Private Scars of Maldra IV [Balun Dashiell]

[Her]

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"Once a Republic installation from a bygone era, the Nest was abandoned by its original inhabitants during the war against the One Sith..."
-- Excerpts describing " The Nest " .

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Tag: Balun Dashiell

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' Scars of Maldra 4 '
A tale which began in Shiraya's Sanctuary

~

Her's cell was found somewhere in the sanctuary she would eventually come to learn. She just couldn't be sure where it was yet. In the two weeks that she had initially waited for the Jedi Council to meet with them (where the nearby dormitory's played a home-away-from-home before the arrest and subsequent incarceration) scans conducted discreetly by the Ufo hadn't exposed the cell block that Ala Quin had locked Her away in until the Jedi Grandmaster could figure out what to do with the alleged Sith Lord. Not that knowing where the cell was located in Shiraya's Sanctuary would help Her in their current predicament.

She wasn't going anywhere soon.

Not unless what Her said to Ala came to pass.

"Understand this as well: there will be a day when you are standing where you are now. On this day I will walk out of this sanctuary free and you will be opening the door for me."

It was approximately 50 x 50 in square feet. The cell itself was modest at best and certainly hadn't been built for comfort although Her quietly admitted that it was far better than the ones built and owned by the Imperials. No Tunqstoid steel used here, thankfully. Nevertheless it contained a small cot that was attached to the wall via durasteel-grade bolts which served as a makeshift seat, bed or table if it took Her by it's fancy. Nearby a small slit in the upper left corner of the cell served as a grate (for air circulation) and a window simultaneously that was, unfortunately for them, too high for Her to climb up and peek up through the tiny crevice to see what was going on on the other side. However, sometimes in the day (particularly in the morning time at dusk), rays of sunlight cascaded down and into the room which was a common reminder that freedom was just on the other side.

Elusive.

Currently out-of-reach.

For now.

Today it would also serve as venue for a reunion between two opposing sides of a war which came to an end on the killing fields of Maldra IV.

"Balun Dashiell... I would like you to bring him here. It is about a rebellion that happened in the Tingel Arm."

"Your request will be part of my report. Balun will be alerted to his name being mentioned. If he chooses to speak with you, that will be his choice. But I will be following up every conversation you have with him... and we will speak again soon."

It was just as it had been when Her met with Balun's Jedi Master after Ala had first walked into the cell to confront the alleged Sith Lord that she had captured. Her was sat in the centre of the cell in a perfect meditative pose. The only difference between then and now was that Her was expecting Balun today. Therefore their crimson eyes were fixated through the bar grills and on the other side as she waited for the Jedi Knight to enter and to talk about some old scars.

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[Balun Dashiell]

SCARS OF MALDRA IV
LOCATION: Undisclosed.
WEARING: High Republic Jedi Robes
TAGS: Her

​

To become involved with matters of the Jedi Council was not something that the young Jedi Knight, Balun Dashiell, had anticipated prior to the discussion held with his Mentor, Ala Quin . Hierarchy within the Order was important to Balun, not only because it gave it's personnel structure, but also because he trusted in those above him in rank to guide or direct him where it was required. He was not all knowing, all seeing, and all powerful. There were Jedi who were far greater than he, those who had ascended the ranks and roles within the Order earning their place through experience and feats of service and bravery.

He was but a youngling compared to the Jedi Council, and thus found it highly unusual that he was being allowed some small insight as to one of the concerns they had been minding lately; That being Her , someone apparently connected to his past before his initiation to Jedi of the Royal Naboo Republic, now the High Republic, who had made a surprising request to speak with Balun directly.

Having informed the Grandmaster of his intention to visit their detainee, Balun presented himself at the administrators desk and offered his identity, checking himself in officially before being encouraged to walk with one of the fellow Temple Guard, being led to the cell block. It was Balun's first time seeing the inside of any form of Jedi detention wing, specifically under the Order's jurisdiction and thankfully he didn't plan on spending any more time there than was necessary. Though the cells offered humane comforts, it wasn't particularly a pleasant environment to experience and one that was typically only for those who deserved such a fate by their ill-deeds.

