Final Destination

[Brayden Antares]

OOC: Occurs roughly one week following the conclusion of A Promise is a Promise

Silver Rest
Kashyyk

Why in all of the galaxy would a Jedi Master summon a Sith Lord to a Jedi Temple? If the Silver Jedi Order wasn't already enough of an oddity to Brayden, it certainly didn't slip into the lens of clarity with this particular move. Even as the Corellian Light Freighter descended towards the appointed landing pad, Brayden was...agitated at best. [member="Nareen"] and her assistant had managed to accomplish what was to take three months in just shy of two. On the one hand, the Prince of Endelaan was happy for the productivity. On the other, he'd certainly procrastinated the last bit of the process to the very last possible moment. When [member="Dianah Vi'Dreya"] had told Brayden that it was the Jedi DragonsFlame whom controlled the final piece of the puzzle to returning his sister, the young Prince was a little more than miffed.

As had been the case with Dianah, Brayden judged just about...everyone from his actual sister's past equally guilty in the perpetuation of the lie that was Madalena and the trauma that had brought about the entity's creation. The fact that Brayden had been more or less forced to agree to preserve the lie for the sake of pitiful friendships he cared nothing for left a bad enough taste in his mouth. His initial message to the rather public figure that was [member="Josh DragonsFlame"] had been met not with acquiescence or a true offer to help. Instead he'd been delivered yet another request that was really a demand. The Jedi had used very diplomatic wording, but the overall message was 'Come speak to me in private'.

Exhaling deeply, Brayden turned to Faye, who was fortunately always at his side as a calming presence, and Nareen. "Stay here. I will send word when it is time to bring the body. I dispatched a message to Dianah to collect Madalena and begin travelling towards SJO space already." The Endelaan native paused only long enough to convey his relative discomfort with the entire situation. "I do not intend for this to take long."

Turning from the pair, Brayden proceeded towards the cargo bay and down the loading ramp into the elements of Kashyyk. Silver-green eyes scanned the immediate horizon, searching for someone that would step forward and identify themselves.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Well, one man had the balls. And that man was the Master Of The Order of the Silver Jedi Order, and the man who presently acted as the SJO's de-facto leader in Arisa's absence. Josh DragonsFlame was many things, but one thing he was not, was fearful of a Sith Lord. Not that there was an issue of him walking in when he knew he was coming. If he caused any trouble, Josh had already alerted the Silver Assembly to his appearance. If he even made one threatening move, he would have more than he had to bargain for. While the Jedi Master was laid back and casual, and young for a Master, many looked at him and forgot about what he'd been through, the experiences he'd had... And the fact that under all of that, he was a calculated tactician. Josh knew what he was doing. In this environment, Josh was completely in control. There was not an ill move this man could make that wouldn't be stopped immediately.

But Josh hoped it wouldn't have to come to that.

While the man's messages had not been civil, he had explained his intention to try and free Scherezade, and intended to split her and Madalena into two bodies. It sounded like a good plan... A bit too good. His suspicions were why he had asked for this meeting. He needed to know that these people, as much as they claimed to be her family, were safe. That they meant the best for her. And if they intended to hurt her... Well, what was said about all being in his control?

When the ship that was identified as belonging to a [member="Brayden Antares"] would pass through checks and land on Kashyyyk, the Jedi Master was already waiting for him. As he stepped down the ramp, he would gingerly bow his head before speaking.

"Let us find somewhere more fitting for this degree of conversation."

With that, he led Brayden through the Rest, until they came to an office. It wasn't the fanciest of offices, nor the most furnished as he wasn't in said office much, and there were building blocks scattered around the floor nearby. But it was good enough.

"You said you wanted to bring Scherezade back" He would speak calmly as he would motion for Brayden to take a seat in one of the chairs nearby. Pouring two glasses of wine as if this were the most casual of meetings, he offered one to Brayden. But the statement made it clear he wanted to know more before he agreed to anything.

[member="Brayden Antares"]

 

[Brayden Antares]

Brayden said nothing as he followed the man through the halls of the edifice until they finally came to the place where the entire point of this visit would be addressed. Remaining standing, Brayden leveled a steady, bright gaze at the man opposite him. There wasn't really any level of hatred or disgust on his face. If anything, Brayden's features were an impassive mask.

