Hidden 6 yrs ago 6 yrs ago Post by Vox Angelis
Raw

Vox Angelis Dust in the wind

Banned Seen 26 days ago



Looking somewhat dispassionate from the events occurring all around what had become a battlefield not even a hour ago, Jaida scanned the area with calm eyes. A few dead or injured troopers and thugs alike, vehicles crashed and burning near the front gate, Jedi up and about talking among themselves in secrecy before they left together, probably for another secret scheme or talk they seemed to fond of. What interested the ex-bounty hunter the more were the prisoners who managed to be captured still alive. Potent sources of information everyone around here seemed to disregard. And yet, like a polished gem, they wouldn’t offer much unless some work had to be done about them first. She knew how life was on Gamorria. Those people wouldn’t talk unless she had convincing arguments.

Before the prisoners of war were taken away, Jaida took her datapad from her stealth belt and aimed it towards the group of captured thugs. Silently, the device analyzed and took quick snapshots of the individuals the young woman had targeted. Confirming she had what she want, the black-haired huntress left the vehicle in which they came back from the mission.

While she’d usually celebrate a job (relatively) well-done, Jaida would skip the festivities and get to work sooner rather than later. If she was to be truly accepted by the Republic, she had work to do to prove herself capable, if not convince she had put her criminal life behind and was serious about helping the Republic eradicate crime from this planet.

With this in mind, the ex-criminal left the others to their own devices, returning to the living quarters she had been assigned the day before. Once inside, Jaida threw herself on her bunk bed and turned on her portable computer. Inserting her datapad in the machine, she could fully analyze her queries. Just another day of stalking and find an identity to those face…

Scouring public databases, she found little information, or rather, the facial recognition system bore little results. Some had a criminal past, as expected, recorded for minor offences. Most of those people belonged to different gangs. It was as if some gang members just decided to put aside their rivalries and focus on a common enemy. A strange coincidence.

Or maybe not. Jaida knew better. At the very least she believed she knew better. Someone must’ve paid those suckers to do the dirty work. Like Blank was assessing the strength of those who had assaulted the drug factory, whoever was sponsoring this assault on the Republic base wanted to assess its strength as well. Perhaps, Blank’s employer and the one who paid those thugs were one and the same.

Scouring deeper into hidden databases using all of her technological knowledge, Jaida accessed banks of data that were not meant to be seen. Now, she had names to put on faces, families tied to these thugs, employers and even loans…

Which was very interesting. Some of these gang members shared a common loan company, “Teratect”. To public knowledge, Teratect was just another loaning company marketing easily accessible loans with stupidly high interest rates. The hidden truth, however, was the way Teratect pushed its unpaying clients to return the loan money. Blackmailing, strong-arming, even outright killing if the poor soul took too long to pay back his loan. Hired assassins were easy to find on Gamorria to do a corrupted company’s shady business. If she wanted, Jaida could’ve probably be one of those assassins if she had accepted the offers.

Names, families, loaning company. Nothing to really make a definite link to who could be behind this attack, but it was a start. With enough persuasion, maybe she’ll be able to get more out of the prisoners. Armed with a few details, Jaida went to find the most accessible person on the base.

As soon as she found Fufuro, Jaida rose her hand in greeting to the girl, along with a smile and a wink. “Hey darling!”

“I had something to ask of you. Think you can give me permission to speak with the prisoners you guys got your hands on earlier? I might be able to make them spill out some information concerning the attack earlier. Might even get you all a lead on where to head next, if it goes well.”
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Piercing Light
Raw
GM
Avatar of Piercing Light

Piercing Light ...

Member Seen 8 mos ago

Throughout the conversation taking place inside his office Gallowin seemed to be preoccupied with a tablet in his hands. Even as he was addressed he motioned with his right hand to Kale, as if telling him to speak first. The Jedi master was tempted to stop Anari, but he was better off staying here. "I'm going to have to agree with Anari. Intimidation isn't something I can sign off on in good faith Senator, not in an uncertain case such as this anyhow. I am in favor of you speaking to the populace, however. Someone with experience appealing to the public should be fitting for representing us on the surface." He then turned to Gloopra.

"You don't seem to be acting out of anger, you look to be acting out of fear. Trust me, training my padawan has taught me that there is a clear difference. There will always be a time and a place for physical confrontation, but you must not let it be the stick that you use to bat away that which you fear. What sets us apart from the Sith is that they hold onto and grab as much power as they can, and they use that power the moment they feel threatened. It is normal- no, expected for us to feel vulnerable. These are the moments that define us." Kale closed his eyes for a moment, as if remembering something. He opened his eyes and looked Gloopra in his.

"Many Jedi have fallen to the dark side not because they grew wrathful and greedy, but because they became afraid of losing the things they cared about. The dark side became their solace, their support, and in time it corrupted them until they lost sight of what mattered in the first place." Kale raised his left hand and patted Gloopra on his shoulder. "What I'm saying is do not forget why we are here, to help these people."

The sound of his tablet being set onto his desk caused Kale to turn to Gallowin, the man stood from his desk and addressed those in the room. "I've just finished hearing Jayce's report, and I've gone over the logistics of the attack we just went through." He crossed his arms and let out an annoyed yet tired grumble. "Senator, I'm not a very patient man, if I could have secured any form of assistance, I'd have gottin' it. For now we'll have to make due with what we have. Besides, thousands of ships are entering and leavin' this planet every hour. It would take more than one ship to police em' all. As much as I hate to admit it the people we're dealing with here aren't just simple thugs. To prove that point I'm pretty damn sure they just baited two hundred idiots into attacking us. What we need right now is information. Match has gone back to his people, we'll keep in contact and exchange information. For now, our next target should be that club, Neon Glow."

_____


Fufuro was fiddling with a bar of candy, trying to get it out of it's wrapper when Jaida approached her. "Y-yes!?" She said, tossing the treat onto a desk. She looked to the mercenary, then to a lone man sitting in a room behind one way glass. It was the man she'd apprehended at the back of the base. The other ten that had been captured were in holding cells. "Permission?... Oh right, I can give that. Sure, go ahead. We need to know how he got into the back of the base, and also who it was that got all of those gangs to work together to attack us." She opened the door to the room, letting Jaida inside.

_____


Lahana found herself laying on the floor of the room that had been given to her. She'd changed out of her dirty robes into a fairly unremarkable gray T-shirt and shorts. As usual, she couldn't sleep. She raised a ration block to her mouth and chomped down on it. As she chewed she tried to think of something productive, but the only thing on her mind was Blank's face. She took an aggressive bite out of the block as she tried to count the squares on the ceiling to distract herself, it didn't work. A knock on the room's door caught her attention, she leaped to her feet and opened it. "Anari?" She said, surprised to see the Jedi at her door. "Weren't you in a meeting with Master Kale?"
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by SoleAccord
Raw
Avatar of SoleAccord

SoleAccord #ImSippinTeaInYoHood

Member Seen 5 hrs ago

The discussion among her fellow Jedi and the Senator weighed heavily on Anari’s mind even after she left. The tactics they wished to employ were dangerous, and it pained her to admit that it did hurt her to see that Kale did not show a little more outrage at the idea put forward. Gloopra carried the title of Jedi and wielded their power, but his tactics were the exact opposite of what their Order should represent. It was disgusting to even imagine a full-scale battalion sent here. The situation on Gamorria was worrisome, but not untenable. They, as well as those hired and enlisted here, still had a chance to establish something here.

Despite the burden of her own thoughts and the disgust of previous ideas, Lahana would see no sign of distress once the doors parted. Anari did however need to tilt her head up another couple inches, as she was still unused to just how tall Lahana was. Her attire was built for rest, not progress. It wasn’t the best time for a discussion, but her input was sorely needed.

“I was, yes,” Anari replied. “Your Master and I did talk, though not about what I was concerned about that the time. It was regarding you and your methods,” she admitted, “but rest assured, praise also had a place. Would it be alright if I came in and spoke to you, if only for a little while? It’s concerning the raid you took part in. I would like to hear the series of events from your perspective.”
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by mattmanganon
Raw
Avatar of mattmanganon

mattmanganon Your friendly neighbourhood tyranical dicator

Member Seen 1 hr ago

Gloopra listened to Kale talk. Kale was right, he was afraid. He had fought thousands of foes, almost met death on too many occasions to count... But the idea that this Dark Sider's was a prelude to another Jedi Holocaust... To lose the only people that had ever given a damn about him as a person. He had lost sight of the big picture. He had read the reports, the stories, he knew that the last holocaust had been preluded by a Dark-sider that had been thought to be Sith slaying a Jedi Master. Things were... Eerily familiar. "I apologize..." He said, once again to Kale "I will need to... Meditate... But first, I believe Knight Anari also deserves an apology." He bowed to the master, before turning and walking away.

He soon found Anari talking with Lahana, who had adopted some Civilian attire. He didn't stay long, he was brief and blunt "Knight Anari, I apologize for my outburst in the wardroom. I am afraid that I have allowed Fear to cloud my judgement. I do not make apologies for feeling fear, Master Skywalker taught me that it is not the emotions we feel, but the actions we take with them... And I am afraid that, were I not stopped, I could have made a grave error. I thank you." He said. He didn't feel there was anything more to be said, he bowed to Anari, then to Lahana, then left.

****

"Please, you have to be able to spare something? Anything?" she pleaded. The bold man in the hologram stared at a dataslate.

"I'm sorry, but their is nothing. All ships coming in and out of the system are already assigned to other sectors. I cannot divert a ship to you."

"Anything will do, I'm desperate. I've already called my contacts on Kuat, Corellia, Mon Cala, hell, i've even had to call up my friends on Raxus and asked if they have any ships that they have yet to break up that they can pull out of mothballs to send us. Fondor is the third largest shipyard in the galaxy, I doubt you have nothing at all."

