Not So Sneaky Fingers

[Amora Jade]

Amora barely caught the small weapon that was thrown at her, she had to drop the dull knife on the ground near her feet to do it. The thief looked at it with confusion, she had never really used a weapon before and wasn't really sure how to. At least Graxin told her it wouldn't kill anyone so she wouldn't have to live with that guilt. She wanted to gawk at the second saber but found no chance to.

Everything that happened next was so quick she couldn't keep up. The door had been kicked in and men were literally busting through the walls of her home to get inside. Her heart broke. Amora had lived there her entire life and it was all being destroyed right in front of her. How did they even find them? She was sure she lost them back in the market...

The thief was frozen for longer than she should have been. Graxin's demand almost went unheard due to the fact it sounded like mumbling to her. With an aggressive shake of her head to regain her own attention, Amora pulled the hood of her cloak back over her hair and looked for a way out.

The sound of the wall crumbling right beside her caused the girl to flinch away from it. She threw her arms in front of her face to guard it as three men forced their way through the back of the building. It was her only chance. Quickly the thief found her footing and pushed off towards the new exit. Two of the men had their attention locked onto the man wielding the insane weapons, but the third did notice her.

His arms were extended as he neared the girl, it seemed he had every intention of taking her rather than hurting her, but she wasn't going to allow either. The weapon was grasped firmly in her right palm. She pointed it in the direction of her pursuer and pulled the trigger. The enforcer seemed to be knocked from his feet as he fell backwards onto the ground unconscious. The girl pushed herself forward again, leaping out of the knocked-in wall and onto the streets.

She was greeted by about five or so more men who all at once reached for her. Amora went to hold the weapon again but her armed was stopped. Someone came out of the home and grabbed her from behind, knocked the weapon from her grip, and pulled her arms behind her.

The thief fought as hard as she could. Her body turned and she put all her weight into a laying-down motion in order to free herself from the intruder's grasp. It worked, the man stepped back once to regain his balance before reaching out for her again. Amora rolled away and tried to stumble to her feet, eyes locked on the maze she knew she could lose them in.

A blow to the side of her head from a large boot caused her vision to go completely white for a second and she fell back to the ground. All at once the world began to spin at an impossible speed, the men closed in on the thief, and suddenly she wasn't on the ground anymore.

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

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The Knight was no pushover in combat. His skill with the defensive form, Soresu, was not a masterful trait, but still one of some merit. He kept his twin blades close to his body as he shifted, twisted, and pivoted over and around the streams of laser fire coming his way. His twin blade were an un-discernable blur as they swept in every direction to repulse that attacks.

Graxin grit his teeth as he tried to ignore the jarring his arms took each time a bolt struck the blades. His limbs were growing tired--fighting off so many opponents was an exhausting endeavor. He swept forward to carve a Trandoshan in half, and bathed another in the holy fire of the force. Vibrobaldes crashed down upon his swords, only to be met with a quick turning of blades, and then a swift decapitation.

A Gammorean raised his axe high. Graxin tried to seep under the pig-creature's raised shoulder, but the axe caught the tip of his golden blade. The Knight stumbled back from the impact, and caught short sight of [member="Amora Jade"] being overpowered. He turned to try and help, when a shock ran up the small of his back, up his midriff, and culminated at the base of his neck. Everything became nothing.





"Put the girl in a dancer's outfit. Teach her to steal from Goriz." Darik ordered. The young human's brown eyes were narrowed, and though he stood a full foot below his Trandoshan counterparts, he still carried an air of authority. The failed Padawan had become one of Goriz's favored hands; using the force to find all that crossed the Hutt. It had worked for him now, as it always did.

Darik strolled through the dusty rubble toward the young woman, and cracked a sadistic smile. "Goriz might give her to us if we play our cards right boys." he stammered giddily. "And the Jedi...he's gonna be worth a lot. We'll make him a gladiator! It'll be great!"

The Trandoshans nodded enthusiastically, pleased to have succeeded in their hunt. Darik's smile remained as he directed his lackeys in the collecting of their new toys.




Graxin awoke in the private cell of Goriz the Hutt. Goriz was one of the minor crime lords that still found some sort of income on Tatooine. The major Hutt bosses had been run off world by Danger and her people, but a handful remained to smuggle slaves off-world. Minor or not, Goriz was still a Hutt, and Hutts would take every opportunity to make credits.

