Between Ice and Fire

[Setzi Lunelle]

When Setzi wasn’t in training with Varus Shatterstar, the monastic daily rituals of the Jedi Order left the brunette padawan bored and lonely. Her sister Chastity was stationed elsewhere. The Praxeum on Arkania was intensely cold, and in order to earn her keep, she was required to do communal work such as cleaning the bathrooms or shoveling snow. It wasn’t that she was above such menial chores. It was that doing those tasks and the rigid training day after day was starting to affect her mood.

The padawan had also begun to work for the Levantine Sanctum doing some exploring with the Frontier Corps, and the two experiences were absolutely night and day. Therefore, when she found out about a Jedi Master who was accepting new students, she finagled his name out of one of the LAA students and arranged some Force training. It would be good to compare teaching styles, although she had a feeling the Levantines were much less strict in their methods. Organic growth of Force skills, rather than all of these repetitive drills and fitness exercises sounded much more appealing to Setzi.

They were to meet on Ziost, a planet which had suffered from an Ice Age at some point during its development and was now a frozen wasteland. As her shuttle broke through the atmosphere, and she got closer to Ziost, she marveled at the pure nothingness of the landscape. Ice tundra and hardened white rock as far as the eye could see. Setzi wondered if Jedis trained on uninteresting and unforgiving planets so there would be no distractions. No glittering nightlife to tempt a young, adventurous student.

However she eventually landed at New Adasta which was thankfully metropolitan. She was to meet [member="Khaleel Malvern"], who had been here doing business in the cavernous city, on the outskirts of the Central District in a café called Zel’s.

Setzi sat down and ordered a stimcaf to warm her up. It was far too cold to wear even her heaviest training robes. She opted for a suit of light armor, a large hooded jacket and utilitarian boots. As she waited, she wondered if they would be starting their training in the city or somewhere out on the icy desert.

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Setzi Lunelle"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Ziost was one of [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]those[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] worlds.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]The Darkside was strong here, the core itself warped by the shadows that had ruled this world for such a long time, ya don’t just wipe a history like this one away. Can’t just wipe off the slate like that and Khal wasn’t entirely too sure why the Jedi had taken this world.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Seemed a strange choice with so many inhabited worlds left needing protection.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]But the Underlord was not a man who would judge a foreign nation’s choices if he could help it, and in this regard it only helped him more and more, already he had made contact with a few excavation efforts and planted his own men in between. Making sure that if anything [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]worthwhil[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]e came up, that his organization would be the first one to profit from it.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Just business.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]The scent of cigarettes, alcohol and cologne would precede the arrival of the Jedi Master, settling himself lazily in a seat before her. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Miss Lunelle.” the Underlord would greet, his leg crossed and a cigarette dangling from those lips.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Ain’t you a sore sight for the eyes, I hope you don’t mind my cigarette this time?”[/SIZE]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

It was Walker.

Well, how about that, she thought! The co-pilot from Diver One was going to be her Jedi Master. Back on Arda, she had not thought to check anyone's aura on the Frontier Corps ship. Truthfully on the exploratory mission where they had first met, Setzi had been preoccupied with meeting the instructor and getting ready for the dive. She had no idea at all that Walker, as he had called himself there, was such a powerful Force user.

As the blonde man sat down, she pulled her hood down off of her head and shook out her brown shoulder-length hair. It was so cold in the cafe that she could see her own breath and his come out in little puffs of steam. His odor was one of cigarettes and something else... aftershave? Liquor? Setzi wasn't sure, but aside for the smoky tobacco smell, it was a clean, distracting smell. She herself wore no perfume and only smelled vaguely of shampoo.

"I don't..." she stopped. She didn't like the smoking but as she knew with Varus Shatterstar, it wasn't her place to give the orders. Not to a Jedi Master at least. She swallowed down the urge to tell him to crush it out. "No, please. You may smoke," she said with a tight smile. Although as he took another puff, she looked around the cafe for a no smoking sign. Setzi hated breaking the rules, especially in a public establishment.

