Private Status Quo

[Ishani Dinn]

Hilarion was a little more stooped than she remembered, but he was evidently still sharp. The Symeong engineer looked at her with immediate recognition—and surprise upon seeing the two children clinging to her hands. “Ah, so you got busy,” he noted. "Congratulations."

Both Marcus and Eloise each received their own bag of chips. “Thank you,” they said in unison.

“Hey, they can talk too,” Hilarion chuckled, opening another bag of chips for himself. “Say, after the Sith Eternal collapsed, I thought you’d gone away or died or something. What brings you back?”

“I came back to see how things were going,” Ishani replied. “I was hoping something good might’ve come from all the work we did here.”

“Well, have a look for yourself.” Leading the way back outside, Hilarion gestured broadly with his arms. The surface of Folende was an endless field, the crops of tens of thousands of worlds stretching out in every direction. The one they stood before now was filled with golden wheat, yellow as Ishani’s hair. The strands waved in the wind, undulating like the waves of a sunlit sea. A few indistinct buildings forming a small town stood lined up against the horizon.

“Is that village new?” she asked. He nodded. “How many people live there?”

“Few thousand. There’s housing just like it that’s sprung up all over the place since you’ve been gone.” He gestured vaguely. “Most of ‘em are drifters, though, or refugees from the Scar Worlds that have stayed on despite the raids. Yeah, we’ve still got a major problem with pirates—lot of folks talking about leaving for worlds under faction protection.”

Ishani sighed. “I’m sorry we broke our promise to you.”

“I don’t see how you two kids could’ve done anything to halt the fall of a major faction,” Hilarion replied, munching on his chips. “Besides, we never got hit by the Bryn’adul, so that’s nice. This is pretty much just a return to the status quo. It’s the way things have always been out here...”

Kyyrk​

 

[Kyyrk]

Kyyrk hated it when they argued. Months, no YEARS of searching, and he'd found a wayward member of his flock. Five, actually. A young family that had relocated to Folende after the initial scourging of Vylmira. Originally, the council had dispersed with the intent of finding any wayward Miraluka they could, and offering them safe haven back on Vylmira. Kyyrk always frown in grim remembrance of how that had ended. Now he was the only one that was left. In the wake of the Confederacy's fall, not a single lifeform had been left upon Vylmira. The only survivors had been the ones living off planet.

And so, once Kyyrk knew the survivors were safe, he redoubled his efforts to find those of his own blood. To find children of Alpheridies and offer them shelter. Sanctuary. Hope that their species would not become one of the many forgotten legends of eons past. But every once and a while, Kyyrk would find those who were willing, but would ask something in return. He hated that. He was always willing, of course. But every second he delayed in finding the next group decreased the odds he'd find them alive.

The village the family resided in had been beset by pirates. Now it was just a matter of which would break first, their supplies or their resolve. The patriarch of the small family had urged Kyyrk to take up arms in defense of the defenseless once more. And so Kyyrk agreed, vowing that he would help restore some semblance of peace to the village before he left. But as Kyyrk stood outside, he couldn't fathom how to actually do it. If he wiped out this group of pirates, another would come to take their place. He couldn't barter with them. Nor could he devote the strength to place the village under his protection for all time. A Jedi Lord he may be, but one with a Crusade lightyears away. He trudged slowly through the buildings back towards the field nearby. He would need some time to sort through his options. Figure out the best plan of attack. His ship rested in the field, and held most of his equipment.

He'd fought more with less...But it didn't make it any easier...​

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

As Ishani stood talking to Hilarion, she spotted a figure approaching the edge of the field, headed from the village. He stood out, mainly because he didn’t look like a farmer, refugee, or aimless drifter. No, this man had the look of a trained warrior—it was in his walk, the way he carried himself, as well as the presence of weapons and armor.

“Who is that man?” she asked.

“Who? Oh.” Hilarion squinted. “Some guy that came here a few days ago. Was asking about a family that lives in the village. I think they asked him to stay on and help defend against the pirates, but how long that’s gonna last, I can’t say.”

She caught the note of hopelessness in his voice, the sense of futility. “Do you know anything more about him?” she asked.

“No. He’s got some weird accent, and I’ve never heard of his species before. I think he carries a lightsab—” Hilarion was abruptly cut off by the sound of an alarm blaring. His eyes widened. “That’s the raid siren—they’re here!”

