The Not So Cowardly Cathar

[René]

The above photo is a picture of the Cathar mercenary known simply as Otot. The picture was taken by one of our informers on Nar Shaddaa who was in the area to catalogue possible threats to the Jedi Presence in the area and known ruffians. We have since lost contact with the informer, and have received word of his head being mounted on a stick outside an undercity Cantina. Many accounts have confirmed Otot's presence in the cantina, along with many drunken boasts about his "defeat of a Jedi assassin" and more threats towards "all those crybaby monks." Go to the cantina, arrest Otot, and do your best to recover our informer's remains. Be cautious, as we know little of Otot's capabilities, and the Cantina in question is known as being anti-Jedi.

Nar Shaddaa, Lower Levels

​

The recently Knighted Jalen Kron stood just outside a borrowed freighter, scanning the spaceport for the partner he was supposed to be completing his mission with. The Kiffar didn't know much about her, other than that she was female and a Jedi Knight. The Kiffar hoped that she would be able to pick him out from all the other smugglers and pirate-types milling about, as he had dressed in his undercover gear. He wore a shin-length leather jacket over trousers and armored chestplate typically used by pirates. On his head sat his signature phrik-edged, wide-brimmed hat pulled low to cover his face in shadow. Hidden inside his jacket were his lightsaber and 5 smoke bombs, and inside a hip holster was his Sunspear pistol.

Jalen paused for a moment to think about the mission. The scum that had killed the Jedi informer was apparently holed up in some anti-Jedi cantina with the poor informer's head hanging outside. Although his Jedi training told him to surpress his negative emotions, the young Jedi couldn't help but feel angry about the circumstances and the man, Otot, behind the brutal death of an innocent. The Kiffar tried to push his anger away by focusing on the objective of the mission; he and his partner were to arrest the murderer, bringing him to justice. It was one of the main reasons Jalen enjoyed being a Jedi; bringing justice to those who wrongly harmed innocents. Although he was a thief himself earlier in his life, routinely robbing others, he had done so as a means to survive. He just couldn't stand those who had no real reason for committing crime, specifically slavers and murderers. Breaking from his daydreaming state, Jalen once again began reaching out through the Force, and scanning the crowd for the Jedi joining him on the mission.

@Melania

 

[Melania]

Mei walked through the crowd with normal looking clothing to blend in she had looked up some on her partner and began to look for him. Her eyes began to scan the people around and her eyes moved and saw slaves and such which made her blood boil. She then spotted her partner and walked up to him avoiding the people around her as she did. her assassin skills helped out a lot as she got to him. "Are you Jalen Kron," she asked as she also watched the people around her. She disliked being out in the open like this she hoped this was him as she wanted to discuss how they were going to complete their mission. She moved some of her hair out of her face and behind one of her ears.

@Kyle: The Rogue

 

[Panda Hermit 98]

Brennan's Cantina and Dejariik Lounge was a semi popular hangout in the eastern side of Nar Shadda's Undercity in regards to working class thugs who made a decent amount of credits, enough to afford actual drinks instead of watered down engine oil, or stressed out citizens that needed to relieve stress after a day of hard work with little pay with someone robbing them right after. The Ragged Man liked to come here, he usually had enough credits and presence here to consistently afford a booth in the second floor lounge, reserved for whoever the owner likes. He was a native of Cloud City, the outskirts at least, and as such, this place looks the part, with rustic metal composing the floor and walls, bent and contorted to make various shapes and decorations, all topped off with some quality furniture. Like always, his time was absorbed by the book, flipping through it's pages to keep his mind afloat, it was his memory after all. He had always hoped that whenever he opened the thing, he would remember something, anything, from his life before...the little boy's life.
He was pulled from his thoughts by a soft tugging on the shoulder of his robe, and he looked down to see Claren, one of the few kids that he had in his little network here. There were lots of homeless on Nar Shadda, and lots of threats too, the Ragged Man could ease one problem and totally remove the other, so they trusted him enough to give him information when they thought he would want it.
"Young Clar-r-r-r-ren...what is it?" He asked softly, closing his eyes and inhaling slowly - the little ones always found his speech off-putting, he wasn't too fond either.
"My mum says there's a man's head outside the Wesburrup Cantina without a body on it...all it has is a stick for a neck" He said quickly, his little voice low and raspy, the pollution had gotten to him today. The Ragged Man furrowed his brow at the news, someone had obviously been murdered and they thought it was something he could avenge. "What was his name?" He asked, but the answer was not one he wanted to hear.
Freikiend Tarful, undercity common crook and back ally doctor. More times than he could count, he had found himself on his doctor's table, his own endurance the only thing keeping him breathing, and while certainly no miracle worker, Freikiend was one of the few people he trusted to heal him enough that he and time could do the rest. Of course, he always demanded credits, but there had been a few times where it looked like he didn't even bother thinking about it before going to work, The Ragged Man had always thought that he just needed the money to keep himself fed. The kid had left afterward and left him to his thoughts, but even now, his mind was already turning, the familiar predatory instincts flaring up once again. Whoever killed his friend better have had a damn good reason, or else vengeance would come to their door. With that thought in mind, he stood and slipped his journal back into his pouch before turning to the door.
Wesburrup Cantina was a hotspot for all kind of thuggery, of the kind even worse than most of Nar Shadda. Most of the thugs here were just making a living and thought nothing of the horrible things they had to do, but these wastes actually revelled in their chosen professions, be it Slaving, Trafficking, Hunting, Wanton Murder etc. The Ragged Man had so badly wanted to tear this place apart at the seems, but he knew he wouldn't be able to stand against the Hutts if he did, more than a few of their agents frequented this place. He found his friend's head just outside the door, and everything seemed to just fall away until it was just the two of them. He looked so...defeated, broken, pathetic, he didn't deserve this to have his head cut...no, ripped off. The wound was rough, chunky, any blade would have left a smooth cut but this was feral, animalistic. Whoever did this had a high level of strength, and enough bloodlust and ferocity to mount it on a pike and stick it outsdie their favorite cantina.
Threading his Lightsaber between his fingers, The Ragged Man stepped toward the entrance of the cantina, his eyes blazing yellow as he summoned the Dark Side, his black veins only engorging and pulsing more vigorously than they had in a long time. He would have revenge for his friend

