Ask Plot Forging Bonds

[Nykoria Tallis]

The Force worked in mysterious ways. Nykoria Tallis once helped a Phyllis Vasser, a CFO from Fondor, when her son was kidnapped. When Kori used that acquaintance to get a corvette for the Jedi Order back into shape, the CFO couldn't offer more than some basic repairs. But the Sith attack on Ryloth changed that. The idea of having even one Jedi strike team ready to arrive at first notice suddenly became more appealing to corporate executives. And if the Sentinel Initiative were to pass, Fondor Shipyards stood to gain a hefty fleet maintenance contract.

This is why Phyllis Vasser had asked Nykoria to join her aboard the Starblazer, her personal yacht that would host the negotiations. The Sentinel Fleet was yet to become a thing, so the arrangements about it would be preliminary. But a single Jedi Guardian corvette could be arranged there and then. Another reason for Kori being there was that the supporters of the Sentinel Initiative were threatened and targeted by an unknown party, possibly the Sith. The Jedi were asked to provide additional protection while the politicians and corporate executives would iron out the details on the way from Coruscant to Fondor.

...​

"Well, Padawan, looks like that's our cue," the Zeltron's eyes were still closed, and she remained seated in the lotus pose. The spacious nature room at the front of the ship was reminiscent of Ajan Kloss; the greenery and surrounding life provided the best site for meditation. Nykoria wouldn't settle on reaching out to the plants and people nearby though. She sought her perception to envelop the entire ship: soar through the passages; look over the shoulder of a technician working in the hangar; feel as more and more people converge in the lounge.

Something like this always required effort, but this time Kori was struggling. It could be because she worried about the outcome of this meeting; it could determine if the Guardians would have funding for retrofitting their ship. Or maybe it was because Kori sensed that something was about to happen. As an answer to her thoughts, the intercom beeped all of a sudden. "Knight Tallis, the delegates are gathering in the lounge. Please join us there," the familiar voice on the comms reminded, moments after Nykoria had predicted it... or rather, not the intercom, but something happening.

With a sigh, the Zeltron stood up and turned towards the Togruta Padawan who accompanied her on this mission. "It's best if I stay close to the people we need to protect. But we can't leave the rest of the ship unattended. Think you can keep an... Kori saw the Padawan's face again and hastily checked herself before saying "eye"; the Togruta Padawan was blind, so the phrase would've turned out awkward. "I mean, take a stroll around the ship, and make sure that there isn't any trouble elsewhere?"

Almost slipped up, Kori. The Zeltron chastised herself mentally, but also wondered why the Jedi Council saw fit to get involved in the Guardians' affairs and assign Padawan Dasi Vemm for this particular mission. They didn't do anything without a reason. Maybe the Masters wanted the young Togruta to learn something from Nykoria. The Zeltron Knight knew how to handle a lightsaber, had proven a capable negotiator, and also focused heavily on perception of the world around her through the Force. Perhaps Dasi needed help in one of those aspects. Or perhaps it was the other way around, and the Masters wanted Kori to learn something from the Padawan. Kori still felt somewhat unsettled, but it wasn't worth dwelling on. Not while the two Jedi were on the clock and had a job to do.

@darkrei9n

 

[Dasi Vemm]

Swish... swish... swish... Dasi was going to lose her mind in her Padawan robes. They were so loud! She had already developed a hole in the hood where her montrals had snagged on it and she had pulled a tad to hard, she would have to find someone to sew it for her or get new ones. She had been pacing around the green room as the Jedi Knight who she had been assigned to for this mission meditated. She knew she should have been sitting there meditating as well but this was her first actual mission! The young Jedi rubbed her hands together to try and deal with the excitement. She took a deep breath in order to control her emotions as she let her mind focus on the mission at hand. She reached out with the force trying to explore the ship from the nature room. As much as she loved nature she was aboard a ship and she wanted to see every inch of the place. She could sense a hangar, she tried to let the force tell her more but her Zeltron babysitter interrupted.

The Jedi Knight she accompanied was an odd one. Avoiding anything that involved telling Dasi to do anything that involved sight. Not surprising to be the least, the Zeltron wasn't the only Jedi let alone only person who did that around her either. She could feel the sides of her lips trail slightly upward in amusement at the thought of subtly teasing the Zeltron about it. Yes... she would have to do that. She was interrupted in her very unjedi thoughts with a recommendation to stroll around the ship. She was replying before she even had a chance to think about it. "Yes Master Tallis! I'll keep an EYE out. If I notice anything I'll tell you right away." She placed a slight emphasis on the word eye before the young Padawan was slipping out the door before the Zeltron could question anything.

Her path was very convenient. She followed her nose to the kitchen dining area snagging a small snack while she worked her way to the hangar she had sensed earlier. She wasn't truly sure of what she should have been looking for, but she might as well go somewhere. If her interests and the "Trouble" the Knight was worried about happened to align, then it would just happen to be convenient. The young Togruta was careful to keep watch through the force. She was excited to explore, but she wasn't about to shirk her duties as soon as the Zeltron looked away.

@Catbert

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

The Padawan's teasing only evoked a smirk on Nykoria's face. She isn't touchy about it. Good. No point bashing myself over it then. When Dasi ran off, the Jedi Knight allowed herself a chuckle. The Togruta was old enough, but still seemed so curious and full of life. Much more so than Kori in her age. And the attitude... Nykoria was certain that if Dasi accidentally bumped up against someone, she'd respond to "Are you blind?" with a cheerful and friendly "Yes!"

In short, the Padawan would do well on her own while the Zeltron could attend the meeting.

...​

In hindsight, letting Dasi explore was a good call. Nykoria doubted that the young Togruta would be interested in hearing about contracts and income projections. Kori herself had been almost put to sleep. She only resisted and tried to pay attention because she'd have to pitch the idea of retrofitting a corvette for the Jedi alongside with the Sentinel Fleet. The corporate executives were reluctant, of course. Sentinel Fleet brought money, whereas the Jedi only brought promises of a safer sector. But at least they weren't fully against the idea either. Especially if the Sentinel Initiative passed, or if the Jedi proved their value somehow.

...​

"Well, I'm impressed," Phyllis Vasser, the owner of the yacht, spoke less formal than she ever had. "Scorpius normally talks about nothing but profits, but even he didn't refuse outright." A sad consolation to Nykoria, who used all her diplomatic skill (and admittedly, a little Force suggestion) to secure the funding for the Guardians there and then. "He'll come around, especially if the Sentinel Initiative passes."

Nykoria saw Phyllis in a new light. The middle-aged woman with greying hair usually was an exemplar of sternness. Even when her son had been kidnapped, she managed to maintain an appearance of being in control, even if only for a while. But now she was... consoling and encouraging Kori. Could it be that Mrs. Vasser had reconsidered her stance on helping the Jedi? Perhaps. After all, there had been a lot of new developments. The Zeltron had a hand in rescuing her son; not to mention saving one of her corporation's investors. And the Jedi were proven right about the Sith threat.

