Open Lothal They Doing A Steal

[Flynn Tabouillot]

You know the part about being a swashbuckling smuggler that the serials and the holos never got into? The parts that really were kind of boring.

Like getting power packs for his blasters and other supplies that would actually keep his freighter in the sky. Those were the kind of things that were just boring and rather basic but, turns out, were actually rather important. Which was why Flynn was sat outside a caf shop as he waited and watched the nearby surroundings. Specifically he was looking at the the speeder-truck-thing that had just pulled up alongside the back alley that led to the back of the secondary supply depot that the local law enforcement kept running around the city.

Now Flynn wasn't mad enough to try and hit the law enforcement directly - that would be dumb - but he was watching to see where the truck actually went after it's drop off. While he might not be stupid enough to steal from law enforcement, he was happy enough to follow the truck back to where the supplier's warehouse was and steal some of their stuff directly.

Probably far fewer lawmen trying to shoot at him that way.

As he raised his caf cup up to take another sip, a distant explosion rocked the area and caused him to spill some of the caf down his front. Hissing in irritation at the burning sensation, Flynn didn't look to the explosion like all the onlookers did and he didn't rush towards it like the law enforcement did.

Which was exactly why he saw two figures in shoddy masks smack the truck driver over the back of the head before jumping into the cab and starting to drive off. Drive off with the stolen truck full of ammo and other goodies.

Goodies he had been scoping out to steal.

That was so not on!

"Hey! Hey they're stealing the truck!"

... and the cops were more focused on the explosions which, to be fair, were probably more pressing of an issue for public safety.

"Bloody hells...!" he cursed as he jumped up from his caf and started after the truck, "This is not what I wanted to do today!"

 

[Byron Alduun]

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Byron didn’t often get the chance to go home.

So when the opportunity would ever rise, he would desperately grab onto it. Faster than a loth-wolf pouncing for its prey. Faster than the truck that picked up speed and whizzed past he and his mother. Faster than the man running after it, his brazen screams piercing the air almost as hard as the explosion did.

For a moment, he thought of allowing fate to work its magic. Time spent with his family was growing thinner each year, to the point in which it had become precious and, most importantly, fragile. For it only took a couple of thieves to ruin everything.

Being a Jedi wasn’t the same as being part of a law enforcement. There wasn’t an off-button. There wasn’t a family you could return to every evening. The Order’s values had been imprinted onto him like a tattoo, stitched into his bones, woven into the standing hairs on the nape of his neck. He had to help. It was instinct at this point.

He gave his mother a look as if to say: I should, but I shouldn’t.

She returned one that said: You should.

An apologetic look followed, and before he knew it his legs were carrying him over to the man in question. A firm palm planted itself on the man’s chest, attempting to stop his momentum from dragging him any further down this pointless path.

By now, law enforcement had flooded the aftermath of the explosion. His senses told him that there were no casualties; they could handle it from there.

“You’re not going to catch it on foot,” he says softly, solemnly. “Do you know where it’s going?”

His head kept turning around to check on his mother, who was busy loading the groceries onto the family speeder, thinking: Believe me, not what I wanted to do either.

@Nefieslab

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[Drow Venn]

Drow Venn had been sitting outside the humble Lothal home, nursing an excellent cup of tea that he'd purchased at the market this morning. He'd never personally been to Lothal before, although one of his former mercenaries had been from there. The Ishi Tib quite liked the place; its rustic charm more than made up for its lack of amenities and Drow had been having a blast mingling with the locals and sampling the local cuisine. Evidently, not too many Ishi Tib made it out this way for he'd been getting curious stares all morning. He just smiled back and didn't let it worry him.

He'd stopped by Lothal only to refuel but he felt it only right to volunteer his time while he was here. So he helped out at the local clinic, using his first aid and Force healing to the best of his ability to help the beleaguered nursing staff. He had planned to leave soon after but he'd heard word that a Jedi Knight was stopping by to visit his family here on Lothal. Always one to further his education, Drow had sent this Jedi, a one Byron Alduun, a message, asking if he wanted to take some time to train him while they were both on planet. Despite Drow being twice Byron's age, the Ishi Tib knew Byron would have a lot to offer him.