Led to the front of the Detention Cell and then left to greet Her in the privacy of their own company, holo-cams excluded, Balun's brows furrowed somewhat as he stood on the other side of the grid, taking in the sight of the woman. "I'm told you wished to speak with me" He said, announcing his presence with the air of his voice; "Balun Dashiell, Jedi Knight" he added, confirming his name for the prisoner before falling silent in study. She had managed to call forth his curiosity, yet he was a Jedi now as opposed to back when he served the Tingle Arm Coalition as a member of their Aquilian Rangers, a time when he had adopted the moniker of a Rogue Jedi. A lifestyle he had left behind.

Former Mentor: Ala Quin
Jedi Apprentice: Cerys Dyn
Major Faction: The High Republic
Sub-Faction: Jhaessa Prime
Conglomerate: Dashiell Incorporated™
Subsidiary Company: Dashiell Retrofit™​

"Speech"
'Thought'​

 

[Her]

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Tag: Balun Dashiell

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"I'm told you wished to speak with me. Balun Dashiell, Jedi Knight."

"Yes," Her replied as Balun finished introducing himself. "I already knew who you are. That is why I asked the Grandmaster to bring you to me and now here you are."

The Force was strong in Shiraya's Sanctuary, and even though Her traversed a different path to the one usually followed by the Jedi, she felt it's distinct strength and power which flowed through them like a conduit that granted insights that others were not afforded. As she conversed with Balun, Her attuned their Force Senses to the Jedi on the other side of their cell, and with them, she intended to gain new insights into a person that she quietly despised.

"You may not know this. But when we learned that there was a rebellion being formed in the Tingel Arm sectors there was a quiet expectation that it was formed in response to the Sith vassal state. Alas, when it finally surface on Hurikane, we were surprised. We hadn't even heard of it before then, and it was so far away from where you first began. Certainly, you were so far away from Thandon. So, we would learn that it was not the Sith Empire that was your target, but instead it was us."

With their eyes closed Her turned their head to the left and dipped their brow as she begun to feel what Balun was thinking.

"What do you think about the Empire of the Lost now, Master Dashiell?"

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[Balun Dashiell]

SCARS OF MALDRA IV
LOCATION: Undisclosed.
WEARING: High Republic Jedi Robes
TAGS: Her

​

"I was sixteen years old, perhaps going on seventeen, when I first joined the Tingel Arm Coalition", Balun replied, certain to point out his youth at the time, compared to the present day, where he had entered into adulthood and now stood in his mid-twenties; "I cannot speak for the Sith Vassal States that may have existed at the time, as I had no involvement or familiarity with them. The Coalition's objective, however, was always centred around defending the freedoms of sovereign worlds, particularly those that had fallen victim to forced Imperial occupation. In that regard, yes, that assessment would be correct," he clarified, providing the perspective of which he had believed and fought for during his time in the Rebellion.

Her 's question regarding his feelings on the Empire of the Lost was an odd one, considering that particular sect of the Empire was, to his knowledge, no longer operating. Likely, many of the personnel who formed the Imperial Machine at that time had moved to merge with others, such as the Dark Empire or the later-reformed Galactic Empire; however, he no longer believed the movements of the Empire of the Lost were a priority following their dissolution.

"Given they are no longer present within the Galaxy, I would consider the question largely redundant, though I will answer it nonetheless. A dictatorship is not a style of governance I believe aligns with the future the Galaxy should strive toward, particularly when sentient rights are suppressed in the pursuit of power and control" Balun paused for a moment, considering his words carefully. He was not as familiar with this Woman, though she presumed to know of him. His time fighting in the Coalition Rebellion was public record, yet the purpose for which she was interested in his part was unclear. "Politically, I am far more inclined to support democratic governance. The Empire of the Lost ruled through oppression and fear, victimising the worlds under their authority, and eventually, intervention became paramount to the safety of the civilian populace".

