Honor is in the heart, not in the name.

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar stood in silence, his form overshadowed by the emperor's hulking mass. On this particular day his father was angrier than usual, which never boded well for the halfbreed. Due to his heritage as a bastard, much of the more mundane problems the Zambrano lineage dealt with often fell onto him to deal with. Normally Vaulkhar was not bothered by this, as it allowed him to tour the galaxy for weeks on end, away from the Empire and the corrupt individuals who resided within. However, things quickly changed the day his father declared him a Sith Lord. Simple missions became tactical search and destroy jobs, contracts on varying politicians, and long term spy gigs far behind enemy lines. His day to day had become a deadly web he was unfortunately trapped within.

More than anything, Vaulkhar sought to make his father proud. He longed for the affection granted to his half-siblings. A deep, deep part of him knew he'd never receive it. He knew he'd always be the bastard son of the emperor, used and abused until there was nothing left but an empty husk.

It drove him crazy. Anger, despair, loss and hate swelled within him. Vaulkhar fought against that fate each and everyday. With each destroyed temple, murdered politician, and fallen government he hoped his father would show something! Anything! But it never came. Instead, another mission would be delivered in the following weeks and he'd be off to some other corner of the galaxy to deal with whatever was on his father's list of problems.

This day was mostly the same.

Mostly.

The Dark Lord was midway through a spite filled speech in regards to a spy recently discovered within the Empire. At some point years prior, the Silver Jedi managed to sneak in a competent individual to keep tabs on the Sith. This spy had done a grand job of it having avoided detection for years on end. If it weren't for an intercepted transmission, wholly by accident mind you, this individual likely could have remained for even more time. Fortunately for the empire, news reached the council and Vaulkhar was summoned to deal with it. With Operation Hammerfall so close, most resources were kept close to the chest. Therefore, only that which is disposable had been chosen to hunt down and kill the assassin.

Contruum
Somewhere outside of Torian City
_______________________________________________

Things were going pretty damn well at first. The spy had been tracked to Torian City by Vaulkhar and his personal unit of Blackblade Guardsmen. Having arrived under the cover of night, the squadron moved quickly to meet their contact. It wasn't until Vaulkhar entered into the contact's apartment did things go south, way south.

The contact, an epicanthix woman by the name of Sedine was gagged and bound. Her form was crippled and broken by what Vaulkhar assumed was a rather brutal interrogation session. A hint of concern escaped him. Enough to lead him towards her. He inspected her quickly only to find her dead and gone. Realizing the error in his ways rather quickly, Vaulkhar moved to flee but was cornered by a trio of Jedi. Of course they asked him to surrender and turn himself, offering him a chance to face justice for whatever atrocities they assumed, rightly, he committed.

It was unfortunate for them considering Vaulkhar worked them over quickly enough, turning the trio of Jedi into a pile of dead. He moved quickly out of the building only to end up running into a group of Jedi and soldiers alike. The trap had been set and sprung. The Blackblade soldiers and the halfbreed were surrounded. A violent battle ensued through the streets of Torian city as the eight soldiers and one Sith Lord left a trail of destruction in their wake. Already wanted for manslaughter and the subjugation of the planet years earlier, Vaulkhar racked up an even greater bounty as he and his unit cleaved through the city in tight, military fashion.

As the group cleared the city limits, things finally started to look good for the squadron. They moved through farmland in the hopes of reaching a rendezvous point to escape the planet and resume the hunt at a later time. They reached the location only to find a Jedi Master waiting for them. Accompanying the master was the very same spy they were sent to find, revealed to be the apprentice of this individual.

Driven by a sense of twisted honor, Vaulkhar led his troops against the duo. If he had met the master but a few hours earlier, things likely would of been different. Instead, Vaulkhar lost his left arm that day. Already banged up from the city wide brawl, the Sith was forced to sacrifice his arm in trade for the Jedi master's life. To most it was a worthwhile sacrifice. To the scorned son of the emperor, it was another reminder of his slow descent into the dark side. In that moment he was reminded of drowning. The weightless feeling of falling through water, an inability to break the surface as his innards filled with water. Except he wasn't drowning in the sea, but instead the darkness that gripped him and his family.

