Private A Funny Thing Happened On the Way Back to Korriban

[Starlin Rand]

Starlin’s smirk grew into a good-natured grin as Thesh fired back with sarcasm. That eye roll felt like a godsend. Somewhere, buried underneath all his theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die bullchit, Thesh had spunk. If he could be annoyed, he could be defiant. There was some fight in him yet.

The comment about tunneled vision actually coaxed a laugh out of Starlin. “I always thought it had more to do with being unable to let go,” he said. “Their whole existence revolves around power and control, so they have to keep it that way—even overcoming death to keep clinging to everything they amassed in life.”

He was surprised to see Thesh relent so easily when it came to meeting his mother. The acolyte could’ve just ignored Starlin’s nudging altogether, but he didn’t. Damn, Thesh really didn’t know what to do with himself, did he? Or was he more receptive to the idea than he was willing to admit?

The latter was confirmed (in Starlin’s eyes, at least) by Thesh’s reaction to his questions about his past. There was no mention of a family prior to his being taken from his homeworld; maybe he’d been too young to remember them. He had been a slave, gifted to a Sith, who treated him… not quite like a son, probably. Even if Thesh’s master had at least attempted to fulfill that parental role, he probably didn’t know how to be a good or loving father, or just plain didn’t bother. Gotta train the kids to be hard and unforgiving from a young age to toughen them up, and all that crap.

Chit, most people didn’t know how to be parents. Starlin had to remind himself that his mother was the exception, not the rule—and even she wasn’t perfect. His biological father had been a drug dealer who disappeared one night, never to be seen or heard from again. Silo-Hur was a decent guy, but he didn't even try to be a father to Starlin. Their relationship was more about respecting each other's space.

Having sat down on the bunk while Thesh was talking, Starlin now began to strip off the various pieces of his armor. He freed both of his arms, revealing the short sleeves of a black t-shirt underneath, then unfastened the cuirass by releasing the seals above and below his shoulders. “Did you say something about alchemy earlier?” he asked, following a new train of thought. “Like it was the main reason you were still with the Sith, or something?” He tossed the back and front of the cuirass onto the bed and stretched, cracking his neck.

By the way, Thesh still wasn’t eating. At this point Starlin had watched him stand there, swishing his rations around, for a solid five minutes. “Are you gonna eat that?” he asked, pointing to the opened package.

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

He considered that for a moment, before nodding his head in agreement. "Yeah, control. I think you're right with that one... What greater chain is there to break than death?" Though he knew it was mostly just a concept, a way to better understand their philosophy, Thesh had never really liked the notion of chains and breaking them. He'd expressed as much to Quintus before, when they were scouring the sands of Korriban together. If one broke everything considered a chain then what remained?​

​

Nothing.​

​

That's what.​

​

And who wanted an existence of nothing?​

​

Not Thesh!​

​

He was grateful when Starlin Rand didn't poke and prod any more concerning his past and how he'd come to be at this point in life. Instead he set about removing armour pieces, and Thesh awkwardly just stood there. Was he supposed to turn and walk away? The Jedi wasn't exactly undressing, after all, just unburdening himself. Starlin didn't ask him to leave, so he remained.​

​

And he was glad he did because Rand just continued to chatter away.​

​

The subject of that question had his eyes light up, and some of the spark he'd lost back on Ossus returned within him. Rather eagerly he nodded his head, and for a time he quite forgot who it was he was speaking to. Or more, what Starlin was. It wasn't a Jedi in his eyes, not right now, just another sentient worth talking to.​

​

"Yeah, I love it. Like, truly love it. Being able to create and alter and imbue... Nothing quite like it, man, seriously. Pushing the limits of the Force, it's exhilarating. And you end up with something really cool at the end of it. Like..."​

