Private Adrift in the Underworld

[Kuzon Lu’ten]

Coruscant, Level 1313
Tag: Ara Sheridan​

Kuzon moaned and his eyes flickered. Wincing he sat rubbing the side of his head with one hand. Slowly but surely his vision began to clear. "Huh?" The padawan exclaimed in shock upon noting that he was in the middle of a filth-ridden alleyway.

As soon as that realization kicked in he began to cough and the rotten stench of a thousand odors filled his acute nostrils. Where am I? Feeling sore all over Kuzon forced himself up. Grunting some with a wince the young Jedi glanced back and forth, seeing a dead end to the rear before looking back to the front yards away. Sure there are dozens of people walking from one direction to the opposite.

More perplexed than ever before, Kuzon then heard the rumble of engines overhead. Looking up between the two buildings around him the Jedi saw a sizable transport flying by to the left with other craft in lines of air traffic. But what caught Kuzon's attention the most was that he couldn't see any sun, daylight, clouds, nor moons nor ever stars. Just shadows and more buildings.

"Oh no…this is not the surface is it?"

A new sinking feeling gripped his stomach. As someone who mostly experienced the wilderness or more nature friendly settlements Coruscant's underworld was the last place he ever wanted to be in. He reached for his pockets but couldn't find the commlink and the robe was gone as well. Groaning in frustration Kuzon then became worried when noticed something else…

My lightsaber!

Searching his legs then the ground all around him Kuzon began to panic. "No, no, no this can't be!" Whispered the Bothan. Of all the things to lose, the lightsaber was the worst one imaginable. Not only was he lost but the weapon he personally crafted and his responsibility was present.

Then he stopped himself. Taking a few breaths and memorizing the code Kuzon finally calmed down enough to consider his options. Closing both eyes he reached out in the force hoping to find a connection. Initially he could only feel fear, excitement, anger and so much more in this wretched place that blurred his vision. Remembering his training Kuzon stretched further in the force until given an answer.

Someone has the saber and they're still here. But I couldn't get a good look at them.

With this knowledge the padawan considered his options. Perhaps he should find a way back to the surface first to get help but the thought that someone with his lightsaber and doing who knows what with it stopped him. Also he was quite embarrassed with having lost it in the first place. Subsequently Kuzon remarked to himself.

"I need to find it."

Despite the new uncertainty at being lost in this underworld, determination swelled within his heart. He walked his way toward the sidewalk up ahead. The closer Kuzon got the more he could hear the multiple voices and bits of droid chatter. Finally he came out but saved a few people. Most weren't paying the young man any attention, allowing him to look around.

The sight of squatter and decay filled Kuzon's heart with dread and revulsion. How do people survive in places like this? I heard the stories but to see with my eyes—

His thoughts were interrupted when he was bumped in the right shoulder by a passing Klatooinian muttered curses in Huttese at him. Taken off guard he stepped back rubbing the shoulder.

Note to self watch my step here.

After another minute Kuzon headed to the left sidewalk and strolled on amongst the ever moving crowd. All the while he glanced around in a mixture of curiosity, disbelief and wariness.

 

[Ara Sheridan]

Now that she was a knight, Ara had all the freedom she could hope for. She could go anywhere, take on any mission, choose where she could be sent. So it was quite a surprise when she was told that she needed to go into Underworld, of all places, to do this mission.

At least it wasn't anything chaotic. A gang was apparently involved with some weapons smuggling in Alliance space that were becoming too problematic... and reports came up over a padawan that went missing in the area. 'Area' being rather vague, but that was all she had to work with. So Ara set out, dressed in jeans, a shirt, combat boots and her old gang jacket to blend in just a little bit better than her ordinary robes would allow.

Although she couldn't help but wonder if anyone stopped to think about the couple dozen times she had liberally voiced her distaste with operating in Underworld. It was too late to complain now, she was already walking through the festering streets in search of any kind of lead to the padawan or the gun runners. At least the level she was on was miles better than she was used to.

