Private Cracking Through the Surface

[Vince]

Cracking Through the Surface
Debrief with Acier Moonbound ​

Vince shook his head: Of course he had to thank him. But he did not offer much else in response aside from a telling look in his eyes. "Indeed you are" he noted somewhat idly. The young Jedi had managed to make the both of them survive slim odds this day.

Vince's gaze had drifted by the time Ace mentioned listening to 'the geezer'. The Royal's eyes told the exasperated words that his mouth did not utter Manners! That was admiral Chaussidier but he did not act on it. Instead, he let a quiet "You are correct, of course." There was no question about it: If Vince were to choose between bravado, thrills and duty, his choice - in his current state - would always be duty. Turning his head to the cockpit, Vince let out a command for the droid to head to the Nima II.

The King seemed to listen with a good amount of interest when his companion spoke of the jungle's whispers and the force. He did not, however, say anything immediately. Instead he pondered on what had just been said for long enough to receive Ace's offer to provide more assistance further down the line.

"We appreciate the offer" he noted. His voice grateful and official-like. "We may very well need it. They talked about how the song had soured. Regardless of what you call it, you can hear it. We believe that the aid of someone who can hear the jungle's song will be essential. for the investigation to come. And it will come. But first, we shall save as many members of clan Morak as we can."

The young monarch looked down to the datapad he had used to download the contents of the village's console, He still held it and looked at it as if it were precious to him somehow. "We shall have to investigate this further. That much is certain." His voice was certain and filled with conviction. This was not just duty: Vince wanted this.

After having rested his gaze at the datapad for a bit, Vince looked back up to Ace. The neck movement seemed to cause something to hurt as the king grimaced involuntarily. His expression quickly returned to normal, proving that the warrior king knew - and was decently good at - pushing past the pain. "We could not help but to notice that you seemed to be in pain too" his eyes darted to the used stim and then back to the Jedi. "It will fade, it always does. But you know that." his words were measured - he spoke from experience the two of them likely shared. Both had likely both suffered defeats and sacrificed much for their victories.

With a bit of care to his voice, Vince proceeded to poke where Ace had previously been defensive. "You also killed a few rupings before we fled. We hoped to see if you were doing alright?"

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Onderon

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27

Vince accepted Ace's offer of assistance, further stating that the jungle's "song had soured". Yeah, that's what he'd sensed earlier too - Vince elaborated that Ace's connection to the Force would be useful in the investigation going forward. Determination could be seen in both Ace's gaze and expression as he looked at the monarch, nodding in affirmation.

When the King fell silent, looking over the datapad he held again, Ace's own eyes glanced over the contents of the screen. It was information Vince had downloaded from one of the huts they'd entered arlier. This had really effected him, what had happened to the Beast Riders. His eyes rose, gaze focusing on Vince once more. He searched both with his eyes and the Force. He was deeply hurt by this, and Ace could tell that this was his way of coping. He didn't say anything or bring attention to it - he, simply and quietly, just understood.

Ace chuckled at Vince's obvious statement "I did get thrown into a hut."

It was from a fair distance too, but he understood the sentiment behind the monarch's statement. It was acknowledgement of shared experience, neither were strangers to physical pain. Both knew that, despite the worst of it, it would fade and become a memory at best... or a long lasting scar at worst.

His tone, expression, and overall aura flattened when Vince brought up the Rupings. The ones he had to kill. Ace glanced away again, quiet. The silence would stretch for several moments before he broke it with a sigh.

"I don't like killing... least of all a non-sentient's. What gives me the right, you know?" Ace paused, eyes still not meeting Vince's "Don't think I'll ever be okay with this side of the job, but... I'll be alright. Thank you."

He rubbed the back of his neck, then clicked his tongue before finally casting a side long glance at Vince.

"The Beast Riders... you were close with them, weren't you? It was more than just diplomacy."

Vince ​

 

[Vince]

Cracking Through the Surface
Debrief with Acier Moonbound ​

Acier noted how he had been thrown into a hut. For the briefest of moments, it looked like the King was about to smile. Alas, his cheeks did not seem to want to rise in the slightest. Instead, his gaze softened and a shade of fondness - similar to that which he had shown when looking at the holorecordings previously - could be seen in his eyes. Vince nodded before continuing his train of thought.

The subject of killing was sensitive, obviously. But not so much so that it was shut down immediately. Vince listened to what the Jedi said with interest. His brows rose with a curious expression upon hearing that the protector's aversity to killing non-sentient beings. But to the rhetorical question, Vince could immediately provide a definite and unequivocal nod in agreement. With a bit of insight and perception, it would not be hard to determine that the young monarch had asked himself similar questions too.

An amused brow rose. Vince's eyes and slight head-tilt spoke a clear Really? without the King needing to utter a single word. He shifted in the sofa as he laid down flat on it to let his body rest a little better compared to when it was slouched over the backrest.

