Private An Unexpected Ally

[Zinayn]

"We've received intelligence that the Dusate Pirates will be making an attack on Enarc within the coming hours. Master Zinayn, you are to take a squad of troops with you to stop them."

Those were his orders. To stop them. Zinayn scoffed a bit under his hood. Why was it okay to just 'stop' them? The Lilaste Order needed to take the fight to the pirates, and kill their leader Ubbal so they could finally end this long, drawn out war. And really, he disliked having to call it a war. Pirates were supposed to be a nuisance, just a pain in the side. Having a full-blown back and forth war with the scumbags probably didn't look good on the Order. But he supposed there were reasons why High Commander Laphisto didn't simply charge in.

What they really needed was manpower. And not just run-of-the-mill troopers. They needed more people like Zinayn, his kind-of apprentice Tin Zeer, even like Laphisto himself.

As he was thinking about all that he would fix about the Lilaste Order (if he could), someone made a noise from below. The Chiss looked over and down at the aqua blue Ortolan standing there, a wooden mug in hand. He made some squeaky noises and waved over a rusted protocol droid. "Would you like a drink?" a monotone voice translated.

The Gray Jedi took off his hood and replied politely, "Just a water, thanks."

What was this feeling within him? Sadness? It couldn't be. When he asked himself why he felt this way, the reason was this farming village? Did he feel bad for them because they were pillaged constantly by the Dusate? Was this...empathy?

Before he was able to discover his emotions about the situation, a heavily armored Lilaste soldier burst into the saloon with a report. "Sir, two Dusate vessels just entered the system. Frigates by the looks of them. Several transports were launched."

The robed Chiss rose from his seat, grimacing. Several? Each containing a dozen men, perhaps? He couldn't guarantee that he could defeat the raiders without any civilian casualties.

As he pushed open the double doors to exit, he looked back at the villagers, drained of hope. In the spur of the moment, he promised, "Truly I say to you, on the name of the Irizi Ruling Family, you will be pillaged no more."

The villagers had sent out a distress signal through the Mid Rim. People had heard their call. Now it was time to hope someone would answer it.


Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Alina stepped off the transport with a weighty sigh. It had been a long trip to the planet, but she couldn't ignore the news about a world being consistently raided by pirates. There was a time when the skies above this world would have been patrolled, but as galactic powers do, they rose and fell. The climate was warm, as one might expect from a farming world. It wouldn't have been much of a concern if she weren't wearing full combat armor under a thin cloak. Several people looked toward her as she exited the starport, and she returned each look with a gentle smile and a nod.

She turned down what she assumed was the main street of a small farming village, where there was already a commotion ahead. Had the raid already happened? She mentally cursed her lack of reliable transport and then saw several figures exiting what she assumed to be a bar.

No, she sensed fear and panic; the raid had not occurred yet. She was certain of that. More than a few of the men looked like capable fighters, so she took a gamble.

"Excuse me. I heard about the pirates. I have come to help," she called out to the group ahead of her as she withdrew the hood from her head. Golden hair fell from its confines as her sky-blue eyes scanned each member of the group before settling on one who sparked her interest. Her face was beautiful and gentle, yet had an unspoken strength to it.

 

[Zinayn]

Zinayn stepped out into the heat of the day, taking in his surroundings: the long range comm tower towards the end of the settlement, still crowded with people trying to contact their distant families; the load droids walking back and forth between the warehouse and the fields, like a death march; the farmers hunkering down in their dust-stained homes. This wasn't life. This wasn't balance. Chaos was taking over.

He felt something gnawing at the back of his mind. His hand automatically went to the sheath at his left side. The Harbinger of Balance was itching for a fight.

And then it was like all the fear and anticipation was lifted out of the air. It became light again. What was the source of this presence in the Force? He ignored the steadily growing shadows of the Dusate transports and looked down the street towards the small spaceport. There came a hooded woman, carrying herself elegantly, a stark contrast to the hunched shoulders and dragging feet of the farmers.

