Sand... [SJO Dominion of Pesmenben IV]

[Travot Ravenna]

Objective 1

"Aola, you never told me what happened back on Etti IV. Did Erasmus ever fulfill his end of the bargain?"

A sad smile briefly flickered across the twi'lek's face. She came to a brief halt, though her flowing brown cloak took a little longer to stop until they fluttered over the desert's fine sands. Travot slowly shut his mouth. Did I just touch a sore point? She turned her to face him and rearranged one of her ice blue lekkus as she gazed upon him. The susevfian knew that the gesture probably meant something to another twi'lek, but he was ignorant of the exact subtleties of her species' body language. She waited for a half moment, as if she expected her old friend to know its meaning. Yet he clearly was not picking up on its meaning. He could probe her mind, but that thought seemed uncomely to him. Finally, she briefly glanced toward the sands before lifting up her eyes to meet his emerald-eyed gaze once again.

"He tried to," she said, starting to walk forward again, "but the credits weren't ever there. A little trickle of them came in before he passed. He was trying, and I guess that's always what I wanted from him. I knew that I could always go to him for anything though. That was enough. You know, you're kind of like that too. A good man to have around..."

If only I were not a Jedi...

Travot stepped forward in turn, crushing the soft sand beneath his boots. Was that what this was all about? He'd knew her for almost a half a dozen years, yet he never seen her quite like this. But we're not on the job, and there's no others around, nor any immediate danger...At the moment, he realized that it was probably the first time he had ever had a chance to truly be alone with her. To see the woman in front of him for who she was rather than the quick-talking gunrunner. What was it that his first master used to say? War makes strange bedfellows? The desert wind whipped up a handful of fine, powdery sand and dashed it up against his roughspun tunic. He ignored the weight of that sand and instead savored the current of cooler air against his skin.

"Well, what are friends for..."

Idiot...Could I say anything more banal than that?

She cracked a toothy smile at him, "To listen to my soliloquies and accompany me to strange meetings at ancient temples."

"Yeah, you really haven't told me much about this contact of your's..."

She briefly hesitated, "That's because I don't know him. But he's proven that he knows me. And he knows who you are too..."

Travot could only frown at that thought.

 

[Asaraa Vaashe]

Location: Night Market
Tagging: [member="Zephyr Carrick"]

“It’s that easy huh?” A small smile tugged up the corner of her lips as Asaraa lifted one hand off her glass to pull an errant strand of hair back from her face as she turned a pair of crystal blue eyes onto the man. “So basically, what you’re telling me is, damned if I do, damned if I don’t?” This time the smile was a little broader as the set her glass down, tapping one finger on the rim, a small bubble of water rising up to dance between her fingers. “I get that the force is pretty powerful,” she noted as she let the bubble of water spiral around her wrist one, two, three times before bringing it to a stop just above her glass, “but I’ve always had an issue with the idea that it controls us, manipulates our destiny. Sometimes like this it’s hard to argue,” the pink-haired Jedi’s hand came up to scrub at her face, “it kinda feels like we’re being pulled along whether we want to or not.”

The girl’s eyes danced across to the lightsaber, now stowed back at the man’s belt. “You’re not wrong, we can’t just go around punishing for just touching the dark, we’ve all felt the call, the allure at some time or the other.” Besides, she’d made some friends who had steeped themselves in the dark, but that didn’t make them evil, at least she didn't think it did. “I guess…it comes down to the person themselves, or the artefact doesn’t it?” The knight had been struggling with the idea for a while, but speaking them out loud did make it easier. “Some people touch the darkside for their own reasons, but that’s not wrong in and off itself is it, it’s how they use it. At least that’s what I feel is right,” a wry smile touched Asaraa’s lips. “I’m not sure how my old masters would react if they heard that. Probably not too happily. I just, can’t find it in myself to judge someone who goes with their gut, their emotions. At least if they’re trying to do for themselves, to help people in their way. But the people who just want to hurt people, to amass power for themselves, well that’s just wrong and I’ll stop them, or try to…I’ve not exactly had huge amounts of luck doing that so far,” she admitted wryly. “I’m not gonna let that stop me,” she hurried to assure him, “It’s just…sometimes life isn’t as…easy to figure out what’s right and wrong as I’d like.” Josh had shown her the importance of being true to her own code of honour, but finding a way to make that work under the pressure was something the Jedi was struggling with, but then, that was something they all did right? It was perhaps the core of what separated the Jedi from the Sith, that need to examine the world and your actions, to not just impose our will on the galaxy.

