Originally called Notron

[Lilla Syrin]

​Lilla nodded her agreement at Abigail’s plan. Anyone in this man’s line of work was likely to take precautions, and so checking for traps was a smart decision. “A good point, well made,” Lilla said — but she had already walked in. It was her usual way — the direct and simple approach, but it didn’t mean it was necessarily the right way to do things — at least not every time.

So Lilla allowed herself to be reigned in — and listened to Abigail. She once again nodded her assent. “More sound logic,” she whispered. “I can fully understand your thought process. How would you recommend we proceed?”

[member="Abigail Meredydd"]

 

[Abigail Meredydd]

As Lilla asked her what Abigail would recommend, the younger girl turned around and shut the door behind them quickly but softly so that she didn't wake the man. They were now standing in the sleeping man's room, which looked oddly normal, apart from the few cases that Abby had seen before. Those cases appeared to be for some kind of work, so they probably had nothing to do with the robots either. The closed door gave them a bit more privacy, and that way they only had to keep the sleeping man into account while they talked, and not the possibility of someone coming up behind them.

"I think this might not be the guy we need", Abigail whispered. "It just doesn't make sense that he is sleeping, and even if the guy we need would be sleeping, surely he would have traps or alarms in place? He wasn't exactly hunting children, but a Padawan and a Jedi Knight. I doubt he would underestimate us that much."

Abigail looked towards the closed door for a second before she returned her gaze to Lilla.

"Is the guy still where we left him, with the robot? Is it still online? Is he still there? I... I don't know. I can't feel it myself, I'm a bit weakish, I don't know. It just feels fishy that he immediately pointed us here... but we could also wake the guy up and interrogate him... nicely of course. Then we'll know if it's him or not. Probably."

Abigail raised her shoulders as she looked at Lilla with an apologetic smile. "This time I don't know what to do. So, please aid me in this decision."

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla listened – continuing to be impressed by Abigail’s logical mind. There was so much more to being a Jedi than waving a saber or performing a Mind Trick. Detective work was a significant part and she knew that the Padawan had the ability in abundance. It would serve per progress to Knight well.

She nodded. “Clear facts, and that is to your credit. And you’re right, there are too many things that don’t make sense. We could head straight downstairs, but I think asking a few questions is a good idea, or we’ll bounce from person to person without any new information. We can at least eliminate this man if he’s innocent."

Lilla knelt beside him and closed her eyes. Gently, she probed with her mind. It was not as invasive as a Mind Trick, but rather she grazed against his subconscious thoughts. What she saw made her eyes snap open.

She walked over to one of the trunks and quietly opened it. It contained pharmaceutical samples. “He is a salesman – no more and no less. His dreams were of a family at home and of making a sale big enough to take them on a holiday. Definitely not our man. So, to follow your own line of logic, we need to head back downstairs.”

[member="Abigail Meredydd"]

 

[Abigail Meredydd]

A small smile appeared on Abigail's face as she heard Lilla talk about the man's dream.
"That's so nice", she said softly, losing her focus for a short moment.
"But alright, yes, let's return to our friendly man, who seemed to have not been honest at all."

Abigail nodded towards Lilla before she left the room, leaving the sleeping man to his rest. Luckily they had taken the time to check instead of blindly acting on what the clerk had told them. Otherwise this man dream would've most likely been ruined.

As she walked back, she realised how tired she was, despite having slept not too long ago. She guessed she was just becoming tired of this entire mission, which didn't seem to give them a break.

When the two arrived in the main reception again, Abigail saw what she had come to expect. The little robot was lying on the floor, and the man was nowhere to be seen. Abigail sighed loudly before she turned towards Lilla. This game had been going on for far too long by now, so it was about time Lilla and Abby were going to finish it.

"I'm positive he's still here", she mumbled. "No-one went through the entrance while we were upstairs. Trust me, I'm sure."

And sure she was, as she had used the Force to keep an eye on the entrance as best as she could. She wasn't interested in being swarmed by the guys from outside in here, so she had watched the entrance. And because she did, she knew no-one had entered... or left.

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla nodded at Abigail’s appraisal. In their line of work, it was good to meet the ones you laid your life on the line for. Those with modest aspirations who deserved protection from those that would oppress them.

