Ask Coruscant History Not Forgotten

[Zaia Krodas]

Mind tricks? Jedi can really do that? Zaia didn’t say it out loud, but after hearing Bri’s ideas and seeing her in action, she was a little more inclined to believe her. I thought they were only stories. Either way, what Bri said remained true— that ran the risk of failure, and if there were the lives of children involved, that was something they couldn’t afford.

“You’re going to be the distraction?” Zaia looked at Bri, running the idea in her head. It could work, she realized, if they played their cards right. The guards probably wouldn’t recognize her face, and her outfit was just like that of a regular Coruscanti citizen. They would most likely think nothing of a random woman walking up to them and asking for some help, like Zaia had back in the shop. Or maybe they would and she’d been too caught up in the moment to care. Still, Bri had already put some of whatever the dirty smudges were on the containers on her face, ready to go.

At her laugh, Zaia couldn’t help but chuckle along. She patted the Jedi’s shoulder in a friendly manner, then gave her a nod as she drew her hand back.

“They better want to help. If not, I’ll be there to make them,” she said, punching her left hand into the palm of her right. She looked over at the warehouse once again, then gestured at a stack of metal barrels near the entrance.

“I’ll be watching behind those in case you get into a tough spot. I’m sure you’ll be able to handle those two yourself if things go south, but there’s no harm in having some backup,” she said with a shrug. She paused to let Bri respond, then nodded as she got up into a crouching position. “I’ll head there now, then. Good luck.”

@ModernMarvel

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

“You’re going to be the distraction?”

The Jedi noted the slight measure of incredulity in the Mandalorian's voice. Perhaps her potential apprehension was more towards the unexpected nature of the plan, versus its chances of success.

"Yeah, come on, it's gonna be fun," Bri replied in a lighthearted manner, reassuring her new colleague. Or I'm going to get punched in the face. Hopefully not. The Jedi found that people often underestimated her because of her looks. She was tall for a human woman, but not exceptionally so; in shape, but not physically imposing. Her soft, often sing-songy voice belaying the steely determination that hid underneath. She was also not completely oblivious to the level of attraction that the smooth and appealing contours of her face carried. Bri had gotten into more than a few places where she wasn't supposed to be through the use of her charms.

Zaia warmed to the plan with a chuckle, and patted the Jedi's shoulder.

"They better want to help. If not, I’ll be there to make them." An almost comical fist in hand gesture from the Mandalorian emphasized the support.

"Alright, Zippy, let's hope it doesn't come to that," Bri laughed at the gesture, holding her hand out in moderation.

Though she still wore her helmet, Bri had to remind herself that the young woman in the armor was just that. Young. She had no doubt of her abilities to take care of herself, but Bri couldn't help but project some of her own follies and failures when she had been the same age.

“I’ll be watching behind those in case you get into a tough spot. I’m sure you’ll be able to handle those two yourself if things go south, but there’s no harm in having some backup,”

"Got it," Bri noted with a nod. "I think you'll probably be able to tell if things start going wrong," she added with a short laugh.

Bri took a couple of deep breaths to make herself sound winded, and focused on putting on her best 'oh no, I'm lost and helpless!' act. Thanks to the inconsistent lighting of the street, the Jedi was able to run up to the two guards from a relatively short distance without being spotted.

"Oh thank goodness!" she cried, her voice full of emotion, practically launching herself at the two men - one a human and the other a Twi'lek. The human had to lower his blaster to catch the falling Bri. Both looked extraordinarily confused at the developments. "What.....?" the human asked looking down at the woman in his arms.

Bri stood up, and took a few deep breaths, playing her part, large anxious blue eyes darting back and forth between the two men. "I'm so glad I found you! I took a wrong turn, and then I ended up down here and I'm pretty sure someone was chasing me!" she spoke quickly, running a few of the words together. The two guards still look equally confused.

"Uhhhh?" the Twi'lek muttered, exchanging a glance with his human counterpart who just shrugged. "Look, uh, you got to get outta here," the human then added, taking command of the situation. Bri nodded and gulped, "Sure, ok, yeah. Can you just tell me how to get topside?"

The Twi'lek sighed and turned to start pointing out directions. "Follow this street until the next left, then its a right, and you'll find the elev....," as he spoke the last word, Bri reached out with her hand and griped the man's mind into unconsciousness with the Force. He immediately crumpled to the ground, causing the human to jump back a few steps in shock. "Wha... what'd you do to him!?" Before any further action could be taken, Bri quickly closed the distance, and used her left elbow to deliver a sharp knock to his head, also knocking him out.

"Sorry about that," Bri looked down at the two unconscious guards with a sideways frown. She looked over to the metal crates, and gestured for Zaia to join her.

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Did she really call me “Zippy”? Zaia wondered as she made her way towards the barrels. She took the long way so that she wouldn’t be spotted, but it was dark anyway and she doubted that the guards were even paying attention. Once she spotted Bri getting close to the guards, she poked her head from behind the barrels to watch the fireworks. She’d pulled out one of her blasters too, just in case.