 

[Echob Krirgo]

OBJECTIVE: II​

​

They had arrived. ​

​

Nervousness and excitement both filled Echob as he and Cassius closed in on the pirate base. There were definitely pirates inside, as evidenced by the commotion within the cave. They seemed to be loading crates of the artifacts onto a ship, likely to take elsewhere. Echob would have to act fast.

Following the older Jedi's lead, Echob charged into the cave. Despite being slower than his legged counterpart, Echob could still compensate. Instead of engaging the pirates in hand-to-hand combat, he used the Force to pull the crates out of the hands of the pirates, one by one, and then drop them off about ten meters closer to the two Jedi. Then, he drew his green lightsaber and entered a defensive stance.

"Stop, and no one will get hurt!" yelled Echob.

[member="Cassius Droma"]​

 

[Hero Aetherescene]

Objective 1
The Lightsaber Forge

Persephone waited a moment in the foyer watching the beauty around her and feeling grateful for being able to witness something as lovely and ancient as this. On Coruscant everything was new, even the older buildings were resurfaced, the infrastructure was replaced out and everything was sparkling and kept modern. But this place had not been touched or changed by sentient hands in millennia. For a place she had spent every month of her life until the past two or three months, this was a fresh and desired change from the metropolis-planet. The young girl looked shly around the room from under her hood which she had failed to recline, and noticed some figures she'd seen before, and others that were complete strangers. The white haired [member="Kahlil Zambrano"] whom she had met at the beach, he was following an older jedi who led him away toward the pilgrim's path.

She then turned and was surprised to see the cryptic Togruta Jedi Master Ashla Lai, Cassus's Master, approach her. Persephone bowed out of reverence and greeted the Master.

"Master Lai, Cassus didn't tell me to expect you." Persephone wondered.

"You couldn't believe the Red Knight would ever leave you," That was the interesting thing about Master Lai, she always seemed to be answering questions you didn't ask, and phrasing them in ways that made you tilt your head and furrow your brow in reckoning. That's also why Persephone had such admiration for Ashla, she seemed wise beyond a basic comprehension, there had to be a lot to learn from her. The alternative of course was that she was a little mad. . .or maybe both. Either way, Persephone had decided that if Cassus trusted and liked her, so had she.

Ashla studied Persephone for a while and then said, "Follow me sweet child."

Persephone followed her through the foyer into halls with stone walls and round rooms with apertures at the centers of the ceilings into which rays of light bled into the room to shine onto carven symbols on the ground. A sun dial of some sort. Persephone was fascinated with it all and wished she had time to pause and study it, but Ashla walked with no rush in her gait.

They finally ended their journey in another round stone chamber, the stone ceiling was cut through with intricate patterns, the part of the ceiling that remained hung strings of crystals. Ashla noticed Persephone looking as they twinkled in the sunlight.

"Observe closely," she instructed. Persephone thought she knew what the suggestion was. The crystals skewered on the skinny transparent strings were lightsaber crystals of all colors and kinds. Ashla just let her soak in the beauty, the refracted light they shun down on the sand-stained floors that had flown in through the open ceilings.

At the center on the ground there was a round black tufted cushion with gold trim and in a semi-circle around that was a desk with every material imagined on it. Lightsaber lenses, focuses, power cells, of course Persephone could only guess at these. To the right there was a workbench, but it looked more like an ancient forge. And standing next to it at attention was a robed Selkath Jedi.

"The fruit of your trials on Vandor?" Ashla asked, holding out her hand.

Persephone went through her robes and found the crystal where she last left it in her jacket pocket. She took it out and stared at it longingly, mesmerized, uncertain if she should give it up. She didn't want to, she didn't know why she feared she wouldn't get it back. She finally put it in the alien's hand.

"Rare, from an era at the beginning of creation." She noted as she stroked it with her free hand like it was a feline. "Cassus informs me you wear something around your neck? Something stolen. . ."

Persephone's alabaster skin went pink with surprise, shocked for several reasons. One, she had never thought Cassus would notice that she wore that chain, she tried to keep it hidden in her case, and when she had worn it, under her blouse and cloak she had made it a point to cover it well. She was equally surprised that they knew she had taken it from her mother's collection without asking. She had taken it as much for her admiration of it all her life as much as it's ability to be sold for a very high price in case she was in a bind.

She pushed back her cloak, jacket, and lowered her shirt, pulling the priceless metal over her head, not knowing what else to do. As before, she struggled to hand it over. Ashla took it in her other hand.

"The offerings are made. . ." She walked over and placed the two items on the desk, along with the countless other equipment. Persephone gulped.

"I take my leave now," She continued. "Master Shaelas will intruct you further." Ashla left the nervous Persephone behind with this stranger.

