Private Fault Lines

[Capris Halcyon]

TAGS: Kahlil Noble
Location: Jedi Temple Medical Ward
​

"Padawan Halcyon, I really must insist-"

"Not interested."

The temple's med ward was turning into something of a frequent haunt for the young padawan. One white, sterile, and all around suffocating cage chalk full of medical restriction after medical restriction after medical restriction. At least from her lone vantage point.

Though the relative isolation was admittedly very needed.

It hadn't been long since the Senator's assassination and her subsequent escapade off-world. Not long enough for her wounds to heal by any margin at least. Which naturally led her here- patched up and restless.

Avoidant.

The fallout had been sweeping- A dead senator, a missing padawan, a bombed casino. It wasn't the type of scandal to get swept under the rug. There was simply no broom big enough.

But she didn't think about that now. Not about any of it. Why waste the energy?

"You're advised to stay on bed rest for the remainder of the week- and uh you really shouldn't be in here."

The droid's tentative pleas went ignored as the padawan dug through a storage rack. Searching…

Ah, there it was.

Flexing the force, she pulled a saber to her open palm. Not hers evidently, but one of a nameless, dead Jedi. Well- perhaps it was more relevantly a murder weapon in an ongoing investigation. But again, that was of little concern.

Seemingly satisfied, the girl moved away from the droid and back to her designated cot, sinking into the mattress pad all while her thumb grazed the cylindrical detailing.

She'd find the owner. Bury it maybe.

Perhaps it was just a meaningless gesture, but how else was she supposed to kill time?

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Who's was it?"

Kahlil spoke up from the doorway. Ever since she'd gone missing, he'd been looking for her. The death of the Senator, the insurrection. The Anti Force Cult or group or whatever they were. He'd been gathering information, trying to find the trail. Trying to find her. Only for her to find her own way back. It'd been a relief when the report came in. And immediately, he'd tried to get here. It took a little bit of time.

But now he was.

He stepped beside her, looked her over curiously.

".. You okay, Capris? Had me worried for a bit, there."

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

TAGS: Kahlil Noble
Location: Jedi Temple Medical Ward
​

Kahlil.

A flare of emotion sparked in her chest as he made himself known. Several at that. Guilt, failure, relief. All carding through as if she just couldn't settle on a feeling.

Her palm flexed in dismissal. He didn't need to see that conflict, not if she could help it.

"Yeah-" A huff of amusement followed, "Never been better."

With a sarcastic albeit light-hearted grin, Capris tried to take the edge off what would otherwise be an agonizing atmosphere of misplaced concern. She was fine. Perfectly fine. And she'd make sure he knew it.

Probably not all that persuasively though, what with the bruises and steri-strips painting her.

"I'm alright Kahlil, promise." With a little more sincerity she met his gaze, hands still fiddling with the saber before her eyes dropped in accordance.

"And that's the thing. I don't know." Her brow pulled together at that, regarding the object as if it would simply oblige and spill its secrets. "The guy who killed Runik. He uh- well I guess snagged it off some other Jedi he killed."

"I sorta "saw" it." Her file had disclosed her psychometry long before she had ever had to bring it up with him. The implication was obvious.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Saw it, huh?"

There was all sorts of things to unpack with what Capris just said. Right now though, better to focus on the material. Or in the case of what she said, the immaterial.

"Psychometry. It's a handy skill, rare. When I was a kid I would've killed to have it. Literally, actually." It was meant in a joke, but he pretty quickly realized he didn't actually put any context to it. In fact, she probably didn't know anything about where he was from or who he was before he became a Jedi. Probably should fix that, but right now- Kahlil raised a hand, pulling over a chair with a tug of the Force to sit in.

"Tell me what happened."

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

TAGS: Kahlil Noble
Location: Jedi Temple Medical Ward
​

Literally? She almost thought to dig more into that, but Kahlil quickly brushed it aside, asking her a question in turn.

Ah, right.

Her eyes blinked shut a moment, sucking in a hushed breath to stabilize. How to go about explaining..

"Right so- Senator Runik may or may not have been wildly corrupt." Bloated politician, big shocker. "-And also in league with some weird, fringe anti-force group that took both me and Runik's assassin captive." Her hand reached to scratch the back of her neck in deliberation before quickly recoiling. Right. Open wound. Bad idea. "They uh- tried to squeeze information out of us. Well- really just the other guy. Guess they already had tabs on me. And probably you now that I think about it." It was a sheepish admission, followed by a slight twitch of the nose as she debated her next string of words, ready to skip a few chapters.

"Anyway- we escaped. And the guy- Sith, mercenary.. whatever the feth he was, took me off world until things cooled down. Thought I'd sic the Order on him if he didn't." It was a nice way to put things. Chalk full of euphemisms.

"And yeah-" Her shoulders heaved in shrug, dismissive of her oversimplification. She had to tread lightly or else risk a hiccup of emotion in her voice. "There's more in the report, but that's pretty much it."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Most people have tabs on me. I'm not worried. Don't have anything to hide."