Zinayn stood there, staring at her approach for what seemed like an hour. Hmm yes, her presence was strong, enough to overwhelm the feelings he was absorbing from the townsfolk. When she stopped before him and took off her hood, his eyes widened a bit. She was quite beautiful, but something told him she could hold her own in a fight.

"Excuse me. I heard about the pirates. I have come to help,"

And it seemed she was a fighter. His initial thoughts about her were right. It was just this...feeling about her. The fact that she could drown out the other emotions in this place with her presence in the Force meant she was just overwhelmingly... good. She reminded him of a saint, or even an angel. One that wasn't afraid to get their hands dirty defending those that couldn't defend themselves.

He opened his mouth to speak, nearly stumbling over his words (which a Chiss like him never did). "Uh, I see," he said, struggling to keep his normal tone of nonchalance. "Your name?"

In his thoughts, he hadn't realized that his four soldiers had left to the gate of the town to take cover. He and this newcomer better get there soon, he knew. He waved for her to follow as he began the walk towards the Dusate landing zone.

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Alina waited for a few moments, stretching out with the Force to get an idea of what was going on in the small village and how many able-bodied fighters she could expect at her back. Most appeared to be farmers and civilians. A protracted battle would not serve anyone. She resolved to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

Finally, she directed her attention back to the group of men who were regarding her, no doubt assessing if she was a threat. One of them was about to speak up when she noticed several heavily armored men heading off in a particular direction. She followed them with her eyes, taking in the surroundings. The roar of engines caused her to cast her gaze toward the sky, where she saw a pair of transports inbound in the same direction some of the men were running.

He opened his mouth to speak, nearly stumbling over his words (which a Chiss like him never did). "Uh, I see," he said, struggling to keep his normal tone of nonchalance. "Your name?"

It was now clear she had arrived just in time. She turned her attention to the man who asked her name. Her clear blue eyes focused on Zinayn, offering him a warm smile.

"Alina Grayson, and you are?" she queried, her voice calm and composed. Her clear blue eyes locked onto Zinayn. As she spoke, she sensed a familiar aura around him—he, too, wielded the Force. This subtle connection reassured her that he would be able to be counted on in the battle ahead. She fell into a pace next to him as they walked to do battle with the pirates.

Zinayn

 

[Zinayn]

The woman identified herself as Alina Grayson. He'd heard nothing of her before, but he'd make sure the remember that name forever. "I am Irizi'nay'nuru, but you may call me by my core name Zinayn," he responded. He truly wished they had more time for conversation, but an ominous wind blew through the paved street. The enemy had landed. Just ahead he could see his troops crouched down, using whatever they could for cover: wooden barrels, deactivated loader droids, even the farmers' homes.

Zinayn walked through the gate of the town, and as he did so the Lilaste soldiers peeked out of cover slightly, enough to get shots out, and not enough to be easily spotted. Five transports were settled down amongst some taller grasses. As the Chiss and his new ally came to a stop, blocking the entrance to the village, the ramps lowered simultaneously. Zinayn was always one to overthink things, and this was no different.

The ramps lowering at the same time; did this show some unity that should be unachievable amid pirates? Maybe it was time to stop thinking of the Dusate as ragtag raiders, but as a true, orderly military band? Perhaps this was why the Lilaste Order was at a stalemate with this group. The tacticians behind the Order's attacks were still using the traditional methods of getting rid of pirates.

He'd have to bring that up to the High Admiral sometime. Now, however, he watched the raiders file neatly out of their transports, with a taller Rodian at the lead, wearing heavy battle armor and cybernetics. He signed for a stop as he laid eyes upon the two figures guarding the entrance.

"Step aside. Now," he warned, hand on his holstered pistol.

Zinayn merely placed his thumb on the guard of his katana, and with his other hand confirmed his lightsaber's position within his robes. He shook off his hood, now feeling the sun's heat on his forehead. His crimson eyes focused on the lead raider.

