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Whether to celebrate, remember or mourn, ceremonies and events like this were something he always avoided. He didn't like crowds, he didn't like attention and everything just felt too loud to him. But knowing what it was about, and knowing what it meant to Briana made it a lot easier for the Marine to show up. Dressed appropriately and without showing much of himself on entry, he had found a quiet place at the side of the crowd that listened to the speeches.
Perhaps he could have been on the stage there with his girlfriend and her family, but it didn't feel right to draw any attention to himself. Not after what happened to Naboo and what was going on within the Sal-Soren family.
Hopefully, he'd get a chance to talk to Briana soon.
Until then, he kept quiet and to himself, while he listened to her speech and watched closely. With her, he spotted SID-10S "Sid"
, the droid she had recently gotten to work — the droid Aiden loved to mess with whenever he could. Right now though, he just let it remain close without being difficult, so it could protect and support her.
"I probably should go up there..." he sighed, and waited to see if Briana would notice him, so he could at least offer a wave, and a softer smile that showed how proud he was of her.
Naboo was a world Judah had long ignored. It was a difficult place to return considering it was where his wife had died. The Jedi took the body of his late wife and laid it to rest in the foothills of her beloved Coronet Peak. He had found their old compound, and while he did nothing to rebuild it, the Jedi knew that would always be more home to her than any other place. It was where they shared happy memories. Naboo was not that place for Judah. It would always be the place where she was lost to him.
His return was not for himself, but rather the Jedi. His investigations into the New Way pointed him in a direction he had been afraid to vocalize without enough evidence. His nephew would be devastated to know of the connection, if it was indeed true, but he did not know that it was. Judah would head to the ruins of the estate to see what he could dig up or find. Maybe there was something which would shed some light on his current dilemma.
For now, he hoped Justice had taken his advice. The young Jedi needed to focus on his upcoming wedding, not the whims of a friend that only seemed to call on him when she needed something. Judah had learned that illegitimate one son and the hard way later.
Baros had already pulled to a stop as his mind raced to process of events. No surprise that she should be nearby. Given her association with his son, Baros rather suspected they never parted ways. Brandyn had always been a little over protective. Or was it her?
"You really don't want to do this, Miss Elyance," Baros said, placing the case down beside him, and lifting his hands up again. They were already garnering more attention than he desired. Eyes flitted about nervously as he contemplated how every delay was furthering the possibility that Teyla would slip through his fingers again.
"You are the smartest dumb person I've ever met."
"And you...have an annoying habit of being between me and my objectives," he hissed, mostly to himself.
She was stubborn. He admired that. The way she had clearly pursued Brandyn and gotten his affection later in their lives was admirable. Though he suspected Brandyn had offered little resistance. The boy was a hopeless romantic. That much had been ascertained since finding his name initials scrawled with the initials of another on several trees in the Estate. BS + CE.
Baros' head tilted in acknowledgement.
She was right. His purpose had made him stupid.
To his surprise though, and a pleasant surprise, she allowed him to get into the speeder. The case was scooped up again, and swiftly placed in the back before she could protest. With the command to drive, he obeyed without hesitation. She was certainly an obstacle to his objective, but one that could be overcome later. For now, he was heading in the right direction. That was better than he had hoped.
"I understand," he said, through teeth he only just noticed he was clenching.
There was an attempt at relaxing, but it failed miserably. Even as the speeder hurtled along at speeds that were slightly illegal, Baros' mind began to race. How would he lose her? Or could she be of use? Two were better than one? But then he did not allow Brandyn to risk himself. Why should he let Cybelle? Why not? She was not family...
"They have my wife," finally said, sometime after an awkward pause. He was pretty sure she had figured that out. But it was best to not assume when a life you held dear was in the balance.
He didn't say anything for a time. Would he enlist Cybelle's help? Risking her life in the process? It was a Jedi's way to save the innocent, and especially their own. Teyla was both of these things. And yet, Baros found it difficult. Even as he cast a brief assessing glance towards the young Jedi in the passenger seat, he began to acknowledge who she had grown to become. Teyla had been so much like her when she was younger. While he had played detective in search of the Thistlebark Killer all those many years ago, Teyla had pursued the killer with a righteous fury. He saw that same...righteous fury...in Cybelle now.
I'm sorry, Brandyn. I was a fool.
Escaping a Jedi was no easy feat. But one he would willingly attempt should he lean the way of protecting her as he had his son.
The syringe was placed down on the matt again. She didn't need to breath, but let out a huff of air nonetheless. It was a human response she had picked up, or was it programmed? She would contemplate the nature or nurture of this habit another time. Reaching up, she cracked open the one window on her side of the room. It was only open enough to let the faintest crack of light through. Mostly it had been opened to allow the sound from outside to enter into the room. This was another request from her master. He wished for Sal-Soren to know the place of her death.
Through the window filtered the last words of Briana's speech over the speaker system. The sounds of thousands of Nabooians mingling within the Estate grounds washed over both women. Ariadne picked up a statue from behind a dusty old crate. As she stepped into the light, the semblance of the goddess Shiraya was clearly seen.
"I am not sure I will ever understand the human compunction for love despite all the pain associated with finding and then keeping it," she said softly while turning the statue over in her hands and staring at its every detail, "remarkable craftsmanship. Would you say...like love...that it is the imperfections of the art that make it more perfect?"