"Nothing without prior conscription." He said. "Look, I sympathise with you, but you are not the only woman waging their own little war."

"But I am doing this for the good of these people here. I'm not in this for the guts or the glory. I am in this because people are suffering and, to them, it seems like the only thing the Republic are doing is making a token effort. If I can get a ship in orbit, we can start raiding slaver ships, stopping their outgoings and incomings, show that we are actually making a difference here. I hate the idea that the Populace will hear my speech and say "Oh, well it's all well and good for her, she's not the one living under scum boots. She can pretend to care all she wants, but she's not doing much but squashing a few drug dens here and there." I need something to show the people that the Republic is in this for the long haul. That we are in this till the bitter end, win or lose. That when we say we will help them, that we will move the very stars themselves to free them from this oppressive regime of scum and villainy." She seethed. The man sighed.

"Dammit, Vrerr, you always did have a way with words..." He sighed. "Look... I'll make some calls. I might be able to put you in contact with some mercenaries that I know-"

"No mercs, it needs to be a Republic ship." She shook her head.

"Why Repiblic? The people will not care where the Republic's aid is coming from, so long as it is coming."

"2 reasons: 1) The Republic will be seen to just be throwing money at a problem to try and make it go away. Not exactly confidence inspiring. And 2) Mercenaries can't be given authority to make arrests, it'll cause more trouble than it'll quash. And I will not just send people to kill them. I want these sentient-smugglers and drug traffickers to brought to justice, not shot to pieces." The man nodded a little.

"You're not making it easy for me... I'll do what i can, but I cannot promise anything."

"Anything will do, a small boarder-patroller will be enough, as far as i'm concerned." She said. He nodded and ended the transmission. She threw herself down into a large chair and rubbed her eyes. "Force... Dammit..." she groaned. "I need a drink..." She trudged over to the refridgeration unit and poured a small glass of Juma, before walking back and beginning to stare into it. Just before she could drink, the comm-link started to beep.

"Senator, Master Gloopra is here to see you." said the voice of one of the guards.

"Send him in." She responded, before getting up. Gloopra opened the door and walked in. "Gloopra, I was..." She put the drink down. "I'm not going to Lie, I was about to drink myself stupid, come up with a speech, then fix it into something coherent tomorrow... It's been a long day."

"Indeed it has... I need you to do me a favour." He asked. She nodded. "I need you to let me use your secure senatorial comm-channel to contact... Someone..." Vrerr starred at him.

"Your w-" Gloopra put his hand up to indicate her to stop, then nodded. "Of course... I know how much you value your privacy on this one. There's nobody in the galaxy that could trace this, unless they knew exactly what they were looking for. Do you want me to leave?"

"If you could." He sighed.

"Of course..." She walked over to the communicator and pressed in the senate's daily scrambler algorithm. "Just put in the location and you'll be good to go." She said. She then walked over to him and gave him a hug. She knew that he wouldn't have asked this unless it was something rather serious, she didn't want to pry. She felt him hug her unusually strongly, before they left their embrace and she walked out. The door closed. She looked at the two guards "Master Gloopra is performing some very serious communications. He is not to be disturbed under any circumstances." She ordered.

"Would you like one of us to accompany you?" one asked.

"For the last time, I will be fine. Why do you think i've been asking you to guard my room instead of me?" she smiled. They stood to attention, one with his force pike in hand, the other with a blaster rifle. She decided to go for a wander whilst Gloopra was using her room. That glass of Juma would stay chilled for a while...
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Vox Angelis
Raw

Vox Angelis Dust in the wind

Banned Seen 26 days ago

"Thanks sweetheart."

Satisfied with Fufuro's answer, Jaida gave the girl a pleasant smile as she approached the desk, swiping the candy the lieutenant had tried to unwrap just now.

"Oh my!" The huntress chuckled slightly at the sight of the lone man sitting alone in the other room. "You bad girl you, thinking of having fun all on your own with this poor bastard." Jaida popped the sweet treat into her mouth before making her way in the interrogation room with Fufuro.

It took a little while before the scarred mercenary began talking. From her wrist-mounted computer, she scanned the man's face and did the exact same searching process from earlier. It took her little time to find what she needed, given she had to only work with a single face.

As opposed to how she had been only a minute ago with Fufuro, Jaida's playful smile faded into a serious frown as she looked at the captive.

"Alright sunshine, I won't waste both our time. How about you tell me who hired you bantha fodders?"

Hidden 6 yrs ago 6 yrs ago Post by GreenGoat
Raw
Avatar of GreenGoat

GreenGoat Harmless Flower Person

Member Seen 12 mos ago

Surta Matahari Huchson

Having taken up on Lahana's offer, Surta had taken up space on her bunk bed, with her laying upon the top bunk. She had taken to putting a small medical patch underneath her eye, covering the three small triangles she has under it. Sleeping with the mask on would evoke far more suspicion than a small patch under her eye after all.

Seeing Anari enter the room, it wasn't hard to see that she needed to talk to Lahana. Perhaps on any other time, Surta would have stayed unless explicitly told to go, but for now, it just reminded Surta that she needed to find one of the local cantinas, one that doesn't have the Republic crawling all over it. Nodding at Anari, Surta donned her mask and the black cape over her usual dark outfit, before leaving.

***


A cantina, lacking the more respectable air of the others with a more brutish atmosphere. Truly a hive of scum and villainy.

It took quite a bit of a walk before she was able to find one here. Already she felt right at home, even if a few was staring at her and her apparent height. There were some short races, but her being so obviously human, it wasn't that much of a leap to think someone like her was too young for a cantina like this. Ignoring the stares of some of the patrons, she hopped onto a chair, and asked for a stiff drink, listening while the bartender poured her a drink, blatantly ignoring her appearance as long as she paid.

Hidden 6 yrs ago 6 yrs ago Post by mattmanganon
Raw
Avatar of mattmanganon

mattmanganon Your friendly neighbourhood tyranical dicator

Member Seen 1 hr ago

Gloopra let out a long exhale as he stared at the comm-link. It was taking some time to connect, as well as to answer. He sat, eyes closed, quietly meditating as he waited for it to connect. Finally, the visage of a woman appeared in the comm-link. She was tall, wearing an ornate head-dress and facial tattoo's. He bowed to her. "Kalai, I have questions I need answered." He said. The woman crossed her arms and gave him a stare of mild annoyance.

"11 months since our last communication, and your first words are to demand answers?" she asked. She then laughed and shook her head. "You truly are a Jedi. But, very well, I will answer."

"I have discovered a Dark Force user on a planet in the outer rim. He calls himself "Blank" I need to know if he is one of yours?" The woman looked him up and down.

"It is most likely a false name. I doubt he is one of ours, though, the only male in recent memory to spend any considerable amount of time with us was you. Mikasha took a Nightbrother as her mate, but they have never left the planet."

"I doubt he is a Nightbrother, they aren't exactly known for allowing outsiders into the clan."

"And we are?" Kalai pouted.

"The difference is that the Nightbrothers weren't almost wiped out in recent memory. Besides, he feels more like a Sith. That callous coldness in his eyes..." He replied. They then stood, staring at each other for almost a minute.

"Greeta succeeded in her right of Passage." Kalai finally said.

"That is good. She is strong... Do you know the current condition of Akrosh?" he asked.

"Last time I had any communication with him, he had managed to make his way to full Warrior. But, he is alive to the best of my knowledge." They then sat for another minute of silence.

"I will be getting some leave soon. I was planning on visiting. Seeing you, Greeta and, maybe, Akrosh." He sighed. Kalai looked at him sternly.

"You need to let it go... He doesn't want to join the Order. He is happy where he is."

"You know damn well why I can't let it go." He grunted.

"If that's how you feel, don't bother coming to see us, it'll just turn into another argument." She pouted.

"He should have been raised by the order. You are the one that sent him to the Brothers. You can't keep sweeping under the rug the fact that my son is a Nightbrother, when he should be a Jedi. You didn't give him the choice, you didn't give me the choice!" He shouted.

"Tell me, were he raised by the Jedi, would he have wanted to become a Nightbrother?" Gloopra sat down again. "You wanted him in your world, I wanted him in mine. You may be his father, but I'm his mother and... You were the one that went on that deep undercover mission for 3 YEARS!!! I couldn't contact you. They are supposed to be given to the brothers as soon as they are able to eat solid food, you know this. I wasn't about to go against Mother Shelish's law and just waltzing up to the Jedi Temple and saying "Hi, by the way, this is Gloopra's half Dathomirian son. He spent 2 years living on one of the places you despise most" would have gone very well for him, wouldn't it?" Gloopra looked down.

"I..." He groaned.

"I understand... But, the fact still remains... Akrosh is in their world. Arguing will solve nothing." At that point, Gloopra heard a baby crying in the background. He looked up. Kalai slipped out of the hologram for a minute, before coming back with the crying infant.

"Is..." He asked, slowly. Kalai nodded.

"HE is..." She smiled. "He just awoke."

"This one is coming to the temple with me." He said, sternly. She laughed.

"That... Is fair." She smiled. She waved a finger above his face. The baby looked almost human, but he had the blue orb eyes of a Rodian as well as the Antenae and the pointed ears. His skin was mostly grey with a few green blotches.

"Hello, little one... I will meet you soon, in person..." He said in baby talk, before beginning to sing in Rodian, a lullaby he had found in one of the archives. The baby yawned.

"You never held any of them, did you?" She asked. He shook his head. "It is almost time for the feeding, I need to go. I will give Greeta your regards." He smiled and finished the comm, the hologram disappeared. He turned around, a little smile on his face. He needed to name the child. It didn't matter what the Witches named him, he would have to be given to the temple anonymously in order to keep his family's identity a secret. He got up and walked to the door. For just a moment, this whole crisis seemed... So far away. He would get the chance to raise a son right. He left the room and bowed to the guards, before walking back to the wardroom, seeing if there was any progress made on a plan.
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Piercing Light
Raw
GM
Avatar of Piercing Light

Piercing Light ...

