Private Would You Kindly

[Okuma Milogen]

Braze

The teen seemed… chipper, relieved, and overall in a good mood as they strolled through the space station owned by the company started by their father. Now once more he would be tormenting their heir. All with the expressed permission of the mother as well. She had her plans and expectations, some of which went against Okuma’s own personal goals and aspirations. For the first time in a long time Okuma was thinking for himself.

Okuma followed closely behind, keeping his thoughts and feelings in check as to not alert the young prodigy to his presence. Keeping track as they walked through the station, where every corner seemed to house a small collection of vending machines. Almost too casually, Okuma approached Braze from behind and raised his hand. Lowering it down onto the teen’s shoulder. His yellow eyes looking down at the boy and a knowing smirk etched across his features.

Nobody else around them paid the two any mind. To any onlookers the Okuma just looked to be the boy’s father or big brother. They had enough superficial similarities. “Disregarding the expectations placed on you? Now we have more in common, perhaps you and I really are kindred spirits, ay Braze?” Okuma spoke, his tone ever soft and calm.

“Walk with me…” He said, half a request and half a command. His hand moved to Braze’s back where he’d gently push him along as they strolled through the station together now. “I left you in quite a hurry last time we met. A mistake on my behalf I don’t intend to repeat. I have many burning questions about you and your beloved Verida.”

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[Braze]

TAGS: Okuma Milogen

Braze's hackles rose before he even registered why.

Something in the Force screamed at him with an urgent, almost dissonant feeling, like warning klaxons buried beneath layers of static. It wasn't danger in the traditional sense, but a wrongness he couldn't place. His steps faltered for half a second, and his chest tightened with a creeping sense of familiarity he couldn't explain.

Why did it feel like they'd met before?

The pale man's hand guided him forward gently, and Braze's body obeyed more out of habit than trust. He couldn't shake the feeling that something important had just slipped him by, just out of reach, like waking from a dream too soon. His thoughts, which had been focused on where to go next, faded into the fog of this strange encounter.

And then there was that word... expectations? Spoken so casually, but it landed heavily in his chest. He couldn't tell if it was a taunt... Braze glanced up at the man, tension pulling between his shoulders as his snowy white brows furrowed.

"I'm sorry… who are you again?" he asked, his voice low and cautious. He didn't mean to sound accusatory, but the unease was sinking in fast....This felt very wrong, and worse yet? This felt familiar.

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[Okuma Milogen]

Braze

Okuma’s expression softened some over Braze’s question before he gave a quiet chuckle. “You don’t remember our chance encounter? I suppose I should've expected that as a consequence for what I unleashed on you. My apologies for assuming you’d recall.” The grey man said. His movements and energy seemed purposefully sluggish and gentle. Even every time his one eye blinked it was slow. “We have a lot of catching up to do then, you and I. Your dear mother has tasked me with retrieving you. But I don’t plan to follow through with that just yet. Not when we could achieve so much together…”​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Okuma Milogen

Braze couldn't shake the unease coiling in his gut. It gnawed at the edges of his awareness like static before a storm. Something about this man was wrong in a way that defied logic.

And then he said it.

'Dear mother.'

The words hit him like a brick.

Without hesitation, Braze moved like a blur. His instincts overtook reason as his hand found the hilt at his side, and his blade came free with a sharp hiss. The sudden teal arc aimed straight for the man's abdomen.

Whatever veil of calm had lingered in the air was shattered with that single phrase. He didn't know who this man was, or how he knew his mother, but Braze wasn't about to wait around for answers he might not survive to hear.

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[Okuma Milogen]

Braze

Braze was quick to react, but Okuma had the edge and could’ve anticipated such a sudden and volatile reaction even with his eyepatch covering up his implant. His hand snapped down at the teen’s wrist like a viper biting at its prey. Harshly holding Braze’s attack back from bisecting him. His movements seemingly unnaturally fast for someone without the privilege of Force Sensitivity.

Okkuma’s soft smirk grew into more of a grin as he glared down at the pale boy. “Don’t be too hasty with me now, young man. Now would you kindly behave yourself and stow your weapon?” By now the two of them had plenty of shocked onlookers. Unsure of what to make of the scene. ​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Okuma Milogen

Braze's blade halted mid-strike, caught in a vice-like grip that belonged to someone far too well-trained. His body twisted, already in motion to draw his second blade from the off-hand sheath, muscle memory taking over. The second blade trembled in his off hand, just shy of being ignited.

A memory, or the echo of one stirred at the edges of his mind. It sank its claws into something Braze had tried to forget... something he didn't acknowledge for years.

His breath hitched for just a moment as his body slackened… and he obeyed. The trigger had worked, just as she said it would.

He didn't choose to stop and he hadn't even thought about it. Somewhere behind his jade green eyes, a slow, sick realization began to dawn.

The sensation was like biting down on something that cracked. The knowledge that something inside was fractured washed over him as he obeyed. What kind of horrific training had he been subjected to in his youth to leave such an impact?

His eyes darted, toward the empty air beside him, as if searching for something he couldn't name. And yet… his hands moved on their own.

