Private A Moment of Peace

[Heinrich Faust]

Veynos Qeyl

Location: the Faust estate, Ession

Things had been strange on Ession, as of late. Despite Thelar's efforts to further his father's vision, the planet had never been quite the same since the Crusade imploded in on itself. The Sith had retaken some of the worlds previously under Ashlan control, and the others had grown distant. What was once a united region of space was left fractured, broken. Even Heinrich, who had dedicated so much of his life to the movement, had hoped to distance himself from the fighting. He even managed to do so... for a time...

Then the news came...

Tython was a nightmare. Heinrich still often dreamt of the chaos, of the fracturing threads of reality that Darth Solipsis had wrought upon the world. He kept thinking of the brave souls that died defending the planet. Legend after legend, each giving their all to stop the Sith'ari's made schemes. So many great souls... extinguished. And for a moment, it seemed like it was all worth it. Yet, the Dark Lord was back... and with his return, any semblance of peace was taken from the former Grand Marshal.

The war had not come to Ession. At least, not yet, though Heinrich knew that sooner or later, his former vile master would set his sights on the world. Solipsis had too much history there. Too much investment, even if he may attempt to disregard it. The man's roots ran deep on Ession, and Heinrich could only do what he could to prepare his fellow knights for whatever may come.

He wandered into his personal library, his mind dancing across the myriad of possibilities that the future held for him and those he sought to protect. So much enthralled was he by such omens of darkness, that he almost bumped into Veynos.

"Apologies, Veynos."

The young man was an intriguing individual, especially for his age. He had known much of the turmoil of the Tingel Arm, and yet had found time to balance his martial preparation with academics. In some ways, he reminded Heinrich of himself, at least before all of the tragedy had befallen him in his youth.

"It seems I find you here more and more, as of late. Tell me, is it knowledge you seek, or guidance?"

Heinrich did his best attempt at a reassuring smile, though years of constant conflict seemed perpetually stained upon his face. Veynos had so much potential, and while Heinrich had used that to give him cause to personally train the young man, there was also a lingering sense of protectiveness. Nothing was wrong with being inquisitive, but Heinrich knew all too well that balance was eternally important when journeying into the more cavernous parts of research... especially for one so gifted in the Force.

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[Veynos Qeyl]

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The leather-bound book rested heavily on the pyramid A-frame that crowned the reading desk in Heinrich’s study. Though the room bore the marks of his master’s scholarship, it had become Veynos’ domain, where he alone sifted through books and dataslates of gathered knowledge. His fingers lingered on the vellum, the cool surface brushing against his skin as he turned the page. The sweet weight of fatigue began to tug at his eyes, the long hours of study taking their toll, yet he read on, having missed supper, enraptured by the details the book yielded.

He swallowed, the air cool in the carefully regulated chamber. Every trace of moisture was drawn out with clinical precision, ensuring the preservation of the fragile organic materials within. The volumes in this wing of the library had been ordered under Veynos’ direction, the academic staff fetching whatever he requested from the deeper archives. They laboured tirelessly to cross-reference his findings, even unearthing hints of entries previously unrecorded. It was good work, he told himself. It was important work.

The account before him dated from sometime around five hundred ABY, perhaps as late as five hundred and fifty. It had been written by hand despite the digital technologies already in wide use for centuries, suggesting either a society clinging to older practices or one that valued the permanence of personal testimony over records that might be altered. There was a righteousness to that choice, Veynos thought, whenever he encountered such writings.

This one, though anonymous, bore the marks of a Sith hand. The tone, the cadence, the weight of emotion carried through each phrase. Jedi could be emotive in their discourse, that was true, but this was different, more visceral. More dangerous.

He had taken up his own notes beside the tome, using a thin sheet of treated paper and a stylus that burned micro layers of carbon into its surface. He preferred this method; it made him feel more scholarly. This session read as follows:

Emotion is the beginning.
—But beginnings are not ends. Without reason, the start wanders nowhere.

Through passion the heart awakens, and through awakening the will takes form.
—The heart misleads. Frenzy ruins will.

From will comes power, and through power the self is unbound.
—Unbound, or chained to hunger. Temperance missing. Another shackle.

To feel is to live, and to live is to rise beyond stillness.
—Stillness is not death. Stillness listens, knows. Fire burns too fast alone.

Restrain not the fire within, for in its flame lies freedom.
—Unrestrained fire devours. Freedom is in the hearth, not the blaze.

He looked at the last notes he had written, a slight cramp forming in his right hand. He thought of his mother when writing such things. She had often spoken of the blaze that burned within.