"I said: Step aside!" the Rodian repeated loudly, this time pointing the weapon straight at them. The rest of the Dusate seemed to be ready as well. He placed a hand behind his back, performing several signs, holding the last one.

He would let Alina Grayson have the first move.

 

[Alina Grayson]

Alina stayed in step with Zinayn as he introduced himself, raising a curious eyebrow. "Very rare to meet a Chiss. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Zinayn. Now, let's introduce ourselves to the unwanted guests." She had questions but knew they would have to wait until the current crisis was resolved. She had only seen the two transports inbound, so she surmised the others came from different directions.

As they approached, she watched unimpressed as the ramps lowered and the pirates piled out of their ships. One, who appeared to be the leader, started barking orders at them like they were dogs.

Zinayn would be able to sense that Alina was gathering the Force. More importantly, the air began to grow cold. At first, it was just a cold breeze blowing in from the north. The sudden temperature change caused the sky to grow dark, and clouds began to form. A soft peal of thunder began as the first drops of rain formed. In short order, they all began to feel the small droplets of rain.

"I'm afraid we cannot let such a heavily armed group wander about the town so carelessly. You see, you might get hurt. We would feel terribly responsible if you were to injure yourselves. So, it would be best for everyone if you got back into your ships and left."

The light rain became a downpour, and the temperature leveled off. She was clearly stalling. Her eyes scanned the ground as if confirming it was ready. In one swift move, she extended a hand, and the water shot up from the ground and began to freeze. Then, with a strong push, it began to pelt the pirates with razor-sharp edges.

Zinayn

 

[Zinayn]

As Zinayn stood resolute against the outnumbering pirate force, he felt something on his head. A bug maybe? An agricultural world like this probably had some pests. Another something. And another. Suddenly the sunlight was blocked out. The Chiss risked a glance upward. Storm clouds were brewing, cumulonimbus if he remembered correctly. He shivered in the wind. When had it become so chilly? Abrupt storms like this shouldn't be naturally possible on such average worlds like this.

Wait. He sensed it. In the anticipation of the coming battle, Zinayn had only been focused on the enemy combatants, not his ally or the villagers behind him. Now he could feel the Force growing in strength within her. So she was able to manipulate the weather. Quite a feat. Zinayn had never tried to do such a thing; he was much more direct in combat. But now the pirates were fighting in her domain instead of a neutral playing field. Now to see, could she manipulate the elements as well?

His question was confirmed when, seconds later, she moved. It was a swift strike, and none of the Dusate reacted until they were being hit by an onslaught of sharp, solid ice. At that time, he released his hand sign, and drew his katana. Simultaneously, a storm of laserfire erupted from four points behind them. The Lilaste soldiers were finally in the fight.

However, it seemed that among this chaos, the Rodian wasn't panicking like his underlings were. Instead, he leveled his pistol at Zinayn and squeezed off three blasts before turning to Alina. The Chiss brought up his katana, which absorbed the trio of bolts. Then he extended a hand, aiming to pull in the leader. But the Force did not respond.

He squinted at the neck of the Rodian. Hanging on a necklace was a Void crystal, which nullified the use of the Force on its user, or something to that effect. So it seemed that he'd have to take down this Dusate without his greatest weapon. It'd be alright though, he had an ally. Hopefully one with a backup weapon.

"Sorry Harbinger," he whispered to his katana as he sheathed it. It would be useless against the Void crystal; the Force was what made it strong. With his other hand he summoned his lightsaber, which flew out of his robes and into his awaiting palm. He activating it, casting a fiery yellow glow in the rainwater at his feet. Without waiting for the Rodian to attack again, he dashed towards the leader, right side forward and lightsaber extended, like a fencer.

