Private The Story Begins Anew [Ra]

[Josh Dragovalor]

Riamah

For the last two years, Josh has been going through licenses and purchase histories on the equipment salvaged from the large facility that had been overtaken during the slave liberation operation where Josh found his father. After what felt like an eternity of investigation and sending scouts, a name finally came up. “Amannia Sildeed”, apparently well known on Nar Shadda. Now that he had a name, Josh decided to head to the Crime Capital to find this Amannia Sildeed. The Silver Jedi Order had expressed interest in the past in potentially liberating it from its crime lords, but that prospect had been put off for another time. So Josh had offered to scout the environments while he was on personal business there. Good enough, he supposed.

The Maekrix touched down on the planet, and he and his partner, Ra, would stand at the ramp as it touched down. When it did, he took a deep breath as he turned to her.

"Well, this is it. You ready?"

 

[Riamah]

This wasn't going to be the first time Ra had been to Nar Shadda and it probably wouldn't be her last. Her first visit, she had just been getting started with her life and hadn't even known she could use the Force. The next time had been about the time when she started founding her movement against the Sith. An old friend of hers had the tendency to haunt these streets and she had come to find him. Once she had accomplished that, she had left and didn't give this world another thought.

Now she found herself walking off the Maekrix and exiting together. Sniffing in the air, her breath caught in her throat and she had to cough just slightly.

"The atmosphere here stinks. Yes, I'm ready. What's the plan?"

Only an outline had been given to her and a name or two.

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"It's Nar Shadda. It always stink" He pointed out, cracking his neck and stretching out as the ramp came down and they walked down, flanked by R4-J6. This wasn't his first time on Nar Shadda, not by a long shot. But the last time he had been here was years ago. "The last time I was here, the Galactic Republic sought to conquer this planet, taking it for the Black Sun" He revealed. "The Republic showed up to their gates with ships fully armed, and demanded surrender. They surrendered the planet in minutes. Grandmaster Halcyon wanted the entire leadership hierarchy of the Sun executed, before I stepped in.

Ironic that their leader now walks around the Rest. Domino, perhaps you've met her?"

As far as planning goes, there wasn't much to go on, but he was going to try.

"We'd best try a cantina, and try to get some information on this Sildeed. Any chance you have any ideas?"

Riamah

 

[Riamah]

Chuckling a little at his comment, Ra only really remembered her most recent trip here. Her first one had been several years before they had met and she didn't even know she could use the Force in those days.

"Last time I was here, I picked a fight with a Sith Lord because he was beating up a friend of mine."

Her friend had a relic that once belonged to that Sith. In the end, the two of them had fought and that ended in a draw. She was more worried about her friend than winning the fight. They had come to an agreement and he joined the ranks of her movement. Sith or not, he was an ally and her friend lived another day.

"I wonder if my friend returned here. We can visit the last cantina I knew him to be employed at if you want. It's a place to start. He never was good at keeping good company. Look at me."

Smiling at her own little joke, she was serious about the cantina though.

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"That explains your recruitment. Hope you socked them good at least."

He smirked lightly following his quirky response to her story. But her information was good too. It seemed that she perhaps had a friend here that frequented a cantina. While it was a long shot... A lead was a lead. He nodded his head in turn. "Lead the way, my dear" He spoke softly as he looked to her to lead on. He just hoped that this worked. But knowing their luck... If they were caught asking about this Sildeed long enough... They would probably be found by who they were looking for.

So they would find them. One way or another.

Riamah

 

[Riamah]

Smiling at what he said, she nodded.

"We both knocked each other pretty good. By proving I could fight, I gained a follower. My friend also joined us, but he was never one to stick around long. He would also return here. Drinking and working. There's more to life than that, but he just doesn't know it."

Walking side by side, they chatted. It seemed that each time they went on a mission of some sort, they learned something new about the other.

"No, I never met Domino. But I honestly haven't met many."

That was fine by her though. She wasn't one to reach out to people and try to make friends. So far she only had a handful of people she truly considered friends. Josh was more than one and she relied on him far more than anybody else. Sometimes she was still surprised at their relationship, but for the first time in her life, she really felt happy. The two of them together were strong and that is what mattered.

