Walking in the woods was a bit of a relief. Scout could appreciate the wildlife. It was nice and uncomplicated. Animals didn't plan for extermination but merely lived by instinct. It was refreshing after being that shocked by the inhabitants of Kryimorut. Still she did wish that she didn't need to escape but it would seem that the circumstances were conspiring against her.

She sighed and stopped walking. She could feel the tears coming and didn't stop them this time. After all she'd been through and all she'd heard she needed this...no wanted this. Scout allowed herself to cry and it was an ugly cry.

She cried over the lose of her people. Her culture and her entire life. She'd lost everything. Everything.

Scout wasn't sure how long she sat there crying but felt like forever and once she'd finished she felt drained. Scout sat in the foliage breathing in and out her mind in a fog that didn't seem to want to go away. Finally it took the snap of a branch to get her attention back. Looking behind her she saw one of the Nulls standing behind her. She couldn't cared who it was and just wished he'd just buzz off.

"You done?" The trooper didn't mince words or her feelings for that matter.

"Well considering my entire people are being targeted and wiped out no I'm not," Scout gruffly quipped as she rubbed off her eyes. She looked at the man and realized that in the darkness of the woods she couldn't tell which of the Nulls he was. "Not that you people care."

"You'd be right they wouldn't," the Null said with something of a sympathetic sigh. Odd for him to do that considering what he'd just said. "Kal'buir did kill some Padawans af-"

"What?!" Now the emotion coursing through was rage. "He did what?!"

"Killed Padawans. Said they were threatening the lads," the Null said with an infuriating amount of calm that made Scout see red. "Etain tried to save one but instead got killed by a Jetii..."

"Well that might be because gee they're running from a GENOCIDE PERPETRATED BY THE REPUBLIC! AND FOR THAT MATTER WHAT THE KARK WAS SHE THINKING?! OH YES LETS SAVE THE GENOCIDAL TROOPS WHO HAVE GOT A TON OF BACKUP NOT TO MENTION PUBLIC SUPPORT INSTEAD OF THE KIDS WHO DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE THE MATTER LIKE THEIR ENTIRE ORDER BEING MURDERED!" Scout wasn't prone to shouting like this but the emotional merry go round was really wrecking havoc on her self control hence the uncharacteristic shouting leaving her throat raw and feeling drained.

"They didn't have a choice? Like how my brothers who were born and breed to fight in your war?" The Null said cuttingly his voice frosty. Scout didn't back down from it but she did take a breath so she wouldn't be shouting at the top of her lungs this time. It wouldn't do any good screaming at him...Tempting as it might be.

"It wasn't our war," Scout said slowly trying to let go of her considerable anger even as tears of anger and grief went down her face. It made her nearly choke. "The Confederacy started it when they sent assassination squad after Senator Amidala. One of our own was sent to investigate and he found the army. We didn't know about it until then. Sifo-Dyas ordered you all behind the Council's collective backs and supposedly was funded by a Sith Lord. I ought to know about Geonosis since my first Master died there rescuing the Senator and her Jedi escort and the Jedi investigator."

"So you've got no political power and didn't authorize this?"

"I-No," Scout said now confused her grief dissipating slightly. "We were a part of the judicial system not the legislative. We never declared war that was the Senate. Where in the galaxy did you get that idea?"

"And they say that you Jedi didn't care about us," the Null continued ignoring her questions much to her annoyance. "That you exploit us for your own usage."

"Since when? Have you ever talked to the troops? Very few if any Jedi treated their troops with anything less then respect. I can maybe count on one hand how many didn't care and most if not all had turned to the Dark Side and one comes to mind, their name is Pong Krell. And funnily enough it was called the Grand Army of the REPUBLIC not the Grand Army of the Jedi. So if you've got an issue talk to the Emperor and the Senate not us."

"And those kids that you say didn't have a choice who were stolen from their families did they-?"

"NO!" Scout shouted horrified. In what reality did someone believe that!? "We've never stolen children! We've taken them with the parents permission. We've never taken them without permission. I know this because I asked about it and found this out. We've had an entire world called Bardotta tell us no to taking their children and we've honored it for generations. Heck they even took the children they recruited from their world back to their parents."

