Private The Fighting Chance

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

T H E- M O M E N T U M
R Y S T A N- B A D L A N D S​

A small sigh escaped the Sephi's lips. It was the third time she stalked through the narrow corridor of The Momentum, a bulky and modified Piket-class light freighter. She had checked the craft's systems twice, and the equipment she had divided over five bags at least thrice. Some called it madness. She called it caution.

Caution, because she had a good reason for it. She was over a century old, and had visited many of the galaxy's systems. Some great, some terrible. Then, a select few that were truly horrendous.

And in her opinion, this system definitely made that list. The system's single planet, Rystan, that orbited the weak sun was tidally locked. It meant that one face was constantly angled toward the sun, it's surface little more than a charred desert. The other, forever facing outer space. As a result, it was nothing more than a frozen wasteland. Between the two extremes ran a sliver of land one could consider habitable. In this area, bordering the colder regions in eternal darkness, their objective resided. Assuming her translations and calculations were correct.

Sakadi tried not to let it get to her mind. To be proven wrong, they had to get there first. And the Rystan system wasn't exactly known for it's ease of access. An ice asteroid field surrounded the system, one that could tear entire cruisers to pieces. Only small, manoeuvrable vessels had a chance to make it through. And even then, it came down to reflexes of the pilot.

Her had slid over the panel of one of the doors. It opened with a hiss, revealing the small quarters where she had stowed their equipment. Sakadi hesitated. Should she inspect it all again? No. By now, she knew everything was in order. And yet… She bit her lower lip.

Her ears perked up at the sound of footsteps behind her. Someone was boarding The Momentum. With questions, no doubt. Probably because she had given them little to no information.

Just that this could give them a fighting chance against the Dark Lord who had taken Cas from them.

Mathieu Brion Yenna Elryn Freestar Taliya Kassell

 

[Taliya Kassell]

TH E ~ MO M E N T U M


Tag: Sakadi Marathi Sinvala | Yenna | Elryn Freestar | Mathieu Brion | Location: Piket-class light freighter

To state that Taliya was nervous, would be an understatement of the year as she made her way to the ship her Master told her about. They, along with others, would go on a mission to do... something. Actually, Taliya wasn't completely sure, what kind of mission Master Sinvala wanted her to join her on. Nevertheless, Taliya didn't want to disappoint her Master and had gone to the chamber where they made the clothes for the entire Temple and had multiple sets of outfits made for different environments.

Dressed in fairly inconspicuous clothes with her hood pulled back, she held a piece of singular luggage in front of her person looking up at the towering light freighter. She swallowed, having not been on many ships in her life, it still made her nervous stepping on to one. A masculine, but bodiless voice over her right shoulder spoke up, breaking the silence in Taliya's head. "Ugh... Come on girl, we don't have all day" Tried the rudely spoken voice to rush Taliya to step up the ramp.

Another voice, a feminine one, immediately spoke up. "Hush Sith you're not helping. Padawan Taliya, close your eyes and follow the path that's laid before you" Spoke the feminine voice while hushing the Sith.

"Bla Bla Bla. Don't listen to this goodie-two-shoes Jedi, they do nothing but sit around in a circle and talk and talk. Now's the time for action, so take that darn next step, so we can get on the bloody ship!" retorted the Sith voice, clearly annoyed.

"None of you are helping right now" spoke Taliya out loud as if holding a conversation with other people present. With a deep breath, she took another step and tried to push the two spirit's bickering at the back of her head as she entered the light freighter.

Upon entering she started to look around the ship, trying to find her Master. The interior looked alright, though a little sterile making Taliya already missing her personal chamber in the temple. However, getting deeper into the light freighter she did stumble upon what Taliya only could describe as a living room kind of area. "Master?" Called Taliya, walking down a random corridor she picked, continuing looking for Sakadi.

"What an absolute junk of a ship!" Criticized the Sith spirit
"You such an ungrateful Sith. You have to find joy in the smaller things in life" scoffed the Jedi ghost, finding the Sith spirit incredible frustrating to share space with.
"Don't you ever shut up Jedi? Can't hear myself think here" Snapped the Sith back in annoyance.
"I beg your pardo~!?"

"Could you two please stop arguing for just a second?" pleaded Taliya, squeezing her eyes while rubbing her fingers against her temples. While pleading for the Spirits to stop arguing, Taliya didn't really focus on what was in front of her and found herself walking straight into her Master, Sakadi. "Oh! I'm so sorry Master" spoke Taliya up, now hyper-aware of her surroundings.

"I was just..." She paused, looking away a bit embarrassed, "lost in thoughts" which was a code between herself and her Master that the spirits in her mind distracted her.

 

[Elryn Freestar]

This was all really strange. The suddenness, the secrecy and everyone else's demanour, with a better grasp of his connection to the Force, the young Padawan felt the shift within everyone... the entirety of the freighter felt as if it were in below freezing temperatures from the moody atmosphere. Not knowing what was really happening, Eleven wondered what was so important about this mission and why there was so much secrecy behind it. On the bright side of all of this, his newst friend Taliya was here and she seemed to be as bewildered by the situation as much as he was.

The Kiffar boy stood alone in an empty corridor, it seemed that he had a tendency to come to places like this when he wanted to engulf himself in deep thought. Eleven fell backward with the tight corridor's wall managing to break his fall, resting the back of his head against the cold metallic surface he let out a sigh. He wanted to ask what was going on, maybe get some information out of Master Yenna but even she seemed withdrawn... which was a stark contrast to how she usually was.

The boy's thoughts proceeded to fall on the others that would be accompanying the others on this mission and how he barely had any time to get to know or even introduce himself to any of them. Eleven recalled the lavender skinned Sephi, picturing her features and how they triggered memories from a past he seemed to have long forgotten... or something more. However, he shrugged it off, his fragmented memories were just something he had to live with for now, as any attempts at recovering them ended in failure. He was, fortunately, beginning to grow less concerned about them too.