The statue was placed down on the floor in front of Teyla. Perhaps some prayer would do her good in the last moments of her life.
The syringe was again taken to hand, and Ariadne turned back calmly towards her prisoner.
"If Baros would a well intentioned man. You would have found a way to keep him in your life. You made your stance on his actions very clear. I heard how you spoke to him..."
Airbubbles were removed from the syringe.
Ariadne knelt before Teyla and held her arm still. Just in case the lower and upper arms straps were not enough.
"...this syringe contains Thistlebark. I was told you would appreciate the irony."
The system had worked well. Few of the targets had awoken during administration of the virus and the transport between locations. Now that they had awakened, they found themselves disconcerted by their memory loss and sudden appearance on the Ee'Everwest Estate. That alone would create a sense of paranoia. The rest, well that was the whole point of the exercise. If all went well, the virus would spread, and Naboo would become the first planet freed from the curse of the Force.
For the unblessed.
Name: Eira Taro
Species: Human
Gender: Male
Appearance: Eira is a young, determined Padawan with short blonde hair and hazel eyes.
History: He was taken in by the Jedi Order as an infant and has dedicated his life to becoming a Jedi Knight. Eira is booksmart and has a tendency towards abilities that assist other Jedi, especially healing techniques.
Perspiration dripping from his face, Eira woke with a start. He found himself slumped against a tree, on a stone slab bench. The place he saw was unfamiliar. He fought back the fear in his heart, struggling as he might to fulfill his master's teachings. But there was something wrong. Beyond the lapse in his memory. Beyond his unfamiliar surroundings. Something felt off.
Eira coughed. Into his elbow just like he had been taught by his mother as a child. He scrambled to his feet, noting a large man with a familiar face. Someone that he had perhaps not met, but was familiar amongst the whispers of other padawan. He stood, stumbling a little with the fogginess in his mind still clearing.
"Master Jedi!" He called out to the large hulking frame. His voice trembled with uncertainty. Something had changed. Or rather, was changing. He could feel a twitch beginning in his eye.
Name: Rellori
Species: Twi'lek
Gender: Female
Appearance: Rellori has striking green skin and long, flowing lekku. She has a small frame and bright blue eyes.
History: Rellorin grew up in poverty on Ryloth, but was rescued by a group of smugglers as a teenager. She eventually joined their crew and became a skilled pilot and mechanic.
She had been awake for some time now, wondering around the edge of the Estate. How had she got there? What had she drunk the night before? Had her friends not watch her drink closely enough while she was in the refresher? The worst part was that she had picked up a cold.
"Ugh," she said as she snorted back a throatful of muccus. This was not how she wanted to spend her vacation.
At least the scenery was OK.
Still. She felt fidgety. But given she had woken up in a strange location, that seemed reasonable. She just had to find her ship...and figure out what planet she was on.
"Sir!" She said to someone important, there was an edge to voice...a not so subtle instability, "what planet is this?"
Name: Ashe Korr
Species: Mirialan
Gender: Male
Appearance: Ashe has short brown hair and piercing green eyes. He has a scar above his left eyebrow and a muscular build.
History: Jedi Service Corps member. Ashe is a Mirialan with distinctive facial tattoos and green skin. He joined the Jedi Service Corps to help those in need, and is currently working in the AgriCorps.
The hacking cough would not go away. People were walking on the other side of the walkways to avoid him. Not for the first time, one of the Royal Guards on duty had attempted to stop him, but beyond coughing in their face, Ashe had not been easy to detain. In fact, he had started to kick up enough of a fuss in his corner of the garden that people were actively being removed from the area. But not all of them...
"What...looking at me...what..."
He stumbled across the grass embankment. Something was broken. He could feel it. Rather. He couldn't feel it. Something was missing. Everything was missing. He had woken up in this strange place in a full panic.
"Don't look...stop...looking..."
He was hallucinating now. Tuskens outside of Tatooine. It was surreal.
"You...are...not here!" He yelled at the Tusken. His approach towards the 'non-existent Tusken' was one of a man on the warpath.
Name: Vexxar
Species: Trandoshan
Gender: Male
Appearance: Vexxar is a large, imposing figure with dark green scales and piercing red eyes. He has a long snout and sharp teeth.
History: Vexxar was raised on Trandosha and became a renowned bounty hunter. He has a reputation for being ruthless and efficient.
Vexxar had been in full panic mode for the last half hour. So many fragile humans, each with apparent designs to hunt him. He watched them closely. Especially the small ones.
Where was he? Naboo. He was on the filthy wretched, clean Naboo.
Why? He didn't know. But the small ones looked at him with fear, like they knew the truth. He would find out.
How? Clearly, he had been tranquilized. Was he part of a zoo collection? A beast to be admired by the high and might Nabooians?
Vexxar snarled at a bearded man. He seemed extra suspicious. It was the way he walked. He clearly carried weapons. A hunter. Vexxar's eyes watched him closely, despite the constant need to blink. And the constant distractions around him.
Why were people running from him? No. They should fear him.
Vexxar sneezed on the ground, admired it briefly before stumbling towards the man with the grey beard.
Name: Kaela Pel
Species: Human
Gender: Female
Appearance: Kaela is a tall, athletic woman with long black hair and striking blue eyes.