However, it seemed like training might be put on hold today as a loud bang and several shouting people filled the streets. Drow frowned, frustrated he wouldn't get to finish his cup of tea and ran towards the commotion. There, he saw Byron and a man he did not recognize. Drow gestured to the Jedi Order's symbol that was emblazoned on his armor.

"Byron? I'm Drow Venn - the one who sent a message earlier to you today. Does there seem to be a problem?" Drow asked, giving a polite nod to Flynn.

 

[Flynn Tabouillot]

Did he know he wasn't going to catch it on foot?

Yes.

Did he know where it was going?

Yes.

Was he going to tell a stranger that last part? He was honestly considering it before the alien showed up and all but immediately confirmed that both of them were Jedi. Flynn groaned a little bit to himself as he stopped running after the damned truck and instead he pulled out one of his blaster pistols.

He took careful aim and pulled the trigger... and nothing happened because his damned power packs had run out and that was the whole point of him scoping out the damned truck shipment! Looking around, Flynn waved a hand to the Jedi.

"Nice to meet you lovely gentlemen but I'm going to stop a truck-jacking, enjoy your lonely monk boy's outing!"

He rushed over to an older lady filling a speeder with groceries.

"Excuse me Miss but would you mind terribly if I borrowed this vehicle? Those men stole weapons from the police and used explosives just as a diversion - they're clearly up to no good. Please, allow me to do my civic duty and put a stop to them. Please, let me use your speeder and I promise on my mother's life I shall return it, here, in good condition."

The artfully competent lies in order;

- He didn't want to do his civic duty, he wanted his bloody ammo.
- His mother was dead.
- He was probably going to dump the speeder in an alley nearby the spaceport on his way off planet.

But the thing about being able to seem so earnest and true at the drop of a hat? People tended to believe you when you told massive, bare faced, lies.

@Fantasy Liver @Turtleneck

 

[Byron Alduun]

_

By now, whatever hope there was to catch up with the truck had vanished just as fast as it had. The only thing left behind? Chaos and coincidence. It was a coincidence to bump into the member of the Order out in Lothal he had arranged to have a training session with, and it was a coincidence that the stranger was so willing to perform such a heroic feat for the good of his heart.

The blaster pistol wasn’t the kind of sign that Byron was looking for, that was for sure. If anything, it was an indication that the road ahead was messy.

Eyes locked on the prize – the man – Byron greeted the new arrival. “Are you well, Drow? As for me, it looks as if my much-needed vacation is going to have to wait,” he said, releasing a sigh of dismay. “Have you brought a weapon with you by any chance?” At this point, Byron had begun walking towards the man, who was now talking to his mother, half-expecting the padawan to follow.

Activating something on his utility belt, he let the scoundrel finish his monologue before interrupting the situation. “So you do know where they’re going,” he said, painting on his best customer smile. Before the man could reply, he had already begun his next sentence. “What a fortunate turn of the tides. That means you can lead us right to them, and we can bring the truck back to the authorities together.” He spared a lighthearted pat on the back for the man at this point, before approaching his mother.

“I'm so sorry about all of this,” he said, tone laced in sincerity. “I’ll be sure to return your speeder as soon as I can. But right now, we need it.” He jerked his thumb at the padawan’s badge. “I’ve alerted the law, and they will take you wherever you need to.” The act was hopefully enough to disillusion anyone from associating the two together. Family was important and – just like the time spent with them had become – fragile. Who knew who this man was linked to.

He relieved the speeder of whatever groceries had been bundled into its seat and hopped into the driver’s seat. He motioned for the padawan to join him, as well as the man.

“I’ll drive, and you’ll guide us there so we can get it back together,” he said, easing into the second-hand seat. “Unless you were trying to steal it. In which case, you’re free to turn yourself in. In fact, I could escort you myself.”

@Nefieslab @Fantasy Liver​

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[Drow Venn]

"Well enough, all things considered. Who's this fellow then?" Drow asked, nodding in Flynn's direction as he asked his question. It seemed that Byron and this man were about to head off towards the stolen speeder to try and recover it. Well, Drow was certainly down for that; this was even better than a training session; a real chance to team up with a Knight on an investigation? Truly, the Force was looking out for him.

