Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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Private To Catch A Princess

The smell of dust and disuse was as prominent as ever in Colette's dorm room. She'd never been one to decorate or to have things around just for the sake of having them. It was bad for the soul, bad for the mind, and beside that she had very little reason to even have been here given her stay at the hospital and then later rehabilitation at the family home. She still felt the usual disdain she held for this place, but something about being here felt a lot less burdensome than usual. Coruscant was still a steaming pile of nerf leftovers but it was made bearable by the sheer amount of resources that she had at hand here.

In this moment, right in front of her was a corkboard. Next to her was a very small pile of papers. She took a sip of water from the glass in her hand and looked at the board. This would lay the foundation for a long investigation, she figured. She had a target but not a picture of her. She had a description but no owner. She knew that somewhere in the galaxy was a misguided Echani fool who had stabbed her in the stomach and that said fool was somehow related to the Sith. As far as starts went that was about it.

Colette put down the glass of water and grabbed the first piece of paper atop the pile of papers to post up the first piece of the puzzle that she had in front of her. She had printed a generated image of the body shape of her target based on what she remembered from the fight. They were of average height and average build, although it was hard to tell under the black-on-black equipment and the cloak. There was another generated image of the head and hair. The target had sharp features, almond eyes, a small chin and a pair of distinct eyebrows.

She grabbed the water and took another sip before she put it down again.

Somehow she was related to a warrior. Colette hadn't exactly taken in her shape during the chaos given the fact that she was preoccupied with the supposed woman that was now her target. But they were tied together - that much was obvious from the way they both reacted once briefly separated from one another in the force. It meant that they shared a bond, but was it out of love or was it not? A master-apprentice relationship? Something more casual? In the end she supposed she didn't really care as long as whatever they were could be used to keep either of them from repeating whatever had happened on Woostri.

And while this was Colette's investigation, she still figured that she'd need help. Lily was a knowledgeable type and a good warrior. While Colette hated to admit it, there was also something else that made her a good source. Something in her target's features had made her think that they were in fact Echani, just like Lily. Perhaps it was something about the white hair, or the vibe, or anything else that made Colette feel less like the racist she was most likely being for thinking it.

She shook the thought for now and took another sip from her glass. Her friend would most likely be arriving any moment now. Her arms crossed and with it she began to go over the case one more time. What was the motivation? Who was this woman? And most importantly what could Colette use to stop her if they met again?

Lily Decoria Lily Decoria
 
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Location: Coruscant
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber and Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Colette Colette

Hearing from Colette, it seemed that her friend was in dire need of her help but Lily wasn't too sure on the details of what she was meant to be offering. Was it going to be something fighting based? She had heard that Colette had gotten into a tough duel during Woostri, which Lily understood all too well herself since she had struggled with fighting Carnifex and Quintessa. Both of who, Lily was not sure that she was ready to face again any time soon, however, there was also a matter of time on the issue. That eventually she would have to face them again.

However, Lily wasn't so sure that she could offer lessons in combat to help prepare Colette for fighting since Lily herself was not a master in combat. Not yet at least. But she wasn't sure it was just an issue on training since they weren't meeting in a training room. So, Lily was puzzling over what it could be that Colette needed her help with. What skills outside of fighting could Lily provide to help Colette who seemed pretty desperate with this issue. Whatever it was.

Arriving on Coruscant, it had not been long since her last visit. Which was where she crossed paths with Shan, which felt strange since it was meeting both of her oldest Jedi friends in very quick succession. The coincidence was something that did not fly past Lily's head but she was sure that it was just a wild coincidence in these events and nothing more.

Heading to Colette's room, Lily kept her hands behind her as she walked gracefully through the halls of the temple. Looking around and taking in everything as she continued to wander. Being reminded of everything she previously experience while being at this temple and getting a little lost in the memories of how innocent she once was in comparison to the battle hardened version of herself. How things had drastically changed in a very short time but also how it reminded her that part of her was still somewhere inside her. Lily just needed to find a way to bring back to the forefront again someday.

Knocking on the door of Colette's room, she entered and saw there was a board with string and some form of big investigation going on. Lily was starting to get an understanding in how she could be helping Colette in this matter. "So, guessing that I wasn't brought here for a cup of caf and a catch up?" Lily mentioned with a slight tease to her voice, looking around, "what can I do to help?" She looked over to Colette with a smile on her lips.
 