"Why do you ask?" He queried, intrigued to know Her's reasons and how it related to her current imprisonment; "What relevance does my past with the Coalition have to you or the High Republic?".

Former Mentor: Ala Quin
Jedi Apprentice: Cerys Dyn
Major Faction: The High Republic
Sub-Faction: Jhaessa Prime
Conglomerate: Dashiell Incorporated™
Subsidiary Company: Dashiell Retrofit™​

"Speech"
'Thought'​

 

[Her]

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Tag: Balun Dashiell

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"Why do you ask? What relevance does my past with the Coalition have to you or the High Republic?"

"Relevance," Her repeated to themselves as Balun became quiet.

As silence entered the cell for a time, while Her prepared their retort, the Force continued to flow through the confined Dark Lord of the Sith as the Jedi Knight on the other side their cell studied them with a sense of curiosity and trepidation. After all this elusive woman was not just an alleged Sith Lord to the former wily rebel but was also an old enemy that he had fought and lost too in a war that had ended on Maldra IV. Yet, as Her attuned their senses to the Force, she learned that this was not the same Bokken-Jedi learner that she had discovered after the Battle of Maldra IV. Balun was no longer the boy he had been back then. He had become an experienced and well trained Jedi Knight that could no longer be roped into the types of things that he had been drawn into in his youth. This made him difficult to trick. Harder to use. On top of this Balun was already alienated by the enigma sitting before him with thanks to the allegations made against Her by the Jedi Council that were combined with their ties to the same Empire that Balun had rebelled and fought against in his younger-years. It would take all their cunning to put Balun to work, Her quietly summarized to themselves.

"I still think about Velran Kilran often," Her admitted to Balun as she broke the unnatural silence between them. As she named the former Emperor of the Empire of the Lost, Her slowly opened their eyes and lifted their gaze up to Balun. Half their face was cast in the shadow of the cell and the other glinted in the cascading rays of sunlight coming through the canopy found in the top left of their cell. "We had plans, you know?"

Digging their fist into the ground beside them Her slowly climbed to their full height, and as she got up, Her said: "We both knew that it would not be an easy thing to defeat the Sith. To conquer the Thandon Star Cluster and eliminate their vassal state. But we also felt that it was necessary. No matter the sacrifice, particularly, after they destroyed Tion. Nothing quite stirs the Imperial jackboot than the prospect of revenge. Retaliation was... Inevitable."

Her turned away from Balun to stare aimlessly towards the cot on the other side of the wall. Clasping their hands behind their back, Her pouted their lips thoughtfully.

"Then you killed him on Lothal."

As the Force flowed through the cell-block the familiar klaxon of an Imperial alarm whirred in the distance. It came from where the nether is. In a place that could only been seen and felt by someone attuned to the Force itself. It was at odds to where both Her and Balun were standing in the Shiraya's Sanctuary amid the tranquil peace instilled by the Jedi and yet distinctly real as the permutations of the Force carried the former rebel and his caught adversary between the space that held the past and the present. As the alarm whirred it was joined by shouting and crying which rung somewhere out there beyond the confinement of the cell and into the not-too-distant past where a boy had fought the Empire and how his rebellion had killed a would-be Emperor above Lothal.

Suddenly the klaxon, the alarms, and the decries of old enemies were silenced when Her begun to speak again. Passing as quickly as it had come.

"This is all relevant, Master Dashiell. The High Republic is in great danger and you are apart of the reason as to why that is. I fear that if you do not make amendments for this then a great calamity will befall Naboo and it will come soon, I fear."

