azixoss

[azixoss]

People like that are why my face looks like this.

I spent part of my night last on Nar Shaddaa; Pikvi approached me to aid him in healing one of the many odd people he’s ‘adopted’, for lack of a better word, over the years. He told me he knew Sith Alchemy was somehow involved, and that he wasn’t able to fully remove it or even to likely contain its spread for long.

And, of course, the one I was supposed to go and visit just had to be that obnoxious Larikk who had cheerfully spent the afternoon reading back bits of an awful piece of fictional writing that, for reasons still unknown to me, paints me in an embarrassing and dreadful light.

Brilliant.

Just the sort of person I end up being entirely inclined to go out of my way to help. Regardless, I went.

Even half dead, he still managed to be almost as obnoxious as he was on that open frequency. Still, not the worst I’ve had to deal with, and some people have all the response and restraint of a wounded, half starved animal when they’re injured.

I still don’t know the exact story beyond, “it was an accident”, as to what happened to Larikk or how Sith Alchemy came into it, but it did and it had a reasonably good hold on him. Pikvi managed to slow it and somewhat sandbox it, for lack of a better word, but he’s no mender and I’d wager most of his experience with that craft have to do with creating and unleashing it, not containing and destroying it.

Nothing too out of the ordinary and, as those things go, reasonably mild though it’s not as if that made a difference to Larikk, I’m sure; it just made my job a bit easier.

That Twi’lek is hard headed, stubborn, and lacking in common sense and the only reason I don’t necessarily find that to be too much of an issue is because he’s also still very much a child. Assuming he doesn’t die, he’ll grow out of it. Of course, if he continues on with some of the friends he’s keeping, he just might end up dead before that can happen. As I was wrapping up, another Jedi popped into the room; this was at Larikk’s private residence and this Jedi had the security codes. Obviously, they knew each other.

There is getting off on the wrong foot, and then there is getting off on the wrong foot—and I suspect this one had no feet to begin with. He started by overtly stating that I was clearly inexperienced as I didn’t, in the midst of removing Sith Alchemy based destruction and corruption from Larikk’s body all without leaving behind massive damage and scarring, immediately recognize him as another Jedi.

Yes, a thousand apologies for being focused on my work and not at the old Pureblood dressed in a white tracksuit. Forgive me for not caring who you were or considering you either a threat or a priority.

He then moved on to continue implying that I was ‘young’ (which might have been flattering in other situations, if it were not coupled with ‘inexperienced’) and had no idea what I was doing—which is exactly why Larikk was free of corruption of course, I clearly fell arse-over-lekku into an accidental solution.

I don’t recall his name, something similar to Hyacinth.

Things might have been find if he hadn’t kept running his mouth, but he did, and it was all solely directed at me. Easy enough to ignore, I’m used to family and friends taking out their worry for a patient on whoever is attending, be it myself, a med droid, or another medic, but then he mentioned he was the cause of Larikk’s predicament.

He’s a Jedi Master—or so he claims—

A Jedi Master who, by the look of him, and by his words, has extensive first hand experience with Sith Alchemy and knows full well the side effects, ranging from excruciating and chronic to lethal that it can cause if left untreated. What happened to Larikk happened nearly a full forty-eight hours before my arrival. I can lay partial blame on Pikvi for not contacting me immediately and instead waiting to see how Larikk was the next day, that was a bit dim on his part, but at least he tried his hand at doing some proper mending.

This…”Master”…however, once he’d himself recovered, and knowing exactly what Larikk had done and what Larikk had pulled into himself, simply took him to a standard medic who had no means or experience to recognize or properly deal with Sith Alchemy. Oh, but he was ‘watching over’ Larikk, or some other ridiculous bantha shit meant to make me stop looking at him with a mixture of contempt and incredulity.

Yes, because leaving someone in that state, which is tantamount to torture, is clearly looking out for their best interests. If this person had been an Initiate, or a Padawan—military, civilian, or otherwise Force Blind, I might have understood and might have written off their decision to ‘give it a few days’ without treatment as simply not understanding the severity of the situation.

This man, however, was more than old enough to know better and, judging by his species and appearance in general, is someone who has had ample first hand experience with Sith Alchemy. His decision to not seek aid for Larikk when he knew the level of physical and psychological agony it would cause him is torture. His actions were the actions of a Sith, not of a Jedi Master.

I would understand a Sith essentially telling a victim of Alchemy to ‘ride it out’ with the flawed logic that searing physical and psychological pain makes one somehow stronger.

