You're Not...

[Haytham Kaze]

Haytham hummed softly. He wasn't entirely certain why she was still there, he figured it was because he was her only connection to the Jedi. No matter how dampened it was now. Shrugging his shoulders he watchers her as she comes closer to him, and he sat back down on the chair when she took the seat.

Soon enough she placed her hand on his chest again and he smiled as he suppressed the sadness that was rising. He wasn't going to let himself be sad over these things. They were unavoidable, but all he knew that every time something bad happened to his Masters it was when he wasn't there.

"A friend wanted me to meet them here," he started, wondering if he should go on. "But they never answered their comm, so I came anyway hoping they'd confirm soon enough." He started to hum softly again, the thoughtful sound to it seeming lessened. "I should probably leave the planet anyway." He spoke the words slowly as he turned his head to look into her own eyes, but he didn't make any other movements.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

As he finished speaking, Joza pulled her hand away and quietly folded both hands in her lap. She blinked at Haytham, searching his eyes for a few drawn out moments before speaking. “Conflict. That’s what I felt from you.” She paused for a second, to see if she could sense any change in him. “Whatever you’ve been through made things more complex, yes? I could be wrong.” She spoke softly. In the back of her mind, she realized that if she could somewhat feel his emotions, he could probably read her own fairly well. This fact didn’t sit well with her—it was an invasion of privacy as she saw it, but she could do little to help it at this point.

“This planet is my home, but it’s not where I belong. At least, not anymore. The people here are too easily pacified, used to having desires instantly granted.“ She mused briefly on how her own desire was to leave, too naïve to see the irony. As she spoke, she touched his shoulder softly, releasing her pheromones in an attempt to help put him at ease. “Zeltros might be good for you, even if only for a little bit. You won’t find clarity, but you may be able to relax your mind.” For many outsiders, Zeltros was paradise, an escape from the harsh dealings of the galaxy.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Haytham remained silent as he remained in thought. Despite her reading his own emotions, the thought of her having a grasp on how to utilize her abilities didn't cross his mind just yet. Humming softly as he thought, he didn't think to sense her own presence. He had stopped once she had come up the stairs.

When she placed a hand on his shoulder, there was a pause to his thoughts. Thoughts that translated into being his own, but not feeling like his own. But at the same time they came from him right? In a reacting way, he placed his hand on her own thigh, but it was gentle and he squeezed if she would allow his hand to be placed there. Softly, just barely above a whisper he said, "Don't." And shook his head. "Please."

He didn't want to be swayed into relaxation. At least, not on this planet. He knew the inhabitants were pleasant, but he had a duty to the world -- to the Galaxy even. More importantly, he had a promise to keep.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza would have jumped when his hand met her thigh, but she was too distracted to shoo it away. She felt a pang of sadness in his words, but complied as she slowly removed her hand from his shoulder. She allowed her pheromones to ebb away, wondering if she had done something wrong. It wasn’t too often that she saw someone dealing with such emotions and the Zeltron was at a loss to do. She knew that there was more to this galaxy than Zeltros, but now she really felt it.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice was equally as soft as his as she folded her hands in her lap. “Would you like me to leave?”

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Haytham smiled, though he cast away any sadness that lingered on the surface. There were times to be sad, but he didn't want to make those times now. He had someone to help in that instant right?

The former Jedi Padawan shook his head at her question and a smirk broke his features, "If you leave, how will I be able to recommend planets for you to visit?" He said with a soft chuckle as he reached into his black coat and retrieved a datapad a moment later. Humming softly, he already pulled up a list of three planets as he cleared his throat.

"I assume you want to become a Jedi right? There's a planet on that list, Ruusan. It has plenty of history to offer you if you're... Into that," he said slowly as his eyes lowered to her lips, but he continued on to say, "The Force there is so strong it feels like it's touching your flesh," he said as he scrolled for her.

"There are other places, but they're fairly dangerous," he said with a shake of his head, throwing a clump of his black hair out of his eyes.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

The Zeltron blinked, taken aback by his change in demeanor but decided not to question it, at least not now. She understood enough to know that focusing on another task could often distract oneself from their negative emotions. Still, she wondered how deep his conflicts ran.

She watched with rapt interest as he pulled up the data, emerald eyes moving down the list. She leaned closer to his side in order to get a clearer look, her head tilting slightly as she took in the information. “History…? I’m not sure if I’d be able to make much use of that. Not at this point.” A soft, awkward chuckle slipped past her lips.

“Dangerous? They can’t all be dangerous?” She absently combed a hand through her red locks, scrutinizing the information on the datapad.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

He snorted.