Several lightyears away, in the vast and distance territories of the Outer Rim, it was raining in Lianna City. Rain petered and assaulted the former capital beneath it's ruined skies after the Mandalorian-Sith incursion that had seen to them destroying the city in retaliation for what the Imperials had done to them at Vexis Station and Brosi. Below the fallen skyscrapers and Liann despair an old bust found itself in the wreckage. It was smeared by scorched marks and degradation that comes to such a monument when it is continually assaulted by torrential rain. A fallen monument to a man that had once been a powerful figure before a rebellion had taken him down.

"...And I am the only one who can help you to stop it from happening," Her ushered barely above a whisper she tried to seduce Balun with their powers in the dark-side.

If one were to look closely upon the bust they would see that it used to be a statue of a man that appeared to be crying now in the dirt. Oh, his people had been proud when they had coronated Emperor Kilran. They had raised his monument up on high for all to see until it had been taken down beneath the barrage that had come for his former seat of power after his enemies had finished what he had started, with Her, in the jungles of Felucia before the Tingel Arm Coalition begun their rebellion against the Eggman and his many dead machinations.

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[Balun Dashiell]

SCARS OF MALDRA IV
LOCATION: Undisclosed.
WEARING: High Republic Jedi Robes
TAGS: Her

​

"Sadly, that is the risk one takes when they become a leader of a faction intent on war. Velran Kilran, your emperor, went down with his ship while engaged in Naval Combat. His life was not the only cost of that war, but he was the driving force of Imperial Cruelty across the sector and he can't have been blind to the possibility that any battle could be his last" Balun replied, his words spoken calmly though they were spoken upon a matter-of-fact from the perspective of the Jedi Knight, recalling a time that felt almost like another life from today.

"The leader of the Lothal Protectorate was assassinated during that same battle. I was with him when Rossisai Linsla was shot and killed by an Imperial sniper on the outskirts of forward command. The Tingel Arm Coalition was not the only side to take lives, and if this is the basis of our discussion, we could argue the matter to no end" These weren't memories that Balun had wished to relive, though the nightmares were still frequent. What visions of the past Her had managed to draw the Jedi Knight into were vivid and horrifically detailed.

Balun raised his left hand and closed his eyes, drawing the Force inward. He steadied his thoughts and fortified the barriers of his mind, pushing back against the Sith's invasive influence. Like a tide retreating before an unyielding shore, her grip upon his consciousness faltered and broke. Wrapped in the calm certainty of the light side, he stood resolute, sheltered behind a wall of discipline, clarity, and unwavering conviction.

He took in a slow, deep inhale of air and exhaled before opening his eyes once more and refocusing his attention upon the woman within the cell. She had managed to manipulate his thoughts to the point of removing him from the present, visualising a time he greatly sought to leave in the past, and he was not impressed. Frustration was quick to rise within him, yet Balun banished the emotion by steeling himself within the presence of the Light, now looking to Her, placing priority on this would-be danger to the High Republic that she, conveniently, believed to be able to deter.

"You are a gifted Force User, that much is clear, yet the High Republic has always had opposition" The Jedi Knight spoke once more, seeking to move the conversation away from the mental images that had been etched into his memory. "What Danger might you believe they're in, as convenient as it might be for someone in your position. I'm assuming the answer to this threat is your supposed freedom?" The Jedi Knight scoffed lightly, crossing his arms once more as he eyed her closely. He shook his head in a clear show of his disapproval.

Former Mentor: Ala Quin
Jedi Apprentice: Cerys Dyn
Major Faction: The High Republic
Sub-Faction: Jhaessa Prime
Conglomerate: Dashiell Incorporated™
Subsidiary Company: Dashiell Retrofit™​

"Speech"
'Thought'​

 

[Her]

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Tag: Balun Dashiell

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"Sadly, that is the risk one takes when they become a leader of a faction intent on war. Velran Kilran, your emperor, went down with his ship while engaged in Naval Combat. His life was not the only cost of that war, but he was the driving force of Imperial Cruelty across the sector and he can't have been blind to the possibility that any battle could be his last."