The cell was a small hovel in the side of Goriz's hidden palace. Just big enough for two souls to inhabit, with two beds, and a trough in the door for food and water. He ran a hand over his head, and breathed a silent gasp. His gloves were gone. One hand was his natural creamy complexion, but the other was charred black, the flesh warped from Sith Alchemy. It looked more like it belonged on a corpse than a living creature. He forced himself to sit up on the bed despite his monstrous headache. Calling on the force, Graxin soothed himself for the time being.

And then he looked down.

His Jedi Robes were gone, replaced with a sleeveless leather tunic and similar trousers. He was dressed like a common thug rather than a Knight of the force. Groaning, he ran a hand through his thin beard, and shook his head. This was what he got for helping a thief, it seemed.


[member="Amora Jade"]

 

[Amora Jade]

Not much could be seen through the blur that was caused from the spinning sensation Amora had in her head. Just the slight figure of men following her as she hang over the shoulder of the one who was carrying her. The thief thought she felt herself drop onto something but after that, everything went black. Occasionally she would regain enough consciousness to overhear the words that were being spoken, but they were so scrambled and out of context that she couldn't make out any conversation before her eyes shut again.



A tight sensation in her stomach and stabbing one in her head forced Amora to snap open her eyes. For a moment everything was blurred and nothing made sense, so she laid still. She feared too much movement would cause her nausea to overpower her. Slowly her senses began to ease into place, her head still pounded from the blow she had taken before but besides that she couldn't tell if any other part of her was harmed.

The ceiling above her began to clear, reveling the concrete pattern. Something she hoped she'd never have to see again. The thief pressed her palms against the straw mattress and pushed herself into a sitting position. She held herself there for a moment in an attempt to not take things too fast and cause herself to pass out again. A chill began to creep around her back and stomach. Amora looked down at herself, and was greeted by the sight of the majority of her skin not being hid under clothing anymore. They had taken them, and the ring she had just earned was gone too.

Frustration began to sit in on her and she gritted her teeth. The provocative outfit along with the fact that she had been thrown in a cell for the second time in her life were beginning to piss her off. She hadn't even done anything that bad! It was just a ring!

Her gaze swept across the floor and to the exit. This wasn't the same as last time. The door was solid except for the 'feeding hole', there would be no way to pick through a lock she couldn't even reach. Still she stood, quicker than she should have, and stomped towards the door.

The girl was about to start banging on it and yelling as loudly as she could until someone came to shut her up, but she felt another presence in the room. Amora turned to face the man and leaned against the door. All of his things were taken, she knew what that meant. His weapons were definitely somewhere unreachable and she wasn't sure how well the 'force' thing would fare for him in the situation at hand. Amora almost feared any anger that might be built up in him would be directed at her considering she was the only one around, and he probably wouldn't even be in the mess if it wasn't for her.

Her eyes were locked on Graxin but she didn't speak. She really didn't know what to say and she was extremely uncomfortable in her clothes so no matter what words came out of her mouth she thought he wouldn't even be listening. All men were the same.

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

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What was he supposed to say here? Graxin had made deals with Hutts, killed more than a handful in service of the Emperor too, but never been captured by one. Not only that, his lightsabers were missing. They could certainly break out with use of the force, but he would need Amora's help in that area. She didn't seem to even believe in it, let alone know that she was sensitive to it. The Knight grumbled a silent curse, and rubbed his temples. There had to be some sort of solution here.

"Whoever they have was using the force. That's why they want us. The ring was an excuse." He murmured. Graxin shook his head in frustration, and tilted his head up to meet Jade's gaze. "They'll want to sell us to the Sith--or worse." He guessed, getting it completely wrong. The Hutts would hold them as a commodity, stick them in a cage for show, and breed them to create more force sensitives. They had done it before, and despite it's evils, it had been profitable.

The Knight didn't even look in the revealing get-up they had stuck Jade in.

"Are you okay?" He asked suddenly, a brow raised. He peered through the dark to make out her expresssion, and pressed his lips into a thin line. Despite the circumstances leading up to this little...issue, they were in this together, for better or worse. The Knight pushed up to his feet.

"No wounds?"


[member="Amora Jade"]

 

[Amora Jade]

Amora hadn't even really took the time to see exactly how she was dressed- she just knew there wasn't more there. It was almost a dress, just the back was missing and most of the front. There was enough there to cover her more.. sensitive areas, but not much else. The bottom half that would normally be the skirt part of the dress was slit all the way up on either side of her legs, but the rest of it still hang down. It made her feel a little better that at least that part was less exposed. Of course, that didn't mean they wouldn't change her later.

