In The Air Tonight (Trandosha)

[Jairus Starvald]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]In the grand scheme of things the Galaxy was in an alright state these days.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Sure, the Republic was getting its ass whooped by the Sith for a few years now, but at some point an intense war only means so much for the common folk. It starts to drag on them, to know that at the borders there is a constant struggle busy, their families torn apart by active duty and that never-ending headache that their world could be next.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Trandosha had felt that headache some time ago, right before billions of people had disappeared Kashyyyk had been conquered by the One Sith and the question had been asked. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Where they next?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]The Republic had managed to snatch Kashyyyk away though, together with a party world called Zeltros which had a lot of strategic value they all knew. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]And you wonder why people were getting disgruntled and downright amazed at the decisions made.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]A lone man sat in a cellar, surrounded by Trandoshians from every class of their society. Most of them were clearly mad, clearly agitated and clearly ready to start shredding things there and then.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Wait?![/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] We have waitsed for weeksss, monthssss. How much longer, Pope?” [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]one of the youngers demanded, pointing a finger at the lone man.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“It’s not yet time, friend.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“No friendssss here, [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]alliessss [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]maybe, Pope. Don’tss forgetss.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“We need a while longer, be patient.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Soon this would all end in blood.[/SIZE]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Darth Carach"] [member="Micah Talith"] [member="Kaili Talith"] [member="Maleah Talith"]

Trandosha.

It was one of those worlds that “good” people never visited, one that rarely saw the Republic, and even more rarely saw Jedi. Not everyone considered it to be a civilized places, the Trandoshans after all held themselves to many ancient laws, many ancient custom.

Their primary one was the worship of their Scorekeeper and enigmatic god like figure that derived pleasures from the hunt.

Aela knew this because she had read about this, similarly her siblings knew this because she had told them about it. Yet, even with this information in mind it had hardly stopped the Talith children from visiting this world, after all, who were they to judge? Their grandfather had used Trandoshans in his military and had ordered them to commit atrocity after atrocity, who were they to judge them?

She frowned slightly.

“Micah. Hurry up.” She urged her younger brother, watching as some of the massive lizard men walked passed her. Aela was tall, almost six foot now, but these creatures made her feel tiny.

 

[Micah Talith]

[member="Darth Carach"] [member="Aela Talith"]

But Micah was in no hurry.

He was here to make the barter of his life. Okay, maybe that was a bit exaggerated, but he was busy haggling this Trandoshan over a pair of used rotary light turbo lasers. Normally he wouldn't bother, but knowing Kai and what she wanted to build, it was better to try and get these beauties while he could.

Only they were being reaaaaaalll, well lizardheaded about it.

"The credits and I'll toss in this firegem."

Will he take it?

The beady eyed look he got from the Lizardbrain said he would not.

 

[Louise]

As Micah continued his perilous game of haggling with the lizards Maleah opted to busy herself in the same manner as she usually did.

Toofless.

However instead of opting to pet and pamper the large nexu the twin instead took a more practical approach. A spot of training, nothing too extraneous, just a routine set of commands. Of course, such commands came in a variety pack. Verbal, non-verbal and Force. Different methods for different situations, Maleah herself preferred to work with Toofless through the Force but that wasn't always applicable in a Galaxy so increasingly prepared to deal with Force users.

She pointed down at the floor, trying her hardest not cheat through given abilities.

Toofless sat.

He looked almost ridiculous, an imposing predator sitting like a puppy at obedience school, the sight brought a few intrigued glances, likely from reptiles that wouldn't mind an attack-nexu like that on their side.

Needless to say, he wasn't for sale.

---

[member="Darth Carach"] [member="Aela Talith"] [member="Micah Talith"]

 

[The End Narrator]

Mira just watched the haggling and bartering of [member="Micah Talith"] with little amusement - such a snarky kid but those eyes, what was it with these Talith and eyes that could hypnotize an individual? Probably some genetic tampering or something. If [member="Liam Quez"] had eyes like that, it'd be game over. She made a soft chuckle under buy'ce which in itself was concealed by a hood. Nothing says shoot me like a pink beskar'gam. No matter, she was cloaked well - thanks to her friends around her.

Who had given her the cloak? Was it [member="Aela Talith"] who offered it? Or maybe it was [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] - she couldn't remember. She was too busy lately fiddling with her newest toy and daydreaming about Liam in between her studying and training. How the heck had she become so busy? Wasn't life supposed to slow down when you got older? An armored hand would come up to gently rub the edges of her helmet in thought - as now, she was lost somewhere deep in thought.

Then her attention was caught by Toofless and [member="Maleah Talith"] - the Nexu did appear cute, in it's own creepy sort've way...maybe she could get some training tips from Maleah when working with her Loth-cat.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

Standing your ground against seven foot of rippling muscle covered by thick hide took all the courage Jacen could muster. The Republic law enforcement he’d come with had backed off, with several hands reaching towards belts.

He held the Trandoshan’s gaze as its tongue flicked into the air between them, nearly brushing his skin. Jacen folded his arms over his chest.