The Jedi practically fell into the arms of one of the guards, and it was all Zaia could do to stop herself from bursting into laughter when she heard their reactions. It didn’t last long, though. She watched as Bri somehow made the twi-lek guard unconscious by just sticking out her hand(another Force power she made a mental note to watch out for in the future) and proceeded to knock out the other guard with her elbow. Yet another reminder to not underestimate Bri. Zaia realized that she’d developed an appreciation for the Jedi. Bri had proven to be very different from what she’d heard about them in stories, and she found herself wondering once again just how true they were.

At the woman’s gesture, Zaia came out from behind the barrels and put her blaster away as she walked over to Bri, looking at the two fallen guards.

“Nice,” she said with a grin from behind her helmet, then turned to the locked door. “So, about getting this open…” She knelt beside the two guards, scanning their clothing for an object with a distinct metallic shine before she saw the glint of it in the twi-lek’s pocket. She pulled out the key card, then held it up for Bri to see. “Aha.”

Getting up to her feet again, Zaia glanced at the door and then back at the Jedi. “From what I’ve seen, I doubt this place is well guarded. But I guess we won’t find out till we get inside.” She put the key card in its slot beside the entrance, and the metal door slid open.

It turned out that her assumption wasn’t true, because the instant she stepped inside, she heard the unmistakable clicks of blasters all around her. But that wasn’t the part that surprised her the most. It was the laughter of children coming from somewhere in the back of the warehouse that was suddenly quieted with a shushing noise that made the hair on the back of her neck rise. Laughter? If these kids were kidnapped, why are they laughing?

@ModernMarvel

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

The guards handled with, Zaia reappeared from behind the metal crates with a compliment. Bri laughed and wiped her hands down on her pants and then attempted to get rid of some of the smudges on her face. The lack of a brush did not help in getting her blonde hair back tamed down.

“So, about getting this open…”

While Bri worked on her appearance, the Mandalorian scanned the two unconscious guards for a keycard to get the doors to the warehouse opened. It only took a few moments, before an “Aha," elicited success.

“From what I’ve seen, I doubt this place is well guarded. But I guess we won’t find out till we get inside.”

"True, but. . . . ," Bri turned her attention, seeing Zaia already start to open the door. "Wait!" the Jedi called, holding her hand up, but the Mandalorian had already started to walk in. Bri had an idea to open the doors and see who walked out if they remained hidden, then take it from there. Instead, Zaia had taken the initiative and taken a different course of action.

The Jedi had no choice but to follow her partner, not going to abandon her now. She stepped into the dimly lit space, where it was hard to tell the full size of the building on the interior. She could feel the presence of other beings around, and that was confirmed by the sound of a number of blasters being cocked in their direction. Bri also hear laughter? in the back of the warehouse, along with an accompanying shush.

Bri turned and faced Zaia with a confused expression on her face that belayed the need for a comment.

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

I should have listened to Bri.

Zaia had heard the Jedi’s warning, but had gone inside anyway. The woman had bravely followed her inside, and though she was grateful that Bri had decided to stick around, she wasn’t so happy about the current situation where the two of them had the potential to become target practice for these men. She couldn’t help but feel responsible for what happened to Bri next. The Jedi seemed as confused as Zaia was about the laughter. She grew wary when the men in front of them stepped aside, revealing a Rodian. He stepped forward just as Zaia exchanged another glance with Bri.

“I see you’ve gotten past two of our defenses,” he began in heavily-accented basic, his blaster held loosely in front of him with both hands. Zaia snorted in disdain.

“If those were ‘defenses’, then I’m a Jedi knight.” It was the best she could come up with at the moment with Bri next to her. Even though it would probably be in their favor to ease the tension a little bit, there was no way she was going down without a fight. She would not spend her final moments groveling at the feet of some random gangster Rodian. But, what he said next surprised her.

“Ah. We could use the assistance of a Jedi.” Zaia could hear a bit of sadness in his tone, and she glanced over at Bri in confusion before turning back to the Rodian.

“You could use a Jedi? They would never help the likes of you kidnappers.” She was tempted to reach down for her blaster and end it right here, but then remembered the circle of men with their weapons ready surrounding them. Murmurs spread throughout the group, but she stood her ground. Then the Rodian spoke again, his tone half angry, half disgusted.

“You are accusing us of being kidnappers? After what you were sent here to do? Golo nochta mootoe, ne linga sochack.” Zaia didn’t understand the last part, but she assumed that it wasn’t anything nice.

“We were sent here to rescue these children from gangsters. You’re saying that you’re not who we’re looking for?”

“That depends on your point of view.” The Rodian’s hands tightened around his blaster. “These are my children that I am protecting. If you mean well, and there are others who are in danger of being taken from their families, by all means, go protect them. But the fact that you were sent here to take my children from me proves otherwise.” The men tightened their circle around the two women.

Zaia glanced over at Bri, unsure what to do. Things had gotten complicated fast— they had heard two completely different stories from Aldo and this Rodian, which she could only assume to be Dash. But which one was true?

@ModernMarvel

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

This feels about right, all things considered.

There were more than enough guards in front of Bri and Zaia that it probably didn't make much sense to try and fight their way out. The fact that they haven't shot us yet is also probably a positive. A few of the grunts facing towards the two women moved out of the way, revealing another Rodian, who Bri assumed was likely some sort of boss of the operation. He also held a blaster, though somewhat loosely, which also boded well for not being shot.

