The Talk

[Kyi Wavestrider]

PRAXXA
ZELTROS
INNER RIM

​

It had been almost three months since an old friend of Kyi's, Sakadi, had left the Jedi Order - well, he considered her his friend. She had up and left without any kind of reason, Kyi was so busy with missions for the Galactic Alliance and Jedi Order that he hadn't even noticed until a few weeks ago when a Dynni, a Jedi Initiate he and Sakadi had rescued when he was still a Padawan had mentioned not seeing her for a while and after hearing rumours about her leaving without a trace - Kyi took it upon himself to find her, he had to know why and try and see if he could convince her to come back.

After several weeks of tracking which ranged from cold leads, rumours and stories of a Sephi matching her description - he had a solid enough lead that led him to Praxxa on Zeltros, he hoped she'd be here. Kyi decided it was best to take a public transport to Zeltros as he couldn't risk bringing his Malla-class starfighter and potentially be discovered by Sakadi or something worse.

Finally landing on Zeltros, Kyi and Exdee stepped off of the loading ramp and on to the landing pad, the Jedi Knight elected to disguise himself with a hooded brown cloak over his Jedi robes. Exdee climbed onto Kyi's back and let out a concerned beep as he knew something was up with Kyi "I'm fine, Exdee." he reassured his droid companion, feigning confidence when really and truly, he was nervous to see what Sakadi may have become from all the rumours he had been hearing of her. Kyi, along with Exdee, traversed through the Praxxan streets and began asking locals if they had seen a Sephi matching Sakadi's description.

After several locals mentioned seeing someone like her in the local cantina Blushed Lorb, he headed there. Upon entering the cantina, he felt an echo through the Force which was enhanced by his psychometry after accidentally brushing his hand on the door to the enrance - seeing a quick vision of Sakadi he was relieved to know he was in the right place. Kyi spoke to the bartender who then directed him to a Sabacc player on one of the tables, the Sabacc player informed Kyi that he played several games with her and that he thinks she lived one of the apartment complexes nearby.

With this as his only lead, the Jedi Knight left and began his journey to Sakadi's supposed apartment complex.

@Powerfullhorus

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Sakadi crossed the rainy street to the apartment complex she had rented. The first time she entered, it had seemed so vastly different from the apartment she briefly stayed in on Eriadu. But now, after one week on Zeltros it looked (and definitely smelled) the same. A dirty kitchen, an unmade bed, stains on the couch, it didn't seem very habitable to anyone but her. In truth, like she found herself doing a lot often, she just didn't care. She had always put effort in appearance and hygiene, from her hair to her clothes, posture and skin. But now, as she trudged up the stairs that lead to her apartment, all of that seemed meaningless. Her hair was a mess, she had clear marks of weariness under her eyes and she didn't remember when she had last taking a shower...

With a loud sigh, the former Knightess reached for the keys in her pocket. She was a little surprised that they were still there, given her adventures last night. First some rounds of Sabacc, then Pazaak and with the credits she had earned, the former Jedi had given a few rounds. The Zeltrons were actually starting to like her now. At first, they had been wary of the woman with limited telepathic abilities and negative emotions. Their usual trick, conveying their own positive and sensual emotions through their pheromones and telepathy failed to sway the Sephi. While some still tried, most had given up.

As she moved to open her door however, Sakadi faintly noticed something... Her gaze narrowed as she tried to determine what was wrong. Glancing through the hall made her conclude that she was, in fact, alone. So was it? The former Jedi bit her lip, as she realized what was wrong. The Force warned her. That was something new. Her connection to the Force had diminished to the point where she barely sensed anything. As if she had gained a disability, her senses having gone numb. It was one of the reasons why she came to this planet to begin with. Because she felt alone without the Force.

What she felt now though, nearly made her turn tail and run. She barely sensed it. A glimpse of light. Had the Order found her? Would they drag her back now? Lock her up? All her weapons, tools and personal belongings were still inside. She would have to face whoever was in there. And she had a faint idea who it was that waited for her.

As the door slid open, Sakadi hesitated one last time, before she entered her apartment. 'Ready' for confrontation.

@AfroBandit20

 

[Kyi Wavestrider]

Kyi came up toward a beat-down looking apartment complex, this couldn't be where Sakadi was staying...right? Approaching the main entrance, the Jedi Knight attempted to enter the building by ringing all of the buzzers on the panel next to the complex's entrance - no one answered. Figures. Thinking of another way to get in and talk to Sakadi, he went around and behind the building to where the balconies were located, as he looked up at them, Kyi figured he'd be able to scale it with no problems. "You thinking what I'm thinking, Exdee?" he asked with a grin, "Beep-beep!" the droid responded excitedly.