"And I'm sorry if before...," she trailed off, blushing slightly. Oh just stop talking Setzi and be polite, she told herself. She wrapped her hands around the warm, white mug before her and changed the subject.

"I've been led to believe you are doing business here on Ziost? What type of business is it you do?"

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Setzi Lunelle"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Patrolling, really.” Khal would reply, before leaning into the back of his seat and making it wip just a little bit on two of its legs. Which would also give her a wide view of a sign hanging on the wall that clearly said [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]no smoking[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px], a sign that the Jedi would have seen hanging according to the way he had entered the scene.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Some Jedi like to be stuck on one place for their entire lives, freezing their asses off, sweating it off or any other combination of their backsides and off.” a shrug combined with a half grin. “I like to travel around a bit, myself.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Khal looked around before noticing one of the waiters who currently wasn’t really doing anything. Waving him over it seemed the young waiter was going to say something about the cigarette, but a raisure of the eyebrow made that go away immediately. Perhaps it was the eyebrow, perhaps it was something of a glint in the eye that suggested a certain amount of steel.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]But in the end the result was the same.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“What could I get you and the ma’am, sir?” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Some coffee will do, thanks. The girl’s gonna be training her ass off, so don’t worry about her.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Pointed look back at Setzi.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“So whatcha want to learn?”[/SIZE]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

All Setzi had right now to go on was a comparison between Malvern and her current Master Varus Shatterstar. She had also grown close to Master Hinata at the Praxeum in Arkania but had not trained with her and only listened to her wise advice from time to time. Master Shatterstar was continually training himself, so that when he was in her presence he was nearly anemic with fatigue. Their practice drills were not very conversational and quite serious. Or that was Setzi’s interpretation anyway.

Khaleel Malvern, as was his Jedi name (and why she didn’t connect him with the name Walker) had alert hazel eyes, a striking, unshaven face and a grin that was a combination of cocky and mischievous. So far, he was the antithesis to her other trainer. In a way, Malvern reminded the brunette padawan of the Aduba townie boys which her parents had warned her to stay away from as a teenager when she was growing up.

But Setzi was no longer an adolescent. She was twenty-five and perfectly capable of dealing with a man like Malvern.

“I have been learning the Determination Form as well as Shien for defense. And aside from some Force augmentation,” she said, shrugging. “That’s really about it.” Turning the question back on him, she asked, “What do you think I should learn next?”

Before he could answer she leaned towards him conspiratorially and with a whisper said, “But Master Malvern. I think you should know. There is a no smoking sign behind you.” That he was flaunting the rules in this café made her slightly uncomfortable, especially around the staff who eyed them both.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Setzi Lunelle"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Khal leaned in more and whispered back.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“I know.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Before pulling himself back, once again resuming his old position at the seat. It didn’t take long for the waiter to get that cup of coffee, firmly placed on the table with another eyeing at the cigarette, but Khal just pretended he didn’t even notice it. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]There was some pondering on that expression of his, wondering what he could possible teach the girl that was sitting in front of him. Part of him also wondered if this was some kind of joke, he wasn’t no teacher and definitely wasn’t a Shatterstar-caliber gym star - which brought a curling a smirk on top of the grin that had already been there.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“I ain’t sure what I could teach ya, lass.” the Underlord finally replied. “Basic Instinctive Astrogation, Force Augmentation - aye, could show ya how to wield a gun, pickpocket a man or lockpick a door. Could teach ya how to track people, how to sneak in the night so nobody notices ya.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]More he thought about it, the more he realized there were things that he could teach her.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Probably not the things she was expecting though.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Other than that? Telekinesis is my forte, but you aren’t ready for that yet.”[/SIZE]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

It appeared that Master Malvern was fine with breaking the rules, but she wasn’t! Still, the other thing Setzi hated probably more than rule breaking was causing a scene. Her sister didn’t seem to care at all about this. When they were on furloughs from the Jedi Order and out traveling, Chastity would talk to everyone as though she were their best friend. This always made Setzi cringe and feel like she needed to step in to protect her. Her sister was naïve at times, and it was always the older Lunelle who had to come to the rescue and save them both from danger or harm.

