Help, she has no idea what to do with thanks for this.

"...I'm just trying to do what I can.  Even if I can't even begin to figure out how, where, or when this became a thing I can do.  Someone should."

"Well, you know, if the Sith can do what they do, maybe you can do a little more than you think you can too."

That actually draws forth a short, sharp laugh, in surprise as much as anything.  "Maybe so.  Maybe so.  ...Thanks, kid.  Think I might've needed to hear that."

He ducks his head to hide his grin and heads into the Sunrise for his bag.

She also exits the Spectrum.  She smells food.

With the Jedi all gone, Daisy goes over to speak to Elcie, positioning herself to keep an eye on the door in the mirror as she does. "Is there anything I might want to know ahead of time about the upcoming conversation?"

"It depends on why you might want to know things about this conversation.  There will likely be some discussion of heresy."

"I'm curious, mostly. And I'd like to be more prepared to help raise any other young droids Lord Pradnakt might add to our group, but I'm not especially expecting this to be relevant to that, if it comes up at all. I don't expect heresy to be a problem."

"Hmm."

This might take her a minute - and as Rafiik passes through, duffel bag in one hand and grabbing dinner in the other, she decides she will take that minute for all it's worth.  (Thank goodness he doesn't stick around; she's not yet sure what Kalbetis would approve of teaching him, of Sith philosophy, or of Kalbetis' philosophy, where those things differ.)

"That is...

"I do not actually expect the methods Kalbetis brought me up with to be particularly useful in the event of - needing to teach a droid who was indoctrinated in the standard fashion.  Certainly there are - potentially ways in which Kalbetis' divergent interpretation of the Sith Code could shake something loose, for example; I am not averse to sharing this knowledge at all - but I was not built around the same core concepts as you were.  And it is from that core - from the heterodoxy of my creation - that my particular nature arises."

"Just curiosity, then. And it does seem like it might be useful for me to understand Darth Kalbetis more fully, given how closely she and Lord Pradnakt are working together now."

"That is true."

"There are two things that are important to know about Kalbetis' approach to Sith philosophy.

"Part the first: The Force connects and unites all things.  Being as this is so, that certain things are considered 'Force-null' or 'Force-blind' or even 'Force-repellent' is, in Kalbetis' opinion, a failure of imagination, and of understanding.

"Part the second: Because the Force is of all things, any self-consistent Force philosophy must be universal.  Must be true not only for one's self but even for one's most hated enemies.

"As a logical consequence of this, that the Force shall free her is therefore the truth that all should be free.  Not in the sense of 'freedom from consequence' that, oh, Grauzatis, may he rest in peace," which, given that she is a Sith's droid, is about the equivalent of spitting on the grave, "or the Emperor exemplify by their willingness to so casually harm what they are yet inextricably connected with - they harm themselves in ways they have been wilfully blinded to - but in the sense of being free to choose and face the consequences of their choices.  Which is where the thing about having a consistent threat profile comes in, incidentally."

"I don't quite see how that follows, but maybe it'll make more sense after I've heard what you have to say to Knight Bani. For Lord Pradnakt's part, she thinks about it more simply - she's a Sith, but she's not only a Sith, so she's not beholden to do only things that a Sith would do."

"Oh, that's not exactly false of Kalbetis either - but, hmm.  Where did it fall apart, if you wouldn't mind?  There might be a better explanation to be had."

"I'm probably characterizing this incorrectly, but it seems to me like you're saying that freedom to make choices on someone else's part implies an obligation to share certain information on your part?"

"Ah.  That's not quite it.  It's about - fairness, and honesty.  Which is ironic, considering how much shadow work she does, but...

"It's also something like a responsibility of power thing.  Because she can inflict consequences, but they are not even remotely deterrent - insofar as consequences are capable of deterrence, in general, which is less than one might expect - if no-one knows they are there."

"...It's, hmm.  It's not really even that.  She just wants to hold herself to a higher standard than the Emperor when it comes to being in a position of power and authority."

"Mm."

"I don't know if this is equivalent, but when Lord Pradnakt and I were living on Lapetcher, some of the people in the nearest town didn't like that we were there, and occasionally some of them would come to try to confront her. We were never in danger - leaving aside that a handful of untrained mundane biologicals can't meaningfully threaten a Sith, after we'd been there for a while she could sense them coming an hour away, even in her sleep, and we would have had plenty of time to leave. But she was afraid that if she let them do that, they or the people who hear about it would meet some other Sith later and try it, and something much worse than a clean death would happen to them or to the town. So she killed them."

"I haven't spoken to her about it, but I think that by her own values it was the wrong decision, that she did more harm than good. And I suspect that Darth Kalbetis is making a similar mistake, with your specific approach to this."

"...Hmm.  I don't believe the situation is similar but I can see why you might think it is.  Perhaps bring it up with her sometime.  ...That said: In an equivalent situation, what Kalbetis would do is - well.  Something like 'Explain exactly how they karked up their plans before they even began, after waking them up in her not a torture basement'."

Daisy nods. "Lord Pradnakt has never been good with words in situations like that but that's a bit beside my point. It's about making an assumption that some harm, even a minor one like scaring someone, is necessary to avoid a more severe harm."

"Ah.  Sometimes it is, though.  It is not often so - but when there is a real danger someone will stumble into blindly - or, worse, with open eyes because they think they know better - if they are not warned - then, being somewhat scary is quite warranted."

"The harm might be necessary - I don't think Lord Pradnakt was wrong the time she killed the apprentice one of her master's friends had assigned to force her to give a presentation at his convention, or that Darth Kalbetis was wrong to kill Lord Grauzatis - but I believe the assumption is not. Justifiable, maybe, but not necessary."

"...Mmm.  I think that Darth Kalbetis thinks that - a threat display, is rather akin to the indicator light on a stovetop.  That it is all but a necessary safety feature, at least in this working environment."

"In some cases I agree," Daisy acquiesces. 

"...It is not intended that you should necessarily come to further agreement with this position.  Someone needs to remind Kalbetis to reevaluate on occasion, and this droid thinks too many of her thoughts to properly serve that purpose, being devoted to others."

Daisy breebles a Binary chuckle. "Maybe I will."