"Stealth field generators won't exhaust you; take it anyway." Niera pointed out, passing Juhani the third belt. "Now, in order to find this Twi'lek, I suggest we head for Ord Mantell. It's in the Republic, but there's little to no real law enforcement. Perfect place for a crime lord, and if he's not there, I'm sure someone there will know where he is."
"Got it," Tysyacha replied, "but, it's obvious that we're going to have to be incredibly careful even if we use our Stealth Generators. The Ebon Hawk may no longer look like the newest model in the latest showrooms of vehicle dealerships, but to someone with no starship at all, or a robber who wants to sell her anyway, she's going to prove a very tempting target." She winced. "I apologize, Niera. You were desperate for a way off Nar Shaddaa, but most of the other potential ship-thieves I've met were only hungry for credits." Another thought occurred to her. "If there are any bounty hunters on Ord Mantell, we've got to watch out for them, too."
T3-M4 wheeled himself to the front of the ship and warbled a greeting. "Could you please punch in the coordinates for Ord Mantell?" Tysyacha asked. The utility droid gave a warbling assent and did so. He was proud to be able to help with navigation, and anything else the Exile needed.
Another droid, this one far taller and far more rude, clunked forward as well.
"Perturbed Query: I say! My sensors detected the distinct possibility of a battle before we jumped to hyperspace. Why was I not involved, Master?"
She sighed ruefully. "There wasn't enough time, HK. Next time--I promise."
Everyone strapped into their seats and prepared for the journey ahead.
**************************
TELOS
Bastila Shan, Grand Master of the Jedi Order, was positively elated. Not only had her mission on Telos been a success--she had offered Jolee a teaching position at the Temple, and he had almost accepted--but she had just heard the latest report from her skillful mole within the TSF, Chandria Par Sakhar. According to Chandria, the Exile was nearing Telos. That was what Chandria herself had heard from the Mandalorian bounty hunter she had hired. At any moment, Tysyacha Dvyx would land on Citadel Station, and the TSF would take her into custody. They'd heard about the murders of two Jedi spies...
If the Exile decided to land on the polar regions or near a former Czerka research base instead, Bastila and her bounty hunters could track her there, too. Once she landed safely on Telos' surface, she would promptly be locked safely away in a Force cage. Then the arraignment, the trial, the verdict, eight to twenty years--Unless, of course, Tysyacha accepted a plea bargain.
If she told Bastila where Revan was, or where he'd gone, she'd be set free.
Bastila suddenly sat up ramrod-straight. Something is wrong. I can't detect even a trace of the Exile within the Force. What has happened?
"There wasn't enough time, HK. Next time--I promise."
That droid is still as bloodthirsty as ever
Juhani turned to the Exile. "May we have that sparring match now? I would like to see how good you are in combat."
"Very well. I'd like to see how I do against you as well. Niera?" she asked. "Want to observe? I know that Juhani and I are going to use lightsabers, since we're exiled Jedi, but a lot of our moves can be done with vibroblades." She saw the Twi'lek nod and follow them toward the garage and workbench.
Once they were all there, the Twi'lek took a seat next to the workbench as Tysyacha outfitted her own and Juhani's lightsabers with non-lethal "blank" crystals. In sparring, you could certainly be injured, but true lightsaber crystals cauterized wounds instantly--and very painfully. It wouldn't do for Tysyacha to risk the kinds of fatal wounds that she'd inflicted upon Darth Traya in their duel when Juhani was her ally, not her enemy. She lit her dvyxplanochniy.
"Double blade versus single," she announced. "This is going to be interesting. When I dueled aboard the Hawk before, the rule was one point per move that would cause an injury with a real crystal in the saber. We spar until someone earns ten points." The Cathar nodded, and Tysyacha leapt into the opening moves of the Juyo or Ferocity form, her greatest one.
Drayden knew perfectly well that the man in the armor was avoiding his question. Likely, the man was preparing for a fight, but Drayden didn't want another bloody encounter. He just wanted some answers. Deep inside, he couldn't really tell why. Perhaps he wanted the bounty. Perhaps he would know what he wanted when he found out more about the bounty.
"I don't want to fight you," said Drayden, "and I'm not going to compete with you for the bounty. I just want some answers." Some of it may have been a lie, but Drayden didn't care.
Somewhere inside him, he felt some sort of friendliness to this man. It had been a long time since Drayden had truly talked to anyone, and it had been a long time since he had thought about her....He shook the thought from his mind, and extended his hand to shake, ready for the unexpected.
"I'm glad we were able to meet, Gelvik. I just want to know about the bounty. Who is this Jedi, anyway?" Something compelled him to ask the question. It felt almost the same way as when he could sense other beings around him. Strange.
"Double blade versus single."
"Very well. Juhani replied as she grabbed her cloak and tossed it off into the corner and then she grabbed her own saber from her belt and ignited it.
Hmmm...Juyo. Also known as the ferocity form. This will be child's play.
She moved slowly into the opening form of Makashi and studied her opponet as she lept at her. Move to the left. Grab the arm as it comes by and then slam her into the ground or another firm object that won't break under the strain of a body hitting it.
She lept at the Exile and brought her saber down in a slicing motion intended to drive her opponet back slightly to give her drive home the blade between the chest.
Seven years of training on Nar Shaddaa does a body good. I doubt the Jedi have seen some of the moves I've perfected.
Slightly alarmed, Tysyacha reached up and tried to block the incoming move with her own lightsaber. However, even though she was partially successful, she knew that Juhani had still won her first point according to the official rules of traditional sparring matches. Thus, the Exile conceded, "Your point, Cathar."
Tysyacha then tried a Force Jump, very brief yet very high, with a slight twist forward so in case Juhani tried to Force Jump back, the Exile would have enough momentum to close the distance in as little time as possible. She made a deft flick of the wrist. Her own move with the saber would have made a less-lethal but still-threatening injury to Juhan's forearm and elbow. "My point."
