The Aftermath

[Vash Tembra]

Today was excursion day, and he was excited! Vash had spent weeks with the slaves now, showing them around Jedha (the good parts of the city- he stayed well away from the North region while with his new friends), taking them out in slow but steady paces to meet the place they now lived in. The ones who'd decided to stay, anyway: many had decided to head off-world, to meet with their families, while others still simply preferred to stay inside the facilities presented to them by the Jedi Temple, doing nothing but moping around, but that was alright: Vash knew he couldn't save them all, and that it was best to just give the slaves some space.

What was best is that this attitude actually seemed to be working, because a bigger and bigger number seemed to be flocking to his banner as time went by, especially the children. So today, Vash and the adult former slaves were doing something special for them, taking the little rascalls to a nearby oasis, where they could find respite from the severe wheather of the planet's daytime, and learn more about plants and animals of the local environment.

Hopefully, the adults would have a good time, too. Most slaves weren't actual parents of these children, and had simply volunteered to keep them under control while holding no other ties to them. A few, kinder souls, had actually adopted one or two of the kids, though that was the exception, not the norm. But Vash could understand the ex slaves' hesitation in taking responsability for another's life: not long ago, they didn't even have responsability for their own lifes, and relearning how to acquire that would be a long, and probably painful process.

They may never be the same, Vash knew, but it's worth the try. Especially because the freed slaves seemed at least calmer, more at peace, even the ones being sad on the Temple. That was a fantastic start. Vash hoped Sakadi was also feeling better from when he'd last seen her. They hadn't talked much since the little raid on the slavers' compound, but the Echani had taken care to check up on her on occasion, as well as send a few terrible jokes through text message (his favorite one being "I've been reading a book about Force Levitation.... I can't put it down).

Whether or not this would be enough to convince her to come to the kid's excursion, he didn't know, but he hoped she would accept his invitation. Most kids had already hopped on the bus, after petting Corin, who Vash figured would be a fine addition to his collection of beings who'd benefit from seeing the wilds. The hawk spent most of its time on the city, after all; it'd do it some good to see what else the world had to offer.



@Powerfullhorus

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

It had been less than a month ago since she had last worked together with the Echani named Vash Tembra. He had visited her occasionally, but his visits had been short. Just like her replies to his messages. But now he had asked her to join him on an 'excursion of some sorts.'

Now she knew that he was still seeing the former slaves. She disapproved of it, but she didn't have the right to tell him what to do. Besides, he wasn't going to listen anyway. There was only one thing she could do; keep an eye on him and the excursion. She had told him before, that the criminals would certainly try to take revenge. And this seemed like a rather good opportunity to do so. That's why, just in case, she decided to join him on this excursion. Someone had to stay vigilant after all.

Sakadi walked toward the bus, where Vash was waiting. She recognized the vehicle as a modified speeder truck, a vehicle with the capacity to carry all who decided to join Vash on this excursion, which included her. Armed with a holopad, her standard utility belt and some brand new binoculars, she joined her fellow Jedi. She was the last one to arrive, which was unlike her. Sakadi was always early, but today was different. Mainly because she didn't want to be here.

The past month she had tried to swing her saber a lot less. She tried to be more of a pacifist, instead trying to think here way out of scenarios, instead of using violence. It was hard, her instincts still screamed for her to pick up the lightsaber in nearly all of the situations she had faced since then. But she had persevered so far. Somehow, she managed. She had become far more skillful in utilizing the Force it's energy as well; she slowly started to understand how to use energy manipulation to great effect. And yet, all of it felt very.. restricting. She did not dare swing around her saber like she used to before. But that in itself made her life quite a bit harder, as she wasn't exactly vocal.

She kept her greeting short, a slight nod of recognition aimed at Vash, nothing more. The shorter she could keep her interactions, the better. She wasn't her for some playful banter after all, but to ensure the safety of everyone involved. That was her duty as a Jedi, whether she wanted it or not.

 

[Vash Tembra]

Well, she came, after all, the Echani thought, flashing Sakadi a smile as she entered the truck. She was not only late, but also keeping her distance, being only polite enough not to be considered rude. If she had done this a month ago, Vash wouldn't have stopped bothering his fellow Padawan about it, sitting beside her on the truck and trying to make her feel better. But things were different now: he'd not only learned it was sometimes best to give people space, but also, he frankly didn't want to see Sakadi anymore. She was kind of depressing, for one, and always so stubborn....

