Private Truthseeker

[Kallous]

Kallous had poured over the star charts of known space. Even those charts that described places within the unknown regions. Searching in a near panic for any planet that would suit his purposes.

Still clenched in his left hand was his Master’s lightsaber, freshly taken from the man in their duel. He hardly noticed that he still had it. The weapon was his now, though that was hardly the first thing on his mind. Right now he just needed to get out of the system.

Standing at the Navi computer of the starship he’d commandeered, he looked over the database. Searching, searching for something he could maybe use. A planet beyond the reach of the Sith, and isolated enough that he could be left alone while he figured this out.

His chest still burned with fury, and his mind still reeled with confusion. Why had he let them go? Why hadn’t he just killed them? It would have been so much simpler! But they were defenseless, no threat to him. It would have been a waste.

Right?

Shaking his head clear as best he could he selected the first world he saw that suited his purpose, engaged the navicomputer and waited for the calculations to be complete before he engaged the hyperdrive. Making the jump to hyperspace and setting him on his way to the planet Veridia. Some independent backwater system, with decent connections to the force according to the ship’s database. Which is exactly what he needed at that moment.

The planet would come into view a few hours later, and he would bring his ship in to land somewhere apart from the general populace. He had no desire to be bothered at the moment. Though that might not be up to him, as reports of a Sith ship would reach the ears of those he least wanted them to reach.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Kallous

Today, Braze decided to take things easy and ventured deep into the forest, immersing himself in the natural world around him. His goal? To forage for mushrooms, berries, and fruits that could enrich his meals—and maybe even offer a few unexpected benefits along the way.

Using his curved mushroom knife with care, Braze carefully harvested a stunning variety of mushrooms that adorned his basket's bounty.

He first came across bright golden-yellow mushrooms with wavy, trumpet-shaped caps. These were Chanterelles, and their aroma promised to infuse his sautéed dishes, soups, and pasta with delightful flavors.

As he wandered further, he discovered large, feathery clusters with overlapping grayish-brown caps. Known as Hen of the Woods, their rich, earthy flavor would be perfect for roasting or adding depth to hearty stews. Braze knew they were also reputed to have immune-boosting properties.

Porcini mushrooms had caught his eye next. With bulbous stems and brown, velvety caps. Their meaty texture and deep umami flavor made them ideal for risottos, sauces, and slow-cooked dishes. He thought about perhaps drying some to intensify their flavor even more.

Near a fallen log, he found brown, umbrella-shaped caps nestled snugly among the moss. These were Shiitake mushrooms, renowned for their rich, smoky flavor—great for stir-fries and broths. Braze recalled that they were also known for boosting vitality, which made them a valuable addition to his haul.

Delicate, fan-shaped mushrooms displaying soft shades of white and gray caught his attention next. These were Oyster mushrooms; He knew they would be perfect for frying or adding to sautés, serving as an excellent meat substitute.

Lastly, among the leafy undergrowth, Braze spotted mushrooms that resembled white, fluffy pom-poms. These were Lion's Mane mushrooms, standing out among the rest. Their slightly sweet, seafood-like flavor would offer a unique addition to his meals. Valued for their nerve-regenerative properties, they provided both culinary delight and medicinal benefits.

Using his curved mushroom knife, he carefully harvested each one, ensuring the forest remained undisturbed. He wanted them to grow back after all.

Just as he was keenly approaching some massive puffballs, he sensed it. Something was amiss—a practitioner of the dark side. He could feel their presence through the Force at the edge of his awareness. He still had metal pins in his body to hold bones together where they were still healing. This was not a good time for him to be alone in the woods, far from his master Jasper Kai'el 's watchful sight.

Braze masked his presence as he realized something was not right. He set his bountiful basket of mushrooms aside and looked around, trying to sense where Kallous might be.

​

 

[Kallous]

As Braze did his work on the surface, contently collecting his mushrooms, Kallous’s ship entered the atmosphere. The rogue Sith Apprentice at the controls of his new starship, guiding the vehicle further down, diving close to the surface with all possible speed in the hopes of evading long distance reconnaissance.

