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Bellatrix couldn't help but feel bad for the human female. At least when she was first scooped up by the Taung pirate she was allowed take her frustration out on Mot, killing her former master in a deliciously satisfying act of revenge. Not all of this parading around like some trained Beek Monkey and made to tell stories for the enjoyment of the crew.
She took a deep breath and wondered if she would pay for this later, but stood up and said, "Kuryr, the girl just got here. Can't you see she's terrified?"
She widened her eyes at Chastity, nodded her head and said, "You, go sit on Dekka's lap. I'll tell the crew a tale."
She bowed more supplicating to the leader of the Blood Pact.
"If it pleases you, Kuryr."
She wasn't sure what his reaction would be. If he would become enraged at her defiance. Or if he would ignore her and continue to bully the shrinking Jedi. Or perhaps he would punish them both.
The girl was terrified, standing alone in the middle of a room filled with pirates and deranged killers, being made to recite the names of the people she was led to believe she killed. He expected her to break down and cry, but her resolve did her credit. She was fighting through it rather well. even when she said she wouldn't, he almost respected her for it. Bellatrix spoke up at that moment and he was rather surprised, she was one of the few that would would understand the torture that his new slave was going through, but she was hardened from years of being used, most recently by Chuka, but he did that to make her hard. She was soft when he had first taken her, and one day she would be as hard as the hardest corusca gem. Sighing he chewed on the end of his cigarra before he slammed his empty mug down again. "NO!"
His voice echoed through the now silent mess hall. He stood and slowly made his way over to his half naked toy. He held up his hand to stop Bellatrix from moving to the center of teh room. His face was impassive, but he kept firm hold of the lightsaber hilt in his hand. " She sit by me" He said pointing to the plain durasteel chair that was next to his throne. "She is collared but off limits. No one is to touch her unless I say so. She isn't even worthy of your attention." He turned to the girl and leaned so that he was mere inches away from her face, "Go sit next to my throne... slave," He sneared and emphasized the last word, his breath smelling like beer and cigarra smoke. He stood there, his eyes boring holes through her as he waited and watched her move to her seat.
" I will tell you a tale" He grinned as he turned to the assembled pirates. " Of how her master failed her. He came to save her, lightsaber in hand." To punctuate his point he ignited the lightsaber in his hand and struck a dramatic pose. "He strode over and said in a very firm voice. ' You have something that belongs to me'. " Kuryr's voice changed and the tone was much higher but it held more of a mocking tone to it. "He stood tall and strong, with a cape fluttering behind him." He glanced over at Chastity a smile on his lips as the men assembled chuckled to themselves "And then he posed some more... but he did nothing as I threw my prize over my shoulder and made off with her. He stood there as I walked away." Kuryr moved away from Chastity, feigning that he was walking away from her master, a fake body over his shoulder.
"He gripped the force in his mighty grasp and flung it at me with all his might" He turned to Chastity and mockingly held out his hand, as if throwing something at her. " But..." He pulled his hand back " He stopped and watched as I walked away. I took his beloved padawan from him and he watched." He chuckled and placed his hand over his heart. " Oh how he grieved her capture, and how he seethed with anger and hate, but not once did he try to reclaim her from me. No! He let her go, because he finally accepted the truth. That she was woefully undertrained, a liability to herself and others." He stopped with his dramatic posing and gave Chastity a hard look. " That he was incapable of training someone who he loved. Someone he dare not push too hard, lest she fail and be taken away from him."
He let the silence settle in the room before he continued, " As I walked away though, I gave him payment for the lovely gift he had given me." He turned again taking in the whole room. " Explosives dropped the entire level above him, and crushed him under tons of rock and stone." He again looked to Chastity, allowing her to see that his words were true. "His reward for teaching this brat to pretend to be a warrior was death."
He sighed and shook his head. " All of you have been in her place at one time or another. Slaves the lot of you. Some still are." He glanced at Bellatrix. "But all of you know that my word holds true. If you choose to help me, your freedom will be granted. No one is a captive once they are free." He pointed to the gungan sitting at one of the tables. " Dekka, why do you still sail with me."
"Yoo'sa the big boss. Yoo'sa maa'ka the money" The gungan replied and several of the crew around him nodded.
"Leslin, you and your brother were never slaves, why stay with me?" He said pointing to a pair of nearly identical rodians.
"We love to fight Kuryr!" Said one of them
" Yeah we love the fighting, boss" The other chimed in.
