Behind Solid Walls (Semi-Open, PM to join)

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

(OOC: Every post for Var's development has gone stagnant so I'm skipping ahead. If you want to meet her in captivity, now is your chance. PM me if you want to join. I'll take all comers in this thread in turn.)

Varulla'aba stood in the dead center of her 'lodgings' as they were. The six by eight foot room was going to become very familiar for her, very familiar indeed. It was her prison cell after all. At the far end was a bunk with drab blankets and a pillow, and on the side a toilet and sink. Everything was a dreary shade of grey, everything metal and sharp angles. The only color came from the glowing, blue forcefield blocking the entrance and the orange of her prison jumpsuit. It was a dismal existence, prison life, particularly for a classified dangerous offender in a maximum security prison. Her cell was single occupancy, and she left it only one time a day, being taken to the showers. She saw no one apart from the guard droids who took her back and forth, who brought her trays of bland paste that passed for food.

It was like living death.

It had been a matter of weeks since her failed attempt at making contact with her mother. Tragically it had seemed like such a good idea. The second she'd heard that she had family left alive, she'd resolved to seek that thread to her lost past out and pull it to her. Her experience on Tatooine had taught her many things, chief among them that she was no Sith. She was... a lost girl. A woman trying to find her way in a very big universe, one who'd lost the right path. Somehow she'd gotten the foolish idea of heading to Coruscant to regain what she'd never known, heedless of the consequences.

Consequences that had grown severe.

Everything had been going so well. She'd scouted out her mother's schedule, found a party she was headed to with her new senator husband, and then she'd snuck in with disguises. She might have even made it safely to her mother and made contact if not for the Jedi. There'd been two of them, a Miraluka and a Mirialan, and they'd given her a humiliating defeat. She'd been stopped cold from even getting near her mother, discovered as a Sith. Leaving the Order hadn't changed perceptions, they sensed the taint of the dark side in the Twi'lek girl and saw her red lightsaber. Then had come her great fault.

She'd been handed over to the Republic for interrogation, and she had, with childlike naivete, told them the truth. Her status as a Sith had been the nail in her coffin. With that word she'd sealed herself as traitor to the Republic, and brought down the full wrath of the system. Her lawyer had tried valiantly to argue her case, but the cards were stacked against them from day one. They had her confession as a Sith, and that was enough to convict her of high treason to the Republic, which was enough for the rabid jurors to find her guilty of conspiracy to carry out an assassination. The judge had gleefully imposed a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

No one had believed a Sith could simply be a girl looking for her mother.

Whoever said 'the truth will set you free' was a fool.

Since her conviction, Var had run the full gamut of emotions. Denial had been first. Her plan had gone so brilliantly, what had failed? But it had soon been followed by rage. She'd seethed and stewed in hatred before bitterness kicked in. And finally...

Finally she was sad and miserably alone.

The alabaster-skinned Twi'lek walked back over to the hard bunk and sat on it with her back to the wall, pulling slender legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, like she was hugging herself. It was undoubtedly the only such touch she'd be getting. She hung her head, burying exquisite green eyes into the orange fabric.

This was her new home, her new existence. For the rest of her life she'd live in this drab cell, devoid of any sentient companionship, and devoid of any saving grace. There was nothing left in this life, just the dreary monotony of prison.

It was so easy to look back on the past and point to every single thing she'd done wrong, all the ways she could have averted this crisis. They all revolved around being a better person. If she'd been more patient or more wise, more discerning or more careful... She could have stayed with the Jedi and been a Padawan rather than leave them and become a prisoner. Any one of a dozen things could have earned her a different result, a better result.

Instead she'd made all the wrong decisions, which seemed just about par for the course of her life. Useless Var who'd failed at everything she tried, from being a Jedi to being a Sith. Foolish Var who'd given up everything she had to chase a daydream. Weak Var who'd failed and let herself be captured.

Mournful Var, whose slender frame was racked by sobs as tears rolled down from her improbably large, green eyes and stained her cheeks and her jumpsuit.

At the age of 26, her life was over.