The spy was collected midway through the fight, but Vaulkhar was left behind. His assumed sacrifice was a noble and expected one of the Sith. Or so they would tell his father when they returned.

...

Hours drifted by in a haze as the crippled Sith Lord pushed himself away from the site of the battle.

Hours turned to days as his broken form marched endlessly through the jungles on the outskirts of the farmland.

The people and droids working the fields grew friendlier and friendlier with each passing day as the wounded, near dead Sith struggled to find anything to call a shelter. Eventually he stumbled upon a small, abandoned farm by a small stream. He collapsed just in the doorway. The Sith Lord began to fade away as a fever set in. Darkness tugged him down as his consciousness left him injured and alone.

[member="Nylea Apollodor"]

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

Nylea's stay on Contruum wasn't slated to be a very long one. All she was going to be here for was to restock on various medical supplies to bring back to the Sacred Lotus and for that reason she and Karl, one of her fellow Lotus Jedi, had made the trip. Had everything gone according to schedule, they would have left the same day they arrived.

If course, things rarely went as planned.

While the Nylea and Karl watched the various boxes filled with supplies being loaded into their ship, a seemingly ordinary man approached them. A dark blue tunic, showing chest hair from its v-neck, was complimented by an azure pair of jeans and a pair of black shoes. Sporadic grey streaks could be found in his neatly brushed back, short brown hair, and as he walked he displayed a little bit of a limp. How he had thought of looking around a hangar bay to find anyone specific Nylea did not know.

"E-excuse me, are you Jedi?" It was not too out-of-place a question, considering the Silver Jedi's presence on the planet, though it was a bit unexpected.

"Yes, we are. Though, we are not with the Silver Jedi," the echani clarified. This didn't seem to be an issue for him, though, as he seemed relieved by the answer.

"Could I ask for your help? My brother lives just outside the city, and he saw a man pass by his farm today. He was missing an arm, covered in blood, he can't be well. Is there anything you could do for him?" Nylea cast a quick glance towards Karl, who nodded. She did the same.

"Of course. Is he with your brother?"

"No, he was too afraid to approach him, he told me. I said there was no way he could've done anything with an arm missing, but he was never the most courageous."

"That is okay, we will find him. Thank you for bringing this to us." A shower of thanks from the man later, followed by him sharing the coordinates of where the man had been last seen, he made his way towards the exit of the hangar.

"We have to have at least one of us here to watch over the supplies being loaded in, but we don't have much time to lose either."

"I will go."

"If anything happens, contact me and I will be there as quickly as possible."

---

---

Armed with a backpack filled with medical supplies, Nylea trekked through the outskirts of the farmland in hopes of finding some kind of trail that would lead her to the mysterious wounded man. She didn't know the full extent of his injuries and that meant there was little time to lose. The loss of a limb was an injury one rarely suffered on its own. Multiple trails of footsteps decorated the dirt part underneath her feet, giving her little indication whether one of them was of the man she was looking for.

As though the Force willed it, however, when Nylea's eye fell upon an abandoned farm. As she looked in the doorway, she saw a man, missing an arm, collapsed onto the floor. The echani turned her walk into a sprint towards the man. When she arrived at his side, she dropped to one knee and held two fingers at his neck to see if he was still concious, or even alive. Through soft panting from her sprint, she spoke. "Are you concious? Can you sit?"

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

The halfbreed definitely looked as if he stood at death's door. A small pool of dried blood decorated the earth beneath his right thigh. Quick inspection would reveal a blaster bolt likely tore through a fleshy portion of his leg. It appeared as if an infection had begun to take hold, given the wound was caked in dirt and dried blood. His left arm was nowhere to be found, though the Jedi's trained eye would see clear evidence it was sliced away via a lightsaber. The wound was cauterized and fortunately for Vaulkhar, not infected. Though it certainly looked as if it would cause a conscious man a fair bit of pain.

Between the Jedi's touch and whatever sense of self preservation the dying man had within him, his eyes managed to flutter open. Dirt mixed with sweat on his pale face, mostly masking the agony he felt. Vaulkhar's perception appeared hazy as his head slowly turned and he settled his attention on Nylea. He tried to speak at first but only managed to groan out in pain. Curiously, his right hand rose slowly to her face. The glove and sleeve that normally covered it were mostly torn away from the brawl days earlier, revealing a cybernetic arm. As his fingers neared her forehead he coughed weakly.

