Private The Long Way 'round

[Braze]

TAGS: Jasper Kai'el

Braze took his time in the shower, letting the heat wash the day away. When he stepped out, he dressed in soft, loose silk and satin before retreating to the galley. There he prepared a hot meal of noodles for himself, Jasper Kai'el, and their prisoner, Okuma Milogen.

He settled into the observatory, sinking into the great plush U-shaped sofa that looked out into the endless void of space.

Jasper had been able to get the cockpit working again earlier with spare materials from the cargo bay. That was enough to ease Braze's mind, if only a little. Still, questions lingered. Had Kyric and Leos made it to Veridia? Were Ko Vuto and Loomi safe? He pushed the thoughts back, blew gently on his noodles, and took a bite.

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Mud Duck
Tags: Braze

Lightsaber, Refuge
​

Jasper let out an exhale as he wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. The new window was air-tight and ready to go. It passed the seal test, but boy was it a pain to get put in. It was a huge ship, so that was no surprise. He had to call in a few favors to get the proper equipment to even get that taken care of. It was a good distraction. The cockpit had been sealed off so that he could work, and now that it was air-tight again it began to re-pressurize and fill with oxygen. The Jedi Master took a moment to look over his handy work before setting off back into the depths of the ship. He'd enter into the living room, where Braze seemed to have emerged from the shower.

"Cockpit is pressurized again," he informed his student. "Just waved off the tow-ship. We... shouldn't have any trouble getting around without assistance."

He sat down next to Braze and let out a sigh.

"Sorry," Jasper apologized. "I... can't help but feel I've let you down. I try my best to solve problems before they happen... but with this I felt like I was behind at every turn. The longer I took... the more pain you were in."

Not to mention that they'd been sent on their way in a rather cold manner.

"I've... spoken to Tirin," he muttered. "They'll have the Temple prepared for you. That boy you sent arrived, he said. So did a young woman who said you helped her. Good work, bud."

Even with a metaphorical gun to his head, he still went out of his way to help others where he could. That was something Jasper could be proud of at least. Even as he lamented his own failure. It was bittersweet. He shouldn't have been put in that scenario, but he did the best he could to help when it mattered.

Something to show Jasper he hadn't done it all wrong, at least.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Jasper Kai'el

Braze set the bowl down carefully, the steam curling up between them. His fingers lingered against the smooth ceramic for a moment before he slid it across the table toward Jasper, pairing it with a glass of water.

"It's not your fault… and I don't blame you," he said, voice low but steady. The words hung in the air, a little too gentle to be casual, a little too heavy to be brushed off.

He picked up his own spoon again, stirring through the broth more than eating, the scent of herbs and spice carrying upward. "I'm kinda… anxious," he admitted, the confession quiet, like he was trying it out just to see how it sounded outside his head. His gaze dropped briefly into the bowl before he forced himself to take a few more bites.

Those pale jade-green eyes lifted to Jasper, searching. "How is Cole?" Braze asked.

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Mud Duck
Tags: Braze

Lightsaber, Refuge
​

"It's okay. I... we'll do our best to explain everything to Ko..." Jasper assured. "It will be better when you get it off your chest... even if that winds up being how you part ways. I want to say everything will be fine... but I don't know."

He couldn't bring himself to lie and say he was certain that Ko would forgive him. Between a misinterpretation of Braze's assignment as a Jedi Shadow and now Okuma asking him to kill Ko and Braze complying, it was hard to say if Ko would ever be able to move past that. Jedi weren't supposed to hold grudges. People held grudges.

Braze bringing up Cole was a good excuse to change the topic.

"Little dude is good," he mused. "He's still really quiet. Even babbling isn't super loud. It's... strange. I expected him to cry more. He doesn't really cry at all. M says he looks grumpy a lot. He does kind of have a resting grumpy face. We had to leave Sacorria when the Core fell. I think the home will be fine. It's pretty remote. I think it's been hard on everyone..."

At least Refuge was far enough away from all the chaos. He could build something for more than just his family there. He was going to make a safe haven, one he'd defend with his own two hands.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Jasper Kai'el

​

"That's... good. " Braze offered softly. " Don't like the noodles?" He asked suspiciously eyeing Jasper.

"I trust you can feed our... Lost sheep?" He asked lightly... Truth be told he just was thankful for a break and time away from Okuma.

