Star Wars CLOSED 10 ABY: Fringe Elements and the Perseverance of the First Order

IC: K’ir Tor
Artemis Cradle, 40th Floor

He remained silent and listened, both with his natural ears and his understanding.
Artemis Cradle may not be a planet, but it was a habitation, with its own set or rules, its own government, its own military, its own rulers, its own ambitions and its own politics.

K’ir Tor had no stomach for politics; no matter where in the galaxy he was, he seemed unable to escape it. He also had no stomach for injustice, which seemed just as inescapable. Who then was there to balance the scales as it were?

Who would bring justice to the Unknown Regions? Would it be Chord and the Chiss Ascendancy? A good question. He’d already borne witness to what the Empire had to offer and that certainly was not the answer he sought. The Syndicate Supreme was an agent of darkness and death, which needed to be checked, at the very least.

Indeed, the Third Prince was now the Cradle’s problem, but K’ir Tor had no need to wager on the possibility of meeting that brutal creature again, he could almost guarantee it. He vowed to himself that things would go much differently should that encounter ever occur.

K’ir Tor also sensed fear; Fear of the First Prince and the Syndicate Supreme. Fear of what they would do with the weapons of mass destruction they had captured. Those who made the improbably possible, now quaked at the very situation they had created. Fear and the fearful continued to perpetuate their cycle of suffering, seemingly without end.

Would the death of this First Mate, this Underboss Dice really solve anything?

“I cannot promise you or guarantee the results you want, but I can do my best to counter the progress of darkness and injustice. If that’s agreeable to you, then we’ll take on this task on behalf of the Unknown Region’s unsung.”

There was no plainer way to state that.

K’ir Tor was tired, but that didn’t keep him from remembering his manners.

“If there is nothing else, we shall be taking our leave. Thank you for your time.” He said with a respectful nod, before he turned and made to board his ship.

Absently, he made a mental note to discuss a small matter with Myra and Mai’hun; something about getting a new face.



Tag: @The Jedi in the Pumas

 

Episode 7: And When I Leave, Come Together



The New Jedi Temple, The Jedii City, Some Time Later

A Human Woman leans against the ledge. She looks over the water surrounding the Jedii City.
She is not the Master of this order. But she is important to its survival.
From humble beginnings, she rose.
And now...
She looks bored to those that are not familiar with her countenance and the subtle shifts in her cheek leave the unfamiliar befuddled.
Her name is Etu.



The ethereal being hovering beside her. It asks:

"Etu, what is this place?"
A simple question begging for a not so simple answer.
"This is our galaxy."

"Why do you enjoy it here?"
"Because here, unlike other places, we have the Force. We have lightsabers, blasters, large space battles...
We have Jedi, we have Sith, and everything in between...
We have common folk and we have legends...
We have hope and despair, love and hate, the strong and the weak...
And everything in between.
Every story, the likes of which you have seen and the likes of which remain unseen are told in this galaxy.
That is why I enjoy it here."

"Tell me what you have seen, Etu."

Etu takes a moment. She is approaching her 32nd birthday. She does not reach out to the Force for answers
No
She allows the Force to flow through her.
What has she seen?
What hasn't she seen?

The Force shows her...



"I have seen a Chiss. One who wields tremendous presence in matters of the Dark Side and in military matters.
I see his maneuvers.
I see the maneuvers of his adversaries and allies.
And I see them bring him to Csilla."
----​

Chord's Compound, Csilla

Two days had passed and Admiral Sabel was told nothing. He had no communications with anyone outside Chord's Compound. His Force sensitivity was numb. His recovery, from rest and bacta baths, was expertly administered by the medical staff. Species that...he had never seen in the Unknown Regions worked on Chord's medical team and it would be accurate to say they were the best doctors he had ever been around. This meant, as Admiral Sabel would deduce, that there was nothing wrong with his body or his mind. His body: 100% recovered. He may even physically feel better than before his rumble with the Third Prince. The brain damage he had sustained...it would take longer, likely more days and weeks of meditation ahead, but he was feeling more like himself. This meant that the numbness he felt in the Force...it was being specifically targeted to his ability to communicate with others through the Force. His raw dark side power, he felt it course through his veins and his very being. He could bring down one of the lovely buildings on Chord's Compound with minimal effort. Kill many of the doctors. Break the guards and board his ship and leave.

But he could not sense Chord. He could not touch any mind near him. When he would try to get information from the staff, or probe them, or even locate his pilot...There was nothing. Yet, something. Yes...Something was there with him, every time he'd try, night or day. Always present and always there to...dissuade him? Inhibit him? Distract him? It was almost as if he himself was preventing his own abilities.

The summons from Chord came in the dining facility, during lunch. Chord was going to be arriving shortly and he had news for the Admiral. Sabel would make his way there.

And so would Borek Tek, with Zeek in one pocket and Sera hovering over his shoulder. Sera had reappeared the day after they arrived in this new form.

​

They had received no word from Chord for the past two days. Borek would have access to the same medical facilities and staff as the other mysterious Chiss he had seen walking around the compound. The medical staff was top notch and Borek would be fully recovered from his own bout with Abaddon. Yes...Abaddon...The injuries were healed, but his body remembered the damage. It always would. Sera informed him about the Chiss they had seen wandering around. Some Admiral of the Ascendancy that was grounded. The Dark Side of the Force would reveal to Borek...that there was a connection between Borek and the Admiral. Shared pain. At the hands of a common enemy.

The summons from Chord came in Borek's private quarters. The days of silence, no doubt, had left the Bounty Hunter a bit on edge as every day that passed was a day that he could have spent looking for Deya. He would arrive to Chord's ship ahead of Admiral Sabel and he would sense, as clear as day, that aboard the transport was Deya. She had arrived.

Sera was amused again. Because the Trickster Machine sensed something as well.

Tag: @Ktala @darthbernael

----
The ethereal being wishes to know more.
Etu places a finger to her lip. She needs to concentrate.

"I have seen Our Lady Dathisi in her darkest moment.
She is not herself and she is in danger.
I see a red-headed woman and a mysterious man from unknown origins standing in her path.
The Great Scourge is near her.
And a man...a clone of immense power and peace who wishes to intervene."

The ethereal being asks:
"Is this the moment?"

Etu responds:
"This is one of many moments that led me...
And all of the New Jedi Order here."

----​

Trande Settlement, Vas Nihollia

Dathisi.

Her own name. Uttered in her mind felt as if she was hearing it underwater. The presence of the Dark Side was not smothering, it was drowning her. She could see and feel, still. She saw the hands move to put her boots on and felt the floor of the clinic as she followed Dice to the front exit. The words of the receptionist seemed so distant. The feeling of being entranced by Dice was one that resembled laying on one's back in a body of water, with only their mouth and nose above the surface. She could only and barely control her own breath; The rest of her only existing to do whatever she could to serve Dice.

In any normal circumstance, Mara Jade would have sensed the attack.

