Private Irony Wears a Familiar Face

[Brander]

Aadihr Lidos

Aadihr was gone.

Brander had searched the entire temple, checking training halls, meditation chambers, even the archives, but his teacher was nowhere to be found. He had asked around, stopping anyone who might have seen the Jedi Knight that day. Most people had little to offer—just vague shrugs or mentions of having seen him earlier. But then he caught wind of something more concrete.

Someone had seen Aadihr leaving.

That was what set Brander's stomach twisting in knots. Not just stepping out. Not just going on an errand. Leaving.

It didn't sit right.

He had been meaning to trade contact information with Aadihr ever since getting his new communicator from Alexa, his older brother. Now, with his teacher gone, the idea of reaching out felt less like a convenience and more like a necessity.

So he did what he could. He asked around more. Dug deeper. And what he heard only unsettled him further.

Aadihr had been off. He had said strange things during training, especially during sparring practice. He had pushed Brander and Aris, like he was trying to force them past their limits.

Brander wasn't sure what his teacher had been looking for. But he knew this much—it wasn't just training.

And now Aadihr was gone.

Frustrated and uneasy, Brander returned home to the apartment he shared with Alex. Fortunately, his brother was there, and if anyone could help him track Aadihr down, it was him.

"Aadihr's gone," he said, blunt and to the point.

Alex, who had been in the middle of cleaning one of his blasters, barely looked up. "Gone where?"

"That's the problem—I don't know." Brander ran a hand through his hair, restless energy buzzing through him. "He left the temple. No one knows why. I asked around, and someone saw him leaving. But he didn't tell me. He didn't tell anyone."

Alex set the blaster down, wiping his hands with a rag as he studied Brander. "Alright," he said evenly. "And you want to find him?"

Brander hesitated. It should have been a simple yes, but this wasn't just about Aadihr leaving. His brows furrowed, and he finally admitted, "I'm worried about him. He was… different, the last time I saw him."

Alex leaned back slightly, watching him carefully. "Different how?"

"He said some weird things at sparring practice. Wanted me and Aris to fight him. Really fight him. Like he was trying to prove something. Not to us—to himself." Brander exhaled, crossing his arms. "I don't know what he was thinking, but it wasn't normal. And now he's just… gone. That's not a coincidence."

Alex was quiet for a beat, considering. Then he stood, rolling his shoulders as he grabbed his coat. "Alright," he said simply. "Let's find him."

Brander blinked. "Just like that?"

Alex shot him a smirk. "Kid, tracking people down is what I do."

Within the hour, Alex had dug into transit records, contacted a few sources, and pieced together a lead. His experience as a bounty hunter and mercenary made it alarmingly easy to get what they needed.

Eventually, he flipped his communicator closed with a satisfied nod. "He's got a layover at Lucky 7's Star Port. It's a spacer stop—cheap hotels, diners, mini-marts. Not the kind of place you'd stay unless you're passing through."

Brander perked up at that. "Then we need to catch him before he leaves."


The public transit shuttle hissed as it touched down on a landing pad at Lucky 7's Star Port. The place was exactly what Alex had described—a spacer stop, neon signs flashing above the various fuel depots, motels, strip-mall shops, and diners catering to weary pilots.

The air reeked of fried food, engine exhaust, and whatever mix of perfumes and sweat drifted from the bustling crowds.

Brander barely took in the sights. His focus was singular—finding Aadihr before it was too late.

Alex, on the other hand, took his time, scanning the area like he had seen places like this a thousand times before. He adjusted the rifle strap over his shoulder. "Well, he's here somewhere. I'll check transit logs and see if he's got a departure time."

Brander nodded, scanning the crowds. His gut told him Aadihr was nearby.

He just hoped they weren't too late.

 

[Alexandros]

TAGS:
Targets: Aadihr Lidos

Brander barely took in the sights. His focus was singular—finding Aadihr before it was too late.