“I see you’ve gotten past two of our defenses,”

Bri was about to make her own comical jest at the nature of the defenses and how easy it was to get past them, but Zaia beat her to the punch, or quip.

“If those were ‘defenses’, then I’m a Jedi knight.”

It was true, but also made Bri cringe just a little. I'd prefer not to be outed as a Jedi in front of all these people. But Zaia likely didn't mean anything by the comment, and it was simply the first comparison that came into her mind.

“Ah. We could use the assistance of a Jedi.” The Rodian spoke, almost longingly, a decidedly unhumorous response to Zaia's attempt at lightening the mood. Well, that's an interesting thing to say. Why would they be looking for a Jedi?

“You could use a Jedi? They would never help the likes of you kidnappers.”

Bri nodded, knowing that probably no one else would catch that she agreed with Zaia's claim. We typically don't involve ourselves in the business of kidnapping people. For the briefest of moments, she tried to come up with a plausible situation in which the Jedi would try and kidnap someone, but nothing materialized.

“You are accusing us of being kidnappers? After what you were sent here to do? Golo nochta mootoe, ne linga sochack.”

Wait a minute. This isn't adding up. One of the few things that Bri hated was having a lack of information. She had geared every part of her Jedi training and practices into having the right information to make the right conclusions or actions at the right time. Situations like this just feel ...... not right.

“We were sent here to rescue these children from gangsters. You’re saying that you’re not who we’re looking for?”

“That depends on your point of view.” The Rodian’s hands tightened around his blaster. “These are my children that I am protecting. If you mean well, and there are others who are in danger of being taken from their families, by all means, go protect them. But the fact that you were sent here to take my children from me proves otherwise.”

The confusion had reached a boiling point in Bri's mind. She held her hands out to speak. "Ok, hold on here. There must be some sort of misunderstanding. My colleague," she tited her head in Zaia's direction, "and I were sent here by a Rodian named Aldo who owns a re-sell shop a few levels up? Ring any bells?" Bri paused for any responses. "He told us in order to trade for one of his items, we needed to come down here and rescue his," she emphasized the word, "children who've been kidnapped. Are you saying that is not the case?"

Like having a lack of information, one of the other things that Bri hated, was being used for someone else's purposes. She prided herself on maintaining complete control over situations - not being used as some tool.

"Someone here is lying," Bri pointed out the obvious, emphasizing the message with a slice of her hand. She then returned to an earlier comment. "And why are you looking for a Jedi?" She tried to sound nonchalant about the question, doing her best to gloss over the fact that she herself, was a Jedi.

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

After hearing Bri’s words, Dash looked like he was about to burst. Zaia would have found it funny if the situation hadn’t been so serious.

“Aldo? That son of a bantha!” he yelled. He threw his blaster to the ground and kicked it halfway across the room before it slid to a stop after hitting a crate. Aside from the thump, it was dead silent. Even the children had stopped whispering. Zaia glanced at Bri again. Oh dear.

“That scumball is a coward. He can’t do any of his dirty work himself,” Dash said, fury scrawled all across his face. “Aldo is the one who wanted to rob my children from me. He sent his thugs after my family, forced us out of our home and into this!” He gestured at the warehouse, then pointed a finger at Bri and Zaia. “Now I see he has taken it so far as to claim these children are his, and hire you and a Mandalorian to take them from me. Only to sell them for credits in the end.” He seemed less angry now, but more bitter and defeated, his hand falling to his side.

“That is why we are looking for the help of a Jedi. Bless these men; they agreed to help me out of the goodness of their hearts. I appreciate their support, but as you have seen for yourself, they are not warriors.” He shook his head. “But a Jedi, a Jedi knows how to fight. And they fight for the innocent. A knight, or even an apprentice, from the Order would help us. The gang is planning another raid of this place soon, and I don’t know if I will be able to protect my children for much longer with the few men I have left.” There really weren’t that many, Zaia realized as they stepped out from behind the shadows. There were six or seven of them at most, even though all the blasters being cocked at once made it seem like there were more. She couldn’t help but feel that at least some of the losses were by her and Bri’s hands. By Kad, what have we done?

“If you’re telling the truth,” said Zaia, taking a breath, “then I’m willing to help you out with this.” She took off her helmet so that Dash could see that she was genuine, then looked at Bri.

“What do you think? Should we stay?”

@ModernMarvel

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

“Aldo? That son of a bantha!” The Rodian threw his blaster on the ground, the noise echoing around the empty warehouse, before kicking it in an almost comical manner. The outburst of anger drew a glance from Zaia to Bri, though her face was still hidden under the helmet, the Jedi caught the meaning behind the look.

“That scumball is a coward. He can’t do any of his dirty work himself. Aldo is the one who wanted to rob my children from me. He sent his thugs after my family, forced us out of our home and into this!”

Bri looked around the warehouse as Dash gestured to their surroundings. There really was no way to put it nice, it was not an appealing piece of real estate. But still, it all did not really make sense.

“Now I see he has taken it so far as to claim these children are his, and hire you and a Mandalorian to take them from me. Only to sell them for credits in the end.”