"My point."
She shook her head sadly. "If you do plan to confront Bastila then you will not survive the battle with these attacks. She has had years to develope an entirely new attack style. Learn to fight at her level."
Juhani jumped up and grabbed the Exile's arm with one hand in an arm lock and then brushed one of her hands with the very tip of her saber which she was holding in her other hand. "Learn to fight as I do. Fight on instinct. Fight with your heart and not your mind."
Juhani released her hands and stepped back slowly and then switched to a more neutral form. "In battle, Suprise and secrecy can be your allies if you allow them to work with you. Stealth can be your greatest ally."
Juhani cloaked herself in the force and slowly walked in circles so that her footsteps wouldn't make any noise.
"Find me...If you can."
Now, stretch out...focus your thoughts, and listen...
She listened. Kreia had taught her that. She had taught Tysyacha many things before betraying her upon Dantooine and fighting her for the final time on Malachor V. The thing was, she could not read Juhani's thoughts, and that was the purpose of the listening exercise Kreia had proposed. This time, it was different. Around her, in the various spaces of the cargo hold, the Exile heard--and sensed--only silence. This was the way it was supposed to be. If you used a Stealth Generator correctly, whether via a belt or some other piece of equipment, your enemy could not trace you. Body heat was masked, electrical signals and stress levels were masked, and if you didn't make any noise or tried not to talk, you were masked as well. If you were cloaked well enough, whether via the generator or the Force, you could run.
Silence, silence, empty space...cold. The Exile sensed a distinctly cold presence in the Force, not a very large one but a very icy one. She made a Force Jump, ignited her lightsaber, and cried, "Shakh!" Check.
"Shakh!"
Juhani smirked as the Exile lept at the spot where she had been only a moment ago. Mate
She watched as the exile landed then she quickly got behind her and ignited her lightsaber under her throat.
"Mate."
She released her hold on her and then moved back in front of her. "What you sensed was an 'echo' that I was able to project. That was why it seemed so cold. It only works at very close range, but is does work very well as a distraction when fighting force users."
Juhani circled around her. "I can teach you how to do this if you are willing to learn. I can teach you how to wrap yourself in the force so that one one would be able to detect you...to project an 'echo' so you can confuse any foe...I can teach you the new lightsaber forms I perfected on Nar Shaddaa during my seven years of exile. But only if you are willing to learn from me."
"Indeed I am," replied the Exile humbly. "Even as little as two years ago, I thought that mastery, and being a Jedi Master, was all about teaching. That was why I trained several of my companions--Atton Rand, Mira, Bao-Dur, Visas Marr, and Mical, the Disciple--to become Jedi. I wanted to teach them how to be connected to and use the Force, but more importantly, I wanted to teach them to be strong--to find the inner strength they had within themselves. This allowed me to be a Master, yes, but it made me arrogant."
Tysyacha's eyes were sad. "I never realized how much they had to teach me, until it was too late and I had to face Traya on Malachor V without being completely prepared. They were trying to warn me of the signs they saw, of how Kreia was more than just a fallen Jedi, but I thought I was so wise that I didn't need to listen. I won't make the same mistake again. Even beggars and the so-called 'scum of the galaxy' have taught me lessons. You are far more than that, and so I, the Master, want to become your student."
She held out her hand for Juhani to shake. Then she looked at Niera:
"Bounty huntress...I have the feeling you have something to teach me as well. Yes?" She gazed straight into Niera's eyes, feeling no fear or worry.
(I am soooo sorry, my internet wasn't paid. sorry again.)
Flashback
Sam'kil explained everything to Bastila.
"I am a bounty hunter, who served in the Mandalorian wars, and the Jedi Civil War, as you call it. If anyone can track Tysyacha, it's me, you no doubt can feel my force aptitude." Sam'kil said, levering his way into the conversation even farther. He tried using a Mind Trick, and it worked slightly, making her more open to the option.
" You can trust me on this one" He said, as sincerely as possible.
"I still don't trust you," replied Bastila, even though her mind was open to the hunter more than it had been before. "I would like to give you a little test."
After a pause, she said, "Let's say that you and a friend, a colleague--maybe even one of your fellow bounty hunters--are captured by the enemy and held in prison. You are both going to be tried for espionage. If you agree to testify against your friend and betray him, and your friend stays silent, he gets the full 10-year prison sentence. Likewise, if your friend testifies against you and betrays you, and you stay silent, you get the 10-year sentence while he goes free.
"Now, then. If you both stay silent and refuse to testify against each other, you will only spend 6 months in prison on a lesser charge. If you both betray each other, you will serve five years. What is your best move? Do you stay silent and hope that your friend will, too? Or do you betray him, knowing that he may or may not betray you? What is your friend's best move? Hmm?"
She smiled. Mind games were, and had always been, her forte.
Pyscho was instantly greeted with a blaster rifle aimed at his face as soon as he exited his ship. Psycho put his hands up and a few more TSF officers moved in. They were all focused on him, ready to shoot if he made a move.
"Take it easy boys, I'm on your side this time. I'm Agent One, working for Bastila herself. You wouldn't want to make her madder than she is by shooting her best agent now would you?"
One officer looked away from Psycho and began speaking to someone. After a few minutes the officer looked back to Psycho and nodded. One by one everyone lowered their rifles; it was good to have power.
"Master Shan is here now, is she expecting you?" one asked.
"Yes" Psycho lied, "I need to keep her updated on what the Exile is planning.
One officer motioned Psycho to follow him as he led him through Telos. Psycho wasn't actually lying, he just wanted to make sure he didn't get screwed over. After what seemed like hours, Psycho finally made it.
"Oh brighteyes! Did you miss me!?!?"