His armor was heavy around the torso area, and his legs were armored as well, however his sides and arms were not. So Zinayn shifted himself using the Force, slightly to the left, to now stab at the Rodian's right obliques. His lightsaber was suddenly batted aside by an apparently beskar cybernetic hand, and he receieved a hard kick in the stomach. The Chiss was able to lighten the attack by using the Force to strengthen his defense, but it hurt nonetheless.

He turned his momentum into a backwards roll, coming up on one knee, panting for breath. This was going to be a tough fight.

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

The fact that the Rodian reacted or not was not her concern; her chief aim had been to catch the enemy off guard and steal the initiative from them, and that had been achieved. As the blaster bolts raced toward her and Zinayn, she reflexively grabbed her lightsaber and brought it up to a defensive position. The familiar snap-hiss gave way to a constant sizzle as the rain pelted the superheated plasma. The golden blade shone in the dark like a beacon. A gust of wind tore her cloak from her back as she charged the Rodian. The golden blade flashed as she leapt toward him. She wore white armor with golden trim, and trailing behind her was a white cloak with a hood drawn back, attached to the armor. She stood out quite a bit here, which was why she had donned the other cloak.

A lucky blaster bolt hit her in the side, but the armor absorbed it fully. The other pirates began to get their bearings, but those who were wounded or in her way were cut down in brilliant flashes of gold. For as beautiful and graceful as she was, there was no mercy in her combat. She waded into the thick of it all, an intricate ballet of death following in her wake.

As she fought, she released all the Force energy she had gathered, causing the rain to let up and the clouds to roll back. The battlefield shifted around her, now illuminated by the soft glow of her golden blade as she moved with lethal precision, ensuring that the enemy was overwhelmed and defeated.

 

[Zinayn]

Zinayn watched from his crouched position as Alina got into the fight. And she really got in there. He originally thought she'd be the stay-back-and-support fighter, though in these last dozen seconds, he'd learned never to judge a book by its cover. It seemed she had no reserves about being surrounded by enemies with deadly weapons, aiming to kill. It was like a scene straight from a holo.

Zinayn saw her leaping into battle, and a thought crossed his mind. What if he'd just met the pure embodiment of the light side? A soul so pure and untainted... He reminded himself promptly that he was not a champion of the light side, but one of balance. Too much good was equally as devastating as too much evil. Good and evil needed to coexist.

For now, wincing, he got up from the mud and summoned his lightsaber back to him. He didn't even remember losing it. Igniting it again, he charged in once more to the Rodian, slashing from the right. Another block from the gauntlet. And another kick. This time however, the Chiss had adapted to the Rodian's predictable tactics, blocking the kick with his right leg. Now he twisted back, and delivered a solid left hook to the Dusate's jaw.

The man stumbled back, but recovered quickly. Zinayn cursed under his breath, which he did very rarely. He needed to find a way to beat this tank of a pirate. Once Alina was finished with the lesser raiders, they could double their power against the Rodian. That, plus the ... no more laserfire from the village. He turned briefly, and saw the small wooden wall around the settlement completely devastated in some places. Through fallen wooden pikes he could see the glint of armor.

It looked like the Dusate had already started their counterattack. Zinayn allowed his anger to burn for a moment before turning back to the leader. With his mind cleared, he began a new flurry of assaults.

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Her thoughts were far from glamorous. She simply wanted to put these pirates down as quickly and efficiently as possible before they could do any lasting harm. It seemed many of them were keen to stay out of her lightsaber's range after witnessing her fierce display. Those who dared to fire at her quickly found their shots deflected back at them.

She allowed herself a moment to check on Zinayn and saw that he was handling himself well. However, she sensed rising anger from him. Turning to see what had enraged him, she found the answer: most of the defenders were already slain, and the pirates were moving past the main gate even as the battle continued.

With a flick of her wrist, she threw her lightsaber toward the Rodian, intending to buy herself time and hopefully create an opening for Zinayn. She then turned her full attention to the charging pirates, trusting the Chiss to watch her back. Rapidly gathering the Force in her hands, she reached out ahead of the advancing enemies. The saturated ground would help her here.

