Private hoax

[Quinn Varanin]

//: This is (Not) a Love Story //:
//: Myrkr //:
//: Kir Dantos //:

​

The feel of the blade entering the flesh of the victim always felt good. To feel the life leave the eyes as they stare up at the attacker in disbelief of what was happening never got old. Air gasped as the last breath left the pale lips of the reptile, as Quinn held it down beneath her boot. When the creature had stopped flailing, Quinn stepped back and drew the blade from the beast's neck. Its ichor like blood dripped the metal's length; with a shake, it flung off and into the swamp. "Netherworld help me, ugh." Lips curled in disgust as she noticed the creature had clawed his way into her linen shirt.​

Her current mission had been derailed quickly. Her master probably finding this to be quite entertaining, the Echani girl looked back down at her datapad. Static echoed on the display as the surrounding density of metal interfered with her equipment. Had she been prepared, she wouldn't have brought equipment that failed in this environment. On top of everything, the planet hindered her connection to the Force. Quinn felt exposed and naked without the comforting veil of the Dark Side.​

Amber eyes looked up from the datapad as her thin blood lips pressed together, showing her frustration in the entire matter. The datapad tucked away as she looked around at the swampland that surrounded her. Trees grew wildly with their knotted trunks creating a thick maze above the haze of fog. She had a small mission to find something hidden in the planet's jungle, but without her devices, Quinn wondered how successful she would be. She had learned basic survival training from the Academy on Bastion, but nothing could prepare someone so enveloped in the Force to deal with a moment they didn't have it.​

Curse words flung under her breath as she worked her way through the puddled swamp, her feet kicking at the sludge that clung and threatened to drag her into the waters. Hate grew inside of her chest for the planet, and if she could, she would summon forces beyond the Netherworld to devour it. Alas, her strength in the dark side wasn't as powerful, but she would never admit it to anyone. "Master, why did you send me here…" Quinn whined as she finally felt solid ground under her feet.​

Her blade was a mess from killing the monster that had attacked her and required cleaning. The leaves of grass beneath her feet provided a decent enough way to clean the blade. Running the metal against the flora, Quinn wiped the green blood from her precious weapon. The water nearby also helped her in her task. With the blade clean, she felt a little better about her situation.​

Still, she needed to find what she had come here before returning to Bastion. Stomping her feet where she stood, she began to make her way deeper into the dense forest. Senses heightened. She waited for another attack from whatever decided she looked like a decent meal.​

 

[Kir Dantos]

Myrkr, Myrkr System
Deep in the Jungle
Quinn Varanin

​

Kir had no idea how long he'd been traversing through the endless forest. It had probably only been a few minutes, but it felt like they'd been stretched to hours. Just green, constant green, with no light at the end of the tunnel in sight. A rustling in the nearby shrubs alerted him to the fact that he was most likely just one organism among thousands, many who didn't seem to be the most hospitable. Low growling noises sounded out into the forest as he took a stance, feeling less than ready for what was about to attack him, this time, he didn't have the force to protect him.

Lithe, ochre coloured creatures scuttled through the branches above his head. One of the first things he'd noticed about this place was its ability to negate the use of the Force in any capacity, that would be troublesome. It made him feel uncomfortable in his own skin. Peering back up at the little creatures, he recognised them from an Academy article, one of the few he'd actually read and understood, Ysalamri, unassuming creatures who could prove a death sentence for any force sensitive to come across them. That same rustling from earlier returned, this time only much louder. Placing a hand towards his lightsaber, he hoped he'd be quick enough on the draw. Teeth bared and saliva dripping them, a black canine figured leaped out of the shrubs and made an attempt for his face.

Drawing his lightsaber, he hit the on switch, slicing the green blade clean through the abdomen of his hound-like adversary. Considering his options, he knew that it wasn't going to be too long before the hound's friends came to inquire so he'd need to move quickly. Did the planet perhaps have a spaceport? It was doubtful, but he was willing to take the chance to try and find it, if he was alive to do so anyways. The labyrinth of mangled bushes and branches meant that it was almost impossible to plot a route that'd take him to his X-Wing, or even any ship he could find which would allow him to get back to GA space.