"Thugs like that - they see people coming after it, particularly two Jedi and they'll abandon what they stole. No point in taking any lives today, I'd think." Drow said to the two other men, his newfound pacifism wanting to avoid bloodshed as much as possible. He'd spilled enough blood for several lifetimes. While Byron drove, Drow kept a careful eye on Flynn and a careful hand on the stunner strapped to his belt.

@Nefieslab @Turtleneck

 

[Flynn Tabouillot]

This was one of the man reasons he hated good guys like these two.

Who the bloody hells wanted all this goody-goody dialogue?! There was a crime in progress and all these two wanted to talk about was how he obviously knew where the truck was going. Except he didn't. He knew where the truck was supposed to go and where it had come from because he had planned to steal it.

He did not know where it was going now that someone else had stolen it!

"... how the hells would I know where they're going?" he couldn't help but ask, honestly confused, "I was just going to, you know, chase them. Which will now be significantly harder because you decided to waste time implying I know all the answers to all your questions about the criminal mind. To know where they're going I need to have been part of their little heist. Which, I feel I have to point out considering your attitude, I was not."

Which he wasn't and that annoyed him - mainly because it delayed him getting his stuff!

Getting into the speeder, Flynn stared at the alien openly fingering his blaster while eyeing him. He looked back to the driver.

"I'd suggest following the trail of disruption their high-speed antics have caused, considering I don't know where they're going." he glanced back at the alien, "And maybe stop playing with your gun, cowboy, before you blow your shot early all over your own lap. What, a guy trying to do the right thing without a lightsaber strapped to his belt fill get you all riled up?"

Honestly, this was discrimination.

Sure he was a criminal but they had literally nothing to base that, as it happened, entirely correct bias on.

So unfair.

@Fantasy Liver @Turtleneck

 

[Byron Alduun]

_

Byron knew two things.

One: that the man, for whatever reason, wanted to return the shipment. From previous experience, usually the man who worked outside of the authorities worked outside of them for a reason. (Wasn’t that exactly what he and the padawan were doing? A conversation for another time.) Two: he didn't seem phased by the explosion, nor was he concerned with the civilian casualties. Unless he was also attune with the Force, which was almost impossible.

The signs pointed in the one clear direction. Though that did not always mean they were correct.

“Calm down,” he says, eyes on the road. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt,” he continues. (His master’s voice rang through his ears: Do not let allow your recklessness to get the better of you, Byron. The quicker you act, the worse your decision shall be.) “Perhaps I read you wrong.” Though the man reeked of deceit, maybe Byron should have played the game differently. Either way, it was time to switch up the strategy, as the only thing he was going to return with at this point was a headache.

Plus, maybe the man was right. Judging someone from personal experience was wrong, no matter how convinced you were of their wrongdoing.

The family speeder wasn’t particularly fast. He followed the ruinous path that the truck had left behind, hoping for any signs that the truck hadn’t left the city’s borders. Lothal’s cities were full of life, but between them lay a sparse desert. A perfect hiding place for sure.

“Only way we’re going to get that shipment back is together. So keep your eyes open.”

@Fantasy Liver @Nefieslab​

_

 

[Drow Venn]

"Wait stop the speeder!" Drow said right as they were approaching the outskirts of town. With Byron driving, Drow had been casually observing the road ahead and, fortunately, sensed life where there shouldn't necessarily have been. What looked like a burned out speeder garage was actually pulsating with bursts of life. The Ishi Tib frowned and hopped out of the speeder, pointing at the garage's door.

"I'm not sure if this is them but somebody is in there." Drow said resolutely, looking at Byron questioningly with a hand on his lightsaber hilt. He'd follow the Knight's lead.

 

[Flynn Tabouillot]

Well at least one of the Jedi was going to admit that being a dick to a civilian and assuming he was a criminal was a terrible thing to do. If nothing else it wasn't going to help with the Jedi's PR. The Jedi, champions for truth and justice for all! You know, unless you looked like you might not fit their idea of normal in which case you would be treated like a criminal until you proved them right by doing something criminal or, at the least, not in keeping with their morals.

