Private Long Time No See

[Aadihr Lidos]

LONG TIME NO SEE

Location: Coruscant
Outfit: Casual Attire
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

The streets of Coruscant bore the fading scars of war, the chaos of battle now replaced by the hum of reconstruction. Months had passed since the conflict, and while the towering spires and grand plazas showed signs of repair, faint traces of soot and scorched durasteel still lingered in the deeper reaches of the city's surfaces.

Aadihr, the Miraluka Jedi Knight, walked through the bustling avenues, shaded by the vertical planes of surrounding structures, navigating by the subtle shifts in the Force and the auras of the throngs of people around him. The air carried a faint metallic tang from repair droids working tirelessly overhead, mingling with the warm, oily scent of street vendors cooking for the growing crowds. Conversations flowed around him—sharp bursts of laughter from children, hushed voices of traders negotiating fragile deals, and the occasional murmur of unease from citizens wary of the opportunistic criminal activity rising from the lower levels.

The Force here was a tapestry of conflicting emotions: the lingering ache of loss, the fragile hope of rebuilding, and the faint, insidious ripples of greed and desperation. One light in the tapestry caught Aadihr's attention. The force-radiant signature was vaguely familiar, like the face of an acquaintance faded with time.

The aura of Drystan Creed was much more still than Aadihr recalled from his youth, but it was definitely the same - the jagged peaks and ripples of the outlines of the delinquent but kind-hearted Padawan Aadihr remembered had diminished into a steady, if dampened edge. The hue dampened from what he remembered.

The galaxy certainly has that affect on people. Aadihr thought to himself.
Curiousity overcame the blindfolded and snowy-haired Miraluka as he followed the aura in the streets below him.

Waiting for a choice moment, Aadihr lept from a boardwalk, borrowing the hood of a speeder to stand upon while an irate Rodian cursed at him - just for a few seconds until he could drop down to a slanted rooftop below, slowing his decent with friction before dropping onto a flat rooftop. His sudden drop and roll surprised a pair of deathstick-smokers - Aadihr offered a quick apology as he found a nearby pipe to slide down to street level, making to intercept the aura of the Jedi who had been Padawans at the same time.

It had been a while since he met another from his era of apprenticeship - the idea that surprising Drystan might be a bad idea didn't occur to Aadihr until he was almost upon him.

Drystan Creed​

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

Attire
Equipment: Standard (In Bio)​

Aside from Drystan, another life-force could be sensed in the Shadow's immediate vicinity. In a rundown alleyway, there he was with some company standing in front of him.

Drystan barely had time to register it before a metallic hook slammed into his jaw. The force of the blow sent him stumbling backward, his body colliding with a brick wall with a resounding thud. A sharp and immediate pain surged through his jaw.

"You like my new toys, Jedi?" the voice dripped with a smug arrogance.

Drystan's eyes shifted to the source of the voice—a Toydarian, wrapped in gaudy jewlery and silk, resembling an overstuffed treasure chest with wings. Grixo Vors hovered just above the ground, flanked by a cadre of refurbished commando droids. Their durasteel frames gleamed with a sickly gold anodization, matching the overindulgent style of their master.

"Programmed with the latest martial arts firmware," Grixo widened a toothy grin, gesturing toward his mechanical enforcers.

Drystan staggered to his knees, spitting blood onto the grimy ground before wiping his lip with the back of his gloved hand. His voice was low, calm, yet carried a warning. "You're outmatched, Grixo. Tell your droids to stand down before things get ugly."

Grixo's response was a fit of hysterics, laughing as fly-like wings flapped erratically. "You Jedi," he sneered, "delusional even to the very end." He made a slicing motion across his neck, commanding his droids, "Get rid him, boys."

One of the golden commando droids stepped forward, lunging into a strike with cold precision. With bullet-fast speed, it shot a straight punch aimed directly at Drystan's head.

But the punch never landed.

