atardisofourown | Open to All TLV style post

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barge!verse

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[Network; Video]

[A young man with violet-blue eyes, blue-black hair tucked away in a bun, dressed in green tabards with orange embroidery in somewhat organic patterns, over indigo tunics appears on the network. He solemnly tucks his hands into his sleeves, and bows toward the screen.]

Hello, Barge. My name is Ezra Bridger, and I recently arrived, as a warden. [A tiny pause, and only the momentary effort to put up a smooth, diplomatic front keeps him to wrinkling his nose a little, but one might perceive the hint of trepidation in his tone.] I haven't accepted a deal. At least not yet.

[He shakes his head slightly] Because I know there might be some here who at least know stories, I guess I should say that I am a Jedi Knight. Born at the same time as the rise of the Empire, on a planet named Lothal. I'm happy to answer any question anyone may have about that.[Some of the formality and calm even to his tone begins to fade.] But I haven't been in my home galaxy since I was 18, over three years ago, for me now.

I've traveled through several - I've taken to calling them nexuses? Experienced things rather like the floods and breaches, here, among other...well the last place I was called them Trials.

[His expression suddenly blossoms into a full, bright smile, as something occurs to him.] Oh! Are there any people here who do Jewish observances? I grew up Reform, in a life; I like to keep up with holidays when I can.

[A little more soberly-] And how well is the infirmary staffed? I have some medical training. Including mental health topics.
***
[Action]

DECK - Anyone who knows anything about the Jedi won't be surprised to find him folded into crossed legged sitting on the floor of the deck, hands in green cloth gloves on his knees but palm up, and eyes closed, in meditation. Any psychic, or the like, may notice that his mind is open, yet attentive, letting everything he senses flow around and through him.

Although - If someone's attention lingers on him for long, or he picks up a sense of urgency, he murmurs, without opening his eyes, yet, "Can I help you?"

OR

ENCLOSURE - Of course there's also lightsaber practice in the Enclosure, in varying landscapes, on different days, with his green blade. Anyone who knows much about Jedi lightsaber forms might notice Ezra's personal style is a core of Form III, with some Form IV, and Form I - in other words, a mostly defensive style. Anyone very familiar with the styles of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, or Ahsoka Tano might spot some specific influences.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Thrawn takes...all of this in. He had wondered whether Ezra Bridger would be joining him aboard the Barge, but he had erroneously believed it would have been close to the moment of his own arrival.

This Ezra is not the same Jedi who catapulted them both across a galaxy. Three years have passed by his own admission: where, exactly, remains to be seen. Strangely, Thrawn reflects that he does not feel threatened by Ezra's presence: a quick examination of his own feelings leads him to assume that the worst Ezra could possibly do has already happened. He's killed Thrawn, but at the same time Thrawn has to assume that both their people are safe from the both of them. They are, shockingly, on more neutral ground than they've ever been.

How interesting.

Still, formalities first: he cannot assume that this Ezra Bridger wasn't picked up from a time before their fated last stand, and would therefore have no idea who he was. Best to eliminate that possibility, however slim it may be.

So he makes no effort to disguise his very distinguishable voice when he replies;]

I am well-acquainted with Lothal, Ezra Bridger.

[Ezra knows that voice, of course. It still edges into his nightmares, on occasion. Fresh on the proverbial boat as an 18 year old grieving padawan, he probably would have immediately snapped back with something snarky, and angry. A public accusation.

But the young Knight has prepared for his this, as best he can, centering himself before he addressed the network, gathering what dignity and polish he's picked up the last few years from the likes of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padmé Amidala, and Satine Kryze. This moment is the first time he's directly come across Thrawn again, in his travels. But...he has heard a few stories, second hand. Even the name Eli Vanto has been offered to him, in furious defense of Thrawn's character, the man's ability to care about some besides the power Thrawn once told him was all that mattered.

He has nothing to hide. No particular point to prove, no interest in continuing old enmities, for their own sake. Only the uncertainty that he can never entirely shed of when it is best to discuss certain matters, and in what venue, for all involved. So, he doesn't even flip over to voice only communication, simply tightens his hold on his forearms under his tunics to further ground himself, and replies with faint irony-]

If your past aligns much with mine, I imagine so.

How do you prefer to be addressed, in this place?

[He acknowledges this with a hum. So Ezra and he are from the same branch of the proverbial tree.]

I was not aware you cared much for my preferences.

[It may come off a little petulant, beneath his dignity. Thrawn's purpose in asking might be considered snotty but the sentiment IS genuine: he wants to know if the situation between them has shifted. If Ezra is willing to give ground, if the three years between them have at least changed that.

He hopes so, and answers back before Ezra can manage;]

'Thrawn' will suffice.

There is no Imperial presence here.

[his words are carefully chosen; yes, it means he doesn't wish to be associated with his former title, yes it means there are no other Empire-era people here.

It may also mean he too is interested in change.]

[Ezra actually laughs, a little, breaking the formal mask for a moment to crack a joke.] Well. That's teenagers for you, right?