Alex, on the other hand, took his time, casually absorbing the atmosphere. He had never been the type to rush, never let urgency strip away the enjoyment of the chase. He was, in every sense, a maverick—unruly, unpredictable, and unshackled by convention. It was what had made him one of the most successful experiments of the first batch that had survived.

A miracle, some would say. A problem, as far as others were concerned.

Because Alex had never been one to follow orders.

He paused below a set of screens reading off the latest transit schedules, his sharp eyes skimming through arrival and departure times. His fingers tapped absently against his belt as he processed the information, cross-referencing it against what he already knew.

Unlike Brander, who struggled to grasp the Force, Alex had the opposite problem.

Where Brander was like a flickering ember, dim and struggling to catch fire, Alex was a sun—brilliant, scorching, and impossible to ignore.

His Force presence burned, radiating outward like heat off durasteel in the midday sun. Even when he tried to suppress it, it still seeped through, like light escaping from behind a closed door. People could feel him without even realizing it—some drawn in by the warmth, others instinctively recoiling as if afraid to be burned.

Alex had spent time trying to dim himself, to keep his presence from spilling into every room he entered. But no matter how much he reined it in, it was always there.

And right now, his target was near.

Alex's lips curled into a slight smirk.

Alex glanced back at the screens, then toward the crowd beyond. He didn't need to check. He could feel it.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

Everything was wrong.
Azurine Varek was taken.
Serina Calis was alive
Jo'Han Felcado returned and vanished just as suddenly.
He failed the alliance on Woostri. He failed his pupils, he failed other students. Left, Right, and Center he was rescued by Padawan and failed to protect them in return.

He couldn't even teach a simple lesson without passing his burdens onto others.

So he ran. Again. As if he learned nothing from the first time. He ran as if he could turn a blind eye to the things going on.

Alpheridies. He could slip by the Neo-Mandalorian checkpoint and visit his family. His parents and sister. Would he still recognize them? Would they recognize him? He'd spent more of his life away from them than with them - but of all the memories he wanted to escape to he longed to return to a place where he fit in. A place where everyone saw the force as he did, where the bonds of unity were stronger than forces of conflict.

It was cowardice, he knew. Selfishness. Until he could control the cursed burn from The Red he was a danger to himself and others, waiting to immolate himself and those close to him. He could see it in his own force presence now. He could see the limb cast in black and crimson, fluctuating with every emotion. It was a ticking bomb. Thinking of it even made the pain grow.

He wanted to forget the things he felt through the bond that Azzie had unintentionally formed with him. He wanted to block her out - but that would mean leaving her alone. His arm seared at the thought. Even though he sought to isolate himself, he sat at some spacer stop surrounded by strangers and cheap merchandise. Perhaps he could find a quiet place - a spot where nobody would be harmed - and give in to the flames. Once Azzie was safe, at least. He owed her that much.

He had let his vision wander further and further from himself, letting the projection of his perceptive anchor stray further and further from his corporeal self. He searched, trying to trace the location of Azurine Varek - growing nauseated in the attempt. His far-seeing could at least travel past the bounds of a Star's reach, but the vast scale of the galaxy made the task of finding Azzie impossibly daunting.

He was completely oblivious to the familiar presence and its older copy arriving at the Lucky 7.

He hadn't even thought to hide his presence. Aadihr didn't think anyone would notice his dissapearance after the dome caved in, let alone care enough to search.

Braze | Alexandros​

 

[Alexandros]

TAGS:
Target: Aadihr Lidos

Alex prowled forward, stopping just short of Aadihr. He stood there, silent, taking him in—his posture, his stance, the weight in his shoulders. Every detail was scrutinized, measured.

His turquoise eyes locked onto Aadihr, gaze sharp enough to burn.

"Jedi," Alex breathed, lips curling into a lopsided grin. "That's still what you're calling yourself, huh?"

He let his hands settle loosely on his belt, fingers a breath away from his blaster—not reaching, not threatening, but making it clear he was comfortable with the idea.