Unlike Braze, whose mind was clear and his wits were about him, Kallous had no such clarity. The warring sides of himself clouding his vision, dulling his senses and making him oblivious to the presence of the Jedi. He only felt the presence of the force as he had expected from the planet, and nothing else.

He would find a secluded place to land his ship, as far from civilization as he could be, and he would disembark. The roiling emotions in his core sending shockwaves through the force that could be read with an ordinary seismograph. The Jedi would likely be able to sense this unmasked turmoil, the Sith entirely unable to withhold his feelings. He dropped the ship’s gangway, and stepped out into the wooded hinterland. With no particular direction in mind he began walking, ensnared within his own thoughts, trying to make sense of it all.

His feelings had never betrayed him before. He had always trusted them and they had always led him true. And now that they were warring with themselves he had no direction to follow. Without thinking he began making his way in the direction where the force felt strongest, his instincts leading him there even as he wrestled with himself.

The black clad man walked at the speedy pace indicative of one deeply vexed. And paid no greater attention to his surroundings. Unlikely to sense Braze until the Jedi was upon him.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Kallous

Braze caught sight of the man and tried to hide. He used his affinity for manipulating air to quiet his steps as he followed, curious to see what the man was up to. He wasn't sure if he wanted to reveal himself just yet. The stranger seemed upset... what could a Sith possibly be doing here? And why was he so distraught? These were peculiar circumstances.

Braze decided to watch him for a while longer. Carefully, he thumbed his signal beacon, marking his current location for Jasper Kai'el . He was going to investigate. Sith were dangerous, and he knew it, so he kept his distance, hoping to gather some information first. Before moving on, he dropped the small beacon near the Sith's ship, then continued to follow.

​

Veridia was a lush, rural world teeming with life. The Force here was like a soothing balm, wrapping all who arrived in a quiet sense of calm, offering peace simply through the essence of being. It flowed strongly, almost tangable to those attuned—like the gentle winds that danced through the treetop canopies above. The forests stretched endlessly, an open, sprawling wilderness—rugged, wild, and untamed.

Deep within the heart of this wilderness lay a peculiar place known as the Hollow of Whispers. Hidden beneath the ancient roots of towering trees, this sunken grove was cloaked in mist, its air thick with secrets long buried. Twisting branches arched above like skeletal fingers, blocking out much of the sunlight, leaving the grove perpetually cloaked in twilight. Strange carvings marked the gnarled trunks, their origins lost to time, hinting at an ancient presence—a forgotten power.

At its center lay a pool, dark and still as glass, its surface reflecting nothing of the world above, as if it held a darkness all its own. Legends spoke of this place as one of convergence, where energies tangled, where echoes of both light and darkness met, stirring the waters with glimpses of what had been—and what was yet to come.

The Hollow seemed to pulse with something that lingered between serenity and foreboding. It was as if the Force flowed into this place from all directions, pooling and settling in a perfect stillness. It was beautiful, yes, but there was an undeniable tension within its shadows. For some, the grove offered visions of clarity, but to others, it whispered darker truths—temptations of power, buried desires, or lingering regrets.

This was a place where the boundaries between light and dark blurred, where knowledge and power seemed ripe for the taking. A place long lost to the passage of time, a place that seemed to call Kallous in.

 

[Kallous]

Kallous continued his angered march through the forests he found himself in. Utterly oblivious to the Jedi now stalking him. The Jedi would have no trouble following this sith from distance, the troubled mind giving him an easily identifiable signature to follow.

The Sith followed the trail he was on, barely recognizing that he was being called to this place. Not until such time that he stood on the banks of this black pool. Finally he was broken out of his internal struggle and brought back to the present moment.

He looked around to see the fog laden clearing around him. Taking in the surroundings, some small part of him wondering how he’d gotten here. The place was… familiar somehow. Or rather it felt like he had somehow meant to come here, even though he’d had no destination in mind.

The surface of the water briefly rippled with a slight breeze, the skeletal branches swaying quietly in that same soft wind. Through his crazed thoughts and directionless emotions a small feeling of certainty came over him.

He was most definitely meant to have come here.

He’d always trusted his feelings, and right now he felt like they were speaking to him. Only he wasn’t listening. What were they saying? What were they telling him?

