
Objective: Help Thelma
Tag: Thelma Goth

"Yea... that trip to Dathomir was more like a discovery trip. I came out with what I wanted in the end with the Help of Valery and Kahlil" he said relating for him to go with her. If it was going to help Thelma have a piece of mine, he'd do anything to achieve that.

"Thelma, any time with you is special to me" Silas reassured her, taking in the lingering kiss she gave to him "But you know, we do have some time to kill until we go in the morning..." he said softly, lowering his lips down to hers again. Keeping it inches away from her, he seemingly teased Thelma with more intimacy

"What do you crave more? sleep or this..." slowly but surely he moved closer to try and give her a long kiss, craving more of her attention. He wasn't concerned about the risks she could pose, Silas trusted Thelma with his life. ​

 

[Thelma Goth]

“What did you want out of it?” she asked. Silas was being a bit coy about what had happened on Dathomir. Maybe he didn’t want to talk about it. Thelma wouldn’t push him any further… though she did want to know. She wanted to know everything about him.

Silas picked up on her reluctance. Thelma’s fingers clutched at his shirt in anticipation as he lowered his face toward hers. “I could wind up biting you again, you know,” she warned, though her grip on him didn’t loosen. “If we get too… too…”

"What do you crave more? Sleep or this..."

They were close enough to share each other’s breath. When his lips brushed hers, she groaned. “You’re killing me here, Silas…”

She pulled him toward her, closing the distance. Their second kiss was longer and more passionate. Thelma was not in any hurry to stop, but when she felt her fangs descend (mind your tongue, Silas) she abruptly pulled away with a gasp.

“Sleep,” she mumbled, covering her mouth with her hand. “I should… go get some sleep…”

Silas Westgard​

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant
Objective: Help Thelma
Tag: Thelma Goth

"To give me a lesson more than anything and follow a path that I wish to take and not what others want me to" he replied honestly with a slight frown. The dark route only led to a life of misery, I think just about anyone would pick a life of happiness and positivity if they had the choice.

Moving closer, a smile spread across his lips "Don't worry... just let it flow" he said softly before he was pulled in by his shirt for a passionate kiss. Silas was only just starting to get into it when he felt something sharp touch his tongue. Instead of pulling away fast, he took great care to move away with her.

"N-no that's totally fine" he reassured her after the close encounter again. He could see why she didn't want him alone. Getting up, he walked to the door and opened it "I'll meet you in the hangar tomorrow morning, alright?" Silas said, moving forwards to give her a brief yet comforting hug.

"I love you..."​

 

[Thelma Goth]

“Oh.” Thelma cracked a smile. “Good for you.”

All that fell by the wayside, however, as the two began making out, only for her fangs to ruin the moment. “I didn’t… draw blood, did I?” she asked worriedly, still holding her hand in front of her mouth so that he couldn’t see her teeth. “I’m trying to learn how to control it better...”

Her cheeks burned with shame. She needed to leave. Really, she shouldn’t have come here to begin with. They could’ve talked somewhere less… tempting. What had she been thinking?

“Okay,” she mumbled, edging toward the door.

Silas’ hug was unexpected. She froze at first, then relaxed, grateful that he wasn’t upset. Things hadn’t turned out as bad as they could have. Silver linings, right?—

"I love you..."

She stared at him, stunned. But then a gentle warmth spread through her, and she smiled. “I love you too,” she said, pulling her hand away so he could hear her clearly. “Good night.”

Then she was out the door, walking with a bounce in her step. He just said he loved me! He loves me!

Up ahead of her was a sleepy Starlin Rand holding a mug in his hand. Either he was a very early riser, or she had stayed in Silas’ room for longer than she thought. As they passed each other, Starlin got a brief look at her fangs and did a startled double take. Thelma hardly noticed him, practically skipping down the hall back to her room.

“What the…” Starlin muttered. He looked into his mug with suspicion, wondering what the hell they were putting in the caf these days, before shaking his head and heading on his way.

---

Dahrtag was a gloomy planet, with overcast skies and a seemingly perpetual fog that shrouded the landscape. Occasionally the dark outlines of mountains were visible in the distance, evergreen trees poking up through the mist, or the tallest towers and blurry lights of a far-off city.

Thelma had directed the ship to land in the middle of an empty field next to a dirt road. They were in a remote, rural area away from civilization. It was chilly and dank, like the air after an autumn storm.

She pulled her blue cloak more tightly around her. She had gone digging through her things to find her old traditional clothes, hoping to blend in. Silas would stick out, but as long as he was traveling with her they were unlikely to draw too much attention from the locals.

“Up there,” she said, pointing toward a nearby mountain. Built into the slope was an ancient stone castle or fortress. “That’s the Citadel, where I used to live. There’s a main road leading up to it and passing through a little village. It’s a bit of a hike, but as long as we stay on the main path, we should be all right.”

Silas Westgard​

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant
Objective: Help Thelma
Tag: Thelma Goth

“I didn’t… draw blood, did I?”