"You've got the look of a man who's trying real damn hard to disappear," he said, tone light but edged with something sharper. "Problem is, you left people behind who won't let you."

His grin faded slightly, replaced by something more unreadable. "Brander came all this way looking for you. Poor kid actually cares. Me?" His turquoise eyes flicked over Aadihr, as if sizing him up. "I don't like wasting my time. So unless you've got a real damn good reason for ghosting, you'd better start explaining to that kid why you've run off with out a word."

 

[Brander]

Aadihr Lidos

Brander tentatively stepped forward, his jaw tight, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. His heart was pounding in his chest, but he forced himself to keep his voice even—not that it did much to hide the raw edge in his words.

"Why?" The question came out sharp, more of an accusation than anything else. "Why did you leave?"

He stared at Aadihr, searching his face, looking for some kind of explanation—something to make sense of all of this.

"You told me that if I ever quit, if I ever walked away, I should move on forever." His voice wavered, frustration mixing with something deeper, something he didn't quite know how to name. "But you just leave, and that's it? No explanation? No warning? You just disappear like none of it mattered?"

His fingers curled tighter into his palms. "I don't understand.... Did I do something wrong? I don't understand why you didn't say anything."

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "I thought—" He stopped himself, swallowing the words before they could slip out. (I thought you were better than that.)

Instead, he set his shoulders and tried again. "If you don't want to be my teacher anymore, fine. But you should have said it to my face."

His gaze burned with something unspoken, a mix of anger and hurt he wasn't sure how to put into words.

"What are you running from? Was it something I did?"

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

"Jedi, That's still what you're calling yourself, huh?"

Aadihr was naturally startled as his Sight jumped abruptly back to himself - the influx of fear sparking his forearm back into searing pain, spreading shadow.

Jedi
He wasn't worthy of the title. He never was.

"Brander came all this way looking for you. Poor kid actually cares. Me?" His turquoise eyes flicked over Aadihr, as if sizing him up. "I don't like wasting my time. So unless you've got a real damn good reason for ghosting, you'd better start explaining to that kid why you've run off with out a word."

This must be Ace? Or Maverick? Judging from the demeanor it sounded like Ace, from what he remembered. That aura was comfortable, however. Brander had someone watching over him, he wouldn't be alone when the flames consumed Aadihr.

Aadihr half-stood, poised like an animal cornered. Something in him wanted to dash. He smothered it.

"Why?" The question came out sharp, more of an accusation than anything else. "Why did you leave?"

"I don't understand.... Did I do something wrong? I don't understand why you didn't say anything."

"If you don't want to be my teacher anymore, fine. But you should have said it to my face.

"What are you running from? Was it something I did?"

Aadihr breathed in. Waited. Breathed out. Worked up the words. His knowledge of Brander's upbringing should have clued him into this, but Aadihr hadn't been thinking clearly.

"No, Brander, the failing is my own." Aadihr tore at the bandages covering the unhealing burn of his left hand. "I'm running from this. I'm running from Woostri. I'm searching for something impossible to find, I'm spinning out of control and this karking burn flares up each time. Its a bomb waiting to go off, getting worse each day."

Worse than simply destabilizing his emotions, it drew from strength he shouldn't have. Telekinesis, empowerment, all the things he struggled with the arm tauntingly gave bypassed when drawing on his pain, or rage or fear.

"And I'm so kriffing angry all the time now."

Aadihr's frustration grew, directed inwards. Guilt of abandoning Brander, Abandoning Aris.

"I had one good thing going for me, and she's gone."

Worse than gone. Taken.

As to demonstrate his point or simply to rub salt in the wound, his arm burned hotter, pain overwhelming him and clouding his mind. On top of everything, the karking burn pushing him to throw a tantrum like a child at every slight and every failing, magnifying every single little problem and escalating it.

Aadihr grit his teeth, against the pain and rash decisions. His mind flashed in every direction, wanting to blame anything other than himself. Aadihr fought to keep himself in check, instead venting his frustration with slam of the hand that now was steaming and sizzling, the force of it shattering the diner table in front of him.

