Pains of the Past

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Arlan and Serra talked little for the remainder of their trek southward, save for the occasional quip for directional changes. All the while though Serra's last significant words lingered within Arlan's mind, causing him to carefully consider her as they traveled. When the Republic asks we provide aide. Her words had a slight haunting tone as Arlan brooded over them, for just who were the we she meant? More importantly though, if Serra was enough manpower all on her own to recover the vessel then just how dangerous was she? That last thought made a string of chills run down Arlan's spine as he casually limped along, making sure not to fall too far behind his mysterious new comrade. Questions of all kinds filled his mind at the moment but Arlan knew that had to wait, for they had finally arrived at their destination. Crouching down beside Serra Arlan watched, and waited, with eyes constantly scanning the area below. Sure, his body may well have been in dire condition but the years of experiences he carried still remained sharp in Arlan's mind. Even if he couldn't be much help in a true fight perhaps he could provide a bit of support from the rear, or at least that was what Arlan hoped.

"I don't see anyone down there at the moment." Arlan spoke softly as he surveyed the area. "Then again what you see is rarely what you get in these situations isn't it?" He said turning to smile at Serra before looking back down towards the Republic shuttle. "I'd say let's just go down and look, but I got a bad feeling about this." Arlan said with a strange apprehension in his voice, his brow narrowing as he peered onward. "My guts telling me we aren't seeing the whole picture, and I've learned to trust this feeling when it comes to me." Arlan all but pleaded as he scooted back to get a better view of his surroundings. "This is your show, I'll follow your lead, but somethings off to me." With that Arlan would simply wait. He was in no position to dictate what course they would follow, hell he could barely walk on his own, but he hoped Serra would head his words. In all his years working as a mercenary that deep rooted feeling that had just came over him had saved Arlan's life more times than he cared to count. Arlan knew to trust it when he sensed something was wrong, but then again how could he expect a stranger to feel the same as he did? No, Serra would have to decide herself what actions to take now.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

It was as if Arlan was thinking her thoughts. His words and feeling echoed her own. And had he not been the one to verbalize those feelings she would have moments later. She looked over at him with an odd curiosity for a moment, though Arlan might find her stare awkward and unwelcome. Still, the fact that he had mentioned such things could have been a simple coincidence, but she rarely believed in coincidence. Perhaps he was sensitive to the Force, perhaps not. She banked on the prior, but had no time or practical way to determine so right then, so instead she focused her attention on the ship that lay dormant just ahead. "Something is definitely not right. It's too quiet, and they have no guards posted. Even for a small crew, you would think they would have at least one lookout stay back during trips, or posted at all times in case of intrusion."

Unfortunately Sera hadn't brought any other gizmos or gadgets with her from GEAR, though she had meant to bring along the recon wasps but had simply forgotten to pack them. Perfect. "Well, we've got two options. The way I see it we can either take a chance and wander down there now, completely exposed in the middle of the day, and see if they've already made off with the cargo. In which case we'll still get a chance to catch them, or we can wait until nightfall, see if they come or go, and then make our way down to the ship and see what it has in store. We'll have more cover, and an easier means of sneaking, but if they already made off with the cargo, then we'll have a much harder time finding them again."

Neither plan was perfect, but it was all she could think of, especially without endangering Arlan in his current state.

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Arlan nodded to himself as he reaffirmed his own set feeling upon the ship below, when he felt a chill run the length of his spine. His head turned ever so slightly, just enough to see Serra through his peripherals, and it was then he noticed her gaze. It was a cold stare but one full of curiosity rather than malice, making Arlan stir a bit in his skin. Serra had proven to be beyond anything Arlan could have prepared for and now with her looking so fixated upon him for the first time did he feel the weight of his injuries. Arlan knew of course Serra's stare was not one of pity, truly she was not the type for that, but even still a permeating sense of helplessness washed over him. For a man so centered upon his own pride that feeling was fear worse a blow than any he could suffer in combat, her lingering eyes cut deeper than any blade. However; Arlan was a veteran and now was anything but a time for self pity.

