happy father's day - blindrun

[merging]

 [Honestly? He's been here wayyy longer than he planned to be. He knew it'd be hard to escape, but it had to be possible. That's what he kept telling himself. Days turned into weeks turned into months and now? It's been over a year.

The other Inquisitors still don't completely treat him like one of them. Or maybe teasing is their way of doing so? He rolls his eyes whenever they call him "baby brother", thinking they could at least have some sense of professionalism. But everything's been going okay for the most part. As okay as it can be when you're an Inquisitor-in-training.

Except today was... well, it was something else. They were assigned to ambush a small rebel cell that was said to be working with a Jedi. It should've been easy, except for the part where it wasn't. The rebels got away and the Inquisitors had failed. Now Ezra's standing outside the Grand Inquisitor's office while the adults debrief. It's frustrating, being left out like this, but he also knows there isn't much he can do about it.]

Comments

[blindrun]

No. [ he says, eyes still on the screen to look over her information. it's certainly a lot more interesting than the limited information collected on the bridgers. ] You want to see?

[convor]

I'm good. Kid shows off enough as is.

[It's kinda cute, in a little brother way. He reminds her of Tristan, though no way she'd ever tell him that.]

[blindrun]

He is a showboat, isn't he?

[ he turns the pad off and sets it to the side, eyes staring her down like a snake observes a mouse. ready to strike. ]

But he doesn't know all our secrets.

[ and then he lifts up a hand, imposing the presence of the dark side through his palm and toward her. there was something in that file he's curious about - the duchess. how did she feel when she learned her weapon could be so easily turned against her people, to subjugate the ones who did not want to bend? he wants to know. ]

[convor]

[She's not afraid of torture, and braces herself as he lifts his hand.

But this is different. Memories she's long suppressed come to the surface, no matter how hard she tries to push them back.]

Stop!

[It was a challenge, she's told herself time and time again. She wanted to see if it could be done, not even considering the fact the Empire could easily make her theories into reality. He wants to know how she feels about it? Some days she wonders if she even deserves to wear this armor. Other days, the thoughts are turned against her own family. She turned against Mandalore, they turned against her, and no matter where she places the blame, she can't seem to find peace. Ha, a Mandalorian looking for peace.

The truth is, she left to save everyone. And yet, everyday she pushes Mandalore and her family far, far out of her mind. She believes in the Rebellion, but it's also a great distraction.]

[blindrun]

[ he doesn't stop. he unearths the memories from the depths she buried them into, closes his eyes as she partakes in them, sees her pain, her betrayal, and yes - the hatred in them. for the empire and for herself. he lowers his hand once satisfied and opens his eyes again, predatory. ]

Creating a weapon of death against your own people... just to see if you could? Who does that?

[ only someone with the ego to think she can. it's almost funny. ]

[convor]

I was a child.

[she hisses back. Younger than Ezra was when the academy found him, but still old enough to know better.]

You've hunted your people to extinction. Who does that?

[blindrun]

[ a child? please. he doesn't buy that and neither does she. ]

"My people." [ he repeats, dully. ] My people put their trust in a government that made them into soldiers for a sham war. They deserved what happened.

[convor]

Then what do you deserve?

[Since he's following in their footsteps as a soldier for a crappy government.]

What does Ezra?

[blindrun]

We deserve this.

[ he waves a hand to himself. to what he is. an inquisitor, hunting down the remnants of what he hates. ]

Ezra... he likes the power. The strength it gives him. He just doesn't approve of working for anyone but himself. Someone so selfish is neither good to the empire nor the rebellion.

I'm going to kill him, for his own good. Then I'll send you to the Imperial prison you belong in. I'm sure your family will approve of the punishment.

[convor]

[She rolls her eyes. Uh-huh. The rest of the Jedi deserved death and this sleemo deserves an admittedly cool laser sword? She's not buying it.]

You're wrong about him. You just couldn't see him for who he truly is. After all... I'm sure all you ever saw was a tool.

[blindrun]

[ to his credit he doesn't physically wince at what she says, but his eyes narrow with fire in them. seems she finally found a point to press down on. ]

He's not a tool. He's my apprentice. My brother. His betrayal will not be forgiven.