"There is no denying that he was a cruel man," Her replied as she agreed with Balun and his assessment of the former Emperor. "Cruelty kept the Tion Hegemony in check. Iron fists and will which kept dozens of star systems under Imperial control and order, across a multitude of sectors, that were formerly under the occupation and control of the tenth Sith dynasty before it collapsed into ruin after the Ashlan Crusades."

As Balun fortified his Jedi powers to thwart Her's cunning manipulation she lifted a finger and pointed it at him.

"That control ended when you and your rebellion attacked the Empire at Lothal. This attack not only yielded the deaths of Kilran and the rebel who called himself Fynch but yielded the Outer Rim systems to the authority and tyranny of the eleventh Sith dynasty who formed the Thandon vassal state which exists today. It is partially your fault that the Sith remain in control and without the threat of the Empire that was built to contest that very authority."

"We are both in agreement that Kilran Velran and the administration that he founded on Lianna were cruel, indeed," Her continued to say as she lowered their hand back to the side. "But he was no Sith Lord. Have you seen what they did to Tion, or Lianna, now that the Imperial remnants are no longer in power?"

"You are a gifted Force User, that much is clear, yet the High Republic has always had opposition... What Danger might you believe they're in, as convenient as it might be for someone in your position. I'm assuming the answer to this threat is your supposed freedom?"

"As I explained to the Grandmaster: I will leave this cell with them holding the door open for me," Her replied as she alluded to the fact that (with some degree of inevitably) Ala Quin would personally free them at some point in the future. She continued to speak while Balun was left to ponder about Her's last question about Tion and Lianna. "I also possess no answers that would reveal or expose the conspiracy against the High Republic. What I have are directions or signs which indicate a pattern that will inevitably result in an attack on the planets which encompass the Mid 'southern' systems aligned to Naboo. If I am right..."

Stepping closer to the rails on their cell Her grasped onto them with their hands and pushed their face closer to the gaps between the bars. "What I want from you will not help, trick or persuade the Jedi Council to release me," Her lied to Balun as she sought to draw the former rebel into their web of lies and deceit. "However, if I can persuade you to return to Maldra 4, I think it will get us both closer to revealing the conspiracy which seeks to destroy us all. Imperial, Jedi or Republican alike..."

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[Balun Dashiell]

SCARS OF MALDRA IV
LOCATION: Undisclosed.
WEARING: High Republic Jedi Robes
TAGS: Her

​

"Strange, I distinctly recall the Empire of the Lost defeating us in the war, despite the loss of your Emperor. The Tingel Arm Coalition was devastated, particularly on Maldra IV. The Empire of the Lost was still in power, left to consolidate its ranks and personnel. If they could not recover from the war despite our loss, then it is on them for failing to retain their territory," though Balun knew that they were discussing semantics, the war was in the past now. It had left its share of scars and deep psychological wounds for someone so young as he had been, but time had passed, and Balun Dashiell had gradually recovered over the years. "The war was started because of the maltreatment of the people under Imperial Occupation. I could as easily place the blame on the Imperials and say, Were they not so cruel, then there'd have been no reason for conflict".

"Yet this is all very black and white thinking; blame for the war falls on both sides. What worlds that are now under Sith occupation, neither of our parties is responsible for. You could argue what could be, but things change with time, and we must adapt. It is a fact of life in our Galaxy. There will always be political and militant powers vying for territory and influence," he concluded, his arms falling behind his back as he adjusted his footing, balancing his weight, and shaking his head slowly. Balun wasn't buying whatever it was that Her was trying to sell him. Whether she was trying to burden him with guilt, distract him so that he might be more malleable to her intentions, he could only suspect. Balun remained calm, however, centred and focused on her.