"Thanks, Mrs. Vasser," Nykoria replied rather sincerely. She was growing accustomed to that woman, and Phyllis's sudden support only secured Kori's respect for the CFO. "How long do you think it'll all last after the caf break?" The human only chuckled and grinned, wrinkles on her forehead getting more prominent: "Oh, we haven't even scratched the surface." The Zeltron's reply was just a loud exhale and wiping her own face with both hands. Now I see why they drink caf inbetween talks.

...​

Meanwhile, Dasi would have no trouble making her way into the hangar. Personnel wouldn't question the Jedi, who had been invited by Phyllis Vasser herself to act as protection detail and deter any attacks. So, the young Togruta was free to explore, while the comlink that Nykoria had given to her remained silent.

The "hangar" was an overstatement. It felt more like a small hall, with 4 berths with ship maintenance facilities. One of the berths was occupied by cargo crates, while the others had actual ships in them. A couple of small civilian-grade TIE Hunters served as the Starblazer's escort when in real-space. Fast and nimble, they were a perfect fit for the cramped hangar. But while the ship was in hyperspace, the hangar door was closed, and the hatches on top of the TIEs were invitingly open.

The third ship in the farthest berth was different. It didn't look like much when compared to the sleek ice-white Hunters—it was bulkier, seemed more sluggish, and the paint wasn't nearly as white. It also barely fit in the hangar, and looked like a Bantha in a shop of antiques. But the real connoisseur would walk right past the TIEs and towards an antique VCX Auxiliary. A rarity, but not impossible to acquire for a corporate executive.

To an observer, the hangar was mostly abandoned. But Dasi perceived the world differently, so perhaps she could sense a presence by the farthest ship. Whoever was there, he or she wasn't aware of the Togruta just yet. Perhaps they were too preoccupied... Regardless, Dasi could do what she saw fit to do.

@darkrei9n

 

[Dasi Vemm]

The young Padawan was nearly overwhelmed as she stepped into the hangar. Sure the temple on Ajan Kloss had a hangar but she rarely had reason to be in there and she had to stay out of the way. Here though? She had been told she had access to everywhere on the ship. That probably even included their benefactor's quarters, not that she intended on going there unless it was required. She wanted to explore the interesting parts of the ship, not the personal quarters of individuals aboard the ship.

As she let the force fulfill her missing sense she noticed something peculiar. Nothing bad, but nothing good, just peculiar. She started walking through the hangar, as she walked by the TIEs she lifted her hand to them and let it drift along the hard surface. No these weren't it. She continued her trip through the hangar until she ended up standing next to the VCX Auxiliary. She brought her hand to the painted surface and gasped. This ship had quite the history. She had heard of Jedi who could likely see the history and experiences of those who had been aboard this ship but unfortunately she hadn't been born with that ability. She hadn't really cared about that until now, she would have loved to see into the past for this ship.

She drifted around the ship letting her hand continue to trace paths along it. A small dip here, maybe a scar from being shot at? She wasn't particularly interested in letting the force provide her sight at the moment. Some things just had to be experienced without it. As she drifted towards the rear she found the entrance open. She glanced around as if she was up to no good, she wasn't sure why she did that when she could sense every being within the hangar and when she couldn't see but maybe she had read one to many novels. She stepped up the small ramp, unlike most people she was short enough that she didn't have to worry about tight spaces when boarding ships, even with montrals. She found herself soon in the cockpit, she was careful not to touch anything, she did want to go on more missions in the future and accidentally sending a ship out the hangar would probably not help with that.

"Hey! What are you doing in he-" Dasi turned to face the sudden intruder into her explorations. She had lapsed in her concentration. A young human stood there, he wore a pilots uniform a single code cylinder tucked into his sleeve. A helmet was tucked underneath his left arm and a blaster sat in a holster on his right side. His hand was resting on the grip of the blaster and the leather strap keeping it within the holster was undone. "You're one of the Jedi aboard. You should be careful. Do you realize how weird it was for me to see a random Togruta walking into the ship I'm responsible for?" The man seemed to relax as he realized who she was. Dasi was more relieved however to see him secure the strap holding his blaster in place. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding in. "I'm sorry, I got caught up in something. I didn't mean to upset you." She gave a slight bow to the man as she apologized. She now recognized the man in the force, he was the peculiarity she had been looking for. The ship had been a distraction but she was sure now it was this man. She tried to get a sense of what was setting her off about him but the man was a rock. She sensed no emotion from him, nor any intent. "I'll get out of your way now." She moved to leave the ship trying to slip past him but he moved his arm to block her.

"Relax, we were told you Jedi would have access to the entire ship, and that includes the VCX I guess. I was just about to start her up and do a systems check. She hasn't flown in a while so we just want to make sure there aren't any issues. If you want to watch..." He trailed off suddenly and did a double take. "You're blind." The pilot was staring now. Dasi wasn't particularly shocked and sighed. Typical reaction by even some Jedi around the temple. "Really? I didn't notice. What do I want to watch?" The man shook his head as Dasi's sarcasm cut through his stupor and brought him back to reality. "If you want to watch me start her up. I'm sorry, most people get implants. you don't really see very many blind people, especially on the ship of a yacht owned by a CFO." He lowered his arm letting her past as he stepped further into the ship. "I'm sorry for stopping you, I didn't realize you couldn't actually se- I mean I didn't realize you probably weren't interested in ships. You were probably just performing your duties." Dasi would have rolled her eyes. Second person of the day to start avoiding anything involving sight. She sighed as she stepped back into the ship following him. "No I would love to see, I love ships." The young Togruta slipped right next to him as he placed his helmet on the dashboard and began to flip switches and hit buttons but Dasi stopped him. "Wait, so what does that one do?" The pilot glanced over at her and shook his head as he slowed down the startup and began explaining the process to the Padawan.

@Catbert

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

With everyone else preoccupied, the Padawan and her new acquaintance were left to their own devices. For one reason or another, the pilot was rather eager to show the Togruta how the old shuttle operated. Just as they've gone through all the pre-launch checks and were about to prime the engines though, something changed. Dasi would hear a gasp and sense a sudden shift in her companion's emotions; the man was scared. However, there was no reason for that, as far as the Padawan would sense.

An answer would come in less than a minute, when the Togruta's comlink would beep. "We just lost the lights throughout the ship," there was an unusual anxiety in the Zeltron's voice. However, Nykoria was interrupted by a sudden all-encompassing jolt. At the same time, the hangar door started to open, revealing the black void outside. And although Dasi wouldn't see it, the pilot next to her would. And it didn't add to his confidence, not a bit. They were out of hyperspace. The blind Togruta, however, could hope to notice even more: the low humming that had accompanied her throughout her exploration of the hangar just stopped, ringing silence in their place.

"The engines AND shields are out? Kriff! Padawan, where are you? We need to regroup." Meanwhile, a giant hulk of metal briefly flew past the hangar entrance, eclipsing any remote stars outside for a moment. "No, no, no..." the pilot mumbled; his fear, frustration and indecisiveness evident not only in his voice, but in the Force. Then he'd do something Dasi probably wouldn't expect: a push of the lever, and the VCX engines would power up to swiftly send the ship outside the hangar and into the black void below. The Padawan, of course, had every chance to stop him, if she wanted to.

