Ask En Route

[Maura Starwalk]

A good night's sleep would have done wonders for her, but sleep had come slowly and had come restless to the rainbow-haired padawan. She tossed and turned for a good majority of the night, and when she finally slipped into unconsciousness, her dreams wrestled with her. All that to say that when Maura finally woke up the next day, the girl was far from well-rested and a little bit grumpy.

Still, the padawan managed to throw herself out of bed, into the most "proper" robes she owned (which were a size too big and a size too small, depending), and marched her sleepy butt all the way across the temple to Grandmaster Voran's office. She had a small bag of haphazardly packed belongings for the trip, and she had both her lightsaber and the newly purified saber clipped onto her belt.

"Good mor-" Maura pushed open the door, but paused in the doorway to deal with a yawn before continuing in and her greeting. "Good morning."

tag: @Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Alex had been up for hours. She greeted the dawn with a grim smile as the sun stretched out across the jungle. Beat you again. The sun had been losing that race for a number of months now. Years if she was being more honest. The work never did seem to stop. She put her hand on the windowpane, stretching her fingers. Life moved entirely too fast.

The chime on her datapad signaled it was time to leave. She sent a few messages to have her shuttle prepared. Kaisa was coming to Brightome and Alex was not about to be late. She turned to face the door just as Maura sleepily made her entrance. A yawn came unbidden. “Oof, yawns are contagious.” A flick of her wrist brought her own pack to her shoulder.

“Just you and me today. No fancy ships.” The Aurora was her preferred mode of transportation, but they needed every ship they could muster to patrol. The Mon Cala cruiser was not a pleasure barge. “Come on, you can nap on the way.” Alex motioned for Maura to follow. “A little history lesson.” She turned and shot Maura a telling look. “This is important…if boring.” She led them through the temple towards the shuttle. “Brighthome is actually one of our oldest temples, but it has been lost several times throughout our history.” Crix was the one who found it.

“There are secrets in that temple of our past which may help inform our future. It’s important we find them.” She turned and smiled. “A perfect chance for you to worm your way into all kinds of forbidden nooks and crannies.” They were close to the hangar now. “I have one meeting and then we will explore the unexplored depths of Brighthome.” A meeting she needed to go well.

@lizziie

 

[Maura Starwalk]

Maura gave a sleepy chuckle when Alex yawned after her. Sometimes she liked to yawn really big and loud in the middle of her classes and see how many of the other students she could spot trying to suppress a yawn - or just giving into the yawn. She wished she knew why yawns were contagious. They weren't even a disease!

After being promised a nap on the way, Maura'se ears perked up, and she adjusted the bag on her shoulder as she shuffled after Alex. When she proceeded to mention a history lesson not long after, her ears drooped back down. History? The padawan made a conscious effort not to groan, but it was futile. The girl grumbled a bit, but she perked up (again) when Alex said there would be plenty of secrets and forbidden nooks and crannies. Those were her favorite kind!

"Who are you meeting with?" she asked in between yawns. Once they reached the ship they would be taking, Maura threw her bag onto the first bench she saw and followed Alex wherever she went, whether that be the cockpit or somewhere else. "What's the meeting about?"

tag: @Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

“An old friend.” Kaisa was one of the few Jedi that Alex could still trust completely. She tossed her bag after Maura’s, making her way to the cockpit. She settled in before responding. Strapping into the seat. “Harness.” She pointed at the straps to make sure the girl buckled up. A few flicks of switches later, they were smoothly putting the Temple behind them. “The meeting is the private kind not for nosy Padawans.” Alex made that face at Maura.

“You’ll find out soon enough anyways.” The shuttle exited the atmosphere. “No spying.” She could already see the wheels turning in the girl’s head. She was not about to find her in a vent again. Shaking her head, Alex punched in the hyperspace coordinates and sat back. The shuttle zoomed forward as the familiar lights of hyperspace took hold. Alex took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “How are your studies going at the Temple?” Alex was not Maura’s only teacher. Sadly, the duties of office often took her away from Yavin. The Padawans were still given basic instruction in Temple classes.

@lizziie

 

[Maura Starwalk]

Maura groaned when Alex pointedly called her out for being nosey and told her not to spy. "...okay." She snapped herself into her harness without complaint though and wiggled further back into her seat just before the ship launched into hyperspace. The brilliant blues outside the viewport reflected in her inky black irises, almost looking like strange static in an old tv set.

