Ask Coruscant Ship Confirmed

[Hannibal Grayza]

Hannibal silently moved himself over to the crates, deactivating his lightsaber and seating himself such that he was leaned against the wall of the hangar. He clipped his weapon back in place on his belt and flexed the fingers of his left hand several times, the shaking quickly passing. He looked up as Talak returned, taking hold of his glass in his right hand and swirling it idly. He recognized wine from Naboo easily enough and took a slow drink from it after a moment.

His expression went quite blank as Talak asked his question, his eyes closing and head leaning back against the wall. The Living Force flowed into him like water, focusing the flashing echoes to some degree, impressions translated through a variety of senses. At least they were in something resembling the correct order.

"Hatred and rage and spite at a man who has turned away from his path, suffocation and weakness as though poisoned, a rush of heat followed by the cold floor as life fades away." He tensed up, going over the last moments of Sol's life again, though under more control than before.

"Determination and defiance, the smell of burning flesh and clothes, red and blue clashing over a hundred lives ended by a flash of pain." His right hand briefly clenched, the echo of the wounds Talak had received at the hands of Sol Puara in the prison.

"Hearts breaking in the heat of war, the smell of antiseptic and flowers and laundered cloth, the sound of chaos from a holoscreen calling a man to fight to his last breath. Panic and worry in the depths of space, blood running as cold as the metal plates, then burning with rage and a new direction." Hannibal was rather expressive as he spoke, as if reacting to a scene playing right in front of him. This was essentially what was going on in the end, unable to focus entirely on the present as he sank into the images.

"Anger and pain leads the mask to the end of wicked men, the dark lit up by crimson and the hum of a lightsaber, then just as quickly pushes it away from it all. Frustration and worry, the feeling and sound of a hand banging against a metal door, the softness of a well-use couch. The smell of brownies fills the air, the sound of a crashing ship, the sight of two figures dancing and yet still, burn-" Nope. He cut off there, the rush of different emotions more than he was willing to deal with or speak about. The next bits were a rollercoaster, and he wasn't even properly meditating. Besides, despite the fact Hannibal had no idea he was moving in reverse order of when individual scenes had occurred, his psychometry tended to focus on emotionally charged moments that left strong impressions. It was probably just as much if not more embarrassing for Talak to hear his vague descriptions as it was for Hannibal to be experiencing them.

"Most of it isn't very clear. You probably got more out of that than I did. There is... A lot, honestly. If I got anything out of it, it's that you are a good person, whatever your time with the Sith was like." His expression went back to neutral, not a hint of his usual smirk, and he looked rather tired. He was being honest with Talak. The Arcanist had taken off his mask and fought for the lives of others just as the Jedi and the Rangers had, so letting his own mask drop felt like the least he could do. He took another gulp of his wine, then placed the glass down on the crate next to him.

"Maybe I was right about that mask of yours in the end, huh?" He smiled a little, one where his eyes joined in with the rest of his face. A subtle change from his usual, but the change might as well be lit up in neon lights to someone who had seen his cavalcade of expressions in the past.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak continued drinking as he listened to what Hannibal recounted. Most of it didn't elicit much of a reaction, and in its jumbled form barely even made sense to the Warden.

He recognized enough of it, though. Visiting Trys in the hospital. Setting out for the prison. The dancing and... Talak wasn't sure how much Hannibal could see, but there were some things that were private. Though if what he'd said thus far was any indicator, the images weren't clear, and Talak didn't offer any further explanation.

He continued to drink his wine as Hannibal said that he was a good person. At least someone seemed confident of that. Talak certainly didn't. He hoped he might be able to make the galaxy a better place going forward, though.

It's still what I do that defines me, isn't it? he retorted in response to the comment about the mask. He snorted slightly as he said it. It was partially a joke, and partially not. He'd been extended clemency because of the actions he'd taken at the prison.

Enough about me, though. I don't know anything about you, he said. And that was true. He knew next to nothing about him except that he was a Jedi with some... unconventional views. There was a great deal more than that, he knew.

 

[Hannibal Grayza]

The young Knight tilted his head slightly, right hand raising up for a finger to tap twice against his temple. "Of course it is. You didn't need the mask to do the right thing, in the end. In that moment, you were a Jedi dressed as a Sith instead of the other way around."

He leaned back again against the wall, retrieving his drink from the crate. The next bits of conversations were probably going to need a little lubrication, so he finished his glass and held it out to get more wine. Though Talak knew very little about Hannibal, no one really did. He didn't talk about himself much to anyone. Nash had been working her way through the mask, but she was dead and gone.

