Private Brothers Light

[Aiden Porte]

Naboo
Keren Royal Defense Complex
Tags: Brandyn Sal-Soren

It looked to be a good day out and thus the clouds rolled in and lightning could be seen and thunder hear in the distance. A light rain began to fall on the Military Complex in Keren, while it wasn't too bad as Aiden hadn't planned on doing anything outside anyway today. He had invited one of his closest friends and essentially a brother to him to the complex. Not that he needed an invitation but Aiden had planned on using the range today for some target practice and better familiarize himself with the weapons that the Naboo Military utilized. Of course Aiden had gone through the basic trainings already, there was nothing wrong with getting to familiar with these weapons. As a lightsaber was a Jedi's life. A rifle, blaster and such were the same when it came to a solider in the military.

And his fathers words were forever in his mind. There was nothing wrong with more learning, and a Jedi's especially never stopped.

Aiden hadn't seen Brandyn in a few weeks as they were both busy with their respective duties, so he felt some bonding time would be good. And perhaps even put a wager on today's range time. Primarily to hang out more and truth be told he missed his friend.

Aiden was conversing with some Defense force personnel as he waited for Brandyn to arrive.

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

The soft drum of rain against the windows mirrored the slow, rhythmic beat of Brandyn’s thoughts. Every step toward the Military Complex felt heavier than it should have. His mind wandered — to the soft curve of Cybelle’s belly beneath his fingertips, to the quiet tremor in her laughter when she spoke of names for their unborn child. It was supposed to be the happiest time of his life...but happiness had a way of tying itself in knots when the galaxy around him remained so uncertain.

He shook his head as he entered, droplets of rain sliding from his cloak. Not now. Today wasn't about him.

Today was about Aiden.

Brandyn spotted his old friend across the hall, speaking with a small cluster of Defense Force personnel. The sight drew a brief, genuine smile to his lips — one of those rare, unguarded expressions that still surfaced when he saw the people who had once been his whole world.

Adjusting the fall of his cloak, Brandyn made his way over, letting the familiar, easy rhythm of brotherhood push aside the tangled hopes and worries waiting at the edge of his mind. Whatever Aiden needed today — a sparring partner, a distraction, a brother — he would be that. He owed him that much.

And, truth be told, he missed him too.

"Hey, old man!"

Aiden Porte

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[Aiden Porte]

"Hey, old man!"

He turned and gave a mock offended look to where the voice came from. While he new it was Brandyn, it was still funny to play it off?

"I'm an old man?" The Jedi Padawan chuckled as he excused himself from the Defense force personnel, wishing them good day as they had things to take care of too. He met his good friend with a warm smile and a brother hug.

"Look at all that?" Aiden laughed pointing to his beard, I see a few grey hairs in that beard of yours. "Is the Mrs driving you crazy?" Aiden chuckled again before in all seriousness settling into a good stance. "It's good to see you Brandyn, we definitely need to do this more often my friend." For as close as the in proximity that the duo had lived, they needed to keep in touch more. While no doubt Brandyn had heard of the trouble over the last several weeks in regards to his home burning down, and Esme's well.....

Yea....

Truth be told Aiden was surprisingly doing well, the main thing was he was keeping busy. That allowed his mind to not to linger and ponder on the what if's. He couldn't' live in the past, and he had to be their for all of those that were counting on him. That didn't mean that Brandyn wouldn't be able to see the lines that were on Aiden's face due to worry, nor the slight shakiness of his voice due to fatigue. No matter how hard he would try to hide it from him.

"How would you feel about a little target practice? Maybe make a wager about something?" He placed his hand on his friends shoulder, as they began to walk. "So how have you been? How's Cybelle doing? You guys ready for parenthood?"

Brandyn Sal-Soren Cybelle Sal-Soren

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Brandyn chuckled, his smile widening as he shook his head at Aiden’s teasing. "An old man? Me?" He grinned, tugging at his beard. "Guess I’m just aging like fine wine."

He ruffled Aiden's hair playfully as they shared a brief hug. "Look at you, though. Still the same troublemaker, huh? Can't seem to let go of that signature charm, can you?"

Brandyn's expression softened as they stepped aside from the crowd, the light mood carrying a subtle weight behind it. "We definitely need to catch up more often, Aiden. I know we’ve both been... busy with our own battles." His eyes lingered for a moment longer, the underlying weight of their shared losses evident in his gaze, though he quickly masked it with another half-smile.

"About the whole ‘parenthood’ thing..." Brandyn began, adjusting his stance as they walked. "Cybelle’s more than ready, and I’m just trying to keep up. But I know it’s gonna be a wild ride. Hope you’re right—hope we’re ready for it." His voice softened a little, more genuine now.

He clapped Aiden on the shoulder, offering an easy, reassuring grin. "Maybe we can do this—more than once—catch up on the real stuff next time."

Aiden’s mention of the practice session brought Brandyn back into playful mode, his energy shifting. "Sure, target practice. But you know I’m going to wipe the floor with you, right? Maybe we can make a little wager..." He raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "Whoever loses buys dinner. Or... you know, something like that."