 

[Klesta]

Objective: Night market
Allies: SJ

"After all I heard about the Xi Charrians and their ergonomics degree programs, I don't think I can stay in school this long"

"If you instead wish to become an ergonomic assessor quickly, there are shorter alternatives: clients usually aren't that discerning when it comes to the assessors' qualifications outside of Charros"

"When I did my training as an ergonomic assessor, I followed an intensive program, together with Klesta, when we bought the ergonomic assessment business. It takes two weeks or so, it covers the bases of ergonomics but it doesn't go in as much depth in biomechanics or physiology as the Xi Charrians"

Even though Klesta was the public face of ergonomic assessments across the galaxy, he himself doesn't have that much knowledge of physiology and biomechanics, nor did Tiffany. However, some of his underlings, especially the Xi Charrians, had it even though some of them were occupational or physical therapists that tried to redeem themselves from malpractice. It was understandable that the freedman wanted to perform ergonomic assessments as soon as was possible, and potentially with as little cost, opportunity or otherwise, as possible. In short, Tiffany could understand that it took the two of them a while to even get to perform ergonomic assessments: he and the rest of the management that was extant back then had to start navigating a wholly new landscape that was nearly completely foreign before they could even think of turning around the ergonomic assessment business they bought. That, even though it meant they had to learn how to perform ergonomic assessments before the rest could fully get on board their plan to take the galaxy by storm.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Objective: Make the pilgrimage to the temple
Nearby: [member="Gherron Dragonsflame"]

"Right." Kahlil nodded to his master as he spoke. He wasn't sure what else he could say, especially with the admission from Gherron. Heart to hearts weren't exactly his forte after all. He followed along silently, glancing along the path as they walked. It was.. A long one, the journey. He felt oddly tired as time went on, most likely a side effect of the pilgrim path itself. A trial within a trial.

For a brief moment he felt eyes on him, filling him with a silent dread. The Sith had found him before, how could they not again? He glanced over his shoulder and saw [member="Persephone Shan"] for the quick look she gave his way, and he let the fear escape him. He gladly took the bread from his master, tearing into it eagerly. The young man was surprisingly hungry after all of that.

"How.. Long have you not been a Jedi?"

 

[Aida Aquila]

Objective 1: Pilgrimage

Aida approached the altar and knelt. She reached out and plucked a long stick of fragrant incense, she brought it up to smell before dipping the end into the flame of a candle. Quite lovely. Once the incense began to smoke, she placed the end into a sand-filled container, so that it could stand upright. Watching as the inky smoke rose into the air, Aida felt a tremendous sense of peace.

For a brief moment, her eyes came to rest on the large meditation crystal that graced the altar.

A soft smile formed on her lips as she closed her eyes and silently paid her respects. After a few long moments, she rose gracefully and began to wind her way out of the main chamber. She stepped delicately around floor pillows, upon which meditating Jedi sat in quiet reflection.

Her blue eyes fell upon a bearded figure near the entrance to the chamber. The man, the elder, gave her a steady nod and dipped low into a bow, so that his long facial hair nearly touched the floor.

“Greetings, elder.” Aida spoke softly, bowing in return. “Thank you for welcoming the Silver Jedi, we do appreciate the chance to see your magnificent temple.”

“And we thank you for coming, our doors are always open.”

Despite the calm aura and tranquil surroundings, Aida could tell that the elder was troubled. She remembered their conversation they had shared prior to meeting, many of their artifacts had been stolen. Indeed, he had made it clear that they did not covet them as material things – but rather the story they told, the history they held. It was deeply meaningful to them.

“I can assure you the Order will do their best in order to ensure the safe return of your artifacts.” She said, offering the man an encouraging smile.

 

[Travot Ravenna]

"Knows who I am too..." repeated Travot.

He knows that I'm a failed Jedi Knight? Ravenna briefly considered that thought. No, he wasn't a failure, but he felt like he hadn't accomplished anything truly worthy of note. He knew that comparing himself to others would undoubtedly lead him the dark side with enough rumination and time, yet nonetheless he couldn't help but feel a little empty inside. What legacy would the man leave behind? Sure, he fought in battles and given to those in need as he could, but hadn't millions of others? Hadn't millions of non-jedi accomplished the same things despite their lack of his gift? What would cause anyone to pay attention to me? He pressed his lips together in a thin line.

"I'm starting to really not like this idea."

"Why's that?"

"It seems like whoever this is is holding all the cards."

"That's why we're meeting him, to try and at least get something on him. You're a Jedi right? Surely you can find something out by meeting him..."