Lilla wondered why the receptionist was so ready to send them here. Did he think they would act without question? Take a man’s life without any proof? Or even take his life at all? He clearly didn’t know Jedi.

They reached the reception and Lilla listened to Abigail’s appraisal. “Then let’s solve this with a little training thrown in. Close your eyes and connect to the Force. Once connected, follow it and see how it permeates this room. All living things are touched by the Force. So, as you relax and allow this information to permeate your mind, the Force will build a three-dimensional map in your head. Inanimate objects appear dead to you – and initially you won’t be able to see through them. That takes practice. But living things will register for you – their outline, like some heat map. If anyone is hiding, you’ll be able to see them.”

[member="Abigail Meredydd"]

 

[Abigail Meredydd]

Abigail looked over to Lilla with an apologetic expression.
"I can't really... I don't really... I'm a bit different," she mumbled," but I'll try."

She sat down, as it had happened before that she had fallen because her focus lied elsewhere, and then she closed her eyes to seek out through the Force. It hadn't been the first time she had done this, as it was one of the things she was best at. Not that that necessarily meant much in terms of skill, but still.

Slowly an image started to form, showing her things she couldn't be seeing from where she was sitting. She soon recognized it to be the hallway. She tried to focus the way Lilla told her, but she couldn't find anything that glowed, either because there was nothing living there, or just because she wasn't focused enough. Her vision shifted a few times, until she was back in the room Lilla and her had stayed in. There was nothing there either, but she still figured she could try to do as Lilla said again. So she did, she exhaled slowly and relaxed, concentrating on their room. Then there it was, for a brief second she saw a flash of light coming from behind the bed. Responding to it, her vision shifted to the other side of the bed to find a man, presumably the receptionist, but she couldn't quite see, looking under the bed. The person was clearly looking for something, and it was certainly no coincidence that had been Lilla and Abby's room.

Abigail snapped back to her psychical location, and still almost fell over in the process. She looked at Lilla, and said, "I think there's someone in our room."
She guessed Lilla would already know that, considering how she was a Knight, but had stayed silent to let Abby figure it out for herself.

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla suppressed the urge to use the old Yoda line about trying, but decided better of it. The situation, and Abigail’s focus, was serious, and levity would not help the situation at all. So, instead she nodded and allowed the Padawan time to focus.

Lilla sensed Abigail accessing the Force and she too used it to sense their immediate surroundings. But there were no people close by – hiding or otherwise. It was possible the man was dead – given there would be no Force resident in a corpse, but if he had died, who had killed him?

She dismissed the possibility for now, and extended her search. Then, as she scanned the floor above, she came across the room they’d been allocated and saw the figure in her mind. Opening her eyes, she appraised Abigail. “You have done very well. If I can give one piece of advice for the future…it is never to doubt yourself. If you do not believe then, invariably, you will not succeed. I cannot promise belief always equals success, but doubt invariably leads to failure. Now, let’s find this errant receptionist – if that’s what he truly is.”

[member="Abigail Meredydd"]

 

[Abigail Meredydd]

Abigail listened to Lilla's advice, but also knew it was something she couldn't just easily follow.

"Being doubtful is part of my personality, I'm afraid. So I can't promise to change that soon, but I will keep working on it, yes", she said with a smile before turning to the way back to their room.

"Shall we?", she asked as she started walking. "Honestly I doubt he is what he claims to be by now. I could've understood it if he ran away because he was scared, but if it is indeed him rummaging around in our room... he's definitely not as innocent as he told us."

After they quickly made their way back to their room, they were standing outside the door. Abigail looked over to the Jedi Knight, and spoke in a whisper. "So, there's a reasonable chance he will try to talk his way out of this, and an equal chance he won't be so kind anymore. We should probably be on our guard, right?"

Abby stood ready at the door, one hand placed upon it. Abigail's eyes flickered for a moment, after told Lilla the door was locked, so stealth wouldn't be an option. On Lilla's signal, they could storm inside and hopefully catch the man by surprise.

"Actually," she then spoke, contradicting her own plans she had made up in her head," the lock was broken when we stayed here. They had done that. Seems our friend is either forgetful, or not as well informed as we thought. Well, let's go and find out, shall we?"