Bri interjected to make the point clear. "No one is selling anyone," slicing the air with her end in emphasis.

“That is why we are looking for the help of a Jedi. Bless these men; they agreed to help me out of the goodness of their hearts. I appreciate their support, but as you have seen for yourself, they are not warriors.”

Well that might have been an understatement. The Jedi leaned in close and muttered so only Zaia could hear. "I think we might owe those men outside an apology......"

The Rodian continued, "But a Jedi, a Jedi knows how to fight. And they fight for the innocent. A knight, or even an apprentice, from the Order would help us. The gang is planning another raid of this place soon, and I don’t know if I will be able to protect my children for much longer with the few men I have left.”

The remaining guards stepped out of the shadows of the inconsistent lighting, revealing that there were only about seven total. If this Rodian is telling the truth and if Aldo is sending a group of actual criminals to try and attack, then they'll need all the help they can get. As was dealing with criminals, finding the truth remained a challenge. The evidence pointed to Dash speaking the truth. The men Zaia and Bri attacked were not warriors, nor did it sound like the children were being held against their will.

“If you’re telling the truth, then I’m willing to help you out with this.” Zaia took her helmet off, which Bri assumed was to show that she was being genuine. The Jedi reminded once again how young she was.

"But only if you're telling the truth," Bri added, raising a finger. She surmised an idea that might help to shed a little more light. "Can we see your kids?" The question might've sounded odd, but children - unless explicitly taught - could not shield themselves from Bri's senses. If they were actually kidnapped, she could feel it. Likewise, if this was their home and Dash their father, then that would be evident as well.

Thinking that Dash might be a little skeptical to let two strangers speak with his children, Bri added, "we just want to make sure they're safe. No harm will come to them." Regardless of who was telling the truth, that much was clear. The Jedi would do her utmost to ensure they remained out of harms way.

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Zaia glanced over at Bri when the Jedi spoke, realizing how her skepticism was well warranted. It was this kind of brash thinking that had gotten them into this mess in the first place. Zaia had believed every word of what Aldo said without a second thought, and here she was doing the same thing with Dash. Perhaps it would be better to let Bri handle this one, she thought.

Zaia wasn’t disappointed in her decision when Bri brought up her idea of talking to the children. They would likely be the most honest out of anyone here. She studied Dash, who seemed hesitant about the plan. One of his men walked up to him and whispered something in his ear, and the Rodian nodded before turning back to Bri.

“Very well. But if you try anything, my men will be there to stop you.” Zaia let out a silent sigh of relief, and she nudged Bri with a grin.

“You got this,” she said to the Jedi as one of the men gestured for them to follow him. Dash stayed behind, speaking urgently with another one of his men. They wove their way through a pathway of crates until they reached a relatively open area near the back of the room. Sitting on some boxes were two children, along with a Rodian woman. Fear crossed her face when she saw Zaia. She said something quickly in Rodian that she didn’t understand, wrapping her arms as best as she could around the two children, but the woman’s gaze was trained on her blaster. Not taking her eyes off the woman, Zaia placed the blaster on the ground in front of her and took a step back, hoping that it would be enough to calm her down for Bri to approach.

“We’re not going to hurt you,” said Zaia as reassuringly as she could. “My friend here only wants to speak with the children.” The woman looked blankly back at her, a hint of confusion on her face, and Zaia realized that she probably didn’t understand Basic. Fortunately, one of the men standing behind them said something to the woman, probably a translation, which caused her to nod. The woman looked at Bri and gestured at the seat which she’d just left, then stepped to the side.

The floor is all yours, Bri.

@ModernMarvel

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

Dash the Rodian appeared non-convinced by Bri's idea. Which made sense. He's got no reason to trust us. We totally just assaulted the men he hired to try and protect this place. After a few moments of silent thought, he relented.

“Very well. But if you try anything, my men will be there to stop you.”

Bri immediately held up her hands in an innocent fashion, indicating she meant no harm. She felt the nudge from Zaia and nodded, catching her glance. One of the other guards made a gesture with his blaster for the two women to follow him. Dash stayed behind, engaging in a fast and hushed conversation with the guard closest to him. The two women walked a complex path of the crates (of which there were a lot more than Bri had originally guessed) making both left and right turns in an inconsistent manner.

Towards the back of the warehouse, the crates opened up into a room like space, where two Rodian children were seated, along with another Rodian woman. When Bri and Zaia approached, the Jedi caught the quick glance of fear on her face, grabbing the two kids and holding them close to her. Quite wisely, the Mandalorian unhooked the blaster from her belt and placed it on the ground.

“We’re not going to hurt you, my friend here only wants to speak with the children.”

For the impressively intimidating armor, the Mandalorian could be quite calm when she wanted to. Zaia spoke with a gentleness that slightly surprised the Jedi. The Rodian woman didn't seem to fully understand but one of the men hushed a translation, which seemed to further reduce the tension. Bri nodded at Zaia's prompt, and walked forward, putting on her best smile to approach the kids. Bri didn't really describe herself as a 'kids' kind of person, but the leading tenets of the Jedi Order - compassion, kindness, service - transcended age.