Member Seen 8 mos ago

“I don’t have to tell you anything. What the hell would I say a damn thing for? Do you have any idea how things work on this world ya dumb broad?” The man clenched his cuffed fists on the table, glaring at Jaida.

The female bandit couldn't surpress a faint grin starting to appear on the corner of her lips. She took a nearby seat amd put it in front of the man, the backseat facing him so that when Jaida sat, she could sit, lean and rest her arms.

"Oh darling, I think I know just as much about our homeworld as you do. Difference is, I chose my side, and I'm not the idiot sitting in this room as a prisonner right now."

The man didn’t respond, instead turning his head to look at a wall.

Jaida got up from her chair, instead setting a foot on it and leaning on her leg as she stared at the captive trying to ignore her.

"You tell me if I have any idea how our world works. Well then, let me give you a glimpse of what's going to happen. You'll stay here as a prisonner of war. You're going to stay silent. The Republic is going to hold you on trial, because they are idiots like that. Then the fun part begins. Whoever hired you will want you to remain silent. So they'll either hire an assassin to infiltrate this base and kill you or threathen to murder your dear family."

Jaida then gave the man a chuckle "if you knew any better than me, you and a few of your buddies wouldn't have negotiated a loan with Teratect. If you ever get out of here, I'm pretty sure you'll come out with no home, nothing. Who knows? Maybe they'll even take your own precious younger sister as slave for paying back your debt.

The man began tapping his foot anxiously, and he’d broken out into a cold sweat. “If you know how things work here then you know that if I talk they’ll do far worse than any of that. Why should I give you anything when I just stand to lose no matter what?”

Finally, a reaction she was looking for. All this time digging for information paid off, the silver-tongued lady mused to herself. "Because they're the freaking Republic! Remember, about a hundred years ago, when they just started out as a bunch of rebels? They blew, like, two planet destroyers, countless warships and even brought down the galactical Empire. If they can do all this, what's a planet full of corrupted assholes to them now that they grew even bigger?"

Jaida sighed, taking her hat off and sitting back in front of the captured gang member. "Look man. We both know how shit Gamorria is. Fuck, you even know better how much of a shithole it is if you had to resort to getting a loan from Teratect. But the Republic is trying to bring change here. I'm trying to help them do it."

Her fingers tapped on the chair she was sitting "If you talk quickly enough, we can get to those asshole quickly enough to deal with them. Even better. I'll have these guys here guarantee your safety and your family's before they fall in the wrong hands. Tell you what, I'm even willing to fetch your sister and take her here with us. I can probably call a few friends of mine and have her shipped off this planet somewhere safer, like Coruscant or Yavin, while we are dealing with the situation on Gamorria."

Feeling like she said enough for now, or at least to make the guy reconsider his stance, Jaida put back her hat and lazily leaned up front on her chair, staring him in the eyes. "So, what's it going to be, hun?

The man's breathing had quickened, he placed his hands in his ragged hair as if he'd find some solace in it. "Fine, dammit..." He looked Jaida in the eyes. "You better keep your word." He placed his hands on the table. "Some guy in a robe came to us, I don't know what he looked like, he had a hood on the whole time and I only saw him once. He said he worked with the big boys in Gamorria, and that if we took out the Republic installation there'd be a spot waiting for us. I don't know how he knew, but he told me specifically about an entrance in the back, he even knew the code to get in." The man clenched his teeth and his hands tightened into fists. "But it was all a setup, this base was more well defended than we were told. He just used us."

When the captive finished speaking, it took a bit of effort for the young woman to not look dejected. She let out a sigh as her hat briefly concealed her eyes rolling. Of course. She should have known. Why would it be any different in the Republic? The feeling of safety suddenly dropped for the hopeful huntress. Bastards really managed to infiltrate and corrupt everything, huh? And that robed man... maybe that "Blank" guy?

Well, this wasn't a lost cause, yet. Maybe she could place her trust in some of the people here. Or perhaps she shouldn't trust any of them. What with robed Jedi or whatnot taking side with the crime syndicates of Gamorria, could she even trust the Jedi who came here, pretending to bring peace to the planet? Between those "peace guardians" and a handful of questionnable mercenaries, her choice of allies was limited.

"How did that guy entered in contact with so many rival gangs? How did he even manage to unite them into a single assaulting unit? I can't believe he just walked up to all those people with only a single offer you all accepted."

"That's exactly what he did. When They... Those at the top, when they give you an offer, even if you just know it's impossible you take it. To be in with them is to be a made man. Debt? Gone. Want women, speeders, a new ship? It's yours. There's more than a few people willing to risk throwing their life away to get in." The man clicked his teeth and shook his head. "All of that and I don't even know who the hell runs the joint."

"Does the name 'Blank' ring any bell to you?"

"No, is that the name of that creepy bastard? When he showed up me and some of my boys drew our guns on him and he didn't even twitch." The man sat back in his chair. "Are we done here? I need to make a call, and you need to get your Republic buddies to take care of me and my family."

"No wonder. If that asshole can redirect a hidden sniper's shot, bet he won't fear blasters held out in the open." Jaida slowly stood up, stretching her back. What a pain in the ass. She didn't learn very much fron this interaction, and now she was bound to uphold her end of their deal.

"You'll have to deal with the soldiers here for that call. As for your family, I'll get to work on that right away."

Glancing at Fufuro, Jaida gave the lieutenant a nod, indicating she wanted to talk outside the interrogation room.

Fufuro opened the door for Jaida, allowing her to exit the interrogation room. "So this Blank guy knew how to get into contact with the leaders of the lower gangs, and had enough pull to convince all of them to join in on their plan to attack us." She slumped her shoulders and looked to the ground. "I knew this assignment was gonna suck."

The bounty huntress nodded in approval. "What's worse, he's probably got someone infiltrated in here." Jaida looked thoughtful, removing her hat as she passed a hand in her raven-black hair. "How many soldiers know of the backdoor entry and its access codes? Are the codes regularly changed too?"

"They're not exactly a secret, even though they've only been told to a few people it's been spread around. I told them to stop treating it so lightly but no~ No one ever listens to Fufuro. She's only here so she doesn't embarrass her senator father, she's an idiot who's only in the military due to nepotism... I mean sure, they're right, but that doesn't mean they have to talk about it when I can hear them ya know?" She took a deep breath and looked to the table where she'd left her candy, it was gone. "Oh... That figures." She let out a sad groan and looked back to Jaida. "I heard from Jayce that his drone was able to find where the ship that Blank escaped in landed. I bet the commander is gonna want to send someone to investigate..."

"Don't sell yourself so short yet, love. Who cares about those idiots? As long as you trust in yourself and your skills, it's all that matters." Jaida gave Fufuro a friendly nudge on her shoulder with a smile. She caught sight of the girl looking towards her desk, and while she wasn't exactly feeling remorseful for the candy, she chuckled as a bold thought crossed her mind. "I think one of the Jedi we have on hand here would be best suited for the job. At least if they get caught, they can handle themselves better than a simple mercenary, if the stories hold any truth to them. And in any case, I've got to uphold the end of my bargain. I'll grab someone who wasn't part of the factory raiding party and have them accompany me, Less chances of attracting unwanted attention with fewer numbers."

The reassurance given by Jaida bounced off of Fufuro as if it were a grain of sand flung against the side of a star destroyer. She simply nodded halfheartedly and checked the device on her arm. It was a message from Gallowin that had been sent to her and all of the others that had arrived recently.

The ship that aided in the escape of the individual known as Blank was seen landing in a scrap junkyard. Those that are able are to investigate, though you may do so at your own discretion. The location of the junkyard has been pinpointed on your maps.

_____


Lahana stepped aside to let Anari in, not yet answering her questions. She gave a stilted wave to Surta as she walked out, somehow forgetting to ask where she was even going. She walked over to her bunk bed and sat on the bottom mattress. She didn’t want to talk about this, not right now, but she couldn’t put it off forever. Before she began talking she saw Gloopra approach Anari. She didn't know what had happened in their meeting, but apparently he felt the need to apologize. She didn't care to ask what it was about, she had her own thoughts to sort. “The mission was going smoothly at first.” She started, her voice low and her eyes to the ground. “But then he showed up… no, it’s more like I finally noticed him. I think he had been inside the warehouse the entire time, only he had no presence. It’s strange, I could sense what felt like the dark side on him, but something was… Wrong. It was like looking at a copy of a painting, it was the same, but I could just tell it was fake.”

Lahana began cracking the knuckles of her right hand with her right thumb, it was a nervous habit she’d developed a long time ago. “He killed the last remaining men when they tried to use him as a hostage, then he tried talking with us, even offering to answer questions. That’s when Jaida took a shot at him. Gloopra tried to deflect it with his lightsaber, but I…” She was about to say that she didn’t know what had come over her, but she knew exactly what it was. “This man who called himself Blank, he said he was going to report to his boss about us, I didn’t want him leaving alive, so I blocked Gloopra’s saber. He deflected the blaster shot, causing one of our people to be killed.”

Lahana slouched and held the right side of her face in her hand. “I got her killed Anari, if I had just thought about my actions for a second…”

Anari’s attention left Lahana only briefly to glimpse at a vaguely familiar face stepping past her and out the door, equipping a mask and a dark cape over her shoulders. Were the matters ahead of her not so important, she might’ve asked Lahana for an explanation. Making a friend isn’t against the Jedi Code, but her choice of clothing was strange even for a planet this far in the Outer Rim.