He turned to look at Chastity again "You see, I take care of my crew, this is my family." He said spreading his arms out wide, the blade blade still in his hands. A cheer coming from the assembled pirates. Some of them banging on the tables as they whistled and hooted. "This is what you shunned when you turned me down, you insulted my family. And for that i pity you, because your family, the jedi, let you go. They didn't even fight to keep you." He lowered his head and powered off the lightsaber. "While I have done nothing but free my family."
He returned to his chair and smiled as one of the crew came over with a fresh mug of beer.
E’ron Class Corvette Tingle Arm, Outer Rim Space - Invasion of Ziost +2
It had been forever since Connor Harrison had seen the body of his Padawan, Chastity Lunelle, be carried over the shoulder of the Taung on Ziost. Seconds later, his body had been flung by the Force out of the way of the collapsing Citadel that exploded around him from the bombs. Since recovering from the blast and those who stood in his way, Connor was finally using the Silver Jedi E’ron Class Corvette to reach the ship Chastity was last felt.
Her aura had been weak and then…vanished. The Silver Sanctum fleet, dealing with the outcome of the Primeval Invasion of Ziost, had worked with Connor’s immediate instruction to hone in on Padawan Lunelle’s com before it was lost. Thankfully, she had been found, but it wasn’t easy as forces were spread thin.
The skeleton Ranger crew piloted the Corvette, and Connor stood against his E-wing, docked and ready to break away as soon as the Taung was spotted. In the hangar, it was ghostly quiet except for another fighter being worked on. He didn’t pay any attention to anyone since leaving the bridge, and stood looking out of the hangar into the swirling depths of space.
With a handful of Rangers, the Master of the Silver Jedi didn’t need to be questioned twice about his intentions – reach the Taung fighter, an imposing craft heading out to the Tingle Arm – and save his Padawan. Not just his Padawan, but the girl he loved and was now in grave danger of losing forever. It was his fault she was now captured – or worse, killed. He had left her to confront the Dark Jedi Keira Ticon, and now she had been promised salvation with the Silvers. But in doing so, and putting too much faith and pressure on his Padawan, she had been savaged, beaten and captured.
Connor closed his eyes and half a dozen tears broke free, running down his cheeks and a broken sigh left his mouth. He had failed her, as he had failed Syala. Now, it was his own fault if he carried her death on his shoulders. Not just her death, but the pain and anger of her sister, Setzi, whom he only knew briefly but would probably never now escape if he let her down.
Trust in the Force.
Fingers curled into fists as he ignored the sensation of the tears, and he looked up out of the viewport . Connor was not going to give up until he had found her. She was strong, willing and fuelled by a desire to survive. The Taung wouldn’t risk losing such an asset, and in doing so would make sure his prize was alive. At that moment, his com crackled into life.
”Master Harrison, Privateer-class Frigate ahead – possibly your ship from Ziost. I suggest you move now.”
Connor didn’t say anything, but steeled his jaw and his resolve and span, cowl flowing behind him as he pulled himself up into the side of the E-wing and up over the cockpit. The hatch pulled back and he quickly engaged the engines with a roar. Seconds later, he pulled up and forward on the yoke and moved into position through the blue energy shield that allowed ships in and out, but kept gravity at bay.
Once he was clear, he gunned the engines and spend forward. The darkness of space called out to him as the Corvette fell behind as Connor had one ship in his sights in the distance. Blue eyes burned with a hidden rage and also a longing hope that he wasn’t too late; he would show everyone that Chastity was stronger than anyone expected, and he himself wasn’t the failure he had come across as.
He would show the Taung there would be repercussions from his actions, and anyone with him who tried to stop the Silver Jedi in his path. Banking hard, Connor engaged the signal on his ships com to hopefully reach any wavelength the Taung craft was picking up.
”This is Connor Harrison of the Silver Sanctum. We can do this the easy way an you let me on board, or we do it the hard way and you don’t leave the ship alive.”
Eyes never left the ship in the distance as he waited for a response. Either way, he wasn’t going to give up his girl without a fight.
The half-Chiss slave’s plan backfired, and Kuryr became enraged. Bella slunk off to another part of the room and took a seat to watch the theatrics unfold. It had been a bluff anyway, and she didn’t really have an exciting story to tell. But the Taung pirate certainly did.
Bellatrix had done what she could. This schutta is not your concern, she thought uncharitably. The best thing to do is to distance yourself from her over-enthusiastic belief that we can somehow escape this prison. This is your fate, Bella. Don’t try to fight it.