​

He paused for a moment and checked what he was carrying on his person. His hands fell over the dagger but he wasn't sure that would interest Starlin too much. Besides it was one of the items he'd made that was more inherently dark, such was the nature of a Sith blade. Instead he pulled free a pouch from under his outer robes. He opened it lightly, and reached in. What he pulled out was... sand. Nothing more, nothing less.​

​

"Pocket sand," he explained, with a beaming grin, before realizing - no doubt from the perplexed look on Starlin's face - that it sounded rather unremarkable when put in such a fashion. "It can temporarily blind ones foe if you get it in their eyes. A great way to make a quick getaway without having to outright kill, you know? Perfectly harmless in the end..." He had plans for others, of course, in due time.​

​

Then he remembered perhaps his favourite thing of all. He turned, without saying a word, and practically bounded from the room. If Starlin chose to follow he'd find Thesh by the door to another cabin, this one the Captain's suite. If not, well Thesh would be back soon enough...​

 

[Starlin Rand]

Thesh just about lost his fething mind once the subject of alchemy was brought up. Starlin kept unfastening his armor, struggling to keep an eye on the suddenly energetic acolyte as he yammered on about creating, altering, and imbuing, then produced a pouch full of magic sand, then abruptly darted out of the room, taking his rations with him.

Starlin blinked, then stood up to follow Thesh. Rather surreptitiously, he remembered to grab his utility belt and put it on over his clothes before he hobbled out into the hallway, one boot on and the other off.

He found Thesh by the door of the captain’s cabin, though he couldn’t quite see what he was doing. “Uh, the reason why I mentioned alchemy…” Starlin started to say, only to trail off, letting Thesh have his moment. Instead he reached down to yank off his remaining boot, leaving him standing in shirt, pants, and socks, but no shoes.

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Oh yeah.​

​

Rations.​

​

He set the rations down on some side console table thingy that was in the hallway, should Starlin want it he'd be free to it, then opened the door to the cabin and peeked inside.​

​

"Where are you, ya little bugger?" he inquired into the darkness, before giving in and turning on a light. The room was modestly furnished, just a bed, desk, and cargo hold, it was clean, but there was still plenty to see inside. Half-finished projects, not unakin to the sort of thing you'd find in his suite back on Korriban, dotted the surface of the desk, as did several old tomes. Clean but lived in, mhm.​

​

His eyes immediately drifted to what looked to be a small clay statue that was upon the desk, it looked like some funny little creature which was sat in place. Fat-bellied, bushy-tailed... He grinned upon seeing it, and immediately crossed the room to pluck it up. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but if Starlin was paying any attention to the item he could've sworn the tail moved.​

​

He brought it back toward the doorway, still unable to keep the grin from his lips.​

​

"Starlin, meet Nwit..."​

​

And just like that, the little bugger hefted itself to its feet within both of Thesh's hands and peered up at the Jedi with a curious, almost child-like wonder in its chiseled eyes.​

​

Whatever it was Starlin Rand was hoping to say, Thesh was - momentarily - preoccupied...​

 

[Starlin Rand]

"Where are you, ya little bugger?"

Starlin’s eyes darted, eyebrows rising. Was he calling to some sort of pet? A knot formed in the Padawan’s stomach at the thought of pet and alchemy combined.

Oh no. Please don’t tell me it’s a Sithspawn monster. Oh, please no…

His dread was quickly quelled as Thesh instead unveiled a small, squat creature formed from clay. He introduced the thing as Nwit. It moved, standing up in his outstretched hands, and looked up at Starlin.

Starlin tried very hard to suppress his automatic reaction of intense discomfort. He had been the sort of child who found dolls creepy and droids uncanny. This wasn’t too far from being a doll or a droid, and moreover, it was Dark. He could feel it. Not malignantly or oppressively so, but it was there, like a shadow in the corner of a room. For someone like Starlin, who was very much in the Light, he simply couldn’t ignore it.