Two small Rodians, a boy and a girl, looked at each other then back at Bri with equal expressions of confusion. Bri walked forward, holding her hand out. "Everything's going to be ok. You're going to be safe," she spoke with equal levels of comfort and solace. The Jedi radiated the same feelings through the Force. It wasn't persuasion, but compassion and reassurance. The Rodian children offered a few mumbles in a language that Bri didn't understand, but their feelings were received through the Force. Bri closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, feeling everything around her. The fear of the Rodian woman, the nervousness of the guard, the determination of Zaia, and the innocence of the kids.

One of the children held a small toy, a plastic spaceship. Bri smiled and gestured with her hands. "Can I?" The small Rodian boy nodded and held out the ship. The Jedi took it and made a few comical spaceship sounds flying it around. The kids laughed at the silly impression. Bri changed tact, and held her hand out flat with the toy resting in her palm. Through the use of the Force, the toy slowly floated up and flew around on its own, circling the two Rodians. They both laughed and smiled at the trick. The ship eventually rested slowly in Bri's hand, before she gave it back with a smile. "Don't worry."

Bri got up from her haunches and walked up to Zaia. "I think Dash is telling the truth, these kids are a little fearful, but they're comfortable with her," she gestured to the Rodian woman, "and the others," she reported. A lengthy sigh escaped her lips. "I think we should probably help them."

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

As Zaia watched Bri work her magic with the kids, she couldn’t help but wonder why her clan was so against the Jedi. The children seemed to have calmed down, and the boy had even given Bri his toy ship. Observing the interaction between them as the toy lifted in the air, Zaia questioned whether or not it was true that the Jedi were truly bent on destroying the Mandalorian way of life. It didn’t seem that way, and none of what she’d seen from Bri led to any conclusion of the sort. Just like the wildly different stories of Aldo and Dash. Twists and turns, who is to tell whether a supposed lie is the truth or the other way around?

Zaia, deep in thought, hadn’t even noticed that Bri had walked back over to her. She nodded at the woman’s words. Finally, the truth was clear… and perhaps in more than one way. At Bri’s offer to help, Zaia smiled.

“In that case, I think we have some gangsters to-”

A boom sounded from outside, sending a couple of crates across the room crashing to the ground. It was followed by shouting and blaster shots. The Rodian woman rushed back to her children, and Zaia quickly picked up her blaster and put on her helmet as she turned in the direction of the entrance.

“Looks like they found us first.” The guard behind her had already rushed away, and Zaia looked at the boxes stacked all around her and Bri. There was no way she was going in that maze again. Oh, blast it. Hitting a button on her gauntlet, she activated her jetpack and flew above the boxes, landing in front of the entrance. She glanced back to look for Bri, but she trusted that the Jedi would be able to find her way out easily enough.

She could see Dash outside, guarding the door before he was knocked aside by a Feeorin. It was clear that he needed help. She made her way out the door, and almost immediately she saw an Aloxian running her way with a sword. On the other side was a Caphex, who started shooting at her with a blaster. She was barely able to get out of the way in time, but just as she shot him dead, the Aloxian slammed the sword down on her gauntlet. Meanwhile, Dash and a couple of his men were being rounded into the wall by a larger group of thugs. She turned back to help as she elbowed the Aloxian in the face, but then another group of three humans blocked her way. Uh-oh.

@ModernMarvel

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

“In that case, I think we have some gangsters to-”

Zaia's thought was interrupted by the sound of an explosion, followed in quick succession by the rumble of a few of the crates toppling over, and then the unmistakable reverberations of blaster fire. A series of shouts - which Bri couldn't make out - interrupted the silence. Bri turned to the Rodian woman, who held on to the kids tightly, reassuring them. "Don't worry, everything's going to be fine." Though it had been established they didn't speak basic, the determination painted on Bri's face and the convincing tone of her comments still translated.

“Looks like they found us first.”

Bri nodded watching the Mandalorian creatively utilize her jetpack to escape from the maze of metallic crates. Wish I had one of those. The Jedi had to resort to navigating the crates the old fashioned way, which was to say, jumping up a few with a Force assisted leap, then landing precariously on top. From the higher view of the warehouse, Bri could see that the majority of action was occurring at the front of the building. The Jedi hopped her way across the crates - a bit slower than Zaia's jetpack - before landing at the front entrance. She quickly whipped her head around to spot Dash the Rodian knocked aside by a particularly nasty looking Feeorin, then watching Zaia shoot a a Cpahex, before tussling with an Aloxian.

Unlike the men that they had fought earlier - more like disposed of - this group of ne'er-do-wells seemed more trained and more competent in their criminal capabilities. After being knocked to the ground, Dash was now being rounded up with the rest of his crew by a larger group of varying aliens and humans, each with a blaster. Hopefully Zaia can handle herself.

The Jedi called out to the group, halting their progress of rounding up Dash and his compatriots. "Hey! Wouldn't you rather shoot me?" she teased. Her gambit worked, though probably a little too successfully, as the entire group opened fire on her. A multitude of red blaster bolts headed her way. Realizing there was no feasible way to dodge them all, Bri quickly reached into her jacket pocket and wrapped her left hand around the cool metallic hilt of her saber. Its ignition cast the Jedi and her surroundings in a pleasant blue glow, the steady hum harmonizing with the Jedi's trust in the Force.