"Glad we agree on that much." Arlan spoke in a hushed tone as he refocused his attention on the task at hand. "If It could actually move I'n a half decent manner I'd be upon for charging the thing right now, face the unknown and all that. I can't though and as competent as you may be if you go in alone you might not come back out." Arlan thought for a moment on how best to phrase his words before continuing. "Not that I'll be much help at night either, but if we at least wait till then I can come with you and hide in the shadows." Arlan stopped speaking, nodding for a moment before finishing. "Yeah, night seems best to me." Arlan spoke true, hoping his companion would see likewise. In truth though, more than even thinking night was preferable for the obvious reasons, Arlan hoped Serra agreed so he was not left behind.

It was, however; out of his hands now. All Arlan could do was bury the feeling in the pit of his stomach and prepare for the worst yo befall them should need arise.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Looking up to the sky it looked like they had a few hours still of daylight to pass before it would be dark enough to make any movements. The Twi'lek looked around the area for something that could somewhat resemble shelter that they could hide out in until darkness fell, yet still be able to watch the ship close enough to identify movement. Just a few meters away and into to the jungle there was a large mushroom shaped tree that would provide cover from the harsh rays of the sun as well as any aerial surveillance that may be operating in the area. If the weather worsened it would also provide adequate shelter from the rain. Best of all it was positioned on a slight incline that gave them a view down towards the ship from 3 out of 4 angles. "Then nightfall it is." She pointed to the tree she had spotted. "There, we can make camp there until nightfall. We'll have a good view of anything coming or going, and we'll have plenty of shade as well."

-Dusk-

With the last rays of fading sunlight for the day, and not much activity throughout the rest of the afternoon, Sera stood up and gestured for Arlan to as well. The Twi'lek slung her pack back over her shoulders, looking down to the clearing. "Nobody has come or gone since we've been here. They're either inside, or long gone. Either way, now would be a good time to move. Perhaps they're waiting for nightfall to move the cargo, if so, we'll be right on time. Just keep low if you can, and don't forget about that energy shield." Perhaps if the cargo was still on board the two could recover both the ship and the cargo, as well as capture those responsible for hijacking the cargo. Still, she felt that disturbance much like Arlan had, and it hadn't subsided. Something was telling her that ship was still occupied, and it wasn't by droids.

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

The last rays of sunlight had long began to fade over the horizon. Arlan and Serra had posted up on a ridge overlooking the shuttle below, tirelessly monitoring the site for movement. To their dismay, however; no one had come nor gone from the downed vessel leading Arlan to believe his original hunch had been incorrect. Still though, the tell tell pings of misfortune bounded about Arlan's core as he thought of moving on the ship. He would of course follow Serra's lead on the matter, prepared for all outcomes as he could possibly be, but at present they had little other options than to act. Waiting until nightfall may well have given them better cover in which to approach, but if the hijackers were indeed gone they now had a significant head start.

"Got it. Believe it or not this isn't the first time I've done something like this." Arlan spoke confidently as he moved in beside Serra preparing to head out. "I'd rather this not turn into a shooting gallery, but if they are hold up down there we can expect heavy resistance. Hijackers usually aren't the most stable sort of individuals to begin with, add potentially losing a payday to that and you have some unhappy campers." Arlan quipped, drawing the old slugthrower and checking the shot count. Of course Arlan hoped he would not be forced into any action needing the weapon, he certainly wouldn't be caught without it ready.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"I would much prefer to just recover the cargo and the ship without taking life, though I agree. I suspect our hosts likely don't share that sentiment. Regardless, we'll ask for their cooperation in returning what was stolen. If it turns out they have it in their heads to keep what was taken through violence, then we'll do only what we must." Sera gestured for Arlan to follow as she began making her way out from the jungle down toward the clearing. It was quiet still, with only the sounds of the occasional wildlife to remind them that they weren't alone. The ship was equipped with outside hull lighting, though it was suspiciously off. As they got closer Sera noticed the entry ramp was shut tight. "Well. If anyone is inside, they'll likely know someone is here when we lower the ramp. Unfortunately we don't really have any other option that is any quieter."

