The Toxic Force

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

The Light of the Force was a grand structure. Sebastian didn't care for the name, though. He didn't believe the Force to have a Light or Dark side, that only the people who wielded the entity held such traits. It wasn't to be argued, however. Everyone had their opinions on what the Force was, and no one could change that view of another unless they were truly willing to reconsider their beliefs. Sebastian was not one such person. Though he believed in the Unifying Force, he understood that the Dark Side and the Light Side were but manipulations of the single entity, the Force. Whether manipulation, period, was a negative action or the intents of the manipulation, themselves, were negative was also something subjective. The Jedi Council seemed to hold the idea that manipulation of a population for the betterment of their civilization was a negative trait because of the threats it might bring. But everything held a threat. Nothing was without fault. Nothing, of course, but the Force.

It might be believed that this philosophy held no validity in the current situation, but that was simply incorrect. The native peoples of Haruun Kal, the Korunnai, were highly Force-sensitive. The current situation on the planet with them and the Balawai was tense, but still unlikely. The Korunnai, with fewer numbers and lesser technology were defeating the Balawai in the Second Summertime Wars since the Clone Wars. Their view of the Force and his own would either cause conflict or ease in the situation. Anyone else who had a differing view could also complicate the matter more. So speaking of these philosophies would be key to keep the tensions muted. Though one lived by them, keeping them personal was often the key to a successful mission.

Sebastian was looking at the odd shuttle prepared by the Order. It was re-crafted with portaak amber to protect itself from metal-eating fungi and toxic fumes that would be found in excess on the planet of Haruun Kal. One of the others assigned to this mission, Roy R'yland, was also with him. Mumbled fused into the walls, their conversation ever more private. With the first one to approach them, he'd turn quiet as his attention turned to them in kind. "This won't be for the light-hearted. I understand your past as a bounty-hunter, but it was less than professional. You haven't experienced the wilderness as I have," he told the Padawan. It wasn't unlikely that his words seemed biting or even condescending. His lack of emotion definitely helped with that, though he was trying to bring himself from such a trait.

"You won't travel far from the mountaintops." It wasn't so much as a prediction but, rather, a command. The boy was fully capable of handling himself, but not in this environment. No soon-to-be adult likes being treated as a child, as is the way their culture has developed. But Sebastian felt the need to protect those not fully capable of handling themselves in fatal situations. It could be a lack of faith in the individual, but he thought himself responsible for their well-being and would do everything in his power to keep them safe. Perhaps he wanted it to seem like a lack of father rather than him caring too much for someone else he just met. This could be turned against him and it had been before. Still, he wasn't the most tactile when approaching any social scenario.

 

[Teynara]

The very words Haruun Kal were ones which had always evoked considerable discussion among her fellow Xenobiology students when Teynara had been studying at the University of Rudrig. Although it wasn't among the most well-known of worlds, the small planet in the Al'har system was known as a major connection point for several hyperspace routes of considerable import. More pertinently for her, it was home to a vastly impressive jungle absolutely teeming with plant and animal life of varied nature. Some big, some small, all well-evolved, all very deadly. Even the bacteria of the world were considered dangerous for the civilised traveller, being in their way destructive towards technology. Not a world you can consider friendly. Quite the opposite: Haruun Kal is your enemy.

Despite that, she'd always found herself wanting to visit, both because of the variety of life and the fact that it was rumoured that all natives to the world were Force Sensitive: a trait unique to only a handful of races throughout the Galaxy, almost all of which were either close to extinction as to be rare, or approaching prominence above and beyond those that were not. The Sith, the Miraluka, the Dathomiri...all possessing something we consider a gift. She was curious to know how such a thing could have come to pass, and thus intrigued to observe the world upon which they had come to call 'home'.

It hadn't taken long at all to decided she wanted in on an assignment that would take her there.

Packing had been a fairly non-existent chore, since she'd make it a point to carry few things with her when moving between worlds, which included those housing Jedi Temples. A few clothes, a datapad, commlink, my lightsaber, a portable medical scanner and a medkit are all I need, she mused. Realistically, the majority of her things could fit into a decent-sized backpack, although it needed to be slightly bigger if they were going somewhere without proper accommodation. Which is rather likely on Haruun Kal, a though which had prompted her to bring along a bedroll this time. Better prepared than not.

Certainly the planet had civilisation and cities, but the vast majority of the native population was nomadic, rarely restricting themselves to the major cities, which were prominently ports for off-world export. And they have plenty of things to sell, she mused. The trade in medicinal herbs alone is worth billions. Teynara had made it a point to do a little research on the planet ahead of time, and for a fairly insignificant world in political terms, it had a staggering amount of potential. Probably why there's been a running conflict between off-worlders and the natives for as long as most can remember. There could be no illusions about it: Haruun Kal was a deathtrap. And that's just the people.

Entering the aft hangar bay of the Light of the Force, carrying her backpack over one shoulder, using her right arm to support it so that it didn't slide off her back, she surveyed the shuttles and starfighters housed within. Her first time aboard the Heroic-class Star Destroyer had left her with a few surprises, namely to include the vast number of ships that could be housed aboard. Just short of a hundred vessels, housed aboard a single larger one. It was no surprise then that they'd been able to obtain a shuttle that was suitably hyperspace-worthy and capable of taking them to their destination.

She picked out the shuttle pretty quickly, noticing the coating of portaak amber that the Jedi had also been supplied with for their lightsabers, commlinks and datapads, to prevent them from malfunctioning in the field. The shuttle looked...ridiculous. At least it's not as bad as the Armstrong's Gamble, she thought with a smile, recalling the shuttle that Gaja had picked out for their trip to Dxun. Might look horrific, but it'll fly. As long as it didn't also crash, she'd be fine with that. Can't go making a habit out of it.

"Hello over there!," she called out with some enthusiasm, directing her words towards Master Solborne and one of her fellow students, noticing them standing by one of the nearby walls, a metallic plate similar to the other surrounding them on all sides. She didn't walk over to them, noticing that they were keeping their distance from the shuttle itself. Probably want to talk privately, she thought, and she wasn't about to be the one to disrespect that.

 

[Sirocco]

The young man beside Solborn stood a healthy 6 feet tall and full of muscle which was covered by his robes and durasteel armor which showed to be old after overusing it in his bounty hunting. Roy had gotten the scornful treatment from other padawans because of his past which actually grow to be as important to him as a smelly track into hutta. For all those who knew him, they would know that his past was filled with necessity as Roy was born and grew up with nothing but the tales of the jedi. Having worked hard from the day he could lift something, Roy knew nothing but hard work, determination and the jedi he idolized as super heroes. Even as a bounty hunter, Roy would do hunts and runs for the Alliance mostly and would only morally correct jobs while sometimes pretending to be as he helped the needy and protected the weak. Those who took the time to look at his life would argue that his life as a jedi started way before he joined the order as the heart and soul was worth more than the title.

Being a very resourceful man and mature man, Roy did not mind at all what Solborn told him as he nodded with understanding as he took the man’s wisdom to heart while others would stomp their feet. Roy’s resourcefulness which he refined before and after joining the jedi could be mirrored in his several kinds of grenades and the other utilities he kept with him. Having meet before entering the hangar, they had already gotten a bit familiar with each other “do not worry master; I will abide your wisdom. Besides, I have survived very dangerous and mysteries things so I know when to thread the water and when to stay out of them, I will keep vigilant and ready” Roy said with a slight bow as even when he had seen the dark and light of the force to an extreme, he still knew that he had much to discover.

Roy’s green eyes turned to the lady that had just arrived before side stepping to be polite and not give his back to her while still giving Solborn his full attention “hello there” Roy grinned with a slight wave as his cheeks curved and his freckled face wrinkled slightly with the happy expression. Roy was not very heavily packed at all; all he needed was pretty much in his belt or in the small back on his back. Roy’s past life of bounty hunting have thought him more than most of the jedi gave him credit for and he knew how to survive in very tricky environments. Roy wandered just what they would be doing if they were going to stay in the mountain tops but he trusted that their time to act will come when the force willed it.