Before a single step was taken into the room, the deliberate steps of Gloopra caught her attention next. Knowing that he was likely coming for her, she paused and turned to him expectantly before listening to what he had come to say. His assessment of fear being the reason his methods were so dramatic was a fair one, and one that would make future counsel unreliable and dangerous. What she needed was a fellow thinker. Were she after methods to cause disorder and fear, she’d ask him. Until then, all Anari could offer him is the curtest of nods, and decline to return the bow.

Once certain Gloopra moved on, she entered Lahana’s room and eased the door shut, then looked back to the Padawan expectantly. Once seated, she explained her side of the events that was missing. The pieces were somewhat filled, however they begged more questions than before.

“Then it’s settled. I need to meet Blank for myself. I don’t trust Gloopra’s feelings, and I feel that you are too remorseful to offer a clear recollection. Pick your head up, Lahana, right now.” Anari said, voice firm. She brought her arms together, her jaw tense with irritation. “You are only a learner so it is to be expected that you don’t know better. You hold no blame in death, only impulse. The failure is in the hands of Gloopra, and Jaida.”

Growing restless, Anari began to pace back and forth, eyes forward. “Blank offered information if asked. Jaida took the shot. Jaida sacrificed that opportunity for bloodshed. Blank defended himself by redirecting Jaida’s shot, when he only wanted to talk. From the sounds, this is Jaida’s failure. Yours was not controlling your feelings.” She stopped, turning her head to the seated Padawan. “Not a single person asked a question? Not even Gloopra?”

Lahana flinched and looked up at Anari as she was told to raise her head. She'd felt compelled to comply with direct orders for as long as she could remember. As a child she would take them from any adult, as it had been beat into her. It took her years to learn to resist the urge to submit. The compulsion was for the most part absent, barring a few specific exceptions. Those she looked up to, respected, she couldn't help but listen to them. An order felt like a tug on a collar around her neck. She didn't have to obey, but it was easy to do so. She bit the bottom of her lip and clenched her right forearm. She couldn't look down, but she averted her eyes from Anari.

"Right..." She simply said as the woman began to pace. She could not be held accountable for her actions? Was she that far from becoming a knight? She really was still a child. As Anari continued, Lahana stopped gnawing on her lip and loosened the grip on her arm. Her feelings, of course. Everything always came back to her feelings. Her combat prowess was on par with a master if Kale was to be believed, but her base instincts still ruled over her mind.

"Jayce." She spoke, just barely audible. "He asked him if he knew why we were there, and why he was there. He knew how we had gotten information on the warehouse, from spying on it's workers, and he knew why we were on the planet. Though I think everyone knows why we're here." Lahana spoke in an orderly fashion, as if giving a report. She had to speak this way, otherwise her words would fumble and the anxiety she was feeling would pour out like fluid in a cracked decanter. "Other than that, no questions, things escalated too quickly." She finally brought her eyes to Anari.

"Anari, would you?..." She swallowed a lump in her throat, she couldn't speak of personal troubles as if it were just a report. "Do you think I could ever become a Knight? I feel as though I, um." She nearly tilted her head down, but caught herself and straightened it. "I'm never going to be ready, I wonder if I'm even meant to be a Jedi."

“Maybe if he wasn’t shot at, we’d know more…” Anari dwelled on the unfortunate events that led to this. They were being watched, something Match made clear based both on his entry into the base and his own words. The only truth thus far is that Blank could use the Force and that he acted in self-defense. The assault team were in the wrong, both paranoia and impulse ruling the Jedi involved and the one that pulled the trigger. Were Senator Ordo hoping for a peaceful resolution, the raid may have rendered it pointless.

Were she not in the company of Lahana, she might have sat on the stupidity of others for the rest of the evening and vanished from the base to do actual field work. Now the learner asked a question about her status in the Order and what she would become. It was enough to change her feelings from cold contempt for lack of intelligence, to understanding a student’s plight. She let the tactician in her subside to make room for the mentor she hoped to become one day.

“It’s that sort of negative thinking that holds anyone destined for mastery back. You are tearing yourself down and questioning your place, and for what? Because you’ve made mistakes? Because you’re not there yet, in the eyes of both your mentor and myself?” Anari asked. “I failed many times as did Kale. We are who we are now because we did not let those failures become who we are. Let’s go over an example.”

Anari closed her eyes, remembering the earlier confrontation between the New Republic and the gangs that raided them. The sight of dangerous bolts being reflected by her blade were still clear in her mind. A high-speed descent from a reckless Padawan came into view, closing in towards the ground.

“You chose to leap from a high-speed vehicle at a life-risking altitude, all to join a battle that was more than won. We were not going to lose it. We were not at risk of death. Whether you did what you did or not, that battle was ours to win.” She opened her eyes, meeting Lahana’s scarred face. “Your life is worth more than the deaths you risked it for, and only the most ignorant of people would praise you for what you did. You were not being heroic, Lahana, you were being reckless. You did not determine if what you did was necessary. You did not weigh the good and the bad that could come from a decision so monumental. And rather than confront your failure to think wisely and to choose wisely, you are desperately left here wondering if you’ll become a Jedi Knight.” She paused, taking a breath. “Sit there for a minute, and tell me if you’re ready for what it means to be a Jedi if you can’t even face your errors like all Jedi should.”

"I..." Lahana looked up at Anari from her bed, unsure of what to say. The question was rhetorical surely. She shouldn't need to think about this for long. She wanted to be a Jedi Knight, but why? She still wasn't sure, she just knew that she had to. She had this power, and instead of using it for selfish means it was better to be of use to people. That was all, right?

"It's just. So hard." She said through clenched teeth, her brows furrowed. "I don't know what's supposed to be normal and what isn't." She stood up. "I'm sorry, I won't ask you that again, it's a stupid question." She felt like a fool for even bringing it up, Anari would only think less of her now. "I'll do better, I promise. Thank. You." She spoke in stilted lines.

“Admitting your ignorance isn’t stupid, it’s intelligent. The truth is that you don’t have every answer you want. Neither do I. There is no reason to think less of yourself for not having one. Yearn to find the answer you want and learn as you do so.” Anari easily read the signs of frustration and tension that emanated from the Padawan. None of them vanished, so her words rang hollow. Reassurance meant very little. She wouldn’t fall for it.

“If being a Jedi was a simple path, we would all be called Master. You have battle-hardened skill, certainly, but the strongest of Jedi possess a powerful mind and an unshakable resolve. You lack them.” Anari narrowed her eyes closely. “Lahana Sunset can leap from a starship to land uninjured, and end a battle by throwing an explosive-laden truck. What she cannot do is afford to sit in her room and feel sorry for herself while good people suffer, people who will one day need her help. Her wise counsel. Her reassuring smile. Her strength in the face of darkness.”

Striding forward, her hands came to rest atop the tall girl’s shoulders. She clutched them tightly, the way a warrior would to another.

“Learn from every mistake but never surrender to self-doubt. Your worth is not measured by a title. Only yourself,” Anari said, loosening her grip and returning her hands to her sides. “But, if you must have the word of another, then know that I believe in you.”

Lahana shuddered slightly as Anari's hands gripped her shoulders. She quickly reminded herself that these were the hands of a friend and the tension in her body relaxed. She was lucky, she really was. Someone like her did not deserve this, there was so much blood on her hands, innocent blood. She wasn't a good person, she was a murderous tool pretending to be something she wasn't. Even still, having Anari and her master believe in her made her want to keep pretending, perhaps eventually her acting would become genuine. Anari's hands left her shoulders, and for a moment she found herself missing the comfort.

"You're right. I have no reason to be acting this way. Thank you for coming to see me, it means a lot." Lahana spoke, this time her words coming out clearly.

Anari’s gaze remained on Lahana for another moment before she allowed herself to let the matter rest. This conversation should have been Kale’s to have. His student, his responsibility. The physical skills she gained were impressive, but the Order needed Jedi with more than brute strength. Perseverance was a must. Lahana was strong only in the areas that mattered to inflict hurt on another. That, in her mind, was Kale’s failure.

“I didn’t come strictly out of concern for you,” she admitted. “I need to know what Blank looks like. I asked Gloopra but he was more determined to bring war than enlightenment on our situation. Think back for me; any detail at all, something that may set him apart physically, maybe the tone in his voice when he spoke to you—think hard. This is important.”

Lahana explained all that she could about Blank's appearance, though the only notable thing about him were his tired eyes and his nonchalant attitude. It was then that the two of them received Gallowin's message. Anari had been given a separate message as well, instructing her to investigate the club Neon Glow on her own.
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by GreenGoat
Raw
Avatar of GreenGoat

GreenGoat Harmless Flower Person

Member Seen 12 mos ago

Surta Matahari Huchson


For many, there wouldn't be much they can learn while drinking whiskey in a cantina.

For someone like her, for people like her, those rough and tumble types, mercs who relied on their reputation and looks, there was often much to learn just by listening around to the cantina's noise. Even with her obviously odd appearance, she nonetheless seemed to fit right in with the crowd, just as much as those mercs sporting sleek black spiky armor, or that crazed looking Duros with a large blaster and tattered trenchcoat. Just a part of the group, seeking their fortune.

And fortune she did find.

In a low voice, barely heard over the scuffle of some gammorean idiocy, seemed to be a weapons dealer, bragging about his sales and profit margins to a beautiful lass. It was the sort of thing Surta would have normally dismissed as the typical bluster normally employed to impress people, but him being completely sober, and implying he was about to meet one of them soon was what took her interest, especially when he implied it was someone very important.

Perfect, information that could pay her a pretty penny if she can follow this up. Perhaps even more, if she take this person and whoever it was back as well.