A few of the group exchanged semi-nervous glances at the appearance of the saber, but most kept up their barrage all the same. Bri expertly shielded herself with near continuous movement of the sword, even deflecting a few of the blaster bolts back at their origination. The Jedi took a deep breath in, and rushed forward toward the group - moving at a speed beyond normal human capabilities. Through a combination of sword slices, kicks, and punches, Bri systematically dispatched each grunt. The combination of her attacks, with feints, dodges and ducks appeared almost graceful, the simple fluidity of motion. Destructive motion.

Breathing heavily after the exertion, Bri turned her attention back to Zaia to see how she was fairing. "You good?"

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Just as she thought Dash and the others were about to be gunned down, Bri saved the day once again. Knowing that the others would be alright, Zaia turned her attention to the three thugs in front of her. There was a fourth, maybe a fifth behind her somewhere, judging by the two clicks of blasters that she heard. She’d take care of them later.

The three men rushed at her, and Zaia jumped into the air, hovering for a few seconds with her jetpack as she shot each of them twice in the chest before landing again. A blaster bolt zipped past her side, and Zaia fired a shot in the direction of where it had come from. The soft thump that followed told her that the shooter was down, and she turned back to where Bri was with the others. Where the thugs had previously been standing, they were on the ground, motionless. The Jedi held a bright blue saber in her hands. There was no way they would have lasted.

“All good over here,” Zaia said, giving Bri a thumbs-up. She eyed the men on the ground. “Looks like you’ve been busy too.” A couple more thugs rushed into the warehouse from the entrance, and Zaia readied her blaster. Here we go again.

But just as the thought flashed through her mind, the sound of a blaster going off came from the back of the room. The kids!

She paid little attention to the blaster bolts that flew past her as Zaia leapt into the air with her jetpack, flying straight for the area where the rest of Dash’s family was. A Bothan was holding the blaster to the Rodian woman’s head, with the children kneeling on the ground right in front of him. The fifth man. The one that she’d missed. Zaia cursed her own foolishness in not checking for the other thug when she’d fired that shot. Now, even more lives were at stake. She clenched her fists.

“Make a move,” the Bothan dared, pressing the muzzle of the blaster into the side of the woman’s head, “and I shoot.” Zaia sucked in a breath through gritted teeth.

“Let her go.”

“Put your weapon down and I’ll consider it.” Zaia looked at the blaster in her hand, then at the children in front of the gangster. There was no way she could attack the Bothan without hurting the woman or the children too. What choice do I have? Slowly but reluctantly, she put her blaster down as she had before, holding up her hands. She didn’t dare to take her gaze off the Bothan, and he made no move to let the woman go. Nor did she expect him to. Now her only hope was to stall until someone else could get here.

“You are not going to take those children,” she warned.

“What’s there to stop me? You? I thought you Mandos were warriors.” He snickered. “Turns out you can’t even be bothered to hurt a bug like this one to get what you want.” He shoved the woman to the ground with his blaster, and Zaia clenched her jaw. Di’kut. Just a little longer, and that Bothan would be dead on the ground like the others.

@ModernMarvel

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

“All good over here,” Zaia said, giving Bri a thumbs-up. "Looks like you’ve been busy too.”

The Jedi nodded with a sighing smile. After three separate fights, she was starting the feel the exertion of a busy evening of activities. She was about to make an additional quip, but was interrupted by two more men rushing in to engage with Zaia and Bri. The Jedi twirled her lightsaber and adjusted her stance in preparation. However, her concentration was upended by the sound of a blaster being fired from further back in the warehouse. The kids! The Mandalorian must have had the same thought at almost the exact same time as Bri, as she immediately used a jet pack assisted jump to fly off. Thinking quickly, the Jedi dislodged a crate with two stacked on top, causing the whole tower to fall on the two new thugs rushing in.

Immediately after she disengaged her lightsaber and turned and ran through the crate-maze once more, following the sounds and using her memory. She travelled a little slower than Zaia, and slowed her approach as she heard voices conversing.

“Make a move and I shoot.”

Bri tried to slow her breathing and peaked around the final crate. A both was holding the Rodian woman hostage, along with the two kids. A blaster was held forebodingly against the woman's head. Blast.

“Let her go.”

“Put your weapon down and I’ll consider it.”

Zaia was positioned across from the Bothan and captive Rodians trying to reason with the criminal. It seemed that her chances of success were minimal, though. The Mandalorian's skills were impressive, but the Jedi doubted if even she had the speed for some sort of reaction to stop the Bothan before he was able to fire a shot. Zaia slowly lowered her blaster to the floor, before holding her hands up.

“You are not going to take those children,”

“What’s there to stop me? You? I thought you Mandos were warriors.” He snickered. “Turns out you can’t even be bothered to hurt a bug like this one to get what you want.”

