Star Interview

Star Interview
Date of Scene:	28 August 2024
Location:	Temple Arboretum - Coruscant
Synopsis:	A journalist asks Ann and Cayde some questions about the incident with the Chancellor.
Cast of Characters:	Cayde Alexis, Annelia Belask

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Cayde Alexis has posed:
    After meeting a certain Mr. Dane Tollier, the less-known journalist had agreed to meet Ann and her padawan at the Temple Arboretum. Weather is never a concern anyway, not on Coruscant. So he'd set about obtaining all the proper permissions to visit the Temple and venture into the gardens to wait for them, as he is doing now. The young man hovers eagerly near the gate that leads inside, as he'd arrived a few minutes early...

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Call it the force or simply that Ann doesn't do much waiting around- she arrives around the same time. Presumably with Cayde in tow.

    She glances around, finding a quiet corner with a place to sit before she simply waves the reporter inside to follow her to the chosen spot.

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Cayde is indeed with her, and he follows her over to some benches along the wall of the Arboretum.

    Tollier sees them immediately and nods excitedly, hurrying over. He sits down, starting to get out his cam droid, but then he hesitates. "Uh...right, is it ok to record this time, Master Jedi?" he asks, a bit timidly.

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann chuckles, shrugging as she sits off to the side, head tilted. "Really did a number on you the other day, huh? Go right ahead. Cayde's agreed to this, it's his show, not mine," she says with a shrug.

    "And I promise I'm not that scary at the end of the day."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    "Oh, thank you. Heh, oh of course, of course!" Dane answers, chuckling a little. Then he proceeds to get the droid out and turn it on. "Well, not necessarily. You're his master, which makes you an important part of his life, would that be accurate?" The droid makes a soft whirring sound, beeping once as it activates and hovers into the air near the reporter's head with its optics turn toward the two Jedi.

    As he continues, he starts signing while talking at the same time. "So, the way I'm thinking we can handle this, I'll record everything, and then at the end we'll talk about what parts you'd be comfortable sharing with the Republic, and throw out the rest. Sound good? If so, let me know when you're both ready to start!"

    Cayde watches the man, nodding vaguely then glancing over at Ann.

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Accurate, yes- think of it a little like a trades apprenticeship, or similar," says Ann as though she's explained it perfectly in that one sentence. Or just means to move on.

    "Sure, start as you please and I'll add in if need be."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Tollier nods, and a small indicator light on the droid blinks on.

    "So, I know the incident at the convention is kind of the main point of this, but let's start with the basics, because I think they're going to be important. Now this is for both of you. I know the Jedi probably picked you both up at an early age as they're prone to do, but where are you from originally and do either of you remember anything about your families?"

    Cayde doesn't seem to know how to answer this question. There is a moment of empty space, and he starts to flush a bit. Through the connection Ann has undoubtedly formed with her padawan over time, she'll be able to tell that it's not that he doesn't know--he knows he was born on a ship and therefore isn't from anywhere specific. And also that the topic of biological family was...maybe a bit of a sore spot...

    The journalist frowns. [Hey...you okay kid] he signs, glancing at Ann as if searching for confirmation on whether this was normal or not. "Ahem...well, Master Belask, perhaps you could talk about yourself first?"

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Forgive Cayde- it's not the happiest origin, truth be told. Perhaps we'll circle back for him. For me? I was born on Lola Sayu. My parents, I'm told, were workers at the prison complex there. Can't say I remember much about it- as you say, we leave early. Much like I doubt you remember a great deal in advance of four years old or so?" Ann steps in semi-smoothly, shrugging away the specifics. "It didn't affect me a great deal, so far as I've ever been able to tell."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    "Lola Sayu, huh? The prison planet? Interesting..." Dane answers, nodding. He glances at Cayde, who seems to have mostly gone back to normal color now that the conversation has begun with Ann. Although he still doesn't seem to have figured out a way to answer that question, so the journalist turns back to Ann. "Well, would you be comfortable talking about it in his stead?"