 

[René]

Jalen almost noticed his partner almost before she noticed him, eyeing her as she made her way through the crowd of undercity scum towards him. He sensed a flare of anger around her, which he deduced was from the appearence of slaves; the young Kiffar himself was only barely holding in the instinct to ignite his lightsaber and free the poor souls, but the mission came first. As the Jedi, who's name he suddenly remembered was Mei O'Hara, continued making her way through the crowd, he noticed himself stating at her face. The young Jedi hadn't encountered many women throughout his years of training, but this one was certainly beautiful.

"Are you Jalen Kron?" Mei asked him, and Jalen thought she became even more beautiful as she brushed some hair from her face.

"Yes. And you are the lovely Mei, correct? Let's get out of the open like this, we can discuss a plan while we walk to the cantina in question."

As the pair left the spaceport, the Kiffar couldn't help but keep looking over at Mei. He admired the simplistic beauty of her face, and part of him wished she might return the feeling. Jalen would lead the other Knight towards the cantina, asking her for her opinion on a possible plan to draw the Cathar out from the cantina, subdue him and then promptly arrest him. However, a flare in the Dark Side caused him to shift his focus ahead of them. The young Knight noticed a tall, robed man staring at the head of the Jedi informant, which was mounted on a pole outside the cantina. He couldn't tell whether or not the person emanating the Dark Side was the Cathar they were looking for, but the Kiffar though it worth a try to see. It might even turn out to be a Sith, which would be even worse.

Turning to Mei, Jalen said, "I think that might be our guy, and even if he isn't he could be a dangerous Sith or Dark Side user. Follow my lead, but just be careful; the people around here aren't known for being Jedi lovers."

With that, the Kiffar masked his own presence and walk towards the ragged-robed man, easing his Sunspear from its holster and quietly grabbing his lightsaber from inside his jacket, although not igniting it. Pressing his pistol against the robed man's back, the Jedi said,

"Turn around, slowly. This doesn't have to get messy, but if you resist it will. What are you doing with that poor man's head, and furthermore what is that Dark Side energy I feel all around you?"

At this moment, Jalen also unmasked his own Force presence, a bright, burning star to the ragged-robed man's black hole.

@Melania @TheBrokenMadMan

 

[Melania]

Mei smiled and nodded her head as they began to walk to the cantina. Her eyes scanned her surroundings as she listened to him. She also knew he kept stealing glances at her which made her smile on the inside but kept her emotions in check. She then felt a wave of the dark side hit her and her eyes fell on the man near the entrance of the Cantina. Her eyes didn't move from him for a few seconds before smiling and wrapping her arms around Jalen's arm and put her head on his on it as she was shorter than he was. "Sweetheart I am hungry, I hope this Cantina has some good food," she said as she smiled up at him. She hoped that he would catch on to what she was doing. A few of the people around them smiled at them thinking they were boyfriend and girlfriend or even newly weds or something a long those lines. Some of the men were looking at her like she was a defenseless girl who they might be able to sell but didn't do anything as long as she was with her boyfriend.