So of course, she would not cause a fuss about the smoking again because that would mean the situation was firmly out of her control. You are still in control now, Setzi, she told herself.

“I don’t think I have a need for Basic Instinctive Astrogation,” she said, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "Not yet anyway." She continued to think, biting the nail on her thumb as she did so. “But Telekensis. Yes, I would definitely like to master that. Why do you think I’m not ready?” she asked, her blue eyes searching his handsome features.

The padawan would ignore all of this talk about picking locks and sneaking around – for this moment at least - as she certainly wasn’t going to be doing that anytime soon. Although the sneaking may come in handy when she wanted to sneak out of the Praxeum for a night if only to get away from its oppressive atmosphere.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Setzi Lunelle"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Khal scratched his chin softly.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Sweet summer child, what a question.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Because my usage of telekinesis is not about a simple Force Push, Pull or even a Force Wave.” the Underlord would explain patiently, oh true. It would start there, you could not teach someone to start ripping arms off without first giving them the basic instructions in the more basic terms, but they both knew that learning Force Push wasn’t something she had come here to do.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Any weightlifting ‘til the night and day-Jedi could teach her that.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“It’s refined for combat-interaction.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]A sigh.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“It means that my application goes into the practice of [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]killing[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] people, my dear. And you are not yet ready for such ponderings and thoughts.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Even though the Republic needs warriors like that, instead of muscle waxing idiots who are only pumping and flexing in front of a mirror.[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] [/SIZE]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

She looked at Malvern with her large, doe-eyes and then sighed herself. It wasn’t a world-weary sigh of someone who had been tested over and over again like the Jedi Master across from her. But the padawan was uncomfortable with his judgement.

“How do you know that I’m not ready?” she asked. “And how do you know that I haven’t killed someone already?” This wasn’t a lie, she reasoned, nor had she actually killed anyone. But it was good to ask questions. Setzi knew that often times if you kept asking questions eventually your own actions and words would cease to be in the spotlight.

It was true that Shatterstar taught her mostly defensive maneuvers. That she was urged to use violence as a last resort. That there was no emotion, only peace.

Ugh, it kind of made her want to throw up at times.

But still, she was not raised to be an aggressor. She was sheltered by her parents and taught to not speak up. That if someone kidnapped or robbed her, Setzi should just give them what they wanted with no questions asked. No fighting back. And while they didn’t go into a detailed explanation, she knew what that meant. And she was experienced enough to know that unlike a silly, fictional holoshow, the actual endings for girls like her in that situation… well, she just couldn’t think of it too hard. But she knew what happened.

Therefore the slim, brunette padawan finally said in an unexpectedly firm voice, “If you let me be the judge of it, this will work out better for both of us, Master Malvern.”

Because Setzi would not be one of those girls who didn’t fight back.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Setzi Lunelle"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Steel blue eyes locked with green emerald. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]You could watch into someone’s eyes and [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]see[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] the entire point, there were some tough words said by Setzi, but those eyes weren’t the eyes of a killer. Neither were it the eyes of someone who simply [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]had[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] killed, still innocent, not seen the blood slowly seeping away or someone choke in their own blood.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“I know.” Khal would simply reply, voice devoid of any humor and the smirk curled down into a frown that suggested he was thinking back at things.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Not pleasant memories either.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]With that being said, the Underlord was a not a man who would withhold training from those who were willing to commit to it, he wasn’t the Jedi Council, not an unorthodox Jedi in either way - some would argue he wasn’t a Jedi at all.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Alright, then. Drink up and we will see.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]He would let the steaming caf sit there, just putting some cash on the table and if anyone would look too closely they would see that he had put way too much credits on the table, enough to buy about ten coffees and be able to buy her hers too. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Khal stood up, gesturing for her to follow him. Eyes looking at the watch that served as a digital upload link to a variety of information that he needed to focus on the things at hand.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Looking over his shoulder he would say. “Ya will find out that I ain’t a fan of regular trainings, if you join with me? You will learn by doing things and by watching it being done. It will be real time combat against people that [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]want[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] to kill us.” the Underlord suddenly stopped. “Last chance to back out, this life ain’t for everyone.”[/SIZE]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

