Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

[Levi Solus]

Toydaria, 1815 local time​

"Fekk out of here, Sith!"

"Yeah, you're not welcome here! Leave!"

He exited the bar to the sounds of his compatriots—fellow rebels, united for the same cause he fought for—hurling insults at him. It had been, at most, a month since he'd been released from prison, but the degradation had not eased up even a bit. It seemed that with each passing day, the rebels grew more and more hateful toward him, and Levi couldn't blame them—but he still didn't understand them. He had done all he could to prove he was one of them. He felt physical repulsion when he ignited his blade and it was red—a very real reminder of the very real sins and blood he still had on his hands. He knew he couldn't erase his past, but he was doing his damned best to make up for it—and no one cared. No except Arda, at least. And the rebellion was not just Arda. There were hundreds of people he would have to interact with for the rest of his life, each and every one of them seemingly hating him. He should have just stayed in that cell.

Daylight struck him as he left the bar and he squinted in the bright sunlight, lifting up one hand to shield his face from it. The cantina had been relatively dimly lit, and he was trying to adjust to being outside for the first time in hours. Levi brushed a shard of glass from a bottle he'd had thrown at him earlier and found that there was blood on his shoulder, which could only mean one thing—he was bleeding.

Pulling out his datapad, he stared at his reflection and found a wound from where the bottle had hit him on the side of his face, just above his right eye. It was dripping blood, and he was somewhat surprised he hadn't felt it run down his face. Levi wiped at it with his sleeve, but that only spread it across his face.

He crouched down and grabbed a bit of material from his shirt, tearing it to form an improvised napkin. Just then, the door of the bar hissed open a few meters to his left, but he didn't even look up as he wiped at his face with the bit of cloth again.

"If you're here to berate me some more, I'll throw this blood-soaked rag at you," he threatened to the stranger (@Nommie) that had just stepped outside, not looking to see who it was.

@Nommie

 

[Tycho Draykon]

Tycho had chosen to come back to Toydaria to get a much needed break. To his surprise the man pretty much still got a hero's welcome from some of the locals thanks to his assistance of rescuing the royal family some time back. Not that the man actually liked it. He was just doing his job so he had no care about how the locals viewed him. His presence surely kept some of the rebels visiting the planet on their best behavior, including when he entered the bar. Soldiers were immediately watching their behavior until they had forgotten that the officer was even there as they got pretty deep into their drinks. Not that the Lieutenant cared if they had forgotten he is there or not as it gave the man the opportunity to figure out the soldiers as he observed them, during this time the officer will not have a single drop of alcohol.

Now there is one in particular that had the man's attention. This bloke was doing his best to fit in with the other soldiers only to be rejected cruelly by the other men and women. This puzzled the man, whom scratched at his bearded cheek as he pondered who this man is. Yes he has read the files on each of the new recruits. Thanks to his rank he has access to that type of information. It will take a bit of mental work on sorting through his memory to figure out who the man is. Then it finally clicked, signaled by him placing a closed fist on the wooden table. He is Levi Solus. A Sith whom defected what was it? A month ago?

Now he knows why the others are judging him so cruelly. Did they have the right grounds? Due to the fact that he used to be a Sith? Yes. Since there is no telling if the man is some sort of spy. But if Arda allowed him to come out of his cell and mingle with the other rebels she must have found a reason to trust him. Tycho though? No he is not the type to judge a man or a woman based on how they lived their past. If one took a look at his record they would be shocked by what they find there. Let's just put it that he has quite the record, including escaping Kessel. Something that some would deem something impossible to do. But he did it. So no the rebel officer will not judge the former Sith like the others.

Watching as the man was chased out of the bar. Tycho stood up from the table he was sitting at. As Lieutenant Draykon made his way out, the man stopped by the soldiers that were treating Levi so cruelly. Now the Alliance is made up of people from many backgrounds, along with a couple of Sith supposedly. If the Alliance was going to even continue to exist, there can't be any sort of division in the ranks. They are all here fighting for the same goal. So they can learn to get along. Tycho took the time to explain as much to the rebels before making the final stretch out of the bar.