Unfortunately for the Jedi Master, his statement was just about the most useless and unclear concoction of words that Brayden had ever heard assembled. The Endelaan native had little time for pretense or half measures. This entire discourse would be much better off if they both just said precisely what they wanted to say. Several empty moments passed before Brayden assumed the Jedi wasn't going to say anything further. "Do not waste my time. If you have a question, ask it."

Raising a hand as if to signify that, in this particular instance, Brayden would just go with his assumption, the Sith Lord continued. "Yes. I intend to bring my sister back. Apparently the method that would meet with the highest degree of success requires her vessel. A vessel which she, apparently, entrusted to you. So where is it?" Given the fact that Brayden had explained literally everything in his previous message, he was not exactly sure why they were having this pointless meeting. So Josh could what? Confirm that Brayden had Scherezade's best interest at heart? Josh and those like him were the ones that had failed Scherezade in the first place. Josh was one of the many that had been unable to protect and show her that her life meant something, that she was not a mistake or failure, that she was loved and appreciated.

In the end of the day whatever friendship any of these people thought they were protecting was a shell. Had his sister trusted them? Brayden had no doubt that she had. What was the nature of said friendships? Were they completely one way? Oh yes. Brayden had many of his own questions. However, there remained one unassailable truth in all of this.

Stupid questions about the past neither mattered nor helped to bring his sister back. Whatever damage she had suffered could not be repaired whilst she hid behind an imaginative persona. Brayden could not help Scherezade mend the pieces of her soul until she was present. Anyone that thought they were protecting his sister by allowing her to continue with this ridiculous sham of a life was beyond moronic.

Brayden had abandoned the entire concept that the greater galaxy acted in accordance with any level of tactical or common sense long ago. Further more, he'd read plenty on this Jedi Master [member="Josh DragonsFlame"], and the man's so-called record of service was less than impressive. Little more than a deserter on the premise of avoiding a militant Jedi Order that eventually turned into just another conqueror. Records maintained by his uncle, a former Supreme Commander of the Galactic Republic. Nothing about this meeting held any merit or usefulness. It was a side show. A side show that neither truly protected or helped his sister.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Well, this Brayden that Scherezade, and later Madalena, had talked up was certainly not what he was expecting or hoping for. As much as he knew it was possible seeing as he was a Sith Lord, Josh was expecting him to be less... Typical Sith. And maybe more like Scherezade and Madalena. But it seemed that was not the case, to his disappointment. Regardless, the Jedi Master would simply shrug his shoulders at the remark of not wasting his time, drowned the first glass of wine and took the second for himself if he wasn't having any.

"Yes, I am aware" Josh would respond when he confirmed that the best way to return was some kind of body double and splitting machine... Using the ship that Scherezade had entrusted to him. How Brayden didn't know what Josh was to say next, was beyond him. It was obvious why he would bring him here. Why else would it be? Josh was a busy man, especially when the Assembly was still in the process of choosing a new Grandmaster and he had to do most of the duties of both roles for the time being until they picked someone for the other leadership role.

"I have brought you here because the ship is here" He spoke calmly, yet when his eyes darted up to meet him, his gaze was fierce. "If you think that it is best for Scherezade to be brought back this way, especially if you are able to split her and Madalena into two with hopefully no ill effects... Then you have my aid. But..." He trailed off.

"I do not agree with the idea of leading her to the place without her knowledge."

Unlike this lot, Josh was not thinking on just the short term. He was thinking on the long term. They were thinking about only HOW to get Scherezade back... Josh was thinking about what to do after she was back. And what the consequences of this whole thing would be.

"If we are to enact this without her consent, she will lose her trust in possibly some of the only people that can help her get past all that's happened... And especially get her past the things that led her to this point to begin with. Not to mention have awful memories on a world where until this point, she has likely considered to be a safe place for her. Neither of which will help her when this is all over. So allow me to be blunt... If you have need of me to speak to her and help her understand, I will do so. But if she does not consent to this... Or if you continue to decide to completely ambush her with this plan... You will not have my help. And you will not have the ship. I was instructed to not use it in a way detrimental to her... And I will keep that promise. And I will continue to do so until she decides she is ready. Nobody else gets to decide that for her."

The girl was not something for them to just toy around with and play with. No matter the form she took... Scherezade was a person. And Josh would treat her with the due respect no matter what name she had.

Besides... There was no point in bringing her back in a fashion that would irreparably break her. It would destroy the entire point of Scherezade's plan. And Brayden's.

[member="Brayden Antares"] [member="Scherezade deWinter"]