She stopped as she approached the Clinic doors because a tall man in a red suit with spiky blonde hair, followed by a Cathar woman with a dull look in her eyes, exited. Mara Jade was someone who was familiar with figures that were powerful in the Dark Side of the Force. Darth Vader, the Emperor...she knew it so well that she could physically smell those that wielded the Dark Side to such a degree. Despite all the enemies she had hunted, all the figures she had been around before, this was the first time she encountered someone that gave her the same feeling that the Emperor gave her...that Darth Vader was able to give her. The man, Dice the Heartbreaker, was so immersed in the Dark Side that, to her, it would seem that he never could have been anything good. Ever. He was always destined to become the being that stood in front of her.

She was in danger!

Dice looked across the 15 yards that separated them and cocked his head to side. She was beautiful, but he was now taken. A single tear began to slide down his cheek. How had he come upon two soulmates in the same day. Unfortunately, he had chosen Dathisi already and it. Broke. His. Heart. that Dathis could never understand or accept another. Dathisi felt...aggressive. Defensive. (Go...Kill her. She wants what you have.) The red head woman had to die.

Mara Jade DID sense Dathisi's rising aggression, but a blaster bolt from her rear narrowly missed her head and burned into Dice's shoulder. She did not sense it at all.

A moment. Where Dathisi was no longer underwater.
Andren.
It came and went. Did she notice it? Was she able to grab it?​

Unknown's blaster was shaking. Was he bad at aiming, since he missed the red-head, or was he so good that even Dice had no time to dodge the shot? A shot like that, from 35 yards...Impressive or accidental? Only the amnesiac soldier could tell. Something snapped in him though. He no longer wanted to kill the red-head. Well, not really. The influence was weaker. The source of the influence though revealed itself with two simultaneous *snap-hisses*.

​

A broad daylight execution was not her style. But the man had shot her boss. She had to make it right by killing him now.

This was all sensed by K'ir Tor. The Tenasas was entering the orbit of Vas Nihollia. He shouldn't be able to feel the presences so specifically, so accurately, from so far away. He had a bond there from the small momentary contact he had with Mara Jade less than a day ago near the Artemis Cradle. The Force was showing him where he should go. It was calling out for it's champion.

Tag: @greyjedi125 @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha @Jedi_padawan_leigh @Jedi_Ascension

----
"Can you see it all?"
The ethereal being asks, knowingly.
Indeed it knows the answers to this question.
"Is it all dark side and light side...
is it all good and evil?"

Etu's eyes were different from each other. The Force continued to use her.

"No. I said before that I see everything in between.
Every story is unique and distinct and deserving of attention and exploration.
I see a Duros adventurer and a Woman of the Light.
They are seeking a treasure they do not understand.
They cannot even fathom how dangerous the treasure they seek.
Yet...they continue."

----​

Isle of Nobu Genesi, Chuuvanti

Move. Forward.

Tiona would. Carefully. Slowly. Holding Thallass' hand. Another gust of wind and another humanoid cried out in pain and died. They would move past the body to the path that called out to Tiona. The way that, clearly was not a way, yet she was certain was. The faces in the jungle treeline kept their eyes on Thallass. Something was different about him. His eyes could see them and they should not be able to. Their smiling faces were only visible when they bared their teeth and opened their eyes. Some blinked in and out of existence, causing him to lose them for a second. It was this and the sounds of heavy footsteps that Thallass would use to determine that the number of the beasts numbered in the dozens.

As Tiona got to the treeline, trees cracked in pain. Vines shook violently. And a path began to open up. They could see no more than 2-3 feet in front of them as they continued to walk. The jungle was opening up for them, allowing them passage.

A laugh...A chorus of laughs from the beasts in the treeline grew...Thallass could see them closing in. They. Needed. To. Run.

Tiona would not sense this danger at all. Instead, she would start to make sense of the path they were on. The path was not spontaneous or random. It was part of a larger network of established lanes for those that the jungle accepted. A map was unfolding in her mind...From the Force...But here it was not called the Force, it was called Mother's Song. They would soon come up to a three way fork in the road. In her mind, the left path would lead to:

The Jackal

The middle path would lead to:

The Stag

The right path would lead to:

The Serpent

Which would she choose as Thallass could feel the beasts getting closer? Time was running out and he would need his blaster as a large, fur covered claw reached out for him from the jungle!

Tag: @Kurisan @galactic-vagabond422

----
"This one is different. I am not sure what the Force is showing me."
Etu says. She is perplexed. For she sees...

A regular man. A man with a dubious man.
Untrustworthy.
Unreliable.
Dangerous.
A scoundrel.
What value did he have? Why is his face in her mind?


Even with the Force, Etu is having trouble ascertaining what path this one is on.
Not just that one.

The ethereal being is amused.
----​

75th Floor, Artemis Cradle

Panda Volar Lars could not be described as a happy man. Ever. His oldest friends and acquaintances can confirm that they have never seen him particularly enjoy himself.

The speeder slowed outside the small outhouse that Fouche called home for the past hour or two. The shack did indeed have a fresher and enough food to fill his empty belly. He may even find some dirty, blood stained clothes piled in the corner. His clothes weren't much better, but beggars can't be choosers. The guards outside cracked every so often and chuckled as they heard Fouche whistling on the inside and talked amongst themselves. Fouche, if he chose to dig into a small hole in the mattress, would discover an old comlink and a vibroblade.

The door opened and the man Desi called Uncle Panda (clearly no relation) stepped in with two guards. Panda was dressed in a black suit, all black, head to toe, with a death stick in his mouth. He stood in the doorway for a little while and stared at Fouche. In silence. He raised his eyebrows in a suggestive way towards Fouche and walked to the small kitchenette, taking off his coat and began rolling up his sleeves. The two guards closed the door behind them. They were huge and likely could individually beat Fouche to death with just their hands. Uncle Panda seemed to know this shack well. He reached into a drawer by the sink and put on a set of cleaning gloves. He slicked his hair back and placed the deathstick back in his mouth.

​

"I got new shoes, by the way."

One of the guards put a chair in the middle of the room and directed Fouche towards it. "Don't make this hard, buddy." Whether Fouche took the seat willingly or had to be aggressively persuaded, once he was seated, Uncle Panda pulled up a chair across from him and stood behind it.

"You don't strike me as a man unfamiliar with the situation he currently finds himself in. You can take a beating. That's good. So, let's cut the foreplay."

A hard, impressive punch from one of the bodyguards smashed across Fouche's swollen face.

"There's a scenario." Panda began as he knocked some ashes onto the floor. "Where my niece is right about you? Maybe you were just a random guy that decided to help a bleeding zeltron caught in a bad situation. I mean, I'd like to believe that. But the back of my mind, you know the part behind all the goody goody feelings. It itches. It tells me that maybe I'm sitting across from a man who works for one of our enemies. It tells me... 'hey maybe this guy was sent to pick up Desi, rescue her, and try to get in the good graces of our family.' See...that's the part of my brain that's kept me alive for so long. I'm inclined to believe that part."

Panda blew a cloud of smoke into Fouche's face.

"Tell me why I shouldn't go with that survival instinct."