"Alright, we will talk." he said, after having allowed a few more moments to pass them by in silence. "But in return, we wish you to tell us why you think you will be alright despite all the killing. We get the impression that you may not have killed enought beings to know that you will be fine. Fair?" Vince tilted his head to look for the Jedi's agreement to his terms.

If an agreement was reached, the King would let out a sigh as if steeling himself for someting painful. "We lived with the beast riders for quite some time. This was a few years ago, before our teens. We were excited at the prospect of going on an adventure but the Beast Riders were never too terribly excited about the idea. It did not matter much, our m-... The Queen had decided that it was a wise diplomatic venture and we all complied accordingly. Her Majesty was correct, of course. It is widely known that we won the Beast Riders over, and that we took a liking to them in return." For the first time in a long time, a clear sign of happiness could be seen in the King's eyes as he thought back to happier times.

"Chief Morak treated us like one of his own. We became close friends with his son, Lormorak and then there's Torbas - let me tell you: He had a tough exterior but when it really mattered, he showed up for us. Even at a great cost to himself. Chief Morak always used to say that he stood in our corner. At first we did not believe him but he kept proving that he meant what he said over and over." Emotion crept into his voice "Even today, in that old recording. We didn't know-..." Vince trailed off, momentarily overcome with emotion before concentrating to regain his composure. "We did not know that he had made sacrifices for us before even meeting us. Our mission today was mainly supposed to calm his nerves. We obviously did not take his concerns seriously enough. An easily avoidable error on our part. This could all have been avoided rather easily."

Perhaps the young monarch needed to stretch his legs - but the pain he displayed when getting up seemed to indicate otherwise. Perhaps he simply wanted to hide how overcome he was by guilt and shame. Regardless, he stood up and moved to one of the viewports, thus turning his back on the Jedi. "It is not the first time we make a big mistake. And it is not the first time our mistakes have resulted in fatalities. But to answer your question: Yes. This was more than mere diplomacy."

Vince glanced over his shoulder "Now, we believe you owe us an answer."

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Onderon

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27

Ace gave a single, slow nod. No words, just acceptance of Vince's terms. If nothing else, he respected the straightforwardness of the deal.

While the King spoke, Ace didn't interrupt, didn't shift in his seat, didn't try to smooth over the edges of what he was hearing. He just listened. The names, the memories, the small details in Vince's voice… they weren't just facts. They were real connections, lived and earned. And underneath it all, the guilt Vince carried was sharp enough to cut through the air between them. Ace knew better than to offer comfort in moments like this, not when the wound was still open and bleeding.

"Figured it was something like that." he said finally, voice low but certain. "Didn't need the details to see how much it mattered to you. Guess I was just hoping I was wrong."

He drew in a slow breath, rolling one shoulder like he was trying to work the stiffness out. His jaw shifted as if weighing his words.

"As for your question… It's not that I know I'll be fine. It's just that... I kind of have to be."

Like the alleyway on Bonadan where he first learned that not everyone who died in front of you was an enemy. Or like the days where you starved because someone faster or meaner took what was yours. Or the way you stop asking yourself if something is right or wrong because if you think too long, you're already too late.

"On Bonadan, you didn't always get the luxury of choosing what you walked away from, you just made peace with what it cost you. Sometimes you carry it quiet, sometimes it bleeds out. But you keep moving, because stopping… that's worse than anything you've done to stay alive."

He glanced over, meeting Vince's eyes for just long enough to let the point land.

"Doesn't mean I like it. Doesn't mean I'll ever get used to it. Just means I know how to keep going after."

Ace let the silence sit for a few seconds after he'd finished, leaning back into the seat again. His eyes drifted to the viewport, following the slow crawl of stars outside. He could feel the weight of the conversation still pressing in, but he'd had enough of it for now. He exhaled through his nose, then shot Vince a sidelong look.

"Alright, something I've been meaning to ask--" his voice took on a lighter edge, almost like he was deliberately cutting away from the heaviness. "Why do you keep calling yourself 'we' all the time? I mean… I get the whole king thing, but honestly?" He tilted his head, feigning a squint. "Kinda creepy. Feels like you've got a second Vince in there I haven't met yet."

The corner of his mouth twitched into the faintest smirk before he looked away again, letting the question hang in the air.

Vince​

 

[Vince]

Cracking Through the Surface
Debrief with Acier Moonbound ​

The audacity! Much of what Vince had said was public knowledge but what he conveyed through insinnuendo and tone was not. It was private. It was his. Few things in life were truly his own - his schedule, his hobbies, his military career, his relationship with his family and even his love life - all if it were part of the public sphere. And now, when he had chosen to open up and share something that was truly his own, all he got was a simple 'I thought so' and 'I had hoped it was untrue'. Vince's head turned away quickly for he desperately wanted to hide how vulnerable he felt as shame and regret filled his mind. From his reflection in the viewport, he could see all of those emotions staring right back at him. He truly had no poker face.

But then, he was nothing if not well-mannered. Vince eventually glanced back over his shoulder again with an appreciative nod. The young Jedi had shown some concern for him, afterall.