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

A couple inches tall and unhindered by bulky clothing and armor stood Sebastian who immediately greeted the woman who approached them cautiously. Someone may have chuckled at her apparent shyness, but Sebastian understood why she was behaving in such a manner. As Roy shifted his body, Sebastian shifted slightly as well. She didn't look astonishingly unique, but it was her mind which raced with thoughts that he could discern as a trait of an individualistic sense. She needn't look so unique for her mind would work much more efficiently than others, even his own. It seemed she only recently found her own talent within the Force and joined the Jedi. This would have allowed her mind to develop quite completely in more social and cultural matters, which would prove more than valuable on this mission.

Fyston would be the last to show up. His crippling body hindering his movements and his habit of making others wait for him didn't allow him to be any kind of punctual. "Ah, Teynara. Jeralyr, is it?" he started, stressing her last name if only because he knew not how to pronounce it properly. His face remained stone but his voice hinted at interest of some kind.

He was maturing, no doubt. It only took him two decades, but he finally began taking the time to learn about the people and beings around him rather than trying to deal with them how he wished. It certainly made the processes easier to go through. "It's very nice to meet you. I'm Sebastian Solborne," he bowed slightly, his tone light but still deep. His speech was rigid, much like his mind. He didn't care to carry on further conversation with either as his eyes drifted to the shuttle they were to use to travel to the planet. He didn't want to bother briefing them on the specifics just yet since he'd have to do so again when Fyston decided to arrive. He was as efficient as he was stubborn. Some could even call it laziness. But those that knew what he was capable of understood that this man worked hard to get to the place he was today.

"I'm going to start prepping the ship," he admitted almost quietly.

He hardly knew a thing about space crafts. Still, he didn't care much to be around people at the current moment and walked quickly away from the pair. His boots thudded heavily across the floor, changing frequency and depth as he ascended up the hatch. It was a quaint ship. Definitely old. They didn't want to smear amber all over a newer craft, it seemed. Still, the Light was going to near the system making the trip less extensive. He peaked through all the small chambers and rooms and sat at the cockpit staring at the buttons and levers and screens spouting out data he couldn't understand. It was hard enough for him to understand people. Taking the time to understand technology would be too much on his conservative mind. He'd fall into a slight trance once more to focus his mind. It seemed he could never be quite as focused as he wished to be.

 

[Teynara]

Teynara returned the greeting of the two Jedi before her with her own bow, throwing in a little smile to express appreciation for the two of them breaking their conversation to say 'hello'. She hadn't intended to interrupt them, but that's how it had turned out, though neither of them had done anything to make that overly apparent, accepting it almost as a matter of course. Which I suppose it is, she thought reflectively. Can't really expect a busy hangar bay to be the most private of places, even on a vessel as large as The Light of the Force.

She didn't really have a moment to respond to Sebastian before he'd turned and boarded the shuttle in front of them, and she'd smiled, finding a little amusement in that. I don't normally get awkward responses, but not everyone can feel confident when meeting new people, she supposed. She hadn't really expected that from a Jedi Knight, but it was clear that the man had a few insecurities of his own to deal with - that much had been apparent from the rigid way of his speech patterns. Maybe he just worries that people will judge him if he drops his guard a little and relaxes, she mused, knowing that many Jedi placed high expectations both on themselves and on others. Unfortunate, but understandable.

The blonde exchanged a brief glance with the younger of the two men, another of the students among the Order that had been assigned to this mission. She'd spotted him before, present in a few of her classes, but she didn't know him particularly well. There was something about him that put her somewhat ill at ease, but she didn't allow any of her uneasiness show through as she offered him a polite nod. The Order had taught her to embrace her own feelings where possible, at least to use them as means of assessing a situation, and she couldn't shake the feeling of something being...wrong there. She wouldn't say anything or pursue the matter, but she'd certainly be keeping an eye on that one.

As far as she understood it, theirs was to be a party of four, so they were probably still awaiting the last member of their team, unless they were already aboard the shuttle. Truth be told, she hadn't considered the latter possibility before, so without another word, she strode silently up the boarding ramp and into the belly of the small vessel, blinking slightly as her eyes adjusted to the sudden change in illumination, what with the inside of the shuttle being somewhat darker than the hangar bay outside.

As shuttles went, it wasn't exactly designed to be the peak of comfort, but then, very few vessels of such size were. The seats along either side of the passenger area were padded, and she supposed someone could easily stretch out along one of the rows to sleep, if things got desperate, but it certainly wouldn't be like travelling on one of the larger interstellar transports that she'd gotten used to since joining the Order. At least it won't be too cramped with only four of us in here, she thought. After all, at least one of them had to stay in the front, piloting the ship.

She didn't see anyone else in here - she could sense Master Solbourne working busily away inside the cockpit, not that distant by location, but seemingly walled off from her by the discipline of his own mind. He seemed to want to put barriers between them, but that may simply have been the product of her imagination - most Jedi had mental defenses strong enough to deter her senses, when she chose to direct them that way. Still, it did seem like he was isolating himself, and why, she could not say.

Dropping into the nearest seat, her backpack dropping onto the floor at her feet, she sighed softly and snuggled back against the firm but yielding cushions. "This already feels like it's going to be an interesting trip," she said, directing her words to nobody in particular.

 

[Fyston]

The only thing he hated about flying was the people at the other end of the communications equipment. No matter which hangar he requested and no matter how far ahead he planned his journeys, they always forced him to land on the complete opposite side of the ship. Perhaps it was because they truly had no space, perhaps it was because they loved torturing him. It was a cycle, their relationship, as he tortured them as they tortured him. They, like the majority of people who knew him, held an immense dislike for him. Most put up with him simply because they knew he had his talents, though Fyston had no such feelings for the rest of the galaxy.

His cane thudded against the metallic floor and the sound magnified against the sleek walls even as the boarding ramp closed behind him. A number of technicians looked around for the noise, though one in particular stood out to the Knight. Upon seeing that the man was walking with a cane, a young human rushed over to him. The young man's face was gentle, untouched by the harsh realities of the galaxy. His eyes were bright with youth and shone with a baby blue that were not dissimilar to Fy's eyes as a child. In fact, he saw a bit of himself in the man. "Let me help you with that, Master Jedi," said the man excitedly, a smile on his face as he motioned to the black bag slung over Fy's shoulder. One look from Fyston, however, caused the man to skid to stop and turn instantly away. The Knight didn't need help. He wasn't useless, at least not yet.

Thirty minutes, three turbolift rides, and a confrontation with the communications personnel later, Fyston appeared in one of the side entrances to the hangar, a single door that led to a small corridor. In the middle of the hangar sat the awkward looking shuttle that Sebastian had apparently requisitioned. It appeared neither graceful nor powerful, and Fyston was pretty sure that his frown could be seen by the two standing outside of it.

The clacking resumed as he approached the shuttle, and Teynara was the only person he recognized. He'd taught her to fly, though that had been many years before. He had been different then. Perhaps she was one of the few who had managed to avoid the curse that was stupidity. Beside her stood a man, covered in armor, who was slightly shorter than the hobbling Fyston. He watched as Teynara boarded the shuttle, though kept up his pace.

Without a word, Fyston approached the landing pad, his unkempt appearance becoming more apparent as he drew nearer. When he reached the open ramp of the ship, however, Fyston looked up the ramp. "Oh Master Selborne," he said in a sarcastic sing-song voice, announcing his arrival. Returning his voice to normal, he continued to speak. "Master Selborne, did you let the idiot covered in metal know that the bacteria and fungi on Haruun Kal eat metal like children eat candy? I think you should have. Now I get to." He gestured up the ramp, as if to give Roy a choice of boarding the shuttle.

Waiting for Roy, Fyston simply looked at him for a second as he leaned against the wall across from Teynara. "Hi, I'm Fyston. It seems you think that we'll be taking on some band of mercenaries or fighting Imperials. No. If you think that, you get to walk out of the hangar and get on the first shuttle to the border worlds. If you have suddenly realized that we will not be fighting Imperials or mercenaries, take that kriffing armor off. Now. It's unneeded weight and, quite frankly, it will only get destroyed once we leave the sanitary areas. Judging by your broken nose, your stature, and the way you favor one leg over the other, you have been injured many times. Taking that into account, you've either been a soldier or a merc before your time with the Jedi. I hope you learned some life skills, because you'll need them."