[More dryly-] And not to put too fine a point on it, Thrawn, in my view, what I saw as my duty then took priority by a long shot. [To fight the Sith and the Empire. To aid the Rebellion. To protect Lothal.]

Here, as a Jedi and as unpaired warden, I see myself as owing some measure of care and as much decency as I can muster, to all onboard. [He would say compassion, but that can so easily taken as pity.]

I know your point of view. I also know that in war, one must ensure complete victory before allowing the other side to rebuild.

[Translation: Don’t blame him and he won’t blame you. They both played their parts as best they knew how based on their own sense of duty, and Ezra totaled his side. As he would have done to Ezra.]

So your priority has shifted to the protection of the people aboard this ship?

[He is not interested in arguing about what it takes to win a war, and who was right or wrong, not at the moment. So he simply mentally makes a note and moves on.]

Hmm. Yes. Although I can hope physical protection won't be needed often. Truthfully, it's been years since I've been a soldier.[He shrugs slightly.] I don't know what sort of aid I'd be best suited to, here, yet, exactly. I've been a farmer and a teacher and a healer-in-training, since I left the galaxy.

All very different careers.

[and all very different from a warrior’s path, he has to note]

Interesting that the Admiral would see fit to offer you this opportunity only after you had acquired this diverse skill set.

Who did you teach, and what was the subject?

[A brief grin-]It is interesting, isn't it? [Another shrug.]

Oh, some of it was very informal, and varied. There was an orphanage in one town I spent nearly two years in, so gardening, cooking, music, crafts, a mix of thing I thought would be fun and useful. I've assisted in teaching the general Jedi arts to other Force sensitives in training, when there were other trained Jedi around. I haven't been brave enough to try to take a padawan. [Over a year into his Knighthood, that still seems like a daunting task.]

More formally, meditation techniques appropriate for all who are interested. I had a class my last stop, once week, drop ins welcome, brief philosophy readings and discussion from sources across universes, following by a guided meditation, in a rotation of styles.

I see.

[Thrawn’s tone is dry, maybe filtering on the edge of annoyance. He expected…what, exactly? For Ezra to be more like him? He defeated Thrawn by behaving precisely the opposite of how Thrawn would act.

And there were other Force-sensitives. Thrawn never liked Jedi philosophy but even he could acknowledge that Ezra had gifts that had only grown with time, whereas his people’s tended to diminish around Ezra’s age. That was fascinating too, and perhaps the Admiral has placed Ezra and Thrawn together at a time where each was least likely to wish to do harm to the other.

For Thrawn, the adjustment period was three weeks: for Ezra, three years. But the result was the same: a tentative peace, or at least a pact of non-violence.

All of this he doesn’t speak aloud. As he recalled, Ezra usually had no problems filling the silence by himself.]

[Ezra is perfectly capable of silence as it suits him, especially when he tell the other person wishes for it.

He's not quite sure what to make of Thrawn's response.]

I'll see if anyone here is interested in that sort of thing, I guess. [Not Thrawn, it seems.]

[A little tentative, and soft, not certain how more questions will go over-]

Have you been here long?

[Perhaps. But Thrawn knows himself and knows he would need to find stimuli in other ways. Let him into the greenhouse to garden and he would turn it into an example of productivity, but take no joy in it except as a project to occupy his time.

Akin to busy work.

He replies without hesitation, carrying on a different conversation with himself at the same time as Ezra;]

Twenty standard days.

[Ezra nods.]

Impressions you care to share? [Cheerfully-]Force knows I slept most of the first week out of the galaxy. [On account of it still being one of the worst and busiest weeks of his life, and oh yeah, getting shot-]

Oh, well - actually, is it your first stop?

Do you really wish to talk about this?

[Thrawn sounds irritated by this. Very little has changed in the twenty days he's been aboard the ship. Ezra has been out of the galaxy three years, and is now coming to Thrawn indicating that this Barge is but the first stop on a number of different treks across the universe. He aches to learn about what people Ezra has spoken to, what secrets he's uncovered and what technology he has interacted with that the Chiss has not, and yet they're sitting here discussing gardening.

How much could Thrawn have realistically gotten up to in the last twenty days compared to that?]

I conducted research, walked the ship several times over, constructed two art galleries to display pieces by the residents here, stole two wardens' items and used them to explore doors previously locked to me, tested the safety nets and the fire alarms, killed an inmate in order to understand the death toll, died by that same inmate, spoke to the Admiral about his ship, and begun compiling a list of tasks and requirements for both myself and my eventual warden.

I have concluded that most wardens are woefully un- or underprepared for their tasks. Most are eager and willing but have vague or directionless ideas about what it means to graduate an inmate, and the ship has fractured not along warden-inmate lines, but along many different pairings. Many of the inmates are prisoners here and some - primarily the unpaired - are resentful of a perceived lack of status, lack of communication, or lack of autonomy. The chief cause of all this is the Admiral, who will dangle a prize of unspeakable power in front of all, so it is no small wonder he lures in a number of well-meaning but ineffective and inexperienced people, and has them deflect the blame for what he himself puts into practice.

...

And yes. This is where I found myself after the attack on the Chimaera.

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