Instead, it stopped dead in its tracks, caught squarely in Drystan's gloved hand. His fingers closed around the droid's fist, his grip turning vice-like as the durasteel buckled and creaked under the pressure.

In one fluid motion, Drystan rose to his feet, pulling the droid closer before launching his forehead into its head unit. The impact was brutal, shattering the droid's sensors into a mess of wiring and crushed metal, collapsing it into a sparking heap of lifeless limbs.

Despite the fire in his gaze, Drystan's body betrayed the toll that burdened him. His half-lidded eyes, ringed with dark circles, spoke of sleepless nights, while his already pale skin was ghost-like under the harsh light. Every breath came with shallow uneveness, steady pants that refused to quiet. Even a maneuver that once came effortlessly now left his shoulders sagging, the weight of fatigue pressing heavily on him.

Aadihr Lidos

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Location: Coruscant
Outfit: Casual Attire
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

As Aadihr approached the familiar force signature, he noticed the smaller, rotund aura of a toydarian and the empty outlines of inorganic - droids, by the shape of them. Dristan's aura barely registered the first strike, the next caught in his grip. The swirling darkness of impending violence mingles between the two.

Only now did Aadihr piece together why the signature would be this low in the hive of the city - perhaps some unexpected backup could help keep things from escalating. The Miraluka didn't know the full situation, but assuming the hovering toydarian ordered the droids around, and they just committed assault, even assuming they were otherwise model citizens that warranted detaining and questioning.

Aadihr carefully climbed alongside a terrace perhaps a bit to far overhead - it would be a hard landing if he couldn't muster enough telekinetic cushioning.

The Miraluka dropped from above, landing hard directly behind the Toydarian. His knees clicked and sudden pain rose up, but it was much better than if he hadn't managed any amount of counter-push.

Regardless of the pain, the Toydarian soon found their neck pulled back by Aadihr's grip on one of their gold chains, the emitter from the Pikesaber pressed, unignited, into the small of their back.

"Hello there, it seems we have a bit of a misunderstanding here, don't we?" Aadihr twisted the pike, emphasizing the point with the emitter's end - the threat intended to be a deterrent from further escalation.

"Call off your droids, and let's have a chat, shall we?" He continued with a slight downward tug of the chain necklace, forcing the Toydarian to land.

Drystan seemed a little roughed up, but nothing beyond the scope of a quick healing. This close there was no doubt of the identity.

With a near-instant change in demeanor, ignoring the criminal entirely, Aadihr lifted his face to address the other Jedi, "Hey, Drystan, right? What's the deal with the shiny housefly here?" He said with a slight jostle of the Toydarian, using a foot to unholster and kick away the holdout blaster the criminal was intending to slowly reach towards.

Drystan Creed​

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

Drystan's sharpened gaze locked on Grixo as the Toydarian signaled his gaudy squadron of commando droids to back off. Their durasteel forms slackened with a mechanical whir, the hostility draining from their postures. Grixo's last resort, a holdout blaster, was already dealt with—disabled by the other Jedi.

Drystan stepped back, allowing his tense stance to relax. His body still ached from the earlier scuffle, but he pushed the discomfort aside.

With a subtle wrist flick, he reached out with the Force, pulling a small remote from Grixo's pocket. The Toydarian squawked in protest, but Drystan paid him no mind. He pressed a button on the device, eliciting a series of deactivating beeps as the surrounding droids slumped lifelessly to the ground, pocketing the device into his belt shortly after.

Satisfied, Drystan strode toward Grixo, producing a pair of manacles from his belt. He secured them efficiently around the Toydarian's wrists, the metal rattling as he ensured a snug fit.

"Grixo Vors," Drystan began, his voice listing his crimes with cold authority. "Arms dealer for the local gangs in the neighborhood. You're lucky it's the PSF that wants to ask you questions. Otherwise, I'd have your wings bound and hanging from the Senate Building."

He finished the statement with a slight shove, forcing Grixo forward into submission. Then, turning his attention to his fellow Jedi Knight, Drystan tilted his head in mild surprise.