And then? Then he had the sheer audacity to suggest I needed to spend some time on Tython.

I have half a mind to report that incompetent, dangerous fool to the Council and have him recalled to Tython; clearly, he needs some reminders as to which side he’s meant to be on and that it’s generally not considered acceptable medical treatment to torture someone for the sake of a lesson.

[azixoss]

I no longer have a Padawan.

Ehlial passed his final trials, and was knighted.

It may be inappropriate to be proud of this, but I am, regardless.

It also feels a bit strange, not having a Padawan; Ehlial will always be my student, in a manner of speaking, just not in any official capacity.

Perhaps I should return to Tython for a bit.

[azixoss]

It's rare that anything irritates me.

Things that do irritate me typically have good reason for it.

In this case, it was a nearly mob-like behavior toward my Padawan from other Jedi.

I will grant that a handful were simply discussing Juyo form in general, and were not directing their conversation directly at him, and at least one of the people speaking tried to remind the others that they were addressing a Padawan in a very aggressive manner though, unfortunately, it didn't seem many heard her.

The others, including Geviana (which was disappointing) directed specific statements at Ehlial, informing him that he had a Master ranging from irresponsible to stupid to downright awful, that he was going to (not that there was a risk, that it was an almost guaranteed fact) fall to the Dark side if he continued, and left him with the impression that his opinion on the matter did NOT matter because he is only a Padawan.

They may not have said that directly, but the few times he tried to defend himself or suggest that his Master wouldn't allow the training if he felt there was an unreasonable risk, he was shouted down.

I don't mind what was said in regards to me; I am an adult and a Jedi Master, and they're entitled to form whatever opinions they have of me based on either fact or facts they just made up.

I do mind when supposed Jedi Knights and Masters nearly gang up on a Padawan who did nothing but try to join in in an ongoing discussion about various lightsaber forms.

That behavior is unacceptable from anyone, but especially so from Jedi.

They lash out based on fear of a lightsaber form that requires more control and ability to detach from allowing emotions to have a personal affect than most people are capable of doing; that fear is, unfortunately, instilled as part of the warnings when it comes to learning lightsaber forms, and it tends to manifest itself in perceived 'anger' toward people who use it successfully.

A combination of fear of what would happen if they tried and jealousy and resentment that someone they don't feel should be successful (in this case, a Padawan) at something they themselves weren't strong enough to be successful with and--I spend the past two days between myself and Al'dien helping Ehlial rebuild his shaken confidence in himself and in other Jedi.

Geviana, at least, had the good sense to apologize for her behavior toward Ehlial once she managed to calm herself. 

Perhaps it's not irritation I'm experiencing so much as it is profound disappointment.

[azixoss]

Tea Time

"Master Azi'xoss." Bi'ev bowed stiffly, the motion as forced as the pleasant tone of his greeting.

'Don't say Darth Bees. Don't say Darth Bees.' The thought alone caused Azi'xoss to smile. It just so happened that he'd been lucky enough to have the timing coincide with the Sith's clipped greeting, "Darth Aculaetus. Always a pleasure, I'm sure."

Azi'xoss was  not entirely certain why Bi'ev had asked to meet with him, though he fully understood the implication of meeting on Voss and in the center of Voss-Ka. 

No hostilities. 

Almost a pity, their last encounter had been, from Azi'xoss' point of view, highly entertaining and ending with Bi'ev being stuck in the air until long after Azi'xoss had left the abandoned mining facility. He wouldn't be able to get away with that sort of thing here; not without infuriating the Voss and causing a massive headache (not to mention strategic loss) for the Republic. The thought that the Sith would be operating under the same restrictions left Azi'xoss with very little trepidation over the requested meeting.

Besides, you don't meet someone you plan to murder in a tea house. Usually.

"Bi'ev, please." The Pureblood forced a smile, "After all, this is a friendly meeting, is it not? No need for formalities." He turned aside, motioning for Azi'xoss to enter the teahouse first. The Twi'lek brushed past him, bowing slightly as he did so.

Bi'ev couldn't tell for certain if the Twi'lek's expression had shifted from--anything, really. He wasn't clear as to whether it was just the Jedi's face or the tattooing around his eyes and mouth that made him appear perpetually vaguely irritated, even if he was smiling, by everything around him or if that was simply how his face actually appeared. Regardless, he couldn't sense any actual anger or irritation coming from the Jedi, everything almost shrieked placid to the point that it didn't even bother Bi'ev that something placid wouldn't bother shrieking to begin with. Perhaps it was just his face.

