f2020 | hey there MoM it's me ya boy

[ Ezra; he doesn't need to see the sarcastic message, just the ill-used name of a dead hutt, and it's still enough to bring a tired smile to his face. ]

Of course.

I can never say no to your presence.

i mean you can
where would be best to meet? i'd prefer somewhere more quiet, but it's up to you.

There is a pond by what used to be a zoo one the grounds.
The area is off limits to citizens, so no one should be there.

[ Well, it was off limits because the animals that broke out of the zoo when everything fell apart spread out that far. He was pretty sure they were mostly harmless though. ]

you know, i wasn't asking you to recommend a date spot.
i'll see you there.

[And so he does. Ezra's wearing a long brown cloak that certainly fits the image of a Jedi hermit, though the clothes underneath are more like a pirate who happens to really like the Earth-equivalent of Lothalite fashion. When he spots Luke, he lifts up a hand to give him a small, awkward wave. His trademark, really.]

Hey.

[ Luke rolled his eyes at the response. He... was privately glad Ezra never changed. Unlike him. ]

[ For someone that bore the title of Emperor, Luke wasn't much differently dressed. His clothes were cleaner, of course; cleaned, pressed, and well cared for, but the style definitely was Jedi-like. He came to a stop some distance from Ezra, his tired and lined face taking in the sight of him, the old familiar ache appearing in his chest. He had never wanted Ezra to leave, just as he knew he would leave again after they were done talking. The hurt of seeing his back moving away from him would never really go away. ]

It's been awhile, Jabba.

[ He really couldn't help but tease him sometimes. ]

And I still haven't learned any Huttese. [he responds with a slight smile.] Not that there's anyone around who could teach me.

[Okay, there's Anakin and Luke maybe, but clearly that's as likely as learning from the actual Jabba at this point.]

How have things been? The other factions giving you any trouble?

[ Luke chuckled faintly, half tempted to remind him that he remembered enough to teach him a little, but... that would involve Ezra staying, and he knew he wouldn't. ]

They're going well enough; what little disturbances we have, Darin handles well enough.

[ He frowned slightly. ]

...perhaps with more bluster than necessary.

Uh-huh? I was a little worried I might be considered a disturbance.

[Although he's not trying to disturb anyone, some citizens seem more lucid in his presence. Damn competing Jedi auras.]

Your lightsaber get much use these days?

You're never a disturbance.

[ He just... had to be careful who Ezra was around, that's all. It wasn't that hard. ]

Not nearly as much as it used to.

[ Which was to say, never; he didn't have the focus for much outside of maintaining the peace his little community had. If he let it drop, even for a second... he didn't want to think about it. ]

[ What he did want to think about was Ezra. There was an uncomfortable distance between them now, and... he hated it. ]

Ezra, I...

[ He hesitated, words failing him like they always did. ]

What?

[One of the many issues with Jedi empathy is that it's incredibly tiring, whether suppressing emotions or embracing them. Ezra might not have be controlling a city, but he's still tired. Getting older has a way of doing that to people, apparently.]

If it's not something you can say, then we have the Force. Right?

[Thoughts, memories, feelings, all of those could be shared. Equally, not... well, forcefully.]

[ Luke wilted slightly, a pained look coming to his face. ]

That's... not so easy anymore.

[ Because if he lost his focus, if he stopped, just for a moment, it could mean the end of everything. Things were peaceful, he had a small bit of peace here for everyone he had desperately tried to protect. He couldn't give that up. ]

... I see.

[His tone is still light, like he's laughing almost, but there's a sense of disappointment too.]

I always spend too much time rambling anyways, so I'll get to the point. [Something in him shifts, though he somehow says the next part as if it's not that important at all.] I think we should destroy the Porter.

[ There was a lot of things Luke had been hoping Ezra would come to talk to him about, each increasingly unlikely. Talking about destroying the porter was pretty high on that list. ]

What?

This world is unbalanced. Surely you've sensed it.

[He sounds more like their masters now, less of the kid he once was and maybe, still pretends to be.]

I've been thinking a lot lately about where I was before I came here. What happened then. The Force tells me it's not a coincidence.

It's unbalanced only when there's too many of us in one place.

[ Luke let out a breath, trying not to think that Obi-Wan and Yoda would be saying the same thing right about now. ]

And what of us? What will happen to us if we destroy the porter?

We'll return to the Force, I guess.

[His voice is still strangely calm.]

Our presence here is a mistake, like you said. [Luke said too many in one place, which in Ezra's opinion is any one of them being here.] We could try to open the door before we close it for good. But, I don't see the point myself.

[ Luke couldn't believe what he was hearing, especially considering the source. He took a step away from him, the same kind of horror on his face as if Ezra had brandished his lightsaber at him. A cold rage bubbled up inside him a moment later, and he fought to keep it down even as he clenched his fists at his sides. ]

You can't expect everyone to agree with just dying, Ezra. You can't make them do so either.

Did you ask everyone on the Death Star for permission before you blew it up?

[He didn't ask the workers on the Jedi temple, or the crew of the Chimaera. Destroying the Porter ensured the safety of the world and returned its balance. To him, it was that simple.

Ezra laughs slightly, though at this point it's more of a scoff.]

I didn't think you'd have such an issue with it. Since when have you cared about free will anyways?

[ Luke almost recoiled at that, his face burning with a variety of emotions. Shame, for his past deeds, anger, at how his current efforts were being thrown in his face so bluntly, and perhaps a bit of embarrassment at said actions. It was a moment before he could pull himself together enough to reply, swallowing back his knee jerk response. ]

The Death Star was different, and you know that. Some of us are trying to keep the peace here, especially against those that don't care about the safety of the native population.

You destroyed a space station, I destroyed a door. They would've both been used as weapons by Palpatine.

[And, a little voice in his head pipes up, a weapon that allows its user to completely control time and space is maybe more dangerous, but whatever! He doesn't need a medal! No jealousy here.]

The people here wouldn't care if I destroyed the Porter. You wouldn't allow them to. If this is peace, it's not what I want.

[No emotions, no passion... It doesn't feel right. If that makes him a Sith, then sure, call him a Sith.]

[ Well maybe don't disappear after you do big things, and you might get medals, Ezra! ]

[ Luke bristled, clenching his fists, digging his nails into his palm as a painful effort to control himself. ]

If destroying the Porter kills all of us, there's no telling what that will do to the people here. At least I'm doing something. At least I didn't run away.

I didn't-! ... what was I supposed to do? Become some emperor or supreme leader like everyone else did?

[Force users shouldn't rule over people like this. Yeah, he expected it from the dark side, but not Luke.]

I've been training. Meditating. Studying. Listening to the Force. That's something, isn't it?

Being around when people needed you the most would have been more productive.

[ He totally wasn't going to say "when I needed you the most." Why would he say something like that? He was just being emotional; that was why his voice hitched a little when he said "people." ]

What good is doing all of that if you don't actually put it to use?

No one needed me.

[They had Luke, after all. And Luke had everyone else to think of. Even back in their galaxy, if he went missing forever, would anything change?]

Luke, destroying the Porter is putting it to use.

[ A bitter taste rose in the back of his throat, and he ended up snapping without thinking: ]

Then you're just as blind as the Jedi back home.

[ He felt his gut twist, immediately regretting his words, but he wasn't about to backtrack on them. Instead he swallowed hard, looking away from him. ]

...I'm not going to help you with this. There's too many factors to consider to just blindly consider.

hey there MoM it's me ya boy

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)