"Where he worked wasn't too far from here."

Following the path she had taken before using the Force, she retraced her steps. After just a few minutes, they were walking through the door of a rather nice looking, but still run down and worn cantina.

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"She was a piece of work when I first met her. Only seen her once since. Was that one Life Day celebration the SJO was holding. But she certainly seems to have mellowed out since. Have no idea how she is now. But I hope whatever it is, it's far more glamorous than whatever in the world all of this is."

He motioned toward, well... The slimy, stinky planet before them. All of that, in a nutshell, really. It was a hole, what more was there to say? They both knew this. He hoped he didn't have to stay here long. This planet had bad juju to it, not to mention bad memories of a Jedi Order long corrupted, long gone. But they had work to do. As they stepped into the cantina, he would look around and then look to her with a curious eye.

"You see him?"

Riamah

 

[Riamah]

As they walked, he told her a little bit more about Domino, their initial meeting and his most recent one. It seemed that time changed all people and sometimes this was for the better. Obviously it was for his friend. Thinking of friends, they arrived at the cantina and Josh asked if she saw her friend.

Looking around, she did not. Shaking her head, she took the lead and walked up to the bar. Asking the server droid there, she was pointed to a Twi'lek in one of the corners. Giving it a chit, she thanked it and headed in the direction they were directed.

"He's not here, but that man there might know where he went to."

The droid had given her his name and she openly approached him. At the moment, Josh could come with her if he wanted but she had left him to do any investigating he might want to while they were here.

"Mister Morden, I am Riamah and wish to talk to you about an old associate of yours. His name is Zhin Zondaar. Human, about this tall and he, worked here the last time I visited. Can you tell me where he is?"

To her, it was obvious he expected compensation for any information he gave her and another chit floated out of her pocket and hovered in the air in front of him.

"He left, alive and safe. Caused some trouble and left the planet. He is not here currently. My friend, I do not know any other tidbits about him. Have a good day."

Grabbing the chit, he stood up and walked away. This left Ra to return to Josh which she did.

"No luck, he's not here. Got any other ideas?"

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Once more, the two of them had found themselves at a dead end. Josh gritted his teeth when Ra said that her friend wasn't here, but hope sprang up when she went to ask for an informant. But that also rang dry. While frustrated, he didn't let it get to him, or at least fought it best he could. But they couldn't just leave it here, could they?

Then a small grin crossed his lips. And he looked to Ra.

"I'll meet you outside" He remarked as he would turn and walk from her. Before long, he would join her. He seemed... Relaxed. Like he knew that things were under control. The truth was that Josh knew Nar Shadda well. And he knew its gangs even more. He knew how fast word would travel... And how quickly consequences would come if one asked too many questions.

He motioned for her to follow him as he began to walk down the streets of the planet-city-state. It wasn't long before he noticed that the same group of rugged looking people had been following a little ways behind them for far too long to be a coincidence. A message popped into Ra's head.

"Keep your weapon ready."

With that, he began to lead her into an alley... Knowing what was likely about to come next.

Riamah

 

[Riamah]

Giving him a brief nod when he said he would meet her outside, she would ask a few other questions and then join him. Just as he left, he wore a small grin. This could be good or bad. Most likely it would wind up with them in some sort of trouble, but it was usually her the one doing it and not him.

He motioned for her to follow him. Without having any information, she shrugged slightly and fell into step with him. It seemed he had some stuff from her. Perhaps each of them held secrets from the other without even thinking about it. Nobody could know everything about their partner and each adventure they each learned something new about the other.

Letting out a small breath of a laugh at the thought, a spring came into her step when he sent to her to keep her weapons ready. People were following them, both of them knew it and an attack was probably going to happen.

What's the plan, dear?

Allowing him to guide her into an alley. Two lightsaber hilts appeared in her hands. There was a light in her eyes, but she expected Josh would attempt to curtail her desire to shed blood and only disable these people.

