Powers of the Mind

Powers of the Mind
Date of Scene:	17 December 2023
Location:	Lower City - Coruscant, Living Quarters - Jedi Temple - Coruscant
Synopsis:	Tresslo follows Cayde into the Lower City.
Cast of Characters:	Cayde Alexis, Tresslo Covo

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Cayde Alexis has posed:
    It's the dead of night at the Temple, long past the time everyone should have retired to their rooms until the following morning. The hallways are quiet, except for the occasional night guard or maintenance droid finishing up some last minute cleaning.

    But the Force is not quiet tonight. No, there is a disturbance. Someone isn't having pleasant dreams. Not all that uncanny though, so perhaps it doesn't wake any of the Masters. However, if anyone is already awake...

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    Most of the padawans are asleep, most but not all. Tresslo Covo seems to be coming in from a midnight run - he's holding a fiber-cloth towel in one hand, a bottle of water in another, and there's a sheet of sweat over his olive green skin. He is not usually out this late. Typically, he prefers to wake and sleep around the same time, but tonight he wanted to feel the cool night air before he fully retired for the night.

    Fortunately for the sleeping junior Jedis, he is mindful of the hour and light on his feet, quiet as he passes down the corridors of the Temple's living quarters. When he rounds a corner, he senses that disturbance and slows. A subtle frown playing on his lips, he listens carefully and keeps a lookout for any strange activity.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    The disturbance seems to be coming from a room belonging to someone Tresslo probably knows--Cayde's. It may not come as a surprise. Many consider Padawan Alexis a bit strange, and his behavior erratic at times. Most of the more experienced Jedi at the Temple have said this is owed to a lack of control over his advanced telepathy, and was a reason for a heightened level of vigilance whenever they were around him...

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    The Mirialan pauses outside Cayde's room. Hand hovering over the door's control panel, Tress gathers his thoughts and considers what he knows of the human padawan. He is familiar with Cayde, even the embarrassment about his infamous parentage, and he could be dealing with some trauma related to that. Or perhaps he's sending out telepathic distress signals by accident. Either way, it would not be proper for Tresslo to turn a blind eye to this.

    "Padawan Alexis," he calls out softly, knocking on the door. After a few moments, unless there's obvious disagreement with the notion, he presses the door release.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    The door gives way, but Cayde is not inside. However, it does look like he was here very recently. The bed is disturbed, with the blanket halfway strewn onto the floor, and the lights are on. The window is also open, and if Tresslo checks outside, he'll notice a figure making its way across the the Arboretum below.

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    "Huh," Tresslo strides into the room, sea-green gaze taking in the details of the room. The open window, the messy bed, the lights still on...someone left in a hurry. Moving to the window, Tresslo cranes his neck to track the figure headed towards the arboretum.

    He knows that place well, having spent hours there in meditation or training. After a beat, he decides to take the more straightforward approach and jumps out of the window into the cool night.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Once Tresslo has made his way down to the Arboretum as well, he'd see that as he may have already suspected, the figure he'd seen from the window was indeed Cayde.

    The other padawan has reached an outer wall and is starting to climb it.

Tresslo Covo has posed:
Tresslo is quick and quiet as he moves through the Jedi fortress, moving with great bounds and a fluidity that can only belong to a Jedi. He stays in the shadows, watching the telepath make his way into the Arboretum.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde continues until he reaches the top, swinging over and down onto the street outside. He doesn't seem to notice Tresslo following him...yet.

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    Tresslo watches the other padawan leave the temple grounds, curious enough that he doesn't immediately announce his presence. He leaps over the wall with ease, landing lightly on the pavement. "Alexis," He calls out, approaching the younger Padawan with a genial smile on his face. "You're quite far from your quarters. What could justify an excursion at this hour?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde stops and turns around when Tresslo calls out, watching him intently. He doesn't respond otherwise though, at least for the moment. This sort of thing isn't uncommon with him, however.

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    Tresslo catches up with Cayde in an easy stride, "Sorry if you would rather be alone - I understand that, a bit of fresh air and a midnight stroll can do wonders for the mind. But I felt something was amiss." His hands are open and raised in a gesture of surrender, his body language non-confrontational. He searches Cayde's face, looking for hints at his mood. As they were raised in general proximity to each other, Tresslo is acclimated to silence from the mute human and thus opens his mind to communicate through the Force.

