Private The Fun-vee

[Azula Tindara]

"I'll run," she said.

It was said in a way that made it perfectly clear that it would be painful but she was running away form this situation no matter what. It stood to reason that they would be taken to stronghold where they could be removed from the trunk without causing drama. Their window of escape was getting narrow.

"My ankle can take the weight."

She turned her attention to their covers. A few pinches and tugs and she manged to use the Force to free them from the darkness. Only to emerge in another kind of darkness.

Next came the release for the trunk.

Rolling to turn her back to the edge of the trunk, she felt around with her hands but there was nothing inside that could be moved. That she would have to try with the Force again.

"How are holding up?"

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"I'll make it."

He could hear and feel Azula rustling around for a latch. Not every speeder had them - after all it wasn't exactly a galaxy-wide safety feature. Plus, if he was a Kingpin no doubt the latch would be the first thing removed from a trunk. Especially when tossing bodies in there frequently. Shaggy head shook some hair from his face and he moved around ever so slightly.

He didn't want his weight to be shifting around and alerting their captors. Delicately, he moved so he could possibly kick their way out. It wouldn't be an issue, the latching mechanism that kept the trunk shut wasn't all powerful. It could be popped with enough force. His foot slid along til he found the middle of the trunk then went down towards the mechanism. If he was guessing correctly, this would be the correct spot.

"Okay...get ready....tell me when we're about to stop."

Working with Azula, she would reach out with the Force. He quietly waited, not wanting to disturb her focus. It seemed to stretch on, nothing but their breathing and the sound of the speeder moving through the cityscapes. Yet he didn't move, didn't dare take his foot away from the spot he was counting on for their escape.

Now, Azula quietly hissed.

Foot slammed against the trunk once, nothing. A harder slam the second time and they were greeted with the bright, garish lights of some type of city district. The trunk was open, now they just had to escape.

 

[Azula Tindara]

Azula elbowed her way up to her knees.

There was a moment where her gaze met that of the driver of the vehicle behind them. The gran couldn't quite believe the sight, all three eyes went wide.

"Go!"

She rolled out, pushing back to her feet. Someone nearby cried out. She glanced left and right, choosing left. She ran straight into an arcade.

Machines flashed and people cried out. Azula kept running, slamming her shoulder into a door to get off the floor.

"They're following!" she grunted.

They passed an office and a changing room for staff. From behind, she heard the same door shoved open.

"Need a way out."

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Of course they are following!"

A little snappy but his shoulder was killing him from being pulled behind his back. They were in cuffs and there was really no end in sight. Escaping was the baby step in this operation. They hadn't even successfully lost the group following them, ensuring they were still on baby step one. Judah wasn't quite sure what to do as they entered a changing area but keep pushing.

There was an emergency exit and they burst through that, entering an alleyway. Judah had thought about hiding in a dumpster but that seemed far too obvious and too easy to get them trapped. Best to keep moving as they ran the best they could down the alleyway. They needed to find somewhere with large crowds they could easily get lost in.

Yet he wasn't familiar with Mek-sha, so he didn't know which way to turn.

"We gotta find a crowd or a transport about to take off..."

Azula Tindara

 

[Azula Tindara]

"Of course they are following!"

Azula might have fired back an amused retort, but the situation didn't offer the opportunity.

Running was all she could manage. If she truly concentrated she could keep to a straight line too.

She heard their two pursuers burst into the alley behind them. Clearly, they didn't want to open fire if they could avoid it. They had a clear shot at her back.

"We gotta find a crowd or a transport about to take off..."

"Yeah, right here," she grunted.

The road at the end of the alley had a handful of pedestrians. Not the crowd they needed.

"Over and down there!"

She nodded towards an alley on the far side I'd the road.

There were a few noises of surprise. Two people had just burst onto the road and obviously had their hands bound. At least one of them would grab their device and contact law enforcement. Or whatever acted as law enforcement around these parts. For all she knew that would be the people who had captured them.

"Door!"