"Ori..." the name spoken sent a series of harsh coughs through his body, his form convulsing for a moment. When he managed to regain some semblance of control, Vaulkhar gently pressed the two fingers against her forehead. His hand then fell to his chest, where it appeared to press against his heart. "I'm sorry."

Vaulkhar's eyes closed once more as he drifted back into an unconscious state. He was still alive, though his heartbeat was faint.

[member="Nylea Apollodor"]​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

As Nylea's fingers were placed on his neck, she was still able to feel the pumping of blood through his veins. She breathed a sigh of relief, though it was short-lived as she kept in mind that the condition the man was in remained critical. His leg was in a bad state, not to mention his missing arm, and she had only assessed his condition very briefly. It was clear his wounds couldn't be properly treated here, though until assistance was called in and arrived Nylea would do what she could from here.

Before the woman was able to get started, however, the stranger slowly began to regain his conciousness. Not wanting to make any unexpected moves in case of any reflexes being triggered that could cause harm to his already battered and bruised body, Nylea remained still by his side in order to give him time to properly awaken. Despite moving his cybernetic arm towards her face, she did not sense any malicious intent, and instead she slowly sat him up against the doorpost.

"Ori..."

Two fingers touched her forehead.

"I'm sorry."

As odd as Nylea thought it was, it wasn't anything particularly new to her. Many badly wounded soldiers she had treated displayed behavior not unlike this. They would often mistake her for someone they were close with and though it was a product of the imagination, in the moment it sometimes brought some comfort. It did not bother Nylea and she understood there was no harm in simply letting them believe what they thought they saw.

She slung the backpack off of her back and placed it on the ground next to the man, who was once again slipping back into unconciousness. "Stay with me here," she told him as she zipped open the backpack, though by the time she cast her gaze from the inside of the backpack back to the man, he had already drifted off. The woman retrieved a holodevice and turned it on, setting it down on the ground before taking two more items in a bottle of rubbing alcohol and gauze pad out. The cap was screwed off of the bottle and the gauze pad was pressed against where it once was screwed on, before Nylea turned it upside down to let the fluid seep into the pad.

As the woman began cleaning out the wound on the stranger's leg, Karl appeared on the holodevice.

"Did you find him? Is everything okay?"

"I found him, but he is in bad shape. I will not be able to do everything from here."

"I'm flying the ship over. Do what you can until then."

"Of course. Be quick."

"Already on my way."

The holodevice shut down again and although he was unconcious, Nylea softly spoke to the man as she continued carefully wiping away the dirt and blood from his leg.

"Just hold on. You will be okay."

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar remained mostly quiet as Nylea treated what she could with what little she had. A few grunts or winces escaped him as she cleaned the wounded leg, though he eventually returned to a conscious state. Her words of reassurance were answered with a weak chuckle and a slight smile. Vaulkhar allowed his eyes to slowly flutter open once more to better gauge his surroundings. It was apparent he did not recognize the woman before him nor the surrounding barn. A part of him was surprised and momentarily concerned by the stranger. Dark thoughts raced through his mind as he considered the likelihood she was an assassin or Jedi sent to end his life.

Honestly, he couldn't care less. There was a very strange shift in his gaze rather suddenly. Where momentarily Nylea would witness concern for his life and a will to keep going, now there was nothing. For several seconds he said nothing as she worked. He just watched her through dull blue eyes. Eventually he spoke.

"I'm surprised you found me out here. I thought this was a quaint place to go to die. Quiet, lost and forgotten."

The words seemed forced from his throat, each syllable appearing to cause Vaulkhar physical pain. His throat was both dry and scratchy as if he had gone days without a drink. Aside from the wounds he sustained from the battle, Nylea would like;y recognize the frame and physique of a warrior. The man was smaller than most of his species, but it was apparent he did not allow his stature to slow him down.

A momentary sense of panic reappeared as Vaulkhar remembered the events that transpired on the planet. A hand fell to his belt searching for his lightsaber. As his hand closed around the hilt he allowed a sigh of relief to escape him.