The twins, who had been playing in the wheat, ran to hide behind their mother. Ishani’s first instinct was to get back to her ship and leave at once—but as she looked up at the sky, she saw a veritable pirate fleet emerging from hyperspace in the skies above. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said incredulously, her voice nearly drowned out by the wailing klaxons.

“Come on, we have to get inside!” Hilarion exclaimed, already running towards his farmhouse. “We have to hide!”

The twins were clinging to Ishani, and all she cared about was their safety. But Force, she had never been a strategist, and she didn't know what pirates would target and what they would be likely to ignore. Her eyes were drawn toward the man in the field, the one with the look of a warrior. Grabbing the children, one on each arm, she ran toward him, shouting, "Hey! Where's the safest place to go?"

Kyyrk​

 

[Kyyrk]

For all intents and purposes, Kyyrk appeared to be a Rattataki. Well, except for the hair. And the eyes. Most Rattataki didn't have glowing eyes. THere was no mistaking the fact that the man was a warrior, though. His scarred face spoke enough to that assumption. As for his accent? It was perfectly normal. Just...wrong. It had all the hallmarks of a crisp Traditional Imperial accent one might hear in the First Order or from the realms of the Sith. But...there was something...off about it. Almost as if he was speaking a different dialect entirely.

So consumed in thought was he that when he lifted his head, he did not notice the alarm klaxons. Not at first. Not that he needed to hear them, the hairs on the back of his neck were warning enough. But then the screams of panic started, and Kyyrk looked skyward. Of course. He rejoiced to himself, knowing that his tumultuous decision had just been made leagues easier: For now? He would fight. He tapped a series of buttons on his glove, and his ship began to seal itself. At the last moment, a small creature shot out of the loading ramp, a helmet borne in its talons. Kyyrk caught the helmet as the bird flew overhead, pulling it down over his head as he turned to the approaching individuals. A young woman and her children. When he spoke, his deep voice was calm, cool, collected. Not a man afraid of conflict, but a man who was at home in conflict.

"There is a house two alleys east, one alley north of here. Tell them Kyyrk sent you, and they will give you shelter. Bar the doors, and hide as best you are able." Kyyrk turned, revealing that the Symeong had spoken the truth. Upon his back, there was (albeit old an archaic in design), a Lightsaber. Of sorts. But Kyyrk did not draw this blade, instead extending his right arm to the side and down. His fingers closed around empty space, and with a loud cracking sound, a second lightsaber had appeared in his hand. "I will do what I can. You have my word." The large man turned to look across the village, to where the pirates were beginning to land their ships, and raiders pour out into the village. Kyyrk lifted his left arm, gesturing for the trio to follow him. He would have to travel right past the building he told them to find. No sense in making them find it on their own. "Hurry."​

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Ishani had been in battles before, but she’d never had her children on the battlefield with her. The entire situation unfolded like a nightmare before her. To think they were so close to maybe finding safety, getting away from it all…

She didn’t stop moving even while the man was talking to her, listening to the directions he gave as she ran towards the village. So intent was she on reaching the building he spoke of, she didn’t even notice at first that he was following her—though as she heard the rumble of dropships descending, followed by distant screams and sounds of destruction, she was thankful for the escort, regardless of whether that was his intention.

The smell of smoke assailed her nostrils, the wind blowing it up from the other end of the town. She didn’t understand—what were they burning? Had they come to raid the farms for their crops, or were they here to destroy the village? Had they come to kill, or to enslave?

She forced herself to focus only on reaching their destination. But the pirates were gaining on them. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a group of raiders barreling down an alleyway. Sunlight glinted off their blades and the barrels of their weapons—this raid was occurring in the middle of the day—as they surged forward, setting fire to a house. Ishani called upon the Force and felt strength suffusing her limbs as she sped forward, trying to outrun them...

Kyyrk​

 

[Kyyrk]

Kyyrk was running alongside the family, his massive armored footsteps thundering into the ground. Far overhead, Kyyrk could hear a ship start shooting at something. Then the sounds of a large impact, and a ship hitting the ground and exploding. Kyyrk hazarded a look to the sky to see Horace flying overhead, having shifted to the form of an owl far larger than any ever seen. Kyyrk turned his attention back to the small family, only to notice a glint out of the corner of his eye. He stopped his massive frame sliding into the dirt as he turned, planting his feet. The pirates were running towards him, undeterred by the sight of a large and armored individual. With a mighty roar, Kyyrk's brilliant white blade sprung to life, and Kyyrk hurled it down the alley.

