Dominion Old Wounds | SJO Dominion of Eshan

[Ezekiel Breaker]

The Mandalorian wasn't upset with him, which was relieving. Sometimes you never know when someone is upset with another's words, especially when their face is covered by a helmet. Well, it was fir him atleast. Ezekiel couldn't help but think of how much easier his job would be if he had the force.

The Mandalorian gave his name, which meant the operative didn't have to keep identifying him as 'the mandalorian' in his thoughts. Mig's response made Ezekiel think a bit. "Maybe. Only time will tell though, right? We won't know what will help until the time comes for us to know. You could be more help than you think." Ezekiel stopped for a bit, thinking about what he had said. "I'm no Jedi, so my words of wisdom might not be very helpful." The operative chuckled at that.

As he continued removing the rubble, he saw something that made his stomach turn. There was a body under the rubble. Another reminder of how terrible the war here was.

Mig Gred

 

[Kirwin Hass]

Objective: 3
Location: Outside the Garden
Equipment: Durasteel Cane, Redemption, Right Arm
Wearing: (This)
Tag: Kyra Perl

The right corner of Kirwin’s mouth raised slightly at the young woman’s counter-argument. “Sure, I could find her.” Being a Jedi Knight had nothing to do with it though. Once when he was younger he had been a bounty hunter that specialized in Jedi and Sith contracts. He could most definitely find her friend in the rubble and remains of this city. That wasn’t why he wanted her to go with him. He wanted her to go with him because he knew she needed to be there for her friend whether she knew it or not.

“But I have a hunch that you know exactly where she went, and you don’t want to go there for one of two reasons:” Kirwin paused and leaned slightly on his cane, “Either she hurt your feelings when she yelled at you and that’s why you don’t want to see her, or you really aren’t the friend she thought you were and you couldn’t care less about her. And I believe with my very core that the last one isn’t true.” he continued, how he was going to get through to her and get her to talk with her friend was going to be tricky, “Simply talking with you I know that you have a kind heart and you care for her.”

Kirwin raised his left hand to put on her shoulder to try and calm her inner struggle, “Let me speak plainly. She needs you right now, she doesn’t know how to deal with whatever is going on and you can help her with that. I believe that you are strong enough to help her.”

Did he go too far too fast? Would she walk away and help with the rubble like she said she would? Or would she see what he meant? Kirwin hoped he had gotten through to her. Kirwin squeezed her shoulder as he started to walk in the direction he believed the young woman’s friend had gone, “I am going to look for your friend. I hope you will accompany me, but if you don’t I won't think any lesser of you.” He said before he rounded the corner at the end of the street.

 

[Srina Talon]

I don't live in Darkness.
Darkness lives in me.

Location: Gardens
Tag: Malok - Eira Talon​

The young woman could feel his amusement as if it had become physical. It reminded her of light summer rain. Present, soft, and almost comforting. A small ghostly smile slipped across her lips unbidden. It was brief. If Metus looked away too quickly he would likely miss the small amount of inflection. Most people who knew her would have been surprised. Often, it seemed as if smiling might break her face. “I know nothing of mercy.”

“—and neither do my parents.”

Nothing could be truer than that statement. Srina was a carbon copy of her mother. Not only in appearance but in temperance and personality. The squeezing of his fingers around her own caused her defiant statement to soften around the edges. She settled. There were a precious few people who could slow and still the rage that roared in her veins. Especially, when it appeared from nothing. Her Master was one of them. “They are weakened of personal strength and fortitude when removed from their family at such young ages. The Silvers don’t take younglings as they did in days past—But they still keep them if found. As a kindness.”

“It is a disservice.”

Then—Eira.

She could feel a vague level of frustration teeming in the sinew of her muscles. Srina was a terribly difficult target to sneak up on. She spent hours, every day, training as often as she could. Sparring was her sanctuary. Meditation was freedom. Feeling her body move exactly as she wished it, before she even thought it, was what allowed her to move confidently throughout the galaxy. Bounty Hunters, Mercenaries, Mandalorians, and Sith Lords had all tried their best to kill her in the recent past.

They’d all failed.

The comment about the roses caused Srina to tilt her head. Boring? Perhaps. That wasn’t the point. This garden was a place to allow something living to grow in the memory of those that had been lost. These roses were native to Eshan and bloomed iridescent under lunar light.

Mercurial eyes flickered briefly toward Metus when he introduced himself. He was always so polite to engage with her family on his behalf. At one point at least three of her siblings had moved into the Well and he’d not once complained. At the worst, he would find his training retinue increased. At best? More capable fighters at hand on Ryloth. This…Was different, but, when considering Tellu had nearly killed her on Dragonflower? Not much had changed. Fish swam, birds flew, Echani fought. The end.

Her head tilted while she watched Eira. It didn’t matter how much time had passed since they had last held a proper conversation. Words only worked so well. She read the autonomic responses of her sibling and when her wish finally came to light? Her initial reaction was plain. No. No, she would not take another sister into the jaws of the beast and allow them to be devoured.

She held her tongue, for now. What followed spoke of something she hadn’t been here to know of, however, she still knew it all too well. Just as her lips parted to respond she felt a tingle at the base of her spine while the Force moved and the flower pot was snatched from her hand.

Silver eyes hardened.

