And that's how the fight started

[Josh Dragovalor]

Unnamed Planet
Cantina

With music playing in the background, the holo band a stand in for the lack of a real one, it was a pleasant atmosphere, quiet besides the chatter and music playing from the stereos, acting as though the holo band were actually playing. There hadn't been a fight for a whole two hours, somehow. Of course, knowing this place, that wouldn't be the case for long. Someone always started one, somehow.

Joshua, sitting at a corner table, wearing a black leather jacket, blue t-shirt and black pants and armored boots, had witnessed it, unfortunately. His Force presence had been hidden, so as not to bring attention to himself, and he had tried to figure out how to stop it before it got worse. Luckily, it stopped before it could get too bad, and things had gone quiet again.

As he sipped his drink, his gaze strayed around the cantina, looking for any sign of tension... He'd be quicker on the draw this time.


[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

A bruised cheekbone, bloody lip and a split knuckle or two. Nothing entirely unusual, and just another notch on the timeline that comprised her history of bad decisions. To her credit, at least the fight had been started outside of the bar rather than in it. That had to count for something, and Keira would take it as a small victory, excluding the fact that she had managed to walk away from that miniscule clash a victor. It helped that her opponent had been less than sober, as all it had really taken was a measure of fine motor skills and coordination. His friends hadn't been quite as intoxicated, but that was nothing underhanded tactics and exploitation of her Force sensitivity couldn't solve. Such was life.

The fight had been a petty thing, but had been awhile since she was allowed to release her emotions in a manner of the much more physically violent sort. Besides, it was they who had gotten in her way in the first place and made the executive decision to remain there when she had made the first attempt to dissuade them through simple disinterest in all they had to say. After all, she hadn't come here looking to start something. For once her intentions were mostly innocent. Or, well, they had been. Then one of them had made the mistake of shoving her in the shoulder, a rather minor offense, but one that warranted retaliation. She wasn't someone who let herself be pushed around as they had anticipated. She was a fighter.

Now they were unconscious outside and she was seated in the back of the bar, currently busying herself with wrapping her right hand, hissing quietly in pain as the alcohol that wet the bandages met the open cuts. It wasn't the most formal of antiseptics, but it did a good enough job of preventing infection, and that was all she could really ask for. The cybernetic limb that took place of her left arm hadn't suffered any damage, and unsurprising event and a small comfort. Slowly she flexed her right hand, checking over her own handiwork before letting it rest on the table. That was one thing out of the way, with the completion of a routine she had gone through a few times before. Bar fights were nothing new, especially given her family, when her brothers had still been around.

Reaching up with her now-bandaged hand she found her lip unsplit, yet another small victory, and her cheek only bruised. Not bad. Only then did her attention turn outwards to the other patrons within the establishment, comprised of nothing more than the typical drunks, or so it seemed. Nothing immediately stood out to her, and she took it as a sign that this time she would be granted time alone to simply exist, not worrying about the next galactic war or where she stood in relation to the light and dark and whether she would continue to remain some force of good. Right now she was just herself, another person on another planet in yet another unimportant cantina just trying to catch a break.

One of the staff wandered by and offered her a drink but she waved them off, glancing about the room one final time. Leaning forward she rested crossed arms on the tabletop, resting her head on them and letting her eyes slide shut, the Force serving as her own personal alarm system. The chances of her actually falling asleep here were slim, but a semi-meditative state wasn't too difficult to achieve. Force help anyone who thought it a wise decision to disturb her.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

But what was a cantina thread with a name "And that's how the fight started" without some kind of cantina fight? Come on now, that'd just be boring. While it'd been quiet for a little while now, that didn't mean all the patrons were quiet. Actually, one of them, a Rodian man, had just reached the point of drinking a "little" too much. The blonde haired man's gaze strayed toward the Rodian as he would get up out of his chair, nearly toppling over in the process. He raised his glass all of a sudden. "WOOOO! I'M THE KING OF THE WORRRRRRRLLLLD!" The Rodian would call at the top of his lungs. Josh's face hit the table rather quickly after that. Whether it was a more exclamated facepalm, or trying to hide his laughter, nobody knew.

But the Rodian's drunken lumbering around would take him toward [member="Keira Ticon"], and what did he do? The drink in his hand slipped out out of it, near crashing into her head. The bar went silent. Some of them had seen her little tussle earlier... Uh oh.

Everyone was holding their breaths.

 

[Keira Priest]

That moment of silence lingered on for just a few seconds longer, in which Keira processed just what had happened as she slowly worked her way completely back to reality. Her position didn't shift even a miniscule amount, and it was as if she hadn't registered the events that had transpired as anything of importance. That was, of course, before the burst of the Force cracked throughout the room like a gunshot. For all of the sound transmitted it was a centered blast that targeted only the Rodian, striking him in the middle and throwing him across the room and back into the bar. The strike wasn't hard enough to break bone, but it would certainly knock the wind from the man.

