More Than She Could Chew

[Connor Harrison]

The biggest flaw in the JN clones was the lack of understanding and knowledge of the real world. Joon was piecing together a galaxy painted by Ayra, and while she had seen terrible things, she wasn’t afraid of it. She simply wanted to be something worthy in it.

”Because you’re everything you know you want to be. A true Sith at heart. A warrior. A thinker. A woman who can do anything she wants. I want that too.”

Joon knew there was no nice way out of this situation – either with Taeli, or without her. And she didn’t know where she would now end up after wandering into unknown space looking for blood. She swallowed and held her hands out.

”I know about how Jedi and Sith think, what they both say to put down the other and why their view is best. You said you were a Sith. You can do so much more with me by your side. I want to learn. I want to be strong. I want to do what every powerful Sith wants – make everyone pay for the wrongs they made and to think they could get away with it.”

She looked away for a second, and then back to the Jedi.

”I lost everything because of the Republic forces and the Jedi. They didn’t care. I I can’t stand for that injustice. Can you? Have you not lost anything to make you think you should be greater than you are? Please. Please.”

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Joon"]

Taeli outright laughed as the girl tried to be convincing, snickering as the girl finished speaking. She couldn't help it, it was just so transparent in her attempts to try and sway Taeli's opinion. Oh, this girl certainly needed a proper teacher.

"You really haven't had much exposure to the galaxy or with people for that matter, have you?" Taeli asked rhetorically. "You are right that both Jedi and Sith will try and convince others that their side is best... but what happens when you encounter someone who doesn't just believe in a light and a dark side, but rather sees the uses of the Force as being tied to their individual moral compass? What happens when you try to convince someone that doesn't stick to the cookie cutter? You keep bringing up the Republic and the Jedi, but if you haven't noticed... I'm not a member of the Republic's pathetic little remnant of a Jedi Order. I was a Sith Lady of the One Sith, and I've gladly taken the fight to them as a member of the New Jedi Order and the Galactic Alliance."

She regarded Joon again, her expression still amused.

"I've found and lost family as a Jedi and accidentally killed and restored to life family and friends as a Sith," she continued. "You say you know that every powerful Sith wants to make everyone pay for the wrongs they made and to think they could get away with it, but that isn't even close. A true Sith craves power... craves knowledge... revenge is a pleasure but nothing that a true Sith would divert all their resources to dealing with. You want to right the injustices you feel were against you, but you've committed the same exact injustices to families yourself. You are no different than those you feel have caused you harm. Ultimately... you aren't a true Sith. Alicia never taught you what it really means to be a Sith, so wrapped up in her own plans and revenge to clearly see she was being strung along by someone who knew her true identity for years."

She would let that sink in for a few moments.

"Yes, that's right... I have always known that Alicia Drey was a Sith Lady, ever since I was one myself. But do you know the best thing... she never uncovered my true plans."

 

[Connor Harrison]

Her words hurt. Everything about the past few months started to come out from the hard exterior. And Joon hated the fact it was there.

She chewed her bottom lip tightly, trying to stem the upset she had only felt once before. This Jedi was convincing in words - even those she didn't understand, such as a...cookie cutter?...that must be something powerful. It was true that Ayra had many sides, and she never seemed to let Joon in, but when she did it was about wiping out the Jedi and at some parts, even the Sith.

But Taeli seemed to know more about the wider galaxy. This Galactic Alliance, and New Jedi Order? She didn't know them but obviously the Republic was just the tip of the iceberg Joon wanted to climb.

She blew out a breath and wiped her silent tears, stinging because she felt more lost than ever. Why did she come here looking for blood when all she found was pain and an awful truth? And Taeli seemed different to what she felt Jedi were - she was tough, blunt with words, and didn't hold back.

Joon was fixated on the story, and wanted to know more, still slumped on her knees in submission. Embarrassed, and submissive.

”What plans?” Her voice was a whisper of anticipation.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Joon"]

"I don't think I'm obliged to tell you," Taeli answered, chuckling. "If you truly want to learn from me... you're going to have to renounce the Sith publicly and forget everything that Alicia ever taught you. She clearly didn't have a good idea of what to teach you, but that's not all. I don't have the time nor the patience to teach you about the ways of the galaxy and the major factions that dominate it, so as another stipulation for my teaching you... you're going to have some traveling ahead of you. If not... well I can always still knock you unconscious and deliver you to Sullust."

