BISEXUAL'S FOLLY

43. The Outlander is destined to take the throne according to Valkorion, Satele, and Marr. How do they feel about that? Answered here! 44. What was their choices for their “soul” forged weapon? Light, Dark, or Balance? Resilience, Transcendence, or Sacrifice? My memory is foggy, but I'm sure it was Balance and Resilience. There's nothing he can't come back from. There's nothing that you can do to him that hasn't already been done. 55. Vaylin has conditioning, how do they feel about using it?

As a personal victim of conditioning himself, Eight would've adamantly refused to use it. He doesn't care if it would've killed him. He will not stoop so low to eat out of Valkorion's hand and play the oppressor when he knows how horrible a nightmare it is. And if Valkorion disapproves, he can just revive him again. His daughter deserves better, and he cannot imagine the hatred she would hold for him if he activated her conditioning. There's no singular upside.

61. Torian or Vette? Why? Eight chose Vette at the time because Torian is a warrior, while Vette? Not so much, even if she can hold her own. A Mandalorian would know how it is to face overwhelming odds, and potentially, die in battle. Callous of him, but as an Echani, he only feels that is fair. 65. On Iokath who did they support? Empress Acina or Supreme-Commander Jace Malcom? Why? Eight did not trust Acina, though her partnership had many benefits; more importantly, he did not trust the Empire with SCORPIO. He knows all to well they would sooner rip his friend from her home than leave her be, and the Empire has no restrictions on the kind of weapons they would make out of Iokath, even if the Republic is here to do the same. He...may also be hoping Theron can curb his father if he chooses to be as power hungry as the Empire, and Acina has nothing he can use to manipulate her into better judgment. 75. What was their judgement on Theron? Let him live or leave him to die? Did they accept him back into the Alliance or exile him? Why? Theron was just doing his job, as any spy would. He didn't even mean his betrayal, and Eight would've accepted that perfectly fine if he had. Not to mean he would've been merciful, but Theron had expressed so much remorse from day one that Eight could barely believe his lies, and he's always been a bleeding heart behind his layers. Really, it was an easy choice to bring him back to the Alliance--those sad eyes were like a lost dog caught in the rain, and this is his home, isn't it? And well, Eight may not have chosen to lead this circus, but that's his monkey. He's not going to abandon him for saving them all. 78. In the coming conflict have they decided to support the Empire or Republic? Why did they choose the support that faction?

43. The Outlander is destined to take the throne according to Valkorion, Satele, and Marr. How do they feel about that? 

answered here

44. What was their choices for their “soul” forged weapon? Light, Dark, or Balance? Resilience, Transcendence, or Sacrifice?

In game it was Balance and Resilience, as far as I can remember (out of practical reasoning of the player. I need healing!!).

In the story in my head there are no forgings of weapons. There are some elements that I like about this chapter, but they are more of psychological nature, the weapon bit gets tossed out. In any case, Qyrhu is uncooperative and disappointed with Marr and Satele and they argue with each other the entire time.

45. If applicable; were they reunited with their love interest in this Act? How did it go?

Indeed the day Theron landed on Odessen was long awaited by Qyrhu, he had been looking forward to meeting people he knew from before (while furiously worrying about those that were missing). Maybe there was an element of ‘at least Theron is here’. Not as a consolation prize but it makes him focus on Theron maybe a bit more than if Vette, Jaesa and Quinn had been there from the start. He still would have enjoyed Theron being here, just probably with less desperation.

It is similar as in game, Qyrhu comes to greet Theron on the landing platform, and it’s an outwardly relaxed affair, they instantly start bantering, while both are analyzing the other, trying to compare with what they knew from before. In the subsequent weeks, they carve out time for each other to catch up on things, and more things, and even more not really that necessary things. Qyrhu is the driving force in these early days, he approaches Theron much more directly with bids to connect. He does not want to waste this unique chance of having that spy on his side again, without any of their polities’ demands breathing down their necks. Initially, Theron did not expect this, imagined that, if at all, they might just do the same dance as in their first alliance, little signs of appreciation never meant to lead anywhere. It freaks him out a tiny bit at first, the ‘oh shit, this might be getting somewhere??’. But he shakes himself out of it, chastising himself about wanting to chicken out, because he is actually happy about this. So, they keep at it and become closer and also lovers.