Deciding to end his current session of chronic overthinking, Eleven opted to make his way over to wherever his Master was... maybe then she'd feel okay with filling him in on what's been going on.

Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Yenna Mathieu Brion Taliya Kassell

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Fighting Chance​

Location: The Gouda -> The Momentum
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, various items
Tags: Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Taliya Kassell Elryn Freestar Yenna

---​

"Are you sure?" The question was curt. Almost harsh in its tone. Even then, it was clear that Mathieu was a little surprised by Chaussidier's question. The Admiral was well aware of Mathieu's physical health - he had recovered by now. The question came from a concern of his mental well-being. Something which was less typical for the elder to concern himself with. At least from what the young Morellian had seen so far.

"Yes, Admiral." Mathieu scrambled to answer in a timely manner - well aware of how much Chaussidier disliked what he referred to as 'dramatic pauses'.

A soft - barely noticeable - smile grew by the sides of the old Admiral's lips. He nodded "Good. Report to me when you are back."

"Yes, Admiral." the large Morellian bowed his head before turning to leave the bridge. There was no need to run just yet. But Mathieu did walk with hasty steps as he made his way from the bridge to the turbolift. Once there, he pressed the button that would send him to the hangar. The doors closed and he quickly proceeded to check if he had brought all of his equipment. The bag with sandwiches, sabres, the EMP emitter, his armour.

The armour. It had only just got fixed - just like his wounds. Helplessly, his thoughts wandered back to that fateful meeting on Oricon. His wide shoulders fell as he let out a shaky sigh. It was clear that he was still quite disturbed by it all - the nightmares that lingered from when his fallen friend had invaded his mind were still not completely pushed away. But even that paled in comparison to the massive feeling of loss that stemmed from the encounter.

Then the turbolift doors opened. It was time to push on. Not only would this expedition allow him to keep himself occupied, it would also allow him to interact with some fellow Jedi. Something which he had not been possible in quite a bit of time. A few happy greetings were sent his way by the crewmen working in the hangar as he moved to board the ship that Jedi Master Sakadi and her company had been in. Mathieu waved back to the crewmen before boarding the ship.

It was still unclear to him what they were supposed to do but by this point, he had a fair degree of trust in Sakadi whom he had encountered a few times in the past and looked forward to meeting Yenna again. The two of them had only met briefly in the past but she had still managed to make a positive impression on him. And then there were two other names which he did not recognise - still, making new friends would always be welcome.

The internal peace that he had managed to build up soon evaporated as he saw his old friend in Elryn Freestar just as he stepped into the area by the entrance from a corridor. While Mathieu did not loose control, his mind did go into that of a hostile encounter. His trust in Sakadi was great enough that he did not deem deadly force to be warranted. But if Cas was having them fooled, they could all be in grave danger.

Instead of drawing his weapon, Mathieu rushed forth at a surprisingly quick speed and - in one swift move - shoved his upper arm into the Kiffar's chest and pushed him into a wall. The pressure he applied against Eleven's chest was enough to pin him against the wall with his feet dangling above the ground. If successful, Mathieu would allow his angry stare to bore down into the eyes of the other. Something in the back of his mind told him that it wasn't the same person - this one's presence felt slightly different, he was lighter and appeared to be younger. But it was too late for those thoughts to prevail now. Instead, the large Morellian hissed "What are you doing here?"

 

[Yenna]

This journey was going to be rough. She was almost tempted to contact Runi again and go back to the Mandalorian village on that snowy planet. Even the frigid climate would be a better alternative to pursuing this path. The information was out, she knew that he was not only alive but also fallen. She was devastated by the news, as if her years of struggle and acceptance was all for naught.

But there was also the fact that he was alive. Which meant that he could be helped. And even without all of that weight, she still had Eleven to take care of. He was no longer a clone in her eyes, he was a young man and his own person. She couldn't wallow through this sea of doubt and worry, his future was too important to jeopardize with such dark wanderings. He didn't need to know the truth of it all. He didn't need to worry about the details of this mission.

No, this mission was simply a fantastic expedition for training, to hone his skills and connection to the force. She even prepared a surprise for him to use on this mission. Their training was going good, and his skills were improving daily. He was ready for it until he could find a crystal of his own to build a lightsaber to his liking. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face.

It was with that happy thought that she boarded the freighter, a bright smile on her soft features as she looked for El. They had spoken earlier, and she was not proud of her behaviour. She was distant and cold, her words were void and her attitude was dark. It didn't help that she was halfway through a bottle either. Hopefully the gift she carried in her two small hands for him would make up for her lacking behaviour.

Or rather, that was her thinking until she rounded a corner only to see Mathieu pinning Eleven to the wall of the hallway. Her eyes went wide and she put away the hilt, resting her hands on her hips as she glared up at the tall Jedi. "Knight Brion, doing, what are you?!" She spoke up with a stern voice. "Of my padawan, you can let go." She ordered as she approached to stand beside the two of them. "Unbecoming, this behaviour is, for a Jedi. Please leave us." Her tone indicated that it wasn't a request, and her eyes didn't break contact with Mathieu's face for even a second.

She wouldn't be surprised if her voice drew the attention of the rest of the ship, but that was fine. She wasn't going to let anyone ruin this trip for her padawan.

Taliya Kassell Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Elryn Freestar Mathieu Brion

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

T H E- M O M E N T U M
R Y S T A N- B A D L A N D S​

She had heard someone climbing up the ladder to The Momentum's second level, where she stood. But with her mind still clouded and her hearing no longer being what it used to be, she hadn't noticed how close this person got. Until she bumped into her. Sakadi stumbled, her arm finding support against the doorpost. She rapidly turned, and was met by an equally tensed-up Taliya.

"I know that it's difficult, but don't let them distract you." The tone of her echoing voice was gentle, yet serious. "This is your first real mission. And it's a tough one too." She glanced at the equipment, wondering how much of it she could let Taliya carry once they landed.