He then listened with interest as Ace shared a few more thoughts on his upbringing. On why he was who he was. A number of thoughts streamed through Vince's head as he processed the information. The two of them were more similar than met the eye. Ever since the two had met, the Jedi seemed to believe that they were worlds apart. In a way, he was probably right - but in some ways, the two of them had gone through some very similar struggles. The monarch kept painful memories from flooding his mind as he made a mental note: That is not good enough.

By the time Vince had processed everything, the Jedi had moved on. The young King's brows shot up as if he had just been asked the silliest question. Why are there trees in the jungle? Why is there an order of succession in the Kingdom? Why does a child yearn for their parents' love? His confuzzled look changed slightly as Ace continued. A shade of amusement could be seen in his eyes as the mention of a second Vince was made. It was the hollow kind of amusement which hid a deeper painful truth. Perhaps it had not yet crossed the Royal's mind - but he knew that the Jedi was right. It was nothing to delve into now, however.

"There are two equally true explanations for your question. The first is that this is simply how we were taught to speak. You may compare it to Coruscanti colloquialisms or how some have difficulties with tone and pitch when speaking in their non-native language. The second reason is that this is what everyone expects The Royal We is part of our culture. We believe it is supposed to mark that we are not just our own person, but also an institution. Or, perhaps, it is just a way for some to feel a little extra fancy. Traditions don't always make perfect sense but they help keep our society together and united. And by the stars; we do need to stand united. We live in a tumultous galaxy and Onderon has felt it multiple times over." He spoke with attentive eyes, looking for if he needed to slow down or explain something further. In a way, he appreciated brushing up on answering the sort of questions he might expect during school visits or when encountering a child during a parade.

A little bit of time went by. The pain the King was in was growing more obvious by the minute. Adrenaline was running low and the stims were wearing out. Still, he maintained appearances to the best of his abilities. His posture - mostly - remained good and his face - rarely - winced in pain. Eventually, Vince made his way back to the bloodied couch and collapsed down onto it once more.

"We are not so different, you and I" he was suppressing a fair bit of pain as he spoke. For a moment, his thoughts ventured back to his earlier thoughts but he shook his head and waved his hand 'it doesn't matter' before continuing "When your boat is leaking, rowing faster won't save you. Simply getting by because you have to is not good enough." The King did not seem to realise the deep irony in him being the one uttering those words. He had been on auto-pilot in survival mode since the Queen was killed. His spirit had slowly been brutally crushed under the weight of responsibility - but he had carried on under the guise of duty. Without realising it, Vince was in an excellent position to understand and sympathise with the young Jedi.

Even from his sorry state, Vince's kind eyes shimmered faintly with a distant passion found somewhere very deep "Through the Force, you wield power that most people can only dream of. We know what may happen when Jedi crack." Vince shook his head: 'Cracking' was not an acceptable outcome for Ace. "To prevent that happening to you, you need to slow down, You need to give yourself a break to think about who you are. Just like we talked about on our way to-..." Vince closed his eyes as pain started flooding his system. His one hand instinctively grabbed one of the wounds by his side as he let out a long pained breath. For the time being, it would seem like the King was done talking.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Onderon

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27

Ace had always heard the term 'Royal We' before, but never actually understood the use for it. So, although his question was initially in jest, the young rebel was curious to hear what Vince had to say.​

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Vince's explanation to say the least. One of the reasons that stuck out to him the most was that it was used because some monarchs were considered as an institution, instead of an individual. He pondered on that, Ace was a firm believer in individualism and part of him disagreed with this proposition. The idea one needed to strip any sense of personal identity in service of an establishment. Both was certainly possible in his eyes.​

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His train of thought was halted when Vince spoke up once more. Ace cast him a side long glance that almost seemed to be a glare. The monarch claimed the pair shared more similarities than difference. The idea, almost felt insulting in a way, how could a man born into privilage and status ever compare himself to someone like Ace? The two both shared struggles, but they weren't borne of the same circumstances. Ace elected not to acknowledge Vince's statement.​

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However, he heeded what came next. Getting by because he needed to wasn't going to be sustainable forever. Vince was right. Even now more so with his strengthening connection to the Force. Ace was all too aware this his unhealthy coping mechanisms risked walking the path of the Dark side. While he didn't verbally acknowledge with Vince, internally he agreed with everything he said.​

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Vince was still very much in pain. They both were, Ace just may have been better at ignoring it.​

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"All wise words from Onderon's King. Now, listen to the wisdom of one of Bonadan's paupers." he half-jested, placing his palm on the man's broad shoulder "Get some rest. Sleep this off."​

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With that, Ace leaned back into the couch, letting the quiet settle between them. Outside the viewport, the jungle swayed gently under a pale wash of moonlight - a softer rhythm, for now, to replace the soured song they'd spoken of earlier. Whatever came next could wait until morning.​

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-END-​

Vince​