History: She was orphaned at a young age and taken in by the Jedi Order, where she excelled in lightsaber combat and became a Jedi Knight.
Kaela felt herself repeating the words quietly over and over again to herself. For some reason she couldn't sense the enemy. Some ragtag bunch of thugs had jumped her the moment she felt a field of Force nullification watch over her. She had seen the ysalamir that they bore even as she went into the place of dreams and eventually nightmares. They had tricked her.
Snuffling back a sneeze, Kaela pushed through the crowd. Several people protested her erratic and forceful way, a couple received a cough in their face for daring to stop her. For all she knew, they were one of them. She had been tailing The New Way. Yes. She had been tailing them on Chandrila. On Chandrila where the lab had been found. She was close to a discovery. They got her.
Yes, yes, of course that was it. They got her and now she was on...
...why was she on Naboo?
Pushing past a young woman, white of hair, Kaela muttered, "Out of my way...got to find New Way...they are here...yes...they are here."
Ignore the dice roll below. Clearly only works the once. I rolled off site, and kept the first result for you. Enjoy.
Jaa had been back to Naboo a handful of times since the cataclysm but he hadn't come back here. No special reason why. Sure he had practically grown up at this estate but it had never been home. Not truly. He supposed it didnt help that being here forced him to think of the things he most often tried to avoid.
This was the strange new home he was forced to come to as a child instead of staying with his mother and sisters and when they died he had been here. It was here that he watched his dad fall into a pit of depression and drink. He had been nine years old and taking care of himself and his dad so the Sal-Sorens wouldn't learn how bad it had gotten and send them away. Jaa knew now that they would've done no such thing but the fears of a nine year old boy was hard to forget. And it was here that his father Bast Ardan had died doing his duty
There was no reason Jaa hadn't come back before today and there was a singular reason why he returned.
His blue eyes scanned over the crowd of those gathered for the unveiling. He couldn't find her.
Where are you? Maybe I missed her.
No. I never miss her.
It's a big crowd.
Spotted the others east enough
Her dad ain't here either. Or her brother.
… … … Or her mother.
Jaa began to push through the crowd and towards the stage where Briana was. He had to find her sister. He had to find Blaire.
Years ago When Jaa had returned from the fringes of the galaxy to work for the Sal-Sorens like his father had. Baros, the patriarch, had made his duty clear.
"You stand outside her door"
Jaa had known that to mean outside her life as well and had been unable to do either. No, as was his way Jaa Ardan stuck his nose amongst other things where it didn't belong.
If looks could kill Jaa would've dropped dead when he suggested to Baros that Blaire join their effort with The New Way. It surely wouldn't have been a look Baros used to kill Jaa if he found out that Jaa had been bringing his daughter to secret New Way gatherings or that he'd taught her to disassemble, reassemble, and fire a blaster rifle, or how to hot-wire a speeder or any of the other things they spent time doing together.
Who else was there for her if not him? Briana and Brandyn had each other, run off to join the Jedi years ago. Bran had Cy, Bri had her soldier boy, and that left Blaire with him. It truly was an unfair galaxy.
He pushed his way past a few unsuspecting groups of folks and had nearly reached the stage when the sight of the ruined estate put a better notion in his head.
It took little effort for Jaa to find his way inside. Finding Blaire would surely be another story. She could be anywhere. That should be a detriment but for Jaa it only meant there was no wrong direction to begin searching.
Jaa ran his hand along the unfamiliar cracks in the familiar walls. Ahead of him was a strange noise. A click clack. Jaa followed the sound to its source.
He found Blaire. She was alone in a dusty room and she was magnificent. He watched transfixed by her while she…she…
To say she was dancing would be technically correct and yet somehow so far from the truth of it to be considered a lie.
She was baring her soul, burning away the fear , and forging her strength all at once. She defied description. With every step and every leap, she became more the woman he had come to know her to be. Fierce and dangerous and still somehow delicate and ethereal. She made him feel small and powerful all at once. The Jedi could keep their magic. The Force could not compare to this.
"Blaire," he said softly.
Blaire looked up and Jaa couldn't help but smile.
"What are you doing here?" She asked him sharply.
"Looking for you." He answered.
"Well done." She bit back.
Blaire made to push herself up from the floor and felt herself be lifted back to her feet. Jaa had slipped his hands under her arms to help Blaire stand. Once she was back to her feet his hands lingered at her waist.
And now he was lost. She was in his hand and he had no clue now what to do. He was a fool grasping for Star light but only now he had actually managed to catch it.
"I hear your brother is back," Jaa said, referring to Blaire's recent adventure with Briana to rescue their brother Brandyn from a group of Force hating extremists.
She forced his hands from her and turned away.
He faltered. He knew she was angry with him. That she felt betrayed by him not going with her.
"Are you–" Jaa began to ask and stopped himself. He knew the answer to that question. He had heard what it took to rescue Brandyn. He knew what she would've had to have done. He knew she was far from okay.
She turned to face him. He had never known an idiot bigger than Blaire Sal-Soren nor met anyone as stubborn, entitled, or impossible to talk to. Never had he known someone who tried as hard as her or made him laugh the way she did, made him want to yank his hair out and he'd never met anyone that made him want to be better, to do right by them.
She was going to say something. He did not care. He had a hand around her waist and his mouth on hers before she could say another word.