Starting into a run, he trampled twigs and wayward roots. Another thing he'd failed to anticipate was the heat, which seemed to be just as merciless and unsympathetic as the creature that had attacked him, sweat dripping through his gray overalls. Stopping by a tree trunk, he attempted to regroup with his senses, he'd need water soon so that was his first concern. Assessing his immediate area, he recollected that lush green vegetation was a sign that there was a water source nearby. The trees seemed to be challenging him to venture on. Climbing through the shrubs, he cited gushing water and almost jumped for joy. He travelled to the water's edge and eased his backpack off his back and removing a flask, which he filled with water and promptly drank from. Slinging his pack back over his back, he noticed a vine and developed a plan.

The padawan placed two hands on the vine and stepped back around four paces. If he fell into the river, he'd most likely be carried upstream by the relentless currents to his likely death - a comforting thought. He started into a perilous dash, taking his feet off the ground just as the edge appeared, the other side was in sight, he just needed to reach it.. the leap of faith was a dangerous one but he took it and let go of the vine, falling over onto the other side of the stream. He picked himself up and squinted downriver, swearing to himself that he just saw a figure. To be sure, he rubbed his eyes periodically, still seeing the figure about to proceed deeper.

Contemplating on whether he should hail her, he considered the fact that she might be a local and could help him. Then again, she could be a hostile. He didn't want to give an indication of who he was, so he placed his lightsaber in a pocket out of view and decided to take his chances, bolting towards her position.

"HELLO!" He exclaimed, hoping she'd heard him over the splash of the stream.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: This is (Not) a Love Story //:
//: Myrkr //:
//: Kir Dantos //:

​

It was a good thing for the Jedi behind Quinn that the Force was deaf on this planet. She would have been able to set a trap for him, but he was safe for the time. The splashing around that he had done already alerted the young sithling. She paused and looked over her shoulder and noticed the boy, she groaned slightly under her breath. Kir was making noises that would only draw attention to him and in turn her. Her feet moved quickly, maybe she would be able to get away from him before his silly Jedi eyes found her. ​

Unlucky for her, those silly Jedi eyes were much better than she had expected. Among the sounds of splashing, she heard him call her. How did she attract someone on this Force forsaken planet, it was huge! Quinn pinched the bridge of her nose, while she contemplated taking off as fast as she could. Without the Force, neither of them could enhance their speed, which was when she looked down. Quinn noticed she really didn't wear shoes meant for too much running. Running and getting away was at the forefront of her mind, she didn't want to deal with someone else on this quest. He could be looking for the same thing she was, which posed a problem. ​

No, she wasn't going to wait for him to catch up. Quinn looked over her shoulder towards the boy who was running at her and yelling. He was so clumsy, she thought quietly to herself as a look of disgust fell over her perfect features. Realizing that he was gaining ground on her, Quinn cursed and then shouted at him. "Go away!" The sithling quickly turned on her heel and started to take off through the labyrinth of trees. Without the Force, she felt blind, but from her father's teachings when she was younger, she quickly and carefully moved through the gnarled raised roots. ​

Each step against the hardwood, she was able to propel herself farther away from the boy. Her playful yet mocking laughter echoed through the dense forest as she couldn't help laugh at the boy who was behind her. It was always funny until someone got hurt, and Quinn would find her foot getting caught falling through a rotted root. Another slur of curse words poured out of her blood-stained lips as she fell forward with her ankle stuck in the tree. ​

The boy behind her was quick, and she could see him through the thicket, quickly she tried to pull her leg from the rotted wood. Hands tugged at the vines that slithered around her ankle, tangling her farther into the tree. Quinn used her free foot as leverage as she placed it onto the rotted root as she continued to pull at the vines. They felt like ropes made of rubber, they stretched with each pull and just made things worse for the sithling. ​

Reaching to her side, she drew her small vibrodagger and began to rip and tear at the vines. He drew closer, she could hear his footsteps crushing the plant life that scattered the floor of the forest. "Damnit." Her weight against the rotted root soon caused it to give out, and she lost her grip. Her dagger slipping from her hand, she watched it tumble slightly out of her reach. Opening her hand, she attempted to summon the Force, but nothing came. Panic came over her, but she did her best to adjust it to make her look more like a damsel in distress. "Help! Help!" She called for the boy that was following her. Hopefully, he'd be a bit helpful.​

 

[Kir Dantos]