Metus stopped the flowers from turning into a mess and Srina rose her hand to gently pull them back. She glanced down, feeling her Master process the request, while she straightened the roses carefully. Her expression remained unmoving. Her pulse never rose. Her eyes remained walls of ice. But there was something…Soft, that existed, deep beneath the surface. Glancing up she gave a quiet utterance “…They are for Valina.”

Srina reached out and placed a hand on the arm of the Vicelord when he offered the Well. She understood the statement and his intent. A silent wave of gratitude and acceptable flowed between their Force bond. Though she did not speak it, he would know it. Rather than to respond to Eira right away she side-stepped her sibling. Expecting her to follow.

“Father and mother do not know. Your absence will break their hearts.”

Blunt. As always. The wintry woman found a spot that she liked and surveyed it carefully. Seemingly satisfied she used the Force to dig a hole deep enough to support the root system. The soil was already prepared so she made sure there was plenty of room for loose dirt falling around it. The invisible force moved again as she tugged the roses from their pot. From there—She placed it in the ground. Her hands closed and the dirt coalesced. “You do not know what you’re asking, Eira. Eshan has its fair share of troubles but she is safer than the rest of the galaxy. You don’t know what exists there.”

Srina knelt down and focused on the roses. Giving vitality to plant-life was not a skill she had. Her Force abilities were made to destroy. To take life from one thing and give it to something else. If she tried…She suspected the roses would simply wither and die. Regardless, she would pay her respects.

“You don’t know how dangerous it is to be around us. Around me.”

 

[Eira Talon]

Location: Gardens

Srina's utter refusal was clear across her features.

Eira stiffed, anger flaring up in her gut. She hadn't expected her sister agree immediately. In truth she still wasn't sure she could get an agreement from her at all. Srina was an enigma to her, one she wasn't sure how to handle. Which just made her frustration worse. The man had easily agreed, and in that he had her unwavering appreciation. But Eira knew his words meant nothing in the face of her sister's refusal. Srina stood before them like stone.

Eira flailed against the moment, looking for a way to salvage her chance. She found nothing inside of Srina's walled-off expression, her sister not even giving her decency of looking her in the eyes. Instead she stared down at the flowers, as if they were worth more than Eira's own pre--

“…They are for Valina.”

Eira flinched at the name, looking away now herself. The emotions that had been boiling in her seized up. Srina sidestepped her and for a long pause, Eira did not follow. Her thoughts moved like ice, the girl determined not to feel. She wasn't often good at it, but in this moment she did succeed. When she finally did turn to follow she appeared calm again, though her heart stuttered quickly in her chest. How helpless she did feel...

She was done with feeling weak.

"You mean like you did? You're a hypocrite," she leveled, her soft-spoken accusations cutting through the air. "I've already seen what you can bring down on us. There's nothing left, Srina. They're all gone." Her words turned hard, that pain seeping back up into every syllable. There would be no need to list the deaths that had plague the family over the years. Srina would know every one.

"And yet..." Eira shook her head slightly, stepping forward. "Here you stand. Planting a flower." She stopped speaking, her voice catching as a tear abruptly crested her lashes and found its way down her face.

It wasn't fair. Any of this. Whether or not her now-eldest sister was truly to blame, it did not matter. Eira's perception was finally made clear to her in that moment, the girl finding the strength to speak out. She would hold Srina accountable; her terms were leveled with more conviction than the girl had ever spoken with before.

"You will train me. I will be trained." The tear path dried upon her face, her soft features turning fierce.

"You owe me that much."

Srina Talon Malok​

 

[LT-137]

​

As the woman introduced herself as Master Jairdain Ismet, Khonsu’s eyes flickered with interest. Clearly, the man had seen the weapon she kept lashed around her waist and knew that she was a Jedi. He didn’t expect anything less from the Silver Jedi - but there was a part of him that was surprised they sent a Master to treat with him - and the rest of the Thyrsian High Council. The Warlord expected that they would send someone expendable, especially with the history of negative interactions between these two intergalactic powers.

Someone like a newly-minted Jedi Knight, or a well-spoken Padawan, but, it seemed that his invitation drew the attention of a Master of the Silver Jedi instead.

They weren’t as fearsome as the Sith Propaganda made them out to be, Khonsu silently remarked. He knew that his thoughts were his - and his alone. Especially with the thriving bio-suit that prickled beneath his armour, and the tightly braided rows of hair sprouting from his scalp. None living could penetrate his aetheric defences, especially after he paid the ultimate price to achieve such nefarious results. Thus, the Thyrsian had little to worry about in regards to this Silver Jedi reading his mind, or probing his telepathic defences.

However, she could still read his body language, as that was something that nothing could truly hide - even from a gifted species such as the Sun-drenched Thyrsians, or their pale-skinned and reviled cousins, the Echani.

So, Khonsu retained his diplomat’s smile, and impassive stance whilst the woman briefly touched on her journey to Thyrsian space.

“I’m pleased to hear that you’ve encountered little issue with your transit. We’ve recently received troubling news that the Sith have renewed aggression against the Silver Jedi, and some of the Thyrsian High Council expressed their concerns over your safety.” He took a step back then and threw his arms wide. “However, it seems their concerns were unfounded - as you’ve arrived at my door safe and sound.”

