It's Enough, Already

[Caid Centurion]

Even if Caid hadn't been physically holding the box, Scherezade's inebriated state probably didn't allow for the same level of finesse she was normally capable of employing. The Sith Lord had already decided that was the only reason he'd been able to manipulate her entire being so obviously through the Force. Still, Caid was under no such influence.

Before the box had even slightly shifted in his grip, there was a prickling sensation on the back of his neck. In an instant, his mind saw the future.

The box of alcohol ripped from his hands, ending up in those of Scherezade. There was no real smug look on her face in that instant, but there was a definite air sense of accomplishment, comfort. No - that description did not go far enough. It was...relief. Scherezade appeared to have been reunited with the most vicious form of a security blanket.

Just as quickly, Caid was snapped back to reality. The moment his mind returned to the present, the box began to shift with relatively surprising force from his hand. The Sith Lord did not fight his niece. Instead, he allowed her to succeed, but he fueled her own action. As she pulled with the Force, Caid very abruptly accelerated the box to her. With their combined power, it would, no doubt, end up crashing uncontrollably into her chest unless she sensed and countered the strength of his own action.

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

The first moment, there had almost been a smile on her face as the crate shifted towards her. The second, confusion. And the third, terror and panic as the box crashed into her chest, beginning its downfall before her hands could wrap safely around it and keep the bottles from breaking.

Even drunk, Scherezade could fight. Her style had always been two weapons in the hands and ten in the air. She never had to think about the air bits. And so it was now that before they hit the ground, ten bottles flew from out of the crate and floated around her while the box fell and the other two bottles were knocked out and broke against the hard ground.

The look on her face was almost that of grief. There was no sound to come out of her, not a word, as she looked at the bottles that were still in the air, and very carefully set them down, her shoulders hunched, the body language of defeat almost screaming itself out.

Ignoring Caid, Scherezade picked the crate up, making sure it hadn't broken, and began to place the bottles she had saved back in it. And when she'd be done, she'd just go to her ship and fly away. She'd always thought she was the only person in the family to not be worth the time. Apparently she'd been wrong.

[member="Caid Centurion"]

 

[Caid Centurion]

"Look at me, child." Though the words might have seemed harsh, Caid delivered the statement in an even, casual tone. To one that had never much learned to ask very much, it was, in Caid's mind, little more than a congenial request.

Taking a handful of steps forward, the Sith Lord closed the majority of the distance between him and his relation. "I will not your force your hand in this or anything else." Caid was no savior, and he certainly did not have the time to babysit anyone or their so-called woes. "The quality of an individual's life is about how they negotiate and rise above the inevitable stresses in said life." There was no judgmental glance at the bottles she was cradling like a child. Instead, Caid kept the intensity of his silver-green gaze focused intently on Scherezade.

The Sith Lord had plans and designs for the future, yes. However, unlike most that simply wanted to dominate as much random, meaningless space as possible, Caid wanted only to finally feel like he was part of something. His time spent on Endelaan, though short relative to the rest of his life, had been some of the most formative. Personally, he did not feel ready to embrace the legacy into which he had been born completely. For now, the planet itself was better off tending to itself. In the meantime, Caid intended to make contact with as many wayward family members as were drifting out among the galaxy. The purpose of these meetings was two-fold. Caid was looking to investigate what they had been doing with their lives and what their potential was to be a useful member of Endelaan society moving forward.

Unfortunately, this particular relation was not ready. That was fine, of course. There was still plenty of time before his plans would come to fruition. Until that time, Caid would use the Confederacy to gather information and develop experience in the arena of political and diplomatic leadership. Those were, after all, the areas with which he was least familiar.

"Don't allow yours to control and dictate who you are." Caid was quite certain he had been through more than most. In the end, those that had cast him aside or ignored him for whatever petty reason would realize their folly. "In the interim..." A thin smile touched Caid's lips. "I'll be around; waiting for you to see what I see." In that moment, the large Sith turned and began to retreat in the direction of his own vessel on the city's outskirts.

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

He wanted her to look at him. He called her child. Scherezade was used to being talked down by now. Perhaps, now that she was broken and drunk, she'd earned it. It would have been a comfortable excuse anyway, if it hadn't been for the fact it happened much before that as well. Caid closed the distance between them and Scherezade took a few crooked steps back. She didn't want him to close the distance. She wanted her own wide and free space around her.

"The quality of an individual's life is about how they negotiate and rise above the inevitable stresses in said life."

Scherezade glared. It had been something she had told Gerwald, albeit she'd worded it very differently at the time. And then... She did not want to think about it. She did not want the memories to bubble to the surface. Not when she didn't know what Caid was or wasn't capable of, not before she'd knew if something like that was something he'd do at all.

He turned to leave after a few more words. See what he saw. Scherezade rolled her eyes. She already knew what others saw. She had a mirror, she could see it herself as well.

As he began to walk towards his own ship, so did she begin to walk in the opposite direction, to hers.

Only once did she turn around to look at him, the smell of Endelaan still strong in her senses. Home. One of the two places she could not step foot on. The only place she would dream about seeing with her own eyes until she finally died.

Scherezade sighed and continued to walk to her ship.

[member="Caid Centurion"]