Private Irony Wears a Familiar Face

[Aadihr Lidos]

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

Just a little, just to vent some of the pressure. These were bad people - Aadihr was helping, it was for a good cause.

So he told himself in his Force-quickened thoughts.

"I don't care who you think you are. You mess with us, you're the one leaving here broken."

By the time the thug brought the baton down, Aadihr already had a palm , connecting to the attackers wrist just below their hand - the resultant combined force made an audible snap.

Aadihr wasted no time in retaliating, striking the inner forearm of the weapon arm with his left hand, bringing it back to strike the thug in the nose, simultaneously pushing forward on the offender's freshly broken wrist with his right.

That might dissuade for now - but Aadihr wanted to dissuade these cretins from preying on anyone, ever again.

Aadihr kicked at the inner leg, scraping the edge of his boot along the man's shin into a full forced stomp onto his toes.

Only then did he grab Brander, perhaps too quickly with the Force Speeding him, and pulled Brander back several paces from the group.

Aadihr dropped back to realtime, already feeling a bit of exhaustion from the effort.
He felt ... Good. Engaged. Not sicked by his actions as he once would have been. This was much closer to the feeling he had playing Dodgeball with the other Jedi after training with Braze on Veridia. He began to understand why some might fight for recreation. Endorphins from exertion, adrenaline from the encounter. And a slight nudge from the curse, bumping Aadihr past his own mental blocks.

Aadihr stood between the two injured men and Brander, partly hoping the others found courage to try him.

As far as outbursts went, this was perhaps the most productive and controlled Aadihr had managed since getting the burn.

Alexandros | Brander​

 

[Alexandros]

TAGS: Aadihr Lidos
Targets:

Alex wasn't far behind Aadihr Lidos , trailing at a measured pace. As he arrived, he made no move to stop him—or them. Nor did he interfere with the thugs.

Instead, he simply shifted his weight, cocking a hip out lazily, one hand resting against it. His gaze flicked over the scene with interest, a quiet curiosity sparking behind his eyes.

This wasn't his fight.

Not yet.

For now, he watched. Waiting to see what the Jedi would do.

 

[Brander]

Aadihr Lidos


Brander was startled, caught off guard by Aadihr's sudden intervention. Shock and awe warred within him as he was torn aside and placed behind Aadihr for protection. His snowy-haired guardian stood firm, a barrier between him and the fearsome bullies. Brander's breath came fast and shallow, his mind struggling to catch up with what had just happened. The sheer efficiency of Aadihr's movements, the way he had dismantled their attackers without hesitation, left a chill in his chest.

He stepped back uncertain of what to do.

 

[DM Player-Slayer]

TAGS: Aadihr Lidos

The alley was momentarily silent, save for the groans of Scar-cheek, now slumped against the vending machine, his shattered arm cradled uselessly against his chest. His fingers twitched, curling in a futile attempt to grasp at something—control, power, anything that hadn't just been ripped from him in an instant.

A few bystanders watching what happened scurried away, some of them calling for station Security.

The other two thugs hesitated, their bravado wilting as they sized up Aadihr. Cyber-eye's mechanical iris whirred, scanning the snowy-haired Jedi with rapid calculations, his stance shifting subtly as he reassessed his odds.

"Shavit, this ain't worth the credits—" he muttered, his weight shifting backward, the fight already draining from his posture.

The broad-nosed brute, the only one still willing to stand his ground, squared his shoulders and let out a slow breath. His fingers flexed around the grip of a heavy baton, hesitation shifting across his face before hardening into something resolute.

"You think you're some big damn hero?" he sneered, stepping forward, his grip tightening. "I've seen your kind before—righteous little Force-users who think they're untouchable. But you're all the same."

His tone was different from Scar-cheek's, less cocky, more bitter.

"Sooner or later, you crack. You slip. You turn into exactly what you claim to fight against." His lips curled into a sneer. "Question is… how close are you already?"

Behind him, Cyber-eye took a slow, measured step sideways, angling subtly toward Brander. He wasn't going for a direct attack, at least not yet. But his fingers twitched, like a pickpocket waiting for the perfect moment to snatch something without being noticed.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

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

"You think you're some big damn hero? Sooner or later, you crack. You slip. You turn into exactly what you claim to fight against." His lips curled into a sneer. "Question is… how close are you already?"

"Bold assumptions, Mr, child-grabber, but I don't think I share the kind of proclivity you and your not-so subtle friend for prepubescent victims." Aadihr said, calling attention directly to Cyber-eye while insulting them outright with the implication of their motive.

