Help!

[Vollen Shai]

Theme​

The Deep Core was awash with problems as the galaxy seemed to drift further and further into war.

Earthquakes, even with great technology, logistics, support structures, could still wreak havoc upon a city. And so it had on Khomm. At Heh'l much of the city had been damaged without warning, a rumble beneath peoples feet becoming more and more until stone was torn apart and buildings crumbled into the ground. For now it was manageable, for now the authorities were keeping up with calls for aid, assistance. But as warnings rang in from the cities tsunami detectors, and aftershocks continued to sully the buildings, the place needed to be evacuated, and fast.

With the scale of destruction, and the imminent threat of the tsunami, two Jedi, Masters Vollen Shai and Bruce Guleya, have touched down upon the planets surface, ready to lend their assistance,

"It's over here Master Jedi" the diminutive Dug fire-chief explained, as he walked the Jedi to the crumbling remains of what was once a highrise block,

"We just can't reach them, its too dangerous for our fellas, and we still got this whole block to get to higher ground. If you could try and..." the Dug drifted off, his mind clearly focused on too many problems at once,

"We'll find a way to get them out, you look after the others chief" Vollen replied, turning from the Dug and looking at the building. It certainly seemed like it was on its last legs, and from reaching into the force he could sense those still trapped inside. Four people, from what he could feel, four people they wouldn't let down,

"Ready Bruce?"

@Zigara

 

[Bruce Guleya]

People thought the Deep Core was rather safe compared to the rest of the galaxy. People often had a little elitist status thinking they'd be untouchable - true, the Deep Core would be much safer than somewhere like Outer Rim and Fringe space or Wild Space; but no one was truly immune to everything. Sooner or later, it catches up to you.

Here the Caretaker of First Knowledge stood, a solid friend and colleague close at hand. Ready to take on the forces of nature and make some more lives matter in the galaxy. The galaxy would remember, the Jedi never truly abandoned them, that they were always here preparing to help - and what better way to do that then to save innocents trapped as the structures would slowly swallowed up by the surface below.

Bruce had never been on this planet, he would have enjoyed coming here during a time of peace, to learn, to excavate, to understand. But alas, the Galaxy doesn't always play fair and can come at you with teeth jagged ready to throw another challenge to see how you handle it - sometimes it's a simple 1-2-3 and other times it calls in your creativity to solve it - this was going to be one of those challenges he suspected.

Bruce hurried along with the dug Chief and Vollen as they were quickly ushered to the problem site. While they spoke, Bruce looked at the scene before him. A sense of purpose, a sense of terror, a sense of helplessness; the people were starting to panic - but it was a mild panic he could feel. But that sense was enough to remind the two that they wouldn't have an unlimited amount of time and sooner than later that mild case will heighten and blow in to chaos. These Jedi were NOT prepared to allow that to happen.

Bruce was feeling a bit hyped up. It had been some time since he had to do something like this, this is part of what he lived for.

Without removing his gaze on the building he responded to the question of the Jedi Master with him, "Vollen. More than you realize." Since they had been working much closer together, titles seemed to melt away, they were friends. Bruce was subtly bringing the soothing energies of the Force into him, knowing full well that they'll need an enhanced reaction time if they wanted to do this quick. "Four. We must be cautious, the structure is not completely stable and their level of stress is beginning to rise. If we do not act swiftly, they may become panicked. Panic then leads to burning through the remaining levels of oxygen." He obviously didn't need to explain that, Vollen surely knew.

@Nightfall096

 

[Vollen Shai]

Nodding along with Bruce's words Vollen had to concur, there wasn't much time for them to get through this, and there were far more dangers than one could possibly keep track of. But hearing Bruce so quickly assess the situation and ready himself for what laid ahead... well, it was good to have a friend by his side,

"In which case..." Vollen reached out further with the force as he began to move closer toward the building, crossing the danger line set up by authorities to save anyone else going in and finding themselves trapped alongside those they'd meant to save. Breathing deeply, his mind met his targets, a pair huddled close together a few flights up, fifth floor. While the other two were split between the bottom and third floor, trapped beneath the rubble. This was not going to be an easy rescue,

"I'll find a way upstairs to the first two, work down, meet you in the middle" He said, bazing up the side of the building, searching, praying for a way inside. He turned to Bruce as he readied himself to climb,

"I will see you back here" he offered the bardottan a smile, before moving to the side of the building. A fire escape still clung to the side of the building, though only just, but it gave him a clear shot up to the fifth where he needed to be. Using aerokinesis to cushion his steps, Vollen bounded up the stairs with haste, each of his footfalls as quiet as a whisper. Though the planet had other plans.

Though he exited the fire escape onto the fifth floor, the ground beneath them rumbled as an aftershock made the city buckle, and the last of the bolts that held the escape in place tumble from the wall, sending the fire escape with it. Vollen exhaled, focusing himself. The pair couldn't be far, and there was no time for second chances now. He could only hope his friend was having more success on the lower levels.

@Zigara

 

[Bruce Guleya]

Bruce nodded at his fellow Councilor.

He watched the human scurry up the fire exit and into the building. He made the decision to watch and hang back even though some lives were at risk, it wasn't hard to weigh the decision - but it didn't make it any easier on himself. He made the decision, he knew he could save Vollen if he fell dangerously - but he totally didn't expect it. He just wanted to make sure Vollen was in and he was, now there was no time to lose.