If she didn't do that then, the shuttle would fly out of the hangar, to give the pilot a better view of what was going on. The aft of the Starblazer was caught between the giant metallic mandibles of a Bident-class corvette. The attackers—and it was obviously an attack—had to angle their ship in such a way that the yacht would fit between the mandibles. That mandible was the hulk of metal that the pilot had seen.

Unless interrupted outside the yacht, the pilot wouldn't give it a second thought to start plotting a hyperspace jump out of there. "Come on!" he'd pat the dashboard of the navicomputer anxiously. That way, the Togruta could end up lightyears from the Starblazer in a matter of minutes.

@darkrei9n

 

[Dasi Vemm]

The young Padawan heard a gasp from her companion and noticed how tense he suddenly appeared to be. She reached out with the force and found a mass sense of confusion when her comm link chirped and the voice of Master Tallis echoed throughout the confined cabin of the VCX. Ah, lights. The main weakness of those who relied on sight, she had grown kind of used to not having them. Then she felt a jolt and a familiar hum that had accompanied them the entire journey had suddenly stopped. That couldn't be good. She also happened to notice something vastly different. There were more people around them all of a sudden. A lot more.

An answer to one of her questions came from her comm link once again. She stepped away from the cockpit of the VCX as she decided answering the Knight's urgency was probably very worth it. "I'm currently in the hangar, talking to one of the pilots around here." She felt the floor beneath her jolt and could feel the ramp closing. She was back at the cockpit within a second. "Wait where are we going? The ships in danger I need to get to my Master!" The stone cold demeanor of the pilot in the force was gone, the fear she felt coming from him was the most she had ever felt. "I'm getting out of here. That hull section outside? That is part of a Bident-class corvette. That thing is armed to the teeth and has nearly triple the crew of our fair little ship. I'm not dying for some rich bitch who keeps making enemies."

She ship accelerated out of the hangar as he said this, where their fair little ship was grabbed by a tractor beam. The little ship struggled to accelerate, shaking as the pilot put more power into it. "C'mon! Just a little bit more. We can break it!" The padawan felt a surge of energy in the force and smoke began to fill the cabin as the engines suddenly gave out. She could hear the pilot slamming his fist against the console. "We're done for, they're pulling us towards one of those docking rings. They're going to execute us." Dasi listened as the young pilot began bemoaning his fate and instead turned her attention back to her comm link. "Master, it appears me and my new acquaintance are going to begin a boarding party." She turned to the pilot accompanying her. "Don't worry. A Jedi with her lightsaber is a unstoppable force." She wasn't saying that for him. She was trying to convince herself that as long as she had her lightsaber she was an unstoppable force.

The young Padawan took a deep breath as the small VCX drifted towards one of the docking rings. She unclipped her lightsaber from her belt and placed it in her lap as she dropped to her knees in the middle of the VCX. She needed to still her mind and meditating was the best way she knew how. It would take at least a few minutes for them to dock the ship and force their way through, there was no purpose in anticipating. Despite this the Padawan could feel her heart racing and her mind going through every possible scenario she could imagine.

@Catbert

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Hangar? Good. Although Dasi wasn't supposed to be there, it was a relatively safe place for her. For now, the Zeltron could focus on her mission—guard duty. Even though there were no windows, Nykoria could sense the presence of numerous people nearby, their intentions not friendly. Another ship? A boarding party? Not good.

She took the hilt off her belt, igniting one half of her saber staff with an azure glow. Nykoria could rely on the Force for navigation as much as the blind Padawan, but Phyllis Vasser and the other executives didn't have the option. Besides, Kori herself preferred having some light. "What's going on?" the CFO's voice brought the Zeltron back to the there and then. If the ship hadn't been destroyed or vented yet, the attackers clearly wanted some of them alive... Since they clearly could've done that together with killing the lights.

"We're under attack. Someone seeks to capture you or one of your guests," Nykoria looked around, unsure what to do. She had to protect the VIPs, that was for certain. They also needed the ship powered up again, if they wanted to get away from the pirates... That's when Dasi's comm interrupted her. A boarding party? The kriff was the Padawan thinking? "What boarding party? Just stay where you are, we'll try to get to you!" The Zeltron was responsible for the life of that kid, so she had to worry about her too... Even despite Dasi's rather advanced abilities for a Padawan. Little did Kori know that the Togruta was already outside the ship.

In the meantime, Kori addressed Phyllis. "I need your security on the bridge, keeping it sealed and safe. Meanwhile, your mechanics need to restore power before we get overwhelmed by a boarding party." The CFO was obviously not impressed: "And what about the rest of us? We can't just stay here while you go to maintenance!"

Mrs. Vasser had a point. A part of Nykoria knew she had to stay with the VIPs. She also needed to protect Dasi, jumpstart the ship somehow, and avoid losing its controls. A daunting task. And to make it worse, she was wearing her standard Jedi robes, and not her modified flight-suit. So much for the kriffin' dress code...

@darkrei9n

 

[Dasi Vemm]

"What boarding party? Just stay where you are, we'll try to get to you!" Well that was to late. Dasi listened as the sound of cutting gear began to cut through the airlock. The young Togruta put her entire attention into the force, watching the slow line of melted durasteel begin to start moving to make the breach hole. She grabbed the commlink off of her belt and responded to what she was beginning to feel was a potentially ill-advised command. "I'm sorry Master Tallis, I get the impression that staying put would not be advisable. The pilot attempted to run with one of the ships in the hangar, we did not get far. I will attempt to make my way back to your ship and assist."

The glowing orange line that represented the remaining time left aboard the VCX seemed to be moving faster now. She turned to the pilot since he seemed to have some knowledge of how everything worked. "Once we get past their team I will need your help making it back to the Starblazer. How well do you know this ship?" The pilot was now staring at her dumbfounded. "There are who knows how many men outside that door ready to shoot anything that moves in here, and you think you're going to get out? Are you insane? Are all Jedi insane!?" He was yelling at her now, as loud as he possibly could. "Even if you get through the boarders there could be who knows how many actually aboard that ship. For all you know the entire ship is standing outside that door waiting so they can capture the CFO!" She simply stood there and withstood the pilot's beratement. It wouldn't be worth it to try and begin shouting over him. As he finally finished she stated the facts. "We are not the CFO. If we do not serve a purpose we don't know what they will do to us. There are five men on the other side of that airlock. We either fight our way out or suffer an unknown fate. If you wish to stay here I will not force you to come with me."

They were almost done cutting through and the Togruta was feeling anxious once again. She was rubbing her thumb up and down the activator on her lightsaber but not actually activating it. The Padawan waited until the lines representing progress almost met and she put her own strategy into practice. She activated her own lightsaber, the familiar snap-hiss and the hum reassured her as she started her plan. She decided to finish the cut through the hull, slashing at the meager bit holding the section and calling on the force to push it towards the attackers. A loud thud and screams echoed through the corridor of the ship she had now boarded as she rushed in before her attackers could regain their footing. Her first move was to dash to the closest opponent and slash him from shoulder to hip, as remaining attackers realized what was happening they raised their blasters and started firing at the young Padawan.