[Charlie Sharper]

The guards in the west cell block station straightened up as soon as they saw him. The lightsaber on his hip was a dead giveaway that he was a Jedi, but they stopped him anyway. "Name? the closest guard asked, he was about a head shorter then the rest of the guards, but it was obvious he was in charge. "Tem Farelle, Jedi Knight." The guard looked him up and down. "What's your purpose here Jedi?" Tem looked down at this main guard. "I'm here to see your newest prisoner, Jedi business." "What kind of Jedi business?" The man asked sternly. Tem didn't answer, instead he handed the guard his datapad.

The guard looked it over and then waved to another who was behind a force field. The force field dropped and the main guard waved Tem toward the now unprotected walk way. As Tem walked toward the cell block, two other guards stepped in Tem's way. "Laser sword please." Tem took off his belt and handed it to the guard, then stepped through entryway to the cell block. A green light scanned his body and then after hearing a few beeps, the guards moved out of the way, allowing Tem to continue walking.

Tem walked briskly towards his goal followed closely behind by another corrections officer. When they arrived at the cell Tem looked in, seeing a face that he didn't recognize. He could feel the dark in her and knew that a lot had changed in these last ten long years. The guard opened the cell door and looked at Tem, who was hesitant to step inside. "Afraid are you?" The guard whispered under his breath. Tem just ignored it and stepped through the threshold, the door closed promptly behind him.

"I'm here on behalf of the Council...Varulla is it? Or should I still call you Var?..." Tem asked, his tone was professional until his last question, then it became much more human, much more caring and concerned.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Var had given up using her senses days ago, since they told her absolutely nothing. Just the presence of the guards, the inmates. So close, yet they might as well have been star systems away. And the guards never talked to her either, preferring to let the droids do all the work, probably worried she'd try persuading them with the Force.

As a result, when her first visitor came her only clue to his arrival was the sound of the forcefield being lowered, the absence of that quiet humming that almost drove her mad. She lifted her head up from her knees and watched as someone walked in.

A Jedi. That much was obvious from his robes, probably a Knight judging by his age, if she was guessing it right. He was immensely tall, towering over her almost to the point where his head hit the ceiling. He had shoulder length hair, a vivid red color, and skin that wasn't quite as pale as her own. He was wearing dark goggles over his eyes, hiding them from her sight. It was rather disconcerting.

Even more disconcerting was something about his tone or his word choice, acting like he knew her. She wasn't sure what to make of that, whether to try recognizing him from somewhere or whether to dismiss it all as some kind of trick designed to gain her confidence.

She stared at him intently, trying to place a tall Jedi with red hair and goggles. Maybe she'd run into one once, somewhere, but it was eluding her. Dantooine maybe one of the times she'd been there? Certainly she didn't remember him well enough to place a name. And he hadn't offered one.

If he knew her from then, he'd never recognize her now. Only in her last years as a teenager had she grown into her body. Previously bony limbs had grown gracefully, curves had padded her slender frame, even her lips had grown fuller. She'd gone from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. Sadly she'd only realized that too late.

After a long minute of silent staring, she hung her head again, lowering her legs to the floor and sweeping her headtails over her shoulders, rubbing them soothingly with her hands. As she did so, she spoke in a weary voice.

"You might as well walk right back out of this cell, if I tell you anything I'm dead. Go tell your Council that."

She'd already decided that even if they had met at some point, it was worthless. And she'd resolved that she wouldn't lose her dignity, wouldn't lose her head over getting company. Just because this was the first, and likely last, visitor she'd get didn't mean she'd just roll over and tell him everything.

Prison was still better than being dead, and if she talked the long arm of the Sith Order would lash out and take away the only thing she had left. Silence was safety for her. Silence would preserve her life, for what little it was worth.

She looked up one more time, green eyes still red from crying, circles under them from sleepless nights, and tear stains on her alabaster cheeks.

"It's not worth my life. Goodbye."

The Twi'lek woman swung her legs up onto the bunk and sank down on it, resting her head on the pillow.