Using the Force to enhance himself, Kyi jumped passed the first balcony and grabbed the ledge of the second. Letting the Force guide his movements as well as allowing it to guide his instincts in finding the correct apartment that Sakadi was staying in, he scaled his way swiftly to the fourth balcony as Exdee excitedly chirped away. Reaching the ledge of the fourth balcony, Kyi pulled himself up and into the balcony. Noticing the back door was also locked, Kyi turned to Exdee "Reckon you can open this for me, bud?" and without hesitation, the little droid switched to his "walk mode" and hopped off of the Jedi's back and toward the door - using his computer probe to unlock the back door.

As the door swung open, Exdee proceeded to climb back on Kyi's back and compressed into standby mode once more and received a pat from Kyi for his good work. Stepping into the apartment, the Jedi Knight was greeted with a pigsty of a home and he immediately placed his finger under his nose, scoffing at the disgusting smell. Kyi was completely baffled, what the hell could have happened to make Sakadi fall off like this? He began to feel even more guilty now, for not being there for her, to help her, he then placed his palm over the new scar that ran down his left cheek which reminded him of why he couldn't help her. However, he would rectify that after today's events - he was positive of it.

The Knight would then feel a familiar presence, right on queue as he heard keys rattling outside. There was a brief moment of uncertainty that he sensed in the person behind the door, who he knew was Sakadi. After a few seconds, she finally mustered up the courage to actually enter the apartment and opened her door. There he saw her, she didn't look like the same Sakadi he knew all that time ago...her presence didn't even feel the same as it once did, the state of her apartment reflected how she felt - he could feel it. She was in a worse state than he had thought. The Jedi pulled his hood down and stared her down before letting out a feint smile "Hey, Sakadi." was all he could say in this very moment.

@Powerfullhorus

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Sakadi stood motionless in the doorway, as the light of the hall behind her streamed inside the otherwise dark apartment. Her gaze met that of the young Knight who stood in the middle of the room. But unlike his face, which displayed a feint smile, hers was cold and unresponsive. Why was he here, of all the Jedi who could've possible found her, why did it have to be him? It didn't surprise her at all that he had managed to track her down. She had learned him all of her tricks on how to track their targets. It seemed like that had been a true mistake. A part of her still wanted to commend him on his achievement, but the former Jedi firmly kept that part of her suppressed under her already turbulent emotions.

Taking a slight step forward, the Sephi reached behind her to close the electronic door. The dim light that illuminated her apartment through the large windows was all she needed to observe the uninvited guest in her apartment. Kyi had grown a little taller since she had last seen him. And not just that, he seemed more mature. Gained some scars, gained a droid and even with her diminished force abilities, she could sense that he had grown stronger. She could sense it so clearly, the light he exerted through the Force, accompanied by the warm embrace of the Living Force itself. It truly frustrated her beyond belief.

Here he stood, a true Jedi Knight, a representation of all she had been. All she could still have been, had she made the right choices. In his presence, she felt so... little. Pathetic, even. What would he think of her? Seeing the woman he knew like this? It was humiliating, but she had no where to run. No where to hide from him and all that he represented. She really needed a drink. Something strong, something that could suppress all the emotions she felt.

Without even the slightest response to his warm greeting, Sakadi turned her back to him and trudged to the open kitchen. She didn't want to look at him. She just couldn't. Opening one of the drawers above the sink, Sakadi reached for the strongest bottle of alcoholic beverage she had. It was a Zeltronian special meant to even get the Zeltrons drunk, which placed it in a league of its own. It had not been part of her plan to drink so soon after last night again, but then again, this wasn't part of her plan either.

As she reached for the bottle, Sakadi glanced at the three items that she had hidden behind it. Three metallic hilts; her lightsabers. She knew that Kyi could drop her with just one kick the way she was now, but if it came to it, perhaps she could manage to make a break for it. Provided she could keep him occupied long enough. If it would turn into a chase though, she was certain that he'd easily catch her.

Without turning around, Sakadi placed the bottle on the small table present in her kitchen, as she opened a second drawer to look for the opener. For now, she would just ignore the beacon of light that stood in the middle of her apartment.

@AfroBandit20

 

[Kyi Wavestrider]

Kyi's smile immediately dropped when Sakadi's only response was a simple cold shoulder. He could only watch as she plodded her way into her kitchen, he expected a lukewarm response from the former Knightess but he couldn't deny, it hurt a little that she disregarded him so quickly and easily. As he watched her, he sensed something...different? Her connection to the Force didn't feel as strong as it did since he last saw her, it was all wrong, the freckle-faced Knight could feel that her connection to the Force had diminished. Something like this only happened when a Force user had been through some kind of traumatic experience, could this have been why she had left the Jedi Order? He shook his head slightly as he knew how he tended to fall down a rabbit hole when he would overthink things. He needed to return his focus on helping Sakadi...or at least getting an explanation from her.