He sighed, regulating his breath a little as the faintest ache of emotion filled his chest and throat.

No. That wasn’t appropriate for now.

His master’s entrance broke his reverie, a sense of embarrassment passing over him as though he had been caught undressed. In some ways, he was, mentally laid bare in his study. Heinrich entered with an odd haze about him, nearly colliding with the central chair where Veynos sat.

He rose at once, deferring to his master. Despite giving the best of his teenage years to Heinrich’s instruction, Veynos had never shed the eccentricities of courtesy. When bidden, he sat again, answering with a wry attempt to frame his discovery.

“De’llan writes in his Poetics of the Force that very question, master: to attain guidance is to have knowledge. Without it, one is blinded.”

He let his thumb brush the raised ink on the parchment, the dust of ages still unbroken.

“My work is concluding at a pace, thanks to these rescued pieces from Tython. That we managed to recover them before this Dark Emperor set his forces upon the world is a small mercy.” He glanced up at Heinrich.

“We have begun cataloguing them. Some passages here are mentioned in other texts long presumed lost. Why they were hidden on Tython I cannot fathom. Knowledge such as this should be shared with all.”

His gaze returned to the manuscripts.

“It illuminates the conflicting nature of the Light. Perhaps that, in itself, answers my question.”

He paused, then looked back at Heinrich.

“What troubles you, master?”

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[Heinrich Faust]

Veynos Qeyl

Location: the Faust estate, Ession

Heinrich placed an approving hand on his pupil's shoulder as he spoke. The young man had shown a considerable amount of promise since coming to Ession, though at times Heinrich couldn't help but to feel at least a little wary of his pursuit of knowledge. Studying was important, true, but if one delved too deep into the wrong avenues of study, it could put them at risk. Nevertheless, Heinrich trusted him, for he knew all too well the consequences of hindering ones journey to understanding the Force.

He sat across from him, folding his hands as he leaned against the table.

"Your efforts are admirable, Veynos. Few would take such care to preserve these texts, even among our order."

His eyes darted down to his student's notes, scanning them before meeting his gaze once again.

"Some texts can be rather... complicated. Tell me, have you delved into any of the more... controversial texts within the library?"

It wasn't an accusation, but rather a genuine attempt to touch base with his student. He offered a reassuring smile to reinforce that fact.

"I am... well... with the rise of this new Empire, I find myself in a place I once thought I had long passed."

His gaze drifted for a moment, focusing on the vast library around them.

"I don't believe I ever told you my history with this Emperor. In truth... I'm not sure I ever wanted to..."

He let the words linger, the uncertainty in his voice alarmingly clear.

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[Veynos Qeyl]

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He welcomed the time he could spend with his tutor. There was much to learn from Heinrich, more than Veynos felt he could master in a lifetime perhaps. His was a storied past, one of secrets no doubt. He did not try to pry those open, like the dangerous texts he pored over daily. The secrets in Heinrich's life would be left unaddressed until such times as they were presented to Veynos openly.

Often, as he worked, his mind returned to the ruined libraries of Tython. Whole halls of knowledge scattered to the stars, fragments of wisdom carried off like ash in a storm. What he held in his hands now was only a shard of what had once been vast. The thought filled him with both hunger and grief.

"Fear and misunderstanding give rise to controversy. The danger lies not in the knowing, but in how that knowledge is wielded. I have read some texts that would be deemed heretical by the New Jedi Order, I am sure. Perhaps I am not educated enough to understand their deeper meanings, for I am not yet corrupted."

He spoke with a wry smile, doing his best to pass off a joke between himself and his master. He was still the teenage boy trying desperately to please Heinrich, no matter the passage of time and events between them.

"The entire galaxy knows of this dark Emperor's machinations. There are mentions of holocrons of his teachings on Exegol, feared lost..."

He let the pause weigh heavy, as if inviting commentary from Heinrich. It was without subtlety and in truth he felt foolish for landing so clumsily.

"Forgive me. I should not pry as if your past were something to entertain me. I am sorry, Master."

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[Heinrich Faust]

Veynos Qeyl

Location: the Faust estate, Ession

Heinrich let out a chuckle at his pupil's words. It wasn't naivete... no. There was a certain special brand of wisdom within his words. Heinrich couldn't help but to take a moment to reflect on his past... on the Crusade... the battles... the strife. All of the things that had brought him to where he was. If more had viewed the galaxy through the eyes of Veynos, then perhaps a lot of the blood and tears they had suffered would have been avoided. Yet, that was the past... and no matter his faith in his student, Heinrich couldn't shake the urge to be at least a bit protective.