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"We catch them unawares by making them think they're going to do the same to us."

Once they had moved far enough into the alley, his eye wandered to the side a moment, catching the sight of their pursuers cautiously making their way in, planning their next move. Then he looked to Ra, and shot her a wry grin as his voice sounded in her head again.

"Play along."

He gingerly took her hands as he rested his back on the wall, wrapping his arms around her waist as he pressed his lips to hers. He struck with blazing passion as he kissed her with ferocity, working his hands along her sides as he would roughly grab her rump.

He had swapped to a life detecting form while he did this, allowing him to keep his eyes on her while the act went on. But he never didn't know where their pursuers were. Their approach was slow, but it was coming. He could sense the intent. He knew it. She knew it.

He just hoped she could play along. But he doubted there would be a problem.

Riamah

 

[Riamah]

All she did was give him a slight nod when he requested she play along. He had a plan and this was part of it. What he did was catch her by surprise, but it wasn't difficult for her to get into the part needed. For just a few moments, she was totally into this, but then reality came crashing back into her mind.

It wasn't time to break from the act though and one of her legs came up on its own to wrap around one of his.

"We should do this more often."

This went hand and in hand with their relationship and would hopefully make their deception all the more believable. Wrapping an arm around him, it rested on his side but she didn't put her hand on his body. It gripped the lightsaber hilt for when it was time to jump into action.

Their shadows weren't doing a very good job of staying quiet and talked with each other. Muffled voices were all Ra could hear. If they were talking about what they were going to do, it was lost as she listened more to her heart beating in her ears.

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Agreed."

His tongue slid across her lips playfully following that response, and he used pyrokinesis to let his tongue heat up a bit, not enough to hurt her as he moved along her lips, but certainly enough for quite the sensation as his tongue steamed a bit. He didn't need to grab his lightsaber, not yet. He knew where it was, and so long as he had a hand ready to catch it, he could summon his lightsaber to his hand at anytime.

He wrapped his arms tighter around her waist, lifting her up to bring her closer to him. He playfully groped her rear with both hands this time, pinching a little to tease, shooting her a wry little grin at that.

Then he heard the blaster click from the belt. Sensing their advance, he would rub a hand along her lower back and rear for a moment longer before he would take the hand off and load up a fireball, launching it at the ground in front of the goons. The explosion of flames caught them by surprise as his lightsaber would float from his belt into his hand. He gently let Ra down with his other hand as he activated his lightsaber.

Shame they couldn't have waited a bit longer.

Riamah

 

[Riamah]

The heated tongue surprised Ra, but it was actually pleasing. She had yet to master such fine control over certain elements so this wasn't something she would dare try herself just yet. Staying in the act and not allowing it to turn into something beyond that was rather difficult, but she managed. It was probably a good thing she held her lightsabers if she wasn't then very likely things would have been far different.

Pushing up to him, she nibbled on his ear as he groped her rear end. Her ears picked up on the same sound he did. He still had a hold on her as he turned and let loose a fireball at them. The looks on their faces were epic and she wished she could have taken an image of them.

On a world that was never dark, the light itself did not bother the thugs as much as it could have. As he set the fireball out, she reached out with the Force herself and started to turn the blaster in the thug's hand cold. Josh worked best with flame and Ra had taken lessons in how to control both heat and cold. So her ability was still raw, she did have a great amount of control.

In just a few moments, that gun was cold enough to burn and he dropped it. The other three brought out weapons and charged the two of them. Even the sight of a lightsaber did not stop them.

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

He would have liked for this to go on longer, he could easily admit. Their relationship had been based around the challenges they had faced, and raising Jason, for so long now. It was nice to remember where their relationship had first started. The passion, the spark and the fireworks that had rocketed them to where they were now. Perhaps they had neglected it over the last while. But this was a reminder, more than ever, that the spark was still there. And he had every intention of finishing this little reunion of theirs once the mission was over.