Oddly enough, he stilled, returning his weapons to his person and stowing them without a word.

"As you wish..."

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[Okuma Milogen]

Braze

Watching the words work their magic on the teen, Okuma let go of their wrist and straightened his posture once more. “Good…” Now gently he raised his hand once more and gave Braze a single pat on the head. “Time is of the essence and we have much to discuss. Now walk with me.” It was possible now that the merc could simply deliver Braze on a silver platter but he wanted to cover his bases and get what he desired before following through on the job he was contracted for.

He didn’t view that as wavering in his professional responsibilities. More like he was taking a bit of a detour while on the job.

“I’m sure you understand that war is coming to Coruscant once more. War is full of losers, unless you're someone like me. With your help you could be on the winning side as well. Would you like that?” ​

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Okuma Milogen

Braze didn't remember the training. Not clearly. Not like real memories. It came in flashes, pressure behind the eyes, the smell of ozone, the quiet voice that always said "good boy", accompanied by an affectionate pet. The very same pet and physical contact he often craved and couldn't explain why. The source of his touch starved psyche.

He had been conditioned to behave exactly as intended.

They had trained his instincts the way a warrior trains their sword hand, through endless repetition. Over and over. Through fear and reward, pain and trauma, until the phrase bypassed everything.

The conditioning was the result of an experimental program, a fusion of neurochemical imprinting, psychological trauma anchoring, and behavioral reinforcement. All of it disguised beneath the respectable veil of elite combat training and Force-sensitivity enhancement.

A command disguised as a kindness and a reply just as polite. His body obeyed before his mind caught up and he found himself walking along side Okuma.

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"The winning side...?" he questioned, echoing Okuma's words as he looked up at the pale man, a strange unease settling in the pit of his chest. He had practically leaned into the touch, much like a puppy or kitten seeking affection through contact, craving something he didn't fully understand.

But… it never came. No "good boy."

A sense of failure began to wash over him, hollow and lingering. The absence scraped against something raw and unresolved inside him. Like an itch under his skin he couldn't reach. Something unfinished and something that felt oddly wrong.

He found himself waiting and expecting and almost...needing.

That familiar ache returned, leaving him in a strange, suspended state of unease and anticipation.
He had done what was asked and had obeyed. So why did it feel like he hadn't done enough?

It left him with an agonizing urge...to prove himself. A sentiment Jasper Kai'el may have witnessed manifest in other facets of Braze's life when they had first met. And intense undying need to fix whatever was broken, or to earn what was missing.
If he could just do something more.... Maybe something better. Maybe then he'd be good again.

 

[Okuma Milogen]

Braze

“Yes, that’s where I plan to be when it all blows over. Neither the Alliance or the Empire will win their war, just one of them will lose more than the other. The only people who win at war are opportunists. I can offer you this, and by extension some of your friends perhaps.” Okuma explained as they walked together. By now those who’d seen Braze’s brief outburst had already lost sight of them. A slight moment of chaos and uncertainty drowned out by their daily routines and goals.

“But in order for that to happen I’m gonna need your help. By taking advantage of the chaos and gaining access to the Jedi temple and the archives within it. I need to know the location of Veridia.”

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[Braze]

TAGS: Okuma Milogen

Braze knew where Veridia was. That wasn't the problem. It was the way Okuma said some of your friends, like they were already pawns in play, like he had plans for people Braze hadn't even brought into the conversation. What did he mean by that? What exactly did this man want?

Braze's mind raced, but his face remained neutral. He was obedient, but he wasn't specifically asked to divulge such information... so. he didn't.

As a Jedi Temple Guard, and a Jedi Shadow, Braze knew intimately how to access the temple. Entry codes, guard rotations and even secret passages carved for Shadows alone. If he wanted to, he could walk through the chaos and disappear into its inner sanctum unnoticed.

It wouldn't be difficult for him. And that was the part that made his stomach twist.

Because deep down, he could do what Okuma asked. And part of him, the part still bound to that command phrase, was already calculating how.

"Leave my friends alone. " Braze stated simply. He couldn't fathom what this man would want with Loomi Ko Vuto or even Aliris Tremiru

 

[Okuma Milogen]

Braze

“Hmm… understood. They’re not really all that important for what needs to be done.” Okuma didn’t care to threaten Braze’s friends or further imply the danger they were in. He said enough to get the point across anyways.

“I know of the Temple guards, who I believe will be the most challenging obstacle to overcome. Would you happen to have any information that would be important in dealing with such a select group of specialized Jedi?” Despite Okuma’s past he never actually visited the coruscant temple. Nor did he have any experience with the nature of its protection. Other threats weren't quite getting nearly as much consideration in the mercenaries scheming. ​

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[Braze]

TAGS: Okuma Milogen

Braze swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. His eyes lifted toward Okuma, uncertain but drawn.

"Intimately so," he said quietly. "I am one of them..." The words slipped out before he could stop them.

Why had he said that?
Why had he felt the need to speak it aloud?

