Ask Return to Sender

Theia Durand

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Chandrila

It was warm and sunny on Naboo right now, the beaches were busy, late summer days, everything was in full bloom. Theia had gotten her new summer outfits and her swimsuit for the season and had to leave it all behind, in fact it was a big pain to dig out all her cool weather clothing as Chandrila was in the middle of their fall season. It was a crisp chill, but it would warm up soon enough, it didn't help that she had grown since she last wore her outfit and her pant legs were too short. Though rolling them up slightly looked cool, and she wanted to at least look presentable in case she ran into some rival school girls; Theia had heard much about the Chandrila Girl's School for Academic Excellence, and made sure to look up their school outfit insignia before heading out to the markets.

She was slightly unhappy that this trip to Chandrila was one of business for her Mom, but she made a promise they would spend extra time together when she was done. Theia grinned to herself, thinking about what they would do later as she ordered herself a warm caf instead of a cold one. She had the whole day to herself, and was able to be free of security detail as long as her Mom could track her by her EZphone.

Sitting on the patio of the cafe, Theia of course was always on her EZphone, scrolling through her latest stories that appeared on her Insta, giggling to herself as her friends sent her videos and pictures. There were plenty that made her sigh with displeasure as everyone seemed to be enjoying time at the beach and she was here...not at the beach. Finally seeing enough, Theia set down her phone and looked across, watching others enjoying their day, some looking particularly too happy. There was one yellow-haired human sitting at an adjacent table who got up and Theia watched him leave, noticing how he left behind an envelope on a chair. "Hey!" she called out, but he seemed not to hear her.

"Hey, you forgot something!" she said standing up to grab the envelope before the wait staff came to clean up the table. Theia started to follow them, completely forgetting about her own caf and EZphone as she gave chase. The longer she followed though, the further behind she became until the market was too crowded for her to properly see the yellow haired man. The girl let out a long sigh and stepped to the side, giving up her chase and looking down at the envelope, opening to see if there was a name or something. However, she would find instead a large credit chip and directions; an eyebrow quirked and suddenly she realized she forgot her EZphone. Stuffing the envelope into her pocket, Theia quickly made her way back to the cafe though a feeling told her to stop. Her brow furrowed in confusion as instinct went against her goal, so she pressed on, the feeling growing stronger. She wanted her phone though and luckily it remained at the table.

However, a new pair stood at the table where the envelope originated,

"-you mean its not here..."
"You better have a good reason..."

Now the feeling was worse as she grabbed her phone and started to walk away, only to be followed.



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Perun

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Chandrila's picturesque tranquility was a far cry from the bustling outskirts that Perun was accustomed to. Despite being shrouded in his traditional Jedi robes and bear-footed as was his kin's norm, the transition had him feeling out of place. Perun had found himself in this refined setting for one purpose - a reputable cafe he had journeyed from afar to sample, its reputation for unique brews beckoning his inner coffee enthusiast.

The moment of revelation, however, was tarnished. In a travesty of a coffee house, Perun found himself explaining to a bemused, teenage barista what 'black coffee' was. It felt like explaining to a fish what water is. The disbelief of the situation was still reverberating in his aureate eyes as he opted for the 'in-house special' - an excessively sweet, blue and yellow concoction, designed with the youthful Chandrilan demographic in mind. The syrupy beverage was a rude assault on his palate, each sip an affront to his sensibilities.

His disapproval resonating clearly, Perun rose from his seat with an exaggerated flourish, vowing internally to taint the cafe's reputation with a scathing one-star review. As he prepared to depart, his eyes fell upon an unusual sight - a fiery-haired teenager, whose lively energy seemed as out of place in the serene atmosphere as his fur-covered form. With her quick pace and fiery hair, he mentally dubbed her "Coppertone," for she definitely could use some SPF in her life, even in this fall weather.

What piqued his interest further was her swift appropriation of an envelope left behind by a previous patron. It wasn't her envelope to take, and her actions struck a chord in his sense of justice. When she arose a second time, leaving the envelope behind, Perun's eyes narrowed, his golden orbs glinting with intrigue. Despite his original intent to leave the cafe behind, his Jedi morals prompted him to follow, convinced he was about to confront a petty thief.

As they distanced themselves from the chattering crowd, the scent of autumn leaves crunching underfoot and the distant thrumming of the city fading into the background, Perun finally called out, his voice booming with authority. "Hold up, Coppertone!" He paced forward, bridging the gap between them with confident strides. His heart pounded in his chest, excitement and anticipation bubbling beneath his fur, his golden eyes sparkling with adrenaline.