"What are you doing here, Lidos?" he asked. "Didn't peg you as the type to be wandering streets like these."

Aadihr Lidos

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Casual Attire
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

"What are you doing here, Lidos?" he asked. "Didn't peg you as the type to be wandering streets like these."

"You'd typically be right, I prefer much more rural planets and more pleasant company," Aadihr replied, jostling Grixo slightly for emphasis.

" Just checking in on a familiar face. I haven't -erm- seen many acquaintances from back in the day." Not that Aadihr had many friends from his time as a Padawan. He had spotted Connel Vanagor , but he was always training as well. Caltin seemed like he would have been a good mentor, as tall and imposing as he seemed on first impression

Aadihr handed over the arms dealer to Drystan after the manacles were secured and then offered, "here, hold still a sec," then reached towards Drystan's wound with a hand flooded with excess life force to transfer, a quick heal for Drystan, if accepted.

Aadihr then attended to the droids, stepping to one of the disabled droids, disconnecting remote command receivers, and bypassing the criminal's authority mod so they could only passively follow once re-energized.
"So, Is detaining arms dealers regular thing for you these days, or more of a hobby?" Aadihr replied as he pulled at wiring at the back of their torso, between narrow gaps in durasteel plating.
The irony of the circular path the force laid out for Drystan not lost on him.

Drystan Creed​

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

"I'm in the same boat. Been...busy." Drystan muttered, the last word trailing off. He gave a nod, allowing Aadhir to focus on soothing his wounds with the delicate touch of Force-healing. The warm energy flowed through him, dulling the pain and knitting the surface-level injuries. Drystan let out a slow breath, feeling a small measure of tension release from his battered frame.

Once Aadhir finished removing the command receivers from the lifeless droids, Drystan's tapped a brief massage. "Someone'll be here soon to secure these droids." His eyes scanned the dimly lit area one last time, ensuring nothing important was overlooked. Satisfied, he turned his full attention to Aadhir.

"So, Is detaining arms dealers regular thing for you these days, or more of a hobby?"

"Both. Arms dealers, drug pushers, Sith. Anything that's bad for the ecosystem really." His glance turned to Aadhir's shoulder before his hand reached out in an attempted camaraderie. Drystan gave him a pat on the shoulder—firm but awkward, the gesture clumsily unpracticed. His expression tightened briefly, an eye twitch betraying his self-frustration at the gesture.

"What about you?" He asked, quickly shifting the focus back to Aadhir, his tone as casual as he could manage. He rubbed into one of the darkened circles of his eyes, attempting to stifle a yawn. "I'm sure you've got your stories to tell. What have you been up to?"

Aadihr Lidos

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Casual Attire
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

The pat on Aadihr's shoulder was accompanied by an unsure wavering in Drystan's aura. Aadihr simply smiled, not drawing attention to the Knight stepping out of their comfort zone. That uncertainty was a familiar feeling. Hunting criminals long term can't be easy on one's social life.

Drystan's aura looked. . . tired.

"What about you?" "I'm sure you've got your stories to tell. What have you been up to?"

Aadihr nodded with a little laugh.
"A few stories, yeah, though some are better saved for more comfortable environs." Aadihr replied.

"I, uh... I ran away from the order a while. Tried my hand at the 'wandering healer and do-gooder' thing from the holonovels. It was illuminating, all things considered. I've only just returned a few months ago."

Aadihr let his internal gaze wander over the reconstruction still underway. His mind flashed through the fresh debris in the past, on this and other worlds. No matter how much he helped in an individual scale the war's path left overwhelming destruction in it's wake, more than a single stray Jedi could repair.

"War brought me back, I suppose. I felt the need to treat the cause of suffering, not just the symptoms." He tried to imagine himself in Drystan's shoes, spending the last 5 years or so entrenched in a nonstop struggle against the underworld elements. Drystan's hesitation and distance didn't seem surprising upon reflection.