The thief wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to keep her body covered. The exposed skin was more than enough to keep her at an uncomfortable chill. As Graxin spoke she calmed down just a bit. He didn't seem to be in as much of an irate mood as she anticipated, but when he said they wanted both of them because of the force she shook her head and her expression went to confusion in an instant. Why would they need her? She couldn't use that.. magic. No one in her family could. They were just poor criminals living on a poor criminal planet.

"I'm.. fine I guess. Just a headache," she started as he stood up, "Are you?"

Amora bit her lip in an attempt not to question his theory. She figured maybe he had just spoken wrong, that he meant they wanted him because of his abilities, and only wanted her for more.. primal reasons. Her eyes scanned over him, he looked a lot different to her dressed like that. Not nearly as intimidating. The darkness of the room kept any distinct features hidden, though.

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Jade needed to know. If anything was going to even begin to become clear, Graxin had to tell her. He did not want to. She had the making of the Sith in her. Her needs to steal, her recklessness..her edge. All things the Jedi taught their PAdawans to shun. Now though, she needed to know. Graxin would handle the concequences that came with it once they were freed. The Knight folded his arms over his chest, and nodded solemnly. He set all his weight against the door, and said nothing for a long moment. He was listening to the world around them--for guards mostly.

"That is how I found you when you were being chased. The force is strong in you, as it is with your mother. I had a hunch she knew that much, and hid you away on Tatooine for that very reason." He paused. So the Jedi would not find her, but I already have. "So the Sith would not find you." He gave the half-truth. "The Sith are brutal conquerors, murderers, amoral beings. They are the enemy of the Jedi and the galaxy itself....and yes, I'm okay." He added quietly, not expecting any true form of concern from the thief.


The Knight tilted his head toward the door. "The force is my ally. It could be yours too, if you'll listen to what I have to say. It's our only chance out of here, Jade." He offered a small, albeit warm smile. "If that's your real name?"


Rade lofted a brow in amusement, and gave her a curious look.

[member="Amora Jade"]

 

[Amora Jade]

Amora hugged herself tightly and shifted nervously when the man stood so close. She wasn't used to it, especially not in a threatening manner. She tried to hide it by staying there but her mind was screaming for her to back away. Luckily he gave her a reason to.

Graxin began to accuse her own mother of keeping something like that secret from her. She wouldn't do that. She knew Amora needed all she could get to protect herself and she'd tell her to just keep it hidden so she wouldn't find herself in trouble. So that she would only use a gift that that for self defense. Hell, she didn't even think her mother knew what the force even was just as she didn't.

The thief shook her head repeatedly and backed away from him, laughing a bit, "You're insane. If I could do those... things you can I wouldn't be in this mess!" Though she did raise her voice a bit she tried to keep the conversation between the prisoners and not let it travel out the door. "You have the ability to get us out of here by breaking down that door," she pointed from her new position of by the bed she woke up on as she spoke. "I can get us through the halls quietly, but that's it. I've been in one of these before and I doubt it's too terribly different... but I can't.."

Amora was getting more and more animated as she talked, trying to show how serious she was. The thief didn't want him to assume that kind of thing about her, he was wrong. She wasn't worth trying to capture and she couldn't do anything special, "I can't help us more than just showing the way to go... and of course that's my name." She scowled a bit and crossed her arms back over her chest the way she had them before, "It's my mother's name too. It's our whole family's name... our surname. It's all you need to know." Steering the conversation away from the force was helping her to calm down a bit. The last thing she wanted was to argue, especially about something she knew she was right about.

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Graxin wasn't going to drop it. He wasn't one for social nuances--when he was serious, social space no longer existed. He jerked his head toward the door once more, and shook his head. "You ever get a gut feeling you need to do something, or go somewhere? Pull something to you that was much too far away for you to reach? Always seem to get yourself out of trouble by following your instincts? That's the force." He stated plainly. The Knight stood directly over he for a moment, an intensity in his eyes that bespoke of just how serious he was.

And then, he held his hand out toward the door. The metal creaked and groaned. The rivets twisted and bet in odd shapes, and the hinges of the door began to shift violently. It looked as if the door might explode any minute. Graxin held it like that for a moment, hand outstretched, then he reached for her wrist--though if she resisted him, then he would not try it again. "The raw power is the force. I know you can feel it. Most can't but people like us can." He continued, allowing his free hand to fall down to his side once more.