More realistically, there was a bounty or grudge or someone they worked for would benefit. But if they were going to taunt from base assumptions, Aadihr felt it right to do the same. "So, no, I don't think I'm in any danger of fancying little boys the way you do."

Aadihr faked as if looking around the room, exaggerating his movements as if he even had eyes.
"I don't see anyone else I'm fighting, so you may have to try a bit harder than that if you want to prove some point."

Aadihr let the arm grow a little more hot. Fanned the flames a little more, just enough. Controlled release, venting pressure without bursting. The feeling of control - seductive as it was, had to stay a tool to be used. Afterwards, Aadihr could find someone to excise it.

Until then, he was curious to see how his taunting affected these thugs - and prepared to throw himself in front of Brander to protect the boy.

Brander | Alexandros​

 

[DM Player-Slayer]

TAGS: Aadihr Lidos

The broad-nosed brute's grip on his baton twitched at Aadihr's words, the taunt burrowing under his skin like a splinter. His sneer faltered for a split second, but he rolled his shoulders, covering his unease with a gruff scoff.

"Oh, you got jokes now? Cute." His knuckles whitened around the baton, his stance shifting just slightly, weight pressing forward. "We ain't the ones tossing around kids like ragdolls."

Cyber-eye, on the other hand, stiffened as soon as Aadihr called him out. His cybernetic iris dilated, adjusting as if recalibrating, but the smug edge to his face twitched. A nerve had been hit.

"Real funny, Jedi," Cyber-eye said. "Big talk for someone about to have station security breathing down their neck."

From the corner of the alley, a few of the bystanders who had scurried off earlier could be seen whispering into their communicators, glancing anxiously toward the scene. Security would be inbound soon, and everyone knew it.

The broad-nosed thug exhaled sharply, half out of frustration, half out of calculation. "Guess we'll see how righteous you are when they haul you off for cracking bones in a back alley, huh?" He smirked, though the bravado was thinner now, a little forced.

Cyber-eye finally stilled, his expression darkening. Aadihr's callout had put a spotlight on him, and now there were too many eyes, too much attention.

"Tch." His tongue clicked against his teeth as he took a step back. "Not worth it."

But the broad-nosed thug wasn't moving yet. He still held his baton tight, watching Aadihr, waiting to see if he could get the last word,or worse, one last hit before deciding if this fight was really over.

 

[Alexandros]

TAGS: Aadihr Lidos
Targets:

Alex had been watching in amused silence up until now, letting Aadihr handle things his way. But station security was inbound, and he had little patience for dragging this out.

With a slow, deliberate sigh, he stepped forward with an almost lazy swagger to his movements.

"You boys sure you wanna double down on this?" His voice was almost conversational, but there was an edge beneath it. Something that made men second-guess their choices.

He reached into his coat with a casual motion and pulled out a small, sleek device. It wasn't a blaster; It was something far worse.

With a flick of his wrist, a holographic display flickered to life in his palm. A bounty registry.

Names, faces, details of wanted criminals scrolled in the dim glow, and Alex's turquoise eyes flicked lazily between the broad-nosed brute and Cyber-eye, as if checking a list.

"Let's see…" he mused, scrolling through names, his voice maddeningly casual. "Which one of you has the biggest price on their head?"

Cyber-eye stiffened immediately.

Alex didn't even have to look up. He could feel the tension spike.

"Oh? You didn't think I'd recognize you, huh?" He tapped the device absently. "Guess what? I do. And you know what that means?"

His smile was sharp as a vibroblade.

"Means I could just let security deal with you." He tilted his head, his voice dropping slightly. "Or…I could collect the bounty myself. Get paid to do something I was gonna do anyway."

He let the implications settle deep in their bones.

Cyber-eye was the first to move, cursing under his breath as he took a sharp step back. "Kriff this," he muttered, turning on his heel and making for the exit without another word.

The broad-nosed brute hesitated for a beat longer, his fingers tightening around his baton like he still wanted to make a point.

Alex exhaled, loud and exaggerated. "Look, buddy. I know it hurts you to even try, but be smart. You really wanna be limping away and on a wanted list?"

The thug's jaw flexed. He wanted to swing. But he wanted to keep his kneecaps intact more.

The broad-nosed thug took one step back. Then another. His fingers flex around the baton. His muscles tense.

He should walk away.

But rage burns in his chest, humiliation twisting inside him. His pride screams louder than reason.