"You are right in thinking that greater knowledge may corrupt. Educated or not, wisdom does not come with knowledge. One may study all aspects of the Force, but without the wisdom to ingest that knowledge, they may easily find themselves led astray."

The irony of those words coming from the former Grand Marshall of the Crusade was not lost on Heinrich, and in truth, it was meant to be rather straightforward. The Crusades' missteps were few, but drastic. Their hellbent indoctrination was their downfall, and Heinrich wished to avoid that with his student.

"Yes, there are many legends and stories about him. Many are true, many are not..."

His eyes darted away, the grim nature of his thoughts overtaking his body language for a time.

"It is not for entertainment..."

His eyes snapped to Veynos, their gaze somewhere between tutelage and a warning.

"The Force challenges us... often in ways that are truly difficult to comprehend, let alone process productively. Someday, a day will come when someone you care about will be taken. It may be your family... your friends... a lover... or even me. But sooner or later, the Bogan will take them."

He choked up for a moment as he spoke.

"When the Sith ravaged this world, I was there as a child. No one was spared. I didn't think I would be either... but then he came..."

His eyes darted away for a moment, almost as if the shame still stained his soul.

"Solipsis knew the royal family. He understood Ession. And he engrained in me such a strong sense of retribution..."

His eyes snapped back to Veynos.

"I was mislead by him... trained by him... but it was all empty. I found my way back to Ashla, but I know there are others that weren't so lucky."

He tapped his finger on one of the more controversial books upon the table.

"Do not fear knowledge. Keeping ourselves from understanding the Darkness is what cause our crusade to break. But know this... knowledge without wisdom means nothing. Lack of application will cause you to journey down a path you never want to walk."

He coughed, almost instinctively as a response to his own rambling.

"Forgive me, Veynos. As I said, this new onslaught by the Sith'ari has gotten me... out of sorts."

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[Veynos Qeyl]

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Veynos held the silence that followed like a fragile vessel. He felt its tremor in his chest, the way Heinrich's words folded into the unspoken parts of his own doubts. He thought of the Bogan not as an enemy to be fought in open combat, but as a current that lapped at the edges of every soul. Perhaps it was inevitable that it had touched his master so deeply.

"There is power in emotion, master. I confess the Sith'ari intrigues me beyond simple study. He seems the very embodiment of the confusion the Sith bring. He is an emotional being, exuding and creating suffering and rage, anger and despair in equal measure, yet he is also calculating and detached, stripped of the very qualities that make one human. His nature lies beyond anything I have learned so far."

He paused. The words sat uneasily in his mouth. Was he admitting too much? Or was he merely naming what was already plain to any who looked upon the Sith'ari?

Veynos drew a slow breath, steadying himself as Heinrich's haunted face lingered in his thoughts.

"Your experiences, his deceptions, your own failings opened you to a different path, a way forward from the trials and turmoil that bound you. Your recognition of this makes you stronger for it, master. I cannot forgive what was never meant to be forgiven."

He raised his hand toward the book. His fingertips trembled, damp with sweat, and for an instant he brushed the ancient surface. The contact sent a pulse of unease through him. He withdrew sharply, certain that his touch might stain or damage the pages if he lingered. Why did this encounter unsettle him so? He had read texts darker than this, yet none had left him so aware of his own breathing.

"What are we to do, then?" he asked at last, his voice quieter. "About Solipsis. About the Sith'ari. Is there a way forward?"

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[Heinrich Faust]

Veynos Qeyl

Location: the Faust estate, Ession

He couldn't but help to chuckle at his student's words. It wasn't out of a condescending perspective, but rather a self-reflection of his own past naivete. He pulled up a chair across from him, letting out a long sigh as he looked to his pupil.

"Emotion, yes. Thankfully, our teachings don't hinder one from experiencing such things."

He thought on his own son, and his wife Oraada. such love he felt for them. He felt an equal devotion to Ession and Cedric, though much of that had already crashed to the floor and beyond. At least Thelar Grayson endures, he'd think to himself. So long as the line was preserved, there may yet be hope for the future of that vision Heinrich had pledged himself to years ago. Yet, that same divide always endured... love and duty. Differentiating between the two was never easy, the lines often blurring with each passing day. But if there was one thing he could teach his student, it would hopefully be to tow the line...

"I met a Sith once... one that didn't feel like the others. We used to use him and his order as an intelligence network. It was... off the books, to say the least. But in that single time I met him..."