Bi'ev shook his head slightly, following Azi'xoss to an empty table, "You had me in the position of an easy kill or capture and walked away. Why?" He kept his voice low, not wanting to cause any sort of disturbance in a Voss teahouse, though the undercurrent of the words rang clear.

"You were subdued." The Twi'lek's shoulders rolled in a lazy shrug as he settled down onto the cushions around the table, "Jedi do not kill a subdued foe."

Bi'ev snorted and had to catch himself to keep from rolling his eyes, "Please--that's hardly true, and we both know it." He sunk down onto his own cushions, glowering at the table rather than across it for the moment, "And no capture. I can't imagine your superiors were pleased about that, especially since it would have been so easy."

"Death is a form of being subdued." The Twi'lek stated matter-of-factly before continuing, "Initial capture, yes." Azi'xoss leaned forward and poured himself a cup of tea, "But what of the aftermath? Turning someone like you would be difficult, if not impossible; those who turn turn because they wish to, not because they're forced." 

He leaned back a bit, offering an appraising look in response to the glower, "Nothing in you suggests even a glimmer--"

The Twi'lek shrugged and took a sip, "Not to mention the issues it may have caused with your people. Hardly worth the headache, and what my superiors, as you put it, don't know isn't going to harm them in this case." 

A slow smile crept across his face, "And, as I recall, you managed to get free before I'd left and did nothing but hit me in the back with a blast of Force lightning. I might ask why you didn't kill me, all things considered."

Azi'xoss hadn't missed the white flash of anger, despite the Sith's attempt to conceal it. A slight, almost ghost of a smirk crossed his face as it passed, "Oh, come now, you're not angry at all that I didn't kill you, even Sith have some sense of self-preservation. You're angry you weren't able to manage the reverse."

For a moment, it appeared to Azi'xoss that Bi'ev might simply forget the reality of being on Voss (and in Voss-Ka at that!). The Pureblood's slender, gloved hand shot out toward the Twi'lek across the table, diverting at the last moment to grab a far too tight hold on a cup of tea from the tray in front of them. Azi'xoss watched passively until he was certain the Sith had no intentions of spitting either venomous words or lightning at him. For the moment, it seemed that the conversation hit a wall and he expected Bi'ev to simply stand and stomp off.

Focused as he was on the tea, Bi'ev remained aware of how infuriating his surroundings were, and that the Jedi across the table was watching him closely and carefully; it had been a mistake, an embarrassing mistake, the last time they had encountered one another, to think the Jedi an easy target. It would be a mistake to underestimate what the green, striped, annoying, calm, ridiculous-looking-curled-in-a-chair-like-that, miserable--Bi'ev smiled and set his cup of tea down with a practiced, calm motion.

"Perhaps." The first word spoken carefully, testing the tone; he'd look ridiculous losing his temper in a tea house, of all places, especially with a table companion who at least managed the mask of calmly pleasant, "You enjoy that idea, don't you? Or is it more the idea that you know damn well I wouldn't have extended the same courtesy to you had the roles been reversed and that gives you some sort of misplaced sense of superiority?"

"I don't know that I'd call it misplaced," Azi'xoss spoke more to the rim of his teacup than to Bi'ev, "Though I doubt you'd have killed me." A clawed, green hand snatched one of the biscuits from the tray, "Seems more likely that you'd have made some sort of attempt to add me to your collection of Twi'lek, doesn't it?"

Bi'ev opened his mouth to snap a reply, and just as quickly closed it. The damned Jedi was teasing him. He'd nearly missed it in the even tone, and had just scarecely caught the humorous glint in the Twi'lek's eyes. 

"Don't be stupid." Bi'ev reached out to pick up a biscuit as well, "I only keep Lethan and Rutian Twi'lek, even as apprentices. If I have to look at one of your kind, I may as well look at the prettier varieties." 

He took a bite and half-heartedly waved the now halved biscuit at Azi'xoss, "You'd wreck the color scheme. It wouldn't do."

Azi'xoss chuckled lightly, "How lucky for me, then. I'd only have been an inconvenience; you wouldn't have been the first to try."

"Almost a shame that you're a Jedi," Bi'ev snorted into his teacup. He leaned forward to pick up another biscuit from the dwindling pile.

"I'd say the same, but we'd both know it would be a lie." Azi'xoss yawned, showing off a set of sharp, white teeth, and stretched, "You'd make a terrible Jedi, and they'd likely stick you with Padawans who exhibit behavior I doubt even a Sith would tolerate from an apprentice."