With a sudden snarl, he pivots and swings the baton at Aadihr's ribs, putting all his frustration into the strike. The motion is raw, reckless, and fueled by anger more than skill.

Even as the baton cuts through the air, his other hand moves to his belt. His fingers curl around the handle of a vibrodagger, yanking it free. He lunges toward Alex, aiming to drive the blade into his side.

He does not care about winning anymore. If he is going down, he is taking one of them with him.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

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

Alexandros had doubled down on intimidation, but the insult had been particularly effective. With station security approaching, optics were everything now.

Aadihr lifted his arm, letting the baton get close enough to appear to have struck before the frictionless shield of deflection redirected the force downward - Aadihr had practiced applying it in localized areas around his body after putting the theory to practice in a dodgeball game months ago.

Aadihr brought his arm around the outside of the attacker's limb to wrap and bind the arm to his side, then pivoted while stepping inwards with a basic hip throw, tossing the thug onto the ground between Aadihr and Alexandros. Aadihr hopped back, but not before earning a shallow gash from the Vibroknife flailing as he repositioned so the thug was surrounded between the two of them.

Aadihr gave a brief smirk before falling back onto his rear in false pain. He began to reach around with his hands, searching for a wall as if he lacked force-vision, playing the part of a blind man that had been attacked, cut and burned and bleeding, behind the thug, who was positioned as if confronted by Alexandros.

"My staff, where's my staff?" Aadihr called out, knowing perfectly well that he wasn't fooling anyone who had been watching.

It was the first impression of newcomers he sought to influence. An armed thug, injured blind victim, and a capable bounty hunter saving the day. There was a silent, smug satisfaction that Aadihr hid from his facade - bullying the bully, adding insult to injury, it was cathartic.

It was maybe not the most appropriate behavior for an Orthodox Jedi.

Alexandros​

 

[Brander]

Aadihr Lidos

Brande had been completely fooled by the act. He stood frozen, like a deer caught in the headlights of a speeder, unsure how to help with a problem that felt like it had somehow sprung from him.

Hearing Aadhir sound like he was in distress, the thought never crossed his mind to second-guess it. He just wanted to help his teacher the way Aadhir had helped him. Quickly, he retrieved the staff and brought it to him with careful hands.

"Here… it's here," he said, his voice hushed. He moved to gently guide Aadhir's hand, pressing the staff into his palm. "Are you okay?"

Brande glanced around, searching for anything that might help. He had no idea how to treat a wound like that, nor did he have a medkit on hand.

 

[Alexandros]

TAGS: Aadihr Lidos
Targets:

Alex watched the tricksy Jedi do his tricksy things, then stepped in, kicking the knife from the man's hand before pressing a boot to his wrist, pinning it in place as security closed in.

The station had a few Strill Securities men on payroll, and they did not play around. Funny enough, security actually seemed to know Alex. That was bad news for the thugs who had decided to rough up a kid for a few extra credits—especially considering they already had bench warrants out for jumping bail.

This was about to be a very bad day for them.

Alex gave his report of the incident as he saw it, keeping it concise but thorough. In short order, he left Aadhir with Brander passing the kid a wink while the security detail detained the man. "You two don't wanna miss your flight. " He called and tossed Brander a black back with molly straps.

As they secured the area, Alex began describing the thug's companions in great detail; the ones who had been harassing an "elderly" blind man and a child. His tone was dry, but there was a sharp edge to it, making it very clear that he wasn't about to let them slip away unnoticed.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

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

"Thank you, Brander. Let's be clear of here" Aadihr said with a small nod to Alexandros. He immediately checked Brander's aura, looking if the boy had been harmed.

As they left the scene, Aadihr kept up the ruse, tapping with his staff to navigate while he conveniently avoided auras that had seen his outburst earlier, out to the transit waiting areas and away from the alley.

"Now would probably be a good time for me to tell you I can still see fine. Well, still not 'see' but, you know, force vision. I was lying to keep the authorities from getting a confusing first impression... And admittedly, to make the man look even worse."

Aadihr sighed once they were in a calm environment once more. "To be honest with you, Brander, I was going to visit my family on Alpheridies. Since you're already halfway there - and as Alexandros looks to have a bounty to turn in - would you like to see my homeworld?"

Aadihr realized his mistake immediately, "Actually, I should say 'visit'. The sun's infrared light actually would damage your eyes if you're not blindfolded."

Aadihr suddenly struggled to remember if he explained the whole 'no eyes' Miraluka thing to Brander.