It was probably obvious by the look on his face that he wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about Nwit. “Uh… what does it do?” he asked, still at least willing to humor the acolyte. It was hard not to. Thesh was acting like a little boy eagerly showing off his favorite toy… or a parent showing off their child. Yowch, no way he could diss that.

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Starlin seemed concerned.​

​

It was enough to squash a little of the pep in his step, his expression faltered for a moment or so. The realization that it was a Jedi he was with, and not a fellow Sorcerer, seemed to set in. Jedi weren't keen on this sort of thing, it was deemed unnatural, out of the normal order of things. He let out a very slight sigh, though he still held his creation aloft all the same.​

​

"He, uh... He helps me with studying, and projects. An extra pair of hands when I'm neck deep in research. He's rather strong for his size, has no issues carrying heavy old books and the sort. Plus, it's nice to not just be alone all the time."​

​

That last thing was said with a slight shrug. He patted the little golem on its head, and then gently settled it back down on the desk. As soon as it touched the surface it sat itself down, and once more appeared more rigid like a statue.​

​

"He'll get up and move around if I ask him to, otherwise he's happy to just sit."​

​

Well there was more to it than that. Nwit couldn't do much more than what Thesh asked him to, he wasn't actually living and breathing. He was powered by a crystal, which Thesh had breathed his own life essence into. Mostly he'd done it to see if he could, but he figured Starlin wouldn't really care for that as a reason for making something come to life...​

​

Starlin Rand ​

 

[Starlin Rand]

Aaaaand he had totally killed Thesh’s vibe. Son of a schutta.

Well, he tried—and at least the acolyte’s deflated attitude reminded Starlin of why he had brought up alchemy in the first place. Watching as Thesh set Nwit down, the golem became more like a statue, sitting motionless on the table. Starlin waited until the alchemized creation was settled so that whatever happened next, it was unlikely to be damaged.

Thesh would turn to face the Padawan and find him already holding out a shoto, having unclipped it from his belt. The emitter was pointed toward Starlin rather than at Thesh, and the weapon was not activated, but depending on how Thesh reacted, even its mere presence might be a bit much. Like Nwit, the shoto contained a crystal which powered it—and it radiated Light that burned white hot.

“My master made this for me,” Starlin said. “You don’t have to touch it if you don’t want to, and I certainly don’t want you disassembling it, but this… this is what alchemy looks like when it’s done by a Jedi. Only she calls it alkahest. Sometimes, anyway.”

He was counting on his words yanking the rug out from under Thesh, true—it was a very calculated move on his part. But it was also necessary for Starlin. He had lived with this for going on four years now, unable to talk to his fellow Jedi about it. Though as he was beginning to notice, a lot of Jedi didn’t much care about the old notions of purity which had prohibited alchemy, so long as you did no harm... still. The shoto itself was evidence of how they used to treat sorcerers and alchemists in the distant past.

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Thesh stared at the shoto for a long moment.​

​

He could feel the light radiating from it, and at this proximity it was unintentionally butting up against the darker aura which surrounded Thesh and his private quarters. There were items in his room which would be rendered obsolete if they were exposed to too much ashla, and that made him rather nervous. ​

​

He turned his gaze up to Starlin. He understood what the Jedi was hoping to do here, whether he realized it or not. To show that there were alternate routes, different paths the boy could take. But alchemy was just one facet of his studies, and that which he had chosen to show Starlin was the more harmless, vanilla aspects. It wouldn't have been fair of him to discuss biological alchemy, or wave around his sith blade.​

​

Thesh didn't take the weapon but he didn't stop the Jedi from holding it out either.​

​

"I had heard tale of Alkahest," he admitted, though a frown settled over his lips as he pondered it, "Your Master... Is she a Witch?" He meant no ill by that, but he had witnessed some of her oddities back on Ossus. Certainly she wielded more than any ordinary Jedi should. ​

​

As the question lingered between them he couldn't help but wonder if Starlin would ever stop trying to sway him in such a way. It wasn't overtly pushy in truth, he knew that the boy was genuinely just trying to do what he thought was best, and he couldn't blame him for it, it just wasn't that simple.​