Drawing more attention.

"I should just cut this kriffing thing off!" Aadihr finally snarled, reaching for his lightsaber Pike abruptly with a swell of self hatred.

Alexandros | Brander​

 

[Brander]

Aadihr Lidos

Brander froze as Aadihr's rage erupted, the raw power in the air making his heart race. Fear shot through him—he had barely known this man, and now the storm inside him was about to break everything. His breath caught in his throat, hands trembling as he instinctively took a step back, eyes wide.

He didn't know what to do.

"Wh-wha?" His voice barely registered over the sound of Aadihr's fury.

Before he could react further, the force of Aadihr's outburst shattered the table, sending a shockwave through the room. Brander's pulse spiked. His body screamed at him to run.

Without thinking, he turned and stumbled backward, his feet slipping as he nearly collided with the wall. Fear clawed at him, gut twisting in panic, . His chest felt tight, the desire to help battling against the instinct to flee.

He couldn't breathe as he bolted away and out of the diner. Would Aadihr come after him? Would he ever see him again? He couldn't think and he didn't think as he fled to find some place that felt 'safe'.

 

[Alexandros]

TAGS:
Targets: Aadihr Lidos

Alexandros watched Aadihr's outburst, his presence shifting as he saw the pain and rage flash across the Jedi's face. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, gripping Aadihr's jaw, his fingers pressing firmly near the neck and ear to hold him still, forcing him to face him. "Breathe," he commanded, his voice cutting through the storm of emotion.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

Alexandros was upon him and by instinct Aadihr's left arm reached up to palm strike and clutch at the face of the attacker, fingers to reach up and over for the eyes, searing with heat to-

His arm was blocked, Alexandros grabbed just behind his jaw at the pressure points near the ear.

"Breathe,"

Aadihr complied, seething reduced to a hiss and forceful breaths.
In through the nose - Out through the mouth
In through the nose - Out through the mouth
In through the nose - Out through the mouth
In through the nose - Out through the mouth
Aadihr finally noticed Brander's presence, afraid and fleeing.

Aadihr stabilized but avoided speaking further, working himself into another frenzy with a stray train of thought.

He kept breathing, focus set on smothering the flames of his temperament.

He wanted to apologize, but did not trust his words yet.

Brander | Alexandros​

 

[Alexandros]

TAGS:
Targets: Aadihr Lidos

Alex held Aadihr firmly, but not painfully, his grip like a gentle vice, yet measured. Despite the force of Aadihr's resistance, Alexandros didn't budge, his focus staunch. He was a young man accustomed to far worse, his resolve as strong as his physical endurance. In the moment, his attention was entirely on Aadihr, his presence solid and steady.

Brander had fled, a decision that made things more complicated, but for now, it was irrelevant. What mattered was Aadihr, his rapid breathing, and the turbulent energy spiraling through him. Alexandros leaned closer, his voice low and calm,

"Good... keep breathing... don't think... just breathe..."

"You're stronger than this... I can see it....This isn't the time for pride or power. It's the time for patience. Just breathe." And then, more quietly, with a touch of understanding, "You don't have to say anything yet. Just... be. "


There was a hushed murmur from the folks nearby as everyone quieted, but no one made a move to interrupt them just yet.

"Listen to me..." Alex said, his voice firm yet oddly calming, as he leaned in closer, making sure Aadihr could hear the sincerity behind each word.

Alex's voice was soft yet insistent, carrying a weight of experience. "You can't keep running on empty. I know you want to fight for others, to protect them, but if you don't take care of yourself first, you'll burn out. You'll lose what you're trying to save."

"You can't take care of anyone... without first taking care of yourself."

He paused, letting the silence stretch. The hushed murmurs around them faded as the room seemed quiet, waiting. No one moved to interrupt.