With his smile growing marginally wider, Khonsu slowly pivoted about and began walking towards the doors that’d eventually lead them towards their intended destination. While his eyes were fixed forward - the man knew that the Master Ismet would follow after him. It was her assigned duty to negotiate with the Thyrsians, after all, and the Gilded Warlord had little time to waste.

“I’m not too familiar with you or your Silver Jedi, Master Ismet, but my Culture views Hospitality as sacredly as we revere the binary stars of our homeworld. I do hope that you’ve worked up an appetite and are willing to try some of my world’s delicacies.”

He laughed then.

“It seems the Clans were thrilled to hear of your Order’s acceptance of our Invitation and decided to host a feast in your honour.”

| Jairdain |​

 

[Kat Decoria]

He should have been here from the start, he should have known that she would need him on this day. She was a teenager, she wasn't going to look for help, she was going to try do things alone but clearly would still need help whether she wanted to admit or not. So to not have him there when she needed him the most, it was frustrating and angered Kat at times. Shaking her head, Josh wasn't listening to her, "I didn't say we couldn't feel emotions! I said I was being told to be more calm and reserve! How can you, a Jedi Master, not see the difference!" Kat shouted, she couldn't believe that her Master wouldn't listen to what she was saying, ignoring what she was saying. No one was saying she couldn't feel emotions but that she needed to demonstrate better control over her emotions than she was right now, but how could she be in control right now. When everything was most dire.

"How can you always be by my side when you have 50 other Padawans you take care of! How can you be there for me when you have other Padawans you are teaching!? I am not a priority in your life as your student so you can't be there for me, so don't lie to me!" Kat shouted as tears streamed down her face, staring at her Master indignantly, "I am alone, I am always alone! No one wants to here, you don't want to be here with me!" Kat shouted, she was scared, feeling so vulnerable that she just wanted to burst. Everything right now was too much, it was just too much!

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"It's okay to feel them especially in times like this" He spoke softly, letting her continued outbursts slide. His expression and voice remained gentle, unwaveringly so in the face of all that was happening in front of him. "We are people. People are allowed to feel. I only teach to not let them rule you forevermore. This is a time to feel. To grieve. There's no reason to push it down. No one sensible would blame you for feeling as you do now. Only hope you are able to go without causing pain to others from it.

Tomorrow is the day to be strong. Today is the day to grieve."

He didn't blame her for being emotional right now. How could he? He was having trouble himself, and the only reason he hadn't retreated to wallow in his own pain was because Kat was more important.

She accused him of not doing his job due to a large amount of Padawans. His immediate reaction was to start counting on his fingers before he realized she was exaggerating. He let out a sigh, and shook his head. "I take as many as I can handle without sacrificing my ability to teach or to care for you and the others as my own" He added gently, looking her in the eyes with a light frown. He couldn't help but be a little hurt, even if he knew she was just lashing out. Hadn't he made it very clear just how much his students meant to him? Hadn't he made it clear they could always look to him for support? Had he truly been so poor in saying that?

He didn't understand at all that she was a teenager and as many didn't, would not want to. He blamed himself instead. It was as he always did.

"I've been there as much as needed. But... If you ever have further need of me... I'm never far. Doesn't matter the hour, or the day, or the reason. Only call. And I will do what I can."

He wanted to help make her feel better in some measure. To alleviate her pain. Or at least to send some level of support during a troubling time. That was why he had come. Why he had abandoned all thought to his own grief, to his memories of his mother's journal that described her love for this world. To his own desires to see this world, only to find it the way it was, with many from a people, a culture, that in those pages had been spoken of so glowingly, so passionately... All fell to the wayside when he had heard about Kat's prior outbursts. And now that he was here...

He didn't know what to do.

He had barged in without a plan. His only plan being his intentions of what, but not the how. The only how was how to get here as fast as possible, unimpeded. He hadn't thought this far. Love and concern had overrode any possibility of tact. And then it hit him. It hit him like a ton of bricks that he didn't know how to help. He had shot his shot, given what admittedly generic advice he could... And found it had done little. Only served to anger her more by his words, and by his sheer presence. Perhaps he had done more harm than even Kyra Perl and Srina Talon had potentially done prior, just by his attempt.

He no longer met her eyes. His head and gaze moved to the side as his hands dropped, balled into fists, shaking. His safeguarding cloak over his own feelings and emotions dropped, one he had put over himself purely to protect Kat, to keep the focus on her and what ailed her. His pain washed over in his presence like a tidal wave, but frustration had joined it. Frustration that he couldn't do more. Frustration that he couldn't alleviate her pain or lend the support that he had rushed here to do. He blamed himself, as many parents seemed to fall into the habit of doing.

He seemed to remember himself though, and why he was here, after a few moments. A breath to settle, a tightening of his fists for a moment more. Then he steeled himself, as he looked about the house for a moment before his gaze returned to Kat.

He didn't know much of what to do. But he was too stubborn not to try.

"Could you tell me about them?" He inquired in almost a whisper, willing himself to meet her eyes once more. "What they were like?"

Kat Decoria

 

[Malok]

M E M O R I A L​

Tag: Srina Talon + Eira Talon

I know nothing of mercy.