She paid for her drink, and left as soon as the weapons dealer did, a huge armored fellow close by his back, most likely his bodyguard. With her abilities, it was a simple enough affair to tail them to a large guarded building; all she needed to do was follow at a distance and walk where they cannot see her. Inhaling slowly, she searched around the building for an entry point, before finally settling on an air vent just large enough to fit her small stature.
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by mattmanganon
Raw
Avatar of mattmanganon

mattmanganon Your friendly neighbourhood tyranical dicator

Member Seen 1 hr ago

@Piercing Light
As Gloopra walked along a corridor, he was stopped by the comm-link beeping and relaying the message:
The ship that aided in the escape of the individual known as Blank was seen landing in a scrap junkyard. Those that are able are to investigate, though you may do so at your own discretion. The location of the junkyard has been pinpointed on your maps.
Comm-Link

"Roger, I'll take it." He then saw Vrerr walking the other way. "Vrerr, I am finished with your room, your Juma should be nicely chilled." He said with a smile. Vrerr smiled back and looked him up and down.

"You're looking chipper, get some good news?"

"You could say that. Look, I'm looking for Shadow Anari, we may have a lead on Blank." he said.

"Sorry, she's already got another mission, I was just talking about it with the general."

"Dammit... I could really use some backup for this. I'll ask Master Kale. If we can bring him in for questioning, i'll sleep a whole lot better." He sighed. "Go enjoy your drink and get some rest. We've been here barely 3 hours and it already feels like the end of a long day..."

"Amen to that." She shrugged. Gloopra began to walk away, but Vrerr caught his arm. "Gloopra, may the force be with you."

"When is it not?" he asked. Striding through the corridors, he retuned his comm-link. "Master Kale, I was wondering if you might accompany me on this mission? I don't want to sound paranoid, but we didn't get a good look at Blank's abilities, if he is as powerful as I fear, then a Master by my side would be MOST appreciated."
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Piercing Light
Raw
GM
Avatar of Piercing Light

Piercing Light ...

Member Seen 8 mos ago

Surta would soon witness a young woman clad in extravagant red attire come out to meet the weapons dealer. They were meeting in the back of a casino, where trucks came to unload goods. Today one of those trucks belonged to the weapons dealer, and had pulled up in the docks. "Let's make this quick, I'm on a roll and I want to get back before the good vibes wear off." She said. The dealer looked around perplexed.

"You don't got anybody here with you?" He let out a chuckle and shrugged. "Whatever Ms. Flambe, none of my business, just seems risky." He said. The woman let out an impatient sigh. "Alright alright, quick I got it." He had the large man with him go to the truck and open the back. Inside it was full of crates. "One thousand of those rifles you people wanted. Hey, you'll let me meet your boss now, right?"

"Hold on." Flambe walked over to the truck and opened one of the crates. She pulled out a pristine rifle and looked it over. "I'd like to see how effective these really are. The sample you gave to those drug pushers was destroyed it seems."

"Whoa, you're not gonna test it on my guy here are you?" The dealer pointed to his guard, who looked visibly agitated to say the least. Flambe looked at him as if he'd just spoken gibberish.

"Huh?... Why would I do that? Just what kind of organisation do you think this is?" She said, dumbfounded.

"Well, you know... I've heard some things about you guys, and uh, you know in the holos..."

_____


As Kale was walking through the military base he stopped as Gloopra called him. "I plan on helping here, can't just sit inside the base all day after all. Besides, it's entirely possible other force sensitives may show themselves. Also, I think it goes without saying, but walking straight into what is likely enemy territory unprepared is a bad idea." Kale continued, finding his way to the outside of the base. The multitude of bodies had already been cleaned up by service droids, though the smell of blood and viscera had not completely gone away. He found Lahana boarding a transport truck being driven by Fufuro.

"H-hello master." She whispered.

"Hello padawan." Kale said. Lahana tried to hid her face with her hair, not that it particularly worked. "I take it you had an interesting conversation with Anari?" Lahana nodded her head. "So, what have you learned?"

"That I'm not ready, and that I need to... control myself, and think about things."

"Well obviously, I've had that told you as much at least twenty times. But now you understand why I repeated myself so much, don't you?"

"Yes master..."

"Good, now lets go." Her master said, entering the large transport vehicle. Once anyone else that wanted to join the mission got in they would take off.
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by SoleAccord
Raw
Avatar of SoleAccord

SoleAccord #ImSippinTeaInYoHood

Member Seen 5 hrs ago

With her hood overhead and robe bound together, Anari looked more like one of countless poor humanoids walking through Gamorria’s streets than the Jedi Knight she truly was. Two hours passed since she departed the military base in search of the Neon Glow. Commander Gallowin saw fit to let her handle this investigation alone, leaving her with no trigger-happy soldiers or bloodthirsty allies to keep under control. Now in her preferred element, the only thing keeping her from entry into the club was not the twin armed bouncers just ahead, but the word of an ally working nearby.

“No one’s on the rear door. Not the outside anyway,” came a hushed voice beneath her.

Anari looked from the club entrance to her vambrace equipped on her left wrist. Communication during battle would now no longer be too risky to perform. “Good, that leaves the trouble outside the front and within. Match’s man should be here shortly with our transport.”

“If he’s someone you can trust.”

“He hasn’t given me a reason not to. Not yet.”

“You know what you’re doing. That’s the only reason I’m here. But if anything goes wrong—”

“You’ll come for me,” Anari finished, a hum of laughter leaving her. “I know, Kyrin. Thank you.”

“No, thank you. Nar Shaddaa was getting boring anyway. I’ll wait for Match’s man. Kyrin out.”

The channel closed, leaving Anari to return her focus to the entryway of Neon Glow. The men posted outside looked relaxed despite the duty they had. Commoners walking the busy streets gave the building a wide berth. Only those wearing finer suits and dresses were permitted entry. People with credits to blow on the ‘merchandise’. Anyone not looking the part were kicked back into the street and left humiliated. She looked to be on the lower echelon, another would-be buyer ready to be kicked away from the door.

Hiding her vambrace beneath the sleeve of her robes, she maneuvered through the busy streets and made her final approach towards the building. The twin bouncers eyed her instantly and straightened their bodies, sizing her up with their tired eyes. She drew her hood back revealing her face to the pair. Their eyes lit up instantly.

“Well now, what’s a beautiful woman like you—” started the rightmost guard.

Anari’s right hand rose to silence the sexually-charged comments to come. “A beautiful woman like me should be allowed inside.”

“A beautiful woman like her?” The rightmost guard looked to his partner. “We oughta just let her inside.”

“Take me in and show me around.”

“I’ll take her in and show her around,” the leftmost guard muttered, earning a nod of approval from his partner. “Right this way, beautiful.”

Beckoned by the filth-covered hand of her impromptu guide, Anari followed the charmed guard inside. Cold air greeted her face opposed to the humidity of the crowded streets. A narrow hallway led her to the main floor room, where finely-dressed guests of all races gambled freely on large tables and machines scattered about. Several armed guards were dressed as well as could be, betraying the more rugged and filthy look of the men outside. It appeared more a casino than a slave auction, however the empty stage at the rear of the building implied that the true festivities were to be presented as a spectacle.

“Show me your true product ahead of time, before other guests.”

The charmed guard nodded and proceeded to lead her around the room. Few guards and guests eyed her, as the joy of winning and the horror of defeat at the hands of gambling took precedence in their mundane lives. To them, she was nobody, and she preferred it remain that way.

Led through a door beside the stage, a few turned corners led her to a makeshift prison. Her eyes found the terrified stares of two dozen people meeting her; Twi’lek in majority, but a small handful of humans as well, watched her through the blue glow of a ray shield. Opposite the men and women gambling outside, they were dressed in musty rags, their bodies covered in dirt. Famished were their bodies and desperate were their expressions. She didn’t have the stomach to ask how long they were kept here.

“Gather every guard on the floor room and bring them here. Tell them it’s an emergency,” Anari demanded.

Nodding, the charmed guard turned and hustled back out to the main floor without a second thought.

Anari turned back to the prisoners, some of which approached the ray shield as closely as they could to examine her. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I’m here to get you out.”
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by mattmanganon
Raw
Avatar of mattmanganon

mattmanganon Your friendly neighbourhood tyranical dicator

Member Seen 1 hr ago

Gloopra had made his way outside of the complex and saw the large transport again. His face dropped a little as he saw Lahana was to accompany them. He made his way over to the transport and looked at Kale "With all due respect, Master..." he began, then sighed "Never mind..." He didn't want Lahana on this mission, she had disobeyed almost every order he had given her in the last 3 hours. That being said, maybe Kale's authority would keep her under control. "I assume you are aware of the events that allowed the escape of our quarry last time? I mean no disrespect on either of your parts, if you trust your apprentice to perform in a more... Proper manner here, then I will trust your judgement. Would you like me to scout the area with my fighter? I do realize that this could be a trap, but at the same time, I do not want to give them the chance to escape by air."
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by SoleAccord
Raw
Avatar of SoleAccord

SoleAccord #ImSippinTeaInYoHood

Member Seen 5 hrs ago

Dozens of eyes watched Anari, some uncertain, others hopeful, as she approached the nearby console and deactivated the ray shielding. Upon its collapse, the fear she felt dimmed, and faint flickers of hope began emerging. Two young Twi’lek children ran up to hug her while the eldest of the group offered their thanks in hushed whispers, quickly huddling around her for answers; Who was she? How did she find them? What did she intend to do with them now? All valid questions that needed answering. Before she could offer any reassurance that today they were free people, a distinct hum from her vambrace took her attention. As she raised it to her lips, two dozen hopeful eyes followed it.

“Kyrin, I’ve found them.”

“Right on time. Match’s man came through after all. It’s an ugly old junker, but we should blend in just fine,” Kyrin replied over the comm channel. “I’m ready to roll when you are.”

“Good. Pull up now, and help get them loaded in,” Anari replied. “They’ll be out in a moment.”

“Understood.”