Brindled-hued orbs gazed out over the expanse of the bay of an unknown location. Waters that would normally be pristine and blue were murky, despite the oncoming storm in the distance. While a low thick laden fog graced the water's firmament. She could feel the mists of the ocean lightly grace her face as heard the soothing crash of the waves against the stones of the cliff that the shore. In the distance and yet somewhat nearby on a separate island. Betrayed the sight of rivers of lava from a monstrous volcano pouring down from the top of its peak and openings from its side. Perhaps, this volcano was always and forever active on this world.
In the distance, further out still, on yet another island. Lightning had made it to the beach, striking upon sands of black, colored that way perhaps from all the volcanic activity. Only to be quickly followed by the low rumble of thunder.
Velda could only think of the stories that pirates would tell her when she was younger. Keeping the company of those her father would deem unworthy of her presence. Stories of how sirens would sing out to seafarers charming them with singing and luring them to their demise with descant songs. And wondered just how many ships within this bay that parted the fog, looking for the source of the melodies, and were pulled asunder into the sea. She mused that it was likely quite a few.
The scene was soothing yet chaotic and discordant, all at the same time. And Velda would just enjoy the beauty of it all.
Although, what if this planet did not even exist??
What if this was just a lucid dream within a dream??
What if she was not actually here and it was just all a vision within that dream that she weaved herself??
Crimson robes gracefully swayed as she turned and walked back into the building's entrance behind her. And down a long corridor as torches on the wall of crackling blazing flames lit her way. While the corridor spilled into and ended at the entrance a larger chamber. The walls adorned with the language of the Sith carved into them.
Within the middle of this chamber, was an alter and as she closed the distance and drew closer to it. She could see the visage of Brandyn, unconscious. Within Multi-colored ethereal smoke from the altar showing her his state.
Delicate hands began to weave more visions for the young Jedi. Something that she had done since Exegol, perhaps even before then. Passions, conquests, and other vices were all things The Sith Lord had him bear experience to.
And then her spirit moved, and she found herself elsewhere.
She was now standing on top of the edge of a spiral staircase. As she could see reddish fog swirling behind him while he ascended. One near the top he asked his question about his visions. Her exotic gaze hidden within the shadows of her crimson hood, regarded his features for a moment. Then she answered.
"You are on a path without Ashla's chains, and a path of freedom and seeing your true destiny come to pass. A path within the sweet decadence of the darkside. One that you can walk, with me by your very side. Find strength and indulge your passions within the darkness, and such visions shall come to pass and you shall have what is rightfully yours."
The dark mist about the woman extended out towards the young Jedi, enveloping him in a thick smog that saw him begin to cough. His eyes closed, and upon reopening he was again on the bridge of the vessel he had seen in so many dreams. A red glow emanated from in front of him. He held a black hilted saber with a red shimmering blade.
He glanced to the side, the woman was there, her blade being pulled from the now corpse of a bearded Jedi Master. The Jedi slumped to the ground. Brandyn felt pride swell in his heart. The accomplishment she had just attained brought him pleasure. Why? It was a Jedi. He was a Jedi...
A Knight charged toward him, and Brandyn thrust forth his hand, blue lightning jumping forth and causing the young Jedi before him to crumple to the ground. Without even a thought, Brandyn was already slicing his blade across the fallen Jedi. He was dispatched easily.
The power.
He wanted it.
HIs blade disappeared into his hilt. This felt right. It felt like what was supposed to be.
Maybe this was real.
He could see her eyes now. So familiar and yet, so distant. The red-orange tint to them reflected his own eyes. They had done so much together. taken so many lives. Imposed their will upon others. They had reached for the galaxy, and found one another.
"...who are you?"
His eyes narrowed as a flash of light from without the window of the ship's bridge caused him to squint. When he opened his eyes again, she was gone...but he felt her hand take his.
Why was it that people of all races seemed to directly equate their number of rotations around a certain sun with a path toward enhanced wisdom? Being subject to the ravages of time did not always correlate to perfect understanding. To grasping the scope, the fullness, of the universe. Quiet caramel eyes would linger on the aged Sal-Soren that was worn down in far more than the physical. She could feel it…And for that reason alone she refused to take the bait.
It was low hanging fruit.
Part of her duty involved having genuine empathy for those that could and would never do the same for her. Cybelle had never much minded it. The more the Force flowed through her the more adept she became at swallowing her own sense of self. It was in this way that she could resonate with the pain and joy of the thousands of lives the Jedi had been charged to caretake. She was a peacekeeper. Not a killer. Not a warrior—And certainly not a soldier in some extremist Army of the Light.
Through her observations she had discovered that in most cases…The only variance between the right and the wrong side of a fight was slight. So insignificant, that, she oft noted it to be one bad day.
The only difference between Baros and other peaceful Anti-Force activists?
One bad day.
"You stand in your own way, Mr. Sal-Soren."
Never had truer words been spoken. Cybelle hadn't skimmed enough from the surface of his mind to gain a true sense of his being, but a vivid imagination could fill in the blanks. It all revolved around his family. Around things he could never control. The Force wasn't an entity that could truly be manipulated and stunted through science. It was cognizant. Just like life—It would find a way.