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann shakes her head, a slight quirk of the side of her mouth along with it. "No- better if he sorts it out. I understand putting it this way is a little contradictory, but I prefer not to speak for him if I can help it."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    "Ah...okay okay understood... hm..." Tollier nods, thinking. Then he holds up a finger. "Oh, I know. Let's try something a little bit different!" The reporter digs into the bag he'd been using the carry the droid around, and takes out a datapad and a stylus, then writes the question at the top before handing it over to the Cayde. [Let me know if this format works better for you] he signs to the padawan.

    Cayde nods, taking it and starting on what appears to be some kind of sketch.

    Tollier smiles and looks back over to Ann. "While he's working on that, how long has he been training with you by now? As I understand it the usual age to start apprenticeship is around twelve? Or is that kind of flexible?"

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "It varies," says Ann with a shrug. "Depending on availabilities, compatibilities, and more. I was a little older myself before I was picked up. There are not really firm rules on timings- better to suit the circumstance and need than force a poor fit that would lead to bad outcomes, don't you think? Any averages are more happenstance."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    "I see, I see. And so....are you saying this apprenticeship is more of a recent development then?" Dane asks, glancing briefly over at Cayde. It seems he's drawn a ship and a simple galaxy map, with arrows pointing at it and lines indicating movement. The ship has some symbols on it that are known to represent some of the galaxy's most infamous criminal syndicates--the Hutt Cartels, the Exchange, the Black Sun...

    The journalist grins. "Oooh! Wow, would you look at that? Really good..." A glance toward Ann. "You teach him to draw like that?" He asks, beginning to examine the drawing more closely as well. "...heh...I...wow. Well, I see why that might have been a sore spot, yeah. Born on a ship, to criminals...am I getting this right?"

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Something like that- and I didn't teach him, just encouraged him to have hobbies," says Ann with a shrug. "And you're right- a few months now, perhaps, this has been ongoing. It's a large galaxy and the Jedi need to be in much of it. Sometimes there are resource delays, like any organization."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Dane nods. "Right, right. So this is still a bit fresh to you, then I take it, and the kid has a potentially turbulent past," he remarks. "Hm...okay. Let's move forward a bit, so the day of the Convention--let's break it down. Master Belask--were you with Alexis during the event I presume? And you saw the incident with the Chancellor? What exactly happened, from your perspective? Anything relevant happen prior that could've played into this?" He hands the datapad back to Cayde, and the padawan goes about opening a new blank page on it.

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "I was not there, no- we had only just sorted out the apprenticeship- or perhaps were just about to? Time is a little fuzzy with how eventful things have been," answers Ann, shrugging helplessly a little. "In any event, I was required at the Temple for a review and debrief of something from before all that. Other Masters overviewing the convention, mind- not unsupervised. One of those events one cannot predict or prevent... and ultimately lead to quite a bit else that I'm sure is being reported on as we speak."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    "Ah, so perhaps you had not yet fully taken the responsibility at that point then..." Dane remarks, nodding again. But that last comment seems to pique his interest. "Oh? What 'quite a bit else' are you talking about?"

    As they're talking, Cayde is working to come up with some kind of illustration to depict what happened at the Convention.

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Well, I don't like to make this the focal point- but some of the backlash against the Order was rather exaggerated and, combined with certain events in the aftermath, lead to CSF investigations- and ultimately arrests regarding that and other problems," answers Ann, frowning a little. "I'm afraid I can't give too much detail- just the usual Jedi pablum that it seems the Force has worked in mysterious ways and all that. All that really needs be said is that the events at the convention were far from intentional. The best analogy I can think of at this moment would be like... if one had an uncommon allergic reaction to something they hadn't encountered before- not something that any could have expected."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Dane frowns pensively. "An allergic reaction, eh?" He signs through the question at the same time, glancing over at Cayde and wondering if that truly could have had something to do with it. But the padawan shakes his head and hands him the datapad again. "Hmm..." The reporter examines the sketch, but seems a bit confused still. He hands the datapad to Ann. "What do you make of it?"