@Kyle: The Rogue @TheBrokenMadMan

 

[Panda Hermit 98]

Before he could take more than a few steps, The Ragged Man felt something cold and hard jab against his right kidney, even though the thickness of his robes. Of course it was a blaster, why wouldn't it be? It always had to be something, didn't it!!? He turned on his heel, his moth eaten, torn and burnt clothing blasting the two with it's stench.
"Whoever you a-a-a-are, if YOu had AnY parT in k-k-killiiiiing him, best tell me now to save yourself a slow and A-GO-NI-ZING-" He stopped suddenly, his cracking voice and heartbroken words replaced by a soft and sharp gasp of pain. The force hit him with everything, blinding his mind's eye and sending him tumbling back...

It's ok little sprite, you lost the game but not your friend, that's what would've happened if you cheated. Your friends define you, they keep you safe and secure in yourself, and it's better to have good friends than fast legs...

When he came to, The Ragged Man was gasping for air, his hood had been thrown off, either by him or them, and his face was in full view. He could feel his heart pounding through every pore when he touched his face, it's coal black and swollen veins writhing and pulsing as the Dark Side briefly receded. Soft clumps of tangled red hair fell from his head yet again when his fingers ran through it. "Jedi..." He said softly, just above a whisper.

Two Jedi stood before him, thinking he had something to do with his friends death...yes, he remembered now. "Apololologies Jedi...it's nice to be reminded of the other side, keeps me focused on my goals. If you would, please h...help me up...?"

 

[René]

Jalen noticed that Mei was covering for them with some acting, which he thought was fantastic, however slightly annoying wince he was busy trying to threaten the ragged-robed man. The man did turn around, apparently angry at the Kiffar for possibly being the one who killed the informer, but he suddenly collapsed onto the ground. The young Knight holstered his Sunspear and knelt down next to the man, removing his hood to see if he was the Cathar the Jedi pair were searching for. As it was, the ragged man was human, although his face barely showed it. Only a bit of red hair still clung to his scalp, and the black veins under his skin pulsed the Dark Side through him.

The ragged man wasn't out for long though, he awoke after only a few short minutes. The man whispered something, which the Kiffar figured to be 'Jedi' before mentioning something about the 'other side' and requesting help getting up. Giving Mei a wary glance, Jalen helped the man up before asking,

"Sir, sorry about that misunderstanding. As you seem to know, my partner Mei and I are Jedi, here to arrest the Cathar that killed a Jedi informant and stuck his head right there. Although I must ask; who are you, and what are you doing channeling the Dark Side?"

 

[Melania]

Mei walked over and raises an eyebrow at someone who was trying to listen in. She then made a hand gesture before her hand went onto one of her Tehk'la blades she had her at all times. the person got the hint and walked away. She then looked over at her partner and gave a sad smile. She looked up at the night sky and then locked her eyes with the ragged man but said nothing to him. She felt his anger at his friend's death. She hid her emotions as she made sure no one came near to listen into what they were doing. they didn't need everyone knowing they were Jedi and informing the Cathar they were after they were here. they didn't need that one at all. "We are not your enemies sir, the Jedi do not kill mindlessly nor needlessly," she said as she scanned the crowd around the area seeing if she could see the Cathar but with no luck. "where is he," she thought to herself as she turned her eyes back to her partner and the ragged man.

@Kyle: The Rogue @TheBrokenMadMan

 

[Panda Hermit 98]

The Ragged Man was thankful for the clear head, he needed it to come out of this free and in one piece. It was clear that these two were here to arrest the Cathar, as he was now revealed to be, and that they would probably try to stop him should he try to kill him. At the same time though, they may kill him if provoked, so The Ragged Man may not need to do anything, just sit back and watch. Either way, he wouldn't lie to them; the Jedi were sworn defenders of the innocent, they were allies regardless of how they saw him. He cleared his throat quickly, noting that his voice had changed, it seemed smoother, more articulate, maybe even civilized.
"I am here for the same reason you are, though perhaps with a more...definitive ending" He said, glancing toward the sunken face of his fallen friend. "Your informant...he was my friend, he saved my life many times, and I refuse to let his death go...unpunished."

 

[René]

Clearly this man wanted revenge for his fallen friend, which would soon put the two Jedi at odds with him. This Ragged Man would prove useful with his knowledge of the bar to finding the Cathar, but since the Jedi only wanted to arrest him, not kill him, the team up could be a problem. Jalen needed to think of something fast; he believed that this Man had the right to avenge his friend's wrongful death, but his orders and the Jedi Code stated otherwise. Giving Mei a gesture to stand guard and make sure nobody listened in, the Kiffar took the Ragged Man aside, out of his partner's earshot.