"Mmm, they're going okay," she answered vaguely as she looked down at her swinging legs. "Some of them are really boring and it's hard to concentrate sometimes." Alex would be very aware that Maura often got in trouble for not paying attention or distracting the other students. "But I like my lightsaber training classes, especially now that we're learning about the different forms and stuff! And I still go to the running group, too." Yawn.

"But maths sucks. I dunno why I have to learn maths to be a Jedi. I can help people without maths!"

tag: @Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

She listened while Maura chattered away. The girl was unmistakable enthusiastic about some subject. Alex gave her a sidelong glance at the Padawan’s resistance to math. “A Jedi may not need to know how to do math but a girl your age certainly does. We are not in the habit of raising little savages.” She smiled. Laughing at her own joke. “It may not be exiting but it is important…at least the basics.” Alex herself wasn’t a particularly gifted mathematician. She really did not need it. They had staff for that. The Morellian Jedi was about to explain further when the shuttle jolted violently. Her hands quickly gripped the yoke.

The shuttle jolted again, warning lights flashing. Unconsciously, she reached over and tightened Maura’s harness. The shuttle jerked again, and the lights of hyperspace flashed out. Alarms blared and warning lights flashed. “Are you okay?” Alex barely had time to hear a response before an unfriendly sounding voice crackled over the radio. “You’ve entered deep waters. Prepare to be boarded.” She was quickly unbuckling her crash harness. There was no hope for a jump to lightspeed. A thousand warnings that she did not fully understand flashed.

“We have to hide.” It wasn’t very brave or Jedi like, but it was smart. She would not fight an unknown enemy. Too many problems she solved with violence lately. Maybe if the intruders found nothing they would simply go away.

@lizziie

 

[Maura Starwalk]

"Okayyy but like... why do I have to learn trinomety? Trigonometry? Trignometry? WHATEVER. It sucks." Maura pouted and slid further down into her seat. It would've been fine for her to do it at any other time, but it coincided with the shuttle jolting, and she was thrown further down into a less-than-comfortable position.

"OMFH." The girl wiggled her way back up into her seat just in time for Alex to fuss with her harness, but it wasn't long before alarms and lights began to flash. Clearly, something was very, very amiss. "Yeah I'm fine!" she answered as soon as she got her breath back. Maura was quick to notice Alex unbuckling herself, so she did the same.

"Why are we hiding? You're the Grandmaster!" Surely her master could take a thousand pirates! Still, the girl immediately reached for the crawl vent below her and removed the grate with a rushed flick of her wrist. Alex might be able to fit down there, but Maura most definitely could - and knew she could.

tag: @Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

She was the Grandmaster. That did not change her mind. Alex had no idea what they faced or if the hijackers knew their target. She hoped this was nothing more than a random attack. That they would see their way from. “Yes, I am…but we don’t know what we face or how many there are.” She watched while Maura flicked the grate. “They may not know who we are which means they may not realize we are a threat.” Alex scrunched her face up briefly. “Even I can’t fight an entire ship.” Maura slipped down under the grate. There was no way the Morellian Jedi could join her. Alex mirrored Maura flick to replace the grate. She could hear the shuttle bay being pried open. Well…nothing else to do then.

Putting her hands up and leaving her lightsabers behind, she walked towards the back of the shuttle. She was greeted by five rough looking humans. All scary helmets and spiky armor. Blaster rifles raised. “Peace. I mean you no harm.” The apparent ringleader laughed. “Well ain’t that good for ya.” Alex kept her hands up. “Whatcha doing all the way out here.” The Grandmaster tried to keep her voice neutral. “Trading run, I have nothing of value. Please…I can pay but not much.” More gales of laughter rose. “Damn but ya sure do look mighty familiar. Captain’ll wanna see ya.” Curse her recognizable face. “But I just can’t place ya.” She would try one more time. “I’ll do anything.” More laugher. “You’re coming with us, sweetheart...then you can make good on your promise.” She fought the impulse to end it now. What could they do to stop her? What example did that set? Not a good one. Alex raised her voice, ensuring Maura would hear.

“Will you search the ship? Where are you taking me?” The ringleader stepped forward again. “Aye and you’ll see.” He slapped a pair of cuff on her and lead her from the shuttle.

@lizziie

 

[Maura Starwalk]

Maura grumbled as she dropped down into the vents, but hushed once the grate was put back into place by her master. Crouched down on her hands and knees, the girl followed the muffled sound of Alex's footsteps toward the back of the shuttle. The vent didn't lead in a straight path though, so by the time she made it over there the conversation was halfway over.