I get it. The thought sprung in the Jedi's mind as the Bothan began to taunt Zaia. She's trying to buy time for me to help. Bri slowly approached from behind the thug and just as he shoved the Rodian woman to the floor, placed a strong left hand on his shoulder and ignited her saber into his back. Her bright blue blade erupted through his chest, one last look of surprise frozen on his face. He immediately slumped to the ground, leaving Bri with a look of steely, intimidating determination standing alone behind. That might have been a little more violent than necessary.

The two Rodian children ran to their caretaker or mother? as they all held each other tightly. Bri nodded and heaved a deep sigh, once more retracting her saber blade. She turned to face Zaia. "I knocked the two out that were running in. Did you see any more?"

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Zaia was just about to lose what little patience she had left and try to deal with the idiot Bothan herself when the bright blue blade of Bri’s lightsaber appeared through his chest. The thug dropped to the ground like a sack of meilooruns, and Zaia let out an audible sigh of relief when the children rushed back to the woman immediately afterward. Thank Kad.

She bent down to pick up her blaster, but as she did, she felt the adrenaline slowly fade away. It left her feeling more exhausted than she had been in ages, and she was only brought back to the present by the sound of Bri’s voice.

“Huh? Oh, no. I don’t think so,” she said with a shake of her head. “And thank goodness for that. I don’t think I could last another minute.” She blinked and realized that she’d said that last part out loud.

“Anyway,” she pressed on, “once we make sure Dash’s kids are safe, we’ll have some… talking to do with Aldo.” She frowned at the thought. The man had tried to trick her and Bri into doing his dirty work for him, and she had a little more than words that she wanted to give him for it.

She looked back at Bri, realizing just how instrumental the Jedi had been to this whole operation. Surprising even herself, Zaia found herself approaching her and giving Bri a small hug.

“Thank you, by the way. None of this would have been possible without you,” she said with a smile as she pulled away, glancing over at the children. “I guess… you Jedi aren’t as bad as the stories say you are. And, uh, thank you again, for showing me that.”

@ModernMarvel

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

“Huh? Oh, no. I don’t think so. And thank goodness for that. I don’t think I could last another minute.”

It appeared Bri's question had snapped Zaia out of her thoughts from somewhere. The Jedi nodded with a smile and patted Zaia on her shoulder pauldron. "Good teamwork," she smiled.

“Anyway, once we make sure Dash’s kids are safe, we’ll have some… talking to do with Aldo.”

Bri nodded with a slight roll of her eyes. "Talking is going to be an understatement," she said, sounding less than enthusiastic. If Zaia was feeling the same kind of emotions that Bri was, it wasn't likely to be a lengthy conversation. The Knight was not going to be used as a tool by some criminal for his own devious devices. I don't need to ask Zaia to know that she's probably feeling the exact same thing. Aldo should have known better when he tried to bet against a Jedi and a Mandalorian. Not exactly the smartest plan.

The Jedi was in the process of putting her saber back in her jacket pocket when the Mandalorian approached and opted for a quick hug. Bri was taken aback a little by the physical contact. Everything that she had formulated in her mind about the Mandalorian did not point to her being a hugger. They two had just been through a bit of a trying evening, however. Being in mortal peril with a stranger tended to from some strong bonds. Bri returned the hug, wrapping her arms around Zaia.

“Thank you, by the way. None of this would have been possible without you."

It was a heartfelt comment from the Mandalorian. It didn't take Bri's abilities with the Force to tell she was being truthful. Teamwork was never a burden when the members of the team worked well together. In this particular instance, it was necessary. There's no way I could've done it by myself either.

"It was a team effort," Bri nodded with a smile.

“I guess… you Jedi aren’t as bad as the stories say you are. And, uh, thank you again, for showing me that.”

Knowing the history of the Jedi and the Mandalorians, it took something for Zaia to admit as much, which Bri appreciated. The Jedi smiled and chuckled a little.

"Who'd have thought, a Jedi and a Mandalorian working so well together?"

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

“Ha. Who would’ve thought,” Zaia echoed with a grin. Just then, the sound of footsteps reached her ears and she cocked her head to the side. Dash approached the rest of his family, gathering them together and saying something to all of them. As one, the Rodians turned to face Bri and Zaia, as well as the men who had taken their places behind them. It was remarkably similar to what had happened when they’d first entered the building, but this time the hostility had been replaced with nothing but gratitude.

“Thank you. All of you, for what you have done for my family,” said Dash, the relief evident in his tone. Zaia thought she even saw a glint of tears in his eyes, but she might have just been imagining it. “Because of you and the sacrifices you were willing to make, my children are safe. Some even lost their lives trying.” The last part was a little awkward, and Zaia once again felt the guilt wash over her like a wave. The dusty metal floor suddenly became very interesting, and she was about to apologize when Dash spoke again.

“Mandalorian.” Zaia lifted her head to meet the Rodian’s suddenly intense gaze. “The symbol on your armor. I had a necklace in my home bearing the same image.” She exchanged a glance with Bri, but Dash went on. “Aldo took it when he raided my home. If you find it and get it back from him… consider it my gift to you.” The pendant. She’d nearly forgotten about it, to her surprise. She gave him an appreciative nod in response, and then Dash moved on to look at Bri, his expression slightly apologetic.

“Jedi. There is nothing I have with me that I could give you to make up for all you have done for us, but should you ever need a guide around Coruscant or a place to stay, my family and I will be happy to assist.”

