The Hunt for the Sith Hunter

[Writer]

Before Craig could defend his identity, Erica rushed out of the cockpit.

 

"We found a ship," she said. "It's not Riebe's..."

 

"Land by it," Caitlin instructed. "Then we'll search for her on foot. I know she's here."

 

-------------------

 

Riebe and co. returned to the ship and arrived just in time to see the other ship landing.

 

"What?" Riebe muttered, slightly startled by the arrival of another ship. Then she realized who was on board and laughed.

 

"We don't have to go anywhere," she said. "That's them."

[jokemaster]

"I thought you said they weren't coming here." said Martins.

[Writer]

"They weren't," Riebe answered. "I specifically directed them to Gerv..."

 

------------------

 

Caitlin eagerly left the ship when she saw the speeder bikes approaching. When she saw Riebe, her eagerness was multiplied.

 

"Riebe!" she called. The two women closed the distance between them rapidly. Riebe pulled out of the embrace first and observed Caitlin's companions.

 

"I see you've brought your apprentices with you," she said. "Erica, Nadira, a pleasure to see you both again." Her eyes fell on Alyssa. "Not seen you before... let me introduce myself. I'm Riebe Sothe."

 

"Nice to meet you," Alyssa said. "My name's Alyssa Renolin."

 

Riebe's ears perked up at the name. "Renolin? Any relation of... oh, let me think... Jisem and Gina?"

 

Alyssa flinched. "They were my parents," she said quietly. Riebe said nothing for a moment.

 

"I'm terribly sorry," she said softly. "Your parents were good people, amazing Jedi."

 

"Thank you," Alyssa said. Riebe nodded and turned to Craig. Recognition was followed by a mixture of other emotions. She reached out and slapped him.

 

"You know," she said, "I should give you more than that. What posessed you to keep so hidden?" Her anger was coming out now. "How many times do you have to die before you're content?" She sighed, forcing herself to calm down. "So... what name are you going by in this century?"

[jokemaster]

"C'mon, we need to go." Said Roma impatiently

[Writer]

"Right," Riebe agreed. She looked at Craig. "Explain yourself later. We have to help Jack."

 

"Who's Jack?" Caitlin wondered. Riebe smiled slightly.

 

"Jokemaster."

[jokemaster]

"Get on the speederbikes." Said Roma.

[Curt-Man]

"whoa whoa, i'm happy you guys found your missing jedi, but finding another one was not in my job description."

[Writer]

"Take it easy," Riebe said, glancing back at Curt. "He's already found... we just have to free him. Please. We could use all the help we can get."

[jokemaster]

Roma was angry.

"I couldn't give less about your job description, you're helping us!"

[Flamehart]

Craig could only smile even after being slapped. He answered her with, "I still go by Craig," then continued, "As for you should doing more, yes you should, and I apologize for the pain I've caused." He finished with the upmost sincerity.

 

Craig didn't waste any time, and immediately got on one of the speeders. He looked over his shoulder at Curt and said, "Hey Curt, think of it this way. We've led you this far and you so far haven't been decapitated, incapacitated, or life threateningly injured, and you've helped us quite a bit where we lack the ability. We aren't going to stop fighting alongside of you just because our initial mission is over."

[Curt-Man]

"You may not be a mercenary anymore Craig, but I am, I took this mission because my next job isn't for a while, well it wasn't when i took the job, so I got other business to take care of. Hope you all find your friend and have a lovely little tea party." Curt said angrily and then walked off. He started for the shuttle port. He got there and almost bought a ticket.

"bloody conscience.." Curt muttered then turned and ran back.

 

((don't like say you see me coming in the next post, wait a bit ))

[Writer]

Caitlin sighed angrily. "Crazy mercenaries."

 

"We can worry about anger later," Riebe said urgently. "Jack needs our help!"

 

She got on her bike and sped off, knowing the others would follow.

[jokemaster]

The others sped off. Martins, being a mercenary, sighed, took out an older more beaten-up speeder from his ship and left it with a datapad that said:

Kid, knew you'd come back. Take this one

-Martins

[Flamehart]

Craig sped up next to Riebe, and on the way, he explained about getting ambushed, among some other things that occured while he was there, "...They weren't as much of a challenge," he went on, "They caught me off guard, but once I got into it, I was able to defend myself until I could make clear breakaway. I didn't have the maneuverability I needed to beat them, and I was pretty shaken up from a poor emergency landing... I managed to escape and get my ship airborne, and that's when I left the borders of known space, into the Unknown Region..." he trailed off, letting it sink in, "Yes, the very same that Revan disappeared to and the one of his disciples from the Jedi Civil War followed Revan to. I'm the only one that I'm aware of that has returned from that region to talk about it."

 

He looked over at Riebe again, putting on a joking grin, "As to your question..I'll escape death enough times to set a record that will take people years on end to beat, like my blindfold test records" he chuckled a bit. "I'm thinking of taking up my old name, from back when I was a Jedi." His tone indicated he was serious as he continued, "Skywalker even said he'd allow my redemption and I could return to the Order if I felt like it. I mean, I've never been the total 100% righteous guy, but I've never taken a job that hasn't helped the greater good of the galaxy."

[Writer]

Riebe nodded, but it was clear her mind was on other things. Suddenly, she asked, "Did you know Jack was alive?"