But that was exactly why he had invited her over. To try and understand the Sephi a bit more. Vash had since given up on having her understand him, after the events proceeding they capture of Risala (the Umbaran now sat on a cell on the Temple, and Vash visited her daily), when they had that little talk. It seemed she thought him far more ruthless than he actually was, which frankly made him feel a bit hurt, but Vash knew no good would come out of discussing this further with the little Sephi, it'd just make them both upset, and reopen old wounds.

Instead, he got off the truck for a moment, to check on the eight officers who were going to accompany the expedition into the Oasis. Vash had handpicked who would be going along for the ride for this one, and he'd come to know these officers well over the last few weeks. Many among the department had been shocked to learn of the amount of corruption uncovered after Risala's base was investigated thoroughly, with quite a significant number doing everything in their power to bring the coruption to light, and make amends for the past.

These officers accompanying the truck today had done more than just see justice done, however: they'd tried to make things better by befriending the freed slaves, giving them food, shelter, and even donating a few credits. There was actually talk among these officers to begin a charity foundation, especially if more people would be freed down the line, as slavery wasn't over in this system, far from it.

"If you choose war, if you choose battle, it is a path few can turn away from once the first steps are given," he suddenly recalled. It had been one of the things Sakadi had told him that day, as a warning against going after Maris, and Vash had taken it to heart. He was first going to help the people here, then worry about that cheeky Zabrak some other day. One step at a time, he thought, turning to the officers.

"Lieutenant Yima," he greeted an Ithorian, who'd be leading out the other seven officers. She bowed her head in greeting when she heard her name being called "If your people are ready, we'll be heading out now. The oasis is pretty close, should be a total blue milk run, but you never know"

Yima replied in her own language, which he didn't actually 100% understand, but he had the Force as a translator. The gist of it was, she and the men were ready, and the Ithorian in particular was excited to see the Oasis.

That made Vash give her a bright smile. "This is what I love about your people, Yima- you can always appreciate a bit of nature. Let's head out!", he exclaimed, both to the officers, and the people on the truck.

Their pilot, a middle aged human male, started the ignition, and so the journey began, with the kids being kids, walking all over the place, and adults being adults, trying to stop all that wondering around by the tiny little people. Well, Sakadi would probably not be moving around, so that was one less tiny person to worry about. Not that Vash was particularly paying attention to what was going on with the children, though: for one, he knew it was best to let the other former slaves handle it, as the children would listen to them far more, and, besides, he was more busy checking the roads for any suspicious activity. Nothing, and no one, seemed to be following them, but one could never be sure.

The journey went without a hitch, just as expected, and half an hour after they'd left the Jedi Temple, the truck arrived on a large oasis, full of plants, and, Vash knew, little animals.

"Maybe we'll find something for you to hunt, eh, Corin?", he asked, petting his hawk. He and the kids would be eating something different from the wildlife, though, for Jeffrig, the owner of the little bistro on the North end of town, was already there, due to Vash's request. He'd hired the human to feed them all, as a way of apologizing for all the damage they'd caused to his estabilishment when all hell broke loose, about a month and a week ago.

"John Smith!", Jeffrig called out, after seeing the Echani leave the truck. He was going out alone at first to make sure everything was ok. "Or should I say Vash Tembra? Jedi Master, or whatever," he added with a wink. Vash had, since the incident, told him his true name. It was the least he could do.

"Just a Padawan, Jeffrig, but good to see you," he replied, shaking the man's hand. "Alright, bring the kids over, nice and slow!", Vash instructed the adults on the truck upon seeing nor sensing any danger. Meanwhile his bird went on to fly to a nearby tree, and keep a watch for intruders. Vash had been training with his hawk to make it warn when strangers were coming, just in case.

Yeah, between eight officers, two Jedi, a bistro owner and hawk, we're incredibly well protected, he thought with a smile, watching the kids get off the truck.

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

She watched from a distance as Vash talked with the Ithorian officer. Eight members of the law enforcement joined them on this excursion, which was both a good and a bad thing. Those who had joined them on this excursion would arguably be safer, but they'd be more uneasy knowing that even now, they needed protection. It made her less concerned though, knowing that there would be reinforcements in case something did go terribly wrong.

When the pilot started the ignition, their bus came to life, vibrating and humming as the bus started to move. When the bus came to life, so did the children, to great concern of their guardians. Despite it's modifications, the bus had no roof, which meant that kids acting reckless could potentially end in an accident. so that's where she came in. She wasn't going to restrict the children's fun, but she was going to try and keep it as safe as she could. Besides, playing a game like "Who can be quiet the longest" was no fun either; she had been the undefeated champion for the past five years. No kid was going to beat her now.