Likely true, but not at all reassuring. We may find something that we do not like. But ignorance isn't really bliss in the end, is it? Travot debated revealing these thoughts to Aola, but the twi'lekk seemed content to silently continue trudging towards the ancient temple. Travot could see its outline rising up over the desert's horizon. We're this far out. There's no point in turning back now I suppose. He briefly closed his eyes and meditated on the currents of the Force. There weren't as many lifeforms on Pesmenben IV to distract him with their emotions, and those emotions present were largely the same: peace and contentment. Travot sorely wished that that was what he was experiencing now. As he probed the general aura around the temple, he brushed up against the presence of several other Force-users in the immediate vicinity. None seemed to a threat to him, but their presence only served to fuel his discomfort with his lack of achievements. Aola's sing-song voice broke through his reverie.

"Travot, we're here. Our contact will be wearing a gray cloak with a crossweave of blue thread."

An odd color choice for a desert dweller. Unless he's not from around here. As they passed through the temple's threshold, he noticed that there were indeed a sizable amount of pilgrims who clearly weren't from the immediate area, at least based on their clothing. Travot found himself surprised that he didn't see a gray cloak among them, but half a dozen gray cloaks. As his head swiveled to scan another antechamber, he abruptly found himself pressing against Aola's stopped body. He followed her gaze upwards to find himself making eye contact with a middle-aged man wearing a slight smile and torn gray cloak with blue crossweaves. Aola stuttered and frantically turned her eyes to the jedi.

"But how this can be? I saw his ship explode in front of my eyes five months ago...I...I was so certain..."

But Travot continued to stare intently into the other man's eyes, yet he found no hint of malice or deceit. If anything, Ravenna sensed deep shades of worry and regret splotched hints of shame. Travot looked up and down the man's body once more, noting that the other man still wore the same khaki canvass pants and white long-sleeve shirt that he had last seen him in; back when both of them were fixing up the other man's ship, the Corellian Skate for another run through an imperial blockade. Travot slipped past Aola and several other pilgrims to approach the disgraced cop. Travot's mouth slowly opened up, yet he could only utter only a few weak words:

"Erasmus, what have you done?"

 

[Bushi Nadora]

Location: Night Market
Tag: [member="Kirat Raithe"]

There was a reason why Daerian had asked the question.

Made total sense from his side of things.

As a Thyrsian it had always been expected from him to follow the same path. One of battle, of war, of the eternal fight. He had picked differently. Choosing a way of academics. The numbers called to him, where the blood never had. Of course, Kirat couldn't know any of that. "Indeed? Perhaps one does not need more than 'acceptable', as long as it provides, yes?" Part of him felt a bit disappointed and that could be seen on his expression.

Which might serve to confuse her even more.

"Ah, I am not in the ship-making business." Leading in further, before she could protest. "Kuat Drive Yards makes ships, yes, but I am in the numbers business. In truth I could be selling gears, fruity drinks or flowers- the meaning of the numbers do not change, only their quantity."

Getting more comfortable here. Eyes gleaming as the idea of numbers was inserted into the conversation.

"Have you always wanted to be a mercenary, a soldier of fortune, miss Raithe? Or did that come later for you."

 

[Cassius Droma]

Objective: 2 – Recover artifacts
Tags: [member="Echob Krirgo"]

The pirates did not heed the Hutt Jedi’s warning. Instead, the moment they saw the tell-tale bright light of the weapon of the Jedi, they opened fire. Cassius was already blocking blaster bolts in mid-air, coming down on his arc and hitting the first pirate in the chest. His boots landed onto the loose ground, kicking up sand everywhere. It served as a momentary distraction as Cassius continued to work through them, cutting down the second and third pirate.

Crouching for a moment behind a crate to reevaluate the situation, he flinched ever so slightly as blaster bolts pinged off of the crate. Looking over, he saw a box that was different than the others – not armored like the ones no doubt being used to transport the Jedi artifacts. Gripping it with the Force, he hurled it at a pair of pirates, knocking them off of their feet.

Vaulting over the crate he was hiding behind, Cassius moved his saber in a wide arc, blocking a wave of bolts coming at him. He knocked down another pirate before jumping and side flipping over another, hitting him in the back with his lightsaber. More of the pirate crew came, wielding larger blasters, while some even had vibro-weapons. Even the small crew of the transport came out to try and fight them back, but they were no match for the two Jedi.

Finally, the last pirate fell to the ground, and Cassius’s lightsaber blade retreated into its silver hilt. Breathing only slightly labored, he looked around at their handiwork. Raising his comm, Cassius sent a signal to the Silver Jedi ship in orbit: Artifacts secured.