If ever there was a statement which had encapsulated the alabaster woman, it was this. When she had wandered into his life all those years ago, soaked by the deluge of Coruscant, she was a far weaker creature. Power slumbered beneath the surface, yes. A lifetime of physical training and discipline ordered her steps, yes. But she balked against the Darkness of her master. The art of sacrificing lives in the name of power - of Alchemy - once turned her stomach. And Coruscant, when it had been broken asunder by the Sith, had caused tears to spill from her ears. Sleepless nights. Nightmares. Agony.

Today, Srina Talon - Darth Omnia - knew no mercy. She had become strong, molded by his guidance and tempered by their battles. Personal loss had affected them both; and yet they knew victory. And with every triumph, the Sith Lord's alabaster half had become Absolute. Unwavering. She was a far cry from the young sibling who would come to stand before them. Yet, despite the changes, there were moments of peace. Moments that criss-crossed between the pair so quickly that the naked eye could hardly see. The squeeze of his fingers prompted a smile to form upon her lips. It was rare to see one these days.

Rarer still on Eshan proper.

"You've given me much to think about." he mused, nodding as she spoke more regarding the Silver's ways. The Jedi did not take younglings from their mothers' arms any longer. Those he had battled during his youth certainly did - and the result was a far mightier fighting force. Upon reflection, his own Knights did not engage in any such recruitment practices. Perhaps such kindness was indeed a disservice. Then. Eira.

When it came to matters of the House Talon, Darth Metus' role was that of silent support. The bonds of family were one that he did not see as weakness. Perhaps this was the last vestige of his Mandalorian heritage which remained. He did not see himself wavering in might for sparing a thought regarding his children. His siblings. Thus, when it came to his favored apprentice, she would find no words of opposition from him. Once, their shared home had come to be occupied by many of the Talon siblings.

And all Darth Metus had said on the matter was yes before seeing to their accommodations. This was one such occurrence. He was content not to intervene between the siblings - save for preventing the destruction of the roses that Srina had brought. They are for Valina. The eldest. One who had fallen during the battle of Eshan. Srina handled loss in a manner that he had come to expect throughout their relationship. Yet the young Eira? She was another matter entirely. He could feel the cacophony of emotion roiling within her. T'was akin to a small blaze roaring before them.

Perhaps she had not yet undertaken the same training as her sibling. Perhaps Srina simply handled loss differently. Regardless, the Sith held his peace as the siblings spoke. His apprentice was as blunt as ever and appealed to their parents. Your absence will break their hearts. But beyond that, she warned of the painful reality of what their daily lives were. Since becoming his apprentice, Darth Metus had lost children. Had lost siblings. Riggs, his son. Hadashah, his daughter. Ginnie, his baby sister. All perished - and he was powerless to save them from the jaws of destruction. Srina was no more exempt than they were. Pain and loss followed them like a shadow.

Darth Metus almost nodded in agreement, until the tear slid down the young woman's cheeks.

Lost. Powerless. It was like looking upon Srina the day she had wandered into his life. If he had known what Hell they would endure together, he might have warned her - just as Srina attempted to. Yet, the young woman had determination burning behind those eyes. So, he intervened once more. His Apprentice would know his intention before his offhand rose. Would see every word before it fell from his lips. In this, they were one. "You do not understand."

His words were thunderous. Power seeped within them, ferrying memory directly into her mind's eye. She would see as they had. Flashes. Rapidly. Eshan. Maramere. Coruscant. Kuat. So. Many. More. The battles would flash - their agonies a flurry as he continued. "This is the path we walk. A path of blood. A path of pain. You think you want to follow, but do you? Is this truly the life you want?" His fingers closed - the flurry ceased. She would see clearly once more: a Master and Apprentice stood before her as one.

"On this road, you will suffer. You will be kissed by death countless times. Is this truly what you want?"

And was she strong enough to bear it?​

 

[Srina Talon]

I don't live in Darkness.
Darkness lives in me.

Location: Gardens
Tag: Malok - Eira Talon​

There was so much emotion in Eira. So very, very much like Tellu. So much anger. Srina could feel it bristling along the surface of her skin in electric waves. It didn’t matter that she hadn’t spoken a word. The Exarch of the Confederacy could feel it, hear it, as if she was bellowing from the rooftops. Shrieking in her ears until they bled. Mercurial eyes reflected, filled with starlight, though they did not see. Not as intended. She saw through her younger sibling. She saw past and present.

Did Eira know she was asking Srina to destroy her future?

When the insults followed—She bore them in silence. Despite the fact that her words were softly spoken they cut with blades that belonged to the sharpest of knives. They plunged deep before her attacker, her sister, began to twist them in her back. Rather than respond she simply kept working on planting the white-roses. Her innate stillness and lack of fire was unnerving. There was no retribution. No hate. Simply calm, chilled, tranquil waters. “I kneel, Eira.”, her correction came, gentle, as the breeze that flowed through the gardens.

“Planting a flower. Respecting, a memory.”

Because that was the crux. Srina had come home, this time, for Tellu. For Valina. For her niece, for her sister-in-law, and all whom had passed away. She placed her own pain, her own hurt, along the wayside and returned home regardless of the cost. None of it mattered. The details of her departure from Eshan were hazy at best, deliberately, so as to spare her family disgrace. Eira couldn’t have known that she’d been ordered off-world. She couldn’t have known that the orbital bombardment by the Mandalorian Empire had nothing to do with her. That she had returned, Confederacy in tow, to liberate Eshan at the behest of the Queen. She served her family, her home, over and over…

This woman-child did not know what she spoke of. Did not know what she asked.