"You're not weak for needing a moment to breathe. It's the strongest thing you can do right now. Breathe, find your ground, and only then can you move forward. You have to be whole to help others find their way."

Alexandros kept his focus on Aadihr.

"You've been through so much already. You don't have to carry it all at once. Take a breath. It's okay to slow down. Just... focus on the here and now."

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

"Why... "
As Aadihr's senses calmed back down, fury and outburst slowly replaced with confusion.

He was being met with compassion when he expected harm. He thought things were going to get worse. Both himself and the arm thought that.

But instead of, he heard something contradictory to every moment of training he had, a mindset almost diametrically opposed to his internalized trauma.

"You're not weak for needing a moment to breathe. It's the strongest thing you can do right now. Breathe, find your ground, and only then can you move forward. You have to be whole to help others find their way."

The words wormed into Aadihr's skull. It was the kind of thing he wished he could express to others, how he wished he could help Aris Noble - but it was what he needed to hear.

Aadihr had been trying to be the mentor that Aadihr would have needed, not the mentor that Aris and Brander needed, even if he thought otherwise.

To be while seemed a monumental task, but the logic, the allegory provided a rational shield he could use to interrupt the flames in his psyche, to redirect his thoughts from fanning them.

Aadihr continued breathing - sounding less like a snarl. His arm cooled once more - the scars having been burned into wounds once more. He would need to apply Bacta and wrap them again later, almost a daily ritual by now.

The tension slumped like ashes falling, gently leaving his shoulders and neck.

He hadnt meant for Brander to see that - but he had experience accepting that things have happened and couldn't be undone. The curse tried to make him change how he responded to emotions.

Aadihr nodded again. He would compensate for the table too.

There were a lot of things that needed fixing, but first he had to make himself whole. To repair himself stronger than before, so that he could support Azurine Varek through the bond, instead of dragging her down with him.

Aadihr managed to properly center himself for the first time in weeks. Fleeting, but it was progress. He waited to be released, not thinking of what he should say, instead just being present.

Alexandros | Brander​

 

[Alexandros]

TAGS:
Targets: Aadihr Lidos

"That's right... you're doing good," Alex murmured, offering the reassurance as Aadihr slowly began to calm. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead gently to Aadihr's, offering a further point of connection, as if to say he saw him fully—every bit of him—in this moment. "Now... sit down, relax, and keep breathing. We're going to have a nice little talk, you and I."

With careful, yet deliberate movements, Alex pulled Aadihr into a tight embrace, holding him firmly in the hug but not forcefully, letting the tension in the air melt away. "We're going to make everything okay... one step at a time," he promised softly, trying to keep his voice steady and calm.

He pulled back slightly, but kept a guiding hand on Aadihr's shoulder, leading him towards the nearby chair. As he did, Alex intercepted the shop owner who had finally made his way over, his anger still simmering. Alex slipped three golden peggats into the man's palm, his voice taking on a confident air "I'll clean up the mess," he assured him, and the shopkeeper's expression softened, the tension deflating just as quickly as it had built.

Taking a small, steadying breath himself, Alex returned to Aadihr, kneeling in front of him as he gently picked up the pieces of the shattered table. His tone shifted, filled with concern as he glanced up. "Have you shown your wound to anyone yet?" His voice was soft, but there was a seriousness behind it. "It's harder to fix yourself if you don't seek help, you know."

Alex continued tidying the floor, never breaking his gaze from Aadihr. His actions spoke more than words could—he was here, present, ready to listen, ready to help Aadhir help himself and he wasn't going anywhere.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

Aadihr sat, letting the other take the lead. Even now his arm fed indignity that Aadihr had to consciously fight down. Brander's 'sibling' had paid for the damages, which also brought about a stifled flare.

"Have you shown your wound to anyone yet?" His voice was soft, but there was a seriousness behind it. "It's harder to fix yourself if you don't seek help, you know."

Aadihr shook his head, hesitated, than spoke. " Azurine Varek - she was present when I received it. I've tried to keep it a secret. She's gone. Carnifex has her."