[Fromikeable]

The guards leered a bit as Vance jogged into the Western Cell Block. The padawan was running late; he had journeyed to the latrine as soon as he and his master had arrived, and admittedly gotten lost. After a few minutes of aimless meandering, and the assistance of a friendly receptionist, Vance had located the cell block after a few minutes more.

As Vance came up to the force field, he could already see his master inside in a serious conversation with a Twi'lek women. The prisoner, Vance assumed, summoning a much more calm demeanour. Tem had warned Vance to be as combosed as he could be, and the padawan wasn't about to blow it so quickly (or at all, if he could help it).

"Name," one of the guards asked, halting Vance's gaze. "Oh," the padawan remembered; he had almost forgotten he needed to present his credentials. "Vance Asano, Jedi Padawan," Vance responded quietly, trying not to interupt his master or the Twi'lek. By the looks of things, the conversation was not a very large one.

"Purpose, please?" the guard inquired. "I'm here on Jedi buisness," he motioned toward his master. "I'm with him." The guard seemed to harden a little at this, but took it as an acceptable answer. He then asked for Vance's weapon, and as the padawan obliged him, he could see the Twi'lek lying down in her bunk. So yeah; that's going well.

The guard stored the lightsaber before activating the force field controls. As the wall of light vanished, Vance slowly entered the cell, trying not to attract any more attention than he was already. Deciding to remain silent and let his master continue as he was, Vance merely stepped to the side of the door and stood erect with his arms folded over his chest, looking a bit bigger than he meant to be. The force field recontructed itself immediately, and before he knew, Vance was alone with his master, and a former Sith.

[Charlie Sharper]

Tem heard the distinct noise of his padawan from outside the force field. He was talking to the guard and surrendering his weapon. It was all according to procedure, Tem couldn't fault his padawan for that. The force field dropped and Vance walked in, his presence calm as he could muster. Tem could feel a bit of uneasiness from his padawan, hopefully the Twilek couldn't sense it, but it wouldn't be impossible to notice. Tem turned back toward Var. "Varulla..." Tem stopped himself. He had a feeling that was the reason the council instructed him to bring along his Padawan, to keep Tem on task, but he hoped that the council had more faith in him then that. It was most likely a caution then a real fear, there was no doubt the council could sense his torn feelings on the matter, and his request to take on the mission wasn't helping his case much.

Tem walked over toward Varulla. "Varulla, I'm not here to gain knowledge about Sith movements or tactical data. I'm here to help you." He had said it, there was no doubt that his padawan would be vexed by his change in tone and tact. "I knew you once, back on Dantooine. Do you remember that day?" Tem thought back to that day when they first met, he was young and impatient in those days, but even then he could sense something about her, she didn't quite fit in, but Tem still felt all she needed was a friend, someone to open up to. Someone who could be a positive influence on her. Now Tem never expected that he could fill that role perfectly, but it never hurt to try and be friends with someone. He had never been hurt and was quite the optimist, a trait he never quite grew out of.

After their initial meeting he made a point to visit her and ask how she was doing. Even after she left the Dantooine Enclave, he would try see her every time he would hear she was on planet. He even tried to find her and chat when he and Heldo had stopped over on Coruscant when they were stopping over on a mission. These visits were admittedly few and far between, much more then he would have liked, and it seemed to do little to turn her towards friendship, but he still made the effort hoping that it would help her open up.

He turned away from her and toward his padawan. "We were padawan's then...I saw something in you then, something I see even more so now." His face softened as he turned back to Var. "I know it feels like you're lost, but I think I could help you find your way." He knew it sounded slightly cliche, but he meant it never-the-less. He hoped that he could help her begin to heal, to come back to the light. He knew she was hurt, hurt by many things, but perhaps, he could finally accomplish the goal he had made so many years ago.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Large green eyes stared at the newcomer to the cell, a boy. He was easily six inches taller than she was, with broad shoulders, but it was still obvious he was a Padawan rather than a Knight. Presumably he was a matched set with the Jedi, the tall one with red hair who looked so familiar.