"No no, you're fine Thelma," Silas said, sticking out his tongue as proof she left no marks "Your teeth touched it but it didn't hurt at all" in times like this Silas forgot that Thelma was dangerous to be around alone. He always saw her as a regular, loving individual and not a person who could take all your memories if they wished "One step at a time huh?" he smiled at her, not wanting to be angry or aggressive about sensitive things like this. It was true he could be harmed, but Thelma wasn't doing this by choice. Things like this can be made better one way or another.

When he reached the door and stated that he loved her, Silas wasn't expecting anything back. However, when Thelma said the same thing back his cheeks blushed bright red "Goodnight Thelma..." he said just before shutting the door and leaning up against it "She said it back..." he said in surprise, a happy smile spreading across his face just before he threw himself back into bed.

What a goodnight send off...

In the morning nice and early they shuffled themselves into Thelma's ship and flew straight to the planet. The trip there was uneventual, yet when they got there Silas was curious as to what he was seeing around him. Dressed in casual clothing of a jumper and jeans he stuck out badly, thankfully Thelma was there to help him fit in a bit more.

Looking ahead Silas's eyes widened slightly to the ancient castle in the distance. This place almost felt as if it belonged to a different age, compared to coruscant it was quite primitive "I'm fine with walking" he replied at first while his head kept on turning to look at the environment "This place is so much more different to anywhere else I have been" Silas remarked as they continued up the path, trying to not make it obvious he was here for a reason.

"And what do you mean by should be fine? Is there something I should be worried about?" ​

 

[Thelma Goth]

"And what do you mean by should be fine? Is there something I should be worried about?"

“If you venture off the path, you’ll be lost in the fog,” Thelma replied. “And there are rumors of monsters that will attack lost travelers.” She reached for his hand. “But there’s nothing to fear wherever civilization has taken root. Remember that.”

Together they made their way up the mountain. The fog remained impenetrable, preventing them from seeing much beyond the road immediately ahead of them. Eventually the dark silhouettes of buildings began to emerge from the mist. These structures were small and looked very old. Some were clearly abandoned, while others still showed signs of habitation.

As they approached the center of the settlement, an eerie quiet descended. Then the sudden slam of a door punctured the silence. Thelma jumped, turning toward the source of the sound, and saw a figure shambling toward them. Her grip on Silas’ hand tightened.

Silas Westgard​

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Dahrtag
Objective: Help Thelma
Tag: Thelma Goth

Fog monsters? it almost sounded like something from a horror movie. As long as they stayed on the path, they wouldn't need to worry about that though "I would never let a thing like that become folk tale, you never know what you can find in this galaxy..." he said before taking her hand gently "You're right Thelma, if they can survive we can"

Walking up the mountain together the fog was an ever present thing making things harder for them. If only the force was capable of changing the weather, something like that would be more useful than anything.

Not long after dark silhouettes began appearing before them in the distance. They were getting close to something, it was just a matter of what they were heading straight into. Suddenly, a loud bang of a door followed by the outline of the person stumbled towards them. Thelma's hand tightened around his as he put a hand on his saber

"Who goes there?!" he shouted with authority, trying to gain the person's attention and hopefully find out who they were.
​

 

[Thelma Goth]

Silas’ shout echoed through the mountains. The figure paused, then continued to walk toward them. A male Sakiyan, he had an enlarged, hairless head and dark purple skin that shone like burnished metal. His eyes seemed to glow from within, a trait Thelma and all other Psy-Pires shared.

“I’ll be damned,” he said. “Thelma? What are you doing here? And who’s that with you?”

Thelma’s mouth fell open. It was Maxim Koschei! “Master!” she blurted, but didn’t move from Silas’ side. “This is Silas, he’s a Jedi. You sent a message asking me to come here, didn’t you?”

“Certainly not!” Max replied. “I told you to stay on Coruscant. This place has become much too dangerous.”

Thelma’s brow furrowed. So far, the village looked creepy and abandoned, but they hadn’t encountered any threats. “Then who sent the message?” she asked.

“I don’t know, but I don’t like the look of this.” Frowning, Max looked around. “You two shouldn’t be outside after dark. I’ve been staying at the village inn. Come inside and we’ll talk.”

Glancing at Silas, Thelma started to follow Max through the fog.

Silas Westgard​

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Dahrtag
Objective: Help Thelma
Tag: Thelma Goth

Silas's brows raised in surprise as he looked between the two. Out of all the people they could have bumped into somehow it was Thelma's master, and to Silas that seemed too good to be true. Choosing to move his hand away from the saber, he couldn't help but keep his hand ready for a possible trap.

"He didn't send the message?" Silas questioned to Thelma who was probably as confused as he was. That aloe sent alarm bells ringing through his head while they followed the master through the fog <"Are you sure this man is your former master?"> he said telepathically to the girl, his gaze trying to spot anything wrong with the man that may indicate otherwise.

"Excuse me sir, where did you just come from?"
​