[member="Nylea Apollodor"]​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

For that moment of concern Vaulkhar had, Nylea's movement stuttered ever so slightly before she realized there was little to be concerned about. Distance between herself and the stranger was easily made and it didn't seem likely he would be able to simply get up and look to cause any harm. The echani took a deep breath before cleaning out the last bits of dirt out of the wound. Meanwhile, the stranger himself settled down as well, returning to a state of what nearly seemed to be apathy. As Nylea packed away the items she had used back into the bag, the man spoke to her. Upon hearing his roughed up voice she would reach into the backpack again, taking out a bottle of water and opening it.

"One of the local farmers spotted you. Have some water to clear your throat." She carefully put the bottle at his lips and tilted it slightly, allowing him to drink from it. "This is not yet your time. Not if I can help it," she then remarked calmly, her voice as soft as it always was.

The stranger reached for the lightsaber hilt Nylea herself had not noticed until then as she felt another wave of panic shoot over him, causing her to carefully lay a hand on his shoulder. Through it she allowed to let her Force aura pass through him, hopefully allowing him to regain a more permanent sense of calm. "I am Nylea, Jedi knight of the Order of the Sacred Lotus. Not many remember us, but we bring aid to those in need."

In the distance, the ship Nylea and Karl had come to the planet in came into view.

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar narrowed his eyes as her aura washed over him. At first, he contested it in a stubborn display, silently voicing he did not require such aid. It occured to him rather quickly how foolish he was behaving. With a deep breath he released both his physical grip on the lightsaber hilt and his mental grip on the force. Nylea's calming essence washed over him and the halfbreed noticeably relaxed. His shoulders slumped and a wave of tension escaped him. Vaulkhar took the bottle in his remaining cybernetic limb before pulling the cap off with his teeth. It was not a pleasant or graceful display but it got the job done. The cap fell into his lap while he gulped down the contents of the bottle greedily.

A violent cough once more shook his body, but it appeared to be from a lack of self control rather than pain. He slowed down considerably with his next few sips, allowing the silence to stretch between them. Eventually he set the now empty bottle down beside him and trained his attention back on Nylea.

"Jedi, huh? I was under the impression your particular order had died years ago," Vaulkhar repositioned himself against the door frame. The coarse wood had begun to bite into his sore flesh, leaving an undesirable amount of pain in its place. "I'm surprised you have the time to come out this far on the words of simple farm folk."

[member="Nylea Apollodor"]​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

"We certainly have lost the outreach we once had, but those who remain still do what they can. A small difference is still a difference." Nylea helped to carefully position the stranger's body against the doorframe, though when it looked like he wasn't in the most comfortable position she took off her jacket and folded it, then carefully placed it between the man and the doorframe. "I hope that helps," the echani remarked as she closed the backpack and slung it over her shoulder. "Every single life is valuable. The fact you are here, now, means you are as much a part of the galaxy as I am. Who am I to say my time is more valuable than your life?" The woman smiled softly. It didn't seem like the stranger valued his own life much, but she herself did.

Nylea turned her head towards the ship that had begun its landing in a clearing nearby the two. "There's a medical droid along with everything I will need to assess the damage on the ship." The vessel touched down and the boarding ramp began to lower, revealing Karl standing there in wait. "Can you make it that far?" If the answer was yes, she would prop herself up underneath the man's remaining arm and slowly guide him towards the ship.

"Is there anyone we can contact for you to inform them of what happened? You may also contact someone in private, if you wish." In her years providing aid in the name of the Sacred Lotus, Nylea had tended to beings of countless creeds and affiliations, not all of them being equally accepting of Jedi. It had taught her that sometimes, it was better to let the being find their way home without help, but the least she could do was extend the help.

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

"If you say so," Vaulkhar shifted slightly to allow her efforts in making his position more comfortable. He was certainly thankful for it, though he failed to voice such feelings. Instead, he narrowed his eyes at the ship as it settled away from them. Without a doubt, he assumed he had found himself in a cleverly designed trap. A 'kind' jedi coming forward to aid him while backup arrives, both capable enough to take the injured sith down. A soft sigh escaped him and he gripped the frame with his still functioning arm. With a grunt of exertion, he guided himself to his feet with the aid of the frame. Pain shot through him from everything and everywhere on his body. He winced in response, seeing no reason to preserve his pride in the face of certain death.