 

[Garza]

Objective: Night Market, And Stick with others
Location: Market
Nearby: [member="Asaraa Vaashe"],

That easy? In theory yes. It could have been that easy. To just let go and understand that what happens, is part of life. However, the problem with all beings of the universe, is that there is order. A set code by which they follow. Should that code be broken, it is Chaos. Changing the code, changing against this order is chaos. Even if it is an evolution for the betterment of whatever this change is. People hate change. It means something new and strange. Something that you cannot know the consequences to.

That is why so many Jedi and Sith have died over the years. Unable to accept that change is good, and that it may, just may become better than what they are. Even if it happens to break their code. She was unsure how she felt with this. Her mind wanting to stick to the code that her mentors taught her, and ingrained to her mind. However, she could see the reasonable application of such code in life. How just because someone had touched the darkness, flirted, or even became one with it, could still be understood with why they chose such actions. Why they felt it was necessary.

"Nations, Factions, and Orders will rise and fall. You may see some of these happen. Much as I have. Much as my father has. However, it is up to you, what do do with what you are taught. Is it right for you to kill someone for touching the darkness, or would it be better to sympathize with them, and see that they are returned to a more natural state? That is up to you in the moment of the decision."

She didn't know what she felt was right or wrong. And that is why the Jedi and the Sith were always in conflict. They were always right, with the other side being always wrong. Imposing their wills, and ideals onto others, when instead, the difference in the two religions should be celebrated for how they can work separately, just as much as they can together. The Jedi Code, The Sith Code, the Dark Jedi Code? All of these have aspects of one another than when implemented at once, could bring about a better society. Yet, they still argued.

I felt the Jedi were closer to the truth than the Sith. Recent forms of their empires were all about owning, and destroying what they couldn't have. When it should be preservation, and the aid of others who even may be against your own ideals. That is what made answering the question I posed to this Knight, so difficult. So I would answer a single portion for her.

"Life is never going to always be white and black. Sith and Jedi. Left or Right. Past or Future. Accept the past for what it is, live in the present, but prepare for the future. Even if you were to complete all of these, and do everything right, you can still fail. That is how life is. It treats everyone in a fair manner. Even if that manner is unjust, and unfair at times. How you react to this life, is what determines right and wrong."

I smiled a little deeply at this thought. Oh how the time has passed for me. How I wished my father would see me teaching the very same lesson he taught me before I made my leave of the Order of the Silver Jedi. However, quite ironic that it was taught while I left the order, and I passed on the same lesson during my attempt to rejoin. Waving my hand off to the side with a light grin at the girl.

"Think on this later. I do not wish to spoil you day with mental quandaries that have taken eons to understand. Drink up, smile at the sky, and rest easy today. You have a life ahead of you to venture and explore. Take time to smell the roses, if you will."

 

[Syd Celsius]

Seven hours ago:

"So this Howard guy..." Raine Starstraggler, an infamous pirate with the death sentence in twelve systems, trailed. He had his hair arranged in elaborate spikes and the malevolence in his red eyes was matched by the malevolence traced into dark blue skin, a thousand scars and a bent nose. He was clad in some vintage massassi battle armor that covered an enlarged muscular frame, the light combat suits design specifics having long since ceased to be a secret to the galaxy at large. He was seated in the pilot chair, the old heavy frieghter from Corellia, and he was next to the droid merc in the other seat, a heavily modified magnaguard droid that had gotten too independent one day, and killed its master. It was named Neckbreaker.

"Yes? What of him?" The Droid asked, its synthetic growl echoing in the small cockpit.

"He's not like your usual pirates, I heard. Heard he survived a fight with one of those One Sith Inquisitors..."

"That...is no easy feat..." the droid confessed. "How did he do it?"

"They say he's seen nearly every trick in the book...that's why they picked him..."

"I heard he's a walking doom magnet" said Emma, the youngest pirate on the team, a woman of Haruun Kal origin, clad in dark leather armor, armed with a vibromace, her hair done in one long black braid, studded with jewels. She was tall and muscular herself, a veteran of a hundred ship to ship raids. They were all the most vicious, dangerous sorts they could find on such short notice. The Jedi guarding their payday was said to be that dangerous.

"I've heard thousands of people have tried to kill him, to no avail..." Emma explained, hand resting on her mace.

"So he's a badass...right...nice to know..." Raine complained. "So they put him in charge of all of us just because he happened to be the last one standing a couple of times? Gimme a break.