"If not, I can get you a shuttle back to Coruscant or wait for Alexandros to finish up. I'm sorry I vanished on you, Brander."

Brander​

 

[Brander]

Aadihr Lidos

Brander was bubbling with uncertainty, wariness, confusion, and concern, all simmering beneath the surface. He stayed quiet as he listened to Aadhir speak. The strongest emotion, the one that lingered above the rest, was concern for his master.

He glanced down at Addhir's wound from the cut, then to his injured arm grimacing slightly before looking back up at Aadhir. Carefully, he fastened the molly bag to his own belt and fell into step beside the elder Jedi.

"I wouldn't mind… going with you," he admitted, hesitating just a little. Then, after a brief pause, he added, "Are you in pain?"

Brander wasn't sure how to help, these weren't problems he knew how to fix; but he still wanted to offer support however he could. The gnawing sensation of guilt chewed at the edges of his thoughts, a weight he couldn't quite shake. After another moment of quiet, he finally asked, tentative and uncertain,

"Are you upset with me for coming after you?"

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

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

"I wouldn't mind… going with you," he admitted, hesitating just a little. Then, after a brief pause, he added, "Are you in pain?"

The feeling of the bleeding was much less apparent to one who didn't see the crimson of blood. The pain of the arm did drown it out somewhat, but Aadihr separate the pain from the prodding at his mental state the burn tried to inflict.

With a bit of refreshed willpower, Aadihr forced the burn to cool, leaving just a fresh burn.

"I've had worse, Nothing a little bacta and bandages can't fix." Aadihr let his tone become a bit more serious, letting the bravado riding on the coattails of the encounter fade. "Yes, it hurts, but I'll be okay. The... curse won't kill me any time soon. The cut is shallow, though I should treat it before too long."

"Are you upset with me for coming after you?"

The question melted something inside Aadihr. He still wasn't used to others expressing concern for him. "No, Brander, I'm not upset that you followed me - perhaps the force guided you along when I needed you and Alexandros most, even if I'd never met him before. Mostly, I'm glad that you're okay."

"Seriously though, I need to pick you up a blindfold at the star port, I wasn't joking about Alpheridies's sun burning your eyes." Aadihr paused for a moment, remembering that sighted people exist, in much greater numbers than Miraluka.

"I think they might have IR goggles for offworlders, actually."
He said as he pulled out a tube of topical bacta-gel from his belongings.

Brander​

 

[Brander]

Aadihr Lidos


"Ir is... infrared, right?" he asked curiously, his brows furrowing as thoughts about Aadhir's family flitted through his mind. "Who is expecting you back on your home world?" Brander's voice was gentle, almost tentative. He felt a strange mixture of uncertainty and longing, a desire to understand the concept of family, something he had never truly grasped himself.

As he spoke, he removed the bandanna from his wrist, carefully folding it into a dense pad with a determined efficiency. He pressed it gently against Aadhir's open cut, attempting to staunch the flow of blood.

"I'm really sorry for causing you any trouble or stress..." he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean to run off... you kind of scared me a little." He offered a faint, sheepish smile, hoping to lighten the mood, even as concern lingered in his eyes.

His heart raced, not just from the adrenaline of the earlier encounter but from the vulnerability of opening up, of laying bare his own fears alongside Aadhir's wounds. "I didn't know how else to react," he admitted, his fingers trembling slightly as they pressed more firmly against the injury, determined to help. "It's just... I've never really had anyone to worry about before. So, when you... well, you know, it caught me off guard."

Brander looked up, meeting Aadhir's 'gaze'. "Please... Can you tell me about your home," he urged softly. "What's it like? Who's waiting for you?" There was a genuine curiosity in his voice, a desire to understand Aadhir's pain as well as the threads of his life that had brought them together.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

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

"Yes, infrared - a color that isn't visible to many humanoids, in the lower frequency range of radiation."
It was a purely academic parroting, one color was just as theoretical to Aadihr as another. Mostly.

"Who is expecting you back on your home world?"

A moment passed in silence
Nobody is expecting me to return. I'd be a stranger.
Aadihr let out a sigh, half stuck between pulling away and letting the kid patch the wound.

"I didn't know how else to react,"

"It's alright - I should have left a letter for you as well; I wasn't thinking clearly after... Uh..." How was he going to word this? He didn't take this long just to get to a spacerstop.

"I left to help the Alliance try to hold Woostri - and I almost didn't make it back. I was trapped under the water for a few days, with little else to do than let my thoughts fester."