She was being incredibly lenient, she knew that, but it was just such a... delicious blow to Alicia if she turned her own apprentice against her. This girl clearly needed a better teacher in the ways of the Force, and in social skills and many other things before she could be an effective agent.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Another negative voice, another reluctance to let her in. Was Joon nothing but a burden to those she found? The only one who had helped, even a little, was the Jedi on Korriban and….Asemir. He was still a liar, so Ayra had said, but did that mean he was one, really? Or was Ayra the one lying?

A deflated sigh left her lips as she rubbed her hands on her knees, looking at the ground in contemplation of Taeli’s words. She was in no position to argue.

She drew her teeth along her bottom lip and bit down gently. She craved this knowledge – this world beyond her that she was teased with, but now it seemed both Ayra and Taeli were polar opposites preaching different views and methods. Both had conflicted views on major powers, and both had different ways of doing things. And both had little patience for JN-4.

”Don’t let me take more of your time.”

Joon rose, a little stiff with aching legs.

”I’d appreciate it if you just let me go home. I want to go home.”

And for once, she meant Duro. Away from it all, away from everything – away from failure and disappointment.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Joon"]

"Hmmm I see now," Taeli said, finally seeing to the heart of the matter for Joon. Why the girl was so conflicted... and why it had been easy for Ayra to pray upon her. "You were thrust into a galaxy that you were ill-prepared for and then sent on whirlwind ride, figuratively, with little understanding of who you truly were. You were told things, and because you had no other frame of reference, you took them as something you could identify as... but they weren't exactly fitting were they?"

Taeli waved her hand, and the Aurora security men that had been looking through sniper scopes would stand down. Taeli started to walk past the girl, but stopped next to her.

"When you finally figure out who you really are... I might actually be interested in training you," she said. "Fair warning, journeys of self-discovery can lead you into some very sticky situations. Best be prepared."

With that said, Taeli would start walking back to her office and leave Joon to ponder who she was and if she would eventually accept the offer of training. With her datapad, she sent a silent command to Aurora security to clear the girl's ship to leave the system and to be escorted out... along with a bio scan. Taeli was interested in why the girl's presence felt so at war with itself.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Joon felt truly alone, and somewhat relieved she hadn't been detained after her theatrics. So it was clear Taeli Raaf knew about Ayra, but just how much she didn't know. Now what? Return to her Master to warn her? What would be the point. Ayra would laugh it off and say she already knew, and chastise Joon for going off alone and risking her operation. Again; another liability.

The clone looked back over her shoulder, watching the mysterious Jedi leave. Jedi. Sith. What WAS she. Not like how she imagined the real Jedi to act.

It took her a few minutes before composing herself and allowing the guards to escort her to the ship, and to take the required security check and warning to leave the system and never return unless authorized. Joon quickly agreed.

But now where? Back to Ayra, or back home for a while.

Home. Duro. It was the only home she knew. And she needed time to think before everything collapsed in on her, because right now she didn't know who or what to trust anymore.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Joon"]

"Her ship has left the system, Miss Raaf," her security chief said over intercom. "And we sent the scans you requested to your terminal. Not sure what exactly you wanted them for but..."

"That will be all, Commander," she said and the call was terminated. Taeli leaned back in her seat, the data scrolling past her screen as she took it all in. It hadn't revealed much, it was just a simple broad spectrum bioscan on the ship... but it did illuminate some interesting things she had sensed with Art of the Small. Like the fact her age made no sense... unless one considered she had been artificially aged to her current appearance. Duro... she wasn't aware of any cloning projects on Duro... especially by the Republic... unless...

She would need to dig deeper in the near future, but now she had something else pop to mind. If this girl weapon had been, most likely, a placeholder for Alicia's actual apprentice and hadn't learned much of anything... then... yes, carefully watching and monitoring the girl would be important.

"Jaxson, get a calculated trajectory and destination on where that ship was heading... and send CX-02 to follow her," Taeli said, turning in her chair to stare out over the complex. "I want to have complete awareness of where she goes and who she meets."

"Right away, Taeli."