Private Self-Destructive Tendencies

[Capris Halcyon]

As her upbringing would be one to suggest, rebellion was typical of her. Especially the ill-conceived sorts.

Perhaps sneaking out of the Jedi Temple wasn’t so much a crime in itself, but the lengths she took to slink this deep into Coruscant’s chasmic underbelly certainly bordered on obsession. And yeah, it'd been a pretty compulsive decision from the get-go.

But not entirely unfounded.

She’d kept her ear to the ground. Talk of lingering Sith Spawn had managed to worm its way up the top levels where it more or less fell on deaf ears. Talk of the destructive kind. The notion was unnerving, but evidently not enough to coax her from her warpath. The Jedi’s vision of peace was one that never seemed to be fully realized. Especially not within their own home turf. The negligence was understandable to some degree, wars were known to be a preoccupying thing, but her ambivalence was still hard to shake. Sure, she was a firm believer the Jedi were ultimately a force for good, but man did her faith always seem to be on the chopping block.

Drawing her hood for a semblance of discretion, the kid felt for the lightsaber tucked away in her jacket lining. From a loose heap of intel, she’d managed to scrape together something of a profile. From what she could tell there was a Sith Spawn camped out in a decommissioned factory down in the lower levels, feeding off the local populace with its pattern of movement barely traceable. All great things to be sure.

She had a rough estimate of what to expect, but that didn’t seem to give her any pause as she hopped the barbed-wire fence boarding off the place, lightsaber in tow.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Sithspawn in the underworld. No matter how often the Jedi went down to try and eliminate them all, there always seemed to be more. Even after he'd been gone. Part of him didn't want to leave Coruscant, mostly to stay around his family. His daughter. Soo why not help out with the problems down below? He wiped his hands clean on a rag, glancing over the mark he'd painted on the street.

"That should do it."

Runes were, inherently, Sith based from what he'd seen. Jedi using runes wasn't unheard of, but it was rare. Especially these kinds. His own take on the very runes he'd learned as a boy. Turned to the Light, like the saber on his hip. Like himself. The trap was set. Provided nothing went wrong, should be an easy enough task getting rid of the Spawn here. Not that he knew exactly which it was. Bestial for sure by the reports.

He paused, turning his gaze around towards the pair of eyes watching from the shadows. The beast. Red flashed in it's glowing gaze before it seemed to slink away. Was it intelligent? Kahlil tilted his head, but shrugged. There was no need to hurry. He'd lure it out eventually.

Unless it found something else to target, anyway.

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

She dropped silently, a cloud of dust parting in her wake as she cleared the durasteel piping. The kid was careful to keep her presence minimal, projecting nothing of her intentions into the force. She could almost guarantee the Sith Spawn would be able to pick up on her prickling apathy if she took no precaution to veil it. Its intelligence was not something she planned on underestimating.

Initially it seemed unaware of her presence, bristling in irritation as it paced its duracrete confines. She didn't even have to prod to feel its hunger. It flowed from the beast in such thick waves of intensity she could hardly stomach it.

And yet it was still very much here and not indiscriminately rampaging the nearest sector.

That revelation in itself forced her to reassess. She was most definitely missing something. But before she could dwell on it her window for attack abruptly closed, the beast’s shelled neck snapping in her direction as if to say food.

“Ah, great.”

Stifling a groan, her hand hovered over the hilt of her lightsaber, reluctant to draw. Bright light would only further provoke it, and she still had the chance, however slim, to let it tire itself out first. The beast shared no such reservations, muscles flexed in preparation of an attack it soon delivered on. Hurling itself up to her height with augmented strength, the girl grit her teeth, dodged out of the way, and let herself free fall to the dirt basin beneath seething as she brought herself back up again.

Undeterred, the beast followed suit, hitting the ground with a reverberating thud before shaking itself off and closing the distance in a single lunge. Reactively the girl reached out with the force, locking the beast in place as its gnashing teeth snapped inches away from her face. In a rather terrifying manner.

Shouldering the strain best she could, the padawan quelled her newly ignited panic.

“Kark- Would you chill.”

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

He waited.

And the creature didn't come back. Immediately his brow furrowed as he turned his attention outward. Reached with the Force to try and find it. .. There. And it wasn't alone? His hand fell to his saber as he stood up and ran. Mad sprint towards whomever was currently getting hunted and panicking about it. As far as he knew this sector had been evacuated. Loiterer? Homeless?