Myrkr, Myrkr System
Deeper in the Jungle
Quinn Varanin

​

As soon as she'd taken off into the thick mess of wiry branches, he'd followed, dashing as fast as his feet could take him. He could not discern what she was actually trying to evade. He'd decided even if she wasn't running from anything in particular it was better to stick to the 'better to be safe than sorry' mantra. The thicket proved to be troublesome as he hopped over stray branches and spiked wood that looked almost menacing in nature. For a moment he perceived laughter but it was hard to tell whether it was a playful chuckle or a cry of pain. He assumed the first. Drawing his lightsaber once more, he sliced his way through, dodging, low hanging branches that could prove troublesome if he were to ever smack his head on one of them.

Continuing on with the chase, he took a quick glance backwards and stopped for a second, scanning his immediate vicinity for anything that could possibly be hostile. So why was the girl running away? She couldn't have been running from him, she didn't even know who she was. Pursuing his reputation, he ventured on, increasing in speed, even without the Force, he was a capable athlete and fondly remembered playing grav-ball as a youngster, being one of the fastest, he was able to use speed and clever tricks to his advantage. Not having the ability limited him, but in a way, he felt freer, and could sympathise with the people's of the galaxy who did not have the powers that had been granted to him, it was almost cathartic as a force sensitive that he could utilise his abilities outside of the Force.

Kir soon surmised that this mysterious person was most likely not of this planet. It wasn't surprising, he couldn't imagine having to live and thrive in the searing heat and pertinent danger of the Myrkr jungle. He'd not had too much time to get a sufficient look but as he gained ground, the image became much clearer, a female perhaps? Her stark white, wavy hair swayed to and fro as she dashed somewhat slowly. Mysterious indeed, perhaps she was one of those explorers, dare he say she might've even been a Jedi as he was. He could only speculate on the possibilities. The forest was getting impossibly thick and the sweltering conditions were wearing him down, but still he pressed on, panting loudly as he went. He came to a halt, cutting through the wood in his way, as he stepped over a spiky branch.

The pursuit seemed to be coming to an end as he couldn't seen the woman running anymore. Curling branches and dense shrubs impaired his vision as he slowed to a walk, still cutting through. He stepped through an opening towards the scene, a few words that he'd use when irritated could be heard nearby. Following the sound of the female voice, he kept on going, now hearing cries for help. He assessed the situation before immediately running to her aid, could she possibly be hostile? If she was an explorer, could she be an enemy of the GA and Jedi? Shaking his head in shame, he believed that his purpose as a Jedi was to help people in need, and that included whoever this person was.

In his peripheral vision, he spotted a shoe and started towards the person. The young woman seemed to be Echani, of his own age, with blood red lips and deep hazel eyes that were almost green, that he found somewhat attractive. She seemed to be stuck in vines and rotted roots, her ankle in a bad way. "Hello, I'm here to help I guess." Raising his emerald lightsaber above his head, he went as if to strike her, and came with a downwards strike, cutting through the root and freeing her. He bent down to examine her ankle and came to the conclusion that it was most likely twisted. "Just stay still, I'm gonna help ya." He decided to use his rudimentary medical knowledge to treat her. Stepping up, he snapped a long twig in half and placed either twig on her ankle. He slung his pack off and removed a bandage from it. He wrapped it round the two twigs to support her ankle. He also found a longer stick and handed it to her. "Use it as a walking stick, you should be good to go, who are you anyways?" He asked, inquiring into her appearance in the forested death trap.

​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: This is (Not) a Love Story //:
//: Myrkr //:
//: Kir Dantos //:

​

Just her luck, the boy came through the clearing and didn’t look like a devious pirate. He was just a boy that could be a Jedi, his features were soft enough to be. With her predicament, she was thankful for the Force not being a factor. If the planet had been Bastion or Coruscant even, she’d be facing him in combat or something of the sort. Looking at him, she wondered how easy he would be to be defeated or if he was the type of Jedi that hated Sith. Usually, the latter was the likely scenario, which meant he would have taken advantage and killed her on the spot. Tch. She thought quietly to herself, Quinn knew she wasn’t some pathetic sithling that would be killed so easily. ​