Bi'ev paused, leaving his cup stuck mid-way through the motion of bringing it to his mouth, "I could have sworn the Jedi were staunchly against all forms of torture anyway. "

"Believe me, there are days--and students--who occasionally cause me to lament the fact that we're not allowed to use harsh forms of punishment," Azi'xoss answered flatly.

"Any holiday that involves fireworks tends to remind me of that." He chuckled again, and his tone lifted, "You know, I've always wanted one of those chairs with the hovering cubes; I figure I could get away with one going awry and accidentally smacking something obnoxious upside the head with the excuse of, 'You interrupted my meditation.'"

At that, Bi'ev couldn't help but laugh. The idea of any Jedi using one of those ridiculous chairs for that purpose, he had to admit, was an amusing thought.

Their conversation continued for several hours, touching on anecdotes, philosophy, their respective students (with pertinent details left out, of course), the Voss, the Gree, and varying, yet somehow similar, Force and lightsaber combat techniques. After leaving the teahouse, guards on either side of the bridges leading from the Alien Marketplace to the Empire and Republic's respective 'areas' of Voss-ka stood as a reminder that, regardless of any friendly conversation in Voss-ka, whatever pleasantness had occurred would remain confined to the enforced neutrality of a Voss teahouse and would likely not extend beyond it.

"May the Force be with you, Sith." Azi'xoss bowed in a formal, sweeping mannner. 'You'll likely need it in the near future.'

"Force free you, Jedi." Bi'ev returned the bow before turning to leave for the shuttle to the Imperial orbital station. 'I don't repeat mistakes; I'll happily reunite you with the Force should the opportunity present itself a second time.'

[azixoss]

Whoever thought giving fireworks to a bunch of Initiates ought to be dragged to the back of the Temple and...

...made to sit and meditate on what they've done.

While I sneak out there and set off a batch right behind them.

I swear, I've lost hearing in one ear. For the moment, I'll assume it's temporary.

[azixoss]

Does Azi'xoss have to have a stern talk with that bad tempered Sith man again? :|

Brainwashed?

“Welcome back, Jedi, are they done properly indoctrinating you already?”

Ehlial stood there silently for a few stunned moments.  Lord Crux had been in a mood ever since they had landed on Tython and he had remained aboard the ship.  Even if the Council allowed him access to the temple grounds so long as he behaved, the stares and reproachful glances weren’t something he tolerated very well.  Despite the long travel through hyperspace, he refused to join Ehlial down on the planet.  

But this utterance was most unusual for the Sith.  No matter how much Crux wanted to voice his disdain he usually kept it to himself or let it out in small cryptic murmurs when he thought the Miraluka wasn’t listening.  

“I’m happy to see you, too, Lord Crux,” Ehlial replied simply and finished climbing the gangplank. 

The Sith snorted, “So you have a sense of humor now? Did they implant that in you while you were down there or should I have the doctor check you for fever?”

“What has gotten into you lately?  We’re still on Tython and that kind of talk is not going endear you to people around here.”

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[azixoss]

The things I overhear on Tython.

I know it isn't necessarily inappropriate to laugh but, really, when faced with a large crowd making announcements of how they've dissolved the Council and will be re-forming it within fourteen days, what other reaction is there that is appropriate?

My padawan, myself, a Corelllian Jedi named Gevi, and a mouthy initiate who goes by Vrek stood and watched for some time.

The group has some odd notions about the Jedi in general; evidently your lightsaber's crystal color determines your path of study. I'm not entirely sure what that says about mine, considering it's nearly pink. Magenta, if you're in marketing. Pink if you're simply not colorblind.

What's more, they couldn't keep it straight. The man who appeared to be in charge, told one Initiate that the color for "her path", which she said was that of a Sage, was yellow. Not five minutes later, he told another who said the same thing that his color was purple, and yet another that theirs was blue.

In retrospect, we probably ought to have intervened; it can't be good for those initiates to be sucked into a false 'order' like that. On the other hand, they were on Tython and it's very possible that what was going on was some sort of test to weed out the exceptionally gullible initiates in this batch.

After we moved inside, Gevi and Vrek--it wasn't even a conversation, it was mutual complaining between the two of them about how inane they think the Order is, then flipping back to how they didn't mean it that way, whatever that means. Both of them have far too little control over their own emotional states to be useful as Jedi. She has unnatural attachments to droids, from what I can tall, and he gets angry if he's even mildly frustrated. Yet, of course, the problem isn't with them, STARS NO, it couldn't be, they're perfect in their own minds; no, no, the problem is, of course, the Order.