He took a moment to think. And finally he sat on his knees in front of the pool, and closed his eyes. Sending his consciousness into a meditation. His emotions continued to roil, and they would remain that way as he attempted to make sense of them.

Images of the past day ran through his head as he let the force seep into him. It felt strange, like he wasn’t doing what he normally did. He sought out the dark, as he always had, but for some reason it didn’t respond like it normally did.

The padawan would feel a tug-of-war begin within this Sith. The inner pandemonium only growing more chaotic, and becoming even more noticeable through the force. Kallous’ obliviousness to his surroundings would let Braze approach safely and unnoticed if he chose to do so.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Kallous

​

Braze approached cautiously, his steps tentative, ensuring he kept a safe distance—well out of arm's reach. His gaze stayed fixed on the stranger, taking in every detail. There was something undeniably off about this place, something that gnawed at the edges of his senses. The man standing there seemed to resonate with that same strangeness, a chaotic aura that set Braze on edge.

After a long silence, Braze finally spoke, his voice calm but laced with wariness. "Hello," he offered, pausing for a beat. "Are you alright?" It was perhaps the most harmless question he could muster. Still, everything about this scene suggested the answer was likely a resounding no.

Though Braze didn't know this stranger, the man's turmoil was practically tangable, like a storm just beneath the surface. Despite the arsenal of weapons strapped to Braze's frame, he made no immediate move towards any of them.

The blackened pool however seemd to be begging the man to embrace it and step in to the darkened abyss.
​

 

[Kallous]

Braze would inspect the stranger in front of him. He was undoubtably a Sith, the black robes and the lightsaber in his left hand and the second one hanging at his belt. He had similarly black hair that fell to his shoulders, he had a permanent scowl etched into his expression. His eyes however were closed, blinding him to what was around him as he focused inward. Braze would be able to get however close he dared without interrupting the man's meditation, however that would change once he spoke.

Kallous would, upon hearing a voice, turn towards the direction it came from and ignited his masters saber. The crimson red blade hissing to life and growling hungrily toward the Jedi Padawan. Kallous' eyes, now open, affixed themselves on the stranger in front of him in a mistrustful glare. He did not know this person, and his current mindset was not one suited for diplomacy. As it stood, he perceived everything as a potential threat. The confusion that had taken over his core left him defensive and ready to fight at a moments notice.

In other words. It was indeed a firm resounding "no".

"Name yourself." He demanded, the yellow color of his eyes intermittently flickering to a more normal green color and back to the yellow indicative of one immersed in the dark side.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Kallous

Braze remained where he was but didn't move to draw a blade in kind. He simply stared at the man with wide, pale jade green eyes.

"My name... is Braze... I'd rather not have a blade pointed at me, please."

Braze slowly introduced himself before adding that request. "I'm not here to hurt you," he added, raising his hands and showing his palms. The youth had snowy white hair and looked to be a young teenager. His shoulder and leg were wrapped in medical bandages and apparatuses, clearly marking him as injured. He wore a strange and unique lightsaber in full view, attached to his belt.

In truth, he was a rather young Jedi, complete with a padawan's braid, clearly marking him as someone from an opposing faction.

Braze studied the man carefully. "What's wrong?" he asked, as if trying to discern why this man was so upset.

​

 

[Kallous]

Kallous looked this boy up and down. Seeing that he was clearly a Jedi Padawan, he'd met one or two before already. This however only put Kallous more on guard. Where there was a padawan, there was a master. And that was not something he wanted to deal with at the moment. He immediately began scanning the area around him, searching the canopy and treeline for any sign of this padawan's teacher. He might be able to fend off a padawan, and he could certainly overcome one injured as this one was. But a Jedi Master was no easy thing to vanquish.

And there was no shortage of hostility between their two sides.

Am I even considered on the side of the Sith anymore? He found himself thinking, the confusion returning with a vengeance. His saber lowered briefly as he clutched his head with his other hand to relieve the headache that threatened him with discomfort.

Kallous returned his gaze to the padawan. "Where is your Master youngling? I did not take Jedi for the type to sneak around. And how did you find me so quickly? I was certain this place would be isolated."

