Unbroken

Posted on Mon Mar 18th, 2013 @ 3:35am by Bomoor Thort & Thane

2,343 words; about a 12 minute read

Chapter: Chapter III: Relics
Location: Red Raptor
Timeline: Early, Day Twelve

Unlike how he had spent most nights since they had taken the Red Raptor, Thane had not used the time to listen to or learn from Darth Bane's holocron. Instead, given the mania that the previous day had brought and the fatigue that went with it, he had withdrawn into himself, delved into the Force as best he could to soothe his body and mind of their wounds, and slept.

Whilst he had needed the rest - as they all indeed did - it was nevertheless a broken sleep; much of the night had been spent slipping between consciousness and disturbing dreams, reliving the brief but brutal battle with Bomoor, what little of it he could remember clearly. Only in his dreams, his blade was crimson, and the room around them shifted into somewhere else, though he could not tell where.

Even so, it had troubled him further, and given what they had gone through - and the discovery of Darth Krayt's holocron (a true breakthrough, even if it contained little to no information on the Kaiburr shards) - he knew he had to speak to his friend. If nothing else, it was to ensure that he was still his friend. Bomoor had also seen him use the Force to summon lightning, he also recalled.

The galley was clear, but there were signs someone had been at the stores already, presumably Kip or Bería, and the ship was largely quiet. Each of the crew had withdrawn into whatever they wished for now, but he could feel Bomoor beyond the door to his cabin, his familiar presence emanating within the Force. He rapped his knuckles on the door. Thane had left his darker outfit and greatcoat from the previous day in his cabin, to be washed and repaired, whilst today he wore his other more common outfit, only he had no red jacket over the undershirt.

After several moments of silence, there was a dim thud from inside the room and the sound of the Ithorian pacing over towards the door. It opened and Bomoor's voice echoed out into the hallway, "Hello there Thane. Please come in."

Bomoor left the door ajar and paced over towards the small cabin bed, which he sat down upon. It was a small bed, which seemed even smaller with the large Ithorian upon it. It was large enough for him to sit upon at least, but sleeping was slightly more uncomfortable.

As Thane shuffled inside the room, Bomoor raised a hand and the door creaked closed under his influence, "I am sorry for being so reserved the last few days," he began, not yet looking directly at his friend, "I have been doing a lot of thinking and meditating as I'm sure you have guessed. The events on Tython were a lot to take in. Tell me, what have you done with the new Holocron? I have not sensed its activation since we returned to the ship."

"It's still with Morgo," the Human replied. "As you know, she's rather fanatical about these ancient trinkets, and I saw no reason why she could not try and learn something from it without the Force, before we actually try and pry some information from its gatekeeper. However," the lines on Thane's face creased slightly, his visage looking even slightly older in the past few weeks - even before Nar Shaddaa - and more obviously so now, "I think you and I have a few other more pressing matters to discuss, yes?"

He gestured to the vacant chair to sit, and did so following a nod from Bomoor. "Quite a lot happened at the temple, and that's an understatement, particularly given the worst of it happened between us." Thane could still feel a certain degree of pain shooting through the back of his head from when Bomoor had set him flying back into a stone wall with his Force bellow. Since then, he had used some bacta patches and basic healing techniques to wash away most of the damage. "And we definitely need to speak about that - and what you intend to tell the Jedi Council about Krayt's holocron."

Bomoor shuffled slightly upon the bed, "We agreed that Bane's holocron would be kept a secret," Bomoor stated their previous agreement firmly, "But we did not agree anything about finding further Sith artefacts. The council would undoubtedly place highest priority upon such information. Although, I'm sure that would call an immediate halt to our mission."

The Ithorian painfully remembered the moment in the temple when Thane had accused Bomoor of being a spy for the council. This shocking accusal was made all the more painful by the truth of his words. But how much did Thane now suspect of the council's true mission for the consular?

"I suppose, when it comes down to it," Bomoor continued, now turning to look at Thane, "The question is who I put more trust in. The Council... or you?"

He continued to stare at Thane and tried to get a sense of his feelings. He seemed to have an honest concern, which Bomoor hoped was for their friendship and not for the safety of the holocron.

Thane did not much like the sound of that question, of how it brought it down to a clear division of sides - him or the Jedi High Council, although he could certainly appreciate Bomoor's position. "If that's what it really comes down to, then who do you think prizes your life - or your loyalty - more highly? Me, or the Jedi Council? Of course I intend to see what we can all learn from the new holocron, as it may have a lot of information we find useful, but failing that, it will also help us in defeating Axion when the time comes."

The former Jedi sat up straighter in the chair, placing his hands on his knees. "As I told Sev, we're hardly in a position to even try facing him, as we are just too weak. The teachings I could garner from Darth Krayt may well help tip the balance." Thane's eyes then narrowed as he considered how to continue, his mind flashing once more to the temple and his use of the Force lightning Darth Bane had taught him to harness. He looked to see how his friend would react now that he brought that up, probing his feelings through the Force. "After all, I've already learnt some things from Bane's holocron... things that have already helped us."