He moved to take a sip of his soup. Braze didn't hate Okuma... not really despite everything that had happened. If anything... he pitied the man.

He set the bowl aside and sighed relaxing. "I feel bad about Ko.... But I'm more anxious about meeting my... relatives. We were on veridia before... He came back injured... I presume he might have hurt people there too... W.... what do you intend to do with him?" He asked softly.

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Mud Duck
Tags: Braze

Lightsaber, Refuge
​

"Oh, yeah, I'll eat," Jasper sighed. "Sorry, I'm just a little fuzzy right now."

He paused for a moment as the mention of Okuma came up.

"Well... his actions may not have been malicious, but he was very willing to use you for his own gain," he decided. "Even if he was a product of the Silver Jedi's failings, that doesn't change what he's done. I'm not sure if I have the clarity to decide what happens to him. Whatever punishment he receives I'll leave up to Master Tirin."

Jasper was trying his best to be impartial. That was a very difficult thing. To say Okuma had caused harm in his pursuit of profit was an understatement. The atrocities he had committed could not simply be swept under the rug. That was purely honest, detached from what Jasper wanted.

And what he wanted was not pleasant.

"I'll feed him in a while," Jasper decided. "Try not to worry about him for now."

He paused before speaking again.

"If anything... I hope meeting your parents again will feel nostalgic," he mused. "You told me a lot about the memories you had before that... thing stole your mother from you..."

Jasper was happy that Braze could get that closure. Even if he wasn't a child anymore, it was better late than never. Even so... Jasper wondered what role he'd play now that his family was in the picture. Would it change how Braze saw him? He didn't think so, but a part of him wondered if it might be better that way.

Maybe in some way he stole the place of someone else. Someone he could have returned to their rightful place.

Perhaps he was getting in his own head.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Jasper Kai'el

Braze moved to lean against Jasper. "Maybe... but you're my family now. " Braze chirped softly before nuzzling Jasper's shoulder. " Thank you for coming... " He sighed softly. " I kinda just want to sleep for a whoooooole day ... maybe a day and a half. " He offered lightly. " What are we gonna do when we get to Veridia? You're not gonna try and join the 'war efforts' down in the core are you? I'll be honest... I don't wanna do that any more... I kinda want us to just... live for a little ya know?"

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Mud Duck
Tags: Braze

Lightsaber, Refuge
​

Jasper couldn't help but beam when Braze said he was his family. It helped ease some of his stresses.

"When we get to Veridia, we're gonna start with helping you fix your head," he assured. "Make sure you can't be used against your will ever again. I'm sure that will give you some time to rest."

And then the topic of the Core came up.

"I'm done with the Core," Jasper stated. "I... can't keep throwing myself at every war that blows its way. I'm just a man... one who is wildly out of control when it comes to the safety of the Core Worlds. People are fleeing the battle. I've decided I want to focus on building somewhere for them."

The Master withdrew a hologram projector, a small fob. He activated it, revealing the diagram of a planet with a ring structure around it.

"I found a place... it's near Veridia," he explained. "People seem... drawn to it when they're fleeing crisis. There's a blackhole near the system that makes it a real pain to travel to. The people there call it Refuge. I'm going to build something there. I should have focused on building instead of warfare, just like I said I would after the Maw. Even now... lost of folks are headed there to get away from everything. I'm... going to defend this place. It's going to be something special. I can feel it."

He was sure of it.

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Jasper Kai'el

​

"That sounds like a noble pursuit... and a more peaceful relaxing one. " Braze assured. He moved to pick up his bowl again. " I'd like to do that... I didn't like the feelings it was giving me... I think I understand my self a lot more now though... Hard to explain... I just felt like... I had a need... to do the order... like I physically felt ill... You know what I want to do?" He offered lightly.

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Mud Duck
Tags: Braze

Lightsaber, Refuge
​

"Relaxing... maybe," Jasper shrugged. "I've begun to realize I may be playing statesman more though. Negotiating alliances, organizing defenses... but if it makes a better place for people to go to than it's worth it."

Jasper finally took a first bite into his noodles, rolling up a few while being careful to not drip anything into his beard.

"What is it that you want?"

 

[Braze]

"Sounds dreadfully boring... but if that's what you wanna do I'll support you.... I want to build a new tree house." Braze offered simply. "One with rope webs..."

Jasper Kai'el