They had turned down the alley and had just seconds outside of line of sight. If they could lose them in an apartment complex then they could buy a little time.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Come on!"

They quickly went into the apartment complex. First floor, it appeared to be the backside of the complex, not a main entrance. This was good as it would make them less visible to the residents. He quickly started checking out the doors and spotted a maintenance closet under the stairs. Judah backed his body back to the door to open it, Azula Tindara quickly ushering herself inside. The old salvager wasn't far behind.

In the dark, Judah pushed his back against the door, leaning all his weight against it. With any luck, if they tried the door it would just be considered locked and Kaddro and company would move on to the next. After that, they could wait and then slip back out into the alleyway. He wasn't sure if they should go back to his ship or not though.

He dared not to speak. Or barely even breathe.

Footsteps were in the hall, heavy ones. He froze, listening. The doorknob jiggled and a small attempt at a push, but his weight was still against the door. Yet it wasn't tried again and the footfalls were slow to leave the hallway. He could hear muffled talking and movement. It was hard to tell the difference between a potential resident and a potential kidnapper.

Azula, he was certain, would know when the coast was clear.

 

[Azula Tindara]

In the darkness, there was a soft tap as Azula set down a mop she had picked up. The chains around her wrists would have formed a better weapon, but the stick would have had more range.

She stretched out with the Force. It was like hearing with water in her ears or sensing with her montrals from under cloth.

"Go," she whispered. "Left and up the stairs."

The last place she wanted to be was on the open street. There had been three cars of armed men. If they really believed Judah was their ticket to a fortune them they would probably fetch more and start combing the block.

Azula picked an empty flat, forcing the lock open with the Force. She didn't have time for subtly so they were lucky there were no alarms.

"Don't touch the lights," she suggested.

She headed to a chair by the window, turning it towards the door and glancing at the steer below.

"We can hide and hope? Maybe make it out in the light."

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Make out? At a time like this? I typically like my hands free but....I'm open to new ideas."

Azula Tindara was checking out the space she had chosen, apparently already knowing it was empty. He wasn't sure how she picked the lock but he wished she could apply the same skills to the cuffs behind his back. His shoulder was burning and the muscles in his upper back were starting to ache from all the tension. A headache was slowly creeping up the back of his head, but it could be worse. He could be dead. Maybe though that wasn't a horrible idea but he had a lot to do - too much on his plate to just give up and expire.

Judah decided he could be useful and slumped against the door. At least his bodyweight would be some type of doorstopper if things got incredibly rough. It was the night cycle on this part of Mek-sha so at least it should be quieter in the apartment complex hallways. Less chance of jumping at every little noise.

If he had to guess, whoever wanted him, Kaddro or who he was working for, would be circling the complex for some time. Even if they didn't have gangsters stationed inside, logic told him there would be ones watching from vantage points.

"You can rest. I can take first watch."

 

[Azula Tindara]

"Make out? At a time like this? I typically like my hands free but....I'm open to new ideas."

"I know you're joking but it's important to know you're going to regret that."

She shrugged.

"In a good way."

Azula looked down at the metal cuffs. Maybe something a little softer.

"But maybe not when they turn the lights up," she whispered. Azula let herself fall to the floor, back against the wall. She closed her eyes.

A little meditation would help shake some of the concussion.

"If we give them a bit of time to get bored of waiting for us we can try and slip away. Might get noticed. For all we know he owns this whole district."

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"I know you're joking but it's important to know you're going to regret that."

"If we survive, perhaps. Such survival remains to be seen."

Right now, his hands were behind his back and he was more than uncomfortable. At least Azula Tindara had her bindings in the front, they hadn't considered her the threat. Muscles were pulled tight and pinpricks were starting to form along his shoulder and down his back. Being on the run was one thing, still in cuffs was another.

"Can you get these things off or no?" Judah whispered in the dark, only having a vague idea of where she was. "Since you don't want to rest it seems..."

He had offered to take first watch but it didn't seem the Torguta was eager to take him on that offer. Judah was more than happy too, he was far too uncomfortable to sleep or rest.It was hard enough to sit and carry a conversation, let alone think about drifting off into some sense of rest. Judah took a deep breath, trying to will himself into relaxing. Wasn't working.

