Spies and Healers

Spies and Healers
Date of Scene:	22 June 2024
Location:	Living Quarters - Jedi Temple - Coruscant
Synopsis:	Ann discusses Cayde's future with him.
Cast of Characters:	Cayde Alexis, Annelia Belask

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Cayde Alexis has posed:
    It's late at the Temple, after most have either gone to bed or retired to their rooms. But not Cayde. The young padawan is busy climbing out the window of his room. After all he's only allowed to go out at night these days anyway. Well okay he wasn't supposed to go out alone, but it's not as if now is much different than before. Before, he wasn't supposed to be out past the nighttime curfew. Now, it was just the alone part.

    Either way...what else was there to do if he couldn't sleep?

Annelia Belask has posed:
    And as Cayde makes the short hop down from the window to the ground below... he's caught.

    No, I mean literally.

    More intuition and educated guess than anything, before his feet touch the ground a rather strong pair of hands catch his torso under his arms, leaving him hardly grazing the ground rather than landing solidly.

    Yeah, one guess who just did this.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Who else?

    Cayde flushes, his face turning red when Ann somehow manages to just...be there and just -catch- him. Literally.

    <...Master.>

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Take it you hadn't yet guessed that I might notice when you're getting restless?" Ann questions- though her voice is more amused than anything.

    "Not going to force you to go try to sleep again but come on, walk with me," she says simply, dropping the padawan unceremoniously and turning to begin walking towards an outdoor garden section.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Right...

    It was only natural for masters to become more and more attuned to their padawans as time went on.

    Cayde nods and follows her, although she might be able to tell that he still wants to leave the Temple grounds and go to the Lower City as he often does on nights like this.

    <I hope I have not kept you from sleeping>

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "I keep a pretty chaotic schedule, don't worry about it," says Ann simply, shrugging- she's not exactly exaggerating either, there's much to do and she adjusts as need might be, day to day. Though it's gotten more regular of late with the touring schedule.

    "You've been doing well, by the way. With the crowds and such. I know you'll be hard on yourself because you try to measure yourself in places where you have hurdles against people who have advantages. But keep up how you are and this will all blow over before long. Will just feel like forever, being a teenager and all."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    That first one wasn't exactly what he'd call 'doing well'...

    But okay he has gotten better. At least by now he's only been a couple of sentences behind versus entire rooms.

    <Thank you master...I am doing what I can>

    The young padawan is somewhat distracted, though. He keeps thinking about that Clawdite he saw, who tried to kill Mr. Seegil. Another place his mind keeps going is Senator Burkenn and his daughter Gianka...she looked so familiar. She...reminded him of his mother, even though he doesn't remember much about her. But could she have sent the Clawdite to get rid of an inconvenience?

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "You spiralling again over there?" Ann asks with some amusement, a wry look shot over Cayde's way with the question.

    "For all that I rant and rave about us needing to maintain ourselves as actually doing the right things, I just want you to keep in mind Cayde. You're not the only one concerned about this senator or chancellor or whomever else is involved. I know sleep's hard to come by, but my suggestions about having a hobby are just as much to keep your mind from getting away from you emotionally as force-wise. Meditation is great and all, but having added strategies that bring the joy to remind you of the positives in your life is important too."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Could she be a sister? But, she seemed older...and he doesn't remember any siblings. Maybe she didn't live with her mother.

    Speaking of hobbies, he takes out a datapad and shows her a drawing of Gianka. It's pretty good, for someone who only started a month or so ago, although not amazing or anything.

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Okay so... well done, though turning your hobby back onto the thing eating at you... could be counterproductive," Ann notes with some amusement, shrugging a little.

    "How about another subject to think on. Once this nighttime thing is done and you've got more leeway, what's your first plan outside of the temple?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde arches a brow at her. That was just...what happened to be on his mind. Wasn't that what artists usually did?

    But her question seemed to catch him off guard a bit. A plan? Well, he...usually just went wherever the Order told him to go. Still, he was curious about Gianka. Maybe she had an office at the rotunda? Or at least a desk?

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Yeah, I mean, draw it if you want to, just... how do I put this. Should have your mind on other things sometimes. Seems like all you ever think about or we talk about is the struggles of the days. A little like my talk about what you want as part of the Order. You're a bright kid, but all your avoiding your problems seems... aimless. Like you're not moving -towards- a concrete thing, just a vague idea of not this other thing."

    Ann shrugs, tracing fingers across one form of plant life or another as the two walk through this here garden. "Then again, I suppose I never shared my version of it. I don't know if- in fact, I doubt it would ever happen. But my 'direction' when I buckled down on my training was to end up the battlemaster of the order, eventually, and help other jedi be better-prepared to defend themselves and others."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Battlemaster, huh.

    That seemed a pretty high ambition. Not that it was bad, of course, it was good to have them. But he doesn't have anything like that.

    <I don't know...I just...> he pauses, considering. <Well I have get knighted first> The truth is, most of the time he's so busy just trying not to make a scene of himself or lose it in bad timing that he doesn't think too much about that sort of thing.

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "And what's after knighting? That matters. Take the nebulous goal, make it concrete. You're clearly looking at knighthood as a step along the way, not your direct goal. Sure, I picked some absurdly lofty thing. But what's the target to give you a road to push down? The thing you want on the other side of these obstacles?" Ann asks, head tilting a little.

    "If you find the right one of those, suddenly odd looks from your fellow padawans will hardly even register to you. Gives you focus."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    The odd looks never bothered him too much, anyway. They were always a part of his life.