[convor]

A real family wouldn't treat him the way you did.

[While Ezra probably thought a real family meant his biological family, Sabine means something different. After all, her real family is on the Ghost, not Mandalore.]

[blindrun]

Don't talk like you know anything about us. I trained him, protected him, for over a year I gave him everything.

He wanted to be an Inquisitor, until it was actually time to become one.

[ ezra's desire for it wasn't faked or acted out for his benefit. he didn't want to work under the empire at the end of the day. ]

[convor]

[She knows plenty. She was an Imperial cadet, after all. By choice too. She believed in the Empire more than Ezra ever did, by his account.]

Did you care for him?

[blindrun]

...I still do.

[ and then turns back to the dashboard. of course he cares. he wouldn't be going to the lengths he has for so long if he didn't. he's tried so hard to make ezra understand, but it's useless. he will never understand and his lack of understanding... the white lightsaber he saw is proof enough. ezra has turned and can't be allowed to go, his powers still growing so fast and unchecked. he could be a threat to everything that has been built if he is left to his own devices.

but what does this girl understand? nothing. mandolorians and jedi never got along back when there were jedi, and back when mandalore was an independent planet. he has no interest explaining it to her. ]

[convor]

[That's... not the reaction she was expecting, to be honest. Her point was that all the things he listed before weren't really caring for someone. And she still thinks he doesn't truly care for Ezra, only his idea of him.]

My real family are the ones who supported me after I defected. I'm sure Ezra feels the same.

[And she's sure part of him wishes he'd had support elsewhere. She knows she still does.]

[blindrun]

Doubtful.

[ ezra has made clear who his family is, and it's the parents he hasn't seen in almost ten years. even what sabine says makes more sense to him than that. ]

If he does feel that way, then he'll come for you. That's all you're good for to me.

[convor]

Yeah, I know.

[It's part of why she feels so comfortable speaking out against Third Brother. Ahsoka wouldn't let Ezra go after a dead body, after all.]

Pretty sure I'm the kid's favorite so good on you. If you nabbed Zeb, it might've gone differently.

[A joke. Somehow she knows, that no matter who it was Ezra would come after them.]

[blindrun]

I don't know who that is.

[ he rolls his eyes, not at all amused, and checks the hyperspace counter. they still have quite a ways to go. maybe he should put her to sleep and take a nap himself? or meditate, gain power, for them battle that is soon to come. ]

You shouldn't have interfered. I was only there for him.

[convor]

You shouldn't have come.

[She shrugs, still treating this like they're on equal levels]

I would've tried to stop you no matter who you were.

[blindrun]

So you would have failed no matter what.

[ he doesn't want to gloat because it's pointless, but he beat her without breaking a sweat. ]

[convor]

Sure. It's a relief to know the Empire makes sure all of their soldiers are incompetent no matter their rank.

[No matter what means if she faced a stormtrooper which means he's saying he's the same as a stormtrooper and okay, it makes sense in her head.]

Okay, let me get this straight, though. Correct me if I'm wrong, but your plan is to kidnap me to some random planet and hold me hostage like you're a villain in a holodrama. Then Ezra will swoop in to save me and you'll kill both of us.But what do you do when Ezra defeats you?

[blindrun]

"When" - you're sounding really confident here.

[ it's almost charming if it weren't so irritating. ]

Better question is what makes you think Ezra can win?

[convor]

Isn't it obvious? You're the one who taught him, right? So he knows all your tricks.

[Ezra might be brash and reckless and... Ezra, but some of that should work to his advantage. Tristan's one of the few people who can beat her in a sparring match, despite being her younger brother. Or rather, it's because he's her younger brother. Trying to surpass someone, grow beyond their teachings... it's one hell of a motivator.]

That's not even considering all the Jedi training he does every day.

[blindrun]

He doesn't know all of them.

[ she is right though - he has taught ezra most of what he knows, and because of that he can outwit him. think faster and predict his moves. the real trouble is if he has been training with the jedi... would she come with him? if so, he wouldn't be able to fight them both at the same time. ]

The real question is the lengths he'll go to. All those "tricks" mean nothing without willpower. He won't defeat me unless he goes as far in as he can.