She pulled at the moisture in the soil and the dirt bonded to it, struggling briefly before heaving a mighty earthen wall in front of the pirates, halting their advance. The wall, thick and imposing, loomed over the battlefield, providing a temporary barrier between the pirates and the village. The exertion finally caught up to her, and she dropped to one knee, the strain of controlling such a massive amount of Force energy taking its toll. Even in her weakened state, she had the presence of mind to reach out with the Force and call her lightsaber back to her hand. She was keenly aware that she now had the attention of every rifle and blaster on the battlefield. After several deep breaths, she rose slowly and took a defensive stance.

Strong as she was, even the mightiest tire when they go all out from the onset. The first shot fired whizzed past her head by an inch. As she felt her fingertips close around the lightsaber once more, a hail of blaster fire erupted toward her. She began deflecting as much as she could, but she was tiring rapidly. Desperate for a reprieve, she reached out with the Force and hurled a piece of equipment into the pirates' ranks, momentarily disrupting their attack. She took a moment to center herself, thinking back to her sister a small smirk touching her lips, Lunara Azure would never let her hear the end of it if she saw her struggling this much.. With that she took a steadying breath and lept back into the fray.

Zinayn

 

[Zinayn]

His rush of attacks seemed to be more effective against the Rodian, who was heavily armored and sacrificed his speed for it. He got in several hits, unfortunately just against the armor, but it was clearly getting to the pirate's head. Zinayn needed to use the Force to boost his speed, and that would give him a significant advantage over this enemy. But the armor was still a problem. His speed would allow him to land lightsaber strikes, but he needed to land them with accuracy too.

Or maybe... it was time to change the playing field to his advantage. To use his strongest weapon. Before he could do anything, he saw a golden lightsaber arcing towards the Rodian. The Dusate saw it too, and moved to bat it away. That gave him an opening. The Chiss lunged forward, aided partially by the Force, and ripped the necklace from him. Before the Void stone could completely cancel his connection to the Force, he crushed it, letting the wind take the fine particles away.

Zinayn turned to observe the Rodian. Pure rage was etched on his forest green face, and he charged, fury driving every step. Suddenly the earth trembled, and the pirate tripped, landing on his face. The Gray Jedi stumbled as well, gazing in awe at the solid earth wall that was summoned before the village. No doubt that had taken a great amount of exertion, and that would certainly take its toll on Alina. He needed to defeat the leader of the attack quickly so he could aid his ally.

Now, the armored tank of a Rodian was on his feet again, leaping at Zinayn with a cybernetic fist. The Chiss flicked his wrist towards one of the Dusate transports, and the pirate went flying that way at breakneck speeds. Without waiting to watch his rough landing (instead settling with hearing the thunderous crash resound through the battlefield) Zinayn rushed over to Alina, lightsaber spinning and deflecting so rapidly it was just a blur of gold.

"How are you faring?" he asked between breaths.

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Every fiber in her muscles was burning as Zinayn joined the battle with her. "Well, I'm still standing for now, but I definitely overdid it, Don't worry I have more than enough to finish this" she grinned, though her exhaustion was evident. Everything felt heavy; she was clearly slowing down, but she still had more than enough strength to deal with the pirates. It surprised her that so many of them were able to put up such a resistance for so long. These pirates didn't seem ordinary, and she couldn't quite figure out why. "I don't suppose there's any chance of interrogating the leader? This seems beyond a normal pirate raid." with Zinayyn's help they were no longer able to focus their fire on her which let her ease up even if slightly but after a few moments the guns went silent.

The few grunts that remain choosing life over death, began throwing down their guns. "The only logical choice. You should have done that from the get go." she called out to them, not to mock or antagonize but rather point out they could have saved a lot of their fellows lives.