Could never know, nor fathom, that which had come to pass.

“I owe nothing that I have not paid, Eira. My blood, the bright lady drinks. My faith, she knows. My—”

My child. My child, she has. Words, she could never say. Especially not to Eira. The flaxen-haired teenager was already in enough emotional turmoil. Srina would not add to it. Nor, would she entertain the whims of girlish demands that had hardly been thought through. What did Eira expect? That Srina could take her youngest sibling, beneath the noses of the Clans, and they wouldn’t have something to say? That Mother wouldn’t wind up on the doorstep of the Confederacy to take her home come hell or high water?

She could feel the thoughts that percolated in the mind of Malok throughout. They were not completely translated in their Force Bond, more shapes, than anything else. When his hand rose, they solidified. He disliked the perception that Eira had of her. Her lack of maturity and knowledge were painfully evident. She was a child. Grieving. Perhaps, he could explain it better than she could. When the Darkside moved, holy dark, her eyes closed. When they opened, they would show a glimmering burnished gold.

Corrupted.

Srina wasn’t certain she agreed with bombarding Eira with the events that had transpired, however, she wished not to be treated like a youngling. Sparing her the truth only added to ignorance. Without a Force Bond or a Master of her own, without an understanding of the Force, it would be difficult to comprehend the picture that had been painted. Srina was painted in white, while her Master, was painted in darkness. That wasn’t the truth.

She belonged to the Darkside. No angel, no sovereign—No Jedi. She could not teach Eira to heal, to mend, and to fight in a manner that befit her world view. Srina could show her how to break things, then, how to break herself. What Malok had done would be considered rude. She didn’t even know if Eira would glean anything, save, a sense of annoyance. But, she could not fault him for trying.

All of the Talon women were notoriously stubborn. Eira, would be no different.

“He does not lie.”, she breathed, still, facing away from the pair. Srina had hoped to spend a little time in peace conversing with Valina and Tellu. It seemed that she would be denied that. Her eyes closed, she exhaled, and willed the Force to settle. It went back to sleep and her eyes would be silver again. Her sister did not need to see these parts of her. No, not yet. “I will discuss your request with mother and father later today. It is important to realize when to hold your ground, and, when to run away. I am not your enemy Eira. When I caution you, it is of experience, not disfavor.”

Srina paused and reached up without looking. She took the hand of the Vicelord and allowed him to tug her to her feet. The white and blue of her cloak and gown unfurled like a flower, ever so graceful, perfectly serene. Were it not for the conversation at hand—One would have never known she was anything but perfect. Beautiful, unbreakable.

“If they refuse—You will obey.”

There was no room for argument. These were the tones of the Exarch, the Dread Queen, of Darth Omnia. They were hard as stone and sharper than broken glass. If Srina so much as caught wind of Eira falling to foolishness, choosing, to run away after she left? She would take an entire fleet and a small army to track her, secure her, and return her to the Talon homestead. Srina accepted many blows from her siblings. Over, and over. She gave them every opportunity to come back to their senses. But, to test her? Try her seemingly limitless patience?

That was a mistake.

 

[Mig Gred]

Mig looked at Ezekiel Breaker , nodding. "Maybe your right." As the Mando'ad'jetii continued to move debris, he could feel something wrong with his new friend. He looked, seeing the body. He sighed, looking at them. He placed a hand on Ezekiel's shoulder before grabbing a stray blanket, and laying it over them. "I'll go find medi... probably better if you get the ones in charge of this." He sighed a little more, going back to move something else, and be sure no younglings were nearby. They didn't need to see this.

 

[Eira Talon]

Emotions bubbled and boiled, the girl's lips wobbling as she fought to hold them in.

Metus's intrusion was an impertinence of the highest level. The fact that he believed he could just project himself into his mind spoke volumes to how he viewed her. How Srina viewed her. How everyone viewed her.

Her gut churned with indignation. "I. Am. No. Child." She gritted through her teeth. The images had rung true, some clear while other hazy lost to the fast moving chaos he portrayed. Her mind was not sharp. It was not trained in the ways of the force. But there was potential, and it lended enough space for her to understand what she was shown. There was only a subtle flinch in her gaze, though inside she reeled.

The whole universe burned like Eshan did that day.

He thought that would deter her. It only made her tightened her fist and stand a little firmer. She would not lose her temper here. Children lost their temper, she would not be prodded into it.

Srina's verdict challenged that control.

"You do not speak for me. They do not-" Her voice cut off, the words never making it out. Of course her parents spoke for her. Of course her clan would have a say. Her words were a betrayal; her attitude a disgrace. But they couldn't know- they couldn't understand her need to leave. The words for it felt so far away. Srina's verdict felt like a hammer coming down, knocking out the legs she had just learned to stand on.

She could only gasp for breath, at a loss; keeping control, but just barely, as it felt like her whole world had come back down around her. And what could she do?

"They will say no..." Her shoulders crumbled at this reality, defeat ringing through her core. She looked down and away from them both, her defiant gaze turning submissive... exhausted...

