Private Right Place, Wrong Time

[Mago Leomax]

The Miralukan Padawan didn't get out of the Temple much. Between the wars outside and the cozy library inside the Jedi Temple, he had no reason to. But now things were calming down and he wanted to try out some food in the city. Jedi Temple cooking could be great sometimes, and not so great other times. But Mago knew that the city must be full of wonderous vendors and merchants, there had to be something tasty out there. So the little boy wandered and found himself in a more crowded narrow street of the city.

He wasn't too sure what level he was on, but he was following his nose. And there it was, a small food cart with a bar and stools. Smelled like broth and noodles and herbs and meat. Delicious. He sat on the stool next to someone and ordered a bowl. Oh boy would this be delicious. And he'd be able to tell the other padawans of when he got outside the Temple for once!

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Bogan damn it.

It seemed wherever he went, a Jedi would be around to ruin everything. This was a bloody city world, how were they everywhere? Sure, maybe he should have expected that to a degree, this was the capital of the Galactic Alliance after all, and the capital of the New Jedi Order, he had planned, nay expected for a few Jedi, those that quickly could be sidelined, and he escape before they even detected him.

He had learned too, after his encounter with the Bug in the lower levels, he was cloaked and concealed now, invisible to the naked and un-naked eye.

Yet even now, he was bothered by the presence of a Jedi.

He gazed lazily at the presence of the figure, his robes made his identity obvious if the cautious looks of onlookers were any indication, but Malum did not need that, ever since he had met that Bug, he was more careful about keeping his mind clear, keeping a radius of Consume Essence around him, as almost a radar dish that sensed the approach of any enemies.

And his greatest enemy had simply walked forward.

And ordered some noodles.

It was an... anti-climatic conclusion to things. He had been certain when he had detected the Jedi, that Malum too had been detected, and that he was moving to close the distance. That somehow, the Jedi had seen through his concealment and cloak, and was about to turn this marketplace into a battlefield.

Why was he disappointed that it was not the case?

This proved that the training of his Mistress was working, that he was nay undetectable, at the heart of their enemy's world.

Yet that somehow felt unfulfilling.

And thus, before his mind commanded it, his legs were moving forward, and his cloak fell. Revealing a well-dressed man, with raven black hair and oceanic blue orbs. taking a seat by the Jedi. He froze.

He had thought him blind, perhaps that unconscious reason why he had been so brazen in doing this.

But he was not blind at all.

He was a Miraluka.

Oh no.

He focused all his efforts on his concealment, he had made a deadly mistake now.

If there was anyone who could see him, it would be a Miraluka.

"On- One bowl, please, my good man," He stuttered out, to the man in the stand, before glancing over at the Miraluka, "So... are you a Jedi?"

He needed to play this well, or otherwise, a lot of people were about to die.

Mago Leomax

(OOC: So sorry about the wait on this).

 

[Mago Leomax]

(OOC: Well hey, you came back to it! And I'm still down to continue this. What was our plan for this though? Just a meeting?)

Hot broth and noodles were scooped into a ceramic bowl and served up to the Padawan. Even without eyes, his face brightened and lips were licked as it was passed to him. He took the available chopsticks and tapped the ends together. He scooted closer to the edge of his seat and feet kicked happily. Oh, this smelled so good.

He dug in, lifting a mouthful of delicious noodles with a chunk of meat to his mouth. The flavours and everything was delightful, and he chewed slowly to savor it. This would be something to brag about to the younglings for sure!

Then he noticed something that got him to stop chewing. A man he had seen before, not seen with his eyes but with his Force Sense, became... well he wasn't sure, more visible? Before he was just one of the crowed but as he got closer he was suddenly more vibrant. Then Mago realized that he wasn't any more visible than anyone else around. He had just been muted before, and now stood out in contrast to how he had been before. He chewed in thought, wondering how that had happened, when the man sat next to Mago. He was well-dressed, which came into somewhat contrast with the locals. Then again, so did Mago.

The man studdered, ordering a bowl. Then...

"So... are you a Jedi?"

Mago continued to chew on the meat and his response. This man seemed nice enough, but the weirdness of how he now looked better than before, and how he seemed like he was... Focusing on something? He had a sense of determination to him somehow, and he had the impression that he was reaching out to the area around him, like he had a larger presence than most people, but Mago couldn't read more than that. And yet he was stuttering? That was odd. Though Mago was much more a book person, what did he know? Still, he walked up to him and flat out asked, nervous somewhat... That was suspicious. Maybe. He swallowed.

"I am." He said and gestured to a shaker with these tiny pink flakes on the inside. "If you like seafood, the fish flakes here go well with the broth." He reached over the other way and picked up a small glass bottle with a dark brown liquid inside. "Or there's the sweet sauce that dissolves in the broth. Been hearing about it, want to try it out." He dropped some into the bowl and passed it over to the man.