Slowly she raised her head, expression nonchalant. "What did I say about bothering me?" To be fair, she hadn't exactly mentioned anything to him specifically, but the warning had been uttered to those she had dealt with earlier. It was her assumption that the message had been passed on, but she was unsurprised that it hadn't made it this far. Drunks weren't the best at remembering much of anything, least of all what was good for them. That one had learned, and hopefully it would serve as a reminder to the rest of those wandering about that this particular galactic citizen was one to be left alone for everyone's own safety. Maybe this time they would listen.

The option was there for her to return to her trance and continue to ignore the rest of the cantina, but instead she sat up completely, rubbing at her eyes carefully so as not to smudge the makeup there. Pushing herself to her feet she meandered over to the bar proper, lowering herself into an unoccupied stool and hailing the bartender, ordering a Corellian Ale. Once the drink was delivered she spun around in the chair to study the cantina and those within it properly, rather than just giving them a simple glance. Sipping at the alcohol she ignored the looks she had no doubt received after that perhaps uncalled for retaliation. Someone had to pay the price so that the others could learn, and it just so happened to be the Rodian this time around.

Her gaze lingered on [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] for a moment or two longer than the looks she gave the others, but she moved on soon enough. It was in that moment the Rodian began picking himself up off the ground, and she ignored any further proceedings on his part, unconcerned with whatever injuries he may have sustained. Much like the men outside this one had to learn the hard way. Sure, she might have been some kind of Jedi at this point, but her personal interactions and affairs weren't the concern of the entirety of the galaxy, nor did they have an impact on just how she went about her business of, well, actually trying to be a good person. She hadn't claimed to be one in the first place, after all.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Exactly what everyone, Josh included, had expected to happen... Well, it certainly happened, but many of them were expecting a much more long and dragged out fight. After her fight from before, it was obviously expected, but the Rodian just got a blasting and was sent on his way. Or so they thought.

Unfortunately, the drunken Rodian wasn't happy, and neither was his friends. It wasn't long before a glass was thrown the way of [member="Keira Ticon"] and several patrons would get up, as well as the thrower. They would start heading toward Keira. It seemed that in attacking the Rodian, she had angered some sort of gang on the planet. Great.

The Jedi would peer over, not moving just yet... But watching. Observing.

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

The tension that had been present in the moments after the Rodian was thrown remedied itself once the bottle was dashed towards her head, but there was no visible reaction on her part save for the wall of the Force that manifested itself as a defense, glass shattering as it rebounded against the barrier, none of the shards coming into contact with her skin. Instead of simply letting them fall Keira exploded outwards with another telekinetic strike, sending the jagged pieces flying towards those that had stood after the fight was joined. Ideally the shards would cut into her attackers, at the very least causing superficial damage and pain to slow them down, not that they were likely of the mental capacity to care in the first place.

Each movement she made was slow and calculated as she spun around on the stool, pushing off and onto her feet. With a turn of her head to each side the vertebrae there cracked, and she flexed her right hand to crack her knuckles as well. In the next moment the first swing was thrown, and she ducked low, using the man’s own momentum to throw him over her shoulder and into the bar. That was one hopefully down, and who knew how many left. Coming up from the crouch she put all of her strength into a single uppercut that knocked another off their feet and seemingly unconscious. Cybernetic limbs had a way of getting things done rather quickly, and in mere seconds at that.

After that display the others were a touch more wary, not quite coming into range and dancing in and out of her reach. But she had the Force on her side, an energy field that would alert her to any imminent attacks regardless of whatever trickery of that nature they chose to employ. However, they had apparently learned that lesson the first time, as now two of them ganged up on her at once. The only sign of her displeasure at these odds was the slight shift of her right foot backwards. There would be no allowing herself to be pushed back further, and she stubbornly held her ground as they advanced, managing to launch their attack at least semi-coordinatedly. Apparently they learned fast.

With a speed borne only of the Force she moved between them, hoping to split their attention as she called her still mostly full glass into her hand, sloshing alcohol into the face of one and letting the empty glass fly at the other, taking them both down with a sweep kick. There was three. The majority of the few left were dealt with in a similar manner, and she was left thinking that perhaps this would be another simple and rather pointless barfight. That was, until the final one pulled a blaster and fired on her. Admittedly, there were a few different courses of action she could have taken, such as simply dodging the bolt. But instinct had trained her to always go for her lightsaber in this instance, and she followed it unerringly.