Tag: @Kalio_Dynkos

----
Etu is silent now. She sees him now.
The Force shows him and his long life, in all his various appearances.
THERE IS NO CHAOS, THERE IS HARMONY
She remembers the code.

But this man is the source of much chaos.
What is to happen to him?
----​

Ship, En Route to Csilla

He was being tailed. Again.

Ship creaked and complained as the ship attacking them landed another advanced attack. Ace pilot? No. More like the best damn pilot in the galaxy this side of Luke Skywalker in his prime. The ship, of unknown origin...because OF COURSE it was. What else could Wapoe expect from the experience of the Unknown Regions up to this point?

Boom.

Well...now that did not sound good. Ship was struggling to keep ahead of the hunter.

The Outrider was silent and emotionless. His progenitor, the being known as Wapoe. He wanted to see how the great jester responded before his own eyes. How would Wapoe behave before he died? What would he have to say? The Outrider was curious and passed up several opportunities to destroy Wapoe's ship outright. Had he still be able to use the Force, that would have just been another tool that he could've used to down Ship. No, now all he had were his piloting skills. More than enough to do the job.

The Outrider sent a message.

"Fight back. Or should we do this face to face, template? You are Wapoe. The template. I'd like to see your power first-hand."

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

[Trande Settlement, Vas Nihollia]

Mara Jade approached the clinic doors as 2 beings emerged: a Cathar woman with vacant eyes and a tall guy with blonde hair and dressed in garish red.

Mara's Force sense twanged in discordant tones as she caught sight of the man. He gave off the same aura that the Emperor had, suffused with darkness. Mara shivered. She had never thought to experience that particular sensation again and hadn't been hoping to, either!

There was a nebulous sense of danger, strangely not coming from the guy but somehow he was the source? Odd.

A blaster bolt sizzled past Mara, and she cursed her slight inattention.

@The Jedi in the Pumas

 

IC: Dathisi Niroon
Trande Settlement, Vas Nihollia

...Drowning...

...Why did she feel like she was drowning...

Dathisi.

...Her own name. Uttered in her mind felt as if she was hearing it underwater. In her mind she felt a sensation of water all around her, as if she was floating in a pond or perhaps a pool... . She felt like she was floating on her back, looking upwards. the water covering her entire form save for her mouth and nose, just barely above the surface. There was nothing else but the water, and darkness...

She could still see and still feel, She felt the fabric of her shirt against her skin as she pulled it over her head, the cool metal of her lightsaber in her palm as she placed it back onto her belt. She saw her hands move to put her boots on and felt the floor of the clinic beneath her feet as she followed Dice to the front exit. The words of the receptionist seemed so distant. In Dices thrall, she followed him obediently as the pair exited the clinic main doors.

The pair did not get far though, as Dice came to a stop after a few steps. A pretty red headed human was stood not far from them, and she seemed to be regarding or scrutinizing Dice from where she stood. Dice looked across the 15 yards that separated them and cocked his head to side. The Cathar noticed the tear that squeezed past the rim of his glasses and ran down his cheek. Dathisi started to feel...defensive...aggressive, dark feelings blooming within her as Dices voice filled her head once more, further fueling the feeling of aggression towards the human woman

(Go...Kill her. She wants what you have.)

The red head woman had to die.

Dathisi went to take a step, when suddenly out of no-where, a blaster bolt sliced though he air, burning into Dices shoulder.

Suddenly, for the briefest of moments, Dathisi could not feel the sensation of water all around her, the feeling of drowning fell away suddenly and an image flashed before her in her mind. An image of someone...

Andren.

Her left thumb unconsciously made gentle contact with the underside of her left ring ringer, feeling the cool metal of the simple metal wedding band she wore. But then the sensation of the drowning waters rushed over her violently once more, the image dissipating into nothing as quickly as it had appeared as Dices voice echoed darkly in her mind. It was loud and laced with anger

(KILL HER! You serve ME! You will carry out my WILL!)

Dathisi's turned her head sharply to look at Dice, Noticing the blaster wound burnt into his shoulder. The smell of burning flesh hit her nostrils and she turned back towards the red headed human, a rising anger in her feline eyes as her level of aggression she was feeling towards those gathered rose further. The Anger burnt hot, deep down in her chest. They wanted to hurt Dice. She couldn't let anyone hurt Dice, or take him away from her.

(Yesss...)

Dice purred in her mind, as the entranced Cathar started to stalk towards the red head, beginning to close the gap between them. She address the woman as she approached, her tone of voice devoid of any warmth. Her darkened eyes flashed as she felt the force swirling within her, but mixed with the taint of Dice and the dark side.

"You want to take him...Because of that you must die"

She growled as Dathisi suddenly launched herself towards the redhead, using the force to boost her towards the woman. With a snarl she reached to her hip and grabbed her lightsaber, the green blade springing to life with a *snap-hiss* and aimed directly at the red head.


TAG @The Jedi in the Pumas @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha @greyjedi125 @Jedi_Ascension

 

[Mara at the Trande Settlement Clinic]

Mara did not have the time or luxury for self-recrimination. A snap-hiss of a lightsaber grabbed and held her attention, and she reflexively ignited her own blade and swept it across to deflect the other weapon and then continued in a whirling arc to snatch the other's weapon out of the attacker's hand. She felt somehow, strangely, that the attacker was under some sort of trance, which now that Mara reflected, had ebbed and flowed like some kind of tide? Mara did not like seeing anyone in Sithly bondage; it felt too much like the resurgence of Palpatine ... she sent out Force tendrils hoping to snap the other free from the net.

@Jedi_padawan_leigh \ @The Jedi in the Pumas

@greyjedi125 \ @Jedi_Ascension

 

Tiona
The Southern Jungle, Isle of Nobu Genesi, Chuuvanti



To Tiona's relief, Thallass accepted her invitation and took her hand. She felt a slight thrill travel through her body, like an electric tingle, as they first touched skin together.

She led him to the path. The forest spoke to her, showing her the way. Another of the meditative beings died nearby. Tiona heard him cry and it took all her will not to stop and come to his aid, or turn around and flee. The Mother Forest was leading them, but she was also taking her due. It was the natural order of things and Tiona was not to interfere.

She felt Thallass’ grip on her hand tighten. He was tensing about something she could not see, and his worry transmitted to her. He was starting to pull back.

“Stay with me, Thallass,” she whispered. “We will get through this together.”

Nevertheless, she took out her pistol. Her energy blade hilt was also at hand.

The Forest showed her the fork ahead and Tiona knew she had to make a decision. The images came to her mind. A laughing merciless predator, the jackal. A sinister coiling killer, the serpent. And the Great Hart. Tiona wondered if these were true representations, or just the Force-sensitive Forest using images already present in her mind to communicate indirectly the choices and their consequences.

The stag was representative of the peaceful and immortal Forest Spirit in many cultures across the galaxy. It could not be a mistake, could it? Tiona bit her lip, aware she was responsible for the Duros now, too. Her decision would affect them both.

What if the Forest was trying to trick her with false images?