After what felt like an eternity of walking, a presence in the Force drew her closer to at least one of her targets. His signature became clearer with each step she took towards them. Jumping onto the rooftops, Ara moved far quicker towards the wandering presence until she spotted the figure through the crowd. His robes were a dead giveaway when it came to his identity. The Zabrak hopped down and weaved through the crowd until she was walking next to the Bothan Jedi. "Kinda stickin' out like a sore thumb, ain't ya, puppydog?" She quipped with a smirk, deciding to mess around with him for a few seconds.

"What's a Jedi doin' around here? You know those threads'll be a death sentence, right?" She continued, looking straight ahead with her thumbs tucked into the pockets of her jacket.

@Kuzon Lu'ten

 

[Kuzon Lu’ten]

With a few seconds notice did Kuzon sense another presence in the force. One with strong will and confidence. Could it be? Before he could even consider the possibility his eyes widened when hearing the voice right next to him. Sharply turning he beheld a Zabrak woman but certainly younger than his late master Vidya. He blinked until recognizing that she is the presence in the force he just felt.

Opening his mouth to speak, Kuzon stopped himself from saying anything, trying to figure out how to explain. Immediately his embarrassment and insecurity renewed. On one hand, the padawan was relieved that a fellow Jedi who was likely undercover found him. Yet at the same time he wasn't thrilled to confess to what had happened.

Some Jedi I am. He thought somewhat disparagingly to himself. In the face of further comments by Ara a frustrated sigh escaped Kuzon.

"I…I-I was assisting with a manhunt on the surface for a fugitive. Then I got separated from the team when we entered the sewers but-but…"

He stopped speaking as he got out of the way of a female Gran who had seen better days mumbling to herself for death sticks.

"Uh well…I…don't remember what happened after that. When waking up I found myself in t-this filth-I mean this place."

After that he fell silent looking down at his walking boots. Kuzon already guess what the stranger will likely ask next and he wasn't going to enjoy answering it.

Ara Sheridan

 

[Ara Sheridan]

Idly weaving through the crowd, Ara listened carefully to the stranger's situation. It did sound like a bit of a blunder on his part, but she was hardly one to judge. She wasn't all that different, even now she made mistakes now and then that left her fuming.

"Eh, call it what it is, this place is garbage. I've called it way worse in the past." She admitted with a shrug before gesturing for him to follow. She led him to a dingy noodle stall not too far away and sat down to face the Bothan properly. "The name's Ara. Ara Sheridan." She introduced herself as she waved over the stall owner.

She quickly ordered two bowls of ramen for them, deciding to ignore her suspicions of what meat they use, and turned her attention to the Bothan. "Are you okay, though? Going from a sewer system to a crappy alley in Underworld is a rather weird jump to make." It was only then that she noticed something lacking in his overall presence.

"... Please tell me you still got your lightsaber."

Kuzon Lu’ten

 

[Kuzon Lu’ten]

Kuzon was in the middle of eating the ramen when Ara asked her next question. He utterly froze as soon as the words left the Zabark's mouth. The Bothan looked away, too ashamed at that very moment to meet his fellow Jedi's eyes. His lightsaber is supposed to be his life, symbolizing the commitment he had to the will of the force. Closing both eyes Kuzon then bit his lips.

Some Jedi am I. He thought again full of disgrace.

Subsequently he felt a familiar presence nudging him to move forward and not to give up. Finishing most of the ramen, Kuzon put the bowl down on the stall and faced Ara. Looking the Knight in the eyes the other Jedi replied.

"When I woke up here I couldn't find it." Raising his right hand to forestall any comment Kuzon added.

"I reached out in the force and I believe the lightsaber is still here on the level and that someone has taken it. I was about to begin my search when you found me."



Ara Sheridan

 

[Ara Sheridan]

The moment Kuzon froze up, Ara immediately had a suspicion of what he was going to answer. He definitely lost his lightsaber. Kuzon finished his meal before finally giving her an answer, going on to explain that his weapon was likely still on the level.

At least that was some good news. "Kriff. Well, we better move, then." She remarked, deciding to spare the whole lightsaber lecture for the moment. He definitely knew he messed up, that much was quite apparent to her. It didn't take a Jedi to notice the look on his face. "You can still sense it, right? Can you pinpoint the direction at least?" She asked him with a somewhat hushed voice. She spared him a long look from head to toe as well, making a mental note to find him some clothes to get rid of the Jedi robes. Outfit like that was asking for trouble in Underworld.