"Since we've been busy....Didn't get the chance to tell you I'm going to be a grandfather. Last chance to get out and hit the exit ramp....no one wants to date someone's grandfather."

Especially someone younger like Azula.

"Also, I found out I have another son. He's seventeen. A Jedi too, sadly."

 

[Azula Tindara]

. "Since you don't want to rest it seems..."

She gave a slow nod. She did need to be quiet and drift into a meditative state to try and speed her healing.

"Since we've been busy....Didn't get the chance to tell you I'm going to be a grandfather. Last chance to get out and hit the exit ramp....no one wants to date someone's grandfather."

Especially someone younger like Azula.

"Also, I found out I have another son. He's seventeen. A Jedi too, sadly."

Her eyes blinked back open. Now she wasn't going to get to drift off easily.

"I had picked up that there was something you were going to tell me, but that was... not what I might have guessed."

Not even if she had tried for a good few hours.

"Wow. How... How are you feeling about it all?" she asked. "How did you find out?"

Azula didn't know quite what she felt about it yet. It all very quickly coalesced into a mix of feelings that she couldn't imnediately unpick. That he had a surprise child wasn't enormously shocking, but a seventeen year old jedi who was also about to be a father.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"I mean, I can't tell Makai and Myra what to do...they are married. A little shocking, sure. I expected them to wait a little and finish establishing their stride in their respective businesses, but what can one do? After that initial shock though.....I'm happy. We needed some good news in the family and I'm looking forward to spoiling my granddaughter."

Judah was looking forward to spoiling the girl and then handing her back to the two. All the fun parts of parenting without having to do any real legwork in terms of discipline and hard decisions. The old salvager was looking forward to seeing her grow up, to see how her personality would turn out. She already was giving her parents a run for their credits.

"How did I find out about becoming a grandfather? They told me. Now how I found out about Balun....Makai had some genetic testing done so I did as well....Found out we're distantly Hapan. Either way, PharmaTech ran my DNA through a database and told me, guess the Jedi had him on file somewhere. As for how I feel....not good."

He tried to roll his shoulders to get comfortable. No such luck. His mood was beginning to sour, the pain irritating him. Probably served him right.

"One, I don't remember anything. Two, if I had been informed I would have obviously took care of him. Three, he's so far down the Jedi indoctrination tunnel.....Its not at all what I would have wanted. Nothing I can do about it, of course."

 

[Azula Tindara]

She realised she had equated the two things together. There was no way to hide that, not without pretending she wasn’t pleased for the news about Makai.

“A granddaughter? That’s amazing, when is she due?”

She tilted her head from side to side, head tails giving a little sway. She heard another car pull up in the street. Doors were slammed loudly as more people joined the hunt. Azula lowered her voice.

“For a second there, I thought your other son had knocked someone up. Concussion,” she said by way of excuse. “That’s… that is a lot of news together,” she admitted.

“But I’m so happy for Makai and Myra. And you.”

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Quite a few months now. I've known for some time, we just haven't seen one another.....and thank you. As for Balun, we're still feeling each other out. Kind of hard to parent someone on the cusp of adulthood and who was never seen you before. Seems to be getting along with Makai, so thats important."

Judah went quiet for a long moment, listening. They hadn't been found out yet. He assumed the gangsters were working the block - searching through thinking they had escaped and were hiding out elsewhere. It was best for them to wait and be quiet. If they got too impatient then it would lead to nothing but more trouble. He was thinking they would have to leave his ship behind and escape on a public transport. That was fine, every ship he owned had a slave circuit to be recalled.

"If you want...you know....to call it quits, I would understand. No one wants to date someone's granddad. You're younger and frankly if its just too much....then its too much. I know you and interpersonal connections, or you've mentioned you're not always comfortable with them."

Azula Tindara

 

[Azula Tindara]

Azula frowned back at him through the darkness. He has probably spent a lot of time thinking about this conversation, of the roads it could have been down.