Fyston picked up his cane and looked at it for a second before turning to regard both of them. "Now we get to go over what you all brought. After all, we don't want to have any stupidity arise on Haruun Kal because someone decided it would be a nice job to bring hand grenades and body armor. Just go ahead and dump your bags on the floor. I'd dump mine out, but if I get portaak amber on medical equipment then it won't be very good." Of course, he had more than medical equipment. He had gear that could help him survive, but none of it was electronic.

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

The pliable corners of the shuttle were soon put under pressure as the others began to board. The additional limb of Fyston's deteriorating body clacked against the metal in a most distracting way. Sebastian's Force Sense had become stronger and more acute in the years he'd been practicing it. He could feel the coolness of the metal and the hear the clanging of rudders and pull of springs throughout the more immediate area which stretched out toward the other surrounding ships, though there were only three. He knew Fyston would cause some kind of trouble just as he arrived. His way of communicating was never moderate or tasteful. But he was rarely wrong. Even so, Sebastian became deaf to sentient life and focused only on the inanimate and the Force itself. It would have been difficult to interrupt him if one bothered to try.

But the reaction to Fyston, or Fyston's own negative emotions, began to penetrate this barrier. The uncomfortable chair became uncomfortable and the beeping of the controls hummed beneath his chin. He touched a button and the engines began to start up. Another lever was switched and the hatch began to close and the vents began to spew filtered air, though those filters were dirty and old, making the process redundant. The lights even dimmed at these other activities were performed proving that the power supply was weak and they would need to be careful if they were going to use this ship for anything other than flying straight into Haruun Kal and directly in Balawai Country. The unpadded seats vibrated as the engine continued to power up, which proved to be a lengthy process. Sebastian's eyes then decided to open and the echoes of the one-way conversation passed through his mind.

The idea that his comprehension of vehicles and mechanics had actually improved some because of his meditation within the cockpit wasn't explored for he cared more for the manner in which Roy would react to Fyston's harsh words. His boots thudded against the floor, the sound much lighter and sharper than on the Light of the Force. Unfortunately Fyston wasn't no incorrect, as he usually wasn't. Still, the way he spoke about and to others was entirely unnecessary. Unfortunately, Sebastian couldn't do much against this. He tried a few times on Sacul, but his personal misery was just too great to ignore. Regardless, he'd want to spend time with the Knight to learn more of his condition and a way to treat it. He'd learned of a method that Fyston probably already knew how to perform, but with both of them performing it together, some progress might actually be made. Now was not the time to think of such things and entered the small box which the other three decided to congregate.

"Yes, Fyston," he started, already tired of the man's tone and word choice. "I already spoke to him about it before meeting with you here." The phrase itself was almost condescending. "He's aware and will do with his armor as he pleases when he pleases, much like yourself." But there was a friendliness in his tone, if one could interpret monotonous tone as 'friendly.'

The engine clicked, if only to himself, and he turned from the other, not wishing to engage in more conversation that would, no doubt, prove exhausting. He flicked a few more buttons and levers and typed in a few codes as commands and the ship tiredly rose from its state. It buckled a jerked but he remained still in his seat like he expected the ship to behave in such a manner. It reminded him of Fyston, putting up resistance when it was least wanted. The ship's age was great, but Fyston's life had only just begun, or so one could determine only because of his age. One would be able to see that the man had almost give up on life due to his condition. Still, as stubborn as he was on living, the sense of dread was intoxicating, much like Haruun Kal would be. Maybe the stench of the planet would diffuse Fyston's body, or his personality.

The several long minutes the ship fought to hover itself over the other ships gave Sebastian time to center himself once more and ignore any outbursts that may have rung out since he left the conversation. He purposefully deafened himself to the others and focused on guiding the delicate ship out of the hangar and into space. The walls creaked and bolts shifted, though only Sebastian could see these event. The roar of the engine would have made it impossible to hear or otherwise notice these intricate happenings. His ears popped; the pressurizing system was not working as properly as it should. This was negligible and easily treated as he controlled the pressure within his ears himself. He could probably survive in empty space without any assistance for an unreasonable amount of time if he wished to try. Still, this time would be negligible much like his ear-popping. It wasn't long until the ship was headed toward Haruun Kal. The planet looked like a large star in the distance and Sebastian didn't care to try to go at full speed with the tired shuttle. Though they started off near the planet, the trip would prove to be a rather long one unless they wanted to risk their livelihood to go a little faster.

 

[Teynara]

Teynara rather found Fyston's tirade towards Roy to be a little amusing, though a part of her felt a little sorry for him, but it had to be said, the Knight was quite correct: metal was not a good thing to be carrying around on a planet like Haruun Kal, and anything more than was necessary was rather asking for trouble. And encasing yourself in metal armour isn't going to much serve you if it's being eaten by bacteria, utterly invisible until it falls to pieces. That said, she wasn't about to dump her bag on the floor, not if she had any say in the matter.

"You needn't concern yourself with my equipment, Master Sutsgy," she said in a polite voice, smiling softly in greeting at the older Jedi. "I'm carrying very little in the way of metal, and all of it essential," she added, waving her hand towards her backpack. "Lightsaber, commlink, datapad and a medical scanner makes up all the metal I've got with me. Everything else is completely safe from being dissolved or turned into goo."

That particularly quirky trait of the planet they were about to visit had left her fairly intrigued, from a scientific standpoint, and though she had no particular desire to observe the effects up close, that such a thing could exist in such an...excited state was curious. Biological erosion happens on most planets, but gradually over time, and usually only on surfaces left to decay. On Haruun Kal, it's quite the opposite. Perhaps they ought to let Roy come along in his metallic armour just so she could observe what would happen. Doubt he'd thank us for that, though.

She smoothed out the long skirt of her outfit so as not to wrinkle it in her seated position, for the moment looking down at the deck plating of the shuttle, rather than watching the interplay between Roy and Fyston. Part of her would have happily stared and watched the whole thing unfold, but she got the impression that neither of the two would appreciate her mild amusement: Fyston because her amusement might soften his scolding, and Roy simply because he was ultimately the object of it. It was a little hard to stop her lips curving slightly into a smile, though she was trying hard to prevent it turning into a smirk. After all, there's probably plenty of things I could be doing wrong at any given moment, so I've no cause to feel smug about it, she noted, doing her best to school her expression to something more neutral.

"I think I'll go and help Master Solborne get us ready for departure," she said after a moment, deciding that discretion was probably the better part of valour, so an escape was warranted. And if Master Sutsgy decides my stuff needs inspecting anyway, my bag's not going with me, she thought, resigned to the fact that he might do so regardless of whether she remained or not. Whatever makes him happy, though, she thought, standing up and then heading forward to the cockpit.

Parking herself in the co-pilot's seat behind Master Solborne's, she swivelled it around to face the console panels that were arrayed before her, examining them for a moment before her hands started moving across the controls. "Inertial dampeners are dialled a little low," she said shortly afterwards, noting that whoever had flown the shuttle last had failed to return them to normal levels. "Someone apparently preferred a bumpier flight," she remarked, which explained why she could feel a little of the ship's motion now that Solborne had engaged the repulsorlifts and pushed the shuttle off the deck. "I'll dial them back up to 98%, so you've still got a little give, but we're not being tussled around like idiots."

 

[Fyston]

That Roy had already heard that his armor would be destroyed and had yet to do anything about it caused Fyston to groan. "You're an idiot," he said simply as he looked at the armored man. "I don't know how intelligent you have to be in order to be a bounty hunter, but you seem to lack the intelligence and common sense needed to be a Jedi. You also seem the type to score a 55 on an average IQ test. For reference purposes, the average person scores a 100." To further his point on the usefulness of Roy's armor, Fyston hefted his cane and regarded it with a look for just a second.