"Since then, I've broken a Holocron, adopted a sludgespawn, and even a met a girl." Though Azurine Varek has been distant lately, she was still ever in his thoughts.

"If the droids are handled and Grixo here just needs a lift to processing, do you suppose the drug pushers, arms dealers, and undercover sith could spare you an hour or so? When's the last time you've eaten, Drystan?" Aadihr admittedly ate like a bird these days, but getting the weary shadow in a more comfortable environment seemed like a good way way to catch up and help him find just a bit of rest.

Once again Aadihr's mind flashed to the spirited troublemaker from before, now replaced by the hardened and weary shadow.

Aadihr empathized with the shadow's weariness, even though he could never truly understand what trials the past years have weighed upon Drystan, he could see the affect it had on him in this moment. The duty of a healer was more than just physical recovery.

"Know any good places to get a bite around here?"

Drystan Creed​

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

"I'm sure you did plenty of good during your time away," Drystan nodded in approval. "You don't need to be a Jedi to make a difference in the galaxy."

His expression hardened at the mention of war. "I've had to clock in extra hours because of it. Refugees forced from their homes, gangs moving in because there's no one left to extort on the battlefield. It's a mess, especially in places like this. Someone has to clean it up." He reached into his coat, producing a cigarette. With a flick of his lighter, he lit it quickly, taking a sharp drag that softened the tension in his posture.

"A girl, huh?" Drystan smirked, exhaling smoke. "Look at you. Can't say I ever considered one. My schedule's a mess. Last op I had, I was in more drug dens than showers for an entire month. Another chasing down pirates, got myself blown up and my armor fragged to hell. I thought I was dead, got a piece of starship lodged in my gut in the middle of space. What a way to go, am I right?" His tone was surprisingly nonchalant, almost desensitized.

When Aadhir made his offer, Drystan almost turned him down reflexively, the excuse of a packed schedule lingering on the tip of his tongue. Street patrolling, crime busting—it was always his default. Instead, he caught himself, nodding with a weary smile.

"Let's see what we can find together. I've been running on just nutri-paste cubes, cigarettes and caf pills for the last few months." He paused, tapping the cigarette against his fingers as if calculating something. "Truth be told, last time I took a cube was…" He trailed off, counting in his head. "Monday, so just yesterday."

It was Thursday.

Aadihr Lidos

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Casual Attire
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

"Ouch"
The man was practically one giant walking scar from the sound of it. Couldn't blame the guy for taking up a smoking habit from the way he described his line of work.

"Truth be told, last time I took a cube was…" He trailed off, counting in his head. "Monday, so just yesterday."

It was Thursday.

Underneath the blindfold, Aadihr's eyebrows furrowed with immediate concern. He cast his mind's eye away to the nearest street-food vendor, finding what looked like street side Udon stall.

"Yeah why don't we get some food in you - caffeine and nicotine can't fight crime forever." Aadihr said, attempting to mask the concern in his voice. The correction in calendar date could certainly wait.

---

Aadihr nodded his head towards the stall and walked towards it, grabbing a credit chit from his sleeve.

The Udon stall was practically spewing steam, smelling both deliciously of broth of some form of amphibious meat and smoke of the occasional dropped ingredient on a burner.

An Ithorian ran the stall, they yapped something at Aadihr as he motioned to two available seats, "⌇⟟⏁ ⌿⌰⟒⏃⌇⟒, ⍙⊑⏃⏁ ⍙⍜⎍⌰⎅ ⊬⍜⎍ ⌰⟟☍⟒ ⏁⍜ ⟒⏃⏁?", the two-mouthed chef didn't have a translator collar on but the intent was clear enough.