"Please... Can you tell me about your home," he urged softly. "What's it like? Who's waiting for you?"

"Well, at least where I grew up on Alpheridies there was a lot of farmland. My parents had a few pastures and gardens with livestock, and my sister and I would take a speeder to town once a week to join in the choir while our parents bought things for the farm."

A tiny of nostalgia affected his tone, turned more bittersweet.

"The truth is, nobody is waiting for me. I left them at the star port to become a Jedi when I was younger than you are, and they haven't heard from me since. The people waiting for me are back on Coruscant. I don't know if they would even recognize me."

Aadihr sat for a moment, indecisive. There were others that needed him. Maybe he could try sending holomail first, before showing up unannounced.

Brander​

 

[Brander]

Aadihr Lidos
He listened to the scientific explanation, turning it over in his mind. An odd question surfaced, but he held onto it, letting the Jedi finish speaking.

"A farm, huh?" Brander mused. "What kind of things did they grow? Crops or critters?"

He considered everything that had been said, then hesitated before adding, "You seem, uh… really intense. Do you, uh… talk to people about how you're feeling very often, or…?"
Brander might already have an idea of the answer to this, but he felt like maybe asking Aadhir directly might spark some self reflective insight.

Brander shifted slightly. "A few days alone and trapped doesn't sound very fun. Honestly, it sounds terrifying." He paused, then offered lightly, "Maybe—just maybe—it'd be a good idea to try and call them. If you've got their contact info or something. If it's been as long as you say… things might be different. Time kind of changes everything, one way or another."

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

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

"You seem, uh… really intense. Do you, uh… talk to people about how you're feeling very often, or…?"

Aadihr shook his head. It was no secret by now that Aadihr kept far too much to himself.

"Mostly livestock, the crops were more for our own use."

Aadihr sounded distant, as if looking at someplace far away again.

"Forget Alpheridies. I'll swap the tickets for a return trip. You're right, a call in advance would be more appropriate for everyone involved. It may be my homeworld, but it's no longer my home."

Aadihr stood, content to just revisit the memory for now.

"No shuttle can take me back to when I want to go."

There were people that needed him now - he could reminisce later.

Brander​

 

[Brander]

Aadihr Lidos

"I'm sorry... " He offered lightly thinking about it for a bit.

"You know.... I never realized how big the world is... let alone the entire universe... Is... uh... is there any where else you might like to go? Some place you enjoy... the sounds... or smells of?" He half guessed not sure touring the galaxy was the same for some one with out sight. "I was made on Endor... but I never really got to see it.... I mean like... the outside. " He offered gently.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

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

Aadihr let out a bit of air, a puff that hinted at laughter, the boy's careful wording breaking some of the lingering tension held in Aadihr's brow.

"I can still enjoy the sights of the galaxy, they're just viewed through a different means."

"I've heard of Endor but not been there firsthand - perhaps we should visit there sometime, see the planet from where you came... Though I worry I - no - she may not have time for me to go sightseeing."

He can't run from the torment that passed through the bond from Azurine Varek - Aadihr had to accept the duty, he had to find her.

He cast his eyeless gaze towards the boy. Brander had followed him halfway across the galaxy to help him. He would probably help the rescue if aadihr asked, but he did not know what the pit of vipers that held Azzie now contained. It could very likely be a one-way trip, and he couldn't have the boy's life on his conscience.

"I think it is best if we return to Coruscant. When I rescue her, perhaps I can introduce you and we could travel to Endor. She is a pilot, after all. Was a rebel ace centuries ago."

"I'm sorry to disappoint." He said, initially in jest, but ending up more earnest than expected.

Brander​

 

[Brander]

Aadihr Lidos

"We can go back to the temple... It's okay... I'm sorry I'm so useless." He offered gently. He didn't sound upset by the admission, just matter-of-fact, like he understood exactly why Aadhir hadn't considered him someone worth bringing along for something so risky. And he did understand. He knew his place in the world all too well.


Brander wasn't sure why Aadhir was wasting his time with someone like him in the first place when he already had a fine and capable student in Aris. A real Jedi. Someone who could follow orders, who had a future. Brander wasn't even sure he'd ever be able to measure up to what a Jedi initiate could do, let alone an apprentice.


"You have to promise me you'll come back with her, though." His voice was light, almost casual. Maybe that was all he could do, be here, be a nonjudgmental ear for the one person who had ever really noticed him. Maybe that was enough. Maybe it would help, even just a little.