She took a step back from them both, all at once wondering why she had expected anything else from them. Srina was as unreachable as the moon. Asking her had been grasping at straws, but the girl held enough attachment to her heritage to at least try before resorting to more disgraceful means. She didn't want to consider it-- it was overwhelming to fathom it.

But if Srina had managed to find a way past her duties, then so would she. This flew through her mind as she backpedaled for her bag. She did not look up at either of them, too overwhelmed by the moment to feel more than the flickering resolve to not give up.

She slipped her bag over her shoulder. "Okay." She choked out, never one to lie and not one to overtly challenge. Usually. Her father might call that an empty answer. One to placate. Sooth. But in the end, if one looked closely, it promised nothing.

She would be trained. She needed to. How else would she stop worlds from burning?

 

[Kyra Perl]

Location: Following the yellow brick road of bombed dust

Kyra snuffed into the air, the Knight's words tugging at her.

Stinging.

"I'm not a bad friend. She's a bad friend." She felt his presence leave her, the calm pulling away like a escaping heat. Kat's energy still lingered in her, burning in a way that did not make sense. She clenched her fists at her side, trying to take a steadying deep breath.

Through the bond, she could feel Jame's dull curiosity. Kyra was always a bundle of emotions, a thing she realized he must of learned to block out early on. Still, he cared enough to tune into the bad ones. Even if the bound didn't allow more than the faint sensation that he was there, she was not alone.

Kat's words flashed through her head, cries of loneliness. Accusations of ditching.

Kyra chewed on her lip, guilt stirring.

"Why do I have to be the strong one? Why can't she?" She asked the air. Or JJ. Either worked.

Niether answered. She huffed, shaking out her hands in protest.

"Fine!" She declared abruptly, turning on her heel and storming down the road that one after another, an SJO jedi had walked down to help Kat Decoria .

Kirwin Hass Josh Dragovalor Kat Decoria

 

[Jairdain]

When she had been requested to treat with Thyrsian High Council, Jairdain had not questioned the choice. She was probably one of the best people in the Order to do something like this. As a young woman, she had worked with royalty and been the advisor to them as well as a friend. That family was essentially gone now and they no longer held royal titles. It didn't change what she had done back then.

In more recent times, she had worked out a peace deal Clan Australis on Myrkr. This was another moment when her light could shine and she could display her power and ability to be a diplomat. She would be here not speaking as a single person, but with the support of her Order behind her. It could be a great weight and responsibility to bear, but if the Silvers didn't think she was up to it, then she wouldn't be here.

Not that she would have tried to read his thoughts, it was probably a good thing he wore the guard. Jairdain was a rather strong mentalist and some stray and surface thoughts, she might have been able to pick up on. She wasn't attempting to be intimidating or fearsome in any manner, but she was full of confidence.

Pleasantries were exchanged easily and she nodded in thanks when he mentioned his Council had been concerned. Normally her journies were uneventful and she was thankful for that. After that, he started walking away with her falling into step with him. He mentioned cultures and hospitality. It brought to mind her own home and the world she grew up on. Then what she discovered much later in her life. A whole new culture and people she hadn't even known and still had to learn about. That was a work in progress.

What he said surprised her just a little. Never had she expected a feast in her honor, but maybe one to commemorate the agreement she was here to make.

"You and your people honor me, Supreme Sun Guardian Amon. If you ever decide to grace me with your presence on Kashyyyk, this will be repaid."

While she might have used the word repaid, she didn't feel like she owed him a debt. Only that debt seemed to be the best word to use right now. She also had the feeling he probably would not actually visit her. On the chance he did, a feast would be waiting, filled with food from her own culture.

While she could imagine what the sights were in front of her, the smells were heavenly.

"I am sure this will be delightful. Lead the way, I'm looking forward to this sampling and have a large appetite."

Returning his smile, she would allow him to guide her to a place to sit.

LT-137

 

[Darth Metus]

M E M O R I A L​

Tag: Srina Talon + Eira Talon

I. Am. No. Child.

There was an electricity to the words of the young Echani. A storm of emotion which was held back by mere lips and the gritting of teeth. Yet, as the Sith dragged her through the brutality of the past, Eira stood her ground. Fingers curled into fists. Her heels all but dug in. If the voyage through the past was a howling tempest, the young woman was a mountain standing against it. After a few moments, Darth Metus returned his hand to his side - the darkness which had manifested subsided in but an instant. He said nothing at first, offering nothing save a silent shaking of his head.

Her spark is undeniable.

The musing was but a whisper betwixt Master and Apprentice. A silent nod to the strength of the Talon lineage. To date, there had not been one who lacked any fortitude. It seemed that Eira was no different. For now, there was naught else for Darth Metus to truly say - for the decision of whether or not the young woman stayed or came along had now been placed in the hands of their House. While the Sith was perfectly comfortable with intervening a few moments ago in a move of solidarity with his Apprentice, there were some places he would not tread. It mattered not how close he and Srina's bond grew - the matters of House Talon were not that of House Vi'dreya.

Vi'dreya.