The plasma blade sparked to life with a snap-hiss, deflecting the blaster bolt back at its point of origin. Thankfully it struck the man in the arm before any further damage could be done to either party, and without flourish she extinguished the weapon, clipping it at her waist again. The looks she was no doubt receiving after that reveal were neither ignored nor accepted, and she merely gazed impassively about the cantina, slowly crossing the room and returning to her seat once more.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Well, Josh hadn't expected for the Rodian to have any friends. But attacking a gang member in the vicinity of his gang... Well, that generally didn't end well. By the obvious use of the Force by the girl though, he had a feeling she'd be able to handle herself. And that she did. She handled herself really well, actually. But once the blasters were out, as were the girl's lightsaber, things had obviously gotten out of hand. The Jedi would raise from his seat and raise a hand as well, and one of the blasters would fly from one of the gang member's hands. He repeated this process once or twice, giving her the ever-increasing advantage against the group. Once she had seemed to do her part and the group had dispersed for the moment, the Jedi would walk over, meeting her at her table. He motioned toward the seat across from her at her table once she sat down, as if silently asking for permission to sit, and smiled a bit before taking the seat he'd motioned toward.

"I hope you don't mind me sitting here" He remarked, smiling warmly. "Gangs like those don't give up very easily, they're a little too persistent. But the sober ones are less likely to be dumb enough to attack if there's two of us" He would add. As if on cue, the Rodian who had started this whole thing would charge the bar, heading toward their table with a vibroblade raised. But just as he reached the table, the young man would suddenly rise from his seat, turn around, and nail the Rodian with a hard punch straight to the jaw. A loud "crack" could be heard the moment his fist contacted the Rodian's face, and the idiotic drunk would collapse in a heap as the Jedi would stare coldly down at him, before looking toward the bartender.

"Get the idiot an aspirin, I hit him pretty hard" The Jedi would speak curtley toward the bartender. "If you gotta charge for it, put it on my tab. Tell his friends to come scrape him off the floor too" He added before taking his seat again and looking back at [member="Keira Ticon"] with that same warm smile as if he'd never left the seat at all.

"Josh" He introduced politely.

 

[Keira Priest]

"Keira." Her gaze remained steadily on him as her ethereal senses stretched out to touch on his presence. A curious light flickered behind her eyes, though she didn’t make any move to regard him with any more formality or care. "What’s a Jedi doing in a place like this? Shouldn’t you be on Ossus meditating, or something?" That was a less than serious inquiry, made obvious by the half-smile and quiet laugh on her part. Keira was perfectly aware that most Jedi were far from traditional at this point in time, with herself being a prime example, though she would never take that moniker on as her own. Let the rest of them worry about pleasing others with what the exact definition of that label was meant to be.

Raising a hand she hailed the bartender, once more ordering a Corellian Ale, this time to replace the one she had expended in the fight previous. Only when it was delivered and she had taken a sip did she continue, "And you don't have to worry about it. I've been fighting long enough, and I can take care of myself just fine. If they attack again I won't be as forgiving. That was their warning." Whether she was alluding to the death of the next gang members to push their luck or just the removal of limbs was his to guess. The chances of the next engagement escalating to such a degree were higher than she would admit, but it would be the third fight of the day. She was allowed some leeway.

Blue eyes strayed to the Rodian lying unconscious on the floor, slowly tracing their way back to the blonde-haired man seated across from her. “Not bad. You’ve got a good arm.” The thought of observing how he carried himself in a fight was vaguely appealing, if just to compare his standing to her own. There were few in her life she had stood against that provided a genuine challenge, and the idea of pursuing that curiosity didn’t seem like too terrible of one. After all, she had gotten in worse trouble before, and miffing one more Jedi wouldn’t hurt anything. Before she had fought against the Republic itself. In comparison, this was next to nothing, one man against the armies she had faced previously.

“Why’d you decide to come say hello? Everybody else with half a brain was wise enough to avoid me. Guess that makes you the brave one, from a certain point of view.” Depending on how you looked at it. Most would have thought him stupid, but she had a certain appreciation for those that went against the grain simply to sate their own idle curiosity. While it often had the capacity to backfire, most times the results achieved far outmatched the risk. “But I suppose you aren’t like the rest of them. Not if you’re Force sensitive, and especially not if you like to call yourself some kind of Jedi.” His peacekeeper act wasn’t too bad, either. So far he wasn’t her type of company to keep.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Beautiful name, Keira. A pleasure" He responded with a warm smile, one that made obvious that the prior compliment was meant in jest and not some heinous plot to pick up the closest force user girl in the vicinity. His gaze remained steadily on her as he noted her not keeping her eyes off him. Was she wary, perhaps? He supposed he didn't blame her. The girl had just been in two - possibly three bar fights already today, and now a complete stranger had taken a seat near her to chat after the second or third one. A force user, at that. To her question, Josh couldn't help but chuckle. "Maybe, but they don't like me very much" Josh would crack in return. "Things have changed. If you're not up for needless slaughter or being a glorified soldier, you're kind of the black sheep when it comes to most Orders of Jedi these days" He would admit, a small smirk crossing his lips. He didn't seem all that bothered by that fact. He was used to it by now.