[Curt-Man]

"Where ya headed Curt?" said a familiar voice. Curt stopped and turned around, it was the one he'd been fearing.

"Piss off Andrew, I got bigger fish to fry."

"No, you die right now, right here."

"Your on."

"No guns."

"Done." Curt said he took out a hilt, then pressed a button and an extandable blade came out.

"You still got that relic?"

"Do I ever." Curt said as he lunged at Andrew and they engaged in combat.

[Flamehart]

Craig shrugged, then responded, "I didn't think he was dead to begin with. He is the Jokemaster of course. I didnt think a bunch of Sith could kill him. I heard he was dead but I didn't put much thought into it. After all, I myself have been declared dead on many occasions, but I'm still here."

[Curt-Man]

Curt was clearly losing as Andrew pressed forward. Then a memory appeard to Curt. It was of Andrew and Curt's girlfriend, they were kissing and they weren't hiding, they were out in the open, both even glanced at him a few times. Curt started to cry and then ran, he could hear them laughing at him. Curt was back in the fight, and he pressed forward with renewed energy and rage. Slicing and blocking in rapid succession, he was not marksman, he now remembered who he truely was, The Black Blade. Curt threw the sword from Andrews hands and curt chopped him to the ground and after Curt had made a bloody mess of Andrew, he stopped. He was breathing heavily, he took out his pistols including the revolver, and whipped it into a fountain.

"I am back." Curt whispered and smiled.

 

Curt ran to the nearest clothing market and bought pure black clothes. Black pants, black tanktop, black full sleeve t-shirt, black shoes and a black cloak. Then he ran as fast as he could to where he had left the group.

 

They were no longer there, but there was a datapd on a speederbike. It read: Kid, knew you'd come back. Take this one. Curt took it and sped off towards the others.

[Writer]

"I find it somewhat discouraging that two of my closest friends lived through all that we faced and didn't think to come to me," Riebe grumbled.

 

"Would they know where you were?" Caitlin asked quietly. "If you told me truthfully, you went into hiding after your own faked death."

 

Riebe said nothing. Soon, they reached the temple and Riebe got off her bike.

 

"He's in here somewhere," she said. "Martins has seen a map of the place." She turned to him. "Is your memory any good? Lead us in."

 

"Hold on a second," Alyssa interrupted. "We're going into a place that's heavily guarded? There's only..." she paused for a moment, counting, "... nine of us. Do we have some kind of battle plan or are we just going to barge in to our deaths?"

 

"Are you afraid?" Riebe asked, turning to face Alyssa. The girl shrugged.

 

"Not really," she answered with a frown. Riebe took a step closer.

 

"Ysalimiri," she said. Alyssa nodded.

 

"Killable," she answered. Riebe took another step closer.

 

"But they'll inhibit your abilities," she objected.

 

"Only as long as they live," Alyssa answered. Riebe took one more step, putting her nose to nose with Alyssa.

 

"Potential traps," she whispered. Alyssa was barely breathing.

 

"Avoidable," she whispered back. Riebe suddenly pulled back.

 

"You've got nothing to loose then?" she asked.

 

"Nothing I'm unwilling to part with," Alyssa grinned.

 

"You remind me of somebody," Riebe told her.

 

"Who's that?" Alyssa asked. Riebe chuckled.

 

"Me." With that, she entered the temple. Alyssa was close behind.

[Curt-Man]

Curt had kicked it into high gear pushing the bike to go as fast as possible. when he saw the temple ahead he knew that where they went. He slowed down and parked his bike beside all of the others, he assumed they had gone inside. He snuk in after them.

[Flamehart]

Craig followed behind, "I'd wondered about you during my times in the Unknown Region. You never asked so I never mentioned it," said Craig simply. He walked next to Riebe and looked at the rest of the group, "As for the Ysalimiri, don't worry about them. Since I don't rely on the Force completely, I'll be able to take them down with my pistol from a range," he offered, then continued, "Either that, or we can leave them there for a bit, after all I would assume they effect his capturers as well, unless they're wearing something that may null the effect."

[jokemaster]

Martins pulled out a large automatic blaster from his speederbike and nodded at the others.

"Everyone ready?"

[Writer]

"Let's go," Riebe said. She led the way deeper into the tomb until they came to a door unlike any of the others.

 

"I'd be willing to bet they're keeping him in there somewhere," Alyssa said quietly. Riebe nodded.

 

"Then that's where we're going," she said. Before they could do anything, the door slid open.

 

"Welcome, Sith Hunters and companions!" a man on the other side said. "Come in, please. You've been expected."

[Flamehart]

Craig's handgun was already drawn in his left hand, his lightsaber hilt held tightly in his right. He looked at the others around him, "It's a trap, be careful," his expression clearly stated, then turned to look back at the man. Something wasn't right. Years of experience told him that although despite each of their skills, this just wasn't going to go as smoothly as they had originally anticipated.

[Curt-Man]

Curt had the group in sight, but barely, but that was ok, he could still follow them. For some reason he didn't want to show himself to the group, he didn't know why he just felt he didn't need to a the moment. He saw them at a door, and the door opened, they were all battle ready as the entered. Curt snuk right up close to the door frame as the door didn't shut. He just hid there, listening and waiting...but for what?