If her charge seemed to be upset about her self-appointed status as his handler, she pointedly ignored it. He had already acquiesced to her presence, though, that was likely due to the urgency of the situation. Cybelle fully expected Baros to disappear or a dagger in her back the moment she let her guard down and gave an opening. She didn't expect that her life wouldn't matter to someone like him. Just another dead orphan at the hands of galactic tragedy.
Cybelle remained silent for a long moment while securing herself against erratic driving and landmarks that blew by at dizzying speeds. If she knew where they were going, she would have insisted that she take the wheel. She knew these streets better than most. At the admission that his wife was in danger the chestnut-haired Jedi nodded her head in the affirmative. Yes. She knew.
It was the reason he hadn't been taken in already.
"…If they do to her what they did to me…"
The words she uttered were softer than air. Measured. There wasn't an ounce of urgency in them or any sort of residual anger. They couldn't go any faster than they already were and the events on Chandrila were done. In the past. She addressed the situation with the facts as she knew them to be. What might impact bringing Teyla Sal-Soren
home. And what condition, she might be in. "It may make her extraction problematic. Disorientation, paranoia, weakness, pain…And…"
"…The Force will have been silenced."
Which—No matter how skilled Teyla was in hand to hand or any other skill-set she might have acquired over the years…It was a net loss in the column toward her survival. It had taken Cybelle months to recover her abilities and the spiritual connection that been broken. It had been like drifting through a dream. Walking in shoes that weren't her own. Their serum was violating. It stripped away…Everything. Agency. Identity. Purpose.
Her stomach sank.
No one should go through that. No one. Not ever.
"She will be harder for me to track."
But, not impossible. She still existed as living being. It may have stopped her from utilizing the Force in the traditional sense but it was still there. Cybelle just needed to find that one loose thread in the ether and pull at it until the signature unraveled so she could follow it home. Tech would help…But her extra senses were often more accurate guides. Her head shook, slowly, at the question toward whether she would help him. It was an oddity. Him. Baros Sal-Soren.
Asking for herhelp.
"I would save anyone, everyone, from what the New Way has planned. Someone I've never met. Mrs. Sal-Soren—", Cybelle stopped to breathe, hand falling to the hazard bar while they made a sharp turn, and narrowly missed a repulsor sign with the speed limit. Obviously, they'd broken it a long time ago. "Someone I'll never meet…Someone who will never know I existed. Even you."
Every life had value. Every life was precious.
"So…Yes. We will save her.", the young Hapani returned, firmly, and without any question toward that fact. She wasn't unaware that she was going in blind with a potential enemy. She wasn't unaware that she might have been biting off more than they could chew alone. Cybelle had called for back up and was projecting her coordinates back to the team she'd been assigned. It was the best she could do with the limited time they had. The more they waited to act the more chances of survival severely diminished.
It wasn't fair. But, it was the truth.
"The odds of success are higher with me than without. If there's anything that can draw their attention—It's a Jedi that isn't hiding. What do you have planned?"
Her mind was drawn back to the suitcase he'd hastily packed in the boot. What was in it? Credits? Explosives? She could work with either, to be honest, but she had a strong feeling that even a King's Ransom wouldn't free Teyla Sal-Soren. She was the ultimate prize, considering, she was the wife of what appeared to be a founding member. Whether it was punishment or proving a point…The New Way had all the benefit in the world from their action or inaction.
Cybelle was already mentally preparing for a fight that would spill into the streets. Casualties.
While she would do her best to keep damage to a minimum…
Briana had been feeling on edge all day, at first believing it was her nerves for the speech she'd only just delivered, but as she turned away from the buzzing crowds that began to swarm their way towards the grounds of the Estate at the closing of the ceremony, the same sense of worry crept up on her. Like a shadow, it threaded its way throughout her entire being until what once was a glowing smile was pulled into a hard slant and all of the confidence that had imbued her proud frame seemed to be sucked out of her.
She turned to her cousin Lossa and her faithful SID who stood beside her, an overwhelming swell of emotion roiling in her belly. "Brandyn was supposed to be on watch for The New Way," she informed them, her voice taut with tension as her cerulean eyes darted between their faces. "I didn't see him out there and somethings...off. I can sense it." saying the words out loud caused her heartbeat to thunder against her ribcage in the underbrush of fear, a sense of foreboding taking root, amplified by the dark and ominous emotions that pulsated around her.
These unmistakably emanated from Brandyn - of this, she was certain. His presence lingered at the edge of her peripheral vision, a tingling sensation between the shoulder blades that hinted of a phantom behind you. What terrible danger had befallen her brother to stir such dark and sinister feelings?
For a moment she hesitated to tell them anything else, not wanting to make either of them worry unnecessarily and cause a panic, or something worse... that they would try to stop her from going after him and seeing this sorted out.
"I think something might be wrong," she finally confessed, stepping off to the side to discreetly detach the skirt of her ensemble, leaving her in a pair of straight-legged white pants, her hand falling to now rest on the silver hilt against her hip. "I have to find him and make sure everything is okay. It's probably nothing. But - just in case - I need to know that my Padawan Lily is safe. She's towards the back of the crowd near the gates. Can I trust the two of you to find her and keep her out of harms way until I get to the bottom of what's happening?" In different circumstances she might have taken the time to explain herself further, but losing Brandyn a second time was unacceptable. It wouldn't happen again. It couldn't. She had to seize whatever little time was available to her.