Thief?

No. Worse. As he made it to the ledge they'd fallen down he could see it. And her. A Jedi. A young looking one at that. A Padawan. He reached a hand out, gripping at it with the Force. Pulling it back, bit by bit. As much as he could anyway.

"Move!"

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

Recovering from a brief moment of vulnerability the girl doubled down, more irritated than afraid. No way in hell was she letting this thing get the upper hand. But her bubbling frustration soon gave way to a genuine spike of panic. Not in response to the beast’s frenzied attempts at escape, but rather the flare of another force-sensitive rounding the corner.

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit

Her awareness brushed against his. Unmistakably Jedi.

A Jedi Master no less.

She inwardly grimaced. It probably would’ve felt better to just let the thing eat her. Save herself from the imminent humiliation. Feeling the weight drop from her shoulders, he barked out an order which she was quick to follow. Partially

Sidestepping the beast, with a channeled wave of frustration she sent it skidding to its side, driven into the ground with enough force to keep it immobilized. At least momentarily. In the end it was certainly kinder than leaving Kahlil to keep it suspended.

Instinct then was to kill it. See the job through. But as she reached for her lightsaber the girl stagnated.

If a Jedi Master was already at the scene, why wasn't it dead already?

“You want this thing alive?” she cautioned, a rather inane thing to do in her position. She was more than willing to cut it down if given the word, but she had a sneaking suspicion her presence had interrupted something behind her typical scope of operation.

Not taking her eyes off the beast she extended a hand. One focused on keeping the beast down as it slowly began to rouse while the other had her lightsaber in a back handed grip.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Was he planning to take it alive?

What a question to ask as the creature continued to thrash about in both their grips. It was enough to keep it from flat out charging the girl, but it wasn't going to last for long. Not that it mattered. The Padawan's life was far more valuable.

And she wasn't running away or at least getting somewhere safe. Kahlil's brow knitted together.

"Doesn't matter! You need to get somewhere safe, kid! Just- She's really trying to get free, could you at least climb back up?"

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

Her knee-jerk reaction was to argue.

She was fine. Couldn’t he see she had plenty control of the situation? His outpour of concern was frankly unwarranted.

Or at least that’s how she felt anyway. Though past evidence certainly wasn’t in her favor.

Pursing her lips, the kid once again ignored instruction, instead landing a calculated blow on the restrained creature. Its resistance finally put to a quick and painless end as its body slumped, still smoking from the point of impact.

“I’m fine.” the kid responded with a dismissive edge, though she was quick to regret it.

Now that the present threat was dealt with, she’d next have to face the backlash. A worse fate in her opinion. Turning to face Kahlil, she scanned his face for any recognition, coming up blank. No surprise there. She hadn’t been with the Jedi all that long, pretty much everyone was an unfamiliar face.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Oh, she went to kill it. Kahlil blinked slowly, but didn't stop her. Trying to stop her was only going to put her in danger. Which was what he was trying to avoid. A frown was all he could have as he let his hand drop and watched the creatures life end.

"Why'd you go for the kill?" No judgement was in his tone. It was a genuine question as he instead reached his hand down to help pull her up from the pit.

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

Although he didn’t jump to reprimand her, she didn’t trust she was out of the woods yet.

So it was with caution Capris took his hand, pulling herself up in a single fluid motion. Being toe to toe with Kahlil gave her the immediate impression of height. So much so she had to peer up at the man.

She blinked at his question, finding the answer perfectly obvious, “It’s what I came to do.”

The girl quirked an eyebrow, continuing on. “Thought that was the idea, no?” To rid this neighborhood of the demon-spawn plaguing it.

“You came to kill it didn’t you? I mean, feel’ like we’re pretty much obligated.”

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil shook his head as he turned his gaze past her down towards the creature.

"No, I wasn't. A Jedi is never obligated to kill. Only when there's no other option." There was an almost sadness to his voice before he shook his head and turned from the dead body. He could have a clean up crew come down and take care of it. Right now? Get the Padawan out of the underworld before another Sithspawn smelled opportunity with this beast of a predator dead.

"C'mon. We're not staying here. We'll walk and talk. Do you know how a Sithspawn is made?"

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

His response seemed to quiet the girl by some small margin. Her aversion to the Sith and by extension their handiwork often blinded her to the basis of Jedi doctrine. Mercy.