It would seem Kallous was unconvinced of his good intentions, and for now remained defensive. Though he did not seem eager to attack him either, refraining from doing so before he knew what he was dealing with. Braze would need to approach this with caution, the Sith in front of him was not as hostile as they would usually be. And the turmoil in his core remained plain to see to any force-sensitives present.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Kallous

"My Master is at home," Braze stated simply, keeping his hands lifted and away from his weapons, each movement deliberate and slow. His voice was gentle, soft like the distant lull of waves. "I've been told I'm not a very good Padawan," he added, a trace of playful irony brightening his otherwise serene demeanor.

"I'm an empathic receiver in the Force," Braze continued, the honesty in his words as clear as his gaze, eyes unwavering as they studied the stranger. "And you don't look well. Nor do you feel well. I sensed your presence long before your ship touched down."

He spoke quietly, almost as though any louder and it might shatter whatever fragile equilibrium lay between them.

"We don't have to fight. I don't want to be hurt..." Braze hesitated, swallowing as his eyes searched the man's face, trying to see beyond what was presented. "Do you want help?" he asked finally, uncertain of what to say but driven by an instinct that perhaps this was what the man needed to hear. All the while, his eyes remained fixed on the stranger, cautiously aware.

If Jasper were here, Braze imagined his master would be cross—no, furious with him. Once again, he was breaking the rules, engaging a Sith without the slightest precaution. And yet, somewhere deep within, Braze wanted to believe that people weren't inherently evil—that sometimes, life pushed them into corners, forcing them to make choices no one would make freely.

He suspected that for those who had walked this path for too long, the pull of darkness became almost impossible to resist—a cycle too vicious to escape. But Braze didn't know this man. He didn't know what he had endured, nor the choices that had led him here. What he did know was this—he was likely facing a Sith, and that perhaps, somewhere behind those guarded eyes, was someone struggling.

There was no malice in the boy, no hatred or even fear. Only calm. A serene certainty that perhaps, even the worst darkness could still be touched by light.

​

 

[Kallous]

Kallous looked the boy over, his senses dulled as they were he couldn’t be certain whether or not the boy was telling the truth. But he hadn’t known the Jedi to lie, especially not to offer peace insincerely. This padawan Braze didn’t appear to be lying either, making no moves to his weapons, and seeming to be genuinely concerned.

Of course a Jedi would be concerned about his enemies. Whoever this boy’s master was, Kallous was sure he would approve of the compassion he was showing. Jedi were sentimental like that, he thought. They liked to show weakness of that sort.

But wouldn’t that make you weak too? one side of him argued.

Shut up! The other growled back, his internal struggles once again surfacing and pulling him away from the present moment. This distraction led to his arm lowering to his side, the lightsaber still buzzing in his grip, but hanging forgotten at his side.

After a few moments of arguing with himself her returned his attention to the padawan in front of him. Braze’s searching eyes would see through the poor facade that Kallous tried in vain to uphold.

This was a Sith yes. But one who was confused. Angry, but his anger was unfocused. The kind of anger that came with someone who had been uprooted and had no idea where to go or what to do. Braze was making progress.

“What sort of help could you offer me Jedi? And to what end? You know we are enemies don’t you?”

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Kallous

"Well..." Braze began slowly, his brow furrowed slightly, as if weighing each word. "I'm not entirely sure what's wrong... but I'd like to help if I can." His voice was gentle, a softness that conveyed sincerity without judgment. "Maybe we can start by just talking about it? Sometimes, just talking can give us new perspectives or make things a little easier to bear." His tone was light, almost coaxing, inviting the stranger to trust him.

"I know our factions have been at odds for ages—ancient enemies, really. But that doesn't mean you and I have to be enemies..." Braze paused, letting his words hang in the air like a tentative peace offering. "Do you want to be enemies? I'd rather be friends, honestly. Life's hard enough as it is, without adding enemies to the mix." He smiled faintly, trying to keep his expression open, welcoming.

