Private Eye of The Storm

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location: Naboo, Hangarbay
Tag:

The pungent aroma of engine fuel and metal filled Briana's senses as she stepped into the hangar bay — one she'd chosen in particular for its covert placement away from the main hub of Naboo's citizenry, catering exclusively to distinguished guests hailing from distant star systems and those who boasted noble lineage that wanted to come and go without the threat of being immediately bombarded by the relentless hordes of media vultures. Ordinarily, she would have preferred using the public channels, the same as any other Jedi; however, recent events prompted her to make use of the benefits her title afforded her.

The fallout that'd followed the reveal of her father's association with The New Way had cast a long shadow that seemed to stretch on infinitely. Briana had grown weary of the constant reminders and the consequent shame it touted with every retelling, often finding herself in a strange juxtaposition whenever she saw the various holo-reports of her father, seeing him painted as a warmongering dog and villainous fanatic— a far cry from the man who once existed in her memories as an ever-smiling paragon. Memories that laid irrevocably tainted by the prejudicial truth she now knew lurked beneath that eternal smile.

Not that she found herself with an abundance of time to descended into the depths where those thoughts resided and truly begin to unpack them. Since the beginning of this ordeal, there'd been a certain order of business that'd forced her to maintain focus. A whirlwind of responsibilities that'd ranged from arranging her parents funeral, addressing the populace, and supporting her siblings. With each task completed, she'd drawn closer to the goal that'd consumed much of her waking moments: going after The New Way and bringing those responsible for the events of the memorial to justice.

She'd heard it warned time and again throughout her time training as a Jedi, that there was a fine line between justice and vengeance and that crossing that line could lead one down a dark path if you weren't careful. However, those concerns for the moment almost seemed inconsequential in light of everything else that'd transpired, and despite the caution she'd been advised to take and the heartfelt discussions with Aiden Rennek and his concerns for her wellbeing, Briana decided to forge ahead and live with the results of whatever followed.

At a timely pace she approached the edge of the hangar bay where she was to meet the one who'd be joining her on this mission, long brown hair held back in an elegant black tie and whipping behind her with each step of her clipped gait. Spotting a man who matched the description Valery Noble provided, Briana extended a hand towards him in greeting. Her father had always said you could assess someone's worth through the intensity of their grip. "I'm Briana Sal-Soren," she stated matter-of-factly, "You're Gatz Derrevar , correct?"

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

​

The ostentatious vessel known as The Red Night sat in a hangar bay far nicer than it was used to, its owner running through a serious of preflight checks on a datapad, and wishing he was anywhere but here.

Gatz Derrevar wanted one thing on the record: he was only here because he owed Valery a series of debts that he could never repay. Otherwise there was nothing—no amount of money, no reason good enough—that would have convinced him to take this job. Nothing that would have convinced him to work for a duchess.

He had no love for the nobility of Naboo. Of any planet, really. How could he, with the way his family had grown up in poverty? It was true that, even at its worst, Theed was still a much nicer place to live than most cities in the galaxy. But it was still no utopia. Gatz had grown up in a two bedroom house that was about a thousand square feet in size. One-story. It wasn't even big enough for two people, much less three. His home hadn't been much more than a shack: just one built of stone that happened to look more beautiful than something you might have found on Nar Shaddaa.

Mom and Dad had worked long hours to put food on the table. Then Mom got sick and got no help from anyone, government, insurance, or otherwise. So Dad worked longer hours, until he got himself killed over a few credits: credits he'd sorely needed to put food on the table for his son, and to pay for his wife's regularly required treatments. That left Gatz, at the ripe age of eighteen, with no choice but to smuggle spice just to support himself and pay for his mother's rapidly accruing medical bills.

All this while his duchess—someone who he was, technically, obligated to raise a sword for if she asked—grew up on some estate, never wanting for anything, and having her every need met.

So, no, Gatz wasn't particularly looking forward to working with her—sorry, for her.

But Valery rarely asked anything of him, other than that he be the best version of himself. Even if she hadn't asked him to do this, he'd have volunteered anyways, because he owed her that much. Hell, he'd refused payment for this job because he'd sworn he would always help Valery and her family if they were ever in need, and a former Padawan counted in his book.

So he was here. He would play nice. He would be professional, even, and Gatz very rarely conducted himself in that manner. Even Valery, who was probably the most fond of him out of anyone in his life, often sent silent glares his way when he made a joke that toed the line of what was acceptable. Not today, though. It probably wasn't the best idea to upset a duchess, and so there'd be no jokes and no meaningless flirting today.

Well, maybe there would be jokes. He couldn't really shut that part of him off.

He might have mulled over his situation more, had he not felt a subtle shift in the Force, and the sound of footsteps behind him. Gatz turned to face who had approached him and blinked in surprise. Briana Sal-Soren was... not what he had expected. She was beautiful, of course, but Gatz had never doubted she would be. What threw him for a loop was her attire: a jumpsuit far more practical than his red leather jacket could ever be. Jedi or not, Gatz had been expecting someone of nobility to be dressed elegantly. Maybe in a gown more expensive than his house.

Maybe he shouldn't be so quick to judge people, just because they had ten times his net worth. Especially if he hadn't met them yet.