What unfolded next was, most likely, illegal, though Fyston didn't care. Before Roy could react, Fyston brought his cane down upon Roy's abdomen with his full strength. With a resounding clang, the cane slammed into Roy's armor. While the metal stopped the cane itself, the kinetic energy simply transferred through the cane into the armor. At the very least, Roy would have some very bad bruises, with a few broken ribs and some breathing difficulty being the worst of it. "You just got shot with a slugthrower, which is what they tend to use on Haruun Kal. Normally, it would pass right through and, while not the best feeling in the world, is relatively simple. If the slug penetrates your armor, it will bounce around and cause more than enough damage to kill you. What just happened, however, is what will happen if it fails to penetrate. It will leave a nice dent in your armor and you'll have enough bruising to keep you sore for a few weeks. Do you want to know what happens when your stomach is severely bruised? What about your liver?"

In response, Roy glowered at Fyston. The Knight smiled as if he had done nothing wrong and tilted his head the way he did when he was curious. "I'm done," uttered Roy through pursed lips, the pain obvious on his face. He stormed down the landing ramp, a hand over the place where Fyston had attacked him. The Knight noticed that Roy had forgotten his possessions and kicked them down the ramp after him. "And next time, you think. Not everything is a battle, you idiot."

Fyston stood at the top of the ramp, watching Roy until the ramp pulled itself up and closed. He felt the floor rumble beneath him and almost lost his grip, though his cane kept him stable. He did, however, sit down and call into the cockpit. "I AM a pilot, you know! So is our XX-chromosomed friend. If neither of you can handle the shuttle, I hope you don't mind me insulting you until you both give up and let me fly it."

As he finished talking, he grabbed Teynara's bag and a nearby container that had portaak amber in it. The Knight withdrew everything that was made of metal from her bag and set it next to him. Picking up the datapad, he opened it up and exposed the wires that were behind the screen. Fyston slid over and set the datapad where he had been sitting before dipping his hand into the container and scooping up a copious amount of the orange-brown amber. He applied a very generous amount to the insides of the datapad, smiling as he did so. The damage, while not good, could easily be cleaned by someone skilled in cleaning a datapad. A technician or other electronic worker could undo the damage the portaak amber did, rendering Fyston's actions temporary. Fierfek, he thought. She could get it repaired when we return.

He next grabbed her comlink and held it over the container between his thumb and forefinger. Releasing the comlink, he feigned surprise as it sunk into the amber. "Oops," he said innocently before grabbing her lightsaber. He used the end of the lightsaber that had the pommel cap on it to fish out the comlink before setting it next to the datapad. With the lightsaber, he simply slathered the hilt in the amber. Whatever got into the emitter matrix would be burned away when Teynara activated her lightsaber.

Fyston left the medical scanner alone, however. Both he and Sebastian were more than skilled in the healing arts, with Fyston spending more time in the Healing Halls than out on missions, though that was as much his leg as it was his knack for healing.

He stood and, slipping the portaak amber container out of sight, walked into the cockpit. Fyston wiped the excess portaak amber on one of two empty seats, sitting in the other. "I took the liberty of covering your metallic items with portaak amber," he said to Teynara, a casual look on his face. "So...Who's ready for the sanistream showers in Pelek Baw?"

 

[Teynara]

Having entered the cockpit before Fyston had all but kicked Roy off the ship, Teynara only heard a loud clang of something impacting against metal while the shuttle was still on the ground, followed by a moment where two voices spoke heatedly but muffled by the sounds of both herself and Master Solborne at work preparing the ship for launch. What is going on back there?, she wondered, almost tempted to go back and have a look for herself, but deciding that Fyston was probably doing something...well, mean to Roy. And walking around like a portable armoury, he probably deserves it, she thought.

Shaking her head, she heard everything go silent, and then as the boarding ramp light came on, indicating that the ship was secured for sublight travel, she turned her attention back to her controls, waiting for Master Solborne to initiate the take-off sequence. It didn't take long, and the shuttle ascended into the cold emptiness of space, the light in the cockpit dimming slightly against the darkness, now that they no longer had the illumination from the hangarbay to add to the brightness. She sat back in her seat and exhaled a soft breath, pleased that they at least hadn't exploded on the deck.

She turned in her seat to face into the cockpit itself, noting Master Solborne still at the controls, and she acknowledged his abilities with an amiable nod, happy to note that he was at least competant at the controls, even if he wasn't overly confident in that respect. Probably doesn't help to have a piloting instructor aboard, one who will no doubt not hesitate to mention if he thinks something's not quite up to standards, she thought, a slow smile spreading across her face. He might come across as abrasive sometimes, but he's a good man at heart, or so she believed.

As the other Jedi came into the cockpit itself, she watched as he entered and sat himself down in one of the vacant seats, raising one of her blonde eyebrows as he admitted to having gone through her things anyway. And I was going to do that myself just before we arrived, she thought with an inward sigh, but she supposed she ought to at least be appreciative of his diligence. Let's face it, he's got no reason to trust that I'd be as attentative as he is, so he's just making sure nobody slips up, she noted, not entirely sure she liked it, but he outranked her and he was probably going to be the one keeping them alive down there, so she'd accept it for now.

"Thank you for doing that, Master," she said, inclining her head in a half bow to acknowledge the favour he had done for her. "I hope you didn't do anything to my datapad, though. It's rather delicate," she added, narrowing her eyes slightly in suspicion. Probably stripped it down for spare parts, knowing him, she thought. "And what do you mean, sani-steams? I already washed this morning," she remarked. Something tells me I've missed something...

 

[Master Maverick]

Pelek Baw was quite similar to some parts of Coruscant; it was rather large and built up to astonishing heights over the centuries. Along with this, the city was protected from the various toxins within the air that filled the planet. Certainly not all of them, but metals and electronics were not eaten up faster than they could be constructed and one didn't need to worry about being poisoned by breathing even though it was well above the seas of toxic gases.

A Master Jedi had landed on the surface hours prior and explored the capital a bit. Getting something to eat, gathering some supplies, and meeting with a representative of the Representative Council that had since been reinstated as the planetary government. Without the nuisance of the Koruunai, the immigrants were able to have complete control of the planet and system. She had made some small arrangements for transportation and supplies for their stay on the planet. There were some unusual tensions, it seemed, with the locals but Ashara could not quite figure out why. While she didn't push it from her mind, she didn't dwell on that particular concern.

Returning back to the star port, she waited patiently for the arrival of the Jedi she would be accompanying on this journey. While there were two Knights on the mission, it had been requested that one with a bit more experience go along for some extra help. Ashara wasn't planning on doing too much and this was more of a vacation for her than anything. Though, truthfully, she would have preferred somewhere with a bit better air quality.

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

He almost wished to shout for Fyston to cease his bullying, but he knew nothing would stop the broken man. Having Roy been effectively driven from the mission, he couldn't help but feel some kind of relief. Perhaps it was because one less person was under his supervision and responsibility. It could be considered lazy, but Sebastian was more keen on performing missions himself with others close by. He knew this particular mission would not allow such and he continued to mentally prepare. Still, Fyston's behavior was growing more harmful to others for unnecessary reasons. Sebastian would even state that he was falling to Sith tendencies and should be treated psychologically before interacting with others. However, Sebastian could feel the light within him and he wasn't entirely wrong.

The call was entirely unnecessary and Sebastian didn't even wish to keep in the beeping chamber of lights and distractions. He quickly moved from his seat to leave when Fyston entered. "I was just trying to get us started to lessen the amount of damage you could cause before we were off the Light of the Force. Please, take a seat." Sebastian had little trouble matching Fyston's mannerisms with a lesser bite. He could handle the insults because he knew they were petty and proved how much he wept for himself, which was only sad. So Sebastian made his brisk way toward where he assumed Teynara was keeping her things to help her repair whatever it was Fyston had broken. And he knew Fyston had broken something.

He never motioned for Teynara to follow him nor did he look to her to see where she would go. He somehow knew where her belongings were located and bent down to see the mess he'd created. "I'm sorry about him. He's broken physically and mentally. His mind's too weak to deal with the struggles he's currently experienced, however great they were." His tone was deep and without much emotion other than sympathy. Or was it sadness? He was touching the datapad, allowing the amber to seep through his hands as he wiped off the excess onto the floor. "Try not to take his words to heart. There's not much that can be said to him. Not yet, anyway." Sebastian knew this outing would change them all, but he couldn't see how, exactly. He would take this time and try to 'fix' Fyston, even if it meant putting him in danger and causing him bodily harm. Sebastian wouldn't do it himself but...