Stepping over towards the terminal attached to the landing gear the Twi'lek pressed the button, wincing slightly as the noise of the ramp echoed throughout the area. Subtle. "No blasters aimed at us yet, I suppose that's a good start." Sera smiled, keeping the mood as light as possible, despite the imminent danger surrounding this endeavor. "Let's go see if anyone's home." There was little point in trying to remain quiet, now that the ramp would have been loud enough to alert the entire ship and surroundings. The sound of a few pairs of boots clanking against the metal would be of little note.

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

The overall atmosphere around the ship seemed eerie, almost dead in a sense, as Arlan and Serra approached. In all honesty Arlan had expected someone to emerge from the darkened mass and open fire upon them, however; that would not be the case. No, instead Arlan and Serra approached freely, going so far as to open the loading ramps unhindered. While in a sense such a feat may well have seemed like a blessing, Arlan took the continued silence as something far more sinister altogether. Hijackers if any kind were inherently ruthless, putting action before rational thinking any day, and there was just no feasible reason Arlan could find for them not be actively defending their prize. Whatever was on board had to be important enough to risk landing on Felucia for, so why then abandon the catch so easily? Arlan had an all to haunting feeling that he was about to find out.

"Guess we go all or nothing now. No use in us playing things cautiously now, if they're here they know we are too by now" Arlan spoke confidently as he drew the slugthrower from his side and followed closely behind Serra. He had yet to get an accurate read on her combat prowess, but Arlan knew she could most likely handle herself. "I'll watch your back, don't fret there. If anyone comes home early they won't find us sleeping. That's a promise." Arlan smiled as he spoke harshly and moved up the ramp. Though he was still a tad apprehensive about all of this he couldn't help but be a tad excited. It had been far too long since he had dabbled in this sort of thing, and gods how he missed it.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The ramp led the two directly into the cargo area. "It's all still here. But why?" Sera spoke, though the question wasn't directed to Arlan, more so just to relay her own thoughts out loud. Entirely confused she made a few passing glances around the room. The droids were nowhere to be found, and she heard no voices or sounds of activity. Hurrying over to one of the containers she pressed the release hatch, revealing a portion of the highly valued medical supplies. "Nothing is missing. Something's not right about this. Why would they have taken the ship, landed it here, and then abandoned it?" She leaned against the container and placed her hand underneath her chin to think. "Let's see if any of the droids are still on board."

Creeping slowly through the corridors one by one, everything seemed quiet until they reached the common area within the freighter. This was typically where organic crew gathered for meals. Scattered across the floor were a half dozen bodies with blasters nearby each corpse. "Judging by the clothes, I'd say these are our pirates. And by the looks of them, whoever did this did so unexpectedly, but not with a blaster." She pointed to a couple of the deceased, kneeling beside one to get a closer look. "Those are lightsaber marks."

That feeling she had earlier was beginning to grow. The Force never lied. This was the work of a Sith, or the very least, a darksider with a serious grudge. "We need to be careful. We're not alone here." It was as if on cue, as the last word rolled off her tongue the hatchway that lead to the crew quarters opened, and out came the droids that had been missing. Two of them at least, each brandishing a blaster - clearly reprogrammed. Behind them strode a dark robed figure. A visage concealed by the blackness behind the robes. Sera stood, she'd been in this situation enough times to know there was not going to be any civil discussion to be had. The ship, crew, and pirates were all just bait for the Jedi sent to reclaim the cargo. The Twi'lek sneered, her recognition that she'd fallen into the trap so easily.

"Can you handle the droids?" She looked over to Arlan for a moment before her hands lowered to her hips, pushing aside a bit of the fabric from her armor to reveal the pair of lightsabers she carried. "I'll handle our friend here." The lightsabers seemingly lifted off her sides of their own accord, landing lightly in her hands as her fingertips slid over the activator switches, igniting the twin blades with an audible snap-hiss, bringing to life a bright green and purple hue. Across the room, the droids readied their blasters, while the robed figure cast his own single red saber into existence.