Blinking a couple times as the sunlight invaded his eyes. It took a second or two for his eyes to adjust then a moment or two more to spot the Sith. Who appeared to be taking care of some sort of injury he sustained while being chased out. The rebel officer quietly approached the Sith. Whom was very quick to come to a judgement of why the officer came out. Of course if Levi took the time to see who stepped out he may have watched his words a bit more closely. But then again the former Sith had the right to jump to the conclusion as quickly as he did after what he endured. Standing there silently for a second or two, the officer finally spoke with a calm tone in his voice, "You rushed to that judgement too quickly Levi Solus. I am not here to berate you or pass judgement on you. So you might as well save that rag of yours for someone else." Tycho told Levi.


@vamp

 

[Levi Solus]

He was surprised that the man knew his name. Hell, he was surprised anyone knew his name. Levi was a nobody, and where he was somebody, he was just "the Sith." Looking up toward the new arrival, he noted that this was one of the few faces he actually recognized: Lieutenant Tycho Draykon. The Alliance was tight-knit—if you weren't a former Sith—and Levi had picked up some stuff about the man he'd overheard in bars and the like. He'd also seen him around a few times when Tycho was embroiled in official business, so he was able to place a face on the name.

And it was a moment later that he realized he had made a snide remark to someone that was several rungs up higher on the command chain than he was. Looking back down to the rag—which was now covered in blood—Levi exhaled softly. "Sorry about that," he replied, doing all he could to avoid biting his tongue. Sith training had drilled the idea that he shouldn't apologize to anyone, and some old habits died hard. "You are officially the first person this week to say something nice to me."

Getting up from his crouched position, he extended his hand out for a shake, then realized it was bloody. "I'd offer to shake your hand, but, well, you can see why that wouldn't be very nice. But yeah, Levi Solus. That's me. And you're Lieutenant Draykon?"

@Nommie

 

[Tycho Draykon]

Tycho shrugged, "You have nothing to apologize about. You did nothing wrong. If our roles were reversed I am sure I would have said something similar to your words." The rebel officer noted as he looked at the bloody rag. Just how bad of a hit did Levi take? The man figured that perhaps he should take the man to a medical officer to get looked at. Then again what are the chances that the medical staff will give the Sith fair treatment. No those people are not judgmental, "I see. Well I am glad that I am a source of something positive for you today." One if these days other rebels will start showing the Sith more respect and accept him as one of them. When will that day come? Who knows. But until then perhaps it will not hurt to keep an eye on Levi and provide him company.


The criminal watched Levi get up from his crouched position on the ground then extend his hand. Only to retract it. Well this young man has manners, "Trust me I have had to touch far worse than bloody. Imagine jumping into a sewer on Denon." He said with a small chuckle, "Yes that is me. You can call me Tycho. I don't care about the kriffing formalities." He told the other man. Reaching into his pockets the officer produced a small capsule of Kolto, Something that he has gotten into the habit of carrying around. Never know if or when a bar brawl will break out right? "Put this on your cut. It is not much. But it should be enough." The Lieutenant said as he held the small object out to the former Sith to take. He has plenty more where that came from in fact medical staff always have him carry one at all times thanks to his bad habit of getting some sort of injury during missions, "Don't worry. I get provided one or two of these every day." The man will tell Levi incase the man hesitated about taking the kolto.

@vamp

 

[Levi Solus]

"Tycho it is." He took the capsule and popped it open, rubbing the kolto onto the tip of his index and middle finger. Levi spread it across the top right part of his brow evenly, and immediately felt the relief. The kolto cooled the wound instantly, soothing the burn and sting and likely preventing an infection that Levi would have otherwise let happen. He didn't particularly care for his health nowdays.