Closing the connection, Anari backed away, beckoning the slaves by hand to follow her. The club’s layout was far from sophisticated, allowing her to quickly find the one and only door leading to the alleyway. Manipulating the door control from a distance, it slid open just as the dull gray civilian transport pulled up. She waved the group to go ahead of her and enter it; together with Kyrin, the children were lifted inside the unit first, followed by the eldest of the group, and lastly the adults who whispered their thanks as they entered inside. Once the very last entered, Kyrin turned to Anari who stood unmoving within the doorway.

“What are you—”

“I have a plan.”

“This was the plan. What else are we doing?”

“Not we. Me,” Anari corrected quietly, glancing over her shoulder. She could sense the group of guards making their approach, gathered at last. “I need to meet our enemy on even footing. If the circumstances are just right, he may reveal himself again. And if he does not, the mission is still successful. Either way the Neon Glow is finished. I’ll remain behind and see to it.”

Kyrin grinned. “You haven’t changed at all.”

“Get moving. This is my mission from here.”

She could tell he still wanted to tease her, and thankfully chose not to. He nodded to her and she nodded back before he hustled to the pilot seat of the civilian transport and found the acceleration, closing the hatch that revealed the liberated slaves as he did so. Her last sight of the slaves was of the children waving goodbye to her. Anari waved goodbye in return before backing away into the darkness of the building with the door slamming shut.

Returning towards the cells, the gathered guards were in the middle of a heated argument. They looked for someone to take responsibility for this, having no clear leader to report to on the premises. Anari sensed their fear reaching its peak. Watching over a bunch of gamblers and letting slaves stew in their fear was an easy living. One little hitch in their easygoing lives and they were beginning to turn on each other. They pushed and shoved, threatened with outlandish accusations against each other, looking to condemn one of them to death. Heads would roll.

Finally, she had enough.

“Tell me something,” she spoke out, loud and clear. The confrontational band of nitwits stopped bickering just long enough to take notice of her. “A club centered on gambling and slave trade could invest in bartender droids and expensive carpeting, but not a single surveillance camera? A security droid? Tsk, tsk.”

The pistols they were armed with were drawn, each man taking aim and preparing to put a hole through her. “You don’t want to harm me,” she suggested smoothly. At once their bodies seized, confusion becoming etched on their awestruck faces. They looked to their weapons in hand and lowered them, wanting not to harm the robed intruder. “You want to change your lives for the better. That starts by clearing out this entire club of its customers without use of lethal force, only fear. Fire shots in the air. Destroy gambling tables and scatter chips across the ground. Send the gamblers packing. Let none remain.”

A moment passed as the information was processed. Then, one after the other, they stepped towards her and walked by her, each struck with the idea that their lives did not need to be reduced to guarding slaves for unappreciative masters hidden in the shadows. Today, they would take their lives back with their own two hands.

Anari inhaled deeply and exhaled just as the sound of blaster pistols spraying in the air rang loudly, even back here. Screams and sounds of panic were bountiful. Through the Force she felt dozens of clubgoers retreat towards the main entrance. The guards assigned to monitor this club did just as ordered. In less than a minute, the club was empty, save for what few bartender droids and service droids remained on the floor.

She returned to the main floor, seeing the chaos wrought by just a handful of men with a new mission in life. They stood atop the casino tables that weren’t overturned and celebrated their newfound freedom. The chance to be more than hired muscle, to be somebody in this galaxy, was now in their grasp.

Anari stepped past toppled chairs and abandoned gambling chips, the smell of heated plasma hanging in the air. The club’s space could still be utilized. However, the machines and furniture within were beyond saving; the true owner not only lost their slaves, but also a great deal of investment in making the location more than presentable for prospective buyers.

“Drop your weapons where you stand,” she ordered. All at once the men paused before tossing their weapons on the ground beneath them. “Walk out the front door and change your lives for the better. You’re free now.”

The celebratory jeering resumed. The new comrades joined together and departed the Neon Glow, carefully stepping past a trampled lone guard on their way out.

Left with no other task but to wait and hope, Anari stepped to the center of the floor, dragging a toppled chair up by the Force and standing it upright. She closed her eyes and seated herself before waiting in absolute silence.
Hidden 6 yrs ago 6 yrs ago Post by Piercing Light
Raw
GM
Avatar of Piercing Light

Piercing Light ...

Member Seen 8 mos ago

"I think you'll be of better use here on the ground." Kale said. "Even if they do try to take off the last thing I want is an aerial battle over the city. If they try to leave the atmosphere the capital ship can intercept them." With everyone that intended on going to the scrapyard inside the truck it began to move. Lahana noticed that her master had not responded to Gloopra's mention of the prior mission.

"Master." Lahana spoke from her seat across from him. Before she could go on, he spoke.

"I read the report. The least I can say is that this man's escape was not your fault. That ship arrived far too quickly, no matter what it was going to arrive and blast a hole in the ceiling. But enough about that, we must focus on our current investigation." Kale said. Lahana nodded and remained silent for the rest of the ride.

They soon stopped around a block away from the junkyard. From a distance the shape of large decommissioned ships could be seen, the place was like a spaceship graveyard. Fufuro exited the truck and walked to the back of the vehicle where the others had gotten out. "Well, let's get this over with." She said, walking straight for the entrance.

"No plan, we're just walking through the front gate?" Kale said, a bit in disbelief. Fufuro let out an inaudible grumble.

"There's no point in trying to be sneaky, we've already been spotted." She pointed her thumb at a group of teenage children across the street. They scattered away once they saw the Twi'lek pointing at them. "I guess there really are eyes all over the place. Honestly, what kids are gonna be hanging around on a street corner doing nothing? What, were they talking about the weather, maybe local politics?"

"Okay, we get it, let's go then." Lahana chimed in.

As they passed through the front entrance of the junkyard something quickly became apparent, there was no one there. "Well this is odd, not even a supervisor?" Kale looked around at heaps of metal and various ships, even through the force he felt no living creature. As they moved further inside Lahana felt a tingle down her spine. Her master seemed to notice something at the same time she did. Pulling out her white saber she just barely deflected a shot aimed squarely at her head. She tried to find the shooter, but she neither saw nor felt anyone. This wasn't an unfamiliar situation, if she couldn't locate the attacker then the easiest answer would be...

"Sniper!" She yelled. Just as she did piles of scrap shifted around them, and from underneath assault droids armed with rifles appeared. Their way back had been closed off, the only cover available was a large ship's hanger entrance. "Inside, quickly!" Lahana began to run for the junked ship just as the droids began opening fire.

_____


Neon Glow had never gone through a quiet day since it had opened years ago. There were also bands playing, patrons talking and yelling about what were surly fixed bets. But now, it was eerily silent. Silent that is, except for the sudden sound of someone entering from the front entrance. "Ya know, when I saw all those people running out of here I wasn't sure what to think." He walked towards Anari, positioning himself to be opposite of her seat at a table. "But wow, freeing all the slaves and brainwashing those guys into cleaning their act up, not bad." Blank adjusted the gloves on his hands. "So, you've stuck around for some reason, I'm guessing you wanted to meet someone, please say it wasn't me. I'm not used to this much attention."
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by GreenGoat
Raw
Avatar of GreenGoat

GreenGoat Harmless Flower Person

Member Seen 12 mos ago

Surta Matahari Huchson


From the vent, into the maintenance access, and into the building, where she easily followed the man.

Just like that, she found her target; the dealer meeting with his high ranking contacts; some sort of woman named Flambe, from what she could hear of the conversation. Surely this wasn't some ordinary person, not with how she carried herself and how she wore. It was something she had picked up in her days, the way a person carried themselves, the way they dressed, and what details they pay attention to.

She could, right then and there, cut down the large person, knock out the man with the same movement, then pull out his gun to threaten the woman before any of them could blink.

But, Surta was more interested in the boss the man mentioned; someone higher up the ladder, with presumably more knowledge than these two would have. So thus, she kept silent, biding her time.
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by mattmanganon
Raw
Avatar of mattmanganon

mattmanganon Your friendly neighbourhood tyranical dicator

Member Seen 1 hr ago

It was a quiet trip aboard the transport, Gloopra sat next to Fufuro as they trundled along. He got out his comm-link. "R7, prepare for sortie. Get the ship into a stable orbit above my position. I may need you at a moments notice." He said into it. R7 could easily pilot the ship, but he wasn't able to work the weapons. It wasn't long before they arrived. He got out and saw the children scatter as Fufuro called attention to them.

"Now they know we are coming and know that we know." He sighed. He then saw that the an old Merr-Sonn Munitions MkII Heavy Repeater in the APC's weapons loadout arsenal. With 3 Jedi and 1 man with a Blaster among them, he decided to flex one of his disused skills. Picking it up, he checked the weapons charge, good for 10,000 bolts. He might chew through that quickly, but wasn't going to anchor himself down with the backpack power cell that would give him over a million before needing a reload. He saw the funny looks from master and his padawan "A blaster might prove useful." held it underslung as they walked into the Junkyard. They entered in the standard 2x2 cover formation with Kale and Lahana taking up the front whilst Gloopra and Fufuro covered them. He heard the blaster bolt and saw the direction that the shot came from, pulling the immense blaster around, he fired a number of shots into the junkpile it had come from. "Get to cover!" he yelled as more shots came in, he had found an old speeder to hunker down in. He then saw them running for the old freighter's hangar. "Dammit." He grunted, jumping out of cover, he fell-back, firing covering shots at the droids as they came out of the junk. As more and more came out, he grunted loudly, throwing the blaster into the hangar, before spinning around and drawing his blades to deflect more bolts coming at himself and Fufuro as they fell-back, finally, making it into the hangar, he jumped into cover and used the Force to pull the hangar shutters down once they were all inside. "Alright, new plan, survive..." He grunted. "Anyone want to add to said plan? Because it definitely needs a finisher."
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Vox Angelis
Raw

Vox Angelis Dust in the wind

Banned Seen 26 days ago

Extraction Mission

Jaida & Padul

Collab with @Lauder


On queue with what Fufuro had mentionned, Jaida's holocommunicator received a message from Commander Gallowin. The junkyard, heh? Clever place for a hideout. One would think a wealthy mercenary would be hiding out in some luxurious hangar or some other place like that. She should've known, considering the huntress' own habits.