She reached for her binoculars. Rarely did she use it like intended, and that did not change today. With a mere thought and gesture, the binoculars began to float. She kept her attention focused on the object, as she made it spin and move through the bus, getting the attention of the children in the proces. They tried to catch the floating object, but the floating object was faster. They tried all kinds of tricks to catch the floating binoculars. They tried to lure it, surround it and straight up outspeed it. She noticed that the guardians felt a bit more at ease as well, since they noticed that the Jedi made an effort to keep the children busy. And they trusted her. A feeling that was not entirely mutual, after Maris' betrayal.

The bus came to a stop near the oasis. It was a beautiful location, the small pool of water was surrounded by fertile mud, some trees and a lot of small herbs and grass-like plants. The pool itself was brimming with life as well, being bigger than she had initially thought it would be. It barely rained on the desert moon of Jedha, and yet somehow this oasis endured. At first glance she already noticed the tadpoles and small fish present in the clear pool. It was almost poetic how, on such a dead, dry moon, such as Jedha, there were still places such as this. She couldn't help but think that, one day perhaps, the entire moon could be covered by green vegetation like this.

The moment she set foot on the hot sand however, she resorted back to the distant and mision-focused attitude she often displayed. While this location seemed safe at first glance, there was no way they'd know for sure. The oasis was naturally located in a desert valley, protect by a few large sand dunes. Instead of joining Vash and the others who gathered near Jeffrig, she decided to do a full perimeter sweep around the oasis first. After all, this excursion wasn't classified information. The possibility existed that the thugs had turned the oasis in a minefield, something they weren't going to detect with the Force. Risala's thugs had learnt to deal with Jedi after all, so it wouldn't surprise her if it ended up being true.

To the lavender Sephi's delight, she found nothing. She felt a bit more at ease knowing that the criminals weren't going to strike in a way that inspired terrorism in the hearts of the other spice and slave-traders. Sakadi took position on one of the larger dunes, getting a nice view of both the oasis and the surrounding desert. She folded her legs, sitting in a meditative pose. She had chosen not to wear her cloak today. Yes, the sun was searing hot, but that gave her a new challenge to overcome. She would try and keep a bit of distance today. She had never been one who enjoyed or participated in group activities, something that wasn't going to change today either.

 

[Vash Tembra]

It wasn't long before every child- and most adults- had not only tasted of Jeffrig's cuisine, but also gained a promotional little Rancor toy that danced, and flashed between yellow and blue. Two colors that, incidentally, were of the lightsaber color of both Risala's and Sakadi's weapons, respectively.

And now the children, and, especially, the Ithorian officer, were paying close attention as one of the guides Vash had hired showed them the secrets of one of the plants found only in Jedha, and which were grown in oases around the planet, either natural or artificially constructed.

It truly is a wonder how life can develop, Vash thought, as he observed the guide flash a red light on the plant. This red hue was similar in coloration to one of the herbivores that fed on said plant, and it was meant to stimulate it to open up its edible parts. Amazingly, it worked, and almost immediately after receiving the red flash, the botanical wonder responded by flashing bright purple, but only on its fruits, highlighting the part of it that should be eaten.

The guide then took one of the now bright purple fruits and cut it with a vibroknife. The thing was so big, just a few fruits were needed to feed the entire number of kids and adults standing about. No one seemed more thrilled than Yima, however. Vash knew Ithorians loved nature, so that came as no surprise, but most everyone seemed to be having a good time, which was great.

He could briefly feel Corin flying through the plants of the oasis, hunting for insects, as he took two pieces of the fruit towards one of the dunes he'd seen Sakadi walk towards. She'd been there for some good twenty minutes now, and didn't seem to be in the mood to move away. Which was alright, he didn't want to bother her long, just give her some food and move on.

"Brought you a little something," Vash said in a low, kind tone, extending his left hand to offer a slab of fruit to the Sephi. "You missed a pretty nice show down there you know?"

He couldn't help adding that in, because he still wanted her to at least have some fun, and not just retreat back into her shell. It was maybe a stupid hope, but hope was all he had left these days.

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

She sensed the presence of her ally as he approached her. The last time they properly talked was right after their raid in on the slavers compound, something she still believed was a mistake. She didn't bear any hatred towards him, but she still felt frustrated by his presence. Neither of them was willing to accept the other's point of view yet, and that was something she wanted to get off her chest. But the chance that it'd just create another conflict again, that was the thing that bothered her. The reason why she had kept her replies short, and why he likely kept his visits shorter.