"Duchess," Gatz shook her hand firmly, "it's a pleasure to meet you. Valery speaks more highly of you than, well, anyone else I've ever heard her speak about really."

Which was true, actually. Maybe he should have considered that as well, before he'd let himself be blinded with jealously by Briana's wealth.

---

Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location: Naboo
Tag: Gatz Derrevar

Duchess. She couldn't remember the last time anyone outside of noble circles address her by that title. Spending the majority of her time on Coruscant and among the Jedi Order, to most, she was simply known as Briana. But this was not Coruscant. On Naboo, she should have anticipated the honorific. "I could almost say the same of you," Briana said as she adjusted her posture and tried on what she hoped was a convincing smile, noting the firmness of his grip and the steady confidence, an indication of focus and determination — traits desirable in a fellow pilot. "You came highly recommended from Valery and I appreciate that you were willing to take on this task."

If there was anyone's judgment she trusted above all others, it was Valery's — even after the man's profession as a smuggler stirred up her own personal reservations and gave her pause for thought. Though, having met him, she could feel a modicum of those reservations abating.

"I'm assuming you've already briefed yourself on our mission objective?" she asked, her voice steady but betraying a hint of concern as sculpted brows softly pulled into a furrow and her full lips pursed. The intelligent reports she'd been gathering had pinpointed one of the New Way's bases among the remnants of Csilla's cosmic boneyard. Gatz's expertise would be vital in navigating both their path through the asteroid field undetected and ensuring their safe return coming out.

Knowing he'd been thorough in preparing for the task ahead and that he understood the risks they were facing, was crucial. Mistakes could not be afforded.

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

​

Duchess Sal-Soren seemed to change after their brief introduction, a small smile turning her from stoic and straightforward to someone more kind and warm. Gatz felt a little bit of relief blossom in his chest at that. And a little bit of guilt. He didn't know this woman. She wasn't responsible for the way his family had struggled. Why had he been so firmly set on not liking her?

If he—actual scum—deserved a chance, why didn't she?

"She speaks far too highly of me, to be honest," Gatz shook his head, "but I do my best to follow the example she's set."

One of these days he was going to have to sit down and talk to Valery about that. Her faith and trust in him were a guiding light in his life, but she often seemed to forget where he came from. Seemed to forget the kinds of things he'd done working for all those cartels back on the Outer Rim. She was going to start giving people the wrong impression: that he was a good man. He wasn't.

But you can be, his mind whispered to him.

"I'm up to date on what you need from me," Gatz reassured Briana, returning her smile, "and I've navigated an asteroid field or two in my time. I have to ask though: how... unpleasant is this going to be for us? As Force-sensitives, I mean. We're talking about flying through the remains of a destroyed planet, where more lives than either of can count were lost."

A few months ago, when his connection to the Force had practically been rusted shut, Gatz wouldn't have worried about that. He'd have probably been too deafened to hear any more than a faint echo of the life Csilla once held. But he was beginning to hear the Force clearly again, a result of being forced to rely on it due to the more dangerous missions he and Valery undertook together.

And, while he was good at burying the feeling, Gatz was afraid. He knew what it was like to feel death in the Force. But he'd never experienced it on such a grand scale.

---

Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location: Naboo Hangar
Tag: Gatz Derrevar

The mere thought of venturing into the depths of Csilla's graveyard was enough to send a shiver down the spine of even the most seasoned Force-sensitive individuals, so Briana didn't blame Gatz for his apprehension. She even wondered if the The New Way had strategically chosen to set up one of their bases there for the negative side effects on Force Sensitives. Then again, maybe she was giving them too much credit. "I won't lie to you, it won't be easy for us. To be honest, I can't say for sure how unpleasant it will be." but, having lived through both Exegol and the devastation of Naboo's Cataclysm during her early years as a Padawan, she had a vague sense that it would evoke similar dark feelings. "But I believe the importance of this mission outweighs any potential discomfort we might face."

She carefully stowed away her datapad in the back pocket of her jumpsuit before drawing in a deep breath and returning her gaze to Gatz, a modicum of concern softening her expression even further.

"Do you know how to shield yourself from the emotions of others?" she asked gently. Having grown up surrounded by Force-sensitives – including a Jedi mother and two similarly-gifted siblings – Briana had discovered early on that learning to block out others' emotions while safeguarding her own was an indispensable skill, one that'd seen her through numerous challenges and trials throughout her life.

Though Briana understood that no mental shielding technique could wholly block out the powerful feelings stirred by the haunting ghosts that inhabited Csilla's graveyard, it would at least serve as an essential defense mechanism. "If you're willing to learn, I can show you how on our journey there."

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

​

Gatz appreciated Briana's honesty.

Most people he'd worked for in the past, if he'd brought up a concern like that, either would have lied or just not addressed it at all. After all, he was getting paid to do a job, not ask questions. The criminal underworld didn't like smugglers poking about, looking for extra information. It made them suspicious, made them wonder if their hired smuggler was looking to double cross them, and often ended in that scoundrel getting shot. So Gatz, usually, didn't like to ask questions about what he was doing. To preserve his own life, and all that.

But then, those were the concerns of a criminal, and he'd walked away from that life.