​

He surprised her, and she figured the surprise was written all over her face. This boy was willing to help her instead of dismissing her or rob her. Quinn found her mind made up that this had to be a Jedi. The state of the galaxy didn’t allow for just anyone to be kind anymore. She waited and watched him work; the Echani shifted when he asked, and when he was finished, she stood using the stick. Leaning her weight on the stick, she looked at him and smiled at him shyly. While the sithling didn’t have the touch of the Force, she still had her mother’s charm.​

​

Quinn kept her voice soft, as she responded to him, it was the least she could do after he helped her. “Thank you,” She paused and knelt down to pick up the vibrodagger she had dropped. She lifted her skirt slightly and slid it into the hidden strap on her slender thigh. “Quinn Varanin, appreciate the help, by the way.” The Echani had pondered lying, telling him a false name and a fake story. It would have saved her a lot of problems, but her pride got the best of her. “I would have been in a lot of trouble if you didn’t come along.” ​

​

She smiled and brushed back her platinum hair from her face. The jungle didn’t help her curls, and without the Force, she couldn’t force them back into place. Moving closer to him, she tripped a little and caught his arm, then stabilized herself. “And you’ve saved me a second time.” She chuckled and continued to smile at the boy. “So does my hero have a name?” Charm was going to keep her alive until her ankle started to feel better, he needed to not realize she was a Sith until she was able to guarantee her escape. ​

​

Quinn wished her Master could sense her being in danger and appear to take her away from it. She cursed this planet and all its creatures for keeping her Master away from her. ​

 

[Kir Dantos]

Myrkr, Myrkr System
Even Deeper in the Jungle
Quinn Varanin

​

"Nice to meet ya Quinn. I'm Kir, Kir Dantos. Hey, you're related to Queen Spencer Varanin aren't ya. I remember when she came to Alderaan. If you are related, it's fair to say you've inherited the looks."

The boy gave a large but not too intense grin before scanning his immediate surroundings. He also remembered the name Varanin from his old textbooks at the Jedi Academy. He tried hard to remember where he'd read about her, the name sounded so familiar.. then it finally dawned on him who she was, and who her parents were. Putting two and two together, he spun round to face her round to face her curtly, a darker look painted his features than before. He tried to fight it, but it was eating at him. He ignited his lightsaber which seemed to be coursing with even more power than before. He aimed it, the tip of the blade just a few inches away from he neck, he kept well away from her, a look of intense anger on not just his face but in his body language.

"I know who you are. What is this meant to be? Some sort of trick? You disgust me dirty sithspawn, I should have just left you there for the Vornskyrs!"

He retracted his lightsaber, and raised it, in an attempt to strike her as he had before but as he saw a flinch, he stopped himself and stared at her. Kir evaluated what he was about to do, she was unarmed and most likely injured. This wasn't the way of the Jedi, it was completely dishonourable way to battle an enemy. He'd felt a connection when he helped her, and not through the Force. He wasn't going to stoop to her other mother's level. And was she really injured? She had run from him, perhaps that was the reason. And he'd also seen her fall genuinely and her ankle didn't seem to be in good shape.

"You're lucky you're not your mother, I might've just finished the job." The soft features from earlier had left him and he had a face full of scorn, though significantly less hate on it. "This is some sort of trick isn't it, you're probably not even injured. Keep walking sithspawn, at least now I can keep an eye on you. We have a similar interest in surviving, if we're going to do that, we'll need to get to Hyllyard City. I'm not sure how deep we are, but when we leave this place, we should get a good idea where we are."

The Jedi stood a little bit apart, beckoning her to walk in a sarcastic way, still not completely trusting of her. Her kind killed Jedi all the time and he wasn't just going to forgive her for that. She was his enemy. He relented, attempting to push the thoughts out of his mind, he thought that even if she was related to them, he didn't know if she'd committed any of the crimes. She wasn't them.

"Im sorry.. but if you are a Sith? Then why did you join them? The Sith are evil, they kill innocents and cause havoc everywhere that they go.. you shouldn't align with them, they'll only destroy you."