If any guards had heard them, then they weren't showing any signs of it. The Knight turned toward the now-battered door, and began to gather raw telekinetic energy in his palm. "And I thought it might be a fake, or a surname. Most people here never give out the first." It was true. Tatooine usually wasn't the place for niceties.

He turned his head toward her. "Open yourself to it. It's a river of raw energy to be tapped, begging you to sink into it. Let it take you, guide your actions, and then you'll understand."


[member="Amora Jade"]

 

[Amora Jade]

As he began to drill her with questions, Amora hated to admit to herself that she had experienced things like that before. The instincts she had followed last time she was thrown into a cell were exactly what got her out. She just assumed they came from being from a family like hers. People who always had to find their way out of things. If he was right, then that's how her mother got out of trouble so often.

The thought of the ring began to nag at her. The thief couldn't reach it. The ring was just simply too far for her to grasp onto it back in the market, her fingertips had barely touched the metal. Yet somehow, it ended up in her palm. She was still in disbelief though, she didn't want to listen to him. Something like that.. was too far fetched for her simple mind.

Her efforts to create distance between herself and Graxin failed. He was close to her again and again she felt nervous. It would be different if she had her cloak. The feeling didn't last long though as the man raised his hand and started to make the door that stood between them and escape shake violently. Her eyes widened at the display, she hoped it would just crumble and she could run out, but it didn't. Instead he grabbed onto her wrist. She would have pulled away, but she couldn't.

There was a sudden rush through her entire body right as he touched her. It was like she had just jumped into a lake of ice, but only in the exhilarating sense. Her breath stopped for a moment and her heart raced. Amora was almost afraid he was trying to kill her for a second but there was no pain.

When he let go she just stared at him, almost afraid. She wasn't used to it and didn't really plan to be. Was he right? Or was this just some sort of sick game he was playing? A worried expression had settled on the features of her face as she looked away. On her bed was the smallest pillow. Something she thought might be a good test. Without making any obvious signs that she was falling for what he was saying she lifted her fingers and concentrated on the pillow.

Move... or.. no don't. Don't move... no yes.. move. The thief argued with herself mentally. She didn't want to believe him so she didn't want to see it react, but at the same time she didn't want to be making a fool of herself either.

Amora tried to hide her actions from him so that she wouldn't embarrass herself. She could feel the energy surging through her veins and into her fingers, but wasn't sure if she could admit it. Her eyes narrowed a bit and she moved her hand slightly, trying to see if the pillow would react.

It did. The item flew across the bed and hit the wall at a speed she didn't expect. The girl flinched a bit and shook her head. It was him, he was toying with her.

Eyes as wide as they would be she lowered her head and walked away from him again. She didn't know whether she should be mad at him for messing with her or believe him and realize it was actually her. She had barely moved.

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

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She understood now. She had seen her own capabilities, and put them to the test. Whether she believed it or not, the pillow's ascent had proven the truth. Graxin relinquished his hold on her slight wrist, and nodded approvingly. "That's the way. The force is your tool. Your ally. We exist to help others with its gifts. You could learn to control your power, Jade." Graxin murmured as he set a steady hand on her shoulder. It was more to pull her back into reality than any desire for physical contact--those childish thoughts had been banished from the Knight's mind when the battle had begun.


He gestured toward the door with a nod of his head, and let his hand fall away from her shoulder. The Knight turned bodily toward the doorway. "Unleash it on the door with me. We can escape together, or not at all." He continued, his fingers pressed into a tight ball at his side. The force was built up around his fist in mass; so built up and compacted that reality seemed to distort and twist around the hand. The other hung slack at his side.

"We need to move quickly now. Before they return for us. They'll make me fight in their pits...and force knows what they'll do to a pretty girl like you." It was enough personal motivation to force Graxin's hand.

He felt the familiar sense of malevolence coming down the hallway. Two beings strolling through the cold prison below the palace. He stretched his consciousness further, and breathed a sigh of relief. They were the only guards on this level. They neared closer to the door, and Graxin shot Amora a serious look. "If you want me to repay you for that ale, it'd be wise to help."

His hand thrust forward. A wall of telekinetic energy surged toward the door. The metal gave little resistance, and exploded outward. With Jade's help, it would hit and likely incapacitate the guards as well.