Vash was nice enough to offer her some kind of fruit. She didn't know what it was, but she accepted it with a slight nod. Her answer to his second remark wasn't that special either. She simply shrugged. Her father was a botanist, who used to give his plants more attention than her. Not to say that she didn't like flowers and vegetation, on the contrary, in an effort to impress her father, she had tried to learn a thing or two about botany in her rare free time. Not that he had cared though, which left her with a bitter taste every time she met a botanist. It was hard to leave one's past behind.

Instead of giving an actual telepathic reply, she had chosen to keep her communication superficial again. She had done that for a while now, ever since they last spoke after the raid. Although now seemed like a rather good moment to break through that near radio silence again.

How is Risala doing. Booked any progress in turning her back to the light? Sakadi had only visited her once, and she had not exactly been kind to the woman. The Umbaran had been rather fixated on killing her first after all. The reason why she had visited her was simple; Maris. Was she one of the slaves? A thug? Perhaps even an acquaintance of hers? She came searching for clarity and left empty handed. She knew that Vash still visited her daily, so if Risala opened up to someone, chances were high it was going to be Vash.

You know, I still think we shouldn't have raided the casino and the compound. and I believe we disagree on that. There. She got it off her chest. She didn't want to start this again, but they had to sort things out. If Vash didn't want to share his feelings on the subject at hand, she'd make him talk in another way. She had some tricks up her sleeve, tricks she'd rather not use, but she wasn't afraid to do so if it could solve this argument.

 

[Vash Tembra]

Vash gave Sakadi a sad smile. Of course she was going to bring it up again, wasn't she? What had her words been that day? Something about poking a Rancor, and the Rancor annihilating you? Yeah, he'd poked the Sephi, and was now paying the price. Vash knew where she was going by mentioning Risala again, and he knew he wasn't going to like it.

"She's... calmer. But afraid," he awnsered. The Umbaran was a bit of a free spirit, and had manifested that in the most warped way possible: by leaving the Order and starting an Underworld organization, causing harm to several people. But the general gist of it was simple: Risala wanted to have a say in what happened in her life, and Vash thought he could work with that. "We don't talk much, though. We mostly spar, which is the best way to talk about one's feelings to an Echani, in case you weren't aware. I think it's doing her some good"

Risala seemed to enjoy fighting, as did he, and Vash felt he was learning more and more about her: in battle, she was cold, ruthless, and calculating. When speaking, the Umbaran was calm, well spoken, and... surprisingly kind. She knew a wide variety of topics, and speaking to her was pleasant and puzzling, all at once. A strategist through and through, Risala was.

And then, of course, Sakadi had to bring up their disagreement. The trip was going to well to be true.

"Yup, I know," he said out loud, watching the kids playing with the wildlife. The guides were good at their jobs, and were keeping everyone safe. There seemed to be nothing to worry about, at least not just yet. "And I think we'll keep on not agreeing on this, but I respect your opinion, though. You should do your thing, and I want you to be happy... but I also have to do what I feel is right, you know?"

Vash had kept his tone calm and conciliatory, as he didn't really want to have his day wasted. He'd worked really hard to make things go smoothly today. Last thing he needed was for a tiny purple girl to probe him for awnsers, especially when he wasn't quite sure what else she wanted. People could agree to disagree, couldn't they?

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Did he spar against a Dark Jedi.. daily? That concerned her a bit. She respected the Echani culture, but fighting against a Jedi Exile was dangerous. He had to make sure that dueling wouldn't become a passion, for passion would lead him straight to the Dark si.. No. She had to trust him for now. He didn't strike her as someone who'd turn by giving in to passion. From what she could gather, kindness was both his strength and his weakness. Her fellow padawan wanted to aid and protect everyone who he met. She knew that.

Being kind is a good thing. It really is, but it's simultaneously an annoying trait to have. She wanted him to see how 'being kind' had resulted in where they stood now. Whether he or she wanted it or not.

Please, do try to answer this as honestly as she can. If you reflect upon our mission, what do you think we could've done better? What have you learned from it?

Yeah, she knew he didn't want to talk about it. But she didn't want to bury this under 'We agree to disagree', like he wanted to. Despite the mistakes they had made, she liked working with the Echani. But if they went on a mission together, with this matter unattended to, they'd likely end up dead.

