Slaver Hunting And Reunions

[Marek S'hadar]

[member="Joshua Dragonsflame"]

It was good to be back.

Free of the constraints of Darth Vindica, Marek S'hadar was at home once again with the Silver Jedi, and as quickly as he had returned he found himself longing to go. The Galactic Alliance and the First Order were going to clash, and he needed to be there, to fight for the freedom of the galaxy's inhabitants against the dark side. Alas, his first duty upon returning was to destroy a group of slavers along with nother master in the order.

In the past S'hadar might've been frustrated about something, or perhaps quietly brooding and trying to pry away the tendrils of the dark side that forever attempted to creep back in to his life, but now was different. He was at peace, his mind calm and focused as he meditated in the cargo hold of the vessel which was transporting the two Jedi to their target location. Years away from so many people had perhaps dulled his recognition of their specific force signatures, as he hadn't recognized that of his former master as well as his friend Joshua Dragonsflame.

Master was an odd term in that situation, Marek had been well along the path to becoming a full fledged Sith Lord, Darth Iram, when the efforts of both Josh, Cale, and Gal-Davin had brought him to the light. Josh had perhaps been his equal in strength, but in the ways of the light and in life in general he was Marek's teacher more than Arcis had been. Still, he liked to think the two both had taught each other certain things, but he never questioned who was taught who more.

The Jedi Master was in for quite a surprise when he encountered his old friend.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

(Bloody hell I couldn't find it, sorry!)

The Jedi Master, Josh DragonsFlame, who people joked seemed to be young forever while his former students like Marek grew old and grizzly and grumpy, couldn’t recall the last time he’d seen Marek. What he did feel, was pride. Pride in the first student of his to attain Masterhood. He and [member="Gherron Vael"] in his eyes were his star students, students who overcame adversity on all fronts, both inner and outer, to become great Jedi Knights. And in the case of Marek… A great Jedi Master. He hadn’t heard from, or seen Marek in years, but figured they just hadn’t run into one another. Josh hadn’t contacted Marek since the day he had left their old Order when he had been ousted as Grandmaster, as he hadn’t with many of his old colleagues. Perhaps that was his fault for not contacting him… But he hadn’t been sure which of the Jedi were his allies anymore after his ousting from the hands of a coup spearheaded by what turned out to be people who were… Less than Jedi, to say the least. Josh had returned to the fold in the years since, under the occupation of the Silver Jedi, albeit loosely. He had been put on a slaver bashing mission, to put it lightly, alongside another Master? Which Master? He wasn’t told.

The two transports would converge into one as Josh was dropped off onto the one headed for the planet. As the “cargo” was transported, the Jedi Master would walk onto the shuttle, and once he was in, the door would shut behind him and the merging shuttle would fly away once it had dropped him off. Assuming Marek had gone to meet him at the entrance, as part of briefing, Josh would look Marek over with a stone cold expression. Like a Master appraising his former Padawan all over again. His hair had grown out a bit, and he looked a bit older, looking to be in his mid 20s instead of the youthful, early 20s face that Marek had known… But he still had that youthful look to him. Many joked that he looked like he’d be youthful forever. Maybe they were right?

As he would look him over, his eyes finally met that of his former Padawan…

And he would smile.

“You still look as grumpy as the last time I saw you.”

A joke. Normal for Josh, even back then. But Marek likely hadn’t heard many in awhile. But it told that his Master, and his friend, was still the same man.

[member="Marek S'hadar"]

 

[Marek S'hadar]

"Depends on your definition of last time, do you mean when I saved you from a tyrant in an alternate universe while battling for control of my mind, or just the last time you saw me?" Questioned the Jedi Master, his eyes flicking open and a smirk growing across his face. Joshua DragonsFlame, his friend, his mentor, and someone just as critical in his turn to the light as his brothers. It had been far too long. Rising to his feet quickly he faced his friend, both of them had aged some, but Marek more so, as he'd been older anyway. So much had happened between their last meetings, he'd had a child, been possessed by the dark side for a period of time, and a multitude of other happenings.

"Surprisingly, I'm far less grumpy than either." He added with a chuckle, extending a hand out to his friend. How oddly fate worked, his first mission in years and the person he would be working with was none other than one of his closest friends. The two had much catching up to do, as well as much work in the form of disposing of a group of slavers which were plaguing the galaxy with their existence. It was going to be a busy day.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"That was you, then... I had a feeling" He would admit, quirking a brow. "You have a really karked up life, Mr. And a really karked up mind. I don't know why you were cosplaying as a Sith, or acting as you were, but... Wait, you didn't save my life! I saved yours!" He would crack, grinning in turn. The two were almost like brothers, in a way, and Josh teased him as such. "I mean, you did help in the end, but come on, give me my due! Force knows the other Jedi don't know how to give someone due for their accomplishments anymore if they're not in the inner circle" Josh would crack again, with a smirk in turn. Yes... He hadn't seen Marek since the last time he was in that inner circle. Once he was out of it... Well, nobody really cared. He tried not to be bitter, but he couldn't help but at least make fun of something that bothered him.

But it had indeed been too long...