[member="Amora Jade"]

 

[Amora Jade]

The thief glared at Graxin when he touched her shoulder. Everything was coming down on her at once and the last thing she wanted was to be touched again. The only thing that kept her from directing her anger towards him was the fact that he was her only way to escape that prison. She wasn't about to let herself miss out on an opportunity like that.

Amora knew he was right, there wasn't any telling what they would end up doing with her. The thief wasn't the most beautiful woman around but she was indeed female. That alone was enough fuel to put on the fire that was the need of perverted men. When he mentioned the ale the thought that her entire home had been destroyed caused the anger to build to a ridiculous level.

She wasn't an aggressive sort of person in the least, but at that moment she wanted nothing more than to tear the head off every person that ruined her home. The thief gritted her teeth and let her anger build towards the energy that she felt was beginning to consume her. Her eyes shot towards the door when the sound of the metal resisting the force screamed at her. Without much hesitation or thought she let all of the frustration and built up energy center in her palm before she threw her hand out towards the door.

With that last little bit it shot out of the frame and smashed into the people on the other side of it. Amora froze for a second. It was open, she was soon to be free! The thief pushed off on her heels and darted towards the opening as fast as she could, only a fraction of a second was spared to decide which way she would turn.

Amora followed the hallway to the right, trying her damnedest to run quietly so she could listen for more guards. It was difficult with her heart beating in her ears and her breathing so unsteady.

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And she was off. Graxin on the other hand, took his time. He watched as she broke down the right hallway, and decided that was not the way he would be going. He'd unleashed something in the gir, and that would need to be dealt with soon. The Knight shook his head. "Too eager." He spoke aloud, not caring either way if she heard it, or if she did not.

He would get her out of the palace, of that he was certain. Whether she would get captured again or not was entirely up to her. He went down toward the left with a slow stroll, careful not to overexert himself and--there it was! The rest of the cells had been completely devoid of life. Why the Hutt had stuck him and Jade in the same cell was anyone's guess. The Jedi lifted his shoulders in a slight shrug, and ran his fingers over the bare metal of the guardsmen's door. It slipped open with minimal resistance.

The Knight drew in a deep breath to center himself, and felt around in the darkness. His fingers wrapped around something sharp. Graxin pulled the vibrosword free from is binding and cracked a satisfied little grin. It was no lightsaber, but it would do. Goriz likely had his weapons, and Graxin would be needing to retrieve them. That meant an audience with the Hutt.

He held the short blade in one hand, and jogged after Jade. Whether she went down the right direction or not was of no concern--it just wouldn't go well if some drunken enforcer found her wandering the halls.


[member="Amora Jade"]

 

[Amora Jade]

The sound of the thin sandals hitting the hard metal began to make its way to her ears. She realized how much nose she was making but didn't care at that point. All she wanted was to get out of there and find her mother. Amora knew Rayana would have bolted at the slightest sign of the Hutt, so there was no worry in her mind they found her, but she still needed to get to her.

Now that she knew her mother was probably keeping this secret from her she needed to figure out why. Why didn't she trust her?

Louder footsteps could be heard just around the corner, not hers and definitely not Graxin's. The thief skidded to a stop, almost losing her balance in the process. Frantically she looked for somewhere to hide. Just ahead and right before the bend the guards were about to walk around there was an open door she assumed was a supply closet.

Her heart raced as she quietly sneaked over to the door. Her hand touched the metal of it and she slid in just before the first came into view. She didn't have time to close it, so she just slid into the darkness of the room and let the shadows consume her.

Damn.. where is he? She wondered about the man only because he was the fighter, not her. Amora realized in that moment she would need him to help her escape.

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Guards, always guards. Graxin went flat against the wall when he heard footsteps, and relied on the force to conceal himself. He was no master of stealth, but he knew the basic practices to make himself a bit more difficult to notice. The guards passed right on by him. It seemed the Knight still had some measure of luck. He strode on forward, until he felt Jade's familiar presence. He gave no inclination as to his arrival as he slipped into the supply closet with her, an amused little grin on his face.


"You waited for me? I'm truly touched." He voiced his amusement, and tightened his fingers around the vibrosword in his hand. It was only then that he truly paid much notice to her outfit, and he would have indeed found himself victim to baser feelings in most cases. Now, however, was simply not the time for it. This was his element, and it showed. "We need to find the Hutt. We kill him, and we're no longer a target, you understand?"