He didn't look at her while he tried to pick up Fyston's mess. He left to gather some supplies from the closet to clean up the excess amber that Teynara would have dumped onto the floor with frustration, perhaps, for almost destroying her property. He allowed her her emotions but tried to stay calm himself as if to show that frustration would not make the matter any easier to travel through. This was the method he'd adopted in the Enclave with his pupils of Tarasin. He hoped it would work with other Padawan more immersed in the Order than the lizards. If it didn't, it would be a negligible outcome. He knew how to keep himself calm and would practice such. She was not his Apprentice and her own behavior would affect him only slightly, as Fyston's would.

The shuttle was incapable of anything near light speed. It was actually dangerous to keep it out of cruising speed, but he wouldn't put it past Fyston to tear this ship in half if it meant arriving at a faster pace. He wouldn't even put it past the Broken Jedi if he went slower than necessary just to laze around. Regardless, it would take a few hours to reach the planet so Sebastian decided to retreat to a small corner to meditate. Although, the entire shuttle was constructed out of small corners. Some might have found his meditation excessive, but he hadn't yet reached the point he wished when he meditated. He wanted to see clear visions within the Force, but they were still foggy and even temperamental when he wanted to investigate the images further.

Visions flashed by of both the Jedi on board. Teynara's face glowed a bluish hue, electrical in nature. This proved to be factual as scrawl passed in front of her face. Her eyes never twitched but he knew she was absorbing all the information. She had a natural talent to learn, but not the Force, perhaps. Or maybe she could learn it in her mind, but to apply it to her body and be physically capable of performing acts that the Jedi were known to accomplish would prove harder for her. He couldn't make out the words so determining their origins was useless. But understanding was half of what the Jedi required to become complete. Sebastian could only become slightly jealous of this for he still did not understand much of what he could do or how he'd come to this point in his life.

Fyston's life was still full of pain, it seemed, even a few years from now, it seemed. The scraggly Broken Jedi wailed and groaned in pain. His body deformed and cracking. Fyston seemed to have a more than competent body even now and he still exercised regularly. Maybe this was his soul that was showing. It'd continue to deteriorate even if he'd found a way to stave off his disorder more permanently. This might only be the case if no one intervened in his current state, which was a highly improbable scenario. But this could also show the immovable state of Fyston's mind. Regardless, this only made Sebastian's need to intervene in the Broken Jedi's brokenness so he wouldn't corrupt himself to such a degree. This might be self-righteous or even selfish. But Sebastian couldn't allow such talent to grow so dark, or Dark.

Another odd vision passed through his mind. Burning metal. No, people running through the streets. Neighbors slaughtering each other. The scent, it was strong. The burning of flesh and of iron. Or was that blood? This occurrence was recent and relevant to him. Or perhaps it would be. The capital would be attacked, or had it already been attacked? Perhaps it had yet to be and would become destroyed before they could reach it. Was it worth to intervene or would that only put them in unnecessary danger?

No danger was irrelevant if it meant saving at least one life from an unnecessary fate. "Fyston," he found himself saying at the back of the Broken Jedi's head. "We need to hurry. How fast do you think the ship will allow us to go without breaking apart?"

 

[Fyston]

"Aww, that's so sweet," Fyston cooed when Sebastian left his seat. "Comparing me to a star destroyer is quite the compliment, but I've never, you know, jumped into Hyperspace." Fyston promptly leapt into the seat vacated by Sebastian and hooked his cane onto the handle of an upper compartment. There was plenty of room for him to stretch out and he could walk, if needed, short distances without the cane. He normally walked around without his cane when on his own ship or when in his quarters, and often trained without using the cane. Despite being crippled, he was quite active and maintained a level of fitness that a soldier could be proud of.

"I can hear you, you know," the Knight shouted as the voices entered the cockpit. "Generally, you talk about people in a low voice. Trust me, I would know." Dropping his voice to a whisper that the noise of the craft around them would easily cover up. "Like this, you fricking idiot. I swear, you and the idiot in armor would get along nicely. Perhaps you should date." Reclining back, Fyston closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. If they couldn't get there any faster, at least he could take a nap.

Just as he began entering the first stages of sleep, however, a familiar pain shot through his pain. It's origin? His leg. His eyes flashed open and he saw his reflection in the transperisteel viewport that separated the cockpit from the vast emptiness of space. The Knight gasped in pain as both hands flew to his leg, grabbing it as if it had been stabbed. Of course, Fyston preferred being stabbed to the current injury, as the stabbing could be healed. Every time he allowed his focus to lapse, his pain returned with a vengeance befit a Sith Lord. Rather than risking another shot of pain, Fyston sat up and began using the Force to soothe the pain away and to put up the same pain blockers that he always had active, so much so that he had gotten used to the constant draw on his energy.

And so he sat there, though it wasn't too long before he felt Sebastian in the back of his mind. His request was rather unusual, as the craft was so dilapidated and outdated that getting there faster was nigh impossible. Well, it was possible, but the result would be an exhausted Fyston and only a few hours shaved off of their travel time. As fast as I will it to, my impatient friend, said Fyston over their telepathic link.

Sitting up, Fyston set his hand on the lever that controlled the throttle. Thinking of it only for a second, he pushed the lever to the top and felt the craft speed up beneath him. Of course, the craft let its displeasure become known almost immediately. There was rattling and creaking, though nothing had yet to come off.

They were nearly there when it started to get quite violent. The various items attached to the hull and outer panels were the first to go, ripping off and floating away aimlessly. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. If you look to your left or right, depending on where you are, you will see some pieces of the ship flying away. Do not worry, as this is normal. If your viewport is gone, you yourself may be gone. If this is the case, contact your congressbeing because I don't care."

It got way worse when they began entry. At least in space there was no friction to worry about. Large panels began tearing off and rapidly flying away and Fyston knew that the ship would be no more by the time they landed. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is, again, your captain speaking. Please come to the cockpit in preparation for the systematic destruction of the ship."

As if it was waiting for a signal, entire chunks began ripping off of the ship. Stabilization wings that Fyston had deployed just before atmospheric entry rattled and flew off, taking off enough of the ship to leave a head sized hole on either side of the ship. From there, it was relatively simply. Areas of the ship that were open to air from the side and front were violently ripped off of the ship, and the five room shuttle quickly went down to two: the cockpit and the hallway immediately behind it. Even the hallway wasn't spared damage, though, as the back half had been ripped off when one of the rooms slammed into it as it was, itself, ripped off. Wires were dangling and metal jutted out at odd angles, with the occasional spark being seen if one were to look that way.

And they weren't even on the ground yet. Pelek Baw was, however, quickly closing and Fyston pulled back as hard as he could on the steering console. They didn't have much control that way, however, and Fyston found himself nudging the ship with the Force to bring the ship to an angle that was less steep.

The shuttle's belly slammed into the ground and began to skid, the floor becoming hot beneath their feet. In response, Fyston pulled his knees up to allow his feet to dangle somewhat. Duracrete rocks were pelting the transperisteel viewport and cracks began to form in a spiderweb formation. The viewport held up, however, and the shuttle quickly sped to a stop, leaving a very nice gouge that was 500 yards long in the street behind them.

"And that concludes our flight," he said with a smile as he grabbed his cane, which had, miraculously, stayed hooked to the same handle it had been hooked to. "Thank you for choosing Air Sutsgy, and may you enjoy your time on Haruun Kal." Fyston got to his feet and was the first to exit the cockpit, walking up what remained of the ship and jumping the six or seven feet to the ground. The Knight began walking down the street as if nothing had happened amid strange looks from the Balawai.

 

[Teynara]

It was cynical to think so, but Teynara was beginning to believe that Jedi couldn't possibly find their way to a civilised world without somehow crashing whatever ship they were piloting into the ground. Realising that the two older Jedi had recognised something wrong, she pulled her crash restraints tighter around herself, making sure that they would support her if the ship really did fall apart. Moments shortly thereafter, it did. Although it looks like they're deliberately intending that, she thought, slightly perplexed by it, but recognised that persuading Fyston not to do crazy things was akin to trying to stop a Loveti Moth from smacking itself into the nearest glowglobe.