"Well, that's disheartening," Gatz shrugged, already resorting to humor to mask his worry, "but I'll take a little discomfort over another bioweapon being dropped on our city, so..."

He wasn't about to up and quit on Briana just because he didn't like her answer. Even before he'd gone straight, Gatz hadn't been the kind of man to go back on his word. He wouldn't call himself honorable, not with what he used to do for a living, but... a man's word was his vow. And Gatz Derrevar, for all his faults, took his word very seriously.

Briana then did something that no employer of his, save Valery, had ever done before: she showed concern for his wellbeing. She was so... gentle about it, soft concern almost confusing him, until he remembered once more that he wasn't dealing with some crime lord or majordomo. Compassion was something almost foreign to him, and with a sudden realization, Gatz understood that his time in Hutt space had left deeper scars than he'd ever imagined possible.

Receiving compassion should not be so surprising. Even from a complete stranger.

Again, he berated himself for even thinking of judging this woman before he met her.

"I—no," Gatz answered honestly, "I think I did, once, but that was a... long time ago. I made the conscious effort to turn myself away from the Force, after I decided a life of crime was a good idea. I didn't think a smuggler should have access to something so easily abused."

Gatz didn't know what Valery had told Briana about him. Didn't know if she knew he'd been a Jedi youngling once. On one hand, Valery wasn't the kind of person to break confidence. On the other hand, she was sending her star pupil into a dangerous situation with a stranger. He wouldn't have blamed Val for telling Briana he was once a member of the Order, if it meant putting the Duchess at ease about working with him.

"I would appreciate any wisdom or help you'd be willing to give," Gatz said sincerely, "plus, it'll be a good way to pass the time. Naboo to Csilla isn't exactly a short trip."

---

Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location: Naboo
Tag: Gatz Derrevar

A small lump formed in her throat as Gatz's jesting remark struck an unexpected blow. Guilt bore down on her shoulders, an invisible fist seizing her heart and clenching it tightly. Her father may not have pulled the trigger or been directly responsible for The New Ways decision to make Naboo their personal playground of terror, but there were no delusions left to try and pretend that his ideologies and actions hadn't played a part in making that path possible.

He did that, now I have to undo it.

Briana wet her lips, consciously making the decision to push those thoughts deep down into a mental abyss, where not even the brightest supernova could illuminate them. "I appreciate your gumption." she managed through a strained grin, "It's exactly the kind of attitude we'll need if we're going to pull this off successfully."

Her brows furrowed slightly at the admission of his past. Gatz had turned away from the Force? Was that even possible? To her own knowledge, no. No one could fully deny that integral part themselves; it would inevitably resurface or manifest in ways less preferable – as it had with her own student. Still, there was a part of her that thought his decision to try was at least admirable — even noble. "Seems you're full of surprises. I didn't realize you'd had any kind of formal training." She inhaled softly and hummed to herself in thought. Valery was normally very forthright with Briana, but perhaps this was just one of those instance where she didn't think it was her story to tell. That, or she wanted Briana to see what she saw in Gatz, without any kind of preconceived notions. "That'll make what I have to teach you a little easier, honestly. Just have to find that connection you've tried to tuck away and drag it back out."

Her oceanic gaze swept over his shoulder, giving a short nod of her chin towards his ship. "Are we ready to head out, then?"

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

​

The second the joke left his mouth, Gatz wanted to kick himself. Of all people to make light of this issue with, the daughter of Baros Sal-Soren was probably the worst choice. To Briana's credit, she took the joke better than most would have. The smile she gave him seemed a little less genuine than the one she had given him a moment before, but it was better than watching her break into tears. Or dealing with a Jedi's fury.

As much as Gatz wanted to address what he'd just said, the duchess moved on. That was probably for the best anyhow. There was something more important for him to address: the level of Force training he possessed.

"I was a Jedi youngling, before I... left." Conflicting feelings bubbled to the surface at that admission: regret, and fear he quickly tried to shove back down, lest it become overwhelming, "I still feel the Force. I felt your presence before I heard or saw you. I just make a point not to reach out for it."

Of course, some things just couldn't be blocked out. He could still feel hints of emotions from others, he noticed a tremor when a blaster was about to be fired in his direction, and he instinctively knew when to cut a sharp turn in his freighter. It irked him to always be so close to the Force. It was hard to resist using it when it was always at his fingertips.

The level of restraint required to resist that temptation... Well, some days it was a physical struggle not to reach out for the Force.

Gatz shook his head, and sighed that frustration away, "anyway, come aboard. Arfour should be done uploading the updated hyperspace coordinates for Csilla. We'll get going."

With that Gatz spun on his foot, and took a few steps up the boarding ramp into The Red Night's cargo bay. But, one thing still nagged at him, and he needed to address it now. So he halted about halfway up the ramp, and turned back to Briana.

"I'm, uh, sorry about that comment I made a moment ago. Humor is sort of how I deal with stress and tense situations, but that joke was in poor taste." Gatz paused there, but added one last thing, "and for what it's worth, you have my condolences for your mother... and for your father."

Founder of a terrorist organization he might have been, but he was also her father. And Gatz was all too familiar with the pain that accompanied the loss of a parent. Knew it twice over.

