Fish out of Water

[Lord Gaius]

Hasjo needed water. It was hot here and he regularly had to hydrate. The heat hadn't deterred him from staying away from Tatooine in the least. Not when justice needed to be served and peace maintained. He stood in a landing bay designated to his Delta-7 Light Interceptor Starfighter. Located in Mos Eisley. Marching to a tap on the wall, he removed his cloak, tunic and trousers. Now standing only in tight-fitting breeches. He turned the tap and let the water gush out a filthy brown. He pulled a bucket up and began to fill it. Once full, he poured it over himself. Refreshing his body.

He allowed himself to drip with water, drenched. Retreating out of the landing bay he walked into the streets, finding a sandstone seat where he would wait to dry so that he may re-dress. His large black eyes moving over the bounty hunters, smugglers and slicers that wandered the streets. A few Jawa ran past with bits and pieces of metal in their arms. Tatooine had always been a curiosity to him. Whether it was the climate that was the opposite of his native one, or the strange people that found themselves on this dreary planet. He had enjoyed his time here.

@[member="Cambria Zadira"]

 

[Cambria Zadira]

Slavery… The Rutian Twi'lek had been born into it being of a lower clan of her people. Her parents had been forced to work in the ryll mines of her homeworld of Ryloth to benefit the higher clans. And if it had not been for the rare blue-skinned beauty's Force-Sensitivity and a mindful Jedi Watchman, Cambria Zadira would have been sold as a slave to become a dancer for one of the many Hutt Crime Lords.

That is why Cambria was on Tatooine today, to stop that from happening to others not as fortunate as her. Zoora the Hutt was rumored to have a new supply of slave girls coming into Mos Eisley on a transport. The Rogue Jedi intended to intervene if she could.

The Twi'lek Knight had kept her Force presence small as she sat in an outdoor cafe across from the docking bay the shipment was supposed to come in at from her informant said, dressed in her usual two-piece outfit covered by a brown hooded cloak, which was pulled up over her headgear hiding her lekku from view; only her gold-speckled hazel eyes with long dark lashes surrounding them and a pair of naturally berry-colored lips could be seen as they peered over at an unusual sight that took her breathe away… A very well-honed Nautolan wearing only his breeches sunning himself on a sandstone. The male alien's visual presence did intrigue her very much, but more so did his aura in the Force. Though, that was yet to be determined why.

[member="Hasjo Hallu"]

 

[Lord Gaius]

His eyes wandered the dry streets. The water sizzling against his skin as it was either absorbed or evaporated. He could see the tiny details of every person that walked past. And their emotions. He could smell their feelings. Anger, love, hatred, joy, calm, intrigue. He turned. Intrigue. His eyes searched for it. He hadn't smelt it in some time that the emotion had almost become alien to him. Being around Jedi, nigh all were calm, always. The stench it gave off was never that of interest. And when he worked in slums like these, such places were full of sad emotions, ones he didn't care to ponder on. He then saw it, two pools of gold-speckled hazel eyes hidden beneath a cloak. Hasjo stood and began to shorten the distance between them. Walking under the shelter of the cafe, he sat opposite her. "What is your name?" he asked curiously.



@[member="Cambria Zadira"]

 

[Cambria Zadira]

Cambria sat up straighter in her chair as the Nautolan approached her still only half dressed, pleasantly surprised yet cautious of him as he chose to take the seat opposite her at the table uninvited. Well unless you call the Twi'lek looking him over an open invitation to join her. She hadn't meant to gawk.

"Cambria Zadira," Bri answered with a sweet yet thick Twi'lek accent sensing no ill-will towards her from him. "And yours?" she asked just as curiously, her lekku twitching from their curled spot around her neck as golden eyes met his deep black non-blinking orbs.

[member="Hasjo Hallu"]

 

[Lord Gaius]

"[member="Cambria Zadira"], and yours?"
"Hasjo Hallu" he answered. He twisted on his seat, motioning to those that wandered the streets "What are you doing in a place like this?" he faced her once more "Surely one such as yourself is fit for beautiful landscapes and palaces and not the cesspool of criminal activity that is Tatooine." He flashed a pearly white grin.

@[member="Cambria Zadira"]

 

[Cambria Zadira]

Feeling her cheeks warm a bit and not from the dry heat of Tatooine either, the blue-skinned Twi'lek took a sip of her iced tea, which had lost all it's ice by now to cover the uneasy feeling she had in her stomachs.

"Well I do enjoy beautiful landscapes… palaces, not so much. I'm a simple girl who likes simple pleasures really like a cold drink on a hot day," Cambria nodded with a small smile gracing her lips, then added as she held the glass casually with both hands atop the table. If the young Nautolan looked closely, he'd notice some telltale callouses on her right palm that only a person who most likely wielded a lightsaber often would have.