She inhaled a deep breath and pushed her mind into a calming meditation as the screech of metal reached her ears and threatened more destruction on a ship that had been perfectly fine when they'd taken off. Why are they collapsing a perfectly good vessel?, she wondered. In truth, Teynara didn't have any concerns for their safety even in such a seemingly uncontrolled descent: Fyston was crazy but not, as far as she could tell, suicidal, and even if he were, he wouldn't risk the lives of his two companions, so there was something else behind this. Remind me to stick a warning label on that guy once we get out of this. One thing she was certain of: next time, I'm piloting!

"Is the navigational computer broken or something?", she asked with a slightly cynical edge to her voice, quite aware that the two Knights were up to something, but unable to resist saying something. "Couldn't find a nice, quiet starport, so you two decided to go and make your own?" She'd have shook her head, but even with the inertial dampeners kicked in, the shuttle was shuddering and shaking enough that the gesture would probably never have been noticed.

The force of impact was enough to throw her against her restraints, and she felt them tightening around her in a way that was almost painful, holding her back in her seat, the young woman pretty convinced that the seats might be the only thing in the entire ship that was still in one functional piece. Guess we'll need to find another way off-world when the times comes, the rational part of her mind thought to remind her. Not like it's the first time I've had to do that, she mused reflectively, but it was definitely the first time she'd seen anyone crash a ship deliberately. A little warning would have been nice.

"Remind me to file a complaint with the civil aviation authority," she muttered as she unfastened her crash restraints and shakily came to a standing position, doing her best to follow the other two. "No safety warnings, only one exit, and the inflight meal was so terrible that it was non-existant," she added, finally giving that shake of the head that was her usual response to something totally moronic. Almost got us all killed and we hadn't even arrived on Haruun Kal yet!, she thought, locating what was left of her pack and slinging it over one shoulder, following Fyston out of the cockpit and onto the open streets of Pelek Baw. Fantastic way to arrive somewhere new.

She looked around, surprised at the level of apparent civilisation in the city. All she'd read about Haruun Kal has suggested that it was mostly jungle or open grasslands, so to find a city that might look at home on most civilised worlds was perhaps surprising, though she quickly noted that it was...well, dirty was one word for it, but it wasn't that so much as the fact that it looked like a city fighting it's own biological war. And these are just the urban areas, she mused, turning around the see the long furrow gouged into the street by their shuttle, or what was left of it. Absurd...

"I suppose the good news is that we don't have to go through Customs, right?", she said sarcastically, following the other two Jedi as they walked away from the wreckage of their shuttle. Frankly, she was already starting to have misgivings about this particular trip...

 

[Master Maverick]

While the establishment of Pelek Baw wasn't necessarily 'serene', the whistling of a fast approaching object from the sky soon was heard as citizens looked up to witness said object streaking across the sky, lit up by heat and practically falling apart. Ashara rose from her position, gazing at the object, a ship no doubt, as it fell at an uncontrolled rate. She worked to figure the trajectory and, thus, possible landing site of the ship, and it certainly wasn't near her position. Shouldering the pack filled with supplies she made a dash for the probable site of the crash.

At a speed only capable with aid from the Force Ashara weaved in and out of the stagnant bodies that looked up at the sky. As the ship got closer, and less learned minds completed the necessary calculations, screams started to be heard mostly from where she was now headed. Of course melodramatic individuals would do so as well, no matter their position. Most of the citizens she passed, at the moment, stayed where they were or moved slowly, which was helpful. However, as she closed in on the area, frantic screams and aimlessly moving bodies passed before her. While she was able to maneuver around most of them without too much hassle, there was one instance where she had to dodge a group by jumping over them. Her form was not nearly as important as the hunk of metal coming towards them, however, and she was largely ignored.

Finally she entered the street where the ship was aimed, but would only have moments to clear the path. Turning around, away from the falling vessel, she witnessed some rather pathetic individuals frozen in place. Running as she just had, she would push them through the Force in order to get them out of the way. Some would be pressed, rather ungentley, against walls while others, if they were in a good spot, would be pushed into alleys or open doorways. She'd also clear debris out of the way as she moved forward. Her speed only almost matched that of the ship-turned-meteor and the energy expended on moving the amount and mass of bodies and objects was tiring her faster than she would have liked.

A crash sounded followed immediately by a reverberation that threatened to knock her off balance. A couple tumbling steps saw to that, but she had soon enough recovered and tried to pick up speed as the junk ship slid towards her. Even though it slowed upon impact, she could still feel the heat of the ship on her back. Gathering a rather large sum of energy within her hands, she blasted it forth, violently moving the debris out of the way. Three steps following that, she slammed her right foot into the metal that made the street in order to jump to her right, high and far. Her eyes remained focused on her landing point as her ears heard the screeching continue forward and past where she had once been.

Snapping her head around, she watched as it slid to a halt, bumping against some trash compactors on its way but otherwise causing little harm except for the structural damage to the street.

Jogging over, now under her own power, she watched as some bodies made their way out of the ship relatively unharmed. They were, however, on the other side and the fire that was the wake of the crash was not to be trifled with. Once she passed a large enough gap she crossed the street. "Are you alright!?" She called to them with worry in her voice.

The lightsaber upon the hip of the female was spotted by the Master Jedi and she assumed, at least initially, that she must have been a Jedi. The male with the cane, however, cast doubt on this. Not that the woman might be an enemy, but more to not assume such things and let one's guard down. Even so, she was still ready to help if need be.

Looking at the pair, she asked hastily, "Is there anyone else aboard?"

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

Sebastian was a touch surprised when Fyston declared that he could hear him talking about the Broken Knight, but Sebastian wasn't exactly hiding his voice. It was a small vessel and he was merely warning the girl - woman, rather, about how his counterpart was like and why, though the latter always eluded him in people. Still, Fyston was skilled enough to destroy everything the shuttle had while keeping them relatively safe within the cockpit and the small corridor leading to the flaming shrapnel of the remains when the atmosphere fought with the intrusion. Sebastian's hands clung tight to the metal around him, his strong arms acting as wires holding his body in place while Fyston abused the shuttle in order to land it within the capital in time. He did what Sebastian asked of him, but they had barely survived. If Teynara wasn't so resilient herself, the Padawan would have been easily overwhelmed by the Knights' tactics. Still, she seemed to speak more than actually saying something. Perhaps this is how she coped with strenuous relations with others.

They exited before himself as he looked around, making sure they didn't forget anything they might want to take along. The steamy entrance burnt any excess amber they might have been able to use at a later time and any controls' wires had also been seared into disuse. Sebastian casually exited the still-burning carcass of the spacecraft without any kind of urgency, knowing he wouldn't be burned and expecting the city to be burnt down as well. Fortunately, it seemed as if everything was fine among the people besides their crash-landing. Or was this 'unfortunate'? Sebastian's eyes looked around frantically, not addressing the Togruta wondering about their well-being. It was clear they weren't hurt, much unlike the street and the shuttle. People huddled around before law-enforcement came and shoved them from the crash. Shouting ensued and an uproar began, but was mostly contained. The fellow Jedi was left alone, however, and the law-enforcement ignored the uninjured Jedi for the time-being. Sebastian allowed Fyston to make his tasteless first impression of them to the Togruta and then to the Chief when he approached them.

Sebastian cut off Fyston before he could ruin anything else. "Sir," he bowed and almost shouted to get his voice over Fyston and the crowd. "I've come here with my comrades to investigate the jungles of this planet. The Jedi Council have discovered unusual readings of the natives on this planet and we are here to erase suspicion of enemy activity." His response was terse and quick, hoping Fyston's impatience to be satisfied by such a response.

"The natives are Force-sensitive," the deep bass of the chief vibrated the air around them. "They are far more powerful than we remember them since the first Summertime War."

"But none of you were alive during that time."

"Records told us what to expect. Their lowest ranking soldiers surpassed some of the more extreme examples we were provided."

"Perhaps this information was compromised during the thousand years between the wars. Still, it's difficult to discern something so subjective."

"Not when you have holo-recordings and training sessions based off their powers," he snapped.

"Fine. Thank you for the warning. We'll be on our way."