He tilted his head slightly, eyes flicking down to the saber the stranger still held. "Why don't we... put that away?" he suggested softly, careful not to sound commanding. "Just so neither of us ends up hurt by accident?" He gestured vaguely towards the lake, a subtle nod towards the shimmering water. "And maybe we could move away from there too. I don't think it's helping you... I can feel how the Force converges here—its energy is strange. I can hear it whispering, feel it pulling me closer. It's trying to play tricks on us. This is a convergence point... a nexus. They can have strange effects, twist thoughts, even lead us somewhere else if we're not careful."

Braze took a cautious step back, his eyes still locked on the stranger. He let his voice dip to an almost conspiratorial whisper, as if sharing a secret. "Why don't we take a few steps away from this place, together?"

He paused for a beat, studying the stranger's face. "Maybe... we could start with something simple. Like your name?" Braze offered, his eyes softening.

​

 

[Kallous]

Kallous listened to the Jedi Padawan’s proposition. And after a few moments of thought he would disengage the blade of his Master’s lightsaber. The red blade disappearing with a hiss, leaving behind only a black and grey hilt, that after a moment was tucked into the pouch at Kallous’ belt.

The smaller, more annoying part of his psyche was urging him to trust this boy. His lifetime in Sith teachings urged him to kill him. But he couldn’t being himself to try. That same, cursed feeling in his gut that had driven him to spare those civilians on Kar Val had returned to him. Forbidding him from doing harm to this young man who was trying to help him.

Kallous’ eyes lost their yellow glow. The deep, forest green of his natural pupils showing through now as his connection with the dark side wavered. It didn’t vanish, a great deal of that signature hatred and malice could still be felt from him, but they were fainter than before, and did not dominate his mind as it would other Sith.

He looked down at the smooth black water of the pool in thought. His mind still unclear, somehow drawn to the water. The explanation the padawan gave that it was a force nexus made sense to him. But where both sides met? That couldn’t be right. He was an acolyte of the dark. He had embraced the blackness of the void. The way of anger, the way of suffering and selfishness.

So why did a nexus of both sides call to him so?

Kallous took a step back from the pool, then another, his confusion again taking center stage as he mulled over what he had heard, and tried to match it with what he was feeling now.

It would be a brief silence before &Braze heard his answer.

“I am Kallous.”

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Kallous

"Nice to meet you... and welcome to Veridia," Braze said, offering a sincere smile once the man had shared his name. Slowly, he lowered his hand and took a few cautious steps away from the pool, creating distance between them and the strange, entrancing waters. He drew in a soft breath, exhaling deliberately, as if letting any residual tension drain from his body.

"You're pretty upset, yeah? Do you... want to talk about it?" Braze's voice was gentle, devoid of pressure, just an offer hanging in the air between them. Moving slowly, he unclipped a small bag from his hip, rummaging through it until he pulled out a compact medical kit. "I've got some mild painkillers if you need them," he said, holding up the small pouch with a careful, deliberate motion. "Might help with the headache." There was no fear in his eyes, just a cautious awareness of the stranger's posture—his eyes flicked briefly to the man's sword arm, wary but not hostile.

Braze knelt down, setting the kit on the ground before backing away a bit more, giving the stranger space. It was clear he had no intention of fighting or tricking the man—just a genuine attempt to help, tempered by a natural caution.

"I was gathering mushrooms before all this," Braze continued, his voice light, almost conversational, as if they were just two travelers passing each other in the woods. "Maybe we could find a nice spot to sit down? Somewhere away from the nexus, where it's quieter... clearer. We could both use a moment to think." He glanced at the surrounding woods, the calm rustling of leaves offering a sense of normalcy amidst the tension.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about what's bothering you," he added, his tone softening further. "I get it. Sometimes, when you're in the thick of it, words don't really help." There was a hint of empathy there, a knowing that perhaps Braze understood all too well what it meant to carry burdens alone.

​

 

[Kallous]

Kallous shook his head at the offer of painkillers. The offer for aid was appreciated, but pain was frequently used by Sith to strengthen their resolve and give them focus. His headache would serve that purpose well, he hoped.

“If you insist on moving away from the nexus.” He said, turning to face the padawan head-on rather than sideways. “I had thought it might give me the insight I needed to clear my thoughts.”