"I can make it on my ow-" as Nylea guided him forth, Vaulkhar allowed the words to fall away into silence. The closer they drew to the ship, the harder his gaze became as it locked onto Karl. Once they passed him, he physically relaxed. His shoulders slumped as he exhaled a held breath that was locked away in his chest. "There is no one to contact. My work doesn't afford such luxuries."

Vaulkhar leaned into her slightly as a new wave of exhaustion hit him.

"Nice ship."

[member="Nylea Apollodor"]​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

Though the stranger seemed stubborn on the surface, this too was something Nylea had seen before. It was quite clear it would take a lot of of him to walk the distance between them and the ship and so, the echani wasn't going to give up on helping him get there so easily. "I do apologize if what I said came over as preaching," she told him as they made their way towards the ship, "it is not my place to do so." The people of the Sacred Lotus provided aid to all who needed it, regardless of their creed or beliefs. As such, it was vital to clear one's mind of judgment and to eschew the propagation of the beliefs they held. Their own beliefs were at the core of their work, but requiring those they aided to embrace them like they themselves did was foolish at best.

Nylea nodded towards Karl as she, together with the stranger, carefully made their way up the boarding ramp. She elected to ignore the tension she felt coming off of the stranger as they approached, knowing there was little she could say or do to alleviate that in the moment. "Know that we would be glad to provide transport home for you, if you so wish," the woman remarked as they entered the ship's interior. "Over here." The destination was Nylea's quarters, where a medical droid waited.

"This is merely a supply ship, so I apologize for the somewhat improvised setting." Had the Jedi duo known what was in store, they would have brought a medical vessel instead. There wasn't much to be done about the situation anymore, though. After guiding the man to the single bed in the room, Nylea helped him lay down before nodding towards the droid, which in response moved to the bedside. "Our medical droid will check for any potential internal injuries. If there are any, the best and quickest way to treat them is through Force Healing. Do you have any objections to me using the Light side of the Force to treat you?"

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

"I didn't consider it as such. Perhaps a little too accepting, given the monstrous individuals who call this galaxy home," Vaulkhar moved into the room with her aid. He studied room as he was brought to the bed. There was a part of him that was against laying down for some reason. Perhaps it was the inkling of paranoia growing in the back of his head, warning him of impending danger. He studied Nylea and considered Karl as he complied and laid down across the sole bed in the room. Even severely weakened, a part of him believed he could take on the duo. Arrogance most likely, but he did not persevere through days of pain, hunger and exhaustion to die on a supply ship in the middle of nowhere.

He blinked as if he were coming to from his momentary lapse of attention. He looked up at the droid and nodded his head.

"The droid can do its work. As for healing, that's fine. I'm used to it by this point," Vaulkhar offered his own attempt at a smile, though the gesture was... off? It may even be considered comical, but if he were in danger, better to appear unprepared until the last moment. And if she really had his best interests at heart, there was zero reason he couldn't be civil.

"So Jedi, what drove you to your order?"

[member="Nylea Apollodor"]​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

With a nod, Nylea acknowledged the fact the man had no objections against what she had proposed. Though the smile was somewhat off-putting, she didn't assume anything sinister hiding behind it. He was wounded enough as it was, it was doubtful there was much he could do to cause any harm. "Very well," the echani replied as she took a step back before sitting down on the floor, crossing her legs. The process of the droid checking up on the stranger wasn't a particularly lengthy one, but it would leave a little bit of time for conversation. Karl had been looking on from the doorway but decided there was no reason for him to stay around. He left, Nylea assuming he had other matters to attend to.

The stranger than asked her a question, one that caused the echani to fall silent for a moment. From her expression it wasn't difficult to see the question touched on a sensitive subject. Even so, Nylea did not shy away from it. "I, I have never really put the reason why into words before." Another short silence filled the air as the woman bit her lip, feeling a tinge of anxiety build up in her. The memories would always come to haunt her in moments like these. She closed her eyes and focussed on her breathing, reminding herself to remain in the here and now. When her eyes opened again she was calm once more, but her smile was replaced with a more penitant look.