"I don't think so," the Chief grumbled menacingly while grasping Sebastian's naked upper arm. The Chief seemed unafraid of their association with the Force and with Sebastian obvious brute power, though the Chief had his own. "Under law of Pelek Baw, you four are under arrest and are fined for the damages. You will all need to come with me."

As this happened, two men grasped the arms of each of the Jedi. Somehow, Sebastian's feet remained cemented onto the ground to which the Chief gave a menacing look. "I'm sorry, but we have our duties to perform." Sebastian voice was quiet, almost inaudible over the increasing volume of the uproar around them. As the Chief attempted to pin the Jedi down, Sebastian shook one arm and jerked another, sending the Chief flying a few feet from Sebastian. Assault. He looked quickly at the others, telling them through his eyes to follow suit, and he leaped from the growing crowd, racing to the slums of the cities, if they were any different from the central part of the city, that is. Either their presence caused this uproar or it sparked the uproar, the citizens of Pelek Baw began to storm toward the police and riot against them. Were they for the Jedi or against the harsh punishments? Perhaps both. But questions were out of the question as the situation grew worse.

The four Jedi were being attacked by the citizens as they raced out of the city. They threw home-made bombs and spears, trying to harm them. Sebastian made sure most of the attention was on him and blocked or absorbed any damage he may have taken. He even layed his hands of some of the citizens, knocking them out of the way and into walls to make them unconscious.

He didn't know where he was going. In a clearing of people, behind some buildings, he waited for the others to catch up, hopefully unharmed. "I don't know which way is out of the city. Do you?" he asked of the Togruta, not knowing who, precisely, she was.

 

[Master Maverick]

The whole situation changed so quickly, the aging Togruta had no time to influence the situation. Of course, she didn't get any time to due to the rash actions of the last Jedi to exit the shuttle, and she would give him a piece of her mind eventually, but she wasn't stubborn enough to calm a riot that obviously had more to do than simply their entrance. The men sent to detain her were not quite so worried due to her small stature. Even so, a concentrated burst of the Force emanating from where their hands had grasped her forced them to release their grips enough for another pulse, originating from her torso, was released and sent them on their backsides. It was almost comical if the situation weren't so unfortunate.

She had no real trouble keeping up with the large man and even aided in keeping the group out of danger. The whole thing fell apart so quickly Ashara had no idea what to make of it. Of course the Council would not be pleased and if something wasn't done about it they would most certainly have something to say about it. Even if they did manage to rectify the issue, the Council, even then, may want to speak with them. While the Master wasn't worrying about that at the moment, she felt a touch of defeat at not being able to do anything other than run and leave the situation to progress under its own devices. That was not the way of the Jedi, but they could not fight all of those citizens and there seemed no way to calm them short of ending some lives, which would probably only make the situation worse.

"Follow me!" She yelled to the group and veered right, down a side street. Putting on a burst of speed she made her way to the city limits. The density of people significantly diminished rather quickly, though they still had to watch out for thrown objects even though they probably wouldn't have hit anyone anyway.

Trees started to sprout up soon enough, at which point Ashara sped up again, becoming more of a blur than before. City security could be seen in the distance forming a ramshackle blockade. As soon as bolts started to spill upon them, the Master's blue blade erupted from its hilt as she swung it with a practiced arm to deflect the shots harmlessly away. Only a few volleys would be able to get off as she jumped hard and soared above them. Their aim was not all that good and they soon disappeared in the forest that took over almost immediately after the city ended.

Not yet used to the thin air, Ashara was already a bit out of breath and once they were out of sight she slowed down considerably. However, she wouldn't stop until they weren't able to be heard any longer. Ducking behind the enormous remains of a felled tree she focused on her montrals, allowing the Force to magnify her senses, as she felt for their approach. Her breathing deep, but starting to get under control, it quieted down soon enough and the sounds of the forest prevailed for as many tense moments as would be allowed by the young Jedi as Ashara kept focused on finding their would-be captors.

 

[Fyston]

When the Togruta asked if everyone was okay, Fyston simply shrugged. He knew that everyone was okay, but he knew that his response wouldn't matter, as the Togruta would likely have searched and assessed everyone even if he gave a detailed report on how 'okay' everybody was.

The Knight simply stood beside Sebastian and leaned on his cane while the Master spoke and, although Fyston could interrupt him at any time, he would much rather observe everyone silently. Of course, he had to speak when the security guard mentioned imprisonment. "Jail," he said sarcastically, letting his jaw drop to accentuate his sarcasm. "Loosen up, it's not like anybody died. So what, it's a street. If by fine, though, you mean you want a bribe-" The Knight was cut off as Sebastian spoke, though he knew what he was doing the moment he shook. He didn't even need a look from the man before he was on the move, the seeming cripple becoming as fluid and powerful as any warrior.

As the guards had expected him to be crippled, they had not had as tight of a grip on him as they might have the others. Plus, they allowed him to keep his cane, which was an error that, were they not Alliance citizens, would have been fatal. He allowed his cane to flow through his hand as he moved, gripping the straight end and allowing the curved end to become a weapon. With his right side, he hooked the curved portion of the cane around the guard's right knee and pulled with tremendous strength, pulling the knee out of place and rendering the guard useless.

While his right side worked, his left arm flew up to the left guard, who had drawn his blaster pistol. The arm barely succeeded in brushing the blaster pistol away, as it went off, the red bolt mere centimeters from Fyston's head. The guard didn't have enough time to get another round off, however, as he was the cane's next target. Before the guard could bring up any sort of defense, the cane slammed into his left side. With an audible crack, ribs broke and Fyston could tell that the man would have serious abdominal bruising, with the possibility being high that his lung had been punctured. "A bit blunt on your approach, Sebastian, but we'll take baby steps. Just think, in a few years you'll be as good as me."

As they began to flee, however, Fyston groaned. While he could run, it certainly wasn't his favorite activity considering his leg. He took off, however, leaning on the Force to limit the pain receptors that received the signals from his leg. He could keep up with the group, though he didn't know for how long. The Knight silently thanked the Force that he continued his physical regiment, including a daily run, despite his condition.

The worst part of fleeing, though, was the crowd. With a high degree of precision, the Knight batted away crude weapons that had been thrown at them, knocking most of them to the ground. While he would use his cane to push through the citizens, he wouldn't harm an innocent. Perhaps it was his Jedi training or perhaps it was his own personal 'code,' but the Knight still had boundaries and didn't cross them.

 

[Teynara]

As two of the Chief's men took her by the arm, Teynara did her best to relax. Generally if someone senses you tense up, they do the same in order to keep a hold on you, she thought, exhaling a soft breath and letting her shoulders just relax beneath her soft brown robes. The two beings had strong grips, though they weren't hurting her, just making it clear that they could, if she resisted the arrest they were placing upon the group. Something's not right here, she noted curiously. Okay, we crashed a shuttle, but that could be blamed on a mechanical malfunction. It's cause for a warning, perhaps a fine. Arresting us suggests that something else is in play here, Teynara observed inwardly.

The suddenness of Master Solborne's shrugging off of the guards restraining him caught her momentarily off-guard. Why now provoke them to further aggression? she wondered, standing open-mouthed as the other Jedi fought their way free. If these beings have cause to fear us or seek to restrain us, they'll be even more fervent in that pursuit if we break away like this. She didn't have time to stop the others, though - they all clearly outranked her, so her duty required her to go along with their decision, even that of the newly-arrived Master Vashee. Teynara sighed softly, then glanced at the two guards holding her arms. "I'm terribly sorry about this," she said quietly.

The two of them had tightened their grip on her arms as soon as Master Solborne had made his first move, but Teynara knew that wouldn't be too much of a problem. Even a Temple novice would be able to deal with this, she thought with a touch of resignation. Unfortunately, the guards had taken her arm close to the elbow - standard procedure for restraint purposes, since it prevented the arm being swung more than a few centimetres, and was stronger than the wrists, so less force could be exerted. Teynara had no such intentions, though - this was hardly going to be a test of strength. And I'd lose if it was, she thought.