​

As much as he'd defied his Master, both intentionally and unintentionally, it would never be as simple as walking away on a whim...​

​

Starlin Rand​

 

[Starlin Rand]

Not quite an astonishing revelation, then. Starlin gave a small sigh of relief in spite of himself. It would’ve been harder to deal with, he imagined, if Thesh had been truly shocked by the shoto’s mere existence. He lowered his arm slightly, holding the shoto sideways, turning it over in his grasp to show off the jewel-studded hilt. It also allowed him to avoid eye contact with Thesh.

“My master… she’s a product of alchemy herself, I think.” Admitting it out loud for the first time ever, to someone he had just met earlier that day, was just as hard as telling someone he knew well. To be honest, he wasn’t quite sure why he was confiding in Thesh of all people. Maybe it was just a test. Maybe he was testing himself. “I’ve heard her call herself a witch. I’ve also heard her call herself a freak and a monster.”

He had learned things about her lately that scared the living chit out of him. Like how she was far, far older than she realized, but couldn’t remember her life before. That she had been executed by the Jedi, only to be brought back to life somehow. Her connection to the “Black Knight” who was currently running around slaughtering Jedi in the name of an insane crusade had been bad enough. Now this…

He was confused. Very, very confused. All that he knew was that Syd was his master, and he... loved her. Whether that would be enough, he didn’t know anymore. He used to think he knew, before Dantooine. Before he killed a Padawan and lost his hand in a duel against a Je’daii.

“Uhhh… look—I’ll put it away if it bothers you.” He hooked the shoto back onto his belt, for all the good that would do. In actuality, it did plenty—Starlin didn’t fully understand it, but he had a connection to the weapon, one that could dampen or filter out its effects if he willed it, even subconsciously. It might at least give Thesh a little more breathing room. “My point is, there’s more to all this, y’know? You want to learn all that you can, at some point the Sith aren’t going to be enough. The Jedi won’t be either. It’s… more complicated than that.”

What he really wanted to say, had been wanting to say almost from the moment he picked up on Thesh’s attitude toward him, was there’s more to me than what you see. He knew it would be hypocritical to say so, however, so he tried to weasel his way around it, saying it a little at a time.

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

The nod he exhibited following Starlin's explanation was slow and deliberate, certainly filled with consideration as he pondered on the implications. A product of alchemy... It was rare that one happened upon a sentient who could claim as much. He'd never heard of such in the ranks of the Jedi, didn't her constant exposure to the light harm her? He knew first hand that his creations were weakened by it in larger concentrations which overwhelmed their innate darkness. Force Light especially... Did she just avoid such?​

​

Then again, not all Jedi were as light as their forefathers these days. Things had changed within the Order from what he'd seen and heard and caught glimpses of. From what random Jedi here and there had stood up and exposed to the public.​

​

"It is unjust that she is made to see herself as a freak, or a monster," he stated rather plainly, "You are more what you make yourself than what you're made of..."​

​

He let out a very soft sigh when the hilt was replaced to the boy's belt, and no longer a focus on the Jedi's mind the effects it seemed to hold over the air lessened back to how it had been prior.​

​

"You're right, it is more complicated... But there's no set answer for how to proceed. Don't worry about what lies in my future. I'll figure it out, and until then, well, I guess I'll see more of this Galaxy of ours."​

​

No Sith, no Jedi, just Thesh and the stars. That seemed doable, right?​

​

"What about you? After you've visited home, what then?"​

​

Starlin Rand ​

 

[Starlin Rand]

Thesh was talking, trying to be reassuring, or at least to divert Starlin’s attention away from him... and Starlin was holding back tears. The Padawan wasn’t an overly-emotional type, but talking about Syd and her secret alkahest—this whole situation, really, of being aboard a wayward Sith acolyte’s ship all by himself, filled with uncertainty about the future—had left him feeling vulnerable. He hated crying in front of other people, let alone a Sith.