He motioned her to follow and she obliged, taking one fleeting glance at the indisposed Sith Spawn. A slight twinge of guilt, spurred on by Kahlil’s words, wormed its way into her subconscious.

Capris cleared her throat.

“Sith alchemy.”

Her answer was leveled albeit vague, shooting Kahlil and expectant glance as they moved from the site,“-Just a twisted form of genetic engineering.” She paused, eyes dropping to the ground before returning to meet Kahlil, "If you weren't here to kill it, what did you have planned?"

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Sith Alchemy, yeah." He confirmed it, though it gave him a bit of a frown to think a Padawan had to know what it was. In this day and age, maybe it wasn't too surprising. The Sith were a constant threat. Kahlil lead the way back, first heading towards the trap he'd made before. He couldn't leave it there in case someone else came down this low and tripped it.

"Sometimes they start from nothing. Sometimes from the corpses of the dead. Sometimes from animals and people. Sometimes from those who didn't want it." He reached down, starting to brush away the work he'd spent so long on.

"I'm not sure if I could reverse what happened. For most it's irreversible. But maybe I could've helped fix it enough to live free and more natural than it was made to be."

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

“Yeah- can't imagine they’d find too many willing participants.” The girl huffed a faint breath of amusement before her attention became wholly redirected.

Runes. Lots of them for that matter.

Her eyes fell to Kahlil as he began the tedious job of removing them. “You did these?” She asked, mildly impressed if not a bit skeptic. Runes were inherently- well Sith. Practically a universal signature of those who siphoned the dark side.

Now how exactly did he know all these, much less know how to put them to use?

Before she could voice her suspicion, he revealed the intent of work. To which she blinked back a look of surprise. "I didn’t know-” they were salvageable. Capris buried the words, back-pedaling. “- I didn’t know that was possible.” She let the admission slip, trying to ice out the mild guilt twisting her gut. She couldn’t change what happened after all, self-pity was a selfish indulgence. The only appropriate response was to move past it.

“I uh- didn’t thank you back there. For- well probably saving my ass.” Scratching the back of her neck the girl looked over to the older man, “I’m Capris.”

She dipped her head in something of a delayed greeting, moving to help Kahlil wipe down the rest of what she’d interrupted.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

He chuckled.

"No, not unless it's themselves."

Kahlil paused his cleaning, glancing towards her for just a moment. The skeptical look. That also got a laugh. He just just smiled and nodded. "Mm. Took a lot of time, but it's usually worth it. Sith use runes to help focus their powers and do all manner of mystical mumbo jumbo. I do the same, just, to focus the Light. This one-" He tapped one. A ring within a ring. "Stasis, for example. There's a couple others throughout to help imprison the creature and keep it from moving."

Which he quickly wiped away. Last thing either of them needed was him or her accidentally tripping one of these or another. Nothing was dangerous by themselves. But getting frozen when there could be other Sithspawn wasn't ideal.

"I don't know if it's possible either. The Light burns Sithspawn. The Force rejects them because of what happened, but we shouldn't just have to kill them to save them, right?" It was little more than a pipe dream, and he knew it. But there had to be some that could be saved. Hopefully. He paused his cleaning, glancing to the Padawan. Oh, right. Names.

"Kahlil. Don't mention it. Though, why is a Padawan down here?"

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

Committing the aforementioned rune to memory, Capris nodded. “That’s very Jedi of you.”

Attempting to save creatures even the force deemed beyond salvation? Yeah, it was a rather noble endeavor. Though she wasn't entirely sure if she shared his optimism. “For what it’s worth, I hope you’re right.” It was an apology, however indirect. An apology for ending another life so prematurely and inadvertently ruining his plan.

He then asked the question she’d been silently hoping to avoid.

The girl crossed her arms, “Just a big fan of the atmosphere I guess.” The obvious sarcasm was paired with a small grin. One which she was quick to stifle as she prepped an honest answer. Shaking her head, she sighed in search of a coherent thought “I- I don’t know I guess I was just fed up.”

“There was a problem that I genuinely didn't think anyone else planned on addressing so-” She tossed up a half-hearted shrug, something of a pained grin itching her mouth, “Y’know compulsively decided to do something about it.” After blatantly ignoring temple protocol that is. Though she quickly determined he didn’t need that reminder.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Well I hope it's very Jedi of me."