He supposed he didn't know much about the Jedi or Sith, only stories. Most people in the Galaxy didn't know about the Jedi or the Sith until they actually became one. You'd think schools would teach more about those wars were based around at their core? Shaking his head again, he began to explain.

"Once you leave Zeltros you'll see that a lot of the Galaxy was fashioned by war. I say they're dangerous for a variety of reasons. Whether the influence of the Dark Side would be too strong for you as someone who hasn't even learnt the limits of her abilities, and that there are planets controlled by the One Sith." He raises a brow, as if to question her to know how much she knew about the current affairs of the Galaxy.

"A lot of wars in the past were based off of the Jedi and the Sith. Some planets became corrupted by the Dark Side and hold a negative, almost sickening presence if you can believe it. You can even feel all the death that occurred thousands of years before us." He pushes a hand through his hair as he searched through the datapad. "Try and stay away from the One Sith unless it's absolutely necessary," he scratched the back of his head. "I don't think they've lost a battle yet."

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza gave him a blank look when he began to speak of the Dark Side, citing how dangerous it could be. Especially for someone like her. She sat back, slumping slightly in her seat as his words sunk in, suddenly feeling cold inside. She was vaguely aware that she didn’t know much about the galaxy beyond her home planet and a few others, but she was content with her lack of knowledge. She wasn’t a politician, she wasn’t participating in any wars. As far as she was concerned, there was no need for her to understand what was going on outside of Zeltros. Life was just that safe, that guarded here. That was, until now.

Jedi were the stuff of legends, with many doubting their contemporary existence. At least that’s what it had seemed like to her. And yet, the stories she’d heard about them were fascinating—they were largely romanticized tales of heroism, but that was something she wanted to have.

But she’d focused on the physical aspect too much. She felt a wave of embarrassment wash through her chest, realizing how poorly she was prepared for this task. Alright, minor setback—she’ll learn. Hopefully she wouldn’t die in the process, but she was dead set on her goal.

“How much do you know about the Sith?” She spoke purely out of curiosity, her eyes narrowing in thought. She vaguely recalls hearing Sith being dropped in passing conversations, but it never occurred to her that they’d be something she needed to know about.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

He hums softly as he considered the question.

"A lot," he said simply. He looks upon her with a raised brow. "They're considered to be the opposite of the Jedi in many ways. But, I don't really understand your question. What do you want me to say?" He tilted his head to the side as he waits for her to explain. Sometimes, Haytham took things quite literally and without much of anything to go off of, he was stumped.

Multiple thoughts raced through his mind however. He knew much about the Sith, where they came from, how they came to be, how involved they were with the Galaxy's past and current affairs. The Jedi Libraries were by far the most extensive in the Galaxy if he had to guess. At least, they had been once.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza met his arched brow with one of her own. What did she want him to say? She didn’t expect that response from him, and she realized that it made her a little frustrated. Then again, it wasn’t difficult to frustrate her in the first place—maybe she was annoyed with her own lack of knowledge, or perhaps the magic of meeting another force-sensitive had worn off. Or maybe she was just beginning to get tired after her long shift. Really, it could be anything with her.

Pushing back the edge of irritation in her voice, Joza opted for a more neutral tone. “What is the fundamental difference between the two?” If she was going to learn, she wanted to start from the beginning. She already had a vague idea of good vs. evil in her head, but she wanted to hear what he had to say.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

The fundamental difference between the Jedi and the Sith?

"The Jedi use the Light Side of the Force primarily, whilst the Sith use the Dark Side I suppose," he said starting slowly, choosing his words carefully. "If you're talking about a traditional Jedi who has banished away emotion and the Sith of old who waged war simply to conquer and to gather more territory... I'd say that it's fairly simple to come up with one's own opinion on the matter."

He hums softly.

"Nowadays though? You can't really answer that question. There are many different types of Jedi and on the other side of the coin, there would be multiple types of Sith. Not all are warmongers, they just see the Sith as a better option," he shrugs. "Did I satisfy your curiosity on it?" He inquired, he wasn't always one to talk, preferring to observe rather than speak.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza closed her eyes as she listened to [member="Haytham Kaze"] speak, digesting his words in silence. So there was no clear definition between good and bad here, at least that’s what she took away from this. Or rather, it all depended on one’s point of view. Different people could interpret the same actions and goals differently, and that’s what leads to conflict. The more she thought about this, the more her head hurt. Opening her eyes, Joza stared down at her feet. Was she ready to be a part of something like this?

Raising her head up, the Zeltron settled back into her chair and cleared her throat lightly. “Not entirely. But I guess the only way I’ll understand is to figure it out for myself.” She rested an elbow on her thigh, cradling her cheek in her hand as she turned to face the dark haired young man once more. “Where do you think I should go to receive Jedi training?”