    Cayde considers this, and shrugs. <Be a good Jedi I guess> Defend the defenseless, help the hurting, bring peace to the restless, all that. Right?

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Okay. The Jedi are many things. What kind? My master was a diplomat and a detective. I'm a soldier, functionally. What is it you want to be?" Ann probes, coming to a stop in the walking and turning to face Cayde. Her face isn't judging, just questioning, brow raised and head tilted more like it's a matter of curiousity.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde stops walking when she does, turning to face her as well. He frowns pensively. Really, he hadn't given it much thought before.

    [Well I would not be a good diplomat] he signs, seeming certain of that.

    [Maybe I would fight...like you]

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "They're not the only options. Some study the force itself- you're remarkably gifted with it, and would do there well too. You read outside of your mind with the force quite well- perhaps you'd make a virtuoso with holocrons. You -are- physically capable and I know you can fight, so that's certainly reasonable too."

    She pauses with that, stretching for a moment as she looks over the plants of the garden. "But- it's like the drawing. It's less about how good you are at it as a beginner, and more about how passionate you are about it. And that passion doesn't mean you're always having a wonderful time doing it. It's caring enough about that thing that you push through the parts that suck anyways. Takes time to find it, and trying things, but... it's worthwhile."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    [I have always relied on the Force] Cayde tells her. [Since I was a child]

    Holocrons, though? Maybe. Maybe that sounded kind of boring, though.

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Is that what you want, though? Or would you rather have more options? No wrong answer, there. Force knows I've leaned on my ears as long as I can remember, but having a saber and sharper eyes is nice too."

    She chuckles at herself at that, shaking her head before continuing; "Sure, I'm good with a lightsaber after all that work. And I talk about how it was a way to excel despite my poor connection to the Force. But it never would have been that if I hated saber combat. I find physicality satisfying, I find the drills and practice calming, I find the testing and refinement of skills to be the most gratifying thing I do in my day to day routines. I didn't come to love it because I was good at it, I'm good at it because I love it and poured myself into it. That's why I say it's about the thing you care about. There's an element of goal and method too- it's also the method I use to achieve other goals, in my case often motivated by keeping others safe if possible."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde nods, although he sighs a little. Truthfully, he just wishes he had better control over his gifts. If only he did, he could do so much more. For people like Dr. Cassias, trapped in a swirling storm of his own guilt. Ann might catch a glimpse of these thoughts, and how he is struggling to put them into words but can't quite figure it out.

    [The Force is a great ally] he signs instead.

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann pauses, looking Cayde up and down a moment, and then she smirks as a thought clearly occurs to her. But before one could even probe, she asks quite up front;

    "How does being one of the healers sound? There are mental components to it as well, for those with the knack. And I would, to my discredit, enjoy any resulting irritation from Master Windu."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde shakes his head. [I cannot heal] he tells her frankly.

    Also, Master Pike doesn't like him...

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Can't, or haven't learned?" She shoots back, eyebrow raising as she crosses her arms.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    [I...I cannot do it now] Cayde answers, shrugging. Maybe he could learn...but honestly the idea of mostly being stuck around the Temple or some other temple somewhere doesn't really appeal to him.

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann nods. "Good mindset to have, Cayde. Just because you can't now, doesn't mean you won't be able to in the future. Could be something to look into, even if it doesn't work out. That idea of a growth mindset applies to the diplomacy too, as an aside."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    [I cannot idle...the visions rob my sleep] Cayde tells her. It was true, he's often restless, plagued by the plight of others and the desire to...do -something- about it.

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "That's why I said healer. They -do- get all over the galaxy, you know," Ann says with a chuckle. "But so too do our investigators, spies, loreseekers, and more. We'll find your peace of mind in time, but for now- sure, keep busy."

    A pause, and then she adds with another amused smirk; "Unless, of course, you want another round of exercising yourself halfway into the grave to fall asleep."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    [But they stay at temples] Cayde points out.

    Then he arches a brow at her, one of the things she mentioned made him curious. [What do spies...spy on]

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann shrugs. "There are battlefields and such too. There's a reason Windu took a sabbatical, from what I understand."

    She then glances off to the side a moment. "It's not as common as it perhaps once was. Say, in the time of the sith. And many aren't jedi proper- but consider it this way. If you were on the council, wouldn't you want to keep tabs on the mandalorian clans, given the histories?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Huh...Cayde nods, well, he supposes that does make sense. And then, there was this entire thing with these shady Republic politicians that one couldn't simply challenge to a duel in the open.

    [Perhaps my gifts would be useful] he signs. After all, if one could simply reach into their minds just from being around them, or better yet, even a brief touch...

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann nods slowly, a fainter smile coming this time- though not for lack of interest, just less of an affect this time.

    "Lot of craft and discipline to that. It's difficult, risky work... but valuable. You'll need more teachers than just me- but they're certainly available. And now that I think about it, that kind of tradecraft and character work might give you a place to focus your mental energies too, help with other things you're working on."

    She turns then, back towards the temple proper. "But- how about we head back, and having gotten out to stretch your legs, you can try to sleep or do some initial reading on how to puruse that path until you fall asleep with your datapad on your face?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde hesitates, his mind going back to the matters at hand.

    But he eventually follows her, heading back inside. <I want to go to the Rotunda> he tells her. <Tomorrow>

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann shrugs, nodding. "Sure, don't see why not."

    Once inside she more or less leaves him to his own devices- less busy with her own affairs and letting the padawan have some space of his own despite her interrupting his excursion.