"The High Republic will always face opposition, directly and indirectly, because of its position as a democratic government. Especially since there are few others, and none as successful and widespread as ours. The Jedi Order is ready to act, should the Senate require our support. It is easy to speculate on what could be. Unless you give me some actionable intelligence, I remain unconvinced," the Jedi Knight informed her, stating his position clearly. Balun didn't know her well, and certainly didn't trust her to be genuine in the moment.

"What's on Maldra IV that could be so vital to the High Republic's interests? The Nest, I assume, is either decommissioned or a ruin by now. Unless you and your people have been utilising it all this time after the fact...".

Former Mentor: Ala Quin
Jedi Apprentice: Cerys Dyn
Major Faction: The High Republic
Sub-Faction: Jhaessa Prime
Conglomerate: Dashiell Incorporated™
Subsidiary Company: Dashiell Retrofit™​

"Speech"
'Thought'​

 

[Her]

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Tag: Balun Dashiell

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"Yet this is all very black and white thinking; blame for the war falls on both sides. What worlds that are now under Sith occupation, neither of our parties is responsible for..."

Her decided not to continue to press the consequences of the Tingel Arm rebellion upon Balun.

Someone less cunning, or someone who was more defensive about the war, might have continued to tug on that thread. To keep pushing the narrative that, as a consequence of the rebellion, the Empire of the Lost fell into disarray thereby leaving the Outer Rim Territories open for Sith tyranny and advance. It was a cunning ruse for the uninitiated, for sure. If Balun could have been led down the path to find his regret and that familiar old responsibility for what had happened then, perhaps, Her could have bent the wily Jedi Knight to their whims to lead him to the ultimate conclusion: that it was, at the very least, partially his fault that there had been no Imperial power leftover to contest the Sith state found in the Thandon Cluster after the rebellion had been defeated in the killing-fields of Maldra IV.

But Her could sense that Balun had made up his mind in spite of the implications of the past and allusions to a conspiracy built to destroy the High Republic. That he had come to peace with the entire affair in these latter years in life. Whether it was because he left such feelings behind as a consequence of a young boy being roped into something that he hadn't fully understood at the time or the indomitable truth that the Imperials were just as bad as the Sith remained elusive to the Dark Lord as she studied him thoughtfully. Either way it was sufficient enough that Balun had been guided to the core of why Her had requested to meet with the Jedi Knight in the first place.

The Nest.

"What's on Maldra IV that could be so vital to the High Republic's interests? The Nest, I assume, is either decommissioned or a ruin by now. Unless you and your people have been utilising it all this time after the fact..."

"After the war we hacked the facility," Her admitted to Balun. "We wanted the information stored in the Nest's databanks. To discover whether or not there were other pockets of rebellion in and around the Empire. Of course we found out that Maldra 4 had been your last stand. The names and contacts of the Tingel Arm Rebellion were, nevertheless, taken into account in the unlikely event that there were still survivors out there to be hunted down and brought to Imperial justice, naturally."

As Her alluded to the fate of The Nest (an Old Republic base that he had restored as a base-of-operations for the rebellion) she put a hand up into the bun that was their hair and produced a cigarette that she had been hiding. As she brought it up to their lips to begin smoking, Her revealed to Balun: "There is information stored in the facilities databanks that I know would be very useful in uncovering the conspiracy that I have alluded to against the High Republic."

Pressing their index finger to the end of the cigarette Her took a drag as it lit up. She made sure to exhale the plume of smoke away from Balun as she continued to conjure ties to their seminal past. There was no point antagonizing him anymore, particularly, with such semantics. "I know what you are thinking," Her admitted as she thoughtfully pondered on Balun's thoughts to all of this. "If there is information, on Maldra 4, that could help the High Republic against this impending threat, then why didn't I bring it all with me when I met with the Jedi Council and show it to them there and then?"

Another plume of smoke exhaled through the slits which served Her as their mouth and nostrils. Afterwards she turned their gaze back to Balun.

"That is what you are thinking, isn't it?"

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