But Hannibal was also aware that he'd seen quite a lot of Talak's personal affairs by reading his lightsaber, and even if he hadn't meant to get nearly as much as he did and even though most of it was nonsense, he would understand more of it eventually. It was only fair that Talak get answers of his own. That's what friends were for, right?

"That you do not. In the interest of our newfound friendship, and so you don't stab me in the face, ask anything at all. I will answer with complete honesty." He spoke earnestly, and he seemed to have recovered at least enough energy to throw in a joke. He also had no idea where to start. His family? His friends? His hopes and dreams? He certainly wasn't used to having such deep and meaningful conversation, and even when asked he'd kept it short and riddled it with mockery and humor. Maybe not the healthiest solution, in retrospect.

"Open book, I swear."

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak continued to drink as well, beginning to feel a bit more relaxed as they talked. It was probably exactly what he needed right now: something that would keep him from being uptight and annoyed about what had been discovered about him.

He squinted as Hannibal said that he was an open book. Somehow he doubted that, and found himself a bit suspicious. What kind of deflections would he have if the questions got too personal? Maybe normally Talak wouldn't have blamed him, but after the personal invasion Talak had had...

Where are you from? How'd you become a Jedi? Why did you become a Jedi? he asked. They were all valid questions, and he saw no point in holding back. The questions were lubricant to get the answers flowing.

 

[Hannibal Grayza]

Hannibal just grinned in response to Talak's obvious skepticism, which probably didn't help all that much. He would certainly do his best at the very least. It was only fair. As much as Hannibal preferred fairness on the part of the other guy when it came down to fights and the like, he tried at least when it came to friendship. Not that he had much practice at friendship.

Putting that sad thought aside he drank a bit of his wine and retrieved his pack of cigarras along with the ashtray he kept in a patch, placing them both down on an adjacent crate. He retrieved one of the paper tubes and lit it, exhaling a cloud of smoke politely away from Talak. "A good start. Let's see..."

"Technically, I am from Naboo. I was born there, but neither of my parents were. My father was originally from Epicant and settled on Naboo to 'retire' from running a small mercenary company, and now instead runs a private security firm. My mother is from Morellian space and was briefly in the same mercenary group. She still works as a bounty hunter, last I heard." He took a drag from his cigarette and paused for a moment to collect his words properly.

"I sort of became a Jedi by pure chance. On one of many galactic outings with my mother we ran into one, and he noted my sensitivity to the Force. Neither parent disagreed with the idea, for reasons of their own I'm sure, so long as they could continue to visit. Besides, I was a fiery youth and probably needed the discipline. I've mellowed out since then." Here he winked at Talak and gave a dramatic flourish of his cigarra, leaving rings of smoke careening through the air. He had actually mellowed out, but the fire certainly hadn't gone out of him.

"So, I went back to Ajan Kloss and began my training. I was ten, I think. Gave them lots of trouble. I've got a smart mouth, y'see. As for why? Well..." He sort of shrugged and then drank most of the remaining wine in his glass. This bit was already edging into more personal stuff, but again, Hannibal really had no room to argue here. It's not like Talak was going to go yelling down the streets about it.

"It felt like the thing to do. I've always had sharp instincts, and they said to go, so I did. I wasn't looking forward to much at the time. I don't regret it. It helped me personally, and I eventually decided I wanted to help people. The Force helps me, and it can be used to help others too." He leaned forward again looking right into Talak's face. The man he'd chased across the smuggler's moon, who he had been convinced at some point was an enemy he'd have to kill or capture, and then for whom he'd risked his life against a Champion to keep alive. He smiled again.

"Becoming a Jedi isn't all that hard. Being a Jedi is hard, you see? I think people with power should use it to help others however they can. So, that's what I do. That's why I'm with the Jedi."

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

The story didn't start off the way Talak expected. For some reason, he hadn't pegged Hannibal as the son of a bounty hunter and mercenary. So he was a Nabooian! That was interesting, and seemed proper that he had picked the wine he had. Hannibal certainly seemed to be enjoying it.

Talak's eyebrow quirked as Hannibal stated that he mellowed out with age. He was still quite flamboyant all this time later, and he wondered what he had been like as a child. He could only imagine that he had raised all kinds of trouble if he now "mellowed."

He listened as he talked about being a Jedi and how he had come to them, why, and what it took to remain. His motivations weren't all that different from Talak's, and he wondered for himself if his path would have been considerably different if he had been born in the Core instead of the Unknown Region.

He nodded quietly, contemplatively considering where his own path would take him from here. His only real option besides the Jedi was to strike out on his own, and there were... issues with that.