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Arlan's eyes lingered upon the corpse carpeting the freighter's floor only for a moment, quickly thereafter rising to meet that of the droids and their companion. No sooner had they entered did Serra spring into action moving forward and igniting her twin blades, prompting the man I'n black to do likewise. Lightsabers, only a select few organizations wielding the dreaded laser sword and fewer still with any degree of skill. As soon as the faint light from Serra's blades filled the room Arlan was able to put it all together, there was no doubt what she was. The Republic had sent her in alone to retrieve the stolen ship and cargo, she herself claimed to be an equal strength than a taskforce earlier, and the Lightsabers just confirmed the suspicion. All that time traveling with Serra Arlan never would have guessed that she was a Jedi, and that meant the one she was facing had to be a Sith.

Those thoughts had come quickly, for no sooner had Serra taken a step forward had Arlan brought up his slugthrower and fired two rounds into the droid on the left. Each struck true, grinding into the metal chestpiece of the metallic menace with a sickening crunch. The second droid, reacting to Arlan's assault, let it's blaster ring out within the shuttle sending volley after volley of shots towards Arlan. Thankfully these droids were not directly military in nature, making the shots inaccurate and clumsy. However; one did find it's mark slicing through Arlan's crutch and causing him to drop heavily to the floor. Pain cascaded through Arlan's injuries as he lay there, but still he lifted his weapon and got off three more shorts. The first drilled the wall behind the approaching droid, but the last two punctured the robotic skull of Arlan's assailant. The droid dropped to the floor with a loud crash behind Serra, Arlan's eyes wide as he watched her attack.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

As quickly as Sera had readied her own weapons Arlan had begun firing. The droids, seemingly focused on him attempted to fire. A single step forward and the Twi'lek's left leg launched her up and over the dividing table between the two parties towards the dark robed one. Two sabers came slashing down in opposing arcs. A moment later a bright flash of light mixed with the snap and pop of colliding blades could be heard as her opponent raised his own saber to parry against her. A quick tumble and the man was back on his feet. A single sweeping slash was made across her chest, forcing the female to handspring backwards up and over the blade, the heat of the blade passing just underneath her as her body flipped back. A quick glance passed over to Arlan to see him on the floor with one droid down. Was he hit? She couldn't be certain, he hadn't screamed. The sound of the slugthrower firing another round gave her all the reassurance she'd need to continue.

Her hand thrust forward, sending a wave of energy towards her assailant that would knock him back unexpectedly. With feet stumbling backwards she swung and released her green saber from her hand in the same manner as a boomerang, the twisting of the blade in the air appearing as a single circular blade as it arched towards the man. The saber had skimmed across his chest before returning to her, leaving a nasty gash across the front of his robes and minor burns on his chest. The Sith hit the wall just behind him, knocking his hooded robe back, revealing the face of the man she was engaged with: A Zabrak. He had several distinct burns across his face as well as a few cuts that looked rather fresh. An acolyte. She shook her head. They were always the most thick-headed, refusing to even speak or engage in peaceful discussion. She had little choice in the matter.

Taking another step forward the Twi'lek slashed her green saber inwards, while the purple was sent in a reversed direction outwards. A single parry was made against the purple saber, while the green found its' mark, making a deep cut across the Zabrak's upper chest. He flinched momentarily, as if briefly in pain before falling to the ground limp. Sera released the activators on her sabers and hurried over to Arlan, offering her hand to help him to his feet. "Are you alright? Were you hit?"

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Arlan lay there for what seemed to be an eternity, watching Serra and the darkly clad Zabrak met lightsaber to lightsaber. It was fortunate no other droids entered the hold, for if they had Arlan would not have noticed them in time. No, his eyes were transfixed to the scene before him. Struck in a state of awe as flips and twirls erupted from the dueling figures, the sounds of the lightsabers softly humming then crackling to life with a hiss when they met one another. Never before had he seen a Jedi in battle, of course he had heard of them in his day, but actually seeing them in action was another thing entirely. So Arlan lay there, helpless, injured, hand going limp, and wondered if there was anything he could do to aide his comrade. He knew though, that should he enter, he would have certainly just been a hindrance. As he thought that there followed a more muffled hiss of one of the laser blades, then a thump. Arlan watched wide eyed as the Zabrak with the red lightsaber slumped against the wall and fell to the floor.