Mago really wasn't sure what to think of this guy, but being friendly and sharing good food never hurt, right?

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

(OOC: Yeah just a meeting is good with me, unless you have something more spicy in mind? )

It was sitting so close to the recently confirmed Jedi that revealed something rather important, which he had not entirely considered or internalised in his initial approach.

The Jedi was remarkably young.

Perhaps that was hyperbole, after all, did not most in both their Orders begin training as children? The Jedi especially were notorious for beginning training of their so-called "younglings" as soon as possible, to the detriment of their reputations as they began to be seen as child kidnappers and such things.

Well, any little thing to benefit the Sith he supposed.

No really, what was notable about the Jedi next to him was simply his relative youth despite expectations. Certainly, the Bug seemed to almost have the mind of a child, but it still walked with the disposition that had come from enough life experience. This... teenager? Yes, that seemed the accurate word, held in him a sense of unease, of disquiet, an unconfidence that came from being on the younger side of things.

Malum knew it well, after all, it had only been a few years when he was that age.

It did allow him to relax slightly at least, to gaze down at the bowl which had been unceremoniously laid before him, to comprehend the words the Jedi next to him spoke, of fish flakes and sweet sauce. The noodles were thick, the broth was flavourful, and small slabs of delicious meat soaked in the spicy and savoury aroma called out to him both dramatically and subtly. Of all the street foods he had across his various galactic trips, this one decidedly ranked rather highly.

It was no large course dinner back at the Manse... though of course some of the courses were far from what he enjoyed eating, so, this meal, even if rather undignified, would certainly have both his parents worried for his health, it would do.

Would do very well.

Still, something stopped him still.

And surprisingly it was not his inexperience with chopsticks.

Whether the Jedi was young or not, he could not let his guard down. Could not simply fall into his manipulations enough to trust the situation at hand. Such would be the end of him.

And after all, whether a teenager or not, they would train him to be a killer, an honest fanatic of their Order, with a singular purpose.

To harm him, and his kind.

So the bowl cooled in front of him, as red eyes through blue contacts continued to consider him.

Slowly, as a hand rested by his side, ready, and the other sat resting by the cart's table, his mouth moved, "You might wish to consider more... casual clothes, you seem to have drawn quite the curious audience," Malum spoke with a feigned teasing tilt, glancing without judgement at those who had come to gawk at the figure with unmistakable robes.

"Your recommendations are noted," Malum continued, slowly, with some confusion, he was not great with people at the best of times, but to be so upfront was... rather odd, was it not? Perhaps he was wrong about the unconfidence of youth... some were rather confident, weren't they? Hmm.

"If you would not mind me asking, I did not think the Jedi allowed such... young, Jedi to venture from its walls," Malum could not be quite sure, he had heard the New Jedi Order, a rather old Jedi Order, but still younger than the one of ages past, was rather more... liberal, but still he felt it quite odd for one so young to be let out into the wilds of Coruscant unescorted.

His blood froze.

Was he unescorted?

Eyes carefully searched the environs, he saw no one, but that did not mean no one was there. Perhaps this was a padawan, but in that case, where was his master?

He breathed out softly, calm. He had not revealed his presence, few could sense the darkness within him, and Malum sensed no other light fixtures than the blind one before him. It was no guarantee, but it would be the best he could hope for. Malum decided, then, that this would be a perfect opportunity to learn straight from the horse's mouth, even if the Jedi would never learn it was a Sith he was informing.

Rather devious, no?

"Why exactly are you here?"

Mago Leomax

 

[Mago Leomax]

Mago slurped up some more noodles. "Casual clothes?" He asked, mouthful. He swallowed as he thought. "Oh. Like the people around us. I don't really have any of those." He said matter-of-factly. There was no hint of sorrow of want-of-pity, just the fact. He didn't have those clothes, so he came in what he did have. The man ate a little before asking more questions. Mago observed him without turning his head, and took a similar look around the area.

This man was moving his eyes everywhere, his heart was beating irregularly. This man was nervous, maybe even paranoid. The padawan only knew that because of the books he read. The heroes always had moments when they thought they were being watched, and tried to get a look of the place while looking inconspicuous. Just like this guy. Did he think he was in trouble for talking to a Jedi? Did he need help from someone after him? That seemed likely. This was a shadier part of the city, maybe this guy needed a Jedi's assistance!

"Normally not," He answered the man's first question. "But I've lived in the temple a total number of months longer than some knights, I bet. I know the Sentinels and how to get them to let me out for a few hours." He slurped up some more delicious noodles, and added in a big bite of meat.

"Here?" He asked, tilting his head. "The food! Isn't it good?" He asked, lifting up the bowl to indicate the obvious. "I've read some books that talk about great food vendors like this in places like this, and I had heard about this place in particular from... folks." Really he had eavesdropped an interrogation a Jedi Knight was doing on a criminal, and he had mentioned this place. But he wasn't going to tell this guy that. "Why mister? You seem awfully concerned about my Jedi-ness. I'm Mago Leomax. What's your name?" He asked, holding out a hand for a shake.