Which reminds me..." She reached into her cloak, and presented Taliya with a hilt. "You might be needing this." She winked before continuing. "This is the activation switch. Regulators for the blade's length are here, on the side. I've adjusted them to a fitting length for you." The weapon was hers once, in less stable times. It held nothing but bad memories, but dismantling the weapon would have been a waste. Besides, what harm could having a spare do? "Give it a swing or two after we've landed. Get acquainted with the blade."

Sakadi closed her eyes, and searched the freighter for the presence of the other Jedi. "Now, I believe everyone is here." It took her a moment to suppress her own doubts. She couldn't afford to lose her calm in front of the others. Not if she didn't want to discourage them. Then, she reached out to all of them.

"Thank you for joining, everyone." She sensed the turmoil of emotions on the floor below them. Was something going on? "I'd like to head for Rystan as soon as possible. So please, put your equipment and gear away, and gather in the cockpit. I'll explain the nature of this mission once you all are there."

Taliya Kassell Mathieu Brion Yenna Elryn Freestar

 

[Taliya Kassell]

TH E ~ MO M E N T U M


Tag: Sakadi Marathi Sinvala | Yenna | Elryn Freestar | Mathieu Brion | Location: Piket-class light freighter

Taliya nodded earnestly, taking a deep breath, before exhaling. She looked up at her Master with her bright red and blue coloured eyes and gave her a wide smile of appreciation for her words. "I hope really I can live up to your expectation Master" expressed Taliya feeling the nervous butterflies in her stomach.

Upon having a hilt presented, Taliya looked from Sakadi and back to the hilt resting in Sakadi's hand. Taliya was completely taken back by having her Master's old lightsaber offered, even if only for one mission. "R-really?" Asked the young twin-coloured eyed girl as she placed her fingers gently over the metallic hilt. Nodding along with her Master's explanation of the ins and outs of the functions for the blade, she also noticed its weight as the hilt felt heavy to hold.

Clipping the hilt to her belt, Taliya also felt the presence of other people as the commotion and voices below echoed up to her Master and herself. Upon hearing her Master's familiar voice in her head, it felt like a nice change of tone, compared to the Jedi ghost and especially the Sith spirit. Giving Sakadi a puzzled look. "What's on Rystan?" Asked the young Padawan curiously as she placed her single packed luggage where the other equipment were stored.

Taliya had still not gotten used to flying in space or visiting new planets, due to having lived with her dad for most of her life. Nevertheless, Taliya was nervous but excited to see what this Rystan planet was like.

 

[Elryn Freestar]

Eleven moved to find his Master seconds before he heard the turbolift doors open, curious, the Padawan turned to garner a look at who'd just come through, hoping it was Yenna. What he was met with was a very tall man with the build of a freighter - Eleven's lips raised to flash the man a welcoming smile until his mind was invaded of a memory crying in the man's embrace. Eleven hissed and held the left side of his head, trying to stabilise himself in the current moment.

Suddenly out of nowhere, the boy felt the wind knocked out of him as he was quickly shoved into the wall by, what felt like, the force of a moon. Reeling from the sudden flashback and being pinned to the wall, Eleven only just now had gotten his bearings. Opening his eyes, he saw the familiar man in front of him with a animalistic look in his deep blue eyes, what would meet the man's gaze was primal fear from Eleven "What--?! Hey! G-get off me!" he yelled in fear.

The man's question confused him, why would he ask him that? What other reason did Eleven have to be here? The boy would still answer, although through struggled breaths "I... the expedition!... With my... Master!" Eleven fought against the man's grip but it was moot, the physical difference between the two was laughable. It didn't stop him from trying though, Eleven thrust his leg forward and sent a spirited kick towards the man's abdomen... only to quickly recoil in pain once he realised he'd kicked a fully armored man with his leather boot. wincing in pain.

Yenna's voice was like a beacon of hope that lit the dark corridor they were in, Eleven's head whipped in the direction of the green alien and a broad smile found its way onto his face. "Master!" El exclaimed excitedly, despite Master Yenna's stature the Jedi Knight had a commanding presence that would make even the toughest of individuals reconsider their stance. Hopefully this guy was the same.

Eleven turned back to look at the man, he could feel the anger and mistrust pulsate from the man - but what was really strange to the Kiffar was... also the sadness. The boy exhaled, still struggling to breathe properly with the man's heavy arm on his chest "See... I'm telling the truth..."

"Whoa!" Eleven suddenly exclaimed as he felt a feminine voice within his head. He still wasn't used to having someone else's voice projected into his mind, nor did he like it... it stirred up some bad feelings for some reason. "Umm... the voice said to meet in the cockpit..." Eleven averted his gaze and toward his Master for comfort "Can you let me go now... please?"

Mathieu Brion Yenna Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Taliya Kassell

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Fighting Chance​

Location: The Gouda -> The Momentum
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, various items
Tags: Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Taliya Kassell Elryn Freestar Mathieu Brion Yenna

---​

The turmoil in his mind made it hard to think properly. To truly process the words that the Kiffar uttered. All he knew was that Cassie had fallen and that they were all in danger if he had actually fooled them into thinking that he was on their side. Mathieu deeply wanted his old friend to have returned to the light but it had not been that long since their battle on Oricon - a dramatic shift like this could only be explained if the fallen Jedi was acting - for a natural redemption did not go this fast, at least not when someone has fallen as far as his Cassie had.

It was almost as if the large Morellian didn't care what the deceiver had to say. His stare remained, angered, bestial and miserable. It was only when he was kicked that something happened. This one was soft. He knew Cassie very well - the Kiffar was a competent fighter and this one had just sent a way too soft of a kick at an armour plate. His demeanour was different too - with his usually snappier style being replaced by a soft one. He had lost weight and appeared younger - possibly because of the removed tattoo. The dark side had amplified Cassie's power - but had it also made him an incredible actor? Judging by the fact that he was right there, being pinned against the wall, the only sensible answer was yes.