---

Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location:
Tag: Gatz Derrevar

Briana wanted to ask him more about the reasons behind why he'd left the Jedi to pursue the life he'd chosen, but choose in the moment to not press too heavily into it. They'd have plenty of time to talk and explore that more on their way to Csilla.

"Guess that's going to be changing today then," Or at least as much as he'd be willing to learn in order to complete the task that laid ahead of them. While she wasn't the type to normally try and force someone to do something they weren't comfortable with, she couldn't rightly take him into the environment they were about to travel into without at least attempting to make sure he was as prepared as he could be for it.

What kind of person would that make her?

Her boots thudded against the ramp as she trailed after Gatz and into the Red Night's cargo bay, the pervasive scent of fuel and antiquity engulfing her as they paused at the threshold, listening as he began to fumble with his words in an attempt to apologize for earlier. Briana inhaled deeply and blew a breath out her nose, her shoulders loosening — barely — while scanning his expression and the sincere apology she saw reflected in his eyes. "Don't worry about it," she finally replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "You're not the first I've met who tries to cope with humor." Her brother Brandyn typically enacted the same kind of methods; however, when the apology for the passing of her parents came, that in and of itself elicited a slight bit more of a reaction from her, feeling her throat briefly tightening in response.

"Really, it's... fine. We're all good." Though she made sure her words and the tone in which they were delivered sounded casual enough, beneath her nonchalant mannerism lurked an undertow of unresolved emotions - about her brother, their family bloodline, and the dark legacy that'd been foisted on all of them to carry; a legacy that would forever link their family to this tragic event.

So who was she to judge how others dealt with the aftermath of it?

Reaching up, she fiddled some with the strap of the bag slung over her shoulder. "Besides, we've got a few other pressing things to worry about right now."

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

​

“Yeah, I suppose getting on with things would be wise.”

Gatz wasn’t convinced that things were “fine.” How could they be? He could only imagine the weight of what she was struggling with right now, and all he’d done was poke and prod at those tragedies with jokes that really weren’t acceptable just yet. Not enough time had passed yet for tragedy to turn into comedy, but he’d gone ahead and made light of things anyways. Still, what was done was done, and Gatz figured it would be better for the both of them if he just dropped the topic.

Besides, what else was there to say?

So instead he led Briana through his ship: through the cargo bay, up the ladder (seriously CEC, why not stairs?) to the top deck, then past the docking port, and down the hall that held the passenger cabins. Surprising though it might have been for a former smuggler, Gatz’s ship was so clean it was downright spotless. Aside from a few scuff marks on the cargo hold deck—from moving heavy crates—there didn’t seem to be a single hair out of place on The Red Night.

There was only a door separating them from the cockpit, but before they entered, Gatz stopped in front of one of the passenger cabins.

“This jump is long enough that you’ll want a cabin. Whether to rest, or to just center yourself. It’s not fancy, but it’s clean, the bed is at least softer than a rock, and the door locks for your privacy.” Maybe that was an odd comment to make, but he wanted Briana to know that she was safe on his ship, and that she always would be. “Feel free to drop your bag in there. The cockpit is just ahead. I’ll get us moving.”

With that, Gatz stepped away from Briana, and through the sliding door into the cockpit. He was greeted immediately by an aged astromech droid, painted in a chipped and fading green color. He stepped past R4-Z3 and sat down in the pilot’s seat, making sure the thrusters were warmed up before he tried to make a take off.

“You get those coordinates updated, Tin Can?”

<Yep. We might even avoid hitting an asteroid when we drop from hyperspace.>

“I would prefer it if you were certain that we wouldn’t.”

<It’s an exploded planet. Do you know how many floating chunks of rock are out there, always moving, always changing position? There’s no way to guarantee we aren’t going to smash into one the second we throttle down.>

That wasn’t exactly the most reassuring thing Gatz had ever heard, but there was no point in arguing with the astromech. Damn droid was almost always right.

---

Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location:
Tag: Gatz Derrevar

"You should have seen my quarters on Ossus," Briana replied with a small laugh.

As a teenager, the Jedi accommodations had been a harsh shift from the opulent lifestyle she'd been accustomed to all her life — the square footage of the space amounting to less than a fraction of her luxurious walk-in closet back home. It'd felt more like living in a cave than a proper bedroom and she'd almost packed her bags then and there to abandon the Jedi path.

Now, she could find a way to sleep on a newspaper in a torrential downpour if she had to, all without uttering even the faintest sound of complaint. The room before her was significantly better than such humble conditions. "This will do just fine, thank you."

As Gatz wandered into the cockpit, Briana hefted her bag and stepped into the passenger cabin. She took a moment to glance around the modest but tidy room before placing her belongings on the bed, silently impressed with the meticulous attention to detail that Gatz seemed to keep with maintaining his ship. Satisfied that everything was in order, she nodded to herself and proceeded to join Gatz —just in time to catch the last snippets of conversation between the smuggler and what sounded like a flustered automated voice of beeps and whorls.

<It's an exploded planet. Do you know how many floating chunks of rock are out there, always moving, always changing position? There's no way to guarantee we aren't going to smash into one the second we throttle down.>

"Why not consider dropping out of hyperspace at some distance from the asteroid field? We could then make our approach on the long route?" Briana suggested, taking her place in the passenger seat while she worked to get her crash webbing secure.