Bastila rolled her eyes. "Hardly." Sensing something was wrong, she then said:
"Where is she?"
Psycho laughed for a few seconds.
"What, can't a guy visit his favorite jedi?"
He moved a little closer to her.
"That's actually why I came to see you brighteyes. The Exile won't be coming to Telos. See you girl Tysy found out I was following her and had her little dog friend force choke me. I was able to break out of it but not before they jumped to hyperspace. I got lucky when I found her on Nar Shadaa but now she could be anywhere. Seeing that you and her are jedi and share certain interests I was hoping you'd be able to point me in the right direction."
"I guess so, but let's just say I have a 'watch and learn' policy, though I think you've already got a reason for eyeing me up so much." Niera explained, using a slightly flirtatious tone, but still taking the question seriously. She then started rummaging through her pack until she pulled out an outfit which strongly reminded Tysyacha of the outfit she had to wear when she danced for Vogga the Hutt. "If this doesn't get his attention, I don't know what will." She commented.
"I'm glad we were able to meet, Gelvik. I just want to know about the bounty. Who is this Jedi, anyway?"
Gelvik took the man's hand and gave it a firm shake.
"You must be new...if you want to stay in competition, you should gather your own intel, not bother other hunters looking for the same thing. It's moves like that...that end careers."
The Mandalorian was turning, when a small change of heart struck him. He was wasting time talking, but he had just one thing to say.
"If you must know...the big Jedi bounty is on...'The Exile.' That's all I'm going to say."
He then turned, walking into the Basalisk and starting it up, raising it into the sky.
Gelvik knew he'd wasted alot of time, there was no telling where Tysyacha could be now...the Exile was known to move fast, and he needed to get to Telos as quickly as he could.
He activated his comm, "Chandria, I'm on my way...sorry about the delay. Make sure your guys at TSF are ready."
He then made the jump into hyperspace.
Bastila scoffed. "Do you know how to use a little something I know of called...the Force?" Yearning to spit in his eye, she said, "Reach out. Listen."
************
"His attention?" Tysy gawked. "Even T3 would be paralyzed by passion and arousal if he wasn't a droid." She slapped her hand over her mouth to keep from giggling, pretending she was about ready to vomit instead. "Beware. Ord Mantell is one big junkyard, smelly and full of trouble, so don't forget to put that on when and only when we're getting close to our target."
"I guess so, but let's just say I have a 'watch and learn' policy, though I think you've already got a reason for eyeing me up so much."
Juhani briefly narrowed her eyes before turning to the exile. "I can feel someone...or something proding us through the force...It feels like...Bastila. Well...it looks like Bastila is attempting to locate us. The schutta is smarter then I gave her credit for."
She hissed angerly. "This will most likely throw her off our trail...and show her what she did to me as well."
Juhani returned the probing with her own...locating Bastila in the force would be easy after seven years on Nar Shaddaa.
Where oh Where is she? Ah...Lets see how she likes this.
She unleashed a massive surge of anger and hatred toward the probing hand through the force and watched with cold satisfaction as it recoiled from her touch.
You will pay Bastila...you have fallen and I will never forgive you for leaving me alone.
The hyperspace jump had been extremely quick, thanks to the Slave Systems that Gelvik had reactivated. Only a Mandalorian would be able to bring back up the old, but powerful, systems that the Republic still had no knowledge of. He was immediately glad that the Republic had most of the Mandalorian's weapons destroyed, instead of studying them.
He stared down at Telos.
"Chandria, are you're people ready?"
Psycho laughed for a few seconds before stopping to see she was serious.
"Alright, I'll give you little jedi vodoo stuff a try."
Psycho stood still with his eyes closed for a few minutes. He tried to focus in on Tysyacha but that didn't work. He then tried the jedi aboard the Ebon Hawk but that failed as well. He then tried all jedi in general to see if anything would happen. He was about to open his eyes when something hit him. He began to see images...of a jedi. She was going up against a cloaked figure with a red lightsaber. She was talking about someone, a child. the fight broke out into a home where a little boy sat quietly inside. The boy cried out to his mother but was pushed away. Finally the fight ended and the sounds of lightsabers were gone. The small boy looked over at his mother and tried waking her up. The boy fell to the ground and cried. Psycho shot his head up and began breathing heavy. Was it a hidden memory locked inside the complicated brain of Psycho, or did someone reach out to him and send him those images.
"I couldn't do it but I saw a woman fighting a sith. She had a son and the boy watched the mother die. What the hell was that?"
Psycho saw Bastila wince visibly, almost as if someone had slapped her right in the face--with a beskar-plated glove. She hissed in pain and utter surprise, and then calmed down a little. She said, through the Force:
Anyone who's not on the side of the Jedi is their enemy. Truly you misjudge me, and make yourself our enemy far too early in this game. Do you know why I left you alone? You were strong, yes, but without Revan, you were nothing. Revan was the one who saved you from falling to the Dark Side completely when you thought you slew your Master, Quatra. Revan was also the one who saved you from the slavers who hunted you. Revan taught you, Revan nursed you, Revan loved you--as a mentor. Revan also controlled you. He controlled all of us. I tried to make him see that and use it to his own advantage, back on the Unknown World when I fell, but...
I left you alone so you could learn to live without Revan and stop being a snivelling little whining brat. We all have issues, and yours have increased.
To Psycho she said, "That's the first interesting thing you've said to me so far. It is a portent of things to come. There are Sith remnants, but I cannot sense this Sith of whom you speak. I also cannot sense the mother or the child. Nevertheless, it is a Force vision, one you should pay attention to."
****************
"As soon as the Exile lands," replied Chandria Par Sakhar to the Mandalorian, "we here at the TSF are ready to capture her on Citadel Station and take her into custody. If we fail and the Exile escapes, possibly to the polar regions or Czerka sites, that's where you come in. Whatever the case will be, there's no way out for the suspect. Move out!"