Aadihr could eat but anticipated Drystan would need a bit more. The Miraluka pointed to the batch and requested: "Give me four" - the Ithorian yapped again with two fingers raised "⎅⟟⌇⊑ ⟟⌇ ⏚⟟☌, ⏁⍙⍜ ⟟⌇ ⟒⋏⍜⎍☌⊑!" ; Aadihr replied "No. Four. Two, two, four." Reflecting the numbers with his fingers for emphasis. Aadihr sighed as the chef raised his hands in the air and began preparing the dish. "And noodles." Aadihr continued, resigned, as he sat down at the furthest stool, leaving room for Drystan.

Aadihr shook his head, quietly laughing off the communication issue. "Any chance you can understand these guys?" He asked as the scent of hot broth and steamed veggies began to fill the air.

Drystan Creed​

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

Drystan shrugged as he fell in step behind Aadhir, slipping a hand into his pocket while taking another slow drag from his cigarette. As they walked, the familiar rhythm of lighting and finishing each one followed him. When one burned to the filter, another took its place.

When they arrived at the udon stall, the warm, savory aroma hit Drystan immediately. Closing his eyes, he let the scent wash over him, savoring it. "Can't say I haven't missed sitting down to a hot meal."

When the Ithorian cook turned to Drystan for his choice, he simply offered a nonchalant shrug, pointing to the other Jedi. "I'll have what he's having." Hopefully, that would get the point across.

"Never managed to pick up Ithorese," he admitted, gesturing vaguely toward the cook. "Haven't ran into many of them, and I've never been to their homeworld."

Sliding onto the stool beside Aadhir, Drystan let out a long, relieved sigh. It was a rare moment of comfort, and it showed in the way he leaned forward, elbows resting on the counter as he settled in.

"So how are things at the Order nowadays? I know you've only been back a few months but ever since I got knighted, I haven't really kept in check until recently."

Aadihr Lidos

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Casual Attire, Sigil Bead Earring
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

"I sometimes wonder if they even understand Ithorese themselves, - Aadihr replied, immediately apologizing to the grumpy chef.

"So how are things at the Order nowadays? I know you've only been back a few months but ever since I got knighted, I haven't really kept in check until recently."

Aadihr relaxed into the stool and folded his arms, swivelling and leaning onto the the stall as he replied, "Better, for the most part. A promising class of Padawans, but it still feels like we're training soldiers at times. More seem to shift darkside than I remembered growing up. Maybe we were just sheltered from it."

Aadihr's voice grew distant as he recalled the night Serina turned against the order - He still tried to remember Serina Calis as the talented, if arrogant, Padawan she was before instead of of what she had become.

"Maybe I was too blinded by my own issues to see it around me back then."
Aadihr grabbed the bowls from the chef and distributed them between Drystan and himself.
"It certainly helps that we have a few walking histories among us thanks to some recovered carbonite slabs. The grandmaster is practically mythical, from the era of the Old Republic. Some others, like the Cathar master Jonyna or the, uh, Padawan Azurine Varek are both rebels from around the era of the Battle of Yavin 4." Azzie's presence flickered in the back of his mind more and more lately.

"I suppose they have their own troubles these days, but everyday I thank the light that the order has changed since we were knighted."

Aadihr began to eat, speaking through the noodles, "all those Nutri-Cubes cannot be good for you."

Drystan Creed​

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

"I felt like our training was more bootcamp than anything else. Even more so when they put me through the Shadows program." Despite the grumbling, it was clear he had not only endured but thrived under the rigorous training—a fact that hadn't gone unnoticed by him or the Order.

"That's the nature of the dark side," he continued, his tone hardening. His eyes narrowed, voice laced with disdain. "I've seen what it can do to people. What people who wield it do to people."

His demeanor shifted slightly as Aadhir mentioned the ancient figures unleashed from stasis. "Now that's interesting," Drystan admitted with curiosity. "I'll keep an eye out next time I'm at the temple—got some repairs to finish on my armor before I'm back out in the field anyway."

When their food arrived, Drystan couldn't help but smile, his reserved nature momentarily giving way. He dug in eagerly, letting out a satisfied hum at the first bite. "Finally, something that doesn't taste like it's been cubed or soaked in preservatives. I'd have something like this more if I had the time to cook."