"Thanks for the help, Tycho." Realizing that he'd been shown nothing but kindness and had no other way of returning it, Levi looked down the street. "There's a less rebel-populated bar down the street. I think it'll be more peaceful for a former Imperial there." He winked. "Drinks are on me." The rebels had captured him, but they hadn't captured his bank account, and Levi still had his salary as an Acolyte saved up and available to him. It was one of the few perks of working for the Empire—they paid well.

@Nommie

 

[Tycho Draykon]

Tycho watched Levi place the Kolto on his wound. In part to make sure that the man did and also to see if the cut will need further medical attention. As bad as it looked initially it looked like all the cut will need is the generous dose of kolto on it. So the Sith should be fine. As long as no one else decided to try harming the Sith. That was one thing that the rebel officer found surprising, how well this former Imperial was able to keep himself from lashing out against those that brought harm to him. Then again that is a good sign that the man is truly trying to follow the new path he has started down.

"You're welcome." The man replied as he was thanked by Levi. He watched the other man look around as though Levi is not sure what to do next. Maybe the man is not used to having so much freedom? Tycho certainly found it strange as he started coming out of his shell after first joining the GA. Oh? So the former Sith was looking for another bar to get a drink at. That makes sense now. The Lieutenant grinned, "I believe that there is as well. Thank you for the offer, Levi. I accept." The man gestured for the Sith to lead the way. Or he can if the other man didn't feel comfortable with taking the lead.


Hearing some commotion taking place behind the two men the officer looked over his shoulder to see that the very same men and woman that had treated Levi so cruelly had just been tossed out of the bar they were in, "Looks they have gotten a big dose of karma." The man said with a small smirk.

@vamp

 

[Levi Solus]

Though he wasn't sure if Tycho would consider him a friend, Levi was glad to have finally met another person that thought he was more than the crimes he committed in the past. He noted the man's kindness and would likely remember it in the future. Hell, maybe they would be able to interact more once Levi was an officially-inducted Jedi; he hoped so. Perhaps then, when his blade was white and his past was forgiven, the rebels around him would begin to treat him with some respect. Though formerly Sith and formerly a creature dedicated to living out his ill intent, Levi now found himself unable to bear any grudges; he knew what he'd done was wrong and he knew people had their own ways of expressing what they thought of him. He also knew it wasn't personal, and that he was just the closest target. It was clear, level headed thinking even for a Padawan, but counsel with a Jedi Master had been the catalyst for his personality change.

The two began heading off down the street to the bar—another run down, shabby establishment with a broken-down neon sign reading "Lenny's Bucket of Bolts." It was—or so Levi assumed—affectionately named after the Mandalorian War Councilor Leandros Solus, which indicated the cantina was likely popular among Mandalorians. Oh, great. It was a good thing he wouldn't be recognized here, because Levi didn't have a very good reputation among the Mandalorians either. Come to think of it, the only ones that had accepted him with open arms were the Sith, but sadly they were not the best people to fight for nowadays.

Turning to look over his shoulder, Levi chuckled at the predicament Tycho pointed out. "Probably made fun of someone that was less forgiving," he remarked. Heading into the bar, the Jedi hopeful made for one of the booths in the corner, not paying much attention to the Mandalorians around—some armored, others in various stages of drunken undressing. Sitting down, he waited for Tycho to do the same, then picked up the menu to sift through.

"So, Tycho," he intoned. "How has the rebellion really been doing?" The Imperial briefings always painted them as terrorists spread out among the galaxy with no command and in the process of losing the war, so Levi was curious what the truth really was.

@Nommie

 

[Tycho Draykon]

Tycho would not be surprised if the group of rebels made fun of the wrong person or a Toydarian. Toydarians are a proud race, and rightfully so. If they made the wrong choice to make fun of one than that would explain why they got thrown out of the bar so quickly. If that is the case then the group of rebels got lucky, usually a Toydarian will go to other extremes to punish, "If they made fun of a Toydarian they may have much worse coming at them. Toydarians are very proud people. Making fun of one is never a wise choice to make." He noted as the rebel officer walked along side the jedi hopeful as the man led the way to the bar that he had in mind that they can go to for a drink or two.