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: This is (Not) a Love Story //:
//: Myrkr //:
//: Kir Dantos //:

​

Her smile softened, hearing that the Jedi boy knew of her mother. His compliment didn't fall on deaf ears; she nodded, accepting it and, in a sense agreeing with him. Quinn Varanin was the splitting image of her mother, stark blonde hair almost white, tender porcelain skin, and a smile that brought the Dark Lord of the Sith to her knees. The same Dark Lord of the Sith that helped create the girl that stood before the Jedi. Kir Dantos was a smarter Jedi than Quinn had first given him credit for. He remembered and put the pieces together, knowing the Echani's lineage.​

She didn't expect him to react the way he did. It was apparent he didn't know the full story of her parents. Spencer Varanin was a defender of the Light, even the woman's lover was a Jedi - who was exiled because of a botched mission that caused her to be infected by Sith poison. Quinn didn't flinch at the heat of the saber at her throat. His face dark, and she stood there definitely against him. He explained his stance, and she gritted her teeth, he was such a typical Jedi - passing judgment before even knowing anything. ​

Tears welled in her eyes as the saber dropped from her throat, explaining how his mercy worked. She wanted to spit in his face, tell him how his false followings were wrong, how they made him more of a monster than she was. On the other hand, she wanted to laugh at this boy, thinking that he could strike down even stand in the presence of her Sith mother. Seems even Jedi could be full of themselves. ​

Anger filled her heart as she made fists, both of her parents were gone, one with the Force forever. Most recently, her mother had passed, Quinn spoke sharply, trying not to choke on her words, "You don't know anything." Tears fell, staining her now flush cheeks. "Both of my parents are dead, so lucky for you - your job is done." She paused and stepped back away from the Jedi, he was keen on continuing and assuming that she was his prisoner. Without the Force, Quinn needed to rely on her other skills. "My mother wasn't a Sith, Papa was, but redeemed before she passed. Both of my parents walked the path of the Light. For your information, Jedi. In fact, my mother was just killed by a Sith Lord." Narrowing her eyes, she felt the fresh pain of remembering what had happened. "Ashin Varanin was a Jedi, she infiltrated the Sith Empire to take them down before war broke out, unfortunately for her, she was betrayed and discovered. Tortured and poisoned with Sith poison, she lost the ability to touch the Light. The Jedi abandoned her, they chose to leave her with the Sith. So she decided to reform them, try and do something good with the hand she was dealt with." Quinn let her tears flow, retelling the story of Ashin Varanin. The Sith had done horrible things, but in the end, accepted her parents, the Jedi denied her parents more than once, even when they tried to return to the Light. ​

"You know nothing, Kir Dantos." Quinn limped forward as she continued down the pathway, she winced every few steps. His question on her allegiances hung on her mind as she pondered it, she was a Sith, even the apprentice of a Zambrano. Though that was none of his business and she wasn't in any shape to fight the Jedi. Brushing her hair from her face, she shook her head, the same hand wiped away the tears from her eyes. "I'm not a Sith or a Jedi. My mother taught my siblings and me the way of the Light, but alas, I wasn't touched with the Force." A soft smile as the lie flowed from her lips as easy as talking about the weather. ​

Quinn continued to move in front of him; she kept the corner of her eye on him, though, without the Force, she couldn't call for Ellie Mors to come for her until she was able to get into town. If she kept him talking, maybe it would take his mind off to kill her or find a reason to kill her. "So I'm assuming you're a Jedi, why do you follow them? You were so quick to kill me just because you knew a part of my lineage that wasn't even a complete scope." Shaking her head, she paused for a moment, feigning the need to catch her breath. "What would have happened if you killed me and found out I was an innocent - just caught in the wrong place at the wrong time?" ​

She looked at him, with the facade of sadness. "I thought the Jedi were understanding, forgiving, and protectors of the innocent?"​

 

[Kir Dantos]

Myrkr, Myrkr System
Much Deeper in the Jungle
Quinn Varanin

​

Shame and guilt washed over the young Jedi as he fully came to terms with his grave mistake. What he'd done.. that wasn't anything like he'd been taught, it wasn't what a great Jedi like Master Karis would have done. It pained him deeply to know that he'd most likely cut deep into memories that the young woman probably didn't want to remember. The only thing now was to make it right, he had much to learn and for a brief moment, he'd become the very thing he so very much detested, and that was what cut into him deepest of all. Placing his face in his hands, he reached an arm out to stop her, hoping he could just explain himself.

"I-I'm so sorry, I don't know what got into me. I just snapped." The brown haired padawan looked genuinely remorseful for the comments that he had just made. He knew what it was like to loose family and it hurt quite a bit.