Aadihr choked down a wobble in his voice and continued, "she's alive. I can feel it. She somehow linked me to her. Before-"

Aadihr stopped talking as his voice threatened to waver.

Alexandros | Brander​

 

[Alexandros]

TAGS:
Targets: Aadihr Lidos

He sighed softly, the breath escaping like a sniper exhaling before taking the shot—controlled, deliberate, and weighted with stress that melted away.

"What purpose does keeping it a secret serve?" Alexandros asked, his voice quiet but firm. "You need to let someone help you...
"You're carrying too much," Alexandros said, his voice soft but firm. "Keeping this to yourself won't help. You need help, and that's not a weakness."

He paused, letting the words settle. "You can't save anyone, least of all her, if you're running on empty. You're hurt and pushing too hard. If you don't stop and heal, you'll lose yourself."

Leaning in, he added gently, "I know you want to fix things, but you have to take care of yourself first. If you don't, you won't be able to help anyone... Let alone from any one that daunting an adversary... You need to stop holding yourself to impossible standards," Alex offered hoping to get through to this man.

"Be kind to yourself," he continued, his tone softening with a touch of understanding. "You're not weak for feeling overwhelmed. You're human...You can't fix everything at once. You can't bear it all alone. No one can... It's okay to ask for help.... It's okay to need a break...."

He took a breath, deciding that was enough lecturing for the moment. "Where are you even going right now?" he asked, his voice laced with hesitation. He was uncertain where this Jedi thought they were heading.

Alex was neither Jedi nor Sith, and had no understanding of their expectations or ways. But he knew what it looked like when someone was at the end of their rope. "Do you think... telling your Order what's happened might help you find her faster?" he suggested, his tone gentle but trying to be pragmatic.

 

[Brander]

Brander had fled the diner, anxiety gripping his thoughts and feelings as he thought about Aadihr's outburst. He didn't know what to do, so he darted down an alcove that led to a set of bathrooms. He paused, taking in a shaky breath before starting to pace back and forth, his mind a blur of fear and uncertainty.

After a few moments, he slumped down beside a vending machine, his back against the cold wall. He curled his knees to his chest, letting the weight of everything that had happened settle over him. The hum of the machine filled the silence as Brander tried to breathe through the tightness in his chest, his thoughts spiraling but unable to focus on anything other than the feeling of being utterly lost.

He sniffled, a tear welling up in his eye as his breath quickened. He shifted uncomfortably, running a hand over his face, trying to wipe away the evidence of his distress.

Had he said too much? The thought gnawed at him, making his chest tighten as doubt crept in. He hadn't meant to say anything that would make it worse, but now everything felt so... wrong.

Brander didn't notice the group of rough-looking individuals standing near the edge of the terminal until it was too late. One of them, a tall man with a scar running down his cheek, grabbed him by the arm, pulling him sharply to the side.

"Got lost, kid?" the man sneered, his companions snickering behind him.

Brander instinctively pulled back, trying to free his arm, but the grip was like iron.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

"Where are you even going right now?"

"Alpheridies. Home. To see if I still have family there."

Something tugged at Aadihr but he was still stifling a potential rise in emotions.

"Do you think... telling your Order what's happened might help you find her faster?"

"They know. It's the Grandmaster's Padawan, others from her strike team reported what happened. They're searching but..."

His mind tugged away again. He only then noticed the boy was missing. He searched through the force, expanding his senses as he spoke, voice suddenly distant as it was when he was far-seeing.

"Brander's gone."

For a second he shifted through the lights in the station, finding the signature of Brander - distressed, and near others of ill motive.

Once again the arm flared, but Aadihr kept focus - an external source to direct the emotion.

"This way," Aadihr spoke, suddenly rising to his feet, kicking his pike up into his hand in a fluid motion.

It was much easier for Aadihr to help others than himself, and it showed in the sudden composure and laser-focus.