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla nodded as Abigail agreed to work on her doubting nature – in particular about herself. “This is not some homespun philosophy – nor is it general life advice, but is instead a fundamental aspect of being a Jedi. You must believe you can achieve. This has always been the mantra of Jedi Masters."

"There is documented a conversation between two Grand Masters of the Order. Yoda and Luke Skywalker. It is typically taught to Younglings. The gist of the exchange culminates in Yoda achieving something that Luke readily admits he thought could not be done. 'That is why you fail,' is Yoda’s reply."

“Anyway, task in hand…”

They made their way to the room and Lilla nodded her agreement to Abigail’s warning. One of the Jedi Knight’s hands went to her saber hilt and she smiled at Abigail’s progression of logical arguments.

Lilla had pulled the Force to her, ready to throw up a shield at a moment’s notice. A saber could easily deflect a blaster bolt, but not a grenade.

And the next moment that were in the room. Looking across the room, Lilla saw the man’s backside as he was scrabbling for something under the bed. A loud thump suggested he hit his head as he quickly attempted to extricate himself from his position and he stood slowly, facing away from them, before spinning swiftly, a blaster in his hand.

“I wondered if you’d come back,” he said, a smile playing on his lips. His hand went to his pocket and he drew out a handful of the spider-bots. Looking towards the open window, his smile broadened. “My friends here will keep you company whilst I leave.”

He tossed the bots at the two Jedi and Lilla acted swiftly. She threw up a shield – but not over the two of them, but over the man. The bots bounced back to the man’s feet and he swiftly realised he was going nowhere.

“Now,” Lilla said, her voice calm and soft, although carrying authority. “Let’s have that chat all over again.”

 

[Abigail Meredydd]

Abigail observed the scenario playing in front of her eyes carefully as she stood slightly behind Lilla, letting the Knight take the lead. The man was indeed the 'receptionist' that had welcomed them earlier this night, or had it been evening? She didn't know, but it luckily didn't matter anyway.

As the man swiftly drew a blaster, Abigail put a step back as a reaction. However, when she noticed Lilla's calm stance she too adopted this stance, expressing a relative sense of peace.

The following events all happened very quickly, and Abigail was glad Lilla was with her. It looked like the man's games were indeed finally coming to an end.

Still, Abigail doubted the man would just happily confess everything, especially since he drew just drew a blaster on a Jedi. He wasn't afraid and he wasn't going to be willing to say anything voluntarily, and torture wasn't a Jedi's style. Clever words however, were.

"You know," Abigail said, stepping beside Lilla," I would tell her what she wants to know."

"That shield is staying here for a while," she said as she nodded towards Lilla's creation," and so you have nowhere to go and there's nothing you can do about it."

"And, here's the thing about the shield, it's fun and all like this, but... can you imagine," she asked, pulling a disgusted face," can you imagine what would happen if someone where to make a shield like that go through... I don't know... someone's stomach? I guess that wouldn't be pretty at all."

After she was done speaking, Abby stared at the man, awaiting his reaction. He was a tough one, and so barely seemed to be impressed by her words. However, Abigail was sure she caught a glimpse of fear in his eyes the moment she had spoken those words, she was sure of it.

She placed her hand upon both of her hips as she gave the man a stern look. "Who are you? What are where you doing? Why? Just... Just tell us everything already", she firmly spoke.

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla remained impassive, patient as ever. Maybe the man expected some heavy-handed treatment. The truth was, most of his kind were used to it, and therefore relatively impervious.

Yes, she could perform a variation of the Mind Trick and read his thoughts. It was invasive and something she would use only as a last resort – and she hoped to come to a solution without going that far.

She allowed Abigail to question the man, wondering if her more pointed approach would yield dividends, but the sneer that played on the man’s lips suggested he thought the Jedi were all talk and no action. So – how to disabuse him of this notion, without pressing too hard.

Sabine closed her eyes momentarily. Opening them, she allowed her thoughts to brush against the man’s mind – much as she had done with Abigail. ‘And I would listen to her. Just because we don’t come in heavy-handed, doesn’t mean we’re not capable of finding out the truth by means that you would prefer not to endure. Be honest – for I’ll know if you’re lying. And we cannot leave here without the truth. We won’t leave here without the truth. So, answer her questions.’

[member="Abigail Meredydd"]