"I've not had good experiences with Sith, I've lost good friends, friends that I'd consider family, to the Sith. They're a force for chaos in the galaxy and like most Jedi, I get negative connotations when I hear about em. Jedi aren't immune to forgiveness, so I really do hope you can forgive me. What I did was unacceptable and I really shouldn't have passed judgement without knowing the full story. At the Academy, Ashin Varanin is demonised, she's the example of what a Jedi shouldn't become, it's sad that we were never given the full story." He jogged up towards her through the bracken, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving it a light squeeze, and a look of sorrow.

"I'm sure you're a good person Quinn, like your parents."

He took a moment to ponder on what she had revealed to him, on how the Jedi had shunned her mother, and it was something that was unimaginable for the Order that he'd grown to love and trust so much. The fact that they would do such a thing threw all of his beliefs into doubt for a second. "Some Jedi believe that darksiders are incapable of being redeemed. I don't think that, anyone is susceptible to the dark side, but that's good in a way because it means that anyone is able to be rescued." Kir took a seat on a nearby rock and took a long sigh as he peered up at the sky. It was painted in an purple-orange glow that resonated throughout the forest, an indicator that the night was on its way, with all of its dangers in tow.

"The Jedi are all of those Quinn, but we also make mistakes. Shunning your parents was a big mistake, those things I said were a big mistake on my own part. I'm just a padawan, sometimes I worry if I'll ever be a good Jedi, like Master Treicolt, or Master Ryv Karis, or Master Morteg or Master Locke, even if she sort of.. betrayed us, she still did good things. I don't know how they did it, it's hard and sometimes I wish I never got the Force, everyone expects you to be able make those hard decisions, but lot of the time I just don't know what to do."

"We should get moving and find shelter, the night is fast approaching." He rose up from the rock and started off, briefing looking back at her, chagrin and sorrow displayed in his features, a far cry from the confident demeanour he'd showed before.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: This is (Not) a Love Story //:
//: Myrkr //:
//: Kir Dantos //:

​

Quinn felt somewhat bad for lying to the Jedi, especially when he became so sincere. She wondered if all Jedi had this sincerity about them, but then she remembered some that she had run into and shunned her parents. She was warned as a child and growing up with the lack of help from said Jedi when the Mandalorians ravaged Eshan, she didn’t trust them. Even now, the only reason Kir was interested in surviving together was that she told him she wasn’t a Sith. If he knew the truth, he would take advantage of her weakened state and attack. Cowards, she thought quietly through the smile she gave him. ​

“Its okay, Kir, no reason to be hard on yourself. People make mistakes, and just like normal folks like me, the Jedi and Sith make mistakes.” She continued to move, and he mentioned shelter. Quinn looked up towards the canopy of the forest and nodded in agreement. She had hoped she would have been able to be off-planet by now, but with the Jedi behind her and her injured ankle, she wasn’t going to be able to get back to port fast enough. ​

“I agree, I know when I was wandering earlier there was a cave a few more feet away from here.” She pointed in the direction, she had taken shelter there earlier in the day and knew it was cleared out. “Should still be empty.” Quinn moved her way, guiding the Jedi towards the cave. A small part of her wished she hadn’t had come alone - if her Master had come with her, things would have been a lot better. She moved the best she could over the thicket and the randomly downed trees. Her sense of direction was decent, and she thanked her time under Ashin’s tutelage to learn tracking without the Force. ​

They walked in silence, Quinn not really knowing what to say to the boy and being in some pain from her ankle. She had to move past it though, the faster she got used to the pain, the quicker she could escape and leave him behind if possible. Finally, reaching the cave, she moved to sit down in the clearing beside the fire she had used the night before. A hand brushed back her silver hair as she exhaled and smiled towards the sullen boy. ​

“We made it.” Quinn was happy to finally be sitting down. Looking at him, she decided at least to make the time with the Jedi a nice one. If she continued to shove him aside, he might get suspicious. If he became too suspicious, he could quickly return to the overly righteous Jedi he was before - ready to slit her throat. She sighed softly and figured she wasn’t going to sleep well tonight at all. ​

