Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Tethys Carrack]

(expecting!)

Tethys's room in the barracks is as neat as she can make it. A shallow dish of water sits directly on the heating unit; even though the very slight effects of this makeshift humidifier cause a little condensation to gather on the chilly walls and floor, it still makes the room more comfortable for her preferences than going without. Over the past few weeks she's managed to scrounge a camp chair or two and a makeshift desk/table/whatever made out of supply crates; other than that, it's still rather bare--few of anyone's personal possessions survived the space evacuation and Tethys has accumulated little else here, treating this as the temporary resting place it is.

Tethys looks a little apologetic about the spartan quality of the room now, since it doesn't exactly make her out as a gracious host. Still, her guest isn't here to talk about interior decoration.

"I have asked Master Thy to come by too, when she has a moment free," she explains. "I think you're right, it will be good for her to talk with you. And someone else in the Order should know your situation."

She smiles a little wryly and adds, "I didn't think to bring back caf from the mess, or anything of that sort. I've a pot of kelp tea, though, if you'd like any..." A much more niche morning drink, to put it generously.

[Luth Khalan]

Luth was perched on one of the camp chairs, a small smile on her face. "I've never tried it, but I'm willing to give it a shot. Kelp is a pretty good taste in other circumstances," she said, thoughtful. "As for her... Yeah. I admit that I'm nervous, but I know that this is the right thing to do."

"Thank you, by the way. For coming with me yesterday."

[Tethys Carrack]

"As long as you expect it to be what it is, and not caf," Tethys agrees with a light laugh, finding two of the base's utilitarian mugs in her crate-shelf.

"I suppose that's true of many things, come to think of it," she muses, pouring greenish-amber liquid from her insulated carafe into the mugs. "That they're not improved by having too-definite expectations, I mean." With that, she slides one of the mugs over to Luth and takes a seat on the bunk, tucking one leg under her--leaving the other chair free for Thy when the young Master eventually turns up. The kelp 'tea' is a mild stimulant, as grassy and mildly briny tasting as Luth might have imagined, with a little bit of vegetal sweetness. Private Gildo's private (well, scavenged) stash, shared with only a few discerning individuals on base (...because everyone else would rather just have caf, or Hoth Chocolate).

"I am sorry things couldn't resolve without violence yesterday," she says more somberly, cradling her mug. "Perhaps not surprised, but sorry all the same. Are you... all right?"

[Luth Khalan]

She chuckled at that, tasting the kelp tea. "Honestly, it's not bad. I might look into finding some again at some point."

"As for yesterday... I suppose I could go over it with a fine-toothed comb and pick out all the places I could have done things differently, but... that would help about as much a too-specific expectations," she replied with a small, sad smile. "I miss Sylvain, but I know he was doing the same thing I would have done for him. Baras is... a complicated subject, but resolved. I'm sad about the whole thing, but I'll be okay with some time."

She paused, then added, "Draahg's a weasely bastard, but that's nothing new, and he's making the right noises at this point so... whatever on that front." A quick shrug.

[Thy Yulani]

Thy arrived but did not interrupt the conversation.

[Luth Khalan]

Luth rose whenever arrived. "Master Yulani. Thanks for coming."

[Thy Yulani]

She nodded, "You're welcome, I am honored to be here."

[Tethys Carrack]

She chuckled at that, tasting the kelp tea. "Honestly, it's not bad. I might look into finding some again at some point."

"As for yesterday... I suppose I could go over it with a fine-toothed comb and pick out all the places I could have done things differently, but... that would help about as much a too-specific expectations," she replied with a small, sad smile. "I miss Sylvain, but I know he was doing the same thing I would have done for him. Baras is... a complicated subject, but resolved. I'm sad about the whole thing, but I'll be okay with some time."

She paused, then added, "Draahg's a weasely bastard, but that's nothing new, and he's making the right noises at this point so... whatever on that front." A quick shrug.

"Mn." Tethys nods over her tea. "You can value what Torsin gave you... and then let him go. Even Baras, for that matter. It isn't easy, but it is... good practice, I suppose I could say, although that makes it sound less than it is." She hadn't known Torsin at all, but it was clear enough from their short, singular, and fateful time in the same place that the man had his own complicated entanglements with Baras, of which Luth was only one part. Perhaps he, too, had gotten himself free in the only way left to him.

She nodded, "You're welcome, I am honored to be here."

"Master Thy." Tethys smiles and gestures the other Jedi to sit where she likes, though unfortunately there are not a lot of options in the small room--one remaining camp chair and the other end of the bunk, pretty much. "I'm glad you had time. Luth and I have talked a great deal recently, but the future is uncertain, and she'll need more than one member of the Order who understands her situation. And her children's situation." Tethys's tone is gentle and matter-of-fact, but there's a world of possibilities in that the future is uncertain. The worst, perhaps, would be if Tethys managed to get herself killed by Zakuulians or pirates before filling in any of the other Jedi--a possibility this meeting has now erased, hopefully.

"As I suspect you've gathered already, Luth no longer wishes to follow the Sith way. Or to have her sons forced into following it." She glances at Luth, offering to let her fill in as much or as little more as she chooses.

[Luth Khalan]

"You're right about that..."

She looked to Thy and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before she began. No trying to tell her what she wants to here, or what you think will be convincing. Just the truth. "I've lived my whole life being controlled by fear... My change of thinking started with my children. The Sith way is eventually having to kill your master to take up their title and resources. I had children with Darth Baras. He eventually intended that for them, but... it's a cruel thing, to be staring down killing someone you love without being offered any other choice, I felt. Tethys helped me see options outside of my fear for them, at least."

"I didn't really even fully understand how deeply I was mired in it until the whole thing with getting possessed. I made a terrible choice then out of fear, thinking that I was being protective. I only really understood it as I was swallowed up and had to try to resist that my focus on my own priorities had was putting everyone at greater risk. Once it was all over, I started looking at the rest of my life and seeing how fear and the self-hatred it created shaped everything. There are trillions of people out there who are every bit as valuable as anyone I know, and I've been thoughtlessly putting my priorities before everything."

"That's not to go into that same spiral. I think realizing that is an opportunity to change, and maybe start making the galaxy better instead of worse. What I'm asking for here is... I guess consideration of a request to be able to turn to your order for help in learning how to follow the path toward the light, and for my kids and Arymis to have an opportunity to see more than the darkness they were raised with. Not... asking to join or anything for myself... I don't think that's something that could be decided right now, anyway. Just help."

"I'm going to be returning to Republic space anyway... I have crimes to face, once this Zakuul business is over with. Or whenever they decide. Maybe give some closure to the people who suffered the effects of my betrayal of the Republic and other crimes."

[Tethys Carrack]

Tethys nods. "I think it's the right idea. Whatever happens, the Order can help protect Luth's children. The rest... won't be easy, but none of this is going to be easy in any case, I think."

She looks to Thy for her reaction.