Lily Decoria Lily Decoria

"Hm?" Colette hummed quizzically as she was torn from her thoughts, only to realize that Lily had finally arrived. "Oh! Lily!" Colette exclaimed happily and wasted no time wrapping her arms around her friend for a hug. "No no, we'll… We'll have plenty of time to talk and get caught up as well, but…"

Her hand raised to circle and point at the big board on her wall. It was the least dusty thing in here other than perhaps the table she had stored the materials on.

"I'm starting a bit of an investigation. It's about whoever stabbed me on the field. Not sure you can or want to help with that, but I just need some more ears and some eyes on this as I go. Maybe a sanity check once or twice so that I don't get too obsessed over it. That kind of thing." Colette put her glass down and moved over to the small kitchen area nearby to take out a second glass, poured some water in it and handed it to her friend. "Here. I don't really drink tea or caf, so…"

The glass would find its way into Lily's hand or it would find its way onto a nearby table. Colette moved throughout her apartment in lingering thought as she glanced at the board every now and again.

"I was on Woostri." She began. "Not quite sure if it was by accident or if leadership knew that something was going to happen and tricked me into going there."

She moved over to the table again to grab her own glass of water to take a sip and cross her arms as she focused on the board again.

"The only thing keeping me sane… -ish… In that god's damned hospital bed was the idea of figuring out whoever the fu-uhhh…" The young woman cleared her throat and continued, her cheeks just a little redder at the vulgarity she kept from spitting. "Whoever stabbed me. And why." Her head turned to look at Lily with an affirmative nod. "I'm guessing the 'why' is pretty obvious since they were Sith, but…"

"I don't know. I have a feeling I'll be seeing them again, and I want to figure them out. Find weakness and opportunities to bring them down if I do. Like… I don't know? Learning to contain an injured animal?"
 
Location: Coruscant
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber and Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Colette Colette

Lily looked at the board and made a note not to become one of Colette's enemies, there was some dedicated research and gathering of information. Taking the water, she took a sip before she placed it on the table and looked over the information that had been gathered already. It was not the approach that Lily would take in figuring out who it was that attacked Colette but it was definitely a thorough effort and Lily was impressed with her friend's dedication. Especially since it was showing a refusal to be afraid.

"I am glad you are okay. Sorry that I didn't come visit you while you were recovering, I was suffering a lot from Woostri as well." Lily stated with a sadness to her voice, she didn't want to have Colette think Lily didn't care about her friend. There was just a lot that Lily had been needing to unpack from the ordeal with Carnifex and Quintessa.

The vulgar use of language had Lily chuckle, "seems this Sith really got under your skin." Lily commented, she didn't enjoy swearing much herself but did not prevent others from using such language, that was their choice. "Did the Sith do anything in particular that triggered such a reaction? I am sure there were other Sith you and Ko fought, why this one?" Lily needed to understand the motivation here so she could better help Colette in figuring this whole thing out. Especially since it might be leading Colette down a darker path.

"Guessing drawing their face would be asking too much? Or knowing something that narrows down the field besides Sith who was stabby?" Lily looked over to Colette, wanting to help her friend with this mission.
 
Lily Decoria Lily Decoria

"I think we all had our wounds. They blew up a whole city just to mess with us after all." Colette said and took a sip of her water before she blew a quick chuckle from her nose when Lily commented on the Sith getting under her skin. There was some truth in that. It wasn't so much about nearly having died as it was about the fact that this person she was looking for had no issues being a danger to others. If the Jedi was meant to stand up to anything, it would be that kind of person.

"I just know that this person is a danger to others. I want to find out what made her act like that. Maybe get her to calm down. Ideally… Accept consequences for her actions, see justice, but…" Her head bobbed side to side in a shrug-mixed-headshake. "I highly doubt that."

"I can play the guitar well enough, but I'm not a very good painter. What little I have is on that paper." Colette said and pointed towards the templated drawing of the features she could remember from the fight. "I'll be honest, you deserve that much."

"I think she's Echani, and you're the best source I have for that. I don't really know the culture, mindset and the likes other than that you fight to show love. Which, you know, I still don't quite understand."
 
Location: Coruscant
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber and Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Colette Colette

Nodding her head, the ground warfare was a mess from what Lily had heard, she had been in space during the invasion but she had heard the ordeals others went through while she was recovering from her injuries. "Was just them blowing up the city. The Mors Mon... that ship... it does stuff to people. Especially Jedi." Lily commented as she remembered the dark shivers that tried to linger in her mind. The way it seemed to make the Sith there stronger than they should be, more dangerous than she thought they would have been.