Josh remained calm as he would deflect the blaster bolts heading their way, making his way forward as he would slash through the barrel of one of the blasters, causing them to drop it when it exploded. The blaster fire continued and he would continue to deflect the bolts as he then clenched his fist. Taking a cue from Ra, he would heat up the blasters of the others, causing them to be dropped. And with that, he started to go on the offensive. Feinting with his lightsaber, he would suddenly pull a hand back and pull two of them forward, dropping one with a hard elbow to the skull, and another with a kick to the gut. As the remainder reached for their backup weapons, Josh would suddenly draw a second lightsaber from his belt and activate it, pointing the blades toward their throats.

"We're going to have a talk" He spoke calmly, yet firmly as his gaze pierced them, causing them to stop trying to reach for their weapons as their gazes moved to the blades at their throats. Josh motioned to Ra to secure the others.

Riamah

 

[Riamah]

The interlude ended when Josh broke away for the confrontation. The thugs had fallen for the trap they had laid and Ra was looking forward to finishing off both activities. Barely giving him a nod, she lifted up a hand to hold the man up with the Force he taken down with the kick. Keeping part of her attention on Josh just in case these guys had a trick up their sleeves, she knocked the guy out with a firm pinch to his neck.

Not quite dropping him to the ground, she tore the sleeves off of his shirt and tied up his wrists. Doing the same to the other guy, she made sure they were still disabled and turned to the men Josh was facing off against.

Something surprised her, she hadn't ignited either of her lightsabers. Maybe she was becoming strong with the Force. It could be that or it might have been because Josh had taken care of that and ignited his own. Flipping one of the hilts in her hand, she stood next to her partner and lifted an eyebrow.

Watching as they lowered their weapons, she walked behind them as well and tied their hands back.

"I think we should find someplace more private to have this talk."

Typical of Ra, her tone was calm and cold. Entirely business and somebody not afraid to get her hands dirty. If these men put up any fight, she would have no issues taking them down.

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"I think here's fine" Josh reasoned as he looked to Ra for a moment. "This was part of the plan. Out of sight where help won't reach them quickly, and narrow so they can't escape easily. If their friends do find us, the narrow view lets us pick them off easily" he added as he then looked back to their hostages. It was also far too risky to try and get them out onto the street to move elsewhere. As soon as they were out in the open, all bets were off. Josh had laid this trap with everything he could accommodate for, accommodated for. Including location. This was likely the best chance they would get.

With that, he looked to their quarry. "I don't think I need to specify my capabilities further. Where is Sildeed?" he spoke in a calm, yet cold tone. His expression had turned all business, as one of them was lifted into the air through the Force. Not harmfully or anything, just a reminder.

"Y-you won't hurt us! Jedi don't do things like that!" the man rationalized, and Josh let out a sigh. "You're right" he admitted with a casual shrug. "I don't. Goes against my Code. That's why I brought someone who isn't a Jedi" he pointed out as he would motion to Ra. That seemed to sober him up quick. "Sildeed's base, please. I only want to talk to them. Nothing more" he pointed out, but his quarry still refused. "Whatever you can do, she'll do worse" they told him, straight faced, and Josh slowly nodded his head. "They always say that" he admitted as he looked to Ra. "All yours, dearest" he spoke up as he slowly walked away to go and keep watch. Of course, a voice rumbled in Ra's head at that.

"Just scare them. I'd rather you not actually do any harm, if you can help it."

Riamah

 

[Riamah]

Shrugging her shoulders a little when Josh said he felt this location was ideal to question their assaulters, she watched the scene in front of her. Smiling at the outcome, her eyes might have even lit up a little bit more at the prospect questioning these men. Watching as Josh left her alone with them, a couple of them tried to back away from her.

"Oh no you don't."

Reaching out a hand, she held them in place with the Force, and around them appeared something of a barrier. Letting out a mental sigh when the message from her love reached her mind, he would feel her disappointment, but she would do her best not to harm them in a permanent manner. That had happened more than once when the two of them had been on a mission. This time would be different.

At the moment, they were still pretty close to the spaceport, but Ra had the feeling their real target was far away from here. Cracking her knuckles, she walked over to the one Josh had picked up moments ago.