Var wasn't sure how to feel about it. She was an extremely private person, and she didn't like the idea of intruders barging in on her life, such as it was. They were in what served as living room, bedroom, dining room, and bathroom for her. There was no privacy, nowhere to run to and nothing to hide in. Even an animal in the zoo had a place of refuge, an area hidden from prying eyes. Animals were afforded better treatment than prisoners.

She didn't want to be here, and she didn't want to be interrogated. Not once in the whole damn process had her wishes ever been given any weight, given any credence. It was shocking just how little anyone cared about one lost girl who'd made some bad choices. She'd been young then, just a teenager with issues, and she'd run away from the Jedi Order rashly. She hadn't thought the Republic's courts would place so much severity on those actions, but they had. They'd cracked down hard and brought her to her knees.

Somewhere along the line, in between sentencing and processing, she'd simply given up hope. At the end of the day, few would miss her. Her mother probably didn't know she existed, Koeing was lost somewhere, and Donnie? Well, at best the Twi'lek pilot would take Var's absence and lack of calls to be a sign something was wrong, and worst she'd just take it as a snub. Var had no way of knowing. With her luck though? Donnie probably assumed Var was gone and had abandoned her. She’d probably even moved on herself, and was undoubtedly doing fine herself. Some people seemed to thrive with what they were given, and Donnie had always struck Var that way. A free spirit, if capable and qualified, who couldn’t be tied down.

The older of the two was completely different. Var had pervasive bad luck of the worst order, a tendency to run things into the ground. Every single good thing that happened in her life died as a result of her own failures. Yes, the first damning failures in her life hadn’t been her own, but they’d shown her a template for her existence. She’d gone on to run away from a soft bed and warm meals on Ryloth to scraps and beatings on Tatooine, the first of her many failures. Then she’d got into the Jedi Order and failed to deliver as well, ultimately falling to the dark side in a move that wasn’t likely to be surprising to anyone who truly knew her. Of course no one truly had. She’d been so tight-lipped and so alone, half by choice admittedly. Maybe some had tried to grow close, but she hadn’t understood their advances. She’d never understood the degree of kindness she’d seen in others. The first had been Jia, that Mirialan Youngling who’d seen her crying. The last had been Shine, nobly bringing her to Coruscant in search of her mother. Failing to even speak a word to her was the most galling failure of all.

She’d come so miserably close, in the same room with Terana… But no, she’d had to fail at that too.

Var’s hands balled into fists and she tensed every muscle in her body, the taste of bitter defeat lingering in her mouth. Anger rolled off of her and she closed her eyes, grimacing. She barely registered her name being spoken, but the subsequent words were enough to capture her attention and halt the visible anger. It showed too as her jaw went less taut.

The exquisitely pale woman looked up at the Jedi with guarded eyes, expressing her skepticism. Surely the whole purpose for sending a Jedi to her cell had been such military secrets, why would they have wasted time on social pleasantries? There was something at work here, something more. Everyone had an angle, Jedi included. He had to want something from her, and whatever it was must have mattered to him. Vindication? Tales of redemption? Or maybe he just wanted her to lower her guard, then pounce to snatch up information when she didn’t expect him. Well no, she’d be vigilant and wary over this, and she wouldn’t be tricked into ending her life.

He did mention Dantooine, which was enough to prompt a rapid search through her memories. She’d only been to that peaceful world of rolling hills once or twice, when she was a teenager. And the first time she’d been there… She’d met people? Yes, she’d been out in a meditation grove and there’d been people there. A girl whose name eluded her, and a boy. A tall boy with red hair and goggles. Named… Tem. Yes, that was it. Tem.

”Tem,” Var said as she directed her gaze onto him, cursing herself for not recognizing him earlier. ”Well you’ve grown up nicely. That makes one of us,” She ended bitterly.

”Lost?” Var repeated drily, "How are you supposed to help me? I'm the one trapped behind these walls, and there's no way in hell that the Republic will consent to release me. And even if they did, the Sith would just think it was a reward for talking to them."

The pale Twi'lek rose to her feet and started to pace, her steps drawing nearer and farther from both Tem and Vance in turns. One hand covered her chin and pressed fingers to her lips tightly as the other fell loosely by her side.