Zinayn

 

[Zinayn]

Zinayn watched her out of the corner of his vision, seeing her smile despite her obvious fatigue. "Good to hear. And I think we could question him. Unless I threw him too hard," he admitted with a small smile. Suddenly the incoming laserfire dwindled until not one man was left firing. The Chiss stood there, lightsaber still active, waiting for any trap. None was sprung. It seemed the Dusate had finally accepted that, with their leader incapacitated, they had no chance of winning this battle.

Zinayn extinguished his flaming blade and returned it to its spot on his hidden belt. He then walked towards the middle transport, not minding the other Dusate eyeing his back. Alina would interfere if they got any ideas.

The Rodian was holding his head in his hands, massaging his scalp. Definitely a concussion. But that would be the least of his worries if Zinayn didn't get any answers. The Chiss's hand raised towards the downed Dusate, and the Rodian began to levitate. "Please... no," he begged, holding his hands up like he was innocent.

"Give me answers, and I'll make sure we lock you up in one of the comfier cells," Zinayn promised coldly.

"What do you want to know?"

"Where did you come from?"

There was hesitation in the Rodian's pitch black eyes. The Chiss casually brushed aside his robe to reveal his gleaming lightsaber hilt. He wasn't above intimidation tactics. "From Sedesia! We have a space station there! Ubbal's there too, with the rest of our fleet!"

Zinayn nodded and released his telekinetic grip on the scumbag. High Admiral Kare would be here soon with some of the Lilaste fleet. They would take care of the frigates in orbit, as well as the prisoner transfer. The Chiss walked back to Alina, stopping by her side. "We should probably tell the villagers its over? No more living in fear. Anything you want to know from that Rodian?"

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

She grinned a bit at his comment about the Rodian's ability to answer questions depending on how hard he was thrown. With a flick of her wrist, she turned off her lightsaber and moved to follow Zinayn to the leader, eager to uncover whatever information they could. She remained quiet, her senses alert, as Zinayn began questioning the leader about their group's origins and intentions. "Sedesia... A space station, you say. I don't have a fleet at my disposal, but something tells me you might," she said, glancing at Zinayn with a knowing smile, her eyes glinting with a mix of curiosity and determination.

"Yes, we'll go tell them in a moment, but first..." She walked over to the Rodian, her gaze piercing as she looked down at him. "Your arms and armor, where did you get them from? Including the Force-blocking trinket you had?. Her voice was firm, leaving no room for evasion. The Rodian's gear was not normal for a pirate band. She knelt down beside him, her eyes never leaving his, waiting for any sign of deception.

Zinayn

 

[Zinayn]

A slow smile spread across Zinayn's face as he saw Alina's knowing glance. It seemed he could hide nothing from her. Refreshing. "Yes, we do have access to a rather sizeable navy, considering we are unheard of on the grand stage of galactic politics. In fact," he looked up, blocking the sunlight with a hand. He could now see three larger vessels in addition to the Dusate frigate. "It seems our High Admiral has arrived," he finished, pointing to the battle occuring overhead. Less of a battle and more of a slaughter, really. The Lilaste destroyers were no doubt shrugging off any firepower the enemy vessels could muster.

Turning his attention back to the ground, he watched Alina go over to the Rodian, now sitting down, shoulders hunched on the ramp. Alina decided to ask about the undoubtedly shady source of their weapons and armor. Zinayn was interested, especially when she asked about the Void stone. He stepped closer to hear.

The Dusate opened his mouth to answer when Zinayn saw one of his underlings shoot him a warning glare. The Rodian closed his mouth, seeming to decide between the danger presented by his own man gunning him down, or the danger of the beautiful woman before him. He chose wisely and ignored the former, instead answering Alina's question. "The weapons were stolen from a warehouse run by Blastech, and we employ our own blacksmiths to make this armor. The Void stone..." he trailed off, gaze turning to the ground.

It seemed he needed more persuasion. Zinayn turned his hand palm up and raised it slightly. Abruptly, the leader's eyes returned to Alina's. "Where did you get the Void stone? It isn't cheap." Zinayn said, echoing Alina's own interrogation.