He would chuckle as he would extend his hand and shake that of his friend. "Oh really? I hadn't noticed" He would joke with a grin as his hand would then fall to his side. He hadn't been on mission as much lately. Actually, he'd taken a break entirely. He'd spent several weeks with [member="Shmi Labooda"] at home, deciding it was finally time to be more... Human, he supposed. Focus more on him. But he did have a job to do. But when he was done here, he would be heading home, back to Shmi. Back to what felt like paradise.

"It's been far too long, friend" He would admit. "What have you been up to in the last handful of years since I've seen you?"

[member="Marek S'hadar"]

 

[Marek S'hadar]

"Aside from being partially under the influence of a Sith Lord, I've married, and I have a child." Marek replied as the two old friends shook hands. Marek's exterior of calm finally was an accurate depiction of what was occurring beneath the surface. Netherworld had robbed him of Rasu and Allana only, the Masks of Madness had apparently subjugated him to a lifetime of service to an insane god wherein he'd killed many of the friends Josh and he had if Rasu was to be believed (which of course she was), and the Dark Harvest had pitted him against unspeakable horrors alongside both Josh and his twin. Oddly enough the Harvest was the least traumatic of any of those events, after all he'd met Josh, and fought back to back with his brother which set him on the path to redemption, a long path, but one he'd reached the end of finally and could live as he always should've.

Even the desire for revenge against Mikhail Shorn, who was likely dead, had now faded from the Jedi Master, all that mattered now was justice and peace for the galaxy. The times had changed. He recalled exactly when he first met Josh, amidst the swamps of Dagobah, cutting down undead hordes and facing some glob that yielded the material which forged the armor both he and Josh now wore. Marek had been trapped then, in a cage of twisted metal and his own rage, but it had been Josh and his brother who'd pulled him out of the fire, made him finally have the courage to turn against the Sith, and he'd never looked back.

What had happened since was a blur of battles, the rise and fall of factions, and endless death and sorrow across the galaxy, yet somehow S'hadar had come out the best man he could be. That said a lot about him he supposed. As their ship prepared to exit hyperspace the Jedi smirked at his comrade. "Still think you can keep up?"

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"You seem to like Sith Lords quite a lot" He would quip. "Potentially settling down and starting a family myself" The Jedi Master would add, shrugging his shoulders. "I've been hunkering down as of late, trying to figure out what it's like to be... Normal, you know? I don't know how. I've spent my entire life just... Well, you know. Serving the Jedi. I've been here, in different Orders, but still a Jedi, since I was five years old. I don't know any other way then this. But now I guess I gotta learn, if I'm to settle down, in a decent home, get married, and have kids. Shmi's been acting... Antsy, lately. So I think she's a bit anxious to get started."

Little did he know that she was actually pregnant already.

They had each been through plenty, but Josh knew that the story for him wasn't over yet, so he didn't dwell on it... Not until it was finished. Though he would smirk at Marek's remarks.

"Unlike you, I've been able to train clearly, without Sith Lords having it out in my head. I'll not just keep up, I'll outdo you, old man" He would crack with a grin, noting that Marek looked far... Older, then he remembered.

[member="Marek S'hadar"]

 

[Marek S'hadar]

Marek scoffed at his friend as the vessel swung into the docking bay of some remote space station out in the void. Pulling the saber from his hip as the transport set down he cast a glance to Josh and then to the ramp of the vessel. Unlike years before, during the fall of the Sith Empire and the war with the One Sith where a cloud of darkness would slowly build over him before conflict, his aura remained the same resilient and strong-willed way it was moments before. "You act like having a Sith in my head is anything new, to you it might be an issue but for me, its standard procedure." He joked the ramp releasing steam as it lowered to reveal a group of armed mercenaries awaiting to unload the cargo, their weapons set to stun to deal with any rowdy 'merchandise'.

"What the feth? Where's the damn cargo?"

Marek would leave the witty one liner to Josh, raising a hand and calling on the force. Drawing strength from his serenity, he pushed out, a wave of telekinetic energy rolling out from him and onto the slaver muscle in the form of a force push. The energy flung the scum back with force and put them flat onto their backs and several feet back. "Come on then, lets get to work, can't just stand there all day you lazy nerf herder." He teased as he moved down the ramp, flicking his saber into his typical reverse grip and clicking the ignition. With saber blazing, it was time for the two to do what they'd come to do.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"You should get checked. You don't want to have contracted any Sithully Transmitted Diseases, would you? Or is it Sithully Transmitted Illnesses now? I don't even know" He would crack, laughing in turn. It was true though, he had far too much contact with the dark side for his own good, and had before he had ever met Josh. It would take away from the progress Josh had taken in reforming, and re-training Marek, in over to help him return to the light. He had to be careful. And he meant that, even if Josh was joking around with his words.

The doors would open to reveal the armed mercenaries, and he would see that Marek was leaving the one-liner to him.

Well, he just had to make it a good one, didn't he?

"Oh no! We got off at the wrong station! What ever will we do?" Josh would cry out, hands on both sides of his face. "... Nah, this is where we're to be" He would crack as he would join Marek in a jointed Force Push, sending them back. He would laugh as he would ignite his own blue lightsaber with a crack and a snap hiss, before tossing it, using the Force to maneuver it through a group of them, trying his best to cut them at the lower side to try and get disabling shots instead of killing blows. Though that was being generous of him considering he usually killed slavers and their men... There was no rehabbing a slaver.

[member="Marek S'hadar"]