"So unless you help me escape, I'm going to die in here."

[Fromikeable]

The padawan was received with cold reception by the prisoner. She didn't seem to particularly care about him, but even so she seemed slightly more troubled by his presence. As such, Vance shifted, allowing his arms to drop from their fold to a cross in front of his waist. He didn't mean to seem so aggressive; after all, they weren't there to interrogate. They were there too...

... What exactly ARE we here for?

Vance couldn't actually say for sure. Tem hadn't revealed much about their purpose. In retrospect, "We're going to meet a prisoner" wasn't a great description of what was happening. Vance was totally unaware as to their purpose. I would ask, but it's a little late.

Curious, Vance starred at Tem for a moment. His master seemed in a deep state of consideration as he talked to this Twi'lek. Vance imagined that this meant part of this assignment wasn't just the Council's orders; Tem had some sort of connection to this woman beyond talking to her a Jedi Knight.

Almost about to ask, Tem beat Vance to the punch, and revealed his history with the prisoner. Vance looked on with an eyebrow raised as Tem turned to his padawan and explained that he and the Twi'lek had been padawans together.

Vance couldn't help but let out a small "Ah" under his breath. Being padawans together explained much about both this woman and Tem's relations. So they were friends way back, the padawan ruminated, looking upon his master with far less confusion. Likewise, the woman, apparently named Varulla, seemed to be a Jedi, or rather a former-Jedi. This set the padawan a little off; this was the first Dark Jedi he had met since Agamar.

As the conversation continued, Vance could see that Varulla was becoming more and more unnerved. She seemed to think a moment about what Tem had said, as she sat pondering, even the padawan could sense a great deal of conflict in her; anger, sadness, and disappointment. The emotions were powerful, unrestrained, and fully embraced by the Twi'lek Sith. Vance frowned; even from where he was standing, totally removed from this Varulla, he could feel the emotions pressing on both him, Tem, and maybe even the guards outside. He knew the feeling.

Varulla finally responded with a sour tone that mocked Tem's argument. It was harsh, blunt, and cold in its wording and thinking, but the thing that struck Vance the hardest was the apparent pain in every word. Every time Var moved his lips to form a sound, it was obvious (at least to Vance) how much pain the Twi'lek suffered, and how her emotions were obviously controlling her response. There's no control, no happiness, and not even any real thinking. Vance sighed a little louder than he intended; Just pure, raw, uncontrolled hurt.

Vance shifted again, leaning against the wall behind him and crossing his legs. The woman rose something in him; memories repressed, and memories otherwise forgotten. Her pain brought out the emotions of others, whether they wanted them to or not. Vance wanted to say something; anything to help ease her pain. But he refrained; his job was to watch and intervene as little as possible. Even so, Vance couldn't help but change his face from a state of apathy to one of empathy.

The fact that she was a Sith didn't matter; Varulla was in pain, and he was truly sorry for it.

[Charlie Sharper]

Tem could sense the hopelessness that seemed to surround Var, much like these bare, solid walls around her. Tem had a choice, he could think that it was only natural for her to feel this way, he could pity her, maybe even be angry with her for joining the Sith. Who knows what she could have done while carrying that banner, but no, he had another choice, he wouldn't do either; he wouldn't give up on her. All those years ago on Dantooine when they met for the first time he could see that she wasn't happy with her life among the Jedi, maybe even angry with them; bitter that her experiences in life. Tem knew something now that he couldn't have when he was young and brash, when he hated the darkness; she wasn't an evil person, just a lost soul, a sad girl who had been handed a difficult hand. When he face Thrak all those years ago, he hated the man, hated him for killing those he held dear, even believing that he had killed Heldo, the man that was like a father to Tem.