    "Whatever it is you're up to, you shouldn't go at it alone," he suggests, his emotions revealing something akin to concern for his fellow Jedi. "There's satefy in numbers, if there's risk involved in this - though I'm sure you're capable. Plus, if we get caught, the instructors will be more inclined to go easier on a bigger group."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde's expression is mostly unreadable, as per usual...although Tresslo will sense through the Force that something is worrying him. However, what that is exactly isn't very clear, as the Mirialan padawan will find his projections jumbled and difficult to interpret.

    [You are not in your room either] he signs.

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    Tresslo catches Cayde's signing. "Touche," he says in response. "I was out for a run and sensed something in the Force tonight. You have a powerful mind, Alexis. Perhaps you were projecting your distress more acutely than you realized. Or it was something else..."

    Tress maintains a small, amiable grin. "I've given you my reason - your turn."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    [There is a man...] Cayde begins to sign, then pauses, struggling with how to explain it all, as he often does. [He is...despairing...many depend on him]

    He turns, and starts walking down the street again, although he isn't actively trying to get away from Tresslo or anything.

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    "You felt it too then," Tresslo says, keeping pace with Cayde. If someone's hurt, it is his Jedi obligation to assist. That's what his ancestors would have down anyway, and the Miralian is making the extra effort to prove himself to his superiors. "Do you know this man personally or only through your abilities?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde frowns pensively, again not exactly sure how to explain it all. [No...but I know him...he is in others memories]

    Who those 'others' are he doesn't specify. He starts making his way toward the nearest tunnel leading down into the lower levels. That probably doesn't come as a surprise, either.

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    Tresslo makes a sound of acknowledgement to Cayde's sign and follows him. He isn't quite content with that limited information, but instead of peppering Cayde with questions, he'll just see how this plays out.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Upon reaching the edge of the opening into the bowels of the city, Cayde stops and turns to Tresslo. [Thank you] he signs, appreciative of the other Padawan's companionship.

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    "Don't mention it, Alexis," Tresslo says with a little smirk, letting his hand fall on the younger padawan's shoulder for just a moment. When they go into the tunnel, Tress finds his fingers brushing against the hilt of his lightsaber, a sure sign that he's ready for danger...the lower levels can be unpredictable and scummy, but the Mirialan moves with sure steps, not letting his unease show in his voice or face. "We Jedi must look out for each other, no? If we don't, who else will..."

    As Cayde continues deeper into the underbelly of Coruscant, Tresslo follows him, observing their surroundings with keen eyes. "Tell me, friend, might this have something to do with your blood father?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde starts to make his way down, leaping across transports, barges, and speeders until he reaches one of the deeper tiers of the ecumenopolis. Yeah there are probably safer, and slower ways of getting down there, but why bother with them when you can just jump?

    When Tresslo asks that question about his biological father, he turns to him but doesn't seem to know how to answer. Finally, he proceeds onto the streets of one of the lower levels. There seems to be some kind of...block party going on. A street musician is playing loud music for a large crowd, many of whom are either drunk, high, or both.

    As soon as they approach the crowd, something that can best be described as telepathic feedback spears its way into Tresslo's mind like a piledriver. It's as if he's been assaulted with every thought, emotion, and sensation felt by the entire mob all at once in the span of a few seconds. It's quite...overwhelming, to say the least. In spite of all that however, once it's over he'll likely immediately realize it's Cayde's doing. Not intentionally, of course. But he often struggled in large crowds. Speaking of which, he seems to no longer be anywhere in sight...

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    Tresslo can keep up with Cayde easily enough. He hears the chaos of the block party before he really FEELS it. With his question unanswered, he looks from Cayde to the throng of densely packed individuals...and then staggers back, reeling from the telepathic onslaught. "Holy kriff!" He hisses, bringing a hand to his temple and squeezing his eyes shut. With a few breaths, the splintering headache passes, but his frustration turns into concern when he notices that Cayde is nowhere to be found.