Then, Yenna arrived. Mathieu's eyes didn't leave the deceiver for a moment. "Yenna, good! He's-..." he didn't get to truly answer her first question before she continued, commanding him to let go. "No, you don't g-..." he was cut off once more as she told him to leave. Sternly - not as request, but an order. Their encounter in the past had been brief but still, he had built up a sense of respect for her. Judging by her tone it would have been easy to assume that it was not mutual - but that was not something he concerned himself with now. Instead, he wanted to explain and get her on track "Cassie has fallen, he's been deceiving you. All of you."

It was a grave accusation and that would hopefully be enough for her to pause and try a more careful approach. "He isn't the same person who trained you." this time, he was not cut off. Instead, he trailed off as he realised that she had called her former Master 'her Padawan'. The large Morellian eased his hold against the Kiffar, making it easier for him to breathe but not enough to release him from his position. He stood in silence for long enough for Sakadi's message to reach him and for Cassie to echo it. With his capacities in mental communication being limited, Mathieu didn't try to respond in sentences or even words. Instead, he tried to bounce back the message with a sense of danger - hopefully, it would be enough reason for the Master to investigate. Meanwhile, he let out a low "Explain" - his eyes were still fixed on Cassie, but it was clear that he spoke to Yenna.

 

[Yenna]

Things were already getting out of hand, and Yenna was not appreciating the accusations thrown at her padawan. But Mathieu’s words did stick with her for a moment. Not out of worry, but out of shock as she looked back to El.

The moments were scarcer of late. But every now and then she caught herself seeing him in El. This was one such moment once again, as her eyes darted between El and Mathieu. No matter how much she told herself that he was different, no matter how different she saw El compared to him...

There was no denying the truth.

Sakadi’s voice drew her out of the awkward tension. ”Be there, we will.” She replied back telepathically before she returned her attention to Mathieu. ”My master, I would recognise, if I saw him. A striking resemblance, my padawan has, but my former master, he is not.” She explained calmly to him as she glanced back at El, giving him a warm smile for a brief moment.

”Besides, a lot older... and taller... he would be, don’t you think?” A smile finally formed as she looked at Mathieu with a gentle snicker. ”Your pain, I understand, Mathieu. But dead, he is, sadly.” Her smile faltered for the moment as her golden eyes looked back to El. ”Now... please, let go of my padawan. To keep Master Sakadi waiting, not wise it is. Annoying, she can be, when she is angry.” The smile returned as she jabbed at the Sephi, trusting that Sakadi was somehow listening in on what was going on.

”About this, we can talk later, Mathieu.” She started to walk past, but stopped to look back at them as she waited for her padawan. ”And El... a surprise for you, I have.” She spoke up as she raised the lightsaber hilt from her robes.

This secret was unraveling. Mathieu was getting too close, and Sakadi knew the secret. What also bothered her was Mathieu’s words. How could Cas deceive them if he was dead? It was boiling over.

She needed to talk to El. This secret couldn’t go on forever. But not on this trip. Perhaps it was time for El to become an official Jedi... that would make a good opportunity to talk about his origins. What better time to talk about it than during his journey into a new life?

Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Elryn Freestar Mathieu Brion Taliya Kassell

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

T H E- M O M E N T U M
R Y S T A N- B A D L A N D S​

"I'll tell you once we've gathe-" She broke off her response to Taliya halfway through, and stretched her consciousness to the lower deck of the freighter. It was rather odd to receive two controversial responses. One assuring they were on their way and the other, a warning. The latter likely connected to the turmoil she had felt resonating through the Force.

"Change of plans, Taliya. We're going to the lower deck first." She turned on her heel, and made her way to the ladder. Mathieu and Yenna were both righteous and empathetic Knights. She considered herself to be different, and not for the better. If this was a disagreement between them - could she even solve it?

Sakadi stepped into the ladder shaft, and let herself drop to the deck below. She caught herself with the Force and slowed her descent to perform a graceful landing. The corridor was small, barely enough for two people to stand shoulder to shoulder. She let her gaze sweep through it. Taking note of the open boarding ramp, Yenna, Mathieu, and...

Her eyes locked on the young, dark-skinned Padawan. A slight tremor moved through the Force. She then turned, hesitantly, to glance at Yenna with sombre eyes.
"She does not know, Mathieu." She raised a heavy hand to point at Eleven, but avoided eye-contact. "Otherwise she would not have brought that here." She did not want to talk about it. But by coming down here, interfering, she had forced herself in a corner.

"Please tell me where you found it Yenna." The Knight's expression, a smile masking grief, caused worry to surface in the Sephi. She did not blame the green woman for bringing the 'boy' along. Not in the slightest. It was her emotional attachment to Cas that clouded her judgement.

Just as it clouded hers.

Taliya Kassell | Mathieu Brion | Yenna | Elryn Freestar​

 

[Taliya Kassell]

TH E ~ MO M E N T U M


Tag: Sakadi Marathi Sinvala | Yenna | Elryn Freestar | Mathieu Brion | Location: Piket-class light freighter

Taliya tilted her head a bit by her Master's sudden break-off to suddenly tell them they would head to the lower deck. "Oh... okay," said Taliya simply, a bit surprised by the sudden change, but nevertheless, followed the Sephi. Upon entering the lower deck, the girl's eyes when wide, seeing a scuffle between three strangers. Or, that wasn't exactly true, as she knew Eleven... who was being pinned up against the wall.

Something akin to, not exactly anger, but upset seeing that brick of a man, holding her friend against his will to the wall. However, the brick of a man also looked extremely dangerous and his intensity scared Taliya. "H-hey! Let go of my friend you bully!" Called Taliya out while still standing half behind her Master for protection. In truth, Taliya had no idea why or why not the scuffle happened between the huge man and her friend, but Taliya refused to believe her friend Eleven would have done something that caused such a violent response.