"Business brings me here… And how about yourself, Mister Hallu? There are not many of your kind that would venture to this desert planet willingingly."

[member="Hasjo Hallu"]

 

[Lord Gaius]

Hasjo answered with a sly smirk "Business." He then gave a wave of his hand "But I'll tell you any way. I'm looking for a known criminal. Assassinated a senator of the Republic. The White Knight, also goes by the name Gas-Mask. I've tracked him down to this planet, and with my ships nearby.. he won't be escaping the system without my know-how." He looked [member="Cambria Zadira"] up and down. He could smell the pheromones as they continued to expel themselves from the pores of her skin. "But" he added "In truth, there aren't many of my kind that leave our home world at all." He then motioned to the drink "Mind if I have a sip? I'm frightfully thirsty."

 

[Cambria Zadira]

"Please by all means have the rest," the Twi'lek nodded graciously and slid her glass of half-full iced tea across the table to [member="Hasjo Hallu"]. Cambria noticed as she did the young Nautolan's eyes weren't the only thing working overtime as his head-tresses seemingly were too. Bri didn't know quite how to think about that… Was it a good thing or bad?

"My objective is to stop a slaver from selling illegally obtained young girls from being sold to Zoora the Hutt for his pleasure palace. The slaver's transport is rumored to be landing today at the docking bay one over from where you were sunning yourself earlier… " Cambria said with a slight pause afterwards as she reflected on that scene. It had been an intriguing one indeed, just as this impromptu conversation with the amphibious male was too.

"Seems we both are duty bound… Are you a Jedi by chance?"

 

[Lord Gaius]

"Seems we both are duty bound… Are you a Jedi by chance?"
"I am a Jedi Peacekeeper" he reflected. It was one of the oldest and most common professions of the Jedi Order. Though he dare not say for whom he was Jedi Peacekeeper. His recent fleeing from the Republic had already gained some publicity around him. He had gone AWOL from his post as Commander on a Fleets maiden voyage on it's first day. While it was a crime of insignificant importance, it was the fact he had vanished from the Republic. Few had seen him since. His new Order was one that wished to remain secret for the time being, and with the publicity following him currently. He really didn't want to tell anyone.

His thick fingers curled around the cup and he took a sip. Lips pressing against the glass. Only a sip and gently he slid it back across to her. "I am familiar with Zoora the Hutt. Perhaps you would like some help? Not that I think you would need it." He was dancing on the line with his flirtatious actions. He stretched, reaching his hands behind his hair to weave them through the tendrils that descended from his scalp. There were over a dozen of them. Water dripped off their ends. He placed his hands back onto the table to rest. "It would be a crime to leave your company so soon when we have only just met. How about it?" He let out a smile from cheek to cheek.

@[member="Cambria Zadira"]

 

[Cambria Zadira]

So [member="Hasjo Hallu"] was indeed a Jedi like her taking the Guardian path… Well like her before she had left the Republic and the Jedi Order. Even though Cambria was now considered a Rogue Knight, the Twi'lek still very much believed in the ways of the Light side of the Force, and the good it could bring and do for the galaxy as a whole. She still wasn't quite sure if joining the Confederacy was the right thing to do, but a proper amount of time would be given to determine if it was or not. One thing was for sure, the Ace pilot liked their toys.

"I am very familiar with the Jedi Peacekeepers... A very noble path you have chosen for yourself," Cambria nodded, trying to keep her golden gaze from gawking any further as the Nautolan stretched showing off his well-honed upper torso as he did.

"Yes, your assistance would be appreciated, though I would not want to impede your own work here. Though if the one you are seeking is as bad as he sounds, perhaps someone watching your six would be a good idea as well. Teaming up for this dual adventure would make sense, and allow more time to get to know each other better," she smiled, then added.

"But first… I believe you might want to put on some more clothing, not that I am complaining mind you, much… Just would not want you to sunburn yourself as it is easy to do with Tatooine's intense twin suns."

 

[Lord Gaius]

"But first… I believe you might want to put on some more clothing, not that I am complaining mind you, much… Just would not want you to sunburn yourself as it is easy to do with Tatooine's intense twin suns."
His eyes gazed downcast. Only now had he remembered he wore only tight-fitting breeches. The water he had been drying off either absorbed into his skin or evaporated into the simmering hot air. He excused himself from the table as he stood, saying "You can tell me all about what your job is when I get back." He marched from the cafe and across the road. Dodging the few people that walked in front of him. He knew for what she was here for, but he was curious what her job was.