The Pirates barely had time to react, much less get out of the way. But they were not the only group. Kyyrk brought his elbow up to strike a pirate in the face as he tried to attack him from behind. Kyyrk turned towards the new onslaught, reaching out with his right hand to recall his lightsaber to him. His left reached down to his thigh, and a pistol was drawn, firing a blast into the pirate that rounded the corner. Almost as if Kyyrk knew he would round the corner. He started backpedalling, keeping his back to the fleeing family.

The Pirates had wizened up to Kyyrk, and were now attacking him at range, taking cover behind whatever they could find. Kyyrk's blade, now back in his hand, moved swiftly to deflect bolts back to their source, and those he could not return, he answered with a blaster shot of his own. Kyyrk growled in frustration, baring his teeth under the helmet. He could wipe them out here and now. But not at the risk of innocent lives. Kyyrk would just have to hold the line as long as he could. The pirates would either see him as enough of a threat that they would come to him, or they would take what they came for and leave.

Just so long as Kyyrk left one of them alive so he could find their base later...​

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

She heard sounds of battle behind her, sensed death at her back, but she could not stop. In her head she replayed the directions, as if getting to this house could save her—could it?

Could it really, if they were already being pursued? If her one chance at protection was lagging behind, overrun by enemies?

Ishani reached what she thought was the house, but by then a horrible feeling had settled in her gut. She had run here in vain, it seemed.

More pirates were coming. They were setting fire to the buildings in order to smoke the people out. Those who fought back were killed—those that cowered, she saw the bluish rays of stun bolts, and bodies being carried or dragged away.

Pounding on the door, she shouted, “Kyyrk sent me! Open up!” While she awaited an answer, she held the children close. They were unharmed, though she saw tears streaking their tiny faces. Her heart dropped, her thoughts racing. Could she surrender to them? They’d likely let the children live, at least…

“Kyyrk sent me!” she screamed, and with a desperate thrust of the Force, she forced it open.

Kyyrk​

 

[Kyyrk]

Kyyrk had fallen behind the family of three, in his efforts to keep the Pirates at bay. Running out of options, Kyyrk's left arm extended, releasing a small orb of sorts to fly through the air and land in the street behind him. As he turned to sprint down the street, a blinding deluge of light was unleashed behind him. As he rounded the corner, he could see that the Family was only just gaining entry...to an empty building. Kyyrk cursed under his breath, never breaking his stride. More pirates were almost upon the small family. Kyyrk could do nothing but bow his head.

He slammed in to the closest pirate, sending the man flying, and incapacitating two behind him. Kyyrk's blade was already in motion cutting down the other three in short order. But the last one, he did not cut down. He did not have the strength to win this one alone. Even with Horace's help. And so he spun to face his final opponent, left hand reaching out to grab the man by the face. The Force flowed through his arm and penetrated the man's mind like tendrils. Terror was coming. An army was on their doorstep. The pirates were doomed.

As the man ran away screaming, Kyyrk was already spinning to deflect another blaster bolt. It would seem his presence was indeed noticed. It also seemed that the pirates were taking prisoners. Slavers. Kyyrk drew his blaster once more, and engaged in a dance of death with the pirates. His blade cut down those close enough to feel its wrath, and his pistol found its mark in those foolish enough to attack from range. But even now, Kyyrk could feel a growing danger. The pirates were beginning to rally. And they had a champion of their own... Kyyrk decided then that he would hold the line defending the family. The rest, he could rescue when the dust had settled...​

Ishani Dinn

 

[Ishani Dinn]

An empty building. Ishani's eyes still scanned for what the Force already told her. There was no one here.

But they could still hide. She stepped deeper into the abandoned home, intent on finding somewhere she could at least stow the children—

Pain erupted along her spine, spreading rapidly through her nervous system. Behind her, a pirate in the doorway had fired a stun bolt. Ishani collapsed to the floor.

Darkness threatened to crowd her vision. She fought it with the Force, clawing her way back to consciousness.

The twins were screaming. Eloise had been wrenched from her grasp, her legs kicking in the air as she was carried away. Marcus still clung to Ishani, his wailing wrenching her heart.

She couldn't fight back. If she fought back, they might hurt the children. Even just being caught in the crossfire, she didn't dare risk it.

Instead, with the last of her strength, she reached into the minds of the pirates, implanting the command you don't want to hurt the kids. For her trouble, she heard a thickly accented voice repeat "Careful, you don't wanna hurt 'em…" just before a second stun bolt hit her. The world went dark.

Kyyrk​