I left you alone so you could learn to live without Revan and stop being a snivelling little whining brat. We all have issues, and yours have increased.
She narrowed her eyes and punched a bulkhead, leaving a slight imprint of her fist in it. You are blackmailing the exile Bastila, that is not the Jedi way...you know she doesn't deserve this. I've seen things that you could only have nightmares about on Nar Shaddaa...things that changed me. And did I tell you about the scars that the Sith Lord gave me?
But I didn't contact you just to talk about old times...I came with a warning. I'm coming for you Bastila. And I'm learning new ways to kill you every day thanks to HK. I'll see you later...Schutta
Juhani severed the connection between them with an angry hiss and then she punched the bulkhead again before she turned to the exile.
"Your training begins now. You must be ready to help me kill the shutta by the time we get to Telos."
"As soon as the Exile lands, we here at the TSF are ready to capture her on Citadel Station and take her into custody. If we fail and the Exile escapes, possibly to the polar regions or Czerka sites, that's where you come in. Whatever the case will be, there's no way out for the suspect. Move out!"
Gelvik nodded to himself.
"Do your control towers have any possible estimations of when the Exile lands? I probably should've monitored them as they left, but I think they would've spotted me."
He pulled down a red lever which activated the Basalisk's heavy weapons. He was pleased to see that the Republic or TSF hadn't stripped it of its amazing capabilities. The Cluster Missilies were also intact, they would come in great use when the Exile landed. Of course, he wasn't going to use it to destroy the Exile, but Cluster Missiles were extremely good at disabling a target.
He hoped this would be a quick assignment, he had the visit to Chandria waiting for him when it was done. The thought of it lifted his morale greatly.
"You must be new...if you want to stay in competition, you should gather your own intel, not bother other hunters looking for the same thing. It's moves like that...that end careers."
Drayden smiled as Gelvik began to walk away. Little did Gelvik know just how long Drayden had been in this business, and if a fight broke out, Drayden had a good chance of winning. But he wasn't in a competition at the moment. No, he just wanted information. Perhaps he would have to look somewhere else for answers....
"If you must know...the big Jedi bounty is on...'The Exile.' That's all I'm going to say."
Without knowing it, Drayden's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the The Exile. He must have been exiled from the Jedi for breaking some sort of rule. An exile...and outcast...like Drayden. At that moment he felt compelled to find this Exile. Whether he would place the bounty or not, he wanted to find him just the same. Again, there was a familiar feeling in him, but he did not notice it.
The Force called out to him so many times, but he refused to notice it.
*****
After walking a great distance, Drayden's thoughts suddenly stopped and his senses took over. He realized that he was almost near the Chiss's ship, but someone, or something, was obviously around the area. Probing with the strange sense, he realized that they were in the ship. Approaching the boarding ramp, he pulled out his vibrosword and prepared for the unexpected. Opening the door by pressing the control, he prepared to dive.
A figure, who knows of what race or occupation, fired a blaster bolt at Drayden, and missed. That would be his last mistake. Running into the cockpit, Drayden made a quick slice for the creature's throat. The blade was nearing its target, but....Drayden hesitated. When he looked into the creature's hateful eyes, however, his fury once again took over and the creature's head was promptly removed from its body.
After taking a few breathes, Drayden noticed what the creature had been doing. Pushing the body off of the cockpit's control panel, it slumped onto the floor, and out of its hand came an electronic lockpick. Drayden ignored it, however, and looked back to the control panel. It was unlocked. This was his lucky day.
Closing the boarding ramp and checking the ship's diagnostics, he noticed that everything was in perfect condition to take off. Indeed, this ship was going somewhere after all. Priming the flight sequence, lifting off the ground, and descending into the sky, Drayden then activated the hyperspace systems. His target was the nearest planet, but he didn't intend to actually go there. He just wanted to get away from Nar Shadaa.
As the stars rolled back and the view turned to a blue glow, Drayden sat back in the pilot's chair and relaxed.
"Well whatever you want to call it, I didn't like it. It gave me the chills and that's hard to do."
Pyscho looked to see that Bastila had a nice view of the show if the Exile landed there. The TSF were still ready to go, waiting for any ship to land.
"So what about our Exile friend Brighteyes? What makes you so sure she's gonna land here?"
Drayden's relaxation abruptly ended. There was much to think about, and for one he didn't even know where he was going to go. He had the freedom of this ship, but its limitations came with the fact that he needed money, food, and supplies. His thoughts drifted back to Coruscant.
But there was no way he was going back there. There was nothing for him on that planet, and all he had ever known there was pain and suffering. His parents....
But he could not remember them, not anymore. Too long had he tried to push them out of his mind. So he thought more about the killing, the blood, the helpless victims....
As his "career" had progressed, he had begun to be more lenient on what jobs he took. At first, the killing both horrified him and invigorated him. Then, it began to be almost enjoyable. But now...now something was tugging at him that he could not explain. A feeling returned to him, and the punched the control panel.
The ship dropped out of hyperspace. The chances of anyone finding him out here were not very high, but there was the possibility he was being followed....
He drifted off to sleep anyway, his thoughts wandering.
The Exile....
Hmmm, well, lets see, this is familiar. If it were someone else, I know that they'd stay as silent as me, but she's dealing in rogues and bounty hunters. They'd betray their mom if they were offered enough.
"Well, it all depends on the legitimacy of the charges. If they are true, I say nothing, better to serve six months than screw a friend over. And if my friend does decide to screw me over, I can always get out of jail. Trust me, no cell has held me for longer than a few hours." Sam'kil said, hoping he'd made the right choice. It usually worked for him.