As he reached the designated landing pad, he sat back down onto the sandstone slab. He kicked the bucket aside, back towards his ship and began to pull his trousers back on. He reached down and began to fit his leather boots over his feet. He placed a tunic of the Jedi Order over his head. Lastly he threw a tan-coloured poncho over his shoulders. He stood himself up, kicking the toes of his feet against the hard packed sand to test his boots. Confident they would be comfortable to wear, he strode back across the road. Sitting down once more across from her. "So, what is your job, if I may ask?"

@[member="Cambria Zadira"]

 

[Cambria Zadira]

While [member="Hasjo Hallu"] had gone to change into something a little more work appropriate, the sound of sublight engines roared overhead as a small transport ship landed at the docking bay in question that the Twi'lek had been watching.

When the Nautolan came back, Cambria flashed him a small smile, her golden gaze running over him with a twinkle. "You could pass for a native, almost… I'm a peacekeeper same as you. The only difference is this is the Confederacy's territory."

With that said the Rogue Knight rose from the table and motioned for him to follow her, hood still covering her features and cloak pulled closer against her shapely form to keep from billowing in the hot breeze; a gracefulness of a dancer noted in her purposeful stride along the sandy dirt walkway.

"A ship fitting the description of the slaver's has just landed. I want to get a closer look to scope out the situation."

 

[Lord Gaius]

"You could pass for a native, almost… I'm a peacekeeper same as you. The only difference is this is the Confederacy's territory."
"So you work for the Confederacy?" Hasjo would admit to himself, he was slightly disappointed. The Confederacy weren't like they were a millennium ago, but they still weren't any good in his books. Word always had it they allowed both dark and light force users into their ranks. He could not agree that allowing dark force users into their territories was a wise idea. Such power had always ultimately brought about pain in it's wake. It was his duty as a Silver Jedi to make sure it could not come into fruition and naturally that would make him at ends with some of those within the Confederacy. His eyes followed her body as she stood, walking away and motioning him to follow. He kicked his chair back and followed pursuit. "A ship fitting the description of the slaver's has just landed. I want to get a closer look to scope out the situation" [member="Cambria Zadira"] said. "What is your plan of action?" he asked, his eyes looking into her own.

 

[Cambria Zadira]

Cambria didn't need to see the Nautolan's face to know he was disappointed in her choice. No, she felt it radiate from him through the Force. It stung a little and Bri didn't know why it mattered so much to her, but it was enough for the Twi'lek to stop in her tracks and take [member="Hasjo Hallu"] to the side to explain herself.

"I could not tolerate the Republic's political backstabbing and the Jedi Council's inaction anymore so I was one of the rogue Jedi that joined the Army of Light to take on the Sith directly. I did so for a while, but then I began feeling uncomfortable with the depths of the methods they were using so I parted ways. I have been searching for my center in the Force ever since. One day when I was visiting my homeworld of Ryloth looking for my birth parents as I was taken to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant when I was three to be trained, I came across a Templar training academy there. I am still not sure being a part of the Confederacy is where I am to be… but I do not know where else to go. I will always be to the Light side of things and do try to make my actions fit. That is why I am here today, to defend those who can not for themselves and to seek justice against those that perpetrate slavery," she said, gold-speckled hazel eyes searching deep black ones for understanding as seemingly her ideals were not as rigidly formed as his yet the same in most respects.

"Actually, I have not a clue, but I am pretty good with working on the fly. I first want to see how many slaves vs bad guys we have to deal with, then a plan will present itself I am sure," the Twi'lek answered with a twitch of her lekku moving swiftly like a feline across the street to where they could peer into the docking bay for a peek.

"What do you think?" she asked of Hasjo's opinion.

 

[Lord Gaius]

Hasjo Hallu studied [member="Cambria Zadira"] eyes, looking deep within. His species judged other peoples emotions by the pheromones they expelled, but not only this, they judged them by their eyes. He was agitated that he could not read her emotions through her eyes, for she was not Nautolan. As she finished explaining her circumstances, he offered quietly. "I'm not apart of the Republic, either" he then went on to say "I likewise abandoned them with my Master some time ago. I'm a member of the Silver Jedi Order. Currently no one is welcome lest they know someone within the Order. We're an isolated society. We only seek to bring peace and balance to the galaxy. We hold no political stance, we're not a republic, empire or confederacy. We're just an Order of people who wish happiness for all peoples. Perhaps you could find your own peace with us." He turned his eyes to look over the landing aircraft. "If it's the slavers you think they're, we could overwhelm them. What are slavers to two Jedi Peacekeepers? Disarm them as quickly as possible, and there doesn't need to be any bloodshed." Hasjo practiced Shii-Cho, Form I. A common teaching within this form was to disarm opponents without bloodshed. Often by cutting weapons in half so that they become useless.