Dasi had never actually deflected blaster bolts before. The training remotes at the temple had fired shots that would be absorbed instead of deflected into anyone else standing around. She found herself trying to figure out how to deflect them back at the source. As it was they were pretty much flying in random directions. The young Padawan heard another blaster and tensed up expecting this to be the end for her. Instead she heard a grunt of pain, and one of the blasters firing at her stopped. Another shot from the same source and the second attacker died off. "Aren't you Jedi supposed to deflect blaster fire back at the attacker?" The pilot walked out of the VCX blaster smoking at the tip of his barrel. He looked down as he heard a groan where the two boarders who were cutting through the hull of the VCX lay trapped underneath the heavy door. Two shots rang out as he put them out of their misery. "Better follow me, we need to disable the tractor beam, even if they fix the Starblazer we'll never get if those still work." The young Togruta nodded and stepped in place behind the pilot as they began to make their way to cause trouble.

@Catbert

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

The kriff? What was the Padawan up to? Was Dasi's ship just stranded in space or being tractored by the unknown attackers? Kori didn't know for sure, and the Togruta's answer didn't clear up much for the Zeltron. It did clear things up for the human CFO though: "They must've taken the VCX pinnace! It's the only ship down there large enough for them. And the only jump-capable escape pod." Karkin' great!

The Zeltron regretted that for all her progress in the Jedi arts, she hadn't learned to be present in multiple places at once. Because there and then, she needed to stay with the VIPs, help the Togruta, and jump-start the ship. Think, Kori! You can't help the Padawan now. And you need the systems online. The attackers clearly want the passengers alive, or else they'd have shut down life support.

There was only one somewhat viable option. "Come with me, all of you! I can keep you safe at the first level, while the guards secure the bridge." The Zeltron didn't give the executives much of a choice. If they wanted to stay alive and safe, sticking with a Jedi was the best choice. If only the Padawan had been still aboard, Nykoria wouldn't have been forced to do something like this.

...​

On her way to the elevator, Nykoria couldn't but notice that something else was off. It was as if her perception of the Force was clouded. She could no longer say for sure how many people were nearby, and where. Half-way to the elevator, someone had restored the lights. But only when the elevator doors open did the Zeltron realize how much her foresight had failed her. A dozen of men rushed out and took positions, guns trained at the Jedi and the dignitaries. To make things worse, the two security guards at the back grabbed a couple of VIPs by the throats as live shields, while pointing the guns at the purple-skinned Jedi.

"Drop your weapons, and you'll live! Resist and we kill them all!" Naturally, another hilt jumped into Nykoria's free hand before the attacker was finished with the demands. The second azure blade ignited, as the Zeltron turned to make her blades protect her from both directions, if the attack followed. Then something clicked in Kori's mind, as she saw Phyllis Vasser standing by her side; completely defenseless. She'd be dead if the fight erupted.

Slowly, the Jedi lowered her azure blades and then extinguished them with a rasp hiss. Moments afterwards, a barrage of bolts made contact with her arms and torso. To Kori's surprise, they didn't burn through her robes. In fact, the Zeltron had rarely felt such serenity. None of that mattered. Not even standing on her feet. As Nykoria fell on her knees, and the darkness consumed her, all that she could hear was a fearful scream from one of the dignitaries...

// As of now, Kori's participation in the thread is on hold.
@darkrei9n

 

[Dasi Vemm]

The weight of the dead intruders weighed heavily on Dasi's mind. The fact that she had cut a man in half without hesitating frightened her. She hadn't even bothered to give it a thought until the fight had ended, she had immediately began planning on how to kill the other two threats that were left. She hadn't even comprehended that forcing the section of hole she had cut out would crush the two men behind it. She tried to get a read off the pilot but his thoughts remained stone to her.

Something was off as Dasi moved with the pilot through out the ship. The corridors had been surprisingly empty and it was taking a surprising amount of time to make their way to the tractor beam. Eventually the pilot led her to a corridor where a surprisingly thick door sat shut to them. "Damn, they closed the blast doors. Even with proper cutting tools it could take hours. I don't know what to do!" The pilot placed his hands on his hips while Dasi tried to reach through the force to find some solution but nothing was immediately apparent to her. She sighed. "I think we need to find our way back to the Starblazer. If we find Master Tallis we can regroup and find some other solution." The pilot began to argue with her again. "What other solution? Do you know how hard it will be to get back to the Starblazer? That is going to be where the main boarding party is. The crew here is likely aware of our presence and searching for us, hence the blast door being shut. You need a better plan that isn't going to get both of us killed." The Padawan shrugged her shoulders. "I can't cut through that door. I'm sorry but I don't have a better plan."

The pilot rubbed his temples as he struggled to think of a solution. "Alright, so we make our way back to the Starblazer. We best get going then before they happen to find us." The young Padawan turned around and began walking away when the force warned her of a threat. She hopped to the side and ignited her lightsaber but a follow up shot knocked it from her hand. The Pilot stood there blaster in hand aimed at her. "This charade ends here. It was a good run Jedi. Had me afraid you might actually get somewhere. Was really worried when you managed to turn things around aboard the VCX. Honestly was more worried you would have deflected that blaster bolt right at me, but hey, fortune apparently favors the bold." The young Padawan could feel her own anger rising and rushed to control it. A lump formed in her throat as she spoke. "I... I t-trusted you!" She was yelling, she knew she shouldn't have been yelling but the emotions were surging out of control. "Why!?" The pilot just smiled. "Oh relax. You were just in the wrong place. You Jedi were supposed to be with the VIPs but you decided to ruin my escape route. Just relax, for some reason they want you alive." Dasi cocked her head as he fired another shot.

She braced for the pain but it never came. She soon began to lose feeling in her body starting from her arm and moving outward from there. She tried to lift her arm to call on the force but her mind felt muddied. She tried to step toward him but her foot only lifted slightly and she lost her balance falling to her knees before falling over. She tried to will her mind to stay awake but her thoughts remained elusive as she soon fell into a deep sleep.

//Dasi is asleep!
@Catbert

 

[The Storyteller]

Raider hideout, later date

"Report," the voice on the other end of the line was authoritative and dripping with impatience. Yet the raider leader was no slouch either: "We've got Vasser, her VIP guests, and their Jedi escort, just like you wanted. All we need is to make the exchange. How long until your envoys arrive?" The other voice clearly wasn't used to being asked questions in such a manner, replying with cold steel in their voice: "They'll be there when the time comes."

"They better be," the raider didn't yield. "At this rate, it's going to cost you extra. The take is big, the clients are plentiful, and we're running out of medication to keep the Jedi on ice. If you don't want them, we'll find someone else who'll buy them off us." The change in client's voice indicated that they didn't like it one bit: "My envoys will take the Jedi and their supporters from you. If not, then the consequences are on you." With that, the transmission was cut short. To the raider's chagrin, the client hadn't named the exact time of the exchange. And time was quickly becoming of the essence.

"You didn't mention the tracking device we found on Vasser's yacht," another raider remarked. That was the reason for urgency; whoever was watching over the Starblazer, they knew where the ship had ended up. A very regrettable oversight... But it could still be mitigated if the client wasn't such a slowpoke. "They don't need to know about the tracker. We'll just sell them the yacht too, or even give it for free as a bonus. Or just put that tracker on their ship. Once they're far from here, it'll look as if we weren't involved at all. I wasn't planning to work with those weirdos ever again. So they're useless to us once we get their credits."