Still seeing the sadness in his eyes, she spoke while digging in her pack. “Kir, don’t worry yourself about earlier. You didn’t kill me, you didn’t even hurt me. There’s nothing to be worried about.” She found the lighter and pulled together the brush and leftover wood. Flames shot out, and soon they had a small fire between them. The orange flames illuminated her pale face she smiled and welcomed the warmth of the fire. “As much as you need to be able to forgive others and believe they can be redeemed, you need to be able to do the same for yourself. If you can’t, you’re not going to be of use to anyone.” ​

Quinn looked back up to him through the fire, a smile spread across her face as she chuckled softly. A hand patted the area beside her, “You should rest too, from my landmarking the city shouldn’t be much farther.”​

 

[Kir Dantos]

Myrkr, Myrkr System
In a Cave
Quinn Varanin

​

The two had been trudging through the unforgiving bracken for too long, so it felt good to finally find some respite from the harsh outdoors. Kir sighed out into the darkness of the night, he'd spent the time mostly thinking about what he'd done, thinking about the mistake. It'd been almost a relief for Quinn to finally forgive him, but it still troubled him, all of what he'd said. It like when one swallowed a medicine that they knew was making them better but it tasted vile all the same.

“Kir, don’t worry yourself about earlier. You didn’t kill me, you didn’t even hurt me. There’s nothing to be worried about.”

"I know I didn't but the fact that I almost did... That worries me, Master Treicolt says I need to reign myself in a little more. He's right." The night seemed almost peaceful, a time when a quiet calm took over the land. The stars seemed particularly bright tonight, illuminating them and bathing their rudimentary glow in an eerie white light. He managed a small smile back at her as she told him to get some rest. "I'll only do so when you do so first."

Taking off his backpack, he removed an overcoat from the pack and opened it up. He placed it tenderly over Quinn, allowing it to serve as somewhat of a blanket for her. He went shuffled nearer to her and spoke softly, almost in a whisper so she'd be able to drift off to sleep. "I'm sorry about all the stuff with your mom, Quinn. You never should have had to go through that and it disturbs me that you did. I tell you what, I'll put in a word to my master. He can speak to Master Karis and maybe he could put in a few good words. I don't want what happened to your mother to happen to anyone else. No one is above redemption." He nodded, somewhat satisfied.

"Goodnight Quinn, sleep well." He whispered once more, getting up and heading just outside the cave to gaze at the pinpricks of light in the endless black background. He remembered a time when he was just a kid on Corellia, when he thought about exploring, going into a life where he'd explore those pinpricks of life and when he dreamed of a life that had meaning too it. Now that he'd got that life, he didn't know where it was going anymore. Was it motivation, he desperately wanted to become a great Jedi, but was he looking in the wrong place with that ambition, was it bad enough without him messing everything up at every turn.

Quinn's story had made him think about his place in the Jedi Order. How he'd become, how some Jedi had become. It was wrong, they lauded their powers over others in a way which seemed quite condescending and judgemental. Perhaps that was why Master Locke had left. But he couldn't see himself walking out on the organisation that had given him everything. He wanted to set a precedent. Show people that not all Jedi could be like how he was, that not all of them could be reckless, patronising captious. It would be an interesting stance to take, but a morally good one.

Jedi were there to assist and serve the people, the vulnerable of the galaxy. But they weren't there to do their dirty work, they were there to help them help themselves.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: This is (Not) a Love Story //:
//: Myrkr //:
//: Kir Dantos //:

​

Quinn listened quietly as she heard the Jedi boy speak. He was determined to try and set this right. An odd reaction from a Jedi, but she wasn’t interested in his charity. Her parents were gone, so there was no point in receiving this magical reprieve that he offered through this Master Karis. She didn’t know who this Jedi was and why he would be able to do something about it. The thought made Quinn mentally roll her eyes as she looked towards the fire. ​

​

She let him do his charitable deeds and take the first watch. Falling asleep was going to be something she absolutely didn’t do. He had attacked her, who is to say he wasn’t going to finish the job while sleeping, especially if he got another thorn in his side about who her parents were. Instead, she sighed softly and closed her eyes. Quinn knew he wouldn’t let it go if she didn’t ‘rest,’ she moved her ankle a bit and started to feel it calm down. If she needed to run for it, she’d have a better chance now. ​