"Careful..." the droid warned. "He'll hear you..."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, front and center!" Howard called out from the main hold, already suited in his thermal resistant space suit, which looked gold chromed from faceplate to suit layer. He was armed with a large vibro-cutlass, a stun baton, and extraordinarily powerful fifty caliber revolver with vented barrels as well as a tranq gun. They were all armed with tranq guns. Howard didn't want to kill anyone taking the ship. Not out of mercy...Jedi could sense suffering and death. No death or suffering, less chance of detection.

The three gathered in the hold. The chiss man had Howard's eye in particular...he chafed taking orders. Ordinarily Howard would have refused to work with him based on that alone...but there simply no one else as qualified available.

"I still think this plan is fething suicide." Raine said, eyeing Howard suspiciously. "C'mon, blasting our own ship to hell right as the transport arrives? And then praying they'll have an attack of conscience and look for survivors?"

"They're Silver Jedi, they'll go for it..." Howard assured Raine. "They're gullible like that...okay, does everyone have the plan?"

"Once the ship is in range, be picked up as a survivor during the sweep. Neckbreaker uses the distraction to attach a emp device to the hull itself, take out their power and communications temporarily. You and Raine slip aboard, by cutting your way into the hull..." Emma answered.

"You do know if this goes south..." the Droid spoke, "We're adrift..."

"It won't..." Howard assured them. "They always wanna play hero...always. Can't help themselves."

"It's also a nice way of knocking us off to get our pay for yourself, Howard." Raine sneered.

Howard did a deliberately sensual jiggle solely to irritate him. "Well I guess you'll just have to be the best and not die, won't you?"

Raine snorted at this, but said nothing at this but said nothing else.

"Get your suits on. We scuttle this ship in twenty."

"What do we do for heavy weapons?" Neckbreaker asked.

"With as much bullion as these guys were about to take aboard? Trust me, They'll have heavy weapons." Howard assured them in jolly voice.

The others looked at each other and shrugged.

"I have done way crazier chit than this." Howard emphasized. "We'll be fine...as long as you follow the plan to the letter."

Fifteen minutes later...

Clad in reflec coated space suits, with the exception of Neckbreaker, the four depressurized the ship by opening the hatch, the four attached by cable.

Black space greeted them as they went adrift, watching their ride go adrift. Howard, in front of the line, held the trigger and sent the signal, just as he watched the other frieghter, heavily armed and armored, drop out of hyperspace. Emma was the only one unarmed.

The Frieghter sent a distress signal just as it blew. Howard used the special microthrusters on his suit's arms to manuver into the debris field, picking the largest chunks, cutting themselves adrift from Emma to hide by the largest chunks. Emma activated her distress beacon just before it blew, while the others had to contend with, in addition to hiding, very fast moving pieces of ship shrapnel. Howard had to carefully maneuver another chunk from behind them to avoid razor sharp pieces of ship. Howard watched with a rangefinder, a piece of shrapnel gliding by him, the other frieghter shining lights on the adrift woman.

Howard used his arm jets to steer the shrapnel they hid behind under the ship hull and drifted from their hiding object, attaching to the hull, where Neckbreaker attached the rectangular EMP generator to the hull as a very low powered tractor beam towed Emma in.

"Okay, droid, do it!" Howard order, launching off the hull at the same time he and Raine did.

An azure surge of energy took out the ship power, and the three steered onto the hull towards an airlock, where Howard used a plasma torch to cut open the lock, sliding it open then sealing it once everybody was inside, then proceeding to cut open the other lock, their magboots clicking to the floor as gravity had been taken out. Everyone took out their silenced tranq rifles and proceeded to sever the cable attachments to one another, going in through a darkened vessel, past what looked to be engineering, and shooting the first three officers yelling and floating helplessly in mid air, pulling their unconscious bodies down and securing them to railing close to the ground.

"Remember, same drill with everyone you meet. Emma, you good?" Howard whispered into his link.

"Med bay and comms our ours, moving to secure cargo section..." Emma answered.

"Move. Search and clear. There are only twenty eight people aboard. This ship is only three times the size of a Corellian YT. It will be completely ours in five minutes, understood?" Howard asked. The others nodded and began the rapid clearing process...

Twenty minutes later....

After gaining control of the frieghter, Howard had disguised himself as one of the Soldiers sent to escort the transfer of bullion from the wreck, dressed now in blue and black garb with heavy chest armor, his face uncovered and clean shaven, hair trimmed and combed. This would be the most difficult phase of the objective.

But Howard had experience ambushing enemy personnel, even Force Adepts. It was all a matter of forcing out doubt and malice. Hiding it.