If he did, he was certain people would try to use it against him anyway. Such was the price of being a Sith Emperor's son. But he never cared, not in the way most might think he should. He'd read the report. Read what happened, what she said happened anyway.

"I did read the report. But I'm more interested in what you experienced. I don't need the facts or anything. Just, how do you feel. You were captured and intended to be tortured. .. You can tell me, anything."

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

TAGS: Kahlil Noble
Location: Jedi Temple Medical Ward
​

The girl seemed to shift at that. In truth she was hoping to side step the whole segment of emotional vulnerability. But alas Kahili cared too much to let her slip away that easily.

“I-I mean I’m fine. I was fine. Pissed the hell off, sure, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.” It sounded more like self-reassurance than anything. But for a moment she seemed to believe it. Afterall she couldn’t be anything other than fine. She was meant to handle this. Trained to.

A flare of something unidentifiable shaded her eyes, twisting her gut like a dagger might.

“Kahlil-” Her voice dove to a low whisper, as if the words didn’t want to come out. Despite her best efforts to squash them down, she could feel the sting of tears forming in her eyes. Dammit

“I uh- I killed someone.”

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Oh.

Kahlil didn't speak. The only thing he did do was reach a hand out to gently pat the top of her head. He had no words for it. And, well, comforting people wasn't his best skill. He wasn't going to let her feel alone, though. Not now. Not after finally coming back safe. But if there was something he wanted her to understand, it was that she didn't need to hide her emotions. At least not around him.

And, well, maybe he should open up. Probably.

"When I was six I only had one friend. Someone I trusted with my life. In the palace, none of my siblings were allowed to interact with me. I was isolated, as part of training or such, I think. But my friend, that was just another trial. He stabbed me in the back. Literally. And I in turn used that knife to kill him. Kept that blade all my life. Even now." He reached down, pulling out his lightsaber. Holding it, in his palm.

"There's a guilt you'll never get rid of. And there will be more. As a Jedi, that is our burden to carry. But you don't have to carry it alone."

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

TAGS: Kahlil Noble
Location: Jedi Temple Medical Ward
​

The head pat was met with a curious look, one that swiftly morphed into shock. Quiet shock.

I'm sorry what?

She blinked at Kahlil, mind slow to piece together his meaning. Palace, training, murdering his one and only friend- It was not the kind of reassurance she'd expected to follow her timely admission, but nonetheless it had the intended effect. Comfort sided with a heavy dose of confusion. And chiefly empathy.

Wiping free the tears that threatened to spill from the corners of her eyes, the girl wrangled back a modicum of composure.

"Well shit."

Delicate as ever in her word choice, the padawan regarded her Master, her gaze as severe as the statement just made. "I- that's fucked up." It was all she could think to say on the matter, still trying to comprehend the fact her Master had been made murder at the ripe age of six.

Him. The man she'd admired for his staunch dedication towards preserving life. Even the ones deemed unsalvageable. There was motivation behind that cause, more than she figured she knew.

"I sometimes forget how little I know about you until you go and drop a bomb-shell like that."

Falling silent, she let another precious moment elapse, staring down at her shoes as if looking for guidance in the laces.

"Does it.. Get easier? Ever?"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"I don't talk about it a lot. It's.. An extreme, for sure. And I did a lot of things I regret to prove I deserved to be left alive. But that's the Sith." And that was about as much as he was going to say on it. Right now the idea was to focus on her, and what she went through. Not make it seem small. The lightsaber went away as he reached his hand out to pat the top of her head. Gently, comfortingly. It's what he'd do with Vera when her visions were too intense or too dark.

"No. Just.. Different. Taking a life is something that should never get easier for a Jedi. But the weight it brings, that will lessen."

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

TAGS: Kahlil Noble
Location: Jedi Temple Medical Ward
​

Sith. His family were Sith.

The girl opened her mouth as if to comment, but found herself at a loss. Only a glint of surprise shadowed her face as he attempted to console her. Much like a parent would a child waking up from a nightmare.

Part of her wanted slink away. She wasn't a child. She hardly had a chance to be one in the first place. And that was supposed to make her mature beyond her years right? Capable of handling anything thrown her way with the emotional regulation of a true Jedi.

Kahlil's near parental concern was all but foreign to her. She didn't know how to react. Shame maybe? At needing someone to halve her emotions, like some youngling scared of their own imagination.

But another, far more suppressed part, couldn't help but feel appreciative. She had someone looking out for her. It was hard to remember the last time that statement rang true.

The padawan let his words linger a moment. Working to shift the weight of her feelings.

And then she hugged him.

Blindsided by her own vulnerability, the girl retreated, drying the last of her tears.

"I uh-yeah. Definitely needed to hear that from someone." With a sheepish grin she regarded her master a moment.

"You think you could get me discharged? I might actually lose my shit if I stay here any longer. Pretty sure whatever they're feeding me is actively numbing my taste buds."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

He understood that much. The reluctance clear on her face. Nobody who saw what they saw, who'd been through what they'd been through, wanted to be coddled. Especially at her age. But it was all the more reason he did it. They didn't want it, but sometimes they did need it.