Pushing her hands softly backwards, palm facing behind her, she gathered as much of her internal energy reserves as she could summon at short notice and channelled them through her slenders arms and into her hands, the tapered fingers tapping against the guard's uniforms and projecting a short, sharp wave of telekinetic energy, all in a wave. The sudden force of it caused them to release their grip, and she swung around, bringing up a released elbow and placing it firmly in the stomach of the guard to her left, who crumbled. She completed a spin with the momentum carring her around, leaving her facing the other guard, who had now recovered. He made a grab for her, so she brought her left arm over and down to parry the move, using that same momentum to grab at the guard's shoulder and simply pull, forcing him off-balance. Enough time to run.

She turned and sped away towards where the others had run, noting that she was somewhat behind them, which was a problem: the crowd that had gathered to observe their arrest had turned on the Jedi when they demonstrated resistance, and had started using whatever they had to hand to impede them. Several had turned towards her, and she knew they would be able to intercept her before she could catch up with the others. So I either fight, surrender or try a different path, she concluded, thinking furiously. She wasn't about to attack, since drawing her lightsaber to attack civilians who were not similarly armed - even if the term 'civilian' was stretching matters a little - would ultimately mean harm they had not justifiably earned. After all, we're the aggressors here, from their perspective.

Draw them in and then jump, she thought, letting herself gather enough energy to perform what was ultimately a rudimentary skill among the Jedi, but one she still wasn't wholly confident with, but her preparations found themselves crudely interrupted, in a less pleasant way. Some of those who had sought to go after the Jedi had found themselves projectiles - rocks, tiles, trash - and were launching them after the retreating Jedi. Bringing up the rear of the group, still behind the crowd that had followed, Teynara couldn't get past them. She didn't even see the rock that struck her, just felt a sharp pain on her forehead and then her vision blurred as the object spun her around and she hit the floor, a sudden flare striking hands and elbows as she intuitively tried to stop herself falling, and failed.

In the seconds it took for coherent thought to return, she knew the others would have left her far behind if they kept on going. She was surrounded quicker than she could come to her feet, and if she tried to resist, she'd be kicked and pummelled faster than she could say "please stop". Teynara's only choice was to just stay where she was and hope they weren't angry enough to administer that beating anyway. She raised herself to a tentative sitting position and reached up with one hand to touch her forehead, feeling sticky wetness beneath her slender fingers. Just a glancing wound, but bleeding nonetheless, she thought with a sigh. Her other hand she raised towards those surrounding her, palm outwards in a curt gesture that suggested they should stop.

"There's no need for further violence," she said softly, a gentle sigh passing her lips. "I surrender."

 

[Crackerjack Bohemian]

With the short break, he noted that the Padawan had not yet caught up with them, certainly a problem. "Go," he ordered the other two, or was it a plea? He could cover ground faster than either of them and would have little trouble finding them in this large city. Still, it probably wasn't the best idea for him to split when he just admitted his ignorance of the city's layout. He studied minimally but didn't intend for all this to happen when the arrived. So he shook his hand at the other two and looked back the way they had come. Teynara couldn't have lost them completely and started running in the other direction, so he knew to backtrack exactly the path they had just traveled. The ground flew beneath him and he didn't look back as they separated so Sebastian could find the girl that had come along. She was more valuable than a life, she had skills neither he nor Fyston could implement. She was an asset Sebastian wasn't willing to sacrifice. Not yet.

But something more was wrong. Why so much uproar? The crashing couldn't have cause this riot. Three Jedi couldn't have committed crimes worth imprisonment. Was this a kind of civil war within the Balawai? Their relations with the Alliance had been, more or less, prosperous, as one could determine by the sheer height of some of the buildings. Upon the mountains of this world, safe from the toxic oceans, these humans were doing well in surviving against attacks from the Korunnai. The police force were quite aggressive, and while Sebastian wasn't one to resist arrest so quickly, he could Sense that there was something wrong in the Chief's intent. A quick memory flash, aided by the Force, showed the crowd growing around them with angered faces at both the Jedi and the police. But why against the Jedi? Did the citizens want independence from the Alliance since there was a sense of oppression from them when the oppression was only coming from the law enforcers?

This trial in intuition and problem-solving quickly faded as he fell upon a crowd gathered around a single point. There was a calmness in its center, something that had to indicate Teynara's being as she was quite well in playing a Jedi's role. Shouting and pitchforks were raised and incoherent chants burst into the backs of each others' heads. Sebastian not only fell upon them, as well, but pushed through them. His arms swung to either side, cutting through the crowd and sending waves of bodies in either direction to make it easier to reach Teynara. He might have heard some of them shouting profanities against the Alliance and the Order, but his mind was too focused on getting the girl to safety while punishing himself for being so unfocused, earlier, in losing her so easily. She was under his protection, and he'd failed. Perhaps he didn't fail the Order or even being a Jedi, but he needed to protect others he deemed needed to be protect. This was still a vague philosophy, but a philosophy nonetheless.

They tried to stick him with their crude weapons, but the metals bent and the woods snapped when they reached his skin. The Force did well in toughening it like concrete yet keeping it soft enough to scoop the beaten girl from the ground and protect her from further injuries when he leapt high into the air and further than their arms could fling debris at him. He'd arrived too late and it seemed they wished to make an example of her. Any Jedi who'd let their guard down for a moment would have easily been overwhelmed by such a crowd. The abilities of a Padawan wouldn't have been enough to keep this crowd away or to protect against their abuse. He'd failed at protecting her. The blood trickling from the shallow puncture wounds and scrapes were easily ignored and he kept going forward. Forward.

His right leg pushed off the cement of a building and flung him to the left, toward where he could still the Sense the others. His feet crashed into the metal street, the girl would have hardly felt anything, assuming she was still conscious. The metal around his feet bent and warped under the pressure of the Force manipulating his weight's influence over who he was holding and how his feet met the ground. With this momentum, he darted quickly in the direction of a main gate, of sorts. It wasn't much of a gate since it just turned to flora, from which more police-forces shot at him. With his excessive speed, their accuracy was poor, but there were a few shots, who's aims were guessed, met Sebastian's back and sides. None met Teynara, but Sebastian's movements would keep her out of their sights. His vest tunic was soon decorated with a few burning holes, and his skin singed though the bleeding was stopping slowly as he raced past the dangers. With the gashes and tears from the earlier attacks, his shirt didn't do much in covering his body, which was all it was for to begin with.

He quickly escaped the range of the city and Sensed a tree Sensing him. His legs carried him even faster to this location and he stopped abruptly to meet the Togruta behind its trunk and roots. He sat Teynara against the tree, regardless if she was well enough to sit or not, and began to analyze her body for any injuries he could heal. Any bruises and scrapes from the crowd were quickly healed. Veins were sealed and muscles restored. Blood remained on the surface, but any internal bleeding or bruising was cured in moments. Or it felt as moments though he concentrated on the girl for about a minute. This was the fastest he'd ever healed someone, perhaps the adrenaline of failure abetted this process. He shushed her to rest and turned to the alien. He looked at her ignorantly, trying to guess who she was. He couldn't make out a name, but that wasn't a pressing issue at the moment.

"What happened back there? Could you Sense anything internal coming from the crowd or the officers? I can't imagine our crash-landing cause this uproar. But I can't deny that our rash actions sparked it. I just didn't think there was any other choice but to run. I don't know if my intuition was correct. I didn't act through the Force but, rather, my head," he started talking to himself, chastising his actions while attempting to rationalize them. "The Balawai are corrupt," he said with an odd sense of authority. "This is some kind of civil war. There was malice in those officers. There was discontent in the crowd. Something larger than I assumed must be going on in Pelek Baw," he started prophesizing. The Force was flowing into him, however forcefully, and showing him images he deciphered quickly and, hopefully, accurately.

He gazed into the Togruta's eyes, hoping someone could further rationalize this outbreak of barbarianism. Their goal was assessing the Korunnai, which, they knew, was going to prove a difficult feat. But now Sebastian felt inclined to figure out this odd situation happening in Pelek Baw. They'd have to do their best in infiltrating the city once again. Perhaps they should settle the city down before assessing the Korunnai. But what if the city was to be attacked by the natives? Now would be the least opportune moment for the Balawai to be attacked, but the natives were naive. No, they were powerful and of some wit allowing them to survive against outrageous numbers which dwarfed their own. What if they were the cause of this inner turmoil?

No, speculation would get them nowhere lest it held some kind of validity.