Doesn't sound so unreasonable, he said. I think even when we had our chat on Nar Shaddaa, you and I don't see the galaxy so differently, he said. Maybe that meant there was an Order that saw the galaxy as he did.

Do the Jedi still have a lot of... rules? he asked. He couldn't lie, he simply didn't do overly well with rules. Particularly ones he thought were stupid. It was why he had been acting as a vigilante, after all.

 

[Hannibal Grayza]

Hannibal returned to his leaned-back posture and crossed his left leg over his right, wincing slightly as one of his almost-healed burns complained at the motion. Rules? There were certainly rules, and the Jedi Code actually had quite a lot more to it than the most commonly known main parts. The whole thing was open to interpretation and the remainder were more like guidelines and good practices. Several tenets from the Old Jedi Order had been outright abandoned by all but a few in the modern age.

"Well, yes. There are some rules and guidelines. Don't engage in violence or kill unless it's needed. Respect all life in any form, avoid the Dark Side, serve and protect others rather than rule over them is a common one, always seek knowledge and improvement. That sort of stuff." Hannibal had gone through many debates and versions of the rules and codes of the Jedi while among them, and had decided on his own interpretations for himself like most did.

"The one that gets the most debate is 'Jedi must use the Force for knowledge and to protect others, never to attack'. What defines an attack versus an offensive action meant to protect others? What is the reasonable way to go about such a thing? I personally would prefer to avoid fighting, but I will to protect others. Even if that means taking the fight to people that mean others harm."

While he had never shied away from confronting danger for the sake of others, as Talak himself could attest, he'd always preferred a non-lethal approach. He still did of course, but his failed confrontation with Ender and the death of Sol Puara had reminded the young Knight that Form X was a killing art. It wasn't designed for the end goal of defending oneself or disarming the opponent, but for defeating or killing them. He'd been avoiding using the lethal strikes for years even against Sith. Recent events had worked to alter his stance. While he'd continue to favor stun weaponry and offer surrender as an option, he'd also decided that a hostile Sith choosing to fight warranted any strike or tactic that would work to bring them down.

"I don't think we were ever all too different, Talak. I think our approach to the problems in the galaxy was just different enough to keep us on opposite sides for a time. Anger and hate are a rot that corrupts even the best intentions and becomes a thief of happiness. Do you agree, after everything you've seen?"

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak gave close thought to everything that Hannibal said. It was a complex issue in many ways. Most of what he said, Talak could wholeheartedly agree with. In fact, it was really only the issues of offense and killing vs pure defense that he took issue with. He frowned in thought.

I think the dark side corrupts everything it touches, he said. That was something he had seen repeatedly. Even using the dark side for an attempted positive end would just eat at the soul and drive to insanity.

And I think there's a lot I agree with the Jedi on, he continued. His issues with the Jedi weren't primarily philosophical, in fact. That was something he was quickly beginning to realize.

I used to think that the Jedi weren't willing to go far enough and make the hard decisions, but now I'm not so sure those "hard decisions" are right, he said. He still knew that the Force had a natural cycle, but he was beginning to realize it wasn't his role to enforce death the way that the Legions had always taught.

I still think the Jedi are a bit too complacent, but... he shrugged ...they seem to be snapping out of it, he said. The defense at the prison was certainly a step in the right direction. The Jedi would almost certainly have to face down the Sith eventually as well in more direct conflict.

I am... still unsure about never using the Force for attack, he said with a frown. It was no secret what his position had been when he was running around with the mask, but things were less clear to him now.

Or your "offensive defense," he said. I don't know, I get that all life is valuable, but doesn't some life eventually forfeit itself? he asked, but then look at him. A Sith who had opted to leave it all behind and turn around. Maybe no one was beyond redemption, but to assume that everyone would pursue it wasn't realistic either. This was the part of the reasoning that Talak struggled with and likely would have to discuss to no end at some point... perhaps now.

 

[Hannibal Grayza]

Well, it seemed Talak had gone away from more personal subjects and into moral philosophy again. At least it was an easier subject. Hannibal couldn't really disagree about complacency. After all, only some parts of the Order had reacted quickly to what had been going on.

"For starters, define "attack"? I would say to attack is to take an aggressive action not in the interest of protecting others or keeping the peace, or out of anger."

He finished off the second glass of wine and took a long, slow drag of his cigarra before speaking again. He quietly hoped he was wording this right. He was silent for several seconds as he thought, his face slowly shifting into a flat and neutral expression.