Then Serra was above Arlan, hand extended as she offered words of concern. Arlan could naught but believe the events he had just witnessed, he could not fathom the power Serra held within herself. Had all her actions been a ploy? Their initial meeting when he fired upon her, had actually dodged his round instead of his shot missing truly? Arlan's mind was awash with questions and concerns, but then she had been kind and helpful all this time and he had only offered her lies. No doubt to Arlan now though, that she knew his words were untrue yet still helped him along up to this point. The only question that remained was how the two of them would proceed, and how they would go about getting off this world should Serra remain true to her promise. Arlan then shook the bewilderment from his face and took Serra's hand, rising from the ground and looking about the freighter. His eyes stopping on the dead Zabrak yet again.

"I see, so then you're a Jedi of some sort I take it." Arlan bluntly stated, regaining his footing and looking to Serra. "I suppose it all makes sense now though. You being sent alone, your tracking ability, I should have known from the start." Arlan scolded himself slight as he continued. "Then again you weren't really hiding it from me, I never asked to begin with. You could say not knowing was my own fault here." Arlan laughed as he placed his hands at his sides, holstering the slugthrower and surveying the room. "So what now? You got the ship, the supplies, I'm even betting most of the droids are untouched. I assume you'll be leaving soon then?" Arlan looked down and shook his head for a moment, a slight chuckle escaping his lips. "A karking Jedi, I should've known. Something about you felt off. I should have trusted my gut."

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

After helping Arlan to his feet Sera replaced the sabers on either hip, covering them once more beneath her armor. The Twi'lek offered him a gentle smile and a nod. "I am a Jedi, yes." She stepped back over towards the slain Zabrak and patted him down, searching for anything that might indicate if he had been working alone or for anyone, though unfortunately there were no personal affects to be found, save for the lightsaber that she picked up and placed into her pack. The last thing she needed was for that to wind up in the wrong hands, or the black market. Lightsabers were an expensive commodity, even those with synthetic crystals. The problem was that rarely could they be wielded by the uninitiated, and wound up causing substantial harm to those untrained. "And this one here looks to be a Sith Acolyte - an apprentice of sorts. His form was rather messy and forced, and the cuts on his face look new, meaning he likely had a scuffle with another apprentice, as is typical for their kind."

Sera looked at the droids, they were likely scrap now, but perhaps a bit of their mechanical parts could be salvaged. For now she left them as they were and turned back to Arlan. "True, I wasn't hiding what I was, though I also don't broadcast it. Bounties on Jedi are quite profitable. I try not to make myself an open target when not absolutely necessary." She pulled one of the chairs from the table and offered it to Arlan to rest a moment, sitting on the table top herself. "I'll have to return the ship and cargo to the Republic on Onderon, but I can get you wherever you'd like to go on the way, unless Onderon is your destination as well." She kicked her feet back and forth, hovering her legs over the edge of the table for a few moments while she considered his words and how they had both felt the presence of the Sith, despite Arlan not having known what exactly the danger was.

"That feeling you got earlier - that was the darkside. It is the same feeling I got. I had my own curiosity earlier, but now I am certain. Whether or not you've known it, that gut feeling you get is not exactly instinct." She crinkled her nose, trying to explain the Force was not always easy. "I mean, it is, but it's not. It's a gift. It means that you're sensitive to the Force." She drew a breath, puffing her cheeks out as she exhaled. "In theory, with training and dedication, you could become what I am, if you so chose. But that is not for me to decide for you. I can only offer you the path."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Arlan took a moment to adjust to the situation, the revelation of Jedi and Sith being in such close proximity to him finally subsiding. So he sat there and stared at Serra as she calmly spoke. In his time running The Carrion Company he had heard of those whom hunted Jedi for sport and pay, the most challenging prey being the most rewarding to some, but Arlan himself had never cared to try his hand at such a thing. After witnessing that little battle Arlan was glad he had never dared the feat, for surely he would never have been able to anticipate the movements of such skilled warriors. Still though, Arlan had become slightly enamored by the whole affair and wished to learn more about the Jedi and their hokey religion. The chance to do so was presented quickly, and in a very unprecedented way. The feeling that had guided him in all his works, led him down many paths throughout his life, was not mere intuition as he had once thought, but instead the very Force that Serra had so keenly mastered.