He would order himself a new drink, his old one having spilled when the blaster fire started ringing out. Coreillian Ale would do, he supposed. He didn't like that these establishments intentionally watered it down, but buying it legit was a little more difficult to do. That and he supposed he didn't want to get entirely wasted unless he was home. "That's... Kind of the point" Josh would remark in response to her saying she could handle herself. "I'm here more for their safety then yours" He cracked with a cheeky grin. "Kinda getting tired of the barfights, and your last one cost me my last drink. With two of us here, they're not dumb enough to attack again.... Right?" He would add, that last bit directed to the drunken idiot who had been daring enough to come near him with a blaster in hand, who would immediately turn and hobble away at his words.

He chuckled at the compliment on his aim. "Comes with visiting bars once too often. These happen a lot more often then I would like" The Jedi would admit heartily, not seeming to be all that bothered by that fact. "And nothing wrong with coming to say hello, no? Sometimes people like a little bit of company. Other times... It's just necessary" He added, looking back at the drunken gang as if to signify his main reason.

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

One eyebrow raised at his offhanded comment about how most Jedi Orders supposedly functioned these days. It was far from her first guess to assume that any of them had become any sort of militant power, but it seemed the war was capable of changing even those so stubbornly set in their ways. Of course, the Silver Jedi were different, that Keira would openly admit. They had among their number many who were willing to actually take a stand. "So the Jedi are actually forming a proper military? I never thought I'd live to see the day." The comment was made drily, punctuated by a sip of her drink. "I can't picture them killing needlessly. Not after how I've been preached to before." And by one of the Silvers no less.

A genuine laugh passed her lips at his admittance of being seated there for the safety of the gang that had been stupid enough to attack rather than her own. That was a bit of a different approach. "They would have learned this next time. Not all of them would have walked away, but the lesson would have been learnt." Perhaps rather forcibly, but violence was really the only way to properly to communicate with those sorts of people. Actual conversation never really got you far, especially if those in question were drunk beyond any rationality. And, well, it made for an easy fight or two. There was really no harm in it if anyone was seriously injured. Practice was practice.

"Oh, c'mon, you're telling me you don't think they're even a little fun?" A teasing smile quirked at her lips again, and she shrugged. It took all kinds, and besides, he was more than likely attempting to be some kind of proper Jedi. Or gentleman, though she wasn't sure which. Both sentiments were equally lost on her, but he could continue if he felt it necessary. Her opinion of him wouldn't shift drastically, regardless. "And no, I wouldn't say they'll be smart enough not to attack again. Just let me deal with them the next time. Believe me when I say they wouldn't be a bother again." Not for much of anyone, if she was given leave to do things her way. No one had ever called her extensively moral.

Her gaze traced briefly to the drunken gathering before turning to him once more. "You have quite the dilemma going, if you despise bar fights like you say, yet choose places like this to spend your off time." Then again, he probably thought it worth his time to actually try and stop them from instigating in the first place. Not that any amount of intervention would stop much of anything. "I've been around bars like this and worse long enough to know that you won't be able to prevent much of anything. If they're going to kill each other, then a life will be lost." It was one less imbecile in the galaxy to be a bother later, at any rate. "I'd say you're better off avoiding cantinas like this if you want peace."

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Well, he was pretty sure the Silvers didn't at least. But he was referring more to the popular one, the Republic Jedi Order, that most people seemed to think was the example for the others. Blegh. Ever since Halcyon was Grandmaster, that place had become nothing but a soldiers ground for force users. It disgusted him. It really, truly, disgusted him and that disgust was clear on his face the moment he even thought about it. "I wouldn't say a proper military... Just fighting political wars for a Republic Senate that right now is in the middle of trying to pass bills that would make the particular Jedi Order I'm referring to their slaves" He remarked irritably, rolling his eyes at the thought. Part of him was tempted to return just to take a stand, but then they'd use some legal chit to cause problems. You'd think that with how aggressive the new Order was, they'd go and kick the pants off the Senate for trying.

"Well, if the Silvers preached to you, then they're not lying. If the Republic Jedi Order, as we pretty much should call them now did... Well, either you ran into one with a brain, or they're hypocrites" He remarked with a casual shrug of his shoulders. He wasn't holding anything back, that was obvious. He didn't care at all what people thought of him. Whether it was the Republic Jedi Order, The Silver Sanctum, The One Sith, The Mandalorians, The CIS, The Techno Union, Omega Pyre, it didn't matter. It mattered nothing to him. He was who he was, and if anyone disagreed with who he was, then they weren't going to change him one bit anymore. Since he had left the Order, he had become his own man, and he was going to stay that way. Nothing, nobody, could change him and he'd be damned if he let anyone do so, just because they disagreed with what he said, or what he did. Josh had spent all his life serving something higher up. He had spent his entire life being loyal to a cause, loyal to an Order, to higher ups that would in the end stab him in the back, spit on all that he had done, and toss him aside like he had done NOTHING for them.