As they fought Tem wanted nothing more then to kill his opponent, to cut Thrak down as Thrak had his own father all those years ago, but that's when it all changed, he realized why his father died: Thrak was just a boy who had lost his way...He couldn't hate Thrak anymore because he felt too sorry for him. Thrak only destroyed lives because he hated his own, he couldn't love others and in turn feel loved. Tem realized in that moment that Thrak knew this too, but was just too prideful and angry to realize it, to accept it and move on. Tem realized then the real price of the darkside and hatred. It took away your ability to love those close to you, to even be able to feel the love they felt for you. That was a fate worse then death, to live without knowing love and peace, the most real feelings in the whole of the universe.

Tem knew it was too late for Thrak, but maybe not for Var. He wasn't sure how, but he wanted to bring her to peace, to live not in sorrow and hate, but in love and peace. "Var, I'm not here to help you break out, I want to help you find your way, and you can't do that until you've let yourself heal... I don't know what your life has been like, I don't know the trials you've faced, but I know you've hurt for a long time...Don't let that darkness hold you down. I know you've had a difficult life, but you can't let it destroy what you could be...You could be happy if you just let go of your hate and angish and let the light back in..." He looked at her pacing, trying to make eye contact with her. "Var, I just want to help you realize that you don't have to be alone anymore..."

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Unsurprisingly, Tem was unwilling to break Var out. To be sure she hadn't expected him to say yes right in front of his Padawan and proceed to launch a prison break. That would have been an idiotic expectation, but it was a point she'd had to make. Somehow she felt like he didn't realize she was the one trapped in prison, and as he continued to speak that disconnect grew. It was like a chasm, widening between them as his words failed to bridge the gap.

As soon as he said "you could be happy" she sent a vicious glare his way, a venomous look in her green eyes. The nerve. He marched on into the cell she was living in, where she ate, where she slept, and where she stayed 23 hours of every day, and he suggested she could be happy, by just getting rid of the 'darkness'? How insultingly naive.

She was seething already, and when he concluded by saying she didn't have to be alone, Var boiled over loudly. She rose to her feet with a furious look on her pale face, hands balled into fists at her sides. She closed the distance between them and stared up at him, mad despite being dwarfed by him.

"Now you listen to me," The Twi'lek woman snapped angrily, I'm stuck in this cell by myself for 23 hours every day. They send serving droids to bring me my food. I don't see a single person for days at a time. I'm completely alone here, and I'm miserable. I'm a prisoner here, not some day guest like you. I can't walk out those doors and leave. My shoes don't even have laces to keep me from strangling myself, I don't even get the dignity of death. So yes, I have to be alone, and I am unhappy."

Abruptly Var spun on her heel and paced back across the room, leaning against the sink. She turned on the tap and splashed her face with the cool water before turning back to face the two Jedi.

"I was in love Tem, I had a man who cared about me and I had a friend. I was about to meet my mother for the first time since I was a toddler. Everything was just fine until I was put in this damn cell. It doesn't matter to any of these people that I left the Sith. I might as well just have stayed. I'd be happier for it. Light side, dark side. What does any of it matter? Neither do me any good in here."

[Fromikeable]

Vance watched the Var's outburst with a raised eyebrow, maintaining his relaxed stance. Her outburst had surprsed him, but rather than foxus his energy on her action, Vance focused on her words. As she manifested her emotions into bits of communication, Vance did his best to pick each apart, extracting both the information they relayed as well as the thinking behind them.

Var started her rant by defining her new-found quarters before using them to claim her happiness was impossible. Vance had to admit that she was right; this cell might as well be her grave. To be perfectly honest, Vance doubted that she would see much of anyone in the years to come, and the thought saddened him a little. Life without others is no life at all.

Var went on to reveal her past. She had loved, she had sought, and Vance suspected that might have even been happy. Of course, being apprehended as a traitor of the Republic changed all that, and now she was here. Vance frowned a little more; not only was she alone, but she had tasted life, perhaps not the way she wanted it, but to a more desireable than this.

Vance wanted to do something; this poor Twi'lek had obviously been through a lot, and if nothing else, she deserved someone to scream at. She could use someone to swing at and attack and try to make it all go away; at least for now. But above all that, she needed to someone just be there, because the rest of the world had deserted her.