Which was scary enough since she had fought already considerably powerful Sith. Amplifying that seemed an impossible task.

"Asking for a lot from the Sith. I don't think I have met one who has taken credit for the sins they have committed." Lily mentioned, not wanting to provide false hopes to Colette in this mission. "However, it is good that you wish to approach this with the intentions of reform. I think we can get lost in wanting revenge when suffering a loss or pain from the Sith. But I think that helps them more than helps us." Lily had spent time thinking about whether it was revenge against Carnifex she wanted or the desire to just stop a greater evil from causing more harm.

Looking over the picture that Colette had drawn, it was not the most helpful but Lily figured it was a good start. "Echani, well, pictures are going to be harder to go from then. As a race we look similar to one another, within families, there can be near identical appearances." Lily stated as she looked over the other evidence, "not just love. To communicate, you write, you sing, you use words to express how you feel. We spar, read each other's bodies and the micro expressions that people have to demonstrate emotion and intention."

"It is a language, it is the first language I learned to speak." Lily mentioned, trying her best to help Colette understand. "The way that this Sith fought, it will be an expression of her, it will be the fingerprint that is hers and hers alone. No one will fight the way that she does. Was there anything she said? Did express anything that stood out to you?" Echani Sith was not something Lily was unfamiliar with but if there was going to be any identification, then Lily needed more to go off from.
 
Lily Decoria Lily Decoria

Colette frowned at what she heard from Lily. It might have seemed like a lot for her, but to dehumanize something that in the end felt entirely human felt weird. Sith would never accept responsibility if you never asked them to, and if you never expected them to, what would be the point of asking them at all?

Thankfully Lily would move on. Colette listened as she explained the Echani philosophy again and slowly nodded along while listening.

"I guess… She fought for love, and… Superiority?" Colette said with a thoughtful frown. "She seemed uninterested at first, as if I was beneath her. Kept her distance, relied on her companions to do the work until I dragged her down to the ground with us."

A chuckle parted Colette's lips despite the fact that it wasn't funny at all.

"She got so angry that I would dare touch her. Like nobility in one of those movies." She chuckled again. "Once I severed her lover from the force, things got heated real fast."

Colette shook her head.

"I guess in a way, I think she's just a misguided girl. She needs to see justice for her actions, but I don't see a 'lost cause' when I think back to it."

"She's, uh…" Colette cleared her throat anxiously. "She's no Kaine."
 
Location: Coruscant
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber and Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Colette Colette

Lily sighed as Colette frowned at her. It wasn't a blanket statement that all Sith were beyond redemption. However, Lily had plenty experience fighting several Sith and not a single one ever believed their actions were beyond justification. It was no different then asking the Neo-Mandalorians to admit that raiding and pillaging others was not a good idea. Not impossible, just implausible. Or at least, from the experiences Lily had with the Sith, it seemed more implausible than Colette might wish it to be.

But sometimes, you needed to be a bit more grounded in acknowledging the fact the person desiring to kill you and your loved ones might not wish to be redeemed, and might not be capable of redemption.

"Love and superiority..." Lily looked over the different pieces of information gathered by Colette, "I've not met many Echani who hold themselves as superior... But it could be something from the Sith training or, a false belief in themselves... Though there are a couple of societally high standing Echani within the Sith Order." Lily was muttering as she thought over the cultural knowledge that she held as well as understanding the differing people in the higher levels of Echani society.

Two women that Lily hoped it would not be was Quinn Varanin and Srina Talon. They were both far too dangerous and far too skilled for Lily and Colette to take on. Quinn was also the princess so there was no chance that Lily would fight the princess. It would put her whole family in danger and that was a risk that Lily could not afford to allow. Especially with Kat having gone rogue as well, Lily was the only Decoria that was meant to establish the family as great warriors.

"There are two Sith of high ranking that are also considered societal high ranking within Eshan. However, if you fought either of them, then you are facing Sith on par with Carnifex." Her gaze was steel, cold and unwavering as she looked over to Colette. "One would be Srina Talon, empress to the Sith Order and highly dangerous. The other would be Quinn Varanin, princess to Eshan and adopted daughter of Srina. I doubt either are looking to change their paths or see their actions as morally bad." Lily stated firmly.

"However, I hope that you didn't fight either of them. They are both dangerous and I cannot help you in fighting either one. Doing so would put my family in massive danger and we could lose our current standing in society..." It was selfish and Lily was conflicted, part of her didn't care too much since if a princess of a warrior culture couldn't handle being fought by those who stood against her without being petty, then she was not deserving of her title.