She did find Kuryr’s mocking story entertaining, even if she didn’t want to. The Taung knew how to work the crowd, and the other crew members listened in rapt attention, hooting and clapping when he finally got to the end. If he wasn’t a pirate, he could have been a politician. If the Jedi girl wasn’t broken already, she may be after this display of showmanship. Although Bellatrix could think of a whole lot more that would happen on the ship that could potentially break the human’s spirit.
The blue-skinned slave only glanced at Kuryr appreciatively, letting him know through her glance that his performance had not only entertained, but bolstered the crew’s confidence. She knew from experience that a relatively happy and stable crew caused many less problems for her. When anger and boredom set in on the ship that is when she needed to be especially careful.
Suddenly, she sensed a change in the room, some unusual activity perhaps outside the ship? But only waited to see what transpired.
Whoever Dekka was, Chastity knew she certainly did not want to sit on his lap, but the Padawan breathed a short sigh of relief when Bellatrix mentioned that she would step in and tell a story. The slaver's booming voice, rang out, startling the entire room.
The slaver marched over to Chastity and ordered her to take a seat next to his throne. Her eyes downcast, she skittered into it with a whimper. Her gold chain skirt clinked against the durasteel, uncomfortably cold against her bare legs. The feeling only added to her misery over being the center of such unwanted attention.
The creature began to entertain his crew, theatrically telling the story of his brush with Connor during the Battle of Ziost. The alien's tone was mocking, and when he did something especially over the top, the room filled with drunken braying. Sycophants, all of them. Chastity's eyes narrowed down to slits. How dare he ridicule Connor. Her Master was the man who took her under his wing and opened her up to the Force, teaching her how to wield it like a warrior. He changed her life and became her lover. The Jedi Master would never stop looking for her. She knew it in her heart. He had sworn to protect her, and regardless of his sometimes erratic actions, he was a man of his vows. He was not a failure.
"NO!" she shouted with clenched fists that longed to rip him to shreds. Her sudden verbal outburst elicited some titters from his crew. Then, silence hung in the room, as the slaver readied himself for Act II. He described explosions raining down on the citadel and Connor being crushed to death. Her eyes grew wider at the revelation. He was lying! He had to be. The alternative was unthinkable. Tears streamed down the Padawan's red, raw cheeks. She would never sleep again soundly if it were true. An inner war raged.
It's not true, Chast. He's lying! He wants to get a reaction out of you. Oh, but what if it's true? You don't know for sure!
Chastity folded forward in the metal chair, and broke down in front of the whole room. As strong as her denial was, the tiny kernel of possibility finally devastated her heart. She would accept whatever horrible fate the slaver had for her. Why fight it? Everything she had ever wanted and loved was destroyed in one moment of falling stone. The entire room blurred through her tears. She knew that she was hardly showing the pride that Jedi were known for, but she was no longer a Jedi was she? Life without him meant nothing. For the first time since her capture on Ziost, Chastity actually felt resigned to being a slave.
The room remained loud as the pirates assembled laughed and joked about the valiant jedi and his fitting demise. He glanced over and saw that his show had done exactly what he had intended. Chastity was a mess, her beliefs were shattered and her hope of rescue had been shattered. He could feel the despair rolling off of her. He considered probing her mind to see what kind of mess it was in, but he wanted to save that for another time. Perhaps the next time he had a chat with her. He blew a large cloud of smoke into the air as he puffed on his cigarra and he smiled. The galaxy was a place for the hard, those too soft to survive were crushed under the pressure, broken and shattered by the harsh realities that surrounded them. he took another long chug of his beer and slammed his nug on the throne, the gathered pirates still rowdy from the story and cheering as he reveled in his victory.
Klaxons blaired suddenly, the sound a familiar one to the crew, who wasted no time in scattering to their stations. Kuryr sighed and stood, motioning to Bellatrix. " Take our broken little jedi back to her cell and head to the bridge, lets find out what is going on." Usually the sound of the klaxons meant that a ship was in the area, more often than not it was something that they could raid and capture. He grinned at the thought as his vanguard began to assemble around him. He turned to watches his favorite slave taking his newest slave away and he turned to Dekka. "What's the situation old friend?"
The gungan listened to a small comm devices that he had implanted in his ear for easy communication and he nodded a few times before replying."Wee'sa gots a ship. close. Dae'sa think it's a warship. But Iss'a just da one. And not a big'un. Wee'sa are asa big dey are. Wee'sa can take dem, Kuryr."