His chest tightened as the realization hit; he shouldn't have said anything. He knew better. Jedi Shadows didn't volunteer information, especially not to people like this. Not to men who spoke in half-truths and used kindness like a leash. And yet… he couldn't seem to keep his mouth shut.

It was like the air around Okuma pulled the truth out of him. He felt compelled, somehow, like the act of withholding information would be met with disappointment. Like failing to answer was already a mark against him.

And deep down, under the layers of discipline and defiance, Braze still feared being told he wasn't good enough.

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[Okuma Milogen]

Braze

Okuma stopped in his tracks before looking down at Braze again, this time with a far more intrigued and curious expression. “Really?” There was a hint of doubt within his voice. But why would the boy lie about something like that? Could Braze possibly gain from revealing such truths? “That makes things very, very interesting then, and will make what we need to do much smoother I believe. This is good.”

The kage clearly seemed pleased with this revelation. But there was something else in the way that Okuma looked and spoke to Braze. A strange sort of joy that emanated from the grey man. “Your insights will be greatly appreciated.”​

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[Braze]

TAGS: Okuma Milogen

Braze didn't answer right away as his jade green eyes lingered on the floor in front of them as they walked, boots nearly silent despite the echo of the station corridors. The air around him felt tighter. Like he was being pulled into a role he never asked to play… and one he simply couldn't refuse.

"Then tell me what it is you actually want from me," he said at last, voice lower now trying to remain quiet, but not submissive. "Because I don't believe for a second this is just about Veridia."

His hand twitched near his side again, brushing the hilt of his saber like a reflex, not a threat. Braze didn't want to fight, not now. Not when he knew how easily Okuma could pull the strings. But some part of him still needed to feel like he had a choice.... That something in this was still his.

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[Okuma Milogen]

Braze

Should he tell the boy what it actually was that he was after? Would either of them be satisfied with yet another half-truth. “Your suspicions are keen young one. You’re right, I don’t really care about the planet itself. But something is confined on that world that I must find. At the end of the day I just want you to kill two birds with one stone. To complete the contract I’m under and to gain knowledge about the location of Verida. Since you’ll be such a big help I thought it was only fair that you might get something worthwhile out of it, Braze.”

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[Braze]

TAGS: Okuma Milogen

"Then you'd better hope what you're after isn't buried too deep."

Braze's voice was quiet but edged, too sharp to be mistaken for obedience. His fingers curled briefly at his sides before he forced them still. He didn't look at Okuma when he spoke next... he simply couldn't. The words came out before he could bite them back.

"I didn't ask for this," he snapped.

"I didn't ask to be made into someone who obeys just because it hurts worse not to. I didn't ask to feel like..." he trailed off, jaw tightening, "...like I'm broken if I don't do everything right."

His shoulders tensed, and for a moment he looked like he might pull away,like something inside him wanted to.... but his body never followed through. He just kept walking beside Okuma like a good soldier.

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[Okuma Milogen]

Braze

Listening to Braze’s words Okuma felt a slight pang of sympathy. “I think I understand. Losing yourself to things entirely outside of your control. Influenced by things bigger than yourself that you never asked for. There’s a lot of people in this galaxy who are stuck like that. As I said, we’re kind of like kindred spirits.” The kage said, speaking some from his own experience and background. Where much of his life he was getting jerked around by things far larger in scope than himself. Except for now, where he actually felt like he was thinking and acting for himself in some way.

He didn’t ask for this either, to be made to lose everything, twice. Having everything dashed away from him, even his own identity. Being forced to reinvent himself time and time again.

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[Braze]

TAGS: Okuma Milogen

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"Do you even remember who you were before all this?" He wasn't trying to provoke as there was no venom behind the words, just a sort of exhaustion.... Maybe even understanding.

"If you really know what it's like to be used by everyone around you... then you know what it costs."

His eyes shifted to Okuma's with a searching look.

"So why are you trying to take what's left of me?"

 

[Okuma Milogen]

Braze

“Yes I do, I remember what I was like, what I did, how I felt.” Okuma didn’t admit it now, but what he missed the most was optimism. He missed being a dreamer. His striking yellow eye looked down at Braze’s jades. "Because I’m trying to find a part of me that was taken. So I can hopefully feel a little more whole again.” So a part of him could feel like it meant something.

Looking away he continued. “In time you might learn what any of that means. But for now vague promises and mysteries are all I’m gonna offer.”

“Now I should ask, are there any in your ranks that I should look out for? Within the Temple guards?”

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[Braze]

TAGS: Okuma Milogen

Braze frowned at what he had just heard from the strange man. The question pulled at him, not with malice, but with weight. He felt compelled to answer, and before he could stop himself, the words slipped out.

" Ko Vuto , Matthew of Valendale , and Zark San Tekka ..."

His voice was quiet, and his posture went still.

"Ko is a Keldor, and Zark is our fearless leader who also sits on the Council. Ko specializes in earth and plant manipulation and has Force sight to rival the Miralukan members of our Order. Zark is older, with great wisdom and cunning. Matthew is imposing and physically capable."

He blinked once and looked away, as if realizing what he had just done, but it was too late.

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