The word was as ash on his tongue. Srina would feel the pang - that which had buried so tirelessly. A shackle of the past she called it, one that was better off dead. Why was it that he, when he was honest with himself, craved that which he had turned away from? Was it the mention of Clan and House between the siblings? Was it plucking at a scab he had neglected? The Sith did not put verbal thought to his words, but rather motioned towards the young woman. "Will you accompany us to pay respects?"​

 

[Kirwin Hass]

Objective: 3
Location: Outside the Garden
Equipment: Durasteel Cane, Redemption, Right Arm
Wearing: (This)
Tag: Kyra Perl | Kat Decoria | Josh Dragovalor

He channeled his focus through the Force to follow the feelings of pain, loss, and anger. With his cane tapping on every other step he took Kirwin continued to search faces of the buildings lining the street. As he searched he noticed he had a tag-along not too far behind him, “I can feel that we are almost there.” he said smiling at the heartening thought of the young woman joining to help her friend. Two buildings down presented the strongest presence from the Garden, “This is it.” he said to himself as he stepped up to the slightly opened door. He raised his cane and was about to knock on the door when he heard a female yelling then what sounded like a male voice trying to calm her.

Kirwin waited a minute until the male voice had finished speaking. As the Knight waited he began to second guess himself for a couple of heartbeats. Was this the right move? Should he try to help? It sounded like someone was already trying. What if he made things worse? No, he had told her he would help, and that was what he was going to do. He took a deep breath and called upon the Force for guidance and support.

Kirwin pushed the door open and calmly walked into the room the two voices occupied. Unfortunately, but not unsurprising to the Jedi Knight he did not recognize either of the people before him by any physical features. But he did recognize the young female by her angered and pain-filled presence in the Force. Setting the end of his cane on the floor it tapped gently, “Ah! There you are. I’ve been looking for you.” the violet light of his cybernetic right eye focusing on the woman, “My name is Kirwin Hass, Jedi Knight of the Silver Order.” he said in a soft, calm tone as he looked between the two people. "I felt your anger through the Force leave the Gardens and followed it here." The storm he felt around the woman was even stronger than that of the other one. "I thought I might be able to help you, as I know what you are going through. The feeling of loss and anger is strong upon you. Let me help. Even though you may think so, you're not alone in this universe." he requested as he reached out with his right hand in a gesture of friendly aid.

 

[Serpentis]

Location: Deep beneath the Earth?
No more.

When the mandalorians had wrecked Eshan. Old wounds were the right way to describe what had happened. The sheer terror and devastation had woken very old wounds. Hana Kae. Locked away in a dusty tomb somewhere was the long-dead sister of the Sith Lord Raien Keth . An Echani who not to mention corrupting old Jedi sites such as Tython, had reigned hell down upon Thyrsus and the Echani people once upon millennia, much like had happened on Eshan more recently.

His sister had been scorned for her Keth name but also wasn’t held responsible for her Brother's actions. So on her death, her house was allowed certain burial rights on the surface, but far away from more honorable names such as Kae, a small plot that was out of sight and mind. The Midnight guard that had served Raien were hollow almost souless husks of the Sunguard, but had attended her for as long as they had unnaturally lived. Many years since their death, only Taresa Kae had lived long enough to attend to her corpse, which is exactly why she had been chosen to do so.

Awakened before her time. With the death of her brother and the bombing of her tomb….

The force echoed, it twisted, it grated, it turned and then it...

A spirit rushing out of its tomb….

Three echani were tidying up the burial areas, attending to things dutifully as most Echani did…. Almost like elastic seeking form she flew toward the first, the most beautiful of three suddenly locked up and started writhing uncontrollably, continuing till she fell to her knees. Her body having convulsions on the ground. Almost instinctively the other two Echani began feeling tired and feint. Force drain was taking the very life out of their veins, they tried to move and to shout but it was too late, soon joining their companion on the floor. All three were in no small amount of pain as they slowly began blacking out.

With a jolt. Kiara’s host sprang up, looked around, holding a palm to her head. Looking down at her dying friends, she panicked. "N.N.No."

~RUN. GIRL. RUN~

And so she ran. Ran far from here. The change would not be instant, but the desire to flee was obvious.

-Fin for Kiara.
Wakey Wakey GhostOfProtocol

Spoiler

Just a bit part intro

 

[Srina Talon]

I don't live in Darkness.
Darkness lives in me.

Location: Gardens
Tag: Darth Metus Eira Talon​

Her sibling felt like a volcano, with steam, lava, and flaming fury ready to burst forward at any moment.

Srina could relate. Only, she had learned to bury the curse of emotion long before leaving Eshan. She thought. She did not feel. The statement that flowed from her lips caused mercurial eyes to raise from the white roses. She watched the young woman, quietly, analyzing her from every angle. She knew in those moments that the majority of what her Master had given to Eira had gotten lost in the ether.

She would not understand. How could she? How could she know the bliss of ignorance, the blessing, it was to be a child? Her restlessness and budding force sensitivity were causing her to grow up too soon. The chilling words that passed through perfectly arched primrose lips were pressed with a nascent truth. “…You are. Naneth and Ada know why I left because they sent me away. There was no other choice. Have you spoken to them? Do they know how you feel?”

Or had she simply stolen away with her belongings with the expectation of absconding into the night?

Srina could see Eira trying to stand tall. She could still feel the pressure of her frustrations building, multiplying, until the truth of the conversation dawned on her. The white-haired Exarch did not bother to affirm what Eira now knew. Yes. Mother, Father, the Elders, the Clan—And even Srina herself spoke for her. Since Valina had passed, unfortunately, it made Srina the eldest.