Glassy eyes had already drifted toward the door, looking for a way out, when he realized Thesh had asked him a question. He hesitated. The Silver Jedi Order was dying. It had been dying a slow death for months, if not years. Ever since the disastrous Elder Compact, its fate had seemed sealed. Their leadership kept changing, and they no longer acted, only reacted. Now with Ossus being attacked by the Sith as well as the Bryn’adul, it looked like their demise would be hastened as their territory was assailed. Once the Silvers were gone, Starlin’s only option left would be the New Jedi Order… which Syd and her friends had antagonized for their alliance with the New Imperials, fighting and killing New Jedi in various battles. Starlin didn’t care about the politics, but joining the New Jedi might mean he’d find himself on the other side of a battlefield against his master’s lover, or perhaps even against his master herself.

“I don’t know,” Starlin answered at last, starting to turn away. “I’ll just… keep being a Jedi, I guess.”

Whatever that meant in his situation. Betraying Syd? He almost couldn’t bear to think about it, yet the idea held him in its horrifying sway as though he were hypnotized. But it wasn’t something he could talk to Thesh about. Thesh, who probably didn’t know and didn’t care beyond how he and his cohorts could exploit the so-called Jedi Civil War to their advantage.

Starlin left the captain’s quarters without another word, doing his best to hide his emotions in the Force, though he’d never been particularly good at stealth tactics. It wasn’t in his nature to be deceptive. “It’s not you, it’s me,” he said by way of explanation on his way out, remembering to grab Thesh’s rations just before the door closed behind him. He disappeared inside the guest quarters and didn’t come out for the rest of the night.

***​

The next morning—if you could divide the passage of time into days when you were traveling through hyperspace—Starlin crept into the cockpit. His hair was still damp from showering, but the dark circles around his eyes made it clear he hadn’t slept much. He made his way over to the navicomputer, checking the estimated arrival time. “No chit,” he muttered. The time had halved—they would be home within two hours. Insanity. He would have to check out that hyperdrive, look it up, see if he could get one…

Regardless of where Thesh might be, Starlin wandered around the Leviathan at his leisure, getting himself some breakfast and taking a seat at the working hologame table in the lounge. Unlike last night, he didn’t eat much. His hands shook a little, probably from tiredness. Of course he’d gone without sleep before, but this time, for the first time in nearly five years, he found himself craving a death stick to soothe those jitters.

His memory of giving up the lifespan-shortening drug was far fonder than any of his memories of actually using it. Syd had caught him trying to smoke and scolded him. But then she handed him one of her lightsabers, a brilliant orange blade, the same color as her eyes.

"Part of being a Jedi is learning to control one's weaknesses. Me destroying your habit for you will do nothing. You destroying it will mean much more. Consider it a… test..."

He’d been only a little reluctant to destroy the box of death sticks. His future as a Jedi had loomed up before him, shining and bright, everything he had ever wanted. A childhood dream about to become reality. Compared to that, what the feth were drugs? So he had tossed the box up in the air and swung. It burst upon the blade in a shower of ash and sparks, melting plastic clattering to the ground, the sickly-sweet smell of fungal smoke filling the air…

Lost in thought, Starlin glanced down at his trembling fingers and sighed. Going home meant death sticks in abundance. He remembered all the old haunts, places where slythmongers slithered, dealing the stuff out to kids. Phew. Thirteen year olds looked like babies to him now, but that was his age when he started smoking.

Maybe home wasn’t going to be as safe and comforting as he thought. It would be weird with Thesh there, but he didn’t need to make it weirder. No… he’d see his mother, of course, but not his old friends. Not Jacen. Moondog, yes. Thesh might like Moondog.

Chit, Moondog! I was supposed to practice!

With less than two hours to spare until they reached Coruscant, Starlin hurriedly cycled through programs on the hologame table, hoping desperately for… yes! There was a music program!