The two of them would begin to move away from the place as Braze had urged. Kallous occasionally losing himself in thought as they walked, both keeping a distance from one another out of caution. Kallous knew that he was weaker than he normally was, he felt the dark side slipping away from him, and he could not touch the power he knew.

“Why offer to help me Jedi?” Kallous asked. “How does assisting me benefit you?”

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Kallous

"Why?" Braze echoed, his voice thoughtful as he turned his back on the stranger, satisfied that the blade was no longer an imediate threat. Trust was a fragile thing, but in this moment, he chose to extend it. Retrieving his med kit, he began walking once more.

"It feels good to help someone, I guess." He shrugged lightly, as if trying to explain it to himself as much as the other man. "It's nice to know that your actions make a difference... and, well, if I were struggling, I'd want someone to help me too." His words were quiet, as if each thought formed only when he spoke it aloud, unfiltered but earnest.

He paused when they reached a riverbank, the gentle murmur of water filling the silence between them. Close by was the basket he had set down earlier, still brimming with the mushrooms he'd been gathering. He glanced at it, then back at the stranger.

"I'm not sure there's anything to gain from helping you," Braze admitted, his gaze softening. "Maybe... a friend. But I'm not supposed to be friends with Sith." He smiled, a sad, almost wistful curve of his lips. "So if that's something you'd want... you might have to think about a different outlook on things. But then again I'm not allowed to talk to them either... and yet... here we are. "

As they walked, the strain of Braze's injuries began to show—a slight hitch in his steps, the way he favored one leg over the other. Faint marks were visible across his skin, old scars that bacta treatments had only begun to fade. He moved steadily, though it was clear he wasn't without discomfort.

"When I'm upset, I usually want to run away and hide," he admitted, his voice breaking the silence, his honesty laid bare between them. "But it never makes me feel better. It just... delays things, makes them worse sometimes. I guess what helps is when a friend comes to find me, talks to me, even if I don't want to talk at first. Just knowing someone cares—someone who wants me to feel better, to not be in pain—makes it a little easier."

He glanced at the stranger, his eyes open, earnest. "I think... that's what I want to do for others. Offer that back, where I can." There was no pretense in his words, just the sincerity of someone who had been in pain and wanted to be a light for others in the dark.

​

 

[Kallous]

Kallous listened as the two of them walked. The odd concepts the padawan was proposing were utterly foreign to him. Concepts of kindness for kindness’ sake. They didn’t make sense to him. As far back as he could remember, he was raised knowing that everything was done with an ulterior motive. If someone helped you it was because you were useful to them, and they wanted you to serve their purposes in some way. It was never done without tangible reason, something to gain.

Did those women have anything to offer you when you let them go? He heard himself ask. This time there was no response from his other half.

Was that concept really so foreign to him? After all he had done something similar by letting those people go.

Kallous listened further, and after a long silence he finally spoke. Beginning to confess part of his story to this persistent padawan.

“I am not… in pain.” He said hesitantly. “I am confused. Unsure. I… I did something. Something I cannot undo. Something that goes against my way. And I came here in the hopes I might bring myself to understand it. Why I did what I did. Why my feelings betrayed me, when I was taught to trust them.”

He glanced at the padawan, noticing his slight limp and his injuries. Again there was that feeling, that strange, unwelcome feeling in his gut. The one that had made him weak in that moment only a few hours ago.

He spoke up, “You offered me painkillers before. You shouldn’t offer to someone else what you yourself need. One could take advantage of such a weakness.”

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Kallous

Braze picked up his basket of mushrooms and settled down slowly into the plush grass, listening to the stranger's words, his eyes reflecting a patient understanding. He let the man speak, the soft rustling of the wind and the distant murmur of the river filling the silence.

"I would call that emotional turmoil," Braze said gently, once the stranger paused. "Maybe it's guilt, maybe uncertainty. I don't know what you did, but feelings... they just happen. Sometimes they hurt, sometimes they're confusing, overwhelming even. But they're a part of you, and you can't really control them—at least, not entirely." He spoke with a simplicity that suggested he'd only recently accepted this himself, as if he was trying to come to terms with it just as much as the other man.