His left hand twitched - it wanted to be used, as if switching tactics from destabilizing emotions to tempting with power.

Alexandros | Brander​

 

[Alexandros]

TAGS:
Targets: Aadihr Lidos

Alex sighed heavily, shaking his head before offering the shopkeeper a half-hearted shrug and a smile. Then, without hesitation, he took off after the white-haired man.

He had just told Aadihr that he needed to fix himself before trying to fix others. But, as expected, it fell on deaf ears.

Still, Alex couldn't help but notice the difference in their reactions. Aadihr was laser-focused, already moving with urgency, while Alex himself felt no such pull. Perhaps his own reasons were different. Or perhaps—and this should probably concern him—he simply wasn't as worried about the boy as Aadihr was.

At least the snowy haired fellow was no longer upset as he was a few moments ago.

 

[Brander]

Aadihr Lidos

Brander's breath hitched as panic shot through him. He wrenched against the man's grip, but it only tightened.

"Hey—let go!" His voice wavered, betraying the fear creeping up his spine.

The scarred man's sneer deepened. "Feisty, huh? You look like you've got some credits to spare. Or maybe… someone looking for you?"

The implication sent a chill through Brander's chest. He knew better than to believe this was a random encounter. He had been seen—maybe followed. His stomach churned.

Another of the men, a shorter, wiry figure with a cybernetic eye, crouched beside him. "Real jittery, ain't he? Like a little lost womp rat." The others chuckled.

Brander swallowed hard, trying to steady his racing heart. His thoughts scrambled for a way out.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

Aadihr knew he shouldn't but...

He was sick of feeling powerless.

Kark it. He had control for the time being - might as well indulge himself. He wasn't helpless, and he wasn't incapable of saving those that trusted him.

These thugs had just picked the worst possible time and place for their own sake.

Maybe the force guided all of them to this moment. Maybe it was meant to be - violence as a solution.

Aadihr cut off the sliding thoughts, acknowledging the influence of the arm, no longer humoring past its usefulness. He set aside his staff. The temptation to use it would win over if he held on.

Aadihr dashed forth, practicing a more balanced control of Force Speed.
A gust of wind blew past the hall, at the front of it was the snowy-haired Miraluka appearing in an flash, gripping the elbow of the man who lay a hand on Brander.

He waited, just a moment with the joint in his lefthanded grip. Intimidation was an advantage here. He waited just long enough for the man to register his presence.

Then the arm flared, and Aadihr tightened his grip, shattering the joint and searing the print of his hand into the man's pulverized elbow.

It was wrong, Aadihr knew. But it was...

It was empowering.

I'll indulge a little - but no one dies here
He promised himself.

Then he moved again, wrenching the creep away from Brander and into the vending machine before turning his attention to the others.

Alexandros | Brander​

 

[DM Player-Slayer]

TAGS: Aadihr Lidos

The gang of rough-looking men reeled, momentarily stunned by the sheer speed and brutality of Aadihr's intervention. The sickening crunch of shattered bone echoed in the alcove, followed by the agonized scream of the man who had once held Brander captive. He crumpled against the vending machine, clutching his ruined arm, eyes wide with shock and pain.

The others tensed, their bravado suddenly tested against something far greater than they'd bargained for.

"What the kark—" Cyber-eye stammered, taking an instinctive step back, his gaze shifting between Aadihr's searing handprint and the snowy-haired figure standing in front of them. His cybernetic eye whirred, scanning Aadihr, perhaps looking for weaknesses. He'd find none.

"Jedi." The scarred man spat the word like a curse, but his voice was tight. He had seen Jedi fight before. But this one? There was something else lurking beneath the surface. Something sharp. Something dangerous.

A third thug, a broad-shouldered brute with a cracked nose, hesitated for only a second before stepping forward with a snarl. "I don't care who you think you are. You mess with us, you're the one leaving here broken."

He moved fast, swinging a heavy baton in a downward arc toward Aadihr's shoulder.