The Jedi returned his gaze to Sakadi, who was in her kitchen and watched her take a bottle of alcohol from a drawer, while he couldn't see what brand it was, he knew it was bad. Any kind of alcohol or drug diminished a Force-sensitive's connection to the Force, which again made him wonder if this is the reason why Sakadi's connection was so damaged? Or was there more to it? Kyi took a slight step towards her, moving a single foot across the floor, he desperately wanted to stop her but he knew it wasn't the best course of action. His attempt would probably be met with...well, he didn't know, the former Knightess was quite unpredictable at this moment.

Kyi stayed in place, he didn't want to make her tense or mislead her into thinking he was there to harm her or forcefully return her to the Jedi. He watched her, hoping he would respond to his next question - "Look...I know I'm probably one of the last people you want to see right now..." he said hesitantly, he wanted to go about this in the most gentle way possible, Kyi wanted her to feel as comfortable as he could possibly make her, he needed her to trust him enough to open up. "But you're my friend, Sakadi. You're one of the reasons I aspire to be great as a Jedi." he mentioned in the present tense, he sincerely believed she could return to the Order and he would always look up to her as an inspiration. "Please...just tell me why? Why did you leave and why didn't you tell me?...Us?" the freckle-faced Knight pleaded, fists clenched, he desperately wanted to hear her voice...just to know to know that maybe...maybe she still gave a damn about him and her other friends.

@Powerfullhorus

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

She wanted to ignore what he had to say. But he made it so difficult for her. Of course he was one of the last people she wanted to see! She had failed the Order and absolutely didn't want to face the consequences. Or any of her friends, allies or masters for that matter. And now one of them, one of her friends was here, seeing the true colors of the former Jedi. But that was just the beginning of all that bothered her.

Sakadi clenched the handle of the drawer as she listened to the words of the Knight. She didn't want to listen, but she couldn't bring herself to completely ignore him. And that was a mistake, for a single sentence hit her hard.

You're one of the reasons I aspire to be great as a Jedi.

She knew that Kyi had no ill intentions, but that exclamation was hard and painful for the Sephi to accept. He didn't know half of what she had done. He knew nothing about Mid, Eithni, the lives she had taken or ruined and the people she had betrayed. How could he possibly look up to her? She just wasn't cut out to be a proper Jedi. That moment years ago, when she had beaten a Dark Jedi on the outskirts of Jedha's desert, she had thrown away her lightsaber. Ready to walk away from it all, knowing full well that she wouldn't be able to handle being a Jedi. It was Vash who had stopped her back then. Convinced her that the people needed her. But looking back on it all, she had done more harm than good. She should've followed her gut feeling years ago.

Sakadi answered his plea with a slightly frustrated tone in her voice. "Don't you have anything better to do? The Alliance is at war with the Mandalorians now isn't it? Stop bothering me and go to the front lines, I'm sure they could use another Jedi there." Her reply was harsh and ignored the question that seemed to bother him. It wasn't as if she didn't care about him at all, quite the contrary, she cared a lot. The former Jedi didn't want him to see her like this. She didn't want pity nor help, because she had brought this upon herself. It was her own self-inflicted punishment for her many cruel deeds. And she didn't want Kyi to get caught up in it. It meant that she had to scare him away somehow and if that meant tearing their friendship apart, so be it.

@AfroBandit20

 

[Kyi Wavestrider]

"Beep!" the XD-unit cursed at the former Knightess, "It's alright, Exdee." the Knight responded, hoping to calm down his droid companion. The exiled Sephi's harsh response cut deep a little, but he knew she was going through a rough time right now - she didn't mean what she said... he hoped. Kyi could feel all of the different emotions radiate from her, he couldn't begin to imagine how horrible she must have felt actually going through these emotions. The Jedi made the decision to take another small step towards her, raising his hands slightly to show her he wasn't a threat in any shape or form.

The freckle-faced Jedi interlocked both of his fingers together and held them low, towards the ground. "Doesn't that answer your own question?" he asked rhetorically, "There are bigger things happening right now, I could be on the front lines fighting the Mandalorians... but I'm here. Doesn't that show you how much I care? Let me help you." Kyi fully expected some resistance from the Sephi - of course he did, she was in one of the most darkest places in her life right now but he was determined, he couldn't let her suffer through this alone. Kyi refused to leave, she didn't have to come back to the Jedi Order with him, although that would be the most optimal outcome, he knew it was unlikely but he would at least try and set her back on the right path - a path to healing.

