Oh, Baby!

[Joza Perl]

Joza drew in a heavy breath that hitched in her throat as Connor spoke. Though she couldn’t quite imagine it on his end, the two were trading familiar words, phrases and ideas between eachother. Lapsing into a thoughtful silence, her energy was split between processing his words and containing the urge to yell and scream at him. Rage scrambled her thoughts, and her unabashed anger was not needed.

“You’re right.” Her gaze drifted upwards to catch his own, voice a bit ragged with emotional exhaustion. “I am having doubts.” Then the soft, malleable light in her eyes firmed out over the span of a few short seconds. “About you, Connor. About what I thought you were. About how you apparently see me as some misguided creature waiting for to be rescued and freed from my prison of morals and…I don’t know, Light? Conscience? Isn’t that how these things go?”

Taking a step forward, she tilted her chin upwards, studying his face. Perhaps not necessary to glean anything instantly, but to memorize the lines, the way his muscles pulled in that expression. After a moment of quiet observation, her lips parted slowly. This situation was becoming familiar with such a frightening swiftness that it took Joza a bit to reestablish her footing. “I know who I am, Connor. You can't seduce me to your side with your sugar-coated words and a few articles of self-doubt.” Her voice was low and deliberate, taking her sweet time with each syllable. It was then when her face scrunched up, nose crinkling in distaste.

“You sound exactly like Haytham.”

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

”Mm," came the chilling reply. Wordless, but clear it meant a thousand of them. ”I see. Maybe that way I’ll have a chance of getting closer to you since you seem to be attracted to people like him."

He stepped back and raised his finger slightly to silence her.

”However, I must remind you Miss. Perl that while you may be blind enough to compare me and that coward who is now father to your child, I know what it means to harness true power. Not the ego flaming, saber slashing idiots who use the Sith name, but the ones who, like some Jedi, use their brains. They calculate, they plot and plan – they talk and communicate and even have some respect. Don’t tarnish me with the brush that paints that moron."

With a small exhale, knowing there was nothing he could do, he smacked his lips softly.

”I’m not trying to seduce you with anything. I’m trying to be honest, and not treat you like a fool. I’m saying how it is. How it needs to be, and one clear action that will separate me from him is that I will never hurt you, or attack you. When you see that I’m not like them all, then you will see the real me."

She had done well, considering. Her apartment was nice and safe, and she had a child. Already, she had more than he. Glancing around once more, he smiled slightly to himself.

”I never under-estimated you or belittled you. I simply failed you when I tried to convince us both that avoiding the call away from the Light was the worst thing you could do. Because it may have been one of the best things."

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Blind. Don’t. I’m not. I will never hurt you.

Joza’s teeth worried her lower lip, clearly distressed. Their conversation carried on to be more familiar than she was comfortable with, and Joza found herself in a place she thought she wouldn’t be in again. Trouble was, she couldn’t quite place it—nor did she clearly recognize the man in front of her. His honesty and sincerity didn’t help to quell the burning sensation in her stomach that quickly rose to her chest. Frustration with him, with their circumstance—with her circumstance. And his. With everything.

“I’m not giving up on you, [member="Connor Harrison"].” Her voice dropped, vibrating low in her throat. “But I think it would be best for you to take your leave.”

Before she breaks something and wakes the baby.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Looking around one last time after he was excused in a rather polite and restrained way, Connor simply nodded once, a sort of respectful bow.

”But of course. Once again, congratulations on the baby."

With a glance at her from his nod, he took his leave. Walking through, to the door and out to get that transport back to Voss.

There was a moment he wanted to say something else, but it was something she already would know without him having to say it.

Outside, the planet looked peaceful and calm and carrying on as it did when he had arrived. Connor was learning quickly that the galaxy wasn't slowing down to accomodate him and his actions - so time should not be wasted in thinking it would ever do.

[member="Joza Perl"]