Setzi furrowed her brow and wondered if Khaleel was cruising around in her mind right now using the Force to detect her emotions, to tell that she hadn’t actually killed anyone. Of course, she would probably feel him in there brushing her own aura with his, colliding with her in the lightest of touches. Or Setzi hoped. Although nothing about Master Malvern seemed light.

But the padawan felt no sign of him intruding into her thoughts. In fact, his face became clouded as though he was lost in thought. Even though the Jedi Master was a but a stranger to her, she could tell his expression showed signs that he had seen and felt things in this galaxy that Setzi could only hope she would never experience in her worsts nightmares. An immediate ache for him formed in the pit of her stomach, and inexplicably she wanted to put her hand on his to comfort him. But she stopped herself from that familiarity. Don’t think things like that, Setzi. You barely know this man.

And just when she thought that he was going to tell her that she wasn’t ready again or she wasn’t fit or she needed more time at the stifling and cloistered Praxeum, he indicated she should follow him. That he would accept her as a student. She rose and buttoned her heavy jacket, leaving her hood down. He would see one side of her mouth creep up into a smile.

Khaleel checked his chrono and then let loose another warning to her regarding his unorthodox training methods. Real time combat against people that want to kill us. Although the padawan was terrified of this and suddenly felt like she would be more at home with those stupid training droids which spit out blaster bolts that she could now deflect with her eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back, she knew that actual danger and real-life simulations, the kind that Malvern promised were what she needed to advance. It was what drew her to the Jedi Master and his reputation in the first place.

With more bravado than she felt she said, “I’m ready. No backing out now.”

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Setzi Lunelle"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Mhm.” the Underlord would reply, because that was who was knocking now. It wasn’t Khaleel Malvern; the Jedi with the few rough edges, it wasn’t Blasto; Kana’s good friend from when they were both still younglings and padawans. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]No, this was something else. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]After he received his update and after making sure that Setzi was still down with everything, Khal would restart his walking efforts. They would be walking to a nearby taxi-stand to get a lift towards one of the many landing pads that the city had, for faster travel to any ships or a different location on the planet itself.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Ziost is a world of the Dark side. You can almost feel its effects clinging onto your skin, the core itself warped and twisted because of the corrupting effects. It’s a planet riddled with tombs, temples and other repositories of ancient knowledge - some of which are Sith in origin, while others have other places that they hailed from.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Spoils of war, perhaps? Maybe some other ancient organizations broken and their knowledge taken away to be displayed?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“The Silver Jedi have found that before their efforts to reclaim this world… [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]something[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] had happened, a systematic strip on a mind-boggling scale.” a shrug. [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]But recently we uncovered a new temple slash library, we are pretty stretched-thin though[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px].”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]They kept on walking.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“So it ain’t surprising that a scout found there are unsanctioned diggings busy there right now, raiders, sith, outlaws… we don’t know. But it’s my job to make sure it doesn’t happen anymore, so that’s what we are up against.”[/SIZE]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

In a way, Setzi thought that Khaleel was waxing poetic about all of this actual danger, but she quickly realized as he was explaining what they were about to do, that these were not metaphors of which he spoke. That very shortly she would be right beside him facing raiders, outlaws and Sith. This was as real as it would going to get. It made her heart flutter in her chest but she tried to channel the adrenaline into walking faster.