"Just keep in mind, I am not disguising myself as a slave girl, nor am I lying in any way about who I am. I'm simply reigniting an old flame for personal gain." Niera elaborated, trying to make her part of their plan seem much less degrading.
Bastila Shan laughed and laughed. "Wrong, you fool! You have just failed to solve the Prisoner's Dilemma. Any intelligent bounty hunter would have said he would betray his friend, not knowing what that so-called 'friend' would do. Your friend would be better off doing the same--betraying you." She looked at the man before her. "You're weaker than I thought. Get out of my sight." She blinked at him. "Why are you still standing there? Get...out."
When the bounty hunter did not move, Bastila hissed again, igniting her yellow Jedi Grand Master Sentinel's lightsaber: "Get out...of my sight." When he still did not move, Bastila gave a sharp whistle through the Force to summon her two servants. The Jedi grabbed the bounty hunter by both arms and threw him unceremoniously out of the Temple and down the steps. Passers-by laughed at him, yet they would never guess the motivation for the dismissal. They would never guess the reason for Bastila's anger.
That man, whoever he was, reminded Bastila of someone she once knew...
********************
Chandria Par Sakhar waited.
Gelvik waited.
Psycho, also known as Agent One, waited.
The bounty hunter at the bottom of the Jedi Temple steps waited.
Drayden waited.
Jedi Grand Master Bastila Shan waited.
Yet, no matter how long any one of them waited, together or combined, the Exile and the Ebon Hawk did not land upon the planet of Telos. They did not land aboard Citadel Station. Neither did they land upon one of the former Czerka Corporation research sites or in the frozen polar regions.
In fact, no trace of Tysyacha Dvyx or her ship could be felt through the Force anywhere near Telos. She had played every single one of them for fools. Either that, or something had frightened her--scared her into escaping and changing plans before she could land there. Whatever the case may be...
She was an excellent shakhmatist. Phenomenal, in fact. She knew that by laying a tempting piece in your opponent's path, you could bait them into capturing that piece while delivering check or checkmate in very few moves.
That was what she had done. Telos was the tempting planet, the tempting piece, upon which every opponent of hers had been focusing. However, while they were preparing to capture her, Tysyacha herself had planned her escape in one move. Checkmate. The Exile was gone.
Little did she know that this was not the endgame, but the midgame only...
Part Two: Midgame
"War leaves many scars, but rarely does it blind one to the Force.." --Kreia
Aboard the Ebon Hawk, on its way to Ord Mantell, Tysyacha Dvyx faced Juhani, the rogue Jedi that was more of a Knight than anyone, including the Grand Master of the Order. "I am ready," she said. "Opening move, please."
********************
Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing...
How had she missed it? How had they all missed it--Bastila herself, Agent One, the hunter she had so carelessly thrown out of the Temple, Gelvick, Chandria, Drayden and the TSF? Absolutely no one knew for sure.
One thing Bastila did know, however--she did not tolerate failure. Heads would roll.
Gelvik now knew that he had been fooled. Or at least outsmarted.
He picked up the comm again.
"Chandria, the Exile is not coming. Do I have permission to land."
He needed to rearm and refuel, not to mention plan another move in this board game of sorts. Chandria would also be of great help in that endeavor, she already seemed quite able at plans and such. Their last conversation had left a very good impression on him, so he probably had other reasons for wanting to land, but those reasons had yet to be confirmed.
He loosened the combat throttle and waited for Chandria's reply.
Ebon Hawk
"I am ready, Opening move, please."
Juhani shook her head. "What I first wish to teach you can not be taught through combat. It must be learned in smal steps at a time. Now sit down on the floor."
The exile sat down and Juhani sat beside her.
"I want you to begin by surrounding yourself in the force. Let it cloak your presence...hide your presence. This is an important step of the process, it will make it easier to actually cloak yourself when the times comes to learn it."
Telos
Jolee nearly had a tear in his eye as he over heard the conversation between Juhani and Bastila.
Juhani If I'd have known you were stuck I would have tried to find you...Bastila...what happend to you? I always knew you struggled with the darkside but I never thought you would turn out like this. Caught between the light and the dark. And blackmailing...I can't believe shes blackmailing a fellow jedi. This isn't the lass I remember.
At that moment Jolee made a decision.
Lets see if I can find Juhani and this...exile. Be nice to get off this station and see the galaxy again.
With that Jolee headed off toward the hanger, sending a message through the force for this 'exile'. If she recieved it, fine. If she didn't...well, that was another story.
Help is on the way lass. Don't worry, I'll help you as best I can.
Telos
"Permission to land granted." Chandria Par Sakhar sighed heavily. "My superior isn't going to like this. Not at all. I'd hate to see what she does to those other students--er, employees--of hers when she fully realizes that the suspect has completely evaded capture. I don't know what else to say except we have to keep looking, and if possible, we have to position ourselves one step ahead of her. Of course, that's impossible to do if we don't even know where she is right now..." She trailed off, hearing another beep on her comlink. "See you soon." She slipped it into her right pocket.
Bastila had summoned her. Chandria closed her eyes, prayed to the Force that the meeting between them would go well, and went into her Master's office. "Par Sakhar?" asked Grand Master Shan slowly. "What have you heard from that bounty hunter you hired, the Mandalorian? Does he know where the Exile is?" The TSF spy shook her head. "Well, then. Does he have any idea where she might be?" Again, Chandria shook her head. "Blast!"
"He needs permission to land and refuel," the spy announced. "I granted it."
"Good." Bastila's eyes were ice. "He is far more capable than most. I would rather not extend such hospitality to every hunter we have hired, but at this office on Telos, it does not pay to make enemies of your former allies. Go and greet him, Chandria, and then escort him to my office for debriefing."
"Yes, Master." Chandria bowed humbly at the waist and then departed.