To keep him and the rest of her family safe, as best she could.
After a handful of heartbeats, indulging their concerns, Briana turned away from them and at a brisk pace descended down the steps of the stage towards Aiden. She knew he had been struggling with the nature of the day's events and a modicum of guilt crept up on her as she approached, already noting the tension in his shoulders and the way his sharp eyes assessed her like he was already on edge. Pulling him into this seemed selfish - but she knew Aiden would be able to sense her anxiety without her having to say a word, somehow possessing this profound ability of being able to read her like no one else could, even without the Force.
"It's Brandyn," she murmured, the urgency plain from not only her tone, but the way her fingers rested against his forearm, curling into the fabric of his uniform like an anchoring lifeline. "I don't know where he is. Will you help me track him down? I already pinged Blaire and she's on her way to meet us."
The speech was finished. The presentation had been made. Yet Briana still seemed anxious. Did she worry about her style of presentation? It was a statue. What most of the organics would consider appealing in a particular aesthetic. The droid deemed it an addition that had been worth the effort given the majority of positive feedback he had seen from the facial modulations of the organics in attendance.
Was she anxious about how her speech had been received? That had also garnered what had been deemed as, empathy, from the crowd at large. There were seldom few that had seemed to be awaiting a particular moment to express themselves. Only 2 organics seemed uninterested through the entire procession that had taken place.
One of which seemed to be further agitated but left to the attentions of those organics around them.
Sid was presently assigned to give his focus and capabilities to Briana.
When Briana approached and hesitated to speak her mind, the droid angled his cranium slightly as a silent query. She had shown positive feedback to being allowed to share. Being accosted with pursuing queries was a stimuli that had brought negative feedback in the form of heightened aggressive vocal functions, potential avoidance of his continued presence, and generalized displeasure conveyed through exaggerated actions.
Sharing her state of unease and worry, the droid mimicked a behavior he had witnessed the intruding male figure in her life to convey his displeasure but acceptance of something. The sound of a heavy, static filled sigh being made as she removed the outer cover from her ensemble.
"I will express that the protection of your assigned understudy may require some preventative actions to secure her safety with your departure, but it will be done." The droid did not make objections to his owners plan of action. Having learned with alarming speed that she seldom spoke of her plan without intent to act upon it. And most likely her plan involved-"And do tell your, intruder to be cautious. It would cause me great displeasure to hear you speak in detail of his wounded state."
His joke shared, he turned to act on her request, his own request causing a pause to express one last point to her.
"I require your return with limbs intact. It is easy to replace me. I cannot replace you." With that he strode forward, the large step off the stage doing little more than making an awkward step. Raised voices of displeasure and surprise at his sudden appearance and continued forward motion towards his new task.
"Please step aside." The warning shared as quickly as possible before he spotted the matching features of the assigned understudy. His face fixating in her direction, chassis lurching at the sudden shift in heading as he turned to approach Lily Decoria
.
"Understudy Decoria, I have been assigned by your instructor and my owner Briana to watch over you. Remain beside me so I may ease Briana's worry." He did not extend its manipulator to wrangle the assigned student, which would have made the protection request roughly 11 times easier. Instead being made to rely on the poor chance that she may listen to his request and act accordingly.
She focused on not making the situation worse for Briana by reigning in her own emotional state. The last time she'd been this stressed around Briana, that Roaming Jade lady had threatened to push her onto a bullet train from a starship.
Merely remembering the incident was enough to make her feel uncomfortable again.
She swallowed down the sudden lump in her throat, forcing a smile as Briana drew close enough for her to feel the waves of unease. Having figured it was the whole crowd, there had been little thought of Briana being the true source.
She mentioned Brandyn being absent, and Lossa couldn't help the immediate need to scan the crowd for his face. But a detail about his duty caught her attention.
"I'm sorry, the New What?" This was a topic she would have to revisit it seemed as the deep seated unease around Briana became nauseating.
Her thoughts swirled as she tried to push the intrusive emotions out.
"Bri, I-Your padawan? Yeah. But-" The droid cut her off, a hand rising to her temple as the lumbering hunk of metal wandered away.
"Be safe. As best you can. And I hope your wrong." A meek thumbs up was shared before she turned to find the stairs down. Sid was alarmingly quick, and even though he certainly towered over the crowd, she certainly wasn't winning any vertically aligned awards.
The tall dark frame twisting in a different direction as she tried to navigate the crowd and keep hold of the trailing edge of her dress.
"Oh I wish I'd brought that weird belt-sash thing." Her only gripe she could muster with having to wade through the crowd without the droid to guide her.
The Jedi spun round as he looked for any sign of someone or something on his trail.
Nothing.
The New Way was here. It was the only expansion for what Judah was feeling in the force. Yes, the master knew it could be his own bias or hope wanting it to be true, but the Jedi was far too attuned to the force to allow his wants to interfere.
He took in a deep breath and carried on. If he was being followed there was one way to find out. Judah knew the planet well enough. Would his pursuant take the bait as he weaved about the lanes in a direction that seemed odd, but would still move them toward his destination?
The speech went down well from what Lily could tell, it was sad that her Master hadn't caught her proud look but she supposed that there was plenty to do and it wasn't like Lily was standing right at the front of the crowd, cheering the loudest. She knew that after the crowd had dispersed then she would have a chance to greet and congratulate her Master after the fact.