Howard readied the heavy slugthrower assault rifle he had found. Emma was equipped with the chaingun they had found. Neckbreaker had seized control of piloting and was heading down to the planet surface, while Raine was drawing the strange symbols of odd, crooked looking red runes in a strange, glowing blue chalk.

"What is this stuff?" Raine asked, eyeing the old man who cleaned up surprisingly well as he sheathed his vibro cutlass with obvious suspicion. Howard did not carry himself like other pirates. He didn't curse. Didn't get drunk or do drugs. Didn't pick fights for no reason. Screamed military bearing. The ease and swiftness with which he had directed them spoke much on how often he had done this. Raine's own dad had been in the military. Used to tell him all these scary stories about encountering enemy units dressed as friendlies, with flawless knowledge of the other side's tactics and habits. Raine realized Howard was very, very dangerous. Crazy also, but dangerous.

"Supreme victory consists of winning before having to fight in the first place, Sonny..." Howard answered with a grin, going over to examine his work, noting Raine, however distrustful he was, could clearly focus when he had to.

"The key to supreme victory is manuevering the enemy into a position of vulnerability..." Howard explained, crouching down to examine the wards.

"That chalk you got there..." Howard explained. "Nightsister stuff. Bought it off one. Take some chalk, infuse it with spirit ichor, curse it with blood magic, write the proper wards down, and let the enemy walk into it. Weakens them badly.

"What if she doesn't want to come aboard?" Raine asked.

"We adjust. I have a back up plan..." The Pirate answered. Stay in that space suit and keep that shotgun you found happy. Cut the ship lights when you see her approach...your timing must be perfect." Howard warned the chiss.

"Ehh, relax..."

Howard snorted, rose as the ship landed.

"Remember, hide your intent like I showed you. Think about something, anything other than what you are doing...she'll have trouble reading your intent that way.

Emma, who had concealed her features underneath a helmet with an opaque face shield turned to Howard. "How deadly is this Jedi?"

"Definitely not human...so be ready for anything..." Howard answered. "Look alive, People!"

Seven hours later...

Syd, still warped by what she had been exposed to, sneered as she felt the mental presence of [member="Wu Yeoh-Mei"] reach out. She was very far away. Syd had not even known she was on the planet, or even in the area. She would not stop her from taking revenge on the pirate. She would roast that pirate, cook him in his own juices.

Her limits prevented her from replying back with telepathy, but Wu was going to get hurt if she got too close. Syd had no control, absolutely none.

That relic had freed her.

Syd thought she spotted Howard fleeing into an upper deck, towards the ancient hangar of the Sith vessel. She flew at a shadow at high speed, screaming for blood, the heat she emitted crisping the ancient paint still on the walls as she passed by it.

"HOWARD!" Syd screamed. "HOWARD! SHOW YOURSELF AND DIE QUICKLY!"

 

[Wu Yeoh-Mei]

[member="Syd Celsius"]

(that was awesome Maple)

Wu could feel something and she was reaching out. Syd was different and she could be felt in the force differently as Wu focused the force. She hadn't really figured out what she was but she sent the message and feeling for the woman to think and break through it. Whatever she was going through left a cold feeling gripping her heart before the jedi master focused on the force. 'Remember who you are.' She was sending as much calming energies as she could and moving into the area when the scarf gleamed in the force letting her move faster and her body reach peak capability. She moved quickly as the force went into her muscles.

The she was moving quickly with a look of determination on her face. sliding itno the room as she held a hand out and her saber was in it deactivated. If Syd was too far gone she couldn't kill her but she couldn't let her slaughter people... the jedi master needed to think fast in terms of what she would really do. Fighting Syd last time had proven dangerous as evenw ith low settings a contact made the woman's skin eject a flame that was like soemthing from a vahla... that actually might be helpful.. one of their pyrokinesis specialist like the shapers they befriended and the few vahla who didn't want to be in the ember with the one sith.

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

Nearby: [member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

If Gherron was starting to tire, he hid it well. The two still had a little bit to go, and the sun wasn’t getting any cooler. He took a cloth from his pocket and wiped the sweat heading on his forehead, then draped it over the back of his neck. That was when Kahlil asked a question he hadn’t quite thought about in some time. Though he didn’t remember specifically telling him he wasn’t a full-fledged Jedi, he answered anyway.

”It’s really only been about five or six years, but being a Jedi feels like a lifetime ago. I left because at the time, I didn’t feel like I belonged. I couldn’t keep the promise to myself that I’d made when I became a padawan. And now... I’m much different from what the Jedi would classically teach. I don’t exactly agree with them on everything nowadays. But I’ll still help out where I can.”