— Wait, you're gonna just give them the yacht? Ain't that a top-tier ship?

— Yeah, it's hot, but in all meanings of the word. Better leave it for our silent friends. Just make sure to move the TIE Hunters and the VCX pinnace into our hangars. Yacht cargo goes to the hangars too, and the Jedi lightsaber go to my safe. If we aren't going to profit from those clients again, we might as well make as much money as possible now.

Spoiler: OOC & Tags

@Dmitri, @Topher Ridge, you're welcome to try and save the Jedi and the VIPs now.

The "silent partners" were meant to be the Sith, but they don't have to be. If you want to get involved in the thread somehow (for example, question a Jedi Knight/Master, or take the yacht and relieve it of the tracker / keep it for fun sakes), be my guest. Just let me know about your interest in the thread.

@darkrei9n, you're free to either play the captive, or keep Dasi in a medically-induced coma. Your call. If the Sith do show up, we'll figure out how to play things right. It doesn't necessarily have to be a PVP. For example, a Sith could interrogate the Jedi while the rescuers are still making their way into the facility.

 

[Jago Haaldin]

Jago's stomach turned as the dropship lurched again as it hit the atmosphere of the planetoid. By his ancestors he hated flying, the feeling of being completely disconnected from the ground beneath him had always unnerved the Nautolan. Since he'd become more active with the Jedi he'd gotten slightly more used to it, well he wasn't throwing up anymore at the least. Jago was alone in the passenger compartment, with only brief updates from his pilot, a zabrak female sympathetic to the Jedi, to break the silence.

"One minute till we're in range," the pilot yelled back and Jago gave a half-hearted 'thumbs up' in response. As the ship lurched again Jago just kept his mind on the task at hand. Something had gone wrong with Kori and her apprentices mission. They'd lost contact several days ago and it could only be something bad. It was a lucky break that whoever was responsible hadn't found the tracker on board the yacht. A proper Jedi team was to assembled to come and aid Kori and Dasi, but Jago had just happened to be closest person at the moment. He'd jumped at the chance to help his Jedi allies, especially if they were in some serious trouble.

"30 seconds pal, you ready!" Jago nodded and managed to finally speak. "Stay high, out the range of any sensors. I wanna go in quite yeah?" The pilot returned a thumbs up and angled to take them over the ships location. Earlier sensor sweeps had located a decently sized compound that was last location of the ship. As of the moment Jago had no idea if they knew he was coming, but his pilot mentioned it was impossible for them to not have found the tracker by now. So as the side doors opened in front of the Matukai he assumed they would at least be on alert for trouble. A storm had rolled in and rain pelted the ship and Jago as he waited to make his jump, the storm provided the perfect cover.

"Alright, in 5...4...3...2...1....it's now or never squidhead!" The ship lurched once again as it came to a brief stop above the raider base. Jago couldn't help a smile at the pilot's comment and he stepped forward and was weightless for a moment before he began to plunge toward the ground. The sound of the ship peeling off was muffled by the sound of rushing air and the rain around him as he descended, the compound came into clearer view as continued his freefall. As he neared the structure he let the force flow through him and he used the effort to harden the bones in his arms and hands as his target came into view. A large antenna situated on the roof of the base came closer and closer. Jago reached out at the last second and took hold of it. The impact jarred him to the core, without his use of the force he knew it probably would've ripped his arms from the sockets. The metal bent from Jago's weight and he let his momentum carry him around and around the pole, his speed slowed with each rotation. Once satisfied he was at a safe speed he let go, the antenna sprung back to it's original position while Jago flipped in the air and landed with a soft thud on the roof and stayed in a low crouch. He looked around to make sure he was clear. Seemed good so far.

"Well, at least the easy parts done yeah?" He muttered to himself.

@darkrei9n @Catbert (tagging just to let you know I've posted)

 

[Cyrus Anvari]

As it turned out, 'when the time comes' was rather soon, coincidentally some time before the rescue team would arrive. Wolfgang was no stranger to the criminal underworld, nor to working with other Sith for the sake of profit and power. He may even have had contact with this particular gang of hyperlane raiders at one point or other, though likely not on behalf of the Sith. He didn't much even look like one of the mysterious red blades unless he was explicitly fighting on their side, such as during the Battle of Ryloth. With his connections and experience, it thus fell to him to engage with the scum of the galaxy. Today, it was pirates. But really, it was usually pirates.

He was dressed in his fine working attire, matched pairs of practical lightsabers beneath his coat, RSKF heavy blaster on a thigh holster, , and a pair of eight-inch vibroknives on the back of the belt, also beneath his coat. He'd chosen to leave behind the hooded cowl and go simply with the helmet, wisely not trusting your average pirate raider not to try and find some angle to kark him over. He also had a small briefcase containing payment in the form of unmarked aurodium flat ingots, a universal currency in the Outer Rim. Credits had little value in certain circles, but shiny metals were worth plenty.

A briefcase full of aurodium was also an excellent bludgeon if one was strong enough to wield it, but hopefully no one would need to learn that lesson today.

The Deliverance signaled its approach to the band of malcontents and Wolfgang alerted his companion they were soon to land. The yacht would make its way to whatever landing area was designated, ramp lowering to allow the two Sith to say hello to the rag-tag welcoming committee. This was sure to be interesting. A pair of Jedi had been captured, something the raiders almost certainly didn't want to deal with any longer than was absolutely necessary. They tended to attract their friends.

Best get to work.

@Topher @Topher Ridge @Catbert @darkrei9n

 

[Gram Van Alasdaire]

- Music -​

Coordinating his efforts with his cousin was surprising, to say the least. Gale and Eileen had not been on ideal terms since the onset of his adoptive and her biological father’s sickness. The elder Van Alasdaire had nearly drained himself in the process of saving Gale’s life - something Eileen only blamed the Vahla as a result of his fall to the Dark Side. But it would seem Hynd’s words had finally reached Eileen’s ears - if they fought amongst themselves, the Sith would destroy them all.

That was why the Sorcerer elected to grace his allies with his presence today. There was a strong potential the trip would be lucrative in credits, but that was only one third of the benefits involved in this mission. The increasing of standing, respect and trust was not to be undersold or overstated - a vital and required part of his continual relationship to their Order. Whether joining their ranks was his intention didn’t really matter.

The Mantis careened down from it’s place in the skies above, circling the Sith vessel playfully, as though a hyena mocked prey or a lion teased its young. His transponder still sent off an encrypted Sith signal, so, he doubted the pair would fire on him. Putting the vessel down as quickly as he dared, Gale quickly strapped on his magnetic Sith insignia on both arms and placed the code cylinders back in their respective locations. Once the name tag was placed and the helmet fastened - he was prepared. At his side hung his saber and a DL-44, on his back swung a lithe vahlan smelt electro-halberd.

The chromium doors of the Mantis hissed open and dropped with a dull thud. The smoke from Gale’s pipe made his entrance seem foggy and mysterious. Cig and caf in hand, the Vahla would make his way from his shuttle in a calm and orderly fashion - towards the location of his targets.