And yet, while she considering the idea of investigating this junkyard herself, the young woman had something else to do. Of course, she could just leave that task to the Republic, if not ignore the deal altogether now that she had information, but strangely enough, a part of the ex-criminal felt the need to ensure her end of the bargain was done right, by herself.

Letting out a sigh, Jaida looked at Fufuro "I'll leave this to the other. I'm heading out. Take care of base and that guy over there."

On her way to her room, Jaida was lost in thoughts, planning ahead for her own "mission". Securing civilians ought to be a piece of cake, but after what happened recently, the ex-bouty hunter couldn't let her guard down. The streets were bound to have no only merceneraries hired to look for her by the crime lord who failed to have her assassinated, but also by the one who employed Blank and/or whoever owned the drug factory. This was such a mess. It felt like the whole planet had its eyes on her.

Plans began forming in the raven-haired gunslinger's mind as she reached her room. Now, whie going out solo would be best for stealth, it would be somewhat foolish now considering she oud potentially run into thugs looking out for her. She needed someone capable to have her back. Her choice of partners was quite limited. Jaida didn't exactly trust a normal soldier for the job. She couldn't have any of the members who assaulted the drug factory with her, lest they would attract suspicons. And after what happened back there with Blank and the two other Jedi, Jaida was in no mood to tolerate the presence of a Jedi with her right now. Bringing a Senator out on the field was simply out of the question, so that left her with pretty much a single person in mind, from what Jaida could remember of her recent search from the Republic's database.

Hoistering her blaster pistol onto her belt and her trusty rife strapped to her back, Jaida set out to find a female Trandoshan going by the name of Padul Hssesch. According to database, she was a soldier here on base with not exactly the cleanest track record. Conveniently, it sort of pleased the huntress. She didn't exactly need someone with the highest morals, and felt like this Padul might see her point of view. Plus, the girl was a Trandoshan. If there's anything Jaida learned from working in the underworld of Gamorria, it is that Trandoshan mercenaries were rightfully feared. Vicous and tough hunters they made. She actually respected their ferocity and their tenacity. They were good survivors, if their anger didn't blind them stupid.

Reaching the door leading to Padul's room, Jaida pressed a button on the panel next to the door. A beep signaled the room's owner the presence of someone outside.

After a moment, the door to the room slid open for the near seven-foot tall trandoshan to loom over the female who had summoned her. Padul was already geared in up, though that was due to the fact that the base had been attacked and she had to defend it, only to go back to her room after the firefight for more off-time. However, it seemed she would not get that pleasure. The trandoshan gazed down at Jaida, looking her over somewhat quizically, noticing that she was not a part of the common soldiery or command that would typically drag her out for patrols or some other useless task that she would be demeaned to.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Padul questioned, her gutteral voice commanding an answer, as a sargeant would typically act around soldiers under her command. It was not out of arrogance, but merely rank that she seemed agressive.

If one were to peer into her room, they would find that the decor would match that of her homeworld in Trandosha, as well as the back wall bearing tally marks of her points that she had collected during her time on the planet, points for the Scorekeeper that her people worshipped. Her Relby-v10 was leaned against the side of the wall not even a foot away from her. Additionally, the room was dimly lit, mainly as Padul did not need too much light to operate, especially within her living space.

While Jaida was somewhat tall for a human female, the bounty huntress actually had lean her head back for her eyes to meet the Trandoshan's. Tipping her hat up for a clearer view, the human huntress managed to stiffle a whistle from coming out, but she couldn't hide a grin forming onto her lips in answer to Padul's harsh tone. Very impressive indeed.

"What's up? I'm Jaida Sarinn, newest recruit and 'guide' for the Republic. Nice meeting you." The young woman held out her hand for a shake. "I won't waste time with the long explanation. I need someone reliable to help me on an extraction task. You look the capable sort, so I was wondering if you'd help me?"

"An extraction task?" Padul mused for a moment, wondering of all the different things that could entail, whether it be absolutely stupid or purely just slacking off of duty. Her gaze shifted into a skeptical look before cocking her head to the side. "And what exactly does this task entail and who authorized such a mission?" the larger woman asked, suspicious of the human that had come to her door.

Jaida rolled her eyes at the questions. So much for saving time on explanation. "I struck a deal with one of the prisonners. Information for safety. Well, his family's safety. It wasn't authorized by anyone, but I'd figure that I'd rather do it myself now than wait for all the bureaucracy to get some lousy troopers to do the job. No offense."

"A woman of action? I can appreciate that," Padul let out the twisted laugh that only trandoshans could generate with their raspy voices. She thought to herself for a few moments before turning and getting her blaster rifle, confirming, "Very well, I shall aid you. Action is better than waiting for some orders. Plus," Padul raised her gun, "it might add to my score."

"What with the thugs looking for us, I'm pretty sure you can add a few heads to you... score?" Jaida had heard of a few Trandoshan warriors before referring to that "score", but the huntress never did more digging into its meaning. She simply assumed it was a personnal headcount or something like that. She rose a clenched fist to her chest as a token of her appreciation, flashing a toothy grin to her new and larger partner. "Great! We'll be going right away, if you are ready. I'll explain more on the way."

"You caught me at a good time then, I am ready for action," the Trandoshan chuckled, stepping out of her room, the door closing behind her. Padul kept her Relby close as she did so, wanting to be ready at all times for the action that she was hoping for. "I have several smoke grenades and a single thermal detonator, a stun baton, if we want to take someone alive, and a holocommunicator in case things get... hairy," she informed Jaida before remembering that she had not properly introduced herself.

"Forgive me for forgetting my manners, I am Sargeant Padul Hssesch, pleasure to meet you, Jaida Sarinn."

"Pleasure's all mine, Sarge." Jaida tipped her hat "Might be excessive for an extraction mission I know, but I got my sniper and my blaster just in case. Might never know what'll happen, especially with what happened earlier. I got some utility stuff for moving around and being stealthy. That's pretty much it."

Seeing the Trandoshan left her room, closed the door, was ready for action and introductions were properly made, Jaida motionned her partner to to follow, leading them to the base's hangar. There, they found each other in front of a rather unremarkable two-seats speeder vehicle, which stood out how quaint it was compared to all the military gear around.

"I'll need to get it changed for something more suitable in size for an extraction. We'll make a small detour to get a new ride. It's not like my cars last long anyway." Jaida let out a faint chuckle at the last sentence.

"I personally think that a X-34 would be better, small and fast enough to do what we need," Padul commented, she was no speeder enthusiast but she new some of the more popular models that were seemingly irreplacable. It was a strange thing of her, but at least she knew the basics of speeder craft, even though starfreighters were the better way to get around, though that was hardly a matter of contest.

"I get your feeling. I'd personally drive around in one, but we've got a few people to fetch. Might get crowded for a two-seaters." As Jaida unlocked the speeder's doors, she fiddled with her holocomunnicator on her wrist. "This'll just just a minute."

"Saven?... Yeah, it's me... I need a big one this time. Probably for a couple people, maybe like six... You know how this works, no questions asked... Leave it between 6th and 8th... Usual doesn't cut it anymore man, I'll leave it between 2nd and 4th... What? That's ridiculously expensive!... Last minute fee my ass!...Yeah, no... Remember when I saved your 'business' from the Black Claws?... Yeah, I'm calling it now... Fine, it's settled then... Yeah yeah, drinks are on me next time, if there is even a next time... Nothing!... See ya."

After her call, Jaida turned to Padul with a grin. "Sorry for the wait. Going to get our new ride before heading out to get our query."

"That certainly sounded... illegal," Padul noted without much to say, she was not going to rat her put for each soldier had their own advantages, even if they were a bit underhanded. Not that she could judge, having done some bounty hunting, she knew that sometimes the best route would be one that was not viewed well by the government. "No matter, if it suits our needs then it'll be fine," the trandoshan continued.

"Illegal? Pffft, please." Jaida swayed her hand in a dismissive manner while speaking with a grossly exagerating fake innocent tone. "Guy owes me a favour from saving his shop. I'm just calling in that favour right now."

The speeder's engine roared to life as the owner sparked the ignition switch. Soon enough, the speeder took off from the hangar and hit the road, leading to the nearby city.

"Right. So one of the guys you people captured earlier, I negotiated their safety in exchange for information, like I told you earlier. Why I did that? I know how Gamorria works. If whoever employed them feared they had something to say, they'd threaten their life and their families. Their families are the only leverage I could get to make them talk. Otherwise, they wouldn't say a word. I didn't learn that much, only that this dude learned the passcode for the base's backdoor entry. Which means, we either have a traitor among us, or someone has infiltrated us. Both theories work. You'll find Gamorria to be home of many talented criminals, and also full of corruption. Didn't think it would reach inside this Republic's base so soon though. Also, those guys didn't band together randomly to show how displeased they were of you guys. Someone offered them a deal, to join Gamorria's top dogs. An offer one doesn't refuse when living in the underworld. But it was all a setup. Whether it's to test the Republic's strength, or simply to get rid of a few rival gangs, those guys were only bantha fodder. They weren't expected to succeed."

"Trust me, I am well aware of Gamorria's history, family used to come her to get contracts sometimes, dragged me along to learn how it was done," Padul informed Jaida, feeling her partner ought to know that she knew what the planet's underbelly was like. "Anyways, how many people will we be extracting? I hope it isn't a large family, would be a lot harder to protect them if we get attacked," the trandoshan asked, looking over at her partner.