He moved closer, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow in a smug, knowing manner. His voice carried a mix of cheek and authority, he said, "A thief by any other name...still a thief, wouldn't you agree?" Despite his accusing words, a mischievous smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing his love for banter and reveling in the unexpected twists of the day.

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Theia Durand

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There were thoughts running quickly through her head as to what to do next, pulling out her EZphone to find a local security station; she would be certain they would know how to track down the yellow-haired man. Though she didn't get far when she heard someone yelling for a Coppertone. The girl glanced up, looking around, but it didn't register to her what was happening, and continue onward she did, but when she had the feeling someone was standing too entirely close, the girl turned around to face the ape-like individual, speaking something about a thief.

Her face contorted in bewilderment as she looked around quickly as though she were to spot some hidden holo-cam. However, when not seeing anything that would put her on candid-holocam that evening on the holonet, she had a feeling this was very real and was being called a thief...or at least she thought. However, she never really heard anyone talk in such a way, perhaps he was looking for a riddle, a game, or maybe he was the thief, sizing her up for someone else to steal her belongings.

"Look, I don't have any credits to give you," she said placing a hand on her pocket, "I know there is a shelter though a few blocks south, they can get you some food and help." Theia told him, taking a step backwards, suspicious of his intentions, but seeing he wasn't necessarily leaving right away, she turned around and started to walk away quickly. Rolling her eyes, she glanced over her shoulder to make sure she wasn't being followed.



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Perun

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Perun stood tall, his eyes darting back and forth as he observed the perplexed teenager before him, attempting to locate a hidden holo-cam. Her bewilderment, mixed with a dash of audacity, amused him. But it quickly morphed into surprise as she misinterpreted his intent, assuming him to be a beggar. This unexpected response elicited a chuckle from the depths of his broad chest, his snowy fur rippling with amusement. Yet, as she turned to leave, the humor of the situation rapidly faded.

With a swift flicker of movement that was nearly invisible to the human eye, Perun invoked the power of aerokinesis. His innate Jedi connection to the Force allowed him to seize the surrounding air, manipulating it to amplify his physical prowess. Melding agility with the elemental, he took an acrobatic leap, a gust of wind boosting his trajectory, to land elegantly in front of the young redhead, effectively blocking her escape route.

Upon landing, his bare feet graced the cobblestones with a gentleness that contrasted his imposing figure. "Coppertone," he began, the corners of his mouth pulling upward into a mischievous smirk. "Is this xenophobia I'm sensing, or are you just not the ripest banana in the fruit basket?" His question, delivered with a generous helping of snark, hung in the air between them.

His eyes held her gaze, radiating an air of harmless jest despite the underlying seriousness of the situation. "Look, I'm not here to cause any trouble," he continued, his tone steady but stern. "I saw you swipe that envelope. Now, I'd be much obliged if you would kindly hand it over."

As he held out a large, fur-covered hand expectantly, the late afternoon sunlight dappled across his fur. He stood unmoving, his entire presence exuding an aura of serene yet unwavering resolve, his eyes never leaving hers.

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Theia Durand

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Welp, that wasn't working.

The furball seemed to have something to pick with her as he leapt over the girl and landed in front of her. She immediately stopped, surprised by his sudden appearance, and did he just call her Coppertone? AND call her xenophobic, AND imply she was dumb? Who was this? Did he know who she was, who her mother was, perhaps she should call the security corps.

"Hey! I'm not looking for trouble either, but you're trying to start it!" she huff, her voice seeming to rise an octave while she spoke. However, he spoke of the envelope and her eyes widened. "Hand it over?!" instantly she believed he was a thief, it seemed to make sense, blaming her for something he does: he was the real thief. "I'm not giving you anything, let alone the envelope, it doesn't belong to you either. It belongs to a man with yellow hair, but I lost him!" Theia's brow narrowed in annoyance that this was happening. She was supposed to have a pleasant day and now this was all unwinding.

"You are not the man with the yellow hair," she said stepping backwards, "You're not getting anything, so leave me alone!" she took another step back and turned around right into another body; a large humaniod male, almost as tall as her Uncle Em, but he was not as pleasant as him as he grabbed the girl by her collar. By now, the girl's high pitch screeching was making enough of a scene that people were stopping to watch before carrying onward. It was too, drawing the attention of another pair, a large humaniod male with pale green skin that almost shined gold in the sun, and his partner, a lanky female tholothian.