However, her mother, her grandmother, their voices were loud in Lily's mind about the importance of maintaining their family's status as it was now.
 
Lily Decoria Lily Decoria

There was about to be a whole silent exchange between them that consisted of nothing but disappointed sighs. Lily didn't appreciate Colette's naïvete and Colette didn't appreciate her friend not appreciating it.

But then she said the most peculiar thing about Echani with high positions in the Sith Order. Colette crossed her arms, perked a brow and leaned back to listen. If she had fought either of them then she had met someone like Carnifex, neither of them likely to see their paths as 'morally bad' as Colette saw it.

If it were either of them then they were dangerous. Colette scratched her shoulder and unfolded her arms to go pick up the datapad she had left by her bed. That was when Lily dropped the bomb, the statement grim enough that she would pause for a moment as her fingers brushed against her pad. A wave of immense disapproval pushed through the force. As her fingers wrapped around the side of the pad, and as the screen came on, she turned around to look at Lily.

Her brows had sunk, her lips thinned. Lily cared more about her family than her obligation as a Jedi then. At least if what she had said was true, which it felt unlikely to be. The girl in the fight hadn't been some kind of god, just some dumb fool who thought she reveled in the pain of others.

"Your family…" Colette began but fell into a mumble as she struggled with the pad. "Are… At odds…"

S… Ri… Na… Ugh, this interface was a mess. A picture of an Echani appeared on the screen and Colette shook her head, eyes not lifting from the screen as she struggled to write at a pace.

"With…"

Qui… Nn. V… Ar… A… N… IN…



Colette lost her words, her eyes plastered to the screen in surprise as the memories of the fight came flooding back. Her free hand reached to pat at the scar on her abdomen with an absent stare. She swallowed for a moment before the rush of discovery overwhelmed her senses.

"Holy chit…" She muttered. "Holy CHIT." Colette repeated and put the pad down on the table so Lily could see. "That's her."

"That's HER, Lily. That's the woman I tackled to the ground."
 
Location: Coruscant
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber and Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Colette Colette

The wave of disapproval from Colette was not fair. The other Jedi was part of the Noble family, some saw it as the perfect family. Lily resented that since no family was perfect and her family was a testament to that. While it was not easy to deal with her mother and grandmother at times, hell, even her aunt was a pain nowadays. Lily knew that she had to look after them the best that she could, and that meant sometimes that she could not jump into war with the royalty of her home world. Royalty that could return some day and enact horrendous suffering to them as revenge for whatever Lily attempted to do with Colette.

"Don't judge my family. Not everyone gets a chance to have the Sword and Shield as parents. I am the one who has to protect them, you don't understand the burden that is and the difficulties that come with that. They will be the ones suffering the consequences of my actions if I strike against the favoured friend of the royal family and the royal princess." Lily stated in a harsh tone, when it came to her family, she was not going to let Colette judge her. Not when Colette would never have the situation that Lily has, one where her actions put the weaker family in danger if she made an error.

When Colette searched the names, Lily was thankful that the first name, Srina was not the woman that she fought. It was a relief since it meant that the Empress was not someone that her friend was going to be in a long time war with. However, Lily had been relieved too early since the second name had been inputted and the face of Quinn Varanin was instantly recognised by Colette. Lily leaned against the wall and groaned. This was worst case scenario. The princess of Eshan was the woman that Colette was determined to deal with. That was bad. Like really bad. She wasn't sure Colette was fully aware of how bad it was.

"You have started a rivalry with the Empress of the Sith's adopted daughter? Said adopted daughter is also the princess of Eshan who was born from the Force, her actual mother is Spencer Varanin, the former Queen of Eshan and First Apprentice to one of the former Sith Empresses. The former Queen consumed a phobis device in the middle of a battlefield. That's one story of the power of the former queen has, this isn't just a simple Sith that you are dealing with." Lily stressed, wanting Colette to understand the grave situation that she would be in. "This princess is going to be one of the best in hand to hand combat, and she insanely powerful with the Force, the Woostri reports state she was mindchitting several other people while she also fought you, Colette!"

Pinching her nose, Lily groaned deeply, "so, what now? Now that you know it is Princess Quinn, what is your next move?" Lily asked, dreading the answer that she assumed would be coming.
 
Lily Decoria Lily Decoria

She damned well could, and she damn well also would judge Lily. Colette's teeth grinded for a moment as she listened to Lily explain how privileged Colette was to have parents who were Jedi as if this was some kind of thing she had grown up with. As if she hadn't been abandoned from infancy to be raised as a servant to others.

