Private Every Story Has A Beginning

[Ladybug]

Coruscant - Late Evening


pulling the hood over her head as she disembarked from the transport shuttle, the former Jedi wanted to keep her appearance hidden from prying eyes. There was no bounty nor any official mandate to bring her back to the Silver Order; she left quickly and with little noise. But she wanted precautions anyway. She was young for one, and for two, her species were rarely seen outside their home planet and surrounding planets. She was, as she told herself, highly vulnerable to pickpockets, scam artists, and other nefarious peoples. She had the Force, and though she was slightly trained before her departure; her ability to command the Force was weak at best.

and she had no weapons. No lightsaber. No training blade. No uncivilized blaster. The former two she could have brought with her; but stealing didn't settle with her. Besides, wielding a lightsaber was far more dangerous to herself than any opposing foe. What she did have, was credits. A lot of credits courtesy of her Father. And here she felt slightly ashamed. Her family was expecting her, but she wasn't coming home. She couldn't face their disappointing looks that undoubtedly would darken the homecoming.

while she moved through the crowded city, she began to grow hungry. It was getting darker, if you can truly say that about a sprawling city that was constantly blaring brightly, and she needed food. And a place to sleep for the night. The latter held more importance than the former. After a good night's rest, she imagined, would allow her to formulate a proper plan of action. But when her bellied roared in rebellion, food became the top priority.

"excuse me, ma'am," the young Felacat said without directly looking at the woman, "I'm looking for a sensible place to eat. Any suggestions?"

a few seconds past when the woman finally pointed the young girl in the right direction.

the cantina was bustling with all manners of activity. After a short wait, she was taken to her table, situated next to a rowdy table of scruffy looking men. While she scanned through the menu's contents, she noticed the men where starring at her. More importantly, her tail that managed to drape from under her robe. The men began to jest and mock her, elevating her feelings into a mixture of anger and embarrassment. She began to stand up....to confront these men.

Darth Ophidia

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Seated at a table in a seedy Coruscant cantina, Darth Ophidia watched and waited.

She had concluded her business of the day, retrieving reports of spies from another corner of the galaxy. Normally, she would have left by now, but the Force had asked her to stay. So she swirled her drink and watched the filthy and rambunctious, it reminded her of another time, when the One Sith held this world in its iron grip.

While the world had changed hands twice since then, but these seedy places stayed the same.

The hooded rattataki was just about to stand up and leave when she noticed the white-haired girl with the tail and the men who watched her. Ophidia's eyes narrowed as the girl stood up. She emptied her glass and moved along the wall of the room, keeping at a distance from the spectacle, but watching it closely. She carried a blaster on her hip to deter unwelcome interaction, but that was not the weapon she reached for when she slipped her right hand into her left sleeve.

When a young girl such as this so readily confronted someone larger than her, it was either a sign of hidden power, or of great stupidity.

Either way, it could be entertaining.

Ladybug

 

[Ladybug]

prior to this unfolding event, the young girl shied from confrontation. Perhaps it was due in part from the Jedi training or in part because she never felt in her heart to be confrontational. Regardless of the verdict, over the course of the passing months she had undergone a metamorphosis of sorts; allowing the very taint the Jedi preached against take root. Though not fully. And, prior to the upcoming event, she never faced real combat or combatants before. Only training sparring sessions with the other Padawans, and only under the watchful gaze of Masters. So as she drew closer to the group of men, outnumbered three to one, she felt her anger boiling and that feeling of embarrassment turn to fury.

"look mates, the wee one has some balls on her," the closet of the three said, pushing his chair back; rising to his full height adding, "I'll deal with this rubbish mates, enjoy your drinks. This shouldn't take to.." With her species delegated to the category of rare, little was known about them. And this, the young girl knew, was advantageous despite the difference in sizes and age between her and this rudely individual. Without hesitation and solely aided by her ever growing emotion, Mikilanna struck fast and hard, landing several punches to the man's face; breaking a nose, an eye socket, and removing a few teeth. She didn't possess great strength, she was extremely fast like all of her species.

the other two men rose up in unison just as their comrade crashed to the floor. The time for words had passed with the first wave of assault. One man, who had an eye patch, took a swing at her but she was already repositioned before his arrant punch reached her last known coordinates. Facing two to one odds, the thought of calling upon the Force to assist her crossed her mind briefly. As it stood to reason, she knew only the basics and though slightly trained, it was almost safe to assume it could work against her rather than for her. However, other old habits died quickly. Routinely, she reached down to her belt where her training saber once laid, realizing it was absent having left it behind when she left the Order.

in spite of her mistake, it managed to lend a much needed distraction. Both men simultaneously allowed their gaze to trace her hand's downward motion. In that blink moment, Mikilanna spied an opportunity, one she needed to extend caution. Finally falling back to the Force, she ripped a knife-like weapon from the belt of one-eyed enemy while pushing a chair into the legs of the other; hoping the force of the blow would cripple him enough. Stunned and surprised by her quick thinking, the weaponless male allowed himself to be grabbed and slammed onto the table; the razor sharp blade pressed hard against his throat. Barring her fang-like teeth, Mikilanna applied more pressure to the weapon, sending small trickles of blood down the man's throat. She never killed anyone before, but today was going to see her transform further.

"sorry little sprite," the third man said, having survived the weak Force Push of the chair. Mikilanna closed her eyes, feeling the barrel of a blaster pistol pushed methodically against the base of her skull. She still had one more trick up her sleeve, but she would be dead before anyone could witness the dark secret her species truly possessed.


Darth Ophidia

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Ophidia leaned back as the girl picked a fight with the three, a small smile curling the corners of her lips.