They were taking her master? They were searching the ship? No, that wasn't okay! What if they took her DataPad? She'd lose so much progress on all of her games if she had to get a new one! Maybe she should make an account... No, she needed to focus. This was just like that one movie. All she had to do was separate them and pick them off one by one. And she definitely, definitely, couldn't let them find the lightsaber. That was the number one rule of getting hijacked!

Maura turned around and began to hurriedly crawl back toward the cockpit. Thankfully she had both of her sabers on her belt, but she didn't know whether or not Alex had taken hers with her. She had to go back and make sure!

Once Maura was back in the cockpit, she would first listen to make sure no one was in the room before she scooted the grate aside and poked her head out to see if she could see her master's lightsabers. As soon as her eye locked onto them, she would use the Force to try and quickly draw them to her before quickly disappearing back under the grate. She could hear footsteps approaching now.

tag: @Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Alex was marched rather unceremoniously from the shuttle into the bowels of what could only be described as derelict. The halls were dingy and dark. The ship seeming to groan with every step. Worse, she couldn’t tell the size of what they were in. She tried extending her senses but in the chaos of space it was difficult to grasp the tiny pinprick of life. She had no choice but to be led along…to wherever that meant.

--

Maura would find herself in not an entirely better position. “Did you hear that?” A rough sounds voice vibrated in the ship. Four large pair of boots stomping their way into the cockpit. It was almost impossible to tell bur the rather large men both appeared to be human. Armored and dirty but human. The muck from their boots dripping through the shuttle.

Where did one get muddy boots in space? “The Captain said to search the whole thing…look for suspicious stuff.” A grunted answered that. “You see this thing? Aint a forsaken credit of value in the whole lot.” Another grunt. “We should at least look…be through an all that.” One set of boots stopped away further into the shuttle. The other remain firmly planted in the cockpit, starting to search around for anything valuable.

@lizziie

 

[Maura Starwalk]

Maura stayed deathly silent as the men stomped around on the ground above her, presumably glancing about the room as they looked for the source of the sound they thought they'd heard. She had no idea what she should do, but she couldn't let them search the ship! Maybe it was true that there probably wasn't a whole lot of value here - they were Jedi after all - but she didn't want them taking anything. It was the principle!

A lightbulb flickered to life above the padawan's rainbow mane as she lay crouched in the vents. A memory washed through, and a michevious grin widened her cheeks. She recalled an old movie she'd watched where this kid tricked home invaders into thinking his house was haunted so they would leave on their own. She could do the same!

But first, she needed to get to the fuse box, or under it at least.

Slowly, the padawan made her way over there, formulating her plan as she did. She'd make the lights flicker, then go out, and flicker again. The girl knew nothing about programming, but she figured that if she messed with the wires and left them just barely connecting it might have a similar effect. After that, she'd try to snatch her datapad and play the sound of an old woman humming. When they came to investigate the noise, she'd scramble to a different part of the ship and repeat.

Then, finally, she'd use the Force to try and shove one into a wall, all while changing the humming to something more... sinister. It was like a really elaborate, impromptu prank! They'd get super scared and have to leave!

The girl immediately got started on her plan.

tag: @Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

The Morellian Jedi kept carefully silent. There was no reason to speak as she was lead through the earie hallways. The stuncuffs on her wrist chaffed but that was a small discomfort. In time, she was marched onto a dingy bridge. It was obvious they were on some kind of dreadnaught. A poorly maintained old dreadnaught. Alex was marched to the center of the bridge to come face to face with the leader. The man turned and reveled a surprisingly handsome face with a perfectly white set of teeth. He absolutely did not belong among the mess and grime of the pirate.

“Ah, our new friend. What a pleasure.” He clapped his hands together. “A true honor to have you aboard, Grandmaster.” Her heart sank. Her face remaining motionless. “You have me confused.” The captain laughed. A holo of Alex suddenly appearing before him. “My men my lack social graces and general hygiene but they are not dumb. Did you really think we wouldn’t know you? What a happy accident you fell into our laps.” Well…one small piece of good news. They hadn’t been looking for her. “Where will you take me?” The leader just smiled that perfect smile. “To your friends, of course.” Her eyes hardened. That could only mean one thing.