The Null grunted...well something seemed to meet his satisfaction and he continued on: "Another question, so there's a difference between you and the Sith then?"

"I'd say a hard yes, I mean one wants to rule the galaxy while the other is the keeper of the peace and justice. So yeah there's a huge ideological difference there."

"Some would say there's no difference," the Null said with a neutral voice.

"What because we both use the Force?!"

"Exactly why," the Null said.

"Then whoever told you that is full of poodoo," Scout said flatly. "The Sith use the Dark Side who's way is quicker and easier. It leads sufferings and death. Those that follow that path are cruel and colloquially know as bad guys because you know they kill and enslave people."

"So do you some say."

"If you're talking about the army we lead to save lives and believe me no one was happy about the ownership issue. I remember Masters getting into arguments about the whether our morality was comprised and how unjust it was when we decided to heed the Senates call to lead the army. Also we only take a life in self defense only and as a last resort."

"So it's the government's responsibility for the army not yours," the Null said slowly as if comprehending something.

"Yes..." She replied edgily not sure where he was going with this line of questioning. "We aren't the government especially the legislative branch that takes care of that..."

"Good."

"Any particular reason for these questions?" Scout tensed readying herself for a possible fight.

"Curiosity," the Null said. "I wanted to see how much was true."

"I thought you only listened to Kal," Scout said.

"Not all of us," the Null countered. "Some of us think outside the box."

"Shocking."

"Revolutionary I know and here we are," the Null shrugged. Scout gave him a look over and walking over to him. Once she'd gotten close she realized it was Prudii.

"You're Prudii right?"

"I am," he said.

"So you're not going to induce me into the cult?" Scout quipped before she could stop herself. Now Prudii just looked confused.

"A cult?"

"That's what this is right?" Scout said keeping going with the line is reasoning as she gestured to Kryimorut in the distance. This was reckless and wrong way to argue but at this point Scout didn't care. She felt drained, angry, hurt and tired. All she wanted to do was curl into a ball and either cry again or sleep. Perhaps both. "That's your commune and I'm an intruder."

"We're not a cult," Prudii bit off.

"Aren't you? You all are isolated from any outside influence save for high ranking members, are told what to think and how to think as well..."

"So would say that's how the Jedi are," Prudii countered angrily.

"We give people a choice to stay or leave and we don't force things on them. Nor do we kidnap others."

"Neither do we."

"Tell that to Jilka," Scout shot back. "She seems to think that she's trapped as is Arla Fett...And speaking of her seriously are you guys going to get her some psychiatric treatment? None of you people are qualified."

"Well Bardan healed Fi's brain damage so..."

"Yeah but he's not a psychologist or a psychiatrist," Scout shook her head. "Like at all. Also that's not how the Force works in healing. I've seen Healers and our Doctors and I can assure you it doesn't work that way."

"Really?"

"If it did then why did we allow Master Billaba to be in a coma instead of just healing her like that?" Scout snapped her fingers. "Look I know that Barriss is said to have a similar ability but Master Allie chalked it up as she just healed some of the damage that impaired those individuals. Not to mention more importantly she's a Healer so she at least knows how the brain works."

"That's...that's actually a good point," Prudii admitted. "Maybe Bardan'ika has that same talent..."

"And yet he's a mercenary," Scout cut in. "And didn't share this with people that needed it save when it was his buddies...not exactly moral or righteous..."

"So do you-"

"No," Scout shook her head. "We've may have failed in one regard but the thing is that we are supposed to do is share our abilities with the common people. We failed in that regard but it's egregiously bad when that guy claims to be moral and righteous and then pulls stunts like that. Then his morality and righteousness becomes self righteous and performative. No actual convictions just a show."

She wasn't sure where that came from but she had a feeling that it was something that needed to be said in spite her emotional fatigue. Prudii to his credit didn't attack her like she feared and instead he looked unsettled. Like something she'd said had struck a nerve so hard that he couldn't even retort to it or react. Scout didn't care but she felt that the words rang true for both her and it would seem for Prudii as well.