It makes me thankful that I have a Padawan who has some level of self-awareness and realizes that his failures are his failures and not a failure of the Order itself.

Mm.

Speaking of, I need to have a word with that Master Al'dien about--well,  many things, based on my first impression of him, but mainly to ensure that he keeps his training to saber technique only and doesn't try to impart whatever perverse interpretation of the code he has that allows him what I swear are inappropriate attachments to other people. He and that red Twi'lek were far, far too nervous in the presence of another Jedi Master (not to mention far too eager to leave as a pair), in this case myself, to not have an inappropriate attachment that ought to be severed for Master Al'dien's own well being. I certainly don't want a Jedi of that sort, who believes they're somehow unique or special enough that they can pick and choose which parts of the Code to follow, trying to impart that philosophy onto my Padawan.

Of course, it won't be worded that way. It would be incredibly stupid of me to word it that way.

[azixoss]

I've had the chance, recently, to get away from Hoth and catch up with my Padawan. I do hope he doesn't feel he's being neglected.

Regardless, we met on the Fleet, where he was in conversation with a couple of other people. Some young man who continually kept his hair in his eyes--far too tempting to tell him to get it cut or tie it back. Honestly...how does he even see to aim those blasters properly with all that hair in his face?

The other person present was a Lethan Twi'lek man, who seemed friendly, if a bit--uncomfortable around me. I never think of myself as the sort that would make someone else uncomfortable, especially since, physically, there is nothing to suggest it. Ah well, some get nervous around Jedi, I suppose.

Speaking of, another Jedi Master joined us, briefly, but left with the Twi'lek. I do hope nothing inappropriate is going on there; a Jedi should know better, after all.

Ehlial, as usual, had dozens of questions, very few of which were appropriate for discussion in a cantina. Many related to 'issues' he had heard of other Jedi having, wondering if he was somehow abnormal for not struggling with attachments. He may be lucky, in that regard, or he may simply be stronger and better trained than a good many of his (and my) peers.

[azixoss]

Well, that's just lovely.

I've lost track of time as to how long I've been on Hoth.

Oh, I can leave any time, technically.

Technically, the Republic has no authority to order me anywhere--well, they do, it's more that they have no authority to make me accept.

Hoth really isn't that terrible when it isn't mid-day; it's blinding at that point.  The cold, at this point, I can handle with proper equipment 

Regardless, I suppose I could martyr myself, say no and deal with the hassle that would come from Tython, go elsewhere, or anything of that nature, however, I rather like the idea of people thinking that I'm a little off because I choose to stay on that forsaken planet.

...and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the fact that Republic and Jedi presence there really does seem to bother the Sith to the point that they continue to send their own people. In that case, I suspect they're sending the ones that they hope will freeze to death.

[azixoss]

Dried lekku as an aphrodisiac?

Honestly, do people actually believe such things?

Rhetorical.

They obviously do or that grating Sith woman wouldn't be finding people to buy her 'supply' and that Rattataki woman wouldn't keep them on hand.

[azixoss]

"You need something that looks a bit more majestic."

There are times that I'm certain some clothing is designed as a joke.

Most hats look something just shy of ridiculous on Twi'lek, even if we wrap our lekku.

This...

This thing has to be a joke. I've never seen anyone wearing it outside of a humorous situation.

I'm not a tall man by any means, but this thing hits the top of the door frames on my ship. What kind of person wears these sorts of things?

If by 'majestic', the helpful woman meant, 'absolutely ridiculous', she hit the mark.

The robes are nice though, even if the shoulder design is slightly odd; at least I don't look quite so stick-thin in them.

Regardless, I am not wearing this hat. That sounds a bit petulant,  I'm aware, but, really, I prefer to remain somewhat understated in terms of looks.

[azixoss]

This is why my face is stuck this way.

In the past two weeks:

I have been somehow mistaken for a woman. Thrice. Not entirely sure how that happens, considering I have no physical characteristics of a woman, nor does my voice sound feminine.

I have been told that I'm 'too emotional' for Jedi for mentioning that Ilum's climate was mildly unpleasant.

I have watched a group calling themselves the "true" Jedi Order do nothing but stand around the Temple, drink, and complain about how Jedi are 'stupid'.