Well, in that case she stood no chance; if it wished it, the Forest could then just open up the path it wanted for them anyway – her decision would be meaningless.

She turned back to Thallass, sensing that something was alarming him.

“I know the way,” she said, trying to sound reassuring. “At least, I think so. Follow me!”

She decided to follow her instinct; the middle path, to the Hart. She set off at a faster pace before she could second-guess herself, and doom them both…

TAG: @The Jedi in the Pumas @galactic-vagabond422

 

IC: Thallass Falkirk
Isle of Nobu Genesi

Thallass watched as another body fell, part of him wondering if those sitting in the circle were taking deaths meant for the adventurers. He wasn't planning on stick around to find out. Tiona grabbed his hand and guided them through. He was skeptical at first, until the forest began to open up, to give them a path to follow. Unfortunately this mystical power did little to dissuade the monsters track him. Keeping Tiona in his vision he watched as the eyes and teeth blinked out of existence then back, never in the same place they left. Tiona continued to not notice them. He'd give her hand a gentle squeeze every time one got close to them trying to hurry her along.

He could hear footsteps, heavy and numerous. In his vain attempts to count them he came up with 24 to 50 too many. The forest continued to part before them and Tiona kept walking until they came to a fork in the road. Three paths and they could only take one. She was guiding them and he was the only one that could see their enemy. They had to stick together.

Speaking of their enemy. A claw reached out swiping at him, just as Tiona chose a path.

"Good," He called out quickly drawing his pistol and firing two shots into the forest. "We need to..." He looked over his shoulder seeing her already rushing down the center path. He matched her pace, maybe moving a little faster with his longer legs. He was still putting more trust than he would like in her but, so far she'd not let him down.

TAG: @Kurisan @The Jedi in the Pumas

 

Fouche - Under assumed name Rik
Shack, 75th Floor, Artemis Cradle,


The door to the ramshackle shack creaked open to introduce Uncle Panda, decked in black from head to toe. He stood there in a moment of blessed silence, raised his eyebrows in a suggestive way towards Fouche, and walked in.

Fouche smirked at him and nodded a greeting.

It was clear that he wasn’t meant to say anything, and so he didn’t. Instead, he took a moment to get a good look at the man before him that Desi called “Uncle” Panda. No pinkish skin, so, not a Zeltron and not a physical relation. But whether the name was a moniker, a term of endearment, or the name of her handler it was hard to know. Things had moved quickly, and Fouche really hadn’t had time to get the lay of the land yet.

Panda was an odd duck but had enough sway that his goons followed his orders. So, he was someone relatively high up some food chain. Not your typical enforcer. The way he meticulously dressed in what looked like expensive fabrics — even if his taste was horrible — gave an air of someone who had money but didn’t come from it. Many men like him Fouche had met in his past had been eager to show off their wealth by wearing it, whereas men and women that had ample funds would wear more simple garments. Panda’s garishness flaunted his ill-gotten gains and was likely someone who could tell you the price of his wardrobe - the 3000 credit shoes with the 1500 shirt, etc.

Panda’s ensemble was his projection. But it was the candy coating on a rotten core — a walking contradiction. He wouldn’t get his hands dirty, but they had blood on them all same. He made his way into the shack, seemingly unaffected by Fouche’s presence. Panda went to the small kitchenette and removed his coat. Next, he rolled up his sleeves and removed plastic gloves from a drawer. He slicked his hair back and placed a deathstick in his mouth.

“I got new shoes by the way,” he said.

“And what an improvement,” Fouche replied. “Desi was concerned you’d misplaced them.”

One of the guards placed a chair in the middle of the room and directed Fouche towards it.

“Don’t make this hard, buddy,” he said.

Fouche waved his hands back over his head, feeling the vibroblade he’d found in the bunk shift in his sleeve.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, especially after all your hospitality,” he said, flashing his best smile and sitting.

Uncle Panda pulled up a chair across from him and stood behind it.

"You don't strike me as a man unfamiliar with the situation he currently finds himself in. You can take a beating. That's good. So, let's cut the foreplay,” he said.

Apparently skipping foreplay meant repeating foreplay, Fouche thought, as an unseen fist whipped across his face. Graciously the bacta had done its job over the past couple of hours, returning his bloodied face to something recognizable, and the punch was felt at full force.

Wonderful.

Fouche let his head sag as he felt the throbbing of his face return.

"There's a scenario." Panda began as he knocked some ashes onto the floor. "Where my niece is right about you? Maybe you were just a random guy that decided to help a bleeding Zeltron caught in a bad situation. I mean, I'd like to believe that. But the back of my mind, you know the part behind all the goody goody feelings. It itches. It tells me that maybe I'm sitting across from a man who works for one of our enemies. It tells me... 'hey maybe this guy was sent to pick up Desi, rescue her, and try to get in the good graces of our family.' See...that's the part of my brain that's kept me alive for so long. I'm inclined to believe that part."

Panda blew a cloud of smoke into Fouche's face.

"Tell me why I shouldn't go with that survival instinct.”

“If it's survival you’re looking for…tsk, tsk,” Fouche clicked his tongue playfully and leaned forward. “Death sticks? You might want to rethink your life. But, if it’s scratching an itch…”

He leaned back into the chair and rubbed some fresh blood from his lips and brushed it onto his trousers where Desi’s blood still stained his darkened clothes.

It was in that moment, Fouche realized that he and Panda weren’t dressed all that differently. Even their cost may not be that similar in the end. Whereas Panda’s screamed expense out for attention, Fouche’s dark clothes had cost him a song in its time for all of its hidden pockets, tools of his trade and such - most of which he'd been relieved of by the goons, along with whatever goods he'd pocketed from the Opera House. Shame he didn't know what he'd actually gotten - an ident card would certainly come in handy right now.

He still didn’t know the game here, and it was…unsettling. Point of fact, Desi had seen him pick one simple drunk man’s pocket and moments later tried to con him into helping with “a job”. Had that been, perhaps, part of the same ruse that Panda was trying to allude to Fouche taking up? It had certainly landed him here at their mercy. But, no, her blood had been real.

As far as enemies of whatever “family” Panda was referring to, it was possible. Fouche had been involved with the Empire only up until recently when he’d branched out to return to his old ways. But, that sort of affiliation wasn’t something you threw around to just anybody - especially for a former Loyalty Officer turned ISB Agent turned self-servicing criminal turned fugitive in the Outer Rim.

“I’m just a simple con-man,” he said finally, going with the truth. “No affiliation, no family. Just -“

He smiled at Panda, and leaned his chair back on its two hind legs, rocking it.

“Just a simple crook,” he said with a smirk. “Core worlds got a little too busy with the Rebellion, the Republic, the Imperials — it’s kriffin poodo out there man. Came to your lovely station for a change of scenery and…”

He looked around the shack.

“Gotta say, I’m impressed,” he said nodding, then tapped his temple. “But, that niggly bit you’re talking about? That inkling? Nah…but, I like the way you think, you know? On your toes. Open to “out of the box” thinking. Survival instinct. I can respect that. See that tells me this might just be exactly the kind of place that a man like me gets to find some real purpose.”