"No no no, don't stop this you stupid girl. We're finally getting some action today. That man looks like he's ready to tear the kid's throat out!" spoke the voice of the Sith over her right shoulder excitedly.
"Quiet Sith. Trust in yourself, Taliya and the Force shall guide you to a solution" spoke the voice of the Jedi over her left shoulder, hushing the Sith while trying to guide Taliya.

 

[Elryn Freestar]

Had this person lost his mind? He was mentioning someone called Cassie but attacking him? Did he mistake him for someone... or? Then it started to make sense, this Cassie guy must have been Master Yenna's old Master... the one that died, and the one he had a resemblence. But the Mathieu guy was saying that Cassie has fallen, present tense. But he was dead. This whole situation was completely crazy.

The hostile man released the amount of pressure he had placed on his chest and Eleven was able to breathe a sigh of relief, metaphorically and literally. Exhaling deeply, his eyes trailed over to his Master who apparently had a surprise for him. Eleven's face lit up with excitement at the sight of the lightsaber hilt she pulled out, he smiled broadly "Really?! Aw thank you, Mast--ngh!" he tried to rush toward the small Jedi, but had forgotten he was still pinned against the wall.

Eleven looked back at the man "Sir, I'm not... er... 'Cassie'. Can you please let go of me now." he asked, beginning to grow a little frustrated as displayed in his tone. Then more people arrived to see the commotion, it was that Sephi woman - the one he'd see in his dreams. The second his eyes landed on her, a memory unlocked. He could smell trees, like the ones on Kashyyyk, he was in a forest clearing and there she stood... in front of him, white hair flowing with the wind.

Then he was back, he too offered her a smile from the sense of familiarity with her. She pointed at him, her expression was hard to read but... something felt off, like he could feel disdain- not from the Mathieu guy, he could sense confusion and paranoia, the disdain came from someone else. Whatever it was, he smile faltered because of it. Taliya's voice reached Eleven's ears and his smile quickly returned "Taliya! Hi! I already asked him that." Eleven pushed against Mathieu, fighting his superior strength but it was moot. "Calling him a 'bully' probably won't help." he told Taliya, chuckling nervously.

Her willingness to stick up for him was appreciated - seemed like everyone but her and Yenna was at his throat recently...

Mathieu Brion Yenna Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Taliya Kassell

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Fighting Chance​

Location: The Gouda -> The Momentum
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, various items
Tags: Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Taliya Kassell Elryn Freestar Mathieu Brion Yenna

---​

Yenna's calm demeanour was working as her words did bring him closer to letting go. Closer to seeing that someone so young and so many differences couldn't be his best friend. But then, it was the same person. The exact same person. It didn't make any sense. How could she be so confident when he was telling her that Cassie had fallen? He was tempted to give her a puzzled look but at this moment in time, he could not let his eyes off of the threat. The deceiver. Or non-deceiver - it was hard to keep track. He seriously considered letting him go.

But lowering his guard was not an option - that became extremely obvious when she tried to hand him a lightsabre. Mathieu had shown restraint in not drawing his own but if she was going to arm him now, he would be hard pressed not to respond in kind. Cassie was starting to get annoyed too - his demeanour was still different from before the fall but it was starting to show some similarities. Regardless - the situation was escalating and if his fallen friend had managed to get Yenna on his side, Mathieu sincerely hoped for Sakadi to come soon.

And just as he hoped for the Jedi Master to arrive, she did. It was good to once more experience her communications. It brought him a sense of safety in a most tumultuous setting. Her words brought him clarity. At least to a degree. For the first time, his bestial stare left the Kiffar as he turned to. He looked to Yenna sympathetically. Not knowing that her Master had fallen - it was tragic.

He was about to speak when Sakadi's second sentence arrived. After shooting a quick glance at the Sephi, his attention returned to Cassie - that - the word echoed in his mind. Why did he call him that? His gaze shifted back down to Yenna, once more filled with sympathy. As Taliya and Eleven had their exchange, Mathieu looked back to the Kiffar and finally came to terms with the possibility that the person he pinned against the wall wasn't his fallen friend. As if following the instructions of the girl, he let go of the younger version of his friend, letting him fall a couple decimetres upon being released. His gaze didn't shift, however - instead, their angered and suspicious character shifted to sadness. For all this time, he thought that he was standing there with his fallen friend. In his grasp. Captured. Maybe he could have been turned. Instead, he had found some look-alike. A that.

Still, not knowing why Sakadi referred to him as a that it was hard for Mathieu not to see the boy as a person. His armour plated chest rose and fell as he breathed heavily as he let out a low whisper-like "Sorry." The words were sincere - but it was clear that the tension in the room was still thick. He glanced down at Yenna, wondering what she was up to and what she wasn't telling them. Why was she keeping secrets? Was it some kind of coping mechanism? Clearly, she believed that Cassie had died. His gaze then shifted to Sakadi, once more hoping for her to resolve the situation. To once more bring them clarity.

 

[Yenna]

Yenna was taken back at the sudden appearance of Sakadi, though she knew that she would at least be able to solve the situation. She pointed to Eleven as she seemingly communicated with Mathieu for a moment. Her padawan was also there... Taliya, if Yenna remembered correctly. At least she seemed to also support El in this situation.

Finally Mathieu let go of El and Yenna was right beside him with a hand on his leg and a bright smile on her face. "Have worked, Taliya's comment seemed to." She joked as she looked up at him. She was about to hand him the lightsaber and explain the controls when she heard Sakadi's voice in her head. She turned to look at the Jedi Master for a moment in confusion. "It? The lightsaber, you mean?" She asked with blissful ignorance as she pointed down to the weapon in her hands. "One of my crystals, it uses. For El, the hilt I built." She explained with a proud smile.

Though realization soon dawned on her as she stared up at the Sephi, taking in her presence. She wasn't referring to the lightsaber.