Also adding Vette, his platonic love of his life: Honestly I tend to want to send the smuggler to that heist mission while Qyrhu sits this one out but then Qy couldn’t have that surreal already-seeing-himself-exploded to atoms but instead his long lost friend jumpscares him kind of experience and that would be a shame. Although, minding your business on a free day on Odessen, then getting summoned to the hangar bay, unsuspecting, and being bodychecked by your dearly missed friend is also not a bad option :’) Seeing Vette again and her joining up immensely brightened this outlook. He spent a sizable portion of his daily energy missing and worrying about her. But they need a bit of time until they really open up to each other like before. Vette has lived on her own for so many years she’s not used to Qyrhu being really here anymore, and Qyrhu gets that disconnect of how much of Vette he missed out on. But they ease into it again, even though it is a bit different than before. Not worse or better, just different, because they are slightly different. The fact that Vette is regarded as an equal to Qyrhu in this group is a relief for them both. This is something they had been unconsciously wishing for a long while.

53. Did they trust Empress Acina at first? What about later?

Qyrhu does not trust Empress Acina at all. On a personal level, he respected her as a Council member (there’s Councilors he thinks are absolutely useless (Ravage) and she’s not in that category). He did like working with her on the dread seeds job. But this means little when professional goals and occupations come into play. He knows how she operates as a careful and thoughtful schemer, more likely to observe and let others wear each other out than to intervene directly. So to risk this much, she either plans to ingratiate herself in the eyes of Zakuul by eliminating him (kind of low but the possibility is there…) or she is truly desperate for an alliance that will give her some kind of legitimacy in the eyes of her people (more importantly the Sith kneeling at her throne that might get the wrong idea the more she loses to Zakuul). No, the Empress will make the decisions that benefit her and her empire, like every other ruling body has to, as the Alliance has to. They agree on an alliance out of practical reasons, but they both know the other doesn’t trust. They’re both leaders now, and they’re both Sith. They’re not fooling themselves.

Qyrhu going into Acina's shuttle alone is so out of character that this doesn’t happen, I’m skipping the entire ‘get stranded in the Kaas jungle and get accosted by secret hitmen’ bit and making this about charged political and personal talks only (and whatever Theron is doing in the background). I love that there’s a visit “home”, so to speak, it’s wonderful for angsty introspection about homesickness and simultaneously feeling like he’s a complete stranger to it. He does not get treated like he’s imperial anymore, and somehow he still had that implicitness in his head that he is. But they are wary of him, because he’s doing things completely independent of them now. That makes him think…

55. Vaylin has conditioning, how do they feel about using it? 

Like a coward. Qyrhu is half-heartedly swatting away his conscience because he’s terrified of her (her force presence towers like a kryat dragon above him) and at least he has some kind of panic button/ alternative in absence of a better solution. He is not planning on defeating her with it, he thinks they can undermine her from her subjects without it, but it is an emergency edge over her he can’t unlearn, won’t leave untapped when he’s cornered.

56. Should Vette get them a giant droid for Life Day?

answered in the same linked post as above

65. On Iokath who did they support? Empress Acina or Supreme-Commander Jace Malcom? Why?

I dream of a three front war and, in the end, both get killed (not by Qyrhu, they were stupid) (everyone is stupid in this).

Alas. Ingame he allies with the Republic, which is a surprise to everyone involved. This is a rather reactionary decision, in part due to his general mental state during this time. He is so angry at Acina dangling Quinn in front of him, a silent treat and threat at the same time, and expecting him to come running because she offers him another Wrath title. The Sith Empress really fumbles it there, the thought of being someone else’s Wrath again makes him livid, this is the last thing he wants to be, ever again! So watch. him. He’s gonna make her regret it. He has a sobering moment later on, when he’s surrounded by white armored and beige-clad pubs. Hm… what have I done. But he sticks to his guns and finishes this grim work. In the end, Acina and him have a longer moment where they both are admitting some regrets to their decisions and then she does her thing and her body dies and Qyrhu also almost dies because he’s too near of whatever’s befalling her and Quinn is stressed and doesn’t know who he should or wants to go administer first aid to (love that guy being conflicted).