Fouche settled his chair back down slowly, hoping it wouldn’t bust under him. In actuality, he had no idea where he was going with this, or even what “this” was. He couldn't get a read, and there were so many moving parts with a massive cast of characters.

Something in his gut told him that Panda was someone you shouldn't mess with. But he also couldn't help himself. He’d met people like Panda before, and there was a line with them where you either got your self dead, got yourself a job, or both - and Fouche wasn’t really a fan of any of them.

TAG: @The Jedi in the Pumas

 

Unknown

The man in the mix-matched armor continued to quietly follow the redhead, waiting for his moment. To kill? To help.

To help? To kill.

It was all a bloody mess in his head, but he tried to keep his mind straight. Just follow and the moment will come. For now, that was all he needed. All he clung to. When she paused, he did so as well from where he stood not far behind her. ‘Unknown’ did his best to look inconspicuous, though that was difficult with his appearance.

The Clinic up ahead had its doors open to reveal a cathar woman and a giant blond man dressed in all red that even he could tell, practically screamed ‘danger.’ The look he and the cathar woman gave the redhead seemed to suggest something violent. He seemed sad, yet something felt---off.

The cathar’s look to him and then the sudden glare toward the redhead practically confirmed this. She began to take a step, but he was clearly the leader of the pair. They were to attack. He had to help the woman with the fiery hair…..she was his to kill!!! Not THEM!

Suddenly, with reflexes he barely registered himself, his blaster up and out and his finger had squeezed the trigger. He intentionally aimed at the man in red, for he was the one who held the power. Were he to go down, his cathar servant would back off. He was certain.

Still, for some reason he couldn’t help but shake. Was this man radiating such fear from him? The blaster hit to his shoulder, perfect, and yet he seemed unfazed!

And all of a sudden, those strange thoughts of killing were gone. Mostly anyway. He shook his head as if coming out of a fog. Just what was going on? That was when the distinctive sound of two lightsabers igniting caused him to turn around. The sounds of the women igniting their blades also came to his ears, their clash just beginning. But he couldn’t focus on that! This third woman, he remembered her from the crowd earlier. And all that lethal intent was clearly aimed at him. Her eyes said as much.

There were lightsabers on his own belt, not immediately visible due to how he placed them, that he had noticed and wondered about when he first had come to himself without his memories. He wondered if he should use them, but not yet. For now, the blaster was more familiar. He’d keep with that for now though he had a bad feeling about this confrontation.

With lightning speed, he began firing as precisely as he could at each of the woman’s joints in a way to force her into submission, backing up as needed. Perhaps even bumping into the redhead so they were back to back, though he said nothing.

In his mind, he called out, though he knew not to whom. Or even why. It felt like instinct.

‘I need help. We need help. Please, someone!’

Tag: @The Jedi in the Pumas @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha @Jedi_padawan_leigh @greyjedi125

 

IC: Ki’r Tor
Trande Settlement, Vas Nihollia

The sense of urgency. He could not shake it, no matter how he tried, not that he was actually trying. He felt them with a clear and defining intensity. The one who was drowning, the one who was in danger, the one who was an anomaly and the darkside blotch in the force.

His eyes narrowed at that last one. That level of darkness was not unfamiliar to him, for by its very nature, it revealed to him what manner of being he would be facing.

As soon as the Tenasas entered orbit, K’ir Tor informed Mai’hun of the exact coordinates they needed to reach. He spoke them, because he suddenly knew them.

“I will be jumping down at about 500 yards, you two find a hangar and wait until I give the ‘All Clear’, understand?

K’ir Tor glanced over his shoulder and looked back at Myra, needing to visually confirm her agreement. After their last ‘close call’ with the Third Prince, K’ir did not want to take any chances with her life- or anyones for that matter.

He had already resolved to continue in the path he was on, but also, he'd decided he would lessen the risk to his two companions as much as it was possible.

The Tenasas was a speedy and capable ship, streaking through the skies of Vas Nihollia. K’ir Tor made ready and took his post, feeling the air batter him as the hatch opened - and then he jumped.

The adept force user guided himself via the force and the momentum granted by the ship. With controlled manipulation of the force and skillful finesse, he rebounded off the façade of structures, gradually decelerating on approach, all the while sensing the ones with even greater clarity -even to the point of getting flashes of them.

‘I need help. We need help. Please, someone!’

There. A beacon.

Aggression. Uncertainly. Alertness. Dominance and more. He could feel it, even see it. Each one was suffused in their own specific auras.

Shots lanced out from the strangely armored one, ‘the beacon’. There was the red haired woman who felt strangely familiar for some reason- lightsaber in hand, the force pulsing from her. The cathar- she was drowning in a pool of darkside power! She too brandished lightsabers, but he could see the dark strings, that she was a puppet for the Tall Man in Red.

K’ir Tor rebounded into a vault and twisted like a top as he landed, simultaneously exerting the power of the force to shove everyone backwards upon touching down in a crouched position.

“Let’s….talk this over….shall we?”

He said in a neutral tone as he straightened.

He was now completely aware of everyones positions, as he faced the cathar and the Tall Man in Red, while the armored man and the red haired woman were behind. A gentle probe with the force hinted at the complexity and depth presented in the unfolding scene. He could smell the stink of the Syndicate Supreme in the air itself.


Tag: @Jedi_padawan_leigh, @Jedi_Ascension, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha , @The Jedi in the Pumas

 

Trande Settlement, Vas Nihollia

The exertion of K'ir Tor's Force arrival was...dulled. Dice...had stopped it. Instead of pushing everyone back, it just released a wave of light wind across the faces of the small skirmish's participants.

The Unknown, oddly armored man's shots were all parried, all but one. One blaster bolt burned through the handle of one of the assailant's lightsaber hilts and her hand, causing her to leap backwards and screech in pain. She gripped the injured hand, but regained her composure. Coming to a standing position, with her remaining red lightsaber in her hand, the assailant settled herself. She stood to K'ir Tor and Mara Jade's left if they were facing Dice and Dathisi from across the 15 yard gap. Dathisi could feel empowered. Her connection to the Force as strong as it had been during the Clone Wars, though different. It was empowered by Dice and the Dark Side of the Force. The smoke rose from Dice's shoulder wound as he stepped in front of Dathisi, a frown on his face and tears flowing from behind his sunglasses. He sniffled.

"Piin...We must...(Come to me)... not harm the Red headed one." Dice's voice was smooth as Dantooine Cider. But Mara Jade would feel the tendrils she sent out be caressed, then grabbed, and pulled. She would feel a tug...A suggestion...No something, stronger. An urge to go to Dice. Not only to go to Dice, but to kill K'ir Tor, the strange man that had fallen from the sky. He was...Here to take something from her. She...would...be sure of it...Right?

No such pull tugged at the consciousness of Unknown or K'ir Tor, but K'ir would feel the sweet seduction of the Dark Side permeating through the air. Unknown's confidence would increase...He did not remember a lot of things. He was not sure of his skills. But...something told him that he could take Piin, the dark assassin to his left. The shot to her hand was not an accident. He could do it. He'd...want to do it. Kill her. If he did not, she would kill him. No doubt about it.