--

Ghostly noises filled the ship. Rattling and rustling. “You hearing this?” A shout from the cockpit back into the shuttle. “It’s nothing.” More spooky noises seemed to follow. “Fuck that it’s nothing. I don’t know what the hell those creepy Jedi keep on their ships.” There was only a grunt in answer. “Fine you giant baby. The captain has that fancy lady anyways, lets see what trouble he might cause.” Boots thudded away but left behind a terrible feeling. The pirates knew they had at least one Jedi.

@lizziie

 

[Maura Starwalk]

It worked! Maura felt a mixture of giddiness and relief as the sound of receding footsteps echoed their way into the ventilation shafts below where she crouched quietly. The girl had the feeling she didn't have much time though, so she began crawling her way back to the cockpit of the ship. Once she reached it, the girl put a pointed ear up to the great, and when she was sure no one was coming, she climbed out.

"Where's the comm button..." she mused under her breath as she searched the console, trying to find a way to contact the Jedi temple or anyone who might be able to help them. Still feeling like she didn't have much time left, the girl began to panic. She couldn't just send out a distress signal, could she? Wouldn't the pirate be able to catch that?

Better safe than sorry. Maura turned away from the console and hurried down the hall until she reached her bag. She grabbed it, thankful that the pirates hadn't bothered to search it, and dropped it down into the vents before creeping her way toward the connection between their ship and the pirate's dreadnought.

She'd not seen how huge it was, but when she peaked her little head around the corner and peered down a near-endless hall, she felt her heart drop.

How in the world was she going to find her master? Using the Force had never been something she'd been particularly good at... but she would have to try regardless.

As soon as she was sure the coast was clear, Maura scrambled onto the ship. She pulled her hood up over her head, hoping to hide her neon-colored hair as she began to search for an easy way to traverse the ship.

tag: @Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

They were running out of options. Alex knew it but dreaded the choices remaining. Is this who she really was meant to be? No more finesse. No more polite solutions. Only strength and shows of Force. What are you going to do, Alex…fight an entire dreadnaught full of pirates? “It need not be this way.” Her voice was soft. Soothing easy. The Force just floating on her words. “That won’t work here dear. On my men maybe, but my mind is made of harder stuff.” Who was this pirate. “I have nothing against you, Jedi. Truly…but this operation is not cheap, and your pretty face is very expensive.” The Force left her voice.

“At least tell me who has the pleasure of kidnapping me.” Alex would know the names of the men she killed. “Ah, I am the distinguished pirate Yanan and my bloody boys.” Alex laughed. A real heartfelt laugh. “Your bloody boys?” A few of the pirates took angry steps towards her before being waved off by their captain. “Laugh all you want but we’ve got you and you’ve got no one.” But that wasn’t quite true. Keeping her eyes on the captain she reached out in the Force. Her mind flowing down the bond to Maura.

‘Don’t find me Maura…the control room to release the shuttle…I’ll distract them.” She trusted her apprentice. The girl was smart…capable…if a little scattered. “There are risks to betraying a Jedi. Rituals older than the stars that will plague you. It can be a terrible waste of a life.” She spoke not for the captain but for his crew. The substiles of the Force slowly swimming beneath her words.

@lizziie

 

[Maura Starwalk]

She continued to sneak around when a familiar voice appeared in her head. "Master!" Maura didn't know if Alex could hear her back or not, but she was happy to hear that the woman was okay. On the other hand, she was conflicted about abandoning her mission to find her master in favor of releasing the shuttle.

In the end, Maura kept walking forward. She didn't really know where she was anyway, so trying to find the control room seemed like w daunting task.

"Focus Maura, focus! Where would a control room to dock the ship be?" Her best guesses were either by the bridge where the captain could control stuff, or relatively close to the dock itself. Since she was nearby, she decided to start checking rooms around her first.

Nope. Nope. No- Oh shit, someone was in the room.

Maura quickly scrambled away as a voice from within asked if someone was there. They didn't seem to care enough to investigate, so she carefully kept looking around

Nope. Nope. No- Wait, maybe!

Maura slipped inside the room full of terminals and databases.

tag: @Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

She was vaguely aware of Maura knocking around the ship. The Force bond between them twanging with motion. “I believe in you.” Alex carefully closed her mind to the Force bond. Maura did not need to sense what would come next. The fear on the deck was palpable. Her efforts failing to strike fear into the captain, but his men were far more susceptible. She could taste their growing concern. Alex sadly shook her head. This was who she was now. “Captain, the Order does not have much but we do have some. I can give you that and the lives of your men.” Her eyes met his.