Kyi stared at Sakadi's bottle before raising his left hand and gently lifting it off of the kitchen counter and began floating it toward him where he'd hold the bottleneck with a single hand, he looked at the label - it was a Zeltronian special. The Knight's heart sank a little, Kyi's empathy had always been increased by the Force and it pained him to see what Sakadi was doing to herself, her body, her connection to the Force. His mind flashed back to their very first time meeting and their first mission on Nar Shaddaa, how she handled the entire investigation with such finesse and confidence, how she taught him patience and that there were alternate methods instead of violence. The former Knightess didn't know this, but he took her teachings to heart and has applied them to his way as a Jedi ever since.

His eyes moved away from the bottle as he returned his gaze to Sakadi, still standing in the kitchen, empty handed "What happened?" was all he asked, Kyi knew patronising her wouldn't get anywhere nor did she need it right now.

@Powerfullhorus

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

She had no idea what the droid just said to her, but from it's tone she could tell that it hadn't taken a liking to her. Good, that meant she had only one left to go. A stubborn one at that, as he took another small but confident step forward. His approach reminded her of how people approached cornered wild animals. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, it was suitable to their current situation.

Once again, the former Jedi looked him up and down. She felt a little threatened despite his careful and calm approach. Mainly because his presence still irritated her. Something that again was amplified as he continued to apply logic in his counter argument. Why did he have to be so hell-bent on helping her?! Sakadi clenched her teeth as she reached out again. "Why would I need help!? I'm perfectly fine!" she exclaimed, gesturing aggressively at the apartment to back her exclamation up with evidence. Evidence that showed just the opposite, but she had nothing better. As she gestured, however, she felt her grasp on the bottle loosen as Kyi used the Force to pull it away from her. Even if she had seen it coming, there would've been little she could have done to prevent it. She was no match for him in terms of the Force right now, and he seemed awfully aware of it.

Her face contorting into a scowl, Sakadi moved away from the kitchen sink to another, safer place. Further away from the young Jedi Knight. She came to a halt near the large window that provided her with a view of the street in front of the building. Watching the lights of the traffic down below gave her a brief distraction from the Jedi present in her apartment. She would move away from this place soon. To a planet far more reclusive, a place where the members of the Jedi Order would no longer be able to track her.

What happened.

That was easy, wasn't it? Her reply was short and far more calm. "What didn't?" The former Jedi was a little surprised that she was still able to keep her telepathy up for this long. Although she had to admit, it was starting to strain her already.

Sakadi quickly glanced at the young Knight to gauge his reaction. Placing her hand against the cold glass, Sakadi repeated her answer. "What didn't..." She wasn't sure whether Kyi understood the gravity of the problems he tried to get involved in. This wasn't a simple dilemma that suddenly emerged during the past month. True, she had finally succumbed to it, but this had been an issue for a long, long time. Consisting of her most closely guarded secrets, heaviest emotions and worst fears. She wasn't about to just share all of that with the young man and the droid in her apartment. There was no one she wanted to share it with. It was her pain. Her failure. And this? This was her punishment.

@AfroBandit20

 

[Kyi Wavestrider]

She stated she was perfectly fine, that she didn't need help as she gestured to her tarnished apartment that surrounded the three of them - resulting in a sarcastic chirp from Exdee which forced Kyi to shush the droid as he was just being rude now. Kyi looked at Sakadi for a few moments, he couldn't tell if she was just being sarcastic or if she genuinely thought this was some kind of valid proof that she was fine. He had to admit, it was strange to see her so... emotional, he'd always known her as this pacifistic Jedi Knight who had always managed to keep her emotions in check - but then again, it wasn't difficult for a Force user to mask their true feelings in the Force, maybe her pacifistic nature was all a front.

The freckle-faced Jedi watched as the former Knightess left the open kitchen and moved towards the large window that allowed the city's neon lights to shine through. She was trying to move away from him. Placing the bottle down on a nearby counter, Kyi only moved closer sightly, he wasn't going to allow her to push him away. Sakadi's face was illuminated by the city lights as she stared outside the window, it was as if the lights were highlighting her turmoil, it just seemed more present with the lights shining on face. Sakadi's next response was more calm - "What didn't?" she said, and then repeating it once more in response to his second question - somehow his face softened even more than before, he was beginning to understand slightly. Her reasoning for leaving wasn't just one thing... it was several, a domino effect, so many things happening to her in her life made her decide to leave the Order altogether, he'd have no way of knowing what these were... not unless he asked her.