"Life is a precious and complicated thing. I fought the Sith prisoner to keep him from escaping and ending more lives. I fought Sol Puara for the same reason, and to defend you. I would cripple the entire Hutt criminal enterprise if I could. Killing is often not the only solution. Sometimes it's the easy thing, but one death doesn't make the change you want. You'd have to kill a hundred Hutts and half their men to collapse them that way. A slaughter, an act of revenge." He was at least partly referencing the Arcanist this time, the masked persona. Hannibal certainly did not miss the dead Hutt or his men, and was glad some had been saved, but others had suffered because of it too. Acts of revenge carried out, more slaves captured. The system was still in place. Maybe he should discuss doing something about that with Talak some day.

"But what if someone forces your hand? When other solutions put more lives at risk, or it's kill or be killed, or a being is so evil that their very existence is the catalyst for pain and suffering? Someone fires a weapon at you or others, murders hundreds because they can, or is the lynchpin holding up systems that torture and exploit others?" He shrugged.

"Then if they die, they die. Like Sol Puara. Though I take no joy in it. Luke Skywalker killed the Emperor, as did Rey after him. To kill should not be the goal, but sometimes it is the solution. After all, Jedi did not carry lightsabers solely as shields. They were weapons designed to combat others. Though individual opinion did vary, Hannibal had come to settle on a more liberal interpretation of that part of the code.

"On top of that, the Force is complicated. Attacking with it is sometimes discouraged because of its connection to will and intent. Whether you throw someone with telekinesis because you want to stop them or simply to injure or cause them pain matters. If I break someone's arm, it is to stop them and avoid having to kill them if I can, not because I want to break their arm. You see?" He certainly was talkative today, but at least it seemed his hands had stopped shaking and he wasn't getting as many impressions in the background. If nothing else, Talak was someone he felt he could engage in conversation with. He wasn't boring at least.

He lifted and held his glass out towards Talak, the smirk returning quickly to his face. "More wine, please."

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak's face was a contemplative scowl, not because he was angry but because he was deep in thought. Hannibal's explanations and definitions seemed to make sense to him. He knew that if he came to that way of thinking, it would probably be a slow process, but it was something he could see himself eventually coming around to.

There was a great deal of trained history to overcome. He had always been taught about the power of killing as a tool. It was - Jedi or not - one of the most decisive and potent tools available, but that in and of itself was perhaps the reason not to use it. Something so decisive shouldn't be the first line of "treatment."

Motivation, he muttered contemplatively. It was one of the major determinants in how the Force functioned through people. Killing for selfish actions or killing to protect another were quite different.

He poured more wine and continued to think before he spoke up again.

If you launch an attack against the enemy - say the Sith - is that an attack? If you're intent on killing or capturing everyone involved, he said before quickly adding what he realized was at the heart of his question.

Can you go into a fight with the intention to kill? he asked. Perhaps it wasn't always the best intention to have, but surely there were certain times that the willingness to kill needed to be at the forefront. Or perhaps that wasn't the Jedi way.

He was beginning to wonder where his attacks on the Hutts fit in. He was beginning to see that his intention to murder probably wasn't the best, but killing if the primary goal was freeing slaves? Was that wrong? He had a hard time seeing that as wrong.

 

[Hannibal Grayza]

Hannibal shook his head. "I don't believe it is, no. I just requires care, I think. It's an offensive action certainly enough, but if it's being done to protect others? I can see no fault in it if it's done without anger, hatred, so on." He waved his wine glass in a vague circle and then sipped at it. Some had difficulty separating such aggressive action from negative emotion, but between the training involved in his saber form and his own nature Hannibal had much less. It was the details that had always given him pause, not going on offense.

"I think... Sometimes, being willing to fight means understanding and accepting that killing may be necessary for that fight. Jedi have killed many over time. Stormtroopers of the Empire and the First Order, for instance, not so long ago. It's important to separate killing from the goal, I think." Despite his general attitude, Hannibal was one of those Jedi who had always tried to avoid killing or maiming whenever possible. He'd still do it these days, but only if the situation warranted it. He could probably handle most problems without burning limbs off, but Sith didn't fall into that category anymore.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Hm, he said thoughtfully. That was a system he could probably get behind without taking too many issues with it. Of course, he wasn't going to say that he wouldn't kill people going forward. If you shot at him or tried to stab him, all bets were off, but it didn't sound like that was an entirely incompatible mindset.

I think that's something I could agree with, he said. Talak was trying to find out where he fit into the galaxy now, and he didn't fancy the idea of complete isolation from any likeminded individuals. Despite his reservations about the Jedi, he could see himself agreeing with most of their views.