Graxin lofted a brow, and tilted his head downward toward her. His voice lowered to a serious whisper in an effort to get his point across. "Otherwise they'll just keep chasing us. You feel the force--let it guide you. It will lead you to safety."

He nodded to emphasize the fact, and grimaced as more footsteps came through the hallway. Multiple sets of feet now. One stopped, and Graxin could clearly hear the swift inhalation of air. One of the Trandoshans was trying to sniff them out. The Knight clamped his good hand over Amora's mouth to keep her from replying, and waited.

The alien continued to sniff them out, looking in every corner--except for the one they stood in. The force was to thank for that...though so much usage of its gifts was starting to tire Graxin.

[member="Amora Jade"]

 

[Amora Jade]

It became obvious to her that his earlier comment of claustrophobia was completely a joke. The small space that was left in the closet was filled with the man, leaving only enough room to breathe. Amora couldn't help but laugh a bit at him. Did he really think that was the only reason she was in there?

The thief wanted to intervene when he said something abut them needed to kill the Hutt, she didn't want to kill anyone. Though she didn't have a care in the world how she effected people when it came to taking their things, she could never bring herself to take a life.

Just as she parted her lips to say something, though, his hand clamped over them. He really had no sense of boundaries, or manners since this all broke out. It took everything she had not to hit him.

The sounds of boots passing by the door they hid behind explained the action, but it wasn't completely forgiven. The thief took her own hand and pushed his off her mouth aggressively before pushing herself in front of him to listen closer. Once the sounds faded into the distance she pushed open the door just a bit to peek out.

"So you want me to get us somewhere safe? Didn't exactly work out last time..." there was sarcasm in her voice but she was serious. Amora didn't think following her instincts would get them anywhere safe. With a sigh she pushed the door all the way open and stepped out of the crowded closet.

She looked down the hallway she was headed and peeked around the corner, not sure whether or not she really should go with it.

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"Just a figure of speech. I can lead, you stick with me, alright?" he lofted a brow, and followed after her. "I'm sorry about that...the hand on the mouth thing." He added quietly. The Knight knew it was rude and possibly considered inappropriate, but he had deemed it neccesary. He kept a tight grip on the vibrosword as he came up beside her, and peered further in. No guards ahaead, so that was somewhat of a good sign.


"Though, if you want to lead, be my guest." Graxin snickered, and offered her a well-meaning smile. He wasn't sure how he felt about her right now. He turned about toward the hallway, and strode down it, maintaining the lead. He had the weapon, and his senses were far more attuned than hers. It was only natural that he led.

They rounded about around another corner, then another, and another....it seemed as if the palace was going to go on forever. Graxin ran a hand through his hair, and grumbled a curse under his breath. Where was the damned exit?!

"I'm not su--"


"Well then, my escapees. The Jedi and...my, they've dressed you quite well, girl." Darik chided as they came upon a small lounge leading upward to some unknown place. A green lightsaber ignited in his hands--Graxin's twin blades and the holdout blaster all strapped to his belt. "Tell you what, Jedi, we've got quite a bit of use for someone with your abilities....give me your sweetheart and we can make a deal. I can sense the force in her; the Sith would pay a pretty penny for a female...pre-ttttyy--yyy penny."

Darik tilted his head to the side, and narrowed his dark brown eyes at Amora. "Working for credits ain't that bad. I'm sure your mother will learn to enjoy it once we find her."

[member="Amora Jade"]

 

[Amora Jade]

It was both a huge relief and incredibly embarrassing when she was reassured he didn't really want the thief to lead. Amora slowed to let the Jedi take his place in front of her. She followed him with caution and kept an eye behind them as they traveled, being sure they weren't followed. The weapon's presence had gone unnoticed until they finally stopped due to the sudden presence that made himself known.

The thief tried to stay out of view from the man when she saw how he looked at her, like she was a nothing more than a prize to be sold. Amora wanted no part of what was going to happen next. The thief turned to run but the stranger's final words rang in her ears and forced her to a stop mid-turn.

"You will never find her!" she faced the man and expressed to the best of her ability how serious she was. Rayana was the only person in any world she would risk her own life for, and she'd be willing to do it to kill that man.

"And you will not sell me!"

The laugh that escaped his lips after her words fell from hers was more than a little unsettling, "So you're going to stop me?" He flashed his teeth in a cocky smile and shifted his weight to move the blade he had unsheathed in an intimidating manner. There was really nothing she could do against the saber, but she would be willing to try and take it.