"Atonement. My past is one filled with regret and although it will never make up for the things I have done, I can still try to do good. Perhaps I can still make the galaxy a slightly better place before my time comes." For someone as young as Nylea it was perhaps a bit of a jarring statement. She believed to live on stolen time, time that shouldn't ever have belonged to her. "I am sorry, I probably made little sense there. It is a difficult topic to speak about for me."

The echani sighed. Though she wanted to ask a question in return, it felt like she had run out of words for a moment.

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar watched the woman in silence not particularly surprised when his question put her off balance. From what he could already tell, she was reserved and likely the type to suffer in silence. At least, her minimal speech and silent actions were reminiscent of his own. And that was very much how he was deep down. Sure, on the outside he put up an apathetic front in the hopes of warding others off as not to be bothered, but there was something more. He looked at her not to see the front she put up, but the pain deep down she hid behind the mask she paraded before others. Vaulkhar didn't even notice as Karl left the room, his attention rooted on the woman. His head tilted to the side as she started, though he said nothing at first.

"Hmm," Vaulkhar looked pensive as he turned his attention from her to the ceiling above. "I was sent to this planet to assassinate an agent sent by the Silver Jedi. We were found out and because of that, many people died," his hand slid behind his head as he propped himself up a bit, likely for comfort. "I understand you, I think. Past sins that cannot be forgotten, ever present and threatening to resurface at any moment. That is an unfortunate lifestyle to live, Jedi. I would recommend making peace with your past."

It was an interesting statement coming from the Sith, given he was just as conflicted, if not more so, than the young woman beside him. Nightmares rocked his dreams and threatened his every waking moment.

"At least, I think you'd be happier that way."

[member="Nylea Apollodor"]​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

Nylea had tended to many who stood in some way or another in the Dark side in her time with the Sacred Lotus. At first their mere presence was enough to bring back memories of her own dark days, leaving her in a state of shock and unable to even move. The echani had grown since then and now it merely caused her to feel a little uneasy, something she could push aside. That feeling of uneasiness was able to become much more delibitating though, which the stranger unknowingly fed with his words. Nylea didn't want to know what acts the beings of the Dark committed while she was there for them.

The woman broke eye contact as she tilted her head downwards towards the ground. The demons had returned to plague her, but this was not the time to lose her composure. What the stranger said next, then ironically stung more than it helped.

Making peace with her past.

There, before her, was a choice. One that even in the heat of the moment she viewed to be symbolized in a grimly poetic way. The man who had taken her from Eshan and claimed to have shown her the truth about the Force and the galaxy, in that split second frozen in time standing in bladelock with a woman. Her lightsaber's blue blade against the red of her master was only one of the many things that painted a picture of contrasts. Her presence in the Force was warm and compassionate, things she had not felt in years. He lied. There was more to the Force than what his teachings claimed.

Something shattered within her. The realization of all she had done seeped into her conscience. Her own blade, red, sprung to life.

A flash of nothingness.

He was dead. She fell to her knees, tears begun streaming down her face. She vowed it was the last life she would ever take.

Another flash, then her senses returned to reality. It couldn't have taken long, it rarely did. Nylea noticed she was shaking, a normality in those moments, but as she took a deep breath it subsided. She wanted to cry, but her feelings weren't the priority. The wellbeing of the stranger went first.

"I do not know how to," Nylea finally responded with a quiet voice. "It may not be possible anymore. Though, it does not matter right now. I should make sure you are okay before anything." The droid had completed its work and awaited the opportunity to report its findings to the echani. For the moment she buried her feelings to be processed later, instead turning her attention to the data she had been given. With a nod she indicated to nobody in particular that she mentally noted the findings down. She got up and sat back down on her knees by the bed, allowing the Force to clear her mind for the moment as she closed her eyes and her hands began to glow.

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

Rarely did Vaulkhar find reason in feeling emotion for another. Most found things like pity insulting and everyone knew the opinion on compassion within the Sith Empire. Though in this particular moment, a hint of compassion struck true. He was not that different from Nylea, to an extent. The dark side was forced onto him in a way he could not of declined and with that dark power, he had brought great suffering to the galaxy. Over a decade of bloody wars waged left thousands dead by the blade of Vaulkhar Zambrano. His own self hate festered deep within him, leaving a sense of uncertainty he had never been able to beat. Instead, he fought on. Killing in the name of his father, the Dark Lord, in the hopes of bringing peace to the galaxy. It was a hypocritical life view he adopted in the hopes of bringing peace to himself when he needed it most.