66. Did they know before hand that Jace was Theron’s father? Did that sway any of their decisions on Iokath?

Qyrhu and Theron had discussions about parts of their past lives, their familial ties or lack thereof. Late at night over a drink, or during a private walk, or relaxing in bed, Qyrhu doesn’t mind telling Theron about his parents and other people he grew up with. He keeps it light though, doesn’t lay out his regrets and misgivings and hurts about them during these early times. In turn, Theron shares some of his relationship with people that raised him and with people that didn’t but still cropped up in his life.

Theron purposefully didn’t reveal Jace’s name and identity as the Republic’s Supreme Commander because that information could become a sensitive one and Theron isn’t one to share secrets that not only regard him if it doesn’t have a practical necessity (he also didn’t talk about Satele on Rishi, though unfortunately because she was eventually right there, he couldn’t prevent the two Sith making mental notes about ‘oh, uhu, okay, the jedi grandmaster has a secret child, how interesting’. Theron in that moment: fuck my stupid koochoo life). Generally, Theron is too much of a spy in this one, even if in the moment he isn’t actually thinking that Qyrhu will take advantage of this information. But this relationship is still new. He’s not diving into it without any precautions. So Jace Malcom is just a ‘man from the Republic’ that he worked with one time and that he kept in and out of touch with (well, at the time very out of touch, harsh parting words still resonating). The fact that he and his biological father only got to know each other when he was in his twenties is already uncommon enough of a story, and Qyrhu is definitely not looking to identify this guy or find out more than Theron is telling him. This whole thing is just talking about their lives and taking it in good faith and not digging for what the other didn’t want to share at the time.

When Malcom is trying to connect with Theron over their shared private relationship (I do not think he did this while in a conference call with the Sith Empress and Alliance leadership, I actually think Malcom has more braincells than this…) Qyrhu caught some of the remarks and awkward atmosphere and had some question marks and suspicions, but both him and Theron were already tackling much bigger beasts then, both in their professional dealings and relationships (the whole deal with Quinn and Acina appealing to Qyrhu’s old loyalties in a way that makes him fuming) and in their own private relationship (how you say, trouble in paradise), so they didn’t address this weird Jace Malcom situation at the time. The Iokath conflict is really not a good time for either of them.

77. What are their feelings on losing the entire Eternal Fleet and the Gravestone and the greatly diminished power of the Eternal Alliance?

Honestly, at that point in time this was kind of on brand with the rest of his life and struggles (waning strength, having to accept his limits, that he could not keep going like he did before). He is taking a break from the Alliance because of the personal stuff, so the Alliances’ diminishing is also put aside a bit, he cannot change it right now, he needs to look to himself first. Still, it worries him. With their position weakened, they will have to sing a different tune, and he doesn’t like the thought of what kind of concessions they will have to make. Wonders what the two galactic powers will do to secure the Alliance, fears the Empire swooping in and forcing them into compliance. At times, he can’t stop thinking through scenarios already, ready himself for it, but then he has to stop himself again. He will tackle this with the other Alliance members, he can’t do this alone in any case. Still, it feels a bit like a sword of Damocles hanging over his head during his break. Vette jokingly suggests to simply not go back, to keep doing what they do right now, and he does imagine it with a smile, let’s himself indulge in fantasies for a while. He never really intends to, though. He can’t turn his back on this for good.

78. In the coming conflict have they decided to support the Empire or Republic? Why did they choose the support that faction?

He ‘supports’ the Empire, which just means, he feels like he has no other choice but to placate the Empire and try to eke out as much independence from them as possible. He doesn’t want to go back there. After everything he’s been through, after the way he evolved away from them, he almost fears going back into the old grind, what it would do to him. But he knows life will always be the struggle of appeasing someone mightier than you, while quietly defending as much of your own agency and freedom as you can. That is the story of his life.