"Talk to me, Sakadi." he said softly "No one deserves to shoulder their burdens all on their own... let's just talk this out." sometimes that's all people needed - the thing is, a lot of people, even Kyi, tended to shoulder their burdens, their issues, all alone and it would do nothing but tear them apart inside and... sometimes talking, just talking, eased those burdens. While it wouldn't get rid of the problem, not entirely, he was certain that simply talking it out with her would lighten the load and maybe wouldn't make things seem so bleak for her and that there was still some light in the galaxy, light that would still embrace her. That was the least he could do for her. Sakadi's head remained glued to the life of the city outside but the Jedi Knight stepped just a little bit closer and held his hand out as a way to, hopefully, let the hurt Sephi know that she wasn't alone in all of this. He was there for her, no matter what.

@Powerfullhorus

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

For a minute or so, she just stood there. Zoned out. Lost in her own thoughts and unable to act upon any of them. Kyi forced her to confront the past; but she did not want to. Confronting the past meant confronting the monster she truly was. The monster she tried to keep buried under excessive amount of alcohol and distractions from what she truly should have been doing.

The message of the young Knight was clear. He wanted to talk. The emphasis of this entire discussion, the reason why he was here; was to talk. The exact thing she had tried to avoid by leaving her precious Jedi Order behind. Her eyes counted the lights of the vehicles that waited in front of the traffic lights. Mostly couples and groups of friends ready to go have fun on Zeltros. But here she was. Cornered and stuck.

Upset and indignant, Sakadi now turned to fully face Kyi. "Do you honestly believe that this concerns something that we can 'talk out'? Perhaps you saw me as some role model, but you don't even know half of what I have done!" she no longer cared if the telepathy strained her or not. This was something she had to get across. "A girl your age tried to commit suicide because of my words, I have left good people behind, broken and ruined. Families mourn over their fathers and sons, who I have undeservingly sentenced to death. I stood by and watched as thousands of innocents died on multiple occasions, without lifting a finger. I surrendered one of our own to the Sith, without even resisting. Would you like to know why? Would you like to know why, Kyi!? Because I'm in a relationship with the Sith Lord I had to bargain with!" The former Jedi Knightess was panting now, exhausted over the duration of her telepathic message. "This goes beyond failure. Beyond issues you can simply solve. I made the conscious decisions to do all of those things. I am not fit to be a Jedi Knight. Can't you see that?" Sakadi was hovering on the brink of tears now. The fact that Kyi forced her to say this out loud made her emotional, made her feel humiliated. She didn't want to hear a "It's going to be fine" or "everyone makes mistakes". This was who she really was. A horrible being who lacked empathy; someone who knowingly took the wrong step at every chance she got. It wasn't something Kyi could solve by talking, but when would he finally realize?

 

[Kyi Wavestrider]

Kyi continued to hold his hand out and watched the former Knightess fully turn toward him, hope filled the Jedi as he thought she was finally coming around. This hope was shattered instantaneously, however - the former Knightess - Sakadi began to unload a barrage of information on Kyi which shocked him to his core; she had almost driven a girl to suicide, killed others, let innocents die and finally... the last part shocked him the most, she had willingly gave up one of their own, a Jedi, to the Sith and the reason for it? She was with a Sith...romantically. He had finally gotten his answer from her but was it worth it in the end? The confession had deeply hurt Sakadi, it echoed loudly through the Force to the point it had affected him as well.

The freckle-faced Jedi lowered his hand and said nothing... what could he say? The silence that followed for the next few moments was deafening. His eyes trailed down to the ground as he tried to gather the words, tried to process all of the information that was dumped on him. What she had just told him was horrible... of course it was... but, Kyi still did not feel any ill will to the the Sephi. He felt immense sympathy for her, that she had felt this way about herself - did she forget about all the good she had done too?

His lip curled into a grin, which then evolved into a light chuckle "You're not fit to be a Jedi?" he asked rhetorically, as he chuckled a little harder but maintained his calm tone of voice "You were-- no, you are one of the best Jedi I have ever known. Did you forget about Nar Shaddaa? About Dynni? We rescued an innocent child from certain death and brought her back to the Order, and now? She is on her path to becoming a great Jedi, all thanks to you!" he stated, as he took another step closer to Sakadi "Or what about Tython a few months ago? Your actions helped get it back, back to the Jedi." he then took two steps toward her, growing evermore confident in his argument - he was not going to leave her, not like this.

The two stood about five feet apart now He refused to give up. "Your past actions were bad, terrible even, yes. And you being in a relationship with a Sith? - love is love, I guess." he jested slightly before returning back to his focus on getting through to her "But no one is beyond redemption, Sakadi. We stumble, we fall, we mess up... badly sometimes. But at the end of it all, everyone has a choice." his dark brown eyes locked onto hers now with fierce intensity, making sure his next words would register with the Sephi "What separates us from the bad people, from the Sith, is that we make the choice to be better. To acknowledge our mistakes, move on and continue to improve ourselves." Kyi's intense gaze softened slightly as he raised his hand once more - completely confident in what he had just told her.