The first moment was somewhat impressive, seeing the young girl lash out so fiercely with a series of rapid attacks and dispatching of the first assailant much more quickly than anyone had assumed. There was a memory that stirred in Ophidia's mind, something buried far down under the weight of years and more important matters. It did not spring to mind right away, until.

The knife jumped into the young girl's hand.

As the hilt of the knife hit the girl's palm, the memory of Kitty resurfaced in Ophidia's mind. She had been trained alongside the felacatian acolyte in the days of the One Sith, when she had just become a member of the Sith Assassins. Such a long time ago now. This, and the apparent force sensitivity of the girl triggered new levels of interest as she put her feet back on the floor and leaned forward to get a better look

Knife on throat, but gun to head. How would the young one solve this.

Would Ophidia aid her? She considered it, but also, she wanted to see how far this girl could go. So rather than interfere directly, she figured he would toss a little fuel on the fire.

"You should pull the trigger. Have her done with here and now."

Distracting perhaps. Ophidia, looking quite the bounty hunter, stood up from her chair and pushed it away as she visibly put her left hand next to her blaster. Meanwhile, her right hand was secretly holding a lightsabre concealed against her lower arm.

"Unless you're too much of a coward to kill a little girl."

She smirked at the man with the blaster.

Ladybug

 

[Ladybug]

Time had slowed to a near stand still for her. Memories of her family...vanished. Memories of earlier days as a Jedi...vanished. Memories of the day she opted to leave the Jedi...vanished. And for one brief moment...a memory she had wished to become reality...vanished.

Instead of the ensuing kill shot she braced for, came an unfamiliar voice behind her. But this voice was not encouraging to her, as it prodded her murder to finish the job. What transpired instead of the shot came the alleviating realization the barrel had briefly left the confines of her back head. Leaping at the opportunity afforded her, once more her outstanding speed and reflexes struck sharp and deep, having removed the blade from one neck and jamming it upward into the ribcage of the assailant behind her. The man, dropping his weapon, staggered backwards with blood seeping from his mouth. Unbeknownst to Mikilanna, her strike managed to pass through the cage area where it settled deep into the man's lung.

Just as the man's lifeforce was diminishing as he crashed backwards onto the dirty, rustic floor, an unfamiliar sensation from the Force screamed throughout her mind and body. For one fleeting moment she felt sick and regret as she stared into the lifeless eyes of the dead, and in the next moment she found herself smiling and feeling proud of her deed. Where the idea of wrong should have intervened mentally, it was the concept of right that stood staunch alongside her. Turning her attention to the bleeding fellow on the table, the fear and terror in his eyes lent a darkened warmth to her heart. Eyes again drifting, she looked down at the first man, broken but living, and saw the same reflection in him.

Without looking behind her, she called the knife from the corpse back to her hand; feeling the desire to reunite the trio. Unfortunately for her, luck or fate had intervened on their behalf as another patron, a witness now, bellowed something regarding authorities. Just as a distraction aided her survival, so did it for the two men. Almost as one entity, they charged toward and out the cantina doors. Gripping the hilt tightly, she took a step to pursue them.

Darth Ophidia

 

[Darth Ophidia]

The carnage that ensued was entertaining enough, though Ophidia was now brewing other ideas for what to do with this familiar stranger. A force sensitive, no, she was trained. Now, she was a lawbreaker. And oh could she feel the anger and dark aspirations that had taken root in this one. It was like smelling a fresh, baked good set on a windowsil. Internally, metaphorically, she was salivating.

There was blood on the floor, and a corpse and a half, and a stray blaster. It was quite the gruesome scene when one took a step back and really looked at it.

"And you." She pointed to the girl. "You have done quite enough."

As she looked at Mikilanna, Ophidia's eyes turned from their masked grey to burning like cinders set against the steadily more ashen skin of her face. The men ran, and Ophidia made no move to stop them.

"The authorities will probably not be lenient, nor the Jedi."

While her eyes burned her purple lips curled into a knowing smile as she reached out a gloved hand, palm extended up as if offering something to the girl: Freedom perhaps.

"They won't understand." Her eyes narrowed as they flicked to the other patrons, some had moved away, some had stood up, and the bartender conspicuously held his hands under the bar. And Ophidia herself, she half blocked the door "I do understand"

"Let's get out of here." Her fingers curled in an invitation as Ophidia turned half to the door.

"Unless you want to take your chances with the Jedi Council."

Ladybug

 

[Ladybug]

Again came that voice from behind her, except this go around it wasn't instigating a proclamation for her death yet it halted her tracks allowing the prey to escape. Angrily, Mikilanna whipped around directing that hatred toward the woman barring both fangs and brandishing the blade out in front. Any thoughts of attacking the woman immediately evaporated when she felt a strong sensation radiating from the woman's general direction, and witnessing a shift in her eyes. The woman said something, but only the word Jedi fell on Mikilanna's ears. Her hatred and anger slowly turned to nervousness.

Unexpectedly, the woman extended a hand. The young feline allowed it to linger as she tried to understand the woman's intentions. She feared the Jedi, not because of the reprimands forthcoming from her abandonment of their teachings and rules and laws and ways. But the mere fact she would be chained to their Order unwillingly. She would die before returning to the Jedi, and to prove the point to the woman; she raised the knife's edge again.

"Understand?" Shaking her head, she continued. "How could you possibly understand! The Jedi..." Slowly after her pause she too glanced around the cantina. All eyes where on them. At the conclusion of their rotation her eyes fell back to the woman who now was gesturing an invitation. Dropping the bloody blade, she shook her head answering, "Okay."

Darth Ophidia