    The drawing seems to consist of a figure that must be Chancellor Rie, but the head is slightly enlarged to allow for another smaller drawing inside of it that resembles Cayde's face...but it looks like it's behind bars, or something?

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "Like that in the sense that it's difficult, often impossible to predict," clarifies Ann, shaking her head. "It's... difficult sometimes, to explain the Force to outsiders. We get so steeped in it from childhood it's tricky to step outside that perspective, even for the best of us at it."

    "The picture... essentially, Cayde got a glimpse into the chancellor's mind. Nothing major, nothing that would endanger state secrets or such. And Cayde was himself not in control of it either. Thoroughly unintentional. A limited view and as much a passenger to the event as you might consider Rie. Does that make more sense?"

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    "Hmm...I see, yes...do you think that may be especially true of your padawan then, as a result of his...disability?" Dane asks.

    When Ann starts to explain, Cayde nods in affirmation of it. He points at the likeness of himself behind those bars. [Trapped there] he signs.

    "Ooh, yes I see now! I remember reading about something like this, in preparation for this interview...it's not bodily, but like a mental presence, right? Something one could get lost in." Tollier nods. "And that's what the bars are for, like a jail. And the other Jedi present were unaware of this?"

Annelia Belask has posed:
    "They became aware quickly, to my understanding, and intervened as best they could in an unfamiliar situation- thanks to Cayde's practice over the years and the measured, careful assistance of others- it seems everyone extricated with minimal harm done and Rie back in action in hardly any time at all," says Ann, shaking her head a little.

    "Cayde is the most gifted person I've encountered or read about when it comes to the mental side of the Force. This may not have happened to another Jedi- but by the same token, there is not another Jedi I would call more capable of handling such a situation. I will not tell you he's perfect, we all have more to learn and master. But my talents lie elsewhere, and I certainly would rather not be the one in that circumstance."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    Tollier nods as Ann is speaking, looking pensive all the time. "I can definitely see it, Miss Belask. I...am not sure how I would respond to hearing others' thoughts all the time, either and I think I can relate to being glad that I'm not the one in that space." he chuckles slightly. "I--er--hope nothing in my head has been too disruptive for today..." he adds a bit timidly, glancing at Cayde, although he doesn't get much of an answer as the padawan just shrugs.

    The journalist glances at the time. "Well, looks like we're just about out of time, but thank you both so much for your input and I will do my best to make sure this helps dispel some of the nasty rumors going about." He gathers up the datapad Cayde had been using, and puts away the cam droid once it stops recording. "Unless there is anything else you'd like to add. And I will make sure I send you my drafts before publishing anything."

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann stands, dusting herself off idly before giving the journalist a simple, faint smile. She pats her padawan on the back, and before saying her goodbyes simply answers; "Send it to Cayde. He's got a good head on his shoulders."

Cayde Alexis has posed:
    "Yes, yes of course! I meant 'you' in the plural sense, as in both of you." Tollier clarifies. "Oh--uh--one more thing. I nearly forgot. What we discussed earlier." He turns to Cayde again, switching to only sign language. [Would you feel all right sharing with me about why you do not speak...is it a medical reason...or does it have something to do with...the mind stuff] he asks. To which Cayde nods. [The first one...I was born that way] he answers.

    Dane nods happily. [I see...thank you...very much]

    "And thank you Master Belask again. It has truly been a pleasure!" Then he hurries off, eager to start working on his new content.

    Once he's gone, Cayde turns to Ann and hands her that encrypted tablet she'd given him some weeks back. It's now fully unlocked.

Annelia Belask has posed:
    Ann looks at the datapad a moment, smirking. "Well well, not bad at all. Let's talk about what the research was like in the morning, hm? Promise not to prod you too hard about people you might've read along the way," she says, winking in a clear lighthearted ribbing as she leads the way back into the temple.