"Listen," Vaulkhar lifted a hand and motioned for her to pause. "I understand what you are going through, at least I think I do," he paused and lowered his hand. Much like her own, his gaze turned away and he stared at the nearby wall as if it were the most entertaining thing in the galaxy. "I'm not going to push you to do what I think is best. Only you can figure out what you need, but I do think you need to find a way to make peace with your sins. I get you don't think you can now but," he'd pause and shift his attention over to her. "Someone who seeks only to help others is someone who deserves to be happy. Regardless of their past."

It was a strange display of kindness, one Vaulkhar had never expected of himself. There was a point in time he had thought all that was good in him had been stomped out. He himself had orchestrated such a thing. Yet, here he was, hoping to help a stranger as she did for him.

Curious.

Vaulkhar watched the woman as she concentrated, opting not to interrupt her further. Though there was a fair amount of emotion being unpacked in that moment, he sort of wanted to be healed.

[member="Nylea Apollodor"]​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

Listen, the man said, and in that moment Nylea wasn't strong enough to argue. Her eyes opened and it broke her concentration, causing the glowing of her hands to cease. The next breath in she took was deep and ragged, giving away just how fragile her composure was. The woman simply sat there, silent, looking blankly at the part of the stranger's body where her hands hovered above moments ago. One half of her wished the question of why she turned to the Jedi was never asked. The other half blamed herself, there had been no need to answer the way she did.

But, Nylea did listen and the message fuelled one side of her inner conflict. Logically, what the man said made sense. She herself often sang the highest praises of those who were strong enougb to have found their way from the Darkness into the Light. Despite their past they sought to better the galaxy. The comment struck a chord and even though it was only just slightly, the overwhelming emotional wave of self-deprication was battled back. Her response was not one of words, the lump that had formed in her throat prevented her from speaking, but manifested in the form of a single tear. Before it could roll down her cheek the echani quickly wiped it away, hoping the stranger hadn't noticed but knowing he did.

Silence filled the room for a moment as a mess of thoughts and emotions raced through Nylea's mind. With closed eyes once more she concentrated on her breathing, something she used often to calm herself down. The lump in her throat began to dissipate and some sense of clarity of mind returned to her. "My journey is not yet over. Perhaps I may yet find true peace." Nylea had been made to realize once again that hiding from her struggles was never going to work. This was a reminder that somehow, they had to be faced.

But first, there was work to be done. Her concentration returned to her senses honed in on the Force and her hands became its conduit once more as they began to glow.

[member="Vaulkhar"]​

 

[Vaulkhar]

"That's the hope, huh?" Vaulkhar reached out to gently pat her shoulder before withdrawing his remaining hand. It fell to his side as he went silent once again. There was little in the way of conversation when it came to the amount of concentration required to heal someone as far as he knew. Instead, he focused inward and considered his own words. Did he believe them? Certainly, someone like Nylea deserved a brighter future even if she didn't believe in it. He believed the same thing once about himself, but things had changed. He made no attempts to become something better as she had. Sure, she treated her well doings as nothing more than a means of making up for past sins, but was that not regret? If she was beyond saving he'd likely be able to connect with her and understand her, but she was not. As far as Vaulkhar was concerned, Nylea would soon know better days.

Did he? Would there be a point where Vaulkhar would find something better for himself? He could picture it, hell, he thought about it everyday. A beautiful little homestead, just a few kilometers out of a large city. A quaint property that afforded him enough land to take care of himself and maintain privacy. Others would be there. A former master, his younger brother, maybe even a pet. No pain or suffering, just peace and prosperity. Those thoughts of a brighter future brought a faint smile to his face, followed by a pair of misty eyes. A moment of weakness met by cynical laughter as the broken man remembered who he was. It continued for a few short seconds before fading away, once more locked away behind a thick wall of apathy.

"Forgive me. I just thought of something funny," Vaulkhar closed his eyes, ignoring the tear that managed to escape and roll down his cheek. "Thank you for your assistance, Jedi."

[member="Nylea Apollodor"]​