@Powerfullhorus

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

She kept on staring at the Knight before her, as he tried to gather words. Tried to come up with a convincing counter argument. She could tell that he wasn't just going to give up. He had matured in so many ways since she had last seen him, he could the potential to become a far greater Knight than she had ever been. The fact that he came all this way, just to get her back to the Order was evidence enough for her.

When he started to chuckle, the Sephi frowned. What was so funny? Was he laughing at her? Was this funny to him!? Now uncertain and once again feeling humiliated, Sakadi's gaze shifted back to the traffic down below. Her ears twitched as the young man began talking. You are one of the best Jedi I have ever known. Did she hear that right? Did he honestly still look up to her, even after she confessed her sins to him? He reminded her of some of the many good deeds she had done. How she had actually saved lives as well.

Only at the mention of her relationship with Mid, did the former Jedi turn to face him again. "I doubt the Jedi Order will see it that way..." she conveyed, having recovered her little from her excessive use of telepathy. Throughout the remainder of his speech, the Sephi remained quiet. Acknowledge mistakes, move on and continue to improve. That was his opinion on this mess.

After a second silence, Sakadi finally replied. "I'm not ready to move on yet... I need more.. time..and whatever this is.." she stated, gesturing at the apartment. Gesturing at her apartment, however, reminded the Sephi of something. "Did you take the public transport to get here?" she asked, completely changing the subject. She didn't like the fact that he had gotten much closer to her, but she was willing to accept his presence. The fact that he wasn't upset with her due to her actions, made her feel at ease.

"If you want to, you can stay over for the night.." she conveyed carefully. The Sephi didn't want him to think she had wrong intentions, but it was already getting late. She had come home in the afternoon and their discussion had lasted for quite a while now. Furthermore, she was starting to get tired herself. "It's a long way back to Alliance space. And.. I don't like being home alone here." The weeks since she had rented this apartment, the former Jedi had nearly always taken someone home with her. Most of the times she had done so just because her new friends needed a roof above their heads. Sometimes, for other reasons. Her motives were simple. She feared being left alone with her problems, problems and emotions she wasn't ready to face yet.

@AfroBandit20

 

[Kyi Wavestrider]

The Jedi let out a smile as he felt immense relief, his words were finally getting through to her and she was finally understanding he truly wanted to help. Sakadi responded stating she needed more time, which he completely understood and din't expect any less - he was thankful she was coming around "Of course..." he said with a smile before gently placing his hand on her shoulder, hoping this was okay "These things take time and I'm here to help and support you." he said, concluding his sentence and removing his hand from her shoulder once more.

The Sephi went on to change the subject, asking him if he had gotten to Zeltros through public transport - the question was a bit jarring after coming off of the tail lights of their previous, more intense and intimate topic. However, her intentions from the question were made clear when she asked if he wanted to stay the night which made the Jedi realise how late it had gotten, the freckle-faced Jedi gazed around the room and out of the windows to notice how dark it was outside now. Exdee let out a soft chirp to confirm that it was, in fact, late. The Jedi's thoughts raced in his mind as he didn't want to intrude and be annoying... well, intrude and be annoying anymore than he already was being - Kyi would stay at a motel or something instead.

This plan immediately went out the window when Sakadi followed on, stating that she didn't like being home alone. His gaze returned to her as he looked at her sympathetically, it made a lot of sense that she wouldn't want to be alone - with all those racing thoughts in her head and all she was going through. And of course, Kyi wanted to help as much as he could. The Jedi Knight began rubbing the back of his neck as he struggled to find the words, "Well... it is pretty late... and if you want the company, sure." he finally responded, smiling awkwardly before he raised his hands up and quickly added "But I'll sleep out here, of course!" laughing nervously.

It wasn't too awkward though, maybe Kyi could use this extra time to talk to the former Knightess and make Sakadi feel a bit better about her situation.

@Powerfullhorus

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

The former Jedi was grateful that he decided to stay over for the night. She felt a lot more relaxed now. Calm enough to make her telepathic abilities a little easier to use again. The nervous laugh of the young man, however, did not go unnoticed to her. "What? Afraid to sleep in the same room as a woman?" she conveyed in a teasing manner. It felt as if the tension between them had finally lifted. That got her in a good mood, for the first time in months.

Moving over to turn on the lights, she conveyed a second message. "Make yourself at home. Sorry for the mess, I'm rarely here myself." she exclaimed, as she observed the mess that was her own apartment. The living room seemed alright, the kitchen was definitely a no go and for Kyi's sake, she didn't even dare open the bedroom door. It made her feel like the person she had been before she had joined the Jedi Order. Someone who just didn't clean up the mess she made.