Kuryr thought about it for a second, he didn't liek tangling with warships, rarely were they alone. and where there was one, there would usually be more. He prefered to pounce in unsuspecting ship. "Has it identifie.."
"Kuryr, wee'sa picking upa call from a fighta thaa'sa launched from da warship." He tapped a button on the small writ device he wore and a voice all too familiar to Kuryr flowed out of the small speaker on the device
"This is Connor Harrison of the Silver Sanctum. We can do this the easy way an you let me on board, or we do it the hard way and you don’t leave the ship alive.”
Kuryr growled as he listened. "Change of plans. Chuks go get a female slave from the kitchen. Lauron, Leslin.. go get that set of armor we took off of the jedi. Meet me at the airlock as fast as possible. Dekka patch me into the comm channel." He said as he began to walk towards the airlock. The old gungan matched him stride for stride as they walked, he tapped into the device on his wrist as he pulled it free and handed it to Kuryr.
"Connor Harrison of the Silver Sanctum. You were warned not to follow me. Your tenacity is to be applauded, too bad you couldn't teach some of that to your young padawan."
He kept walking as he talked. Once he was at the airlock it was only moments before the twins returned with the armor, Chuka wouldn't be far behind. He tapped the mute button on the comm and looked at his assembled vanguard. "When the girl gets here, shove her into the armor." He didn't get any further when Chuka rounded the corner dragging a terrified slave behind her. The girl looked nothing like his jedi captive. her skin was darker and her hair was a dark red. But he watched as the four members of his crew shoved and pulled and yanked the armor hastily onto the terrified girl.
"I told you that if you tried to stop me, I would kill her. Now you get to hear her last moments."
He pulled out the lightsaber he had pushed back into his pocket and pressed the activation stud. With a snap-hiss it sprang to life. He looked at the terrified girl, who had finally begun to realize what was about to happen. " Scream for me" He growled at her and she let out a shrill scream as loudly as she could. With a quick swing he separated her head from her body, cutting the scream off as quickly as he had the girls head.
"I shall return your padawan to you now, had you taught her better, she might have had a better head on her shoulders. I have fixed that problem for her. Toss her out the airlock."
He cut the comm as he watched the twins open the airlock door and toss the body inside. Once the inner door was closed, Kuryr slapped the controls for the outer door and the body was sucked into the vacuum of space. "Dekka arm the defensive guns and prepare the jump to hyperspace. I want distance between us and out jedi friends."
The slaver's crew seemed even more entertained by Chastity's breakdown. Did their cruelty know no bounds? She had just been informed of the loss of her lover, and they were hooting and hollering like maniacs. Each pained sob only seemed to draw out more laughter from the room, hoarse cackles that would haunt her nightmares for years to come.
Suddenly, the klaxons echoed through the ship like screams. The slaver's crew began to spring from their seats and scurry about. The creature himself simply puffed on his cigarra and smiled. An order was barked at Bellatrix to take Chastity away. No! She couldn't bear going back to that room to clean up vomit and empty deathsticks. What the frell was happening? She had to know!
A tiny sprig of hope sprouted. What if whatever was causing the alarms to ring had something to do with Connor or the Silver Jedi? As Bellatrix began to usher her in the direction of her containment cabin, Chastity balked. The fight returned to the Padawan, and she began to lash out at the Balsoar, punching, biting, and struggling vehemently. She would be dragged out kicking and screaming if she had to.
An emergency on the ship, most likely an incoming attack.
“Come on,” she said to Chastity, grabbing her arm roughly, her nails digging into the human's soft skin. She pushed her forward, trying to coax her to come with her to another part of the ship.
“We will be safer in your original room,” Bellatrix said with her thick Balosar accent.
But abruptly the girl turned on her like a rabid Hoojib! Cursing in Cheuhn, Bellatrix grabbed a stun baton from one of the nearby crew members and jabbed it at Chastity. The padawan would feel a strong electric shock go through her body, immobilizing her so that Bella could drag her to her quarters.
But the half-Chiss slave wasn’t that toned in her arms. Yes, she could fight with melee weapons, but being on the pirate ship for much of the day didn’t afford her a lot of time to train. Besides even when she was supposed to be practicing and sparring, she would always try to sneak off to smoke deathsticks in the refresher.
“Help me with her,” Bellatrix barked at Fresk, the only Bothan on the crew. With his help they were able to carry Chastity to her bedroom. Luckily neither girl had seen the horror that Kuryr had inflicted on the kitchen slave. If Bellatrix had seen witnessed that scene, her nerves would be more rattled than they were now.