None of those paths probably included whispering this across a dark room as they hid from criminals.

"Your son is starting his family. I think it's kind that you offered an out, but it doesn't change things between us. I'm not that much younger than you."

Her knees liked to keep reminding her of that fact.

"We should see them again. Once we get out of here. But, er Balum, was it? I'll let you work that one out first."

She had been hit by two very different pieces of news at the same time. After being hit in the head by both a truck and a stun blast. It was going to take a little time to sort through her feelings.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Yeah..." Judah wasn't sure how that would go. Last time was an utter disaster. He wasn't too keen on repeating the experience but at the same hand, it was only a matter of time before the two worlds had to intersect again. In his mind, it would be easier to introduce her to Balun Dashiell and let them bond over their mystical force connection. "Its Balun and we will see if we live first."

Leaning against the door, he yawned and fell into silence. There wasn't much else to say when one's hands were behind their back causing pain. Besides, he didn't want to continue on this vein of conversation - not now anyways. Somewhere in-between listening for their captors, a general sense of annoyance, and the pain in his shoulder, he crashed. Adrenaline could only keep one going for so long, reaching that limit.

 

[Azula Tindara]

Azula slipped into a meditative state. She could still hear their surroundings, but most of her focus turned inwards. She could turn to particular injuries and take action. She could force a cut to stop bleeding and to mend flesh. But the brain was not an area one meddled in lightly. Instead, Azula spent some energy accelerating her natural healing cycle.

Her attention was yanked back to the outside world sharply. Azula blinked her eyes open. Judging by the light, at least an hour had passed.

She pushed herself to her feet. There was still pain in her joints and a sense of lethargy, but she could think through the fog now.

"Judah..." she dropped to one knee next to him and squeezed her shoulder. Her chains swung gently against his arm.

"...they're going door to door. Think you can work your cuffs under your legs? We might need to move."

 

[Judah Dashiell]

Think you can work your cuffs under your legs? We might need to move

Coming out of a sleepy haze, the first words he fully heard involved him somehow working his cuffs under his legs. A stare was leveled at Azula Tindara , wondering if she had lost her mind. She had got injured but that seriously? He blinked at her for a few long moments, as if his silence would answer instead.

"You've seen how coordinated I am in some of our more amorous activities. I think its a clear no, I cannot."

A deep sigh and he sat up, wincing in pain. He could hear rustling down the hallways. A decision had to be made. Not one he wanted to make but sometimes realization came and realized that there wasn't much of a choice. It didn't mean he was giving up, but perhaps it would be a different direction and he could find his own way out.

"Go out the window on your own. I'll hold them off here. They want me, not you. I'll figure out someway out of this....maybe they just want money or assets."

Then kill him, but still. His shoulders were burning. He knew things were looking bleak in the chances of fighting back, especially since he didn't have a blaster. Weapons would be wiser in this instance.

"Go on....we can rendezvous on Coruscant. Most public transports go there."

 

[Azula Tindara]

"You've seen how coordinated I am in some of our more amorous activities. I think its a clear no, I cannot."

"That was a silly question wasn't it," Azula muttered. She was going to have to put him on a routine of stretching when they got off this horrible rock.

It was a horrible rock, but it was also just like home to her. An urban jungle run by plots and schemes and gangs.

"Go on....we can rendezvous on Coruscant. Most public transports go there."

Azula took a step closer. There was a soft rattle of chains as she grasped his tunic with both hands.

"No," she whispered. She turned her head to the door. There was a muffled conversation as the gang member questioned someone who was actually in their flat.

"Two questions: Can you run? Do you trust me?"

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Two questions: Can you run? Do you trust me?"

"Yes, I can run."

Maybe not fast, but that hadn't been her question. He felt stiff and sore but also realized getting out and escaping was their only way out. Azula didn't have her lightsaber. Although, he thought she could mind-trick her way out, but he didn't know the complexities of the Force or even if such a thing was possible.

"Sometimes. This is one of those times."