    His shoulders sag slightly, but he pushes through the crowd, determined to find the other padawan. "Alexis. Alexis!" He calls out, cupping his hands over his mouth. The music is so loud, though, it nearly drowns out his voice entirely. Continuing to shove his way through the crowd, he keeps shouting Cayde's last name.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Indeed, the music is quite loud, and Tresslo will have a hard time shouting over it. However, he'll eventually come across a bit of a commotion going on at a small pawn shop along the street nearby. Through the front windows, he'll spot a towering Aloxian man holding Cayde by his robe and looking very angry. Tresslo may remember from some of his culture studies that Aloxians were known to be rather aggressive.

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    As a Jedi learner, Tress has rarely been around such...hedonism. Eventually, he realizes all that shouting is a futile effort and contents himself with searching for Cayde silently, shoving his way through the party-goers. The freely flowing booze and the dancing figures catch his attention, but he pushes past them and the mild temptation to find Cayde.

    Ah, there he is. With an Aloxian? The sight of someone rough handling the padawan ignites a protective instinct in Tress. He frowns deeply and strides forward, not stopping until he's in the Aloxian's face. "Hey! Don't you dare touch him!" He shoves the man back, positioning himself between Cayde and the Aloxian. "What do you think you're doing?" His sea-green eyes do not leave the Aloxian's face...but Cayde might sense some annoyance directed at him, probably from the telepathic feedback or for getting himself into trouble.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Tresslo may have noticed when he entered the shop that instead of looking frightened or worried about his situation, Cayde instead seemed to have an oddly distant look on his face, as if his mind were elsewhere--somewhere far away.

    The Aloxian is startled by the young Mirialan's sudden entrance, and he at least lets go of Cayde, although he appears no less furious. He jabs a finger at the young human. "You know him?!" he demands, glaring at Tresslo. "Caught 'im robbin' me, right in the act!" he exclaims, now pointing at a credit drawer behind Cayde, that indeed seems to be open and empty. "Nothin' to say for himself, either! So why don't you tell 'im to give it back, huh?!"

    This seemed a rather odd situation...why would Padawan Alexis do such a thing? Tresslo may have heard from others at the Temple though, that odd or unpredictable behavior wasn't a terribly uncommon thing for him, due in no small part to a lack of mastery over his Force telepathy.

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    The accusation hangs heavy in the air, so unexpected it almost takes the wind out of Tresslo's sails. He turns to cast a probing look at Cayde. The distant look confuses him even more, and he furrows his brows. He might be aware of Cayde's unconventional behavior, but for a Jedi to commit theft?

    He shakes his head slowly, turning back to the Aloxian, with a firm expression. "This must be a misunderstanding...we are Jedi, we don't steal. I can help you find the person responsible, but I promise you he's not your guy."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    The Aloxian stares at Tresslo. "But I saw him! Taking the creds, right outta the drawer!" he insists. "I dunno how he got the codes, but--"

    He doesn't get to finish though, before Cayde suddenly just walks over toward the rear of the store, and punches in a code to a safe hidden in the back wall. Opening it, he reaches into his pockets and deposits the money into it, each type in its proper place as if he did this every day or something.

    The shop owner just stares at him, utterly befuddled. "What in the...?" He glances between the two young Jedi. "Okay, someone going to explain to me what's going on here?!"

    Tresslo may recall from his studies of the Powers of the Mind, that those more attuned to that side of the Force must be careful sometimes, to avoid losing themselves in others' headspace.

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    Like the shop owner, Tresslo is also utterly bewildered as the situation plays out...he could almost strangle Cayde in this moment until he realizes! His eyes fall close for a moment, and he pinches the bridge of nose, letting out an exasperated sigh. "I am deeply sorry, sir," the Mirialan begins sheepishly, no aggression left in him. "My friend is uniquely attuned to the mental properties of the Force. Thus, it is possible for him to fall in thrall to sufficiently strong wills." Hoping the explanation is enough to satisfy (or at least confuse) the shop owner, Tress grabs Cayde by the arm and starts to head out of the shop. "Seems like he returned all the credits, so we'll just get out of your way. Sorry again, sir."

