(no subject)

[photophobic]

[ Kylo's expression is tight, his eyes intensely sharp- and those who have seen him before will note something else, too. His face is scarred- a long, neatly healed line running right over it, from his brow down to his neck. ]

Thankfully, he hasn't taken his clothing off for the occasion. ]

I'm back.

[ That's it. ]

Comments

[subroutined]

[ He would comment on what Hux's files have to say about the New Republic, but he's a bit taken aback by what Kylo goes on to point out. ]

Have I...? [ He hadn't meant to separate himself from Ash Starmer's memories. ] I suppose I have just then, haven't I? It's... a bit like you said. Conflicting inputs. Ash Starmer had been to America. I'd shared a photo of the Grand Canyon. I have that, in my memory. But I haven't actually done that, been there.

[ He didn't use to separate between his experiences and the data that made up his memories. When had he started? Is it a new development? Or had it begun when he'd spent all those years alone in the attic with nothing but his thoughts? ]

I was talking to someone else, recently, who tried to tell me my decisions were mine, not his. I... still don't know how I feel about that.

[photophobic]

[ There's a definite smile in his voice as he replies. More amused than kind, and hardly warm.
Programming and destiny. It's a bizarre experience, discovering similar conflicts to his own in a droid. ]

Ash Starmer was never here. You are. What you choose to do here belongs to you alone.

[subroutined]

[ In contrast, there's a frown in Ash's voice. His debate over how much he should strive to be like Ash Starmer, the real Ash Starmer... it makes things difficult. ]

The only problem is, I'm meant to be him. If I do something he wouldn't have done... [ "Then it's a failure on my part," he doesn't say. ] I'm not sure that's a good thing.

[photophobic]

[ He should leave this well enough alone. He should. He knows.

But he doesn't. ]

Who are you trying to satisfy, by being Ash Starmer?

[subroutined]

[ That's an interesting question... Who is he trying to satisfy? Not Martha. She'd made it clear years ago there was nothing he could do in that regard. ]

Myself? I think. I'm meant to be him. If I'm making the choices he would have made, then I'm doing it right.

[photophobic]

Then be him. If that is what will satisfy you. If that is what you want.

[subroutined]

[ Ash thinks about that for a moment, and decides to take Kylo's advice to heart and be Ash Starmer. He thus switches back to his default Irish accent. ]

Alright. I think that'll do.