"Where is the man with the yellow hair?" he growled. However, Theia was having enough, and as he leaned down to look her in the eye, Theia threw back her head and slammed her forehead into the nose of the male. He let out cry of anger, shock and annoyance, but it was good enough to break from his grip, though his partner pulled a blaster, which caused the crowd that formed to break out in panic.



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Perun

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Perun's eyes widened in unmasked admiration as the petite girl, branded in his mind as "Coppertone," headbutted the brutish man. A show of strength and defiance that belied her delicate frame, sending waves of surprise and approval through him. That spark, that fiery spirit, matched the fiery hues of her hair; this encounter was proving more exciting than he'd anticipated.

Yet, something wasn't adding up. The yellow-haired man, the envelope, the brutish man now nursing a battered nose, and his Tholothian partner brandishing a blaster - the tableau didn't fit the tranquility of Chandrila. As the chaos unfolded around him, Perun smoothly slipped into action. With the agility and stealth of a jungle cat, he darted towards the Tholothian, disarming her with a swift movement before she could react.

"Seems you certainly know how to make friends," he jested, a smirk tugging at his lips. His eyes sparkled with amusement, even as the situation escalated. As a Jedi Knight, his instincts were on high alert, sensing the aura of hostility that suggested more trouble was on its way.

"No time for pleasantries, though. I have a feeling more of these cronies are bound to show up," he remarked, his tone laced with sarcasm and urgency. With a swift, almost carefree nudge, he pushed past startled bystanders, beckoning Coppertone to follow. "Time to show off your running skills!" he called over his shoulder.

As the sounds of frantic pursuit echoed behind them, an undercurrent of curiosity threaded through Perun's adrenaline. What could be in that blasted envelope to cause such an uproar? As his feet pattered against the cobblestone streets, a silent expletive echoed in his mind. This was turning out to be a far more eventful day than he'd planned.

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Theia Durand

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Theia felt herself freeze at the sight of the blaster, her heart was pounding against her chest and she couldn't even suck in the smallest breaths. She thought it was all over but the ape had sprung into action, his movements were swift and precise, unarming the woman before remarking something to Theia.

The girl blinked, shook her head as questions of her own begun to circulate in her mind as to what she just gotten herself involved with this envelope. Though before she could quip something in return about her ability to make friends, she listened to his advice and made quick on her feet to keep up. It felt weird following the furball who just only moments earlier accused her of stealing the envelope; there was always a possibility it was a trap made by him also as she did not fully trust him. Though what he had going for him so far is that at least he didn't pull a blaster on her.

The redheaded teen had no idea where she was going, she just wanted to go somewhere safe and the feeling she carried with her told her to be cautious and wondered if they were being followed. She moved gracefully over the uneven brick that lined the streets, never losing her balance as she just wanted to get as far away as she could, "We gotta find the yellow haired man first!" she said, "This envelope belongs to him," she ducked around a corner to catch her breath from the intense running, uncertain if they were still being followed. The girl dug into her pocket and brought out the envelope; "I think these are coordinates." she suggested while holding up a piece of paper from the envelope. "Maybe its where he had gone."




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Perun

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As the adrenaline of the chase subsided, Perun found himself, alongside his fiery new companion, concealed within the sanctuary of a quiet alcove. He threw her a glance, the golden orbs of his eyes glittering with a mix of exasperation and begrudging admiration. "You're so gonna get me killed, Coppertone," he quipped, his tone a jovial mockery, belying the seriousness of their situation.

Her proclamation regarding the envelope had him brooding, his brow furrowed in deep contemplation. The prospect of traipsing off to an unknown location to meet an unidentified man was by no means appealing; the shroud of uncertainty that clouded this entire affair was disconcerting. Yet, her resolve, he felt, would not allow him the luxury of choice; sending her off alone was a risk he couldn't take.

"Alright, let's find our mysterious yellow-haired man," he conceded, a note of resignation in his voice. Retrieving his EZpod, he scanned the coordinates. A digital map unfurled, pinpointing a location not far from their hiding spot - an exotic restaurant, Lágrima Dorada.

An advertisement, vibrant and enticing, filled his screen: the restaurant, draped in golden hues and alive with the effervescent energy of Chandrilan nightlife, promising an array of galactic cuisines. Images of exquisite dishes danced before his eyes, and for a moment he wondered if they had a good cup of Jawa juice on the menu. A Jedi's life didn't leave much room for such indulgences, but he relished the small pleasures when he could.

