Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Breela Po]

"I will say that if we can't find understanding if we are ready to attack each other, if we can't have honest and sometimes hard conversations then we are lost. This situation is not ideal, but the scars not one way, they are struggling with their own horror stories from all these conflicts. Suffering begets suffering."

Thy's words hit their mark. It wasn't as if she hadn't considered that side of the equation. It's just that she often had a hard time seeing past her own suffering. "May the force be with you." She said meekly.

"Do people like Layne turn away? I suppose we'll find out." Tethys's lips quirk ruefully. "But either way, no one cajoled and manipulated Layne with 'optics' into joining the Jedi. We can't trick the Sith away from the darkness by pretending to act like them. These changes are between one person and the Force, they always will be. We can offer a hand, try to be an example, but if someone tells you that your actions pushed them to one side or another? In my experience, they're lying, either to you or to themselves."

She's still not listening Breela sighed wearily. I'm trying to build opportunities. Plotting, manipulating, cajoling? Semantics. If she actually gave a kriff about optics she'd realize our side may have more people. But we're definitely the weaker half.

"I know exactly who's in here with us, and that is why it's more important than ever not to compromise what matters." She stands up, the metal stool scraping a little on the cold flooring. "If you won't hear me, if you won't believe I care, that's your decision too. I can't trick you or manipulate you, and I don't want to. I do want to help. If there's any task I can do, you only have to ask; if you want to touch my mind and learn that you can trust me that way, go ahead." She opens a hand. "But I won't lie to you when I think you are doing something that will cause needless suffering, to you and others. I won't lie to a Jedi. If that means I should leave now, because I can't tell you what you want to hear, then I'll leave."

"If you want to help me. Help Layne. Barring that our people could use a shot of faith right now. Talk to Jubbs and set up something please. As far as my children are concerned I've got freelancers, republic, and Sith all helping out. I'm good for now and wouldn't want you distracted."

(If you want to keep patronizing her she'll double down on asking you to leave. Otherwise you may stay and check in.)