"Serra I...." Arlan stopped and thought. If ever there was a time for honesty it was now, for yet again Serra showed her kind nature. "You probably guessed already but I'm no researcher. I've been a mercenary all my life, and not one of the nice ones either. I'm on this overgrown rock hiding from people that want to kill me, people that I plan on killing if I don't die first." Arlan sighed and continued with a somber voice. "I would be lying if I said learning what you know didn't intrigue me, because it does, but I've heard tale of you Jedi all my life and no where do I recall you allowing killers into your ranks." Arlan looked down and sighed shaking his head. "I want to, I do, but could someone my age even be taught such things? Even still, I cannot promise my rage will be quelled. Is there room on the path you offer for someone such as me?" Arlan finished, delivering the cold and sordid truth in short sum. Perhaps, one day, Arlan could tell her all he had been through in recent months, but for now he believed this much to be enough.

Then Arlan waited, in silence, his eyes scanning the carnage splayed out upon the freighter's floor. He knew not what he truly wanted to do, nor what path truly lay ahead of him. The prospect of learning the aspects of the Force was something no sane man would turn down, so Arlan would not. Arlan, however; had far too much honor to blatantly lie about himself to profit from someone whom had been so kind to him. After hearing all he had told, if Serra still wished to enlighten him, Arlan would accept her body and mind willingly upon himself. As he thought this Arlan stopped, looking down the loading ramp and smiling. "I do suppose Onderon is nice this time of year. Whatever you decide I'd like to travel with you there." Arlan would finish, leaning back in the chair and crossing his arms.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The Twi'lek grinned, rather matter-of-factly. "Of course you're no researcher. Your story made no sense, a child with a keen eye could have seen through that story. You're a good shot, but a terrible liar." She placed her hands on either side of herself atop the table, as a sort of brace, leaning her head back and laughing. "No researchers carry that kind of firearm, or any, typically. Even still, what is in the past is in the past. All I can offer you is a future." She slid herself off the table and on to her feet, speaking while gesturing with her hands. "All of us have things we regret, things we'd like changed. That's not something I can offer you. As for your concerns, they are valid, but you can learn to control your fears and anger. We've been successful in the past redeeming former followers of the Sith and the darkside, so it is not impossible, nor is it impossible for someone of your age to learn the ways of the Force. A Jedi is never finished learning."

She led the way through the rest of the ship to the cockpit before continuing the conversation. It seemed as if the ship had sustained a bit of damage, but was still seemingly flightworthy. Unfortunately one of her gifts was not piloting, nor was diagnostics reading. There was a reason she rarely took part in space battles. "I don't suppose you're a seasoned pilot or anything? I'm awful with starships." She sat in one of the navigation seats, strapping in as she raised the cargo ramp and sealed the hull. "If it is something you wish to devote yourself to, I would not deny you. But you would have to relinquish that blood hunt. There's a stark difference between upholding the law and bringing those who commit crime to justice, and revenge. The latter is the road that takes you to the dark side." Leaning over to the navicomputer she entered the coordinates for Onderon, and waited to see if Arlan decided to take the pilot's place, and what his thoughts on the idea were.

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Arlan listened intently to Serra as she explained her position and the views of her order, redemption being one of the key factors Arlan chose to hone in on as she did so. There had been a time in his life where he forsook all ill in his heart and laid down his weapon for a peaceful and long lived future, only after his family was attacked had he changed into the sordid being he was today. The only thing that had driven Arlan along up until this point, the only thing that had even kept him alive, was the thought of delivering justice to those whom had wronged him but now he questioned the reason of doing so. Serra offered another way to be redeemed, another path away for the bloodshed and carnage of Arlan's hectic life. He promised his wife he would leave behind his criminal life, and perhaps Serra could give him the chance to do so. As they entered the cockpit of the ship Arlan stopped, thinking for a moment, before nestling into the pilot's seat and beginning to run diagnostics on the vessel.