Bomoor thought he could feel the emotion behind Thane's words and in the way he had taken offence at the question. It was more distant, but his old friend still showed concern for the group and for him. The Ithorian was comforted by this, even though the knowledge of the holocrons still concerned him, "I have always placed great trust in you, Thane, and I am willing to do so again. I trust that you will not abuse the knowledge we gain. It is like a fire - with great potential and promise, but also able to spread and destroy if abused. I can understand why the council wants to extinguish that flame before it is spread by those who do not understand it. Only in the right hands can the power be controlled."

The Ithorian's face pulled one of his distorted expressions, "On that subject, I would like to know just what powers you have already gleaned from Bane's holocron. Would I be correct in saying that you used a Lightning technique on Tython? I believe that is what I saw."

"Was it that obvious?" Thane remarked sarcastically, letting a small grin grow on his pale features. He was pleased that they had broached the point, and that he was able to make light of it with his friend, given the nature of the topic. "But yes, that is something I have begun to harness since learning from the holocron's gatekeeper, but it's no bad thing, either. In just the few days since using the device, I've been able to enhance my abilities."

As he spoke, he glanced down to his hand briefly, clenching and unclenching it. "It comes easily and is incredibly effective - and is a good outlet," he decided to add to his friend as he looked up once again. "The things I am learning from Bane are improving me no end, and whilst I'm sure Bane thinks to twist my mind into his way of thinking, I won't deny there is some sense to what he says. More than the majority of the Jedi, anyway. But what happened between us on Tython - what I became because of that thing - has no link to these new powers.

"The madness that was imbued in me by K'Errekh was everything I hate - it was chaos, and that is not the nature of the dark side, at least not when it is wielded appropriately," Thane went on. "Darksiders like that, such as Axion and his Cult, are all that is wrong with the dark side, just as the Jedi are with the light; the dark side is not to be abused like so many have before, entirely in love with themselves and lost to its seductions. The dark side is just another part of the Force, indeed a powerful part, that can make me stronger, to help root out the likes of Axion - to help the galaxy."

Thane cocked his head to the side slightly, his eye narrowing as he tried to gauge Bomoor's thoughts. "Surely you understand that? I'm not doing this out of sheer pleasure or for some ego trip. I'm doing what I'm doing because it is the right thing to do. I mean, the Sith are always portrayed as being ruthless megalomaniacs because the bad ones become famous, but these people were bad before they became Sith - broken and weak-minded people who abused their power, just as the Jedi let what little they have go to waste, whilst simultaneously spouting broken rhetoric and a fear-based agenda." The Human let out a sigh and shook his head, leaning back slightly in the chair. "They're corrupted in their own way, really - by failed traditions and being incapable of seeing beyond one side of an argument... beyond one side of the Force, even. We're both better than that, Bomoor, and you know it, which is why I hope this-" Thane let a small crackle of lightning wind about his fingers, "-doesn't cloud your judgement of me."

Bomoor did not relax himself but he unclenched his face as he replied, "Techniques and powers are one thing. They are merely the gifts of the Force, accessible to those attuned to its will. But you claim them to be dark techniques, just as the Jedi do. Is that how you see yourself now Thane? Because, in my opinion, it is not the powers you wield that make you good or bad. I have realised more and more that the Force does not align itself as us mortal beings do but it does have direction and intent. What do you intend to do with your new found abilities?"

"The same as I have done with my old ones," Thane replied simply, "what I believe to be the right thing to do, whether that be in taking down Axion or anyone else who would do harm to us or others. Simply: my duty."

Bomoor nodded slowly, "Duty. Very honourable and very subjective. Just stay close Thane and don't give me cause to worry. If you can do that then there is nothing I need to tell the council. You are right, this mission is extremely important and we all need to stay close in order to achieve it."

He stood up and paced over to the door, "I think I will head to the training room for a while. My body is quite stiff and I have some techniques I want to work on."

Thane watched his friend carefully for a moment, hoping his outspoken thoughts had not caused any further rifts. He could sense the Ithorian was conflicted, but perhaps more out of his own sense of duty to the Jedi Order, or perhaps out of years of simple service to them. Inside, with his genuine feelings and motives, Thane felt Bomoor agreed with him, at least in essence.

Deciding that was perhaps the most he could ask of his friend, Thane was pleased, knowing it would take more than ideological differences to tear them apart as friends. Too many years of kinship and understanding stood in the way of such things, and they were both mature enough to be able to live with each other's points of views - at least for now.

Rising but not even coming close to the full height of the Jedi Consular, Thane stepped towards the door, letting Bomoor head out first. "Actually, would you care to join me in bothering Her Almighty Prudishness?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow with a slight level of mischief. "I want to hear what she might have uncovered from the holocron, and I think it's only right you're there to hear it. Besides, I prefer my odds that way with: two-against-one."

Bomoor paused with one large brown hand upon the door, "Yes. That is a slightly more pressing concern at the moment," his eyes showed a hint of amusement at his friend's remarks, "I am intrigued to see what information she has procured from the device. Perhaps I can apply it as you have to my training afterwards. But I would imagine that the knowledge Morgo has gleaned from the holocron is mostly that which she can use to her own ends."

He opened the door wide and allowed Thane to exit the room before him. He then added, "Indeed, knowledge is power but that power is what you make of it."

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