To take some pressure of your shoulders, I'll begin. For starters, we shouldn't have been so rash. The first thing I did, once I got my hands on information, was inform you. Had we been more patient, we could've perhaps stopped the slave-trade in this sector once and for all. She gestured at the children playing near the oasis. We could have freed at least tenfold more slaves from their cruel fate, if we didn't jump in, guns blazing. We made that mistake twice. Second, had we been less focused on 'saving' these people, we would have senses Maris' intentions. Only the Force knows what she's up to know. And third, we, no I, shouldn't try to solve every problem with my lightsaber first. Violence is a last resort, it's simply not what we should stand for. It was true. In the bistro, he confronted the Zabrak without thinking. She attacked the casino without a second thought. Together, they had caused two riot and infiltrated two buildings, illegally. Fourth, she blamed her actions for the death of two men. But she'd omit that from her speech.

I want no comments. I just want to hear your answers to my questions.

She was resolute and direct. A game she rarely played, since it wasn't befitting of someone with her background. Perhaps it was exactly that which made their views of what was right differ. After all, she had no idea where Vash came from. She knew that he was an Echani, a tease and a Jedi padawan. She knew nothing about him, and he knew nothing about her. That was definitely going to be her next question. Something even more personal, because why not?

She tapped on the ground next to her, indicating that he should sit down. This was going to be either quite the revelation, or quite the discussion.

 

[Vash Tembra]

It seemed he was wrong about Sakadi, once again. Now she wanted to discuss it, in a more objective manner, just by analyzing what had gone wrong, and deciding to do better. Vash was a bit... well, terrible at talking about feelings, but he was always in the mood to discuss strategy, so he sat down next to her when she tapped on the ground, feeling the warm sands envelop him, and the wind against his face.

She wanted no comments, and so he would refrain from making any silly teases or things of a similar magnitude. This was a serious matter to the Sephi, and as such, Vash had to respect her wishes.

"Alright," he said, after a pause, taking a deep breath as he watched the children playing. "I agree with you. On all your points. We rushed ahead, and it was pretty stupid, to say nothing of reckless and even kind of childish. It worked, but not without consequences, that we could have avoided"

The Echani took a few more moments watching the kids, because he was about to touch on a topic that annoyed him, and he had to be really careful with his words. Truth was, part of him resented Sakadi's aggression. If she hadn't shown that Zabrak her lightsaber, Vash might never have had to take a life. And if she hadn't just jumped down that building directly into the criminal's blaster, that man would still have been alive.

Despite that, however, Vash realized it was also his fault: he never told her that- if he had, she might have listened to him- so it wasn't fair to hang all responsability on the Sephi's shoulders, when he had, just as readily, began fighting once violence broke out. I'm not afraid to fight, he realized, but just afraid to fight pointless battles that could have been avoided.

"And yes, violence should be a last resort, not going to fight you there. But I am going to use it when needed, and I swear I'll do what I can not to take any lifes... and for that, I'll need your help. So maybe no more jumping on three thugs when we could have stunned them with a blaster," he said lightly. "I can't be as acrobatic as you, after all"

After a pause, he continued, in a more serious tone.

"You know we'll have to face Maris, right? Or someone like her. Sooner or later, it's going to happen. I want to keep an eye out for her, but not act until the time is propicious... until we both feel it's time to do something about it. Lest I do more harm with an open palm than with a closed fist," he winked, recalling her words from when he'd shortly left Risala's office.

Sakadi had made some good points when they'd last talked, almost a month ago, and he wanted her to see that. But he couldn't simply not act, either. He was just not built that way. But hopefully they'd come to some common ground. This little talk's being more interesting than I'd anticipated, he thought, as he smiled at the children playing nearby.

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

It worked. No it didn't. They had removed a single gear from the slave-trading machine, a gear which could easily be replaced. Therefore, she could confidently say that they had booked no progress. Did he understand that? Because it seemed like he didn't. They may have rescued some of the slave-trade victims, but their family members were still trapped. They've been exposed to violence, death and sorrow on a scale unbeknownst to her. And they had an actual chance to stop that slave-trade machine. A chance they wasted because of rash and reckless behaviour.

She kept that to herself though, reacting to his second remark instead. Fine, I won't jump in like that anymore. If you promise to not straight up confront criminals in public space. While she had been the one to reveal their Jedi status, it had been Vash who actually confronted and fought with the Zabrak. She wasn't the only one who was to blame here, although she still only blamed herself.

Another thing he said, was that they'd have to confront Maris eventually. Again, she disagreed. Maris had plans to take Risala's place. They'd just be replacing the single gear again. Somebody else would take her place. If they wanted to fix this problem, they would have to stop the demand, instead of the supply. And that, that was virtually impossible. It was not something two Jedi padawans could achieve. Even the grandmaster would have a hard time stopping slave-trade in a sector. So that was what she would convey to him.