But what was the difference to a Jedi, eh?

Stupid glow-stick waving monks.

His line of thought was interrupted by the second one pointing out a potential site for the thieves to actually hide the truck. Looking it over, Flynn agreed it wasn't a bad choice.

"Alright how about this boys and girls - I approach from the front. I make a lot of noise and you two?" he gestured to the two Jedi, "Come in from other angles. One from the side and one from the back. When they come out to attack me, you two spring out and we get them, yeah?"

He placed a hand on his chest.

"And don't worry. I know I may not appear it but I can definitely get them annoyed enough at me to show themselves."

@Fantasy Liver @Turtleneck

 

[Byron Alduun]

_


The plan was almost as shaky as the speeder as it slowed to the side of the lane. As the stranger began reiterating his strategy for the warehouse, Byron wondered if he should have gotten involved at all. (As a youth, he would have dived for the opportunity to be the hero. But, things were different now. He was different now.) The longer the situation dragged out, the more it unraveled, the heavier it became. Until it was finally wrapped around him, pinning him to the floor.

“No casualties,” he warned the man. As incapable as he seemed, it was foolish to label someone as such these days. Everyone had something inside of them, and situations like these? Were the perfect situations for an ugly face to crawl out from behind a real one. “I will defend us if it comes to it.” At this point, it wasn’t about being a Jedi. He didn’t want blood on his hands, on any of their hands.

“Do not underestimate mob mentality,” he told the padawan as they walked away from the stranger. “Follow my command, but remember: We are not here to fight.”

@Nefieslab @Fantasy Liver​

_

 

[Drow Venn]

Drow still didn't exactly trust Flynn. Scum could recognize scum and Drow had spent enough time as scum to consider himself an expert on the situation. But the man seemed good enough for Byron and that was good enough for Drow.

"Of course," Drow replied to Byron. The Ishi Tib Padawan was no stranger to violence but he'd grown more attuned to the living Force recently. He wanted no part in bloodshed if it could be helped. Though he knew how to handle himself in a fight, Drow was grateful that Byron was here to guide him. He was still new to this Jedi business and he personally knew how easy it was to stray away from the path of the light.

"I'll take the back." Drow offered, inspecting the walls. They were solid but could be sliced through with his lightsaber.

 

[Flynn Tabouillot]

No casualties?

What?!

Did the Jedi just expect to be able to walk up to criminals, armed with weapons that had actual ammo, and then just nicely ask them to hand it all back? Or was it a case that the Jedi alone were allowed to decide when it was time to kill someone? Ugh he really wished it wasn't that last one because he just knew that it was going to get violent.

In this kind of life, things always got violent after all.

He sighed in a very put upon manner.

"So I'll just stand there and politely get shot at because it would be rude to fight them." he observed dryly before shrugging, "Whatever. I've got this."

Maybe.

He might have this.

... he might not actually have this.

Fake it until you make it though!

"SO!" he shouted out as he approached the building openly from the front, "ARE YOU OPEN FOR BUSINESS OR DO YOU HAVE TO FILE OFF THE IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS FIRST?"

The ID numbers were SO irritating - some scanners in the core worlds could pick up that your bleeding ammo was stolen just by the ID numbers on the casing and that was just all kinds of uncool. Thankfully, he was only meant to draw attention to himself away from the Jedi.

He hoped they were actually paying attention.

@Fantasy Liver @Turtleneck

 

[Byron Alduun]

_

“You knew what I meant,” he says, midstep. Death wasn’t going to be taken lightly, particularly deaths caused by a couple of vigilantes. No matter how many cases the thieves had on their records. Not only was it a crime, but it was also a mockery of the authority. Both, the Jedi Order did not need right now.

Byron stood in wait, lightsaber hilt in hand, fingers gently pressed against the activator. He could hear the man’s proficiency at yelling once more, each word another knock to his eardrum.

Would it have been futile to wish that this stranger’s unconventional means of negotiating with these maniacs would somehow not result in violence?

This night was turning out to be a lot longer than he had hoped.

@Nefieslab​

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