An interactable holographic guitar appeared on the table, already tuned the way he wanted it. Starlin picked it up, the projection fizzling a little upon contact, then paused. What if Thesh was still sleeping or something? Starlin looked at the time. Heh, if Thesh was still asleep, he deserved to be woken up by a guitar riff. Grinning at the thought, Starlin strummed out the first chord progression of “Summer Breeze” as loud as possible, just to be an annoying chit, then proceeded with his impromptu practice session.

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

His unexpected travel companion became rather quiet and introspective after that. He seemed lost in thought, and truth be told Thesh could not blame him. They'd had some rather heavy hitting talks, and had just escaped near-death in truth. Not just the battle but the falling ship... It was a lot to take in, not to mention their adrenaline-fueled jaunt through the Temple in search of Younglings to evacuate. Exhaustion was to be expected, though he wasn't so sure it was exhaustion alone which had brought about this sudden state in Starlin.​

​

There was a lot to consider going forward. No doubt for the both of them.​

​

So it was that when he said his final piece and left the room Thesh did not hurry after him. He did not try to resume their conversation or pester him any further. Instead he waited until he was in his own bunk and then kicked off his boots, closed the door to the Captain's Cabin, and flopped back against the bed. His eyes closed, and before he knew it he was out like a light.​

​

He awoke some time later to a quiet ship. It was so quiet that he almost forgot the chaos of the day prior. After grabbing a fresh set of clothes he rose and went to his private refresher, and soon enough was clean and dressed and ready to face the day. It was only at this point that the sinking feeling returned to his stomach. What day? What exactly lay ahead?​

​

Certainly not Korriban.​

​

Slipping out of his cabin he made his way down the hall and finally satiated his hunger by picking up some rations from the kitchenette and leaning on the counter to eat them. He thought for a moment that perhaps Starlin Rand was still asleep, or hiding out in his bunk, but that was before he heard the sound of music from a little further down the hall. From the lounge.​

​

He slipped toward the lounge and leaned against the archway which separated it from the rest of the ship; he didn't say anything, no good morning, no silly statement, for a moment he simply watched and gave Starlin the time he evidently needed to unwind and play.​

 

[Starlin Rand]

Starlin of course sensed Thesh’s presence approaching even before he reached the doorway. The Padawan perched on the edge of the hologame table, focused on the instrument in his arms. What Ruby Jaxx had once described as Starlin’s “business” was now hanging out of his head. A pair of antennapalps had emerged from amidst his curls to help him better gauge the vibrations of the music. They had, in fact, popped out accidentally on Ossus, when Thesh shoved Starlin into a snow drift, but Thesh likely didn’t notice then. Not that it would be considered all that shocking for the acolyte to encounter a half-alien.

“Y’know, it’s a good thing I’m not one of those types who gets self-conscious about people watching them do things,” Starlin said, raising his head. “At least, not anymore. I used to hate being watched—felt like I was being weighed, measured, and found wanting.”

He glanced at the clock. They had an hour and a half left to go before they reached Coruscant. Starlin stopped playing. “You play any instruments? I play guitar and harmonica.” Depending on how Thesh answered, he might broach the subject of Moondog, who was certainly a more interesting figure in Starlin’s home life than his mother. No offense, Jen.

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

He watched the antennapalps dance through the Jedi's hair with intrigue as he continued to play his instrument and for a moment all seemed... well? Content? Certainly some of the gripping dread had lifted, as he allowed himself to be washed up into the music. Not as haunting as that which often trailed behind, inside his mind, goading him ever onward. But equally as melodic.​

​

The silence, if it could even be referred to as such, as broken when Starlin glanced his way. In response Thesh could only provide a wry smile, he knew that if the tables were reversed he would have felt very self conscious in that moment, but perhaps that was why he'd never attempted anything of the sort. Certainly not where others might have heard it.​