"Someone bought it for me!" he confessed.

"Who?"

"I can't tell, he'll kill me!"

Zinayn was about to continue, but decided that Alina would be more intimidating. Funny really. Who knew that someone with such a good and bright presence in the Force would have one so powerful when it came to this?

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Alina followed Zinayn's gaze upward, likewise shielding her eyes enough to see what he was looking at against the backdrop of the bright sun before seeing the battle raging in space high above them. She chuckled softly. "Already called for reinforcements then? Wise move." She then turned her attention back to the Rodian as Zinayn continued to question him, clearly prepared to offer the stick in this approach. She watched him and waited for an opportunity.

Her decided course of action was to over an olive branch, to be compassionate. Alina smiled gently at the Rodian, is was gentle, disarming almost enough to make him forget she along with Zinayn massacred his force but a few moments ago. "I understand you are scared. We won't force you to tell us anything; that isn't how we work. However, the military might not be as accommodating. If you cooperate with us, we can speak on your behalf about you and your men and see to it that you are at least treated fairly. Not only that, if this person is on that station he wont be a concern for you much longer. And if he isn't tell me where he is we'll deal with it. Only you can decide the outcome here, noone should live in fear." she stood up finally giving the Rodian a moment to ponder her words, then she offered him a gentle hand to stand.

She hoped that appealing to the Rodian's sense of self-preservation and offering a semblance of hope would be enough to coax the information they needed out of him, it was no garuntee but again there was no harm in promising because she was correct no doubt the military would beat the information of him and his men then throw them in the darkest cell they could find, Alina in this instance was a singular hope the Rodian could bet on exactly as she wanted it.

Zinayn

 

[Zinayn]

Alina's new approach to this interrogation wasn't surprising, in fact it was expected. Resorting to kindness in a situation like this to attempt to comfort the prisoner and coax them to spill all their answers was a common tactic. Zinayn thought it would be even more common for a bastion of the light like herself. Now to see... this was both a test of his loyalty to the Dusate, and a test of his pride. Would he refuse to admit his obvious fear in the Force? Would he remain loyal to the Dusate and refuse to speak? Or would his fear for his own life get the better of him?

Zinayn couldn't help but find irony in the way Alina was now reassuring the Rodian, when she was the one who'd traumatized him just a minute before. What a quick mood change, and that would be all the more confusing to the already distressed Dusate. The build up of anxiety here might force the man to spill secrets that he would regret later. Well...there would be a lot to regret on your enemy's space station, in a brig.

Something told Zinayn that this Rodian would have a lot to tell. If he was telling the truth about the Void stone being purchased for him, that would signal that he was either high-ranking, or close to the leader of the group, Ubbal Dusat. Both circumstances would increase the probability of him being privy to more than the average goon. The Force would tell him if he was lying... although he wasn't that good at sensing emotions, a glaring lie should be obvious, probably more so to Alina.

Aaaand his fear for his own life kicked in. The Rodian practically leapt for the woman's outstretched hand, squeezing it tight and coming to his feet. He didn't let go after gaining his balance. Zinayn could pretty much see the calculations going on in his prisoner's head. Who was more dangerous, these two Force users and their gang, or his shadowy supplier? The "math" was quick.

"I don't know where he is, I'm sorry! No one knows! I don't know anything personal about him other than the fact that he likes collecting things; armor, ships, artifacts, you name it," said a frantic and pleading voice.

Suddenly Zinayn's comlink pinged, and he raised it to his face. "High Admiral Kare has finished the battle, Master Zinayn, please report," came a voice.

"We have several Dusate in custody, including their leader. We're leading some questioning at the moment. One transport should be enough for us," the Chiss said.

"I assume you and your squad will be returning with your own transport, yes?"

Zinayn paused slightly before saying, "Just me."

"Ah...acknowledged."