"Wait... your pardon, I beg?" She spoke up as outrage built in her voice. "You place as a Jedi, you forget, Master Sinvala." She spoke with a cold tone. "Towards my padawan, you will show respect." She continued, soon looking at Mathieu as well with a harsh, golden glare. "For you, that also goes, Knight Brion." She stated as her eyes drifted back to Sakadi. Her brewing annoyance and anger was clear through her presence as she stood between them all, her hand tightening around the lightsaber. "Address him properly, you will. Otherwise, some words, we shall have later." She insisted with a cold tone as she glared at the Sephi.

Huffing a deep breath, she plucked her flask from her pocket and took a long sip as she looked back at El. "Come on. In peace, I want to give you this." She muttered as she put her flask away and gave his trousers a gentle tug. "To the cockpit, you all can go. Be there, we shall, in a moment!" She called out without even looking at the rest of the group as she made her way to another hallway in the freighter. Cradling the lightsaber in both hands, she took a deep breath to calm herself down. She was acting out of line for a Jedi. Behaviour like this was unacceptable, whether it be from Master Sakadi or Mathieu, or from herself.

Elryn Freestar Mathieu Brion Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Taliya Kassell

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

T H E- M O M E N T U M
R Y S T A N- B A D L A N D S​

Sakadi had always experienced difficulties expressing herself. A lifetime of isolation, first by her parents and then her loss of speech gave you that. She hadn't meant to upset anyone in the room by calling the clone "it". When Yenna's face contorted at first, she realized her mistake, although she wasn't one to admit it.

Not even when Yenna's anger rippled through the Force. She glimpsed at the green Knights hand, which tightened around her lightsaber.
"Do you think so little of us that you consider resorting to force?" She spoke dryly. "Stop pretending to have the moral high ground if you are this blinded by your grief over Cas." Sakadi hissed. "Control yourself. You know what that, what he" she corrected herself "is." Her eyes shot to Eleven, who could briefly feel a prickling sensation between his eyebrows. She then turned to Yenna again. "And you didn't even bother to tell him?" A glance at Mathieu told her that he hadn't put the pieces together yet. And she wouldn't get through to Yenna like this.

Fortunately there were other means at her disposal. She was an accomplished telepath, capable of much more than projecting her voice. Under the guidance of Jend Ro Quill, she had been taught by the Blue Banthas to vividly recall any memory. Memories she could share through the Force. Sakadi raised her arm and gestured with her index and middle finger, establishing a controlled flow between her, Mathieu, and Yenna.

Then, their worlds faded to black.

You feel your chest rise and fall, drawing in the stale air of the dark corridor. Cautiously, you slide your foot forward over the metal grating placed over the glass pipelines below you. Details you assess and take in - as the sweaty palm of your lavender hand closes tightly around the electrum handle of your lightsaber. The shiver that moves down your spine serves as a wake-up call as you study the devices lined up against the walls.

Pods. Dozens of them. Most no longer intact, the liquids that sting your nose as you smell them having partially leaked out. But it is the lumps of flesh inside of them that truly disturb you.

Because deep down, you know this is your fault. Because you set him on this path and did not guide him properly...

You stop near one of them. One where the content isn't just a lump of flesh. It has shape. A broken, emaciated shape. But nevertheless one you recognise. Brown eyes - dull and twisted. Staring into nothingness. Plucks of dark hair sticking to the grazed head, and deformed fingers of hands you once held.

You stand there for a moment. Again focusing on the rising and falling of your chest - a breathing exercise to calm the emotional turmoil within.

And yet you notice the danger too late. The face of the thing before you contorts. Your eyes clash with his crazed look, showing nothing of the man you knew. It reaches out, swiping for your neck in a frenzy.

And the only thing that saved you, was the watchful eye of your companion. The android woman, Xan Deesa .
“Well at least they got the clinginess right with him” you hear her say, her voice echoing through the corridor.

A remark responded to by screams in the distance. Screams with his voice. Contorted. Bestial. Mad.

You ignite your brilliant white lightsaber and brace for what's to come. Knowing what you have to do, to protect the legacy of your former Padawan. The fallen Cas Tynen.

You must burn this facility to the ground.

She tremendously disliked opening up to others. But that was the consequence of the vivid memory-sharing techniques. For the duration of it, they had experienced everything as she did. From emotions and trial of thought, to actions, ailments, and injuries. It wasn't a pleasant out-of-body experience, that she knew. She had employed similar techniques during her time as mental healer on Silver Rest. Delving into the minds of others - no matter how many times she had done - still inflicted her with a mild nausea and loss of balance.

"He is one of them Yenna. One of the clones made by Darth Insatious. They are loyal to him, to a fault. A private army of genetic experiments." Her tone was cold. Distant, even. "And Cas himself is leading them." She grew silent. Mathieu knew the truth. As did she. But was a fragment of her recent past enough to convince the angered Knight?

"What makes you believe that he - that Padawan you chose, is not sent her as a part of the Sith's plan? Cas knows who we are. How to get to us. Do you truly think that, after betraying our trust, he would not sink that low?" Her main issue with Eleven wasn't his resemblance to Cas. It was the uncertainty that he brought with him.

Taliya Kassell | Mathieu Brion | Yenna | Elryn Freestar​

 

[Taliya Kassell]

TH E ~ MO M E N T U M


Tag: Sakadi Marathi Sinvala | Yenna | Elryn Freestar | Mathieu Brion | Location: Piket-class light freighter

Taliya was a bit lost for words, seeing everything panned out it did. Looking between her Master and Master Yenna and then to the large scary man who finally dropped Eleven. Sensing the tension escalate by Sakadi calling Eleven 'it' did earn Taliya's master a questioning look of surprise. Taliya did want to speak up, but between Mathieu scaring her and her damn 'guardian' spirits suddenly starting to speak, made it hard to concentrate.
"W-what? No, I'm not going to fight him!" whispered Taliya out of the blue, before she managed to catch herself from speaking. Not knowing whether or not anyone heard her, she swiftly darted for a random door in the opposite end of where everyone else was. Before disappearing through the door, Taliya stopped right at the open doorway and turn around.