"I've spent more time in a cockpit than I have on solid ground." Arlan jested, albeit dryly. His mind still preoccupied with Serra's offer. "All engines seemed to be firing, hyperdrive's in good shape. As long as there is no exterior hull damage she can make it to Onderon with no trouble." He continued, moving his hands down to a small screen and typing in the pilot's check. Another flip of a switch and the freighter hummed to life, the sound of the loading ramp closing echoed throughout the hold. "Yeap, she's good to go. We'll be within Republic space in the blink of an eye." Arlan stopped and looked up to Serra, still thinking. This whole event had been something out of a novel. Arlan couldn't, for the first time in his life, truly decided upon a single course of action for his future. With a muffled sigh and the shake of his head Arlan pulled back on a lever in front of him and the freighter hosted itself from the ground. Eyes facing forward Arlan once more began to speak. "I can't promise I'll change, I've been who I am my whole life you know. I want the men that hurt my family dead, but...." Arlan paused, taking a breath before finishing. "I'd like to give your way of doing things a try."

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

So he was a pilot afterall. Fantastic. That would save her the embarrassment of awkwardly pressing buttons and switches to remember which one did which operation, and risk crashing into damn near everything on the way back to Onderon. "Great! I'll leave the important stuff to you then. You don't need me fiddling with things I shouldn't. I am proficient with many things, piloting is most certainly not on that list of achievements." Sera glided two fingers over her forehead. Revenge, anger, and hatred was certainly one of the most dangerous emotions to harbor. She understood the reasoning behind it, and its' motivation, but in order to teach him to follow the light, he would have to release those feelings and desires to act on those who had harmed his loved ones. "I understand the drive to right the wrongs done to you and yours, but if you take this road, you have to find another way of doing so. A Jedi doesn't seek revenge. If you allow yourself to be consumed by your anger, you'll find yourself on a road that is much harder to come back from. I've seen first hand the depths of the corruption within the dark side of the Force."

Pushing the seat back the Twi'lek tossed her legs up onto the empty section of the console in front of her and closed her eyes. She had forgotten just how long she'd been on the planet looking for this ship, and was rather tired. "If you think you can overcome that, then I will see to your training. I can't tell you it will be easy, as it won't be. I can tell you that it is a worthwhile life though. You can help make sure what happened to your family doesn't happen to others. If that is what you want, once we return the ship and cargo to Onderon I will take you to a Jedi temple."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Arlan sat in silence, watching light stream past the viewport as the freighter lurched through hyperspace. The entirety of the trip so far had been consumed with intensive bouts of thought on Arlan's part as he tried to discern his future, but such was not a simple task. On one hand Arlan had nothing left of his family save for their memory and that memory pained him so deeply all he believed would fell it was the death of those whom had wronged him. At the same time though Arlan knew with every fiber of his being that Lorien would want a more peaceful walk of life for him, a life above the pettiness of vengeance. The choice Serra had given him was not one made on the spot, Arlan knew this well, so he had taken great time and care to search his feelings on the matter. As Onderon approached and time grew short Arlan turned to Serra, running a hand through his hair as he did so, and began to speak his piece. He hoped that his reasoning was sound, and his cause just in the eyes of the Jedi.