“I know that you’re lying, and I don’t care of that accusation offends you,” Jacen stated stoically. “We know they’ve been slaving, we know you’ve been enabling the transactions. What I didn’t know before, was that you also know where that group is right now. So what I want you to do,” he said, leaning in close, noticing the Trandoshan’s gaze flicker to his belt, “is tell me where they are. Now.”

The Trandoshan held his gaze for a few more moments. Then it took a step back. “Yousss know nosssing. I want my lawyer,” he said.

Jacen kept his position, arms crossed, as the trandashan allowed the police to cuff him and lead him off to a waiting speeder. Joining the Republic meant signing up to a sub set of laws, and allowing inter-planetary policing. It was in this area that Voidstalker had focussed his efforts recently, rather than the war.

“Cheers boss,” one of the officers called. “Think that could have gone ugly without you here.”

“Glad it didn't go that way. Did you see the size of him?" Jacen offered jovially. "This isn’t clear cut,” Jacen added more seriously. “He was more defensive than he should have been. He knows where the slavers are, but he had urgent reasons not to tell us. More urgent than should have been. We need to find out where they are.”


*Implied slavers are at OS rebellion meeting

 

[Micah Talith]

"Okay, fine." Micah would say, moving to haggle some more and would then go digging into his pack. From there he would remove a rather large tooth. A Wampa tooth actually, one he managed to get from tangoing too closely with one on his last trip to Hoth.

"I'll toss in this Wampa Tooth, and tell you that there is a Wampa with bigger teeth than this," he would gesture to the tooth in emphasis, knowing that Trandoshans were all about the hunt and keeping in good with their Scorekeeper.

"And I'll tell you exactly where to go hunting for it in exchange for the goods." The black beady eyes would finally show a spark in interest.

Bangarang!

The details of the transaction took only a few more minutes, but in the end, Micah would get the two rotary light turbolasers packed up to be sent to the ship.

"Not too shabby," he'd say quite proudly over to [member="Aela Talith"], smug as he could be with that constant smirk of his.

 

[Micah Talith]

Well it appeared Aela was going to be her quiet self. No matter, the bazaar was ablaze with activity and Micah was determine to make the most of it. Walking past his eldest sister, the teenager would scan his surroundings. What else could he use? He was delving more and more into Force imbuing and Alchemy, while his youngest sister Kai was getting more involved with tinkering with droids and the like. Maleah would always have her affinity with animals and Aela- twin suns would sweep to glance at the tall lithe blonde a few steps behind him. Well he wasn't sure what she was up to most recently. The elder Talith kept to herself and rarely ever did allow entry to what her interests lay beyond a tome.

He gave a mental shrug, panning his attention forward. Well he quit trying to understand her several years ago. That ended when he was eleven along with the playful raids into her room. Some things are better left in the past.

Senses ablaze, he would curiously pan a corner. Trandosha wasn't a planet to dismiss. It held a measure of danger. Granted, so did every planet. A thought came to him about the nearby verdant Wookiee world. Maybe they could make a pit stop later.

In the meantime, they entered a section of the market that dealt with animal skins.

 

[Micah Talith]

There was a certain skill when it came to leatherworking. It wasn't just the preparation as much as the precise care and time it required to ensure a soft pliable hide. Micah had begun the past two years to become more involved with the process, learning from going on hunts himself. He would skin, stretch, scrape, and tan the hides himself. Yet this was only one part of the grand scheme of things.

With his growing skill in Jal Shey imbuement and alchemy, there were ways to strengthen leather or enhance it with a special ability. Give it new properties so to speak. For example, he had begun to study the Bodo Baas gunbelt he'd recently purchased, along with the Terentaktek leather jacket that maintained the properties of the Terentaktek even after death.

While it would certainly be better if he had the notes himself, it was a starting point. A study. This was where his natural gift of psychometry came to play. While he would not be able to get every little detail, he could take the bodo baas gunbelt in hand and use the Force to get images from the item, glimpses of how it had been crafted.

It was then that the decision was made to try and study as many different skillsets and sith alchemy products to broaden his knowledge.

The first would be on the late Rave Merrill.

 

[Micah Talith]

That's why he bought that worn leather Cater coat back on Brental IV. The more AEL products he could get his hands on, the more he would be able to study the materials through his psychometry to discern how it was alchemized and made. It may not be perfect, but the more he would expose himself to it, the better he would get.

He had in his availability the Terentaktek cuffs, the Cater Coat, the Bodo Baas Belt, and the Bloodwalker boots. He also had the Warden cloak, which he already enhanced for his siblings, cousin and himself. That was the first attempt. While it had not been Terentaktek leather, it had been Taozin, and his skill with working and alchemizing with leather was growing.

There was a method to the madness, and he could only get so much information from his Uncle Di. Micah could respect that. In that, he would research his own, and with the Jal Shey emphasis he was diving head first into, he was sure that he would be able to twist what manner of process in alchemizing leather from studying AEL products and attune armor techniques into something new, and utterly, his own.