Zinayn looked back at the gleaming armor half-hidden by rubble and debris. Their bodies would be taken home. They died the death of a warrior, and they deserved the burial of one.

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Alina watched in surprise as the Rodian leapt up and seized her hand, holding on for dear life. She remained calm and cool as he spoke, simply nodding and letting him say his piece. When he finished, she laid her other hand on top of his to reassure him. "I understand, thank you for telling us what you know." She turned to Zinayn and added, "Zinayn, I gave him my word. While it may not carry weight with you or your organization, I would appreciate it if you didn't make a liar out of me." Her tone was not threatening but genuine, emphasizing her commitment to standing by her word.

She then turned her attention back to the Rodian. "Now, stay here and listen to Zinayn. I'll tend to the wounded and see if I can save any of them, if it's not too late." With that, she withdrew her hand from the Rodian's grip and began to stretch her senses across the battlefield, searching for those on the brink of death. Alina moved methodically, yet gracefully her focus intensifying as she walked among the dead and the dying. It was a grim task but but one that was made easier with the force. She stabilized those she found, ensuring they could make the journey to the fleet. She showed no bias, treating both friends and foes with equal care.

Zinayn

 

[Zinayn]

High Admiral Kare would've gotten a kick out of this. Zinayn merely stood there stoically and watched Alina comfort the Rodian like he was a child. His anger flared for just a moment before he put it down, concealing it both through the Force and his body language. The Rodian, who no doubt had killed dozens of innocent people with no regret, pillaging them of all they earned. He wished he could throw them into the deepest, darkest part of the brig on board Aurora Station.

However, he understood that he needed to honor Alina's truthfulness, nodding as she asked him to do so. Unless he could find a loophole in her promise. The Dusate would be treated fairly: according to Lilaste standards. And the standards for war criminals weren't the best. Besides, he held practically no military weight compared to the High Admiral. Knowing her, she would be glad to kick them out the airlock and let them freeze in space. Or suffocate. Whichever came first.

Zinayn watched Alina take her leave from her light-side style interrogation, going to stabilize those who were on their last breaths. He grimaced. She was healing both the heavily injured Lilaste troops and the Dusate equally. Could she not see that the pirates wouldn't turn from their ways? That it would be better to let them die so they wouldn't have to be bored in a cell for the rest of their lives? Perhaps she believed they could change. Zinayn shook his head. After all the years the Lilaste Order had been warring with the Dusate, not one had defected.

The Chiss mind, being a statistical one, would see that the odds of a change in morals after so long would be a billion to one. Zinayn's evaluation of Alina was this: she thought with her heart. Her compassion would blind her to the nature of evil. Would she be surprised if one day, an enemy she'd healed would rise to backstab her? He would hate to let that happen. If only she could see...

Zinayn turned to the Dusate, who was now quivering under his crimson stare now that his only protector was gone. He was about to say something when a shadow descended upon them. A Lilaste transport touched down near the pirates and several allied troops poured out, pistols in one hand, and stun cuffs in the other. "Round them up," Zinayn ordered. He pointed at Alina. "She's with me."

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Alina moved through the battlefield, healing those in need as the new transports touched down and began gathering the prisoners and the wounded. She made no effort to impede them, instead actively working to stay out of their way. She could feel Zinayn's disapproval, but it didn't matter; she was doing what she believed was right. Would they change? Maybe some would, after coming face to face with a pair of Force users, but a dead person lacks the capacity for change.

Having done what she could, Alina turned and started back toward Zinayn, listening to him give orders to his troops. She observed the efficiency and discipline with which they operated, noting the stark contrast to the chaos of the battlefield. As she approached, she could sense Zinayn's irritation, but she remained resolute in her actions. Her focus was on the wounded and the prisoners, hoping that her efforts might spark a change, even if only in a few.

"My intention in coming here was to stop this attack, that is complete but it seems that this will be a bigger problem than one planet. Shall we go tell the townsfolk they are safe for the moment?"

Zinayn