A shiver went down her spine. Her back stiffened. The small hairs on her neck shifted. Something bad was coming. Just before the clearly unwell lady could touch Lily, she shifted and avoided it. Lily was not a fan of others touching her and perhaps it was something to do with her Force abilities but she could always sense when someone else was going to touch her and avoided it with everything that she could.
Looking the stranger over, Lily could assess there was something ill with them but what they had was beyond her understanding. Then there was murmuring that she couldn't quite catch. Except for something about a new way. It was weird, was there a new way of approaching something, or were they looking for a new way to approach Master Briana and her family? It was very curious then a droid approach her and Lily blinked at the droid. They were very imposing and it was quite startling that she was approach so suddenly by one.
"Hello. Understudy?" Lily asked confused by the term, then looked over to the sick person again. "Urm... they were looking for a new way to approach Master Briana I think? Or maybe a new way to do something... I heard them mention new way and they seem very ill." Lily was concerned why someone so ill would be here.
Noting the smaller woman behind the droid, Lily waved slightly, "I'm Lily, pleasure to meet you. Are you related to Master Briana as well?" Lily asked, curious if this was some kind of detail that her Master organised.
Equipment: Double Bladed Lightsaber Location: Naboo, Theed (Heading towards Ee'Everwest Estate) Status: Currently being assaulted Tag(s): Unblessed
|OPEN
A’Runda had his guard down. Naboo to him had always been such a peaceful place in his mind. Which made the calamity all the more heartbreaking to him. This paired with his rather relaxed demeanor left him somewhat unprepared for what came next. Cocking and eyebrow as he looked over at someone who seemed to be in a growing frenzy seemed under the weather as well.
They were a buff green man that had the look of a Jedi to them. Shouting that A’Runda himself wasn’t actually present. Confusion filled his mind as the Tusken watched them approach. Everything about them screamed danger and hostility. A’Runda held out his hand to them as a simple barrier to keep their distance but violence seemed to only be on their mind. “Woah woah what’s wro-” He tried to reason with them before being cut off.
Suddenly A’Runda’s masked face was struck by their firt before stumbling back some. The Mirialan wincing and pulling their hand back after, waving it in the air, some in pain after bashing his own knuckles against A’Runda’s hard goggles. Not sure what this guy's problem was, the Tusken had little desire to hear the apparent Jedi. In their moment of hesitation A’Runda stepped forwards and began to try and grapple his all in an attempt to subdue The Mirialan and stop their aggression.
All the while a few onlookers watched and gasped as the struggle went down between the two men. Unsure as to who was at fault here.…
Aside from the protests of those that had been forcibly adjusted from his path, Sid had made good time locating the young organic under Briana's charge.
The stranger that had approached Lily was stared at, processor's and memory being altered to save the relevant data of their features for possible future reference given their disturbance of organic Decoria.
Her bumbling attempt to convey information left something to be desired as far as the droid was concerned. A fact for later discussion given the task it had been assigned.
"Their interest matters little. You are now under my care. And Briana's relative-" Pointing to Lossa that arrived slightly behind him. "Though she is of questionable combat capability, she is far more inclined to organic interactions than this unit is."
If the stranger persisted in their efforts to speak with Lily, Sid would place himself between the two, directing Lossa with instructions.
"I shall leave her direct care to you. I shall engage defensive protocols." The droid standing taller and motions becoming alarmingly smooth as defensive systems engaged.
If it weren't for the life preservation programming, the possibility of clearing the area around Lily might have been an option.
She hustled as best she was able, bundling the small train of the dress in her arms and bumping through the crowd left in shock of the droids appearance.
"'Scuse me. Pardon-Sid!" It didn't take her long to make her way through, bumping against someone mumbling about the New Way and finding them.
Eyes locked on the woman after a disturbing sensation of emotions rolled from her. Intent. Confusion. Anger. Disbelief. And a strange sensation in the way the force emanated from her.
The thought pushed aside as she heard Sid say her name. The one called Lily found as Lossa shared a forced smile.
"Hi Lily! Yes as a matter of fact. Cousins. There's a whole mess of a family tree but I am related and recognized. I even tried arguing with Bri and Brandyn both over it. Luric joined in even. Like trying to reason with a rancor." It was a strange feeling to acknowledge the information to someone new. Especially someone directly under Briana.
"So uh-" Words cut short as Sid spoke. Well. Informed them really. The droid seemed to have little patience for nonsense as she sighed and cleared her throat.
"Thank you. Sid. For that wonderful assessment. I hope your joints seize. Anyway," She held her hand out to Lily, having pushed the hand through the end of the bundled fabric in an awkward greeting.
"Your Briana's Padawan? Let's uh, let's get away from the crowd and find something to drink, huh?" She more pushed than suggested with a worried smile.
The mounting tension of the crowd beginning to wear on her nerves.
"Big crowds and emotions don't mix very well for me." She offered a weak excuse for her worry. Trying her best to mask the real reason she was present. "You can tell me about what Briana has had you doing while we walk, yeah?"
There it was. That fire. Despite all of Brandyn's self-proclaimed desires to never be like his father, it seemed that he had not fallen far from the proverbial tree when it came to choice of soulmate. Baros muttered something about marriage to himself. His words though were indistinct to the nearby Jedi.