*********************
The Exile felt something--or someone--touch her mind and speak to it through the Force. Thus, she wasn't concentrating entirely on the cloaking lesson. Seeing Juhani's sad and frustrated look, Tysyacha gave a start:
"I heard a voice--the voice of an old, old man...It was through the Force, and he said he would help me. He called me lass. I swear, Juhani..."
She felt the Cathar's eyes boring into her soul. What would her verdict be?
"Permission to land granted. My superior isn't going to like this. Not at all. I'd hate to see what she does to those other students--er, employees--of hers when she fully realizes that the suspect has completely evaded capture. I don't know what else to say except we have to keep looking, and if possible, we have to position ourselves one step ahead of her. Of course, that's impossible to do if we don't even know where she is right now...See you soon."
"Alright, su'cuy...I'll be done there soon."
Gelvik didn't like the sound of an angry superior. He had a strange feeling that this superior was no TSF officer.
He brought the Basalisk planetside quickly. The ship came down on one of the assigned landing pads, having no landing problems.
Gelvik deactivated the ship, releasing the power couplings and allowing the landing gear to pry into the landing pad, so it wouldn't topple due to it's unique shape. He then grabbed his stuff and walked down the landing ramp and into the space port, waiting for Chandria.
"I heard a voice--the voice of an old, old man...It was through the Force, and he said he would help me. He called me lass. I swear, Juhani..."
Juhani's eyes instantly lit up with hope. It can't be...I thought he was dead!
"He...called you lass? And he was an old man?"
At the exile's nod Juhani jumped up into the air and laughed in delight. "I don't believe it! Jolee is alive! Jolee Bindo is still alive!"
Juahni grabbed the exile by the shoulders and smiled again. "Jolee...is a friend of mine who accompined Revan in his quest to defeat Malak...this is...excellent news. I can't believe the old man is still alive."
She finally calmed down but couldn't help but smile. "Now...back to your teachings...Now...listen this time. I want you to begin by surrounding yourself in the force. Let it cloak your presence...hide your presence. This is an important step of the process, it will make it easier to actually cloak yourself when the times comes to learn it."
I can't believe the old man is still alive!
Telos
"I am allowed to leave the station whenever I wish."
"You are allowed to leave the station whenever you wish." The TSF officer repeated in a monotone voice as Jolee lowered his hand.
"You want me give me the ignition codes to one of the hyperspace capable shuttles. And you will make sure it's a fast one."
"I want to give you the ignition codes to the fastest shuttle in the bay." The officer replied in the same voice as he handed Jolee the codes that would let him start up the shuttle at the back of the bay.
One last thing and I'll be off.
"You will go to the cantina and go drink a pint of Juma juice then find a nice lass to chat up and forget you ever had this conversation."
The officer nodded as he walked off toward the Cantina with shaky steps. Jolee on the other hand chuckled and headed off toward the shuttle that the codes would work for.
He climbed into the command center of the shuttle and watched as the shuttle lifted off the ground and took off toward the night sky.
It'll be nice to see Juhani again. Hopefully that blasted droid Revan constructed will be offline. I've had enough of that thing for a lifetime
The TSF officer/spy practically dashed down the corridors of Citadel Station to the spaceport, where her favorite "helmeted thug" awaited her. "Hello!" She motioned for two refueling automatons to attend to his Basilisk War Droid, and as for Chandria, she saluted crisply. "Officer Chandria Par Sakhar."
She brushed back a tendril of hair from her face, so dark-brown that it was almost black. Her eyes sparkled with an excitement, an inner fire that had not been seen by anyone since she had threatened the Mandalorian in the cantina during the "stickup" he had tried to pull. "I'm glad to meet you in person, sir. My superior, Ms. Shan, is waiting for you in her office. She has two--one here on Citadel Station and one on Coruscant. She's here regarding a critical special assignment, namely capture of the Jedi Exile, Tysyacha Dvyx. Follow me, please. Her quarters are right this way."
The Mandalorian did so. Was he noticing the figure of the one ahead of him?
Chandria thought so--or, at least, she hoped he could through his helmet...
Another woman stood up, tall, dignified and statuesque despite her age. "Greetings," she said, extending her hand for the bounty hunter to shake. "My name is Bastila Shan, Grandmaster of the Jedi Order. The woman to your left is TSF Officer Chandria Par Sakhar, a Jedi Special Operative. Welcome."
"My name is Bastila Shan, Grandmaster of the Jedi Order. The woman to your left is TSF Officer Chandria Par Sakhar, a Jedi Special Operative. Welcome."
Gelvik cocked his head to the right, "Bastila Shan...the Jedi Leader aren't you. My fellow Mandalorians are familiar with you..."
I knew it, Chandria had to be more then just an expert TSF officer....a Jedi Agent made more sense. She's not acting like she did before...but the presence of a superior officer, or leader, would definately make me a little stiffer or different. I can't blame her then.
This made the situation a little more difficult. Mandalorians weren't on the best of terms with Jedi, and they weren't either. But still, he needed work.
"I know Chandria already, she was the one who recruited me. I wasn't aware at the time that she was answering to a higher authority. Let alone the di'kutla Jettii. Well...anyways, it is interesting meeting you, Jedi."
He looked at Chandria for a moment, then back at Bastila. He had a feeling he could trust Chandria, but the Jedi Master...he didn't know. His hands hung at his sides, at the ready, just in case this meeting wasn't working out in the most peaceful of ways.
Psycho cloaked himself when he heard footsteps. An officer walked in followed by a Mandalorian. He stood next to Bastila knowing she knew he was there. The mando wouldn't know he was there; he hoped.
"I know Chandria already, she was the one who recruited me. I wasn't aware at the time that she was answering to a higher authority. Let alone the di'kutla Jettii. Well...anyways, it is interesting meeting you, Jedi."