Along the way the two walked past a bar that Tycho easily recognized. Though he has never been in the place he does know that Lenny's Bucket is popular among Mandalorians and some Rebels for obvious reasons. The officer has also read the countless reports of drunken brawls taking place, some of them leading to the man having to confront rebels after receiving complaints. Luckily it looks like the place is closed right now. So hopefully no reports will be on his desk waiting when he gets back to his dorm.

Following Levi into the bar, Tycho took the time to note the layout and that there are not as many people in here as the other. Great. Means it will be peaceful in here and allow the two men to have a good chat while they have a drink. Taking his coat off, the criminal draped it over the back of his seat. How the rebellion has been doing? That is going to be a tough question to answer. Running the fingers of his right hand through his dark hair as he took a seat Tycho found the question difficult to answer, "It has been holding itself together. Which is a good thing. But Commander Ion has gone missing. Yes there is a new person to lead. But you are talking about someone who led pretty much since the beginning." Looking at the menu Tycho made sure to note to stay away from those that are of Mandalorian origins, every time he has the stuff he gets wasted rather quickly. And well he can't go getting himself wasted when he has someone next to him to talk to and because of the fact there is no telling if or when he will get called off to take care of something.

@vamp

 

[Levi Solus]

"A Keldabe city whiskey," he replied still looking at the menu, and for a moment Tycho would likely assume that had been Levi's answer to his statement on the current status of the rebellion. Closer inspection—and looking up—would show him that the Jedi hopeful was actually talking to the waitress, who had seemingly materialized out of thin air. While Tycho made a point to avoid Mandalorian drinks, Levi made a point to go out of his way and order them, ever so nostalgic for his past. That, and they were good. Although not a hulking figure, Levi could hold his alcohol surprisingly well, perhaps a byproduct of his introduction to it from such a young age. "What will you have?"

After Tycho ordered and the waitress left, Levi would finally reply. "Sorry, didn't want anyone overhearing anything," he explained, setting the menu down on the table. "Commander Ion?" Levi—and no other Sith, for that matter—didn't actually know the name of many high-ranking—or any—alliance members. The rebellion had done a pretty good job of covering its tracks, so Commander Ion to him was just a name he had heard occasionally dropped by troopers standing around talking. "Is disappearing actually a common trend in the Alliance? It's become a common joke among the Imperial ranks." It was hard to verify the truth of rumors, so asking someone directly at the source was the best idea to actually make heads or tails of what was actually going on.

@Nommie

 

[Tycho Draykon]

Tycho looked over the menu. There are a lot of good choices here. Including the one Mandalorian drink that the rebel officer preferred. The man tried to look past it but his eyes kept going back to it. So the man decided that for once he will go with the Mandalorian, "I will have the Tihaar please." He told the waitress. Placing the menu back where it goes, the officer folded his hands together. The man waved off Levi when he explained he didn't want anyone overhearing anything, "No need to apologize."

The criminal looked to the former sith and guessed that the Alliance has been doing a better job at keeping the identity of members a secret better than they thought, "Not as often as it sounds. But when it happens it is noticable. The Commander was the latest one. But our new leader will most likely bring the Alliance closer together knowing her." The officer thanked the waitress as she placed the two mens drinks in front of them though he will go dead silent as the woman stood in front of them until she decides to walk away.