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

​

Gatz hadn't realized how nervous he was, showing the duchess to a room far smaller and less luxurious than she ought to be accustomed to, until her laugh relieved him of that anxiety. What a silly worry. She was a Jedi, more spiritually engaged than materialistic. That cabin had worked just fine for Valery, and there had been no reason for him to think it wouldn't work for Briana.

Besides, when had he ever felt inferior about the state of The Red Night? It was his pride and joy! Also... literally all he had left in the galaxy, but that was something to dwell on later.

Briana walked into the compact cockpit, right in the middle of his bickering with R4-Z3. With her entrance, she brought a great idea, one he'd thought his droid would have been capable of coming up with on his own. But apparently age and a lack of memory wipes was catching up with the old agromech-turned-astromech.

"See, that's a good idea," Gatz gestured toward Briana, while staring R4 in the droid's large lense. "Thank you, Duchess. Arfour, can you make those changes to your calculations while I get us into space?"

Gatz didn't wait for an answer, instead spinning back around in his seat to face the console once more. While he engaged the repulsor lifts to initiate their take off—a movement he made so smooth that there was no noticeable tremor through the ship as they began to hover—R4 wheeled himself into the space between the pilot and co-pilot's seat, inserting his manipulator arm back into the pilot's console.

<You're only agreeing with her because she's pretty.>

"Arfour, be nice. She's trying to make sure we all don't die." Gatz chided as he engaged the sublight engines, which gave off a whine that turned into a roar, and guided them out of the lavish hangar. "And we all know I'm the pretty one here, so that isn't a factor."

Gatz angled the freighter for an easy escape from Naboo's atmosphere and gravity well, all while his hand slowly pushed the throttle forward. At some point after they broke into the stratosphere, R4 finished his task and quietly rolled out of the cockpit. Probably to finish rewiring the lights in the medbay, which he should have finished long before they took off.

"I'm sorry about him," Gatz apologized, if only to fill the silence, "he's old, eccentric, and he has a few screws loose, but I don't have it in me to wipe his memory. Feels too invasive."

---

Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location:
Tag: Gatz Derrevar

Briana smiled and shook her head at the interaction between Gatz and R4 before peering out the viewport to watch as Naboo shrank away in the growing distance. Take off was always her favorite part of any journey, especially when leaving Naboo. Viewing the garden world from high above the atmosphere always made her feel like she was peering down at some great artistic masterpiece.

"Don't worry about it, I think it's kind of endearing in its own way. I've got a few quirky droids of my own back home and prefer leaving their memories intact if I can. After all, our experiences make us who we are, right? I believe the same goes for droids." her thoughts drifted to SID-10S, or "Sid" as she liked to call him—who'd protested vehemently at being left behind on this mission to instead oversee her Padawan Lily in her absence. The girl had been sticking to Briana like a Hapan shadowfly ever since she'd been rescued from her ordeal with the Mandalorians — not that she could fault her after everything she'd endured. While Sid might not have been the cuddly type, Briana knew he'd provide some measure of comfort for Lily while she was away— despite him claiming otherwise.

And then there was B4, endearingly dubbed BBBB by Blaire all those cycles ago—a compact miracle that'd been created by the youthful hands and minds of herself and her siblings as the ingenious solution to bypass their less-than-coveted chores. Galactic opinion would have advocated for his memory to be expunged sixteen full rotations prior, but the Sal-Soren children could never bear to see it done and surprisingly, their parents had acquiesced to their whims on the matter. A rare moment of indulgence.

Wiping either one of their minds wasn't an idea she'd ever entertained, nor could she fathom. Not unless there was some very good reason that would absolutely necessitate it.

Once they were high enough, the ship gave a mighty leap and Briana watched as the stars began to rush by her in vivid elongated streaks, fingers digging slightly into the armrests of her chair — more out of a sense of excitement and anticipation than fear. Although the gravitational field created by the Red Night kept them safely stable within the ship, Briana still felt as if she'd been blown back as they officially left the planet behind, leaving the twirling blue vacuum of hyperspace before them in its place. "Not bad, pretty smooth overall." Briana grinned, removing her crash webbing and rising to her feet, giving a subtle stretch before turning back to eye Gatz. "If you're ready for it, we should probably get in some of that practice like we talked about. We've got quite a while, right? Might as well be productive with our time."

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

​

Well, at least R4 hadn't insulted her. Frankly, that was a small miracle in of itself. Damn droid was worse at keeping its mouth shut than he was, and that was saying something. He supposed that made the two of them perfect for each other—in theory at least. In reality, old Tin Can left him exasperated and ready to rip his blonde locks out of his head.

Even so, Gatz wouldn't dream of tampering with the aged droid's memory, and he was both a little surprised and glad to hear that Briana felt the same.

"Yeah, but I think I'd like the convivence of wiping my own mind," Gatz sighed, "there are a few experiences I'd rather forget."

Then he stopped, and blinked. Had he just said that out loud?

Shaking his head free of those thoughts before he could dwell on them, Gatz threw the lever and made the jump to hyperspace. Whereas the Jedi sitting next to him felt a rush at seeing the stars fly past them, the former smuggler only found peace. Hyperspace wasn't exciting to him so much as it was comforting. The space between stars was his refuge; the cold and silent calm between his adventures.