With the topic shifted, the Jedi would laugh a bit. "Not everyone is smart enough to learn without taking a few bumps. Unfortunately for these guys, in this case it's better to just scare them off then watch them get killed. They gotta learn from their mistakes, but they can't learn if they're dead" Josh would crack. To her question, he smiled in accords to that little tease. "If bar fighting is the key to your heart, sweetheart, something tells me my chances aren't too good, I can fight but it's no fun when it's just drunken idiots who go down quickly after all their talk" The Jedi would joke with a cheeky smile. "But perhaps sometime, we can have a little spar, if that's your definition of fun" He cracked. I mean, what else could be her definition of fun, right?

"I think next time, I'll just punch them so you don't kill them" He responded. "At least you get your wish to see a fight, I suppose" He would add. His gaze turned to the idiots nearby. "Gotta take the edge off in a relaxing environment somehow. And it's a good source of information. A means to an end" The Jedi would explain. "I generally leave them to their business when they fight until it comes to where they could start killing each other. Then sometimes my help differs. Sometimes it's a little flick of the wrist, someone gets hit with a flying chair, maybe a little mind trick and they're docile. Other times I end it myself physically. It differs from situation to situation. Jedi are peacekeepers, no? From the littlest thing like a bar fight, to a Sith Lord trying to level a city"

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

A snort of derision was her only response to his clarifying the issue. "Look at how far those politics have gotten them and you'll see my opinion on that." It wasn't that Keira necessarily had anything against senators or any individuals of those sort, but their talk had a place, and that was in the Senate itself. To let them be involved on a level deeper than that of the merely superficial sort when it came to the war was nothing short of a mistake. None of them had ever been on an actual battlefield or come close to witnessing the horrors of war firsthand. To let someone such as that govern a body of warriors wouldn't solve any issue. Those that thought so were only adding to the problem rather than working toward a solution.

At this point it was almost frustrating to even think of the Republic itself or any of the politics inherent with it. That particular galactic body was only digging itself a deeper hole the longer it lasted, and she knew it was only a matter of time before it fell or was taken over by some sort of dictator or other similar government figure. Even then she wasn't sure how much she would be able to bring herself to care, at least until they became a threat to the greater galaxy as a whole. Then and only then would she step in. "The Republic will get what they have coming to them eventually. I can't say whether I'll care when that happens or not. When it starts to threaten everybody else then I'll do something about it."

Many would have found her point of view dangerously apathetic at best, but something told her he would agree with at least certain aspects of it. Unlike those encountered previously he seemed to be a warrior of light with sense left for him, thinking for himself rather than blindly following what was passed down from this or that higher power. Only when others learned to think for themselves would anything be truly accomplished. Until then those that were able were left grasping at straws. "I left the Republic Order when I did for a reason. They weren't worth my time anymore, and they aren't worth anyone's. The code they claim to follow is useless in the face of how this galaxy truly functions. They know nothing about what it means to be human." Not truly so, at least.

There again was that peacekeeper talk, and she had to fight to keep from rolling her eyes. That was all well and good to preach about, but there were discrepancies that couldn't be bothered with. There was a fine line between peacekeeping and complete pacifism, and it was a line she was loathe to cross, let alone to have others do the same. "I don't like that title, peacekeeper. Because I'm not keeping anything. I'm preventing the peace from being disrupted in the first place, and sometimes that requires taking a few lives so thousands more don't have to be lost. Maybe that can't be applied on such a small scale as bar fights, but the reasoning still stands. If a few drunken idiots have to die to stop a fight, then so be it."

Her stance bordered on complete apathy, but like him she didn't care much for what others had to say about her. Others could talk all they wanted, but she knew who she was, and that was all that mattered. "If you want to spar I certainly won't say no." Mottled blue and amber eyes met his with no hesitation, a smirk instead playing across her lips. "It's been awhile since I've fought a Jedi." The way she spoke that moniker made it obvious that she didn't count herself among that number. And she never would, as she had declared to another before. Walking both paths was a far better solution than any other. Sometimes standing pure in the light wasn't enough.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

The Jedi Master let out a sigh. "Yes, they will" He responded quietly. It hurt, to think about it. He'd been so loyal, yet so blind. But he'd been loyal. He'd given his life for the Republic... For the Jedi Order... He'd given them everything. And they had become corrupt and backstabbed him and all they knew. They weren't the place that he had pledged to anymore. And the moment that his oaths and vows became null and void, he left. Simple as that.