Maris is not the problem. If we go after her, take her down, somebody else with take her place. It's a cycle, a cycle we can't stop. We can keep on fighting, but it'll get worse the more we resist. If there's a demand, there will be someone taking care of the supply. So either we deal with those demanding slaves, which is near impossible, or we'll get consumed in this war against slavery.

 

[Vash Tembra]

The Echani took a deep breath before awnsering, taking a few seconds to focus. His pale white skin didn't agree with Jedha's scorching sun, but that wasn't all bad- it was a great opportunity to practice Tutaminis, after all. In these last few days, he'd been trying to hone in his powers more, especially when it came to teleknesis, as it was useful both in and out of the battlefield. But, a Jedi had to be prepared for everything, and this would be a good opportunity to practice a more obscure ability, that he wasn't incredible nor terrible at.

So he absorbed the heat by creating a shield around his body with the Force, taking in that extra energy and allowing it to dissipate to the environment around him, in the sands, and in the air, feeling himself get enveloped in a wave of serenity that protected him from the sun. Only then, after he was feeling comfortable and no longer bothered by the heat, did he open his eyes to speak again.

"Maris isn't the problem," he agreed with a nod. "But she'll protect what she thinks is hers with tooth and nail, which is bad... and good."

He had some personal experience in the matter, his own father always being a little paranoid of losing the fortune he'd worked so hard to build, so he could understand a bit of what was going in in Maris' head... or at least he thought he could. Turning his head to face the Sephi, Vash continued.

"If I were her, I'd be a lot more careful, and a lot more paranoid now. Our little attack may have been a bit rash, but it proved these criminals aren't unstoppable. A lot of the thugs might be thinking of moving to greener pastures now- they don't know if we'll keep hammering on them or not, and I sure wouldn't risk it if I were in their place. There's plenty of places in the galaxy where people with glowy swords don't bother criminals, after all"

Vash pursed his lips, gathering his thoughts and redirecting the heat away once more before continuing.

"She'll have to keep a supply going, deal with a bit of a power vaccum, and worry about us. That's a lot of work. So, I disagree. We have to keep at least some pressure, while we investigate who's demanding the slaves... and before you start, I'm not suggesting we go after any more bases. Just maybe tighten security around the city, and keep a closer eye on the law enforcers. Baby steps, that'll make the criminals' lifes harder without making them desperate. Then, we can take it from there"

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

It felt good to discuss this with Vash. He had a point concerning Maris, she didn't know how the other thugs were going to react, however. I don't know for sure if the thugs will change their lives based on what we did. There are always atleast two kinds of people, those who fight and those who flee. And these men are specially trained to fight us..

While she did appreciate that they could discuss this, she wasn't too happy with his heat shield. Yes, it kept him cool, but the shield amplified the intensity of the heat around it. That was quite bothersome. In an attempt to negate the heat, she drew upon the Force, targetting it's power to lower her body temperature. She had to alternate between her telepathy and keeping her body cool though, which could end up being quite a straining task. It was good practice though, so she didn't really mind.

Sakadi imagined that Maris wouldn't have a hard time dealing with the power vacuum. If anything, it would work in her favor. If she could outsmart two Jedi, those thugs weren't going to pose a challenge either. She agreed with keeping a closer eye on the law enforcement, but increasing the city's security? That would only cause more violence and bloodshed.

I don't think tightening security is a good idea. Don't forget the different ethnicities and cultures here on Jedha. Having more law enforcers walk around will only make the inhabitants of Nijedha feel more restricted. It might just provoke even more unwanted conflicts, so I advocate against that.

She turned around, gazing upon the vast desert in front of her now, instead of the children playing down below, at the oasis. In the far distance, she saw the large mesa upon which the city was built. It was far away, but even from this oasis could she see the daily traffic. Smugglers and traders alike, docking and leaving from the city. Jedha was her home now, although she feared that she'd have to leave it behind one day. The day when the war got personal, that was. Her view differed from most Jedi, as she opposed their coalition with the Galactic Alliance, instead of encouraging it. It was an opinion she rarely voiced however, since most Jedi would not respect it.

Her reasoning was simple though; the Jedi Order should serve the Light Side, life itself. They served the Force, not those who opposed the Empire. Eventually Sith rule would collapse under the disease that was their lust for power. The very essence of the Dark Side, as she understood it, was destruction and ruin after all. If they had a banner to unite under, a common enemy to fight against, such as the Jedi Order, they'd persevere and survive. That was her opinion, but not one commonly shared under the Jedi of this day and age. And she was certain that Vash wouldn't either, judging by his actions so far.