Most folks in the Galaxy expected Sorcerers to conjure illusions and mental projections - but Gale knew real magic. A fool-proof guide to pulling off the greatest magic trick of all time? Pre-planning. You need the right set of tools, and the skills to use them. Fly casual. You will have to do things to befuddle and confuse your audience, making them believe you are something you are not. Before you know it, you’ll have the right onlooker exactly where you want them to be.

Step 2?

The grand entrance.

@Nykoria Tallis @Jago Haaldin @Dasi Vemm

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

It seemed that now that one was within the public's eye, keeping a low profile when acting directly and openly in the Sith Order's interests couldn't be over stressed. Normally given the current situation and standing, she would elect to keep a wide distance from the direct actions of the Order, choosing to stay within the back ground and work to better the Eternals cause and standings from afar. But the prospect that not only had a Senator but Jedi been captured by the the pirates seemingly under the employ of her counter part, Cyrus - had provided an unique opportunity for the Sith.

Dressed in what had become her Sith attire, the blonde female looked over the metallic mask, her lip curling slightly in repugnance at the appearance of the mask - evoking bitter reminiscence of the cult of Locura. But perhaps the sweet irony was that despite the wayward cult's delusions for power and ascension, the spoils of their down fall would perhaps see just a contributing moment that would lead to the rise of the Sith once again - if only for the time being until a better more suited shroud could be forged. Rolling her head back, the blonde Sith drew her hair back before sliding the mask over her face and fastening it in place, concealing any of her features behind the metallic shroud, and then pulling the hood of her cowl over her head.

Stepping out of the room that she had been allocated aboard Cyrus' yacht, Ceryx joined the Firrerreon at the boarding ramp of the yacht, a darkening chill sweeping over the air as the female Sith opened her mind into the Force and started to channel it's dark energies through her. An intimidating foreboding presence was one thing to dregs like these pirates, but when they had Jedi contained and in a drugged comatose state, there would be cause for caution. Pausing as the pair moved through the confines of the ship towards the meeting point, Ceryx summoned the waiting First order era medical droid with a simple gesture , instructing the hovering droid to follow the two Sith.

 

[Dasi Vemm]

"I don't care about your problems! Keep the damn Jedi asleep. You have enough drugs here to keep a damn hutt sedated and you're trying to tell me you can't keep a Togruta asleep." Dasi groaned in her sleep. Words seemed to filter past her unconscious state and stream into her head. Sedated? Jedi? Wait... She tried to shake her head as the drugs keeping her asleep seemed to be wearing off. A loud beeping noise threatened to wake her up even more and she tried to move her arm to deal with the noise but it refused to move. More noises from somewhere in the room. She tried to reach out to the force to provide her awareness once more but it seemed far away and isolated from her. She heard the door open once more and the sound of someone getting hit.

"Damn it! Shes waking up. Give her more drugs, actually, you know what move out of the way I'll do it myself." The sound of someone smashing into something echoed through the room and a cry of pain. Dasi felt a slight pressure on her arm, she tried to raise her other arm to try and feel the intrusion but a cold chill seemed to flow through her making her docile once more. She tried to fight the urge to sleep once again but the feeling overtook her and she went limp once more.

In one of the cells at the facility a medical technician rose to his feet, he was bleeding from a minor cut where a scalpel had fell and scratched him. It wouldn't be the first time he had been pushed into a tray of medical equipment and been cut, it certainly wouldn't be the last. He watched as one of pirates placed a syringe to the Togruta's arm and injected the entirety of the contents into her. He panicked. "No no no no no no. That will kill her. It is far to much. Do you not understand how hard it is to keep somebody asleep without killing them? It isn't just inject them with whatever willy nilly. Do you even know how much she weighs? What drugs work on Togruta physiology? Because I don't and I've been doing this for a decade!" The medical technician put his hands to his head. His heart was racing now. This imbecile was going to kill the Jedi and he was going to get blamed for it. "Remind me again just how many years of medical school you shot down the drain again?" The pirate he was berating started to stammer out an answer but the technician cut him off. "Just get out. Get out before you kill her and get us both killed. Because if I have to die because of your screw ups I will make sure you go down with me!" The pirate relented under the ferocious onslaught from the technician and bowed out. He stopped before the door and turned around. "Talk to me like that again and I'll make sure no one finds your corpse."

The medical technician shook his head as the pirate left the confines of the cell converted into a minor medical facility. He walked over to the Togruta, glanced at her vitals and cursed. Her heart rate was dropping. The dumb idiot was going to actually kill the Togruta with sheer stupidity. The technician pulled a drawer out of the container next to her and rummaged through it before shoving it closed and ripping out the next one sending it flying. His hands were shaking now. The Jedi was going to die if he couldn't find it. He ripped out another drawer before finding what he was looking for on the ground. He grabbed the syringe and gave the needle a flick before placing it in the Togruta's arm, he would be damned if this Jedi would die on his watch.

Dasi's eyes flew open as her heart seemed to go from zero to one hundred in no time flat. The force was no longer distant and isolated but she struggled to access it as it seemed like pure adrenaline was injected into her. She saw someone with the force standing next to her injecting something. He seemed to be distracted staring at a screen next to her. "That's right. Keep on living Jedi. As soon as that heart stabilizes we'll put some more sedatives in you." He was completely oblivious to the fact that she was awake. He seemed to notice something and clapped his hands together before reaching for another syringe. The young Padawan decided it was time to speak up.

"No. I'm good, I'm awake. What happened?" Her recent memories seemed to be a blur. She could remember she had been on a mission with Master Tallis, when something had happened. "You're awake but its not safe. You've been injured. I need to put you back to sleep before you hurt yourself moving around. You're need to rest until we can get you in a bacta tank." The technician was moving to sedate her again but her arm shot up to grab his arm. He was trying to put his weight into it, alarms were going off in Dasi's head now. "I'm not hurt. Why would you say that?" The technician grabbed the syringe with his other hand and put his entire bodies weight into trying to force the syringe down. "There was an explosion. You need to let me sedate you before you hurt yourself. You could have all kinds of internal bleeding. Now relax."

The young Togruta brought her other hand around his wrist to keep him from sticking her with the needle. "Stop. Just let me think." The technician let go and punched her in the face. The young Togruta flinched away and her arms failed her. She rolled off the bed as the syringe plunged into where she had just been. She groaned as she hit the ground rear end first and rolled over to get to her feet. The technician pulled the syringe out and stepped around the bed she had just been on. "Listen. Its simple. Stop fighting and just relax and before you know it this will all be over. Otherwise I'm going to have to hit you again and again until you go to sleep the hard way." Dasi was sure of his intentions now. She dropped into a fighting stance as the technician approached needle in hand. He came down in an overhead strike that would have struck her with the needle if she hadn't knocked the blow aside and retaliated with her fist to his solar plexus. The technician dropped to the ground coughing and struggling to breathe.