"I left because my vows, my oaths.... When the Jedi and the Republic changed, became corrupt... They became empty. Null and void. There was no reason for me to remain. Not even talking about all the chit they put me through when I was booted as Grandmaster for being compassionate and not bloodthirsty" He remarked. Aw crap, he let the Grandmaster thing slip. He'd refrained from using his last name, for good reason. Too late to take that back now. Not that it mattered. He was no Grandmaster anymore. He was just him. But more importantly, he was a free man who had seen the truth and now had control over his own destiny. He didn't see her views as dangerous, instead he nodded. "I feel the same" He said. "When they become a threat to the galaxy at large, and to the Jedi... And the way the Republic is going, I wouldn't be surprised if they do another Order 66 on every Jedi and Force User in the galaxy the moment the Order is no longer of use to them. If something like that were to happen... Then I'd step in. I wouldn't have any choice anyway. I'd strike back. I wouldn't hide" He explained. "If they become that corrupt... Then the head would have to be cut off the snake"

"I try not to kill, most of the time" He explained. "But... A run of the mill drunken idiot can be reasoned with eventually. Or he goes to jail, in which case he usually reforms. But say, a slaver? They can't. I've tried. They just take hostages the next time you see them when you're foiling their plans, once they're out of prison. Then they kill the slave and run if you aren't complying. Or if they're particularly nasty, when they realize they're losing they kill the slaves for spite. That's a case where with slavers, I have to kill a few evil people to save hundreds of innocents. Drunks... Not so much. No point in stopping the fight if you're just going to kill every single person involved in the fight, right? Kind of nullifies the point of stepping in if all sides are going to die" Josh would add. He was being honest, of course. Wasn't really trying to preach.

"As for peacekeeping... I like to call it that. But that's a matter of opinion. The galaxy starts with peace... It's when people ruin it that there is peace no longer. But every bit of that is preventable, as you've said. Even if our ways of preventing it is a little different" He teased with a small smile. "But it's still keeping the peace the way it is instead of letting everything go to chit. That's why I call it that. But everyone has their preferences" He remarked with a shrug.

And finally, the sparring idea. His eyes met hers and he smirked mischievously. He had a fire in his eyes. His brown pupils stared into hers for a moment. "It's a date then" He teased. "Any day you like, we'll meet up and spar. Take your pick"

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

"There won't be another Order 66. That I am confident in." Not so long as the Republic and its Senate continued to have no spine, anyhow. Besides, it took highly trained troops to even think of bringing down someone as talented as the Jedi, let alone one with the ability to wield the Force in general. And someone would most certainly notice the development of such an army. No, they would know the second something was up. That was too easy, even for the Republic. "They would have to either find a group of people willing to take on every Force using individual in the galaxy, or come up with an army skilled enough to do the dirty work for them. I don't know about you, but i don't see that happening anytime soon."

It was a surprise that he shared her views in the first place, let alone that he agreed with the majority of them. Many would have found some kind of fault, but he just nodded along as if this was a regular, everyday discussion, and the two of them often met in bars after another fight had erupted and been silenced in the same moment. "We must be thinking of two separate Orders, then. The Republic I know rarely strikes out for itself against the Sith. They're always the ones getting invaded or taking the hits, instead of the other way around." And nothing would likely change that, unless more people unafraid to do what needed to be done stepped up and started putting their plans into action.

With a dismissive gesture she shook her head, wanting to put an end to the discussion while at the same time being intrigued as to his way of seeing things. It was rare to encounter another that would actually hear her out. The last borderline philosophical talk with a Jedi had nearly ended in blood. This time, however, the only blood spilled had been that of a few drunken imbeciles who didn't know any better, the two of them remaining relatively unscathed. "It's a war about philosophy at the end of the day, and the Jedi are hypocrites besides. They'll keep fighting until there's nothing left to fight for and then some, and when all that's left are scraps of this galaxy then maybe they'll realize it's all for nothing. But I wouldn't bet on it."

His logic had its sense, she wouldn't deny it, but it was a sense she couldn't quite comprehend, after the life she'd led and all that she'd borne witness to over the years. "I wouldn't have killed all of them if it had come to that, but one or two wouldn't have hurt anything. Death is common enough as it is, and they knew what they were getting into." Or maybe they didn't, not that she cared. One more life ended meant nothing, after the considerable tally she had racked up. "The same could be applied to this war that's going on. Why step in if both sides are going to die eventually? Because you're trying to make sure that it's the ones that deserve it who die first, not the so-called good guys." Alright, so her logic was flawed. So be it.

"Everything's already gone to chit. I'm just trying to hold it back from going any further." But she wouldn't argue that point. Nothing would change either of their minds, and she could see he was just as stubborn as herself. Another point had been brought up anyhow, one of far more interest to her than this discussion of philosophy and the best way to go about preventing fights and other things. "Don't flatter yourself so much. If it was a date I'd be going easier on you, but that won't be happening." Her smile was daring, willing him to make a comment. "Any day works for me. I'm not too picky. It won't take that long to finish things, anyway." There, now that was a challenge.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Don't be so sure, my dear" The Jedi would warn, wagging his finger. "Their approaches have become more.... Aggressive in the last year, I've noticed. Though you're right in the idea that they won't dare take us head on, especially not without some trained way to do so. But when they think they have even half of the means to do so, and if they think they can surprise us... With the way the Senate is now.... They'll do it. And they'll do it in the name of public peace, saying we're some kind of scum or a danger. Problem is, the real thing tearing this galaxy apart is these political parties... As if the Sith didn't do enough. But all I see are agendas, agendas, agendas.... All pretending to be the good guys. All spurning fools and sheep to follow in their name with promises of self-gain. The idea of a reward is a tempting one... Or even the foolish adamant that you're apparently doing the right thing"