Bowing to her Master, "I~I'm sorry Master... I~" apologised the twin-coloured eyed girl with her growing headache pain, over her condition as if she had done something bad or wrong. As quickly as she apologised, as fast did she disappear through the door.

Not knowing whether or not anyone would follow her and she didn't exactly check, Taliya felt a growing headache. She needed a quiet place where people weren't ready to fight or cause drama. Finding a quiet spot behind some larger crates, Taliya immediately felt the two sides of the Force fight for control over her mind.

"Give in, girl" Spoke the honey-tempted voice of the Sith with a slithering hiss.
"I can feel your desire, the desire to make that man pay for how it treated your friend. Don't you want to show El you care, little girl?" continued the Sith voice, gaining more and more traction.
"Open up your mind for me, Taliyaaaaa" continued the Sith to whisper, though more annoyed that Taliya's mind continued to not give in to his control.
"OPEN IT, GIRL!" Roared the Sith Spirit, causing Taliya to almost jump.

"S-stop it, please... It hurts!" Begged Taliya as she squeezed her eyes tightly together, feeling the rage-filled waves growing more and more.

"I will not let you control her Sith!" Spoke the stern voice of the Jedi with an icy tone.
"Listen to my voice, Taliya. Let me help you, if you give me control, I will break his poisonous claws in you" spoke the Jedi spirit with a commandeering voice.
"I will not let the Sith gain control over you Taliya. I'm doing this for you Padawan, but you have to let me in!" Spoke the Jedi spirit in her mind, raising her voice to outshout the Sith's rage-filled voice.

Sitting up against one of the crates, she leaned forward, slapping both sides of her head, trying desperately to remember her Master's teaching in combating the spirit's controlling nature.

 

[Elryn Freestar]

The tension in the room could be felt by everyone, it wasn't a secret. But after a few exchanges of cold looks, Mathieu finally released him. Sighing in relief Eleven rubbed the centre of his chest, Mathieu's apologies was appreciated and the boy offered him a weak smile "Um... yeah. Thanks." the Padawan nervously uttered before treading over to stand behind Yenna. Despite her stature, he still felt safe whenever he was with her.

He thought the drama was over with for now until Yenna's expression suddenly changed following her comments on the lightsaber she was to gift him. She cursed out the lavender-skinned Sephi named Sakadi, demanding she referred to himself with respect - had he missed something? The woman hadn't said anything... at least to him. When Master Yenna had concluded, his eyes gravitated toward the flask she pulled out. Eleven raised his arm in a failed attempt to stop her "Master, you shouldn't--" but it was too late.

Eleven followed behind the small Jedi as she led him toward another hallway until the sound of rapid moving footsteps caught his attention. The boy stopped and turned to look at where the sound was coming from where he saw Taliya at a doorway, apologising before she disappeared through it. Watching with concern, Eleven took a hesitant step forward before turning to address his master "I'm sorry, Master. I'm gonna go and-- yeah." without waiting for her answer, he was sure Yenna knew what he was about to do despite him not fully explaining.

Picking up the pace, Eleven followed behind his fellow Padawan through the door. Finding the girl sat against one of the crates, hitting both sides of her head, the Kiffar shyly clasped his hands together and anxiously approached - almost looking as if he were tip-toeing. Reaching his arm out, he quickly pulled it back slightly, wondering if he was overstepping some sort of boundary but he quickly steeled himself and fully committed. Placing a hand on her slender shoulder "If you wanted to get out of this assignment, I'm sure there are better ways to do it than hitting yourself." he joked, following it up with a sheepish laugh.

Taking a step back to give the girl her space, Eleven nervously rubbed the back of his neck and flashed her a weak smile "Thanks... for sticking up for me back there. I don't know what that guy's deal was."

Mathieu Brion Yenna Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Taliya Kassell

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Fighting Chance​

Location: The Gouda -> The Momentum
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, various items
Tags: Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Taliya Kassell Elryn Freestar Mathieu Brion Yenna

---​

A smile and an expression of gratitude. Mathieu mustered a weak smile in response to that of the Kiffar. What else was he supposed to do? His sorrowful eyes lingered on the boy. His mind screamed that this was Cassie - his best friend. Their smiles looked identical. The way they said 'Thanks' was the same. This was unmistakeably Cassie. But then, logically, he had come to terms with it not being the case. His own observations, Yenna and then Sakadi. Whoever this was, it wasn't his friend. His friend had fallen. In complete and utter silence, it was as if his eyes said a thousand words before he finally looked away.

He had not paid much attention to the girl exiting, presumably rushing to find a bathroom. He had not paid much attention to what Yenna had said so far. His mind had been on Cassie and on this Padawan. Slowly but surely, he returned to the present. Yenna was lecturing Sakadi about something and then she turned to him with a harsh gaze. The order she had just given Sakadi was now given to him too. It was hard not be surprised by how gripped by emotions she appeared to have become - he remembered and still felt the shame of having given in to them himself, when fighting his friend on Oricon. Emotions weren't forbidden, not at all - what mattered was how they manifested. And the way in which they started to flare in Yenna caused him concern. It only grew when she issued a threat. He would neither respond to the order nor the threat, however. Sakadi was there and was much wiser than he - she would probably know what to do. And her way with words was probably better too. And then, he felt pity for the Knight. Her former master had fallen - and that reality did not appear to have sunk in yet. One could only hope that she would have someone to lean on when it finally did.

What came next felt unreal. Or all too real, perhaps. The memory Sakdi projected onto his mind was vivid. He felt as if he was there, living the reality that she remembered. But he wanted out. The horrendous thoughts and imaginations which Cassie had inflicted upon him when he breached into his mind during their duel paled in comparison to what he had to live through now. His legs felt weak and his hand shot to a nearby wall for support. Shivers spread through his spine and entered every limb as a thin layer of sweat quickly started to form. He let out a pathetic "Stop. Please stop" but the memory continued until the final piece of the puzzle fell in place. "A clone" the whispered word barely escaped his lips as his shocked gaze blankly stared out into nothingness.

