Private It's Not The Jedi Way

[Iris Arani]

They'd found her. Thalia Senn . They even fought her. But.. Iris had let her go. It was the right choice, there was no doubt in the Padawan's mind. Thalia didn't have Domxite with her. And with the darkness of the Sith so strong around the fallen Padawan, there was no hope in helping her there. To chase her and fight any further would've been a fight to the death. All while leaving Arlo Renard and Sophie to fend for themselves. She couldn't do that to them, even with Kai saying she should.

And now they were on the ship, leaving the planet. Going back to where they'd met up to start this hunt. But she could tell something was wrong. In the dreadful silence she could still see the colors. How Kai felt. His anger. Was it because of what happened to him? She still wasn't sure on what happened. He was trying to help her do.. Something, but it burned him? She hovered around the kitchen area of the ship, making something to try and distract herself from all of it.

Not that it did. Just made her think more.

 

[Arlo Renard]

Aboard the freighter fleeing Asog, Kai had not left Sophie's side for even a moment. He lay beside the panting, whimpering Warghest, wishing that he knew how to heal others with the Force. But all he could do was apply bacta to her wounds, and let her soak in the familiar presence of a fellow Sithspawn. He'd removed his ring, no longer bothering to hide his tainted aura.

Hearing someone enter the kitchen behind him, he turned his head to find Iris making something. She appeared distracted, not really focusing on what she was doing.

<Be careful,> he said. Then, as unresolved tension stretched taut between them, he eventually added, <Why didn't you follow her?>

Arlo Renard​

 

[Iris Arani]

Distracted and cooking turned out to be worse than she expected. No sooner did Arlo Renard warn her to pay attention that she noticed her scarred hand resting a little too close to the burner. Not enough to get a burn, but the lack of sensation sometimes made it all too easy for her to get burned. She lifted her hand, blowing on the warmed scars for a moment.

<That meant leaving you both alone. .. You both seem so hurt. Can I.. I can heal now. Do you think I can help?>

 

[Arlo Renard]

<No,> he replied. <I mean, I don't think... it will work if you do it.> Truthfully, he was scared to let her try, afraid she would draw upon the Light to do it.

Instead he sat up and turned his body fully towards her, his expression grave and upset. <You should've killed her while you had the chance. You felt what she did to her own crystal, the pain she caused it. She's going to do that to Domxite now.>

Iris Arani​

 

[Iris Arani]

She flinched at the hard no. So.. Despite having learned how to help her friends, she still couldn't help them all? A harsh reality, but.. What Arlo Renard said next brought a frown to her lips. More than a frown. Iris turned, practically glaring at the Sithspawn. Clenching her fists.

<So now I'm supposed to kill people?>

 

[Arlo Renard]

<Yes, Iris. When another life is on the line, don’t hesitate to remove the threat. Domxite is her hostage. You tried to talk her down, but she wouldn’t listen. That doesn’t mean you leave Domxite to be bled by her.>

She was mad, but that couldn’t be helped. This was just another harsh reality.

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

<Domxite wasn't with her. If she died, who knows who could've gotten them instead. Domxite is trying to help her. I felt it. I.. I don't know what will happen, but Domxite's as much of a Jedi as I am. More than I am. They'd never want me to kill someone for them.> She was more than angry. Arlo Renard was contradicting everything he'd told her before, like this was some lesson she needed to learn.

<I'll figure something out.>

 

[Arlo Renard]

Kai struck his fist against the floor with enough force to leave a dent in the durasteel. He had come with Iris to rescue Domxite, only to find it wasn’t within reach. A pointless battle fought against a vile, cruel woman that had resulted in the destruction of his own lightsaber and the wounding of Sophie.

<Do you really think Domxite can stand against her?> Kai asked. It was an honest question, not mockery. <When she does to them what she did to her own kyber crystal?>

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

For once, she flinched. The dull thud as Arlo Renard bent metal with a simple punch had her take a step back. The anger and annoyance she felt was gone, just replaced by concern. And fear. His colors were twisting again. His own anger. Annoyance. Iris let out a sigh, though. Moving to sit beside Kai. Not too close, but just enough to be beside him.

<Domxite's a Jedi. They'll find a way to help her. And I'll do the same.>

 

[Arlo Renard]

Kai stared at her as she approached him, his brow furrowed and teeth gritted. <Domxite is a little like I was,> he said. <A living crystal. I couldn’t do anything to protect myself from the Sith who captured me.> Granted, he wasn’t a Jedi then.

Still wasn’t, technically.

<This is idiotic,> he muttered. <This whole operation. We came to Asog for nothing. Domxite wasn’t here. This Sith witch broke my lightsaber, hurt my dog, and she got away with it too. We didn’t even capture her!>
Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

<Domxite can also move themselves and can y'know, turn on the lightsaber they power. They're not defenseless. If they wanted to escape, they would have.> But, well. .. Idiotic. Her gaze fell as she pulled her knees to her chest. He was right. This was idiotic. If it'd been just her, he wouldn't of gotten hurt. Sophie wouldn't of. And his lightsaber? She closed her eyes.

<.. I'm sorry..>

 

[Arlo Renard]

<I agreed to come with you.> He at least admitted that. <I'm the one who offered to help. I just hoped it would be more cut and dry than this.>

Domxite could move on their own and power her lightsaber, wielding it as a weapon? What the... actually, you know what? Never mind.

<You're making me wonder why Domxite doesn't just break out on their own.>

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

More cut and dry. .. It'd be nice if it was. But.. It wasn't. She frowned, hiding more of her face in her knees. This was.. Difficult.

<If they wanted to, they would have. I told you, they want to save her. And I think they can.>

 

[Arlo Renard]

Kai stared at her.

<Then why did we go there to fight her in the first place, if not to save Domxite?>

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

<Because I didn't know what they were doing until I saw her again.>

Arlo Renard

 

[Arlo Renard]

<You need better intel.>

With a sigh of defeat, Kai laid back down on the floor, nestling against Sophie and closing his eyes.

<I still have to return this freighter. Where do you want to be dropped off?>

Iris Arani

 

[Iris Arani]

Better intel. Yeah. Iris let out a sigh before she stood up to leave Kai and Sophie alone. She couldn't help them. Or.. He just didn't want her help.

<Back where we left is where I left my ship. .. Just leave me there.>

Arlo Renard