He let out a sigh. "But yet.... They're all we have. Without politics, without leaders.... Our galaxy is doomed to revert back to our basic instincts and we'll kill each other. Human instinct is evil.... Society makes us good. But even though the leaders of this society are what have made us who we are.... With the way they are regressing, there won't be much of a difference in the next couple hundred years, if even. And what will we be when they regress back to nothing but their natural instincts? Will we be animals? Savages? Nothing more? It pains me to think about it, but it's a possibility with the intellect and the tact of our so called world leaders in this day and age"

"But my point is... Don't underestimate the Republic. Or their capacity for brutality. It was by working closer with the Republic that Selena Halcyon turned my once beloved Jedi Order into an Order of soldiers meant for battle and nothing more. Many of the ones who didn't like the idea or had brains in their heads left, became Rogues... Or turned to the Silver Jedi. But will it die one day? Yes. It won't go out with a bang... It'll go out with a whimper. But while it exists, it's potential for brutality is almost as bad as that of the One Sith. And that fact scares me" He would admit, biting his tender lip a bit.

"As for war... It's better to kill the ones who are going to deal the death of more innocents. In the case of the Republic and the One Sith for example... I'd side with the Republic only because should they win... Should the galaxy become their oyster, the casualties of innocents will be lessened. Not expunged entirely.. But it's still better then the alternative. It's the lesser evil. As for drunks.... Bop them enough times, they'll learn. But bop them too hard and they'll just curl up and die. They can't improve if you don't give them opportunity. Every idiot has his day of clarity" He would add.

Oh ho ho... She was a confident one, was she? The topic turned back to the spar, and a playful little smirk crossed his lips as she made her quips. "The worst part is that I'm pretty sure this wouldn't be the weirdest date I've been on if this was the case" The Jedi would joke cheekily, with a slight chuckle. "But you sell me short so, miss... Why is that? Do you see a laughing man in front of you and think that all he can do is laugh?" He would tease.

Josh would reach over and gently play with a strand of Keira's hair on her left side, leaning in toward her until they were only a few inches apart, and stared dead into her eyes with a confident smile. "Take your pick, love... Pick a day... And you'll find out what I'm all about" The Jedi would whisper in a playful little tease, blowing a small hot breath onto her lips before leaning back and ceasing playing with her black locks. He would bring his hands behind his head and relax against his chair, his eyes never leaving hers.

If that was how she issued a challenge, then that was how he accepted one.

[member="Keira Ticon"]

 

[Keira Priest]

That was more of a lecture than Keira had been searching for, and she had to restrain a roll of her eyes as all that he had to say began to merge in some strange manner with what information had been granted her by the Jedi Masters that had resided in the Temple when she still called it home. The longer he continued the more he began to remind her of each and every one of them, a sentiment not at all appreciated. "I know. I know not to underestimate them, I know how and what will happen if they decide that people like us aren't worth keeping around. Believe me, I do. But when all I see is constant internal conflict, I'm not much worried about my death at their hands." There were far more pressing matters at hand as it was.

His philosophy, while enlightening in some areas, was nothing more than an annoyance in others, and in that regard she was beginning to grow impatient with the entirety of it. "I disagree. Human instinct is far from evil. The Jedi just like to make it so." In that she was only referring to the Republic's Order and the Code many of them still clung desperately to. "Society is the killer. It's that which tells us right from wrong, fooling most people into thinking they'll only be accepted if they abide by certain standards. I was never free until I openly rejected the path that had been laid out for me by everyone else. If that makes me evil, then so be it." Already she walked that line; crossing it would be no large difficulty.

"You really don't see it, do you? Everyone has the capacity to be just as brutal as the Sith. It's all a matter of choice. It doesn't matter what government you follow, which group you affiliate yourself with or who you are as a person. It's about making that decision that changes everything, the choice that can cause even the most devout Jedi to fall." Maybe that had been what he was getting at, and she had merely interpreted it all incorrectly. But she wouldn't sit by and not add in her two cents. "If the Republic comes to an end, maybe people will finally realize that we have to fight for peace. That it doesn't just happen one day when everyone decides to stop fighting. Maybe that period of anarchy is what we need to bring things back under order."

It was plain neither of their opinions were going to drastically change, but she was enjoying this little mental exercise regardless. Sometimes having your viewpoint challenged was a necessity in order to grow. "Every idiot has their moment of clarity, yet there are still some people who believe that nonviolence is the only way to victory, that this war will be won through common understanding, that one day the Sith will cease to exist as a whole. Not to mention the fact that there never seems to be a shortage of your average imbeciles to begin with. I don't think there's a moment of clarity. That's why death is so abundant in times of war." And why it would never cease, even in peacetime.