At this point, Mathieu didn't care for the conflict with Yenna or paying respect to Sakadi or trying to find out where the Padawans went. He wanted to just do something. He needed to get his mind focused on something else. If only just for a while. "I'll go prep the ship" he mumbled as he started to walk towards the cockpit, pale faced and with idle steps.

On his way towards the cockpit, he saw the two Padawans in a smaller cargohold by the cockpit. His walk slowed to a crawl as he observed them. Perhaps they were a bit shook from the fight. Cassie - or his clone rather - could understandably still be taken after having been shoved against a wall. The scene of the two Padawans finding comfort in each other's company reminded him of when he first met the Kiffar on Nar Shaddaa. Those were simpler times and he envied them for being in that place right now. It was only a temporary sanctuary from the memory that Sakadi had given him for just as fast as his mind managed to wander to brighter thoughts, it would snap back to the horrors of the cloning facility.

Mathieu only noticed that he was - perhaps weirdly - staring at them with distraught eyes as he supported himself by putting a hand against the doorframe. It was hard to look at Eleven and to not also think of the deformed clone that had been scratching at Sakadi's neck. But then, it was also impossible to look at him and not to think of his best friend. Was it selfish of him to defend his character to this clone? Was it selfish of him to pretend that this guy was his best friend? He would indulge himself - even if it was just for a brief moment. "I uhhm-...." he said, looking to the Padawns timidly "I'm not a bully." It was the most important thing he could think of - for he knew that he would never be able to endure the mission if his friend's eyes' were going to look at him with fear or contempt. Having said his piece, Mathieu awkwardly scrambled to leave. He still needed to complete the takeoff proceedings.

 

[Yenna]

Despite Yenna's best attempts, anger was welling up inside her. She couldn't remember a time when she was as emotionally thrown off course as this. Perhaps fifty years ago? If not more? Didn't matter now. Yenna didn't take kindly to the borderline patronization from Sakadi, despite her years of wisdom.

Not wanting to expose their padawans to such matters, Yenna decided to use telepathy for this situation. With a glare she opened her mind to Sakadi and Mathieu. "Moral high ground? Confusing your own emotions with mine, you might be, Master Sinvala." She fired right back as her arms folded across her chest. She still clutched the lightsaber, though with Sakadi's inappropriate attitude she wanted to simply toss it away. All she wanted was a proper adventure with her padawan and to grant him a token of her appreciation of him. A symbol of how far he'd progressed. Unfortunately she doubted that she would get such a peaceful moment with everything reaching its boiling point. "Tell him, would you have? Risk his sanity, his life and future, would you? In his shoes, place yourself. Bear that burden, no child should need to." She commented with a more gentle tone. Her rage was giving way to sorrow as she glanced at Eleven leaving the hallway with Taliya.

When she looked back at Sakadi, she had her hands raised at her and Mathieu. At first she wasn't sure what the Jedi was doing, but it soon became very clear.

Yenna's reality was replaced with another. She was somewhere else. The emotions were flowing strong and, for a moment, Yenna didn't realize what was going on until it all became clear. A voice and a face appeared, looking familiar. The girl from Denon. Cartri Keswoll 's sister if she remembered correctly. The secret student nobody knew about and, considering the current situation, a secret she wouldn't expose to anyone. The face she saw, as mangled as it was, was a sight she struggled to believe for a long moment. The vision finally ended and Yenna found herself slumped against the wall with her face in her hands. Her small chest heaved with heavy breaths as her golden eyes looked up at the other two, tears flowing down her cheeks as it all made sense... and didn't.

"No... not possible, it is..." She whimpered, sniffing as she wiped at her eyes. Mathieu excused himself and Yenna didn't blame him after the trip they just experienced. But her business with the Sephi wasn't done just yet.

"Different..." She swallowed hard and concentrated on Sakadi. "Different, he is. And even then... in him, I believe. In them both, I believe. Something else, this must be. Fallen, Cas could not have. Alive, if he is, then we can help him. Return him to the light. Give up on them both, I refuse to!" It took a lot of willpower not to raise her voice and have Sakadi hear her proclamation both mentally and physically. But despite Yenna's hopes and beliefs, the seeds were planted. Doubts started to kindle around her padawan. She loved him with all her being. A precious young man with her former master's face, but he was still his own person. He was still El, the young boy she took under her wing and trained almost daily for a few years now, grown closer to, and grew more fond of with each passing day. She would know if he was untrustworthy... wouldn't she?

There was a test.

The realization hit her as she looked up at Sakadi. "A test, we can take. Due for his crystal, he is. Cheat the force, nobody can. Eventually it will retaliate. Pass it, I believe he will. But... if not... know the truth, we will." She stated with confidence in her telepathic voice.

She got up from the floor and walked up to Sakadi before wrapping her arms around the Sephi's leg in a tight hug. "The pain, we both know, Master Sakadi. Him, we both miss, and hurt, we both are, by what has transpired. For my harsh words, I am sorry." Her voice was calm but stricken with grief. The pain Sakadi felt had become obvious. No matter how many layers she put on, Yenna knew that the hardened Sephi had her reasons for the walls. She likely knew the best and had come the closest to such extremes than most other lifeforms, given both of their lifespans and years. Sakadi was acting in the ways she knew best, and Yenna could only hope to not walk down the same dark path as the Sephi had.

Looking up at the Sephi, Yenna gave a warm smile as she dried her tears. "Believe, all we can do, is." She muttered gently before turning to pick up the lightsaber she dropped during the vision. It was time to depart, and time for her to finally give El the lightsaber. She flashed Sakadi one last bright grin before she rounded the hallway corner to find her padawan.

Elryn Freestar Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Taliya Kassell Mathieu Brion