As he spoke, Gherron felt a small weight lift from him. He had never really spoke about that topic with anyone, not even Josh. Funny how his student would pose such a question. ”What brought you into the order, Kahlil?” He knew the boy had a dark past; he could sense the darkness within him, especially when he was distressed. This was a journey though; might as well learn a bit more about each other on the way.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"I, ah. Well. Someone I met at a cafe told me to join the Silver Jedi. I was a spacer at the time. Finally free of my father's shadow, well. Figuratively at the time. No goal, no cause. They said I could.. Change. Help the Galaxy. And I decided that they were right." It was a whim for the young man to come to the Jedi. Not that he regretted it. Kahlil had met some of his best friends among the Jedi. Kahlil stayed close to [member="Gherron Dragonsflame"] , already sweaty himself. How could he not be? While he had been training to be physically stronger, that was it. Training.

"I don't regret it."

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

”And you shouldn’t regret it. The Silvers are good people. Put your mind to it, and you can do a lot of good for the less fortunate out there.”

The answer somewhat surprised Gherron, but he was glad to know Kahlil was looking toward the right path. As he pondered his own path with the order, the temple finally came into view, an immensely tall structure carved into the side of the face of the cliffside. Looking up at the opening, he resisted the temptation to whistle in surprise. This was a sacred place. As they got closer to the entrance though, something told him that their journey was only beginning.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Objective 3
Allies: [member="Riamah"]
Post: 3

Josh was... Really happy to be able to spend time with his family. Yes, this was his family now. Ra and Jason. His family. it was... Nice, really. He felt whole again. He didn't know if he'd be able to tell Ra that, but with her and Jason he felt whole, for real and for true. Though he was also thinking about how this marketplace may give ideas for how to expand on that business they had been working on in the last few years... Though that was in the back of his mind, nothing more. For the time being, today was about Ra and Jason,

"See anything you guys like?" Josh would ask the two. "Ra, darling, if you see anything of interest, don't feel shy to mention it. I know Jason won't" He remarked with a laugh. Jason was just awe-struck by all of it. The five year-old saw a lot of things, a lot of things he didn't know were things. He didn't know where to start.

"Daddy, what's that?" Jason would ask, pointing to a thing that Josh would then answer what the thing was. Soon enough, another "Daddy, what's that?" would soon follow and the pattern would repeat itself.

 

[Riamah]

Objective: 3
Allies: [member="Josh Dragonsflame"]
Post: 3

She might be looking at this with too much of a business mind and not seeing the beauty that was actually involved in the work around them. It took Josh and Jason talking to her and interacting with each other to draw her out of her shell. Shaking her head slightly as if to get some cobwebs out of her eyes, she looked at Josh for a moment and then at the market around them.

"It has been a while since I picked up something for myself hasn't it? I'm not sure what I want though."

As she really thought about it, the last time she had something made for her was just after she had met Josh and had a bounty on her head. Not letting him in on the trouble at the time, she had faked her death within certain circles and people and had kept herself away from him until that cleared. It was then she had a suit of armor made that made her look like a droid. She had worn that on almost all the missions she had been on with Josh. Now she didn't have a price on her head, she could get something she liked and not what she needed.

Looking around, she was drawn to some of the jewelry stands and started looking at bracelets. Holding up two she liked, she looked at the two of them.

"Which do you think is better?"

One was silver with blue gems and the other was gold with green gems.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"I really hope I don't. Out of all the things I want to do, helping people of my own will is the one that's true to my heart." Kahlil nervously scratched his chin as he spoke. It might of been too much information to be handing out. The young man was still trying to figure out what it was to be open to others. But if there was anyone to try and open up to, it would be [member="Gherron Dragonsflame"] , his master.

They were almost to the temple though. He could see it. Feel it. The Force was strong here, in a peaceful way. One that he appreciated. "What are we to do here?"

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Objective 3:
Post 2
Allies: [member="Riamah"]

"Hey, no harm in that. Let's see what's there and see what happens" He remarked with a laugh in response. The three would make their way through the stands until something caught Ra's interest. Josh would entertain Jason while she made her decision, but she had appeared to decide to send it to the choir instead. When she would ask which of the two would be better, Josh examined them a moment before thinking of something that he had said to her once before. So he would point to the one with the gold and green, making note of said green.

"That one's more your color. It's got something resembling the rosemary I told you about before" He cracked in turn, shooting her a cheeky grin. Jason stared at it a moment, but the child had no interest in jewelry aside from it looking pretty. He looked around the stalls a bit more curiously. "I wonder if they happen to sell any children's toys or items..."