What I think we should do, is wait. Have patience. She continued. Eventually, Maris and the slave-trade will emerge again. At some point she'll get overconfident and reveal herself. That will be the moment when we can systematically start taking it down. Starting with the demand, then the supply. Her plan was simple; they needed the slave-traders to figure out what kind of people bought their 'merchandise'. Once they understood who wanted to by them and why, they could cripple the slave trade. It was a long term plan though, but she could wait for another ten decades before she even had to consider altering her plan. Longevity was a blessing indeed.

 

[Vash Tembra]

"Our new friends probably won't change their lives," Vash agreed, upon hearing Sakadi's remark. "But I know that doubt's been sown now. You don't just see your Force Sensitive boss who's way better at taking on Jedi than you taken down and not at least start to question if this whole thing isn't a bad idea. But many will probably keep doing what they're doing once the dust settles and they start feeling overconfident again"

Noticing Sakadi's discomfort with the heat shield, Vash reduced its intensity so as to not disrupt his fellow Padawan's concentration too much, but he did keep it going. It was, after all, good practice for the both of them to keep up active Force ablities while talking.

She was making a lot of sense in so far as tightening security was concerned, he had to admit. Much as he'd like to have as many good willed officers around as possible, Vash realized now it could potentially scale conflicts further, and then, they'd have a huge task force too busy with dealing with riots and gangs to keep an active eye on the slave trade.

"Alright, you convinced me. We keep security much the same way. I suppose if we have less corrupt officers, security will already be much, much better, and without anyone noticing, as the number of officers will be more or less the same, so less chance of conflict"

He was actually enjoying speaking to Sakadi about this. The Sephi had made a few points that he hadn't considered up until now, and he was glad to not be doing this alone. His ways were, admittedly, a bit brash and to the point, so having a partner with a more... subtle mindset was a very good thing indeed. There's much I can learn from her, he realized, just hope there's at least some things she can learn from me, or this'll be a very one sided relationship.

Whether or not he had anything worthwhile to teach didn't matter right now, though. Now they were planning, and it wasn't exactly going where he wanted, but Vash knew there was no other way. They had to wait. Let Maris, or whoever would rise to power play their cards, get overconfident, and only then could they act. It'd take a while, but it could be done. He just hoped it wouldn't take ten years or so... Vash was not getting any younger, after all.

"Waiting it is," he said, with a resigned sigh, watching the kids run after Corin. They liked to follow the bird around on occasion, much to Vash's delight, and the hawk's annoyance. "And we'll see if Risala won't be useful in the meanwhile. Call me crazy, but I think I'm making some progress with her"

The Umbaran seemed to be getting a tad more talkative as time went by. Vash suspected it to be a ruse, but even ruses had the possibility of backfiring, and he felt he could yet work with that, if he were careful. She wasn't all bad, he could tell, and the Echani still remembered her words at the bridge. How she felt sorry for him for following the Light. It was misguided, but it was compassion all the same, and that was definitely a quality that could be explored.

"Anyway," he continued in a lighter tone. "You said you'd tell me how you lost your voice, and now, a month later, nothing. Lying is not the Jedi way, don't you know?"

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Delighted to hear Vash agree with her plan, she almost didn't notice how he decreased the intensity of his heat shield. Hearing about Risala getting more talkative was also a good thing. While the mainframe containing the necessary information was destroyed by yourrs truly, the information was not lost. If somebody knew the ins and outs of the slave-trade organization, it was going to be Risala. That was something they could take advantage of.

His second statement caught her off guard again. It was true, she had promised him that she'd tell him sooner or later. She owed him that much. Sakadi rarely talked about her past. In fact, there was only one other Jedi who knew her origin. Somebody most people tried to avoid as well; Lady Rohana Feyre. Not that Sakadi had told her anything though, no, they had simply met long before both of them joined the order. Not they had ever talked during those encounters, but both of them knew and respected the other. Aside from her, she dared say that no one else knew her. Her parent pretended that she was dead, her audience had no reason not to believe that truth and she hadn't bothered to rectify that mistake either. So here she was, a girl without a voice, home or past.

She nodded before she focused on her telepathic messages again. I guess you're right about that. She paused, taking a deep breath before she continued. I used to be quite famous you know. Traveled and performed on Coruscant, Alderaan, Onderon, Serenno, every place that mattered, basically. Know I think about it, I believe I could afford your weight in gold.... tenfold, atleast. She wasn't lying. While her parents had been in charge of her finances, she knew that the number on her bank account had more than six digits, even with her parents' excessive spending. I had a penthouse on Coruscant and a Villa on Serenno, but none of those places felt like home. My parents only loved me because I provided them with a stable, and mostly huge income. That changed two years ago though.