@ModernMarvel

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

Dash and a few of his men regrouped with Zaia and Bri - and the rest of his family. After the evening had gotten off to a rocky start, Bri was more than pleased that they could offer some help in a tough situation. The Jedi was a little curious what line of work Dash was in and how he had found himself in such a predicament. Something else to ask our buddy Aldo about.

“Thank you. All of you, for what you have done for my family. Because of you and the sacrifices you were willing to make, my children are safe. Some even lost their lives trying.”

Despite the earlier misunderstanding, the Rodian was still grateful for what they had done. It was a lesson to be learned. As Dash spoke, Bri noticed Zaia lower her head - likely in response to the men who had been hurt. The Jedi offered a commiserating pat on Zaia's shoulder to try and bring her spirits around. Don't worry about it.

“Mandalorian.” Zaia lifted her head to meet the Rodian’s suddenly intense gaze. “The symbol on your armor. I had a necklace in my home bearing the same image.” Bri caught the glance from the Mandalorian. “Aldo took it when he raided my home. If you find it and get it back from him… consider it my gift to you.”

How interesting. The pendant that had set Bri and Zaia on their path had a connection to Dash as well. There were those in the Order who had acute psychometric skills, and Bri was interested in hearing what they could find out on this special pendant. The Jedi didn't want to bring it up but also wanted to ensure that their agreement still held. I'll bring it up later.

“Jedi. There is nothing I have with me that I could give you to make up for all you have done for us, but should you ever need a guide around Coruscant or a place to stay, my family and I will be happy to assist.”

Bri turned her attention to Dash as he addressed her. Truthfully, she didn't need anything in compensation. They had helped to make the mess worse than it was, and helping reunite a family fell directly under the purview of a Jedi Knight. Nevertheless, the thought was appreciated. Bri offered a respectful bow, and replied. "Thank you for the offer. Apologies for the earlier misunderstanding, but I'm glad we could help."

"Shall we?" she tilted her head towards the exit, looking at Zaia.

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Zaia was grateful for Bri’s hand on her shoulder when Dash brought up the men. Even a small gesture of reassurance went a long way. Once Dash finished and Bri thanked him, Zaia followed along with the bow nodded at her companion’s question.

“Let’s go.”

An elevator lift and a tram ride later, their trip uninterrupted this time, the pair was once again standing in front of Aldo’s shop. Zaia placed her hand on the door, but just before she was about to open it, she glanced at Bri.

“You can handle him. If it were up to me… I’d feel sorry for the cleaning crew.” That was probably an understatement. She pressed the button that opened the door, revealing the Rodian still sitting behind his desk, fingering the pendant around his neck and looking utterly relaxed. Clearly no one had updated him on the current state of things, and that was only for the better, she thought with a smirk.

“Do you have the kids?” His eyes were hopeful. He was a good actor, she’d give him that. However, she wasn’t going to fall for it a second time. Upon hearing his question, Zaia walked straight up to him and pulled him over the desk like she had before, tossing him in front of Bri.

“Care to apologize?”

@ModernMarvel

 

[Brienna Lanaamer]

The pair retraced their steps, and only a few moments later found themselves facing Aldo's junk shop once more. Well, here it goes. Zaia placed her hand on the control panel to open the door, but paused and faced the Jedi.

“You can handle him. If it were up to me… I’d feel sorry for the cleaning crew.”

Bri nodded with an understanding glance. Unfortunately, she didn't quite possess the physical features to come across as threatening. Her youthful face and blonde hair didn't quite project 'I'm going to hurt you.' Fortunately, she was more than capable in her abilities in the Force and hand to hand combat. People underestimated her at their own peril. Bri had no doubt that when Aldo realized his plan had failed, the advantage would shift to the two women.

The door slid open, revealing Aldo still sitting behind his desk, fiddling with the pendant around his neck. It was evident that he had not been informed about the developments that took place a few lower levels down.

“Do you have the kids?”

His voice had the hopeful note as if he had been expecting some kind of gift. Bri caught the almost giddy nature at which he eagerly asked the question. Instead, Zaia walked up to the desk and grabbed him by the shirt collar, hauling him over. He landed with an unceremonious thud in front of Bri's feet.

“Care to apologize?”

"Wh....what are you talking about?!" Aldo grunted, leaning back on his forearms. Bri realized his voice had a distinctly weasley quality to it that she immediately disliked.

"You sent us down there to kidnap Dash's kids. Not rescue yours." Bri said flatly, holding her hands on her hips, which also revealed the copper hilt of her saber inside. "Did you honestly think that we wouldn't figure out what was actually happening?" The Jedi was being slightly facetious, but also genuinely curious if the Rodian actually thought his plan would work.

"No...no! You've got it all backwards! He's trying to trick you!" More excuses.

Bri looked over at Zaia. "Yeah, you may have got one over on us before, but a second time? Not gonna happen," the Jedi shook her head with a sarcastic smile. Bri summed up how the rest of the events would proceed. "So you're going to give us that," she pointed to the pendant necklace, "and I'm going to call the authorities to have you arrested. Deal?"

@Sicadorito