"Looks like we're in for some gourmet food," he announced, an impish grin pulling at his lips. "Let's go." Perun led the way, navigating through the labyrinthine streets with an air of newfound purpose.

As they traversed the city, he turned to his companion, breaking the silence. "By the way, I'm Perun. And as amusing as it is to call you 'Coppertone', I feel we should be on first-name terms, considering the mess we're in together." His voice held a tinge of warmth, the sass momentarily replaced by genuine interest. He waited for her response, wondering what other surprises this unconventional adventure had in store for him.

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Theia Durand

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Whether or not he wanted to continue, Theia had already made her mind set. It seemed though it would be enough to convince her new companion to also search for this individual. After all, she would want someone to return her belongings, or at least tell her there were some crazies that were coming after her. Theia handed the coordinates, leaning over to see the map track to their new destination. Her eyes widened with awe as the gullible young teen was sucked into the lavish experience the restaurant had to offer.

"Ooo, I bet they have better food than what my mom makes." she sighed, thinking about how she tries to cook her something 'from scratch' and if it wasn't a sweet dessert or pastry, it was fairly terrible. She felt she could suddenly eat another meal after seeing all the dishes dance across the screen. However, Perun's signal brought her back to reality as she found herself sticking close to his side in case the goons showed up unexpectedly. It was quite the difference in attitude she now held, first suspicious, but now after he had acted, she felt she could give him some trust. Though there was something else about him she couldn't place her finger quite yet; a feeling that trickled through her thoughts about him.

He introduced his name along the way and she repeated a few times to herself to remember, nearly forgetting to reciprocate the exchange, "I'm Theia," she introduced herself. The teen paused as she seemed to have a thought that was eating at her and quickly caught up, "Do you really think those guys from earlier would try to kill us?" she asked, a bit of worry lined her tone, "Do people really do that?" she asked, seeming skeptical. She would see stories, fact, fiction, or hear them second hand of near-death experiences and also heroism, but could she really be tied up in such bravado.



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Perun

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Perun studied Theia for a moment, the innocence of her questions starkly contrasting the harsh reality they were navigating. It was a stark reminder of the cruelty of the galaxy, something he wished could remain veiled from her emerald eyes a little longer. "You’d be surprised, Theia, what some beings are willing to do over trifles," he replied in a sober tone, sidestepping her worry rather than feeding it, "But fear not. I don't plan on letting anything happen to you."

His golden gaze returned to the route ahead, as he mentally replayed their encounters with the motley crew of miscreants. He found himself grappling with the mystery that cloaked this whole affair – the envelope, the yellow-haired man, and now, their destination, an exotic restaurant that presumably held answers.

With a sigh, he quickened his pace, leading Theia through winding streets and bustling markets, the exotic aromas of street food and the cacophonous symphony of the city engulfing them. Perun was alert, his senses fine-tuned to the city's energy, ready to respond to the slightest hint of danger.

As the golden hues of Lágrima Dorada came into sight, a surge of anticipation gripped him. He paused, glancing at Theia. "Ready to dive into the gourmet world, Theia? Just remember, the important thing is to blend in... and let's hope they do serve a good cup of Jawa juice," he added, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards.

Walking towards the restaurant, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of being watched. His hand instinctively moved to the lightsaber at his side – an unobtrusive reminder of the fact that while he might be enjoying this unexpected adventure, he was first and foremost, a Jedi Knight.

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Theia Durand

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Theia listened carefully to Perun, something she didn't do too often with many, but his reassurance despite the gloomy truth about some beings in the galaxy, gave her the courage to continue onward. She remained quiet, trusting the furred being in his word he would not let anything happen to herself. She couldn't help but to let her thoughts wander, questions she had asked for years about some of her mother's lessons and teachings on trust, or pretty much not who to trust. Suddenly there were some links to what was unfolding now to the warnings from her mom.

Though she seemed tied up in her own thoughts, the redheaded teen was suddenly brought to the present as they arrived to Lágrima Dorada. She felt her jaw drop but was able to catch herself from looking like a fish as she gawked for a moment at the restaurant. She knew her mom would go to places as fancy as this one when she was conducting business or meetings, but now she was a bit curious to see if this place in particular was as much as it made out to be. Her grey eyes flickered to Perun as he spoke of Jawa juice and something about blending in. An eyebrow quirked as she looked at what he was wearing and what she was wearing and as they entered, quickly noted what everyone else was wearing.