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Malum blinked a few times, as if unable to comprehend the teenager's words. He gave him a once over, looking him up and down, these robes were all that he had? He had seen Jedi with other clothing before, the Bug came to mind, something that seemed entirely personal to her, why did this blindfolded Jedi not have something similar? They were a monastic order, much more than the Sith, but surely they had more options than just this, no?

Perhaps such was the limitation of a padawan? After all the teen was much older than he would imagine the youngling term stick, and yet clearly not rugged or experienced enough to be considered a knight, and after all, that would explain part of what he had said before, of being let out by their Sentinels.

He was still a padawan, with no difference of rank to Malum as an acolyte. Yet, where Malum was far from the core and centre of Sith rule, allowed to travel and move independently, this padawan could not claim the same, needing to sneak out of his walls.

Odd.

"Perhaps an opportunity to purchase some? I could pay if you desire," It was a kindness that would allow him to infiltrate his walls, a simple kindness that would cost him little, but perhaps give him much more.

The bowl of noodles and meat was rapidly cooling, yet no matter how delicious, his curiosity had stolen away his appetite. Still, he would not let good food go to waste, taking another stick full, and then a sizeable portion of the meat into his mouth.

"From how you describe the place, it seems more a prison than a home," Malum hid the point behind a chuckle, one that was forced, for he could not exactly hide how he felt, it was not as if he sympathised or even pitied his future enemy of course.

Simply...

He remembered the two padawans he had saved from their imprisonment... his imprisonment.

He was foolish to think the New Jedi Order was any different from the tightening suffocation of the Old.

His eyes widened momentarily as the teenager asked his name, there was little time to answer, "Malum of House Marrtaniel, at your service," Phew, he was not so surprised to fuck that up, "And not concerned at all, simply curious... the food is divine, is it not? Would you like anything else?" Gesturing towards the other vendors around them.

It was not sympathy, it was not pity, he rationalised once again.

Whatever it was though, he felt it in his heart.

"So how is life in the Temple?"

Mago Leomax

 

[Mago Leomax]

Malum of House Marrtaniel...? That sounded familiar. That was a name of recent history, a few years back, wasn't it? But what was it linked to? Mago kept his nose in books of old tales and didn't keep up well with the recent goings on. That was always changing with politics and the war. Stories of dead people were far easier to get into. But even still, some instinct of his was telling him that that name was very important. Deadly, even.

"Prison? Oh, no, you got it all wrong. I must have misspoken, I'm sorry. I've lived in the Temple since I was a youngling, but through the wars that have been going on..." He slowed down, remembering. Remembered getting news. Horrible news. Again, and again. "Well, I was never taken out to any battles to assist. Though I can see just fine, better than others, my masters..." He stirred meat around in his bowl. "They died. I would be passed on to the next master, and then they'd die. And the next. After three masters, they left me alone. So... I stayed. Got to know the guards real well. And everyone thinks that if I leave I'm gonna get hurt, I guess. I mean I don't have a master to look out for me. So they just try to keep me safe, you know?"

"And no thank you, I'm... I'm fine with this bowl."

"Other than that the Temple is really nice. Most everyone is kind to you, and the librarians give me treats. I've slept there sometimes, in the library, on the books that I've read." He chuckled, a smile touching his lips. "They scold me everytime they catch me in the morning, but it's still fun to do that sometimes."

"Do... you like to read?"

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

As the padawan spoke more and more, Malum could not help but feel the smile formed by his feigned chuckle, fade, and fade away with each concerning and each heartwrenching statement that emerged out of the miraluka's lips. By the end, he was unable to hide the frown that had formed on his lips, by the end he was unable to resist the shards that broke off from his heart, tearing with concern at truly, the concerning and worrisome detail of how he lived his life.

A silent tragedy.

A life unknown.

A life stolen, by the Jedi who could not care in the least, as they put this one in a gilded cage.

"My... condolences for the loss of your masters," His voice was sombre when in reality he felt little and little else, masters of their creed were the most dogmatic, so sure their view of the Force was right, so firm in their slavery, it was the padawans and younglings who had the best chance to break through from their conditioning, the only condolence he held, was that a force sensitive had to die at all.

That was always a tragedy in itself.

His thoughts were broken by the question, so innocently put, able to draw out for the first time, a genuine smile, as the rest of his mind processed the unsaid, invisible, almost... accidental cruelty of the Jedi, that existed as their structural flaw, that proved that the Jedi, would always be wrong.

"I love to read, what do you enjoy reading?" He had an odd desire to buy him a book now.

Eyes gazing about carefully for a vendor that might be able to part with such a thing.

Mago Leomax