He glanced sideways at Aiden, giving him a brotherly nudge. "But seriously, it's good to see you, my friend. No more running off to the far corners of the galaxy without a check-in, yeah?"

They continued walking side-by-side, the world around them bustling, but for a brief moment, it was just Brandyn and Aiden, talking about the things that mattered. But mostly the things that didn't.

| TAG: Aiden Porte | ​

 

[Aiden Porte]

"Guess I’m just aging like fine wine."

"If that's your story..." Aiden chuckled at the playful banter between the two old friends. He truly did miss this, Brandyn was one of his first friends that he had ever truly made. There was a few others, but none of them had the same wit, cunning and poise that Brandyn carried. And a majority of them simply moved past Aiden pretty quickly and he didn't have much to do other than continue on by himself.

"Cybelle’s more than ready, and I’m just trying to keep up. But I know it’s gonna be a wild ride. Hope you’re right—hope we’re ready for it."

"I have complete faith in the both of you. And you know I will be there if you guys need anything at all. Don't you dare hesitate to ask." The Padawan smiled as the moved forward through the opening of the complex. It was truly overwhelming sight at first glance. He remembered his first time walking through the structure.

Busy, but structure. Incredible discipline....

"Sure, target practice. But you know I’m going to wipe the floor with you, right? Maybe we can make a little wager..."

"But seriously, it's good to see you, my friend. No more running off to the far corners of the galaxy without a check-in, yeah?"

"I know." Aiden nodded and smiled at the brotherly nudge. "I'll do my best to make sure I don't run off, as long you make the same promise. You have people here that need you, Brandyn."

He took a deep breath as they neared the range.

"If those grey hairs are any indication you might be losing a step my friend." Aiden smirked as they neared the range, outfitting to be done before. Nothing to fancy, but pick a weapon, do the safety checks and report to the designated lanes, which theirs would be side by side.

The weapon of choice for now was just the standard issue blaster pistol and blaster rifle that the Royal Defense Force mainly utilized.

"What do you think?" Aiden inquired as he checked the blaster pistol, and the targets appeared down range. "Do you need a warm up. I could probably use one." He said with a smirk.

Brandyn Sal-Soren

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Brandyn gave a soft laugh, one that carried more warmth than ego. “You know, I think I’ve missed that. You, calling me old.”

There were things Aiden said that stuck harder than they should have — You have people here who need you — and Brandyn didn’t let those pass lightly. The truth was, he'd been clinging to the idea of home like a man adrift, grateful for the solid rock of friendship that hadn’t worn away with time.

“I mean it. Your support. Cybelle and I...we don’t take that lightly.”

His fingers ran over the grip of the standard-issue blaster pistol, testing the weight, the balance. So different from a lightsaber — no hum of energy, no feedback from the Force — but still a tool, still something that demanded respect.

“You know,” he said with a sideways glance, “I think I will take that warm-up. Not because I need it... but because I want to give you a fighting chance.”

The smirk returned, but there was light behind his eyes now — the kind of spark that came from standing next to someone who knew you before the galaxy carved its lines into your face.

Brandyn stepped into position, squared his stance, and exhaled slowly.

“Let’s see what the ‘old man’ still has in him.”

| TAG: Aiden Porte |

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[Aiden Porte]

“You know, I think I’ve missed that. You, calling me old.”

"Well, we have a lot to catch up on." The Padawan spoke with a smile as he finished his check over the weapon and the targets had appeared. It was purely practice right now, and honestly contest and such, primarily for fun. Aiden was just pleased to see his old friend. It wasn't even a point that he would want to bring up Esme or anything that had happened in the past few weeks. No doubt, he had heard about it. He wasn't too sure how he felt about the whole thing. At first that came pretty easy, however he couldn't linger like that.

He was still here, he was still alive.

Aiden knew he had to keep going, if not then he should've died that night.....

He had to move on...

“I mean it. Your support. Cybelle and I...we don’t take that lightly.”

"I know you don't." Aiden chuckled as he aimed the blaster pistol down range and fired off a few shots. A few were center mass, while some were more towards the exterior and he chuckled. The news of their little bundle of joy was amazing news for Aiden, just like it was when he heard that Lorn had a young child. It was more family to be quite honest. Right now it was just him and his father. There was still no news of where his mother and sister where. He knew his father clung to hope, Aiden was just worried.

So the fact those those that meant so much to him were starting their own families and such. He was just happy to be even a small part of it.

“I think I will take that warm-up. Not because I need it... but because I want to give you a fighting chance.”

"Perhaps I need the warm up more than you do." Aiden smirked as he settled into his stance a little bit more, remembering what he learned, and then the next succession of shots were dead on target.

"How are the siblings doing?" Aiden inquired as he looked over to Bran. "Sisters still being troublemakers?" The Padawan said with a teasing tone.

Brandyn Sal-Soren