“Please, don’t make me do this.” The captain just laughed. “Where could you possibly go? The mighty Alexandria Voran lost space.” The Morellian Jedi simply cocked her head. “Ah, but I am never alone.” The Force burst from her in a powerful blast. Ripping out from her chest to send the men assembled around her cascading across the bridge.

Her mind shot out to Maura. “Sooner would be better dear.” Already she could see some of the pirates stirring. Wrapping the Force around her body, she shoved the doors open. Smiling as she did so. Alex wanted to be more than a brute but sometimes, brute strength had its advantages.

@lizziie

 

[Maura Starwalk]

Maura began to look around the room, and as soon as she spotted it, she hopped on a terminal. The kid spent maybe more time than she should messing with technology back on Yavin, so it wasn't a super difficult task for her to find what she needed. The moment she saw something to release the shuttle, she punched it.

Unfortunately, she'd released every shuttle docked onto the ship. Whatever. The pirates could use a better distraction, and maybe a better system while they were at it.

"I did it!" she thought, attempting to think back to Alex despite having no clue how her master was even speaking to her in the first place. Well, she could assume it was their bond, but she wasn't sure if it was a one-way thing or what.

Feeling that perhaps time was of the essence, Maura began quickly heading back the way she'd come, all while hoping the release was on a timer and wasn't instantaneous.

tag: @Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Alex dashed through the ship hallways. She was curious on the outcome if she pitted herself against the pirates, but her better judgment won out. The safer bet was to get out as quickly as possible. Her mind flicking with Maura’s voice. Good. They were nearly free. The Force screeched in Alex’s mind. She threw her body to the side as a door opened and a hail of blaster fire followed. She was distracted and not quiet fast enough. A blaster bolt burned into her unarmored shoulder. Her mouth clenched in frustration. The Force pouring into the wound to staunch the pain. She flicked the fingers on her left hand to the send the pirates tumbling backward.

Her grimace grew wider. She pressed her hand into the wound. A painful reminder to keep her focus. Alex took a deep painful breath. Well, she had wondered what would happen. Wrapping her body in the Force she took off again. Quickly making her way back to shuttle. Another door flung open at her command to revel Maura streaking by.

“I think have outworn our welcome.” Alex smiled. “We should probably leave.” The two Jedi burst into the hangar. Alex breathing a sigh of relief before the doors to the right and left opened to pirates training blasters. “Power the shuttle up.” Alex outstretched both hands, the Force bursting forth in a powerful wall. The air shimmered as blaster bolts hit the expanding barrier. Alex’s eyes were hard. Her breath coming quickly through her nose.

@lizziie

 

[Maura Starwalk]

Maura dashed onto the ship and immediately made way for the cockpit. She practically leapt at the console, her fist smashing into the dashboard. It was followed by the sound of the ship roaring back to life. Curious, Maura peeked out the viewport, and her eyes widened as she watched more pirates begin flooding into the room. "Uh oh."

Deciding it was now or never, Maura punched another button. The ship began to rise from the ground, and it spun around as its landing gear retreated. Slowly, it began moving toward the exit.

In the meantime, Maura rushed to the back of the ship where the dock was still open. "Master! C'mon!" She curled her fingers tightly around a handle and reached out with her other hand, fully intending on trying to use the Force to pull Alex toward her should the grandmaster jump for it. Time was of the essence, but she had time.

tag: @Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

A rainbow of colors exploded against the barrier. She felt each like a shockwave up her arm. Sweat began to drip down her brows but the shield held. For now. Even Alex’s power was not limitless. The more pirates that poured into the hangar, the greater strain placed on her in the Force. The barrier buckled and rolled as she worked the Light. Her face a grim mask of determination. They had underestimated who they delt with.

Finally, she heard the roar of the engines. She felt the shuttle begin to lift off. Maura’s voice echoing in the hangar. The Force bond gave her a glimpse of Maura standing with her hand outstretched. Alex smiled. Her wrist flicked up and her hands flew out. The barrier bursting to race towards the pirates. The Force coiled around her legs as she hurled her body backwards. She felt the Force from her student roughly yank her the final stretch into the ship.

The shuttle doors slowly closed. Alex rushing to the cockpit. Furiously working to get them into hyperspace. “Next lesson…finesse.” She slammed a few buttons jumping the shuttle forward. “I think my hips bruised.” She smiled. The lights of hyperspace beginning to appear. The Morellian Jedi letting out a long sigh, tipping her head back against the seat. “Let’s never do that again.” Maybe she was getting too old for this.

@lizziie