I have had to turn away at least three Initiates who were hoping to have me take them as a Padawan. Unfortunately, we aren't Sith, and tend to stick to only one at a time for the benefit of the student.

I have been told that I'm 'not emotional enough' for not flying into a panic under ambush situations.

I have come across several different schematics for various hilts and crystals; that's been quite enjoyable work.

I finally finished going over all of my tattoos again. Some were beginning to fade quite badly. The tattoos around my eyes I find most difficult to do on my own. However, that is what meditation techniques are for. Still, it's quite painful.

I do need to remember to set some extra time aside for Ehlial; unfortunately, I also need to make certain that it doesn't interfere with current commitments. My Padawan is important, of course, but certainly not more important than anyone else. Thankfully, he's bright enough to understand that concept.

I managed to offend some man who assumed that, since I rebuffed advances by a couple of women, that I would not rebuff his. Evidently, he was under the impression that Jedi who refrained from physical entanglements were a myth. That did not really excuse him becoming angered when I told him I was not interested in 'going back to his ship'.  I've often wondered why people think becoming angry will make anyone change their mind; it's a bit silly, really. I'm even less likely to go back to someone's ship if they start shouting at and insulting me after an initial refusal.

[azixoss]

This is why you're a bad influence, Onekel. :|

In a misguided attempt to capture Onekel, a one Jedi Master Areliun decided the best way to do that would be to capture Ehlial and use him as bait.

Even if I'd been consulted prior, I would have declined to be a part of such a ridiculous thing. One does not use other people as bait, especially if one is a Jedi Master.

Honestly, some people...

Aside from "on Nar Shaddaa", I've got no idea where my Padawan is, though I am (quietly) searching. He is still able to communicate with me, and I can't sense any distress from him, which tells me that this Master Areliun isn't dangerous, just possibly dangerously misguided and motivated by--well, I don't know what. I am aware that Onekel had been a bounty hunter prior to being discovered as Force sensitive and choosing to go with the Sith, so I can only imagine the trail of bodies and crimes in his wake.

Whatever he's done is either severe or personal if it prompted a Jedi Master to use such questionable methods.

Onekel and I met on Nar Shaddaa, as he claims to want to help. His idea of help seems to be, "trash the moon until the Jedi pokes his head out."

That--is not going to work. All that's going to do is make life miserable (or lethal) for the poor citizens unfortunate enough to be in the Sith's wake while he's having his little temper tantrum. Never mind that it wouldn't likely draw the Jedi out, and would hurt Ehlial quite deeply if he learned that people suffered because of him. Onekel was insisting that he wanted to do what he wanted to do for "Ehlial's sake"; I told him if that were the case, he would allow me to handle the situation as his methods would only harm Ehlial.

I could not seem to get that point across to him; evidently existing in a state of near perpetual frustration and anger makes one a bit hard of hearing.

Instead, in the end--admittedly, it was a bit underhanded, but Onekel had mentioned who his Master was, so I contacted his Master to let him know that his apprentice had a very strange fixation on 'rescuing' a Padawan who did not require actual rescuing. 

Oddly, I also found out that Ehlial is related to Darth Achai; interesting bit of trivia, but I doubt anything will come of it.

Regardless, Onekel's Master must not have been pleased with this revelation and Onekel begrudgingly stepped back to allow me to go about extracting Ehlial using proper, non-violent, non-aggressive methods.

It was a bit of a gamble, I'm sure. Several times during our conversation, Onekel's hands slid to his sabers and once he very nearly started to try and choke me. Self perservation (not to mention Cartel security and their 'looks') reminded him to keep his temper. 

It's so easy to make them angry, I don't even have to try. 

I just have to exist.

Oh, well, exist and not let them get their way all while remaining calm and non-violent.

I'm not certain if I find it disconcerting, depressing, or simply amusing that Onekel so quickly lashed out to take bait in an obvious trap.

Probably amusing.

[azixoss]

It's been awhile since I've spoken to Ehlial face to face.

I really ought to remedy that yet, at the same time, it's good for him to get used to not always having his Master at his side for advice, for pulling him out of trouble--or even really for support.

At some point, he will need to learn to stand on his own, which will require me to keep a proper distance. Not so much that he would feel abandoned, but not so little that he would feel he could be careless as he'd know I'd be right there to swoop in and set things right.

For the time being, I've been present, yet not present.