​

"And a good morning to you too," he retorted with a loose grin, "No, I don't play. Maybe one day. I've always liked the idea of it, and the sound. But I've never even really dabbled." Had he had the time to?​

​

If one were to ask him he'd likely say no.​

​

"You sleep well?" He thought he knew the answer to that before he even asked it, but it seemed polite to do. Chances were, Starlin had slept just as well as Thesh had... And that was to say, not very well at all.​

​

Starlin Rand ​

 

[Starlin Rand]

Starlin strummed the guitar’s holographic strings a little, drawing the twangy vibration out until it made his palps tickle. “I normally only play acoustic guitar. I only went electric because I was hoping I would wake you up with some heavy isotope. You don’t look very pissed, though, just feisty. As usual.”

He waved his hand. “Like a baby, man. No, I didn’t sleep well. But then I never sleep well away from my own bed.” Glancing up at Thesh, he noted the similar haggard look. Well, he wasn’t alone there.

“I asked because I know a guy on Coruscant,” Starlin said. “A dude who plays musical instruments. He also invents his own. He taught me how to play. Could probably teach you, too.” It was an offer with no strings attached. Nothing to do with the Jedi, just music. “And if not… there’s his Kiffar psychometry, which I am also due for a lesson in.”

Yeah, yeah, Thesh was a Sith, and Starlin was technically offering said Sith a chance at learning a new Force power that he might use for ill, but whatever. It wasn’t like you could kill people with psychometry. At least, not directly.

Ahem.

“Otherwise, I’m almost home. You can go your own way, whatever way that is.”

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

"Honestly? You didn't wake me. I thought you were still asleep..."​

​

But he wasn't. He probably ought to have offered him breakfast, something to drink, that sort of thing. It was what you did when you had a guest, right? Instead he just continued to observe as he played the guitar, resting against the door jam with a curious expression and a small smile.​

​

"Yeah, sleep ain't the easiest thing to come by. I'm sure you'll catch up on it when you're back home though, right?"​

​

Talk came to that pretty soon, of Coruscant and the people waiting for Starlin there. A couple of options presented themselves, and it took him a moment to realize that they were offers which were extended to Thesh himself. He tilted his head slightly to one side, was this some sort of trick? But then he said he could simply go his own way. Not a trick, unless he was playing a tempters game.​

​

Knowledge was an easy way to tempt one such as Thesh, that was to be sure.​

​

"You know, both sound interesting..." And he meant it too; his expression didn't match his words or his tone though. There was conflict held within it, uncertainty abound. "I don't want to get in the way, though. This is your homecoming, not mine... How long are you planning on staying, anyway?"​

​

Did Starlin really want him to stick around for a while?​

​

Or was he just trying to be polite?​

​

Thesh hadn't experienced such insecurities in a long time, not since his earlier years in Maliphant's care when he was still overcoming his fretful slave ways. He didn't like the knot it formed in his stomach, the way it got under his skin. So he tried to swallow it back, and focused instead on the music.​

​

Starlin Rand​

 

[Starlin Rand]

Starlin shrugged.

“I’m staying as long as I feel like, so if you’re coming along, either you leave eventually or I kick you out.” A humorous image of his mother throwing her shoes at Thesh to get him to leave crossed his mind, and he cracked a smile. She only did that with the kids who refused to do anything but lay around the house watching holovids and playing video games.

“But no, really, you could hang around for a while. I’m just saying, if you’ve got a place you’d rather be… you didn’t really say where you were going or what you wanted to do after you dropped me off, so I threw out some options.”

Like throwing a dog a bone. Because he pitied Thesh. Pitied most Sith he had encountered, except for the really nasty ones. Thesh just happened to get particularly under his skin, maybe because he’d had the chance to throw him to the wolves, but hadn’t taken it. In fact, he’d gone out of his way to not take it—at great expense to himself.