"So. What have you been up to as of late? Last time I saw you, you didn't have that scar.." she asked as she took place on the couch. She hadn't seen the young Knight for a while, and she had always been rather fond of him. Mostly because it felt as if he had been her own Padawan, before she had taken it upon herself to train Oddi. Another person she had let down, just like Funani, Eithni,... No, she shouldn't wander off like that. Not this evening. Recollecting her thoughts, she would shift her focus back to Kyi and listen to whatever he would say.

@Kyi Wavestrider

 

[Kyi Wavestrider]

Finally, the intensity of the situation had shifted - Sakadi had calmed down and had actually started to returning to her old self. Noticing his awkwardness, she teased him on his clarification that he'd be sleeping on the couch - Kyi retorted by crossing his arms and shaking his head with a cheeky smile "Yeah, well, I figured your Sith boyfriend would hunt me down and kill me if he (or she) ever found out we stayed in the same room together." oh yeah, the Sephi he had met all those years ago was definitely returning to her old self. The Jedi Knight was ecstatic that his words managed to get through to her that it probably radiated through the Force.

Sakadi switched on the light, which caused him to squint slightly as he adjusted his eyes to the light after spending so much time in the dark. The light really highlighted how... messy her apartment was, as a nice way to put it. Kyi had to try really hard to stay neutral regarding the apartment's state but kept reminding himself that his friend was going through a lot right now. Kyi actually took a brief moment to think about how he'd actually get to sleep tonight - "Beep beep?" Exdee beeped in a low volume, the droid must have read the freckle-faced Knight's mind as he made a snide comment about how Kyi would sleep in the messy living room. Kyi urgently hushed Exdee, hoping Sakadi didn't hear, Exdee was being pretty rude today.

The Sephi sat down on the couch, asking Kyi what he had been up to - particularly how he got the scar. Kyi placed his palm on his left cheek as he lightly rubbed the scar that ran through his freckles, he had actually forgot about it for a few moments until Sakadi had brought it up. The young Knight cleared his throat as he unclipped his cloak and removed it from his shoulder and moved toward the couch, placing the cloak on the backrest, and sitting down next to Sakadi. "Well...nothing much really, missions for the Alliance here, missions for the Order there." he shrugged nonchalantly, the things he had done weren't necessarily noteworthy, he was just currently trying his best to bring a semblance of stability to the galaxy "Oh! I joined Star Squadron and found Exdee a while back on Sullust." he added, pointing over his shoulder toward the XD-unit on his back. Eyes returning to hers, he asked "What about you? Tell me more about your Sith lover." he was genuinely curious, hoping that at least his friend was active in her self-imposed exile. This was nice, it was beginning to feel like nothing had changed and that their previous exchange was nothing more than a bad dream.

@Powerfullhorus

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

He made a fair point. She actually didn't know how Mid would respond to a man, or a woman for that matter, sleeping beside her. Ignoring the droid, Sakadi would listen to Kyi's short summary. He performed missions for both the Alliance and the Order, something that Sakadi had always disliked doing. She had always prioritized the Order over the Alliance, believing that serving the Living Force was more important than acting as a freedom fighter. As he made mention of star squadron and Exdee, however, she saw his enthusiasm. It made her refrain from voicing her opinion on the Alliance and its missions.

Then, he mentioned her relationship with the Sith Lord, as if it was nothing. She knew how judgmental the Order would be. She knew she had to end that relationship, for it was one of the causes that made her connection to the Force waver. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Not yet, atleast. She had to gather a lot of courage for that.

"Let's see... I know him as Mid Samekh, but as Sith he is know as Darth Kados. We met as enemies on Tython, but later we were forced to spend time together on Atrer III, after a crash landing." she stated, careful with what information she relayed to the young Knight. But a part of her wanted to be honest. "I know that the Sith are supposed to be evil. They torture, murder and practice the Dark side of the Force. But I can't bring myself to look him in the eye and tell him that what we did is wrong, impossible even. I explained that once before to a Nightsister, and the memory still haunts me to this day.." Sakadi conveyed, as her mind drifted off to Eithni again, and the possibility that Mid could response would be similar. Or even worse.

@AfroBandit20

 

[Kyi Wavestrider]

Darth Kados - that's the one Teran fought and defeated on Tython if his memory served him right. She was with him? The Jedi wouldn't lie to himself, he felt slightly nervous, from what he had heard about Kados prior to his defeat - it was bad stuff... but still, he wouldn't judge. Love had no boundaries, even for a Jedi and a Sith. Kyi's eyes disconnected from Sakadi as he looked to the ground, locking his hands together as his arms rested on his thigh. Truly, he wasn't sure of his opinion regarding Sakadi's relationship with a Sith Lord... or a former Sith Lord if the recent rumours about Kados'-- Mid's exile were fact. Life, the Force, wasn't as black and white as he was brought up to believe initially.