"Feelings shape who we are. They help us understand ourselves and what we need, even if sometimes they're hard to grasp." Braze looked up, his gaze earnest. "It's okay to feel things, you know. Even the painful stuff. You don't have to push it all away." It was clear that Braze didn't believe in suppressing emotions, an outlook that set him apart from the more stoic traditionalist Jedi.

He sifted through his mushrooms, dusting off the caps where needed, his hands moving absentmindedly as he continued speaking. "I have more than enough of what I need. An abundance, really. I don't see any harm in sharing something that might help someone else. If I can make it easier for someone—even a little bit—I'll do it."

Braze paused for a moment, tilting his head curiously at the stranger. "You offered me advice. Why is that?" His tone was soft, curious but not accusatory. He smiled faintly. "I think it's because, deep down, you care. Maybe you don't show it much, maybe you even deny it, but it's there. People care about things, even if they pretend not to—about themselves, about others, about how they're seen."

He looked back down at his basket, his fingers brushing the smooth surfaces of the mushrooms as he spoke. "No one wants to feel alone. We all want to know that our existence means something, that it mattered. But you can't fulfill that need if you don't reach out, if you don't let yourself connect with others."

Braze's voice softened as he continued, a note of sympathy woven into his words. "I'm sorry you're struggling to come to terms with yourself. You must be conflicted over whatever happened. I get it—I find myself torn between two opposing beliefs often enough. It's not an easy place to be. I don't envy you for it." He offered a gentle, tired smile, the kind that spoke of experience beyond his years, then yawned softly, the day's events starting to weigh on him.

​

 

[Kallous]

Hearing the padawan’s words made Kallous cock an eyebrow. And he commented, “You sound an awful lot like a Sith saying such things.”

He hadn’t expected to hear things like “it’s okay to feel” from a Jedi. He’d expected advice like “let go of your feelings” like so many Jedi would tell him before.

“I have always trusted my feelings. I go where my gut tells me. And it has never led me astray until recently. I did as I always do, I looked, I felt and I did. But this time I did wrong. My feelings led me astray and they have never done so before.”

Kallous sighed as the Pasadena continued to speak. Saying things like everyone cares about something. Of course he cared about something, he cared about himself! That was the Sith way. Follow your passions. Do as your instincts tell you. Obey your masters for only as long as they are useful to you, and slay them when you have no further use for them. Care for nothing but yourself. If you want something, and you are strong enough to take it, then it is your right to do so.

Kallous had done many things. He had killed people, a Jedi or two even, he’d taken slaves, tortured people. And he’d always done so with the goal of furthering his power, his ends. So why then, why now?

“Care doesn’t come from nothing!” Kallous hissed in frustration. “One doesn’t suddenly care about something that they never cared about before! I’d never cared for anyone outside of myself until…”

He stopped, not going any further. He might have already revealed too much. Had this Padawan used some form of manipulation to get him to speak more freely? No, he had just allowed himself to be distracted by his thoughts. The offer to listen had been a tempting one, and it had gotten him to say more than he meant to reveal.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Kallous

Braze watched the man's reaction, noting he didn't seem offended by the suggestion that he sounded like a Sith. He nodded slightly, as if to himself, before speaking again.

"People make mistakes. It's just part of being alive." He spoke softly, as if the words were meant to reassure them both. "Our feelings... they're usually right, but not always. They tell us things, but they don't always tell us the whole story."

He paused for a moment, his eyes thoughtful, as he tried to find the right way to explain. "It's okay to feel. Really, it is. It's natural." He let the words settle in the air, wanting them to be heard, truly heard. "What's harder is learning how to act, despite what we feel in the moment. You can't always control your emotions, but you can choose how you respond to them."

He yawned, stretching his arms over his head, his body betraying the exhaustion creeping in. It had been a long day, and the weight of it was settling into his bones.

"Mmm..." Braze's voice was quieter now, almost drowsy. "Care doesn't come from nothing... It comes from one of the strongest forces in the entire universe. Something stronger than even the Force itself." He mused alluding to somthing but he held back perhaps wnating to see if Kallous would come to his own conclusion first.

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