“And if you do go, are you sure you don’t want this?” he asked, holding up his lightsaber. Not the shoto—this weapon wouldn’t hurt Thesh or his alchemical stuff. He'd offered it to Thesh several times now, but this was the last call. It was something the acolyte could wave before his master as proof that he had, in fact, been with a Jedi, and the fact that it was Starlin's weapon, his imprint burned into the focusing crystal within forever, gave it meaning. Implied meaning, but meaning nonetheless.

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

What could it hurt? To experience a little normalcy on a world at the heart of the Galaxy?​

​

Starlin was right, he had no clue where it was he'd be going from here. If he left as soon as he landed he'd just be aimlessly wandering through space. Why not aimlessly wander through a world, and do something at the same time? He pondered it a little longer than he needed to, perhaps to make it seem like it was a tougher decision than it really was, and then finally nodded his head.​

​

"Alright. Sure, I'll join you. Just let me know if I'm getting in your hair." And he'd let Starlin know when the time came to leave.​

​

It would come, eventually, they both knew it. He couldn't wander behind him like a lost puppy forever after all.​

​

Then the subject of the lightsaber was brought up once more. For the first time he actually mulled it over, considered it as an option. Could it hurt, to take the weapon in case he came into contact with one of his fellows in the near future? Could it hurt to have it when he inevitably returned to Darth Empyrean as he knew he one day would?​

​

Starlin seemed ready to part with it. Perhaps he felt bad. Perhaps it was his way of trying to ensure Thesh didn't get obliterated on Korriban,​

​

"Alright... I'll take it, but I don't like it. And if I don't end up having to wave it around to prove I did something, then I'll find a way to get it back to you one of these days. Alright?"​

​

Hard to promise that, but he'd try.​

​

Starlin Rand​

 

[Starlin Rand]

"Alright. Sure, I'll join you. Just let me know if I'm getting in your hair."

Rolling his eyes, but smiling, Starlin wiggled his antennapalps through his hair before retracting them. “Don’t worry about me, worry about my parents. If my mom thinks you’re freeloading or you overstay your welcome, she’ll throw her shoes at you. Sometimes she wears combat boots.”

He tossed Thesh his saber, sarcastically snickering, “Try not to hurt yourself.” But he did appreciate the fact that Thesh promised to return it, if possible. Unlikely, but you never know.

Starlin was content to keep practicing in the lounge until a beeping noise signalled that the ship was coming out of hyperspace. Pressing a button on the underside of the hologame table, the guitar faded out of existence. He headed for the cockpit.

Coruscant was a pretty planet from afar, you had to admit. Lights crisscrossed the surface like bronze and gold embellishments over a bluish-purple sphere. It was a shame most of it was such a dump, especially in the lower levels.

“You ever been here before?” he asked Thesh as the ship flew closer, preparing for a landing.

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

So it was settled then.​

​

Thesh would make sure to help out - something he knew how to do all too well - and avoid the dreaded shoe.​

​

He caught the lightsaber as it was tossed his way, and for a moment he stared down at it and curiously turned it over in his hand. He looked for anything which made it more unique, more personal. While Starlin played he moved back to his cabin and carefully wrapped the lightsaber in a piece of cloth, before placing it into his satchel.​

​

It never went anywhere without him. The same would be said then of the lightsaber. Either it would end up in Maliphant's possession, or he'd be allowed to keep it and one day it would be returned to its rightful owner.​

​

Who knew which way that would go.​

​

Then he packed a couple of things, ready for when they landed, and brought the pack with him back to the lounge. He sat and listened while Starlin played, closed his eyes for a moment, and then the beeping sounded.​

​

Time to go... They were going to land on Coruscant shortly. He got up, turned toward the cockpit, before the question was asked.​

​

"No... Never."​

​

He'd never really left Sith-Space. That thought brought with it a slight amount of anxiety, anticipation, and excitement.​

​

"Come on, let's get you home..."​

​

Starlin Rand ​