 

[Cambria Zadira]

"I will take your suggestion under consideration and mediate further upon it, [member="Hasjo Hallu"]."

Cambria nodded appreciatively to the Nautolan, then turned her attention to the situation before them and his opinion of what to do about it.

"I concur. We have the surprise so overpowering them quickly would be our best bet… " the Twi'lek Knight replied, then she closed her eyes and stretched out with the Force to try and get a sense of how many and where everyone was.

"I am picking up a small gathering of anxious beings towards the back of the ship port side, which I am assuming are the slave girls in the cargo hold. How about you take the slavers on the left and I'll take the right?" she said, reaching inside her cloak to the utility belt slung low on her shapely hips to unclip her silver-hilted lightsaber. "I am ready when you are."

 

[Lord Gaius]

"How about you take the slavers on the left and I'll take the right?"
"Can do"
"I am ready when you are."
"Let's not waste any time. Those slaves need our help." He reached down to the tiny lightsaber hilt at his side. It looked to be fit for the size of a human females hand, not the large hands of an adult male Nautolan. He placed it between his teeth and marched over to the wall, rather than the entrance. He gave the wall a long look, sizing it up. He slid his left foot up his right leg in a particular stance he had been taught by his Master. He felt a connection to the Force, and using this connection, power surged through his feet and he jumped far higher than any Naotolan naturally could. He landed on the roof with a quiet thud. He retrieved his lightsaber from between his teeth. This was a perfect moment for the utilisation of Form I. He would be vastly outnumbered - exactly where Form I excelled in. Outnumbered combat. He glanced down from the roof to the slavers below, unawares of his presence above. He raised his blade above his head, igniting it with a familiar hiss and dropped into the landing dock. He cleaved the long blaster rifle of a man before he could even react. He moved like flowing water between the combatants, his lightsaber leaving a haze of cerulean in it's wake. One after the other, he was eviscerating any chance they had of stopping him. With each precise swing of his blade, another rifle had been cleaved in half. He danced between them, a storm of aggression.

@[member="Cambria Zadira"]

 

[Cambria Zadira]

Cambria bent her strong legs and threw her toned arms upwards easily carrying herself to the open roof top using a Force assist, then summersaulted in behind two slavers below, igniting her cerulean blue blade just as she landed gracefully on her booted feet. With a flurry of her lightsaber, the Twi'lek Knight quickly made mincemeat out of their raised weapons, then knocked them into one another leaving them dazed. A volley of fire came her way next from a lone gunner standing near the boarding ramp. She spun around and easily deflected the blaster bolts back at him with precision placing the shots so as to make him move away from the safety of the ship and out into the open, then she gave him a little Force push sending the guy flying into a stack of crates leaving him dazed as well.

Feeling confident that [member="Hasjo Hallu"] had her back and things under control from his end from what she'd seen of the Nautolan's handy work, Cambria entered the ship to get the girls who were being held against their will in the cargo hold. They would need to get out of there quickly before anyone knew the wiser, and perhaps a little Mind Trick with the slavers before they left the scene might be in order to help cover their tracks.

 

[Lord Gaius]

He saw from the corner of his eyes, [member="Cambria Zadira"] advance into the bowels of the ship. The slavers had been disarmed, now it was a matter of taking them down without severely hurting them. Some were more scared of the Hutts than the Jedi. Hasjo released the ignition to his blade and the plasma faded out of existence. He clipped the hilt to his belt and allowed those who were still standing to come towards him. As a Trandoshan roared, charging towards him. Hasjo reeled his arm back and struck with the palm of his hand, snapping the reptilians jaw. A Rodian threw himself over the unconscious body of the Trandoshan and tried to swing for Hasjo, to which he had already ducked. His training in the Art of Movement and the Matukai had served him well. He straightened back up, grabbed the arm of the Rodian, with his right hand holding his wrist, forcefully straighting out his arm. His left hand applied pressure to his elbow. With a sounding crack, he was down and out of the fight. The others fled into the streets.

 

[Cambria Zadira]

A few minutes passed, then Cambria emerged walking down the boarding ramp of the slavers' ship leading seven young females of varying species, most being Twi'leks of course; the choice of Hutt Crime Lords for dancers in their pleasure palaces. To think that she may have ended up here as one made Bri's blood boil, but the Knight let her ill-feeling of anger go just as fast as it came over her.

"Thank you for your assistance, [member="Hasjo Hallu"]. I know of a safe house where the girls can go until appropriate authorities can pick them up for transportation back to their homes. What will you do now?" she asked of the Nautolan Jedi.