Psycho decloaked and began jumping up and down.
"Oooooh a Mandalorian, can we keep it Brighteyes? Can we, can we, can we!?!?"
Bastila promptly gave Psycho a shove through the Force--right into the wall. Thud.
"And very interesting meeting you, Mandalorian." Bastila Shan smiled. "Tell me: have you any idea as to the present whereabouts of the suspect?" No answer. "If not, then do you have any theories as to where the suspect could be? You do not have to know, but you at least have to answer me." No answer. "Very well. It seems you might have forgotten some important detail. Chandria? Take this man to the cantina. He's had a long journey, and should be refreshed..." She folded her hands on the desk in front of her.
Chandria knew what game Bastila was trying to play. She was trying to "loosen the target up" for further interrogation. Fine. She would play along, but only as far as the cantina. Once they were inside the smoky, ale-tinged confines, however, all bets were off. Thus, she led the bounty hunter back to his favorite hot-spot. Once there, she ordered them two shots of potent vernaya. The drink was not meant to inebriate him, but to sharpen him.
She took a sip. "I don't like this," she said. "I don't like how my superior--my Master--is trying to intimidate you even though she knows you can't be intimidated. You're a Mandalorian. You've seen battle and war that I can't even imagine, and here she is, a Jedi no less, using tactics that even the most foolish 'pleasure hostess' wouldn't use to try and earn some credits. The vernaya won't make you drunk. I'm hoping it'll sharpen your wits..."
Unfortunately, it dulled hers. Minus her inhibitions and restraint, Chandria promptly confessed a question that had been burning inside her ever since she'd laid eyes on the "helmeted thug": "What do all the flaps on your armor do?" Sneaking around a nearby corner and pressing themselves to the wall, the normally-reserved Chandria Par Sakhar received a full demonstration...
Afterwards, she summoned a serving droid to bring her a wet, soapy cloth. Heading toward the refreshers, she promptly used it on herself and her new partner. Scrubbing diligently, Chandria noticed tears falling from her eyes.
"I've never been in love," she said. "I've never allowed myself to be in love. Love was for weak people, ordinary people, who wanted to work, breed, and die. I was stronger than that, and better, and--" She sobbed. "You have broken all my defenses, Mandalorian, and I can do nothing but surrender!" She hiccupped happily. "No wonder the name of that drink means 'truth'--!
"I love you..." There. She'd said it. She'd admitted what had been in her mind and thoughts ever since their conversation about the Mandalorian Wars. "I'm so, so sorry I didn't tell you who I was, what I was, but Master Shan--"
Chandria gave a start. "Bastila! I must return, before she even suspects--"
Without another word, the TSF officer bolted toward her superior's office.
Bastila had made Gelvik extremely suspicious. Her character seemed dark, even in the supposed way she sent Chandria and himself off to the Cantina. He knew that she wanted some sort of information, and she was using Chandria to do it.
He hated that part, the fact that Bastila was using Chandria like a tool. The Mando'a swore on his honor that he would punish the Jedi for that. He was going to tell Chandria what he was thinking when she spoke first.
"I don't like this, I don't like how my superior--my Master--is trying to intimidate you even though she knows you can't be intimidated. You're a Mandalorian. You've seen battle and war that I can't even imagine, and here she is, a Jedi no less, using tactics that even the most foolish 'pleasure hostess' wouldn't use to try and earn some credits. The vernaya won't make you drunk. I'm hoping it'll sharpen your wits..."
That got Gelvik by surprise, and then he was sure about his feelings for her. Not only was she beautiful, but she had a great character and much courage. Everything the Mandalorian would look for in a women, she was, in his opinion, perfect. Even if she hadn't told him she was a Jedi Agent, he understood why.
Then an unexpected question came.
"What do all the flaps on your armor do?"
He smiled and nodded, his senses still very sharp despite the alcohol, he understood what she meant. What happened afterward confirmed on how amazing she really was.
A bit later, they were together at the refresher.
"I've never allowed myself to be in love. Love was for weak people, ordinary people, who wanted to work, breed, and die. I was stronger than that, and better, and--"
He turned his head at her with a loving look in his eye.
"You have broken all my defenses, Mandalorian, and I can do nothing but surrender! No wonder the name of that drink means 'truth'--! I love you..."
Things happened extremely fast for the two of them, but he loved her too. He was about to tell her when she spoke again.
"I'm so, so sorry I didn't tell you who I was, what I was, but Master Shan--Bastila! I must return, before she even suspects--"
Chandria then left, Gelvik greatly surprised.
"WAIT!"
He grabbed his helmet and armor and ran after her. She was right, if Bastila found out, there was no telling what would happen. But he also knew that Bastila would believe whatever Chandria was saying even more if he came along. There was a reason that he didn't like Jedi like Bastila...he wouldn't let Chandria become a victim of their evil.
Sam'kil dusted off his sleeves and choked the passerbys to were laughing at him through the force.
Hmm, I thought it was a test of loyalty. I thought that was a good answer. Man am I out of practice.
Some of the passer-byes fainted, and Sam'kil took a chance to laugh at them. Then he stopped. What am I doing, if I let myself do this, I'd be no better than a common sith brawler.
He stalked off, getting at least one thing from Bastilas mind. Last place she heard of Tysyacha, was Telos.
Later, finally at the present time of the RP...
Sam'kil stepped off the loading ramp, he'd had to be a stowaway again, and oh how he hated being one. He couldn't ask for a blanket or a good glass of coruscanti wine, but had to hide in the back with the old nerf hides and moldy vegetables.
"Stang, what a cramp!" Sam'kil said, rubbing his shoulders simultaeneously.
Leaving the ship behind, he made his way towards the TSF headquarters, looking for a way to get to Carth.