"You said Sildeed would do worse to you than what we can? I find that rather hard to believe. Now, let's get down to business. For your information, there is a barrier surrounding us. Nobody can see inside of it or hear anything that happens in here."

Maintaining a clam tone, it would come across as business and this was how she treated this. The mission might be for Josh and she was just a part of it, but it was in her hands now. She wasn't going to fail him and would get the information they needed to continue the investigation.

As she spoke to the one man, her grip on the others remained. It wasn't painful or anything, just something to make sure they knew there was no escape. Sensing there was some fear in them, she smiled even more.

"This is going to be fun. I'll give you one chance to provide the address my partner asked for."

The leader shook his head again and remained steady in his refusal to give a location. Shrugging her shoulders again, it didn't matter to her how reluctant he was. Her hand came up to hover just in front of his face.

"As you wish."

Closing her eyes, she started to reach out of the Force when one of the other two spoke up.

"Alright! Alright! I'll tell you! The main hideout is in the Red Light District!! Just don't hurt us! What are you even?"

Opening her eyes, she smiled and nodded just slightly.

"Thank you for that. Is there anything else you want to add?"

Giving him an additional couple of moments to answer, she did not release her Force hold on any of them. Her physical grip on the leader did not let up either. Holding onto him tight enough to cause a little bit of pain, he winced but did not say anything to her. Turning his head to the one that spoke, he just shook it.

"Are you just going to tell her everything? Might as well. She's no Jedi that's for sure. Just look at her eyes, we're dealing with a Sith."

One word practically stabbed at Ra and she started to twist his arm in its socket. Pulling him close to her face, she forced him down to the ground and looked directly at him as the pressure on his arm got even harder.

"I am no Sith! Now sleep!"

What she did certainly wasn't the worst she had ever done in her life. All she did was slow down his body functions enough to knock him and the other two out. Standing up, she had let go of them and brushed her hands together. Bending over the one that had started to spill the beans, she probed into his mind to get a location for them. Nodding her head, she let the barrier fall and moved to join Josh.

"They're just sleeping. You're welcome to check up on them if you want. I got what we wanted though."

Josh Dragovalor

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Josh walked a little ways away while she did her business, trusting her. But also selling the act that that they would be getting no mercy with the "Jedi turning a blind eye" trick. He found an old chair and sat down, stretching out and pulling out his datapad to play on. But one word caught his attention.

"Sith"

Oh boy. Josh was already up and walking over when he said it. And it was a good thing too. When Ra started twisting the arm, he walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Easy" he spoke calmly, but also quite firmly. He watched as Ra finished the job, knocking the lot of them out. After doing so, she claimed that she got what they needed. He'd been able to hear them, so he blinked a few times. He'd heard the address, but he wasn't sure if that was enough. Though he had felt her use the Force shortly after, and so he realized...

"You can probe them while unconscious?" he inquired. "Why didn't you just... Ah geez. I could have knocked them out in five seconds and saved us time, sweetheart" he spoke up, letting out a sigh. Well, there was nothing for it now. He wished she'd just told him in the first place, but it was what it was. He took a moment to check up on them, before looking to Ra.

"Alright, lead the way. We'd best get there fast. As soon as they recover, they'll warn their comrades. We're on a time limit on this one."

Riamah

 

[Riamah]

Letting out almost a feral growl when Josh placed his hand on her shoulder, she didn't want to let go of the offender. In the end, she let him go before he got hurt too much and then knocked them all out with the Force. Huffing slightly, she brushed her hands off when she stood up.

"Well, it's not very often we have actually sat down to talk about what each of us knows or don't know. Besides...some of what I know really wouldn't be accepted by the Jedi."

Clearing her throat, she gave him the exact address she had pulled from the mind of the man.

"We should also wipe their minds of what just happened. Just this though. Nothing else. We go back too far then it'll screw things up royally."

This was said in reply to what he said about them recovering. If they didn't remember what happened, then they couldn't warn their people.

Moving to bend over the apparent leader, her hand hovered over his forehead. Much like she had done when taking the address from the one that wanted to tell her.

Josh Dragovalor