“Stay there. It sounds like the ship is coming under attack,” she said.
As the voice of the Taung came over the com, Connors eyes narrowed as he kept his sight on the pirate ship. His threats were real, and his voice was true. The Jedi tightened his fingers on the yolk as the warrior played his game, but the back of mind raced trying to find Chastity, but he couldn't.
And then, the scream came and echoed in the cockpit. Connor's eyes widened and he pushed the ship forward, totally ignoring the Taung and flipping the switch for the Corvette's bridge.
”Captain emergency actions! Intercept the body from that pirate ship at once, it may be Chastity!”
”Interceptor launching now Master Jedi.”
The engines roared as the E-wing shot forward towards the pirate ship, and his teeth gritted as a tear leaked from his eye. A tear born from the fire inside him raging from anger and desperation. He pushed the com button again to hit the pirate ship frequency.
”Surrender yourself Taung before the Silver fleet blow you all to dust!”
She couldn't be dead. Not now! NOT NOW!!
”Captain, get that body!”
Fingering the dash on the ship, Connor barrel rolled to the underside of the pirate ship in the distance and was ready to command an attack.
”Master Harrison, the body is not Padawan Lunelle. I repeat the body has been salvaged and it's a female woman in the Padawan's armour. It is not her, I repeat it is NOT her.”
Snapping his head to the pirate ship, Connor rolled his tongue over his teeth and flipped the switch.
”Captain ready the forward missiles. On my signal you unleash hell.”
The walk to the bridge was a quick one, he saw [member="Bellatrix Celvina"] had yet to arrive and he frowned. " Chuka, get a sit rep on Bella and our newest prize." He said as they entered the bridge. Dekka moved without word to the command chair in the center of the bridge and began barking orders for the crew on hand.
"Gee'sa the shields up. launch da fightas." the old gungan said. He had spent most of his life being discounted and mocked because he was a gungan, but the old bastard had spent most of his life a boards ships and working with ships that there were very few ship commanders more dangerous than he was. He turned to Kuryr and grinned, the simple was rather evil looking considering the injuries that the old gungan had. " Kuryr, wee'sa have identified the ship. Is'a E'ron class corvette. Is'a not a dedicated warship."
Kuryr, who stood off to the side like he usually did when the gungan was in his element, growled lightly," Send out the assault shuttles. If this [member="Connor Harrison"] wants to fight then we will give him more of a fight than he was expecting."
The ship itself lurched slightly as a dozen rendili star fighters shot out from it's hanger. breaking off into two groups they moved off to one smaller group turned towards the rescue craft while the rest of the fighters rocketed towards the ship. The raptor turned quickly, using it's high speed and maneuverability to it's advantage. Twin heavy laser cannons flashed between the ships as gun crews worked furiously to require the other ship.
Kuryr grinned as he saw the quick actions of his crew. Pirates they may be, but they were vicious in a fight and they are still highly motivated from his tale from before." Leslin, Lauron… Lead the assault of the ship, kill everyone on board and take the ship. We will see just how eager this jedi is to get his little padawan back after we take his ship from him."
He toggled his comm unit again and keyed it to the same channel that Connor used. " Jedi, you are out matched. Your ship cannot stand against mine. I give you one chance to turn away, after that I will destroy your ship and everyone on it. You have thirty seconds to decide. After that I will destroy all traces of your ship and your crew. And you can watch as more people die from your actions."
With thin blue fingers wrapped around her ankles and furry clawed hands hooked underneath her armpits, the Padawan wildcat was removed from the mess hall and dumped in her room. Chast's chest heaved as she stood facing the two pirates. She watched helplessly as the doors behind them hissed closed. Then, Bella pointed a finger at the huffing Padawan and told her the ship was being attacked.
A deep rut appeared in Chastity's brow. Her gold slave outfit jingled as she paced around the room, fists balled up at her sides.
"Attacked?" the Padawan shrieked. "Attacked by whom?"
Desperate for answers, Chast began to reach out to grab Bella and shake the woman into a response, when suddenly, the ship lurched. Hard. Her bare feet stumbled and almost sent her careening right into the puddle of leftover vomit.
Along with the faint sounds of the klaxons blaring behind the door, a roaring came. It was the unmistakable sound of starfighters being dispatched.
By the Maker, she hoped beyond hope it was the Silver Sanctum Coalition. It was a shot in the dark, but the alternative? More pirates or perhaps even Sith. Those were two hypotheticals that Chastity could not bear to entertain.
