[member="Izzy Aureth"]
Phylis reflected that the Dark Side really was the quick and easy path. A Sith or even [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] would have no compunction in dealing fiercely with these people.
Still, she would not have it any other way.
As she approached the bandit’s muskets came up and tulwars and other blades were readied.
“Greetings, fine lady!” one said, leering. “These lands are dangerous for you. Perhaps we can offer you some…protection?”
Phylis gazed between them. Though it was not her job to enforce law and order she had the care of Izzy to consider.
“How much?” she asked.
The leader seemed to consider, then grinned. “Fifty silver pieces. Or your daughter. Maybe both!”
Phylis glanced back at Izzy. “That is unacceptable. I suggest you leave at once.” A quick gesture of her hand. “You do not want to rob us. You want to leave here and return home.”
“We…want to return home!” one of the others said, lowering her musket.
The leader shook her head, growled. “No! I will not fall for your tricks, witch! Kill them!”
Phylis Alince was a fairly placid sort, sometimes a bit vague, but in times of danger her focus suddenly became pinpoint accurate. In a heartbeat her green blade was in her hand and intercepted a slashing scimitar, slicing it in half.
Muskets belched fire and smoke, but Phylis was already moving, her blade deflecting the lead slugs away easily.
“Walk away,” she said calmly. “No one needs to get hurt for this.”
The bandit chief seemed to disagree, she drew her blade and came at Phylis, and when the blades met the scimitar was not cut like butter either. A Force imbued weapon.
The duel was one of frantic motion on the part of the bandit, as she slashed, stabbed and cut wildly. Phylis deflected her blows with little effort.
“This is your final warning,” Phylis stated calmly, as she stepped back.
“Coward! Fight me! Kill her daughter!”
It was a mistake. Phylis was not Izzy’s mother, but she felt protective in the way a mother bear did for her cub. Phylis’ eyes narrowed, and now she moved into the attack. Many thought Soresu was a purely defensive form, but they were wrong. In the right hands, and Phylis was one of the best in the galaxy, it could turn defence into attack with lightning precision.
A flick of the wrist and the bandit’s blade was flicked aside and Phylis’ lightsabre drove into the woman’s arm, removing it at the elbow. A gesture of the hand and the chief was tossed down the slope to sprawl in a heap.
Turning to the other bandits she raised her hand. The ground trembled and the sand started to rise in a vortex around them, spinning them helplessly into the air. Then, a gesture sent them all tumbling down the slope to join their leader.
Phylis sheathed her lightsabre and moved down towards them.
“You are lucky that I am a Jedi or I would destroy you all. However, that does not mean your punishment has been cancelled, merely that I will let others prosecute it.”
She activated her comm to contact the Eldorai who was stationed in nearby Zeheb.
“Lady Anthas? Phylis Alince, Jedi Master. I have caught some bandits near the pyramids. Send a squad to pick them up, if you would.”
One of the bandits had gotten to their feet and tried to sneak away, but hit an invisible wall which he beat on like a mime.
“Come to me, Izzy. We will stay until the shuttle arrives to collect them. I hope you have learned something from today.”
She knelt down to focus on maintaining the invisible wall. Despite the efforts of the bandits and their weapons they could not break it. For the somewhat hapless Jedi Master to show such power might be a bit of a surprise for Izzy!