Do it. Do it. Do it.

Dice began to slowly approach K'ir Tor. It was...sweet on its surface. The aura around him. Gentleness. Warmth. An assurance would wash over K'ir. The Force awakened clone would know that he was being approached by a figure born of the Dark Side; tempted to disarm himself by the Underboss Dice. Dathisi would see the openings; the openings in Mara Jade and K'ir Tor. The Cathar would see the openings that would wound them, hurt them...to protect Dice. As clear as day. She must protect him at all cost.

Underboss Dice stopped a few feet from K'ir and Mara Jade.

An ocean of pure Dark Side energy.

Dice asked a simple question.

"What do you have to gain here(Attack me. End me.) from hurting my friends and I?"

Tag: @greyjedi125 @Jedi_padawan_leigh @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha @Jedi_Ascension

 

Unknown

A new arrival appeared out of nowhere, dropping from the sky from the looks of it. A light wind being kicked up from his landing. Unknown’s gun kept aiming at the one called Piin. He didn’t even face the newcomer. Talk it out? Really? They were already at blows! His presence was strangely calming though.

Still he hesitated long enough to see what would happen. Nothing good judging by the words being thrown afterward. Whoever the red guy was, he was no good, but thankfully not focused on him. He focused on the assassin instead. Just as she was on him in return. The earlier shots proved he could take her. And plus, waiting any longer would make it more likely she would attack.

Kill or be killed. Attack! Do it!

Gritting his teeth under the royal guard helm, he opened fire once more. Allowing the aggression to wash over him, barely registering its effects on him. It all just seemed the logical thing to do. The blaster kept its aim on Piin and once again erupted into fire, with him side stepping away from the guy in red the whole time. No need to get caught up in that half of the fight!

His shots aimed at her hands and feet, trying to both disarm and incapacitate.

Tag: @The Jedi in the Pumas @greyjedi125 @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha @Jedi_padawan_leigh

 

Borek Tek
Somewhere on Csillia

Two days. Two, long agonizing days. Borek did appreciate the bacta tank. Tek had little to do, except speak with his companion and try to find out just how much Sera had effected Zeek. And when Tek did walk around, he often saw another man there as well. But they never spoke. Tek meditated quite a bit. Reaching out, searching within the Force. But the one force presence he looked for, was not near. But he did notice the man, the Chiss. Sera informed him about the Chiss they had seen wandering around. Some Admiral of the Ascendancy that was grounded. The Dark Side of the Force would reveal to Borek...that there was a connection between Borek and the Admiral. Shared pain. At the hands of a common enemy.

The summons from Chord came in the dining facility, during lunch. Finally! It had felt like forever. Chord was going to be arriving shortly and he had news for Tek. With Zeek in one pocket and Sera hovering over his shoulder, he made his way to the meeting place. Sera had reappeared the day after they arrived in a form that slightly reminded him of Zeek. Zek smiled slightly, but didn't mention it.

As they made their way to the Admirals ship, he grunted hard. Zeek beeped softly in his pocket. "Keep your eyes open, pal. She's here." he softly muttered. He could not believe it. Deya! She was here! Tek struggled, and his face became deadpan. He knew that there going to try and use her as a bargaining chip for something. He just didn't know what. He was sure that something was going on between Chord and Sera.

And he was just a pawn.

A noise behind him let him know that he was not the only one summoned to this little fun for all. The Chiss he had seen earlier was here as well. What could that mean? He picked up his steps. He would find out soon.




Tag: @darthbernael, @The Jedi in the Pumas

 

IC: K’ir Tor
Trande Settlement, Vas Nihollia

Indeed, the Darksider he was facing was powerful, but so was the Light, for Darkness always fled in the presence of Light, and only thrived in its absence.

The armored ‘unknown’ man waxed aggressive, but without losing self-control as he continued to fire upon his opponent.

The Tall Man in Red was doing something to the others, influencing their behavior through the darkside. K’ir Tor wasn’t sure he could do for the cathar just yet, but he made it a point in his mind to liberate her from her darkside captivity.

As far as he could tell, The Tall Man was attempting to manipulate the Red Haired woman, which K’ir felt a bond with- and it was through that bond that he would reinforce her ‘self- awareness’, her sense of ‘self-possession’. As for the temptation to lay down his own weapon, he would rebuff it. As one who possessed the knowledge of Lord Vader’s secret apprentice, such mind tricks did not work on him, clever as they might be. K’ir Tor was far too familiar with such…trickery.

Trickery; just like his words: "What do you have to gain here (Attack me. End me.) from hurting my friends and I?"

K’ir Tor fast tracked through the Tall Man’s double speak.

“I’m here to Free those who you’ve enslaved.” Was his direct retort.

Never once did he lose his awareness of the others, or failed to notice how they responded to the flux between the light and the dark sides of the Force.



Tag: @The Jedi in the Pumas, @Jedi_Ascension ,@Jedi_padawan_leigh, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

Mara felt the tendrils be tugged and a sly suggestion be planted in her mind, a magnetic draw towards the tall guy in red.

The new arrival registered peripherally, but his influence seemed to clear the fog as did his words, free the enslaved ... loosen the insidious grip of the one who seemed to be behind it all.

The word insidious came to Mara's mind, which led inevitably to "Darth Sidious", and her jade eyes flashed with irony.

"This child would be smashed under the heel of Darth Vader and Darth Sidious, and we know their fate." she thought. This one will fare similarly.

Mara felt the new arrival was somehow .... familiar. She let her strength join to his like 2 branches of a river converging.

 

IC: K’ir Tor
Trande Settlement, Vas Nihollia

The connection felt natural, organic, harmonious, and powerful. It was sufficiently different from what he felt when joined with Primarch during the time of his convalescence, but it felt just as effective.

K’ir Tor saw flashes of things they had in common, like Darth Sidious and the Third Prince, but also their sense of what was right in the galaxy. Her name, Mara, came to him almost as certain as his name came to her- but none of it was distracting, in fact, it served to strengthen their present bond and sharpen their focus; especially in the face of a common enemy.

K’ir Tor bent his knees and adopted a ready stance, his lightsaber flying to his hand, though it remained unignited for the moment.

“Release the cathar….”

He intoned to the Tall Man in no uncertain terms, even as he tried to somehow reach her, to put forth a hand so she would not drown and be lost in darkness.


Tag: @The Jedi in the Pumas, @Jedi_padawan_leigh, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @Jedi_Ascension

 

IC: Dathisi Niroon
Trande Settlement, Vas Nihollia

Dathisi's lightsaber clashed with the redheads own, but her opponents skill was immediately apparent in the way she countered her strike, her lightsaber arching wide in an effort to disarm her. Dathisi grunted and managed to separate her saber, taking a few steps back, a look of angry frustration on her face as she held the saber at her side, blade still ignited. She drew in a breath, feeling the force within her. It flowed freely but it felt very different... It felt...powerful...renewed, as familiar as it had felt during her youth and the clone wars.