"Not bad, pretty smooth overall."

"I aim to please." He smiled back.

He joined Briana in standing from their seats—though of course he'd never bothered with his crash webbing, and didn't need to extricate himself from it. When she mentioned that they ought to make the best of their time, Gatz paused. She was right of course, and he couldn't argue with her logic. He couldn't very well fly this mission for her if he was too busy struggling with the presence of so much death in the Force.

But a man like him shouldn't even have his connection to the Force, much less any sort of training with it. There was no danger in learning to shield his mind. He knew that. It couldn't be abused, or used to hurt others. But by accepting Briana's lessons, was he not taking the first step down the path of relearning the ways of the Force?

Was that not dangerous for a man like himself, one predisposed to selfishness?

But then, what choice did he have? He'd promised the duchess he'd help, and so he would. If he had to take this next step, then so be it. There was a terrorist organization out there, one that had dropped a bioweapon on their home, and putting a stop to them was far more important than his personal hang-ups.

"Yeah," Gatz agreed at last, though he couldn't keep his hesitation out of his voice entirely, "it's either that, or we play twenty questions. And I'm real tired of playing twenty questions. Damn droid always guesses right."

---

Tags: Briana Sal-Soren

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location: Hyperspace
Tag: Gatz Derrevar

In those few words, he'd let whatever mask he kept on, slip — exposing some of those deeper emotions buried beneath the surface, even if only momentarily. Briana's cerulean eyes appraised Gatz with a new level of understanding, his profile awash in the sapphire glow of hyperspace, feeling a stirring of something surprisingly akin to solidarity in that simple statement.

That makes two of us.

The unspoken words lingered at the tip of her tongue, but never passed the threshold of her lips, sensing that it was unlikely he'd be open to exploring any of those deeper-rooted scars. Especially not with a newcomer like herself – someone who was essentially just a temporary addition to his passenger manifest. Though, it was easy enough to discern from his career choice that he'd seen more than his fair share of darkness in the Galaxy. Sentients at their worst, where greed, betrayal, and cruelty flourished unbound.

As if he were somehow able to read her thoughts, Gatz shifted the conversation back on course, though his posture and subtle fidgeting suggested there was some reluctance to take her up on the offer of training. In an attempt to ease that anxiety, she allowed the full rosebud of her lips to wreath into a playful smile. "Oh, come on now. I'm sure playing twenty questions with an all-knowing-droid is loads of fun."

Exiting the cockpit, Briana waited for Gatz and followed him out to the common area. They hardly needed extensive space for something as rudimentary as mental shielding, but a spot of extra legroom in the case of any hiccups, never hurt.

"Let's begin with something simple," she said soothingly. "I'm going to send you a wave of emotion and I want you to try and deflect it, force it back out. You'll feel it encroaching on your consciousness," she elaborated further. "When you do, I want you to isolate that feeling and simply push it away. Don't let it take hold. Ready?" Once he gave his affirmation, Briana closed her eyes and honed her focus, sending a carefully muted feeling of unease towards Gatz — nothing that would be too intense, but enough that it would give her a better idea of what she was dealing with, before they moved on to something more challenging.

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Blaster Pistol
Tag: Briana Sal-Soren

He was mortified about his admission, but Briana made no attempt to engage with it. That was a small relief that he was thankful for, even if he didn't voice such gratitude to her. He'd known the duchess for all of thirty minutes, and already there were cracks forming in his laidback façade. Even Valery hadn't broken through his shell that quickly.

But then, that was the explanation, wasn't it? Briana simply projected that same comforting energy; she filled the cold spaces of his ship with that same warmth, gentleness, and mirth. Like teacher, like student, and Valery had already torn down the false walls Gatz had constructed to protect himself long ago. Briana had simply walked right over the debris, and he hadn't even noticed, all because she was every bit the comforting presence that her master was.

That ought to have terrified him: that he could feel so open to a stranger. But it didn't. If anything, it just made him feel more at ease around her, and that was something he'd hadn't anticipated. Gatz had walked into this whole situation expecting to be irritated and exasperated by the duchess. This was supposed to be teeth-clenched teamwork. Instead, he found a sense of calm blossoming in him, as Briana gave him a full rosy smile that would have made teenage him blush as red as his jacket.

A realization struck him very suddenly: Briana was dazzlingly beautiful.

You don't have time to notice that Gatz, he chided himself, you've got shit to do.

And so he moved on, leading Briana past the passenger cabins, around the ladder down to the cargo bay, and into the lounge at the back of the top deck.

Whatever anxiety he'd held over learning this simple thing vanished as Briana began to explain the lesson to him. Her tone was gentle and warm, and Gatz wasn't sure if that was how she always taught, or if she'd felt his uncertainty and was trying to lull him into feeling relaxed. Probably both, he concluded. And it was certainly working.

"Ready?"

"Only one way to find out."

As promised, he felt something press against his awareness. It wasn't quite as strange as he'd thought it would be: it was similar to the times Valery had communicated with him telepathically, like an alien presence in his mind. Though, instead of words, it was like being draped in a blanket of emotion. It wasn't enough to smother him—Briana was taking it easy on him at the moment—but it took a moment for him to realize what was being done to him.