"I'm going to nap," Scout said shaking her head not caring if he got it or not. She needed to recharge and think. Someplace else, anywhere else. Perhaps she could find a tree to sleep under or more likely in since she didn't trust anyone at all in the complex. Yes that was it. She noticed that she'd begun to walk away from the Null without thinking about it. She turned to see that Prudii was staring at the ground not paying attention to her. Scout didn't want to take chances and doubled back and then with a call of the Force she pushed off with nary a whisper and was among the treetops. The trees in this area were thick and almost interlinked like wroshyr trees of Kashyyyk. It was actually fascinating that this part survived the Mandalorian civil war that decimated the planet.

Scout shook her head again. Now wasn't the time to get interested in botany. She pushed forward through the branches quietly taking care to go on the ones that could support her weight and soon found herself in a thicket with soft murmur of wildlife around her. Scout could see...what looked like a nest up ahead on one of the taller trees and took great pains to avoid it least she evoke the occupants anger which was the last things she needed. She even sent out waves of calm in the Force just to ensure that even if spotted she could go by. She soon reached a place away from the nest in a tree where she couldn't even see the ground from her vantage point. Good enough. Scout found a tree branch that she could safely relax on in the area. She went leaning back to rough bark of the tree that felt as of now like a gentle caress of one the older Masters she'd experienced in crèche. She started crying again as the comparison manifested in her mind. Her people were dying and she couldn't do anything to help and she was surrounded by people that merely tolerated her at worst and hated her people and wanted them all dead including her. Her crying was now silent instead of loud but was no less emotionally draining. After she was done she felt her eyes dropped from the emotional fatigue due to the roller-coaster of thoughts and feelings in her mind. She adjusted in her position before she could process it she was fast asleep in the trees. At peace.

Prudii didn't have a rebuttal to her remark because...well he wasn't sure why. Something about those words rang true and it unsettled him. He didn't like that. The Jetii had one upped him and yet...and yet.

He shook his head hard as if to dislodge his mind from the thoughts now buzzing around it. He need more information and she would provide it...He looked around to see that in his time he'd been think she'd sneaked off. Cursing his inattention he bent down the ground seeing if she'd left tracks...And found to his frustration that she hadn't left any. Cursing he circled around the area three times finding nothing. In the fourth attempted he leaned in closer to the ground scanning for any broken or trampled plant or a mud print in previously untouched patch. As he looked over the foliage he spied a plant that looked like it'd been walked upon. Looking about he saw several other footsteps. Grinning savagely he walked forward taking care not to obliterate the trail. But the trail seemed to double up on itself and then...gone. It vanished. Knowing full well that Jetiise couldn't fly he looked about to see if he could find some other clue to where she could be. As he slowly and carefully continued forward seeing if could spot more tracks he half wondered if she'd just run off entirely...That wouldn't be good for them or her. Prudii frowned as concern built up as he proceeded further and further out from Kyrimorut. Where on Mandalore could she have gone? The area was full of farmlands and open plains before they got to the Enceri and then Keldabe to the Wastelands...

He almost fell before spotting something ahead on on the smaller branches of the trees. He hissed as he almost fell before seeing that was a jai'galaar swooping at him screeching. Avian lunged at him slashing at him with made him back away least his face get shredded. He ran off from the turf of the jai'galaar as it circled around the territory just to make sure that he left it as it took off into the veshok trees around him. Cursing at his bad luck he continued his search even as the tumultuous feelings boiled in his gut. That girl had caused this and...He knew that he wouldn't report this. No, Kal'buir had enough on his plate and if couldn't find Nisaihyeka among the simple forest grasslands then he'd really let down his father in that regard. Firmly gaining a grip on his feelings he continued into the woods looking for his quarry. She wouldn't escape from him. He needed to protect Kyrimorut and she had answers for his doubts. And he would do both the best of his abilities. He was an elite commando trained by the best. He could handle a pe'ninr Jetii. He'd find her and bring her back...

Mando'a

Jai'galaar- shriek hawk

Nisaihyeka- Padawan

pe'ninr-whelp