The sound of blaster fire and of a loud pained scream caught her ears, and she glanced briefly at the source. Another woman, a blaster bolt burnt into her hand. A look of curiosity ghosted across her features, this curiosity was obviously sensed by Dice who's voice filled her mind once more. This woman was his ally. Their ally. She heard a Name: Piin

Dathisi flexed her hand around her saber hilt and She went to move to strike again, but was stopped by the sudden arrival of another, a man falling from the sky and landing amoungst the fray. The man rebounded into a vault and twisted like a top as he landed, touching down in a crouched position.

“Let’s….talk this over….shall we?”

The newcomer said in a neutral tone as he straightened. Dathisi eyed him suspiciously, ready to strike once more, but Dice stepped in front of her.

"Piin...We must...not harm the Red headed one." Dice's voice was smooth as Dantooine Cider. Dathisi watched as Dice started to walk slowly towards the Newcomer, her feline eyes scrutinizing the scene before her. She could see see the openings; in both the red head and the newcomer. She would wound them, hurt them...to protect Dice. This feeling... She had to protect Dice at all costs. Dice stopped before the pair, and addressed them, Posing a simple question

"What do you have to gain here from hurting my friends and I?"

“I’m here to Free those who you’ve enslaved.” Was the mans direct retort. He bent his knees and adopted a ready stance, his lightsaber flew to his hand, but he did not yet ignite it. “Release the cathar….” He intoned.

~~~

Deep In her mind, the water that enveloped Dathisi started to feel colder and she started to shiver, and Even though she was floating, her limbs felt...heavy, useless. The water, it felt like it was coming even higher up her face now.

"I'm drowning..."

But then, she felt something. Something other than the frigid water and the suffocating darkness that enveloped her. She could feel a presence, though extremely faintly. Above her, she saw the faintest outline of a person, a hand outstretched, as if beckoning her to reach up and take it with her own. Steeling herself, she fought through the sensations racking her body and concentrated on trying to raise a hand out of the water.

Her fingers broke the water surface

followed by her wrist

and then her forearm

She reached out, towards the hand...

...but the water churned up once more, violently dragging her back under

No!

~~~

Dathisi stepped out in front of Dice, a dark determination evident in her dull eyes, putting herself between him and the newcomer. Her green bladed saber hummed in her hand, as she took up a ready stance of her own

"I won't let you hurt him"

She growled as she directed the force though her body, pushing outwards with her hand and directing a sudden and powerful force push towards the stranger and the redhead, the force of the action amplified by Dices dark influence.

TAG: @greyjedi125 @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha @Jedi_Ascension @The Jedi in the Pumas

 

Mara scowled, her saber hum seeming to take on an ominous cadence as the Force ebbed and flowed -- cleared and became obscured around the focus of darkness, the one who was "drowning."

She frowned and moved closer to the newcomer and sent a thought: /This Sith-spawned one has a tenacious grip on this innocent victim. I don't want to sink to his tactics to spring her loose, but something must be done!/

As she spoke, her blade deflected salvos of hostile fire back towards the sender. She couldn't help the fleeting thought that if Vader were still around, he would make short work of this Darksider by literally squashing him like a moojaberry.

 

IC: K’ir Tor
Trande Settlement, Vas Nihollia

He watched her step in front of the Tall Man, moving as a protector would. Her green lightsaber shone brightly in her hand, even as she adopted a ready stance of her own.

"I won't let you hurt him"

The cathar declared, her intent made clear. Then she growled and suddenly attacked with the force. The power of her attack spoke of her skill as well as the dark power which bolstered it. K’ir Tor barely had opportunity to raise a Force Shield large enough to cover himself and Mara. It was enough to ablate some of the impact, which caused him to slide backwards, yet he did not stumble, having had a second of warning, thanks to her growl.

Had that been intentional?

At that moment, he sensed a thought sent by Mara, through their growing bond.

/This Sith-spawned one has a tenacious grip on this innocent victim. I don't want to sink to his tactics to spring her loose, but something must be done!/

K'ir Tor didn't disagree.

/Patience, Mara/ He sent back. /The Force will show us an opening, you will see it if you TRUST in the Force. One wrong move on OUR part and we could lose her.../

He did not include the last word he had been thinking, but he was sure she would hear it regardless. '...forever...'

Still, he did not ignite his weapon. Not yet. As he spoke again, he regarded his attacker, but did not ignore the Tall Man whatsoever.

“You would let him hurt you instead?” He queried, standing his ground, still reaching out to her with the Force. “What is your name?” He pressed on. “Remember who you are!” He urged.

The Tall Man was a danger to all of them, certainly, but K’ir Tor could see the churning darkness surrounding the cathar. It was an abominable sight, yet one that only spurred him on to free the darkside captive. Indeed, he would oppose the Syndicate Supreme and all of its agents, now and for as long as he possessed breath in his lungs. He could not, would not walk away, he would do all that he could, everything in his power, to free any who was oppressed by darkness. K'ir Tor was committed to the challenge, to his mission: to bringing balance to the Unknown Regions.


Tag: @Jedi_padawan_leigh, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @Jedi_Ascension, @The Jedi in the Pumas

 

Chord's Compound, Csilla

Chord stood in his characteristic all black attire. He was facing a woman. As Sabel and Borek Tek boarded the ship, Tek would recognize the woman as Deya. Zeek beeped excitedly. They had found her!

----
Sera chirped as well. This made sense. It was the next step that Minute had talked about.

How cruel of Chord, however. Oh, this was even more entertaining than he previously thought it would be.

----
Deya was different. Sabel would not have a point of reference. He did not know the woman at all. All he would know was that the woman was powerfully touched by the Force. He could not distinguish whether she was Force-sensitive or somehow had been around an incredibly powerful Light sider that had somehow left an imprint on her. The Light Side of the Force felt like it radiated off of her, as if she was covered in residue. The Light Side would only minorly irritate Borek (though not enough to keep him from his companion), but it caused Sabel considerably mental discomfort for him to be this close proximity.

Chord was unaffected and turned slowly to Borek and Sabel.

"Hello gentlemen. Mr. Tek, I located your friend at a facility operated by the Vanger Corporation. A powerful royal family and business conglomerate. They've recently dabbled in the slave trade of the Unknown Regions and your friend was almost lost to it. We were able to negotiate her release...Though there remains an unsettled debt that we'll discuss in a moment."

His calm eyes shifted to Admiral Tuasolr.

"Commander, you are no longer grounded and I have arranged the delivery, as the reports from your fleet can confirm, of the new ships to your fleet. It appears that High Command would like you to continue with your work and that I am to do everything I can to assist you." Chord was, of course, referring to the pursuit of the First Prince and the Syndicate Supreme. "You are free to leave."

Chord waited for any questions. More specifically, he was watching Lord Sabel closely. The Admiral was sweating and his breathing seemed to be sped up.