​

Settling in, Quinn pondered more about what the Jedi said. There was an assumption that Ashin had been villainized by the councils and the text, but she never expected it to be that bad. Maybe she was so enamored by her parents that she didn’t really want to understand how others saw them. Still, to her, her parents had their reasons for what they did - it was all in their Holocron. Looking towards the Jedi, she watched him the best she could - he didn’t seem dangerous now, but he could be. ​

​

Groaning, she wished Vesta was here. ​

​

A few hours passed, and Quinn sat up. She was tired of pretending to sleep, but the rest did give her some energy. Looking towards Kir, she nodded and figured he was probably tired as well. Standing, she walked the best she could and made her way towards him. The overcoat found its way back onto his shoulders, and she spoke. “Don’t bother your master or this master Karis. There’s no point to try and fix the Jedi. I’ve already decided they’re a pointless group to deal with.” She waved her hand, showing him dismissal. “You’re different, so maybe not all of you are that bad.” Quinn looked away, she still held such a distaste for the Jedi, they were backward and stuck in their ways. Always upholding some honor that only made them act as if they were better than everyone. ​

​

There was no freedom with the Jedi, she would never bow down or beg them for anything. “My parents are gone, there’s no reason to bother with it. I know the truth about them - so stay out of it. I don’t want the Jedi in any of my business. They’ve destroyed enough lives.”​

 

[Kir Dantos]

Myrkr, Myrkr System
Outside a Cave
Quinn Varanin

Spoiler: Music

​

The padawan kept silent and stared out into the endless labyrinth of bracken, winding paths. It mirrored his own situation currently. He had so many paths he could choose, the path that made the most sense to him was being twisted and almost demonised in the ever changing darkness. In truth no one truly knew what they were doing, not him, not Master Treicolt, not even Master Ryv. The light side, the dark side, this new person made them seem much less nuanced than they were and it scared him.

He almost laughed out into the night as he realised how much he views on everything were being changed. "It's strange isn't it, why the Vornskyrs haven't acted yet." He told her, his now monotone timbre made him seem much more neutral in temperament than he actually felt.

Kir took the opportunity to turn back and look towards Quinn. He wondered if she was actually sleeping. He couldn't really blame hr if she did, the planet was never really known for his hospitality, and his choice to take first watch definitely had something to do with that feeling. The intense bombardment of thoughts was maddening and he was now seriously doubting his ability to deal with them as he usually could. There was no Master Treicolt here to guide him. No Loske to keep him sane in this ever changing and ever unforgiving galaxy. It was him and a stranger who didn't have quite a fondness for the Jedi Order which was shockingly quite understandable from the perspective that she was presenting.

No point to try and fix the Jedi

The words echoed in Kir's mind opening up another path. The logic that had made him was telling him that this was nonsense and biased. But, this new perspective he was playing with, it was entertaining the idea that this might be true. The boy took a deep breath and a long sigh, giving himself some room and space to ponder.

He shook his head with a small laugh as she recited her little advice. And the comment about him being different, he did want to be different. He couldn't leave the Jedi, but perhaps, he didn't have to be like everyone else, he didn't have to fit in with the crowd. It was a nice proposition.

"But do you really know the truth? Or is it the truth your mother told you, from her own perspective. Or is it the truth you want to believe. I think you only see things from your own point of view, not others. To the people your mother killed, she was evil, to you, she is a hero. You don't like Jedi, and I'm in no position to judge you for that. But from my point of view, you both have a point and are very wrong. You don't get what we fight for, because you haven't experienced it. I fight with the Defense Force, like so many other Jedi. And we're fighting for what's right, for the Light. For everything that's good. I help people not so it benefits me, but so it benefits others and the Force. Those are my motivations."

"There are things that are wrong with the Jedi philosophy. It's not perfect, I know, but, that willingness to do good, and to help people. I hope that never changes and that's why I fight, that's why I helped you. You might never understand that, and I'm sorry you can't. Maybe you will some day.."

The young Jedi looked more confident, yet more distant. More content even. He wore on his overcoat and picked up his pack, slinging it over his shoulders and attached his lightsaber on to his utility belt. For a second he looked back and shook his head before contingent on. He didn't know where he was going, but he decided he was going to let the force guide him this time. He was going to find Hyllyard and get back home.

"Follow me if you want to. Trust in the Force. Or don't and leave, block out what you know to be true. I'm not stopping you."