I should eat, probably [D2, LE]

[Petrus Karath]

"Really? Where?" Petrus asked.

Then he paused.

"Tell me about this researcher." He said.

[Verse Aura]

"On one of the moons," she said, whispering. "We need to talk to some of the Aznuri outside of the city first though, they have maps and the like. As for the researcher, she's got antennae on her head and she's pretty nice. I mean, obsessive like those researcher types are, but I think she means well. Oh and uh..."

She coughed.

"She might've learned I was a Jed... a Jay, even before all this stuff happened. But that wasn't my fault, I swear."

[Petrus Karath]

Petrus sighed. Of course. "It's okay. I know who you're talking about. She's cool."

He sighed again, deeper than the first time, his shoulders slumping. "If there are any Aznuri left." He said.

[Verse Aura]

"Yeah... well, there should be the ones outside the city at least... but they might not be happy to see us outsiders."

[Petrus Karath]

"Yes..." Petrus started to speak, but then shook his head. "Nevermind. It's not important."

He sighed. "We failed today, and the consequences for that are real. But we have to keep trying, keep standing up. Keep hoping. Maybe that'll bring some peace to the rest of the Aznuri."

[Verse Aura]

"Hmm?" She seemed curious about whatever it was that wasn't important, but he'd waved it away.

"I don't think we failed. We saved some of them. And we showed the Empire that there are those willing to stand up to them. So... I see this as an absolute win."

[Petrus Karath]

Petrus shook his head, but a moment later he smiled. "I admire your optimism, Verse. And that's not a joke. I really do. I hope you're right. Either way, we'll deal with the consequences."

He pressed his lips together a moment, then leaned closer, his voice dropping lower. "But first, Qareme. You know, I've been having... a feeling about the desert, for a while now. I... tried to ignore it, but..." He shrugged. "I wonder if there's something else at the prison."

[Verse Aura]

"Optimism is how we can get through anything, isn't it? Doubt doesn't lead anywhere good."

Her smile faded a little, though, when he shared his feelings; expression changing to what could only be described as 'Verse: Serious Mode, lite version'.

"Something else? What do you mean?"

[Petrus Karath]

"I don't know." Petrus said. "But I've felt something drawing me there, for weeks now. I... hadn't been going." He sighed, smiling wanly. "I shouldn't have been ignoring it, I know."

He spread his hands. "So I don't know what it is, but it's important. I can feel it."

[Verse Aura]

"Well, that isn't ominous or anything. Are you sure it's *at* the prison, not just near it? Maybe... maybe there's another important prisoner there?"

[Petrus Karath]

Petrus spread his hands helplessly. "I don't know. I don't even know for sure that it's at the prison. It's a big desert."

He shrugged. "I was gonna go today, try to check it out. But then there was the attack... I guess with Qareme captured, there's even more reason to check it out. If we can get someone out of a secret prison." Petrus grimaced.

[Verse Aura]

"Well, maybe you'll find what you're looking for in the prison then. Though I can't believe you didn't just... you know, let yourself get arrested to check it out."

[Petrus Karath]

A number of brief emotions flickered across Petrus' face. "Is that what you were doing when you punched a stormtrooper?" He asked.

[Verse Aura]

"No that was just by acc... I mean, yes? But seriously, if you don't find whatever it is at the prison, maybe after we get Qareme back we can go look for it elsewhere in the desert? And maybe you could come with us to find this temple as well. I mean, up to you. Oh, and of course I need to meet with you know who as well. Man, we're getting pretty busy again these days, huh? Almost feels like old times."

[Petrus Karath]

Petrus smiled gently. "It does almost feel like old times, doesn't it? Now and then. But I can't forget." He hunched down in his chair, just a little, the weight of all those losses pressing him down.

But then he straightened. "But I guess maybe it's time to be... who we are, again."

He looked at her curiously. "What have you been doing... since?"

[Verse Aura]

"I've mostly just been running. After... after my master... well, I think you can guess. Tried to track down some things I half-remembered, from back before I came to Coruscant, but that was a bust, so I just drifted I guess. How about you?"

[Petrus Karath]

Petrus nodded quickly, his lips pressed together. "I know. Mine too." He took a breath, regaining equilibrium. It still hurt... was it an attachment? Hard to say.

"And so you wandered here? Huh." Petrus frowned. "Well, that's no coincidence." He pursed his lips a moment, then shook his head. "I've been here, almost since it happened. Some friends helped me get here. I've been getting by, I guess." He shrugged. "Keeping my head down. Hardly punched any stormtroopers." Well, not since yesterday, anyway.

[Verse Aura]

"Huh, Qareme help you? She mentioned she'd been here a while, helping others. Some of whom just want to forget everything."

[Petrus Karath]

Petrus nodded. "From time to time, anyway. Mostly checked up on me. Not too much; I think she knew I wasn't really..." He waved a hand uncertainly. "I mean, I guess I was still afraid of being, y'know, discovered or something."

[Verse Aura]

"Yeah, I can understand. We all went through a lot, I don't blame people for finding refuge where they can and just living a life and... what did she say, get addicted to holos?"

[Petrus Karath]

Petrus grimaced, then chuckled. "I wouldn't say addicted. Although there's this one I've been watching, Warrior's Heart, it's pretty good. Sorta."

He sat back in his chair. "But I don't think it was addicted, more like..." He shrugged. "If not much matters, than things like a stupid holoshow kinda do, I guess."

[Verse Aura]

"Warrior's heart?" She raised a brow, "I didn't know you were into that sort of thing."

She looked up at the ceiling in thought for a moment, then back down. "Well, I guess there's worse addictions."

[Petrus Karath]

"You know it?" Petrus sat up a little in his chair. "Really? Are you a fan? Who's your favorite character? Do you think Dacen's gonna help Jaina get their baby back? I bet it'll have some sort of special powers, since Jaina's Force Sensitive and Dacen was infused with the enhanced Mythosaur blood and she absorbed some of the essence of the first Mandalore..."

Petrus trailed off, clearing his throat.

[Verse Aura]

Oh... my... god...

Her eyes widened a little as she had activated his trap card.

"Uh, I mean, I just caught half an episode while waiting to board the shuttle to Rishi from Ukio's main spaceport."

[Petrus Karath]

"Oh..." Petrus slumped again. "Nevermind."

After a moment, he looked up. "Which episode was it? What happened?"