He paused for a moment, sipping the broth thoughtfully before glancing back at Aadhir. "So, this girl of yours," he said, leaning in slightly, clearly interested in keeping the conversation going. "Who is she? What's she like?"

Aadihr Lidos

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

CORUSCANT

Outfit: Casual Attire, Sigil Bead Earring
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

"I felt like our training was more bootcamp than anything else. Even more so when they put me through the Shadows program."

"My master certainly would have preferred a boot camp, I think."
But then again, with Naboo's declining gungan relations and tumultuous past, Aadihr could understand why. It was just... unfortunate for everyone involved.

Aadihr nodded as he ate, agreeing with Drystan's comment on the darkside's nature - Aadihr had no doubt the crime-hunting Jedi had seen more than his fair share of Darksiders. By the time Drystan took his first bite, Aadihr had finished his first bowl and was halfway through his second.

"So, this girl of yours," he said, leaning in slightly, clearly interested in keeping the conversation going. "Who is she? What's she like?"

Aadihr quickly swallowed the broth of the second bowl and considered his word for a moment. "Well, not necessarily my girl but she's an older Padawan, about 2 years younger than you and I. If you count the Carbonite, I guess she's 900 years older than us." Aadihr idly touched the Sigil Bead she gave him that he wore on an earring. "She's the Iridonian Padawan I mentioned, Azurine Varek . She was actually the first Jedi I met when I returned to the order, during a gala on Dantooine; shortly before the NJO and GA liberated her home planet. A warrior and rebel of her time, through and through, but manages to keep a kind heart at the same time.

Aadihr hesitated, recalling the battle, and the life he'd taken there.

"Anyway, we fought together for a while and we encountered the reincarnated Sith Lord that was driven from her home planet, The Red - we fought well together, or so I thought." Aadihr began to unwrap the cloth around his left arm revealing an unhealing sith-cursed burn along the length of his arm. "We got away but the Sith gave me this as a parting gift. Ever since then, she's been... distant. I'm not sure entirely why, but being around her causes her aura in the force to show distress, or turmoil, or something. She's normally brave to a fault and unafraid to speak her mind, but..." Aadihr began re-wrapping his arm. "...I suppose I simply could have said 'it's complicated', in hindsight."

He returned to his food, realizing he had been rambling. "How about yourself - anybody special you've been fighting crime with? Maybe a special . . . Uh. . . Nutri-Cubes and Caf vendor you see on a regular basis?" Aadihr said initially playfully, but realized halfway through that the question could just be salt on a wound, considering how burned out Drystan seemed earlier. Still, he egged on the question to give him an opportunity to step out of his omfort zone, a break from routine at least.

Drystan Creed​

 

[Drystan Creed]

CORUSCANT

"Complicated, huh? And ouch. Wounds that even a soak in some bacta can't heal? I can't even imagine." Drystan mused, raising an eyebrow. "Well, it's not the worst situation to be in, I suppose. Sounds like you've been through a lot. Either way, every connections got its ups and downs. Especially in our line of work."

His gaze dropped to his half-finished bowl, the broth swirling aimlessly—much like his thoughts.

"How about yourself - anybody special you've been fighting crime with? Maybe a special . . . Uh. . . Nutri-Cubes and Caf vendor you see on a regular basis?"

When Aadihr asked Drystan about his own romantic life, there was a silent pause. Drystan hadn't given the notion much thinking, unprepared for the question sprung upon him. The question lingered, unanswered, as he frowned and let silence stretch between them. Finally, he sighed.

"No." A pause. "No, I haven't. I ruled out that possibility awhile back. It would... complicate the mission."

He hesitated again, his tone quieter. "Maybe I'd have fit right in with the Order of old, but... I don't think that kind of life is for me. Wouldn't want to put the stuff I go through on the regular on another person anyways."

Aadihr Lidos