But who? Vance spent a moment thinking of all the possible options. Any one she didn't already know seemed out of the question; she was barely opening up to a childhood friend. With that said, Vance looked at Tem; he wouldn't be a bad choice. He obviously wouldn't be around constantly, but perhaps... perhaps between the two of them...

It was stupid, simple, and probably wouldn't work. Nevertheless, it was worth it to at least mention.

"Varulla, is it? Do you really think the world has left you to die here?"

Vance gasped a little as he finished. He had only meant to think it; he had wanted to ask of course, but this situation was totally outside of his realm of expertise, experience, or even training. He was flying blind, and he hoped by the Force that didn't mean he would crash and burn.

Even still.

[Charlie Sharper]

"Now you listen to me, I'm stuck in this cell by myself for 23 hours every day. They send serving droids to bring me my food. I don't see a single person for days at a time. I'm completely alone here, and I'm miserable. I'm a prisoner here, not some day guest like you. I can't walk out those doors and leave. My shoes don't even have laces to keep me from strangling myself, I don't even get the dignity of death. So yes, I have to be alone, and I am unhappy."

Tem knew nothing he could say would change her mind on this, she was right, in a way, but at the same time she was so wrong. He listened as she continued, not wanting to interrupt. She used the sink to splash some water on her face, then turned to face Tem and his padawan again.

"I was in love Tem, I had a man who cared about me and I had a friend. I was about to meet my mother for the first time since I was a toddler. Everything was just fine until I was put in this damn cell. It doesn't matter to any of these people that I left the Sith. I might as well just have stayed. I'd be happier for it. Light side, dark side. What does any of it matter? Neither do me any good in here." Tem could feel her hopelessness and loss, but he couldn't let her give up hope.

"Varulla, you can't believe that. I know it seems hopeless, but it isn't. You aren't doomed forever, you can still turn to the light. That's why I'm here, I'm here to evaluate you. Tem straightened up, becoming more formal. "I was hoping that you would be more receptive...But regardless, I'm here to secure you're release into Jedi custody." He looked in to her eyes, pleading to have her accept the gift he was trying to give her. "I will return in a month to secure you're release to my custody...Hopefully with time and trial, you can return to the light."

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

So that was what he was up to, his real motivation. There'd be a little changing of hats and she'd have new keepers, the Jedi keeping her under lock and key instead of the Republic. At best she could hope for a better cell, or something more comfortable.

That was assuming the Republic would yield their captured Sith prize to the Republic. They were undoubtedly quite pleased to have her under their control, and somehow she doubted they'd just let the Jedi Order take control of her for innocent reasons. No, they'd have to get something in return, and there was only one possibility.

They wanted to know all about the Sith Order, places, names, and every bit of knowledge she could provide. She wouldn't give it willingly to the Republic, so they'd entrust her to the more merciful care of the Jedi, and then when she didn't tell them willingly... Some enterprising Jedi telepath would decide the information had to be taken, and he'd smash through her barriers and rip every piece of knowledge from her mind.

The Sith would know that too, and they'd kill her before that could happen.

Tem might have been under the impression this was mercy. She knew it was really an expedited death sentence.

Var walked back to her bunk and sank down on it as she weighed over the Padawan's question. Had the world left her here to die? Quite possibly. It didn't take her long to come up with an answer, not for Var. Her impulsive nature came to bear and she promptly answered.

"Yes Padawan, I've been left here to die. Punishment for all my sins. There's nothing left of my life. Jedi, Republic. What does it matter? I'll never be free again in my life. I'm doomed. And when the Jedi take me, the Sith will have me killed. And that's the end of Var. Twenty six miserable years, and just when it started to get good it ends."

[Fromikeable]

Vance's look hardened. This was the answer he had expected, but he had nevertheless hoped not to hear it. It was truly sad to hear someone who gave up on life; to relinguish their grasps on dreams, hope, and what seemed like existence itself. If we resign life itself, how can we have anything?

Vance tried for a moment to sympathize with Var. He knew very little about her; she was a Sith prisoner, and she was old friends with Tem. That was about it. Judging from her thinking, she must have been through a lot; a few personal problems maybe, and of course, leaving the Jedi. Vance knew what it was like to try not to give up, and he could only imagine what happened if you lost the fight. Life must become the very thing you fight; a giant mass of anger, of sadness.