Kyi's eyes returned to the Sephi, as he began to formulate his response "I'll be honest... what I'm about to say will probably be frowned upon by the Jedi Order-" his mind immediately created to an image of Grand Master Breaux disapproving of him heavily but what the hell, he needed to get out of his comfort zone "-but, yeah the Sith as an ideal are bad. They're literally a cancer to the Force. But, you can't help who you fall in love with, right? And Mid, Kados, or whatever must have had something special - some sort of redeeming quality that made you fall for him." he said with a shrug, Kyi was trying to be more open minded about life and the galaxy around him, although, if she were to return to the Jedi Order - she'd have to end the relationship eventually. The freckle-faced Knight hoped that Sakadi would find someone more... appropriate if this ends up being the case though.

Then he thought about someone else the former Knightess mentioned - a Nightsister. Kyi adjusted his posture, rotating his body toward Sakadi a bit more, resting his elbow on the backrest of the couch and laying his head into his fist to convey he was paying attention to her "A Nightsister? Who?" he asked, both out of curiosity and with the goal of his original plan - talking about what's bothering Sakadi so she can hopefully move on.

@Powerfullhorus

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Redeeming quality... He had a point. The fact that a Sith Lord had been willing to turn, go back and save her, that was something major in her eyes. The Sith were selfish after all, as their code suggested they should be. But Mid had been willing to help someone on the brink of collapse. Her. That, was his redeeming quality. She had dueled and argued with many Sith, but none of them stood out to her like Mid. Kalanda? Kalanda was an emotional wreck, like her. Amur? Amur cared only for her own interests. But Mid had a certain, hidden kindness to him.

"Nevertheless, it doesn't change the fact that I have to let him go to ensure my own survival, no matter how selfish that may sound.." Sakadi exclaimed. Then, Kyi went on to ask about Eithni. She narrowed her eyes for a moment. She knew very well what he was trying to do here. But that didn't mean she wouldn't go along with it. "Eithni Vala Stark. I told her that we couldn't be together, because of opposing alignments to the Force. Her response to that was an attempted suicide by throwing herself off a cliff.." her mental voice was cold and devoid of any emotions. The memory she had was not something she wanted to dive too deeply into. It was something she would have to let go eventually.

Again attempting to change the subject, Sakadi reversed their roles and started asking questions herself. "But enough about my love life? It's a mess to say in the least. But how is yours? Got any girls you like?" A smile played about her lips as she conveyed her question. Normally she wouldn't bother anyone with personal questions like this, but Kyi was like a little brother to her. She wanted to know if he was up to anything.. special.

@AfroBandit20

 

[Kyi Wavestrider]

Kyi listened intently as the Sephi explained about another significant other that she had in the past; a Nightsister by the name of Eithni Vala Stark. The young Jedi was shocked at what she revealed to him, his eyes widened in response and his mouth opened slightly, Eithni had tried to commit suicide? That was a can of worms he didn't want to open but... he didn't want Sakadi to feel guilty over something that wasn't necessarily in her control. With a begrudging sigh, he opened his mouth to speak "That's horrible..." he said shaking his head, it truly was "But... you can't blame yourself for her actions. What the two of you had may have been strong or intense - but it wasn't right to for her to do that and thankfully it didn't work... otherwise you would have never been able to forgive yourself." Kyi bit his lip slightly, what he said may be controversial to others but he believed Sakadi should relieve herself of this burden.

The talk of her love life was most likely growing uncomfortable for the former Knightess as she quikly changed the subject, switching it around on to his own love life. He was a bit awkward about this kind of stuff, seeing as he was very inexperienced regarding it "Oh! Well... I... uh..." he chuckled slowly trying to formulate the words he needed, then his memories travelled toward Thyrza "Um, well - back when I was a Padawan, I met this girl on Tatooine a few years ago - but it was just a kath pup crush. It didn't go anywhere." he said smiling slightly, reminiscing at how innocent and naive he was back then. Then his thoughts began shifting once more, he let out a heartfelt smile and he felt his heart rate increase when he began to think of Aurelie - "Then there's Aurelie. I met her on Tatooine too - we've been on a couple of adventures together, I was actually with her when I met Exdee-" Exdee interjected with a chirp as confirmation "-I really like her and when I have the time, I want to ask her out." he said with a childlike smile. The thought of the blue-eyed thief was enough to shift his mood entirely.

Realising the time, Kyi covered his mouth as he let out a small yawn - it was really late now, or really early, he wasn't exactly sure. If they went to sleep now, he'd probably sleep soundly knowing that he managed to get through to Sakadi - her path to redemption and learning to accept and move on from her past would be a long one, but he was glad he could help her take her first steps on that journey.

@Powerfullhorus