Of course, that was assuming they would be willing to take him at all. He had a pretty horrid history, and there was no question that there were things in his past that they wouldn't have approved of. He didn't even approve of most of it.

He would certainly end up on the more Knightly aspect of Jedi Knight, but he could fancy being a Knight.

He wasn't even sure how to ask his next question. It was... weird and not something he ever thought he'd have to directly discuss with someone.

And if I wanted to become a Jedi someday, I have to imagine that would be met with a fair bit of skepticism, he said, turning it into more of a statement than a question. He wasn't ready to make such a decision until he'd done some "self-exploration" but he had no illusions about where this path was leading.

 

[Hannibal Grayza]

Hannibal at first just sort of gave Talak an odd look, head tilted and eyebrow raised. So he was thinking of becoming a Jedi at some point. Or at least humoring the idea. Maybe one day he wouldn't need a mask to look like a Jedi after all.

Then Hannibal laughed, short but quite genuine, a mixture of amusement and general cheer echoing through the Force.

"Skepticism? Talak, dear. The Jedi believe in redemption and second chances, and I doubt you're the first Sith to decide their order's name should be spelled differently. Maybe some might be skeptical, but someone always is, so who cares? Prove them wrong so I can laugh at them for doubting." He laughed again, dramatic and mocking, just as an example of what it might sound like.

"I'll even teach you myself if I have to. Won't that be fun?" he asked, eyes twinkling with mischief. While Hannibal was no expect when it came to teaching, he had at least been in touch with the Light Side for just about half his life. He knew well what it felt like in others, sensitive as he was to the Living Force. Talak certainly felt different than he had not so long ago. He was trying, and he wanted to let go of the Dark Side. Those were the important things.

"Besides, there's a way to prove it only idiots would try denying."

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

The intention behind the look that Hannibal gave was completely lost on Talak, and he assumed it meant that there was no way Talak would ever be welcome in the Jedi. He immediately felt like a moron for even suggesting it, but then it appeared that he'd misinterpreted the look.

If Hannibal was anything to judge by - and that was a big if - then the Jedi would welcome him with open arms. Still, there were likely others like him in the Order.

He frowned a bit as Hannibal offered to teach him. He had had an absolutely dreadful experience with the last master he had, and he wasn't sure he wanted another. It wasn't like he didn't know how to use the Force better than... well, probably most of the Jedi in the Order. Egotism, now there was a great Jedi trait. Oh well, it was still probably true.

His eyebrow quirked as Hannibal mentioned a way to prove it, which... in and of itself had him quite skeptical but also curious. This whole Jedi thing was rather foreign to him, but surely it couldn't have been that difficult. Even he recognized that was a lie.

And what would that be? he asked.

 

[Hannibal Grayza]

In defense of Talak's skepticism, Hannibal was not precisely the Jedi standard when it came to general attitude. Internally, Hannibal either trusted a person or he didn't. People lie, but the Force doesn't. Seemed simple enough for Hannibal, and it generally worked well as a policy.

He leaned forward slightly and pointed toward Talak's red-blade lightsaber. "If you can turn that blade silver, no one could doubt you and not be some kind of idiot. Purifying a red blade is fairly difficult and only lightsiders can do it. Besides, you should be the one to do it assuming you turned it red in the first place." If Talak could purify his blade, besides skill and stubbornness, it would show he had definitely turned away from the dark side. Someone could hide their presence or maybe even fake their aura, but one can't really fake a purification. It's pretty obviously color coded.

"Oh, and self reflection. There's probably some of that in there. Maybe therapy? No offense, but Sith feel like they need some serious therapy."

He laughed. He was making a joke, but also he wasn't. All the Sith felt dark, but also a little broken. It was kind of sad.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

The idea of purging his blade had already crossed his mind. The reclaimed Jedi saber was a good tool to use, but it wasn't his and ever since his turn from the dark side, his own blade had been relatively... resistant to him. Not to mention people's tendency to rightly think "oh you're a Sith, die."

I guess that's my first order of business, then, he said. Perhaps once he had accomplished that task, he would seek out the Order to join them. Until then, he could play his role as a defender of the innocent without an organization supporting him.

And then Hannibal had to go to mention "therapy." Talak scowled and looked thoroughly unamused despite the Jedi's laughter.

There's no way I'm going to therapy, he said. He'd already developed his own - possibly unhealthy - coping mechanism. He wasn't planning to go share and open up to some rando. This was the closest he was going to get to that.

But I have my work cut out for me, then, he said, finishing off the remainder of his wine.