"Now where am I?" The young Jedi bent her knees to bring her down closer to the technician and pulled the syringe out of his hands. "What am I doing here and why are you trying to knock me out?" The medical technician's only response was to keep breathing between fits of coughing. "We're no longer aboard the Starblazer. Or any ship for that matter... The last thing I remember... " The memories came flooding back, the pilot, he had betrayed her and his bosses. He had shot her, how long had she been out? She needed to get out of here before her captors realized she was awake. She looked over at the door and shook her head. She could sense more presences that way. She did sense a passage above her and sighed. She was small enough to slip into vents...

Decision in mind the young Padawan pulled open the vent with the force and glanced back down at the technician. "Sorry for this." She placed the needle into his arm and injected a tiny bit. She wasn't sure how effective this would be or if it even worked but she couldn't afford to leave the technician awake, and it was better then killing him. Confident that he was asleep the young Togruta used the force to jump up to the vent before pulling herself inside. She could feel her shoulders pressing up against the sides, it was a tight fit. She pushed and pulled working her way through cringing at the noise. A bantha forcefully shoved into the vent with her would have been making less noise then she was. She was having serious regrets about this choice of plan.

@Aurius @Mr. Teatime @Topher Ridge @Catbert

 

[The Storyteller]

— What do you mean "We lost a Jedi"?! The kriff is going on down there?
— Telesso almost killed the Togruta with a dose of sedatives. The doc saved her, but she subdued him. He said she must've escaped through the vents.
— Damn, the envoys' ships are coming... We can't let them know about the kark-up. Don't raise the alarm, but tell the men to be on the lookout. Bag the Togruta quietly before it's too late. If the envoys ask, show them the other Jedi first.

...​

The trio of envoys were met in the spacious hangar by a middle-aged beige-skinned Zabrak. The only remarkable features about him was a chipped front horn, a trooper armor which he wore without a helmet, and a E-11D rifle in his hands. He was accompanied by 4 people in similar gear; but with their helmets on, it was hard to distinguish what species they were.

"Perfect timing. The meds to keep them Jedi snoring sure are expensive," the right side of the Zabrak's mouth curled up in a smirk. "I assume you want to see them right away."

If that was their choice, the Zabrak and his armed escorts would surround the guests and escort them down the corridors of the facility. The mercs were sure running a tight ship: during the walk, the Sith would encounter a few patrols with similar gear and equipment, checking the corridors. Hopefully, the Togruta wouldn't happen to make noise there and then, or else the scene could become quite awkward for the Zabrak and quite deadly for the young Padawan.

Eventually, they'd be brought to a holding cell. Inside it was a vertical gurney with restraints, next to a tall machine with pumps and switches. The guest of honor, a purple-skinned alien woman with a burned face was strapped to the gurney. Relieved of her weapons and even much of clothes, apart from underwear and pants. Contrary to what one might expect, that had been done just so that the needles from the machine could be inserted into the Zeltron's vein. Though one of the Sith might recognize a healed burn on the left side of her stomach.

It remained up to the envoys if they'd want to wake the Zeltron up, and what questions they'd ask... If not, the Jedi would remain safely sedated for now. After all, there was also Phyllis Vasser and a few VIPs from Coruscant.​

"Though we do have another offer," still in the hangar, the Zabrak gestured at a vessel parked there. "That's Vasser's yacht. Top of the line. We've got a few buyers already, but the boss figured it'd be fair to make you that offer first."

If any of the arrivals expressed interest in the ship, the Starblazer was standing right there in the hangar, available for inspection. Larger than a Corellian Corvette, its 170 meters of speed, luxury, and hangar capacity dwarfed any other vessel in the hangar. A perfect ship for whatever legitimate or illegitimate goals. Most of the crew survived too, and could be "encouraged" to lend their services to a new "employer".

Naturally, the ship and crew wouldn't come cheap. And the raider's wouldn't mind haggling about the price either. After all, their goal was to win some time to find the missing Jedi, as well as to get the ship off their hands.​

...​

Dasi would end up in a rather strange situation. Alone, in an unknown place, crawling through the narrow passage. Luckily, the darkness of the vents wouldn't be a hindrance to the blind Padawan. If it weren't for the noise she was making, she'd be perfectly safe from the pirates. Not so much from the Sith though.

They could probably sense the Padawan's presence, but the extent remained to be seen. In the best case, they'd just acknowledge her presence as another captured Jedi nearby. In the worst case, they'd learn from the pirates that a Jedi has escaped, and then the Padawan's escape would prove rather short.

The pirates on their own however? Even with the noise Dasi was making, they'd have a problem catching her. The Sith allegedly wanted her alive, that much hasn't changed yet. So the pirates would have to use stun mode. And the stun bolts had a problem: they couldn't pierce through the vent walls.

That left the raiders in an awkward situation: they couldn't slip into the vents and couldn't shoot through the walls. All they could do was follow the noise and try to shoot into an opening to stun the Togruta inside, should she show up. That left Dasi some room for maneuvers. She could choose where and when she'd want to emerge. But more importantly, why? Arm herself? Track down and retrieve the lightsabers? Try and save Master Tallis? Find the leader of the raiders? Simply escape with one of the fighters in the hangar? In the end, it was up to Dasi's choice more than up to any other circumstances.

...​

With all the things going on, Jago's spectacular arrival that happened some time later was left rather unnoticed. Normally, a drop and a thud like that would've made the security twitchy. But with Dasi making so much noise, and the guards on the lookout for her, another thud and a brief problem with the antenna didn't draw too much attention. That gave the Nautolan a good opportunity to continue his infiltration.

However, that didn't account for Dasi crawling through the vents, or the Sith who were either aboard the yacht, or still checking up on the prisoners they had come for. Perhaps some of them might sense the presence of the Matukai as well. Getting to the Jedi (especially Dasi) wouldn't be too hard. But escaping the facility with both Jedi and their weapons would be a different story...

Spoiler: OOC & Tags

@Mr. Teatime, @Topher, @Aurius, @darkrei9n, @Topher Ridge

I figure a good idea will be to run it like "Galaxy in Crisis". As in, there's no strict posting order for now inbetween checkpoints (my posts as the Storyteller or as Nykoria Tallis, if/when she gets involved). I've made it so that you can progress as far as you'd prefer (for example, to the point where Kori is woken up or abandoned, the money changes hands, etc.)

 

[Gram Van Alasdaire]

The Embers Of Vahl were hunters and sorcerers; a mystic warrior militia in charge of the defense of Vahl’s Chosen and her representatives. That was why it would be little surprise when two red clad warriors, with markings similar to Gale’s own and matching halberd and axe descended the ramp of his ship to flank him on either side. The Vahla motioned to them both and then gave a short nod towards the ship. They drew their weapons even as he began to speak.

“Go and secure the cargo my allies saw fit to travel so far to acquire. Ensure the Jedi are both real and alive.”

“Don’t worry, Gale. We’ll wrap this up quickly. You do your Sith thing.”

“Honor, Kis’al. Earn it. Go, do whatever is necessary. Kill them all - Save Vasser alive and brought to me!”

The pair made their way onto the vessel, slowly drawing their blasters and keeping melees raised. The security onboard the vessel were scrambling to secure the prisoners, but it seemed one at least had the nerve to question the presence of the Vahla. As a result, the lead guardsman swung his blade in a clean arc - stopping just before removing the pirate’s head. After informing them they were here to locate the Jedi - they were immediately greeted by blasters. Upon re-evaluation of the prisoners escape, however, the Captain made the decision to allow the Vahla to help in exchange for part of the reward - their semi-cartilage skeletons being invaluable in passing small areas.