Her new found abilities begged for more attention. She wanted to give in, to rip the weapon from his grasp and use her bare hands to tear him apart. The thief possessed no ability to do any of that but she wanted to more than she ever wanted to do anything else. Ending his life would make everything easier. The Hutt would no longer have their force-sensitive and she and her mother could live in peace.

The energy began to surge through her blood once more, concentrating towards her hands- but she couldn't make it work for her.

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Graxin remained stoically in place; making a point to place himself in the way of the young woman and the enforcer. The Knight could sense the force in the young man, strong, but limited with doubt. He must have been a failed apprentice of one order or another. Truly, it didn't much matter. He would meet the same fate either way.

"Put down the blade, and turn the other way, now." The Knight ordered with intent. he fixated the young man with a serious glare--he would ill the boy if he made a move. Darik didn't seem to truly understand that. "Gimme the girl then, eh?"

"Going to disagree with you there, boy." Graxin snapped back. He offered no explanation; he didn't need to give one. It wasn't right to sell Jade out for his own safety. That flew in the face of every Jedi teaching the masters had drilled into his head so long ago. He shook his head.

"I'll break her in for Gorzo's boys then. Nothing worse than a thief, except a whore. She gets to be both--not worth selling afterword." Darik snarled back. He was trying to urge Graxin into an attack. The Knight however, stood his ground. Frustrated, the youth swung, the green blade arcing down to cleave Graxin from shoulder to hip.

Graxin brought his sword up to parry, the metal chipping slightly under the blade's intense energy, but holding. He twisted about, promptly slamming the hilt into Darik's nose. The familiar feeling of cartilage being crushed almost made Graxin squirm as the young man stumbled back, blood dripping from his nose.

"You--you....!!!"

[member="Amora Jade"]

 

[Amora Jade]

Amora was more than happy to hear the Jedi wasn't going to agree to giving her up for his own safety. She couldn't say she wouldn't have done it, cause she knew she would have. The attack came to her by surprise, she really thought Graxin would be the first to strike. Quickly she jumped back to stay away from the violence. Even armed she couldn't do much to defend herself and she knew that, unarmed she was nothing.

Her eyes trailed back down the hall they had traveled down to be greeted by the sight of another guard. They were like roaches. He was walking as fast as he could towards the pair, unable to run from what Amora assumed was lack of breath due to the sound of him gasping and a limp he carried while he walked. Had he been after them?

The boy who attacked was going for another blow. He raised the saber above his head in an very undisciplined manner to try to bring in down on the Jedi. They needed to get out of there before the place flooded with more guards, so it was time to take a risk.

The energy that had been collecting inside of her needed to be used, and that was the perfect time. The thief threw her arm towards the guard that was approaching them from behind. A small wall of the force slammed into his knees and he fell to the ground.

Quickly she turned to face Graxin and the attacker and ran towards the boy. She caught the sight of the Jedi's weapons hanging from his belt. He would need them if they had any hope for getting out of there alive. Amora slammed her shoulder into the boy's side just as he came down with his next blow. It was enough to send him to the ground and drop his weapon.

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

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Well that was odd. Amora had actually tried to help instead of running to save her own skin. Graxin blinked in surprise, and tossed the vibrosword away. He called his twin blades into his hands with the force, and ignited them in unison. The guard that had begun to pursue them was beginning to try and stand after Amora's display, and promptly fell back down at the sight of the weapons. The Knight was in control now.

"Where is the Hutt?" Graxin demanded.

"Above us. Second level..c-can't miss him." Darik groaned. A broken knows and a hard landing had made him quite the talkative sort. The Knight cracked a small smile, and nodded, leaving the young man where he lay--but not before stealing the lightsaber he had used to assault them.

Good work there Jade...we'll need to go through the Hutt." Graxin said over his shoulder; he had already begun to march toward the stairs, his twin blades humming as air sizzled around them. He moved with a purpose, muscles tense, weapons gripped with white knuckles. He was ready to do battle if it was needed.

They came upon the Hutt's throne room. A small compartment, to be sure; filled in every corner with drunken patrons, bounty hunters, scantily clad servant women, and serving droids. In the center sat Gorzo, whose dull orange eyes settled on the duo. The entire room suddenly went silent, and Gorzo smiled.

"Fancy."

[member="Amora Jade"]