"You stay here. Focus on the lightsaber. I'll be back in a few minutes." With a reassuring squeeze on his shoulder, Ara left the stall to go find him something to at least cover up the robes. After a couple minutes, Ara finally returned with a cloak that looked, and smelled, more comparable to a fathier blanket. But the oddly coloured cloak and hood would at least cover his robes better than the typical brown cloak they all ran around with. "Here. This'll help you out." She commented as she dropped the cloak on top of him.

Sitting back down, she faced him fully with a serious glare. "Did you manage to sense it?" She asked him sternly with a raised brow.

@Kuzon Lu'ten

 

[Kuzon Lu’ten]

"Yes it is here but I'll have to concentrate further to get a better idea." He whispered back.

The force more or less confirmed his belief the saber was here but admittedly Kuzon hadn't reached out to sense in a massive urban environment until now. In wildernesses it is a lot more clear to him but cities…well that is a lot more complicated. So inwardly he was anxious but same there weren't any alternative means to find it more quickly. Gulping down nervousness Kuzon watched Ara go off and did as the knight as instructed. With the whine of speeder engines nearby the padawan centered himself, closing both eyes drawing on the power of the force.

In the first moments all he could feel were a whirlwind of emotions and sensations from numerous beings in the neighborhood. Wincing Kuzon nevertheless kept reaching out, despite the confusion and frustration building up within him. How is he going to find the saber in this wretched hole, the Bothan wondered. After a minute of fruitless search Kuzon was about to give up when a voice filled with wisdom spoke in his mind.

‘The crystal is the heart of the blade. The heart is the crystal of the Jedi. The Jedi is the crystal of the Force. The Force is the blade of the heart. All are intertwined: the crystal, the blade, the Jedi. You are one.’

Reminded of this truth, Kuzon took a deep breath before releasing it. Subsequently he let the force flow through him. His hope was answered by a vision of a cantina with a sign that displayed a rancor drinking a bottle. Without warning the vision ended with a bright light eruption.

Opening his eyes Kuzon blinked a few times just as Ara returned with an odd colored cloak. Putting it on he grimaces at the stench but looked back to Ara before answering.

"The one who has it is in a bar. It had a sign of a drinking rancor and words below declared it as the Drunken Rancor."

To emphasize his discovery Kuzon pointed to the other side of the alley.

"The force leading me toward that direction. We should hurry.”


Ara Sheridan

 

[Ara Sheridan]

Kuzon luckily managed to strike a bit of luck as he spoke up, mentioning what he saw as he reached into the Force. Ara frowned a little as she mulled over the name he gave. "Yo, I actually know that place." She muttered as she glanced at him. "Competition with an old gang. Sketchy stuff happen in that place... didn't know weapons was part of it." Then again, it made sense. No surprise that she felt like a moron after that realization.

"Yeah, let's move." She agreed with Kuzon, standing up and motioning for him to follow. Once they were out of sight, Ara propelled herself up and onto the rooftops for easier movement. Once he joined her, she took off with the Force flowing through her from roof to roof, only holding back to make sure that Kuzon was keeping up with her. "You ever been in a place like this before?" She asked s she spared him a glance. Only when they drew closer did Ara slow down and eventually drop down from the rooftop towards another alley. "Also if you get hit on..." She spared the nervous padawan a long look before a smirk crept up. "Just play it cool. Jedi ain't really all that popular down here." She continued, leading the way to the front entrance of the bar.

Speeders and swoops lined the outside along with all manner of questionable characters. Two guys were wrestling on the floor as a group of people cheered them on, shouting all kinds of colourful motivations at the top of their lungs. A few people at the door watched them with careful eyes as the two Jedi walked past, but didn't do anything aside from glance at each other. The overbearing music merely picked up once they were inside, drowning out every other sound almost entirely. What didn't get drowned out by the music was beaten away by the shouting and laughter of the people inside.

Ara glanced at Kuzon as she idly bobbed her head along with the beat of the music. "Stick close!" She called out for him to hear before carefully working her way through the crowd.

Kuzon Lu’ten