"I have long stood in my own way, Cybelle," Baros said mournfully, "it is the predilection of all that call themselves...human."
...don't fall prey to it yourself, child.
The speeder slowed as it approached the security checkpoint for the Estate grounds. Baros approached the checkpoint, and the security droid scanned his face, followed by Cybelle's. An uncomfortable pause left Baros holding his breath. Perhaps it was purely that he was entering via a staff entrance and not through one of the official entrances for family representatives.
"Proceed Master Sal-Soren. Jedi Elyance."
Baros didn't exhale. He realized that it was not the delay but Cybelle's reminder about the so-called 'cure'. He could not live with himself if Teyla were permanently separated from the Force. The connection she had held with her children since before they were born was not something to fear, but to cherish. He only ever wished to control it.
"Then it is not her that we track. There is a New Way agent. A specialist. An assassin of some repute. She has been tasked with some aspect of Teyla's imprisonment..."
...or execution.
Baros flinched at the cold shock that ran up his spine. As the speeder pulled to a stop, he moved to exit the speeder, but stopped just short of doing so. He tossed Cybelle a datapad with the information he had collected about the assassin, one that went by the name Ariad. "Promise me you will not risk yourself on my account," Baros said, eyes failing to make any real contact with Cybelle's eyes despite his clear attempts. He knew Jedi. He knew how they would sacrifice. And Cybelle had just declared herself willing to save him.
Appearance: Ashe has short brown hair and piercing green eyes. He has a scar above his left eyebrow and a muscular build.
History: Jedi Service Corps member. Ashe is a Mirialan with distinctive facial tattoos and green skin. He joined the Jedi Service Corps to help those in need, and is currently working in the AgriCorps.
"Get off me!" Ashe cried. The hallucination had proven to not be so, and now the Mirialan was in full panic mode. Beads of sweat pooled and poured down his face.
"Arrrgh! I will kill you...get off me...get OFF ME..."
The near ravenous Ashe started trying to bite, scratch and claw his way to freedom. All decorum and semblance of sentience beginning to drift away into a complete animalistic fight for survival. The frenzy only aggravated his condition, with coughs and the like becoming more frequent, though generally not aimed towards the Tusken.
Name: Vexxar
Species: Trandoshan
Gender: Male
Appearance: Vexxar is a large, imposing figure with dark green scales and piercing red eyes. He has a long snout and sharp teeth.
History: Vexxar was raised on Trandosha and became a renowned bounty hunter. He has a reputation for being ruthless and efficient.
"What are you looking...at....huuuuman?" Vexxar said to no one in particular, but in Judah's general direction.
The Trandoshan began to gag. Heavy breathing followed, with a choking sound before he began to cough. Several coughs laughter, he spat on the ground. An unpleasantly large chunk of mucus hit the ground. Vezzar seemed not to care too much as he stepped, not over it, but through it.
"Why did..."
"Why did you bring me here?" The bounty hunter snarled at Judah.
Name: Kaela Pel
Species: Human
Gender: Female
Appearance: Kaela is a tall, athletic woman with long black hair and striking blue eyes.
History: She was orphaned at a young age and taken in by the Jedi Order, where she excelled in lightsaber combat and became a Jedi Knight.
Someone pushed back at her. The New Way. Most definitely.
Spinning about on her heels, to follow the pink skinned New Way agent. Kaela felt around for her lightsaber. It wasn't there. Panic set in, her pulse racing furiously. The agent went towards a droid, and that same white haired girl that had previously walked into her.
They stole your saber.
They hate Jedi.
They want you dead.
Fear drove Kaela to reach her hand out, trying to grip the throat of the pink-haired woman, but her ability to focus on the Force was diminished.
"No...NO...you stole it!" She yelled, indiscriminate coughing accompanying her cries.
Her march took her back towards the white haired girl, the droid and the pink one.
"Give...give it to me...you stole it...I want it back..."
Lily looked at the pair, they seemed very different personalities that she knew to trust them but was not sure how they would work as a pair in terms of fighting opponents or helping her escape any trouble. She looked once more in the direction of the unwell woman, it was a shame that she couldn't offer more to help and was concerned about her being unwell. Sickness could travel fast through a crowd like this and could also incite panic in a group. When the woman confronted them about stealing from her or something, Lily stepped instinctively behind the droid SID. She was not comfortable with confrontations and did not want to create a worse situation by attempting and failing to talk the woman down who was clearly in a stressed state of mind.
"I think it is best if we leave or at least attempt to move this woman away from the crowd. I don't think she is well and perhaps needs skilled medical treatment." Lily expressed, not wanting to cause harm to the woman but not wanting to leave her here alone and possible incite a riot or dangerous medical disease through her actions. Lily was all too aware of these issues from what her aunt had detailed before.
Looking between the droid and Lossa, she wasn't sure which one would be best at handling such a situation and she knew that she would never be a good option herself. "Which way is the fastest way out, maybe she will just follow us, while not calmly, at least not risking harm to others?" Lily suggested as she dare not move before the others offered direction or guidance.
Briana Sal-Soren
SID-10S "Sid"
, the droid she had recently gotten to work — the droid Aiden loved to mess with whenever he could. Right now though, he just let it remain close without being difficult, so it could protect and support her.