He'd just have to be sure not to overdo it.

Kahlil did blink in surprise at the hug. Brief as it was, it at least confirmed that he was, in fact, not overdoing it yet. He'd give her a gentle pat on the back. Nothing more, nothing less. He wasn't here to push it.

"Sure. You can leave. Until they clear you for a mission you can't do that, but, you don't have to stay here. What do you say we do some training, though? Been a little while since I showed you a rune, and, well. There's some more.. Fundamental stuff I should be showing you."

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

TAGS: Kahlil Noble
Location: Jedi Temple Medical Ward
​

Oh that was definitely what she wanted to hear.

"Really?" With more excitement then she meant to let on, the girl perked up. Taking a moment to realize her unprecedented burst of energy.

"I mean yeah- I'd be down. Totally "

Quick to sink back into her bed, she cleared her throat before then slipping off the mattress pad, taking a moment to stabilize herself against the bedpost. Man she was sore. Who knew being exploded and then subsequently thrown into a building could do that to a person.

"My runes could use some uh- polishing. Definitely." Stretching her arms like a runner would before a sprint, she tossed Kahlil a smile. A genuine one. "Lead the way."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

He stifled a laugh at the near regret of her enthusiasm with how sore she seemed to be. At least she was raring to go. At least she smiled. Kahlil nodded once, turning from the bed to lead the way out of the Halls of Healing. Get them to the training room close by. That was the advantage of being in the Temple, there were training rooms just about everywhere. Once inside, Kahlil raised a hand to quickly draw the three runes he'd shown her thus far. Four, technically, though he wasn't too sure if she had the chance to focus on the fourth.

Freeze. Focus. Protect. Burn.

"These runes can do all sorts of things. There's more still to be taught, and I will show you them all by the time you're finished being my Padawan. But, well. I've been neglecting teaching you the fundamentals. Runes are helpful. Your Lightsaber, more so."

He reached out a hand, calling his saber to his hand. Igniting the green blade so it hummed beside him.

"Do you have a form you prefer, yet?"

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

TAGS: Kahlil Noble
Location: Jedi Temple Medical Ward
​

Eyes dark with interest, the girl traced each rune from the safety of her mind. Almost as if pitting herself against his near mountain of experience.

Then talk shifted to lightsabers, and her interest wavered in accordance.

Right. Even she had to admit her bladework left much to be desired. She could doodle as much as her heart desired, but that was hardly going to stop some Sith from kebabing her with a flaming laser. So, yeah. Best learn how to keep that from happening.

Brandishing her own lightsaber, the girl twirled the hilt with something of an amused grin.

"Nah can't say I do. Hate them all equally."

She ignited her blade all the same. Green for green.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Hate's a strong word."

Kahlil slipped up his blade, leveled it for Capris. Hit a switch. The blade dissipated before reforming, though without the hum this time. Then he moved. He didn't hold back in the slightest, speeding across the room in the blink of eye to bring the blade down overhead for his Padawan. He didn't have to hold back. That was the advantage of the blade he'd swapped to. Etropite blades were solid to most things, but they couldn't cut.

Just drain away energy. A stun function for a normally incredibly lethal blade. Some Jedi would say it was the easy route to avoid needing skill. Kahlil just preferred not to leave anything to chance.

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

TAGS: Kahlil Noble
Location: Jedi Temple
​

“Hate’s-”

Kahlil wasted no time closing ground, interrupting whatever snark she’d been formulating. Oh chit. Raising her blade in defense, the girl hardly managed to sidestep as plasma came careening down on her. Suspiciously without the signature lick of heat she’d grown so accustomed to.

She also felt weirdly sapped, her hilt suddenly far more weighted as she brought it up.

“What the hell’s up with your blade?

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Entropite."

Kahlil spun his blade around as he spoke, swinging again for the Padawan. Wide, strong strikes, aiming for the various zones. Shi-Cho wasn't his preferred, but he knew enough about it to be a challenge when he needed to be. Like right now, for Capris. Again and again, weaving his strikes together in a seemingly random pattern to utterly overpower Capris right away.

"A nonlethal blade."

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

TAGS: Kahlil Noble
Location: Jedi Temple
​

Kahlil wasn't about to cut her any slack.

She would've been appreciative of the fact if given any time to process it. But alas she had none. Instead his relentlessness drove her own, the girl trying her damndest to keep pace while exchanging parry after parry after parry.

It was a losing battle of course.

In a last ditch attempt to not totally fold, her lightsaber locked with his, green pushing back green as sparks licked at her face.

"A non-lethal blade?" The girl nearly grunted the question. "How's that even possible?"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"It's something I'll show you."

He moved. Pressed against the lock with more and more strength. Trying to force her down. Then, he stepped to the side, switched off his saber to let all that resistance she had throw her suddenly forward before his blade reignited to cut past her guard.

"After you learn the importance of your blade."

Capris Halcyon