@vamp

 

[Levi Solus]

Levi nodded along, glad to finally have someone willing to clarify things for him. The general response to any question he asked tended to be "Fekk off, Sith," or "Your mom," which neither nice nor informative. "Well, better than high command killing each other, I suppose," he remarked. It was growing more and more common among the Sith, the two united Empires finally becoming comfortable with each other—which meant it was time to return back to the old ways of infighting and backstabbing. Hardly productive, but it had somehow managed to go on for 500 years without resulting in the collapse of the Empire. Sure, the Outer Rim—which featured Sith space, where such ideals were praised—was less developed than the Inner Rim and Core—where the Republica had grown to reprimand such backstabbing—but the opportunists in Sith space did not particularly care that there was no McDonal across the street.

"Have you heard what happened to Darth Parox? Stabbed in the back by another Sith Lord when he refused to fight to the death with him." It had caused an explosion in holonet social media; this, along with the new show about the Emperor had taken the holonet by storm. "Good for us, I suppose, but a damn shame for Parox. He'd have made a good Jedi." Realizing that Tycho had not yet said who the new leader was, Levi pondered whether he should ask—would the man tell him, or were rebels that secretive? Taking a tiny leap of faith, he mentally shrugged and asked.

"Who is our new leader?" he said after a moment, taking a sip of whiskey and nearly finishing the entire glass in one gulp.

@Nommie

 

[Tycho Draykon]

Tycho was just starting to take the first sip of his drink when Levi brought up the Sith that the criminal had the unfortunate luck of coming across during a mission deep in the Empire borders. Yes he survived the encounter in the end, but sustained some injuries thanks to the Sith's focus on him as well as Tycho's relative inexperience battling those who are force sensitive. Yes he had fought low ranking sith and a few nightsisters. But a fully trained Sith Lord? That was a whole different level.

Just bringing up the name was enough to bring the dull pain back to his knees and his left flank to throb with the same intensity as the second he was hit by the deflected bolts. It amazed the officer how easily a simple word or name can bring on phantom pain. The man guessed that is one way that a Sith makes sure to live on. Viciously attack so that even if the person survived the fear will still be there. Not just through actions but by pooring their emotions into each force ability to the point that even Tycho, a nonforce sensitive is able to pick up on the emotions. It has left quite the impact on the criminal, perhaps bigger than the man initially thought.

Certainly Levi should be able to sense the change that came to the officer as he forced himself to swallow whatever amount of his drink that got into his mouth before Levi brought up the name that caused Tycho to feel uneasy.

"From what I experienced with Parox. I doubt he would have changed sides." He told the jedi hopeful quietly until the waitress moved away, "I had the bad luck of crossing his path during a mission." Then the Jedi asked who their leader his. Surely he has already met Arda. The criminal looked to him, "You already met her, Levi." He stated simply to give the younger man a hint he will catch onto instead of stating out right who as the waitress was back in close proximity again.

@vamp

 

[Levi Solus]

He saw the shift in Tycho's demeanor as the man recalled the name, and Levi was a bit surprised to find out that the Lieutenant had ran into Parox before. Their rebellion was not a particularly large one, with few territories and few resources, but it seemed it was enough to have the higher ranking Sith Lords coming to deal with it themselves. "That's what I thought about myself too," he replied nonchalantly, as if discussing a work out plan. "And look at me now. The dark might be tempting, but the light is contagious as well."

The waitress came with refills and he realized he'd drank the entire glass without even meaning to. The timing was a bit irritating, since she'd come just in time for the big reveal—which would have to be postponed now that she might overhear—but it seemed Tycho knew how to keep their conversation going without being overheard.

Levi furrowed his brows as he thought. "I ha—Ohhhh," he pondered, realization dawning on his face—followed by a sly smile. "I have." Of course it was Arda. He wanted to be surprised, but couldn't—she was the perfect leader to the rebellion. "Well, we're in capable hands."

He took a sip of the drink again as the waitress left, the whiskey rolling down his throat with a distinct burn. He'd already trained his tongue not to taste alcohol so that wasn't an issue, but he knew sooner or later even he would fall to it. Already, he could tell he was a bit tipsy, from the way he was beginning to tunnel vision. "Ever been to Mandalore?" he asked suddenly.

@Nommie