Easy. Force isn't the answer here.

"Life hasn't given up on you Varulla," Vance responded, stepping forward. He did his best to strike a gentler tone, relaxing his posture a little. "The proof you need is the man standing before you offering something else. " Vance motioned toward his master. "You may not care, but he does. Enough so to try and help."

As he spoke, the padawan tried harder to think of what he knew about her. She used to be a Jedi; surely she hadn't lost all of her faith. Beyond that, being a prisoner held more meaning than he was giving it. At the moment, he could only draw a blank. The Republic was detaining her for a purpose, but what? Interrogation? Pride? Vance decided not to mention it; not until he was sure.

"That means something, doesn't it?"

[Charlie Sharper]

Tem watched Var lay on the cot before he turned his back to her. "Yes Padawan, I've been left here to die. Punishment for all my sins. There's nothing left of my life. Jedi, Republic. What does it matter? I'll never be free again in my life. I'm doomed. And when the Jedi take me, the Sith will have me killed. And that's the end of Var. Twenty six miserable years, and just when it started to get good it ends." Each word was like a weight on Tem's heart. Each one stabbed him like the cold steel of a blade.

"I am sorry you feel that way Var....I really am..." Tem then looked outside the cell and motioned for the guard to lower the force field. As the guard walked over to the panel and began to lower the force field, Tem looked back at Var one final time. "When I first heard you had been found, I had hope..." Tem said quietly. His voice was strong and unwavering despite how hurt the Jedi was. He looked away from Var and motioned for his padawan to head out of the cell first. "I always worried about you, but I suppose that was too little too late...I'm sorry."

The Jedi then turned toward the entrance way and walked out of the cell, the force field sprang to life behind him. He stopped walking and turned around, looking back in the cell. "I shall return in a month to transfer you." He wanted to say more, but the words would mean little now, so he instead turned and walked toward the Guard station. He only could hope that Var could still be reached when she was brought to the Temple. It was a very slim hope, but it was hopeful nonetheless.

[Fromikeable]

Tem said his part to the captured Sith before signaling that the meeting was over. Vance sighed and began to shuffle out behind his master almost sadly. It was obvious now why he had been brought along, although to summarize it in a few sentences was difficult.

Vance truly wished Varulla wasn't in that cell. He knew little and was unwise, but even he could tell that the Var the poor victim of a harsh world. What was worse was that even when life eased up a little, she had become too blind with hurt and emotion to see it. Life wasn't always a force of destruction and testing, but you could never recognize when this was the case if you just stopped looking and seized up.

Tem exited the cell and issued a statement; in a month he would return and transfer her to the Jedi for her detainment. It was sewn with true care, Vance knew, but the forceful substance the declaration was made of did little to ease the atmosphere. It was an offer, but it came out an order.

Vance halted as stepped into the door frame of the cell and looked one last time at Varulla. She was beaten, battered, and alone, and the sheer knowledge of it made the padawan want to scoop her up and give her the only thing she needed right now; a hug. No words, no ideas, not even any gestures. Just a simple, warm hug.

Vance sighed. No, not now. Maybe later if we're all lucky... he turned to leave, but not now.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Var dug her sharp fingernails into her thigh, annoyed with how her first visit had gone. The short answer was poorly, to say the least. She watched with narrowed eyes as Tem left her alone again, walking out. She cursed his attitude, all those lofty Jedi principles and the assumption she'd be just fine and peachy with prison and death.

Well he was wrong. Damn wrong. She wasn't about to enjoy any of this. Not a minute of it.

She sighed and relaxed her shoulders as she sensed them growing distant. Alone once more, back in her same dreary routine. The deviation should have made for a nice interlude, but it hadn't. It just left her feeling bitter, and not a bit relieved.

Well, death would come soon. That would be the end of it for her.

The pale Twi'lek woman crossed back over to the bunk and lowered herself onto it, lying on her side with her back to the force field.