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[imahologram]

for whatever miscellaneous bullshit your little heart can come up with.

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[t65]

[Luke lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He rubs at his eyes and says, with a lack of bravado that may undercut his argument:] Luke Skywalker.

[He looks at her now, and his gaze is level.] I'm sorry for the deception, but it was necessary for your safety. Madame Poluphemie keeps the rooms unbugged, but not the lobby.

[It occurs to him a moment later that she probably knows that.]

[methony]

[She laughs without bothering to make it sound pretty as she sits back down on her bed. The blaster is between the mattress and the wall, if she can just stretch out naturally enough towards it...]

Of course. [Her eyes roll.] Luke Skywalker has come to the far end of the galaxy to talk to a whore in the Lower City.

[He's right, of course, that only an idiot would try to talk about something downstairs, but it's not hard to guess that.]

You can't think I was born yesterday. I'm older than you.

[t65]

[Luke sighs.] I guess they don't have those 'Wanted' holos out here... [He sighs and closes his eyes. There's been a niggling feeling at the back of his mind all night, but he hasn't been able to concentrate on it due to his nerves. With Methony no longer pressed against him, he catches it-]

What's behind the bed? [He sounds more curious than worried.] Something's... hidden there? Did you hide it?

[And then there's the worry-- this room might be bugged after all.]

[methony]

[Her heart stops. Did he realize the direction she was lounging toward--but no, he mentioned the Force, he--

There's no reason to bother being subtle now that he knows what she's doing. Methony scrambles for the blaster and aims it with both hands.]

Why are you really here? Is this--

[She shuts her mouth. Bringing up Felix will only put him in trouble. He's only ten, he can't be involved in whatever the Empire wants her for.]

[t65]

[On instinct, Luke reaches out with the Force to pull the blaster out of Methony's hands. It sails through the air, turning in motion to fall into his grip. He puts it aside gently, not wanting it to go off by accident.]

I told you why I'm here. Don't you want to learn to use your gift?

[methony]

[Methony's knuckles are white, but the blaster slips from it anyway. Without it, her hands just look clawed and ugly. All she can do is ball them into fists as they drop to her sides.

She's crouched on the bed at this point, hair hanging around a scowl. If he tries anything, she can spring forward and try to scratch his eyes out--not that it'll matter, if he has the Force, but she's not giving in without a fight.]

I don't have a gift. [The words hiss out of her.] We both know you're from the Inquisitors. What is it you really want?

[t65]

You do. I've seen it. [But he's clearly not going to convince her with words. Luke picks up the blaster, and hands it back to her, the handle toward her. If they're to trust each other, he has to trust her.]

What do I need to do to convince you I'm Luke Skywalker?

[methony]

[She reaches for it in a quickly, fluid motion, and her one bit of deference to him is the fact that she doesn't point it at his heart. It's still dangerous when it's pointed at her mattress, considering how quickly she can move when she needs to, but he's not staring down the barrel any longer.]

What makes you think anything would work? Luke Skywalker has no reason to come here.

[t65]

Because it's the truth. I am here, Methony. I need students.

[Maybe if he speaks gently, makes it a need and not a want, she'll be more at ease?]

[methony]

[Uh-huh. Pull the other one, Whitesun.]

People with gifts become Inquisitors. You think I'd be here if I had the Force?

[t65]

Why do you trust the Inquisitors, but not me? [It comes out in a bit of a whine.] Despite what you've heard, it's very hard to tell when someone has the Force. And the Inquisitors are lazy; they don't like training people past the age of three, as far as I can tell.

[methony]

Trust?

[Another harsh laugh.]

Who said anything about trusting them?

[t65]

[He rolls his eyes a little. Luke is a hero, but he's not that kind, the one without moments of petulance or human emotion beyond stalwart conviction.]

Fine, believe. The Inquisitors are powerful, but they're poorly trained. People with the Dark Side of the Force, they can't sense things very well. The Inquisitors only train for power, not knowledge.

[methony]

They spend more time on Rim worlds than rebel Jedi.

[That's almost too easy, come on now.]

I know who I've seen more of.

[t65]

That's because there's only one of us. [Us. Rebel Jedi. He wouldn't be anything else.] I'm trying to change that.

[He holds out his hand to her. Trust me.] You don't have to train with me if you don't want to. [Though you don't need the Force to tell he really wants her to.] But you're not safe here.

[methony]

Because of the Stormtroopers?

[She's still skeptical. The Empire--or what's left of it--doesn't send its armies after brothel denizens.]

If they were looking for me, they would have found me years ago. [They found Felix, didn't they?]

[t65]

They're looking for me, and I'm here for you. It's possible they won't connect the two, but... [He doesn't like the fact that he's put her in danger, but there was no other way.] Do you want to stay here?

[He's asking her genuinely. If she does, he'll do his best to make sure she can.]

[methony]

I don't care where I am.

[That's the truth, and it comes out flat. Anywhere that isn't Troia is good enough, and a small, traitorous part of her holds out hope that her sons will remember this place when they're old enough to make their own fates.

It's not a line of questioning she wants to pursue any further, though, and she turns a sharp eye on Whitesun. Or Skywalker, if he's going to stand by that claim.]

Why do you think I have the Force, anyway?

[t65]

I had a vision. [He knows how it sounds, but it's the truth.] I saw you, holding a baby... or two, it wasn't clear. But you were strong, you just didn't know it.

[methony]

[Wrong answer.

Her expression shifts slightly, the curve of her mouth tilting a breath further downwards, her eyes growing nearly fearful.]

What about the children?

[t65]

[Luke hadn't expected that response. As ever, he sticks with honesty.] They were with you. Little redheads. Boys, I think.

[methony]

How old?

[It's close to a snarl. She doesn't care about appearance right now, or danger, or anything else. If he saw a vision of Felix and Mild-May-Your-Sufferings-Be-At-The-Hands-Of-The-Wicked, that's the only thing that matters.]

Just babies? I thought you people saw the future.

[t65]

Visions in the Force are often unclear. They only show a possible future, not the way things will be. I could tell you were important because I could see you clearly. But...

[There weren't a lot of human children on Tatooine. 'Babies' often encompassed any child younger than seven. Luke thinks a moment.]

I think they were both old enough to walk... one was smaller. I'm sorry, that's all there was.

[methony]

[Methony sighs. What's the point of such visions, then?]

Let's imagine that you are Luke Skywalker. If I agree to go with you, just what am I agreeing to?

[That he could call up her children as well as guess the blaster's place--and drag it out of her hands--is proof of the Force in him, and he hasn't exactly appeared like the Inquisitors did. He hasn't pulled a lightsaber on her once.]

[t65]

You would have a place within the Alliance. I'd like to train you in the ways of the Force, but I won't make you do anything you don't want.

[He thinks a moment. In the softest, gentlest voice he can muster,]

Those children... they were yours, weren't they?