The padawan noticed as they made their way through the cave-like city of New Adasta, they were approaching a major transportation hub, where hover-taxis sat waiting for passengers. And no wonder she felt so chilly and almost physically ill on this planet – the long terms effects of all of that darkside energy would apparently corrupt the inhabitants of the planet over time. She almost needed to use the Force to repel the ancient Sith residue. Setzi also wondered, since these were places where the Jedi Master spent his time and "patrolled" as he called it, if he wasn't somewhat altered by the Dark Side as well.

“Why doesn’t the Levantine Sanctum bring all of its manpower and expunge all of the thieves and poachers,” said Setzi, not understanding why it was up to her and Khal only to protect the dig site. "Aren't we going to have any backup going into this?"

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Setzi Lunelle"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Khal looked weird at Setzi.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“The Levantine Sanctum doesn’t have any jurisdiction on Ziost, love.” he would patiently explain then, gesturing towards one of the taxi to settle down. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Even if they want to, they wouldn’t be able to without causing at least a few PR meltdowns.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Scratch of the chin as a taxi arrived, he would open the door and allow Setzi to get in first - it seemed that he [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]did[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] have some kind of sense of propriety sometimes. Khal would simply follow her and sit down himself. Directions were given to a private docking bay that had been bought by his company a long time ago, where a shuttle would wait for them that would take them to the site itself.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“And the Silvers are pretty stretched-thin as is, so yeah. Don’t expect any backup, never expect any backup when you work with me, because I work alone most of the times.” another shrug. “Fits with me be better.”[/SIZE]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

“Hmmm,” was all the padawan said in reply.

When the hover-taxi arrived, Malvern allowed Setzi to go in first, which she did, hoping for a minute that he wasn’t going to light up another cigarette right there in the speeder. But he didn’t. She tilted her head and looked carefully at the Jedi Master as he settled in besides her. In the enclosed enviornment, she would again smell his cologne and perhaps whiskey was the other odor that clung to his clothing and skin. Not that she was a big drinker and would be able to pinpoint the brand.

But mused again as they rode together. Setzi didn't understand why the Jedi couldn’t just swoop in on a planet and help eliminate the crime. They were the galaxy’s police squadron or so she had been taught in children’s stories growing up. But thinking back to high school, she remembered that every planet had its own socio-ecosystem. Take away the criminals and a world may dissolve into rioting or worse crumble and burn to the ground. As unsavory as they were, you couldn’t just upset that balance.

Which is probably what Khaleel was going on about.

I work alone most of the times, he said. Again this made her feel a sudden pang of sadness? Empathy for him? But his work sounded dangerous, and at least when you worked alone, you were only risking harm to yourself. Which sounded almost a bit chivalrous to Setzi, rather than selfish or sad.

“Do you have any brothers or sisters, Master Malvern? Any family that you see regularly?”

The brunette girl wasn’t trying to pry or get overly personal, but he was more talkative than Master Shatterstar and slightly less restrained. She began to wonder who this man was and where he had gotten his beginnings.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Setzi Lunelle"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Naw.” was the only reply she would get on that front.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]It was a sensitive spot, a reminder of all that he [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]didn’t[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] have and the things that he had taken on to replace the particular brand of emptiness. Growing up on the streets of Nar Shaddaa meant that he had never known either of his parents, just a little kid trying to survive - ain’t that a story for the ages, no?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]She wouldn’t know that, Kally. Be a little bit more friendly, will you?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Grew up on the streets, lass. No parents, no siblings.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Eyes studied [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]these[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] streets that they were passing right now, it was funny how different they were from Nar Shaddaa, cleaner on the outside… and yet so much more dark in the inside. [/SIZE]But that’s how it works, looks ain’t all there is to know, there is always something else there. Something that you might miss the first time you check it out, it’s why patience was important - was a value that Khal was still training in some ways.

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“You?”[/SIZE]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

When Malvern said he grew up on the streets, it didn’t surprise her. He appeared to know the Ziost ones like the back of his hand, and the way he hailed speeder taxis, spoke to the driver and seemed to know his way around without even a map, all pointed to signs that he was a city dweller.