Upon his close proximity she was tempted to retaliate violently the second he drew in too close, but instead she allowed things to play out, her gaze following him impassively as he finally leaned back in his chair. A crooked smile grew, and she bit her lower lip, playing along. Slowly she leaned in just as he had done, head tilted to one side slightly, pausing when their faces were hovering only inches from each other and no more. It was there she remained for a few seconds before she spoke, her voice a whisper, "Lay that hand on me again, you won't get it back." Her smile widened as she relaxed into her chair. "And really, any day works. I'm not too busy."

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Of course, he'd never meant it in the form of a "lecture" as she might see it. To him, he was just speaking his mind and telling it like it was. His tone was very... Blunt. He was shooting straight, speaking the first thing that came to mind, and he didn't regret a damn thing that he said, no matter what anyone thought of it. It was just the way he is, really. Think he's too preachy? Don't care. Think he's too Jedi-like? Couldn't care less. Think he's being too joke-y for your entitled liking? There's the door. He didn't care. He'd say what was on his mind, and he wouldn't look back.

"All I know is... If man were without law and community, without society... They'd eat each other. While society is what keeps them in line... When it gets as it is... It is commonly abused. That's the problem" He spoke calmly, with an off-handed shrug. They had differing opinions, he got that. He had his and she had hers. What did it matter?

He ignored the rest, but one part did get his attention. "I agree, we need to fight back, at this point, against the Sith. Even if I don't agree to stooping to their level as the rest of the galaxy, especially the Republic, has begun to do" The Jedi would respond, letting out a sigh as he would gently jettison a stray bang of golden blonde hair from his face, gently brisking it away with his fingers. "That's the part that pisses me off. We stoop to their level... Well, whoever wins and whoever loses, in the end, they won't be any different then if the other side won. That's why I tend to work on my own. I see what's wrong, and I see what agendas are wrong... My only agenda is peace. So brick by brick, I'll do my part, but not because someone gave me orders" He spoke flatly. "But... Senseless killing in a non-war setting, like a bar... What's the point? Are they idiots? Sure. But I'm not going to kill them just because they're idiots who drink a lot. You could call me an idiot who drinks a lot, considering how much I drink" He joked, with a small smile. "Or insane, considering, again, the amount I drink... I think I like the term insane better" He cracked, a playful smirk replacing the former expression as he looked over at her.



----------------------------------------------



He didn't seem to falter throughout his display. He honestly figured she'd attack, most likely. And he was ready for her. His only surprise came when she didn't. But his prior display had been returned once he had leaned back into the chair. It was interesting, to him, that she had decided to play along... The flirty little challenge he'd thrown seemed to have been accepted - to a degree. He watched as she moved, his eyes seeming to stay on hers, but his senses extended to the rest of her. He was playing a dangerous game... But he wasn't playing it unprepared. But once they were merely inches from one another, once again, and she spoke her words, her thinly veiled threat, he decided to up the ante. He did what she wasn't able to do - and that was nearly close the gap. Instead of just letting her do as she pleased, as soon as she stopped and spoke, he leaned in right back. He didn't close the gap entirely, no, he left room - purposely - for improvement. He allowed their noses to touch, and the amused smirk remained on the Jedi's face as he stared dead into her eyes. He could have brushed her lips with his own at the lack of distance they had, if he wished to, but he decided to leave it at that, as he doubted she'd be able to - or wish to - defeat him in that little game. He didn't say anything - at first. Just smiled, an amused, mischievous little smile.

And then just like that - his expression changed.

Gone was the smile. Gone was the playfulness. Gone was the mischievousness. His expression was serious, cold. His eyes bore into her own with an almost fierce expression that told the entire story. And for a moment, he moved just a teensy bit closer, not touching her lips, but to where his words would come close enough that her own lips would literally feel every word that he spoke. And with that in mind, he responded with only a whisper. "Don't make threats that you can't back up"

And in that moment, she saw what many people he knew, and especially the Jedi, had not seen in a long time. The warrior was still there. He advocated for peace, he operated through non-violence and diplomacy, he preferred pacifism, if possible... But when it came right down to it, a warrior never died. A warrior only slept. And a warrior didn't take well to threats.

And just like that, his smile returned, playful and amused as ever as he would draw back from their close encounter the same moment she did, relaxing back into his seat as if the exchange had never happened.

"How does next Tuesday sound? Perhaps on Naboo?" He would inquire, his tone back to it's former swagger and playfulness. It had been a sudden change... But he showed no trace of the change at all on his face. Only what had come before it, and what came now. "Can give you a number to call for when the day comes, and we can arrange a time when we know for sure when it's convenient. As well as cancel if you get cold feet" He remarked, chuckling.

[member="Keira Ticon"]