She was certainly underdressed.

"I'll start looking for the yellow-haired man." she said as she started to casually walk between the tables; luckily for the two seekers, the restaurant was not very busy, their evening dinner rush was several hours away. However, Theia still found it difficult, feeling herself becoming overstimulated as she tried to match the tops of heads to the yellow hair she chased. But she would see him, beside the window, enjoying a nerf steak at a table by himself. Theia, with or without Perun would sit down at the table, giving the man a startle as he starred in bewilderment at the kid.

"Uhhh..."

"You left this behind." she said sliding the envelope to the man. He looked at it then back at Theia, and then looked around before picking it up and tucking it into his jacket.

"And they probably followed you?" he questioned, still eating his steak.

"Who?" Theia asked.

Perun's instincts would be right as their thugs from earlier entered the restaurant.



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Perun

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Perun was too engrossed in perusing the exotic menu of Lágrima Dorada when he caught the distinctive shift in the room's atmosphere. The scent of danger wafted past his nose before his eyes even registered the arrival of the earlier thugs. Ah, yes, the uninvited guests had finally arrived.

In an almost reflexive motion, he swiveled in his chair, resting his back against the table while facing the incoming ne'er-do-wells. A broad, almost disconcerting grin split his simian face, gold eyes gleaming with a playful mischievousness that belied the brewing trouble.

"Ah, gentlemen," he began, lacing his words with honeyed humor, "Are you here for the nerf steaks or have you decided to diversify your palate?"

The thugs halted, blinking in bafflement at his glibness. Perun used their momentary disarray to his advantage, spinning his chair back around to face the table. With a feigned gasp, he looked at the yellow-haired man and Theia.

"My sincerest apologies," he drawled with faux regret, "I forgot my manners. This lovely lady is Theia and I'm Perun. Just in case you're here for autographs instead of culinary delights."

With an audacious wink at Theia, he spun back to the thugs. "A word of advice, gentlemen," he said, all pretense of humor gone, replaced with an icy command that brought the room to a still, "This is neither the place nor the time for you. Be smart, turn around and leave."

The biggest of the thugs, a towering Trandoshan, seemed to puff up even larger at Perun's words, his reptilian eyes narrowing into slits. The room was so quiet that the creak of his leather jacket was almost deafening. His voice, when it finally came, was a low growl, echoing with menacing laughter.

"Well, well, ain't this a delight," he drawled, baring his jagged teeth in a sardonic grin. "A furball with a tongue sharper than a gundark's bite, and a little girl playing courier. You got it all wrong, furry. We're not here for the food or autographs. We're here for that envelope. So why don't you give it back nice and easy and we'll forget we ever saw your fluffy tail?"

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Theia Durand

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Perun seemed to have a handle on the situation, but deep down, Theia knew she was terrified when she saw the thugs enter the restaurant. Her light gaze shared between the jedi and the yellow-haired man as Perun warned for the thugs to leave, however, Theia had seen plenty of holovids of where that didn't usually happen. As the trandoshan responded, the teen had a bad feeling twisting through her gut, an instinct that she trusted, to listen as it reassured things would be okay.

The yellow-haired man seemed to finish his meal and reached into his pocket as though he were ready to pay for the bill. He was unnaturally cool about everything, as though he knew what was to happen and how he would see things go down. He plucked the envelope from Theia, setting his Ranger badge on the table, "This was not the rendezvous point, but it will suffice." he stated, "You're under arrest, you should know better than try to solicit slaves through the core worlds." the yellow-haired Ranger hissed. Holding his comm to his lip as he sent orders where to send his team. This statement seemed to shock the trandoshan and his partner, Theia was left agape, finding it really difficult to process what was unfolding, and the Ranger pulled a pair of stuncuffs.

"So unlike my new friends here, you are not permitted to leave-Argh!"

The trandoshan had pulled his blaster and fired, the Ranger underestimated the audacity of the slaver to have such a public show and now had a blaster bolt burn through his shoulder. However, they were all in, the second thug also pulled her blaster again, firing indiscriminatory to clear a path for their escape. Theia threw herself to the floor at the ringing of blaster fire, letting her instinct take her to safety. The teen paused though, seeing the ranger struggle to get to safety and she quickly crawled over, trying to pull him to cover.



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