His eyes broke away for a moment.

"He didn't seem like the others. More focused... level-headed... perhaps even redeemable in the eyes of Ashla..."

He caught himself, straightening his posture and letting out an incredibly long sigh.

"I thank you for your understanding, Veynos. You are truly wise beyond your years. I just... well... I don't doubt you, but I just want you to be wary of the deeper corners of research."

The next words took some work to get out, as they would have been considered highly heretical in the days of the Crusade.

"I will never judge you for what you read, even if it is... unacceptable by traditional standards. I simply ask that you acknowledge my story, and adhere to the processes it takes to avoid the same missteps that I made in the past."

His fist instinctively slammed on the table, an action he immediately began to regret.

"I... I'm sorry... you must understand... I thought I was rid of this burden. I was there... on Tython... I'm sure you've heard the tales..."

His eyes finally locked with those of his apprentice again.

"It took everything... from all of us... to put him down... and in my foolishness, I thought it was done. But the work is not done."

His eyes drifted, as if seeking the distant stars that could be seen from the window, his heart longing for escape, yet knowing it could never truly achieve it.

"What do we do? We sojourn out and meet him. We meet them all... and we keep fighting them until there is nothing left of us. If we are lucky, we will be able to rid the galaxy of him once and for all."

His eyes drifted back to his student once more, the look on his face carrying a heavy, grim weight.

"You will be tested, Veynos. In more ways than you can imagine. But you must trust the truth of the Force. And more importantly... you must trust me. I only tell you my history because I wish to be transparent. I want you to know the price of losing your way."

He finally relaxed himself in the chair, shaking his head as if he were a fool.

"I am sorry for all of the doom and gloom. As I said... his reappearance has gotten me out of sorts."

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[Veynos Qeyl]

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"I trust in you, master. In some ways, I trust in you more than I trust in myself. I am fallible, I am learning. I cannot yet be sure that my understanding holds enough certainty to warrant trust. But in you and your lived experiences? I am certain. Perhaps I am the fool for that."

He stood properly, tall and resolute. He looked his master squarely in the eyes and smiled.

"Come. I feel it is long past time for eating. Is there any dinner left for me? I know I missed the bell."

His stomach began to growl, pangs urging him to remember his hunger before he pursued his thirst for knowledge. Yet Heinrich's words still weighed on him. To rid the galaxy carried a sense of finality. Veynos wondered if trust meant inheriting that burden as well as the wisdom. The Force whispered patience, but the question pressed harder: what price would such a vow demand, and would he be permitted to choose it for himself?

At last he spoke again, his voice quieter. "Master... when that trial comes, will it be mine to face at your side, or mine to face alone? You make it sound as if you might be leaving me." He laughed it off, awkwardly.

Heinrich Faust

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[Heinrich Faust]

Veynos Qeyl

Location: the Faust estate, Ession

He stood, patting his student on the shoulder as he did his best to offer a reassuring smile. Times were dark, there was no other way of saying it, but there seemed to be some glimmer of optimism within his student. Pragmatic, yet optimistic nonetheless.

"I appreciate your trust in me, but never forget your trust in the Force... in Ashla..."

His breath drew back, showcasing the caveat before it even came.

"Also understand, Ashla does not operate on our whims. She works in a constant ebb and flow, and does not adhere to our beck and call."

Heinrich adhered to his student's hunger, and his request to change the venue of their talk. Perhaps that symbolized something regarding their interaction... perhaps not. Either way, Heinrich would nod his head and follow his student to the dining hall of the manor.

His head couldn't help but to lower at his student's last words. How could he even begin to understand the trials Heinrich had went through? Sacrifices would have to be made... on all fronts. He knew that well enough from his time combatting the Sith. His stand against Solipsis on Tython, alongside the likes of Ryv , Rurik Fel , Dagon Kaze , and others... it took everything they had... and many of their party had found their end within that singular cause.

Heinrich gave him the best smile he could before speaking, doing his best to allow his student to have some level of reassurance before the storm hit them all.

"I have no plans of leaving you, Veynos, but trust when I say that we may need to make greater sacrifices than we are either equipped or mentally capable of enduring."

A long sigh followed...

"This war may take my life. It may take yours too, in truth. But... we don't resist the Bogan to survive. We resist because we are the few that have the means to do so. And countless others are relying on us to achieve that very resistance."

He locked eyes with him, his demeanor locking into this very moment.

"That could be me... you... both of us... perhaps even countless others. Solipsis seeks total subjugation and destruction... and we may all have to sacrifice to bring him down..."

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