He is traveling with two people who could be dreadful influences on a young Padawan, but he still holds himself with clarity and strength. To be entirely fair, one of the two is kept on an exceptionally short leash by me, but that is for everyone's safety, considering man is a Force using supposed "ex-Sith" Pureblood who has no interest in becoming a Jedi. The Council may have approved and may somewhat trust him and his story, but I do not; perhaps when Ehlial is a proper Knight, but even then, I would be wary.

I DO find myself hoping that when Ehlial is transitioned away from being a Padawan it is when he is ready and not due to his Master's death. Given the current climate throughout the Galaxy, it may be more likely that it will be the latter.

[azixoss]

Prompt 1: Teacher

(( For more details on where this excerpt came from, go ahead and read this post. ))

What an awful looking little man. Azi'xoss had met "Pureblood" Sith before; he knew what that species looked like and, even if he had not, he would have known this one was wrong. If the pale violet-pink skin, over what likely should have been a deep, vibrant red, and the calculating, nearly glowing red eyes hadn't easily given that away, the fact that the man had introduced himself with the word "Darth" certainly would have.

Azi'xoss had known they'd fight; he wasn't stupid, he'd goaded the Sith to come to a quiet, far off bit of an asteroid on purpose. The Sith, of course, had not disappointed, though Azi'xoss had to admit he was surprised that the man had come alone.

Regardless, that Sith wasn't going anywhere. Not yet. Azix'oss held him several feet off of the ground, suspended and trapped by invisible bonds.

The Twi'lek had made it appear effortless. If the Sith had bothered, even for a moment, to stop thrashing about and shouting, he would have noticed that the concentration it took to hold him in suspension could easily have been broken. 

One lekku fell over his slender shoulder as Azi'xoss tilted his head to watch his captive struggle. He smiled, not so much at his counterpart, but at the situation itself. This wasn't something he'd have come to enjoy on his own. It wasn't even something he'd approved of when he first seen his Master do it.

"You can use a Sith's passion against it, Padawan," Azi'xoss couldn't see his Master's face underneath the hood, but he could hear the smile in the man's voice. The human kicked his feet up onto the table separating them. 

"Master?" More of a prompt to continue than a question. Azi'xoss looked up from the crystal he'd been meditating over, clearly waiting for a response.

"Interrupted you, did I?" His Master laughed, "It's a good trick to know though. You know emotion can be used to cloud judgement, of course; if you become good enough at reading others, you can use theirs to direct them however you wish." He raised a hand to the Twi'lek, sensing the upcoming objection, "Not that I'm suggesting you do that on a regular basis, but when you're up against something that uses fear, passion, anger--emotion in general--as its source of strength, you'll find you're able to guide them exactly to where you want them if you're careful."

"I don't--" began Azi'xoss, only to be silenced by his Master's head shaking.

"Agree? Think it's proper?" his Master chuckled and stretched his arms behind his head, "It isn't. You'll find, once you're away from the away from Coruscant, once your training with me has finished, that very few things are done properly."

The human leaned forward to grab his drink from the table, and finally put his feet back on the floor where they belonged, "Well, that's not entirely true: Very few things done successfully are done properly. There are things you can and cannot change or influence, our code, their code, or no code; it isn't even a matter of adaptability." 

He grabbed his cup and took a far too large gulp for what would be considered proper in terms of drinking tea,"It's a matter of control. Not theirs, and not their lack of it, it's a matter of yours. You stay in control of your actions and reactions, and you stay in control of the encounter. You understand?"

Azix'oss supressed a look of disapproval at the fact that his Master was trying to drink and talk at the same time; it always made him make odd slurping noises. Nonetheless, it wouldn't do any good to complain about his Master's table manners (or lack thereof).

Instead, he simply nodded, "I do, Master."

"Just what the HELL are you staring at, Twi'lek?" spat the Sith, his question snapping Azi'xoss back to the present, "Either put me down, kill me, or take me to--whatever it is you take Sith you've captured to. This is stupid."

"It is a bit, isn't it?" he stated as he lowered himself, tucking his legs beneath him  half kneeling, half sitting on the asteroid's surface.

"One or more of those options might be on the table, Bees--was it Bees? Darth Bees?" 

Azix'oss' expression remained entirely neutral, but the spark of amusement that lit his green eyes did not escape the captive Sith, who snarled a rather profane statement in response. Even without the verbal confirmation, he certainly felt the spike in emotion. Unwittingly, his captive had simply handed over control of the entire situation, not that Azix'oss was about to point that out.

Maker, no, it wouldn't be kind to gloat.

...at least not to his face.