He flashed a knowing grin. He wasn't a Jedi Master for nothing. Not that she might know. He'd been far enough away from the Order for the last several years to be forgotten completely. Maybe. Valery Noble likely didn't let him get too forgotten, where she could. .. How popular w- No, focus. Kahlil shook his head clear of his drifting thoughts as he wiped away the last of the runes.

"When the Silver Jedi decided to strike against the Mandalorians, I was one of the only to speak out against it. Got me in a lot of trouble, though that's because I didn't go about it the right way. The Sithspawn here shouldn't be ignored or forgotten. These are peoples homes they can't return to." Kahlil stood, dusting off his hands for a moment before glancing about to the empty buildings. Some even crumbling.

They'd need to pick it up. In between the wars. They were really getting too spread out these days.

"So I get the sentiment. You just need to think it through more. Coming out here alone probably wasn't the best idea, especially if you got hurt or there were more than one, right? People need someone willing to help, even if it goes against protocol. So long as it doesn't endanger you or anyone else." Yeah that sounded wise. He nodded his head, seeming somewhat proud of where he ended up going with this. He didn't want to discipline her. That was her Master's job. Oh.

"Who's your master, Capris?"

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

It certainly wasn’t the lecture she’d been expecting. Although all things considered maybe she should have. Kahlil had already shown an abnormal level of patience with her. Typical Jedi behavior.

Regardless, she couldn’t deny his words resonated on some level. He let his own moral compass guide him, outside the sway of the larger Jedi Order. It was..admirable. And from her vantage point, rare.

“Think’ you're the first Jedi Master I’ve met not to have harped on the importance of respecting authority when given the opportunity. Gotta say it’s refreshing.” She matched his apparent nonchalance, though with clear indicators she wasn’t just brushing off his words. “You also happen to be right. Not gonna pretend like I delicately thought this through.”

She grinned with a slight self-deprecating edge, “I’ll work on my impulse control.”

He then asked for her Master. Likely to dish out some actual discipline when they caught wind.

“I haven’t been assigned one.” She answered with a dismissive shrug. Her circumstance wasn't rare, just the product of a skewed ratio. Too many new bodies, not enough teachers to go around.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Sometimes authority is the corruption you're supposed to be fighting. A Jedi's duty isn't to follow orders. It's to know when not to." Especially in his experience. With the Sith being that authority. At least she was willing to admit her failings. Not that it made the whole sneaking down here any better. And she didn't have a Master? That.. Might be why. Too many Padawans were running around without Masters, now that he thought about it.

Valery had.. What, six? One that was his before his 'death.' And he did have Thelma Goth now.

"Alright. We'll go talk to the council, then. Have to at least be honest about what happened, yeah?" And so he could talk to the council himself. He pointed a thumb towards the distance.

"We'll take my shuttle back to the temple, alright?"

Capris Halcyon

 

[Capris Halcyon]

LOCATION: Coruscant, Lower Levels
APPEARANCE: x
TAG: Kahlil Noble
​

The Jedi's ability to drop a fresh proverb every other breath somewhat amazed her. He most definitely had the instinct of a teacher.

"Words to remember." She agreed with a subtle incline of her head, "Though a fairly ironic take on things. Considering how militarized we've become." It was an unnecessary aside, but one she felt to be true. "Feel like all we do is take orders."

Shouldering a sting of indignation, she uncrossed her arms as talk turned to the council, "Not sure I'm in much of a position to argue." No, she very much wasn't. With a defeated huff of amusement, she started in the direction he'd outlined, trying to gauge the level of trouble she'd gotten herself into. "What do you think the verdict's going to be?"

Letting her gaze drift through the wreckage as they walked she felt.. largely unsatisfied. The girl blinked, turning to Kahlil. "Think this'll at least make them pay more attention to the reality down here?"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"It's.. Unfortunate. But there's no alternative. At least with the Maw."

The Empire, he could hope that conflict could end. Though he'd been hearing more and more about some of their more questionable decisions as of late. Since his 'death', anyway. His brow furrowed as he looked ahead, still trying to think of something better than 'we have to fight' to be his answer for her. No one should have to fight.

"They'll probably request I find a fitting punishment. Like chores. Probably some time in the mess hall cleaning dishes or helping cook food. They don't tend to react too badly to a Padawan following their Master when they shouldn't. Certainly less than a Padawan going Awol, anyway."

Capris Halcyon