Tag: @Ktala @darthbernael

------
Isle of Nobu Genesi, Path of the Stag



They broke through a thick forest wall just as a claw touched Tiona's shoulder, slicing a thin sliver of flesh away with sharpened razer-edge precision. Then...there was nothing. A peaceful path lay in front of them. The creatures that had been chasing them were not allowed here. The jungle rebuked them and they now seemed like a not-so-distant memory. A moment to catch their breath and reassess their situation. Their coms were working and both of the adventurers would be able to call back to their ships if they so choose. Tiona would feel a nudging in the Force to...

Tiona and Thallass were being given special admission that few before them were granted.

A vine swung down from a tree above and began twitching across the ground...No it was not twitching. It was transcribing something on the jungle floor...

What does man love more than life?
Fear more than death or mortal strife?
What do the poor have, what the rich require,
And what contented men desire?
What does the miser spend, the spendthrift save,
And all men carry to their graves?
​

Tag: @galactic-vagabond422 @Kurisan

------
Trande Settlement, Vas Nihollia

"I...have a name, sir..."

The Underboss of the Syndicate Supreme said in a smooth voice as he placed a large palm on Dathisi's shoulder. She had never...felt so close to anyone in her life. She had never...felt so powerful. So sharp. Her muscles so responsive. The power that was drowning her felt so warm, so sweet. There was no way this could be the dark side. Maybe she was wrong to have judged Dice before. Maybe the Jedi were wrong. This feeling was true happiness that she had not known for decades. Here under the grasp of Dice.

"Resist, you must, Padawan Niroon." Master Yoda. He was there. His presence as strong as it was in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. But in order to listen...and truly gather what Master Yoda was saying, she would know she would have to give up the power she now possessed. She would not be able to protect Dice. His warm hand on her shoulder was battling the tether that Master Yoda was giving her. His grasp tightened, it was painful and she was submerged again. Master Yoda's presence was gone. She was alone. No...she was with Dice.

"My name is..."

In the background, behind Mara Jade and K'ir Tor, the mystery man's shots penetrated the defense of Piin. She underestimated, for one moment, the man and was overconfident in her abilities and that small second allowed an accurate blaster bolt to penetrate her shoulder. She was his...the shot was there to end her life. End one of the two threats. Would he take it though? He had only a second to decide as she reached out with her damaged hand towards him to end him in kind. Who would be first?



"Dice. If you would like to harm my friends and I....I will be forced to protect them and this settlement from the likes of you."

K'ir Tor and Mara Jade would begin to notice that people were watching from rooftops and windows and in the distance a group of speeders were coming. The constabulary. The Dark Side energy of Dice was rapidly attaching tendrils to many of the citizens and their peaceful mentalities were turning aggressive. Aggressive towards Mara Jade and K'ir Tor. Dice would infect the entire settlement with his darkness if left unchecked. Such influence, so widespread. This was the power of the Syndicate Supreme's Underboss, Dice the Heartbreaker, though known throughout in Wild Space as The Great Scourge!

"Padawan Niroon...Enough is Enough.
All of the training we went over.
You are JEDI. And these people need you.
YOUR people need you.
Do not let the Dark Side overcome you
and ruin everything you have built.
Not again.
Never again."
​

Tag: @Jedi_Ascension @greyjedi125 @Jedi_padawan_leigh @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

----
Farside of Vas Nihollia, The Vilestorms Region



The chosen planet: A little known world somehow hidden away from most radars, maps, and hyperspace lanes within the authority of the Ascendancy. Vas Nihollia.

The farside of Vas Nihollia was the spot. Where the desert was eternally devastated by travelling tornadoes and lightning storms, making the section largely uninhabitable.

A perfect place for Wapoe to meet the Outrider. And for him to meet his end.

The Outrider stepped out of his advanced spacecraft. He had allowed the template to land here. He had questions. He did not seek answers. The battle would be quick. The research he had done was all true. Wapoe, the name this being was going by now, was supposed to be different and very powerful. Well travelled and dangerous. He would find out for himself.

The man dressed in black could not use the Force. Not anymore. He would not need it to accomplish what he needed to do today.

He waited for Wapoe to land and clinched his fist. Then released an outpour of sand from his mouth.

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

The Cathar almost seemed to break free of the Dark One's grip, Mara noticed peripherally. Then she noticed a gathering of folks arriving on speeders and watching from rooftops. Their minds were stirring like volcanic magma and lava, surging and twisting, about to erupt.

She sent urgently to K'Ir Tor: /This is about to erupt or become a blaze no one can put out. Shall we squeeze this threat and push it back behind a barrier of stone or forge a Force shield as cold and impenetrable as the vacuum of space?/

A Force meld would be instrumental in forming layer upon layer of glacial or mountain-like heaviness.

 

IC: K’ir Tor
Trande Settlement, Vas Nihollia

/This is about to erupt or become a blaze no one can put out. Shall we squeeze this threat and push it back behind a barrier of stone or forge a Force shield as cold and impenetrable as the vacuum of space?/

Even as Mara spoke through their bond, K’ir Tor strengthened their connection even further. He could see the darksider spreading his dark influence, a shadow, creeping and infecting innocents like a disease. This caused a powerful sensation to stir deep inside his core. K'ir Tor felt the Lightside of the Force within him, suffusing him, inspiring him.

/Take ALL that you need and shield us/ He sent back, opening himself up to her and to the Force. Here, at this moment, he was an instrument of Light, a focusing Lens.

K’ir Tor needed all eyes on him, and so, he took his lightsaber in both hands, still not ignited, and raised it high above his head. He could feel the growing aggression, how he and Mara were being looked at as a threat, from windows, from rooftops, all around. Thus, they would make a stand.

The Lightside of the Force came in, like a torrent, an impossible tidal wave that could not be contained. This was not his power, for he knew it was not his power that would win the day. Not today, or any other day going forward.

K’ir Tor trusted in Mara’s ability to forge a mighty barrier of protection, even as his eyes regarded the Tall Man.

Immersed as he was in the Lightside of the Force, K'ir's mind was clear and open, even as knowledge of Force Cleanse and Force Light filled his very being. Here, the universal principle would hold, just as it had from the beginning of time.

Protected by Mara's powerful barrier, he would speak the words, just as he ignited his lightsaber, releasing a brilliant blue blade.


“Let there be Light!”


K’ir Tor’s stance was iconic. In that instant, a flash flood of White Force Light bathed the area. The combined Light techniques were meant to break the connections to the darksider, as well as remove any dark taint or residue in the psyche of those affected by his power. Darkness would be effectively dispelled. Arca Jeth, Master Thon and Master Yaddle had used this Lightside power, even to cleanse entire planets from the grip of darkness. Was it them who taught him this knowledge while he was ‘dead', knowing he would remember it at the exact moment he would need it?

K’ir Tor only knew that he trusted in the Force and depended on its guidance. He would not pollute his own mind with preconceptions, but flow with the moment and its results. Here, the Light would confront Darkness, as it was sure to do, time and time again.

Darkness had its Princes and its Champions, well, so too would The Light.


Tag: @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @The Jedi in the Pumas, @Jedi_Ascension