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Haytham hums softly as he thought on the answer he was going to give her. He had already mentioned before that the Galactic Republic was crumbling, at least, that's how he had thought of it. Whether he did say it or not, he didn't remember but as he opened his mouth to finally give her an answer, it closed a moment later.

"Not the Galactic Republic's Jedi Order," he said shortly after. "It is the centre of too much drama, it's leadership constantly betraying the people they vowed to protect." He hums softly again as he says, "I've heard of the Galactic Alliance, and had I truly thought of my decision, I would've gone to them." He shrugs his shoulders. "Perhaps one day I will."

A smile broke his features but he waited for her next question.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

“The Galactic Alliance…” Joza let the name roll off of her tongue, trying to burn it into her memory. She let her eyes rest on [member="Haytham Kaze"] for a few moments, realizing that her adrenaline from finding a trained force-sensitive had worn off. While she was still interested in picking his brain, she felt calmer and more level-headed than when they had first met in the middle of the busy club.

“Where are you from?” The question seemed to come out of nowhere, at least to her as she continued to rest her chin in her hand. Emerald eyes stared at him with genuine interest, as the young woman realized that she knew very little about him.

 

[Haytham Kaze]

The former Padawan soon came to a realization that his hand was still on her thigh, and for this question he supposed it'd be better if it weren't. He already knew how he was going to answer it, but he leaned back into the chair, placed his hand into his own lap and turns his head to look into her eyes.

Haytham opened his mouth, he hesitated for the briefest of moments before uttering the name of his homeworld.

"Dromund Kaas."

He came to the realization after that she didn't know much about the Galaxy outside of Zeltros, but he wasn't going to divulge the information of his planet's past unless he was asked directly.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

She remained still, her eyes following [member="Haytham Kaze"] as he withdrew his hand and moved back into his chair. The half-Zeltron blinked when he responded, the name of the planet meaning nothing to her. She let the silence fall between them for a few moments, trying to read what he was feeling. She figured that there were parts of him that were guarded, she could tell from the vagueness of some of his answers. While it may have bothered her on a superficial level, she didn’t want to pry.

“What is it like on Dromund Kaas?” The question was simple, leaving it open enough for him to tell her as much or as little as he wished.

 

[Haytham Kaze]

He answers easily enough as he answers her question.

"Well, for one, it is almost always raining -- not heavy rain, but a steady drizzle that grows in intensity once in a while. Plenty of jungle I suppose," he said with a faint smile as he imagined the home that he grew up in until a few years ago. Placing his hands on each of his knees, he waited as he thought, "It's dark a lot of the time as well." He looks about the hallway as if to search for a window but when he came up short, he turned his gaze back to her with that same boyish grin that he had given the first time.

"It's hard to describe, but I believe you'll travel to planets like it in the future when you become a Jedi."

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Surprisingly, Joza felt her heart skip a beat when [member="Haytham Kaze"] smiled at her, causing her to quirk a brow at her own reaction. Figuring that it was a fluke, she ignored it for the time being in favor of responding. “It sounds…different than Zeltros.” In truth, it didn’t sound like a nice place to her. Rainy? Dark? She was spoiled by Zeltros’ generally good weather and continually pleasant atmosphere.

Humming softly to herself, the pink skinned girl stretched her arms over her head, letting her eyes casually roll up toward the ceiling in thought. “What’s your favorite planet that you’ve been to?” She tilted her head back down as she asked, a faint edge of playfulness in her voice.

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Haytham, keeping up the same grin as he thinks of an answer, it slowly transitioned into a more thoughtful look before he finally spoke the words she probably expected him to say. At least, if their exchange at the bar downstairs had been any indication. "Well, I've been to a lot of planets," he started out slowly, his grey eyes watching her to seek out her reaction.

He paused.

"But I think this planet here is my favourite," he said, the charming grin / smile returned as he spoke the answer. "Though I'll confess that it is only due to your presence." His own tone of playfulness was intertwined with the words as he tilted his head to the side to look at her at a different angle.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

A slow smile spread across the young woman’s face at his response, one that she tried to contain. She was no stranger to flirting given her line of work,and usually it earned nothing more than an eye roll, but that was…kind of cute. A brief blush surfaced on her cheeks, painting her normally pink skin a dusty rose before she willed it away.

Her hand moved over to grasp one of his, giving it a brief squeeze before letting it go. “You’re sweet.” She commented in a soft voice. “But I suppose that might just be the pheromones working their magic, hmm?”

[member="Haytham Kaze"]