The unease he felt wasn't his own. He pressed back against it, trying to shove it away. It wasn't all that difficult an endeavor, but he'd forgotten how this sort of thing worked, and it took a few moments for the memories of his time as a youngling to come flooding back in. But when they did, those vague lessons of the past were refreshed in his mind.

And pushing away that unease became a simple, easy thing.

"I'd forgotten what that was like," Gatz shook his head, once he'd freed his mind from Briana's deft touch, "I haven't felt anything like that since I was nine."

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber | Location: | Tag: Gatz Derrevar ​

Briana only smiled. "I've found that it's not too unlike learning to ride a swoop bike for the first time — once you learn, the knowledge is always there, just merely waiting to be brought back to the surface again." She moved to take a seat for this next part, gesturing for Gatz to join her. "Now that we've warmed up that mental reflex a little, I'd like to challenge you. When we get to Csilla, the emotions that you'll feel there are going to be ten times what I just sent you. Some feelings are easier to block than others, but for ones that are exceptionally powerful, you'll need to immerse yourself more fully in the Force in order to shut them out — sink below the threshold of your awareness and into the underlayers of your mind."

She briefly hummed as she tried to articulate her subsequent thoughts, wrestling with the proper way to explain a concept that even she still found challenging at times. The complete surrender of oneself to the Force was no simple feat, though there were admittedly some individuals who seemed to grasp and apply it more easily than others. Her own mother was the very definition of this, exuding more grace than anyone she'd ever known—her calm and poised demeanor amidst distressing events always exasperatingly effortless.

A trait she wished she'd inherited more of.

Placing her hands on her knees, Briana inhaled and finally continued. "Imagine it like you're deeply submerged in the ocean, but in those depths there's only peace, and all of those negative emotions are nothing but distant waves on the surface, pushing them further and further away as you sink into the Force. In this state of mind, you should be able to protect yourself against any unwanted feelings."

Her chin tilted up, her posture straightening. "Here we go." A brief flicker of hesitation alighted within her eyes before they closed, drawing upon past memories to stir the basis of the emotion she'd send to Gatz. Moments passed as she allowed herself to sink further down, dredging up an image that began to shape from the dark mists of the past, a teenage version of herself slowly emerging. Her shoulders were tense with anticipation, an unfamiliar lightsaber clasped tightly in both hands, striking again and again as wave after wave of shadowed monsters descended on her.

The night of the Cataclysm.

It was as clear to her now as it had been back then, that old familiar feeling of dread coiling in her stomach, watching as husks of obsidian fell all around her while screams erupted in every direction, panicked civilians running this way and that in search of shelter and protection against the endless horde. Channeling those feelings with focused intent, she transmitted a portion of them to Gatz.

​

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Blaster Pistol
Tag: Briana Sal-Soren

There was a sense of pride, however small and buried under the layers of his trepidation, in discovering that he still had a modicum of talent. He squashed that immediately, of course. There was no point in being proud of accomplishing something that he'd learned as a youngling. Or in being proud of anything he'd done. He had no right to such things. He'd sowed too much misery.

Briana bid him to sit down next to her, on the small loveseat his father had shoved in the corner of the lounge. He did so with a hint of reluctance—not because of her, she had miraculously succeeded in making him feel comfortable around her—knowing that what came next would be far more difficult than the simple test she'd given him mere moments before. To resist the strife of an entire planet... it would take a deep dive into the Force that Gatz wasn't sure he was capable of.

He wasn't sure if he'd ever been capable of it.

"I—I don't know if I can delve that deep into the Force," Gatz admitted, "and... I'm not sure if I should. There's a reason I turned away from it, Duchess."

But even so, Gatz listened as Briana explained how to immerse himself properly. She made it sound so simple: as easy as imagining it, but Gatz wasn't foolish enough or arrogant enough to think he'd manage it in one go this time. The kind of challenge she was giving him, in preparation for a whole planet's worth of pain, was something he'd never faced before—even as a youngling.

"But, there's not much choice, really." Gatz sighed, "not unless we want to be flattened against an asteroid. Alright. I'll give it a shot. Can't be that bad, right?"

Oh, if only he'd known.

A moment passed. Nothing. Then, like before, he could feel Briana at the precipice of his mind. A deft touch, at first. But then the dread came, and it came with force. It was like being hit by a speeder, and before Gatz knew what was happening, it had wrapped its cold claws around his psyche. He pressed against it hard, untangling roots as they burrowed into his mind's eye, but his touch was too slow and Briana's dread sprouted too quickly.

He tried to sink into the Force, as she'd told him. But he found that all he could do was thrash on the surface, as the waves overtook him, rendering him powerless to anchor himself to anything.

Her dread became his dread, and his dread came in a fierce flash of images: the smell of burnt skin, a Padawan dead on the ground with a cauterized slash down his chest, an eerie yellow rod of light, and a masked figure standing in the shadows. Panic became his very being: a cry tore from his lips without his permission, his chest swelled rapidly with rushed and labored breaths as he took in oxygen with a shudder, and yet couldn't take in enough.

"STOP!" It tore out of his throat, painfully.