"I see. I was even more right to have you along for the ride then. Knowing what you are up agaisnt is a good advantage." Jaida paused, taking a few seconds to recall what the file she had read earlier mentionned. "His mother and sister. Apparently, father died by thugs when he couldn't pay his loan back to Teratect. Debt bounced off on him, now he tried to pay it off by any mean necessary. Assuming extended family isn't there, we should be getting only two individuals. Sister is the priority though. Guy is apparently very concerned about her, at least that's the vibe I got from him."

"Understandable, family is important," Padul commented, before she caught herself in her own mind. Even still, years into her service, Padul was still deeply conflicted about having joined the Republic against her family's wishes, but at the same time, her people needed to be seen as more than mercenaries and savages. A look of depression came to her face before she shook away the feeling, continuing before Jaida could catch her, "Two individuals will be easy to get, this mission is as good as done if we don't come across any rancors." There was an awkward pause in her statement, "Rancors would be bad."

"Let's hope we're not going to cross some of the Beastriders gang. I heard they keep one in a pit underneath their underground base." Jaida mused as she recalled having indirectly worked with them to smuggle a shipment of nasty critters off-planet, back when she was younger. One of the first jobs she took, as a matter of fact.

Soon enough, the vehicle came to a halt in an alleyway of sorts. The raven-haired human turned to her partner. "Here's our stop. Gotta walk a few blocks to get the new ride."

Padul sighed before getting out of the vehicle, she did not like the notion of getting out of a vehicle to go to another vehicle then proceed to use the new vehicle. Though, since whatever illegal transaction Jaida did only benifited them, she would keep her mouth shut for the time being. "I hope we don't attract any attention while doing this," the trandoshan said looking out from the alley, watching the citizens go about the business for a few moments.

"No worries, this is going to be fine! I know these parts. No one's going to bother us." Jaida replied with quite a dismissive tone of voice as she led Padul through the alleyways of what appeared to be slums.

True to her words, no one actually did bother the two on their journey to the second vehicle. The only exception came from kids who seemed to be scavenging or playing in those grisly alleys. Without a word, a lot of these children simply rose their hand in a greeting gesture to the two much older women, which Jaida returned with a barely noticeable nod, before running off to their friends excitedly. A keen ear could pick up the kids muttering to each other stuff like "Look, miss Jaida is here!" and "Wow, her new friend looks strong and scary this time!"

"It seems you are fairly popular among children," Padul noted, only leting out a singular chuckle, though she did seem a bit disapointed that the children called her scary. However, Padul doubted the children saw trandoshans very often so it was an understandable thing.

"This is my neighbourhood." Jaida explained rather briefly, leaving the details and the story behind it in the shadows. Her usual dismissive smile slowly faded only to become faint. She meant well, but her voice sounded protective, as if she wasn't telling everything to keep something, or someone, safe. "They got used to me wandering about."

It did not take long for the duo to reach another shadowy alleyway. This time, there was a large vehicle parked in there. From the looks of it, the speed was made for delivering merchandise.

"That's our ride. Let's go." Without hesitation, Jaida climbed aboard and opened a hidden compartment under the driver's seat to reveal a key.

Without a word, the trandoshan got in the passanger side, skeptically looking over the vehicle's inside for anything that might not shine the best light on the two for when the job is finished. It was clear she did not trust whoever Jaida had purchased the vehicle from. After a rather intense search through the vehicle, Padul made herself a bit more comfortable in her seat.

With a nod to her seated partner, the human huntress started the vehicle's engine and slowly left the slums' alleyways to hit the narrow main road of the desolate-looking district. Their next destination would be on the opposite side of the impoverished area.
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by SoleAccord
Raw
Avatar of SoleAccord

SoleAccord #ImSippinTeaInYoHood

Member Seen 5 hrs ago

Other than the occasional spark of electricity from blasted casino tables and the return of a service droid looking to serve her a drink, the club was dead inside. It would do Gallowin some good to know that the intel of their new ally could be trusted. The New Republic’s manpower was in poor supply and the effort to conceal it would be wasted; eventually, the enemy would learn that they could be overwhelmed in one swift stroke. The base was well-defended, but throw enough bodies at anything and the odds of it going down are that much greater.

Her mind raced in place of her feet, considering things she’d gone over several times. She spent only minutes seated before the doors to the entrance opened in the distance. She turned her head up and tried to get a read on who was coming, but… nothing. A droid? This club appeared too important to send droids to examine. The reveal of a dull-looking young man, flesh and blood, made her out to be wrong. Tired eyes, tan skin, dark hair—Blank. Lahana wasn’t wrong about how plain he looked.

Gloopra, on the other hand, had been wrong about this mysterious dark side of the Force he claimed to feel.

Ignoring his lackadaisical attitude to focus on the quality of his words, she at least gave Blank the respect one deserved upon a first encounter. Her eyes met his; once stationed, she attempted to find his presence with the Force again. Nothing. He was invisible through the Force, yet sat before her very much real. The technique of hiding oneself through the Force wasn’t unknown to her. How he managed to do it raised another question atop many more.

She chose silence until his introduction was complete, and once it was she did not hesitate. “I’m afraid so, Blank. You really live up to your name.” Seeing that he couldn’t find a chair of his own or didn’t bother to, Anari rose from her seat courteously, lightly kicking it with the back of her heel. It fell over without a fight. “Some of my ‘colleagues’ told me about you. One claimed you were surrounded by the Dark Side of the Force. Said it penetrated you. He even suspected you were Sith.”

For the sake of confirming it through more than words, Anari tried one last time to penetrate the field that kept Blank from being felt. She sensed nothing, again. No darkness. No light. Blank was simply… blank. Sith were known to conceal themselves for opportunities but Blank was far, far too careless to be Sith himself. There simply wasn’t enough evidence. Even so, she had to leave here with certainty.

“I don’t think you have any reason to lie about this next question. Blank, are you Sith, or even a follower of the dark side of the Force?”
Hidden 6 yrs ago Post by Piercing Light
Raw
GM
Avatar of Piercing Light

Piercing Light ...

Member Seen 8 mos ago

Flambe shook her head, strands of straight crimson hair fell in front of her face. "I don't go around killing people, not without a good reason that is." She said, aiming the rifle at a cinder block on the ground. She pulled the trigger and a purple bolt seared through the air from the weapon, burning straight through the rock. She looked at the damaged with an affirmative nod and placed the rifle back into it's case. "So. Is there any particular, and by particular I mean good, reason you want to see the boss?" She asked, her voice smooth and methodical, chillingly so.

"Well, who doesn't ya know? The only reason I'm still on this shit heap planet is to make it big, live the easy life. I've got connections, whatever you want, I can get it." The dealer said, his eyes hungry. Flambe closed the case and turned to the man. Her gaze was different, it was as if she'd lost all interest in the conversation.

"Boring. The boss would be wasting his time meeting you." She crossed her arms and looked down solemnly. "Money, power, women, men. It's always the same, such base passions. If all you have to offer is the fruits of others labor then you have no place among us."

_____


As the ship's hanger door closed the shooting from outside stopped. "Well, we can't go back that way, we'll need to find another way out of here." Kale turned and looked at his surroundings. The ship they had entered was quite large, enough that someone could easily get lost if they weren't careful. Before they could make their next move the ship suddenly began to shake. Lights came to life, and the roar of an engine could be heard. The crackle of a speaker system turning on could be heard from above.

"Hello, is this thing on?... Yeah, it's on, good good." An excited, almost anxious voice spoke through the speakers. "I'm Flare, your captor soon to be murderer. Oh man I can't believe I bagged three whole Jedi and uh, I'm sorry who are you? The glass of blue milk over there."

Fufuro frowned at a nearby speaker. "My day's been bad enough, could you just kill me already?" She said.

"Oh, reverse psychology? Good idea but I doubt it'll work here." Lahana said. "This guy sounds like he's missing a few bolts in his head." She stepped forward. "Are you the one that took off with Blank?" She demanded.

"...Yeah? Duh. Listen, I'm sending some robots to come kill you now. Try not to die too quick, I'm recording this and people pay good money for death matches." The voice from the speakers boomed. Meanwhile Kale was quiet, focusing.

"This way, I sense someone inside of this ship, it may be this man." He began to walk forward quickly but with caution.

"Ah... right, you Jedi can do that, can't you? Well it won't matter, see ya never-because-you'll-be-dead!" The speakers died down as they were flipped off.

"Thank goodness, talk about annoying." Fufuro remarked as she began to follow Kale. As they moved the sound of something metallic rolling against the floors of the ship could be heard rapidly approaching. As they turned a corner they were headed off by five robots curled into balls. "Wait, are those? No way, that design hasn't been seen since-" The robots uncurled their bodies, then walking on tripodal legs. "Crap, we need to get out of here!" Fufuro ran into an open room in the corridor just as the droids activated shielding and began opening fire. Lahana and Kale followed Fufuro into the room, which appeared to be a wrecked dining area.

"Alright, we need to get past those things." Kale said, keeping an eye on the entrance. Her lifted a large steel table with the force and barricaded the door with it.

______


Blank let out an amused puff of air. "A Sith? You mean one of those angry dudes that look like they've been laying in the sun for too long? Nah, I don't think so. As for the dark side..." Blank tilted his head and cupped his chin with his right hand. "You mean this?" A wave of sinister darkness could suddenly be felt from Blank, only for it to vanish just as suddenly. "I'm gonna guess that this is what the Sith were always on about. If your buddy felt it from me I'm gonna assume it's only because it's what he expected to feel, perception is strange like that. It's always there, I bet you have it too. I can see how people are drawn towards it, but honestly I've never cared." Blank shrugged his shoulders. "There's nothing for it to latch onto. I can call on it and it comes running like a starved animal, only to toss it away... That's funny, don't think I've ever actually talked about this with anyone." Blank let out a low grumble, as if he were ruminating something.
↑ Top
© 2007-2024
BBCode Cheatsheet