"It's alright, I'm terrible with names anyway." He shrugged and dug around in the pockets of his robes, eventually pulling out a vibrant blue crystal, "We'll decide which option I choose once you've finished with your tantrum and are a bit more calm and rational."

Setting the crystal down in front of him, he gave the stuck Sith an absolutely brilliant, sharp-toothed smile, "I've got all the time in the Galaxy, Sith, and I'm very patient." 

[azixoss]

Evidently, it's surprising to others to hear a Jedi speak in a manner that is anything but neutral and somewhat bored.

Regardless of my duty, Ilum is cold, and I don't want to be there.

Of course, I will go about my assigned tasks on the planet without question and will succeed as I typically do, but I certainly don't have to pretend that I'm elated to be there.

Occasionally, I forget that other people expect that "proper Jedi" are somehow on an emotional level with droids.  It does entertain me to a degree, but, really, I don't have the time to give the same correction over and over to everyone who makes that silly statement.

At least I haven't been asked to dance (or worse, stars, the nerve of some people) recently.

That aside, my shift in focus has been coming along better than I could have hoped and I'm finding that my decades of--I don't even want to call it fear, it was so ridiculous--regardless, it was unfounded, and I am still capable of mending.

It has had an odd side effect of leaving me feel more energetic somehow. That makes sense, though: Complacency and stagnation tend to wear on the body and mind after awhile.

[azixoss]

Lately, I've been readjusting a few things in my life. Most of them are nothing substantial; rearranging the ship, cleaning out the cargo hold (Not to mention spending some time crafting crystals with a large box of small ones I'd apparently forgotten!) cleaning things I've been putting off cleaning, touching up some of my more faded tattoos. The ones around the eyes and at the tips of my lekku are always the worst. It's good meditation practice, if nothing else.

I came to realize, at some point during all of that, that I've been in the same, largely unchanging routine for several decades now. That's not necessarily a bad thing on the surface, but it came to me as I was working on a batch of crystals that I've inadvertently allowed a part of me to stagnate due to fear.

Not a silly thing such as fear of death or anything of that nature, it was something that I can now recall stemmed from my training as an Initiate and a Padawan. Destruction is a last resort, death of someone else is a last resort, indulging those too frequently would lead to a darker path if one was not exceptionally careful. That stuck with me, I thought, out of a desire to be helpful in a way that didn't bring about manifestations of the Force that one might consider 'harmful' or destructive.

Perhaps, for a Padawan, that is a wise stance to take. Err on the side of caution and all of that, but I am no longer a Padawan. I haven't been a Padawan for almost a quarter of a century. At some point being too cautious can be as detremental as being too headstrong and reckless, after all.

All that aside, I went back to Tython and began studying again; the looks I got from some of the Initiates--I don't think they quite understood what I was doing or why, but did not want to bother a Master to ask. That is a pity, really, curiousity isn't always a bad thing. Well, that, and nobody wants to be the vaguely unsettling old man in the library.

I studied the things I'd only glossed over as a student. It was easier now to put them into practice, of course, and I didn't find myself nearly as apprehensive about their use in practice as I'd been about it in my mind.

Still, I find myself unsure as to whether it's a wise move to shift focus from mending and repairing to--no, no, that's simply ridiculous. I'm still fully capable of mending wounds, this is just an expansion of the skills I already possessed in terms of Force use.

That will all pass as I keep working at it and become more comfortable with some of the more destructive uses of the Force, I suppose.

I could blame that awful little Sith and the conversations we had while I held him up in the air until he calmed himself down enough to at least act like a rational person again. It might actually feel good to blame him, though that encounter was my fault; I really must not bait them so much.

Admittedly, I've been avoiding Ehlial for a bit. Thankfully,  he's been busy, but the last thing that poor kid needs is to see his Master in a--I'm not even sure what it is. State of transition? No, no, that sounds ridiculous, nothing is transitioning, I am simply dealing with a long standing, silly little fear that'd I'd either buried or forgotten.  At my age and, at my rank, it's just a bit ridiculous to still be so afraid of the dark, in a manner of speaking.

These are the sorts of times when I do wish my Master had not died during the Sacking of Coruscant.

And it's thoughts like that that tell me I need to go and still my mind through meditation.

Or, I suppose, if I were more like what seems to be passing for Padawans these days, it would be a prompt to go to Nar Shaddaa, get blitzed out of my mind, and end up either dancing naked somewhere or wake up on the ship of someone I don't know or remember.

Meditation it is.