And so they did, but to her surprise the pair immediately struck down any mercenaries or cameras in the vicinity should she appear in need of aide. Otherwise, they would locate her when she re-emerges. Turning to the captive Jedi (Desi), they spoke in turn.

“My name is Ki’sal, Paladin of Vahla. We are allies of your Order, and have come to rescue you. Take the pistol - it needs to look like you killed them. Gale will have to handle the security footage himself. Ral?”

Raphael turned to the pair and nodded his crimson helm, raising his blaster and motioning for them to follow. (Passing control of these NPCs to you.) @Dasi Vemm

Meanwhile, Gale turned to both Alyse and her rather...muscular companion with a small bow and a smile. He removed his helmet, both to light his smoke and confirm that it was in fact him beneath the helmet. She had only grown more striking in the time since they’d last met, though he could not see - only feel and sense her. But so too had she fallen further, he could feel the aura around her - black as night. Both of them.

“As gorgeous as ever. Good to see you again. Greetings, to the one I have not met. My guards have gone to reinforce your troops and ensure our quarry stays... under wraps until your negotiation is completed. If things get heated, they will also support a retreat -“

He raised his voice slightly so everyone in the vicinity could hear him, very clearly.

“They are, however, here to cut down anyone who barks. Regardless of who they are, should you threaten me. That will be your only warning. Vasser and I have unfinished business.”

Turning back to the pair, he smiled again and motioned towards his own vessel. It happened to contain a number of both legal and illicit substances that he would be more than pleased to share with his colleagues. It had been some time since they’d caught up, and Gale was genuinely interested in any knowledge the pair had garnered of the ancient Sith.

“Now that the unpleasantness has seemingly concluded, maybe you’d care to join me for a drink? It’s been a few cycles since we last talked. I’m sure a lot has changed. Besides, I have an offer I think you’d both like to hear.”

@Alyse TiVarnus @Cyrus Anvari

 

[Jago Haaldin]

-Obligatory Sneak Music-​

The rain pelted down on Jago as he crouched on the roof of the compound. Ok just need to find away inside first yeah? The Matukai creeped his way over the roof and kept an eye out for any openings. He smiled as he spotted what was more than likely a maintenance hatch that had been left open. As quickly as he dared he slipped inside and descended a short ladder and into a small corridor, he was inside at least. Jago knew he had his work cut out for him, as while not huge, the base was still a lot of ground to cover while he tried to go unnoticed. The force could aid him but he sided on caution as he had no idea who could sense him here. Better to remain hidden as long as possible.

He crept down the corridor, his foot steps light and pace slow, his eyes scanned every shadow and corner for possible threat. He came to a junction that cut 2 opposite directions. Lucily the paths were labeled with one that lead to what looked like the hangar and one leading to storage. After a moments pause Jago headed down the corridor to the hangar, Need to at least make sure the ships even here, a yacht should stand out like a wampa on Jakku in a place like this yeah?

A sudden sound stopped Jago in his tracks however. The unmistakable sound of foot falls on hard metal flooring. Jago looked around desperate as the foot steps were clearly coming from the corner up ahead.

"Can't believe that jedi got loose. What a karking joke." "What the hell are you telling me for, I know that, that's the only reason we're even on this damn patrol you idiot." "Well yeah I know, just saying how hard is it to keep some kid asleep." "Apparently very, now shut up and let's go check the freakin' roof, though I have no idea how she would've gotten out there." The pair would continue to banter as they walked, though if they had been paid closer attention they would've noticed odd drops of water coming from ceiling as they walked under a recess above them. A recess that Jago had managed to contort and jam himself into just before the pair rounded the corner. As their foot steps faded Jago would climb down without a sound and continue toward the hangar. Well at least he knew that the padawan was still alive and apparently had some fight in her. Good, they were going to need that if they wanted to make it out of here in one piece.

@darkrei9n @Aurius @Topher @Mr. Teatime @Catbert

 

[Cyrus Anvari]

Naturally, Wolfgang took notice of the unfamiliar ship that circled down along with the Deliverance. He had not been given prior notice of this ship joining them on this errand. The vessel gave off a Sith signal, but that didn't mean they weren't a potential threat or other problem, considering who and what the Sith were. They would just have to see.

The Sith stepped down the ramp and snapped his fingers sharply, his pair of Viper droids as well as two red-armoured soldiers borrowed from the Guavian death gangs following the two Sith down the ramp. The two droids stayed by the ramp on either side while the soldiers followed behind the Sith as they approached. Wolfgang's eyes turned behind his mask to observe the arrival of the other ship's owner. His first impression was... Less than stellar, to say the least.

Bright red heavy armour with a full, sealed helmet, but carrying a cup of caf and a cigarra. He intended to take the helmet off, likely for show along with the gaudy halberd on his back. How incredibly unprofessional. Wolfgang was already suspicious as to the intentions of this unknown Sith who shouldn't be here, and the two Guavian soldiers raised their rifles as the two Embers readied their own weapons. The mysterious new Sith's next words quickly solidified Wolfgang's opinion of him.

“Go and secure the cargo my allies saw fit to travel so far to acquire. Ensure the Jedi are both real and alive," Gale had said to his pair of guards, quite a rude thing to do without even first introducing himself. Clearly he was in a hurry, an odd detail. Someone had told him what was happening here and Wolfgang was quite sure it wasn't himself. Which meant trouble. The man and his red-armoured guard started to say something else, but Wolfgang had a few choice words of his own for this carmine-clad cretin who had seen fit to edge in on his business.

"Step no further or there will be violence" Wolfgang interrupted Gale and his two guards in lightly accented basic, voice rumbling smoothly out from behind his mask in a tone of casual authority, the two Guavian soldiers raising their weapons up toward the Ember guards. The Sith was quite ready to fight in the case they refused to comply for one reason or another. He had no problem whatsoever fighting others of his order. This was their very nature, after all. "You are no ally of mine, interloper." In fact, if the guards moved forward or to fight regardless the Guavian soldiers would begin to fire toward center mass, though otherwise they would simply keep their eyes and weapons locked on their targets.

Assuming the three red-armoured figures stopped in place as commanded, Wolfgang turned to look at the Zabrak who had also joined them with his guards, nodding slightly in greeting. "My apologies for the wait. Our mutual employer has little concept of a steady schedule. My offer is here," he indicated the metal briefcase in his left hand, "for the ship and prisoners, post inspection." Of course he'd come prepared. Whatever information the prisoners could provide, the ship was also a valuable asset that the pirates would doubtless want to get off their hands. It was almost certainly hot in some way or other because of its affiliation, but Wolfgang knew people who could scrub away those problems.

"Jedi first if you don't mind. One can only keep them contained for so long, I hear," he said to the Zabrak. Something danced on the edge of his senses, but he couldn't tell if it was an awake Jedi or a sleeping Jedi. He couldn't much tell the difference at a distance, but he rather hoped the pirates hadn't lost one. That could prove... Problematic.

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