His uncomfortable expression prevented her from asking anymore questions, but again she felt some sympathy for him, having such a hard life growing up. Setzi also had a feeling that Khaleel was a man who eschewed pity, and to even suggest that to him that he was deserving of it… well, she didn’t feel like testing him on that front.

Besides, there would be plenty of other boundaries to cross later, especially if she were to kill someone today.

“I grew up on Aduba-3,” she said, answering him. “My parents were maze-stalk and nuna farmers. I have a younger sister who was recruited by the Silver Jedi. We are quite close." She looked out the window of the speeder at the New Aduba sights, most of which were shrouded in a dark pall due to the cave-like nature of the city.

“Although I’ve traveled some - mostly family vacations – I’m not what you’d call a city person,” she admitted. “But that doesn’t mean I’m sheltered,” she added defensively. By the core, Setzi, you are completely and utterly sheltered compared to Khaleel. Why are you even lying? Are afraid he is going to find out you are a liability? That you aren’t even a capable Jedi? That this whole adventure is going to terrify you and expose you as the fraud you are?

Um, yeah she had gone there and was now wracked with self-doubt. But she would not let Malvern see that.

In fact, as she turned to him again she would convey her most confident smile and said, "But I'm a fast learner."

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Setzi Lunelle"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Khal grunted at the last thing.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Let’s hope ya ain’t fast with the things I will teach ya, lass.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Killing shouldn’t come easy to a person, it should be hard, it [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]should[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] wear on your soul every single time you do it. It was the only real way to quantify if you weren’t yet off the ledge, and yet part of Khal wondered if he wasn’t being a hypocrite right there and then.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]If it wore on his soul so much, then why was it his to-go-to solution when it came to the shetbags of this Galaxy?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Why did you two decide to join the Jedi?”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Hadn’t been much of a choice in his case, Khal had just stolen a shipment from Jimmy… and few people survive after double-crossing Jimmy. So saving Korr’s ass and getting out? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Had been one lucky move granted to him, still wasn’t sure why it had happened.[/SIZE]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

“Let’s hope ya ain’t fast with the things I will teach ya, lass.”

She tried not to stare too hard at Malvern when he said that, but felt there was some kind of subtext that she was missing. Her curiosity was building over what was really on his curriculum. She was sure that it didn't involve practice drills with training droids.

“Like my sister recently with the Silver Jedi, both of us were originally recruited by the Jedi Agricultural Corps (yes, farm Jedis) when they came to help my parents and their farm after a rough drought one year. It was more of a peace mission for padawans than anything using the Force. You know to give the padawans skills they wouldn’t get at their Academies,” she said. Then she laughed. “They weren’t really that good at farming, but either way, our Force signatures were noticed and here I am,” she said.

Setzi put her right hand on the seat and leaned slightly over Khaleel, but only to look at an interesting landmark on his side of the speeder when suddenly, she made a sharp wincing noise and her hand flew to her right hip. She bit her lip, breathed through her nose and sat back down, but gingerly this time.

Great blasters, that karking hurts still, she thought, but again Setzi tried to play it off like nothing had happened, and she hadn’t just experienced a sudden and acute pain on her torso. She began rifling through her satchel for something instead.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Setzi Lunelle"]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“You alright, lass?” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Mighta been just a twinkle of concern that washed into his expression, before it melted away in casual neutralness, his eyes carefully scanned her frame and ended at the hip which she was currently holding in pain. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Ain’t the time to play hero, Setzi.” the Underlord would warn right after. “If you got wounds, ya gotta tell me right now, because it can cost both our lives if I ain’t got the full picture before we move out and handle the mission.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Which was the truth.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]If she was being hampered in her combat-activity, they would have to improvise a little bit. Khal wasn’t gonna keep her out of the danger, of course - perhaps someone else woulda done that, but not him. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Ya don’t get a chance to breath if you were in a war. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]The Sith Lord won’t give you a free pass for a fight on a different day just because you weren’t in top condition to fight him.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Ain’t how the world worked.[/SIZE]