Enveloped in his terror, Gatz couldn't find it in himself to be embarrassed at his lack of propriety in front of his duchess, nor shame in shouting at someone trying to do him a kindness. All he could do was feel the panic beating in tandem with his heart, and the hot tears that trailed down his cheeks, as a memory fifteen years repressed ripped its way to the forefront of his mind.

"I'm sorry, I—" But he couldn't get the rest past the lump in his throat.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber | Location: Hyperspace | Tag: Gatz Derrevar​

In many respects, Briana embodied the spirit of her father, sharing that same kind of defiance that drove her to push beyond boundaries, to challenge herself and others without hesitation.

To her, the lines that governed conventional wisdom in the Galaxy served not as stopping points, but rather the starting line—beckoning her to break new ground. Gatz was no exception to this, and in her overly ambitious effort to teach him how to protect himself before they reached Csilla, she'd failed to recognize the escalating intensity of the lesson until she felt the energy surrounding Gatz start to shift.

An unsettling tension replaced the previous sense of calm, followed by a subtle disturbance in the Force that signaled something was not going according to plan. "Easy. Breathe, Gatz. Don't let the fear overtake you, sink beneath the waves and push it out." But even as she spoke the words, Briana knew the fight was already lost, and a sudden bridge stretched between their minds - uninvited, unsolicited. Beyond merely feeling his desperation, Briana experienced the tangible terror and urgency that'd overtaken him—even detecting what she could have sworn was the acrid stench of charred skin lingering in the air between them.

Familiar as she was with mind melds during her time with the Order—having bonded with numerous Jedi—those connections typically demanded relentless practice and tireless dedication to forge. But this connection to Gatz—this anomaly—established itself in the span of a few breaths.

This shouldn't be happening.

With every ounce of willful determination, Briana set about disengaging from the impromptu link. But Gatz wasn't one for a polite exit, ruthlessly tearing himself from the meld with a cry for her to 'stop', desperate to escape whatever demons she'd unwittingly unleashed in him.

The sudden severance left Briana stumbling through an emotional tempest, her own equilibrium upended.

"I'm sorry, I—" But he couldn't get the rest past the lump in his throat.

Briana quickly shook off the apology. "No Gatz, it's my fault." Fighting against her own dizziness, she lifted her gaze to meet his. "I shouldn't have pushed you so hard." Pausing, concern etched over her features, "And the mind meld... I've never...that's never happened before, not like that." Her lips formed a thin line, her delicately shaped brows furrowing together. "I felt everything—I even thought I could smell…" Briana let her words trail off and took a deep breath. "Look, if this is too much, we can search for another way. Maybe I can try to shield both of us."

​

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Blaster Pistol
Tag: Briana Sal-Soren

Gatz didn't understand what was happening, but his rudimentary knowledge of the Force was complete enough for him to know that something about this was wrong. This wasn't merely Briana pushing her emotions at him. This wasn't her merely pressing against the gates to his mind. It wasn't even like she was her forcing herself in. Their minds had tangled themselves together, easily and willingly. She was present, layered over him, their two minds in tandem with one another—if only for a moment.

This shouldn't be happening. Her thought. His thought.

Their thought?

It was only after they had torn away from one another, and Gatz was panting, on the fringe of a panic attack, that Briana uttered the phrase 'mind meld.' A term that Gatz was familiar with, but he remembered little about the specifics. He did know that it wasn't something that was just done. It took time, effort, and synchronization with a partner to pull off. It took work to achieve. Work that neither of them had put in.

With no real effort, Briana had just witnessed all the things he kept bottled up. The fear that defined him, the same scene that had played in his nightmares for the last fifteen years, the guilt over things he both had and hadn't done, the self-loathing, the lack of confidence in himself, the loneliness—all of it had been handed to her, in a way he'd never handed it to anyone before. Not even Valery.

He felt violated. And at the same time, he felt... freed.

Gatz let out a shaky breath, and wiped the tears from his cheeks. The panic abated, but only after he forced it to coil back up in his heart, where it always slept. With a dizzy shake of his head, Gatz turned to look at Briana, who seemed just as disoriented as he was. For a moment, Gatz had hope that she was too confused by what had happened to make sense of anything she witnessed.

Until she began to speak, and he watched her delicate features turn from confusion to concern. She'd seen enough, and had made sense of enough to know what he'd just been forced to share with her, even if she didn't yet understand it's importance in his life. Gatz didn't know how to feel about his most buried memory being hers to mull over—even if she'd only gotten a hint of it.

But at least she was apologetic about it.

"Not your fault either," He finally managed to croak out, "I could feel that you were just as confused as I was."

He let out another shaky breath. The panic was gone, but the trembling remained. Gatz supposed that was probably an appropriate reaction after experiencing his first mind meld, especially one he was entirely unprepared for. And this was something the Jedi practiced and performed regularly? Why would anyone want to share all of themselves with another like that?

But he already knew the answer. Knew it, because a part of him missed Briana's soothing presence in his mind.

"I—let's table shielding practice for a moment." His voice was firmer, but still a little hoarse, "There are pretty large gaps in my knowledge, and I've never really understood the specifics of mind melding until now, but I do know that it's not something that's supposed to just happen."

"Briana," anxiety held him so firmly that he used her name instead of her title, "how did we just do that?"