"I've been a mercenary of some sort since I was old enough to hold a gun. I'm no Stormtrooper but you could easily say I've been programmed to kill." Arlan stopped taking and moment to move closer together Serra's side. Staring into her eyes for a moment before looking towards the ground and continuing. "I gave all that up once for something I thought to be better, I don't regret it either, but I learned something from the whole affair. It's hard to change who you are if your heart's not in it. My heart isn't in anything anymore save for surviving, and that made me think for a while." Pausing, Arlan stood and placed his hand on the back if Serra's chair. "It's time for a change. If I don't I'll end up like those I wanna kill, heartless cowards. I'll join you, your Jedi, if they can help rid me of the pain I feel." Arlan sighed as he finished, and the freighter pulled itself to a stop with Onderon in the distance.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"It will take time, and you'll never forget the past, but you can heal from it. You learn to focus those memories into something bigger. That much is possible. There will be times where you are forced to kill, such as earlier today, but it's not something that you will actively seek out, nor take glory from the deaths of those you strike down. Being a Jedi is a constant internal trial." A bit of philosophy for the uninitiated never hurt. She leaned forward and entered the coordinates for the Onderon military hangar the ship would need to land at to drop off both cargo and vessel, before turning back to Arlan. "I can promise you that if you are looking for a more noble life you would not do better than one as a Jedi. I'm willing to oversee your training if you wish, but I am happy to answer whatever questions you have of me or the Jedi before you make a final decision."

Sera leaned over towards the communications array and entered the Republic's military codes into the console, waiting for a response from the ground. "This is Jedi Master Shel'tah; I am inbound with the hijacked starship FR-360 and full cargo in tact. Requesting permission to land at Hangar 018." There was a few moments of pause, static breaking the silence of the cockpit while they waited for a response. "Roger. Welcome home, Master Jedi. Clearance granted. Hangar 018, Bay 04." The Twi'lek entered the rest of the information into the ship's autopilot and left it to finish the job of landing the craft.

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]

 

[Arlan Zy'rosh]

Their ship pulled to, guided by the autopilot down to the surface of Onderon, prompting Arlan to release the controls and lean back in his chair. As a sense of peace came over him Arlan's mind began to churn with the thoughts of the past, every loss he had suffered, every sordid act he had committed in his short life, all came boiling to the top. Now, here he was with a chance to change his future for the better, something so few ever had the opportunity to do. A wayward eye was cast over to Serra as Arlan considered his options and her offer. For the short time they had known each other Serra had treated Arlan with perfect kindness, something few in this Galaxy did to those they met, and that alone was reason enough for Arlan to blindly dive into her beliefs. Of course Arlan knew not if this was just Serra being herself, or if all Jedi acted in such a manner, but regardless of the case Arlan was convinced. Sighing and turning to her, Arlan began to speak.

"I'm in, whatever it may yield I'm in." Arlan said harshly. "You've shown me there was a way to live in this Galaxy without becoming one of the monsters that run it. You went out of your way to bring a crippled shell of a man along with you, despite the possibility of me hindering your progress. I don't know much about Jedi, or Sith, or whatever else you people are, but if you are willing to do things like that you can't be bad." Arlan stopped, closing his eyes and placing a hand on his injured knee. "If you truly intend to stick your neck out for me and vouch for me, I will do whatever I can to live up to your expectations. I'll be your student, or apprentice, for as long as it takes." Arlan said somberly, the soft hum of the ion-drives kicking in as the cargo freighter softly began it's decent into Onderon's atmosphere.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder with a nod. "Very well then." She looked out of the port window as the ship settled down on the duracrete docking bay beneath them, feeling the soft thud of the landing gear touching down. "Then I suppose the plan is to sign off all of the paperwork that is required for the return of the ship and cargo, and then we can take mine to Ossus." That had always been her favorite place anyway. "It is where I spent most of my life since I was seven, so I know it well. We'll get you acquainted with everything, start your training, and I will take you around to the other Jedi temples as well, if you wish." She had wondered if the man had ever been on a planet as terribly unforgiving as Ilum, where he would need to venture to acquire a crystal for his own lightsaber, when the time came.

"Have you ever been to Hoth, or any other ice planet hell hole?" She held back a bit of laughter. "I only ask because we'll need to go to one in the future, when you are ready to advance your training past the basics." She remembered her own trip to Ilum with her former master Kana Truden. That was quite the adventure, where a pack of Gorgodon's had nearly eaten them both. Ah, the old Padawan days. "Don't worry too much about not knowing things. That will come in due time. I will teach you what you need to know. Let's offload this stuff quickly then, and be on our way."

[member="Arlan Zy'rosh"]