"If you feel the need to avenge your friend's death, I understand that. Of course, you must understand that I cannot let you do that; my orders are strictly to arrest him. Of course, if he put up are struggle and conflict ensued, I could be forced to defend myself and kill him for you. You seem like a good man who is haunted by darkness; I wouldn't want this blood on your hands. It will help you fight your inner darkness if you don't add to it."

With that, he gestured Mei over and started into the cantina. He scanned the crowd for the Cathar, unable to spot him. However, he did hear a bought of loud laughter coming from the back corner of the bar; a large crowd was surrounding a table. He suspected the Cathar was there, but he needed to draw him out...

@Melania @TheBrokenMadMan

 

[Melania]

Mei didn't say anything and she looked like a normal person as she watched for people who would try to come to close. when she saw him gesture at her to stand guard she kept herself in check. She then saw his second gesture and she followed him into the bar. her eyes scanned the area and the fell on the large crowd. She saw her partner had seen it too. She gestured with her hand for him to stay and she began to walk up using her skills as an assassin to get close to here who was talking.

The Cathar they were after was sitting down drinking a drink as he talked to people around him. "the Jedi are not all powerful they can be beaten I have killed one before. They do not kill if they can avoid it so that's where their weak point," he said and a few of the people around him nodded her heads at that. Mei rolled her eyes slightly at this she would kill if it meant getting the mission done but she was trained as an assassin as well. She stepped away and moved back to her partner sitting down at a table as she did. "He is there. But he will not be easy to get. He seems to be popular here at the cantina," she said as she crosses her arms over her chest.

@Kyle the Doppleganger @TheBrokenMadMan

 

[Panda Hermit 98]

The Ragged Man listened to the young Jedi, he seemed to understand why he was here, what he wanted, moreso, he agreed. It struck hi as a little odd that a Jedi would condone such an action, but either way he wasn't going to dispute it. As the young one spoke, The Ragged Man could feel his anger start to claw at him again, the images re-entered his head burning brighter than ever, and all he could do was sigh softly and let it come. The peace was nice, but he knew it wouldn't last forever. When he looked at and spoke to the Jedi again, he had returned to the slouching madman once more, his voice pulled deeper again.
"T...th-thank you Jedi..." He said, gripping his arm and giving it a gentle squeeze before turning to enter the Cantina. Stepping in proved to be a mistake the second it happened, molten sulphur, ash, and coffee all flooded his lungs as he entered the deafening den of delinquency, his ears being scraped over with the sound of hoarse aliens chuckling, machines churning out credits etc.

The Cathar was a big one, sitting in the corner booth and letting off what he was sure was the one of many iterations of the tale of how he killed a jedi. No doubt it was full of action and intrigue and blustering, but the threesome knew it was probably just all bluster. As sorely tempted as he was to put that t the test, The Ragged Man instead turned toward his partners. "The Cathar are p-p-proud, b...BOastfUl, prone to provovovovovokation...how will you draaaaaw him out-t-t?"

 

[René]

"The Cathar are p-p-proud, b...BOastfUl, prone to provovovovovokation...how will you draaaaaw him out-t-t?"

Jalen turned to Mei, a plan forming in his head. She was young, pretty, and, he hoped, a good actor. If Mei could pretend to be scared well enough, she could run over to the Cathar, and after telling him how powerful he must be to kill a Jedi, beg for him to come save her "father" from an "evil Jedi" who was taking him away from her. Hopefully, that would trick the Cathar, drunk with overconfidence, to follow her outside the cantina to a back alley where her "father", the Ragged Man, and the "evil Jedi", the Kiffar himself, were waiting.

"Hey Mei," the young Knight began, "I hope you're a good actress..."

With that he laid out his plan, and if Mei agreed to it, he and the Ragged Man would exit the cantina to wait in a side alley where nobody would notice a thing.

@Melania @TheBrokenMadMan

 

[Melania]

Mei looked amused at him and then nodded her head as she listens to him. She guessed it was one way to draw out the Cathar out. as she listens to his plan she smirked it was a sound plan and men always had a weakness for crying girls. "Interesting it just might work. I can assure you I can act and plus I am a girl and all girls know how to cry on queue," She said and smiled sweetly as she got herself mentally ready. she then put on a distraught face and tears began to form in her eyes. she nodded to her partner before running into The cantina and to the Cathar falling to her knees in front of him. "P..p..please y..you have to h..help me y..you have k..killed a Jedi before...A j..jedi i..is trying t..to take a..away my daddy pleases help me," she said in a horrified voice and cries into her hands as her body shakes with sadness.

((will let you do his response lol))

@Dark Lord Kyle @TheBrokenMadMan