She recalled how suddenly it happened. The sound of blaster bolts searing through the air, the masked men who ran through the alley, just as she and her bodyguards stepped out of the performer's exit. The ensuing firefight, was short but brutal. She doesn't remember how it ended, since she ended up at the receiving end of a blaster halfway through. She woke up months later, with no recollection of what had happened. And without a voice.

She conssodered how best to continue from here, deciding to keep it as objectively as possible. I walked straight into a heist gone wrong. Got shot, should've died, but the doctors managed to save my life. All my credits were spent in an attempt to save my life though. Worst part was that without my voice, I was worth nothing to my parents. So they told the press I passed away on the operation table. So I walked away and ended up here. I didn't want to join the GA, in fact, I still don't want to have anything to do with it. But the Jedi Order took me in, taught me how to 'talk' again and for that, I am grateful. That pretty much concludes my story.

She purposely left out what made her famous, she didn't want her fellow Jedi stumbling upon any recordings of her performances, or spreading information that she lived.

And what about you? With all due respect, you don't seem like the type who grew up in a manor or penthouse.

 

[Vash Tembra]

There seemed to be some truth to the rumors surrounding Sakadi. She really was someone famous, and apparently very rich. Vash might have thought she was exaggerating on her wealth, if Sakadi's tone weren't so matter-of-factly, and he didn't know she rarely, if ever, boasted.

Hers was a sad story, and one he'd heard before: talented child, with parents too concerned with their own interests to see her as more than a means of income. It wasn't uncommon, but this one seemed more... cruel than most. Pretending their own child died? That was sickening, and even kind of stupid in an economic sense: they might have pulled off a charity donation event, or something of the kind.

The Echani let out a little chuckle when he heard her comment on him not seeming like he grew up in a manor. She was kind of right. Taking a moment to look the petite Sephi over, he flashed her a little smile before replying. "I know this is as obvious as saying water is wet, but you are better off without your parents," he began in a soft tone. "And well, I wouldn't be able to afford your wheight in gold, most likely, but I did have a manor at some point"

He cleared his throat, diverting his gaze for a moment. Speaking of the past was painful, and not only for him, but for Sakadi, too, quite obviously. It seemed that everyone had a tragic backstory, which made sense. It is normally through strife that we evolve, after all. We might never have changed lifes if everything was nice and dandy.

"See, my mother died when I was five, which left dad devastated... and resolute. He left Eshan and its matriarchal, caste based society behind, to look for a better life. We went to Corellia with only some clothes and a fistful of credits," he commented with a chuckle. "Some of my best memories are from that time, with my father trying to make ends meet and distracting me with comedy. He was really funny, you know- and always brought me sweets. Good for your soul, bad for you teeth, he always used to say." Vash added, letting out a sigh.

It was hard to be objective when it came to talking about these times. Even now, part of him wished he could go back to that, despite knowing, as an adult, that the kind of childhood he'd experienced hadn't been the best. They had humor, but that was about it. No credits, no prospects for the future, nothing, just father and son against the world.

"Anyway, he took a course on engineering, after saving up for a long time, and once he graduated... well, dad excelled, and began to design weapons for the Empire for a big company. He was good, though, and knew he could do better on his own, where he could implement his own ideas without awnsering to anyone. Wasn't long till he'd created his own company to rival the previous one. Around that time, he purchased a mansion, which I kind of grew up in, but was already in my teens at that point." Grimacing, he continued, carefully keeping his tone neutral and distant. "Then one day the Alliance attacked, and a bunch of pirate deserters tried to take me hostage in the chaos. Father tried to stop them, and they shot him in the head, right in front of me"

"There was no more ransom to be had after that, of course- my father was the only one who'd pay for me. Someone else had taken his company over, using the chaos to their advantage. So, to cut their loses, the pirates decided to sell me into slavery... but they'd deserted from the Alliance, and the GA wasn't pleased at all: they pursued these rascalls and imprisoned them, freeing me in the process"

Vash hesitated. He wasn't sure she'd understand why he joined the Alliance, because half the time he didn't understand it, either. He had to be careful with his words, in order to remain objective.

"They... took me to one of their bases, and, well, I had no more prospects in life, really. If I went back to Corellia, the new owner of my father's company would probably have had me killed... so I joined the Rebellion, as a spy. They gave me food, a blaster, and a roof over my head. Really, though, I can understand why you wouldn't want to join them- I get pretty turned off about their actions myself, on occasion," Vash admitted, turning his gaze back to the kids, who seemed to be eating another one of Jeffrig's meals.