Drayden was walking down the dark street. It was nighttime, and he knew he probably shouldn't be randomly strolling. But he didn't care. He loved the night, and he wanted to drink in its beauty for a while.
Stopping every now and then to smell some new smell or look at something, he was quite content. With a happy sigh, he sat down on the road, when all of a sudden his heart began to pound. He shouldn't be out here, he should hurry...but what for? He wasn't going to get caught? What was telling him he needed to hurry?
Stalling and trying to calm down, Drayden refused to move, knowing full well he was safe.
But he wasn't the one who needed saving.
With a loud scream, Drayden was running, running for all he was worth, back to the house, desperately panting, hoping he hadn't been found out. And there, right in front of his house, were his parents...and two street thugs, both with vibroswords. They were about to kill them, kill his parents....
A lightsaber, as crimson as a Laigrek's eye, suddenly appeared in Drayden's hands, and he was much bigger, older than before, and he was wearing black robes.
Within only a few seconds he had killed both of the thugs, and his parents were on the ground crying. His father looked up at him then.
"Once you go, you can never come back."
Suddenly, both of his parents were consumed in flames, screaming until their last breath, and within only a few seconds they were gone, simply piles of ash.
The vision faded, and Drayden was then standing on a ship. It was small, but comfortable vessel, and as he looked around he did not see anyone. Except, near the front of the ship, there was a black hole. Absolute nothingness.
The rest of the ship then turned into smoke, and Drayden was left staring into the contrasting black void, uncertain of what to do, when he began to notice that he was dragged, faster and faster, accelerating into the black hole....
Drayden awoke from his vision screaming, terrified, when his grasp of reality set back in. What did it all mean? Nothing made sense....
A hole in the fabric of space....
Psycho hit the wall with great force. He picked himself off the ground and got the hint to leave. Slightly confused on where to go, Psycho began walking around. There wasn't much to do for a crazy maniac when he couldn't kill. He stopped dead in his tracks and cloaked himself when he saw Chandria and the Mandalorian walk past him. It was still an old habit of his to either hide from TSF or to attack; it took a lot out of him not to attack. However something wasn't right between those two. He felt an advantage over them, something that would help him change the deal he made between Bastila and himself. He remained cloaked as he kept his distance from the two. He stood outside the cantina for a few minutes before he found the two again. He stood motionless as he listened in on the tender moment the two had together. The woman took off and the mando began to follow; he had to make his move now. He ran with them and decloaked himself; instantly he broke out into laughter.
"You've broken all my defenses, Mandalorian!" Psycho yelled in a voice that was no where close to Chandria's. "Now I don't know how the whole love things work when you work for Bastila but I doubt it ends well. I have a very nice proposal that I strongly consider you both listen to!"
"You've broken all my defenses, Mandalorian!"
Gelvik turned to face the strange man they'd encountered earlier. Strange was an understatement.
"This can't be good..."
"Now I don't know how the whole love things work when you work for Bastila but I doubt it ends well. I have a very nice proposal that I strongly consider you both listen to!"
The Mandalorian drew out his sidearm extremely quickly, aiming it at the man's knee, and pulled the trigger, blowing the side of it off.
Gelvik closed the distance and stuck his booted foot hard into the man's chest.
"No. You will listen to this."
His trigger-finger was becoming itchy, he wanted to finish this man off, he could do no good in their situation. He tightened his grip on the pistol. Catching up with Chandria was no longer the objective, making sure that this man didn't leave was more important.
He shoved his foot harder into the man.
"Who are you? What are you? What were you going to do?"
Psycho took the shot to the knee and fell down hard. His armor took most of the blow but a chunk of knee was missing. He just looked up at the mando and laughed.
"That's the best you can do!"
He felt the man's foot attempting to crush his chest in. He just continued to laugh at him.
"Who are you? What are you? What were you going to do?"
Psycho held a thermal detonator in his hand. He activated it and looked up at the mando.
"If I were you, I would stop asking and start listening. Put the gun away and I'll deactivate it, try to run or attack and we both die."
Gelvik looked at the termal detonator in the man's hand, and then he looked at his blaster-pistol.
He holstered it, but kept the foot digging into the man's chest.
"The foot stays...and we'll be even. Now what are you going to say?"
He'd here what this stranger had, but at the same time he was calculating possible points of cover that he could take. If the man was smarter, he would've chosen a better location to threaten Gelvik with a Thermal Detonator, he still stood a good chance of surviving, due to the Citadel's armored structure.
Psycho looked up and laughed at the man once again.
"I like your style mando, you're cunning and ruthless. My offer to you is very simple but it requires help from your girlfriend. You will convince Bastila that you need me to assist you in taking down the Exile. See unlike you I don't get money for taking her down and I don't have all the time in the world. You and Chandria will also convince her that this operation will require a lot of time and 30 days is simply not enough to do so, given the recent events you'll have a good shot. I'm not asking for credits, such wordly pleasures don't intrest me. If you decline my offer or backstab me in anyway know this. My name is Psycho, I am the most deadly criminal out there and I will personally make sure Chandria suffers a slow death. Do we have a deal?"
Gelvik stood absolutley still, thinking on his answer. This 'Pyscho' character was not asking much, only to be brought on the mission and given a month's time to do whatever it was he was going to do. And he wouldn't tell Bastila about them. Gelvik was wary to trust this man, but it seemed he had little choice.
He slid his boot from the man's chest onto his throat, choking him slightly.
"I'll tell you what....I'll agree to your terms, but only if you don't do anything that could either hurt Chandria or incriminate her in any way. You can imagine what'll happen to you if you do that. Don't even think about harming Chandria."
Another thing came to his mind, "I see you don't like Bastila that much, so if we agree on eachother's terms...we'll do just fine and dandy."
He lifted his foot off Pyscho and took a step back, helping the man up at the same time.
"So..yes. I'll agree to your terms."