It shouldn't have hit a nerve but it did, and it didn't help that she tried to insinuate that Colette didn't know what it was like to protect something. Colette had almost died because she tried to protect something, something that Lily herself adamantly would have refused to stop because of her conflict of interest.

Family was nice, but it would never come before the greater good. If the choice ever came down to striking Valery or Kahlil down because they were a danger to others then that was a choice Colette would make in a heartbeat. If the choice was to burn the entire New Jedi Order to the ground because they became a danger to others, then she would do it much the same.

Lily, in saying the Echani hierarchy was more important than her duty as a Jedi, made it clear that she and Colette did not share the same views. She would let terror and subjugation go unpunished because that's what her family would gain from, or rather keep their status from. Colette kept from shaking her head or acting on the disappointment and just tried her best to stomach it until it gradually faded away again.

Lily explained just who this was. Her birth, her background, the facts of the matter… So what now?

"Now I start planning her arrest." Colette said and unfolded her arms. "I know who she is, what she is, and I'll have to get started on figuring out ways to prevent her from harming others again."

"I understand if you don't want to help." Colette sighed and looked over at Lily. She tried to extend an olive branch for the sake of friendship. "This matters to you. The… Politics, I mean."

"I don't agree with you, but… I respect it."
 
Location: Coruscant
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber and Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Colette Colette

Arresting Quinn Varanin was something that sounded a lot more simple than it would be in action from what Lily understood of the princess. Breathing in deeply, she also knew that Colette was completely missing the point of why she was not wishing to be a part of this. It was not the politics, at least that wasn't the main concern. Her grandmother and mother would be more concerned with the politics of the situation. Lily was concerned for their lives in general.

Sith were not known to be very forgiving.

"It is not just the politics of this situation Colette. This is my mother, my grandmother. They don't have the Force, they aren't the greatest Echani warriors ever. If the Sith ever invade Eshan, if they ever take over the planet, what do you think happens to them when the Empress and the princess of Eshan learn that they are related to me?" Lily gave a cold stare to Colette. "It is just as important to protect the lives of others as it is to stand against injustice as a Jedi."

She looked down, it wasn't easy, there was a part that wanted to help. There was a part of Lily that hated that Srina and Quinn were Sith, that some of the strongest Echani representation were Sith and conducting horrendous acts upon innocent lives. It was a large part of Lily that wanted to change that, that demanded justice be done. But it wasn't that simple. It would never be that simple and Lily would forever be concerned with the fact that her family's life was not guaranteed to be safe.

"Arresting Quinn is not going to be easy, she is favoured within the Sith Order. Anything that happens to her, the entire Sith Order is going to be after you, including the Empress. This path you are taking, it isn't just going to be tough because you are dealing with a powerful person, it is the ripples that will happen after that." Lily stated, breathing in deeply, "you can't do this alone. It is suicide to do it alone." Lily added, showing concern for her friend's safety.

There was more that Lily wished she could do but she was torn. She needed to protect those closest to her but also wanted to help her friend. But there was no way she could do both. Not that she could see at least.
 
Lily Decoria Lily Decoria

And what about messing with Carnifex? Empyrean? The other big ones? If the Sith took the planet and they found out a prominent Jedi had messed with any of the Sith, Lily's family would be in the dumps. Colette kept her jaw clenched and nodded along. Lily seemed to think pleading some kind of case would make Colette 'see reason' the same way she did, but she did not.

It didn't matter that a Sith empress would come after her, much less her whole empire. If opposing something was the right thing to do, then opposing it was what Colette would do. If she took out Quinn and they focused their efforts on taking out Colette then they would be admitting that despite the idea of Quinn's so-called "power" she was still just a single mortal being.

"Then I will find others who are willing to help," Colette shrugged and looked back at the case. "And if I can't, then I will die for a good cause."

"Look, Lily," She exhaled and turned around. "I don't have anything to lose here. I am not important. Never have been, never will be. The force is a shackle and a duty to exist for others first and yourself second, and when I swore to be a Jedi I swore to protect everyone, not just the ones that it was convenient for me to protect."

"Doesn't have to be that way for you, but it is that way for me. I respect that we're not alike, and I won't exactly go looking for a fight with this 'Quinn' but I sure as hell want to be there the next time that she tries to spread her venom again. If I know who she is, what she is, and where she is, I can put that knowledge to good use. Either to get her to come with me, peacefully, or with her hands in irons."
 

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