Bruce scanned the area, he dug deep into his connection to ensure he could get a fix on the exact location of the victims. As soon as he walked in and then up, that's what he could feel. Step one was to find an entrance, realistically he might as well just go through the front door. It wasn't a massive fire or anything so it should be quick. Bruce broke the danger line and advanced forward, Master Shai was already inside and now it was time to do what Jedi do best. He went in through the front door, as he suspected it was easy enough. He reached out, he got his bearings of where the victim was; he almost had it but then the world shook beneath him and he stumbled - it broke his focus for the moment - and now he was back. Knowing the direction he traversed it.

Bobbing and weaving, through the door and over the rubble, he had detected the life signs of the victims, vibrant as they were. They were still good, it was still early obviously. He could hear the faint cries of a people trapped. Small bits of rubble had trapped them into a room, Bruce got to work quickly. Using the Force to wrap the rubble and casually move bit by bit off to the side - he couldn't pull them all at once, and it wasn't that he wasn't strong enough - it was due to the sensitive nature of the building. He couldn't Force it away either, because of the state - if he blew through it or rapidly tossed rubble; or even if he put too much weight on one area he ran the risk of collapsing everything.

Done. "Hurry. Make for the entrance now!" The Jedi instructed. It didn't take them much to scurry away.

He looked up now, Bruce was trying to find the next person; it was a few floors up.

@Nightfall096

 

[Vollen Shai]

Peace.

The rivers, twisting eddies and currents of the force rippled around Vollen as he reached out into it, deigning the position of the survivors of the wreck.

Chaos.

The floor rumbled, cracked with every step. He couldn’t fathom the danger around him. He couldn’t think about it. If he did surely it would crumble beneath him. For now then Vollens mind remained solely on the survivors he sought. Feeling them huddled together beneath a duracrete slab, a gap keeping them inches from death. There was still time.

Breaking from his trance he dashed forwards, darting to the presence he felt before him. With the force at his hands he lifted the slab from above them, cautiously shifting it away onto the wracked floor. The two were alive, breathing, shaken beyond belief,

“Hey, hey now, you’re here, you’re safe, with me” he spoke, trying to calm the pair. A mother and son, huddled together for safety,

“Come on, we have to get you out of here” he said, helping them up, leading them to the edge of the building,

“Alright, trust me, you’ll be safe, I promise” Vollen gave them as much comfort as he could, before clasping them firmly with the force before lowering them over the edge. Steadily, carefully he manevured them off the crumbling building, toward the ground.

That was just it, the building, it was falling apart beneath him. Kriff. He’d thought about it. That was when it fell. The floor beneath him gave way in an instant, and it took all the focus within him to hold the pair for as long as he could. There wasn’t far to the ground, they’d make it down with a few scrapes, but they’d be safe. Vollen, on the other hand, fell. Onto the floor below, as the building shook and tore at the seams. As the dust and rubble let off, his head swam, thrown to the ground on the floor below. The building still stood, but for how long Vollen couldn’t say,

“Come on Bruce, we can do this” he said under his breath, finding his feet again.


@Zigara

 

[Bruce Guleya]

Bruce didn't hesitate any longer after the large rumble. He quickly traced the closest and most efficent route; which happened to be some of the floor giving way in the last shake. This granted the bardottan a chance to close the gap quickly. He climbed over the rubble before looking up and using the Force the leap into the next level, he rolled as a small tremor brought dust and small bits of stone down. With the roll complete he took off with blinding speed up the nearest stairs and arrived quickly to the next group, huddled but not buried.

He scooped the individuals up, small in comparison and soon he suspect Vollen would arrive by his side.

"We must move. No hesitation." Bruce looked for a nearby exit and quickly scurried over stumbling under the weight of his passengers, he looked out the window and had to make a decision. Down below a fire brigade had assembled with a mat and had deployed it. A large cushion. The bardottan put his passengers down and pointed down below.

"Friends. Make the leap, your people will catch you unharmed. This I can promise you."

They nodded and took the leap of faith, successfully landing unharmed down below. All that was left now was to get out of the building, right?

@Nightfall096

 

[Vollen Shai]

Shaking himself back into reality, Vollen threw himself toward the stairs and began to climb his way out of the building. Bruce would be downstairs, hopefully the last of the survivors escorted out of the crumbling wreck. Indeed, the whole thing was about to come down it seemed, with every step Vollen took another piece of mortar fell, another brick, pipe, durasteel lining rocked from the building and went crashing into the ground.

This was their final chance to escape, before the whole thing came down around them. It was a far closer brush than Vollen had been anticipating,

"Bruce!" he said wit relief as he saw his friend, letting out the last caught inside and happily still safe. Though neither would be safe if they stayed much longer,

"I don't sense any more still here. Time to go, right?" he gave his friend a smile, but any more celebration would have to wait till after. They had to leave. And happily, the fire brigade had provided them just such an exit, there was no time to just take the stairs.

Vollen leapt from the window and onto the bed below, cushioned from the fall. Bruce would be down beside him any moment, he was certain, just in time before the building collapsed, he could sense how close it was to finally giving way. Though he looked back, drawing the force to himself, in case anything should go wrong.

@Zigara

 

[Bruce Guleya]

There really was no need to hang around. What's done is done, and time was against them. Bruce didn't even take a second look around the area as he was getting ready to leap free from the building but as he prepared to do that the world shook violently and the building starting to cave in on it self, he stumbled and struggled to keep his balance - but he would be able to do so.

Without a second thought the Caretaker left to his destiny - and while he would have used the Force to guide him or protect himself but he ready needed to just scramble free. Soon he plummeted, shooting for the mat below - it wasn't as graceful as it could have been but he hit the mat with a loud thud and a whoosh as the air evacuated as he impacted it.

He laid there in the mat with a stupid smirk on his face. He looked over at his friend while he laid there and without skipping a beat... "Another happy landing!"

@Nightfall096