Please, please, please. Just let it be Connor Harrison.
Connor shook his head, an amused smirk on his face as he flipped two switches again without looking to bring up -
- nothing happened.
His eyes moved down as the HUD picked up launching fighters from the pirate ship, and he flipped them again. Nothing.. Again! Nothing. And then it dawned on him, the uncomfortable warmth running up his body that turned into a cold sweat. The weapon systems were, and always had been, deactivated. Used as a fast transport, Connor had never engaged in battle and only his Silver Jedi Clutch fighter on Voss was ready for that sort of combat. He suddenly wished he'd taken up the offer from Taeli to bring his weapons back online.
Everything seemed to dissolve around him, and it took a few seconds for the E'ron bridge to break through him.
”Master Harrison, orders? Enemy ships on the move.”
Connor craned his head out of the cockpit to see the Taung ships and cursed.
”Captain hold back and do not engage, repeat do not engage! Monitor my E-wing and pull back to safety and if anything happens or the signal goes, inform Grandmaster Heavenshield at once on the situation. He'll know what to do.”
”Understood, Master Harrison.”
Connor thumped the dash and closed his eyes, wishing he had more power to do something. He had none. He was screwed. Yet again, his actions had caused more problems than solutions. But, hope was not out yet.
”Primeval forces, this is Connor Harrison. I offer you my surrender. Let the E'ron ship pull back and take no offensive action, or the Silver Sanctum fleet will soon wipe you out with a moments thought. You have my word. Give me yours if you value your...pirate code.”
There was nothing he could do now except hope they played the game. The HUD started to fill with enemy fighters.
"I don't know!" Belltraix hissed to the padawan as she asked who was attacking them. "It may not be an attack but-"
She was abruptly cut off by the ship as it lurched forward. The blue-skinned slave held onto the padawan's night stand to steady herself as she watched Chastity lose and then gain her footing.
She began to speak to the other, to let her know she needed to go to the bridge but then thought, I don’t need to tell her of my plans. And… we aren't escaping either.
But it was there. The thought of fleeing the ship planted in her head like a unwanted weed. Especially since the klaxon meant anything could be happening - an attack or even a Republic Navy confiscating the ship. Bellatrix knew that Kuryr was a criminal and was most likely wanted across the galaxy, but she had no idea to what extent.
"You stay there!" she commanded and then slipped out of the slave's quarters and headed to the bridge.
Kuryr watched as the other ship moved away and he grinned the worst thing that you should do was run. The pirates were always more excited about the chase than they were about the kill. The jedi's voice echoed over the comm again and he took a second to consider the words that he said. He was willing to surrender to allow his ship to be released and allowed to leave. Kuryr didn't like the idea of that ship fleeing the area. Who knew what was in the area that could respond. "Jedi, I agree to the terms of your surrender on one condition. Your ship is to remain in place, I will keep my pirates off of your ship as long as it remains in place and does nothing to incite a reaction."
He puffed on his cigarra and thought about how to handle the surrender of the Jedi, love had a way of making rational people do irrational things. Would the Jedi keep his word while the woman he loved was being held captive. " bring your ship around Jedi, we will lock onto it without tractor beam. You will be taken to the hangar bay where I will meet you." He noticed Bella waking quietly onto the bridge but he focused on his words. "As long as you stick you your word I will stick to mine" he cut the comm and turned to Dekka, "If that ship does anything but sit there, destroy it"
As he began to leave the bridge he passes Bella and nodded, "You are in charge until I return, but do yourself a favor and listen to anything Dekka says about the ship. He knows it better than even I do."
The Jedi Master bit his tongue and wiped his brow, the strain on his brow showing at a situation getting more out of hand than expected. He took a moment after the Taung spoke and flipped the com to the E'ron Corvette.
”Captain hold your retreat. Stay where you are and have all shields ready and missiles locked. Get on to the Will of the Force - if ANY hostiles come your way or make a move, retreat and relay an urgent order to Grandmaster Heavenshield from me to bring her out and take this vessel.”
Silence for a second.
”Understood, sir. Be careful.”
Connor looked out of the cockpit and sighed. Time was on his side now, he would be sure to use it will and remind the Taung what he was dealing with. Watching the HUD display on the swarming fighters, Connor took the E-wing closer to the large vessel, and waited for the familiar jolt of a locking tractor beam when control would be out of his hands.
He closed his eyes and took the time to center himself.
