[D4 EE] Jedi Make House Calls?

[Zeno Thul]

"It is always difficult when people try to hide their wrongdoings. I do not. In fact, I never tried to hide my actions, though I did pile excuses on top of the worst of them. It doesn't seem worth it anymore," he says with a nod. "Accepting the truth and who you are allows you to be free."

[Katarzyna Ulgo]

Kat nodded, finding agreement on that.

""Let there be truth between your heart and the Force. All else is transitory." That is what my Master would tell me, when I became his padawan. They are words I try to live by every day, that I know myself and know who I am. It helps to find clarity in many things in life."

Something about the conversation made her thoughtful. "... There is something else I'm wondering about, which is currently unrelated to the topic at hand. Mostly. I don't want to assume that since you were a Sith before that you might know all other Sith Lords, but..." she paused a little, an unusual uncertainity coming over her, "there is a Sith Lord I've been looking for. I have no pictures or anything, so I already know it's a shot in the dark, though I could perhaps be able to reconstruct an image of him... but, I was on Coruscant, during the attack. Not at the temple but in the city areas nearby. I held off a group of Imperial troops, to give time for civilians to get away, and as I was becoming surrounded, a Sith Lord stepped in and began to cut down the Imperial troops attacking me. I joined his side and together we defeated them, and he told me to go after they were defeated."

"It's a brief encounter that's been on my mind a lot since that day, as I try to understand his actions. What I know is that he was a pureblooded Sith... his age was hard to determine, but I would guess at least in his fourties or older. He wore heavy black armor, and wielded a red lightsaber, single blade."

She sighed, understanding that she probably described like half the Sith Order with that. "Sorry. That's not much to go on. But if I somehow manage to find or make a picture, do you think you could help me identify him?"

[Zeno Thul]

"That is a pretty hard description to go off of. Honestly, my father could fit that description if he didn't always have his mask on. If you saw his face though you would have added, 'he was also hit by the ugly stick'," Zeno replied with a smirk.

"Not to make light of your question, but it doesn't sound like anyone I am familiar with enough to draw a conclusion based on those actions."

[Katarzyna Ulgo]

"I saw his face, and I wouldn't say he was ugly, no. But yeah," she chuckled, "I really realise that description was very very unhelpful. But, if I manage to get some kind of image or composite drawing of his face, would you like to help me identify him?"

[Zeno Thul]

"I could certainly try," he says with a nod. "But I would reserve judgement in assuming he was trying to help. Even in the midst of war some lords will send people to harm other lords missions. He may have seen you as an opportunity to wipe out a rivals forces but didn't want to actually risk himself in a fight with a Jedi. Along those lines of thinking, the blame of a loss could be laid at the feet of an enemy rather than an interfering rival," Zeno suggests.

[Katarzyna Ulgo]

"Perhaps. Still, I am curious as to who he was and what his reasons were, and he did save my life. It's not something I easily forget, even if I might feel the burden of that favor heavier than he does." She just felt honorbound to honor it.

"It sounds like a very difficult place to live in. The Empire. My fellow padawan under Master Syo, he escaped the Sith Order. He'd say that one of the hardest lessons to learn, becoming a Jedi, was to learn to trust."

[Zeno Thul]

"See, I differed from most Sith in that area because of my youth. Trust comes easier to me than it should any Sith, and I value loyalty. The Imperial noble house I was born to, the Deathwrights, taught and ingrained loyalty and trust into us in preparation for piloting in elite fighter squadrons. Many other Sith have much less privileged upbringings. Some are ripped out of slavery and thrown into the academy, some come from orphanages, others are simply kept away from others by their zealous and jealous parents," he says.

"But because I was raised in a military family I was also more violent and aggressive than a lot of others. Death was nothing and proving myself didn't mean being clever, it meant being brutal. Every Sith's experience is different and many don't make it through training."

[Katarzyna Ulgo]

"I can imagine... different hardships for different people. It sounds pretty rough, no matter where you came from, I suppose." She looked a little concerned for a moment. "... Your daughters are not going to the Empire to train, right? If they're Force sensitive that is?"

[Zeno Thul]

His expression grows more serious at that. "I'll be training them when the time comes," he says. Something in his eyes says that if anyone, be they Sith or Jedi, tried to take them away worlds may burn for it. "They won't be learning the way I did. I will not torment them like that. They will be taught to make their own choices, and if some day they wish to seek out the Jedi or leave and join the Sith, or follow a similar path as the Blackguard, or search for some old force hermit in the middle of nowhere and learn from them... well, that will be their choice. But they will first and foremost learn that they have family that loves and cares for them and always will."

[Katarzyna Ulgo]

"I'm glad they will not be made to suffer through the same training you did," she offered, her tone reassuring as she had sensed his defensiveness. "I was about their age, I think, when my own powers were noticed. But the Jedi let me do the start of my training here on Alderaan, and House Ulgo insisted I recieved I proper Alderaanian education as well during those years."

Kat smiled warmly. "I've heard in the Empire there are stories that the Jedi kidnap children from their families, which are simply not true, my lord. Though I won't deny that propaganda can get out of hand on both sides."

[Zeno Thul]

"I don't believe that the Jedi kidnap children from loving families, but I also doubt that there aren't people in your order that look at me and see a threat. That type of person would likely justify it as liberating children from a dangerous home. Even those that I was in the academy with that are Jedi themselves look at me with suspicion and doubt about my ability to change because I didn't choose the path they did. So I will be wary of any Jedi that asks about my daughters' training."

[Katarzyna Ulgo]

"I will admit that they knew a different Zeno than I do, but... I like to judge people on who they are, rather than what someone tells me they were like years ago. And, I have no doubts you want the best for your daughters - and some day one of them will be the new Duchess Thul," Kat said in a calm manner. "I do not think you could ever be a threat to these girls' wellbeing, and if the Order asked I would say as much."

Kat shrugged. "Not everyone is cut out to be a Jedi. So I don't think poorly of you for not choosing to join the Order like others did. To also make such a change is more than just changing one's lightsaber and clothes and saying I'm a jedi - it's a change of mindset and philosophy. It's not for everyone. I will be honest that I think the Order might be wary of you, simply because you are powerful and were once a Sith Lord, but I think that is something that can be improved over time with both sides."

[Zeno Thul]

"Well, I can't truly blame them honestly. On one level I've become a loving father. On another I am able and willing to do terrible things for my daughters' sakes. But my perspective is definitely different from seeking power for myself at the cost of others, as it had been" he replied.

[Katarzyna Ulgo]

At least he was honest about it, and understood his position enough. Which she at least considered a good sign.

"Well, I wish you the best of luck with all the hardships of being a parent. Even without Force Sensitivity, I hear it is quite a challenge," she offered with a smile. "But I should probably get going, though I've very much enjoyed my visit."

[Zeno Thul]

He nods his agreement. "Thank you for your visit. I'm sure the girls appreciate it as well."

Then, almost as if they could sense the timing the girls approached.

"Thank you again Miss Katarzyna." Opila said.
"Yes, thank you," Kasha followed up.

[Katarzyna Ulgo]

"And thank you for your hospitality."

Rising from her seat, she gave a formal bow to Zeno, and to the girls too. "And thank you for letting me play with you tonight. I very much enjoyed meeting you. Have a nice night, my ladies."

A few more farewells, and Kat took her leave.


/exit

[Zeno Thul]

Zeno nodded his goodbye and had someone show her to the exit.

He then scooped up Opila and hugged Kasha at his hip. "Let's go play some more, okay?" he asked, to which they enthusiastically agreed.

/scene