    Unless he resists, Tress will drag Cayde out of the store. Once they are on the street again, he'll turn to Cayde and hold both his arms, keeping him firmly in place. "Alexis? Are you alright? Can you hear me?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    The Aloxian stares at Tresslo as he tries to explain what's happening, but it doesn't seem to help, as he still seems utterly clueless and even more confused than before. But before he can ask any more questions, the young Mirialan just grabs Cayde by the arm and pulls him out of the shop.

    Tresslo's attempt to connect with the other padawan through Force Telepathy merely results in another, equally painful jab of feedback. However, in that instant he'll suddenly be made aware of what had in fact happened. Somehow, Cayde had gotten lost in a mind belonging to one of the shop's employees, who had been in attendance at the street party. -That- was what had resulted in the strange behavior, as if he himself worked there...

    Now Cayde is the one shaking him, though, fearful that he'd accidentally caused the Mirialan harm.

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    Tress winces again and his grip tightens around Cayde's arms, but as he was the one to initiate mental contact, the mind bite is not as unexpected as it was the first time. "I'm fine, Cayde," he says, grounding himself with a few steadying breaths. Searching the other padawan's face, "You were acting under the influence of someone else. It's why you stole those credits. Does that sort of thing happen often?" Sea-green eyes flicker around them, and he continues before Cayde can answer, "Can we please find somewhere more quiet?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde looks a bit confused. He doesn't remember stealing anything. But he nods when Tresslo suggests they find somewhere quiet, and glances off toward an abandoned storefront. Maybe, over there?

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    Tress follows Cayde's gaze to the abandoned storefront and gives a nod in agreement. He guides them both there, not quite trusting Cayde not to wander off again. As they approach a less nosy area, Tress feels some tension leave his shoulders. He leans against the building's wall and regards Cayde with a curious look. After a moment, he says, "Alexis, it's important you understand what happened back there. You were acting on the desire of another...they wanted to steal from that Aloxian, you felt that, and so you took on their goal as your own. I hope you are aware how dangerous that is, how easily that could be abused. You must develop defenses against it."

    There's no room for pity or feeling in his words, just fact. This is a weakness that Tresslo would never tolerate in himself, so he cannot accept it in another Jedi. But then, his expression softens, and he lets out a tired sigh - the steady throb of a migraine is forming at the side of his head. It doesn't allow him to remain stern for long. "How do you feel right now? And has that happened before?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Bright blue eyes widen as Tresslo tells Cayde what just transpired, and how serious it could be. The young human deflates visibly, suddenly looking devastated. He sighs and sits down on a rusty old stool that must have been sitting there for decades, running a hand through his hair.

    He nods slowly when the Mirialan asks if this has happened before. [I...I am sorry] he signs.

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    Tress isn't the most comforting guy, but he can try when necessary. "What's done is done. You were in a difficult situation...but you need not see this experience as a failure. Rather, I believe it is an opportunity for growth," He pushes off the wall and places a hand on Cayde's shoulder. "Your power is strong, but without control, it's a liability. However, this is something we can work on together...unless you would rather go to your master with this." When Tress had a master, he was always hesitant about showing weakness in his presence, but Cayde may feel differently.

    He squeezes slightly. "Next time we go through a crowd, focus on what you feel - the ground beneath your feet, your breath, the sights and smells. Let go of the thoughts and feelings that do not belong to you. That will see you through for the time being," There's a pause, as sea-green eyes scan the abandoned storefront. "Why did you come to this place, anyway?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde nods at Tresslo's words of encouragement, although he still feels pretty terrible about it all. It wasn't the first time something like this had happened...he could have hurt someone. Caused permanent damage.

    [I was searching for someone...] he answers when Tresslo asks him why he'd come here in the first place, although he seems to be struggling to remember exactly whom.

Tresslo Covo has posed:
    Tresslo's brows quirk. "In that crowd, we'd have better luck finding a kyber crystal in a sandstorm," He looks back to where they came. "Do you want to keep looking, or shall we head back? I could ask around, I suppose, if you provided me with a better description."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde follows Tresslo's gaze back over to the crowd, frowning pensively. It seems to be dispersing though, as the concert appears to be over, now. Still, he can't seem to remember who it was he'd been searching for down here in the place at the moment...it was important though, and it's bothering him.

    Finally, he sighs. [Let us head home] At least, for now.