As he walked the short distance to the hanger bay, he pondered the worth of a jedi, and how he could swing this in his favor. He had the brat that he had captured on Ziost, that was a fair deal and he had been completely true to his word with it, and now he had the master. He thought about it more and more as he walked, but he also questioned the jedi's word. Love was a funny thing...It made normally sane beings do extremely irrational things, like chasing off after a heavily armed and equipped band of pirates in a small ship that was outclassed even before he had left the starport. These things interested him greatly, and having a chance to chat with this [member="Connor Harrison"] was sure to be interesting.
The door to the hanger opened and he stepped in. He saw that several of the pirate crew were already there, most of them were the maintenance crew, but they were pirates none the less. The ship was being pulled into the hanger. It was a sleek ship, one that Kuryr had seen many times. He was impressed that the jedi was flying it himself and he wasn't riding around in a shuttle. With a smile he stepped forward, just as the ship was touching down. He glanced at his dress trousers and plain grey shirt and wondered if he was supposed to dress in a full uniform to be formally introduced to one. He managed not to smile as he puffed on his cigarra, he didn't honestly care what this jedi thought, he watched as the ship was set on the deck of the hanger, several of the pirates wandered up to it and one of them was running a dirty greasy hand along the wing, stopping at the wing tip. There were a few whistles at how well maintained the ship was.
With a short chuckle he walked up to the ship and waited to see what was going to happen next. Several of the crew members had weapons in their hands, he only hoped he didn't have to use them before he had time to rub in the fact that he had beaten the jedi twice now.
The E-wing was carried through into the docking bay of the frigate with comfortable ease. Whilst in the cockpit, Connor rubbed his eyes with the thumb and finger of his right hand, and flipped the open com with his right, to keep communication open with the E’ron Corvette. It was worth a shot, to keep any ears on what happen with his vessel.
As it came to a stop, he could hear the usual diegetic noise of a busy ship from outside, and pulled back the hatch and steadily pulled himself up, taking in a breath of rather cool air; much better than being stuck in the void of space.
Immediately he noted he was surrounded by pirates, and it didn’t take long to spot the Taung. Slowly pulling himself up and out, Connor pushed his cowl out of the way and slid down the wing of the ship to the ground. His boots hit the hard surface and came up close and personal with an armed grunt.
Connor smiled charmingly, hands by his side, and found the Taung looming just ahead.
"Hello there, Taung. Please, treat her with care. We’ve been through a lot together and I’d like to take her back once we’re done here."
He patted the wing of his beloved E-wing, buying time while he felt out in the Force for his Padawan, but felt nothing. He was now in the hands of their mercy as a prisoner.
The jedi exited his fighter and managed to maintain his grace and his dignity as he did so. Considering the situation that he was walking into he was rather calm. Kuryr puffed away on his cigarra as he watched the Jedi approach, a smile on his face as he listened to the words that the jedi spoke as he approached. "My name is Kuryr. In my language it means 'demise'." He glanced down and noticing the lack of a lightsaber on the man's belt and smiled. He was fully willing to surrender himself to the pirates in exchange for the lives of his men.
"You surprise me [member="Connor Harrison"], I didn't expect you to find me as quickly as you did. I realize now that my oversight was a tracking device in your lovely padawans armor. Something I have fixed, as you can already tell. However in your haste you neglected to think of bringing a force sizable enough to challenge me." He pulled his cigarra out of his mouth and blew a large cloud of pinkish tinted smoke into the air before replacing it between his thin lips. He nodded to one of his me and a small folding table and two chairs were rushed out by other crew members. With a smile me motioned to the jedi, " Do have a seat, I would like to talk a bit before we move on." He said as he sat.
He watched the jedi carefully as he sat in the chair, at any moment this could turn into a serious situation. He was willing to allow things to get a little crazy, mostly because he was confident in the skill of his bridge crew to destroy the jedi's ship in space if things got out of hand. "You love her, that much is obvious. No need to deny it or to try to deflect the truth. You jedi are such an odd bunch, you eskew emotions for the greater good, but then when you find something to get emotionally attached too, you lose all of your training and patience. You become just like a spice addict. You do irrational things to ensure that you can continue getting it." He leaned back in the chair, his posture relaxed as he continued. "You left a half trained brat on the battlefield and then you charge in like a lunatic when this brat if yours underperforms. Did you expect her to be able to stand up to a full blooded Taung warrior. I have been bred for combat, I was hunting for food when I was old enough to hold a spear. Every single thing that has happened since our fight began all those days ago no Ziost is exactly what I told her would happen should she chose to fight me. She was given the choice to surrender, and then none of this would have happened." He smiled as two glasses and a bottle of brownish liquid were brought over by one of the crew
"Would you care for a drink?" He motioned to the glass of liquid that the pirate had just poured. "It might help with being clear on what you are willing to offer me for her return."