She did not like to see her sister crumble. Defeated.

“We will see.”

Regardless, this was the way it needed to be. The silver-eyed creature remained kneeling for quite sometime before the small white roses that had just been planted. Srina wished, silently, that she could make them grow. Bring them life. Make them something Valina would have been proud to tend to. Only, she could not. Srina was fallible. Death was her gift. That was what Eira was asking for. Training, experience, and suffering through the Dark. Wordlessly she conversed with her Master.

He saw a spark in Eira. Srina had always known it to exist, however, she could also see it through his eyes. Darth Metus was her Master, her anchor, and her trust in him was absolute. His apprentice had simply lost too much, too soon, and without mercy.

Srina could not lose Eira too.

They were different as night and day, but, in the end, they were blood. Darth Metus would feel the soft affection that she held for the young woman, buried deep, under layers of unchecked ice. Srina turned her focus back to the small symbol of her faith. Soft, frail, white roses. She had used the empty hand of the Vicelord to return to her feet, but still, her hands came to fold before her.

For the moment—She would remember Valina. She would remember her smile, the circular, wire-rimmed glasses that she favored for reading. The scent of her perfume. Her silent strength, even though, her body had always been frail. Srina felt her loss every day. The flower…It could never be enough.

But it was all she had.

When it was time and the sun began to dip she sighed gently and glanced at her companions. This was going to be a long, long afternoon, in which she was likely to fall over dead. If looks could kill, Aeris Talon, had the technique perfected. “Come.”

“Let us go home. I have much to discuss and it will take time.”

​

 

[LT-137]

As the pair walked through the corridors of the Thyrsian Warship, Khonsu couldn't help but smile as the woman mentioned visiting Kashyyyk. Though, it was a far cry from the warm gesture that was displayed once before.

The last time that the Mercenary visited that world, it wasn't under any peaceful pretense. The Sun Guard were there some time ago and managed to storm the towering city of Kachirho - nearly burning that coastal city to the ground. While he could claim that was a different time under and under a different leader, or that his organization was contractually-bound to the Sith Empire at the time… it didn't change what happened. His comrades still put the sword to the home of the Wookiees and likely destroyed several - if not dozens - of families. Their attack was savage and unforgiving; it was likely that the natives of Kashyyyk would never forget.

"I'm afraid that I may not be welcomed on Kashyyyk." He stated plainly, as they rounded an immaculately polished and ornate corner. "My organization was once contracted to serve alongside the nascent Sith Empire after they began their conquests towards the Core Regions. We - myself included - participated in a raid on the Wookiee's homeworld that saw the city of Kachirho nearly burnt to the ground. I don't regret my actions, nor will I apologize for taking the lives of innocents."

Khonsu paused, then. His dark, hooded gaze fell upon the Jedi Master then. Although his thoughts were shrouded and guarded by the xenografted flesh that was hidden beneath a layer of master-crafted synthetic tissue, it could never truly mask the emotions now clouding his eyes. It wasn't remorse, nor was it pity for the lives that were lost, as that would've disrespected the many Wookiee warriors that fell beneath his blade. No, instead, it was a longing admiration for worthy foes that glistened behind his eyes.

"It's the way of things in this chaotic universe, especially for martial cultures."

The Thyrsian Warlord was proud to have faced such mighty warriors renowned across the stars for their physical strength and lived to tell the tale, but the rest? Well, that's why he carried their collective memories with him. So, while their mortal coils were severed, their essence would live on - in a fashion.

"Nevertheless," Khonsu said with a muted sigh. "Our actions are in the past now, and little can or could be done to amend the flow of time." With those words spoken, Khonsu took the last leg of their journey in relative silence. There wasn't much more that could be said, especially when the man himself willingly disgorged one of his organization's ever-growing list of sins.

When the door to their intended destination lay before them, Khonsu tapped a code onto the crystalline terminal integrated into the pristine bulkhead. As the panel chimed, the twin metallic doors before the pair slid back into their respective housings - revealing the cultural mosaic within. The thing that struck the Thyrsian Warlord first was the wafted scent of freshly served and likely home-cooked fare. His sense of smell - ever since the year of genetic therapy and the operation that saw his life forever changed - found itself enhanced to nigh-superhuman levels. Thus, as the doors parted, the Sun Guard was able to determine what found itself onto the annular table, and for just how long it was sitting there. It was nostalgic, and freshly placed not moments before the Jedi, and the Master of the Sun Guard arrived.

There were pastries and confectioneries, alongside many stews, skewers and roasted meats. Khonsu's eyes didn't spot much in the way of vegetables and greens, as they were either mixed into the protein dishes - or scarce due to the arid conditions found on the desert world of Thyrsus. Several goblets of spiced wine found themselves dotting the table as well - with many currently residing within the hands of Thyrsian Chieftains. They, like the spread of food arrayed before them, were as diverse and colourful.

Each of them nodded or greeted the Jedi Master as she entered the room. Some stood to embrace the woman's hand, or clasp wrists if she would let them.

As the High Council sought to press the flesh with the Jedi Ambassador, Khonsu moved towards his seat at the circular table.

"Please," the Thyrsian Warlord said, as he made a gesture towards an unclaimed seat. "Join us when you're ready, and we shall begin."

| Jairdain |​