Connor walked forward slowly, aware of all hostiles in the docking bay. He wasn't going to do anything rash. How he would LIKE to, however. Erupt in a whirl of Force energy, drain the life from those like Sage Bane had done to him - no, he hadn't tried that power enough. Judgement, or even Lightning, to let them burn and fall before him. No.
There was no telling what booby traps the pirates had. An explosive trigger on the Taung's wrist that would explode if killed, or who knew what else. No. The time would come, eventually, for revenge. For now, Connor sat at the makeshift table, looking directly at the Taung. Kuryr. So this has been the warrior race that had posseess him years before? It made sense why the Jedi had a sudden rage against humanity, and a scent for blood and violence. Connor crossed a leg over one knee, drumming his hand gently on the raised boot as he listened to the pirate talk, and smoke, his little speech.
"Nothing for me, thank you." He dismissed the drink with a small wave.
"Taung, I came here with a ship to simply keep a watch over what happens and ensure my Padawan and I leave this ship alive. They will not attack you, if you show no hostile action. As you know, the invasion was a drain on both parties. You made this personal between me and you the second you took Chastity."
His face was calm, and not showing much emotion, and his voice was low and piercing; every word meaning what was said.
"Please be aware that I am not like most of the Jedi you may have encountered. I don't care for much, except those I in turn deem worthy to be cared for. Chastity is one of those I care for. I have faced enough nightmares in my time to make you look like a grumpy bantha, so don't waste your time trying to scare me because it won't work. If I have to die to take you all down with me, then so be it, but rest assured if you push me I will unleash hell on your ship like you wouldn't believe."
Glancing to the side, noting the pirates, he looked back and continued.
"I know your race better than you think, Taung. And I know what it means to be a warrior - one bred to take a life in order to protect another. The Jedi talk too much, I admit that more than anyone. Warriors, we were. Not anymore. Now the Jedi are politicians with lightsabers - trying to talk their way out of a crisis and acting when it's too late. I am here for my Padawan as she unfortunately ran up against you. I know she fought her best, I can tell by the wounds on your skin," he smiled a little, "so don't insinuate she's as worthless as you say. Her journey is only just beginning, and I intend to continue it with her."
With a sigh, he shook his head, a forced laugh escaping his lips.
"Forgive me, this is getting far too serious. I'm not here to point fingers. You're a pirate; hence you know how this works, and you're also nothing more than a kidnapper and scumbag working for credits. I want my Padawan back, and I want to see her. Now."
He leaned forward slightly. It wasn't a polite request.
Kuryr picked up the glass and in one quick tilt of his head, he downed the brownish liquid. His face bunched up a bit at the burning sting of the liquid sliding down his throat. He slammed the glass down onto the table and smiled, he remained silent while the jedi spoke, he followed along perfectly, his cigarra had a thin line of smoke trailing into the rafters of the hanger. The tone of the man sitting across from changed the longer he talked, it went from understanding to frustration to a well crafted veiled threat, it was enough to make him smile while he listened. When the man was finished and he leaned forward it was enough to make Kuryr chuckle slightly.
"I made it personal by being a man of my word? She didn't have to accept the fight, she could have put her lightsaber down and that would have been the end of it. And somehow you made me the bad guy?"
He waved his hand a bit in a nonchalant manner, almost dismissively. "Yes, you're different than any other jedi I will likely ever meet, I should take holo photos of this day to record our meeting. and I am just another hill to climb over. Yes you're tortured and dangerous and I will likely be dead before the day is over if I do not give you the girl back. " He leaned forward himself, placing his arms on the table, with a nod to a pirate next to him he smiled. Within moments a pirates stepped forward and dropped a thick clunky collar on the table.
"You have surrendered to me, which, if you value your own word, means that I could easily demand that you wear one of these god awful things. However, I appreciate a man of his word, as i am sure that you do as well. Now you want her back, and I am willing to return her to the jedi, but what is the price that you will pay for it?"
He waited for a few moments for his words to sink in before he continued. "You however have willingly surrendered to me, and your freedom will come at a totally different price." He smiled as he puffed on his cigarra, " But I am in a good mood, so that cost will likely not be as much as it could be, so do well to remember that when you respond."
